The mirror of gold for the sinful soul.   

THis present book is called the Mirror of gold to the sinful soul/ the which hath been translated at parice out of latin in to french/ and after the translation seen and corrected at length of many clarkis/ Doctors/ and masters in divinity/ and now of late translated out of french in to english by the right excellent princess Margaret mother to our sovereign lord king Henry the vii and Countess of Richemond & derby. The wise man in his book named Ecclesiastes considering the misery and fraylete of the world saith/ that it is vanity of all vanites And all things that been in the world present aught to be called vanites/ & therefore saith the holy doctor saint Gregory that there is noon more acceptable sacrifice to god: then is good zeal/ that it is to say an earnest desire to the weal of souls/ For the which cause I have willed to make and accomplish this present trety/ gederinge & assembling many diverse auctoriteis/ of holy doctors of the church/ to th'intent that the poor sinful soul troubled by the fraud of enemy and often overcome: May by holy monitions and authorities/ be addressed to the light of justice and troth/ And so led by the mean of the holy ghost that the sheep that were perished may be reduced and led again to their green paster. And to the end also that the poor soul redressed and revoking his error/ knowing his sin/ and by inward sorrow of concrition converting him to god/ and therewith to do such penance as he finally may with all the saintis possede the life eternal/ as saith Chrysostom sith it is so that from day to day vanity of all vanyteis abuseth us & them that in the delitis of this my schevous world is conversant they aught in their yatis/ wallis & habitations/ & their clothing & all places where most ordinately they use to be: that they should writ and make to paint but principally in their conscience this fair authority vanitas vanitatum et omia vanitas. To th'end that often of the day/ and of the night. they may have if afore their Iene and feel it in their heart. And for so much that painters/ and Images of foulysshe pleasures/ deceiveth them that so delighteth? It is right confienable and healthful in every company as well in e●ynge & drinking as other occupations. often to sing and recite th●●s present words/ vanity of all vaneties and all thing of this world is vanity. Certainly so saith Chrysostom all things passeth/ but only the service and love of god/ And for to know the order and manner how to proceed in this little book. It is to know it shallbe divided in vii chapitours after the seven. days of the week. To th'intent that the sinful soul solyed and defouled by sin may in every chapter have a new mirror/ wherein he may be hold and consider the face of his soul.   

¶ The table of this present book.  
¶ The table.  

¶ first of the filthenes and misery of man.  
¶ The second of the sins ingeneralle and of their effectis.  
¶ The third how they aught hastily with all diligence to do penance.  
¶ The Fourth how they aught to i'll the world.  
¶ The fifth of the false Richeses and vain honours of the world.  
¶ The sixth how they aught to dread death.  
¶ The Seventh of the joys of paradise and of the pains of hell.   
¶ Explicit. Tabula.   

¶ Of the vileness and misery of man.  

jeremy.  THe prophet jeremy considering the frailty and misery of mankind by manner of lamentation in writing saith thus Alas I poor creature wherefore was I borne out of the womb of my mother/ to see the labour & sorrow of this world/ & to consume my days in confusion. Alas if this holy man jeremy the which almighty god sanctified in the womb of his mother he himself said & ꝓfered so piteous words: what may I say that am engendered & conceived in the womb of my mother by sin And to that purpose saith saint Barnard/ Study to know thyself for that is the thing most available & more praysable to thy weal to know thyself: than it should be to know the course of stars/ the strengeth of herbs/ or the complexion of all men. The naturis of beestis/ or the science of all earthly thing/ For in that knowleige thou knowest not what to thy soul is profitable/ Now consider/ & behold thou mortal & miserable man what was of the before thy nativity/ And what is it of the now sith thou was borne/ And what shallbe of the to the hour of thy death/ and what shallbe of the after this mortal life Certainly thou haste been from thy beginning a thing vile/ stinking/ detestable and abominable/ conceived in filth rotennes of flesh/ & stinking filthy concupiscence: and in theimbracement of stinking lechery/ & that worse is conceived in the unclean spottꝭ of sin. & if thou behold & consider well what meet thou art nourished within thy mothers womb: truly noon other but with corrupt & infect blood/ as well is known by many philosophers & other great clerkis. & after thy nativity thou that haste been nourished of so foul & vile nature in thy mothers womb/ as before is said: thou art also ordained to wepingꝭ & criyngꝭ/ & to many other miseries/ in the exile of this sorrowful world. & that/ that is more grievous/ thou art also subject to thy death the which every true christen man aught daily to remember/ & think upon/ Behold then & consider in thy life/ that among all thing that almighty god hath created & formed man is made of the most foul & abominable matter/ that is to know of the slime of th'earth the which earth is the jest worthy of all other Elimentis/ god hath made the planetꝭ & sterrꝭ of the nature of the fire. The winds & birds of the air/ the fishes of the water/ the men & other beestis of the earth Now consider then the things of old antiquity & thou shalt find thyself most foul/ & when thou shalt know the other bodies which of the fire hath been made & brought forth. thou shalt among all other cretoes repute thyself right vile/ & miserable/ & thou shalt not will or may say or think thyself semblable to celestial things/ or shallbe bold to prefer thyself before the things earthly/ but if thou wilt company thyself with any creator a company the to brute be estis and thou shalt find thyself to thyem most Semblable and like/ For so saith the wise Solomon/ man and brute beestis semblably be comen of the earth/ and to th'earth they shall return/ know then how noble thou art in this world/ and take heed that the beauty/ the praising of people/ the strengeth and the heat of youth/ the Richeses & thonours of the world/ may not keep the from knowing of the vilite of thy birth/ And if more plainly thou desire to know what is of the hearken to the story of doctors holy saint Augustine that speaketh in this manner Alas miserable creature what am I what is of me Certainly I am a sake full of sin and Rotennes filled with stench/ and with blind horror/ poor/ naked and subgiet to all miserable necessities/ and tribulations/ ignorant of my entry/ and outgoing unknowing. miserable & deadly/ of the which the day passeth suddenly & lightly as the shadow. And the life waneth as the moan/ & as the green lief on the tree that by a little heat of son is soon dry: & with a little wind is soon beaten down. I am miserable Earth the sin of Ire/ a vessel full of pride/ engendered by vileness and filthy living in misery/ and mortal/ in pain/ anguisshe/ and sorrow/ to the which purpose saith saint Bernarde that a man is noon other thing thenne a fowl stinking froth/ and a sack full of rotennes/ and meet to worms. ¶ And for so moche as it is a thing that showeth by experience? behold and consider what goothe from thy mouth/ thy nose/ and other condittis' of thy body/ And thou shalt say th●e can not be found a more vile dunghill/ of the which thing speaketh ●i●e Innocent finable saying thus. O vile naughty condition of man/ behold & consider the herbs and trees/ they bring forth of them branches flowers/ and fruits/ And thou bringest forth nyttis/ and stinking vermin. They bring forth from them wine/ oil/ and precious balm/ & thou bringest forth spetyll urine/ and dirty corruption/ they floresshe and odour with sweetness and suavyte/ And thou yieldest from the thabomination of stink/ for other thing can not be brought out of thee/ for such as the tree is/ such is the fruit/ ¶ And man is noon other thing after the form? but a tree turned up so down/ of the which the heyir be the roots/ and the block is the heed and neck/ the stokke is the breast and tharm holes/ the great branches be the arms/ and the legs/ and the little branches be the fingers/ and the Tooes/ And the man is as the leaf in the wind and as the stubble dried with the son/ of the which saith Jobe/ the man is boon of the woman/ living breve and short space of time/ and replenished with many miseries/ the which cometh & groweth as the flower/ that suddenly is beaten down and flieth and passeth as the shadow that never in one self estate abideth/ wherefore it is spoken in the third of Genesis. That god said to man remember thou art but dust/ and too dust thou shalt turn/ And for so much saith Jobe lord remember thou haste made me as mire and dust/ and thereto shall I turn again Alas poor creature that art but slime and mire whereof oughtest thou too be proud? thou that art butt dust wherefore shouldest thou lift up thyself? thou that art but ashes/ wherefore shouldst thou glorify thyself. See and consider that thou art conceived in sin. ¶ Thy nativity in pain/ and traveyll thy life in misery and labour/ And too the death necessarily obligide. ¶ Alas wherefore norysshes thou thy flesh with dilycyousse meats/ and apparelles/ thyself with rich & precious habitis/ when within a few days the worms shall devour the in the earth/ And thou takest no heed to anowrne thy poor soul with good conditions & works the which if thou did not let it: should be presented to god thy creator and his angels in the joy of heaven/ wherefore sets thou at naught thy soul and lettis and suffers thy cursed flesh have seniory and governance/ know it surely that it is a great foul abusion to make a Chamberer a masters and a masters a Chamberer and servant O soul thou haste an evil household of enemies thy friend is to the an adversary and yieldeth a retribution to the evil for good/ & under the likeness of good is thy cruel enemy/ O cursed flesh as often times as thou sechest to nourish and feed it diliciously. thou addresses and lyftꝭ up again the thy mortal enemy/ And as oft as thou apparellis and ordeyns to thyself diverse and precious vest●mentis thou armest thine enemy again thee/ and despoileth thyself from all the fair and precious ournamentis celestial. O poor flesh consider and be hold what thou shalt do/ and what shall be come of the after this mortal life. Certainly thou shalt be but carrion vile/ and stinking corruption And miserable meat and feeding/ to worms. Behold the sepulchres & tombs of them that be asswed out of this mortal life And thou shalt furde noon other thing but asses vermin horror & stench/ I iwis they have been as thou art/ & thou shalt be seche as they be. ¶ They were men as thou art/ and have e●en and drunken and passed the days in joys and delitises of this would and in a momet they be dissended in to hell/ & their flesh hath be en●en with worms. And the sorrow full pour soul is deputed to be piteously treated and tormented in the fiere of hell unto the great day of judgement/ after the which day both body and soul shall be buried in eternal dampnacino. ¶ Then see what hath prouffited to the cursed sinner the vain glory of this world for they that have been folowars and followeth in the pleasant and delitis of sin be now in like wise in the tourmentis of hell what hath prouffited to them their short gladness the myghtis of the world the delitis of the flesh and the great concupiscence of false riches. Tell me now where be their laghingis where be now their joys. their plays: their vanites. and organs. ¶ O what Intolerable sorrow is be comen of these great joys with the grace and bitter distress/ for so little time of voluptuoes delights as to be cast and over thrown in eternal pain ever during/ Think then think & often for think in thy heart/ that so as to them is haponed it may happen to the for thou art man & man is of th'earth/ And for so moche as thou art earth to the earth thou shalt turn when the hour of death shall come/ the which is uncertain & unknown. when how or in what place it shall come for every place always death watchith and giveth attendance. ¶ And therefore if thou be wise. thou shalt always in every place give sure attendance for him/ And of them that so moche loveth their delitis and pleasures of the world speaketh Isoder in this manner Right dear friends we aught well to remember the little and breve time/ that the felicity of this world dureth and how little the joy of this world is and how frail/ and failing is the temporal might of this world Now say presently what thou mayst say. where be the kings. the princes. the Emperors with the Richeses/ and the powers of the world. They be as the shadow vanished/ they seche & ask for them And they be departed/ but what shall I say you further the kings & the princes be deed/ of the which many of them thought to live long/ and had went they had been such men as death might not noye. O cursed mischievous poor soul/ lest & of all for getton/ & cast out without any memory for thy miserable & abused sins/ is not so ordained that death shall come? certainly ye shall die and aswell a prince as other shall fall/ Saint Bernard speaking of the condition of man after the death? saith that there is no thing more stinking or horrible than Carione of a deed man/ for he of whom in his life the enbrasementis and collingis were sweet and pleasant: In the death it is horrible/ and detestable to behold. And for so much he said after man? the worms. after the worms: stick/ & horror. what proffettis then in this present world Richeses delitises and honour. The reches delivereth not the soul from death. The delitis delivereth him not from worms/ ne the honours from stink: and of the seluesame saint Iohn Chrysostom/ how moche hath it prouffited to them that in lechery and in voluptuoys of the body hath continued to the last day of this present life.  

¶ How lechery causeth many evils to come to man.  
LEchery is enemy to all virtues and to all goodness/ and for that saith Boice in his third book of consolation/ that he is happy that liveth without lechery/ for lechery is a sweet sickness/ and bringeth a man to death or ever he perceive it/ as witnessith valerie in his ix book the which valerie also in his four book telleth how josephus in his age demaundide of on if he were not lecherous/ ¶ And he answered I pray the speak to me of some other thing/ For as I am advised I have had a great victory that I may by age eschew lechery/ For by lechery all evils commythe and to that creature all good things be troubled/ Alas what was the cause of the destruction of the people of Sichen? but for violation of dign the daughter of jacob/ the which would go to see to the dauncꝭ/ and there ravished as it appeareth in the book of jenesie in the xxiii chapter. ¶ we read also of many that is to say more then fifty thousand were slain by cause of the lechery committed with the woman of levity/ as it appeareth in the twenty chapter of the book of judges/ And a man was slain for the lechery of absolon his brother/ for so much that he had defouled Thamar his sister/ as it appeareth in the second book of kings in the ten chaptour/ Abnar by his lechery knew the concupiscens of his father hisboseth/ but within short while after they were both slain/ as it appeareth in the second book of kings in the four Chaptour/ what was the cause of the dilwye but lechery/ Behold in the sepulchres if thou find any token of ventalse or certain signs of lechery or of Richeses/ See and behold if thou find any token of precious clothingꝭ or rich anourmentis. where be now th'abundance of foolish worldly plesauce/ with great divers/ and servants/ their joys/ their solace/ their inmoderate gladness/ where be they? for all memory and remembrauncꝭ thou shalt find in their tombs worms ashes/ & stinking filth/ Remember the than that such is th'end of the most dear and Rich friends how be it they have passed their days in such joyous delitis of the world/ Now would it please god that thou might perfitly think in thine heart. with continual labour/ all these things. But the cursed sons of Adam leaveth the true and healthful studies & demandeth things passing & transitory/ & therefore if thou will in thine heart by right deliberation dream & consider the vilete of this life? & i'll pride/ & follow meekness? in knowing that pride is the sin by the which the devil dyvideth & knoweth his? from other. wherefore job saith in his xlv chapitur/ the devil is king over all the sons of pride/ & saint gregory saith? that the true sign of evil men is pride/ & the sign of good is meekness/ & by these ii signs be known the servants of god/ & the servants of the devil & furthermore Isodor saith/ that the proud soul is left of god? & made a habitacle of devillꝭ/ to the which purpose saith the wise man/ that pride is to be hated of god & man. so as it well appeareth. For pride cast out lucifer from heaven/ & adam from paradise/ pride made pharaoh drowned in these/ with all his army pride put soul from his realm/ by pride nabigodonosor was turned to likeness of a be'st/ by pride anthiochus suffered a vilous death/ by pride harod had the persecution of his tongue    

