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
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
our owne tyme daylye before our face that some welthy folke are good and some nedye verye naught That lasâ—e bolte I thincke loe that syth I saye the same my self you be content to take vp it lyeth so farre wyde ☞ Vincent That wyll I wyth a good wyll vncle ☞ Anthony Well doe so good Cosin and we shall mete for the remanante Fyrste muste you Cosyn be sure that you looke wel to the marke and that can you not doe but if you knowe what thinge tribulacion is For syth that it is one of the chiefe thynges that we pryncypally speake of but if you consydre well what that is you maye mysse the marke agayne I suppose nowe that you wyl agree that tribulation is euery suche thinge as troubleth and greueth a man eyther in bodye or mind and is as it were the pricke of a thorne a bramble or a bryre thrust into hys fleshe or into his mynd and suâ—rly Cosin the pricke that verie sore pricketh the minde as farre almost passeth in paine the griefe that payneth the bodye as dothe a thorne that styckyng in the heart passe and excede in payne the thorne that is thruste in the hele Nowe Cosin if tribulacion be this that I call it than shall you sone consider this that there be moe kindes of tribulacion than you peraduenture thought on before And ther vpon it foloweth also that sythe euerye kynde of trybulacion is an interrupcion of welth and prosperitie which is but of welâ—h an other name may be discontinewed by moe wayes than yowe would afore haue wente Than saye I this vnto you Cosin that syth tribulacion is not onelye suche panges as payne the body but euerye trouble also that greueth the mynde manye good men haue manye tribulacyons that euerye man markethe not and consequently theyr welthe interrupted therewythe when other meÌ„ are not ware For trowe you Cosin that the temptacyons of the deuyll the worlde and the fleshe solicyting the minde of a good man vnto sinne is not a great inward trouble secrete griefe to his heart To such wretches as care not for theyr conscience but like vnreasonable beastes folowe theyr foule affeccions many of these temptacioÌ„s be no trouble at all but matter of theyr bodily pleasure But vnto him Cosin that standeth in dreade of god tribulacion of temptacioÌ„ is so paynefull that to be rydde therofâ— or sure of the victory therin be his substaunce neuer so great he would gladly geue more then half Now if he that careth not for god thinke this trouble but a trifle and with such tribulacion prosperitie not interrupted let him cast in his minde if hym selfe happe vpon a feruent longing for the thing which geat he cannot as a good man will not as percase hys pleasure of some certaine good woman that wil not be naught and than let him tel me whether the ruffle of his desier shal so torment his minde as al the pleasures that he can take besyde shal for lacke of that one not please him of a pynne And I dare be bolde to warraunte him that the payne in resisting and the great feare of falling yâ— many a good man hath in his temtacioÌ„ is an anguishe and a grief euery deale as great as his Nowe saie I farther Cosin that if this be true as in very dede true it is that such trouble is tribulacioÌ„ and therby coÌ„sequently an interrupcioÌ„ of prosperous welth no man precysely meaneth to pray for other to kepe him in continual prosperitie without any maner of discoÌ„tinuaÌ„ce or chauÌ„ge in this world so yâ— prayer wtout other coÌ„dicioÌ„ added or imployed were inordinate were very childishe For it were to praye that eyther they should neuer haue teÌ„ptacioÌ„ or els if that they had they might folow it fulfil theyr affeccioÌ„ Who dare good Cosin for shame or for synne for hym selfe or for anye maÌ„ els make this maner kind of praier Besides this Cosin the church you wote well aduiseth euerye man to fast watch prai both for tamiÌ„g of his fleshly lustes also to mourne and lament for his sinne before committed and to bewaile his offences done against god and as they did at the citie of Niniue and as the prophete Dauid did for theyr sinne put affliccion to their fleshe and whan a manne so dooeth Cosin is this no tribulacion to hym because he dooeth it hymselfe For I wote well you would agree that it were if an other man did it againste his will Than is