¶ The fyrste Chapytre / what thynge is necessary for the man that wyll receyue worthely the holy sacrament.

AS the doctours do wry­te / thre thyngꝭ be necessary to euery good ꝑson y^t fructefully wyll recey­ue the blyssed sacrament of our lord Ihesu chryst. ¶ The fyrste that is necessary for the man / is purenes and clennes in the conseyence / so that he be without deedly synne / in true re­pentaunce / confessyon / and stedfast purpo­se neuer to synne more / and to fulfyll the cōmaūdemētes of god and those of the holy churche. For the holy churche doth prohybyte and forbyd / that all those that be in deedly synne / that they shall not receyue the holy sacrament / yf they be not fyrste and afore [Page] confessed and assoyled. For otherwyse in goynge to the sacrament they synne deedly: in case that they maye haue or fynde a con­fessoure. Therfore the mā shal prepare hym therunto: as yf incontynent after his confessyon he shulde dye / and that is suffycyent afore Ihesu chryste.

¶ The seconde is / that the man shall haue feruent deuocyon / so that he shall appoynte and prepare hym self as deuoutly as he can possyble / tournynge hym selfe hooly from that thynge whiche for that tyme and houre myght drawe hym from god and from his deuocyon. Therfore the man shall haue af­ter his confessyon afore that he go to the sa­crament / a generall repentaūce and contrycyon of all his venyall synnes / specyally of those wherin he knoweth hym selfe day­ly to fall / be it in vayne spekynge / in eatynge and drynkyng more than nede requyreth or in not hauynge pacyence in trybulacyon or any other lyke / for they do let the persone in his deuocyon. A man may get deuocyon in two maners / that is to saye by the fere of god / as in remembrynge the greatnes and multytude of his synnes / and the iustyce of god. Secondaryly / by the dyleccyon & loue of god in remembryng his passyon and the [Page] benefytes that he hath showed vs.

¶ The thyrde thynge that is necessary for man for to receyue the holy sacrament worthely / is clennes of the body outwardly / so that he be not poluted and maculate in the body with synne by the defaulte of nature / the whiche maye be done in deedly synne / That is to saye whan it cōmeth of carnall thoughtes / or whan it cōmeth of glotonye and excesse of meates & drynkes. And than it is good for hym to refrayne for the dygnyte of the sacrament. It maye be done also without synne / as by feblenes or debylyte of nature / by coldnes of the body / by tēptacyon of the deuyll or otherwyse. But he that shall fynde hym selfe greued herein: shall take the counceyll of his confessoure.

¶ The seconde Chapytre / howe the man goth in thre maners of wayes to the holy sacrament in deedly synne.

THe man may be in deedly syn̄e and yet receyue the holy sacra­ment in thre maners.

¶ Fyrste / he maye be in deedly synne and knowe it not / or he doth truste in god that it is forgyuen hym / [Page] for he doth not remembre it. To this the do­ctours answere sayenge / yf it be so that the man afore his confessyon haue examyned his conscyence after his power / and accor­dynge to the prolyxyte of the tyme that he was last confessed. And than he doth serche for a good confessoure / that can helpe & ex­amyne hym in that wherin he is ygnoraūt. Who that so goth to the holy sacramēt with repentaunce and contrycyon of his synnes: receyueth in the holy sacrament remyssyon of all his synnes / confessed and forgoten. But yf he do renne neclygently to confesse hym / as the dogge to the potage / without remembrynge his euyll lyfe / it shall not helpe nor profyte hym afore god / that he hath forgoten his synnes. For it semeth that he careth not for it / and that he doth dyspyse it.

¶ Secondaryly / the man maye doubte in deedly synne for the erraunt and varyable conscyēce / so that he maketh cōscyence whe­re it nedeth not / wherof cōmeth ofte tymes great peryll. For the varyable conscyence byndeth the man to electe a good sage and wyse confessoure / whiche hath knowlege and vnderstādynge therof / and so he shall take awaye from hym the varyable cōscy­ence or the erroure of the same. And than he [Page] shall go to the holy sacrament: but so longe as that erroure of conscyence dureth or the most parte / he shall not go to the sacramēt. But yf the man doubte yf it be deedly syn̄e or no / he shall confesse hym afore that he go to the holy sacrament / or els he shall cōmyt a deedly synne / in puttyng hym ī the peryll of deedly synne.

¶ Thyrdly / the man maye yet be in deedly synne / and that he knoweth well that he hath not confessed hym therof. And neuer­theles he shulde haue confessed hym therof / where he cōmytteth a deedly synne bycause he doth not knowe it / for he is boūde to knowe it. And in so goynge to the holy sacramēt it is deedly synne and the ygnoraūce doth not excuse afore god / for he myght go / whe­re he myght be instructed.

¶ The thyrde Chapytre / yf the man maye go vnworthely to the holy sacrament / or be dampned for certayne deedly synnes whiche he hath forgoten: and that he knoweth not.

VPon this answereth / saynt Bonauenture that ī case that the man haue fyue poyntes in hym / god shall not compt his synnes forgoten / albeit that there were many.

¶ Fyrste / he shall aduyse hym selfe well a­fore that he go to his confessoure / in examynyng his conscyence in the .x. cōmaūdementes / and in the .vii. deedly synnes / and afterwarde in his state / offyce or crafte.

¶ Secondaryly / he shall praye to god dylygently that he maye haue knowlege of his synnes forgoten / of the whiche he is redy to confesse hym and to do penaunce for the sa­me after the counceyll of his confessoure.

¶ Thyrdly / he shall gladly go to the Ser­mons for to here and lerne / what thynge is deedly synne and what is not.

¶ Fourthly / he shall take counceyll with his confessoure / and shall demaunde that wherin he doubteth / whether it be deedly synne or venyall. For many folkes do ma­ke no synne of that that is synne / thynkyn­ge so to begyle theyr confessours / the which neuerthelesse shall be reputed great synne afore god.

¶ Fyfthly / the man shall kepe hym in as [Page] moche as he can and may from deedly syn̄e for those that synne an hondreth tymes and esteme it no more thā yf they dyd it not but .x. or .xx. tymes / it is no meruayle yf they do forget moche / the which our lorde god wyll iuge at the daye of iugement.

¶ The fourth Chapytre / wherby the man maye truste that he receyueth the ho­ly sacrament worthely / & who is in the state of grace.

SAynt Thomas saythe / that no man so longe as he lyueth here ī erth may knowe certaynly yf he be in the state of grace / & yf he receyue worthely the holy sacramēt or no / excepte that god do manyfest and showe it vnto hym. For saint Paule speketh of hym selfe / I do not knowlege me to be culpable in any deedly synne / yet notwithstandyng I am not iustyfyed afore our lord god: whiche knoweth all the hertes. Neuertheles af­ter that the man hath confessed hym selfe a­fore his confessoure / and hath dylygently declared all his synnes. There be yet foure [Page] tokens / by the whiche he maye surely truste and also haue knowlege / that he is well cō fessed and that he is in the state of grace / & so goth worthely to the holy sacrament.

¶ The fyrste / yf the man after his confessyon / gladly doth here the worde of god and to speke of god. For our lorde sayth / he that is of god / gladly doth here to speke of god. ¶ The seconde is / so longe as the man fe­leth hym selfe redy to dwell & to serue god / it is a token that he is in the loue of god: for where the charyte and loue of god is / there it doth worke some good / and yf it can not do it by workes / it doth it by desyre. And as saynt Gregorye sayth / the token of loue is the showynge of the workes.

¶ The thyrde is / that the man ought to ha­ue a stedfast purpose / from hensforth neuer to synne more. For so longe as the man is in the mynde and wyll to synne / so longe is he in the state of dampnacyon.

¶ The fourth is / that the man ought to ha­ue great repentaūce and contrycyon of his synnes passed. Therfore the man shall not reioyse nor vaunte hym selfe / nor also shall not reherse his synnes: for by hauynge pleasure and delyte in any deedly synne / a man maye cōmyt another deedly synne of [Page] newe / and is great peryll and daunger to the soule. In these foure poyntes (as saynt Gregorye sayth) doth consyste true and perfyte penaunce.

¶ The fyfth Chapytre / yf the man be boū de in and for any cause / to confesse hym more than ones in the yere.

YT is cōmaūded in the Canon lawe / that all good & catholyke persones which be come to theyr aege (cer­tayne great necessyties excepte) at the leste / ones in the yere do confesse them and do receyue the holy sacrament / or elles he that doth it not / he shall be excōmunycate in his lyfe / and after his deth he shal be buryed in the feldes lyke a beest. Yet notwithstādynge doctours do saye / that the man is bounde vnder the payne of a deedly synne / to confesse hym in contynent and not to tarye to Easter / and that for foure reasons and causes.

