one substaÌ„ce one essencyall god Se nowe I saye and take hede where and with whome you be And here knelynge or rather lyenge downe prostrate vpoÌ„ your face remayne byde dwell here styll / here expyre dye starke deed / vtterly that no soule ne spiryte be lefte or byde in youre body / but all for the tyme so ferre departed / nat onely from all thynges of the world but also from the selfe body that there lyenge as a luÌ„pe of cley be lefte without any senses or wyttes of heryng seynge smellynge tastyng or touchynges So done we rede as I sayde before of saynt Ambrose Aug. li. confes saynt Katheryne of Shene with diuers other This is nowe the moost hyghe poynte of this exercyse and practyse of dethe after the verye definicyon of deth Whiche as I sade is called a departynge of the soule from the bodye For in this dethe for that tyme youre soule is departed from youre body so that you be nat than youre selfe but deed clene froÌ„ your selfe For as the yren lyenge in the fyre / is by similytude al fyre so ben you al one with god Qui adheret deo / vnus spiritê° est â— Cor. vi â— Who so euer sayeth saynt Paule dothe cleue and stycke faste vnto our lorde is with hym one spiryte So ben you than that same thyng that you shall be / with our lorde hereafter that is al one with hym / dwellynge and abydynge in hym and he in you so al diuyne godly Say nowe good deuout soule yf you can thynke or suppose in conscyence that any faythfull christyane vsynge this exercise and so hauynge so large experyence practyse of deth / may haue fele or perceyue any notable payne in dethe / syth nowe in this deth so oftymes exercysed the bodye prycked with pynnes or nedyles feleth no payne at all Or howe may any horrour drede or feare troble or moue that person / that is in suche place with suche company and in such case as before we haue shewed yet saye you syr the deuyll wyll be present at my dethe / what than saye I so peraduenture / he wyll be at this dayly exercyse For so done we rede in the lyues and collacyons of the holy fathers / but that hathe alway ben and euer shall be vnto his coÌ„fusyon / rebuke and hurte / and vnto your triumphe glorye prayse But yet you saye that the syght of that greslye ghost can nat be without great feare wherunto I saye agayne that although the syght of hym be of it selfe horryble vgly fearefull / yet ben there dyuers coÌ„fortes redy at hande to helpe One is that may be sure he can nat hurt you An other is Ex tâ—â— diue Brigit li. vi ca. lxxxxiii â–ª the presence of the holy sayntes your sayde fryndes that wyll restrayne his power and malicyous wyll For they ben moche more valeant and myghty than he is And doubt you nat they wyll al be preste and redy there at the tyme about you / nat feyned but as faithfull frendes with whome well acquoynted and fully knowen / you ben nowe and of longe tyme haue ben very familyer and whomely Truste you surely in them for they wyll nat deceyue you For yf they dyd they were nat faithful / but rather feyned frendes For a very frende sayth the wyseman loueth at all tymes and euer is proued in necessyte or nede at dethe is most nede For although good loue and faythfull freÌ„dshyppe / be well proued in all the lyfe tyme yet is it better proued at the tyme of dethe / and best of all after deth For than coÌ„munely feyned freÌ„des done sone forget But these frendes wyll neuer forget you For as they nowe in your helth done dayly conforte and defeÌ„d you in all temtacyoÌ„s so wyl they at your deth delyuer you out of all daungers / afterwarde wyl they deduce lede coÌ„uey cary or bere you vp vnto the place coÌ„pany before rehersed And yet haue you no meruayle though in the meane tyme they suffre you to be troubled grudged with the opinyon of dethe with the drede of the vgly syght For they done so suffre for your welth meryte that you therby may be exercised with deth and so to be euer redy for it For dethe only semeth euyll and onely is feared by opinyon nat of any other ryght cause For deth of it selfe is very good to be loked wayted for receyued of all ê‘soÌ„s specially thus exercysed / nat onely without feare or drede of payne / but also as we sayd before with feruent desyre great ioy gladnes as the fynall conclusyon and laste ende of all miseryes sorowes and all euyls as the begynnynge of all welthe goodnes that is to saye of euerlastynge helthe and saluacyon in the blysse of heuyn Whyther he brynge vs that bought vs our lorde most swete sauyour Iesu Chryst that lyueth and reigneth with god the father / and with god the holy ghost world without ende Amen ⧠Thus after our poore abilyte haue made an ende of this poore labour of the dayly exercyse experyence and practyse of dethe * WHan I had wrytten vp this lytle werke redye to the pryntyng / it pleased a wyse and well lerned man to take the laboure to rede it ouer and to shewe his iudgement and mynde in dyuers thinges and places And amonge other because I had made mencyon in it / of raptes or transes vnto the whyche in bede very fewe ê‘sons done duely attayne or clymbe come so hye / he aduysed me to warne the deuoute reders therof / that they gyue nat to lyght credence to all suche persones For many of them haue disceyued manye men that were full holy and deuoute For those may sonest be deceyued in such persons because they euer suppose the beste in euery persone without suspicyon of euyll in any person And they ben moost glad to here that our lorde shulde so visyte and comforte hys people But yet such persones may also in them selfe be disceyued dyuersly For some such persons that were simple and very deuout haue ben disceyued by a wycked spiryte / that to illude and mocke them / hath traÌ„sfygured and shewed hym selfe as an angel of lyght / and hath shewed vnto the persones many thynges full good and godly / and some thinges to come after the forme of prophecy that haue truely coÌ„men to passe in effecte and all to cause them to gyue faythe and credence vnto other thynges vnlaufull and false But to wryte here howe such a spiryte shulde be knowen from an angel or a good spiryte it shuld be a longe werke and also superfluus syth who so euer haue mynde to se that matter / may haue it well and playnly set forth and declared in englysshe by a lerned maÌ„ a bacheler of diuinyte / one of our deuout bretherne lately departed whome Iesu
as longe as we byde in this corruptyble sory bodye we must loue / and euer proue that loue by contynuall penaunce and good werkes forsakynge all synne For els is all the penaunce the workes voyde and loste But yet foloweth nat therof that we shulde desyre longe lyfe ne shorte but as he wyll For to gyue vnto god frely fully and holly our wyll / so that we haue no wyll but his is the greattest gyfte that we can gyue vnto god and the thynge that he chefely requireth desyreth of vs / for he doth nat desyre our affliction ne penauÌ„ce / but gyue me saith he thyne hert that suffyseth me Than so to gyue vnto him the thynge that he fyrst gaue frely vnto vs that is fre wyll is that thyng that may best auoyde or make lesse that payne And so to say thynke wyl that yf he wolde haue vs longer in payne / we shulde consent and wyll so to be / yet forther we shuld rather chuse desyre payne ê‘petuall after his wyl thaÌ„ ioy euerlastyng contrarye vnto his wyll And this wil may be had iÌ„ fewe yeres short tyme. To wyll than Marcu trismeg ad Esclo pium and to desyre to be with god / by longe or shorte payne or withoute any payne as beste shall please