oute of Frenche into Englishe ¶ Anthonyeâ— and Uincent ☞ Vincent WHo would haue went oh my good vncle afore a fewe yeares passed that such as in this cuntrey would visite their frendes lying in dysease and sickenes shoulde come as I doe nowe to seke fetche comforte of them or in geuyng comfort to them vse the way that I may wel vse to you For albeit that the priestes and Friers be wont to call vpon sycke men to remember death yet we worldly frendes for feare of discomfortyng them haue euer hadde a guyse in Hungarye to lift vp their heartes and put them in good hope of lifeâ— But nowe my good vncle the worlde is here waxen such and so great perils appeare here to fall at hande that me thinketh the greatest comfort that a man can haue is wheÌ„ he may see that he shal sone be gone and we that are likely long to lyue here in wretchednesse haue nede of some comfortable councel agaynst tribulacion to be geuen vs by suche as you be good vncle that haue so long liued vertuously and are so learned in the lawe of God as very fewe be better in this cuntrey here and haue had of such thinges as we do now feare good experience and assaye in your selfe as he â—hat hath been taken priesoner in Turkey two times in your dayes and nowe likelye to departe hence ere long But that may be your great comfort good vncle syâ—h you departe to God but vs here shall you leaue of your kinred a sort of sory coumfortles Orphanes to all whome youre good helpe coumforte and counselâ— hathe long been a greate staye not as an vnkle vnto some to some as one farther of kynneâ— but as â—hough yâ— vnto vs al you had been a naturall father Anthony Myne owne good Cosin I cannot muche saye naye but that there is in deede not here in Hungarye onelye but almoste also in all places of Christendome a customable maner of vnchrysten coumfortynge whiche albeit that in anye sycke manne it dooeth more harme than good with drawyng him in tyme of syckenesse with lookynge and longinge for lyfe fro the meditacion of death iudgementeâ— heauen and hell whereof he shoulde besette muche parte of his time euen all hys whole life in his best health yet is that maner in my mynde more then madde where suche kynde of coâ—mforte is vsed to a man of myne age For as we well wotte that a yong man may dye soone so bee we verye sure that an olde manne can not lyue longe And yet sith there is as Tullie sayth no manne for all that so olde but that he hopeth yet that he maye lyue one yere more and of a frayle foly delyteth thereon to thinke and comforting himselfe therewith other mennes woordes of lyke maner coumforteâ— addynge no sâ—yckes to that fyer shall in a maner burne vp quyte the pleasaunte moysture that moste shoulde refreshe hym the wholesome dewe I meane of Goddes grace by whiche he shoulde wyshe with Goddes wyll to bee hence and longe to be with hym in heauen Nowe where you take my departynge from you so heauelye as of hym of whome you recognyse of youre goodnesse to haue hadde here beefore helpe and coumforte woulde God I hadde to you and other moe halfe so muche doone as myselfe reckoneth hadde been my duetye to doe But whensoeuer god take me hence to reckon your selues than comfortelesse as though your chief comfort stode in me therin make you me thinketh a reckonyng very muche lyke as though you woulde cast awaye a stronge staffe and leane vppon a rotten reede For GOD is and must bee youre coumforte and not I. And he is a sure coumforterâ— that as he sayde vnto hys Dysciples neuer leaueth hys seruauntes in case of coumfortlesse Orphanes not euen when he departed from hys Disciples by death but botheâ— as he promised sente them a coumforter the holye spirite of hys father and hymselfe aâ—d them also made sure that to the worldes ende he woulde euer dwell with them hymselfe and therfore if you bee parte of hys flocke and belieue hys promyse howe can you bee coumfortlesse in anye tribulacion when Chryste and hys holye spirite and with them theyr vnseperable father if you put full truste and confidence in them bee neuer neyther one fynger breadth of spaceâ— nor one minute of tyme from you ☞ Vincent Oh my good vncle euen these same selfe woordes wherewith you well proue that beecause of Goddes owne gracyous presence we can not bee lefâ—e coumfortelesse make me nowe feele and perceyue what a mysse of muche coumforte we shall haue when you be gone for albeit good vncleâ— that whyle you do tell me this I can not but graunt it for trewe Yet if I now had not heard it of you I had not remeÌ„bred it nor it had not fallen in my mynde And ouer that lyke as our tribulacions shal in wayght numbre encrease so shall we nede not onely suche a good woord or twayne but a great heape thereof to stable and strength the walles of oure heartes agaynste the great sourges of this tempesteous sea ☞ Antony Good cosin trust wel in God and he shal prouide you teachers abrode conuenient in euerye tyme or elles shal himselfe sufficiently teache you within Vincent Uerye well good vncle but yet if we woulde leaue the seekyng of outewarde learnynge where we maye haue it and looke to bee inwardelye taughte onelye by God then shoulde we thereby tempte God and displease him and sith that I nowe see likelyhod that when you be gone we shal be sore destitute of any suche other lyke therefore thynketh me that God of duetie byndeth me to sewe to you nowe good vncle in this shorte tyme that we haue you that it maye like you agaynste these great stormes of tribulacion with whiche bothe I and al myne are sore beaten already and nowe vpon the coming of this cruel Turke feare to fall in farre moe I may learne of you such plentye of good counsaile and comforte that I maye with the same layde vp in remembraunce gouerne