seide to the same kyng Sir I haue gretter cause and strenger Reason to compleynÌ„ me ageynst my brother for where he ought not to haue beleued me nor folowed me lightly in the weye whichÌ„ he knewe wele was euyll and daungerous for he wolde not a folowed me I wolde haue retourned ageyn folowed hym whereby I shulde in no wyse haue fallen in this daungier and therfore he is verrey gylty of my dethe WhenÌ„e thies wordes were hadde on eyther partye The kyng pronounsed gaf a sentence seiyng Thou fole thou woldest not truste thy wyse brother and thou wyse hast folowed this fole in his euyl weyes wherfore ye bothe shal be hanged condempned to dethe Semblably shal it be at the daye of Iugement in the consummacion of this worlde whenÌ„ by the almyghty power of god the sowle of euery man woman shal retourne ageyn be reioyned to their owne bodyes appering before the hyghe Iuge to resceiue dome iugement of al thinges knowen forgotin for the folisshÌ„ body because it wolde not folowe the counseil of the wise sowle And the wyse spirit because it wolde not resiste but ensieu the folisshÌ„ body they shal be bothe dampned to gydre in the last extremite of iugement For this cause the sentence of the Iuge is called a swerde with two edges as is writen in thapocalips in the first chapitre For it shal strike the wretched synner bothe in body sowle It is writen in the gospel of seint Mathew in the x chapitre Drede him that shal mowe lese put bothe the body the fowle in the gehenÌ„e of hell The qualite of the saide iuge yeldeth sheweth the said sentence to be dredeful dauÌ„gerous Certeinly it shal be pronouÌ„ced by a circumspect a right prudent iuge whichÌ„ shal neuer faile for euery thing is notarily to him knowen for god knoweth the hidde thingis of the herte sercheth the werkis of men Wherfor it is writen ad hebreos in the iiij chapitre All thinges be opynÌ„ to his eyen for he lokith into the hertes as it is redde in the first book of Kingis in the xvj chapitre Also it is redde in ecclesiastico the xxiij chapitre The eyen of our lorde be moche clerer then the sonÌ„e for they beholde all the wayes of man the profouÌ„de depnesse the hertes of men see all the hidde thingis of the erthe And as Boece de consolacione saith Greet curiosite to do wel is introducte vnto vs because al that we do is doon afore him that seeth all thingis Iheremy seith in his xxij chapitre Thyn eyen be open vpon all the wayes of the children of Israhel I shal yelde to euerich of them after his wayes and after the fruite of his administracions Certeinly the Iuge is greetly to be dâ—ad whiche loketh vpon all thingis bothe opynÌ„ shette and al secreet thingis to hym knowen alle derke thingis to him be clere all domÌ„ thingis answere vnto hym and all thoughtes speke to hym without voys and all silences confesse them vnto hym This sentence is to be geuen by the Iust Iuge whiche wâ—l not be bowed and he shal Iuge al the circuite of the erthe and the peple in equite He gruggith not atte the myght of ony body nor he excepteth no persone what so euer they be nor he ne wel be appesed then by ony gyftes It is writen in deutronomij in the x chapitre God is greet mighty terrible whiche wil fauour no ê‘sone nor he resceiueth no giftes Certeynly a pure and a clene conscience thenÌ„e shal be more worthe then the purses ful of siluer The habondance of riches shal not proufite thenÌ„e nor ony thing that longeth to riche peple But only shal proufitâ— the werkis of Pite and of Iustice. It is writen in Ezechiel in the vij chapitre Their mony shal be thenÌ„e their donghil neither their golde nor their selues shal mowe deliuere them in the day of furour of our lorde ThenÌ„ shal appere the frawde and the falshâ—de of this worlde the vilenesse of al richesse O how swete a thing and how greet a Ioye shal it be thenÌ„ to thoes that haue hated this worlde and how sorowful bitter shal it be vnto them that haue had it in lust in delectacion This sentence is also to be geuen by the iuge that wil not be corrupte thenÌ„ by prayers nor appesed by desires And as it is writen in the Prouerbis of Salomon in the vj chapitre He wil not obtempee then nor bowe to ony requestes what so eâ— they be Crisostom seith the angeles wil not thenÌ„ intercede nor pray for the men for the iust iuge wil shewe there no misericorde but wil yelde to euerichÌ„ after his merites demeritis egally not bowyng iustice And therfore seith he by his prophete Ezechiel in the vij chapitre I shal do the right after thy weyes shal iuge the after thy iugementes and I shal make the knowe that I am thy lord For the cause seid Iob al dredefully Irefine al my werkes knowyng that thou ne wilt spare ony thing the delinqueÌ„tes or trespassours Of all thies thinges speketh Seint Bernard in a prose which he made saiyng Certeinly our lord shal iuge iustely shal except no ê‘sone nor shal be corrupt by ony prise nor gyftes Semblably he shal not bowe for ony man of praier O my right dere frende labour then diligently to bere iustice thyder as thou shalt fynde no misericorde For as it is writen in the Prouerbis of salomon The richesse shal not proufite in the day of vengeance but iustice shal cause thenÌ„ deliuerance from dethe And if the scolers that can not their lessous drede greetly to be examined of their maister left they shulde be egrely punisshed how moche shulde the sinnerâ— drede thenÌ„ thextremie examining of the soueraygnÌ„ iuge whenÌ„ they haue not studied in the book of iustice of trouthe Certeinly in the apposaile is examined al thingis that now be nought the vniust synners shal be punisshed the seed of felons shal perish and to the contrary the iust peple shal be thenÌ„ in the eternale memory and shal not drede in ony wise ony euil accusacion It is writen in Ecclesiastico the xviij chapitre Make redy Iustice afore the Iugement This final sentence shal be also geuen by a iuge cruelly moued whiche in no wise shal mowe be appeased For our lord Ihesus Crist that naturally is now amyable meke as a lambe shal appere thenÌ„e as a lyon right cruel greetly moued And therfore saith Ozee in his xiij chapitre It may wel be the wordes of our lord by the couetous gletons prowde peple at the day of iugement saiyng thus They haue fulfillled them self in their pastures and arreised vppe their hertes and forgotynÌ„ me I wole be to them as a lionesse as a leoparde in the weye of assirience I shal come ageynst
