,,dialogue ,,of ,,comfort ,,against     
,,tribulation  by ,st4 ,thomas ,more    
with modifications to obsolete language 
by ,monica ,stevens     ,,published     
#aiea ,,by ,,sheed ,,and ,,ward1 ,,ltd4 
#aaj_/aaa ,,fleet ,,street1 ,,london1   
,e4,c4#d ,,and ,,sheed ,,and ,,ward1    
,,inc4 #hcj ,,broadway1 ,,new ,,york1 #c
     ,,note  ,this edition of the       
,dialogue of ,comfort has been          
transcribed from the #aeeg version as it
 appears in ,everyman's ,library4 ,the  
,everyman edition is heartily           
recommended to readers who would like to
 taste the dialogue in its original     
form4  ,the first plan was to change    
only the spelling4 ,it soon became      
evident that the punctuation would have 
to be changed to follow present usage4  
,the longest sentences were then broken 
up into two or three1 and certain others
 were rearranged into a word order more 
like that of today4 ,nothing was        
omitted1 however1 and nothing was added 
except relative pronouns1 parts of to   

be1 and other such neutral connectives4 
,finally1 obsolete words were changed to
 more familiar equivalents except when  
they were entirely clear and too good to
 lose4 ,thus wot became know but gigglot
 and galp up the ghost were retained4   
,words that have come to have a quite   
different meaning for us1 such as fond  
and lust were replaced by less ambiguous
 ones--wherever possible1 by ones that  
,more himself used elsewhere4  ,the text
 has not been cut or expanded1          
re-interpreted or edited4 ,any          
transcription seems to involve some     
interpretation1 conscious or otherwise1 
but an effort has been made to keep it  
to a minimum4 ,passages that seemed to  
make no sense have therefore been left  
unaltered4 ,if other readers find       
solutions for them their suggestions    
will be welcomed4  ,this is not in any  
sense a scholarly piece of work4 ,that  
would require a very different method1  
as well as a far more thorough knowledge
 of sixteenth-century ,english4 ,it     

would be a most commendable undertaking1
 but it might result in an edition for  
the learned4 ,this one is for everyone  
who has the two essentials1 faith and   
intelligence1 presupposed by ,anthony in
 ,chapter ,,ii4  ,,monica ,,stevens     
,middlebury1 ,vermont4 ,feast of ,st4   
,benedict1 #aiej4     ,,book ,,one      
,,vincent3  ,who would have thought1 ,o 
my good uncle1 a few years past1 that   
those in this country who would visit   
their friends lying in disease and      
sickness would come1 as ,i do now1 to   
seek and fetch comfort of them8 ,or who 
would have thought that in giving       
comfort to them they would use the way  
that ,i may well use to you8 ,for albeit
 that the priests and friars be wont to 
call upon sick men to remember death1   
yet we worldly friends1 for fear of     
discomforting them1 have ever had a way 
here in ,hungary of lifting up their    
hearts and putting them in good hope of 
life4  ,but now1 my good uncle1 the     
world is here waxed such1 and so great  

perils appear here to fall at hand1 that
 methinketh the greatest comfort a man  
can have is when he can see that he     
shall soon be gone4 ,and we who are     
likely long to live here in wretchedness
 have need of some comforting counsel   
against tribulation to be given us by   
such as you1 good uncle4 ,for you have  
so long lived virtuously1 and are so    
learned in the law of ,god that very few
 are better in this country4 ,and you   
have had yourself good experience and   
assay of such things as we do now fear1 
as one who hath been taken prisoner in  
,turkey two times in your days1 and is  
now likely to depart hence ere long4    
,but that may be your great comfort1    
good uncle1 since you depart to ,god4   
,but us of your kindred shall you leave 
here1 a company of sorry comfortless    
orphans4 ,for to all of us your good    
help1 comfort1 and counsel hath long    
been a great stay--not as an uncle to   
some1 and to others as one further of   
kin1 but as though to us all you had    

been a natural father4  ,,anthony3      
,mine own good cousin1 ,i cannot much   
deny but what there is indeed1 not only 
here in ,hungary but also in almost all 
places in ,christendom1 such a customary
 manner of unchristian comforting4 ,and 
in any sick man it doth more harm than  
good1 by drawing him in time of         
sickness1 with looking and longing for  
life1 from the meditation of death1     
judgment1 heaven1 and hell1 with which  
he should beset much of his time--even  
all his whole life in his best health4  
,yet is that manner of comfort to my    
mind more than mad when it is used to a 
man of mine age4 ,for as we well know   
that a young man may die soon1 so are we
 very sure that an old man cannot live  
long4 ,and yet there is 7as ,tully      
saith7 no man so old but that1 for all  
that1 he hopeth yet that he may live one
 year more1 and of a frail folly        
delighteth to think thereon and comfort 
himself therewith4 ,so other men's words
 of such comfort1 adding more sticks to 

that fire1 shall 7in a manner7 quite    
burn up the pleasant moisture that      
should most refresh him--the wholesome  
dew1 ,i mean1 of ,god's grace1 by which 
he should wish with ,god's will to be   
hence1 and long to be with him in       
,heaven4  ,now1 as for your taking my   
departing from you so heavily 7as that  
of one from whom you recognize1 of your 
goodness1 to have had here before help  
and comfort71 would ,god ,i had done to 
you and to others half so much as ,i    
myself reckon it would have been my duty
 to do6 ,but whensoever ,god may take me
 hence1 to reckon yourselves then       
comfortless1 as though your chief       
comfort stood in me--therein would you  
make1 methinketh1 a reckoning very much 
as though you would cast away a strong  
staff and lean upon a rotten reed4 ,for 
,god is1 and must be1 your comfort1 and 
not ,i4 ,and he is a sure comforter1 who
 7as he said unto his disciples7 never  
leaveth his servants comfortless        
orphans1 not even when he departed from 

his disciples by death4 ,but he both    
sent them a comforter1 as he had        
promised1 the ,holy ,spirit of his      
,father and himself1 and he also made   
them sure that to the world's end he    
would ever dwell with them himself4 ,and
 therefore1 if you be part of his flock 
and believe his promise1 how can you be 
comfortless in any tribulation1 when    
,christ and his ,holy ,spirit1 and with 
them their inseparable ,father1 if you  
put full trust and confidence in them1  
are never either one finger-breadth of  
space nor one minute of time from you8  
,,vincent3  ,o1 my good uncle1 even     
these selfsame words1 with which you    
prove that because of ,god's own        
gracious presence we cannot be left     
comfortless1 make me now feel and       
perceive how much comfort we shall miss 
when you are gone4 ,for albeit1 good    
uncle1 that while you tell me this ,i   
cannot but grant it for true1 yet if ,i 
had not now heard it from you1 ,i would 
not have remembered it1 nor would it    

have fallen to my mind4 ,and moreover1  
as our tribulations shall increase in   
weight and number1 so shall we need not 
only one such good word or twain1 but a 
great heap of them1 to stable and       
strengthen the walls of our hearts      
against the great surges of this        
tempestuous sea4  ,,anthony3  ,good     
cousin1 trust well in ,god and he shall 
provide you outward teachers suitable   
for every time1 or else shall himself   
sufficiently teach you inwardly4        
,,vincent3  ,very well1 good uncle1 but 
yet if we would leave the seeking of    
outward learning1 when we can have it1  
and look to be inwardly taught by ,god  
alone1 then should be thereby tempt ,god
 and displease him4 ,and since ,i now   
see the likelihood that when you are    
gone we shall be sore destitute of any  
other like you1 therefore methinketh    
that ,god bindeth me of duty to pray you
 now1 good uncle1 in this short time    
that we have you1 that ,i may learn of  
you such plenty of good counsel and     

comfort1 against these great storms of  
tribulation with which both ,i and all  
mine are sore beaten already1 and now   
upon the coming of this cruel ,turk fear
 to fall in far more1 that ,i may1 with 
the same laid up in remembrance1 govern 
and stay the ship of our kindred and    
keep it afloat from peril of spiritual  
drowning4  ,you are not ignorant1 good  
uncle1 what heaps of heaviness have of  
late fallen among us already1 with which
 some of our poor family are fallen into
 such dumps that scantly can any such   
comfort as my poor wit can give them at 
all assuage their sorrow4 ,and now1     
since these tidings have come hither1 so
 hot with the great ,turk's enterprise  
into these parts here1 we can scantly   
talk nor think of anything else than his
 might and our danger4 ,there falleth so
 continually before the eyes of our     
heart a fearful imagination of this     
terrible thing3 his mighty strength and 
power1 his high malice and hatred1 and  
his incomparable cruelty1 with robbing1 

spoiling1 burning1 and laying waste all 
the way that his army cometh2 then1     
killing or carrying away the people     
thence1 far from home1 and there        
severing the couples and the kindred    
asunder1 every one far from the other1  
some kept in thraldom and some kept in  
prison and some for a triumph tormented 
and killed in his presence2 then1       
sending his people hither and his false 
faith too1 so that such as are here and 
still remain shall either both lose all 
and be lost too1 or be forced to forsake
 the faith of our ,saviour ,christ and  
fall to the false sect of ,mahomet4 ,and
 yet--that which we fear more than all  
the rest--no small part of our own folk 
who dwell even here about us are1 we    
fear1 falling to him or already         
confederated with him4 ,if this be so1  
it may haply keep this quarter from the 
,turk's invasion4 ,but then shall they  
that turn to his law leave all their    
neighbours nothing1 but shall have our  
goods given them and our bodies too1    

