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NOwe wolde I wryt a lytell lesson / taken out of a lerned auctoure: vnto suche {per}sones as ben :: :: spotten and done continue theyr beestly appe∣tite / whether they be seculer / or (as god forbede) per¦sones religious.* 1.1 Fyrst euery persone must remēbre that the beestly synne of the body called cōmunely
lichery: contrarie vnto chastite: is the fyrst synne yt doth moue man growing out of chyldhed / whether they be wyse / wytty / or innocentes / ydiotes or foles This pestilence doth folowe euery {per}sone & cleueth or stycketh fast vnto the flesshe / so yt no {per}sone dothe passe vnassayled & vexed therwt / it is therfore moste vsed / & moste of all other synnes: dothe brynge man vnto mischefe & destruccion. So that this synne: is moste ieopardous & perilous / & therfore: had nede of more study & diligence. Wherfore / let the persone prycked with ye fyry poysoned dart of deth: Thynk fyrste (althoughe there were no god / ne any ioye or payne) how vnclene / howe fylthy / howe stynkyng / howe beestly ye synne is / & howe moch contrarie vn¦to the honeste / & specially vnto ye dignite of mannes soule: made vnto the ymage of god: redemed and bought: by the passion & deth of our sauiour Iesu / washed / clensed / & made bryght & beautious: in his most precious blode: nowe agayne: for so false a fla¦terous pleasure: to be rendred and made like vnto bestes / vnto swyne / vnto gotes / vnto dogges & cat∣tes / and if there by any beest more brute. And yet to say trouth to be made: vnder the state / and wors•• and more lowe in degre: than any beest / subiecte to fendes / that were ordened and made to be accompa¦nied as felowes vnto Angelles / & partakers of the hyghe diuinite of god. Let him thā remēbre howe short tyme this pleasure indureth / & yet for ye tyme: howe vyle / how lothely / howe basheful / & shameful it is. So that ye self doers: wold be ashamed to be sene to be herde / or to be knowen. And yet where it semeth pleasure: it is in it selfe: a payne and passion And that can the selfe persones experte: iuge / and
approue for trouth / wormouth / and nat hony / aloes and nat licoriee or sugre. And on the contrarie part let hym remēbre: howe noble a thynge his soule is / howe holy his body shulde be / the membres wherof the holy / ghost hath oftymes vsed. What a myschefe and cowardnes of herte / lacke of grace / and al good¦nes / is it than: for so lytell / so short / and so vyle / a ty∣clynge / & mouyng of fraylyte: to defoule that beau¦tious soule / and to make the body / that Christ hym selfe dyd consecrate by his precious blode: suspende and cursed? Let hym also recount: what a felyshype of fendly synnes: that swete poysō of vnclēnes doth gether and brynge to gether into his soule. Fyrst to begynne at the lowest: it sharpulethe / and waste the his temporall goodes and landes / and hathe made many ryche / and great men of landes and honour / worse than beggers / caused many to stele / robbe / & sle. And seconde as vnto the body: hathe therby ben put vnto laboures otherwise intollerable: as way∣chynge / wakynge / fastynge / rydynge / goynge / by nyght and by daye / in hete and colde / frost & snowe / hayle and rayne. And many tymes in ieoparty of lyfe / and all for the fylthy and swynishe synne of the body. And therby also hathe the body bene wasted / brought out of all fashon vnto great deformite and feblenes. And vnto diseases and sekenes vncurable as the frenche pockes / and diuerse maners of lepre∣nes / and variaūt pestilences / defaded / and wasted the floure of yonge age / & made the persones (longe byfore theyr tyme) olde / and so made the lusty youthe: sekefull and odious / and theyr age miserable and slouthsome.
Enchirid, Erasmi.