The ſeconde boke

WHen we cōſyder in our ſelf dere brothern & ſyſtern in our ſauyour Cryſte / y• preſent paynfull pangꝭ yt we fele / & therwyth ponder vppō the tother parte / y• parylouſe eſtate of you y• ar our frendys there lyuyng in yt wrechyd world: wyt you very ſurely that thys peſtylēt oppynyō begō agaynſt purgatory / not ſo mych greuyth vs for y• lak yt we ſhuld fynde therby in y• relyefe of our own intollerable tormētꝭ / as doth for the loue y• we bere you / the fere & heuynes yt we take for yt parell & ieopardy yt ſhuld euerlyſtyngly fall to youre owne ſowlys therby. Nor of all the heuy tydyngys y• euer we hard here / was there neuer none ſo ſore ſmote vs to y• hart / as to here the world wax ſo faynt in the fayth of Criſte / that eny mā ſhulde nede nowe to proue purgatory to cryſten men / or that any man could be founden / whych wold in ſo great a thyng ſo fully and faſtly beleuyd for an vndowted artycle thys.xv.C. yere / begynne now to ſtaggar and ſtand in dowt / for the vnwyſe wordys of eny ſuch malycyouſe parſon / as ys he yt made the beggars ſupplicacyon. For whoſe anſwere & full confutacyon yt ſemeth vs ſuffyciēt / that ye may clere parceyue hys wordys to be of lytle weyght / whyle ye ſe that the mā hath neyther lernyng / wyſdome nor good entent: but all hys byll vtterly groūded vppō errour / euyll wyll & vntrouth. And ſurely thys were to vs greate wonder yf cryſten men ſhuldē nede eny other ꝓfe in thys world to reproue ſuch ſedycyouſe folk wythall / thē the onely tokē of the dyuels badge whych theym ſelfe bere euer about thē: the badge we mene of malyce and of a very dedely dyuelyſhe hate.

For where as oure ſauyoure Cryſte hathe ſo lefte loue & charyte for the badge of his cryſten people / that he cōmaundeth euery man ſo largely to loue other / that hys loue ſhold extend and ſtrech vnto hys enmy / nor there ys no naturall man nether Paynym / Iew / Turk nor Saracene / but he wyll rather ſpare his foo than hurt his frende: thys kynde of folk ys ſo farre fallen not onely from all cryſten charyte but alſo from all humanite and felyng of eny good effeccyon naturall / and ſo chaūgede into a wylde fyerce cruell appetyte more thā brutyſh and beſtyall / that they furſte wythout grounde or cauſe take theyre frēdys for theyre foes / hatynge the churche dedely becauſe yt wylleth theyr weale and laboureth to amend thē: and after to do the chirch hurt whō they take for theyr ēmyes / they labour to do vs much more hurt whom they call ſtyll for theyr frendys. For they to get pulled from the clergy the frayle cōmodytees of a lytle worldy lyuyng / labour to haue vs theyr fathers / theyr mothers / theyr frendꝭ and all theyr kynne left lyeng in thy fyre here helpleſſe & forgottē / they lytle force how long. And in thys they ſhew theyr affeccyon mych more vnnaturall & abomynable / thā he yt wold wyth his ſwerd thruſt his frēd thorow the hole body to the hard haft / to gyue hys enmy behynd hym a lytle pryk with the poynt. Thys ways of theyrs were very noght & deteſtable / although they truly ment in dede / as mych good as they falſly pretēd. For where as they cloke theyr cruell purpoſe & intēt / vnder colour of a gret zele toward y• comen welth / which they lay to before ēpayryd by gret pōp & inordynate lynyng vſed in y• church: we be ſo farre fro the mynde of defēding eny ſuch ſpyrytuall vyce / carnall vnclēnes / or worldly pomp & vanyte vſed in y• clergy / yt we wold to god yt were mych leſſe thā yt is / not in thē only but alſo in y• tēporalte. And there is none of nether ſort but yf he were here with vs but one half houre / he wold ſet lytle by all ſuch worldly vanitees all his life after / & lytle wold he force or rek whether he ware ſylk or ſak cloth.

But ſurely thys man yf he ment well: the faulys of yuell folk he wold lay to them ſelf / & not vnto y• hole clergy. He wold alſo labour for amendment & betteryng / not for dyſtruccyon & vndoyng fynally. He wold hold hym ſelf wythyn hys boūdꝭ / onely deuyſyng agaynſt mennys vyes / & not ſtart owt therwith in to playn & open hereſyes. But ſurely ſo hath yt euer hetherto ꝓuyd / that neuer was there any that ſhewed hym ſelf an enmy to the church / but though he couered it neuer ſo cloſe for the whyle / yet at the laſt alway he prouyd hym ſelf in ſome parte of hys work[…] ſo very an enmy to the catholyk faythe of Cryſte / that men myght well parceyue that hys malyce towarde the clergy grew furſt & ſprang of infydelyte & lak of ryghte belyefe. And of thys poynt was there neuer a clerer enſample than thys beggars proctour: whych was ſo far forth farſed / ſtuffed & ſwollen w[…]th ſuch venamouſe hereſys / that albe yt he longed ſore to kepe them in for the ſeaſon / and onely to rayle aganſt the clergy & hyde hys enmyouſe intent toward the fayth: yet was he not able to cōteyn and hold / but was fayn for braſtyng to puffe out one blaſt of his poyſon[…]d ſe[…]t agaynſt vs ſely ſowlys: y• goodnes of god dryuyng hym to y• dyſcloſyng and dyſcoueryng of hys malycyouſe hereſy / to thētent ye ſhuld therby parceyue out of what vngracyouſe groūd hys enmyte ſprang that he bare agaynſte the churche. Whyche thyngys ones parceyu[…]d and conſyderyd: muſte nedys mynyſhe and byreue hym hys credence am[…]ng all ſuch as ar not affeccyonate toward hys errours and infect and venomed wyth hys mortall hereſyes / and of ſuche folk we truſt he ſhall fynde very few.

For ſurely not onely among cryſten peple and Iewys / of whome the tone hath / the tother hath had / the perceyuyng and lyght of fayth / but alſo amonge the very myſcreaunt and ydolaters Turkys / […]aracens / and Paynyms / excepte onely ſuche as haue ſo farre fallen from the nature of man in to a brutyſhe beſtely ꝑſuaſyon as to byleue y• ſoule & body dye both at onys: ellys hath allwaye y• remanaurt comonly thought & byleued / y• after the bodyes dede and deceaced / the ſoulys of ſuch as were neyther dedely dāpned wreches for euer / nor on the tother ſyde / ſo good but that theyre offences done in this wor[…]d hath deſerued more punyſhement thē they had ſuffred and ſuſtayned there / were punyſhed and pourged by payn after y• deth ere euer they were admytted vnto theyre welth and reſte.

Thys fayth hath allwey not onely faythfull peple had: but alſo as we ſay very myſcreauntꝭ and ydolaters haue euer had a certayne opynyon and perſuaſyon of y• ſame: whyther that of the fyrſte lyght and reuelacyon gyuen of ſuche thyngys to our formar fathers / there hath allway remayned a glymerynge that hath gone forth fro mā to man / fro one generacyon to a nother / and ſo contynued and kepte amonge all peple: or ellys that nature and reaſon haue tought men euery where to perceyue yt. For ſurely that they haue ſuch bylefe not onely by ſuch as haue bene trauayled in many cuntrees among ſēdry ſectys / but alſo by y• olde and auncyent wryters that haue bene amōg theym: we maye well & euydentely perceyue. And in good fayth yf neuer had there bene reuelacyō gyuen therof / nor other lyght thē reaſon: yet preſuppoſed the immortalyte of mānys ſoule whych no reſonable man dyſtruſted / and therto agreed the ryghtuouſenes of god & hys goodnes whyche ſcant the deuyll hym ſelfe denyeth / purgatory muſt nedꝭ appere: For ſyth that god of hys ryghtuouſeneſſe wyll not leue ſynne vnpunyſhed / nor hys goodnes wyll perpetually punyſh the fawt after y• mānys conuerſyon: yt foloweth that y• punyſhemēt ſhall be temporall. And now ſyth the mā often dyeth byfore ſuche punyſhement had / eyther at goddys hand by ſome afflyccyon ſent hym or at hys awne by due penaunce done / whych y• moſte parte of people wantonely doth forſlouth: a very chylde almoſt may ſe the cōſequēt yt the punyſhemēt at y• deth remaynyng due & vndone / ys to be endured a ſuſtayned after. whych / ſyth hys maieſtye ys ſo excellēt whom we haue offended / can not of ryght & iuſtyce be but heuy and ſore.

Now yf they wolde peraduenture as in magnyfyenge of goddys hygh goodnes ſaye / that after a mannys conuerſyon onys to god agayn / not onely all hys ſynne ys forgyuen but all the hole payn alſo / or that they wyll vnder colour of enhaūcing the merite and goodnes of Cryſtꝭ paſſyon tell vs yt hys payn ſuffred for vs / ſtādeth in ſtede of all our payn & penaunce / ſo that neyther purgatory can haue place nor eny penaūce nede to be done by our ſelf for our own ſynne: theſe folk that ſo ſhall ſay / ſhall vnder pretext of magnyfyēg hys marcy / not onely ſore mynyſhe his vertewe of iuſtyce / but alſo mych hinder the opynyon and parſuaſyon that mē haue of hys goodnes. For albeyt yt god of his great marcy may forthwith forgyue ſome folke frely theyr ſynne and payn both wythout preiudyce of hys ryghtuouſnes / eyther of hys lyberall boūte or for ſome reſpect had vnto the feruēt ſorowfull harte that fere and loue wyth helpe of ſpecyall grace haue brought into the penytente at the tyme of his retorne to god / and alſo that the bytter paſſyon of our ſauyour beſyde the remyſſyon of the ꝑpetuyte of our payn do alſo leſſen our purgatory and ſtand vs here in maruelouſe hygh ſtede: yet yf he ſhuld vſe thys poynt for a generall r[…]le / that at euery conuerſyon fro ſynne with purpoſe of amendemēt and recourſe to cōfeſſyon / he ſhall forthwyth fully forgyue wythout the partyes payn or eny other recompence for the ſynnys commyttyd ſaue onely Cryſtys paſſyon payd for thē all: then ſhuld he gyue gret occaſyon of lyghtnes and bold corage to ſynne.

For when mē were onys parſuaded that be theyr ſynnys neuer ſo ſore / neuer ſo many / neuer ſo myſcheuouſe / neuer lōg ſo cōtynued / yet thay ſhall neuer bere payn therfore: but by theyr onely fayth and theyr baptyſm wyth a ſhort returne agayn to god / ſhall haue all theyr ſynne & payn alſo clene forgeuen and forgottē / nothyng els but onely to cry hym marcy as one womā wold yt tredyth on a nothers trayne: thys way wolde as we ſayd gyue the worlde great occaſyō & corage not onely to fall boldly to ſynne and wrechednes / but alſo careleſſe to contynew theryn / preſumyng vppon that thyng that ſuche heretykes haue parſuaded vnto ſome mē all redy / that.iii. or.iiii. wordys ere they dye ſhall ſuffycyently ſarue them to bringe them ſtrayghte to heuen. where as beſydys the fere that they ſhulde haue leſt they ſhall lak at laſt the grace to turne at all / and ſo for faut of thoſe.iii. or.iiii. wordys fall to the fyre of hell: yf they beleue ther wyth the thyng y• trewth is byſyde / that ys to wyt that though they happe to haue the grace to repent & be forgeuen the ſynne & ſo to be delyueryd of the endleſſe payn of hell / yet they ſhall not ſo frely be deliuered of purgatory / but that beſyde the generall relyefe of Cryſtys hole paſſyon extended vnto euery man not after the valure therof but after the ſtynt and rate appoyntyd by godd[…]s wyſdom / great and long payn abydyth them here amonge vs / wherof theyre wyllyngly taken penaunce in the world / & afflyccyon there put vnto them by god / & there pacyently borne and ſuffred wyth other good dedys there in theyr lyfe done by theym / & fynally the merytꝭ and preyours of other good folkys for thē / may mynyſhe and abbredge the payne / whyche wyll ellys hold them here wyth vs in fyre and turmentys intollerable onely god knowyth how long: thys thyng we ſay as yt ys trew indede / ſo yf the world well & fyrmely for a ſure trewth beleue yt / can not fayle to be to many folke a good brydle and a ſharpe bytte to refrayne theym from ſynne. And on y• tother ſyde y• cōtrary belyefe wolde ſende many folke forward to ſynne / & therby in ſtede of purgatory in to euerlaſtynge payne.

And therfore ys thys place of our temporall payne of purgatory not onely cōſonaunt vnto hys ryghtuouſe iuſtyce / but alſo the thyng that hyghly declareth hys greate mercy and goodnes / not onely for that the payn therof hough and ſore ys yt / ys yet leſſe then owr ſynne deſerueth: but alſo moſte eſpecyally in that by the fere of payn to be ſuffred and ſuſteyned here / hys goodnes refrayneth men from the boldenes of ſynne and neclygence of penaunce / & therby kepeth and preſerueth theym from payne euerlaſtynge: where as the lyght forgeuenes of all to gether / wold geue occaſyon by boldenes of ſynne and preſumpſyon of eaſy remyſſyon / myche people to runne downe hedlynge thyther. And therfore were as we ſayed that way very far cōtrary not onely to goddys iuſtyce & ryghtuouſenes / but alſo to hys goodneſſe & mercy. Wheruppō as we ſayd byfore it muſt nedꝭ folow that ſyth the payne ys allway due to ſynne / and is not allwaye clene forgeuen wythout cōuenyēt penaunce done or other recōpence made / nor payne ys not allwey done / nor eny recompence made in the mānꝭ lyfe / and yet the mā dyſcharged of hell by hys cōuerſyon: all y• payn y• remayneth muſte nedys be ſuſtayned here wyth vs in purgatory.

But nowe yf theſe heretyques as they be very ſelfe wylled and wylle full / wyll ſette at nought the comen opynyon and beleyfe and perſuaſyon of almoſte all the world: and as they be very vnreſonable make lyttel force of reaſon and euer aſke for ſcripture / as though they beleued holy ſcrypture / and yet when yt maketh agaynſt them / they then wyth falſe and fonde gloſys of theyre owne makynge / do but mok and ſhyfte ouer in ſuche a tryflynge maner that yt may well appere they byleue not ſcrypture neyther: yet ſyth they make as they byleued ſcripture & nothyng els / let vs therfore ſe whether that purgatory do not appere opened and reueled vnto cryſten people in holy ſcrypture ſelfe.

And fyrſte yt ſemeth very probable and lykely / that y• good kyng Ezechias for none other cauſe wepte at the warnyng of hys deth geuen hym by the ꝓphete / but onely for the fere of purgatory. For albe yt that dyuers doctours alledge dyuers cauſes of hys heuynes and lothenes at that tyme to deꝑt and dye: yet ſemeth there none ſo lykly as the cauſe that auncyent doctours alledge / that ys to wyt y• he was lothe to dye for the fere of hys eſtate after hys deth / for as mych as he had offendyd god by ouermych lykyng of hym ſelf: wherwyth he wyſt y• god was dyſpleſyd wyth hym & gaue hym warnyng by the ꝓphete / that he ſhuld lyue no lēger. Now cōſyderyd he ſo the weyght of hys offence / yt he thought and eſtemyd the onely loſſe of thys preſent lyfe farre vnder the iuſt & condygne ponyſhmēt therof / and therfore fell in gret drede of farre ſorer ponyſhmēt after. But beyng as he was a good faythfull kyng / he coud not lak ſure hope thorow hys repentaūce of ſuch forgyneues / as ſhold preſarue hym frō hell. But ſyth his time ſhuld be ſo ſhort yt he ſhuld haue no layſour to do penāce for hys faut: he therfore fered yt the remaūte of hys ryghtuouſe ponyſhment ſhuld be parformyd in purgatory. And therfore wept he tē derly & longyd to lyue lenger / that hys ſatyſfaccyon done there in the world in prayour & other good vertuouſe dedꝭ / might aboliſh & were out all the payn y• els were toward hym here among vs. To whych hys feruēt boone & deſyre at the cōtēplacyon of his penitēt hart / our lord of his hygh pyte cōdyſcended & grauntyd hym the lengthyng of hys lyfe for.xv. yerꝭ / makyng hym for his farther cūfort ſure therof by y• ſhew of a manyfeſt myracle. But wherto graūtid our lord y• lē ger lyfe / to be beſtowed vppō worldy delite and pleaſure? Nay nay verely. But to thentēt yt myght appere that it was of goddys great marer grauntyd for the redemyng of his purgatory by good workys for hys ſatyſfaccyon: he was ꝓmyſed by the prophete not onely y• he ſhuld wythin.iii. days be recouered and hole / but alſo that he ſhuld go in to the temple to pray. So that yt may therby appere for what end and entent he longed ſo ſore for a lenger lyfe.

