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
mete maketh hit to swelle fastyng maketh hit lene playes maketh hit to erre waylynge destroyed hit besynesse constreyneth hit sewerâ—e maketh hit rude rekles riches enhaunseth hit pouerte abateth hit wepyng abassheth hit youthe maketh hit wanten age maketh hit to yelde sekenesse maketh hit to breke And after all this cometh deth whiche destroyeth maketh an ende therof with all his Ioyes in suche wyse as whenne the Ioyes be past all semeth as they had neuer ben Also it is redde in the book of Sapyence in the .ii. chapitre That the dayes of our lyfe nys but shorte yet are they full of greuaunce we be made wote not wherof And after we shall be as we hadde neuer ben For oure dayes passen as dothe a shadowe It is red in the same book of Sapyence in the same chapitre That our lyf passeth like the trace of a clowde shal fayle as the lytyll clowde that is broken by the myghte of the sonne beames It is wryten in Iob the .vii. chapitre Beholde how my dayes be all passed and I shall goo forthe in the pathe shall neuer retourne ageyn Also the same Iob sayth in the .ix. chapitre My dayes are passed more lyghtly than a curroure or a messanger They are gone lyghtly awaye as shyppes done that be charged with apples Or as an egell dooth flee for his mete Iob sayth also My dayes be passed more lyghtly than clothe is cutte from the lome and they be all wasted withoute ony hope of recouerey O lord god Remembre then is my lyfe oughte but wynde shall not my eyen retorne ageyn to see the good thynges to come To the purpose speketh Petre de bloys in his boke called Aurora My lyf shal be sooner out of this worlde than a webbe of clothe cut from the lome RemeÌ„bre thou then how thy lyfe may be resembled to the wynde Loo now my righte dere frende howe shorte howe lytyll howe mutable how disceyuyÌ„g is this our lyfe presente for as it is sayd in Ecclesiastes in the .xviii. chapitre It is grete age in a man to be C. yere olde â–ª but by succession of tyme it is gretely amynysshed It is wryten in the Psalter The dayes of our yeres be .lxx. yf we may come to foure score yere the superplus is no thynge but labour sorowe But what is it of .lx. yere or yet of Cought this to be taken of a longe tyme a grete space of yeres Certeynly nay in regarde towarde the sempiternyte It ought rather be named a moment thaÌ„ a space of tyme. for to oure lord a M. yere is but as yesterday whiche lightly is past Derely this lyfe in short transytory paynfull wretched hit is not onely to be thoughte nor poysed for the shortenesse But moche more for the incerteynte therof whiche is doubtfull and ful of casuel peryll we be not sure therof day nor hour And whenne it sheweth vs sewerte peas thenne sodeynly cometh deth with hit perauenture the false theif Sathan Therfore sayth to vs a poete who is he knowynge hymselfe to lyue many yeres sens we knowe not whether we shall dye to morowe or sooner It is wryten in Isaye the xxxviii chapitre saynge Dyspose thy hous for thou shalt dye sone not longe lyue Isaye seyth also in the same Chapitre that my lyfe is hyt from me as a pece of clothe from the lome And whenne I began fyrst the lyffe then began dethe to approche toward me For this cause it is sayde in the book of Sapience in the .v. chapitre we be soone born sone leue our beyng To this purpose seyth Senek in his pystles Eueryday we dye euery day is taken away from vs parte of our lyfe Than thus what is oure lyfe ought ellys but a passage or a rennyng toward deth therfor it is not vnresonable that she be lykened to an Orylage whiche gooth alway from degre to degre coÌ„tynually mouynge tyll it come to a certayne poynt then it stryketh sodenly vpon the belle whiche coÌ„streyneth the sowne Semblably our lyfe passeth alway renneth tyll it come to a certeyn poynte That is to wyte The hour of our deth whiche oure lorde hath prefixed and no man may it passe and than our lyf falleth and fayleth without remedye Awake thenne entende wysely to the ende of thy lyfe For thyn Orylage hath but fewe degrees to renne and euery houre she ouerpasseth many And whenne it cometh to the laste thou shalt stomble sodeynly in to the cauerne or caue of dethe Now herken what a Poete sayth The presente lyfe is short alway fleynge and fadeth as a shadowe departeth falleth sodeynly when one wenes that she be moost permanente