essenciall be those which sygnyfye such an essencyall thynge whych can not be taken a way from y â— same self thyng whych we wold haue diffynyd y t thyng styll to remayn But accydentall thynge be those whych may be takeÌ„ a way from y â— thyng wych we wold haue descrybyd yet y t thing may styll remayne as whyte black hard soft good bad such other be termes accydentall for a horse or a man for whytnes or blacknes hardnes or softnes goodnes or badnes may be chaunged in a horse or man takeÌ„ a way from those thynges yet the same selfe horse or man may remayne styll in theyr substauncyall beynge therfore they be callyd accydentall thynges for a hors or a man but those termes a body and sensyble be termes essencyall for a horse or a man for they may not be taken awaye from the substaunce of a horse or a man and the same selfe hors or man to remayne and therfore they be cal lyd essencyall termes for a hors or a man ¶ what is a body what is a soule and what is a man Caput iii. COmyngo ¶ All y t I ê‘ceyue well am agreed w t y â— therin therfore I pray the procede and tell me what thou callest a body and what thynge thou callest a soule and what thou callest a man ¶ Gyng ¶ I call that a body as I sayd before as the phylosophers haue dyffyned yt that is thus A body is that which hath length brede thickenes And a soule as y â— phylosophers say is y e acte of a naturall body hauynge lyfe in power And a man is a body with a soule sensytyf and reasonable But yet me thynketh there is a better dyffynycyon than that for the soule after myn opinyon ¶ Comyn what is that ¶ Gyn. ¶ Surely after myne mynde a soule is no nother thynge but a lyfely power and ought not alway to be called the acte of the naturall body hauynge lyfe for I thynke that thou wylt graunt that the soule of man when it is separate froÌ„ his corruptyble body is a soule yet it is not than the acte of the body for thaÌ„ it doth nothynge with the body nor that body doth no acte nor hathe no naturall doyng by reason of the soule and therfore it semeth it is no good dyf fynycion of the soule to call it the acte of the bodye but the best dyffynycyon of the soule is to call it the lyfely power ¶ Comyn ¶ yf that be thyn opynion than thou goest clene from the dyffynicyon of the phylolophers and than I suppose that few clerkys therin wyll take thy parte ¶ Gyng ¶ Nay it is not clere agayne the phylosophers mynde for peraduenture whan they gaue that dyffymcyon they ment that the soule beyng ioyned wyth the body is y â— acte of the body ¶ Comyn ¶ well than go forth with thy purpose ¶ Gyng ¶ Then furthermore I say that of that soule there is thre dyeâ—rsytees that is to say a soule vegetatyf a soule sensytyf and a soule intâ—llectyf A soule vegetatyue is that lyfe that is in a plante tre gras herbe or frute whych do grow A soule sensytyue is that lyfe which is in a brute beste whyche occupyeth and vseth the. v. wyttys and lacketh reason and vnderstandynge as is a hors a cow a byrde or a fysh And y â— v. wâ—ttys by the tastynge the smellynge the herynge the syght and the touchynge And therfore euery kynde of bestes hauynge these v. wyttys haue a soule sensytyue But a soule intellectyue is that whych hath a lyue lâ— vnderstandynge to knowe good from â—ll and ryght from wronge And therfore a man is that creature to whom god hath gyuen this soule intâ—f whyche we call the reasonable soule And because man hathe growyng as plantes herbes haue he is therfore called lyfelv because he hathe the vse of the. v. sences as brute bestes haue therfore he is callyd â—nsyble And because he hath reason and vnderstandynge therfore he is callâ—d reasonable Therfore a man is nothyng ellys but a lyfely body sen syblâ— and reasonable so those two thynges ioyned togyther that is to say the body and the reasonable soule do make a man ¶ Comyn ¶ This is a very good introduccyon to our mater and a reasonable therfore I am content to graunte to the all these forsayd conclusyons therfore I praye the go forth wyth thy argument let me see how thou canst proue by rea son that the soule of man is immortall and shall neuer dye ¶ Gynge ¶ That I trust I shall proue the but yet fyrst or we go to the reasonyng â—rof 〈◊〉 I shall proue to the y â— it is wysdom for a maÌ„ to beleue that y â— soule of man is immortall and shal neuer dye and that it is great foly to bâ—ue the contrary that it is immortall ¶ Comyngo ¶ How canst thou proue that ¶ Gyngemyn ¶ Forsothe thus ¶ That it is wysdome to beleue that the soule of man is immortall Caput iiii A Man must nedys other beleue