[Here begynneth the table of a book entytled the book of good maners.]

¶Here foloweth the v boke. the whiche treateth of deth. and how noman ought to gloryfye hym of his estate (Book 5)

¶First it speketh how the lyf is shorte / and ot lityl enduryng cap^o. primo

IOb sayth that a man is of short lyf / the whiche is ful of myserye and pouerte. For lyke as the flo••r vanys∣sheth away. and as the shadowe fleeth fro place to place. Right so the lyf of a man passeth shortly and right lyghtly. By whi¦che it appereth that noman oughte to gloryfye hym self of his

tr••yteth eusebt•• in his cronycles. how many haue slayn them self for cause of the anoyan̄ce of this p̄sent lyf. as he that sle we hym for payne that he had of the fe•••• ••rtayne. & lu••sse also by¦cause she reputed her self disho••oured & trouthe is it that no ••so ne ought to slee hym self as saith saynt Austyn in his boke of the cyte of god. & rep̄ueth them that haue slain them self. as they that bē aforsayd named. ne••theles by the said hystories it a••••e¦r••th how this presēt lyf is moche ennoyo••. & not only to them that be in ad••site. but also to euery good creature whiche desy¦reth parfyghtly heuene is this lyf noyo••. seē that this corporall lyf is but greuo•• to them that desire e••lastyng lyf. & by ••sequ••̄t 〈◊〉〈◊〉 deserueth deth bodyly that syn̄eth mortally. but many ther bē that sette no thyng of many sp••••es. not withstondyng they be greuo•• & weyghty. & yet they ought to be aduysed & cō••y•••••• how somtyme many haue be slayn & deed by cause of sy••e th••t they dayly com̄yse & also right comynly s••ede we not that by¦cause of lecherye that god made alle the world to dye by the flood. Exepte noe his wyf. & his chyldren. as it is wre••on to the boke of genesis the vij chapitre. wherfore were srayn 〈◊〉〈◊〉 people of the trybe of bemamyn. but for the leche••e whi¦che was com̄ysed in the wyf of the leuyte. as it appe••th in the ij chapitre of Iudicū. & many other also were euylly put to deth / as I haue rehereed in the second boke in the chapitre of luxurie More ou we rede in holy scrypture how many somtyme were slayn & deed by cause of dy••ce syn̄es. the whiche bē on this day smale and light reputed / Ne rede we not how somtyme who someuer blesphemed god / he was stoned to d••th of the people as it apperith the xxiij chapytre of the boke of leuyticum. Alas on this day the name of god is blasphemed without drede or fere of his punycōn / & as saynt Austyn saith. many bē hardy to trespace by cause that god delayeth theyr puny••ōn. But the tyme shal come that the payne shal be somoche more greno•• / As the delaye shal be more longe we rede also that Golyas blasfemed the name of god. But dauid whiche was thenne

a chylde slewe hym with his owne swerd as it apperith thee first boke of kynges the xvij chapitre. More ouer we rede how many were somtyme ded by cause of inobedyence / & other by cause of murmure / & many other by cause of Rauyne or of ne chygence / & neuertheles. the tyme is now in whiche the creatu∣res humayne sette but lytyll for to obeye god. Murmure. & de∣traction regneth in these dayes in the world / & to alle maner synnes the people ben alle enclyned. Thēne we ought to be ad∣uysed how somtyme many deyed and were slayn for cause of suche synnes as we dayly doo & vse And to this purpoos we rede how the chyldren of Aaron were brent & denoured of the fyre by cause they offred of the fyre in the temple ayenst the will of god as it apperith the & chapitre of leuyticū wherfor swolo∣wed the erthe chore dathan & abyron. but for as moche as they murmured ayenst moyses as it appe••••th the xvj chapitre of the boke of nombres. wherfor was herode smetō & slayn of his ene¦myes. but for he wold ap{pro}pre to hym self the louynges of god as it apperith the xij chapitre of the actes of thappostles / wher∣fore was anamas & saphire stoned to deth. but for as moche as they fraudelētly toke away the goodes whiche were ordey¦ned to the seruyce of god. as it apperith in the same boke the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 chapitre / Olord god yf thou now punysshest semblably them that trespace. I byleue that ther shold be moche fewe syn̄ers. & that many shold moche drede god. whiche now dayly doo euyll But as the scripture saith. god suffreth syn̄ers to lyue to thē∣de that they con••te them fro theyr syn̄es / & whan they lyue lon¦ge / wythoute conuertyng them self. so moche more ben they he∣uy / & of theyr neclygence so moche gretely shal they be pugnys∣shyd Trouthe it is that som̄e folyssh people saye oftymes. that they lyue lōge by cause they be shre wysshe & euyl. & also they ha¦ue an hope to lengthe theyr lyf / by cause they be euyll & shrewes by euyl dooyug But that is a folysshe hope For they ought to consy••••re and byholde the folyssh thoughtes / And that for suche hope they deserue the deth & ben Indigue And vn worthy

