With whiche aunswere Iâ—piter waxed so angry that he said sith â—he loueth her house so wel she should neuer after goe from home but shoulde alwaye beare her house vpon her backe wheresoeuer she wenâ—e And so hath she done euer since as they saye and at the leastwise I wote wel she doeâ—h so nowe and hath done as long time as I can remembre Vincent Forsoth vncle I would wene the tale were not all fayned For I thynke verely that so muche of your tale is true Antony Esope meynâ—e by that fained fable to touche â—he foly of suche folke as so set their fantasye vpon some â—male simple pleasure that they cannot fynde in their hearâ—es to forbeare it neyther for the pleasure of a better man nor for the gaining of a better thyng by which their fond frowarde fashion they sometime fal in great indignacion and take thereby no litle harme And surely such Christen folke as by their foolishe aâ—feâ—cioÌ„ which they haue set like yâ— snaile vpoÌ„ their own house here this earth cannot for yâ— lothenes of leuing that house find in their heart with their good wyll to goe to the great feast that god prepareth in heauen of his goodnes so gentely calleth theÌ„ to Be like I feare me but if they mende that mind in tyme to be serued as the snayle was and yet much worse to for they be like to haue their house here yâ— earth bounde fast vpoÌ„ theiâ— baâ—kes for euer and not walke therewith where they will as the snaile â—â—epeth about with hers but lye fast bound in the middes with the foule fyer of hel about them for into this foly they bryng themselfe by theyr own fault as the droâ—ken man bryngeth him selfe inâ—o dronkennesse wherby the euyll that he doth in hys dronkennesse is not forgeuen hym for hys foly but to hys payne imputed to his faulte Vincent Surâ—ly vncle this semeth not vnlikely and by their faulte they fall to such foly in dede And yet if this be foly in dede there are than some folke fooles that wene them selfe right wyse Anthony That wene themselfe wyse mary I neuer sawe foole yetâ— that thought himselfe other than wise For as it is one sparke of sobernes lefte in a dronken head wheÌ„ he perceyueth hymself dronke and geatteth him fayre to bed so if a foole perceyue himselfe a foole that point is no foly but a litle sparke of wit But now Cosin as for those kynde of fooles sith they be loth to dye for the loue that they beare to their worldly fantasyes whiche they shoulde by their death leaue bâ—hind them and forsake thei that would for that cause rather forsake the faith than die would raâ—her forsake it than sel their worldly goodes though there were offered theÌ„ no perel of death at al. And thaÌ„ as touching those that are of that mind we haue you wote well sayd as much as your self thought sufficient this after none here before Vincent Ueâ—ely that is vncle very true now haue you rehearsed as farre as I can remembre al the other kindes of them that would be loâ—h to die for any other respect than the greuous qualities of shame and pain ioyned vnto death and of all those kyndes excepte the kinde of infidelitie whom no comforte can helpe but couÌ„sayle onely to thatteining of faith which faith must be to the receyuing of comforte presupposed and had ready before as you shewed in the beginning of our communicacioÌ„ the first day that we talked of the matter But els I say except that one kynd there is none of the remnaunt of those that were before vntouched which were lykely to forsake theyr fayth in this persecucion for the feare and dreade of â—eath saue for those greuous qualities pain I meane and shame that thei see well would come therewith And therfore vncle I pray you geue vs some comforte against those twain For in good faith if death should come without them in such a case as this is wherby the lesing of this life we should fynde a farre better myne owne reason geueth â—e â—hat saue for the other griefes going before the â—haunge there would no man that witte hath any thing sticke at al. Antony Yes peraduenture sodaynly before they gather their wittes vnto them and therwith well way the matter but they Cosin that wyl considre the matter wel reason grounded vpoÌ„ the foundacioÌ„ of fayth shal shewe them very greate subâ—tancial causes for which the dreade of those greuous qualities that they see shal come with death shame I meane paine also shal not so sore abashe them as sinfully to dryue them therfro for the proofe wherof let vs first begin at the consideraâ—ion of the shame The .xxiii. Chapter Of the shame that iâ— ioyned vvith the death in the persecucion for the fayth HOwe can any faythful wyse man dâ—eade that death so sore for any respect of shame whaÌ„ his reason hys fayth together may shortly make hym pâ—â—câ—â—ue that there is therin no peâ—e of very shame at al. For how can that death be shameful that is glorious or how can it be but glorious to dye for the fayth of Christ if we dye both for the fayth and in the fayth ioyned with hope and charitie while the Scripture â—o playnely â—ayeth preâ—iosa in conspectu domini mors sanctoruÌ„ eiuâ— precious is in the sight of god the death of hys saintesâ—â—ow if the death of his Saintes be glorious in the sight of god it can nâ—uer be shamâ—full in verye dâ—de howe shamefull so euer it seme here in the sighte of men for here we maye see and be sure that not at the death of Saint Stephin onely to whom it lyked him to shew himself with the heauen open ouer his head but at the death also of euery man that so dieth for the faith god with hys heauenly company beholdeth his whole passion verely loketh on Now if it so were Cosin that you shoulde be brought thorowe the brode hie strete of a greate long Citie and that all a long the waye that you were goyng there wâ—re on the tone syde of the way a rabble of ragged beggers and mad men that woulde dispise you disprayse you with al the shameful names that they could cal you and al the villanous woordes that they could saye to you and that there were than al a long the oâ—her syde of thesame strete where you should come by a goodly company standyng in a fayre raunge a rowe of wyse and worshipful folke allowing you coÌ„mending you mo than .xv. times as many as that rabble ragged beggars and rayling madde men are Would you let your way by your wil wening that you wente vnto your shame for the shamefull iestyng and rayling of those madde foolishe wretches or holde on your way with a good chere and a glad heartâ— thynkyng youre selfe muche honoured by the laude and approbacion of that other honorable sort Vincent Naye by my trueth vncle there
A dialoge of comfort against tribulacion made by Syr Thomas More KNYGHT and set foorth by the name of an HuÌ„garieÌ„ not before this time imprinted Londini in aedibus Richardi Totteli ¶ Cum Priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ¶ A Table wherin is expressed the summe and effecte of euery Chapter conteined in this boke A Declaracion of the first boke That the deuysed comfortes by the old paâ—nim philosophers wer vnsufficient and the cause wherefore cap. i. That for a foundacion men must nedes beginne with faith cap. ii The first coÌ„fort in tribulacion may a man take in this whan he feleth a desire and longing to be coumforted by god ca. iii. That tribulacion is a meane to draw a man to that good minde to desire and long for the coÌ„forte of god ca. iiii The speciall meane to geat this first comforte in tribulacion ca. v. It â—uffiseth not that a maÌ„ haue a desire to be coÌ„forted by god only by the taking away of the tribulacion ca. vi A great comfort it may be in tribulacioÌ„ that euerye tribulacioÌ„ is if we our self wil a thing ether medicinable or els more than mediâ—inable ca. vii The declaracion larger concernyng them that fall in tribulacion by their owne knowen faulte and that yet suche tribulacion is medicinable cap. viii The second point that is to wit that tribulacion that is sent vs by god without ani open certain deseruing cause knowen to our self this kind of tribulacion is medicinable if men wil so take itâ— and therefore great occasion of coumforte cap. ix Of the third kind of tribulacioÌ„ which is not sent a maÌ„ for his sinne but for exercise of his pacience encrease of his merite which is better then medicinable cap. x. An other kind of comfort yet in the base kind of tribulacion sent for oure sinne cap. xi A certain obieccion against the thinges aforesaid ca. xii That a man ought to be comfortable to himselfe haue good hope be ioyfull also in tribulacioÌ„ appeareth wel by this that a man hath greate cause of feare and heauines that continueth alway stil in welth discontinued with no tribulacion cap. xiii A certain obieccion and the answer therto cap. xiiii Other obieccions cap. xv The answer to the obieccion cap. xvi An answer to the second obiecâ—ion cap. xvii Of theÌ„ that in tribulacion seke not vnto god but some to the flesh and some to the world and some to the deuil himself cap. xviii An other obieccion with the answer therunto cap. xix A Summary commendacion of tribulacion cap. xx A declaracion of the seconde Boke Whether a man mai not in tribulacioÌ„ vse some worldly reâ—reacion for his comfort cap. i. Of the shorte vncertaine life in extreme age or sickenes cap. ii He deuideth tribulacion into three kindes of whiche thre the last he passeth shortelye ouer cap. iii. cap. iiii An obieccion concerning them that turne not to god till they come at the last caste cap. v. An obieccion of them the say the tribulacion of penaunce nedeth notâ— but is a supersticious folye cap. vi What if a maÌ„ cannot wepe nor in his heart be sory for his sinnes cap. vii Of that kinde of trybulacion whiche thoughe they not willingly take yet they willingly suffer cap. viii First of teÌ„ptacioÌ„ in general as it is coÌ„moÌ„ to both ca. ix A special comfort in al temptacion cap. x. Of foure kindes of temptacions and therin bothe the partes of that kind of tribulacion that men willinglye suffer touched in two vearses of the psalter cap. xi The first kind of the foure temptacions cap. xii Of pusillanimitie cap. xiii Of the daughter of pusillanimiâ—ie a scrupulous conscience cap. xiiii An other kynd of the nightes feare an other daughter of pusillanimitie that is to wit the horrible teÌ„ptacion by which some folke are tempted to kil destroy themself ca. xv Of him that wer moued to kyll himself by illusion of the deuil which he reckoned for a reuelacioÌ„ ca. xvi ca. xvii Of the deuill named Negorium that is to wit busines walking about in the darknesses cap. xviii cap. xix A declaracion of the thyrde Boke Whither a man should cast in his mind and appointe in his heart before that if he were taken with Turkes he woulde rather dye than forsake the faith cap. i. Of the fourth temptacion which is persecucion for the faith touched in these wordes of the prophete Ab incursu demenâ—o meridiaâ—o cap. ii cap. iii. cap. iiii Of the losse of the goodes of fortune cap. v. Of the vnsuretie of landes and possessions ca. vi These outward goodes or gyftes of fortune are two maner of wayes to be considred cap. vii The litle coÌ„moditie of riches being set by but for this presente life cap. viii The litle commoditie of fame beeyng desired but for â—orldlye pleasure cap. ix Of flattrye cap. x. The litle commoditie that menne haue of roumes officis and autoritie if thei desire them but for their worldly commoditie cap. xi That these outward goodes desired but for worldlye welth be not onely litle good for the bodye but are also muche harme for the soule cap. xii Whether meÌ„ desire these outward goodes for their only worldly welth or for ani good verteous purpose this persecucioÌ„ of the Turke agaiÌ„st the faith wil declare the coÌ„fort yâ— both twain mai take in the lesing theÌ„ thus ca. xiii An other cause for which any maÌ„ should be content to forgo his goodes in the Turkes said persecucioÌ„ ca. xiiii This kinde of tribulacion trieth what minde meÌ„ haue to their goodes which thei that are wise wil at the fame therof se wel and wisely layd vp safe before cap. xv An other coumforte and courage againstâ— the losse of substance cap. xvi Of bodily paine and that a man hath no cause to take discomfort in persecucion though he fele himself in an horror at the thinking vpon the bodely paine cap. xvii Of comfort against bodily pain and first againste captiuitie cap. xviii Of imprisonment and comfort there against cap. xix ca. xx The feare of shameful painful death ca. xxi Of death considred by himself alone as a bare leauing of this life onely cap. xxii Of the shame that is ioyned with the death in the persecucion for the faith cap. xxiii Of painful death to be suffred in the Turkes persecucion for the faith cap. xxiiii The consideracion of the paines of hel in which we fal if we forsake our sauior may make vs set al the paynful death of this worlde at right naught cap. xxv The coÌ„sideracioÌ„ of the ioyes of heueÌ„ should make vs for Christes sake abide eÌ„dure ani painful death ca. xxvi The consideracion of the painful death of Christ is sufficient to make â—s content to suffer painful death for his sake ca. xxvii FINIS ¶ A Dialogue of comfort agaynst Tribulacion Made by an Hungâ—rien in Latine and translated oute of Latine into Frenche and
geue vs faith but only god let vs neuer cease to call vppon God therefore ☞ Vincent Forsoth my good vncle me thinketh that this fouÌ„dacioÌ„ of faith which as you saie must be laid first is so necessarily requisite that without it al spiritual couÌ„fort wer vtterly geueÌ„ in vain And therfore now shall we pray god for a ful a fast faith And I praye you good vncle procede you farther in the processe of your matter of spirituall comfort againste tribulacion ☞ Antony That shal I Cosin with good wil. ¶ The thyrd Chapter The fyrst comfort in tribulacion may a man take in thys VVhan he feleth in himselfe a desyre and longyng to be comforted by God I Will in my poore mynde assigne for the fyrst comfort the desier and longing to be by God comforted and not without some reason call I this the fyrste cause of comforte For lyke as the cure of that person is in a maner desperate that hath no will to be cured so is the discomforte of that person desperate that desireth not his own coÌ„forte And here shal I note you two kyndes of folke that are in tribulacion and heauines One sorte that will seke for no comfort an other sorte that wil. And yet of those that will not are there also two sortes For fyrst one sort there are that are so drowned in sorowe that they fall into a careles deadlye dulnes Regarding nothing thinking almoste of nothyng no more than if they laye in a letarge with whiche it may so fall that witte and remembraunce will weare away and fall euen fayre from them And this comfortles kinde of heauines in tribulacion is the hyghest kinde of the deadlye sinne of slothe An other sorte are there that will seke for no comforte nor yet none receiue but are in their tribulacion be it losse or sicknes so testie so fumishe and so farre oute of all pacience that it boteth no maÌ„ to speake to them and these are in a maner with impacieÌ„ce as furious as though they were in halfe a frenesie and may with a custome of such facioned behauiour fall in therto ful whole And thys kinde of heauines in tribulacion is euen a mischieuous high braunche of the mortal sinne of yre Than is there as I tolde you an other kynde of folke which faine woulde be comforted and yet are they of two sortes to One sort are those that in theyr sorowe seke for worldly comfort and of them shall we now speake the lesse for the diuers occasions that we shal after haue to touche theÌ„ in moe places than one But this will I here saye that I learned of Saynct Barnard He that in tribulacioÌ„ turneth himselfe vnto worldly vanities to geat helâ—e comfort by them fareth lyke a man that in perill of drowning catcheth whatsoeuer cometh next to hand and that holdeth he fast be it neuer so simple a sticke but than that helpeth him not for the sticke he draweth downe vnder the water with him there lye they drowned bothe together So surely if we custome our selfe to put our trust of coumfort in the delyte of these pieuishe worldelye thinges God shal for that foule fault suffre our tribulacion to growe so great that all the pleasures of this worlde shall neuer beare vs vp but all oure pieuishe pleasure shal in the depth of tribulacioÌ„ drown with vs. The other sorte is I saye of those that long and desyre to bee coumforted of GOD. And as I tolde you beefore they haue an vndoubted greate cause of coumforte euen in that poynte alone that they considre themselfe to desyre and longe to bee by almyghtye God coumforted Thys mynde of theyrs may wel be cause of great comfort vnto them for two great consideracions The one is that they see themselfe seeke for their coumfort where they cannot fayle to finde it For God both can geue them comfort and wil. He can for he is almightie he wil for he is al goodâ— and hath himselfe promised Petite et accipietis Aske and ye shall haue He that hathe fayth as he must nedes haue that shal take comfort cannot doubt but that God wil surely kepe his promise And therfore hath he a greate cause to be of good comfort as I say in that he consâ—dereth that he longeth to be comforted by hym which his faith maketh him sure wil not fayle to coÌ„fort him But here considre this that I speake here of hym that in tribulacion longeth to bee comforted by God and it is he that referreth the maner of his coÌ„fortyng to God holding himselfe content whether it be by the taking away or the minyshment of the tribulacion it self or by the geuing him pacience and spiritual consolacion therein For of hym that onelye longeth to haue god take his trouble from him we cannot so wel warrant that minde for a cause of so greate comfort For both may he desyre that that neuer mindeth to be the better may misse also the effect of his desyre because his request is happely not good for himself And of this kind of longing requiring we shal haue occasioÌ„ farther to speake herafter But he which referring the maner of his comforte vnto God desireth of god to be coÌ„forted asketh a thing so lawfull so pleasant vnto god that he cannot fayle to spede therefore hath he as I saye great cause to take comfort in the very desyre it selfe An other cause hath he to take of that desire a very great occasion of comfort For sith his desyre is good and declareth vnto himself that he hath in god a good faith it is a good token vnto him yâ— he is not an abiect cast out of gods gracious fauour while he perceiueth yâ— god hath put such a verteous well ordred appetite in his mind For as euery euil mind cometh of the worlde and our selfe and the Deuill so is euerye such good mynde eyther immediately or by the meane of oure good Aungell or other gracious occasyon inspyred into mannes hearte by the goodnes of God hymselfe And what a comfort than may this be vnto vs whan we by that desyre perceyue a sure vndoubted token that toward our final saluacion our Sauiour is himselfe so graciously busy about vs ¶ The fourth Chapter That tribulacion is a meane to dravve men to that good mynd to desyre and long for the comfort of God Vincent FOrsoothe good vncle this good mynde of longyng for Gods comfort is a good cause of great comfort in dede our lord in tribulacion send it vs. But by this I see wel that woe may thei be which in tribulacion lacke that mind and that desyre not to be comforted by God but are either of slouth or impacience discomfortlesse or of folye seeke for theyr chiefe ease and comfort any where elles Anthonie That is good cosyn verye trewe as long as they stand in that state But than must you consider that tribulacion is yet a meane to dryue hym
vpon our owne glotonous feastyng or a man that is punyshed for his owne open faulte These tribulacions loe and such other lyke albeit that they maye seme dyscomfortable in that a man maye be sorye to thinke him selfe the cause of his own harme yet hath he good cause of comforte in theÌ„ if he consydre that he maye make them medicinable for him if him selfe will For where as there was dewe to that sinne except it were pourged here a farre greater punishemeÌ„t after this world in an other place This wordly trybulacioÌ„ of payne punishmeÌ„t by goddes good prouision for him put vpoÌ„ him here in this world before shal by the meane of Christes passion if the maÌ„ wil in true faith and good hope by meke and pacient sufferance of his tribulacion so make it serue him for a sure medicine to cure him and clerely dyscharge him of al the sicknes and disease of those paynes that els he should suffer after For suche is the greate goodnes of almyghty god that he punisheth not one thinge twyse And albeit so that this punishment is put vnto the maÌ„ not of his own eleccyon and fre choyce but so by force as he would faine auoide it and falleth in it aginst his wil therfore scantly worthy no thanke yet so farre passeth the greate goodnes of god the poore vnperfite goodnes of maÌ„ that though meÌ„ make theyr rekening one here with an other such god yet of his hygh bouÌ„tye in mannes accoumpte toward him alloweth it for otherwise For though a man fall in his payne by his own faulte and also fyrst agaynst his wyl yet as sone as he confesseth his faulte and applyeth his wil to be content to suffer that pain punishmeÌ„t for the same waxeth sory not for that onely that he shal sustayn suche punishment but for that also that he hath offended God and therby deserued much more Our lord froÌ„ that time counteth it not for paine taken against his wyll but it shal be a merueilous good medicine worke as a willingly taken payne the purgacion and clensing of his soule with gracious remission of his sinne and of the farre greater payne that els had bene prepared therfore peraduenture in hel for euer For many there are vndoubtedly that would els driue forth and dye in their deadly sinne which yet in such tribulacioÌ„ feling theyr own fraylety so effectually and the false flatteâ—ing world failing theÌ„ so fully turne goodly to god and cal for mercye by grace make vertue of necessitie and make a medicine of their maladi taking their trouble mekely and make a right godly ende Consider well the story of Acham that coÌ„mitted sacrilege at the greate citie of Hierico wherupoÌ„ god toke a great vengeance vpon the children of Israell and after tolde theÌ„ the cause and bad theÌ„ go seke the fault and trye it out by lottes when the lot fell vpoÌ„ the very man that did it being tryed by the fallyng fyrst vpon his trybe than vpon his house and finally vpon his person he might wel see that he was deprehended and taken against his wil but yet at the good exhortacioÌ„ of Iosue saying vnto hym Fili mi da gloriam deo Israel confitere indica mihi quid feceris neabscondas Mine own sonne geue glori to the god of Israel and confesse and shewe me what thou hast done and hide it not He coÌ„fessed humbly the thefte and mekely toke his death therfore hadde I doubt not both streÌ„gth comforte in his paine died a very good maÌ„ which if he had neuer come in tribulacioÌ„ had bene in perel neuer hapli to haue had iust remorce therof in al his whole life but might haue died wrechedly gone to the deuil eternally thus made this thefe a good medicine of his wel deserued paine tribulacioÌ„ CoÌ„sider yâ— wel conuerted thefe yâ— honge on Christes right hand did not he by his meke sufferauÌ„ce huÌ„ble knowlege of his fault asking forgeuenes of god yet coÌ„teÌ„t to suffer for his siÌ„ make of his iust punishmeÌ„t wel deserued trybulacioÌ„ a very good special medicine to cure him of all payn in thother world wyn him eternal saluacioÌ„ thus I say that this kinde of tribulacioÌ„ though it seme the most base the least coÌ„fortable is yet if the maÌ„ wil so make it a very meruelous holesom medicine may therfore be to the maÌ„ that wyl so consider it a great cause of comfort and spiritual consolacion The .ix. Chapter The second point that is to vvitte that tribulacion that is sente vs by God vvithout any open certaine deseruing cause knovvne to our selfe and this kynd of tribulacion is medicinable if men vvill so take itâ— and therefore great occasion of comforte Vincent UErely myne vncle this firste kinde of tribulacion haue you to my minde opened sufficiently therefore I pray you resort now to the secoÌ„d Anthony The second kinde was you wote wel of such tribulacioÌ„ as is so sent vs by god that we know no certayn cause deseruing that preseÌ„t trouble as we certainly know that vpoÌ„ such a surfit we fel in such a sicknes or as the thefe knoweth yâ— for such a certaine theft he is falleÌ„ into such a certain punishemeÌ„t but yet sith we seldom lack faults against god worthy wel deseruing great punishmeÌ„t in dede we may wel thinke wisdom it is so to doe that with sin we haue deserued it and that god for some sinne sendeâ—h it though we certainly knowe not our self for whych therfore as yet thus farforth is this kind of tribulacioÌ„ somewhat in effect in comfort to be takeÌ„ like vnto the other for this as you se if we thus wil take it wel reckening it to be sent for sin suffering it mekely therfore iÌ„ medicinable against the paine in the other world to come for our sinnes in this worlde passed whiche is as I shewed youâ— a cause of right great coÌ„fort But yet may thaÌ„ this kind of tribulacioÌ„ be to some meÌ„ of more sober liuing therby of yâ— more clere coÌ„scieÌ„ce soÌ„what a litle more coÌ„fortable for though thei may none otherwise reâ—kin them self thaÌ„ sinners For as Saint Paul saith Nulliuâ— mihi consius sum seâ— non in hoc iustificatus sum My coÌ„scyence grudgeth me not of any thing but yet am I not therby iustified And as Saint IhoÌ„ sayth Si dixerimus quia peccâ—tum non habemus ipsi nos seducimus veritas in nohis non est If we saye that we haue no sin in vs we beguyle our self and trouth is there not in vs yet for as much as the cause is to theÌ„ not so certayn as it is to the other afore remeÌ„bred in the first kind that it is also certain that god soÌ„time seÌ„deth tribulacioÌ„ for kepiÌ„g preseruing a maÌ„ froÌ„ such sin as he should els fal in somtime also for excercise of their pacieÌ„ce encrease of