hys gracyous goodnes / is the best meane nexte remedy and moost sure waye to auoyde fle and to minysshe payne / and in that wyll without feare drede of deth / or rather dispysynge deth to tary byde / in euery thing to suffre his wyll pleasure / euer redy for dethe and lokynge euery houre for deth with ferueÌ„t desyre / and wysshe to be with hym and to abyde here / for nothynge but only for hym / so that he be as saynt Paule sayth all our lyfe / and deth for his sake be vnto vs lucre Phil. i. gaynes wynnynge and auauntage In Tus The pagane Cicero sayeth that a wyse man wyll neuer feare dethe The reason why is that deth by reason of vncertayne chauÌ„ces doth dayly and hourely fall happye sodenly come vnto euery sorte / degre and maner of ages / and also because of the shortnes of our lyfe dethe can nat be longe absent from vs. For as saynt Ambrose sayeth we may be in certente that yf we lyue very longe yet shall we dye shortly De bono mortis ca. 1. ix For the longest of our lyues is very shorte / and specially yf we compare it vnto the longe life of eternite than is it nothynge nat so moche as one mote vnto the whole erthe / yet the commune people whan a yonge person departeth doth saye oh alas Vbi su it is pytie that such a ê‘son shuld dye thus and departe before his tyme / but hereunto he doth answere Before the tyme sayeth he / what tyme done they meane other that tyme that they wolde set and desyre or els that tyme that god hathe determyned and appoynted If they meane theyr tyme I wyll nat dispute ne reason with them But if they meane goddes tyme / than wyll I saye / that almyghtye god dothe nat gyue lyfe vnto any ê‘son for euer / as his owne thyng but rather dothe lende it As dette be payde whaÌ„ so euer it shal be axed and nat at any certayne day appointed / and as the detter may vse the dette so lent whyle he hathe it / and yet hath no wronge although it be axed soner than he wolde or yet than he supposed So in lyke maner god hath lent euery person lyfe but he poynted no daye whan he wyll axe and haue it agayne / that he dyd bycause he wolde that man shulde be alway redy to paye whan so euer he were called vpon Howe than may any person complayne or grudge whaÌ„ so euer he is taken by deth / syth he receyued life by that condicyon â–ª yet syr say they / the credytour and lender is called harde that calleth for the dette before the borower haue any gaynes or profet therof / so done we thiÌ„ke that god dealeth hardely with the yonge persones / because he taketh theyr lyfe before they haue any pleasure thereof Hereto nowe saye I they done suppose by erroure that is nothynge trewe / that is that in this lyfe shulde be pleasure / whiche in very dede well consydered is contrarye that is to say displeasure payne miserie wo and dethe And therfore those persones that come to dethe in theyr youthe / ben moch bounde to thaÌ„ke our lorde that hath delyuered theÌ„ from those incommodytes and miseryes that they shulde haue had and suffred in lenger lyuynge And here the coÌ„mune people suppose an other great errour that is / that longe lyfe shulde be good and pleasaunt where in dede longe lyfe taketh awaye all maner of goodes pleasures of this lyfe / that is to say the goodes of fortune / as landes possessyons golde syluer and other good es and cattell For age in longe life spendeth all / and getteth nothynge Cicero vbi sup It taketh away also the senses and wyttes of man / as hearynge syght smellynge tastynge and touchyng / with the other goodes of nature as youthe strength beaute and agilyte / nymlesse and quickenes And yet the goodes that ben more precyous and dere than al these that is to say memorye and remembraunce / reason vnderstandynge connynge and knowlege / maketh many tymes the wyll frowarde And doth rendre and make whole man bothe in soule and body full dull in deuocyon and in all maner of goodnes and vertue wherfore the wysman sayd Ec. vi b. Better is he and more happy that dyeth at the mothers wombe forthwith after his byrth / than is he the lyueth longe No person therfore of any age hath wroÌ„ge by deth for euery person by the lawe of synÌ„e is in the fyrste day of byrthe or rather in the fyrst day of lyfe mortall and subdued vnto deth / and in the fyrste daye of lyfe euery person begynneth to dye Augusti And therfore is it nat agayne the lawe for any persoÌ„ to dye at any tyme yonge or olde Let vs therfore good deuout chrystyanes put clene away and vtterly exyle this frayle and fals opinyon of deth / and let vs thynke verely and beleue / that in dethe is no wroÌ„ge but all ryght no payne but great pleasure In tus vbi sup all good nothyng euyll For as the oftsayde Cicero sayth howe may that thyng be vnto any person euyll and hurt that almyghty god hath ordayned vnto all persones indifferentlye / for theyr good and profet and as the ende of all euyles Good lorde thaÌ„ howe curragyously gladly shuld that iourney and voyage be interprysed taken / whiche ones made and finysshed no care newoo / no thought ne busynes / no turmoyle â–ª ne trouble no slryfe ne debate / no payne ne disease / no vexacyon ne
that we speke of here must nedely be had by experyence / and experyence by exercyse and vse So that yf you wyll haue the actyue knowledge of dethe / by the arte and crafte therof you must begynne fyrste at exercyse and vse And yet can no man put a thynge vnto exercyse / without some introduction and leadynge therunto / other by techynge studye or naturall disposicyon you muste than knowe fyrst what the thing is that you shall put in exercyse / and so to haue experyence and knowledge therof that is to say you must knowe what dethe is / or what is ment by this terme or worde dethe For the selfe terme deth dothe signifye / and is taken dyuersly iÌ„ dyuers maners Somtyme dethe is taken called a chaunge of lyfe So the coÌ„mune people done often vse it as whan they say of a deed person / he is nat deed say they out he hathe chaunged his lyfe / and so dothe saynte Ambrose say as we shewed before De bono mortis And yet chaunge of lyfe is called deth in dyuers other maners As whan a person dothe fall by synne froÌ„ good lyfe vnto the state of damnacyon or contrary / whan he doth aryse by grace from synne vnto the state of saluacyon Ro. vi â— Saynt Paule dothe shewe bothe vnto the Romaynes / as whaÌ„ he sayeth that in our baptysme we ben buryed with Chryst vnto deth from synne / and we byleue we shall aryse agayne with Chryste vnto a newe lyfe of grace Rom. i. â— And for the tother parte he sayeth that occasyon hathe deceyued the frayle person / and so hathe slayne hym brought him to deth This chaunge of life is Augusti that spirytuall dethe / that as saynt Augustyne sayeth doth departe god from the soule For god is the lyfe of the soule / whan god than is by synÌ„e departed there from the soule is deed And this is the deth onely to be feared abhorred / as the worste dethe of all dethes / and yet to saye trouthe there is none other dethe euyll / except onely that dethe that must nebely folowe this deth / that is to say the deth of both body and soule eterne and euerlastyng damnacyon The other maner of dethe that I spake of / that is the chauÌ„ge of euyll lyfe vnto good / and of the whiche as I sayde saynt Paule wrote vnto the Romanes Rom. vi is a good deth / whiche you and euery faythfull persone haue exercysed and oft put in vse by reason of the holy sacramentes And whan nede shal requyre ben redy so to do / whan I speke here of euyll lyfe to be