Thirdly , that when you intende to read it , you must afore lifte vp your minde to almightie God , and beséech him that by the helpe and succour of his grace the readyng thereof may fruitfully worke in your soule a good and vertuous life , according to hys pleasure and say , Deus in adiutorium meum intende , Domine adiuvandum me festina . Gloria patri . &c. Laus tibi domine rex eternae glorie . Amen .

Alas , alas , I am vnworthily taken , all sodaynly death hath assayled me , the paynes of his stroake be so sore and gréeuous that I may not longe endure them , my last home I perceiue well is come . I must now leaue thys mortall bodie , I must nowe departe hence out of this world neuer to returne againe into it . But whether I shall goe , or where I shall become , or what lodgyng I shall haue thys night , or in what company I shal fal , or in what countrey I shall be receiued , or in what maner I shall be entreated , God knoweth for I knowe not . What if I shall be dampned in the perpetuall pryson of hell , where be paynes endelesse and without number . Gréeuous it shall be to them that be dampned for euer , for they shall be as men in moste extreame paynes of death , euer wishing and desiryng death , and yet neuer shall they dye . It should be nowe vnto mée muche wearie , one yeare continually to lye vpon a bed were it neuer so soft , how weary then shall it be to lye in the most painefull fyre so many thousand of yeares without number ? And to be in that most horrible company of diuils most terrible to beholde , full of malice and crueltie . O wretched and miserable creature that I am , I might so haue liued and so ordered my lyfe by the helpe and grace of my Lorde Christ Iesu , that this houre might haue bene vnto mée much ioyous & greatly desired . Many blessed & holy Sayncts were full ioyous and desirous of this houre , for they knewe well that by death their soules shuld be translated into a new life : To the life of all ioye and endlesse pleasure , from the streightes and bondage of this corruptible body , into a very libertie and true fréedom mong the company of heauen , from the miseries & gréeuances of this wretched world , to be aboue with God in comfort inestimable that can not be spoken ne thought . They were assured of the promises of almightie god which had so promised to all them that bée hys faithfull seruauntes . And sure I am that if I had truly & faithfully serued him vnto thys houre , my soule had bene partner of these promises . But vnhappie & vngracious creature that I am , I haue bene negligent in hys seruice , and therefore now my harte doeth waste in sorowes séeing the nighnesse of death , and considering my great slouth & negligence . I thought full little thus sodainly to haue bene trapped : But ( alas ) now death hath preuented me , and hath vnwarily attached mée , & sodainly oppressed mée with his mightie power , so that I know not whither I may turne mee for succour , nor where I may séeke now for helpe , ne what thing I may doe to get any remedy : If I myght haue leasure and space to repent mée and amende my lyfe , not compelled with this sodayne stroake but of my owne frée will and libertie , and partly for the loue of God , putting asyde all slouth & negligence . I might then safely dye without any dread , I might then be glad to departe hence and leaue my manifold miseries & encombraunces of this world . But how may I think that my repentance or mine amendement commeth now of myne own frée will , sith I was before thys stroake so colde and dull in the seruice of my Lord God . Or howe may I thinke that I doe this more rather for his loue , then for feare of his punyshement , when if I had truelye loued hym , I should more quickely and more diligently haue serued him héeretofore ? Mée séemeth now that I caste away my slouth and neglygence compelled by force . Euen as a Merchaunt that is compelled by a greate tempest in the sea to cast his merchandice out of the Shippe , it is not to bée supposed that hée would cast away his ryches of hys owne frée will , not compelled by the storme ? And euen so lykewyse doe I if thys tempeste of death were not now raysed vppon mée , it is full like that I would not haue cast from me my slouth and negligence . O woulde to God that I might nowe haue some farther respet , and some longer tyme to amend my self of my frée will and libertie . O if I might entreat death to spare me for a season , but that will not bée , death in no wise will be entreated , delay he will none take , respet he will none giue , if I would giue him all the ryches of this worlde , no if all my louers and friends would fall vppon their knées and pray him for mée . No if I & they would wéepe ( if it wer so possible ) as many teares as there be in the seas droppes of water , no pietie may restraine him . ( Alas ) when oportunitie of tyme was , I would not vse it well , which if I had done , it would nowe bée vnto mée more precyous then all the treasures of a Realme . For then my soule as nowe should haue béene cloathed wyth good workes innumerable , the which shuld make mée not to be ashamed when I should come to the presence of my Lorde God , where now I shall appeare loaden with sinne myserably , to