The festyuall

¶Quattuor sermones.

[illustration]

THe may∣ster of sē¦tēce in y^e seconde boke. & y^e fyrst dy∣styncion sayth that y^e souerayne cau¦se why god made all crea∣tures in heuē / erthe / or wa¦ter was his owne goodnes by the whiche he wolde y^t some of them sholde haue parte and be comoners of euerlastȳge blysse but for as moche as noo creature myght come to y^t blysse w^t∣out knowlege of hym. ther¦fore he made reasonable creatures as aungelles and man∣kynde of wytte and wysdome / wherby they sholde knowe hym / and so through that knowlege come to the blysse that they were made to. ¶This maner of knowlege hadde our forne fader Adam and Eue in the state of theyr Innocency without ony trauayle / the whiche we sholde haue had also yf they had not synned / but that knowelege the whiche we haue now is of herynge lernynge and techynge of other y^t whiche can the lawe and the faythe of our moder holy chyr¦che. The whiche we that haue the cure of soules be bounde for to teche / or doo for to teche oure parysshens / on payne of eternall dampnacyon of our soules. And for as moche as my wyll is not for to offende god neyther to lese myn owne soule ne yours I purpose me by his leue homely thus for to shewe it and rede it too you in the boke. For to your ler∣nȳge

it is as good thus as wythout And th{us} dyde (Esdras Moyses. Baruk) in the olde lawe. & so dyde Cryste also in the newe lawe. And ryghte as I am thus bounde to telle & to teche it you / so be ye bounde to lerne it and to conne it. And soo to teche it to other folkes the whiche bē vnder you to your power / & how ye shall come to this knowelege of god. Thyse thyngys folowynge shal shew you. This is the fyrste petycyō of the Pater noster. The fyrste is the Pater nostet / the whyche oure lorde made and taught his discy∣ples The whiche conteyneth. seuen shorte petycyons. The fyrste is / fader oure that arte in heuens halowede be thy na¦me) By this ye be beholde to loue eche other as syster & bro¦der. ¶And also to yelde hym worshyp & drede. for the gre∣te worthynes / ryches & fayrnes / that he hath here gyuen to you and lent you for more worthynes may not be then∣ne to be called the sone of god / ne gretter ryches thenne to be heyre of y^e blysse of heuen / ne more fayrnes / thā to belyke suche a fader / For we be alle bretheren and systers of one fa¦der and moder / god and holy chyrche. In token that none of vs sholde scorne other / as y^e proude dooth the poure. He is also in heuen / not wythstondynge that he is in euery pla¦ce / but yet moost properly he is in heuen / therfore halowe we soo in his name in vs here y^t we defoyle not his holines be synne / but by the yeft of wisdome / we maye so here be clē¦syd fro all fylth of synne / & soo fulfylled of his loue that all other loues contrary to his wyl be bytter to vs. ¶The secō¦de is / thy kyngdom come to vs) that is to saye y^t he and his holynesse so regne in vs and gouerne al oure lyffe here that we maye after reyne with him in blysse that euer shall last and by very charyte thou shall destroye the foule synne of enuye. ¶The thyrde is thy wyll be done in erthe as is in he¦uen and tho that grutche in sekenesse / losse of goodes or o∣ther dyseases ayenst god / do ayenst this petycon / and grea

grudge in sykenes / losse of goodes / or theyr dyseases ayenst god do agaynst this pytycyon / & gretely dysplease god ther¦fore pray we that all aūgelles & all holy soules pleaseth god in heuen / so must we here in erthe / no thynge askynge ayēst his wyll / & thus by loue thou shalte dystroye the foule sȳne of wrathe. The fourthe is our euery dayes breed gyue vs to daye / that is to say our full sustenaunce for body and soule Thus prayed the wyse man y^t sayd / lorde neyther rychesse ne pouerte gyue me / but that is necessarye to my lyuelode / by this is dystroyed couetyse. And the gyft of compassyon & pyte brought in. ¶The fyfte is / and forgyue vs our trespa¦ces / as we forgyue them that trespace agaynst vs. This is agaynst them that bereth rancoure & malyce agaynst theyr neyghboure or arte to gredy of thy dettes to the poore / and wylte not forgyue hȳ a lytell dette or trespace there as god forgyueth the many trespaces / for the whiche ne were his grete mercy thou sholdest be dampned. To this therfore is knytte the spyryte of connynge / that sheweth y^t what thou arte / what peryll y^u standest in / and our lorde suffred for y^e ¶The .vi. is / and lede vs not in to temptacōn. It is not to praye here that no temptacyon assayle vs / in that the deuyl hath lycence to tempte man as he dyde cryst & his appostles and vs all daye dooth so that his power may not be put a∣waye without the helpe and mercy of god. Therfore holy fa¦der by the helpe and grace of the spyryte of pyte kepe oure hertes in temptacyon / that we consent not ne be ouercome with synne. ¶The seuenth is / but delyuer vs from all euyll synne. Amen. And this is the laste petycyon / to the whiche is gyuen y^e spyryte of drede that maketh a man to withdra∣we frome all euyll of synne / for the begynnynge to wysdo∣me is for to drede all myghty god & his ryghtwysnes. The seuen pytycyons thus with a clene and pure herte asked / renneth and putteth awaye the seuen deedly synnes / and

endue thy soule with many holy vertues. Aue maria. Fer∣d••rmore as for the salutacyon of our lady. pope Vrban and pope Iohan to all beynge in clene lyfe that in thende of the Aue maria) saye these wordes Ihesus amē) as oft as they say it / they haue graunted of pardon .lxxxiiii. dayes / and as ofte as thou sayst our ladyes psalter / so oft thou hast of par¦don .xxxiiii. yere. and .xxx. wekes. ¶These ben the .xii. arty∣cles of the faythe. Credo in deū patrem oīpotentē creatorē celi et terre. The seconde thynge that thou sholdest knowe god by / ben thartycles of the faythe / by the whyche grace & mercy ben purchaced of god & eche vertuous dede strength¦ed / what this fayth is these artycles folowynge shal shewe you. The fyrst is. I beleue in god fader almyghty maker of heuen & of erthe. To beleue to god is one / & too beleue in god is an other / the deuyll beleueth to god / that is to saye / y^t he and his wordes ben true. Yet many one fayleth here in / for and they beleue that the wordes of god were true / that is to say / that for theyr good dedes they sholde haue euerla¦stynge lyfe / & for theyr euyll dedes the paynes of helle / they wolde eyther for drede or for loue amende them. To beleue in god sayth saynt Austyn is to cleue to god by loue fulfyl∣lynge his wyll / this is very beleue. Thus and thou synne a∣gaynst god is for lacke of beleue / yet in that he is of power to punysshe the / yf thou wylte not leue it. The seconde is. Et in thesū christum filiū eius vnicum dominū nostrum. I beleue in Ihesu cryst his onely sone our lorde. Vnderstan¦de that Ihesu Cryst the sone is in heuen w^t the fader with∣out begynnynge / and the fader dooth nothynge without y^e sone / ne the sone without the fader / and thus bothe they ben almyghty ¶The thyrde is. Qui conceptus est de spiritu∣sancto: natus ex maria virgine). I beleue that he was con∣ceyued of the holy ghoost / and borne of the vyrgyn Mary. Here Cryst the seconde persone of the holy trynyte dyde ta∣ke

flesshe and blode of our lady / by the holy ghoost without medlynge of man / she beynge a mayde after as she was to fore / for as she conceyued hym without synne / soo without synne and bodely payne she chylded hym veray god & man ¶The fourthe is. Passus sub poncio pylato crucifix{us} mor tuus et sepultus. I beleue that he suffred payne vnder pon¦ce Pylate / done on the crosse deed & buryed. Here Cryst the sone of god suffred mekely & trespaced neuer. For we shol∣de mekeli suffre that moche haue trespaced. He was also cru¦cyfyed for we sholde also chastyse our flesshe by penaunce / in withstandynge synne. He was buryed in token that we sholde hyde our good dedes fro praysynge and vaynglory of the worlde / and to haue mynde that erthe is our heryta∣ge by kynde of our bodely flesshe. ¶The .v. is. Descendit ad infernatercia die resurrexit a mortuis. I beleue that he went doune to hell / and the thyrde daye arose frome dethe to lyfe. Cryst thus bodely deed lay in the sepulcre without y^e soule to the thyrde day that he arose / the godhede departed not fro the body / he went downe in to hell / & delyuered the holy soules that were there through vertue of the godhede and the thyrde daye arose frome dethe to lyfe. In token y^t the lyght of his dethe hath dystroyed our double dethe And that we shall aryse from goostly dethe by thre maner of me¦dycyns / contrycyon / confessyon / & satysfaccyon. ¶The vi. Ascendit ad celos sedet as dexteram dei patris omnipotē¦tis). I beleue y^t he styed vp in to heuen and set hym there on his faders ryght hande. Thus Cryst apperynge to his dys¦cyples after his resureccion dyde ete with theym. In token that he was veray man than as he was before his passyon and lo to stye in to heuen / and hyghed mankynde aboue aū¦gelles / openynge heuen gate to shewe mankynde the way to come thyder and for to praye for all humayne lygnage. ¶The seuenth is. Inde venturus est iudicare viuos et

mortuos.) I byleue that he is to come to deme the quicke & the dede. This cryst Ihesu very god & man / shal come to y^e dome and deme all mākynde quyck & dede / good & euyll af¦ter theyr dedes there shal come some to y^e dome and not be demed / as hethen men for they syn̄e without law & therfore withoute lawe they muste perysshe. Some also shall be de¦med & dampned / as fals crysten men y^t byleuen in Iesu cry¦ste withoute loue and good werkis there shall subgettis ac¦cuse theyr euyll curates / y^t wolde not repreue them of theyr synnes / ne teche them the cōmaūdemētis of god / Also chyl∣deren vnchastysed shalle there repreue ther faders and mo¦ders that wold not chastyse theym of theyr wantonnesse There shall the poure accuse the ryche / that wolde not hel∣pe them in theyr myschyef. Amēde all this therfore whyles that thou arte here And haue mynde how sodeynly his ven¦gaunce falleth. and as how he fyndeth y^t he shall deme the. The .viii. is (Credo in spiritū sanctum.) I byleue in y^e holy goost the thyrde persone of the trynyte) The holy goost / is also very god and wythoute begynnynge and endynge. & euen in wytte myghte and goodnesse wyth the fader and so¦ne. And all thre persones ben but one god almyghty. The .ix. is (Sanctum ecclesiam catholicam sanctorum commu∣monem.) I byleue in holy chyrche / and comonynge of sayn¦tes. Holy chyrche thrugh oute the worlde is holy / (and one to all crysten men that in the sacramentes of holy chyrche 〈…〉〈…〉 comoneth to gyder. Therfore it is forboden that 〈…〉〈…〉 chyrche nor chyrche yerde there be no clamoure nor stryfe / daunsynge drynkynge / nor ony other dyshoneste marches / nor occasyon of synne sholde not be gyuen there / where as foryeuenesse sholde be asked holy chyrche is par∣ted in thre. One is in this worlde of theym that sholde be sa¦ued by the mercy of god and this is euer fyghtynge ayenst thyse thre enmyens (the world the flessh and y^e deuyll. And

a nother is in purgatory of the soules y^t abyde there / the gre¦te mercy of almyghty god. The thyrde is cryste of heuen he¦de of all other with his sayntes / the whiche is free frome al maner dyscencyons. Thyse thre shall be one after the daye of dome goyng with Ihesu theyre hede in to the blysse that neuer shall haue ende. Comonynge of sayntes whan eche of thyse thre partyes helpen other / they in heuen helpen the other two with prayer / and they in erthe helpen theym in purgatory with theyr prayer and almesdede and thyse two helpen in heuen / whan theyr Ioye and blysse is encreaced. and thus eche comoneth w^t other. The .x. is (Remyssionem peccatorum) I byleue remyssyon of synnes they that amē¦de theyre lyfe here. & doo very penaunce / wyllynge to leue theyr synnes And ende in charyte shal haue foryeuenesse of all theyr synnes. For cryste by his dethe & passyon of his fader gate vs forgyuenesse. and he himself also by his god∣hede forgyueth all orygynal and actuall sȳne in theyr bap∣tym. ¶The .xi. is. (Carnis resurrectionem) I byleue rysȳ¦ge of body. All mankynde at the daye of dome shal ryse frō deth to lyfe in body and soule to gyder / And after that ne∣uer to be departed / and thenne they that haue ended in de¦dely synne shall goo in body and soule to the euerlastynge payne of hell withoute mercy. And they that haue well ly∣ued and ended in charyte and out of dedely synne shall wen¦de in body & soule to gyder to blysse for euermore. Of this blysse speketh saynte Mathew in the last artycle. The .xii. is (Et vitā eternā) Amē I byleue in euerlastynge lyfe Thy¦se ben the artycles of the fayth / the whiche but euery man truly & sadly byleue maye not be saued for wythoute fayth it is not possyble to please god. ¶Thyse ben the .x. commaū¦dementis of god / the thyrde thynge that thou sholdest kno¦we god by his .x. commaundementis whyche he hymselfe wrote in two tables of stoon. And toke theym to Moyses

to shewe his people / promysynge to theym that wolde ke∣pe theym his blyssynge. wel••he and welfare. And to theym that wold not his curse grete sorow and myscheue. ¶A mā asked of Cryste / what he myght doo to haue euerlastynge lyfe. And he answered and sayde / yf thou wyll entre in e∣uerlastynge lyfe. kepe the commaundementis. This preue the yf thou kepe his commaundementis / thou fulfylleste all the lawe of god and shall haue euerlastyng lyf. ¶The fyrst he commaundeth that thou haue no god but hym Ne that y^u worshyp serue. ne gyue thy truste to none other crea¦ture / ymage / ne thynge grauen but only to hym. In this is forboden mawmetry / false enchauntementis whitche∣crafte / false charmes and dremes. and mysbyleues that o∣ny man or woman hope the helpe in. wythoute almyghty god. In this ye synne dedely / that for sekenesse or losse of good putte youre fayth and byleue that ye sholde haue in your lorde god. by the deuylles mynystres fals witches the whiche bryng many a soule to the deuyll. ¶For they byleue more the wytches worde thenne in the wordes of scryptu∣re that the preest teched theym. ¶All suche haue goddys curse at lest foure tymes a yere in the grete sentence / and euery daye in oure prime as for ymages. ¶Also ye shall vnderstonde that as clerkys saye in theyr bokes how they sholde lyue and do / so sholde lewde men lerne by ymages whome they sholde worshyp and folow / in lyuynge to do goddis worshyp to ymagis euery man is forboden. Ther∣fore whan thou comest to the chyrche fyrste beholde goddis body / wnder fourme of brede on the aulter / And thanke hym that wouchesauf euery daye to come fro the holy heuē aboue for helth of thy soule / loke thou on the crosse and ther¦by haue mynde in the passyon. that he suffred for the then∣ne thymages of the holy sayntis not byleuynge on theym.