and abydyng in the myddes of our lyfe we be often at our deth And therfore haue we in Ecclesiastes in the .ix. chapytre That man knoweth not his ende but as a fysshe taken with a nette the bryddes with a trappe Semblably men be takeÌ„ at inconuenyent tymes thê° cometh our ende dethe is the last thyng to all thyÌ„ges beryng lyfe It is wryten in a book of the lyfe of the dedes of grete Alexander O how happy sholde a man be yf he had alwaye in Remembraunce of the eternall Ioyes drad deth that is ordeyned as well to the nobles as to the poore peple whiche cometh to the grete peryll dauÌ„ger of the soule whenne it is unpurueyed Loo here then my right dere frende thou seest well that the lyfe of man is but a thyng dyked aboute enuyrouÌ„de with ruynous deth oure flesshe is but asshes And suche as was the begynnyng suche shal be the ende saynte Bernarde sayth wheÌ„ne I Remembre that I am but asshes and that myn ende approched my drede and fere is withoute ende and I wexe colde as asshes And therfore as â–ª Saynt Gregory saythe That man sollycyteth well his good werkes that thenketh allewaye vpon his last ende And we shold drede that euery day sholde be oure laste daye And alwaye haue in mynde that necessaryly we muste dye who maye haue thenne a bolde corage consyderynge the shortnesse the grete Incerteynte of oure lyfe the approchyng of oure dethe whiche is comyng who is he also thou ought not thynke dilygeÌ„tely that our dayes our yeres fayle and waste as the smoke And the man naturelly born lyueth but a short space and fadeth as a floure and fleeth a waye lyke a shadowe who is he also that calleth thyese thynges to mynde and peyses them well in his herte and so subdeweth the deuyll the flesshe and the worlde repenteth hym in this shorte space To say you trouth there be none that deferre and be neclygent soo to doo but oonly those that be all blynded in malyce and lacke of grace O how grete a payne shall ensewe of neclygence Thappostle sayth to the Hebrues in the seconde-chapitre Howe shall we flee that dyspyse soo gret an helthe As to say
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
wayes perseuered in me and alle that euer myne eyen haue desyred I haue not denyed them not defended but that they haue vsed all voluptuousnesse and they haue had noo delectacyon but in suche thynges that I had ordeyned them when that I tourned me behelde well all these thynges and the werkes that my handes had wrought loked vpon the labour that I had many tymes swette in all for noughte I perceyued then and knewe well that all my werkes were but vanyte and affeccyon of spyryte And that vnder the sonne in this worlde was noo thyng permanent nor sure Now in trouth all thyÌ„ges passe here lyke a shadowe Therfore seyth Iohan de garlandia That al thyng of this world that was is shal be perysseth in the moment of an houre what proufyteth than to haue ben to be nowe or to be herafter Certeyne thyse be thre thynges blowyng without flours For all thyngis that were be or shal be haue a finyssynge The worlde passeth the concupyscens therof also And therfore it is sayd wherfore taketh a wyseman thought for to gete tresoure whiche is sone loste And saynt Bernarde sayth in his book of medytacoÌ„ns wherfore maketh ony man tresour here of ryches sythen with out delay bothe that that is assembled he that gadereth hit passen be loste togyder O thou man what anayll entendes that to haue in this worlde whenne the fruyte is but ruynouse the ende deth My cordyall good frende now wolde god that thou woldest vnderstonde well these thynges suerly ordeyne for thy laste thyÌ„ges Petre de bloys sayth in a pystle that the dysceyuable vayn glorye of this worlde begyleth all thoos that loueth hit For all that euer it promytteth in tyme to come or pretendeth in tyme present fayleth and cometh to nought as water cast vpon the erthe Beholde then how frayle how disceyuable and how vayn is the worlde the Ioye therof that we desyre so mekell O the fole wherfore dispysest thou not lightely thooâ—â—â—â—nges that thou seest 〈◊〉 shortly fayle passe Lrnowest thou not howe the worlde is right noughte and furyous And that in languyssyng it perysseth by the gleyue of the right cruell deth hit is a trouth that none argument can serue to the contrarye wherfore and by thise thynges afore rehersed it appereth manyfestely how Remembraunce of deth sholde