Now yf the beggars proctour or Tyndale or Luther eyther / lyſt to ſay y• in thys poynt we do but geſſe at that good kyngꝭ mynde / and therfore purgatory therby rather ſūwhat reſoned thā well & ſurely prouyd: therto may we well anſwer and ſay / that the cyrcumſtaunce of the mater conſyderyd / wyth the vertuouſe holynes and cōnyng of ſuch as ſo longe ago haue taken the ſcrypture thus: y• place alone is a farr better profe for purgatory / thā euer eny of thē coud hetherto lay agaynſt yt yet. For albeyt thys beggars proctour ſayth y• ryght wyſe & cōnynge mē wyll ſay y• there ys no purgatory at all / by which wyſe men he menyth Luther and Tyndall & him ſelf: yet was there neuer any of theym all that yet layed anye ſubſtancyall thynge eyther reaſon or authorytye for theym / but onely geſte and rayle / and ſaye that purgatory ys a thyng of the popꝭ awne makynge / and that ſoulys do nothyng tyll domis day but lye ſtyll and ſlepe. And thus tellyng ſuch wyſe talys for theyre owne parte / and makyng mokkys and mowes at euery thyng that maketh agaynſt theyr foly for our parte: they go forth in theyre euyll wyll and obſtynacy / and with murmur & grudge of theyre owne conſyence / cōtent theym ſelfe wyth y• onely feding of theyre malycyouſe myndis by the encreace of theyre faccyon / of ſuch as fall in to theyre felyſhype rather of a lyght mynde and lewde pleaſure to taire a parte / then of eny greate credence that they gyue vnto theym or greately force whyche way they byleue. For ſurely yf theſe folke were reſonable and indyfferent as yt ys not well poſſyble for them to be / after that they refuſe onys to byleue y• catholyque church & in y• vnderſtandyng of ſcripture lene onely to theyre awne wyttys / but ellys as we ſay yf they could wyth an equall & indyfferent mynd conſyder and way what they here: they ſhulde ſone ſe theyre hereſye reproued and purgatory ſurely cōfermed / not onely by probable reaſon taken of the ſcrypture as in y• place that we reherſed you of Ezechyas / but alſo by playne and euydent textys.

For haue ye not the wordys of ſcrypture wryten in the boke of the kyngys: Dominus deducit ad inferos et reducit: our lord bryngeth folke downe in to hell and bryngeth theym thenſe agayne? But they yt be in that hell where the dāpned ſowlꝭ be: they be neuer delyuered thenſe agayne. Wherfore yt appereth well that they whom god delyuereth and bryngeth thēſe agayn / be in that part of hell that ys callyd purgatory.

What ſay they to the wordys of the ꝓphete zachary: Tu quoque in ſaguine teſtamenti tui eduxiſti vinctos tuos de lacu in quo non erat aqua: Thou haſt in the blode of thy teſtament brought out thy bounden pryſoners owte of the pyt or lake in whych there was no water. In that they whom the prophete there ſpeketh of were bounden / we may well perceyue that they were in […] pryſon of punyſhement. And in that he calleth theym the pryſoners of god: yt ys eth to perceyue that he meaneth not eny that were takē and empryſoned by eny other than the dampned ſpyrytys the very gaolers of god. And in that he ſayth that there ys in that lake no water: we may well perceyue that he ſpake yt in deſcrypcyon of that drye pyt of fyre / where in there ys no refreſhyng: For as hote are we here as they are in hell. And what […]ete ys in the pyt where there lakketh water: our ſauyour hym ſelfe declareth by the wordys of the rych gloton lyeng in ſuch a lake from whenſe at ſyght of pore Lazarus in Abrahams boſom / he deſyred heuely to haue hym ſent vnto hym wyth one droppe of water to refreſhe hys tonge / that after all the delycates that yt had taſted in his lyfe / lay there thē ſore burnyng / & neuer ſet half ſo mych by twenty tonne of wyne / as he ſet by one pore drop of water. So that as we ſhewe you / theſe wordys of y• ꝓphete zachary. Thou haſte brought owte thy boundē preſoners owte of the lake where in ys no water: do ryght well appere to be ſpokē of theſe pore ēpreſoned ſowlys whom cryſt after hys bytter paſſyon by hys precyouſe blode wherwyth he conſecrated hys church in hys newe teſtament / delyuered owt of the lake of fyre wherin they lay boundē for theyre ſynnys. But nowe ys there no man y• dowteth whyther cryſte delyuered the dāpned ſowlis owt of hell or not. For in y• hell ys there no redempcyon / & in limbo patrum the ſowlys were in reſte. Wherfore it appereth clerely that thoſe […]ſoners whom he brought owte of theyre payne / he brought onely owte of purgatory: And ſo ſe theſe heretyques purgatory clerly proued by the playn wordys of thys holy prophete.

A nother place ys there alſo in the olde teſtament that putteh purgatory quyte owt of queſtyon. For what ys playnner then the places whych in the boke of the Machabees make mencyon / of the deuowt remembraūce / prayoure / almoyſe / & ſacryfyce / to be done for ſowlys when the good and holy man Iudas Machabeus gathered money among the peple to by ſacryfyce wythall to be offred vp for y• ſowlys of theym that were dede in the batayle. Doth not thys place of ſcrypture ſo openly declare the nede that we ſowlys haue in purgatorye / & the relyefe that we fynd by the prayour and ſuffragys of good peple vppon erthe / that all the heretyques that barke ſo faſte agaynſt vs / can fynd neyther gloſe nor colour to the contrary?

What ſhyfte fynde they here? ſurely a very ſhameleſſe ſhyfte / and are fayne to take theym to that take lynge that ys theyre ſhote anker allway / when they fynde the ſtorme ſo great that they ſe theyr ſhyp goth all to wrekk. For firſt they vſe to ſet ſome falſe gloſe to the text that ys layed agaynſt theym / and deny the ryght ſenſe.

But now yf the texte be ſo playne that they can haue no ſuche colour: then when they can haue no more holde but ſe that theyre parte goth all to naught / they fall to a ſhameleſſe boldnes & let no to deny the ſcrypture and all / & ſay y• hole ſcrypture whych ys layd agaynſte them ys none holy ſcrypture at all / as Luther playth wyth the godly epyſtle of Cryſtys blyſſed apoſtle ſaynt Iamys. And euyn the ſame do thoſe heretykꝭ wyth the authoryte of this holy boke of Machabees: they be not aſhamed to ſay that yt ys not ſcrypture. But vppon what grownd do they deny yt for ſcrypture / becauſe yt is not found[…] and accompted for holy ſcrypture among y• Iewys? They neyther do nor can deny but that yt ys taken for holy ſcripture by the churche of Cryſte. For yf they wold denye / that both the hole chyrche bereth wytnes agaynſt them at this day / & it alſo appereth playnly by ſaynt Hyerome / ſaynt Auſtayn / & other old holy doctours / that the church ſo toke yt alſo in theyr days & before: thē wold we gladly wit of theſe new men theſe enmyes we mean of ours / whyther the chyrch of criſt be not of as great authoryte and as mych to be beleuyd in the choyſe & eleccyō of holy ſcrypture as the Iewes. If they wyll ſay yes: thē anſwere they them ſelf: for then ys the boke of the Machabees by y• choyce of the chyrch prouyd holy ſcrypture though the Iewes neuer accounted yt ſo. Now yf they will ſay no / and wyll contend that yt cā not be accountyd holy ſcrypture though the chyrch of Cryſte ſo take take yt / but yf the Iewes ſo toke yt too: then go they nere to put out ſaynt Ihāns goſpell out of ſcrypture too / for the Iewes neuer toke yt for none. And ſurely yf they admyt for ſcripture that book that the Iewes admytted / & deny that boke to be ſcrypture whych the church of Cryſte receyueth for ſcrypture: thē do they ſay that the ſpyryte of god was more effectually preſent and aſſyſtēt vnto the ſynagoge of the Iewys in the law of hys prophete Moyſes / thē vnto the church of hys awne onely bygoten ſonne in the law of cryſtys goſpell.

If they conſyder well the bokꝭ of y• Machabeys / they ſhall fynd ſuche thynge therin as maye geue theym good occaſyon to put lyttell dowte but that yt ſhuld be of great and vndenyable authoryte. For they ſhall fynde there that the greate good and godly valyaunt capytayne of goddys people dyd inſtytute and ordayne the great feſte of the dedycacyon of the temple of Hieruſalē called feſtū encemorū of the annuall inſtytucyon / of whyche feſte we rede no where ellys but in y• boke of the Machabeys. And yet fynde we that feſte euer after contynued and had in honour vntyll cryſtꝭ awne dayes / and our ſauyour hym ſelfe went to the celebracyon of that ſame feſte / as appereth in the goſpell of ſaynt Ihān. So that yt may well appere that ye bokys of that noble hyſtory wherof remeaneth ſo noble a monument and remembraunce / contynually kepte and reſerued ſo longe after / and honowred by cryſtes awne precyouſe ꝑſon and teſtyfyed by hys holy Euangelyſte in the boke of hys holy goſpell: can not be but vndowted trewth and of dyuyne authoryte.

And ſurely yf they deny ye boke of the Machabeys for holy ſcripture bycauſe the Iewys accompte yt not for ſuche: then ſhall they by the ſame reaſon refuſe the authoryte of the boke of Sapyence / and proue theym ſelfe inſypyentys. And lyke wyſe yf they take all ſcrypture byſyde the newe teſtament to be of none other force and authoryte then yt ys accomptyd in the rule and canon of the Iewes: then ſhall the hole pſalter of Dauyd the very ſomme of clere and lyghte ſome propheſyes / leeſe amonge theym greate parte of his authoryte / ſyth yt ys not taken in lyke force and ſtrenght among the Iewes as yt ys in Cryſtys church.

Fynall for the boke of the Machabees / ſyth the church of Cryſte accounteth yt for holy ſcrypture: there can no man dout therof but he that wyll take awaye all credence and authoryte from the hole ſcrypture of god the very goſpellys and all. For yf theſe heretykys deny for holy ſcrypture eny boke that the chyrche of Cryſte accounteh for holy ſcrypture: then deny they one of the grettyſt foundacyons of all cryſtē fayth / and the thyng whych theyr maſter Marten Luther hym ſelf hath all redy confeſſed for trew. For he affyrmyth hym ſelfe that god hath gyuen vnto the church of Cryſte that gyfte / that the church cannot fayle ſurely and certeynly to diſcerne betwene the wordys of god and the wordys of men: & yt yt cannot be deſceyuyd in the choyſe of holy ſcrypture and reiectyng of the contrary: ſo farforth that he cō feſſyth as he nedys muſt of neceſſyte / that the noble doctour and gloryouſe cōfeſſour ſaynt Auſteyne ſayth very well / when he ſayd that he ſhuld not haue beleuyd the goſpell but for ye authorite of ye church. For he had not knowen whych had bene the very boke of the goſpels and whych not amōg ſo many as were wryten / but by the authoryte of the church / whom the ſpyryte of god aſſyſted as yt euer dothe and euer ſhall / in the choyſe and receyuyng of holy ſcripture and reieccyō of the coūterfete and falſe. Wherby yt apperyth clerely not onely by that holy doctour ſaynt Auſteyn / but alſo by the confeſſyon of ye arche heretyke Luther hym ſelfe / that the church cannot be dyſſeyuyd in the choyce of holy ſcrypture and reieccyon of the contrary: ſo farforthe yt yt neyther can receyue as holy ſcrypture eny booke that ys none / nor reiect for other then holy ſcrypture eny boke that is holy ſcrypture in dede. And ſurely yf the churche myghte ſo be deceyuyd in the choyſe of holy ſcripture / that they myghte take & approue for holy ſcrypture eny boke that were none: then ſtode all cryſtendome in dout and vnſurety / whether ſaynt Ihāns goſpell were holy ſcripture or not / and ſo forth of all the new teſtament.

And therfore ſyth as we haue ſhewed you by the heretykes owne confeſſyons / the church of Cryſte cannot be deceyuyd in the choyſe & eleccyon of holye ſcrypture / by whyche theyre confeſſyon they muſte nedys abyde and not flyt therfro / as they dayly do chaūge and vary from theyr owne wordꝭ in many other thyngis / except that they wyll in the fallyng from that poynte refuſe the ſtrēghte and authoryte of the newe teſtament of cryſte: and ſyth as your ſelfe well perceyueth alſo the churche of cryſte receyueth and taketh and (as ye ſe by ſaynt Hyerome and other olde holy doctours thys thowſande yere) hath approued and fermely byleued the holy boke of the Machabeys to be one of the volumes of holy ſcrypture: and then in that boke ye ſe ſo manyfeſtely purgatory proued / that none heretyque as ſhameleſſe as they be can yet for ſhame ſay the cōtrary / but are by the playn and open wordys of that holy boke ſo dreuen vp to y• hard wall / that they can no ferther but are fayne to ſay that the boke ys no parte of ſcrypture / whyche ſhyfte they muſt nedys forſake agayne or ellys reuoke theyre awne wordys and therwyth alſo thauthoryte of all cryſtꝭ goſpell: there ſhall yf eyther reaſon or ſhame can holde / neuer nede eny ferther thyng for the profe of purgatory to ſtoppe y• mowthys of all the heretyques that are or ſhalbe to the worldys ende.

But yet ſyth they be ſo hameleſſe and vnreſonable that the thyng whyche they can in no wyſe defende / they can not yet fynde in theyre prowde harte to gyue ouer / but when yt ys prouyd by dyuers playne textis of y• olde teſtament / then hauyng no probable reaſon for theyre parte they neuer the more gyue place to trewth / but ſtykke to theyre obſtynate nay: let vs ſe whyther our purpoſe be not preued by good and ſubſtancyall authoryte in the newe teſtament alſo.

And fyrſte let vs conſyder the wordys of the bleſſyd apoſtle and euāgelyſt ſaynt Ihān / where he ſayth: Eſt peccatū vſque ad mortē non dico vt pro to roget quis. There ys ſayth he ſome ſynne that ys vnto the deth / I bydde not that eny man ſhall praye for that. Thys ſynne as the interpreters agre / ys vnderſtanden of deſperacyon and impenytens: as though ſaynt Ihān wolde ſay / yt who ſo depart owt of thys world impenitēt or in diſpayre / eny prayour after made cā neuer ſtande hym in ſtede. Then appereth yt clerely that ſaynt Ihān meaneth that there be other whyche dye not in ſuch caſe for whom he wolde men ſhuld pray / bycauſe y• prayour to ſuche ſowlys may be ꝓfytable. But that profyte can no man take neyther beyng in heuen where yt nedeth not / nor beyng in hell where yt boteth not. Wherfore it appereth plaine yt ſuch prayour helpeth onely for purgatory: whych they muſte therfore nedys graunte / excepte they deny ſaynt Ihān.

What ſaye they to the wordys of ſaynte Ihān in the fyfte chapyter of the Apocalyps: I haue harde ſaythe he euery creature that ys in heuen and vppon the yerth and vnder the yerthe and that be in the ſee and all thyngys that be in them / all theſe haue I harde ſay: benedyccyon and honoure and glorye and power for euer / be to hym that ys ſyttyng in the trone / and vnto the lamb.