that the soule of man is immortal and shall neuer dye or ellys mortall and shall perysh with the body but it is more wysdome and profyte for a man to beleue that it shall neuer dye then the coÌ„trary For in euery doutfull thynge the more surer way is to be chosen But yf thou beleue that it is immortall shall neuer dye though it be not so yet that byleue by no possybylyte can neuer hurt the nor dysprofyte the for yf it be immortall and shall haue punyshment after for his desert that beleue maye do the great good yf thou lyue the more vertuously And yf it be mortall and shall dye yet yf thou beleue y â— it is immortall y t beleue shall neuer after thy deth do the hurte whyther thou lyue in this worlde vertuously or vycyously when thou hast no lyfe nor beynge after thy soule is departyd from thy bodye But on the other syde yf thou beleue that it is mortall and shall dye with thy body that be leue ê‘adueÌ„ture may do y â— great hurt For yf thy soule lyue after thy body and be punysshed in an other world for thyne offeÌ„ces done in this world yf the boldnes of that beleue haue caused y â— to lyue the more vycyously in this worlde for whyche thou arte in an other world punysshed then that beleue that thy soule is mortall is cause to the of great harme therfore to beleue that y â— soule of man shall dye with the body one way may be cause to man afterward of great hurte But of this beleue that the soule of maÌ„ shall neuer dye shall neuer by no possibylite be hurtfull to maÌ„ afterward nor there can not folo we therof to man any harme wherfore I may well conclude y â— a maÌ„ to beleue that his soule is incorruptyble and shall neuer dye is great wysdome and to beleue the
yt profoundly and put gyue thy reason therto delyberatly to dyscusse yt ¶ Comyn ¶ By what reason canst thou fyrst proue that there is a god that gouerneth all ¶ Gyng ¶ Harke and I shall shewe the. ¶ That god was wythout begynnynge and the fyrst cawse of all thynge Cap. ii Hyrst I trust thou wylt grauÌ„t me that there was euermore a thyng or nothyng somwhat or no what beyng or not beyng ¶ Comyn ¶ As to y t I must nedys graunt that there was euer a thing or no thyng as the laten men call it res vel nihil somwhat or no what which they call aliquid vel non aliquid beyng or not beyng whych they call esse vel non esse for as the phylosopher saythe omnium oppositoruÌ„ alteruÌ„ est vetuÌ„ of two thynges opposyte or contradyctoryes euermore the one must nedys be true ¶ Gynge ¶ Then thus euery thynge is somewhat and euery thyng that is somwhat is beynge so that a thyng somwhat and beyng signifye one sence and also theyr contraryes nothyng no what and not beynge do sygnyfye all one sence ¶ Comyngo ¶ That is true ¶ Gyâ—gemyn ¶ Then furthermore whether was ther a thyng before nothyng or nothynge before a thynge ¶ Comyngo ¶ Mary a thynge must nedis be before nothynge or ellys the worlde nor nothynge therin now cowde be for of nothyng nothyng can procede nor come ¶ Gyngemyn ¶ Ther in thou sayste truthe for one contrary can neuer brynge forth hys contra ry for yf that onys nothynge was beynge then of that nothynge can neuer come a thynge or beynge for of nothynge nought can be made therfore yt foloweth well that there was euermore a thynge beynge And thaÌ„ that thynge whyche was euer before all other thynges muste nedys be wythout begynnyng for euery thynge that is made or create had a cause of hys begynnynge ergo then yt must folowe that that thynge whyche was fyrste of all made muste nedys haue a maker whyché was vnmade for yf ony thynge were before that thynge whyche thou callest the fyrste maker then that whych thou callest the fyrst maker can not be called the fyrst maker and the fyrst cause of all because yt hath a nother maker or a nother cawse before yt so yt must nedys folowe that there is one thynge whyche was the fyrst maker and fyrst cawse of all thynges whyche hathe no maker nor no cause ther ofout of whoÌ„ as of the very founteyne of all cawsys euery thynge is deryued and taketh hys beynge so that thynge whyche was fyrst beynge must nedys be the cause and foundacyon of all thyng b of all beyng and that fyrst cause or fyrst maker can haue no begynnynge but was euer wythout begynnynge whyche fyrste cause and fyrst thynge amonge all people is called god and that fyrst cause is most worthy to be called god ¶ Comyngo ¶ That conclusyon foloweth so re sonably that yt can not be denyed ¶ That god is and shall be wythout ende Capitulum iii. Gyngemyn ¶ Then syth that god is the fyrst cawse of euery thynge and the fyrst and