MAyster tel me what thȳge is god. My chylde he is a thȳ spyrytuall in the whiche is all dygnyte & all perfeccion the whiche is knowynge al thȳ ge all myghty / & euermore durȳge without ende and w^tout begȳnynge of an other. And also he ne may be mesured ne cōpre­hended of man ynough for to se hym ne his beautes ne may be nō ­bred / ne his dygne puyssaunce ne may be taken of ony entendement so moche is he grete. And also he is full of all bounty & mercy. ¶Mayster may he be but one onely god. My chylde / nay / For yf there were many goddes euery of theym sholde be all puys­saunt & than myght they make thynge contrary cō uenable y^t one to y^e other y^t whiche is ayenst nature dyuyne so y^t he ne may be but one substaunce / & one essence dyuyne the whiche is pryncypall cause effy­eyent [Page] of all thynges & he is the souerayne good vn­to the whiche euery herte desyreth to come the whi­che entendemēt humayne ne may comprehende ne ymagen. ¶Mayster wherfore is god called fader. My chylde for the engendrement appertayneth prȳ cypally vnto the fader more than vnto the moder / Wherfore man sholde graunte vnto god the moost pryncypall partye. ¶Mayster wherfore call we not the seconde persone of the trynyte as well doughter as sone. My chylde for as moche as the sone is of more strōge nature / for he toke nature humayne in the fourme of man and not of woman. ¶Mayster wherfore is not y^e holy goost called of the sone & the sone were called moder. My chylde it is for that / y^e he procedeth & dyscendeth also pryncypally of the one as of the other. ¶Mayster where was god before that he made the worlde. My chylde he was not in noo place corporell. For nothynge was but he all onely / but he was in hym selfe fader and sone / & holy goost in one selfe essence. ¶Mayster where is he now. My chylde god occupyeth no place. But his puyssaunce infynyte is ouer all / for he gouerneth y^e thȳ ges the whiche ben in the oryent / and those the whiche ben in the occydent / & generally all the worlde / and therfore a man sayth that he is all tyme & all thynges. ¶Mayster knoweth god all thynges. My chylde / ye. for in lykewyse as he is all puyssaunt al­so he is all knowynge & all seynge. ¶Mayster in what maner made god the aungelles. My chylde he them made fayre & shynynge and w^tout body and full of meruaylous bounte and saiges for to be his specyall mynystres. ¶Mayster how synned the aunthe [Page] cōmaundement of god. ¶Mayster wherfore deceyued the deuyll them. My chylde / by enuye for he was ful of sorowe of that y^e they sholde obtayne his place in paradyse the whiche he had lost by his pry­de. ¶Mayster in what forme tempted the ennemy theym. My chylde / the deuyll appered vnto them in the forme of a serpent tellynge them that yf they ete of that fruyte they sholde knowe as moche as god. ¶Mayster wherfore ne created god the men confermed in grace as the aungelles. My chylde god wolde that the men were semblable vnto hym as all thynges to take of hym / god wolde that all were borne of Adam. ¶Mayster why had he not made them y^t they myght not haue synned. My chylde to thende that they hadde the more of meryte. ¶Mayster how had they engendred in paradyse terrestre. My chylde as thou sholdest put thȳ one hande w^t in thyn other w^tout ony delectacyon. ¶Mayster how had these women chylded. My chylde w^tout ony doloure & w^t out ordure. ¶Mayster how had they be in paradyse terrestre. My chylde as a generacyon gone one after the other. ¶Mayster where is paradyse celestyall. My chylde it is in the tenth heuen the whiche is aboue all the other heuens and is cleped the heuyn Im­perial for as moche as it is more clere and more subtyll in substaunce / & more fayre than all y^e other / In the whiche ben y^e holy men & women of paradys enbraced w^t the loue of our lorde. ¶Mayster wherfo­re made god man & woman whan he knewe wel y^t they sholde trespace his cōmaundement. My chylde it was for his pleasure so to do for to shewe his infynyte myght / & vnto to thende y^t he were praysed serpraysynge [Page] god and in demaundynge of his mercye of whome we sholde take example / and by reason we sholde do it more sooner than the beestes that ne haue wytte ne vnderstandynge / seynge the grete graces that god vnto vs hath done the whiche ben ma­de vnto his semblaunce & redemed w^t his precyous blode / and the whiche gyueth vnto vs too moche of good in this worlde. In suche wyse y^t all the beestes plantes / trees / herbes / lande / & see / planettes / & ster­res / & all other thynges ben made for to serue vnto the man vnto his prouffyte and vtylyte / and yet he hath lente vs the realme of paradyse yf we wyll of y^e whiche y^e leest glorye surmounteth al the Ioyes of this worlde. By the whiche my chylde y^e man is we le to blame the whiche mysknoweth his creature the whiche so moche of grace to hym hath done seynge that the beestes the whiche ne haue wytte ne vnder­standynge / hym loue and thanke in demaundynge pyteously his ryght dygne mercy ¶Mayster where was Adam create. My chylde he was create in bron & after was put in to paradyse terrester. ¶Mayster what thynge is in paradys terrestre / and where is it My chylde it is a place delectable in the oryent ouer y^e mountaynes of egypt wherin ben trees of dyuers vertues / and of suche there are that who so eteth of them he shal neuer haue honger / and of other by nature shall neuer dye. ¶Mayster where was the wo­man created. My chylde she was created in paradyse terrestre / but the man was create w^tout for be put w^tin in possessyon. ¶Mayster wherfore synned the man & the woman. My chylde by the decepcyon of the deuyll & by theyr folysshe thynkynge trespassed [Page] & honoured / for all thȳges louē god in theyr beȳ ge & also for they knowe well y^t there shal be yet many persones of more greter meryte & holynes as yf they had not lytell synned / as saynt Iohan baptyst & y^e appostles & dyscyples of our lorde & many other for as wytnesseth the scrypture ryght happy is he y^t may do yll / & dothe it not whan he may. ¶Mayster how longe abode Adam & Eue in paradys terrestre My chylde from the mornynge tyll vnto y^e houre of noone / for at the .iij. houre Adam put the names in y^e thȳges / & about mydday they sȳned / & at none they were banysshed / & at suche houre dyed Ihesu cryste. Mayster in to what place yede Adam whā he was put out of paradys terrestre. My chylde he yode in to ebron where he was create / & there engendred he sones & doughters wherof we ben all comen where he wepte longe tyme his sone Abell y^e Cayn kylled by enuye. ¶Mayster syth y^t the deuyl tēpted Adā & eue why were they so greuosly punisshed. My chylde for that / y^e they mystoke y^e cōmaundement of god for to obey to the ꝑsuacyons of y^e deuyll / & that they ne helde them content w^t god that so moche of grace vnto them had gyuen. By the whiche they synned in .iij. maners. That is to vnderstande in pryde whā they mystoken y^e cōmaundement of god. And in couetyse whan they were not content of y^e / that god vnto thē had gyuen / & in the synne of the mouthe in etynge the fruyte that god them had defended. ¶Mayster whan y^t he repented hym. & also dyde grete penaunce wherfore was he not restablysshed after his deth in his fyrst estate. My chylde for as moche as y^e penaū ce was not suffycyent to y^e reparacyon of all those y^e [Page] he had put from paradyse by his synne wherfore it was necessarye that the seconde persone in trenyte y^t whiche is the blyssed sone of god made the reparacy on for hym / & how be it that the blyssed god is euer more mercyfull he is ryghtwyse and raysonable.

¶Mayster wherfore sent not god an aungell for to by humayne lygnage. My chylde for as moche that yf the aūgell had redemed the man / he had ben subgecte vnto the aungell & god hath made the man to be in thestate of aungelles / And also it was conue­nable syth the man had done the synne that y^e man hym repayred / & also my chylde thou sholdest kno­we & vnderstonde that the blyssed sone of god in propre persone wolde repayre the helthe & synne of mā and to bere the penaunce and to suffre dethe and passyon ryght dolorous for hym and to humble hym to take our fragylyte & nature in the wombe vyrgynal for to shewe the grete affeccyon & the grete loue that he hath towarde vs the whiche he made vnto his sē blaunce. ¶Mayster wherfore ne made god that an aungell toke nature humayne. My chylde for these causes that I haue now telled the / & also for none aungell ne other creature ne had puyssaunce to open paradyse but god al onely / & it was close vnto y^e mā by his trespace / wherfore it was of necessyte that the sonne of god were sent downe here alowe for to re­deme nature humayne / & for to open hym paradyse And knowe thou that he had in hym two natures. That is to vnderstonde nature dyuyne / for he was and is very god / and nature humayne / for he was & is very man / and for as moche vaynquysshed he the deuyll the whiche had vaynquysshed the man & opened [Page] paradys & was of the lygne of Adam and dyde for hym penaunce. ¶Mayster wherfore ne toke the fader & the holy goost nature humayne as well as y^e sone. My chylde for that / y^e the sone is the semblaunce of the fader and graunteth vnto hym all thynges by the whiche it was a thynge conuenable that the sone all onely drewe vnto hym the man for to dra­we hym vnto his fader aboue in paradys.

