service and use the office the benefit and the dignity in the which I am for sir I bear your similitude and image which is reputed right worthie noble whereof humbly I yeeld thee graces and thanks Fiftly Lord thou hast given me the skie and his fair ornaments the Sun the Moon and the Starres that the day and night serveth me giving brightnes and light without to be recompenced by me whereof I yeeld to thee graces and thanks Sixtly Lord I knowledge thou hast made Paradise readie for to give me where I shal live with thee in ioyes without end if I do thy wil and keep thy commandements also I knowledge thy other infinit goodnes each day done to me by thy bounty the which ensigneth me to know my God my Saviour and Redeemer wherefore I humbly give thanks to thee By these considerations Shepheards and simple people contempleth the bounty of God and the benefits that they receive of him And know we him and be we not in great knowledge of his benefits in yeelding thanks and praisings to him and recompence of your goods in giving to poor folkes for his sake for ingratitude is a villain sinne that much displeaseth God The seventh and the last thing that each man ought to know is to know himself for it is the best meanes for to come unto the knowledge of God and for to make his salvation so to know himself first Divers folk know many things that know not themselves to whom should profit more to know thēselves than all things in the world They that know the things of the world love them seek them and keep them know not ne love ne praise not ne keep not God in like wise for they know him not What profiteth man to win all the world lose himself for to be damned Better it were for him to leese all the world if it were his if he knew himselfe to be saved Shepheards say the needfull beginning of his salvation is to know himself and contrariwise ignorance of himself is the beginning of damnation anv of all evill that may befall unto him A question of a Master Shepheard to a simple shepheard to weet how he knew himself and he said Shepheard tell me how thou knowest thy self what art thou answer to me And hee said I know my self for I am a Christian man a Shepheard What is it to be a Shepheard And he answered unto that thou askest what man is I say that man is a substance composed of body soul the body is mortall and made of earth as beasts be but the soul is made of spirituall matter as Angells be immortall My body is come of abominable sin and as a sack full of durt and filth and meat for wormes my beginning was vile my life is pain labour feare and in subiection to death and my end shall be wofull but my soul is created of GOD noblie and worthilie to his own image and semblance after the Angels the most fairest and perfect of all creatures by baptism and by faith is made his daughter his spouse his heir of his realm that is Paradise and for her noblenesse and dignitie ought to be a Lady and my body as servant ought to obey her for reason hath ordained and will that it be so and who that doth otherwise and preferreth his body before his soul leeseth the usage of reason and maketh himself semblable unto beasts descending from noble dignity into miserable servitude of sensuality by the which it is grounded so that I know my self man As to the second he demandeth what thing it is to be a Christian man I answer in my understanding to be a Christian man is to be baptized or christned and follow Iesus Christ of whom we be said Christians for to be baptized and not to follow him or to follow him and not to be baptized saveth not man and therefore when we receive baptism we renounce the devill and all his pomps and we make promise for to follow Iesus Christ when we say we will be baptized and who that keepeth this promise hath the very name of a Christian man And who that keepeth it not is a sinner and a lyer to God and servant to the devil and is no more christian than a dead man or a painting on a wall we say that is a man Here demandeth the master Shepheard in how manie things the Christian man ought to follow Iesus Christ for to accomplish the promise of baptism The simple shepheard answereth I say in six things the first in cleannesse of conscience for there is nothing more pleasant to God than a clean conscience and it will be made clean in two manners one is by baptism when we receive it and the other by patience that is contrition of heart confession of mouth satisfaction of work and then when we be clean we be pleasant to Iesus Christ which with the water of his mercie cleanseth the sinners that do penance and maketh them fair The second thing in which we ought to follow Iesus Christ is humility at the example of him Lord of all the world which humbled him to take our humanity and became mortall that was immortall to live in poverty with us bare oppropried pain and finally suffer to be crucified Thus the christian man ensuing him ought to meek himself The third thing is to hold and love truth and specially three truths the first truth is to know our selves for we be mortall and sinfull and who that dyeth in sin shall be damned and this truth withholdeth sin and exhorteth the sinner to doe penance and amend The second truth is of temporall goods for they be transitory and must be left and this truth dispraiseth them to desire the heavenly goods that be eternall The third truth is of God which is the ioy that all Christian men ought to desire and this truth draweth the Christian mā to love and induceth him to good works for to merit the ioyes of Paradise The fourth thing wherein every man ought to follow Iesus Christ is patience in adversity and in the spirit of life by pennace confirming of our selves in the estate of Iesus Christ of whom the life was all in pain and poverty which he endured for us The fift is in compassion of the poor to the example of Iesus Christ that by his mercie healed the poor of all corporall infirmities and the sinner of all ghostly sicknesse and wee by compassion ought to give of our goods to poor folke and comfort them bodily ghostly The sixt thing wherein the christian man ought to follow Iesus Christ is dolour devotion charity in contemplation of the mysteries of his nativity of his death and passion of his resurrection of his ascension and of his advancing to the iudgement that oftentimes ought to be at our heart by holy meditations And as to the last what thing a shepheard is I say it is the knowledge of my vocation as