unless we turn as they do and forsake   
our ,saviour too4 ,and then--for there  
is no born ,turk so cruel to ,christian 
folk as is the false ,christian that    
falleth from the faith--we shall stand  
in peril1 if we persevere in the truth1 
to be more hardly handled and die a more
 cruel death by our own countrymen at   
home than if we were taken hence and    
carried into ,turkey4 ,these fearful    
heaps of peril lie so heavy at our      
hearts1 since we know not into which we 
shall fortune to fall and therefore fear
 all the worst1 that 7as our ,saviour   
prophesied of the people of ,jerusalem7 
many among us wish already1 before the  
peril come1 that the mountains would    
overwhelm them or the valleys open and  
swallow them up and cover them4         
,therefore1 good uncle1 against these   
horrible fears of these terrible        
tribulations--some of which1 as you     
know1 our house hath already1 and the   
rest of which we stand in dread of--give
 us1 while ,god lendeth you to us1 such 

plenty of your comforting counsel as ,i 
may write and keep with us1 to stay us  
when ,god shall call you hence4         
,,anthony3  ,ah1 my good cousin1 this is
 a heavy hearing4 ,and just as we who   
dwell here in this part now sorely fear 
that thing which a few years ago we     
feared not at all1 so ,i suspect that   
ere long they shall fear it as much who 
now think themselves very sure because  
they dwell further off4  ,greece feared 
not the ,turk when ,i was born1 and     
within a while afterward that whole     
empire was his4 ,the great ,sultan of   
,syria thought himself more than his    
match1 and long since you were born hath
 he that empire too4 ,then hath he taken
 ,belgrade1 the fortress of this realm4 
,and since that hath he destroyed our   
noble young goodly king1 and now two of 
them strive for us--our ,lord send the  
grace that the third dog carry not away 
the bone from them both6 ,what of the   
noble strong city of ,rhodes1 the       
winning of which he counted as a victory

 against the whole body of ,christendom1
 since all ,christendom was not able to 
defend that strong town against him8    
,howbeit1 if the princes of ,christendom
 everywhere would1 where there was need1
 have set to their hands in time1 the   
,turk would never have taken any one of 
all those places4 ,but partly because of
 dissensions fallen among ourselves1 and
 partly because no man careth what harm 
other folk feel1 but each part suffereth
 the other to shift for itself1 the     
,turk has in a few years wonderfully    
increased and ,christendom on the other 
hand very sorely decayed4 ,and all this 
is worked by our wickedness1 with which 
,god is not content4  ,but now1 whereas 
you desire of me some plenty of         
comforting things1 which you may put in 
remembrance1 to comfort your company    
with--verily1 in the rehearsing and     
heaping of your manifold fears1 ,i      
myself began to feel that there would be
 much need1 against so many troubles1 of
 many comforting counsels4 ,for surely1 

a little before you came1 as ,i devised 
with myself upon the ,turk's coming1 it 
happened that my mind fell suddenly from
 that to devising upon my own departing4
 ,now1 albeit that ,i fully put my trust
 in ,god and hope to be a saved soul by 
his mercy1 yet no man is here so sure   
that without revelation he may stand    
clean out of dread4 ,so ,i bethought me 
also upon the pain of hell1 and         
afterward1 then1 ,i bethought me upon   
the ,turk again4 ,and at first methought
 his terror nothing1 when ,i compared   
with it the joyful hope of heaven4 ,then
 ,i compared it on the other hand with  
the fearful dread of hell1 casting      
therein in my mind those terrible       
fiendish tormentors1 with the deep      
consideration of that furious endless   
fire4 ,and methought that if the ,turk  
with his whole host1 and all his        
trumpets and timbrels too1 were to come 
to my chamber door and kill me in my    
bed1 in respect of the other reckoning  
,i would regard him not a rush4 ,and    

yet1 when ,i now heard your lamentable  
words1 laying forth as though it were   
present before my face that heap of     
heavy sorrowful tribulations that       
7besides those that are already         
befallen7 are in short space likely to  
follow1 ,i waxed myself suddenly        
somewhat dismayed4 ,and therefore ,i    
well approve your request in this       
behalf1 since you wish to have a store  
of comfort beforehand1 ready by you to  
resort to1 and to lay up in your heart  
as a remedy against the poison of all   
desperate dread that might arise from   
occasion of sore tribulation4 ,and ,i   
shall be glad1 as my poor wit shall     
serve me1 to call to mind with you such 
things as ,i before have read1 heard1 or
 thought upon1 that may conveniently    
serve us to this purpose4   ,i  ,first  
shall you1 good cousin1 understand this3
 ,the natural wise men of this world1   
the old moral philosophers1 laboured    
much in this matter4 ,and many natural  
reasons have they written by which they 

might encourage men to set little by    
such goods--or such hurts1 either--the  
going and coming of which are the matter
 and cause of tribulation4 ,such are the
 goods of fortune1 riches1 favour1      
friends1 fame1 worldly honour1 and such 
other things3 or of the body1 as beauty1
 strength1 agility1 liveliness1 and     
health4 ,these things1 as you know1     
coming to us1 are matter of worldly     
wealth4 ,and1 taken from us by fortune  
or by force or the fear of losing them1 
they are matter of adversity and        
tribulation4 ,for tribulation seemeth   
generally to signify nothing else but   
some kind of grief1 either pain of the  
body or heaviness of the mind4 ,now that
 the body should not feel what it       
feeleth1 all the wit in the world cannot
 bring that about4 ,but that the mind   
should not be grieved either with the   
pain that the body feeleth or with      
occasions of heaviness offered and given
 unto the soul itself1 this thing the   
philosophers laboured very much about4  

,and many goodly sayings have they      
toward strength and comfort against     
tribulation1 exciting men to the full   
contempt of all worldly loss and the    
despising of sickness and all bodily    
grief1 painful death and all4  ,howbeit1
 indeed1 for anything that ever ,i read 
in them1 ,i never could yet find that   
those natural reasons were ever able to 
give sufficient comfort of themselves4  
,for they never stretch so far but that 
they leave untouched1 for lack of       
necessary knowledge1 that special point 
which not only is the chief comfort of  
all but without which also all other    
comforts are nothing4 ,and that point is
 to refer the final end of their comfort
 unto ,god1 and to repute and take for  
the special cause of comfort that by the
 patient sufferance of their tribulation
 they shall attain his favour and for   
their pain receive reward at his hand in
 heaven4 ,and for lack of knowledge of  
this end1 they did1 as they needs must1 
leave untouched also the very special   

means without which we can never attain 
to this comfort1 which is the gracious  
aid and help of ,god to move1 stir1 and 
guide us forward in the referring of all
 our ghostly comfort--yea1 and our      
worldly comfort too--all unto that      
heavenly end4 ,and therefore1 as ,i say1
 for the lack of these things1 all their
 comforting counsels are very far       
insufficient4  ,howbeit1 though they be 
far unable to cure our disease of       
themselves and therefore are not        
sufficient to be taken for our          
physicians1 some good drugs have they   
yet in their shops4 ,they may therefore 
be suffered to dwell among our          
apothecaries1 if their medicines be made
 not of their own brains but after the  
bills made by the great physician ,god1 
prescribing the medicines himself and   
correcting the faults of their erroneous
 recipes4 ,for unless we take this way  
with them1 they shall not fail to do as 
many bold blind apothecaries do who1    
either for lucre or out of a foolish    

pride1 give sick folk medicines of their
 own devising4 ,for therewith do they   
kill up in corners many such simple folk
 as they find so foolish as to put their
 lives in the hands of such ignorant and
 unlearned ,blind ,bayards4  ,we shall  
therefore neither fully receive these   
philosophers' reasons in this matter1   
nor yet utterly refuse them4 ,but1 using
 them in such order as may beseem them1 
we shall fetch the principal and        
effectual medicines against these       
diseases of tribulation from that high1 
great1 and excellent physician without  
whom we could never be healed of our    
very deadly disease of damnation4 ,for  
our necessity in that regard1 the       
,spirit of ,god spiritually speaketh of 
himself to us1 and biddeth us give him  
the honour of all our health4 ,and      
therein he thus saith unto us3 ,honour  
thou the physician1 for him hath the    
high ,god ordained for thy necessity4   
,therefore let us pray that high        
physician1 our blessed ,saviour ,christ1

 whose holy manhood ,god ordained for   
our necessity1 to cure our deadly wounds
 with the medicine made of the most     
wholesome blood of his own blessed body4
 ,and let us pray that1 as he cured our 
mortal malady by this incomparable      
medicine1 it may please him to send us  
and put in our minds at this time such  
medicines as may so comfort and         
strengthen us in his grace against the  
sickness and sorrows of tribulation1    
that our deadly enemy the devil may     
never have the power1 by his poisoned   
dart of murmur1 grudge1 and impatience1 
to turn our short sickness of worldly   
tribulation into the endless everlasting
 death of infernal damnation4   ,,ii    
,since all our principal comfort must   
come from ,god1 we must first           
presuppose1 in him to whom we shall give
 any effectual comfort with any ghostly 
counsel1 one ground to begin with1 on   
which all that we shall build may be    
supported and stand2 that is1 the ground
 and foundation of faith4 ,without this1