MAyster wherfore wolde god be borne of the vyrgin Mary. My chylde god made the man in foure maners. The fyrst was w^tout man & w^tout woman as Adam. The .ij was of a man without woman as Eue. The iij. was of the man and of y^e woman as we ben Now was to make the iiij. maner the whiche is of y^e woman w^tout man as is Ihesu cryste. And y^e other reason is suche for in lyke wyse as the deth came in erthe by the woman the whiche was Eue. Also the lyfe came in to the erthe by the woman. That is to knowe the vyrgyn Mary the whiche vs hath borne the fruyte of lyfe eternall. ¶Mayster how chyldedshe. My chylde she chylded w^tout payne and w^tout doloure & abode entyer vyrgyn / & pure / & clene from al spotte before the chyldynge / at the chyldynge / & after the chyldȳ ­ge [Page] as the glasse thorowe the whiche y^e sonne passeth w^tout makynge therin ony openynge. But for as moche as god wolde holde the ordre of nature he abode nyne monethes in the wombe vyrgynall / & he ne walked incontynent that he was borne. ¶Mayster at what houre was he borne. My chylde he was borne at mydnyghte / and at that houre appered in the skye a sterre moche fayre and clere that it was merueylous to beholde / the sonne was fayre as the golde / & peas and vnyte was thoroweout the worlde / & obeyed vnto one onely prynce the whiche was named Cesar / & at that houre the dombe beestes spake & ydolles of the sarazyns & paynyms fell to y^e erthe ¶Mayster wherfore toke he the gyftes of the thre kynges. My chylde for in takynge the golde he she­wed y^u he was kynge almyghty / & by the ensence y^e he was veray god. & by the myrre very man / and y^e kynge the whiche bare y^e golde was called Balthasar / & Iasper bare the myrre / & Melchyor bare y^e ensence. ¶Mayster in how many maners ben our synnes pardoned. My chylde they ben pardoned vs in. v. maners. Fyrst by the sacramentes of holy chyrche the whiche ben .vij. that is to knowe baptym / cōfyrmacyon / confessyon / the ordre of preesthode / the sa­crament of the awter / the sacrament of maryage / & the vnccyon / but baptym is the fyrst & y^t the whiche is moost clenly putteth oute the synnes / & after baptym / confyrmacyon & confessyon ben the moost ne­cessaryes. Secondely our synnes vnto vs ben pardo­ned by almesdede. Thyrdely by orysons / and by fastynges. Fourthely by pardonynge vnto our enmy­es. & fyfthely by charyte. ¶Mayster ben all our synnes [Page] pardoned by baptym. My chylde ye / for by bap­tȳ we ben as men vnto Iesu cryst in doynge hȳ this homage / & we ben delyuered from the seruytude of synne. ¶Mayster wherfore ben they baptysed y^e whiche ben borne of them y^e ben baptysed / & also y^e chyl­dren the whiche haue nothynge offended. My chylde yf ony paast were corrupte with venym all y^e breed y^e whiche of it sholde be made sholde be venymous & corrupte. And for as moche as our forne faders were corrupte by synne they & all theyr lygnee were banysshed out of paradys terrestre / & vnto them were shytte the gate of paradys celestyall the whiche ne may be opened vnto the man / yf he ne be fyrst baptysed as wytnesseth the holy scrypture. & how be it that the fader & the moder ben baptysed y^e suffyceth not vnto the chylde for to be baptysed / for whan a man hym baptyseth / nature comune ne baptyseth hym but all onely the persone pertyculer / Wherfore it is of necessyte y^t we ben al baptysed in pertyculer ¶Mayster wherfore ne named god y^t all were bap­tysed to be saued. My chylde it is not the defaute of god that all ne ben baptysed / for he hath gyuen vnto euery man & woman lyberall arbytre & free wyll that to do. Also baptym sholde be made of free wyll & w^tout constraynt for yf god constreyned the man to be baptysed he had not his lyberall arbytre / and so all his baptym had no meryte. ¶Mayster wher­fore espouseth not man now his cosynes as in y^e aū cyente lawe. My chylde it is for to encreace loue be­twene straungers / For those the whiche ben of blode loueth eche other ynoughe more than these other / Wherfore it behoueth for to putte loue and charyte [Page] where it is not / & the other reason is suche. For the chyldren had two primites togyders as to be sone and neuew wherfore for honeste it was ordeyned to make maryage bytwene estraungers / but in y^e olde lawe men espoused the women of lygnage & it was for to multyplye & to encrease y^e worlde. ¶Mayster wherfore was Ihesu cryste baptysed. My chylde he was cyrconsyzed for to accomplysshe the olde lawe. and baptysed for to begyn the new lawe & for to she we his grete humylyte in gyuynge vs example that we all sholde be regenerate by baptym. ¶Mayster Wherfore is baptym in water My chylde for y^e water is contrary vnto fyre / wherfore for to quenche y^e sayd fyre of synne we ben baptysed in water. And in lykewyse as the water wassheth all ordures & fyl­thes. Also the baptym wassheth all synnes / & god theym establysshed in water for as moche as y^e wa­ter is comune ouer all the worlde to thende y^t a man fynde y^e soner mater of y^e sayd sacramēt to thende y^t none ne may excuse hym y^t he ne coude fynde wher­of that he myght make hym to be baptysed or that he myght haue. ¶Mayster what worde ought a mā to speke in baptym. My chylde a man ought to say thus. I baptyse the in the name of the fader / & of the sone & of the holy goost amen. In puttynge thre tymes of water vpon the heed of hym that a man baptyseth / & so may they say in all languages / so y^t it be in good beleue & in good intencōn & other wordes the whiche ne ben of the necessyte of the sayd sacrament. of baptym. ¶Mayster was it a thynge re­sonable that god y^e fader gaue so noble thynge as is the sone for to by agayne so caytyf a thynge as is y^e [Page] man. My chylde in that vs sheweth god the fader the grete loue that he hath vnto creature humayne ¶Mayster syth y^t god hath sente downe here alowe his sone by so grete charite & for to redeme y^e humaynes wherfore dyde men to hym so moche of payne. My chylde Iudas hym betrayed by couetyse. Pyla­te hym condempned for drede to lese his offyce / & the Iewes hym put to dethe by enuye. ¶Mayster wherfore deyed Ihesu cryste on the tree of the crosse / My chylde for as Adam synned by the tree of lyf / Also god hym wolde bye agayne / by the tree of the crosse and y^u sholdest knowe that by the foure partyes of y^e crosse the whiche sheweth all the worlde / it is agayn shewed vnto vs that y^e deth of Ihesu cryste was suffycyent for to bye not onely nature humayne / but al so all the vnyuersal worlde yf it had be lost ¶Mayster how longe abode Ihesu cryste in the erthe deed / My chylde he there abode .xl. houres. And whan we say that he arose the thyrde day / & that in thre da­yes is not .xl. houres thou sholdest vnderstande that he dyed the fryday at y^e houre of noone / &. all the saterday he was deed in the holy sepulcre the whiche is the seconde day / and the sonday after he arose ryght erly / & for as moche as the course of nature is renewed at mydnyght and the day / in takynge one par­tye of the day for all the day entyer. ¶Mayster why der yede the soule of Ihesu cryste whan he was deed My chylde he yede in to glorye towarde god the fa­der in yeldynge hym thankes and praysynges in demaundynge hym the holy soules the whiche he had redemed by the meryte of his holy passyon / the whiche thynge god hym graunted. Than opened y^e soule [Page] of Ihesu cryste the whiche was conioynte with y^e deite the gates of paradys the whiche had ben shytte by longe tyme vnto all humayne lygnage / & the saterday about the houre of mydnyght he descended in to hel & brake the gates & yede to vesyte his good frendes. That is to vnderstande the soules of y^e holy auncyent faders the whiche gretely hym desyred and them delyuered frome the pryson of the lymbe withall the holy soules the whiche haue meryted paradys by theyr holy werkes / and this fayre compa­ny mounted in to heuen and theym presented vnto god the fader the whiche them receyued benyngnely and them putteth in to the realme of paradyse in y^e places and syeges that the cursed aungelles loste by theyr pryde. And he delyuered not the soules of the dampned as Iudas / & of the cursed ryche man dyues & of many other / but them lefte in hel / in payne and in tourment with all the deuylles without gyuynge them ony comforte where they ben yet and shall be for euer. And on the sondaye before the sonne rysynge retourned the soule vnto the body of Ihesus that laye in the sepulcre / and rose frome deth vnto lyfe / ¶Mayster / wherfore arose not he as soone as he was deed. My chylde for a man had lytel presumed that he had ben deed / & he wolde begyn to renewe the worlde on the sonday by his resurreccyon. For at suche an houre all y^e worlde began to be. ¶Mayster where was he after his resurreccyon / fourty dayes be fore his ascencyon. My chylde he was in paradys terrester. w^t Helyas & Enoch in enstructynge them / y^t whiche was done as whan he appered. ¶Mayster how many tymes appered he. My