thée eueryday to repeate the promises which thou hast made to God in thy Baptisme which follow thus in effect O most high most excellent and most holye Trinitie Father Sonne and holy Ghost I protest that I will liue and dye in the true Catholike and Apostolike Faith and will keepe thy Holy commaundements which heretofore I haue transgressed Wherefore I am sorye and doe heartelye repent mee for the breach of them and in token whereof I make my confession saieng I Beleeue in God the Father almightie maker of heuen earth And in Iesus Christ his only sonne our Lord. Which was conceaued by the holy Ghost Borne of the virgin Marie Suffred vnder Ponce Pilate Was crucified dead buried He descended into hell the third day he rose againe frō the dead He ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almightie From thēce he shal come to iudge the quick the dead I beleeue in the holy Ghost The holy Catholike Church The communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The resurrection of the body And the life euerlasting Amen Then say Lord God giue me grace most heartely I beseech thee without doubting to confesse and beleeue all the Articles of this my Christian Faith and in the fame to perseuer to the ende And so rehearse the tenne Commaundements of almightie God which are these THe same which God spake in the xx chap. of Exodus saieng I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Aegipt out of the house of bondage 1 Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me 2 Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauē Image nor the liknesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue nor in the earth beneath nor in the water vnder the earth Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a ielous God visit the sins of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shew mercie vnto thousands in thē that loue me and keepe my commaundements 3 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 4 Remember that thou keepe holy the Saboth day Sixe daies shalt thou labour do all that thou hast to do But the seauenth day is the saboth of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou thy sonne thy daughter thy man-seruāt thy maid-seruant thy cattell thy stranger that is within thy gates For in sixe daies the Lord made heauen earth the sea all that in them is rested the seuenth day wherfore the Lord blessed the seauenth day and hallowed it 5 Honour thy father and thy mother that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee 6 Thou shalt doe no murther 7 Thou shalt not commit adultrie 8 Thou shalt not steale 9 Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour 10 Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his seruant nor his maid nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his Then considering the tenour of that which thou hast said craue grace at Gods handes to walke after his will vsing the same praier which Christ taught thee and saieng OVr Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this daie our dayly bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue thē that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euil Besides all this thou must also most heartely humble thy selfe before God acknowledging thy selfe a sinner and that thou canst do nothing y t is righteous but if ther be any goodnesse in thée either of nature or of Gods grace thou must freely confesse that all comes from aboue Repute not thy selfe better then another but rather the least of all If anie despise thee mocke thee or iniure thée suffer it not onely paciently but also willingly gladly euen for the loue of God For the scaling ladder of heauen is humilitie a full denieng of thy selfe in al worldly causes Thinke not wel of thy selfe for anie thing that thou doest hast done or maist do but if thou hast anie goodnes in thy body or in thy soule be not ashamed to confesse that it is not thine because it comes not from thée but of God from him whom indéede it procéeds If thou humble not thy selfe there is no hope of thy soules helth For to this effect our Lord said If you be not cōuerted made as little children you shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen And S. Barnard saith Who so wil be hūble must be content to be despised of the world he desireth not to be renowmed for this is no point of humilitie Commit thy selfe therefore to God and put thy will to his taking at his hands all aduersities paciently all tribulations all afflictions all diseases all persecutions yea death it selfe not onely contentedly but also willingly acknowledging that God sendes nothing to the faithfull but goodnesse and all for their soules health Wherefore thou must often pray to God say Lorde God giue mee whatsoeuer thou wilt do with me alwaies what thou wilt And when at any time thou findest thy selfe as it were left of God voide of deuotion or destitute of consolation whether it be inwardlye or outwardlye bee not discouraged for it neither thinke that God hath forgotten thée but heartelye humble thy selfe before God accounting thée vnworthy of consolation and putting all thy confidence in God as in one that knowes how to saue his elect If thou receiue any blessing inwardly as wisdome or anie other gift exalt not thy selfe in pride neither discommend others y t haue not receiued of God such grace but vse that which thou hast to Gods glorie Againe if thou see thy neighbours fall take héed thou hate him not iudge him not condemne him not but think that God permits thée to sée his offence for thy profit Imagine thou wast neuer touched with y e crime wel it is much but yet thou hast bene culpable in some other as bad or els worse vpon this examinatin reforme thy selfe suppose thou art in no fault thou must not therfore estéeme thy self better thē he y t is in fault knowing thou art of such a nature as he is made of y e same stuffe y t he is therfore notwithstāding thy supposition a sinner offender as well as he so y t both néed amending Be thou sure that if God had prouided no better for thée then thy selfe deserued thou hadst committed the like offence or els greater thanke God that he hath kept thée so pray for him y t doth amisse is not yet
