¶ The boke entytuled the next way to heuen the whiche in true walkȳge or goȳnge is but thre dayes Iourney / and to go or walke euery daye but thre myles as wytnesseth moyses who sayeth. Ibimus viam trium dierum in solitudinem. &c. Exodi .iij. Ca. F.
WHan I beholde the estate & lyfe y t I haue ben of syns y t I coude knowe y e good & the yll I ne fynde but sȳnes & tyme loste and yf I ony good dedes haue done yet are they not dygne ne worthy of guerdon / for I them haue done so neclygently w tout loue & w tout aduyse. And it semeth me / & also I doubte me y t they all ne bē ony thȳge worth. Alas suche am I wherfore I doubte lest y t I be cut downe & cast in to y e fyre. That is to saye y t I be not after this present lyfe put vnto deth & cast in to y e fyre of hel w t y t deuilles & with my sȳnes. Alas I haue wasted of goodes & lost for to norysshe my caryon more than I haue wonne. Certes I am not worthy to be called man or woman / for I haue ledde a ryght foule lyfe & poore. And for as moche I haue shame to lyue / & also I dare not dye. Alas now sholde I wepe all the tyme of my lyf for to recouer the tyme that I haue lost. Alas body synner what thynkest thou / knowest thou not wel that one tyme it behoueth y t to dye / & also thou ne knowest whā ne how. Knowest thou not well y t y e Iudgement of god aprocheth / certes yes. O what anguysshe shall that be vnto the euyll parsones to se a daye full of derknesses of sorowes of trybulacyons / of cryenges / & brayenges of wepynges / and of waylynges / and of dredes of abasshe mentes of eclepses and of thonders / of tempest / and of yre / & of other grete & horryble thynges. O y t there shal be harde tydynges & bytter. O what heuynes / o what dolour / alas what thȳkest thou slepest thou / or wakest thou what abydest thou. Alas that thou arte on slepe whan thou tremblest not to here so grete thonder. Alas drye tree worthy to be cutte and put in the fyre / tell me [Page]hast thou ony fruyte / ye mayst thou say moche y •ll and roten / for synne is bytter & stynkynge. Alas here is an euyll lyfe where as I haue lefte y e cōmaūde mentes of god and haue obayed vnto the cōmaūdementes of the worlde / not vnto y e worlde all onely / but vnto y e worlde vnto flesshe / & vnto the deuyll. God y t created vnto his ymage / and redemed and gouerned from day to daye. And promyseth to gyue vnto the his realme / & it is he without whome thou ne mayst lyue / and also thou hast done vnto hym so grete dyspleasure whā thou hast not dayned to obey vnto hym / but hast loued more derly to obey vnto the worlde / vnto the flesshe / and vnto the deuyll / A it is no lytell thynge how be it that it semeth vn to the so. Alas what shalte thou saye at y e daye of Iugement whan all y e tyme that thou hast lyued shall be demaunded how thou hast spent it. For it hath be lente y e for to employe in the seruyce of god thy creatoure. Alas wenest thou that it be now tyme to go to play to laugh to bourde to speke trifles / cextes nay / But it is tyme to playne and to wepe and to enchase & flee from synnes & to plante vertues / & to do good werkes. And after this lyfe it shall betyme to play / & that is in a fayre delectable place. Now proue I y e than that it behoueth to yeld accompte euery houre of euery momente of tyme syns that y u were borne tyll vnto thy depatynge. And there at y e Iudgement before god before y e vyrgyn Marye & aungelles / and all the saȳtes and before all the worlde And there shall be serched and demaūded all that / that thou haste done ayenst the wyll of god. And also vnto y e shal be shewed all the good dedes that y u hast lefte vndo ne the which thou sholdest haue done yf by penaunce it ne had be pardoned the. And that thou shalte be wel set
The nexte waye to heuen. [Page]aboute with synne / yf thou wepe them not now by confessyon / contrycyon / & satysfaccyon. And than shalte y u reknowlege Iustyce & mercy and so shalte rest for than prayer / seruyce / promyse / force / gyftes excusacyons ne fayre speche / ne penaunce in no wyse maye helpe / ne no thynge ben of valoure / & than shall these synners se the Iuste Iudge out of mesure wroth & redy to do Iustice without mercy. And vnder shall they se the depe helles open to engloute them / & more than an hundred thousande tourmentes the whiche be made redy vnto them And on theyr ryght hande they shall se all theyr synnes wherof they shall haue meruayllously grete hydour / & on the lefte hande they shal se these enemyes horryble & moche cruell in theyr terryble & hydeous fourme awytynge that the sentēce of the Iudgement be yelded and cast vpon the synners to the ende that thy may drawe them with them in to hell. And also they shall se the tyre enflambed without forth. And also they shall fele theyr cōscyence brēne without forth. Alas yf thou be than of the nombre of synners what coūtenaūce shalte y u make were mayst y u hyde the / the whiche now ne mayest here the worde of god / certes in noo parte. But it behoueth the to appere wylte thou or not / & shalte abyde the dolorous sentence. Alas what shalte y u than do / thou shalte than tremble / for now begyn our soules to tremble yet dyspayre the not / but retourne vnto hym the whiche y u hast wretchedly offended & pray hym humbly y t he wyl haue of the pyte and mercy / & that he wyl gyue the pardon. And haue thou good hope in his mercy / & he shall receyue the with good wyll / for he receyueth gladly the synners whan they retourne towarde hym by y e waye of penaunce / y e whiche waye hath thre dayes Iourney [Page]in lengthe / as ye may here here after in this present boke as sayth saynt Peter of Lucembourgh.
