riche Rewarde hit moeueth a man from alle the passyons of his pleasyrs and Voluntarely to ryse vppe in Batayll ayenst them encendynge to haue vyctorye vppon his fyrst delectable vayne pleasante thoughtes Abacuk saythe desyrousely in his .iii. Chapytre Rottynnesse wyll entre in to my bones and sprynge vnder me in my lyfe by cause I sholde rest me the day of trybulacyon Beholde here my righte dere frendes howe fructuouse and howe hoolsome is the Remembraunce of the Infernalle paynes The psalter sayth Synners they be transported in to helle Wherfore by good medytacyons euery man in his lyfe entende to the resystence of that daungere Or ellys they muste lyuynge dye perpetually It is redde How he is eâ—reâ—sely happy that beholdeth the deâ—â—â—enebres That is to saye To regystre in his herte the Infernale tourmentes and that with a contynuall RemembrauÌ„ce in contemplacyon to frequente that sure memory Now me thynketh I haue suffysantely shewed you the manyfolde maners of the dyuerse paynes of Helle and howe vayllable and to what proufyte groweth the memoryale Remembraunce therof O mortall man what errour what folye and what faute is in the whenne it lyeth in thy free arbytrement to haue Ioyes euerlastyng and wyllyngly castest thy selfe in to the Infernall tourmentes and paynes from whens none may retourne but brenne there in fyre worlde without ende ¶ And thus endeth the thyrde parte of this treatyse dyuyded in four partyes ¶ And here begynneth the ê“logue vpon the .iiii. parte of the .iiii. last thyngis whiche be for to come THis thirde parte of the four laste thynges whiche be for to come wherof soueraynely the Remembraunce withdraweth a man from synne Is the mynde of the euerlastynge celestyall glorye And yf a man refrayne hymselfe from mourder of from ony crymynale cause for fece of losynge of his honour or temporale goodes how moche more ought he refreyne drede eschewe all synfull operacoÌ„ns wherby he myghte lese the moost blysfull sempyternall Ioyes saynte Austyn sayth in a boke of his confessyons There is a Ioye whiche is not to be gyuen to the felon synners but to those that of theyr free wyll loue and worshyppe the lorde god and thou thy selfe arte that Ioye For this cause it is wryten in the fyrste Pystle ad Coryntheos the .vi. chapitre The felon synners shall not possesse the kyngdome of heuen but shall confusedly be put therfroÌ„ as the vyle glotons and dyshonest folkes be chased out of theÌ„perour his courte and not suffre to sytte among kynges and prynces at theyr excellente and solempne tables And Cassydore sayth that euery man is putte cast from the deyte after the quantyte of his synnes And certeynly his castynge fro is mesured after the delectacoÌ„ns that he hath had in them Now sholde not thenÌ„e euery creature eschewe to do synne haue it in abhomynacyon as a mortall thyng knowyng that therby is lost the celestyall eternall glorye O what shall I poore wretche bareyn of know seche saye â–ª or how shall I talke of this glorye incoÌ„prehensyble Certeynely there was neuer eye that sawe nor ere that herde nor here that thought the Ioye that god hath ordeyned for those that he loueth As is writen in the fyrst Pystle ad Coryntheos the .ii. chapitre Therfor what shal I now more saye or wryte in this werke I am as one born blynde that dysputeth in colours hauynge no coÌ„fydence to myn owne ê“per wyste But there for I must referre myself to the testymonyes of scriptures by the whiche I wyll speke It is to be noted how albe it in the heuenly glory there be innumerable thyngis playnly approuyng the Ioye felycite therof Yet I wyll specyally shewe how it is to be rocomeded for .iii. thyÌ„ges The fyst for the soue rayne excellent clerenesse therof Secondly for the moste habundauÌ„ce of the goodnesses that be therin And thirdely for the moost blyssull Ioye therof ê‘durably enduryng the beaute therof nor the clernesse can not be mesured the Infynyte goodnesse can not be estemed nor theternall Ioye can not be compared nor sufficieÌ„tly praysed Of these .iii. thynges I shall treate breefly by order in this last part ¶ Thus endeth the prologue of the forthe the last part of this book ¶ How the Royalme kyngdome of heuen is praysed for his beaute clerenesse ¶ The fyrst chapitre of the fourth parte and the last pryncypall FIrst the kyngdome of heuen is to be recommended for the souerayn beaute clerenesse therof as it is wryten in the boke of Sapience the .v. chapitre wherin it is called the Royalme of beaute The Psalter sayth Lord I haue loued the beaute of thyn hous It is also wryten in Thoby the. xiii chapitre I shal be happy yf the Relyques of my sedes may see the dernesse of Iherusalem wherof the gates be made of Saphyres emerawdes other precyoê° stones The cyrcuyte of the walles with fayre bryght stones all the places paued with fyne golde It is wryten in Thapocalips the xxi chapitre That cyte was made of fyne golde pure clene as glasse The fondement of walles enourned with all precyous stones The twelue gates shall haue twelue Margarytes And the stretes of the cyte shall be of fyne golde shynyng as bryghte as glasse The temple is not yet spoken of â–ª Certeynly almyghty god is the temple therof and the Lambe is the lyght The forsavd Cyte hath noo nede of the Sonne nor of the Mone to lyght hit with all For the clerenesse of oure Lorde shall Illumyne hit and the Lambe shall be the lanterne and the peple shall mowe walke by that clerenesse It is also redde in the .xxii. Chapitre of Thapocalyps It shall neuer be nyghte there wherfore there nedeth no candell nor lanterne nor lyght of the sonne For the bryghtnesse of our lorde shall lyght and Illumyne them enduryngly worlde withouten ende whiche sayeng may well accorde with that that is wryten in Isaye the .lx. chapitre Thou shalt haue thenne noo nede of the shynyng of the sonne nor Resplendysshyng of the mone For oure lorde shall lyghte Illumyne the sempyternally In trouth he is a glas without ony spot a light Illumynyng euerlastyngly As it is wryten in the boke of Sapyence the .vii. chapitre Also oure lorde shall be the Resplendysshynge of glorye As is wryten to the Hebreos in the first chapytre whiche resplendysshyng shall be an hole lyght Abacuk in his .iii. chapitre sayth of this resplendysshyng all the sayntes shall take in the Royame of heuen clerenesse and sempyternall lyght wherwith all they shall reioyse them incessantely in grete felycyte It is also wryten in the book of Iugys the .v. chapitre Those that loue the shall shyne and resplende as the sonne doth in his rysyng Also is writen in the book of Sapyence the .iii. Chapitre How those that be Iuste shall shyne in theyr faders Royalme lyke the sonne O lorde sempyternall grouÌ„de of all vertu how good and how
