that a holy fader was seke the whiche as he was sene to drede the dethe / the freres hym demaunded wherfore he dredde and he answered in this manere Brederne I haue kepte the coÌ„maundementes of god after my puyssaunce / but I am a man I knowe not yf my operacions hath pleased vnto god or naye And therfore I ne am sure tyll vnto that that I come vnto hym c. F. ¶ Another example of a pryour relygyous that sayd that he dyed lawfully faithfully / amyably and ioyously IT is wryten in the lyfe of faders that the pryour of a couent was in a greuous sekenes replenysshed with meruayllous pacyence And he sayd oftentymes one thynge the whiche is wryten in the cantycles with grete dolour of deuocion Dilectê° meê° michi ego illi donec aspiret di es iÌ„clinentur vmbre Also he sayd vnto his brederne .xv. dayes before his dethe that he sholde deye of that sekenes in the solempnyte of the feest of the vyrgyn Marye the whiche thynge was done For at the fyrste euen songe of the natyuyte of the vyrgyn Marye he deyed / was buryed that daye He had songe the last masse of the vyrgyn Marye And also of her he had made hys laste predycacyon Whan he sholde deye anone he made to assemble before hym his brederne vnto whome he sayd Knowe ye my brederne that I deye lawfully / amyably faythfully ioyously And expounded it in this wyse I deye lawfully For I deye in the fayth of Ihesu cryst of the sacramentes of the chirche Amyably / for I haue perseuered in the dyleccyon of god vnto myn aduyse syth that I entred in to the ordre And I haue studyed how I might best please hym Faythfully for I knowe wele that I go vnto god Ioyously for I go from one lande replenysshed with myserye vnto a good countree I passe from wepynges vnto Ioye sempyternell c. G. Another example of a monke the whiche was chosen to be bysshop he refused it and deyed wele Ciiii. IT is wryten in the promptuary of the dyscyple that Arnoldus sayeth that a monke of cleruaulx was chosen to be bysshop / the whiche refused it agaynst the wyll of his abbot / of the bysshop / sone after he deyed And he appered after his dethe vnto his famylyer / the whiche demaunded hym yf the dysobeyssauÌ„ce beforsayd had noyed hym He answered that nay and afterwarde sayd Yf I had taken the bysshopryche I hadde be dampned And sayd more ouer an horryble worde The estate of the chirche is come vnto that that she is not dygne to be gouerned but of yll bysshoppes c. H. ¶ Another example of the dethe of many holy persones of the whiche the Byble maketh mencyon Ciiii. THe holy scryptures maketh mencyon of the dethe of many holy faders that it sholde be longe thynge confuse for to wryte And for to be shorte who so wyll se in the byble lette hym studye in the chapytres the whiche foloweth here / Fyrst it is wryten of the dethe of abel genesis .iiii. cap. Of the dethe of abraham ge xxv of the dethe of Ysaac genesis .xxxv. of the dethe of iacob gene xlix of the dethe of Ioseph gene l. Of the dethe of Aaron numeri .xx. Of moyses the whiche deyed in the lande of Moab that oure lorde buryed / neuer man ne knewe his sepulcre In lyke wyse as it is wryten deuterono xxxiiii Of the dethe of dauid it is wryten primo paralipo xxix of the dethe of zacharie it is wryten secuÌ„do paralipo xxiiii of the deth of Thobye it is wryten thobie .xiiii. of the dethe of his sone it is wryten thobie vltimo / of the dethe of iob / it is wryten iob xlii of the dethe of mathathias .i. machabioruÌ„ ii of the dethe of saynt Iohan baptist mathei xiiii Of the dethe of the poore lazar begger that the auÌ„gelles bare in to AbrahaÌ„s bosome it is wryten luce xvi of the goode thefe the whiche deyed whan our lorde deyed it is wryten luce xxiiii of the dethe of saynt Steuen the whiche was stoned / it is wryten actuum .vii. c. ¶ Mors malorum A. ¶ Examples of those the whiche hathe not wylled to do the