Here begyn[n]eth a newe treatyse deuyded in thre parties The fyrst partie is to know, [et] haue i[n] mynde the wretchednes, of all mankynde. The seconde is of the co[n]dycion and manere of the vnstedfastnes, of this world here. The thyrde parte i[n] this boke you may rede of bytter death, and why it is to drede.

¶ Here begynneth a newe Treatyse deuyded in thre parties .

The fyrst parte is to know , & 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 .

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 And 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 anendynge 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 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 . GOd ●rdeyned 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 ●oue , 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 w●ttes , in his seruyce And theym wyll holde in all maner wyse 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 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 euer more hath ben , both fyrste and last 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 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 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 And yet be of many thynges vnknowynge And of some thynges hathe knowynge none That myght oft make Goddes wyll to be done Suche men had nede , to lerne euery day Howe that they shulde here God pay 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 For in great perryle of soule , is that man 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 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 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 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 And aboute folye , setteth all his chere And euermore is besy , both in wyll & 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 Therfore no wonder , thoughe they gone amysse For euer in darcknes , 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 That hath any wyt , and reason can Shulde be besye by all maner of way To learne suche thy●ges , that longeth to the say And euermore learne , both lowde and styll Whiche is the good way , and whiche is euyll 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 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 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 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 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 Come vnto the ioy , that hath none ende The begynnynge of this matter is The ryght knowynge of a man hym selfe ywys But some men hathe great lettynge So that they may nat haue full knowynge 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 youth the whiche hym selfe , he forgetteth Therfore saynt Bernarde , speaketh to vs And in his wrytynge sayeth all thus . ¶ Forma fauor popu●i , sensus Iuuenilis opesque Suppi puere tibi , noscere quid sit homo . ¶ That is fauour of fole , and moche fayrenes And hete of youth , and mothe ryches 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 hawtey●e 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 And letteth a man , that he may nat s● 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 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 hy● But in great delytes , setteth theyr hertes fast And fareth as theyr lyfe euer more shulde last 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 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 For they wyll here nothynge , that them mysspeaketh Therfore saynt Dauid in his boke thus sayeth . ¶ Nosuit 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 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 lyueth nothynge , but they ●t se But grutcheth when they shulde ought lere Therfore sayeth the Prophete , in this manere . ¶ Non crediderunt set murmurauerunt . ¶ The Prophete sayeth , that they beloued nought But grutched , and were heuy in thought Thus fareth many men , that lyueth nothynge That men telleth them , agaynst theyr lykynge But grutcheth and waxeth all frowarde When men speaketh ought , that them thynketh harde Some can in boke , suche thynges rede But lyghtnes of herte , bryngeth them drede So it may nat with them dwell As God wytnesseth in the Gospell . ¶ Quia ad tempus credunt , & in temptationis 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 In a verse of the Psalter , that accordeth therwith . ¶ Et crediderunt in verbis eius , & 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 Suche men be euer vnstedfast That neyther loue ne drede , may on them last But who that can nought drede , may soone l●re That hereth this matter , with good ere With suche thynges , that he may conceyue therby 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 n●t of vnderstandynge And of latyn speche , be all vnconnynge To make hym selfe , fyrste for to knowe And all synnes , away to throwe And to brynge them , to perfyre drede When they this treatyse , wyll here or rede That shal moue his conseyence within And throughe that drede , may alone begynne Throughe comforte of the ioyes of heauen bryght As men may hereafter haue a syght .

