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
alle humane creatures be they neuer so ryche or puyssauÌ„t For deth is a comyne thynge spared noo body And alle be it she is cruwell and peruerse yet she kepeth egally one lawe in takyng as wel kynges prynces as poure folkes Thus geueth she grete cause to wepe yf it be welred taken that is wryten of her And therfore seyth Iob in the xx chapytre of his book of the riche fyers and orgulous man All though his pryde be inhauÌ„sed vnto the skye that his hede shold touche the clowdes yet in then de he shal torne to nough te be lyke a dong hyll And they that haue seen hym shall axe where is he now and noo thynge shal be fouÌ„de of hym nomoie thaÌ„ of a fleyng dreme passed in the nyghte Baruch in his .iii. chapytre demauÌ„deth where be nowe the prynces of the people the where woute to haue domynacion ouer the bestes and take recreacyon with houndes with hawkes of the ayer And assembled grete tresours of golde syluer where in men yeue theyr affiauÌ„ce and truste what is the ende of theym that were besy and dylygence here to forge golde and syluer to gadre and kepe it Certaynly theyr tyme is extermyned and they be descended in to hell now ben there other enhaunsed and lyue in theyr places And therfore saythe Prosper in his sentence where be the oratours not surmountable where be they that haue couenably disposed theyr fesâ—â— where beÌ„ also the palfreymen that kept the shynynge palfreys in theyr stables where ben the captayns of men of armes And where ben the lordes and tyrauntes Ben not they all consumed brought to powdre yes of theyr dayes And so shall be of oures Is not theffecte of lyfe altered in to wormes Beholde and loke in to theyr graues whether thou canste knowe there whiche is the lorde whiche is the seruauÌ„t whiche was the poure whiche was the riche Dysceuere yf thou can by knowleche the prysoner from the kyng the stronge from the weke the fayre from the fowle Crysostome seyth what hathe hit auayled them that haue lyued in lechery and in the voluptuousnesse of this presente lyfe tyll theyr laste dayes Auyse you now and beholde in theyr sepulcres and see yf thou canste aspye therin ony sygne of pryde yf thou canste haue ony knowleche of theyr rychesse or of theyr lecherye Axe where is become theyr ryche araye and theyr straunge dysguysed garmentes with theyr voluptuous and theyr nyce lookes And where be also now theyr grette companyes and grete nombre of seruauntes that folowen them where be now theyr laughynges theyr playnges And theyr outrageous gladnesses out of mesurable temperauÌ„ce where is all this become â–ª and whether is it passed Beholde dylygently fyrste the ende of one thynge then of that other and drawe the nere theyr sepultures And thou shalt fynde nothynge therin but oonly asshes and the remanauÌ„te stynkyng and fulle of wormes A remembre thy selfe what is th ende of all mortall men be it so that they haue passed the cours of theyr lyues in deÌ„lectable pleasures or elles in labour or in contynence of theyr flesshe yet all must dye Saynt Bernarde seyth in his meditacyons Tell me nowe where be the Amerouse people of this worlde that late were among vs. In trouthe there is nothyng lefte of them but asshes wormes Thynke thenne and remembre often tymes what thyng they be and what they haue ben here tofore Parde they haue be men as thou arte they haue eten and dronken lawhed made grete chere in theyr tymes And after in a momente they descended in to helle And theyr flesshe delyuered for wormes mete and theyr soule geuen in to helle There to be tormented by fyre vnto that the body shall come Ioyne ageyn there vnto And to be plonged togyder in thebrachementes or paynfull Iehennes sempyternall with them that haue ben there felawes in doyng synnes commyttyng vyces withoute repentaunce penaunce satysfaccyon O what hath it prouffyted theyr vayne glorye theyr short Ioye and the puyssauÌ„ce of this worlde the voluptuousnes of the flesshe the dysceyuable rychesse the grete nombre of theyr seruauÌ„tes the vnhappy coÌ„cupyscens where be theyr playes dysportes where is theyr bostynge and theyr worldly pryde The more they had theyr delectacyon and Ioyed ther in here the more shall be theyr payne and sorowe there And so after a grete voluptuous pleasyre they shall haue a myserable and a perpetuell paynfull sorowe And theyr beyng shall tourne them to ruyne and harde tourmentes Loo all that is comyn vnto them may happen vnto you Thou arte but a man and homo de humo That is to saye a man made of erthe thâ—â— arte of therthe thou lyuest of the erthe and to erthe shalte tourne agayne Of these forsayd amerouse people of this worlde lyuynge flesshely and not dâ—â—dyâ—â—ge deth whiche is theyr neyghbour speketh Saynte Bernard vnto the bretheren of the mounte of our lorde O ye myserable synners that suffyre the wretchednesse of this presente lyfe to retorne lede you from the ryghte waye And the meane