a man to myslyke alle erthely vayne thynges and to repute them as no thynge Therfore sayth Saynte Iherome in his prologue of the Bible That easely he dyspyseth all bad thynge that alwaye remembreth howe he muste dye The concupyscence of eyen is dyspysed whenne one remembreth that he shall shortly parte and leue alle erthely thynges The concupyscence of the flesshe is dispysed whenne one remembreth that his body shal become wormes mete In a momente the pompe and pryde of this lyfe is sette atte nought whenne a man counterpeyseth in his herte how he that wolde be aboue all other shall be hastely caste in to erthe vnder the fete of other For this cause saythe Saynt Iherome in a pystle that he sente vnto Lypryane Remembre the well of thy dethe and thou shalt not synne He thenne that alwaye bererth in remembraunce how he must dye disprayseth easely alle thynges presente dysposyng hymselfe to alle good thynges that be to come Certaynly Esau consyderynge howe dethe was nyghe vnto hym dyspraysed lyghtely all worldely thynges It is also wryten in Genesis in the fyue and twenty chapytre Loo beholde I dye and what shall proufyte me all thoos thynges that I am borne vnto Isydore Also aduertysynge hym selfe of the shortnesse of this present lyfe whiche is soo soone passed and that all that men seme to haue in possessyon here shall be lefte sodeynly by deth exorted euery man to dysprayse suche thynges Saynge yf thou wylte be in reste and peas desyre no thynge of this worlde and so thou shall be quyete in thy corage yf thou put from the alle the desyres and curyous besynesses of this presente lyfe Set a parte alle thynge that may dystourbe and lette thy good purpose be thou dede to the worlde and the worlde to the and as though thou were dede beholde the vayn glorye of this worlde And as a man passed dysseuer â–ª and depart the from the voluptuousnesse of this worlde And as a man fynysshed haue this world in no cheerte And as a man passed oute of this worlde purge the of all maner of fylthes And also whyle thou art a lyue disprayse all that thou mayste not haue when thou art dede Seneca sayth that there may noo thyng proufyte the so moche in that temperauÌ„ce and dispraysyng of all worldely thynges as shall do to thenke often of the short endurynge and the Incerteynte of this present lyfe Thene my right dere frende Remembre often in thy corage howe thou muste dye It is redde in a booke made of the gyfte of dirde Howe longe a goâ— there was a righte wyse phylosophie that hooly abandoned hym to the vanytees of this wretched worlde whiche in a tyme herde redde of the longe lyfe of Auncyente faders and of eueryche of them was sayd in the ende he is dede As is wryten in Genesis in the fyfthe chapytre Thenne he thoughte in hym selfe that semblably deth sholde happen vnto hym as it dyde vnto those for he was righte olde And hastely he entred in to relygyon and toke the ordre of the frere prechoures and was after made mayster of Theologye in Parys And from that daye forthe lyued a full holy lyfe O how well hadde this man before his eyen the wordes of Ecclesiastes in the enleuenthe chapytre Sayeng That man whiche hadde lyued many yeres alwaye gladde and Ioyfull he oughte to remembre well his laste dayes and the comynge of the horryble tenebrouse tyme. For thenne it shall be but vanytee to argue of thynges paste for his remedye Certeynly atte the daye of dethe appereth vanyte of vanytees and howe alle thynges shall be thenne vayne and noughte For this cause it is wryten in Ecclesiastes in the thrydde chapytre Alle thynges here be restynge vnder vanytee and trewe it is all thynges of this worlde and eueryche of them be vayne For our lyfe and euery worldely creature is but vanytee And therfore sayth the Prophete That vnyuersally euery lyuynge man is vanytee Thou wenest to lyue longe and many a yeres to possesse delycyously thy temporall goodes â–ª Certayne my righte dere frende It shall be alle other wyse For man is made semblable vnto vanyte and his dayes passe as a shadowe Beholde nowe and see howe thy dayes shall be but shorte and thenne an other shall come and take thy possessyons Vnto this purpose sayth Cathon Promytte neuer to thy selfe that thou shalte haue longe space of lyfe For in what place soo euer thou entre dethe foloweth alwaye the shadowe of thy body And therefore yf thou loke vpon the wordes that be sayde And also conceyue dilygentely in thy herte that shall be shewed the here after thou sholdest rather say these wordes than otherwyse I goo nowe to my dethe and truste to lyue after by a longe space Alle be it perauenture this is the last daye of my lyfe The holy blessed man Saynte Luke sayth in his xii chapytre O thou foule this nyghte thy soule shall be axed of the and be certayne that the dysposycyon of thy tabernacules is but lyghte As is wryten in the secoÌ„de epistle of saynt Petre in the fyrst chapytre Thynke thenne that thou arte dede when thou knoweste necessaryly that after a nombre of yeres thou art certeyn to dye Therfore dysprayse all transytory thynges that muste be hastly left as is to sey withoute ony taryenge though it be lothe vnto the. The poete telleth the wysdom â—entis of londes possessyon of rychesse the makynge of walled townes the byldyng of houses the gloryous maner of lyuyng atte the table as well in pleasant drynkes as in delycyous metes the feyre softe beddes well hanged and dressed the whyte table clothes the bryght burnyssed cuppes the ryche garmentes contrary to good maner the grete flokkes or herdys of beestes The grete countreyes of arable londes the vyneyerdes plenteuously sette with vynes and the Ioye and the loue of his propre childern yet shall alle this be relynquysshed passe and be loste and nothynge be founde therof here after By these thynges maye be seen that in this presente lyfe is noo thyng stable nor permanente whiche oughte to cause diede Therfore wryteth Ecclesiastes in the seconde chapytre I haue gretely exalted my werkes I haue edyfyed me fayre houses I haue planted vynes I haue made gardeyns wherin I haue graffed of alle maner of trees I haue also caste poondes and stagnes and haue sette trees in the forest I haue hadde seruauntes and chamberers and grete companye in my housholde more thanne euer hadde ony afore me in Iherusalem I haue had grete flockes of shepe and droues of bestes I haue assembled for me golde and syluer and gadered the tresoure of kynges and of the prouynces my neyghbours And also haue herde afore me syngers bothe men and wymmen and many delectacoÌ„ns of the childern of men And haue done soo moche that I haue surmounted in richesse alle that haue ben before me in Iherusalem Wysdome also hath alle
of helle And what is a more Ioyefull blysse than celestyall glorye Saynt Bernard sayd in the same sermon These ben the four wheles of the chare wherof the Remembraunce bryngeth maÌ„nes soule to the euerlastyng glorye of paradyse These ben also iiii moeuynges that awake the spiryte of man to the ende that he disprayse alle worldly thynges retorne vnto his creatour maker Lo it is then both coÌ„uenyent proufytable that they be had contynuelly in remembrauÌ„ce therfore sayth the wyse man in the xxviii chapitre of Ecclesiasticê° Bere in thy mynde the last fynall thyng is loke alway perfyghtly vpon them to th entent that they may be surely fixed printed in thy memorie Now syn all this processe princypally soueraynly enforseth hymselfe tenduce euery crature to haue an assured mynde an hole remembrauÌ„ce of these iiii last thynges that they may cordyally be enprynted with in your hertes Therfor it is consonant accordyng yf it so may please that this present treatyse may be entytled and bere the name of the Cordyall ¶ Thus endeth the prologue of this booke named Cordyall Whiche treateth of the four last and fynall thynges that ben to come And here begynneth the fyrste parte of the sayd four last thynges THe fyrst parte of the four last thyÌ„ges wherof the remembraunce withdraweth a man fro synne is deth present or temporell And therfore seyth saynt Bernard in a bok called the Myrour of monkes The most souerayn phylosophye is to thynke all way on deth And he that beryth it in his mynde in what place