¶ 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 , to skyles to beholde That is for almyghtye God so wolde Of soule matter , make man in despyte Of Lucyfer , hym therwith to a twyte When he fell in to 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 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 . ¶ N●si eff●ciam●ni sicut ꝓuuli : non intrabitis in regnum ce●orū . ¶ 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 do breketh And therfore the good man , to God thus speaketh . ¶ 〈◊〉 queso ꝙ sicut lutum feceris me , & in pu●uerē reducis me● ¶ He sayeth thynke Lorde , howe thou madest me Of sou●e ●arth and clay , in this worlde to be And therto shall I turne , at my last ende ●uen 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 . ¶ Memen●o 〈…〉 , & in cinerem renerteris . ¶ 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 beginnynge mydwarde , and last endynge 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 ? & 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 ryght He had neyther power , ne myght Neyther for to go , ne on f●te 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 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 t●ll can Whyther that it be woman or man Fo● 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. 〈◊〉 the fyrste letter , who that taketh hede 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 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 And Innocent the bysshop , therfore sayth thus . ¶ O●● nascimus ciusāte● vt nature nostre miseriam exprimamus . ¶ He sayeth , we be ybore here euerychone Makynge sorowe and reuthly mone All for to shewe , our great wretchydnes Of our kynde , that is full of brotelnes 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 me● : et nudus reuertar illuc .

¶ Naked he sayeth , in to this worlde I come 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 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 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 musiere breui viuens tempore . ¶ 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 faborem : sicut A uis ad volandum . ¶ He sayeth man is made , to trauayle aryght As the foule is made to his flyght For lytell rest he hath i● his ly●e ywys But euer in trauayle , full ●esye is And yet is a man , when he is bore The fende● of hell , and all ylore 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 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 〈◊〉 aliud est ꝙ Sperma Sactus , fte●●orum & ●f●a vermium ¶ 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 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 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 As hath a beest , that Lux men calles 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 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 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 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 , take●h he no kepe For hym selfe than he knoweth all there leest And fareth than as vnreasonable beest That foloweth his owne wyll , and nothynge elles As say . it Dauid wytnesseth , and telles .

¶ Homo cum in honore esset non intellexit comparatus est in mentis insipientibus .

¶ He sayeth , when a man in worshyp is brought Ryght good vnderstandynge , hath he nought 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 And that with fylthe he is all ynome As he ma● 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 con●ideres quid per os quid per nares ceterosque meatus corporis tui egreditur : vilius fterqui linium nunꝙ videres .

¶ 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 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 And foule fylthed , and nothynge elles As Innocent the great clarcke , in a boke telles .

¶ Herbas inquit & arbores diligenter iuuestiga , ille de fe producunt flores & frondes & fructus : & tu de te lendes & pediculos . Ille autem de se effundunt oleum & vinum , & tu de te , sputum , vrinam , & stercus . Ille de se spirant suanitatem●● tu abhominationem ●tercoris .

¶ This Clarcke telleth thus in his boke Thou man he sayeth ▪ beholde well and loke Herbes and trees , that in earth doth sprynge Take thou good hede , what they forth brynge Herbes bryngeth floures , and maketh sede A●d trees fruyte , and braunches sprede And thou bryngest forth , of thy selfe here Both nyttes , and ly●e , and other vermyne yfere 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 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 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 radicis ●unt crines trinicus est caput cum collo , stipes est pectus cum alno , ram●et vlne cum tibiis frondes st. digiti cum artil . hoc est folium quod a vento rapiter , & 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 Is the heere on thyne heade , that theron hangeth Than is the stocke nexte the rote growynge That is thyne heade , with thy necke shewynge The body of the tree , that is sette therto Is thy brest , with thy wombe also 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 fynges all Lyfe is the leaf , that hangeth nat fast That wyll away , with the wyndes blast 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 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 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 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 & contritur & fugit velud vmb●a , & numꝙ in eod. &c.

¶ Man he sayeth , as flour is bryght 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 Of this the Prophete wytnesseth ywys In a psalme of the Psalter that sayeth this .

¶ Mane sicut herba tran●eat mane floreat & trans●at vesp●re descidat . &c.

¶ The Prophete sayeth thus , in that case A man passeth away , as doth the grasse Early begynnynge of the day 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 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 ineternumque caro est : erunt enim dies illius centum viginti anni .

¶ My Ghoste he sayeth , shall nat euer dwell 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 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 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 corum labor et do●or . &c.