loke alweye perfyghtly vpon them to th entent that they may be seurely fixed and printed in thy memorie Now syn al this processe principally and soueraynly enforseth hym self tenduce euery creature to haue an assured mynde and an hole RemembrauÌ„ce of these four last thinges and that they may cordyally be enprinted with in your hertes Therfor it is consonant and accordyng yf it so may plese that this present trayttye may be entitled and bere the name of the. Cordyal ¶ Thus endeth the prologue of this book named Cordyal Whiche treteth of the four last and final thinges that ben to come ¶ And here beginneth the first parte of the seide four last thinges ¶ The first parte of the four last thinges THe first parte of the four last thinges wherof the remembrauÌ„ce withdraweth a man fro synne is deth present or temporal And therfore seith Seynt Bernard in a boke called the Myrour of monkes The moost souerayn philosophye is to thynke alwey on deth And he that berith it in his mynde in what place so euer he goo shal neuer synne Seynt Austyn seyth in his book of exortacions Ther is no thyng that so wele reuoketh and calleth a man from synne as often Remembraunce of dethe Certeyn it is that thinge whiche causeth a man to be humble to disprayse hym self and to do penaunce ¶ Howe Remembraunce of dethe maketh a man to 〈◊〉 humble and meke ¶ The first chapitre I Seye that recordyng the Remembraunce of deth maketh a man to be meke and humble hym self And therfor seyth seint Austyn in the booke that he made of our lord A man knowyng hym self to be mortall it shal put from hym al maner of pryde In very trouthe all our other thinges as wel good as hadde be incerteyne But of deth only we may be wel ensured And how be it that the hour therof is to vs hidde and incerteynÌ„ Yet alwey she is approchyng and shal surely come without longe taryeng And to this purpose seith Ecclesiastes in his xiijj chapitre Bere wel in remembrauÌ„ce that deth shal not tary It is also writen in Toby that deth hasteth and that ther may no fleyng auayle Also by the comune lawe of nature euery man muste paye his mortal tribute Seynt Bernard seyth in a sermonÌ„ O wretchid man whi dost thou not dispose thi self to be redy at al houres think that thou art now dede syns thou knowest wele that necessarily it behoueth the to dye Remembre wele how thyn eyen shal torne in thy hede and the veynes breke in thy body â–ª and thyn herte shal deuide in two partis by the right sharpe angwissh and payne of deth Who is he thenÌ„e that ought not to drede and make hym self humble Whan he knoweth certaynly that he must retorne and become erthe Now truly ther shal be none excepcion of persones But al shal passe that weye For as it is wâ—eton in the seconde 〈◊〉 of kynges Whe shal al dye and the erthe shal â—â—â—lowâ— vs as it doth water cast therupon whiche neuer â—â—â—â—â—neth We rede also that this worde Mors in 〈◊〉 may wele so be called For it is a bitter morsel vnto alle men in so moche as no creature may escape it And therfore it is said in the book of dispraysyng of the world â—eth cutteth doun and distroieth all thinges create and made in flessh She bothe beteth doun the hye men and lowâ—â— for she hath dominacion vpon wordly lyuyng thingis She regneth Imperially ouer the nobles and dredeth no lyuyng creature for her power is comyn ouer princes and dukes She taketh aswel the yonge as the olde And whan she smytes she hath mercy of no creature Alle thinges create in flessh perissheth vnder her honde Nor ther be none so strong but that she beteth them doun without rescuse And ther is no thyng beryng lyf but that she distroyeth and wasteth it without ony escape And she neither taketh mede Allyaunce ne frendship What shal I more seye euydently dethe spareth no body For nether poure ne riche shal mowe escape out of her cheyne Certeynly I vndrestande nowe that dethe is th ende of alle worldly lyuyng thinges And therfor it is writonÌ„ in Ietha the poete That dethe taketh awaye and doth anyntise all quyk thinges Lo is it not seide that the wise Cathon and the good Socrates been dede Whiche geuith example that ther is neyther science ne doctrine that may preserue one fro the ruynous darte of dethe It is writen in Ecclesiastes in the secunde chapitre Aswel dyeth the wyse man as the fole It is writon in Isaye in the xxxiij chapitre Where ar noble come the lettred men Where ben the prechers of the worde of god Where be they that were wont to teche the children These questions implied as moche as to seye they lyue not and begoon past in the comyn course whith other dede out of this worlde Now by cause Ietha named but only the two afore specified I pray the telle me where is now Hector of troye where is become Iulius cesar whâ—â— is Alexandre the greet Wher is Iudas Machabeus Where is the myghty Sampson where is Crassus the riche Where is the fayr Absolon where is Galyen the phisifien and Aincenne his felowe Where is the wyse Salomon where is Aristotle the philosopher where is Uirgile the right experte poete he not al these dede passed out of this worlde as pilgryms gestes and departed hens in a right short space yes certeynly ther is not one lefte a lyue of them alle their ioyes were but vanitees ar fayled their dayes be consumed passed And as the psalter seith man passed his dayes resembling a shadewe one tyme he is hole and stronge of al his membres and on the morowe seke leyde in the erthe And as Cathon seith our lyf is geuen vnto us to be ful of doubte and of fragilite This appereth also clerly by a philosophre named Secundus whom themperour AdrianÌ„ questioned with of the beyng the state of manÌ„ Whiche answerd as foloweth Man is subgette vnto deth Oost of the place where he is a voyager passyng semblably vnto a pece of snowe Also like a rede bery and like a newe apple by whiche thinge is euidently shewid how frayle how sleder and also how lytil enduryng is the lyf of a man And not only the lyf of poure peple But also the lyf of alle humaynÌ„ creatures be they neuer so riche or puyssaunt For deth is a comynÌ„ thinge and spareth no body And all be it she is cruwel and peruers yet she kepeth egally one lawe in takyng as wel kynges prynces as poure folkis Thus geueth she grete cause to wepe yf it be wel red and taken that is wretonÌ„ of her And therfor seith Iob in the xx chapitre of hys book of the riche fiers orguloê° manÌ„ Al though his pride be inhaunsed vnto the skye that his hede shold touche the clowdes
virgyns Seynt Mathewe sayth in his xxv chapitre Lo here is the spouse come thoes that were redy been entred with hym to the weddyng Wheruppon seint Gregory seyth That the palays of the herte myght wele asauoured how wondrefull was that worde Here is the spouse which is come How swete was that worde to them that entred with hym to the weddyng And how bitter was the other worde The yates be shitte closed My dere frende If thou dide sauour vndrestonde wele all this thinges beheldest them wele in thynÌ„ hert Certeynly thou woldest renne with all diligence for to do penauÌ„ce wolde not lese so vnproufitably without fruyte yâ— acceptable tyme dayes of thy helthe for no maner of voluptuous plaisers or other ydelnesse And as it is writen in the Apocalips in the secunde chapitre Remembre the fro whens thou art fall or departed do penaunce It is red how in dayes passed it happened in the Abbey of Cleruaulx that an holy man beyng in his prayers herde a voys makyng a peteous lamentacion And as he asked who it was A sowle answered seiyng I am the sowle of a dampned man compleynyng mynÌ„ vnhappy cause of condempnacionÌ„ And thenÌ„ he demauÌ„ded hym of his payne which answerd that of al thinges that causeth moost payne to a dampned sowle was losse of tyme that god hadde ordeynd man by his grace that he in a litle tyme myght haue doon penaunce which shulde deliuere hym from the euerlastyng paynes of the gehenne of helle To this purpose seide Hugh of seint Uictour The lakkyng of the sight of our lorde fayllyng of alle the goodes of grace that we myght haue had shulde surmounte and be more greuous vnto the. than all the infernal tormentes Lete vs do good werkes while we haue tyme lest we seye in repentaunce As is seyd in Iheremyas in the viij chapitre That is to wite Heruest is past Somer is finyssed and we be not