chauÌ„ged I meane nat the state onely of mortall or deedly synne For many persones that ofte done vse the sacrameÌ„tes / done lyue without any deedly synne / but I meane the lyfe spotted with any vyce or synne Mercu. trismeg For a great clerke sayeth Omne donuÌ„ nostruÌ„ mixtum est cuÌ„ malo Euery thinge good that is ours / doth appertayne vnto vs is mixed or myngled with euyll So that our whole lyfe is euer mixed coupled cumbred with some vise euyll / which natwithstandynge may by the grace of the sacramentes be dayly purged and so our life chauÌ„ged / and we therby haue the exercyse vse experyence of this deth But yet is there an other maner of deth called of lerned meÌ„ meditatio mortis / that is to meane the meditacion that is to saye the cogytacyon thought and remembraunce / the busynes tractacyon or intreatye mencyon disputacyon of dethe Tota vita philosophorum meditatio mortis est All the whole lyfe of philosophers and wyse men saye they is the coÌ„mentacyon remembraunce mencyon or disputacyon of deth / oft mencyon remeÌ„braunce / oft disputacyon and discussyon of any thyng doth cause it to be the better knowen Cicero Macer libro i. de somno SipioÌ„is Eras in Euchr. And men coÌ„munely wyll make oft mencion speke and talke often of that thyng wherunto they haue desyre loue or haue good mynde and affection And coÌ„trarye they wyl nat here tell of that thyng that they hate and loue nat and so is it of many persones that wyll nat here speke ne any mencyon made of deth And yf by chaunce any mencyon be made of dethe agayne theyr myndes and wylles / they wyll lyfte vp the hande and blesse them or els murmure out softly some supersticyous prayers as though they harde speke of the deuyll / or of some abhomynable cruell dede And certaynly it is no meruayle thoughe suche persones be affrayde to dye and lothe therunto / because they be nat acquoynted with deth nor be exercysed therin But as in case a person that longe tyme had layne fetred in prysone / coulde nat for lacke of exercyse go faste ne renne whan he were newly put vnto lyberte / so these maner of persones wrapped in the worlde / fetred in the flesshe / can nat quyckely and couragyouslye for lacke of experyence walke the way of deth whiche natwithstaÌ„dyng they must nedely trede / passe whether they wyll or no. Lacke I say of exercyse vse and experyence / causeth these persones to feare and drede dethe As by example chyldren and some women or such ê‘sones neuer had experieÌ„ce ne knowledge of a bugge that is a personage that in playe dothe represent the deuyll at the fyrst syght / ben moche affrayde therof in so moche that some ê‘sones haue ben in ieoê‘dye to lose theyr wytte reasoÌ„ therby But whaÌ„ they afterward haue knowledge what it was by vse haue experieÌ„ce therof they ben than nothyng affrayde therof but rather done take pleasure ther in So is it of them that haue nat the experieÌ„ce of deth / bycause they will nat take but rather wyll they fle / auoyde / the vse exercise therof But yf they knewe what / how great profet there is in the exercyse / meditacyon oft recorde remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of dethe they wolde nat fle nor auoyde it but rather with studye diligence gyue applye them selfe dayly therunto Ec. i. d. Psalmê° xxxviii The wysemaÌ„ saith Fili memorare nouissima tua c. In al thy werkes sone sayth he remembre thy laste ende / and thou shalte neuer offende god The prophete therfore prayde vnto our lorde sayenge Notum fac mihi domine finem meum Good lorde sayeth he let me haue knowledge of my last ende as though he sayd Good lorde gyue me grace that by the dayly exercyse and meditacyoÌ„ of deth I may haue an experyence and knowledge of my last ende euermore to be redy therunto / accordyng vnto thy wyll pleasure Nothyng is more valyaunt to expell and put awaye synne from the soule nor yet more profytable to replenyssh garnysshe the soule with good vertues then is the dayly exercyse meditacyon of dethe But howe to put apply
that euer was done before or that shuld be done after / as though all that synne had ben his synne he the doer therof onely trespasser So was ê“phecied he shuld do Esai liii âšœ Vere languores nrÌ„os ipse tulit dolores nrÌ„os ipse portauit / et posuit dnÌ„s in eo iniquitateÌ„ oiÌ„m nrÌ„m that is to say âšœ Verely he hath suffred our langores and he hathe borne our dolours sorowes and hurtes our lorde hathe leyde vppon hym the iniquitie / wykydnes of all vs. Here nowe in this place you may bryng coÌ„uenyently into your meditacion all the lyfe of our lorde / and sauyour Iesu after the maner of our sayd boke for housholders / or in some other forme of notable auctours you haue many / we haue also set the same forthe at length but bycause so many haue wryten therin we haue not cured to sende it forthe in prynt There is also a lytle werke in print the oure reuerend father dyd put forth / that for this mater is moche profitable / you may haue it for i d. yf you se but only the tytles you shall lyke it well and so is the golden letany with many other / wheÌ„ you coÌ„me vnto the ende of that holy / and most profitable / also vnto this entrepryse of communion / moste conuenient meditacion that you haue sene / byholded well in your soule all the processe of his passyon / dethe / and buryall / then loke agayne / who he was that dyd all thys for whom he dyd so greate and wonderfull thynges Remembre well he was a great lorde thyn owne propre lord and for whome suffred he all thys For the his seruauÌ„d bonde caytyue he was not onely a lorde but also a kynge an emperour kynge of kynges Apoc. xix and lorde of lordes / and of all that haue dominacion gouernauÌ„ce And for whom dyd he suffre For the man hys owne vile subiecte And yet forther he was not onely a kynge lorde but also very God / creator / and maker of all And for whome dyde he thus For a stynkyng lumpe of drytty and slyme erthe And yet se what he was aboue all thys a speciall frende and most trewe louer that for faythfull freÌ„deshyppe very feruent loue / and therin excedyng passyng all loue dyd all this And for whom dyd he so For a false traytor a moste vnkynde wretche his enemy foo And yet he most innoceÌ„t for the moste gylty And yet coÌ„sydre not onely how excelleÌ„t great the dignite of his person was that dyd all this but also howe great a thyng it was that he dyd / for so vnworthy a ê‘son Fyrst where he was esseÌ„ciall god / he made him selfe maÌ„ to make the a god And where he was in most hyghe honour he the selfe same essenciall honour most honorable he made hym selfe moste vyle spitefull to gyue the honour to make the honorable yet wher he was iÌ„ most hygh liberte he hym selfe the very liberte fredom of all liberties he made hym selfe bonde to gyue the fredom to put the at liberte And to coÌ„clude he that was the very selfe life of all lyuynge creatures toke wylfully / after most peynfull passion most shamefull deth / and all to gyue the lyfe Loke well nowe se what can be or who maye haue more charite then one frende to suffre dethe for an other he toke that deth as I sayde for his enemie Nowe you haue thus in your meditacion brought our sauyour vnto dethe nowe se hym buried after whiche deth and buriall no man may after the course of the worlde do more for his frend but as is sayde dye for hym / yet not withstondyng oure sauioure dyd more / for wher by his deth he had lefte his frendes in greate sorowe disconfort he sone after reysed hym selfe by his godly