¶ Of sins in general.  
HE that doth or committeth sin is servant to the devil/ the which from his beginning committed sin: And so as it is written in the first Canone of saint Iohn the first chapter/ sin is a deed so heavy that the heaven will not suffer it/ nor in th'end the earth shall not sustain it/ but it shall descend in to hell with him that committed it/ And we aught to know also as saint Augustyne saith all things said or done by desire of concupiscence against the law of god is sin/ the which thing all creators that willyth or desireth their salvation aught with all their diligence flee and withstand/ and principally for iii things. ¶ The first is for so much as sin is right displeasant to god. ¶ The second is above all things it is pleasure to the devil. ¶ The third for so much that sin is most noyance to man. O poor sinner and miserable man I say unto the that thou aught with sovereign diligence flee and withstand all sin/ by 'cause it is the thing to god thy creature displeasant/ Also that thou mayst consider & think what god hath done for hate and detestation of sin. For god our creator for the displeasure of sin? destroyed and put to an end nigh all his works That is to know all the world by the flood of no as it is written in the vii of Genesis. Also we aught to know that god hath not wasted and destroyed as other kings and princes dead waste and destroy the lands of their enemies/ for their damage and defaultis: but god hath destroyed and wasted his only proper land/ for the displeasure of sin/ that was entered in to it in so great abundance that all his land perished/ And furthermore god hath not sin in his displeasure only but also he hath displeasure with all that touches or is ꝑticipant with sin. And so aught we to know that god is not as the men/ for they cast not their cups pottis/ & pecis of silver/ & gold in to the see/ for the corrupt wine that is within them/ but they cast out the stinking wine & keepeth their vessels in surety/ but god doth not in this manner with sin for he casteth not only sin away: but with that he casteth & putteth to perdition the vessels of sin/ That is to know the reasonable creators/ whom he hath made to the semblance of his Image/ And with his precious blood bought again from damnation. The which poor souls for sin he shall cast in to the great & deep see of hell/ & they so die. And therefore it is said in the book of sapience in the ix chapter The sinner & his sin is most in the Dignation of god/ For god hath not so good a friend in heaven: ne in earth: but that he hateth to the death/ if he find in him one only mortal sin/ for & saint peter had died in sin when he the third time denied our lord not withstanding that he loved ihu christ more brennyngly than any of the other apostles. He had been condemned by the divine justice of almighty god/ secondly it is well showed us ¶ How almighty god hateth sin when he for sins of the world would make his only and pure Innocent son piteously to die the which thing witnesseth isaiah in his book the thirty & fourth chapter saying I have delivered and given my only son to death for sin of people/ for the son of god so as it is written in the same book of isaiah? hath willed to deliver his soul to death/ to destroy sin. Now consider who is he then that for the hate of his enemy would make his only and proper son to die. ¶ thirdly this same self thing is showed in that almighty god in the first beginning cast sin out of heaven/ And god seeing yet that sin continued in the earth: he of his merciful goodness and free-will. Descended from heaven in to the world and put out sin/ And at the day of judgement he shall cast and close sin in to the pit of hell. wherefore Michee saith in the last chapter he shall cast in to the depth of the see our sin/ For god in the great day of judgement shall cast in the deep see of hell the sinners with their sins ¶ Fourthly it is to show that god sovereignly hath sin in open detestation by this similitude/ for the good mother hath inwardly the thing in hate by the which she should put her son in brenning fire & never take him out. So in like wise is it of almighty god. For not withstanding he hath loved his children with so brenning love. That for them he had will to die/ when the day of judgement shall come he shall condemn them in to everlasting fire if he find in them one only mortal sin/ And thou poor sinful soul then for so moche that thou seest & understandeth how moche almighty god hateth/ and hath abomination of sin: if thou will please him: thou oughtest before all thy works flee and withstand all sin/ And give him in the no place/ ne habitation. For thou well knowest that the wife should be right untrue that would lay in her bed a man that should pursue the death of her housbounde/ whereby many evils might come to him. Now is it so then that sin is the thing that our lord Ihu cast the true spouse of souls which he hath so moche willed to love that by their continuance of sin many evils hath happened them/ and finally the death/ And therefore right dear friend think of thy salvation/ & flee sin/ and hearken the monition of David the prophet the which saith in this manner O my almighty god I pray the give me a firm/ pure/ and clean heart/ And that it listeth to renew my inward parties/ with thy holy and sacred spirit. ¶ Secoundely thou aught sovereignly & with all diligence flee sin/ principally deadly sin for that is the thing that most pleaseth & reioisith our ghostly enemy the devil/ as thou mayst know by three signs/ ¶ The first is that the fiend asketh noon other disport or winning but only the souls. wherefore it is written in the xl chapter of Genesis that the devil spoke to god: saying to him in this manner/ give me the souls of thy creatures/ & all the remnant keep to thyself. And saint Gregory saith/ that the devil estemyth or jugꝭ no thing done that pleasithe him: if it hurt not the soul. with the dart of deadly sin/ For he doth as the bird for his pray. He searcheth nor asketh noon other thing for his refection but the heart/ In likewise the devil asketh of man no thing but the soul/ The second thing is that the devil above all desireth and loves sin/ For his continual temptation/ For in committing of sin/ he was never weary ne over traveled. For he hath been purchasing sin by the space of vi M. year & more/ and never was weary nor fatigate/ but alway searcheth & inquireth the new manner to make the creature to commit sin. For as it is written in the first chapitur of Jobe that when almighty god asked of the devil from whence he come he answered that he had circuyed all th'earth/ The which is a sign he occupied always to move sin/ & never can take rest/ & for this cause is the authority following taken in the book of Jobe in the iii chapter saying in this manner/ they that devour me sleepeth not. The third sign whereby it may be known that the fiend is sovereignly pleased with sin For so moche he was never satisfied with sin/ not withstanding that he hath by sin devoured infinite thousands of men/ & yet is he always hungry as the ragious lion ever seching how he may devour more/ And as saint Peter saith he is not only hungry of meet but with that he thurstith for drink/ whereof saith Jobe the flood is horrible and the devil marveleth not thereof/ for he hath trust that the flood of jordane shall enter in to his throat that is to say in to hell/ and the flood that the devil so swaloeth without meruelinge is the sins coming day/ and night in to the swallowing of hell/ the which he desireth sovereignly to devour/ And more clearly to prove that the devil taketh in sin his delectation we have an example in the life of faders/ in the chapter of devils. how one of them a 'mong other was praised and honoured of his prince of devyllꝭ/ & was set in a chair before all other/ in sign of victory Because that he had led/ & brought to the sin of fornication a monk/ the which by the space of lxiii year before he might not draw to sin/ Now therefore sinful soul weep bitterly/ as long as thou hast rejoiced against thee? thy enemies. That is to know the fendis/ whom thou hast rejoiced/ as many times as thou hast mortally sinned/ And for the time to come? order the by pure confession/ & worthy satisfaction? to make thy lord god joy in thee/ with all his angels. for as saith saint Luke in his xv. chapter/ the aungellis of heaven rejoices them. when a sinner is converted and doth penance/ Thrydely thou oughtest studiously to flee & withstand sin/ for it annoyeth thee/ & is more contrary to the then any other thing/ in so much that by sin we beparted from the love of god/ & be made his enemies. as saith the prophet isaiah in his xix chapter Our iniquities hath put division between god & us/ And our sins hath withdrawn his face from us/ that is to say from our vision. For there is noon in paradise so just nor so holy? if he committed sin? but a noon he should fall in to he. and lose the love of god/ to the which purpose saith saint Augustyne/ he that committeth fault or sin against his true and most true friend? aught to be reputed greatly reprovable Now than it behoveth the to know and understand that by a more strong reason he that commyteth fault or sin against the sovereign & debonair all mighty god? aught well to be reputed and of all holden abominable. Fourthly it is to know that by sin the sinner is judged to the jebet of hell/ & for so moche as the law of god is not far different fro the law of man? Therefore in like manner all the breakers of the law of man? which doth trespass against the kings Royal majesty? be worthy to death/ and aught to be punished corporally. So in sembliable wise the poor and miserable sinners: which have offended not only the temporal prince: but to the heavenly king: aught well to be condemned & to be hanged in hell perpetually/ as it is written in the book of Esdras the xiiii chapter/ And in like wise in decree of daryous/ in the which he saith thus/ it ought to be showed that who so ever trangresseth & breaketh the law yeven & written as touching the sin of commission: or else dispises it: as touching the sin of omission: they aught to take of the proper wood that is to say of the garden of their proper conscience/ for in the consciens groweth a tree whereon the sinner is hanged/ and his good deeds be forfeated and ascribed/ For by cause he hath offended and despised the law of his prince. ¶ Also in like wise the punishment of sins in wicked creatures: returneth to the glory of the heavenly king as the reward of glory is joyful to him: of them that be good. So mayst thou see that the law of man doth bodily/ & the law of god doth spiritually/ & that same almost is red in the vii chapter of hester/ where it is said/ take a man and hang him on the jebet/ by a man is understand a sinner which the heavenly king shall command to be hanged on the jebet of hell/ if he find him in mortal sin/ fifthly sin dispoylethe man in this world from all goodness and grace And in the other world from eternal joy/ so as it is written in the xiiii chapter of proverbs/ sin/ maketh man poor and miserable/ for truly the sinner aught well to be called poor when he hath no thing but hath lost himself by deadly sin/ and from freedom is entered in to the servitude of the devil/ yet aught the sinner to be called more poor/ for he may no thing wine being in such astate/ nor may do any works meritorious or agreeable to god/ & finably/ may be called right poor/ for noon may give to him any thing that good is/ for it shall profit him no thing to the health of soul/ for he hath no life but only in the body/ the soul is as dead. whereof Boice saith in his four book of consolation/ an evil man is noon other wise to be called but a deed man. For man by sin is departed from the light of god/ & darkly blyndide. For as it is written in the sophologie in the first chapter/ They shall walk as blind/ that have sinned against god. And as the psalmist saith/ they have not known ne seen the way of their health/ And therefore they walk in darkness/ to this purpose saith saint Jerome/ The soul polluted by sin? is deprived and beaten down/ to th'end that he is not worthy or hath power to behold on high/ And it is to be known that sin is as the rotennesse in an apple/ for as the putrefaction taketh from the apple the colour and odour? So doth sin take from man the odour of good renown/ & of joy? the colour and beauty/ with the savour of grace wherefore sin of good right? well may be called rotennesse/ of the which speaketh isaiah in his xu chapter/ saying/ he that doth sin leadeth a more foul life? then is the myere or any rotennes of th'earth. And saint Augustyne saith & recitith/ that it is a more sweet odour to man to smell a nold stinking rotten deed dog: then is a sinful soul to god & of this matter speaketh saint augustine in a sermon the which he made/ and by him was drawn. A sinner there present? in to the way of salvation. Now advise & consider pour & miserable sinner. what availeth to the thy coffer full of worldly goods/ if thy conscience be void from all good works/ & dedis thou covetise to have worldly goods/ and thou wilt not be good thyself. Art thou not ashamed to have thy house full of goodis: And thou replenished with so many evils. Now answer me to this question what is it that thou wouldst have evil. first thou wouldest not have a nevyle wife/ evil children/ nor evile servants/ nor yet evil gown/ nor evil hoseen. And yet thou cursed & hearted in thy sin. wouldest lead still a cursed life. Now I pray the for thine own health: love not more dearly thy hosen then thyself/ that is to say so as thou wouldest not have evile hoses which is one of the semplest aparelmentis of thy body: will not thou to led an evil life. for the good life is one of the fairest apparel of the soul all the things that thou seest fair and pleasant: thou holds them and reputis' them as dear/ But and thou see well thyself: thou shall repute the as vile/ and stinking and think thou verily if the goods wherewith thy house is filled had power to speak they would cry against thee/ saying with an high voice/ thou wouldest have and possede us after thy appetite/ & will/ and we would have a good true lord. hearken how they cry against the in addressing their desires to god. O true god creator of the world why hast thou yeven to this man so much good and he is so evil what may it profit him the great goods that he possesses. when he hath no in him the true love of god. that all hath yeven him/ sixthly it is to be noted/ that by sin man is be come a brute be'st/ And therefore saith Boice in his four book of consolation/ A man good/ just/ and true: if his wisdom and justice be left: he is no more man. For as soon as he giveth him to sin: he is converted to a brute be'st/ And the phelosopher in his Ethiques saith/ That he is not only a be'st but worse & more detestable than a be'st. To the which accordeth David the prophet saying in this manner/ man during the time that he was in honour: and to god agreeable: had no will to understand his health but fell from god/ wherefore he is compared to brute bestis: and fowl/ and is made to them semblable. for the vii and last point it is to be noted/ that of sin is borne devils servitude. whereof writeth saint Iohn in his first Canonique in his third chapter: he that maketh or committeth sin: is servant to the devil. wherefore all these things considered: thou poor sorrowful and miserable sinner have mercy and pity of thy soul. and have no will to put thy soul. in to sin: butt remember how by thy cursed sins thou haste offended and wrathed thy lord god. ¶ And that thou haste rejoiced thy great enemy the devil. and done/ damage to thine neighbour. ¶ Now then I pray the poor sinful man know the nobleness of thy soul and how great and grievous hath be the wounds of her committed by sin. For the which of necessity the son of god hath suffered so grievous passion. For certainly if the wounds of thy soul had been mortal: the son of god had never suffered death for their remedy will not then to desoule and dispraise. when thou seest & knowest that his right high majesty hath had so moche pity and compassion of his soul. And saith it is so that he hath shed tearis and wepingꝭ for thee/ wash thou then thine bed nightly with tearis of penance & contrition. He hath shed his blood for thee/ shed thou thy tearis for him by continual penance. Behold not that/ that the flesh would/ but consider that which the soul seeketh & demandeth: For as saith saint Gregory/ for asmuch as the flesh in this world liveth sweetly in the delytꝭ & pleasauntiss thereof within a short space of time after the life corporal: the soul eternally shallbe tormented. & asmuch more as the flehe in this world shallbe chastised so much more shall the soul have joy and glory in the other world. ¶ wherefore saith saint Augustine let us leave and put behind us for the honour of Ihesu Christ: the things that be to be left & that letteth the health of our souls/ to th'end that for things transitory: we lose not eternal/ and consider that if it were said to the take and use at will the goods & delitis of this world/ asmuch as shall please thee/ on that condition: that after thy Iene shallbe taken from thee/ & thou shalt all the remnant of thy life contyune in long wish/ hungres/ pain/ and misery. certainly I am sure thou wouldst never then desire such temporal gooddꝭ: Now consider and rise diligently then/ For all the course of the life of man is not to count one month or one day/ or one hour/ of space or time: in regard or comparison of the perpetual curside pains of hell/ that hath noon end. And to the which noon other pain is semblable nor able to be compared.   