SAynt Peter sayth that we ben all pylgrymes in this worlde here. And we walke day & nyght w t our restynge in to our countre the whiche is in heuen. And for to haue recreacyō as these pylgrymes the whiche speken with good wyl in walkynge theyr waye. Also in goynge vnto our pylgrymage / that is paradyse / we shall speke alytell / for we walke strongly & we haue not but thre dayes Iourney to walke y e one of the sayd thre dayes Iourney is cōtrycyon / & the other cōfessyon the thyrde is satisfaccyon. And in lykewyse sayth Moyses vnto vs. Ibimus viam triū dierū solitudine. The fyrst sholde be contrycyon / that dayes Iourney hathe thre leges or miles from thens to walke. The fyrst lege or myle is dolour of hert of that / that by his synne man hath deserued the gybet of hell. The secōde myle is called dolour of herte of that / that he hathe loste the grete Ioye of paradyse. The thyrde mile is dolour of herte & grete dyspleasaunce of that / that a man hath offended god. Certes these thre myles sholde be ryght anone gone vnto a good walker or goer. Example / if a man were taken for ony euyl y t he hath done / as yf he had ben takē in his thefte & cōdempned vnto y e deth & men lede hym vnto the gybet / and that y e kynge mette hym & hym demaūded frende wheder do they lede the. And he answereth. Syr they lede me to be hāged bycause I am a thefe. Also I haue well deserued it for the euylles y t I haue done. And the kynge answered vnto the thefe. I haue pyte of the / & yf thou wylte promyse me that thou shalt do no more so as y u hast done in tymes paste & that thou [Page]be sory of that thou haste deserued to be hanged I shall delyuer the. I byleue that he sholde be ryght Ioyefull So sholde he be anone at the fyrste myle. And other example how a man ouercomen amonge theues the whiche haue robbed hym of his goodes / and is lefte poore. And in that the kynge meteth hym & hym demaunded Frynde how is it with the. And he answereth ryght yll for I haue ben robbed and haue loste all my good. And the kynge say the vnto hym / frende be thou sory of that that thou hast lost thy goodes and I shall yelde it the & yet more he sholde be more gladde than before. That is to saye that y e synner sholde be sorowfull of that / that he hath lost paradyse by his synnes. Now may ye demaū de me & saye / ye saye that coutrycyon yeldeth agayn all the goodes. And I haue lost my vyrgynyte / how shall contrycyon yelde it me. Frende I answere the that yf y u haue lost two grotes or two nobles and yf Iyelde vnto the agayne syxe thou haste well recouered thy losse. Example a maser of marbyt y e whiche is broken hath lost his beaute in his ancyente / but it may be in suche wyse made agayn that it shall be more dere than before by y e golde & the syluer wherwith it shall be anourned. And so I say the y t yf thou haue lost thy vyrgynyte the beaute of thy vyrgynyte ne may be recouered / but y u mayste so repayre it & aourne it by so noble vertues that it shal be better & more rycher than it was before. Example of Magdaleyne and of Marie egypcyen the which them anourned so well and of so noble vertues so rychely that they were more worthy after thā before. Be thou than sorowfull of that that thou hast lost thy vyrgynyte & y e goodes of grace & paradyse shal be yelded vnto the as it is sayde. And this is the sconde myle of this Iourney. [Page]And other example / a clerke serued a bysshop y e whiche sholde gyue hym a benefyce / but y e sayd clerke lefte his seruyce of the bysshop / & yode to serue an other mayster and loste the loue of the bysshop. And than the bysshop sayd vnto the clerke / thou hast wrathed me / but yf thou wylte be sory thou shalte haue my loue as thou haddest before / & I shall gyue the the benefyce y e I haue promysed to gyue the / sholde not he be anone sory of that I by leue that yes. And in lyke wyse is it yf thou wrath god by thy synne thou sholdest haue contricyon & make thy peas. And oure lorde shall gyue vnto the the realme of paradyse. And this is the thyrde myle of this Iourney & in y e ende of that here sholdest thou make thy gyste & rest the / but it suffyseth not to be sory of that / that thou hast euyll done and that thou hast deserued to be in hell ne of that / that thou haste lost paradyse / but for y t / that thou haste loste the loue of god thy good lorde. Example yf thou haste wrought with Peter and whan the euen tyde shall come thou goest vnto Iohn̄ to demaunde thy wages / & Iohn̄ shall answere the. My frende he with whome y e hast wrought shall paye the thy wages & not I. Hast thou not herde saye / who so set the to werke let hym paye the. And in lyke wise may god saye at y e deth of the man in Iudgement of hym / the which shall be repentaūt onely for the drede of hell and for the loue of paradyse to haue it all onely & shall say my frende go thou in to hell and take there thy rewarde for thou leftest not for to do the euell for the loue of me / but witout more for the drede of hell / where our lorde shall saye / speke vnto hell that he helpe the and socoure the / yf he may / for I am not holden to helpe the at thy nede for thou ne haste done the good dedes that thou haste done for the loue of [Page]me / but y u hast done them for to haue paradyse all onely & for drede of hell / & so than y u sholdest doo y e good dedes for to gete the loue of god / and not for drede aboue all of thy dampnacyon. And so go thou the thre myle aboue sayed / & ye shall rest in y e ende of the thyrde. That is to saye that he shold be sory of that / that he hath deserued to haue hell and lost paradyse / but in especyal aboue all thynges sory of that / that he hath lost y e loue of god by his synne. A man sholde seke cōtrycyon entyerly so that he maye fynde it. And after to haue the loue of god his creatour. And not to do as dyd the man y e which abode to confesse hym tyll vnto the dethe / & than he cryed contrycyon contrycyon wheder are ye gone. And soo he ne myght fynde it & knowe y u that it was true Iustyce of god. For saynt Gregory sayth. It is good reason y t god forgyte hym or her at the deth / the which in his lyfe en helth forgyteth god & leueth. Repent we than in as moche as we ben in good helth & in lyfe & god shall pardon vs w t good wyll / and it is the fyrst Iourney
THe seconde Iourney of paradyse is confessyon. Fewe people can wel walke that Iourney without goynge out of the waye / And it is no meruayle / for how maye he be a good clerke the whiche ne goeth / but one tyme in the yere to the scole / and yet ryght well aduysed ne w t grete payne may he be a good werke man y t whiche hath his crafte. The good clerke ryseth vp for to studye by nyghte / and in lyke wyse sholde we doo for to lerne this scyence. And in lyke wyse dyde y e holy prophete Dauyd as it is sayd in the psalter. Media necre surgebam. I arose vp sayd he at mydnyght for to confesse my synnes / for to aduyse me whan I shall goo to [Page]confesse me. That is ayenst those the whiche go to confession without aduyse. The ryght entre of cōfessyon is I cōfesse me vnto god / vnto the vyrgyn Marye / & vnto al the sayntes of paradyse / & vnto you syr y e whiche are in goddes stede & vycayre. This fyrst worde I confesse me closeth hell vnto the synner & openeth vnto hym paradyse y e whiche was shette vnto hym by his synne & so hath peas with god and shetteth the mouth of y e preest werof men rede vnto that purpose an example.