tyme ye passe your dayes in makynge good chere ye are descendyng to hell beyng on lyue And thenne eueryche of you maye saye the anguysshes of sorowfull dethe haue enuyronned me And I haue founde my selfe in the peryll of hell These ben the myserable â—â—â—tures that this presente lyf dysceyueth Of whome is wryten in Iob the .xxi. chapytre These felowes whoo 's lyfe is inhaunsed in pompe and pryde be coÌ„forted by theyr rychesse They thynke that theyr seed shall abyde alwaye by the multytue of theyr frendes of theyr neyghbours theyr houses to be alwaye assured and in peas The rodde of god not to come vpon them theyr kyen to conceyue not to be bareyn thenâ—â—ece of them to grow not to be take from them they reioyce themselfe in Iapes dysportes they leue the harpe the tamboryn the organs all vanytees they contynue a whyle in the myrthe sodenly they descende in to hell O how gretly is he defrauded begyled O how folysshely is he mocked that for the flourynge vayn beaute of this worlde shall descende downe in to helle lose the dyade me of theternall glorye Sothly the riche man that by synÌ„e hath deserued the paynes of helle had ben better to haue lyued vertuously in grete nede pouerte all his lyfe than to haue gret haboÌ„dauÌ„ce of riches and atte laste for his synfull lyfe to be dampned Alas what proufyteth it thenne the grete tresours and hepes of golde syluer whan synners shall be sente in to lowe tenebres of helle there to be payned tormented euer lastyngly without seasynge My ryght dere broder frende what sayst that of the riche myghty people of this worlde Dye they not as well as other In good fayth me semeth they be noe thynge priuyleged for as it is wryten in the book of sapience the .vii. chapytre the
entre of this lyfe is one and comune to all semblably soo is the Issue Iob sayth in his xx chapytre This man dyeth stronge lusty and riche his bowelles be full of greece and his bones full of mery And this other dyeth lene and feble full of sorowe and withoute ony riches that notwithstondyng they shall slepe both in powdre and wormes shall ete them Loo how the riche and puyssaunt men of this world haue theyr deth comune and egall with the poore people And therfore it is wryten in Ecclesiaste in the x chapytre The lyfe of al puyssant lordship is righte breyf For this day this man is a kyng tomorow he is dede of suche a kyng is red in the seconde chapytre of the fyrst boke of Machabees how his glory is a foule douÌ„ghyll and as vyle as a worme he is to day enhaunsed and to morowe ther is nothyng to be fouÌ„de of hym we haue an exaÌ„ple accordyng of one of the hyghest and moost excellence prynce of this worlde That is to wete Alexandre the grete kynge of Macedone that subdewed vnto his obeysance the vnyuersal worlde in suche maner that he was demed to be only lord of the erthe And it is redde that this Alexandre the grete somtyme kynge of Grece obteyned many vyctoryes in many straunge londes And in his goynge by diuerse regyons subdewed vnto his Iurisdiccyon all the worlde And in a nother place is red of hym that he was kynge of kynges and that he saw all Realmes subget vnto hym wherby the voys of his renomme and fortune made an hole monarche That is to say an hole Empyre of al the worlde For it was ones alle bonde subget vnto him without dysobeyssaunce And soo he was grettest of alle the large worlde But what thyng therof ensued After he hadde tryumphantly goten the only Empyre of the vnyuersall worlde was not that the stablenesse of regne the ê‘petuyte of myghte the helthe of his body and the longe enduryng of his lyf naturall Certeynly noo But he was subdewed by the same thynge that is comune vnto all that is to wete Dethe whiche is the last recourse after alle fortune and destenyes Than myghte Alexander well say atte houre of his dethe as Iob sayde in the xvi chapytre of his boke I am he that somtyme was riche and mygh ty sodeynly am beten downe for he obteyned onnly his Empyre But oonly by the space of .xii yeres And therfore it is wryten of hym in a nother place That he regned and was obeyed xii yeres And after that he was subget vnto dethe of whome lyueth yet the renomme can not dye Semblably compleynynge hym selfe of the deth he myght saye as is wrytey in Iob the xix chapytre My glory hath dyspoyled me and hath taken away the crowne fro my hede she hath also vtterly destroyed me where thrugh I am lost Lo how it appereth manyfestely herby the deth is th ende of all men And also that how be it Iulius cesar had all the worlde vnder his Empyre yet his glorye fayled hym rested lorde but of a tombe of viii fote longe Wherby it semeth that the mageste Royall all worldly puyssance all prosperous thynges the ordynaunce of dayes passe brefly from man withoute taryenge when the hour of deth is comen therfore seyth an other poete yf that be wyse thy wysdom departeth with thy deth yf that be habondauÌ„t in rychesse it leueth the atte thy deth yf thou