¶ How we aught with all diligence do penance.  
SAint Mathewe in his xiiii chapter saith that our lord willing and admoneshinge the creature to do penance: speaketh in this manner/ He that takes not his cross & follow me? is not worthy to have me/ by this cross we be taught and given to understand penance/ the which all sinners aught to take and bear ꝑseverauntly/ if he desire in the beatitude eternal to reign with Ihesu christ For as saith saint Jerome in apistole that he wrote to Susanne saying thus/ penance is to the sinner necessary/ and aught to be so moche/ that it be sufficient for the crime done against god/ or for the more merit that the penance exceed the sin/ And as saint Augustyne saith who that will be saved/ it behoveth him and is to him necessary: oft to purge and wash his conciens/ with tearis/ from all the filths/ & uncleanness where with he hath polluted & defilyde himself from the time of his baptism: But peradventure thou that hast given and had all thy pleasure of the world: will say in this manner. Thy sermon and the words that thou sayst to me in advising me to do penance: me seemeth very hard/ For I may not dispraise the world/ nother correct/ ne chastise my flesh/ Alas poor sinner herkyn thee/ Doctrine not of me/ but of holy saint Jerome/ that saith in this manner. It is inpossible that a man may use and joy the goods of this present world here: in filling his Belly and accomplishing his will and thought: And after this world thinketh to have the delitis in the heavenly world/ for he can not have his joy in this earth here: and have the great glory in heaven. The which sentence confirmeth sancte Gregory saying thus: many there be that covite and desire to flee from the present exile of this would/ in to the glory and joy of paradise: but yet would they not leave their worldly delitis/ the grace of our lord Ihu calleth them/ But the cursed concupiscence of this world revoketh and with draweth them/ ¶ They would gladly die as right wise people doth: but they would not lie as they do. And therefore they shall everlastingly perish/ and follow their works in to hollꝭ/ & there to be in perdurable damnation. To this purpose speaketh saint Barnarde to the sinners that refuse penance/ O miserable sinners know consider in your hartis the life & straight conversation of glorious saint Iohn baptist/ which straight life & conversation: is to all delicious sinners not willing to do penance: the very messenger of eternal death Alas we poor miserable and unreasonable bestis and worms of th'earth: wherefore be we proud/ dispyteous and displesaunt to do penance/ sith that we see that he that among all men was borne the most great: hath willed his holy body pure/ clean/ & Innocent/ to chastise by penance/ And we desire to cloth and anourne our sinful bodies with precious clothing/ And the good holy saint: had none other clothing to his boody but the hard sharp skin of a Camyl we covet and desire to drink delicious wines: & saint Iohn the baptist that glorious friend of god drank in the desert noon other thing but clean & pure water/ behold than miserable sinner: Oughtest thou then flee doing of penance & follow worldly pleasures: I iwis nay/ for certainly it is not the way to paradise/ and more to move thine heart to penance and to flee the delitis of this world: remember the of the evil Rich man/ that was lord and master of so great Richeses/ and was daily clothed with precious habitis/ of purpyll/ the which/ not withstanding all the delities that he had in this world: after his mortal life was passed: might not attain to have in the necessity of his brenning & heat one only drop of water/ for to refresh and cool his tongue ¶ Therefore remember these things dear friend & do penance while thou hast time & space/ & trust not to much of length of days/ For though almighty god have promise pardon and mercy to them that will do penance/ he hath not promised them certain time to leave/ nor yet a day hour ne minute. And if thou wilt know what is penance I say unto the it is weeping tears of contrition for thy sins passed/ with firm purpose never to commit them more/ For as saith saint Augustine the penance is vain: which sin following defileth. And the weeping no thing profetith when they return again to sin. Nor to ask pardon of god: & will to fall again to sin. And for more declaration thou aught to know & note that there be three manners of penance/ that is contrition with heart/ confession with mouth/ and Satisfaction with warkis/ For that three manners we offend god that is to know. The delectation of thought by inprudence of words/ and by warkis of pride/ and for that/ that by the contrary it must be curide: we must make satisfaction to god in three other manners/ putting contrition against the delectation of sin/ confession against inprudence of words/ Satisfaction against the warkis of pride. Now see thou first what is contrition/ Contrition is a sorrow wilfully taken for sins committed and done/ with full purpose to abstain to make true confession & dew satisfaction/ & as saith saint Barnard the sorrow aught to be in three manners/ that is to say sharp/ more sharp/ and sharpest/ Right sharp: for cause we have offended our sovereign lord god creator of all things. And more sharp: for we have inpungued our celestial father that so sweetly hath nourished & fed us/ And in that we so have offended him: we may be reputed worse than doggis/ for the doggis of their nature: loveth & follows them that nourisheth & fedith them. Thirdly contrition aught to be most hard and sharp: For so moche that in committing sin we offend god. And crucify & torment our redeemer/ that hath bought us with his proper blood: and delivered us from the bonds of sin/ & hath delivered us from the cruelty of devyllꝭ/ and the pains of hell/ wherefore we aught to have sorrow and displeasunce of three things. ¶ That is to wit of sin committed by good deeds left and time lost as speaketh saint Augustyne saying contrition of heart is more worth: then all the pylgrimagꝭ of the world/ & in a clause made upon the psalm Ad dumm cum tribularar. It is said god can not despise ne withstand the repentance of a contrite heart: that with very contrition besechith his mercy/ And in like wise saith saint Iohn Crisistome/ Contrition is that only thing that maketh a soul to hate the fresh habitis/ and maketh him ready to love sharp clothing of hear/ to love tearis/ to hate and flee plesauntiss and laughingis/ for there is no thing that so conjoineth and unityth the soul to god: as the tearis of a penitent. ¶ And to the contrary saith saint Augustyne we may not give the devil morre sharp sorowiss: then to heal our wounds of sin by confession and penance. But alas how be it that by penance and contrition we may get so moche weal: And yet few folks be that would do penance/ ¶ wherefore thus our lord complaineth him/ speaking by jeremy/ there is no man speaketh that good is: nor that would do penance for sin committed and done. The second that is to say confession is lawful and sufficient occasion and declaration of sinners trespass/ before the priest: For this word confession is as much to say/ as an hole shewing or shewing of all together. For he truly confessithe him hoilly: that saith all/ Confession also as saith Isodore in the book of his ethimologies/ is that thing by which the secret sickness of the soul under hope of pardon & mercy is made open to the praising of god/ of the virtue of which saint Ambrose upon the psalm beati inmaculati saith: the vengeance of god seassith: if man's confession make himself clean. And Cassidore upon the psalm of. Confiteantur tibi populi deus saith/ that god is not as judge/ But as an advocate for them that by true confession condemneth and yieldeth themself guilt: And poor lo saith that the sin abideth not to condemn man in judgement which by confession hath been purged. And saint Augustyne in the book of penance saith confession is the health of soul/ the mynyshere and consumer of sin/ restorer of virtues/ ¶ And the withstander and overcomer of the devil/ & what more/ confession shettꝭ the gates of hell/ And openeth the gates of paradise/ And for these foresaid causis right dear friend trust the counsel of isaiah. Tell thine iniquity so as thou mayst be justified For the beginning of justice is confession of sin: wherefore it behooveth to confess the of all thy sins holy of the which thou canst know any remembrance to one priest which hath power to assoil thee/ so that thou tell not part of thy sins to one priest: & part to an other. For if thou shouldest confess the after such manner/ nother the oon priest ne the other might assoil thee/ for as saith saint Barnard/ he that divideth his confession to divers confessors: hath no pardon/ For it is detestable feigning of him/ that divideth & withholdeth his sin from showing the very profoundness of his sin entirely. And they that maketh such confession/ receiveth excommunication for absolution/ & malidiction for blessing Sushe divisions & confessions is made by hypocrisy For they show their great grievous sin to the priests which they know not. And to thyem that be of their familiar knowledge: they show their most light sins/ whereof saith saint Augustine as it is written in the decree/ He that divideth his confession is not to be praised in no condition/ For he keepeth counsel from the on/ that he showeth to the other/ the which thing he doth by manner of hypocrisy/ to th'intent to be praised. Now let us speak then of satisfaction the which Saint Augustyne Diffynyth in this manner/ satisfaction is to withstand and leave the causis of sin: and not to favour his suggestions ne admonitions: saint Gregory saith we make not satisfaction by ceasin of sin: if we leave not the voluptuous bylongeing thereto. And show weeping and lamentation unfeigned/ for our sin to the which purpose saith Chrysostom such as the offence afore hath been comysed: such wise aught again to follow the reconciliation and satisfaction. And asmuch to be inclined to wepyngiss and lamentation as thou haste been inclined to sin. ¶ And to take as great/ devotion to penance: as thou haste had great intent to commit sin. ¶ For thy great and mighty sins desireth the great lamentations whereof saith Eusebeus bishop/ by light contrition may not be paid the deibte the which is due to the death eternal: For sin/ ne with little satisfaction the fire eternal that is made red for the evil may be quenched/ but many be soon weary in this mortal life to do penance and return from the way of satisfaction/ looking backward as died the wife of loath: against the which spekythe saint Barnarde in a sermon: and saith/ he that perfectly felythe and percevyth the peysaunt deeds of sin and the lesyon and sickness of the soul: can not lightly feel & perceive the pains of the body/ nor repute the labours any thing: by the which he may do a way sins passed & withstand them that be to come/ And as saint Augustine saith upon the xu psalm/ many be that have no shame to commit sin/ but they have great shame to do penance/ O unbelefull creature and far out of thy reason/ canst thou not have shame and horror of the great wounds of sin: Seest thou not what foul stink & Rotennes is therein run to the medicine and do penance and say my lord god my creature I know mine iniquity/ and so clearly: that my sin is alway against me/ to the only I have committed sin which is only withouten sin/ furthermore it is to be known that satisfaction is in three things/ that is to wit in prayer/ alms and in fasting. To th'end that the number of three be opposite against three false and devily sins/ prayer against pride/ fasting against concupiscence of the flesh/ and alms against Covetous/ And for all thing that is committed against god is ordained prayer/ And for the sin against his neighbour is ordained alms: and for the sin against himself/ is ordained fasting/ And for more declaration of satisfaction he fpekyth somewhat of alms Alms is as much to say after the manner of speaking: as commandment of mercy. And in this manner aught this word to be written Elemosina by E and some time they writ Elimosina by I than is it asmuch to say as the commandment of god/ For he himself commanded it to be done with his own proper mouth: whereof saith jeremy/ give alms: and all things shallbe you pure & clean/ Or thirdly Alms may be said after sum the water of god/ for as water quencheth fire of alms deed quencheth sin. wherefore it is to know that three things principally aught to move us to do and accomplish alms/ and werkis of mercy. ¶ The first is/ for mercy buyeth again the guilt of sin/ for so moche as it is wirtten in the proverb in the xvi chapter/ by mercy vanity & iniquity is bought again/ And daniel resitith in his xiiii. chapter speaking of a woman that put in all the vesselliss that she had a little quantity of oil. And a noon the oil grew in such manner that she paid and pacified her creditors. The vesselliss of the woman/ betokeneth the poor people which we should call in to our housis: For as saith isaiah in his liii chapter lead and call the poor to thy house and keep them: And with that thou haste: that is to say distribute part of thy substance to this poor vessels/ moche like to that saith Thobye if thou have little to give yet study to give and departeth the poor willingly/ For then shall grow the oil of mercy/ when by gracious meritis. the sinful soul hath made satisfaction to god for his sins. ¶ The second thing that aught to move us to give alms is/ for it increases and multiplies the temporal goods/ as saith saint Gregory in his dialogue/ worldly substance be multiplied. For so moche as they be distribute and yeven to the poor. we have example in the third book of kings in the xuj. chapter of the widow that fed healy/ to whom almighty god multiplied booth breed and oil/ whereby it is underderstande that more is to almous profitable to them that feedeth the poor: then to the poor that receiveth it. ¶ Thirdly wherefore we aught to do alms and works of mercy is: for that/ that almous keepeth the alms yever/ of the hour of death/ and leadeth with clearness and joy his soul to the Realm of heaven. And therefore saith saint Ambrose/ that mercy is the only help to them that been passed. ¶ O what fellowship is it of alms to him that dieth/ leave not then so true and so good a servant/ nor put such an advocate behind thy back/ ne do not as they that in their life withholddeth their goods by such brenning Covetous: that never with their proper hands/ departed alms to the poor/ For such be semblable to him that for to see clearly his ways berith his light behind his back/ but do as is taught to the by Ecclesiasticus/ say not to thy friend of thy soul that is to say to Ihesu Christ: or to the poor that shall ask the alms. ¶ My friend go and come again to morrow and then I shall give thee/ All be it that that thou mayst give him. when he asketh it. ¶ For it is to be known that the rich of whom the poor asketh alms: aught to consider three things first who it is that asketh/ for god himself loveth so much the poor that all that is yeven to them in the honour of him: he repentis to himself. ¶ And for so moche as it is written in the third chapter of saint Mathewe/ all that ye shall do to any/ oon of the least seruauntis: ye do it to me/ god by the poor demandeth alms of the Rich/ and the rich demandeth of god the realm of heaven/ so that the rich aught well to dread to refuse or deny his almous to the poor/ least that almighty god will deny his prayer and asking of the Realm of heaven. For it is written in the proverbs in the xxi chapter/ He that closeth his ears when he heareth the poor cry: the time shall come that he shall cry and god shall not here him. ¶ Secoundly/ the rich should well consider what thing it is that god asketh when by his poor people he asketh almous/ Certainly he asketh no thing of ours/ But god asketh his only owen/ wherefore he may well be called unkind to god: when he denieth to the poor his necessary almous: when he hath meats and drinks with other goods abundantly: the which things well considered David: where he saith in paralipomynone in his xxix chapter. ¶ Oo my god and my lord all thing be thine: and we have noon other things to give the but only that/ that we have received and taken of thy hand. ¶ For truly our lord god asketh by the poor no thing: butt that is his: and apperteynethe to him: and not to have yeven/ butt only to lean it/ ¶ And not only to yield therefore the double or third part: but as an usuret will increase it a hundredth times more ¶ O poor sinner do then after the saying of saint Augustyne/ give to god for usury and thou shalt take an. C. times more and possede the life eternal To moche thou art unkind if thou will not give to god. For god to usury as thou wouldest do to a jew or a saracene. And therefore consider all these things/ and I dearly pray the assemble together the poor/ and by them make thy treasure in henen/ in doing the werkis of mercy: and make not thy tresoures here in the Earth/ but the heart of a covetous man is as a pit without a bothome. The more it receiveth the more it would have And yet it is never full/ And so saith Ecclesiasticus in the vii chapter. The covetous man shall never be fulfilled with money/ for the heart alway followeth the treasure/ sorrow may be said to them that in perlyous exile of this world maketh their treasure/ and upon that saith Chrysostom: assemble thy substance in place and country: where shallbe thy dwelling/ for he that maketh his treasure but in the earth: shall noon have in heaven when he no thing hath put there/ And believe surely that the thing thou shall find there: is only the good thou haste yeven to the poor. The goods be not a man's which he may not guide ne bear with him/ Now understand the fair authority of saint Ambrose/ he saith that no thing is of so great commendation towards god as pity and charity/ the good doctor said I have behold many books & scriptures butt I can not remember that I have found of any man: that willingly hath excersised the works of mercy and pity and viliously died And pope lo saith he giveth and sendeth to god precious and encere fruits: that never lectyth the poor depart from him dispurneid or sorrowful. For the virtue of mercy is so great/ that without that: all the other may not profit. And how be it that a man be true chaste/ sobyre/ garnished/ and adryched with many other virtues: if he be not merciful and piteous never shall he find mercy. And this that I have said of virtues/ Alms and works of mercy/ concerning the poor people suffisyth/ And now we shall return to the purpose of the beginning of this chapter/ where it is said: he that takes not his cross and cometh after me: is not worthy to be with me. this cross aught to be taken in the time of youth/ and strength to the which purpose it is said in the second chapter of Ecclesiastice: remember the of thy ceator in the days of thy youth/ For thenne it profityth a man most: and moste pleaseth god/ In like wise he saith/ son tarry not to convert the to god: and differre not from day to day/ For his Ire shall come on the suddenly. And in the time of vengeance he shall destroy thee/ But against the healthful counsel of the wise/ the devil giveth and promiseth to man enyl & damnable hope of long life saying thou art young and shall live and thou mayst go to confession and do penance. ¶ O these poor sinners how they be deceived that so lightly believeth in his deceytis: and in the false hoop of long life/ purposing in their age to currecte themself/ and amend/ and then cometh sudden death/ and finally ravisheth and taketh them to damnation. ¶ And for so moche as it is said in Ecclesiastico in the xxix chapter That by the promission and hope of long life many be put to perdition. Now is it then to note that such devilish promise of long life and thinking to do penance in age: is full evil/ for it is against right and reason/ And yet is it worse/ For it is also against the sinner himself/ ¶ And more evil it is against the sovereign bounty of god/ and that it is against right and reason it appeareth by three ensamples/ the first example is: that who that had ten asses and should give the greatest burden of charge to bear to the most feeble: he should do against reason and good justice. ¶ And so will he that only will give to him self in his age the charge and burden of the sins that he hath committed in his youth/ and strength/ for then he giveth the burden to the most feeble ass: that is to say to the debility of age/ For in age man hath no strength ne virtue to bear labour or pain. And they that so differre their penance: deserveth malediction of god as it is written in zacaria in the first chapter/ The man full of fraud is cursed that in his bestial life hath done many evils/ and maketh sacrifice to god of the worst/ and the most poor amendment. ¶ And in like wise is he cursed that in the delitis of this world passeth the time of his youth and strength/ and differreth to make true sacrifice unto almighty god: till the time of feeble and old age come upon him/ ¶ And therefore saith Isodore/ he that liveth the convenable time of penance/ It shallbe to him but as void thing to come to the gate of god to pray. ¶ The second example is/ that he that in his strength and power is not able to lift a ferdell in his youth: and when he cometh to feebleness of age then would take upon him the charge: might welbe reputed a very fool. ¶ So in like wise is he that in his youth whiles strength is in him: will not take upon him the deeds of penance which then may be to him light. And hopeth better to do them in his age when there shall be augmented in him: great debility and feebleness/ he well may be resembled to a fool. ¶ whereof as it is said in the life of faders that one went and kutte a faggot of wood and then assayed to lift it/ and found it to heavy. ¶ And yet he went to an other wood and put in more/ and would have lifted it/ and found it so much more heavy to bear/ ¶ In this manner doth the sinners when they take the charge of sins and leaveth to do penance/ from day to day putting & adjoining sin upon sin. For as saith saint Gregory/ the sins that by penance is not purged & taken away: of his nature desireth and draweth to him other sins. ¶ The third example is/ he that all his life hath had great study and cure with work men to prepare and make an house in the which he never hath purpose ne hoop to inhabit ne dwell/ ¶ And the house which he desireth to dwell in would utterly destroy to his power: It were a just cause to repute him a defamed fool. Now aught men then to know and understand that so is it of the sinner that unto the death desireth to turn him to god and alway desireth and coveteth to live in the delytis and voluptuysnes of this sorrowful and miserable world: following evil companies/ by the which he hath great occasions to commit many deadly sins/ by the mean whereof: He all the time of his life is making ready and prepayreth his house in hell/ where no man should will to dwell. ¶ And therefore aught they to dread and doubt the sentence of sancte Paul/ who saith/ he that gooth and doth against his consciens: he edifieth himself an house and lodging in hell. ¶ And for to show and prove that the promise and hoop of long life is yet more evil against the sinner. ¶ It appeareth and is to us clearly showed by two examples. ¶ whereof the first is he that should desire rather to be seek then hole and in servitude rather than in liberty: and to have no thing liefer then to possess his part of all the goods of the world: he should be against himself In like condition is the sinner when he tarrieth to do penance For he loveth better to be in sin which is the spiritual sickness of soul. And not only sickness but eternal death. Desires rather his deadly sickness than his eternal life/ whereby it clearly appeareth that of the obstinate sinner it aught well to be said that he is evil against himself so that he loveth sickness better then health and death than life/ servitude/ then freedom/ evil then good/ As saith saint Iohn in his canonique/ He that doth sin is in the servitude of sin/ And saint Augustyne saith that a man good just/ and true. Not withstanding that he be in servitude is in his bounty keep always free and in his fraunchies/ But the evil sinful man not withstanding he reign and be dread and honoured in this world he shall alway devil in cursed servitude/ and that worse thing is to say: as long as he shall endure in the bondage of vices and sins He shallbe in the bondage of evil lords and rulers. The second example is this/ he that should own a great sum of money to a usurer which should grow and be augmented from day to day So that he should not be in power to pay it but would ever tarry as long as he might. He should greatly do against himself/ so to purpose asmuch more as the sinful man shall dwell in sin: so much more shall he be bound to pain whereof it is written in the book of apocalypse in the xvi chapter asmuch as the sinner glorifieth him in his delitises so much more he giveth himself to tourmente weeping and pain. ¶ thirdly the promise of long life is right evil and dangerous/ in so much as it is against the will of god/ as it the appeareth by iii examples/ the first is if it were that a young man were impungning and contrary to his master: of the which he should have all his weal by the space of his life. ¶ And that he thenne left his proper lord and master/ for to serve the Enemy of the same during the time of his strength and youth. ¶ And when he should come at impotency and be attainted with age and feebleness: than would return to his first master in offering him his service for the remmenaunte of his life: such a servant might well be reputed of evil and untrue condition/ and no thing to be thought agreeable to the service of such a man In this manner is it of the sinner/ he offendeth god and serveth his enemy the devil/ enduring his strength and youth and purposeth/ to serve god in his feeble age. ¶ The second example is/ if there were any that had received of his lord gerate gyftiss and goods whereby he might have great winning and advantage: and if he would dispend and waste them for nought: he might well be called a fool/ and unkind to his master/ the which thing doth the sinner indirectely doing against the goodness of god. ¶ And in committing sin dispendeth foleously and wasteth unkindly the goods that his creature hath yeven him/ that is to know/ the soul/ the body/ the wit by the which his soul is ennoblished/ the strength and virtue of his body/ his worldly goods temporal/ the space of his life/ and many other fair and great yefts and benyfictis that of god he hath received/ saint Gregory speaking of the soul: which god hath given us as a precious tressoure/ to use reasonably in doing meritorious works: by the which we may get the Realm of paradise saith in this manner/ Curses and sorrows be to me if I by my negligence fail to keep the treasure and jowell that the precious lamb undefiled Christ Ihesu hath willed full dearly to buy again. And for the time that god hath given us in this mortal life as saith the said saint Gregory: thou haste not in this world day/ hour/ ne mynett/ ne space of tyme. whereof thou ne shalt yield accounts before god/ how & in what operations thou haste inployed thy tyme. ¶ The third example is if the servants which have the dispendinge of their lord goods give to strangers and his enemies the best breed and wines and give and minister to his lord the vitaylly that be corrupt rotten and stinking: He should do unjustly and falsely against the will of his master/ and right so doth the sinner that all the best time of his years that is to say in his youth giveth himself to the world and to the devil: which be the enemies of Ihesu christ and purposeth to give to god the worst which is the old end of their life: Alas died not thus which said/ my god my creature my strength my beauty and my youth: will I only to thy service keep and to this purpose it is said in ecclesiaticꝭ give not to god the rottenness and dregs of thine age butt present unto him the free wine pure and clean of thy florisshinge youth/ Item saint Gregory spekythe of them/ Also that defer to do penance/ and saith the sinner is to far strange from the faith and love of god that for doing of penance abideth the time of his age/ For he then hath not in his power any time or hour of his life wherefore and through the counsel of Isodore every power sinner aught diligently with all his might when he may return him to god for who that doth not penance. when he may: when he would he shall not do it. Do then penance and tarry not to th'end that thou be not enclosed without heaven with the foolish virginies.   