power vnto lyfe agayne / and appered vnto them / whiche thinge amonge the people of this worlde had bene a meruelouse ioy / and conforte / of theyr louynge freÌ„de / and suerly so it was vnto his disciples frendes But yet consydre a forther kyndnes / that is that he dyd not onely aryse and appere in the same selfe body but also where that body at his deth was all deforme as a lepre out of frame and fashoÌ„ by reason of moste cruell intrety dealyng he repared the same agayn vnto the syght / and coÌ„forte of his frendes into a more goodly more brawtuouse forme than it was byfore with clearty bryghtnes vnspekeable And where that body byfore was heuy and dull and myght not by nature be remoued from one place vnto a nother but in due space of tyme he made hyt nowe of suche agilite so quycke so nimble / so lyght and so swyft that it myght be in two or thre many mo places in a moment / in the space or tyme of the loke or twynklynge of an eye And yet where that body was byfore his dethe so grosse in quantite that it myght not entre but into a due space of mesure in lengthe and brede accordynge vnto the same body it myght now after his resurrexcion entre go thorough any dores wyndowes / stone walles as the sonne goeth through the glasse And yet ouer all this where that body was byfore passible and mortall myght suffre and dyd suffre payne passion hurt or greue and also dethe now he brought it into such a state and case that it is impassible and immortall that is to say neuer maye suffre any noyans ne euer possible to dye agayne Rom. vi This haue we shewed not onely for the ordre of your meditacion but also for the syngular coÌ„fort of all synfull soules IdeÌ„ .iiii. That as our lorde Iesu dyed for our synnes and arose agayne for our iustificacioÌ„ so euery synful soule wyllynge to forsake synne hauyng the fayth of Christe maye dye and be buried with our sauyoure in his holy sacramentes baptisme and coÌ„fession Ro. vi and so leuyng all deformite of synne the soule may arayse vnto a newe maner forme of lyuyng and be more speciouse beawtuouse and more goodely in the syght of god Luc .xv. and more acceptable then euer it was byfore more ioye shall be made in heuen for one suche a person retorned froÌ„ synne theÌ„ for many other that neuer dyd synne let this suffice for the fourthe consyderacion of your sayd meditacioÌ„ that is to say in coÌ„syderyng the werke of iustificacioÌ„ ¶ The fyft consyderacion of the werke of remuneracion NOwe lett vs ê“cede forther vnto the worke of remuneracion or rewardyng and all is to moue and stere your affectioÌ„ your loue and deuocion vnto our lord For although in the syght of this world it were a maruelouse great kyndnes for any frende to paye his frendes dette and delyuer him out of pryson
preuy frō your audytour me thynketh it shulde be a greate suretye for you to make euery day ones your sayd accoūte by your selfe The cōmune prouerbe is that ofte rekenynge holdeth lōg fellawshype I wold aduyse you therfore to spēde some tyme ther vpō at nyght after all your occupaciōs before your bed there knele downe ther begynne to remēbre wheder ye wēte what ye dyd īmediatly after your morowe exercise in what company ye were what was there your behauiour and demanour ī werke worde or thought and so go forth vnto euery place / tyme cōpany as brekefaste / dyner / soupper / or drynkynge / where you fynde or perceyue any thyng that was good / vertuous / and profytable / ascribe and apply that vnto our lorde god gyue vnto him all the glory laude prayse therof / for he alone is the gyuer of all goodnes / so ouer passe that thynge lyghtly And where ye remēbre of any speciall thynge done / sayd / or thought amysse / stycke byde thervpō / bulte it as they say tourne it vp so downe / try the weyght daunger therof with all the maner and circumstaunce of the same So may ye knowe the quātytie therof that is to say howe greate a synne or howe lyttell it is / howe be it none offence cane be lyttell that doth offēde god surely euery synne is offence done vnto god although it seme to be done vnto mā For as the loue of god doth begyn̄e at the loue of the neyghbour For he the loueth nat his neyghbour i. Ioh. ii whō he may se with his bodyly eye or syght sayth saynt Iohn̄ howe may he loue god whome he cā nat so se so in lyke maner the offence of the neyghbour is forth with the offence of god Consyder therfore vnto whome the trespas is done so that consyderacion with the other qualyties and quantyties of the synne shall bryng you vnto a basshemēt therof and to be sory therfore or at the leest to wyll or wysshe that ye had nat so done Thā mekely crye god mercy / and aske hym forgyuenes therof with very pourpose and mynde to be confessyd therof at due tyme and to take and do penaunce therfore And I dare assure you that this maner of accoumpte rekenynge though your synne were neuer so greate shall saue you frō the ieopardy of dānaciō / which is no lytell grace goodnes of God Thanke hym than lowly therfore and so blesse your selfe as you dyd in the morning / and your bedde also / go therevnto and so cōmytte your selfe all hole body and soule vnto the protection / custody and kepyng of our lorde who gyue you good nyght and good reste Amen It shall be ryght well also that ye cal vpon suche holy sayntes as you haue speciall deuocion vnto vnder this fourme or some other lyke Blessed lady Mary mother of god alway vgin I beseche the pray for me for all Christians Holy angell of god what so euer thou be that arte deputed and appoynted vnto my custody I submyttynge me with most lowly obedience beseche the to pray for me for all the worlde Saynt Michaell saynt Gabriell saynt Raphaell with all holy angels archāgels I beseche you pray for me for all people Saynt Iohn̄ baptyste and all holy patriarkes and prophetes I beseche you pray for me for all christendome Saynt Peter saynte Paule saynte Iohn̄ the euangeliste and all holy apostles euāgelistes I beseche you pray for me for all the worlde and you also all disciples of our lorde and holy Innocentes Saynte Stephan and all holy martyres Saynte Augustine / and all holy confessours / all religious persones and heremites Saynt Katheryne / saynt Margarete saynte Barbara and all holy virgines I beseche you praye for me / and for all persones And fynally all you holy sayntes of heuē of euery degre and state where you be I beseche you all in generall / and eueryche in speciall / praye for me all mākynde Here may you brynge in the patrones of your churches or dioces and suche as you haue as I sayd synguler deuotion vnto And here an ende as vnto your selfe ¶ The persone for the housholde Syr / this werke is good for religious persones / and for suche persones as bene solytary and done lye alone by thē selfe / but we done lye .ii. or .iii. somtyme together / and yet in one chambre dyuers beddes so many in company / if we shulde vse these thynges in p̄sence of our fellowes some wold laugh vs to scorne moke vs. ¶ The housholder O bone Iesu O good lorde Iesu what here I nowe I dar well say there bene but fewe persones in Englande but they wolde byde some daunger or rebuke for pleasure of theyr kynge or prynce and many for theyr mayster or maistres or theyr soueraynes and some for theyr frendes and fellowes specially where great gaynes shulde growe therby vnto thē selfe And for the pleasure of God our father and of our swete sauyoure Iesu our brother shulde we be abasshed to take daūger bere a poore mocke or scorne that neuer