why helpest thou not me out of synÌ„e wherby I myght escape this ê‘petuel deth O how happy o how blissed shal he be that shal not be fouled nor smonged with the fylthes of synne that hath not reioysshed him in the sensuale voluptacyons of this transytorye worlde nor in teÌ„porall vanytees Certeyn I am ferde that we myserable synners haue erred from the waye of lyfe that the lyght of Iustyce hath not shyned vpon vs we haue not folowed the wayes of oure lorde but haue taken the vnhappy wayes of Iniquyte perdycion It is wryten in Isaye the .xlix. chapitre we haue laboured in vayn for nought we haue wasted all oure strengthe what hath our pryde auayled vs what hath profyted our pompe the vanyte of the richesses of this worlde what be we amended by oure Iewelles or precyous garnementes by our delicioê° metes and drynkes oure glotonyes our laughynges ydle disportes now what auantageth vs all thynges wherin we haue vaynely vnproufytably dampnably spent oure tyme. Alas alas we haue lost passed our dayes without fruyte and may be lykened to werse then a dounghyll and all those thynges be paste but oure wretchednesse shall remayne to oure eternall tourmentes Oure lorde shall saye to euery dampned soule as is wryten in Iob in the .xx. chapitre He shall suffre tourmentes paynes after the multytude of his wycked operacyons and in the xviii chapitre of thapocalyps is wryteÌ„ As moche as he hath gloryfyed hym selfe in delytes pleases as moche tourment payne shal be yeuen him therfore to remayne therin eternally Now is it not a grete folye for the riche or vayne pleasyr of this world or ony other myserable thyng a man to submytte hym to perpetuall tormeÌ„t both of his body of his soule Iohan crysostom sayth in his book tytled of the reparacyon of defaultes what contynuauÌ„ce of lecherye space of delectacyons wylt thou compare to the sempyternall paynes Now take that thou lyue C. yere in delectacynns sette therto an other C. yet C. after that .x. hondred yf thou wylt yet what comparyson is this to theternyte Maye not all the tyme of oure bodely lyfe though we entended neuer so voluptuously be resembled vnto a dreme of the nyght in regarde of the sempyternall lyfe Is ther ony persone that ought wyl to haue one pleasant delectable nyght in diemes therfore to fynde the sempyternall paynes so chauÌ„ge for a pleasant dreme so lytyll enduryng to haue the paynes of helle whiche be ê‘petuel what shal we speke of this pleasyr or of those paynes The pleasyrs passe lyghtly awaye the paynes must remayne euerlastyngly Now take it that the tyme the space of the pleasyrs of the paynes were egale Is there ony that ought to be so mad or soo folysshe as to chese for to haue for one day of pleasyr here a day of dampnacyon in helle Remembre how that one houre of bodely sekenesse in this worlde putteth awaye alle pleasyr for the season Right so Remembraunce how the perpetuell paynes ought to resyst ayenst all synnes O how grete tourment and payne shall be to the daÌ„pned soules theyr euerlastynge dampnacyon and perpetuell deth is so harde so sore that I wote not how that I coude expresse hit greuousely Inowe for certeynly it can not suffycyentely be spoken conceyued in mynde nor comprehended in herte Nowe take we that there were a pece of metalle as grete as myghte be comprehended within the concauyte of the .viii. spere and euery M. yere there sholde be taken froÌ„ hit a lytyll pece lyke a grayn and so consequentely tyll it were all broughte to no thyng sholde not the eternyte be fynysshed by that tyme the dampned soules delyuered out of theyr paynes I answere and saye you nay for the perpetuyte shall be thenne but atte the begynnyng there can be no ê“porcion in a thynge Infynyte as Arystotyle the phylosophre sayth in his .viii. booke of his physykes Certaynly yf dampned soules myghten knowe vnderstande that they sholde be delyuered out of thyntollerable paynes of helle as soone as the sayd pece of metalle were soo wasted gone as is aboue sayd yet they myght haue hope of theyr Redempcyon ayenst that season and haue some maner of confort knowyng that theyr tourmentes sholde some tyme taken ende yet the yeres wolde be incomprehensyble and innumerable Nowe surely one of the grettest paynes is the desolacyon and defaulte of hope euer to be redemed and delyuered oute of theternall tourmentis For as it is wryten in Isay the .xxxiiii. chapitre The synner shall be in desolacyon tyme and worlde withouten ende It is wryten in the booke of Trenys the thirde chapitre Myn ende and myne hope in god is perysshed Iheremye in his xv chapitre asketh why is my sorowe made imê‘petuell and my woundes in desperacoÌ„n wherunto is answered in the .x. chapitre of the Prouerbys That whenne the felon synner is ones dede there is thenne none hope to be had Entende remeÌ„bre this all ye that be for geters of oure lorde leest that this moost cruell sorowfull place of helle swalowe you