tribulacion you wote well tribulacion styll thoughe it be taken well in worthe yea and though it be taken to with very righâ— good wyl yet is payn you wote wel payn therfore sâ— is it thoughe a manne dooe it himselfe Than sith thâ— churâ—he aduiseth euery manne to take tribulacion for his synne whatsoeuer wordes you fynde in any prayer they neuer meane you maye bee faste and sure to praye god kepe euerye good manne nor euerye badde man nether froÌ„ euery maner kind of tribulacioÌ„ Now he that is not in some kynde of tribulacion as peraduenture in sicknesâ— or in losse of goodes is not yet out of tribulacion yf he haue his ease of bodye or of mind vnquieted and therby his welthe interrupted with an other kinde of tribulacionâ— as is eyther temptacion to a good man or voluntarye affliccion eyther of bodye by penaunce or of mynde by contricion and heauines for his syn offence agaynst god And thus I say that for precise perpetual welthe and prosperitie in this world that is to say for the perpetuall lacke of all trouble and al tribulacion there is no wise man that ether praieth for himself or for ani man els thus answere I your first obieccioÌ„ Now before I medle with your secoÌ„d your third wil I ioine to this For vpoÌ„ this answer will the solucioÌ„ of your ensaÌ„ples coÌ„uenieÌ„tly depend As for SalomoÌ„ was as you sai al his daies a merueilous welthy king much was he beloued with god I wote wel in that beginning of his raigne but that the fauor of god perseuered him as his prosperitie did that cannot I tel And therfore wil I not warrant it but surely we se that his coÌ„tinuall welâ—hâ— made him fal first into such wantoÌ„ foli in multiplying wyues to an horrible noumber contrary to the commaundemente of god geuen in the lawe of Moyses and secondly taking to wife among other such as were infidels contrary to an other commaundement of gods written law also that finallye by the meane of his miscreant wife he fel into maintenauÌ„ce of Idolatrie himself and of this find we no amendment or repeÌ„tance as we find of his father And therfore though he were buryed where his father was yet whether he wente to the rest that his father didâ— throughe some secrete sorow for his sinne at last that is to say by some kind of tribulacion I cannot tel am content therefore to trust wel and pray god he did so
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
no more but lye still slepe lyke a good sonne him selfe tyll hys mayster were vp and readye to goe to worke and so shoulde he be sure that he should not wake him no more To tel you al the poore Asses confessioÌ„ it were a long worke for euery thing that he dyd was deadly synne wyth him the poore soule was so scrupulous But his wise wyly coÌ„fessor accoumpted theÌ„ for trifles as they were in dede and sware afterwarde vnto the bageard that he was so weary to syt so long and heare him that sauing for the maner sake he had leuer haue sytten all the whyle at breakefaste wyth a good fatte goose But when it came to the penaunce geuing the foxe found that the most waighty sinne in al his shrift was glotonye and therefore he discretly gaue hym in penaunce that he shoulde neuer for gredines of hys owne meate doe anye other beast anye harme or hinderaunce and then eate hys meate and studye for no more Nowe as good mother Maude tolde vs when the Woulfe came to confession to father Raynarde for that was she said the foxes name vpon good frydaye his confessor shooke his greate payer of beades vpon him almoste as bigge as bowles and asked hym wherefore he came so late Forsoth father Raynarde quod the woulfe I muste nedes tell you the truth I come you wote well therefore I durst come no sooner for feare lest you woulde for my glotonye haue geuen me in penaunce to fast some parte of thys lent Naye naye quod father foxe I am not so vnreasonable for I fast none of it my selfe For I may say to the sonne betweene vs twayne here in confession it is no commaundement of god this fasting but an inuencion of man The priestes make folke faste and put them to payne aboute the moone shyne in the water and doe but make folke fooles but they shal make me no such foole I warraunte thee sonne For I eate fleshe all this lent my self I howebeit because I wil not be in dede occasion of slaunder I therefore eate it secretlye in my chaÌ„ber out of sight