but that by the syghte of theym / thou maye haue mynde of them that ben in heuen. and so to folowe theyr lyfe as mo∣che as thou mayste. Yf thou thus worshyp loue and serue god thenne shall all worshyp loue and serue the and so thou shalte fulfyll the fyrste and the moost commaundement. ¶The second is / that thou take not in vayne the holy na∣me of god. ¶Thou takeste the name of god in vayn whan thou torneste ayene to synne after thy baptym. thou takest it in vayn also whan thou swerest and forswerest the / and rekest not how. Afore all thyng sayth saynt Iames / swere ye not / leest ye fall vnder that dome of god. It is onely re∣serued to god / sayth saynt Iehan. that thou swere by hym and his trouth and his ryghte wysnesse. Therfore or thou swere see that thou be compellyd by dome / and that it be ryghte Not for enuy / loue / nor drede / but only for ryght∣wysnes in declarynge of troughte / and yf ony of thyse fay¦le it is periury. Be ware therfore ye that vse questis or con¦systory and hereth what peryll ye stonde in that wyttyngly be forsworne on the boke. ¶The kook betokeneth all holy scrypture and the suffrayes of the chyrche the whyche the¦re thou forsakeste whan thou forswerest the thy hondes all the goodes werkys that euer thou dyddest. The whyche thou forsakest / whan thou wythdraweste it / Thou forsa∣kest also god almyghte. oure lady saynte Marye all y^e sayn¦tes of heuen. And the merytes of the holy sacrament / And hooly betakeste thy selfe to the deuyll of helle: but thou amē¦de y^e or thou goost hens / yf they then sholde be punysshed thus for swerynge / How shall they be that blaspheme and dysmembre hym / swerynge by his herte nayles woundes and suche other some / whan they ben repreued herof sayne It is gode to haue god in mynde and with suche lewdnes∣se they kepen styll theyr grete othes / and thy seruaunt dy∣de

agaynst thy byddynge saynge that he dyde it to haue y^t in mynde / wolde thou not be wrothe with hym / moche mo¦re must god than with the / whan thou doost agaynst y^e byd∣dynge / and some saye. I may well swere / for I swere sothe / this is a false excusacōn / for and thou sholdest swere alway whan thou sayst sothe / than wolde not cryst haue forboden swerynge. But for in moche swerynge / is oft for swerynge / therfore he sayth. He that moche swereth / shall be replete w^t wyckednes & sorowe / ne vengeaunce shall not departe fro his house / some sayth also that noo man wyll beleue theym but they swere / this is a subtyl excusacyon. For therby a fal¦se man may swere as well as a true man / & soo sholde he be as well beleued as a true man. For the falser he is the more he swereth / & forswereth / and so begyleth. Therfore yf thou wylte be beleued without ony swerynge / be true of thy wor¦de / and lete it be / ye / ye / and nay / nay. In token that y^u sayst with thy mouthe / thou sholdest say it with thy herte. And not saye one thynge and thynke an other. ¶The thyrde is / Haue in mynde to halowe thy holy dayes / that is to say son∣dayes & other that be boden. Almighty god in .vi. dayes ma¦de heuen / erthe / and see / and all that in them is. And the .vii daye rested / therfore he blyssed it / and made it holy / but in stede therof we crysten men of grete deuocyon halow y^e son¦daye the whiche was the fyrst daye of y^e worlde wherin god made lyght / and that daye god gaue to Moyses the lawe / y^e daye he rose from dethe to lyfe / that daye the holy goost ga∣ue wysdome to the appostles of Cryste to preche and decla∣re the trouth of Crystes lawe. And that day also as clerkes saye shall also be the daye of dome. Therfore shall euery mā and woman in that daye besy hym for to here goddes seruy¦ce / lerne his lawes / and fle synne and flesshely lustes / tauer¦nes and suche chaffere as letteth theym for to reste in oure lorde / yet many folke there be y^t whiche suche dayes be more

besy in worldly werkis & synnes / than all the weke after & euer wyll rest for no techynge / ne loue ne drede of god thy∣se be moste lyke to them in hel that neuer reste / but euer la∣boure in paine / they breke also holy day y^t spende theyr ty∣me in ydelnes as in vayne playes / ydell speche and bacby∣tyng of theyr euen crysten / why sayth our lorde haue myn¦de to halow thy holy day but for y^u sholdest put oute of thy herte all worldly thoughtes and occupye it with heuenly de¦syres. as to thynke what god hath done for the how he ma∣de y^t of nought / & lyke to hym in soule / how he raūsonned y^e out of the pyt of hell with his owne precyous herte blood how also of his owne goodnes he kepeth y^e nyghte and daye in thy ryght wyttes. and fro all bodely myscheues that ma¦ny one all daye fallyth in And ayenst all this y^e gyuest hym a drynke of galle of bytter synne & brekest his commaūde∣mentis bothe in worde thoughte & dede thus to haue myn¦de in all thyse. He asketh rest in body & soule of the holy daye & this reste sygnyfyeth the rest in blysse that we shal haue after this yf we rest in hym On the holy daye here & flee sȳ¦ne. The .iiii. is worshyp thy fader & moder The maner of faders ben there y^t thou muste worshyp The fyrst is y^e fa∣der of heuē that made the of nought and nonrryssheth thy body with erdly fode comforteth thy soule with heuenly de¦syres defendeth it fro the deuyll and maketh it therof the blysse of heuen thus maye noo man do. but he our fader our lord and our god. The seconde fader is he that gate the and thy moder that bare y^t to whome thou shalte be subget and seruysable. for they be the two causes of thy by enge in this lyf. thenne thou shalt also worshyppe and gyue of thy goo¦dys frely yf they haue nede and thou haue more than they comforte counseyll and teche theym in meke maner after thy connynge / how they shall please god but beware that thou obey theym not in synne. And yf they be dede / lyue

well and pray for theyre saluacyon. This lesson sholde eue∣ry fader & moder bodely and gostely teche theyr chyldern. The .iii. fader is man & womā of age / namely tho that be vertuous / & moost specyally thy gostely fader. the whyche whan y^u haste respaced / maketh god & the atte one / For as thy soule passeth thy body so thy ghoostely fader passeth y^e flesshely. To thy moder holy chyrche also thou muste be buxum. & wyth all thy power maȳteyne it / for it is moder of all tho that euer were or shall be saued / thus worshyp & obey thou sholdeste thy Fader and moder as sayeth saynt Austyne / for the more y^t thou thus obeyeste theym / the mo¦re sayth he / wyll almyghty God obey prayer / The fyft is / thou shalt not sle / that is to say / bodely ne ghostely this syn¦ne cryeth vengaūce afore god / as wytnesseth the olde law and the new / therfore slee no man. For he that sleeth shall be slayn / other bodely or goostely or bothe. yet they y^t tres∣passe openly muste be sleyne by theym that bere the tempo¦rell swerde for brekynge of his commaundamente. There is ghostely mā slaughter also in many wyse One is whan hatest thyne euen crysten or consenteste to wycked though¦tes of thyne owne herte. Another whan thou lyest / bacby∣test. or flatereste in synne and wylte not repreue him of his de fautes. also thyself whā thou wyttyngly dooste a dede∣ly synne / or whan thou hast y^e goodes of y^e worlde and wyl∣te not helpe thy broder at his nede / whan thou defrawdest thy neyghbour also bi false weyghtes mesures or not payē¦ge the laborers hyere. Or whan thrugh neclygence of thy∣selfe the state of offyce that thou stondest in is perysshed or spylled Therfore slee noo man with honde tongue ne herte For he that smyteth shall be smyten / and he that bacbyteth or sclaūdreth / is a mansleer / and for them that cursen it is sayd / cursed be he that preuely smyteth that cursyth war∣ryeth or wylleth vengaunce on his euen crysten. ¶The .vi

commaūdement is / thou shalt do no lechery / this cursyd sȳ¦ne defouleth both body & soule / and of al other moste ple∣seth the deuyll. For in other synnes he moost comynly ge∣teth but one / and in this at the leest he getety ii. or moo for this sȳne god almyghty often hath taken grete vengaūce. In so moche that all the worlde he drowned saue .viii. per∣sones alone. & for this synne he made synke vnto hell the fy¦ue cytees of sodom ¶The deuyl in this synne tempted in many maners. Fyrste by folyly lokynge / after by in honeste wordes / thenne in fowle touchynge and kyssyng. & so to y^e dede and this syghte is the fyrste darte that thyse lecherous seken Therfore ye wymmen araye ye not your selfe to ny∣cely to be seen of folys / though ye haue noo wyll to synne yourselfe. for youre nyce araye and countenaunce ben cau¦se of many soulys dampnacyon For the whiche ye shall ans¦were atte the hygh day of dome (sayth salomō) but ye amē¦de you here. Therfore nother by countenaunce ne araye ste¦re ye man to sȳne ne haue not your vysage popped ne your here pulled or crowled nother youre faces couloured / ne youre hede hye or wyde layed with costelewe kercheues ne youre body to curyous in clothynge / ne nyce in shap but af¦ter the counsell of saynt Poule / lete your araye be shame∣fastnesse heelyng your hedes with your here / or with a ker¦chef to couer your shame thus sayth saynte Poule. This commaundement then breken al tho that for fleshely luste ben wedded to gyder / not kepynge thorder of wedlocke / but lyue as bestys wythout dyscrecyon / as the flesshe mo¦ueth hem. ¶And for this synne. The. seuen husbandes of Sara were strangled wyth the deuyll / therfore ye that be wedded be ware / that no suche thynges be done wher∣by the concepcyon of byrthe myghte be letted. ¶For he that doth other wyse wylfully than natural kynde asketh synneth moost greuously and dedely in that synne. For .v.

causes a man taketh his wyfe. One is cause of generacyon / and thenne it is noo synne. Another cause is of yeldynge of dette / and thenne he synneth not / but rather deserueth me∣de. Another is for eschewynge of more synne / as whan he is incontynent / & may not kepe hym selfe and thenne it is ve∣nyall synne / as sayth saynt Austyn. Another cause is fulfyl∣lynge of lechery / as whan a man vseth hote metes & dryn∣kes / medecyn or spyces / & so enforceth hymselfe to be mygh¦tyer to fulfyll the synne of lechery / thenne I trowe sayth he it is deedly synne. The fyfth cause is / whan he knoweth her agaynst kynde / and that is moost deedly / therfore to you y^t ben wedded saynt Gregory sayth thus. Study eche of you to please your make / y^t therwith ye dysplease not your ma∣ker. The .vii. commaundement is / y^u shalte not stele / in this is forboden all maner of wronge takynge / withholdynge / or withdrawynge of ony mennes gooddes quycke or deed / as robbynge / reuynge / sleyghtes / and dysceytes / begylinge in byenge or sellynge / symony / vsury / extorcyon / w^t al theyr braūches. All that thus desyre to be ryche sayth saynt Pou¦le they fall in to the snare of the deuyll / & depe dampnacyon of theyr soules. And the prophete sayth also to them y^t false¦ly purchaceth and maketh grete buyldynges / wo be to you sayth he that with wronge holde house to house / & felde too felde / and sayth that ryght is wronge / & wronge is ryght / and to crafty men / & labourers saynt Poule byddeth y^t they do truely theyr laboure w^tout slouthe / or elles they do theft And no man witholde the labourers hyre / for that cryeth vengeaunce tofore god. And in especyal these that foloweth vsury / whan thou lenest money to theym that haue nede / for a certayne wȳnynge at the tymes ende. And for the len∣dynge / other thou takest seruyce / presentes or gyftes. Ano∣ther whan thou lenest it for the halfe wynnynge / he to paye the hole / that y^u lenest it to / though al be lost. Another whan

thou byest a thynge for moche lesse than it is worthe. Ano∣ther is whan thou sellest thy chaffere the derer for the lenȳ¦ge. Another whan thou hast a thynge tofore y^e tyme / as cor¦ne or it be rype. Another whan thou takest the beest of a po¦re man with this condycion that yf it deye it shall stande to the poore man and not to the. So sayth pharysyens / therfo¦re vse leful chaffere / and wȳne without subtylte or sleyght as moche as thou mayst. But that y^t is reasonable to thy su∣stenaunce after thyn estate is dewe. This desyred the wyse man of our lorde whan he sayd / neyther rychesse ne pouerte gyue me good lorde but that is necessary too my lyuelode ¶The .viii. is thou shalte bere noo false wytnes in this is forboden all maner of lesynges / conspyracyon / & forswerȳ¦ge / where by y^t thy neyghboure leseth his catell / frendshyp / or good / all suche ben called the chyldoen of the deuyll / for they put out trouthe / and brynge in falsehede / put out cryst and brynge in the deuyll / lesynge standeth not onely in fals wordes / but also in false werkes / & yf thou be a crysten man lyue therafter / or elles thou lyest. There be thre maner of le¦synges / one is whan thou lyest with full purpose too hurte thy neyghboure / and thenne it is deedly synne. Another is whan thou lyest to further thy neyghboure in a trouthe / & thenne it is not so moche synne. The thyrde is whan y^u lyest for the dysporte of them that be about the not wyllynge to hynder ony persone / these two ben venyall but thou haue them in custome / therfore beware of all maner of lesynges / and another for hate ne for mede bere no false wytnes. The ix is thou shalte not desyre thy neyghbours wyfe. In the vii. commaundement god forbedeth the dede of lechery / & theyr desyre in token that they bothe ben deedly synne / yet some wene but they do the dede it is no synne. Cryst therfo¦re wyllynge all suche to be clene within & without bothe in body and soule sayth all the whiche seeth a woman to the co¦uetyse

of theyr lust / they do lechery with her in theyr herte / and thus by shrewde thoughtes: man is oftymes departed fro god / yet saynt Byrgyt in her vysyons sayeth / but yf e∣uyl thoughtes sometyme come to man / he sholde wene hȳ∣selfe rather aungell than man. And so all thynge cometh of hymselfe / and none of god. Therfore that man sholde kno∣we the Infyrmyte that he hath cometh of hym selfe / and y^e strength that he hath cometh of god / it is necessary that he suffre somtyme of the grete mercy of god to be tempted w^t euyll thoughtes. To the whiche yf he consent not ben a pur¦gacyon to his soule / & a keper of his vertues / therfore whā shrewde thoughtes come to the / withstande the fyrst subge¦styon / and let thy soule alway so labour that he consent not to delyte in them. And thenne haue in mynde y^e bytter pay∣nes that Cryst suffred for the / and thendles blysse of y^e Ioye of heuen that thou must lese yf thou consent to them / and y^e bytter paynes of hell also that thou shalte haue yf thou deye in them. And yf thou do thus / then shalte thou haue in mȳ¦de thy laste ende / and neuer do synne. ¶The x. commaun∣dement and the last is / thou shalt not desyre thy neyghbou¦res thynge / house / londe / oxe / horse / neyther nothynge that is his / for such desyres of couetyse as scrypture maketh mē¦cion Balaam. Nachor. Anany. Gyesy. Achab. Iesebell / and many other fell to grete myschefe / bothe of body & of soule / therfore be ye well ware of all suche false desyre. And take noo mannes good agaynst his wyll / leest it fall to you as it dyde to them / and thynke also that without satysfaccyon / or hauynge wyll for to amende the therof and make resty∣tucyon / the pope ne none by hym may dyspence with the / & yet thou standest accursed of all holy chyrche in the grete sē¦tence foure tymes in the yere / what shall all suche false desy¦res thenne prouffyte the / whan the curse of almyghty god shall thus abyde on the / there is noo man that dredeth the

curse of god nowe / but whan our sauyour Ihesu cryst shall say at the daye of dome that scrypture maketh mencyon of Go ye cursed in to the fyre of hell euerlastynge / thenne shall they bothe drede it and fele it. For this worde (go ye cursed) shall be more paynefull / as doctours sayeth than y^e paynes of a thousande helles though they were al gadred in to one All these .x. commaundementes ben brought in to two of y^e gospell / that is loue god aboue al thynge / and thy neyghbou¦re as thy selfe. Fyrst thou shalte loue god with all thy herte. that no thynge be nerer thyn herte than god / in all thy sou∣le that thou suffre no synne abyde within thy soule for the lo¦ue of god / and with all thy mynde y^t thou spare not for mys∣chefe to please god. Thy neyghbour also as thy selfe in good and not in yeull as moche as thy selfe in helthe / in sykenes / in welthe / and in wo. Thus for loue thou shalte kepe god∣des commaundement / and not onely for drede of payne / the¦se commaundementes sholde eche man tell & teche his chyl¦dren. And thus badde our lorde to Moyses / these wordes sayd he the whiche I take the here this daye shall be in thy herte / thou shal tell them to thy sones and thynke on them slepynge / wakynge / syttynge and goynge / thou shalte byn¦de them as a sygne to thy hande / and wryte theym on the doores and lanternes of thy house / and shalte rule all thy thoughtes / wordes & dedes / preuy and aperte in eche place by the commaundemētes of god. Forgete not these wordes sayd he / ne falle they not fro thy herte / all the dayes of thy lyfe. Thus gouerne ye your meyny sayth saynt Austyn / for as we speke thus to you here in the chyrche soo sholde ye to yours at home / that ye may gyue true rekenynge too god of theym the whiche ben subgectes vnto you and tell theym sayeth he the grete loue and swetenes of heuenly thynges / and the grete bytternes of the horryble paynes of helle / for ye shall answere for theym at the moost strayte daye of do∣me

/ and counseyle theym all that they be not neclygent in no wyse to lerne these commaundementes for drede of his sentence that foloweth yf thou wylte not here the voyce of thy lorde god saythe he / that thou kepe and doo his com∣maundementes all these curses shall come to the and take the thou shalte be cursed in cyte / in fylde cursed shall be thy relyques / the fruyte of thy boby / the fruyte of the londe the droues of thyne oxen and the flockes of the sheepe y^u shalte be cursed in the goynge in / and goynge oute / thou shalte be smyte wyth honger / sekenes / and pestylence / with adres / with fyre with hete / with corrupte ayre / all these he sayth shall pursue the / & thou shalte perysshe. And yf thou wylte here the voyse of our lorde y^t thou lerne and kepe his com∣maundementes / he shall make the hyer than all the dwel∣lynge in erthe. And all these blessynges shall come to the & take the thou shalte be blessed in cyte and in felde in fruyte of thy body / & frute of the londe / in flockes of thy sleep / and droues of thy bestys / in thy bernys / & in thy celleres in thy goynge in & in the goynge oute / and in all the werkes of hō¦dis soo y^t euery mā shall see y^t the name of god is called vpō y^t / & they shall drede the I shall gyue y^e rayne in tyme sayth he / therth shal brynge forthe his sede / trees shall be replete with frute / thou shalte haue peas in thy coūtree and thou shalt slepe / and noo man shall fere all thyse blyssyngis shall take the yf thou lerne & kepe his cōmaundementes / therfo haue mynde in the preceptis of god / & in his byddynges be ye moost besy. For yf thou kepe them they shal kepe the / & brynge the to blysse that neuer shall haue ende. Amē.