neuer so sore nor neuer so open and euidente vnto oure selfe and all the worlde to yet if we praye for grace to take it mekely and paciently and confessing to god that it is farre ouer litle for our fault beseche hym yet neuerthelesse that sith we shall come hence so void of al good workes wherof we should haue any reward in heaueÌ„ to bee not onely so mercyfull to vs as to take that oure presente tribulacion in reliefe of oure paynes in purgatory but also so gracious vnto vs as to take our pacience therein for a matter of merite and rewarde in heauen I verely trust and nothyng doubte it but God shall of his high bountie graunte vs our boone For likewise as in hell paine serueth onely for punishmente withoute any maner of purgeyng because all possibilitie of purgeyng is passed and in purgatorye punishmente serueth for onely purgeing because the place of deseruyng is passed So whyle we bee yet in this worlde in whiche is oure place and oure time of merite and well deseruyng the trybulacyon that is sente vs for oure sinne here shall if we faythfullye so desyre beside the clensyng and purgeyng of our payn serue vs also for encrease of rewarde And so shall I suppose and truste in Goddes goodnes al such penaunce and good woorkes as a manne willinglye performeth enioyned by his gostlye father in confession or whiche he willinglye farther doth of his owne deuocyon besyde For thoughe mannes penaunce with all the good woorkes that he can dooe be not able to satisfie of them selfe for the leaste synne that we doe yet the lyberall goodnesse of God through the merite of Chrystes bytâ—er passyon wythoute whiche all oure woorkes coulde neyther satisfie nor deserue nor yet doe not in dede neither merite nor satisfye so muche as a sponefull to a greate vessell full in comparyson of the merite and satisfaccion that Christe hath meryted and satysfied for vs himselfe thys lyberall goodnesse of GOD I saye shall yet at our faythefull instaunce and requeste cause oure penaunce and tribulacion paciently taken in this world to serue vs in the other worlde both for release and rewarde tempored after suche rate as his high goodnes and wisdome shal see conueniently for vs wherof our blinde mortalite can not here ymagine nor deuise the stynt And thus hath yet euen the fyrst kind of tribulacion and the moste basse though not fully so great as the seconde very farre lesse than the thyrd farre greater cause of coÌ„fort yet thaÌ„ I spake of before◠¶ The .xii. Chapter A certaine obieccyon agaynst the thynges aforesayde ☞ Vincent VErely good vncle this lyketh me very well but yet is there ye wote well some of these thynges nowe broughte in question for as for any payne dewe fro our sinne to be minished in purgatorye by the paciente sufferaunce of oure tribulacion here there are ye wote well many that vtterlye denye that and affirme for a sure truth that there is no purgatorye at all And than is if they saye true the cause of that comfort gone if the comfort that we shoulde take bee in vayne and nede not They saye ye wote well also that men merite nothyng at al but God geueth all for faith alone and that it were sinne and sacriledâ—e to looke for rewarde in heauen eyther for oure pacience and glad sufferyng for Gods sake or for any other good dede and than is there gone if this be thus the other cause of cure farther comforte too Antony Cosin if some thinges were as they be not thaÌ„ should some thinges be as they shal not I can not in dede say naye but that some men haue of late broughte vp some such opinions and many moe than these besydes and haue spread them abrode and albeit that it is a righte heauye thyng to see suche varyaunces in oure beliefe rise and growe among oure selfe to the greate encoragyng of the common enemyes of vs all whereby they haue oure fayth in derision and catche hope to ouerwhelme vs all yet doe there three thynges not a litle coumforte my mynde The first is that in some communicacions had of late together hath appeared good likelihode of some good agremente to growe together in one accorde of oure faith The seconde that in the meane whyle tyll thys maye come to passe contencyons despicyons wyth vncharitable behauioure is prohybited and forbydden in effecte vpon all partes all suche partes I meane as fell before to fight for it The thirde is that all Germany for all their dyuers opynions yet as they agree together in profession of Christes name so agree they nowe together in preparacion of a common power in defence of Christendome agaynste oure common enemye the Turke and I truste to GOD that thys shall not onely helpe vs here to strength vs in thys warre but also that as GOD hath caused them to agree together in the defence of hys name so shall he graciouslye bryng them to agre together in the truth of his faith Therâ—fore wyll I lette GOD woorke and leaue of contenâ—cion and nothyng shall I nowe saye but that with whiche they that are themselfe of the contrary mynd shall in reason haue no cause to bee discontented For fyrste as for purgatorye thoughe they thynke there be none yet syth they denye not that all the corps of Chrystendome by so manye hundreth yeares haue belieued the contrarye and among them all the olde interpretours of Scrypture from the Apostles dayes downe to oure owne tyme of whome they denyâ— not manye for holye Saynctes that I dare not belieue these men againste all those These men muste of their curtesye holde my poore feare excused and I beeseche oure Lorde heartelye for them that whan they departe out of this wretched worlde they fynde no purgatorye at all so GOD kepe them from hel And as for the meryte of manne in hys good woorkes neyther are they that denye it full agreed among themselfe nor anye manne is there almoste of them all that sith they beganne to write hath not somewhat chaunged and varied from hymselfe and for the more parte are thus farre agreed wyth vs that lyke as we graunte them that no good woorke is oughte worthe to heauen warde withoute fayth and that no good woorke of manne is rewardable in heauen of his own nature but through the mere goodnes of god that lust to set so high a price vpon so poore a thing and that this price god setteth throughe Christes passion and for that also that they be his own â—orkes with vs. For good workes to godwarde woorketh no man without god woorke with him and as we graunte them also that no man maye be proude of his woorkes for his owne vnperfecte woorkyng and for that in al that manne maye doe he can doe god no good but is a seruaunte vnprofitable and dooeth but his bare duetye As we I say graunt vnto them these thinges so this one thyng or twayne doe they graunt vs agayne
in aucthoryte be not al euermore of one minde But sometime variance amonge themâ— eyther for the respecte of profyite or for contencion of rule or for mayntenaunce of matters suÌ„dry partes for theyr sundry friendes It can not be that both the partes can haue theyr owne mynde nor often are they content which see theyr conclusion quaile but x. times they take the missing of theyr mynde more dyspleasauntly than other poore men doe And thys goeth not onelye to men of meane authoritie but vnto the very greatest The princes theÌ„self can not haue you wote well al theyr wyll for howe were it possible while eche of them almost would if he myght be lord ouer al the remnaunte Than many men vnder theyr princes in authoritie are in the case that prieuy malice and enuie many beare them in hearte falselye speake them fayre and prayse them wyth their mouthes which when there happeth any greate fal vnto them baule and barke and byte vpon them lyke dogges Finally the cost charge the daunger perill of warre wherin theyr parte is more than a poore mannes is syth the matter more dependeth vpoÌ„ them and many a poore plough man maye sitte styll by the fyre while they muste ryse and walke and somtime theyr authoritie falleth by the chaunge of theyr maisters mynde and of that see we dayly in one place or other ensamples such so many that the parable of the Philosopher can lacke no testimony which likened yâ— seruantes of greate princes vnto the coumptors with which men doe cast a coumpt For like as the countor yâ— staÌ„deth sometime for a farthing is sodeynly set vp standeth for a. M. pouÌ„de after as sone set down efte sone beneath to stand for a farthing againe So fareth it loe sometime wyth those that seeke the waye to rise growe vp in auâ—thoritie by the fauour of greate princes that as they rise vp high so fal they downe againe as lowe Howebeit though a maÌ„ escape al such adueÌ„tures abide in great authoritie til he dyeâ— yet thaÌ„ at the leaste wise euery maÌ„ muâ—t leaue it at the last that whiche we cal at least hath no very long time to it Let a maÌ„ reckeÌ„ his yeres that are passed of hys age ere euer he can geat vp alofte let him wheÌ„ he hath it firste in his fiste recken howe longe he shal be like to lyue after and I weene that thâ—n the moâ—â— parte shal haue litle cause to reioyce they shal see the time likely to be so short that theyr honour autoritiâ— by nature shal endure beside the manifolde chaunces wherby they maye lese it more soone And than when they see that they must nedes leaue it the thing which they dyd much more set theyr heart vpoÌ„ than euer they had reasonable cause what sorowe â—hey take therfore that shal I not nede to tell you And thus it semeth vnto me Cosin in good faith that sith in the hauing the profite is not great the displeasures neyther small nor fewe and of the lesing so many sundry chauÌ„ces that by no meane a maÌ„ can kepe it longe that to parte there froÌ„ is suche a paynefull griâ—fe I can see no very great cause for which as an high worldly coÌ„moditie men should greatly desier it The .xii. Chapter ¶ That these outvvard goode desired but for vvordly vvelth be not onely litle good for the body but â—re alsoÌ„ much harme for the soule ANd â—hus farre haue we considered hither toâ— in these outward goodes that are called the giftes of fortune no farther but the slender commoditie that worldely minded men haue by them But nowe if we consider farther what harme to the soule they take by them the desier theÌ„ but onely for the wretched welth of this worke ThaÌ„ shall we wel perceiue howe farre more happy is he that wel leseth theÌ„ than he that cuil findeth them These thinges though they be such as are of theyr owne nature indifferent that is to witte of them self thinges neyther good nor badde but are matter that maye serue to the tone or the tother â—fter as meÌ„ wyl vse them yet nede we litle to doubte it but that they that desier them but for theyr worldely pleasure for no farther godly purpose the deuiâ— shal soone turne them froÌ„ thinges indiffereÌ„t vnto theÌ„ and make them thinges verye nought For though that they be indifferent of theyr nature yet can not the vse of theÌ„ lightly stand indifferent but determinately muste eyther be good or badde And therefore he that desireth theÌ„ but for worldly pleasure desyreth theÌ„ not for any good And for better purpose thaÌ„ he â—esireth them to better vse is he not likely to put theÌ„ and therefore not vnto good but consequentlye to nought As for ensample first consider it in riches he â—hat longeth for them as for thynges of temporall commodytie and not for anye godlye purpose what good they shall doe hym Saint Paule declareth where he writeth vnto Timothe Qui volunt diuites fieri incidunt in temptacioneÌ„ in laqucum diâ—boli desâ—deria muâ—ta inutilia noxia que â—erguÌ„t homines in interiâ—uÌ„ penditionem They that long to be rich fal into teÌ„ptacioÌ„ and into the grinne of the deuil and into many desiers vnprofitable and noyous which droune men into death and into perdicion And the holy scripture sayth also in the .xxi. Chapter of the Prouerbes Qui â—ongregaâ— thesauros inpingetur in laqueus mortis He that gathereth treasures shal be showued into the grinnes of death so that where as by the mouth of S. Paule god saith that they shal fall into the deuils grinne he sayth in the tother place that they shall be pusshed or showued in by violence of trouth whyle a man desireth riches not for any good godlye purpose but for onelye welth it must nedes be that he shal haue litle coÌ„science in the geatting but by all euil wayes than he can inuente shall laboure to geatte them and than shall he eyther nigardly heape them vp together which is you wote wel damnable or wastfullye missespende them aboute worldly pompe pride and glotony wyth occasion of many sinnes moe and that is yet much more damnable As for fame and glory desyred but for worldly pleasure doth vnto the soule inestimable harme For that setteth mennes heartes vpon highe deuyces and desiers of suche thynges as are immoderate and outragious by help of false flatterers puffe vp a maÌ„ in pride make a bryttel man lately made of earthe that shall agayne shortely be layde ful lowe in earth there lye and rotteâ— and turne againe into earth take hym selfe in the meane tyme for a god here vpon the earth and weene to wynne him selfe to be lorde of al the earth This maketh battelles betwene these greate princes with much trouble to much people greate eâ—fusioÌ„ of bloud one Kinge to looke to raygne in fyue realmes that
saye yet hadde you loste the frute And if it be peraduenture false and my self deceiued therin thaÌ„ whyle I should wene that it liked you to you should haue confermed me in my foly For in good fayth Cosin suche an olde foole am I that thys thyng in the perswading wherof vnto you I had went I had quit me wel and when I haue al done appeareth to your mind but a trifâ—e and a sophisticall fantasy my self haue so many yeres takeÌ„ for so very substauncyall trueth that as yet my mynde cannot geue me to thynke it any other wherefore lest I playe as the frenche prieste played that had so long vsed to say Dominus with the seconde sillable long at the last he thought it must nedes be so and was ashamed to saye it short to th entent that you may the better perceiue me or I the better my selfe we shall here betwene vs a litle more considre the thyng and hardely spet well on your handes and take good holde and geue it not ouer agaynste youre owne mynde for than were we neuer the nere ☞ ¶ Vincent Naye by my trueth vncle that entended I not nor no thyng did yet since we beganne and that maye you wel perceiue by some thynges which without any greate cause saue for the farther satisfaccion of myne own mynd I repeted and debated agayne Anthony That guise Cosin holde on hardely styll for in this matter I purpose to geue ouer mi part except I make your selfe perceiue both that euery maÌ„ vniuersally is a very prisoner in very prieson plainly without ani sophisticacion at al that there is also no prince liuing vpon earth but he is in worse case prisoner by this generall imprisonment that I speake of than is many a lewde simple wretche by the speciall prisonment that you speake of and ouer thys that in this generall imprisonment that I speake of meÌ„ are for the time that they be therin so sore handled and so hardely and in such painful wyse that mens hertes haue with reasoÌ„ great cause as sore to abhorre this hard handlyng that is in this imprisonmeÌ„t as the other that is in that ¶ Vincent By my trueth vncle these thinges would I faine see wel proued ¶ Anthony Tel me thaÌ„ Cosin by your trueth if there were a maÌ„ attainted of treasoÌ„ or of felony after iudgement geuen of his death that it were determined that he should dye onely the time of his exequcion delayed tyl the kinges farther pleasure knowen and he therupon deliuered vnto certayne kepers and put vp in a sure place oute of whiche he could not scape were thys man a prisoner or no ¶ Vincent This man ê™ he ye mary that he were in very dede if euer any man were◠¶ Aâ—thony But nowe what if for the tyme that were meane betwene his attender and his exequcion he were so fauourably handled that he were suffred to doe what he woulde as he was whyle he was abrode and to haue the vse of hys landes and hys goodes and his wyfe and his children lycence to be with hym and his frendes leaue at liberty to resort vnto hym and his seruauntes not forbodden to abide aboute him adde yet therunto that the place were a great castell royall with parkes and other pleasures therin a very great circuite about yea adde yet and ye will that he were suffered to goe and ryde also both when he would and whither he would only this one pointe alway prouided and foresene that he should euer be surely sene to and safely kepte from scaping so that toke he neuer so muche of his own minde in the meane while all other waies saue scaping yet he wel knew that scape he could not and that when he were called for to exequcioÌ„ and to death he should now Cosin vincent what woulde you cal this manâ— a prisoner because he is kept for exequcion or no prisoner beecause he is in the meane whyle so fauourably haÌ„dled suffered to doe al that he would saue scape and I bydde you not here be hastie in your aunswere but aduise it well that you graunte no suche thyng in haste as you would after misselike by laysor and thinke your selfe deceyued Vincent Nay by my trueth vncle this thing nedeth no sâ—udy in my mynde but that for al this fauour shewed him and all hys libertie lent hym yet being condemned to death and beyng therfore kept wiâ—h such sure watche layd vpon him that he cannot scape he is all that while a verye playne prisoner styll ¶ Antony In good fayth Cosin me thinketh you saye very true but theÌ„ one thyng muste I yet desire you Cosin to tell me a litle farther If there were an other laid in prisoÌ„ for a fraye and thorowe the Iailors displeasure were bolted and fettered and layd in a low dongeon in the stockes where he might hap to lie peraduenture a while abide in the meane season some pain but no daunger of death at al but that out again he should come wel inough whither of these two priesoners stode in worse case he that hath all this fauour or he that is thus hardely handeled Vincent By our lady vncle I wene the most parte of men if they should nedes choose had leâ—er be suche prisoners in euery poynt as he that so sorely lyeth in the stockes then in euery poynt such as he that at suche libertie walketh aboute the paâ—ke Antony Considre thaÌ„ Cosin whither this thing seme any sophestry to you that I shal shew you nowe For it shal be such as semeth in good fayth substauncially true to me and if it so happe that you thinke otherwyse I will bee very glad to perceiue whiche of vs both is begâ—iled For it semeth to me Cosin first that euery maÌ„ coming into thys world here vpon earth as he is created by God so cometh he hither by the prouidence of god is this any sophestrye first or not ¶ Vincent Naye verely this is very substanciall trueth ¶ Antoâ—y Now take I this also for veri trueth in my mind that there cometh no man nor woman hither into th earth buâ— that eâ—e euer they come into the world out of the mothers wombe god condemneth them vnto death by his own sentence and iudgement for the original sinne that they bring with them contracted in the corrupted stocke of our forefather Adam is this thinke you Cosin verely true or not Vincent This is vncle very true in dede Antony ThaÌ„ semeth this true farther vnto me that god hath put euery man here vpoÌ„ th earth vnder so sure and vnder so safe kepyng that of al the whole people lyuing in this wide world there is neither maÌ„ womaÌ„ nor child would they neuer so farre wander about and seke it that possibly can fynde any way whereby thei may scape froÌ„ death is this Cosin a fond imagined faÌ„tasy or is it very trueth in dede Vincent Naye this is no imaginacion vncle but