A Ryche man fader of the curate of the towne spake vilany vnto a poore man / & the poore man ne myght venge hym presently / but taryed tyll that y e ryche man yode vnto y e feldes for to se his cornes al alone and the poreman y e whiche se hym come toke the coultre of his ploughe & slewe the ryche man. And after he yode to lede his ploughe / & noo man wyst who it sholde be. Afterwarde a great whyle it hapned that the poore man had repentaunce of his mysdede & yode to confesse hym to his curate the whiche was y t sone of the sayd ryche man that he had slayne. And as he ꝯfessed hym the curate apperceyued well that he had some synne in his conscyence that he durst not tell / wherfore he sayd to hȳ My frende hardely tel all thy synnes / for there is none so great but that god may well pardon after that a mā hym requyre mercy / & also in that y e I may I shall helpe the & I shall pardon y e. And than sayd y e poore man, Ha syr I am the cursed man the whiche hath murdred your fader so by suche maner / & for that cause I cōfesse vnto god and vnto you syr in requyrynge pardon and absolucyon. Than the preest chaūged his blode for nature / but he ne made no semblaunt and pardoned vnto [Page]the good man with good herte the deth of his father / & after ward the curate shewed vnto the poore man grete token of loue more by halfe than he was wonte in so moche y t his wyfe apperceyued it well / & so hym demaunded by many tymes what it was to saye that y e curate cometh so often to se the / & that he vnto the sheweth soo great token of loue. And so oftentymes hym demaūded that he tolde her and compted y e trough wherin he dyd as a fole. Now it happened y e he was wrothe wyth his wyfe and wolde bete her. Than she escryed hym & lepte in to the myddes of the strete & sayd in cryenge out / out the thyfe the murdrer he wolde slee me as he hath done the fader of our curate. And than the chyldren & parentes of y e deed man whan they herde that / that she had sayd they ranne all with pykes & swerdes for to slee the poore man. Whan he them apperceiued he lepte hastly vpon a mare y t he had & fledde. And in fleynge he mette the curate comȳge on horsbacke y e whiche came to warde the towne & sayd vnto hym / my fayre sone how is it with the / wheder goost thou so hastly / & the poore man tolde hym shortely y e cause wherfore he fledde. A sayd y e curate my frende come downe frome thy mare anone & lepe vpon my hors which goeth more swiftly to thende that thou mayst escape fro my parentes the whiche folowe the. Than the poore man lepte vpon the curates hors and fledde. And that hangynge his frendes came the whiche folowed the good man y e whiche sayd vnto hym. A fals traytoure you haue wel hyd the murdre of your father & he hath tolde it you in confessyon. A fayre lordes sayd the curate ye haue wronge who hath tolde you suche thinge I knowe no thȳge / but I knowe wel that he is one of the good and well dysposed mē of this [Page]parysshē. And they answered velye / ye knowe it well / but ye haue euer more hydit vnto vs. And yet now hast thou taken vnto hym thy hors for to escape frome vs & from our handes / and also ye haue taken his mare the preest excused hym euermore and also excused the poore man / & so moche that they were wrothe with him in suche wyse that they slewe the sayd curate / & so ye se wyll by thys example how this worde I confesse me closeth the mouthe of the preest. Now ye shall here wherfore a man saith vnto god almyghty vnto the blessyd vyrgin Mary and vnto all sayntes. The reason is suche. Our lorde hathe two courtes / the one is of Iustice & y e other of mercy. And the deuyll dare not lay hande on the synner tyll vnto suche tyme that he be delyuerd vnto hym And the deuyll cometh vnto the courte of Iustyce for to accuse y e poore & myserable synner. And Iustyce answereth. I byleue the not for thou arte a lier. Than answereth the deuyll. I haue good wytnesses dygne of fayth & of credence without ony reprofe / that is to knowe all the trynyte of paradyse / the vyrgyn Marye & all y e holy sayntes / and his good aūgell before whome he hath done his synnes / but for me they ne wyll come hyder / wherfore call ye theym your selfe / & than whan Iustice calleth god / our lady / all the sayntes in wytnesse and y e good aūgell & foūde it is that it is so as the deuyll sayth yf ye haue not ynoughe of wytnesses I cal his owne cō scyence. And I you praye that ye cōiure hym y t he saye trouth / & than Iustice seeth by the counseyle of the synner that it is so. And so is it truely I ne can excuse me. Than sayth Iustyce vnto the synner syth that it is so y e god / our lady / the sayntes / & thy good aūgel with thyn owne conscyence haue of accorde that thou haste done [Page]mortall synne / & that in this synne thou arte deed with out repentaunce thou sholdest be dampned perdurably for the wytnesse that the deuyll bryngeth forth by suffycyent / & it behoueth that I cast sentēce of dampnacyon vpon the pardurably / for god sayth by y e prophete. Aīaque peccauerit ip̄a moriet̄. That is to saye / that y e soule the whiche hath synned shal dye & shall be dāpned. So I ne knowe what counseyle to gyue but onely to appel vnto the courte of mercy / & put the and al thy causes in her hande. Than the synner sholde appel vnto y e courte of mercy the whiche is in this prensent lyfe / & he sholde go hastly to confesse hym. And fyrst he ought to call the grace of god / for the enemy shall pursewe hym & theder shall sende .iiii. aduocates & shall make partye for to let this confessyon. And euery man ought to vnderstande in this wyse to cōfesse hym & in y e courte of mercy. The fyrst aduocate that the deuyll sendeth ayenst the synner that is cursed angre or displeasure to tel his synne / and shall saye in this wyse vnto y e synner. Tell thou not thy synne it sholde be grete shame vnto the / yf men knowe that y u haste