 had ready before1 all the spiritual    
comfort that anyone may speak of can    
never avail a fly4  ,for just as it     
would be utterly vain to lay natural    
reasons of comfort to him who hath no   
wit1 so would it undoubtedly be         
frustrate to lay spiritual causes of    
comfort to him who hath no faith4 ,for  
unless a man first believe that holy    
scripture is the word of ,god1 and that 
the word of ,god is true1 how can he    
take any comfort in that which the      
scripture telleth him8 ,a man must needs
 take little fruit of scripture1 if he  
either believe not that it be the word  
of ,god1 or else think that1 though it  
were1 it might yet for all that be      
untrue6 ,as this faith is more strong or
 more faint1 so shall the comforting    
words of holy scripture stand the man in
 more stead or less4  ,this virtue of   
faith can no man give himself1 nor yet  
any man to another4 ,but though men may 
with preaching be ministers unto ,god   
therein2 and though a man can1 with his 

own free will1 obeying freely the inward
 inspiration of ,god1 be a weak worker  
with almighty ,god therein2 yet is the  
faith indeed the gracious gift of ,god  
himself4 ,for1 as ,st4 ,james saith1    
,every good gift and every perfect gift 
is given from above1 descending from the
 ,father of lights4 ,therefore1 feeling 
our faith by many tokens very faint1 let
 us pray to him who giveth it to us1    
that it may please him to help and      
increase it4 ,and let us first say with 
him in the gospel1 ,i believe1 good     
,lord1 but help thou the lack of my     
belief4 ,and afterwards1 let us pray    
with the apostles1 ,lord1 increase our  
faith4 ,and finally1 let us consider1 by
 ,christ's saying unto them1 that1 if we
 would not suffer the strength and      
fervour of our faith to wax lukewarm--or
 rather key-cold--and lose its vigour by
 scattering our minds abroad about so   
many trifling things that we very seldom
 think of the matters of our faith1 we  
should withdraw our thought from the    

respect and regard of all worldly       
fantasies1 and so gather our faith      
together into a little narrow room4 ,and
 like the little grain of mustard seed1 
which is by nature hot1 we should set it
 in the garden of our soul1 all weeds   
being pulled out for the better feeding 
of our faith4 ,then shall it grow1 and  
so spread up in height that the         
birds--that is1 the holy angels of      
heaven--shall breed in our soul1 and    
bring forth virtues in the branches of  
our faith4 ,and then1 with the faithful 
trust that through the true belief of   
,god's word we shall put in his promise1
 we shall be well able to command a     
great mountain of tribulation to void   
from the place where it stood in our    
heart1 whereas with a very feeble faith 
and faint1 we shall be scantly able to  
remove a little hillock4  ,and          
therefore1 as for the first conclusion1 
since we must of necessity before any   
spiritual comfort presuppose the        
foundation of faith1 and since no man   

can give us faith but only ,god1 let us 
never cease to call upon ,god for it4   
,,vincent3  ,forsooth1 good uncle1      
methinks that this foundation of faith  
which1 as you say1 must be laid first1  
is so necessarily requisite1 that       
without it all spiritual comfort would  
be given utterly in vain4 ,and therefore
 now shall we pray ,god for a full and  
fast faith4 ,and ,i pray you1 good      
uncle1 proceed you farther in the       
process of your matter of spiritual     
comfort against tribulation4  ,,anthony3
  ,that shall ,i1 cousin1 with good     
will4   ,,iii  ,i will in my poor mind  
assign1 for the first comfort1 the      
desire and longing to be comforted by   
,god4 ,and not without some reason call 
,i this the first cause of comfort4     
,for1 as the cure of that person is in a
 manner desperate1 who hath no will to  
be cured1 so is the comfort of that     
person desperate1 who desireth not his  
own comfort4  ,and here shall ,i note   
you two kinds of folk who are in        

tribulation and heaviness3 one sort that
 will not seek for comfort1 and another 
sort that will4  ,and again1 of those   
that will not1 there are also two sorts4
 ,for the first there are the sort who  
are so drowned in sorrow that they fall 
into a careless deadly dullness1        
regarding nothing1 thinking almost of   
nothing1 no more than if they lay in a  
lethargy4 ,with them it may so befall   
that wit and remembrance will wear away 
and fall even fair from them4 ,and this 
comfortless kind of heaviness in        
tribulation is the highest kind of the  
deadly sin of sloth4  ,another sort     
there are1 who will seek for no comfort1
 nor yet receive none1 but in their     
tribulation 7be it loss or sickness7 are
 so testy1 so fuming1 and so far out of 
all patience that it profiteth no man to
 speak to them4 ,and these are as       
furious with impatience as though they  
were in half a frenzy4 ,and1 from a     
custom of such behaviour1 they may fall 
into one full and whole4 ,and this kind 

of heaviness in tribulation is even a   
dangerous high branch of the mortal sin 
of ire4  ,then is there1 as ,i told you1
 another kind of folk1 who fain would be
 comforted4 ,and yet are they of two    
sorts too4 ,one sort are those who in   
their sorrow seek for worldly comfort4  
,and of them shall we now speak the     
less1 for the divers occasions that we  
shall afterwards have to touch upon them
 in more places than one4 ,but here will
 ,i say this1 which ,i learned of ,st4  
,bernard3 ,he who in tribulation turneth
 himself unto worldly vanities1 to get  
help and comfort from them1 fareth like 
a man who in peril of drowning catcheth 
whatsoever cometh next to hand1 and that
 holdeth he fast1 be it never so simple 
a stick4 ,but then that helpeth him not1
 for he draweth that stick down under   
the water with him1 and there they lie  
both drowned together4 ,so surely1 if we
 accustom ourselves to put our trust of 
comfort in the delight of these childish
 worldly things1 ,god shall for that    

foul fault suffer our tribulation to    
grow so great that all the pleasures of 
this world shall never bear us up1 but  
all our childish pleasure shall drown   
with us in the depth of tribulation4    
,the other sort is1 ,i say1 of those who
 long and desire to be comforted by     
,god4 ,and as ,i told you before1 they  
undoubtedly have a great cause of       
comfort even in that point alone1 that  
they consider themselves to desire and  
long to be comforted by almighty ,god4  
,this mind of theirs may well be cause  
of great comfort to them1 for two great 
considerations4  ,one is that they see  
themselves seek for their comfort where 
they cannot fail to find it4 ,for ,god  
both can give them comfort1 and will4   
,he can1 for he is all-mighty2 he will1 
for he is all-good1 and hath himself    
promised1 ,ask and you shall have4 ,he  
who hath faith--as he must needs have   
who shall take comfort--cannot doubt but
 what ,god will surely keep his promise4
 ,and therefore hath he a great cause to

 be of good comfort1 as ,i say1 in that 
he considereth that he longeth to be    
comforted by him who1 his faith maketh  
him sure1 will not fail to comfort him4 
,but here consider this3 ,i speak here  
of him who in tribulation longeth to be 
comforted by ,god1 and who referreth the
 manner of his comforting to ,god4 ,such
 a man holdeth himself content1 whether 
,god comfort him by taking away or      
diminishing the tribulation itself1 or  
by giving him patience and spiritual    
consolation therein4 ,for if he long    
only to have ,god take his trouble from 
him1 we cannot so well warrant that mind
 for a cause of so great comfort4 ,for a
 man may desire that who never mindeth  
to be the better1 and also may he miss  
the effect of his desire1 because his   
request is haply not good for him4 ,and 
of this kind of longing and requiring1  
we shall have occasion hereafter to     
speak further4 ,but he who1 referring   
the manner of his comforting to ,god1   
desireth of ,god to be comforted1 asketh

 a thing so lawful and so pleasing to   
,god that he cannot fail to fare well4  
,and therefore hath he1 as ,i say1 great
 cause to take comfort in the very      
desire itself4  ,another cause hath he  
to take of that desire a very great     
occasion of comfort4 ,for since his     
desire is good1 and declareth to him    
that he hath a good faith in ,god1 it is
 a good token unto him that he is not an
 abject1 cast out of ,god's gracious    
favour1 since he perceiveth that ,god   
hath put such a virtuous1 well-ordered  
appetite in his mind4 ,for as every evil
 mind cometh of the world and ourselves 
and the devil1 so is every such good    
mind inspired into man's heart1 either  
immediately or by the mean of our good  
angel or other gracious occasion1 by the
 goodness of ,god himself4 ,and what a  
comfort then may this be to us1 when we 
by that desire perceive a sure undoubted
 token that towards our final salvation 
our ,saviour is himself so graciously   
busy about us6   ,,iv  ,,vincent3       