to haue the tyme / in whiche they may amēde them. they ought also to right well aduyse them how the same god that pug∣nysshyd the Ann̄cyent peple whiche were in the olde tyme. the same self god without ony helpe may at all tymes pug¦nysshe them yf it please hym And whan he forbereth of his grace. it is for to aduyse vs the better. It is a grete vnkynde∣nes for to doo the werse / for to wene to lyue the more lenger•• and therby to lengthe his lyf / O ingratitude or vukynd••nesse / thou art cause that many lese theyr graces. whiche god grann∣teth to them that wold amende them. Therfore ought euery man knowe and remembre the grace that god hath doon to them / whan he hath suffred them longe to lyue. For after the mesure the lyf is more longe. the synnes ben the more grete / whan a mā lyueth wythout correctyō. & wythout amēdemēt. Alas we ought to cousydere how for euery synne we deserue¦deth. as it is to fore sayd. wherfore deyde he••p. but by cause ••e was neclygēt for to chastyse his chyldrē as it apperith the fyrst boke of kynges the x chapytre. wherfore was absalō slayn. but for his pryde. whā he wold haue ocupied the ••eyame of his fad / as it apperith the ij boke of kynges the xviij chapytre. we rede also how balthazar was right euill & therfore he deyed an euyl deth. as danyel recyteth in his vj chapytre / wherfor dyde archicofel hāge hym self. but by cause that he was in despayr by cause of the fals con̄seyl that he dyde ayenst dauid as it is wretō the ij boke of kynges the xvij chapitre also they that falsely witnessed ayenst danyel were not they deuoured of the lyons. wherfore were they horrybly slayn that wytnessed fals∣ly ayenst susan̄e. but by cause they falsely accused her. Therfor they that vnresonably syn̄e / they deserue deth as it is aforsayd

¶How no man ought to doubte ne fere the deth cap^o. iij^o.

GOd sane them that loue hym & serue hym / For in the gospel he promyseth that they shal neuer perysshe. To this purpoos fayth the proohete. Iuste & trewe mē shal lyue

perdurably. and shal florysshe as a palme. By reason also they that goo the right way shullen arryue at a good porte / They thēne that lyuen Iustly shall deye of a good deth Trouthe it is that we rede som̄e historyes apocryfats and not approued. the whiche sayen that somtyme many good heremytes lyueden alle theyr lyues holyly. And neuertheles in thende by vayn glo¦rye or for other synne they deyde not well. But sauyng the re∣uerence of them that haue wreton suche historyes / as me se∣meth they be not tre we / but contryued / For it may not be that god suf••reth not a man to mespryse ne to synne at the poynt of deth. whiche alle his lyf hath lyued and seruyd hym deuoutly. But it myght so be that many haue shewed alle theyr lyues to be good and deuoute / whiche were nothyng soo / the whiche deyde euyl & noo good deth / & that is no merueylle For ypocry sye is a synne that well deserueth to deye an euyl deth. But of them that be good wythoute fayntyse / I may not byleue suche historyes / For the good lyf. deserueth a good deth. & to this pur¦pos we haue many examples autentikes and approued. by the whyche it apperith / how the good people deyde well and holyly Rede we not how moyses singuler serun̄t of our lord right worthyly / and by the com̄andement of god. And the scripture saith that god buryed hym as it apperith in the boke of deutro∣nomye / Semblably we rede how helye the {pro}phete was right gloryously lyfte vp in to paradys. for he beyng nygh his d••th ther appiered a carte and horse clere as fyre de••oendyng fro he∣uen. whyche toke hym and transported hym in to paradys terrestre / As it apperith the iiij boke of kynges / how deyde al∣so Iob the good and pacyent / Certayuly we rede that after the tormentes and trybulacon̄s. whyche he endured wythoute synne / And suffred moche pacyently he lyued C xl yere / and deyde well and holyly / Also saynt Poul sayde I desyre the deth for to be wyth Ihū cryst / Trouthe it is that his desy∣re presupposed the wyll of god. For other wyse oughte none to desyre. it. & how be it that many loue this lyf & the world also / to