so euer he go shall neuer synne Saynt Austyn sayth in his boke of exortacyons There is noo thyng that soo well reuoketh and calleth a man from synne as often RemembrauÌ„ce of dethe Certayn it is that thynge whiche causeth a man to be humble to dysprayse hymselfe and to do penaunce ¶ How RemembrauÌ„ce of dethe maketh a man to be humble meke ¶ The fyrst chapitre of the fyrst parte pryncypal I Say that recordyng the RemeÌ„brauÌ„ce of deth maketh a man to be meke humble hym selfe And therfor sayth Saynt Austyn in the book that he made of our lord A man knowyng himselfe to be mortall it shal put from hym all maner of pryde In very trouthe all our other thynges as well good as badde be incerteyne But of deth oonly we maye be well ensured And how be it that the hour therof to vs is hydde and incerteyn Yet alway she is approchyng shal surely come without longe taryeng And to this purpose sayth Ecclesiastics in his .xiiii. chapitre Bere well in remembrance that deth shal not tarye It is also wryten in Thoby that deth hasteth that there may no fleeng â—uayle Also by the comune lawe of nature euery man must paye his mortall trybute Saynt Bernarde sayth in a sermon O wretched man why doost thou not dyspose thy selfe to be redy at all houres thynke that thou arte now dede lyns thou knowest well that necessaryly it behoueth the to dye Remembre wel how thyn eyen shall tourne in thy hede the veynes breke in thy body thyn herte shal deuyde in two partes by the righte sharpe anguysshe and payne of deth Who is he thenne that ought not to drede make hyÌ„selfe humble whan he knoweth certaynely that he must retourne and become erthe Now truly there shall be none excepcyon of persones But al shall passe that waye For as it is wryten in the seconde booke of kynges Whe shall all dye and the erthe shall swolowe vs as it dooth water cast therupon whiche neuer retourneth We rede also that this worde Mors in latyn maye well so be called For it is a bytter morsell vnto all men in soo moche that no creature maye escape it And therfore it is sayd in the boke of dyspraysyng of the worlde Dethe cutteth doun and dystroyeth all thynges create and made in fleshe She bothe beteth doun the hye men lowe for the hath domynacion vpon worldly lyuyng thynges She regneth Imperyally ouer the nobles and dredeth no lyuyng creature for her power is comyn ouer prynces and dukes She taketh aswell the yonge as the olde And whan she smyteth she hath mercy of no creature Alle thynges create in flesshe peryssheth vnder her honde Nor ther be none so stronge but that the beteth them doun without rescuse And ther is no thynge beryng lyfe but that she destroyeth and wasteth it without ony escape And the neyther taketh mede allyaunce ne frendshyp What shall I shore saye euydently dethe spareth no body For neyther poore ne ryche shall mowe escape out of her cheyne Certaynly I vnderstande now that dethe is th ende of all worldely lyuynge thynges And therfore it is wryten in Ietha the Poete That deth taketh away and dooth anyntyse all quycke thynges Lo it is not sayde that the wyse Cathon and the good Socrates ben dede Whiche gyueth example that there is neyther scyence ne doctryne that may preserue one fro the ruynouse darte of deth It is writen in Ecclesiastes in the seconde chapitre Aswell dyeth the wyse man as the fole It is wryten in Isaye in the .xxxiii. chapitre Were are now become the lettred men where ben the prechers of the worde of god Where be they that were wont to teche the childern These questions implyed as moche as to saye they lyue not be goon paste in the comyn course with other dede of this worlde Now by cause Ietha named but only the two afore specyfyed I praye the telle me Where is now Hector of Troye where is become Iulius Cesar where is Alexander the grete where is Iudas Machabeê° where is the myghty Sampson where is Crassus the riche where to the fayre Absolon where is Galyen the physycyen Auycenne his felowe where is the wyse Salomon where is Arystocle the phylosopher where is Virgyle the right experte poete be not all these dede and passed out of this worlde as pylgryms and gestes departed hens in a right short space yes certaynly ther is not one lefte a lyue of them al their Ioyes were but vanytees and are fayled theyr dayes be consumed passed as the Psalter seyth man passed his dayes resemblyng a shadowe one tyme he is hole stroÌ„ge of all his membres on the morow seke leyde in the erthe And as Cathon sayth Our lyfe is gyuen vnto vs to be full of doubte and of fragylyte This appereth also clerely by a phylosophre named Secundus whom theÌ„perour Adryane questyoned with of that beyng thestate of man whiche answered as foloweth Man is subget vnto deth dost of the place where he is a voyager passyng semblably vnto a pece of snowe Also lyke a reed bery and lyke a newe apple by whiche thynge is euydencly shewed how frayle how sleder also how lytyll enduryÌ„ge is the lyfe of a man And not oonly the lyf of poure people But also the lyfe of
felde It is wryten by Innocente in the boke of our myserable condycyons That humayn flesshe is the vessell of fylthe and a vessell of teeres a drye thought a stynkyng sacke The lyfe of the flesshe is laboure The concepcyon of the flesshe is but fylthe The ende therof is rotennesse And the byrthe is but vyle It was fyrst a sparme That is to saye The seed of man and now it is a stynkynge sacke and after fynally shall be wormes mete in the erthe Now wherfore sholde a man then be proude Saynt Bernard seyth in his book of Meditacyons wherfore sholde a man waxe proude sythen the concepcōn of man is in syn̄e And of all the byrthe in payne the lyfe in labour necessaryly all muste dye And after deth tourne to wormes and after wormes to fylthe stenche Loo thus fynally euery man is clerely conuerted torned out of all humanyte Consyder than the begynnyng of thy lyfe the myddle also the last ende And thou shalte fynde therin a ryghte grete occasyon and cause to meke and humble thy selfe Nowe what sayst that what thynkest that what rekenynge makest thou of thy selfe arte thou ought but powder of the erth It is wryten in the .xii. chapytre but more playnly in the iii. chapytre of the same Ecclesiastes The powdre recometh to the erthe that it come fro That is to wete to right a fowle roten erth full of wormes And therfore wryteth Iob in his .xvii. chapytre I haue sayd to rotennesse thou art my fader and my moder and I haue sayd to the wormes ye be my brethern my sustres It is redde in Ecclesiasticus in the xvii chapytre that euery man is erth and asshes and therof haue take theyr beyng And also it was sayd to a man Thou arte but powdre to powdre shalt retorne And as Aleyn amonysseth warneth the when thou shalte lye in the colde erth thou shalt torne to powdre wormes mete and from thensforth there shall no creature be in wyll to loke vpon the. For thy flesshe shall be more ranke in stynche than the flesshe of a roten hounde To this purpose sayth the holy man Saynt Bernarde what is a more vyle and slynkyng thynge than the careyne of man And what is a more odeous thynge to beholde thā a dede man The more delectable he hath been in his lyffe to the contrarye his loke shal be horryble after his dethe what shall it proufyte vs richesses delectacyons and worldely worshyppes The richesse defende vs not from dethe nor delectacōns from the wormes nor the worshippes from foule stynkynges O myghty god eternall in how myserable chaunce is man inclosed Certeyne my righte dere frende yf thou though ▪ test dylygently of the thynges afore sayd thou sholdest therby fynde a right grete occasyon to meke and humble thyselfe For the Remembraūce of dethe causeth humylyte in man It appereth well by the thrydde booke of Lrynges in the .xxi. chapytre of kynge Achab whiche when he herde by Hely the manassynge of dethe and that it approched hym He meked hȳ selfe in suche wyse that oure Lorde sayde to the forsayd Hely Seest thou not how Achab humbled hymselfe for me It is sayde also that some tyme whenne men made and created a pope there was brought before hym a pece of flax and therin set fyre sayeng this wordes folowynge Righte thus passeth the vayne glorye of this worlde Lyke to saye