yâ— by preuylege synguler god sheweth vnto some holy persones theyr go de holy departynge before the houre of theyr deth By yâ— which they be not more ferefull as it is sayd But they ben in one peas and gladnes spyrytuall the whiche vnto them is nowe a begynnyge of glorye O very fader omnipotent what haue we thys houre and this batayll before our eyes of our vnderstondynge for to arme vs with merytes with vertues and for to dyspose vs and to deserue agayÌ„ the sayntes of paradyse and syngulerly agayne yâ— virgin Mary to mo we haue socours and ayde for thaÌ„ shall prouffyte nothynge golde syluer townes nor castelles offyces dygnytes ne preemynences But of all suche thynges it shall behoue to yelde acompte ryght straytly as shall be sayd here afterwarde Dedit ei iudiciuâ— facere quia filius hois est Jo. v. THe thyrde aduysement is that euery creature ben they good or euyll shall se at yâ— houre of the deth the blyssed swete Jhesu cryste the which vbiâ—uÌ„que fuerit corpus illi â—gregabuÌ„tur aâ—le lu xvii is Juge generall of the quyche and of the deed and hym they shall see in the forme and maner that he was on good fryday whan he hongelvpon yâ— crosse Sol obscurabâ— et luna non dabit lumeÌ„suuÌ„ stelle cadeÌ„t de celo virtutes celorum coÌ„mouebuÌ„â— tuÌ„c aparebit signuÌ„ filii hoiÌ„s iÌ„â—e so videbit filium hoiÌ„s iÌ„ nubibê° celi cuÌ„ virtute magna maiestate c. matheâ— xxiiii capâ— sayen vnto god the fader Pater in manus tuas coÌ„mendo spiritum meum wherfore it is well to be noted that the persone so approchynge vnto yâ— deth cometh vnto suche passage that he leseth the vsage of his fyue wyttes of nature all holly for yf all the bellys and bombardes of the worlde sowned in his ere he them hereth not and so of the syght and of other wyttes vnto regarde of syght of felynge of smellynge and of tastynge and than in that moment that the yates of the body That is to vnderstonde the fyue wyttes ben closed the yates of his soule yet beynge in his body ben open for than the soule seeth all clerely the blyssed Jhesu cryste in the forme and estate as it is sayd before Also she seeth her holy angell with grete company of gloryous spyrytes And also seeth the deuyll and his compaâ—y the whiche all abyden the sentence dyuyne be if â–ª of saluacyon or of dampnacyon and than the bokesben open for the soule be it good or euyll seyng the blyssed Ihesu cryste the whiche is named truely the boke of lyfe wryteth within and without seeth than clerely all yâ— processe of his lyfe for neuer had he thought in his lyfe but than therof than she hathe clere knowlege of all togyders and of euery of them in partyculer weren they good or euyll And in lyke wyse of delyres of wyiles and of wordes by a more greter reason of all his werkes ben they good or yll and of the good dedes of the whiche a man hath hadde oportunyte to do and that aman hath not done and also in lyke wyse of the euyll all these thynges shall be weyed and examyned by the Iuste balauÌ„ce of the Iustyce dyuyne and than many thynges the whiche semeth to be golde syluer precyous stones after the Iugement humayne shall not be but donge erth and caryn That is to saye that many semen vnto the worlde to be of grete deuocyon and of grete perfeccyon shall be than knowen to be full of ypocresye and of abhomynacyon here rynnen to socours the ryght gloryous virgyn mary and the holy sayntes of paradyse vnto whome the persone hath done honour and seruyce in his lyfe and also the good werkes and merytes that a man hath purchased durynge that a man hath hadde tyme and space And those the whiche haue not deseruyd to be ayded suffysen not to answere or them to excuse O very god the whiche sercheste and examynest the hertes the synewes the 〈…〉 vaynes and the mouynges of the bones of humayns That is to saye the causes the reasons and the intencyons and these other cyrcuÌ„staunces of dedes humayns what shall he be that may thaÌ„ answere before thyn ryght holy face before the holy angelles and before the deuylles Also shall be demaunded reason and a compte of all the tyme of our lyfe and so tyll vnto the shettynge of the eye And of all the goodes the whiche vnto vs hath ben gyuen in our lyfe ben they gyftes of grace of nature or of fortune as we them haue vsed be it Qui gâ—abitu◠〈◊〉 muÌ„duÌ„ se hâ—e cori in prosperyte or aduersyte Alas more than a. M. tymes alas Alas what may than answere those the whiche so folysshely and so vaynly passen and so lesen the tyme of mercy and therfore at the houre of deth the soule be it good or euyll shall see knowe by the puyssaunce dyuyne all the proces of hys lyfe for the boke of his conscyence vnto hym shall be shewed so clerely that by the bouÌ„te pyte mercy of god she is of the nombre of the saued or that by