¶ This sermon following was compiled & said in the Cathedral church of saint Poule within the city of London by the right reverend father in god John bishop of Rochester/ the body being present of the most famous prince king Henry the. seven. the ix. day of may/ the year of our lord god. M. CCCCC. ix. which sermon was imprinted at the special request of the right excellent princess Margarete mother unto the said noble prince and Countess of Rychemonde and Derby.   

 
DIlexi. etc. For as much as this honourable audience now is here assembled to prosecute the funeral observances & ceremonies about this most noble prince late our king and sovereign/ king Henry the seventh. And all be it I know well mine unworthiness & unhabylytees to this so great a matter/ yet for my most bounden duty/ and for his gracious favour and singular benefeytes prohibit unto me in his life/ I would now after his death right affectuously some thing say/ whereby your charytees the rather might have his soul recemmended. And to that purpose I will entreat the first psalm of the dirige/ which psalm was written of the holy king and prophet king David/ comforting him after his great falls and trespasses against almighty god & red in the church in the funeral obsequies of every christian person when that he dieth. And specially it may be red in the person of this most noble prince/ for in it is comprised all that is to be said in this matter. And in that same order that the secular orators have in their funeral orations most diligently observed which resteth in. iij. points first in the commendation of him that deed is. second in a stirring of the hearers to have compassion upon him And third in a comforting of them again. Which. iij be done by order in this same psalm as by the grace of our lord it may here after appear. first as touching his laud and commendation let no man think that mine intent is for to praise him for any vain transitory things of this life/ which by the example of him all kings & princes may learn how sliding/ how slippery/ how failing they be. All be it he had as much of them as was possible in manner for any king to have/ his politic wisdom in governance it was singular/ his wit always quick and ready/ his reason pytthy and substantial/ his memory fresh and holding/ his experience notable/ his counseylles fortunate and taken by wise deliberation/ his speech gracious in diverse languages/ his person goodly and amiable/ his natural complexion of the purest mixture/ his issue fair and in good number/ leagues and confederyes he had with all christian princes/ his mighty power was dread every where/ not only with in his realm but without also/ his people were to him in as humble subjection as ever they were to king/ his land many a day in peace and tranquillity/ his prosperity in battle against his enemies was marvelous/ his dealing in time of perils and dangers was cold and sober with great hardiness. If any treason were conspired against him it came out wonderfully/ his treasure and richesse incomparable/ his buildings most goodly and after the newest cast all of pleasure. But what is all this now as unto him/ all be but Fumus & umbra A smoke that soon vanisheth/ and a shadow soon passing away. Shall I praise him than for them. Nay forsooth. The great wife man Solon when that the king Croesus had showed unto him all his glorious state and condition that he was in as touching the things above rehearsed he would not affirm that he was blessed for all that but said. Expectandus est finis. The end is to be abiden & looked upon/ wherein he said full truth/ all be it peradventure not as he intended but verily a troth it is/ in the end is all together/ a good end and a gracious conclusion of the life maketh all/ and therefore Senec in his epistles saith. Bonam vite clausulam impone. In any wise make a good conclusion of thy life/ which thing I may confirm by holy letters. In the prophet Ezechiel it is written & spoken by the mouth of god in this manner. justicia justi non liberabit eum in quacumque die peccaverit & impietas impij non nocebit ei in quacumque die conversus fuerit ab ipietate sua. That is to say/ if the rightwise man have lived never so virtuously/ & in the end of his life commit one deadly sin & so depart/ all his rightwise dealing before shall not defend him from everlasting damnation/ & in contrary wise/ if the sinful man have lived never so wretchedly in times passed yet in the end of his life if he return from his wickedness unto god/ all his wickedness before shall not let him to be saved. Let no sinner presume of this to do amiss or to continue the longer in his sin/ for of such presumers scant one among a. M. cometh unto this grace but the death taketh them or they beware. Let no man also murmur