avayleth hym lytle yf grace bee so farre gone from hym But on the tother syde yf rather than forsake oure Sauyoure wee determyne oure selfe to suffer anye payne at all I can not than see that the feare of harde handlyng shoulde anye thynge â—â—ycke wyth vs and make vs so to shrynke as wee rather woulde forsake hys fayth than to suffer for his sake so muche as impryesonmente sythe the handlyng is neyther such in pryeson but that many in many yeares and manye weomen to leue therewyth and sustayne it and afterwarde yet fare full well And yet that it maye well fortune that beesyde the verye bare ympryesonmente there shall happen vs no harde handelynge at all nor that same happelye but for a shorte whyle neyther and yet beâ—yde al thys peraduenture not at all And specyallye sythe whyche of all these wayes shall bee taken wyth vs lyeth all in hys wyll for whome we bee contente to take it and whyche for that mynde of ours fauoureth vs and wyll suffer no manne to putte more payne vnto vs than he wel wotteth we shall be wel able to beare For he wyl geue the strength â—here to hym selfe as you haue heard hys promyse alreadye by the mouthe of Saincte Paule Fidelis deus qui non patiturvos tentari supra id quod potestis ferre fed dat etiam â—um tâ—tacione prouentum God is faythful which suffereth you not to be tempted aboue that you maye beare but geueth also with the temptacion a waye out But nowe if we haue not lost our fayth already before we come to forsake it for feare we knowe very wel by our faythâ— that by the forsaking of our faythe we fall into the state to be cast into the prieson of hell and that can we not tell how soone but as it may be that God wil suffre vs to liue a while here vpon earth so may it be that he will throwe vs into the dongeon beneath before the tyme that the Turke shall once aske vs the question And therefore if we feare impriesonmentes so sore we bee muche more than madde if we feare not most the more sore for out of that prieson shall no man neuer geat And in this other shall no man abyde but a whyle In prieson was Ioseph whyle his brethren were at large and yet after were his brethren fayne to seeke vpon him for bread In prieson was Daniel and the wilde Lyons aboute hym and yet euen there God kepte him harmelesse and brought hym safe out agayne If we thinke that he wil not doe the lykewyse for vs let vs not doubte but he will doe for vs eyther the lyke or better For better maye he dooe for vs if he suffre vs there to dye Sainct Iohn the Baptist was you wote well in prieson whyle Herode and Herodias sate full mery at the feaste and the daughter of Herodias delyted them with her daunsing tyl with her daunsyng she daunsed of Sainct Iohns head And nowe sitteth he with great feast in heauen at Gods boarde while Herode and Herodias full heauely sit in hel burning both twayne And to make them sporte withal the deuil with the damosell daunse in the fyre afore theÌ„ Finally Cosyn to finishe this piece with oure Sauioure was him selfe taken prisoner for oure sake and prisoner was he caryed and prisoner was he kepte and prisoner was he brought foorth before Annas And prisoner from Annas caryed vnto Caiphas Than prisoner was he caryed from Caiphas vnto Pilate and prisoner was he sente from Pilate to kyng Herode prisoner from Herode vnto Pilate agayne And so kepte as prisoner to the ende of his passion The time of his imprisonment I graunt wel was not long but as for hard handling which our hertes most abhorre he had asmuch in that short whyle as many meÌ„ amoÌ„g theÌ„ al in much longer time And surely than if we consider of what estate he was and therewith that he was prisoner in suche wyse for our sake we shall I trowe but yf we be worse then wretched beastes neuer so shamefully play the vnkind cowardes as for feare of imprisonmente sinnefully to forsake hym nor so foolishe neyther as by forsakynge of hym to geue hym the occasion againe to forsake vs and wyth the auoydyng of an easyer prison fall into a worse And in stede of a prison that caÌ„not kepe vs loÌ„g fal into that prison oute of whiche we can neuer come where the shorte prisonment would winne vs euerlasting libertie The .xxi. Chapter The feare of shameful and paynefull death Vincent FOrsothe vncle oure Lorde rewarde you therefore yf wee feared not farther beeside ymprisonmente that terryble dart of shamefull and paynefull deathe as for ymprysonmente I woulde verelye trust that remembring those thynges whiche I haue here heard of you rather than I shoulde forsake the fayth of our Sauiour I would wyth helpe of grace neuer shrynke thereat But nowe are we come vncle with muche woorke at the laste vnto the laste and vttermoste poynte of the dreade that maketh incursum demonium meridianum This incursyon of thys mydde daye deuyll thys open inuasyon of the Turke and his persecucion agaynste the fayth seme so terrible vnto mennes myndes that althoughe the respecte of GOD vanquisheth all the remnaunte of the troubles that we haue hytherto perused as losse of goodes landes and libertie yet when we remember the terroure of shamefull and paynefull deathe that poynte so sodaynelye putteth vs in obliuyon of all that shoulde be oure coumforte that we fele all meâ—ne I feare me for the moste parte the feruouce of oure faith waxe so colde and oure heartes so fainte that wee fynde oure selfe at the poynte to fall euen there fro for feare ¶ Anthony To this I saye not naye Cosin but that in dede in this poynte is the sore pynche And yet you se for al this that euen thys poynt too taketh encrease or minishmeÌ„t of drede after the difference of the affeccions that are before fixed and rooted in the mynde so farre forth that you see some man set so muche by his worldlye substaunce that he lesse feareth the losse of his life than the losse of landes yea some manne shall you see that abydeâ—h dâ—adlye tormente and suche as some other hadde rather dye then endure rather than he woulde brynge oute the moneye that he hathe hydde And I doubte not but you haue hearde of manye by ryght anteÌ„tiue stories that some for one cause some for other haue not letted wyllinglye to suffre deathe diuerse in diuerse kindes and some both with dyspightful rebuke and painful tormente too And therfore as I say we may see that the affeccion of the mynde towarde the encrease or decrease of the dreade maketh muche of the matter Now are the affeccions of mens myndes imprinted by diuerse meanes One waye by the bodely sences moued by suche thinges pleasant or dyspleasant as are outwardly thorow sencible worldly thinges offered and abiected vnto them And thys maner of
from that state And that is one of the causes for whiche God sendeth it vnto man For albeit that payn was ordeyned of God for the punyshmente of synnes for whiche they that neuer can nowe but sinne can neuer be but euer punished in hell yet in thys worlde in whiche his high mercy geueth men space to be better the punyshmente by tribulacion that he sendethâ— serueth ordinarily for a meane of amendment Sainct Paule was himselfe sore agaynst Chryst tyll Christ gaue him a great fall and threw him to the ground and strake him starke blynde and with that tribulacion he turned to him at the fyrst woorde and God was his phisicion and healed hym soone after both in body and soule by his Minister Ananias and made him his blessed Apostle Some are in the beginning of tribulacion verye stubborne and stiffe against god and yet at length tribulacion bringeth theÌ„ home The proude King Pharao dyd abyde and endure two or thre of the first plages and would not once sâ—oupe at theÌ„ But then god layd on a sorer lashe that made him crye to him for helpe and then sente he for Moyses and Aaron and confessed him selfe a synner and god for good and righteous and praid theÌ„ to praie for him and to withdrawe that plage and he would let theÌ„ go But when his tribulacion was withdrawen than was he naught agayne So was his tribulacion occasion of his profyt and his helpe againe cause of his harme For his tribulacion made him cal to god and his helpe made hard hys heart againe Many a man that in an easy tribulacion falleth to seke his ease in the pastime of worldly fantasyes fyndeth in a greater paine al those comfortes so feble that he is faine to fall to the seking of goddes helpe And therefore is I saye the very tribulacion it selfe many tymes a meane to bringe the man to the takyng of the afore remembred comforte therin that is to witte to the desyer of comfort geueÌ„ by god which desyre of goddes comfort is as I haue proued you greate cause of comforte it selfe ¶ The fifthe Chapter The speciall meanes to geat this firste comforte in Tribulacion HOwe be it though the tribulacion it selfe be a meane ofteÌ„ times to geat man this first comforte in it yet it self some time alone bringeth not a man to it And therefore syth withoute this comforte firste had there can in tribulacion none other good comforte come forth we muste laboure the meanes that this first comfort maye come And therunto semeth one that if the man of sloth or impacience or hope of worldly comfort haue no minde to desyre and seke for comfort of god those that are his frendes that come to visite and comforte him must afore al thinge put that point in his minde and not spend the time as they commenly do in trifling and turning him to the fantasies of the worlde They must also moue him to praye god put this desire in his minde which wheÌ„ he getteth once he than hath the first coÌ„fort And wythout doubte if it be wel considered a comforte meruelous great His frendes also that thus counsaile him must vnto thatteyning therof helpe to praye for him them selfe cause him to desyer good folke to helpe him to pray therfore And than if these wayes be takeÌ„ for the getting I nothing doubt but the goodnes of god shal geue it ¶ The .vi. Chapter It suffiseth not that a man haue a desier to be comforted by god onely by the taking aâ—aye of the tribulacion ☞ Vincent Uerely me thinketh good vncle that this couÌ„sayle is very good For except the person haue first a desire to be coÌ„forted by god els caÌ„ I not se what it can auaile to geue him any further counsayle of any spiritual coÌ„forte howe be it what if the maÌ„ haue this desier of gods comfort that is to wytte that it maye please god to comfort him in his tribulacioÌ„ by taking that tribulacion froÌ„ him is not this a good desier of goddes comfort a desire sufficient for him that is in tribulacion Anthony No Cosin that is it not I touched before a word of this point passed it ouer because I thought it woulde fall in our waye agayne and so wote I well it wil ofter than once And nowe am I glad that you moue it me here your self A maÌ„ maie many times well and wythout sinne desier of god the tribulacion to be taken from him but neither maye we desier that in euery case nor yet very wel in no case except very fewe but vnder a certayne condicion either expressed or implied For tribulacioÌ„s are ye wote well of manye soÌ„dry kindes some bi losse of goods or possessioÌ„s some bi yâ— sicknes of our selfe some bi the losse of frendes or by some oâ—her paine put vnto our bodyes some by the dreade of the losing those thinges that we fayne would saue vnder which feare fall all the same thinges that we haue spoken before For we maie feare losse of goodes or possessions or the losse of our frendes their grief trouble or our owne bi sickenes imprisonmeÌ„t or other bodily payn we may be troubled with the drede of death and many a good man is troubled most of all with the feare of that thing which he that moste nede hath feareth least of al that is to wyt the feare of losinge through deadlye sinne the life of his seli soule And this last kind of tribulacion as the sorest tribulacion of all though we touche here there some pieces therof before yet the chief part the principal point wil I reserue to treate apart effectually that matter in the last ende But nowe as I said where the kindes of tribulacioÌ„ are so diuers some of this tribulacioÌ„ A maÌ„ may pray god take froÌ„ him take some coÌ„fort in the trust the god wil so do and therefore against hungre sycknes bodily hurte against the losse of eyther bodye or soule men maye lawfully many times pray to the goodnes of God either for theÌ„ self or their frend And toward this purpose are expressely prayed many deuout orâ—sons in the comeÌ„ seruice of our mother holy church And toward our helpe in some of these thinges serue some of the peticioÌ„s in the Pater noster wherein we praye daylye for oure daylye foode and to be preserued from the fal in temptacion and to be deliuered from euyll But yet maye we not alwaye praye for the takyng awaye from vs of euery kynd of temptacioÌ„ For if a man should in euery sycknes praie for his health againe when shoulde he show him selfe content to die and to depart vnto god and that mynde must a man haue ye wote wel or els it wil not be wel One tribulacioÌ„ is it to good meÌ„ to feele in theÌ„ selfe the conflicte of the fleshe agaynste the soule the rebellioÌ„ of sensualitie against the rule and gouernaÌ„ce of reason the reliques that remayne in mankynde of olde
merite great cause of encrease in coÌ„fort haue those folke of the clearer conscience in the feruoure of their tribulacion in that they make the comfort of a double medicine and of that is the kind which we shal finally speake of that I â—al better than medicinable but as I haue before spokeÌ„ of this kind of tribulacioÌ„ howe it is medicinable in that it cureth the sin passed purchaseth remissioÌ„ of the pain dew therfore so let vs somewhat coÌ„sider how this tribulacion sent vs by god is medicinable in that it preserueth vs froÌ„ the sinnes into whiche wâ— were els like to fal if that thiÌ„g be a good medicine that restoreth vs our helth wheÌ„ we lese it as good a medicine muste this nedes be that preserueth our helth while we haue it suffreth vs not to fal into the painful siknes that must after driue vs to a painful plaister Nowe seeth god soÌ„time that worldly welth is with one that is yet good coÌ„ming vpoÌ„ him so fast that for seing how much weight of worldly welth the man maye beareâ— and how much wil ouercharge him and enhaunce his heart vp so hie the grace should fal froÌ„ him Loe god of his goodnes I saye preueÌ„teth his fal sendeth him tribulacioÌ„ betime while he is yet good to garre hym ken his maker and by lesse liking yâ— false flattering world set a crosse vpoÌ„ the ship of his heart beare a low saile theroÌ„ that the boisterous blast of prâ—de blow him not vnder the water Some young louely lady loe that is yet good inough god seeth a storme come toward hir that would if her helth hir fatte feding should a litle lenger last strike her into some letcherous loue iÌ„ stede of her old acquainted knight lay her a bed with a new acquaynted knaue But god louing her more teÌ„derly thaÌ„ to suffer her fal into such shameful beastly sinne sendeth her in seasoÌ„ a goodly fayre feruent feuer that maketh her bones to rattel and wasteth away her wantoÌ„ fleshâ— bewtifieth her fayre fel with the colour of a kightes claw maketh her loke so louely that her louer would haue litle luste vpon her make her also so lustyâ— that if her louer laie in her lap she should so sore loÌ„g to breake vnto him the very bottome of her stomake that she should not be able to refrain it froÌ„ him but sodeinly lay it al in his necke Did not as I before shewed you the blessed apostle himself coÌ„fesse that the high reuelacioÌ„s that god had geueÌ„ him might haue enhauÌ„ced hiÌ„ into such high pride that he might haue caught a foule fal had not the prouideÌ„t goodnes of god prouided for his remedi And what was his remedy but a painful tribulacioÌ„ so sore that he was faine thrise to cal to god to take the tibulacioÌ„ from hâ—m yet would not god grauÌ„t his request but let him lye so loÌ„g therinâ— tyl him self that saw more in Saint Paule theÌ„ saint Paule saw in himselfâ— wist wel the time was come in which he might wel wtout his harme take it froÌ„ him â— thus you se good Cosin that tribulacion is double medicine both a cure of the synne passed and a preseruatiuâ— fro the synne that is to come And therfore in this kind of tribulacion is there good occasion of double comforte but that is I saye diuersly to sundry diuers folkes as their owne conscience is with syn combred or clere Howbeit I wyl aduise no maÌ„ to be so bold as to thinke that theyr tribulacion is sente them to kepe them fro the pryde of theyr holines Let men leaue that kynde of comforte hardly to Sainct Paul tyll their liuing be lyke but of the remnaunt maye men wel take great comfort and good beside ¶ The .x. Chapter Of the thirde kynde of tribulacion vvhiche is not sent a man for his synne but for exercyse of his pacience and encrease of his merite vvhich is better than medicinable ☞ Vincent THe thyrde kynde vncle that remaineth now behind that is to wit which is sent to a maÌ„ by god and not for his synne neither committed nor whiche would els come and therefore is not medicinable but sente for exercise of our pacience and encrease of oure merite and therfore better than medicinable though it be as you say and as in dede it is better for the man thaÌ„ ani of the other two kindes in another world where their reward shal be receued yet can I not se by what reason a man may in this world where the tribulacioÌ„ is suffred take any more comfort therin than in anye of the other twaine that are sent a man for his sinne sith he can not here know whether it be seÌ„t him for sin before committed or sin that els should fall or for encrease of meriâ—e and reward after to come Namelye sith euery man hath cause inough to feare and thinke yâ— his sinne alreadye passed hath deserued it and that it is not without peril a man to thinke otherwyse ☞ Anthonâ— This that you say Cosin hath place of truth in farre the most part of meÌ„ therfore must thei not eÌ„â—y nor disdain sith they may take in their tribulacioÌ„ consolacion for their part sufficient that some other that more be worthy take yet a great deale more For as I told you Cosin though the best maÌ„ must coÌ„fâ—sse himself a sinner yet be there many meÌ„ though to the number few that for the kind of their liuing therby yâ— clerenes of their coÌ„sciâ—nce may wel without sinne haue a good hope yâ— god seÌ„deth theÌ„ some great grief for exercise of their pacience for increase of their merite as it appereth not only by S. Paul in the place before remeÌ„bred but also by yâ— holy maÌ„ Iob whiche in sundry places of dispicioÌ„s with his burdenous coÌ„forters letted not to sai that yâ— clerenes of his own coÌ„science declared shewed to hiÌ„self that he deserued not the sore tribulacioÌ„ that he thaÌ„ had howbeit as I told you before I wil not aduise eueri maÌ„ at auâ—Ì„ture to be bold vpoÌ„ this maner of coÌ„fort But yet some meÌ„ I know suche as I durste for their more ease coÌ„fort in their gret grieuous paines put theÌ„ in right good hope that god seÌ„deth it vnto theÌ„ not so much for their punishmeÌ„t as for exercise of their pacyence And some tribulacions are there also that grow vpoÌ„ such causes that in those cases I wâ—uld neuer let but alwai would wtout any doubt geue that couÌ„sel comfort to any maÌ„ Vincent What causes good vncle be those ☞ Anthony Mary Cosin whersoeuer a man falleth in tribulacioÌ„ for the maintenauÌ„ce of iustice or for the defence of gods cause For if I should hap to find a maÌ„ that had loÌ„g liued a very verteous life had at yâ— last happed to fall into the Turkes handes there did abide by the truth of his faith with
the suffâ—ing of al kinde of tormeÌ„tes taken vpon his body stil did teache testify the truth if I should in his passioÌ„ geue him spiritual comfort might I be bolde to tel him no farther but that he should take pacience in his pain that god sendeth it him for his sinne that he is wel worthy to haue it although it wer yet much more he might theÌ„ wel answer me such other coÌ„forters as Iob aÌ„swered his Onerosi consolatores estis vos Eurdenous heauye coÌ„forters be you Nay I would not faile to bid hiÌ„ boldly while I should se him in his passioÌ„ cast sin hel purgatory al vpoÌ„ yâ— deuils pate dout not but like as if he gaue ouer his hold al his merite wer lost he turned to misery so yf he sâ—and perseuer stil in the coÌ„fession of his faith all his whole pain shal turne all into glory Ye more shall I yet say theÌ„ this yâ— if there wer a chrisâ—en maÌ„ that had among those infidelsâ— coÌ„mitted a very deadly crime such as wer worthy death not by their lawes only but by Chrstes to as maÌ„slaughter or adultry or such other thing like if wheÌ„ he wer taken he wer offred pardon of his life vpoÌ„ condicion that heâ— should forsake the faith of Christ if this maÌ„ would now rather suffer death thaÌ„ so do should I coÌ„fort hiÌ„ in his pain but as I would a malefactor Nay this maÌ„ though he should haue dyed for his sinne dieth now for Christes sake while he might liue stil if he would forsake him The bare pacient taking of his deth should haue serued for the satisfaccioÌ„ of his sin through the merite of Christes passion I meane without help of which no pain of our own could be satisfactory But now shal Christ for his forsakiÌ„g of his own life in the honor of his faith forgeue the pain of al his sinnes of his mere liberalitie accept all the paine of his death for merite of reward in heauen and shal assigne no part therof to the paimeÌ„t of his debt in purgatorie but shal take it al as an offring and requite it al with glory and this man amonge Christen men al had he bene beefore a deuill nothyng after woulde I doubt to take him for a Marter ☞ Vincent Uerely good vncle me thinketh this is sayd meruelously wel and it specially deliteth and comforteth me to heare it because of our principal feare that I fyrst spake of the Turkes cruell incursion into this countrey of ours ☞ Anthony Cosin as for the matter of that feare I purpose to touche last of al nor I ment not here to speake therof had it not bene for the vehemencie of your obieccion brought it in my way But rather would I els haue putte some exaumple for this place of suche as suffer tribulacions for maintenauÌ„ce of right iustice and that rather chose to take harme than doe wronge in any maner of matter For surely if a man maye as in dede he may haue great comfort in the clerenes of his conscience that hath a false crime put vpon hym and by false witnes proued vpon him he falsly punished and put to worldly shame and paine therfore an huÌ„dreth times more couÌ„fort may he haue in his heart that where whyte is called blacke and ryght is called wronge abydeth by the trueth and is persecuted for iustyce ☞ Vincent Than if a man sewe me wrongfully for my owne lande in whiche my selfe haue good right it is a comforte yet to defende it well syth god shall geue me thanke therefore ☞ Antony Naye naye Cosin naye there walke you somewhat wyde for there you defende your own ryghte for youre temporall auayle and syth S. Paule counsayleth Non vosmet defendentes charissimi Defende not your selfe my moste dere frendes And oure sauioure couÌ„sayleth Si qui vult tecum iudicio contendere tunicâ—â—â— tuam totlere dimitte ei pallium If a man wil stryue with the at the law and take away thy coate leaue hym thy gowne to The defence therfore of our owne right asketh no reward Say you spede well if you geat leaue looke hardely for no thankeâ— But on the other side if you doe as S. Paule biddeth Querentes non que sua sunt sed que aliorum Seke not for youre owne profite but for other folkes but defend therfore of pitie a poore widowe or a poore fatherles child rather suffer sorowe by some strong extorcyoner than suffer them take wrong Or yf you be a Iudge and wyll haue suche zeale to Iustyce that you wyll rather abyde tribulacion by the malice of some mightie man than iudge wrong for hys fauoure suche tribulacions lo bee those that are better than onely medicinable euery man vpoÌ„ whom they fall may be bolde so to reckeÌ„ theÌ„ and in hys depe trouble may wel say to himself the wordes that Christ hath taught him for hys comforteâ— Beati misericordeâ— quoniam misericordiam consequentuâ— Blessed be the mercifull men for they shall haue mercy geueÌ„ them Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iusticiam quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum Blessed be they that suffer persecucyon for Iustice for theirs is the kyngdome of heauen Heare is an highe comfort lo for them that are in the case And in this case their own conscyence can shewe yt them and so may fulfyll their heartes with spirituall ioye that the pleasure maye farre surmount the heauines and the grefe of al their temporal trouble But goddes nearer cause of fayth agaynste the Turkes haue yet a farre passyng comforte that by mani degrees farre excelleth this which as I haue â—â—â—d I purpose to treate laste and for this tyme thys â—uâ—fiseth concerning the speciall comfort that meÌ„ may take in this thyrd kinde of tribulacion ¶ The .xi. Chapter An other kynde of comforte yet in the base kynde of tribulâ—cion sent for our synne Vincent OF trouth good vncle albeit that euery of these kindes of â—ribulacions haue cause of comfort in theÌ„ as you haue wel declared if meÌ„ wil so considre them yet hath this thyrd kinde aboue all a speciall prerogatiue therin ☞ Anthony That is vndoubtedly true but yet is there not good Cosyn the moste base kynde of them all but that it hath moe causes of comfort then I haue spokeÌ„ of yet For I haue you wote well in that kynde that is sent vs for our synne spoken of none other comforte yet but twayn that is to witte one that it refrayneth vs from the synne that els we woulde fall in and in that serueth vs through the merite of Christes passioÌ„ as a meane by whiche God kepeth vs from hell and serueth for the satisfaccion of suche payne as els we shoulde endure in purgatorye Howbeit there is therin an other great cause of ioye besides this For surely those paines here sent vs for our sinnes in whatsoeuer wise they happen vnto vs be our synne