and stay the shyppe of our kynrede and kepe it aflote froÌ„ perell of spiritual drownyng You be not ignorant good vncle what heapes of heuines hath of late fallen among vs alredy with which some of our poore familie be fallen into such dumpes that scantly can any such comfort as my poore wyt can geue them anye thinge asswage their sorow And now sith these tidiÌ„ges haue come hether so brimme of yâ— great Turkes eÌ„terprise into these partes here wee can almoste neyther talke nor thinke of any other thing els theÌ„ of his might our mischief There falleth so coÌ„tinually before the eyen of our heart a fearful imaginatioÌ„ of this terryble thing his mighty streÌ„gth power his high malice hatred and his incoÌ„parable cruelty with robbyng spoyling burning laying waste al the waye that his armye commeth than killing or carying away the people farre thence farre from
eate oure meate when we can happe to geat it Yf he sende vs the plage of pestilence he will we shall pacientlye take it but yet will he that we lette vs blud and laye plaiâ—ters to drawe it and ripe it and launce it and geat it away Both these poyntes teacheth God in Scripture in moe than many places Fastynge is better than eating and more thanke hath of God and yet wyll God that we shall eate Praying is better than drinkyng and muâ—he more pleasaunt to god And yet will God that we shall drinke Waking in good busynes is muche more acceptable to God theÌ„ sleping yet wil god that we shall slepe God hath geuen vs oure bodyes here to kepe and wyll that we mayâ—tayne them to doe him seruice with tyll he sende for vs hence Nowe can we not tell surely howe muche tribulacyon maye marre itâ— or peraduenture hurte the soule also wherefore the Apostle after that he had commaunded the Corinthians to delyuer to the deuill the abhominable fornicator that forbare not the bedde of hys owne fathers wyfe yet after that he had been a whyle accursed and punished for hys sinne the Apostle commaunded them charitablye to receiue him agayne and geue hym consolacion Vt non a magnitudine doloris absorbeatur that the greatnes of his sorowe shoulde not swalowe him vp And therefore when God sendeth the tempeste he wyll that the shyppe men shall geat them to their tackelyng and dooe the beste they can for them selfe that the seas eate them not vp for helpe oure selfes as well as we can he can make hys plage as sore and as long lastyng as hymselfeâ—luâ—te And as he wyll that we dooe for oure selfe so wyll he that we dooe for oure neyghboure too And that we shall be in thys world eche to other petious for Sine affeccione whiche the Apostle rebuketh them that lacke tender affeccyons hereâ— so that of charitie sorye shoulde we be for theyr payne too vpon whom for cause necessary we be dryuen oure selfe to putte it And whoso sayeth that for piety of his neighbours soule he wyll haue none of hys body lette hym be sure that as Saincte Iohn sayeth He that loueth not hys neyghboure whom he seeth loueth God but a litle whom he seeth not So he that hath no pitie of the payne that he seeth hysâ— neyghboure fele afore hym pytyeth litle whatsoeuer he saye the payne of his soule that he seeth not yet God sendeth vs also suche tribulacion some tyme because hys pleasure is to haue vs praye vnto hym for helpe And therefore when Sayncte Peter was in prieson the Scrypture sheweth that the whole churche withoute intermyssyon prayed inâ—essauntlye for hym and at their feruent prayer god by miracle deliuered hym WhaÌ„ the disciples in the tempest stode in feare of drowning they prayed vnto Christe and saied Salua nos Dominâ— perimus Saue vs Lorde we perishe And than at theyr prayer he shortly ceased the tempest And nowe see we proued often that in sore weather or sickenes by general processions god geueth gracious helpe And many a man in his great payn and sickenes by callyng vpoÌ„ god is meruelousli made whole This is goddes goodnes that because in welth we remembre hym not but forgeat to praye to him sendeth vs sorowe and syckenes to force vs drawe towarde hym and compelleth vs to call vpon hym and pray for release of our payn wherby wheÌ„ we learne to knowe hym and seke to him we take a good occasioÌ„ to fal after into farther grace ¶ The .xviii. Chapter Of them that in tribulacion â—eke not vnto god but some to the fleshe and some to the vvorld and some to the deuill himselfe ☞ Vincent UErely good vncle with this good aunswere I am well contente Antony Ye Cosyn but many meÌ„ are there with whom god is not coÌ„tent which abuse this great goodnes of his whom neither faire treating nor hard haÌ„dlyng canne cause to remembre their maker but in welth they be wantoÌ„ and forgeat god and folowe their luste and whan god with tribulacion draweth them towarde him than waxe they woode and drawe backe al that euer they may and rather runne and seke helpe at any other hande than to goe feke it at his Some for comforte seke to the fleshe some to the worlde and some to the deuil hymselfe Some man that in worldlye prosperite is verye dull of welth and hath depe stepped into many a sore sinne whiche sinnes when he did them he counted for part of his pleasure god willing of his goodnes to call the man to grace casteth a remorse into his minde amonge after hys firste slepe and maketh him lye a lyttle while and bethinke himâ— Than beginneth he to remeÌ„bre his life and from that he falleth to thinke vpon his death and how he must leaue all this worldly welthe within a while behinde here in this world and walke hence alone he woteth not whither nor howe sone he shall take hys iourney thyther nor can tel what company he shal mete there And than beginneth he to thinke that it were good to make sure and be mery so that we be wyse