against this/ for this is the great treasure of the mercy of almighty god/ & against such murmurs is sufficiently answered in the same place/ for what should become of any of us ne were this great mercy. Quis potest dicere mundum est cor meum innocens ego sum a pcton. Who may say (saith ecclesiasticus) mine heart is clean/ I am innocent & guiltless of sin. As who saith/ no man may speak this word. When than all men have in their life trespassed against almighty god. I may well say that he is gracious that maketh a blessed end. And to that purpose saint John in the appocalyps saith. Beati mortui qui in dno moriuntur. blessed are though which have made virtuous end and conclusion of their life in our lord/ which verily I suppose this most noble prince hath done/ the proof whereof shall stand in four points. The first is a true turning of his soul from this wretched world unto the love of almighty god. second is a fast hope & confidence that he had in prayer. third a steadfast believe of god and of the sacraments of the church. Fourth in a diligent asking of mercy in the time of mercy/ which. iiij. points by order be expressed in the first part of this psalm. As to the first at the beginning of lent last passed he called unto him his confessor a man of singular wisdom/ learning and virtue/ by whose assured instruction I speak this that I shall say. This noble prince after his confession made with all diligence and great repentance/ he promised three things that is to say/ a true reformation of all them that were officers and ministers of his laws to the intent that justice from hens for ward truly and indifferently might be executed in all causes. An other that the promotions of the church that were of his disposition should from hens forth be disposed to able men such as were virtuous and well learned. third that as touching the dangers and jeopardies of his laws for things done in times passed he would grant a pardon generally unto all his people/ which. iij. things he let not openly to speak to diverse as did resort unto him And many a time unto his secret servants he said that if it pleased god to send him life they should see him a new changed man. furthermore with all humbleness he recognized the singular and many benefeytes that he had received of almighty god/ & with great repentance & marvelous sorrow accused himself of his unkindness towards him/ specially that he no more fervently had procured the honour of god/ & that he had no more diligently performed the will & pleasure of him/ wherein he promised by the grace of god an assured amendment. who may suppose but that this man had verily set his heart & love upon god/ or who may think that in his person may not be said Dilexi. That is to say/ I have set my love on my lord god. King David that wrote this psalm/ all be it he had been an avoutrer & murderer also/ yet with one word speaking his heart was changed saying. Peccavi. This king said & confessed it many times with great sorrow and great repentance/ promising fully a true amendment of all h●s life/ wherefore in his person it may also be said Dilexi. That is to say/ I have turned mine heart & love un to god. The cause of this love was the fast hope that he always had before in prayer/ It is not unknown the studious & desirous mind that he had unto prayer. which he procured of religious & seculars church throughout his realm In all the churches of england daily his collect was said for him. Besides that diverse years about lent he sent money to be distributed for. x. M. l. masses peculeer to be said for him. Over this was in his realm no virtuous man that he might be credybly informed of/ but he gave him a continual remembrance yearly to pray for him/ some. x. mark/ some. x. li. besides his yearly & daily alms unto the prisoners/ & the other poor & needy/ for the which it may be thought undoubtedly that he had great hope and confidence in prayer/ which prayer and confidence therein/ no doubt of was cause of the very turning of his soul to the fast love of god. And for that he saith. Dilexi quoniam exaudiet dns. I love because I had an hope that my lord should graciously hear me/ but what shall he here. Vocem deprecationis me The voice of a prayer maketh it more audible. A soft breast may not be herd far of/ his prayer therefore was helped with all theirs that prayed with him & for him/ & their prayer was as the voice of him which was so great that it must needs be herd. Impossibile est multorum pces non exaudiri saith saint Austyn/ that is to say/ the prayer of many can not be but herd. One of the kings of Juda whose name was Manasses after many great abominations & outrages against almighty god as it appeareth in the fourth book of the kings/ & in the second of paralipomenon/ he prayed unto