be foūded in folye ne in euyl aduys / for as thappostle sayth we haue here in this worlde no cyte perdurable. but we ought to enquyre & gete the cyte of heuene. by whiche it apperith that many be deceyued that alleway wold lyue here. For they desy∣re that whiche may not be naturally / Thyre desyre also gayn••••yen to theyr saluacōn. & therfore saith terena•• in his iiij boke that people of grete courage haten this lyf. & doubte nothyng the deth. & therfor thou oughtest not to procure thy deth ne ab••redge thy lyf vnduely / But thou oughtest desyre the lyf to co∣me in suche wyse that this lyf be not to the as a paradys in thyn herte or as thy last truste. And take hede to the ••lepha•••• the whiche whan he slepeth. leneth to a tree. & thēne comen the hunters whyche cutten the tree. & so the olyphaiit falleth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 taken & slayn / In lyke wyse it happeth to then 〈…〉〈…〉 truste in this present lyf. for the tyme shal come that theyr 〈◊〉〈◊〉 te shal all be loste. and also they shal see. that it is a lytyl thy•••• of the lyf of this world / & me semeth that it were good that a man shold remembre fro the day of his byrth vnto the day of his deth / he shold fynde that the day of his deth shold be me••e worthy thā the day of his byrthe / for a mā is born in syn̄e •• yf he wyll he may deye in grace. the day of his byrthe is the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of his entree in to myserye. trybulacōn. & in afflyxiōn. but that the deth is more worthy it apperith. for a mā is born alle yg∣norant & wythout knowleche. but at his deth / thēne comynly a mā knoweth god & hym self / thēne is that the day that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hath most very repentaūce. wherfore it apperith that the day of the deth is more happy comynly thā the day of his byrthe. & ther fore many wyse mē haue redeyued the deth Ioyous••y. & to th••s purpoos sayd mercurye to a mā I wold sayd he yf it playsed god that I were quyte ont of this world. to thēde that my sou¦le were lyfte vp aboue in to heuene. & certaynly we rede how plato made sōtyme a newe boke named phedrō in whiche he pre¦ueth & sheweth how a resonable soule ought aff this lyf to ha¦ue heuene. the whiche boke empedocles studied moche 〈◊〉〈◊〉

& whan he apperceyued that the soule was ordeyned for to ha¦ue suche a good thēn he despysed moche this lyf / & moūted vpon an hye wall / For whyche he fylle for to shorte his lyf for to gete & haue heuen / & how be it that his oppynyon is not good ne approued. neuertheles by the sayd historye it apperith that he that entēdeth to haue heuene. ought lytyl to preyse his lyf /