¶ How we aught to despise and hate the world.  
SAint Iohn in his first canonique showeth us that we aught not to love the world ne the things that be in the world/ And saith in this manner/ love ye not the world ne things that be therein/ if there be any that loveth the world the charity of god is not with him. Also the concupiscence of the world passeth and vanysshith away/ And saint Augustyne treating upon the same words demandeth in this manner/ O thou poor creator whice wouldest thou cheese of these two: would thou love/ the world and the temporal things & pass the time with them: or despise the world and live eternaly with god/ if thou love the world: it will deceive thee/ for the world calleth and draweth sweetly to him who that loveth and followeth him/ but in their need he faileth them/ & may not support ne succour them and certainly the world is as one excummunicate/ for so as the excommunicate in the church is not prayed for so our lord Ihu christ prayeth not for the world/ the which all times prayed for his persecutors/ and them that crucified him/ Alas to moche is he a fool that serveth such a master and hath such a lord that in th'end chaseth & kesteth out his servant naked and poor and without hire/ for so the world doth: we read of the Saulden of Babylon the which being seek in the city of damasens of a mortal disease confessing himself of the shortness of his life and of nighness of his death piteously and in great lamentations called to oon of his seruantis/ and said to him in this manner/ Thou were wont to bear in my battles the banner and the sign of mine Arms/ by triumphant victory/ Now a noon take and bear the sign of my sorrowful death/ that is to know this poor cloth and miserable sheet and cry with an high/ voice by all the City these words/ see the king of all the oriental parties the which dying and finishing his days beareth with him noon of all the richesses of this world but only this old and poor cloth or sheet/ And semblably we read of a young prince king of loreyn being in infirmity of sickness/ considering his days were short/ and his death nigh/ beholding his palacꝭ houses and great edifyings: cried in casting many sighs and piteous tears. O my god my creator Jesus'/ at this hour I see and may know that the world aught well to be despised. ¶ Alas I have had in this world many sumptuous palacis: houses/ and lodges with great Richeses/ and now know I not whether to go: nother any creature that will take and receive me this night in to his house/ Consider these things poor and miserable sinner and leave thy god and thy felicity/ that is to know this diceyvable world/ before that by him: and of him/ than be left in so great and miserable poverty/ hearken what Saint jamys saith/ he that is friend of this world: is Enemy of god. ¶ And saint Gregory saith/ so moche more as the man is nigh the love of the world: so much farther is he fro the love of god/ for the which thing manifestly our Lord Ihesu christ at the hour of his passion went out of the city of Iherusalem all naked to be crusifyed and suffer death/ willing to show that they ought to flee the world & his community yevenge ensample that he that would follow the fruit and merit of his passion: aught to Issue out of the world at the least by affection/ in fleeing the worldly conversation/ and desiring the spiritual. ¶ And for so much our Lord Ihesu christ spoke to jeremy/ saying/ flee and go out of Babylon/ to th'end that every parson may save his soul. ¶ By babylon as saith Saint jeromme is understand the house of confusion/ and that house representeth the world where/ In all parties raineth confusion as well in the clarge as in the common people. ¶ And in religious as in seculars/ and in old: as in young/ & generally as well in men as in women/ in such manner as saint Iohn saith veritably and with good right/ All the world is evil: and to all evil it is obedient/ wherefore saint Barnard counsaylling to flee the world and use a religious life: saith on this wise/ flee out from the mids of Babylon that is to say fro the world and save your souls: i'll to the Cite of resuge that to to the religious life: and there ye may for the evils passed do penance/ and get the joy Eternal. wherefore abash you not ne dread the hardness or pain of doing penance/ For the passions and affections of this present world: be not worthy ne sufficient: for to pardon the evils and sins passed before/ ¶ And therefore think of the reward that is promised by doing penance in the house of god/ which is the heavenly realm eternal And for more ample declaration of this matter: it is to be noted/ that we aught to flee this fynfull & miserable world for four causes/ first thou oughtest to consider/ that the wise willingly would depart for the conserving and keeping of their health: placis corrupt with pestilence/ and principally if they feel and perceive sickness of disposition dangerous/ In this manner is the world/ for it is infect with corrupt pestilence by thabundance of sin/ And in so much as sin is right contagious sickness: So it is to be fled and left. And also the company of wretched sins/ For it is unsure and unwholesome to them that be hole in all their members: to follow & use the company of them that be lepris and unclean/ In like wise it can not be thing sure to man: that will be pure and clean: to follow this sinful world fulfilled with all vices/ To the which purpose it is said in ecclesiasticꝭ in the xiii chapter. He that toucheth pitch in bearing thereof: shall take some to wche of foulness. And he that is companied with proud: shall find some apparel or clothing of pride. ¶ And to say the troth: It is a thing Inpossible that he abide long in good works that often frequenteth with evil parsons. And for so moche saith the psalmyste/ with the holy: thou shalt find the holy/ and with the evil: thou shalt find the evil/ and so as evil conversation is noysaunt and hurtful: right so is the good company good & profitable/ for he that findeth good company: findeth healthful life and abundant in riches. ¶ And for a true declaration: believe verily that full seldom it is seen: butt a man becometh good or evil: after the company/ where he is entertained/ ¶ And as saith Saint Jerome the hartis of children is as it were a clean pure table: In the which no thing is painted/ ¶ wherefore it is a true likeness: that the works and conditions that they learn in youth: be it good or evil: they will follow in their age/ ¶ then let us withdraw from this world: as from an evil neighbour/ For in this world is there not a worse neighbour: nor that so moche may annoyed us: as the affinity and affection of sins/ wherewith this world is replenished. ¶ Secoundly the wise of their nature withdraweth & departeh from the placis where they have doubt betrayed/ sold/ or delivered to the hands of their enemies which the world doth from day to day/ wherefore the words of judas that betrayed his master: is proper to that purpose: which said he that I shall kiss take and hold him/ for he is that I should deliver you/ such or resemblable words saith the world to the devil For he that the world clippeth and kisseth and lyftith up in great honour: he betrayeth & giveth them into the hands of their great Enemy the devil. ¶ wherefore thou oughtest well to note that in this world there is no surety ne troth/ For as saith saint Jerome the most great and manifest sign of damnation: is to have and follow in this corporal life the pleasures/ the sportis: and felicities thereof and to be beloved of the world. For he erreth and far goeth out of the way of justice. that by riches and delitises enforsith him to please the world. ¶ Thirdly the wise withdraweth him from that place where he weeneth there be peril/ certainly so is the world a place right ꝑlious/ which is called a See as saith the psalmist/ the world is a great see spacious/ of the which as saith saint Barnarde the difficult of passage: and the multitude of passers proveth the danger/ as in the see of marcel if there be four ships one scarcely can pass without peril So is it of the See of this world/ of four souls one among them with pain cometh to salvation. This world is like the dilwie where few folkis be saved in respect of them that perish. It is as the fournes of Babylon/ embraced with the fire of hell/ wherefore above all thing: man aught to dread and flee it/ For by the wind of in a little word: man is embraced to the fire of Ire/ And for the beholding of oon woman: is embraced with the fire of lechery/ and for the beholding of one precious jewel: is embraced with the fire of covetous concupiscence. ¶ Fourthly we see by experience that man gladly withdraweth and departeth from him that desireth him/ and principally from his Capital Enemy/ ¶ And our capital Emnyes the devil/ prince of the world that night and day manysseth our death/ from whom withdraw us: when we forsake the whrld/ ¶ And for so moche saith Ecclesiasticꝭ in the ix chapter hold the always far from a man that hath power to slay the by the which man is understand the devil/ that man is overcome by as saith saint Mathewe in his xiiii chapter such things be done by the evil man understanding the devil our ghostly Enemy. For which cause above said: we aught to know & understand that the sovereign remedy to overcome the world is to flee and depart therewith/ And to this purpose we read in the life of faders/ that saint Agryme being resundunt & dwelling in the palace of the Emperor: made his Orison to god saying/ lord I pray the address me in the way of health/ in the which Orison making came to him a voice: saying/ Agrym i'll the world and the men thereof: & thou shalt be saved/ And a noon after the holy man went in to a devout Religion/ in the which place he prayed semblaby as he had done afore/ lord address & show to me the way of health And again a voice answered him/ again i'll overcome/ keep silence/ & rest thee/ these be the roots to i'll sin/ by the fleeing: is overcome the concupissence of the flesh/ by keeping silence: is overcome pride/ by rest & seassinge the love and desires of the world: covetise/ & avaricie is overcome. Item Isodor she with us in this manner to dispraise the world if thou wilt live in rest: take away & put from the all things that may noie: or take from thee: thy good purpose/ be come to the world as deed/ & so the world to the nother care for the glory of the world more than thou were deed/ dispraise in thy life: the things that thou mayst not have after thy death/ of this matter speaketh saint Jerome in this wise/ O life of the world: not life but death/ a life false & deceivable/ a life mixed/ and meddled with disters/ A life shadowed with lies/ now as a fresh flower: & a noon dry/ a life fragile & caduke/ O life miserable: to the true life contrary/ that the more he groweth: the more he minisheth/ the more he goeth forth: The nigher is the death: O life full of snares. ¶ How many haste thou in this world: of miserable men: taken and wrapped in thy laces/ how many hast thou led and daily leadeth: in to the tourmentis infernal. how moche is he blessed that may know thy sotelties/ moche more is he blessed that hath no cure of thee/ and dispraiseth thy blandysshingꝭ & right blessed aught he to be called: that is deprived from the saint Augustyne saith the world crieth: I shall fail the at need &/ the flesh crieth. I shall fall all to corruption/ Now advise the miserable sin: which thou wilt follow/ Alas right dear friend if chies things beforsaide/ move the not to despise and condemn the world/ hearken the speaking of saint Bernard to them that loveth this sorrowful world/ sorrow/ pain/ and travail/ be to them to the which is pmpayred the meet of worms/ labour/ flames of fire/ thirst/ continual weeping/ and gnastinge of teith. And also the horrible face and look of devils/ And sorrow may be said to them: that be in that perpetual torment: where death is desired night and day/ and never shall come/ for cursed sinners in that torment: demandeth death/ but/ die shall they not/ for incessantly they shallbe tormented in everlasting horrourꝭ Now miserable sinners think ye now: what sorrow and lamentations shallbe when the poor sinners shallbe seꝑate and put out from the company of the just people/ And when they shallbe given to the power of devils/ and shall go with him to eternal torment. Deprived and departed from the glory and felicity of paradise/ in sorrow and pain perdurably dwelling in hell/ where the fendis without seizing: shall alway travel and troument them He that thus shallbe tormented: shall never die but ever live without hope or mercy/ & for more augmentation of sorrow: the dampened shall live without death/ and die without being consumed wherefore it is to be noted what Isodore saith/ if thou have the wit of Solamon: the strength of Samson: the time and long life that Enec had: the might of tholomeus: the riches of Cresie: what might all these profit the at that hour/ when thy stinking infect flesh shallbe yeven to the worms/ and thy soul to hell/ with the soul of the cursed rich man: there miserably to be tormented without end/ Item an other thing aught to move and admonish the to flee and despise the world/ that is to know: the short space and time of life/ and the hour of death that to us is uncertain. ¶ wherefore saith saint Gregory/ the miserable obstinate sinners: do purchase and desire their cursed vice/ under the shadow and hope: of long life/ and the good and just: leaveth the gyltꝭ of sin: because they know and judge in themself. The shortness and little while enduring of this present right miserable world/ whereof speaketh saint jamys in the four chapter of his canonique/ what thing saith he/ is our life: but a vapour lightly appearing: and a noon adinchiled and lost/ And as saint Augustyne saith/ How short is the life of man from his childhood unto the decrepit age: for if Adam had lived sithen the time god formed him unto this day: and now died: what profit should be to him the length of his life. ¶ For what is our life but the course to the death/ which may not be letted/ but it behoveth us alway to attend the hour: that our sovereign lord and god hath limited/ For in him only is our hour certainly determined/ to the which purpose saith Senec/ from day to day we shall die/ for every day is taken from us ascertain of our life. ¶ O my dear friend if thou weal consider and look upon thyself giving heed to these words before written: and perseverantly print them in thine heart: thou shalt have no mind to sing any other song: in this wretched world: but only this/ I languysshe in misery/ and continually go to my death/ forgetting the time of long life in this present world/ For truly thou art deceived & thou hope of long life/ And thereby to possede many years the temporal joes and delytiss of this deceivable world/ not so my friend not so/ for daily thou seest the contrary/ & as the spalmyste saith man is made semblable to vanity: which lightly passheth and consumeth: as a shadow.   