forgaue him yea he obteined more then he required For Christ said vnto him This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise This is Gods propertie euen to giue of his liberalitie more then men doe or can aske S. Paul was a blasphemer a persecutor of Gods church yet he receiued mercy God hath set downe such persons as exāples for sinners to y e end they should not doubt of his mercy to teach them y t he doth not pardon offences for y e merits of y e sinners which are starke naught euen when they are best but for his mercies sake which is aboue all his works For so to imagine of mens merits is destructiō if any thing be ascribed vnto merits then for y e merits of his son Iesus Christ for his bitter passion sake Let this be the conclusion that albeit y e sinner hath committed as many sinnes as there be drops of water in the sea or sands on the sea shore yet he hath no cause to dispaire For though they be neuer so monstrous manifold yet the mercy of God doth infinitly exceed them For his mercy consumes them sooner then the fierce fire doth burne vp the dry Toe When I heard lady Remembraunce read these words I toke hart at grasse recited a place written in y e Psalms of Dauid According to the multitude of the griefes sorrows of my heart thy consolations haue refreshed my soule And then falling on my knées holding vp my hands with sorowful countenaunce confidence of heart resting wholly vpon the mercies and promises of God the merits of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ. I most humbly desired pardon for my sins at the hands of Gods grace Upon which vnfeined confession of mine offences heart griefe handmaids of perfect Repentance fore-runners to the purpose I receiued by the meanes of Gods grace the benefit of the death passion of our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ to whom with the father the holy Ghost be all honour glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ A SERMON VVHICH VNDERSTANDING THE good Hermit made vnto the knight vpon the History of Marie Magdalene The sixt Chapter IN the name of y e father of the son of the holy Ghost Amen The great goodnes vnspeakable mercie which hath ben vsed in al ages times of our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ towards all poore sinners are in many places of the Gospel made manifest cleerly notified but chiefly in y e vii of Luke Wherin mention is made of a sinful woman lewd of life ill of name contemned despised abhorred of men whom swéet Iesus did not onely receiue to fauour but also by inward secret inspiration drew her to repentance how in what sort heare vnderstand The Gospell saith y t ther was a Pharesie furnished with false faith misled with a vaine opinion of holinesse he was a great doctour of law a renowmed Iusticiarie howbeit weak in faith yet verie high minded When our sauiour had one day preached instructed the people by his diuine holy doctrine exhorting poore sinners to turne to God by repentance vttering many parables and similitudes as the prodigall child the lost sheepe such like what else doth he declare signifie but y t he is inclined to compassion readie to haue mercie to receiue into fauour all repentant sinners The proud Pharesie praied him to come into his house to dine with him The good Lord which had taken vpon him mans nature and was borne for y e saluation of all denied not this proud fellows request neither refused to enter into his house although hée was ambitious but down at y e table sat y e son of God made man for y e saluatiō of men He was conuersant among men he did eate drink with men he offred himselfe a helper to euery one shewing vnto al his goodnes without exception of any Now he being set at y e table ther came one vnto him in shape like a woman but in courage a man who by the bruite of the whole Citie was counted a greate sinner and very il reported of y e world such a one indéed as euery body mocked pointed at with their fingers But yet in the sight of God she was in great honour not because she was an hainous sinner but because she was predestinated elected of God from y e beginning to reigne with him in his heauenly kingdome This woman hearing by report the renowne of our redéemer that he shewed himselfe swéete and bountiful to all sinners defending them against the malitious slaunders mocks of the proud and arrogant Pharesies promising to euery one that beleeued in him the kingdome of heuen this woman was inspired both outwardly and inwardly by our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ to sée heare him preach Thē did she by outward speach expresse how she was inwardly affected moued in minde séeing her soule sore sicke diseased her heart full of iniquitie and sinne her conscience defiled with all kinde of vice her selfe frustrate and void of all hope of health deuising how to recouer this malady adressed her selfe to séeke him who is the onely Surgeon of all sicke soules she sought for grace at the Well of mercie and though she was a shamefull sinner yet she was receiued of him which came into the world to saue sinners She came not pompeously araied nor yet came with a train she came alone and not emptie handed For she brought with her a boxe full of most pretious ointment of a swéete smell representing the Faith Hope and Charitie lodged in her heart What could this be but the swéete smell of vertue For what represented the boxe of Alabaster stone but holy faith founded vpon the true cornerd stone Iesus Christ wherin is conserued all vertues without which it is vnpossible to please God Came she alone being accompanied w t Faith Hope Charitie Humilitie Repētāce She entred y e house vncalled wher was her phisition putting a part al shame which leadeth to perdition together with the mockes of the proud Pharesies which sat at the table she craued comfort and health for her sicke soule acknowledging her griefe and y t being certein he to whom she came had power to help hir Unto this phisition she could not haue come w tout faith she was not so bold hardy as to look Iesus in y e face but fel at his féete vpon hir knées lamentably weeping and with the floude of hir teares washing his féete and wiping and drieng them with hir hairie looks Then she kissed them and with hir precious ointment she anoynted them All this while hir voice was not heard but hir heart spake vnto the true Sonne of God saieng I haue no need to declare with my tongue my inward griefes or to expresse the cause of my
