they will not vnderstande desiring and prouoking them selfe to do euill sinning venially for to follow euill company for custome to do any veniall sinne to ende one sinne that they may ende another in thought deadly or venially by cogitations in their hartes onely by wordes sayde lightly or by worke done vndiscretely the .xvi. branch of pride coÌ„muning of the sacra singing of seruice and to be in any heresy or to be in sutes of cursing or wittingly in deadly sinne ministring the sacrameÌ„ts lesse then his dutie and vnworthely without reuerence and vndeuoutly without doing their duty to the people discretly receaue the body of iesu christ. without honour deuotion and reuerence theftously and of that they should not receaue it to say against them that is more wiser then he the .xvii. branch of pride shame to do good willing to be good and haue shame by weakenesse and faute of corage for to loue negligently any good that may be by weening that it is shame which is honor hauing shame to be good and is not when they will accomplish the will of any person or when any loueth that which is not good or when they be slouthfull for to do good for to be lyke them that be euill when they reioyce them in euill company to shew the domage of him selfe and other for to obtaine that he desireth ¶ here endeth the braunches and small sprayes of the sinne of pryde and hereafter foloweth the braunches and sprayes of enuy and the names of them all in order as they come the first is noysomnes the seconde is detraction the .iii. adulation the .iiii. susuration the .v. sinne against the holy ghost the .vi. suspection the .vii. accusation the .viii. excusation the .ix. unthankfulnesse the .x. to iudge the .xi. substraction the .xii. drawing other to sinne the .xiii. false loue the first branch of enuy noysomnesse sorow of the welth of his neighbour for to desire thy neighbours harme for thou may not sustayne to see his welth to thend that thou mayst oppresse theÌ„ in misery not glad of the welth of his neighbour when he hath done iniury in times past or hath not geuen to thee that thou required or thou mayst not see the encreasing of his good to be glad of his neighbours hurt that thou dost to him or art causer or of that other doth and not thy selfe or that he suffereth by the iustice diuine the .ii. branch of enuy detraction for cause of lightnesse by euill accustomance so for to do or to accomplish the will of some folke not taking hede if their wordes may anoy other for cruell hate finding any yll that is not good ne faithfull in reporting that they heard say or that it is truth to say they haue heard yll by other haue not in lying wittingly to thend to cause some to haue trouble domage to th end that no welth come to him that they hate or to the ende that he be therby diffamed the .iii. branch of enuy adulation to anoy vnder coloure of good fauour to say that they know the which they know not that they vnderstande to be greater then it is nourish susteine or defende other in folly norish ill in fair semblance saying that profiteth or noyeth by flattery somtime flatter veniall sometime mortall saying euill behinde and faire before holding his peâ—ce suffering to do yll for to haue any winning or profite for to compare or please some person or not to lese the loue of him that doth euill the .iiii. branch of enuy susurration causing discorde striâ—e by perswasions mouing the parties or by false tales and making of lesings and in reporting of cursed language making strife to last long for thou wilt haue a mans loue onely or thou wouldest haue helpe to anoy another or not caring for the welth of theÌ„ y be at discorde not laboring for peace by malice that thou woldst not haue the peace made for thou wilt not trauell for to make peace and being diligent to trauell for it the .v. branch of enuy sin ageinst the holy ghost sclaundering the good people turning their good name into euill seking meanes for to trouble their mindes withdrawing them from the loue of people weening that it is a paine to serue god. in abusing them of the graces of god being slouthfull in doing good workes not louing god not helping the good people the which suffereth for the loue of god or for penance of their sinnes or for to get the glory of our lorde the .vi. branch of enuy suspection to beleue to soone by whatsoeuer occasion indifferently to beleue any thing that is saide shortly be it true or false without any aduisement beleuing ouer faithfully that the which thou should not beleue or that thou art ouer light in beleuing or thou iudgest the good without discretion oft times to beleue things vnbeleuable and which may not be when diuers times thou hast bene disceaued for thou mayst not but beleue the .vii. branch of enuy accusation of trouth when it is for vengance of him that is accused wheÌ„ it is for lightnes that they haue to accuse other or to please him to whom they do accuse vnto falsely when they finde the euil with which they accuse when they knowe him that