¶ A general free Pardon or Charter of heaven bliss/ very necessary for all true christian people/ where in standeth clean remission of all our sins/ to all penitent & faithful hearts. Not given by any popish collusion/ but by jesus Christ/ son of the living God, Compiled in our old english tongue/ in the year of our lord God. M.iiii, C. neither adding to nor diminishing fro/ save only some old words/ turned into our new manner and accustomed speaking. * GOD SAVE THE KING. Arma Christi I.N.R.I. Here beginneth the pardon or chartre of heaven's bliss, EVery wise man that cle●●●●● or desireth this heauenl● 〈◊〉 asketh great pardon/ keep 〈◊〉 ●●●●sely and hath oft mind upon the charter of his challenge/ & the●lore each man learn to live virtuously/ and keep & have mind upon the chartre of heavens bliss/ & study busily & steadfastly the wit of this bull for the pardon thereof shall dure without end therefore understand thou well that the charter of this heritage/ & the bull of this ever lasting pardon/ is our lord jesus christ written with all the might & virtue of god/ The parchment of this heavenly chartre/ is neither of sheep/ ne of calf/ but it is the body & the skin of our lord jesus christ the lamb/ that never was spotted with wem or spot of sin. & there was neither skin of sheep neither of calf/ so sore & so hard strained on the teyntur/ either harow of any parchment maker/ as was the blessed body & skin of our lord jesus Christ/ for our life strained & drawn upon the yebet of the cross. And there never man heard fro the beginning of the world/ till now/ neither shall until domes day/ that ever writeth wrote upon sheeps skin/ either on calves with so hard & hideous pennys: so bitter so sore or so deep/ as written the cursed jews upon the blessed body & sweet skin of our Lord jesus Christ/ with hard nails & sharp spear/ & sore pricking thorns in stead of their pennys: for they wrote them so sore & so deep/ that they pierced his hands and feet with hard nails/ & opened his heart with a sharp spear/ and pressed upon his head a crown of sharp thorns that lightly pierced his brain pan. The wounds upon that blessed body & sweet skin of our Lord jesus Christ/ were in stead of letters/ & as clerks say & specially saint Ancelme, that there were open wounds upon the blessed body of Christ by number/ five. M. CCCC.lxxv. this is the number of the letters/ with which our chartre was written/ by the which chartre we may claim our heritage (if we live righteously and keep this chartre steadfastly in mind). The sentence and understanding written within and without this blessed chartre/ and body of our Lord jesus Christ/ is our believe. For he is the coffer/ in whom is closen & locken all the treasure/ wit & wisdom of god. Also upon this blessed chartre was written/ wailing & mourning/ song & sorrow/ for sorrow of our sins: for the which sins to be heeled & wasshen away/ Christ god and man must suffer so hard & painful wounds: Upon Christ's body that is our heavenly chartre/ was written signifying to all though that perfitly forsaken their sins: for they han full medicine & health through virtue of the bitter wounds & precious blood of jesus. And upon the wounds of jesus/ may be red sorrow to all them that for false lust & liking that dureth but a while/ bynden themself so sore to sin & servage of the fiend/ & lesen, the help of their heavenly chartre & so their heritage & wenden or go blindly to sorrow that dureth for ever. The laces of this heavenly chartre/ been behests of god/ and that god may not lie/ for he is sovereign truth. The first lace is his behests/ that what day or ower a sinful man or woman leaveth their sin/ holy & heartily with bitter sorrow & turn them to him/ he shall receive them to his mercy. But each man beware that he tarry not to long/ lest for his own unkindness/ grace be taken fro him. The second lace is the full trust that we han or have/ that god may not lie/ neither be falls of his behests: & here in hangeth syckerly the trust of our heritage: & by these two laces/ hangeth the sele of our charter/ seled with the blood of the lamb Christ: that is Christ's flesh/ taken of the cleanest drops of blood/ in the sweetest virgin Mary/ more craftily and marvelously/ than ever any may be by craft of kind/ gather the