The Cordial or a booke de Quatuor Novissimus translated out of French by Antony E. Rivers S. Scales â— Memorare nouissima c. AnÌ„o Domnini 1478. Edward 4 an 19. Liber adscriptus Bibliothecae Bodleianae OxoÌ„n Memorare nouissima c. Prologus ALle Ingratitude vtterly settynge a parte we owe to call to our myndes the manyfolde gyftes of grace with the benefayttys that our loâ—â—â— of his moost plenteuous bonte hathe gyuen vs wretches in this present transytorye lyfe whiche remembraunce of right dyrectly shold Induce vs to gyue his godhede therfore contynuall and Immortall louynges and thankes in noo wyse to falle to thygnorauÌ„ce or forgetfulnesse therof Among whiche benefaytes and gyftes is grauÌ„ted vs fâ—e arbytremente And therby with oure good desertes supported and holpen by his moost dygne mercy and grace we be enabled to be the children of euer lastyng saluacyon to possesse the Ioyes of heuen whiche are Incomprehensyble Inestymably blysfull good And by cause we be so frayle inconstante prone to fall feble insuffyryent of oure selfe to resyste the fraudelente malyce temptacyon of our auncyent ennemy the fend Therfore he hath yeuen vs his mercy to be our releef Reason to be our lanterne and Remembraunce to order our guydyng ThenÌ„e fyrste of this precyous gyfte of mercy we may to our gret comfort veryly trust to haue it at alle tymes in this worlde whenÌ„e we deuly sue call therfore But we muste know for certeyn that we can haue no capacyte â–ª nor power to receyue hit after the season of our bodely lyfe here Secondly by Reason we owe in the moost extreme loue drede to knowe and take hym as our creatour redemptour alle our wylles to be subgette vnto his pleasure Thryddely we owe to remeÌ„bre how we may guyde vs for to stande in his grace CoÌ„syderyng what we where what we be what we shal be And for asmoche as very prudence admonesteth techeth vs how the coÌ„clusion of euery thyng sholde be moost soueraynely taken hede vnto Therfore I aduyse that this treatys here after ensuynge whiche to of our four laste thynges be well ouer red and seen And not oonly seen and red but also well conceyued noted and often remembred And yf perauenture we fynde therin ony cause of grouge or elles ony mocyon to blotte or ruste the clerenesse of oure ghostely vnderstandynge styryng vs to vnmesurable fere or ony other presumptuous synystre or vayne concept Yet late vs take hit alle wayes to the best entent hauyng no dispeyr in oure lordes mercy for it is infynyte And knowe for trouthe that none suche euyll moeuyng cometh but of thynstygacyon of oure goostly aduersayre whome we must vertuosly resyste catholyquely allewayes reste vpon the moost ferme pyller of oure fayth whiche is the very assured shelde meane of our goostly helthe And to haue the grace in our necessyte calie we for helpe vnto the holy goost that Illumyneth and techeth euery soule for to kepe the wayes of saluacyon to the enherytynge of the eternall Ioye and glorye Amen THis present treatyse is deuyded in four pryncypall partes Of the whiche euery parte conteyneth thre other synguler partes as in the maner folowyng is shewed ¶ Pars prima ¶ The fyrst pryncypall parte is of the bodely dethe And therunto belongeth thre other synguler partes ¶ The fyrst of the thre is how remembrauÌ„ce of dethe causeth a man to meke and humble hym selfe folio .ii. ¶ The soconde is how Remembraunce of deth maketh hym to dyspyse all vayne worldly thynges folio .xii. ¶ The thyrde is howe Remembraunce of deth causeth a man vncoÌ„strayned to take vpon hym to do penauÌ„ce and to accepte it with a glad herte folio .xv. ¶ Pars secunda ¶ The seconde pryncypall parte is of the laste day of Iugement conteyneth in hym selfe thre other synguler partes ¶ The first of these .iii. is how accusacoÌ„n that shall be atte the day of Iugement is thyng to be dred folio .xxiii. ¶ The seconde is how the last day of Iugement is terryble not without cause for ther must be gy uen a due rekenyng and acompt of euery thynge folio .xxvii. ¶ The thyrde is how the terryble abydyng of the extreme sentence causeth doubtes to be had of the Iugement folio xxxiiii ¶ Pars tercia ¶ The .iii. pryncypall parte is of helle or of the Infernall gehenne conteyneth in it selfe thre other synguler partes ¶ The first of those .iii. is how helle after holy scripture is named dyuer se many wyses fo .l. ¶ The seconde is how they that descende in to helleben punysshed with many grete and sondry paynes folio .liiii. ¶ The thirde is howe ther be many dyuerse coÌ„dicoÌ„ns of greuances in the paynes of helle fo .lix. ¶ Pars quarta ¶ The .iiii. pryncypall parte is the blysful Ioyes of heuen therunto apperteyne .iii. other synguler partes ¶ The fyrste of thoos thre is how the Royalme of heuen is loued praysed and recoÌ„mended for his beaute clerenes and lyghte folio .lxx. ¶ The seconde is how the Royalme of heuen is praysed for the manyfolde goodnesses that be habundauÌ„t therin folio lxxii ¶ The thyrde is howe the celestyall Royalme is to be lauded for the perpetuell Infynyte Ioye and gladnes therin folio .lxxv. ¶ Explicit tabula ¶ Here after foloweth the prologue of the foure last thynges MEmorare nouissima et meternuÌ„non peccabis Ecclesiastici septimo capitulo Ecclesiasticus sayth in his seuenth Capitre these wordes folowynge Bere well in thy mynde the last thynges thou shalt neuer falle in synne Also Saynte Austyn sayth in his book of me dytacyons That man ought rather haue in fere and eschewe the abhomynacoÌ„n fylthe of synne than ony other crueltees of the Infernall tormentes Loo thenne how the knowlege of these four last thynges and frequentyng the memorye remembrauÌ„ce of them called vs from synne and draweth vs to vertue conformeth vs to all gode werkes Wherfore by the helpe of the dyuyne Inspyracyon I haue purposed to reherse and saye a lytyll of these four tynges As whiche they be and what they be and also to declare somwhat of euery of them syngulerly by them selfe precyously dygnely by saynges auctorytees of sayntes and generally by examples and saynges of auctorysed clerkes It is to be noted that after the sayeng of saynces men sa yt comynly ther be foure the last thynges And whiche they be it appereth clerely by the wordes of Saynt Bernard in a sermon where he sayth in all thy werkes haue remembraunce of thy laste thynges whiche be four That is to wyte fyrste Bodely dethe Seconde The daye of Iugement â–ª Thyrde The paynes of helle Fourth The glorie of heuen O what thyng is more horrible than dethe What thyng is more dredefull terryble than the day of Iugement what thyng is more Importable to be suffred than the geheÌ„ne paynes
it is wryten in the fyrst chapitre of the Apocalyps Euery eye shall see hym all the lynages of the erthe shall complayne on hym Thenne synners seeyng alle this shall be full of anguysshes fere ¶ How the laste Iugemente shall be terryble For thenÌ„e shall be gyuen rekenyng of all thyng ¶ The seconde Chapitre of the seconde parte THe seconde thynge that shall cause the extreme last Iugement to be dredefull shall be the strayte Rekenynge and accomptes of oure vyle dedys in all thyng Saynt Luke sayth in his .xvi. Chapitre yelde Reason of thy dedys for after this lyf thou shalt mowe no more werke My righte dere freÌ„de yf thou sholdest gyue a Rekenyng accomptes of a thousande ponde before a temporall lord prudent wyse thou woldest be full well ware and take good hede how thou sholdest make hym a Iust and a due Rekenynge Haue thou thenne moche more thoughte and be more dredefull to yelde good Rekenynge and accomptes of all thynge that thou haste commytted and done and of thy dute lefte vndone whenne thou shalte come before god his angelles and all his sayntes In whoo 's presens necessaryly thou muste accompte And not onely of the grete thynges but also of the smale ye vnto the lest part of them And as it is wryten in the thirde chapitre of Isaye Our lorde shall come to Iuge with all his moost Auncyent people zacharyas in