they accuse not gilty when they accuse the gilty because of hate of doutfull thinges seking occasion to noy him that is accused affirming to be true the vncertain of their accuse imposing the harm that thei wene be know it not the .viii. branch of enuy excusation by wordes which be doubtful hauing double vnderstanding manifestly and which they know to be false seking occasion to hide the euill dede by force of swearing putting the fault on him that did it not for to shew him selfe innocent of the fault for to auoyde the punishment of his fault by the holy gospell though he be constrâ—yned to forswere him and worse if they do it wilfully or to swere ere they know wherfore they swere the .ix. branch of enuy unthankfulnesse not knowing the benefites of god. how much or how well they haue done by what bounte for without desert he geueth vs them or what thing is worthy to retribute to himselfe doing yll for good to him which did helpe thee in thy nede unto him which counseyled thee in thy necessitie unto him which defended and kept thee froÌ„ peril not yelding goodnes for goodnes but done euill to him that hath done thee good nether do euil ne good to theÌ„ that did thee good for receauing a great benefite yelde a small the .x branch of enuy to iudge the dedes of other not apperteyning by ignorance ere they know how in doubt of that which they know not or to iudge without being required doing false iudgements for any giftes receaued or to receaue for loue or for hate lightly for certaine malice euill to be good or contrarily by lightnesse for they ben accustomed or so to do wening to do it by
sporte or wittingly willing for to anoy other the .xi. branch of enuy subtraction in temporall thinges not geuing to the pore goods that be superfluous reteyning lawfull goodes without departing goodes that are exposed in euill vsages in spirituall thinges not being busy about the saluation of sinners not admonishing sinners to leaue their sinne not shewing to other the good that they can or of counsell not geuing counsell to them that aske it or geuing euill counsell willingly not counseyling when they may theÌ„ that do yll the .xii. branch of enuy drawing other to sin by example when they do euill afore their subiectes when any leadeth another in company to do euill lesse or vnder the colour of good do great hurt by counsell drawing the great to euill to cause his to be sene or by their sinne more delectably and be glad that they consent to sinne with them by force of requiring and admonesting not ceassing till they consent to euill by oppression and in doustrayning them the .xiii. branch of enuy false loue for the loue and fauour of man. them that fauoureth thee and doth thy will theÌ„ that may noy thee to th end that they do not to th ende thou mayst be seene gentle and meke for earthly profite fayning thee to be a friend to him and art not fayning that thou louest him more theÌ„ thou dost shewing to be his friende and art his enemy for fâ—eshly humanitie desending or susteyning any in their euill promoting them which are not worthy to be for to labour to liue more deliciously ¶ here endeth the braunches and small sprayes of enuy and followeth the braunches and small sprayes of wrath. as iniquitie hatred continuall consenting frowardly homicide uengance impacience clamour blasphemy and out of eche of these .x. braunches commeth ix other small braunches and spraâ—es and so the hole number is xâ—lx braunches the which letteth a man that he may not loue god ne his owne soule and for thys sinne it is harde to be accustomed in a man and be saued the first branch of wrath. iniquitie mocking himselfe letting other to loue that mocketh thee for declarations that thou hast in mocking or that thou art accustomed so to do cursinge other in his thought without speaking or of his mouth by wordes sowing discorde and noyse betwene people deceauing geuing wilfull counsell for to do euill awayting the sinner for to do euill seing sinne and not reproue it when they may the .ii. branch of wrath. hatred discorde by manifestes and rancoures seming a frende and haue rancour at the hart for to make peace and kepe malice in thy minde iniury in diffaming other in taking his goodes from him in hurting his body or his good name conspiration to scismatice or procure diuision in the church coniuring in persons in good or in euill conspiring in any workes the .iii. branch of wrath. continuing in vilitie repreuings repreue the pouertie in which they are the fâ—agellations that they haue or had or that they be come of a pore kinred sharpe wordes prouoking other to anger full of repreuing and iniuries such as may beare hurte and domage greuing his neighbours by outragious wordes and sayings by hurting of his person or homicide for to take from him his goodes or renowne the .iiii. branch of wrath. consenting not amending when they haue domination vpon the sinner or when he is familiar wyth him that helpeth to do euill and might let it reioysing of euill praysing