be a prudent man thy prudence fynyssheth with thy deth yf that be honest by dethe is it taken from the yf that be stronge thy myght fayleth the by deth Certeynly thenne I now knowe that the yeres that passe taketh from vs all thynges wherfore then yf that be ryche stronge or fayre what vayleth it yf thou be a bysshop a priour or an abbot what vayleth it yf thou be a grete excellente myghty lord yf thou be a kynge or a pope what vayleth it all passeth right hastly without longe taryeng And here resteth but oonly the merytes wherof the good shall cause vs to be gloryfyed And therfore sayd Isydore in an omely My right welbeloued bretheren we oughte to thynke how breef short is the worldely felycyte how lytyll is the glorye of this worlde and how frayle faylynge is the temporall myght therof And therfore euery man maye saye where be the kynges where be the pryÌ„ces where be the emperours where be the riche and myghty men of this worlde they be all past lyke a shadow vanysshed lyke a dreme of the nyght for though one wolde seke them they wyll not be fouÌ„de here what shall I more say the kynges be passed the prynces be dede neuerthelesse there be many that wenen to lyue long neuer to dye But alwayes to rest in this present lyfe Certeynly they be foles For it shall not be so But they shall dye as other prynces men haue done For as Seneca seyth in his epistles to Lucyll The yssue of this present lyfe is deth It is writen by a poete named Ieta The deth vndothe all lyuyng thyng and euery lyfe fynysseth by dethe Certayn the worldly deth coÌ„cludeth all the vayn felycytees of men For yf thou dyde preche the fayth of Abraham the pyte of Ioseph The charyte of Moyses The strengthe of Samson The swetnesse of Dauyd The myracles of Elyzeus The richesse and prudence of kyng Salomon the beaute of Absolon And in we pynf occupyed the extremytees of all these in declaryng theyr endes the hystoryes wolde shewe that there is but one conclusyon That is to say deth Here it appereth righte manyfestly by the thyng a fore sayd that heaute lynage condycions wytte richesse nor worshyp can not kepe a man but that he must stumble fall rotourne to asshes for all thyng that is engendred renneth alway towarde his deth Ouyde sayth that all thyng that is engendied asketh requyreh to come agayne to theyr vnyuersall modre That is to saye the erthe For all that hath ben and paste-afore maye be resembled to a rennyng ryuer Semblably I fele it by myselfe wretche that am brought all moost to nothynge and haue not knowen hit for my dayes be paste fro me lytyll and lytyll as a shadowe and I am dryed as the wydered hey Certeynly we be no thyng but powder Mennes dayes be lyke the floures in a medowe And them selfe may be lykeneth to the heye Now auyse the thenne for man is a thyng that endureth but short space and is of resemblauÌ„ce to the floure that groweth in the medowe It is wryten in Isaye the .xl. chapitre All humane flesshe is hey and his glory lyke the flours of the felde Verely all people be heye and all heye dryeth and wydereth as the floure that is fallen But the worde of oure Lorde remayneth and is perdurable wherfore then dothe a man set hym selfe in pompe and pryde beynge lyke the wydred hey of the
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
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
not with oute cause For they shall be merueylously horryble Saynt Luke seyth in his xxi chapitre whenne the sone of man shall shewe hymselfe That is to sey The childe of the virgyne marye comynge in a clowde in mageste with a gret puyssauÌ„ce thenne shall the sygnes shewe in the sonne in the mone and in the sâ—erres And on the erthe shall be pressure of people dredynge to be cunfused with the sounde of the wawes of the see Men vnyuersally of all the world shall fall downe for the drede and fere that they shall haue thenne O thou wretched man Remembre of the terryble comynge of this Iuge that is bothe god and man whiche a fore hym hath a brennyng fyre And a stronge tempeste I saye there shall a fyre go afore hym whiche shall flamme holy aboute his enemyes It is wryten to the Hebrues in the tenthe chapytre Ryght terryble is the abydynge of this Iugement And the fere therof whiche shall destroye hys aduersaryes And Malachyas sayth in his iii. chapitre See here the day that shall come flaÌ„mynge lyke a chemenye And thenne it shall brenne all proude men and thoos that haue commytted felonye It is redde in Isaye in the .xlvi. chapitre Here is our lorde that shall come Iuge by fyre And Iohell in his .ii. chapitre sayth He shall haue a fyre before his face deuourynge and behynde hym a brennyng flamme For this cause sayth Malachyas in his thrydde chapitre who shall he be thenne that shall nowe see oure Lorde For he shall be as a fyre glowynge sette to make clene and purge syluer who is thenne he of deuoute corage that shall not drede with alle his herte this Iuge and his comyng And therfor