¶ Here beginneth a little book, that speaketh of purgatory: & what purgatory is & in what place/ and of the pains that be therein/ and which souls do abide therein till they be purged of sin/ and which abide not there. And for what sins a soul goth to hell/ & of the help that souls in purgatory may have of their frendis that be on five: & what pardon aveyfeth to man's soul.   

¶ The Prologue.  
MAny men speak/ as they in the book read  
Of the pains of purgatory/ but few it dread  
For many a man wotteth not/ what thing it is  
Therefore they dread it/ the less iwis  
And for some men/ have thereof no knowing  
Of the place of purgatory/ not understanding  
Therefore I will tell/ what it is in likeness  
And in what place/ as the book is witness  
And which souls goth thither/ and for what sin  
And what manner of pains/ been therein  
And also what thing/ is most in certain  
That might a man's soul/ bring out of pain.   

¶ first here it telleth what is purgatory.  
purgatory is/ nothing else to tell  
But a cleansing place/ soul's in to dwell  
That have done sin/ and have contrition  
And been in the way/ of salvation  
And there they should suffer/ both sorrow and woe  
Till all their sins/ been away ydone  
And cleansed of all sins/ that ever they wrought  
Both in word and will/ in deed and eke in thought  
For so pured gold/ never none there was  
As the souls shall been/ or they thence pass  
wherefore the pain/ that the soul there shall hent  
Is more bitter/ than all the torment  
That all martyrs suffered/ both young and old  
Sith that god was borne/ and to the jews sold  
For the lest pain/ of the pains there  
Is more bitter/ than the most pain that is here  
As witnesseth a great clerk/ and saith shortly  
In a book/ that speaketh of purgatory.  Minima pena Purgatorii maior est maxima pena mundi. 
¶ He saith the lest pain/ is well more  
In purgatory/ that grieveth sore  
Than the most pain/ that may be  
In all this world/ to feel or see  
For the pain there/ is more fierce and fell  
Than heart may think/ or tongue may tell  
Between the pain of hell/ certainly  
And between the pain/ of purgatory  
Is no difference/ but certes that one  
Shall have an end/ and that other none  
For the pains of hell/ should never cease  
Ne the souls therein/ have never release  
But in purgatory/ the souls dwelleth still  
Till they been cleansed/ of all manner ill  
And as much been there xl days told  
As here xl year/ be a man never so old  
So that a pain there/ one day to see  
Is as much/ as a year told here may be  
But every day of penance/ that is done here  
Shall stand there in stead/ of an hole year  
As christ saith openly/ and witnesseth well  
By his holy prophet/ ezechiel.  Diem pro anno deditibi. 
¶ That is so moche/ to understand now  
For an hole year/ I gave one day to you  
Than serveth that pain/ as the book telleth  
To cleanse the souls/ that therein dwelleth  
But penance here done/ with good will  
Serveth for two things/ god's law to fulfil  
One cause is/ to cleanse the souls well  
Of all deadly sins/ and eke venyell  
Another is to have/ in heaven more meed  
To these two things/ penance may us lead  
For every penance that a man doth here  
Shall have a special joy/ in heaven clear  
That ever without end/ shall than last  
If they done penance/ with heart steadfast.   

¶ In what place purgatory is.  
THe place there/ that purgatory is hold  
Is under earth/ as clerks men told  
Above the same place/ as clerks men telleth  
There that deed children/ unchristened dwelleth  
That from the fair sight/ of god's face  
Ben put for ever/ without any grace  
And that place/ is even above hell pit  
Between purgatory/ and hell is it  
And so is the place/ of purgatory set  
Above them both/ thither souls be fet  
That must needs/ their pain there have  
And after that pain/ Jesus' will them save  
Yet above that stead/ is that fair place  
That god after his death/ visited through his grace  
And all that were there/ with him he took  
And left none therein/ as telleth the book  
Nor from that time/ as clerks can tell  
Come never no soul/ there for to dwell  
Ne never none hereafter/ therein shall fall  
For that place is Limbo/ as clerks it call  
That is a fair prison/ as telleth the book  
where our forefathers/ were in yloke  
And of all these four/ men may one hell make  
And everich of them/ for hell may be take  
And therefore holy church/ that for soul's pray  
Calleth purgatory hell/ and thus thereof saith.  Domine Ihesu christ/ libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum de manu inferni/ et de profundis aquaram. etc. 
¶ Lord Ihesu christ/ deliver out of hell hand  
All christian souls/ that been there under bond  
That is from that place/ in to heaven bliss  
For moche pine/ have souls there iwis  
But from the lowest hell/ without any doubt  
May no soul thence/ be delivered out  
Of mercy to have/ is no hope ne trust  
As holy job telleth/ that the soothe wist.  Quia in inferno/ nulla est redemptio. 
¶ He saith that in hell/ that is so far adown  
Is never deliverance/ for no ransom  
And therefore masses & prayers/ helpeth them nought  
To the same souls/ that thither be brought  
For mass ne prayer/ abateth not their pine  
As witnesseth the holy man/ saint Austyne.  Si sarem patrem aut matrem in inferno/ non pro eis orarem. 