his .xiiii. chapitre sayth Oure lorde my god shall come and his sayntis with hym That is to wyte To the generall Iugemente whiche shall be done before alle openly and not in hydeles And therfore it is gretely to be doubted For it is wryten in zophonyas in the thyrde chapitre He shall holde his Iugement in the mornyng by daye lyght and shall not hyde hym There shal be thenÌ„e many dyuerse Reasons to gyue Rekenyng of all thynges Fyrste of oure soule whiche hath ben commytted and gyuen vs by God Nowe truly yf a kynge hadde delyuered his doughter to one of his subgettes that he entyerly loued entendyng to make her a quene in his Reame And yf the sayde subgette hadde not kepte her well who wolde doubte but that the Lrynge wolde haue a Rekenynge and knowe the cause how and why his doughter hadde be soo euyll and soo neclygentely kepte what shall the kyng of heuen do thenne to hym that hath taken his doughter to kepe That is to wyte The soule whiche he loueth specyally and entendeth to enhaunse to Royall dignyte in heuen yf he haue kept her euyll shal not god therfore axe to haue therof rekenyng and reason yes hardely It is wryten in Deutronomâ—i the fourth chapytre â—repe thoughtfully thy selfe and thy soule also And Saynte Austyn sayth It is a greter losse of one soule thenne of a thousande bodyes Saynte Bernarde sayth in the book of his MedytacoÌ„ns That alle this presente worlde maye not be estemed nor valued to soo hyghe a pryce as one soule Also he sayth wherfore makest thou thy selfe facte and enournest thy flesshe with precyous stones whiche after a fewe dayes wormes shall ete within thy sepulture And wherfore makeste thou not thy soule fayre with good maners and vertues whiche atte the daye of dome ought to be presented to God and his Angelles wherfore takest thou none hede to make her fayre and clene ageynst that tyme. And why applyest thou rather to thy flesshe then ne to her why puttest thou the chamberer before the lady as to be gouerned rather by thy flesshe thanne by thy soule It is a grete abusyon saynt Bernard seyth hyÌ„selfe in the book of dyspraysyng of the worlde Now a dayes the cure the charge of the soule is despyseth and lefte and thaccomplysshemente of all theyr desyre is after the wyll of the flesshe they drede not to do synne nor remembre not how they shall be rigorously punyssed My right dere frende wylt thou thenne loue better thynges of lytyll valewe than thoos that ben more dygne of here pryce Enhaunse not thy body suffre neuer the lady to be come Chamberer To this purpose sayth Crysostome Yf we dysprayse our soule we may not saue our body Truly the soule is not made for the body but the body is made for the soule Thenne he that dysprayseth the hyghest and fyrst thynge and enhaunsed the seconde and the lowest hurteth bothe the one and the other But he that kepeth therin good ordre exalteth and kepeth that that is chyef dysprayseth that that is seconde for he heleth that that is moost dygne and fyrste That is for to saye the soule If thou wylte than saue thy soule and yelde god a good rekenyng there of Instructe her with scyence and dyuyne vertues Plato sayth in his book of Thymeo The soule is Ioyned with the body to th entent that she may lerne scyence vertue If she come with wynnynges she soo to be resceyued of her maker yf not she then to be sent in to helle there to remayne in tourment and paynes perpetuell Secondly we must yelde Reason rekenyng of our body It is our castell commytted and delyuered vs by god wherfore sayth Saynte Bernard He kepeth well a good castell that kepeth well his body There shall be axed rekenynge of the kepyng of this castell As wether the enmyes of our Lorde whiche be vyces and voluptuousnesse of the flesshe haue be resceyued therin atte ony tyme. And yf his frendes and his seruauntes whiche be vertues and good werkes haue ben shamefully chased oute If we haue done soo it is a grete sygne and suspeccyon of oure perdycyon And we shall nedely yelde Reason and Rekenynge Thefore our body is as a Mare that oure Lorde hath gyuen vs to vse for the prouffyte of our soule of the whiche we shall yelde Rekenyng As in thre thynges It is wryten in Ecclesyastyco the thre and therty chapitre The mete the Rodde and the burdon is gyuen to the asse The brede the oyscyplyne and the werke is gyuen to the seruauÌ„te Certeynly our body sygnyfyeth as well a mare and an asse as a seruaunt vnto whom is gyuen the brede for sustentacoÌ„n of nature The rodde of dyscyplyne for to refrayn vanytees And the burdon of good werkes for the peefeccyon of penaunce Oure Lorde thenne shall axe of this his Mare his Asse or his Seruaunt yf we haue mynystred to hym his mete dyscretely not to largely nourysshynge For he that nouryssheth ouer delycyously his seruaunt shall fynde hym after the more fyers and proude It is wryten in the Prouerbys the nyne and twenty Chapitre And also not to yeue the body ouer lytyll of that that is necessary to hit For soo we myght be homycydes of oure owne flesshe Ayenst this speketh Saynte Bernarde in a Pystle to the Bretheren of the mounte of God sayeng There be many other excercyses of the body in the whiche it is necessary to labour as in wakynges fastynges whiche impecheth not nor letteth
spyrytuall thynges For yf they were lette other by defaute of spyryte or by sekenesse of the body he that soo sholde take awaye from his body theffect of good werke The true desyre of his spyryte The good example to be shewed to his neyghbour the honour to God his maker He sholde doo sacrylege and be culpable of all this thynges ayenste God Yet sayth saynte Gregory in his Moralys in the one and therty chapitre By abstynence sholde the vyces of the flesshe be quenched Certaynely yet whenne we putte awaye our enemye we gryue our owne flesshe Secondely oure lorde shall aske vs yf we haue corrected oure body with the Rodde of dyscyplyne in refraynynge hit from Rebellyon and other vayne Iolytees Sayut Bernarde sayth vpon the Cantycles that the dysacustomynge of good werkes muste be chastysed holpen by the bytte of discyplyne He sayth also in a Pystle O how well good disposicyon yeldeth discyplyne to the state of the body and the habytacōn of the thoughtes abateth the slepe of the hede she ordeyneth the contynuaunce of the vysage she tempereth the tonge she refrayneth the throte she appeseth the Ire dresseth the goyng Thyrdely our lord shall aske yf we haue laboured our body in vertue in werkes of penaunce Therof sayth saynt Austyn in his book of Baptysyng of children That Adam was chased oute of Paradyse terrestre because that delycyous place it sholde sygnyfye that labour whiche is contrary to delyte shold be shewed vnto the tendre flesshe of the childern And therfore our bodyes may be called a laborȳg best which our lord hath sente vs to do accomplysse the werkes of penaunce Holde not the body then in yolenesse in an moche as thou knowest not how longe hit shall abyde with the. But perfourme the werkes of penaūce Lest perauenture he asketh it agayn that hath lence hit the. Crysostom sayth If thou haue borowed an Oxe or an Horse thou wylte anone sette hym a werke lest he be asked agayn of the on the morow why wylt not thou semblably do with thy body as thou wylt do w ▪ the Horse or Oxe Thus then norysshe dyscretely thy body whiche is lent the by Ihesu Cryst in suche wyse as thy nature may be