sayth saynt Gregory vpon Ezechyell who may haue the corage but that shal fere and dred the presence of the eternall Iuge when all thyÌ„ges shal come thenne to the syght of euery man all thynges done afore by delectacyon shall be with righte grete drede called to RemembrauÌ„ce Certayn as it is wryten in the Prouerbys in the .xxxviii. chapitre The euyll men thynken not of the Iugement But they that desyren dreden god haue in theyr hertis all good thynges saynt Bernard sayth in a prose truly I drede sore the vysage of the Iuge that shall come to whom noo thyng can be hyd shal noo thyng rest vnpunysshed who shall he be of vs that shall not dred when that Iuge shall come whiche shall haue fyre brennyng before hym to the destruccyon of all synners Certeynly this last Iugemente ought gretly to be dred and for .iii. causes The fyrste the accusementes shal be in many maners whiche all synneis ought greuously to wayle The seconde is the right strayte sentence vpon our gouernaunce that syngulerly shall be made to euery thyng The thyrde is the horryble feerfull abydynge of the Iugement whiche thenne by the Iust Iuge shal be terrybly gyuen These thynges all synners ought tymerously drede whiche by consequens the Remembraunce therof sholde withdrawe man from doynge synne ¶ Here endeth the prologue of the seconde parte ¶ How the Accusacyon that shall be at the daye of dome is to be drad ¶ The fyrst chapitre of the seconde parte THe fyrste thing theÌ„ne where by the fynal Iugement oughte specyally to be drad is the many and dyuerse accusacyons whiche shall be there agaynst all synners wherfore it is to be knowen that we fynde in holy scryptures seuen thynges that accuse synners atte the grete daye of Iugement The fyrste is oure propre conscyence whiche shall argue ageynst the synner not secretely but manyfestely thenne afore all It is wryten in Danyele in the seuenthe chapitre Thy Iugemente is sette and thy bookes be open That is to wete the conscyences whiche thenne be openly vttered In those bokes be conteyned the sciences of lyf or of deth of glory and of confusyon of saluacyon perpetuell or daÌ„pnacyon eternall It is red also in the .xx. chapitre of the Apocalyps That dede men shall be Iuged of the thynges wryten in theyr owne bokes That is to saye in theyr consciences Therfore it is wryten in the Pystle to the Romayns in the seconde chapitre That theyr conscyences shall bere them wyttenesse For as wyttenesse of the euyll conscyence is thaccusacyon the payne and the tourment of synners Right so shal the good coÌ„scyence be helpe and saluacyon to the good creatures The seconde thyng that shal accuse the synners shall be the fendes and the euyll spyrytes whiche falsly trayterously haue procured sturred men to synne And of alle that the synner hathe done they wyll accuse hym as one thef accuseth an other of one felony done by them both It is wryten in the Apocalyps the .xii. chapitre The fende is called the accuser of bretheren And Saynt Austyn say the. They be all before the Iudycyall sete of Ihesu Cryste And there the deuellys shall be redy â–ª whiche shall reherse the wordes of our professyon and shall appose to oure face that we haue done and wherin we haue synned and in what place and what we oughte to haue done and lefte it vndone Truly our aduersary that same fende shall say thenne O righte wyse and Iuste Iuge Deme this man to be myn for his synnes For he wyll not be thyne by grace He is thyne by nature He is myne by his mysery He is thyn by thy passion He is myn by persuasyons He hathe bendysobeysaunte vnto the. He hath ben concentyng vnto me He hath receyued of the that stole of Immortalyte of me this blacke garmente that he wereth of perpetuell deth he that lefte thy lyuere hath taken myn he hath lefte thy Ioye and blysse hath taken my sorowe and payne O thou Iuste Iuge Iuge hym therfore to be myn and that he be condampned with me perpetually Thyse wordes sayd our lorde vnto Saynte Austyne The thyrde thynge that accuseth synners shall be angeles the happy goode spyrytes Certayne it is to be beleued that he that hath gyuen them oure soules to kepe shall requyre to haue Reason of that kepyng And as those that neuer lye nor wyll take vpon them the synne or faute of other muste nedys saye they be not to blame But the gylte is in vs synners whiche wolde not obey nor byleue them Semblably it is not the defaâ—te of the physycyen whiche doth his cure as it ap perteyneth yf he hele not his pacyent whiche is disobeysauÌ„t vnto hym And therfore hit is wryten in Iheremye the one and fyfty chapitre we haue hadde Babylon in cure and yet she is not heled These be the wordes of the Angeles as they wyll saye we haue doone all that was necessary to be done to Babylon to the ende that sholde be cured heled But it is in her defaut that she is not he led This Babylon is to be lykened to maÌ„nes soule The .iiii. thyng that shall accuse synners shall be creatures
