Here after ensueth two fruytfull sermons, made [and] compyled by the ryght Reuerende father in god Iohn̄ Fyssher, Doctour of Dyuynyte and Bysshop of Rochester

NIsi abundauerit iustitia vestra plus{quam} scriba∣rum et Phariseorum non intrabitis in reg∣num celorum. Mathei. 5. ¶ Fyrst than we shall endeuour our selfe somwhat to speke of the mer¦uelous Joye & pleasure whiche now the blessed sayntes haue aboue in the kyngdom of heuen / which is so great that no tonge can tell or ex∣presse, nor hart can thynke the same. That Joy, that pleasure, that conforte, passeth all other / nat only suche as can be spoken of man, but al∣so suche as any man can thynke or deuyse in his hart of this mater. Oculus non vidit, nec au∣ris audiuit, ne{que} in cor hominis ascend it, que pre∣parauit deus diligentibus se. Neyther the iye of man hath sene the lyke, nor the ere of man hath

herde the lyke, nor the herte hath thought the lyke. ¶ Duriyen hath sene many pleasures, ma¦ny gay sightes, many wonderfull thynges that hath appered & semed vnto vs Joyous & confor¦table. But yet all these were but countrefeytes of the true Joyes / all these were but dull and darke ymages of the perfyte confort which the blessed sayntes haue now aboue in the kyngdō of heuyn. I doubte nat but ye haue herde of ma¦ny goodly syghtes whiche were shewed of late beyonde the see, with moche Joy and pleasure worldly. was it nat a great thynge within so shorte a space, to se thre great Prynces of this worlde? I meane the Emperour, and the kyng our mayster, and the Frenche kynge. And eche of these thre in so great honour, she wyng theyr ryalty, she wyng theyr rychesse, she wyng theyr power / with eche of theyr noblesse appoynted and apparellyd in ryche clothes, in sylkes, vel∣uettes, clothes of golde, & suche other precyouse araymentes. To se thre ryght excellent Que∣nes at ones togider, and of thre great realmes. That one, the noble Quene our mastresse, the very exampler of vertue and noblenesse to all women. And the Frenche Quene. And the thyrde Quene Mary, somtyme wyfe vnto Lo∣wys Frenche kynge, syster to our souereygne lorde, a ryght excellent and fayre Lady. And euery of them accōpanyed with so many other fayre ladyes in sumptuouse & gorgeouse appa∣rell / suche daunsynges, suche armonyes, suche dalyaunce, and so many pleasaunt pastymes,

so curyouse howses and buyldynges, so precy∣ously apparayled, suche costely welfare of dy∣ners, souppers, and bankettys, so delycate wy∣nes, soo precyouse meatys, suche and soo many noble men of armes, soo ryche and goodly ten∣tys, suche Justynges, suche tourneys, and suche feates of warre. These assuredly were wonder∣full syghtes as for this worlde / and as moche as hath ben redde of in many yeres done, or in any Cronycles or Hystoryes here tofore wry∣ten, and as great as mennes wyttes and stu∣dyes coulde deuyse and ymagyn for that sea∣son. Neuerthelesse, these great syghtes haue a farre dyfference from the Joyes of heuyn / and that in fyue poyntes.