Who dwelleth in Charitye sayth Saint Iohn dwelleth in GOD and GOD in him Our Lorde lykewise sayth If anye man loue me he will keepe my commaundements and my Father will loue him and wee will come and dwell with him Canne we desire a more rich a more bountifull or a more lyberall hoste then he Is it lyke that so louing an hoste will suffer the soule to want Will he aske monie for his expenses No hée commeth not to dwell with vs to consume that wee haue but to encrease our riches and to make our store greater Thirdly Charitie maketh our goods be they little or bée they much acceptable vnto God it maketh a man contemne the world it maketh a man to reioyce in temptations afflictions and tribulations When Charitie enters into the soule she comes accompanied with all other goodnesse yea shée knittes vs to GOD and vniteth vs with him Loue or Charitie makes men of one minde and one will Loue or Charitie makes men reforme their manners and to drawe néere vnto God Loue or Charitie maketh men consider of things present and visible as if they were not Loue maketh a pure and cleane heart which may contemplate and beholde heauenly thinges By Loue the goods of this worlde are well ordered and by Loue the goods of this world are contemned and by Loue the secretes of God are reuealed Saint Iohn saith That God is Charitie wherby no doubt he meaneth the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost the three persons in trinitie God the father is Charitie God the sonne is Charitie and God the holy Ghost is Charitie This Loue or Charitie requireth in the same such likely things namely Loue and Charitie by the which as by some spiritual affinity thou art ioyned vnto God which Loue also boldly commeth vnto God familiarly speaketh with him without any doubt or feare He that loueth not shall loose his lyfe but he that loueth alwayes lyfteth his eyes to GOD whome he loueth whom he desireth on whome he museth in whome he is refreshed and by whome he is preserued such a louing deuoute and relygious soule doth so singe so saye so reade so dispose all his businesse and so circumspectly foreseeth all things as if GOD were euer present with him as doubtlesse in spirite he is The man in whose soule the loue of GOD is lodged so prayeth as if God were personallye present with him The loue of Charitie awaketh y e soule when she is a sléepe it puts him in minde of his saluation it softeneth and moysteneth the heart Loue or Charitie setteth the colde heart on fire Loue maketh the froward soule gentle Loue chaseth awaye sinne Loue kepeth the affections of fleshe and bloude vnder Loue amendeth lewde mennes manners Loue reneweth the spirite Loue brideleth the light motions of wanton youth all this worketh Loue or Charitie where she is present Contrarywise where Loue or Charitie is absent there the soule doth languysh and waxeth colde euen as a Chaldron of water doth when the fire is taken from vnder it and raked abroade Charitie is the onely thinge whereby the soule boldlye approcheth vnto GOD constantlye cleaueth vnto him famyliarlye speaketh with him and in all affayres asketh counsell of him The Soule that loueth GOD cannot but thinke and talke of GOD insomuch that he hateth all vngodlye thinges Who so will knowe GOD must loue GOD the more that one loues God the more he growes in the knowledge of God To Read to write and to Study of God yéeldeth no true knowledge of God without Loue. In vaine do we read in vaine doe we talke in vaine doe we preach in vaine doe we praye to GOD if we doe not loue God The loue of God engendereth the loue of thine owne soule and maketh it attentiue alwaies to God God loueth to be beloued againe and when he loueth he requireth nothing but loue happie therefore is he that loueth God The soule which loueth God reiecteth all his affections being attentiuely giuen to his loue The soule that loueth hath no feare the soule that loueth not is euer in feare The soule that loueth is caried by promises and drawen by desires vnto heauen the soule that hath in it the presence of Gods loue is tickeled with ioye with rauishings leapeth vp to heauen hauing by contemplation exceeding great ioyfulnesse Loue bréedes familiaritie with God familiaritie bréedes boldnesse with God boldnesse bréedes the taste of God and taste bréedeth an hunger after God If I shoulde declare all the excellencie of Loue or Charitie the time wold faile me and mine abilitie in that behalfe would not suffice But let this stand for a conclusion that the soule which is touched with the loue of God cannot desire any thing contrarie to God but euer after it hath receiued any tast of sin it crieth out and saith with the Prophet O Lord God like as the Hart desireth the fountaines of water euen so long I after thee Well then sir Knight lift vp thy soule and remember the great Loue and Charitie of God and his manifolde benefites bestowed vpon thée that by them thy hart being inlightened thou maist increase and goe forward daye by day in doing good workes to the glorifieng of God who delighteth in the same according as it is saide Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie God in Heauen Thus much touching these thrée spirituall Uertues now come we to the foure morall ¶ THE DESCRIPTION OF THE FOVRE Morall Vertues Prudence Iustice Fortitude and Temperance The vij Chapter BY these foure Morall vertues man liueth well and orderly in this mortall life Saint Hierome saith that the Christian man by these iiij liueth wel in this mortalitie by them after death commeth to euerlasting life Prudence knoweth the good we should doe and the euill we should leaue Iustice doth good Temperance leaueth the euill Fortitude is constant without loosing courage in aduersitie or waxing proud in prosperitie Prudence disposeth man and teacheth him how to approch vnto God Fortitude and Temperance how to gouerne himselfe Iustice how to vse his neighbour These are the foure things which Satan shooteth at to destroye the soule By Prudence which is the rule of right reason we gouerne our selues wisely we order our affaires discréetly doing nothing but right and reason In Prudence consisteth reason knowledge foresight aptnesse to teach and giue good counsell A prudent man knoweth afore hande the ende of his counsell Plato saith that Prudence is the Duchesse of all morall vertues showing vs how we should vnderstand and vse the rest For as Faith informeth vs and telleth vs what we should hope after and what we ought to loue euen so Prudence instructeth teacheth vs how we should vse Iustice Fortitude and Temperance Aristotle saith that it is vnpossible but a prudent man should be good If he meane Morall goodnesse it is most true for a wise man doth nothing but that which is