pryncypall cause of the beynge of euery thynge yt requyreth that there be in hym such a beynge so perfâ—te that euery thyng not god haue a nother beynge whyche must lacke somwhat of the perfec cion of his beyng so that his beyng must be the most perfyte most substaÌ„ cyall beonge the most sure beyng that is or can by ¶ Comyngo ¶ what than ¶ Gyngemyn ¶ Than further that thynge hath the moste perfyte beynge the moste substancyall beynge and the moste sure beynge whych shall neuer haue ende for yf yt shall haue an ende it is not most perfyte moste substauncyall and moste sure beynge but yt must be suche a beyng whyche excludyth euery unperfeccyon that so wnyth or tendyth to not beynge for perfyte beynge substauncyall beynge and sure beynge be all contraryaunt to not beynge so that the one is repugnaunt to the otheâ— and denyeth the other clerely And therfore it must then nedyâ— folowe y â— god whyche is the moost perfyte beynge moost substauncyall and moost sure beynge must haue a beynge that neuer shall haue ende So there is no tyme paste in whyche he was not nor no tyme present in whyche he is not nor no tyme to come in whyche he shall not be so of necessyte yt to loweth that hys beynge was euer wythout begynnyng and is and shall be euer wythout ende ¶ Comyngo ¶ I must nedys affyrme the same ¶ That god is moste of power and the moste noble thynge that can be Cap. iiii Gyngemyn ¶ Then forthermore sythe that god is wythout begynnynge or ende and the cawse of euery thynge that is whyche hathe taken taketh or shall take any affecte as I prouyd the before and the cause is euer the more stronge than the effecte And also the cawse is euer that whyche hath power to make the effecte to be therfore syth that god causeth all therfore it must nedys folowe that god hath power to do all and because he may do all therfore conuenyently god is called omnipotent and is moste of power and myght and by the same reason also I may proue the nobylyte of god for the cause is alway more noble than y â— effecte and noblenes is that whyche hath leste nede of foreyne helpe that is to saye of helpe of any other thynge and than sythe god is the cause of all thyng and euery other thynge taketh hys effecte by god and coÌ„meth and procedeth of god as of his fyrst cause and the cause as I sayd before is more noble thaÌ„ the effect and euery thyng that taketh any effect hath nede of the cawâ—e for that that wythout the cawse the effecte coud neuer haue bene but the cawse hathe neuer no nede of the effecte for the cawse may be wythout the effecte but the effecte can not be without that cause Therfore sythe that god is the fyrste cause of all thynge yt must folowe that euery thynge hath nede of god and that god hath nede of nothyng and than syth that noblenes is that whyche hath no nede of foreyne help or helpe of any other thyng yt must of a necessary conclusyon folow that god is the most noble thynge that can be ¶ Comyngo ¶ I agre ¶ That god is the very lyfe and that he hathe the moste ioyfull and pleasaunte lyfe that can be Cap. v. Gyngemyn ¶ Than moreouer sythe that I haue prouyd to the hereÌ„ before that beynge and not beynge be two contraryauntys and that beynge muste nedys be before not beynge so lykewyse lyfe and not lyfe be two contraryauntys and yt requyreth that lyfe procede and go before not lyfe for that thynge whyche hathe no lyfe can not be the onely cause that that thynge whyche hath lyfe For that thinge which hath no lyfe nor neuer had lyfe may not by his only power make a thynge to haue lyfe ¶ Comyn ¶ All that is
reasonable ¶ Gynge ¶ But we see many thynges in the world whiche haue lyfe as man beest ergo that lyfe whiche is in those creatures is deryuyed and procedeth camâ— fyrst of that creatour whiche is the very lyfe and in whom fyrst must nedys be lyfe For as a founteyne whyche is the very grounde and cause of all the tyuets and brokys of water whiche come from that founteyne of it self must nedis be the very water so god whych is grouÌ„de and cause of all lyfe must nede be ofhym selfe the very lyfe And than syth that god is fyrst creatour and causer of euery thynge whiche hath lyfe it foloweth than that in hym there was â—uer a very lyfe and that he is founteyne of all lyfe and that no lyfe can be so very and parfyte a lyfe as his lyfe bycause he is the fyrst grounde and cause of all lâ—fe yet forthermore sythe that god is the veâ—y lyfe and the grouÌ„de of all and cause of euery thynge that hath lyfe than that lyfe and lyuyng whych god hath must be a pleasaunt and ioyfull lyfe or