Now wotteth euery man well / that in hell among damnyd ſoulys ys there none that gyueth glory to Criſte for the redempcyon of mā. For they for anger that by theyr owne defaut they haue loſt theyr ꝑte therof / and cannot for prowd hart take theyr faut to them ſelf / fall to blaſphemy as the deuyll doth hym ſelf / and impute theyr ſynne to the faut of goodys grace / and theyr damnacyon to the blame of hys creacyō. So that the prayſe and glory that ys geuen by creatures in hell vnto the lamb for mannys redempcyon / ys onely by the ſowlys in purgatory / that be and ſhalbe partyners of that redempcyon: as the creaturys walkyng vppon yerth ſaylynge in the ſe / that gyue the honour to Cryſte for mannys redempcyon / be onely the cryſten people whyche loke and hope to be parteners therof / and not infydels that beleue yt not. But the bleſſyd creaturis in heuen geue honour to Criſte for mannys redempcyon / for that ioy and pleaſure that theyre charyte taketh in the ſocyete and felyſhyp of ſaued ſoules. And in thys place yt ys a worlde to ſe the foly of ſome heretykys / what euaſyon they ſeke to voyd from thys place of ſcrypture. They ſey that yt ys no more to be vnderſtanden by ſowlys here in purgatory nor cryſten men lyuyng vppon erth / then by fyſhes in the ſee and the dyuell and damnyd ſoulys in hell: becauſe the text ſayth that euery creature in theſe and in hell ſpake that laud and honour to the lamb. But by this wyſe way myght they preue / that when ye pray for all cryſten ſowlys / ye mean to pray for our Ladyes ſouly and for Iudas too: and that our ſauyour when he ſent hys apoſtles and bad them preche his goſpell to euery creature / thay may bere you in hand that he bad thē preche to oxen and keene and theyre caluys to / becauſe all they be creaturis. But as they were ſente to none other creature / then ſuche as he mēt of thoughe he ſpake of all / nor ye meane to pray for no ſoulys but ſuch as haue nede and may haue help though ye ſpeke of all: ſo though ſaynt Ihān ſpake of euery creature in hell geuyng honour to Cryſte for mannys redempcyon / yet ment he but ſuch as be in the hell in whych they reioyce therin and ſhalbe parteners therof / whych be onely we in purgatorye / and not the dyuels and damnyd ſoulys yt blaſpheme hym though theyr iuſt poniſhmēte redownd agaynſt theyr wyll to the glory of goddys ryghtuouſnes.

If all thys wyll not ſatyſfye theym / wyll ye ſe yet a nother clere place and ſuche as none heretyque can auoyde? Doth not the bleſſyd apoſtle ſaynt Peter as appereth in y• ſecūd chapiter of y• apoſtles actꝭ / ſay of our ſauyour cryſte in this wyſe: Quē deus ſuſcitauit ſolutis doloribus inferm: In theſe wordꝭ he ſheweth that paynys of hell were loſed. But theſe paynys were neyther paynys of that hell in whych the dāpned ſowlys be payned / whych nether were loſed then nor neuer be loſed / but be and ſhalbe as oure ſauyour ſayth hym ſelf euerlaſtyng: nor theſe paynys y• were than loſed were not y• paynys in limbo patrum / for there were none to be loſed / for the good ſoulys were there as our ſauyour ſheweth hym ſelfe in quiete cumforte and reſte. And ſo appereth yt euydētly / that the paynys of hell that were loſed / were onely the paynys of purgatory whych ys alſo called hell by occaſyon of the latyn word and the greke worde both. For in theſe tongys for as mych as byfore the reſurreccyon of our ſauyour cryſt there was neuer none y• aſcended vp in to heuen) there was no peple that ony otherwyſe ſpake of ſowlys / then that they were gone down byneth in to the lowe place. And therfore in the wordys of the comē crede ys yt ſayed of our ſauyour cryſte after hys paſſyon: deſcendit ad inferna: that ys to ſay he deſcended downe byneth in to the lowe placys. In ſtede of whyche low placys the englyſhe tonge hath euer vſed thys worde hell. And certayne ys yt and very ſure / that cryſte deſcended not in to all theſe low placys / nor in to euery place of hell / but onely in to lymbus patrum and purgatory. Whych two placys becauſe they be partys of habytacyons of ſowlys byneth (all whych habytacyons byneth haue in englyſhe bene allway called hell) therfore are theſe two placys amonge other taken and comprehēded vnder y• name of hell. Whych word hell nothynge ellys ſygnyfyeth vnto vs in hys generall ſygnyfycacyon / but y• habytacyons of ſowlys byneth or vnder vs in y• low placys vnder y• groūd. Albe yt bycauſe limbus patrum and purgatory be called in englyſhe alſo by theyre ſpecyall namys beſyde: therfore ys moſte comenly thys word hell reſtayned to the ſpecyall ſygnyfycacyon of that low place byneth in whych the dāpned ſoulꝭ be punyſhed. Thys mych haue we ſhewed you of this word hell / bycauſe we wold not that the comen takyng therof myght bryng you in to eny errour. So that by thys place ye ſe preued by the playne wordys of ſaynt Peter / that cryſte at hys reſurreccyon dyd loſe and vnbynd paynys in hell / whych as we haue ſhewed you coud be no where there but in purgatory. For in the ſpeciall hell of damned ſowlys y• paynꝭ were not loſed. And in lymbus patrū was no paynꝭ to be loſyd. And therfore except they denye ſaynt Peter / they cannot deny purgatory.

And yet yf they deny ſaynt Peter: we ſhall then alledge thē ſaynt Poule / whom they be beſt content to here of / becauſe that of the dyffyculte of his wrytyng / they cach ſumtyme ſome mater of cōtencyon for the deffēce of theyr falſe expoſycyō. Thys blyſſed apoſtle in his furſt epyſtle to the Corynthyes the thyrd chapyter ſpekynge of oure ſauyoure Cryſte the very foundacyon and the onely foundacyon of all our fayth & ſaluacyon: ſayth: If any man bylde vppon thys foundacyon gold / ſyluer / […]cyouſe ſtonys / wood / hay / or ſtraw: euery mā nys work ſhalbe made opē / for the day of our lorde ſhall declare yt / for in the fyre yt ſhalbe ſhewed / & the fyre ſhall proue what maner of thyng euery mānys work ys. If any mānys work yt he hath bylded theron do abyde: he ſhall haue a reward. If eny mānys work burne: he ſhall ſuffer harme / but he ſhalbe ſafe / but yet as by fyre. In theſe wordꝭ y• apoſtle ſhewith y• lykewyſe as ſum mē abydyng vppō criſte & hys very lyuely fayth / bylde vp theruppō ſuch good workꝭ as are ſo good & ſo pure yt they be lyke fyne gold / fyne ſiluer / or ſuch fyne […] cyous ſtonys / as whē they be caſte in the fyre yt cā fynde no fyfth to fech out of thē / and therefore they remayn in the fyre ſafe and vnmynyſhed: ſo ar there ſum on the tother ſyde / whych thogh they do not as many other do / wyth mortall ſynnys & lak of good workꝭ / wound theyr fayth vnto y• deth & fall fro criſte the fundacyon that they muſt byld vppon: yet do they abydyng vppō yt fūdacyon / byld vp theruppon many ſuch ſymple & frayle and corruptyble workꝭ as can neuer enter heuē. And ſuch be veniall ſynnys / as ydle wordys / vayne & wā ton myrth / & ſuch other thyngys lyke: whych be but lyke wood / hay / or ſtraw. Whych work[…] whē the ſoule after hys departyng out of the world bryngeth hether into purgatory: he cānot ſo gette thorow yt as dothe the ſoule whoſe wurkꝭ were wrought clene or fully purged by penaūce ere he dyed. For yt ſoule in the fyre can fele no harm / lyke as fyne gold can in y• fyre nothyng leſe of hys weyght. But this ſoule yt bryngeth wyth hym ſuch frayle workys eyther wrought by thē ſelf or inſertyd ꝑaduenture & myxyd a myddys of ſum good & vertuouſe wurk / as for ēſample ſum lak ꝑaduēture ſuffyciēte attencyon & hede taken by ſū ſodayn waueryng of the mynde in tyme of prayouce / or ſome ſurrepcyō & k[…]epyng in of vayne glory & lykyng of theyr owne prayſe in theyr almes geuē or other good dede done / not forthewith reſyſted & caſte oute / but kepte and fedde vppon to longe / and yet neyther ſo longe paraduenture nor ſo greate as oure lorde wyll for that thought depryue hym the meryte and reward of hys work: lo in ſuch caſys as the apoſtle ſayth the day of oure lorde whych ys to the hole world the day of the generall iugement and to euery man particuler / the day of hys owne iugement after hys dethe / ſhall ſhew hys work what maner thynge yt ys: the fyre ſhall proue and declare. For here in purgatory lyke as the fyre cā in the clene ſowlys take none holde / but they ſhalbe theryn wythoute any maner payne or gryefe: ſo ſhall yt in the ſowlys that are vnclenſyd and haue theyr wurk[…] imperfyte vnclene and ſpottyd: haſtely catch / holde and kepe them faſt & burne thē wyth inceſſaunt payn: tyll the fylthynes of theyre ſynne be clene purged & gone / & yt ſhalbe in ſum ſener in ſum later / as theyr ſynnys or the ſpott[…] remaynyng therof be more eaſy or more hard to get owt. And yt ys the thyng y• Poule ſygnyfyeth by ye wood / haye / & ſtrawe of whych the tone ys a lyght flame ſone endede, y• tether ſmowdreth […] and the thyrd ys hoteſte and endureth lengeſt. But yet hath […] an ende / and ſo ſhall haue at length all the paynys of theym y• ſhalbe purged here. But what ſo euer ſoule miſſhappe to dy in dedely […] and impenytent: ſyth he ys therby fallen of for euer frome our ſauyour cryſte / yt was hys funda[…]yō & hath byelded vp wreched […] vppon your […] enemy the deuyllwherwhyth he hath ſo […] poyſend hym ſelf that he can neuer be purged: the fyre ſhall therfore lye burmyng vppon hym for euer / and his payne neuer leſſed nor hys fylthy ſpottys neuer the more mynyſhed.

And for as mych as ye neuer can conceyue a very ryght imagynacyon of theſe thyngys whych ye neuer felte / nor yt ys not poſſyble to fynde you eny example in the world very lyke vnto the paynys that ſely ſow[…]rs fele when they be departed thenſe: we ſhall therfore put you in remembraunce of one kynde of payne / whych though yt be nothynge lyke for the quantyte of the mater yet may yt ſomwhat be reſemb[…]d be reaſon of the faſſyon and maner. If there were enbarked many peple at onys to be by ſhyppe conuayed a long iourney by ſe of ſuch as neuer cam theron byfore and ſhuld happe all the way to haue the […]ryſe hygh & ſore wrought and ſomtyme ſone vppō a ſtorme to […] long after walowyng at an anker: there ſhuld ye fynd dyuerſe f[…]ſyons of folke. Some peraduenture but of theym very fewe / ſo clene from all euyll humours and ſo well attempred of theym ſelfe / that they ſhalbe all that long vyage by ſee as luſty and as […]ocunde as yf they were on lande. But farre the moſt parte ſhall ye ſe ſore ſyk / […] in many ſondry maner ſome more / ſome leſſe / ſome lenger tyme dyſeaſed and ſome myche ſoner amended. And dyuers that a whyle had went they ſhulde haue dyed for payne / yet after ons vomyte or twayne ſo clene rydde of theyre gryefe / that they neuer fele dyſpleaſure of yt after. And thys happeth after as the body ys more or leſſe dyſpoſed in yt ſelfe therto. But then ſhall ye ſomtyme ſe there ſome other whoſe body ys ſo incurably corrupted / that they ſhall walter & tolte[…] and wryng theyre handys / and gnaſh the teeth / and theyr eyen water / theyr hed ake[…] theyre body frete / theyr ſtomake wamble / and all theyre body ſhyuer for payne / and yet ſhall neuer vomete at all: or yf they vomyte / yet ſhall they vomyte ſtyll and neuer fynde eaſe therof. Lo thus fareth yt as a ſmall thyng may be reſēbled to a great by the ſoulys deceaced and departed the world: that ſuch as be clene and vnſpotted can in the fyre feele no dyſeaſe at all / and on the tother ſyde ſuch as come thenſe ſo dedely poyſoned wyth ſynne / that theyre ſpottys bene indelyble and theyre fylthynes vnpourgeable / lye f[…]etynge and fryenge in the fyre for euer. And onely ſuche as neyther be fully clenſed nor yet ſore defyled but that the fyre may frete owt the ſpottys of theyre ſynne: of thys ſorte onely be we yt here lye in purgatory / whych theſe cruell heretyques wolde make you byleue that we fele none harme at all: wherof the blee[…]ſyd apoſtle as we haue ſhewed you wryteh vnto the Corynthyes the cōtrary.

Now yf they wolde bere you in hāde that bycauſe ſome doctours do cōſter thoſe wordys of thappoſtle in dyuerſe other ſenſys / as they do conſter in dyuerſe ſenſys allmoſt euery texte in ſcrypture / ſometyme after the letter / ſomtyme morall and ſomtyme other wyſe / and all to the profyte & edyfyēg of the herers: yf theſe heretyques wold therfore pretend that ſaynt Poule in that placement nothyng of purgatory / but the fyre that ſhalbe ſent byfore the dome / or worldely trybulacyon / or ſome ſuche other thynge: ye ſhall well vnderſtand that though hys wordys may be veryfyed and well and ꝓfytably applyed vnto ſuche thyngys alſo / yet letteth that nothyng theſe wordys to be ꝓprely by ſaynt Poule ſpokē of purgatory / no more thē yt letteth theſe wordꝭ to be proprely ſpokē by cryſte: Ego in flagella paratus ſum: & many an other verſe in y• pſalter alſo / though y• ſame wordys may be well applyed & veryfyed of many an other mā offrynge hym ſelfe pacyently to the ſufferaunce of vniuſt punyſhement. And therfore leſte theſe heretyques ſhold wyth eny ſuch inuencyons bygyle you & make you beleue / yt we for the furtheraūce of oure awne cauſe expoune y• apoſtles wordꝭ wrōg & ſo make theym ſeme to ſay for our parte: ye ſhall vnderſtande that thoſe wordys haue bene expowned and vnderſtanden of purgatory thys thowſande yere and more by y• auncyent holy doctours of cryſtys churche aſ well grekys as latyns. And amōg other the great clerke Orygene in mo placys of hys wurkys then one / declareth playnely that the afore remembred wordꝭ of the apoſtle / are ſpokē by y• paynis of purgatory. The holy cōfeſſour and great pyller of criſtys church ſaynt Auſtayne / in dyuerſe of hys godly and erudite bokys / expowneth that place of ſaynt Poule to be clerely ſpoken of purgatory. And ouer thys the bleſſyd Pope ſaynt Gregory in the fourth boke of hys godly dyalogys / bereth wytneſſe that the apoſtle in the place aforeſayd wrote thoſe wordys of purgatory. So that ye may playnely perceyue that thys expoſycyon ys neyther our deuyce no eny newe foundē fanteſy / but a very trewth well perceyued and wytneſſed by great conyng men & holy bleſſyd ſayntꝭ more then a thowſand yere ago.

Now yf theſe heretyques wyll be ſo madde to flyt in thys caſe from ſaynt Poule / and ſay they be bounden to beleue nothynge but onely y• goſpell: let. vs thē yet ſee ferther whyther we may not playnly proue you purgatory by y• very wordys of the goſpell ſelfe. Doth not our blyſſed ſauyoure hym ſelfe ſay that there ys a certayne ſynne whych a man may ſo commyt agaynſt the holy goſte / yt yt ſhall neuer be remyttyd nor forgyuen neyther in thys worlde nor in the world to […] Now as for to dyſpute what maner ſynne that ſhuld be / both y• mater were very hard / and alſo we ſhall here nothing nede to touche yt. But of one thing both ye & we may make vs very ſure / that there ys nor cā be eny ſynne cōmytted in the world ſo ſore / ſo greuouſe / nor ſo abomynable / but that yf a man wurk wyth goddys […]race by cōtry cyon and heuynes of hart / wyth humble confeſſyon of mouth & good endeuour of penaūce and ſatyſfaccyon in dede / agaynſt hys thought word and dede by whych god was offended / he ſhall obtayn of goddꝭ goodnes remyſſyen / forgyuenes / and pardon.

