Here begynneth the boke called the Pype, or tonne, of the lyfe of perfection The reason or cause wherof dothe playnely appere in the processe.

¶That this synne shulde also be left by the circum¦staunces of the selfe persone well considred. The .xxiiii. Chapitre.

MAny circumstaūces also of the selfe per¦sone / shulde reasonably withdrawe y^e beestly lyfe. Fyrste if he were a preest / or yet a religious persone / man or wo∣man / vnto whome we done here princi¦pally w••yte: they shulde remembre / howe they bene holly consecrate vnto oure lorde god / and vnto his diuine seruice / and therfore done more often appro∣che vnto the holy sacramentes / than done other pro¦phane and lay persones. Let them than considre / howe vnaccordynge / howe vncōmely / howe vnby∣semynge / or rather / howe abhominable a presump∣cion it is / with the same selfe mouthe: to receyue the the blessed body and holy sacred blode of our lorde / & to kysse & lycke: that lothely stynckyng scort & vn∣clene persone. Or yet to handle or touche in like ma¦ner. Howe moche different it is / to be one body and one spirite w^t god / & one body: w^t y^e stynckyng scorte & strūpet. If y^e {per}sone were lerned y^e soule ī so moche is more lyke vnto our lorde god / and so moche is it more contumely & rebuke vnto hī. If y^e {per}sone be no¦ble

of byrthe or estate: So moche is the offēce more open and ••launderous / and so the synne more great and greuous. If the persones were maried: let thē considre: howe honeste / howe honorable the state is of matrimonie / truely kepte / without violacion or defouiyng. And howe it doth signifie and betoken: the coniuction / and mariage of our sauiour Christ Iesu and holy churche. The purite & clennes wher¦of: all christianes: shulde (as moche as were possi∣ble) folowe and indeuoyre to kepe. That is to saye to be without vnclennes (as ferre as mannes dili∣gence maye auoyde) vsed euer with reuerence and dred of god / and yet to be in fru••e and chyldren / plen¦tuous. For it is alway lothsome / and inconuenient that any christiane in any state of this lyfe: shuld be gyuen or applied purposely: vnto any fylthy volup¦tuous pleasure. Considre nowe and loke farther / if this vnclene lyuer / be a yonge {per}sone. Howe moche damage it is: to lose & destroye the floure of youthe that neuer can be recouered ne restored agayne. And in so stynckynge and beestly lyuyng: to spende and destroye his best yeres / his very golden / ryche and noble yeres / that sone done passe / & neuer maye retourne. And yet ouer that: to cōmitte and do by wanton ignoraunce of age: that thyng: that shall e∣uer more in his lyfe: grudge the consciēce. And that shall cause in his soule and mynde: most bytter pric¦kes / and poysoned stynges of remors. Whiche that short steyng pleasure (by that wyked and vnhappy fylthynes) left behynde. If the persone be female / a woman: nothyng dothe more bycōme that sexe and kynde: than clennes and chastite / ne any thyng in a woman: can be more shamefull: than that abhomi∣nable

misuse of the body. If he were a man of full age and {per}fection: So moche the more it bycōmeth hym to playe the very man of grauite and sadnes / & nat the chylde of wanton lyghtnes. And if this pe∣stilence were in aged persones: men or women: Let them wyshe for better eyes or more clere syght / that they myght se and perceyue: howe yuell that foly be cōmeth that age / whiche foly in yonge persones: is to be weyled of all persones / and to be restreined by counsayle / or correction. But in aged persones: to be wondred and abhorred / whome also the selfe vn∣clene lyuers: done mocke & laghe to scorne. For a∣monge all y^e monsters of the worlde: none is more wonderfull: more mocked / ne more abhorred and lo¦thed: thā the olde lecher. O (saye the people) se this olde cryple / this aged sole / this wydred trotte / how clene they haue forgotten themselfe / howe they b••¦gyne to play the fole agayne. Se: howe made they be / euen at the pyttes brynke: & yet wolde they wyl∣fully quenche that lytell sparke of nature: y^e remay∣neth in that wydred carkas / gete them a glasse that they may (at the leest) se / and perceyue theyr hore he¦res as why•• as snowe / the wryncled forhed / the rug¦ged lene chekes / the holowe blered eyes / the sharpe droppynge nose / and all the defourmed face: more lyke vnto a stincking caren: thā vnto a cōmely cour¦tiour / byd them cure and take hede vnto other thyn¦ges / y^e better may bycome theyr age. For they bene past these maters. Tell thē it is beyonde reason: for theyr age to attempt suche foly. The selfe fylthy pleasure: dothe forsake and lothe you. And saythe Nother thou arte mete for me: Nor I for the Vale. Gette the hense into an other company. For

(in a surete) euery body is here wery of thy {pre}sence. A peyre of bedes: were more mete for y^e olde wreche These thynges and many worse rebukes: done the cōmune people of the worlde / saye vnto the olde fo∣lysshe vnclene lyuers. Nowe is tyme to make an ende. Here may you perceyue / that chastite is moch cōmēdable / vnto all christianes: of all maner of age and all maner of state / & contrarie / vnclene lyuyng / is odious and abhominable. Wyll ye nowe haue a shorte recount and reherse of all? lest peraduenture ye wolde be wery to rede all at lengthe.