wax of flowers of the field. The print of this sele/ is the shap of our lord jesus christ/ hanging on the cross for our sins/ as we may see by the Image of the crucifix: for he hath his head bowed down/ ready to kiss all those that verily turn to him. Also he hath his arms spread abroad/ ready to be clip them and he is nailed to the cross fast/ both feet and hands: for he will dwell with them and never wend away from them: but if they forsake him first/ through sin. And he hath all his body spread abroad/ to give himself wholly to us cleaving to him/ and verily he hath his side opened/ & his heart cloven for our sake: so that without letting we must creep into his heart & rest there thorough steadfast believe & hearty love This charter may no fire bren/ ne water drench or drown/ neither thief rob/ neither any creature destroy. For this scripture the father of heaven hath hallowed/ either made steadfast/ and sent it into the world the which scripture may not be undo/ as the gospel witnesseth. This scripture is our lord jesus Christ's Charter and Bul of our heritage of heaven. Lock not this chartre in thy coffer/ but set it either writs it in thy heart/ & all the creatures in heaven neither in earth/ neither in hell/ may not rob it/ neither bren it from thee/ but if thou wilt thyself/ assenting to sin. And if thou keepest well this Charter in the coffer of thy heart/ with good living and devout love/ lastingly to the end/ as trustly & truly/ as he is true god. Thorough virtue of this Charter/ thou shalt have thy heritage of bliss/ that lasteth withouten end. Now therefore hast we to penances/ as saint Austen biddeth/ and the last day be ever afore our eyen. Refrain we our bodies from byces & evil coveytynges/ & ever let our hearts think heavenly things/ that when we come thither/ we use fully heavenly goods: for why we believe/ that when our soul shallbe unknytted from the bond of flesh. If we han or have lived well & rightfully before god/ anon the company of angels shall come into our meetings/ & they shall bring us with worship to the very domysman. If that we han lived as I said/ than peace shallbe to us & sickerness in compass Than we shall not dread the fiery darts of the devil/ neither any other manner enemy that cometh to hurt our souls. The flesh shall no more be adversary to the spirit/ neither we shall dread any perils. Than the holy ghost shall give to us a dwelling in heavenly things/ & we glad in joyful/ & shall abide the day of doom to come/ in which the souls of all men shall receive meed for their deeds. And than shall sinners and unpytefull men perish. But in that day vain men & raveners/ greedy men & proud men/ auoutres & wrathful/ coveteus/ cursers and forsworn men shall weep most bitterly/ and they shall not get forgiveness of their evils/ which left not their sins with bitter sorrow in their life. In most wailing they shall be holden/ which seruyden to unleeful lusts of the flesh/ and they shall be in mourning and everlasting sorrow which serveden to vices/ either unreasonable desires. And as all these shall be worthy to be ordained/ to the fire of hell for their sins/ & their great trespasses. So if we please God here/ while we been in body we shall take everlasting reward with saints. Therefore despise we all things that be vain & falling/ that we may get so great glory of Christ doing mercy: therefore bow we away fro vices/ and go we to virtues and let not superflue words come out of our mouth. For we shall yield reckoning in the day of doom of all idle words. Neither make we our tongue to have custom to cursing/ which tongue is form to bless and herrie or praise God. For all things what ever is unmesured/ maketh dissolution of soul/ & negligent against the lords hests. Neither he may lightly clepe or call his trespasces to mind/ and so forgetting himself/ stirreth not himself to penance/ & so by little & little he passeth fro goodness/ & he shall not have true compunccyon of heart/ where unleeful covetous dwelleth. But soothly where tears shall be/ there ghostly fire is kindled/ which lighteneth the privities of soul/ and showeth to it heavenly things. Therefore use thou the fellowship of perfect men and turn thou not away thine ears fro their words/ for the words of men dreading god/ been words of