That as the fyre brenneth lyghtly the flaxe and conuerteth hit in to asshes Semblably the glorye of this worlde fayleth and passeth Isydory reporteth also That auncyently it was accustomed atte the coronacyon of the Emperour of Constantynoble Whenne he was sette in his moost glorye A masson sholde come before hym shewe hym thre or foure maner of marbell stones sayeng that he sholde chese of whiche of those he wolde haue his tombe made It is redde of Saynte Iohan the aumener that was some tyme patryarke of Alexander that hadde commaunded to make his Tombe and wolde in noo wyse hit sholde be fully fynysshed And ordeyned that in grete and solempne festes whenne he was in his hyghest honoure one sholde come vnto hym and saye that thy Tombe is not fully accomplysshed nor perfourmed gyue commaundementes that hit be fynysshed For thou knoweste not howe thou shalte dye nor whanne that theff wyll come whiche is to vnderstonde the fende That enforceth hym selfe alway to destroye soules And whye dyde the Pope the Emperour and the patryarke these thynges whiche where the men moost excellente in estate of all the worlde but onely to confesse and knowelege to themselfe that they were mortall and that they oughte not to enhaunse them selfe in pryde nor fortefye them in hope of longe lyfe wherby they sholde haue the more power in this vayne worldly glory but that they myght haue before hem thenne the Remembraunce of dethe to cause them to be the more humble in alle theyr werkes And therfore sayth the prophete Lino we alle people that men be comen and made of erthe And therfore they muste necessaryly dye It is also wryten in Ecclesyastes in the .xli. chapytre All thynges that be come of the erthe shall be conuerted agayne to the erthe wherof man is comen as it is well knowen And therfore seyth Iheremias the prophete in the .xxii. chapytre Erthe erthe erthe Now herken my wordes He called man thryes erthe by cause he maye soo be named in thie maners Fyrste he is erthe for he is made of the erthe Secondly his conuersacyon is in the erthe And fynally he retourneth in to the erthe Soo is he erthe in his creacyon in his conuersacyon and in his dethe He is erthe by his nature in his lyfe And in his sepulture he hath sanoured the erthe he hath lyked the erthe he hath desyred and coueyted the erthe The body of man is taken and doluen in the erthe And yet he forgeteth the celestyall thynges and pleteth for the terrestyall And geueth batayll for the erthe He goothe He cometh And tourneth abowte the erthe to haue the erthe And oftentymes in anguysshes payne and laboure now here now there And alle for the erthe and neuer seasynge tyll he hym selfe whiche is come from the erthe be retourned agayne to his fyrste moder That is to saye the erthe It maye be sayde as it is wryten in the iii. book of the Liynges in the seconde Chapytre Loo howe I departe and passe the comune waye of the vnyuersall erthe And for as moche as we be bounden with slyme of the erth doūge of the erthe and be right vyle thynge wherfore sholde we thenne be proude of oure selfe knowynge we be come from the erthe lyuyng in the erthe conuersyng in the erthe and fynally shall recourne in to the erth as euery day it appereth euydently vn to all people ¶ How Remembran̄ce of dethe maketh a man to dyspyse all thynges ¶ The seconde chapytre of this fyrste pryncypall parte REmēbraunce of dethe causeth
alle humane creatures be they neuer so ryche or puyssauÌ„t For deth is a comyne thynge spared noo body And alle be it she is cruwell and peruerse yet she kepeth egally one lawe in takyng as wel kynges prynces as poure folkes Thus geueth she grete cause to wepe yf it be welred taken that is wryten of her And therfore seyth Iob in the xx chapytre of his book of the riche fyers and orgulous man All though his pryde be inhauÌ„sed vnto the skye that his hede shold touche the clowdes yet in then de he shal torne to nough te be lyke a dong hyll And they that haue seen hym shall axe where is he now and noo thynge shal be fouÌ„de of hym nomoie thaÌ„ of a fleyng dreme passed in the nyghte Baruch in his .iii. chapytre demauÌ„deth where be nowe the prynces of the people the where woute to haue domynacion ouer the bestes and take recreacyon with houndes with hawkes of the ayer And assembled grete tresours of golde syluer where in men yeue theyr affiauÌ„ce and truste what is the ende of theym that were besy and dylygence here to forge golde and syluer to gadre and kepe it Certaynly theyr tyme is extermyned and they be descended in to hell now ben there other enhaunsed and lyue in theyr places And therfore saythe Prosper in his sentence where be the oratours not surmountable where be they that haue couenably disposed theyr fesâ—â— where beÌ„ also the palfreymen that kept the shynynge palfreys in theyr stables where ben the captayns of men of armes And where ben the lordes and tyrauntes Ben not they all consumed brought to powdre yes of theyr dayes And so shall be of oures Is not theffecte of lyfe altered in to wormes Beholde and loke in to theyr graues whether thou canste knowe there whiche is the lorde whiche is the seruauÌ„t whiche was the poure whiche was the riche Dysceuere yf thou can by knowleche the prysoner from the kyng the stronge from the weke the fayre from the fowle Crysostome seyth what hathe hit auayled them that haue lyued in lechery and in the voluptuousnesse of this presente lyfe tyll theyr laste dayes Auyse you now and beholde in theyr sepulcres and see yf thou canste aspye therin ony sygne of pryde yf thou canste haue ony knowleche of theyr rychesse or of theyr lecherye Axe where is become theyr ryche araye and theyr straunge dysguysed garmentes with theyr voluptuous and theyr nyce lookes And where be also now theyr grette companyes and grete nombre of seruauntes that folowen them where be now theyr laughynges theyr playnges And theyr outrageous gladnesses out of mesurable temperauÌ„ce where is all this become â–ª and whether is it passed Beholde dylygently fyrste the ende of one thynge then of that other and drawe the nere theyr sepultures And thou shalt fynde nothynge therin but oonly asshes and the remanauÌ„te stynkyng and fulle of wormes A remembre thy selfe what is th ende of all mortall men be it so that they haue passed the cours of theyr lyues in deÌ„lectable pleasures or elles in labour or in contynence of theyr flesshe yet all must dye Saynt Bernarde seyth in his meditacyons Tell me nowe where be the Amerouse people of this worlde that late were among vs. In trouthe there is nothyng lefte of them but asshes wormes Thynke thenne and remembre often tymes what thyng they be and what they haue ben here tofore Parde they haue be men as thou arte they haue eten and dronken lawhed made grete chere in theyr tymes And after in a momente they descended in to helle And theyr flesshe delyuered for wormes mete and theyr soule geuen in to helle There to be tormented by fyre vnto that the body shall come Ioyne ageyn there vnto And to be plonged togyder in thebrachementes or paynfull Iehennes sempyternall with them that haue ben there felawes in doyng synnes commyttyng vyces withoute repentaunce penaunce satysfaccyon O what hath it prouffyted theyr vayne glorye theyr short Ioye and the puyssauÌ„ce of this worlde the voluptuousnes of the flesshe the dysceyuable rychesse the grete nombre of theyr seruauÌ„tes the vnhappy coÌ„cupyscens where be theyr playes dysportes where is theyr bostynge and theyr worldly pryde The more they had theyr delectacyon and Ioyed ther in here the more shall be theyr payne and sorowe there And so after a grete voluptuous pleasyre they shall haue a myserable and a perpetuell paynfull sorowe And theyr beyng shall tourne them to ruyne and harde tourmentes Loo all that is comyn vnto them may happen vnto you Thou arte but a man and homo de humo That is to saye a man made of erthe thâ—â— arte of therthe thou lyuest of the erthe and to erthe shalte tourne agayne Of these forsayd amerouse people of this worlde lyuynge flesshely and not dâ—â—dyâ—â—ge deth whiche is theyr neyghbour speketh Saynte Bernard vnto the bretheren of the mounte of our lorde O ye myserable synners that suffyre the wretchednesse