wyl of god ne to accoÌ„plysshe his coÌ„maundementes ben deed of an yll dethe in paynes dolours / fyrste example / how the deuyll drewe the soule of a cursed ryche man with a crochet and a woman wedowe was comforted of the vyrgyn marye and of the vyrgyns Cv. VYcent sayeth in the .viii. boke of the myrrour hystoryall that there was a ryche curate vycyous in a parysshe the whiche had vnder his cure a noble ryche man a poore woman wedowe / the whiche deyed in one tyme. Whan the sayd ryche man was seke he sente to seche the curate to vysyte hym to admynystre the sacramentes the whiche curate theder yode quykly and was moche more curyous to haue the said ryche man couched on feders in a fayre bedde couered with purple with precyous vestymentes / and aourned with golde with precyous stones And also he founde many seductoures the whiche gaue vnto hym consolacyons of flateryes / his wyfe / his chyldren / housholde the whiche lyed And in this thynge hangynge there came a messenger vnto the sayd curate froÌ„ the sayd wedowe strongly seke for to confesse her and to vysyte And the sayd prest the whiche put all his entente for to sowke the ryche synner ne answerde nothyng And a deacon the whiche was presente had pyte of the poore wedowe dredde that she sholde deye without receyuynge the sacramentes / spake vnto the curate the whiche answered by grete furoure O that thou arte of lytell counsayll the whiche wylt that we leue this noble man our patron for to go vnto the olde wedowe And the deacon answered Ne trouble you not / yf you coÌ„maunde me I shall vysyte her And the deacon yode theder by his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t And bare the body of Ihesu cryste The wedowe was gretely poore of worldly godes / but full of good operacyons ¶ She was prostrate vpon the erthe / and a lytel of strawe vnder her ¶ Whan the deacon was at the dore he was meruaylled rested him For he sawe there the vyrgin marye / and grete company of vyrgyns standynge by the wedowe / and marye chered her / vysyted and with a clothe wyped the swetynge from her vysage And whan the quene of heuen and the vyrgyns sawe the body of our lorde Ihesê° they yode on theyr knees and worshyppeth the sacramente / Whan they were redressed they assured affably the deacon that he sholde entre and the vyrgyn mary sayd that he sholde not drede And that he sholde confesse and admynystre the sayd wedowe so he dyde / And afterwarde he said of the psalmes to coÌ„maunde the soule with grete ioye to departe After came in to the hous of the sayd ryche man Whan
hell and all his goodes It is wryten in the lyfe of saynt Ambrose that as he yode on a tyme vnto Rome he came to lodge in the towne of tuscie wherin was a ryche man whan he sawe so moche of goodes of seruauntes he axed the sayd man of his estate The man answered I am happy and glorious in all maners I habounde in rychesses I haue grete company of seruauntes / all that euer I desyred is well comen to me / ne there came neuer vnto me aduersyte Whan saynt Ambrose herde these wordes he was moche abasshed and sayd vnto those that were of his company Aryse and fle we for god is not in this place / haste you chyldren and make none abydynge lest the vengeaunce comprehende vs / and that they ne wrappe vs in theyr synÌ„es / and whan they were a lytell thens the erthe opened sodaynly and swalowed the sayd ryche man and all his goodes and those thynges whiche vnto hyÌ„ apperteyned sanke into hell in suche maner that there ne abode no thynge apparaunt ¶ Another example how the cursed ryche man the whiche was clothed with purple and lyued delycatyuely is buried in hell Quere .lxxxiiii. A. ¶ Another example of a man the whiche gaue hymselfe vnto the deuyll to th ende that he sholde enryche hym / and the deuyll gaue to hym treasours and baptysed hym in the name of all the