susteyned the vyces ouercome thy body corrected by the rodde of discyplyne so as it may be obedyent resplendysshyng in Chastyte Instructe it to good labours so that hit chase away all ydlenesse fynally that thou mayste yelde our lord a good a Iust Rekenyng there of atte the daye of Iugement Thyrdely we muste yelde rekenyng of our next kynnesmen Fyrste the fader of the sone As is wryten in the fyrst boke of Lrynges in the seconde chapitre the thirde of Hely that was punysshed for his childeren because he knewe they dyde a mysse corrected not theyr defautes Therfor is also wryten in Salomon the nyne twenty chapytre Lerne and teche thy sone And to the same purpose sayd A wyse man If thou haue a sone correcte hym yf he synne lest by right thou abye not his trespace Secondely the Prelate shall gyue Rekenyng of his subgette or dyocesan For it is wryten in Ezechyell the eght and therty Chapitre My sone I haue sette the to be a beholder ouerseer of men in the hous of Ysrahell when thenne thou herest ony of the wordest of my mouth shew them on my behalfe That is to wyte If I saye to a felon O theff thou shalt dye an euyll deth And yf thou shewe not my sayeng to hym to th entent that he may amende hym yf he dye in that wyckednesse I shal aske of thy hāde his lyfe agayne Item the same Ezechyell sayth in his .xxxiii. chapytre Beholde and see how I am my selfe aboue all my other herdemen And I shall aske my bestayll of theyr hondes The lordes or Prynces Royall shall yelde rekenȳg accomptes of theyr subgettis As it appereth in the Book of Nombres in the .xxv. chapitre where the worldely Prynces are cōmaūded to be hanged on the galowes for the synne of theyr people because the people dyde fornycacyon with the doughters of Moab whiche they called theyr Sacryfyce As is redde in the sayde chapitre Suche thenne be the Prynces Prelates As is wryten in Iheremyas the fyue and twenty chapitre Howle ye herde men crye strongely cast vpon you asshes for your dayes be complete to th entent that ye be slayne and caste in the erthe as precyous vessels Beholde thenne these prelates of the chirche the prynces vnyuersall of the Erthe that be constytute aboue all other Loke how they gouerne by example How they instructe by wordes How they defende by dede the poore people that arne commytted to theyr gouernaūce Certeynly the prelates owen to teche theyr people and defende them wysely from the assawtes of Heretykes worse and more cursed thanne wolues and from theyr cautellys wylyer thanne foxes And the temporall Prynces owen to doo Iustyce vppon trespassours and defende theyr good subgettes And kepe wedowes orphanes wretched persones And not to gryue ony body by vnrightfull exaccyons or Iniust causes They may knowe what is wryten in the booke of Sapyence the .vi. Chapitre Howe there shall be a right harde Iugement to thoos that ben precellent aboue all other Certeynly mercy shall be graunted vnto the good poore man but the badde riche man shall suffre grete tourmēte O ye prelates of the chirche and ye prynces of the vnyuersall worlde these wordes ben addressed vnto you to th entent ye sholde lerne wysdome and not to fall therfrom and that ye enstructe gouerne and defende youre subgettes so well that ye may be sure atte the last daye of the righte harde Iugement where the gretest and strongest payns shall be to th offenders that haue ben myghtyest here Fourthly it behoued to yelde Rekenynge of all our wylles werkes And Anastasye saythe vpon the Symboll Quicunque vult saluus esse c. Howe atte the comynge of oure Lorde Ihesu Cryste alle mankynde shall arryse bodely and yelde Rekenynge of theyr propre werkes That is hit that is wryten by Thappostle in the seconde Pystle ad Coryncheos the fyfthe chapitre where he sayth It behoueth that we shewe vs alle manyfestely before the Iudycyall sete of Ihesu Cryst to the entente that eueryche resceyue there good or euyll accordyng to theyr merytes desertes It is redde in Ecclesiastes in the last chapitre Our lorde shall bryng vnto the Iugemente all thynges that be done And not oonly the grete greuous synnes but also those that we thynke belytyll or none The paas of a man semeth but a smale thynge Neuerthelesse it shall be Rekened for atte the fynall day of Iugement Therfore say the Iob in his .xiii. chapitre Syre thou hast welmarked my wayes my pathes haste beholden the Traces of my fete And after he seyth in the chapitre folowȳg Thou hast nombred al my steppes Item also
THe last thynge that rendret the fynal Iugement to be dredefull and doubtable is the terryble sentence that thenne shall be pronowuced by the Iugement of god the rightfull Iuge This senteÌ„ce shall be terryble ferefull specyaly for .iii. thynges The fyrst is the doubte the Incerteynte of the sentence for there is noman sure whether it shall be gyuen with hym or ayenst hym And as it is wryten in Ecclesiastes the ix chapitre They be Iust wyse theyr werkes be in the hondes of god how be it there is noman here that knowes whether he stande in hate or loue all thyÌ„ges to come be in none certeyn To this purpose it is redde in Vitis patruÌ„ Howe that an abbot called Agathon beynge in the artycle of deth And so lyeng by the space of .iii. dayes without meuynge or openyng of his eyen His brethern seeng hym soo lyeng pusshed hym sayenge vnto hym Fader abbot where arte thou Atte last he answered I am in the presens of alle folkes wherfore they sayd vnto hym then thou dredest and art aferde Vnto whome he answered Though I haue kepte the coÌ„maundementes of our lord as vtuously as to me was possyble yet I am a man wote not whether my werkes be agreable vnto hyÌ„ for the domes of our lord be all other then the Iugementes of men that is the cause of my drede I haue neyther hope ne wanhope before god Saynte Austyn seyth That that we deme to be Iustyce well examined before the dyuyne Iustyce is often Iniustyce And therfore it is wryten in the Prouerbes of Salomon the xiiii Chapitre There is one waye whiche semeth Iuste to a man but the ende therof ledeth hym to deth And for asmoche as this holy fader Agathon couÌ„terposyng in his hert all these thynges a fore sayd all be it that he was right dylygent to kepe the coÌ„maundementes of our lord Yet alwaye he drad full sore the laste daye of Iugement It is also red in Vitis patruÌ„ how ther was somtyme an auncyent fader whiche sayde I drede .iii. thynges that is to say Fyrst when my soule shall departe out of my body Seconde when she shall come before our lord The .iii. when she shall abyde here the fynal sentence of the last day of Iugement Lo see how many holy faders haue drad this last day of IugemeÌ„t for the none certeyn of the doubtfull senteÌ„ces that there shal be gyueÌ„ now certeynly it is a thyÌ„g whiche of reason ought tyme rously to be drad It is wryten in the Gospell of saynt Mathew the .vii. chapitre by the wordes of our lord Ihesu cryst Many men shall saye to me Syr syr haue we not ê“phecied in thy name caste out the deuels of men done many vertuoê° dedys Then he shall saye vnto them I know you not nor euer knew you depart frome If the ê“phetes those that haue chased out deuels those that haue done myracles in the name of our lord be so put a backe who shal then now be sure who shal conne lyue here so holyly but at day of dome he ought to treÌ„ble fere Certeynly none for vpon the erthe is there no body