,forsooth1 good uncle1 this good mind of
 longing for ,god's comfort is a good   
cause of great comfort indeed--our ,lord
 in tribulation send it to us6 ,but by  
this ,i see well1 that woe may they be  
who in tribulation lack that mind and   
who desire not to be comforted by ,god1 
but either are of sloth or impatience   
discomfortless1 or else of folly seek   
for their chief ease and comfort        
anywhere else4  ,,anthony3  ,that is1   
good cousin1 very true1 as long as they 
stand in that state4 ,but then you must 
consider that tribulation is a means to 
drive them from that state1 and that is 
one of the causes for which ,god sendeth
 it unto man4 ,for albeit that pain was 
ordained by ,god for the punishment of  
sins 7so that they who never do now but 
sin cannot but be ever punished in hell7
 yet in this world1 in which his high   
mercy giveth men space to be better1 the
 punishment that he sendeth by          
tribulation serveth ordinarily for a    
means of amendment4  ,st4 ,paul himself 

was sorely against ,christ1 till ,christ
 gave him a great fall and threw him to 
the ground1 and struck him stark blind4 
,and with that tribulation he turned to 
him at the first word1 and ,god was his 
physician and healed him soon after both
 in body and in soul by his minister    
,ananias and made him his blessed       
apostle4 ,some are in the beginning of  
tribulation very stubborn and stiff     
against ,god1 and yet at length         
tribulation bringeth them home4 ,the    
proud king ,pharaoh did abide and endure
 two or three of the first plagues1 and 
would not once stoop at them4 ,but then 
,god laid on a sorer lash that made him 
cry to him for help4 ,and then sent he  
for ,moses and ,aaron and confessed     
himself for a sinner and ,god for good  
and righteous4 ,and he prayed them to   
pray for him and to withdraw that       
plague1 and he would let them go4 ,but  
when his tribulation was withdrawn1 then
 was he wicked again4 ,so was his       
tribulation occasion of his profit1 and 

his help in turn was cause of his harm4 
,for his tribulation made him call to   
,god1 and his help made hard his heart  
again4 ,many a man who in an easy       
tribulation falleth to seek his ease in 
the pastime of worldly fantasies1 in a  
greater pain findeth all those comforts 
so feeble that he is fain to fall to the
 seeking of ,god's help4  ,and therefore
 is1 ,i say1 the very tribulation itself
 many times a means to bring the man to 
the taking of the aforementioned comfort
 therein--that is1 to the desire of     
comfort given by ,god4 ,for this desire 
of ,god's comfort is1 as ,i have proved 
you1 great cause of comfort itself4   ,v
  ,howbeit1 though the tribulation      
itself be a means oftentimes to get a   
man this first comfort in it1 yet       
sometimes itself alone bringeth not a   
man to it4 ,and therefore1 since unless 
this comfort be had first1 there can in 
tribulation no other good comfort come  
forth1 we must consider the means by    
which this first comfort may come4      

,meseemeth that if the man of sloth or  
impatience or hope of worldly comfort   
have no mind to desire and seek for     
comfort of ,god1 those who are his      
friends1 who come to visit and comfort  
him1 must before everything put that    
point in his mind1 and not spend the    
time 7as they commonly do7 in trifling  
and in turning him to the fantasies of  
the world4 ,they must also move him to  
pray ,god to put this desire in  his    
mind4 ,for when he once getteth it1 he  
then hath the first comfort--and1       
without doubt1 if it be well considered1
 a comfort marvellously great4 ,his     
friends who thus counsel him must also1 
to the attaining thereof1 help to pray  
for him themselves1 and cause him to    
desire good folk to help him to pray for
 it4 ,and then1 if these ways be taken  
to get it1 ,i doubt not but the goodness
 of ,god shall give it4   ,,vi          
,,vincent3  ,verily methinketh1 good    
uncle1 that this counsel is very good4  
,for unless a person have first a desire

 to be comforted by ,god1 ,i cannot see 
what it can avail to give him any       
further counsel of any spiritual        
comfort4  ,howbeit1 what if the man have
 this desire of ,god's comfort3 that is1
 that it may please ,god to comfort him 
in his tribulation by taking that       
tribulation from him--is not this a good
 desire of ,god's comfort1 and a desire 
sufficient for him who is in            
tribulation8  ,,anthony3  ,no1 cousin1  
that it is not4 ,i touched before upon  
this point and passed it over1 because  
,i thought it would fall in our way     
again1 and so know ,i well that it will1
 oftener than once4 ,and now am ,i glad 
that you yourself move it to me here4   
,a man may many times1 well and without 
sin1 desire of ,god that the tribulation
 be taken from him4 ,but neither may we 
desire that in every case1 nor yet very 
well in any case 7except very few7 save 
under a certain condition1 either       
expressed or implied4 ,for tribulations 
are1 as you know well1 of many sundry   

kinds4 ,some are by loss of goods or    
possessions1 some by the sickness of    
ourselves1 and some by the loss of      
friends or by some other pain put unto  
our bodies4 ,some are by the dread of   
losing these things that we fain would  
save1 under which fear fall all the same
 things that we have spoken of before4  
,for we may fear loss of goods or       
possessions1 or the loss of our friends1
 or their grief and trouble or our own  
by sickness1 imprisonment1 or other     
bodily pain4 ,we may be troubled most of
 all with the fear of that thing which  
he feareth least of all who hath most   
need to do so--that is1 the fear of     
losing through deadly sin the life of   
his blessed soul4 ,and this last kind of
 tribulation1 as the sorest tribulation 
of all1 though we may touch some pieces 
of it here and there before1 yet the    
chief part and the principal pain will  
,i reserve to treat apart effectually at
 the end4  ,but now1 as ,i said1 since  
the kinds of tribulation are so diverse1

 a man may pray ,god to take some of    
these tribulations from him1 and may    
take some comfort in the trust that ,god
 will do so4 ,and therefore against     
hunger1 sickness1 and bodily hurt1 and  
against the loss of either body or soul1
 men may lawfully many times pray to the
 goodness of ,god1 either for themselves
 or for their friends4 ,and toward this 
purpose are expressly prayed many devout
 orisons in the common services of our  
mother ,holy ,church4 ,and toward our   
help in some of these things serve some 
of the petitions in the ,pater ,noster1 
in which we pray daily for our daily    
food1 and to be preserved from the fall 
into temptation1 and to be delivered    
from evil4  ,but yet may we not always  
pray for the taking away from us of     
every kind of temptation4 ,for if a man 
should in every sickness pray for his   
health again1 when should he show       
himself content to die and to depart    
unto ,god8 ,and that mind must a man    
have1 you know1 or else it will not be  

well with him4 ,it is a tribulation to  
good men to feel in themselves the      
conflict of the flesh against the soul  
and the rebellion of sensuality against 
the rule and governance of reason--the  
relics that remain in mankind of old    
original sin1 of which ,st4 ,paul so    
sore complaineth in his epistle to the  
,romans4 ,and yet may we not pray1 while
 we stand in this life1 to have this    
kind of tribulation utterly taken from  
us4 ,for it is left us by ,god's        
ordinance to strive against it and fight
 with it1 and by reason and grace to    
master it and use it for the matter of  
our merit4  ,for the salvation of our   
soul may we boldly pray4 ,for grace may 
we boldly pray1 for faith1 for hope1 and
 for charity1 and for every such virtue 
as shall serve us toward heaven4 ,but as
 for all the other things before        
mentioned 7in which is contained the    
matter of every kind of tribulation71 we
 may never well make prayers so         
precisely but that we must express or   

imply a condition therein--that is1 that
 if ,god see the contrary better for us1
 we refer it wholly to his will4 ,and if
 that be so1 we pray that ,god1 instead 
of taking away our grief1 may send us of
 his goodness either spiritual comfort  
to take it gladly or at least strength  
to bear it patiently4  ,for if we       
determine with ourselves that we will   
take no comfort in anything but the     
taking of our tribulation from us1 then 
either we prescribe to ,god that he     
shall do us no better turn1 even though 
he would1 than we will ourselves appoint
 him2 or else we declare that we        
ourselves can tell better than he what  
is better for us4 ,and therefore1 ,i    
say1 let us in tribulation desire his   
help and comfort1 and let us remit the  
manner of that comfort unto his own high
 pleasure4 ,when we do this1 let us     
nothing doubt but that1 as his high     
wisdom better seeth what is best for us 
than we can see it ourselves1 so shall  
his sovereign high goodness give us that

 thing that shall indeed be best4  ,for 
otherwise1 if we presume to stand to our
 own choice--unless ,god offer us the   
choice himself1 as he did to ,david in  
the choice of his own punishment1 after 
his high pride conceived in the         
numbering of the people--we may         
foolishly choose the worst4 ,and by     
prescribing unto ,god ourselves so      
precisely what we will that he shall do 
for us1 unless of his gracious favour he
 reject our folly1 he shall for         
indignation grant us our own request1   
and afterward shall we well find that it
 shall turn us to harm4  ,how many men  
attain health of body for whom it would 
be better1 for their soul's health1 that
 their bodies were sick still8 ,how many
 get out of prison who happen outside on
 such harm as the prison would have kept
 them from8 ,how many who have been loth
 to lose their worldly goods have1 in   
keeping of their goods1 soon afterward  
lost their life8 ,so blind is our       
mortality and so unaware what will      

befall--so unsure also what manner of   
mind we ourselves will have             
tomorrow--that ,god could not lightly do
 a man more vengeance than to grant him 
in this world his own foolish wishes4   
,what wit have we poor fools to know    
what will serve us8 ,for the blessed    
apostle himself in his sore tribulation1
 praying thrice unto ,god to take it    
away from him1 was answered again by    
,god 7in a manner7 that he was but a    
fool in asking that request1 but that   
the help of ,god's grace in that        
tribulation to strengthen him was far   
better for him than to take that        
tribulation from him4 ,and therefore1   
perceiving well by experience the truth 
of the lesson1 he giveth us good warning
 not to be too bold of our minds1 when  
we require aught of ,god1 at his own    
pleasure4 ,for his own ,holy ,spirit so 
sore desireth our welfare that1 as men  
say1 he groaneth for us1 in such wise as
 no tongue can tell4 ,what we may pray  
for1 that would be behovable for us1 we 