froÌ„ whens ye maye neuer be pulde oute Loo nowe ye maye see clerely how the wretched synner can not be redemed oute of helle wherfore my ryghte dere frendes I amoneste requyre you bere that remembrauÌ„ce well in youre myndes and conceyue well the Example of the pece of metalle aboue specyfyed And now telle me what thou felest and what thyn owne hert demeth and Iugeth in this mater I wene certaynly thy dyscrecyon wyll gyue therunto credence for trewe it is to trouth by Reason that must nedes applye Also bethynke the of the dyuerse prouynces of londes ymagine euery Regyon of them Consyder the sees the ryueres the poondes Enclose in thy mynde the circuyte of the worlde goo euery where therof Flee vp in to the ayer and thenne descende in to the lowest parte of therthe of all this thynke in thy mynde thou hast made an hole substance ymagyne extende how gret a thynge this shold be yf hit myght not be consumed by tracte of tyme thenne tell me what thou thynkest of thynfynyte paynes of synners whether sholde be longe endurynge the consumyng of the same substance or the relessyng of the perdurable paynes I â—â—owe thou wylt agre that there can no thynge be compared to a perpetuyte wherfore we ought all in our corages tymerousely to tremble fere it Now who is he that dredeth hit not who is he that abassheth not therof who is he that had not leuer abyde the consumyng of the forsayd substance than the tyme of eternyte Lete this sayde substance and this tyme of eternyte be couched vpon thyn herte and thou shalt fynde it a proufytable thyng gretely to thyne auantage For yf thou wylt not correcte and reuoke thy selfe from thy synnes by the loue that thou owest to
entre of this lyfe is one and comune to all semblably soo is the Issue Iob sayth in his xx chapytre This man dyeth stronge lusty and riche his bowelles be full of greece and his bones full of mery And this other dyeth lene and feble full of sorowe and withoute ony riches that notwithstondyng they shall slepe both in powdre and wormes shall ete them Loo how the riche and puyssaunt men of this world haue theyr deth comune and egall with the poore people And therfore it is wryten in Ecclesiaste in the x chapytre The lyfe of al puyssant lordship is righte breyf For this day this man is a kyng tomorow he is dede of suche a kyng is red in the seconde chapytre of the fyrst boke of Machabees how his glory is a foule douÌ„ghyll and as vyle as a worme he is to day enhaunsed and to morowe ther is nothyng to be fouÌ„de of hym we haue an exaÌ„ple accordyng of one of the hyghest and moost excellence prynce of this worlde That is to wete Alexandre the grete kynge of Macedone that subdewed vnto his obeysance the vnyuersal worlde in suche maner that he was demed to be only lord of the erthe And it is redde that this Alexandre the grete somtyme kynge of Grece obteyned many vyctoryes in many straunge londes And in his goynge by diuerse regyons subdewed vnto his Iurisdiccyon all the worlde And in a nother place is red of hym that he was kynge of kynges and that he saw all Realmes subget vnto hym wherby the voys of his renomme and fortune made an hole monarche That is to say an hole Empyre of al the worlde For it was ones alle bonde subget vnto him without dysobeyssaunce And soo he was grettest of alle the large worlde But what thyng therof ensued After he hadde tryumphantly goten the only Empyre of the vnyuersall worlde was not that the stablenesse of regne the ê‘petuyte of myghte the helthe of his body and the longe enduryng of his lyf naturall Certeynly noo But he was subdewed by the same thynge that is comune vnto all that is to wete Dethe whiche is the last recourse after alle fortune and destenyes Than myghte Alexander well say atte houre of his dethe as Iob sayde in the xvi chapytre of his boke I am he that somtyme was riche and mygh ty sodeynly am beten downe for he obteyned onnly his Empyre But oonly by the space of .xii yeres And therfore it is wryten of hym in a nother place That he regned and was obeyed xii yeres And after that he was subget vnto dethe of whome lyueth yet the renomme can not dye Semblably compleynynge hym selfe of the deth he myght saye as is wrytey in Iob the xix chapytre My glory hath dyspoyled me and hath taken away the crowne fro my hede she hath also vtterly destroyed me where thrugh I am lost Lo how it appereth manyfestely herby the deth is th ende of all men And also that how be it Iulius cesar had all the worlde vnder his Empyre yet his glorye fayled hym rested lorde but of a tombe of viii fote longe Wherby it semeth that the mageste Royall all worldly puyssance all prosperous thynges the ordynaunce of dayes passe brefly from man withoute taryenge when the hour of deth is comen therfore seyth an other poete yf that be wyse thy wysdom departeth with thy deth yf that be habondauÌ„t in rychesse it leueth the atte thy deth yf thou be a prudent man thy prudence