Phisicke against fortune, aswell prosperous, as aduerse conteyned in two bookes. Whereby men are instructed, with lyke indifferencie to remedie theyr affections, aswell in tyme of the bryght shynyng sunne of prosperitie, as also of the foule lowryng stormes of aduersitie. Expedient for all men, but most necessary for such as be subiect to any notable insult of eyther extremitie. Written in Latine by Frauncis Petrarch, a most famous poet, and oratour. And now first Englished by Thomas Twyne.

Of one that dyeth in Sinne. The .Cxxvj. Dialogue.

SOROWE.

I Oye in sinne.

Reason.

This is neyther Natures, nor Fortunes, but thyne owne fault.

Sorowe.

I dye in sinne.

Reason.

Fyrst, who enforced thee to commit sinne? And next, who forbydde thee to bewayle it when it was committed? And last of all, who letteth thee from repentyng, though it be late fyrst? For vnto the last gaspe the spirite and minde is free.

Sorowe.

Whyles I am dying, I carrie my sinnes with mee.

Reason.

Beware thou doo not so: lay downe that venemous and deadly car∣riage, whyle thou hast tyme, and there is one that wyll take it away and blotte it out, accordyng as it is written, and wyll cast it behynde his backe into the bottome of the Sea, and wyll abandon it as farre from thee, as the East is di∣stant from the West. If thou neglect this houre, when it is once past it wyll neuer returne agayne. Whith qualitie, although it be common to all houres, that alwayes they passe away and neuer returne, yet many tymes that which hath been omitted in one houre, may be perhappes recouered in another: but yet the neglectyng of the last houre of a mans lyfe

is irrecurable. And therefore, as some report it to be found in the secret disputations of the soule, the errours of this lyfe, are as it were softe falles vpon the playne grounde, after which, a man may soone ryse vp agayne: but the sinne vnto death, is compared vnto a greeuous fall from some hygh and craggie place, after which, it is not possible to aryse any more, the hurt therein taken is so great, that it can not be salued. Wherefore, helpe thy selfe nowe whyle thou mayest, and call to remembraunce, not onely what your owne writers say, but also what Cicero counselleth, who in his woorke de Diuina∣tione, of Diuination, disputing of those that are dying: Doo thou cheefely, quod he, studie to winne commendation, and thynke that they which haue lyued otherwyse then they ought, doo most bitter∣ly repent them of their sinnes. What, I pray thee, coulde be vtte∣red by any man more religiously or profitably, yf so be that be followed which is commaunded, and thou repent thee, though it be late fyrst? A difficult and dangerous matter it is truely to deferre the tyme, which hath deceyued very many, who wit∣tingly and willingly put of the clensing of their soules, which can not be doone too speedily, from day to day, and alwayes ad∣iourne it vnto their latter tyme, in which beyng suddenly ta∣ken short, and amazed with the neerenesse of death, they leaue all vndoone whatsoeuer they determined. Concernyng which matter, forasmuche as your writers haue sayde very muche, it shall not be impertinent to heare what the Poet Virgil sayeth, who is an externall witnesse, with what woordes he reprooueth this slouthfulnesse and negligence in repentance, which to come foorth of his mouth is woonderfull, whereas among the infernal Spirites he bryngeth in hym to be a Iudge, whose vpryghtnesse and equitie is verie famous. Who, as he sayeth, Examineth the Ghostes, and punisheth them, and constray∣neth them to confesse their deceiptes: and also if there be any such, that whyle they lyued vpon the earth, reioyced in vaine thefte, & dif∣ferred to repent them thereof vntil they dyed, which was too late. And albeit this be so dangerous as I haue declared, notwithstanding there is nothing more perilous then Despaire, neither hath y^e eni∣mie of your saluation founde out any thing more hurtfull to your

good estate. For al other mischeefes are asswaged by their pecu∣liar remedies, but of al eulles this is the greatest and last of all, whiche yf it take holde of the soule when it is departyng, then is there no place left for recouerie. The same therefore alwayes, but specially in the ende, ought most earnestly be resisted, for that then it vseth to vrge most sharpely. And nowe there is no tyme left for thee, wherein by staggeryng or trifling thou reiect whole∣some counsel concernyng thy saluation. From this let no feare dryue thee, nor the shame and sorowe of differringe withholde thee: it is better to awake late at nyght, then not at al, and what soeuer is ill differed, is woorse omitted.