¶ Fyrste / so ofte as the man is in peryll of his lyfe: as women afore that they begynne to trauayle and laboure of theyr chylde / or those that wyl interpryse any great iourney [Page] or to go ouer the see: or those that do go to the warre for to fyght / or those that do vnder­take any thynge / wherof many do dye / or those that be in peryll to dye / as in the tyme of pestylence.

¶ Secondaryly / those that haue cōmyt su­che synnes that cōmon confessours can not assoyle them / or he that maye assoyle them / doth come thyther where they be: or they may lyghtly go vnto hym where he is: as to pardons and suche other / that they be bounde to confesse them.

¶ Thyrdly / whan the conscyence is very vnquyet and doth moue a man feruently to confesse incōtynently his synnes / for the conscyence bereth wytnes howe the man is dysposed within.

¶ Fourthly / whan the man wyll receyue the holy sacrament or any of the .vii. sacra­mentꝭ. In these foure causes is the mā boū ­de more than ones in the yere to confesse his synnes. Yet all this notwithstandynge euery good catholyke person shal confesse hym selfe at the leste foure tymes in the yere: albeit that he be not redy to go to the holy sacra­ment so oft. For a vessell that is vsed and occupyed euery day and not made clene but ones in the yere / it wyll be so foule and fylthy [Page] at the last that he can not be made clene so it is also of the conscyence of man.

¶ The .vi. Chapytre / howe and in what the man shall serche and examyne hym selfe / that worthely wyll go to the holy sacrament.

A Man that worthely wyll go to the holy sacrament he shal examyne dylygently his cō ­scyēce / in lyke case as he wol decyue and make a compte to a great lorde of many dettes. And to the entent that euery man whiche can not well confesse hym selfe maye knowe the maner howe to confesse hym / I wyll wryte a cō ­mon and a shorte maner / wherin al cōmon synnes be inclosed / in leuynge that whiche apperteyneth not to be wryten / to the entēt that some do not lerne that which they knowe not. And by this the man may lerne to cōfesse hym / in addynge & takynge awaye as his state and occupacyon doth requyre / or also after as his conscyence doth testyfye and moue hym: for it shulde not profyte nor be possyble to wryte all maner of synnes. Therfore the man shall prouyde hym of a [Page] good confessoure in cōtynuynge with hym without rennynge from one to another / the whiche shall knowe his state and lyfe / to the entent that he may the better helpe hym in that that he shall haue forgoten and be ygnoraunt. And thou shall come in tyme to confessyon / so that thou be not last / and that thou maye haue space ynough to con­fesse the / And whan thou doest confesse the a daye before / and thou doest remembre in the meane tyme any venyall syn̄es / it shal not nede to go agayne to confessyon / but to knocke vpon thy brest with cōtrycyon say­enge. O good lorde haue mercy of me poore synner. And kepe the in as moche as thou can from vayne wordes / and carnall thoughtes and frequētacyons / and from brekyng thy pacyence one day after thou hast receyued the sacrament / and one daye before / for the dygnyte of the same.

¶ The .vii. Chapytre / howe the man shall confesse hym selfe / fyrste of the .xii. Artycles of the holy catholyke fayth.

WHan thou shall come to thy confessyon / knele downe of both thy knees afore thy con­fessoure / makynge a crosse afore the and saye / In the na­me of the father / of the sone / and of the holy ghost. Amen. or In nomine patris. &c. And than saye Confiteor yf thou can saye it vnto Ideo precor. And yf thou can not say it / saye Benedicite: and than saye / Syr I confesse me afore god and you of all my syn̄es that I haue done / syth the fyrste tyme that I could synne vnto this houre. Fyrste that I haue synned agaynst the .xii. artycles of the holy fayth: that I haue not so stedfastly byleued in herte / mouthe / and workes as I am boūde. I haue somtymes also doubted in the holy sacrament or otherwyse as thou shall knowe thy selfe gyltye. Yf thou haste kepte companye with Iewes / Sarazyns / Heretykes / or yf thou know any other thynge / thou shall tell it.

¶ The .viii. Chapytre / of the .xii. vertues of the holy ghoste / wherof thou shall confesse the / as here foloweth.

I Confesse & accuse me / that I haue ben neclygent and haue transgressed ī the .xii. vertues of the holy ghost / I haue not had ioye / glad­nes / and loue in the seruyce of god / nor peace with my chrysten brother: nor pacyence in aduersyte / nor longanymyte or contynuaūce in the seruyce of god / nor holynes in my lyfe / nor pytie in beynge cō ­uersaunt with other folkes / nor also mea­sure and sobrenes in my maners / myne ap­parell / and in my workes / nor mekenes & Ientylnes with them that I haue haūted and dayly kepte companye / nor humylyte in my thoughtes and dedes / nor trueth in my wordes: nor purenes in my desyres and concupyscence.

¶ The .ix. Chapytre of the .xi. capytall synnes / whiche be called crymynall.

I Do confesse and accuse me: that I haue synned in many of the crymynall or capytall synnes. Yf thou fynde thy selfe culpable any wyse in any of the same thou maye tell it.

¶ As to syn agaynst the fayth of the trinite

¶ To synne agaynst nature.

¶ To synne in manslaughter.

¶ To synne agaynst the equyte and iusty­ce of the mageste of any prynce or prelate.

¶ To synne ī robbynge the churchꝭ by force

¶ To synne in carnall medlyng with any of his lynage.

¶ To synne in adultery in the state of ma­ryage.

¶ To synne in conspyracye or in makynge tumoure by force amonges the cōmonaltie.

¶ To synne in berynge false wytnes and that he doth knowe it false.

¶ To synne in Symonye.

¶ To synne by hauntynge vserye.

¶ The .x. Chapytre / of the .x. cōmaun­dementes / the whiche euery per­sone is bounde to knowe.

YEt I confesse and accuse me of the .x. cōmaūdementes of our lorde Ihesu chryste.

¶ Of the fyrste cōmaunde­mēt: y^t I haue not loued our lord god with al my herte aboue all thyngꝭ I haue not also worshypped hym as I ou­ghte to do / nor I haue not had so stedfaste [Page] fayth in hym as I am boūde / but sōtymes I haue byleued those which haue vsed Nygromancye / or wytche crafte / or Herytykes which haue spokē agaynst the holy churche.

¶ Of the seconde cōmaundement / that I haue taken the name of god in vayne with out any necessytie / for I haue sworne ofte tymes for a lytell cause / which I haue knowen to be contrary / wherwith I haue ofte tymes deceyued myne euen chrysten. I ha [...] also caused other to swere and curse / bycause that I wolde not byleue them of theyr worde. I haue also sworn not onely by god and hy his blyssed membres and passyon / but also by his sayntes / as by the mother of god / by saynt Iohan / & in other maners.

¶ Of the thyrde cōmaūdement / that I ha­ue not sanctyfyed the sondaye & holy daye / by true contrycyon of my deedly synnes / by my prayers / by herynge masse and the ser­mon / and by gyuynge almous / but I haue in this tyme serched my profyte in demaun­dynge money of my dettours / byenge and sellynge that that was not greatly necessary. I haue suffred my seruaūtes to laboure without necessytie / so that they coulde not here masse. I haue occupyed my selfe that same daye more than in other dayes / with [Page] wordly pleasure: as in eatynge / drynkynge and in carnall frequentacyon.

¶ Of the fourth cōmaūdement / that I ha­ue not honoured my father and mother: nor haue not obeyed them / nor helped them in theyr necessytie / but I haue vexed and dyspleased them: and haue wysshed them deed in my herte. I haue not also after theyr deth faythfully prayed / nor caused to praye for theyr soules. I haue not also ben obedyent to my spyrytuall prelates and auncyent fathers and to them / and to the holy churche I haue not borne honour and showed reuerence as I am bounde. I haue not parfyte­ly payed my offrynges and dewtyes of the holy churche. I haue spoken and kepte company with those that were excomunycate / with vsurers / herytykes & other Infydels.

¶ Of the fyfth cōmaundement / that I haue slayne and kylled my chrysten brother or neyghboure by wyll and desyre / albeit that in dede I haue not fulfylled it / And that vniustly and agaynst reason I haue cau­sed them to be imprysoned / or I haue done them hurt and dōmage in theyr bodyes and goodes. I haue hurte / wounded / or bette some / I haue not kepte well my chyldren / so that they be departed out of this worlde / baptysed [Page] or not baptysed.

¶ Of the syxt cōmaundement / that I ha­ue done vnclene and vnlawfull workes with vnlawfull persones not maryed / or in adultery with persones maryed / or with vyrgynes and maydens whom I haue defloured and vyolate / or with my kynsfol­kes / or gossep / or agaynst nature / or with thy selfe / or yf thou haue gyue thy fayth se­cretly to any persone without any wytnes or without the cōmaūdementes of the chur­che / and so hath carnally medled afore that thou was maryed.