deuilles .lx. ¶ Another example of a ryche vsurer the whiche loued his godes more than god of whome he demauÌ„ded ayde at his dethe .lxxxvi. f. ¶ Another example of an vsurer the whiche loued to moche his goodes comaunded his soule vnto the deuyl at his dethe / after that he myght no more possede theym .lxxxvi. g. F. ¶ Thyrdly we sholde loue god with all our herte more than our faders moders aboue all our chyldren / cosyns / parentes and frendes / and the reason is good For god is our pryÌ„cipal fader celestyall the whiche hath made vs create vnto his ymage and vnto his symylytude In lyke wyse as it is wryten Genesis nono Ad ymaginem quippe dei factê° est homo And of as moche as the soule that he hathe create is more dygne than the body / of as moche more we sholde loue god obey vnto his commaundement more soner than vnto oure fader carnall Saynt barnarde sayeth Ecce domine quia me fecisti debeo me amori tuo totum Thou lorde by cause thou hast made me create I ought to gyue all in thy loue And it is wryten eccle xxxvii de Dauid De omÌ„i corde suo laudauit deum et dilexit dominum qui fecit illum Dauid praysed god withall his herte and loued his lorde the whiche hathe created hym We requyre god euery daye our fader in sayenge the pater noster Pater noster qui es iÌ„ celis Of good ryght we call hym our fader in as moche as he hath vs made and created / and for as moche as he nouryssheth vs with his goodes that he maketh to growe For he is a good fader the nouryssheth / and in as moche as we hope to possede his herytage that is paradyse as his propre chyldren For these thynges here and many other we sholde loue god aboue our pareÌ„tes We sholde loue our faders carnalles naturally and by the commaundement of god / but we shold loue god aboue them Vnde Augusti Diligendus est genitor / sed preponeÌ„dus est creator ¶ Example of saynt Barbara the whiche loued god more than her fader Diascorus the whi wolde haue her ydolatre / she chose more soner to lose the loue of her sayd fader all her worldly goodes honoures / that her body were beten / cut / put vnto dethe than 〈…〉 as commaundemen◠〈…〉 Accu◠〈…〉 I◠〈…〉 man 〈…〉 syâ—â—â—â—â— mortally and shall go vnto dampnacyon Vndâ—â—gâ—ur in 〈…〉 distin◠〈◊〉 Stâ—â—â—m eniâ—uÌ„â—â—â—s fâ—â— capax precepâ— deâ—â—â—â—tur ad â—â—â—s 〈◊〉 noâ—â—â—am et obseruatâ—oneÌ„ Iâ— that â—â—ge that a â—â—â—de is capable of the commaundemente of god it is commaundeâ— hym that he kepe it And yf the sayd chyldren were not soo wyse that they myght â—nowe that they offende and that they dyde the sayd theft in obeyenge vnto theyr fader carnall they do not synÌ„e mortally but theyr sayd fader shall bere the synÌ„e and punycyon ¶ Example that a man sholde loue god more than his chyldren other parentes Quere in the examplary of the commaundementes .lxx â—a ¶ Another example in Abraham the whiche loued well his sone Ysaac / but he loued god aboue hym in lykewise as it appered whan god coÌ„maunded hym for to do sacryfyce Quere in the examplary of the commaundementes .li. a ¶ 〈…〉 ¶ Another 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 good And therfore they go vnto dampnacyon E. ¶ Fourthly we sholde loue goo with 〈…〉 more than our owne bodies and 〈…〉 hym and vnto his commaundmentes more sooner than vnto our own 〈◊〉 The reason is good for that that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is full of â—ouâ—â—â— infynyte hathe 〈◊〉 â—od vs more than his owne body For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—dured that his body hath be beter crucyfyed and put 〈◊〉 doth for to redemâ— vs from holle where all we defended sholde haue descended by the synne of Adam or forme fader Yf thou he wylt beleue that 〈◊〉 it true by symple worde or speche yet studâ— the scryptures in the chapyttes the whiche folowen It is wryten .i. peâ—tri .i. cap. Noâ—er