that menne are bounde to woorke good workes if they haue tyme and power and that whoso woorketh in true fayth moste shall be moste rewarded But than set thei therto that al his rewardes shal be geuen hym for his fayth alone and nothing for hys woorkes at all beecause hys fayth is the thyng they saye that forceth him to worke well Stryue wyll I not with them for this matter now but yet this I trust to the greate goodnesse of God that if the question hang on that narowe poynte whyle Christe sayeth in the Scripture in so many placesâ— that menne shall in heauen be rewarded for theyr woorkes he shall neuer suffer oure soules that are but meane witted menne and can vnderstande his woordes but as himself hath set themâ— and as olde holye Sainctes hath construed them before and as all christen people thys thousande yere haue beleued to be damned for lacke of perceiuing suche a sharpe subtyle thyng speciallye syth some men that haue right good wyttes and are besyde that right well learned too can in no wyse perceyue for what cause or why these folke that fro good woorkes take awaye the rewarde and geue the rewarde all whole to fayth alone geue the rewarde to fayth rather than to charitye For thys graunte they themselfe that fayth serueth of nothyng but yf she be companyed wyth her sister charitye And then sayeth the Scripture too Fides spes charitas tria heâ— maior autem horum est charitas Of these three vertues fayth hope and Charytye of all these three the greateste is Charitie and therefore as woorthye thanke as fayth Howebeit as I sayde I wyll not stryue therefore nor in dede as oure matter standeth I shall not greatelye nede For yf they saye that he whyche suffereth tribulacion or martirdome for the faith shal haue high rewarde not for his woorke but for his well working fayth yet syth that they graunte that haue it he shal the cause of hyghe coumforte in the thyrde kynde of trybulacion standeth and that is you wote well the effect of all my purpose Vincent Uerely good vncle this is truelye drieuen and tryed vnto the vttermoste as it semeth me And therfore I pray you procede at your pleasure ¶ The xiii Chapter That a man ought to be comfoâ—table to hymselfe and haue good hope and be ioyful also in tribulacion appereth vvell by this that a man hath great cause of feare and heauines that continueth alvvay styll in vvelth discontinued vvith no tribulacion◠☞ Anthony COsin it wer a long worke to peruse euery comfort that a man may well take of tribulacion For as manye comfortes you wote well may a man take thereof as there be good commodities therein and that there be surely so manye that it woulde be verye long to rehearse and treate of them But me semeth we caÌ„not lightly better perceiue what profite and commoditie and therby what comfort theâ— maye take of it that haue it than yf we well consyder what harme the lacke is and thereby what discomfort the lacke therof should be to them that neuer haue it So is it nowe that all holye menne agree and all the Scripture is full and oure own experience proueth at oure iye that we be not come into thys wretched worlde to dwell here nor haue not as Saincte Paule sayeth oure dwellynge Citye here but wee be sekyng for that Citie that is to come and therefore Saincte Paule sheweth vs that we dooe seke for it as they that are good folke and fayne woulde come thyther dooe For surely whoso setteth so lyttle thereby that he lysteth not to seeke therefore it wyll I feare me be long ere he come thereat and merueylous greate grace yf he euer come thyther Sic â—urrite sayeth Sainct Paule Vt comprehendatis Runne so that you may geat it If it must than be gotten with runnyng when shal he come at it that list not steppe towardes it Now because that this worlde is as I tell you not our eternall dwellyng but our lytle whyle wanderyng God woulde that we shoulde in suche wyse vse it as folke that were wearye of it and that we shoulde in thys vayle of laboure toyle teares and myserye not loke for reste and ease game pleasure wealthe and felicytye For they that so dooe fare lyke a fonde felowe that goyng towardes hys owne house where he shoulde bee wealthye woulde for a tapsters pleasure beecome an hostler by the waye and dye in a stable and neuer come at home And woulde GOD that those that drowne them selfe in the desyre of thys worldes wretched wealthe were not yet more fooles than so But alas theyr folye as farre passeth the foolyshenesse of that other fonde felowe as there is dystaunce beetwene the heyghte of heauen and the veraye depth of hell For oure Sauyoure sayeth Ve vobis qui ridetis nunc quia lugebitis flebitis Woe maye you bee that laughe nowe for you shall wayle and wepe Est tempus flendi sayeth the Scrypture est tempus ridendi There is tyme of wepyng and there is tyme of laughyng But as you see he setteth the weping tyme before for that is the tyme of this wretched worlde and the laughynge shall come after in heauen There is also a tyme of sowyng and a time of reapyng too Nowe must we in thys worlde sowe that wee maye in the other worlde reape and in this shorte sowyng tyme of thys wepyng worlde muste we water oure sede with the showres of oure teares and then shall we haue in heauen a merye laughyng harueste for euer Euntes ibant flebant saith the Prophete mittentes semina sua They wente foorth and sowed theyr seedes wepyng but what sayeth he shall folow therof Venieâ—tes autem venient cum exultacione poâ—taâ—tes manipulos suoâ— They shall come agayne more than laughing wyth greate ioye and exultacion with theyr handes full of corne in theyr handes Loe they that in theyr goyng home towardes heauen sowe theyr sede with wepyng shall at the daye of iudgemente come to theyr bodies agayne wyth euerlastyng plentye laughyng And for to proue that thys lyfe is no laughyng tyme but rather the time of wepyng we finde that oure Sauiour hymselfe weped twyse or thryse but neuer fynde we that he laughed so much as once I wyll not sweare that he neuer did but at the least wise he lefte vs no ensaÌ„ple of it But on the other syde he lefte vs ensaumple of weping Of wepyng haue we matter inough bothe for oure owne synnes and for other folkes too for surelye so shoulde we dooe bewayle theyr wretched synnes and not be glad to detracte them nor enuye them neyther Alas selye soules what cause is there to enuie them that are euer wealthye in this worlde and euer oute of tribulacyon whiche as Iob sayeth Duâ—unt in boâ—is dies suos in puncto ad inferna descendunt Leade all theyr dayes in wealthe and in a momente of an houre descende into theyr graue
and be paynefullye buryed in hell Saincte Paule sayeth vnto the Hebrues that GOD those that he loueth he chastyseth Et flagellat omnem filium quem recipit And he scourgeth euerye sonne of hys that he receyueth Sayncte Paule sayeth also Per multas trâ—bulaciones oportet nos introire in regnum dei By manye trybulacyons muste we goe into the kingdome of GOD. And no meruayle for oure Sauiour Christ sayd of him selfe vnto hys two dysciples that wer goyng into the castle of Emaus An nesciebatis quia oportebat Christum pati sic introire in regnum suâ—m Knowe you not that Christe muste suffer and so goe into hys kyngdome and woulde wee that are seruauntes looke for more priuiledge in oure Maysters house than oure Maister him selfe Would we â—eat into hys kyngdome with ease when he hymselfe gote not into his owne but by payne Hys kyngdom hath he ordayned for hys discyples and he sayeth vnto vs all Qui vâ—lt esse meus discipulus tollat crucem suam sequatur me Yâ— anye manne wyll be my disciple lette hym learne at me to dooe as I haue done take his crosse of trybulacion vpon his backe and folowe me He saieth not here loe lette hym laughe and make merye Nowe if heauen serue but for Chrystes dysciples and thei be those that take theyr crosse of trybulacyon when shall these folke come there that neuer haue tribulacyon And if it be true that Saincte Paule saieth that GOD chastyseth all them that he loueth and scourgeth euerye chylde whome he receyueth and to heauen shall none come but suche as he loueth and receyueth whan shall they come thyther whom he neuer chastyseth nor neuer dooeth vouchesafe to fyle hys handes vpon them and geue them so muche as one lashe And yf wee can not as Saincte Paule sayeth we can not come to heauen but by manye trybulacions howe shal they come thither than that neuer haue none at all Thus see we well by the verye Scripture it selfe howe true the woordes are of olde holye Sainctes that wyth one voyce in a maner saye al one thing that is to wit that we shall not haue bothe contynuall wealth in thys worlde and in the other too And therefore syth they that in thys worlde without anye trybulacion enioye their long continuall course of neuer interrupted prosperitie haue a great cause of feare and of discoumforte lest they bee farre fallen out of gods fauor and stande depe in his indignacion and displeasure whyle he neuer sendeth them trybulacion whiche he is euer wonte to sende them whome he loueth They therefore I saye that are in trybulacion haue on the other syde a greate cause to take in theyr gryefe great inwarde coumforte and spyrytuall consolacion ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter A certaine obieccion and the ansvver therto Vincent VErelye good vncle thys semeth so in dede howbeit yet me thynke you saye verye sore in some thynges concernyng suche persons as are in contynuall prosperitie and they be you wote well not a fewe and those are they also that haue the rule and aucthoritye of thys worlde in theyr hande And I wote well that when they talke with suche greate connyng menne as can I trowe tell the trueth and when they aske them whyther whyle they make merye here in earth all theyr lyfe they maye not yet for all that haue heauen after to they doe tel them yes yes well ynough For I haue heard them tell them so my selfe ☞ Antony I suppose good Cosyn that no very wyse man and specially none that very good is therewith will tell any man fully of that fashyon but surely such as so say to them I feare me that they flatter them either for lucre or feare Some of them thinke peraduenture thus This man maketh muche of me now and geueth me money also to faste and watche praye for him but so I feare me would he doe no more if I should goe tell him nowe that all that I doe for hym will not serue him but if he goe faste and watche and praie for himselfe to For if I should sette therto and saye farther that my diligente intercession for hym should I trust be the meane that god should the soner geue him grace to amende and fast and watche and praye and take affliccion in his owne body for the bettering of hys synfull soule he woulde bee wonderous wroth with that For he would be loth to haue any such grace at all as should make him to leaue of any of his mirth and so sitte and mourne for his synne Suche minde as this lo haue there some of those that are not vnlerned and haue worldly wit at wil which tell great men suche tales as perilously beguile them rather then the flatterer that so telleth them woulde with a treue tale ieoperd to lese his lucre Some are there also that suche tales tell them for coÌ„sideracion of an other feare For seing the man sette sore on his pleasure that they dispaire any amendment of hym whatsoeuer they shoulde shewe hym and thaÌ„ seing also besyde that the man doth no greate harme but of a gentle nature doth some good meÌ„ some good they praye god theÌ„ selfe to send him grace and so they let hym lie lame styll in his fleshly lustes Ad probatiâ—â—m piscinam expectantes aque motumâ— At the poole that the gospel speaketh of beside the temple wherin they washed the shepe for the sacrifice and they tary to see the water stired And when his good Aungel coming from God shall once beginne to styre the water of his hearte and moue him to the lowly mekenes of a simple shepe than if he call them to him they will tell him an other tale and helpe to beare him and plounge him into the poole of penaunce ouer the hard eares but in the meane while for feare leste whan he woulde waxe neuer the better he would waxe much the worse and from gentle smooth swete curtice waxe angrye roughe frowarde and sower thereupoÌ„ be troublous tedyous to the world to make fayre weather withal they geue hym fayre woordes for the while and put him in good comforte and let hym for the remnaunte stande at his own aduenture And in such wise deale they with him as the mother doth some tyme with her childe whiche when the lytle boye will not ryse in time for her but lie styll a bedde and slugge and when he is vâ— wepeth because he hath lyen so long fearing to be beaten at scole for his late coming thither she telleth hym then that it is but early dayes and he shall come tyme ynough and byddeth hym goe good sonne I warraunte thee I haue sent to thy maister my selfe take thy bread and butter with thee thou shalte not bee beaten at all And thus so she maye sende hym mery forth at the dore that he wepe not in her sight at home she studieth not much vpon the matter though he be taken tardye and beateÌ„ wheÌ„
conforming of mans wil vnto god in thankes geuen to god for his visitacioÌ„ if you reckon me nowe against â—hese many other good dedes that a wealthye man may dooe as by riches geue almose by autoritie labour in doing many men iustice or if you finde farther any such other thing lyke Fyrst I saye that the pacient parson in tribulacion hath in al these vertues of the wealthy man an occasion of merite to whiche the wealthye man hath not agaynwarde in the forerehearsed vertues of his For it is easye for the parson that is in tribulacion to bee well wyllyng to dooe the selfe same if he coulde and than shall hys good wyll where the power lacketh goe verye neare to the merite of the dede But nowe is not the wealthy in a lyke cace with the wyll of pacience and conformitie and thankes geuen to GOD for tribulacion syth it is not so readye for the wealthy man to be content to be in the tribulacion that is occasion of the pacientes deserte as for the troubled persone to be contente to be in prosperitie to dooe the good dedes that the wealthy man doth Besydes this all that the wealthy man dooeth though he coulde not dooe them withoute those thynges that are accoumpted for wealthe and called by that name as not dooe greate almose wythoute greate richesse nor doe these manye menne ryght by hys labour without the autoritie yet maye he dooe these thynges being not in wealthe in deede as where he taketh his wealthe for no wealth nor his riches for no riches nor in hearte setteth by neither nother but secretly liueth in a contrite heart and a life penitenciall as many tymes did the Prophete Dauid beeyng a greate Kynge so that worldely wealth was no wealth to hym and therefore is not of necessitie worldlye wealth called the cause of those good dedes syth he may doe them and doth them best in dede to whom the thing that worldly folke call wealthe is yet for hys godlye sette mynde drawne from the delyte thereof no pleasure in maner nor no wealthe at all Finallyeâ— whansoeuer the wealthye man doeth those good verteous dedes if we considre the nature of them ryght we shal perceiue that in doyng of them he doeth euer for the rate and porcion of those dedes minish the matter of hys worldly welth as in geuing great almose he departeth with so much of hys worldelye goodes whiche are in that parte the matter of hys wealth In labouryng aboute the dooyng of manye good dedes hys laboure minisheth hys quiete and hys rest And for the rate of so muche it minisheth hys wealth if payne and wealthe be eche to other contrarye as I wene you will agree they be Nowe whosoeuer than wyll well consider the thyng he shall I doubte not perceyue and see therin that in these good dedes that the wealthy manne dooeth though he dooe them by that that hys wealth maketh hym hable yet in dooyng of them he departeth for the porcion from the nature of wealthe towarde the nature of some parte of tribulacyon and therfore euen in those good dedes themselfe that prosperitie dooeth dooeth in goodnes the prerogatiue of tribulacion aboue wealth appeare Nowe if it happe that some manne cannot perceyue thys poynte because the wealthy man for al his almose abydeth ryche styll and for all hys good laboure abydeth styll in hys autoritie lette hym considre that I speake but after the porcion And beecause the porcion of all that he geueth of hys goodes is verye litle in respecte of that he leaueth therfore is the reason happely with some folke liâ—le perceiued But if it so were that he wente foorthe with geuynge tyll he hadde geuen oute all and lefte hymselfe nothynge than woulde a verye blynde manne see it For as he were from rychesse come to pouertie so were he froÌ„ welth willingly fallen into tribulacion and betwene labour rest the reason goeth all alyke whiche whoso canne consider shall see that for the porcion in euery godd dede done by the welthy man the matter is al one Than sith we haue somewhat wayed the vertues of prosperitie let vs coÌ„sider on the other side the afore named thinges that are the matter of merite reward in tribulacion that is to wit pacience conformitie and thankes Pacience the welthy maÌ„ hath not in that he is welthy For if he be pinched in any pointe wherin he taketh pacience in that part he suffreth some tribulacion and so not by his prosperitie but by his tribulacion hath the manne that merite Lyke is it if we would say that the welthye man hath a nother vertue in the stede of pacience that is to wit the kepyng of hym self from pride and from such other sinnes as wealthe would bring him too For the resisting such mocions is as I before told you without ani doubt a minishing of fleshly welth and is a veri true kind and one of the most profitable kyndes of tribulacion so that al that good merite groweth to the welthy man not by his wealth but by the minishyng of his wealthe with wholesome tribulacion The moste couloure of comparison is in the other twayne that is to witte in the conformitie of mans wyll vnto god and in thankes geuen vnto god For lyke as the good man in tribulacion sent hym by god conformeth his wyll in that behalfe and geueth god thanke therfore so doth the welthy man in his welth whiche god geueth hym conforme his wyll to goddes wyll in that poynte sith he is well contente to take it of his gyfte and geueth god agayne also right heartye thanke therefore And thus as I sayde in these two thynges maye you catche moâ—â—e coloure to compare the welthye mans merite with the meryte of tribulacion But yet that they be not matches you maye soone see by thys For in trybulacion can there none conforme his will vnto goddes and geue hym thanke therefore but suche a maÌ„ as hath in that point a very special good mynd But he that is very nought or hath in his hearte but very litle good maye well be content to take welth at goddes hande and say mary I thanke you sir for this with all my hearte and wyll not fayle to loue you well while you lette me fare no worse Confitebitur tibi quum benefeceris ei Nowe if the welthy man be verye good yet in conformitie of his will and thankes geuen to god for his welth his vertue is not like yet to hys that doeth thesame in tribulacion for as the philosophers sayd in that thing very wel of olde vertue standeth in thinges of hardenes and difficulty And than as I tolde you much lesse hardnes and lesse difficulty there is by a great deale to be contente and conforme our wyll to goddes wil to geue hym thanke too for our ease than for oure payne for oure welth thaÌ„ for oure woe And therefore is the conforming of oure wyll into goddes and the thankes