THe fourth thynge that thou sholdest knowe god by in the seuen sacramētis of holy chirche whiche be mynystred to the people of the persons and prestys that haue power therto of the whyche fyue / the fyrste / that is baptysme. confyrmacyon

shryfte. howsell. & anoyntynge are euery man and womā holde to do in payne of cursynge in certeyn tyme as y^e lawe gyueth. Thother two maye noo mā take / as order & wed∣lock but at his owne wyl Thyse sacramentis toke theyr begynnynge of the gracyous welle / of the syde of our lord Ihesu cryst in his passyon. For ryght as oute of Adamis syde whyle he slept was taken out a rybbe that eue was ma¦de of / ryght soo at the deth of our lord there ranne oute of his syde bothe blood & water / by vertue of whiche passyon the sacramētis of holy chyrche toke fyrste theyr strength & theyr begynnynge. The fyrste sacrament is batptȳ in whi¦che orygynall synne that we be borne in / & all other synnes that we be defoyled with they ben wasshen awaye thrugh the passyon of criste / & ther with is betaken vs the fayth & byleue of holy chirche / wythoute whyche there maye noo man be saued. Therfore it is cōmaunded that euery crystē woman that feleth her quycke with chyld / to kepe her fro∣me heuyng & shouynge / grete trauayle & fallynge & other myscheues y^t sholde myscheue the chyldes lyfe / and soo be loste body and soule. And that eche woman byfore her tra∣uayle of chylde come to chirche & take shryfte and housell / for peryll of deth that myghte. falle in the byrthe. Also the mydwyf and tho y^t be aboute the chylde. yf it be in peryll of deth / sholde crysten it on this wyse. I crysten the in the name of the fader & of the sone and of the holy goost. And thenne sprynge the chyld with water and that thou forgete not thyse wordes. I crysten the / and yf it be crystened in this maner atte home. It shall not be cristened eftsone at chirche. For that were a grete peryll as to nayle god eftso∣nes vpon the crosse. And yf it lyue after this crystenyng at home / brynge it to the chyrche / and there it shall haue all the hole seruyce that it lackethe. In tyme of peryll of dethe fader & moder maye crysten theyr owne chyldren without

harmynge of theyr spouschode. Godfaders & godmoders ben borowes tofore god for theyr god chylderen / and ther∣for they ben bounde to teche theym to loue ryghtwysnes / charyte / and chastyte / to kepe theym frome deedly synne and specyally to teche theym the Commaundementes & bylyue. A man and his wyfe sholde not holde it atones to a chylde at the fontstoon / ne them that fongyth to it / there shall not fonge to it atte the confermynge but atte nede. Fader ne moder / ne noryse ne none other sholde suffre noo yonge chylde by theym at bedde whyle they slepe / ne presse theym faste in cradell / ne suffre theym lye slepynge ne wa∣kynge withoute a keper. There is goostly kynrede / throu∣ghe fongynge of chyldern atte the fontstoon on .ix. wyses. One is betwene the chylde and the godfader. Another be∣twene the chylderen of the godfaders. Another by y^e chyl∣de and the wyfe of the godfaders fleshely knowen tofore. A nother betwyx the godfader and the fader of hym that is crystened. A nother betwix the preest and the chylde that is baptysed. A nother betwix the chylde and the chylderen of hym that baptyseth. A nother betwix hym that bapty∣seth and the wyfe of hym that baptysed fyrste I knowe. A nother bytwene the baptyser and the moder of hym that is baptysed. There ben also .ix. afore the bysshoppe atte the cō¦fermynge in the same forme / these letten spowsehode not made / and fordooth spowsehode made. The seconde sacra∣mente is confyrmacyon of the bysshop / this is a maner of a noyntynge in the forhede by the hondes of the bysshop / wherby the holy goost gyueth strength agaynste the feble∣nes of synne of our forne fader with a marke impressed to the soule / wherby thou shalte knowlege the fayth and loue of cryste To this euery crysten man and woman be boun∣de to brynge theyr chylderen as soone as they may namely

or they be a yere of age. For they shall haue the more grace of lyfe / and the more blysse in dede. And those that be not confermed mow not receyue none other sacramente. No∣ther they shal not washe hede nor forhede thre dayes after for the reuerence of that holy oyle. The thyrde sacramente is shryfte of penaunce / to y^e whiche euery man and woman is bounde anone as they can resonable wytte atte .xii. yere / euery yere clene to be shryuen onys atte the leest atte theyr owne curate / that these may euery daye see of all the syn∣nes that euer they dyden or can thynke vpon / that whan they loke on theym / they may haue more shame and drede in theyr hertes of theyr synne / where thrughe by the grace of god they mow leue theyr synne / yet notwythstondynge that ye ben bounde ouer a yere to shewe youre shryfte to youre owne curate / and yf there ben ony of you that haue more affeccyon to a nother than to me / lette me wete to whome and where / and he shall haue ryght good leue and crystes blyssynge and myne. So that he do it not in no de∣ceyte of his owne soule / as to hyde his synne fro me / to that entente he myghte the lenger abyde therein / as some done / and haue done many yeres. For I knowe more of theyr counseylle than they wene that I do / or wolde I dyde. Su∣che be lyke thadder y^t hydeth his venyme in preuy places / or he wolde engender with the lamprey and after he tour¦neth & taketh it vp ayene. Thus some of you ones a yere or ye come to youre curate / ye caste oute venym of youre syn∣ne atte pardons and other preuy places / and anone after Eester ye take it vp ayen. As thefte / auoutry / and suche o∣ther / and ben worse after than ye were afore / ye that this done begyle your selfe / & nede grete penaunce. Had Iudas whā he betrayed cryst tolde his synne to his true herdman as he dyd to Cayphas & pylate whā he sayd I haue sȳned

in body betrayenge ryghtwyse blode he hadde be saued. For they toke none hede therto / but sayd / what is y^t to vs / auyse the as who sayth they haue no cure of the. Ryght soo thus I trowe. & some of you went to your owne herdeman whā ye go to other / thenne sholde brybery / stolen goodes / and su¦che other be restored. And auoutry and other cursed synnes be thus dystroyed. I say not this for no desyre that I haue to here your shryft / for it is but a payne to me / saue for char¦ge that I haue of your soules. For I had leuer mynyster al the sacramentes y^t longeth to myn offyce forty tymes than that ones. But I doo it for too dystroye the false subtylte y^t ye vse in shryfte agaynst the helthe of your soules / & so god helpe me. Also whan thou comest to shryft / thou shalt come with grete sorowe of herte / and mekely knele too the preest as to hym that is in goddes stede / and tell hym holy how y^u hast mysgouerned thy lyfe / & be in full wyll to do so no mo∣re / and hertely do thy penaunce enioyned the therfore / and e••les it is no shryfte. But many there be that set nought by theyr penaunce doynge / so that they haue tolde theyr syn̄e to the preest and suche begyle themselfe / for the veray sacra¦ment of shryfte dependeth specyally in thre thynges w^tout whiche thou mayst not truely be shryuen. And y^t is sorowe of herte / shryft of mouthe / and penaūce doynge / for though thou be sorye for thy synne / and shryue the not it auayleth not a seth ne do thy penaunce it auayleth not. For wyte wel thou mayste / yf thou sholdest reken with a man and at the ende of thy rekenynge thoughe thou were .xx. lib. in his det Ryght so thou shryuest the & makest rekenynge w^t the preest in goddes stede / but thou make a seeth therfore / & paye thy det with penaūce doynge it is nought / for it is a token that thou arte not sory for thy synne / and yf thou be not sory ther¦fore as I haue sayd tofore thy shryft is nought / and so thou synnest agaynst the holy goost whiche is y^e moost peryllous

synne that is. Therfore yf thou wylte haue the blysse of he∣uen do thy penaunce / and thenne thou shalte haue grace and pardon of thy synnes / for in these thre wordes contryci¦on / confessyon / and sarysfaccyon standeth all the vertue of pardon in this worlde. Our lady saynt Mary in the vysy∣ons of that holy woman saynt Byrgyt / telleth whan par∣don prouffyteth / and whan not / saynge that he y^t cometh to pardon / & hath wyll after to leue synne / and to restore that he hath wrongfully taken / not wyllynge to wynne a penny after with wronge ne falshede nor to lyue ony daye lenger than god wolde he dyde. In prosperyte & aduersyte to sub∣mytte his wyll to goddes wyll / to flee worshyp and frend∣shyppe of this worlde / he shall haue pardon & remyssyon of synne / and is lyke to the aungell of god in the syght of god. But he sayth he that vysyteth her for remyssyon & pardon of synnes / and hath no wyll to leue his olde vanytees / ne y^e Inordynate affeccyon / but kepeth styll his wronge getyn∣ges / false deceyte and subtyltees / and also loueth the world in hym selfe and other / and wyll flee shrewde customes / ne restrenyne his flesshe from superfluytees. Ryght nought a¦uayleth hym pardon ne Indulgence. And with this accor∣deth saynt Gregory where he sayth thus. Thou makest ne∣uer satysfaccyon for thy synne sayth he / but yf thou feere of thy synne. Euery body that wyll desyre pardon / but fewe or none wyll do that they sholde haue pardon for / but thrugh trust and coloure of that pardon they do many a cursed de∣de / & doo synne on trust therof other ony good deed / it is a grete synne of pryde / for be y^u neuer so full of good vertues / vnkyndenes to thy god may dystroy all those vertues. Mo¦re vnkyndenes thou mayst not shewe thenne for to dysplea¦se god wylfully / therfore fle suche vnkyndenes / and thynke that the more acceptable that thou arte to god through thy good lyuynge the more culpable thou shalte be / yf y^u retorne

agayne to synne. It is a slypper hope sayth saynt Austyn whan a man synneth vpon trust to be saued. He that dooth so he neyther dredeth ne loueth god. So that it is more pro∣fytable to holde thy self feble and lowe than to be holde strō¦ge / and for feblenes fal and be lost / therfore take hede what goodnes god putteth in the. And thanke hym / & praye him of contynuaunce and do no synne vpon trust of pardon / ne of ony other good dedes. The fourthe is the holy sacramēt of the aulter / the whiche is crystes owne body / his flesshe & blode in forme of breed / the same that was borne of the vyr¦gyn Mary / and done on the rode / this is made through the vertue of goddes wordes of y^e preest that hath power / whi¦che power neyther aungell ne archaungell had / but onely man in mynde of hymselfe. This sacrament is euery man & woman bounde by the lawe ones a yere as at eester / yf he be .xiiii. yeres of aege / & haue dyscrecyon to receyue it / whā they ben with shryft and penaunce made clene of theyr syn¦nes / and elles to be put out of the chyrche / and of crysten bu¦ryelles / but yf it be for sykenesse / or for some other reasona∣ble cause / whiche cause he must certyfye his curate of. For he that vnworthely receyueth this sacrament he receyueth his dampnacyon. Also as often as ony man seeth that body at masse / or borne about to the seke / he shal knele doune deuou¦tely and saye his pater noster / or some other good prayer in worshyppe of his souerayne lorde. Also ye shall vnderstan∣de that the drynke the whiche ye doo receyue in the chalyce after your howsel is no sacrament but it is water for to brȳ¦ge the lyghtlyer the holy sacramente in to thy body. But in fourme of breed it is hole our sauyoure Ihesu crystes body bothe in flesshe and blode. Therfore thou shalte take it in as hole and as entyere as thou mayst / leest ony parte of it aby¦de and stycke in thy tethe. For in the leest parte of the hoost is hole the moost precyous body of our lorde / that day thou

herest thy masse / god graunteth thy nedefull and lawfull thynges / that daye ydle othes and forgoten synnes ben for gyuen / that day thou shalt not lese thyn eyen syght / ne deye in sodayne dethe / ne the tyme of the masse thou shalte not waxe aeged / euery steppe thyderwarde & homewarde / an aungell shall reken. Lewde men and women to dyspute of this sacrament are vtterly forboden / for it is ynough vnto them to beleue as holy chyrche techeth theym. ¶The fyfth sacrament is anoyntynge of seke men / the whiche oyle halo¦wed of the bysshop and mynystred by preestes to them that ben of lawfull aege / in grete peryll of dethe. In lyghtnes & abatynge of theyr sykenes / yf god wyll that they lyue. And in forgyuynge of theyr venyall synnes / and releasynge of theyr payne yf they shal deye. So that this sacrament may be gyuen as ofte as nedeth to euery man and woman that ben in poynte of dethe The .vi. sacrament is holy ordres / y^t no man may take but at his owne wyl. This gyueth power to them that taketh it to serue in holy chyrche after state is as to hym that taketh the ordre of preesthode / for to make the sacrament of Crystes flesshe & his blode / and for to my∣nyster other sacramentes too the people. These must haue theyr crownes shauen / theyr hedes tonsured / and theyr clo¦thes honestly shapen as falleth to theyr estate / and namely in holy chyrche. They must also in the quere rede and synge with clennesse of conscyence / and grete deuocyon of soule / not ouerscyppinge ne momblynge / ne musynge of vanytes not medlynge with lewde ne vnthryfty tydynges / ne inho∣nest comunycacyon / not comynge to late to goddes seruyce ne goynge oute before the ende without a resonable cause / not gronynge / ne slombrynge / ne sparynge theyr voyce. But shewynge out the voyce of the holy ghoost with sowne & with hole speche / & thus sayth y^e holy man saynt Bernar∣de. The preestes muste also euery daye dyspose theym for

to say masse yf they may and therto they be bound For saȳt bernard sayth in the persone of our lorde / to euery man th{us} Haue I not made the & gyue the power to make me / and to offre my sone Incarnate tofore y^e fader of saluacyon of the world yf thou haue power to synge & syngeste not (say∣the he.) thou benymeste the aungellys in heuē theyr Ioye thou benymest mankynde trauaylȳge in erth theyr helpe & grace / & thou benymeste the soules that aren in greate pay¦nes in Purgatory theyre reste and theyr forgyuenesse thyse ben heuy wordes and lytell thought on with many of vs / Saynt Austyn sayth / how worshypfull is the dygnyte of presthode sayd he betwix whose hōdes the Sone of god as in his moders wombe was Incarnate. How blessyde ben prestes sayth he) yf they prestely lyue how heuenly a myste¦tery is that (Sayth he) that by the werkynge of the fader and sone and holy goost / the same god that is in heuen / the same and selfe. is in youre hondes in the sacramente Ther¦fore sayth oure lord be ye holy. for I am holy ¶A ryghtfull lyfe to you is necessary (sayth sayncte Austyn) therfore ye muste so lyue / see that your lyfe accorde with youre name Soo that yf youre order be holy. lete your conuersacyon of the same. And yf men saye well of you sayth he). see y^t your weckes bere wytnesse of the same. And this is for vs prees∣tis. ¶The seuenth sacramente is wedlocke. for the whiche the baynes muste be asked thryes in holy chyrche. ¶This is a lawfull knyttynge togyder of man and woman in four¦me of holy chyrche by assent of theym both / for to be to gy¦der in the lawe of God. And neuer to departe whyles theyr lyues lasten in remyssyon of synnes / and getynge of grace whan it is taken for a true entent. for thoughe there be noo trouthe plyght / nor flesshely dede done. Yf they ben of full age / and accorde in hertes to gyder to fore god. they be wy¦fe and husbonde.) ¶All preuy couenaūtes in trouth plygh

tynge / and forwarde makynge without assent of frendes & knowlege are forboden. All suche that make or be there at ben in grete peryll of soule. ¶Also it is forboden that noo wedded man and woman / one without y^e others assent ma¦ke vowe of chastyte / pylgrymage ne fastynge. For yf y^t wyfe auowe / the husbonde at the fyrst wytynge may for doo it. But yf he consent and suffre it wytingly after the fyrst kno¦wynge / the man synneth not. For the wyfe hath no power of her owne body / but the husbande. And yf the man abstay¦ne hym fro his wyfe / by suche wyse without the wyll of his wyfe and she gyue hȳ no leue / he is cause of her synne. And the wyfe is y^e same caas yf she do the same to her husbande.