¶ Of the vain joy/ might/ dignity/ honour's/ and riches of the world.  
IF thou would know what is the joy/ might/ dignity/ honour's/ and riches of the world understand and hearken the ꝓ●●phete Baruc in his third chapter/ the which demandeth in this manner/ where be the princes of the people: that had seignyorie and domination of the bestis of th'earth/ and that played and disported with the birds of heaven/ where be the men that gathereth gold and silver: and affy them in their treasure/ never satisfied with getting/ I iwis they be all passed and deed/ and descended in to hell/ and other become in their placis/ which now joy and use of their goods that they lest/ And where be the grate clerkis and the creators: or where be the great divers in excess and suꝑhaboundaunce of meatis or they that have put their pleasance to nourish horses/ palfreys/ and such other/ And where be the p●●●s/ emperors/ kings/ duke's/ princes/ Marks/ earls/ Baron's/ noble Burgeiss/ Marchauntis/ labourers/ and folkis of all estates/ they be all in powder and rottenness/ and of the most great: there is no more but a little memory upon their sepulchre/ In letters contained/ but go see in their sepulchres and tombs/ and look and thou canst well know/ and truly judge: which is thy master: & which is the varlet/ which bones be of the poor: and wiche be of the rich/ divide if thou may: the labourer from the king/ the feeble from the strong the fair/ from the foul/ and deformed/ Now certainly it is well to be understand that this worldly joy: what that ever may come of it: is to be fled/ first for it is right vile of conditions. Secoundly/ for it is right false of promise: Thirdly for it is right frail/ and vain in enduring/ Fourthly for the retribution is right cursed/ & damnable I say then first that the joy of the world is to be fleed: for so moche that of his nature: it is right vile and detestable/ whereof it is written in the first of Machabeus/ in the second chapter/ the joy of the world is dung/ worms/ and corruption/ which this day is lift up and set on high: & to morrow no thing shallbe found/ behold then amongs all things/ what is more detestable than dung/ and among the beestis more vile than the worm/ And thou shalt say that the joy of the world is noon other thing: butt dung and worms/ which aught to be withstand and dispraised of men. The joy of the world also/ is as the rotten wood/ of the which the philosopher teacheth/ and thexperiens appreveth/ for of the night: it shineth/ and is pleasant/ and on the day: it appeareth rotten/ and naught what other thing is a man full of vain glory (that in himself taketh such pleasure) but only a light and clearness faint and deceivable: which the jeen of the poor creaturis: that be weak/ feeble/ and sekely judgeth beholding outwardly: to be the true joy of felicity/ But when the piteous day of judgement shall come: In the which almighty god shall illumine the hid and secret things that now be in darkness: and shall beclare and open the counsel of hearts: then they that now seem and appear glorius: shall then appear fowl/ and full of Rotennes/ and of all people cast out and refused/ as stinking and abominable. ¶ For such folks that hath the Richeses and tuyssaunce of the world: be semblable to a back: that in the night flieth and shineth: and in the day withdraweth/ and hideth him/ and appeareth alley black Alas if these poor and miserable people that in their vain riches putteth their glory: which here after shall return into dust: with fylchynes of their flesh: and now in this miserable world by dignity and great power be exalted: whereby they oppress and overcome the power: whose pride shall shortly be suaged/ by cruel death then appearing black/ and rotten/ world consider these things before said. ¶ I can not think butt they would condemn and have in abomination: the temporal glory of the world/ saying and considering the opinion of saint Jerome/ that saith: it is impossible that man in this world and in the other: shall appear glorious/ ¶ For the second we aught to flee and leave the glory of the world: for it is right frail/ and never assured ne conformed in stabilite But falce and defective/ as is the smoke or vapour and odour of the flower/ ¶ The smoke is of that nature that the more it proceedeth in higheth: so much it minisheth of his puissance/ and substance / ¶ In so much that finally in mounting so high: it consumeth and vanisshith/ ¶ The flower semblably which hath great odour: and for a little short time in savour and colour noble and pleasant/ by a little wind or haete of the son: it is dead/ & dried & leasith both savour/ colour & odour/ So is the joy of this world/ as writeth isaiah in the four chapter/ all things that god hath created in flesh: is as the hay/ and all the glory of the flesh is as the flowers/ of the same: the hay be cometh dry/ and leasyth his colour and flower/ so is the glory of the world vain/ and infructuous/ light and transitory. ¶ And so be they that loveth the world/ as the hay soon dry and deed/ a noon as they become out of the earth/ ¶ wherefore saith ecclesiasticꝭ/ all temporal myghtis/ all corporal life/ is this day during: and on the morrow dead/ and at an end/ Behold where is now the glory of king assurey: which beheld under his signory and domination: the number of xxvi provincꝭ/ where is the glory of king Alexaunder: that put all the earth under his subjection/ and obeisance: so as it is written in the first of machabeus/ where is now the glory of all his empire or the realms: that he put under his obeisance/ where be the princis: wriche had domination on the beestis of th'earth: be they not all passed: as well the pilgrims as the hosts of all sorts: what was their continuance: but shortly gone and suddenly departed in the space of one day ¶ They have in vanity passed their days: and their years: in a short season/ and like wise in vanity they be departed & vanished and noon is abiding/ for it is common to all thing create to die/ & death is of such condition: that it beholdeth neither honour: ne Richeses/ but is so cruel that it spareth none/ his course: and law by all the world is so common: and equal: that it sparith no more the Emperor/ king/ or great estate: than it doth the most caytefe/ or power creature/ for not withstanding that the rich and mighty is nourished in this world with dilicious metis: following his voluptuous pleasures: by the which his soul is defouled: in th'end he shall bear no more with him thenne the most poor. ¶ Thirdly the glory of the world is to be fleed for it is right false and deceivable/ and holdeth to noon his promise/ not withstanding that it may not give any man one moment or space of time/ yet it promiseth man surety of life/ behold who may compare with king Alexander/ and with the glory that he had in the world he lost never battle: but often overcome great multitude of his enemies: he besieged never City but he won it/ there was no province but he subdued it/ to his domination yet not withstanding all his might/ at the hour that he had went to have ruled and governed all the world in peace: by a little venom he was constrained to die/ & so depart/ and leave all that worldly glory/ wherefore man dost thou follow the joy of this world that in th'end may not succour thee/ of the which saith Peter blesense in a pistle/ the false deceivable glory of the the world: abuseth and deceiveth his lovers/ For what so ever he promisith for the time to come: or what so ever he pretendeth for the time present: is thing of naught/ sudden & passable as water Rynning/ Fourthly the glory of the world is to be despised and fled/ for it is right cursed/ and of evil retribution/ it leadeth a man to no joy but to all pain/ & confusion/ of the which thing speaketh Osey in the four chapter/ saying the joy of the world shall turn to blame/ and confusion: the puissance in to debility/ the wisdom in to folly/ the love and delectation: in to tribulation and pain/ for by just measure & quantity for the guilt/ shall be in the end pain equiuolant/ whereof saint Jerome speaketh in this manner to them that loveth the glory of the world: sorrow and misery be to you that will haste to go to the joy of heaven: by the way of your Richesses/ For it is a lighter thing for a Camel to pass the hole of a needle ye: then a rich man to enter to the Realm of heaven/ And for more great probation he saith/ note not my words: but the words of Ihesu Christ/ that saith the heaven/ and the earth/ shall pass and take end: but my words shall ever be true: firm: & stable Therefore wake and weep ye miserable sinners/ unstablished with the wind of inconstant fortune/ that confoundeth and despiseth other/ ye be darked and blinded with goods of vanity: and with digniteis: that ye have frauddently/ and maliciously: gotten in the world/ The term of your life shallbe peradventure this night: kytt and broken/ your soul in hell without end and without term: in the intolerable and miserable tourmentꝭ/ for as ye have not been with the good men continual helping in labour ne suffered them to live by their labour/ but of your might hath diffouled and extorted them: so shall ye not only be intourment with men: but perpetually with all the devils in hell/ and so much more as ye have had joy & gladness: so moche more in hell shall be prepared your grieve and pain/ and more shall I say you our saviour and redeemer Ihu Christ chase in this world xii. Appostellꝭ/ of the which there was of noble lineage but only one/ which was saint Barthelmewe/ and one rich: that was Mathewe/ and all the other were poor fishers/ leaving in pain and travel of their body. ¶ Now sith it so is: that god is just and true: and all things proceeding of his mouth is pure troth: verily I think with great pain among all the nobles and Rich of this world one might be found convenable and worthy to healthful election/ but enough may be found: that be proper and convenable to the service of damnation. ¶ And for a little while being/ in hell they shall receive their salary/ And if by adventure: any/ dark or blinded from the true light: would have marvel/ and question of this words: I should answer in this manner/ whether we believe that for one deadly sin a man shall be damnyed: if he die therein/ is to be answered so it is. ¶ whereby it is to be concluded that these things considered among an hundred thousand with pain one uneath may be saved/ An other question is this what is the rich with all his delytꝭ and pleasures/ Truly noon other thing: butt a vessellful of sin/ replete with pride/ lechery/ & covetous principally to the rich mighty & noble: reignyth many time all sin and malidictions. And they aught to be called thieves/ for violently they Rob and steal from the power: their salary/ and defoulleth and putteth to death them: that they aught to sustain and nourish/ with the goods that almighty god hath yeven to sustain the poor/ certainly the mischievous and miserable sinners that in their only richesses taketh their felicity/ ought to give to the poor and in large them: with the superfluens goods that they put in their colthing and their array. ¶ They take it to themself: to their Ruen and damnable confusion/ Butte alas they see the poor membres of Ihesu Christ naked/ and dispurveyed: dying for hungres/ and thirst: & therefore they force not/ but alway put their treasure from the poor/ that is to wit: the superfluity and superaboundaunce of their Richesses in sumptuous edyfienge of great palacis/ that may be pleasure to the sight of mortal men/ to behold: prepayringe great divers: the Rich: to the rich: furnishing their dishes full of dyversse meatis/ and filling their belleis: and their caren bodies: with the delytis of the world/ having no pity/ mercy/ nor compassion: of the poor that they see die for hunger. ¶ O miserable creature what other things is it then sin: such a damnable life consider then/ that as soon as the belly is filled with abundance of meatis: the false damnable lechery is present/ at the gate/ to draw the to eternal death/ what woldes thou that I said more of such folkis/ that in the honour and riches of this world: thus passeth thyer days/ Certainly all the tongues of mortal men: can not say nor determine the enorm evils/ and sins they commit For they be think them not of god: ne of the death/ but if it be by adventure/ in their sleep: sleeping/ or dreaming. ¶ surely he lightly falleth in sin: that thinketh not himself mortal/ and knoweth not god to be his judge/ Too much an ignorant fool is he: that of these things have no mind/ and fleeth not this light temptations/ setting nought by them/ and for to say the truth I believe that if they had perfight knowloging of god their creature: and knew themself to be mortal: they should not so offend god by sin: at the lest so boldly and so grievously. ¶ Alas what doth such sinners in the church/ and in placis of devotion: certainly they go full sinfully to see and behold the beauty of women/ when they aught to think of god and salvation of their soul. ¶ Their thoughts is how they may sail upon the See/ for together and assemble treasures and worldly riches for them: and for their children/ thinking also how they may apparel and cloth their bodies: with precious clothing to the world most pleasant/ & how they may make diverse plays and turmentꝭ/ with such other disportis/ and delicate meatis/ to get and purchase the favour of women: to accomplish the concupuscence of their cursed fleshly desires/ O poor miserable and cursed sinners: ye be to ignorant/ what do ye/ Alas ye destroy your bodies/ before the time of your days/ and put your souls to mortal death. ¶ whereof think ye cometh so many sudden sickness: but of to much great abundance and excess of meatis and drinkis/ with the cursed detestable frequentation of women/ ye think to play you with god/ and abuse yourself/ ye for get that the soul should obey to the body/ and in so doing ye destroy soul and body/ before the time/ And for a little short time of joyous and songis here/ it behoveth you after/ to languor in eternal torment/ & weeping without end/ drink ye/ eat ye/ cloth you with diverse habitis/ in the often changing of them/ to th'end that your nobleness be raised: and that no mortal man in honour exceed you: and in hell shame and confusion ye shall receive/ where shall be then your great divers of delicate and precious meatis/ the wines of aromotike and confectid with diverse spicis/ eat now and ye shall be drunken: for after your death ye may no more do so/ but ye shallbe in hell with the cursed Rich that so daily lived in this delitis/ And then axed but one drop of water for to quench his heat and might not have it/ do evil works and so we the seeds of good works in corruption: and in sorrow & cursedness ye shall gather your seed at the day of judgement when it shallbe said to you cursed sinners to the eternal fire of damnation/ which is to the devil & to his folks made ready/ Alas heart more hard then is the stone: would thou abide that day so terrible and so horrible: in the which thou shalt not only yield accommpte of thy lecherous clothingꝭ: drunkenness: and of evil spent time: how thou hast lived but with that: it shall behove the to yield accommpte of every vain word/ O miserable sinner why dost thou not amend thee/ wherefore tarriest thou from day to day to turn the to god/ why dost thou not repent thine evil dedis/ thy death is nigh/ that day and night is about to overthrow the. The devil is as nigh to take & receive thee/ Thy riches shall fail the at need/ the worms habideth thy flesh/ that thou so dearly hath nourished/ for to devour & gnaw it unto the time that/ after the day of judgement it be conjoined to the soul: that they may suffer to gather eternal pain O abused creature thou sechest & hopeth to find by the vanites of this world joy/ disport/ & infinite riches/ & they be noon/ but & thou wilt find joy: & perpetual filicite: labour diligently to seche the blessed realm of heaven/ for there thou shalt find infinite joy.. The which never eye saw/ or ear ever hard/ nor heart of man can comprehend or think/ the joy prepared for the lovers of almighty god. Now leave then these vain things/ that in so short space be go/ to th'end: that thou mayst have in possession the goods and felicity of the joy eternal. ¶ Alas what shallbe of them that neither for the love of god: the dread of death: ne the tourmentis of hell: will leave their sins/ But be sorrowful and displeasant: when they may not have their cursed pleasures at their will and desire/ which is so great displeasure to god. ¶ O ye wretched folks: sorrow upon sorrow shallbe to you/ that laugh and rejoice you so in this sorrowful world/ for after in anguisshe & sorrowful weeping: ye shall have eternal sorrow/ rest yet a little & employ your days/ fill the measour of your miseries & malicꝭ/ so that the indignation of god: shall come upon you/ be fervent in this little time: in using your outrageous plays dauncꝭ/ drunkenness/ letting the time vainly pass assembling to your children honours/ Richesses mightꝭ & powers/ augmenting your nobleness & renown: to th'end that your children may follow your life: & with you perpetually be dampened/ But peradventure some may say that god is benign and merciful/ and ready to receive all sinners/ that to him would turn/ I confess it to be true/ & not only benign: but more benign: then any may think/ & ꝑdoneth all them that truly turneth to him/ Alas is not god right benign: that endureth so many Injuries: and suffereth and giveth space and time/ to the sinners to amend and correct themself/ but of one thing I will assure thee/ in that god is piteous and merciful: in suffering of the sinner: as moche is he just in punishing the evil and iniquities/ yet again it may be said that a man which hath by long space of time lived and in his days hath done no good dead: and if any he have done: it hath been very little/ Albe it in th'article of death he shall take penance/ and shall obtain pardon of his misdeeds/ O foolish and vain cogitation of man: cursed and damnable hope: that so would habide to convert him to god/ at that dangerous need/ for among an hundred thousand men/ that leadeth such cursed life: it shallbe hard to find one that at that time: can seche to god for mercy or pardon/ ¶ O lord what gift/ what grace: what mercy may man axe of god: engendered & nourished in sin: & never lived after the laws of god/ ne never knew ne would here speak of him/ ne that ever would knowleige his own sin/ ne what it is to do penance/ but if he knew it in sleeping/ what grace might that man ask of god so knit and drowned in seculare business/ the which incessantly thinketh what pain it is to leave and for sake his children/ on the one part: whom sickness constraineth and oppressith on the other part: the riches & temporal goods that he beholdeth and must leave to the world: what sorrow what heaviness may toche that heart: when he seethe that of all goods temporal he is perpetually deprived/ & they may not succour him at need/ vain & little avalour shallbe to him then: taking of penance/ for if he hoped of health he would not ask pardon/ and to make a breve conclusion: he that in his youth did not shame to offend god: in th'end he shall not deserve to have indulgence of god/ what penance may it be to man that taketh it when he seethe to have no modayes in this world/ And if he should perchauns be worse than he was before/ And in effect: when he knoweth the days and time of his life at an end: then will he ask mercy of god to do penance And after the returning to health of body: he should be worse of living/ for truly as saith saint Jerome/ I hold and affirm and by many experientis it is to be known: that them whose life in this world hath always been evil: can not be a good end/ which fearid not to sin: but alway levied after the concupiscence and pleasure of this world For the which/ right dear friend consider in thy heart these things beforesaid/ condemn and dispraise the world with the vain joy/ and deceivable reioyses/ for th'honour of him: that is above all things/ Alas what profit may be to man the winning of all the world: & after to suffer predicion & destruction of his soul Remember the that thou art man and that th'honour of the world is the very letting of grace and that worse is: it is the loss of eternal health where have we read of any: putting their delitis in the world here: that hath entered the everlasting joy/ O how false & vain is the joy of this world which men so greatly desireth/ & they never seche for the great joy of heaven: that cometh only of god/ if man would be prefered above other & have over them domination & seignore: Is not he like to lucifer that said: I shall put my seat in the north & I shall be like to him that is most high/ then look thou proud man to him that would have had that high estate: which for his pride was cast into eternal Ruin Therefore saith saint Augustine/ he is well blessed & happy: that putteth his only desire in the heavenly joy And rejoiceth not himself in prosperity of this world/ nother in adversity is shamed or abashed/ he that thynkith that no thing in this world is to be loved: fearith little to loose & for sake the godis & ꝓsꝑeriteis of this world for godis sake. The joy of this world is noon other but as a blast of wind: passing by the earis of man/ weerfore miserable sinner be hold how thou art blinded if thou desire this worldly joy/ For as saith saint Anselme/ thou mayst not be in worldly honour without pain & labour/ Thou mayst not be in prelacy: without envy & trouble/ nor in honour & high dignity: without vain glory/ & therefore if thou wilt withstand the danger & apparel to the which thou Runnyst: in desiring temporal honour & joy of the world: without doubt it is necessary to thee: to leave flee and renounce the miserable vanities of the same.   