But yt may paraduenture ſo befall that by ſum kinde of vnkyndnes […]ſyd toward god extēdyng to the blaſphemy of his holy ſpiryte / the cōmytter of yt ſynne may ſo farr offend / that he ſhall for hys deſert & demeryte haue y• grace of almyghty god ſo clerely wythdrawn from hym / that our lorde ſhall neuer offer hys grace after / nor neuer more call vppon hym. And then hys grace onys clerely wythdrawen from a man: he can neuer be able to repent and returne agayn to god. For grace ys y• lyght wher wyth men ſe y• way to walk out of ſynne: and grace ys the ſtaf wythout help wherof no man is able to ryſe out of ſynne: accordyng to the wordys of holy wrytt ſpoken to man in the parſon of our lord god: Exte perditio tua / e[…]me ſaluatio tua: Thy perdycyon cūmeth of thy ſelf / but thy ſaluacyon cummeth of me by y• ayd and help of my grace. Which grace as we tell you beyng fro ſum man vtterly wythdrawn for ſum ma[…] vnkynd behauour towarde god and blaſphemy agaynſt the holy goſte / that ſynne for lak of repē taunce whych can neuer cum where grace ys clene gone / ſhall neuer be forgeuen in thys world nor in y• world to cū. And in ſuch a maner kynde of vnkyndenes towarde god and blaſphemy towarde the holy goſte / fall alſo all ſuch wretchys as haue y• grace of god euer callyng & knokkyng vppon thē for repentaūce all the days of theyr lyfe: and yet all that notwyhſtandynge wyll not vſe ye nor worke there wyth nor turne to god: but wyllyngly wyll dye deſperate and impenytente wretchys.

Thys kynde of blaſphemees of goddys goodnes & hys holy ſpyryte / haue in y• myſerable paſſyng of theyr ſynfull ſoule out of theyr ſenſuall bodys the grace of god ſo fully and ſo fynally wytdrawen from theym for euer: that they be thereby fyxed and confyrmed in an vnchaungeable malyce / whyche eternally dwellyng wyth theym / is the very ſpecyall cauſe of theyre euerlaſtynge turment. But in thys mater as we ſayed we wade owte of our purpoſe / ſauynge that yt ſemed vs yet neceſſary / ſyth our ſauyour in the place that we ſpeke of doth hym ſelfe ſhew that there ys a certayne ſynne ſo to wchynge the holy gooſte that it ſhall neuer by forgyuen neyther in thys world nor in the world to come: yt ſemed as we ſay ſome what neceſſary to ſaye ſum what theryn / leſte ſum that rede yt myght conceyue a wrong opynion and a falſe fere drawyng theym towarde dyſpayre / that yf they myſhappenyd (whych our lorde forbede) to fall in to blaſphemy agaynſt the holy gooſte / they coud neuer after be forgeuen how ſore ſo euer they repentyd / or how hartely and how byſely ſo euer they ſhuld pray therfore. In whyche thynge ſyth we haue ſhewed you what we take for trouth: we ſhall leue that mater and ſhew you how thoſe wordys of Cryſte proue you our pryncypall purpoſe / that ys to ſay that there ys a purgatory. How be yt we ſhall ſcan[…]ly nede to ſhew you that: for the very wordys be playn and euydent of them ſelf. For when our lorde ſayth that the blaphemy agaynſte the holy goſte ſhall not by forgeuen nether in thys world nor in the worlde to come / he geueth vs clere knowlege that of other ſynnys ſum ſhalbe forgeuen in thys world and ſum in the world to come.

Now ar there in this world euery ſynne forgeuen in ſuch as ſhall be ſaued ſowles / except ſuch venyall ſynnys and ſuch tēporall payn as yet due to the dedely ſynnys / reſt and remayn to be purged here in purgatory. For none other place ys there then thys in the worlde to cum after mannys lyfe / in whych eyther ſynne or payne dew to eny ſynne ſhalbe remitted. For in to heuē ſhall neyther ſynne nor payn enter: and in hell ſhall neuer none be releaſyd. And therefore when Cryſte by ſhewynge that ſum kynde of ſynne ſhall not be remyttyd in the worlde to cum: doth geue men knowlege that on the tother ſyde ſum ſynnys ſhall in the worlde to come be remytted and forgeuen. And then ſyth no man douteth but that neyther in hell ſhall eny ſynnys by forgeuen nor in heuen: very reſon techyth that the place in whych ſome ſynnys ſhalbe forgeuen after thys lyfe / can be none other but purgatory.

There is as we ſuppoſe no cryſtē mā lyuyng / but he wyll thynk that eny one place of holye ſcrypture ys ynoughe to the profe of eny trouthe. Now haue we prouyd you purgatory by the playne textis of mo places thā one two or thre. And yet ſhall we geue you a nother ſo playn as we ſuppoſe & ſo euydēt for the profe of purgatory / as none heretyke ſhall fynde eny good coloure of eſcape. For oure ſauyoure Cryſte ſayeth as yt ys reherſyd in the.xii. chapyter of Mathew / that men ſhall yelde a rekenyng of euery ydle word / and that ſhalbe after thys preſent lyfe. Then woteth euery man that by that rekenyng ys vnderſtanden a punyſhement therfore: whyche ſhall not be in hell / […] mych leſſe in heuen. And therfore can yt be no where ellys but in purgatory.

[…]o thus may ye ſe purgatory clerely proued by the very ſcripture ſelf by the boke of the kyngꝭ / by y• ꝓphete zachary / by the holy boke of y• Machabees, by y• wordꝭ of ſaynt Ihān / by thapoſtle ſaynt Peter […]by the writyng of our ſauyour cryſt hym ſelf: ſo y• we not a lytell meruayle eyther of the ignoraunce or ſhameleſſe boldnes of all ſuche as hauynge eny lernynge / dare call theym ſelfe cryſten men and yet deny pargatory. For yf they haue lernynge & perceyue not theſe clere […] we meruayle of theyre ignoraunce. Wyth whych whyte they ioyne a prowde pretence of lernynge / they fall in to the reproſe y• ſaint Poule ſpake of the paynym phyloſophers: dicentes ſe eſſe ſapien[…]es ſtulti facti ſunt: whyle they called theym ſelfe wyſe they proued ſturke folys. Now yf they perceyue well theſe textys of holy ſcrypture ſo playnely prouyng purgatory / and yet them ſelfe ſtykke […] in the denyeng: we then meruayle mych more that they dore for ſhame call theym ſelfe cryſten men / and then deny the thynge whych the blſſyd apoſtles of cryſte / y• ſacred maieſtye of our ſauyour cryſt hym ſelfe / in the holy ſcrypture / in hys holy goſpellys / ſo manefeſtely and ſo playnele affyrmeth.

And yet many an other playne texte ys there in holy ſcrypture / y• as the olde holy doctours bere witneſſe well proueth our purpoſe for purgatory / whych we ſpeke here nothyng of / ſyth fewer textys thē we haue all redy ſhewed you / both myght and ought to ſuffyce you. For eny one playne texte of ſcrypture ſuffyſeth for the porfe of eny trouth / excepte eny man be of the mynde / that he wyll haue god tell hys […] wyſe ere[…]he byleue hym.

Now yf th[…]ſe heretyques fall to theyr accuſtumed frowardneſſe and as they be wont to do wyll rather deny that the ſwāne ys whyte and the crow blakke / then agre that eny texte in holy ſcrypture hath eny other ſenſe then theym ſelfe lyſte to ſay / and wyll in thys poynte for the meyntenaunce of theyre hereſye ſet at nought ſaynt Auſtayn / ſaynt Hyerome / ſaynt Ambroſe / ſaynt Gregory / ſaynt Chryſoſteme / ſaynt Baſyle / ſaynt Cypryane / and fynally all the olde holy fathers and bleſſyd ſayntys that eny thynge ſay agaynſt theym: yet can they neyther deny that the catholyque churche of cryſte hath allwaye byleued purgatory / condempnyng for heretyques all ſuche as wolde holde the contrary. Nor yf they graunt that: can they then by eny maner meane auoyde yt / but that the thynge ys trew that all the churche ſo full and hole ſo lōge hath in ſuche wyſe byleued / all though there were not founden in all holy ſcrypture one texte y• ſo playnely ꝓued yt: as they myght fynde many that ſemed to ſaye the contrary / except they wyll not onely ſay that our bleſſyd lady loſt her vyrginite after the byrth of cryſt / but ouer yt be dreuē ferther to mynyſhe the ſtrēght and authoryte of the very goſpell ſelf: whych yf the church may erre in the ryght fayth / had clerely loſt hys credence.

And therfore as we ſay / where as we by playn ſcripture haue prouyd you purgatory: yet yf there were theryn not one text yt eny thyng ſemed to ſay for yt / but dyuerſe and many textys whyche as farre ſemed vnto the myſſe vnderſtanders to ſpeke agaynſte purgatory / as many dyuerſe textys of y• goſpell appered vnto the greate heretyque Eluidius to ſpeke agaynſt the perpetuall vyrgynyte of cryſtys bleſſyd mother: yet ſyth the catholyque churche of cryſte hath allway ſo fermely byleued yt for a playne trowthe / that they haue allway takē the obſtynate affermers of y• contrary for playne erronyouſe heretyques / yt ys a profe full and ſuffycyent for purgatory to eny man that wyll be taken for a member of cryſtys church / and ys alone a thyng ſuffycyent in eny good cryſten and yēce to ſtoppe the mowthys of all the prowde hygh harted malycyouſe heretykꝭ / that eny thynge wold barke agaynſt vs.

But when they be ſo confuted and concluded / that they haue nothyng to ſay: yet cā they not hold theyre peace / but fall to blaſphemy and aſke why there cometh none of vs owte of purgatory and ſpeke wyth theym. By whyche blaſphemouſe queſtyon they may as well deny hell and heuen to / as they deny purgatory. For there cometh as many to them owt of purgatory / as owt of ether of the other […]wayn. And ſurely yf there came one owte of eny of theym all thre / vnto folke of ſuche incredulyte as thoſe heretyque […]e: yet wolde they be neuer the better. For yf they byleue not now them whome they […] byleue / no more wold they byleue hym neyther that ſhold come owte of purgatory to tell yt them: as Abraam anſwered the rych man that requyred̄ the ſame in hell / and as yt well appered alſo by the myſcreaunte Iewys whych were ſo lyttell amended by the comynge agayn of lazare owte of lymbus patrum / that leſte other ſhold byleue hym they deuyſed to deſtroye hym. And yet yf the thyng that they requyre wold contēt theym: yt hath not lakked. For there hath in euery cōtrey and in euery age apparycyons bene had and well knowen and teſtyfyed / by whyche men haue had ſuffycyent reuelacyon and profe of purgatory / excepte ſuche as lyſte not to byleue theym: & they be ſuch as wolde be neuer the better yf they ſaw theym.

For who ſo lyſteth to beleue that all to gether ys lyes that he hereth ſo mych people ſpeke of & ſeeth ſo many good men wryte of: for no cūtrey ys there in cryſtēdome in whych he ſhall not here credably reported of ſuch apparycyōs dyuers tymys there ſene & apperyng / and in the bokis of many an holy ſayntꝭ wrytyng / ſhall he fynde ſuch apparycyons in ſuch wyſe told and teſtyfyed / as no good mā coud in any wyſe myſtruſt them: and ouer thys when the apoſtles at Cryſtꝭ apperyng to the.xi. in the houſe / toke hym at the furſt for a ſpyryte / yt well apperyth that apparycyons of ſpyrytꝭ was no new thyng amōg y• Iewys: which ye may well parceyue alſo by y• y• better ſorte of thē ſayd ī excuſyng of ſaynt Poule / what yf ſome angell or ſome ſpyryt haue ſpokē to hym as ys mencyoned in the apoſtles actys: ſo that as we ſay who ſo lyſt to take all thys for lyes / & ys ſo faythleſſe and ſo proudly curyouſe that he loketh ere he beleue them to haue ſuch apparycyons ſpecyally ſhewed vnto hym ſelf & myracles wrought in hys preſens: wold war y• wurſe and he ſaw theym / and wold aſcrybe yt eyther to ſome fantaſy or to the dyuels workis / as dyd thoſe Iewes that aſcrybyd Cryſtys myracles to Belzabub.

For ſurely yf ſuche people were in the caſe of ſaynte Thomas of Inde / that they were otherwyſe very vertuouſe and good / hauynge in that onely poynt ſome hardnes of belefe as he had in Criſtꝭ reſurreccyō: our lord we dout not wold of hys ſpecyall goodnes prouyde ſum ſpecyell way for theyr ſatyſfaccyon to recouer them wyth. But now ſyth they be playn carnall hygh harted and malycyouſe / lōgyng for myracles as dyd theſe croked harted Iewes / whych ſayde vnto Cryſte y• they longed to ſe hym ſhew ſum myracle. he dothe therfore wyth theſe folk as Cryſt dyd with them. For as he anſwerd them by the ſample of Ionas the ꝓphete / that he wolde none ſhew byfore yt pu[…]ſe & faythleſſe peple tyll he were dede: ſo anſwereth he theſe ꝑuers & croked malycyous peple / yt he wyll ſhew thē no ſuche apparycions tyll they be dede. And then ſhall he ſend them where they ſhall ſent ſo ſurely / & to theyr payne ſe ſuch a gryſly ſyght as ſhall ſo greue theyr hartys to loke therō / that they ſhall ſay as Criſte ſayd to ſaynt Thomas of Inde: Beatiqui nō viderunt et crediderunt: Bleſſyd & happy be they that beleuyd thys gere and neuer ſaw yt. For ſurely in thys world y• goodnes of god ſo tēperyth ſuch apparycyōs / as hys hygh wyſedome ſeeth yt moſt ꝓfytable for help & reliefe of the dede and inſtruccyon and amendement of the quyk: kepynge ſuche apparycyōs of hys great marcy moſt comenly frō y• ſyght of ſuch as wold turne hys godnes in to theyre awne harme. And ſurely of hys tender fauoure toward you / doth hys great goodnes prouyde: that ſuch apparycyons / reuelacyons / and myracles / ſhold not be to copyouſe and commune: wherby good men ſeyng the thynge at eye / ſhold leſe the great parte of that they now meryte by fayth: ayd euyll folke when they were onys famelyer wyth yt / wolde then as lytle regarde yt as they now lytle beleue yt.

Now it is a world to ſee wyth what folye they fortefy theyr falſe belyefe / and in to what fonde fanteſyes they fall / whyle they declyne from the trouth. For whyle they deny purgatory / they now afferm / & ſpecyally Luther hym ſelf) that ſoules vnto doomys day do nothyng els but ſlepe. Wo wold they be yf they fell in ſuch a ſlepe as many a ſoule ſlepeth here / & as Iudas hath all redy ſlept.xv. C. yere in hell.

Then ſay they that yf there were eny purgatory / oute of whych the pope myght delyuer eny ſoule by his pardō: thē were he very cruell in that he delyueryth theym not wythout mony: a alſo that he ryddyth them not henſe all to gether at onys. The furſt ys a great foly that ſyth our lord ſendyth them thyder for ſatyſfaccyon to be made in ſum maner for theyr ſynne: the pope ſhuld rather agaynſt goddys purpoſe delyuer them fre / then chaunge the maner of theyr ſatyſfaccyon from payne into prayour / almes dede / or other good workys to be done by theyr frend[…] for them in ſome poynt ꝓfytable & neceſſary for the hole corps of cryſtendome or ſome good member of the ſame.

Now ys there in the ſeconde not onely mych more foly / but yt importeth alſo playn and opē blaſphemy. For preſuppoſed that the pope may delyuer all ſowlys out of purgatory: yet yf he were therfore cruell as oft as he leueth any there / th[…]s vnreſonable reaſon layeth cruelte to y• blame of god / which may vndoutedly delyuer all ſowlys thys and yet he leueth thē there. Thys blaſphemy ſhuld alſo to wch hys hygh maieſte for kepyng any ſoule in hell / frō whens no mā douteth but that he myght yf he lyſt delyuer them all for euer. But as he wyll not delyuer eny thens: ſo wyll he not wythout good order delyuer eny ſoule hēce. For as of hys iuſtice they be worthy to ly there for euer: ſo be we worthy to lye here for the whyle / and in god no cruelte though he ſuffer hys mercy to be cōmunely ſuſpendyd and temperyd wyth the balaunce of hys iuſtyce. And though he take vs not hēce all at onys orderleſſe & at aduenture: hys hygh wyſdome ys prayſe worthy & not worthy blame. Our lord forbede y• euer we ſo ſhuld & ſuch ys hys grace y• we neuer ſhall for eny payne poſſible y• we can ſuffer here / hold our ſelf cōtēt to here ſuch folyſh wordes as ēply ſo playn blaſphemy agaynſt goddys hygh marcyfull maieſte. For ſurely theſe folk in puttyng forth of thys theyr vnwyſe argument / make a coūtetenaunce to throw yt agaynſt the pope / but in very dede they caſte ye at goddys hed.