chylde / he appered [Page] fyrst vnto Ioseph of barmathye y^t had buryed hym the whiche for soo doynge was put in pryson. After vnto his moder / after to y^e blyssed Mawdeleyne / after vnto y^e .ij. pylgrymes comynge frome the holy sepulcre / after vnto saynt Iames the whiche ne wolde ete tyll y^t he had seen hym. After vnto saynt Peter / after to the two pylgrymes y^t whiche went to the ca­stel of maulx / after he appered vnto his dyscyples y^e gates shytte / after vnto saynt Thomas whan he put his hande in the syde of our lorde Ihesu cryste / after vnto his dyscyples in the see of Tyberyon / & so my chylde y^u sholde vnderstande y^t our lorde Ihesu cryst appered .xii. tymes before y^t he ascended in to heuen. ¶Mayster who ascended in to heuen w^t hym. My chylde the soules of the blyssed the whiche than by theyr merytes were saued / & also grete multytude of aungelles of heuen the whiche hym accompanyed in syngȳge melodyously & yeldynge thankes vnto god ¶Mayster wherfore abode he .xl. dayes to mounte in to heuen after that he was rysen. My chylde for y^e that he gaue grete payne .xl. houres whan he abode in the erth vnto his frendes & dyscyples wherfore he wolde conforte them .xl. dayes / y^t is one day for eue­ry houre in tokenynge y^t for payne he gyueth grete Ioye / & also he dyde it for to conferme them in y^e holy fayth / as saynt Thomas & other / vnto whome he appered vysybly. ¶Mayster what is that to say / y^t the sone is set on the ryght hande of his fader. My chylde it is to say that the humanyte is in glorye w^t the dyuynyte. ¶Mayster in what maner & fourme ascended Ihesu cryste in to heuen My chylde he sty­ed in to heuen in suche fourme and maner as whan [Page] he hym transfygured before some of his dyscyples in the mountayne of Tabor that is to vnderstande y^t he had the armes stretched & lyfte vp in heyght / & his face shynynge as the sonne. And his vestymen­tes were whyte as snowe / & a fayre and clere clowde descended from heuen / & it closed rounde about hȳ & so mounted in to heuen in suche wyse y^t they loste the syght corporall of hym. ¶Mayster wherfore is the sacrament of the awter made of breed & of wyne My chylde for as the grayne of the corne hath ben beten and flayled & had the sede clouē In lykewyse the precyous body of Ihesus was beten & scourged / and hadde the syde opened / out of the whiche yssued blode & water / wherfore men put of water vnto the sayd sacrament. And as the wyne lepeth frome the grape by force of y^e wryngynge in the pressoure. In lykewyse the precyous blode of Ihesus lepte frome his precyous body on the pressoure of the crosse / and it was not establysshed of the flesshe ne of the blode for a man may haue horroure to drynke blode & to ete flesshe / but it was establysshed of brede & wyne / that is the moost comune refeccyon that is / and al­so the breed and the wyne ben y^e moost comune and the moost prouffytable for to nourysshe y^e body. In lykewyse the sacrament of the auter is the moost comune and the mooste prouffytable refeccyon for to nourysshe the soule ¶Mayster how shall we vnderstande that it is the body of Ihesu cryste and his precyous blode vnder the kynde of breed and of wyne. My chylde as the breed and the wyne that thou ea­test & drynkest conuerte them in to thyn owne body & in to thyn owne blode. In lykewyse the sacrament [Page] of the awter the brede and the wyne saynge the holy wordes by the wyll of god / also chaungeth them vnto the precyous body & blode of Ihesu cryste. and also he wolde do it for the grete loue that he hath in vs he wolde euermore be w^t vs. And it is his power y^t to do / as of nothynge he hath made all y^e worlde the whiche is a more grete thȳge. Than my chylde y^t sholdest beleue stedfastly & w^tout doubte for his pleasure was it to instytute in suche wyse. And how be it that thou seest it not corporally / for a body glo­ryfyed is inuysyble y^u haste the more of meryte. For fayth is none other thynge but to beleue y^e thynge y^t he seeth not.

MAyster / what say ye of them y^e whiche receyueth the sayde sacrament in mortall synne. My chylde / they crucyfye of newe y^e swete Ihesu cryste & hȳ receyueth vnto theyr damp­nacyō ¶Mayster the preest that is in mortall synne / may he sacre & admynyster the body & bloode of Ihesu cryste. My chylde ye / for the sacramente ne empeyreth / ne amendeth [Page] by the condycyon of the preest / as the sonne whan y^t it shyneth vpon foule thynges & stynkynge lesseth not his clerete / but the preest it dooth vnto his dampnacyon / & yf he be w^tout synne it is vnto his salua­cyon. ¶Mayster how longe abydeth y^e body of Ihe­su cryste in the wombe of hym the whiche hym recey­uethe. My chylde he there abydeth as longe as the substaunce of the breed there may abyde vndegested and no more / but thou shalt vnderstande that god there is & also abydeth euermore w^t them y^e whiche ben in thestate of grace. ¶Mayster / whan many pre­stes syngeth masse / the body of cryste is it ouer all / My chylde / ye / For god is & may be ouer all as thy soule the whiche is hole in euery partye of thy body ¶Mayster sholde a man hate the yll. My chylde a man sholde hate theyr cursednesses & folyes & not to do yll as they done / but we sholde loue our natu­re / for we ben all the sones of one fader & of one moder and bought & redemed w^t one selfe blode / and yf they do the ony wronge thou sholdest pardon them & pray for theym vnto the example of Ihesu cryste the whiche prayed for theym that hym crucyfyed & put vnto the deth. For it is the werke moost meryto­ryous that we may do. ¶Mayster wherfore haue y^e yll so many of godes & of prosperytees in this worlde. My chylde there is not so yll in this worlde but y^t somtyme dooth some good dede. And for as moche as man dyde neuer ony good dede but y^t it were re­compēsed / ne neuer dyde yll but that it be punysshed And for this cause god them sendeth of grete godes & prosperytees in retrybucyon of theyr good dede. & so vnto them gyueth puyssaunce & auctoryte vpon y^e [Page] good to thende y^t the good ben proued by theym / & somtyme god sendeth of trybulacyon vnto the ylle to thende that they amende them / & yf they do it not neuertheles y^t shall be in dymynuycion of theyr synnes y^t they sholde haue & suffre in hell. Or they shal haue encreasynge of other grete goodes temporels but god gyueth of trybulacyons & aduersytees vnto y^e good for to proue them as vnto Iob / & vnto Thobye to thende y^t they dyspraysed the vanytees of this worlde / & that they sholde not forgete theyr creature & that by theyr merytes in takynge all in pacyence they may haue the glorye of paradyse. & somtyme god them gyueth of goodes to thende y^t they be the more charytables & that they augmenten in glory in paradys. The good dyeth somtyme anone to then­de that they empeyre not for to auoyde the perylles & temptacyons the whiche ben in this worlde / & also y^e good lyueth somtyme longely for to encrease them in bounte / & to thende that by theyr good example & doctryne the yll may amende them / & also the ylle dyeth anone somtyme for to make these other yll a­ferde to thende that they amende them / & somtyme the yll lyueth longely for to proue the good / and al­so for god taryeth y^t they sholde amende theym / & so y^t sholde vnderstand my chylde y^t the opynyon of some doctoures is y^t y^e mercy of god is so grete y^t he suffreth euermore y^e man to dye in y^e best estate & purpo­se y^t he may fynde hym. for god wyll not ne also suf­freth not y^e deth & dāpnacion of a man / but wylleth that he cōuerte hȳ & lyue eternally in paradys / and how be it that many dyeth sodeȳly & w^tout hauȳge space to cōfesse them & to do penaūce & satysfaccōn [Page] How be it vnto suche purpose may they dye & in so grete contrycyon of herte y^t god theym taketh vnto mercy. ¶Mayster shal the ryche & the poore be egallye guerdoned & rewarded. My chylde of as moche as they be the more sage & the more dygne of as moche shall they be y^e better rewarded whan they shal be good and whan that they shall mowe be yll of as moche shall they be the more greuously punys­shed. ¶Mayster may god doo yll. My chylde / nay / for how be it that he be all puyssaunt / neuerthelesse it is not entended that he may do thynges contra­rye vnto rayson and that they ben Impossyble to be ¶Mayster wherfore suffreth god y^t the beestes haue so moche of payne / & also they haue not deserued it My chylde it is somtyme y^t by the synne of y^e man the vengyaunce of god falleth vpon the beestes and vpon these other goodes to thende y^e he amende him or for to proue hȳ as Iob. And also than beestes ben made to susteyne and to nourysshe the man by the whiche they ben vnto his subgeccyon. And also for al thynges sholde serue vnto that wherunto they bē ordeyned / as the brydge y^t whiche is made to passe / or to go ouer. In lykewyse my chylde god it suffreth to thende y^t therby we take example / for syth that y^e beestes suffreth so moche of payne