cause dispisyng of all worldly thynges and withdrawynge a man from fallyng to synne ¶ How RemeÌ„brauÌ„ce of deth maketh a man to take vpon hym penauÌ„ce ¶ The thryd chapytre of the fyrste pryncypall parte FOlowyng thorder before let It is now to enquere diligeÌ„tly how remeÌ„braunce of deth causeth a man to do penauÌ„ce gladly to accepte it This appereth clerely by Ionas the ê“phete in the iiâ— chapitre spekyng of them of Nynyue whiche dyde penauÌ„ce for fere of deth wherfore saynt Iohan Baptyste enduceth men also to do penauÌ„ce As Saynt Luke wryteth in his .iii. chapitre sayenge Do ye the dygne fruytes of penaunce And he sayth afterwarde The axe is sette to the rote of the tree Whiche sygnyfyeth the thretenynges of deth And therfore sayth Saynte Ambrose vpon Luke Alas lorde yf I haue not bewayled my synnes Alas lorde yf I haue not rysen atte myd nyght to confesse me to the. Alas yf I haue begyled my neyghbour Alas yf I haue alwaye sayde trouthe The axe is redy sette to the rote Euery man therfore thenne do penaunce deserue the fruyte of grace For here cometh the lord to aske the fruyte of our lyf For this cause Iob consyderynge the shortnesse of this presente lyfe had leuer and chase to haue repentauÌ„ce presently than afterwarde wherby sholde growe no fruyte The same Iob sayde in his .x. chapytre shall not my short dayes breefly fynysshe yes in trouthe The lyfe present is right shorte Alas then a lytyll whyle lete me coÌ„playne and bewayle my sorowe a fore my departyng in to the tenebrous derkenesse of dethe with out retornyng And it is also sayd in Iob the xiiii chapytre That mannes dayes be breef It is wryten in the fyrst pystle ad Corintheos in the evii chapytre the tyme is breef were it not better then now breefly to susteyne a lytyll payne then afterward when it cannot profyt to repent without profyt bewayle it infynytely Saynt Austyn seyth the better is a lityl bytternesse in the mouthe then eternally to suffre payn in al the hole body of man Also he seyth in a sermon that the lyfe of euery man froÌ„ his youthe to his age is but short though AdaÌ„ lyued yet sholde this day dye what sholde it auaÌ„taged him to haue lyued so longe sothly lytyll or noughte but he myght sey the tyme of my lyf is past And also sayth a wyse man what sholde it profyte a man to lyue CC. yeres when at his deth he shal thynke all his lyfe is passed as wynde And saynt Austyn sayth vpon the Psalter If thou haddest lyued sens Aoam was chased oute of paradyse terrestre tyll nowe and that thou sholdeste dye this daye thou sholdest thynke thy lyfe not longe whiche so soone sholde passe Now how longe soo euer a mannes lyfe be take that it maye be lengthed asmoche more to cause many yeres yet it shall fayle and vanysshe as the shynynge of the morowe sonne And the same Saynte Austyn seyth in an Omely that we be more frayle brotyll then though we were made of glasse For al be it that glasse is brotyll yet yf it be well kept it may endure right longe But mannes lyfe be it neuer so well and dilygently kept it may not longe endure Therfore it is wryten to the Hebrues in the .ix. chapitre It is establysshed and ordeyned euery creature ones to dye And Senek sayth in his book of remedyes ayenst fortune That our lyfe is but a pylgremage when one hath longe walked he must fynally retorne This necessite to dye shortnesse of the lyfe of man was wel consydered by the paynym Xerses Of whom saynt Iherom wrote in a pystle to Elyodorê° sayng that this puyssaÌ„t kyng xerses whiche subuerted the monteyns couored the sees beynge ones in right hye place loked vpon the Infynyte multytude of his hoost tendrely wepte by cause he knew that none of thoos whom he behelde sholde lyue ouer an C. yeres It is a thyng right necessary in the worlde that mannes lyfe be not longe lastynge And as Balam sayth It is lykened to a tree hauyng .ii. wormes fretynge in the rote the one blak the other white in the symylytude of the day the nyght whiche Incessantely gnawe the rote of the tree of lyfe Saynt Austyn vpon the sayng of Saynte Iohan in his .iii. chapitre treatyng vpon this questyon Quid est vita nostra c This lyfe is a doubtfull lyfe a blynde lyfe a nedy lyfe humours make hit to bolne sorowes make hit feble hete dryeth hit eyer dysposeth hit to sekenesse