of this presente lyfe to retorne lede you from the ryghte waye And the meane tyme ye passe your dayes in makynge good chere ye are descendyng to hell beyng on lyue And thenne eueryche of you maye saye the anguysshes of sorowfull dethe haue enuyronned me And I haue founde my selfe in the peryll of hell These ben the myserable â—â—â—tures that this presente lyf dysceyueth Of whome is wryten in Iob the .xxi. chapytre These felowes whoo 's lyfe is inhaunsed in pompe and pryde be coÌ„forted by theyr rychesse They thynke that theyr seed shall abyde alwaye by the multytue of theyr frendes of theyr neyghbours theyr houses to be alwaye assured and in peas The rodde of god not to come vpon them theyr kyen to conceyue not to be bareyn thenâ—â—ece of them to grow not to be take from them they reioyce themselfe in Iapes dysportes they leue the harpe the tamboryn the organs all vanytees they contynue a whyle in the myrthe sodenly they descende in to hell O how gretly is he defrauded begyled O how folysshely is he mocked that for the flourynge vayn beaute of this worlde shall descende downe in to helle lose the dyade me of theternall glorye Sothly the riche man that by synÌ„e hath deserued the paynes of helle had ben better to haue lyued vertuously in grete nede pouerte all his lyfe than to haue gret haboÌ„dauÌ„ce of riches and atte laste for his synfull lyfe to be dampned Alas what proufyteth it thenne the grete tresours and hepes of golde syluer whan synners shall be sente in to lowe tenebres of helle there to be payned tormented euer lastyngly without seasynge My ryght dere broder frende what sayst that of the riche myghty people of this worlde Dye they not as well as other In good fayth me semeth they be noe thynge priuyleged for as it is wryten in the book of sapience the .vii. chapytre the
spyrytuall thynges For yf they were lette other by defaute of spyryte or by sekenesse of the body he that soo sholde take awaye from his body theffect of good werke The true desyre of his spyryte The good example to be shewed to his neyghbour the honour to God his maker He sholde doo sacrylege and be culpable of all this thynges ayenste God Yet sayth saynte Gregory in his Moralys in the one and therty chapitre By abstynence sholde the vyces of the flesshe be quenched Certaynely yet whenne we putte awaye our enemye we gryue our owne flesshe Secondely oure lorde shall aske vs yf we haue corrected oure body with the Rodde of dyscyplyne in refraynynge hit from Rebellyon and other vayne Iolytees Sayut Bernarde sayth vpon the Cantycles that the dysacustomynge of good werkes muste be chastysed holpen by the bytte of discyplyne He sayth also in a Pystle O how well good disposicyon yeldeth discyplyne to the state of the body and the habytacōn of the thoughtes abateth the slepe of the hede she ordeyneth the contynuaunce of the vysage she tempereth the tonge she refrayneth the throte she appeseth the Ire dresseth the goyng Thyrdely our lord shall aske yf we haue laboured our body in vertue in werkes of penaunce Therof sayth saynt Austyn in his book of Baptysyng of children That Adam was chased oute of Paradyse terrestre because that delycyous place it sholde sygnyfye that labour whiche is contrary to delyte shold be shewed vnto the tendre flesshe of the childern And therfore our bodyes may be called a laborȳg best which our lord hath sente vs to do accomplysse the werkes of penaunce Holde not the body then in yolenesse in an moche as thou knowest not how longe hit shall abyde with the. But perfourme the werkes of penaūce Lest perauenture he asketh it agayn that hath lence hit the. Crysostom sayth If thou haue borowed an Oxe or an Horse thou wylte anone sette hym a werke lest he be asked agayn of the on the morow why wylt not thou semblably do with thy body as thou wylt do w ▪ the Horse or Oxe Thus then norysshe dyscretely thy body whiche is lent the by Ihesu Cryst in suche wyse as thy nature may be susteyned the vyces ouercome thy body corrected by the rodde of discyplyne so as it may be obedyent resplendysshyng in Chastyte Instructe it to good labours so that hit chase away all ydlenesse fynally that thou mayste yelde our lord a good a Iust Rekenyng there of atte the daye of Iugement Thyrdely we muste yelde rekenyng of our next kynnesmen Fyrste the fader of the sone As is wryten in the fyrst boke of Lrynges in the seconde chapitre the thirde of Hely that was punysshed for his childeren because he knewe they dyde a mysse corrected not theyr defautes Therfor is also wryten in Salomon the nyne twenty chapytre Lerne and teche thy sone And to the same purpose sayd A wyse man If thou haue a sone correcte hym yf he synne lest by right thou abye not his trespace Secondely the Prelate shall gyue Rekenyng of his subgette or dyocesan For it is wryten in Ezechyell the eght and therty Chapitre My sone I haue sette the to be a beholder ouerseer of men in the hous of Ysrahell when thenne thou herest ony of the wordest of my mouth shew them on my behalfe That is to wyte If I saye to a felon O theff thou shalt dye an euyll deth And yf thou shewe not my sayeng to hym to th entent that he may amende hym yf he dye in that wyckednesse I shal aske of thy hāde his lyfe agayne Item the same Ezechyell sayth in his .xxxiii. chapytre Beholde and see how I am my selfe aboue all my other herdemen And I shall aske my bestayll of theyr hondes The lordes or Prynces Royall shall yelde rekenȳg accomptes of theyr subgettis As it appereth in the Book of Nombres in the .xxv. chapitre where the worldely Prynces are cōmaūded to be hanged on the galowes for the synne of theyr people because the people dyde fornycacyon with the doughters of Moab whiche they called theyr Sacryfyce As is redde in the sayde chapitre Suche thenne be the Prynces Prelates As is wryten in Iheremyas the fyue and twenty chapitre Howle ye herde men crye strongely cast vpon you asshes for your dayes be complete to th entent that ye be slayne and caste in the erthe as precyous vessels Beholde thenne these prelates of the chirche the prynces vnyuersall of the Erthe that be constytute aboue all other Loke how they gouerne by example How they instructe by wordes How they defende by dede the poore people that arne commytted to theyr gouernaūce Certeynly the prelates owen to teche theyr people and defende them wysely from the assawtes of Heretykes worse and more cursed thanne wolues and from theyr cautellys wylyer thanne foxes And the temporall Prynces owen to doo Iustyce vppon trespassours and defende theyr good subgettes And kepe wedowes orphanes wretched persones And not to gryue ony body by vnrightfull exaccyons or Iniust causes They may knowe what is wryten in the booke of Sapyence the .vi. Chapitre Howe there shall be a right harde Iugement to thoos that ben precellent aboue all other Certeynly mercy shall be graunted vnto the good poore man but the badde riche man shall suffre grete tourmēte O ye prelates of the chirche and ye prynces of the vnyuersall worlde these wordes ben addressed vnto you to th entent ye sholde lerne wysdome and not to fall therfrom and that ye enstructe gouerne and defende youre subgettes so well that ye may be sure atte the last daye of the righte harde Iugement where the gretest and strongest payns shall be to th offenders that haue ben myghtyest here Fourthly it behoued to yelde Rekenynge of all our wylles werkes And Anastasye saythe vpon the Symboll Quicunque vult saluus esse c. Howe atte the comynge of oure Lorde Ihesu Cryste alle mankynde shall arryse bodely and yelde Rekenynge of theyr propre werkes That is hit that is wryten by Thappostle in the seconde Pystle ad Coryncheos the fyfthe chapitre where he sayth It behoueth that we shewe vs alle manyfestely before the Iudycyall sete of Ihesu Cryst to the entente that eueryche resceyue there good or euyll accordyng to theyr merytes desertes It is redde in Ecclesiastes in the last chapitre Our lorde shall bryng vnto the Iugemente all thynges that be done And not oonly the grete greuous synnes but also those that we thynke belytyll or none The paas of a man semeth but a smale thynge Neuerthelesse it shall be Rekened for atte the fynall day of Iugement Therfore say the Iob in his .xiii. chapitre Syre thou hast welmarked my wayes my pathes haste beholden the Traces of my fete And after he seyth in the chapitre folowȳg Thou hast nombred al my steppes Item also