for theyr poorely fe corporall / we sholde well more traucyle and take payne to gete the lyfe eternall of paradys in y^e whiche a man shall lyue eternally. ¶Mayster knoweth god wheder a man shall be saued or dampned be­fore that he be borne. My chylde / yes / not y^e god it dooth in entencyon for to dampne hym / for god ne dampneth hym but the man dampneth hymself w^t [Page] out ony constreynt but of his owne wyll the whiche is at his owne lyberall arbytre or fre wyll. As we se the boterflye the whiche of hym self & of his propre wyll hym brenneth in the candell. And how be it y^t the sayd boterflye is somtyme scalded w^t the fyre of the candell in suche wyse that often he falleth vnto the erthe / also he ryseth agayne y^e best wyse he can. & w^t all his power he putteth hym selfe agayne in the fyre of the candell all holly that he there abydeth / notwithstandynge that he seeth well the daungere. Also done those the whiche dampneth theym selfe / for how be it that they se and knowe the daunger y^t therin is / & also that they ben often scalded by try­bulacyons & aduersytees to thende that they conuert them & that by inspyracyon dyuyne they haue some remors / how be it for that they cease not tyll vnto y^e that of theyr owne wyll & w^tout ony cōstraynt they put them so depe in the fyre that they there abyde & shall neuer go forthe. And how be it that god wyl of symple wyll y^t all men be saued & hath one so grete a gyfte as the realme of paradys without ony meryte / and by suche wyse my chylde knowe y^u that god hath made the man not to thende that he be damp­ned but to thende that by his holy operacyons in suffrynge pacyently trybulacyons & aduersytees / & in resystynge & fyghtynge valyauntly ageynst the de­uyll / the worlde & the flesshe / he may meryte to be saued. ¶Mayster those the whiche ben predestynate to be saued may they be saued w^tout deseruynge it / & to traueyle therfore. My chylde / nay / for god kno­weth well that by theyr merytes and traueyles they shall be saued. And in lykewyse may a man say of [Page] the dampned. ¶Mayster syth y^t those y^e whiche ben predestynate to be saued may they not be dāpned & those the whiche sholde be dāpned may they be sa­ued / what auayleth it elles so moche to trauayle, for to haue paradys or hell. My chylde yf y^u be predesty nate to be saued in the glory eternal y^u ne sholdest encrease thy paynes in purgatorye / & to lesse thy glory in paradys by faute to do wele / & yf y^u be p̄destynate to be dāpned y^u ne sholdest therfore euermore lyue in synne / but y^u sholdest euermore enforce the for to doo well / & to do penaūce for to lesse thy paynes in hell & for as moche as y^u knowest not wherunto y^u art destynate / y^u sholde always thynke on the better ꝑtye / that is to vnderstande y^e god the hath made vnto his semblaūce / & hath bought the w^t his precious blode for to saue y^e & not to dāpne the. Wherfore my chylde y^u sholde euermore do good dedes & to fle the yll & knowe y^u my chylde that god the hath gyuē wytte & vnderstandȳge reason & fre wyll & lyberall arbytre to chose the good or y^u ylle to thende that y^u haue not ony cause of Ignouraūce or of Impuyssaūce ¶Mayster what say ye of them y^e whiche neuer hereth y^e cō maundementes of god ne none they done. My chylde the men ben made vnto y^e ymage & vnto the semblaūce of god to thende y^t they hȳ loue serue / & drede and therfore yf they knowe not theyr creature in this worlde he ne shall knowe thē in the other / ne yet by theyr Ignoraūce they shall not be excused but more sooner accused / for y^e Ignoraūce excuseth not y^e sȳne ¶Mayster yf a chylde were nourysshed in a wood & he had neuer herde speke of the fayth of Ihesu cryst shal he be dāpned yf y^t he dye in suche wyse. My chylde [Page] it is a thynge to beleue y^t god maketh reuelacion vnto euery persone of y^e faythe of Ihesu cryste by techynge of man or by reuelacion dyuyne or otherwy­se / & yf he go ayenst the sayd reuelacyon knowe y^t y^e he shall be dampned. ¶Mayster ben y^e soules made from y^e begȳnynge of y^e worlde: My chylde nay / but god thē createth all y^e dayes & them putteth in y^e bo­dyes of y^e chyldrē w^tin y^e wombe of theyr moder y^t is to vnderstōde vnto men at .xl. days after theyr cōcepcyō. ¶Mayster what auayleth vs cōfessiō. My chyl­de it is y^e seconde baptym. For in lykewyse as by bap­tym all synnes ben ꝑdoned. In lykewyse by y^e vertue of y^t sacrament of cōfessyon all our synnes ben ꝑdoned / for as moche as a man knowelegeth his detaute before god or before his lyeutenaūt for god loueth more obedyēce thā sacrifice / for obedyēce is moder of all vertues. ¶Mayster auayleth more penaūce done by enioynynge of y^e cōfessoure than penaūce done by wyll. My chylde yf thy cōfessour y^e hath enioyned in penaūce one pater nt̄ all onely / & y^u leue it to say an hole sauter y^u synnest / & y^u shalt not acquyte y^e of thy penaūce / but yf y^u saydest the pt̄ nt̄ y^e whiche to the was enioyned / & y^u leuest to saye the sawcer or other many fayre orysons / y^t y^u sayst by sȳple wyll y^u shalt not sȳne / but y^u shalt acquite y^e of thy penaūce / for as I haue tolde y^e more better is obedyence done to our lorde than dooth y^e sacryfyce. ¶Mayster what auay­leth cōtrycyon at y^e poynt of deth. My chylde those y^e whiche abydeth thē to repent tyll vnto y^e houre of deth ben trechoures vnto our lorde as y^e trechoure & yll payer y^t promytteth to paye at a certayne terme but he wolde that the terme sholde neuer come / and [Page] for this mater & cause he maketh a. M. trecheryes vnto his creature to thende that he ne pay hym so sone or neuer / & of the other parte saynt Luke sayth y^e god is not well payed of hym y^e whiche hym payeth of that thynge y^t he ne may no lenger holde. How be it / it is wryten that at what houre y^t the synner shal declare his synne in grete repentaunce & contrycyō that it vnto hym shall be pardoned. But my chylde it is a ryght grete peryl to abyde hym to repent / for than a man is soo troubled that a man ne knoweth hȳselfe ne none other / for as sayth y^e psalmyst. (Qm̄ nō est in morte q̄ memor sit tui: in īferno aūt quis cō fitebitur tibi. That is to say / y^e as y^e deed man hath no remembraunce of god / & that it is no tyme hym to repent & to confesse his synne whan that a man is in hell for y^e sentence of god is gyuē. Than my chylde y^u sholde repent & confesse y^e whan y^u hast tyme & space / & y^u sholdest not tarye tyll to morowe / for y^u knowest not wheder y^u shalte deye to morowe or sooner.

MAyster syth that y^e synne of pryde is pardo­ned by baptȳ wher­fore deyeth those y^e whiche ben bapty­sed. My chylde the good deyeth to then­de that they ben ta­ken from the trybu­lacyon [Page] of this worlde / & they be crowned in the re­alme of paradys / & the ylle deyeth by theyr synnes to thende that they be put from the Ioyes & delyces of this worlde / & ben in grete doloure punysshed eternally in hell. ¶Mayster what noyeth y^e sodeyn deth vnto the man. My chylde y^t man the whiche dyeth sodeynly / so that he be in thestate of grace he gooth in to paradyse or in to purgatory to accōplysshe his penaunces / & vnto hym the sharpe deth is merytoryous ageynst his synnes venyalles & vnto y^e dymynuycyon of y^e paynes of purgatory & vnto the augmē tacyon of y^e glory of paradys / & yf he dye sodeynly in mortall synne the sodeyne dethe hym putteth in as moche as he is vnpourueyed & w^tout confessyon ne repentaunce takȳge / than he is dampned eternally / & by this & for this cause my chylde thou sholde be euermore redy for to deye in kepynge the frome synne / for thou knowest not whan ne of what deth y^u shalte deye. ¶Mayster what auayleth it a man to be buryed in y^e chyrche yarde. My chylde yf he be in purgatorye he is the sooner delyuered as well by the prayers of the chyrche as of his kynnesmen & fren­des the whiche vesyteth his sepulture in prayēge god for hym / And often it happeth y^t the chyrcheyardes bē sanctifyed by y^e bodyes of some sayntes y^t there bē / & prayeth for them / wherof yf those y^t there ben buryed ben saued they be ryȝt Ioyful whan theyr bodyes ben w^t the bodyes of other sayntes / but yf they ben dāpned it prouffyteth thē nothȳge. For y^e good dedes y^t men there done for thē ne may helpe them ¶Mayster what maner of lyfe is y^e moost excellent & best for to make his saluacyon. My chylde to ha­ue [Page] a true affeccyon of true loue in our lorde in seruȳ ge hym & honourȳge w^t all his herte & in eatynge y^e breed y^t thou hast Iustly & lawfully goten by y^e tra / uayle of thy body as wytnesseth y^e psalmyst the whiche sayth. (Labores manuū tua (rum) qr māducabis. &c. That is to saye that y^u shalte be ryght happy yf y^u eate the laboure w^t thyn owne handes wherunto it is shewed the y^t y^u ne sholdest vse of the godes y^t whiche by the or by thyne be goten falsely / but y^u sholde yelde theym yf y^u knowest vnto whome / & to vse of them the whiche ben Iustly & lawfully goten.