saued Wherfor my frendes I require and humbly pray you That ye will amende your self in shorte tymâ— and make you redy in this x. hour for the euenyng hasteth hym And the Rewardeur shal come to yelde euery man after his werkes Hit may appere by thies examples howe Remembraunce of deth shulde induce a man to do penaunce It is redde of a felonous and a cruell knyght whiche wolde neuer accept nor do ony penaunce enioyned hym by pope Alexandre And atte last the pope gaue hym his Rynge that he shulde bere hit on his fynger by wey of penaunce And as often as he behelde hit to thinke on his deth And whan he hadde bornÌ„ hit a space of tyme with that Remembraunce on a day he come ageyn to the pope sayng he was redy to shrine hym to fulfill eny other maner of penaunce that he wolde enioyne hym It is red of an other synner that in like wise wolde do noo penaunce atte last his confessour enioyned hym that he shulde commaunde his seruaunt to present hym euery daye at his table with the first messe a staffe the rynde scorched of seiyng Sir remembre that necessarely ye must dye not knowyng where whenÌ„e in what maner nor howe And as this was a good while contynued because of that Remembraunce alle that he ete turned hym to greef and trouble And thenne he called ageyn for his confessour seiyng he was redy to do and obeye ony penaunce that he wolde ordeyne For his herte vâ—s meruelously brought in greet trouble by the fere of dethe whiche he was in Lo by thies thynges aforhersed appereth thenÌ„ clerly I noughÌ„ howe Remembraunce of dethe causeth a man to humble hym self to dispise alle worldly thinges acceptably take vppon hym to do penauÌ„ce and consequently to eschewe synnes And therfore my right dere brethren and frendes remembre you often ye and right often that ye shal dye And if ye bere in your myndes the dethe ye shalt wele come by that remembryng to the most happy resorte of lyf That is to wite The herytage of our Lorde Ihesus Crist ¶ And thus endeth the first parte of this tretys deuided in foure ¶ Here begynneth the prologue of the secunde partie of the foure last thinges THe secunde parte of the foure last thynges wherof frequentyng the Remembraunce reuoketh and calleth vs from synne Is the last and fynall daye of Iugement of whiche the Remembraunce draweth vs not oonly from the dedely greet synnes But also from the smale venyall And therfore it is redde in Uias Patrum in the lif of fadres That an Auncient man seyng a yong man laugh dissolutely seyde sone we must geue accompte of all our lyf before heuen and erth Why laughest thou so faste As who seyth If thou knewest howe strayte a Rekenyng shal be atte the daye of dome of all synnes aswel greet as smale Certeynly thou woldest not laughe But rather sorowe and compleyne Nowe is here the place to wepe and to put a wey synnes And thoes that nowe wepe for their synnes shal laughÌ„ hereafter Seynt Gregory seyth in his Omely That the gladnesse of this tyme present ought to be but suche as therby the bittirnesse of the daye of Iugement be â—ot put out of remembrauÌ„ce Therfor it is writen in Ecclesiastes the xxxviij chapitre Bere my iugement in remembraunce And also our lord by his ê“phete in the psalter seith whenÌ„ I shal se or take the tyme I wil deme do iustice to euery oonÌ„ And Iohel seyth in his last chapitre All men arise and come to gydres into the vale of Iosephath For there I shal fitte Iuge all maner of peple about me Iheremyas in his seconde Chapitre seyth that our lorde seyth I shal amownte with you in Iugement Of this Iugement is wreton in Ozee the iiij chapitre Ye childeâ—n of Israhel here ye the worde of our lorde of the finall Iugement that perteyneth to our lorde vppon thenhabitantes of the erthe Sothely this Iugement is greetly to be dowted Therfor seyth the. Prophete I dred for thy Iugementes It is wreton in the book of Sapience in the fyfthe Chapitre They that see the greet Iuge shal be horribly troubled playnyng and waylyng the drede of their sowles Certeynly in this day shal all peple be troubled and they that dwelle in the vtterest partye of the worlde shal fere thoes tokens and signes and they shal dowte them and not without cause For they shal be merueylously horrible Seynt Luke seyth in his xxj Chapitre WhenÌ„e the sone of man shal shewe hym self That is to seye The chilâ—e of the virgyn marie comyng in a clowde in mageste with a greet puyssaunce thenÌ„e shal the sygnes shewe in the sonne in the mone and in the sterres And on the erthe shal â—e pressure of peple dredyng to be confused with the sounde of the â—â—awes of the see Men vniuersally of all the worlde shal fall downe for the drede and fere that they shal haue thenne O thou wretched man
lif thou shalt mowe no more werke My Right dere frend yf thou shuldest geue a Rekenyng and accomptes of a M. ll before a temporall Lorde prudent and wyse thou woldest be full we le ware and take good hede howe thou shuldest make hym a Iust and a due Rekenyng Haue thou thenne moche more thouhÌ„t and be more drede full to yelde good Rekenyng and accomptes of all thing that thou hast commytted and doon and of thy dute lefte vndoonÌ„ WhenÌ„e thou shalt come before god his angeles and all his seyntes In whoe 's presens necessarily thou must accompt And not oonly of the greet thinges but also of the smale Ye vnto the leest part of them And as it is writon in the thirde Chapitre of Isaye Our Lorde shal come to Iuge with all his moost Auncient peple Zacharyas in his fourtenth Chapitre seyth Our Lorde my God shal come and his seyntes with hym That is to wyte To the generall Iugement Whiche shal be doon before all opynly and not in hydelys And therfore hit is greetly to be dowted For it is writen in Zophonyas in the thirde Chapitre He shal holde his Iugement in the mornyng by daye lyght and shal not hyde hym There shal be thenÌ„e many dyuerse Reasons to geue Rekenyng of allâ— thynges First of our Sowle whiche hath been committed and geuen vs by God Nowe truly yf a Kyng hadde deliuered his doughter to oon of his subgettes that he entierly loued entendyng to make her a quene in his Reame And yf the seyde subgette hadde not kept her wele Who wolde dowte but that the Kyng wolde haue a Rekenyng and knowe the cause how and why his doughter hadde be so euyll and neâ—â—ligently kept What shal the Kyng of heuen do thenÌ„ to hym that hath taken his doughter to kepe That is to wite The sowle Whiche he loueth specially and entendeth to enhaunse to Roial dignyte in heuen Iff he haue kept her euyll shal not God therfore axe to haue therof Rekenyng and Reason Yes hardely It is writen in Deutronomij the fourth Chapitre Kepe thoughtfully thy self f and thy sowle also And Seynt Austyn sayth It is a gretter losse of oonÌ„ sowle then of a M. bodyes Seint Bernard seith in the Booke of his Meditacions That all this present world may not be estemed nor valued to so hygh a prico as oonÌ„ sowle Also he seyth Wherfor makest thou thy self fatte and enournest thy flesshÌ„ with precious stones Whiche after a fewe dayes wormes shal ete within thy sepulture And wherfor makest thou not thy sowle fayre with good maners and vertues whiche atte the daye of dome ought to be presented to God and his Angeles Wherfor takest thou noon hede to make her fayer and clene ayenst that tyme. And why applyest thou rather to thy flesshÌ„ than to her why