done suche vylayn outrage & abhomynable / vnto the whiche aduocate y e synner sholde answere I shall tell it & dyscouer purely and makyngly & largely without ony thynge hydynge for it is wryten who so couereth his synne god shall dyscouer hym at y e daye of Iudgemēt before y e enemyes / before the vycgyn mary and aungelles / & sayntes / & before all the worlde. And whā this aduocate shall be in suche wyse vaȳquysshed than shall come the other y e whiche hath to name ypocrysye & shall saye thus / tell it not vnto thy cōfessour for he weneth that thou be a good mā / & yf thou tell it hym he shall take his herte from y e / & he shal neuer set gretly [Page]by the. Byleue not suche an aduocate / for it is fals / for knowe y u that all good confessours loue better y e synner or the synners after the confessyon than before / & for as moche as he confesseth hym of the more grete synnes & abhomynables of as moche loueth hym the better / as ye haue hyrde here aboue y e cōfessours be of the nature of aungelles / for as moch as the aungelles seen a more grete synner cōuerted of as moche make they the more grete Ioye in henen / as our lorde sayth by the euangelystes & also the confessours. Example by y e gospell the whiche speketh of one the whiche had an hōdred shepe wherof he had lost one he left the .iiij. score & .xix. & yode to seke that whiche was lost / & whan he had foūde hym he toke hym bytwene his armes & bare hym in to his hous sayenge vnto his frendes and neyghbours make Ioye w t me / for I had lost my shepe & now haue I foū de hȳ. Inlyke wyse it is of god whan he fyndeth agayne the synner by true confessyon he maketh more grete Ioye & feest than he dyde of y e .iiij. score Iust. Yf y u wylte be than happy & well loued of thy confessour cōfesse the hardely & dyscouer thy synne playnly / purely / & clenly. And he shall comforte the & ayde the / & shal shewe more grete good of the than before. And whan y u haste vaynquysshed this aduocate y e deuyll theder sended the thyr de that is hope or trust of longe lyfe y e whiche shall saye My frende thou arte yet yonge / thou shalte confesse the tymely ynough. Unto whome thou sholdest answere I shall confesse me shortly / for I haue no su [...]rte of the morowe. And whan he shal be in suche wyse vaȳquysshed Than shall come the fourth aduocate y t is cursed drede to do grete penaunce / & shall saye in suche wyse / tell not thy syane for that / that it is to moche grete / yf thou tell [Page]it he shall gyue the so grete penaūce that thou he mayst do it / so sholdest thou be worse than y u were before / vnto whome y u shalte answere. Salomon say the who so dredeth to do a lytell penaunce & to suffre he shall haue soo moche to do y e there is no tonge the whiche can tell it for it behoueth that the syn̄es be punisshed or elles where. Than tell all thy syn̄es / for yf y u hyde ony synnes by the counseyle of suche an aduocate thou lesest thy cause in y e courte of mercy / & yf y u tell all y u arte quyte / & to se the so quyte that god ne our lady ne y e sayntes whiche ben in paradyse / ne the deuyll that is in hell ne yet none other thynge shal neuer haue in mȳde ne haue remembraūce of thy mysdedes / so sayth god by the pyhete ysaye. Nō recordabo amplius iniq̄tatis sue. Than shall y t synner be well happy y e whiche dare tell his synne vnto a man mortal the whiche is a synner as he is whan in y e other worlde before all the courte of paradyse it shall be vnto hym in reproche yll aduysed shal he be y e whiche loueth better to be in horryble penaūce & torment in all tymes perpetually thā to be there one yere or two. or .v. or .viii. or x. or .xx. yf thou haddest woundes mortelles & thou ne sheweste but .xj. to the surgyon / the .xj. sholde be heled and the .xij. sholde be roten / and sholde make therin thende to dye. In lykewyse shall do y e syn̄e that y u leuest to tell & shall rote thy soule hydynge the thou shalte dye spyrtually by that poynt. Now haue ye hetde whefore men saye I confesse me vnto god / vnto the blessyd byrgyn marye / and vnto all the sayntes of paradyse / and vnto you syr. Now shall ye vnderstāde that this Iourney hath thre myles as the other hath. The fyrste is y t the confessyon ought to be entyer as it is sayd without ony thȳge hydynge. The secōde y t it ought to be made [Page]of good wyll without constraynte as Dauid saith. Voluntarie sacrificabo tibi et cōfitebor. ¶ The thyrde is y t the synner haue a very fayth and a trust that god hym may pardon / for as saynt Austyn saith. God is more redy to pardon vs than we ben to demaūded hym pardon And in thende of his mile the synner may rest hym and take hostell and not in the other two. That is to saye to rest in esparaūce to haue pardon & not to do as dyde Iudas y e whiche sayd I haue synned in betrayenge y e holy blode Innocent & Iuste. He ꝯfessed hym voluntayrly & entyerly his mysdede & made satysfacyon for he yelded agayn the .xxx. pens. But he yode not by this later myle for he dispeired hym. And so dyde Cayn whiche sayd My synne is more greter than y e mercy of god. But he sholde haue sayd. My synne is moche grete / but yet is the mercy of god more greter / and tho he cryed to god for mercy & he abode the grete mercy of god and he had mercy and soo had Iudas. Now haue ye hyrde the secoude Iourney / now here ye the thyrde⁂⁂⁂
THe thyrde Iourney to walke in to paradise is satysfaccyon w tout y e whiche Iourney a man may not come thyder. This Iourney hath thre myles as y e other hath. The fyrst is to restore y e theft y t a man hath done / for saynt Austyn sayd y t the syn̄e is not pardoned tyll that the thefte be restored. Nō dimitter̄ petm̄ nisi restituatur ablatū. Who so than taketh from an other hȳ behoueth to yelde it / and also who soo taketh from god ony good soule & withdraweth it by synne or by his yll example it behoueth hym to yelde it and to restore it.