that we geue hym for our tribulacion more worthy thanke agayne and more rewarde meryteth in the very fast welth and felicitie of heaueÌ„ than our coÌ„formitie with our thankes geuen for and in oure worldly welth here And thys thing sawe the deuill whan he sayed to oure Lorde of Iob that it was no marueyle though Iob had a reuerent feare vnto god god had done so muche for hym and kept him in prosperitie but the deuill wiste well it was an hard thyng for Iob to be so louingâ— and so to geue thankes to god in tribulacioÌ„ and aduersitie and therfore was he glad to geat leaue of god to put hym in tribulacioÌ„ thereby trusted to cause hym murmure and grudge agaynste God with impacyence But the deuill had there a fall in hys owne turne For the pacience of Iob in the shorte tyme of hys aduersitie gate hym muche more fauâ—ure and thanke of God and more is renoumed in Scripture commended there for that than for all the goodnes of hys long prosperous lyfe Our Sauiour sayeth himselfe also that if we saye well by them or yelde them thanke that doe vs good we doe no greate thing therin therfore can we with reason looke for no greate thanke agayneâ— and thus haue I shewed you lo no litle preeminence that tribulacion hath in merite and therefore no litle preeminence of comfort in hope of heauenly rewarde aboue the vertues the merite and cause of good hope and comforte that cometh of welth and prosperitie ¶ The .xx. Chapter A Summary commendacion of tribulacionâ— ANd therefore good Cosin to finyshe oure talking for thys time leste I shoulde be to loÌ„g a let vnto your other busines if we lay fyrst for a sure grounde a verye faste fayth whereby we beleue to be true all that the Scripture sayth vnderstanden truely as the olde holy doctors declare it and as the Scripture of god instructeth his catholique churche than shal we consider tribulacion as a gracious gift of god a gift that he gaue speciallye his speciall frendes The thing that in Scripture is highly commended and praised a thing wherof the coÌ„trary long continued is perilous a thyng whiche but if God send it men haue nede by penaunce put vpon themselfe and seke it a thing that helpeth to pourge oure synnes passed a thyng that preserueth vs from synnes that ells woulde come a thyng that causeth vs to set lesse by the world a thyng that exciteâ—h vs to drawe more towarde God a thyng that muche minisheth our paynes in purgatory a thing that much encreaseth oure finall rewarde in heauen the thing by whiche oure Sauioure entred hys owne kyngdome the thing with whiche all his Apostles folowed him thither the thing whiche our Sauiour exhorteth all menne to the thing withoute whiche he sayeth we be not his Disciples the thing withoute whiche no man can geat to heaueÌ„ Whoso these thinges thinketh on and remembreth well shall in his trybulacyon neyther murmure nor grudge but first by pacience take hys payne in worth and than shall he growe in goodnes and thynke hymselfe wel worthy than shall â—e consyder that God sendeth it for his weale and thereby shall he be moued to geue God thanke thereforeâ— therewith shall his grace encrease and God shall geue him suche comforte by consydering that God is in his trouble euer more nere vnto hymâ— Quia deus iuxta est iis qui tribulato sunt corde God is neare saieth the Prophete to them that haue theyr hearte in trouble that hys ioye thereof shall minishe muche of hys payne and he shall not seke for vayne comforte ells where but speciallye truste in God and seke for helpe of hym submytting hys owne wyll wholy to Goddes pleasure and praye to God in hys hearte and praye hys frendes praye for hym and speciallye the Priestes as Sayncte Iames byddeth and beginne fyrste with confessyon and make vs cleane to God and ready to departe and be glad to goe to God puttyng purgatorye to his pleasure if we thus doe thys dare I boldely say we shall neuer lyue here the lesse of half an houre but shal with his comforte finde our hartes lighted and therby the griefe of our tribulacioÌ„ lessed and the more likelyhod to recouer and to liue the lenger Nowe if god will we shall hence than dooeth he muche more for vs. For he that this waye taketh cannot goe but well For of him that is loth to leaue thys wretched worlde my heart is much in feare lest he die not wel harde it is for him to be welcome that cometh agaynst his wyll that sayth to god whan he cometh to fetche hym welcome my maker magrye my teeth but he that so loueth him that he longeth to goe to him my harte cannot geue me but he shal be welcome all were it so that he should come ere he were wel pourged For charitie couereth a multitude of synnes and he that trusteth in god cannot be confounded And Chryste sayethâ— he that cometh to me I wyll not cast hym oute And therfore let vs neuer make our reconing of long lyfe kepe it while we maye because God hath so commaunded but if God geue thoccasion that with hys good wyll we maye goe lette vs be gladde therof and longe to goe to hym And than shall hope of heauen comfort our heauinesâ— and out of our transitory tribulacion shall we goe to euerlasting glory to whiche my good Cosin I pray god bryng vs both ☞ Vincent Mine owne good vncle I praye God rewarde you and at this time wil I no lenger trouble you I trowe I haue thys daye done you much tribulacion with my importune obieccions of very litle substauÌ„ce And you haue eueÌ„ shewed me an ensample of sufferauÌ„ce in bearing my foly so long and so paciently And yet shall I be so boulde vpoÌ„ you farther as to seke some tyme to talke forth of the remnaunte the most profitable poynte of tribulacion whiche you sayde you reserued to treate of last of all ¶ Anthony Let that be verye shortelye Cosin hardelyâ— while this is freshe in minde ☞ Vincent I truste good Uncle so to put thys in remembraunce that it shal neuer be forgotten with me Our lorde sende you such coumforte as he knoweth to be best Anthony That is well sayed good Cosin and I pray the same for you and for all our other frendes that haue nede of coÌ„fort for whome I thinke more thaÌ„ for your selfe you neded of some counsaile Vincent I shall wyâ—h thys good counsayle that I haue heard of you dooe them some coumforte I truste in GOD to whose kepynge I committe you Antony And I you also Farre well my owne good Cosin ¶ The seconde booke ☞ Vincent IT is to me good vncle no litle comfortâ— that as I came in here I heard of your folke that you haue hadde since my last being here GOD be thanked metely good rest and your stomake somwhat more come to you For verely albeit I had
and moued you such questyons which I founde vpon your answere might better haue been spared they were so litle worth But now sith I see you be so well contente that I shall not forbeare boldely to shewe my foly I wil be nomore so shamefaste but aske you what me lust ¶ The first Chapter VVhither a man may not in tribulacion vse some vvorldly recreacion for hys coâ—forte ANd first good vncle ere we procede farther I wil be bold to moue you one thiÌ„g more of that we talked wheÌ„ I was here When I reuolued in my minde againe the thinges that were concluded here by you me thought ye would in no wyse that in any tribulacion men shoulde seke for comforte eyther in worldly thing or fleshly which mynde vncle of yours semeth somewhat hard for a mery tale with a frende refâ—esheth a man much without any harme lyghteth hys mynde and amendeth courage and hys stomake so that it semeth but well done to take suche recreacion And Salomon sayeth I trowe that men should in heauines geue the sory maÌ„ wine to make him forgeat his sorowe And. S. Thomas saieth the propre pleasaunte talking which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a good vertue seruing to refreshe the minde make it quicke and lusty to labor and study againe where continuall fatigacion would make it dull and deadly ☞ Anthony Cosin I forgat not yâ— point but I long not muche to touche it for neither might I wel vtterly forbidde it where the cause mighte happe to fall that it shoulde not hurte and on the other syde if the case so should fall me thought yet I should litle nede to geue any counsaile to it folke are proue inough to such fantasies of their own mind you may see this by our self whiche coming nowe together to talke of as earnest sadde matters as men can deuise were fallen yet eueÌ„ at the first into wantoÌ„ idle tales and of truâ—th Cosin as you knowe very well my selfe am of nature euen halfe a gigglot and more I woulde I coulde as easely mende my faulte as I can wel knowe it but scant can I refraine it as olde a foole as I am howbeit so parcial wil I not be to my fault as to praise it but for that you requier my minde in the matter whether men in tribulacion may not lawfully seke recreacion and coÌ„fort theÌ„selfe with some honest mirth firste agreed that out chiefe comforte must be in god that with him we must beginne wiâ—h him continue and wâ—â—h him ende also A man to take nowe â—han some honest worldly mirth I dare not be so sore as vtterli to forbidde it sith good men well learned haue in some case allowed it specially for the diuersitie of diuâ—rs mens mindes for els if we were al such as would god we were such as natural wisdom would we should be is not al cleane excusable that we be not in dede I would than put no doubt but yâ— vnto any man the most coÌ„fortable talking that could be were to heare of heaueÌ„ wheras now god helpe vs our wretchednes is suche that in talking a while therof meÌ„ waxe almost weaâ—y as thoughe to heare oâ— heaueÌ„ were an heauy burdaine they must refreshe theÌ„ selfe after with a foolishe tale our affeccion towarde heauenly ioyes waxeth wonderful cold If drede of hel were as farâ—e gone verye fewe woulde feare God but that yet a litle sticketh in ouâ—e stomakes marke me Cosin at the sermon and commenlye towardes the ende somewhat the preacher speaketh of hell and heauen nowe whyle he preacheâ—h of the paynes in hellâ— still they stande yet and geue hym the hearing but as soone as he cometh to the ioyes of heauen they be busking them baâ—kewarde and flocke meale fal away it is in the soule somewhat as it is in the body Some are there of nature or of euill custome come to that point that a worse thing some tyme stedeth them more then a better Some man if he be sicke can awaye with no holesome meate nor no medicine can goe downe with him but if it be tempered with some such thing for his fantasie as maketh the matter or the medicine lesse holesome thaÌ„ it should be And yet while it wil be no better we must let him haue it so Cassianus that very verteous maÌ„ rehearseth in a certayne collacion of his that a certaine holy father in making of a sermon spake of heauen and heauenly thynges so celestially that much of his audience with the swete sounde therof began to forgeat all the world and fall a slepe whiche when the father beheldâ— he dissembled their sleping and sodeinly sayed vnto them I shal tell you a mery tale At which worde they lyfte vp their heades and harkened vnto that And after the slepe therwith brokeÌ„ heard hym tel on of heauen agayne In what wyse that good father râ—buked than their vntowarde myndes so dull vnto the thyng that all our lyfe we labor for so quicke and lusâ—y towarde other tryfâ—es I neither beare in mynde nor shal here nede to rehearse But thus much of the matter suffiseth for our purpose that wheras you demaunde me whither in tribulaâ—ion men may not some tyme reâ—â—eshe them â—elfe with worldlye myrth recreacion I can no more say but he that can not long endâ—re to holde vp his head and heare talking of heaueÌ„ except he be now thaÌ„ betwene as though to heare of heaueÌ„ were heauines refreshed with a mery folishe tale there is none other remedy but you must let him haue it better would I wishe it but I cannot helpe it Howbeit let vs by mine aduise at the least wise make those kyndes of recreacioÌ„ as shorte as selde as we can let them serue vs but for sauce make theÌ„ not our meate and let vs pray vnto god al our good frendes â—or vs that we may fele such a sauour in the delight of heaueÌ„ that in respecte of the talkinge of the ioyes therof all worldly recreacioÌ„ be but a griefe to thinke on And be sure Cosin that if we might once purchase the grace to come to that point we neuer founde of worldly recreacion so much coÌ„fort in a yere as we should fynde in the bethinkyng vs of heaueÌ„ in lesse thaÌ„ half an houre ☞ Vincent In fayth vncle I can well agree to this and I praye God bryng vs once to take such a sauour in it and surely as you began the other daye by fayth must we come to it and to fayth by prayer But nowe I praye you good vncle vouchesafe to procede in oure principall matter ¶ The .ii. Chapter Of the shorte vncertayne lyfe in extreme age or sickenes ☞ Anthony COsin I haue bethought me somewhat vpon this matter since we were last together And I fynde it if we shoulde goe some waye to worke a thyng that would require many mo dayes to treate therof than we shoulde
him by impacience into a contrarye affeccion making frowardlye stubburne and angry againste God and thereby to fall into blasphemye as dooe the damned soules in hell this faulte of pusillanimitie and timerouse mynd letteth a man also many times from the doing of many good thinges whiche if he tooke a good sâ—omake to him in the trust of Goddes helpe he were well able to dooe but the deuill casteth him in a cowardise and maketh him take it for humilitie to thinke him selfe vnmete and vnable thereto and therefore to leaue the good thing vndone whereof GOD offereth hym occasyon and had made hym mete and conueniente thereto But suche folke haue nede to lyfte vp theyr heartes and call vpon God and by the counsayle of other good ghostly folke caste awaye the cowardise of their owne conceite whiche the nightes feareâ— by the deuill hath framed in theyr fantasy and loke in the gospel vpoÌ„ him which laid vp his talente and lefte it vnoccupied and therefore vtterly lost it wyth a greate reproche of his pusillanymitie by whiche he hadde wente he shoulde haue excused hym selfe in that he was afrayde to put it forth in vre and occupye it and all this feare commeth by the deuilles dryfte wherein he taketh occasion of the fayntnes of our good and sure truste in god and therfore let vs faithfully dwel in the good hope of hys helpe and than shall the pauice of his trueth so compasse vs aboute that of thys nyghtes feare we shall haue no feare at all The .xiiii. Chapter Of the doughter of pusillanimitie a scrupulous conscience THys Pusillanimytie bryngeth forthe by the nyghtes feare a verye tymerous daughter a sely wretched Gyrle and euer puling that is called scrupulosytie or a scrupulous conscience Thys gyrle is a metely good pussell in a house neuer idle but euer occupied and busy but albeit she haue a verye gentle maystres that loueth her wel is well content wyth that she doeth or if it be not all well as all can not be alwayes wel content to pardon her as she doeth other of her felowes and so letteth her knowe that she wyll yet can this peuishe Gyrle neuer cease whining and puling for feare leste her maystres be alwaye angry wyth her and that she shal shrewdly be shent Were her maistres wene you lyke to be coÌ„tent with this condicion Naye verely I knewe such one my selfe whose maystres was a verye wyse woman and whiche thing is in women rare verye mylde and also meeke and liked verye well suche seruice as she dyd her in her house but this continuall dyscomfortable fashioÌ„ of hers she so much misliked yâ— she woulde sometyme saye Eygh what ayleth this gyrle The eluishe vrchyn weneth I were a deuill I trow suerly if she did me .x. times better seruice theÌ„ she doeth yet wyth this fantastical feare of hers I woulde be loth to haue her in my house Thus fareth loe the scrupulous persoÌ„ which frameth him selfe many tymes double the feare that he hathe cause many tymes a great feare where there is no cause at al and of that whiche is in dede no sinne maketh a veniall and that yâ— is no venial imagineth to be deadlye and yet for all that falleth in them beyng namely such of theyr own nature as no maÌ„ long liueth without thaÌ„ he feareth that he be neuer ful confessed nor neuer full coÌ„tryte and than that his sinnes be neuer full forgeuen him and than he confesseth and confesseth agayne and cumbreth hym selfe and hys confessor both and than euery praier that he saieth though he saye it as wel as the frayle infyrmitie of the man wyl suffer yet is he not satisfied but if he saye it agayne and yet after that againe and when he hath sayed one thyng thryse as litle is he satysfied wyth the laâ—te as wyth the first and than is his heart euermore in heauines vnquiet and in feare full of doubt and dulnes wythout comforte or spyrytuall consolacion Wyth this nyghtes feare the deuill sore troubleth the minde of many a ryghte good man that doeth he to bring him to some great incoÌ„uenience for he wil if he can driue hym so much to the fearefull mindinge of goddes rigorous Iustice that he wyll kepe hym from the cumfortable remembraunce of goddes greate mercy and so make him doe all his good workes wearilye and wythout consolacion and quicknes Moreouer he maketh hym take for sinne some thinge â—hat is none and for deadly some such as are but veniall to the entent that when he shall fall in them he shal by reasoÌ„ of his scruple sinne where ells he should not or sinne deadly whyle his conscience in the dede doing so gaue him where els in dede he had but offended venyally Yea farther the deuil loÌ„geth to make all his good workes and spirituall excercise so painfull and and so tedious vnto him that wyth some other subtyll suggestion or false wyly doctryne of a false spirituall libertie he shoulde for the false ease pleasure that he shoulde sodeinly finde therin be easily conueied from that euill fault into a muche worse haue his coÌ„science as wide as large after as euer it was narrowe and strayte before For better is yet of trueth a conscience a lytle to strayte then a greate deale to large My mother had wheÌ„ I was a litle boye a good olde womaÌ„ that toke hede to her childreÌ„ they called her mother Maudeâ— I trowe you haue heard of her Vincent Yea yea verye much Antony She was wonte when she sate by the fyre with vs to tel vs that were children many chyldyshe tales But as Plinius sayth that there is no boke lightly so badde but that some good thing a man may pyke out therof so thinke I there is no tale so foolishe but that yet in one matter or other to some purpose it may hap to serue For I remembre meâ— that amonge other of her fonde chyldyshe tales she tolde vs one that the Asse and the woulfe came on a tyme to coÌ„fession to the foxe The poore Asse came to shryft in the shroftide a daye or two before Ashewednesdaye but the woulfe would not come to coÌ„fessioÌ„ vntil he saw first Palme Sonday pasâ— thaÌ„ foded yet forthe farder vntyll good Frydaye came The Foxe asked the Asse before he beganne Benedicite wherefore he came to confession so soone before lente began The poore beast answered hm againe for feare of deadly sinne and for feare he shoulde lese his part of any of those prayers that the priest in the clensinge dayes prayeth for them that are confessed alreadye Than in his shryfte he had a meruelous great grudge in his inwarde conscyence that he had one daye geueÌ„ hys maister a cause of angre in that that with hys rude roaring before hys maister arose he had awaked hym out of hys slepe and bereued hym of his reste The foxe for the faultâ— lyke a good dyscrete coÌ„fessor charged him to doe so
in confession and than hungre pricked him forward that as the shrewde wyfe sayed he dyd in dede begynne al afreshe But yet the prycke of conscience wythdrewe and helde hym backe because he woulde not for breaking of his penauÌ„ce take any praye for his meale tide that should passe the price of .vi. d. It happed him thaÌ„ as he walked prolling for his geare about he came where a maÌ„ had in fewe daies before cast of two olde leane lame horses so sycke that no fleshe was there almoste leaft on them and the one when the woulfe came by could scant stande vpon his legges and the other alreadye dead and hys skynne rypped of and caryed away And as he loked vpon theÌ„ sodeinly he was first aboute to fede vpon them and whette hys teethe on theyr bones but as he looked asyde he spied a fayre cowe in a close walking wyth her younge calfe by her syde and as soone as he sawe them hys consceince began to grudge hym againste bothe those two horses and than he syghed said vnto him selfe Alas wicked wretch that I am I had almost broken my penaunce ere I was ware for yonder dead horse because I neuer sawe no dead horse solde in the market and I shoulde euen dye therfore by the waye that my sinfull soule shal to I can not deuise what price I should set vpon him but in my conscience I set him farre aboue vi d. therfore I dare not medle with him Now thaÌ„ is yoÌ„der quicke horse of likelihode worth a great deale of money for horse be deare in this couÌ„trey specially such softe aumblers for I see by his pace he trotteth not nor can scaÌ„t shift a foote therfore I may not meddle with him for he very farre passeth my vi d. but kine this countrey here hath inoughâ— but noney haue they very litle therfore considering the plenty of the kyne and the scarcitie of the money as for yonder peuishe â—owe semeth vnto me in my conscience worth not past a grote and she be worth so much Nowe than as for her calfe is not so much as she by halfe and therefore whyle the cowe is in my conscience worth but foure pence my conscience cannot seâ—ue me for sinne of my soule to prayse her calfe aboue two pence and so passe they not .vi. d betwene them both and therefore them twayne may I wel eate at this one meale breake not my penaunce at all and so thereupon he dyd withoute any scruple of coÌ„science If such beastes could speake nowe as mother Maude sayd they could thanâ— some of them would I wene tel a tale almost as wyse as this wherin saue for the minishing of old mother Maudes tale els would a shorter â—rocesse haue serued but yet as peuishe as the parable is in this it serueth for oure purpose that the nightes feare of a conscience somewhat scrupulouse though it be painfull and troâ—blous to him that hath it lyke as this poore asse had here is lesâ—e harme yet than a conscience â—uerlarge or suche as for his own fantasie the man lust to frame himself now drawing it narrowe now stretching it in breadth after the maner of a cheuerel pointe to serue on euery syde for hys owne commoditie as did here the wylye â—oulfe but suche folke are out of â—ribulacion and coÌ„forte nede they none and therfore are they out of our matter but those that are in the nightes feare of their owne scrupulous conscience lette them be well ware as I sayed that the deuill for wearines of the one drawe them not into the other and whyle he woulde flee from Scylla dryue him into Charibdis He muste dooe as dothâ— a shippe that shoulde come into a hauen in yâ— mouth wherof lie secret rockes vnder the water on both sides if he be by missehappe entred in among theÌ„ that are on the one syde and cannot tell how to geat oute he must geat a substaunciall cunning pilote that so can conduce hym from the rockes on that syde that yet he bryng him not into those that are on the other syde but can guide hym in the midde way let them I saye that are therfore in the troublouse feare of theyr own scrupulous conscience submitte the rule of their owne conscience to the counsayle of some other good man whiche after the varietie and the nature of the scrupulous may temper his aduise yea although a maÌ„ be very well learned him selfe yet let hym in this case learne the custome vsed among phisicions for be one of them neuer so cunning yet in his owne disease and sickenes he neuer vseth to trust al to himselfe but sendeth for suche of his felowes as he knoweth mete and putteth himselfe in their handes for many consideracions wherof they assigne the causes and one of the causes is feare wherof vpon some tokens he may coÌ„ceyue in hys own passion a great deale more then nedeth that were good for his health that for the time he knewe no suche thyng at all I knewe once in thys towne one of the most cunning men in that facultie and the beste experte and therwith the moste famous toâ— and he that the greatest cures did vpon other men and yet when he was him selfe once very sore sicke I heard his fellowes that than loked vnto hym of all whiche euery one woulde in their owne disease haue vsed his helpe before any other men wishe yet that for the tyme of hys owne sickenes being so sore as it was he had knowen no phisicke at all he toke so great hede vnto euery suspicious token and feared so farre the worste that his feare did him some tyme muche more harme thaÌ„ the syckenes gaue him cause And therfore as I say whoso hath such a trouble of his scrupulouse conscience lette him for a while forbeare the iudgemeÌ„t of hymselfe and folowe the counsayle of some other whom he knoweth for well learned and verteousâ— and specially in the place of confession for there is god specially present with his grace assisting his holy Sacramente and lette hym not doubte to acquiet hys mynde and folowe that he there is biddden and thinke for a whyle lesse of the feare of Goddes iustice and be more mery in the remembraunce of hys mercye and perseuer in prayer for grace and abyde and dwell faythfully in the sure hope of his helpe and than shal he find withoute any doubte that the pauyce of Goddes trouth shall as the Prophet saith so compasse him about that he shal not nede to dreade this nightes feare of scrupulositie but shall haue afterwarde his conscience stablysshed in good quiet and rest The .xv. Chpter An other kynd of the nightes feare an other doughter of pusillanimitie that is to vvete that horrible temptacion by vvhiche some folke are tempted to kill and destroye themselfe Vincent VErelye good Uncle you haue in my mynde well declared these kyndes of the nights feare ☞ Antony Sureli Cosin but yet are there