¶ Of the seuenth cōmaundement / that I haue take and also by force without ryght or reason the goodes of other men out of ho­ly places or not holy. And that I haue solycyte to haue some offyces or benefycꝭ / wherby I haue oppressed the poore people / and haue taken more than of ryght I ought to do. I haue cōmyt vsurye secretly or openly I haue solde my goodes or marchaundyse derer by credence than for redy money. I haue receyued the goodes of spyrytuall perso­nes / or of theyr seruauntes / or of chyldren / and those whiche can not gyue any thynge without lycence. I haue not ben faythfull in my laboure and worke. I haue praysed [Page] often tymes my goodes and marchaundyse moch aboue the pryce that they were worth: in puttyng the best aboue in syght. And the worste beneth. I haue also deceyued folkes with euyll money. I haue not restored the goodes which I haue wrongfully come to or that thynge that I haue founde. I haue euyll and vnprofytably spent the goodes of the churche / or myne owne goodes. And I haue not fulfylled the testament or laste wylle of my frendes / so as I oughte to do / or so soone as I myght.

¶ Of the .viii. cōmaundemet / that I haue gyuen by malyce agaynst my neyghboure false wytnes secretly or openly. And I haue brought forthe agaynst hym false wyt­nes / or haue brought or turned them by gyftes or thretyngꝭ. I haue not sayd the treuth that I knewe to the profyte of my neygh­boure when it hath ben demaunded of me / I haue also withdrawne the good name & fame of other persones / in spekynge euyll of them behynde theyr backes. And I haue mocked / shamed / and dyffamed them.

¶ Of the .ix. cōmaundement / that I haue voluntaryly consented / desyred and solycyte to synne in Lechery with vnlawfull persones. And haue had pleasure and ioye in [Page] my folysshe and vnclene thoughtes. I ha­ue also apparylled and aorned my selfe in pryde / for to be better seen & to please other persones / and for to drawe them in to syn̄e at my desyre / And I haue gladly gone to suche places / where I myght se wanton & vycyous persones / or myght be seen my selfe with concupyscence / wherof I haue had oft tymes euyll dremes / and defaulte or po­lucyon of nature.

¶ Of the .x. cōmaūdement / that I haue desyred in my herte agaynst ryght and reason to haue another mānes goodes: ye yf they shuld haue suffred pouertie therby / And haue solycyte to obteyne theyr goodes by fraude. I haue also bought that / whiche I coulde not by without syn̄e / as the goodꝭ of the vsurer / or that I dyd know wel y^t it was stolene / or I haue also secretly solycyte for to dyffame some persone for to haue his ser­uyce or offyce. And then say / of these deedly synnes / and of all other that I haue done agaynst the cōmaūdementes of god / I confesse me to be gyltye. And demaunde & de­syre penaunce for the same.

¶ The .xii. Chapytre / of the .ix. straūge synnes: how a mā shal cōfesse hym of the same.

I Confesse and knowlege my selfe gyltye of the .ix. straunge syn̄es / where as I haue offended my lorde god in the same.

¶ Fyrste / that I haue cō ­maunded other persones to synne / as the father to cōmaunde his chyldren / the mayster his seruauntes / the maystres her mayden or chambryer / which is syn̄e agaynst god and the loue or profyte of his neyghboure. And no man ought to do suche a thynge.

¶ Secondaryly / that I haue gyuen to another euyll counceyll / wherof is come synne or dōmage: and wherby also other haue ben oppressed and shamed.

¶ Thyrdly / that I haue consented to do e­uyll in myne offyces for money or rewar­de whiche is synne / And albeit that I ha­ue not done it or cōmaūded it / yet neuerthe­les consentyngly I haue let it passe with­out any hede takynge therof. Also of the e­uyll chaunced in my howse amonges my chyldren and seruaūtes / yf I had gyuen cō trary cōmaundement or taken hede therun­to / it shulde not haue chaunced / or elles it shulde haue ben amended.

¶ Fourthly / that I haue praysed other in [Page] theyr synne and malyce / and that I haue taken pleasure and reioysed my selfe to he­re them reherse theyr synnes / wherby I ha­ue made my selfe parte taker of theyr syn̄es. ¶ Fyfthly / that I haue harboured / lodged and defended euyll persons / as theues / murderers / and other vnlawfull persones ly­uynge in synne.

¶ Syxtly / that I haue ben partener in y^t thynge that hath ben stollen / & goten with synne.

¶ Seuenthly / that I haue kepte scylence / and not argued and spoken in that thynge that I was bounde by god and myne offyce to do / but I haue lette it passe for fere or for loue.

¶ Eyghtly / that I haue not tourned and letted my subgectes and seruaūtes / whan they dyd dōmage or oppresse the poore folkꝭ with theyr beestes / dogges / or hawkes / in theyr corne or feldes / or in theyr gartheyns / And also that they haue bette / wounded / mocked / and rygorously spoken to the same poore folkes and īnocentes / so that they haue cursed and sworne great othes.

¶ Nynthly / that I haue not showed the malyce of another man: to hym that myght amende and correcte it. Also that I haue [Page] knowen some hyd whiche hath ben stollen and that I haue not showed it to hym / to whom it apperteyneth. Also that I haue seen euydent peryll of my neyghboure both in soule / body & goodꝭ / wherof I haue not coūceylled & aduysed hym after my power.

¶ The .xii. Chapytre / howe a man shall confesse hym selfe breyfly of the .viii. Beatytudes.

I Cōfesse me also & knowlege my self gylte ī the .viii. Beatytudes of the soule. ¶ Fyrste: that I haue not ben poore of spyryte.

¶ Secondaryly / I haue not ben gentyll and meke / in my syckenes and aduersytie.

¶ Thyrdly / I haue not studyed and coueyted to haue the vertue of iustyce / for to lyue iustly.

¶ Fourthly / I haue not ben mercyful and pytefull towardes the poore people.

¶ Fyfthly / I haue not ben pure of hert to­wardes all creatures / but double bothe in worde and dede.

¶ Syxtly I haue not ben peasyble towardes [Page] all persones / but rather full of debate and dyscorde.

¶ Seuenthly / I haue not had pacyence for to suffre aduersyties.

¶ Eyghtly / I haue not weped for my syn­nes / nor had dewe contrycyon for the same.

¶ The .xiii. Chapytre / of the .vii. gyftes of the holy ghoste / and howe a man shall confesse hym of the same.

ALso I confesse and knowlege my self gyltye / that I haue not in me the .vii. gyftes of the holy ghost.

¶ Fyrst I haue not the wysdome for to vnderstande that thynge / whiche apperteyneth vnto god.

¶ Secondaryly / I haue not in me vnder­standynge for to remembre the foure extre­myties / as deth / the payne of hell / the daye of iugement / and the ioye of heuen.

¶ Thyrdly / I haue not in me wyse and sage counceyll / for to flye & eschewe the euyll and to chose the best.

¶ Fourthly / I haue not in me the scyence / for to knowe my selfe and my workes.

¶ Fyfthly / I haue no strength in me for to [Page] resyste euyll thoughtes and temptacyons. ¶ Syxtly / I haue not in me pytie nor compassyon of the poore.

¶ Seuenthly / I haue not in me the fere of god / for to eschewe the euyll and to folowe the good.

¶ The .xiiii. Chapytre / howe a man shall confesse hym selfe of the .vii. sacra­mentes / of the holy churche.

I Confesse & knowlege my selfe gyltye / y^t I haue not honoured the .vii. sacramē tes of the holy churche / as I am bounde.

¶ Fyrste: albeit that I am baptysed or chrystened / yet neuertheles I haue not renounced the deuyll and his workes and pompes / as I promysed at the ba­ptysme.

¶ Secondaryly / albeit that I am confyr­med / yet notwithstādynge I haue not spoken that thyng that toucheth the holy catholyke fayth / or I haue let it passe for world­ly fere / and haue ben ashamed to speke.

¶ Thyrdly / I haue not honoured ne obser­ued the state of maryage.

¶ Fourthly / I haue not honoured the p̄estꝭ and spyrytual persones / nor also the ordres of the holy churche for the loue of god.

¶ Fyfthly / I haue not done the penaunce for my synnes to me enioyned by my con­fessoure / in prayenge / fastynge / in almous dede and other lyke.

¶ Syxtly / I haue not made my confessy­on with suche repentaunce and contrycyon of my synnes / and so perfytely spoken / as I ought to do.

¶ Seuenthly / I haue not receyued the ho­ly sacrament of the aulter so worthely / nor haue beholden it with suche reuerence / as it apperteyneth.

¶ The .xv. Chapytre / howe a man shall confesse hym of the .vii. deedly synnes.

ALso I confesse & know­lege my selfe gyltye / to haue synned in the .vii. deedly synnes.