MAyster he y^e whiche is in mortall sȳne may he be longe w^tout cōmyttyng synne. My chylde naye / For as one gode dede drawes an other. In lykewyse one euyl draweth another / for soo the deuyll maketh of y^e man the whiche is in mor­tall sȳne as a mā dooth of a beest y^t he ledeth by y^e toppe wher it semeth hym best. ¶Mayster whyder go y^e soules of them y^t ben deed. My chylde the soules of the Innocentes y^e deyeth without baptym gooth vntoo the lymbe the [Page] whiche is a chambre of hel where they ne haue Ioyene heuynes / for they haue nothȳge meryted / but for as moche as they ne be purged from orygynal sȳne by baptym they ben put from paradys / & frome the vysyon of god / & the soules of them the whiche ben baptysed the whiche dyeth in thestate of Innocency gooth in to paradys all ryght. & the soules of them the whiche deyeth in thestate of grace & w^tout sȳne where yf they haue synned & yf they haue done pe­naunce suffycyent in this worlde gooth all ryght in to paradyse / & ben in glorye after y^e / that they haue meryted by theyr holy werkes / & the soules of thē y^e whiche haue had contrycion & dyspleasaūce of theyr synnes & ben retorned vnto god in cryenge hym mercy that they haue not accōplysshed theyr penaunces in this worlde gooth in to an other parte of hell named purgatory & there they accomplysshe theyr pe­naunces & ben purged of theyr synnes / & that done they go in to the glorye of paradys / And y^e soules of them the whiche dyeth in one onely mortall sȳne or many gooth in to the depnes of hell where they ben punysshed after theyr deseruynge / & the soules of y^e Iewes & of the mescreauntes the whiche deyeth in y^e estate of Innocencye gone in to a parte of hell w^t the other chyldren the whiche dyeth w^tout baptym / but the soules of the other Iewes & mescreaūtes y^t haue wytte & vnderstōdȳge goth in to hell w^t the dāpned ¶Mayster in how lytel tyme ben y^e soules delyuerd fro purgatory. My chylde some there abydeth more longely than other after as they haue deserued. for some ben delyuered at the ende of .vij. dayes / & therfore maketh a man the semell otherwyse called the recorn in makȳge prayers & almesdedes for theyr delyueraunce [Page] / for gretely vnto theym may puffyte the prayers & almesdedes y^e is done for them. These o­ther ben delyuered at the ende of .xxx. dayes / & ther­fore is made the trentall. The other ben delyuered at the ende of one yere / & therfore is made the yeres mynde / & these other abydeth there by many yeres & by longe tyme after y^t they haue deserued / & therfore make men remembraūce euery yere of them / and whan they ben all purged & that they ben delyuerd as by theyr penaunces accōplysshed / as by our pra­yers & oraysons / they go all ryght vnto the glory of paradys. ¶Mayster in what place is paradys My chylde there ar .iij. maner of paradys. that is to wyte paradys celestyall / paradyse terrestre / & paradys spyrytuall. Paradyse celestyall is aboue all the heuens in the whiche is god & all the sayntes holy men and women as I haue sayd before / paradys terrestre is in the erthe towarde the oryent / & paradys spyrytuall is anenst god & to loue hȳ perfytely & y^t is ouer all In y^t paradys ben our good aungelles the whiche seeth & loueth god. ¶Mayster where is hell. My chylde there are .ij. maner of helles / y^t is to wyte hell spū ­all & hell corpall / hell spūal is ouer all where y^e soules & y^e cursed aūgels ben in payne & torment be it in erthe or in y^e see / & this may be in many places / as we rede of a soule y^t was tormented w^t a flage of yse y^t a bysshop delyuered by .xxx. masses / who was boū ­de to be there longe tyme. Hell corpal is in y^e myddle of y^e erthe as y^e carnell of an apple is in y^e myddle of y^e apple & is a grete caue blak & darke in whiche ben iiij. stages y^e one aboue y^e other. At y^e fyrst stage is y^e place wherin were the holy soules of the holy faders aūcyētes & of them y^t by theyr holy lyfe & cōuersaciō [Page] haue meryced the realme of paradys the whiche our Lorde Ihesu cryste delyuered whan he dyed on y^e tree of the crosse & now there is none / For at that tyme were all delyuered. At the seconde stage is purgato­rye wherin y^e soules the whiche sholde be saued goth to acconplysshe theyr penaunce the whiche they ha­ue not accomplysshed in this worlde in theyre lyfe In the thyrde stage ben the soules of the Innocen­tes the whiche deyeth without baptym. And in y^e .iiij stage the whiche is the moost lowe in depnes ben y^e deuylles & the soules of the pore & myserable dampned.

MAyster what paynes haue they y^e whiche bē in purgatorye.

My chylde they ben tourmented with y^e fyre of hel moche more hoter than the fyre ma­teryall of this present worlde in cō ­paryson ayenst a fyre paynted vpō a wall / & they ben there boūde with chaynes of fyre al brennynge so sperkelynge y^t a man ne canne speke it. In the whiche place some ben there more punysshed [Page] than these other / & there abyde more lōgely than y^e other after as they haue deserued. ¶Mayster what payne is there in hell. My chylde there are so many dyuers paynes & tourmentes y^t there is none entendement humayne the whiche can cōprehende ne ymagen as of fyre stynkynge & ryght brennynge of to­des / serpentes / dragons / & of all foule & cruel bestes & of deuylles enraged & wode the whiche neuer ben wery for to bete & tourment the poore & myserable dāpned / but euermore ben for too begynne in suche wyse that the leest payne of hell surmounteth all y^e paynes of this worlde / but y^e one is more punysshed than the other after theyr desert / & at the day of Iugement theyr payne shall double for than they shall aryse & shall be dampned in body & in soule. ¶Mayster what payne haue the soules of y^e Innocentes y^e whiche dyeth w^tout baptym. My chylde they ne ha­ue payne / ne doloure / ne Ioye / ne gladnes. For they neuer dyde good nor euyll / by the whiche they haue not meryted to haue ony good / ne to haue ony euyll & how be it y^e the place wherin they ben be dȳme & derke / All be it there is nothynge the whiche theym greueth / & whan y^e daye of Iugement shall come y^t they shall ryse they shall be of the aege that our lorde Ihesu cryste was whan he dyed on the tre & all y^e o­ther. Also y^e sayd chyldren not baptysed shall be cō ­tente w^t y^e ordynaūce of god / & than shall retorne a­gayne in to theyr sayd place w^tout euer to haue Ioyne heuynes no more than y^u hast of that / y^e thou hast no wȳges for y^e apertayneth vnto y^e byrdes & not vn men / or as y^u hast whan a kynge or ony grete pryn­ce dyeth and y^u shalte not succede his realme & syng­nourye [Page] for thou knowest well y^u arte not he the whiche sholde enheryte / Also they ne sholde enheryte y^e gloryous realme of paradys for they ben exyled by y^e synne of Adam & of Eue / of the whiche synne they haue not ben purged by baptysm. ¶Mayster those of paradyse se they those of hell. My chylde ye / and y^t vnto them is a grete encreasynge of glorye whan theyse the paynes y^t they haue escaped wherof they thanke god w^tout ceasynge / & also y^e dampned seeth the saued in paradys as we haue in the gospell of y^e cursed ryche man Dyues the whiche sawe y^e soule of the poore lazare in the bosome of Abraham in paradys / y^e whiche thynge is to them a grete encreasȳ ge of theyr doloure & anguysshe whan they see the grete godes spyrytuall that they haue loste by theyr synnes & by theyr neclegence / & after y^e day of Iugement as the bodyes of the saued shall be gloryfyed they shall se y^e dāpned corporally / but the dampned ne may se them corporally. ¶Mayster ben the saued wrothe of the payne of the dāpned. My chylde they that ben in paradys wolde well that those y^e whiche ben in hell hadde soo well lyued whan they were in this worlde that by theyr holy werkes they hadde ben saued with theym. For without ceasynge they praye for the humaynes lyuynge w^tin this presente worlde / But sythen that they by theyr cursed lyfe & by theyr synnes they be dampned for euer these of paradyse neyther ben heuy nor dyspleasaunt. For in paradyse there is not of heuynes / nor of dyspleasaū ce of ony thynge. But all Ioye / myrthe / and glad­nesse without ende. ¶Mayster the auncyent taders suffred they ony maner of payne in the lymbe of hell [Page] My chylde / nay / but all onely that they were holde in derkenes & in captyuyte. And were put from the vysyon of god and abode euermore theyr delyueraū ce. ¶Mayster what knowlege haue y^e Iuste y^e whiche ben in paradys. My chylde they knowe the good & theyr merytes & of the cursed also / and the cursed knoweth wherfore they ben dampned / & knoweth as we that thynge that they see & fele. And those of purgatorye ne knoweth nothynge of this worlde / yf if be not by reuelacyon of aungels the whiche them conforteth or of the sayntes of paradyse. These of paradys sheweth them whan they wyl / & vnto whome they wyll / but the dāpned shall neuer come forth of hell tyll vnto the day of Iugement that they shal come to take agayne theyr bodyes & to here the sen­tence of the souerayne Iuge / & after they shall reforne in to hell from whens they shall neuermore retorne. And yf it happen somtyme y^t it semeth vnto vs that they shewe theym it is but y^e deuyll the whiche sheweth hym vnto theyr semblaunce / yf it be not by the suffraunce of god that they shewe them somty­me vnto some holy persone as god it wyll by his myracle as men sayth of many / but it is not atte theyr wyll ne they be not eased of theyr paynes. For they here euermore theyr hell with them / and so they ben euermore in hell. ¶Mayster how say ye of these women the whiche sayth that they them se in the ayre of these feyryes / & of these gobelyns the whiche thē calleth elues and many other thynges. My chylde the women ben moost varyables & more lyght of beleue than men / & therfore was Eue tempted before Adam. For y^e ennemy thought well y^t whan he had [Page] wonne her y^t she sholde helpe hym to wȳne Adam / and therfore the deuyll shewed more soner his vysyons vnto women than he dyde vnto men / how be it that some men of lytell fayth there ben often decey­ued / & of as moche y^t some women ben of more ly­ght beleue of as moche y^e more the deuyll sheweth of vysyons vnto thē in theyr mynde for to drawe them frome the fayth of Ihesu cryste / and thou sholdest vnderstāde that these olde wytches the whiche sayth that they go on the saterday fer frome theyr howses / or that they do or se thynges meruaylous y^t they ne doo nothynge / but by the grete fawte of fayth y^t they haue & by theyr folysshe beleue & for as moche as they ben in synne / for they ben ydolatres and w^t out fayth the deuyll vnto them sheweth those folys­she vysyons in theyr entendemente for the better to brynge them vnto his lyne / for in trouthe elles they remeue not frome theyr place noo more than dothe a stone / & theyr vysyons ben semblables vnto them of a man the whiche is dronke vnto whome it se­meth the house torneth vnder his fete by the whiche he falleth / & al the house ne the erthe remeue not. In lyke wyse the deuyll them sheweth these vysyons in theyr entendemente / & also the deuyll hym sheweth in fourme & semblaunce of some personage the whiche they knowe y^t sholde be deed .xx. or .xxx. yeres past or in fourme & semblaunce of some of theyr neyghboures / and shall speke to theym famylyarly as it were themlselfe to thende y^t they beleue hym the better / & that he deceyue them the more lyghtly. but it is nothynge / but it is y^e deuyl hymself the whiche hym sheweth vnto them in body fantastycall as for to de [...]eyue [Page] them / & also maketh he y^t it vnto them semeth y^t they go in to a medow grene ful of fayre floures vnto whome they make grete chere. But it is nothȳ ge / for they ne ben but yllusyons made by the enne­mye of nature y^t he putteth in theyr entendement / & it semeth them somtymes y^e they entre in to an house the gates shytte & that they take the gaders of a chylde & eteth them & gooth in to y^e celler & drȳketh as moche of the best / & of that dede they go away w^t out y^e / that y^e chylde hath ony yll / & that y^e wyne is nothynge y^e lesse in y^e tonne the whiche is a thynge Impossyble / for all y^e sorcyers of the worlde ne all y^e deuylles ne can make passe a ryght grete body hu­mayne by a lytell clyft / ne entre w^tin a house / but y^e he haue open passage for to entre / ne to drawe y^e entrayles fro y^e body of a chylde w^tout kyllynge or hurtynge it / & whan it shal be deed they can not areyse it / ne they can not drawe y^e wyne of a ton̄e w^tout y^e there be lesse of one droppe / for they ben werkes y^e all onely ben vnto the puyssaunce of y^e souerayne crea­toure / Wherfore my chylde y^u sholde put no fayth vnto theyr sorceries & deuynemētes / for they ne ben but false Illusyons made by y^e ennemy of nature y^t he sō tymes sheweth some thȳges for to come y^e whiche he knoweth by some cōiectures as I haue tolde y^e before in spekynge of y^e scyence of y^e deuyl / & somtyme y^e deuyll vnto them shall shewe a thefte in saȳge the trouthe to thende y^t they beleue y^e better in hym / & y^t the malfactoure be y^e more defamed / & also shall say often trouthe to thende y^t he be y^e soner beleued whā by his false reuelacyon he shall accuse some holy & deuout personage / of whome he ne may be otherwyse [Page] auenged / & for this cause a man ne sholde beleue them / for they ne be but Illusyons & false vysyons of the ennemy y^e whiche ne dooth but lye for to deceyue the man / & also a man ne sholde beleue suche people / for y^e deuyll hath not ony puyssaūce vpon y^e mā w^tout so be y^e god hym suffre / & vnto the regarde of the feyryes the whiche men sayth were wont to be in tymes past / they ne were men ne women naturalles but were deuylles y^e whiche shewed themself vnto y^e people of y^e tyme for they were paynyms / ydolatres & w^tout fayth / & the sayd feyryes chaunged them in to many fourmes / as of an hors / or of a dogge / or otherwyse y^e whiche is Impossyble vnto nature but y^e deuyl may wel shewe hȳ in many maners & chaū ge y^e body wherin he shal be put & in takȳge ageyn an other of an other fourme a y^u mayst chaūge thyn habyte in takynge y^e habyte of a relygyous man / or of a woman / but vnto the trouthe all the wytches of the worlde ne all y^e deuyls of hell ne can chaūge one kynde in to an other / as a man in to a dogge / or a dogge in to an asse / for it is Impossyble vnto thē y^t to do / wherfore y^u mayst wel thȳke y^t these feyryes y^t in suche wyse shewed them in dyuers fourmes & kȳ des ne were men ne women / ne other thȳge natural but were deuylles y^t in suche wyse shewed them / & y^e whiche put them in theyr ydolles & spake & sayd some thynges for to come by some cōiectures / as by y^e Influences of the bodyes celestyalles / for otherwyse y^e deuyll hath no knowlege of thynges for to come & by this meane y^e sayd feyryes sayd y^t y^e people were destenyed y^e one vnto good y^t other to yll after y^e course of heuen & of nature / as a chylde borne in suche [Page] in houre & at suche a cours / he was destenyed to be hanged or drowned / or y^t he sholde be ryche or poore or y^t he sholde wedde suche a woman / y^e whiche thȳ ges ben false / for the man hath in hymselfe lyberall arbytre & fre wyll to do good or ylle in suche wyse y^t yf he wyll he ne shall do thynge wherfore he sholde be hanged, ne yet put hym in y^e daunger to be drowned / ne also he shall not mary a woman but yf he wyll & so her destynacyons shall be false. By these reasons a man sholde put to no fayth / for as sayth the psalmyste. (Dir sapiens dn̄abitur astris). That is to say / y^t the wyseman sholde haue lordeshyp aboue the sterres & planettes / For he shall not gouerne hym after his sensualyte & inclynacyon naturall / [...]ut he sholde gouerne hym wysely by reason folowȳ ge the good & eschuynge y^e ylle / for the wyll of man [...]s so free y^t nothynge ne may make it vnfree / & yf y^e man sholde do good or yll by force ageynst his wyll he ne sholde haue lyberall arbytre / & so his lyfe sholde haue noo meryte / the whiche thynge is false and ageynst the fayth / Wherfore my chylde y^u ne sholde beleue it. It is also defended vpon y^e payne of dethe and of dampnacyon eternall / and in regarde of the [...]e wordes and of these sperytes and elues / and also of many other vysyons y^t men say y^t they se by nyȝt they ben often deuylles y^t put them in fourme of so­me deed body in faynynge his voyce to tempte y^e persone of some thynge / for as sayth y^e psalmyst. (Spiritus vadens et non rediens). y^t is to say y^t after y^t y^e soule is departed from y^e body she gooth vnto y^e pla [...]e where she hath deserued w^tout euer toretome tyll [...]nto y^e daye of Iugement / yf it be not by grete ne­cessyte / [Page] & grete myracle / as we rede of lazare & of many other / but elues / gobelyns / & helquins y^t whiche men se by nyght / as men of armes trottynge on horsebacke w^t grete assembles / they ben deuylles the whiche ben amonge vs y^t whiche sheweth theym in suche a fourme and in many other fourmes as of a dogge / of an horse / of a tree / or of a stone / & in many other fourmes for to tempte the man of some vyce / & for to make hym erre in the fayth / & somtymes these deuylles cometh vnto the stables & fyndeth y^e horse & tourneth all that the whiche was aboue vndneth by derysyon of the man & for to tempte hym / and somtyme they vnbynde the lytell thyldren and them casteth from the cradell for to make the fader and the moder wrothe & often kyll the chyldren whā god it suffreth / for the synne of y^e fader / or of the moder / or for to proue them as he dyde Iob whan he suffred that the deuyll hym dyde soo many of ylles / & of tourmentes for to preue hym in his grete pacyēce for without y^e permyssyon of god they haue no pu­yssaunce / but ben as the hange man the whiche w^t ­out the byddynge of y^e Iuge ne may hange ne bete ony euyll doer. wherfore my chylde thou sholdest re­torne y^t vnto god & vnto the sayntes & to lyue holyly as sayth the psalmyst. (Non timebis amore nocturno. That is to say thou shalte not drede of chose fo­lysshe vysyons by nyght. For they ne ben but Illusyons made by the ennemye as it is sayd. ¶Mayster may the ennemy be constrayned to come by wordes or by sygnes. My chylde nay / yf he ne wyll / but they ben the coūtenaunces y^t he hath w^t those y^t ben of his secte y^e whiche in saynge some wordes / or in makȳge [Page] [...] or cara [...]es thyder [...]keth that / that he demaundeth / to thende y^t he them holde the better in his lyne.