cannot ourselves tell1 saith ,st4 ,paul1
 but the ,spirit himself desireth for us
 with unspeakable groanings4  ,and      
therefore ,i say1 for conclusion of this
 point1 let us never ask of ,god        
precisely our own ease by delivery from 
our tribulation1 but pray for his aid   
and comfort by such ways as he himself  
shall best like1 and then may we take   
comfort even of our such request4 ,for  
we may be sure that this mind cometh of 
,god4 ,and also we may be very sure that
 as he beginneth to work with us1       
so--unless we ourselves fly from him--he
 will not fail to tarry with us4 ,and   
then1 if he dwell with us1 what trouble 
can do us harm8 ,if ,god be with us1    
saith ,st4 ,paul1 who can stand against 
us8   ,,vii  ,,vincent3  ,you have1 good
 uncle1 well opened and declared the    
question that ,i demanded you--that is1 
what manner of comfort a man might pray 
for in tribulation4 ,and now proceed    
forth1 good uncle1 and show us yet      
farther some other spiritual comfort in 

tribulation4  ,,anthony3  ,this may be1 
methinketh1 good cousin1 great comfort  
in tribulation3 that every tribulation  
which any time falleth unto us is either
 sent to be medicinable1 if men will so 
take it2 or may become medicinable1 if  
men will so make it2 or is better than  
medicinable1 unless we will forsake it4 
,,vincent3  ,surely this is very        
comforting--if we can well perceive it6 
,,anthony3  ,there three things that ,i 
tell you1 we shall consider thus3 ,every
 tribulation that we fall in1 either    
cometh by our own known deserving deed  
bringing us to it1 as the sickness that 
followeth our intemperate surfeit or the
 imprisonment or other punishment put   
upon a man for his heinous crime2 or    
else it is sent us by ,god without any  
certain deserving cause open and known  
to ourselves1 either for punishment of  
some sins past 7we know not certainly   
which7 or for preserving us from sin in 
which we would otherwise be like to     
fall2 or finally it is not due to the   

man's sin at all but is for the proof of
 his patience and increase of his merit4
 ,in all the former cases tribulation   
is1 if we will1 medicinable4 ,in this   
last case of all1 it is better than     
medicinable4   ,,viii  ,,vincent3  ,this
 seemeth to me very good1 good uncle1   
save that it seemeth somewhat brief and 
short1 and thereby methinketh somewhat  
obscure and dark4  ,,anthony3  ,we shall
 therefore1 to give it light withal1    
touch upon every member of it somewhat  
more at large4  ,one member is1 as you  
know1 of them that fall in tribulation  
through their own certain well-deserving
 deed1 open and known to themselves1 as 
when we fall in a sickness following    
upon our own gluttonous feasting1 or    
when a man is punished for his own open 
fault4 ,these tribulations1 and others  
like them1 may seem not to be           
comfortable1 in that a man may be sorry 
to think himself the cause of his own   
harm4 ,yet hath he good cause of comfort
 in them1 if he consider that he may    

make them medicinable for himself if he 
will4 ,for whereas there was due to that
 sin1 unless it were purged here1 a far 
greater punishment after this world in  
another place1 this worldly tribulation 
of pain and punishment1 by ,god's good  
provision for him put upon him here in  
this world before1 shall by the mean of 
,christ's passion1 if the man will in   
true faith and good hope by meek and    
patience sufferance of his tribulation  
so make it1 serve him for a sure        
medicine to cure him4 ,and it shall     
clearly discharge him of all the        
sickness and disease of those pains that
 he should otherwise suffer afterward4  
,for such is the great goodness of      
almighty ,god that he punisheth not the 
same thing twice4  ,and albeit that this
 punishment is put unto the man1 not of 
his own election and free choice but by 
force1 so that he would fain avoid it   
and falleth in it against his will1 and 
therefore it seemeth worthy of no       
thanks2 yet the great goodness of       

almighty ,god so far surpasseth the poor
 imperfect goodness of man1 that though 
men make their reckoning here one with  
another such1 ,god yet of his high      
bounty in man's account alloweth it     
toward him far otherwise4 ,for though a 
man fall in his pain by his own fault1  
and also at first against his will1 yet 
as soon as he confesseth his fault and  
applieth his will to be content to      
suffer that pain and punishment for the 
same1 and waxeth sorry not only that he 
shall sustain such punishment but also  
that he hath offended ,god and thereby  
deserved much more1 our ,lord from that 
time counteth it not for pain taken     
against his will4 ,but it shall be a    
marvellous good medicine1 and work as a 
willingly taken pain the purgation and  
cleansing of his soul with gracious     
remission of his sin1 and of the far    
greater pain that otherwise would have  
been prepared for it1 peradventure      
forever in hell4 ,for many there are    
undoubtedly who would otherwise drive   

forth and die in their deadly sin1 who  
yet in such tribulation1 feeling their  
own frailty so effectually and the false
 flattering world failing them1 turn    
full goodly to ,god and call for mercy4 
,and so by grace they make virtue of    
necessity1 and make a medicine of their 
malady1 taking their trouble meekly1 and
 make a right godly end4  ,consider well
 the story of ,acham1 who committed     
sacrilege at the great city of ,jericho4
 ,thereupon ,god took a great vengeance 
upon the children of ,israel1 and       
afterward told them the cause and bade  
them go seek the fault and try it out by
 lots4 ,when the lot fell upon the very 
man who did it--being tried by the lot  
falling first upon his tribe and then   
upon his family and then upon his house 
and finally upon his person--he could   
well see that he was deprehended and    
taken against his will4 ,but yet at the 
good exhortation of ,josue saying unto  
him1 ,mine own son1 give glory to the   
,god of ,israel1 and confess and show me

 what thou hast done1 and hide it not1  
he confessed humbly the theft and meekly
 took his death for it4 ,and he had1 ,i 
doubt not1 both strength and comfort in 
his pain1 and died a very good man4     
,yet1 if he had never come in           
tribulation1 he would have been in peril
 never haply to have had just remorse in
 all his whole life1 but might have died
 wretchedly and gone to the devil       
eternally4 ,and thus made this thief a  
good medicine of his well-deserved pain 
and tribulation4  ,consider well the    
converted thief who hung on ,christ's   
right hand4 ,did not he1 by his meek    
sufference and humble knowledge of his  
fault1 asking forgiveness of ,god and   
yet content to suffer for his sin1 make 
of his just punishment and well-deserved
 tribulation a very good special        
medicine to cure him of all pain in the 
other world1 and win him eternal        
salvation8  ,and thus ,i say that this  
kind of tribulation1 though it seem the 
most base and the least comfortable1 is 

yet1 if the man will so make it1 a very 
marvellous wholesome medicine4 ,and it  
may therefore be1 to the man who will so
 consider it1 a great cause of comfort  
and spiritual consolation4   ,,ix       
,,vincent3  ,verily1 mine uncle1 this   
first kind of tribulation have you to my
 mind opened sufficiently4 ,and         
therefore1 ,i pray you1 resort now to   
the second4  ,,anthony3  ,the second    
kind1 you know1 was of such tribulation 
as is so sent us by ,god that we know no
 certain cause deserving that present   
trouble1 as we certainly know that upon 
such-and-such a surfeit we fell in      
such-and-such a sickness1 or as the     
thief knoweth that for a certain theft  
he is fallen into a certain punishment4 
,but yet1 since we seldom lack faults   
against ,god worthy and well-deserving  
of great punishment1 indeed we may well 
think--and wisdom it is to do so--that  
with sin we have deserved it and that   
,god for some sin sendeth it1 though we 
know not certainly for which4 ,and      

therefore thus far is this kind of      
tribulation somewhat in effect to be    
taken alike unto the other4 ,for you    
see1 if we thus will take it1 reckoning 
it to be sent for sin and suffering it  
meekly therefor1 it is medicinable      
against the pain of the other world to  
come for our past sins in this world1   
,and this is1 as ,i have showed you1 a  
cause of right great comfort4  ,but yet 
may then this kind of tribulation be1 to
 some men of more sober living and      
thereby of more clear conscience1       
somewhat a little more comfortable4     
,they may none otherwise reckon         
themselves than sinners1 for1 as ,st4   
,paul saith1 ,my conscience grudgeth me 
not of anything1 but yet am ,i not      
thereby justified1 and1 as ,st4 ,john   
saith1 ,if we say that we have no sin in
 us1 we beguile ourselves and truth is  
there not in us4 ,yet1 forasmuch as the 
cause is to them not so certain as it is
 to the others afore-mentioned in the   
first kind1 and forasmuch as it is also 

certain that ,god sometimes sendeth     
tribulation to keep and preserve a man  
from such sin as he would otherwise fall
 in 7and sometimes also for exercise of 
their patience and increase of merit71  
great cause of increase in comfort have 
those folk of the clearer conscience in 
the fervour of their tribulation4 ,for  
they may take the comfort of a double   
medicine1 and also of that thing that is
 of the kind that we shall finally speak
 of1 that ,i call better than           
medicinable4  ,but as ,i have before    
spoken of this kind of tribulation--how 
it is medicinable in that it cureth the 
sin past and purchaseth remission of the
 pain due for it--so let us somewhat    
consider how this tribulation sent us by
 ,god is medicinable in that it         
preserveth us from the sins into which  
we would otherwise be like to fall4 ,if 
that thing be a good medicine that      
restoreth us our health when we lose it1
 as good a medicine must this one be    
that preserveth our health while we have