is wryten in the boke of Sapyence in the iiii chapitre That the dampned soules shall be vtterly in desolacyon Also the dampned soule sayth in the fyrst chapitre of the Trenys of The remye I am cast in desolacyon am conuycte in to wepyng It is wryten in Isaye in the xxxiiii chapitre That the wretched synner shal be in desolacion duryng the worlde of worldes Alas alas what payne is that to be endured O moost cruell payne O desolacion full of all tourmentes therfore o thou man remembre the prynte often in thy herte mynde these thynges aboue sayde to th entent â–ª thou may esche we withdrawe the from synne ther by haue the moost precyous glorye felycyte perdurable ¶ How those that descende into helle be cruelly punysshed ¶ The seconde chapitre of the thirde parte payncypall NOwe to procede folowyng by ordre it resteth to be expowned howe there be many dyuerse afflyccyons gyuen by the solderyours of helle Those sol deyours ben to vnderston de the deuylles whiche ben tourmentours hangemen ful abhomynable to beholde and cruell in theyr dedys neuer wery to tourmente nor to gyue paynes I saye fyrst that those deuyles be horryble to beholde And therfore they be so paynted in the chirche with hydeous horryble fygures to this purpose it is redde that where somtyme a relygyous man was leynge in his dortor among his brethern It happened in a nyght that he cryed horrybly where thorugh all the brethern of his couente resorted vnto hym they fouÌ„de hym staryng his eyen fixed vppon a walle fyrmely withoute moeuyng wolde answere to noo questyon that they demauÌ„ded hym he was so moeued with a mernelous fere in the morow his pryour came vnto hyÌ„ asked what hym ayled that nyght he answered He hadde seen the deuyll And thenne it was questyoned hym what shappe he was of And he answered that his shappe ne myght lyghtly be descryued sayd yf there were here an ouen full of fyre yonder the deuyll I had as leef entre in to the ouen as longe to beholde on his moost horryble fygure and as sainte Bernarde sayth in the Psalme of Qui habitat in adiutorio O my right dere brethern what thyn he ye yf it were a thyng syttyng that one of thise prynces of tenebres that be of soo many hydeous and merueylous shappes sholde come and appere amongen you with his grete cruelte and vnformed tenebroê° body what temporale or spyrytuale wytte myght susteyne to beholde hym It is redde in the book of Ditis patruÌ„ How there was somtyme an auncyent man that sayd I trowe there is noo lyuyng creature but and he same the deuyll in the same fourme that the dampned soules see hym he sholde no more lyfe after but shortely sholde dye Also Saynte Gregorye sayth of one called Cryssoryus whiche beynge full seke sawe besyde hym a grete multytude of deuylles wherfore he cryed full hydeously after helpe he torned hym this waye and that waye to th entent he sholde not see them but he was so feruently troubled with them in fere that right soone he dyed Certeynly all those that see the deuylles be in suche gret troubles that all men diede the syghte of them and not withoute Reason for theyr horryble fygure tourmenteth those to deth that beholdeth them It is wryten in Iob the .xx. chapytre Horryble thynges shall go and come vpon them And that Saynte Bernard sheweth whenne he sayd O my soule what fere shall thou haue whenne thou shalt leue the presence of all thynges where in thou haste Ioye the syght of that that is agreable vnto the and all thy famylyaryte and shalte entre allone ferfully in to the regyon whiche is to the vnknowen whenne the righte terryble and horryble monstres shall come in grete companyes agaynst the. O how grete a deformyte shall be in thoos horryble deuylles that shall appere in figures of righte cruell beestys And as it is wryten in the .xi. chapitre of Sapyens Because they permytted errours as done serpentes and other superflue beestys thou hast sente them a multytude of dome bestys in vengeaunce to the entente that they maye knowe wherin they haue synned they to be tourmented by the same Certayne it is not Impossyble that the moost myghty honde that hath create and made all the vnyuersall worlde of thynge vnsene shold sende a multytude of fers beres of hardy lyons and other many furyous beestys of dyuerse shappes castyng vapures of fyre gyuyng stynkyng smokes puttynge out of they eyen sparkes brennyng of fyre but all these thynges sholde be to the hurte of synners and also the beholdynge myght slee them as it is wryten in the chapitre a fore sayde Iob sayde in his .xvi. chapitre Myne enemy hath beholde me with terryble eyen He also sayth in his .xli. chapitre His loke and beholdyng is lyke a glystryng of fyre out of his mouth stremyng as it were brennyng lampes and popilleth as water boylynge out of a potte Therfore sayth a Poete that there be therin serpeÌ„tes vomyshyng out of theyr mouthes brennyng flammes with the whiche blastes the soules of the myserable synners ben all perysshed Secondly