of al such foolishe brethren as for theyr weake scrupulous conscience would waxe offended wythall and so woulde I counsayle you to doe Forsoth father Foxe quod the woulfe and so I thanke god I doe as nere as I can for when I goe to my meate I take none other coÌ„pany wyth me but such sure brethren as are of my owne nature whose coÌ„sciences are not weake I warraunt you but theyr stomake as strong as myne Wel thaÌ„ no force quod father foxe But when he heard after by hys confessioÌ„ that he was so great a rauenor that he deuoured spent somtyme so muche vytaile at one meale as the pryce therof woulde finde some poore man wyth hys wyfe and his children almost al the wieke than he prudently reproued that poynte in hym and preached hm a processe of his owne temperaunce which neuer vsed as he said to passe vpon him selfe the valure of .vi. d. at a meale no nor yet so much neither For when I bring home a Gose quod he not out of the poulters shoppe where folke fynde them out of theyr feathers ready plucked and se which is the fattest yet for .vi. d. by chose the best but out of the houswifes house at the first hand whych maye somwhat better cheape aforde them you wote wel than the poulter maye nor yet can not be suffered to se them plucked and stande and chose theÌ„ by daye but am fayne by night to take aduenture and when I come home am fayne to dooe the laboure my selfe plucke her Yet for all this though it be but leane I wene not well worth a grote serueth it me somtime for all that both dinner and supper to And therfore as for that you liue of rauen therin can I finde no fault you haue vsed it so longe that I thinke you can dooe none oâ—her and therefore were it folye to forbydde it you and to saye the trueth against good consience to For lyue you must I wote wel and other craft can you none and therfore as reason is must you lyue by that But yet you wote well to much is to much measure is a merye meane whiche I perceyue by your shrifte you haue neuer vsed to kepe and therfore suerly this shall be your penance that you shal al this yere neuer passe vpon your selfe the price of .vi. d. at a meale as nere as your conscyence can gesse the pryce Their shrifte haue I shewed you as mother Maude shewed it vs. But nowe serueth for our matter the coÌ„science of them bothe in the true perfourminge of theyr penaunce The poore Asse after hys shrifte wheÌ„ he waxed an hungred sawe a sowe lye wyth her pigges well lapped in newe strawe and neare he drewe and thought to haue eaten of the strawe but anon his scrupulous coÌ„science begaÌ„ therein to gâ—udge him for while his penaunce was for gredines of his meate he should doe none other bodye no harme he thought he might not eate one straweâ— lest for lacke of that strawe some of those pigges mighte happe to dye for colde so helde he still his hungre tyll one brought hym meate But wheÌ„ he should fal therto then fel he yet in a farre farther scruple for then it came in hys mynde that he should yet breake hys penaunce if he should eate any of the either syth he was coÌ„mauÌ„ded by his ghostly father that he shoulde not for his owne meate hyndre any other beaâ—te for he thoughte that if he eate not that meate some other beast might happe to haue it and so shoulde he by the eatyng of it paraduenture hyndre some other and thus stode he styll fasting tyl when he â—olde the cause his ghostly father came aud enformed hym better and then he caste of that scruple and fell manerly to his meate and was a right honest Asse many a fayre daye after The woulfe nowe comming froÌ„ shrift cleane soyled from his sinnes went about to doe as a shreude wyfe once tolde her husbande that she would doe when she came from shrifte Be mery man quod she nowe for this daye I thanke God was I well shryuen and I purpose nowe therfore to leaue of al mine olde shrewdnes and begin euen afreshe Vincent Ah well vncle can you reporte her so that worde harde I her speake but she saide it in sporte to make her good maÌ„ laughe ☞ Antony In dede it semed she spake it halfe in sporte for that she sayde she woulde caste awaye all her olde shrewdnes therein I trowe she sported but in that she sayde she woulde begynne it all afreshe her husbande found that good earnest ☞ Vincent Wel I shal shewe her I warrant you what you saye ¶ Antony Than wyll you make me make my worde good but what soeuer she did at leastwise so fared now this woulfe which had cast out all hys olde rauen
