A dialoge of comfort against tribulacion, made by Syr Thomas More Knyght, and set foorth by the name of an Hu[n]garie[n], not before this time imprinted

The .xvi. Chapter. Of him that vvere moued to kyll him selfe by illusion of the Deuill, vvhich he reckoned for a reuel••cion.

BUt lest you might reiecte both those samples, weninge they were but fayned tales, I shal but put you in remembraunce of one, which I reckō your selfe haue read in y^e collacions of Cassianus: & if you haue not, there maye you soone fynde it, for my selfe haue halfe forgotten the thinge, it is so longe since I read it: but thus muche I remem∣bre, y^t he telleth of one there y^t was all his dayes a very holy mā in his liuing, & amonge y^e other verteous mon∣kes & Anckres y^t lyued in wyldernes, was maruelous∣lye muche estemed, sauing that some were not all out of feare of him, lest his reuelacions, wherof he tolde many by him selfe, woulde proue illusions of the deuyll, and so proued it after in dede: for the man was by the deuylles subtyll suggestions brought into suche an high spiry∣••uall pryde that in conclusion y^e deuyll brought him to that horrible poynte that he made him to kyll him selfe, & as farre as my mynde geueth me nowe, without newe

sight of y^• boke, be brought him to it hy this perswasiō, that he made him beleue it was gods will he shoulde so doe, & y^t thereby should he goe strayght to heauen. And than if it were by that perswasion with which he tooke very greate comforte in his owne mynde him selfe, was it then as I sayde out of our case here, and neded not comforte, but counsayle agaynste geuing credence to y^e deuelles perswasyon. But mary if he made him fyrste perceyue howe he had been deluded, & thā tempted him to his owne death by shame & dyspayre, than was it in our matter loe, for thā was his temptacion fallen down from pryde to pusyllanimitie, & was waxen that kynde of the nightes feare y^t I spake of, wherin a good parte of the counsayle y^t were to be geuen him, shoulde haue nede to stand in good comfortyng, for than was he brought to ryght sore tribulacion: but as I was aboute to tell you, strength of heart and courage is there none therin, not onely for y^t very strength as it hath y^e name of vertue in a reasonable creature can neuer be with∣out prudence, but also for that as I sayed euen in them that some men of most hardynes it shall well appeare to them that well waygh y^e matter, y^t the mynde where∣by they be ledde to destroye them selfe, groweth of pu∣syllanymytie and very folyshe feare. Take for the sam∣ple, Cato vticensis, whiche in Affrycke kylled him selfe, after the greate victory of Iulyus Ceasa•• had. S. Austyn well declareth in his worke, De ciuitate dei, that there was no strength nor magnanimitie therin but playne pu∣syllanimitie, and impotencye of stomake, whereby he was forsed to the destruccyon of him selfe, b••cause his hearte was to feble to beare the beholdynge of an other mannes glorye, or the sufferynge

of other calamyties, that he feared shoulde fall on him selfe. So that. S. Austen well proueth that horryble dede is no acte of strength, but an acte of the mind, ey∣ther drawen from the consyderacion of it selfe, with some deuelyshe fantasye, wherin the man hath nede to be called home with good counsayle, or els oppressed by faint heart and feare, wherin a good part of the coun∣sayle must stande in lyfting vp his courage, with good consolaciō and comforte: and therfore if we found any suche religyouse person as was that father which Cas∣syon wryteth of, that were of such austerytie and appa∣rent ghostly lyuinge, that he were with suche as knewe him reputed for a manne of syngular vertue, and that it were perceyued that he had many visions appearing vnto him, if it shoulde nowe be perceyued after y^e that y^e•• man went about secretlye to destroye him selfe, who so shoulde happe to come to the knowledge thereof, and entended to dooe hys deuor in the let: Fyrst must he fynde the meanes to searche and fynde oute, whether the man be in his maner and in his coūtenaunce, light∣••ome, gladde and ioyfull, or dumpishe heauye or sadde: and whither he goe there about as one that were full of the glad hope of heauen, or as one that hadde his brest farsed full of tedyousnes & wearynes of the worlde: if he were founden of the fyrst fashion, it wer a token that the deuyll hath by his fantasticall apparicions puffed him vp in such a pieuyshe pryde, y^t he hath finally per∣swaded him by some illusyon shewed him for the proofe, that gods pleasure is that he shal for his sake with his owne handes kyll him selfe.

Vincent.

What if a man so found it vncle, what coun∣sayle should a man geue him than?

☞Anthony.

That were somewhat out of our purpose

Cosin, syth as I tolde you before, the man were not thā in sorow and tribulacion, wherof our matter speaketh, but in a perylous me••ye mortall temptacion: so that if we should beside our owne matter that we haue taken in hand entre into that to, we might happe to make a longer worke betwene bothe, than we coulde well fy∣nyshe this daye. Howebeit to be short, it is soone sene, that therein the counsayle and the effecte therof, must in maner rest in geuing him warning of the deuilles sleyghtes, & that must be doone vnder suche pleasante swete maner, as the man should not abhorre to heare it: for whyle it coulde lightly be none other but y^t the man were rocked and songen a slepe by the deuylles crafte, and therby his mynde occupyed as it were in a delecta∣ble dreame, he shoulde neuer haue good audyence of him that would rudely & boysteously shugge him and wake him and so shake him out therof•• Therfore must you fayer & easely touche him, & with some pleasaunte spe••he awake him so, that he waxe not wayward as chil∣dren doe that are waked ere they lust to rise. But when a mā hath first begon with his praise (for if he be proude, ye shall muche beter please him with a commendacion than with a dyrige) thā after fauor wonne therwithall, a man maye lytle & lytle insinuate the doubte of suche reuelacions, not at the fyrst as it were, that it were for any doubte of his, but of some other men that in some other places talke of. And peraduenture it shall not miscontent hym selfe to shewe greate perylles that maye fall therin in an other mans case than his own, and shall begynne to preache vpon it.