¶ If in strenghthes foure score yere , myght befall The more is theyr trauayle , and sorowe with all But nowe moche shorter be mannes dayes As Iob the good man openly sayes . ¶ 〈◊〉 quid non paucitas di●rum meorum finietur breu● . ¶ 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 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 Than reueleth his face , euermore and more And fouler waxeth , than it was before His wyt is short when he ought thynketh ●is nose droppeth , his onde stynketh His syght waxeth dym , he loketh vnder the browe His barke is croked , he stopeth full lowe His eares waxeth death , and hearde to here And his tongue to speake , is nothynge clere Soone he is wroth , and waxeth all frowarde To tourne hym from wrath , it is harde 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 And often angrye , and playneth hym soone An 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 . ☜ THe last ende of mannes lyfe is harde When that he draweth to deathwarde For when he is sycke , in any wyse So feable , that he may nat aryse Than be men in doubte , and vncertayne 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 That falleth to a man , that draweth to death 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 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 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 But whan 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 Both poore and naked , as he hyther come When from his mothers wombe , he was nome For he brought with hym , nothynge that day And so he shall hence passe away But it be onely a wyndynge cloth That shall aboute hym be wrapped forsoth For when the lyfe wynde●h from hym away Than is he but foule earth and clay That tourneth to more corrupcyon aboute Than any caryon , that lyeth there oute 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 soule stynkynge it is , and so vyolent And so wytnesseth , the clarcke Innocent . ¶ Quid enim fetidius humano cadau●r● Quid 〈◊〉 homine mortuo . &c. ¶ 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 behelde a deade mannes face And when it is , in earth by wounde Wormes wyll do eate it , in a lytell stounde Tyll that foule fless●e , away be ybyte And thus I fynde , in holy boke ywryte .

¶ ●um autem moritur homo hereditabit ●erpente● & verines .

¶ The boke sayeth , that when a man shall dye 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 And they shall gnawe his foule ●arkayes And so sayeth holy wryt , and speaketh this wayes . ¶ Omnes enim in pu●uere doimien● & ver●es operient 〈◊〉 . ¶ That is in earth , shall slepe euery man And wormes shall eare them , from the ●oe to the pan For in this worlde , so wytty man is none Neyther so fayre in flesshe ne bone Neyther Emperour , Kynge , ne Cease● Ne none other Lorde , what state he haue here Neyther ryche , ne poore , ne bonde , ne fre Learned ne lewde , what euer he be 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 〈…〉 That no man in earth , vnneth wyll it se 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 mat●ere To make any myrth here , whyle he dwelleth As a wyse vereyfyour in his verse telleth . ¶ Si quie sentuet quo tendet & vnde veniret Numꝙ 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 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 So horryble a syght , sawe he neuer none As he myght se in that carkayes As saynt Bernarde wytnesseth and sayes . ¶ Post hominem vermis , post vermen fetor & horror 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 Fro man in to no man , as it were nat he Thus may mense , as it is wryte Howe that a man , in his mother is behyght And of this matter , more myght I tell But no lenger theron , thynke I to dwell .

¶ Here begynneth the seconde parte of this boke / that speaketh of the worlde . ALl this worlde here , both longe and brode God it made , for mannes gode And al other thyngꝭ , as clarckes can proue He made onely for mannes byhoue If a man loue any thyng more by any way 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 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 lofte And loueth all thynge , that therto falleth 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 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 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 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 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 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 And ofte tyme chaungeth , both to and fro 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 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 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 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 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 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 He may gete to hym endeles glorye And haue than the crowne , of endeles blysse Where all ioye is , that neuer shall mysse Twayne worldes togyther , here may befall That all men may earthly call 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 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 brek● And of the more worlde , yet wyll I tell Or I go further therin to dwell 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 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 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 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 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 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 〈◊〉 he may nat loue God , but he the worlde dyspyse 〈◊〉 the holy Gospell sayeth in this wyse .

¶ ●emo potest duob●s 〈◊〉 ●eruire a●t vnum odio habebit 〈…〉 & vnum sus●inebit & asterum contemp●●et .

