The Prick of Conscience, Parts 1-3

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¶Here begynneth a newe Treatyse deuyded in thre parties.

The fyrst parte is to know, and haue in mynde

The wretchednes, of all mankynde.

The seconde is of the condycion and manere

Of the vnstedfastnes, of this world here.

The thyrde parte in this boke you may rede

Of bytter death, and why it is to drede.

THe myght of the Father almyghty

The wyt of the Sone all-wytty

And the goodnes of the holy-Ghoste

God and Lorde of myghtes moste

Be our helpe / and our spede

Nowe and euer in all our nede

And specyally at this begynnynge

And brynge vs all to good endynge.

AMEN.

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BEfore or that any-thynge was wrought

And or begynnynge was of ought

Before all tymes we shulde mene

The same God, was euer in godhed clene

And euer is full in his godhed

And thre persons, and in onelychehed

And wolde euer with the father and the sone

With the holy-Ghoste in one-hed bewone

And is Lorde in substaunce and beynge

And euer was without begynnynge

Begynnynge of hym, myght there neuer none be

For euer he was God in Trynyte

For euer is wyse, and full of wyt

And euer almyghtye God as he is yet

That myght was euer in his trone

There was neuer God, but he alone

The same God was without begynnynge

And maker fyrste of all-thynge

Without begynnynge we shall hym call

And endles Lorde, of creatures all

And ende of all-thynge is he

As men may in holy bokes se

And as he made all-thynge

So shall he at the last, make an endynge

Of all thynges, both in heauen and hell

Of man, of fende, and of aungell

That after this lyfe shall euermore leue

And all other creatures to death be dreue

But God that vs made, and the worlde began

Is nowe and euer shall be, both God and man

And all-thynge, throughe his myght made he

For without hym, may nothynge be

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All-thynge he ordeyned after his wyll

In his kynde to stande styll

And therfore creatures, that dombe be

Can no reason, but buxom men them se

Loueth hym, as the boke beareth wytnes

In theyr maner, and as theyr kynde is

For all thynges that, God hath wrought

Doth theyr kynde, and passeth it nought

And loueth theyr maker, and honour in kynde

And so in that maner, they haue hym in mynde

And syth creatures, that reason hath none

Loueth hym in kynde, that they haue taken

Than shulde man, that hath reason and fay

His Lorde honour, by all maner of way

And nat to be of worse condycyon

Than the brute beestes, that can no reason

For all-thynge that God made, both more and lasse

Man is pryncypall, and shulde all other passe

As ye shall here afterwarde soone

That God made of all-thynge, for man one

For God to mankynde, had great delyte

Seynge that he made all-thynge, for mannes proffyte

Heauen, and earth, and all the worlde brode

He made fyrste, but man tyll the last abode

And hym in lykenesse, of semely stature

As hym thought moste worthye creature

Passynge all beestes, that haue any kynde

And gaue hym reason, both wyt, and mynde

Euer for to knowe, both good and euyll

And therto gaue hym wyt at wyll

Both to chuse and to holde

Good or the euyll, whyther he wolde.

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GOd ordeyned man also to dwell

In earth here, both in flesshe and fell

And knowe his werkes, and hym honour

And kepe his commaundementes, in euery houre

And yf a man to God, boxum become

To heauen-blysse, he shall be nome

And yf he wyll from goodnes wende

To paynes of hell, that hath none ende

Therfore I holde a man woode

That taketh the wycked, and leueth the good

And God made man of moste dygnyte

And of all creatures in earth moste fre

For after his lykenes, he made hym ywys

As he shulde haue parte of his blysse

And moste God our Lorde to hym gyueth

More than to any creature, that in earth lyueth

For when Adam, had done amysse

And for his synnes, brought from blysse

God toke mankynde, for his sake

And for his loue, harde death can take

And with his blode, agayne hym bought

And after to heauen-blysse hym brought

Thus great loue, God shewed vnto man

And moche more kyndenes, than I tell can

Wherfore euery man, both learned and lewed

Shulde thynke vpon the loue, that God shewed

And that kyndenes, haue in his mynde

That God hath done, to all mankynde

And serue hym both nyght and day

And fynde to please hym, in all that he may

And spende his wyttes, in his seruyce

And theym wyll holde in all maner wyse

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But a man knowe kyndely what God is

And hym-selfe also, that he be one of his

And howe a man greueth God, that doth nought well

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And maketh hym throughe synne, both fearse and fell

And howe mercyable God is, nyght and day

And howe greuous, to euery mannes pay

And howe ryghtfull, and howe sothfast

And euermore hath ben, both fyrste and last

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And what he doth to all mankynde

That euer shulde haue hym in mynde

For the way that bryngeth a man to heauen-blysse

And bryngeth a man also out of anguysshe

Pryncypally, that is the way of mekenes

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Drede and loue of God, in all symplenes

Than may that, before the way of wysdome

Unto the whiche way, may no man come

Without full knowynge, of God here

And of his power also, and his werke so dere

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And or that he may, that knowynge wynne

Hym behoueth, to knowe hym-selfe within

And elles he may no knowynge haue

The foresayde way of wysdome to craue

But many men hath good vnderstandynge

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And yet be of many thynges vnknowynge

And of some thynges hathe knowynge none

That myght oft make Goddes wyll to be done

Suche man had nede, to lerne euery day

Howe that they shulde here God pay

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And knowe the thynge, that myght them lede

To mekenes and loue, and God to drede

The whiche is the way, as I tell ywys

That leadeth a man euen to heauen-blysse

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For in great perryle of soule, is that man

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That hath wyt and mynde, and no good can

And wyll nought learne for no sawe

The werkes of God, neyther his lawe

And knoweth nat the tenne hestes

But lyueth as vnskylfull beestes

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That hath neyther reason nor mynde

But leueth euer agaynst his kynde

For he excuseth nought his vnconnynge

That vseth nat his wyt in learnynge

And namely of the thynge, that he shulde knowe

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That shulde make his herte full lowe

And he that can nought, shulde learne more

To knowe what hym nedeth in Goddes lore

For an vnconnynge man throughe learnynge

May be brought to good vnderstandynge

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And of many thynges, both knowe and se

That hath ben before, and after shall be

That to mekenes myght moue his wyll

The more to loue God, and to flye the euyll.

MAny man delyteth, tryfles to here

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And aboute folye, setteth all his chere

And euermore is besy, both in wyll and thought

To lerne thynges, that helpeth the soule nought

And thynges, that nedefull were to knowe

To lysten or to learne, they be full slowe

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Therfore no wonder, thoughe they gone amysse

For euer in darckenes, theyr goynge is

All far from the lyght of vnderstandynge

And from thynges, that falleth to the ryght knowynge

Therfore euery chrysten man and woman

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That hath any wyt, and reason can

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Shulde be besye by all maner of way

To learne suche thynges, that longeth to the fay

And euermore learne, both lowde and styll

Whiche is the good way, and whiche is euyll

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And he that the ryght way, of knowynge wyll loke

Shulde thus begynne, as telleth the boke

Fyrste for to knowe, hym-selfe in clennes

And than may he come, to all mekenes

For that is the grounde of all to last

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In whom all vertues be set fast

For he that knoweth it, and well can se

What hym-selfe was, and is, and after shall be

The more wyser man, he myght be calde

Whyther that he be yonge man, other olde

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Therfore euery wyse man, fyrste must lere

For to knowe hym-selfe, whyle that he is here

And yf he knowe hym-selfe, within and without

Than shall he haue euer, God in doubte

And vpon his endynge, his thought must be cast

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And vpon the dredefull dome, that shall come last

And also knowe, what this worlde is

That is but vanyte, and full of wretchednes

And forsake synne, and foule lustes all

And thynke what shall after this lyfe fall

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For knowynge of all this, shulde hym lede

To haue mekenes in mynde, and also drede

For so may a man, come to good lyuynge

And at the last, haue good endynge

And when he shall, out of this worlde wende

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Come vnto the ioy, that hath none ende

The begynnynge of this matter is

The ryght knowynge of a man hym-selfe ywys

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But some men hathe great lettynge

So that they may nat haue full knowynge

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Of them-selfe, that fyrste they shulde knowe

And with mekenes euer make them lowe

And of that matter, foure thynges I fynde

That maketh mennes wyttes, full blynde

And the knowynge of them-selfe letteth

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Youth the whiche hym-selfe, he forgetteth

Therfore saynt Bernarde, speaketh to vs

And in his wrytynge sayeth all thus.

¶ Forma fauor populi, sensussensus] fervor G Iuuenilis opesque Su[rr]ipuere

Surripuere] Suppipuere 1542, Surripuere G tibi, noscere quid sit homo.

¶That is fauour of fol[k], and moche fayrenes folk] fole 1542, folc H, folk G

And hete of youth, and moche ryches

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Blyndeth a mannes reason and mynde

For to knowe hym-selfe, what he is of kynde

And thus these foure, letteth hym in syght

So that he forgetteth hym-selfe out-ryght

And maketh his herte, prowde and hawteyne

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And all waywarde, from God his souereygne

For these nouryssheth both pompe and pryde

And maketh other synnes in them to byde

For in what man any of these foure is

Seldome is sene in hym, any maner mekenes

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And letteth a man, that he may nat se

The maners of the worlde full of vanyte

Neyther the tyme of death, when he shall come

Neyther when he shall hence, to dome be nome

Neyther he ne can vnderstande ne se

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The perryll that after this lyfe than shall be

To all synfull men, that loueth folye

Nay the ioy that good men, shall haue so hye

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But in great delytes, setteth theyr hertes fast

And fareth as theyr lyfe euermore shulde last

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And gyueth them here to all ydlenes

And to suche thynges, that no profyte is

And suche men be nat with reason lad

But in theyr folyes euermore be sad

And thynges that they shulde drede, they knowe nat

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Therfore they haue no drede, to set on theyr thought

And that is for defaute of knowynge

Of thynges, that myght to drede theym brynge

Yet some men, wyll nat vnderstande

Suche thynges, that myght them brynge to shonde

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For they wyll here nothynge, that them mysspeaketh

Therfore saynt Dauid in his boke thus sayeth.

¶ Noluit intellegere vt bene ageret.

¶He sayeth, man hath no wyll to be snell

To vnderstande thynges, to make them do well

These wordes be sayde by them here

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That wyll nought vnderstande, neyther do lere

To drede God, and to do his wyll

But foloweth theyr lustes, and lyueth full euyll

And for defaute of trewe fayth, this may be

For they l[e]ueth nothynge, but they it se leueth] lyueth 1542

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But grutcheth when they shulde ought lere

Therfore sayeth the Prophete, in this manere.

¶ Non crediderunt setset] et G murmurauerunt.

¶The Prophete sayeth, that they beleued nought

But grutched, and were heuy in thought

Thus fareth many men, that l[e]ueth nothynge leueth] lyueth 1542

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That men telleth them, agaynst theyr lykynge

But grutcheth and waxeth all frowarde

When men speaketh ought, that them thynketh harde

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Some can in boke, suche thynges rede

But lyghtnes of herte, bryngeth them drede

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So it may nat with them dwell

As God wytnesseth in the Gospell.

¶ Quia ad tempus credunt, et in [tempore]tempore] 1542 omits, tempore Gtemptationis recedunt.

¶He sayth for the tyme, some leue a thynge

And soone passeth there-fro, in tyme of temptynge

As wytnesseth the prophete saynt Dauid

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In a verse of the Psalter, that accordeth therwith.

¶ Et crediderunt in verbis eius, et laudauerunt laudem eius.

¶He sayeth in his werkes, they byleued well

And praysed his werkes, as they cought somdell

But soone they had his workes forgyt

And thought of his counceyll, no more to wyt

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Suche men be euer vnstedfast

That neyther loue ne drede, may on them last

But who that can nought drede, may soone lere

That hereth this matter, with good ere

With suche thynges, that he may conceyue therby

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And do good dedes, and flye folye

Therfore these bokes, be out_drawe

Of dyuerse matters, that be of Goddes lawe

To lewed men, that be nat of vnderstandynge

And of latyn speche, be all vnconnynge

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To make hym-selfe, fyrste for to knowe

And all synnes, away to throwe

And to brynge them, to perfy[t]e drede perfyte] perfyre 1542

When they this treatyse, wyll here or rede

That shal moue his conscyence within

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And throughe that drede, may alone begynne

Throughe comforte of the ioyes of heauen bryght

As men may hereafter haue a syght.