were consumed Being in that maze Vertue tolde me that in hir Pallaice neuer came night and that darknesse had nothing to doe where she dwelt Then Memory put me in minde what Gods grace tolde me by the way saieng that by the workes of Faith which are the fruits of the same I might perceiue and sée the Citie of Heauen wherein is comprehended the true and blessed Felicitie Then Faith led me to hir Tower and all the other vertues kept vs company For Faith properly is not without Hope nor Hope without Charitie and therfore they must go altogether And though these vertues haue distinct and seuerall properties yet they ioyne hands and are neuer asunder S. Hierome saith that Abraham was furnished with Faith Iob with Fortitude and Patience Dauid with Humilitie and so consequently of other holy men recorded in Scripture Then Faith from hir high Tower showed mée a high hill whereon was builded a meruailous sumptuous Citie and she tolde me it was the Citie of Heauen wherein is comprehended true blessednesse and perfect felicitie In that Citie I sawe neuer a Temple which made me meruaile vntill that Faith told me that the Lord God almightie was the Temple of that Citie There needes no shining of Sun nor brightnes of Moone nor glittering of stars to giue them light for the almightie God is their true light himselfe None enters into this Citie but such as are written in the booke of life Furthermore Faith tolde me that there was no discord no aduersitie no sinne no reproch no iniquitie no feare no sorrow no shame no tumult no darknes no paine no mistrust no violence no vnquietnes no ill no grudging finally nothing that fauoured of mortalitie but there was concord prosperitie perfection vnitie loue gladnesse quietnesse staiednesse charitie sure rest perpetuall felicitie and euerlasting ioye in God with eternall life and happinesse There was mirth without sadnesse rest without labor gaine without losse health without paine abundance without want life without death cleannesse without corruption happinesse without hinderaunce In this Citie God is seene face to face there is the endlesse lyght shining the Saints alwaies singing blessed soules reioycing and euer beholding God yet still coueting to sée him without dulnesse of desire The Citizens of this Citie of heauen are coheires of the eternall Deitie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost They are made incorruptible and immortall according to the promise of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ saieng Father those that thou hast giuen me I will that they bee with me where I am that they may see my brightnesse What can I say more in this Citie is one King without death and without chaunge without beginning and without ending In this Citie there is no night there is no limitation or terme of time but continuall day most brightly shining For in this Citie dwelleth the Father of lights euen God himselfe whose brightnesse no darknes can ouershadow The Citizens of this Citie are most blessed and fortunate For they are pertakers of vnspeakable grace of vnmeasurable happinesse of endlesse ioye of such perfection as therevnto there can be added no more Unto this place shall the iust be aduaunced as for the wicked their portion is in the Lake boyling with fire and brimstone But to proceede in our purpose ¶ THE DESIRE THAT THE KNIGHT had to come to heauen and how Gods grace brought Perseuerance The ix Chapter HAuing séene from the Tower of Faith the Citie of heauen and heard by hir the manner of it I was rauished of my wit estéemed nothing at all of the world For I felt not my selfe my thought I was walking in Heauen Héerevpon I desired Faith that I might remaine still in hir Tower the which willingly she graunted me insomuch that I was neuer wearie out of hir Tower window to behold heauen yea the more I behelde it the more beautifull it séemed In the end I was loath to liue in this world desired death that I might the sooner sée the citie of Heauen haue the sight and inioying of Christ my Redéemer Then kneeling by my selfe all alone I made this praier saieng O how happy is the soule that is out of this earthly prison resteth in heauen most ioifully seeing his Sauior face to face That soule is without feare afflictiō O how happy is the soule which is in the company of Angels holy Saints singing praises vnto the highest Such a soule surely is ladē with abūdance of ioy O happy societie of citizens O happy company of Saints which lamented in their mortall life but now raigne with God immortally O sweet Iesus let me come to thy plesant Citie wher thy Citizens see thee daily to their great delight O let me come ther wher nothing is troublesome to heare or vnderstand what melody heare they without ending And how happy wer I if I might heare the songs or be admitted to sing a song of Dauid in thy holy hil of Sion O that I being the least of thy seruants may by thy grace put off my fleshly burden and come to thy happy Citie to accompany the holy happy assembly of Saints to see the glory of my Creator to behold his amiable Maiestie That I may be made meet for this so great a blessing grant I beseech thee O gratious God that I neuer loke backe vppon this shadowe or valley of teares that I remember not the false plesures of this wicked worlde that I esteeme not this corruptible euil lyfe O how can we here be happie where the Diuell alwayes assalts vs Where the world flatters vs Where the soule is blinded And where al men sin After which greate euils death doth followe as the verie end of al vaine pleasures then they are esteemed as if they had neuer ben What recompēce may be made vnto thee O GOD which giuest vs consolation in the middest of all our extremities by the wonderfull visitation of thy diuine grace Beholde me miserable wretch filled with sadnesse wherein I consider my sinnes when I feare thy iudgement when I thinke on the houre of death when I remember the paines of hell when I am ignorant what punishment I deserue when I knowe not where nor in what estate I shall end my dayes In all these things and many other I appeale to thy gratious goodnesse knowing that thou art readye to giue me consolation against all these sorrowes Thou liftest vp my soule ful of anguish aboue all mountaines thou makest me receiue thy great Loue Charitie goodnes by the which thou recreatest my heauie spirit and reioysest my sad heart in reuealing vnto me thy heauenly delights This praier ended I vtterly forgat all my miseries and rested my soule vpon the anchor of Hope Then as I was kneeling Gods grace appered vnto me accompanied with an other Lady which I had not séene before And after I had giuen her thanks for all her benefits she deliuered mée this Lady named