him for mercy with true repentance/ & mercy was given unto him. If this so great a sinner for his own prayer were herd of god. How may we doubt/ but where so great a number prayeth for one as did for our late king & sovereign/ but that all that number shall be herd. Qm exaudiet dns vocem depcationis me. The cause of this hope was the true believe that he had in god/ in his church & in the sacraments thereof/ which he received all with marvelous devotion/ namely in the sacrament of penance/ the sacrament of the altar/ & the sacrament of annealing. The sacrament of penance with a marvelous compassion & flow of tears/ that at some time he wept & sobbed by the space of. iij. quarters of an hour/ the sacrament of the altar he received at midlent/ & again upon easter day with so great reverence that all that were present were astonied thereat/ for at his first entry in to the closet where the sacrament was he took of his bonnet & kneeled down upon his knees & so crept forth devoutly till he came unto the place self where he received the sacrament. Two days next before his departing he was of that feebleness that he might not receive it again. yet nevertheless he desired to see the monstraunt wherein it was contained/ the good father his confessor in goodly manner as was convenient brought it unto him/ he with such a reverence/ with so many knockings & betings of his breast with so quick & lifely a countenance/ with so desirous an heart made his humble obeisance thereunto/ & with so great humbleness & devotion kissed not the self place where the blessed body of our lord was contained/ but the lowest part the foot of the monstraunt/ that all that stood about him scarssy might contain them from tears & weeping The sacrament of annealing when he well perceived that he began utterly to fail/ he desirously asked therefore/ and heartily prayed that it might be administered unto him/ wherein he made ready & offered every part of his body by order/ & as he might for weakness turned himself at every time & answered in the suffrages thereof. That same day of his departing he heard mass of the glorious virgin the mother of christ to whom alway in his life he had a singular & special devotion. The image of the crucifix many a time that day full devoutly he did behold with great reverence/ lifting up his heed as he might/ holding up his hands before it/ & often embracing it in his arms & with great devotion kissing it/ & beating oft his breast/ who may think that in this manner was not perfit faith/ who may suppose that by this manner of deling he faithfully believed not that the ear of almighty god was open unto him & ready to hear him cry for mercy/ and assystent unto these same sacraments which he so devoutly received/ & therefore in his person it may be said. Quia inclinavit aurein suam michi. For the fourth point which was a diligent asking of mercy in the time of mercy. It followeth. Et in diebus ineis invocavi. That is to say/ and in my days I have called for mercy/ which were his days. verily all the time of his life. As long as a man liveth in this mortal life and truly calleth upon almighty god for mercy/ he may trust assuredly to have it. So it appeareth by saint John in the appocalyps saying. Ecce dedi illi tempus ut pniam ageret. I have given him time to repent him/ and all this time almighty god mercifully abideth the return of the sinner to the intent he may have mercy upon him/ as it is written in the prophet Esaye. Expectat vos deus ut misereatur vestri. There is no part of his life but a sinner if he truly call for mercy he may have it/ witnessing the prophet Ezechiel Impietas impii non nocebit ei in quacumque die conversus fuerit ab impietate sua In what day soever the sinner turneth him from his sin/ his sin shall not noye him/ moche rather than if he do it many days and specially those days that be to almighty god most acceptable as be the days of lent/ of whom the church readeth. Ecce nunc tempus acceptabile ecce nunc dies salutis. This is the time acceptable/ these be the days of health and mercy/ than for all penitents the hole church maketh special prayer wherefore it is verily to be trusted that so true a turning to the love of god/ despising this world/ so fast an hope in prayer/ so firm a believe in the sacraments of the church/ & so devout a receiving of them/ so many holding up of his hands/ so many lifting up of his eyen/ so many betings and knockings of his breast/ so many sighs/ so many tears/ so many callings for mercy/ by all that gracious time/ by all the hole lente/ with the help of the hole church than praying for him could not be in vain/ for the which as I said before/ he thus departing made (I doubt not) a gracious end and conclusion of his life which was the first part promised.  