Or if you were a man that hadde not a scrupulouse conscyence of an harmeles lye, deuysed to doe good w^t all, which kynde. S. Iusten (though he take alway for

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synne, yet he taketh it but for venyal) and. S. Hierome) as by dyuers places of his bokes appeareth) taketh not fully for so muche, than maye you fayne some secrete frend of yours to be in suche case, & y^• your selfe some∣what feare his perell, and haue made of charytye this vyage for his sake to aske this good fathers counsayle. And in y^e cōmunycaciō maye you bringe in these wordes of. S. Iohn. Nolite omni spiritui credere, sed probate spiritus si ex deo sunt Geue not credence vnto euery spirite, but proue whither they be of god. And these wordes of. S. Paule, Angelus Sathane transfigurat se in angelum lucis. The Aungell of Sathan transfygureth him selfe into the Aungell of light, you shall take occasion y^e better if they happe to come in on his owne side, but yet not lacke occasiō neyther if those textes for lacke of his offer come in vpon your owne occasion I saye, shall you not lacke to enquyer, by what sure & vndeceiuable tokens, a mā maye decerne y^e true reuelacions from y^e false illusions, whereof a man shal finde many both here & there, in diuers other authors, & whole together diuerse goodly treatises of that good godly doctor M. Io. Gersō, ent••tuled•• De probatione spirituū. As if y^e pa••ti be natural wyse or any thing seme fantas∣tical, or whither y^e partie be poore spirited or poude, which will somewhat appeare by his delyte in his owne prayse, or if of wylynes, or of an other pryde for to be praysed of humilitie, he re••use to heare therof, yet any litle faulte founde in him selfe or diffidence declared and mistrust of his owne reuelacions & doutfull tokens told, wher∣of him selfe shoulde feare lest they be y^e deuelles illusi∣ons. Suche thinges (as M. Gerson sayth) will make him to spette out somewhat of his spitefull spirite, if the deuill lye in his breste. Or if the deuill be yet so subtyll that he kepe him selfe close in his warme denne, and

blowe out neuer a hote worde, yet is it to be considered what end his reuelacions drawe to, whither to any spi∣rituall profite to him selfe or other folke, or onely to vaine maruayles and wonders. Also, whither they withdrawe him from suche other good verteous busi∣nes, as by the common rules of Christendome, or any rules of his profession he was wont to vse, or were bounde to be occupied in. Or whither he fall into any singularitie of opinions agaynst the scripture of God, or agaynst y^e commō fayth of Chrystes catholique churche, many other tokens are there in that worke of M. Gerson spoken of to considre by, whyther the parsō neyther hauing reuelacions of GOD, nor illusions from the Deuill, doe eyther for winning of moneye•• or wordely fauor, faine his reuelacions him selfe to delude the people withall.

But nowe for our purpose, if amonge any of y^e mar∣kes by which the true reuelacion may be knowen from the false illusions, that maye him selfe bringe forthe for one marke, the doinge or teaching of any thinge agaynst the scripture of GOD, or the com∣mon faythe of the churche, than haue you an entrye made you, by which when you luste you maye entre into y^e speciall matter wherin he can neuer well flitte from you. Or elles maye you if you lus••e, ••ayne y^t your secrete frend, for whose sake you come to him for counsayle, is brought into y^t minde by a certayne apparicion she∣wed vnto him as him selfe ••ayth by an Aungell as you feare by y^e Deuill, that he can be by you none other wayes perswaded as yet, but that the pleasure of God is that he shall kyll him selfe, and that if he so doe, than shall he be therby so speciall partycypant

of Chrystes passion, y^• he shall forthwith be caryed vp with Aungels into heauen, for whiche he is so ioyful, y^• he fyrmelye purposeth vpon it, no lesse glad to doe it, than another man would be glad to voyde it. And ther∣fore maye you desyer his good counsayle, to instructe you with some good substancyall aduyse, wherwith you maye turne him from this error, that he be not vnder hope of gods true reuelacion in body & soule destroyed by y^e deuylles false delusion: if he will in this thing study and labour to instructe you, the thinges that him selfe shall fynd out of his owne inuencion, though they be lesse effectual, shal peraduenture more worke with him selfe toward his owne amendemet, syth he shall of lyke∣lyhod better lyke them, than shall the double substanci∣all thinges tolde by another mā if he be lothe to thinke vpon y^• syde & therfore shrynke from the matter: thā is there none other waye, but aduenture after the playne fashion, to fal into the matter, & shew what you heare, and to geue him counsayle & exhortacion to y^e contrary: but if you luste to saye y^t thus and thus hath y^e matter bene reasoned already betwene your frende and you, and therin may you rehearse suche thinges, y^t shoulde proue that y^e vision which moueth him, is no true reue∣lacion but a false illusion.

Vincent.

Uerely vncle I well alow this, that a man should as well in this thing as euery other, wherin he longeth to do an other man good, seke suche a pleasant waye as the partye shoulde be lykelye to lyke, or at the leaste wyse well to take in worthe his communicacion, and not so to enter in therunto, as he whom he woulde helpe shoulde abhorre him, and be lothe to heare him, and therfore to take no profitte by him.

But nowe Uncle, if it come by the one waye or

the other to y^e poynte to heare me he will or shall: what be y^e reasons effectuall with which I shoulde by coun∣sayle conuert him?

☞Anthony.