brideled from gluttonye those rebellious members woulde bée subdued as sayth the Comicall Poet Sine Cerere Baccho Friget Venus That is to saye From Wine and good cheere thy belly restraine And lust of the flesh small heate will containe Upon all this Folly put me on an other armour called Vaine glorie which is of such a propertie that the greater it grewe the lesse I perceiued it then on went my girdle of intemperauncie which did let loose the bridle of lecherie and all other fleshlye affections To it was tyed my swoord of rebellion so that then I rebelled against God his holie commaundements and all Magistrates and superiours But if I had brideled my boldnesse reprehending my selfe my desires and affections and had rested in reason without rebellinge then had I serued God and obeyed my betters with all duetifull reuerence Dame Folly disguised mée with the helment of wantonnesse vppon the toppe whereof was put a Pecockes tayle so that then I might not suffer anye checke for anie fault but might and did mainteine my opinion against all men giuing place to none whatsoeuer learned or in authoritie After my gauntlettes of idlenesse were once on my handes I greatlye gloried of the giftes which were in mée vauntinge my selfe to bée more riche more wise more stronge more hardye more gratious and in all respectes better then I was Manye times I boasted of mine imperfections as of Dronkennesse Lecherie and such lyke After on went my bucklar of shamelesnesse which béeing about my shoulders I blushed not to commit anye vilanye I lead the lyfe of an Infidell rather then a Christian. Unshamfullye I despised both God and man nothing regardinge mine owne honour renowne or saluation Then I mounted vppon Temeritie my horse with a Lawnce in my hande called Hope of long lyfe O deceiptfull Lawnce more rotten then a Réede Howe manye proper youthes haue trusted vnto thée hopinge to haue béene safe and assured and were deadlye deceiued This Lawnce once béeing entered in me I interteined all vices it euer hindered me from imbracing repentaunce perswading me in this manner Thou art young make merrie whiles thou maist for when thou art olde all playe and pastime will bée past then it will bee time inough for thée to repent Béeing thus gouerned by Follye I thought neither of God nor the Diuell of lyfe nor death of heauen nor hell but liued at my pleasure dooing what I delyghted in At last Folye apparailed her selfe lightlye with a Cloake of feathers and mounted vpon a Iennet and opening her feathers and winges with the winde awaye she flewe and I also at a wilde aduenture sette the spurres to my horse and awaye we went both Thus you sée that Follye is my guide Temeritie my horse Now the first that shall repent this voyage must néedes bee my selfe as you maye euidentlye iudge and gather before hande ¶ FOLLY VPON THE VVAIE SHEVVETH THE wandering Knight many of her auncient proceedings and how many great and noble personages she had gouerned The fift Chapter AFter wée were so farre passed vppon our way that we had lost the sight of my house I called to my remembraunce the promise which Dame Follye had made mée in the morninge namelye that shée woulde tell mée of her exploytes past and what people shée had gouerned And thus with flattering frase I beganne My good Mistres my louing Ladye my heart my ioye my lyfe my lust my councell my hope my souereigne good I desire thée most earnestlye if it please thée to let mée vnderstande thine auncient procéedinges and to rehearse what people thou hast gouerned how they were ruled lead conducted and counselled Mine exploites quoth Follye are innumerable Ten dayes are not inough to repeate halfe of them Neuerthelesse to accomplish thy request and to ease the tediousnesse of the waye I will tell thee of the most principallest First the worlde and I came together and because I founde no man in the worlde I ascended vp into heauen and there assaulted the excellentest Angel of all the whole companie called Lucifer who at my present arriuall enterteyned and receiued me for his gouernesse and so dyd manie mo of his coequalls By my counsell he aduaunced himselfe to be fellowe mate with God for the which presumption both he and his were thrust out of heauen and throwne headlong into hel That was the first of mine exploites Shortly after God made man and of his ribbe fationed woman these two were husband and wife with them both I had much a doe because they were full of wisedome and reason I vsed the helpe and subtiltie of a Serpent to tempt the woman béeing the weaker who with his deceiptefull wordes wonne her to eate of the apple which God forbadde to bée eaten But after shee had eaten it in the presence of her husbande because he feared her sadnesse hée did also eate to fulfill her desire and lust wherein they both committed greate follye for the which they were depriued of innocencie of GODS grace and glorie yea they were banished the place appoynted by GOD for them to dwell in and made with all their posteritie subiect to eternall death it was my second principall exployt Then began my raigne in the world where I gouerned a number of fooles I gouerned Cain the first borne both of his father and mother by my counsell he kild his good brother Abel the innocent I gouerned the greatest Gyaunts that euer were of the séede of man as the daughters of Cain and the sonnes of Seth I made them trust in their owne strength not onely touching feates of warre but I caused them also to contemne the word of God and the knowledge of the same I perswaded them to vse their lybertie and to liue according to their lusts in lecherie and all other abhomination without regard of the vprightnesse of nature honestie or the feare of God When Noe had preched fortie yeres space of y e last destruction of the world these obstinate Gyaunts being nusseled in all wickednsse of life detestably turned all his admonitions and sermons to mockerie Whereat God was wroth and sent a great floud which drowned all liuing creatures sauing Noah and his thrée sonnes Sem Cham Iapheth and their wiues Then I thought to haue lost my raigne in the world but in short space they encreased wonderfully Then I counselled them to builde an high Tower which might reach as high as heauen that in despight of God they might saue themselues if againe he meant to drowne the world But God confounded their deuice and where before all the world spake in one language he deuided them so that the Tower remained vnfinished for the builders vnderstood not each others speach Then the posterities of Noah were dispersed throughout the world and I raigned amongst them euery where counselling many Nations to forsake the knowledge of God and to worship the hoast of heauen as the Sunne the Moone the Starres the Planets the Fire the