shall woūde our flesshe ne yet tere our skyn̄e for the pleasure of our pereles prynce kynge of kynges / lorde of all lordes Fye for shame that any christian shulde be so cowardous Ventre vpon it go forth withall In .ix. dayes as they saye the daūger shal be past / fere nothinge Euery begynnyng is harde and of greate diffyculte Omne principium difficile Labor īprobus oīa vincit But īportune labour doth vayn quysshe ouercome all thynges I tell you this dayly exercise by custome and vse shall seme very shorte and swete profytable and pleasaunt Rede it or here it ouer ones or twyse at the leest before you caste it awaye How be it we thynke it nat sufficiēt nor ynough for vs to lyue well our selfe but the all other christians also lyue the better for vs and by our example specially those that we haue ī charge gouernaunce that is to saye our chylder and seruaūtes And me semeth it shuld also be a good pastyme and moche meritorious for you that cane rede to gather your felowes about you on the holy day specially the yonge sorte and rede to them this pore lesson For therin be suche thynges as bothe you and they bene bounde to knowe or can say that is the Pater noster the Aue maria and the Crede / with suche other thynges as done folowe I wold therfore you shuld begynne with them by tyme in youth as sone as they cā speke For it is an olde saynge Quod noua testa capit inueterata sapit The pot or vessell shall euer sauour or smell of the thynge wherew t it is fyrste seasoned And your englysshe prouerbe saythe / that the yong cocke croweth as he doth here and lerne of the olde
apperteyneth belongeth vnto almyghty god hym selfe And in that parte ben conteyned the thre fyrste commaundementes and all those thre commaundementes ben coÌ„teyned in this one commaundemeÌ„t of the gospell Loue god aboue all thynges And in the seconde parte or seconde table bene the other seuen coÌ„teyned whiche done apperteyne belonge vnto the neygbour And yet all those .vii. ben agayne coÌ„teyned in this one commaundement of Christe Loue thy neghboure as thy selfe I declaracion of the sayde pÌ„ceptes The fyrste ¶ yet may you go ferther with them / some what to teache them what they meane For whane you saye that we maye haue no mo goddes but one alone that is to meane that we shulde loue nothynge so well as god Whan soeuer that a persone doth sete his harte mynde vpon any creature more than vpon god / so that he wolde rather displease god breake his lawes and ordynaunces than for to leue forbere the affection or pleasure of the creature / than hath he a strauÌ„ge god a nother god for thaÌ„ that thyng is his god / for that which he doth forsake god and dothe coÌ„trary vnto his wyll ordynauÌ„ce And here good and deuoute christians be well ware warne all yours of these suê‘sticious wytchecraftes and charmes that bene moche vsed and done deceyue many persones that for the vnlawfull loue vnto the helthe of theyr bodyes or of theyr chyldreÌ„ or beastes or other goodes lost or stoleÌ„ wyll go seke wysmeÌ„ or wysewomeÌ„ for so they don call the deuels proctours that done vse suche wytchcraftes and charmes theÌ„ doÌ„ they seke I say and put them selfe subiecte vnto the false god the deuyll and his cerimonyes to get helthe vnlawfully by the meanes of that wytchecrafte forboden by the churche vnder payne of cursynge And yet the symple people done suppose wene they do nothynge offend therin For I haue herde them say full often my selfe Syr we meane well / we done byleue well / we thynke it a good charitable dede to hele a seke ê‘sone / or a seke beest trouth they say / but yet it is neyther good ne charitable to helpe the by vnlawfull meanes And suerly that meane is vnlawfull For good reason wyll admitte that no sore sekenes may be heeled but eyther by nature or by medicine or by myracle If a fynger be cutte or small surfet takeÌ„ nature in a whyle wyll heele the persone But in all greuous diseasis medicine is the coÌ„mune meane of helth but sure ben they that suche charmes or wytchcraftes be no medicins For thaÌ„ shulde they heele as well by one persone as by a nother And no maÌ„ byleueth they ben myracles ergo they muste nedely by the deuels crafte that do deceyue the symple persones dothe hurte some teached that waye vnlawfully to brynge them in his dauÌ„ger For you wyll grauÌ„te that he were a fole that for the helthe of his horse legge wold lose one of his owne haÌ„des or one of his owne eyes / yet is he more fole in dede that for any creature wolde lose his soule But yet some haue sayd to me Syr / howe may this charme be euell or a mys whaÌ„ all thynges be good / as by example The charmer is a good man or a good woman and taketh here a pece of whyte breade and sayde ouer the breade nothynge but onely the Pater noster maketh a crosse vpon the breade / whiche thynges ben all good thaÌ„ doth he nothyng els but ley that pece of breade vnto the toth the aketh or vnto any other sore tournynge the crosse vnto the sore or dysease so is the persone heeled Howe maye this be euyll nowe say they I say agayne it is euyll and dampnable bycause the faythe byleue of the hole mater resteth in that applycacion of the crosse whiche hathe no naturall oê‘acion but is a cerimony vnlawfull For although all other thynges here ben good yet done they nothynge auayle without that cerymony so is all a charme and vnlawfull and naught whiche may euydently be knowen for nought vnlawfull bycause the churche doth condempne forbede all suche whiche thyng surely that lerned churche of god guyded euer by the holy ghost wold neuer haue done if it were good and lawfull And therfore in any wyse let none of your folks vse any suche The seconde ¶ Now for the seconde precepte whiche is that no persone shulde take the name of god in vayne warne your folkes take good hede vnto theÌ„ that they be no coÌ„mune swerers For it were lesse ieopardy for you to haue in your house a thefe or a steler a lecher or vnclen lyuer thaÌ„ an vsuall swerer For a great othe accustomed doth prouoke the sodeyne vengeauÌ„ce of god The scripture sayth De domo iuraÌ„tis non recedet plaga Ecclesi xxiii b. The customable swerer shall euer be full of iniquite synne / the plage of the vengeunace of god shall contynually haÌ„ge ouer that house Ibidem Let not thy mouth be vsed vnto swerynge sayth the scripture For the customable swerer shall neuer be clene purged of synÌ„e Wherfore I dare well say that swerynge is one of the great causes of all these sodeyne plages amonge men and beastes as pestilence pockes swetynges and moreyns with suche other And I byleue verely none of you wold be glad to kepe in his hous a lepre or any persone infected with any of the forsayd plages And yet is a swerer more peryllous thaÌ„ any of them For his othe may slee or infecte your chylde in the cradle or stryke your beastes in the feeldes destroy your corne graynes and cause pryuely many myscheues And yet many persones done thynke byleue that if they swere trouth they do no synne but they be surely deceyued as by case If a persone wolde prynte coyne monye of good syluer or good golde kepynge also the due weyghte and facion that thynge wolde nothynge excuse the persone vnto the kynge or his lawes thoughe also he proued the money were good lawfull money For the kynges law is / that no persone shall prynte or coyne any money but suche as be assygned by hym and that also in the place appoynted thervnto So in lyke maner the lawe of god is that no persone shall swere any othe / excepte it be at the appoyntemente or coÌ„maundemente of suche a persone that hath iust power to requyre and to take an othe and that also muste be done in due place that is to saye before a lawfull iudge And so may the persone lawfully swere so euer that the swerer do thynke and byleue in true and vnfeyned conscience that his othe is true And els that is to saye without these circumstauÌ„ces and suche other causes expressed in the lawe no persone may swere though it be neuer so true that he swereth If than to swere true is synne and dothe prouoke the hyghe displeasure of