For as for the pope who ſo conſyder yt well / goeth forther from the ſample of god that ys ſet for cryſtes vycar in hys church by geuyng ouer lyberall pardon: thā by beyng theryn to ſcarce & ſtrayght. For god remytteth not here at aduenture though he may do hys pleaſure / but obſerueth ryght good and great reſpecte / as the prayours & interceſſyons made for vs or other ſatyſfaccyon done for vs by ſome other men. And thys order vſeth and of reaſon ought to vſe hys vycar alſo in the dyſpenſynge toward oure relyefe / the precyouſe treaſure of our comforte that cryſte hath put in his kepynge. For ellys yf other the pope or god ſhold alway forthwith delyuer euery mā here / or rather kepe euery man henſe as theſe heretyques wold make men byleue that god doth in dede / and wolde that the world ſholde ſo take yt: thē ſhold god or the pope as we ſomewhat haue ſayd byfore / gyue a greate occaſyon to men bordely to fall in ſynne / and lytell to care or force how ſlowly they ryſe agayne. Whych thyng neyther were mete for the popys offyce / nor agreable to the great wyſedome of god / and myche leſſe mete for hys marcy. For by that meane ſhuld he gyue innumerable folke greate occaſyon of damnacyon / whyche preſumyng vppon ſuche eaſy ſhorte remiſſyon / wolde luſtely draw to lewdenes wyth lytell care of amendement.

And ſo appereth yt that the thynge whyche theſe wyſe men wolde haue ye take for cruell / ys of tre[…]th moſte mercyfull: and the thynge whych they wold haue to ſeme very benygne and pytyouſe ys in very dede moſte rygorouſe and moſt cruell: lyke wyſe as a ſharpe mayſter that chaſtyſeth hys ſeruaunt / is in that poynt more fauorable thā ys an eaſy one that for lakke of punyſhement letteth theym runne on the brydle and gyueth theym occaſyon of hangynge / Whyche thynge hath place alſo bytwene the father and the child / And therfore in holy ſcrypture that father is not accompted for vnlouyng and cruell / that beteth hys chyld / but rather he that leueth yt vndone. For he that ſpareth the rodde ſayth holy wrytt hateth the chyld. / And god thefore that ys of all fathers the moſt tyder / louyng / and moſt benygne and mercyfull / leueth no chyld of his vncorrected: but ſcourgeth euery chyld that he taketh to hym. And therfore neyther god remytteth at aduenture the paynys of purgatory: nor no more muſt the pope nether / but yf that he wyll whyle he laboureth to do good and be pytuouſe to vs that are dede / be cruell & do mych more harme to theym that be quyk: and whyle he wyll draw vs owte of purgatory / dryue many of them in to hell. Frome deſyre of which kynd of helpe / we ſo farre abhorre / that we wold all rather choſe to dwell here long in moſt bytter payn / than by ſuch way to gete henſe as myght gyue occaſyon of eny mānꝭ damnacyon.

Now where they lykewyſe obiecte in countenaunce agaynſte the clergy / but yet in very dede they ſtryke the ſtroke at vs whome they wolde byreue the ſuffragys of good people / obiectynge that no man may ſatyſfye for a nother / nor that the prayour nor almoyſe nor other good dede done by one man may ſtande a nother in ſtede / but y• euery man muſt nedys all thynge y• he wyll haue helpe of / do it euery whyt hym ſelfe / and ſo that no mānys good dede done amonge you for vs in relyefe of our payn could in eny maner ſerue vs: this oppinyon as yt ys toward vs very peſtylent and pernycyouſe / ſo ys yt of yt ſelfe very falſe and folyſſhe. For fyrſte yf all that euer muſte auayle eny man / muſte nedys be done by hym ſelfe / and no mannys meryte may be applyed to the helpe of a nother / then were wyped a way from all men all the merytys of cryſtys bytter paſſyon / in whych though yt be trew that god dyed on the croſſe bycauſe of the vnite of god and man in perſon / yet had hys tender manhed all the payne for vs / and hys impaſſyble godhed felte no payne at all / Wherof ſerueth alſo ye prayours that euery man prayeth for other? Wherfore dyd ſaynt Powle pray for all other criſtē men / and deſyre them all to pray for hym alſo and eche of them for other / that they myght be ſaued?

And why ys there ſo ſpecyall a mencyon made in the actys of the apoſtles / that at the deliuery of ſaynt Peter owt of pryſon / ye church made contynuall prayour and interceſſyon for hym? but for to ſhewe that god the rather delyuered hym for other mēnys prayours. And thynke ye that yf god haue pyte vppon one man for an others ſake / & delyuereth hym at a nother mannys petycyon from a lyttell payne or pryſonement in the worlde there vppon erth: he hath not at other mē nys humble and harty prayour myche more pytye vppō ſuche as lye in myche more heuy payne and turment here in the hote fyre of purgatory?

Then fynd theſe folke a nother knotte hard as they thynke to vndo. For they ſay yt yf a nother mānys merytys may ſerue me / wherto ſhuld I nede to do eny good my ſelfe. Thys obieccyon ys mych lyke as yf they wold ſay yf other men may take me owt of ye fyre: wherto ſhulde I labour to ryſe my ſelfe. Very trewth yt ys that ſometyme the good wurkꝭ of one man wrought wyth good affeccyon / may purchaſe an other man grace for to mende and wurke for hym ſelf. But ſurely of comē courſe he that wyll not hym ſelfe wurk wyth theym / geteth lyttell good of other mennys good dedys. For yf thy ſelfe do ſtyll drawe bakward whyle other good men wyth theyre prayour laboure to pull the forward: yt wyll be longe ere thou make eny good days iourney. And therfore ye holy doctour ſaynt Auſtayne / in ye bleſſyd boke that he made of the cure and care that men ſhuld haue of vs ſely parted ſowlys: towcheth quykly the very poynte that there can none take profyte of other mennys good dedys / but onely ſuch as haue deſerued by ſome good thynge in theyre awne dedys / that other mennys dedys ſhuld helpe them: and that hath euery men done at the leſte wyſe by hys fynall repentaunce and purpoſe of amendement / that departeth the world in the ſtate of grace.

For he that ys owte of that ſtate / can not take the profyte of other mennys merytys done for hym. And therfore damned ſoulys can not by other mennys merytys be delyuered of damnacyon: nor in lykewyſe he that entendeth to perſeruer in ſynne and do no good for hym ſelfe. But ſyth that we be not in y• caſe / but haue with helpe of gedd[…] grace deſerued to be parteners of ſuch good dedys as ye that are our frēd[…] wyll of your goodnes do for vs: ye may by your meryt[…] hyghly releue vs here and helpe to gete vs henſe. And ſurely great wonder were yt yf we ſhulde not be able to take ꝓfyte of your prayours. For there wyll no wyſe man dowte but that the prayour of eny member of criſtendom may pro[…]yte eny other that yt ys made for / whych hath nede and ys a mēber of the ſame. But none ys there yet lyuyng that ys more very mēber of cryſtys myſtycall body y• ys hys church then we be[…] nor no man lyuyng that hath more nede of helpe thē we. Form ſurety of ſaluacyon we be felowes wyth angellys: in nede of relyefe we be yet felowes wyth you. And therfore beyng ſo ſure mē bers of one body wyth angells holy […]aymys / and you: and hauyng nece[…]ſyte both of theyre helpe and yours: there ys no dowte but ſyth euery member that nede both maye take good by other / we ſtande in the caſe that both aungells and ſayntys interceſſyons and your good prayours & almoyſe dede done for vs what ſo euer theſe heretyques bable may do vs meruaylouſe mych good.

How many haue by godd moſte aracyouſe fauour appered vnto theyre frendys after the deth and ſhewed theym ſelfe holpen and delyuered henſe by pilgrymage almoyſe dede / and prayour / and ſpecyall by the ſacred ob[…]cyon of that holy ſacrament offred for theym in the maſſe. If theſe heretyques ſay that all ſuche thyngys be lyes: then be they myche wurſe yet then theyre mayſter was Luther hym ſelfe as longe as eny ſparke of ſhame was in hym. For he confeſſeth in hys ſermons that many ſuche apparycyons be trew: and hys hart could not nor for very ſhame ſerue hym / that ſo many ſo often told in ſo many placis ſo faythfully reported by ſo many honeſte folke / and ſo ſub ancya[…]y wrytten by ſo many bleſſyd ſaymys: ſhulde be all falſe. Wheryn yf theſe men lyſte lyke luſty ſholers to paſſe and ouer go theyre madde mayſter in thys poynt / & deny theſe thyngꝭ all to gether: yet ſhall there ſtyk in theyr teeth / y• ſcrypture of y• Machabees wherof we told you that Iudas Machabeus gatheryd & ſent a great offryna to Hyeruſalem / for to bye ſacrifyce to be offred for theym y• he found ſlayne in the felde / and certeyne thyngys about them taken of the Idol[…]ys forbeden them by the law / whych cauſed hym to fere leſte they were for theyr ſynne fallen after theyr deth in to payne / and therfore made that gatheryng / y• almes & offring as hym ſelfe ſayth / that they myghte therby be loſyd and delyueryd of theyr ſynnys. So that there appereth playnly by ſcrypture / that ſuch ſuffragys ſtande vs ſely ſoulys in ſtede. Agaynſte whych authorite yf they wyll wyth theyr maſter labour to breke out & denye that boke for holy ſcripture / we haue ſtopped them that gap all redy with ſuch a buſh of thornys / as will pryk theyr hādys thorow a payre of hedgyng glouys ere they pull yt out.

And fynally for thys poynt that the ſuffragys of the church and y• prayours of good cryſten people / ſtand vs here in relyef and cūfort / there nedeth in thys world (as ſaynt Auſtayn ſayth & ſaynte Damaſcene) none other maner profe then that all criſtēdome hath euer vſed to do ſo / & haue thought them ſelf alway ſo bounden to do / damnynge alway for heretykys all them that wold afferme the contrary.

And in thys poynt may they haue a marueloſe gret thyng agaynſt them in the iugement of euery good man the gret antiquyte of the ſeruyſe of Cryſtys church / by whych the church hath ſo long ago cuſtomably recommendyd in theyr prayours all cryſten ſoulys to god. For we truſt that though theſe heretykys fynde many men bothe glad to here and lyght to beleue euery lewd tale that cū be ſurmyſed agaynſt the church that now is: yet truſt we that they ſhall fynde few or none ſo farre out of all frame / but that they wyll at the leſt beleue y• there hath bene ſum good and godly men wyſe and well lerned too among the clergy in days paſſed one tyme or other. By then to the old tyme and to the good men that then were / & here what they ſayd / & ſe what they dyd / and beleue & folow them. There remayneth yet and bokys ynow therof / the very maſſe in the very forme and faſſyon / as ſaynt Baſyle / & ſaynt Chryſoſtheme / and other holy fathers in that vertuouſe tyme ſayed yt: in whych ye ſhall fynd that in theyr dayly maſſes they prayd euer for all cryſten ſoules.

Ye ſhall alſo parceyue clerely by ſaynt Chriſoſtheme in a ſermon of hys / that in his tyme there were in the funerall ſeruyce at the beryeng of the corps / the ſelf ſame pſalmes ſongen that ye ſyng now at y• dirige. Wherby yt well appareth that yt is no new foūd thyng: for his tyme was farr aboue a. M. yere ago: and yet was y• thyng ſong vſed afore hys dayes. And becauſe ye ſhall know that the more ſurely: he ſayth y• the gyſe & cuſtume to pray for ſoulys / was inſtytute and bygone in the church by the bleſſyd apoſtles theym ſelfe. And ſo whyle ſo good men ſo long a go bygan yt / and good folke hath euer ſynnys contynued yt / ye may ſone geſſe whyther they be good men or no that now prouoke you to breke yt.

Now where they ſay that yf the maſſe could do vs eny good / that then the preſtys be very cruell that wyll ſay none for vs but they be waged: thys word ys as trew as theyre entent ys fraudulēt & falſe. For theyre purpoſe ys in thoſe wordys to make the world wene / that the clergy were ſo couetouſe and cruell therwyth / that there wyll no preſte pray for vs pore ſoulys here / without he be hyred therto: wherof our lorde be thanked we fynde full well the contrary. For albe yt that of Luthers preſtꝭ we can haue none helpe / ſyth theyr maſſys offer not vp the ſacrament to god neyther for quyk nor dede / nor make no very preſtꝭ among theym ſyth they take preſ[…]hed for no ſacramēt: yet of good criſten preſtys we fynde great relyeſe as well in theyre dyryges and mych other ſuffragys by olde inſtytucyon of the churche ſpecyally ſayed for vs though no man […] one peny thorow the yere. And ſo may all the worlde wyt that thys word of theſe here tyques hath myche malyce and lyttell effecte theryn.

But nowe thowghe the preſtys praye for vs of theyre awne […] yet when good people deſyre theym thereto and gyue theym theyre almoyſe therefore: then are they dowble bounden / and then ryſeth there myche more good and profyt vppon all ſydys. For thē take we fru[…] both of the prayour of y• tone and the almoyſe of the tother. And the taketh the preſte benyfyte of hys awne prayour made bothe for the geuer and for vs. The geuer alſo getteth frute both of hys own […] full almoyſe / and of double prayour alſo / that ys to wyt bothe the prayour of the preſte that prayeth for vs / whyche com[…]nly prayeth for hym to / and alſo the prayour of vs / whyche wyth great feruour of hart pray for our benefactours inceſſaūtly / and are ſo […] forth in goddys vndowted fauour / that very few mē lyuyng vppon erth are ſo well herd as we / byſydys that of all kynd of almoyſe that eny man can geue / the moſte men […]oryouſe ys y• whych ys byſtowed vppon vs as well for that yt ys vnto the moſte nedy and alſo to thē that are abſent and fynally for that of all maner almoyſe yt is moſte grownded vppon the foundacyon of all cryſten vertuoſe fayth. For as for to pore folke a naturall man wyll gyue almoyſe eyther. for pytye of ſome pytuoſe ſyght / or for weryneſſe of theyre imporcune. […]. But as for as pore ſow[…]ys paſſed the world / whome be that gyueth almoyſe neyther ſeeth nor hereth: wolde neuer beſtowe one peny vppon vs but yf he had a ſayth that we lyue ſtyll / and that […] that we lye in payne and hopyd of hys reward in heuen. Whych kynde of fayth and good hope ioyned wy[…]h his gyft and good wurck muſt nedys make it one of the beſt kynd of almoyſed. de that eny man can do in the world.

And ſyth that yt ſo ys as in dede yt ys: what vncharytable & what vnfaythfull folk at theſe that for hatred whych they ow to preſ[…]ed / wolke make you beleue that there were no purgatory / & wold rather wyſh by theyr wyllys that theyr owne fathers ſhuld lye here in fyre tyll the day of doome / then eny man ſhulde geue a preſte one peny to pray for them?

And yet ys there here one thyng well to be cōſyderyd / that they rather hate preſtys for hatred of Cryſtꝭ fayth / then ſpeke agaynſt purgatory for hatred of preſtys. Whych thyng though yt ſeme you derke at the furſt heryng: ye ſhall yet yf ye loke well / very well parceyue. For yf it ſo were that thys kynde of people dyd ſpeke agaynſt purgatory onely for y• hatred of the pope & y• clergy / then wold they graunte that ſaued ſoules at yet purged in the fyre here for theyr ſynnis vnſatyſfyed in the worlde: and yt ſhulde then ſuffyce thē to ſay for theyre purpoſe / that neyther preſt nor pope nor eny man els nor eny mānys almes or prayour / can in thys place of ponyſhmēt eny thynge releue vs. For thys were ynough ye ſe well to ſarue theyr purpoſe agaynſt y• clergy. But yet becauſe they haue a farre farther purpoſe agaynſt all good cryſtē fayth: they be not cōtent therfore to leue at hys poynt but ſteppe them forthe farther and deny purgatory vtterly / to thēde that men ſhuld take boldnes to care the leſſe for theyre ſynne. And yf they myght onys be beleuyd theryn: thē wold they ſtep yet farther & denye hell and all / and after that heuen to. But as for heuen albeyt y• as yet they denye yt not: yet pull they many a ſymple ſowle thence / whych were yt not for theyr myſcheuous doctrine were els well lykly to be there a full bryght and gloryouſe ſaynt.