therewyth leste there happe to be such blacke bugges in dede as folke cal deuillesâ— whose tormeÌ„tes he was woÌ„t to take for Poetes tales These thoughtes if they sinke depe are a sore tribulacion And surely if he take holde of the grace that god therein offereth hym his tribulacion is holesome shal be ful comfortable to remeÌ„bre that god by tribulacion calleth him and byddeth hym come home out of the countrey of sinne that he was bred and broughte vp so longe in and come into the lande of beheste that floweth mylke and honey And then if he folowe this calling as manye one full well doeth ioyfull shal hys sorow be and glad shal he be to chauÌ„ge his life leaue his wanton lustes do penance for his sinnes bestowing his time vpoÌ„ better busines But some men nowe whan this callyng of GOD causeth them to be sadde they be loth to leaue their sinfull lustes that hange in theyr heartesâ— and specyallye if they haue anye suche kynde of lyuing as they must nedes leaue of or fal deper in sin or if they haue suche greate wronges done that they haue manye myndes to make that must if they folowe god mynyshe much of theyr money than are these folkes alas wofully bewrapped for God prycketh vpon them of his greate goodnes stil and the griefe of thys greate payne pynâ—heth them at the harte and of wyckednes they wrye awaye and for thys tribulation they turne to theyr fleshe for helpe and labour to shake of thys thought and then they mend theyr pyllowe and leye theyr hed softer and assaye to slepe and then that will not bee than they finde a talke a while with them that lye by â—hem If that cannot be neyther than they lye and longe for daye and then gette them forth about theyr worldely wretchednes the matter
saye yet hadde you loste the frute And if it be peraduenture false and my self deceiued therin thaÌ„ whyle I should wene that it liked you to you should haue confermed me in my foly For in good fayth Cosin suche an olde foole am I that thys thyng in the perswading wherof vnto you I had went I had quit me wel and when I haue al done appeareth to your mind but a trifâ—e and a sophisticall fantasy my self haue so many yeres takeÌ„ for so very substauncyall trueth that as yet my mynde cannot geue me to thynke it any other wherefore lest I playe as the frenche prieste played that had so long vsed to say Dominus with the seconde sillable long at the last he thought it must nedes be so and was ashamed to saye it short to th entent that you may the better perceiue me or I the better my selfe we shall here betwene vs a litle more considre the thyng and hardely spet well on your handes and take good holde and geue it not ouer agaynste youre owne mynde for than were we neuer the nere ☞ ¶ Vincent Naye by my trueth vncle that entended I not nor no thyng did yet since we beganne and that maye you wel perceiue by some thynges which without any greate cause saue for the farther satisfaccion of myne own mynd I repeted and debated agayne Anthony That guise Cosin holde on hardely styll for in this matter I purpose to geue ouer mi part except I make your selfe perceiue both that euery maÌ„ vniuersally is a very prisoner in very prieson plainly without ani sophisticacion at al that there is also no prince liuing vpon earth but he is in worse case prisoner by this generall imprisonment that I speake of than is many a lewde simple wretche by the speciall prisonment that you speake of and ouer thys that in this generall imprisonment that I speake of meÌ„ are for the time that they be therin so sore handled and so hardely and in such painful wyse that mens hertes haue with reasoÌ„ great cause as sore to abhorre this hard handlyng that is in this imprisonmeÌ„t as the other that is in that ¶ Vincent By my trueth vncle these thinges would I faine see wel proued ¶ Anthony Tel me thaÌ„ Cosin by your trueth if there were a maÌ„ attainted of treasoÌ„ or of felony after iudgement geuen of his death that it were determined that he should dye onely the time of his exequcion delayed tyl the kinges farther pleasure knowen and he therupon deliuered vnto certayne kepers and put vp in a sure place oute of whiche he could not scape were thys man a prisoner or no ¶ Vincent This man ê™ he ye mary that he were in very dede if euer any man were◠¶ Aâ—thony But nowe what if for the tyme that were meane betwene his attender and his exequcion he were so fauourably handled that he were suffred to doe what he woulde as he was whyle he was abrode and to haue the vse of hys landes and hys goodes and his wyfe and his children lycence to be with hym and his frendes leaue at liberty to resort vnto hym and his seruauntes not forbodden to abide aboute him adde yet therunto that the place were a great castell royall with parkes and other pleasures therin a very great circuite about yea adde yet and ye will that he were suffered to goe and ryde also both when he would and whither he would only this one pointe alway prouided and foresene that he should euer be surely sene to and safely kepte from scaping so that toke he neuer so muche of his own minde in the meane while all other waies saue scaping yet he wel knew that scape he could not and that when he were called for to exequcioÌ„ and to death he should now Cosin vincent what woulde you cal this manâ— a prisoner because he is kept for exequcion or no prisoner beecause he is in the meane whyle so fauourably haÌ„dled suffered to doe al that he would saue scape and I bydde you not here be hastie in your aunswere but aduise it well that you graunte no suche thyng in haste as you would after misselike by laysor and thinke your selfe deceyued Vincent Nay by my trueth vncle this thing nedeth no sâ—udy in my mynde but that for al this