fynyssheth with thy deth yf that be honest by dethe is it taken from the yf that be stronge thy myght fayleth the by deth Certeynly thenne I now knowe that the yeres that passe taketh from vs all thynges wherfore then yf that be ryche stronge or fayre what vayleth it yf thou be a bysshop a priour or an abbot what vayleth it yf thou be a grete excellente myghty lord yf thou be a kynge or a pope what vayleth it all passeth right hastly without longe taryeng And here resteth but oonly the merytes wherof the good shall cause vs to be gloryfyed And therfore sayd Isydore in an omely My right welbeloued bretheren we oughte to thynke how breef short is the worldely felycyte how lytyll is the glorye of this worlde and how frayle faylynge is the temporall myght therof And therfore euery man maye saye where be the kynges where be the pryÌ„ces where be the emperours where be the riche and myghty men of this worlde they be all past lyke a shadow vanysshed lyke a dreme of the nyght for though one wolde seke them they wyll not be fouÌ„de here what shall I more say the kynges be passed the prynces be dede neuerthelesse there be many that wenen to lyue long neuer to dye But alwayes to rest in this present lyfe Certeynly they be foles For it shall not be so But they shall dye as other prynces men haue done For as Seneca seyth in his epistles to Lucyll The yssue of this present lyfe is deth It is writen by a poete named Ieta The deth vndothe all lyuyng thyng and euery lyfe fynysseth by dethe Certayn the worldly deth coÌ„cludeth all the vayn felycytees of men For yf thou dyde preche the fayth of Abraham the pyte of Ioseph The charyte of Moyses The strengthe of Samson The swetnesse of Dauyd The myracles of Elyzeus The richesse and prudence of kyng Salomon the beaute of Absolon And in we pynf occupyed the extremytees of all these in declaryng theyr endes the hystoryes wolde shewe that there is but one conclusyon That is to say deth Here it appereth righte manyfestly by the thyng a fore sayd that heaute lynage condycions wytte richesse nor worshyp can not kepe a man but that he must stumble fall rotourne to asshes for all thyng that is engendred renneth alway towarde his deth Ouyde sayth that all thyng that is engendied asketh requyreh to come agayne to theyr vnyuersall modre That is to saye the erthe For all that hath ben and paste-afore maye be resembled to a rennyng ryuer Semblably I fele it by myselfe wretche that am brought all moost to nothynge and haue not knowen hit for my dayes be paste fro me lytyll and lytyll as a shadowe and I am dryed as the wydered hey Certeynly we be no thyng but powder Mennes dayes be lyke the floures in a medowe And them selfe may be lykeneth to the heye Now auyse the thenne for man is a thyng that endureth but short space and is of resemblauÌ„ce to the floure that groweth in the medowe It is wryten in Isaye the .xl. chapitre All humane flesshe is hey and his glory lyke the flours of the felde Verely all people be heye and all heye dryeth and wydereth as the floure that is fallen But the worde of oure Lorde remayneth and is perdurable wherfore then dothe a man set hym selfe in pompe and pryde beynge lyke the wydred hey of the
mete maketh hit to swelle fastyng maketh hit lene playes maketh hit to erre waylynge destroyed hit besynesse constreyneth hit sewerâ—e maketh hit rude rekles riches enhaunseth hit pouerte abateth hit wepyng abassheth hit youthe maketh hit wanten age maketh hit to yelde sekenesse maketh hit to breke And after all this cometh deth whiche destroyeth maketh an ende therof with all his Ioyes in suche wyse as whenne the Ioyes be past all semeth as they had neuer ben Also it is redde in the book of Sapyence in the .ii. chapitre That the dayes of our lyfe nys but shorte yet are they full of greuaunce we be made wote not wherof And after we shall be as we hadde neuer ben For oure dayes passen as dothe a shadowe It is red in the same book of Sapyence in the same chapitre That our lyf passeth like the trace of a clowde shal fayle as the lytyll clowde that is broken by the myghte of the sonne beames It is wryten in Iob the .vii. chapitre Beholde how my dayes be all passed and I shall goo forthe in the pathe shall neuer retourne ageyn Also the same Iob sayth in the .ix. chapitre My dayes are passed more lyghtly than a curroure or a messanger They are gone lyghtly awaye as shyppes done that be charged with apples Or as an egell dooth flee for his mete Iob sayth also My dayes be passed more lyghtly than clothe is cutte from the lome and they be all wasted withoute ony hope of recouerey O lord god Remembre then is my lyfe oughte but wynde shall not my eyen retorne ageyn to see the good thynges to come To the purpose speketh Petre de bloys in his boke called Aurora My lyf shal be sooner out of this worlde than a webbe of clothe cut from the lome RemeÌ„bre thou then how thy lyfe may be resembled to the