THe second part of this psalm I said should stir us to have compassion & pity upon this most noble king/ and that for a lamentable & piteous complaint following which resteth in four points. first touching the sorrows of death in his body. second touching the dreads of his judgement in his soul. third touching the miseries of this world full of labour and grievance. Fourth touching his sorrowful cry to god for help and succour. As to the first it is said. Circumdederunt me dolores mortis. The sorrows of death hath environed me. when we here a lamentable complaint of any person that is in sorrow or heaviness/ if therebe in our hearts any gentleness or pity it will move us to compassion/ though he were right simple & of poor and low degree/ moche rather if it were some noble man which of late had been in great prosperity/ but most of all our lord & sovereign/ that should pierce our hearts with sorrow to hear him lamentably complain of any of his sorrowful grievances/ & what can be more sorrowful & more painful than be the pains & sorrows of death. Mors omni terribilissima. Saith Arystotle. And why is death so fearful: but for the grievous pains that are in it/ there is so great an amity between the soul & the body/ & so surely a Joined knot & bond/ that dysseveraunce of them is to painful/ which thing appeared well in our saviour christ Jhesu. where here remembering the nyghnesse's of his death complained him unto his apostles/ saying. Tristis est anima mea usque ad mortem. And after for the very dread of the pains was in so great agony of body & soul that he sweat water & blood for the only remembrance/ he than that is wrapped in deed in the very sorrows & pains of death/ he feeleth moche grievance/ specially if his body be delicate/ & he of tender & sensible nature as was this noble king. Let us therefore tender his complaint/ saying in this manner. Circumdederunt me dolores mortis. That is to say/ the bitter sorrows of death have environed me on every part/ not only one sorrow/ but many sorrows. Dolores and many sorrows of death which is most painful. Dolores mortis not touched him or pinched him/ but on every part hath assailed & oppress said him. Circumdederunt me And that no short while but by long continuance by the space of. xxvii. hours to guider/ so long I understand he lay continually abiding the sharp assaults of death/ & therefore he saith piteously con plaining. Circumdederunt me dolores mortis Secondly as touching his soul/ in what agony suppose ye that was/ not for the dread of death only/ but for the dread of the judgement of almighty god/ for all be it he might have great confidence/ by the reason of his true conversion unto god/ and by the sacraments of Christ's church which he with full great devotion had received before/ yet was not he without a dread. Nemo novit an sit odio an amore dignus. There is no man be he never so perfit whiles he have it by revelation that knoweth certainly whether he be in the state of grace or no/ for of an other manner be the judgements of god than of men. And the holy abbot Hely said likewise. Three things said he there be that I moche dread/ one is what time my soul shall depart out of my body/ an other is when I shall be presented before my Juge/ the third is what sentence he shall give whether with me or against me. If these holy fathers which had forsaken this world & had lived so virtuously were in this fere/ no marvel though this great man which had so much worldly business & daily occupied in the causes thereof/ no marvel though he were in great fere/ & thereof he complaineth saying. Et pericula inferni invenerunt me. That is to say/ and the perils of hell did find me. Who that will not make his remembrance famuler with them before/ and often set them before the eye of his soul/ they shall at the hour of death in more terrible manner offer themself unto his mind even as ye see these wood dogs these great mastiffs that be tied in chains/ unto such as often visit them they be more gentle and easy/ but to the strangers which have none acquaintance of them they ragyously and furiously gape and rise against them as they would devour them. Et pericula inferni invenerunt me. thirdly touching these worldly pleasures wherein men set great part of their comfort both in body & soul/ he had than full little comfort or pleasure in them but rather discomfort & sorrow/ all his goodly houses so richly dekte & appareled/ his walls & galaryes of great pleasure/ his gardens large & wide with knots curiously wrought/ his orcheyardes set with wines & trees most dy eat/ his marvelous richesse & treasure/ his meats & drinks were they never so dylycately prepared might not than help him/ but rather were painful to him/ so moche that long before his death his meet was to him so loathsome (were it never so dilicately pmpayred) that many a time he said/ but only to follow counsel he would not for all this world receive it/ wherein he well perceived the miseries of this wretched world. Than lo he had experience of that/ that long time before the great & wise Solomon reported in his book eccliastes. Cunque me ꝯuertissen ad universa opera q fe cerant manus me & ad labores inquiabus frustra sudaueram vidi in oibus vanitatem & afflictionem animi. That is to say when I had turned my remembrance to all that I had ordained/ & to the labours wherein I sweat in vain I found in them all but vanity & tormentry of soul. This