and reioysing the sinners and not to mourne for the sinne that they haue done not correcting them that be euill helping to do do euill by counsell that thou geuest by helpe that thou geuest to them for thou defendest them that doth euill the .v. branch of wrath. frowardly impugning goodnes beleuing in any heresy for to haue meate and drinke for the loue of one and hate of another haunting strifes by customance for they reioyce in them by manifest hate that they will make appere by secrete rancours in their hartes strife by wordes as in questions inutile and frowarde for to shew his science for to gainesay him to whom they speake the .vi. branch of wrath. homicide in defending hauing will to slea and kyll himselfe or other without will to slea to slea vnaduisedly or ignorantly sleaing wilfully by treason by hate for he which they slea is good which they wene not for to kill wening to do well and do slea some man in coniecting any thing ioyously or by him geue any medicine the .vii. branch of wrath. uengance for wronge doing saying semblable iniuries in saying more greater iniuries or iniuries though that they ben lesse wening that it be his domage and is not noying him that correcteth thee for thy welth or do euill to him that doth thee good if it displease thee that they haue done for thy we le by faulte of some thing if any geueth or lendeth thee not their goodes that he hath not done that that he is not bound to do or hath not holpen thee to do thy yl wil the .viii. branch of wrath impacience in iudgemeÌ„ts of god. when that which pleaseth god displeaseth thee or for the will of god pleaseth thee not or thou hatest that which god would haue done in his wretchednes if thou be in any malady or sicknes or if thou be in great pouertie and nede or if thou haue any troubles or aduersities of wrongs of his neighbors for they haue missayde thee in wordes or they haue misdone to thy person or they haue misdone in thy goodes the .ix branch of wrath. clamour debate for inutile things as of beauty and fairenes of women or of his lynage frendes and parents or of thinges of the which doth anoy to make lesings false tales by very malice and hate by vaunting craking and bosting by fraude and vnfaithfulnes clattering to vanquish by force of speaking or for to anoy by clattering or for pleasure that they take in it the .x. branch of wrath. blaspheming knowing of god the which apperteyneth not to him as of his soueraigne might and puissance or of great goodnes in vs or of his rightwise iustice affirming of good things vnworthely by any errour in the which they be for dread and feare of leasing for couetise of winning to say that is good that is not in beleuing as doth idolatours in opinion by euill vnderstanding doing against the ordinances of the church here endeth the braunches and small sprayes of the sinne of wrath. and hereafter foloweth the .xvii. branches of slouth as euill thought anoye of wealth redynes to euill pusillanimitie euill wyll breakinge vowes impenitence insidelitie ignoraunce uayne sorowe slowly euill hope curiositie idlenesse euagacion lettinge to do good desolation out of the which .xvii. braunches commeth cliiii small braunches which bringeth a man to euerlasting dampnation and paines perpetuall the. first branch of slouth euill thought superfluous thoughtes to delite in thinking euill thinking that sinne is a sweete thing long abiding
in thinking euill dolerous cogitations how they may hurt any secretly that imputeth his dede vnto other how doing euill they may be said good detestable thought how they may do euill how doing euill they may perseuer how they may resist to the good the .ii. branch of slouth anoy of welth to sinne by custome for that other sinneth in likewise for the custome is so for to do for there is none that reproueth the euill doing sinning by malice when any loueth euill and doth accomplish it when any loueth the good and doth it not when any hateth the good and loueth the euill or by desire not to loue it when any doth good against his will when any reioyceth not in doing good when it displeaseth them not if they do euill the .iii. branch of slouth redines to yll by constance in leauing the good which they know changing oft times their purpose and counsell weke in aduersitie reyse himselfe in prosperitie by pusillanimitie withdrawing him from the good mistrusting in the grace of god fearing to begin any good thing by curiositie seking new thinges and vnprofitable pleasantly to heare tales and fables seeking new tidings by his owne will. the .iiii. branch of slouth pusillanimitie drede where they ought not dreadiug that which is to come is no domage leasing the spirituall goods for the temporall if temporall aduersitie seeme ouer greuous drede more then they should making great sorow for that thou hast lost sorowing that they haue which they desire making sorow if any thing hap against thy will drede them that they should not as detractours when thou liuest iustly as defending the euill for