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¶Here begynneth the fyrste parte of this boke / that speaketh of mannes wretchednes.

FIrste when God made all-thyng of nought

Man of the foulest matter was wrought

That was of earth, t[w]o skyles to beholde two] to 1542, twa G

That is for almyghtye God so wolde

Of foule matter, make man in despyte

Of Lucyfer, hym therwith to a_twyte

When he fell into hell, for his pryde

And many one mo, that fell that tyde

For they shulde haue the more shendshype

And the more sorowe, when they toke kepe

That man of so foule matter, shulde dwell

In that place, from whens they fell

An-other cause is, for man shulde se

That a man the more meker shulde be

Euer when he sethe, and thynketh in thought

Of the foule matter, that he was wrought

For God throughe his great myght

Wolde sygne that place in heauen bryght

That was made voyde, throughe synne of pryde

Wolde haue it fylled in euery syde

As throughe vertue, of holy mekenes

That contrary to all maner of pryde is

He thought to amende it in some wyse

Wherfore men shulde, Lucyfer dyspyse

For there may no man, in-to heauen come

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But he that in-dede is meke and buxom

And so telleth the Gospell, and sayth to vs

That God spake to his dyscyples, and sayde thus.

¶ Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli: non intrabitis in regnum celorum.

¶He sayeth, but ye be as meke as a chylde

That is to vnderstande, both meke and mylde

Ye shall nat come by any maner of way

In-to the kyngdome of heauen on hey

But one thynge, maketh moste meke a man

To thynke in his herte, as often as he can

Howe he is made of foule mattere

Fouler thynge in earth, is none here

And so sayeth saynt Iob, in his morenynge-lay

What is a man here, but earth and clay

And powder that with the wynde [t]o_breketh to] do 1542

And therfore the good man, to God thus speaketh.

¶ Memento queso quod sicut lutum feceris me, et in puluerem reduc[e]sreduces] reducis 1542, reduces G me.

¶He sayeth thynke Lorde, howe thou madest me

Of foule earth and clay, in this worlde to be

And therto shall I turne, at my last ende

Euen agayne to powdre, and to nought wende

And than sayth our Lorde, of myghtyes moste

To euery man, that hath in hym the holy-Ghoste.

¶ Memento quod cinis es, et in cinerem reuerteris.

¶He sayeth, thynke man that asshes art now

And into asshes agayne, tourne shalt thou

Than of this, euery man shulde haue mynde

And knowe the wretchydnes, of his owne kynde

For here a mannes lyfe, well cast may be

Pryncypally to tell in partyes thre

That ben maked, to our vnderstandynge

Begynnynge mydwarde, and last endynge

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These thre partyes spaces, may be tolde

Of euery mannes lyfe, both yonge and olde.

¶Of the begynnyng of mans lyfe.

THe begynnynge of a mannes lyfe, fyrste is

Conceyued in moche wretchydnes

Therfore I thynke, or I further passe

Tell what euery man, in the begynnynge was

Man was beget, as well it is knowe

Of foule sede, within a woman sowe

And man synfully, conceyued was

In his mothers wombe, in a preuy place

And howe his dwellynge was there ydyght

Saynt Dauid telleth, and wytnesseth full ryght

¶ Ecce in iniquitatibus conceptus sum et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.

¶Beholde he sayeth, what mannes kynde is

In wretchydnes I am conceyued ywys

And also my mother, hath conceyued me

In many synnes, and moche vylte

For there dwelleth a man, in a dercke dongyon

That is full of fylth and corrupcyon

Wherin he had, no maner of fode

But foule glat, and waltsome blode

And when that he hyther come was

From his mother wombe, that foule place

And was here brought, in-to this worldes [l]yght lyght] ryght 1542, light G

He had neyther power, ne myght

Neyther for to go, ne on fete stande

Neyther to crepe in fete, ne in hande

Than hath a man lesse myght, than hath a beest

When he is newe-borne, and semeth leest

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For when a beest is ybore, than it may go

And doth his kynde here euermo

But a man hath no myght, in his yongeheade

For he may nat go, but as men doth hym leade

For he may nother go nor crepe

But lye and spraule, crye, and wepe

For a chylde is nat fully ybore

That it ne cryeth as thynge forlore

And by that crye, men tell can

Whyther that it be woman or man

For when it is borne, it cryeth swa

And yf it be a man, it sayeth .A.

And that is the fyrste letter of the name

Of Adam our father that brought vs in blame

And yf it of a womans kynde be

When it is borne, it soundeth .E.

.E. is the fyrste letter, who that taketh hede

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Of the name of Eue, that brought vs in drede

Therfore a wyse Clarcke, made in this maner

A verse that telleth, of that same matter.

¶ Dicentes .E. vel .A. quotquot nascuntur ab Eua

¶All he sayeth, that commeth of Eue

May for nothynge, that letter leue

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When they be borne, what-soeuer they be

He cryeth fyrste .A. other els .E.

This is of our lyfe, the fyrste begynnynge

And after our byrth, sorowe and wepynge

And to wretchydnes, our kynde styrreth vs

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And Innocent the bysshop, therfore sayth thus.

¶ Omnes nascimur eiulantes vt nature nostre miseriam exprimamus.

¶He sayeth, we be ybore here euerychone

Makynge sorowe and reuthly mone

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All for to shewe, our great wretchydnes

Of our kynde, that is full of brotelnes

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And naked we come hyther, and bare

And so we shall all hence fare

Upon this thynke all, that any good can

For thus sayeth saynt Iob, the holy man.

¶ Nudus egressus sum ex vtero matris mei: et nudus reuertar illuc.

¶Naked he sayeth, in-to this worlde I come

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When from my mothers wombe nome

And naked I shall tourne hence away

And so shall all at the last day

Thus is a man, at his fyrste commynge

Naked and bare, and bryngeth nothynge

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But a skynne foule and waltsome

That is his garment, when he shall come

And that is a blody skynne full thynne

That he brought, and was wounde in

When he in his mother wombe lay

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Forsoth this was a symple aray

And thus is man made, as ye may se

In moche wretchydnes, and captyuyte

And afterwarde lyueth here, but a fewe dayes

As Iob openly vnto vs all sayes.

¶ Homo natus de muliere breui viuens tempore.

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¶He sayeth, man that is borne of a woman

Lyueth here lytell tyme, and soone is tan

And euery man is borne to nothynge elles

But to trauayle and sorowe, as the boke telles.

¶ Homo nascitur ad laborem: sicut Auis ad volandumvolandum] volatum G.

¶He sayeth man is made, to trauayle aryght

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As the foule is made to his flyght

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For lytell rest he hath in his lyfe ywys

But euer in trauayle, full besye is

And yet is a man, when he is bore

The fendes of hell, and all ylore

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Untyll he throughe grace, agayne ben ynome

And to baptyme afterwarde come

Therfore euery man, shall vnderstande so

That his lyfe, is but sorowe and woo.

¶Of the myddes of a mans lyfe.

THat other parte of mannes lyfe, men calleth

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Is the mydwarde, that after youth falleth

And that is fyrste, from mannes begynnynge

Of euery mannes lyfe, vntyll his last endynge

And howe a man afterwarde, is foule become

Saynt Bernarde therof, hath wytnes nome.

¶ Homo nichil aliud est quam Sperma [fetidum]fetidum] 1542 omits, fetidum G Sac[c]us

Saccus] Sactus, 1542, saccus G stercorum et esca vermium

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¶Saynt Bernarde wytnesseth, as the boke telles

That a man in this lyfe, is nothynge elles

But a foule slyme, horryble to all men

And is a foule sake, of stynkynge fen

And also wormes meate, that they wyll haue

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When that he is deade, and layde in graue

But some men and women, fayre they semeth

To syght without, as men it demeth

And sheweth nothynge, but the whyte skynne

But who that myght openly loke therin

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A fouler caryon, myght there neuer be

Than men shulde on them than se

Therfore who that had a sharpe insyght

And had as clere eyen, and also as bryght

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As hath a beest, that Lux men calles

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That may se throughe thycke stone-walles

Than lytell lykynge shulde a man haue

To beholde a woman, or after her craue

Than myght he se, without any doubte

As well within, as he doth with-out

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For yf a man myght se her within aryght

It were full dredefull, to euery mannes syght

And so foule euery man within is

As the boke telles, and wytnesseth all this

And therfore, I holde a man nothynge wyse

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That maketh hym-selfe, of to moche pryse

Syth he may euery day, both here and se

What that he is here, and what he shall be

But a proude man, of this taketh no hede

For hym fayleth reason, that shulde hym lede

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When that he is yonge, and loueth playinge

Other hath welth at his lykynge

Other that he be brought, in-to great worshype

Than he of hym-selfe, taketh he no kepe

For hym-selfe than he knoweth all there leest

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And fareth than as vnreasonable beest

That foloweth his owne wyll, and nothynge elles

As saynt Dauid wytnesseth, and telles.

¶ Homo cum in honore esset non intellexit comparatus est i[u]mentisiumentis] in mentis 1542, iumentis G insipientibus.

¶He sayeth, when a man in worshyp is brought

Ryght good vnderstandynge, hath he nought

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Therfore he may be lykened, both in flesshe and bone

To beestes that reason and wyt can none

Therfore euery man, that hath wyt and mynde

Oft shulde thynke, on his wretched kynde

sig: [C1v]

And that with fylthe he is all ynome

200

As he may se euery day from his body come

Both at nose and at mouth, and byneth also

All maner corrupcyon, commeth hym fro

And howe foule it is to euery mannes syght

Saynt Bernarde wytnesseth to vs full ryght.

¶ Si diligenter consideres quid per os quid per nares ceterosque meatus corporis tui egreditur: vilius sterquilinium nunquam videresvideres] vidisti G.

205

¶He sayeth man, wylt thou inwardly se

And beholde, what thynge commeth from the

Throughe nose and mouth, contynually

And throughe other places of thy body

A fouler dunghyll, sawe thou neuer none

210

Than is a man, made in flesshe and in bone

For in all that tyme, that a man here lyueth

His owne kynde, no good fruyte gyueth

Whyther that he lyue shorte tyme, other longe

But thynges that stynketh, wonder stronge

215

And foule fylthed, and nothynge elles

As Innocent the great clarcke, in a boke telles.

¶ Herbas inquit et arbores diligenter i[n]uestiga, ille de se producunt flores et frondes et fructus: et tu de te lendes et pediculos. Ille autem de se effunduntde se effundunt] diffundunt G oleum et vinum, et tu de te, sputum, vrinam, et stercus. Ille de se spirant suauitatem: et tu abhominationem stercorisstercoris] fetoris G.

¶This Clarcke telleth thus in his boke

Thou man he sayeth, beholde well and loke

Herbes and trees, that in earth doth sprynge

220

Take thou good hede, what they forth brynge

Herbes bryngeth floures, and maketh sede

And trees fruyte, and braunches sprede

And thou bryngest forth, of thy-selfe here

sig: C2

Both nyttes, and lyse, and other vermyne yfere

225

Of herbes and trees, spryngeth bawme good

Both oyle and wyne, in helpe of mannes fode

And that commeth from the, doth foule stynke

As dounge and pysse, and spatlynge

Of herbes and trees, commeth good sauoure

230

And of the man, foule breth and soure

For suche as the tre, beareth with the bowes

Suche is the same fruyte, that theron growes

For a man is as a tre, that standeth nat harde

Of whom the crop is tourned downwarde

235

And the rote is an_hye, towarde the fyrmament

As wytnesseth in this boke, the clarcke Innocent.

¶ Quid est homo secundum formam nisi quedam arbor euersa cuius radic[e]sradices] radicis 1542, radices G sunt crines tr[u]ncustruncus] trinicus 1542, truncus G est caput cum collo, stipes est pectus cum al[u]o, rami [sunt]sunt] et 1542, sunt G vlne cum tibiis frondes sunt. digiti cum arti[cu]l[is]articulis] artil 1542, articulis G. hoc est folium quod a vento rapit[u]rrapitur] rapiter 1542, rapitur G, et stipula que a sole siccatur.