¶The seuen dedes of mercy.

THe fyrst thynge that thou sholdest knowe god by are the seuen dedes of mercy / the whiche euery man is bounde by the byddȳge of god to fulfyl & to do his power / y^t is to say / fede the hungry / gy∣ue drynke to the thyrsty / clothe the naked / herbo¦row the housles / vysyte the seke / delyuer y^e prysoners / & bu∣ry the poore whan they be deed. These be nedefull to vs ple¦synge to god / & helpynge to body & soule of al thē y^t do them Therfore sayeth Cryst / gyue & it shall be gyuen to you. Al∣messe sayth saynt Austyn is a holy thynge / for it encreaseth that y^u haste / lesseth thy synne / it multyplyeth thy eres / & no bleth the mynde. It lengeth y^e termes & clenseth all thynge. It delyuereth y^t frome dethe / and ioyneth the to angelles / and departe the from deuylles / and is a wall inexpugnable about the soule· Therfore gyue almesses & all thynges shall be clene to you. ¶Thre thȳges he must consyder that shall gyue almesse. Fyrst who asketh / what he asketh and wher∣re

Fyrst I say that god asketh it / for he loueth so moche po∣re men / that what ye do to theym in his name he holdeth it done to hym selfe. He asketh his & not oures. Dauyd sayth. All thynges ben thy lordes. And that we take of thy hādes we haue gyue y^t. He asketh it vs not for to gyue it hym / but to lene it hym. Wherfore he wyll yelde an hondred folde / & the blysse of heuen wherfore sayth saynt Gregory poore mē shall not be dyspysed but prayed as faders. And he that gy∣ueth the poore shall not be poore sayth Salomon. And he y^t stoppeth his eeres from the crye of the poore shall crye and not be herde / therfore al those that aske these / he that asketh vnryghtfully gyue it not that he asketh / but that that is bet¦ter / & that is correccyon. Iherom sayth gyue the poore to su¦stayne theyr ryches. There may no man excuse hym of al∣messe gyuynge. For an halfpeny of the poore somtyme plea¦seth god more than an hondred shelynges of the ryche / yf y^u may not gyue hym that / gyue hym wordes of cōforte. And what thou gyuest gyue it gladly. For the glad gyuer god lo¦ueth. ¶There ben also seuen other goostly dedes of mercy. The fyrst is / teche the vnconnynge / that he sauour ryghful¦ly. Another is / gyue counceyle to hym that asketh it / that he werke and do truely. The thyrde / chastyse hym that trespa¦ceth / that is to saye / repreue or bete / or doo other due correc∣cyon. ¶The fourthe / comforte the sorowfull / as with gyf∣tes / wordes of comforte / or suche other. The fyfth / forgyue them that trespace to the. For yf thou wylt not forgyue thē god wyll not forgyue the / the rancour and the offence / thou must nedes forgyue / the accyon & y^e amendes ben at thyn owne wyll. The syxte that thou suffre mekely and pacyent¦ly whan ony man or woman do ony preiudyce or offence a∣gaynst the that they be not the more prompte and redy too synne / but that they be the more feruent for to doo penaun∣ce and good werkes and operacyons / and be moore preste &

redy to suffre dysease and trybulacyon than for to doo it / yf ony man chyde the / or blame the / or repreue the / or doo the wronge kepe scylence. And set before a sharpe worde y^e shyl∣de of suffraunce / and thynke that our moost benygne sauyi¦our and redemptoure Ihesu Cryst was bobbed / buffeted / & spytte vpon / and scorned / and euermore he helde his pease. Therfore what dysease or mysfortune fal fo the beleue that it cometh to the for synne. And so thou shalte suffre it lyght lyer / yf thou take hede wherfore it cometh. The seuenth is praye (that is to saye for thyn ennemy / and all those that be synfull. And yf thou mayst not helpe them with one of the∣se seuen aforesayd / praye vnto our lorde for theym. Cryst sayth. Loue your ennemyes / and do well to them that hate you / and praye for them that dooth you persecucyon that ye may be the chyldren of heuen. And thus may ye fulfyll the dedes of mercy / bodely and goostly. ¶The .vi thynge that thou sholdest knowe god by / ben the seuen pryncypall vertu¦es / that euery man & woman sholde vse. The fyrst is fayth whiche is grounde and begynnȳge of your saluacyon. And it stondeth in thre thynges. In the vnyte of the godhede in thre persones in the manhode of Cryst. And in the sacra∣mentes of the holy chyrche. This vertue is nedefull too all crysten people. For it is the begynnynge of all good werkes. So that fayth without good werkes / ne good werkes with out true faythe. Ne without true fayth may no man please god almyghty. ¶The seconde is hope / this is a trust by the mercy of god to be saued. And it standeth in y^e grace of god and good werkes / not only in our owne good dedes / but in theym bothe togyder. For we shall not hope so lytell that it is called wanhope / that we sholde hope to haue blysse / yf we doo well and perceuer in the commaundementes of god. Ne not soo moche trust in the grete mercy of our lorde / for to hope to be saued without good dedes and operacyons.

¶The thyrde is charyte / this is the ende and perfeccyon of alle the commaundementes of God. ¶And vnderston∣de in this / that thou loue God aboue alle thynge. And thy neygbboure as thyselfe / soo that one may not be byloued withoute that other / and sayth saynt Iohan) That he that loueth god / he loueth his broder / & that loueth not his bro∣der whiche he may see. How sholde he loue god / whiche he may not see. ¶The fourth vertue is ryghtwsnes / this is not ellis but a payeng of dewte to eche thynge that it dew¦ly longeth to. As to god praysynge and thankynge for the goodes of kynde fortune and grace that he hath gyue the & lente the. And therof to gyue his parte. and many other be¦nefaytes. As in preseruynge the frome many myscheues & vengaunce that thou haddest fall in and all. daye seest ma∣ny one fall in / And sholdeste happely thyselfe haue fall in / had not his gracyous kepynge haue be ¶To thy neyghbou¦re thou muste also yelde loue and charyte. That is to saye) that thou doo ryghte and reason to hym in all thynge as thou woldeste he dyde to the. And yf thou woldest he shol∣de be true to the / and paye his dettys and begyle the not / with subtyltees and sleyghtes in byenge & selyng / do the sa¦me to him yf thou woldest also that he were not proude / enuyous whrathfull / couetyse. glotenous / slouthfull / ne let cherous / be thou the same and thus in all other thynges / as thou woldeste thy neyghboure do to the / do thou to hym And thenne thou doost ryghtwysnesse to thyself. Also thou muste haue besynes to lerne and fulfyll the wyll of the com¦maundementis of god and to withstonde synne & to shrew¦de lyuynge. ¶The fyfth vertue is wysdome / this vertue departeth good frome euyll and techeth vs to beware of sleytes / and deceytes of the wretched worlde / and in lyke∣wyse of the freyle flesshe. and of the cursed ennemye the de∣uyll of helle. ¶And for to dyspyse and set at noughte alle

that we may / and of .ii. good to chose the better. But saynt Austyn sayth as many one dothe / that thou must dyspyse y^e worlde and hate the flesshe for me. Where be the louers of the worlde. That but a lytell whyle ago were here with vs. There is no thynge lefte of theym but powder & wormes Take hede what they ben nowe. And what they were than They were men as thou arte / sayth he / they dranke / they laughed and ladde theyr lyfe in erthe / in myrthe and Ioly∣te / and in this poynte they descende in to helle what profy∣teteth theym theyr vayne glorye / theyr shorte Ioye pompe of the worlde all dylycates luste of the flesshe / false ryches∣se grete meany / and euyll couetyse where is theyr laughter theyr playe / theyr pryde / theyr boost. ¶After all this luste How grete payne and sorowe all that fylle to theym maye falle to the / sayth he for thou arte a man of erthe as they were / and of the erthe thou lyuest / & to the erthe thou shal∣te tourne agayne. These ben y^e wordes of the holy doctoure saynt Austyne. This remembraunce shall make you wyse and hardy to dispyse youre enemyes the worlde / the flesshe and the deuyll saynt Isyder sayth / there is none other thyn¦ge better thenne wysdome. Ne none other thynge sweter and lustyer thenne knowlege. Ne none other thynge wor∣se thenne lewdnesse. Therfore knowe thou where thou shalte flee / and wheder y^u shalt go. ¶Loue wysdome and it be shewed to the. and it shall come to the / be besy there abou¦te and it shall lerne the. The .vi. vertue is strengthe. This maketh a mā myghty and hardy to wythstonde many gre¦te myscheues. for the loue of god. For it stondeth in suffryn¦ge pacyently aduersyte / and mekely to make prosperyte / & to suffre euenly bothe wele and woo. that our herte be not to hye for no wel fare / ne to moche vnder for none euyll fa¦re but to be stronge agaynste oure foon. bothe of body and soule. that noo temptacyon make vs falle / ne fayle in oure

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fayth agaynst God almyghty. ¶The seuenth vertue is me¦sure whyche is a meane betwene to moche and in lyke wyse to lytell and it stondeth in takynge suffycyently that nedeth ¶And refusynge vterly that that is to moche or to lytell. ¶The .viii. thynge / and the last that thou sholdeste knowe god by / is the seuen dedely synnes. that alle men sholde re∣fuse. for eche of them is an euen waye to helle therfore it is nedeful euery man to konwe theym. ¶Therfore sayth the wyse man as fro the face of thadder fonde to flee synne For as the venyme of the adder sleeth mannys body / soo the ve¦nym of synne sleeth mannys soule. ¶The fyrste synne is a lykynge or a hyghnesse of mannys herte. Of his hygh e∣state or noblenesse that he hath by fortune. kynde or by gra∣ce or that he canne passynge a nother. or hath more than a nother. Of this cometh many shrewd spyces as boostyng / bacbytyng / dispite of thy neyghboure / vnbuxumnes / ypo∣crysy / proudberynge / and displeasyng scornynge / and ino∣bedyence hye herte / gaye araye / pryde of grete kynne. and of vayn glory / boldnesse of synne boostynge of good dedes and auauntynge of euyll dedes. indignacion shame lessed presumpciō and stourdynes / and that is worste of all other And soo sayth saynte Austyn). ¶That none is worse nor more dampnable synne than is the synne of pryde In this ben they gyltye that lyste not to be repreued of theyr syn∣nes. Ne to here of theyr defautes. but anone wyth a greate stourdynes as a galled horse / that is touched on the sore he wyncheth and wryeth. ¶And seken how they may mayn∣tene suche lewdenes of synne. ¶Thus dyde not kynge Da¦uyd whan nathan the prophete of god came to hym. and tolde hym his synne and the vengaunce / that he sholde ha¦ue therfore / he shewed no stourdynes to the prophete ne re¦buked hym / ne chydde hym. but mekely sayd to oure lord.

I haue synned. As who sayth. I am sory for my synne. I wyll amende it. And therfore god toke awaye moche of the vengaunce that he shold haue had for his synne. Ryghte thus shold ye here be repreued of youre synne / mekely co∣me to your curate. as to the minister of god. that occupyeth his stede for the tyme (And saye) syr I knowlege my defau¦te. and wote well that I dyde amys my wyll is to amende it And so put awaye stourdynes and the vengaūce that thou deserueste therfore. ¶This synne of pryde sayth Gre∣gory is rote of all euyll. For ryght ne were the rote of a tree hydde in therth / there sholde no braunche spryng out ther¦of. ¶Ryghte so ne were pryde roted in thyne herte. there shold no braunches of synne breke oute therof. ¶For thus was lucefer that was the fayrest aungell in heuen. made the fowleste deuyll in helle.) Also Chore. dathon and abyro and theyre felysshyp they rose agaynst moyses and Aaron of greate pryde. and therfore the erthe openede and swa∣lowede theym alle quycke downe in to hell. ¶Also the peo¦ple of Nynyue / for theyr greate boldenesse of pryde that they hadde in theyr hertes to tourne ayene to theyr synnes there were a hondred score thousande people / as the byble reherseth and sheweth destroyed. by dodely enmyes. Ther¦fore euery man beware of this synne and wysely loke in the myroure of mekenes. for that techeth hym what he was / is / and shall be. ¶Fyrst consyder that thou were made of foule stynkyne slyme and fylthe of the synne or lechery / bor¦ne of thy moder wyth grete sorow and payne / norysshed with greate labour and anger and kepte with greate dre∣de and now thou arte but a sacke of foule dunge. that no swetenes nor fruyte cometh of trees leues cometh floures and frute / and of the lycenettes and fleen. Of herbes also cometh ryght swete and odoryferous smel and in lykewy∣se of the aboue and in lyke semblable maner of wyse beneth

and all other partyes / but stynkynge fylthe / and after the ende thou shalte be wormes mete and torne agayne to er∣the / tyll the daye of dome / that thy body & soule shall ryse a¦gayne. That day sayth Malachy shall brenne as hote as o∣ny furneys of fyre / and all prowde men be as stoble / whiche shall be there brent / y^t there shall be neyther rote not rynde therfore sayth Isyd. By mekenes make thy leest & lowest of all other stretche not forthe thy wynges of pryde by boost of enhauncynge thy selfe. For the lesse thou settest by thy sel¦fe sayth he the more god setteth by the. Be shamefast in che¦re / and dysmayde to loke proudely / for shame of the synne walke with a lowe chere / meke mode a sadde vysage. In hygh worshyp haue grete mekenes / and the hygher that y^u art the meker thou sholdest make thy self. And thynke how our souerayne lorde Ihesu meked hym to the dethe for thy sake. This is mekenes and vtter remedy agaynst pryde / & a sanatyf salue agaynst all myscheues of synne. For it ma∣keth the to haue mynde of thy shorte abydynge here. Of the strayte dome that thou shall come after / for the mekenes y^t thou sholdest haue had here. ¶The seconde synne is enuy / and this is whan thou arte sory for thy neyghbours welfa∣re / and Ioyest of his euyll fare / of this wycked synne come many braunches / one is hatred / and that is whan thou art lothe to speke / or here spoken ony thȳge / the whiche myght torne thy neyghboure to good and prouffyte. Another is fal¦se demenȳge of dedes agaynst thy neyghbour. ¶The thyr¦de is backebytynge / and that is to speke euyll behynde thy neyghboure / whiche thou mayst not ne wyll not auowe afo¦re hym / or though thou do not speke euyl thy selfe / y^u hastly kynge and grete delectacyon for to here euyll spekynge of hym / and in soo doynge thou synnest deedly. For not onely he the whiche speketh euyll of his neyghboure / but alsoo he y^t whiche wyll gladly here suche euyll spekynge are in defau¦te