puttest thou the chamberer befor the lady as to be gouerned rather by thy flesshÌ„ than by thy sowle It is a greet abusion Seynt Bernard seyth hÌ„ym self in the book of dyspraysyng of the worlde Nowe a dayes the cure and the charge of the sowle is despised and lefte and thaccomplisshement of all their desire is after the will of the flesshÌ„ they drede not to do synne nor Remembre not howe they shal be rigorously punissed My Ryght dere frend wylt thou thenne loue better thinges of litle valewe than thoes that be more dygne and of hier price Enhaunse not thy body and suffre neuer the lady to become Chamberer To this purpose seyth CrissostomÌ„ If we disprayse our sowle we may not saue our body Truly the sowle is not made for the body but the body is made for the sowle ThenÌ„e he that disprayseth the hyghest and first thing and enhaunseth the secunde and the lowest hurteth bothe the oonÌ„ and the other But he that kepeth therin good ordre exalteth kepeth yâ— that is chef disprayseth that that is secunde for he heleth that that is moost digne and first That is for to seye the sowle If thou wolt than saue thy sowle yelde god a good rekenyng therof Instructe her with seyence and deuyne vertues Plato seyth in his booke of Thymeo The sowle is Ioyned with the body to th entent that she may lerne science vertu If she come with wynnynges she so to be resceyued of her maker And if not she thenÌ„ to be sent into helle there to remayne in turment and paynes perpetuell Secundly we must yelde Reason and Rekenyng of our body It is our Castell committed and deliuered vs by God Wherefore seyth Seynt Bernard He kepeth wele a good Castell that kepeth 〈◊〉 his body There shal be axed Rekenyng of the â—eâ—yng of this Castell As wether the Enymyes of 〈◊〉 Lorde whiche be vices and voluptuosnesse of the â—â—esshe haue be resceyued therin at ony tyme. And if his frendes and his seruauntes whiche be vertues and good werkes haue been shamefully chased out If we haue doon so it is a greet signe and suspecion of our perdycion And we shal nedely yelde Reason and Rekenyng Therfore our body is as a Mare that our Lorde hath geuen vs to vse for the proufite of our sowle of the whiche we shal yelde Rekenyng As in thre thynges It is writen in Ecclesiastico the thre and therty chapitre The mete the Rodde and the burdon is geuen to the asse The brede the discipline and the werke is geuen to the seruauÌ„t Certeynly our body signyfyeth aswell a mare and an asse as a seruaunt vnto whom is geuen the brede for sustentacion of nature The Rodde of discipline for to refrayne vanytees And the burdon of good werkes for the persectionÌ„ of penaunce Our lord thenne shal axe of this his mare his asse or his seruaunt yf we haue mynistred to hym his mete discretely not to largely nourisshyng For he that nourissheth ouer deliciously his seruauÌ„t shal fynde hym after the more fiers and prowde It is writon in the. Prouerbys the nyne and twenty Chapitre And also not to yeue the body ouer litle of that that is necessary to hit For so we myght be homycides of our owne flesshÌ„ Ayenst this speketh Seynt Bernard in a. Pistle to the Bretheren of the mounte of God seiyng Ther be many other exercises of the body in the whiche it is necessarye to labour as in wakynges fastynges Whiche impecheth not nor letteth spirituall thynges For yf they were lette other by default of spyrite or by sekenesse of the body he that so shulde take a weye from his body theffect of good werke The true desire of his spyrit The good example to be shewed to his neighbour and the honour to God his maker He shulde do sacrilege and be culpable of all this thinges ayenst God Yet seyth Seynt Gregory in his Moralys in the one and therty Chapitre By abstynense shulde the vices of the flessh be quenched Certeynly yet whenne we put a weye our enemy we greue our owne flesshÌ„ Secundly our lorde shal aske
vs yf we haue corrected our body with the Rodde of discipline in refraynyng hit from Rebellion and other vayne Iolitees Seint Bernard sayth vppon the. Canticles That the disacustumyng of good werkes must be chastised and holpen by the bytte of discipline He seyth also in a. Pistle O how wele good disposicion yeldeth discipline to the state of the body and the habitacion of the thoughtes abateth the slepe of the hede she ordeyneth the continuaunce of the visage she tempereth the tonge she refrayneth the throte she appeseth the Ire and dresseth the goyng Thirdely our Lorde shal aske if we haue laboured our body in vertu and in werkes of penaunce Therof seyth Seynt Austyn in his book of Baptisyng of children That Adam was chased out of Paradys terrestre because that delicious place it shulde signifye that labour which is contrary to delite shulde be shewed vnto the tendre flesshe of the children And therfore our bodyes may be called a laboryng best whiche our Lorde hath lent vs to do and accomplisshe the werkys of penaunce Holde not the body then in Idelnesse in as moche as thou knowest not how longe it shal abyde with the. But perfourme the werkes of penaunce Lest perauenture he asketh hit ageyn that hath lent hit the. Crisostom sayth Iff thou haue borowed an Oxe or an Horse thou wilt a none sette hym a werke leest he be asked ageyn of the on the morowe Why wilt not thou semblably do wyth thy body as thou wylt do wyth the Horse or Oxe Thus then norisshe discretely thy body whiche is lent the by Ihesu Criste in suche wyse as thy nature may be sustened and the vices ouercome and thy body corrected by the Rodde of discipline so as it may be obedyent and Resplendisshyng in Chastite Instructe hit to good laboures so that it chase aweye alle Idelnesse and fynally that thou mayste yelde our Lorde a good and a Iuste Rekenyng therof at the daye of Iugement Thirdely we muste yelde Rekenyng of our next kynnesmen First the Fadre of the Sone As is writen in the first booke of Kynges in the secunde Chapitre and the thirde of Hely that was punysshed for his children because he knewe they dyd a mysse and corrected not their defautes Therfore is also writon in Salomon the Nyne and twenty Chapitre Lerne and teche thy Sone And to the same purpose seyde A wyse man Iff thou haue a sone correcte hym yf he synne lest by right thou abye not his trespace Secundly the Prelate shal geue Rekenyng of his subgette or diocesanÌ„ For it is writin in Ezechiell the eghÌ„t and therty Chapitre My sone I haue sette the to be a beholder and ouerseer of men in the Hous of Irahell Whenne thenÌ„ thou herest ony of the wordes of my mouthe shewe them on my behalf That is to wyte Iff I seye to a felon O theff thou shalt dye an euyll dethe And yf thou shewe not my seiyng to hym to th entent that he may amende hym If he dye in that wykkednesse I shal aske of thy hande his lyf ageyn Item the same Ezechiel seyth in his thre and therty Chapitre Beholde and see howe I am my self a boue alle my other herdemenÌ„ And I shal aske my bestayll of their handes The Lordes or Princes Roiall shal yelde Rekenyng and accomptes of their subgettes As it appereth in the. Booke of Nombres in the fyue and twenty Chapitre Where the worldly princes ar commaunded to be hanged on the galowes for the synne of their peple be cause the peple dyd fornicacionÌ„ with the doughters of Moab Whithe they called their Sacrifice As is redde in the seyd Chapitre Suche then be the princes