purely clene withoute fylthe not a childe of one day olde for it is bow in origynal synne Therfor it is wryteÌ„ in I saye the lxiiii chapitre we be all made as a fowle clothe we oughte to drede all our werkes whiche shal be shewed before vs atte dome all though we thynke them good vertuoê° Iust Therfor say the Iob in his ix chapitre I haue drad al my werkes SeÌ„vlably saynt Poule wiche was a delectable chosyn vessell all be it he was then full clene in coÌ„scyeÌ„ce in so moche he sayde in the .xxiii. chapitre of Thactes of Apostles I haue ben conuersant with oure lorde with all my myght in good coÌ„scyence to this daye And yet it is accordyng where to the same holy Apostle ferefull wrote in his fyrste Pystle ad Coryntheos the faueth chapitre sayd I fele not myselfe gylty in ony thyng that notwithstondyng I fere yet by cause I am not Iustyfyed Saynte Gregory sayd The Iust men diede in alle theyr werkes when they wysely consydre how the must come a fore the hyghe Iuge For as Thappostle wryteth vnto the Romayns the xiiii chapitre we shall come all before the trybunall sete of Ihesu Cryste Alas thenne I wretched synner what shall I saye or what shall I do â–ª when I shall come before soo grete a Iuge without good werkes for my helpe The seconde thyng whiche causeth this sentence to be terryble Is the harde lamentable and Intollerable vtteraunce of the sayd sentence whenne our lord Ihesu Cryste shall saye Go ye fro me ye cursed peple To that purpose is wryten in the Gospell of Saynt Mathew in the .xxv. chapitre whenne the sone of man shal come in his mageste and all his angelles with hym ThenÌ„e he shall sytte in the hyghe Iudycyall sete all maner of peple shall asseÌ„ble before hym shall deuyde the one from the other as the sheparde kepeth the shepe from the wolues Certeynly he ordeyneth setteth the shepe on his right honde the wolues on the lyfte honde And then shall the kynge of glory saye to thoos that shall be an his righte honde Come ye on with me that be blessed of my fader and possesse the Royalme of glorye that is enorned for you from the begynnyng of the worlde I haue ben hongry and ye haue fedde me c. Thenne he shall saye to thoos on his lyfte honde Departe from me ye that be cursed and goo in to eternall fyre whiche is arredyed for deuylles And theruppon sayth a wyse man The wordes of the Iuge in sentence are but short as come ye go ye For he shall saye to those that be reproued Go on your waye And to those that be Iust come ye with me O how gracioê° shall that worde of our lord Ihesus cryst be when he shal saye come ye with me O how harde bytter in tollerable shall the pronownsyng of that worde be Departe ye fro me or go ye frome Suerly Go ye frome is a full sharpe worde And come ye with me is a full blessed worde Saynt Bernarde sayth O how cruell shall those wordes be Go ye frome to them on the lyfte honde spoken by the kynge of kynges geuer of all lyfe which shall saye to other Come ye with me This is that cuttyng swerd with two edges yssewed out of the mouthe of the sone of man as it is wryten in the fyrst xix chapitre of the Apocalyps Certeynly he shall thenne smyte the erthe with the Rodde of this mouthe shall slee the felonous synner by his werkes As it is wryten in I saye the .xi. chapitre O how terryble a thyng shal be to here this voys Therfore saythe Saynt Austyn vpon the Gospell of Saynt Iohan Those
in the place of equyte Iustyce For whenÌ„e the Iuge whiche oughte soo gretely to be doubted hathe pronouÌ„ced his Iugement sentence sayeng Go fro me ye wycked Come to me ye blessyd theyr Remedye is paste To this purpose rede we in â—itis patruÌ„ How ther was some tyme an holy man whiche was tempted with the spiryt of for nycacyon he besought our lord that his enemye the fende whiche teÌ„pted him myght appere visibly vnto him so he dyd Thene the sayd holyman seyde vnto the fende what auayleth the thus for to tempte the people parde it is a grete foly for wheÌ„ne the hast brought ony to synne thy trespas is the gretter consequently the augmentest thyne owne payne To whom the fende answered Certeynly all that is trewe but I knowe well the mo folkes that cause to synne the more I deferre the commynge of the day of dome I drede that daye aboue alle thynges and the heryng thenne of that harde sentence Goo ye wycked and cursed in to eternall fyre whiche is made redy to the deuyll and his angellys And therfore I doo my power to prolonge the tyme of comynge of the sentence O good lorde what cause of drede haue these fendes and these vnhappy synners thenne If thou wylt be assured in this horryble and dredefull Iourney Sowe nowe in thy lyfe the werkes of Mercy Pyte and Iustyce O howe blessyd and howe happy shall he be that now entendeth to the poore languysshyng nedy people For in that harde Iourney oure lorde wyll delyuere them therfore from alle dauÌ„gere It is wryten in the Prouerbys of Salomon in the .xi. chapitre The mercyfull man dothe grete good vnto his soule and dooth also the digne fruytes of penauÌ„ce For they that now sowe teres lamentacoÌ„ns the rewarde therof shall come brynge them in to the lodgyng of Ioye and of gladnesse But there be many that sowen now presentely thornes cokyll wenynge to repe Inne good whete but ywys foles it wyll not be soo For as Thappostle sayth ad Galathas in the .vi. chapytre Suche as a man hath sowen here suche shal he repe thenÌ„e for hyÌ„selfe And therfore sayth our lord by his prophete Ozee in his .x. chapitre ye haue sowen felony haue reped iniquyte he that hath sowen synne euyll werkes he shall be repen Ioyned in to the paynes of helle But he that hath sowen vertues the good werkes of penauÌ„ce He shall repe gadre the euerlastynge glory And alle that haue done well shall rest in the Ioyes of heuen And those that haue done synne and wyckednesse shall go and reste in the paynes of helle Certaynly theyr werkes folowen them As it is wryten in the Apocalyps the .xx. Chapytre After theyr werkes men shall be both saued and dampned It is redde in the Gospell of Saynt Iohan the fyfth Chapytre An houre shall come to the whiche all that be in Monumentes or Tombes shall here the voys of our lorde And they that haue done well shall go in the Resurreccion of lyfe And they that haue done wyckedly shall go vnto the Iugement of dethe It is wryten in the seconde Chapitre of the Apocalyps how the Iuge shall saye I am he that ensercheth the hertes of persones and shall gyue to euery of you his Rewarde after his werkes And as sayth Abdeas It shall be done vnto the as thou hast done To the same purpose is wryten in Iheremye the .l. chapitre And these be the wordes of the eternal Iuge vnto the euyll angell spekyng of the daÌ„pned synners yelde and doo hym after his dedys and werkes And therfore yf thou wylt haue a good heruest and habun daunce of fruyte sowe good werkes largely in the tyme of this presente lyfe For he that soweth them now largely shall gadre them then habundantly And he that now soweth them sparyngly shall then gad them scarsely he that soweth them with blyssynges â–ª shall gadre them with grete Ioye gladnesse As it is wryten in the seconde Epystle ad Coryntheos in the ix chapitre For he that soweth his sedys in synÌ„e maledyccoÌ„ns semblably shall Inne gadre them And as it is wryten in a Prouerbe The sede that man sowes in this present lyfe shal be his hous whenÌ„e the Iuge