of synne / Soo that yf there were no berer there were noo bacbytynge ne bacbyter. therfore sayth Isyder be not glad¦de of the falle or euyll fare of thy neyghboure leest god tour¦ne his wrathe frome hym to the. and soo thou sholdest falle in the same or worse / But be glad to sorowe for him that is desesed & euermore mourne his myscheef as y^u woldeste thȳ owne / Loue peas outwarde and in warde peas with all men and make peas where hate is / Flee chydynge. beware & do awaye thoccasyon of stryfe. And lyue alway in peas. Lete noo thynge passe thy lyppes that maye defoyle y^e eeres of the herers. for as vayne wordes is take of vayne cōscien¦ce And suche as the worde is / suche is the soule. therfore be¦sy the not to speke that lyketh / but that that nedeth take he¦de what thou spekest & both in spekynge & not spekynge be ryght wel ware. For thou mayst not call ayene that thou hast sayde putte fro thy tonge the synne of bacbytynge and defoyle not thy mouth with a nother mānys synne / but be sory of hym / & that thou bacbyteste in a nother / drede it in thyselfe. whan thou blamest a nother / thynke on thyne ow¦ne synne. & loke not on other mennys. For thou shalte ne∣uer bacbyte yf thou wylte beholde thy selfe therfore here ne lysten to none suche tytelers For they ben lyke gylty the he¦ter and the bacbyter. Desyre not to wyt that perteyneth not to y^t / aske neuer what ony man dothe spekyth or sayth / leue besynes that perteyneth not to the. And by as greate besynes amende thy synne / by as moche as thou beholdest other mennys. sor no man knoweth whether he be worthy hate or mede that is for to saye / payne or Ioye. For there is many one semeth to vs ryghte good / and yet ayenst god happely are ryghte noughte. And many one also that se∣meth to vs ryghe nought. And yet ben to hym ryght dere Therfore no man deme other. but put all his Iugemente and estymacyon in god Thus with charyte that is knyt of

all vertues thou muste destroye the foule synne of enuye. ¶Thus charyte stondethe in the loue of god and loue of thy neyghboure. In whyche twoo all the lawe of god aby¦deth. So that that one maye not be loued without that o∣ther For yf thou loue god thou wylte haue none other but hym ne thou wylte not take hys name in vayne Ne breke not thy holy sondayes Yf thou loue thy lorde god and also thy neyghbours thou wylte do noo manslaughter / ne thef¦te ne false wytnesse bere. ne letchery ne desyre thy neygh∣bours wyfe. ne his gode. This is charyte the fulfyllynge or goddis loue and thendynge of all other good werkys. Cha¦ryte is pacyente and benygne / he hath none enuye / he wert¦cheth no shrewednes / he loueth not to be with pryde / he co¦ueyteth noo worldly worshyppes he seketh noo propre goo∣des / He is not wroth. He thynketh none euyll / He Ioyed not of wyckednes but of trouth / He taketh all thynge me∣kely / He byleueth all that god sayth and hopeth of blysse. He suffred all harmes and neuer is dyscomfyted thorugh god¦dis helpe to abyde longe. He falleth neuer downe in this world. ne in that other. He kepeth man in byleue and ma∣keth hym stable / vnder hym wexith obedyence and by him pacience ouer cometh al wronges without hym no man pleaseth god. and with hym no man peryssheth. ¶Therfo∣re ayenste enuy. seke charyte wyth grete studye / that thou mayst haue it in thy lyuynge. and dwell parfyghtly ther in to thyne endynge. Amen. ¶The thyrde is the synne of wrath. the whyche is wycked styrynge of a mannys her∣te wherby he wyll auenge hymselfe vp on his euyn crysten Of this cometh many shrewde spyces / as fyghtynge / chy∣dynge / hurtynge / betynge grutchyng / warryng / and cur∣synge / cruellys and man slaughter / and desyrynge of ven¦gaunce. ¶There ben also other foure in specyall. One whā thou art soon moued / and soone swaged / and that is easy.

Another whan thou art not soon swaged / & that is shrew∣de. ¶The thyrde whan thou arte soon meued and not soo∣ne swaged. and that is perylous. ¶The fourth is longe or thou be meued and soone swaged / and that is moost easy. Therfore ayenste thyse braunches thou muste arme the with the vertue of pacyēce. and thynke what sorowe mygh¦te falle to the of thy wordes and dedes. thenne put crystes passyon and paynes betwene the and suche paynes as he myghte suffre / and so shall thy wrath soone slake. ¶In foure thynges spyrytuelly it is necessary to haue pacyence One is ayene thyne enemye. For the more cruell he is / the more thou nedest of pacyence and softe speche For that sla¦keth wrathe. ¶Therfore yf ony aduersyte falleth to the / suffre it pacyently whether thou haue deserued it or not / Yf thou haue deserued it thou arte worthy that or more yf thou haue not / thou hast thy rewarde of cryst whā he sayth blesed be they that ben pacyente / for they shall be called the chyldren of god. ¶Another whā thy souerayne correcteth thy defautes thou muste be pacyente / and drawe in thy hor¦nes of pryde. As a snayle whan he is towched And so dyde Adam at the voys of oure lorde. ¶The thyrde is in losse of thy good. as Iob whan all his good. was gone mekely he sayde) oure lorde gaaf it / our lorde hath take it.) As it lyke hym so it be done. his name be blessed. ¶The .iiii. is in seke∣nesse for our lorde sayth. those that I loue I chastyse. As the moder chastised her childe for takynge of harme whan it neygheth fyre or water Ryghte so the fader of heuen cha¦stysed the / to beware of fleynge awaye. Soo our lorde put∣teth awaye from the rychesse and strengthe / one by pouer¦te a nother by sekenesse that thou sholdest not flee frome hym therfore be pacyente and grutche not ayenst the scour¦ge of our lorde Ihesu cryst and also in lykewyse ferther∣more

that thou grudgest the more thou styrest god agaynst the / sayth saynt Isyder. ¶The fourthe synne is couetyse / y^t whiche is a wronge desyre y^t man hath to haue ony thynge but he hath ryght therto / this stondeth in two thynges prȳ¦cypally. One is whan thou wrongfully purchasest or getest ony maner thynge by sacrylege / symony / stelthe / vsury / or by ony maner falshede / or gyle / that worldly men vse / whi∣che caste all theyr besynes too couetyse y^t they ne recke how they come to good. In this synne be they gylty that for mo¦ney or other worldly wynnynge vse to playe at the dyce or tables whiche is vtterly forboden by holy chyrche / for many synnes that cometh therof. The fyrste is for the couetyse y^t thou hast to wynne and to dyspoyle thy felawe. Another is for the grete vsury .xii. for .ix or double or quyte. The thirde is for encrease of godes / lesynge / & many other vayne wor∣des that there ben vsed in grete dyspyte of god & his faythe. The fourthe is euyll ensample that thou gyuest to other y^t beholde the. The fyfth is lesyng of tyme in whiche y^u myght haue done many good werkes. The syxte is dyspyte & dyso¦bedience that thou doost to thy moder holy chyrche that for¦byddeth the suche playe. The .vii. is fraude and deceyte y^t y^u doost also to thy felawe in that play. The .viii. is cursed wra¦the and stryfe that cometh therof / wherby ofte thou renyest thy god and lesest thy kyndly wytte. The .ix. is the brekyng of thy holy daye / for in tho dayes it is moche vsed and excer¦cysed. The tenthe is manslaughter the whiche ofte happe∣neth in that dame. The enleuenth is ydolatry that thou cō∣mysen. For thou makest it agaynst the dyse that is a token aboue vnto all myghty god. The mycheues and many mo mysfortunes cometh of this sory playe. All that thou getest and wynnest at this forsayd playe for all the besynesse that thou hast hadde therwith thou mayst not reioyce but nedes thou must gyue and dystrybute it vnto the poore and nedy

And yf thou haue it of hym that thou makest so to playe by strength or agaynst his wyll / thou arte bounde to restore hȳ agayne whiche hath lost it with his playe. Also thou brekest all the commaundementes of god / and whyder thou wȳne or lese it is all thyn harme / for and thou lese thou lesest god and heuen. And yf thou wynne / y^u wynnest the deuyll & hell The lawe canon sayth / that a preest or deken y^t gyueth them to the dyce or dronkenes / but yf he leue it he is certaynly dā¦pned. Subdeken clerke or lewde man y^t vse the same / they muste eyther leue it or lacke theyr howsell. Therfore euery man beware of this playe / & that he suffre it in no wyse be done where he may lette it. For they that consente therto or fauoure it in ony wyse ben in as grete peryll as the doers. The seconde poynte is wronge withholdynge / in whiche y^u fallest in / as ofte as thou doost not to god almyghty / to thy neyghboure / and to holy chyrche thy dutees that thou shol¦dest do by dutye / and by goddes lawe / but wylfully w^thol∣dest theym. For not onely he that wrongfully geteth / but al¦so he that wrongfully withholdeth ben in deedly syn̄e. Out of synne spryngeth many shrewde braunches / as mawme¦try / ambycyon / nygardshyp / treason / vsury / and symony / raueyne / theft / sacrylege / and suche other. ¶These synnes ben so cursed / as I sayd tofore / that in all thynge it contra∣ryeth the wyll and commaundement of god. The fyrst com¦maundement it contraryeth whan thou withdraweth fro god ony thynge that thou sholdest worshyp hym with. The seconde also whan for a lytell wynnynge thou takest his na¦me in vayne. The thyrde whan by worldly besynesse of ge∣tynge of money thou brekest thyn holy daye. The fourthe / whan for couetyse and auaryce thou withdrawest and ta∣kest fro thyn owne propre fader and moder bodely and gost¦ly theyr sustenaunce and lyuelode. ¶The fyfth whan thou sleest and mordrest a man for to haue his hauoyr & goodes

¶The syxte whan thou doost lechery / more for good than for true matrymony. ¶The seuenth whan for couetyse y^u steleste thy neyghboures good. ¶The .viii. whan in questes and also consystoryes thou forswerest the and bereste false wytnesse. ¶The .ix. and the ten whan thou desyreste falsely thy neyghboures wyfe or ony of his good. Thus false coue∣tyse contrayeth all the commaundementes and wyl of god Therfore flee it / and thynke that for all suche false goten goodes / but thou make restytucyon / and amende the he∣re or thou goo hens thou shalte be hanged in helle without ende) Mammona whiche is the deuyll of couetysehe / gyt∣ueth foure commaundementes to his seruauntes. One is that thou kepe well thyne owne. Another that thou gyue not ne doo noo almesse. The thyrde that thou lene not to the poore for drede of lesynge. ¶The fourthe is / that thou withdrawe the and thy meany frome mete and drynke / to spare thy good. Of these foure shrewde commaundemen∣tes eche man beware and flee suche couetyse and desyre of good as Salomon dyde. For he desyred none other ry∣chesse nor pouerte. But that is nedefull to his lyuelode / and accordynge to his estate. And thynke thoughe thou haue neuer soo moche thou shalte leue it here. For naked thou cameste in to this worlde / and agayne naked (saue a ragge thou shalte goo oute therto / and thus all the care that thou hast here is but for an olde shete atte thy goynge hens. The fyfte synne is glotony / the whiche is an vnskylfull lykynge or loue y^t a man hath in taste or in takynge of mete or dryn∣ke to erly / or to late. But yf sekenesse or other grete nede ex∣cuse it. Out of this synne spryngen foure braunches. One is whan thou eteste or drynkest to gredly. In this falle tho∣se that on the fastynge dayes wyll not abyde the houre of noone / and sytte the lenger atte mete / and ete more that ty¦me than a nother. And often tymes quenche theyr hunger

with breed / spyces / and ouermoche drynke for drede of hū∣ger / and thus they breke vygyles / ymberdayes / frydayes in lente and suche other. Another is whan thou castest the to lyue in delytes and pleasures passynge thyn estate. And haste noo Ioye but whan thou mayst speke of suche welfa∣re / thynkynge all best beset that thou doost spende theron. Thou mayst well vse suche dayntye metes and drynkes & not synne sayth saynt Gregory. For the synne is neyther in mete ne drynke / but in the appetyte / & talent that thou de∣lytest so moche therin. ¶The thyrde is surfet that is whan thou pomperest thy body with moche mete and drynke that thou mayst not broke it / but lesest thy syght speche & wytte Iangelynge and bostynge / and wenynge to saye well and ryght / and all that he sayth is agaynst reason and ordre. In this fall these the whiche maketh ryot / rere soupers / and de¦stroye vytayle / the whiche many a poore man myght be re∣leued and susteyned by. ¶The fourthe is curyosyte / and y^t is whan thou canst not holde the apayde with easy fare / but gadrest many curyous metes / more to encrease thyn appe∣tyte than to quenche thyn hongre. In this fall they the whi¦che waste theyr goodes in desolute etynge and drynkynge and grete feestes and bankettes makynge. Agaynst all the¦se cursed braunches thou must kepe abstynence in metes & drynkes. For nothynge dryueth away sekenesses / ne dystro¦yeth the lust of the flesshe / than dooth mesurable takynge of mete and drynke. Fyue maner of folke ben excused from fastynge / that is to say women with chylde / labourers / pyl¦grymes / yonge chyldren / olde folke / and seke people. Al the¦se synneth not for to ete twyes on the daye that is mesura∣ble for to sustayne nature / and not theyr appetyte. ¶The∣re is dyuers abstynences / and fastynges in dyuers maner of persones. ¶The seke man absteyneth and withholdeth hym fro mete & drynke for he may not ete & drynke for me∣dycyne.