we myght haue heuen yf we wolde And Saynte Effran sayth My right dere brotheren and frendes yf we be neclygent in the lytyll space of tyme that we haue nowe we shall haue noo maner of excusacion to allegge for remedye of our synnes Therfore dysprayse not the shortnesse of this tyme But doo penaunce whyle ye haue space here For after it wyll be to late without fruyte And better is to doo penaunce here than Infynytely and worlde without ende to repente hit Nowe haste ye therfore and tary not Lest that ye fynally be shet out with the fyne fatuat and fonned virgyns Saynt Mathewe seyth in his .xxv. chapitre Loo here is the spouse come and thoos that were redy ben entred with hyÌ„ to the weddyng wherup on Saynt Gregory saythe That the palays of the herte myghte well asauoured howe wonderfull was that worde Here is the spouse whiche is come How swete was that worde to them that entred with hym to the weddyng And how bytter was the other worde the yates be shytte closed My dere frende yf thou dyde sauour vnderstonde well all this thynges beheldest them well in thyne hert Certeynly thou woldest renne with all dilygence for to do penauÌ„ce wolde not lese so vnproufytably without fruyte the acceptable tyme dayes of thy helthe for no maner of voluptuoê° playsers or other ydlenesse And as it is wryten in the Apocalips in the .ii. chapitre RemeÌ„bre the fro whens thou arte falle or departed and do penaunce It is red howe in dayes passed it happened in the Abbey of Cleruaulx that an holy man beyng in his prayers herde a voys makyng a pyteous lamentacyon And as he asked who it was a soule answered sayeng I am the soule of a daÌ„pned man complaynyng myne vnhappy cause of condemnacoÌ„n And then he demauÌ„ded hym of his payn whiche answered that of all thynges that causeth moost payn to a daÌ„pned soule was losse of tyme that god hadde ordeyned man by his grace that he in a lytyll tyme myghte haue done penauÌ„ce whiche sholde delyuere hym from the euerlastyng peynes of the gehenne of helle To this purpose sayd Hugo of saynt Dyctour The lackyng of the sighte of our lorde and faylyng of all the goodes of grace that we myght haue hadde sholde surmouÌ„te and be more greuous vnto the thanne all the Infernall tourmentes Lete vs do good werkes whyle we haue tyme lest we saye in repentaunce As is sayd in Iheremyas in the .viii. chapitre That is to wete Heruest is past Somer is fynysshed we be not saued wherfore my frendes I requyre humbly praye you that ye wyll amende your selfe in shorte tyme make you redy in this .x. hour for the euenyng hasteth hym And the rewarder shall come to yelde euery man after his werkes Hit may appere by these examples how RemeÌ„braunce of dethe sholde induce a man to do penauÌ„ce It is red of a felonous a cruell knyght whiche wolde neuer accept nor do ony penauÌ„ce enioyned hym by pope Alexander And at last the pope gaue hyÌ„ his rynge that he sholde here it on his fynger by way of penauÌ„ce And as often as he behelde him to thynke on his dethe And whan he had boren hit a space of tyme with the RemembrauÌ„ce on a day he come ageyn to the pope sayng he was redy to shryue hyÌ„ to fulfyll euery other maner of penaunce that he wolde enioyne hym It is red of an other synner that in lyke wyse wolde do noo penauÌ„ce at last his confessoure enioyned hym that he sholde commaunde his seruaunt to presente hym euery daye atte his table with the fyrste messe a staffe the rynde scorched of sayenge Syr Remembre that necessaryly ye must dye not knowynge where whenne in what maner nor howe And as this was a good whyle contynued because of that RemembrauÌ„ce all that he ete torned hym to grefe and trouble And thenne he called agayne for his confessour sayeng he was redy to do and obey ony penauÌ„ce that he wolde ordeyne For his herte was merueylously broughte in grete trouble by the fere of dethe whiche he was in Loo by these thynges a fore rehersed appereth thenne clerely Inough how RemembrauÌ„ce of deth causeth a man to humble hym selfe to dyspyse all worldly thynges and acceptably take vpon hym to doo penauÌ„ce and consequently to eschewe synnes And therfore my righte dere brethern frendes Remembre you often ye right often that ye shall dye And ye here in your myndes the dethe ye shalte well come by that remeÌ„bryng to moost happy resorte of lyfe That is to wyte the herytage of our lorde Ihesu Cryste ¶ And thus endeth the fyrst parte of this treatyse deuyded in foure ¶ Here begynneth