louyng chyldrē be euer obedient vnto the iugement and discrecion of your parētes And so be you obedient in all your werkes that you therby may be the chyldren of saluacion that is to saye that youre obedience be done with the very loue of your harte vnfayned without dissymulacion For god hath ordeyned that the father shall haue due honoure amonge his chyldren the mother in lyke maner with lowly obedience Those persones that done loue god wyll pray vnto hym for the forgyuenes of theyr synnes afterwarde wyll beware cōteyne kepe them selfe from them And in the dayly prayer they shall graciously be herde And lyke as a persone for the surete of his lyuynge here doth horde vp gather treasure / so done they ordeyne for the suerte of theyr saluaciō that duely done honoure theyr parentes This worde parentes doth sygnifye bothe the father and mother Who so euer doth duely honoure his parētes shall haue ioy pleasure conforte amonge his owne chyldren And who so euer is duely obediēt vnto the father dothe therby refresshe moche cōforte the mother And these persones that done due honoure vnto theyr parētes shall haue longe lyfe and in the daye of theyr prayer they shall gracyously be herde of our lorde haue theyr petycion Those persones that haue a reuerende drede vnto our lorde god haue in lyke maner a reuerende drede vnto theyr parentes / and done duely honour them and wyll do them suche seruyce and in lyke maner as a bonde seruaunte shuld do vnto his lorde and mayster as well in werke as worde with all pacience and gentylnes Do therfore to your parētes honoure and reuerence that the blessynge of God maye therby lyght vpon you and that blessynge shall remayne and endure vnto your last ende The blessynge of the parentes doth fyrme and make stable the possessions and the kynred of the chyldren And contrary the cursse of the parentes dothe eradicate rotewalt vtterly destroy bothe Chylde neuer take thou pleasure ne pryde in the rebuke disprayse of thy parentes .. For that rebuke is not thy glory boste nor prayse but rather thy confusyon shame rebuke For the glory and prayse of euery persone standeth in the honoure of the parētes And a great shame and rebuke is it vnto the chyldren whan the parentes bene without honoure and reuerence Good chyldren take good pacience with the age of your parentes and neuer displease ne greue them in all your lyfe And if they fayle ī wytte or vnderstandynge therafter speke or do any thynge contrary vnto your reason or wytte / take you pacience with them let the mater passe And in no wyse do you not dispise thē bycause of your owne strēgth or better abilite For the pyte and compassion that you haue vnto your parētes shall neuer be forgoten before God For you shall haue good and profyte of theyr offence synne And in the iustyce ryght you do vnto them shall you be edifyed and encreace in vertue And ī the tyme of your trybulaciō that good dede shal be remembrede For as the yce in the frost doth melte by the clere sonne beames so shall your synnes by your duety done vnto your parētes be wasted and clene losed for gyuē That persone is of euyll name and fame that doth forsake the parentes in theyr nede And those chyldren bene accursed of god that done anger vexe trouble theyr parentes Chylde of what state or degre so euer thou be do euer thy duty with myldenes mekenes and lowlynes than shalt thou be well by loued and praysed aboue other persones And the more hyghe estate thou come vnto the more meke and lowly be thou in all thynges and thā shalt thou in the presence of god haue great merite and encrease in grace For God doth loke vpon thē that done rendre gyue due thankes for the fauoure goodnes done vnto them before Ad verbum ferme translata All this nowe is the very texte and lettre of the holy scripture in the place before rehersed Where you may se perceyue many great commodytes and graces that done come vnto them that duely don honoure theyr parētes And many great ieopardyes and peryles and also the curse of god / that doth lyght vpō thē that wyll not do theyr duety of honour and reuerence vnto theyr parentes Let therfore your chyldrē vse and accustome thē selfe dayly to aske theyr fathers and mothers blessynges For this dare I saye that although in case the father or mother were an abhomynable synner Er Gre. lib. d ▪ alo iii. ca. vii or excommunycate accursed / or an heretyke though the chylde were so also yet myght that crosse of the blessynge of that father or mother saue that chylde frome sodeyne myschefe that els myght haue come vnto that chylde And the crosse may also do flee or chace away euyll spirites that els shulde haue had power vpon that chyld The blessynge of euery good person is good not without greate vertue accordynge vnto the power and degre of the persones therfore teche thē also to aske blessyng of euery bisshope abbote euery preste and of theyr godfathers godmothers with other deuoute persones And let this suffyse for this fourthe commaundemente ¶ yet go ferther vnto the fyfthe cōmaundemente The fyfthe precepte whiche is to kyl or sle no persone Teche thē there / that it is not ynoughe that they put no persone to deth by stroke of hāde or wepē but also that they hurte no persone in name or fame by detraction backebytyng or sclaūderynge or by euyll example of lyuynge nor yet that they curse or banne or wysshe euyll vnto any persone or yet hate any persone in herte i. Ioh. iii. For as scripture sayth who so euer dothe bere in the harte or mynde any hatered malyce euyll wyll or stomacke agaynste any christian is an homicide that is a mansleer or a manqueller Many persones wyll say they ben in charyte and haue no hatered vnto any persone and yet wyll they not speke one to a nother and that is a sygne and token that preuy hatered is in the harte that they do not loue theyr neyghboure as thē selfe in the true and vnfayned charyte of our lorde And sure it is the who so euer dothe not hooly and fully loue his neyghbore i. Iohan. iiii d. whome he may se behold with his bodyly syght he cane neuer loue god / whome he cane not se nor so beholde This is than the commaūdement of God that who so euer doth loue god muste also loue his neyghboure The .vi. precepte The syxthe cōmaundemēt is that no lechery be done / whiche is not mente onely for the vnlawful dede but also for all maner of prouocacion therunto / as wanton and lyght behauyours in kyssynge clyppynge and vnclene touchynge a lyght loke or caste of the syghte Math. v d. with a