The nedy where he hath not wherof The couetous for he wolde not spende The gloton to ete the more after. The ypocryte to beholde holy and vertuous man / to deser∣ue mede absteyneth hym / bothe frome excesse of mete and luste of synne. Thus sholde eche man kepe to hys power. This same techeth saynte poule whan he saythe / I praye you as straungeres and pylgrymes that ye absteyne you frome flesshely desyres / that fyghte ayenste thy soule / and also to destroye thy bodye. ¶Thyse myscheues comen of glotony. It engendrethe sores brynge the in sekenes / de∣stroyeth vertues / dulleth the wytte It hasteth the to deth and that that worse is / For it maketh the lyke a beste. For the fuller thy body is the emptyer is thy soule of vertue. Therfore vse vertue (sayth saȳte Austyne) & thyse vertues shal folowe. ¶Abstynence saueth thy mynde / it sharpeth thy wytte. clenseth thy syghte / maketh holy thy fame / swa¦geth thy synne and maketh stronge thy blode norysheeth thy mary / destroyth lechery renneth thy bloode / and leng∣theth thyn age ¶The .vi. synne is slouthe / and that is gre∣uaunce or anoy of gostely dedes. One of this spryngen ma∣ny shrewde braunches. One is to drawe longe / & tary the goode dedes. that thou sholdeste do / the whiche myghte tor¦ne to the helthe of thy soule and of many other. ¶Another is a dulnesse or heuenesse of herte that letteth the to loue god / and maketh the that thou haste no lykynge in goddis seruyce / for though thou praye. thy herte is not therō. The thyrde is ydelnesse the whiche is to moche vsed / and that letteth vs to begynne ony good werkis / and lyghtely ma∣keth vs to leue whan we begynne. ¶And where we were made of kynde to trauayle the synne of sloughthe / holdeth vs in ydelnesse. and ease agaynst oure kynde. Therfore and thou wylt be saued / thou must flee ydelnesse for it is enmye of chrysten soules stepmoder to goodnesse and alle vertues

and the key of all vyces. Alwaye doo some good werkis) sayth saȳt Iherome) that that the occupyed. For he is not lyghtly take with temptacyon / that be syethe hym aboute And Salomon sayth) that he is mooste foole that loueth y∣delnesse. For in heuen he shall not be receyued. For it is or∣deyned only for theym that haue besyed theym here in ver¦tue. In erthly paradyse they shall neuer be. for they were neuer in mannes laboure here / Ne in purgatory they shal¦le not be scourged with men but in helle with deuylles whe¦re they shall neuer haue reste Therfore be besy here in ver∣tue and alwaye thynke that noo thynge maketh a man soo soone to enclyne to synne as ydelnesse) ¶The seuenth syn∣ne is lecherye. and that is a flesshely synne that cometh of luste and lykynge of the flesshe. ¶Oute of thys spryngen many braunches One is fornycacyon / that is dedely syn∣ne done flesshely / Bytwene syngell man and syngell womā agaynst the lawe of god / and the techynge of holy chyrche ¶Therfore holy chyrche byddeth that noo man chylde ne woman chylde / that passen seuen yere of age / lye to gyder in bedde for drede of fornycacyon. Ne syster ne brother for drede of inceste.) ¶Another is called auoutrye / and that is spowsebrekynge / whether it be doone bodely or goostely It is gretter synne and more mysheues than that other. For therin thou dooste sacrelege (that is to saye) thou bre∣keste the sacrament of wedlocke wher of there comen ofte vnryghtful heyres and fals maryages. ¶This synne dow¦bleth ofte tymes whan it is done by man maryed / and wo∣man maryed. For one of thyse foure myscheues folowes theym that customably vse this synne.) One is pouerte.) Another is lesynge of some membre. The thyrde is perpe∣tuell pryson. ¶The fourthe sodeyn deth And this fayleth not hardely and yf that it be custumably vsed as I sayd tofore. ¶Another is incest / and that is with thy kynne /

or thyne affynyte. ¶A nother is whan thou mysusest thy∣ne own wyfe / and dooste ayenste kynde or order of marya¦ge. For as thou mayste slee thyself with thyn owne swerde. ryghte so thou mayste with thyne owne wyfe. For this syn∣ne was Onam Iacobus cosyn smyten to deth. and seuen husbondes of Sara also. ¶This sacramente and all other sholde be done and vsed honestely / and with grete reueren¦ce ¶Another is whan a. man synneth wyth the kynde of his wyfe / and the contrary this is ryghte perylous for he maye not after wedde none of her kynne / and yf he doo the maryage is noughte / and that worse is he maye knowe his wyfe noo more after warde infourme of wedlocke without dedely synne. but he be requyred of her. ¶Another there is and that is moste stynkynge of all / whyche is the synne ayenste kynde that the deuyll techeth both man and womā The dyuersytees of this sȳne be so abhomynable. that they be not named / but oonly in shryfte of theym that be falle therein▪ ¶For the gretter and more horryble that they syn¦ne is / the more auayleth thy shryft So that the shame of the tellynge is a greate parte of thy penaunce. ¶This was soo dyspleasynge to god that he made to reyne brymstone and fyre / that destroyed fyue Cytees of Sodome and Go∣mere. The deuyll himselfe that causeth this synne hath sha¦me of the dede. ¶Thyse and many other flesshely synnes / whiche ben dedely / and eueryche werse than othere comen oute of this fowle synne of lechery.) The whiche be well knowen to theym that lyuen in luste of theyre flesshe. Therfore flee the occasyons (sayth saynte poule) that is to saye) syghte of wymmen / kyssynge / touchynge. and suche other / ¶This wyse scaped Ioseph the synne of his lady whan he lefte his palle or mantel with her. And ranne a∣waye Thynke also vpon the fynyshement and ende / and in lykewyse how nyghe it is of the dredefull and streyte do¦me

the whiche thou shalte come vnto and the horryble and inestymable paynes and also tourmentes the whiche are in the perfounde depnes of helle made redy for suche horry¦ble synnes / and loke that thou presume not of thyself in no maner of wyse. For the noble kynge Dauyd / and the wyse kynge Salamon his sone / and the stronge Sampson were ouercomen with that vnhappy synne. Also in no maner of wyse here nor also speke no lecherous wordes / but with all thy herte and mynde loue holy scrypture. for that draweth a man moche therefor. Vse also prayer fastynge / good and lawfull occupacyons / and wythdrawe the frome superflui¦tees. And excesse of hote metes and drynkes for yf thou ly¦ue after thy flesshe thou shalt be dede sayth scrypture / that is to saye / dampned vnto euer lastynge payne of helle.) ¶Therfore shytte the gates of thy body and thy soule fro all thyse myscheues of synne / that is to saye) thy fyue wyt∣tes bodely and goostly / that they consente not with hym. ¶Fyrste thyne eyen from shrewde and lewd thynges bac bytȳge & euyll wordes & coūceyles. Thy mouth frome vn∣lawful taste of glotony lewd kyssȳges / & rybawdry wordes thyhōdes frome lewd towchȳge of thyselfe & of other And frō stelthe & takȳge other mēnes goodes agaȳst their wyll Thy feet also frome the pathes of synne / and all other wret¦ched wayes that thou myghtest drawe to. ¶These ben the bodely wyttes. ¶Than take thy ghoostly, wyttes as myn¦de / and vnderstondynge / reason and ymagynacyon / that is to saye. Haue mynde of the kyndenesse of god / and of thy laste ende / and thou shalte neuer synne. And ye shal vnder¦stonde also Crystes loore and his techynge and lete euer thy wyll be redy to worshyppe hym in thoughte / worde and de¦de without ony werynes. Lete reason also rule thy dedes Inwarde / and outwarde by Crystes loore and his tehyn∣ge withouten oony deceyte or blyndenesse of thy owne selfe ¶And alwaye haue ymagynacyon of vertuous lyuynge

of nedefull werkes / and of dredefull dedes of Ioye & blysse that is ordeyned in heuen to theym that leue theyr synne & shall be saued / and of the horryble paynes / & sorowes that they shall suffre endlesly / whiche for theyr synnes shall be dampned in to the dongeon of helle. In the whiche ben .ix. maner of horryble and hydeous paynes / that nyne maner of people shall be tourmented with there as clerkes sayeth. ¶The fyrste is fyre that euer brenneth / and neuer gyueth lyght in whiche thoughal y^e water in the see were cast in it sholde not quēche it. For as our fyre passeth a fyre paynted so dooth that fyre passe oures. In this fyre shall they euer brenne / that here alway brenned in the fyre of false couety∣se. ¶The seconde is passynge colde / that yf a grete hylle of fyre were casten therin it sholde torne to yse / with this shall they be tourmented there / that ben colde in loue by malyce of the fende. ¶The thyrde payne is wormes and horryble serpentes as dragons that neuer shall deye / but lyue in fyre as fysshes dooth in water. With these they shall be gnawen there that here gnawe theym selfe with venymous hate of theyr euen crysten. ¶The fourthe is abhomynable stynke / wherin they shall be lapped there that here delyteth theym in the foule stynke of the synne of lechery. ¶The fyfth shal be betynge of myghty fendes as it were with hamers of y∣ren / wherwith they shall be payned and beten without sea∣synge that wolde not here be chastysed by y^e techynge of god¦des wordes. ¶The syxte payn is derkenes the whiche is so tenebrous and thycke / that as it were that it myght be felt with hande. In these horryble derkenes shall they be boun∣de there that lyueth here in present worlde in derkenesse of this foresayd synne and wyll not come to Cryst the whiche is veray lyght by holy lyuynge and leuynge of synne why∣les they myght. ¶The seuenth payne is open shenshyppe or shame for synne / the whiche shall be apertly knowen / &

not hydde in paynfull reprefe of synfull folke / and specyally to them that wyll not knowlege theyr synne here to god in due maner. Ne were not ashamed of hym / this shal be a ful herde tourment. ¶The. eyght is the horryble syght of de∣uylles / rorynge / and cryenge with ferefull and sorowfull voyce wherwith thus they shall be payned there that here toke none hede of holy ensamples & good dedes. Ne of pre∣chynge nor techynge of goddes wordes and byddynges.❀ ¶The nynthe is fyry bondes / wherwith they shall be boun¦de there honde and fote / and other membres that here spen¦deth theyr membres and lymmes in y^e deuylles seruyce af¦ter the lust and lykynge of theyr bodyes. ¶These nyne pay¦nes shall these synfull suffre there that here forsoke and left vnwysely the felawshyp of the nyne ordres of aungellys by theyr synfull lyuynge / but they amende them or they goo hens. Therfore be sory for thy synne & amende the whyles thou arte here that thou mayst escape all these horryble pay¦nes / and reygne with oure lorde Ihesu Cryst in his hyghe blysse of heuen. Where is euer myrthe after trauayle / fredo¦me after bondage / helthe after longe sekenes / rest after tra¦uayle / lyfe after deth / perfyte loue without drede / and euer daye without nyght. There thou shalte haue seuen Ioyes in thy body / and seuen in thy soule. In thy body fayrenes / swetenes / strengthe / luste helthe / and in mortalyte / and in thy soule wysdome / frendshyppe / and accorde / power / wor¦shyppe / surety / and Ioye without ende. To the whiche he brynge vs that for vs deyed on the rode. Ihesu cryst god∣des sone. Amen

ON sondaye that last was I enfourmed you on homely wyse of the worthynes of mannes soule what it is / whan it is out of synne / what synne is / and how it defowleth thy soule. Of the sacra¦ment

of penaunce also / how it is a salue sanatyfe for al ma¦ner sores of synnes / whan it is dyscretly vsed. ¶Now by y^e leue of god I shall declare to you the thre partes of penaū∣ce / contrycyon / confessyon / and satysfaccyon / how by y^e ful∣fyllynge of them your soules that thus haue ben wounded with synne may be refourmed and brought agayne to gra¦ce. ¶Fyrst as for contrycyon it is sayd cut your hertes and your clothes. For confessyon also sheweth out your hertes afore the preest by open speche of mouthe. And for satysfac¦cyon do ye worthy fruytes of penaunce: Thus by these thre thynges this hooly sacrament of penaunce is preued. For confessyon also as it is sayd in the sawter. I haue trauayled in my sorowes. I shall make moyst my bedde euery nyght with my teres as who sayth. I haue trauayled to make sa∣tysfaccyon for my synnes with sorow of myn herte / hauyn∣ge in my mynde how longe I haue lyued and how I haue spēt my tyme. What goodnes I haue left vndone. How mo¦che euyll I haue done / and how by my synne I haue lost y^e felawshyp of heuen and Ioyned me to the felawshyppe of fendes that I am also here in the vale of teres full of wret¦chednes / and by byrthe brought forthe vnto mannes syn̄es and sorowes and shall come vnto the dredefull dome / and gyue a rekenynge for the leest and the moost syn̄e that eue•• I dyde. In worde / in dede / or thought not knowynge whe¦der I shall be worthy hate or mede / that I wolde also be in blysse whiche I may not come to without grete tourment / trybulacyon and sorowe. ¶These consyderynge thyn eres and werkes thou shall well knowe and perceyue that thou arte cause of thyn owne sorow & myschaunce. And soo for shame thou shalte fall in to contrycyon / and wynne the gra¦ce and mercy of our moost mercyfull lorde god. It is a ry∣ghte harde and endurced herte / sayth saynt Bernarde that neyther the benefaytes of almyghty god may grynde and

molyfye / ne the horryble paynes of helle may feere / ne the Ioyes of heuen may susteyne. Ne that temporall tourmen¦tes ne sorow may chastyse. Many one there is that can not be contryte in that they do not knowe what contrycyon is. ¶Therfore ye shall vnderstande that contrycyon is an in∣warde sorowe of thy soule fourmed by grace / the whiche co¦meth of forthynkynge of synne / and drede of the hyghe Iu∣gement / with a stedfast purpose to be confessed / and to doo satysfaccyon after the commaundement of the chyrche. It is also a conuersyon of thyn herte from euyll to goodnesse / Frome the deuyll to god / and frome vyce to vertue ¶The∣re be many that haue contrycyon / but not perfyte. As whā thy herte is touched with the handes of god / by Inspyracy¦on to make the perfyte sorowfull / but somwhat or lesse in as moche as thou begynnest to tourne. This is called attrycy¦on. But whan wyl and desyre of synne in euery parte is ful¦ly forsaken with full sorowe of herte thenne it is contrycion And so veray contrycyon is the serche of synne. ¶Orygen sayth also / that verey contrycyon is for to abhorre and loth all gaye and superfluous araye / and too desyre the hygher wepynge / and fle slaughter to speke fewe wordes / and for to werke ryghtfully. And euer to haue drede and inwarde sorowe in thyn herte for thy synnes. For the more that thou louest a thynge / the more is thy sorowe whan thou doostle se it. ¶Aboue all creatures is god to be loued. Thenne it is moost sorowe of his losse than of all other creatures whā y^u commyttest deedly synne / thenne thou lesest thy god. Ther∣ore by grete contrycyon and sorow thou must gete hym a∣gayne. For loke how moch thou hast of grace as sayth saynt Gregory / so moche thou must haue of sorowe for thy synnes ¶The soules that are in blysse they may haue no contrycy¦on / by cause theyr Ioyes ben replete wyth plenteuous∣nes of glory. They that ben in hell maketh sorowe / but that

sorowe is not fourmede with grace. ¶The soules in pur∣gatorye hathe sorowe fourmed wyth grace. yet it is not me¦rytory / in as moche as it sholde haue be hadde here. Thus in this lyfe mercy oonly helpeth / but after not. It is blame¦fully herde saythe saynt Iherome. that can wepe the deth of his frende or the harme of temporel loos. & can not we∣pe and be sory for synne. Thy contrycyon therfore muste be sharpe in that. that thou hast offended thy heuenly fader that bodely and goostly fedyth the in many wyses. and yet muste thou be sharp / in that that thou haste offendede thy lorde Ihesu goddis sone of heuen / that with his precyous blood and with hys mercy delyuered the frome the bondes of synne crueltee offendes. and byternes of the paynes of hell. And though our lorde sayde to the. Not euery man that sayth lord lord shall entre the kyngdom of heuen / yet leue hym not but haue hym to the tauerne of contrycyon. and saye to hym as Dauyd dyde. The meke and the con∣tryte herte Lorde thou shalte not dyspyse. ¶And then he shall gyue the grace here / and Ioye whan thou goost hens. The fawcon whan he hath taken his praye he desyreth no more therof but the herte and there with he is cōtence. So our lorde Ihesu whan he had raunsoned vs out of helle he desyreth noo more but a meke and a contryte herte of vs. Therfore as the fauconer or he wyll gyue the herte to his fawcon fyrst he wyll kytte it. and thenne take out the blood and wasshe it. So muste thou gyue thy herte to oure lorde. Fyrste kytte it wyth the knyf of contrycyon. ¶And then∣ne take out the blood of synne by confessyon. and after was¦she with satyssfaccyon / and so with the knyfe of his passyō kytte your hertes and not your clothes hauynge in mynde that the blaade of his knyfe was made of the spere hede and nayles / that his precyous body and herte were thryl∣led withalle / The hafte was made of the holy tre of the cros¦se