shal say Come ye go ye The thirde thyng why the dome of the Iuge shall be terryble It is to be remeÌ„bre how dampned soules shall be by the mornyng sentence full of all sorow eternally separated and departed from god his sayntes of paradyse and putte on the lyfte honde vnto the tendes of helle Certeynly Incontynente without caryeng that this horryble senteÌ„ce shal be pronouÌ„ced by the mouth of Ihesu cryste The perpetuell deuylles shall be there arredyed redy for to take and rauayne the soules of the wretched syÌ„ners whiche they shall lyghtely brynge vnto euerlastynge tourmentes and paynes This maye appere vnto vs by a fygure in the book of Hester the .vii. Chapitre of the mynystres of kynge Assuer whiche were desyrous and redy to take Amon as it is conteyned in the same Chapitre How the worde was not all out of the mouthe of the sayd kyng But that the mynystres hadde couered the vysage of the same Amon. In lyke wyse the deuylles in this hydeous Iourney shall be more then redy to resceyue the soules of these wretched synners And this is wryten in the Lamentacions of Iheremye in the fyrste Chapitre Alle his persecutees haue taken hym Iohan Crysostom sayth in the book of Repayryng of forfaytours Remembre these cruell and terryble tourmentoures that neuer may shew mercy on ony body ledeth downe the vnhappy synners vnto euerlastynge tourmentes And Hugho of Saynte Vyctour sayth That the horryble mynystres of helle shall be apparayled and arredyed incontynent as the sentence is gyuen to take the condempned vnto tourmentes And thenne the wretched vnhappy caytyffes lamentably shall say they haue caught me lyke as a deuoryng lyon lurkyÌ„gly hath taken his pray O what sorow and payne wherof maye not be estemed in maÌ„nes myÌ„de nor by tellyng pronouÌ„ced wherfore saynt Bernarde sayth in his Medytacyons what thynkest thou what wepynge what waylynge and what sorowe shall be whenne the synners shall be expulsed oute of the companye of Iuste men and putte from the syght of God and delyuered and caste vnto the hondes of the deuylles to go with them in to euerlastyng fyre and vtterly banysshed from alle the Ioyes of heuen to abyde in the derknesse there suffryng payns for theyr demerytes after the quantyte of theyr synnes And thenÌ„e the myserable synners beynge in despeyre of the Redempcion shall entre into the lowest partyes of the erthe in the hoÌ„des of our lordes glayue there to remayn with out seeng of ony lyghte Of this payne of separacyon or departyng sayth also Crysostome Some foles wene and thynke to haue theyr wysshynge yf they maye escape the gehenne of helle
accordyng to theyr demerytes And whenne these two brethern came afore hym echone knewe other the wyse brother sayd O syr kyng our Iuge I complayne me gretly of this maÌ„ my brother for as we wente togydies in a way he beyng reputed a fole and I wyse yet neuerthelesse he wolde not beleue me no goo after me the good waye that I taught hym but hath made me to folowe hym in the euyll way wherin we were taken and so he is gylty of my dethe And to the corntarye the ignoraÌ„t fole sayd to the same kyng Syr I haue gretter cause strenger Reason to complayne me agaynst my brother for where he ought not to haue byleued me nor folowed me lyghtly in the waye whiche he knewe well was euyll dauÌ„gerous for he wolde not a folowed me I wold haue retourned ageyn and folowed hym whereby I sholde in noo wyse haue fallen in his daungere therfore he is verrey gylty of my deth whenÌ„e these wordes were hadde on eyther partye The kynge pronownsed gaue a sentence sayeng Thou fole thou woldest not trust thy wyse brother thou wyse haste folowed this fole in his euyll wayes wherfore ye bothe shal be hanged coÌ„dempned to dethe Semblably shall it be at the day of Iugement in the consuÌ„macoÌ„n of this worlde when by the almyghty power of god the soule of euery man woman shall retourne ageyn be reioyned to the yr owne bodyes apperyÌ„g before the hyghe Iuge to resceyue dome IugemeÌ„t of all thynges knowen forgoten for the folysshe body because it wold not folowe the couÌ„seyll of the wyse soule the wyse spyryte because it wolde not resyste but ensue the folysshe body they shal be both daÌ„pned togyder in the last extremyte of IugemeÌ„t For this cause the sentence of the Iuge is called a swerde with two edges as is writen in thapocalips in the fyrst chapitre For it shal stryke the wretched synner bothe in body soule It is wryten in the Gosspell of seynt Mathew in the .x. chapitre Drede hyÌ„ that shal mow lese pu◠〈…〉 the the body soule in 〈…〉 geheÌ„ne of helle The qualyte of the sayd Iuge yeldeth sheweth the sayde sentence to be dredefull dauÌ„geroê° CerteyÌ„ly it shal be ê“nouÌ„ced by a circuÌ„specte a right prudent Iuge whiche shal neuer fayle for euery thyng is notarily to hyÌ„ knoweÌ„ for god knoweth the hydde thyngis of the hert sercheth the werkes of men wherfor it is writeÌ„ ad Hebreos in the .iiii. chapitre Alle thyÌ„gis be opeÌ„ to his eyen for he loketh into the hertes As it is red in the fyrst book of Lrynges in the xvi chapitre Also it is red in Ecclesiastes the xxiii chapitre The eyen of our lorde be moche clerer thenÌ„e the sonne for they behold all the wayes of man the ê“fouÌ„de depnesse the hertes of men see alle the hydde thynges of the erthe And as Boece de consolacde sayth Grete curyosyte to do well is introducte vn 〈…〉 because all that we do is done afore hym that seeth all thynges Iheremy seith in his xxii chapitre Thyn eyen be open vpon all the wayes of the childern of Israell I shall yelde to eueryche of theym after his wayes after the fruyte of his admynystracions Certeynly the Iuge is gretely to be drad whiche loketh vpon al thynges bothe open shette all secrete thyngis to him knowen all derke thynges to hym is clere all dome thynges answere vnto hym all thoughtes speke to hym without voys al sylences coÌ„fesse them vnto him This sentence is to be gyuen by the Iust Iuge whiche wyll not beâ—owed he shall Iuge all the circuyte of the erthe the peple in equyte â–ª He grutcheth not attethe myght of ony body nor he excepteth no ê‘sone what soeuer they be nor he ne wyll be appeased then by ony gyftes It is wryten in Deutronomii in the .x. chapitre God is grete myghty terryble whiche wyll fauour no ê‘sone nor he resceyueth no gyftes Certaynly a pure a clene conscyence then shal be more worth then the purses full of syluer The habondauÌ„ce of rychesse shall not proufyte thenne nor ony thyng that longeth to riche people But oonly shal proufyte the werkes of Pyte of Iustyce It is wryten in Ezechiell in the .vii. chapitre Theyr mony shall be then theyr douÌ„ghylle neyther theyr golde nor theyr syluer shal mow delyuer them in the day of furour of our lord ThenÌ„e shal appere the fraude the falshed â–ª of this worlde vylenesse of all richesse O how swete a thyng how grete a Ioye shall it be thenÌ„e to those that haue hated this worlde how sorowfull bytter shal it be vnto them that haue had it in lust and delectacoÌ„n This sentence is also to be gyuen by the Iuge that wyll not be corrupt then by prayers nor appeased by desyres And as it is wryten in the Prouerbys of Salomon in the .vi. chapitre He wyll not obtempre then nor bowe to oni requestis what soeuer they be Crysostom sayth the angeles wyl not then intercede nor pray for the men for the Iuste Iuge wyll shew there no mysery corde