¶He sayeth what is a man, but in shape as a tre

Tourned vp-so-downe, as men may se

Of the whiche the rote, that therto belongeth

240

Is the heere on thyne heade, that theron hangeth

Than is the stocke nexte the rote growynge

That is thyne heade, with the necke shewynge

The body of the tree, that is sette therto

Is thy brest, with thy wombe also

245

The bowes be thyne armes with thy handes

And the legges with thy fete, that thou on standes

Men may them braunches, by reason call

The toes, and the fete, with thy fynge[r]s all fyngers] fynges 1542, fyngers G

Ly[k]e is the lefe, that hangeth nat fast Lyke] Lyfe 1542

250

That wyll away, with the wyndes blast

sig: [C2v]

And a man that is both yonge and lyght

Thoughe he be neuer so hardy in fyght

And comely of shape, and louely of chere

Yet syckenes and anger may hym dere

255

And his myght and fayrenes abate

And brynge hym soone, in-to lowe state

And soone chaunge his fayre coloure

And make hym fade, as doth the floure

For a flour, that is fayre to mannes syght

260

Throughe stormes it fadeth, and leseth his myght

Angres and euylles, and myschyfes both

Ofte commeth to a man, that be hym loth

As feuers and dropsye, and Iaundyse also

Tysyke and the gowte, and other euylles mo

265

That maketh his fayrenes, away for to wende

As stormes doth theyr floures shende

This shulde be euer ensample to vs

Therfore saynt Iob, in his boke sayeth thus.

¶ Homo quasi flos egreditur et cont[e]riturconteritur] contritur 1542, conteritur G et fugit velud vmbra, et numquam in eodem. etc.

¶Man he sayeth, as flour is bryght

270

When it commeth fyrste to earthly syght

And soone is broke, and passeth away

As doth the shadowe, in sommers day

And neuer in the same state dwelleth

But euermore passeth as Iob telleth

275

Of this the Prophete wytnesseth ywys

In a psalme of the Psalter that sayeth this.

¶ Mane sicut herba transeat mane floreat et transeat vespere decidatdecidat] descidat 1542, decidat G. etc.

¶The Prophete sayeth thus, in that case

A man passeth away, as doth the grasse

sig: C3

Early begynnynge of the day

280

He floureth, and soone passeth away

And at euen, it is downe brought

That fadeth and wexeth all to nought

In the begynnynge of man, hym was gyue

Nyne hundred yeare, in earth to lyue

285

As Clarckes in bokes, beareth wytnes

And sayeth, that mannes lyfe is drawe to shortnes

For God wolde, that it shulde so be

And God sayde hym-selfe, so vnto Noe.

¶ Non permanebit spiritus meus in homine in eternum quia caro est: erunt enim dies illius centum viginti ann[orum]annorum] anni 1542, annorum G.

¶My Ghoste he sayeth, shall nat euer dwell

290

In man that is made of flesshe and fell

His dayes shall be to lyue in here

An hundred, and also twentye yere

But so great age, may no man bere

For death wyll hym, in shorter tyme dere

295

For the complexyon of euery man

Is nowe more febler, than it was than

Therfore mannes lyfe, myght shorter be

For nowe it is feblest, all for to se

For the longer, that a man shall lyfe

300

To more sorowe, he shall be dryfe

And lesse thynke, that this lyfe is swete

As in the psalter, wytnesseth the Prophete.

¶ Si in potentatibus octoginta anni amplius eorum labor et dolor. etc.

¶If in strenghthes foure score yere, myght befall

The more is theyr trauayle, and sorowe with-all

305

But nowe moche shorter be mannes dayes

As Iob the good man openly sayes.

sig: [C3v]

¶ Nunquid nonNunquid non] Nunc G paucitas dierum meorum finietur breui.

¶Nowe he sayeth my shorte dayes that fewe were

Shall come to ende, in lytell tyme here

And when a man waxeth to be olde

310

Than begynneth his kynde, to be feable and colde

And than chaungeth his complexyon

And his maners tourne vp-so-downe

Than waxeth his herte, full heuy and harde

And his heade feble, and euer downwarde

315

Than reueleth his face, euer more and more

And fouler waxeth, than it was before

His wyt is short when he ought thynketh

His nese droppeth, his onde stynketh

His syght waxeth dym, he loketh vnder the browe

320

His backe is croked, he stopeth full lowe

His eares waxeth dea[f], and harde to here deaf] death 1542, deef G

And his tongue to speake, is nothynge clere

Soone he is wroth, and waxeth all frowarde

To tourne hym from wrath, it is harde

325

He is couytous, and fast holdynge

And heuy of chere, and euer lourynge

He prayseth olde men, and holdeth them wyse

And yonge men hym lysteth to dyspyse

And often is sycke, and begynneth to grone

330

And often angrye, and playneth hym soone

All these thynges, to an olde man befalleth

That Clarckes propertyes of age calleth

Thus men may se, that rede can

The condycyons, that be in an olde man.

¶Here ye may here of the ende of a mannes lyfe.

sig: [C4]

335

THe last ende of mannes lyfe is harde

When that he draweth to death warde

For when he is sycke, in any wyse

So feable, that he may nat aryse

Than be men in doubte, and vncertayne

340

Whyther he shall euer recouer agayne

And yet can some men, that be sley

Knowe whyther he shall lyfe, or dye

Throughe certayne tokens, in pounce and breath pounce=pouse, 'pulse'

That falleth to a ma[n], that draweth to death

345

For than begynneth his front downewarde to fall

And his browes waxeth heuy with-all

And the lefte eye of hym, shall seme lasse

And nerer than that other eye was

And his nose before, shall sharpe become

350

And his chyne than downe shall be nome

And his pounce, shall haue no meuynge

His fete waxe colde, and his wombe doth clynge

And yf a yonge man, nere his death be

Euer he is wakynge, for slepe may nat he

355

And yf an olde man, drawe towarde death

He shall nat from slepe, kepe hym vnneth

Clarckes telleth, that these tokens echone

Be in a man, when he shall dye soone

For when a man lyueth, he is lyke a man

360

But when he is blodeles, and becommeth wan

Than may a man his lykenes there se

And all chaunged, as neuer had ben he

And when his lyfe, is brought to the ende

Than shall he hence in this maner wende

365

Both poore and naked, as he hyther come

When from his mothers wombe, he was nome

sig: [C4v]

For he brought with hym, nothynge that day

And so he shall hence passe away

But it be onely a wyndynge-cloth

370

That shall aboute hym be wrapped forsoth

For when the lyfe wyndeth from hym away

Than is he but foule earth and clay

That tourneth to more corrupcyon aboute

Than any caryon, that lyeth there-oute

375

For the corrupcyon of hym in euery syde

If it lye aboue grounde longe, in any tyde

It myght than the eyre so corrupte make

So that men shulde theyr death therof take

So foule stynkynge it is, and so vyolent

380

And so wytnesseth, the clarcke Innocent.

¶ Quid enim fetidius humano cadauere Quid horribilius homine mortuo. etc.

¶He sayeth, what thynge may fouler be

Than a deade mannes body, is for to se

And what is more horryble, in any place

Than is to beh[o]lde a deade mannes face beholde] behelde 1542

385

And when it is, in earth by_wounde

Wormes wyll do eate it, in a lytell stounde

Tyll that foule flesshe, away be ybyte

And thus I fynde, in holy boke ywryte.

¶ Cum autem mori[e]turmorietur] moritur 1542, morietur G homo hereditabit serpentes et vermes.

¶The boke sayeth, that when a man shall dye

390

As his kynde herytage, he taketh the way

To wormes and adders, that foule be of syght

For to them falleth mannes flesshe by ryght

Therfore shall euery man after earth slepe

Amonge foule wormes, that on them shall crepe

sig: D1

395

And they shall gnawe his foule carkayes

And so sayeth holy wryt, and speaketh this wayes.

¶ Omnes enim in puluere dormient et vermes operient eos.

¶That is in earth, shall slepe euery man

And wormes shall eate them, from the toe to the pan

For in this worlde, so wytty man is none

400

Neyther so fayre in flesshe ne bone

Neyther Emperour, Kynge, ne Ceaser

Ne none other Lorde, what state he haue here

Neyther ryche, ne poore, ne bonde, ne fre

Lerned ne lewde, what-euer he be

405

That he ne shall tourne, after his last day

To earth and to powdre, and to foule clay

Therfore in my thought, I haue moche wonder

Syth that wormes shall freate vs a_sonder

That no man in earth, vnneth wyll it se

410

What he was, and is, and what he shall be

But who that wyll here, in his herte cast

What he fyrste was, and shall be at the last

And also what he is, whyle he lyueth here

He shulde than fynde, full lytell mattere

415

To make any myrth here, whyle he dwelleth

As a wyse vercyfyour in his verse telleth.

¶ Si quis sent[ir]et quo tendet et vnde veniret sentiret] sentuet 1542, sentiret G; tendet] tendit G

Numquam gauderet: set in omni tempore fleret.

¶He sayeth, who that wyll fele and se

Whence he commeth, and whyther shall he

All maner myrthes, he shulde forsake

420

And euer wepe, and sorowe make

For who that of a man, had than a syght

When wormes had gnawen hym out-ryght

And eaten his flesshe, in-to the harde bone

sig: [D1v]

So horryble a syght, sawe he neuer none

425

As he myght se in that carkayes

As saynt Bernarde wytnesseth and sayes.

¶ Post hominem vermis, post verme[m] fetor et horror vermem] vermen 1542, vermem G

Et sic in non hominem, vertitur omnis homo.

¶He sayeth after death, man is worme become

And after wormes, to stenche he is nome

And so euery man, here tourned shall he be

430

Fro man in-to no man, as it were nat he

Thus may men se, as it is wryte

Howe that a man, in his mother is behyght

And of this matter, more myght I tell

But no longer theron, thynke I to dwell.

¶Here begynneth the seconde parte of this boke / that speaketh of the worlde.

435

ALl this worlde here, both longe and brode

God it made, for mannes gode

And al other thynges, as clarckes can proue

He made onely for mannes byhoue

If a man loue any-thyng more by any way

440

Than he doth God, that in heuen is on hye

Than is that man to God vnkynde

That so lytell on hym, setteth his mynde

For God is more worthye, loued to be

Than any creature, that men may se

445

Syth he is the begynnynge of all maner thynge

And of all-thynge, make shall an endynge

And thus I say by them, that gyueth them ofte

To the worldes lykynge, that thynketh them softe

sig: D2

And loueth all-thynge, that therto falleth

450

And suche men worldely men me calleth

For theyr loue moste, in the worlde is set

The whiche the loue of God, slaulyche doth let

And for the loue of this worldes vanyte

A man at the last, for_barred may be

455

From the hye heauen, where all ioye is

There a man shall dwell without ende ywys

But a great clarcke telleth, that is Bartylmewe

There be two worldes, pryncypally to eschewe

And that one worlde, is inuysyble and clene

460

And that other bodely, as men may sene

And the ghostly worlde, that no man may se

Is the hye heauen, where God sytteth in trynyte

And thyther shall we come, and there lyue ay

If that we thytherwarde, holde the ryght way

465

Nowe wyll I no longer, vpon this matter stande

For soone after it shall come more to hande.

BUt the same worlde, that men may here se

In two partyes well deuysed may be

For both partyes, men may well knowe

470

For that one is hye, and that other lowe

The hyer lasteth from the moone ful euen

To the hyest place, of the sterred heauen

And that worlde, is bryght and fayre

For there is no corrupcyon, but clene ayre

475

But sterres and Planettes, bryght shynynge

As euery man may there haue vnderstandynge

But the lowest worlde, that may befall

Conteyneth holly, the Elamentes all

And in this worlde, is both well and wo

480

And ofte-tyme chaungeth, both to and fro

sig: [D2v]

To some it is softe, and to some men harde

As ye shall here soone afterwarde

But that worlde, that passeth all maner thynge

Was made for mannes, endeles dwellynge

485

For euery man, there shall haue a place

Euer to be in ioy, that here hath grace

And that was made, for our aduauntage

For there is ordeyned, our kynde herytage

But that other worlde, that lower is atwyne

490

Where that the sterres and planettes be set in

God ordeyned onely, for our behoue

By this reason, that I shall proue

For the eyre from thence, and the hete of the Sonne

Susteyneth the earth here, where that we wonne

495

And noryssheth all-thynge, that fruyte here gyueth

To helpe man and beest, that in earth lyueth

And tempreth our kynde, and our complexyon

And setteth the tymes of the yere, in theyr season

And gyueth vs lyght here, where that we dwell

500

Elles were this worlde, as darke as hell

And the lowest worlde, was made for man

And for these encheasones, that I tell can

For man shulde therin, haue his dwellynge

And lyue in Goddes seruyce, and do his byddynge

505

And holde his commaundementes, and done his wyll

Them to knowe and kepe, and flye all euyll

And here to be proued, in ghostly battayles

Of many ennemyes, that man often assayles

So that throughe ghostly myght and vyctorye

510

He may gete to hym endeles glorye

And haue than the crowne, of endeles blysse

Where all ioye is, that neuer shall mysse

sig: [D3]

Twayne worldes togyther, here may befall

That all men may earthly call

515

One is this dale, that is our dwellynge

Another is man, that is therin abydynge

And this same dale, that we dwell in

Is full of sorowe, and all maner synne

That of wyse Clarckes, in bokes called is

520

The more worlde, that men may knowe by this

And of the lesse worlde, yet wyll I nought speke

For in-to that matter, soone I wyll breke

And of the more worlde, yet wyll I tell

Or I go further therin to dwell

525

Than wyll I tell, afterwarde as it falleth

The cause why men, a man the worlde calleth.