/ and the vyrell was made of the crowne of thorne that was aboute his hede whette this knyfe on his blessed body that soo harde and cruelly was tourmentede on the crosse that they lefte noo hole Ioynte with other / make also the shethe of thy knyfe of the whyte skynne of our lorde Ihe∣su Cryst / that was paynted with reed blody woundes / soo many that from the toppe of the heed vnto the sole of y^e fote there was no hole place of hym left vnscourged. Then w^t the cordes that he was bounde with to the pyler. Now bȳ¦de this knyfe to the gyrdle of thy herte. And I doubte not be thy herte neuer so harde / and thou this faythfully prȳte in thy mynde his passyon with thy harde herte / it wyll be∣gynne to breke. Thus mayst thou lerne too suffre repreues for oure lorde Ihesu whiche for the suffred these and many more. ¶There ben .vi. thynges that sholde stere the to gre¦te sorowe for thy synnes. ¶The fyrst is that somtyme of y^e daye or nyght as I sayd before / bethynke the how thou hast lyued / and whan thy synnes come to thy mynde / haue an in¦warde sorowe and remorse that thou hast so greuously offē¦ded thy god / thy maker / and redemptoure. ¶The seconde that thou be ashamed of thy synne / and elles at the daye of dome they shall be shewed to the / and to all the worlde opē∣ly / vnto thy grete shame and confusyon. The thyrde that y^u haue grete obhomynacyon of the fylth of synnes / that thou hast thus cōmysed bothe in the syght of god and man. Se¦neca sayth though I wyst y^t my sone sholde be vnknowen bothe to god and man / yet wolde I abhorre and lothe the fylthe of my synne. The fourthe is that thou haue drede of the daye of dome / and of the paynes of hell. Of this day spe¦keth saynt Peter / vnneth the ryghtwyse man y^e daye shall be saued sayth he. Where shall thenne the synnefull man a∣perethe whiche breketh dayly the hestes and preceptes of our lorde. As often and as many tymes as I do beholde y^e

daye sayth saynt Iherome. I quake in all my herte / & why¦der I ete or drynke / or elles ony other thynges do / euer me thynke that the trompe of god sowneth in myn eeres / and byddeth me synnefull wretche aryse and come to the dome The fyfth is that thou haue sorowe for the losse of heuen / & the grete offence doone to thy maker. The syxte that thou haue a thre folde hope. Fyrst of forgyuenes that thy synnes ben alone forgyuen the.. Hope also of grace to do good wer∣kes / and in them alwayes to encrease. And thenne hope of blysse / wherwith thou mayst afterwarde be rewarded for thy good werkes / the prophete sayd before y^t I sholde was∣she euery nyght my bedde with teeres. By this it semeth y^e cōtrycyon after forgyuenes sholde be cōtynuall. To knowe this it is harde / yet in thy wyl thou mayst haue contynuall contrycyon / euer in full purpose too leue / and too lothe thy synne and thus it is nedefull. For as a confessoure knewe suche one that cometh so contynually beynge sory inwarde and outwarde / he nedeth neuer to gyue hym but lytell pe∣naunce. For though he had doone grete and horryble syn̄e he myght so venge and bewayle his synnes here / that after his dethe he sholde no payne suffre in purgatory / yet this so¦rowe must be mesurable with a trusty hope that thou falle not in to heuynes of dyspayre. It must also be generall and hole for all syn̄es yet more sharper for one than for an other after the gretenes is / and it must be doone for the offence do¦ne too god / and not onely for drede of euerlastynge payne. This maner of contrycyon breketh the snares and the chay¦nes of the deuyll. And releaseth the bondes and oblygacy∣ons of euerlastynge payne and tourment / and delyuereth the frome the seruage and horryble company of deuylles / and maketh the chylde of almyghty god / and heyre of the blysse of heuen / the whiche tofore were the chyldren of the deuyll / and brennynge bronde of the perfounde pyt of hell.

Onely contrycyon also auayleth not / but there as confes∣syon and satysfaccōn may be hadde. For as we offende god in thre maner of wyse. In herte / speche and dede / soo it ne∣deth that we do our satysfaccyon in thre maners and elles the synne is not forgyuen. Onely contrycion may auayle al¦so whan thou arte very contryte / and purposest afterwar∣de to abstayne the from all maner of sȳne. And knowlegest thy synne / as soone as thou mayst / and doost also due satys∣faccyon after the dome of the chyrche and this is the moost sure way. ¶The seconde wasshynge is confessyon doone of thy mouthe. Ryght as the soule is now wasshen and made whyte with sowkynge sorowe / and also w^t salte fretynge teres of thyn eyen. Soo by lowly confessyon of thy mouthe thou muste rubbe of thy foule spottes of synne / that are ru∣sted in thy soule of this maner of wasshynge speketh the pro¦phete Dauyd sayenge thus. Thou shalte sprynge me lorde with ysope / and I shall be clensed / thou shalte wasshe me / and I shall be made clene and as whyte as snowe / ryght so lowely confessyon doone of thy mouthe / to thy curate pur∣geth and maketh more whyte thy soule than is ony snowe in this worlde. Se therfore what confessyon is. Confessyon after doctours scyence is a lawfull declaracyon of synne to∣fore done. And a thynge wherby a preuy goostly sore or syke¦nes is opened w^t hope of forgyuenes. ¶Thre maner of cō¦fessyons there ben. One is in warde in thy soule / for or thou madest it / it was knowen to god. The seconde tofore a Iu¦ge in hope of forgyuenes of god / and the thyrde tofore god∣des vycarye / where preuy synne is pryuely opened. ¶Of these speketh scypture and sayd. Tell out openly yf thou ha¦ue ony thynge to saye or shewe that thou mayst therby be Iustyfyed. ¶The grete flagellacyon payne and passyon of oure sauyoure and redemptoure is a grete remedy a∣yenst

synne be it orygynall or actuall. ¶The vertue wher¦of is expressyd in the sacramente of holy chyrche withoute whiche there may no man be hole / therfore that confessyon is nedefull preuythe scrypture saynge thus. He that is prou¦de and wyll not obeye the precept of the preest he shall be dede / we haue it also of our lorde fader of heuē that euery man and woman hauynge yeres of dyscressyon is bounde by one parsone to make confessyon onys a yere of all his sȳ¦nes to his owne curate / That it is also nedefull reason pre¦ueth in this wyse. And thou haddest trespaced to thy neygh¦boure it were not ryghtful that thou sholdeste sette thyne owne payne atte thy lust. ne he that hath wronge neyther. but a meane that coude and myghte set it resonably after the wronge were declared. ¶The prest is ordeyned to be a meane and sette thy paynes for the wronge that thou ha∣ste done to thy god by thy synne / it nedeth thenne that thou shewe truly thy trespace vnto hym / that he maye set the / suche penaunce wherby thou mayste be able to come to the presence of thy lorde god. ¶Also in euery dome that is reso¦nable / there muste be a Iuge and a persone that is gylty / & y^e preue must other be by preues / or elles by wytnes ayenst thy wyll or by wylfull knowlege syth the dome of penaun∣ce is fre and not ayenst thy wyll / by cause thou goost ther∣to wylfully / thenne shalle not the processe of this dome be in promyse / ne in wytnesse but freely in thy propre confes∣syon. ¶And he muste be Iuge. that may both forgyue and condempne. (And that is god) for he oonly releseth synnes ¶And soo tyll he toke mankynde confessyon of herte suffy¦sed / but after he requyred and asked confessyon vocyall whi¦che is made of man to man / and for as moche as he is not here wyth vs in fourme of mā / therfore he ordeyneth men to be his vycaryes / that thou sholdeste confesse the to / To whome he gaaf power to bynde and to vnbynde. And thus

is confessyon nedefull by reason / promyse and holy scryptu¦re. Oure lorde gaue power only to preest to bynde and to vnbynde whan he sayd (Whoos sȳnes ye forgyue they ben forgyue / and whose synnes ye wythholde / they ben wyth∣holde. yet as by power and vertue god loseth / for there is no power but of god. Cryst sayth saynt Austyne was for vs crucyfyed by whiche man and none other synnes are for¦gyuen. ¶Therfore oure lorde gaaf openly the holy gooste to men / gyuynge vnderstondynge that synnes are not for∣gyuen thorugh merytes of men but thorugh the goodnes∣se of the holy goost. for whan he arose from deth he sayde to his dyscyples Take you the holy goost / & whose synnes ye forgyuen. (As who sayth) the spyryte that is god forgy∣ueth / and not ye. And soo he that maye forgyue by mā / may forgyue without man) The sacrament of grace (sayth sayn¦te Austyne) God forgyueth somtyme by euyll men. but gra¦ce alone. He gyueth but by hym selfe) yet remyssyon of syn∣ne he wercheth booth by hymselfe and by the holy gooste. And thus no man dooth awaye synne but cryste alone. ¶Saynt Ambrose and other doctoures sayth that y^e wor¦de of god forgyuethe synnes. The preest is the Iuge. and yet of hymselfe he hath noo power / but of hym alone that deyed for our synnes. ¶Saynt Iherome sayth that same power that cryste gaaf his apostles. after his resurreccyon / the same hath all holy chyrche in bysshoppes and prestes. But specyally to Peter. and to his successours That alle sholde vnderstonde / whoo soo parteth hym frome vnytee of the fayth / maye neuer be losed frome synne / ne entre in to the blysse of heuen. ¶The preest losed none verely but God tho that tourneth te penaunce thenne he mynystreth ryghtfully that of the vertue of god / what hadde it prou∣fyted to Lazare that he wente oute of his tombe / but yf it hadde be sayde / lose hym and lete hym go Cryst by voys

reysed hym frome his sepulcre. ¶And soo he wente for the that was bounde not by myghte of his fete / by vertue of hym that reysed hym. Thys same is now goostely done in the herte of repentaunt man whan thou hereste a man re∣pentaunce for his synne thenne he begynneth to lyue agay¦ne / whan he confessethe hym thenne he is broughte out of his sepulcre but yet he is not losed. See therfore of whome and whan he losed. Cryste sayth tho that ye haue losed here in erth / shall be losed in heuen Here take hede how he sayd tho that is to say no man excepte / but who soo be repen∣taunt / and aske fogyuenesse by the chyrche / he shall haue foryeuenes. yet though by the chyrche synne may worthe∣ly be forgeuen the / the dede maye not ryse / but oure lorde crye within forth. ¶For that is done within vs but of hym ¶The dyscyples loosed hym lyuynge whome the may∣ster reysed fro dethe. For and they sholde haue reysed hym dede / they sholde haue shewed more strength than vertue. Thus hath holy chyrche auctoryte of her spowse to lose fro me al maner of synne Saynte austyn saythe that seuenty tymes and seuen we ben charged to forgyue that is to say to euery man that is repentaunt / and asketh forgyuenes / yet may not euery preest generally doo this but in tyme of nede. or by auctoryte of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / or of his byshop for rygh∣te as a man hath power to ete / and hath not whereof / soo it is of prestes power / all they haue power yet it muste be gy∣ue theym of theyre soueraynes / whan where. and how mo¦che they shall execute. There maye noo man cheese hym a confessour. but the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 aboue without auctoryte of hym / or ellys of theym that hathe power vnder hym. But nedes must he be shryuen to his owne curate / yet in certeyne cau∣ses byleue of his curate he maye. as whan the curate lac∣keth discressyon. ¶Another whan thou chaungest thy hou¦sholde and arte a vagabonde. or in peryll of dethe. ¶Or

whan thou entrest the see in soo greate peryll / thou mayste also by that confesse the to a laye man / and haue forgyue∣nesse. and they that thus here the yf thou scape muste char∣ge the that thou shewe the same to thyne owne curate. Al∣so pylgrymes marchauntes / and other goers aboute / in dy¦uerse countrees in the same wyse. ¶Other causes there ben y^t thy curate must sende the tofore the bysshop wherto y^u must nedes obeye. & be sorye y^t y^u hast more offende than o∣ther haue.) ¶The tokens of very confessyon are thyse. ¶The ••••••st is shame whan thou shryueste the (sayth saȳt Iherome / were a shamed of al the wayes that thou haste gone in synne / Not for thy confessyon / but for the fylthe of synne that thou sheweste there. ¶For not oonly our lorde seeth it / sayth he / but also all the holy company of heuen. ¶Therfore be a shamed. for that maketh the / the sooner to haue mercye of oure lorde. Saynt Marye mawdeley ne shamed not for too confesse all her synnes in audyence presence of alle that were at the feest of her confessyon and teeres / therfore broughte her to blysse. ¶The seconde is mekenes in worde lokynge / and chere. wyth oute ony stor∣dynes. as the publycane that thoughte hymself vnworthy to lyfte vp his eyen to heuen.) ¶And as Poule also obey∣ed to the callynge of oure lorde / Soo sholdest thou to the byddynge of thy goostely fader. ¶And in noo wyse tary thy shryfte for thyse perylles shewynge. ye that ben yet vnshryuen take gode hede to thys lesson and see what pe∣ryl ye stonde in. ¶The fyrste is for the vncerteynte of the lyfe. Scrypture sayth that noo man / knoweth his ende. ne howe / ne what maner he shall dey. ¶And alle is for thou sholdest in euery space and tyme / and in lyke wyse in euery place be redy and preste for to receyue thy dethe. And also a nother is for encreasynge and multeplyenge of thy deedly synne / for what deedly synne some euer it be and yf that it

is not anone done awaye by shryft he draweth an other to hym / as sayth saynt Augustyn. And so as thou encreasest thy synne. Ryght so thouencreasest thy payne. Another for drede of tornynge agayne. For the ferder that thou goste fro god by thy longe abydynge in synne. The harder it is to the after to torne agayne to thy good lyfe. Also in grete sekenes thy payne is somtyme so grete y^t thou mayst not be very re¦pentaunt. It must also be hole / not some to one / and some to another. This is a grete spece of ypocrysye / & this vseth moche people / and all for they wolde be holde holy / and bet∣ter than they ben. Saynt Bernarde sayth / that there is no confessyon / but it be in trouthe of thy mouthe / prouffytable and clennes of thy herte yf thou be seke / and swete in al the partyes of thy body / it is a token of lyfe. And yf it be perty¦culer it is a token of dethe. Ryght soo / and thou tell all thy synnes it is a token of saluacyon. As whan Cryst heled the man that the gospell speketh of / he made hym not halfe ho∣le / but all hole. Soo whan he forgyueth / he forgyueth all / or neuer a dele. Therfore holde out thyn herte to thy lorde god sayth the prophete as water / not as oyle leest the fatnes aby¦de / or as mylke leest the whytenes appere / ne as wyne lest the sauour abyde / thou heldest out thyn herte as oyle / that shryuest the of thy small synnes / and leuest the grete and y^e fat behynde in the. Thou heldest out as mylke / that by co∣loure of excusacyon makest thy synnes whyte. As our fyrst fader Adam dyde by the woman Eue / and the woman by the serpent thou heldest out also as wyne that after the le∣uynge of thy synne thou kepest the sauoure within the ther∣of / as whan thou delytest the in lecherous wordes and co∣munycacyons / or hast Ioye and grete delyte for to se vany¦tees or auauntest the of lewdnesse done to fore / and that is a synne that moost greueth god. Therfore holde out thy her¦te as water that neyther no fatnesse / coloure / ne no fauoure

abyde after with alle the cyrcunstaunces. As in what ma∣ner. what place / what cause / what tyme / what age / what e∣state / how moche. how longe. why. and where and all suche that agree. Thy synne also it muste be naked not made by a messengyre / ne letter. but with thyne owne mouthe. nor in gaye termes. but in suche wyse. be it neuer so foule that thy confessoure maye knowe the meanynge. as doo it wyl∣fully. As the theef that henge vpon the crosse. And not as Achor. It muste also be faythfulle that thou haue full hope of forgyuenes of thy synnes by the mercy of god or thou goo hens accusynge thyselfe and none other. sayenge with Iosue and dauyd. I am he that synneth. I am he that dy∣de a mys. Not excusynge the by custome. felysshyppe. or freylte as some do. it also in good entente for no vayne glo¦ry but specyally for the offence done withoute ony feynyn∣ge. ¶For dyuerse causes is confessyon profytable. Fyrst for the peryll of synne that thy confessoure there sheweth the. Also for the shame that thou haste there in thy confessyon / whiche is a greate relees of thy payne. ¶A nother for it sheweth in thy concyence a sykernes of forgyuenes By con¦fessyon also God is gloryfyed and the deuylle confounded. For who so vseth ofte to be confessyd in what temptacyon he be He shall not be ouercome with the deuyll. Saȳte Au¦styne sayth.) that the oftener that thou arte cōfessyd of thy synnes / in hope of foryeuenes / the lyght lyer sayth he. thou shalte haue grace and foryeuenes of thy synnes. Onys a ye¦re it is spedfull to make thy confessyon generalle / And spe∣cyall in the poynte of deth. And the shame herof shall be there to the a greate parte of thy satysfaccyon.) ¶The thyr¦de parte of penaunce (as I sayde tofore is satysfaccyon. ¶Thys is grounded in the wordes of the prophete that where he sayd to Naaman. Go and wasshe the seuen ty∣mes in Iordan / and thou shalt be clensed of al that thou