¶ Fyste in pryde of herte in wordes / in thoughtes and in workes / for I haue auaunced and exalted my selfe / & haue desyred to be harde and seen of other. I haue also be prowde & [Page] presūptuous in my wordes and dedes / and haue had vayne glory in my herte. I haue also presumed and bosted my self of my noblenes and fayrenes / by reason wherof I haue dyspraysed & dyspysed the other which had it not. I haue not regarded the ordinaū ces of the holy churche / but reputed them as no thynge / in kepynge companye with those that were excōmunycate. I haue dyspy­sed bothe those persones / that were not so hygh indygnyte as I / and also those that were hygher and better than I: and I haue hayted those that were lyke & as good as I. I haue alwayes wylled and desyred to haue my wyll fulfylled / and haue alwayes wylled to haue ryght and reason / in excu­synge me and accusynge another. I haue also ben vnkynde both to god & man / for the goodes and benefytes that I haue receyued of them.

¶ Secondaryly / I do confesse and accuse me of the synne of coueytous / for inordynately and aboue reason and myne estate / I haue desyred and coueyted rychesse and ho­noure. I haue withholden other mennes goodes / vsynge them at my pleasure. I haue hydde & withdrawen my selfe / to the entent that I shulde not gyue almous to the [Page] poore and indygent / where as neuertheles great necessytie was. I haue haunted and played at cardes and dyse for coueytous on the sonday and holy dayes. I haue also for money lyed for to get honoure and benefy­ces. And haue wryten false letters / vsed vsurye. I haue also deceyued / stollen & rob­bed / bette / sworne / and gyuen false & euyll iugement.

¶ Thyrdly / I knowlege my selfe gyltye in lechery / by thought / worde / and dede / by my selfe / or with vnlawfull persones / in haūtynge / clyppynge and kyssynge vnho­nestly / or I haue ī the state of maryage dysordynately aboue reason and nature lyued for albeit that I haue not cōmyt adulterye in dede / yet neuertheles I haue consented therunto in my herte.

¶ Nota / Here thou shalt take coūceyll bref­ly and honestly of thy ghostly father / for a man maye synne deedly with his wyfe in maryage / in fyue maners and wayes / the whiche it is no nede to declare here.

¶ Fourthly / I confesse and knowlege me to haue synned in enuye / for I haue hayted and hath ben enuyous for the honour / good name / and auaūcement of my chrysten brother and neyghboure. And by enuye I haue [Page] done the best that hath ben ī me / to let hym therof. Also for enuye I haue be ryght sory of his good fortune / prosperyte / & auaunce­ment / and haue ben very glad of his mys­fortune / trybulacyon / and aduersytie / trou­blynge and oppressynge hym to my power where soeuer I coulde. I haue also dyffa­med hym behynde his backe: and haue gladly herkened and herde other which haue spoken euyll of hym. And I haue also made dyscēcyon where there was peace & cōcorde. ¶ Fyfthly / I haue synned in glotonye / for I haue not fasted and kepte abstynence on fastynge dayes / vygyles / & other cōmaun­ded by the holy churche. I haue also eaten afore the tyme and houre of the repase / and somtyme without appetyte / more for car­nall voluptuousnes than for the necessytie and mayntenaunce of nature. I haue also taken meate and drynke so abundauntly & excessyuely / that I haue ben sycke & euyll dysposed therby / hauynge loste reason / me­morye / and vnderstādynge. I haue caused ouer delycate and precyous meates to be or­deyned for me / wherin I haue had great pleasure. I haue also eaten meatꝭ not law­full to be eaten on suche a daye / after the cō ­maundementes of the holy churche.

¶ Syxtly I haue synned in yre and wrath for I haue ben ofte tymes vexed & angry with my husbande / or my wyfe / with my chyldren or my menye & seruaūtes. I haue wylled through wrath to be venged / and haue desyred vengeaunce. And I haue borne in my herte the iniurye and wronge whiche hath ben done vnto me / and for yre and wrath / I haue not ben wyllynge to forgy­ue hym that dyd it / nor to speke vnto hym / but rather I haue eschewed his companye. I haue also for angre and wrath / cursed & sworne abhomynably / and haue done all the hurte and dōmage that I coulde to my neyghboure / both in his body and goodes. Also I haue not ben wyllynge to here rea­son nor to be content therwith / but haue cryed out agaynst trueth. I haue made dyscor­de & varyaunce / and without ryght or rea­son haue holden more with one than with another.

¶ Seuenthly / I confesse me to haue syn­ned in slouth / where as I haue consumed and loste moche goodes wherwith I was bounde to do good dedes / and by my conscyence exorted therto. I haue ben slouthfull in godes seruyce / and to go to confessyon / & to do my penaūce. I haue not fulfylled my [Page] penaunce inioyned to me by my cōfessoure: for my synnes / nor promyses and vowes by me made / or els slouthfully I haue ful­fylled them. I haue ben Ydle / & haue spent my tyme ī vayne. And I haue somtymes done good dedes with lytell deuocyon / by heuynes shame or vayne glory. I haue ben also neclygent in lernynge that thyng that I was bounde to knowe / in all these .vii. deedly synnes or in some of them: wherin I haue offended my lorde god / I knowlege my selfe gylty / and crye god mercy.

¶ The .xvi. Chapytre / howe a man shall confesse hym selfe / of the .vii. workes of mercy bodely.

I Knowlege me yet to haue synned in the .vii. bodely workes of mercy.

¶ Fyrste I haue not fedde those that were hungrye and indygent persones.

¶ Secondaryly / I haue not gyuen drynke to those that were thrustye.

¶ Thyrdly / I haue not herboured ne lod­ged pylgrymes & other lackynge lodgynge And I haue not showed the ryght waye to those that went wronge.

¶ Fourthlye / I haue not vysyted / with [Page] myne almesse the poore and sycke folkes. ¶ Fyfthly / I haue not gyuen clothynge to them that were naked.

¶ Syxtly / I haue not delyuered those that haue ben prysoned vniustly and withoute reason

¶ Seuēthly / I haue not buryed nor caused to burye the deed bodyes.

¶ The .xvii. Chapytre / of the .vii. workes of mercy spyrytually.

I knowlege me to haue synned in the .vii. spyrytuall workes of mercy.

¶ Fyrste / I haue not taughte and in­structe those that were ignoraūt / that thyn­ge whiche was necessarye for the helthe of theyr soules / and to whom I was bounde to showe and teche.

¶ Secondarylye / I haue not gyuen them good counceyll whiche demaūded it of me / wherby they haue ben in great peryll and daunger both in body and soule.

¶ Thyrdly / I haue not reproued and correcte them whiche haue erred & synned / wher­in I myght haue done great profyte.

¶ Fourthly / I haue not corroborate & comforte them / whiche haue ben in dyspayre.

¶ Fyfthly / I haue not ben wyllyng to forgyue thē / which haue troubled & vexed me. ¶ Syxtly / I haue not pacyētly borne nor suffred iniuryes / wronges / dyspysynges / tēptacyons / syckenes / oppressyons or other aduersyties.

¶ Seuenthly / I haue not hertely / affectu­ously / and faythfull prayed for my frendes and for myne enemyes / and for them that I am bounde to praye.

¶ The .xviii. Chapytre / howe the man maye confesse hym of the syx synnes whiche be agaynst the holy ghost.

I Confesse me yf I haue any maner or wyse synned in the syxe syn̄es agaynst the holy ghost.

¶ Fyrste in dyspayre / y^t I haue not byleued throughe dyspayre that god is mercyfull / & wyll pardon and forgyue all synnes: after repentaunce / contrycyon / and confessyon.

¶ Secondaryly / that I haue wyllyngly spoken agaynst the catholyke fayth: and haue spoken agaynst that whiche was for the helth of my soule.

¶ Thyrdly / I haue ben so harde of herte & so roted in synne / that I wolde not be broughte out of it.

¶ Fourthly / that by presumpcyon I haue not dred god nor deth / nor the iugement of god / but I haue thought that I shall be sa­ued without penaunce and good workes. ¶ Fyfthly: that I haue ben enuyous for the grace of god in another / whiche dyde with­drawe hym selfe from synne / to good & vertuous lyuynge.

¶ Syxtly / that I haue dyspysed to do pe­naunce for my synnes.

¶ The .xix. Chapytre / howe a man shall confesse hym of the fyue senses or wyttes and of the other membres of the body.

MOreouer / I confesse me to haue synned / & to haue offē ded god in my .v. wyttes & by all my membres.

¶ Fyrste / that I haue trymmed and aorned the heer of my heed and browes with great pryde. I haue not ho­noured nor showed reuerence to god / and my superyours with my heed / nor haue not ben obedyent therwith. I haue also gyuen [Page] myne eares to here vnhonest wordes and cōmunycacyon / and to detraccyon. I haue not ruled and kepte myne iyes from the be­holdynge of vnlawfull & dyshonest syghtꝭ I haue delyted to smell with my nose suche thynges as haue prouoked me to synne. I haue also opened my mouthe / to curse / to swere / to lye / and to deceyue. I haue also abused my tongue for to eate and drynke delycyously: and my throte in syngynge wanton and vnhonest songes. I haue also abused my handes to my self or to other / in vn­clennes and lechery. I haue made my god of my body / in abundaunce of eatynge and drynkyng / and vnclennes. I haue had many vnlawfull and vnclene thoughtes / & desyres in my herte: the whiche I wolde ha­ue done in dede / yf shame of the worlde had not letted me. I haue mysused my legges and fete in goynge to places / where as I haue greatly greued god / wherof I am sorye / and I crye god mercy.