¶ How men aught always to attend and dread deth⸫  
Remember the often that death followeth the & tarrieth not/ for it is written in Eccleciasticꝭ that moche is it profitable to the health of man for to have often meditation & mind of death/ which is declared in diverse placis of holy scriptures/ whereof the said Eccleciasticꝭ saith to the same purpose/ Remember and record the last things that is to say death/ the joys of paradise/ and the pain of hell: and thou shalt never commit sin to thy damnation/ ¶ And to this puropse saith saint Barnarde/ the most sovereign felicity: is continually to think of death/ for that man that beareth with him the remorse of conscience: and the often thinking of death: shall never do sin to be dampened fore/ and Saint Augustyne conferming the same: saith/ that there is no thing that so moche revoketh sin fro man: as often to think that he must needs die/ for it maketh man to meek him/ and despise all vain things/ and ready to accept penance/ For as saith saint Jerome/ he lightly despiseth all things: that thinketh alway to die/ For he despiseth first the concupiscence of his jen: that considereth how suddenly he must leave all things in this world: to the world/ and the concupiscence of the flesh is despised: when he considereth that his body in one instant: shall be worms meat/ Pride is despised: when he considereth in his heart: that he that will in this world be above other: in a little while after: shallbe put under the feet of all other/ I would that princes and kings would understand and consider: how piteously it shall behove them to leave their Richesses/ and the glory of this world to be borne and lodged: in an old fowl and straight sepulchre low in the earth/ to leave also their shining and beautiful palacis: for to enter in to a sepulchre horrible/ and dark/ full of stink and corruption/ void of all joy/ and riches/ and full of misery/ having neither children ne loving servants/ ¶ O where then shall be the pomp and pride the time passed with the multitude of servants/ that followed them/ or their rich shining clothings/ Certainly he that hath had this worldly joy and followed in filicite this day: to morrow may be in his sepulchre/ sorously gnawn & eaten of worms/ whereof speaketh pope Innocent in this manner/ my brethren understand & behold ye see aman not long a go living in his house: noble/ rich and mighty and suddenly poor and naked from all goods in his sepulchre/ He that so moche hath had triumph and honour in his hall and palace: lieth now disformed under a tomb/ He that was accustomed with delicious meatis and drinkꝭ in his ꝑlour: is now eaten and consumed with worms in his sepulchre/ And like to this purpose writeth peter damyan/ speaking of the memory of death in a pistol that he sent to a Countess/ O almighty god how marvelous is it to remember and think on the bitter sorrow & dread that the poor sinful soul sustaineth and suffereth/ when it seethe and knoweth that the world shall fail and that the flesh shallbe departed from it/ ¶ How sharp and biting prikkynges: shall then torment the soul/ when it remembrith the sins that it hath committed in this world/ breaking the commandments of god: and by negligence hath left t'accomplish them/ It plaineth and weepeth the time taken in vain/ which was granted and yeven to him to do penance/ dreading the straight vengeance of judgement unrevocable that he seethe apere/ It is constrained to leave the body/ then would he make amendis for the faultis of the time passed but it shall not be hard/ It beholdeth backward the time of mortal life passed and go: it seemeth him but a little way/ a sudden course/ and a light passage. ¶ Then he weepeth for that he hath lost in so little and short time: the love of all saints/ and for so little transitory joy: hath lost the sweet joy and glory perpetual/ and hath shame that he hath obeyed to that carrion body: which is the meat of worms/ which soul should have been presented in the company of aungellis/ when he considereth at that hour the Richeses of mortal men by the which they be put to perdition: he weepeth and in himself is utterly confounded/ for the loss of the sovereign clearness in heaven/ he knoweth That which he loved in this world: is but darkness/ At that hour and that sorrowful contemplation: the eyen begin to marvel & for fear turn in the heed. ¶ The breast beginneth to tremble and to beat. The throat is horose/ and the breath short. The teeth become black. The lyppis and the mouth: deadly and pale and all the members be shrunk togedder/ And the veins of the heart: breaketh/ for sorrow/ And the foresaid signs shallbe neighbours doing service to death. ¶ There shallbe present the horrible and evil sins/ The false thoughts and unlawful desires/ The idle words that hath be spoken: shall not be absent/ but ready to bear bitter witness against the doer of them/ there shall all things be made open and known/ where no creature shall flee: but straightly give attendance/ The horrible and fearful company of devils: shall there be present. ¶ And also the blessed company of aungellis to th'intent that every creature shallbe rewarded according to their demearitis/ For if the soul be found without sin: the holy company of aungellis shall represent it before god/ with great melody and sweet song/ never to depart from glory. ¶ And on the contrary part: if it be found in sin: the blakenes & fearfulness of devils: anon with intolerable fear: shall strike & smite the cely soul/ with so great violence: that it shallbe thrown down/ & compelled to depart out: from the body of miserable flesh/ Then goth the soul about to every member of the body/ first to the lippis: To whom the lippis doth say/ O soul what wilt thou do/ It answereth saying/ I must depart & go out of this body/ The lippis giveth answer saying/ thou came not in to the body by us: nor by us shall go out/ Then the cely soul goth to the ears and to the nose thirlis: & they make answer to it in like wise/ afterward it gooth to the jen By whom it entered in to the body: and up to the crown of the head. And looking about hither & thither: it taketh great thought/ if it be dampened/ saying: unto itself/ O I cursed soul of the exconicate/ thief/ ad adulterer/ fornicator/ ꝑiurer/ extortioner/ And anon it looketh oboute and saith the vesture which it had at the fount of baptism/ white & undefiled: and now blacker than pitch: with a great voice it crieth & weepeth saying Alas alas who hath changed my vesture/ which was so fair & precious whiter than snow clearer than crystal/ At this sorrowful clamour appeareth unto him the devil that to this: hath guided & governed him saying in this manner. ¶ O my soul and my lover marvel the not/ For it am I that hath made ready to the this clothing/ take comfort to thee/ for thou art not alone: but accompanied with the most part of the world. ¶ Then saith the sorrowful soul: what art thou that speaketh to me/ The devil shall answer I have told the I am he that hath made ready this clothing to thee/ I have showed my life to the in the world. ¶ Thou hast obeyed and believed me in all things and with me laboured/ Thou hast done and accomplished all my counsels: And therefore thou shall come and abide with me in the realm where is and shallbe ever lasting sorrow without joy hunger without meat/ thirst without drink darkness without light/ putrefaction and stink without any good odour or smell/ sorrow without comfort/ wailing without remedy/ weeping without end/ 'noys & piteous clamations without silence/ howling without joy or rest/ burning fire without any quenching/ wind without tranquilite/ cold without a temꝑaunce or mean/ heat without end/ and all evil without hope of good/ And therefore my friend rise thou and come with me/ se here the Angellis of hell that cometh to meet thee: and shall sing right bitter songs of sorrow and heaviness/ And then on the other part shall appear the good Angel/ to whom he was committed by god. And he shall say in this manner blessed & happy be they in this world that fleeth and withstandeth this right foul and cursed clothing or garment/ O cursed soul of the devil/ O unhappy creature/ that of almighti god is cursed I in this world have dwelled with the & thou hast not seen me I have taught thee/ and thou wouldst not understand me/ I have yeven the counsel: and thou wouldest not hear me. ¶ And therefore go in to the hands of the devils/ in to the place of perpetual torment which is prepared and made ready: for thee/ for thy cursed works: thou art now condemned/ Alas who may think or devise the bitter company of devils/ waiting with sorrow: rising on every part: and bearing dartis and spears of hell/ by the which: the poor cursed soul is taken & led with great sorrow/ to torments/ saying to him/ O sorrowful caitiff how proud hast thou been till now: how viciously hast thou lived with how rich and precious habitis haste thou been in the world: now say unto us/ wherefore eatest not thou now thy dilicious meatis/ why art thou not cloched with rich clothing/ wherefore hast thou not now care and thought of thy Richeses/ wherefore comfortis thou not the with thy wife/ children/ and friends: wherefore spekeste not with them/ And after these words the sorrowful soul with weeping and lamentations: curseth the body saying in this manner/ O temple of the devil ¶ Thy cursed works and operation hath polluted and filled me/ O cursed earth: O habitation of sathanas: Rise up and come with me/ to th'end that thou mayst see the place of tourmentis: that by the to me is made ready in the which I shall be without rest till the day of judgement/ and after that day: thou shalt be with me in eternal damnation/ Cursed be thine eyen that would not see the light of troth/ And the way of justice of god Cursed be thine ears that would not here the words of eternal life/ Cursed be thy nostrils that would not receive the odour of holy virtues/ Cursed be thy lips and thy tongue: that would not taste the joy and eternal glory/ that would not open the door of praising: to th'honour and exaltation of their creator/ Cursed be thine hands for by them: almos hath not been yeven and presented to the poor/ Cursed be the inward partis of thy heart: which hath in this world yeven and brought forth many false and evil counsaylles/ Cursed be thy feet: that of the church of god/ hath not visited the paths and steps: Cursed be all thy members: which never desired celestial joys/ Cursed be thy works: which hath taken/ chosen/ and excepted: the everlasting torments/ Behold my dear friend: of how great apparel thou mightest deliver thee: and how great fear thou mightest flee: if in this world: thou be fearful and thinking of death. Study to life so in this world: that at the hour of death: thou mayst have more cause to rejoice then to dread/ of fear/ learn now to die in this world: and dispraise all worldly things/ to th'end that thou mayst haste thee: with Ihesu christ unto joy/ Chastes thy body with penance in this world: to th'end that after thy death: thou mayst have sure and perfect hope of eternal life. ¶ Oo how happy is he and wise: that taketh thought and enforceth himself to live so in this life: he that willeth & desireth so to be found after his death. ¶ Alas work thou and purchase with all thy might and power/ thy health: during the time that thou haste space/ for thou kowest not when thou shalt die/ nor what thou shlate find after/ have no hope ne trust to thy friends nor kyndesmen/ For certainly they will sooner forget thee: then thou thinkest/ if thou have not now cure and remembrance of thyself. ¶ who will have it for the after thy death/ Alas it is moche better in this world to provide hastily for thy necessytiees in doing some good for thyself: then to have hope & abid of the help or aid of other as long as thou haste space: assemble and gather together immortal Richeses: by largely giving of almos/ purches and get unto the in this world: hominable friends/ that is to say: the saints of paradise/ to th'end that by thy good and meritorious works: they may receive the to the joys celestial/ for as saint Gregory saith/ we aught daily with weeping tears remember and have in mind/ how the prince of this world atte the hour of our departing will demand or ask of us the accounts of all our works/ Saint Barnarde saith/ O my soul what manner of fear and dread shall it be: when it shallbehove the to leave all manner of things/ of the which the presence was to the right joyus/ and the sight right agreeable/ and all alone left: shall thou go and enter in to a region unknown/ & thou shalt see come against thee: monsters hugly/ and abominable with horns/ who is he that shall come to succour the at that day/ of great necessity/ who shall keep the from Ramping lions: prepared food and meat Then may no body give to the comfort ne consolation/ ¶ But other wise it shallbe of true and just soul's/ for the holy aungellis shall come against them: the which shall constayne and put a back the devils: so that they shall not let ne trouble the holy souls. ¶ And the same: unto heaven with joy and melody shall bear/ Saint Barnarde speaking of the sinful soul: saith/ in this manner. ¶ That at the out gate or issuing of the body. It hath dread: fear: shame: and confusion/ to the regard of the great joy of god/ whereof is written in the spalmes that the death of sinners: is right evil/ it is evil in the leasing of the world/ It is worse: at the departing of seꝑation of the soul and the body/ And very grievous for the biting of the stinking vermin/ And for the great heat and brenning of everlasting fire/ And worst of all: is the loss and the separation of the sight of god/ For which things right dear friend consider that death can not fail nor be put back/ the hour can not be known/ And the time of god ordained: can not be meaved/ And therefore certainly: when the assured life is accept in devotion: the death of the rightwiseman is good/ For iii things/ first it is good for rest. It is better by renewing: and best for the suernes and Steadfastness therof⸫   