fauour shewed him and all hys libertie lent hym yet being condemned to death and beyng therfore kept wiâ—h such sure watche layd vpon him that he cannot scape he is all that while a verye playne prisoner styll ¶ Antony In good fayth Cosin me thinketh you saye very true but theÌ„ one thyng muste I yet desire you Cosin to tell me a litle farther If there were an other laid in prisoÌ„ for a fraye and thorowe the Iailors displeasure were bolted and fettered and layd in a low dongeon in the stockes where he might hap to lie peraduenture a while abide in the meane season some pain but no daunger of death at al but that out again he should come wel inough whither of these two priesoners stode in worse case he that hath all this fauour or he that is thus hardely handeled Vincent By our lady vncle I wene the most parte of men if they should nedes choose had leâ—er be suche prisoners in euery poynt as he that so sorely lyeth in the stockes then in euery poynt such as he that at suche libertie walketh aboute the paâ—ke Antony Considre thaÌ„ Cosin whither this thing seme any sophestry to you that I shal shew you nowe For it shal be such as semeth in good fayth substauncially true to me and if it so happe that you thinke otherwyse I will bee very glad to perceiue whiche of vs both is begâ—iled For it semeth to me Cosin first that euery maÌ„ coming into thys world here vpon earth as he is created by God so cometh he hither by the prouidence of god is this any sophestrye first or not ¶ Vincent Naye verely this is very substanciall trueth ¶ Antoâ—y Now take I this also for veri trueth in my mind that there cometh no man nor woman hither into th earth buâ— that eâ—e euer they come into the world out of the mothers wombe god condemneth them vnto death by his own sentence and iudgement for the original sinne that they bring with them contracted in the corrupted stocke of our forefather Adam is this thinke you Cosin verely true or not Vincent This is vncle very true in dede Antony ThaÌ„ semeth this true farther vnto me that god hath put euery man here vpoÌ„ th earth vnder so sure and vnder so safe kepyng that of al the whole people lyuing in this wide world there is neither maÌ„ womaÌ„ nor child would they neuer so farre wander about and seke it that possibly can fynde any way whereby thei may scape froÌ„ death is this Cosin a fond imagined faÌ„tasy or is it very trueth in dede Vincent Naye this is no imaginacion vncle but
is no doubt but I woulde muche regarde the commendacion of those commendable folke and not regarde of a rishe yâ— railing of all these ribauldes ¶ Anthony Than Cosin can there no maÌ„ that hath faith accompte hymselfe shamed here by any maner death that he suffereth for the fayth of Christe whyle howe vile and howe shamefull soeuer it seme in the syghte here of a fewe worldly wretches it is alowed approued for very precious and honorable in the sighte of god and all the glorious company of heauen which as perfectly stande and behold it as these peuishe people doe are in nomber moe than an hundred to one and of that hundred euery one an hundreth tymes more to be regarded and estemed than of the tother and hundred suche whole rabbles And now if a man would be so madde as for feare of the rebuke that he should haue of such rebuke ful beastes he would be ashamed to coÌ„fesse the fayth of Chriâ—t than with fleing from a shadowe of shame he should fall into a very shame and a deadly painfull shame in dede for than hath our Sauiour made a sure promise that he wil shewe himselfe ashamed of that man before the father of heauen al his holy angels saying in the .ix. Chapter of S. Luke Qui me erubuerit meo sermones huncfilius hominiâ— erubesset quum venerit iâ— maiestate sua patris sanctorum angeloâ—um He that is ashamed of me and my wordes of him shal the sonne of man be ashamed when he shall come in the maiestie of hymselfe and of his father and of the holy Aungels And what maner a shamefull shame shall that be than if a mannes chekes glowe some tyme for shame in thys worlde they will fall on fyer for shame when Christe shall shewe hymselfe ashamed of them there to suffer the thing for Christes faith that we worldly wretched fooles wene were villanie and shame the blessed Apostles reckened for greate glory For they when they were with dispite and shame scourged and therupon coÌ„maunded to speake no more of the name of Christ wente their waye fro the counsayle ioyfull and glad that god had vouchesafed to doe them the worship to suffre shamefull dispite for the name of Iesu and so proude were they of that shame and vilanous payne put vnto them that for all the forbidding of that great couÌ„saile assembled thei ceased not eueri day to preache out the name of Iesu stil not in the temple onely oute of which they were fet and whipped for thesame before but also to double it with went preachyng that name about from house to house to I would sith we regard so greatly thestimacion of worldly folkes we woulde among many noughtie thinges that they vse regarde also some such as are good for it is a maner among theÌ„ in many places that some by handy crafte some by marchandise some by other kinde of liuyngâ— aryse come forward in the world coÌ„monly folke are inowe set forth to conuenient masters vnder whoÌ„ they be brought vp and growe but whensoeuer nowe they fynd a seruauÌ„t suche as disdaineth to doe suche thynges as he that is his master did while he was seruaunte hymselfe that seruaunt euery maÌ„ accompteth for a proude vnthrifte neuer like to come to good proofe Let vs so marke consider this and waye well therwithal that oure master Christe not the master onely but the maker of all this whole worlde was not so proude to disdayne for