instincte of the spirite of god that for causes sene vnto himselfe would rather that they should auoide it with their own temporal death than abyde the defyling and violacion of their chastitie But now thys good man neyther haâ—h any of goddes enemyes to be by hys owne death reuenged on nor any womaÌ„ that violentli pursue him by force to bereue him of his virginitie nor neuer fynde we that god proued any mans obedient mynde by the commaundement of his owne slaughter of himselfe therefore is his case both playne against gods open precept and the dispensacioÌ„ straunge and without sample no cause appearyng nor well imaginable but if he would thynke that he coulde no lenger liue without him nor take him â—o him in such wyse as he doeth other men but commaunde him to come by a forbyddeÌ„ way by which wiâ—hout oâ—her cause we neuer heard that he had any man before now where you thinke that you should after this bid hym tel you by what way he knoweth that his entente riseth vpon a true reuelationâ— not vpon a false illusionâ— he would bid you than again tel him by what meanes you know that you bee talkyng with hym well wakyng and not dreame it slepyng You may tel hym agayn that men thus talke together as you doe and in suche maner of wyse they maye proue and perceyue that they so doe by the mouing of themselfe and wyth putting the question therof vnto themselfe for their pleasure and the markynge and consyderyng thereof is in wakynge a daylye common thing that euery man dooeth or may doe wheÌ„ he wyl and whan they doe it they doe it but of pleasure but in slepe it happeth very seld that men dreame that they so doe nor in their dreame neuer put they question but for doubte and therefore it is more reason that whyle his reuelacioÌ„ is such also that happeth so seld and ofter happeth that meÌ„ dreame of such than haue such in dede therfore it is more reason you maye tell hym that he shewe you in such a rare thyng and a thing more lyke a dreame that himselfe is not aslepe than you in such a common thyng among folke that are waking and so seldome happyng in a dreame shoulde nede to shewe him wherby you know that you be not a slepe Besides this himself to whoÌ„ you should shewe it seeth and perceiueth the thyng that he would byd you proue but the thing that he woulde make you beleue the trueth of his reuelacion which you bid him proue you see not he wotteth wel himselfe and therfore ere you beleue it agaynst the Scripture it were well consonante vnto reason that he shoulde shewe you wherby he knoweth it for a true waking reuelacioÌ„ and not for a false dreamyng delusion Vincent Than shall he peraduenture saye to me agayne that whether I beleue hym or noâ— maketh hym no matter the thyng toucheth hymselfe and not me and himselfe is in himselfe as sure that it is a true reuelacioÌ„ as that he can tel that he dreameth not but talketh with me waking ☞ Antony Withoute doubte Cosin if he abide at that poynt and can be by no reason brought to doe so much as doubt and can by no meanes be shugged out of his dead slepe but will nedes take his dreame for a very trueth and as some by night rise walke aboute their chaumber in their slepe wil so rise and hange himself I can than no other wayes see but eyther bynde hym fast in hys bedde or els assaye whether that myghte happe to helpe him wyth which the coÌ„mon tale goeth that a caruers wyfe in such a frantyque fantasy holpe her husband to whome when he tolde he woulde vpon a good fryday nedes haue killed him selfe for Christes sake as Christe was killed for him she would not in vaynâ— pleade against his minde but well and wyselye put him in remembraunce that if he woulde dye for Christe as Christe dyed for hym it were then conuenient for him to dye euen after the same fashion and that might not be by hys owne handes but by the hand of some other for Christe pardye killed not him selfe and because her husband shoulde nede to make no moe ofcounsayle for that he woulde not in no wyse she offred him that for goddes sake she woulde secretly her selfe crucifye him on a great crosse that he had made to nayle a great crucifixe vpon wherof when he was verye glad yet she bethoughte her that Chryste was bounde to a pyller and beaten fyrste and after crowned wyth thorne wherupon when she hadde by hys owne assente bounde hym fast to a poste she lefte not beatyng wyth holye exhortacion to suffer so muche and so longe that or euer she lefte worke and vnbounde hym praying him neuerthelesse that she myghte put on his head and dryue it well down a crowne of thorne that she had wrytheÌ„ for him and brought hym he said he thought that was inough for that yere he woulde praye GOD to forbeare him of the remnaunt â—yl good friday come againe But wheÌ„ it came againe the next yeâ—e than was his lusâ—e paste he longed to folowe Chryste no farâ—her Vincent In dede vncle if this helpe him not than wyl nothing helpe him I trowe Antony And yet Cosin paraduenture the deuill might make him towarde suche a purpose first gladly firste suffer other payne and minishe hys feeling to therin that he maye therby the lesse feare hys death yet are peraduenture somtime suche thinges many moe to be assaide For as the deuil may hap to make him suffer so maye he hap to misse namely if his freÌ„des fal to praier against his teÌ„ptacioÌ„ for that can him self neuer do while he taketh it for none But for conclusion if the man be surely proued so inflexibly set vpon the purpose to destroye hym selfe as commauÌ„ded thereto by god that no good counsaile that meÌ„ can geue him nor any other thing that men maye doe to hym can refraine him but that he would shortly kyl him selfe thaÌ„ except onely good prayer made by his frendes for him I can fynde no farther shifteâ— but euer haue him in sighte or binde him fast in hys bedde And so muâ—â—e he nedes of reason be coÌ„tent so to be ordered for though him selfe take his faÌ„tasye for a true reuelacioÌ„ yet syth he can not make vs perceyue it for suche like wyse as he thinketh him selfe by his secret commaundement bounden to folowe it so must he nedes agree that sith it is against the playn prohibicion of god we be by the playne open precept bound to kepe him from it Vincent In this point vncle I can goe no farther but nowe if he were on the other side perceiued to mind his distruccioÌ„ to goe there about with heauines of heart thought dulnes what way wer there to be vsed with him theÌ„ ¶ Anthony Then were his teÌ„ptacion as I tolde you before properly pertaynyng to our matter for than were
he in a sore tribulacion a verye peryllous for than were it a tokeÌ„ that the deuil had eyther by bringing hym into some great sinne broughte him into dispayre or peraduenture his reuelacioÌ„s foundeÌ„ false reproued or by some secret sinne of his diuulged and deprehended cast him both in dispayre of heauen thorowe feare and in a wearines of this life for shame sith he seeth his estimacioÌ„ lost amoÌ„g other folke of whose praise he was wont to be proude therefore Cosin in such case as thys is the man is to be fayre handled and swetely and wyth dowce and tender louing wordes to be put in good courage comforted in al that meÌ„ godly may And here must they put hym in mynde that if he dyspayre not but pull vp his courage and trust in goddes great mercye he shall haue in conclusion great cause to be glad of this fal for before he stoode in greater perill then he was ware of while he tooke him selfe for better thaÌ„ he was and god for â—auour that he bare him hath suffered hym to fall depe into the Deuills â—aunger to make hym therby knowe what he was while he tooke him selfe for so sure and therfore as he suffered hym than to fall for a remedye against ouer boulde pride so wyl god nowe if the man meken hym selfeâ— not wyth vnfrutefull dyspayre but with frutefull penauÌ„ce so set him vp againe vpoÌ„ his fete so strengthen hym wyth his grace that for this one fal that the deuill hath geuen him he shal geue the deuil an hundreth And here must he be put in remembraunce of Marye Magdalene of the prophet Dauid and specyally of Saint Peter whose high bolde courage tooke a foule fall and yet because he dispayred not of gods mercye but wept and called vpon it howe highly God tooke him into his fauour again in his holy scripture is wel testified wel through christeÌ„dome knoweÌ„ now shal it be charitably done if some good verteous folke suche as him selfe somewhat estemeth and hath afore longed to stande in estimacion wyth doe resorte some tyme vnto hym not onelye to geue hym counsayle But also to aske aduise and counsayle of him in some cases of their owne conscienceâ— to let him thereby perceiue that they no lesse esteme him nowe but rather more than they dyd before sith they thinke him nowe by this fal better expert of the deuilles craft and therby not onely better instructed him self but also better able to geue good counsaile and aduise to other This thing wyll in my minde wel amende and lifte vp hys courage from the perel of that desperate shame ☞ Vincent Me thinketh vncle that thys were a perilous thing For it may peraduenture make him sette the lesse by his fall and therby cast hym into his fyrste pride or into hys other sinne againe the falling wherunto draue him into this dispayre ☞ Antony I doe not meane Cosin that euerye foole should at aduenture fall in hand wyth him for so loe might it happe for to doe harme in dede But Cosin if a cunning Phisicion haue a man in hand he can wel disserne whan and howe longe some medicine is necessarye whych at an other tyme mynistred or at that tyme ouerlonge continued might put the pacyent in peryl for if he haue his pacient in an agewe to the cure wherof he nedeth his medicines in theyr workiÌ„g cold yet if he happe ere that feuer be full cured to fall into some such other dysease as except it were holpen with hote medicines were lykely to kyll the bodye before the feuer coulde be cured he woulde for the while haue his most care to the cure of that thing wherin were most present peril whan that were once out of ieopardye doe than the more except diligence after about the farther cure of the feuer And likewise if the ship were in perill to fall into Scilla the feare of falling into Charibdys on the other side shall neuer let any wyse mayster therof to drawe him froÌ„ Scilla towarde Charibdys first of al in al that euer he may But when he hath hym once so farre froÌ„ Scylla that he seeth him selfe out of that daunger theÌ„ wil he begin to take hede to kepe him wel froÌ„ the other likewise wheÌ„ this maÌ„ is falling downe to dyspayre to the final distruccioÌ„ of hym selfe a good wise spiritual leache wil first looke vnto that by good comfort lifte vp his courage when he seeth that perill wel past care for the cure of his other faultes after howbeit euen in the geuing of his coÌ„fort he may find waies inough in such wise to teÌ„pre his wordes that the maÌ„ may take occasioÌ„ of good courage yet farre from occasioÌ„ geuing of more recidiuacioÌ„ into his former sinne sith the great part of his couÌ„saile shal be to courage him to ameÌ„dmeÌ„t that is pardy farre froÌ„ falling to sin again ☞ Vincent I thinke Uncle that folke fall into this vngracious minde throwe the deuilles temptacioÌ„ by many moe meanes than one Antony That is Cosin very true for the deuill taketh his occasions as he seeth them fal meete for him Some he stirreth to it through werynes of them selfe after some great losse some for feare of bodely harme and some as I saide for feare of worldly shame One wyst I my selfe which had beene longe reputed for an honest man which was fallen in such a fantasye that he was welnere worne awaye therwith but what he was tempted to doe that would he tel no man but he told vnto me that he was sore combred that it alway ran in his mind that folkes faÌ„tasies were fallen froÌ„ him and that they estemed not his wit as they were wont to doe but euer his mynde gaue him that the people begaÌ„ to take him for a foole folke of trouth did no thing so at all but reputed him both for wise and honest Two other knewe I that were marueilouslye afrayde that they should kyll them selfe coulde tel me no cause wherfore they so feared it but onely that theyr owne mynd so gaue them neyther losse had they anyeâ— nor no such thing toward them nor none occasion of any worldely shame the one in bodye very well liking and lussy wonderous wearye were they bothe twayne of that mynde and alwaye they thought that doe it they woulde not for no thing but neuerthelesse they euer feared they shoulde and wherefore they so both feared neyther of them both could tell the one leâ—t he shoulde doe it desyred is frendes to binde him ¶ Vincent This is vncle a meruelouse strauÌ„ge maner ☞ Antony Forsoth Cosin I suppose that many of theÌ„ are in this case the deuill as I sayde before seketh his occasions For as S. Peter sayth Diabolus tanquam leo rugens circuit querens quem deuoret The deuil as a roaring Lyon goeth about seking whome he maye deuâ—ure He marketh well the state and the
wil be made riche he speaketh not of the hauing but of the will the desier affeccioÌ„ the loÌ„ging for itâ— for that can not be lightly wtout sinne for the thinge yâ— folke sore long for they will make many shiftâ—s to gâ—at ieopard theÌ„ self therfore to declare that the hauing of riches is not forbyddeÌ„â— but the inordinate affeccioÌ„ of the mind sore set therupoÌ„ The prophet saith Diuitie si afflâ—aÌ„t nolite cor apponere If riches flowe vnto you set not your harts therupoÌ„ And albeit that our lord by the said ensaÌ„ple of the camel or the cable rope to come throw the nedles eye sayde yâ— it is not onely hard but also impossible for a riche man to entre into the kingdome of heaueÌ„ yet he declared that though the riche man can not geat into heauen of him self yet god he sayd can geat hym in wel inough for vnto meÌ„ he said it was â—mpossible but not vnto god for vnto god he sayd al thinges are possible And yet ouer that he tolde of which maner riche men he meynt that could not geat into the kingdome of heaueÌ„ saying Filioli quaÌ„ difficile est confidentes in pecuniis in regnum dei introire My babes howe harde is it for them that put theyr trust and confidence in theyr money to entre into the kingdome of god Vincent This is I suppose vncle very true and els god forbidde For elles were the worlde in a full harde case if euery riche man were in such daunger peril ☞ Anthony That were it Cosin in dede and so I wene is it yet For I feare me to the multitude there be very fewe but that they longe sore to be riche of those that longe so to be very fewe reserued also but that they set theyr heartes very sore thereon Vincent That is Uncle I feare me veri true but yet not the thinge that I was about to speake of but the thing that I would haue saide was this that I can not wel perceiue the world being such as it is so manye poore people therein howe any man maye be riche and kepe him riche without daunger of damnacion therefore For al the while that he seeth poore people so many that lacke while him self hath to geue them and whose necessitie while he hath wherwith he is bound in such case of duetye to releue so farforth that holye Saynte Ambrose sayeth that who so that dye for defaulte where we might help them we kyl them our selfe I can not see but that euery riche man hathe great cause to stande in great feare of damnacioÌ„ nor I can not perceiue as I saie howe he can be deliuered of that feare as long as he kepeth his riches and therfore though he mighte kepe hys riches if there lacked poore men yet stand in goddes fauour therewith as Abraham dyd and many an other holy riche maÌ„ since yet it such aboundance of poore meÌ„ as there be nowe in euery countrey any man that kepeth any ryches it muste nedes be that he hath an inordynate affeccion thereunto while he geueth it not out vnto the poore nedy persoÌ„s that the duety of charitie bindeth straineth him to And thus Uncle in thys worlde at this day me semeth your comforte vnto good men that are riche troubled wyth â—eare of damnacion for the keping can very scantly serue ☞ Antony Harde is it Cosin in many maner thinges to bydde or forbydde affyrme or denye reproue or allowe a matter nakedly proponed and put forth or precisely to saye this thing is good or this thing is nought wythout consideracioÌ„ of the circumstaunces Holy Saint Austen telleth of a phisicioÌ„ that gaue a man a medicine in a certaine disease that holpe him the selfe same man at an other tyme in the selfe same dysease â—ooke the selfe same medicine him selfe and had thereof more harme than good whiche thinge wheÌ„ he shewed vnto the phisicion asked hym wherof that harme shoulde hap that medicine quod he did the no good but harme because thou tookest it when I gaue it the not This answere S. Austen very well alloweth for the though the medicine were one yet might there be peraduenture in the sicknes some suche dyffereÌ„ce as the pacient perceiued not yea or in the maÌ„ him self or in the place or in the time of the yere many thinges might make the let for whiche the phisicion would not than haâ—â— geuen him the selfe same medicine that he gaue him before to peruse euery circuÌ„stance that might Cosin in this matter be touched were to be considered waighed would in dede make this parte of thiâ— deuil of busines a very busy piece of worke a loÌ„g but I shall a litle open the point that you speake of and shall shewe you what I thinke therin wyth as fewe wordes as I conueniently can than wil we goe to dinner First Cosin he that is a riche man kepeth all his good he hath I thinke very good cause to be very frayd in dede And yet I feare me that such folke feare it least for they be very farre froÌ„ the state of good meÌ„ sith if they kepe stil al thaÌ„ are they very farre froÌ„ charitie doe you woâ—e wel almose either liâ—â—le or none at alâ— But nowe is our questioÌ„ Cosin not in what case that riche maÌ„ standeth that kepeth al but whither we should suffer men to stande in a perillous dreade and feare for the keping of any great part For if that by the kepyng still of so much as maketh a riche maÌ„ stil they stand in the state of damnacioÌ„ thaÌ„ aâ—e the curates boundeÌ„ plainly to tel theÌ„ so according to the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of god geuen vnto theÌ„ al in the persoÌ„ of Ezechyel Si dicente me ad impium morte morieris non annunciaueris ei c. If whan I say to the wicked maÌ„ Thou shalte dye yâ— doe not shewe it vnto him nor speake it vnto him that he may be turned froÌ„ his wicked waye and maye liue he shall soothly dye in his wyckednes hys bloud shall I verilye require of thine handes But Cosin thoughe god inuited men vnto the folowing of him selfe in wyful pouertie by the leauing of altogether at once for his sake as the thing whereby wyth being out of the solicitude of worldlye busines farre froÌ„ the desier of earthly coÌ„modities they may the more spedely geat and attaine the state of spirituall perfeccioÌ„ the hungry desire longing for celestial thinges yeâ— doth he not commauÌ„d euery in aÌ„ so to doe vpon the peril of daÌ„nacioÌ„ For where he saieth Qui noÌ„ renuÌ„ciauerit omnibus que posâ—idet noÌ„ potest esse meus discipulus He that forsaketh not al that euer he hath can not be my disciple He declareth wel by other wordes of his owne in the selfe same place a litle bâ—fore what he meaneth For there saieth he more Si quis
to shewe my cunning and I hoped to be liked the better because I sawe that he that satte next me should say his seÌ„tence after me was an vnlearned priest for he could speake no latine at al but wheÌ„ he came forth for hys parte wyth my Lordes commendacion the wylye Foxe hadde beene so well accustomed in the courte wyth the crafte of flatterye that he wente beyonde me to to farre And than myght I see by him what excellencie a ryghte meane wytte maye come to in one crafte that in al hys whole lyfe studieth and busieth hys witte aboute no moe but that one But I made after a solemne vowe to my selfe that if euer he and I were matched together at that borde againe when we should fall to our flattery I woulde flatter in latine that he shoulde not contende â—yth me no more For thoughe I could be contente to be oute runne of a horse yet woulde I no more abyde it to be outâ—unne of an Asse But Uncle here beganne nowe the game he that sate highest and was to speake laste was a greate benyfâ—zed man and not a doctor onelye but also somewhat learned in dede in the lawes of the Churche a worlde it was to see howe he maâ—ked euerye mannes worde that spake before hym and it semed that euerye worde the more proper that it was the worse he liked it for the comâ—raunce that he had to studye out a better to passe it The man euyn sweatte with the laboure so that he was fayne in the whyle nowe and than to wype hys face howbeit in conclusion when it came to hys course we that had spoken before hym had so taken all vp among vs before that we had not lefte hym one wyse woorde to speake Antony Alas good manne among so many of you some good felowe shoulde haue lente hym one Vincent It neded not as happe was vncle For he found out such a shift that in his slattering he passed vs all the mayny Antony Why what sayd he Cosin Vincent By oure ladye vncle not one woorde But lyke as I trowe Plinius telleth that whan Appelles the painter in the table that he painted of the sacrifice and the death of Iphigenia had in the makyng of the sorowefull countenaunces of the noble menne of Grece that beheld it spente oute so muche of hys craft and hys connyng that when he came to make the countenaunce of kyng Agamemnon her father whiche ye reserued for the laste leste if he hadde made his visage before he muste in some of the other after eyther haue made the visage lesse dolorous than he could and thereby haue forborne some parte of his praise or doyng the vttermoste of hys crafte myghte haue happed to make some other looke more heauely for the pitie of her paine than her owne father which had bene yet a farre greater faulte in hys payntyng when he came I saye to the makyng of hys face therfore laste of all he coulde deuyse no maner of newe heauye cheare and countenaunce for her father but that he had made there alreadye in some of the other muche more heauye before and therefore to th entent that no manne shoulde see what maner countenaunce it was that her father had the paynter was fayne to paint him holding hys face in hys hande kercher the like pagiaunt in a maner plaied vs there this good auncient honorable flatterer for when he sawe that he coulde finde no woorde of prayse that woulde passe all that had been spoken beefore alreadye the wylye foxe woulde speake neuer a woorde but as he were rauished vnto heauen warde with the wonder of the wysdome and eloquence that my Lordes grace had vttered in that Oracion he fette a long sighe with an Oh from the bottome of hys breste helde vp both hys handes and lyfted vp hys head and cast both hys yien vp into the welkin and wepte Anthony Forsoth Cosin he played hys parte very properlye but was that great prelates Oracyon any thyng prayse worthy for you can tell I see well for you would not I wene playe as Iuuenal merely describeth the blynde Senatoure one of the flatterers of Tyberyus themperoure that among the remnaunte â—o magnified the greate fyshe that themperoure hadde sente for them to shewe them whiche thys blinde Senatoure Montanus I trowe they called hym marueled of as muche as any that marueled moste and many thynges he spake thereof with some of hys woordes directed thereunto lookyng hymself toward the lyfte syde whyle the fyshe laye on hys ryghte syde you woulde not I trowe Cosin haue taken vpon you to prayse it so but if you had heard it ☞ Vincent I heard it vncle in dede and to say the trouth it was not to dispraise howbeit surelye somewhat lesse prayse might haue serued it by more a great deale than the half but thys am I sure had it been the worst that euer was made the prayse had not been the lesse of one here For they that vsed to prayse hym to hys face neuer considered howe muche the thing deserued but how great a laude and prayse themselfe could geue his good grace Anthony Surely Cosin as Terence sayeth suche folkes make men of fooles euen starke mad and much cause haue theyr lordes to be righte angry with them ☞ Vincent God hath in dede and is I wene but as for their lordes vncle if they would after waxe angrye with them therfore they should in my mynde doe them very greate wrong when it is one of the thynges that they specially kepe them for For those that are of suche vaynglorious mynd be they lordes or be they meaner men can be much better content to haue their deuises commended then amended and requier they their seruaunt and their frende neuer so specially to tell them the very trueth yet shall he better please them if he speake them fayre then if he tell them trueth For they be in the case that Martial is speaketh of in an Epigrame vnto a frende of his that requireth his iudgemeÌ„t how he liked his veaâ—sis but he praied him in any wise to tel him euen the verye trueth to whoÌ„ Marcial made aunswere in this wise The very trueth of me thou dost require the verye trueth is this my frende dere that the very trueth thou wouldest not gladly heare in good fayth vncle the self same prelate that I told you my â—ale ofâ— I dare be bolde to sweare it I know it so surely had on a time made of hys owne drawyng a certayne treatise that shoulde serue for a leage betwene the countreye and a great Prince In which treatise himself thought that he had deuysed his articles so wysely and indicted theÌ„ so wel that al the world would allow them wherupon longing sore to be praised he called vnto him a frende of his a man well learned and of good woorship and very well expert in those matters as he that had been diuerse tymes embassadour for that