and prelates As is writen in Iheremyas the fyue and twenty Chapitre Howle ye herde menÌ„ and crye strongely and cast vppon you asshes for youre dayes be complete to th entent that ye be slayne and cast in the erthe as precious vessels Beholde thenÌ„e thies Prelates of the Chyrche and the Princes vniuersall of the Erthe that be constitute aboue alle other â—oke howe they gouerne by example Howe they instructe by wordes Howe they defende by dede the poure peple that arne comitted to their gouernaunce Certeynly the Prelates owen to teche their peple and defende them wysely from the assawtes of Heretikes worse and more cursed than wolues and from their cawtellys wylyer than foxes And the temporall Princes owenÌ„ to do Iustice vppon trespassours and defende their good subgettes and kepe Wedewes Orphanes and wretched persones And not to greue ony body by vnrightfull exactions or Iniust causes They may knowe what is writen in the. Booke of Sapiens the Syxthe Chapitre How there shal be a right hard Iugement to thoes that been precellent a boue alle other Certeynly mercy shal be graunted vnto the good poure man But the badde riche man shal suffre greet turmente O ye prelates of the Chirche and ye Princes of the vniuersall worlde thies wordes been addressed vnto you to th entent ye shulde lerne wysedomÌ„ and not to fall therefrom and that ye enstructe gouerne and defende your subgettes so we le that ye may be sure atte the last daye of the right harde Iugement where the grettest and strongest paynes shall be to th offenders that haue been myghtiest here Fourthly it behoued to yelde Rekenyng of alle our willes and werkes And Anastasye sayth vppon the Symboll Quicunque wlt saluns esse c. How atte comyng of our Lorde Ihesus Criste alle mankende shal arrise bodely and yelde Rekenyng of their propre werkes That is hit that is writen by Thappostle in the secunde Pistle ad Corintheos the fyfth Chapitre Where he seyth It behoueth that we shewe vs alle manyfestly before the Iudiciall sete of Ihesu Crist to th entent that eueriche resceyue there good or euyll accordyng to their merites and desertes It is redde in Ecclesiastes in the last Chapitre Our lorde shal beyng vnto the Iugement all thinges that be doon And not oonly the greet greuous synnes but also thoes that we thinke be litle or none The paas of a man semeth but a smale thyng Neuerthelesse it shall be Rekened for at the fynall daye of Iugement Ther for seyth Iob. in his thertenth Chapitre Sire thou hast wele marked my weyes and my pathes and hast beholdyn the Traces of my fete And after he seyth in the Chapitre folowyng Thou hast nombred all my steppes Item also it is wreton in Ecclesiasticus the seuententh Chapitre His eyen behold incessauntly alle the weyes off men As to seye he will Rewarde alle that they doonÌ„ accordyngly therafter We Rede in Uitis patrum an example of an Angell that somtyme nombred alle the paaces of an Heremyte Whiche paas is a lesse thing than an Idle worde Therfore seyth Seynt Mathewe in his twelfth Chapitre That men shal yelde Rekenyng and Reason at the daye of dome of euery Idle worde that they haue seyde It is wreten in the.
right dere brother frende drede this daye and dowte cordyally the saide Iuge and lord that shal deme alle thingis to th entent that thou mayst the more diligently eschewe alle synnes And it is redde in an other place That in dredyng our lorde it withdraweth euery man from euil doyng Ther is yet an other thing whiche agrogith this sentence ther is no place to apele to ony other nor space for to flee To that purpose saith the Psalter Whyther shal I goo bakward from thy spirit how shal I fle bakward from thy face if I mount vp into the skye thou art there if I descende into hell thou art present there besides me And therfor seith our lorde of synners by Amos in the xix chapitre They shal fle and ther shal be noon saued of them If they descende into hell my hande shal pulÌ„ them vp from thens and if they hyde them in the mounteyne of Carmele I shal seke them til I haue put them thens And if they hyde them in the botomÌ„ of the see I shal sende a dragon whiche shal deuour them And if they goo into seruage emongis their enemyes I shal sende a swerde which shal sle them and shal cast mynÌ„ eye vpon them in wrath not in loue Iob saith in his x chapitre Our lorde ought to Iuge all thingis and is noon that may escape his handes Certeinly I see clerely the hande of our lorde almyghty wylÌ„ fynde vs ouerall And therfore saith the Auctour of the chare of the sowle What wilt thou riche man do that neuer shalt liue surely whyther shalt thou retraye the whyther wilt thou turne thy body for thou art not sure here nor ellis wher fore and thou stye vp into the skye or descende into hell he that hath dominacion is that cruell and myghty kyng If thou goo into the see that kyng hath gouernaunce there thou shalt not mowe thenne goo no part surely for thou shalt be founde euery where Certeynly thou shalt haue no place to flee to nother in thy dethe nor in thy lif O how wele comprehended this Elezearus that saide I wil neither fle quiâ— nor dede from the handes of the almighty As it is writen in the secunde book of Machabe the vij chapitre Lo by thies our lordes saiyngis it appereth in many maners that finall Iugement is to be redouted of all and shal be for thaccusacion of diuerse thinges whiche must be violently suffred sustened and bornÌ„ and for the iust Reason that must nedes be yelden singulerly and generally of al thinges And for the diffinitif sentence that shal be thenÌ„ pronounced right horribly by the Iust Iuge The Remembraunce then of thies thinges diligently continued that is to seye of the finall Iugement and of the sentence that shal be geuen there as it is seide shal preserue and defendâ— and not without reason euery man from fallyng into syâ—â—ne and eschewe to do euyll to the ende to come finally to the glorie with the happy seyntes of Paradys â–ª And thus endeth the secunde parte of this tretys deuided in four parties Here beginneth the prologue of the thirde parte of the four last thingis to come THe thirde of the iiij last thingis wherof the remembrauÌ„ce pÌ„serueth from sinne is hell or thinfernale gehenne And therfor saith Anastasie of seint anthonie the heremite whenÌ„ the deuell tempted him to ony sinne he remembred the paines of hell due vnto synners whichÌ„ thought was so enprinted in his herte that finally he therby venquisshed the deuill was delyuered from his temptacions rested free from alÌ„ sinne It is to be noted how touching this matier pÌ„sent iij thingis ar principally to be considered First the diuerse nominacion of the peinfulÌ„ places of hell Secundly the manifolde afflictions of thinfernalÌ„ minestres Thridly the strange diuerse maners of the tormeÌ„tes of hell of the whichÌ„ iij thingis the remembrauÌ„ce ê“fiteth greetly withdraweth a man from falling to sinne ¶ How hell is named by holy scripture in diuerse wise ¶ The first chapitre of the thirde part principal IT is now first to be declared priÌ„cipally the nominacion of the peinfulÌ„ places of hell Wherfor it is to be knowen that helle is a place fulÌ„ of fire is so called de infero infers That is to saye to bere in for the sowles of sinners be bornÌ„ into it for to suffre peine ther eternally And therfor saith Iob in his vij chapitre He that