¶ He saith/ if my father and my mother were  
In the pit of hell/ and I wist them there  
I would never/ by day ne by night  
Pray for them to god/ that is full of might  
But purgatory so long/ last not may  
For it lasteth no longer/ than till domes day  
For after domes day/ as clerks can see  
The place of purgatory/ shall no where be  
Than shall hell be full of fiends within  
That evermore shall last/ to avenge sin  
But some men have wonder/ and asketh why  
That purgatory is ordained/ with mercy  
And hell without mercy/ that is so low  
The cause why/ men must well know  
For the same sin/ that in earth is wrought  
From the earth upward/ ne passeth nought  
Than needs punished/ must be that sin  
Here upon earth/ or else within  
That is here in earth/ there that we dwell  
Other else in purgatory/ or else in hell  
For the soul sin/ is so heavy and hard  
That it draweth the soul/ ever downward  
And till the sin/ with penance be away nome  
Erst may the soul/ never to heaven come.   

¶ Of two purgatories/ that god hath ordained.  
YEt telleth these clerks/ more openly  
That two purgatories/ there be namely  
One is common/ for to tell  
That is within earth/ above hell  
And the other/ is specially through grace  
That is here in earth/ in diverse place  
For some been not/ in common stead pight  
But they been punished here/ by day or night  
In many diverse steeds/ within in their ghost  
There that they/ have sin done most  
But that pine/ may be brought out of dread  
Through prayer of friends/ and alms deed  
To the which/ they may ghostly appear  
Through great grace/ in diverse stead here  
That pain as I erst told/ wonder sore grieveth  
But it is a warning/ to them that here liveth  
And thus may men here/ truly see  
where that purgatory/ needs must be.   

¶ Of the pains that been in purgatory.  
IN purgatory/ as the book witness beareth  
Ben diverse pains/ that the soul deryth  
Many more certes/ than I can neven  
But I find thereof/ written seven  
That may be called/ pains full well  
And to you of them/ I will tell somedell.  
¶ The first pain/ of the seven iwis  
As men may know/ that readeth this  
Is the great dread/ that the soul is in  
when the body and it/ departeth atwyn  
For the soul saith/ than about it stand  
Many foul devils/ to do it shonde  
And that sight is a pain/ wonder grievous  
For the devils been/ so foul and hideous  
So that so hardy man/ was never none  
Here in earth living/ in flesh and in bone  
But if a man saw/ that sight that he shall see  
Anon for dread/ wood should he be  
A great pain it is than/ to see such a sight  
But more is to the soul/ that therewith shall fight.  
¶ The second pain/ is next than afterward  
Is great dread of death/ that is wonder hard  
That the soul shall have/ with moche care  
Till the doom be given/ how it shall far  
For many angels/ should all ready be there  
And many devils/ with horrible cheer  
Than shall the soul/ between them stand  
And angels shall be/ in her right hand  
And the devils shall be/ in her left side  
So that the soul/ needs must there abide  
Till that her contakes/ been brought to end  
For erst he wots not/ whither to wend  
whither that god/ will damn it or save  
Than shall the soul/ so great dread have  
Right as a man/ that is amids the se  
In great peril/ and wots not whither to i'll  
when tempests falleth/ and storm smart  
Than may he thence/ never start  
And as a man hath here/ bodily dread  
when he is enpeched/ of any perilous deed  
Before the kings justice/ and of the country  
That been charged/ if he guilty be  
Than wots he not/ if he shall be spilt  
Other been delivered/ and the law fulfylte  
In great peril of life/ may that man be  
Yet hath the soul murdered/ than hath such three  
For if it have the doom/ of damnation here  
Than goth it to hell/ and the devils fere  
And if the soul be dampened/ in to that place  
Than is no manner hope/ of mercy and grace  
what wonder is than/ though the soul have dread  
That to god after/ mercy dare not once greed.  
¶ The third pain/ is an exile  
when that the souls/ here some while  
Ben exiled from life/ and to death brought  
For the coming again/ they know nought  
Therefore they should have/ moche mourning  
when they be dampened/ from their liking  
And the mourning that they have/ without lysse  
Shall then be to them/ great anguish.  
¶ And the fourth pain/ is diverse sickness  
That souls have/ in moche distress  
For diverse evils/ they shall have therein  
For diverse deeds/ that they did in sin  
And some for pride/ that they used oft  
Shall have the cold fever/ that is not soft  
For that shall grieve the soul/ more bitterly  
Than ever any fever/ died the body  
And some shall have there/ for covetise  
Strong dropsy/ that they shall not arise  
And some shall have/ in all their ly●es about  
For sloth in their life/ the podagre and gout  
And biles and felones/ and postumes also  
That in man's body/ doth moche woe  
And some for wrath/ shall have the palsy  
That to the soul/ shall sore derye  
And some for gluttony/ shall have evermore  
The hard quynsy/ that shall grieve them sore  
And some for lechery/ shall have also  
A foul mesylry/ go whither they go  
Thus shall the soul/ that god will save  
For diverse sins/ diverse pains shall have  
That in earth here/ had very repentance  
And had not in earth/ done their penance  
Now think we/ what pain the body suffereth here  
Through diverse evils/ that grieveth every where  
Though that it last/ but a little stound  
Yet it bringeth a man/ full soon to the ground  
And as the malady/ grieveth the body sore  
Yet it grieveth for the time/ the soul well more  
So that the soul/ hath there more penance  
Than hath the body/ for any manner grievance  
But now a man/ may speak there again  
And axe how the soul/ may feel pain  
That after death is so sottel/ as in book we read  
That it may occupy/ no manner stead  