¶ The .xx. Chapytre / howe the man shall confesse hym selfe of the foure synnes cryenge vengeaunce afore god.

I Confesse me also yf I haue ī any wyse offended god / in the foure synnes cryenge to god for vengeaunce.

¶ Fyrste / in the synne agaynst nature: that is to saye / whan it is done in another place and in otherwyse / than nature and god ha­ue ordeyned it.

¶ Secondaryly / that I haue shed innocent blode / or haue brought any persone to deth / without a cause.

¶ Thyrdly / that I haue oppressed and vnreasonably persecuted poore orphelyns: wydowes / and poore folkes.

¶ Fourthly / that I haue withholden and not dewely payed those / whiche haue fayth fully serued and laboured for me / as they haue deserued.

¶ The .xxi. Chapytre / howe the man shall confesse hym of the foure cardynall vertues.

I Haue yet synned ī the foure cardynall vertues / wher­by I am bounde to lede & rule my lyfe.

¶ Fyrste: in me there is not wysdome & prudence to do and accōplysshe [Page] my actes and dedes in tyme conuenyent / as I am bounde.

¶ Secondaryly / I haue not in me force & strength to resyste euyll and peruers incly­nacyons and temptacyons to synne / but I haue ben lyghtly ouercome / and haue fal­len in to synne.

¶ Thyrdly / I haue not in me the vertue of temperaūce and meane / for I haue trauay­led / and laboured / fasted / prayed / done pe­naunce / and other good dedes without dys­crecyon / so that therby I haue to moche fe­blysshed my body.

¶ Fourthly / I haue not in me the vertue of iustyce / for I haue not tourned my selfe from synne / in not doynge the vertue whi­che I was bounde to do / & for myne owne profyte / I haue forsaken to do the cōmon profyte.

¶ The .xxii. Chapytre / howe a man shall cōfesse hym of the .iii. pryncypall vertues / called Theologycall.

I Haue syn̄ed ī the .iii. pryncypall vertues without the which I can not be saued. ¶ Fyrste / that I haue not in me / stedfaste fayth with good workes.

¶ Secondaryly / I haue not a sure hope of the heuenly goodnes for to come.

¶ Thyrdly / I haue not in me a feruent lo­ue & charyte towardꝭ god & my neyghbour.

¶ The .xxiii. Chapytre / howe a man shall confesse hym of the two cōmaunde­mentes / in the whiche all the other be comprehende.

I Haue synned / bycause I haue not lo­ued my lorde god and creatoure with all my herte / my soule / and with all my myght and power. I haue ofte tymes set my herte more in the loue of folkes / and in the honoure and ioye of this worlde / in aornemētes & voluptuousnes of my body / and in the goodes / rychesse / and other va­nyties of this worlde / than towardes god almyghtye.

¶ Also I haue not loued my chrysten bro­ther & neyghbour as my self / doynge other­wyse to hym / than I wold had ben done to me / wherof I am sory & crye god mercy.

¶ The .xxiiii. Chapytre / howe a man shal confesse hym / of the cogytacyons and thoughtes of his herte.

I Do accuse me also / to haue synned greatly by cogytacyons and thoughtꝭ of my herte.

¶ Fyrste / that I haue receyued of our lorde god many good inspyracions: sterynge and mouyng me to amende my peruers & euyll lyfe / and to tourne me to penaūce / and that I shulde do good and leue the euyll. These and many other exhortacions whiche I haue receyued of god and of my holy aungell I haue resyste & withstande / as an ingrate and vnkynde persone.

¶ Secondaryly / I haue not resyste & with stande euyll thoughtes / whiche haue come vnto me by temptacyon of the flesshe or of the deuyll / but haue perseuered of a fre wyl and haue thought of them by consent / yf I myght haue had my purpose: and haue lefte it more for shame and fere of the people: thā for the loue or fere of god. In these and ma­ny other synnes venyall and mortall / I knowlege me to haue ofte tymes offended my lorde god in herte.

¶ The .xxv. Chapytre / howe a man shall confesse hym selfe in generall of all his venyall synnes.

I Haue finally synned and do accuse me of al my venyall syn̄es / whiche be in great nombre / as of vay­ne thoughtes / wordes / & dedes: & that I haue euyll and vnprofytably spent and lost my tyme and that I myght haue done moche more good thā I haue done. I haue not also said my prayers and penaūce so hertely and fer­uently as I ought to do / and that I haue not so deuoutly and hertely made my con­fessyon. I haue not praysed and lauded al­myghty god in all his operacyons & workꝭ. I haue fylled & nourysshed my body with eatynge and drynkynge more than was nede or necessarye.

¶ Of these synnes and all other that I ha­ue done in my lyfe / whether they be mortall or venyall / whiche be in my remembraun­ce and knowen / or forgoten & not knowen by ygnoraūce / were it wakynge or slepyn­ge / by daye or by nyght: al one or with a­nother / I confesse me and knowlege me to haue offende god / cryenge hym mercy / and desyre absolucyon of you my ghostly fa­ther. Et Ideo precor. &c.

¶ The .xxvi. Chapytre / what thynge man receyueth / whiche worthely and in the state of grace / goth to the holy sacrament.

WE haue nowe herde / howe & in what maner ye shall pre­pare your selfe by confessyon for to go to the holy sacramēt and resteth to declare what vertues and fruytes the mā receyueth in his soule / whiche hathe so pre­pared hym selfe.

¶ Fyrste / the man receyueth in the holy sa­crament / the same blyssed body and flesshe that our lady mary the mother of god hath borne in her vyrgynall wombe / & the whi­che hath hange vpon the crosse / by the whi­che sacrament also the man is made parte taker of all the goodnes that our lorde hath done in all his lyfe / in fastynge / prayenge / prechynge / in watchynge / and in his harde and bytter passyon. Also the man therby is made parte taker of all the merytes of all the sayntes in heuen: and of all the good persones in erth.

¶ Secondaryly / the man receyueth in the holy sacrament / the holy precyous & blyssed [Page] blode of our lorde Ihesu chryste: & therby is pourged of al his syn̄es cōfessed & forgoten. And after the greatnes of his deuocyon / the multytude of his synnes be forgyuen hym.

¶ Thyrdly / the man receyueth in the holy sacrament / the noble soule of our lorde Ihesu chryste / the whiche he dyd cōmende han­gynge on the crosse / to his father god almy­ghty / wherby man pourchaseth a gayge of euerlastynge lyfe. For yf god gyue to man the greatest thynge / as his owne propre soule: he wyll gyue also that whiche is lesse / as the perdurable and euerlastynge lyfe.

¶ Fourthly / he receyueth also in the holy sacrament / the lyfe vnyed with the body of our lorde Ihesu chryste / wherby the man is transfourmed in god. For as puyssaunce or myghte is ascrybed to god the father / to the sone sapyence or wysdome / and to the holy ghost pytie and benygnyte / so the man also by the vertue of the holy sacrament / becō ­meth myghty & stronge in prayer / to resyste the euyll temptacyons of the deuyll of hell. He becōmeth also sage and wyse for to cho­se vertue and the good from the euyll. He doth pourchase also in hym selfe great goodnes: as loue and charite towardes god / and pacyence and humylyte.

¶ Fyfthly / the mā receyueth by the holy sa­crament / the dyuynyte of our lorde: wherby the soule of the man is rēplysshed with the swetnes of dyuyne grace. For the man whiche hathe worthely receyued the holy sacra­ment / albeit that the breade or hoste is con­sumed and vanysshed / yet hath he our lor­de Ihesu chryste abydynge ī his soule with his grace / as a spyrytual meate of the soule: and so he receyueth the sacrament bodyly & ghostly. But yf he receyue it in deedly syn̄e: he receyueth it bodyly / as the very body of our lorde / but he dothe not receyue the ver­tues aforesayde in his soule. For whan the sacrament is dygeste ī the body of man / our lorde god dothe retourne vnto heuen from whens he came by his grace / leuyng the soule voyde of all vertue: and possessed of the deuyll of hell / as Iudas the traytoure was whiche receyued our lorde Ihesu chryste in the holy sacrament / in the last supper or col­lacyon. And bycause that he was not in the state of grace but in deedly synne / therfore he receyued not the grace of god / also oure lorde dyd not tary with hym. And so there be foure maner of folkes / that receyueth the holy sacrament.