Or who so taketh frome ony his renome / & areyseth yll grace it behoueth to restore hym vnto his good renome [Page]Now may some saye. I am yōge & I ám ledde by coyntyse wantonesse as moche as I may / & I haue shende my selfe in the chyrche & in many other stedes & places before men / & women so moche that many hath synned by my folysshe coūtenaunce / werof I haue be culpable by many an yll example or by my draught how may I with drawe them from synne / for I ne knowe them all And also yf I sholde retourne towardes them parauenture they sholde be enflambed in suche maner y t I shold retourne vnto synne or that themselfe there myght fall agayne more strongely. And therfore me semeth that it sholde be grete peryll to retourne towardes them / and what shall I there doo than / ye sholde take from synne those or them y t ye haue made to synne / that is y e moost sure & best / but yf ye may not put you in payne to with drawe other / & to yelde them vnto god for to put them in the place of those that thou hast taken from hym / so shalte y u appease him. For yf ye haue taken from a man fyue shyllynges / it is not of necessyte that I yelde vnto hym agayne y e selfe fyue shyllynges yf I ne may fynde it / but it behoueth y t ye yelde vnto hym other fyue shyllynges. And for as moche as thou knowest not how many people thou haste drawen vnto synne / therfore thou sholdest put the in payne by good examples & by good doctrynes to retracte & withdrawe as many people as thou hast made to synne / yf thou ne mayst mo conuerte vnto god & elles yf thou ne mayste conuerte the people by wordes or examples at the leest praye for them often in goodnes. Example yf a kynge made a noble dyner & made to crye ouer all that who so sholde haue & brynge the gretest company shold be best welcome & also sholde haue y e moost fayrest gyfte / euery man sholde paye him [Page]to come to dyner & to brynge the moost of people of his cōpany y t he myght for to haue of y e kynge y e moost fayrest gyfte. And in lyke wyse is it of god for our lord hath made a crye ouer all the worlde by his messengers that be the apostles / the prophetes / & the doctours / & by the predycacyons that he y e whiche shall brynge the y e most fayrest cōpany vnto dyner that is to knowe moost soules vnto paradyse by his examples & doctryne he shall be moost best beloued & vnto whome god shall do moost grete honour. And also in so doynge y u shalte do honour vnto god yf thou payne the so to do & praye often god in sayenge. ¶ Syr / or lorde wylte thou by thy grace enlumyn my herte & myn vnderstādȳge y t I may haue euery day remēbraūce of thy passyon & gyue me knowlege in what maner I may lyue for to drawe mooste soules vnto the. And also that I may lyue vnto thy praysȳge by y e whiche it maye be vnto the saluacyon of my soule and of many other. Also who so hath wretched an other it behoueth to appease hym / & to crye hym mercy & to aske pardon / and also thou sholdest restore the good renome & good fame vnto hym to whome thou hast done yll by thy cursed speche. And yf it were so that ony had taken ony goodes temporall by ony cursednes the whiche worldly goodes & temporal y e worlde gyueth better and by more stronger reason the good spyrytuall y e god gyueth they sholde well better by restored And y u mayst demaunde how a man maye that restore. Where that a man ne may one worde brought forth drawe backe but that it abydethe spoke. I graunte me vnto that / but y u ne shalte neuer be quite tyll vnto that / that with all thy puyssaunce in all maners that thou cannest and mayst thou hym haste restored / and that thou hast sayd vnto [Page]all those & vnto all them the whiche by the cause hathe synned or shall synne in y t thynge saye y t thou hast lyed / & that thou hast made them so to byleue. And for those thou ne knowest y e whiche it may byleue thou arte holden in the chyrches to pronounce it in sayenge that the wordes that thou hast sayd vpon suche a person be not true / and that thou ne knowest neuer ne yet sawest but good in hym and that cursedly thou haste pronounced it ayenst hym / and that it ne was but for to blame hym and soo shalte thou haue the fyrste lege or myle. The seconde myle is to wepe and to complayne his synnes / or to do almysdede or penaunce / or other good dedes for to haue pardon & soueraynly for the loue of god. And that ought to be done by y e counseyle of his good confessour. And the thyrde myle is to pardon vnto those the whiche hath yll sayd vnto you or mysoone. Now may some saye how maye I pardon hym y e whiche hath done me domage & without cause & reason. And yet also they haue mocked me before the stretes / & yet I ne dyde neuer dyspleasure vnto them. Example yf there were aman that ought vnto the kynge a thousande pounde / & the kynge helde hym in pryson & sayd vnto hym / yf y u paye me not thou shalt be hanged / and he had not wherof to pay. And yf y e kynge wolde saye vnto hym suche a man there is that oweth the .v. shelynges / & I shall gyue to the that thou oweste me & I shall let y e go quyte & thou shalte be my ryght welbeloued / & yf thou do it not thou shalte paye me y t thou oweste me / or I shall make the to be hanged w tout remedy / sholdest anone do it I byleue that yes. And yf he dyd it not men wolde saye y t he were a foole. In lyke wyse is hit spyritually to speke / we ben gretly indetted ayenst the grete kynge that is vnto god [Page]And it behoueth that we payē vnto hym that that we owe hym / or we shall be hanged on y e gybet of hell / but yf the kynge wyll do vnto vs grace sayenge pardon all that y t men hathe mysdone vnto you / certes we therto sholde well accorde for we haue a hundred thousande tymes more mysdone vnto god than man hath done vnto vs. And therfore shold we with ryght good wyll pardon & so haue ye herde y e thre Iourneys the whiche it behoueth to haue to entre in to paradyse whā y e synner hathe so moche done by the grace of god y t is that he be in the estate of grace than sholde he kepe hym aboue all thinges to fall agayne & to thende y t he maye the better kepe hym he sholde take in hym a maner of lyuȳge how he wyll lyue / & also to absteyne hym from synne / in lyke wyse as he maye wel knowe that whan he doeth synne y t it displeaseth god. And so he pleaseth y e deuyll y e whiche is a grete folye. And fyrste thou shalte praye for the chyrche & for all the prelates of the chyrche & for all prynces of the erth / & for all the people y e whiche is cōmytte vnto hym. Afterwarde y u shalte praye for all those vnto whome thou arte holden. And after for al creatures the which ben in trybulacyon soueraynly for those that ben departed and deed vnto whome we ben holden / & thou sholdeste thynke on the euylles of thy selfe. And on the glorye that thou woldest haue / and on the paynes that thou hast deserued. And after on the houre of dethe and on the houre of Iudgment. And