 it1 and suffereth us not to fall into  
that painful sickness that must         
afterward drive us to a painful remedy6 
,now ,god seeth sometimes that worldly  
wealth is coming so fast upon someone   
7who nevertheless is good7 that1        
foreseeing how much weight of worldly   
wealth the man may bear and how much    
will overcharge him and enhance his     
heart up so high that grace should fall 
from him1 ,god of his goodness1 ,i say1 
doth anticipate his fall1 and sendeth   
him tribulation betimes while he is yet 
good4 ,and this he doth to make him know
 his maker and1 by less liking the false
 flattering world1 to set a cross upon  
the ship of his heart and bear a low    
sail thereon1 so that the boisterous    
blast of pride blow him not under the   
water4  ,some lovely young lady1 lo1 who
 is yet good enough--,god seeth a storm 
come toward her that would1 if her      
health and fat feeding should last a    
little longer1 strike her into some     
lecherous love and1 instead of her      

old-acquainted knight1 lay her abed with
 a new-acquainted knave4 ,but ,god1     
loving her more tenderly than to suffer 
her to fall into such shameful beastly  
sin1 sendeth her in season a goodly fair
 fervent fever1 that maketh her bones to
 rattle and wasteth away her wanton     
flesh4 ,and it beautifieth her fair skin
 with the colour of a kite's claw1 and  
maketh her look so lovely that her love 
would have little pleasure to look upon 
her4 ,and it maketh her also so lusty   
that if her lover lay in her lap she    
should so sore long to throw up unto him
 the very bottom of her stomach that she
 should not be able to restrain it from 
him1 but suddenly lay it all in his     
neck6  ,did not1 as ,i before told you1 
the blessed apostle himself confess that
 the high revelations that ,god had     
given him might have enhanced him into  
so high a pride that he might have      
caught a foul fall1 had not the         
provident goodness of ,god provided for 
his remedy8 ,and what was his remedy but

 a painful tribulation1 so sore that he 
was fain thrice to call to ,god to take 
the tribulation from him4 ,and yet would
 not ,god grant his request1 but let him
 lie therein till he himself1 who saw   
more in ,st4 ,paul than ,st4 ,paul saw  
in himself1 knew well the time was come 
in which he might well without his harm 
take it from  him4  ,and thus you see1  
good cousin1 that tribulation is double 
medicine--both a cure of the sin past1  
and a preservative from the sin that is 
to come4 ,and therefore in this kind of 
tribulation is there good occasion for a
 double comfort2 but that is1 ,i say1   
diversely to sundry diverse folk1 as    
their own conscience is cumbered with   
sin or clear4 ,howbeit1 ,i will advise  
no man to be so bold as to think that   
his tribulation is sent him to keep him 
from the pride of his holiness6 ,let men
 leave that kind of comfort hardly to   
,st4 ,paul1 till their living be like   
his4 ,but of the rest men may well take 
great comfort and good besides4   ,x    

,,vincent3  ,the third kind of          
tribulation1 uncle1 remaineth now--that 
is1 that which is sent a man by ,god1   
and not for his sin either committed or 
which otherwise would come1 and         
therefore is not medicinable1 but is    
sent for exercise of our patience and   
increase of our merit1 and therefore    
better than medicinable4 ,though it be1 
as you say 7and as indeed it is7 better 
for the man than any of the other two   
kinds in another world1 where the reward
 shall be received1 yet ,i cannot see by
 what reason a man can in this world1   
where the tribulation is suffered1 take 
any more comfort in it than in any of   
the other twain that are sent him for   
his sin4 ,for he cannot here know       
whether it be sent him for sin before   
committed1 or for sin that otherwise    
should befall1 or for increase of merit 
and reward after to come4 ,for every man
 hath cause enough to fear and think    
that his sin already past hath deserved 
it1 and that it is not without peril for

 a man to think otherwise4  ,,anthony3  
,this that you say1 cousin1 hath place  
of truth in far the most part of men4   
,and therefore must they not envy nor   
disdain1 since they may take in their   
tribulation sufficient consolation for  
their part1 that some other who is more 
worthy may take yet a great deal more4  
,for1 as ,i told you1 cousin1 though the
 best must confess himself a sinner1 yet
 there are many men--though to the      
multitude1 few--who for the kind of     
their living and the clearness of their 
conscience may well and without sin have
 a good hope that ,god sendeth them some
 great grief for the exercise of their  
patience and for increase of their      
merit4 ,this appeareth not only by ,st4 
,paul1 in the place before remembered1  
but also by the holy man ,job1 who in   
sundry places of his disputations with  
his burdensome comforters forbore not to
 say that the clearness of his own      
conscience declared and showed to       
himself that he deserved not that sore  

tribulation that he then had4 ,howbeit1 
as ,i told you before1 ,i will not      
advise every man at adventure to be bold
 upon this manner of comfort4 ,but yet  
know ,i some men such that ,i would     
dare1 for their more ease and comfort in
 their great and grievous pains1 to put 
them in right good hope that ,god       
sendeth it unto them not so much for    
their punishment as for exercise of     
their patience4  ,and some tribulations 
are there1 also1 that grow upon such    
causes that in those cases ,i would     
never forbear but always would1 without 
any doubt1 give that counsel and comfort
 to any man4  ,,vincent3  ,what causes1 
good uncle1 are those8  ,,anthony3      
,marry1 cousin1 wheresoever a man       
falleth in tribulation for the          
maintenance of justice or for the       
defence of ,god's cause4 ,for if ,i     
should happen to find a man who had long
 lived a very virtuous life1 and had at 
last happened to fall into the ,turks'  
hands2 and if he there did abide by the 

truth of his faith and1 with the        
suffering of all kinds of torments taken
 upon his body1 still did teach and     
testify the truth2 and if ,i should in  
his passion give him spiritual          
comfort--might ,i be bold to tell him no
 further but that he should take        
patience in his pain1 and that ,god     
sendeth it to him for his sin1 and that 
he is well worthy to have it1 though it 
were yet much more8 ,he might then well 
answer me1 and other such comforters1 as
 ,job answered his3 ,burdensome and     
heavy comforters be you4 ,nay1 ,i would 
not fail to bid him boldly1 while ,i    
should see him in his passion1 to cast  
sin and hell and purgatory and all upon 
the devil's pate1 and doubt not but--as1
 if he gave over his hold1 all his merit
 would be lost and he would be turned to
 misery--so if he stand and persevere   
still in the confession of his faith1   
all his whole pain shall turn all into  
glory4  ,yea1 more shall ,i yet say than
 this4 ,if there were a ,christian man  

who had among those infidels committed a
 very deadly crime1 such as would be    
worthy of death1 not only by their laws 
but by ,christ's too 7as manslaughter1  
or adultery1 or other such thing72 and  
if when he were taken he were offered   
pardon of his life upon condition that  
he should forsake the faith of ,christ2 
and if this man would now rather suffer 
death than so do--should ,i comfort him 
in his pain only as ,i would a          
malefactor8 ,nay1 this man1 though he   
would have died for his sin1 dieth now  
for ,christ's sake1 since he might live 
still if he would forsake him4 ,the bare
 patient taking of his death would have 
served for the satisfaction of his      
sin--through the merit of ,christ's     
passion1 ,i mean1 without help of which 
no pain of our own could be             
satisfactory4 ,but now shall ,christ1   
for his forsaking of his own life in the
 honour of his faith1 forgive the pain  
of all his sins1 of his mere liberality1
 and accept all the pain of his death   

for merit of reward in heaven1 and shall
 assign no part of it to the payment of 
his debt in purgatory1 but shall take it
 all as an offering and requite it all  
with glory4 ,and this man among         
,christian men1 although he had been    
before a devil1 nothing would ,i doubt  
afterward to take him for a martyr4     
,,vincent3  ,verily1 good uncle1        
methinketh this is said marvellous well4
 ,and it specially delighteth and       
comforteth me to hear it1 because of our
 principal fear that ,i first spoke of1 
the ,turk's cruel incursion into this   
country of ours4  ,,anthony3  ,cousin1  
as for the matter of that fear1 ,i      
purpose to touch it last of all4 ,nor   
meant ,i here to speak of it1 had it not
 been that the vehemency of your        
objection brought it in my way4 ,but    
otherwise ,i would rather have put      
instead some example of those who suffer
 tribulation for maintenance of right   
and justice1 and choose rather to take  
harm than to do wrong in any manner of  

matter4 ,for surely if a man may--as    
indeed he may--have great comfort in the
 clearness of his conscience1 who hath a
 false crime put upon him and by false  
witness proved upon him1 and who is     
falsely punished and put to worldly     
shame and pain for it2 a hundred times  
more comfort may he have in his heart   
who1 where white is called black and    
right is called wrong1 abideth by the   
truth and is persecuted for justice4    
,,vincent3  ,then if a man sue me       
wrongfully for my own land1 in which ,i 
myself have good right1 it is a comfort 
yet to defend it well1 since ,god shall 
give me thanks for it8  ,,anthony3  ,nay
 nay1 cousin1 nay1 there walk you       
somewhat wide4 ,for there you defend    
your own right for your temporal avail4 
,but ,st4 ,paul counseleth1 ,defend not 
yourselves1 my more dear friends1 and   
our ,saviour counseleth1 ,if a man will 
strive with thee at the law and take    
away thy coat1 leave him thy gown too4  
,the defence therefore of our own right 