THe more worlde, God wolde in earth set

For it shulde to man be subget

Man to serue, after his owne delyte

530

And so God ordeyned, for mans proffyte

But nowe this worlde, that man lyueth in

So wycked is, and so full of synne

For many maketh the worlde, theyr soueraygne

So that all theyr workes, tourneth in-to vayne

535

And some man doth therto, all that he may

To serue the worlde, both nyght and day

But this worlde, is nothynge elles

But the condycyon of men, that therin dwelles

For the worldely men knowe may nought

540

But by the condycyons, that they hath wrought

For what myght men, by the worlde vnderstande

If none worldely men, lyued in lande

But he that serueth the worlde, and hath therto loue

Serueth the worlde, and nothynge God aboue

sig: [D3v]

545

For the worlde is here, the deuylles seruaunt

And he that it serueth, and therto wyll graunt

And many a man nowe after the worlde lysteneth

But I holde hym nat wyse, that theron trusteth

For this worlde is false, and deceyuable

550

And in all thynges wonderly vnstable

Therfore I holde a man nothynge wytty

That aboute the worlde, maketh hym besy

For a man may nat Goddes seruaunt be

But he the maners of the worlde wyll fle

555

And he may nat loue God, but he the worlde dyspyse

For the holy Gospell sayeth in this wyse.

¶ Nemo potest duobus dominis seruire [quia]quia] 1542 omits, quia G aut vnum odio habebit et alterum diliget [aut]aut] et 1542, aut G vnum sustinebit et alterum contempnet.

¶He sayeth, no man can serue God at wyll

Neyther two lordes, that he ne doth full euyll

For els he shall hate one in his dede

560

And that other loue in his manhede

Other he shall mayntayne that one outryght

And that other despyse, and set full lyght

The worlde is Goddes ennemye, and so men shulde it call

For it is contraryous to his workes all

565

And so be euerychone, that the worlde loueth well

As the holy euangelyst, sayeth in the Gospell.

¶ Qui vult esse amicus huius mundi inimicus dei constituitur.

¶He sayeth, he that wyll the worldes frende be

Goddes ennemye, forsoth than is he

And sore worldly men greueth God ywys

570

Therfore the Apostell, in his epystell sayth this.

¶ Nolite diligere mundum nec ea que in mundo sunt.

¶Loue nought the worlde sayeth he

Ne nothynge that in the worlde may be

sig: [D4]

For all that is in this worlde, that any man tell can

Other it is couytous, or lust of flesshe of man

575

Other couytous of eyen, that men may with loke

Other pryde of lyfe, as wytnesseth the boke.

¶ Omne quod est in mundo aut est concupiscentia carnis aut concupiscentia oculorum, aut superbia vite.

¶Couytous of flesshe, that is seynge

That parteyneth to a mannes lust or lykynge

Couytous of eyen, as euery man may gesse

580

Is ryches that commeth to a man with blysse

And pryde of lyfe, that men kepeth in thought

And euer desyreth, to great honour to be brought

And lyckynge and lust, of flesshely maiestye

Engendreth the foule synne of lecherye

585

But God made the worlde, as he is wytnes

For to serue man, in all maner of goodnes

Wherfore is man seruaunt to the worlde than

And make hym the worldes bonde-man

Syth he may serue God, and euer be fre

590

And out of the worldes thraldom be

But wolde a man knowe ryght as he shulde

What the worlde is, and her falsenes beholde

He shulde haue no wyll, as I vnderstande

After the worlde any-thynge to fonde

595

Lo what sayth Bartholomewe, the great clarke

That speaketh of the worlde, and of her warke.

¶ Mundus nichil aliud est quam quoddam exilium erumpna, labore, dolore, dolo, et tristicia plenus. erumpna=aerumna

¶He sayth that the worlde, is nothynge elles

But an harde exyle, that a man in dwelles

Both darcke and dym, and a dolefull dale

600

That is full of sorowe, and eke of bale

sig: [D4v]

And a place full of all wretchydnes

Of anger and trauayle, and all besynes

Of sorowe and synne, and of all folye

Of shendshyp also, and eke vylonye

605

Of flyttynge also, and of moche taryinge

Of moche greuaunce also, and moche mournynge

Of all maner of fylth, and corrupcyon

Of moche wrath, and extorcyon

And full of gyle, and of falshed

610

Of great debate, and contynuall dred

So that in this worlde, is nought man to auaunce

But moche sorowe, and harde myschaunce

And pompe and pryde, with foule couytyse

With vayne-glorye and slouth, that men ofte vse

615

The worlde to hym draweth all men

And so dysceyueth his louers then

And to many is greuous, and to fewe auayleth

For his louers, he dysceyueth and fayleth

And all that despyseth hym, he awayteth fast

620

And thynketh them soone, in-to myschyfe cast

For them that he loueth, he wyll socour

And make them ryche, and great of honour

And to begyle them, he thynketh at the last

And into great myschyfe, he wyll them cast

625

Therfore worldly worshyp, may be tolde

A vanyte, that dysceyueth both yonge and olde

And worldly rychesse, howeso it come

I holde nought elles, but as fantome

The worlde hath many a man, with vanyte defyled

630

And with pompe and pryde, ofte them begyled

Therfore an holy man, as ye may here

Speaketh vnto the worlde, in this manere.

sig: E1

¶ O munde inmunde vtinam ita inmundus esses vt me non tangeres, aut ita mundus esses vt me non co[i]nqu[in]arescoinquinares] conquares 1542, coinquinares G.

¶ And that is in englysshe, thus moche for to mene

O thou worlde he sayth, that euer arte vnclene

635

Why myght thou nat euer so vnclene be

That thou shuldest ne[u]er nyghe me

Other be so clene, in thy werkes all

That thou make me in-to no synne fall.

¶Howe the worlde may be lykened vnto the see.

THe worlde may by many encheason

640

Be lykened to foure thynges by good reason

Fyrste may the worlde be lykened ywys

Most proprely to the see, that long and brode is

For the see after her owne certayne tyde

Ebbeth and floweth, and may nat abyde

645

And throughe stormes waxeth kene and blowes

And than ryseth tempestes and stronge wawes

So fareth the worlde, with his fauour

Bryngeth a man in-to ryches and to honour

But afterwarde, than he casteth hym a_downe

650

In-to moche pouerte, and trybulacyown

And those be the great stormes and kene

That bryngeth a man, in sorowe and tene.

¶Howe the worlde may be lykened vnto a wyldernes.

YEt may the worlde, that is brode and wyde

Be lykened to a wyldernes in euery syde

655

That is full of bestes that be wylde

As Lyons, Lybardes, and Wolfes vnmylde

sig: [E1v]

That wyll strangle men and dystroye

And slee theyr beestes, and sore them noye

So is this worlde full of mysdoers all aboute

660

Of many tyrauntes, that bryngeth men in doute

That euer be besy, both nyght and day

Men to annoye, in all that they may.

¶Howe the worlde may be lykened vnto a Forest.

ALso the worlde lykened may be

To a forest, that standeth in a wylde countre

665

That is full of theues, and wylde out_lawes

That often-tymes to suche forest drawes

Haunteth theyr hyre passe, robbeth and reueth

Both men and women, and nothynge leueth

So fareth this worlde, that we in dwell

670

Is full of theues, that be deuylles of hell

That vs awayteth, and euer be besy

For to robbe and reue our goodes ghostly.

¶Howe the worlde may be lykened to a battell in a felde.

ANd yet is this worlde, as ye shall here

May thus be lykened, in the fourth manere

675

To a fayre felde, full of dyuers battayles

Of straunge ennemyes, that eche day vs assayles

For here we be brought in great doute

And set with ennemyes, all harde aboute

And pryncypally, with these ennemyes thre

680

But agaynst them, well-armed we myght be

That is the worlde, the fende, and thy flesshe

That eche day assayleth vs lyke fresshe

sig: E2

Therfore vs behoueth both day and nyght

For to be redy agaynst them to fyght

685

THe worlde, as clarckes doth vs to vnderstande

Agaynst vs fyghteth euer, with double hande

Both with the ryght hande, and the left also

That euer yet, hath yben our flesshe fo

And welth the ryght hande, may ben tolde

690

And the left hande is hap, and angers colde

For the ryght hande, assayleth men some-whyle

With welth of the worlde them to begyle

And that is welth, without anger and dolour

Of worldly ryches, and great treasour

695

And with the left hande, he assayleth eftsoone

And maketh men sory often, and grone

And that is anger and trybulacyon

And also pouerte, and moche persecucyon

Suche thynges Clarckes, the left hande calleth

700

That in this worlde, amonges men falleth

And with the worlde commeth dame fortune soone

That eyther hande chaungeth, as the newe moone

For euer [s]he tourneth aboute her whele she] he 1542, sho G

Somtyme in-to wo, and somtyme to wele

705

And when she letteth the whele aboute go

Somtyme she tourneth from well in-to wo

And eftsones agayne, from wo in-to blysse

And thus tourned her whele often is

And that whele Clarckes, nought els calleth

710

But hap or chaunce, that sodaynly falleth

And suche hap, men holdeth nothynge elles

But wrath or hate, that in men dwelles

Therfore worldly welth, is euer-more in doubte

Whyle dame fortune, tourneth her whele aboute

sig: [E2v]

715

Wherfore perfyte men, that good lyfe lede

The welth of the worlde, sore they drede

For welth draweth a man from the ryght way

And ledeth hym from God, both nyght and day

Thus may eche man drede welth, who that can

720

And so sayth saynt Ierome, the good holy man

The more he sayth, that a man waxeth vp-ryght

In welth other in any worldly myght

The more he shulde, haue drede in thought

That from the blysse, he ne fall nought.

¶ Quanto magis in virtutibus crescimus, tanto plusplus] amplius G timere debemus

debemus] debeamus G ne sublimius

sublimius] de sublimiori G corruamus.

725

¶To this accordeth a clarcke Seneca the wyse

That counceyleth vs, the worlde to despyse.

¶ Tunc salubre consilium aduoca cum tibi alludunt mundi [pro]speraprospera] vespera 1542, prosperitas G.

¶Seneca sayeth, and gyueth good counceyll

When this worlde maketh his merueyll

Than seche thy wyt, and after counceyll call

730

That moche welth make the nat fall

For welthynes is but a shadowe somdele darcke

And so sayth saynt Gregory, the noble clarcke.

¶ Si omnis fortun[a]fortuna] fortunis 1542, fortuna G timenda est: magismagis] magis in 1542, magis tamen G prospera quam aduersa.

¶Saynt Gregory sayeth in this maner

That yf euery hap be for to drede here

735

Yet is hap of welth to drede more

Than any maner sorowe, thoughe it greue sore

For anger mannes lyfe clenseth and proueth

And welth to synne a man soone moueth

And so may man his soule lyghtly spyll

740

Throughe welthes, that men haue at theyr wyll

And so commeth afterwarde, to endles payne

And so wytnesseth, the doctour saynt Austayne.

sig: E3

¶ Sanitas continua, et rerum habundancia etern[e]eterne] eterna 1542, eterne G dampnacionis sunt i[n]dicia.