oure sakes the moste villanous and moste shamefull death after the worldly accompte that then was vsed 〈◊〉 the worlde and the moste dispightefull mockyng therwith ioyned to most greuous payn as crownyng hym with sharpe thorne that the bloud ranne downe about his face than they gaue hym a rede in his hand for a septre and kneled downe to hym and saluted hym lyke a king in scorne and bet then the rede vpon the sharpe thornes about hys holy head now saith our sauiour that the disciple or the seruaunt is not aboue hys master and therfore sith our master endured so many kyndes of paynfull shameâ— very proude beastes maye we wâ—ll thynke our selfe if we disdayne to doe as our master did And wheras he thorow shame ascended in to glory we would be so madde that we rather wil fall into euerlastyng shame both before heauen and hell than for feare of a short worldly shame to folowe him â—nto euerlasting glory ¶ The .xxiiii. Chapter Of paynful death to be suffred in the Turkes persecucion â—or the fayth Vincent IN good fayth vncle as for the shame ye shall nede to take no more payn for I suppose surely that any man that hath reason in his head shall holde hymselfe satisfied with this but of trueth vncle all the pinche is in the payn For as for shame I perceiue wel now a man maye with wisdom so master it that it shall no thyng moue hym at all so farre forth that it is almost in euery countrey become a comen prouerbe that shame is as it is taken but by god vncle all the wysdome in thys worlde can neuer â—o master payne but that payne wyll be paynfull spite of all the witte in thys worlde Antony Trouth is it Cosin that no man can with al the reason he hath in suche wyse chaunge the nature of pain that in the hauing of payn he fele it not for but if it â—e felt it is perdy no payne and that is the natural cause Cosin for which a man may haue hys legge striken of by the knee and greue him not if his head be of but halfe an houre before But reasoÌ„ may make a reasonable man though he would not bee so foolyshe as causeles to fall therin yet vpon good causes eyther of gayning some kindes of greate profyt or auoydyng some kynde of great losse or eschewing therby the suffring of farre great payn not to shrynke therfro and refuse it to his more hurt and harme but for hys farre greater aduauntage commoditie content and glad to sustaiâ—e it and this doeth reason alone in many casis where it hath much lesse helpe to take hold of theÌ„ it hath in this matter of faith For wel you wote to take a sowre and a bitter pocion is great grief and displeasure and to be launced and to haue â—he flesh cut is no litle payn now wheÌ„ such thinges shal be ministred vnto a childe or to â—ome childishe man either they wil by theyr own willes rather let theyr sicknes or their sore growe on to theyr more griefe til it be come incurable than abyde the payn of the curing in tyme and that for faynt heart ioyned with lacke of discrecion But a man that hath more wysdome though he would withoute cause no more abyde the â—ayne wyllyngly than woulde the other yet â—ith reason sheweth hym what good he shall haue by the sufferyng and what harme by the refusing this maketh him wel coÌ„tent and glad also
The consideracion of the painefull death of Christe is sufficient to make vs content to suffre painefull death for his sake SUrely Cosin as I sayd before in the bearing the losse of worldly goodes in suffering of captiuitie thraldome imprisonmeÌ„t and in the glad sustaining of worldly shame that if we woulde in al those pointes depely ponder the sample of our sauiour hym selfe it were of it selfe alone sufficient to encourage euerye kinde Christen man and womaÌ„ to refuse none of al those calamities for his sakeâ— So saye I nowe for paineful death also that if we could and woulde wyth dewe compassion conceyue in our mindes a righte imaginacion and remembraunce of Christes bitter paynful passion of the many sore bloudy strokes that the cruel tormeÌ„tors wyth Roddes and whippes gaue him vpoÌ„ euery part of his holye tender bodye the scorneful crowne of sharpe thornes beaten doune vpon hys holye head so sâ—rayte and so depe that on euerye parte hys blessed bloude issued out and streamed doune his louely limmes drawen and stretched out vpoÌ„ the crosse to the intollerable paine of hys forbeaten sore beaten vaines senewes newe feling with the crewel stretching and straining payne farre passing any crampe in euey parte of hys blessed bodye at once Than the great longe nayles creweâ—ly dryuen wyth hammers thorowe his holy handes and feete and in this horrible paine lifte vp let hang with yâ— paice of al his body bearing doune vpoÌ„ the painefull wounded places so greuously perced wyth nailes and in such torment without pitie but not without many dispightes suffred to be â—ined pained the space of more than three long houres til him selfe willingly gaue vp vnto hys father hys holye soule After whych yet to shewe the mightines of theyr malice after his holy soule departed persed his holy heart with a sharpe speare at which issued â—ut the holy bloud water wherof his holy sacrameÌ„tes haue inestimable secrete strength if we would I say remember these thinges in such wise as would god we would I verely thinke suppose yâ— the consideracion of his incoÌ„parable kindnes coulde not in such wise faile to enflame our kaye cold heartes set them on fyre in hys loue that we shoulde find our â—elfe not onely conteâ—te but also glad and desirous to suffre death for his sake that so meruelous louinglye letted not to sustaine so farre passing painefull deathe for oures Woulde GOD we woulde here to the shame of oure colde affeccion agayne towarde God for suche ferueâ—te loue and inestimable kyndnes