¶ The fyrst receyue it bodyly & not ghostly

¶ The seconde / receyue it spyrytually or ghostly and not bodyly.

¶ The thyrde: receyue it not neyther bodely nor ghostly.

¶ The fourthe / receyue it bodyly and not ghostly / as hereafter is declared to the helth of the soule.

¶ The .xxvii. Chapytre / of foure maner of folkes whiche receyueth onely the holy sacrament bodely / to the dāpnacyon of theyr soules.

THey receyue the holy Sacra­ment bodyly to the dampna­cyon of theyr soules.

¶ Fyrste / those whiche wyl­lyngly and knowynge them selfe in deedly synne do go to receyue it / for suche folkes be deed in theyr soules. And as saynt Austyne wryteth: that as the soule of the mā is the lyfe of the body / so is also god the lyfe of the soule / taryenge and dwellynge in the soule / And god and deedly synne can not dwell togyther in one place. Ther­fore saynt Paule saythe / that a man shall proue and examyne hym selfe afore that he receyue the holy sacrament. A synner shall [Page] examyne hym selfe in thre thynges / and so he may go worthely to the holy sacrament.

¶ Fyrste / yf he repent hym of all his syn̄es passed.

¶ Secondaryly / yf he be purposed neuer to synne more.

¶ Thyrdly / yf he haue mynde and wyll / & wyll accomplysshe that same wyll / to con­fesse all his synnes / and after the counceyll of his confessour to make satysfaccyon for the same. All those hauynge thyse thre poyntes be in the state of grace / & without deedly synne. And in case that they shulde dye so­deynly / god wyll haue mercy of them. And may suerly receyue / vpon the mercy of god the holy sacrament.

¶ The other whiche receyueth the holy sa­cramēt vnworthely be those whiche hauynge no knowleg of any deedly syn̄e by them cōmyt / be in a peruerse and euyll mynde & wyll to do synne / as wyllyngly to hurte any man: or to haunt lechery and vnclennes or to be prowde or other lyke. For in al deedly synnes wherby a man may dampne his soule by the dede / so he maye also dampne it without the dede / onely by wyll & consent. So dyd Iudas receyue the holy sacrament beynge ī the myscheuous wyll and mynde [Page] to betraye our lorde Ihesu chryste. And therfore dyde he receyue within hym the deuyll of hell / and became worse after that he had receyued the sacrament / than he was afore. So also the people become worse and mo­re obstynate in synne / whiche receyue the holy sacrament in an euyll and peruers myn­de and wyll. They haue all an euyll myn­de and wyll / whiche do not eschewe occasyon to syn̄e: wherby they shuld fall in synne. ¶ The thyrde maner of folkes / whiche re­ceyue not well the holy sacrament / be the Ypocrytes whiche resemble to be good out­wardly / but within they be full of all vn­clennes / lechery / and enuye. They be suche whiche ones in the yere come to confessyon and do promyse to amende theyr lyuynge / but they do the contrarye. They be also su­che whiche without occasyon by fayned humylyte / do ofte tymes refrayne to go to the holy sacrament / sayenge that they be not worthy to receyue it / in reprehendyng other whiche ofte tymes go therunto. Yf we wyll speke of the dygnyte / there is none worthy to receyue it / in heuen nor in erthe / neyther Mary the mother of god nor the apostelles. Nor god doth not desyre of vs suche prepayrynge as doth apperteyne to his mageste & [Page] dyuynyte / but he desyreth onely of vs suche prepayrynge as is possyble to our power / nor he dothe not demaunde that we do not synne / or that we haue not synned / but he desyreth onely that after that we haue syn­ned / that we be penytent and sory therfore / and that we be in purpose and wyll neuer to synne more. For saynt Peter in the laste supper dyd receyue worthely the holy sacrament / yet neuertheles he renounced our lor­de Ihesu chryste shortely after / and all the other apostelles dyd cōmyt a deedly synne with hym. Wherfore man shall do that that is in hym / goynge to the holy sacrament / & cōmendynge hym to god.

¶ The fourth maner of folkes / whiche re­ceyue the sacrament vnworthely / be those whiche presūptuously go to the holy sacra­ment in deedly synne / to moche trustynge to the mercy of god / thynkynge it not to be synne / whiche they do make no synne / whiche do not examyne theyr conscyence afore / nor remembre not theyr euyll and peruers lyuynge / nor also haue not contrycyon in theyr hertes / nor do not make theyr confessyon. And suche folkes albeit that they haue not knowlege of any deedly synne by them cōmytte / yet neuertheles they goynge to the [Page] holy sacrament cōmytte a deedly synne / for they do put them selfe ī peryll. Saynt Paule sayth / that the man shall examyne his cō scyence afore that he go therunto. O what nombre of people there is: which bere many and great synnes vpon them / and careth no thynge at all therfore. They do chose a confessoure whiche is very symple: whiche doth lede both the synner & hym selfe to hell.

¶ The .xxviii. Chapytre / howe greatly he synneth / whiche receyueth the sacrament vnworthely.

THe greatnesse of the synnes of those / whiche receyue the holy sacrament vnworthely and in deedly syn̄e to theyr euerlastynge dampnacyon / maye be con­sydered by foure reasons.

¶ Fyrste / for suche folkes be reputed afore god for murderers of Ihesu chryste the sone of god. And as saynt Gregorye sayth: they do cōmyt greater synne whiche do dyspyse god reygnynge in heuen / than those whiche dyd crucyfye hym in erth. O what penaunce wolde a good catholyke man do / whiche shulde haue crucyfyed our lorde / what pe­naunce [Page] is he than bounde to do / which hath vnworthely receyued the body of oure lor­de god.

¶ Secondaryly / suche folkes be oft tymes punysshed in theyr bodyes by syckenes / or by sodayne deth. And therfore cōmonly af­ter easter cōmeth syckenes / pestylence / and other inconuenyence / And that is bycause the man so vnworthely and in deedly syn̄e receyueth the holy sacrament.

¶ Thyrdly / for they synne more enormely than the Iewes / for the Iewes dyd synne by ygnoraunce. And as saynt Paule sayth yf they had knowen it / they wold not haue crucyfyed the lorde of glorye. But the syn­ners chrysten men knowlege god / & knowe well y^t they be in great synne. The Iewes haue crucyfyed our lorde but ones / but the chrysten men do crucyfye hym very ofte / in so moche that wyttyngly they do go to the holy sacrament in deedly synne.

¶ Fourthly / suche folkes receyue vpō them the iugement of god / whiche he shall gyue vpon the dampned soules at the daye of iu­gement / where he shall say: go ye cursed people to euerlastynge fyre.

¶ Fyfthly / those that vnworthely receyue the holy sacrament / be lyke to Iudas the [Page] traytoure / whiche dyd betraye and delyuer our lorde Ihesu to the Iewes. And it shall chaunce vnto them in hell / as it dyd to Iu­das for after that he had vnworthely receyued the holy sacrament: the deuyll dyd entre in to hym / so that he dyde betraye our lorde Ihesu chryste / wherfore afterwarde he fell in dyspayre and dyde hange hym selfe. So they become more obstynate in synne / those whiche receyue the holy sacrament dayly in deedly syn̄e / & they dare boldly do that thynge whiche other dare not thynke / ye and moreouer do that thynge whiche the deuyll da­re not do. And as Iudas delyuered our lorde to the Iewes: so in lyke case men delyuer our lorde Ihesu chryste / in as moche as they can / to the deuylles of hell. For they receyue our lorde Ihesu chryste in the place / whiche the deuyll doth possesse / and apperteyneth vnto hym.

¶ Syxtly / this is an vnkynde man / for he dyspyseth god his creatoure / which for hym hathe suffred bytter dethe vpon the crosse. This is yet a greater vnkyndnes ī the mā that the diuynyte & power of god is redy for to come to vysyte hym with his dyuyne grace inclosed in the holy sacrament / & the man maketh him self vnworthy to receyue hym.

¶ Seuenthly / suche persones be more vn­happy than other / for the soueraygne good­nes whiche is god: is hurtfull and dampnable vnto them / & the medycyne of the soule is infyrmytie and deth vnto them. For as the holy sacrament is an euerlastynge lyfe vnto them whiche do receyue & vse it well so it is deth vnto those / whiche euyll & vn­worthely receyue it.

¶ The .xxix. Chapytre / of those whi­che receyue the holy Sacrament spyrytually and not bodely.

THere be yet foure maner of folkes / whiche receyue the ho­ly sacrament spyrytually or ghostly and not bodely / that is to saye / they receyue the grace of the holy sacrament secretly ī theyr sou­les / albeit that they receyue it not vysybly in theyr bodyes / and shall be rewarded afore god / as yf they had receyued it bodely.