my confusion & shame . But ( alas ) to negligently haue I letted passe from me my tyme not regardyng howe precious it was , ne yet howe muche spirituall riches I might haue gotten therein , if I would haue put my diligence and studie thervnto . For assuredly no déede that is be it neuer so little , but it shall be rewarded of almightie God . One draught of water giuen for the loue of God , shal not be vnrewarded : And what is more easie to be giuen than water . But not onely déedes , but also the least wordes and thoughtes shall be in likewise . O how many good thoughtes , déeds , and workes might one thinke , speak , and doe , in one day ? But how many more in one whole yere . O ( alas ) my great negligence , O ( alas ) my foule blindnesse , O ( alas ) my sinfull madnesse that knew this well , and would not put it in effectuall execution . O if now all the people of this world were present héere to sée & know the perillous condition that I am in , & howe I am preuented by the stroake of death , I would exhort to take me as an example to them all , & while they haue leasure and time to order their liues and caste from them slouth and idlenesse , & to repent them of their misbehauior towardes God , and to bewayle their offences , to multiplye good workes , and to let no tyme passe by them vnfruitfully . For if it shall please my Lorde God that I might any longer liue , I would otherwyse exercise my self then I haue done before . Now I wishe that I may haue time and space , but rightuously I am denyed . For when I might haue had it I would not well vse it : And therfore now when I would well vse it , I shall not haue it . O ye therefore that haue and may vse this precyous tyme in your libertie , imploy it wel , and be not to wastfull thereof , least peraduenture when you would haue it , it shall be denyed you likewise , as now it is to mée . But now I repent me full sore of my great negligence , and right much I sorow that so little I regarded the wealth & profit of my soule , but rather tooke héede to the vayne comfortes and pleasures of my wretched bodie . O corruptible bodie , O stinking carion , O rotten earth to whom I haue serued , whose appetites I haue followed , whose desire I haue procured , now doest thou appeare what thou arte in thy own likenesse . That brightnesse of thy eyes , that quicknesse in hearing , that lyuelinesse in thy other sences by naturall warmenesse , thy swiftnesse and nimblenesse , thy fayrenesse and bewtie . All these thou hast not of thy self , they were but lent vnto thée for a season , euen as a wall of earth that is fayre painted without for a season with freshe and goodly colours , and also gylted with golde , it appeareth goodly for the tyme to suche as consider no déeper then the outward crafte thereof . But when at the last the colour faileth , and the gilting falleth away , then appeareth it in hys owne lykenesse . For then the earth playnely sheweth it selfe . In lykewise my wretched bodie for the time of youth it appeareth fresh and lustie , and I was deceyued with the outwarde bewtie thereof , little considering what naughtinesse was couered vnderneath : but now it sheweth it selfe . Now my wretched bodye , thy bewtie is faded , thy fayrenesse is gonne , thy lust , thy strength , thy lyuelinesse all is gonne , all is fayled : Nowe arte thou then returned to thyne owne earthly coolour : Now arte thou blacke , colde , & heauie , lyke a lumpe of earth : Thy sight is darkened , thy hearyng is dulled , thy tongue flaltereth in thy mouth , and corruption issueth out of euery parte of thée : Corruption was thy beginnyng in the wombe of thy mother , and corruption is thy continuaunce . All thyng that euer thou receyuest , were it neuer so precyous , thou turnest into corruption , and naught came from thée at any tyme but corruption , and now to corruption thy selfe returnest : altogyther ryght vile & lothly art thou becom , wher in apparance before thou wast goodly , but the good lines was nothing els but as a painting or a gilting vppon an earthen wal , vnder it was couered with stinking & filthy matter . But I looked not so déepe , I contented my self with the outward painting , & in that I tooke great plesure : For all my studie & care was aboute thée , either to apparel thée with some cloathes of diuers colours , eyther to satisfie thy desire in pleasaunt sightes , in delectable hearinges , in goodlye smelles , in sundrie maner of tastings & touchings , either els to get thée ease and rest aswel in sléepe as otherwise . And prouided therfore pleasaunt and delectable lodgings , and to eschue tediousnesse in all these , not onely lodgings but also in apparell , meates and drinkes procured many and dyuers chaunges , that when thou wast weary of one , then mightest thou content thy self with some other . O ( alas ) this was my vaine and naughtie studie whervnto my wit was ready applied , in those things I spent the most part of my dayes . And yet was I neuer content long , but murmuring or grudging euery hour for one thing or other . And what am I now the better for all this ? what reward may I loke for of all my long seruice ? Or what great benifites shall I receiue for all my great studie , care , and diligence ? Nothing better am I but muche the worse , much corruption and filth my soule thereby hath gathered , so that now it is made full horrible & lothely to beholde . Rewarde get I none other then punishment , either in Hell euerlasting , or at the least in Purgatorie , if I may so easily escape . The benifites of my labour are the great cares and sorowes which I now am wrapped in : May not I thinke my wit to haue ben well occupied in this lewde and vnfruitful buzinesse ? haue not I wel bestowed my labour about this seruice of my wretched bodye ? hath not my tyme bene well imploy●● 〈…〉 miserable studies , wherof now no comfort remayneth , but onely sorow & repentance . ( Alas ) I heard full often that such as shuld be dampned , should gréeuouslye repent them selues , and take more displeasure of their misbehauior then euer they had pleasure before . And yet that repentance then should stande them in no stéede , where a full little repentance taken in tyme might haue eased them of all their paines . This I heard and read full often , but full little héede or regarde I gaue thervnto , I well perceyued it in my selfe , but all to late I dread me . I woulde that nowe by the example of me all other might beware , and avoyde by the gracious helpe of God these daungers that I now am in , and prepare them selues against the houre of death better than I haue prepared me . ( Alas ) what auayleth mee nowe anye delicacie of meates and drinkes which my wretched bodie insaciabl● dyd deuoure ? What auayleth my vanitie or pryde that I had in my selfe eyther of apparel or of any other thing 〈…〉 vnto me ? what auayleth 〈…〉 and vncleane delightes and lustes of the stincking flesh , wherein was appearance of much pleasure , but in very déede none other then the Sowe hath , waultering hir self in the myerie puddle . Now these pleasures be gon my body is nothing better , my soule is much the worse , and nothyng remayneth but sorow and displeasure and that a thousand fold more than euer I had any pleasure before . O lewde bodie & naughtie which hast brought me to this vtter discomfort , O dyrtie corruption , O sachell full of dunge , now must I goe to make answere for thy lewdenesse , thy lewdenesse I say for it all commeth of thée . My soule had nothing néede of such things as was thy desire , what néede my soule that is immortall , eyther cloathyng or meate or drink ? what néede it any corruptible gold or siluer ? what néed it any houses or beddes , or any other things that appertayneth to these . For thée O corruptible body which lyke a rotten wall dayly néedeth reprati●ns and botching vp with meate and drinke , and defence of cloathyng against colde and heate was all thys studie and diligence taken , and yet now wilte thou forsake mée at my most néede , when accompt and reckoning of all our misdéedes must be gyuen before the throne of the Iudge most terrible . Now thou wilt refuse me and leaue mée to the ieoperdie of all this matter . O ( alas ) many yeares of deliberation suffice not before so great a Iudge to make answer which shall examyne me of euerie idle word that euer passed my mouth . O then howe many idle wordes , how many euill thoughtes , howe many déedes haue I to make answere for , & such as we set but at lyght , full greatlye shall be weyed in the presence of hys most high maiestie . O ( alas ) what may I doe to get some helpe at thys most daungerous houre ? Wher may I séeke for succour ? Where may I resorte for any comforte ? My body forsaketh me , my pleasures be vanyshed away as the smoke , my goods will not goe wyth mée . All these worldly things I must leaue behinde mée : if any comforte shall be , either it muste bee in the prayers of my friendes , or in myne own good déeds that I haue done before . But as for my good déedes that shoulde be auayleable in the sight of God : ( alas ) they bée fewe or none that I can thynke to bee auayleable , they must bee donne pryncipallye and purely for his loue . But my déedes when of their kynde they were good , yet did I linger them by my folly . For eyther I did them for the pleasure of men , or to auoyde the shame of the world , or els for my owne affection , or els for dreade of punishment . So that seldome I dyd any good déed in that puritie and streaightnesse that it ought of ryght to haue bene done . And my misdéedes , my lewde déedes that be shamefull and abhominable be without number , not one day of all my lyfe , no not one houre I trow was so truely expended to the pleasure of God , but many déeds , words , and thoughtes , miscaped me in my lyfe . ( Alas ) little trust then may I haue vppon my déedes . And as for the prayers of my friendes suche as I shall leaue behynde mée , of them manye peraduenture bée in the same néede that I am in . So that where theyr owne prayers myght profytte them selues , they can not so profitte an other . And many of them will bee full neglygente , and some forgetfull of mée . And no meruaile , for who shoulde haue béene more friendly vnto mée then myne owne selfe . Therefore I that was most bounden to haue done for my selfe , forget my owne weale in my lyfe tyme , no meruaile therefore if other doo forget me after my departing hence . Other friendes