¶How yet noman ought to doubte the deth cap^o. iiij

I It apperith yet by seneke in his boke of remedyes of for¦tune. in whiche he saith. that it is folye to deede that whi¦che cometh of nature. and that one may not eschew. And ther¦for in his vj boke of questyons naturell. he hym self s••y••h that the wyse man ought not to doubte the deth. ne the thynges also by whyche he may deye by honour. For the knyghtes ought not to fere ne doubte bataylle founded by right and in reason. And the wyse man ought not to hyde the trouthe / supposed that therin be peryll of deth / And to this purpos saith varro in his sentences / That he is a fool that doubteth the deth For he taketh two paynes for one / That is to wete the deth. and the drede whiche may no thyng prouffyte to hym but encrece his payne / And therfore sayth seneke in his iij bo¦ke of questyons naturell / It is a lytyl thyng sayth he of the lyf of a man. But tis a grete thyng whan a man maye & can despyse his lyf / For thenne shal he be sure in see and on londe in ba••ayll / And in alle peryllis / Thenne ought euery man to desyre to deye wythout drede as a fore is. sayde. Now wolde god that the ryche mē of this world wold take hede herto. for thēne shold they lytyl doubte the deth. & lytyl loue theyr goodes seen they muste nedes leue all / & therfor saith seneke in one of his epi••tles wherfor wepest thou. whā the byhoueth. & muste nedes dye. for as moche fool is he that wold lyue alle the tyme to come. as he to whome it d••splayseth by cause he hath not ly∣ued alle the tyme passyd and to this purpoos recoūteth valere

in his vj boke how the kyng lazuriat•• dyde doo crucyfye a mā named theodore. by cause he had repreued hym of certayn euyl ••••s that he had doon / And thenne theodre beyng on the crosse sayde. I had as leef sayd he deye on hye on the crosse. as to deye lowe on the erthe And therfor saith lucan in his viij boke. that no man ought to doubte the deth. seen that it is the last payne and the ende of alle mystrye. Of whiche deth speketh a philo¦sopher named secundus One demandeth what thyng is deth and he ansuerd and sayth that it is the drede of ryche men / The desyre of poure men / The Ioye of wyse men. And the en¦de of payne / And Macrobe in his fyrst boke of the dreme of scypion / saith that wery phylosophye is to thynke on the deth Trouthe it is that ther be ij maners of deth / And the one deth is named the deth of the soule. whan it is withoute vertues. & that deth ought euery mā moche to doubte. for it maketh the soule Indygne & vn worthy of all good. that other deth is said corporell the whiche no wyse mā ought to doubte & to this pur¦poos saith seneke. that it is a thyng moche myserable not for to knowe to deye. & they that can not deye. bē they that ne•• dispose them for to deye. but in dede they haue a folyssh hope to lyue al¦way. Ayenst them speketh the sētēce sayeng that the deth is the desyre of wyse mē. recytyng how one named zenomanus purcha••ed his owne deth. wenyng the bettre for to lyue after his lyf. & how be it that nomā ought semblably to doo•• Nei••the¦les it apperith by that noman ought to doubte the deth / & to this purpoos recyteth zenohon how Cyrus deyde sayng. My frendes & my chyldren. whan I shal be deed. wene ye not that I god in to a newe contrey. for myn herte hath alleway ben in that other world. & for somoche whā I shal be deed I shal be al le way in the cōtrey in whiche I was to fore. by the whiche his¦torye apperith. how the wyse mē ought alleway to haue theyr hertes on the other world. therfor saith quitilian•• in his iiij to be it is a thyng moche desyro•• to come for to see day & the hou¦re. that a mā is gyuē & dely••d to his maker. & {pro}s{per} in his boke

Epigramanton sayth / that after the deth shal be Ioye without ende / light without derknes / wyll all one / hel the without ma∣ladye. Ioye wythout ennoye or greuānce. And therfore men ought lytyl to drede the deth /

¶How to thynke on the deth is a thyng moche prouffytable cap^o. v^•.

THe wase man in the xxxvin chapitre of ecclesiastike / saith remembre the of the last dayes. that is to saye of thy deth. and thou shalt neuer synne. For a man that thyn∣keth he muste nedes deye. hath a drede to trespace & doo a mys and setteth lytyl by the world and by hym self. And also he is all cooled of the vanytees and of all worldly plasan̄ces / And to this purpoos tullius in his first boke of his questions tus∣culanes alledgeth socrates. the whyche saith that the lyf of phi¦losophres is for to thynke on the deth. Semblably sayth pla∣ton as recounteth Alephareus in his boke of the dyuysyon of philosophye. Seneke also in his xvj epystle sayth that a mā bycometh franke and free by thynkyng of the deth. For that causeth to asche we synne. of whyche cometh all seruitude. and aunciently & of olde tyme whā themperours were crowned it was demaūded of them in what place they wolde be buryed & thēne they assygned the place of theyr buryeng / & this custome was ordyned to thēde that they sholde remembre theyr deth for tesche we pryde / as it is recounted in the lyf of saynt Iohū the Amener. Saynt gregore in his ix boke of moralles sayth that whan a man is tempted. the souerayn remedye is to thynke on the deth / And in his xxj boke he hath the same purpoos ge∣uyng an example of them that saylled on the see. the whyche lefte playes. and esbatements whan they sawe the tempest of the see come. Semblably is it of them that thynken on the deth Trouthe it is that by this thynkyng no man ought to angre hym self. but he ought well to aduyse hym. For they that ben angry ben they that ouermoche louen this world And

