A comforte against the Diuels temptations.
VVHen at Friburge in Misnia, a very godly and reuerend olde manne lay sicke of a grieuous disease, and was nowe at the point of death, vpon a time he being lefte alone, the diuel came to him, attyred lyke a By∣shop, and greatly vexed the miserable olde man that was euen in the ago∣ny of death, going about to compell him by force to tell him all the faultes that he hadde committed in his whole life: For the Diuel hauing Paper and Incke, woulde haue written them all: but when the godly man had a long time earnestly withstoode him with the holye Scriptures, and was not perswaded, and that the Diuell did vehemently vrge that narration, at length the good olde man saide: forasmuche therefore as thou wilte haue me to doe this, to tell thée mine offences one after an other, write then, and beginne after this sorte, Semen mulieris conteret caput serpentis, that is, The seede of the woman shall breake the Serpents head: the Diuell hearing this, cast downe his paper and incke, and leauing a greate stincke behynde him, fledde awaye, and that godly olde man a little after dyed quietly, in a good confession, Manlius.