THe last thynge that rendret the fynal Iugement to be dredefull and doubtable is the terryble sentence that thenne shall be pronowuced by the Iugement of god the rightfull Iuge This senteÌ„ce shall be terryble ferefull specyaly for .iii. thynges The fyrst is the doubte the Incerteynte of the sentence for there is noman sure whether it shall be gyuen with hym or ayenst hym And as it is wryten in Ecclesiastes the ix chapitre They be Iust wyse theyr werkes be in the hondes of god how be it there is noman here that knowes whether he stande in hate or loue all thyÌ„ges to come be in none certeyn To this purpose it is redde in Vitis patruÌ„ Howe that an abbot called Agathon beynge in the artycle of deth And so lyeng by the space of .iii. dayes without meuynge or openyng of his eyen His brethern seeng hym soo lyeng pusshed hym sayenge vnto hym Fader abbot where arte thou Atte last he answered I am in the presens of alle folkes wherfore they sayd vnto hym then thou dredest and art aferde Vnto whome he answered Though I haue kepte the coÌ„maundementes of our lord as vtuously as to me was possyble yet I am a man wote not whether my werkes be agreable vnto hyÌ„ for the domes of our lord be all other then the Iugementes of men that is the cause of my drede I haue neyther hope ne wanhope before god Saynte Austyn seyth That that we deme to be Iustyce well examined before the dyuyne Iustyce is often Iniustyce And therfore it is wryten in the Prouerbes of Salomon the xiiii Chapitre There is one waye whiche semeth Iuste to a man but the ende therof ledeth hym to deth And for asmoche as this holy fader Agathon couÌ„terposyng in his hert all these thynges a fore sayd all be it that he was right dylygent to kepe the coÌ„maundementes of our lord Yet alwaye he drad full sore the laste daye of Iugement It is also red in Vitis patruÌ„ how ther was somtyme an auncyent fader whiche sayde I drede .iii. thynges that is to say Fyrst when my soule shall departe out of my body Seconde when she shall come before our lord The .iii. when she shall abyde here the fynal sentence of the last day of Iugement Lo see how many holy faders haue drad this last day of IugemeÌ„t for the none certeyn of the doubtfull senteÌ„ces that there shal be gyueÌ„ now certeynly it is a thyÌ„g whiche of reason ought tyme rously to be drad It is wryten in the Gospell of saynt Mathew the .vii. chapitre by the wordes of our lord Ihesu cryst Many men shall saye to me Syr syr haue we not ê“phecied in thy name caste out the deuels of men done many vertuoê° dedys Then he shall saye vnto them I know you not nor euer knew you depart frome If the ê“phetes those that haue chased out deuels those that haue done myracles in the name of our lord be so put a backe who shal then now be sure who shal conne lyue here so holyly but at day of dome he ought to treÌ„ble fere Certeynly none for vpon the erthe is there no body purely clene withoute fylthe not a childe of one day olde for it is bow in origynal synne Therfor it is wryteÌ„ in I saye the lxiiii chapitre we be all made as a fowle clothe we oughte to drede all our werkes whiche shal be shewed before vs atte dome all though we thynke them good vertuoê° Iust Therfor say the Iob in his ix chapitre I haue drad al my werkes SeÌ„vlably saynt Poule wiche was a delectable chosyn vessell all be it he was then full clene in coÌ„scyeÌ„ce in so moche he sayde in the .xxiii. chapitre of Thactes of Apostles I haue ben conuersant with oure lorde with all my myght in good coÌ„scyence to this daye And yet it is accordyng where to the same holy Apostle ferefull wrote in his fyrste Pystle ad Coryntheos the faueth chapitre sayd I fele not myselfe gylty in ony thyng that notwithstondyng I fere yet by cause I am not Iustyfyed Saynte Gregory sayd The Iust men diede in alle theyr werkes when they wysely consydre how the must come a fore the hyghe Iuge For as Thappostle wryteth vnto the Romayns the xiiii chapitre we shall come all before the trybunall sete of Ihesu Cryste Alas thenne I wretched synner what shall I saye or what shall I do â–ª when I shall come before soo grete a Iuge without good werkes for my helpe The seconde thyng whiche causeth this sentence to be terryble Is the harde lamentable and Intollerable vtteraunce of the sayd sentence whenne our lord Ihesu Cryste shall saye Go ye fro me ye cursed peple To that purpose is wryten in the Gospell of Saynt Mathew in the .xxv. chapitre whenne the sone of man shal come in his mageste and all his angelles with hym ThenÌ„e he shall sytte in the hyghe Iudycyall sete all maner of peple shall asseÌ„ble before hym shall deuyde the one from the other as the sheparde kepeth the shepe from the wolues Certeynly he ordeyneth setteth the shepe on his right honde the wolues on the lyfte honde And then shall the kynge of glory saye to thoos that shall be an his righte honde Come ye on with me that be blessed of my fader and possesse the Royalme of glorye that is enorned for you from the begynnyng of the worlde I haue ben hongry and ye haue fedde me c. Thenne he shall saye to thoos on his lyfte honde Departe from me ye that be cursed and goo in to eternall fyre whiche is arredyed for deuylles And theruppon sayth a wyse man The wordes of the Iuge in sentence are but short as come ye go ye For he shall saye to those that be reproued Go on your waye And to those that be Iust come ye with me O how gracioê° shall that worde of our lord Ihesus cryst be when he shal saye come ye with me O how harde bytter in tollerable shall the pronownsyng of that worde be Departe ye fro me or go ye frome Suerly Go ye frome is a full sharpe worde And come ye with me is a full blessed worde Saynt Bernarde sayth O how cruell shall those wordes be Go ye frome to them on the lyfte honde spoken by the kynge of kynges geuer of all lyfe which shall saye to other Come ye with me This is that cuttyng swerd with two edges yssewed out of the mouthe of the sone of man as it is wryten in the fyrst xix chapitre of the Apocalyps Certeynly he shall thenne smyte the erthe with the Rodde of this mouthe shall slee the felonous synner by his werkes As it is wryten in I saye the .xi. chapitre O how terryble a thyng shal be to here this voys Therfore saythe Saynt Austyn vpon the Gospell of Saynt Iohan Those
accordyng to theyr demerytes And whenne these two brethern came afore hym echone knewe other the wyse brother sayd O syr kyng our Iuge I complayne me gretly of this maÌ„ my brother for as we wente togydies in a way he beyng reputed a fole and I wyse yet neuerthelesse he wolde not beleue me no goo after me the good waye that I taught hym but hath made me to folowe hym in the euyll way wherin we were taken and so he is gylty of my dethe And to the corntarye the ignoraÌ„t fole sayd to the same kyng Syr I haue gretter cause strenger Reason to complayne me agaynst my brother for where he ought not to haue byleued me nor folowed me lyghtly in the waye whiche he knewe well was euyll dauÌ„gerous for he wolde not a folowed me I wold haue retourned ageyn and folowed hym whereby I sholde in noo wyse haue fallen in his daungere therfore he is verrey gylty of my deth whenÌ„e these wordes were hadde on eyther partye The kynge pronownsed gaue a sentence sayeng Thou fole thou woldest not trust thy wyse brother thou wyse haste folowed this fole in his euyll wayes wherfore ye bothe shal be hanged coÌ„dempned to dethe Semblably shall it be at the day of Iugement in the consuÌ„macoÌ„n of this worlde when by the almyghty power of god the soule of euery man woman shall retourne ageyn be reioyned to the yr owne bodyes apperyÌ„g before the hyghe Iuge to resceyue dome IugemeÌ„t of all thynges knowen forgoten for the folysshe body because it wold not folowe the couÌ„seyll of the wyse soule the wyse spyryte because it wolde not resyste but ensue the folysshe body they shal be both daÌ„pned togyder in the last extremyte of IugemeÌ„t For this cause the sentence of the Iuge is called a swerde with two edges as is writen in