And ſurely the more that wyſe men aduyſe them ſelfe vppon this mater: the more ſhall they meruayle of the mad mynd of theym that deny purgatory / or ſay y• the prayours or good workys of mē lyuyng in the world cā do vs here no good. For euery mā that eny wyt hath: wotteth well that the ſureſt way were in euery dowt beſt to be taken Now ſuppoſe then that purgatory could in no wyſe be prouyd / and y• ſome wold yet ſay playnly y• there were one / & ſome wold ſay playnly nay[…]let vs now ſee whether ſorte of theſe twayne might take moſt harm / if theyr part were the wrong. Furſt he that beleued there were purgatory / & that hys prayour and good wurkꝭ wrought for hys […] dys ſoule myghte relyeue thē theyrn / and becauſe therof vſed mych prayour and almoyſe for theym: he could not leſe the reward of hys good wyll / all though hys opynyon were vntrew / & that there were no purgatory at all / no more then he leſeth hys labour new y• prayeth for one whō he fereth to ly in purgatory where he ys all redy in heuē. But on the tother ſyde / he that beleueth there ys none / and therefore prayeth for none: yf hys opynyō be falſe / and that there be purgatory in dede as in dede there ys / he leſeth mych good and getteth hym alſo myche harme / for he both fereth myche y• leſſe to ſynne and to ly long in purgatory / ſauyng that hys hereſye ſhall ſaue hym thenſe and ſend hym downe depe in to hell.

And yt fareth bytwene theſe two kynd of folk as yt fa[…]ed bytwene a lewde galād & a pore frere. Whom when the galand ſaw goynge barefote in a great froſte and ſnowe / he aſked hym why he dyd take ſuche payne. And he anſwered y• yt was very lytell payne yf a man wold remēber hell. ye frere quoth y• galant but what & there be none hell thā arte thou a great fole. ye mayſter quoth the frere but what & there be hell than ys your mayſter ſhyppe a mych more ſole.

More ouer there was neuer yet eny of that ſorte / that coulde for ſhame ſaye that eny man ys in parell for byleuynge that there ys purgatory. But they ſaye onely that there ys none in dede / and that they may wythout eny ſynne afferme theyre opynrō for trouth. But now vpon the tother ſyde many an hundred thowſand / that ys to wyt all the hole churche of cryſte that ys or euer hath bene / afferme that the aff[…]myng of theyre opynyon agaynſt purgatory / ys a playne dampnable hereſy. Wherfore it well and playnly appereth and euery wyſe mā well ſeeth that yt ys the farre ſurer way to belyue in ſuch wyſe as hath the partys agree to be owt of all parell / thē that way whych ſo farre the greter parte and myche farther the better parte afferme to be vndowted dedely ſynne. And now where as euery fole maye ſe that eny wyſe man wyll take the ſureſte way / which ys as ye ſe dowble proued to belyue that there ys purgatory: yet ſayd the wyſe proctour of beggars y• wyſe men wyll ſaye there ys none. For […]e ſayth y• many greate letterd men and ryght conynge men / wyll not let to put thē ſelf […] […]eoperdye of ſhame & of deth alſo / to ſhewe theyre mynd[…] that there ys no purgatory. He ys loth to ſay y• theſe be heretyques but he ſayeth theſe be they that men call heretyques. Wherin he ſpeketh […] lyke as yf he word poynt wyth hys fynger to a flokke of fa[…] wethers and […]a[…] theſe be ſuche beſtys as men call ſhepe.

[…] now wolde we fayne ſe whyche be theſe wyſe men and well le[…]red whych ſhall not fayle vppon theyre awne confeſſyon to agre that theyre aduerſaryes take the ſure way and f[…]rtheſie owte of parell and theym ſelfe the moſte daungerouſe and fertheſt from all ſurety. But yet wolde we for y• whyle fayn here who they be. Surely none other but Luther and Tyndale / and thys beggars proctoure / & a few ſuch of that ſect / mē of ſuch vertew / wyſdome and lerning / as theyre lewd wry[…]ynge and mych more theyre lewd lyuyng ſhewyth.

But now at they farre an other maner ſorte both in nomber / wyſdome / lernyng / trewth and good lyuyng / whych affyrme and ſay the contrary. And ſurely yf.iii. or iiii. C. good and honeſt men wold fayth fully cum forth & tell one y• ſum of hys frend[…] were in a farre cūtrey for d[…]t kept in pryſon / & that hys charyte myght relyeue them thence: yf then.iii. or iiii. fond felows wold cum and ſay the contrary / and tell hym playn there ys no ſuch priſon at all as he ys borne in hād that his frr̄dys at pryſoned in: yf he wold now be ſo lyght to beleue thoſe.iii. or.iiii. noughty ꝑſons / agaynſt thoſe.iii. or.iiii. C. good and honeſt mē: he thē ſhuld well decypher hym ſelf / and well declare therby that he wold gladly cach hold of ſum ſmall handell to kepe hys money faſt / rather then help hys frendys in theyre neceſſyte.

Now yf ye cōſider how late thys lewd ſect began / whych among cryſtē men barketh agaynſt purgatory / and how few alway for very ſhame of theyr foly hath hetherto fallen in to them: and then yf ye cō ſyder on the tother ſyde how full and hole the gret corps of all cryſtē cuntreys ſo many hundred yerys / haue euer told you the contrary: ye ſhall we be very ſure for euery perſon ſpekyng agaynſte purgatory / fynde for the tother parte mo than many an hundred.

Now yf theſe men wyll ꝑaduenture ſay that they care no for ſuch cōparyſon / neyther of tyme wyth tyme / nōber wyth nōber / nor cūpany wyth cūpany / but ſyth ſum one man ys in credēce worth ſum. vu. ſcore: yf they wyll therfore call vs to ſum other rekening & wyll that we compare of the beſt choyſe on both ſydes a certayn / & match them man for man: then haue we (yf we myght for ſhame matche ſuch blyſſed ſayntꝭ wyth a ſorte ſo farre vnlyke) ſaynt Auſtayn agaynſt frere Luther / ſaynt Hyerom agaynſt frere Lambert / ſaynt Ambroſe agaynſt frere Huſken / ſaynt Gregory agaynſt preeſte Pomeran / ſaynt Chriſoſteme agaynſt Tindale / ſaynt Baſyle agaynſt y• beggars proctour.

Now yf our enmyes wyll for lak of other choyſe / help forth theyr owne ꝑte wyth theyre wyuys: thē haue they ſome aduātage in dede / for y• tother holy ſayntꝭ had none. But yet ſhall we not lack bleſſyd holy women agaynſt theſe frerys wy[…]s. For we ſhall haue ſaynt Anaſtace agaynſt frere Luthers wyfe / ſaynt Hildegardꝭ agaynſt frere Huſkyns wyfe / ſaynt Brygyte agaynſt frere Lābert[…] wyfe and ſaynt Katheryn of ſenys agaynſt preſt Pomeranys wyfe. Now yf they wyll haue in theſe matches y• qualityes of ether ſyde cōſyderyd: thē haue we wyſdō agaynſt foly / cūnyng agaynſt ignoraūce / charyte agaynſt malyce / trew fayth agaynſt hereſyes / humilite agaynſt arrogaūce / reuelacyōs agaynſt illuſyōs / inſpyracyō of god agaynſt muē cyons of y• deuyll / cōſtaunce agaynſt waueryng / abſtynence agaynſt glotony / cōtynēce agaynſt lechery / & fynally euery kynde of vertue agaynſt euery kynde of vyce. And ouer thys where as we be not yet very ſure whyther y• all theſe nawghty ꝑſons whome we haue reherſed you of y• worſe ſyde / be fully fall ſo madde as vterly to deny purgatory / ſauynge in y• we ſe theym in many thyngꝭ all of one ſecte: yet yf there were of theym farre many ſuch mo / they ſhall not yet fynd of y• ſymple ſute half ſo many / as for our ꝑte remayneth holy bleſſyd ſayntꝭ to matche theym. For lyke wyſe as many theyre holy workys eruditely wrytē & by the helpe of y• holy gooſt endyghted: euydentely declare y• not onely ſaynt Auſtayne / ſaynt Hierome / ſaynt Ambroſe & y• holy pope ſaynt Gregory / wyth ſaynt Chriſoſtē / & ſaynt Baſyle afore remēbred / & thoſe holy womē alſo y• we haue ſpokē of / but ouer y• the great ſolēpne doctour Oregene / all y• thre great doctours & holy ſayntys of one name in grece / Gregorius Naſianzenus / Gregorius Niſſenus / Gregorius Emiſſenus / ſaynt Cyryllus / ſaynt Damaſcene / y• famouſe doctour & holy martyr ſaynt Cipryane / ſaynt Hylory / ſaynt Bede / & ſaynt Thomas / & fynally all ſuche as are of y• ſuyt & ſorte eyther grekꝭ or latyns / haue euer taught & reſtyfyed and exhorted y• peple to pray for all cryſtyn ſoulys & preched for purgatory: ſo doth there no man dowte but y• all good & deuowte cryſtē peple from cryſtys dayes hytherto / hath ferme & faſte bene of y• ſame bylyefe / & wyth thyr dayly prayours and almoyſe dede done for vs haue done vs great relyefe. So that as we ſayed both for nōber of many folke and goodnes of choſen folke: our enemyes are farre vnder vs. And yet haue we for the vauntage as we haue byfore declared you y• fere of Ezechyas / the boke of the kyngys / the wordꝭ of the prophete zachary the fayth of Machabeus y• authoryte of ſaynt Ihān / the wordys of ſaynt Peter the ſentēce of ſaynt Poule / y• teſtimony of ſaynt Mathew and the playne ſentence of our ſauyour cryſte.

Now yf theſe heretyques be ſo ſtyffe & ſtoborne / that rather then they wyll confeſſe theym ſelfe concluded / they wyll holde on theyre olde wayes and fall frome wurſe to wurſe / and lyke as they haue allredy agaynſt theyre formar promyſe fyrſt reiected reaſon and after lawe / & then all y• doctours and olde holy fathers of cryſtys churche / and fynally the hole churche yt ſelfe: ſo yf they wyll at length as we greatly fere they wyll reiect all ſcrypture & caſt of Criſte & all: now as we ſay yf they ſo do yet haue we left at the wurſt way Luther agaynſt Luther Huſkyn agaynſt Huſkyn / Tyndall agaynſt Tyndall & fynally euery heretyke agaynſt hym ſelf. And thē when theſe folk ſyt in Almayn vppon theyr bere bench in iugement on vs & our maters: we may as the knyght of kyng Alexander appelyd frō Alexander to Alexāder frō Alexander the dronk to Alexāder the ſober: ſo ſhall we appele from Luther to Luther / frō Luther the dronken to Luther the ſober / from Luther the heretyke to Luther the catholyke / & lykewyſe in all the remenaunt. For thys dothe no man dout but that euery one of thē all / before they fell dronk of the dreggys of olde poyſonyd hereſyes / in whych they fell a quaftyng wyth the dyuell: they dyd full ſadly & ſoberly pray for all cryſten ſoulys. But ſynnys that they be fallen dronken in wrechyd & ſynfull hereſyes: they neyther care for other mennys ſoulys nor for theyr owne neyther. And on the tother ſyde yf euer they wurk wyth grace to purge them ſelf of thoſe poyſoned hereſyes / wherwyth they be now ſo dronk / they wyll than geue ſentēce on our ſyde as they dyd before. It were not yuell y• we ſhewed you ſūwhat for exſample wherby ye may ſe what ſobernes they were in before / & in what dronkennes the dyuels drawghte hath brought them. And in whom ſhuld we ſhew yt better than in Luther hym ſelf archeheretyke and father abbot of all that dronkē feliſhype Furſt thys man was ſo faſt of our ſyde whyle he was well & ſober / that yet when he began to be well waſhed / he could not fynde in his hart vtterly to fall from vs. But when his hed furſte began to daſe of that euyll drynke: he wrote that purgatory coud not prouyd by ſcrypture. And yet that not wythſtandyng he wrote in this wyſe therwyth. I am very ſure that there ys purgatory / & yt lytle moueth me what heretykis bable. Shuld I beleue an heretyke borne of late ſcāt fyſty yerys ago / and ſay the fayth were falſe that hathe bene holden ſo many hūdred yere? Lo here thys man ſpake well vppon our ſyde. But yet ſayed he therwith one thyng or twayne / that coud not ſtande therwyth: and therby may ye ſe that he began to reele. For he both affyrmyd that purgatory coud not be ꝓuyd by ſcripture / and affyrmyd ferther that nothyng coud be takē for a ſure & certayn trewth / but yf yt appered by clere and euydent ſcrypture. Whych two thyngys preſuppoſed: how coud eny man be ſure of purgatory? But the help ys that both thoſe poynt[…] be falſe. For both ys purgatory ꝓuyd by ſcrypture / and the chatholyke fayth of Cryſtys church were ſuffyeyent to make men ſure therof / albe yt there were not in all ſcrypture one text for yt / and dyuers y• ſemyd agaynſt it as we haue ſhewed you before.

But here as we ſay ye ſe how ſhamfully he ſtaggared & began to reele: howe be it ſone after beyng ſo dowſy drōk y• he coulde neyther ſtand nor reele but fell downe ſow dronk in the myre: then lyke one y• nothyng remembred what he had ſayd / nor herd not hys awn voyce / he begā to be hym felf y• babelynge heretike agaynſt whō he had wrytē before: & beyng not fully fyfty yere old / began to gaynſay y• fayth of almoſt.xv. hūdred yere afore his days in the churche of Criſte / be ſydys.xv. C. yere thre tymys told amōg other faythfull folk before. For now in hys dronken ſermon that he wrote vppon the goſpell of y• ryche man & Lazare / where as he had in hys other bokys before framyd of hys owne fantaſy / new fond faſſyons of purgatory / and told them forth for as playn matters as though he had bene here and ſene them: now in thys mad ſermon of hys he ſayth playnly that there ys none at all / but that all ſoulysly ſtill and ſlepe / and ſo ſlepe ſhall / vn tyll the day of dome. O ſow dronken ſoule drownyd in ſuch an inſenſyble ſlepe that he lyeth and rowghteth / whyle the apoſtles / the euā gelyſtys / all the doctours of Cryſtꝭ church / all the hole cryſten people / and among them cryſte hym ſelfe / ſtande and cry at hys ere / that we ſely cryſten ſowlys lye and burne in purgatory / & he can not here but lyeth ſtyll in the myre and ſnorteth and there dremeth that we lye ſtyll and ſlepe as he doth.

And thus where the beggars proctour wryteth that wyſe mē ſay there ys no purgatory: ye ſe now your ſelfe how wyſe ys he whome they take for the wyſeſte of all that ſort / as hym that ys now y• very well ſpryng & archeherytyque of all theyre ſecte. Of all which wyſe men we leue yt to your wyſedome to cōſyder: whyther ye fynde eny whom your wyſedomes wold in wyſedom cōpare wyth eny of thoſe old holy doctours and ſayntys whom we haue reherſed you byfore. But thys man we wote well for a nother of theſe wyſe mē meaneth Wyllyam Tyndall. Whoſe wyſedom well appereth in y• mater by y• he layeth agaynſt yt nothyng but ſkoffynge: wheryn he ſayth that y• pope may be bold in purgatory / bycauſe yt ys he ſayth a thyng of hys awne makyng: where as we haue proued you by ſcrypture that purgatory was perceyued and taught and dede mennys ſoulys prayed for / ſo longe ere euer eny pope bygan.

But for as myche as he ſayth that wyſe men wyll ſay there ys no purgatory / among whych wyſe men we dowte not but the wyſe man accompteth hym ſelfe […] for he layeth for that parte as hym ſelfe weneth very wiſe & weyghty reſons / y• wyſdō wherof we haue all redy ꝓuyd you very playne frantyke foly) we wyll nowe finyſhe the dyſpycyons of all thys debate and queſtyon / wyth y• declaracyon of one or twoo poyntys of hys eſpecyall wyſdome / and wyth one of whych hym ſelfe wyſely deſtroyeth all hys holy mater.

Furſte ye ſe well that albe yt in dede he entendeth to go ferther yf hys byll were ones well ſp[…]dde: yet he pretendyth nothyng in vyſage but onely the ſpoyle / weddynge / and beatynge of the clergye: to whom he layth not all onely ſuch fautys as ye haue hard / and hath ꝓuyd hys purpoſe wyth ſuch groundys as we haue prouyd falſe: but alſo layth one great neceſſyte to take all from thē / becauſe they breke y• ſtatute made of mortmayn / & purchaſe more landys ſtyll agaynſt y• ꝓuyſyon therof. And thē ſayth he y• eny land whych onys cūmeth in theyr handys / cūmyth neuer ont agayn. For he ſayth y• they haue ſuch lawes cōcernyng theyr lādes / as they may neyther geue eny nor ſell. For whyche cauſe leſt they ſhuld at length haue all / he deuyſeth to let them haue nothyng.