All those by which you maye make him per∣ceyue that him selfe is deceyued, and that his visions be no godly reuelacions, but very deuelyshe illusions. And those reasons must you gather of the man, of the matter, and of the lawe of God, or of some one of these. Of the man, if you can peraduenture shewe him that in suche a poynte or suche, he is waxen worse synce suche reuelacions haue haunted him, than he was be∣fore, as in those y^• are deluded, whoso be well acquyna∣ted with them, shall well marke and perceyue, for they waxe more proude, more wayward, more enuious, sus∣picious, mysseiudging, and deprauing other men, w^t they delyte of theyr owne prayse, and suche other spiri∣tuall vices of the soule.

Of y^e matter maye you gather if you haue proued his reuelacion before false, or that they be thinges rather straunge then profytable, for that is a good marke be∣twene Gods myracles and the deuylles wonders, for Chryst and his sayntes haue theyr myracles alwaye tendyng to fruite and profit, the Deuyll and his wit∣ches and Necromancer, all theyr wonderfull workes drawe to no fruteful ende, but to a fruitlesse ostentaciō, & shewe as it were a Iuggler that woulde for a shewe before the people, playe maystryes at a feaste.

Of the lawe of God you must drawe your reasons in shewing by the scripture that the thing which he we∣neth God by his Aungell byddeth, God hath his owne mouthe forbydden, and that is you wote wel in the case that we speake of, so easy to fynde, that I nede not to

rehearse it vnto you, syth there is playne among the .x commaundementes forbydden the vnlawfull killing of any man, and therefore of himselfe as. S. Austen sayeth, and all the churche teacheth, except hymselfe be no man.

Vincent.

This is very true good vncle, nor I will not dispute vpon any glosing of that prohibicion, but syth we fynde not the contrary but that god maye dyspence with that commaundemente himselfe, & both licence and commaunde also if him lust, any man to goe kil ei∣ther an other mā or himselfe eyther: thys mā y^t is now by suche a maruelouse vision induced to beleue y^t God so byddeth hym, & therefore thynketh himselfe in that case of that prohibicion discharged, and charged wyth the contrary commaundement: with what reason may we make hym perceiue that this vision is but an illu∣sion, and not a true reuelacion?

☞Anthony.

Naye Cosin Uincent, you shal not nede in this case to requier those reasons of me: but taking the Scripture of God for a grounde in thys matter, you knowe very well your selfe, you shall goe somewhat a shorter waye to worke if you aske this question of him, that sith god hath forbidden the thyng once hymselfe, though he maye dispence therewith if he will, yet s••th the deuill maye fayne himselfe god, and with a merue∣louse vision delude one, & make as though god did it, & syth the deuill also is more lykely to speake agaynste gods commaundement than god agaynst hys owne: you shall haue good cause I saye, to demaunde of the man hymselfe wherby he knoweth that his vision•• is gods true reuelacion, and not the deuils false delusiō.

☞Vincent.

In dede vncle I thinke that woulde be an hard question for him: maye a man haue vncle in such

a thinge, euen a very sure knowledge in his own mind?

☞Anthony.

Yea Cosyn, God maye caste in the mynde of a man I suppose, suche an inwarde lyghte and vnder∣standyng, that he cannot ••ayle but be sure therof. And yet h•• y^t is deluded by y^e deuill, maye thinke him selfe as sure & yet be deceiued in dede•• And suche a dyfference is there in a maner betwene them, as is betwene the sight of a thing while we be waking & loke theron, & the sight with which we see a thing in our slepe, while we dreame ••herof.

Vincent.

This is a preaty similitude vncle in this thinge, & than is it easy for y^e monke y^t we spake of, to declare howe he knoweth his vision for a true reuelacion, and not a false desusyon, if there be so greate dyfference betwene them.

☞Anthony.

Not so easy Cosin yet as you wene it were, for how can you proue vnto me that you be awake?

Vincent.

Mary lo: doe I not wagge my hand, shake my head, and stampewith my feete here in the ••••ore?

Anthony.

Haue you neuer dreamed ere this, that you haue done the same.

Vincent.

Yes y^t I haue, & more to than y^t, for I haue ere this in my slepe, dreamed that I doubted whyther I were awake or aslepe, and haue in good fayth thought that I dyd therupon euen y^e same thinges that I doe nowe in dede, & therby determined y^t I was not a slepe. And yet haue I dreamed in good fayth farther, that I haue been afterwarde at dyner, & there makinge merye with company, haue tolde y^e same dreame at y^e table & laughed wel therat, y^t while I was aslepe, I had by suche meanes of mouing y^e partes of my bodie, & cōsiderīg therof, so verely thought my selfe waking.

¶Anthony.

And wil you not nowe sone trowe you whan you wake & ryse, laugh as well at your selfe whā you see y^t you lye nowe in your warme bed aslepe agayn

and dreame all this tyme, while you wene so verely, that you be wakyng and talkyng of these matters with me.

☞Vincent.

Goddes lorde vncle, you goe nowe merely to worke with me in dede, when you loke and speake so sadly, and would make me wene I were aslepe.

☞Anthony.

It maye be that you bee so, for any thyng that you can saye or dooe, wherby you maye with any reasō that you can make, driue me to cōfesse that your selfe be sure of the contrary, syth you can doe nor saye nothing nowe, wherby you be sure to be waking, but that you haue ere this, or hereafter maye thinke youre selfe as surely to doe the selfe same thynges in dede, whyle you be all the while a slepe, and nothyng doe but lye dreaming.

☞Vincent.

Well well vncle, thoughe I haue ere thys thoughte my selfe awake, whyle I was in dede aslepe, yet for all thys I knowe wel inough that I am awake nowe, and so doe you to, thoughe I cannot fynde the woordes by which I maye with reason enforse you to confesse it, but that alwaye you may dryue me of by the sample of my dreame.

Antony.