to please them or it noyeth them not if any do well the .v. branch of slouth euill will. wyll to do euill that it be to the dishonor of god to the domage and preiudice of his neighbours to the damnation of the soule customably for to do euill for the declaration of thy euill for the displeasure of the good for they do that which they please and will delighting in euill as much as they may not resisting euill cogitations louing euill delectations appetiting that they may delite in euill the .vi. branch of slouth breaking vowes by neglygence when any maketh a vow and mispraiseth to do it that doth lesse to vowe then he hath promised that fulfilleth not his vowe as he should by forgetting of solemne secret vowes or things to theÌ„ beloÌ„ging of vowe promised to himselfe or other of vowe made to enter into religion by dispraysinge not accomplishing his vowe when he may or that may not doth none other good seÌ„â—lable or that they haue no letting for to accomplish it the .vii. branch of slouth impenitence liuing and do no penance by finall penance and neuer to repent by delacion from day to day of repenting by misprising that they will not repent them not hauinge shame to sinne when after sinne they be ready to sinne againe when they haue no shame of sin y they haue done or without sorow reioyce them to haue done yll purpose for to sinne being in will to accomplish mortall sinne after that they haue sinned purpose to bide in it seking occasion to fall into euery sinne the .viii. branch of slouth inâ—idelitie not beleuing that they shuld beleue as the iewes beleue and other vnfaithful men that wil not heare the articles of the faith or that heareth them and wil not beleue in them beleuing that they should not in false gods as doth the sarazins in idolles or in some simulacres or beleue in deuilish things as â—itches do beleuing vnstedfastly dout in that that they ought to beleue stedfastly beleue and not stedfastly as they ought to do easely to let himselfe be disceiued of his fayth the .ix. branch of slouth ignorance in discretion do without counsell that which should be counseled doing without maner that y they ought to hold doing without wisedom things that is ne deiull that they oughte to vnderstand dispraysing knowledge and wil not be tought not traueiling to learn that they ought to know not purposing and not caring for to learne not willing to know for they run and will take no paine to learne for to haue excusation of not knowing for slouth and negligence of lerning the .x. branch of slouth uaine sorowe in noysomenes of liuing when good thinges ben displeasaunt when all things ben anoying when all that they do is done heauely false hope presuming to much of the mercy of god not going from sinne trust in the mercy of god liuing in sinne without the dreade of god dispayring for the streightnes of iustice of god for the greatnes of the sin that they haue commised to mistrust in the mercy of god. the .xi. branch of slouth slowlinesse toward forbodden things when any exposeth him to much in peril of sinne when any are to much assured for to do sinne when any exposeth him to much in temptations toward holsome counsell not willing to be good and leaue the doing yll not honoring the good loue it better then the il dispraysing the counsell of good folke towarde the commaundement not doing the commaundement that they ought dispraysing coÌ„maundement or him that made it not louing any thing that is commaunded the .xii. branch of slouth euill hope dispise men of good fame continuing in doing euill operations in hauing hope to do euill al onely or doing them both together not fearing shame not caring what thing is sayde of thee not caring if any be sclaundered by thee not seeking that any be edefyed by thee doing good in euil intentioÌ„ fraudulently and thou knowest it well without discretion not caring to whom ne how cauteously for thou wilt not know it the .xiii. branch of slouth curiositie seking vnprofitable things willing to vnderstand the thing that is cause of sin labouring to coÌ„found other by force of language for to be called wise of ideotes and fooles delyting to vaine things to draw and go to such as be dissolutioâ—s or that they do and make dissolute or make thee take heede vnto all vanities doinge that none other can do making new thinges that were neuer seene or that they learne things which ben euill or things that ben only for to make folke laugh the .xiiii. braunch of slouth idlenesse ceasing to doe good that is to say good cogitations to good wordes and to good workes seking to do euill that is to know the concupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eyen is auarice and to liue proudly not resisting to do euill for loue that they haue to euill for anoy that they haue to goodnes for negligence of them selfe the .xv. braunch of slouth euagacion in idle things exposing him in vanities not withdrawing him from vanities willing to abide in vanities or delectable thinges for they ben euill and pleasant abiding by longe time and space when thy will is therto prouoked and wicked thinges how cautelously they may domage and hurte or the more