And to this question/ I may answer well  
As I have clerks/ heard thereof tell  
The soul of the body/ the life is  
Of every man/ both more and less  
And without life/ is nothing living  
For in no deed thing/ may be any feeling  
Than is all the feeling/ of the life holy  
All in the soul/ and nought in the body  
For when a man's soul/ is passed away  
Than is the body/ but ●oule earth and clay  
And that is than/ as deed as any stone  
That no thing feeleth/ but himself one  
Yet may some men ask/ more thereto  
Now may the soul/ that is in woe  
Be pined/ with such malady without  
That is in diverse limbs/ of the body about  
Sith it hath/ neither body ne head  
Ne none other limb/ thereon believed  
To this/ I may answer shortly  
That the soul/ though it have no body  
It shall have pain/ as in limbs there  
with which it did/ most sin here  
For each to other than/ shall seem iwis  
As though it had the shape/ as a man is  
And in this manner/ shall a soul another see  
But certes none of them/ may feeled be  
no more then may/ a man's breath here  
when it passeth from him/ in no manner  
Ensample of Lazar/ and a rich man  
That cordeth to this matter/ as I proud can  
The rich man warned/ the lazar meet  
That in Abraham's bosom/ had his seat  
But the rich man/ was buried in hell  
And saw lazar/ in heaven dwell  
He cried to Abraham/ and bad fair withal  
That a drop of water/ might down fall  
Upon his tongue/ from lazarus fingers end  
For he might not/ out of that pain wend  
By the rich man/ that spoke so to that other  
Had no limb/ ne tongue neither  
Ne lazar/ as ye may well understand  
Had neither finger/ ne hand  
For they were/ spirits both only  
That had neither limb/ ne body  
But the rich man's soul/ feeled pine in hell  
As though it had been a body/ in flesh and fell  
And lazarus soul/ seemed to him than  
As though he had been/ a lives man  
But I have heard/ some clerks maintain  
Such manner opinions/ as I ween  
That a soul/ that is in purgatory  
Other in hell/ hath of the air a body  
To suffer pain/ in his limbs there  
After that he hath/ in earth sinned here  
But whither a soul have/ a body or none  
It shall have pain/ as the body hath done.  
¶ And the fifth pain/ though it be somewhat late  
Is hot brenning fire/ that northing may bate  
But alms deed/ masses and prayer  
That of friends/ for them been done here  
To abate that fire/ though three been best  
For they bring soon/ man's soul to rest  
But that fire/ is hotter and more keen  
Than any fire of this world/ that may be seen  
For all the water/ that a man may on thenche  
One sparkle of that fire/ might not quench  
For one sparkle of that fire/ is more brenning  
Than all the fire/ in this world lightning  
And the soul is also/ more tender and nesshe  
Than a man's body/ with blood and flesh  
Than the soul/ that is so tender of kind  
Must needs their penance/ more harder find  
Than any manner body/ that ever alive was  
Though it should there through/ make his pas  
But no soul may/ from thence wend  
Till all their penance/ be brought to end  
And that fire/ worketh not through kind a right  
In the same soul/ that to penance is dight  
As doth the fire/ that in earth brenneth here  
But evermore it worketh/ in another manner  
As god hath ordained/ for why it is so  
As it were an instrument/ that longeth thereto  
Through the which/ the soul cleansed may be  
In the pain of purgatory/ or that it god see  
For why all manner fire/ that is therein  
It is a manner fire/ for to waste sin  
For as the fire in the world/ may all thing brenne  
And make metal melt/ and abroad run  
And right so the fire/ there through long heat  
wasteth there/ both small sins and great  
There be now fires/ some more some less  
But all one manner fire/ that never shall cease  
For as the son/ may over all thing pass  
That men grieveth/ some more and some less  
Right so the same fire/ that in purgatory is brought  
Some souls it pineth sore/ and some nought  
For all souls/ must needs dwell therein  
After that their charge/ is there of sin  
But some soul's/ should delivered be thence soon  
That here in earth/ have their penance done  
But some soul shall abide there/ many a year  
That little penance hath done/ with his body here  
And hath lived long/ in his sin also  
And therefore/ saint Austyn saith thus thereto.  Necesse est ut tantus sit dolour: pro peccatis quantus fuerit amor/ tanto diutius anima torquetur in penis: quanto affec● tus mundanis inherebat desiderus. etc. 
¶ Saint Austyn saith/ that needful it is  
That as much sorrow/ he have here and no les  
For every sin/ and eke trespass  
As lust and liking/ in the sin was  
And he saith also/ as before as rad  
That the more liking/ that a man in sin had  
And ever giveth thereto/ his lust and will  
His fleshly liking/ all to fulfil  
The longer must needs/ the soul in pain be  
In purgatory/ that he may not i'll  
And or the soul may see god/ in his face  
As three things/ they must burn in that place  
That is to say/ as wood and hay also  
And stubble/ that will away with the fire go  
For the most venial sins/ should burn long  
As a tree that is great/ and hath roots strong  
But the small sins/ soon shall burn away  
As doth stubble in earth/ when fire cometh there nigh  
But the mean sins/ brenneth not so soon  
For they bren slowly/ and have more to done  
Right as doth the hay/ that with fire is tend  
That long lieth & smoketh/ or it be through brende  
Thus should they been brende/ and wasten sore  
For their venial sins/ both less and more  
And for deadly sin/ that they been of shrive  
And the trespass thereof/ god hath forgive  
And penance therefore/ nought have done here  
They shall there be brende/ in the same manner  
And when they be fined/ and made bright  
Than shall they come/ before god's sight  
In to merry Paradyse/ that is a joyful place  
That is evermore full/ of mercy and grace.  