of GOD towarde vs would god we woulde I saye but coÌ„sider what hoate affeccion many of these fleshely louers haue borne and daylye doe beare to those vpon whome they dote Howe many of them haue not letted to ieoparde their liues and howe many haue willingely loste theyr liues in dede wythout eyther great kindnes shewed them before and afterwarde you wote well they coulde nothynge wynne but â—uen that it contented and satysfied theyr mynde yâ— by theyr deathe theyr louer should clerely se how faithfully they loued The deliâ—e wherof imprinted in their faÌ„tasie not asswaged onely but counterpaised also they thought al their paine Of these affeccioÌ„s with the woonderful dolorous effectes folowing theron not onely old writteÌ„ stories but ouer that I thinke in euery countrey christen heathen both experience geueth vs proofe inough And is it not thaÌ„ a wonderful shame for vs for yâ— drede of teÌ„poral death to forsake our sauiour that willingly suffred so painefull death rather thaÌ„ he woulde forsake vs considering that he shal for our sufferingâ— so highly reward vs with euerlasting welth Oh if he that is content to die for her loue of whome he looketh after for no reward yet by hys death goeth froÌ„ her might by his death be sure to come to her euer after in delite pleasure to dwell wyth her Such a louer woulde not let here to dye for her twise and howe cold louers be we thaÌ„ vnâ—o god if raâ—her thaÌ„ dye for hym once we wil refuse him and forsake him for euer that bothe died for vs before hath alâ—o prouided that if we die here for hym we shall in heauen euerlastingly both liue also raigne with him For as Saint Paule saith if we suffer with hym we shall raigne with hym Howe many Romaines howe many noble courages of other sundry couÌ„treies haue willingly geuen their owne liues and suffred greate deadlye paines very painfull deathes for theyr countreyesâ— the respecte of winning by theyr deathes the onely reward of worldly renowne fame And should we thaÌ„ shrinke to suffer as muche for eternall honoure in heauen and euerlasting glorye The deuil hath some also so obstinate heretyquesâ— that endure witâ—ingly painefull death for vaine glorye is it not than more then shame that Christ shall â—ee his catholyques forsake hys fayth rather than suffer the same for heauen and very gloryeâ— Would god as I many times haue said that the remeÌ„braunce of Christes kindnes in suffring his passioÌ„ for vs the consideracion of hell that we shoulde fall in by forsaking of him the ioyful meditacion of eternall lyfe in heauen that we shal winne with this shorte temporall death paciently taken for him had so depe a place in our brest as reason would they should and as if we would do our deuor toward it and labor for it and pray therfore I verely thinke they should for then shoulde thei so take vp our mindâ— and rauish it al an other way that as a man hurâ— in a fraye feleth not sometime hys wound nor yet is not ware therof til his mind fal more theron so farforth that sometime an other man sheweth him that he hath lost an hand before he perceiue it himself So the mind rauished in the thinking depelye of those other thinges Christes death hell and heaueÌ„ wer likely to minish and put away of oure painfull deathe foure partes of the feling ether of the feare or of the paine For of this am I very sure if we had the fiftienth part of the loue to Christ that he hath had and hath vnto vs al the pain of this Turkes persecucion could not kepe vs froÌ„ him but that there would be at this daye as mani martirs here in Hungarie as haue be afore in other countreyes of old And of this poynte put I no doubtâ— but that if the Turke stode euen here with al his whole aâ—mie about him and euery of them wer ready at oure hand with all the terrible tormentes that they could ymagine and but if we would forsake the faith wer settyng their tormentes to vs and to the encrease of our â—erâ—or fell al at once in a shoute with trumpets tabrets and tembrels al bloweÌ„ vp at once and al theyr gunnes let goe therwith to make vs a feareful noyse if there should sodeinly than on the other side the grouÌ„de quake and riue a twayn and the deuils rise oute of
lefte vnmade Antony Howe happed it as it happeth Cosin that many mo be left vnmade as well as it and within a lytle as good as it to bothe here in other countreyes some tyme some worse made in theyr stede But as they saie the let of that law was the Quenes grace god forgeue her soule it was yâ— greatest thinge I wene good Ladye that she had to answere for when she dyed for surely saue for the one thinge she was a full blessed woman But letting now that lawe passe this temptacioÌ„ in procuringe her owne death was vnto this carpenters wyfe no tribulacioÌ„ at all as farre as euer men coulde perceyue for it lyked her well to thinke theron and she euen longed therfore And therfore if she had before tolde you or me her mynde and that she woulde brynge it so fayne to passe we coulde haue had no occacion to comforte her as one that were in tribulacion but mary counsayle her as I tolde you before we well might to refrayne and amende that deuelyshe mynde of hyrs ☞ Vincent Uerely that is trueth but suche as are well wylling to doe any purpose that is so shamefull wyll neuer tell theyr minde to no bodye for very shame ☞ Antony Some will not in dede yet are theyr some agayn that be theyr entent neuer so shamefull fynde some yet whome theyr hearte serueth them to make of theyr counsayle therin Some of my folke here can tel you that no longer ago than euen yesterdaye one that came out of Uienna shewed vs amonge other talking that a riche widowe but I forgot to aske him where it happed hauing all her lyfe an high proude