he is xxiiii yeres olde ¶ then commeth maye that is bothe fayre and pleasaunte for then byrdes syngeth in woodes end forestes nyghte and daye the sonne shyneth hotte and as then is man moste ioyfull and pleasant and of delyuer strengthe and seketh playes sportes and lusty pastyme for then is he full xxx yere ¶ then commeth iune and then is the sonne hyest in his meridiornall he may ascende no hyer in his stacion his glemeringe golden beames ripeth the corne and when man is xxxvi yere he may ascend no more for then hath nature gyuen hym beauty and strengthe at the full and rypeth the sedes of parfyte vnderstandynge ¶ then commeth iuly that our fruytes byn set a sonninge and our corne a hardenynge but then the sonne begynnethe a lyttle for to dyscende downewardeâ— so man then goth fro youth towarde age beginneth for to aquaynt him with sadnes for then he is xlii yere ¶ after that then commeth august then we gather in our corne and also the fruytes of the earth and then doth man his diligence to gather for to fynde hym selfe withall in the tyme that he may nother gette nor wyn and theÌ„ after that vi yeares is he .xlviii. yere olde ¶ then commeth septembre that wynes be made and the fruites of trees be gathered and then therewithall he doth freshly begynne to garnyshe his house and make prouysion of nedefull thinges for to lyue in wynter whiche draweth very nere and then is man in his most ioyfull and couragious estate prosperous in wysedome purposynge to gather and kepe as muche as shulde be sufficient for him in his olde age when he maye gather no more and these vi yeares maketh him liiii yeares ¶ and then commeth octobre that all is into the forsayde house gathered but corne and also other maner fruytes and also the labourers soweth newe sedes in the earth for the yere to come and then he that soweth nought shal nought gather and then in there other vi yeres a man shal take him selfe vnto god for to do penaunce and good workes and then the benefytes the yere after his death he may gather and haue spiritual profyte and then is man ful in the terme of lx yeres ¶ then commeth nouembre that the dayes be very shorte and the sonne in maner geueth lyttle heate and the trees leseth theyr leues the fieldes that were grene loke hore and gray then al maner of herbes be hid in the ground and then appereth no floures and then winter is come that the man hath vnâ—derstandinge of age and hath lost his kyndely heate and strength his teeche begynne to rotte and also to chattre and then hath ho no more hope of longe lyfe but desyreth to come to the lyfe euerlasting and these .vi. for this mouth maketh him .lxvi. yeres ¶ then commeth decembre ful of colde with frost and snowe with greate wyndes and stormy wethere that a man may not laboure nor nought do the sonne is theÌ„ at the lowest that it may desceÌ„de theÌ„ the trees the earth is hiâ— in snowe theÌ„ it is good to holde them ny the fyreâ— to spende the goodes that they gathered in sommer for then beginneth maÌ„s heare to waxe whyte and gray and his body croked feble then he leseth his perfyte vnderstanding and that vi yeares maketh hym full lxxii yeres and if he lyue any more it is by his good gydynge and dyetynge in his youth howe be if it is possyble that a man may lyue tyl he be an hundred yere of age but there is but fewe that commeth thereto ¶ wherfore i sheparde sayde moreouer that of lyuynge or dyinge the heauenly bodyes may sâ—ere a man bothe to good and euyll without doute of assuceâ—ie but yet may man withstande it by his one freewyll to do what he will him selfe good or bad euermore aboue the which inclinacyon is the myghte and wyll of god that longeth the lyfe of man by his goodnesse or to take it shorte by his iustice ¶ wherfore we wyll shewe you of the bodyes celestyall and of theyr nature and mouynges and this present booke is named the composte for it comprehendeth fully all the compost and more for the dayes houres and momentes and the newe moones and the clippes of the sunne and the moone and of the sygnes that the moone is in euery day and this booke was made for them that be no clerkes to bring them to great vnderstandinge ¶ and this kaleâ—der is deuyded in v. partes ¶ the fyrst of our sygnes of the compost and the kalender ¶ the seconde is the tree of vyces with the peynes of hell ¶ the thyrde is the waye of health of man the tree of vertues ¶ the fourth is physycke and gouernaunce of health ¶ the fyfte is astrologye and physnomy for to vnderstande many disceauynges and which they be by lykelyhod the whyche by nature are inclyned and can do them as ye shall rede or ye come to the ende ¶ for to haue the shepardes vnderstandinge of theyr kalender ye shoulde vnderstande that the yere is the measure of the time that the sonne passeth the xii sygnes retournynge to hys fyrste poynte and is deuyded in the xii monethes ¶ as ianyuere