conclusion our late king and sovereign full truly than had learned & the vain troubles labours which many take for this wretched world/ wherein as I said full little pleasure than he had but moche displeasure and sorrow/ wherefore it followeth in his complaint. Tribulationem & dolorem inveni The fourth parcel of his complaint is a lamentable cry unto almighty god for help and succour/ for when he saw plainly that no where else was any succour or comfort/ the cruel assaults of death was fierce and sharp against him/ the dangerous perils whether he should become was importunely grievous/ all this world and worldly pleasures were to him unsweet & full displeasant therefore with all his might & power he cried upon the name of our lord/ for the which name is promised by saint Poule. Ois quicumque invocaverit nomen dni saluus erit. That is whosoever call upon the name of our lord he shall be safe/ he therefore full busily/ full studiously/ full earnestly called upon that blessed name for succour & help/ and so it followeth in the psalm. Et nomen dni invocavi. O my blessed Ihesu/ oh my most merciful Ihesu/ oh my lord & creature Ihesu. O dne libera animam meam. O my lord deliver my soul/ deliver my soul from the miseries of this world/ deliver my soul from these deadly pains/ deliver my soul from this corruptible body/ deliver my soul from the bonds of sin/ deliver my soul from my mortal enemies/ deliver my soul from the dangers of everlasting death. O dne libera Eccliam meam. A my lords & masters let this piteous and lamentable complaint of him that of late was your king and sovereign/ let it enter and sink into your breasts. scripture there unto doth move you saying this wise. Fili in mortuum ꝓduc lachrimas & quasi dira passus incipe plorare. And in an other place thus. Supra mortuum plora defecit enim lux eius. Example hereof we have of the gentiles. The cruel warrior Hanyball he pyteed the death of his enemies Paulus/ Enulius/ Tiberius'/ Graceus/ Marcus/ Marcellus. When he saw their bodies lie deed before him. And in holy letters also king David when it was told unto him the death of his enemies at diverse times he wept right piteously as at the death of Saul/ Absalon and Abner. If they so great & noble men so much pyteed the death of their mortal enemies. We should much rather tender and pity the death of our own king & sovereign. But whereto rehearse I them when he that was the lord of all this world our saviour christ Ihesu wept at the monument of Lazarus when he had been buried the space of four days/ giving unto us all thereby example of pity. If he that was the king of all kings wept for the death of his subject so long after his burial/ what should we that be subjects do for the death of our king & sovereign having yet the presence of his body unburied amongs us/ forsooth it should move us to have pity & compassion the rather upon him. A king Henry king Henry if thou were on live again many one that is here present now would pretend a full great pity & tenderness upon the. It is remembered in the book of the kings how a servant of king David whose name was Ethay when his lord & sovereign was in trouble he would not forsake him/ but answered him plainly in this manner saying. In quocumque loco fuerꝭ dne mi rex sive in morte sive in vita ibi erit servus tuus. That is to say in what place soever thou shalt be my lord my king in the same place shall thy servant be A squire also of king Saul when he saw his lord & master deed his sorrow was so great that he slew himself incontinent. Alas where is the true pity & very compassion become that should be in the hearts of men. These two persons had so great ruth and compassion of their masters that they refused not to suffer the death with them How hard are our hearts/ how stony/ how flinty. If we relent not with pity & compassion/ hearing so lamentable a complaint of our late sovereign/ and hearing him so piteously cry saying. O dne libera Eccliam meam O my lord deliver my soul. Let us help him at the jest with our prayers beseeching almighty god for his infinite mercy to deliver his soul and to pardon it. And or we proceed any farther of our psalm let us here devoutly and affectually say for his soul and all christian souls every of us one pater noster.   

THe third part of this psalm entreateth of comfort/ which is contained in. iiij. points. first that almighty god is merciful/ second that he hath taken him in to his custody/ third that he hath delivered him from all evils fourth that hens for ward he shall continue in the gracious favour of almighty god. For the first it followeth. Misericors dns & justus et deus noster miseret. That is to say. The lord is merciful and right wise and our god will have pity/ who is this lord that is merciful & right wise/ who but our saviour christ Ihesu which of his infinite mercy came into this world to die for sinners. Christus jesus venit in hunc mundum saluos facere pctonres. Why than saith he. Et justus. that he is right wise also/ that rather should make against the sinner than for him. Nay forsooth/ the prophet and king David brought in this word for himself & not against him. Two ways it maketh for the sinner/ one by reason of promise made through out all scripture unto the penitent that will utterly forsake his sin. Our lord that is most Just of his promise will pardon the sins so repenting himself and so truly returning which thing saint John plainly