the other doo not soo. but reioysse as it is aforsaid / More ouer thou oughtest to knowe that to thynke on the deth maketh a man humble. For the deth shal make vs alle egall. And ther shal be no difference bytwene the poure and the ryche whan the body shal be roten and asshen / as witnesseth seneke in his epis¦tle lxxxv. To this purpos sayth the wyse man in his boke of ecclesiastyke the v chapytre / All naked I am born. and all naked I shal retorne in to therthe. Thenne me semeth that it shold be a moche prouffytable thyng. the consideracōn of the d••th by the whyche a man bycometh humble & knoweth his fra∣gylite. And certaynly who that wold wel thynke how the lyf is short. And how the deth is nyghe. be shold be moche dylygent to doo well. For the tyme shal come that a man shal not mo∣we doo well. And to this purpoos sayth thappostle in his last chapytre ad galathas / late vs doo well as longe as we maye And syth we haue the tyme and season. as who wold saye / that the tyme shall come. that we shal not mowe doo well / That is to were after the deth. And to this purpoos we rede an hystorye of a yong man the whiche consyderyng that alle we muste nede deye. he entred in to religyon for tamende his lyf. wherof his fader was moche sorouful & angry / And cam to hym for entreate hym to retorne to the world / the whiche ansuerd that gladly he wold recorne. with that he wold chān ge one of the custōmes of the contrey. Thenne the fader ansuer de / that he wold chan̄ge gladly the costome / seen that he had right grete piussan̄ce in the coutrey. And desired to wete what custome it was. And the sone sayd to his fader that ye wold take a way this custom̄e. that is to were that no yong peple deye / but only the olde. For ye knowe well that the custom̄e of your contrey is that the youg peple deye as wel as the olde And therfore I am entred in the religyon / For I wore neuer whan I shal dey. The whiche worde consyderyng. The fader departed all confused / and lefte his sone duellyng in religyon / the whyche sone had moche wel consideryd the worde of Ihū

tryst sayeng. wake he and aduyse you well. For ye knowe not the houre whan god shal come and calle you. as recyteth seynt Mathew in his iiij chapitre. And me semeth that our present lyf may be compared to a Royame. of whiche recounteth va∣lere. how somtyme was a Royame. the whiche euery yere ma¦de a new kynge. And as longe as the yere dured. the kynge was mayntened in grete astate and in grete richesses. Bnt assone as the yere was passed. he was despoylled all naked / & bānysshed ont of the Royame. And for his salayre they gaaf to hym but an egge onely. And it happed that ther was one kynge emonge the other. whiche aduysed hym that in the yere that he shold be kynge. he shold sende of his rychesses ynowh in to a stran̄ge contrry for to lyue in tyme comyng. & for to ma∣yntene his estate / syth he shold be banysshyd by the maner afor¦said / we ought thenne take example of this kynge for to doo wel as longe as welyue. For the tyme shal come whan we shal be banysshed ont of this world / and alle naked sent hens Tixnne we ought in the tyme of our lyf to make puruean̄ce of good werkes. And sende them in to a strānge contrey. that is to saye / in to heuene / There ought we to make our tresour as Ihū cryste admonesteth vs. that we shold make our tre∣sour in the heuene. For ther is no maner of peryll ne of theues ne of persecu••ours. ne of thyng that may greue. Soo thenne ought euery man acquyre and gete the Royame of heuen / & that to doo we sholde make dylygence / yf we thynke and re∣membre. how in short tyme vs byhoueth to deye /

¶How noman ought to be curyous of his scpulture cap^o. v^o.