purpose of living and dying the said shepheard saith the thing that we desire most in this world is to live long and the thing that wee most fear is to dye soon thus he travailed his understanding and made great diligence to know and to do things possible and requisite for to live long whole and ioyfully which this present compost and Kalender of Shepheards sheweth and teacheth Wherefore we will shew you of the bodies celestiall and of their nature and movings and this present book is named the compost for it comprehendeth fully all the compost and more for the daies hours and moments and the new Moons and the Eclipse of the Sunne and the Moon and the signs that the Moon is in every day and this book was made for them that be no Clarks to bring them to great understanding He said also that the desire to live long was in his soul the which alway lasteth wherefore hee would that his desire was accomplished after death as afore He said sith the soul dieth not and in her is the desire to live long it should be an infallible pain not to live after death as afore for he that liveth not after his corporal death shall not have that that he hath desired that is to wit to live long should abide in eternal pain if his desire were not accomplished So concluded the said Shepheard necessary things for him and other to know and do that which appertaineth to live after death as afore And truth it is that he which liveth but the life of this world only though hee lived an hundred year he lived not properly long but he should live long that at the end of this present life should begin the life eternall that is to say the life everlasting in heaven So a man ought to perform his life in this world corporally that he may live spiritually without end For as hee said one shall live everlasting without dying and when he hath the perdurable life hee shall bee perfect And also by this point and none otherwise shall be accomplished the desire of long living in this world The foresaid Shepheard also knowledged that the life of this world was soon past and gone wherefore this Shepheard thought that lxxii years in this vale of wretched misery is but a little and a small term of life to the everlasting the which never shall have ending And therefore he saith he that offereth himself here to live vertuously in this world after this life he shall receive the sweet life that is sure and lasteth ever without end For though a man lived here an C. yeer and more it is but a little term to the life to come Therefore saith this shepheard I will live soberly with these small temporal goods that Iesus hath lent me and ever to exile the desire of worldly riches and worldly worship For they that labour for it and have love to their goods and vain worships oft it parteth man from the heavenly treasure It shutteth mans heart that God may not enter and buildeth man a place of no rest in the low land of darknesse CHAP. II. Hereafter followeth another Prologue of the Master Shepheard that sheweth and proveth the Authors Prologue true that is before rehearsed and so the shepheards dispute one with another but this that followeth the Master shepheard saith to the other of the division of this Kalender Here beginneth the Master Shepheard IT is to be understood that there be in the year four quarters that are called Ver Aestas Autumnus and Hyems These de the four seasons of the year as Prime-time is the spring of the year as February March and April these three months Then commeth Summer as May Iune and Iuly and these three months every hearb grain and tree is in his kind in his most strength and fairnesse even at the highest Then commeth Autumne as August September and October then all these fruits waxe ripe and be gathered and housed Then commeth November December and Ianuary and these three months be the Winter the time of little profit We Shepheards say that the age of man is lxxii years and that we liken but to one whole year for evermore we take six years to every month as Ianuary or February so forth for as the year changeth by the twelve months into twelve sundry manners so doth a man change himself twelve times in his life by twelve ages and every age lasteth six year if so be that he live to lxxii for three times six maketh eighteen and six times six maketh xxxvi And then is man at the best and also at the highest and twelve times six maketh lxxii and that is the age of a man Thus must ye reckon for every month six year or else it may be understood by the four quarters and seasons of the year So man is divided into four parts as to youth strength wisedome and age He to be xviii yeer yong xviii yeer strong xviii yeer in wisdome and the fourth xviii yeer to go to the full age of lxxii And now to shew you how man changeth xii times as the xii months do TAke the first six yeer of Ianuary the which is for no vertue nor strength in that season nothing