¶ And the fyxte pain/ is for to tell  
For the souls uncleansed/ should there dwell  
Still in purgatory/ and be bound fast  
with bonds of sin/ to make them aghast  
And as many souls/ as be in that prison  
For no gift they may/ ne for no ransom  
From that hard pain/ themself win  
Till that fire have brent/ their bonds of sin  
And thus they been bound/ both hands and feet  
In hot brenning fire/ that is wonder great  
Certes than me thinketh/ no pain may be more  
Than the souls suffereth/ that grieveth them sore  
For nothing thence/ may them borrow  
Nother abridge any thing/ of their moche sorrow  
Nother to help them/ thence to be brought  
For their own prayer/ ne helpeth them nought  
But if in earth/ they any good died  
As masses done/ song and alms deed  
Of their friends in earth/ the to god for them besought  
That made this world/ and all thing of nought  
Full hard been the pains/ the the souls suffer there  
If hope of mercy/ soon after ne were  
But some time they should/ so moche pain have  
That they take no keep/ that god will them save  
Therefore we should think/ that in earth been here  
what pain the soul suffereth/ that is there  
Among soul fiends/ that there have leave  
Some time the souls/ to torment and grieve  
As long as they have/ any spot of sin  
For erst from that place/ may no man them win  
Till they been cleansed/ and made all clean  
Of all manner sins/ that none be seen  
And when they been deyvered/ of all manner sin  
No more pain/ shall they feel therein  
But soon than after/ they shall even wend  
To the bliss of heaven/ that hath none end.  
¶ And the seventh pain/ is in likeness  
There that the souls been/ as in wilderness  
There that default is/ of all good thing  
That a man might have/ of his liking  
For their pain to them/ is manifold  
For now they been in great heat/ and now in cold  
And that pain to them/ is full long  
As now in great heat/ and after cold strong  
And there should suffer/ both hungres and threst  
And many great that pains/ without any rest  
And sore been bet/ to make more their pain  
with great storms of hail/ and of rain  
And that beating/ is both sharp and keen  
But such storms/ never erst were seen  
As the souls there/ should feel and see  
And with diverse torments/ tormented be  
For some many a year/ shall abide there for sin  
Till they the sight of god/ cleanly may win  
And such manner pains/ they shall have evermore  
with many other torments/ the shall grieve them sore  
But among all other/ a great pain that shall be  
The moche coveytyse/ that they have to see  
The sweet face of god/ that is ever so bright  
And the long tarrying/ of that fair sight  
But to that same sight/ may they never come  
Till all their sins/ from them be nome  
And here I have told/ somedell to you  
Of the pains of purgatory/ that be hard enough.   

¶ Of the souls that wendeth in to purgatory/ and abideth there till they been purged of sin/ and which souls abide not there.  
THe souls that/ to purgatory should wend  
when that death/ of them hath made an end  
Needs they must/ in purgatory dwell  
And suffer pains/ that been smart and fell  
For everich sin: there shallbe punished after kind  
Through bitter pains/ that there they should find  
After that their deeds/ been more or lass  
And their penance have done/ or they hens pass  
But all souls/ abideth not in that place  
For some after their death/ anon have grace  
And sickerly/ should wend to bliss  
As holy Innocentes/ that never did miss  
And other souls/ of good men and perfit  
That never in earthly thing/ had any delight  
But only on god/ that them dear bought  
And here in earth/ great penance wrought  
But some men that death/ suddenly doth take  
And in deadly sin/ their end make  
Even in to hell/ they should wend  
And there dwell in pain/ ever without end  
And that is no wonder/ me thinketh in my mind  
For each deadly sin/ so heavy is of kind  
That it may than/ within a little stound  
Bring a man's soul/ in to hell ground  
But a soul that is/ of deadly sin shrive  
And his trespass in earth/ is cleanly forgive  
And also the penance/ that is him enjoined  
Been not done here/ at days appointed  
wherefore the soul/ is not cleansed clean  
Of other small sins/ that oft cometh between  
Than these souls/ should been save  
But yet in purgatory/ them behoveth to have  
Hard pain and bitter/ and there abide long  
Till the souls have/ their cleansing a fonge  
As they first were/ when they took flesh and bone  
And the holy baptism/ at the font stone  
Yet telleth these clerks also/ in this manner  
That so clean out of sin/ liveth no man here  
Nother none so perfit is/ in christian law  
Nor a child/ that is from his mother draw  
That after his death/ to heaven wendeth on high  
Till he have passed/ through that straight way  
And till he have seen there/ the pains everichone  
But the young children/ thereof shall feel none  
For they could never/ no manner sin werche  
But went in the true way/ of holy church  
Therefore they should/ through purgatory i'll  
As doth the foul in the earth/ as every man may see  
without any pine/ that might them dear  
And from all wickedness/ me shall them were  
But uneath may any man/ quite there through go  
That ne shall of purgatory/ feel some woe  
For that fire/ will fond him to burn  
If it may on him/ any venial sin ken  
For ye should understand/ as I tell can  
That there is living/ none so perfit a man  
That he some time/ ne thinketh an idle thought  
And lightly letteth it pass/ and chargeth it nought  
Of the which/ he shall clenled be  
Or that he may/ the face of god see  
For as gold/ that shineth clear and bright  
Seemeth well pured/ unto a man's sight  
And if it were put/ in to the fire eft soon  
It should be the clearer/ by himself alone  
Right so the souls/ in the same manner  
Of the perfit men/ that seemeth most clear  
Of all sins/ and maketh them to god youare  
Yet they shall in purgatory/ somedell feel of care  
For all they must needs/ there through pass  
Both young and old/ more and lass  
For that same fire/ that is there within  
Shall find on them/ some spot of sin  
As light thought/ the which been in vain  
And for them/ they should there suffer pain  
For so pure gold fined/ never in earth was  
As they been through that fire/ or they thence pass.   