the Iustyce dyuyne she ought to be Iustly condampned and delyuered vnto the deuylles for his defaute and ryght cursyd lyfe And this is as vnto the thyrde aduysement THe fourth aduysement is of the sentence of the Iuge for than our lorde shall appere so terryâ—â—e vnto them that haue not deserued saluacy on that none vnderstondyÌ„ge suffyseth it to ymageÌ„ Rebrobi malent oâ—â—e tormeÌ„tuÌ„ sustâ— nere quam faciem â—udâ—â—â—s â—ratâ— viderâ— aâ—â— And therfore sayth well saynt Austen that there is no torment in the worlde that is so harde to endure as is to be presented before the face of Ihesu cryste and hath deserued his Ire his maledyccyon for he shall reproche vnto the cursyd theyr synnes grete horryble geuyng vnto them clere knowlege of theyr vnkyndenes and how they haue hym crucyfyed Uocâ—ui re niuistis venire extendi manuÌ„ meaÌ„ noÌ„ fu it â— aspâ—cerêª despe xisâ—is oâ—e coÌ„silium meuÌ„ iÌ„crepacioÌ„es meas neglexistis ego quoque iÌ„ iÌ„teritu vâ—o ridebo subsaÌ„â—â—abo cuÌ„vobis quam ti mebat â–ª aduenerit cuÌ„irruerit repeÌ„ta calamitas et iÌ„ teri â—ê° c. prouerbioruÌ„â— â—apâ— of newe As done all those the whiche after yâ— baptem after the sacrament of confessyon after the recepcyon of his ryght precyous sacramente in the whiche he gyueth his flesshe and his blode they ben retorned vnto theyr syÌ„nes from yere to yere without there makynge an ende And vnto them he shall shewe clerely the mysteâ—ye of his blyssed in carnacyon and of his passyon and the tyme and how longe he them hath abyden vnto mercy all yâ— whiche thynges they haue dyspraysed in as moche that they haue not them vsed vnto saluacyon and therfore in that laste houre
the whiche I haue wyll to put worde by worde in this wrytynge for to shewe the charyte ruyne of crysten people in all estates in the whiche they lyuen at this daye That is to wyte the .xiiij. daye of January the yere of our lorde M. CCCC lxvij after the Natyuyte of our lorde Jhesu cryste after dyuers cronycles maner of nombre the yeres In the whiche yere and daye this present boke hath be fyrst begonne to be wryten ¶ Here endeth the prologue and now foloweth the fyrst parte of baptem ¶ Here foloweth the fyrst parte of this present boke of the vowe and sacrament of baptem AS vnto the fyrste partye the whiche CapituluÌ„ primuÌ„ is of the vowe sacrament of baptem it is to be noted that after that Jhesu cryst had made publysshe preche solemply the trouthe of the gospell as well by his holy apostles as by other prechers it is impossyble for Johis .viii. Qui ex deo est â—ba dei audit Johis .iii. nisi â—s renatâ—fuerit ex aqua spu sacto noÌ„ poÌ„t introire i regnuÌ„ dei Mar. vit Qui credidâ—rit baptisat tuerit salu erit NoÌ„ poÌ„t solui scriptura â—ohis .x. man to be saued that is not baptysed And he that byleued in Jhesu cryst is baptysed In lyke wyse it is impostyble but that fynally he be saued For it is the mouth of god the whithe is the sentence texte of the gospell that so vnto vs wytnesseth wherfore it is a thynge ryght necessary to knowe ¶ Fyrste how in what maner the sacrament of baptem ought to be gyuen ¶ Secondely the forme maner to execute it solemly ¶ Thyrdely the vertue and the effecte that it hath in the soule of a crysten man ¶ And fourthly to knowe euery artycle of the fayth in partyculer ¶ As vnto yâ— fyrst that is to vnderstande that to crysten or baptem is as moche to saye as to wasshe and is vnderstande pryncypally of the soule the whiche by the vertâ—e of god is puryfyed hauynge this sacrament from all synne be it pryde venyall or mortall And for as moche that the puyssauÌ„ce of god is not restraynte ne bounde by the institucyon of these sacramentes the whiche of pure myght absolueth he may in many maners clense purge the soule it waâ—she from synne ¶ The doctours saye that there Triplex baptismus are thre maner of baptemes The fyrst maner is whan ony persone shall by preuylege syngulerly sanctifyed from orygynall synne afore that he be Antequam exieris de vulua saÌ„ctificauite Hiere i. borne or after the pleasure wyll of god as were saynt Jheremy and saynt Johan baptyst The seconde whan ony not baptysed vnto the purpose to make hym baptysed in place tyme and befor that he be baptysed he deyeth by martyrdome or otherwyse he may be in the waye of saluacyon yf he haue none other lettynge The thyrde is the coÌ„mune sacramentall the whiche is done by worde water And suche sacrament all other ought to be ordynatly executed by man preest or curate as vnto that of Jhesu cryste true god and true man But in the caas of necessyte the baptem may be gyuen dewely by euery other persone erthely that may haue puyssauÌ„ce intencyon to do say that that holy chirche doth sayth in admynystrynge solemly suche sacrament For yf it so