wynde Loo now my righte dere frende howe shorte howe lytyll howe mutable how disceyuyÌ„g is this our lyfe presente for as it is sayd in Ecclesiastes in the .xviii. chapitre It is grete age in a man to be C. yere olde â–ª but by succession of tyme it is gretely amynysshed It is wryten in the Psalter The dayes of our yeres be .lxx. yf we may come to foure score yere the superplus is no thynge but labour sorowe But what is it of .lx. yere or yet of Cought this to be taken of a longe tyme a grete space of yeres Certeynly nay in regarde towarde the sempiternyte It ought rather be named a moment thaÌ„ a space of tyme. for to oure lord a M. yere is but as yesterday whiche lightly is past Derely this lyfe in short transytory paynfull wretched hit is not onely to be thoughte nor poysed for the shortenesse But moche more for the incerteynte therof whiche is doubtfull and ful of casuel peryll we be not sure therof day nor hour And whenne it sheweth vs sewerte peas thenne sodeynly cometh deth with hit perauenture the false theif Sathan Therfore sayth to vs a poete who is he knowynge hymselfe to lyue many yeres sens we knowe not whether we shall dye to morowe or sooner It is wryten in Isaye the xxxviii chapitre saynge Dyspose thy hous for thou shalt dye sone not longe lyue Isaye seyth also in the same Chapitre that my lyfe is hyt from me as a pece of clothe from the lome And whenne I began fyrst the lyffe then began dethe to approche toward me For this cause it is sayde in the book of Sapience in the .v. chapitre we be soone born sone leue our beyng To this purpose seyth Senek in his pystles Eueryday we dye euery day is taken away from vs parte of our lyfe Than thus what is oure lyfe ought ellys but a passage or a rennyng toward deth therfor it is not vnresonable that she be lykened to an Orylage whiche gooth alway from degre to degre coÌ„tynually mouynge tyll it come to a certayne poynt then it stryketh sodenly vpon the belle whiche coÌ„streyneth the sowne Semblably our lyfe passeth alway renneth tyll it come to a certeyn poynte That is to wyte The hour of our deth whiche oure lorde hath prefixed and no man may it passe and than our lyf falleth and fayleth without remedye Awake thenne entende wysely to the ende of thy lyfe For thyn Orylage hath but fewe degrees to renne and euery houre she ouerpasseth many And whenne it cometh to the laste thou shalt stomble sodeynly in to the cauerne or caue of dethe Now herken what a Poete sayth The presente lyfe is short alway fleynge and fadeth as a shadowe departeth falleth sodeynly when one wenes that she be moost permanente and abydyng in the myddes of our lyfe we be often at our deth And therfore haue we in Ecclesiastes in the .ix. chapytre That man knoweth not his ende but as a fysshe taken with a nette the bryddes with a trappe Semblably men be takeÌ„ at inconuenyent tymes thê° cometh our ende dethe is the last thyng to all thyÌ„ges beryng lyfe It is wryten in a book of the lyfe of the dedes of grete Alexander O how happy sholde a man be yf he had alwaye in Remembraunce of the eternall Ioyes drad deth that is ordeyned as well to the nobles as to the poore peple whiche cometh to the grete peryll dauÌ„ger of the soule whenne it is unpurueyed Loo here then my right dere frende thou seest well that the lyfe of man is but a thyng dyked aboute enuyrouÌ„de with ruynous deth oure flesshe is but asshes And suche as was the begynnyng suche shal be the ende saynte Bernarde sayth wheÌ„ne I Remembre that I am but asshes and that myn ende approched my drede and fere is withoute ende and I wexe colde as asshes And therfore as â–ª Saynt Gregory saythe That man sollycyteth well his good werkes that thenketh allewaye vpon his last ende And we shold drede that euery day sholde be oure laste daye And alwaye haue in mynde that necessaryly we muste dye who maye haue thenne a bolde corage consyderynge the shortnesse the grete Incerteynte of oure lyfe the approchyng of oure dethe whiche is comyng who is he also thou ought not thynke dilygeÌ„tely that our dayes our yeres fayle and waste as the smoke And the man naturelly born lyueth but a short space and fadeth as a floure and fleeth a waye lyke a shadowe who is he also that calleth thyese thynges to mynde and peyses them well in his herte and so subdeweth the deuyll the flesshe and the worlde repenteth hym in this shorte space To say you trouth there be none that deferre and be neclygent soo to doo but oonly those that be all blynded in malyce and lacke of grace O how grete a payne shall ensewe of neclygence Thappostle sayth to the Hebrues in the seconde-chapitre Howe shall we flee that dyspyse soo gret an helthe As to say