ellys a paynfull and sorowfull lyfe But yf it shuld be a paynfull and a sorowfull lyfe than it coulde not be a parfyte sure lyfe but syth thou hast grauntyd to me here before that god hathe y â— moost parfyte and â—urest beâ—ng that can be and that whyche shall neuer haue ende and sythe that payne and sorowe is that whyche causeth the thyng to perysh whych sufâ—eryth y t payne and sorow bycause it is contra ry to the nature and desyre of the thynge whyche so suffereth And case pleasure doth coÌ„â—orte the nature of that thyng whych suffereth that ease and pleasure and incrâ—aseth it and causeth it the lenger to contynewe So yf that the bâ—ynge and lyuynge of god shuld be a lyfe and beynge in payne and sorow that paynfull and sorowful lyfe shuld be the cause that his beynge shuld not be parfyte but shulde perysh at the last and so not to haue an eternall and an infynyte beynge But than syth his beynge is moost parfyte eternall and neuer shall haue ende it must nedys folowe that his lyfe must nedys be a ioyfull and pleasaunt lyfe and the moost â—oyfull and moost pleasaunt lyfe that can be ¶ Comyngo ¶ All that is conuenyent to graunt ¶ That god hath knowlege and vnderstandynge and knoweth euery thynge that euer was is or shalbe Caput vi Gyngemyn ¶ Than by the same reason that pueth hym to be y â— very lyfe I may well proue his knowlege and vnderstandynge for that thynge whyche hath no knowlege nor vnderstandynge can not be onely cause of that thynge whyche hath knowlege and vnderstandynge And also as I sayd to the erewhyle bycause the beynge of god is y â— fyrst beyng and the cause of the beyng of euery thyng and the moost parfyte moost substauncyall and moost sure beynge It must than folow that he must haue the moost noble and moost worthy byenge that can be imagyned or thought to be and than that thynge which hath beyng lyfe also is more worthy and more noble than that thynge which hath but beyng onely as the tre and herbe whiche haue a quycknes of a lyfe wherby they growe increase haue a more noble and worthy beyng than a deed stok or a deed stone which grow not And as the brute beest which hath a lyfe sensytyue and power to moue it selfe and memorye hathe a more noble and a more worthy beynge than the tree or the herbe whyche hathe but quyckenynge and growynge without power to moue or memory And also as the beyng of man whych hath both lyfe sensytyue power to moue memory and vnderstandynge hath a more noble and a more worthy be yng than the brute beest whiche hath but lyfe sensytyue power to moue and memorye without vnderstandynge So it must nedys folowe that vnderstanding is the cause of the moost noble and moost worthy beyng than sythe that god hath the moost noble beyng moost worthy beyng that can be it must nedis folow that in god there must be knowlege and vnderstandyng and that the same beynge of god must be with the same knowlege and vnderstandynge And than yf the beynge of god as I haue prouyd to the here before be without begynnynge and endynge eterne infynâ—te and without measure his vnderstandynge must nedys be without begynnynge and endynge eterne and infynyte without mesure And also syth his beyng is and hath be euer moost perfyte and as he hym selfe may be hym selfe so may he hym selfe vnderstande hym self so his beynge can not be seueryd from his knowlege and vnderstaÌ„dyng nor his knowlege vnderstandynge seueryd from his beynge So must it than folow that he vnderstandeth all and knoweth euery thynge that was is or shalbe and euery maÌ„nys thought and euery acte done in the worlde or that shalbe done in the worlde so that euery thynge is present to his knowlege ¶ Comyngo ¶ That conclusyon pleaseth me well ¶ That god is the hye good thynge and moost perfyte goodnes and the very truthe Caput vii Gyngemyn ¶ Than further as beyng and not beynge be two contra ryauntys and repugnauntes and some call them contradyctoryes that is to say that the one alway doth denye with saye the other and as lyfe and not lyfe be two contraryauntes and where suche two coÌ„ traryauntes be euery thynge in the worlde is verefyed vpoÌ„ one of them and nothynge in the worlde can be verefyed vpon them bothe for euery thynge in the worlde is god or not god and euery thynge is a man or not a man and euery thynge in the worlde that is hath lyfe or no lyfe So I say that good and not good which we call euyll be two contrary auntes Than it must nedys folowe y â— syth god is beynge that god must nedys be eyther a good thynge or an euyll thynge But yf god shuld be of hym selfe aâ— euyll