shal descende into hell shal not come ageyn ne euer retorne vnto his house And also hell is oftentymes called gehenne of fire The forsaid Seint Gregory in his fourth boke of his dyalÌ„ogis saide Certeinely it must be beleud that there is oonly but oon fire in the gehenÌ„e of hell but it tormenteth not all sinners after oon maner for euery man shal haue payne after the quantite of his gilte and trespace Isidorus in the book of souerayn goodnesse seith that the fire of the gehenne of helle shal shyne leight to the dampned folkes in encrecyng of their paynes to th entent that they may see their owne sorowes it shal neither light nor shyne to their consolacion nor geue them cause of ony reioysing The paynÌ„ of thoes that be dampned is doubled by sorowe paynes that tourmentith the sowle and fire that brenneth the body Of this fire of hell speketh the sawâ—â—r saiyng The coles shal fal vppon synners whiche shal be cast into the fire hauyng no conforte in their miseries our lorde shal tourmente them with his Ire the fire shal deuour them Wherfore it is writen in Isaye in the ix chapitre The peple shal be as meete vnto the fire it is also seid to euery synner in Ezechil in the xxj chapitre Thou shalt be fireâ— meete In Iheremy the xv chapitre saith our lord to the dampned folkes then brasyng fire inferrour shall broil brenne vppon you all â–ª this fire is of the nature that â—petually it sâ—al brenÌ„ shal neuer haue nede to be renued It is writen in Iob the xx chapitre The fire whiche can 〈…〉 be quenched shal vtterly deuour them O how sore shal our lorde venge hym thenÌ„ vppon the dampned synners As it is saide in Ecâ—lesiastico in the vij chapitre The flesshe of synners shal haue vengeance by fire This fire of the gehenne of helle is different from the materiall fire principally in 〈◊〉 thinges First in fyersnesse egernesse foâ— the power of it in brenning is infenite wherfor seith seint SebastianÌ„ WhenÌ„ the angel of heuen rowned hym in the ere he seyde that our sensible fire is no more like the fire of hell then the fire peynted vpon a wall is like our materiale fire Secundly in enduring For our materiale firâ— may be quenched and so may not that It is writen in Isay in the last chapitre that the fire for siÌ„ners shal noâ— be quenched Thridly in wasting for our sensible materiale fire may consume
Theodorus whiche sone after sodenly began to crye with a lowde voyce saiyng I yelde louyng thankis and grace to god my creatour for nowe that dragon whiche shulde haue deuoured me is driuen and chased away fro me by your good and deuoute prayers and orisons Also Seint Gregorie telleth an example in the fourthe boook of his Dyalogis that how in the partes of Anchone in a monastery called Congolathon be fell somtime that there was therin a monk which was taken for a very holy man meruelously wele disposed towarde god But whenÌ„e his brethren went that he hadde fasted he was accustumed secretely to ete And whenÌ„e he was atte the batayl of deth he called generally for alle his brethren saiyng vnto them I am deliuered nowe vnto a dragon to be deuoureed whiche with his taill hath knytte to gydre my fete also my kneys putteth his hede into my mouth draweth my sowle out of my body and after he hadde saide thoes wordes he dyed forth withall It may seme thies wordes be for the condempned sinners which ben writen in Iheremy in the lj chapitre He hath eten me like a dragon This dragon is hideous and greet and hath vij hedes x hornes in the same as it is writen in the Apocalips in the xij chapitre Ther hath been a greet bataile in the skye so that seint Michiel his angell hath fought with the dragon his angell whichÌ„ might not resist sith their rowmes in heuen coude not be fouÌ„de but were cast downÌ„ and so the dragon auncient serpent whichÌ„ is called the deuilÌ„ sathan enforceth him self to make warre vpon the uniuersalÌ„ world here And for that cause is it red in the same chapitre That harme come to the erthe and to the see for the deuill is descended emong you with alÌ„ his greet furious anger This deuil hath a meruelous greet hate vnto alÌ„ good peple which disposeth them to take possession in the rowme of heuen from whens he was put out chased into theternal paines and the more that the day of â—ome approcheth the more tempteth he more cursedly more forseth him self to do euil in distroyng of sowles O how greet is the wikkidnesse and the malice of this deuilÌ„ of hell Wherof Seint Bernard talketh in a prose saiyng O how felonows shal thenÌ„ this tormeÌ„tours be which shal paine tourmente synners how terrible shal their vengeance be in vengyng vices wretchednes sinnes Certeinly their cruel malice is yet augmented in diuerse maners First because they be so innumerable and of so diuerse soortes The Psalter saith Why be thoes so multiplied that tourmenteth me and ther be many that dresse them ayenst me And as it is writen in Iob in the xix Chapitre They haue asseged my Tabernacle about me It is writen in Uitis patrum That ther was a good Auncient Man that sawe the deuill enuyronyng the Peple and were as thik as beis that make hony Wherfore it is saide also in the Psawter They haue compassed me as beis be cause they be many of grete myght as Thappostle witnessith in his pistle ad the epheseos in the vj chapitre wher he calleth them princes potestates gouernours of the world be cause they be subtil myghty to noy sowles The psalter seith The strong haue sought my sowle this strength is vndrestonde by the deueles It is redde also of the strength in Iob the xlj chapitre There is no myght vppon the erthe to be compared with that that hath doon so that it dredeth no man sauf hym that seith all thing from aboue is king ouer all the children of pride the deueles shal ernstfully exorcise their might in pride to the pumisson of synners them shal cruelly tourmente It is writen in Ecclesiastico the xxxix chapitre Ther be spirites that be ordeyned to take vengeaunce hath confermed the tormentes in their furour enduringly till the consummacion of the worlde Iob seith in his xvj chapitre He hath compassed me with his fperis hath not spared me but hath hurte my reynes he hath cast my bowell to the erthe and geuen me woundes vppon wounde this come shuldering ayenst me like a gyand Thirdely the malice and cruelte of the deuell is comforted is more greuous be cause they ar neuer wery of tormenting As it is writen in the book of Daniel in the iij chapitre The mynistres shal not seasse in sturryng the fires of the fourneis to the causing of paynes Therfore said a wise man that there be tormentours whiche be more to be lothed then serpentes and they be blakke and defourmed and will not be beten downe And they be neuer wery to do harme but newly encreasen their malice al way redy and boyling desirously to put soules to payne and incessantly they excersise their cruelte more and more And it is saide to all sinners in Deutronomy in the xxviij chapitre Thou shalt serue for thynÌ„ enemy whenne our lord shal sende the naked vnto him in honger and thirste and in alle pouerte And theâ—â—e shal thy sore woundes enereace perpetuelly O how greet shal the paynes be there to dampned folkes whiche shal last continuelly in anguishÌ„ and miserie without intermission lacking peas or reste It is red of the sinners in Ezechiel in the vij chapitre That whenÌ„e