Now furſt where he maketh as though there cā yet for all the ſtatute dayly much land in to thē / & y• there can none at all come frō thē: neyther ys the tone ſo much as he wold make yt ſeme / & the tother ys very falſe. For truly there may cū and doth cū ſād fro thē by eſchete / as we be ſure many of you haue had experyence: & alſo what lawes ſo euer they haue of theyr own y• ꝓhibyte thē to ſell theyr landys / yet of thys are we very ſure y• not wythſtandyng all y• lawes they haue / they may ſell in ſuch wyſe yf they wyll all the lande they haue / y• they cā neuer recouer fote agayn. And beſidys all y• albe it there be lawes made by the chyrch agaynſt ſuch ſalys as ſhrewd huſband[…] wold els boldly make of y• lād[…] of theyr moneſtaryes: yet ys there not ſo p̄cyſe ꝓuyſyon made agaynſt all ſalys of theyr landꝭ / but y• they may be alienyd for cauſe reſonable apꝓuid by y• aduyſe & coūſell of theyr chefe hed. And many a mā ys there in y• realm y• hath landꝭ geuē or ſold out of abbays & out of byſhoppriches both: ſo y• this ꝑte is a playn lye

The tother part ys alſo neyther very certayne nor very mych to purpoſe. For truly though that in the cytee of London to whych there ys grauntyd by authoryte of parliament / that men may there deuyſe theyr landys in to mortemayn by theyr teſtamentꝭ / there is ſumwhat among geuen into the church / and yet not all to them but the great ꝑte vnto the cumpanyes & felyſhyppys of the craftys: in nother placys of the realme there ys now a days no great thyng geuen / but yf yt be ſometyme ſome ſmall thynge for the foundacyon of a chauntery. For as for abbays or ſuch other great foūdacyōs there be not now a days many made nor haue bene of good whyle / excepte ſomewhat done in the vnyuerſytees. And yet who ſo conſyder thoſe great foundacyons that haue thys great whyle bene made eny where / ſhall well parceyue that the ſubſtaunce of thē be not all fownden vppon temporall landys new token owte of the temporall handys in to the churche / but of ſuche as the church had longe a fore / & now the ſame tranſlated from one place vnto a nother: And ouer this ſhall he fynd that many an abbey (whoſe hole lyuyng thys man weneth ſtoode all by tēporall landys geuen them in theyre foundacyon) haue the great parte therof in be[…]efycys gyuen in and empropred vnto theym. So that yf he conſyder the ſubſtaūce of all the greate foūdacyons made thys great whyle / and all that hath in to eny ſuche theſe many dayes be gyuen / & then cōſyder well therwyth how cold the charyte of cryſtē people waxeth by the meanys of ſuche deuyls proctours as vnder pretexte of beggynge for the pore / entend and labour to quench the feruour of deuocyō to godwarde in ſymple and ſone ledde ſowlys: he ſhall not nede to fere that all the tēporall lande in the realm ſhall come in to the ſpyrytualtye. And yet yf men went nowe ſo faſte to gyue in ſtyll to the church as they dyd byfore whyle deuocyon was ſeruēt in the people and vertu plentuouſe in the church: yet myght yt be and in other cuntrees ys ꝓuyded for well ynough / both that mēnys deuocyon myght be be fauored / and yet not the churche haue all.

But thys wyſe man leſte they ſhulde haue all: wolde leue theym ryght nought. For hys wyſedom weneth there were no meane way bytwene euery whyt and neuer a whyt but nothynge at all. And ſurely where that he layeth ſo ſore vnto theym / the newe purchaſynge of more temporall landys eyther bought or gyuen them: yt appereth well he wolde ſaye ſore to theym yf they pulled the land fro men by force / whyche nowe layeth ſo hyghly to theyr charge bycauſe they take yt when men gyue yt theym: whyche thyng we ſuppoſe hym ſelfe as holy as he ys / wolde not myche refuſe. Nor they be not myche to be blamed yf they receyue mennys deuocyon / but yf they beſtow yt not well. And yet where he ſayth there can no ſtatute holde them / but they purcha[…]e ſtyll and breke the ſtatute / where in he wolde ſeme cō nynge bycauſe he had a lytell ſmatterynge in the lawe: yt were good ere he be ſo bold to put hys ignoraūce in wrytynge / that he ſhulde ſe the ſtatute better. Whyche when he lyſte to loke vppon agayne and lette ſome wyſer man loke wyth hym / yf he conſyder well what remedy the ſtatutꝭ prouyde & for whom: he ſhall fynd yt the makers of the ſtatute not ſo mych fered the great hygh poynt that prykketh hym now leſte the hole temporall landys ſhuld come in to the churche / as they dyd the loſſe of theyre wardys and theyr vnlykelyhed of eſchetꝭ & ſum other cōmoditees yt they lakked whē theyr lād[…] were alyened in to the church: & yet not in to the church onely but alſo in to eny mort mayn. And for this they prouyded y• yf eny more were alyened in to ye churche or in to eny maner of morte mayne / the kyng or eny other lord medyate or immedyate that myght take loſſe therby myght entre ther in to / to thentēt y• ere euer the purchaſe were made / they ſhuld be fayn in ſuch wyſe to ſue to euery one of thē for his lycēce & good will / that eche of them ſhuld be arbyte[…] of hys owne hurte or loſſe and take hys amendys at hys own hand. And thys ſtatute ys not made onely for y• aduauntage of the tēporall lordys agaynſt the clergy / but yt ys made indyfferently agaynſt all mortmayn: whych ys as well tēporall folk as ſpyrytuall / and for the benefyte as well of ſpyrituall men as temporall. For as well ſhall a byſhop or an abbot haue the aduauntage of that ſtatute yf hys tenaunt alyen hys landys in to eny mortemayn / as ſhall an erle or a duke▪ And now when the churche pulleth not away y• land from the owner by force / but hath yt of hys deuocyon and hys gyft geuē of hys owne offer vnaſked / & yet not wythout lycēce of all ſuch as the ſtatute lymyteth: where ys thys great faut of theyrs / for whych leſt they ſhuld take more in y• ſame maner / he wold they ſhuld leſe all that they haue all redy? What wyſdome ys thys whē he layth agaynſt them theyr dede wherin they breke no law? And yet ſyth they can not take yt wythout the kyng and the lordys / hys wordys yf they wayd ought / ſhuld rōne to the reproche and blame of them whom he wold fayn flater / wythout faut founden in them whom he ſo ſore accuſeth. But now the ſpecyall hygh poynt of his wyſdome for whych we be dryuen to ſpeke of thys matter he ſpecyally declareth in thys. Ye ſe well that he wold that the temporall mē ſhuld take fro the clergy / not onely all theſe landys purchaſed ſynnys the ſtatute of mortemayn / but alſo all that euer they had before too / and yet ouer thys all the hole lyuyng y• euer they haue by eny maner mean beſyde: becauſe he thynketh that they haue to much by all to gether. And whē he hath gyuen hys aduyſe therto and ſayd that they haue to much: then ſayth he by and by that yf there were eny purgatorye in dede / yt were well done to gyue them yet more / and that they haue then a great dele to lytle. But now ſo ys yt that purgatory there ys in dede / nor no good cryſten man is there but he wyll and must beleue & confeſſe the ſame. wherof yt playnly folowyth that hys own agrement added vnto the trouth / that ys to ſay that the church hath as he ſayth to lytle yf there be a purgatory / added vnto the trouth that there ys a purgatory / and that euery trew cryſten man doth & muſt cōfeſſe yt: then hath loo the wyſe man brought all hys purpoſe ſo ſubſtancyally to paſſe / that by hys own playne agrement added vnto the vndoutable trouth / no mā may do that he wold haue all men do / ſpoyle and pyll the church / but he that wyll furſte playnly profeſſe hym ſelf a playn and vndo wtyd heretyke.

And therfore ſyth ye now ſe the wyt of thys wyſe man / yt laboreth to bryng vs owte of your remēbraunce / ſyth ye ſe the ſymple groūde of hys prowde ſupplycacyon / and ye perceyue the rancour and malyce that hys mater ſtandeth on: for fulfyllyng wherof he wold by his wyll bryng all the worlde in trouble: & ſyth ye ſe that he hateth ye clergye for the fayth / and vs for the clergy / and in reprouyng purgatory proueth hym ſelfe an infydele: ſyth we haue made yt you clere that your prayour may do vs good / and haue ſhewed yt you ſo playnely that a chylde may perceyue yt / not onely by the comen opynyon of all people and the faſte vnfallyble fayth of all cryſten peple from Cryſtys dayes vntyll your owne tyme / confermed by the doctryne of all holy doctours / declared by good reaſon / and proued by the ſcrypture of god / both apoſtles / and euangelyſtys / and our ſauyour Cryſte hym ſelf: we wyll encumber you no ferther wyth dyſputyng vppon the mater / nor argue the thynge as dowtefull / that is vndowted and queſtyonleſſe. But lettyng paſſe ouer ſuch heretiques as are our malycyouſe mortall enemyes / prayenge god of his, grace to gyue theym better mynde: we ſhall tourne vs to you that are faythfull folke and our dere louyng frēdys / beſechyng your goodnes of your tēder pyte that we may be remembred wyth your cherytable almoyſe and prayour. And in thys parte albe yt we ſtande in ſuche caſe that yt better bycummeth vs to beſeeche and praye euery man / then to fynde eny fawte wyth eny man: yet are we ſomwhat conſtrayned not to make eny mater of quarell or cōplaynt agaynſt eny mānys vnkidenes / but ſurely to mourne & lamēt our awne harde fortune & chaūce in ye lakke of relyefe & cūforte / which we miſſe frō our frēdis / not of euyll mynde wythdrawē vs / or of vnfaythfulnes / but of neglygēs forſlouthed & foded forth of forgetfulnes. If ye yt ar ſuch (for ye be not all ſuch) might loke vppō vs & byhold in what heuy plyght we ly: your ſlouth wold ſone be quikened & your oblyuion tourne to freſhe remēbraūce.

For yf youre father / youre mother / youre chylde / youre brother / youre ſuſter, youre huſbande / youre wyfe / or a very ſtraunger to / lay in youre ſyghte ſome where in fyre / and that your meanes myght helpe hym: what hart were ſo hard / what ſtomake were ſo ſtony / that could ſyt in reſte at ſupper or ſlepe in reſte a bedde / and let a manly and burne▪ We fynde therefore full trew that olde ſayd ſaw / owte of ſyght owte of mynde. And yet ſurely to ſay the trewth / we can not theryn wyth reaſon mych complayne vppon you. For whyle we were wyth you there, for wantonnes of that wreched world we forgate in lyke wyſe our good frendys here. And therfore can we not maruayle myche though the iuſtyce of god ſuffer vs to be forgoten of you as other haue bene before forgoten of vs. But we beſeche our lorde for both our ſakys to gyue you the grace to mend for your parte that comen faut of vs both / leſt when ye cum hether here after / god of lyke […] ſuffer you to be forgoten of them that ye leue there behynde you / as ye forgete vs that ar come hether afore you But albe yt we can not well as we ſay for the lyke faut in our ſelfe greatly rebuke or blame thys neglygence and forgetfulnes in you: yet wolde we for the better wyſh you that ye myght wythowt your payn / onys at the leſte wyſe behold / parceyue / and ſe / what heuynes of hart & what a ſorowfull ſhame the ſely ſoule hath at hys furſt cō myng hyther to loke his old frendys in the face here / whom he remē bryth hym ſelf to haue ſo foule forgoten whyle he lyued there. When albe yt that in thys place no man cā be angry / yet theyr pytuouſe loke and lamentable countenaunce caſteth hys vnkynd forgetfulnes in to hys mynde: wyt ye well dere frendꝭ that among the manyfold great and greuouſe payne whyche he ſuffreth here / wherof god ſend you y• grace to ſuffer eyther none or few: the grudge and greefe of hys conſ[…]yence in the conſyderacyon of hys vnkynde forgetfulnes / is not of all them the leſte. Therfore dere frendys let our foly lerne you wyſdome. Send hether your prayour: ſende hether your almoyſe before you: ſo ſhall we fynde ea[…]e therof / and yet ſhall ye fynde yt ſtyll. For as he that lyghtyth another the cādell hath neuer the leſſe lyght hym ſelf / & he that blowyth y• fyre for another to warme hym doth warm hym ſelf alſo ther wyth: ſo ſurely good frendys the good that ye ſend hether before you / both greatly refreſheth vs / and yet ys holly reſeruyd here for you with oure prayours added thereto for youre ferther aduauntage.

Wold god we coud haue done our ſelf as we now counſell you. And god gyue you y• grace whych many of vs refuſed / to make better ꝓuyſyon whyle ye lyue thā many of vs haue done. For mich haue we left in our executours hand[…] / whych wold god we had beſtowed vppō pore folk for our owne ſoulys & our frēdys wyth our own handys. Mych haue many of vs beſtowyd vppō rych mē in gold ryngꝭ and blak gownys: mych in many tapers & torchys: mych in worldly pomp and hygh ſolempne ceremonyes about our funerallys / wherof the brotle glory ſtandeth vs here god wot in very litle ſtede / but hath on the tother ſyde done vs great dyſpleaſure. For albe yt yt the kynde ſolycytude & louyng dylygence of the quyk vſed about the beryeng of the dede / is well allowed and approuyd afore the face of god: yet mych ſuperfluouſe charge vſed for boſte and oſtētacyon / namely deuyſed by the dede before hys dethe / ys of god greatly myſlyked: and moſte eſpecially that kynde & faſſyon therof wherin ſome of vs haue fallen / and many beſydys vs that now lye damnyd in hell. for ſome hathe there of vs whyle we were in helthe / not ſo mych ſtudyed how we myght dye penytēt and in good cryſten plyght / as how we myght be ſolempnely borne owte to beryeng / haue gay & goodly funerallys wyth herawdys at our herſys / and ofrynge vp oure helmettys / ſettyng vp our ſkouchyn and cote armours on the wall though there neuer cam harneyſe on our bakkys / nor neuer aunceſtour of ours euer bare armis byfore. Thē deuyſed we ſome doctour to make a ſermon at our maſſe in our monthys mynde / and there preche to our prayſe wyth ſome fond fanteſy deuyſed of our name / and after maſſe / mych feſtyng ryotouſe and coſtly / and fynally lyke madde men made men mery at our dethe / and take our beryeng for a brydeale. For ſpecyall punyſhement whereof / ſome of vs haue bene by our euyll […] brought forth full heuely in full great deſpyght to be holde our owne beryeng / and ſo ſtanden in great payne inayſyble among the […] / and made to loke on our cateyn corps caryed owte wyth great pope / wherof our lorde knoweth we haue taken heuy pleaſure.

Yet wolde ye peraduenture wene that we were in one thyng well eaſed / in that we were for the tyme taken henſe owt of the fyre of our purgatory. But in thys poynt yf ye ſo thynke / ye be ſarre deceyued. For lyke wyſe as good aungels and ſaued ſoulys in heuē / neuer leſe nor leſſen theyre ioy by chaungyng of theyre placys / but though there be eny ſpecyall place appoynted for heuē fertheſt from the centre of the hole worlde or where ſo euer yt be / be yt bodyly or aboue all bodyly ſpace / the bleſſyd heuenly ſpyrytys where ſo euer they bycū be eyther ſtyll in heuen or in theyr heuenly ioy: nor Gabryell when he comdown to our lady / neuer forbare eny parte of his pleaſure / but he had yt ꝑaduēture wyth ſome newe degre encreaced by the cūforte of hys ioyfull meſſage / but mynyſſhed myght yt neuer be / not and he had an erand in to hell; ryght ſo fareth it on y• tother ſyde / that neyther dāpned wreches at eny tyme / nor we for the ſpace of our clenſynge tyme though we haue for the generaltye our comen place of payne appoynted vs here in purgatory: yet yf it pleaſe our lorde that at eny ſeaſon our gardayns conuay ſome of vs to be for ſome conſyderacyons eny tyme ellys where / as ſome percaſe to appere to ſome frēd of ours & ſhew hym how we ſtand / & by y• ſufferaūs of goddys ſouerayn goodnes to tell hym wyth what almoyſe / prayour / pylgrymage / or other good dede done for vs he may helpe vs henſe / in whyche thynge the deuyll ys loth to walke wyth vs but he may not cheſe and can no ferther wythſtand vs thē god wyll gyue hym leue / but whyther ſo euer he cary vs we cary our payne wyth vs: & lyke as the body that hath an hote feuer as feruētly burneth yf he ryde an horſbake as yf he lay lapped in hys bedde: ſo cary we ſtyll about no leſſe hete wyth vs / thē yf we lay bounden he[…]e. And yet the dyſp yghtfull ſyghtys that our euyll aungellis brynge vs to beholde abrode / ſo farre augmēteth ourturment: that we wolde wyſhe to be drowned in the darkenes that ys here / rather than ſe the ſyghtys that they ſhew vs there.