vnlawfull déedes which I am ashamed to declare by the which doctrine naturall virginitie was oftentimes violently assaulted and rauished Then my friend Cham went into Italy vsurped the realme to himselfe And whereas other Princes of his lynage in Germany Spaine Fraunce gaue good examples to their subiects instructing them in good and godly lawes he contrariwise spoyled all the youths in Italy corrupting them with all kinds of vices as vsurie theft murther poysoning and inchauntment whereof he himselfe was the first inuentour as all Historiographers hold opinion But when his good father Noah vnderstood of it he came into Italy and hunted him from thence If I should write all the euill déedes of Cham it would be a waightie peece of worke and the matter would seeme monstrous But at the last he conueyed himselfe ouer among Bractiens a people inhabiting towardes the Indians where by his inchauntment the people became his subiects and he raigned ouer them with great force and power Yet at the last he was vanquished and slaine in battaile by Ninus king of Babilon which descended of his race by his son Chus Thus quod Folly I lost my friend Cham surnamed Zorastes Saturne of Aegypt the common enimie of God man and one of the most peruerse vntowardest Tyrants that euer was in the world I gouerned Bel the second king of Babilon and his sonne Ninus into whose heads I put a disordinate raging so that they desired to liue alone in the world And to bring this to passe I counselled them to chaunge and cut off the golden age which would haue all things common peaceable and in quyet Héerevnto they armed themselues by all possible meanes vndertaking to spoyle Sabatius Saga surnamed Saturne King and Patriarch of Armenia so made and ordeined by his grandfather Noah The same Sabatius was son to Chus and brother to Nemroth whom Moses called Sabatha in Hebrue which in Latine is Saturnus Then the said Sabatius king of Armenia hauing hardly escaped the hands of Bel Ninus he went for refuge to his Grandfather Noah into Italy made Noah king and Patriarch of the Aborigenes founded him a Citie on the other side of Tiber which he named Saturnia As Virgil declareth in a Passage where he saith thus Primus ab aethereo venit Saturnus Olympo Arma Iouis fugiens regnis exsul ademptis That is to say Saturne the first from heauen did flie For feare of Ioues artillerie He lost his rule and regiment And lead his life in banishment For Bel the sonne of Nemroth was surnamed Iupiter And it is not likely to be true that some saies that the same Saturne that was chased away by Iupiter was Nemroth the king of Crete but the Bible saith that he was king of Babilon which was far distant from the Isle of Crete In those daies they tearmed the chiefe man in euery house Saturne their sonnes Iupiter or Ioues their daughters Iunoes and their nephewes Hercules so that we finde in auntient Records many people named Saturnes Ioues and Hercules But to my purpose quod Folly the aboue named Ninus by my counsell after the death of his father Bel caused his Picture and standing Image to be made commaunding euerie manner of person to doe homage vnto the Idolls of his father and mother and to adore them with diuine worship and so he was as you haue heard the first inuentor of Idolatrie I gouerned Tiphon the sonne of Cham in whom all his fathers vices abounded He malitiously enuied the prosperitie of his brother Osiris surnamed Iupiter the iust who was a great persecutor of tyrants It angred me quod Folly that so honest a man liued Then I caused Typhon with other Giants to murder Osiris insomuch that Typhon cut him in xxvj péeces and bestowed them vpon other Giants that helped him to worke his feate But the good Hercules of Lybia the sonne of Osiris with the helpe of his other bretheren in foughten fielde kilde Typhon the Gyant and the other Tyraunts which consented to his Fathers death I gouerned quod Folly one Iupiter king of Crete which countrie is now called Candie But forasmuch as y e Gréeke lyars other writers both Latin French to enlarge their lyes and dreames attribute that vnto this Iupiter oftentimes which appertaine not vnto him I would haue you marke well that in those daies y e kings children fathers of families wer called Iupiter and Iouis notwithstanding ther are thrée of that name renowmed as we finde in Histories The first was Osiris the nephew of Noah the son of Cham who was no lesse good then his father was euill That Iupiter begate great Hercules of Lybia who was King of Spaine Fraunce and Italy This great Hercules was like vnto his father a great persecutor of Tyraunts through-out all the world He begate of Araxa the young Tuscus King of Tuscane and Italy This Tuscus begate Altirus Blascon of whom was begotten Camboblascon which was as some say surnamed the second Iupiter and worshipped in the world Now this Camboblascon surnamed Iupiter begate vpon Electra the daughter of Atlas surnamed Italus of whome yet Italy beareth the name Iasius and Dardanus This the lyeng Grecians and many other triflers attribute vnto Iupiter of Crete which matter is in controuersie and may be denied For Dardanus after he had killed his brother Iasius by enuie and treason he fledde into the Isle of Samos and from thence into Phrigia where he founded a Citie called Dardania where he begate a sonne called Erictonius and of him lineally descended Tros who gaue the Citie Dardania the name of Troye This same Tros had thrée children Illius Assaracus and Ganimedes which Ganimedes was taken by Tantalus the king of high Phrygia sold vnto Iupiter of Crete to be abused like a Sodomit which argueth that he begate not Dardanus the great grandfather of Ganimedes The first Iupiter then you may perceiue was Osiris Nephew to Noah whom Moses named Mesraim The second Camboblascon king of Italy which some say also had bene king of Athens and of Arcadie but I thinke that Iupiter of Arcadie who begat Lacedemon is some other beside Camboblascon Howsoeuer the case standeth certaine it is that Iupiter Ioues Osiris and Camboblascon were contraries The thirde Iupiter renowmed in the world was Kinge of the Isle of Crete who bare in his Scutchin and Coate-Armour an Eagle but in his manners he was altogether giuen to Folly For he deflowred Uirgins he rauished wiues abused young children and committed all kinde of villanie that was possible either to bée spoken or done He committed adulterie with Alcmena the wife of Amphitrio of whome he begate little Hercules of Greece he did the like with Laeda the wife of Tindarus of whom also he begate faire Helen I loath to tell what deflowrings and rapes he offered thrust vpon diuers perticular maidens faire young children But notwithstanding his vile life quod Folly by my meanes