witnesseth in his first epistle Si confiteamur petam nostra fidelis & justus est ut remittat nobis petam nostra & emundet nos ab omi iniquitate. That is to say. If we will knowledge our sins the lord is faithful & Just in his promise to forgive all our sins & make us clean from all wickedness/ this is one way. Another way also it may make & that is this. Our saviour Jhu is Justus/ for he is innocent and guiltless/ & therefore he is a convenient mean/ a sufficient vocate for us before the face of his father according to the words of the same saint John. Si quis peccaverit advocatum habemus apd ' patrem jesum xpm justum & ipse est ꝓpiciatio ꝓ pctins/ non pro nostris tm sed & tocius mund. That is to say. If any of us have sinned/ let us not despair/ for we have an advocate for us before god/ our saviour which is Just & without sin/ & he shall be a mean for our sins/ not for ours all only/ but for all the worlds. Who may be thought a more convenient vocate for sinners then he that never did sin than he that sufficiently hath paid for the ransom of sin his own most precious blood & painful & bitter death than he that is the son of almighty god and that before his own father. But peradventure his father is hard and strange and will not be moved. Nay forsooth/ for rather the contrary/ he is full piteous & full ready to have mercy. And therefore it followeth. Et deus noster miseretur. And our god will have pity & mercy. For the which saint Austyn saith in his book depnina. Quecumque necessit as pctonrem ad penitenciam cogit neque quamtitas criminis/ nec brevitas tenꝑis/ nec enormitas sceleris/ nec hore extremitas/ si pura fuerit voluntatis mutacio excludit a venia. That is to say/ what necessity soever compel the sinner to repentance/ neither the greatness of his sin nor yet the shortness of time/ nor the enormity of his tres pass/ ne yet the uttermost hour of his life shall exclude him from pardon/ if so be that his will be clearly changed & turned to god. This is than one great comfort that our late king and sovereign may have/ and all though that bear him true faith and service. The second comfort that he was taken in to the custody of our lord followeth in the next verse. Custodiens paruulos dominus humiliatus sum et liberavit me. Who that is in thraldom of sin is in full shrewd custody/ and if he would be at liberty he must do as these prisoners do that sometime undermine the walls and creep under them out at a straight and narrow hole. And so they escape out of the custody of prison and come to their liberty/ In like wise the sinner must do/ he must undermine the strong walls of sin by true humbling and lowing of himself/ and make himself little to the intent he may creep out at the narrow hole from the danger of sin and so come unto the liberty of grace. For the which our saviour said. Nisi conversi fueritis et efficiamini sicut paruuli. unless ye be changed and be made little ye can not enter to liberty. Saint Anthony saw by revelation that all the world was full of snares/ and he asked this question. blessed ●orde said he who shall pass these dangers. It was answered him Sola humilitas. Only humbleness and lowliness. The king Achab of whom scripture saith that he died more displeasure unto god than all the kings of Israhell that were before his time he died so great idolatry/ he slew so many prophets/ notwithstanding so many wonderful tokens & miracles that were showed unto him/ yet at the last when the prophet Hely came to him in message & threatened him fore in the name of god/ he began to repent him/ & to humble himself in the sight of god/ for the which incontinent almighty god said unto the prophet Hely. Nun vidisti humiliatum achab coram me: qr igit huniliatus est mei eam in inducan malum in diebus eius. That is to say Died thou not see Achab humbled before me/ I tell the for that he because of me died so humble himself I shall not do that evil that I purposed in his time to have done. O singular goodness and gentleness of almighty god. O marvelous readiness of him unto pity and mercy. So soon as the sinner can humble and make little himself/ so soon he setteth him at liberty and taketh him in to his custody and tuition/ herefore greatly we may be greatly comforted in our late king and sovereign/ which so much humbled himself before his death humbled him unto god/ humbled him unto his confessout humbled him unto penance/ humbled him unto the sacrament of the altar/ and to the other sacraments/ humbled him unto the crucifix/ and with a more humbleness and patience took this sickness & every thing in it than ever he did before to the marvel of all that were about him/ wherefore he now may say to our and his comfort Custodiens puulos dns humiliatus sūet liberavit me That is to say/ our lord taketh into his custody the little & humble persons. I was humbled & he set me at liberty. The third comfort is that he is now at rest and the miseries of this world hath escaped/ what is in this life but miserable vanity/ so he doth witness that thereof had experience at the full/ he that had most abundance of all worldly pleasures I meant the king Solomon which said. Vanitas vanitatum & oina vanitas/ quid habet hom amplius de labore suo qui laborat sub sole. That is to say vanity of vanities & all is but vanity/ what hath any man more of all his labour and business under the son. A my lords and masters that have this worldly wisdom that study and enploy