thynge than there coude no goodnesse procede nor come of god for one contrary of it selfe onely can not brynge forth his contrary But we see that there be many good thynges whyche come from god and be of the creacyon of god and also euery good thynge taketh his goodnes of god for y t god is the fyrst cause of euery good thing Therfore god of whome euery good thynge cometh and of whome all goodnes procedeth must nedys be hym selfe the hye good thynge and the very and moost hye goodnes and that in no wyse god may be euyll ¶ Comyngo ¶ As for that no reasonable man may denye ¶ That vertue is euermore in god Caput viij Gyngemyn ¶ Than lykewyse as good and euyll be two contraryauntys so truthe and falshed be two contraryauntys therfore god must than be eyther truthe or falshed but falshed is of the kynde of euyll and truthe is of the kynde of goodnes and than syth god is the very goodnes and the hye good thynge
and in euery place and because his knowlege can not be seueryd from hys beynge nor hys beynge frome hys knowlege yt foloweth well that he must be euery where and in euery place ¶ Comyngo ¶ That conclusyon wyll be meruelous harde to proue ¶ Gyngemyn ¶ yes that conclusyon I can proue the by an other reason and argument ¶ Comyngo ¶ I praye the howe ¶ Gynge ¶ Thou knowest well I shewed and proued to the erewhyle that god is the fyrst cause of all thynge and all beynge And that there is no other fyrst nor pryncypall cause of the beynge of the worlde but onely god and that god is the onely cause therof and there is none other medyat cause therof but only god Than thus as the phylosopher sayth and where the cause ceasyth the effecte ceasyth As thus yf there be one cause of the beyng of a thynge yf that cause be taken away and be absent from the thynge than that thynge can no longer haue beynge nor can no longer contynue but muste cease for to be and because god is the fyrste and onely cause of the worlde and of euery parte of the worlde and no other cause but onely god yf god shuld be absent from the worlde or from any parte of the worlde The worlde from whyche he shulde be so absent or that parte of the worlde from whyche he shulde be so absent cowde not be nor no longer contynue but nowe becawse there can not be putte an example lyke thereto in all poyntes yet shall I put the a famyliare example that somwhat shall be resemble therto as the fyre and the flame therof for we se by experyence that the fyre is the cause of the flame therfore yf the fyre be clerely taken away the flame can not be nor no longer contynue And where so euer the flame is there the fyre must nedys be and where so euer any parte of the flame is there the fyre must nedys be so I saye of god and the worlde where so euer the worlde is there god muste nedys be and where so euer any parte of the world is there must god nedys be therfore it muste nedys folowe that god is present euery where in the worlde and in euery parte of the worlde and no where absent and therfore because that god is the fyrste cause of the worlde and no nother cause of the worlde but onely god yf god shulde be absent from the hole worlde and not present in the hole worlde his absence shulde cawse the hole worlde to perysh And also yf god shulde be present euery wher and in euery parte of the world that parte of the worlde from whens he is absent and not present cowde no lenger remayne in his beynge because as I sayde before god is the fyrste and onely cause of the hole worlde and of euery parte of the worlde and yf the cause shulde sease the effect shulde sease wherfore as I sayd before yt must folowe for a necessary conclusioÌ„ that god is euery where and alwaye present in the worlde and in euery parte and place of the worlde ¶ Comyn ¶ Now I thanke the for that coÌ„clusyoÌ„ pleâ—seth me well but yet there is one dout therin wherin I wolde moue the and that is thus yf that god be euery where in the worlde and in euery place of the worlde yt shulde sâ—me to some mennys fantasyes y t god of hymselfe shulde be dyuers thynges or elles dyuers of his partys shulde be in dyuers placys As one part of god to occupye one place and a nother parte of god to occupye a nother place ¶ Gâ—nge ¶ Nay not so yt must nedys folowe by reason that god is but one thynge and not dyners thynges and that there be no mo goddys but one And also that y â— same one god maye be hole in dyuers placys ¶ Comyn ¶ I praye the by what reason may I knowe and vnderstande that ¶ That god is but one thynge and not dyuers thynges Cap. xiiii Gyngemyn ¶ As touchyng the fyrst that