it as thou hast had It was Gods doing and no will of thine if thou hast had no occasion nor conuenient time nor fit opportunitie to fall into that sinne Suppose thou hast had occasion offered with opportunitie and all things fit and yet hast refrained Well it is God then that hath guided and gouerned thée that thou shuldest not doe it Acknowledge then the grace of God as thou art bound because thou hast not committed such a sinne For as he who hath committed most sins is most indebted to God euen so is he who neuer sinned Gods debter For were not the grace of God his guide he woulde doe ill inough Now to our purpose After the Lord had conuinced the Pharesie of his prowd opinion to comfort the sorowfull woman lyeng at his féet he said thus Woman thy sinnes are forgiuen thee O ioifull voice O happy woman that art worthye to heare the Sonne of God speake to thée and vnto forgiue thée thy sinnes But those comfortable words of the Lord greatly offended the proud Pharisies at the feast who turned them to blasphemie saieng What fellowe is this that also forgiueth sinnes It is apparent inough that he is a blasphemer for to pardon and forgiue sinnes belongeth onelye to God No doubt our Lord Iesus Christ was taken to be a very poore man of him that requested him to dinner and to those which were at the table It was knowen that man could not forgiue sinnes but they beléeued not that Iesus Christ was God and therefore say they What fellowe is this that forgiueth sinnes These feasters were sicke of a deadly disease which they neither knew nor yet the remedy to heale and doe them good Is it not a madnesse that such as are sicke should fall a laughing at them that are sounde and in good health So did the Pharesies laugh at Iesus Christ and the woman who were not sicke or if she were sicke she acknowledged hir sicknesse and sought helpe of the Phisition It is most true that a man cannot forgiue sins but this woman which beleeued that Christ coulde forgiue sinnes beléeued also that he was God and therefore able to forgiue sinnes But why did not our Sauiour Christ aunswere these murmuring Pharesies and say I am the Sonne of God when they asked the question saieng What fellowe is this that forgiueth sinnes No he let them murmure and turned himselfe towards the woman and said Thy faith hath saued thee depart in peace Though she heard him say vnto the Pharesies these men murmure and estéeme of me as it pleaseth them neuerthelesse be thou assured that thy faith hath saued thee and therefore depart in peace and enioy full rest and tranquilitie of conscience iustified by a liuely faith and fulfilled with loue Let all sicke soules that are laden with sinnes if they will be healed let them I say come in faith and assured hope to the true Phisition of soules which is Iesus Christ let them confesse their offences with sorow and wéeping let them wipe the féete of our Lord with their haire and they shall be restored made whole and recouer their health Let your superfluous riches be giuen among the poore and not spent in feasting dronkennes and pompeous apparaile And after that the sinner with great loue and liberalitie hath thought vppon the poore speaking to them with great gentlenesse helping them in their néede as well with good counsell as with almes déedes and liuing as the rule of Gods word requireth in holinesse and righteousnesse he shall be sure to receiue peace and quietnesse of conscience and be reconciled to God the father for the merites of his deare Sonne Iesus Christ his death and passion to whom be all honour and glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ THE KNIGHT HAVING RECEIVED THE holy Communion heard the sermon and ended dinner mounted into a chariot of triumph and was by Gods grace carried to the Pallaice of Vertue The vij Chapter IT cannot be knowen how much consolation I tooke by the Sermon of the good Hermit wherefore I was desirous to know his name the which I asked of Lady Memory who tolde me that it was good Vnderstanding Then I receiued the holy Communion which being ended and thankes giuen to God I meant to salute and gratifie him But before we went to receiue the holy Sacrament of the body bloud of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ I remembred the great loue of our Lord which humbly tooke vpon him our fraile and weake nature for our sakes became accursed and suffred most bitter death vpon the Crosse to deliuer vs out of the bondage of sinne hell and eternall death and to bring vs to euerlasting life I remembred also the loue which he shewed vnto me in drawing me out of the sinke of sinne wherein I was plunged ouer head and eares so that I was not onely drawn from my vnspekable sinnes but also made a Communicant of the mysterie of his deuine maiestie by faith And to the ende it might please him to giue me grace to receiue it aright I praied vnto him on this wise O sweete Iesus and louing Redéemer I yéelde thée thankes for thy vnspeakable loue by the which thou hast purged me from the filth of sinne and pluckt me by thy grace out of the darke dungeon of death Beholde I reconcile my selfe vnto thée most heartely beséeching thée that thou wouldest vouchsafe amongst the great number of thy benefites of thy great liberalitie to giue me grace to bée a faithfull pertaker of thy precious body and bloud represented vnto me vnder the visible forme of bread and wine O immortall King I am not worthy I confesse of so great á benefite yet I beséech thée as thou doest make the vnworthye worthye and the sinners iust so make me worthy to receiue this holy blessed and heauenly Sacrament to my soules health Féede my sinfull soule O Lord with thy spirituall bodie and let thy bloud reuiue and quicken my spirite O make me by thy grace dailye encreasing in me a member of thy mysticall bodie that I maye bée included within the couenaunt and blessing which thou madest with thy Saints and Apostles in thy last Supper communicating vnto them the holy Sacrament of thy bodie and bloud and consequently that I maye be of the number of them which according to their vowe and promise made in Baptisme doe liue in faith and by thy grace are receiued into the company of Saints Amen This Praier being ended with all reuerence and deuotion I receiued the holy Sacrament and that being ended we went from the Chapple into a great hall where I met the good Hermite Vnderstanding whom when I had saluted and he me I thanked him for his good Sermon Then as wee were talking Gods grace saide vnto me Sir Knight I giue thée for thy Gouernour this good Hermite Vnderstanding belieue his counsell and doe what he commands thée Then I remembred my olde Gouernesse Folly whom I left in