but wyll yelde to eueryche after his meryt the merytes egally not bowyng Iustyce therfore sayth he by his ê“phete Ezechiel in the vii chapitre I shall do the right after thy wayes shal Iuge the after thy IugemeÌ„tâ— I shall make the knowe that I am thy lorde For that cause sayd Iob all dredefully I resyne alle my werkes knowyng the that ne wylt spare ony thyng the delynquentes or trespassours of all these thyÌ„ges speketh Saynt Bernarde in a pse whiche he made sayeng Certaynly our lord shall Iuge Iustly shall except no persone nor shall be corrupt by ony pryse nor gyftes Semblably he shall not bowe for ony maner of prayer O my right dere frende labour then dylygeÌ„tly to bere Iustyce thyder as thou shalt fynde no mysery corde For as it is wryten in the Prouerbys of SalomoÌ„ The riches shall not proufyte in the day of veÌ„geance but Iustyce shall cause thenne delyuerance from deth And yf the scolers that can not theyr lessoÌ„s drede gretly to be examyned of theyr mayster lest they sholde be egrely punysshed how moche sholde the synners drede then thextremye examynynge of the souerayne Iuge when they haue not studyed in the boke of Iustyce of trouth Certeynly in the apposayle is examyned all thynges that now be nought the vniuste synners shall be punysshed the seed of felons shall perishe to the contrary the Iuste people shall be then in the eternall memory shall not drede in ony wyse ony euyil accusacyon It is wryten in Ecclesyastyco the .xviii. chapitre Make redy Iustyce afore the Iugement This fynall senteÌ„ce shal be also gyuen by a Iuge cruelly moued whiche in noo wyse shall mowe be appeased For oure
but lete hyÌ„ do that that he purposed to do sens he was gyuen vnto hym the forsayd Theodorê° sayd why suffre ye me soo longe to be in this case Thenne sayde his brethern vnto him what is it that thou seest make the fygure of the crosse vpon the. To who me the sayd Theodorus answered with a lamen table crye I wolde feyne blesse me but I can not for I am to hardely prycked and oppressed with the vyolence of this dragon And whenne his brethern herde hym saye soo they fyll flatte to the erthe with wepynge teeres and began agayne theyr prayers and orysons deuoutly for the helpe and Redempcyon of this Theodorus whiche soone after sodeynly began to crye with a lowde voyce sayeng I yelde louyng thankes and grace to god my creatour for now that Dragon whiche sholde haue deuoured me is dryuen and chased away fro me by your gode and deuout prayers and orysons Also Saynte Gregory telleth an example in the fourthe boke of his Dyalogis that how in the partes of Anchone in a monastery called Congolathon be fell somtyme that there was therin a monke whiche was taken for a very holy man meruelously well dysposed towarde god But whenne his bretheren went that he had fasted he was accustomed secretely to ete And whenÌ„e he was at the batayll of deth he called generally for all his bretheren sayeng vnto them I am delyuered nowe vnto a dragon to be deuoured whiche with his tayll hath knytte togydre my fete also my knees putteth his hede in to my mouth draweth my soule oute of my body and after he had sayd those wordes he dyed forth withall It maye seme these wordes be for the condeÌ„pned synners whiche be wryten in Iheremy in the .li. chapitre He hath eten me lyke a dragon This dragon is hydeous grete hath vii hedes .x. hornes in the same as it is wryten in the Apocalyps in the xii chapitre There hath ben a grete batayle in the shye so that saynt Mychyell his angell hath fought with the dragon his angell whiche myght not resyst syth theyr rowmes in heuen coude not be fouÌ„de but were cast downe so that dragon auÌ„cyent serpeÌ„t whiche is called the deuyll sathan enforceth hyÌ„self to make warre vpon the vnyuersall worlde here And for the cause it is red in the same chapitre That harme come to that erthe to the see for the deuyll is descended among you with all his grete furyous anger This deuyl hath a merueylous grete hate vnto all good peple whiche disposeth them to take possessioÌ„ in the towme of heuen from whens he was put out chased in to theterrnall paynes the more that the day of dome approcheth the more teÌ„pteth he more cursedly more forseth hymselfe to do euyll in destroynge of soules O how grete is the wyckednesse the malyce of this deuyll of helle wherof Saynt Bernard talketh in a prose sayeng O howe felonous shall then this tormentours be whiche shall payne tormente synners how terryble shall theyr vengeauÌ„ce be in vengyng vyces wret chednes synnes CerteyÌ„ly theyr cruell malyce is yet augmeÌ„ted in dyuerse maners Fyrste because they be so innumerable of so dyuerse sortes The Psalter seyth why be those so multyplyed that tormenteth me there be many that dresse them a yenst me and as it is wryten in Iob in the .xix. chapitre They haue asseged my tabernacle about me It is wryten in â—itis patruÌ„ That there was a good auncyent man that sawe the duyll enuyronynge the people were as thyke as beys that make hony wherfore it is sayd also in the Psalter They haue coÌ„passed me as beys be cause they be many of grete myght â–ª as Thapostle wytnesseth in his pistle ad the Epheseos in the .vi. chapitre where he calleth them prynces potestates gouernours of the world be cause they be subtyll and myghty to noy soules the Psalter seyth The stronge haue fought my soule This strengthe is vnder stonde by the deuylles It is red also of that streng the in Iob the .xli. chapitre There is noo myght vpon the erthe to be compared with that thou hath done soo that it dredeth noo man saue him that seeth all thynge from aboue is kyng ouer all the childeren of pryde the deuylles shall ernstfully exercyse theyr myght in pryde to the punission of synners them shall cruelly tourmente It is wryten in Ecclesiastico the xxxix chapitre There be spyrytes that be ordeyned to take vengeaunce hath confermed the tormentes in theyr furour enduryngly tyll the consummacoÌ„n of the worlde Iob sayth in his .xvi. chapitre He hath compassed me with his speris hath not spared me but hath hurt my reynes he hath caste my bowell to the erthe gyuen me woundes vppon wouÌ„de this come sholderyng ayenst me lyke agaynd Thirdely the malyce cruelte of the deuyl is coÌ„forted is more greuous be cause they are neuer wery of tormentyng As it is wryten in the boke of Danyell in the .iii. chapitre The mynystres shall not sease in sturynge the fyres of the fourneys to the causynge of paynes Therfore sayd a wyse man that there be tourmentours whiche be more to be lothed then serpentes they be blacke defourmed wyll not be beten downe And they be neuer wery to do harme but newly encreasen theyr malyce al way redy boylyng desyrously to put soules to payne and Incessantly they excersyse theyr cruelte more and more And it is sayde to all synners in Deutronomye in the .xxviii. chapitre Thou shalt serue for thyne enemy whenne oure lorde shall sende the naked vnto hym in honger and thyrste and in alpouerte And thenne shal thysore woundes enereace perpetuelly O howe grete shall the paynes be there to dampned folkes whiche shall laste contynuelly in anguysshe and myserye withoute Intermyssyon lackynge peas or reste It is redde of the synners in Ezechyell in the seuenth Chapitre That whenne they shall fele this Anguysshyous payne they shall desyre and requyre to haue peas but thenne they gete none for they sall haue conturbacyon and sorowe vppon sorowe It is wryten in Thapocalyps the .xiiii. Chapitre That thoos that haue ben beestly shall therfore haue noo rest by day nor nyght ThenÌ„e mowe the synners well saye as it is wryten in Isaye in the xxxviii chapitre I shall not see oure lorde god in the lyuyng londe nor I shall noo more beholde ony man that is inhaby tour of reste Semblable as it is wryten in Ihere mye the .xlv. Chapitre Alas I am vnhappy for oure lorde hath added in me sorowe to sorowe for I can fynde noo Reste Sorowe shall be thenne caste atte his hede and alle Inyquyte shall descende vppon hym Nowe by these thynges aboue sayd it manyfestly appereth how suche as descendet in to helle be punysshed with many dyuerse paynes and therfore me thynketh dere bretheren how