and therin rote myserably Our lorde lokoth vppon the sone of man and beholdeth yf there be ony axinge grace or in good dysposycyon but well away he seeth to fewe Inclyned therto and many dysposed to the contrarye in all synne and wretchednesse where by is to be drad that the myserable tyme of this worlde is nyghe comen whiche Mycheas prophecyed of in his .vii. Chapitre sayeng Holynesse is perysshed in the erthe and amonge the men is there none that is ryght wyse O Remembre well how euery man almoost now a dayes seketh for his owen particuler cause and lucre the shedyng of blode and the wrongynge of other what shall I more saye fewe there be that wyll entende to ony good perfeccyon nor open theyr eyen for theyr saluacoÌ„n so be they blynded in theyr malycyous folye O cursed malyce vnhappy folye wherby the lyfe is voluntarely loste and the dethe wonne the we le despysed and the harme accepted our lorde dyspleased and the fende obeyed Now thenne my right dere brethern and frendes stryke not of your hedes with your owne swerdes as to saye lete not your owen dedes be your destruccion perpetuall Ryse out of synne loke vp and remembre you what oyfference is betwix eternale dampnacyon and perpetuale Ioye and blysse Forsake renounce your synnes and defende you from the fendes power whiche ye may surely do with contrycyon and in axinge helpe and grace of our lorde Iwys it is meruayll that man whiche aboue all erthly thynge is a creature resonable ensueth not the verayorygynall of reason but dysprayseth forsaketh that that is moost proufytable eternally good for that that is mortale and moost harmefull O good lorde what vnhap causeth it and werfore sholde we by oure folye lose tho soules that thou hast bought so dere with thy moost precyous bloode Certaynely the cause is lacke of prudence good counseyll grace and cordyall Remembraunce of the sayde four laste thynges O our Redemptour almyghty and mercyfull Ihesu graunte vs soo thy grace that we may yet surely purueye for our last thynges and soo cordyally frequente the Remembraunce of thy godhede that it cause vs here after to repelle and reuoque oure synnes Resyste our goostely enemye and conforme vs in alle good werkes vnto thy blessyd wyll to the obteynynge fynally with the happy sayntes of thyne eternall glorye To whiche bryng vs the fader and the sone and the holy goost reygnyng in vnyte sempyternally worlde withouten ende AMEN THis boke is thus translated oute of frenshe in to our maternall tonge by the noble and vertuouse lorde Anthonie Erle Ryuyres Lorde Scales and of the Isle of wyght De fensour and dyrectour of the â—uses Apostolyque for oure holy fader the Pope in this Royame of Englonde Vncle and gouernour to my lord prynce of Wales whiche boke was delyuered to me wyllyam Caxton by my sayd noble lord Ryueires on the daye of puryfycacyon of our blessyd lady fallyng the tewsdaye the seconde daye of the moneth of Feuerer In the yere of oure lorde a. M. CCCC and .lxxviii. for to be enprynted and soo multyplyed to goo abrood amonge the people that therby more surely myght be Remembred the four laste thynges vndoubtably comynge And it is to be uoted that sythen the tyme of the grete tribulacoÌ„n and aduersyte of my sayde lorde he hath ben full vertuously occupyed as in goÌ„ynge of pylgremages to Saynt Iames in in Galyce to Rome to Saynte Barthylme we to Saynte Andrewe to Saynt Mathewe in the Royalme of Naples and to Saynte Nycholas de Bar in Puyle and other dyuerse holy places Also he hath procured and goten of our holy fader the Pope a grete and a large Indulgence and grace vnto the chapell of oure lady of the Pyewe by Saynte Stephens atte Westmestre for the relyef and helpe of crysten soules passed out of this traÌ„sytorye worlde whiche grace is of lyke vertue to thindulgence of Scala celi And not withston dyng the grete labours and chargis that he hath hadde in the seruyce of the kynge and of my sayde lorde prynce as well in wales as in England whiche hath be to hym noo lytyll thought and besynes bothe in spyryte and in body as the fruyt therof experymently sheweth yet ouer that tenriche his vertuous dysposycyon he hath pnt hym in deuoyr atte all tymes whenÌ„e he myght haue a leyser whiche was but starmele to translate dyuerse bookes out of frenshe in to englyshe Amonge other passyd thorugh myn honde the booke of the wyse sayenges or dystes of phylosophers and the wyse and holsom prouerbys of xprystene the pyse sette in metre Ouer that hath made dyuerse balades ayenst the seuen dedely synnes Furthermore it semeth that he conceyueth well the mutabylyte and the vnstablenesse of this presente lyfe and that he desyreth with a grete zele and spyrytuell loue our goostly helpe and perpetuell saluacyon And that we shall abhorre and vtterly forsake the abhomynable and dampnable synnes whiche comunely be vsed now a dayes as Pryde periurye terryble sweryng thefte murder and many other Wherfore be toke vppon hym the translatynge of this presente werke named Cordyall trustynge that bothe the reders and the herers there of sholde knowe themselfe herafter the better and amende theyr lyuynge or they departe and lose this