the ê“logue of the seconde partye of the four last thynges THe seconde parte of the foure laste thynges wherof frequentynge the RemembrauÌ„ce reuoketh calleth vs from synÌ„e Is the last and fynall day of Iugement of whiche the RemeÌ„brauÌ„ce draweth vs not onely from the dedely gret synnes but also from the smale venyall And therfore it is redde in Vitis PatruÌ„ in the lyfe of faders That an auncyent man seeng a yong man laugh dyssolutely layd sone we must gyue accoÌ„pte of all our lyfe before heuen erthe why laughest thou so fast As who sayth yf thou knewest how strayte a Rekenyng shal be at the day of dome of all synÌ„es aswel gret as smale Certeynly thou woldest not laughe but rather sorowe complayne Now is here the place to wepe and to put awaye synnes And thoos that now wepe for theyr synnes shall laugh herafter Saynt Gregory sayth in his Omelye That the gladnesse of this tyme present ought to be but suche as therby the bytternesse of the day of Iugemente be not put out of Remembraunce Therfore it is wryten in Ecclesiastes the .xxxviii. chapitre Here my Iugement in RemembrauÌ„ce And also our lord by his ê“phete in the psalter seyth when I shall see or take the tyme. I wyll deme do Iustyce to euery one Iohell sayth in his last chapitre Alle men aryse come togydres in to the vale of Iosephat For there I shall sytte Iuge all maner of peple aboute me Iheremyas in his seconde chapitre sayth that our Lorde sayth I shall amownte with you in Iugement Of this Iugement is wryten in Ozee the fourthe chapitre Ye childern of Israhell here ye the worde of our lord of the fynall Iugemente that perteyneth to oure Lorde vpon thenhabytantes of the erth Sothely this Iugement is gretely to be doubted Therfore sayth the prophete I dred for thy Iugementes It is wryten in the book of Sapyence in the .v. chapytre They that see the grete Iuge shall be horrybly troubled playnynge and waylyng the drede of theyr soules Certeynly in this daye shall all people be troubled they that dwell in the vtterest partye of the worlde shall fere those tokens and sygnes they shall doubte them
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
why helpest thou not me out of synÌ„e wherby I myght escape this ê‘petuel deth O how happy o how blissed shal he be that shal not be fouled nor smonged with the fylthes of synne that hath not reioysshed him in the sensuale voluptacyons of this transytorye worlde nor in teÌ„porall vanytees Certeyn I am ferde that we myserable synners haue erred from the waye of lyfe that the lyght of Iustyce hath not shyned vpon vs we haue not folowed the wayes of oure lorde but haue taken the vnhappy wayes of Iniquyte perdycion It is wryten in Isaye the .xlix. chapitre we haue laboured in vayn for nought we haue wasted all oure strengthe what hath our pryde auayled vs what hath profyted our pompe the vanyte of the richesses of this worlde what be we amended by oure Iewelles or precyous garnementes by our delicioê° metes and drynkes oure glotonyes our laughynges ydle disportes now what auantageth vs all thynges wherin we haue vaynely vnproufytably dampnably spent oure tyme. Alas alas we haue lost passed our dayes without fruyte and may be lykened to werse then a dounghyll and all those thynges be paste but oure wretchednesse shall remayne to oure eternall tourmentes Oure lorde shall saye to euery dampned soule as is wryten in Iob in the .xx. chapitre He shall suffre tourmentes paynes after the multytude of his wycked operacyons and in the xviii chapitre of thapocalyps is wryteÌ„ As moche as he hath gloryfyed hym selfe in delytes pleases as moche tourment payne shal be yeuen him therfore to remayne therin eternally Now is it not a grete folye for the riche or vayne pleasyr of this world or ony other myserable thyng a man to submytte hym to perpetuall tormeÌ„t both of his body of his soule Iohan crysostom sayth in his book tytled of the reparacyon of defaultes what contynuauÌ„ce of lecherye space of delectacyons wylt thou compare to the sempyternall paynes Now take that thou lyue C. yere in delectacynns sette therto an other C. yet C. after that .x. hondred yf thou wylt yet what comparyson is this to theternyte Maye not all the tyme of oure bodely lyfe though we entended neuer so voluptuously be resembled vnto a dreme of the nyght in regarde of the sempyternall lyfe Is ther ony persone that ought wyl