¶He sayth contynuall hele, and worldly wele

As to moche ryches and goodes fele

745

Be tokens as in boke wryten is

Of hell-dampnacyon endles ywys

And to these wordes, that some men mysspeaketh

Accordeth saynt Gregory, and thus he sayeth.

¶ Continuus successus rerum temp[o]raliumtemporalium] temperalium 1542 eterneeterne] future G dampnacionis est i[n]dicium.

¶He sayeth, that contynuall hap commynge

750

Of worldly goodes, is a tokenynge

Of dampnacyon, that at the last shall be

Before God, that then shall fall without pyte

But the worlde prayseth none men onely

But them that to the worlde be happy

755

And vpon worldly thynges, setteth theyr herte

And euer flyeth the symple state of pouerte

Suche men be besy, and gathereth fast

And fareth as theyr lyfe shulde euermore last

To them the worlde is queynt and fauourable

760

In all-thynge, that thynketh them profytable

And can moche of worldly queyntyse

The worlde calleth them good men and wyse

And to them falleth ryches many-folde

But it is theyr dampnacyon, as I haue tolde

765

For in heauen, may no man haue an home

That foloweth the worlde, and his wysdome

And suche wysdome, sayeth a wyse clarcke and wytty

That before God, it is holde but foly.

¶ Sapiencia huius mundi stulticia est apud [deum] word obscured; G reads: 'Deum'.

¶But many to the worlde, moche lysteth

sig: [E3v]

770

And he is nat wyse, that theron trusteth

For it ledeth a man, with wrynches and wyles

And at the last hym it begyles

A man may be calde both wytty and wyse

That setteth the worlde at lytell pryse

775

And hateth the thynges, that the worlde loueth moste

And thynketh to blysse, to brynge his ghoste

And to the worlde trusteth ryght nought

But euer in that other worlde, setteth his thought

For no sure dwellynge, shall we here fynde

780

As the apostell Paule wytnesseth, thus sayende.

¶ Non manentem ciuitatem hic habemus set futuram inquirimus.

¶He sayeth, no sure dwellynge here haue we

But seke we another, that euer shall be

And as gestes haue our soiourne

A lytell tyme tyll we hence tourne

785

And that may fall rather than we wene

For man is here, but as an alyane

To trauayle here in way all-tymes

To wende in-to our countre, as doth pylgrymes

Therfore the Prophete, vnto God speaketh thus

790

As Dauid in the Psalter telleth to vs.

¶ Ne silias quoniam aduena ego sum apud te et peregrinus vt omnes patres mei. etc.

¶Be thou [nat] styll Lorde, sayeth he nat] 1542 omits, noght G

For-why, I am commynge towarde the

And a pylgryme, as all my fathers were

Thus may euery man se, that lyueth here

795

That is to say, Lorde be thou nat styll

That [thou n]eletters obscured; G reads: 'þow ne' make me here knowe thy wyll

And suc[he co]mforteletters obscured; G reads: 'swilk comfort' to my soule thou gyue

sig: [E4]

That may make her, both glad and blyue

And say thus therto, I am thy saluacyon

800

For thou arte my pylgryme trewe in deuocyon.

¶Of two wayes in this worlde.

TWo wayes there be in this worlde full ryfe

One is way of death, another of lyfe

This worlde is the way and also passage

Throughe the whiche lyeth our pylgrymage

805

By this way all we must nedes go

And eche man be[h]oueth, that it is so behoueth] beloueth 1542, byhoves G

In this worlde be two wayes of kynde

Who that wyll assay, the soth he may fynde

One is the way of death here tolde

810

And that other is the way of lyfe holde

But the way of death, semeth large and easy

For that may vs lede, euen and lyghtly

To the horryble lande of darckenes

Where sorowe and payne is, and wretchydnes

815

But the way of lyfe, semeth narowe and harde

That ledeth vs, euen to our countre-warde

And that is the kyngdome of heauen bryght

Where we shall be in Goddes syght

And as Goddes sones there ben ytolde

820

If we do well, both yonge and olde

For the way of the worlde, is here vnstable

And our lyfe also, well chaungeable

As often is sene in many maner wyse

Through tempest of wethers, that maketh men anguyse

825

For the worlde, and the worldly lyfe yfere

Chaungeth full ofte, and in dyuers manere

And in her state dwelleth but a whyle

sig: [E4v]

Unneth the space of a lytell myle

And for the worlde is so vnstedfast

830

For all-thynge theron soone is ouercast.

¶Of the vnstedfastnes of this worlde.

GOd ordeyned, as it was his wyll

Uaryaunce of the season to fulfyll

And dyuers wethers, and other seasones

In token of the false worldes condycyones

835

That so vnstable be to mannes hande

That lytell tyme in theyr state may stande

For God wyll that men throughe tokens may knowe

Howe vnstable the worlde is in euery throwe

So that men theron the lesse shulde trust

840

And for no welth theron, to moche haue lust

The tymes chaungeth often, and be nat in one state

For nowe is the morenynge, and nowe it is late

And nowe it is day, and nowe it is nyght

And nowe it is darcke, and nowe it is lyght

845

And nowe is there colde, and nowe great hete

And nowe it is drye, and nowe it is wete

And nowe it is hayle, and snowe full stronge

And nowe fayre wether, and Sonne-shyne amonge

And nowe is the wether clere, and fayre with-all

850

And nowe it is darcke, and rayne doth downe fall

By all the varyaunce men may vnderstande

Are tokens of the worlde, that is varyande

Yet there be mo tokens, that we may lere

Of the vnstablenes, of this worlde here

855

For nowe is great myrth, and nowe mournynge

And nowe is laughter, and nowe wepynge

And nowe men be well, and nowe be wo

sig: F1

And nowe is a man frende, and nowe is fo

And nowe is a man lyght, and nowe is heuy

860

And nowe is a man glad, and nowe is drery

And nowe haue we ioy, and nowe haue we pyne

And nowe haue we cattayle, and nowe we it tyne

And nowe we be ryche, and nowe we be poore

And nowe we haue lytell, and nowe we haue more

865

And nowe we haue rest, and nowe we haue trauayle

And nowe fynde we our strength, what it may auayle

And nowe we be great, and nowe we be bare

And nowe we be well, and nowe we be in care

And nowe we be lyght, and nowe we be slowe

870

And nowe we be hye, and nowe we be lowe

Nowe loue, nowe hate, nowe peace, and stryfe

All these be the maners, of mannes lyfe

That euer betokeneth moche vnstedfastnes

Of this worldes welth, that so chaungeable is

875

And as this lyfe is euer away passynge

So is the worlde euery day apparynge

For the worlde to her ende draweth fast

As clarckes by many thynges can cast

Therfore the worlde, as clarckes hath me tolde

880

Is as moche to mene, as the worlde that is olde

For two earthly worldes to this lyfe befalleth

As tolde is before, as clarckes it calleth

But the more worlde, and also the lesse

Full chaungeable be, and away doth passe

885

The more worlde is this worlde, longe and brode

But the lesse worlde is lykened to manhode.

¶Howe the rowndenes of this worlde is lykened to a man.

sig: [F1v]

ANd as the more worlde, is rownde yset

So is the lesse, as a man that is met

For in the brede of a man, as god wolde sende

890

As moche space fro the longe fyngers ende

Of the ryght hande, the armes out_spredynge

To the fyngers ende of the left hande out_stretchynge

And also fro the top aboue at the crowne

Streyght to the soole of the fote there downe

895

Than yf a man his armes out_sprede

No more is the lenght of hym, than is the brede

And so may a man be met all aboute

Euer as a compas, hym-selfe without

And thus hath the lesse worlde, that a man is

900

Euen after the shape of the more worlde ywys

But these two worldes, the more and the lesse

At the last tyme away shall passe

For the more eldre, that they shall bere

The more they enpereth, and become feblere

905

As men may se, that gyueth here entent

And so wytnesseth the great clarcke Innocent.

¶ Senuit iam mundus vterque et maior mundus et minor et quanto prol[i]xiusprolixius] proluxius 1542, prolixius G vtriusque senectus producitu[r]producitur] producitus 1542, producitur G tanto deter[iu]sdeterius] deternis 1542, dexterius G vtriusque natura conprobaturconprobatur] turbatur G.

¶He sayeth, as it is in latyne tolde

Eyther worlde, nowe waxeth full olde

And the longer that theyr tyme is here sought

910

And the age of eyther, other forth ybrought

The more in malyce, and in feblenes ywys

The kynde of eyther other medled is.

¶Of the condycyons of worldly men.

sig: F2

OF those worldly men / great outrage men may se

Of pompe and pryde, and all vanyte

915

In dyuerse maner, and in dyuerse guyse

That nowe is vsed in many maner wyse

In worldly hauynge, and hye bearynge

As in ydle apparyle, and foule werynge

The whiche asketh ouer_great costage

920

And at the last, it tourneth to moche outrage

For suche dysguysynge, and suche manere

As yonge men nowe hath, as we may lere

For nowe is euery day contynually say

That myght before, haue be by no way

925

For thynge that somtyme was called vylonye

Nowe yonge men holdeth it for great curtesye

And that men somtyme for curtesye wolde call

Nowe in lytell tyme to vylonye it is fall

For nowe maketh men so oft theyr chaungynge

930

In many maners, and also of dyuerse clothynge

Nowe men vseth short clothes, and nowe wyde

And other-whyle narowe clothes, and ouer_syde

And some haue theyr clothynge, hangynge as stooles

And some goeth tatered, as it were fooles

935

And some goeth wryckynge towarde and fro wryckynge: see wrick, vb.1, OED; wrynchand G

And some goeth skyppynge, as doth a do

And so vseth men all the newe get

And therwith the deuyll taketh them in-to his net

And throughe suche vncomely pompe and pryde

940

They ne wote whyther they may gone or ryde

For so moche pryde, as nowe is ywene

Was neuer before, amonge men sene

For suche guyses, that commeth of wantonhede

I trowe that they may be tokens drede

sig: [F2v]

945

Of great myschyfes, and hasty to vnderstande

That is nowe in-to this worlde commande

And therfore Goddes wrath, with them shall mete

As wytnesseth Dauid the prophete.

¶ Et irritauerunt deum deum] eum G in vanitatibusvanitatibus] advencionibus G suis.

¶And they meued hym to wrath sayth he

950

In theyr newe fyndynges of vanyte

This may be called, as the boke proueth

By them that suche dysguyses vseth

For suche men therwith God greueth

And therfore from them his grace he reueth

955

And God at the last to them wyll sende

Great vengeaunce, but they them amende

God suffreth them a whyle to haue theyr wyll

And in theyr folyes, for to abyde styll

And that may be knowen, by many maner of guyse

960

As saynt Dauid wytnesseth in this wyse.

¶ Et dimisi eos secundum desideria cordis eorum.

¶The prophete Dauid speaketh, and sayeth thus

In Goddes name, as the Psalter telleth vs

I let them he sayeth, without all maner couerte

After lustes and lykynge of theyr owne herte

965

And in theyr newe fyndynges, they shall go

Well may this be sayde, by them and other mo

That God suffreth in folye, and theyr tyme leseth

And after theyr lustes, newe fyndynges cheseth

That to the worlde maketh them gay

970

And from God tourneth, both nyght and day

And at the last they shall hence wende

To the paynes that be without ende

Therfore I counceyll all vanyties to forsake

And in this worlde, betymes amendes make

sig: F3

975

Yet hath the worlde, that is so trecherous

Many other maners, that be contraryous

For nowe is vertue tourned in-to vyce

And playeth myrth and game in-to malyce

And nowe is deuocyon, in many a mannes syde

980

Tourned all in-to boste, and to foule pryde

And nowe is wyt and wysdome, holde folye

Both amonge yonge and olde, tourned to trecherye

And nowe is folye, holde great wysdome

And therto is tourned nowe, both mayster and grome

985

And nowe is clene lo[u]e, tourned to lecherye

And all ryghtfulnes in-to trecherye

And thus is this worlde tourned vp-so-downe

To many a mannes soule, great dampnacyown

But suche semeth as they were wode

990

For good thynge they holde euyll, and euyll thynge gode

Wo shall they be therfore, as clarckes can tell

For God hym-self, wytnesseth it in the Gospell

Wo to you sayth Chryst, that thynketh with your wyll

That euyll thynge is good, and good thynge euyll

995

That is to say, that them-selfe shulde be wo

That in this worlde, myslyueth theyr lyfe so

And thus is the worlde, and mannes lyfe therin

Full with vanyte, and wretchednes of synne

But some men loueth, so moche this lyfe

1000

And also the worlde, that is full of stryfe

And so they thynke, neuer to wende there-fro

But euer to dwell here, yf it myght be so

And loueth so moche this worldes vanyte

And neuer desyreth here, in other lyfe to be

1005

But wolde a man, well hym vnderstande

That the worlde is besy, a man for to shonde

sig: [F3v]

And what he shall haue therof at the last ende

When he shall from the worlde wende

Than shulde hym lyst, both nyght and day

1010

To forsake myrthes, and synge well_away

A man therfore must suche workes forsake

And to Goddes mercye, all his herte take

And lede here his lyfe, in mekenes and pouert

In fastynge, and in penaunce, and other workes smert

1015

And knowe his conscyence, that is inwarde

To haue the ioy of heauen than afterwarde

And thus shulde euery man, hym well be_thynke

If he wyll Goddes grace in hym synke

Nowe haue I tolde you in dyuerse manere

1020

The condycyons of mannes lyfe, and of the worlde here

And nowe I wyll passe furthermore

And speake of the thyrde parte, and of his lore

That telleth specyally, as I shall rede

Of death, and wherfore it is to drede.