Thys is Cosin as me semeth very true. and likewise semeth me the matter and difference be∣twene some kinde of true reuelacions, and some kinde of false illusions, as it standeth betwene the thynges that are done waking, and the thynges that in our dreames seme to be done whyle we be slepyng: that is to wete, that he which hath that kynde of reuelacion from god, is as sure of the trueth as we be of our owne dede whyle we be wakynge. And he y^t is illuded by the Deuyll, is in suche wyse deceyued, and worse to, than be they by theyr dreame, & yet reckoneth him self as sure for the tyme as the other, sauinge that the one falsely

weneth, and the other truely knowe••h: but I saye not Cosin y^t this kind of sure knowledge, cometh in euery kynd of reuelacion, for there are many kindes wherof were to long to talke nowe, but I say that God doeth, or may doe to man in some thing, certaynly send some such.

Vincent.

Yet than maye this religious man of whom we spake, when I shewe him the Scripture a∣gaynst his reuelacion, (and therfore cal it an illusyon,) bidde me with reason goe care for my selfe, for he kno∣weth well and surely hymselfe that his reuelacion is good and true, and not any false illusion, sith for al the generall commaundemente of god in the Scripture God maye dispence where he will, and whan he wyll, and maye commaunde him to doe the contrarie, as he commaunded Abraham to kil his owne sonne, and as Sampson had by inspiracion of God cōmaundement to kill himselfe with pulling downe the house on hys own head at the feast of y^e Philistines, now if I would doe than, as you bade me right now, goe tell hym that such apparycions were illusions, and sith that goddes worde is in the Scripture agaynst hym playne for the prohibicion: he must proue me the trueth of his reuela∣cion, wherby I may know that it is not a false illusiō. Than shal he aske me again wherby that I can proue my selfe to be awake and talke with him, and not to be aslepe and dreame so, syth in my dreame I maye as surely wene so, as I knowe that I doe so, and thus shall he dryue me to the same baye, to whiche I would bryng hym.

☞Anthony.

This is well sayed Cosin, but yet coulde he not scape you so, for the dispensacion of Goddes com∣mon precept, whiche dispensacion (he must saye that he hath by his reuelaciō) is a thing of such sort as sheweth

it selfe noughte & false: for it neuer hath had any sam∣ple lyke synce the worlde began tyll now, that any mā hath read or heard of among faythfull people commē∣ded. Firste in Abraham as touchyng the death of hys sonne, god entended it not•• but onely tempted the to∣wardnes of the fathers obedience. In Sampson all men make not the matter very sure, whether he be sa∣ued or not, but yet therin some matter & cause appea∣reth, for y^e Philistines beyng enemyes to god, & vsing Sampson for their mocking stocke, in scorne of God, it is well likely that God gaue hym the mynde to be∣s••owe hys own lyfe vpon the reuenging of the displea∣sure ••hat those blasphemous Philistines did vnto god, and that appeareth metely clerely by this, that though hys strength failed hym when he wanted his heere, yet had he not, as it semeth, that strength euermore at hād whyle he had hys heere but at suche tymes as it plea∣sed god to geue it hym•• which thyng appeareth by these wordes that the Scripture in some place of that mat∣ter sayeth. Ir••uit virtus dominni in Sampsonem. The power or myght of god russhed into Sampson, and so therfore whyle thys thyng that he dyd in the pullyng downe of the house, was done by the special gyfte of strength, thā at that point geuen hym by god it well declareth that the strength of god, and therwith the spirite of god en∣tred into him. Therfore. S. Aus••ē also rehearseth that certayne holy verteous virgins in tyme of persecuci∣on, beyng by gods enemies infidels pursued vpon to be de••••oured by force, ranne into a water and drouned themselfe rather than they would be bereued of theyr virginitie: and albeit y^t he thinketh that it is not lawful for any other mayde to folowe their sample, but rather suffer other to dooe her any maner violence by force,

and commit sinne of his own vpon her against her wil, than willingly, and therby synfully herselfe become an homicide of her selfe, yet he thinketh y^• in thē it happed by the speciall instincte of the spirite of god, that for causes sene vnto himselfe, would rather y^t they should auoide it with their own temporal death, than abyde the defyling and violacion of their chastitie. But now thys good man neyther ha••h any of goddes enemyes to be by hys owne death reuenged on, nor any womā that violentli pursue him by force to bereue him of his virginitie: nor neuer fynde we that god proued any mans obedient mynde by the commaundement of his owne slaughter of himselfe, therefore is his case both playne against gods open precept, and the dispensaciō straunge, and without sample no cause appearyng nor well imaginable: but if he would thynke that he coulde no lenger liue without him nor take him ••o him in such wyse as he doeth other men, but commaunde him to come by a forbyddē way, by which wi••hout o••her cause we neuer heard y^t he had any man before: now where you thinke that you should after this, bid hym tel you by what way he knoweth that his entente riseth vpon a true reuelation•• & not vpon a false illusion•• he would bid you than again tel him by what meanes you know that you bee talkyng with hym well wakyng, and not dreame it slepyng. You may tel hym agayn, that men thus talke together as you doe, and in suche maner of wyse they maye proue and perceyue that they so doe by the mouing of themselfe, and wyth putting the que∣stion therof vnto themselfe for their pleasure, and the markynge and consyderyng thereof, is in wakynge a daylye common thing that euery man dooeth or may doe whē he wyl: and whan they doe it, they doe it but

of pleasure, but in slepe it happeth very seld that men dreame that they so doe, nor in their dreame neuer put they question but for doubte, and therefore it is more reason, that whyle his reuelaciō is such also that hap∣peth so seld, and ofter happeth that mē dreame of such, than haue such in dede: therfore it is more reason you maye tell hym, that he shewe you in such a rare thyng, and a thing more lyke a dreame, that himselfe is not a∣slepe, than you in such a common thyng among folke that are waking, and so seldome happyng in a dreame, shoulde nede to shewe him wherby you know that you be not a slepe. Besides this, himself to whō you should shewe it, seeth and perceiueth the thyng that he would byd you proue, but the thing that he woulde make you beleue the trueth of, his reuelacion which you bid him proue, you see not he wotteth wel himselfe: and therfore ere you beleue it agaynst the Scripture, it were well consonante vnto reason that he shoulde shewe you wherby he knoweth it for a true waking reuelaciō, and not for a false dreamyng delusion.