on the earth groweth So man after he is born till he be six year of age is without wit strength or cunning and may do nothing that profiteth Then commeth February and then the days begin to wax in length and the Sunne more hotter then the fields begin to waxe green So the other six yeers till he come to twelve the child beginneth to grow bigger serve and learn such as is taught him Then commeth March in the which the laborer soweth the earth planteth trees edifieth houses the child in these six yeers waxeth big to learn doctrin science and to be fair honest for then he is xviii years of age Then commeth Aprill that the earth and the trees are covered in green and flowers and in every part goods increase abundantly then commeth the child to gather the sweet flowers of hardinesse but then beware that the cold winds stormes of vices beat not down the flowers of good manners that he should bring man to honor for then he is xxiiii yeer old Then commeth May that is both fair and pleasant for then birds sing in woods and Forrests night and day the Sunne shineth hot and as then is man most ioyfull and pleasant and of livelier strength and seeketh plaies sports and lusty pastime for then he is full xxx years Then cometh Iune and then is the sunne highest in his meridional he may ascend no higher in his station his glimering golden beams ripēs the corn and when a man is xxxvi year he may ascend no more for then hath nature given him beauty and strength at the full and ripeneth the seeds of perfect understanding Then commeth Iuly that our fruits been set a sunning and our corn a
anxia forsitan ardet THe mortall man living in this world is well compared to a ship on the sea or on a perillous river bearing rich marchandise which if it come to the port where the marchant desireth he shall be happy and rich The ship as soon as it is entered into the sea unto the end of her voâ—age night and day is in perill to be drowned or taken with enemies for in the sea be perills without number Such is the body of man living in the world the marchandise that he beareth is his soul his vertues and good workes the port or haven is death paradise for the good to the which who that goeth thither is soveraignly rich the sea is the world full of sinnes for who that assaieth for to passe it is in perill to leese body soul and all his goods to be drowned in the sea of hell froÌ„ the which God keep us Amen CHAP. XIV Here followeth the field of vertues IN walking furthermore in the field of vertues in the way of health for to come to the tower of sapience it necessarily behoveth to love God for without the love of God none caÌ„ be saved anâ— who that will love him ought first to know him for of his knowledge one commeth to his love that is Charitie the soveraigne of all vertues They knowledge God and love him that keep his commandements they misknow him that do not so to whom in the great necessity of their deceasing and at the day of iudgment shall misknow them and say to them I know ye not nor wot not what ye be go ye cursed out of my company Knowledg we then God and love him and if we will do thus know we first our self by the knowledge of our self we shall come to the knowledge and love of God and the more wee know our self the better we shall know God and if we be ignorant of our self we shall have no knowledge of God To this purpose we must note one thing and know seaven The thing wee must note is this whosoever knoweth himself knoweth God and shall not be damned and who is knoweth not himself knoweth not God and shall not be saved understand of them that have wit and discretion with lawfull age of the which knowledge none is excused after he hath sinned deadly for to say that he was ignorant By this appeareth the ignorance of himself of God right perillous Deadly sin is beginning of all evill contrarily knowledge of God and of himself is soveraign science and vertue beginning of all goodnesse The seven things we ought to have been the xii articles of the faith which wee ought to beleeve stedfastly Also the petitions coÌ„tained in the Pater noster by the which we demand all things necessary for our health and that we ought to hope in him also the commandements of the Law and of the holy Church which ensigneth us what we should do and what we should not do and all things belonging to the same Also if we be in the grace of our Lord or not And howbeit we may not know it certainly neverthelesse wee may have some coniectures which be good to know and knowledge of GOD. Also knowledge of himselfe by the which things we may come to the true love and charitie of God to accomplish his commandements and merit in the realme of heaven wherein wee shall live perdurably Of the iii. first is enough said that is to know the twelve articles of the faith in the which lieth our faith and beleefe and the things that we ought to demand of God be contained in the Pater noster wherein our hope lyeth Also the ten commandements of the Law and of holy Church whereas charity is shewed in such as keep them by probation of the love of God and doe his commandements and good works Now will we speak of the other foure and first of the vocation in which we be which is the fourth thing that each man ought to know Each man ought to know his vocation the things belonging to the same be iust and honest for his health and rest of his conscience A good shepheard ought to know the art of sheep-keeping and to govern sheep and lead them into pastures and to heale them when they be sicke and sheere them in season to the intent through his default no damage come to his master In like wise hee that laboureth the corne to know what ground were