the fendes be cruell by effecte where as it is wryten in Iob the xvi chapitre They are assembled ayenst me they haue opened theyr mouthes vppon me as a rauyssyng lyon they haue teÌ„pted me they haue mocked me grennyngly felonesly shewed me their tethe Also in Ecclesiastico in the .xxi. Chapitre is sayde Theyr tethe be lyke the tethe of lyons whiche deuour the soules To this purpose is wryten in the fyrst Pystle of saynt Peter the .v. chapitre That how the deuyll is lyke a braynge lyon whiche gooth sekyng to deuour som soule Certeyne the deuyll shall be appoynted at the last day for to deuour synners It is wryten in Isaye in the lvi chapitre O ye all bestes of the feldes wyldernes come ye for to deuoure Iheremye in his .xii. chapitre sayth Come ye alle bestes and assemble and make you redy for to deuour Saynt Gregory in his Dyalogis talketh therof and sayth That there was somtyme a monke not yet verely monke in dede but so named whiche was called Theodorus It was righte dyspleasant vnto hym whenne one spake to hym for his saluacon he wolde not oonly leue to do good but it lothed hym to here speke therof as Theodorus was at the artycle of dethe al his brethern of his couent assembled aboute hym in prayers deuout orysons that they myght helpe defende his soule at the departyng from his body then he began sodenly to crye with a grete voyce had them breke of leue theyr orysoÌ„s prayers departe for he was gyuen vnto an horryble dingon for to be deuoured whiche he sayd for theyr praiers might not deuoure hym yet he had swalowed his hede prayed them therfore go thens pray nomore
it sholde be often in your Remembraunce to defende you from fallynge to synne whereby ye sholde lese the companye of the happy blysshed sayntes and the celestiall glorye whiche is perdurable and shall dure worlde withouten ende ¶ How there be many condycyons of tourmentes encreasynge the paynes of helle ¶ The thyrde chapitre of the thyrde parte pryncypale NOw resteth to declare the thyrde parte of this mater whiche is in shewyng the condicoÌ„n of thinfernale tourment whiche be full dyuerse Certeyne there be sondry condicoÌ„ns that specyally encreace by occasyons the paynes of helle The fyrste is bytternesse wepyng gryndyng of tethe complaynyng the perpetuell dethe paynfull languyssynge in despayre the wrath blamyng of the creatour of alle thynges with other many tourmeÌ„tes paynes innumerable to be recyted whiche doubteles shall be well felâ—e vnderstonde there by synÌ„ers as it appereth in dyuerse places of holy scrypture as it is wryten in Thapocalyps in the .xvi. chapitre They haue eten theyr conges for grete sorowe haue blasphemed the god of heuen for theyr anguysshys theyr wouÌ„des saynt Gregory sayth that he that is coÌ„dempned to the cormentes fyndeth more payne there thenÌ„e can be supposed or thought sayne The rome seyth that the force of the sorow in helle shal be soo grete that it can not addresse his corage but as the force of the said so rowe wyll coÌ„strayne Certeyn the synner shall say then as is wryten in Iheremye in the .viii. chapitre My woo encreaseth in sorowe vppon sorowe The egrenesse of the paynes of helle shal be so grete that synners shall hate dysprayse lyfe whiche vnyuersally is delyted with a brennyng desyre wysshe to fynde deth whiche euery man wolde flee As it is wryten in the Apocalyps in the .ix. chapitre A day shall come that men shall desyre wysshe for deth shall not haue it they shall requyre deth it shall flee away from them In trouthe our lorde wytnesseth the egrenesse of the paynes of helle in Iheremy in the .ix. chapitre where he sayth I shall fede my people with absynth comonly named worm wode the whiche is a bytter herbe I shal gyue them to drynke galle wherby is signifyed the bytternes of the tormentes of helle It is red that this egrenesse was wel consydered by a yonge man whiche was delycyously nourysshed Neuerthelesse he entred in to thorder of prechers and whene he had ben in the sayde order a whyle there came a man from his kynesfolkes to amonisshe hyÌ„ to depart thens or he were professed shewyng hyÌ„ howe delyciously he had ben brought vp therfore he myght not susteyne the dures paynes troubles perteynyng to the sayd order The yonge man answered I haue entred in to this order knowynge well that I was voluptuously nourysshed and myght not well suffre But I remeÌ„bre well that the troubles paynes of helle shall be importable wherfore I hadde leuer to susteyne the lityll payne of this ordre then the paynes whiche ar incoÌ„parable For Iob saythe in his .vi. chapitre the snowe shall falle vppon them that shall drede the lytyll myst This consyderacyon moued an here myte called Pyers to enterpryse a merueylous penaunce whiche he accomplysshed as Saynt Gregory sheweth in the .iiii. boke of his dyalogis this heremyte dyed by a sekenesse yet after his deth his soule was restored agayne to his body Also Saynt Gregory sayth that there was