Vincent.

Than shall he peraduenture saye to me agayne, that whether I beleue hym or no••, maketh hym no matter: the thyng toucheth hymselfe and not me, and himselfe is in himselfe as sure that it is a true reuelaciō, as that he can tel that he dreameth not, but talketh with me waking.

☞Antony.

Withoute doubte Cosin, if he abide at that poynt, and can be by no reason brought to doe so much as doubt, and can by no meanes be shugged out of his dead slepe, but will nedes take his dreame for a very trueth, and as some by night rise & walke aboute their chaumber in their slepe, wil so rise and hange himself: I can than no other wayes see, but eyther bynde hym

fast in hys bedde, or els assaye whether that myghte happe to helpe him, wyth which the cōmon tale goeth that a caruers wyfe in such a frantyque fantasy, holpe her husband, to whome when he tolde he woulde vpon a good fryday nedes haue killed him selfe for Christes sake, as Christe was killed for him, she would not in vayn•• pleade against his minde, but well and wyselye put him in remembraunce, that if he woulde dye for Christe as Christe dyed for hym, it were then conueni∣ent for him to dye euen after the same fashion, and y^t might not be by hys owne handes, but by the hand of some other: for Christe pardye killed not him selfe, and because her husband shoulde nede to make no moe of∣counsayle (for that he woulde not in no wyse) she of¦fred him that for goddes sake she woulde secretly her selfe crucifye him on a great crosse, that he had made to nayle a great crucifixe vpon, wherof when he was verye glad, yet she bethoughte her that Chryste was bounde to a pyller and beaten fyrste, and after crow∣ned wyth thorne, wherupon when she hadde by hys owne assente bounde hym fast to a poste, she lefte not beatyng wyth holye exhortacion to suffer so muche and so longe, that or euer she lefte worke and vn∣bounde hym, praying him neuerthelesse y^t she myghte put on his head, and dryue it well down, a crowne of thorne that she had wrythē for him, and brought hym: he said he thought that was inough for that yere, he woulde praye GOD to forbeare him of the remnaunt ••yl good friday come againe. But whē it came againe the next ye••e, than was his lus••e paste, he longed to folowe Chryste no far••her.

Vincent.

In dede vncle if this helpe him not, than wyl nothing helpe him I trowe.

Antony.

And yet Cosin, paraduenture the deuill might make him towarde suche a purpose first gladly firste suffer other payne, and minishe hys feeling to therin, that he maye therby y^e lesse feare hys death, & yet are peraduenture somtime suche thinges & many moe to be assaide. For as y^e deuil may hap to make him suffer, so maye he hap to misse, namely if his frēdes fal to praier against his tēptaciō, for y^t can him self neuer do, while he taketh it for none. But for conclusion, if y^e man be surely proued, & so inflexibly set vpon the pur∣pose to destroye hym selfe, as commaūded thereto by god, that no good counsaile that mē can geue him, nor any other thing that men maye doe to hym, can re∣fraine him, but that he would shortly kyl him selfe, thā except onely good prayer made by his frendes for him, I can fynde no farther shifte•• but euer haue him in sighte, or binde him fast in hys bedde. And so mu••••e he nedes of reason be cōtent so to be ordered, for though him selfe take his fātasye for a true reuelaciō, yet syth he can not make vs perceyue it for suche, like wyse as he thinketh him selfe by his secret commaundement bounden to folowe it, so must he nedes agree, that sith it is against the playn prohibicion of god, we be by the playne open precept bound to kepe him from it.

Vincent.

In this point vncle I can goe no farther: but nowe if he were on y^e other side perceiued to mind his distruc∣ciō, & to goe there about w^t heauines of heart, thought & dulnes, what way wer there to be vsed with him thē?

¶Anthony.

Then were his tēptacion as I tolde you be∣fore, properly pertaynyng to our matter, for than were he in a sore tribulacion, & a verye peryllous, for than were it a tokē y^t the deuil had eyther by bringing hym into some great sinne, broughte him into dispayre, or peraduenture his reuelaciōs foundē false & reproued,

or by some secret sinne of his diuulged and deprehen∣ded cast him both in dispayre of heauen thorowe feare, and in a wearines of this life for shame, sith he seeth his estimaciō lost amōg other folke, of whose praise he was wont to be proude: & therefore Cosin, in such case as thys is, the man is to be fayre handled and swetely, and wyth dowce and tender louing wordes to be put in good courage, & comforted in al that mē godly may. And here must they put hym in mynde, that if he dys∣payre not, but pull vp his courage, and trust in goddes great mercye, he shall haue in conclusion great cause to be glad of this fal, for before he stoode in greater perill then he was ware of, while he tooke him selfe for better thā he was, and god for ••auour that he bare him hath suffered hym to fall depe into the Deuills ••aunger, to make hym therby knowe what he was, while he tooke him selfe for so sure, and therfore as he suffered hym than to fall for a remedye against ouer boulde pride, so wyl god nowe (if the man meken hym selfe•• not wyth vnfrutefull dyspayre, but w^t frutefull penaūce) so set him vp againe vpō his fete, & so streng∣then hym wyth his grace, y^t for this one fal y^t the deuill hath geuen him, he shal geue the deuil an hundreth. And here must he be put in remembraunce of Marye Magdalene, of the prophet Dauid, and specyally of Saint Peter, whose high bolde courage tooke a foule fall, and yet because he dispayred not of gods mercye. but wept and called vpon it, howe highly God tooke him into his fauour again, in his holy scripture is wel testified & wel through christēdome knowē: & now shal it be charitably done, if some good verteous folke suche as him selfe somewhat estemeth, and hath afore longed to stande in estimacion wyth, doe resorte some tyme vnto hym, not onelye to geue hym counsayle,

But also to aske aduise and counsayle of him, in some cases of their owne conscience•• to let him thereby per∣ceiue that they no lesse esteme him nowe, but rather more than they dyd before, sith they thinke him nowe by this fal better expert of the deuilles craft, and ther∣by not onely better instructed him self but also better able to geue good counsaile and aduise to other. This thing wyll in my minde, wel amende and lifte vp hys courage from the perel of that desperate shame.