¶ Of the joys of paradise/ and pains of hell.  
 
IT is written by saint Paul in a pistol that he sent to the correnthioes in the .v. chapter that the eye of man hath not seen: not the ear hard: or heart can think: the joys that our lord god hath & prepared to his frendis & lovers O poor wretched & sinful soul give heed diligently: what joys/ how great joys/ & how many they be: which be prepared in heaven: to the lovers of god/ to th'intent that all things in this world: may be to thee: vile/ & adiecte/ for certainly it is to be known/ that the joys of heaven be so great & many in numbered: that all arsmetricious by their numbers: can not numbered ne measure them/ nor all the gramarions and ritoriciens with all their fair spechis: can or may declare them/ For as it is said before: neither Ie may see them: nor Ear here: nother the heart of man may comprehend them/ For certainly in the glory eternal: all the saints shall joy them in the vision of god/ Above them: they shall joy the beauty of heaven/ & of other spiritual creatures/ they shall joy within them: of the glorification of the body/ & nigh unto them: the association and company of aungellis and men/ A worthy doctor named anselme putteth and declareth vii yestꝭ of the soul/ that the just people shall have in the celestial beatitude/ First he putteth the yestꝭ of the body/ as beauty lightness/ strengeth/ liberty/ and health/ Of the beauty of just people: saith this doctor: it shallbe seven times more shining then the son is now/ the which witnesseth the scripture saying thus/ the virtuous persons shall shine: as the son: in the Realm of their father sweetness shall so accompany just livers: that it shall make them semblable or like: to the aungellis of heaven/ which from heaven unto the earth: and from th'earth unto heaven: transport themself lighter and sodenlyer: then the moving of a finger/ Of the which sweetness is made a familiar example by the beamies of the son/ the which rising in the Est: attaineth and touchest the farthest part of the west/ that by the said example: we may have true hope and trust: not to be In possible that is spoken: of our swestnes to come/ wherefore they that shall accompany themself with the citizens of the sovereign city: shall exceed and pass all other: in virtue and strength/ as in moving/ in turning or/ in any other act doing/ and in all thexercising of their works shall not suffer ne endure no more labour or travel: then we suffer in the moving of our Ien/ And therefore I pray & require thee/ that no thing exceed thy soul/ which hath taken the similitude of the aungellis Given of almighty god unto it/ wherrfor it must needs follow: that like wise as we may receive the power & similitude of aungellis: so we may have the surety & liberty of them/ for certainly like as unto anngellꝭ may be no letting nor gaynsaing in this world: but at their own will: In like wise shall there be noon obstacle nor let to hinder us/ nor wall ne clausure: to keep us out/ nor yet Element: which unto our will: may withstand or annoy/ & as to speak of thealth: what thing can there be better to just people: then health and rest/ what sickness may anoaye them that shallbe ix the port of true health/ and in effect we aught to believe undoubtably: to hold and affirm thealth of the life to come: to be so noble/ in corruptible/ and immovable: that it filleth man with an Insuperable sweetness of health/ which sweetness can not be rehearsed/ So that all hurtis: suspicious/ and contrarieties: be there consumed/ Item in the life to come there is a desire of delitis: that filleth and replenissheth the good people: with such an Inestimable sweetness: that it is felt in every part of the body/ that is to say in the eyen/ Ears/ mouth/ handis/ feet/ and heart/ with all the partis of the body and all the members by order each one singularly/ and also all in one: shallbe fulfilled with that sweet dilection inestimable/ In such manner: that every oon with the provision and glory eternal: shall be fulfilled/ wherefore he is right ignorant of his health: that will set his thought his heart: and his affection: to the pleasures of this world/ which is vile and failing/ Furthermore they that shallbe in the joy eternal: shall live perdurably/ not only the life: as worldly creatures desire here: but they shall have such life: as is/ written: that is to know: the rightwise true people of god shall dwell with him and with saints in paradise eternally/ many other things be and aught to be adjoined to the soul: which god hath created so nobly/ that is to know: amittie/ sapiens/ concord/ might honour assurance/ and joy/ And as to the first: Sapience shall be such in the life to come: that the souls shall know all things: what they will/ by the gift of almighty god/ which knoweth all things present: passed: and to come/ For in that joy sigulerly everich knoweth other And then no thing may be counseled or hid: of what people: of what country: or what kindred place or works: they have been: or exercised in their life/ in such manner: that by love: the divine puisaunce and fervent dilection: shall make them perfit/ in true and steadfast love/ as unied & communed in one only body/ of the which our lord Ihu christ is chief and heed/ which is the true peace and perfit love/ for all shall love together/ the one the other/ as the members of their proper bodies/ For thou shalt love other as thyself: and other shall love the as their self/ & thou shallbe haboundaunt with all dilection: as thy true & pure possession/ And therefore behold and remember him that all these things shall give unto thee/ And so by a sweetness unable to be spoken: thou shalt love him more than thyself/ So shall there be among them that be saved seen such concord: that thou shalt not feel or perceive any thing contrary to thy will/ we shallbe also one only body/ & one only soul: wedded to our lord Ihu Christ/ and more discord shall there not be among us: or dissension: then now is in the members of one body/ & as thou seest & knowest the moving of thine jyens: of what part the oon turneth the other anon after followeth: so shall it be of thee/ for where thy will shallbe: thou shallbe suddenly/ And yet that more great is to recite: the will of god shall not be contrary/ nor diverse to thy will/ but so as thou wouldest he shall will: and his will shallbe firmly thine/ for the heed never contrayes to the members Consider then when thou shalt have god concorded and unied at thy will: thou mayst nothing desire: but at thy will it shall be done/ For thou shall have the will of almighty god: according in all things to thee/ Now then sith thou mayst have so moche in thy possession: thou oughtest well to be content and to esteem in thyself: that that thou then shallbe in assurance of life perpetual/ which shall never part from thee/ and be discharged from all diversities/ for noon enemy may pierce this inestimable joy/ nor shall attain: for the multitude of them that there be possessed/ which be thousand thousands/ and innumerable thousands that hath fruition and joy: with one hole blessedness/ in such condition: that everich of them taketh delectation as much in the weal of other As in themself. ¶ And furthermore/ they enjoy them in the vision of god/ the which above themself they shall love/ For the which thing it is to be considered/ that sith it is so that the blessed shall be fulfilled with such filicite and joy: the poor miserable dampened sinners: shallbe on the contrary part/ tormented with innumerable pains/ For so as mercy/ strength/ beauty/ lightness/ freedom of will/ shallbe to the right wise people. So by the contrary: shallbe to the sinners/ stinking dread/ langoure/ sorrow/ and tourmentis/ with all manner of pains/ for the perpetual joy that the rightwise shall have/ shallbe to the sinners interminable pain and torment. ¶ And for to speak of the sapience of the rightwise/ It is to be understand/ that their knowledge: shallbe to their augmentation of joy/ honour/ and exultation. And to the sinners: their knowledge shall be: werynges/ confusion/ diminission/ and lamentation/ And of the amity with the which the rightwise be together bound: if any portion of Amity be in the dampened. It shall be to the Augmentation of their torment/ For as much more as oon hath loved an other in unleeful love: The more shall be their sorrow/ torment/ and pain/ for they shall have discord with all creatures/ and all shall discord with them/ For all difourmitie and calamity: shall follow them/ & shallbe yeven to them such malediction: that the thing which they desire they shall not have: and all that they would not have: they shall have/ And so in stead of good thy shall obtain perpetual shame/ and inestimable despising/ by the which they shallbe withouten end: closed and deprived from all joy/ and filicite/ And as the friends of god their sovereign creator: shallbe firmly assured: never to lose the goods and glory eternal: So the miserable and dampened senners/ shall ever be in desperation/ for so moche: as they shall know ever to depart from the pain sorrow & torment perdurable/ & so as the good shallbe recompensed with joy: the evil shall have for their heritage: sorrow inestimable/ like as saith the good doctor anselm/ all they that by concupiscens of the flesh passeth their days in this world: have with them in company all the devillꝭ of hell/ And saint Augustine saith to this purpose/ god shall make glad/ comfort/ & enjoy: all the felingis & wittis of the blessed people/ by a spiritual delectation/ For he is thobject of all witꝭ/ our lord shall also be a glass unto their sight/ an harp of sweetness to their hearing/ honey to their tasting/ balm to their smelling/ and a flower to their touching/ And for so moche god was made man: to th'end that man should holy be blessed in him: so that thinwarde understansting be in the contemplation of his humanity/ & briefly to speak after the saying of saint Augustyne & saint Gregory/ in the glory of heaven there is so great beauty with justice/ so moche joy with eternal light: that if it were lawful and possible to abide and live there but only the space of one day. For that: the innumerable days of this life full of worldly pleasures and abundance of temporal goods: aught of very right: to be despised/ For it was not spoken of a little & untrue effect of david: saying on this wise/ Oon day to abide in thy dwelling place good lord: is moche better than a thousand in this miserable life/ whereof speaketh Saint Barnarde who in this life may think or conceive in his mind: how great felicity and pleasure the blessed saintis have in heaven/ first to see almighty god to live with almighty god/ to be with almighty god/ which doth operation in all things/ and is above all things/ to have god: which is all good/ And where so ever is all goodness: there is most joy and mirth/ there is also very liberty/ perfect charity/ and everlasting fellowship and surety to the same agreeth saint Augustine: saying in this manner/ O joy above all joys: to see god: which made man/ which saved man/ which glorified man/ & endued him: with the vision of his most holy face/ which is the most high goodness/ the joy of Angellis and of all saintis/ Saint Gregory asketh this question/ is not god of so inestimable fairness: that the Angellis which be seven times brighter than the son doth desire to look upon his most holy face: and to him minister busily in great company/ Also saint Augusten of the joys of heaven speaketh on this manner In heaven is no manner of malice/ there is no manner of misery of the flesh/ there is nother will: nother power to sin or do a miss/ but all joy and gladness/ all creatures saved: shall have in possession those same joys felawshipped with aungellis/ ¶ O poor soul now thou haste hard how great the joys of rightwise people/ how great gladness/ how great clearness/ and how great mirth: is the heavenly city/ O blessed mirth/ O how merry felicity is it: to see the saints/ and to have god everlastingly if we should daily suffer pain & tourmentrye though it were as great as the pains of hell: so that it might have an end/ to th'intent that at the last we might see almighty god in his glory/ and to be fellawshipped with his saints: were it not worthy and profitable that we should suffer them And in conclusion to be part takers of everlasting joys truly/ wherefore good soul let us desire of almighty god that grace: to flee from the company of them that desireth inordinate pleasures/ of worldly things. And so utterly putting away the grugeyngꝭ of unlawful thought: from the secret place of our hartis: and desiring inwardly the love of the heavenly company: we may turn unto the celestial City/ whereof we be written & decreed to the citizens/ & part takers/ like unto saints: and the household seruauntis of god/ and & right inheritors of christ/ & after this present life to come & be with him in eruerlasting joy/ peradventure some will ask this question how this might be done: & by what manner of means/ To this it is answered on this/ wise/ Every thing to be done is in the free will of him that shall do it/ So it is in our free will: whether we will desire to have the kingdom of heaven or not/ if thou will ask what is the price of the kingdom of heaven truly noon other but thyself/ give thyself to it by good warkis in this world & without doubt thou shalt have it/ Christ gave himself to suffer passion to th'intent that thou shouldest be part taker of the kingdom of heaven/ give thyself to him and thou shalt have his kingdom. And in any wise let no sin abide in thy mortal body/ ¶ O wretched and sinful soul/ if these excellent joys wherein the saintis and chosen people of god shall joy everlastingly in the kingdom of heaven can not move and stir the by penance and virtuous doingys' too come by the grace of god to the said kingdom of heaven: I will advise the fear: quake/ and consider with great dread: the miserable conditions & penalities of hell/ the city of the devil/ that by the fear & dread of them: thou may rise again from sin & be turned unto thy lord god with all thy heart/ Of the which pains it is to be known: that like as the souls that be dampened hath diversity of sins: so like wise: is to them diversity of pains/ whereof speaketh saint Gregory on this wise/ Oon fire of hell is to be believed/ but it burneth not all sinners in like manner/ For everich one of them according to the grievousness of their sins: shall suffer condign pain/ as by oon fire: chaff is brent/ wood is brent/ & Iron is brent: but not by oon manner/ The fire of hell is so flamed in & kindled by the Ire & wrath of the everlasting judge: that it shall never be quenched/ butt dure everlasting/ whereof it is spoken of Jobe the xxi chapter/ the fire of hell shall devour them that be dampened/ which shall never be quenched. ¶ Of the sharpness of the fire of hell speaketh Saint Sebastiano/ to whom an Angel appeared saying on this manner/ this material fire which we see and use Daily: is no more unto the fire of hell: then is the fire painted upon a wall like unto the said sensible and usual fire/ ¶ And Isodore saith/ that in hell shall be a cretayne vision of a dark and obscure light: by the which they that be dampened: may see in what manner of wise: they suffer pain/ but no thing by the which: they may joy/ And the dampened spretꝭ shall see there in pain with them: those people which they loved inordinately in this world to thetent that like wise as they had worldly pleasure in ordinately together: so they shall suffer pain everlasting in hell/ here may a question be asked whether that the dampened spritꝭ may see the glory of saintis/ to the which answereth saint Gregory: In an omelie of the rich man that set all his felicity and pleasure in eating and drinking And inordinate apparel/ saying on this wise/ It is to be believed that before the reward of th'extreme judgement of god: the unrightwyse people do see the rightwise people in rest and quietness/ and/ saying them in joy: they be not only crucified by their own pain: but also they be crucified by the sight of them in joy/ ¶ The rightwise people and they that be saved seth alway the unrightwyse & dampened souls/ to th'intent that their joy may increase/ For why: they behold the intolerable pain which by the great grace and mercy of god: they have avoided and escaped. ¶ And for so much they give more thankingꝭ unto their creator and maker: In how moche these that pain in other: which they should have suffered: if they had done as they did: and made no sutisfaction before they departed this miserable world/ And as the same saint Gregory saith in an other place. The open pain of them that be reproved of god doth not frustrate nother hurt the bless of them that be saved/ For why: there shallbe no compassion of misery/ and the joy of those blessed souls may in no wise be made less/ ¶ And all though: those blessed souls be merciful of their nature: nevertheless they be so joined together in so great rightwiseness: that in no wise they may be moved to be dampened souls with any compassion or pity/ And more over it is added: that then the misery of their children/ of their father and mother/ and of their wives: shall not make the blessed souls to be sorry/ the dampened spreties before the day of judgement shall see the blessed creatures/ not in that manner wise to know their joy what it is: but only they shall know them to be in a joy unable to be told/ And by that sight: they shall sore be crucified/ greatly Inuyinge: the great felecitie of blessed souls/ by the sight of the godhead/ of the which sight: the dampened spretis shallbe deprived/ and their pain shallbe in no wise minished but in created/ because they shall have in mind the joy of the blessed creatures which joy they did see in the judgement or before the judgement/ and that shall be to them great tourmentry and pain/ And moreover they shallbe scourged: in that they shall see themself: to be reputed and taken as unworthy: to see to joy which the holy saintis doth see continually/ A question may be asked whether the dampened souls may see and know what is done in this would/ to this Saint Gregory treating upon this text of Jobe the ix chapter. ¶ They do understand whether their children be noble/ or unnoble: say the one this manner/ they that be alive in this world know not where the souls be of them that be dead/ so like wise: they that be dead know not the disposition of them: which be left on th'earth For the life of the soul is far from the life of the flesh/ Nevertheless it is to be known: that they which have the inward knoleyge of the clearness of god: may in no wise be ignorant of outward effectis or dedis/ ¶ And for this cause it is to be thought that the good people in heaven: doth see what is done amongst earthly creatures in the world/ ¶ And not the dampened people/ perchance thou will say the joy of the souls that be saved: is a great way further from the souls that be dampened: then the acetis and deeds of the world/ wherefore they might see sooner the dediss of the world: then the joys of blessed souls/ It is answered one this wise/ that those things which be done in the world: may not grieve or vex the dampened souls no thing so moche if they might see them: as the beholding of the joy that the blessed souls be in. ¶ Therefore they be not showed to them/ visebly/ Theyse be the sufferance of god such things that may increase most their sorrow but no thing that should be to their joy or comfort Some peradventure would ask this question whether the dampened souls in hell: would that every creature should be dampened as they be. To this may be answered/ that like as perfyght charity is convenient and according ever to be with the holy souls: So amongs the dampened souls: shall ever be perfyght hate & envy/ then thus/ The holy & blessed souls shall ever joy in all good deeds: & on the contrary: the dampened shallbe sorry for every good deed/ The considering of the joy & felicity of saintis: is to them great affection/ Therefore they would all good people should be dampened/ The envy of them shallbe so great: that being in eternal pain they shall Inuye the joy of their naybours that be saved/ and of them with whom/ they have been conversant in this world/ A question might be moved whether the dampened souls would have their naybours acquaintance dampened with them aswell as all other: It may be answered thus/ that they be not so envious to their acquaintance or naibours: with whom they have committed and used sensual pleasures and delyghtiss in the world: as they be to all other/ willing to have them dampened as they be/ for this cause. If their companions should be dampened as they be: their tribulation should be increased accidentally/ in so much as they that be dampened: were part takers with their acquaintance of their pleasures and vicious concupiscence of their pleasures and vicious concupiscence in the world: they must of equity be part takers of their pain And so should they not only suffer sorrow for their own gilt: but also for the guilt of their fellows/ and acquaintance/ An example is put of the dampened rich man/ which being in pain eternal desired that his brethren a life: might have knowleige what pain he endured/ to th'intent they might have grace: to save themself/ for if they should be dampened with him: which was the cause of their misdoing in this world: his pain should be increased/ For he should suffer with them part of their pain/ And though by the multitude of the dampened souls the pain of eacu one of them singularie is increased: yet their envy and hatred is so great: that they covyt more to suffer tribulation and tourmentrie with a great multitude: then with one alone/ For it is a common saying wretches be glade and desirous/ to have fellawshyp in pain/ Aquestion might be moved/ whether they that be deed: namely that be dampened: may know or have any remembrance of those things that they had knowledge of: in the world. To this may be said/ that in the dampened souls shallbe a consideration of things which they did know before And that knowledge or considerasion: shallbe as amateriall cause of their sorrow/ And no thing of love nor comfort/ They shall also consider the sins that they have committed/ wherefore they be dampened/ & they shall have in remembrance the good deeds: which they might have done: and would not/ And for both: they shall suffer pain/ furthermore in hell shallbe two diverse pains/ oon is called pena Damni which is the wanting of the sight of god: the other is called pena sensus: which christ toucheth in a gospel of mathewe the vii Chaptour: saying/ every tree that beareth no good fevyte: shallbe cut down and cast in to the fire Of the pain which is called pena sensus: speaketh saint Gregory upon the gospel of mathewe the viii Ehapitour/ The dampened soul shallbe cast out into the outward darkness. This said pena sensus hath many diversities of kinds/ & as I think innumerable/ sum of them be showed and spoken of in this wise/ In hell shallbe cold unable to be overcomyn/ Fire never to be quenched/ worms that be mmortall/ intolerable stink/ darkness palpable/ Scorges' of devils/ the horrible sight of devellꝭ/ the confusion of sins/ and despair of all goodness/ The dampened souls shallbe full of every sorrow and heaviness/ They shall also have continual weeping in their jyes/ gnasting in their teeth/ stink in their nostrils/ wailing and criyngiss in their voices/ ferefulnes in their ears/ Bands upon their hands and feet/ And a continual fire and heat: in all their members/ whereof a certain doctor speaketh on this manner/ hell is a deadly ditch or pit: heaptd full of all pains & wretchedness/ And as it is written in the xiii chapter of isaiah/ every dampened soul shallbe feared of other/ Their facis and countenance shallbe flaming as fire/ It is written in the ii chapter of Baruch/ that their facis shallbe black of the smoke and according to the same: it is spoken in the ii chapter of johel/ All the facis of sinners shallbe turned as black as a pot/ Also the sharpness of the pains of hell may be considered by the weeping and gnasting of teeth/ by the desire of death By the eating of their tongues/ and by the blaspheming of their maker/ with many other that be there to come: As it is open in many placis of scripture/ whereof it is written in the appocalippes the xix. chapter on this wise/ For the great and intolerable sorrow: they did eat their own tungꝭ and blasphemed god of heaven: for their wounds and tribulations/ The sharnes of their pain shallbe so great: that they shall despise life which is naturally desired of every creature: & desireth death that every creature naturally doth flee/ ¶ As it is written in the appocalippis the ix chapter/ In those fearful days and at that fearful time: men shall seek death: which they shall not find/ they shall desire to die: and death shall flee from them/ saint Chrysostom saith on this manner/ what shall we do there/ what shall we answer/ where no thing is but gnasting of teeth/ howling And weeping/ no help to be gotten/ to late to do penance/ On every side & in every part vexed incessantly with pains intolerable/ And never to have any part of solace. ¶ There shall no creature appear before our eyen: but only the mynesters and tormentors of hell/ to minester pains in every side/ and that worst is of all: there shallbe no comfore of the air nother of sight/ O good lord what fear shall be to them that shall suffer these pains/ what breaking of bowellꝭ/ what crushing of members/ what & how many diverse crucifiyngiss shallbe in every sensible part of body and soul: truly no creature may express by any mean/ Saint Chrysostom speaking of the loss of the sight of good which is called pena damni saith these words/ peradventure sum and many folk do think no pain to great of these foresaid pains: if they might escape the danger of hell/ but I call moche more grievous pains than hell: to be removed/ excluded/ and cast out: from the grace of god/ from all goodness prepared and made ready for good and holy people/ And most of all: the privation and lack of the sight of god/ to be hated of christ/ and to her of him this fearful word: I know you not/ For sooth it is better a thousand times: to suffer lightening/ then to see that blessed lord full of meekness and pity against us/ as our adversary/ And to suffer the eyen of all tranquillity and rest to behold us. ¶ O meek son of god: we beseech thee/ let us not suffer they pains/ nother have in experience: the intolerable and horrible tourmentrie/ woe shall to us that think not nother have any remembrance of these foresaid pains/ ¶ For we do now as men that by negligence: and thinkith themself sure: taking no heed of body nor soul/ But gooth without let: in to the said pains of hell/ peradventure sum man will say that it seemeth god to be unrightwise/ for man is punished eternally for one deadly sin done in one hour/ Saint Gregory asketh the said question: and giveth solution to it on this manner/ almighty god which is a straight judge: doth not consider the words of men only: but also he payseth the hearts. And so it is: that if the wicked people might live in this world ever: they would perseverantly continue in their wickedness/ and never amend themself/ For truly they that never will leave sin: showeth and desireth alway to live in sin. ¶ Therefore it longeth to/ the great rightwiseness of god: to punish them by eternal pain: which in this life would never be out of sin/ ¶ And that noon end of pain be given to the sinful creature: that whilis he lived in this world: would have noon end of sin. ¶ And other reason why that one deadly sin bindeth a man to eternal pain may be taken: considering him to whom the offence is done/ which is the god of all goodness and might. ¶ Therefore the offence done: is worthy eternal/ pain/ For as Aristotle saith in the vii of his ethic In how much the person is greater indignity to whom the offence or trespass is done: so much more it aught to be punished/ and Chrysostom according to the same saith/ An Injure or wrong done to a person: is to be considered as the person is/ A little offence done to a great person indignity: is great/ And great crime committed to a simple body: is counted but as a little fault/ O my dear and well-beloved friend: knowing and often remembering in thine heart these pains before rehearsed busily take heed & see: for the health of thine own soul/ And ever behold inwardly the great pains of hell to be believed/ Consider in thyself what things be profitable and wholesome to thy soul/ whether it is better to wail/ to be sorry/ and often to ask mercy for thy sins in this world: than to weep in everlasting fire/ without remedy or profit/ thou shall deserve in short time of this world: if thou will/ by penance and sorrow for thy sins: forgiveness/ & everlasting comfort. Therefore be sorry for thy sins here in this little time: to th'intent thou may hereafter be delived form the sorrow everlasting/ meek thyself in this world: that peradventure thou be not made meek in the pains of hell/ and be cast in to the fire unable to be quenched blessed is that creature that in this world hateth and maketh himself ready to be found able at the day of judgement: with the people that be worthy to be saved/ And wretched is that creature which by his sin hath made himself unable to have the glory of our lord/ At the hour of the day of judgement by the power of god: the clouds shall take up to heaven: body and soul of them that be saved/ And the devils shall take body and soul of the dampened creatures: Casting them in to the fornase the of brenning fire of hell. ¶ who shall give to mine head a great portion of water: and to mine jen the fountain of tears: busily flowing out/ that I myself may weep/ day and night/ beseeching our lord I be not found unstable in the hour of his coming: And that I may deserve: not to here the fearful sentence of our lord/ when he shall say: Go fro me: ye that hath been the doers of wickedness/ I know not what ye be/ which our lord Ihesu Christ: turn a way from us/ that leaveth and reigneth for evermore. Amen.   

¶ imprinted at london in fletstrete. at the sign of saint George. By Richard Pynson.   


ihc