¶Mayster what say ye of these dremes My chylde y^u sholde take no hede vnto them for they ne be but vysyōs of some thȳ ­ges on y^t whiche a man hath thouȝt or seen before wakīge / & a man dremeth often of y^t y^e whiche is semblable vnto his com­plexyon. ¶May­ster how knowe y^e ꝓphetes tho day­yes y^t: y^e they sawe by dreme. My so­ne y^t was not by dremes all onely / but it was by y^e reuelacyon of god / for w^t the vysyon they had an ymagynacyon & beleue especyal in the bounte of our lorde that / y^e thynge that they had seen in slepynge came. ¶Mayster syth y^e god dyscended in erthe for to saue y^e synners wherfore ben they dampned. My chylde there is not so grete a synner in the worlde y^t & yf he reknowelege his synne & crye god mercy w^t good herte but y^t he be perdoned by y^e meryte of the doth & passyon of Ihesu cryste / but those y^e wyl not [Page] knowlege theyr synne but ben obstynate tyl vnto y^e dethe / know y^u that they ben dampned eternally for god ne saueth the synner the whiche wyll not saue hymselfe / & also paradyse is not deserued by synne but it is lost. ¶Mayster syth y^t god deyed for our sȳ nes wherfore ben we baptysed. My chylde for y^e baptym is the homage y^t we owe vnto our lorde Ihesu cryste by the whiche all our synnes ben pardoned & in suche wyse ordeyned he it as telleth y^e gospel that sayth thus. (Quicū (que) baptisatꝰ fuerit. That is to say / who so shall be baptysed shall be saued / & he y^t is not shall be dampned. ¶Mayster how many persones shall be saued. My chylde there shall be as many saued as there fell of the cursed aungelles of paradys by theyr pryde / for the men & y^e women ben made for to be in theyr place / & for that cause is y^e ennemy so enuyous ayenst man. ¶Mayster frome whens came the fyrst ydolatres My chylde they we­re fyrst founde in abell the whiche is now called babylon the grete & there shall y^e anthecryst be borne & there was y^e toure with y^e gyauntes the whiche is of xl. stages. There regned y^e fyrst kynge of this worlde the whiche men called Neron the whiche caused to be made an ymage of Appolyn / & commaunded all those of his realme that they sholde do hym sa­crafyce & worshyppe hym & in lykewyse dyde they the whiche came after hym in suche wyse y^t whan some grete prynces were deed theyr successoures caused to make of ymages meruaylously ryche in y^e name of theyr p̄desessoures / & made theyr subgettes to a­doure thē / & to do sacryfice & were called ydolles in to whome y^e deuyll entred & spake & tolde thē many [Page] of abusyons & so dyde they of grece vnto theyr kynge / & they of rome vnto Romulus as men fȳde by the wrytȳges & aūcyent cronycles.

¶Mayster wher for ne made god that mā ne sholde ete but one tyme ī a weke My chylde y^e honger is one of y^e passiōs y^t we suffre by y^e sȳne of adā / & so we haue eueri day honger: and thyrste / colde / & heet / & many o­ther passyons to thende y^t we tra­uayle alway for to thȳke on oure nedes & of oure neyghboures / to thende y^t by our trauayle & labour contynuall we haue y^e more of meryte / for yf y^e man had not of necessyte he sholde haue noo care to tra­uayle / but he sholde be euermore in slouthe / & shol­de not knowe what good were worthe / and also he sholde mysknowe his creatoure: And how be it that the grete lordes and gentylmen and other ryche trauayleth not corporally / All be it they trauayle spy­rytually euermore. That is to vnderstande in theyr vnderstandynge and wyll in hauynge euermore de­syre to gete / for he y^e moost hath & more wolde haue [Page] of as muche is it the more grete / & whan y^u hau [...] confessed all thy synnes wherof thou remembred y^• thou sholde crye god mercy w^t good herte in grete contrycyon & dyspleasaunce / and in demaundynge of thy confessoure y^t whiche is y^e lyeutenaunt of god absolucyon & penaunce / the whiche y^u sholde accomplysshe entyerle vnto thy power in grete reuerence. & thou sholde kepe the frome synne as moche as y^e mayst / specyally durynge the tyme of thy penaunce ¶Mayster vnto whome sholde a man confesse hȳ. My chylde vnto a preest dyscrete & wyse the whiche knoweth what it is of synne / & who hath it not / & who that can dyscerne bytwene the synne mortal & denyall / for who so confesseth hym vnto preest not knowynge & Ignouraunt putteth his soule in grete te aduenture for ryght often y^e confessyon is nothynge worthe. ¶Mayster may a man confesse hym to ony other but vnto his curate. My chylde yf thou be in a straunge countree y^u mayst confesse the vnto hȳ that y^u wyll / And yf thou be in thy parysshe & thou wyll not confesse the vnto thy curate the whiche is Ignouraunt / or y^t thy synne touche his persone / or y^t he shewe thy confessyon wherby there myght come ony sclaunder / or by many other reasons thou shold demaunde lycence / & yf he wyll not gyue it the thou may take an other of thyn owne auctoryte. But yf thou confesse the vnto them the whiche haue the po­wer & the puyssaunce of the bysshop / or of y^e [...] as be many grete clerkes and grete prechoures / thou may do it without lysence of thy curate / soo that y^u be confessed vnto thy curate one tyme in the yere / y^u may confesse the elles where as often as thou wyll [Page] your lycence.

MAyster how & fro whēs shall the Anthecryst come. My chylde he shall be borne in babylon of a cursed man & of a cursed woman the whiche shall be of the lyg­nage of Dam / & of y^e wombe of his moder he shal be ful of the cursed speryte & shall be nourysshed & confermed in en­chauntementes and shal be emperoure of all y^e worlde / & shall put the people vnder hym in foure ma­ners. That is to vnderstonde the prynces & other ryche / & couetous by gyftes / for he shall haue by his enchauntementes all the tresoures hydde in the erthe. The poore by grete drede & rygoure of Iustyce / for he shall make them greuously to be martred. The clergye by connynge wherof he shall be full / For he shall conne y^e vij artes & al the other scryptures. & y^e deuout persones by tokens & by myracles y^t shall be meruaylous. For he shall make y^e fyre to dyscende y^t shall brenne his enmyes before hym / & also he shall make y^e deed men to aryse / not truely / but y^e deuyll shall entre in to y^e bodyes of some dāpned & the de­uylles shall bere them / & anone make them to speke by his enchaūtement & to walke as yf they were a [...]ue / & shall reedyfye Ihrlm & there he shall make [Page] moost hath in thynkynge / & soo my chylde none ne may lyue w^tout payne and trauayle / but euery mā hath moche to do in his ryght.