SEpulture curyor•• may be signefyānce of pryde and of vanyte. And singulerly whā a man in his lyf doo ma¦ke and ordeyne it curyonsly / And taketh therin vayn glorye. & vayn playsir. And in so dooyng he putteth his soule in grete peryll. And yf thou sayst. that thou dooyst it onely to thende that

the people praye for the / whan they shal see thy portrayture / Therto I ansuere to the. that in my lyf I haue seen many se∣pultures but I haue not apperceyed that the people is moued to deuocōn / or to praye to god by cause of them / but I haue wel seen moche people beholde aduyse. and Iangle by cause of suche sepultures. And me semeth it is nothing aduenan̄t. ne apperteyneth not to a synful creature to haue a sep ulture so cu¦ryous ne soo enhannced / as many men haue / For I sup∣pose that it is more to theyr dampnacōn / than to thyr salua∣cōn. Alle way I say not but thou mayst in somme maner or∣deyne for thy self a sepulture acordyng to the seate that it ap••••¦teyneth to the / But kepe the well / that thou therin take no pryde. For more syttyng shold it be that suche goodes were employed to shryne the bodyes of sayntes. the whiche thou hast employed to a sepulture for the whiche art a syancer. and vn∣worthy to be enhaunsed aboue therthe halowed. And to this purpos speketh saynt Anstyn in his boke of them that be pas∣sed out of this world. How the gloryous sayntes of the heuene hane not retched of theyr sepultures. For som̄e haue be brent / som̄e drowned / other byheded. and other delyuerd to houndes and to beestis / And certaynly the sepulture serued more to dis∣porte of them that lyue than it dooth to the preysyng of god. re¦proufyt of thē that be deed lyke as witnesseth saynt austyn m his boke of the cyte of god the xi ij chapytre. And to the same purpoos we rede in the second boke of vicas patram. how som tyme a good man sawe an euyl man moche honourably bu∣ryed. and had a right curyo•• sepulture / And he sa we a good man throwen in to the felde and eten of bestes. wherfor this sayd good man was angry / Thēne an angel aperid to this man that was angry& sayd to hym. My frende be nothyng angry. For the curyous sepulture is for payment of the euyl man yf he haue in his lyuyng doon ony good / But the good man whiche was eten of the houndes is hoolly rewarded in heuene. by whiche it apperith. that the curyosite of seputures

is not prouffytable. & certaynly we rede how dyogenes com¦māded that after his deth. his body shold be delyuerd to the byr¦des aud to bestes to ete. And whan it was demanded the rea∣son wherfore. he ansuerde that the bestes after his deth shold doo to hym none harme / thaugh they tare & despieced all his body And it sholde doo grete good to the bestes to take of hym theyr nature. & it is better so to doo than do putte it in therthe for to rote. Also Tullius recoūteth in his fyrst boke of questions tul enlanes. And semblably he recyteth how one demanded a phi∣losophre named Azagouas in what place he wold that his body shold be buryed The whyche ansuerd that he was cōtent of alle the places of the world. we rede also how a tryan̄t me∣naced a philosopher named theodre. that he wolde delyuer his body to the bestes / the whiche ansuerd that after his deth he ret∣ched nothyng of ony sepulcre ne of suche vanytes. As seneke recounteth the xviij chapytre of the boke of tranquylite of cou∣rage. And pompeius in his iij boke recyteth how the kyng li∣r••irgis comānded that after his deth he shold be throwen in to the see / Aunciently also many men wolde that theyr bodyes shold be eten / And certaynly seynt Ierome in his boke ayenst Ionynyen / recyteth how the people callyd messagiers had a custome to ete theyr parents. For it was better as they sayde that they shold ete them than the wormes / And how be it that it is a cuyl oppynyon. Neuertheles by the thynges abouesayd it appierith how the aūcyent people were nothyng curyous of theyr sepultures. trouthe it is a thyng resonable for to requyre that is body be burryed in plaee halowed / For somtyme the prayers that be sayd in halowed places ben right prouffytable And to this purpoos saynt Austyn in his boke of them that be passed out of this world recyteth how a good woman dyde do burye her sone in the chyrche of a martyr. in hope that the pre∣sence of the martyr shal be moche prouffytable to the soule of her sone. And in dede by the prayers of the martyr his soule was moche alledged of his payne and was anone saued. As