¶ 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 And that other loue in his manhede Other he shall mayntayne that one outryght 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 so be euerychone , that the worlde loueth well As the holy euangelyst , sayeth in the Gospell . ¶ 〈◊〉 vust esse amicus h●ius mund● inimicus dei cōstitultur . ¶ 〈…〉 , he that wyll the worldes frende be Goddes ennemye , forsoth than is he And sore worldly men greueth God ywys Therfore the Apostell , in his epystell sayth this . ¶ No●●te diligere mundum nec ea que in mundo su●●t . ¶ Loue nought the worlde sayeth he Ne nothynge that in the worlde may be For all that is in this worlde , that any man te●● can Other it is couytous , or lust of flesshe of man 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 ocu●orum , 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 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 But God made the worlde , as he is wytnes For to serue man , in all maner of goodnes Wherefore is man seruaunt to the worlde than And make hym the worldes bonde man Syth he may serue God , and euer be ●re 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 Lo what sayth Bartholomewe , the great clarke That speaketh of the worlde , and of her warke .

¶ Mundus nichil aliud est ꝙ quod●am exilium erumpna , labore , dolore , doso , & tristicia plenus .

¶ 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 That is full of sorowe , and eke of bale 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 Of flyttynge also , and of moche taxyinge Of moche greuaunce also , and moche mournynge Of all maner of fylth , and corrupcyon Of moche wrath , and extorcyon And fill of gyle , and of falshed 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 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 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 ar the last And into great myschyfe , he wyll them cast Therfore worldly worshyp , may be tolde I vanyte , that dysceyueth both yonge and olde And worldly rychesse , howe so it come I holde nought elles , but as fantome The worlde hath many a man , with vanyte defyled And with pompe and pryde , ofte them begyled Therfore an holy man , as ye may here Speaketh vnto the worlde , in this manere .

¶ O munde inmunde vtinam ita inmaundus esses vt me non tangeres , aut ita mundus esses vt me non conquares .

¶ And that is in englyshe , thus moche for to me●● O thou worlde he sayth , that euer arte vnclene Why myght thou nat euer so vnclene be That thou shuldest neuer 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 Be lykened to foure thynges by good reason Fyrste may the worlde be lykened ywys Most proprely to the see , that long & brode is For the see after her owne certayne tyde Ebbeth and floweth , and may nat abyde 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 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 That is full of bestes that be wylde As Lyons , Lybardes , and Wolfes vnmylde That wyll strangle men and dystroye And slee theyr beestes , and sore them noye So is this worlde full of mysdoers all aboute 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 maya be lykened vnto a Forest. ☜ ALso the worlde lykened may be To a forest , that standeth in a wylde countre That is full of theues , & wylde our lawes That often tymes to suche forest drawes Haunteth theyr hyre passe , robbeth & reueth Both men and women , and nothynge leueth So fareth this worlde , that we in dwell Is full of theues , that be deuylles of hell That vs awayteth , and euer be besy 〈◊〉 to ●obbe 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 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 But agaynst them , well armed we mught be That is the worlde , the fende , and thy flesshe That eche day assayleth vs lyke freshe Therfore vs behoueth both day and nyght For to be redy agaynst them to fyght 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 ryghthande , may ben tolde 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 And with the left hande , he assayleth estsoone 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 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 he tourneth aboute her whele Somtyme in to wo , and somtyme to wele And when she letteth the whele aboute go Somtyme she tourneth from well in to wo And eftsones agayne , form wo in to blysse And thus tourned her whele often is And that whele Clarckes , nought els calleth But hap or chaunce , that sodaynly falleth And suche hap , men holdeth nothynge elles But wrath or ha●e , that in men dwelles Therfore worldly wleth , is euer more in doubte Whyle dame fortune , tourneth her whele aboute 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 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 , can to 〈◊〉 ●mere debemu●nt sublimius corru●mus .