MAyster what be tokeneth y^e mysteryes and cermonies that mē make vnto the chyrche. My chylde they shewe vs good example / & we fy­gure the olde testament & the newe & our lorde Ihesu cryste is loued in the chyrche at the houres of matȳs for at suche houre he was taken of the false Iewes & ledde vnto y^e grete preestes of the lawe / as it is wryten in the houres of the crosse / at pryme / for at suche houre he was ledde & brought before Pylate where he was falsely accused & vylanously scourged at the thyrde / for at suche houre he was crowned with thorne & clothed w^t purple by derysyon & was cladde w^t a whyte robe in y^e house of Herode by grete mockerye / at the sexte / for at suche houre he was hanged & nayled on the crosse at noone / for at suche houre he dyed on the tree of y^e crosse / at euensonge tyme / for at suche houre his precyous [Page] body was taken downe from the crosse & a­noynted w^t precyous oyntementes / & at cōplyne / for at suche houre he was buryed / & thou shalte vnder­stonde that in the masse vnto vs is fygured y^e deth & passyon of Ihesu cryst by y^e aulbe y^e whyte robe wher with he was cladde / & by the chasuble the robe of purple & men say the pystle on the ryght hande / for it is the token of the good lyfe the whiche ledeth vnto the ryght hande of paradys / & men rede y^e gospell on the lyfte hande / for by the lyft hande vnto vs is sygnyfyed synne / for the gospell is the moost strōge & of mooste grete vertue / & therfore it is put on the lyfte hande for to defende vs ayenst synne / for a mā sholde euermore put the moost strongest ayenst y^e partye from whens cometh the strokes / & the ymages well hydden in shewynge y^e god & the sayntes of paradys haue abhomynacyon of our synnes & to speke well there ne is cermonye but y^t it shewe vnto vs some grete mystere. ¶Mayster how sholde a man cō ­fesse hym. My chylde y^u sholde fyrst examyn thy conscyence in recordynge the places where y^u haste ben & how thou there hast lyued / for there ne is thȳge that better dooth to thȳke of synnes as to recorde the places where a man hath be / & in so doynge y^u sholde examyn thy conscyence. Fyrst of thy fyue wyttes naturalles. That is to knowe of thyn eyen / of eeres / of handes / of atouchynges / of the mouthe / of the nose & of al thyn herte. Secondely also of the vij. mortal synnes / & of theyr braunches the whiche ben .vij / y^t is to vnderstande / pryde / couetyse / enuye / yre / gloto­ny lechery / & slouth. Thyrdely of y^e .xij. artycles of y^e fayth y^t ben conteyned in the crede. Fourthly of the .x [Page] cōmaundementes of the lawe the whiche our lorde gaue vnto Moyses. Fyfthly of y^e .vij werkes of mer­cy yf y^u accōplysshe them whan y^u mayst well doo it. Sextely of y^e .vij. sacramentes of the holy chyrche yf y^u ne hast had in them perfyte beleue / And seuēthly of the .vij. cardynall vertues / yf y^u hath had them in the & kepte as thou arte bounde to do. & that done y^u sholde go to confesse the w^t grete humylyte and con­trycyon & dyspleasaunt of thy synnes / in hauynge ferme purpose to cōmytte them noo more / for other­wyse thou repentest the not. And whan thou shalte be before thy confessoure in grete humylyte confesse vnto hym all thy sȳnes entyerly / and clerely that he vnderstande it in tellynge hym all the fourme & maner how & wherfore thou hast commytted theym / & also thou sholde tell the tyme & the place yf thou re­membre it for yf thou synne the holy dayes / thou sȳ nest more greuously than on the werkynge dayes & yf thou synne in place halowed thou synnest more than in an other place / & in confessynge the y^u shol­de holde the ordre of confessyon in tellynge by ordre thy synnes as thou hast them recorded before to thende that thou forgete not / and so thou sholde tell all vnto thy confessoure / for yf thou leue one vnto thy wyttynge for shame or otherwyse thy confessyon is none / for it is not entyere / Ne also thou ne sholde departe thy confessyon in tellynge the one halfe vnto one confessoure / and the other halfe vnto an other confessoure / For also it is not entyer and hole / aad it is nothynge worthe / but thou sholdest cōfesse and shryue the entyerly vnto one confessoure of all y^t / y^t y^u mayst remēbre / How be it yf after thy confessyon [Page] thou remembrest some thynge thou mayst well confesse the vnto an other / but yet thou shalt do better to retorne vnto the fyrst yf thou mayst. Also my chylde y^u sholde confesse the cyrcumstaunces of thy sȳnes in tellynge that y^e whiche hath moeued the vnto synne / the fourme & the maner that thou hast holden in cōmyttynge thy synne / & the yll the whiche cometh vnto an other & vnto thy selfe. Also y^u sholdest con­fesse the of yll examples that thou haste gyuen vnto an other by thy synne and also thou shalte confesse the of wyll & consentynge that y^u hast had / & of the payne that y^u haste taken for to cōmytte it / for who so consenteth to synne all onely yf it be mortall / he synneth mortally as wytnesseth the holy gospell.

Also my chylde y^u sholde tel y^e dignite & proximyte of the persone w^t whome thou hast commyttes the synne as yf the were a vyrgyn / or a relygyous woman / or maryed or thy kynnes woman / or a comȳ woman without na­mynge her otherwyse. For in thy confessyon thou sholdest not con­fesse the of the sȳne of an other ne dyffame her / but thou sholde all onely tell her estate for to de­clare the gretenes of thy synne / for of asmoche as y^e persone is dygne in whome the synne is commytted [Page] the begynnynge of the worlde w^t al the deuyls. And [...] is done oure lorde Ihesu cryste & all his holy aun­gelles & archaūgels shall mounte w^t the good in to y^e glory eternall af paradys. And y^e cursed so shal descende in to hell w^t all the deuylles from whens they shall neuer come ne departe / but shall be euermore in payne / doloure / & heuynes in y^e fyre of hell perdu­rably. ¶Mayster whiche ben those y^t shall be dampned. My chylde y^t shall be the Iewes / & mysbeleuers & the cursed crystyens that shall deye in mortal sȳne without repentaunce. And men shall se clerely at y^e daye of Iugement y^e conscyence the one of y^e other / wherby euery man shall gyue Iugement of hȳselfe & in this maner shall be knowen all the good dedes & the yll. For a man dyde neuer ony ylle ne sȳne be it neuer so secrete / but y^t than it shall be clerely seen & shewed openly before god & before all the worlde. ¶Mayster what ben y^e Ioyes of paradys. My chylde they ben so ryght grete y^t a man ne can tell them. For the saued shall se god face to face & shal knowe all thynges as the aungelles. The bodyes of the sa­ued shall be clere and shynynge as the sonne / they shall be incontynent where they wyl be as y^e thought the whiche incontynent is borne thyder where it ly­keth. They shall haue no shame to be all naked the one afore y^e other for they shall be all clēsed fro sȳne & shall be so cōfermed in y^e grace & in y^e loue of our lorde y^t they may neuer sȳne more ne haue ony euyl thouȝt / they shal ne haue hōger ne thyrst / for they ne ne shal be more subgectes to y^e influēces of y^e planettes meanely y^t also maketh y^e degestyō vnto y^e body humayne but shallbe there aboue incorruptybles & [Page] and fedde of the grace of god / they canne not cease to yelde graces & praysynges vn to god of the grete mercy that he vnto thē hath done. And to speke shortely the Ioyes of paradys ben so grete that there ne is entendement the whiche them can comprehende / For yf all the goodes / and all the Ioyes and glad­nesses the whiche ben / was / and shall be in the wor [...] were all to gyders y^t sholde be nothynge vnto the cō ­paryson of the leest glory of paradys. For all the Ioyes of this worlde ben transytoryes / and also pas­seth as smoke. But the Ioyes of paradys ben per­petuelles and without ende.

¶Mayster how many ordres of aungelles ben in ꝑadys. My chylde there be nyne The fyrst ordre is called the or­dre of seraphȳs the whiche is y^e moost hyghest / The seconde of the Cherubyns. The thyrde is of the thrones / The fourthe of the puyssaunces The fyfth is of the prynces. The syxte of the seygnouryes: The seuenth of the [Page] vertus. The eyght of the .ix. ordres as lordes aboue theyr seruauntes archaungels. And the nynth of y^e aungelles the whiche is moost lowe. and al the sayntes holy men & women of paradys ben aboue them ¶Mayster haue we euery of vs his good aūgell the whiche kepeth vs: My chylde euery one hath his gode aungell the whiche hym defendeth from the ylle and styreth hym to do wele / and soo hadde our lorde Ihesu cryste of good aungelles for to mynyster vnto hym. And the Anthecryst shall haue one to kepe hȳ from doynge of so moche yll as he may well. And y^e aūgelles ben of y^e laste & moost lowe ordre y^t is called proprely the ordre of aūgelles as I haue now tolde the. ¶Mayster wherfore loseth y^e mone somtyme his clerenesse. My chylde the mone hath none other lyght but that / y^t the sonne vnto her gyueth / so it happeneth often that the erthe is founde bytwene y^e son [...] and the mone in suche wyse that y^e sonne ne may gyue her clerenes / and than she is all blacke / for y^e erthe shadoweth her But whan the erthe is not dy­rectely betwene them / but some parte all onely than is she clere in as moche as the sonne mayse her / & whan the erthe is nothynge betwene them than is she clere / for there is nothynge bytwene theym. And for that cause hath the mone euer the backe towar­de the sonne. ¶Mayster what thynge is the bowe of heuen the whiche we se in the ayre. My chylde they ben the beames of the sonne the whiche medle them in y^e mater of the mone y^t whiche is thycke y^t whiche taketh foure coloures y^t whiche ben dysposed to receyue many & dyuers coloures after y^e nature of herbes & of y^e place where they growe. ¶Mayster fro whēs [Page] cometh the wyndes / thondres / frostes / snowes / ray­nes / dewes / & suche semblable thynge. My chylde al these thynges cometh of some vapoures the whiche aryseth frome the erthe in heyght by the vertue of y^e sonne / of y^t whiche some ben drye / & the other moyst & whan suche y^t whiche ben lyft vp tyll vnto y^e meane regyon of y^e ayre y^t whiche is ryght colde they ben made thycke & begyn to droppe / & frome thens co­meth the rayne. And whan y^e colde is gretely destraynynge aboue so they assemble & congeleth / & frome thens cometh the hayle / & whan these droppes fal­leth here alowe / & fyndeth this bace region of y^e ayre colde, as in wynter they also congele meanely y^e wȳ de the whiche is colde & frome thens cometh y^e sno­wes / and this dewe is made of the selfe vapoures / y^t whiche whan they dyscende vpon the erthe / & there fyndeth colde they conuerte them in to water. But whan these vapoures ben drye & lyght they aryse vp more hye vnto the thyrde regyon of the ayre the whiche is hote / for it toucheth the regyon of the fyre in suche wyse whan the vapoures drye y^t these clerkes calleth exalacyons passeth in the ayre & meteth the one with y^e other / the moost strongest cadereth y^e mo­ste weykest by the vertue of the sonne & of the mone / & frome thens cometh the wyndes / & whan these exalacyons passeth in mountynge by the meane regy­on of y^e ayre the whiche is ryght colde they meddle them w^t the cloude & closeth them w^tin y^e colde: & the he [...] of y^e sōne stryketh brēnȳgely bytwene these cloudes in suche wyse y^t these exalacyons hote y^t ben en­closed w^tin y^e cloudes wyl go forth / but they ne may for y^e cloude is colde & thycke y^e whiche holdeth the [...]