For among they conuay vs in to our owne houſys / & ther dowble ys our payne wyth ſyght ſometyme of y• ſelfe ſame thyngys whych whyle we lyued was halfe our heuen to behold. There ſhew they vs our ſubſtaunce and our baggys ſtuffed wyth gold: whych when we now ſe / we ſette myche leſſe by theym then wold an old man that foūd a bag of chery ſtonys whych he layd vp when he was a chylde. What a ſorow hath it bē to ſome of vs whē y• deuils hath in diſpyghtfull mokkage / caſte in oure teeth our old loue borne to our money / & thē ſhewed vs our executours as byſyly ryfling a rāſakyng our houſys / as thogh they were men of warr that had taken a town by force.

Howe heuely hath yt thynke you gone vnto our harte / when our euyll aūgellys haue grynned and lawghed and ſhewed vs our late wyuys ſo ſone wa[…]en wanton / & forgetyng vs theyre old̄ huſbandys that haue loued theym ſo tendrely and lefte theym ſo ryche / ſytte and lawgh & make mery and more to ſumtyme / wyth theyr new woars / whyle our kepers in dyſpyte kepe vs there in payne to ſtande ſtyll / & loke on. Many tymes wold we then ſpeke yf we coulde be ſuffred / & ſore we long to ſay to her: Ah wyfe wyfe y wyſſe this was not couenaunt wyfe / when ye wepte and tolde me that yf I lefte you to lyue by / ye wold neuer wedde agayne. We ſe there our chyldren to / whō we loued ſo well / pype ſyng and dawnce / & no more thynke on theyre fathers ſoulys then on theyre olde ſhone: ſauyng that ſometyme cū meth owt god haue mercy on all cryſten ſowlys. But yt cūmeth owt ſo coldely and wyth ſo dull affeccyon / that yt lyeth but in the lyppys and neuer cam nere the harte. Yet here we ſometyme our wyuis pray for vs more warmely. For in chydynge wyth her ſecunde huſbande to ſpyghte hym wyth all / god haue mercy ſayeth ſhe on my fyrſt huſbandꝭ ſowle / for he was ywyſſe an honeſt mā farr vnlyke you. And then meruayle we myche whē we here theym ſay ſo well by vs. For they were euer wont to tell vs otherwyſe.

But when we fynde in thys wyſe our wiuys / or chyldren and frē dys / ſo ſone and ſo clerely forgete vs / and ſe our executours rap and rend vnto theym ſelfe / catche euery man what he can and holde faſte that he catcheth and care nothyng for vs: lorde god what yt greueth vs that we lefte ſo mych bihynd vs / and had not ſent hyther more of our ſubſtaunce byfore vs by our owne handys. For happy fynde we hym among vs / y• ſendeth byfore all y• may be forborne. And he that ys ſo loth to parte wyth aught / that hordeth vp his good and had as lyue dye almoſt as to breke hys hepe / and then at laſt when there ys none other remedye but that he muſte nedys leue yt / repenteth hym ſelf ſodēly & lakketh tyme to dyſpoſe yt / & therfore byddeth his frendys to beſtow yt well for hym: our lord ys yet ſo marcyfull yt of hys goodnes he acceptyd y• good dedys y• hys executours do in ꝑformyng his deuyce. And ſyth that late is better thē neuer: our lord ſomewhat alloweth the mannys mynde / by whych he wold hys goodys that he hath immoderately gathered and gredily kepte together as longe as he myght / were yet at the leſte wyſe well beſtowed at laſte when he muſt nedys go fro thē. Whych mynde yet more pleaſeth god / thē that a man cared not what were done wyth them. And therfor as we ſay the goodnes of god ſomewhat doth accepte yt. But yet ſurely ſyth we myght and ought to haue done yt our ſelf / and of a fylthy affeccyon toward our goodys could not fynde in our hart to parte from eny parte of thē / yf our executours now deceyue vs & do no more for vs then we dyd for our ſelfe: our lord dyd vs no wronge though he neuer gaue vs thanke of all our hole teſtament / but imputed the fruſtracyon and not ꝑformynge of our laſte wyll vnto our owne fawte: ſyth the delay of our good dedys dreuen of to our deth / grew but of our awne ſlewth and fleſſhely loue to the worldward / wyth faynteneſſe of deuocyon to god ward / and of lytle reſpect and regard vnto our awne ſoule. And ouer thys yf our executours do theſe good thyngys indede that we do thus at laſte deuyſe in out teſtament: yet our defawte dryuynge all to our deth as we told you byfore / though god as we ſayd of hys hygh goodnes leueth not all vnrewarded / yet thys warnynge wyll we gyue you / that ye deceyue not your ſelfe: we that haue ſo dyed haue thus foūde yt / that the goodys diſpoſed after vs / gete our executours great thāke / & be toward vs ward accōpted afore god myche leſſe then half our awn / nor our thanke nothyng lyke to that yt wolde haue bene yf we had in our helth geuen half as mych for goddys ſake wyth our awne handys. Of whyche we geue you thys frendely warnyng not for that we wold dyſcorage you to dyſpoſe well your goodys whē ye dye: but for that we wold aduyſe you to dyſpoſe then better whyle ye lyue.

And amonge all your almoyſe / ſumwhat remēber vs: Our wyuys there remēber here your huſbandys. Our chyldren there remē ber here your parentys. Our parentys there remēber here your chyldren. Our huſbādys there remēber here your wyuys. Ah ſwete huſbandys whyle we lyued there in that wreched world with you / whyle ye were glad to pleaſe vs: y[…] beſtowed mych vppō vs & put your ſelfe to greate coſte and dyd vs great harme therwyth? Wyth gay […]ow[…]ys and gay kyrtels & mych waſte in apparell ryngꝭ & […] / wyth […] & paſti[…] garneſhed wyth perl[…] / wyth whych proude pykynge vp: both ye toke hurte and we to / many mo ways […] though we told you not ſo than. But two thyngys were the[…]e ſpecyall of whych your ſelfe felt then that […]on[…] and we fele now the […]other. For ye had vs the […] and the more ſtoburn to you: and god […]ad vs in leſſe fauour: and that alak we l[…]i[…]. For now that gay gere burneth vppon our […]akkys: and thoſe prowd p[…]rled peſt[…]s hang […] about our […] ▪ thoſe par[…]e[…]ettye and thoſe ow[…] hang heuy abowt our nekkes and cleue faſt fyre hote / that wo be we there and wyſhe that whyle we lyued ye neuer had folowed our […] nor neuer […] vs nor made vs ſo wanton / nor had geuen vs other […] than ymons or gret garlyk heddys / nor other ꝑles for our […] and our paſtrys then farre orient peaſon. But now for as mych as that […] and cannot be called agayn: we beſech you ſyth […] vs haue them […] let them hurt none other woman but help to do vs good: ſell them for our ſaky[…] to […] and […] the money […]ether by maſſe pennys & by pore men that may […] for our […].

Our fathers […] whyle we lyued foſtred vs vp ſo tēderly […] […]ndured to ſe vs ſuffer payn: now opē your hertꝭ & […] at the leſte wyſe wyth a pore mannis […] a[…]mes▪ ye […] not when we were wyth you have letted to lay out myche money for a great mariage. whych yf ye mēt for our ſakꝭ & not for your own worldly worſhyp / gyue vs now ſum ꝑte therof & releue vs here wyth mych leſſe coſt then one maryage / & more pleſure then.xv. though euery one were a prynce or a prynceſſe of a realm.

Fynally all our other frendys & euery good criſten man & woman open your hartys & haue ſum pyte vppon vs. If ye beleue not yt we nede your help / alas the lak of fayth. If ye beleue our nede and care not for vs / alas the lak of pyte. For who ſo pytyeth not vs / whom cā he pyte? If ye pyte the pore / there ys none ſo pore as we / yt haue not a bra[…]te to put on our […]akkys. If ye pyte the blynde / there ys none ſo blynd as we whych ar here in the dark ſauyng for ſyghtis vnpleſaūt and lotheſum tyll ſum cūfort cum. If ye pyte the ſame / there is none ſo lame as we / that nether cā crepe one fote out of the fyre / nor haue one hād at lyberte to defend our face fro the flame. Fynally yf ye pyte any man in payn / neuer knew ye payn comparable to ours: whoſe fyre as farre paſſeth in hete all the firys that euer burned vppō erth / as the hoſteſt of all thoſe paſſeth a […]eynyd fyre payntyd on a wall. If euer ye lay ſyk and thought the nyght ſong / & longed ſore for day whyle euery howre ſemed longer than fyue: bethynk you then what a long nyght we ſely ſoulys endure / that ly ſlepeleſſe / reſtleſſe / burnyng / and broylyng in the dark fyre one long myght of many days / of many wekys / and ſum of many yeres to gether. You walter peraduē ture and toſter in ſyknes fro ſyde to ſyde & fynde lytle reſt in eny parte of the bed: we ly boundē to the brondys and cānot lyft vp our heddys. You haue your phyſycyōs wyth you that ſumtyme cure and hele you: no phiſyk wyll help our payn / nor no plaſter cole our hete. Your kepars do you great eaſe and put you in good cūfort: our kepars at ſuch as god kepe you from / cruell damned ſpyry[…] odyouſe / enuyouſe / and hatefull / dyſpytuouſe ēmys and dyſpytefull turmentours / and theyr cūpany more horryble and greuous to vs then ys the payn yt ſelf and thintollerable turment that they do vs wherwyth frō top to too they ceace not contynually to tere vs.

But now yf our other enmys theſe heretikys almoſt as cruell as they / procuryng to theyr power that we ſhulde be lō […] left in y• dyuels handys wyll as theyr vſage ys to rayle in ſtede of reſonyng / make a game and a[…]eſie now of our heuy payn / and ꝑaduenture laugh at our lamētacyon / bycauſe we ſpeke of our hedd[…] / our handys / our feele / and ſuche our other groſe bodyly mēbers as lye beryed in our grauis & of our garmentys that we dyd were whyche come not hether wyth vs: we byſech you for our dere ladyes loue to let theyre foly go by / and to conſyder in your owne wyſdom that yt were impoſſyble to make eny mortall man lyuyng perceyue what maner payn & in what maner wyſe we bodyleſſe ſoulys do ſuffer and ſuſtayne: or to make eny man vppon erth perfytely to conceyue in hys ymagynacyon and fantaſy / what maner of ſubſtaūce we be: mych more impoſſyble then to make a borne blynd man to perceyue in hys mynd the nature and dyfferēce of colours. And therfore except we ſhuld of our painfull […] tell you nothynge at all (and there wold they haue yt we muſt of neceſſyte vſe you ſuch wordys as your ſelfe vnderſtand / and vſe you the ſymylytudꝭ of ſuch thyngys as your ſelf ys in vre with. For ſyth neyther god / angell nor ſoule / ys in ſuch wyſe blynd / dome / defe / or lame / as be thoſe mē yt for lak of eyen / leggꝭ / handꝭ / tonge / or ere / be weke & impotent in y• powers yt ꝓcede frō them: but haue in thē ſelfe a farre more excellēt ſyght / heryng / delyuerneſſe / and ſpech / by meanys vncognable to man / then eny mā can haue liuyng there on yerth: therfore doth holy ſcripture in ſpekyng of ſuch thingꝭ / vſe to r[…]ſent thē to y• people by y• namys of ſuche powers inſtrumentꝭ / & mēbers / as men in ſuch thyngys vſe and occupye thē ſelfe. Whyche maner of ſpekynge in ſuch caſ[…] who ſo euer haue in deryſyon: declareth very well how lytle fayth he hath in Cryſtys awne wordꝭ / in whychy our ſauyour hym ſelfe ſpekyng of the ſowlys of the ryche gloton & pore nedy Lazarus and of the Patriarch Abraam alſo ſpeketh in lyke maner as we do / of fynger and tōge to[…] wherof they had neyther nother there. And therfore who ſo maketh a mok at our wordꝭ in this poynt: ye may ſone ſe what credence ye ſhuld geue hym / wheryn we be content ye gyue hym euen as mych as ye ſe your ſelfe that he gyueth to god: for more ye ought not and ſurely leſſe ye can not. For he geueth god not a whyt: but taketh in hys harte that ſtory told by god for a very fantaſtyke fable.

And therfore as we ſay paſſing ouer ſuche […]eſtyng and raylyng of thoſe vncherytable heretykys mortall enymyes vnto vs and to then ſelf both: conſyder you our paynys / and pyte thē in your hartys / and helpe vs wyth your prayours / pylarymagys and other almoyſe dedy[…]: & of all thyng in ſpecyall ꝓcure vs the ſuff[…]a[…]s and bleſſyd obla[…]yon of the holy maſſe wherof no man lyuyng ſo well can tell the frute as we that here fele yt.

The cūforte that we haue here except our cōtinuall hope in our lord god cummeth at ſeaſons from our Lady / wyth ſuch gloryouſe ſayntys as either our ſelf wyth our own deuocyō whyle we lyued / or ye wyth yours for vs ſynnys our deceaſe and departyng haue made interceſſours for vs. And among other ryght eſpecyally be we beholden to the bleſſyd ſpyrytys our own proper good angels / Whō when w[…] behold cūmyng wyth cūfort to vs / albe yt that we take great pleſure and […] theryn: yet ys yt not wythout mych confuſyon and […] to conſyder how lytle we regardyd our good angels & how ſe▪ d[…] we thoght vppon thē whyle we lyued. Thay […] vp our prayers to god & good ſayntꝭ for vs: & they bryng down fro thē the cūfort and conſolacyon to vs. Wyth whych when they cum & cūfort vs: only god and we know what ioy yt is to our hartys & how hartely we pray for you. And therfore yf god accept the prayour after hys own fauour born toward hym that prayeth & thaffeccyon that he prayeth wyth: our prayer muſt nedys be profytable / for we ſta[…]d ſure of hys grace. And our prayer ys for you ſo feruent / that ye can no where fynde eny ſuch affeccyon vppō erth. And therfore ſyth we […] ſo ſore in paynys & haue in our great neceſſyte ſo gret nede of your help & y• ye may ſo well do yt / wherby ſhall alſo rebownd vppō your ſelf an ineſtymable ꝓfyte: let neuer eny ſlouthfull oblyuyon race vs out of your remēbraūce / or malicyouſe enmy of ours cauſe you to be careleſſe of vs / or eny gredy mynde vppō your good withdraw your gracyouſe almes frō vs. Thynk how ſone ye ſhall cū hether to vs: thynk what great grefe and rebuke wold then your vnkyndnes be to you: what cūfort on the cōtrary part when all we ſhall thank you: what help ye ſhall haue here of your good ſent hether. Remember what kyn ye and we be to gether: what familier frēdſyp hath ere this bene betwene vs: what ſwete wordys ye haue ſpoken and what promyſe ye haue made vs. Let now your wordis appere and your fayre promyſe be kept. Now dere frendys remēber how nature & cryſtendom byndeth you to remēber vs. If eny poynt of your old fauour / eny pece of your old loue / eny kindnes of kinred / eny c[…]re of acquayntance / eny fauour of old frendſhyp / eny ſpark of charyte / eny tender poynt of pyte / eny regard of nature / eny reſpect of cryſtendū / be left in your breſtys: let neuer the malyce of a few fond felowes a few peſtylent perſons born toward preſthod / relygyon / and your cryſten fayth: race out of your hartys the care of your kynred / all force of your old frendys / and all remembraunce of all cryſten ſoulys. Remē ber our thurſt whyle ye ſyt & drynk: out honger whyle ye be feſting: our reſtleſſe wach whyle ye be ſlepyng: our ſore and greuouſe payn whyle ye be playng: our hote burnyng fyre whyle ye be in pleſure & ſportyng: ſo mote god make yourof ſprynge after remēber you: ſo god kepe you hens or not long here: but brynge you ſhortely to that blyſſe / to whych for our lordys loue help you to brynge vs / and we ſhall ſet hand to help you thyther to vs⸫

Finis. Cum priuilegio⸫

Chapter 3 of 3