minde and a fell as those two verteues are wonte alway to kepe coÌ„pany together was at debate with an other neighbour of hers in the towne on a time she made of her counsayle a poore neighbour of hers whoÌ„ she thought for money she might enduce to folowe her mynde with him secretly she brake and offred him .x. Duccattes for his labour to doe so muche for her as come in a morninge early to her house with an axe vnknowen pryuelye to stryke of her head and when he had so done than conuaye the blody axe into the house of him with whom she was at debate in some suche maner of wyse as it might be thought that he had murdered her of malyce than she thought she shoulde be taken for a martyr And yet had she farther deuysed that an other suÌ„me of money should after be sent to Rome and that there should be meanes made to the Pope that she might in all hast be canonyzed This poore man promysed but entended not to perfourme it howebeit when he deferred it she prouyded the axe her selfe and he appoynted with her the morning when he shoulde come But thaÌ„ sette he suche other folke as he would shoulde knowe her frantique fantasie in such place appoynted as they might wel heare her and him talke together And after that he had talked with her therof what he woulde so muche as he thought was ynoughe he made her lye downe toke vp the axe in his one hand with the other hande he felte the edge and founde a faulte that it was not sharpe and that therfore he woulde in no wise doe it tyll that he had ground it sharper he coulde not els he sayed for pietye it would put her to so muche payne so full sore agaynst her wyll for that tyme she kept her head styll But because she woulde not suffer any moe to deceyue her so and fode her forthe with delayes ere it was very long after she hanged her selfe with her owne handes ☞ Vincent Forsoothe here was a tragycall story wherof I neuer heard the lyke ☞ Antony Forsoothe the partye that tolde it me sware that he knewe it for a trueth And hym selfe is I promyse you suche as I reckon for ryght honest of substancyall trueth Nowe here she leâ—ted not as shameful a mind as she had to make one of her counsaile yet and yet as I remembre an other to whom she trusted with the money that shoulde procure her canonyzacyoÌ„ And here I wote well that her temptacion came not of feare but of high malyce pryde But than was she so glad in the pleasant deuise therof that as I shewed you she toke it for no tribulacion but for a maruelous mery mortall temptacion And therfore comfortinge of her coulde haue no place but if men should any thing geue â—er towâ—rd her helpe it must haue bene as I tolde you good counsayle and therfore as I sayde this kynde of temptacion to a mannes owne destruccioÌ„ which reqireth counsayle is out of trybulacion was out of our matter that is to wete of comforte in trybulacion The .xvi. Chapter Of him that vvere moued to kyll him selfe by illusion of the Deuill vvhich he reckoned for a reuelâ—cion BUt lest you might reiecte both those samples weninge they were but fayned tales I shal but put you in remembraunce of one which I reckoÌ„ your selfe haue read in the collacions of Cassianus if you haue not there maye you soone fynde it for my selfe haue halfe forgotten the thinge it is so longe since I read it but thus muche I remembre that he telleth of one there that was all his dayes a very holy maÌ„ in his liuing amonge the other verteous monkes Anckres that lyued in wyldernes was maruelouslye muche estemed sauing that some were not all out of feare of him lest his reuelacions wherof he tolde many by him selfe woulde proue illusions of the deuyll and so proued it after in dede for the man was by the deuylles subtyll suggestions brought into suche an high spiryâ—uall pryde that in conclusion the deuyll brought him to that horrible poynte that he made him to kyll him selfe as farre as my mynde geueth me nowe without newe sight of yâ— boke be brought him to it hy this perswasioÌ„ that he made him beleue it was gods will he shoulde so doe that thereby should he goe strayght to heauen And than if it were by that perswasion with which he tooke very greate comforte in his owne mynde him selfe was it then as I sayde out of our case here and neded not comforte but counsayle agaynste geuing credence to the deuelles perswasyon But mary if he made him fyrste perceyue howe he had been deluded thaÌ„ tempted him to his owne death by shame dyspayre than was it in our matter loe for thaÌ„ was his temptacion fallen down from pryde to pusyllanimitie was waxen that kynde of the nightes feare that I spake of wherin a good parte of the counsayle that were to be geuen him shoulde haue nede to stand in good comfortyng for than was he brought to ryght sore tribulacion but as I was aboute to tell you strength of heart and courage is there none therin not onely for that very strength as it hath the name