your wits to cast & compass this world what have ye of all this business at the last but a little vanity. The spider craftily spynneth her threads and curiously weaveth and Joineth her web/ but cometh a little blast of wind & dysapoynteth all together to the which purpose Cietro in his third book be oratore maketh this exclamation. O fallacen hounn spem fragilemque fortunam & inanes nostras contentiones q medio in spacio sepe frangunque et corruunt. That is to say. O deceitful hope of men & brittle fortune & bain enforsementes, which often break; & come to naught or ever they have entered half their course/ which thing wisely considering this noble prince ordered himself thereafter/ let call for his son the king that now is our go vernour & sovereign endued with all graces of god & nature and with as great habylytees & lyklyhodes of well doing as ever was in king/ whose beginning is now ●o gracious & so comfortable unto all his people/ that the rejoicing in him in manner shadoweth the sorrow that else would have been taken for the death of his father. He called (I say) unto him and gave him faderly and godly exhortation/ committing unto him the laborious of this realm/ & gathering his own soul in to the true rest comforting it & saying unto it. Convertere anima mea in requiem tuam quia dns bnfecit tibi. Be turned my soul in to thy rest/ for thy lord hath been beneficial unto thee/ beneficial at every time before/ but now specially by this most gentle & merciful calling by so long respite & space giving of repentance whereby he hath escaped so many dangers/ dangers of everlasting death/ dangers of everlasting tears & weeping/ & dangers of falling again to sin/ for the first it is said. Quia eripuit animam meam a morte. That is/ for he hath delivered my soul from death/ both temporal & everlasting dangers of everlasting weeping & sorrow/ for the which the good father Arsenius said unto his brethren Brethrens said he/ either we must needs weep here with tears that will wash our soul's/ or else after this with tears that will bren both bodies & souls/ from these tears also he is delivered/ & therefore it followeth. Oculos meos a lachrimis. And mine eyen from tears. Thirdly from the dangers of falling to sin again. No man that liveth here can be assured not to fall. And therefore saint Poule saith. Qui stat videat ne cadat. He that standeth let him beware that he slideth not for the way is slippery/ but though that be hens departed in the state of grace be assured never to fall again. And for that it followeth. Et pedes meos a lapsu. The fourth and the last portion of his comfort/ which is to be assured of continuance in the favour of almighty go● passeth all the other. A great comfort it is unto the sorrow full penitent that he hath a merciful lord & god. A great comfort also that he is taken in his tuition and custody A greater yet that he is delivered from so many evils & perils. But the greatest which surmounteth all other is to have the presence of that most blessed countenance & to be assured ever to continue in that gracious favour/ no tongue can express/ no speech can declare/ no heart can think/ how great/ how far passing this comfort is. Si decem mill iehēnias quis dixerit saith Crysostome Nichil tale est quale est ab illa btā visione excidere & exosum esse a xpo. If one would think the grief of. x. M. hells/ all that is yet no thing like to be excluded from that blessed countenance & to be hated of christ. If this grief be so excessive and far passing the contrary thereof must needs be of as extreme comfort and Joy again/ that is to say to have the continual presence of that blessed sight/ & to know the assured favour and grace that he standeth in for the which is said. Place vo dno in regione vivorum. That is to say/ I shall please my lord god in the region and country of living persons/ where as is the very life ever continued without any interruption of death. Thus according to my promise at the beginning I have perused this psalm in the person of this noble man/ dividing it in three parts in a commendation of him/ in a moving of you to have compassion upon him/ & in a comforting of you again The commendation stood in four points/ first in a very turning of his love to god/ second in a fast hope & confidence of prayer/ third in a steadfast believe of the sacraments and a devout receiving of them/ fourth in a diligent calling for grace. The moving to compassion stood also in. iiij. points/ first for the painful grievances of death that he felt in his body/ second for the fearful remembrance in his soul of the judgement of god/ third for the miserable vanities of this life wherein he found but pain and travail/ fourth for the lamentable cry to god for help and succour. The comforting again was like wise in. iiij. points/ first for that he hath so merciful a lord and god/ second for that he is taken in to his tuition and custody/ third for that he is now delivered from so many perils/ fourth for that he shall from heus forward continue in the gracious savour of almighty god the which comfort he grant him that for us all died upon the cross our saviour christ Jhesu. Amen.    

¶ Thus endeth this notable sermon. imprinted at London in Fleetstreet at the sign of the son by winkin de word/ printer unto the most excellent princess my lady the kings grandame. Anno dni. M. CCCCC. ix.   


W C  
winkin· de &· word.   printer's or publisher's device