feueryere marche and so forth to december ¶ so the sonne in these xii monethes passeth by xii sygnes one tyme. ¶ the dayes of hys entrynge into the sygnes in the kalender and the dayes also when he parteth the yere as the xii monethes into lii wekes ccc.lxv dayes and when by sext is it is three score and vi one day and xxiiii houres euery houre lx mynnets after these deuysyons ye muste vnderstand for euery yere thre thinges ¶ the fyrst speaketh of golden nombre ¶ the seconde of the letter domynicall and the chyrde is the letter tabuler in the whiche lyeth all the chiefe knoweledge of this kalender for the which letter and nomber to vnderstand al that they wolde whether it be past or to come ye shall put three fygures after the kalender of the whiche the fyrste shall shewe the valure and declaracyon of the two other and it is to be vnderstand that in foure yeares there is one by â—exte the whych hath one daye more then other and also hathe two letters dominicals sygned in one of the forsayde fygures and chaungeth the late day of saynt mathewe the which is vygyl and is put with the day vpoÌ„ on letter by hym selfe ¶ also the letters feryals of thys kalender is to be vnderstande as they 〈◊〉 the other kalenders before the which are the nombres and the other three oâ—â—ter the letters ferials fyrst for bycause the letters dyscendeth lowe is thâ— golden nombre aboue the daye of the newe moone and the which to be thâ— houre momentes of the sayde moneth whiche when they are in seruice bâ—â—fore noone of the day aboue there and when they are blacke seruyce for afteâ—â—noone of the same daye in the places of the nombre betokenethe that nombâ—â—
mens tables for lechery and lycorousnes for company that they may eate the more for to fulfyll the better their appetite ¶ here endeth the braunches and small sprayes of gluttony and hereafter foloweth the .v. braunches and sprayes of lechery as they folowe and ensue one after another the which ben these lechery immundicitie not geuinge the dette abusing of his fiue wyttes and superfluitie out of the whych branches issueth and groweth many other small branches and sprayes to the number of .xlv. the whych braunches if they be fyxed and set in the inwarde delyte of a man or of a woman will make them grow to the eternall perdicion both of body and soule the first branch of lechery lechery fornication with all women maryed or widowes with a mayden yet being a virgin with common women or them that are corrupt aduoutry when a man cōpanieth with other then his wife or women with other then their husbands or that they be both in mariage excesse with man or woman of their lygnage with any man or woman of their affinitie or that the one partie be of religion the .ii. branch of lechery immundicitie of thought long delectation of thinking of lechery geuing consent to such delectation enforcing him to accomplish his will by worke of body pollusion by night by to much eating drinking by habitacion or company of women euill cogitacion to accomplish such worke of both together mouing or touching the flesh by delectation accomplishing worke of will naturally or any wise not naturally the .iii. branch of lechery not geuing the det for hate when they loue other then their party when they knowe that they be not loued of their party or they are dispitefull and rigorous for to shew traueyling for they feare the infernall paynes for dreade to haue pouerty for feare of labour that they haue of noryshing for abhomination some hath abhomination in that they be accustomed or for immundicitie of the worke whē any disprayse or hate the cōpany of his party the .iiii. branch of lechery abusing thy .v. wittes exposing thē selues in perill sometime by the reason of some persons and other times danger of the place and other season by reason of the time not drawing from it of the worke when they know it is naught from the perill and know that it is dangerous or for they provoke to such worke in perill delyting them in it in the worke and sinne of the flesh or desire and will to accomplish it or in thought and memory to haue done it the .v. branch of lechery superfluitie in clothing in iewels rynges sygnets and ouches in preciousnes of gownes gyrdels clothings in the composition or fashion newly gotten by delytes by wantonnes of children playing or being ydle by delectacion of their body taking al their eases in doing all that the hart desireth by expence spending largely for the prayse of the world geuing where it apperteyneth not to geue for his delites hath spent to much of his goodes explicit ¶ here endeth the braunches of all the .vii. deadly synnes as they be afore rehersed wyth all the small braunches also shewing howe that three commeth of the great braunches eche by hym selfe and out of them three groweth .ix. and so euery braunch hath small sprayes springyng out of them so there is no man ne woman lyuinge but he synneth venially as it is written sepcie◠in die cadet iustus lo if the righteous man do sinne .vii. tymes