they shal fele thâ—es anguisshiâ—ê° paine they shal desire and requirâ— to haue peas but thenÌ„e they gete nonÌ„ for they shal hâ—ue conturbacion and sorowe vpon sorowe It is writen in Thapocalips the xiiij chapitre That thoes that haue been bâ—estly shal therfore haue no rest by daye nor nyght ThenÌ„ mowe the sinners we le say as it is writen in Isay in the xxxviij chapitre I shal not see our lord god in the kuyng lond nor I shal no more beholde ony man that is inhabitour of rest Semblable as it is writen in Iheremye the xlv chapitre Alas I am vnhappy for oure lord hath addid in me sorowe to sorowe for I can finde no reste Sorowe shal be thenÌ„e cast at his hede and alle Iniquite shal descende vpon him Now by thies thingis aboue said it manifestly appereth how suche as descendeth into hell be punisshed with many diuerse payneeâ— therfor me thinkith dere brethren how it shold be often in your remeÌ„brauÌ„ce to defende you from fallyng to sinne whereby ye shulde lâ—se the companye of the â—â—â—py and blisshed seinâ—eeâ— and the celestiale glorie whiche is perourable and shal dure world withouten ende ¶ How there be many condicions of tormentes encreasyng the peynes of Helle ¶ The thirde chapitre of the thirde part principal NOw resteth to declare the thirde parte of this matier whiche is in shewyng the condicion of thinfernale tourmentes whiche be full diuerse Certeyne there be sondery condicions that specially encreace by occasions the peynes of helle ¶ The first is bitternesse wepyng grindyng of teeth compleynyng the perpetuell dethe peynfull languissing in despaire
man wexe prowde sithen the concepcion of man is in synne And of all the birth in payne the lif in labour and necessarily al must dye And after deth turne to wormes And after wormes to filth and stenche Lo thus finally euery man is clerely conuerted and turned out of all humanyte Considre than the begynnyng of thy lyf the mydle and also the last ende And thou shalt fynde therin a right greet occasion̄ and cause to meke and humble thy self Now what seyst thou what thynkest thou what rekenyng makest thou of thy self art thou ought but powdre of the erth It is wreton in the xij chapitre but more playnly in the iij chapitre of the same Ecclesiastes The powdre retorneth to the erth that hit come fro That is to wete to right a fowle rotyn erth full of wormes And therfore writeth Iob. in his xvij chapitre I haue seid to rotennesse thou art my fadre and my moedre and I haue seid to the wormes ye be my brothren my sustres It is red in Ecclesiasticus in the xvij chapitre that euery man is erth and asshes and therof haue take their beyng And also it was seide to a man Thou art but powdre and to powdre shalt retorne And as Aleyn̄ amonysseth warneth the when thou shalt lie in the colde erth thou shalt torne to powdre wormes mete from thensforth ther shal no creature be in will to loke vppon the. For thy flessh̄ shal be more ranke in stinche than the flessh of a rotyn̄ hownde To this purpose seith that holy man Seynt Bernard What is a more vile and stinkyng thing than the careyn̄ of man̄ And what is a more odeous thing to be holde than a dede man the more delectable he hath been in his lyf to the contrary his loke shall be orrible after his dethe What shal hit proufite vs richesses delectacions and worldly worshippis The richesse defende vs not from dethe nor delectacions from the wormes nor the worshippes from foule stynkynges O myghty God eternal in howe myserabile chaunse is man inclosed Certeyne my right dere frende If thou thoughtest diligently of the thinges aforeseyde Thou shuldest therby fynde a right greet occasion̄ to meke and humble thy self For the remembraunce of dethe causeth humylite in man It appereth wele by the thirde booke of Kynges in the .xxj. Chapitre of Kyng Achab. Whiche when̄ he herde by Hely the manassyng of dethe and that hit approched hym He meked hym self in suche wyse that our Lorde seyde to the forseyde Hely Seest thou not howe Achab. humbled hym self before me It is sayde also that somme tyme. Whenne men made and created a pope ther was brought before hym a pece of flax and ther in set fyre seiyng thies wordes folowyng Right thus passeth the vayne glorye of this worlde Lyke to seye That as the fire brennes lyghtly the flax and conuerteth hit in to asshes Semblably the glorye of this worlde fayleth and passeth Isidore reporteth also That aunciently it was accustumed atte coronacion of the Emperour of Constantinoble When he was set in his moost glory A mason shulde come before hym and shewe hym thre or four maner of marbyll stones seiyng that he shulde chese of whiche of those he wolde haue his tombe made It is redde of seint Ioh̄n the aumener that was somtyme patriarke of Alexandre that hadde commaunded to make his tombe and wolde in no wyse it shulde be fully finysshed And ordeyned that in grete and solempne festes when̄e he was in his hyghest honour one shulde come vnto hym and sey that thy tombe is not fully accomplisshed nor perfourmed giue commaundementes that hit be finysshed For thou knowest not how thou shalt dye nor whan that theff wyll come whiche is to vndrestonde the fende That enforceth hym self alwey to destroye soules And whye dyd the pope the Emperour and the patriark thyes thingis Whiche were the men moost excellent in astate of al the world but onely to confesse and knowlege to them self that they were mortall and that they ought not to enhaunse them self in pride nor fortefye them in hope of longe lyf Wherby they shulde haue the more power in this vayne worldly glorye But that they myght haue before hem thenne the remembraunce of deth to cause them to be the more humble in all their werkes And therfor seith a prophete Knowe all peple that men be comen and made of erthe And therfor they must necessarely dye It is also wreton in Ecclesiastes in the one fourty chapitre All thinges that be come of the erthe shal be conuerted ageyn to the erthe Wherof man̄ is comen as it is wele knowen And therfor seith Iheremyas the prophete in the .xxij. chapitre Erth erthe erthe Nowe herken my wordes He called man̄ thryes erthe by cause he may so be named in thre maners First he is erthe for he is made of the erthe Secundly his conuersacion is in the erthe And fynally he retourneth into the erthe So is he erthe in his creacion in his conuersacion and in his dethe He is erthe by hys nature in his lyf And in hys Sepulture he hath sauoured the erthe he hath liked the erthe he hath desired and coueyted the erthe The body of man is taken and doluen in the erthe And yet he forgeteth the Celestyall thynges and pleteth for the terrestreall And geueth batayl for the erthe He gothe He comyth and turneth abowte the erthe to haue the erthe And often in angwysshes payne and labour nowe here nowe there And all for the erthe and neuer seasyng tyll be hym self f whiche is come from the erthe be retourned ageyn̄ to hys first modre That is to seye The erthe It may be seyde as it is writon in the third◠booke of Kynges in the secunde Chapitre Lo howe I departe and passe the comune weye of the vnyuersall erthe And for asmoche as we be bounden with slyme of the erthe donge of the erthe and be right vyle thyng Wherfor shulde we then̄e be prowde of our self knowyng we be come from the erthe lyuyng in the erthe conuersyng in the erthe and fynally shal retourne into the erthe as euery daye it appereth euydently vnto alle peple ¶ Howe Remembraunce of dethe maketh a man to dispise alle thynges ¶ The thirde chapitre of this first principal part REmembraunce of dethe causeth a man to myslyke alle erthely vayne thynges and to repute them as no thyng Therfore seyth Seynt Iherome in his prologue of the Bible That esely he dispiseth alle bad thyng that alweye remembreth howe he muste dye The concupiscens of eyen is dispysed whenne oon̄ remembreth that he shal shortly parte and leue alle erthely thynges The concupiscens of the flesshe is dispised whenne one remembreth that his body shal become wormes mete In a moment the pompe and pryde of this lyf is set at noght Whenne a man counterpeyseth in his herte howe he that wolde be aboue alle other