¶ To this accordeth a clarcke SEneca the wyse That counceyleth vs , the worlde to despyse . ¶ Tune salubre consilium ad●oca cum tibi affudūt mund despera . ¶ Seneca sayeth , and gyueth good counceyll When this worlde maketh his merucyll Than seche thy wyt , and after counceyll●all That moche welth make the nat fall For welthynes is but a shadowe somdele darcke And so sayth saynt Gregory , the noble clarcke . ¶ 〈◊〉 fortunis timenda est : magis 〈◊〉 prospera ꝙ adnersa . ¶ Saynt Gregory sayeth in this ma●er That yf euery hap be for to drede here yet is hap of welth to drede more Tha● any 〈◊〉 sorowe , thoughe it greue sore For anger man●es lyfe cle●seth and proueth And welth to synne a man soone moueth And so may man his soule lyghtly spyll Throughe welthes , that men haue at theyr wyll And so commeth afterwarde , to endles payne And so wytnesseth , the doctour saynt Au●ayne .

¶ Sanitas continu●● , et rerum habundancia eterna dampnacionis sunt indicia .

¶ He sayth contynuall hele , and worldly wele As to moche ruches and goodes fele 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 temperasium eterne dampnacio●● est iudicium .

¶ He sayeth , that contynuall hap commynge 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 And vpon wordly thynges , sette●● ; theyr herte And euer flyeth the symple state of pouerte Suche men be besy , and gathereth fast And fareth as theyr lufe shulde euermore last To them the worlde is queynt and fauourable I● all thynge , that thynketh them profytable And can moche of worldly quey●tyse The worlde calleth them good men and wyse And to them falleth ryches many folde But it is theyr dampnacyon , as I haue tolde For in heauen , may no man haue an home That foloweth the worlde , and his wysoome And suche wysdome , sayeth a wyse clarcke and 〈◊〉 That before God , it is holde but foly . ¶ Sapiencia hu●u● 〈…〉 ¶ But many to the worlde , mothe lystet● 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 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 As the apostell Paule wytnesseth , thus sayende .

¶ Non manentem ciuitatem hi● habemus set futuram inquitimus .

¶ He sayeth , no sure dwellynge here haue w● But seke we another , that euer shall be And as ge●●●s haue our so●●urne A lytell tyme tyll we hence tourne And that may fall rather than we wen● For man is here , but as an alya●e To trauayle here in way all tymes To wende in to our countre , as doth pylgryines Therfore the Prophete , vnto God speaketh thus As Dauid in the Psalter telleth to vs .

¶ 〈…〉 aduena ego sum apud te 〈…〉 vt omnes patres mei . &c.

¶ Be thou styll Lorde , sayeth he For why , I am commynge towarde the And a pylgryme , as all my fathers were Thus may , euery man se , that lyueth here That is to say , Lorde be thou nat styll That 〈◊〉 make me here knowe thy wyll And 〈…〉 to my soule thou gyue That may make her , both glad and blyue And say thus therto , I am thy saluacyon For thou arte my pylgryme trowe 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 pylgrymag● By this way all we must nedes go And eche man beloueth , that it is so 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 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 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 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 For the worlde , and the worldly lyfe yfere Chaungeth full ofte , and in dyuers manere And in her state dwelleth but a whyle Unneth the space of a lytell myle And for the worlde is so vnstedfast 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 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 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 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 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 ●et there be mo tokens , that we may lere Of the vnstablenes , of this worlde here For nowe is great myrth , and nowe mournynge And nowe is laughter , and nowe wepynge And nowe men be well , and nowe be wo And nowe is a man frende , and nowe is fo And nowe is a man lyght , and nowe is heuy 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 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 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 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 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 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 . ANd as the more worlde , is rownde yset So is the lesse , as a man that is mer For in y● brede of a man , as god worlde sende 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 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 acompas , hym selfe without And thus hath the lesse worlde , that a man is 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 As me ● may se , that gyueth here entent And so wytnesseth the great clarcke Innocent .

¶ Senuit iam mundus v●erque & maior mundus & minor & quanto proluxius vtriusque senectus ꝓducitus tant● deterni● vtriusque natura conprobatur .

¶ He sayeth , as it is in latyne tolde Eyther worlde , nowe waxeth full olde And the longer that theyr tyme is here sought And the age of eyther , other forth ybrought The more in malyce , a●d in feblenes ywys The kynde of ey●her other m●●led ●s .