good for every manner of graine and ought to till the earth and when time is to sow weed reape and thresh so that his Master may have no damage by him Semblably a Surgion ought to know how to comfort and heale such folkes as hee hath charge of without hiding of his art or Surgery Consequently a Marchant ought to know the utterance of his marchandise to others with no more fraud than he would himself should have Also an Advocate or a Proctor ought to know the rites and customes of places that by their fault Iustice be not perverted A Iudge also ought to know both the parties heard who hath right and who hath wrong and iudge equally after true Iustice. Also a Priest or a religious man ought to know their orders and keep them and above all things ought to know the law of God and teach them unto the ignorant And thus of all other vocations For all them as know not their vocation be not worthy to be and live in peril of their soules for their ignorance The fift that all men ought to know is if he have discretion and understanding to know if he be in the grace of God or not And how it be right difficile for God only knoweth it neverthelesse we may have coniectures that sheweth it and sufficient for Shepheards and lay people to know if they be in the love of the Lord if they have coniecture to be in it therefore there ought none to repute themselves iust but ought to humble themselves ask him mercy as maketh sinners become and none other Principally we ought to know this science when we will receive the body of Iesus Christ. For who that receiveth his grace and goodnes receiveth his salvation and who that receiveth him otherwise receiveth everlasting damnation of the which thing every man is iudge in himself of his owne conscience and none other The coniectures whereby we may know if that we be in the grace of God or not The first coniecture is when we do travel for to clense our conscience of our faults by penance as much as if we laboured to get some great good that wee be not culpable of any deadly sin done or in will to doe nor in any sentence then it is good coniecturing to be in the grace of God The second coniecture that sheweth in like wise to be in the grace of God is when we bee more prompt and ready to good observing and keeping the
commandements of God and doe all good workes that we should have accustomed The third coniecture is when wee hear gladly the word of God as Sermons and good counsellers for our saluation The fourth when we be sorry and contrite at our heart to have commised and done any sin The fift is when with good purpose and will of our selves we persever to keep us from sin in time to come These coniectures be they whereby Shepheards and lay people know if they be in his grace or not as much as in them is possible to know The sixt thing that every man ought to know is God for all men ought to know God for to accomplish his will and commandement by the which he would be loved with all thy heart with all thy soul and with all the force that we have which we may not doe if we know him not then who that would love God ought to know him and the more that they know him the more they love him wherefore hereafter shall be said how Shepheards and simple people doe know him Shepheards and simple people for to have knowledge of God of their possibility considering 3 things The first is that they consider the right great riches of God his puissance his soveraign dignity his soveraign noblenesse his soveraign ioy and blisse The second is for they consider the right noble right great and marvellous operations and workes of our Lord God And the third consideration is for they consider the innumerable benefits that they have received of God and that continually every day they receive of him and by these considerations they come to his cognisance and knowledge First to know God Shepheards and lay people consider his great riches plenteous abundance of the goodnesse that he hath for all the treasures and riches of heaven and of the earth bee his and all goodnesse he hath made of the which he is fountaine creator and master and distributeth them largely unto every creature and he hath no need of any other Wherfore it behoveth to say that he is right rich Secōdly he is right puissant for by his great puissance hee hath made heaven earth and the sea with all things contained in them and might undoe them if it were his will unto the which puissance all other be subiect and tremble before him for his great excellency And who that would consider every work of God should find enough to marvell on By the first of these consideratiōs God is known to be right rich by gifts that he giveth to his friends and by the second he is known right puissant for to avenge him on his enemies Thirdly he is soveraignly worthie for all the things of heaven and earth oweth him honour and reverence as to their Creatour and him that made them as wee see children honour father and mother of whom they be descended by a generation and all things be descended of God by a creation to whom ought to be given great reverence and he is so worthie Fourthly hee is soveraignly noble for who that is soveraignly rich puissant and worthie him behoveth to be soveraignlie noble but none other but God hath riches puissance and dignity as he hath wherfore of such nobles ought to be said that he is right noble Fifthly he hath soveraign ioy for he that is rich puissant worthie and right noble is not without soveraign ioy and this ioy is full of all goodnesse and ought to be our felicitie to the which we hope to come That is to know and see God in his soveraign ioy and gladnesse for to have with him eternall ioy