☞Vincent.

Me thinketh vncle that thys were a peri∣lous thing. For it may peraduenture make him sette the lesse by his fall, and therby cast hym into his fyrste pride, or into hys other sinne againe: the falling wher∣unto draue him into this dispayre.

☞Antony.

I doe not meane Cosin, that euerye foole should at aduenture fall in hand wyth him, for so loe might it happe for to doe harme in dede. But Cosin, if a cunning Phisicion haue a man in hand, he can wel disserne whan and howe longe some medicine is ne∣cessarye, whych at an other tyme mynistred or at that tyme ouerlonge continued might put the pacyent in peryl, for if he haue his pacient in an agewe, to y^e cure wherof he nedeth his medicines in theyr workīg, cold: yet if he happe ere that feuer be full cured to fall into some such other dysease, as except it were holpen with hote medicines, were lykely to kyll the bodye before the feuer coulde be cured, he woulde for the while haue his most care to the cure of y^t thing wherin were most present peril, & whan y^t were once out of ieopardye, doe than y^e more except diligence after, about y^e farther cure of the feuer. And likewise, if y^e ship were in perill to fall into Scilla, y^e feare of falling into Charibdys, on the other side, shall neuer let any wyse mayster

therof, to drawe him frō Scilla towarde Charibdys first of al, in al y^t euer he may. But when he hath hym once so farre frō Scylla, y^t he seeth him selfe out of y^t daunger, thē wil he begin to take hede to kepe him wel frō y^e other: & likewise whē this mā is falling downe to dyspayre & to y^e final distrucciō of hym selfe, a good wise spiritual leache wil first looke vnto y^t, & by good comfort lifte vp his courage, & when he seeth y^t perill wel past, care for y^e cure of his other faultes after: how∣beit, euen in y^e geuing of his cōfort, he may find waies inough in such wise to tēpre his wordes, y^t the mā may take occasiō of good courage, & yet farre from occasiō geuing, of more recidiuaciō into his former sinne, sith y^e great part of his coūsaile shal be to courage him to a∣mēdmēt, & that is pardy farre frō falling to sin again.

☞Vincent.

I thinke Uncle that folke fall into this vn∣gracious minde throwe the deuilles temptaciō by ma∣ny moe meanes than one.

Antony.

That is Cosin very true, for the deuill ta∣keth his occasions as he seeth them fal meete for him. Some he stirreth to it through werynes of them selfe after some great losse, some for feare of bodely harme, and some as I saide, for feare of worldly shame. One wyst I my selfe which had beene longe reputed for an honest man, which was fallen in such a fantasye, that he was welnere worne awaye therwith: but what he was tempted to doe, y^t would he tel no man, but he told vnto me y^t he was sore combred, & that it alway ran in his mind y^t folkes fātasies were fallen frō him, and y^t they estemed not his wit as they were wont to doe, but euer his mynde gaue him that the people begā to take him for a foole, & folke of trouth did no thing so at all, but reputed him both for wise and honest. Two other

knewe I that were marueilouslye afrayde that they should kyll them selfe, & coulde tel me no cause wher∣fore they so feared it, but onely that theyr owne mynd so gaue them, neyther losse had they anye•• nor no such thing toward them, nor none occasion of any worlde∣ly shame, the one in bodye very well liking and lussy, & wonderous wearye were they bothe twayne of that mynde, and alwaye they thought y^t doe it they woulde not for no thing, but neuerthelesse they euer feared they shoulde, and wherefore they so both feared, ney∣ther of them both could tell, & the one le••t he shoulde doe it, desyred is frendes to binde him.

¶Vincent.

This is vncle a meruelouse straūge maner.

☞Antony.

Forsoth Cosin I suppose that many of thē are in this case the deuill as I sayde before seketh his occasions. For as. S. Peter sayth, Diabolus tanquam leo ru∣gens circuit querens quem deuoret. The deuil as a roaring Lyon goeth about seking whome he maye deu••ure. He mar∣keth well the state and the condicion that euerye man s••andeth in, not onely concerninge these outwarde thinges, as lādes, possessiōs, goodes, autoritie, fame, fauour or hatred of the worlde, but also mennes com∣plexcions within them, as helth, or sicknes, good hu∣mors or badde, by whych they be lyght harted or lum∣pyshe, stronge harted or faynt, or fieble of spiryte, bold, hardye or tymerouse, & feareful of courage, & after as these thinges minister him matter of tētaciō, so vseth he him selfe in the maner of his temptacion.