fyuably was shewede to the sayd good woman. By whiche it apperith that how be it that curiosyte of sepulture be but lytyl necessarye / Neuertheles halowed place is for to be demaūded resonable. And therfore som̄e aūcyents were moche dylygent for to be buryed in place resonable. Rede we not how Abra∣ham right diligētly bought a felde for to burye therin his wyf For he wold not that she were buryed in ony erthe but in his owen as it apperith the xxij chapytre of genesis. And Iacob requyred his sone Ioseph that he myght be buryed with his parents / as it apperith the xliiij chapytre of genesis. And of Moyses we rede. how whan he passed out of egypte. he trans∣ported the bones of Ioseph in to the londe of promyssson for to leye them with his parents as it apperith in Exode the xiiij chapytre / & knowe thou that not onely thou oughtest to thyn∣ke of thy sepulture. but also it is a thyng moche resonable for to burye the bodyes of the poure people. & herof we rede how the an̄gel moche recom̄ended thobye by cause he was so moche dylygent for to burye and brynge in erthe / the bodyes of the deed people as it apperith in the fyrst and second chapytres of his boke. And semblably ought moche to be preysed Ioseph a Nychodemus whiche were dylygent for to burye the body of Ihū cryste as it apperith the xxvij chapytre of seynt Mathew. by whiche thynges thou mayst wel apperceyue / how for to bu¦rye other / thou oughtest to be right dylygent and attendan̄t / But of thyn owne sepulture thou oughtest to take lytyl hede and not be curyous /

¶How a persone ought to thynke on the day of dome cap.^o. vij

Yf thou thynke on the Iugement fynall. thou shalt be mo¦che afferd for to dod euyl as it is shewede to vs by expe∣ryence of moche people. that lefte to doo euyl for free of Iusty¦ce. And yf thou demānde of me whan shal be the day of Inge∣ment / I ansuere to the as doth seynt Austyn in his sermon

that he made of the Innocentes. the whiche ansuerth to the sa∣me questyō sayengthat the day of dome shal be. as who saith now. or anon. For as thappostle sayth in a moment and at one stroke shal thangel sowne the trompe. and alle shal aryse & come to the Iugemēt. There shal be moche abasshed they that shal be in synne For nothyng shal auaylle thēne to wepe. ne none shal mowe doo thyng that may {pro}uffyte to his saluacōn The prayers of sayntes shal not thēne mowe helpe the. therfo∣re thou oughtest whylest thou here lyuest wysely to aduyse the for thēne thou shalt see thy fayt & thy sentēce to fore thyn eyen there shal be thyn enymyes that shal accnse the / & shal demānde the. To whom thou shalt be delyuerd without remyssion for e•• more. And hughe saith in his boke of the Arke of noe the viij chapytre / that the elementes and alle creatures that haue don to the seruyce shal demaūde Iustyce of the / The erthe shal saye I haue born the / I haue nourysshyd the. The water shal saye I haue refresshed the and haue conforted the. and in lyke wy∣se alle creatures shal reproche the of theyr benefaytes. in sayeng that they neuer serued the but to thende that thon sh••lcest serue god / whom thou hast not serued. And therfore we demann∣de reason of the. as of hym that hath euyl knowen the goodes that god hath doon for hym. But thou mayst saye that the day of Iugement shal not come yet in a grete tyme. And ther to I ansuere the and saye that the tokenes and signes of the day of dome ben almost accomplysshyd. ne see we not how lecherye regneth. the whiche somtyme was cause of noes flood & of the perdycōn of the world. & me semeth that lecherye semblably may gyue to vs cause to doubte that the day of do∣me be nyghe / For in mariage is lytyl loyalte or trouthe. In peple of the chyrche lytyl chastyte. of whom speketh thappostle in his epystle to the ephesiens sayeng. that lecherous peple shal haue no parte in the Royame of heuene / More I ansuere to the and saye that many other signes ben accomplysshyd. For the sonne and the Mone haue lost theyr clerenes / And the sternes