¶ For which sins, a soul goth to hell.  
MAny manner sins/ the the souls grieveth  
reigneth amongs men/ the in earth liveth  
And some been deadly/ in thought & in deed  
And some been venial/ as I in book read  
But sins that men/ deadly doth call  
Should not in purgatory/ be cleansed all  
But though been punished/ evermore in hell  
And which these been/ I will you tell  
These been the heavy sins/ that I will descry  
first pride than wrath/ and afterward envy  
gluttony and sloth/ in god's service  
The foul sin of lechery/ and eke covetise  
Manslaughter also/ and false oaths swearing  
And sacrilege also/ and false witness bearing  
Robbrye and to poor men/ to done ravin  
These been the sins/ that bringeth men to pain  
For everich of all these/ is a deadly sin  
And letteth man's soul/ heaven to win  
And hatred also/ is deadly sin among  
If it be hold/ in man's heart long  
And drunkenness/ is deadly sin also  
If a man use it/ and oft will it do  
And therefore every man/ that guilty be of this  
And think his soul/ to bring to bliss  
But he him amend/ or he hens wend  
He shall not though he would/ after his lives end  
And in to purgatory/ shall he never come  
But without end/ in to hell be nome  
And if he be repentant/ and shryfe  
Of all such sin/ here by his life  
From hell pine/ than he may him save  
But penance in his body/ yet must he have  
Than must the soul gone/ after as I ween  
In to purgatory/ till of sins it be clean  
For penance done for sin/ as I told ere  
Needs must be fulfilled/ here or there.  
And when thou at hole in body/ and thy might last  
And oft thou etest/ when thou shouldest fast  
And when the list sleep/ and wilt not arise  
And ever comest to late/ to god's service  
And makest for thy sins no manner sorrowing  
when thou art in good state/ and in liking  
Or when thou prayest/ and makest thine orison  
And hast in thy prayer/ but little devotion  
Or when thou hast liking/ through lust and life  
In thy bed fleshly/ to meddle with thy wife  
Only thy liking/ more there to fulfil  
Than to beget a child/ through god's will  
And also when thou/ visitest men to late  
That have great sickness/ and been in feeble state  
Or men that lieth here/ in strong prison  
Or have in their bodies/ any tribulation  
Or men that been/ sinful and sorry  
For their friends souls/ that been in purgatory  
Them to visit/ it were great meed  
Through good prayers/ and alms deed  
And also if thou do not/ after thine estate  
To make them friends/ that been in debate  
And if thou speak to any man/ but if thou wit why  
bitterly with noise/ and with loud cry  
Or when thou praisest/ any man more  
For encheason of glozing/ than for his lore  
Or when in church/ makest any jangling  
Or thy way is/ in any idle thing  
Be it out of church/ or else within  
It is accounted/ for a venial sin  
And also when thou art/ over lightly wroth  
And swearest/ and might not hold thine oath  
Or when thou cursest/ any manner man  
And haste no cause/ him for to ban  
Or when thou supposest/ any wickedness  
Through evil suspicion/ or evil trowenesse  
These been things/ as saint Austyn telleth  
That maketh in purgatory/ the many soul dwelleth  
That haveth there/ moche sorrow and woe  
And there been yet/ of other wickedness many more  
And of venial sins/ full many a score  
without them that I/ have told before  
But so witty/ is none earthly man  
That all venial sins/ tell can  
For oft times/ in the day men falleth  
In to sins/ that men venial calleth  
And every he sin/ is worthy a pain  
That is done in deed/ or in word in vain  
That must cleanly/ be fordone  
Here or in purgatory/ everichone  
Therefore I council/ each man that be wise  
To haunt this lore/ that is of prise  
That fordoth/ through holy man's lore  
All venial sins/ both less and more  
And if any man fall/ in deadly sin  
Let him arise/ and lie not therein  
And take a priest/ and do him to shrive  
And do his penance/ by his life  
And evermore/ have in his thought  
Sorrow for sins/ that he hath wrought  
And do his penance/ with all his might  
And pray to god/ both day and night  
And go woolwarde/ and fast and wake  
And suffer disease/ for our lords sake  
For no man may/ in to heaven go  
But if he suffer here/ both sorrow and woe  
And when god grieveth a man/ in any wise  
Than should he suffer it/ without faintise  
what sickness that may/ any man grieve  
Or loss of cattles/ that god will him reave  
Or unkindness/ falsehood other treason  
Or any disease/ that might be against reason  
Than suffer it meekly/ and think in thy thought  
That without encheason/ ne cometh it nought  
But god wottes all/ and why it is  
Perchance for things/ that he hath done amiss  
To chastise him/ in such manner  
For sins that he/ hath done here  
Or it may be/ him to prove  
To the love of god/ the more him to move  
For oft time that thing/ that god will save  
Anger and disease/ he must have  
Other for his sins/ is that sonde  
Than should he thank/ god's hand  
And take meekly/ that god him sendeth  
And i'll all evil thing/ that he defendeth  
For through diseases/ and angres here  
He maketh a man/ as a prisoner  
Penance to suffer/ for his folly  
That he hath done/ through the devils treachery  
For if he suffer it/ without grudging  
It standeth him in stead/ of penance allowing  
And afterward/ god will more to him do  
give him great meed/ and grace also  
And full bliss in heaven/ have therefore  
If he take it meekly/ though it grieve him sore  
As a good child/ suffereth meekly and still  
when his father chastiseth him/ after his will  
And done all goodness/ and let all quede  
And so should each man/ suffer god and dread  
And namely/ alms deed oft to make  
Cloth the naked/ and to the hungry meet take  
And other works of mercy/ oft to werche  
As teacheth us/ good men of holy church  
And lead clean life/ in to his lives end  
And after his death/ his soul shall wend  
To bliss/ and all pains lightly pass  
That been in purgatory/ both more and less  
And now/ I have told to you all  
The sins that saint Austyn/ venial doth call  
And now will I tell/ what helpeth in certain  
The souls that in purgatory/ haveth pain.   