Nowe likewise as in such folke that are full of yong warme lustie bloud, & other humors exciting the fleshe to filthy voluptuouse liuing, the deuill vseth to make those thinges his instrumētes in tempting them & in prouoking thē therūto: & where he findeth some folke ful of hote bloud & coler, he maketh those humors hys

instrumētes to set their hartes on fyre, in wrath & ve∣ry fierce furious angre, so where he findeth some folk which thorow some dul melancoliouse humors are na∣turally disposed to feare, he casteth sometime suche a feareful imaginacion in their minde, y^t without helps of god they can neuer cast it out of theyr heartes. Some at the sodain fall of some horrible thought in∣to ther mind, haue not onely had a great abhominaciō therat (which abhominacion they we••l and verteous∣ly had therat) but the deuil vsing theyr melancolious humor (& therby theyr natural inclinaciō to feare) for his instrumente, hath caused thē to conceyue there w^t such a depe drede beside, y^t thei wene thēself w^t that ab∣hominable thought, to be fallen into such an outragi∣ous sinne, y^t thei be ready to fal into despayre of grace, wening y^t god hath geuē them ouer for euer, whereas that thought (were it neuer so horrible & so abhomi∣nable) is yet vnto them y^t neuer lyke it, but euer styll abhorre it & striue stil there against, matter of cōflict & me••ite, & not any sine at al. Some haue with holding a knyfe in their hand••s, thought sodeynlye vpon the killing of thēselfe, & forthw^t in deuising what an hor∣rible thing it wer if they should mishap so to doe, haue fallē into a feare y^t they should so do in dede, & haue w^t oftē thinking theron, imprinted y^t feare so sore in their imagin••ciō y^t some of them haue not ca••••e it of w^tout greate difficulty, and some could neuer in their life be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ridde therof but haue after in cōclusiō miserably doone it in dede: but likwise as where the deuill vse••h the bloud of a mannes bodye towarde hys purpose in prouoking to leacherye, the man muste and doeth with gra••e and wysedome resyste it, so muste that man doe whose melancolyous humors y^• deuyl abuseth to∣ward

y^• casting of such a desperate dread into his hart.

Vincent.

But I praye you vncle, what aduice were to be geuē him in such case?

Anthony.

Surely me thinketh hys helpe standeth in two thinges, counsayle & prayer. First as cōcerning coūsayle, likewise as it may be y^t he hath two thynges y^t hold hym in hys tēptacion, y^t is to wete, some euyl humors of his owne body, & the cursed deuill y^t abuseth thē to his pernicious purpose, so must he nede against thē twaine, y^e coūsaile of two maner of folke: y^t is to wete, phisiciōs for y^e bodye, & phisiciōs for y^e soule: y^e bodyly phisiciō shal cōsider what aboūdance y^• man hath of those euil humors y^t the deuil maketh his instrumētes of, in mouing y^e mā toward y^e feareful af∣feccion, & aswel by dyet conuenēt, & medicines mete therefore, to resyst them, as by purgacions to disbur∣daine the bodye of thē, nor let no mā thinke straūge y^t I would aduise a man to take counsayle of a phisiciō for the bodye in suche a spirituall passion. For syth y^e soule and the body be so knytte and ioyned together, that they both make betwene them one person, the dis∣temperaunce of either other engendreth sumtime the distemperaunce of both twaine. And therfore, like as I would aduise euery mā in euery sicknes of y^e bodye to be shriuen and seke a good sprituall phisiciō y^e sure helth of his soule, which shal not onely serue againste perel y^t may peraduēture farther growe by y^t sicknes, thā in y^e beginning mē would wene were likely: but y^e cōfort therof & gods fauour encreasing there w^t, shall also doe y^e body good for which cause y^e blessed Apo••••le exorteth mē y^t they should in their bodilye sicknes, in∣duce y^e priestes, & sayth y^t it should doe thē good both in body & soule, so woulde I sumtime aduise some mē in some sicknes of y^e soule, beside their spiritual leach, take

also some counsaile of the phisiciō for the body. Some that are wretchedly disposed, and yet long to be more viciouse than they be, goe to phisicions and poticaries, and enquire what thynges maye serue to make them more lusty to their foule ••••eshely delite: and were it thā any foly vpon the other side, if he that feleth hymselfe against his will muche moued vnto suche vnclennes, should enquire of the phisicion what thinges without minishing of his health, were meete for y^e minishmēt of such foule fleshely mocion? Of spirituall counsaile, the first is to be shriuen, that by reason of hys other synnes the deuill haue not the more power vpon hym.

Vincent.

I haue heard some saye vncle, that when suche folke haue been at shryft, their temptacion hath been more brymme vpon them than it was before.

Antony.

That thynke I very well, but that is a speciall token that shrifte is holesome for them, whyle the deuill is with that most wroth. You fynde in some places of the gospell, that the deuill (the parson whom he possessed) dyd most trouble when he saw that Christ would cast hym out, we must els let the deuil doe what he wyll, if we feare his anger, for with euerye good dede he wyl waxe angrie: than is it in hys shryft to be shewed hym, that he not onely feareth more than he nedeth, but also feareth where he nedeth not, and ouer that is sorye of that thing wherof (but if he wyll wyl∣lyngly turne hys good into his harme) he hath more cause to be glad. First if he haue cause to feare, yet fea∣reth he more than he nedeth, for there is no deuil so diligent to destroy hym. as god is to preserue him, nor no deuil so nere him to doe him harme, as god is to doe hym good: nor all the deuils in hel so strong to inuade hym and assaulte hym, as god is to defende hym, if he

distrust him not, but faythfully put his trust in hym. He feareth also where he nedeth not: for where he dredeth that he were out of goddes fauoure, because such hor∣rible thoughtes fall into hys mynde, let hym consider, that syth they fal into hys mynde agaynst hys wil, they be therfore not imputed vnto hym. He is finally sadde of y^t he maye be glad: for sith he taketh such though••es displeasauntly, and striueth and fighteth agaynst thē, he hath therby a good token y^t he is in goddes fauour, and that god assisteth hym and helpeth hym, and maye make himselfe sure, that so wil god neuer cease to doe, but if himselfe fayle and fall from hym fyrst: and ouer that, this conflict y^t he hath against his temptaciō, shall (if he will not fall where he nedeth not) be an occasion of his merite, and a right great reward in heauen: and the payne that he taketh therin, shall for so muche (as Master Gerson well sheweth) stande hym in steade of hys purgatory. The maner of the fight agaynste thys temptaciō, must stand in three thynges: that is to wete, in resisting, and in contemning, and in the inuocaci∣on of helpe: resist must a man for his own parte by rea∣son, consyderyng what a foly it were to fall where he nedeth not, whyle he is not dryuen to it in aduoidyng of any other payne, or in hope of winning any maner o•• pleasure: but contrariwise should by that payne, lese euerlastyng blisse, and fall into euerlasting paine, and if it were in auoyding of other great payne, yet coulde he voyde none so great therby, as he shoulde therby fal into. He must also consider, that a greate parte of thys temptacion is in effecte, but the feare of hys own fan∣tasy, the dreade that he hath lest he shall once be driuē to it, which thing he may be sure y^t, but if himselfe wyll of his own foly, al the deuils in hel can neuer driue him