life and holiness of soul to them that here and perceive them. For as the son rising/ driveth away the mist/ so the teaching of holy men casteth away darkness of our hearts. Therefore I beseech you/ eschew proud men/ envious men/ backbiters/ liars/ forsworen men/ and men despising their health/ which been deed in virtues/ and joy in their own lusts and want god's goods. I say not only of them that been in thine house/ but also where ever thou shalt here such/ eschew them/ & commune not with such men/ if thou mayst not again clepe or call them from their error: for why/ oft by one scabbed sheep/ all the flock is defiled. And a little part of gall turneth much sweetness into bitterness. For though such a man/ seem to the clear in clothing & noble in bringing forth of sweet words. Nevertheless if he doth the contrary work/ such feigning of him noyeth more/ than figure either shap pleaseth of words/ & every work that thou thinkest to do first/ think thou on god/ & examine diligently/ if that thing which thou thinkest/ be of god/ and if it is rightful before God/ perform it/ & else cut it away fro thy soul/ and beware of each wickedness and sin/ in word/ deed and thought/ in hands/ & in feet/ in sight & in hearing/ & keep we our body & soul for jesus Christ our lord god/ the son of god the father that came down from heaven to earth/ he stayed upon the cross/ and died for us sinners to deliver us fro turmenting of the devil/ he suffered pain to deliver us fro everlasting pain/ he suffered death that we again rise in body & soul/ in the last day of the great doom And therefore it is said of the first church that one heart/ one will/ one soul/ is to them in the lord. For the charity and love Christ had coupled them into one/ and so must all Christian men/ if they wylen be saved. But fleshly men & lovers of this world been departed against themself/ and been unjoined/ moving slanders each to other/ strives/ wraths/ chidings dissensions/ manslaughters/ forswearings/ thefts/ ravenous/ lecheries/ dronkenesses/ & all things which the world loveth and the flesh. Of whom the Apostle saith: He that soweth in the flesh/ shall reap corruption. In such it is that the devil soweth his sedes/ forsooth our flesh would ever be mighty in malice/ but in abstinence fastings/ & wakynges & prayers/ & good works/ it feigneth itself to be sick/ but the flesh coveteth & showeth ever evil enticing/ the flesh steereth venomous doing/ the flesh clepeth wrath the flesh steereth mansleing/ the flesh breaketh matrimony/ the flesh sitteth in drunkenness/ the flesh beareth all the covetousness of this world/ and the flesh desireth all the evils. O thou wretched flesh/ not only thou sleyest thyself but also thy soul: thy own loss sufficeth not to thyself/ but that also thy soul be drenched or drowned into hell. woe to the soul which hath taken the flesh/ contrary to the which neither entereth/ neither suffereth the to enter into the kingdom of god. Wherefore as Christ saith: it behoveth to wake & to pray. Lord/ make thou my soul to have glory in thee/ that vainglory & boast come not out of me/ but that bitterness of sin be assuaged. Also lord/ give me grace to hold rightwiseness in all things/ ghostly hardiness/ temperans/ & make simpleness to be prudent in me/ that I may lead a cleanly blessed life/ & prudently fly evil and that I may understand the trecherrouse and the dissembling falseness of the devil/ lest he beguile me under likeness of goodness. Also make me to hold & keep these things: mild/ well willing/ peaceable/ bonner/ temperate/ and to accord to all goodness. Without feigning/ make me steadfast and strong/ in waking/ in fasting/ and in prayers, And also lord/ give thou to me/ in mildness to be measured in word/ that I keep silence/ that I speak that thing that beseemeth me to speak/ and that I hold still that thing that beseemeth not to speak. give me grace to keep thy faith undefiled without any error in my works/ to be worthy of faith All these sentences saith saint Austen in his book to the Earl, HOC FAC ET VIVES. ☞ Do this/ and thou shalt live. ☞ Imprinted at London in saint Sepulchres paryssh/ in the old bailie by Richard Lant/ for Iohn Gough/ dwelling at Smarts key beside byllyngesgate Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.