¶ Of the help that souls hath that been in purgatory, of good friends that been left behind them living in earth.  
THe souls that/ to purgatory wends  
Be brought thence/ through help of friends  
That done alms deed/ for them well afyne  
And so saith the holy man/ saint Austyne.  Non est negandum ꝙ spiritus defunctorum pietate amicorum suorum viventium possint refevari ab omnibus penis. etc. 
¶ He saith it is not to gain say/ in no manner  
That the souls of them/ that deed been here  
From pain might soon/ unbound be  
Through friends in earth/ that had of them pity  
Four manner of helps general/ me may call  
That in purgatory availeth to the souls all  
That is bidding of Pater noster/ and eke fasting  
And alms deeds/ and masses singing  
And in two manners/ as clerks can see  
The soul from purgatory/ delivered may be  
One is/ through grace and meekness  
And another/ through way of rightfulness  
By way of grace/ in two manner  
As it is written/ in this book here  
first prayer to christ/ that is our heed  
when he is offered/ in form of breed  
In the priests hands/ with good intent  
when the bread is turned/ in to the sacrament  
As through prayer/ of god's servants here  
That ever been busy/ in their prayer  
Than may the soul/ that in purgatory is  
Through way of grace/ specially have this  
deliverance of pain/ that there sore grieveth  
Through masses and prayers/ that there relevyth  
And by way of rightfulness/ it is help also  
By two ways/ that I can show thereto  
first through alms deed/ that me giveth the poor  
It is brought of pain/ that grieveth it sore  
Another is/ of their penance abridging  
Through penance of friends/ and of fasting  
Thus may the soul/ as the book is witness  
Be help/ through way of rightfulness  
That is to say/ that they may in that need  
Be brought from pain/ through alms deed  
And through penance/ and through pardon  
Till there been paid/ a certain ransom  
Than may the soul/ be delivered away  
Through friends that will/ their ransom pay  
And thus may the souls/ that hens wends  
To purgatory be help/ through their friends  
But some may help/ and some may nought  
The souls/ that in to purgatory be brought  
But through such friends/ they may help be  
That liveth here in earth/ in perfit charity  
For the help of them/ that charity faileth  
To the souls in purgatory/ no thing availeth  
For they been all/ as limbs of one body  
That been in earth here/ and though in purgatory  
And as we may see/ properly here  
One body have/ many limbs sear  
And each of them/ both less and more  
May another help/ if it grieve them sore  
But if one of the limbs/ beginneth to fail  
That limb may to the other/ little avail  
Right so it fareth/ in the same wise  
By him that lieth in pain/ and may not arise  
As they that be in purgatory/ in their penance  
without help of friends/ have none alegaunce  
But who that in deadly sin/ is brought  
And charity/ in his heart hath nought  
He ne is/ but as deed in soul within  
As long as he is/ in that deadly sin  
And his help ne is/ but as in vain  
To souls that dwelleth/ in that pain  
For that help standeth/ in no manner stead  
Nor nought availeth/ that they have bid  
And nevertheless/ all though that he so be  
In deadly sin/ and out of charity  
Yet may the soul/ be help thus  
If he to the poor man/ give alms  
That they for the soul/ specially pray  
That lieth in purgatory/ as I you say  
Yet may the help/ and the travail  
Of a sinful man/ to the soul avail  
If it in bidding/ done here be  
Of a friend/ that is in charity  
That help may avail/ the soul soon  
For his sake/ that biddeth it to be done  
That in his heart/ hath charity knit  
And for his sake/ would do it  
For god will nothing do/ for his sake  
That will not charity/ in his heart take  
This case falleth oft/ as I understand  
Between a lord/ and his servant bond  
There that the lord/ good and rightful is  
And his servant/ is wicked iwis  
And if his servant do/ any manner thing  
That is good/ to the lords bidding  
Yet it may avail/ to some profit  
Though he in goodness/ have no delight  
And that is through reason/ and goodness iwis  
Of him through whom/ that prayer is  
For though it be/ against the doers will  
Yet as against the bydder/ it standeth still  
But if in charity/ they were both  
The more were the help/ to the death for sooth  
And also though a priest/ in any manner time be  
Sinful/ and out of charity  
Yet he is god's minister/ and holy churches  
That the sacrament/ upon the altar werches  
That is nought/ the less of might  
All though/ the priest live not aright  
For though a priest/ that singeth the mass  
Be never so full/ of wickedness  
Yet that sacrament/ that is so holy  
May not be impaired/ through his folly  
Than may a mass/ from pain souls bring  
Though a sinful priest/ doth it sing  
For he singeth the mass/ in god's name  
Under which order/ he may do no shame  
But privy prayers made with good intent  
That be said/ besides the sacrament  
Of a good priest/ doth more god pay  
Than of a sinful priest/ used each day  
But the offering/ of god's body so sweet  
Bringeth many soul's/ from pains great  
wherefore me thinketh/ that masses singing  
may rathest a soul/ from pain bring  
That goth out of this world/ in charity  
And in purgatory/ cleansed shall be  
But to them/ that be dampened for aye  
No good deed/ to them avail may  
Nother alms deed/ prayer ne mass  
For they been/ as the book beareth witness  
Departed fro christ/ that of Mary was borne  
And the souls of them/ ever be forlorn  
And as limbs been deed/ and laid in clay  
And all been/ from the body away  
Than may nothing help/ in no manner kind  
The limbs that been dried/ as it were a rind  
Right so all the help/ that a man can tell  
Nothing availeth/ to them that be in hell  