to•• but his own folishe imaginacion maye: For lyke as some man going ouer an high brydge, waxeth so fraide thorowe hys own fantasy, that he falleth down in dede which were els able inough to passe ouer without any daunger: and as some men shall vpon suche a brydge, if folke cal vpon him, you fall, you fall fall with y^e fan∣tasy that he taketh therof, which bridge if folke looked merely vpon hym, and sayd, there is no daunger ther∣in, he would passe ouer well inough, and would not let to runne therō though it were but a fote brode. Thus fare••h it in this temptacion, the deuil findeth the man of hys own fonde fantasy afraide, and than cryeth he in the eare of hys hearte, thou fallest thou fallest, and maketh the ••onde man afrayde that he shoulde at eue∣ry fote fall in dede, and the deuil so wearieth hym with that continuall feare (if he geue the care of hys hearte vnto hym) that at the last he draweth hys mynde from the due remembraunce of god, and than driueth him to that deadli mischief in dede. Therefore, like as against the vice of the fleshe, y^e victory stādeth not al whole in the fight, but also some tyme in the flight, sauing that it is in dede the parte of a wyse warriours fyghte, to flie from hys enemyes traynes, so must a man in thys temptacion to, not onely resist it alwaye wyth reaso∣ning there agaynst, but some time set it cleane at right naught, and cast it of when it cometh, and not once re∣garde it, so muche as vouchesafe to thynke thereon. Some folke haue been clearely rydde of such pestilent fantasyes with very full contempt thereof, makyng a crosse vpō their heartes bydding y^• deuil auaunte, and some tyme laugh him to scorne to, & than turne theyr mynd vnto some other matter, and whē the deuil hath sene y^t they haue set so litle by hym, after many assayes

made in suche tymes as he thought most mete, he hath geuen that temptaciō quite ouer, both for that y^e proud spirite cannot indure to be mocked, and also lest with much tempting the man to the same, whereunto he could not in conclusion bryng him, he shoulde muche therby encrease hys merite: the finall fight is by inuo∣cacion of god, both by praying for himself, and desiring other also to praye for hym, both poore folke for his al∣mose, & other for their charitie, specially good priestes in that holy sacred seruice of the masse, and not onely them, but also his owne good aungels, and other holye saintes, such as his deuocion standeth specially vnto. And if he be learned, let him vse the Letanie with the holy suffrages that folowe, whiche is a prayer in the churche of maruelouse olde antiquitie, not made firste as some wene it were by that holy man. S. Gregory, whiche opinion rose of that, that in the tyme of a great pes••ilence in Rome, he caused the whole citie to goe in solemne prosessiō therwith, but it was in vse in the churche many yeres before. S. Gregoryes dayes, as wel appereth by the bookes of other olde holy doctors and sainctes that were dead hundrethes of yeares be∣fore. S. Gregory was borne. And holy. S. Barnard geueth counsayle that euery man shoulde make sute to aungels and saynctes to pray for hym to god in the thynges that he woulde haue sped at hys holy hande, if any man will sticke at that, and saye it nedes not, be∣cause god can heare vs hymselfe, and wil also say, that it is perilous so to doe, because they saye we be not so counsayled by no Scripture, I will not dispute the matter here, he that wyll not doe it, I lette hym not to leaue it vndone: but yet for myne own part I wyll as wel trust to the counsaile of. S. Barnarde, and reckē

hym for as good and as wel learned in y^e holy Scrip∣ture, as any man that I heare say the cōtrary, and bet∣ter dare I ieopard my soule with the soule of Sainct Barnarde, than with his that findeth that fault in his doctryne: vnto god himselfe euery man counsayleth to haue recourse aboue all, and in this temptacion to haue speciall remembraunce of Christes passion, and praye hym for the honor of his death, the grounde of mans saluacion, to kepe the parson thus tempted from that dānable death: special vearsis may there be drawē out of the Psalter against the deuils wycked temptaci∣ons, as for example. Exurgat deus & dissipentur inimici eius. & fugi∣ant qui oderunt eum a facie eius: and many other whiche are in such hor••ible temptacion to god most pleasaunte, & to the deuil very terrible, but none more terrible, nor none more odious to the deuill, than the wordes with which oure sauiour draue hym awaye himselfe. Vade Sathana, nor no praier more acceptable vnto god, nor more effectual for y^• matter, than those wordes which our sauiour hath taught himselfe. Ne nos inducas in temptationem, sed libera nos a malo. And I doubt not by gods grace, but he that in suche a temptacion wil vse good counsayle and prayer, & kepe himself in good verteous busines and good vert••ous company, & abyde in y^• faithful hope of gods helpe, shal haue y^e trueth of god (as the Prophet saith in y^e vearse afore rehearsed) so compasse hym aboute with a pauice, that he shall not nede to dreade this nightes feare of thys wicked temptaciō: & thus wyl I finishe this piece of y^e nightes feare, and glad am I that we be passed it, and come once vnto the daye to those other woordes of the Prophet, A sagitta volante in die, for me thinketh I haue made it a long night.