The.iiii • Chapter

THe first kinde also will I shortly passe ouer to, for the tribulacion that a man willingly taketh himself which no mā putteth vpon him against his own wil, is you wote wel as I somewhat touched the last daye, such affliccion of the fleshe or expence of his goodes as a man taketh himselfe, or willingly bestoweth in punishmēt of his own sinne, and for deuocion to God. Now in this tribulacion nedeth he no mā to comfort him, for while no mā troubleth him but him selfe which feleth how farreforth he may conueniently beare, & of reason & good discrecion shal not passe that, wherin if any doubte arise, counsayle nedeth and not comforte. The courage that for goddes sake and hys soule helth kindleth his heart and enflameth it therto, shall by thesame grace that putte it in his minde, geue hym suche comforte and ioye therein, that the pleasure of hys soule shall passe the payne of hys body: yea and whyle he hath in hearte also some great heauines for hys synne, yet then he considereth the ioye that shall come of it, his soule shall not fayle to fele than that straūge case which my body felt once in a great feuer.

☞Vincent. What straunge case was that vncle?

Anthony. Forsoth Cosin, in this same bedde it is now more than.xv. yere a goe, I lay in a tercian & had passed I trowe.iii. or.iiii. fittes: but after fell there one fitte on me out of course, so straūge and so maruelouse, that I woulde in good faith haue thoughte it impossible. For I so[…]einly felt myselfe veryly both hote and cold thorowout al my body, not in some part y• one, and in some parte the other, for that had been you wote wel no very straunge thing, to fele the head hote while the handes were a colde: but the selfe same partes I say so god my soule saue, I sensibly felt & right painfully to, al in one instaunt both hote and colde at once.

☞Vincent. By my trouth vncle this was a wonderful thing, & such as I neuer heard happē any mā els in my daies: & fewe mē are there of whose mouthes I coulde haue beleued it.

Antony. Courtesi Cosin paraduēture letteth you to saye yt you beleue it not yet of my mouth nether, & surely for feare of y• you should haue heard it of me nether, had there not an other thīg happed me sone after.

☞Vincent. I praye you what was that vncle?

☞Anthony. Forsoth Cosin thys I asked a phisicyon or twaine, that than loked vnto me howe this shoulde shoulde be possible, and they twaine tolde me both that it coulde not be, but that I was fallen into some slombre, and dreamed that I felte it so.

☞Vincent. This hap holde I, litle cause you to tell the tale the more boldelye.

☞Anthony. No Cosin that is true loe, but than happed there another, that a young Gyrle here in this towne whome a kinsmā of hers had begon to teache plysicke, tolde me that there was such a kynd of feuer in dede.

Vincent. By our Lady vncle, saue for the credence of you, the tale woulde I not yet tell againe vpon that happe of the maide. For though I knowe her nowe for such, as I durst well beleue her, it might hap her very well at that time to lye, because she woulde you should take her for cunning.

Antony. Ye, but thā happed there yet an other hap theron Cosin, that a worke of Galien de diff[…]renciis febrium, is ready to besolde in ye booke sellers shoppes: In which workes she shewed me than y• Chapter where Galien saieth the same.

☞Vincent. Mary vncle as you saye, that happe happed well, and that mayde had (as happe was) in that pointe more cunning than hadde both our physiciōs besides: and hath I wene at this daye in many poyntes moe.

☞Antony. In fayth so wene I to: and that is wel wared on her, for she is very wyse and wel learned, and very verteous too. But see nowe what age is, loe, I haue beene so longe in my tale, that I haue almoste forgotten for what purpose I tolde it. Oh, now I remēber me loe, lykewyse I saye, as my self felt my body than both hoate & cold at once: so he that is contrite & heauy for his sinne, shal haue cause for to be, and shall in dede be bothe merye and sadde, and both twayne at once, and shal doe as I remember holy Saint Hierō biddeth: & doleas, & de dolore gaudeas. both be thou sorye saythe he, and be thou of thy sorowe ioyfull also.

And thus as I beganne to saye of comfort to be geuē vnto him that is in this trybulacion, that is to witte, in frutefull heauines and penance for his sinne, shal we none nede to geue other, than onely to remembre and consider the goodnes of goddes excellent mercye wel that infinytely passeth the malyce of al mennes sinne, by which he is readye to receiue euerye man, and dyd spreade his armes abrode vpon the crosse, louinglye to enbrace all them that will come, and euen there accepted the thefe at his last ende that turned not to god tyll he myght steale no longer, and yet maketh more feasle in heauen at one that from sinne turneth, than of.xcix. good men that sinned not at all. And therfore of that firste kynde will I make no longer tale.