asketh no reward4 ,say you speed well1  
if you get leave2 look hardly for no    
thanks6  ,but on the other hand1 if you 
do as ,st4 ,paul biddeth1 ,seek not for 
your own profit but for other folk's and
 defend therefore of pity a poor widow  
or a poor fatherless child1 and rather  
suffer sorrow by some strong extortioner
 than suffer them to take wrong2 or if  
you be a judge and have such zeal to    
justice that you will abide tribulation 
by the malice of some mighty man rather 
than judge wrong for his favour--such   
tribulations1 lo1 are those that are    
better than only medicinable4 ,and every
 man upon whom they fall may be bold so 
to reckon them1 and in his deep trouble 
may well say to himself the words that  
,christ hath taught him for his comfort1
 ,blessed be the merciful men1 for they 
shall have mercy given them4 ,blessed be
 they that suffer persecution for       
justice1 for theirs is the kingdom of   
heaven4  ,here is a high comfort1 lo1   
for those that are in this case4 ,and   

their own conscience can show it to     
them1 and can fill their hearts so full 
with spiritual joy that the pleasure may
 far surmount the heaviness and grief of
 all their temporal trouble4 ,but ,god's
 nearer cause of faith against the      
,turks hath yet a far surpassing comfort
 that by many degrees far excelleth     
this4 ,and that1 as ,i have said1 ,i    
purpose to treat last4 ,and for this    
time this sufficeth concerning the      
special comfort that men may take in    
this third kind of tribulation4   ,,xi  
,,vincent3  ,of truth1 good uncle1      
albeit that every one of these kinds of 
tribulations have cause of comfort in   
them1 as you have well declared1 if men 
will so consider them1 yet hath this    
third kind above all a special          
prerogative therein4  ,,anthony3  ,that 
is undoubtedly true4 ,but yet even the  
most base kind of them all1 good cousin1
 hath more causes of comfort than ,i    
have spoken of yet4  ,for ,i have1 you  
know1 in that kind that is sent us for  

our sin1 spoken of no other comfort yet 
but twain3 one that it refraineth us    
from sin that otherwise we would fall   
in2 and one that it serveth us1 through 
the merit of ,christ's passion1 as a    
means by which ,god keepeth us from hell
 and serveth for the satisfaction of    
such pain as we should otherwise endure 
in purgatory4 ,howbeit1 there is therein
 another great cause of joy besides     
this4 ,for surely those pains here sent 
us for our sin1 in whatsoever wise they 
happen to us 7be our sin never so sore  
nor never so open and evident unto      
ourselves and all the world too71 yet if
 we pray for grace to take them meekly  
and patiently2 and if1 confessing to    
,god that it is far too little for our  
fault1 we beseech him nevertheless1     
since we shall come hence so void of all
 good works for which we should have any
 reward in heaven1 to be not only so    
merciful to us as to take our present   
tribulation in relief of our pains in   
purgatory1 but also so gracious unto us 

as to take our patience therein for a   
matter of merit and reward in heaven2 ,i
 verily trust--and nothing doubt        
it--that ,god shall of his high bounty  
grant us our boon4  ,for as in hell pain
 serveth only for punishment without any
 manner of purging1 because all         
possibility of purging is past2 and as  
in purgatory punishment serveth only for
 purging1 because the place of deserving
 is past2 so while we are yet in this   
world in which is our place and our time
 of merit and well-deserving1 the       
tribulation that is sent us for our sin 
here shall1 if we faithfully so desire1 
beside the cleansing and purging of our 
pain1 serve us also for increase of     
reward4 ,and so shall1 ,i suppose and   
trust in ,god's goodness1 all such      
penance and good works as a man         
willingly performeth1 enjoined by his   
ghostly father in confession1 or which  
he willingly further doth of his own    
devotion beside4 ,for though man's      
penance1 with all the good works that he

 can do1 be not able to satisfy of      
themselves for the least sin that we do1
 yet the liberal goodness of ,god1      
through the merit of ,christ's bitter   
passion--without which all our works    
could never satisfy so much as a        
spoonful to a great vesselful in        
comparison with the merit and           
satisfaction that ,christ has merited   
and satisfied for us himself--this      
liberal goodness of ,god1 ,i say1 shall 
yet at our faithful instance and request
 cause our penance and tribulation      
patiently taken in this world to serve  
us in the other world both for release  
and reward1 tempered after such rate as 
his high goodness and wisdom shall see  
best for us1 whereof our blind mortality
 cannot here imagine nor devise the     
stint4  ,and thus hath yet even the     
first and most base kind of tribulation1
 though not fully so great as the second
 and very far less than the third1 far  
greater cause of comfort yet than ,i    
spoke of before4   ,,xii  ,,vincent3    

,verily1 good uncle1 this pleaseth me   
very well4 ,but yet are there1 you know1
 some of these things now brought in    
question4 ,for as for any pain due for  
our sin1 to be diminished in purgatory  
by the patient sufferance of tribulation
 here1 there are1 you know1 many who    
utterly deny that1 and affirm for a sure
 truth that there is no purgatory at    
all4 ,and then1 if they say true1 is the
 cause of the comfort gone1 if the      
comfort that we should take be but in   
vain and needless4  ,they say1 you know1
 also that men merit nothing at all1 but
 ,god giveth all for faith alone1 and   
that it would be sin and sacrilege to   
look for reward in heaven either for our
 patience and glad suffering for ,god's 
sake1 or for any other good deed4 ,and  
then is there gone1 if this be thus1 the
 other cause of our further comfort too4
  ,,anthony3  ,cousin1 if some things   
were as they be not1 then should some   
things be as they shall not6 ,i cannot  
indeed deny that some men have of late  

brought up some such opinions1 and many 
more than these besides1 and have spread
 them abroad4 ,and it is a right heavy  
thing to see such variousness in our    
belief rise and grow among ourselves1 to
 the great encouragement of the common  
enemies of us all1 whereby they have our
 faith in derision and catch hope to    
overwhelm us all4 ,yet do three things  
not a little comfort my mind4 ,the first
 is that1 in some communications had of 
late together1 there hath appeared good 
likelihood of some good agreement to    
grow together in one accord of our      
faith4 ,the second is that in the       
meanwhile1 till this may come to pass1  
contentions1 disputations1 and          
uncharitable behaviour are prohibited   
and forbidden in effect upon all        
parties--all such parties1 ,i mean1 as  
fell before to fight for it4 ,the third 
is that in ,germany1 for all their      
diverse opinions1 yet as they agree     
together in profession of ,christ's     
name1 so agree they now together in     

preparation of a common power1 in       
defence of ,christendom against our     
common enemy the ,turk4 ,and ,i trust in
 ,god that this shall not only help us  
here to strengthen us in this war1 but  
also that1 as ,god hath caused them to  
agree together in the defence of his    
name1 so shall he graciously bring them 
to agree together in the truth of his   
faith4 ,therefore will ,i let ,god work1
 and leave off contention4 ,and ,i shall
 now say nothing but that with which    
they who are themselves of the contrary 
mind shall in reason have no cause to be
 discontented4  ,first1 as for          
purgatory3 ,though they think there be  
none1 yet since they deny not that all  
the corps of ,christendom for so many   
hundred years have believed the         
contrary1 and among them all the old    
interpreters of scripture from the      
apostles' days down to our time1 many of
 whom they deny not for holy saints1    
these men must1 of their courtesy1 hold 
my poor fear excused1 that ,i dare not  

now believe them against all those4 ,and
 ,i beseech our ,lord heartily for them1
 that when they depart out of this      
wretched world1 they find no purgatory  
at all--provided ,god keep them from    
hell6  ,as for the merit of man in his  
good works1 neither are those who deny  
it fully agreed among themselves1 nor is
 there any man almost of them all that1 
since they began to write1 hath not     
somewhat changed and varied from        
himself4 ,and far the more part are thus
 far agreed with us3 ,like as we grant  
them that no good work is worth aught   
toward heaven without faith2 and that no
 good work of man is rewardable in      
heaven of its own nature1 but through   
the mere goodness of ,god1 who is       
pleased to put so high a price upon so  
poor a thing2 and that this price ,god  
setteth through ,christ's passion1 and  
also because they are his own works with
 us 7for no man worketh good works      
toward ,god unless ,god work with him72 
and as we grant them also that no man   

may be proud of his works for his own   
imperfect working1 because in all that  
he may do he can do ,god no good1 but is
 an unprofitable servant1 and doth but  
his bare duty--as we1 ,i say1 grant them
 these things1 so this one thing or     
twain do they grant us in turn3 ,that   
men are bound to work good works if they
 have time and power1 and that whosoever
 worketh in true faith most1 shall be   
most rewarded4 ,but then they add to    
this that all his reward shall be given 
him for his faith alone and nothing for 
his works at all1 because his faith is  
the thing1 they say1 that forceth him to
 work well4 ,i will not strive with them
 for this matter now4 ,but yet ,i trust 
to the great goodness of ,god1 that if  
the question hang on that narrow point1 
since ,christ saith in the scripture in 
so many places that men shall in heaven 
be rewarded for their works1 he shall   
never suffer our souls--who are but     
mean-witted men and can understand his  
words only as he himself hath set them  

and as old holy saints have construed   
them before and as all ,christian people
 this thousand year have believed--to be
 damned for lack of perceiving such a   
sharp subtle thing4 ,especially since   
some men who have right good wits1 and  
are beside that right well learned1 too1
 can in no wise perceive for what cause 
or why these folk who take away the     
reward from good works and give that    
reward all whole to faith alone1 give   
the reward to faith rather than to      
charity4 ,for this grant they           
themselves1 that faith serveth of       
nothing unless she be accompanied by her
 sister charity4 ,and then saith the    
scripture1 too1 ,of these three virtues1
 faith1 hope1 and charity1 of all these 
three1 the greatest is charity4 ,and    
therefore it seemeth as worthy to have  
the thanks as faith4 ,howbeit1 as ,i    
said1 ,i will not strive for it1 nor    
indeed as our matter standeth ,i shall  
not greatly need to do so4 ,for if they 
say that he who suffereth tribulation   