corruptionibê° auâ—o vel argento redeÌ„pâ—â—â—â—s de vana vestra coÌ„uersatione paterâ—â— tradiâ—ionis sed preâ—â—o so sanguine agâ—â—â—â— macuâ—an christ That is to saye Ye be redemed from your vayne conuersacyon of the tradiccyon paternall not of thynges corruptybles as golde syluer but by the precyous blode of the lambe Ihesu cryst immaculate Et legitur .i. petri .iii. Christus semel pro peccaris nostris morruus est â—â—stus pro frustus vt nos offerret deo That is to say Ihesu Cryst is deed one tyme for our synnes the Iust for the vniust to then de that he offre vs vnto god Et legitur ad Gallarhas .iii. Christus nos redemit Ihesu cryst hath redemed vs. Et Barnardus dicit Ecce domine quia redemisti me dâ—beo me amori tuo totum et tantum debeo plusquam qu aÌ„to tu maior es me pro quo de disti teipsuÌ„ My lorde for that / that thou hast redemed me I sholde gyue me all in to thy loue / and I sholde loue the more than my selfe of as moche as thou arte greter than I for whome thou haste gyuen thy selfe Syth it is so that god hath loued vs more than hymselfe / it is good reason that we loue hym better than our selfe as it is sayd Example in the appostles the whiche hath loued god more than theyr owne bodyes / for some hath endured for to be flayne / as saynt Barthylmewe / some other to be heeded as saynt Poule / the other crucifyed
by couÌ„sayll of an olde woman she poysoned her And the fader had horrour of his synne lefte her Wherfore the doughter poysonned hym also And whan she had so slayn her fader moder she dyspayred thynkyÌ„g not to haue mercye tyll vnto that she herde preche that in contrycyon confessyon all synnes were pardonned Albeit thâ—t they were thâ— mooâ—t grâ—ce and fouâ—â— that man may speke / so mâ—che is greate the bâ—ounte grace of god Than the sayd doughter came to the precher for to confesse her / for her grete dysperacyon ne myghte declare all her synnes in confessyon And after that he had chered her she confessed truely her synnes with so many of teres of lamentacyons that it was meruayll / and sayd that she was worthy to haue all payne confusyon After that she had confessed her and that she had receyued penaunce salutarie she entred in to the chirche with her chamberere and fell prostrate in orayson wepte and lamented her synnes in so grete dolour haboundaunce of teres that she deyed in the place And afterward as her confessour preched desyred the people to praye for her he herde a voyce the whiche sayd that he and the people had more grete nede of grete haboundauÌ„ce of teres she had be puryfyed wasshed in lyke wyse as of newe baptyzed and so flewe in to heuen wtoute the paynes of purgatorye E. ¶ Another example how dauyd made to slee Vrye vniustely and commytted aduoutrye lxxvii IT is wryten in the .xi. chapitre of the seconde boke of kynges that dauyd behelde out at a wyndowe the wyfe of vrye as she wasshed her / for her beaute was tempted and deceyued For he her coueyted / loued and slepte with her And whan her husbande Vrye seruaunte of the sayd dauyd came from the warre to brynge tydynges to his mayster / dauyd sayd vnto hym that he sholde go to lye with his wyf And sent after hym vyande ryall / but the sayd Vrye wolde not lye with his wyf but excused hym honestly Afterwarde dauyd wrote agayne vnto his capitayne a pistyl by Vrye that in the place where the daunger of dethe sholde be he sholde put Vrye in batayl to th ende that he were slayne / so was it done And it foloweth incontynent in the .xii. chapitre the god sente nathan vnto dauyd vnto whom he sayd Answer me of a Iugement Two men were in one cyte one ryche one poore The ryche had oxen and shepe goodes habouÌ„dauÌ„tly / the poore ne had but one sheepe that he had bought and nourished And so moche he loued her that she ete of his brede and dranke of his cuppe slept in his bosome And it