Of the condycyons of worldly●●● , OF those worldly men / great outrage men may se Of pompe and pryde , and all vanyte 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 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 For thynge that somtyme was called vylonye Nowe yonge men holdeth it for great curtesye And that men somtyme for curtesye wolde call A●we in lytell tyme to bylonye it is fall For nowe maketh men so oft theyr chaungynge In many maners , and also of dyuerse clothynge Nowemen 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 And some goeth wryckynge towarde and fro And some goeth skyppynge , as doth ado 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 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 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 . ¶ Etirritauerunt deum in vanitatibus suis. ¶ And they meued hym to wrath sayth he 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 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 As saynt Dauid wytnesseth in this wyse . ¶ E● dimisi ●os secundum desideria cordis eorum . ¶ The prophere Dauid speaketh , and sayeth thus In Goddes name , as the Psalter telleth vs I let them he sayeth , without all maner couerte After iustes and lykynge of theyr owne herte 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 And from God tourneth , both nyght and day And at the last they shall hence wende To the 〈◊〉 that be without ende Therfore I counceyll all vanyties to forsake And in this worlde , betymes amendes make 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 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 And nowe is clene loue , 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 For good thynge they holde euyll , and euyll thynge gode Wo shall they be therfore , as clarckes can tell For God hym selfe , wytnesseth it in the Gospell Wo to you sayth Chryst , that thynketh with your wyll That euyll thynge is good , and good thynge euyll 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 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 But wolde a man , well hym vnderstande That the worlde is besy , a man for to sho●de 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 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 f●stynge , and in penaunce , and other workes smert And knowe his conseyence , 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 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 . 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 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 .

¶ Of thre maners of death . AS Clarckes fynde wryten , they redeth 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 Death is full harde & 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 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 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 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 s●awe With w●pyn , that to hym may be drawe So is the soule slayne throughe foule synn● 〈…〉 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 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 For of all earthly death , it maketh an endynge And that is the way , that we must wende To ●oye other to payne , that is without ende Neuertheles yf the soule with synne be slayne yet he may throughe grace , be quycked agayne 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 fynne May here throughe penaunce , take hele to wynne And thoughe God euer be ryghtfull and myghtye 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 .

¶ No●o mortem peccatoris sed magis conuertatur vt viuat .

¶ 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 . ENdeles death , is death of hell 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 synne yet may nat the soule dye therin 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 In the Psalmes of Dauid in his boke Taht 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 & the body 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 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 dyreyuynge of lyght So is death of lyfe , when a man is hence twyght Thus fareth death , that all men dredeth moste When the lyfe fayleth , they yelde vp the ghoste .

Men dredeth death for foure thynges . FOure encheasones in bokes I rede Why men death so moche drede One is for death is stronge and fell 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 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 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 Than may we knowe therby full wele That the payne of mannes death , is harde to fel● And of that death , I may thynke wonder For all thynge death may breake asonder As it sheweth by many wayes to vs 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 . 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 For they loue togyther , euermore to dwell And none of them , wolde froin 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 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 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 wy● That body and soule , fyrste togyther knyt 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 Togyther they shall dwell , without any where 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 Throughe all landes , both farre and nere And spareth nothynge , for any powere For prayer ne gyf●e , that any man may gyue Where that death commeth , he suffreth no man to lyue For he ●e spareth neyther hye ne lowe That he ne reueth theyr lyfe in a lytell throwe So death hath no mercye of no wyght As saynt Bernarde wytnesseth full ryght .

¶ ●on miserietur in opie nec reuereiur diuiciis nec sapientie , nec moribus , nec etati .

¶ He sayeth that death of pouert no mercye taketh Neyther to ryche men , rewarde he hath 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 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 And thus shall death bysyte 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 That were waxynge , yf it myght be Through a mans hert , wrotes 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 And euery vayne , that is in a mannes body 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 The rotes of the tre , shulde theron betyde 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 Than a more payne , can no man cast Than this 〈…〉 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 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 ꝙ amara memoria tua homini iniusto . ¶ 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 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 hymanis certius est morte Quid incertius hora mortis inuenietur . ¶ He 〈◊〉 , 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 Sayeth thus in his boke , as I proue can .