be that there be a man that myght ought to do it a woman ought not it to do yf there were clerke in holy ordres the subdeacon ought not to do it before the deacon nor the lay man before the symple clerke â—or otherwyse they synne And yf ther be oportunyte of tyme they sholde be it man or woman requyre mercy with grete contricyon of theyr synnes yf they haue remorse of conscyence of deedly synne For he that admynystreth or receyueth ony sacrament he ought to be in the state of grace that is as vnto the mynysters of that sacrament Also it is to knowe that euery creature erthely not baptysed is bounde to receyue that sacrament as it is sayd in place tyme. But otherwyse was this oblygacyon accomplysshed at the begynnynge man was not baptysed but in the vigyll of Eester of Whytsontyde they that dewely were cathecuminus that is to saye instructe of the artycles of the fayth of that that they ought to vowe or promytte But after by the inspyracyon of the holy goost it was ordeyned that these childern forthwith after that they were borne sholde be baptysed For in them is no thynge that may lette the effecte of that sacrameÌ„t as sholde be mortall syÌ„ne actuel or fiction And that procedeth of the mercy Justyce dyuyne For so as two persones that is to knowe Adam Eue vs bynde all by lawe comonly to synne and dampnacyon wtout our gylte actuell So pleaseth vnto the Justyce dyuyne that our fader Jhesu cryst our moder holy chirche sygnifyeth the godfader and godmoder vs promyttynge vnto saluacyon before that we haue vsauuce reason or myght of ony operacyon ¶ Here foloweth the maner to conferme the holy baptem in the artycle of necessyte Of the maner to conferme the sacrament of CapituluÌ„ ij baptem in the caas of necessyte That is to knowe that yf a woman or other symple persone baptyse he ought to take hede vnto the mater of the sacrament vnto the forme of the wordes and vnto the intencyon Fyrst vnto the mater For that ought to be water naturell For man may not be baptysed with wyne with sydre with blood with mylke with vryne with water of roses or other water dystylled but man shal be baptysed in necessyte with lye and with water in the whiche man shall haue smarte in the flesshe And it is holy thynge good couÌ„seyll that a man haue holy water in his house For yf it were wel possyble man sholde not be baptysed with other water Also it is to aduyse symple people that yf there apere ony membre of the childe in the whiche men knoweth lyf of the whiche he fereth the deth before that it be borne ê‘fectly he it sholde baptyse in that membre the whiche apereth Also yf the moder passe this lyf before the natyuyte of the childe the whiche a man byleueth truly lyf in her he ought hastely to gaffe her mouth after dyscretly open the bely of the woman baptyse the lytell childe yf it be fouÌ„de on lyue yf it be founde deed it ought not to be buryed within the holy grouÌ„de yf the moder hath not ben slayne put to deth for the loue of god or for the trouth of the fayth For in suche caas may doctours holde that the childe sholde be martyr For it is more to fere to Nota. playne where a childe deyeth without the receyuynge the sacrament of baptem then it doth of the destruccyon the fallynge in to
est offensa quam tus eÌ„â—lle â— offenâ—it â—â—to ethicorum parte it hath ben sayd that for euery mortall synne that euer was or shall be done he hath borne payne suffycyent for to repayre the Iniurye done vnto the maieste dyuyne The whiche Iniurye for euery synne is infynyte for the ransome of hym the whiche hath offended For reason and nature it agree that in as moche that he that man offendeth is moost grete the offence and Iniurye done ayenst hym is moost grete Now it is ynough knowen yâ— god is of the maieste infynyte by the whiche it foloweth that the offence done ayenst hym ought to be infynyte and by the consequens the payne due and for to answere vnto suche offence or elles god sholde not be true Juge to daÌ„pne eternally for one oonly mortall synne hym the whiche by his defaute shall not be ayen bought by this blessyd passyon The answere vnto that folysshe ymagynacyon the whiche alwayes I grauÌ„te by the lyght of our holy fayth that yâ— he the whiche suffred is god how be it that he suffred not in so moche as god Also I confesse by the fyrst artycle these thynges beforsayd that he is almyghty as the fader Also I confesse that Justyce SecundaÌ„ mensuraÌ„ delicti eâ—â—t plâ—garum modus dyuyne the whiche may not be chauÌ„ged or varyed requyred that after the gylte the payne be mesured Also I graunt that Jhesu cryst is very redemptor and suffysaunce of all the worlde Wherfore it behoued that he the whiche suffred be almyghty that he may susteyne payne infynyte And sythen that Justyce vnmeuable