go often vnto the chyrche and with good wyll / as soone as thou arte in y e chyrche beholde y e ymage of Iesu chryst where he is crucyfied / and after take holy water / and knele on thy knees and begyn to saye. Veni creator spiritus mētes tuorū / or Pater noster / and after take thy sete in the chyrche [Page]the moost pryuy place that thou mayst. And after thou shalte say pryme / houres / and the letany / in sayenge y t for gete not the passyon of thy creatoure in sayenge thy houres / & at euery masse that thou herest saye thy confiteor softely & all the tymes that it shall be feest cōmaū ded thou shalte be at the hye masse & at the euensonge and y u sholdest cōmaunde the vnto the saynt of whome the feest shall be / & the remenaunt of y e feest employed in good werkes spyrytuall. And y u wylte cōfesse the cōfesse the vnto a confessour the whiche hath scyence & that he be a man of good conscyence / for yf he hath thought on his owne soule he shall haue thought of thyn / & yf he be suche as I tell y e obey vnto hym in all goodnes as vnto the vycare of god be thou not ydle at no tyme ne yet arrest y e before thy dore in y e strete ne yet in thy windowe / be thou more often alone than in company. And as vnto fastynge made by good dyscrecyon y u shalte knowe y t it is moche good & that w tout discrecyon it is nothynge worth vnto hym the whiche fasteth / ne yet almesdede without dyscrecyon is noo thynge worthe. And in lyke wyse as a lampe w tout oyle ne may haue lyght / euen so is fastynge & almesdede w tout dyscrecyon / & thou sholdest knowe that the substaūce that y u drawest in to thy body thou oughtest to gyue it for the loue of god vnto y e poore / and with that it behoueth to eschewe fro synne / or that sholde be the fast of the deuyll the whiche alway fasteth & euermore doeth yll thou ne shalte ete but two tymes on the daye yf thou be not seke / & ete thou neuer tyll that thou hast sayd benedicite before / and after graces / and speke but lytell at thy dyner yf it be not of god yf thou speke there ydle wordes than repente the. And speke y u neuer wordes of an other that thou woldest not [Page]that a man sholde speke of the. Thou sholdest speke at thy dyner or thynke of som good thynge to thende that thy soule maye fede as wel as thy body / & whan y u hast sayd graces thou shalte goo into thy chambre & there y u shalte saye noon. And afterwarde y u shalte studye some good mater or exāple / speke as lytell as y u mayst in ony place where so y u be for a man ne may lytell speke w tout synne. Go in to the towne as lytell as thou mayst. And whan thou haste there to do / & yf men areson the speke in brefe & humbly and retourne in to thy hous as soone as thou mayst / ete but litel oute of thy hous be thou pyteous vpon y e poore people yf thou wylte that god take the in good gree & that he haue pyte on y e gyue often for the loue of god after thy power y t thou haste. Yf y u haue ony thynge to do whiche toucheth the do it by the counseyle of a good persone. And also thinke that y • ne mayst nothynge hyd from god ne kepe / but that he seeth all y t thou shalte do and saye. Ordeyne so well thy conscience that whā thou shalte be seke that y u ne hast no cause but for to thynke on thy creatour. And towarde y e euentyde thou shalte saye euensonge & vygylles of y e deed yf thou can them & passe not the daye but that thou thynke one tyme of the daye on thy cōscyence in recordynge thy synnes for to holde the in humylite & thou shalte knele and salewe the holy trynyte / & thou shalte say at y e leest thre tymes the pater noster / & after salue y e vyrgyn Marye and recōmaunde the vnto god & vnto y e virgyn Marye and make some good prayer vnto thy good aūgell that he be thoughtfull to kepe y e / & after blesse the & take holy water & laye the downe & slepe in some good thought Be thou often in orayson be it of mouth or of herte saye thynges brennynge to haue deuocyon. Thre thynges [Page]there ben the whiche ayedethe to haue deuocyon. The fyrste is puryte of conscyence / in lykewyse y t whan ony wolde pray a grete lorde he sholde take hede y t whan he cometh before hym y e nothynge appere vnto hym that shall dysplease y e lord. And so is it who so wyl go in orayson he ought to eschewe y t he ne haue ony spotte of syn̄e in hym y e whiche sholde dysplease vnto god the whiche seeth the hertes of all the other. Than saynt Bernarde sayth y t all the tymes that we go in orayson we entre in to the courte of heuen in the whiche y e kynge of glory is. Also aourned w t mayny aūgelles of princes celestyalles and of the gloryus quene of heuen. So we sholde appere in grete reuerence & in grete fere & in grete humilyte and in grete puryte & in grete clēnes of herte / to thende that nothynge appere in vs that sholde dysplease vnto so grete a lorde as vnto god / for saynt Iohan sayth that whan thou makeste orayson make that y u be suche as y u ought to be y e whiche hath to speke w t god / purge than thy consyence of all thynges vnto thy power & meke y e / & afterwarde make vnto god request or elles y u shalt not be exalted. The seconde is y t he oughte to seke a place secrete y t he ne be seene to thende y t he ne be troubled. And that the wynde of vayne glory ne take frō him y e fruyte of his orayson. Example we haue in Iesu chyrst y e whiche enlonged hym & wente ferre frō his dyscyples whā he wolde praye in the gardyn of olyuete / & moyses the whiche assended in to the moūtayne. And also y e aūgell foūde Marye alone whan he saluted her / & saynt Fraū cys had of custome y t whan he wolde praye god he yode serre of in to a wood that his felowes ne myght here hȳ And of that haue we an example of oure selfe / yf a man hath to speke with an other he speketh vnto hym more [Page]gladly whan he fyndeth hymselfe all alone. The thyrde thynge is y t he sholde at y t houre cast out of his herte all dremes & thoughtes & afterwarde to be all in orayson. The .iiij. thynge y t he oughte to haue with all his herte grete entende to praye y e holy ghost that he gyue vnto hym grace of deuocyon / for orayson without deuocyon hath no sauour / put than payne to houe it do that / that in y e is & god shall ende it. And yf god gyue the grace for to worsshyp hym menynge the payne that y u there shalt take wepe / for teeres ben as ryght good wyne of y e whiche y e soule deuoute wexeth dronke vnto god in orayson in suche maner y t he ne can refuse hym in that thynge y t he demaūdeth / in lykewyse as it appereth by saynt Peter / and by magdaleyn y e which wepte & god gaue vnto them that y t they demaūded that was pardon of theyr synnes. Teres ben of ryght grete profyte and of ryght grete v (er)tue / for one only tere maye gete of god that that all the aūgelles in heuen ne all y e saintes of paradyse ne may do that is to knowe whan y e synner wepeth for his propre synnes wherof it is wryten in the psalter that y