Domini est gubernare linguam To god it belongeth to gouerne the tongue For here when he sayde he would geue halfe of hys whole good vnto poore people and yet besyde that not onely recompâ—ce any man whom he had wronged but more than recompence him by three times asmuche again He double reproued the false suspicion of the people that accouÌ„ted him for euil yâ— than reckoned in their mind al his good gotten in eâ—fect with wrong because he was growen to substaunce in that office which was commoÌ„ly misused extorciously But his wordes declared that he was râ—pâ— inough in his reckoning that if half his goodes wer geueÌ„ away yet wer he wel able to yeld euery man his duetiâ— with the other half yet leaue himselfe no beggar neither for he said not he would geue al away Would god Cosin yâ— euery riche christen man that is reputed right worshipful yea which yet in my mind more is râ—ckoned for right honest too would and wer able to do the thing thaâ— litle zacheus yesame great Publicanâ— were he Iewe or wer he Painim said that is to weâ—e with lesse theÌ„ halfe his goodes recompence euery man whom he had wronged .iiii. times as much ye ye Cosin asmuch for as much hardly and than they â—hat shal receiue it shall be content I dare promise for theÌ„ to let the other thrise as muche go forgeue it because it was one of the hard poyntes of the olde lawe wheras christen men must be ful of forgeuing and not vse to require aâ—d exact theyr amendes to the vttermost But now for our purpose here notwithstaÌ„ding that he promised not neither to geue away al nor to become a beggar nether no nor yet to leaue of his office nether which albeit that he had not vsed before peraduenture in euery poynt so pure as S. Iohn baptist had taughte theÌ„ the lesson Nihil amplius quam constitutâ— eâ—â—vobis faciatis Doe no more theÌ„ is appoynted vnto you Yet forasmuch as he might both lawfully vse his substance that he minded to reserue and lawfully might vse his office to in receiuing the Princes duetie according to Christes expresse commaundement Reddite que sunt Seâ—arâ—s â—efari Geue themperour those thinges that are his refusing al extorcion bribery beside our lord wel allowing his good purpose and exacting no farâ—her foorth of him concernyng hys worldly bâ—haueourâ— aunsâ—ered and sayd Hoâ—â—e salus facta â—st huiâ— dâ—mui eo quod ipse â—ilius sit Abrahe This day is healâ—h comen to this house for that he too is the sonne of Abraham But now forgeat I noâ— Cosyn that in effecte thus farre you condiscende vnto meâ— that a man may be riche and yet not out of the state of grace nor out of goddes fauour howbeit you thinke that though it maye be so in some tyme or in some place yet at this time and in this place or any such other like wherein be so many poore people vpon whom they be you thinke bounden to bestowe their good they can therfore kepe no riches with good conscience Uerely Cosin if yâ— reason would hold I wene the world was neuer such any where in which any man might haue kept any substaunce without the daunger of damnacion as for since Christes dayes to the worldes end we haue the witnes of his own word that there hath neuer lacked poore meÌ„ nor neuer shal for he sayed himselfe Pauperes semper habebitis vobiâ—cum quibus quum vultis beneâ—acere poâ—estis Poore men shal you alway haue with you whom when you wil you may doe good vnto so that as I tell you if your rule should hold then wer there I wene no place in no time since Christes dayes hetherto nor as I thinke in as loÌ„g before that neither nor neuer shal there hereafter in which there could any man abide riche without the danger of eternall daÌ„nacion euen for his riches alone though he demeaned it neuer so well But Cosin men of substauÌ„ce must there nedes be for els shal you haue moe beggars pardie theÌ„ there be no man left able to relieue another For this thinke I in my mind a very sure conclusion that if al the money that is in this cuÌ„trey were to morowe next brought together out of euery mans hand and layd al vpon one heape and than deuided out vnto euerye man alike it would be on the morrowe after worse than it was the day before For I suppose whan it were all egally thus deuided amoÌ„g al the best should