to haue one pleasant delectable nyght in diemes therfore to fynde the sempyternall paynes so chauÌ„ge for a pleasant dreme so lytyll enduryng to haue the paynes of helle whiche be ê‘petuel what shal we speke of this pleasyr or of those paynes The pleasyrs passe lyghtly awaye the paynes must remayne euerlastyngly Now take it that the tyme the space of the pleasyrs of the paynes were egale Is there ony that ought to be so mad or soo folysshe as to chese for to haue for one day of pleasyr here a day of dampnacyon in helle Remembre how that one houre of bodely sekenesse in this worlde putteth awaye alle pleasyr for the season Right so Remembraunce how the perpetuell paynes ought to resyst ayenst all synnes O how grete tourment and payne shall be to the daÌ„pned soules theyr euerlastynge dampnacyon and perpetuell deth is so harde so sore that I wote not how that I coude expresse hit greuousely Inowe for certeynly it can not suffycyentely be spoken conceyued in mynde nor comprehended in herte Nowe take we that there were a pece of metalle as grete as myghte be comprehended within the concauyte of the .viii. spere and euery M. yere there sholde be taken froÌ„ hit a lytyll pece lyke a grayn and so consequentely tyll it were all broughte to no thyng sholde not the eternyte be fynysshed by that tyme the dampned soules delyuered out of theyr paynes I answere and saye you nay for the perpetuyte shall be thenne but atte the begynnyng there can be no ê“porcion in a thynge Infynyte as Arystotyle the phylosophre sayth in his .viii. booke of his physykes Certaynly yf dampned soules myghten knowe vnderstande that they sholde be delyuered out of thyntollerable paynes of helle as soone as the sayd pece of metalle were soo wasted gone as is aboue sayd yet they myght haue hope of theyr Redempcyon ayenst that season and haue some maner of confort knowyng that theyr tourmentes sholde some tyme taken ende yet the yeres wolde be incomprehensyble and innumerable Nowe surely one of the grettest paynes is the desolacyon and defaulte of hope euer to be redemed and delyuered oute of theternall tourmentis For as it is wryten in Isay the .xxxiiii. chapitre The synner shall be in desolacyon tyme and worlde withouten ende It is wryten in the booke of Trenys the thirde chapitre Myn ende and myne hope in god is perysshed Iheremye in his xv chapitre asketh why is my sorowe made imê‘petuell and my woundes in desperacoÌ„n wherunto is answered in the .x. chapitre of the Prouerbys That whenne the felon synner is ones dede there is thenne none hope to be had Entende remeÌ„bre this all ye that be for geters of oure lorde leest that this moost cruell sorowfull place of helle swalowe you froÌ„ whens ye maye neuer be pulde oute Loo nowe ye maye see clerely how the wretched synner can not be redemed oute of helle wherfore my ryghte dere frendes I amoneste requyre you bere that remembrauÌ„ce well in youre myndes and conceyue well the Example of the pece of metalle aboue specyfyed And now telle me what thou felest and what thyn owne hert demeth and Iugeth in this mater I wene certaynly thy dyscrecyon wyll gyue therunto credence for trewe it is to trouth by Reason that must nedes applye Also bethynke the of the dyuerse prouynces of londes ymagine euery Regyon of them Consyder the sees the ryueres the poondes Enclose in thy mynde the circuyte of the worlde goo euery where therof Flee vp in to the ayer and thenne descende in to the lowest parte of therthe of all this thynke in thy mynde thou hast made an hole substance ymagyne extende how gret a thynge this shold be yf hit myght not be consumed by tracte of tyme thenne tell me what thou thynkest of thynfynyte paynes of synners whether sholde be longe endurynge the consumyng of the same substance or the relessyng of the perdurable paynes I â—â—owe thou wylt agre that there can no thynge be compared to a perpetuyte wherfore we ought all in our corages tymerousely to tremble fere it Now who is he that dredeth hit not who is he that abassheth not therof who is he that had not leuer abyde the consumyng of the forsayd substance than the tyme of eternyte Lete this sayde substance and this tyme of eternyte be couched vpon thyn herte and thou shalt fynde it a proufytable thyng gretely to thyne auantage For yf thou wylt not correcte and reuoke thy selfe from thy synnes by the loue that thou owest to