tyme of grace to the recouer of theyr saluacyon Whiche Translatynge in my Iugemente is a noble and a merytoryous dede wherfore he is worthy to be gretely commended and also syngulerly Remembred with our good prayers For certaynely as well the reders as the herers well conceyuyng in theyr hertes the forsayde foure laste thynges maye there by gretly be prouoqued and called from synne to the grete and plenteuous mercy of our blyssed sauyour whiche mercy is aboue alle his werkes And noo man beynge contryte and confessed nedeth to fere the obteynynge therof as in the preface of my sayde lordes booke made by hym more playnly it appereth Thenne in obeynge and folowynge my sayde lordes commaundemente In whiche I am bounded soo to doo for the manyfolde benefetes and large rewardes of hym hadde and receyued of me vndeserued I haue putte me in deuoyr taccomplysshe his sayd desyre and com maundemente whome I beseche almyghty god to kepe and mayntene in his vertuous and laudable actes and werkes And sende hym thaccomplyssnemente of his noble and Ioyous delyres and pleasers in this worlde And after this shorte daungerous and transytory lyfe euerlastynge permanence in heuen Amen Whiche werke presente I began the morne aiter the sayd Puryfycacyon of oure blyssed Lady Whiche was the daye of Saynt Blase Bysshop and Martyr And fynysshed on the euen of the Annuncyacyon of oure sayde blessyd Lady fallyng on the wennesdaye the four twenty daye of Marche In the .xix. yere of hynge Edwarde the fourthe ¶ Enprynted atte westmystre Anno vss ¶ RegistruÌ„ quaternon abcdefghiklm Memorare nouissima c. Memorare nouissima c.
is wryten in the boke of Sapyence in the iiii chapitre That the dampned soules shall be vtterly in desolacyon Also the dampned soule sayth in the fyrst chapitre of the Trenys of The remye I am cast in desolacyon am conuycte in to wepyng It is wryten in Isaye in the xxxiiii chapitre That the wretched synner shal be in desolacion duryng the worlde of worldes Alas alas what payne is that to be endured O moost cruell payne O desolacion full of all tourmentes therfore o thou man remembre the prynte often in thy herte mynde these thynges aboue sayde to th entent â–ª thou may esche we withdrawe the from synne ther by haue the moost precyous glorye felycyte perdurable ¶ How those that descende into helle be cruelly punysshed ¶ The seconde chapitre of the thirde parte payncypall NOwe to procede folowyng by ordre it resteth to be expowned howe there be many dyuerse afflyccyons gyuen by the solderyours of helle Those sol deyours ben to vnderston de the deuylles whiche ben tourmentours hangemen ful abhomynable to beholde and cruell in theyr dedys neuer wery to tourmente nor to gyue paynes I saye fyrst that those deuyles be horryble to beholde And therfore they be so paynted in the chirche with hydeous horryble fygures to this purpose it is redde that where somtyme a relygyous man was leynge in his dortor among his brethern It happened in a nyght that he cryed horrybly where thorugh all the brethern of his couente resorted vnto hym they fouÌ„de hym staryng his eyen fixed vppon a walle fyrmely withoute moeuyng wolde answere to noo questyon that they demauÌ„ded hym he was so moeued with a mernelous fere in the morow his pryour came vnto hyÌ„ asked what hym ayled that nyght he answered He hadde seen the deuyll And thenne it was questyoned hym what shappe he was of And he answered that his shappe ne myght lyghtly be descryued sayd yf there were here an ouen full of fyre yonder the deuyll I had as leef entre in to the ouen as longe to beholde on his moost horryble fygure and as sainte Bernarde sayth in the Psalme of Qui habitat in adiutorio O my right dere brethern what thyn he ye yf it were a thyng syttyng that one of thise prynces of tenebres that be of soo many hydeous and merueylous shappes sholde come and appere amongen you with his grete cruelte and vnformed tenebroê° body what temporale or spyrytuale wytte myght susteyne to beholde hym It is redde in the book of Ditis patruÌ„ How there was somtyme an auncyent man that sayd I trowe there is noo lyuyng creature but and he same the deuyll in the same fourme that the dampned soules see hym he sholde no more lyfe after but shortely sholde dye Also Saynte Gregorye sayth of one called Cryssoryus whiche beynge full seke sawe besyde hym a grete multytude of deuylles wherfore he cryed full hydeously after helpe he torned hym this waye and that waye to th entent he sholde not see them but he was so feruently troubled with them in fere that right soone he dyed Certeynly all those that see the deuylles be in suche gret troubles that all men diede the syghte of them and not withoute Reason for theyr horryble fygure tourmenteth those to deth that beholdeth them It is wryten in Iob the .xx. chapytre Horryble thynges shall go and come vpon them And that Saynte Bernard sheweth whenne he sayd O my soule what