But yet help of friends/ that be in god's service  
May avail to the soul/ in some manner wise  
For such service may/ to the good be wrought  
So that in less pain/ they shall be brought  
For thereto availeth/ alms deeds and beads  
To the souls that been/ in all three steeds  
For it availeth to the soul/ that in purgatory is  
To bring it rather thence/ to bliss  
Also it availeth them/ that in heaven be set  
For each day/ their joy increaseth therefore the bet  
And the more that cometh/ in to that holy place  
The more is their joy/ before god's face  
Also it availeth them/ that be in hell  
For the fewer/ should come there to dwell  
And the fewer/ that cometh there for sin  
The less pain they have/ that been therein  
And the more/ that in to that place doth wend  
The more is their pain/ without end  
Thus may help of friends/ avail by reason  
To the souls that been/ in that strong prison  
And namely to them/ that be in hell  
And to them also/ that in purgatory doth dwell  
But such help/ maketh no souls fro pain wend  
But charity be with them/ at their end  
For in hell/ was never no charity  
And in heaven/ thereof no need may be  
And as a man may/ here with his hand  
Make a seat for another/ that is under bond  
And is not of power/ it to make  
But another maketh it/ all for his sake  
Right so may a man/ for the deed body do  
For of help/ he hath moche need thereto  
And the souls/ that been to paradise gone  
Need of help/ they have right none  
But if any good deed/ for them be wrought  
It may to the needful/ in help be brought  
For all the help/ that specially is done here  
Availeth to the souls/ that in purgatory ere  
And to some more/ and to some less  
After that they be told/ of worthiness  
And after that charity/ is in them clear enough  
Of them that liveth in earth/ amongs you  
That ever most be busy/ well for to do  
As well for himself/ as for them in woe  
For when a man/ shall from this world flit  
Than can no man tell/ by no manner of wit  
whether that he shall than/ in to purgatory wend  
Other in to heaven bliss/ that hath none end  
For some men seemeth good/ and perfit alone  
That after their death day/ be dampened full soon  
For perchance/ they been full foul within  
And passeth of this world/ in deadly sin  
And some men seemeth here/ that they live amiss  
That soon been saved/ and wendeth to bliss  
For perchance in earth/ before their dying  
They been amended/ of their mysliving  
But of this may no man/ in certain be  
For it falleth holy/ to god's ●ryuyte  
And nevertheless/ we should here believe aye  
That all though that die/ go in good way  
That we say in earth here/ good works werche  
And hath all the sacraments/ of holy church  
And whether so they be/ our friend or foe  
All thing that is in us/ we should do  
And pray to almighty god/ both loud and still  
For all christian souls/ as it is gods will  
Yet men may ask/ why me doth masses sing  
For young children/ after their dying  
That of masses ne prayer/ hath no manner need  
For they did never/ no manner sinful deed  
To this I may answer/ by good reason  
That for reverence of god/ is the encheason  
That masses me doth sing/ and prayers make  
That god both to young and old/ his mercy take  
And also for the custom/ of holy church  
And for them that been deed/ some good to werche  
Now ye have heard/ as the book is witness  
Now alms deed and prayers/ penance and mass  
That been done/ through friends true and certain  
May help the souls/ that been in strong pain  
And now I will tell to you/ more thereto  
what profit pardon/ the soul may do  
That is purchased in earth/ in a good manner  
And also in clean life/ while he liveth here.   

¶ what pardon availeth to man's soul.  
PArdon helpeth them/ by many ways  
That have purchased it/ ● their life days  
For pardon of pope's/ & of bishops his  
That in earth is granted/ or a man die  
May avail to the soul/ that in purgatory is  
If it be purchased/ worthily iwis  
And if they have for their sins/ contrition  
And been shriven/ before that same pardon  
Than may pardon after their death/ through gods sonde  
In purgatory to them/ great profit ●●nde  
For pardon that is/ right full and certain  
May a man release/ both of debt and pain  
As far as the pardon/ may it areche  
For thus have I learned/ through clerk speech  
Pardon is nothing else/ to us in likeness  
But of pain that is debt/ forgiveness  
Pardon may no man have/ but he well werche  
For it is a treasure/ of holy church  
That gathered is/ for meed of pardon  
Through virtue/ of Christ'S holy passion  
And of the worthiness/ and of the deeds  
Of holy saints/ and of their medes  
And it is gathered/ of mickle good  
first through martyrdom/ and shedding of blood  
Of holy Martyrs/ that much loved Christ'S lay  
For whose love they were brought/ in to great afraye  
And in penance/ and travail of confessors  
And through good teaching/ of wise doctors  
And of chastity/ of good virgins and clean  
That to god ever/ would their moan mean  
And also/ of all holy church works  
And of prayers/ of holy priests and clerks  
And of all this/ that I have now before told  
Is gathered this treasure/ both new and old  
And of that treasure/ the Pope beareth the kaye  
That openeth and closeth/ and sins doth away  
For that falleth to him/ of office to hold  
For he is vicar in earth/ god him make would  
The keys be nothing else/ to understand  
But full power/ given to him through gods sonde  
Through which power/ he may the law fulfil  
Bind and unbind/ after his will  
For the same power/ him falleth to have  
That god gave to Peter/ soul's to save  
For god gave to Peter/ in earth full power  
And said to him/ in this manner.  Quodcunque ligaveris super terram/ erit ligatum et in celis: et quodcumque solucris super terram/ erit solutum et in celis. 