thapocalips in the fyrst chapitre For it shal stryke the wretched synner bothe in body soule It is wryten in the Gosspell of seynt Mathew in the .x. chapitre Drede hyÌ„ that shal mow lese pu◠〈…〉 the the body soule in 〈…〉 geheÌ„ne of helle The qualyte of the sayd Iuge yeldeth sheweth the sayde sentence to be dredefull dauÌ„geroê° CerteyÌ„ly it shal be ê“nouÌ„ced by a circuÌ„specte a right prudent Iuge whiche shal neuer fayle for euery thyng is notarily to hyÌ„ knoweÌ„ for god knoweth the hydde thyngis of the hert sercheth the werkes of men wherfor it is writeÌ„ ad Hebreos in the .iiii. chapitre Alle thyÌ„gis be opeÌ„ to his eyen for he loketh into the hertes As it is red in the fyrst book of Lrynges in the xvi chapitre Also it is red in Ecclesiastes the xxiii chapitre The eyen of our lorde be moche clerer thenÌ„e the sonne for they behold all the wayes of man the ê“fouÌ„de depnesse the hertes of men see alle the hydde thynges of the erthe And as Boece de consolacde sayth Grete curyosyte to do well is introducte vn 〈…〉 because all that we do is done afore hym that seeth all thynges Iheremy seith in his xxii chapitre Thyn eyen be open vpon all the wayes of the childern of Israell I shall yelde to eueryche of theym after his wayes after the fruyte of his admynystracions Certeynly the Iuge is gretely to be drad whiche loketh vpon al thynges bothe open shette all secrete thyngis to him knowen all derke thynges to hym is clere all dome thynges answere vnto hym all thoughtes speke to hym without voys al sylences coÌ„fesse them vnto him This sentence is to be gyuen by the Iust Iuge whiche wyll not beâ—owed he shall Iuge all the circuyte of the erthe the peple in equyte â–ª He grutcheth not attethe myght of ony body nor he excepteth no ê‘sone what soeuer they be nor he ne wyll be appeased then by ony gyftes It is wryten in Deutronomii in the .x. chapitre God is grete myghty terryble whiche wyll fauour no ê‘sone nor he resceyueth no gyftes Certaynly a pure a clene conscyence then shal be more worth then the purses full of syluer The habondauÌ„ce of rychesse shall not proufyte thenne nor ony thyng that longeth to riche people But oonly shal proufyte the werkes of Pyte of Iustyce It is wryten in Ezechiell in the .vii. chapitre Theyr mony shall be then theyr douÌ„ghylle neyther theyr golde nor theyr syluer shal mow delyuer them in the day of furour of our lord ThenÌ„e shal appere the fraude the falshed â–ª of this worlde vylenesse of all richesse O how swete a thyng how grete a Ioye shall it be thenÌ„e to those that haue hated this worlde how sorowfull bytter shal it be vnto them that haue had it in lust and delectacoÌ„n This sentence is also to be gyuen by the Iuge that wyll not be corrupt then by prayers nor appeased by desyres And as it is wryten in the Prouerbys of Salomon in the .vi. chapitre He wyll not obtempre then nor bowe to oni requestis what soeuer they be Crysostom sayth the angeles wyl not then intercede nor pray for the men for the Iuste Iuge wyll shew there no mysery corde but wyll yelde to eueryche after his meryt the merytes egally not bowyng Iustyce therfore sayth he by his ê“phete Ezechiel in the vii chapitre I shall do the right after thy wayes shal Iuge the after thy IugemeÌ„tâ— I shall make the knowe that I am thy lorde For that cause sayd Iob all dredefully I resyne alle my werkes knowyng the that ne wylt spare ony thyng the delynquentes or trespassours of all these thyÌ„ges speketh Saynt Bernarde in a pse whiche he made sayeng Certaynly our lord shall Iuge Iustly shall except no persone nor shall be corrupt by ony pryse nor gyftes Semblably he shall not bowe for ony maner of prayer O my right dere frende labour then dylygeÌ„tly to bere Iustyce thyder as thou shalt fynde no mysery corde For as it is wryten in the Prouerbys of SalomoÌ„ The riches shall not proufyte in the day of veÌ„geance but Iustyce shall cause thenne delyuerance from deth And yf the scolers that can not theyr lessoÌ„s drede gretly to be examyned of theyr mayster lest they sholde be egrely punysshed how moche sholde the synners drede then thextremye examynynge of the souerayne Iuge when they haue not studyed in the boke of Iustyce of trouth Certeynly in the apposayle is examyned all thynges that now be nought the vniuste synners shall be punysshed the seed of felons shall perishe to the contrary the Iuste people shall be then in the eternall memory shall not drede in ony wyse ony euyil accusacyon It is wryten in Ecclesyastyco the .xviii. chapitre Make redy Iustyce afore the Iugement This fynall senteÌ„ce shal be also gyuen by a Iuge cruelly moued whiche in noo wyse shall mowe be appeased For oure
but lete hyÌ„ do that that he purposed to do sens he was gyuen vnto hym the forsayd Theodorê° sayd why suffre ye me soo longe to be in this case Thenne sayde his brethern vnto him what is it that thou seest make the fygure of the crosse vpon the. To who me the sayd Theodorus answered with a lamen table crye I wolde feyne blesse me but I can not for I am to hardely prycked and oppressed with the vyolence of this dragon And whenne his brethern herde hym saye soo they fyll flatte to the erthe with wepynge teeres and began agayne theyr prayers and orysons deuoutly for the helpe and Redempcyon of this Theodorus whiche soone after sodeynly began to crye with a lowde voyce sayeng I yelde louyng thankes and grace to god my creatour for now that Dragon whiche sholde haue deuoured me is dryuen and chased away fro me by your gode and deuout prayers and orysons Also Saynte Gregory telleth an example in the fourthe boke of his Dyalogis that how in the partes of Anchone in a monastery called Congolathon be fell somtyme that there was therin a monke whiche was taken for a very holy man meruelously well dysposed towarde god But whenne his bretheren went that he had fasted he was accustomed secretely to ete And whenÌ„e he was at the batayll of deth he called generally for all his bretheren sayeng vnto them I am delyuered nowe vnto a dragon to be deuoured whiche with his tayll hath knytte togydre my fete also my knees putteth his hede in to my mouth draweth my soule oute of my body and after he had sayd those wordes he dyed forth withall It maye seme these wordes be for the condeÌ„pned synners whiche be wryten in Iheremy in the .li. chapitre He hath eten me lyke a dragon This dragon is hydeous grete hath vii hedes .x. hornes in the same as it is wryten in the Apocalyps in the xii chapitre There hath ben a grete batayle in the shye so that saynt Mychyell his angell hath fought with the dragon his angell whiche myght not resyst syth theyr rowmes in heuen coude not be fouÌ„de but were cast downe so that dragon auÌ„cyent serpeÌ„t whiche is called the deuyll sathan enforceth hyÌ„self to make warre vpon the vnyuersall worlde here And for the cause it is red in the same chapitre That harme come to that erthe to the see for the deuyll is descended among you with all his grete furyous anger This deuyl hath a merueylous grete hate vnto all good peple whiche disposeth them to take possessioÌ„ in the towme of heuen from whens he was put out chased in to theterrnall paynes the more that the day of dome approcheth the more teÌ„pteth he more cursedly more forseth hymselfe to do euyll in destroynge of soules O how grete is the wyckednesse the malyce of this deuyll of helle wherof Saynt Bernard talketh in a prose sayeng O howe felonous shall then this tormentours be whiche shall payne tormente synners how terryble shall theyr vengeauÌ„ce be in vengyng vyces wret chednes synnes CerteyÌ„ly theyr cruell malyce is yet augmeÌ„ted in dyuerse maners Fyrste because they be so innumerable of so dyuerse sortes The Psalter seyth why be those so multyplyed that tormenteth me there be many that dresse them a yenst me and as it is wryten in Iob in the .xix. chapitre They haue asseged my tabernacle about me It is wryten in â—itis patruÌ„ That there was a good auncyent man that sawe the duyll enuyronynge the people were as thyke as beys that make hony wherfore it is sayd also in the Psalter They haue coÌ„passed me as beys be cause they be many of grete myght â–ª as Thapostle wytnesseth in his pistle ad the Epheseos in