¶ ●rscis qua hora veniat mor● ideo semper vigila vt cum veneri● te ꝑatum inu●niat ● tempus illius forte nescis vt semper ideo eens ꝑatus .

¶ 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 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 lawe And in thy conscyence , to make the yare 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 And nat abyde , tyll death vs vysyte For saynt Austyne in his boke thus doth wryte . ¶ 〈◊〉 nobis vltimu● dies vt obseruerentur bene ceteri di●● Raro enim perantur 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 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 Therfore euery man , for drede of lettynge Shulde nat abyde , deathes commynge 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 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 vitam sibi vendicat lt de peccatis tunc libeat cogitare . &c.

¶ 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 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 indystres For syckenes ofte tymes , pyneth a man so That for great syckenes his mynde is go For than may ●e thynke , vpon nothynge elles But vpon the payne , that vpon hym dwelles But when d●ath commeth to hym soone afterwarde Than paynes shall be 〈◊〉 , that be more harde For than shall he be let in suche drede So that of hym selfe , he taketh lytell hede And that is reason , for he wolde nought Whyles that he myght , haue God in thought Therfore he sha●l then lese clene his mynde And thus we may 〈◊〉 saynt Austyne fynde .

¶ Hac animaduersione percuttitor 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 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 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 .

¶ 〈…〉 sicut homines inoriemini , & sicut vnno de prin●●pibus cadetis .

¶ And sareth thus to men , ye shall dye all And as on of the prynces ye shall fall 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 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 tue .

¶ Thynke man he sayeth , and haue in thought How 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 . ¶ Domine non est in morte qui memor sit tui . ¶ 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 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 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 And with dyuerse euylles , often is guawe 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 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 Than semeth our lyfe here nothynge elles 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 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 In the payne of hell , they shall euer be Therfore saynt Dauid the holy prophete Thus speaketh to God , with wordes swete . ¶ Qui ●xaltas me de portis mortis vt annuncien omnes landes tuas . ¶ Lorde almyghty God , forsoth thou arte he That from the gates of death , hast take me 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 chea●e Throughe the whiche , men commeth to the gateof 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 myght and day And grau●t vs his loue , as he well may 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 cytte of peace , that hath none ende But all men that shall to that place come Hence shall wende throughe death all and some 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 .

¶ 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 And therfore saynt Austyne , sayeth thus therto .