¶ The fyrste sorte whiche receyue it spyry­tually / be those whiche by feblenes of infyrmytie and syckenes can not holde meate in theyr bodyes / or whiche do coughe moche / or do cast and voyde fleume very sore & suche [Page] other. These persones shall coueyte and de­syre hertely to receyue it / in beholdynge it with great deuocyon sayenge. O good lor­de I do thanke the that I maye paye / satysfye / and content the by a good wyll & mynde. O good lorde I thanke the / that in all places I maye fynde the. O good lorde I thanke the / that no persone maye hurte or hynder me towardes the. And I do thanke the good lord that whan I haue the / no persone maye take me.

¶ The seconde sorte whiche receyue the ho­ly sacrament spyrytually / be those whiche sodaynely be taken with sodayne deth / as maryners on the see / men of warre ī the fel­de / women trauaylyng of chylde and other lyke / whiche can not haue a confessoure to confesse them / and to receyue the holy sacrament. Suche persones hauyng contrycyon and repentaunce for theyr synnes and desyre to receyue the holy sacrament / haue afore god receyued the holy sacrament ī theyr soules. Yet neuertheles they shall confesse them selfe afore yf it be possyble / & shall not trust to moche in that / to the entent that god do not withdrawe his grace.

¶ The thyrde sorte be those / whiche serue god in purenes of cōscyence / yet neuertheles [Page] they refrayne somtyme through humylyte / to go to the holy sacrament / but they here masse with deuocyon reuerently beholdyn­ge the holy sacrament / and by desyre to re­ceyue it. Suche persones yf so and in suche maner they here masse / they shall be rewar­ded afore god: as yf they had receyued the holy sacrament.

¶ The fourth sorte whiche spyrytually re­ceyueth the holy sacrament / be those whiche be prepayred therto: and humbly desyreth to receyue it / but theyr confessours wyll not a­gre therto. Also relygeous persones whiche after the rule of theyr ordre / maye not go to the holy sacrament / but on dayes ordeyned by theyr heedes. Yet notwithstandyng they desyre to receyue it somtymes / the whiche must be content: for afore god they haue re­ceyued it spyrytually. And it is somtymes more acceptable to god that the man do ab­steyne deuoutly with Centurio / than to re­ceyue our lorde worthely with Zachee. Su­che persones shal thynke that god hath seen some thynge in them / wherfore they maye not be admyt to receyue the holy sacrament bodely. And so they maye go afore the blys­sed sacrament / and shall rede deuoutly these prayers folowynge / the which saynt Fraū cys [Page] was wont to saye and rede with great deuocyon / or a man maye saye them in his chambre afore the crucyfyxe or crosse of our lorde god / thynkynge that the very sone of god doth hange there.

¶ The .xxx. Chapytre / what thynge a man shall rede whiche desyreth spy­rytually to receyue the holy sacrament with his dyuyne grace.

THat man whiche spyrytually desy­reth to receyue the body of our lorde Ihesu chryste with his dyuyne gra­ce / vertue / and fruytes he shall hūble hym selfe perfoundely afore god. And shall rede these fyue prayers deuoutly vpō his knees or in his chambre ī the maner here showed.

¶ Here thou shalt knele on thy knees and shall saye.

O Lorde Ihesu chryste here I am vpō my knees afore thy blyssed iyes and presence / as a synner and an euyll doer afore a iuge. And I knowe that after thy iustyce / I haue lost and forfayte my body & soule. Wherfore I praye the good lorde Ihesu chryste / by the sentēce of deth wrongfully gyuen of the / that thou wylt be a mer­cyfull [Page] iuge to me / whan my soule shall departe from my body. Amen.

¶ Nowe thou shalt ryse vp and saye.

O Good lorde Ihesu chryst here I am afore thyne iyes and in thy presence: as a bonde man afore his lorde and mayster / whom I and all other creatures be bounde to serue euerlastyngly. I praye the good lorde Ihesu chryste that thou wylt lette me knowe thy dere wyll in all thyngꝭ to be done / and to let it be acceptable to the / and lette me not do that thynge / wherby I maye lease thy loue euerlastyngly. Amen.

¶ Here thou shalt knele agayne / and shall saye hertely.

O Lorde Ihesu chryst here I am on my knees afore thy blyssed face / as a po­re begger afore a ryche kynge. I praye the O kynge of glory: that thou wylt cloth my soule with the vestment of thy dyuyne lo­ue / and to enryche the same with thy grace in all vertue / & to aorne the same with the perles of pacyence / to the entent that so aor­ned I may com to the soueraygne maryage [Page] wherunto thou hast called me. Amen.

¶ Here thou shalt ryse with fere / and shall saye.

O Lorde god Ihesu chryste here I am afore thy reuerēde presence: as a man afore his derest frende / whom I & al other creatures be bounde to loue / for thou haste made & delyuered vs by thy precyous blode. O benygne Ihesu chryste I pray the kepe and defende me alwayes / and graunt me to perceyue howe good and swete thou art / to the entent that therby all payne and ioye / and also all creatures maye be bytter vnto me. Amen.

¶ Nowe thou shalt knele agayne / and shall saye.

O Lorde Ihesu chryste here I am humbly on knees afore thy dyuyne iyes / as a chylde afore his father: of whom I haue receyued body and soule / albeit that I haue not ben at all tymes obedyent / as a true and faythfull chylde ought to be to his father. I pray the O my father euerlastyn­ge by thy paternall loue / that thou wylt norysshe [Page] me here in erth with the heuenly breade / and in chastysynge me for my faultes / haue mercy of me / to the entent that so I puryfyed of my synnes / we maye reioyse / thou in me and I in the / with all the sayntꝭ in heuen euerlastyngly. Amen.

¶ The .xxxi. Chapytre / of those whiche neyther spyrytually nor bodely re­ceyue the holy sacrament.

THyrdly / there be some ꝑsones whiche neyther spyrytually nor bodely / receyue the holy sacrament / and that do with­drawe them selfe from the lyfly fountayne of grace: wherby they become drye in theyr soules / as a braunche cut from a tree.

¶ Fyrste / they be those whiche be harde her­ted / obstynate / and roted in theyr euyll and peruers lyuynge / and wyll not leue it / As those which be in adultery / those whiche do lede theyr lyues in a lyght and cōmon ma­ner / those whiche do haunt olde fylthy / and vnhonest tauernes or lodgyngꝭ / or whiche do possesse goodes vnryghtfully / or also [Page] whiche be in enuye or suche lyke deedly synnes. These persones / albeit that they synne lease bycause they do not go to the holy sa­crament in suche an euyll and peruers lyfe: yet neuertheles they synne deedly / bycause that one ī the yere they do not prepare them selfe to the holy sacrament. For they myght leue theyr synne and confesse them therof / and so go to the holy sacrament / where as nowe they tarye in deedly synne and in the state of euerlastynge dāpnacyon: in the whiche they maye at all houres dye.

¶ Secondaryly / all Infydelles / as Tur­kes / Sarazyns / Iewes / and paynyms / & other whiche do not byleue in Ihesu chryste the sone of god & in the holy catholyke chur­che. All persones blynded in theyr malyce & synne / wherby they dyspyse the holy sacra­ment / & mocke them that do receyue it. And bycause that they byleue not in the sone of god / and do not receyue hym in the holy sa­crament / whiche is the lyfe of the soule / therfore they abyde and dwell in dethe / and be deed in theyr soules.

¶ Thyrdly / there be yet some which do not receyue the holy sacrament / as Herytykes / that is to saye chrysten people / whiche vn­derstāde the holy scrypture otherwyse than [Page] the holy ghost doth speke it by the prophetes and that that is ordeyned by the holy chur­che / as to go to confessyon / to faste / to go to the holy sacrament / to repute as no thynge excōmunycacyon / and not to sanctyfye the holy dayes / and to honoure our lady & other sayntes / or to gyue any almous in theyr honoure to the poore folkes / to dyspyse and set at nought pardons & indulgences / and of suche other artycles they haue many. And these persones go not to the holy sacrament whan and where they may / for they byleue not in the holy sacrament. And yf they go to confessyon or to the holy sacrament / they do it without fayth / and bycause that they shall not be knowen from other / and in ly­ke case they com to the churche to here masse.

¶ Fourthlye / they be those whiche take so great payne in worldly busynes / as to go in to the countre for marchaūdyse and other transytory thynges / that they forgette to re­ceyue the holy sacrament. For there be some folkes which yf they dyd not gyue them selfe therunto / they wolde receyue the holy sa­crament more than ones in the yere / as on the foure pryncypall and solempne festes / and the feestes of our lady. But bycause y^t they be colde in deuocyon / and that they be [Page] loth to prepare them selfe & to confesse them they lette it passe lyghtly / and go not to the holy sacrament / wherof they shall gyue a compte afore god. For that man that goth so seldome to the holy sacrament / he becō ­meth so slouthfull / so colde and drye to wardes god / that he is oft tymes wery and loth to thynke of god: to here of god / and to serue hym. And yf he do saye one Pater noster: he feleth hym selfe wery and thynketh it very tedyous. This is bycause that the soule is not ofte tymes fedde and refresshed / wher­by it becōmeth feble / colde / and sycke / and inclyned to deedly syn̄e / wherin it doth ma­ke an ende of the lyfe.