fere shall thou haue whenne thou shalt leue the presence of all thynges where in thou haste Ioye the syght of that that is agreable vnto the and all thy famylyaryte and shalte entre allone ferfully in to the regyon whiche is to the vnknowen whenne the righte terryble and horryble monstres shall come in grete companyes agaynst the. O how grete a deformyte shall be in thoos horryble deuylles that shall appere in figures of righte cruell beestys And as it is wryten in the .xi. chapitre of Sapyens Because they permytted errours as done serpentes and other superflue beestys thou hast sente them a multytude of dome bestys in vengeaunce to the entente that they maye knowe wherin they haue synned they to be tourmented by the same Certayne it is not Impossyble that the moost myghty honde that hath create and made all the vnyuersall worlde of thynge vnsene shold sende a multytude of fers beres of hardy lyons and other many furyous beestys of dyuerse shappes castyng vapures of fyre gyuyng stynkyng smokes puttynge out of they eyen sparkes brennyng of fyre but all these thynges sholde be to the hurte of synners and also the beholdynge myght slee them as it is wryten in the chapitre a fore sayde Iob sayde in his .xvi. chapitre Myne enemy hath beholde me with terryble eyen He also sayth in his .xli. chapitre His loke and beholdyng is lyke a glystryng of fyre out of his mouth stremyng as it were brennyng lampes and popilleth as water boylynge out of a potte Therfore sayth a Poete that there be therin serpeÌ„tes vomyshyng out of theyr mouthes brennyng flammes with the whiche blastes the soules of the myserable synners ben all perysshed Secondly the fendes be cruell by effecte where as it is wryten in Iob the xvi chapitre They are assembled ayenst me they haue opened theyr mouthes vppon me as a rauyssyng lyon they haue teÌ„pted me they haue mocked me grennyngly felonesly shewed me their tethe Also in Ecclesiastico in the .xxi. Chapitre is sayde Theyr tethe be lyke the tethe of lyons whiche deuour the soules To this purpose is wryten in the fyrst Pystle of saynt Peter the .v. chapitre That how the deuyll is lyke a braynge lyon whiche gooth sekyng to deuour som soule Certeyne the deuyll shall be appoynted at the last day for to deuour synners It is wryten in Isaye in the lvi chapitre O ye all bestes of the feldes wyldernes come ye for to deuoure Iheremye in his .xii. chapitre sayth Come ye alle bestes and assemble and make you redy for to deuour Saynt Gregory in his Dyalogis talketh therof and sayth That there was somtyme a monke not yet verely monke in dede but so named whiche was called Theodorus It was righte dyspleasant vnto hym whenne one spake to hym for his saluacon he wolde not oonly leue to do good but it lothed hym to here speke therof as Theodorus was at the artycle of dethe al his brethern of his couent assembled aboute hym in prayers deuout orysons that they myght helpe defende his soule at the departyng from his body then he began sodenly to crye with a grete voyce had them breke of leue theyr orysoÌ„s prayers departe for he was gyuen vnto an horryble dingon for to be deuoured whiche he sayd for theyr praiers might not deuoure hym yet he had swalowed his hede prayed them therfore go thens pray nomore
differente from the materyall fyre pryncypally in iii. thynges Fyrst in fyrsnesse egrenesse for the power of hit in brennynge is Infynyte wherfore sayth saynt Sebastyane whenne the angell of heuen rowned hym in the ere he sayd that our sensyble fyre is noo more lyke the fyre of helle then the fyre peynted vpon a wall is lyke our materiale fyre Secondely in enduryng For our materyale fyre may be quenched and so may not that It is wryten in Isay in the last chapitre that the fyre for synners shall not be quenched Thyrdly in wastyng for our sensyble materyall fyre may consume and wast all thynges as the philosophre seith but the fyre infernall may not wast nor coÌ„sume neyther the body nor the soules of synÌ„ers by brennynge Iob sayth in his .xx. chapitre of the synners beyng in helle He shall bye ful dere now that he hath done yet he shall not be wasted Iohan crysostom seyth also that oure materyall fyre consumeth all thynge that is leyed in hit but the fyre of helle tourmenteth contynuelly thoos that be therin yet it preserueth them alway in lengthynge theyr paynes Therfore it is sayd that it is not to be quenched not oonly because it can not be put out but that it shall not sease to destroye them that shall come therin For the cause sayth the holy scripture that the synner shal be clothed with corrupcyon not oonly of theyr lyf but in languysshyng and tormentes alway comynge Certaynly noo voyce coude expowne nor noo worde coude expresse the gretenes of the payn nor the feruentnes of that fyre Alas what shal we do therfor there what shal we answere for in helle shall be but gryndyng of tethe yowlyng cryeng wepyng in payn but theÌ„ne