therfore if yoâ— wil well do rekeÌ„ your selfe very sure that when you deadly displease god for the geatting or the keping of your goodes god shal not suffer those goodes to doe you good but either shal he take them shortly from you or suffer you to kepe them for a litle whyle to your more harme and after shal he wheÌ„ you least loke therefore take you away from them and than what an heape of heauines wyl there enter into your heart when you shall see that you shal sodainly so go froÌ„ your goodes and leaue them here in the earth in one place and that your body shal be put in the earth in an other place and which thaÌ„ shal be most heauines of al when you shal feare and not without great cause that youre soule shall firste forthwith and after that at the fynal iudgement your body to be driueÌ„ down depe towarde the centry of the earth into the fiery pitte doÌ„geon of the deuil of hell there to tary in torment world without ende What goodes of this world can any maÌ„ imagine wherof the pleasure and commoditie could be such in a thousande yeare as were able to recompence that intollerable payn that there is to be suffered in one yeare or in one day or one howre either yea theÌ„ what a madnes is it for that poore pleasure of youre worldly goodes of so few yeares to cast your self both body and soule into the euerlasting fier of hel wherof there is not minished the mouÌ„tenaunce of a moment by the lying there the space of an hundreth thousande yeares And therfore our sauiour in fewe wordes concluded confuted al these folyes of them that for the short vse of this worldly substaunce forsake him and his fayth and sell their soules vnto the deuill for euer where he sayeth Quid prodest homini sivniuersum mundum lucretur anime veroâ— sue detrimentum patiatur what auaileth it a maÌ„ if he wanne all the whole world lost hys soule This were me thynketh cause occasion inough to him that had neuer so much part of this world in his hand to be content rather to lese it al than for the retaynyng or encreasyng of hys worldly goodes to leese and destroye hys soule Vincent This is good vncle in good fayth very true and what other thing any of them that would not for this bee contente haue for to alledge in reason for the defence of their folye that can I not ymagine nor lust in this matter to play their parte no longre But I pray God geue me the grace to playe the contrary parte in dede and that I neuer for anye goodes or substaunce of this wretched world forsake my fayth toward God nether in heart â—or tong as I trust in his great goodnes I neuer shall ¶ The .xv. Chapter ¶ This kind of tribulacion trieth vvhat mind men haue to theyr goodes vvhich they that are vvyse vvil at the fame therof see vvel and vvisely layd vp safe before ME thinketh Cosin that this persecucion shal not onelye as I sayde beeforeâ— trye mennes heartes when it cometh make them know their owne affeccions whither they haue a corrupt gredy couetous mind or not but also the very fame and expectacion therof may teache them this lesson ere euer the thing fall vpon them it selfe to theyr no little fruite if they haue the witte and the grace to take it in tyme whyle they maye For nowe maye they find sure places to lay their treasures in so that al the Turkes armie shal neuer fynde it out ¶ Vincent Mary vncle that way they will I warrant you not forgeat as neare as their wittes wil serue theÌ„ But yet haue I knowen some that haue ere this thought that they had hidde their money safe ynough digging ful diepe in the grounde and haue missed it yet when they came agayne and haue founde it digged oute and caried away to theyr handes Anâ—ony Naye fro theyr handes I wene you woulde say and it was no meruayle For some suche haue I knowen tooâ— but they haue hyd theyr goodes foolishly in such place as they were well warned before that they shoulde not and that were they warned by hym that they wel knewe for suche one as wist wel inough what would come theron ¶ Vincent Than were they more than madde But did he tell them too where they should haue hydde it to haue it sure ☞ Anthony Ye by S. Mary did he For els had he told them but halfe a tale but he tolde them a whole tale byddyng them that they shoulde in no wise hyde theyr â—reasure in the ground he shewed theÌ„ a good cause for there theues vse to digge it out and steale it away ¶ Vincent Why where shoulde they hyde it than sayde he For theues may happe to fynd it oute in any place Anthony Forsothe he counsayled them to hyde theyr treasure in heauen and there laye it vp for there it shal lye safe For thither he sayde there can no thefe come tyll he haue left hys thefte and be waxen a true man fyrst And he that gaue this counsayle wiste what he sayde well yonough For it was oure Sauioure hymselfe whiche in the syxth Chapter of Saincte Mathewe sayeth Nolite thezaurizare v obis thezauros in terra v bi erugo et tinea demolitur et v bi fures effodiunt et furantur Thesaurizate vobis thesauros in celo vbi ne que erugo neque tinea demolitur et v bi fures non effodiunt nec furantur vbi enim est thesaurus tuuâ— ibi est et cor tuum Hoorde not vp for you treasures in earth where the â—ust and the mothes fret it oute and where theues dygge it oute and steale it away But hoorde vp your treasures in heauen where â—eyther the ruste nor the mothe frette them oute and where theues digge theÌ„ not out nor steale them away For where as is thy treasure there is thy hert too If we would wel consider these wordes of our Sauiour Christ we should as me thinke nede no more couÌ„sel at al nor no more comfort neither concerning the losse of our temporal substaunce in thys Turkes persecucion for the fayth For here our lord in these wordes teacheth vs where we may lay vp our substaunce safe before the persecucion come If we putte it into the poore mens bosomes there shall it lye safe For who woulde goe searche a beggars bagge for moneye if we deliuer it to the poore for Chrystes sake we deliuer it vnto Christe himselfe and than what persecutour can there bee so strong as to take it out of hys hande ☞ Vincent These thinges are vncle vndoubtedly so true that no man may with woordes wrestle therwith but yet euer there hangeth in a mans heart a lothenes to lacke a liuing Anthony There doeth in dede in theyrs that eyther neuer or but seldom heare any good couÌ„sel there against And when they
countreye I must considre that the cause of my griefe is myne owne wrong imaginacion wherby I beguile my self with an vntrue perswasion wening that this wâ—re myne owne countrey wheras of trueth it is not so For as S. Paul saith Non habemus hic ciuitatem manentem sed futuram inquirimus we haue here no Citie nor dwelling contrey at al. but we seke for one that we shal come to and in what countrey soâ—uer we walke in thys world we bee but as pilgrimes and waye faring men and if I shoulde take any countrey for my own it must be that countrey to which I come and not the countrey from whiche I â—ame that countrey that shall bee to me than for a whyle fo straunge shall yet perdye bee no more straunge to me nor lenger straunge to me neither thaÌ„ was mine own natiue countrey wheÌ„ I came first into it And therfore if the point of my beyng farre from hence be very greuous to me and that I finde it a greate payne that I am not where I would be that griefe shall greate parte growe for lacke of sure settyng and setlyng my mynde in god where it shoulde be which fault of myne when I mend I shall soone ease my griefe Nowe as for al other griefes and paynes that are in captiuitie â—hraldom and bondage I cannot denye but many there are and greate howbeit they seme yet somewhat what saye I somewhat I maye saye a greate deale the more because we tooke oure former liberty for more a great deale than in dede it was Let vs therefore consydre the matter thus captiuitie bondage or thraldome what is it but the violente restrainte of a man beeing so subdued vnder the dominion rule and power of an other that he â—ust dooe what the tother lust to commaunde him and maye not at hys libertie dooe suche thynges as he lust hymselfe nowe when we shall be caryed awaye with a Turke and be fayne to bee occupied aboute suche thynges as he luste to sette vs here shal we lamente the losse of oure libertie and thynke we beare an heauye burdayne of oure seruile condycion and so to dooe I graunte well we shall haue many tymes greate occasyon but yet shoulde we I suppose sette thereby somewhat the lesse if we woulde remembre well what libertie that was that we lost and take it for no larger than it was in dedâ— for we recken as though we myghte before doe what we woulde but therin deceyue we oure selfe For what free man is there so freeâ— that can be suffered to doe what hym lust In many thinges GOD hath resâ—rayned vs by hys hygh commaundemente so many that of those thynges whiche els we woulde dooe I wene it be more â—heÌ„ the half Howbeit because god forgâ—ue vs we let so litle therfore but doe what we lust as thoughe we heard him not we reckeÌ„ oure libertie neuer the lesse â—or yâ— But â—han is oure libertie much restrayned by the lawes made by men for the quiet and politique gouernaunce of the people And these would I wene let oure libertie but a litle neither were it not for feare of paynes that maye fal therupon Loke than whither other men that haue aucthoritie ouer vs commaunde vs neuer no busines which we dare not but doe and therfore do it ful oft full sore against our willes Of which thinges some seruice is some time so paineful and so perilous too yâ— no lord can lightly commaunde his bond man worse nor seldome dooeth commaunde him half so sore Let euerye free man that rekoneth his libertie to stand in doing what he lust coÌ„sydre wel the pointes I wene he shal thaÌ„ find his liberty much lesse thaÌ„ he toke it for before And yet haue I lefte vntouched the bondage yâ— almost euery man is in yâ— bosteth himself for free the bondage I meane of sin which to be a very bondage I shall haue our sauiour himselfe to beare me good record For he saith Qui facit peccatum seruus est peccati He that committeth sin is the thral or the bondman of sin And then if this be thus as it must nedes so be sith god saith it is so who is there thaÌ„ that may make so muche boste of hys libertie that he should take it for so sore a thing so strange to become through chauÌ„ce of warre boÌ„d vnto a maÌ„ while he is already through sinne become willingly thrall and bonde vnto the deuil Let vs loke wel how many thinges and of what vyle wretched sort the deuil driueth vs to do dayly through the rash braydes of our blinde affeccions which we be for our fautful lacke of grace fayne to folow and are to feble to refraine and than shal we finde in oure naturall fredome our bonde seruice suche that neuer was there any man lord of any so vile a villain that euer would for very shame commaunde hym so shamefull seruice And let vs in the doyng of oure seruice to the man that we be slaue vnto remeÌ„ber what we wer wonte to doe about the same tyme of the daye while we were at our free lybertye before were well likelye if we were at liberty to doe the like againe we shall peraduenture perceiue that it were better for vs to doe this busines than that Nowe shall we haue greate occasion of coÌ„forte if we considre that our seruitude though in the coumpte of the worlde it seme to come by chaunce of warre coÌ„meth yet in verye dede vnto vs by the prouident hand of godâ— and that for our great good if we wyll take it well both in remyssion of sinnes also matter of our merite The greatest griefe that is in boÌ„dage or captiuitie is this as I trowe that we be forced to doe such labour as wyth our good wyll we woulde not But then agaynst that griefe Senecke teacheth vs a good remedye Semper da operam ne quid inuitus fatias Endeuour thy selfe euer more that thou doe nothing against thy wil. But that thing that we see we shal nedes doe let vs vse alway to put our good will thereto Vincent That is vncle sone said but it is harde to doe ¶ Anthony Our froward mind maketh euery good thing hard and that vnto our owne more hurte and harme But in this case if we will be good christen meÌ„ we shal haue greate cause gladlye to be content for the greate comforte that we may take thereby while we remmbre yâ— in the pacient glad doing of our seruice vnto yâ— maÌ„ for goddes sake according to his high coÌ„maundemeÌ„t by the mouth of S. Paule Seruiobedite dominis We shall haue our thanke our whole reward of god finally if we remeÌ„ber the greate huÌ„ble mekenes oâ— our sauiour Christ him selfe that he being very almightie god Humiliauit semeâ—ipâ—um formam serui accipiens Humbled him self toke the forme of a bond maÌ„ or a slaue rather than hys father should forsake vs we may thinke our selfe
very vnkind caitiues very fraÌ„tique foles to if rather thaÌ„ endure this worldly bondage for a while we would forsake him that hath by his own death deliuered vs out of euerlasting boÌ„dage of the deuil will for our shorte boÌ„dage geue vs euerlasting libertie Vincent Well faâ—e you good vncle this is very well said albeit yâ— boÌ„dage is a coÌ„dicioÌ„ that euery maÌ„ of any courage would be glad to eschewe very loth to fal in yet haue you wel made opeÌ„ that it is a thinge neither so straunge nor so soreâ— as it before semed vnto me specially farre froÌ„ such as anye maÌ„ yâ— any wit hath should for feare therof shrinke fro the coÌ„fession of his faith now therfore I pray you somewhat speake of impriesonmeÌ„t ¶ The .xix. Chap. Of impryesonmenâ—e and comforte there agaynste ¶ Anthony THat shall I Cosin with good will fyrste if we â—oulde considre what thing impriesonment is of his owne nature we should not me thinketh haue so greate horror therof For of it selfe it is perdie but a restraynt of liberty which letteth a maÌ„ froÌ„ going whither he would Vincent Yes by S. Mary vncle me thinketh it is much more sorowe than so For beside yâ—â—â—t reâ—â—rainte of libertie it hath many moe displeysures very sore griefes knitte adioyned therunto Aâ—thony That is Cosin very true in dede And those paines amoÌ„ge many sorer thaÌ„ those thought I not after to forgeat howbeitâ— I purposed now to coÌ„sider first impriâ—sonmeÌ„t but as impriesonment onely wtout any other coÌ„moditie beside For a maÌ„ maye be perdy imprisoned yet not set in the stockes nor colored fast by the necke a maÌ„ may be let walke at large where he will yet a payre of fâ—tters fast riueted on his legges For in this couÌ„try ye wote well in Cicile portâ—ngale to so goe there all the slaues Howebeit because that for such thinges mennes haâ—tes hath such horror therof albeit that I am not so mad as to goe about to proue that bodâ—ly paine were no paine yet syth that because of these maner of paines we so specially abhore the state condicion of prisoners we shoulde me thinke well perceiue that a great parte of our horror groweth of our owne fantasie if we would cal to mynde consider the state and condicion of many other folke in whose state condisioÌ„ we would wishe our self to stand taking theÌ„ for no prisoners at al yâ— stand yet for al that in much part of the self same pointes that we abhorre imprisonment for Let vs therfore coÌ„sider these thinges in order And first as I thought to beginne because those other kindes of grieues that come with impriesonmeÌ„t are but accedentes therunto yet neither such kindes of accedeÌ„tes as be eyther proper thereunto but that they may almost al fal vnto a maÌ„ wtout it nor are not such accedentes therintoâ— as are vnseperable therfro but that imprisonment may fal to a maÌ„ and none of all the therwt. We wil I saye therfore begin with the coÌ„sidering what maner paine or coÌ„moditie we should reckin impriesonment to be of him selfe of his owne nature alone And than in the course of our communicacion you shal as you lust encreace aggreue the cause of your horror with the terror of those painful accedentes Antony I am sory that I did enterrupte your tale For you were about I se wel to take an orderly way therin And as yourself haue deuised so I beseche you procede For though I reckin impriesonmeÌ„t much yâ— sorer thing by sore harde handling therin yet reckeÌ„ I not the inpriesonment of it selfe any lesse thaÌ„ a thing very tedious al were it vsed in the most fauorable maner the iâ—possiple might For vncle if it wer a great prince that were takeÌ„ prisoner vpoÌ„ the fielde in the hand of a christeÌ„ king which vse in such case for the coÌ„sideracioÌ„ of theyr former state and the mutablâ— chauÌ„ge of the warre to shewe much humanitie to theÌ„ in very fauorable wise entreate theÌ„ For these infidele Emperours handle often times the princes that they take more villanously then they doe the poorest men as the great Tamberlayne kepte the greate Turke whan he had taken him to treade on his backe alwaye while he lepte on horse backe But as I beganne to saye by the sample of a prince taken priesoner were the impriesonmente neuer so fauorable yet were it in my minde no litle griefe in it selfe for a man to be pinned vp though not in a narowe chaumber but although hys walke were right large and right fayre gardens to therin it coulde not but grieue hys hearte to be restrained by an other man wythin certaine limittes and boundes and lese the libertie to be where him lust ☞ Anthony Thys is Cosin well considered of you For in this you perceiue wel that imprysonment is of hym selfe and hys owne very nature alone nothing els but the retaining of a mannes persoÌ„ wtin the circuite of a certaine space narrower or larger as shal be lymited to him restraining his libertie froÌ„ the father going into any other place Vincent Uery wel said as me thinketh ☞ Anthony Yet forgat I Cosin to aske you one questioÌ„ ¶ Vincent What is that Uncle ¶ Anthony Thys loe if there be two meÌ„ kepte in two seuerall chaÌ„bers of one great castle of which two chaÌ„bers the tone is much more larger thaÌ„ the tother whither be the prisoners both or but the tone that hath the lesse rowme to walke in Vincent What questioÌ„ is it vncle but that they be priesoners both as I said my selfe before although the tone lay fast locked in slockes the tother had al the whole castel to walke in Antony Me thinketh verely Cosin that you say the truth thaÌ„ if prisonmeÌ„t be such a thing as your self here agre it is yâ— is to witte but a lacke of libertie to goe whither we lust now would I faine witte of you what any one maÌ„ you knowe that is at this daye out of prison ¶ Vincent What one maÌ„ Uncle Mary I knowe almost none other For suerlyâ— prisoner am I none acqainted with that I remeÌ„bre Anthony TheÌ„ I see wel you visete pore prisoners selde Vincent No by my trouth vncle I crye god mercy I send theÌ„ somtime my almose but by my trouth I loue not to come my self where I should see such misery Antony In good faith Cosi UinceÌ„t though I saye it before youâ— you haue many good condicions but suerly though I say it before you to the coÌ„dicion is none of theÌ„ which coÌ„dicioÌ„ if you would amende than should you haue yet the moe good coÌ„dicioÌ„s by one And peradueÌ„ture by mo thaÌ„ .iii. or foure For I assure you it is harde to tel howe much good to a mannes soule the personal visiting of poore prisoners doth But nowe sith you can name me none of them that are in priesoÌ„ I