¶Here begynneth the thyrde parte of this boke / that speaketh of death.

1025

DEath is moste dredefull thynge that is

In all the worlde, as the boke wytnesseth this

For there is no quycke thynge lyuynge

That agaynst death is sore dredynge

Fleeth it as long as he may / but at last it is deathes pray

1030

And when death commeth, and maketh debate

All-thynge he bryngeth, in-to another state

For no man may agaynst hym stande

Whyther he come by water, or by lande.

sig: [F4]

¶Of the maners of death.

AS Clarckes fynde wryten, they redeth

1035

Thre maners of death ben that men dredeth

One is bodely that after kynde doth wende

And the other ghostly, that other without ende

And bodely death, that kyndly is wrought

Is when body and soule, a_sonder is brought

1040

Death is full harde and bytter, as I shall tell you hereafter

For ghostly death is departynge of synne

Betwene God, and mannes soule within

For ryght as the soule is lyfe of the body

Ryght so the lyfe of the soule, is God almyghty

1045

And as the body is without any doubte

Deade as stone, when mannes soule is out

So is the soule of man deade also

When almyghtye God departeth there-fro

For where synne is, the deuyll is of hell

1050

And where synne is, God wyll nat dwell

For deedly synne, and the deuyll, and he

In one place, may nat togyther be

And when mannes soule, is bounde with synne

God is thence, and the deuyll dwelleth therin

1055

Than is the soule deade, before God in-dede

Whyle synne and the soule, dwelleth in one stede.

¶Howe a mannes soule is deade throughe synne.

AS a mannes body may be slawe

With wepyn, that to hym may be drawe

So is the soule slayne throughe foule synne

1060

Wherfore God and he departeth atwynne

sig: [F4v]

Than is ghostly death for to drede more

Than any bodely death, thoughe it greue sore

And in-as-moche, as the soule pryncypally

Is more worthy, than a mannes body

1065

For thoughe a mannes soule, throughe synne be deade

And departed from God in his manheade

Yet it myght euer lyue, and harde payne fynde

But the body is deed anone throughe flesshely kynde

But of bodely death is none agayne tournynge

1070

For of all earthly [lyfe], it maketh an endynge lyfe] death 1542, lyf G

And that is the way, that we must wende

To ioye other to payne, that is without ende

Neuertheles yf the soule with synne be slayne

Yet he may throughe grace, be quycked agayne

1075

For God bought it dere, vpon the rode-tre

In the ioy of Paradyce, with hym for to be

For all ghostly woundes, that be of synne

May here throughe penaunce, take hele to wynne

And thoughe God euer be ryghtfull and myghtye

1080

Yet he euermore is full of mercye

And to saue mannes soule, more redy is he

Than any man wyll, to his mercye fle

For the lyfe of the soule, pleaseth hym more

Than doth mannes death, as sayth his lore.

¶ Nolo mortem peccatoris sedsed] sed ut G magis conuertatur vtvt] et G viuat.

1085

¶I wyll nat the death of a synfull wyght

But he tourne hym, and do penaunce ryght

Than may a synfull man, that his soule hath slawe

Be tourned to grace, and from dampnacyon be drawe.

¶Howe in hell is death without ende.

sig: G1

ENdeles death, is death of hell

1090

That they shall haue, that there shall dwell

For hell is counted a peryllous place

For there is endeles wo, without any grace

Care and sorowe, that neuer shall lynne

Yet may nat the soule dye therin

1095

And it myght dye, as the body doth here

Of all her payne, than delyuered she were

For the death of hell, is euermore lyuynge

And is stronge death, euermore lastynge

Of this death men may rede and loke

1100

In the Psalmes of Dauid in his boke

That speaketh moche, of the paynes of hell

Therfore vpon this matter, I wyll no longer dwell

¶What maner thynge is death.

DEath is nought els sothly

But departyng bytwene the soule and the body

1105

And as I haue somdele before sayde

This may be called a deathes brayde

And a very remembrynge of mannes lyfe

When the soule parteth from the body with stryfe

As ye may knowe in your thought

1110

That kyndely darckenes is to be felt nought

But where that no maner lyght is se

Proprely there is darckenes in euery degre

So that darckenes is byreyuynge of lyght

So is death of lyfe, when a man is hence twyght

1115

Thus fareth death, that all men dredeth moste

When the lyfe fayleth, they yelde vp the ghoste.

¶Men dredeth death for foure thynges.

sig: [G1v]

FOure encheasones in bokes I rede

Why men death so moche drede

One is for death is stronge and fell

1120

And hath more payne, than man can tell

Another is, for the syght that he shall se

Of horryble deuylles, that aboute hym shall be

The thyrde is for acompte that he shall yelde

Of all that he hath done in youth and elde

1125

The fourth for he is euer than vncertayne

Whyther he shall wende to blysse or payne

He woteth nat than, howe he shall fare

For death is bytter, and full of care

And so it semeth well, as sayth the boke

1130

For when Chryste dyed in manhed that he toke

And or he dyed vpon the holy rode

For drede of death, he swete droppes of blode

For he wyst, or he to death gan passe

What the harde payne, of bodely death was

1135

Than may we knowe therby full wele

That the payne of mannes death, is harde to fele

And of that death, I may thynke wonder

For all-thynge death may breake asonder

As it sheweth by many wayes to vs

1140

Therfore an holy man, in his boke sayth thus.

¶ Mors soluit omnia.

¶Death he sayeth, vndoeth all maner thynge

And of mannes lyfe, maketh an endynge

Wherfore death is greatly to be dred

As hereafter it shall be more playnely shewed.

¶Of the fyrste encheason why men dredeth death.

sig: G2

1145

FIrste a man shulde drede death in his herte

For the paynes of death, that be full smerte

That is the last, and also the ende

When the soule from the body shall wende

A sorowfull departynge is that for to tell

1150

For they loue togyther, euermore to dwell

And none of them, wolde from other go

So moche loue, is bytwene them two

And the sadder that two be togyther in loue

As a man and his wyfe, throughe God aboue

1155

The more sorowe, and the longer mournynge

Shall be bytwene them, at theyr departynge

But the body and the soule, with the lyfe

Loueth more togyther, than doth man and wyfe

And whyther that they gone, in good way or euyll

1160

Euer togyther they wolde be styll

But there is encheason, as men may se

Why that they wolde euer togyther be

For encheason that God, throughe his myght and wyt

That body and soule, fyrste togyther knyt

1165

Another is, for that one may nothynge do

But yf that other, wyll helpe therto

The thyrde is, for they shall togyther come

Before our Lorde God, to theyr dome

The fourth encheason is, when they come there

1170

Togyther they shall dwell, without any where where=were, "danger, distress"

Therfore the more is theyr payne and care

When that one shall from that other fare

And this departynge, may be called death

That flyeth aboute, as doth a mannes breath

1175

Throughe all landes, both farre and nere

And spareth nothynge, for any powere

sig: [G2v]

For prayer ne gyfte, that any man may gyue

Where that death commeth, he suffreth no man to lyue

For he ne spareth neyther hye ne lowe

1180

That he ne reueth theyr lyfe in a lytell throwe

So death hath no mercye of no wyght

As saynt Bernarde wytnesseth full ryght.

¶ Non misereturmiseretur] miserietur 1542, miseretur G [mors]mors] 1542 omits, mors G inopie nec reueretur diuiciis nec sapientie, nec moribus, nec etati.

¶He sayeth that death of pouert no mercye taketh

Neyther to ryche men, rewarde he hath

1185

Neyther to wysdome, that men can shewe

Neyther to olde men, for theyr dayes be fewe

Death wyll haue neyther reuerence nor fauour

Neyther frendshyp of kynge, ne Emperour

Neyther of bysshop, ne yet of prelate

1190

Neyther of other, what-soeuer they be of state

Therfore saynt Bernarde, sayth thus in his wrytynge

For euery man, shulde drede deathes commynge.

¶ Mortem esse communem, cunctis scito viuentibus.

¶Understande thou he sayth, that death is

To all common, both to more and lesse

1195

And thus shall death vysyte euery man

And yet what he is, no man dyscerne can

But the payne of death, that all shall fele

As telleth a Phylosopher to vs full well.

HE lykeneth a mannes lyfe vnto a tre

1200

That were waxynge, yf it myght be

Through a mans hert, with rotes to sprynge

And in euery place, a braunche growynge

And the crop at the mouth, out come myght

And to eche a ioynte, a roote were dyght

1205

And euery vayne, that is in a mannes body

sig: G3

Had a rote fastened full harde therby

And to euery fynger, and toes also

Were a rote from the tre growynge therto

That in eche lymbe, that is in euery syde

1210

The rotes of the tre, shulde theron be tyde

If that tre were so sore pulled out

That the rotes shulde aryse all aboute

Than shulde the rotes, the ioyntes strayne

And eche bone, and synewe also with vayne

1215

Than a more payne, can no more cast

Than this were, as longe as it myght last

And yet the payne of death is holde more

And harder in his tyme, than this wore

Therfore euery man before as it is sayde

1220

May greatly drede, the harde deathes brayde

But the moste drede is then all within

If a mannes soule be in deedly synne

And therfore the Prophete, sayth thus in his boke

And warneth vs echone therto to loke.

¶ O mors quam amara memoria tua homini iniusto.

1225

¶O thou bytter death, and dredefull sayth he

Full grysely thynge it is for to thynke on the

And namely to that man, that is full of synne

Wherfore his conscyence, is greued within

Therfore me-thynketh a man is nat sly

1230

That maketh nat hym to death redy

For so certayne in earth, is no maner man

That his endynge-day, forsoth tell can

Neyther the tyme of death, can nat loke

And so saynt Bernarde sayeth in this boke.

¶ Quid in rebus humanis certius est morte

Quid incertius hora mortis inuenietur inuenietur] invenitur G.

sig: [G3v]

1235

¶He sayeth, what is to a man more certayne

Than is death, that is so sodayne

And what is also more vncertayne thynge

Than is the tyme of deathes commynge

Therfore saynt Austyne, the holy man

1240

Sayeth thus in his boke, as I proue can.

¶ N[e]scisNescis] Nrscis 1542 qua hora veniat mors ideo semper vigila vt cum venerit te paratum inueniat et tempus illius forte nescis vt semper ideo essesesses] sis G paratus.

¶Man thou knowest nat sayeth he

What tyme deathes commynge shall be

Therfore wake as thou haddest euer knowynge

The tyde and tyme of deathes commynge

1245

That death fynde the when he shall come

All-redy to God and buxome

For thou shuldest nat, perchaunce knowe

The commynge of death, to holde the l[o]we lowe] lawe 1542

And in thy conscyence, to make the yare

1250

For when death commeth, he wyll nat spare

Than behoueth vs our lyfe so to cast

As euery day of our lyfe, were the last

And euery day vs aredy to make

As we shulde eche day, the death take

1255

And nat abyde, tyll death vs vysyte

For saynt Austyne in his boke thus doth wryte.

¶ Latet nobis vltimus dies vt obseruenturobseruentur] obseruerentur 1542, observentur G bene ceteri dies [Se]roSero] Raro 1542, sero G enim p[a]ranturparantur] perantur 1542, parantur G remedia, cum mortis venerunt pericula.