that ever shall endure And this is the first consideration of GOD. that shepheards and other simple people ought to have Secondly for to know God considering his great noblenesse and marvellous workes the bounty and the beauty of the things that he hath made for it is commonly said one may know the workman by the work· Knowledge wee then the work of God and knowledge we that his beauty bounty shineth in the operations that he hath made which if they bee fair and good the workman that hath made them must needs bee fair and good without comparison more than any thing that he hath made Be it considered of the heavens and the things therein set what noble and marvellous work how may one consider their excellence beauty Bee it considered also as we may of the earth the right noble marvellous works of God the gold the silver and all manner of metals precious stones in it the fruits that it beareth the trees the beasts that it sustaineth and of the bountie that it nourisheth Be it in like wise considered of the sea the rivers the fish nourished in them The weather the elements the ayre the winds the birds that flie in them and all the usage and service of men And consider the workeman that of his puissance hath made all by his sapience hath right well ordered his works and governeth them by his great bounty and by this manner we may know God as shepheards and simple folkes in considering his work Thirdly for to know God consider the great benefits that we receive daily of him which may not be numbred for their great multitude nor spoken of for their noblenesse dignity albeit in their hearts be vi principally noted For the which another Shepheard giving praises to God said in this manner Lord God I know thou hast indued me with thy infinit benefits by thy great bounty First the benefit of thy creation by the which thou madest me a reasonable man unto thy image and similitude giving me body and soul and raiment to clothe me Lord thou hast given me my wits of nature understanding for to govern my life my health my beautie my strength and my science for to get my living honestly I yeeld to thee graces and great thankes Secondly Lord I know the goodnes of my redemption how by thy misericordious pity thou boughtst me dearly by the affection of thy most precious bloud paines and torments that for me thou hast suffered finally endured death thou hast given me thy body thy soul and thy life for to keep me from damnation wherefore humblie I yeeld to thee graces and great thankes Thirdlie Lord I know the goodnesse of my vocation how of thy great grace thou hast called me again for to inherit thy eternall benediction and also thou hast given unto me faith and knowledge of thine owne self as baptism and all the other sacraments that none intendment may comprize their noblenesse and dignity that so many times hath pardoned me of my sinnes Lord I know that this is to mee a singular gift that thou hast not given to them which have no knowledge of thee whereof I am more beholding humblie bound I yeeld thee graces and thanks Fourthly Lord I knowledge that thou hast given this world and the things that be therein made for my
each hath his as afore is said also to know the transgressions of all these aforesaid things how many times in each we have transgressed for many times we have offended God and who that taketh heed shall find omissions and offences without number the which known we ought to doubt and eschue and do penance And thus it is as I know man is christian and shepheard CHAP. XVI The ballad of a wise man I Know that God hath turned me And made me to his owne likenesse I know that he hath given to me truly Soul and body wit and knowledge ywis I know that by right wise true ballance After my deeds iudged shall I be I know much but I wot not the variance To understand whereof commeth my folly I know full well that I shall die And yet my life amend not I. I know in what poverty Borne a child this earth above I know that God hath lent to me Abundance of goods to my behove I know that riches can me not save And with me I shall beare none away I know the more good I have The lother I shal be to die I know all this faithfully And yet my life amend not I. I know that I have passed Great part of my days with ioy and pleasance I know that I have gathered Sinnes and also doe little penance I know that by ignorance To excuse me there is no art I know that once shal be When my soule shall depart That I shall wish that I had mended me I know there is no remedy And therefore my life amend will I. CHAP. XVI Here followeth the ballad of the woman Shepheard the which Ballad is very necessary and profitable to look upon IN considering my poor humanity Above the earth born with great weeping I consider my fragility My heart is overprest with sinning I consider death will come verily To take my life but the hour wot not I. I consider the devill doth watch me The world and the flesh on me warreth straitly I consider that mine enemies they be three That would deliver me from death to death I consider the many tribulations Of this world whereof the life is not clean I consider an hundered thousand passions That we poor creatures daily fall in I consider the longer I live the worse I am Wherefore my conscience cryeth out on me I consider for sin some be damned as the book saith Which shall ever be delivered from death to death I consider that worms shall eat My sorrowfull bodie this is credible I consider that sinners shall be At the iudgment of God most dreadable O Iesus Christ above all things delectable Have mercy on me at the dreadfull day That shall be so marvellous and doutable Which my poor soul greatly