god is one thynge and that there be no mo goddys but one thus yt may be prouyd vnyte must be before pluralyte or ellys pluralyte must be before vnyte so that god must nedys be an vnyte or ellys a pluralyte and euery pluralyte con systeth of two thynges whiche be dyfferent in them selfe and two dyuers thyngys But betwene euery two dyuers thynges is some dyscorde and varyaunce for where is no maner of dyscorde of beynge there is but one thyng but yf god were seuerall thynges and not one thynge then shuld there be euer in hym a dyscorde and a varyaunce and yf he had suche a beynge that euer varyed in hym selfe then had not he the noblest beynge and the ioyfullest beynge but a beyng myserable and wretched therfore syth he hath the noblest beyng and most ioyful that can be as I haue pro uâ—d to the before yt must nedys folowe that god is but one thynge and not dyuers ¶ That there is but one god Caput xv ANd also by y â— same reason it folowetth that there must nedes be but one god and not many for yf there were many goddis other then those goddys agre amonge theÌ„ self in euery thynge euery acte or ellys they dysagre and dyscorde in euery thynge and euery acte or ellys thyrdely they agre in some thyngys and dyscorde in some thyngys but as to the fyrste yf they agre in euery thynge ynd euery acte then be they not many but one god as to the seconde yf they dyscorde in euery thyng and in euery acte then shulde there be no concorde in all the worlde nor the world nor nothyng ellys cowde neuer haue ben nor contynued for y â— whyche the one shuld haue conserued the other shuld haue destroyed As to the thyrd poynte they agre in some thynges and in some thynges dys agre then in those thynges in whych they dyscorde must be betwene theÌ„ varyaunce then yf they varye betwene them selfe neyther of them can haue the most noble and ioyfull beynge but eche of them a beynge myserable And also yf there be two goddes there must be of euery thyng two fyrst begynnynges so neyther of them shulde be by hym selfe suffycyent Also in euery kynde of thynges that which is the hyest of the same kynde is but one thynge for the multytude of all seuerall men is reducyd in to one mankynde the multytude of euery seuerall horse in to one kynde of horsys and so of other and the multytude of seuerall kyndys in to one generall begynnynge and hed of all kyndes so the vnyuersall order of thynges is referryd to one hole vnyuersall begynnynge And lykewyse as euery synguler mater is reserryd in to one mater euery membre of y â— world in to one hole member body so all seuerall nature be referryd to one hole nature all seuerall lyfys to one lyfe all seuerall mouers to one mouer all seuerall orders to one
wylt bynde god to be in a maner in bondage to haue lesse liberte auctorite than prynces and kynges haue in thys world for thou knowest well that a prynce or a kyng may by his power remitte ê‘done any traytour mor derer â—rer felon â—in hys realme though he haue deserued therfore to dye 〈◊〉 yet there is no such traytour inâ—rderer nor felon that can coÌ„pell that prynce to pardone hym al though that he aske hym forgyuenes but that that pâ—ynce may execute hys ordynary power vpon hym at hys lyberte to put hym to deth by y â— order of hys lawes or elles to ydone hym of deth â—ue hym some other punyshmeÌ„t for hys offence as prysonmeÌ„t or some other payne by hys dyscrâ—yoÌ„ so thy repentauÌ„ce may be such so great y t god by hys orâ—ynary power maye and wyll forgyue the clerely bothe the synne â— y â— satysfaccioÌ„ therfore it may be so small a repentauÌ„ce that god wyl forgyue the y â— synne and not clerely expulse the out of his fauour but yet wyll that thou shalt haue a forther punyshment to make the as pure and clere as thou wast before and so than able to be receyued in to his fâ— uour and to be pertyner of his glory so these thynges coÌ„sydered it must folowe necessarely that there must nedes be a purgatory ¶ A nother reason for a conclusyon of thys mater I shall shewe the because I can nat tary myche longer wyth the yf thou or ony other shulde hold thys opynyon chat god for a lytyll repentauÌ„ce had be thy for thyne offences and synnes shulde so ê‘done and forgyue the so y t thou shuldest not nede to make any other satysfaccyoÌ„ or restitucyon to thy neyghbour whom thou haste so wronged and after thy dethe thou shuldest haue no nother punyshment in purgatory therfore and to beleue that there is no purgatory ordeyned therfore thys thyng shuld put away y â— drede of god from the most parte of the people in the