onely be commonlye called by that name must nedes make that impriesonment which only among the people beareth that name muche more odious and dreadeful than the general impriesonmeÌ„t wherwith we be euery man vniuersally priesoned at large walkyng where we wil rouÌ„d about the wide world In which brode priesoÌ„ out of those narrow priesons there is with the priesoners no such hard handlyng vsed Antony I sayde I trowe Cosyn that I purposed to proue you farther yet that in this generall prieson the large prieson I meane of this whole world folke be for the tyme that they be therin as sore handled and as hardly and wreÌ„ched and wrongen and braked in suche paynful wyse that our hertes saue that we consider it not haue with reason good and greate cause to grudge agaynst And as farreforth onely as pertayneth to the respecte of payne as much horror to conceiue agaynst the harde handling that is in this prieson as the tother that is in that ☞ ¶ Vincent In dede vncle trueth it is that this you sayd you woulde proue ☞ Anthony Naye so muche saide I not Cosyn but I sayde I woulde if I coulde and if I could not than woulde I therin geue ouer my parte But that trust I Cosyn I shall not nede to doe the thing semeth me so playn For Cosyn though the prince and Kynges haue bothe Aungelles and deuylles that are Gaylors ouer hym yet the chiefe Gaylor ouer thys whole brode prieson the worlde is as I take it God And that I suppose you will graunt me too ¶ Vincent That will I not vncle denye Antony If a man be Cosin coÌ„mitted vnto prieson for no cause but to bee kept though there lye neuer so greate charge vppon hym yet his keper if he bee good and honeste is neyther so cruell that wouâ—de payne the manne of malyce nor so couetyse that woulde put hym to payne to make hym seeke hys frendes and to paye for a pennye worthe of ease Elles if the place be suche that he be sure to kepe hym safe otherwyse or that he can geat suretye for the recompence of more harme than he seeth he shoulde haue if he scaped He wyl neuer handle him in any such harde fashionâ— as we most abhorre imprisonment for But marye if the place be suche as the keper can not otherwyse be sure then is he compelled to kepe hym after the rate the straiter And also if the prisoner be vnruly and fall to fyghting with his felowes or doe some other maner of shrewde turne then vseth the keper to punish hym sundry wise in some of such fashions as your selfe haue spoken of So is it now Cosin that god the chief Iailor as I say of thys brode pryeson the worlde is neyther cruell nor coueâ—ise And this pryeson is also so sure and so subtellye buylded that albeit that it lyeth open vppon euerye syde wythoute anye walle in the worlde yet wandre we neuer so farre aboute therein the waye to geat oute at shall we neuer fynde so that he nedeth neyther to coller vs nor to stoâ—ke vs for anye feare of scapyng awaye And therefore excepte he see some other cause than oure onelye kepyng for death he letteth vs in the meane whyle for as longe as he luste to respite vs walke aboute in the pryeson and dooe therein what we wyll vsyng oure selfe in such wyse as he hath by reason and reuelacyon from tyme to tyme tolde vs hys pleasure And hereof it commeth loe that by reason of thys fauouâ—e for a tyme wee waxe as I sayde so wanton that we forgeat where wee be wenyng that wee were Lordes at large where as wee be in dede if wee woulde well consyder it eueÌ„ sely poore wretches in prieson For of trueth our verye prieson this earth is and yet thereof we caute vs oute partely by couenauÌ„tes yâ— we make among vs and part by fraud part by violence too dyuers partes diuersly to oure selfe and chaunge the name therof from the odious name of prison and call it oure owne lande or our liuelode Upon our pryson we buylde oure prison we garnishe it with golde and make it gâ—orious In this pryson they bye and sel. In this prieson they brawle and chyde In this pryson they runne together and fight In this they dyce In this they carde In this they pype and reuill In thys they synge and daunce And in this prieson many a man reputed right honest letteth not for his pleasure in the darke prieuelye to playe the knaue And thus while god our kyng and our chief Iaylor too suffreth vs and letteth vs alone we wene oure self at libertie and we abhorre the state of those whom we call pryesoners takyng our selues for no pryesoners at al. In whyche false perswasion of wealth and forgeatfulnes of oure owne wretched sâ—ate whiche is but a wanderyng aboute for a while in this prieson of this world tyll we be brought vnto the execucyon of â—eath whyle wee forgeat with oure sollye bothe oure selfe and oure Gayle and oure vnder Iaylours Aungels and deuils bothe And oure chiefe Iailoure God too GOD that forgeatâ—eth not vs but seeth vs all the whyle well ynough and beyng sore dyscontente to see so shreude rule kepte in the Iayle beesyde that he sendeth the hange manne deathe to putte to execucyon here and there some tymes by the thousaÌ„des at once he handleth many of the remnaunte whose execucion he forbeareth yet vnto a farther tyme euen as hardly and â—unisheth them as sore in â—hys common pryeson of the worlde as there are anye handled in those specyal pryeâ—ons whyche for the hard handlyng vsed you say therein youre heart hath in such horror and so sore abhorreth ¶ Vincent The remnaunt wyl I not gayne saye For me â—hynke I see it so in dede but that god oure chief Iaylor in this worlde vseth any suche priesonlye fashyon of punishment that poynt I must nedes denie For I neither see hym laye anye man in the stockes or strike fetters on his legges and so muche as shutte hym vp in a chaumber eyther ☞ Anthony Is he no minstrell Cosin â—hat playeth not on a harpe maketh no manne no melodie but he that playeth on a lute He may be a minstrell and make melodye you wote well wyth some other instrument some straunge fashioned peraduenture that neuer was sene before God oure chyefe Iaylâ—ure as hymselfe is inuysyble so vseth he in hys punyshemente inuysyble instrumentes and therefore not of lyke fashyonâ— as the tother Iaylours dooe but yet of lyke effect and as painfull in felyng as those For he layeâ—h one of his priesoners with an hote fâ—uer as euil at his ease in a warme bedde as the tother Iaylour layeth hys vpon the cold grounde He wryngeth hym by the browes with a mygreme he collereth them by the necke with a quynsy bolteth them by the armes with a palsey that they can not lyfte theyr handes to theyr heades he manacleth theyr handes with the goute
in their fingers he wringeth theÌ„ by the legges with a crampe in their shinnesâ— he byndeth them to the bedde borde wyth the câ—icke in the backe and lyeth on there a longe and as vnable to ryfeâ— as though he laye by the feeâ—e faâ—te in the stockes Some pryesoner of another Gayle syngeth daunceth in hys two fetters and feareth not his feete for stumblyng at a stone whyle goddes priesoner that hath but hys one foote fettered with the goute lyeth gronynge on a couche and quaketh and cryeth oute if he feare there woulde fall on his foote no more but a cushion And therefore Cosin as I sayde if we consider it wel we shal fynd this general prieson of this whole earthâ— a place in whyche the pryesoners be as sore handled as thei be in the other And euen in the other some make as merye too as there dooe some in this that are verye merye at large oute of that And surelye lyke as wee wene oure selfe oute of pryeson nowe so if there were some folke borne and broughte vp in a prieson that neuer came on the walle or loked out of the dore nor neuer heard of other worlde abrode but â—aue some for shrewde turnes done among them selfe loâ—ked vp in sâ—rayter rowme and heard them â—nelye called pryeâ—oners that were so serued and them selfe euer called free folke at large the lyke opinion would they haue there of them selfe than that we haue here of our selfe nowe And when wee take oure selfe for other than pryesoners nowe as verely be we deceiued nowâ— as thoâ—e priâ—soners shoulde there be than Vincent I can not Uncle in good fayth saye naye but that you haue perfourmed al that you haue promised but yet sith that for al this there appeareth no more but that as they be priesoners so be we too and that as some of them be sore handled so be some of vs too syth we wote well for all thys that when wee come to those pryesons we shall not fayle to be in a straiter prison then wee be nowe and to haue a doore shutte vppon vs where we haue none shutte on vs nowe thys shall we be sure of at the leaste wyse if there come no worse And â—hen may there come worse you wote well it commeth there so commonlye wherefore for al thys it is yet litle meruaile though mennes heartes grudge muche there against ¶ Anthony Surely Coâ—yn in thys you saye very well howbeit somewhat had your woordes touched me the nearer if I had sayde that imprisonment were no dyspleasure at al. But the thyng that I say Cosin for oure comforte therein is that oure fantasye frameth vs a false opinion by whiche we deceiue our selfe and take it for sorer then it is and that do we by the reason that we take oure selfe before for more free than we be and prisonmeÌ„t for a straunger thing to vs theÌ„ it is in dede And thus farreforth as I said haue I proued trueth in very dede but now the incoÌ„modities that you repeate agayne â—hose I saye that are proper to themprisonmeÌ„t of theyr own nature that is to wit to haue lesse roumâ— to walke in and to haue the dore â—hutte vpon vs these are me thynke so verye slender and slyghte that in so gâ—eate a cause as to suffer for Goddes sake wee myghte be sore ashamed so muche as once to thynke vpon them Manye a good manne there is you wote wellâ— whiche wythoute force at all or anye necessitye wherefore he soâ—â—houlde dooe suffereth these two thynges wyllinglye oâ— his owne choyse with muche other hardines more Holye Monckes I meane of the Cherterhouse order suche as neuer passe theyr celles but onelye to the Churche sette faste by theyr celles and thence to theyr celles agayne and Sayncte Brygettes ordre and Sayncte Claryce muche lyke and in a maner all close relygyouse houses and yet Ancres and Anâ—ressis moste specyall All whose whole roume is lesse than a metelye large chamber and yet are they there as well contente manye longe yeares together as are other menne and better too that walke about the worlde And therefore you maye see wyth the lothenesse of lesse rowme and the doore shutte vppon vs whyle so many folke are so well contente therewith and wil for goddes loue lyue so to choose is but horror enhauÌ„ced of our own fantasie And in dede I wiste a woman once that came into a pryeson to vysite of her charitye a poore pryesoner there whome she founde in a chaumber to saye the trouthe meetelye fayre and at the leastwyse it was stronge ynoughe but wyth the mattes of strawe the pryesoner hadde made it so warme both vnder the foote and rounde aboute the walles that in these thynges for the kepynge of hys healthe she was on hys beehalfe gladde and verye well coumforted but amonge manye other dyspleasures that for hys sake she was sorye for once she lamented muche in her mynde that she shoulde haue the chamber doore shutte vppon hym by nyghte made faste by the Tayloure that shoulde shutte hym in for by my trouâ—he quod she if the doore shoulde be shutte vpon me I would weene it would stoppe vp my breath At that worde of hersâ— the pryesonâ—r laâ—ghed in hys mynde but he durste not laughe a loude nor saye nothynge to her for some what in dede he stoode in awe of her and hadde hys fyndynge there muche parte of her Charytye for almose but he coulde not but laughe inwardelye whyle he wyste well ynoughe that she vsed on the insyde to shutte euerye nyghte full surelye her owne chaumber to her boâ—he doore and wyndowes too and vsed not to open them of all the longe nyghte And what diffâ—rence then as to the stoppinge of the breathe whyther they were shutte vp within or wythoute And so surelye Cosin these two thinges that you speake of are neyther nother of so greate weyghte that in Christes cause oughte to moue a Chrystyan manne and the tone of the twayne is so vâ—rye a chyldy she fantasye that in a matter almoste of three Chyppes but if it were in chaunce of fyre neyther shoulde moue anye manne as muche as thynke thereof As for those other accidentes of hard handling therein so madde am I not to saye they bee no gryefe but I saye that oure feare maye ymagyne them muche greaâ—er griefe than they be And I saye that suche as they bee many a manne endureth them yea and manye a woman too that after fare full well And than woulde I wyt what determinacion we take whyther for oure Sauiours sake to suffer some payne in oure bodyes sythe he suffered in hys blessed bodye so greate paine for vs or elles to geue hym warning and be at a point rather vâ—terlye to forsake hym than suffer any payne at al. He that commeth in thys mynde vnto thys latter poynte from whyche kynde of vnkindenesse God keepe euerye manne coumforte he none needeth for he wyll flye the neede and counsayle I feare
I see wel that you recken that whoso dieth a natural death dieth like a wanton euen al at his case You make me remeÌ„bre a maÌ„ that was once in a galley subtill wyth vs on the sea which while the sea was sore wrought the waues rose very high he came neuer on the sea afore lay tossed hither and thitherâ— yâ— pore soule groned sore for paine he thought he would very faine be dead euer he wished woulde god I were on land that I might die in rest the waues so troubled him there with tossing him vp doune to fro that he thought yâ— trouble letted him to dye because the waues would not let him rest but if he mighte geatte once to land he though he should thaÌ„ dye there eueÌ„ at his ease ¶ Vincent Nay Uncle this is no doubt but that death is to euery man painefull but yet is not the naturall death so painefull as the violent ¶ Anthony By my trouth Cosin me thinketh that the death which men cal comonly natural is a violent deaâ—h to euery maÌ„ whom it fetcheâ—h hence by force againsâ— hys wil that is euery maÌ„ which when he dieth is loth to die faine would yet lyue longer if he mighte Howe be it howe small the payne is in the naturall deathe Cosin fayne woulde I wytte who hath tolde you As farre as I can perceiue those folk the coÌ„monly depart of theyr natural death haue euer one disease sicknes or other whereof if yâ— paine of the whole weke or twaine in which they lie pining in theiâ— bedde were gathered together in so short a time as a maÌ„ hath his paine that dieth a violeÌ„t death it would I wene make double the paine that it is so that he yâ— naturally dieth ofter suffereth more paine than lesse though he suffer it in a longer time And thaÌ„ would many a maÌ„ be more loth to suffer so loÌ„g lingering in paine thaÌ„ with a sharper to be soner rid And yet lieth many a maÌ„ moe daies thaÌ„ one in welnere as great paine coÌ„tinually as is the paine that with the violent death riddeth yâ— maÌ„ in lesse thaÌ„ halfe an howre except a maÌ„ would wene that where as the paine is great to haue a knife cutte his fleshe in the out side fro the skinne inward yâ— paine would be much lesse if the knife might on the inside beginne cutte frâ— the middes outward Some we heare in theyr death beddes coÌ„plaine that they thinke they feele sharpe knifes cut a two theyr heart stringes And some crye out thinke they feele within the braine panne theyr head pricked euen ful of pinnes And they that lye in a pleuresie thinke at euerye time that they coughe they fele a sharpe sword swappe them to the hearte ¶ The .xxv. Chapter The coÌ„sideracion of the painâ— of hell in vvhich vve fall if vve forsake our sauiourâ— maye make vs set all the painefull death of thys vvorlde at right nought HOwebeit what shoulde we nede to make anye such coÌ„parisoÌ„ betwene the natural death the violent For the matter yâ— we be in hand with here may put it â—ut of doubt that he whych for feare of the violent death forsaketh the faith of Christ putteth him self in the perel to find his natural death more paineful a thousande times For his naturall death hath hys euerlasting payne so sodeinly knyt vnto it that there is not one moment of an houre betwene but the ende of the tone is the beginning of the tother that after shall neuer haue ende And therfore was it not wythout greate cause that Christ gaue vs so good warning before when he sayed as S. Luke in the .xii. chapitâ—r reherseth Dico â—obis amicis meis ne terreamini ab iis qui occidunt corpus post hac non habent amplius quod faciant Ostendam autem vobis quem â—imeatis Timete eum qui postquam occiderit habet potestatem mittere in geâ—ennam Ita dico vobis hunc timeteâ— I say to you that are my freÌ„des be not afrayd of them that kil the body and which wheÌ„ that is done are able to do no more But I shal shewe you whom you shal feare Feare hym that which wheÌ„ he hath killed hath in his power farther to caste hym whom he killeth into euerlasting fyre So I saye to you be afâ—ayd of him God meaneth not here that we should nothing dreade at al any man that can but kill yâ— body but he meaneth that we shoulde not in such wise dreade any such that we should for dreade of theÌ„ displease him that can euerlastingly kil both body soule with a death euer dying and that shall yet neuer dye And therfore he addeth and repeateth in the end againeâ— the feare that we should haue of him saith Ita dico vobis hunâ— timete so I saye to you feare him Oh good god Cosin if a man would wel waygh these wordes let theÌ„ sinke as they should do doune depe into his heart often bethinke him self theron it would I doubt not be able inough â—o make vs set at nought al the great Turkes threates esteme him not at a strawe but wel coÌ„tent to endure al the paine that al the world could put vpoÌ„ vs for so shorte while as all they were able to make vs dwell therin rather than by the shrinking froÌ„ those paines though neuer so sharpe yet but short to caste our self into the payne of hel an huÌ„dreth thousand times more intolerable wherof there shall neuer come an ende A woful death is that death in which folke shall euermore be dying neuer can once be dead wherof the scripture sayth Vocabunt mortem mors fugiet ab eis They shal cal crye for death death shal flye from theÌ„ O good lord if one of theÌ„ were nowe put in the choise of the both they would rather suffer the whole yere together the most terrible death that all the Turkes in Turkeye could deuise thaÌ„ yâ— death that they lie in for yâ— space of half an howre In howe wreched foly fall thaÌ„ these faithlesse or feble faithed folke that to auoide the paine so farre the lesse and so short fal in the stede therof into paine a thousand thousand times more horrible of which terrible tormeÌ„t they be sure they shal neuer haue end Thys matter Cosin lacketh as I beleue but eyther full faith or sufficient minding For I thinke on my faith if we haue the grace verely to beleue it and ofteÌ„ to thinke wel theron the feare of al the Turkes persecucioÌ„ with al this midde day deuil were able to make them doe in the forcing vs to forsake our faith should neuer be able to turne vs. Vincent By my trouth Uncle I thinke it is as you say for sure if we would as ofteÌ„ thinke on these paines of hel as we be very loth to do seke vs peuish pastimes of purpose to
theyr handes thoughe he beefore suffre vs to be feared wyth them to proue oure faith wythal thaâ— we may haue by the examinacioÌ„ of our own mind some coumforte in hope of hys grace and some feare of oure owne frayltie to dryue vs to call for grace or elles if we fall in theyr handes so that we fall not fro the trust of hym nor cease to call for his helpe hys trueth shal as the prophete saieth so compasse vs about with a pauiceâ— that we shall not neede to feare this incursion of thys midde daye deuyll For eyther shall these Turkes hys tormentors that shall entre this and and persecute vs eyther they shall I saye not haue the power to touche oure bodies at all or elles the shorte payne that they shall putte vnto oure bodyes shall turne vs to eternall profite bothe in oure soules and in oure bodies too And therefore Cosin to beegynne with lette vs be of good coumforte For sythe we be by oure fayth verye sure that holy Scripture is the woorde of god and that the worde of god can not be but verye true and that we see that bothe by the mouthe of his holye Prophete and by the mouthe of his blessed Apostle also god hath made vs so faithfull promyse bothe that he wyll not suffre vs to be tempted aboue oure power but wyll bothe prouyde a waye out for vs and that he wyll also rounde aboute so coumpasse vs with his pauice and defende vs that we shall haue no cause to feare this midde daye deuyl with all his persecucion we can not nowe but be verye sure excepte we be verye shamefullye cowardous of hearte and towarde god in fayth out of measure fainte and in loue lesse thaÌ„ leuke warme or waxen euen kaye colde we maie be verie sure I saie that either God shall not suffre the Turkes to inuade this lande or if thei dooe god shal prouide suche resistence that thei shall not preuaile or if thei do preuaile yet if we take the wai that I haue tolde you wee shall by theyr persecucyon take lytle harme or rather no harme at all but that that shall seme harme shall in dede bee to vs no harme at al but â—ood for if god make vs kepe vs good meÌ„ as he hath promised to doe if we pray therfore thaÌ„ saith holi scripture Bonis omnia cooperantur in bonum Unto good folke all thynges turne them to good and therfore Cosin syth that God knoweth what shall happe and not we lette vs in the meane whyle with a good hope in the helpe of Goddes grace haue a good purpose with vs of sure standing by his holy faith againste all persecucions from which if we should which our lord forbidde hereafter either for feare or pain for lacke of grace lost in our owne default myssehappe to decline yet had we both wonne the well spent time in thys good purpose before to the minishmeÌ„t of our payne and were also much the more lykely that god shoulde lyft vs vp after oure fall and geue vs his grace againe howbeit if this persecucion come we be by this meditacion and well continued entente and purpose beefore the better strengthed and comfirmed and muche the more lykely for to stand in dede And if it so fortune as with gods grace at meÌ„s good prayers and amendment of our euill lyues it maye fortune ful well that the Turkes shall eyther be well withsâ—anden and vanquished or paraduenture not inuade vs at all than shal we perdye by this good purpose geat our selfe of god a very good cheape thanke and on the other side while we now thinke theron as not to thynke thereon in so great lykelihode therof I wene no wise man can If we shoulde for the feare of worldly losse or bodelye paine framed in oure owne mindes thinke that we would geue ouer and to saue our good and oure lyues forsake our Sauiour by deniall of hys fayth than whither the Turke come or come not we be gone from god the whyle and then if they come not in dede or come be driuen to fâ—yghte what a shame should thys be to vs before yâ— face of god in so shameful cowardous wyse to forsake hym for feare of that payne that we neyther felt nor neuer was falling towardes vs. Vincent By my trouth vncle I thanke you me thynke that though you neuer sayd more in the matter yet haue you euen with this that you haue of the feare of bodelye payne in this persecucion spoken here already merueilously comforted my heart ☞ Antony I am glad Cosin if your heart haue takeÌ„ comfort therby but and if you so haue geue god the thanke and not me for that worke is his and not mine For neyther am I able any good thynge to saye but by hym nor al the good wordes in this world no not the holy wordes of god himself and spokeÌ„ also with his own holy mouth can be able to profite the man with thâ— sound entring at his eare but if the spirite of god therwith inwardely worke in his soule but that is his goodnes euer ready to do except the let be thorowe the vntowardnes of our owne frowarde wyl ¶ The .xviii. Chapter Of comforte agaynst bodely payn and fyrst agaynst captiuytie ANd therfore now being somwhat in comfort and courage before wherby we may the more quietly consider euery thyng which is somewhat more hard and difficile to do whan the heart is before taken vp and oppressed with the troublous affeccion of heauy sorowful feare lette vs examine the wayght and substaunce of these bodily paynes as the sorest part of this persecucion whiche you rehearsed beefore whiche were if I remember you righte thraldome imprisonment painful and shameful death And first let vs as reason is begynne with the thraldome for that was I remember the fyrst Vincent I praye you good vncle say thaÌ„ somewhat thereof for me thinketh vncle that captiuitie is a merueilous heauy thing namely whaÌ„ they shal as they most coÌ„monly doe cary vs farre from home into a strauÌ„ge vncoth lande ¶ Anthony I cannot saye naye but that some grief it is Cosin in dede but yet as vnto me not halfe so much as it would beâ— if they could cary me out into any such vnknoweÌ„ countrey that god would not wete where nor finde the meane to come at me but in good faith Cosin nowe if my transmigracion into a straunge countrey shoulde bee any greate griefe vnto me the fault should be much in my self For sith I am very sure that whithersoeuer men coÌ„uay me god is no more verely here then he shal be there if I geat as I may if I will the grace to set my whole heart on himâ— and long for nothing but hym it can than make no great matter to my mynd whither they cary me hence or leaue me here And thaÌ„ if I find my mynd much offended therewith that I am not stil here in my own