e moost pleasaūt sacyfyce that y e synner may make vnto god is that he be contryte & repentaūte & that he hūble hym before god in wepynge / for whan y e tere of the synner repentaunt is offred vnto god w t humble herte & deuoute it thrughe perceth y e heuen by her vertue & moū teth tyl vnto the throne of the mageste dyuyne / & there ne is aungell the whiche it may ne dare holde tyll vnto that that it be come before the face of god / & that it hath goten that that he wyl for his soules helth / for the orayson the whiche is made in wepynge as sayth saynt Austyn thrughe perseth the herte of our lorde Iesu cryst & moueth him vnto pyty & entreateth & enclyneth to loue [Page]hym & chaungeth y e sentence of Iudge & recordeth the synner perfytely vnto god. The .vj. is that he ought to regarde the estate of this presēt mysery where there is soo many perelles that there is none y e whiche maye it accompte / for man is euermore in temptacyon of y e fleshe of worldly vanitees / and of the begylynge of of thyn enemy / other in stepinge or in wakynge / or in spekynge But he sholde thynke y t the worlde & the flesshe ne vayn quysshe but theyr frendes / & therfore sholde he wel kepe hym that he ne be frende of the worlde ne of the flesshe / for all those y t loue the worlde and the flesshe ben the enemyes of god as sayth saȳt Iames. Meruayle it is how the worlde may be Ioyous who so well regardeth y e peryll of this worlde / for the worlde is a Iayle wherin we ben in pryson for our synnes / & we ne knowe whan we shall goo out of it wheder we shall be saued or dampned Now sholde it be agrete nouelte yf the these sholde synge or laughe whan men lede hym to be hanged / but yet ben we well more out of wycte and more abused than suche theues for we renne all vnto the gybet of hell & vnto dampnacyon perdurable all daunsynge and makynge feest / for we ben in lyke wyse as a vessel in the hye see w t all the sayle stretched & hysed with wynde at wyll & we go euery daye on grete Iourneys to warde hell or paradyse / for we ne knowe yet in what parte we shall aryue & so all in slepynge / in walkynge / in drynkynge / in etynge in playenge / & in singynge euermore we goo for warde w tout arestynge as people the whiche ben of the see. And therfore who soo well beholdeth this worlde & the grete peryll he sholde haue better cause to wepe than to laughe / for yf the synner beholde the heuen he seeth the coūtree & herytage eternal where as is perfyte felycyte [Page]from y e whiche he is yet ferre of by his synnes. And for as moche he hath good cause to wepe. And yf he beholde the erthe he seeth y e mater wherof he hathe be made and where vnto he shall retourne at the houre whan he shall departe from this worlde / that is in thende of this lyfe. And yf he loke vnder y e erthe he seeth hel y e whiche is redy to engloute hym with mouthe open / and to tour ment for his synnes. And yf he loke on the ryght hande he seeth the prosperitees & the rychesses wherof all the worlde it is abused & deceyued & drawne vnto dampna eyon. And yf he loke on the lyfte hāde he seeth the ylles & trybulacyons that y e cursed done vnto the good. And yf he loke behynde him he seeth the tyme y t he hath lost in vanytees & in thoughtes that he sholde haue dispended in good werkes. And yf he loke before hym he seeth the deth whiche cometh / & yet ne knoweth whā he shall dye / ne of what deth / ne in what place / ne ī what estate. And yf he loke within hym he seeth his cōscyence ful of synnes / & his wytte & his body full of cursed maners / & enclyned in cursed customes. And yf he loke w tout hym he fyndeth hymselfe enuyroned & beset aboute with soo many perylles / & ne knoweth how he shall escape. And also he seeth & knoweth the dure & harde sentēce of the ryghtfull Iudge y t he shall also caste at y e daye of Iudgement vpon y e synners of y e whiche he is one of y e nombre yf he amende not his conscyence. We sholde put our ende in teres & in penaūce / & we sholde call y e holy ghost in oraysons that he be vnto vs in ayde & that he defend vs frō all our syn̄es & from all our myseryes. The .vij. thynge is to regarde the estate wherin he shal be at the deth whan all our membres haue loste all theyr force & strength / & the soule goynge forth frome the body shall [Page]se our lorde out of measure wroth with hym for his synnes / yf he ne be than truely penytent & repentaūt of all his defautes / & vnder he shal se hel open for to engloute hym / & his sȳnes he shall se on his ryght hande y t whiche shall accuse hym & the enemies on the lefte hande y t which wolde bere hȳ awaye & horryble shall crye vpon hym. Thȳke than often on these thynges & w tout ende and I knowe well yf thou vnderstode them that y u sholdest despyse lyghtly all y e vanytees of the worlde & shall drawe y t vnto deuocyon / for the vanytees wordely shall more greue at the deth than ne do ayde & than there no ne maye ayde ne socour / ne frendes / ne parentes / ne fader / ne moder / ne almesdede / ne penaunce / ne prayer of saynt holy man or holy woman / ne good dede what soo euer he be / ne other thynge yf he be taken in synne morcall / than euery man ought well to praye god y t he wyll gyue hym grace to leue well & to doo well to put therto payne for good lyfe ledeth to good ende. And saynt Austyn saych / who soo hath well lyued ne shall not dye yll. The .viij. thynge is y t he ought to regarde & to recorde the grete humylyte and pacyence & the passyon of Iesu chyrst y t he had in erth for to gyue vs example / for all be it y t he were lorde of heuen & of y e erthe / yet wolde he be borne for vs of a woman & wolde be poore & deiecte & to sustayne so many persecucyons and payne that a man ne can nombre it / & after y t houre that he was borne tyl vnto y e houre that he dyed on the crosse he ne wolde haue no rychesse / ne none honour / ne ony delyte / but euer more had payne trauayle & pouerte. And ī y t he gyueth vnto vs coūseyle that he whiche wyll go vnto god sholde more loue in this worlde tribulacyon than delyte—for delytes nourysshen the vyces & ledde the soule in to hell [Page]And therfore a man sholde desyre for to be hated of the worlde / for our lorde sayth / ye shal be well happy whan the worlde shall hate you & curse you & shall repute you for nothynge. And whan y e daye of Iudgement shal come he shall say vnto those y e whiche in suche wyse hath be mocked in the worlde / ye be those the whiche were w t me in the worlde in these temptacyons & therfore come ye with me / for your rewarde is grete in heuen. Praye we than god that he gyue vs & sende vs tribulacy on in this worlde & gyue puyssaūce to bere it. The .ix. is that he ought to regarde how Iesu christ dyed for vs shame fully and with grete confessyon / & how he was for vs be ten / spytte on / bounde / mocked / and crowned with thornes the whiche entred in hym vnto the brayne. And so in all