seruauÌ„t Let glotony and thy purse stryue and go to lawe together and beware thou well whiche parte thou takest but for the moste parte alway holde with the purse For glotons men of lawe and wytnesses / done speke all of affection but the purse bryngeth in playn euidence and profe the empte barne and the empte bagge But if very negardy shut vp thy purse than arte not thou an euen iudge For nygardy is a folysshe and nedeles fere / and euer lyuynge in pouerte hourdeth muckereth vp he can not tell for whome If you haue pleÌ„ty of corne desyre no derth For those persones that of couetous mynde done procure or desyre derth done procure desyre the deth of the poore and shal be accused as homicides maÌ„sleers Sell thy corne better chepe vnto thy neyghbure althouhg he were thyne enemye thaÌ„ vnto strauÌ„gers For an enemye is somtyme soner vaynquysshed and ouercomen by a kynde dede / than by the swerde Be neuer at debate with thy neyghbure but rather study / laboure to be at one For thou canst haue none so sure a castel / or garde of thy lyfe as is the loue and frendshype of thy neghbure If thou suspecte the womeÌ„ of thy house let other persones rather shewe the / thaÌ„ thou shulde be ouer busy to try out the mater For though it were of thyne owne wyfe / or the wyfe of the husbande it were better vnknoweÌ„ For ones knoweÌ„ it is neuer cured / the wounde is wtout remedy If any remedy be it shal be whan lyke chaunce is herde of other ê‘sones The lest most easy way therin is to dissimule the mater though it were pryuely knoweÌ„ / and pretende ygnorauÌ„ce without any quarell or coÌ„tenaunce but rather by a dyscrete ghostly father let the parties be reformed the synne be not contynued A noble harte / hygh gentyll mynde wyll neuer serche of womeÌ„s maters A shrew wyll soner be corrected by smyling or laughynge than by a staffe / or strokes The beste way to kepe a womaÌ„ good is gentyll intreaty neuer to let her knowe that she is suspected / euer to be counseyled informed with louing maner An olde woman vnclene of lyuyng if the lawe wolde suffre shuld be buried quycke Let your clothynge or aray Of aray be in a meane nor vyle ne precyous but alway fayre honest / and of sad and not of wanton fasshyon A costly garmeÌ„te beyonde or aboue the state and degre of the persone is a sygne and tokeÌ„ of lytell wytte For a woman that hath suffyciente araye to desyre newe / and chaunge is a synge of lytell sadnes âšœ Truste hym rather for thy frende that somwhat doth for the than hym that doth offre hym selfe saynge I am yours in all I can may For in wordes is great plenty of frendes Prouerb xvii c * A true frende loueth at all tymes and neuer fayleth at nede There is no comparyson of ryches vnto a faythfull frende Ecclesi x. b * Neuer repute ne thynke hym thy frende that doth prayse / or boste the vnto thy face or in thy presence Whan you gyue couÌ„seyle vnto a freÌ„de say this semeth best vnto me not thus you muste nedely do For you may soner get rebuke or blame for your couÌ„seyle if it proue not than thaÌ„ke for your good counseyle though it spede well If mynstreles iogulers or gesters come vnto thy house saye thou haste no lodgynge for suche gestes / you kepe neyther Inne nor alestake For if you take pleasure in theyr pastymes you bene full lyke to haue a nother wyfe shortly after whose name is called pouerte or beggry If you fortune to come wher they ben and begynne somwhat to delecte in theyr maters I aduyse you dissymule take vpon you that you herde theÌ„ not / ne set any thynge therby For if they perceue se you but laugh they wyl take that for an ernest to crye largesse / and to haue reward And so importune wyll they be / so shaÌ„fully craue that you shal be yrke and wery of them peradueÌ„ture they wyll fall to rebukynge / braulynge and scoldynge so that you shal be fayne glade to gyue somwhat for fere vnto those galowe clappers worthy in dede to be hanged vp For I tell you god is not pleased with that occupacion except it be as scaÌ„t tolerable or alowable among prynces lordes / and hyghe estates Now for your seruauÌ„tes if you haue a seruauÌ„t of hyghe proude mynde stubburne stomake put hym away lest after he do you harme so do hym that alway doth prayse your maners in all thinges For a flaterer is worse than an enemye your enemy can not lyghtly deceyue you but your seruauÌ„ts or your neyghbours that do prayse you bene surely aboute to deceyue you Ecclesi vii c. xxxiii d If you haue a basshefull dredefull seruaunte fynde hym faythfull / than loue hym cherysshe hym as your owne naturall chyld Make your buyldynges rather for nede than for plesure For the appetyte of buyldyng for pleasure shall neuer haue ende tyll pouerte teche wyt soÌ„what to late Be loth to sell your herytage if you muste nede sell Sell not vnto great persones but rather for lesse vnto the lower persones Better is to sell thaÌ„ to borow by vsury For vsury is lyke a thefe that wolde warne you before what harm he wold do vnto you If you bye or bergayn be not buty fellow with great persones And though he be vnder you yet stryue not with hym leste he put his parte vnto your better or master In all thinges kepe truely faythfully your bonde promyse accordyng vnto your couenauÌ„te Due temperauÌ„ce is a thynge of greate honesty in a houshold let therfore your drynke wyne / ale / or bere / be temperate Strong drynke is more pleasauÌ„te / than holsome Ecclesi xxxi d The wyse man sayth that sobre drynke is the hel-the both of soule and body Ibidem And the wise lerned persone wyl be ryght well contente with lytell drynke that shall not trouble the stomake / but rather cause swete and holsome slepe and of the contrary done come many incoÌ„modytes as there doth folowe Who so euer among many dyuers stroÌ„ge drynkes with haboundauÌ„ce therof is sobre / may be called an erthly god or a god vpon erth wrastle not therwith if you do my couÌ„sell And if by chauÌ„ce you be in coÌ„pany begynne to fele the drynke werke aryse and departe a slepe is more mete for you than any coÌ„pany Who so by wordes wolde excuse droÌ„kennes doth openly declare his owne disease The knowlege iugement of wynes doth nothyng become a yong ê‘sone If a physicion or surgioÌ„ vse to be dronke let him not haue the cure of your disease ne let none of theÌ„ take experience and lerne in you / howe to cure or he le a nother For though they be well lerned / haue not experience it is no wisedome to let theÌ„ proue theyr connyng vpon you Great gaye horses and lytell preaty dogges leue you vnto lordes ladyes A byg labouryng horse a mastyfe or a curre dogge ben good to kepe your house As for haukes houndes huÌ„tyng dogges do spende more than they done get they ben mete and accordyng for states to set ydle seruauÌ„tes on werke but farre vnaccordyng ben they for husbandes ware housholders It is no wysedome to make your owne chyldreÌ„ stewardes or rulers of your houshold or goodes Foles negligeÌ„t or careles ê‘sones haile many misfortunes For that is theyr coÌ„mune excuse whaÌ„ any thyng is wroÌ„g they say thaÌ„ that chaunce or misfortune was cause therof I saye not nay but that chaunce or mysfortune may fall But who so doth folow wysdome lernyng discrecioÌ„ shall seldome accuse mysfortune For diligeÌ„t warenes good hede done seldome coÌ„pany with mysfortune But yet more seldom shall you se mysfortune slouth or neglygeÌ„ce departed in sondre for they doÌ„e coÌ„munely coÌ„pany together The sluggard saythe god wyll helpe hym so longe he trusteth thervnto tyll he be brought vnto beggry For god by the wyse man doth sende the sluggarde for example vnto the Ant or pysmere Prouer. vi to lerne to laboure Iob. v. For man sayth Iob is borne vnto laboure as a byrd to flye Kepe you therfore but fewe ydle persones or men And watche you well take good hede vnto euery ê‘sone of your house And euer poÌ„dre weye and coÌ„sydre your expenses with your gaynes or gettynges Fyrst