ben fallen fro heuen / And ther is none other thyng to speke of but it is come. For the chyrche whyche ought to ly••hte alle the world lyke as the sonne / is now in these dayes derked. & in many maners entatched with vyces. And the mone. that is to wete the seygnorye temporell is now in this tyme eclyp¦sed and ful of pryde and of tyrannye / And the sterres. that ••s to saye the clerkes the prechours & the counceyllours ben fallen from heuene / For they haue lefte to saye trouthe for tensye we and folowe flaterye / By whyche it apperith that the signes & tokenes of the day of dome and last Iugement ben ynowh accomplysshyd. And yf thou demānde me yf Antecryst be co∣me / I ansuere to the that whether he be come or not come Ne¦uertheles many be lyuyng that doo the werkes of Antecryst. and that may wel be called his disciples / For they ben false dissymplers & euyl procrytes. and of suche men antecryst shal be / trouthe it is that som̄e may saye that the day of dome may be knowen naturelly / to whome I ansuere. that it is nothyng so. For god hath not shewed it to man ne to an̄gel. as it ap∣perith in the boke of thactes of thappostles / and the same Wit¦nesseth seynt Austyn in the fyrst verse of the vij psalmes. but not withstondyng that in folowyng som̄e auctorytres & rea∣sons may in this mater som̄e thyng be sayd wythout to deter∣myne ony thyng / For god is he onely that may determyne the day and hour of the Iugement as it playseth hym Thēne it shold seme fro the begynnyng that the world shelde fynysshe¦in thende of som̄e thousandes of yeres / And for as moche as it is vj M vj Cxxxv yere syth the world was begonne. ther∣fore ther lacketh yet iij Exl yere or theraboute vnto the day of dome And that it be soo I afferme not ne saye. but som̄e auc∣torytres speken of tho••sandes of yeres in spekyng of the day of Iugement. And certaynly the prophete dauid saith that a thousand yere ben to fore thyn eyen as the last daye. lyke as he wold saye that the world shal fynyssshe vpon the ende of som̄e thousand of yeres / More ouer seynt Iohn̄ in his apocalyps the

xx chapytre saith. that sathanas shal be bonde a Myere vnto thende of the world. & the prophete helye sath that the world shal dure vj Myere in acountyng fro the tyme that he lyued. & placo thimeon. saith that the world shal be renewed wythin xx Myere / By whiche thynges it apperith as if semed at the begynnyng that the world ought to fynysshe wythin thende of som̄e thousandes of yeres. More ouer lauteutique saith in his vij boke the xxxj chapytre that the world shall endure vj Myere. And Albimazar in his second boke of coniunctions in the viij defference saith that the tokenes of the world chaūgen after the mutacōn of Saturne And singulerly whan he hath made ten reuolucōns the whiche amounte to iij C yere or the∣raboute. wherof we haue som̄e experyence. For after x. reuo∣lucōns of saturne cam Alexander. and the Royam̄e of perse was cestroyed. And x. reuolucōns after cam Ihū cryste whi∣che toke our humanyte & brought the newe lawe to the world And x reuolucōns after cam Meny whiche contryued ayenst tix paynems a newe lawe And. x. reuolucōns after cam ma¦homet the contryner of a false lawe / And x. reuolucōns after cam Charlemayne whiche conquerd thempyre / And x. reuo∣lusōns after cam godefroy of boylone whiche conquerd the ho∣ly and / And thus somme may saye that by suche mutacōn as land is / That they maye knowe by astrologye the deffy∣n••••••••ment of the world / But I am not of that oppynyon. for god knoweth it onely. And in this matere ought nothyng to be affermed. lyke as seynt Austyn saith in his second boke of the cyte of god the second chapytre. After me semeth that how be it that thou knowe the day of Iugement / and suppose that it shal not be in longe tyme / Therfore as it not but that thou oughtest to drede it as moche. as it shold be right shortly. For the day of thy deth. the whiche shal be right short / shal be the day of thy Iugement. seen that in the same hour shall all be doon with the / And neuer shal the sentence be chaūged / And it is no doubte that yf thou deye in euyl estate in that houre / 〈1+ pages missing〉〈1+ pages missing〉