doth fraie In you that I put my trust and faith To save me that I go not from death CHAP. XVII The song of death to all Christian people Though my picture be not to your pleasance And if ye think that it be dreadable Take in worth for surely in substance The sight of it may to you be profitable There is no way also more doubtable Therefore learn know your self and see Look how I am and thus shall you be And take heed of thy self in adventure read I For Adams apple we must all die Alas worldly people behold my manner Sometime I lived with beauteous visage Mine eine be gone I have two holes here I am meat for wormes in this passage Take heed of wealth while ye have the usage For as I am thou shalt come to dust Holed as a thimble what shall thee advance Nought but good deeds thou maist me trust All with my likenesse ye must dance The time that I was in this world living I was honored of low and hie But I kept not my conscience clean from sinning Therefore now I doe it dear abye Lo what availeth covetise pride and envy They be the brands that doe bren in hell Trust not to your friends when ye be dead read I Nor your executors for few doe well But doe for thy self ere ever thou die And remember while thou art living That God blessed all things without nay Except sin as accordeth writing The devill cannot claim thee but by sin I say Amend therefore betime and go the right way I would that I might have but an houre or two To doe penance in or halfe a day But while I lived I did none doe But now my debts I doe truely pay Thou man I doe give better counsell to thee If that thou wilt doe after it Then ever any was shewed to me Thou art half warned thinke on thy pit And choose of two wayes which thou wilt flie To ioy or pain one of the two In weal or woe for ever to sit Now at thine owne choice thou maist go For God hath given thee free will Now choose thee whether thou wilt do good or ill CHAP. XVIII Hereafter followeth the ten Commandements of the devill WHo so will doe my commandements And keep them well and sure Shall have in hell great torments That evermore shall endure Thou shalt not feare God nor think of his goodnes To damne thy soule blaspheme God and his saints Evermore thine owne will be fast doing Deceive men and women and ever be swearing Be drunken hardly upon the holy day And cause other to sin if thou may Father nor mother look thou love nor dread Nor helpe them never though they have need Hate thy neighbour and hurt him by envie Murder and shed mans bloud hardly Forgive no man but be all vengeable Be lecherous indeed and in touching delectable Breake thy wedlocke and spare not And to deceive other by falshood care not The goods of other thou shalt hold falsly And yeeld it no more though they speak curteously Company often with women and tempt them to sin Desire thy neighbors wife and his goods to be thine Do thus hardly and care not therefore And thou shalt dwell with me in hell evermore Thou shalt ly in frost and fire with sicknes hunger And in a thousand peeces thou shalt be torne asunder Yet shalt thou die ever and never be dead Thy meat shaâ—be toads and thy drink boyling lead Take no thought for the bloud that God for thee shed And to my kingdome thou shalt be straight led Here followeth the reward of them that keep these commandements aforesaid IN hell is great mourning Great trouble of crying Or thunder and noyse roaring With great plenty of wild fire Beating with great stroakes like guns With great frost and water runing And after that a bitter wind comes Which goeth through the soules with ire There is both thirst and hunger Fiends with hookes pulleth their flesh They fight and curse and each other redeem With the sight of the devils dreadable There is shame and confusion Rumor of conscience for evill living They curse themselves with great crying In stinke and smoake evermore lying With other
great paines innumerable Man look that thou beware I will smite all at unaware CHAP. XIX It is written in the Apocalyps that Saint John saw an horse of a pale colour on the which horse sate death and hell following the horse The horse signifieth the sinner that hath a pale colour for the infirmity of sin and beareth death for sin is death to the soul and hell followeth for to englut and swallow him if he die impenitent ABove this horse blacke and hideous Death I am that fiercely doe sit There is no fairnesse but sight tedious All gay colours I doe hit My horse runneth by dales and hilles And many he smiteth dead and killes In my trap I take some by every way By townes and castles I take my rent I will not respite one an houre of a day Before me they must needs be present· I slay all with my mortall knife And of duty I take the life Hell knoweth well my killing I sleep never but wake and warke It followeth me ever runing With my dart I slay weake and starke A great number it hath of me Paradise hath not the fourth part Scant the tenth part wrong hath he I cause many to sight at the heart Beware for I give no warning Come at once when I do knocke or call For if thy book be not sure of reckoning Thou shalt to hell body soul and all CHAP. XX. Hereafter followeth how every estate should order them in their degree Of a King THe imperiall might of a Kings maiesty On four pillars grounded is governance First do right Iustice and equitie To poore and rich both in a ballance Then his regall might shall further and advance He to be liberall with force and humanity And after victory have mercy and pitty Of a Bishop O ye half Gods flourishing in prudence Ye Bishops with your devout pastorality Teach the people with delicate eloquence Annoint your flock with Christs divinity