somtyme a monke horn of Irlonder called Pyers this monke affermed how he had seen the greuous tourmentes of helle the innumerable paynfull places flaÌ„mes of fyre and tolde how he hadde seen there certeyn mighty men of this worl de hanged vp in the sayd flaÌ„mes And he sayd as he was brought for to be cast in sodeynly appered an angell clothed alle in whyte whiche saued him and bad hym goo thens attentyfly to remeÌ„bre how he sholde lyue from thens forthwarde to kepe him out of the danger of the paynes After that he had herde that voyce he reuyued and came to him selfe lityll and lityll and shewed vnto his brethern there all the thyngis that he had felte and seen and from that day forthwarde he vsed lyued a blessyd lyfe in fastyng doyng penasice so that by his conuersacion after it myght well seme the paynes of helle ar to be dred The secoÌ„de coÌ„dicion encreasyng the paynes of helle is the multyplyeng of the tourmentes there In certeyn they be innumerable And as the psalter sayth The paynes whiche be without nombre haue enuyrouÌ„d beclypped me It is wryten in Deutronomy the xxxii chapitre I shall assemble many dyuers paynes vpon them I shal accoÌ„plyshe or spende the shot of myn arowes in them as it is wryten in Isay the .v. chapitre His arowes be full sharpe alle his bows are bent oure lorde hath many arowes in his quiuer whiche he hath not yet shot forthe but after the Iugement he shall smyte alle synners with them These arowes are the dyuerse paynes of helle where as syÌ„ners shall be thenne tour mented in many maners the Psalter sayth The arowes of the myghty that is to saye of oure lorde be sharp amonges the coles of desolacyon Our lorde sayth in Deutronomy the xxii chapitre I shall â—mbrewe myne arowes in theyr blood my swerde shall deuour theyr flesshe they shall perysshe by famyne the byrdes shall strangle them with a ful bytter morsell I shall sende avenst them the tethe of wylde bestes with the furour of those that rampe deuour vpon the erthe Outwarde the swerd shall destroye them Inwarde fere drede shall wast them Of this multytude of paynes speketh saynt Gregory in the .viii. chapitre of Saynt Mathew sayeng They shall be caste out in to thuttermeste tenebres that is to saye helle where shall be an vnsuffrable colde an vn quencheable hete an immortale worme an intollerable stynche a derkenesse manyable and an hortyble vysyon of deuel les thresshyng and betynge a confusyon of synÌ„ers a separacyon of all Ioyes And therfore sayd a wyse man that helle is a mortyfyeng pyt full and accomplysshid with all paynes and myseryes The Psalter seyth It shall reyne brymstone vppon synners and the spyrytes of tempestis whiche be part of the sorowes and tourmeÌ„ntes of helle And that sayeng is to be noted by cause that there be many other partes of tourmentis impossyble to be expressed all that euer we haue spoken of the paynes of helle is a full lytyll thynge in regarde of the grete infynyte multytude of them but to th entent that the multyplycacoÌ„n of the â—e paynes may be the more expressely declared It is also to be noted howe dampned soules shall be full of all myseryes so rowes for they shall euer haue wepyng eyen gryndyng of theyr tethe stynche in theyr noses wayllyng in theyr voyces fere in theyr ere 's brennynge of fyre in all theyr membres therin shal be
bouÌ„den honde fote Lo how the wretched synÌ„er descendyng in to helle shall be fulfylled with all tormentes It is wryten in Iob the .xv. chapitre of the daÌ„pned man how tribulacoÌ„n shal holde him anguys she shall enuyronÌ„e hym And in the .xiii. chapitre of Isaye How all mennys hertes shall be abasshed ferde for the sorowes torcyons that shal holde hym hauynge the payn that women suffre trauelyng of childe echo ne shall sorowe vpon his neyghbour theyr broyled faces shall affray eue riche other Therfor Baruch sayd in his .vi. chapitre Theyr faces be blacked with smoke for the faces of all synners shall be brought to the lykenesse of a rounde potte as it is wryten in Iohell the seconde chapitre Also it is sayde in Ecclesiastyco the .xlviii. chapitre The paynes of a woman trauelynge shall come vnto them The same also is wryten in Ozee the .xiii. chapitre Soo as it appereth there be many scorges fleyles in helle for to bete synners therwith Certeynly the dampned soule shall mowe saye with the Psalter The sorowes of deth haue compassed me the paynes of helle haue fouÌ„den me It sayth It hath compassed me for this cause For it is to hym a vestyment or coueryng of maledyccion whiche shal be both within hym withoute hym O what vestyment shall this be that shal be women with soo paynfull thredes those without nombre whiche can neuer be vndone nor taken away for with an inmortale stryng it shall be inseparably bounden vnto the synner This shall be a sore and a bytynge vestyment to be suffred This is the vestymente that is wryten of in Isaye in the .xiii. chapitre sayeng Thy vestyment shall be