¶ All that thou bindest/ in earth saith he  
Shall ever in heaven/ bound be  
And all that thou unbyndest/ in earth right  
Shall be unbound/ in heaven bright  
This power to all pope's/ gave our lord  
After saint Peter/ to hold that word  
As telleth thereof/ in an exposition  
Of the Gospel/ in a lesson  
Than seemeth it well/ by this reason  
That each pope hath/ a great jurisdiction  
To assoil a man/ and him forgive  
All debts of pain/ that he should be to drive  
But yet must a man yield/ forsooth also  
All that he hath wrongfully/ take or do  
For the pope/ when he granteth that grace  
He bindeth holy church/ in that same place  
For him/ to whom that grace availeth  
To fulfil all things/ that him faileth  
But the bishops/ that been of less state  
Have less power/ as clerks knoweth that  
For their dignity/ is moche lass  
Therefore they/ may not their power pass  
And though it be/ not so suffisant  
As is the pope's/ yet they may make a grant  
Of their power of pardon/ a great party  
To their underlings/ both low and high  
But yet it must/ as I before have said  
Be given through holy churches treasure: by god rede  
And nevertheless/ there may no man pardon win  
But he been out/ of deadly sin  
For he that hath/ the keeping of that treasure  
That to man's soul/ is so precious a flower  
May not give it/ to holy churches foose  
Lest he get him thereby/ an evil lose  
For such men they been/ and none other iwis  
That dwell in deadly sin/ and ever doth amiss  
For they been out/ of holy church law  
Therefore they may/ no pardon to them draw  
But friends of holy church/ may well crave  
After pardon/ for they should it have  
For they be such/ that ever be free  
Of deadly sin/ and in perfit charity  
To them such pardon/ shall nevermore fail  
But in purgatory/ to them shall avail  
To bring out of pain/ their soul's clean  
As farforth/ as the pardon may mean  
As clerks telleth/ that god will set  
For the remnant of pains/ that been of debt  
That perchance is left/ and not done here  
As it may fall/ in diverse manner  
A party of penance/ that is enjoint  
And is not done here/ before deaths point  
And in party/ of venial sins wrought  
And in party of sins/ that been out of thought  
And in party/ for little repentance  
And in party/ for over little penance  
And in party/ of penance enjoint and not do  
And perchance/ with little devotion also  
And all these may be called/ the remnant  
Of debt of pain/ that is not suffisant  
That should be fulfilled/ in earth here  
Other in purgatory/ to make the souls more clear  
But such debt/ may soon there be quite  
who that to such pardon/ hath any delight  
In forgiveness of all penance/ the may be thought  
whether it be enjoined here/ or be nought  
For so moche pardon/ may a man purchase  
Here in his life/ that he may have grace  
In purgatory to be quite/ of all manner debt  
That from the bliss/ might him let  
For so large/ is holy church's treasure  
That it may bring souls/ from all dolour  
And from all pains of debt/ that may be  
Of all men that been/ in chrystente  
And thus pardon/ i purgatory to souls may avail  
But some clerks/ giveth us counceyle  
That we should keep it/ and holy spare  
Till we to purgatory/ come all yare  
And in earth do penance/ while we may  
For a man in purgatory/ shall think one day  
Longer than him thought/ ever in earth here  
The space and time/ of an hole year  
Than is one day of pardon/ in forgiveness  
More worth/ than all this worlds richesse  
For the soul had liefer/ that such pain shall drive  
One day of pardon/ than any thing on live  
For all this wide world/ and it were his  
He would give to have rest there/ one day iwis  
Of this matter/ that I make of mention  
Is good help of friends/ and eke of pardon  
That availeth to them/ that in prison be set  
wherefore I have/ mine auctors for me fet  
And so saith Innocent/ and saint Austyne  
That speaketh in their books/ of this well afyne  
And master Raymonde also/ speaketh of the same  
In a book/ that is called after his name  
And Thomas Alquin/ speaketh also  
Of this matter/ and other more  
In a book that is/ of great philosophy  
That is called/ Ueritas theology  
And to you/ I have many matters red  
That in this little book/ before been sped  
In the which/ ye have heard me specify  
Of the conditions/ of purgatory  
And now I will/ no further wend  
But of this matter/ thus I make an end.  
¶ Finis▪  
¶ Here endeth the Book of purgatory. And hereafter followeth a little register or table of the same.   

¶ Here beginneth the register or table.  

first the Prologue. Folio. primo.  
¶ Here he telleth what purgatory is. Folio. i.  
¶ In what place purgatory is. Folio. two.  
¶ Of two purgatories/ that god hath ordained. Folio. iii.  
¶ Of the pains that been in purgatory. Folio. iii.  
¶ Of the souls that wendeth in to purgatory/ and abideth there till they been purged of sin/ & which souls abide not there. Folio. viii.  
¶ For which sins, a soul goth to hell. Folio. ix.  
¶ Of the help that souls hath that been in purgato rye, of good friends that be left behind them living in earth. Folio. xiii.  
¶ what pardon availeth to man's soul. Folio. xvi.   
¶ Here endeth the register or table of this present Book.   

¶ Cum privilegio Regali▪  
 
¶ Imprinted by me Robert wire, dwelling at the sign of saint johan evangelist/ in saint martin's parish in the field/ in the bishop of Norwytche rents/ beside Charing cross.