a day by veniall sinnes then we wretched sinners howe ofte do we sinne in a day god wot full ofte but yet for veniall sinne is many remedies also for deadly sinne is fewe remedies and but four specially as confession contricion satisfaction and penance but the first is thou must be sory for thy sinnes secondly to make a meke confession thirdly do satisfaction and fourthly performe thy penance adioyned by the confessour for penaunce is dette that we must pay to god for our sinne committed and therfore neuer loke to haue forgeuenes of thy sinnes without repentance also sinne is perillous afore our lord iesu christ for .iii. maner of reasons the first he giueth no warning when he smiteth thee the seconde for as he findeth thee so will he iudge thee the thyrde when thou art deade remedy is past and gone here foloweth the paynes of hell comminatories of synnes to punish the sinners as lazarus recompted after that he was rysen as he had seene in the parties infernals as it appeareth by these fygures ensuing one after an other capitulo .viii. our sauioure and redemer iesu christ a little before his blessed passion beinge in bethanye entred into the house of a man named symon for to take his corporall refection and as he was sytting at the table with his apostles and disciples there being lazarus brother to mary magdalene and martha the whych our lorde had raysed from death to lyfe the whych thinge symon douted and prayed our lorde for to commaunde lazarus to shewe afore the assistentes what he had sene in the other world and our lorde gaue him leue to speake and then the sayd lazarus recounted how that he had sene in the parties infernalles of hell many great and intollerable paines where as sinnefull men and women were payned firste of pryde and consequently of all the .vii. deadly sinnes eche payne by him selfe first sayde lazarus i haue seene in hell wheles right hie set on an hyll the which was to looke on in maner of mylles incessantly turning about by great impituosity roring and whirling as it were thunder and the wheles were fyxed full of hookes and crampions of iron and steele and on them were hanged and turned the proud men and women for their pryde with their prynce capitayne and master lucifer pryde amonge all other synnes is a kynge a captayne and master and as a king hath a great company of people in the same maner hath pryde a great company of vyces and as a king kepeth that which is his in likewise doth pryde kepe the proude folke that be in his iurisdiction great signe of reprobacion it is for to perseuer longe in pryde pryde then is a synne that displeaseth god aboue all other sinnes as much as humilitie pleaseth him amonge vertues and there is no sinne that maketh a man more semblable to the deuill then pride doth for the proude man wil not be as the other men but he must be as the pharisien with the deuill and for that the proude man will enhaunce him selfe aboue other men the deuill doth with him as the crowe hauyng a harde nutte in his byl the which he may not cracke she beareth it vp a hye in the ayre and then letteth it fal vpon a stone wheron it breaketh and then she discendeth and eateth it in likewyse the deuyll reyseth the proude man and woman for to let them fall in the harde paynes of hell as much difference is betwene pryde and humilitie as the chaffe and
grace of god the seconde coniecture that sheweth in lykewyse to be in the grace of god is when we be more prompt and ready to good obseruinge and keeping the commaundementes of godde and doe all good workes that we shoulde haue accustomed the third coniecture is when we heare gladly the worde of god as sermons and good counsaylers for our saluation the fourth when we be sory and contrite at our hart to haue commysed and done any sinne the fifth is when with good purpose and wyll of our selues we perseuer to kepe vs from sinne in tyme to come these coniectures be they wherby shepherds and lay people know if they be in his grace or not as muche as in them is possible to knowe the .vi. thinge that euery man ought to knowe is god for all men ought to knowe god for to accomplyshe his wil and commaundement by the which he would be loued with all thy harte with all thy soule and wyth all the force that we haue whyche we may not do if we knowe hym not then who that would loue godde ought to knowe him and the more that they know him the more they loue him wherfore hereafter shall be sayde howe shepherds and simple people doth knowe hym shepherdes and simple people for to haue knowledge of god of theyr possibilitie consyderinge three thinges the firste is that they consyder the ryght great ryches of god his puissaunce his soueraygne dignitie hys soueraygne noblesse his soueraygne ioy and blysse the seconde is for they consyder the right noble ryght greâ—t and marueylous operations and workes of our lord god and the thirde consideration is for they consider the innumerable benefites that they haue receued of god and that continually euery day they