Feed the poor people with hospitality Be meek and chast in this millitant Church Do first your self well example of your urch Of Knights O ye Knights refulgent in fortitude With labour and travail to get love nobly Fight for the poor commons that be poor and rude And if need be for the Church thou die Love truth hate wrong and villany Appease the people by thy magnificence And unto whom be a shield of defence Of Iudges O ye Iudges governing the Law Let not your hands be anointed with meed Save all true men rebels hang and draw To avoid favour let righteousnesse proceed For a good name is better than riches indeed Some say that Lawes truth is laid down And therefore love and charity is out of town Of Marchants O ye marchants that never say ho Of lucrous winning you have great pleasure Let conscience guide you where ever ye goe Vnto all men give you weight and measure Deceive no man of falshood take no cure Swear none oathes people to beguile All sleight and usurie from you excile Of Masters O ye masters and housholders all That have servants under your cure Put them to labour whatsoever befall And let the yong folke of awe be in ure After their age intreat each creature Servants wages pay ye well and even If ye do not it crieth vengeance to heaven Of all women O ye women of each manner degree To your husbands be never disobedient Desire not above them the soveraigntie For then ye do as Lucifer did incontinent That would be above the high God omnipotent Shamfastnesse dread cleannesse and chastity Of verie right all these in womanhead should be The generality Goe home ye persons and couch not in Court To teach Christ servants and keep the owne labour Thou niggard sow out thy hoord In houshold and be none extortioner Monk pray preach Frier Marchant go near and fear Dread God keep his law and honour your King And your reward shall you have at your ending Thus endeth the estate and order of every degree CHAP. XXI Of the tree of Vices and after followeth the tree of meeknesse mother and root of all vertues HEreafter followeth the tree of vices and then after that is the tree of vertue set that after every sin beholding they may look on it as a mirror and take of the fruit of spirituall refection and flie the dead tree of vices For after the tree of vices followeth the signification of every nature named in the said tree of vertues and first is humanity or meeknesse mother of all vertues and root of the tree the which wheÌ„ it is stedfast the tree standeth upright and if it fail the tree falleth with all his branches Humility is a voluntarie inclination of the thought and courage comming of the knowledge of God and it hath seven principal branches that constituteth the tree of vertues and they be these Charitty Faith Hope Prudence Attemperance Iustice and Force and out of every of them commeth divers other vertues as the tree sheweth and is declared afterward compendiously The tree of vices Pride root of all sinns Envy Detraction Ioy of adversity Sorrow of prosperity Homicide Wickednesse Susurration Ill machination Covetise Theft Deceiving Forswearing Vsury Rapine Treason Simony The large way Ire Woodnesse Indignation Clamour Blaspheming Great courage Noyse Hate Vaine glory Singularitie Discord Inobedience Presumption Boasting Obstination Hypocrisie The fruit of the flesh Glutony Foolish reioycing Immundicity Too much speaking Eating by leasure Obtuse wit Lickernesse Drunkennesse Sloth Idlenesse Erre in the faith Tristesse Omission Despair Lechery Vnstablenesse Love the world Blind thought Love of himself Precination Hatred of God Vnconsideration Wantonnesse Incontinence The tree of vertues Meeknes root of all vertues Force Felicity Confidence Tolerance Rest. Stablenesse Perseverance Magnificence Iustice. Law Straightnesse Equity Correction Observance Iudgment Veritie The narrow way TeÌ„perance Discretion Moderality Taciturnity Fasting Sobernesse Affliction Dispraising PrudeÌ„ce Dread of God Counsell Memory Intelligence Providence Deliberation Reason The fruit of the soul. Hope Contemplation Ioy. Honesty Confession Patience Compunction Longanimitie Faith Religion Cleannesse Obedience Chastity Continence Affection Virginity Charity Grace Pittie Peace Sweetnes Mercy Forgivenes Compassion Benignitie Concord Of Charitie CHarity is a right high vertue above all other and is an ardent desire well ordained to love God his neighbor and these be the branches grace peace pity sweetnes mercy indulgence compassâ—on benignity and concord Grace is by the which is shewed an effectual service of benevolence amongst friends from one friend to another Peace is tranquillity and rest wel ordained of the courages of them that be concording unto God Pittie is affection and desire to succour and help each one commeth of sweetnes grace of benign thought and courage that one hath Sweetnesse is by the which tranquillity and rest of courage of him that is sweet and honest by none improbity ne by any point of dishonesty Mercie is a pitifull vertue and equall dignation to all with inclination of