¶ The .xxxii. Chapytre / of them whiche worthely receyueth the holy sacra­ment in grace: and howe a man maye knowe that he hath receyued it in grace.

FOurthly / there be yet so­me maner of folkes whi­che receyue the holy sacra­ment bodely and ghostly in grace / to the helthe of soules. These be all good catholyke persones / whiche haue prepayred [Page] them selfe therto with all dylygence by true contrycyon and confession as is aforesayd. These persones wyll not prepare them self onely to receyue well and worthely the ho­ly sacrament / but they be very dylygent in kepynge and holdynge it with them. And ther is .vii. tokens wherby a man may knowe stedfastly / that god resteth styll in his soule / and in the holy sacrament.

¶ The fyrste is / that so longe as a man is contryte & sory for his synnes passed whan soeuer he doth remēbre them: suche a persone lyueth styll in his soule. But whan a man reioyseth and taketh pleasure in remēbryn­ge his synnes passed / than his soule begyn­neth to dye: & god to departe from hym with his dyuyne grace.

¶ The seconde token is / so longe as a man is dylygent to ordre his thoughtes / wordes and dedes / to the profyte & helth of his soule and to the instruccyon and example of his neyghboure / and that he do all his busynes and workes with fere / to the entent that no man take any euyll example at hym: And that he desyre that god onely be honoured in all his good workes: suche folkes haue god inclosed in theyr hertes.

¶ The thyrde token is / so longe as a man [Page] hath pacyence in his trybulacyon: for no mā can tell what a mā is in wardly / afore that he be proued outwardly. Some and many folkes esteme them selfe to be good and ho­ly / yet they can not suffre or bere pacyently one lytell worde / the whiche is a token that they be farre from the waye of perfeccyon / for holynes consysteth in trybulacyon. For it is better to haue pacyence in trybulacyon than to do moche good dedes withoute pa­cyence.

¶ The fourth token is / so longe as a man hath sauoure: pleasure / and ioye in the remē braunce of euerlastynge lyfe / in the worde of god / in the passyon of our lorde / and in other lyke / god is styll restynge in his soule. For yf he haue no pleasure nor sauoure in these thynges / it is a token that his herte is remplysshed and full of worldly and tem­porall thyngꝭ by carnall ioye and pleasure. And suche folkꝭ haue chased our lorde Ihe­su chryste from theyr soules: for carnall ioye & spyrytuall consolacyon / maye not dwell togyther in one place.

¶ The fyfth token is / so longe as a man is feruent and deuoute in sayenge his prayers to god / and that at that tyme he put awaye all rumoure and trouble from his herte in [Page] as moche as he maye / and that he speke godly and fruytfull wordes / and that he than­ke god of all his benefytes and goodnes / as well for aduersytie as prosperyte. Suche a man hath god remaynyng styll in his herte: but whan he doth begyn to speke detraccy­ons or backbytynges / to curse / or other euyl wordes / it is a token that he is deed in his soule / and that god is not with hym: For he that is of god / he wyll gladly here to speke of god.

¶ The syxt token is / so longe as a man fe­leth hym self redy to serue god / and dylygēt to all good workes / it is a token that suche a man hath ben worthely at the holy sacra­ment. For our lorde Ihesu chryste moueth the herte and the soule within / howe he shal lyue and kepe hym from synne / for the loue of god is neuer Idle ī man for to cause hym do well.

¶ The seuenth token is / so longe as a man hath in hym the loue of god and of his ney­ghboure chrysten brother / in louynge god aboue all thynge: & doynge to his neyghbour as he wolde shulde be done to hym / as to cō forte those that be desolate and cōfortles / to helpe the poore in theyr nede / and suche lyke good dedes. This persone shall not doubte [Page] but that he is in the grace & fauoure of god.

¶ The .xxxiii. Chapytre / of the .xii. ver­tues and fruytes / whiche the man receyueth / that worthely goth to the holy sacrament.

FYnally it is to be declared what vertues and fruytꝭ the good mā receyueth in goynge worthely / to the holy sacrament. Saynt Iohan in the apocalypse dyde se in Paradyse .xii. maner of fruytes. The tre is our lorde Ihesu chryste / whiche hath borne and lefte to vs in the holy sacrament .xii. maner & sortes of fruytꝭ agaynst xii. maledyccyons or cursynges / the whiche our soules receyue in cōmyttynge a deedly synne.

¶ Fyrste / synne causeth the soule to be feble and redy to all euyll / but the holy sacramēt heleth the soule of syn̄e / and maketh it wor­thy of all vertues.

¶ Secondaryly / by deedly synne man doth bynde hym selfe to euerlastynge payne and dampnacyon / but by the holy sacrament he is assoyled of all deedly synne. And after [Page] the great deuocyon that he hath towardes the sacramēt / the multytude of paynes and tourmentes be remytted.

¶ Thyrdly / man dothe dyspoyle hym selfe by deedly syn̄e / of all the good workes that he hath done in all his lyfe / so longe as he is in deedly syn̄e. But whan he doth retourne to grace / doynge penaunce humbly for his synnes / and that he receyueth worthely the holy body of god / god restoreth agayne to hym all his good workes.

¶ Fourthly: deedly synne blyndeth man by neclygent ygnoraunce / & maketh hym loth to leue his syn̄e / but the holy sacrament putteth in to the soule of man by his vertue & myght: a lyght of knowlege the which doth illumynate the soule and puryfye it / so that from thensforth man knoweth the wyll of god / and the greatnes of synne.

¶ Fyfthly / deedly synne maketh place for the deuyll / by his temptacyons in the soule of man / but the holy sacrament doth arme the soule of man agaynst the deuyll and his dartes or temptacyons. For where he seeth the blode of our lorde / he flyeth from thens and the aūgelles do helpe the man to fyght agaynst the deuyll and enemye of hell.

¶ Syxtly / deedly synne inclyneth the man [Page] and doth plucke hym to many other deedly synnes / yf it be not incontynent wasshed & taken awaye by true penaunce / but by the blyssed sacrament man becōmeth stedfaste and stronge in grace and redy to all vertue so longe as he doth not fall to syn̄e agayne.

¶ Seuenthly / by deedly synne man is beseged of the deuyll / but by the blyssed sacra­ment he is vnyed with god / so that he loue god: wherby he doth pourchase and obteyne taste and sauoure of euerlastynge lyfe.

¶ Eyghtly / the soule of man dyeth of euer­lastynge deth by deedly syn̄e / so that it kno­weth not what to do that maye be accepta­ble to god / and to hym selfe profytable / but the holy sacrament doth preserue and kepe the soule of man from the deth of synne / so that he doth abyde in the lyfe of grace / And his workꝭ be acceptable to god / and to hym selfe profytable.

¶ Nynthlye / deedly synne maketh a man sorowfull pensyfe & heuy of herte / and har­de and euyll wyllynge to all vertue / but the blyssed sacramēt maketh the man wor­thy mete & redy to all vertue / and tourneth all his inwarde myght towardes god / and spyrytuall ioye and gladnes.

¶ Tenthly / man doth depryuate hym selfe [Page] by deedly synne of the passyon / payne / and tourment of our lorde Ihesu chryste / of mary the mother of god / and of all the sayntes. Also of all the good workes and cōmuny­on of the holy churche / and of all the good­nes in heuen and in erth / but by the holy sa­crament man maketh hym selfe parte taker of all the goodnes that the sone of god hath done vpon the erth / and of all other good dedes.

¶ Eleuenthly / man is dayly cursed of god & of the holy churche for deedly synne / wherby man hath alwayes an inconstaunt and troubled conscyence / but by the holy sacra­ment he pourchaseth in his soule / a swete spyrytuall ioye and gladnes / and great peace and rest in his conscyence / the which doth passe all gladnes & pleasure that man may haue in all his lyfe in this worlde.

¶ Twelfthly / man is for deedly synne put out of the gate of Paradyse and of euerla­stynge lyfe: & dysinheryte of the soueraygne rychesse / but by well and worthely recey­uynge the holy sacrament it is forgyuen: as to a chylde & heyre of the precyous treasure of the glory of heuen / the whiche they onely shall possede and euerlastyngly vse and enioye / whiche worthely / bodely / and ghostly [Page] receyue here in erth the holy sacrament / As chryste hym self sayth as it is wryten in the begynnynge of the thyrde boke. Hic est pa­nis. &c. This is the breade descended from heuen / and all those whiche eateth of this breade shall lyue euerlastyngly / to the whiche brynge vs Ihesu chryste very god and man / inclosed and conteyned in the holy sacrament. Amen.