receaue of him and by these considerations they come to his cognysance and knowledge fyrst to know god shepherdes and lay people consydereth his great riches plenteous habundaunce of the goodnes that he hath for all the treasures and rychesse of heauen and of the earth be his and all goodnesse he hath made of the which he is fountayne creatour and mayster and distributeth them largely vnto euery creature and he hath no neede of any other wherefore it behoueth to say that he is right rich secondly he is right puissaunt for by his greate puissaunce he hath made heauen earth and the sea with all thinges conteyning vnto them and might vndo them if that it were his will vnto the which puissaunce all other be subiect and trembleth before him for his great excellency and who that woulde consider euery worke of god should finde inough to maruell on by the firste of these considerations god is knowen to be right rich by giftes that he geueth to his friendes and by the seconde he is knowen right puissaunt for to venge him on his enemies thirdly he is soueraignely worthy for all the thinges of heauen and of earth oweth him honoure and reuerence as to their creatour and hym that made them as we se children honour father and mother of whom they be discended by a generation and all thinges be discended of god by a creation to whome ought to be giuen great reuerence and he is so worthy fourthly he is soueraignely noble for who that is soueraignely rich puissaunt and worthy him behoueth to be soueraignely noble but none other but god hath riches puissaunce and dignitie as he hath wherefore of such nobles ought to be sayde that he is righte noble fifthly he hath soueraigne ioye for he that is riche puissaunte worthy and right noble is not withoute soueraigne ioye and this ioye is full of all goodnes and ought to be our felicitie to the which we hope to come that is to knowe and see god in his soueraigne ioy and gladnes for to haue with him eternal ioy that euer shal dure and this is the first consideration of god that shepherdes and other simple people ought to haue secondly for to know god considering his great noblesse and maruelous workes the bountie and the beauty of the things that he hath made for it is commonly sayd one may know the workman by his worke knowledge we then the worke of god and knowledge we that his beautie and bountie shineth in the operations that he hath made which if they be fayre and good the workman that hath made them must nedes be faire and good without comparison more then any thinge that he hath made be it considered of the heauens and the thinges therein set what noble and marueylous worke howe may one consider their excellence and bountie be it considered also as we may of the earth the right noble and marueylous workes of god the golde the siluer and all maner of metalles and precious stones in it the fruites that it beareth the trees the beastes that it susteyneth and of the bountie that it norisheth be it in likewise considered of the sea the riuers and the fishe nourished in them the wether the elementes the ayre the windes and the birdes that flyeth in them and all the vsage and seruyce of man and consider the workeman that of his puissaunce hath all made and by his sapience hath righte well ordered his workes and gouerneth them by his great bountie and by this maner we may knowe god as shepeherdes and simple folkes in consideringe his workes thirdely for to knowe god consider the great benefites that we receaue daily of him whiche may not be numbred for their greate multitude nor spoken of for their noblenesse and dignitie al be it in their hartes be vi principally noted for the which an other shepeherde geniuge praysing to god sayde in this maner lorde god i knowe that thou haste endued me with thy infinite benefites by thy great bountie first the benefite of my creation by the whiche thou made me a reasonable man vnto thy image and similytude geuynge me body and soule and rayment for to clothe me lorde thou haste geuen me my wittes of nature vnderstandinge for to gouerne my lyfe my healthâ— my beauty my strength and my scyence for to get my lyuynge honestly i yelde to thee graces and greate thankes secondely lorde i knowe the goodnes of my redemption how by thy misericordious pitie thou bought me dearely by the affection of thy moste precious bloude peynes and torments that for me thou hast suffered and finally endured death thou hast geuen me thy bodye thy soule and thy lyfe for to kepe me from dampnation wherefore humbly i yelde to thee graces and great thankes thirdely lorde i know the goodnes of my vocation how of thy great grace thou hast called me againe for to enheryte thy eternall benediction and also thou haste geuen vnto me fayth and knowledge of thine owne selfe as baptisme and all the other sacramentes that none entendement may comprise their noblesse and dignitie and that so many times hath pardoned me of my sinnes lorde i knowe that this is to me a singuler gifte that thou hast not