the .vi. chapitre where he calleth them prynces potestates gouernours of the world be cause they be subtyll and myghty to noy soules the Psalter seyth The stronge haue fought my soule This strengthe is vnder stonde by the deuylles It is red also of that streng the in Iob the .xli. chapitre There is noo myght vpon the erthe to be compared with that thou hath done soo that it dredeth noo man saue him that seeth all thynge from aboue is kyng ouer all the childeren of pryde the deuylles shall ernstfully exercyse theyr myght in pryde to the punission of synners them shall cruelly tourmente It is wryten in Ecclesiastico the xxxix chapitre There be spyrytes that be ordeyned to take vengeaunce hath confermed the tormentes in theyr furour enduryngly tyll the consummacoÌ„n of the worlde Iob sayth in his .xvi. chapitre He hath compassed me with his speris hath not spared me but hath hurt my reynes he hath caste my bowell to the erthe gyuen me woundes vppon wouÌ„de this come sholderyng ayenst me lyke agaynd Thirdely the malyce cruelte of the deuyl is coÌ„forted is more greuous be cause they are neuer wery of tormentyng As it is wryten in the boke of Danyell in the .iii. chapitre The mynystres shall not sease in sturynge the fyres of the fourneys to the causynge of paynes Therfore sayd a wyse man that there be tourmentours whiche be more to be lothed then serpentes they be blacke defourmed wyll not be beten downe And they be neuer wery to do harme but newly encreasen theyr malyce al way redy boylyng desyrously to put soules to payne and Incessantly they excersyse theyr cruelte more and more And it is sayde to all synners in Deutronomye in the .xxviii. chapitre Thou shalt serue for thyne enemy whenne oure lorde shall sende the naked vnto hym in honger and thyrste and in alpouerte And thenne shal thysore woundes enereace perpetuelly O howe grete shall the paynes be there to dampned folkes whiche shall laste contynuelly in anguysshe and myserye withoute Intermyssyon lackynge peas or reste It is redde of the synners in Ezechyell in the seuenth Chapitre That whenne they shall fele this Anguysshyous payne they shall desyre and requyre to haue peas but thenne they gete none for they sall haue conturbacyon and sorowe vppon sorowe It is wryten in Thapocalyps the .xiiii. Chapitre That thoos that haue ben beestly shall therfore haue noo rest by day nor nyght ThenÌ„e mowe the synners well saye as it is wryten in Isaye in the xxxviii chapitre I shall not see oure lorde god in the lyuyng londe nor I shall noo more beholde ony man that is inhaby tour of reste Semblable as it is wryten in Ihere mye the .xlv. Chapitre Alas I am vnhappy for oure lorde hath added in me sorowe to sorowe for I can fynde noo Reste Sorowe shall be thenne caste atte his hede and alle Inyquyte shall descende vppon hym Nowe by these thynges aboue sayd it manyfestly appereth how suche as descendet in to helle be punysshed with many dyuerse paynes and therfore me thynketh dere bretheren how
riche Rewarde hit moeueth a man from alle the passyons of his pleasyrs and Voluntarely to ryse vppe in Batayll ayenst them encendynge to haue vyctorye vppon his fyrst delectable vayne pleasante thoughtes Abacuk saythe desyrousely in his .iii. Chapytre Rottynnesse wyll entre in to my bones and sprynge vnder me in my lyfe by cause I sholde rest me the day of trybulacyon Beholde here my righte dere frendes howe fructuouse and howe hoolsome is the Remembraunce of the Infernalle paynes The psalter sayth Synners they be transported in to helle Wherfore by good medytacyons euery man in his lyfe entende to the resystence of that daungere Or ellys they muste lyuynge dye perpetually It is redde How he is eâ—reâ—sely happy that beholdeth the deâ—â—â—enebres That is to saye To regystre in his herte the Infernale tourmentes and that with a contynuall RemembrauÌ„ce in contemplacyon to frequente that sure memory Now me thynketh I haue suffysantely shewed you the manyfolde maners of the dyuerse paynes of Helle and howe vayllable and to what proufyte groweth the memoryale Remembraunce therof O mortall man what errour what folye and what faute is in the whenne it lyeth in thy free arbytrement to haue Ioyes euerlastyng and wyllyngly castest thy selfe in to the Infernall tourmentes and paynes from whens none may retourne but brenne there in fyre worlde without ende ¶ And thus endeth the thyrde parte of this treatyse dyuyded in four partyes ¶ And here begynneth the ê“logue vpon the .iiii. parte of the .iiii. last thyngis whiche be for to come THis thirde parte of the four laste thynges whiche be for to come wherof soueraynely the Remembraunce withdraweth a man from synne Is the mynde of the euerlastynge celestyall glorye And yf a man refrayne hymselfe from mourder of from ony crymynale cause for fece of losynge of his honour or temporale goodes how moche more ought he refreyne drede eschewe all synfull operacoÌ„ns wherby he myghte lese the moost blysfull sempyternall Ioyes saynte Austyn sayth in a boke of his confessyons There is a Ioye whiche is not to be gyuen to the felon synners but to those that of theyr free wyll loue and worshyppe the lorde god and thou thy selfe arte that Ioye For this cause it is wryten in the fyrste Pystle ad Coryntheos the .vi. chapitre The felon synners shall not possesse the kyngdome of heuen but shall confusedly be put therfroÌ„ as the vyle glotons and dyshonest folkes be chased out of theÌ„perour his courte and not suffre to sytte among kynges and prynces at theyr excellente and solempne tables And Cassydore sayth that euery man is putte cast from the deyte after the quantyte of his synnes And certeynly his castynge fro is mesured after the delectacoÌ„ns that he hath had in them Now sholde not thenÌ„e euery creature eschewe to do synne haue it in abhomynacyon as a mortall thyng knowyng that therby is lost the celestyall eternall glorye O what shall I poore wretche bareyn of know seche saye â–ª or how shall I talke of this glorye incoÌ„prehensyble Certeynely there was neuer eye that sawe nor ere that herde nor here that thought the Ioye that god hath ordeyned for those that he loueth As is writen in the fyrst Pystle ad Coryntheos the .ii. chapitre Therfor what shal I now more saye or wryte in this werke I am as one born blynde that dysputeth in colours hauynge no coÌ„fydence to myn owne ê“per wyste But there for I must referre myself to the testymonyes of scriptures by the whiche I wyll speke It is to be noted how albe it in the heuenly glory there be innumerable thyngis playnly approuyng the Ioye felycite therof Yet I wyll specyally shewe how it is to be rocomeded for .iii. thyÌ„ges The fyst for the soue rayne excellent clerenesse therof Secondly for the moste habundauÌ„ce of the goodnesses that be therin And thirdely for the moost blyssull Ioye therof ê‘durably enduryng the beaute therof nor the clernesse can not be mesured the Infynyte goodnesse can not be estemed nor theternall Ioye can not be compared nor sufficieÌ„tly praysed Of these .iii. thynges I shall treate breefly by order in this last part ¶ Thus endeth the prologue of the forthe the last part of this book ¶ How the Royalme kyngdome of heuen is praysed for his beaute clerenesse ¶ The fyrst chapitre of the fourth parte and the last pryncypall FIrst the kyngdome of heuen is to be recommended for the souerayn beaute clerenesse therof as it is wryten in the boke of Sapience the .v. chapitre wherin it is called the Royalme of beaute The Psalter sayth Lord I haue loued the beaute of thyn hous It is also wryten in Thoby the. xiii chapitre I shal be happy yf the Relyques of my sedes may see the dernesse of Iherusalem wherof the gates be made of Saphyres emerawdes other precyoê° stones The cyrcuyte of the walles with fayre bryght stones all the places paued with fyne golde It is wryten in Thapocalips the xxi chapitre That cyte was made of fyne golde pure clene as glasse The fondement of walles enourned with all precyous stones The twelue gates shall haue twelue Margarytes And the stretes of the cyte shall be of fyne golde shynyng as bryghte as glasse The temple is not yet spoken of â–ª Certeynly almyghty god is the temple therof and the Lambe is