be left litle better than a begger almost is now and yet he that was a begger before al that he shal be the richer for yâ— he should therby receiue shal not make him much aboue a begger stil but many one of the riche me if their riches stode but in moueable substauncâ— shal be safe inough froÌ„ riches haply for al their life after Men can not you wote well liue here in thys worlde but if that some one maÌ„ prouide a meane of liuing for some other many euerye man cannot haue a ship of hys own nor euery man be a marchaunt without a stocke and these thinges you wote wel must nedes be had nor euery maÌ„ cannot haue a plowe by himselfe And who might liue by the taylors craft if no man were able to put a gown to make who by masonrye or who could liue a carpenter if no man were able to builde neither churche nor house Who should be makers of anye maner of cloth if there lacked men of substaunce to set sondry sortes a worke Some man that hath but two duccates in his house weâ—e better forbeare them bothe and leaue hymselfe not a farthing but vtterly lese all his owne than that some ryche man by whome he is wâ—ekely sette a worke shoulde of his money lese the one halfe for than were himselfe like to lacke worke For surely the riche mannes substaunce is the weispring of the poore mans liuing And therfore here would it fare by the poore man as it fared by the woman in one of Esopes fables which had an henne that layde euery daye a golden egge tyll on a day she â—hought she would haue a great mayny of egges at once and therefore she kylled her henne and foâ—nd but one or twayne in her belly so that for couetise of those sewe she lost manye But nowe Cosin to come to your dout how it may be that a man may with conscience kepe riches with him when he seeth so many poore men vpon whom he may bestowe it Uerely that might he not with conscience do if he muâ—t bestowe it vpon as many as he may And so must of trueth euerye â—iche man doe if all the poore folke that he seeth be so specially by Gods commaundement committed vnto his charge alone that because our sauiour saith Omni petenâ—ite dâ— Geue euery maÌ„ that asketh the therfore should he be bouÌ„d to geue out stil to eueri beggar that
wil aske him as long as any penny lasteth in his purse But verely Cosin that saying hath as S. Paule saithâ— and other places in Scripture neede of interpretacion For as holy S. Austen saith Though Christ say geue euerye man that asketh the he saith not yet geue them al that they wil aske thee But surely al wer one if he meint to bynde me by coÌ„maundement to geue euery man without excepcion somewhat â—or so should I leaue my selfe nothing Our sauior in that place of the .vi. Chap of S. Luke speaketh both of the conteÌ„pt that we should in heart haue of these worldly thinges also of the maner that men should vse toward their enemies For there he biddeth vs loue our enemies geue good wordes for euil not onely suâ—fer iniuries pacientlye bothe by takyng away our goodes and harme done vnto our bodies but also be ready to suffer the double and ouer that to doe theÌ„ good agayne that dooe vs the harme And amonge these thinges he biddeth vs geue euerye manne that asketh meaning that in the thing that we may conueniently do a maÌ„ good we should not refuse it what maner of man soeuer he be though he were oure mortalâ— enemy namely where we see that but if we helpe him our self the person of the man should staÌ„d in peril of perishing there saith Si esurierit inimicus tuus da illi cibuÌ„ If thine enemy be in hunger geue him meate But nowe though I be bound to geue euery maner of man in some maner of his necessitie wer he my frend or my foe christen maÌ„ or heathâ— yet am I not vnto al men bound alike nor vnto any man in euery case alike But as I began to tell you the differeÌ„ce of the circumstances make great change in the matter S. Paul saithâ— Qui non prouidet suis est infideli deterior He that prouideth not for those that are his is worse thaÌ„ an infidele Those are ours that are beloâ—ging to our charge either by nature or law or any coÌ„maundement of god by nature as our children by law as our seruantes in our houshold so that albeit these two sortes be not ours al alike yet would I thinke that the least to be ours of the twayn that is to wete our seruantes if they nede lack we be bâ—undeÌ„ to loke to them prouide for their nede see so farforth as we may that they lacke not the thinges that should serue for theyr necessitie while they dwel in our seruice Me semeth also that if they fal sicke in our seruice so that they caÌ„not do the seruice that we retain theÌ„ for yet may we not in any wise turne them then out of dores cast theÌ„ vp coÌ„fortles while they be noâ— able to labor helpe themselfe for this wer a thing agaynst al humanitie And surely if he wer but a waifaring maÌ„ that I receued into mi house as a geast if he fal sicke therin his money gone I reckon my self bouÌ„den to kepe him still and rather to begge aboute for his reliefe than cast him oute in that case to the peryll of hys lyfe what losse soeuer I shoulde take thereby in keeping of him For when God hath by suche chaunce sente him to me and there once matched me with hym I reckon my selfe surely charged with him till I maye without perell of his life be well and conueniently discharged of him By Goddes commaundement are in our charge our pareÌ„tes for by nature we be in theyrsâ— sith as S. Paul saith it is not the childrens part to prouide for the pareÌ„tes but the parentes to prouide for the children prouide I meane conueniently good learning or good occupacions to geat theyr liuing by with trueth and the fauour of god but not to make prouisioÌ„ for theÌ„ of such maner of liuing as to godward they should liue the woorse for but rather if they see by their maner that to much woulde make them nought the father should then geue them a great deale the lesse But although the nature put not the parentes in the charge of the childreÌ„ yet not onely god coÌ„maundethâ— but the ordre of nature also compelleth that the children should both in reuerent behaueour honor their father mother also in al their necessitie maintain theÌ„ yet asmuch as god nature both bindeth vs to the sustenance of our own father his nede may be so litle though it be sumwhat and a freÌ„d mans so great that both god nature also would I should in suche vnequal nede relieue that vrgent necessitie of a straunger yea my foe gods enemy to the veri Turke or Sarazin before a litle nede vnlikely to do great harme in my father and in my mother to for so ought they bothe twayne them selfe to be well content I shoulde But nowe Cosyn out of the case of suche extreme nede well perceiued and knowen vnto my selfe I am not boundeÌ„ to geue euery begger that will aske nor to beleue euery faytor that I mete in the strete that will saye him selfe that he is very sycke nor to reckon all the poore folke committed by God only so to my charge alone the none other man shoulde geue them nothinge of his tyll I haue first geueÌ„ out al myne nor am not boundeÌ„ neyther to haue so euill opinioÌ„ of all other folke saue my selfe as to thinke that but if I helpe the pore folke shal al faile at once for god hath left in al this quarter no mo good folke nowe but me I may thinke better by my neyghbour worse by my selfe than so yet come to heauen by goddes grace well inough Vincent Marye Uncle but some man wil peraduenture he right well coÌ„tent in such cases to thinke his neyghbours verye charitable to the entent that he maye thinke him selfe at libertie to geue nothing at al. Anthony That is Cosin verye true so wyll there some be contente eyther to thinke or make as though they thought but those are they that are contente to geue noughte because they bâ— nought But our question is Cosin not of theÌ„ but of good folke that by the keping of worldely goodes stande in great feare to offend god For the acquieting of theyr coÌ„scieÌ„ce speake we â—ow to the entent yâ— they may perceiue what maner of hauing of worldly goodes keping therof maye stand with the state of grace Nowe thinke I Cosin that if a maÌ„ kepe riches about him for â— glorye royalty of the worlde in coÌ„sideracioÌ„ whereof hâ— taketh a great delite liketh him self therfore the betteâ— taking the poore for the lacke thereof as one farre worsâ— thaÌ„ him self such a mind is very vaine foolishe prouâ— and suche a man is verye naughte in dede But oâ— the other side if there be a maÌ„ such as would god theâ—â— were many that hath vnto riches no loue but hauing â— fal aboundantly vnto him taketh to hys owne parâ—â— no great pleasure
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