get and bryng in thaÌ„ spende For it is no good husbaÌ„dry to borow And whan you waxe aged truste rather vnto god than vnto your chyldreÌ„ or freÌ„des That you sede before you you shal be sure to fynde No cofre cheste ne towre may be more sure to kepe treasure than is heueÌ„ Let not therfore the poore passe you What you gyue vnto theÌ„ you gyue vnto Christe And of that you leue behynd you appoynt vnto euery ê‘sone his parte For better were it for you nothing to leue thaÌ„ that stryfe debate shuld be made coÌ„scieÌ„ce blamysshed god offended for your goodes Truste them best to do for your soule not that done loue or say they done loue your soule but that you done perceyue and coniecture done loue theyr owne soule Make your testamente euery yere newe surely sealed by wytnes Laye it where whaÌ„ nede is 〈◊〉 may be founde no man 〈…〉 howe to ende his life The 〈◊〉 sure way to dye well is well to lyue Whiche he graunte vs that bought vs our lord god most swete sauyour Iesu christe Amen Of your charyte pray for the same olde wretche of Syon Rycharde whytforde ¶ Imprynted by me IohnÌ„ waylande / At London within temple barre At the sygne of the blew garlande / Frome the temple gate not farre AnÌ„ M. CCCCC xxxvii
ê“fet In tusc vbi sup coÌ„fort strength any person whan so euer deth shall approche drawe nere and happe vnto hym / specyally if he be a feythfull christyane Cicero vbi sup â–ª For who so euer nat onely bycause deth is necessarye and can nat be auoyded / but also bycause that in deth is nothyng to be feared / doth dispyse set nought by deth / that person / sayeth he / shall for a surete haue a great succoure and helpe here to lyue quietly / and whan the tyme shall come to receyue dethe gladly / and after this present lyfe ioyfully to lyue / and blessedlye ⧠Note here howe great courage and conforte this pagane gyueth men to dispyse / and nothynge to feare dethe Well syr say you / this is soone sayd or soone spoken But yet is nat dethe so soone dispysed / ne so lyghtly set at nought For we se beholde many men / that shuld haue stronge hertes more boldnes than we women and such also that ben taken supposed for wyse well lerned men / that ben moche affrayde of deth Ah good systers / you muste consydre and call vnto mynde / that men ben made of the same metall that women ben / and that amonge them some ben as feynte herted as women / therfore take no hede vnto them Cicero iÌ„ tuscu vt supra For althoughe a bolde and hardye herte do moche helpe vnto the contempte and dispisynge of dethe / yet maye you by the examples and counsels of holy fathers / ingender make in your selfe a more stronge boldnes and hardynesse spirytuall therunto / specially by conforte and counsell of holy scripture / whiche as a phisicyon dothe cure the feynt and feble hertes withdraweth all vayne frutles cures and cares / and delyuereth the frayle herte / from the delectable poyson of all worldly flesshely pleasures / and so putteth awaye all feare and drede Vbi sup Reason also as they said Cicero saith doth nat lytle auayle vnto the coÌ„tempte of dethe whiche as it were by certayne preceptes or reules doth coÌ„firme / reyseup the feynt cowardouse herte But aboue beyonde all thinges whole and pure fayth stronge and stedfast hope and perfecte feruent charyte / done moste helpe thereunto For these do nat onely exyle exclude and putte awaye all feare and drede of dethe with the moost hyghe contempte therof / but also done ingendre and gette a feruent couetous desyre of dethe Philip. i. c. Saynt Paule vnto wytnes sayenge Cupio dissolui et essem cuÌ„ Christo / I couet sayeth he and desyre / to be dissolued and departed from this lyfe to be with Chryste / for faythe dothe teche assure and gyue certayne knowledge of an other lyfe to come after this lyfe which shall be more pleasauÌ„t without coÌ„paracyon than this lyfe is For to say trouth in this lyfe is no maner of pleasure Amb. lib. ii de CaiÌ„ St Abel Capi. x. Augusti Catho without some maner of passyon or payne goynge before or folowynge after And therfore saynt Augustyne sayet / it shulde rather be called a deth than a lyfe / contrarye this deth shulde be called lyfe / because it is the ende of all dethes that is to saye the ende of al myseryes / all sorowes all syckenesses all diseases all troubles / all paynes whiche in them selfe ben dethes Ambrosi s de b o o mortis capi-viii et Boetius de coosolatione .i. i. Cor. xv And also because it is nat onely the ende of all euylles / but also the begynnynge of all that is good as of all felicyte ioye gladites coÌ„forth and pleasure / of lyfe euerlastynge For as by this wretched lyfe is one passage vnto dethe / so by this dethe / is oure retourne vnto lyfe / for yf we shulde neuer expyre and dye / we shulde neuer ryse to lyfe agayne And yf we neuer ryse we shuld neuer be rewarded in our bodyes / for the great miseryes paynes that we done here suffre in them for the loue of god i. Cor. xv And if that were true / than were we as saynt Paule sayeth / in more myserable state and in wors case than any other people But our faythe doth make vs sure and certayne of resurrectioÌ„ where we say Carnis resurrectionem / that is to say I beleue the resurrexion of our flesshe and bodyes / as in our commune Crede Hope also doth helpe moche vnto the dispysyng of deth For whan a person hath full fayth that god maye and can do all that he wyll / that he is of suche goodnes that he dothe loue vs all than doth hope folowe that faythe / and so dothe verely trust and byleue to haue after or in the sayd resurrexion euerlastyng rewarde and that rewarde shall be good and pleasaunt ioyouse and confortable It shall be a great rewarde as moche as may be desyred or gyuen / it shal be all god hym selfe And this rewarde than muste nedely cause a great loue that is charyte very charyte / and loue dothe nat onely dispyse deth / but also causeth a feruent desyre therof Here some persones done saye syr / yf we were certen and sure of that rewarde after our deth / we shuld set lytle by deth and be content and glad to depart wherunto I saye that all we may be sure therof yf we wyll our selfe For our lorde hath frely gyuen vs that grace Augusti that we may wyll and so wyllynge disposynge our selfe therunto he may nat of iustyce / ne wyll of his goodnes withholde it from vs. Diuus Thoma i. sent That rewarde thaÌ„ he ordeyned and promysed vnto them that loue hym / done worke there after Well syr say you it is harde so well to worke in this lyfe / that we may come vnto that rewarde without payne after this lyfe and that payne is it / that feareth vs more than dothe the payne of deth / and causeth vs to be so lothe to dye and departe hens For we wolde lyue lenger to amende our lyfe and to do penaunce to auoyde or at the least to minysshe make lesse that payne Vnto this I saye true penaunce done for the loue of god / may as well in short tyme as in longe auoyde or minysshe that payne / as is euydent in hym that hange by our sauyour on the crosse vnto whom he sayde ♣ Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso Thys day shalt thou be with me in paradyse it is than nother the longe tyme nor the short nor yet the penaunce that dothe put away or make lesse that payne of it selfe but the loue of god / for whose sake that penauÌ„ce is done and that loue may be in a persone feruente in shorte tyme as well as in longe / and all the penaunce that is done Grego probatio a mortis is nothynge but a profe of that loue / so