haste defacede wyth spottys of synne though it be sokede with bytter sorowe of thyne herte and clerely rubbed wyth confessyon / yet muste it haue many dyuerse rensynges af∣ter with satyfaccyon. tyll it be soo clerely purged here or in purgatory that it maye clerely appere after in the syghte of oure lorde. Yf thy contrycyon be grete here / thy penaun¦ce maye be the lesse there. And yf it be lytell thy payne mu∣ste nedes be the gretter. And soo grete it maye be here that it suffyseth to thy saluacyon.) ¶Satysfaccyon after dyuer¦se doctoures / is a puttynge a waye of the cause of synne not takynge hede of theyr subgestyons. It is also an obligaciō done of gode werkes to god with mekenes. and lownes of herte / after the qualyte and quantyte of synne This satys∣faccyon must be doo wylfully wythoute grutchynge. and it muste be plener and generall for euery synne resonably.) ¶As preuy penaunce for preuy synne open penaunce for open synne. ¶Thre pryncypall werkis there ben of satys∣faccyon. Almes / Prayer and fastyng. ¶Thyse thre oure Lorde fulfylled in his passyon for redempcyon of oure syn∣ne. ¶Therfore what almes is / and how it sholde be doone. I shall telle you. Almes is a lowynge of thyne herte with a wylfull compassyon / to theym that ben in nede / and it is a dede of mercy by compassyon of thy neyghbours myschef There ben thre maners of almes One is in the contrycyon of thyne herte for the synne that thou offerest thyself to god A nother by gyuynge of bodely tresoure with thyne hond. The thyrde in pyte and compassyon hauynge of thy neygh¦boures myscheue.) ¶Temporalle almes thou mayste som¦tyme gyue of goodis vntruly goten. (that is to say) whan thou knoweste not to whome thou shalt restore it / and yet it muste be done by counseyle of thy goostely fader. ¶And tythe not that thou getest by thefte. For somtyme it is cha∣unged and thenne he that delyuereth shall aske it agayne.

And somtyme it is chaunged and shall not be asked ayen As whan it tourneth not to the taker. by cause they come by theft or robbery raueyn / symony. or vsery And soo of theym shall noo almes be gyuen. ¶For they muste be resto¦red ayene. But whan the hauynge is chaunged. and shall not be asked agayne. ¶As gyftes of comyn wymen and Iogelers / or suche other thenne shall they begyue in almes ¶Also yf thou fynde a thȳge of ony value after tyme thou haste done thy besynes / to wytte dewly who owyd it thou shalt spende it in almesse by counseyle of thy goostelyfader to all that haue nede. ¶Also thou shalt gyue thyne almesse to good and badde frende and enmye. yf thou be of power our lorde sayth Gyue to euery man that asketh the and tor¦ne not away thy face sayth thoby Yet it is sayd) gyue the good man and receyue not the synner (that is to saye) Gy∣ue that nature be susteyned / and not the synne nourysshed ¶Thou nourysshest the synne that geuest thy good to Io¦gelers and Iapers. And suche that lyue by Idelnes. and suffre the poure man to haue hungre. and myscheef Suche maner of gyuyng is forbode. ¶Yf pyte sayth saynt Am∣brose / shall not be swete to all moche more plenteuous mu¦ste it thenne be to the good. and vertuous in lyuynge thou shalte rather gyue to thy kynne / or neyghboure in theyr ne¦de / and they ben vertuous / than to other. ¶Thou shalt also gyue to olde men and wymen with chylde yf they ha∣ue nede rather than to other. ¶And to them that be falle in to grete pouerte and myserye / and whan that suche po∣uerte falleth or happeneth not vnto ony maner of persone thoroughe ryotous garmentes or araye / or pompe of this presente worlde / yet rather gyue thenne the poure be vnser¦ued / Open thy herte to alle that aske the for the loue of god wythoute dyffyculte. and gyue it wyth charyte and wyth good wyll. ¶Orellys thou makest noo dew satysfac∣cyon

for thy synne. Also with a glad chere and a meke spy¦ryte / so that thou do it for no vayne glory / nor dyspyte / not to the poore / for he is a man as thou arte / and gyue it haste¦ly / and tary not from hym y^t suffreth anguysshe sayth Salo¦mon / gyue it also with dyscrecyon. And yf thou haue moch gyue moche. Yf thou haue lytell / gyue lytell sayth Thobye / Thus bodely or goostly euery man may gyue almes. ¶Fer¦ther more agaynst concupyscence of thy flesshe / thou haste fastynge / harde goynge and lyuynge / and bytter wepynge knockynge on thy brest / of knelynge / and sharpe dyscyply∣ne with roddes of thyn owne hondes / trauayle of pylgry∣mage / trybulacyons / anguysshe / sekenes & suche other bo∣dely dyseases pacyently suffred of the scourge of god all su∣che penaunces wylfully taken / a dyscrete confessoure wyll put to the in parte of thy satysfaccyon and penaunce. ¶Fa¦stynge is a wylfull abstynence frome mete & drynke / wher∣by the synne is wasshen / and thy flesshe made lowe for desy¦re of euerlastynge blysse. Goostly fastynge is frome deedly synnes and temporall Ioye. Saynt Iherome sayth / that it not prouffytable to feble thy boody with fastynge whan thy herte swelleth by pryde. Some fast for sykenes or they may not ete. Some pouerte / some for ypocrysye. And some for y^e worshyppe of god. And thou muste modere thy fastynge that thy stomacke be not greued with to moche excesse. For lytel mete mesurably rempreth and prouffyteth bothe body and soule / and dysposeth the to goostly trauayle. There be some that ete moche delycate metes / & more whan they faste. Than they do at two meles whā they fast not. And in maner they breke theyr faste. There is also prayers agaynst pryde two maner. One is inwarde in thy soule without she wynge of voyce. ¶Another also ordeyned for the thre par∣tyes of satysfaccyon agaynst pryde. Prayer is a louȳge desy¦re and appetyte of thy soule vnto our lorde god / with speche

of mouth / or gaderynge of wordes / to aske good of god w^t vtterynge of thy voys. Of foure frutefull prayers saynte Poule speketh whan he sayth. I pray you fyrst of all thyn¦ges that there be obsecracyons / oryson / postulacyons / and yeldynge thankynges. ¶Obsecracyons are whan y^u seest in thy soule the multytude of thy synne / and lytell of thy me¦rytes. And seeste the horryble paynes of helle / whiche thou mayste not voyde by thyne owne vertue. Ne durst not for thyne owne vnworthynesse make thy prayer thy selfe but makest supplycacyons by other meanes. As whan thou sayst Sancta maria ora pro nobis. Oure lorde by thy passy¦on delyuer vs. ¶Oryson is whan thou hast forsake thy syn¦ne and askeste forgyuenesse by open speche. Postulacyon is whan after thy penaunce done thou haste a sadde hope of forgyuenesse yf thou pray also ony thynge agaynste thyne owne spede. as Poule that prayed / that his temtacyons myght be putte awaye. Thenne oure lorde wyll not graū∣te it. the Some thynges thou mayste praye with condycy∣on. And some thynges withoute condycyon / to haue grace and blysse with oure blyssed Ihesu Cryst / that thou mayst axe withoute condycyon. saynt Bernarde saych that thou mayste aske of oure lorde god grace in all goodnesse to plea¦se hym / lyue in hym / see his blysse / and to able thy self to ver¦tues too doo hym worshyppe. And to be with hym with∣outen ende / yet afore this prayer thou muste make redy thy soule in dyuerse wyse. ¶Fyrste thou muste with drawe thy herte frome outwarde besynesse / beynge in wyll to kepe thy thoughtes / after thy fyrste entente. And thou muste consy¦der also how worthy thou arte that prayest and how wor∣thy he is that thou prayeste for. Thou muste also be clene in soule. And yf thy prayer be shorte lette it be done with sted¦faste hope for a shorte prayer with a sadde hope faythe∣fully done / is more acceptable to god / than a longe prayer

feyntely done without hope / yet to them that ben occupyed in dyuyne seruyce longe prayer is spedefull. To prayer also with voys is more spedefull / then to thynke or to worshyp. Grysostome sayth thus.) Thou y^t with loude voys prayest and whysperest / thou suffereste none other to praye aboute the. ¶And therfore thy synne and thy payne is encreased yf it be done wyttyngely. ¶And thy selfe not herde of god It muste also be done without interrupcyon not to saye a verse or a pater noster / and bytwene Iangle and telle a ta¦le without grete nedē / ne to haste it to moche. Thou muste alsoo make it comyn to place / tyme and persones. Poule sayth) I wyll that men praye in euery place / yet in the chir∣che pryncypally. For oure lorde Ihesu Cryste sayth) Myn house shall be called the hous of prayer / all tymes are ty∣mes of prayer / yet in holy chirche ben seuē hours specyally ordeyned for tyme of prayer / whiche moost specially longen to relygyous men. Oure lorde afore his passyon trauayled all nyghte in prayer. Oure blyssed lady and Ioseph also ro∣se euery nyght atte mydnyghte and sayd the psalmes of cō∣mendacyon. And the same dyde Dauyd and his housholde Thoughe all may not do thus / yet auyse theym that be boū¦de / and haue no lettynge. It must also be made with other and not all waye alone. In that it is more acceptable to god more pleasynge to aungelys / and more confusyon to the de¦uyll. ¶And the same that thou makeste for a nother / is bet∣ter than that thou makest for thy selfe / and thoughe that oure blyssed lorde Ihesu Cryste here not thy prayer anone atte thy wyll / yet he hereth it and graunteth the haply that that is more spedefull. A thynge that is longe desyred / atte the laste it cometh / and that is the more deynte.) It muste also be done with a grete deuocyon. ¶Deuocyon as the clerkes saye) is a tendernesse of herte / wherby thou brekest lyghtely in to teeres. And also a wyll of loue lyfte vp to god

or to his heuenly creatures / menynge the inwarde and out¦warde to the seruyce of thy lorde god Ihesu Cryste Suche deuocyon purgyth bothe boody and soule. ¶And thus de∣uocyon may be knowen by two pryncypall tokens. One is by gretnesse of the voys outwarde / as a grete fyre is kno∣wen by the flamme. Another by teeres / for ryght as fyre dryueth oute moystoure fro wete woode / so deuocyon bryn¦geth oute teeres of thyne eyen in prayers. ¶Well is hym that hath suche plente of teeres. ¶For he is dysposed to gra¦ce. But there ben some that haue grete plente of teeres fro daye to daye in prayer deuoutely redynge or spekynge / and yet wyll not leue theyr wycked synne nor trauayle to with∣stonde theyr temptacyons / nor to knowe / ne too kepe the preceptes of oure blyssed lorde Ihesu Cryste / ) Suche tee∣res ben not accepte. For dewe sacrefyce to oure blyssed lor∣de Ihesu Cryste / for and yf that thou be full contryte sayth Aldrede / and truste faythfully in the mercy of God truely confessed / and wyllynge to doo thy penaunce / and not in wyll to retourne agayne to thy olde) synne. Thenne sayth he suche teeres pleasen god. And wasshen awaye thy syn∣nes and more tormente the deuyll as sayth Saynt Bernar¦de. Thenne all other kyndes of tormentes may doo. Syth deuocyon must be in euery prayer / yet the tyme therof shol∣de be pryncypally vsed in the tyme of the masse and for fou∣re causes. One is for the presence of oure lorde god that is there / not oonely by his godhede / but also by his manhode that he tooke for the loue of mannes soule. ¶The seconde is for the multytude of aungellys that be euermore presen∣te to yelde worshyppe to almyghty god. ¶The thyrde is for the grete prouffyte / and spede that the bodye and soule haue / by vertue of the holy sacramente / bothe to theym that ben present. And specyally vnto theym that worthyly and in clene lyfe dooth receyue hym. ¶The fourth is for y^e

wonderfull worshyp that is there gyuen to man / that tho∣rughe the vertue of wordes sayde of man / the presence of oure lorde is hadde / and the Innumerable nombre of aun¦gellys / soo many that no tounge can telle / nor herte thyn∣ke. ¶Deuocyon sholde be also vsed in tyme of seruyce that thou arte bonde to saye. But for vnkunnynge say theyre seruyce the more hastely / for theyr preuy prayer that they hauen deuocyon to. And the deuocyon is lytell or noughte worthe. Se therfore now howe they soule maye be refour¦med / and broughte ayene to god. Thy soule hathe mynde reason and wylle Mynde for it sholde reste in god. Reason for thou sholdeste know god / & wyll for thou sholdest loue god. But by synne thy mynde is vnstable / thy reason blyn∣de and thy wyll crowked. ¶And all is for thou forsakeste thy god. ¶The reformacyon therfore of thy mynde is to brynge ayene thy herte that was trauayled wyth vayne / thoughtes / by prayer / redynge and oft thynkynge vpon god As of his Incarnacyon / passyon / Innumerable bene faytes / and gracyous gyftes / hauynge greate sorowe for thy vnkyndnes that thou alwaye shewest hym. The refor∣macyon of thy reason is to by leue sadly in the fayth of holy chyrche our lorde for our greate comforte hath gyue vs knowlege in holy scrypture / where we maye fynde all that is necessarye and spedfull to our soule hele / not to folowe herin oure naturall wyll but to submytte our wytte to the rules of fayth after the vnderstondynge of holy doctours / and soo goostly to be clensed by the sacrament of penaun∣ce. ¶The reformacyon of thy wyll also it is to withstonde vyces And wyth a good wyll truely and faythfully encrea¦ce and abyde in vertues for god withoute ony curyosyte of wyl. that there be noo double desyre ne no affeccyon plesyn¦ge to the but suche as is accordynge to the wyll of god.❀ ¶Thus than consydered the worthynes of thy soule The

horrour of thy synne wherwyth thy soule is thus wounded ¶Take this salue of penaunce with thyse thre plastres.❀ Contrycyon / confessyon / and satysfaccyon. And bȳde theȳ sadly to thy sore with the bondes of hope and drede. Hope to haue Forgyuenes of thy synne hope of grace to leue wel after. & hope of glorye withoute ende to reygne perpetuell in heuen blysse. ¶Drede also of the paynes of helle yf thou dyspeyre of his mercy. For to hym it is proper to haue mer∣cy and to spare. Soo that for euery synne (as sayth saynte Augustyne) there is an absolucyon / be it neuer soo greate. For what myghte be grete or more worse synne than to slee oure lorde Ihesu Cryste. Ryght as the Iewes dyde / yet there were some of theym after that byleued / and now ben saued. Peter and Marye magdeleyne and many other al¦so after they hadde synned. they were with the salue of con¦trycyon made hole / and now ben in blysse. ¶Therfore be thy synnes neuer soo many nor soo greate. dyspeyre the not but saye alway wyth Dauyd. (Haue mercy on me lord af∣ter thy greate mercy.) Doo awaye lord my wyckednesse. Man hath synned sayth saynte Austyne (and cryste hath re¦demed. And soo at oure lorde as sayth the prophete. is mer∣cy and plenteuous redempcyon And he shall redeme Isra¦hell frome alle his wyckydnesse. ¶Israhell is as moche to saye) as he that seeth god) He seeth god thenne that lothyth his synne. and by contrycyon and by confessyon and penaū¦ce doynge is conuerted to hym ¶That thou maye thenne thus be conuerted and do penaunce for your synnes graun¦te he you and me that deyed for vs vpon y^e rode tree. Amē.