With whiche aunswere Iâ—piter waxed so angry that he said sith â—he loueth her house so wel she should neuer after goe from home but shoulde alwaye beare her house vpon her backe wheresoeuer she wenâ—e And so hath she done euer since as they saye and at the leastwise I wote wel she doeâ—h so nowe and hath done as long time as I can remembre Vincent Forsoth vncle I would wene the tale were not all fayned For I thynke verely that so muche of your tale is true Antony Esope meynâ—e by that fained fable to touche â—he foly of suche folke as so set their fantasye vpon some â—male simple pleasure that they cannot fynde in their hearâ—es to forbeare it neyther for the pleasure of a better man nor for the gaining of a better thyng by which their fond frowarde fashion they sometime fal in great indignacion and take thereby no litle harme And surely such Christen folke as by their foolishe aâ—feâ—cioÌ„ which they haue set like yâ— snaile vpoÌ„ their own house here this earth cannot for yâ— lothenes of leuing that house find in their heart with their good wyll to goe to the great feast that god prepareth in heauen of his goodnes so gentely calleth theÌ„ to Be like I feare me but if they mende that mind in tyme to be serued as the snayle was and yet much worse to for they be like to haue their house here yâ— earth bounde fast vpoÌ„ theiâ— baâ—kes for euer and not walke therewith where they will as the snaile â—â—epeth about with hers but lye fast bound in the middes with the foule fyer of hel about them for into this foly they bryng themselfe by theyr own fault as the droâ—ken man bryngeth him selfe inâ—o dronkennesse wherby the euyll that he doth in hys dronkennesse is not forgeuen hym for hys foly but to hys payne imputed to his faulte Vincent Surâ—ly vncle this semeth not vnlikely and by their faulte they fall to such foly in dede And yet if this be foly in dede there are than some folke fooles that wene them selfe right wyse Anthony That wene themselfe wyse mary I neuer sawe foole yetâ— that thought himselfe other than wise For as it is one sparke of sobernes lefte in a dronken head wheÌ„ he perceyueth hymself dronke and geatteth him fayre to bed so if a foole perceyue himselfe a foole that point is no foly but a litle sparke of wit But now Cosin as for those kynde of fooles sith they be loth to dye for the loue that they beare to their worldly fantasyes whiche they shoulde by their death leaue bâ—hind them and forsake thei that would for that cause rather forsake the faith than die would raâ—her forsake it than sel their worldly goodes though there were offered theÌ„ no perel of death at al. And thaÌ„ as touching those that are of that mind we haue you wote well sayd as much as your self thought sufficient this after none here before Vincent Ueâ—ely that is vncle very true now haue you rehearsed as farre as I can remembre al the other kindes of them that would be loâ—h to die for any other respect than the greuous qualities of shame and pain ioyned vnto death and of all those kyndes excepte the kinde of infidelitie whom no comforte can helpe but couÌ„sayle onely to thatteining of faith which faith must be to the receyuing of comforte presupposed and had ready before as you shewed in the beginning of our communicacioÌ„ the first day that we talked of the matter But els I say except that one kynd there is none of the remnaunt of those that were before vntouched which were lykely to forsake theyr fayth in this persecucion for the feare and dreade of â—eath saue for those greuous qualities pain I meane and shame that thei see well would come therewith And therfore vncle I pray you geue vs some comforte against those twain For in good faith if death should come without them in such a case as this is wherby the lesing of this life we should fynde a farre better myne owne reason geueth â—e â—hat saue for the other griefes going before the â—haunge there would no man that witte hath any thing sticke at al. Antony Yes peraduenture sodaynly before they gather their wittes vnto them and therwith well way the matter but they Cosin that wyl considre the matter wel reason grounded vpoÌ„ the foundacioÌ„ of fayth shal shewe them very greate subâ—tancial causes for which the dreade of those greuous qualities that they see shal come with death shame I meane paine also shal not so sore abashe them as sinfully to dryue them therfro for the proofe wherof let vs first begin at the consideraâ—ion of the shame The .xxiii. Chapter Of the shame that iâ— ioyned vvith the death in the persecucion for the fayth HOwe can any faythful wyse man dâ—eade that death so sore for any respect of shame whaÌ„ his reason hys fayth together may shortly make hym pâ—â—câ—â—ue that there is therin no peâ—e of very shame at al. For how can that death be shameful that is glorious or how can it be but glorious to dye for the fayth of Christ if we dye both for the fayth and in the fayth ioyned with hope and charitie while the Scripture â—o playnely â—ayeth preâ—iosa in conspectu domini mors sanctoruÌ„ eiuâ— precious is in the sight of god the death of hys saintesâ—â—ow if the death of his Saintes be glorious in the sight of god it can nâ—uer be shamâ—full in verye dâ—de howe shamefull so euer it seme here in the sighte of men for here we maye see and be sure that not at the death of Saint Stephin onely to whom it lyked him to shew himself with the heauen open ouer his head but at the death also of euery man that so dieth for the faith god with hys heauenly company beholdeth his whole passion verely loketh on Now if it so were Cosin that you shoulde be brought thorowe the brode hie strete of a greate long Citie and that all a long the waye that you were goyng there wâ—re on the tone syde of the way a rabble of ragged beggers and mad men that woulde dispise you disprayse you with al the shameful names that they could cal you and al the villanous woordes that they could saye to you and that there were than al a long the oâ—her syde of thesame strete where you should come by a goodly company standyng in a fayre raunge a rowe of wyse and worshipful folke allowing you coÌ„mending you mo than .xv. times as many as that rabble ragged beggars and rayling madde men are Would you let your way by your wil wening that you wente vnto your shame for the shamefull iestyng and rayling of those madde foolishe wretches or holde on your way with a good chere and a glad heartâ— thynkyng youre selfe muche honoured by the laude and approbacion of that other honorable sort Vincent Naye by my trueth vncle there