his passyon to recorde that he vnto vs shewed more greter pacyence / ne more greter loue / ne myght noo man shewe vnto his frende than to wyll dye for hym / wherof saynt Bernarde sayeth. Yf my herte were a see of teres & myn eyne fountaynes & all my heres stremes & all ranne w tout ceasynge as a ryuer / ne neuer ceased ne fayled / yet ne myght I suffycyently wepe y e passyon of our lorde Iesu chryst that he suffred for me. The ten thynge is that he ougte to fasten his herte and y e eyen of his vnderstandynge to beholde y e Ioyes y t god hath apparayled vnto those the whiche loue him & he ought to haue in cōtemplacyon the blessed & gloryous virgyn Marye quene of all the worlde enuyroned & set aboute withe aungelles / & w t archaūgelles w t her noble couent of virgyns all clothed & anourned so rychely & so nobly that herte ne maye thynke partye of the leest beaute of her vyrgyns. And there ben the prophetes / y e apostles / the martyrs / and the confessours the whiche shal be all [Page]as kynges & prynces & gretelordes and after the other sayntes w tout nombre. O how that they shall be rychely beseen. And that it shall be grete gladnes & Ioy to se the kȳge and his cōpany. But what shal it be to se after warde y e kynge his mayntayn & his estate whose beaute is so grete y e all the enhabytauntes of heuen ne maye neuer ynough meruayle ne them fulfyll to beholde hȳ. Saynt Bernarde sayth that the beaute of y e kynges & the beaute of the noble heuen is so grete that yf a man were assured to lyue in this worlde here a thousand yeres euermore yonge Ioyous in grete honour & in grete rychesse & with that that he were assured to haue all y e delytes y t he can thȳke / yet sholde he put all those thȳ ges as nought for to se without more one onely hour of the leest Ioye or beaute that is in beuen. There is y e arber of delyces / there ben y e songes melodyous / there bē the louers varytable there ben the dysportes pleasaūt There is all that herte may remembre for persone to reioyce. There is glory perpetuall w tout honger & without amenysshemēt. Make we vs redy than hastely for to go thyder. Ryght dere bretherne & systers aboue all thȳges / regarde wel yourselfe / regarde what ye lately haue be / & what ye shal be after your deth from whens ye come & wheder ye go and where ye be. Thynke you what it is of a man or a woman after the deth / for it is but a caryon stynkynge and foule and mete vnto wormes. Thynke often that ye ne be but a poore worme all naked goynge forth of the erth and that vnto erth it be houeth you to retourne. Remembre you frome daye to daye / or from one houre vnto an other in peryll to descē de & to fall into hell for our synnes ye go vnto the dethe and vnto Iudgement as at an houre. Remembre y t ye [Page]haue be sent in to the worlde & thynke & remembre you wherfore and what ye there sholde do & where ye shall go to lodge the fyrst nyght after that we shall be departed from this worlde / for ye shall go into paradyse in to purgatory / or in to hell. And yf ye goo in to paradyse ye shall be ashamed yfye be not as well anourned with vertues as those that ye shall there fynde. And yfye go in to purgatory charged with syn̄es ye shall suffre there payne ryght horryble. And yfye go in to hell ye shall haue there shame & payne perpetuall horryble & meruayllous more than man ne may speke. Be ye than aduyled & certayn that ye shall dye / and more sooner than is ne thynke or wene. The dayes of man be shorte & also passe sodeynly as the shadowe. Be ye certayne that all that ye founde in the worlde it behoueth you to leue rychesses / honoures / delytes we ne shall bere noo thynge from hens / but our good dedes and our yll. And in lyke wyse as those the whiche leue now ben so hath those lyued the whiche ben deed. And in lyke wyse as those the which ben deed were wonte to lyue / so shall those dye y e whiche now lyue. Loke well vpon this thynge and haue yourselfe in a wayete / for ye ne knowe the houre of y e dethe. Lerne to be humble and debonayre. And bere all tribulacyons & aduersytees swetely and in pacience for the loue of god the whiche so moche hath borne for you. And eschewe y e worlde as moche as ye may in all thynges worldely / serue ye those the whiche serue god / and haue ye none affyaūce in those the whiche take gladly of an other & the whiche receyue with good wyll gyftes for gyftes blynde the wyse wen / but haue affyaunce in hȳ in whome is loyalte for in all maner seke your helth Be he with good wyll in the company of those the whiche [Page]loue god so ye shall parte with your good dedes / but kepe you from the hauynge of to moche grete familyaryte with man or womā all be it that he be good or that it semeth vnto you that he be good / for many in suche wyse hathe ben deceyued do ye well vnto the poore specyally vnto those the whiche loue god / lerne the cōmaū dementes of god and breke them not for no thynge that maye be. Be you euer a true sayer & verytable and lye thou not for no thȳge that may come therof / yfye haue to suffre for to speke veryte your rewarde shall be more grete in heuen. And y u shalte gyue vnto all people good example. Here euery daye masse yfye maye / be ye often in orayson / and more of herte than of mouth / brefe oraysons perseth y e heuen / so that it be sayd with good herte ne praye thou thynge the which is not necessarye vnto body or vnto soule. Drawe all personnes vnto good by good doctryne / thynke often on y e passion of Iesu chryst and desyre to suffre for the loue of hym / in lyke wyse as he hath suffred for vs / flee the temptacyons that ye ne may goodly vaynquysshe or ouercome. Be you sobre in drȳkynge & in etynge that is the helthe of the body and the welfare of the soule / seke euermore the peas of god / yf al y e worlde sholde be worth / for a man ne may please god and the worlde togyther / and yf ye fall out of good purpose goo hastly vnto confessyon / what thynge that ye se or here tourne all vnto the best / and yf your entencyon come to effecte thynke that god doeth it to assaye you / or the enemy for to tempte you and for to deceyue you / yf you holde you wel ye shall do vnto god pleasure and yf ye fall yet aryse agayne by cōfessyon as soone as ye may in humblynge you / and purposynge to amende you au other time / yf the temptacyou come agayne vnto [Page]you and that ye haue the vyctory loue ye and prayse ye god / and bere ye amyable that the yll that men hath donne vnto you or spoken. Repreue all ylnes that men speke vnto you or do by good maner without wrathynge you. Be ye contrarye vnto those the whiche ben contrarye vnto god and vnto reason / and vnto all good veryte / loue you that god loueth / & flee that thynge that god hateth / haue ye peas with all persones / and syke in all thynges y e loue of god / purchase vertues in doynge good werkes to thende that ye may come vnto y e glorye perdurable⁂
AMEN.