there be by whose prayers soules may be holpen , as by the blessed and holy saincts aboue in heauen , which verely will be myndfulll of such as in earth here haue deuoutly honored them before . But ( alas ) I had special deuotion but to a fewe , & yet them I haue so faintly honored , and to them so coldly sued for fauour , that I am ashamed to aske ayde or helpe of them . At thys tyme in déede , I had more effectually ment to haue honored them , & more diligently to haue commended my wretched soule vnto their prayers , and so to haue made them my special friendes : but nowe death hath preuented me so , that no other hope remayneth but onely in the mercye of my Lord God , to whose mercy I doe now offer my self , beséeching him not to looke vppon my desertes , but vppon his infinite goodnesse and abundaunt pietie . ( Alas ) my dutie had bene much better to haue remembred this terrible houre , I should haue had this daunger euer before my eyes , I shoulde haue prouided therefore , so that now I might haue bene in a more readynesse against the comming of death , which I knew assuredly would come at the last , albeit I knew not when , where , or by what maner , but well I knewe euery houre and moment , was to him indifferent , and in his libertie . And yet my madnesse euer to be sorowed . Notwithstanding thys vncertaintie of his comming , and the vncertaintie of the tyme thereof , I made no certayne nor sure prouision against this houre . Full often I tooke great studie and care to prouyde for litle daungers , only bicause I thought they might hap , and yet happed they neuer a deale . And but tryfles they were in comparison of this , how much rather should I haue taken study and care for this so great a daunger which I knew wel must necessarily fall vnto mée once . For thys can not be eschued in no wyse , and vppon thys I ought to haue made good prouision : For in this hangeth all our wealth , for if a man dye well , he shall after his death nothing want that he would desire , but his appetite shall be saciate in euerie poynte at the full . And if he dye amisse , no prouysion shall auayle him that euer he made before . This prouision therefore is most effectually to bée studied , sithens this alone may profit without other , and without thys none can auayle . O yée that haue tyme and space to make your prouision agaynst the houre of death , defarre not from day to day lyke as I haue done . For I often did thinke and purpose with my self that at some leasure I would haue prouided , neuerthelesse for euery tryfelous buzinesse I put it aside , and delayed thys prouysion alway to an other tyme , and promysed with my selfe that at suche a tyme I would not fayle but doe it , but when that came an other buzinesse arose , and so I deferred it agayne vnto an other tyme . And so ( alas ) from time to tyme , that now death in the mean tyme hath preuented mée , my purpose was good , but it lacked execution : My will was strayghte , but it was not effectuall , my mynde well intended , but no fruite came therof . All for bicause I delayed so often and neuer put it in effect , that , that I had purposed . And therefore delay it not as I haue done , but before all other buzinesse put this first in suertie , which oughte to bée chiéefe and princypall buzinesse . Neyther buildyng of Colleges , nor makyng of Sermons , nor giuing of almes , neyther yet anye other manner of buzynesse shall helpe you without this .

Therefore first and before all things prepare for thys , delaye not in any wyse , for if you doe , you shall be deceyued as I am now . I read of manye , I haue hearde of manye , I haue knowne many that were disappoynted as I am nowe . And euer I thought and sayde , & intended , that I would make sure and not be deceiued by the sodayn comming of death . Yet neuerthelesse I am now deceyued , and am taken sléeping , vnprepared , and that when I least wéened of his comming , and euen when I reckoned my selfe to be in most healthe , and when I was most buzie , and in the middest of my matters . Therfore delaye not you any farther , nor put your trust ouer much in your friends : Trust your selfe while ye haue space and libertie , and doe for your self now while you may . I would aduyse you to doe that thing that I by the grace of my Lord God would put in execution if his pleasure were to sende me longer lyfe . Recounte your selfe as dead , & thinke that your soules were in pryson of Purgatorie , & that there they must abyde till that the Raunsom for them be truly payde , eyther by long sufferance of payne there , or els by suffrages done héere in earth by some of your speciall friendes . Be y●u your owne friend , doe you these suffrages for your owne soule , whether they be praiers or almes déedes , or any other penitentiall paynefulnesse . If you will not effectually and hartely doe these thinges for your own soule , looke you neuer that other will doe them for you , and in dooyng them in your own persons , they shal be more auayleable to you a thousand folde then if they were done by any other : If you followe this counsayle and doe thereafter , you be gracious and blessed , and if you doe not , you shall doubtlesse repent your follyes , but to late .