worlde and gyue them boldnes to do and commytte offences and synnes and yf the people shuld beleue that they neuer neded to make any satysfaccion nor restytucion to theyr neyghbours for the wronges that they haue done to theyr neyghbours and that suche a lyght repentauÌ„ce shuld be suffycyent for ony other satys faccyon to be made yt shulde gyue to the people suche boldnes that they wolde neuer force nor care what wronges eâ—ons theftes roberyesâ— nor morders that they dyd and so in conclusyon shuld destroy all vertue and increase vyce and synne and also vtterly destroy the comen welthe quiete lyuynge of the people ¶ â—go ¶ Thy reasons and solucyon to all my questyons and obieccions be so good that thou hast meruelous well satysfyed my mynde in euery thyng yt shuld seme a great meruel how thou shuldest come to so hye lernynge knowlege saue y t I meruell mych the lesse because I herde the say that thou hast be brought vp some parte of thy youth in crystendome and ben a student in dyuers â—rsytes in crysteÌ„dome where thou saydest thou dydest ierne and rede â—ych phylosophye wherby as I sayd thou hastnow satysfyed my mynde right well and that now I must nedys consente vnto the that there must nedâ— be a purgatory for y â— purgyng of meÌ„nes soules after that they be separat from the body and also by the same last reason whych thou hast shewed yt ê“ueth well that yt shuld be a great folyshnes for y â— people to beleue the contrary therof that is to say y t there shuld be no purgatory for y t folysh beleue shuld be meruelous hurtfull to y â— peple for fyrst as thou saydest it shuld bryng theÌ„ from the drede of god whych drede of god is the begynnyng of all wysdom And we know well y t y â— fraylte of maÌ„kynde is such y â— it is euermore more ê“ne redy to vice thaÌ„ to vertue wherfore maÌ„ hath nede to haue both a brydel of law which is to punysh vyce in this world also a brydell of y â— drede of god whych is a drede to offende for y â— loue of god and a drede to be punysshed in an other world for offence done here in thys transytory lyfe But yf men shulde beleue that there is no purga tory but that immediatly the soule of man for a lytell small repentaunce takeÌ„ shuld go streyght to heuen yt shulde as thou saydest gyue theÌ„ suche a boldnes that many men wold lytell regarde what hurte or wrong they dyd to theyr neyghbours and so shuld be the cause to brynge the peple to lyue to geder contynually in trouble vexacyon vnquietnesse of mynde to the destruccion of theyr own comeÌ„ welth in this world It shuld also cause the vtter losse and dampnacion in hell of many thousand soules be cause they wold euer trust that yf they lyued neuer so vyciously that yet they wolde or they dyed take some repentaunce wherin peraduenturâ— many shuld be deceyued For we se by experyence that there be many pe ple in the worlde whyche dye sodeynly some be sodeynly drowned some sodeynly slaynâ— and some dye sodeynly of some other sekenes peradueÌ„ ture haue no tyme to remember god or thynke of any repentaunce and than yf such people that so dye haue offended god and commytted some great mortall synne for the whyche god by his iustyce must condempne hym to eternall dampnacyon in hell thys boldnes of trust to take repen taunce or ther dye where they be deceyued for lacke of tyme shuld caâ— many thousandes of peple to be eternally dampned in hell And an other thynge yet there is to be consydered whych I haue gederd vpon thy reâ— sons argumentes that yf a man offende and commytte some small venyall synne for the whych god wyll that by hys iustyce he must haue som punyshment therfore but yet not eternall dampnacyon yf such a synnet dye sodenly and before he haue had any tyme to take any repentaunceâ— hys soule as yt is prouyd by all thy forsayd argumeÌ„tys reasons ought neyther immedyatly to come in to y â— gloryous place of heuen because yt is somwhat defouled wyth synne nor also ought not to go to hell to etet nall dampnacy on but by all good order of iustyce must go to a place to be purged there to be made clene that yt may be receyued after that in to the gloryous place of heuen Therfore vpon these reasons whych thou hast shewed these premysses consydered he shall be proued a very stark fole that wyll beleue that there is no purgatory ¶ Gynge ¶ I am very glad now that thy mynde is satysfyed in this mater and therfore now be cause I haue a lytel besynes to do touchyng y â— fete of my marchaundyse I wyll departe byd the farewell ¶ Comyn ¶ Now I thanke the wyth all â—yn hart and I shall loue the whyle