gloryous is the Royalme and how ought thy tabernacles to be beloued how grete is thy beaute how habundante is thy Resplendysshyng in thy cyte how merueylous is the bryght clerenesse therof and how souerayn is the swetnesse of thy celestyal coÌ„tree For this cause seythe Saynt Austyn in his book of free arbytremen te Soo grete is the beaute of Iustyce soo grete is the swetenesse of thyn eternall lyght That yf it were not expedyent to de lyte therin but one houre of the daye for to haue that Ioye oonly The in numerable dayes of this present lyfe full habundante of alle temporall goodes ought therfore resonable to be myspreysed forborne Now certeynly it is not vnresonably spoken nor withoute a grete grouÌ„de that better is to be one daye in that courte than a thousande in this world O celestyal Iherusalem O shynyng hous full of al bryghtnesse I wysshe my pilgrymage to reche vnto the and to be possessed in the by hym that made both the me And therfore seyth Saynt Bernarde in his thyrde book vppon the Gospell Missus est angelus Gabriel O how gloryous is the Royalme of heuen The kynges haue asseÌ„bled them in a mont that is to vnderstonde to loue prayse and gloryfye hym that is kynge aboue alle kynges and lorde ouer all lordes In the resplendysshynge contemplacion of whom the Iuste people shall shyne as the sonne in the Royame of theyr fader To this purpose seyth the Psalter thou shalt replenisshe me with gladnes in thy face Iob seyth also in the xxxiii chapitre His face shal be seen in gret Ioyeful gladnes All those shall beholde haue syghte of that moost swete Vysage that haue trewely serued our lorde sauyour Ihesu cryst in humylyte of herte in good labours vertuous werkes Isaye sayth in his .xxxiii. chapitre They shall see the kyng of kynges in his grete beaute O how blysfull O how aggreable O how swete how happy shall be the beholdyng of our sauyoure Ihesu cryste to those that haue ê‘fyghtly loued him Certeynly they shal mowe Ioyefully saye as is wryten in Abacuk the iii chapitre I shall reioyse me in our lord disporte me in Ihesu crist my god O how gretly shal those reioyse them that shal be fulfylled with the celestyall Ioyes what gladnesse shall they haue that shall be Illumyned with the vysyon of the resplendysshynge face of our lorde god The whiche Ioye gladnesse shall be permanent abydyng worlde without ende ¶ How the celestyal royalme is to be coÌ„mended for the goodnesse that is therin ¶ The seconde chapytre of the fourth parte the last pryncypall THe Royalme of heuen is secondly recoÌ„mended for thabondante goodnesse therof Saynt Austyn sayth in his book de Ciuitate dei That that god hathe ordeyned for those that he loueth maye not be oonly atteyned by hope without it be coÌ„pryseo with charyte soo it may will be atteyned the Rewardes of the happy sayntes can not be nombred nor estymed thabuÌ„dauÌ„ce therof is withoute ende is so precyous that it can not be suffycyentely preysed Of the suê‘habuÌ„dante ryche goodnesse of this celestyal Royalme is wryten in Deutronomi in the .viii. chapitre thus Our lorde god shall lede the in a good coÌ„tree whiche is Indewed with waters with fontayns with spryÌ„gis with feldes with montayns Out of the whiche shall come floodes ryueres He shall lede the also in to a londe where groweth whete barly vynes where growe fygues apples grayns olyfs oyle hony there without ony necessyte thou shalte ete thy brede with habundance of all good is Now certayn this is a right comodyous coÌ„tree fulfylled with swetenesse this is the contree to the whiche were sente the sones of Adam As is writen in the book of Iugys the .xviii. chapitre whiche sayd at theyr Retourne we haue seen a comodyous plentyfull contree right riche wyll ye not myspreyse it nor cesse we not but lete vs go take possessyon therof For there is no labour our lorde shall gyue vs a roome therin wherby we shall haue none necessyte nor lacke For there is no thyng that enoyeth and all good delectacyons be there Saynt Austyn saythe that the eternall beatytude we le be specyally in two thynges That is to wyte In the absence of all euyll and in the presence of all we le Now yf that wylt axe me what thynges be in heuen I can answere the none otherwyse but all thynge that is good is there and all thyng that is nought canne neuer come there And therfore sayth saynt Gregory There is noo good thynge desyred nor lacked there nother there is ony thynge within hit that hurteth or enoyeth It is wryten in the laste chapitre of thapocalyps They shall noo more haue honger nor thyrst nor the sonne nor the hetes shall no more hurt them for the lambe of god whiche sytteth in the myddle of the crone shall gouerne and bryng them to the fontayne of the water of lyfe And more is folowynge in the same chapitre he seyth Shewe me the flode the ryuere of the water of lyfe who hath thyrste come and drynke who wyll haue of that water of lyfe come and take it And he that hath of that water shall neuer be thyrsty as it is wryten in the gospel of saynt Iohan in the. iii chapitre O how happy and how blessyd is that contree where god shall be all thyng in all thyng and where is no pouerte nor lacke of ony thynge that is good This contree is the celestyall pasture wherin shall nede nothyng to be wysshed For in this pasture shall oure lorde beayte and fede his trewe louers whome he wyll beclyppe perpetually Therfore sayth oure lorde in Ezechyell the xxxiiii chapitre I shall put them in theyr coÌ„trees fede them in the montayns of Israhell Now certeynly the happy sayntes of heuen be wel fedde with knowleche of the souerayne trouthe whiche is to them a ful fructnouse pasture be it when they entre in contemplacoÌ„n of the dyuynyte or in consyderynge the grace of the humanyte And in bothe these they shal fynde cause to be sacyate and fed with delectacyons And they shall fele the fruyte of souerayn swetenesse as the Psalter sayth He hath gyuen the thy fyll of the fyne fatnesse of the floure of the whete The fatnesse of the floure of the whete is delectacion of swetenesse caused by the loue of god Of the whiche flour of whete by the same loue mote my soule be fulfylled and thenne I shall reste in the eternall Ioyouse surete alwayes wexynge grene and neuer to drye Here is now shewed how good is this contree where in the happy men shal be fed whiche is so fruyt full and plenteuous Certaynly this is the contree of lyfe In the whiche we must hope to see the goodnesse of our lord the Psalter sayth we shall all be fulfylled with the goodes of
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.