Perseueraunce to continue with me charging me to kéepe her euer with me if I meant to be a Citizen of heauen For sayd she all other vertues without her are as nothing to winne heauen For it is written Who so perseuers vnto the end shall be saued And therefore if thou wilt be saued thou must continue Hereof we haue manye examples in the holye Scripture but I will touch twaine and no more When Saule was first created King of Israel hée was as lowly and as humble as the childe of one yeare old but hée continued not aboue two yeares in this his goodnesse For after he had put Perseueraunce awaye he became euill and grewe to be a cruell tyrant insomuch that he slewe many of the Lordes Priestes and persecuted good Dauid But what was his ende He was vanquished of his enimies and béeing giuen ouer of God he killed himselfe vppon the mount Gelboë Againe touching the same matter Iudas at the first when God made him an Apostle was good and duetifull but when he had put Perseueraunce away he became a théefe by couetousnesse hée betraied and solde his Maister Christ. But what was his ende He was forsaken of God became a reprobate fell into desperation and with an accusing conscience sore charginge him with the hainousnesse of his offence with a halter he hanged himselfe When I hearde Perseueraune saye so for feare least the lyke should befall to me I desired my counsailour Good vnderstanding to shew me the meanes howe I might kéepe Perseueraunce alwayes with me that in so doing I might not bée depriued of the glorious Citie of Heauen To which request of mine the good Hermit Vnderstanding tendering the safetie of my soule and hauing a carefull regarde to all mine endeauours did yeeld and spake to me in manner and forme following GOOD VNDERSTANDING SHEVVETH the Knight how to keepe Perseueraunce alwaies with him The tenth Chapter MY sonne the last point of thy soules health quoth Good vnderstaÌ„ding is to learne know how to tarrie wher thou art now without going back which if thou desire then must PerseueraÌ„ce neuer leaue thée for if she forsake thée once then must thou néeds loose the pleasure of lady Vertues pallaice wherin thou art now From whence if thou go backe thou shalt be sure to loose her and the ioyes of heauen Thou must therfore remaine constant in thy good minde without wauering the which to do thou must by deuout continual praier faithfully craue helpe of Gods grace without y e which no man can continue in goodnes And to accomplish all this thou must remember thrée things the first is thy life past the second thy life present the third thy life to come These thrée considerations will encourage thée to stay where thou art and as it were with a bridle will kéepe thee from recoiling 1 Think what thou hast done séene before time in following Folly how thou liuedst vaine worldling like yéelding to euery vaine concupiscence lust wherby thou diddest fall into the filth of sin diddest indaunger both thy body and thy soule hadst thy conscience accusing thée Oh where haddest thou ben if Gods grace had not taken compassion vpon thée Where be the worldlinges that wold not be sorrie for their sinnes Wher are they become Are they not condempned to euerlasting torments in hell fire Oh thinke then that sinne doth greatly offende God thinke what punishment God hath ordeined for sinne which makes man an enimye to God and a friende to the diuel thinke that sinne hath depriued thee of thy first innocencie and vertue making thee meate for hell-hounds amongest whome thou haddest bene numbred and counted if God of his grace had not pittied thée 2 Thinke that at this present time thou art in Gods fauour by the meanes of his grace who hath made thee a childe of God and an heire of heauen by hope so that now thy conscience is quiet Thinke what good consolations thou hast receiued by deuout praieng thinke what spiritual instructions Gods grace hath giuen to thee think all the pleasures of the world are mingled with sorows think that thou shalt haue no hurt if thou remaine where thou art for thou art in Gods kéepinge thinke that this worlde shall passe away with all the pompes and pleasures of the same thinke that thy present state is the high-waie to heauen and so shalt thou kéepe Perseueraunce 3 Thirdly thinke that the iust iudgement of God is to come which is to the good to giue Heauen and to the euill Hell Thinke thou must dye and that at thy death thou shalt not receiue so good consolation as thou hast had of Vertue and Gods grace in whose wholsome counsailes and admonishments thou oughtest to perseuer to the end Thinke that at thy death thou must leaue behinde thée wife children goods and monie Whether thou doe good or euill thinke that thou must goe to a region vnknowne and to a place where thou hast neuer bene and if thou be founde to haue dyed in sinne without repentaunce the Diuells will attend to take thy cursed bodie and thy dampned soule and will carrie both into the dungeon of darknesse there to féele eternall torments But if thou be found with Perseuerance in the Pallaice of Vertue millions of Angelles will goe before thée and with greate ioye will bringe thée to Heauen O thinke vpon the iust iudgement of God to come when euery one shal be iudged according to his déeds For God fauoureth neither king nor kaiser prince nor people high nor lowe rich nor poore without respect of person he wil crown the good and condempne the euill at that day of dome when we must appeare personally without excuse or exception before him Then euery one must be his own atturney when the iust Iudge at that day wil shew himselfe terrible to the peruerse which haue followed Voluptuousnesse and haue not heartely repented nor retyred from the filthy puddle of their sins But will be gentle iust good vnto those y t haue bene sorrie for their offences O thinke what torments the vnrepentant shal suffer both in bodie and soule perpetually wheras all such as haue perseuered in goodnesse to y e end shall receiue ioye and the fulnesse of God and of heauen In â—uch sort to perseuer in goodnes to the end do thine vtter indeauour thou shalt sée that God will be readie with his grace to blesse and to arme with constancie in thy Christian purpose A PROTESTATION VVHICH GOOD VNDERstanding taught the Knight to make euery day for the auoiding of temptations how he ought to huÌ„ble himselfe before God and what he should aske in his praier The xj Chapter MY sonne alwayes I wish thée to kéepe Perseuerance with thée by whome thou maist auoide temptations which woulde induce thée to sinne force thée to forsake the true Faith and also to transgresse the holy commaundementes of almightie God This to auoide I wish