the earth have taken on me to indite this little treatise for to instruct and endoctrin the people not lettered First to know God their maker Secondly to govern their bodies and eschue infirmities And thirdly to know the course of the firmament and of the celestiall bodies conteined in it with the disposition of the vii Planets But who that will know his properties ought first to know the Month that he was born in and the sign that the Sun was in the same day I will not say that such things shal be but that the signs have such properties and is the will of God After Poets and Astronomers Aries is the first sign that sheweth the fortunes of men and women as saith Ptolomeus The first sign of Aries I Find that he which is born in the sign of Aries from mid March to mid Aprill shal be of good wit and shall neither be rich ne poor he shall have damaâ—â— by his neighbours he shall have power over deaâ—â—â—lkes goods he shall be soon angry and soon appeased he shall have divers fortunes discords he will desire doctrine and haunt eloquent people and shall be expert in many degrees he shal be a lyer and unstedfast of courage and will take the vengeance on his enemies and he shal be better disposed in youth in all things than in age unto xxxiii year he shall be a fornicatour and shal be wedded at xxv year and if he be not he shall not bee chast he shall be a mediatour for some of his friendes and will gladly be busie in the needs of other he shal be awaited to be damaged he shall have a sign in the shoulder in his head and in his body yet he shall be rich by the deathes of other his first son shall not live long he shal be in danger of four footed beastes hee shall have great sickenesse at xxiii year and if he escape he shall live lxxxv year after Nature The woman that is born in this time shal be irefull and suffer great wrongs from day to day she will gladly make leasings and shall leese her husband and recover a better shee shall be sick at five year of age and at xxv she shal be in great danger of death and if she escape she shal be in doubt till xliii year and shall suffer great pain of the head The days of Sol and Mars to them shal be right good and the days of â—upiter shal be contrary to them and aswell the men as the women shal be semblable to the Sheep that every year leeseth his fleece of wool and within short space recovereth it again Of the sign of Taurus HE that is born in the Sign of Taurus from mid Aprill till mid May shal be strong hardy and full of strife delicious and shall possesse goods given to him by other men that he would have done shal be incontinent and will enforce to himself to finish it In his youth he will dispise every person shall be irefull he shall goe pilgrimages and will leave his friends and live among strangers he shall be put in offices shall exercise them well and shall be rich by women he shall be thanklesse and come to good estate he will take vengeance on his enemies he shal be bitten of a dogge and shall experiment many pains by women and shall be in perill at xxxiii year he shall be in perill of water and shal be greeved by sicknesse and venym at xxiii year and at xxx year he shal be abundant in riches and shall rise â—o great dignity and shall live lxxxv year and three monthes after nature and shall see his fortune sorrowfull The woman that is born in this time shall be effectuall laboring and a great lyer and shall suffer much shame she shall reâ—oyce in the goods of her friendes that which she coâ—â—â—â—veth in her mind shall come to effect and shall have the best party she shall â—â—ve many husbands and many children she shall be in her best estate aâ— xvi years and she shall have a sign in the middest of her body she shall be sickely and if she escape she shall live lxxvi years after nature She ought to bear rings and precious stones upon her The daies of Jupiter and of Luna been right good for them and the dayes of Mars contrary As well the man as the woman may be likened to the bull that laboreth the land and when the seed is sowen he hath but the straw for his part They shall keep well their own and it shall not profit to them ne to other and shall be reputed unkind Of the sign of Gemini THE man that is born in the sign of Gemini from mid Maie to mid Iune shall have many woundes and he shal be fain and mercyfull he shall lead an open and a reasonable life he shall receive much money he will goe in unknown places and do many pilgrimages he will praise himself and will not bide in the place of his nativitie he shall be wise and negligent in his workes he shall come to riches unto xxvi year his first wife shall not live long but he shall marry strange women he shal be late married he shall be bitten of a dog and shall have a marke of Iron or of fire he shal be tormented in water and shall passe the sea and shall live an hundred year and x. monthes after nature The woman then born shall come to honor and set forward with the goods of other and she shal be agrieved of a false crime she ought to be wedded at xiv year if she shall be chaste and eshewe all perill and shall live lxx year after nature and shall honor God The days of Mercury and Sol to them been right good the days of Luna and Venus been to them contrary and as wel the man as the woman shall augment and assemble the goods of their successors but skantly shall they use their owne goods they shall be so avaricious Of the sign of Cancer NExt after he that is born under the sign of Cancer from mid Iune to mid Iuly shal be very avaricious and of equal stature he will love women he shal be merry humble good wise and well renowned he shall have domage by envy he shall have the money of other in his guiding he shall be a conductor of other folkes things he shall have strife and discord among his neighbors and will avenge him on his enemy by his arrogance maâ— shall mock him he shall have often great fear on the water he wil keep his courage secretly in himself and shal suffer dolour of the womb he shall find hidden money and labor sore for his wife he shall see his peril in a certain year the which shal be known of God his favour shall decrease at xxxiii year he shall passe the sea and shall live lxx year after nature and fortune shall be agreeable to him The woman that shal be born in