penaunce is to late from all partes shall coÌ„forte and helpe be put awaye there shall be noo thyng but augmencacyons of paynes as that fyre of helle is not of nature to druoure no more is it to gyue noo comfortable lyght It is an obscure fyre and the flamme therof tenebrous Secondely helle is called locus inquietus that is to saye a restles place euer enduryng and shall neuer haue ende wherfor it is sayde in this lyfe that there is one place whiche is alwaye styll that is to wyte the centre of the skye Other be somtyme troubled as mene partes of the ayer semblably it maye be proued that the lowest parte is alwayes in trouble without rest And therfore it is called tartarus For after Papy tartarus is as mykell to saye as troubled and obscure Certaynly the vnrest and trybulacoÌ„n cometh there specyally of three thynges Fyrste the varyaunce of paynes as one sayth the weder is troubled when it is nowe medled with reyn now with hayll now with snowe or suche storme whiche as it is sayd be of all those maners in helle as wytenessen prophetes sayeng It shall rayn vpon synners bothe fyre brymstone and the spyrytes of tempest shall gyue them parte of theyr tourmentes Secondly of the mynystres infernall As it is wryten in Iheremye the .xvi. chapitre Those deuylles that ye haue serued nether nyghte nor day shal suffre you in rest Thirdely thenter chauÌ„ged crye as it is wryten in Isaye the .lxv. chapitre ye shall wepe for sorowe by contrycyon of soule howle In trouthe our lord shall answere to all those that so shall howle and crye As it is sayd in Iheremye the .xxx. chapitre Wherfore cryest thou howlest thou nowe by contrycyon sythe thy sorowe is not to be heled I haue punysshed the thê° for thy wycked felonous synnes Thirdely helle is called a place right distempred As Auernus That is as mykell to saye as a thyng withoute a temperauÌ„ce of delyte for the paynes be noo thyng moderated there but contynue in grete excesse of trouth there is therin without mesure excessesyue tenebres whiche be called exteriores as saynt Mathewe sayth in his .xxii. Chapitre we haue example of this in Exodo in the .x. chapitre By the manyable tenebres that were sometyme in Egypte O how mykell shall the tenebres of helle be more greuous than those It is wryten in Iob in the .xx. chapitre All horryble tenebres shall come on hym Ageyne then shall the â—â—â—ners saye As it is sayde in the Psalter They haue cast me in to the lowest lake and in the tenebrous place and in the shadowe of dethe they haue lodged me in the obscure place as dede fro this worlde wherfore my soule is angry with me Semblably it is wryten in the LameÌ„tacyons of Iheremye They haue lodged me with thoos that be sempyternally dede there is therin an excessyfe hete As Iob sayth in his xiiii chapitre The hete is grete therin and the cause is that it breketh not oute but is closed in as the hete in an ouen The Psalter sayth Whenne thou arte an angred thou shalte put the synners in an ouen ful of fyre Also our lord shall torment them with his wrath and fyre shall deuoure them there is there also a right sharpe colde As is wryten in Iob in the sayde chapitre It is sayd the water of snowe is colder thenne all other waters Yet the waters of helle maye not be compared with of chyllyng nor colde And therfor seyth ful genâ—yus in his Pystles There is in helle .ii. pryncypall maner of tormentes that is to wyte by in tollerable colde and by inquencheable hete It is wryten in the xxiiii chapitre of Saynt Mathew There shall be in helle bothe wepyng and colde certeynly the effluccoÌ„n of teeris by wepyng cometh of hete but the inwarde sorowes is caused by colde To this purpose wytnesseth Iob in the sayde xxiiii chapitre The synner ouerpassed with the colde water of snow gothe after in to the grete fyry hetes It is founde also in a lytyll booke of the dedes of Alexander the kyng of Macedone That whenÌ„e he was for clommed with the Isse with the colde of the snowe he wolde goo to the fyre of colys O how myserable and paynful shal this trouble be to thoos that shall not dye nor haue lightnyng in that piyson of helle but be tourmented there Infynytâ—ly Fourthely helle is called a noyfull waylyng place and therfore after Papie it is named Acheron that is as mykell to saye as a place without Ioye lackyng all goodnesse For this cause sayth the Comentator Aueroys in the iiii chapitre of Poetrye That helle hath a contynuell sorow and wepyng without consolacyon In trouth the dampned folkes there beneth haue no comforte in the worlde for the orysons prayers that ben sayd in the chirche mylytant may proufyte them no thyng and from aboue cometh there no helpe to them there falleth on them no myse rycorde wherfore they be in dyspayre of ony grace in tyme comyng knowe certeynly that they with out remedy and not to be quyte out of the pryson and so they rest sempiternally in waylynge in sorowe and in desolacyon It