shal be hastely caste into the erthe vnder the fete of other For this cause seyth Seynt Iherome in a pistle that he sent vnto Cypryane Remembre the wele of thy dethe and thou shalt not synne He thenÌ„ that alweye bereth in Remembraunce howe he must dye disprayseth easely alle thinges present disposyng hym self f to alle good thynges that be to come Certeynly Esau. consyderyng howe dethe was nyghe vnto hym dispraysed lyghtly alle worldly thynges It is writen in Genesis in the fyue and twenty Chapitre Lo beholde I dye and what shal proufite me alle thoes thinges that I am bornÌ„ vnto Isidore also aduertising hym self of the shortenesse of this prrsent lif whiche is so sone passed that all that menÌ„ seme to haue in possessionÌ„ here shal be lefte sodenly by deth exorted euery man to disprayse suche thynges Sayng if thou wilt be in rest and peas desyre no thyng of this world and so thou shal be quiete in thy corage if thou put from the all desyres and corious besynesses of this present lyf Set a part all thing that may distourbe and lette thy good purpose be thou dede to the world and the world to the. and as though thou were dede beholde the vayne glorye of this world And as a man passed disseuer and depart the from the voluptuousnesse of this worlde And as a man fynysshed haue this worlde in no cheerte And as a man passed out of this worlde purge the of all maner of filthes And also whyleâ—thou art a lyue disprayse all that thou mayst not haue when thou art dede Senek seyth that ther may not thing profite the so moche in that temperance and dyspraysyng of all worldly thinges as shal do to thenke often of the short enduring and the incerteynte of this present lyf Thenne my ryght dere frende Remembre often in thy corage how thou must dye It is redde in a book made of the gyft of drede Howe long a go ther was ryght a wyse philosophre that hoolly abandoned hym to the vanytees of this world Whiche in a tyme herd red of the long lyf of Auncient fadres and of eueriche of them was seyde in the ende he is dede As is wreton in Genesis in the fyfth chapitre Thenne he thought in hym self that semblably deth shulde happen vnto hym as it did vnto those for he was right olde And hastely he entred into religyonÌ„ and toke thordre of ffrere prechours and was after made master of Theologye in Parys And from that daye forth lyved a full holy lyf O howe we le hadde this man before his eyen the wordes of Ecclesiastes in the enleuenth chapitre Seiyng That man whiche hadde lyued many yeres alweye gladde and Ioyefull hÌ„e ought to remembre wele his last dayes and the comyng of the tenebrouse tyme. For thenne it shal be but vanyte to argue of thinges past for his remedye Certeynly atte daye of dethe appereth vanyte of vanytees and howe all thinges shal be thenne vayne and noght For this cause it is writen in Ecclesiastes in the thirde Chapitre Alle thingys here be restyng vndre vanyte and trewe it is alle thynges of this worlde and eueriche of them be vayne For our lyf and euery worldly creature is but vanyte And therfor seyth the Prophete That vnyuersally euery lyuyng manÌ„ is vanyte Thou wenest to lyue longe and many yeres to possesse delicyously thy temporall goodes Certeyne my right dere frende It shal be all other wyse For man is made semblable vnto vanyte and his dayes passe as a shadowe Beholde nowe and see howe thy dayes shal be but short and an other shal come and take thy possessions To this purpose seith Chaton Promitte neuer to thy self that thou shalt haue longe space of lyff For in what place so euer thou entre dethe foloweth alwey the shadowe of thy body And therfor if thou loke vppon the wordes that be seyde And also conceyue dilygently in thy herte that shal be shewed the hereafter thou shuldest rather sey thyes wordes than other wyse I go now to my dethe and trust to lyue after by a longe space Al be it perauenture this is the last day of my lyf The holy and blessed man Seynt Luke seith in his xij chapitre O thou foole this nyght thy soule shal be axed of the and be certeyn that the disposicionÌ„ of thy tabernacules is but light As is wreton in the seconde epistle of seynt Petre. in the first chapitre Thynke thenÌ„e that thou art dede when thou knowest necessarily that after a nombre of yeres thou art certeyn to dye Therfor disprayse al transitory thynges that must be hastly lefte as is to sey without ony tariyng though it to be lothe vnto the. The poete telleth that wysdom rentis of londes possession of richesse the makyng of walled townes the byldyng of houses the glorious maner of lyuyng at the table as well in plesant drynkes as in delicious metes the feire softe beddes we le hangyd and dressed the white table clothes the bright burnyssed cuppes the riche garmentis contrary to good maner the greet flokkes or herdis of beestis The greet contreies of arable londes the vyneyerdes plenteuously sette with vynes and the Ioye and the loue of his propre childeren Yet shal all this be relynquysshed passe and be lost and no thyng be founde therof herafter By thies thinges may be seen that in this present lyf is no thing stable nor permanent whiche ought to cause drede Therfore writeth Ecclesiastes in the secunde Chapitre I haue greetly exalted my werkes I haue edified me fayre houses I haue planted vynes I haue made gardynes Wherin I haue graffed of alle maner of trees I haue also caste poondes and stagnes and haue sette trees in the forest I haue hadde seruauntes and chamberers and greet companye in my housholde more than euer hadde ony afore me in Iherusalem I haue hadde greet flokkes of shepe and droues of beestes I haue assembled for me golde and siluer and gadred the tresure of kynges and of the prouynces my neighbours And also haue herde afore me syngers bothe men and women and many delectacions of the children of men And haue doonÌ„ so moche that I haue surmounted in richesse alle that haue been before me in Iherusalem Wysedome also hath alweyes perseuered in me and all that euer myn eyen haue desired I haue not denyed them nor defended but that they haue vsed alle voluptuousnesse they haue hadde no delectacion But in suche thinges that I hadde ordeyned them And whenÌ„ that I turned me behelde wel al thies thinges the werkes that my handes hadde wrought loked vppon the labour that I hadde many tymes swette in al for noght I perceyued then knewe we le that al my werkes were but vainte affliction of spirite And that vndre the sonne in this world was no thing permanent nor sure Now in trougth al thinges passe here like a shadowe