the lyght The forsavd Cyte hath noo nede of the Sonne nor of the Mone to lyght hit with all For the clerenesse of oure Lorde shall Illumyne hit and the Lambe shall be the lanterne and the peple shall mowe walke by that clerenesse It is also redde in the .xxii. Chapitre of Thapocalyps It shall neuer be nyghte there wherfore there nedeth no candell nor lanterne nor lyght of the sonne For the bryghtnesse of our lorde shall lyght and Illumyne them enduryngly worlde withouten ende whiche sayeng may well accorde with that that is wryten in Isaye the .lx. chapitre Thou shalt haue thenne noo nede of the shynyng of the sonne nor Resplendysshyng of the mone For oure lorde shall lyghte Illumyne the sempyternally In trouth he is a glas without ony spot a light Illumynyng euerlastyngly As it is wryten in the boke of Sapyence the .vii. chapitre Also oure lorde shall be the Resplendysshynge of glorye As is wryten to the Hebreos in the first chapytre whiche resplendysshyng shall be an hole lyght Abacuk in his .iii. chapitre sayth of this resplendysshyng all the sayntes shall take in the Royame of heuen clerenesse and sempyternall lyght wherwith all they shall reioyse them incessantely in grete felycyte It is also wryten in the book of Iugys the .v. chapitre Those that loue the shall shyne and resplende as the sonne doth in his rysyng Also is writen in the book of Sapyence the .iii. Chapitre How those that be Iuste shall shyne in theyr faders Royalme lyke the sonne O lorde sempyternall grouÌ„de of all vertu how good and how
in his .xiiii. chapitre His glorye shall be lyke an olyfe tree whiche is contynueth grene wynter and somer Of this eternall glorye sayth also Iohan Crysostom in his boke of the Reparacion of the falle of man How grete shall the voluptuoulnesse be how grete shall the Ioye and gladnesse be to the soule to be with Ihesu criste recoâ—â—ned to his proper generacyon and assuredly and vndoubtely to beholde and see our lord The gretenesse nor the quantyte of that Ioyeful blys can not be tolde nor recyted For one reioyseth hym not oonly of that we le and pleaser that he vseth and hath presently in oeure but moche more by cause he maye be sure Those Ioyes pleasers and blys shall neuer admynyshe nor ende Loo who is he that shall be partyner to that Ioye whiche is endeles Certayne it is ordeyned for folkes lordes and other shall reioyse them in the glorye of our lorde that haue folowed his traces in this worlde wherby they shall reygne with hym gloryfyed worshypped and crowned eternally in heuen O my right welbeloued brethern how gretely shall ye reioyse you yf ye be transported vnto that eternall glorye Certayne ye shall saye thenÌ„e in cryeng and syngynge as it is wryten in Isaye the .lxi. chapitre I gladde and Ioyefull shall reioyse me in oure lorde and my soule shall be mery in my god by cause he hath cladde me with the vestyment of saluacyon Of trouthe as it is wryten in Iob the xxii chapitre Thou shalt be habundant thenne in the delectacyon of the moost myghty lorde and shalt lyfte vp thyn eyen towarde god and the lyghte shall shyne in thy wayes Of this lyght is wryten in Ecclesyastyco the .xi. chapitre It is a delectable lyght to see the sonne That is to vnderstonde Ihesu Cryste whiche to knowe and beholde perdurably passeth and surmouÌ„teth all the Ioyes of this worlde is no meruayll for that knowleche and vysyon is the fode glorye and lyfe sempyter nall of the happy sayntes Saynt Iohan sayth in his .xviii. chapitre the eternall lyfe is this to know the sool veray god and Ihesu Cryste whome thou sendest downe in to this erthe for oure redempcyon Now thenne he that maye obteyne and come to that blysfull knowleche after dyuyne lecture to see god face to face that shall be the moost excellente Ioye and a spryngyng of all Ioyefull gladnesses saynte Bernard sayth in his sermon Verayly that is a trewe and a souerayne Ioye whiche is coÌ„ceyued and had not oonly by one creature but also by the creatour and maker of all creatures whiche Ioye thou shalte haue when he shall shewe the his face wherfor the ê“phete de syryngly sayd Lorde I requyre the lete me see thy gracyous face full of all Ioye and gladnesse Alas my delectacyon is prolon ged from me tyll I may haue that grete wele and tyll I maye be drawen vnto god my sauyour I shall shede teeres nyghte and daye Certaynly the vysyon by the whiche our lorde is seen face to face is in the thyrde heuen and yf it myght be sayd it is the paradyse of thousande heuens wherin the fontayne of clere water is seen by the happy lyfe Isaye sayth in his .lx. chapitre Thou shalt see then the face of our lorde and shalte be habundant in delectacyons and Ioyes sempyternally O how good arte thou lorde of Israell to them that haue rightfull hertes whiche wyll gyue them soo grete soo ryche and soo pleasante Ioyes My right dere brethern ye here gladly speke of these delectacyons and Ioyes and take pleaser therin Neuerthelesse ye ought not to be Ignorant to vnderstonde that the blessyd sayntes come neuer to these Ioyes but by grete paynes and labours Saynt Gregory seyth in his Omely The gretenesse of the rewardes gyueth me corage and my labours oughte not to fere me for one maye neuer atteyne to the grete rewardes but by grete labours That noble prechour Saynte Poull in the seconde Pystle to Tymothe the seconde Chapitre sayth How that there shall be none crowned but suche as haue manfully foughted Verely euery man shall receyue his Rewardes whiche shall be after his labours There be dyuerse that wyll not lyue well and yet they desyre to dye well They maye knowe the dethe of sayntes is full precyous in the presens of our lorde they maye knowe also when our lord hath gyuen reste to his soules they shall dwelle in his herytage permanentely by cause they haue be those that alwayes haue folowed hym in resystynge temptacyons Many of you wolde regne with Ihesu Cryste but ye wyll suffre noo thynge for his sake Balaam ariolus was suche one for in consyderynge the castell of the childern of Israhell he entended the hauyng of the eternall beatytude and sayde in hymselfe Dye my soule as Iuste folkes dye and be my laste thynges semblable vnto theyrs he delyted gretely theyr gloryous ende but he grouged to take theyr labours and paynes where by they hadde deserued the glorye eternall O god lorde Ihesu we wolde gladdely regne with the. Neuertheles we wyll not labour nor be partycypable to thy suffrances Thou chaseste myserye and pouerte and we haue taken vs vnto voluptuousnesses and delectacyons Thou hast taken vpon the and suffred bytternesses and sharpenesses to thy body and we haue chosen and folowed oure sensuale pleasyrs Saynte Bernarde sayde The sone of god is borne to whoo 's wyll was graunted alle that myght please hym He chose to be borne in the moost greuous tyme the blessyd lityll babe borne of a poore moder vnnethe hauynge clothes to wrappe and couer it in the crybbe Certeinly Ihesu Cryste whiche neuer is deceyued chace that the moost molested greued his fleshe Loo thenne it is best swettest and moste profytable to chese the bardeste payne in this worlde And who soo euer amonesteth or techeth otherwyse one ought to beware of hym and gyue hym lityll credence It was ones promysed by Isaye a lityll childe that coude repreue the euyll and chese the good The euyl was the voluptuous pleaser of the body the good was the payne and afflyccion therof A trouthe this childe is the sone of god whiche chose thaffliccoÌ„ns and repreued forsoke the voluptuoê° pleasers As sainte Bernard sayd O righte dere childe thou haste chosen from thy begynnyng here corporal affliccions in suffrance hast entred into thy glory whiche was properly thyne owen and we lyuyng in delectacions wolde entre in to that glorie wherin we be but strangers and not dygne to come thyder but by thy grace There agaynst speketh Saynte Austyn sayeng If it haue behoued Ihesu criste lorde and kynge whose name is aboue all names to haue suffred therby hath entred in to his eternall glorie what hope or trust shall we haue to come thyder without suffrance syther we be strangers and can ha ue none entre there but by hym O how folyshe and how hard herted we be truste in reioysyng vs in