¶The last day of man here sayeth he

For all other dayes, better kept shulde be

For men ordeyneth remedye to late

1260

When perylles of death standeth at the gate

And in the same state, that he is than

He shall be demed when he is gone

sig: [G4]

Therfore euery man, for drede of lettynge

Shulde nat abyde, deathes commynge

1265

But make hym redy, or he death fele

And than after kepe hym-selfe wele

For when death is to the gate come

Than to late hath he his warnynge nome

For death from a man, his mynde byreueth

1270

And no kyndely wyt in hym byleueth

For than shall he fynde suche payne and drede

That he shall thynke vpon no mysdede

But in this payne, and in nothynge elles

As the holy man, saynt Austyne telles.

¶ Timor mortis totam [anim]amanimam] vitam 1542, animam G sibi vendicat vt [nec]nec] 1542 omits, nec G de peccatis tunc libeat cogitare. etc.

1275

¶Drede of death he sayeth, when he assayleth a man

Chaungeth the soule, and maketh the body wan

So hym luste than to haue no thought

Of the synnes, that he hath here ywrought

Therfore euery man amende hym here

1280

Or death come and sende his messengere

And yf a man wyll before beware

Than of all synnes, death shall fynde hym bare

His messenger, well may be called syckenes

That goeth before, and bryngeth hym in dystres

1285

For syckenes ofte-tymes, pyneth a man so

That for great syckenes his mynde is go

For than may he thynke, vpon nothynge elles

But vpon the payne, that vpon hym dwelles

But when d[e]ath commeth to hym soone afterwarde

1290

Than paynes shall he fele, that be more harde

For than shall he be set in suche drede

So that of hym-selfe, he taketh lytell hede

sig: [G4v]

And that is reason, for he wolde nought

Whyles that he myght, haue God in thought

1295

Therfore he shall then lese clene his mynde

And thus we may in saynt Austyne fynde.

¶ Hac animaduersione percut[itu]rpercutitur] percuttitor 1542, percutitur G peccator vt moriens obliuiscatur sui, qui dum viueret oblitus est dei sui.

¶The synfull man he sayeth, as it is wryte

With the payne of death, shall be ysmyte

That for the payne, that in hym shall fall

1300

Forgetteth hym-selfe, when he hence shall

For whyle that he lyued, at his owne wyll

He forgate God, and his hestes wolde nat fyll

And also synnefull men, haue here no grace

To haue repentaunce, neyther tyme ne space

1305

Thus shall he dye, and so lese heauen-blysse

And be put in-to payne, without any lysse

For they be vnkynde, and to God vncurtayes

Therfore saynt Dauid, in the Psalter thus sayes.

¶ Uos autem sicut homines moriemini, et sicut vnus de principibus cadetis.

¶And sayeth thus to men, ye shall dye all

1310

And as on[e] of the prynces ye shall fall one] on 1542

That is ye shall dye in the same manere

As all men dyed in this worlde here

And as the gostes, that fell from heauen

And were put to hell, with an horryble steuen

1315

Therfore to euery man, it were wysdome

To amende hym of synnes, or death come

And haue God in mynde, whyle his lyfe is

As the Prophete commaundeth, and sayeth this.

¶ Memento creatoris tui antequam veniat tempus visitationis tuetue] sue G.

sig: H1

¶Thynke man he sayeth, and haue in thought

1320

Hym that made the fyrste of nought

Whyle thou lyuest, and or thy tyme be

When God with death, wyll vysyte the

For death clene mannes mynde breketh

And therfore saynt Dauid to God thus speaketh.

¶ DomineDomine] Quoniam G non est in morte qui memor sit tui.

1325

¶Lorde he sayth, that man alyue is nought

That in tyme of death, hath nat the in thought

But men may vnderstande therby

The death of soule, throughe synne namely

For the man that of God myndeles is

1330

It semeth in soule, that he deade is

For God vysyteth vs by euery maner way

Where that the tokens of death fele we may

For yf we coulde vs well vnderstonde

The tokens of death, eche day doth vs fonde

1335

Wherfore me-thynketh, all that here semeth

Is more deade than alyue, as wyse men demeth

For the boke telleth, and wytnesseth before

That a man anone as he is bore

Begynneth towarde his death to drawe

1340

And with dyuerse euylles, often is gnawe

As angers and syckenes, that falleth all day

The whiche deathes throwes, call we may

And in other wayes, and perylles many one

That oft greueth men, in flesshe and in bone

1345

Than is our byrth here but abydynge

A bodely death, that is our endynge

For the longer, that a man waxeth olde

The more may this lyfe death be colde colde=called

Than semeth our lyfe here nothynge elles

sig: [H1v]

1350

But as it were death, as the boke telles

And to that other lyfe, come we nought

Tyll death this lyfe, to ende hath brought

But when death of our lyfe, hath made an ende

Than knowe we nought, whyther for to wende

1355

Whyther that we shall to well other to wo

But certes to that one we shall go

And to good men, than death is the way

To the ioy of heauen, that lasteth ay

And to the wycked men, that passeth that entre

1360

In the payne of hell, they shall euer be

Therfore saynt Dauid the holy prophete

Thus speaketh to God, with wordes swete.

¶ Qui exaltas me de portis mortis vt annunciem omnes laudes tuas.

¶Lorde almyghty God, forsoth thou arte he

That from the gates of death, hast take me

1365

So that I may tell passynge all thynges

The great multytude of thy praysynges

In the holy gates of thy doughter Syon

That gate as Clarckes telleth, that can theron

Is holy Churche, that God fyrste cheace

1370

Throughe the whiche, men commeth to the gate of peace

And by the gates of death, as we may se

The bytter death of hell, vnderstande may be

From that same place, God kepe vs nyght and day

And graunt vs his loue, as he well may

1375

Therfore we shulde hym serue, and his wyll worche

In the trewe beleue of holy Churche

So that we may, than afterwarde wende

To the cytie of peace, that hath none ende

But all men that shall to that place come

1380

Hence shall wende throughe death all and some

sig: H2

But that death to them is nothynge euyll

That lyueth here in earth after Goddes wyll

And in suche holy lyfe stedfastly dwelleth

As saynt Austyne the holy man, in a boke telleth.

¶ Mala mors illi putanda non est, quem in vita sua boni actus processerunt.

1385

¶He sayeth men shulde nat, to them euyll death wene

That in good dedes, wolde his lyfe mene

For nothynge maketh a man so hye of boste

As euyll dedes that foloweth the death moste

For all be deedly, that synne wyll do

1390

And therfore saynt Austyne, sayeth thus therto.

¶ Non potest male mori qui bene vixerit et vix bene moritur qui male vixerit.

¶He sayeth, he may no euyll death haue

That lyueth on earth throughe Goddes lawe

But vnneth may men by any reason

Dye in good death, that leadeth his lyfe in treason

1395

But that man, that hateth this lyfes lykynge

Dare neuer drede of deathes commynge

For after his death here, no payne hym deres

As Caton wytnesseth in this verse.

¶ Non metuit mortem qui s[c]it contempnere vitam. scit] sit 1542, G

¶He sayeth, he that can this lyfe despyse

1400

Shall nat drede death, in no maner wyse

For so dyd martyres, that theyr death sought

For after this worlde, nothynge they wrought

And also holy men, wylled to death be dyght

To dwell in heauen, with God almyght

1405

As the bokes of theyr lyues, telleth to vs

For so dyd an holy man, that sayeth thus.

¶ Cupio dissolui et esse cum christo.

sig: [H2v]

¶I couet he sayeth, hence for to wende

Out of this lyfe, and be with Chryste without ende

For holy men, thought here this lyfe

1410

Was nothynge els, but sorowe and stryfe

Therfore they coueyted, the ende of theyr day

As sayeth an holy man, as I tell may.

¶ Melius est dies mortis quam dies natiuitatis.

¶He sayeth, better is the day of death alone

Than the day of byrth, that is full of mone

1415

For a good man dyeth, for to go vnto rest

Theyr lyfe is endeles, and ioy alther_mest

When the soule from the body shall be gon

As in Apocalyps, wytnesseth saynt Iohnn .

¶ Beati mortui qui in domino moriuntur.

¶Blessyd be all they, in dede and in worde

1420

That dyeth here in earth, in the honour of our lorde

For all that men seth in good lyfe ende

They dye with God, and to hym shall wende

In-to the ioy of heauen, that is on hyghe

Well is hym that throughe death, that stede may nyghe

1425

And doubteles, thoughe holy men dyed here wele

Yet the paynes of death they shall fele

But when they shall, a newe lyfe wynne

When the body and soule, departeth atwynne

Somedele they shall than haue drede

1430

Throughe mankynde, and throughe manhede

Syth that Chryste dred death in his passyon

Throughe kynde of his flesshe, as it was reason

Than ought a man both lesse and more,

The bytter paynes of death, drede full sore.

¶The .ij. encheason why men dredeth death.

sig: H3

1435

THe seconde encheason is, as I in boke rede

Why that death is so greatly to drede

For the dredfull syght of many foule fendes

That a man shal se than, and few other frendes

When that this lyfe here draweth to the ende

1440

And woteth nat whyther he shall with them wende

For when the lyfe of a man, is in doubte

Than wyll deuylles come hym aboute

To take the soule, with them away

In-to the payne of hell, and that is theyr pray

1445

For as wode Lyones, they shall than fare

And on hym grenne, rore and stare

[With] horryble rollynge, and on hym blere With] And 1542

And with hydeous lokes, to make hym fere

And so they wyll stande, at his endynge

1450

If that they myght, in wanhope hym brynge

Throughe suche thret[n]ynge, as they wyll than make

And throughe drede, that they shall take

Throughe hydeous syghtes, that they then wyll shewe

The horryble company, that stande shall in rewe

1455

And therfore the prophete saynt Ieromye

Wytnesseth these wordes in his prophecye.

¶ Omnes [ini]miciinimici] amici 1542, inimici G eius apprehenderunt e[u]meum] eam 1542, eum G inter angustias.

¶He sayeth, that amonge his anguysshes great

His ennemyes shulde hym take, and nought let

Than is no wonder, thoughe the deuylles come

1460

To the synfull man, when death hath hym nome

As the deuyll to saynt Bernarde came at the last day

To brynge the holy man, in-to great afray.

¶Howe the deuyll came and appered vnto saynt Bernarde.

sig: [H3v]

IT is founde in the lyfe of saynt Bernarde

When he drewe to his death warde

1465

That the deuyll of hell, so horryble of hewe

Asked of saynt Bernarde, with wordes fewe

Wherfore he [chalenged] the kyngdome of heuen chalenged] asked 1542, wald ... chalange G

Syth he had gylt in the synnes seauen

Then answered saynt Bernarde to hym this

1470

That I am nat worthy, I wote ywis

Throughe myne owne synnes, it for to haue

When I shall hence wende to my graue

But throughe my lorde Iesus full of myght

That all-thynge gouerneth, as it is ryght

1475

As throughe ryght of his fathers herytage

And also for chrysten mennes auauntage

And throughe ryght of his harde passyon

That he suffred here, for our saluacyon

That herytage frely, he graunted me

1480

And also that other parte to hym shulde be

Of whose ryght, I aske that heauen-ryche

After his mercye, that nothynge is lyche

When the deuyll harde hym thus say

As ouercome he went his way

1485

And anone saynt Bernarde, when this was done

Came agayne to his mynde, that erst was gone

And anone dyed afterwarde tho

And euen his soule to blysse gan go

But it is more wonder all for to tell

1490

Why that God suffreth, the deuyll of hell

To appere to hym, that is of myght moste

Whan that he dyed, and gaue vp his ghoste

For the great Clarckes, wytnesseth it

In theyr owne bokes, that be of holy wryt

sig: [H4]

1495

Than semed it well, that God wolde thus

Suffre the deuyll of hell, to appere to vs

In tyme of death, at our last ende

When we shall all hence wende

But a stronge payne, to vs that shall be

1500

The great syght of deuylles, that than we shall se

For they be so horryble, as telleth the boke

And so blacke, and dredefull vpon to loke

So that all maner of men, that I may deuyse

Of the foule syght of them, may sore agryse

1505

For all maner men, that be in earth alyue

So horryble a syght, can neuer descryue

Nor none so queynte a payntour, that myght brynge to passe

Neyther man so wytty, neuer yet was

That coulde ought ymagyne, of theyr horryblenes

1510

Other paynte any poynte after theyr lykenes

For theyr shape in this worlde, may no man make

Ne se the same fourme, that they haue take

But yf the deuylles, had of God so large powere

In theyr owne fourme, to shewe them here

1515

Lese they shulde theyr mynde, and be sore agast

For cause that they be in-to suche fourme cast

But so hardy man was neuer yet none

That lyued in earth, in flesshe and bone

If he sawe the deuyll, in his fourme aryght

1520

That he ne shulde for drede of that foule syght

Anone-ryght to dye, other to lese his wyt

As soone as he had beholden it

But in the same fourme, as I can tell

Se them neuer here no lyues-man

1525

But onely to them, that death is nere

For God hath bynome them theyr powere

sig: [H4v]

So that they may tempte no man, ne greue

Further then our lorde God, hath gyuen them leue

But anone as death asayleth a man

1530

In the foulest fourme, they wyll appere than

For-bycause that euery man, dredynge shulde be

Agaynst the same tyme, that he shulde them se.