requyred suche payne it behoueth that it bâ— offred payde sythen that it hath pleased vnto Jhesu cryste ryght parfyghtly vs for to by agayne and that he it may and that Justyce it requyreth it foloweth that he hath payed for vs passyons sorowes and anguysshes Infynyte Wherof sayth a deuout contemplatyf that yf the payne that our lorde suffred for euery one of vs for vs in lyke wyse were dyuysed in as many partyes as there ben droppes of water in all the sees or in all the worlde Also in as many partyes as Nota. euer was of brekynge of grasse of the leues of trees of fethers of byrdes of sterres in the skye of cornes of the erthe of men of women the humanyte of Jhesu cryste or other naturall man had not borne half a quarter of an houre without deth one of the moost lytell partes of the payne before sayd so dyuysed But for as moche that that blessyd humanyte as well the body as the soule be shall be always vnyed in the dyuynyte in the seconde persone of the blessyd trynyte she may bere endure by the vertue myght of the dyuynyte passyons tormentê without comparyson And more ouer euery true Nota. crysten man ought to be certayne yâ— from the houre that Jhesu cryste beganne to suffre this payne That is to knowe from the fyrst beynge of his blessyd Incarnacyon he see euery persone that euer was is shall be in knowlege dyuyne in the whiche In oÌ„ni loco oculi dniÌ„ ê¯teÌ„plant bonos malos oÌ„nia muÌ„da aperta suÌ„t oculis eius Ad heâ— eos iiii all thynges ben past or to come as vnto vs ben ryght present as vnto hym and not oonly he knoweth euery persone that hath ben syns is or shall be But with that he hym loued of suche loue that yf god the fader had vnto hym made suche offre or suche proposycyon at the houre of his deth My owne ryght dere byloued sone I receyue the sacrifyce of your dolour passyon in the whiche ye be as now for the saluacyon of all them that haue ben ben or shall be except for suche a man and for suche a woman vnto hym specyfyenge me or an other And vnto hym offerynge more ouer yf ye wyll not be for the loue of hym or of her in the an gâ—ysshe of the payne in yâ— whiche ye be as now vnto the daye of Jugement Knowe all those that ben present to come that from that houre he loued so moche euery persone euery poore synner that syns hath be shall be that yf yet he sholde be on the tree of the crosse hangynge as yet that this present boke was fyrste wryten That is the yere of grace a Nota tpÌ„sê¯pilatio nis huius librâ— thousande foure hondred thre score seuen By the whiche it appyred yâ— he there hath ben more than xv hondred yeres And more ouer there sholde be tyll vnto the daye of Jugement for the loue infynyte that he hath ayenst vs before that one erthely persone what so euer he be were eternally dampned by the defaute of that passyon And who so hyÌ„ wyll areste in this meditacyon he there shall fynde pyte loue Joye compassyon admyracyon infynytly Here is the depnes of the glorye the uoblenes Michi auteÌ„ absit gloriari nisi iÌ„ cruce dniÌ„ nâ—Ì„i iesu xpÌ„i Aâ— galatas vi of a crysten man the whiche byleued knowed to be in so profouÌ„de loue of his creatour his god his broder his loue almyghty that hath wylled to suffre for hym more than ony wyll or may for hymself Here euery good crysten man sholde thynke meane deuoutly one tyme on a daye at the lest one tyme in the weke specyally whan one seeth the precyous body of Jhesu cryst bytwene the preestê handes For vnto that is instytute this ryght holy sacrament that is to knowe that we sholde remeÌ„bre vs of his infynyte loue of his blessyd passyon Also the deuoute coÌ„templatyf may hym prosterne before the ymage of the crucyfix or in an other place Hec quotienscsique feceritis in mei coÌ„memorationeÌ„ faciâ—tis secrete or in ymagenynge that he is ryally vpon the mounte of Caluarye that he seeth the swete Jhesus hangynge on the crosse syns the tyme before sayd that is to knowe a thousande fyue hondred yeres in these paynes in these tormentê before sayd also that he seeth hym deyenge languysshe for the loue of his swete moder virgyn pyteous sorowfull be he ryght certayne wtout doubte that it is for the loue of hym for to delyuer hym from eternall deth and yf he be not more harde than ony other thynge he shall falle in pyte in admyracyon he shall knowe clerely that all that that he may do saye thynke or endure NoÌ„ timebis a tiÌ„ore nocturno a sagitta volaÌ„te in die a negocio ê‘ambulante in tenebris c. pÌ„s xc in recompensacyon of that loue grace bene diccyon is all as nothynge By the whiche he shal be preserued from the arowe or darte of the deuyll the whiche fleeth ryght peryllously in the mydde daye and at the houre of none That is vayne glorye A questyon the whiche some tyme surmonteth for prayer or holy