wormes The coÌ„syderacoÌ„n of these many folde paynes reuoked called Dauyd from synÌ„e caused hym to doo penauÌ„ce therfore he sayd to our lorde How many sorecribulacoÌ„ns hast that she wed me that coÌ„uerted hast reuyned me The consyderacoÌ„ns also of thise for said paynes moeued somtyme an heremyte for to take-vppon hym a right sharpe paynfull lyf whiche he ledde in his heremitage as it is red in Vitis patruÌ„ It was axed of hyÌ„ why he wolde so slee him selfe And he answered All the labour of my lyf is not suffycyent to be coÌ„pared to one of the dayes of tourmentes that be or deyned reserued for synners in tyme to come Beda sheweth vs in his wrytyng of Englond how that in the tyme of yonge ConstaÌ„tyne ther dyed a knyghte about the yeres of our lord .viii. C. and .vi. whiche knyght reuyued after for the paynes that he had seen he fledde in to an heremytage as it is red in Vitis patruÌ„ he made hyÌ„ a lityll hous by a Ryuyer syde In the whiche ryuyer he wolde renne oftentymes all clothed in the wynter tyme. wold suffre his clothes to frese vnto his fleshe thenne after he wolde lepe in to a bayn as hote as hit was possyble to hyÌ„ to suffre And this lyf he ledde vnto his deth And whenÌ„e folkes sawe hym do soo they blamed hym therfor he sayd to them Yf ye had seen that I haue seen ye wolde do as I do rather more Saynt Gregory sayth The vysyon of the paynes of helle is the moost excellente moeuyng that can be to penaunce and contricion The thyrde condycyon encreasyng the paynes of helle is the euerlastyngnesse therof It is wryten in the boke of Sapyence the .iiii. chapitre Oure lorde shall mocke them That is to vnderstonde synners after they shall fall from theyr worshyp among them that be sempyternally dede Saynte Mathew sayth the .xxv. chapitre They be those that shall goo in to tourmentes In Iudyth the xvi chapitre is red that our lord shall sende wormes of fyre ayenst theyr fleshe that they may breÌ„ne and yet lyue and fele the paynes for euer To that purpose speketh Isaye in his last Chapitre thê° Theyr wormes shal not dye nother theyr fyre quenche And therfore sayth our lord in Deutronomye in the .xxxii. chapitre The fyre is kyndeled with my furour and shall brenne in to the lowest parte of helle and that shall be perpetuelly and endelesly Isaye in his .xxxiii. chapitre sayth O whiche of vs shal mowe suffre and endure the deuourynge fyre who shall mowe be amonge those that shall be brente sempyternally In the xxxiii chapitre of the same Isaye is sayde The grouÌ„de where they dwelle shall be conuerted into brennynge pytche nyght and daye and shall not quenche and the smoke shall be from generacoÌ„n to generacoÌ„n vpon them duryng the world of worldes It is wryten in the Apocalyps in the .xx. chapitre The deuyll shal be sente in to the lake of fyre and sulpher and brymstone where the euyll beste and the false prophete shall be tormented nyghte and day in the worlde of worldes And he that shal not be fonden in the book of lyfe shall be sente in to the lake of fyre there for to dwelle in the shadowe of dethe where is none ordre but sempyternall horrour and sorowe It is wryten in Iob the .x. chapitre and also Saynt Gregory seyth in his Moralles a right horryble worde That is to wyte Thenne shall the myserable synners suffre a grete payne with a grete fere a grete flamme with a derkenesse and deth without deth an ende without fynysshyng for that dethe shall euer lyue and that ende shall begynne alwaye ageyne and that faute shall neuer fayle And a poete sheweth howe that myserable dethe can not dye nor fynysshe but semeth alle waye that it begynneth and reneweth wepynges and languysshynges Peter de bloys sayd in a pystle There shall be none order of ony maner of tormentes nother sparynge but endelesly the paynes shall renue begynne ageyn dethe can not dye there for it shall be alway ê‘manent and neuer cessyng to th entent that the condaÌ„pned soules may myserably alway encreace in theyr paynes and sorowes and be nourysshed in eternall dethe The Psalter sayth They be casten in to helle as shepe and dethe fedeth them Mowe thenne this synners haue theyr fedynge of deth what shal be their drynke Herkene what is wryten in Deutronomye in the .xxxii. chapitre the burgynge of the grape the vyne that they shall haue shall be aysell and galle of Dragons and the venym of the Adder called aspe whiche is incurable O wherewith shall the synners be nourysshed seest that not howe they be perpetually tourmented with the mooste cruell deth they shall lyue then in dyeng shall be dede lyuyng Saynte Bernard seyth in a boke that he sente vnto Pope Eugeny The bytynge worme the lyuyng dethe I grouge and secre gretely I drede to falle in to the handes of the dethe that euer lyueth and of the lyfe that neuer dyeth Saynte Gregory sayth That the felon synners shall dye of inmortall deth O good lord eternall why hast thou suffred me doo contrarye thy wyll werke myne owne sorow