¶ Non potest male mori qui bene vixerit & 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 But that man , that hateth this lyfes lykynge Dare neuer drede of deathes commynge or after his death here , no payne hym deres As Caton wytnesseth in this verse . ¶ Non metuit mortem qui sit contempnere vitam . ¶ He sayeth , he that can this lyfe despyse 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 As the bokes of theyr lyues , telleth to vs For so dyd an holy man , that sayeth thus ▪ ¶ ●upio dissolui ● esse cum christo . ¶ 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 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 ꝙ dies natiuitatis . ¶ He sayeth , better is the day of death alone Than the day of byrth , that is full of mone 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 begon As in Apocalyps , wytnesseth saynt Iohn . ¶ Beati mortui qui in domino moriuntur . ¶ Blessyd be all they , in dede and in worde 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 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 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 . 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 , & few other frendes When that this lyfe here draweth to the ende 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 For as wode Lyones , they shall than fare And on hym grenne , rore and stare And horryble rollynge , and on hym blere And with hydeous lokes , to make hym fere And so they wyll stande , at his endynge If that they myght , in wanhope hym brynge Throughe suche thretuynge , 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 And therfore the prophete saynt Ieromye Wytnesseth these wordes in his prophe●ye . ¶ Omnes amici eius apprehend crunt eam 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 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 . IT is founde in the lyfe of saynt Bernarde When he drewe to his deat● , warde That the deuyll of hell , so horryble of hewe Asked of saynt Bernarde , with wordes fewe Wherfore he asked the kyngdome of heuen Syth he had gylt in the synnes seauen Then answered saynt Bernarde to hym this That I am nat worthy , I wote ywis Throughe my●e owne synnes , it for to haue 〈◊〉 I shall hence wende to my graue But throughe my lorde Iesus full of myght That all thynge gouerneth , as it is ryght 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 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 And anone saynt Bernarde , when this was done Came agayne to his mynde , that erst was gone And anone dyed afterwarde the And euen his soule to blysse gan go But it is more wonder all for to tell 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 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 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 For all maner men , that be in earth alyue So horryble a syght , can neuer descryue Nor none so qu●ynte a payntour , that myght brynge to pass● Neyther man so wytty , neuer yet was That coulde ought ymagyne , of theyr horryblenes 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 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 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 tell can Sethem neuer here no lyues man But onely to them , that death is nere For God hath bynome them theyr powere 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 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 Wher●ore the deuylles be all so gresely 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 bycōmen foule fendes of hell And were horryble fygured throughe synne 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 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 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 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 indyspayre hym to brynge Of whiche synnes , he woulde hym nat shryfe 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 . THe thyrde encheason , is to our vnderstandynge Why euery man dredeth deathes commynge For all thynge shall be shewed and se●e Both good , euyll , foule , and also clene And there ben rehersed , as the boke telleth ryght 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 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 In the same maner , that I wyll you tell . ¶ Niehil 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 Therfore saynt Ancelme , as the boke telleth vs Speaketh to the soule sharpely thus Thou wretched soule sayth he , what myght thou wyn When thou from thy body departe shall atwyn For than behoueth the acomptes to yelde 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 he thy songe For thou hast spended thy lyfe here in wronge 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 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 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 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 An hondred tymes rather to do synne Than once a good dede here to begynne And thus we may acompte , re●en , and rede An hondred synnes agaynst one good dede The thyrde cause is , for to shewe amonge 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 iniusticie nostre quasi pannus menstruatus .

¶ 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 That euery man shall haue after his owne dede But therof be we nat syker in our lyfe dayes 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 s● moche good wrought Whyther that he be worthy after his dede To haue the loue of God , other els hatred And also Isodore , as the boke telleth vs Accordeth well therto , and sayeth all thus .

¶ Seruu & dei dum bonum agit , vtrum sit ei ad bonum incertus est . &c.

¶ He sayeth , the man that is Goddes seruaunt 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 .

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

¶ 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 que diligentur discussa apperet michi aut peccatum , aut sterilitas , aut res sunilata et imperfecta . &c.

¶ Saynt Bernarde , the holy man sayeth this 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 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 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 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 . THe fourth encheason is , and the last to tell Why men dredeth death , that is so bytter & 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 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 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 nouissiino vnusquisque pensare debet quia vnumquemque in eodem statu quo inuenerunt eum suus nouissimus dies : talis eum dominus iudi cabit in nouissimo iudicio . &c.

¶ Euery man he sayeth , that hence shall away Shulde haue drede of his last day 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 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 And other they shall haue full ioy yfere Other full payne , when they be there And afterwarde , they shall both togyther dwell Whyther that they wende to heauen , other to hell But here in earth , shall the bodyes all Abyde tyll the day of dome shall fall And that day shall be full streyght and harde As this boke telleth sonne hereafterwarde But the synfull soule , goeth than to hell There without ende , in payne for to dwell 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 But he for his synnes penytent before he Other here doth penaunce , as Clarckes telleth With a contryte herte , who God forgyueth And when manues soule , is clensed well Of all deedly synnes , and also of venyell 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 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 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 . ¶ In omnibus operibus tuis memorare nouissim● tua . ¶ He sayeth thynke euery man , on thyne endynge day 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 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 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 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 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 al thynge Sende vs to that ioy , that is fayre and bryght Where euermore is day , and neuer nyght . Amen .

FINIS .

¶ Imprynted by me Robert wyer / dwellynge in saynt Martyns parysshe / at the sygne of saynt Iohn Euangelyst / besyde Charynge Crosse . ☜

Ad imprimendum solum .