Sorowe.

I dye with∣out al hope.

Reason.

Thou sayest yll: rather plucke vp hope agayne, and lay it to thy hart, and embrace it, coll it, and keepe it with the armes of thy soule.

Sorowe.

My sinne is exceedyng great.

Reason.

N••mans sinne can be so great, but Gods mercie is muche greater.

Sorow.

Who is able to forgeue so many sinnes?

Reason.

Who thinkest thou, but he onely, at whom his enimies woonderyng, contended among themselues and demaunded: Who is this that forgeueth sinnes also?

Sorow.

Who is able to merite forgeuenesse of so great sinnes?

Reason.

None truely can deserue, nor neuer deserued: neuerthelesse it hath freely been geuen to many, and shalbe geuen hereafter, so that it be craued by fayth and reuerence. There were some that went about to perswade Constantinus the Emperour, that there was no forgiuenesse of great sinnes. But that this doctrine is false, it appeareth not onely by your wryters, among whom the re∣mission of sinnes by baptisme and repentance is wel knowen. but also the lyke report, though false, was amonge the Pagans: towardes the curyng of whose diseases that medicine was then without effect, for that the heauenly Phisition was not yet come. And therefore, vnlesse the soule coulde haue been clensed from sinne, and the iniquitie thereof washed away, that same most greeuous sinner at the first, and afterward most gooly man, had prayed ful oft in vayne.

Sorow.

The remem∣brance of my sinne, cutteth of my hope.

Reason.

The remem∣brance of sinne ought to bryng sorowe and repentance into the mynde, but not take away hope. But ye are to muche in extre∣mities

on al sides: In sinne burnyng, after sinne key colde: In sinning ye reioyce, and in remembryng sinne ye despayre. Many euerywhere offend in hope of pardon, and on the otherside, not fewe when they haue sinned despayre of forgiuenesse, and both fortes are deceiued. And I woulde geue them counsel, for the first sort at the begynnyng to abandon that hurtful hope, and for the second to reteine fruitefull assurednesse.

Sorowe.

Death dryueth me foorth headlong that am laden with sinnes: what shal I do?

Reason.

What other then that whiche thou shouldest haue done ere this? That is to say, with speede laye downe thine vnhap∣pie burden, whereof beyng lyghtened thou shalt goe playnely, and not runne headlong. Thou shalt goe, I say, not stouping nor stum∣blyng, but with vpryght and steadie steppes, and a good hope. Goe to then, deferre no longer tyme, nor distrust not: for there is one yf thou do hartily entreathym, that wyl take it from thy shoul∣ders, and hath taken away heauier then this, vnto whom there is nothyng heauie nor difficult. And although that long delay do want excuse, yet late amendement deserueth commendation, for that it is better to amend late then neuer. Be of good cheare, and plucke vp thy hart: a fewe godly and feruent teares haue called many backe euen from hel gates. He standeth freendly at thy beddes heade, who not onely answeared the infected that he would clense hym, but also commaunded hym that had been buried foure dayes, to ryse out of his graue. And nowe lykewyse he atten∣deth to see, yf thou wylt be cleered and raysed vp agayne, be∣yng as louing and mercyfull at this present as he was then, and also as myghtie as euer he was. It lyeth yet in thy pow∣er in what state thou wylt dye, thou mayest yet depart with∣out sinne, not that thou haddest none, but that henceforward it shal not be imputed vnto thee. And although that Plinius the younger holde opinion, that ouer sinnes that are past, God hath no power at all, but onely to make them be forgotten: neuerthelesse he hath also the myght to take them a way, whiche that most curious man dyd not perceyue. And there∣fore, although that whiche is done cannot be vndone agayne, neuerthelesse the sinne that sprang by the doyng may be in suche sort taken away, that it remayne no longer, so that it come

to passe accordyng as it is wrytten: Sinne shalbe sought for. and not be founde. Not that the power of man is suche, that he can lose hymselfe from the bandes of sinne, but in that vnto the godly, and wel disposed wyl of man, and his coutrite heart, the present asistance of God is neuer wanting.