BUt to you all, I wyll tell sothly

Wherfore the deuylles be all so gresely

1535

For when that they were Aungels bryght

As tho that be in heauen, before Goddes syght

And from that place, throughe synne they fell

And anone bycommen foule fendes of hell

And were horryble-fygured throughe synne

1540

And so they were all wrapped therin

For yf synne ne were, they had be styll

Bryght Aungelles, as they were throughe Goddes wyll

And nowe they be horryble, and vnsemely

And that was throughe synne of pryde onely

1545

Than is synne fouler, and more lothsome

Than is the deuyll, that from hell may come

For Clarckes telleth it, that be of connynge

That synne is so foule, and so horryble a thynge

That yf a man myght se, before hym his synne

1550

In the same lykenes, that he falleth in

He shulde rather than for drede it fle

Than any deuyll of hell, that he myght se

Than is the soule of a synfull man within

Fouler than the deuyll, yf he be in synne

1555

Therfore a man shulde, where that he wendes

More drede synne, than any syght of fendes

That shall come to hym, at his endynge

For his synnes in dyspayre hym to brynge

sig: I1

Of whiche synnes, he wolde hym nat shryfe

1560

Ne take no repentaunce here in his lyfe

For vs behoueth euerychone, in Goddes owne syght

Yelde our accomptes of wronge and of ryght

And of all thynges, that euer we haue wrought

Both in werke, and in wyll, and euery mysthought.

¶Of the thyrde encheason why men dredeth death.

1565

THe thyrde encheason, is to our vnderstandynge

Why euery man dredeth deathes commynge

For all-thynge shall be shewed and sene

Both good, euyll, foule, and also clene

And there ben rehersed, as the boke telleth ryght

1570

Bytwene foule fendes, and Aungelles bryght

Than shall they despute there, all our lyfe

With great sorowe, both care and stryfe

For in the same tyme, all-thynge shall be knowen

And in the same day, nothynge ben hydden

1575

But onely synne, that is clensed here

And all good dedes done in good manere

Than shall we all there, both here and se

All maner pryuyties, that euer wrought we

And therfore God sayeth in his Gospell

1580

In the same maner, that I wyll you tell.

¶ Nichil [est]est] 1542 omits, est G opertum quod non reuelabitur.

¶There is no maner of thynge here so hydden

That ne shall than be shewed and knowen

And styll there abyde must we

Tyll there all our lyfe clene examyned be

1585

Therfore saynt Ancelme, as the boke telleth vs

Speaketh to the soule sharpely thus

sig: [I1v]

Thou wretched soule sayth he, what myght thou wyn

When thou from thy body departe shall atwyn

For than behoueth the acomptes to yelde

1590

Of all that thou hast done in youth and in elde

From the begynnynge, that thou couldest wyt

Unto the last day, for thou myght nat flyt

And than shall welaway, forsoth be thy songe

For thou hast spended thy lyfe here in wronge

1595

And than shall all thy synnes here ben shewed

Whyther-so that thou be lered other lewed

Of whiche synne, thou shalt more drede

Than of all the deuylles, that thyther the wyll lede

And thus shall euery man, at his endynge

1600

There be brought to an harde rekenynge

For no synne than to hym shall be vntolde

Be it neuer so pryue, other kept in holde

And I fynde wrytten, thre causes why

That no man may trust than sykerly

1605

Upon his good dedes, that he hath done here

And the causes why, be good to lere

One is that all thynges, that good be

From God they come, and nat from the

So that all good dedes, that here be wrought

1610

Be Goddes owne dedes, and ours ryght nought

But all our synnes, that we may do knowen

Commeth all from our-selfes, and they be our owne

And an-other cause there is also

For-bycause that we be redy euermo

1615

An hondred tymes rather to do synne

Than once a good dede here to begynne

And thus we may acompte, reken, and rede

An hondred synnes agaynst one good dede

sig: I2

The thyrde cause is, for to shewe amonge

1620

For oft-tymes our dedes be done with wronge

And nat in good maner, as they ought to be

And perchaunce they be done out of charyte

And therfore our good dedes, pure good are nought

But saynt Austyne sayth, our euyl pure euyl are wrought.

¶ Omnes iusticieiusticie] iniusticie 1542, iusticie G nostre quasi pannus menstruatus.

1625

¶He sayeth, our good dedes may be sene

As a cloth defouled with thynge vnclene

Therfore for certayne knoweth no maner man

Howe he shall fare, when he his way take can

But we shall byleue without any maner drede

1630

That euery man shall haue after his owne dede

But therof be we nat syker [i]n our lyfe-dayes in] ln 1542

As wytnesseth an holy man, and in this maner sayes.

¶ Nescit homo vtrum sit dignus pro actibus suis amore vel odio.

¶He sayeth for certayne, a man knoweth nought

Thoughe he haue here, neuer so moche good wrought

1635

Whyther that he be worthy af[t]er his dede after] afrer 1542

To haue the loue of God, other els hatred

And also Isodore, as the boke telleth vs

Accordeth well therto, and sayeth all thus.

¶ Seruus dei dum bonum agit, vtrum sit ei ad bonum incertus est. etc.

¶He sayeth, the man that is Goddes seruaunt

1640

That to all goodnes, maketh his haunt

Yet is he nothynge certayne in thought

Whyther it be good to hym, other it be nought

Wherfore our lyuynge is here full harde

As wytnesseth the holy man, saynt Bernarde.

sig: [I2v]

¶ Quis potest hic vitam suam ducere sine tribulatione et dolore.

1645

¶He sayeth, who may here this lyfe lede

Without trybulacyon, anger, and drede

Therfore saynt Bernarde, sayeth thus here

And speaketh of mannes lyfe, in this manere.

¶ Terret me tota vita mea qu[a]qua] que 1542, qua G diligent[e]rdiligenter] diligentur 1542, diligenter G discussa apperetapp[a]ret] apperet 1542, apparet G michi aut peccatum, aut sterilitas, aut res similata et imperfecta. etc.

¶Saynt Bernarde, the holy man sayeth this

1650

All my lyfe here, sore greueth me ywis

For yf it well and euen dyscussed be

Nothynge elles it semeth to me

But synne that the soule moste dereth

Other barayne thynge, that no fruyte bereth

1655

And yf any fruyte myght theron seme

It must thus be sayde, ryghtly to deme

Other a faynynge thynge, to shewe in syght

Other a thynge that is done nought by all ryght

So it may for nothynge ben forth brought

1660

To please almyghty God, that made vs all of nought

So that all a mannes lyfe, is with sorowe lad

Therfore no wonder, thoughe a man selde be glad

What may a synfull man say therto

Syth he that was an holy man of lyfe euermo

1665

Coulde no maner fruyte in hym-selfe se

Than may another man, drede and sory be

Of this lyfe here, that euer is so vnclene

In the whiche there may no fruyte be sene.

¶Of the fourth encheason why men dredeth death.

sig: I3

THe fourth encheason is, and the last to tell

1670

Why men dredeth death, that is so bytter and fell

Is for a man knoweth nat whyther to wende

To ioy other to payne, after his lyfes ende

For so wyse a man, was neuer yet none

That wyst when to death, he shulde gone

1675

Ne whyther he shulde from hence fare

To ioy without ende, or els to care

For when deuylles and the Aungelles bryght

Hath desputed our lyfe aryght

Whyther that God wyll vs dampne or saue

1680

For than our dome we shall haue

And whyther that we shall to ioy, or payne

And therfore in certayne putteth vs saynt Austayne.

¶ Bene de die nouissimo vnusquisque pensarepensare] formidare G debet quia vnumquemque in eodem statu quo inuener[i]tinuenerit] inuenerunt 1542, invenerit G eum suus nouissimus dies: talis eum dominus iudicabit in nouissimo iudicio. etc.

¶Euery man he sayeth, that hence shall away

Shulde haue drede of his last day

1685

For in what maner state, that he than be founde

In suche he shall be demed, in a lytell stounde

Therfore the last day, that may vs befall

Our day of dome, we may well call

But at our last day, when Goddes sone shall come

1690

Than with our bodyes, vp we shall be nome

Before our Lorde God, that almyghty kynge is

That all-thynge shall deme that day ywis

For all bodyes shall wende in-to that place

Where soules shall be demed, throughe Goddes grace

1695

And other they shall haue full ioy yfere

Other full payne, when they be there

sig: [I3v]

And afterwarde, they shall both togyther dwell

Whyther that they wende to heauen, other to hell

But here in earth, shall the bodyes all

1700

Abyde tyll the day of dome shall fall

And that day shall be full streyght and harde

As this boke telleth soone hereafterwarde

But the synfull soule, goeth than to hell

There without ende, in payne for to dwell

1705

But the good soule than goeth full euen

Without any lettynge, in-to the blysse of heauen

But many a soule, that God wyll saue

He graunteth them mercye, that it wyll craue

For in the blysse of heauen, may no soule be se

1710

But he for his synnes penytent before be

Other here doth penaunce, as Clarckes telleth

With a contryte herte, who God forgyueth

And when mannes soule, is clensed well

Of all deedly synnes, and also of venyell

1715

Throughe penaunce here done, and also almysdede

Aungelles full soone to heauen shall hym lede

Or els when it is passed from the body away

Into the payne of hell, that shall last ay

Therfore euery man, that can wysdome

1720

Shulde here beware, or that death come

And make hym all-redy, and clense hym clene

Of all maner of synnes, that none be sene

So that death hym fynde clene of all

When the body and soule departe shall

1725

And euermore thynke, vpon his lyfes ende

Whyle that he lyueth here, or he hence wende

And so he may hym kepe, from the deuylles seruyse

And thus teacheth vs all, Salomon the wyse.

sig: [I4]

¶ In omnibus operibus tuis memorare nouissima tua.

¶He sayeth thynke euery man, on thyne endynge-day

1730

If that thou thynkest, almyghty God to pay

Euer when thou thynkest any-thynge begynne

Than shalt thou nat fall in-to any maner synne

And thynke that thou shalt dye, and knowest neuer whan

Nother in what state thou myght be than

1735

Therfore vpon the morne, when thou seest lyght

Thynke that thou mayest dye, longe or it be nyght

And when thou goest to bed, yf thou be wyse

Thynke that thou shalt dye, haply or thou aryse

For saynt Austyne the holy man, sayth thus in his boke

1740

Let euer thyne herte, thyne last day loke.

¶Nowe haue ye harde, this treatyse yrade

And this in your conscyence openly sprade

For the loue of our lorde Iesu

Pray for hym that this boke drewe

1745

And for hym also, that redeth it here

Whyther-so be that he go ferre other nere

As for the moste synfull man, that lyueth by breade

That God forgyue hym his synnes, or he be deade

And that God saue them both, from all wyckednes

1750

And mayntayne theyr lyues in all goodnes

And brynge them both to that ioyfull place

To endles ioyes, in syght of Goddes face

Unto that same ioy, he vs brynge

That for our loue, maked all-thynge

1755

Sende vs to that ioy, that is fayre and bryght

Where euer-more is day, and neuer nyght.

Amen.

FINIS.

sig: [I4v]

¶Imprynted by me Robert_wyer / dwellynge in saynt_Martyns parysshe / at the sygne of saynt Iohnn_Euangelyst / besyde Charynge_Crosse.

Ad imprimendum solum.