befell that a pylgrym came vnto the ryche the whiche spared his shepe yode to take the shepe of the sayd poore / prepayred of metes vnto hym / for the that he was come to hym Whan dauid herde these wordes here he was moche wrothe and sayd vnto Nathan God seeth For he the whiche hathe done this thynge is culpable of dethe / he shall yelde the shepe in foure double bycause he hathe done this thynge And Nathan sayd vnto hyÌ„ Thou art he the whiche hathe done this thinge god hathe made the kynge gyuen the of goodes that whiche hathe dyspysed his wordes Thou haste slayne Vrye by glayue / also hathe taken his wyfe for thyself For this thynge the glayue shall not departe from thy house God hathe sayd that he shall sende yll vpon the vpon thy house / shal take thy wyues before thyn eyes gyue theym vnto thy neyghbour the whiche shal slepe with those women Thou haste done thy synne secretely / I shall do all these thynges before all the people of Israhell And dauyd sayd vnto Nathan Peccaui dnÌ„o I haue synned vnto my lorde And incontynent as dauid had reknowleged his faute that he hadde sayd peccaui / Nathan sayd vnto hym God hathe translated thy synne thou shalte not deye / but thy sone that is proceded of the shall deye / and soo was it done as it is wryten in the sayd chapytre c. F. ¶ Another example how a knight was strongly tormented in purgatory for that that he vyoled the chircheyarde / hurte a man within it lxxvii IT is wryten in the legende of the deed that as a knyght was layde in hys bedde with his wyfe / the mone was clere the whiche entred by the holes / he meruaylled hym moche wherfore the man the whiche is reasonable obeyde not vnto his creatour / whan the creatures not reasonnables obeyed vnto hyÌ„ And began to missaye of a knyghte deed the whiche had be his pryue frende And the sayd knyght dede entred in spekynge these wordes in the chambre all sodaynly / vnto whom he said Frende haue thou none yll suspeccyon of me in ony thynges / but pardon me yf I haue ony thyng synned in the. And whan he demaunded hym of his estate he sayd vnto him I am tormented of dyuers paynes for that that I haue vyoled the chircheyarde hurte a man within it / hym dispoylled of his mauntelles hode / the whiche is vpon me more heuyer than a mouÌ„tayne And the said deed man prayed him that he wolde do make oraysons for hym Than he demauÌ„ded yf suche a preest sholde synge for hym The sayd deed answered nothynge / that is he spake no worde / but lyfte vp shoke his heed in lyke wyse as he them refused And afterwarde hym demauÌ„ded yf he wolde that suche an hermyte prayed for hym And he said I wyl wel that he praye for me And whan the sayd knyght had promysed it hym the deed said vnto hym And I saye the that this daye two yeres thou shalte deye And so was it done This example denoteth many thynges The fyrste is that one man shold not saye yll of another in as moche as the deed body repreued hym that spake yll of hym The seconde is that a man sholde kepe hyÌ„ to do to speke ylle in holy grounde in as moche as the deed body was in purgatori for that / that he had vyoled the sayd chirche yarde And also that a man ne sholde betene do none yll vnto his neyghbour / for punycyon foloweth in this worlde and in the other The thyrde thynge that the example denoteth is that the prayers oraysons of a good persone ben more soner exalted than those of synners in synne It is here vnderstonde by that that the deed loued the prayer of the hermyte more soner than of the other beforsayd How be it yll preestes empayre not the sacrament of the masse / but those the whiche accedeth vnworthely is vnto theyr dampnacyon G. ¶ Another example how the aungell shewed vnto tongdalus a valeye replenisshed with coles of fyre in the whiche were put the homycydes lxxvii MEn fynde by wrytynge that a man amed Tongdalus deyed