and martyrdom for the faith shall have  
high reward1 not for his work but for   
his well-working faith1 yet since they  
grant that have it he shall1 the cause  
of high comfort in the third kind of    
tribulation standeth4 ,and that is1 you 
know1 the effect of all my purpose4     
,,vincent3  ,verily1 good uncle1 this is
 truly driven and tried unto the        
uttermost1 it seemeth to me4 ,and       
therefore ,i pray you proceed at your   
leisure4   ,,xiii  ,,anthony3  ,cousin1 
it would be a long work to peruse every 
comfort that a man may well take in     
tribulation4 ,for as many comforts1 you 
know1 may a man take thereof1 as there  
be good commodities therein4 ,and of    
those there are surely so many that it  
would be very long to rehearse and treat
 of them4 ,but meseemeth we cannot      
lightly better perceive what profit and 
commodity1 and thereby what comfort1    
they may take of it who have it1 than if
 we well consider what harm the lack of 
it is1 and thereby what discomfort the  

lack should be to them that never have  
it4  ,so is it now that all holy men    
agree1 and all the scripture is full1   
and our own experience proveth before   
our eyes1 that we are not come into this
 wretched world to dwell here4 ,we have 
not1 as ,st4 ,paul saith1 our           
dwelling-city here1 but we are seeking  
for the city that is to come4 ,and ,st4 
,paul telleth us that we do seek for it1
 because he would put us in mind that we
 should seek for it1 as good folk who   
fain would come thither4 ,for surely    
whosoever setteth so little by it that  
he careth not to seek for it1 it will ,i
 fear be long ere he come to it1 and    
marvellous great grace if ever he come  
thither4 ,run1 saith ,st4 ,paul1 so that
 you may get it4 ,if it must then be    
gotten with running1 when shall he come 
at it who lifteth not one step toward   
it8  ,now1 because this world is1 as ,i 
tell you1 not our eternal dwelling1 but 
our little-while wandering1 ,god would  
that we should use it as folk who were  

weary of it4 ,and he would that we      
should in this vale of labour1 toil1    
tears1 and misery not look for rest and 
ease1 game1 pleasure1 wealth1 and       
felicity4 ,for those who do so fare like
 a foolish fellow who1 going towards his
 own house where he should be wealthy1  
would for a tapster's pleasure become a 
hostler by the way1 and die in a stable1
 and never come home4  ,and would ,god  
that those that drown themselves in the 
desire of this world's wretched wealth1 
were not yet more fools than he6 ,but   
alas1 their folly as far surpasseth the 
foolishness of that silly fellow as     
there is difference between the height  
of heaven and the very depth of hell4   
,for our ,saviour saith1 ,woe may you be
 that laugh now1 for you shall wail and 
weep4 ,and ,there is a time of weeping1 
saith the scripture1 and there is a time
 of laughing4 ,but1 as you see1 he      
setteth the weeping time before1 for    
that is the time of this wretched world1
 and the laughing time shall come after 

in heaven4 ,there is also a time of     
sowing and a time of reaping1 too4 ,now 
must we in this world sow1 that we may  
in the other world reap4 ,and in this   
short sowing time of this weeping world1
 must we water our seed with the showers
 of our tears4 ,and then shall we have  
in heaven a merry laughing harvest      
forever4 ,they went forth and sowed     
their seeds weeping1 saith the prophet4 
,but what1 saith he1 shall follow       
thereof8 ,they shall come again more    
than laughing1 with great joy and       
exultation1 with their handfuls of corn 
in their hands4 ,lo1 they that in their 
going home towards heaven sow their     
seeds with weeping1 shall at the day of 
judgment come to their bodies again with
 everlasting plentiful laughing4 ,and to
 prove that this life is no laughing    
time1 but rather the time of weeping1 we
 find that our ,saviour himself wept    
twice or thrice1 but never find we that 
he laughed so much as once4 ,i will not 
swear that he never did1 but at least he

 left us no example of it4 ,but on the  
other hand1 he left us example of       
weeping4  ,of weeping have we matter    
enough1 both for our own sins and for   
other folk's1 too4 ,for surely so should
 we do--bewail their wretched sins1 and 
not be glad to detract them nor envy    
them either4 ,alas1 poor souls1 what    
cause is there to envy them who are ever
 wealthy in this world1 and ever out of 
tribulation8 ,of them ,job saith1 ,they 
lead all their days in wealth1 and in a 
moment of an hour descend into their    
graves and are painfully buried in hell4
 ,st4 ,paul saith unto the ,hebrews that
 those whom ,god loveth he chastiseth1  
,and he scourgeth every son of his that 
he receiveth4 ,st4 ,paul saith also1 ,by
 many tribulations must we go into the  
kingdom of ,god4 ,and no marvel1 for our
 ,saviour ,christ said of himself unto  
his two disciples that were going into  
the village of ,emaus1 ,know you not    
that ,christ must suffer and so go into 
his kingdom8 ,and would we who are      

servants look for more privilege in our 
master's house than our master himself8 
,would we get into his kingdom with     
ease1 when he himself got not into his  
own but by pain8 ,his kingdom hath he   
ordained for his disciples1 and he saith
 unto us all1 ,if any man will be my    
disciple1 let him learn of me to do as  
,i have done1 take his cross of         
tribulation upon his back and follow me4
 ,he saith not here1 lo1 ,let him laugh 
and make merry4 ,now if heaven serve but
 for ,christ's disciples1 and if they be
 those who take their cross of          
tribulation1 when shall these folk come 
there who never have tribulation8 ,and  
if it be true1 as ,st4 ,paul saith1 that
 ,god chastiseth all them that he loveth
 and scourgeth every child whom he      
receiveth1 and that to heaven shall not 
come but such as he loveth and          
receiveth1 when shall they come thither 
whom he never chastiseth1 nor never doth
 vouchsafe to defile his hands upon them
 or give them so much as one lash8 ,and 

if we cannot 7as ,st4 ,paul saith we    
cannot7 come to heaven but by many      
tribulations1 how shall they come       
thither who never have none at all8     
,thus see we well1 by the very scripture
 itself1 how true the words are of old  
holy saints1 who with one voice 7in a   
manner7 say all one thing--that is1 that
 we shall not have continual wealth both
 in this world and in the other too4    
,and therefore those who in this world  
without any tribulation enjoy their long
 continual course of never-interrupted  
prosperity have a great cause of fear   
and discomfort lest they be far fallen  
out of ,god's favour1 and stand deep in 
his indignation and displeasure4 ,for he
 never sendeth them tribulation1 which  
he is ever wont to send them whom he    
loveth4 ,but they that are in           
tribulation1 ,i say1 have on the other  
hand a great cause to take in their     
grief great inward comfort and spiritual
 consolation4   ,,xiv  ,,vincent3       
,verily1 good uncle1 this seemeth so    

indeed4 ,howbeit1 yet methinketh that   
you say very sore in some things        
concerning such persons as are in       
continual prosperity4 ,and they are1 you
 know1 not a few2 and they are also     
those who have the rule and authority of
 this world in their hand4 ,and ,i know 
well that when they talk with such great
 learned men as can1 ,i suppose1 tell   
the truth2 and when they ask them       
whether1 while they make merry here in  
earth all their lives1 they may not yet 
for all that have heaven afterwards too2
 they do tell them ,yes1 yes1 well      
enough4 ,for ,i have heard them tell    
them so myself4  ,,anthony3  ,i suppose1
 good cousin1 that no very wise man1 and
 especially none that is also very good1
 will tell any man fully of that        
fashion4 ,but surely such as so say to  
them1 ,i fear me that they flatter them 
thus either for lucre or for fear4      
,some of them think1 peradventure1 thus3
 ,this man maketh much of me now1 and   
giveth me money also to fast and watch  

and pray for him4 ,but so1 ,i fear me1  
would he do no more1 if ,i should go    
tell him now that all that ,i do for him
 will not serve him unless he go fast   
and watch and pray for himself too4 ,and
 if ,i should add thereto and say       
further that ,i trust my diligent       
intercession for him may be the means   
that ,god should the sooner give him    
grace to amend1 and fast and watch and  
pray and take affliction in his own     
body1 for the bettering of his sinful   
soul1 he would be wonderous wroth with  
that4 ,for he would be loth to have any 
such grace at all as should make him go 
leave off any of his mirth1 and so sit  
and mourn for his sin4 ,such mind as    
this1 lo1 have some of those who are not
 unlearned1 and have worldly wit at     
will1 who tell great men such tales as  
perilously beguile them4 ,for the       
flatterer who so telleth them would1 if 
he told a true tale1 jeopard to lose his
 lucre4  ,some are there also who tell  
them such tales for consideration of    

another fear4 ,for seeing the man so    
sore set on his pleasure that they      
despair of any amendment of his1        
whatsoever they should say to him2 and  
then seeing also that the man doth no   
great harm1 but of a courteous nature   
doth some good men some good2 they pray 
,god themselves to send him grace4 ,and 
so they let him lie lame still in his   
fleshly lusts1 at the pool that the     
gospel speaketh of1 beside the temple1  
in which they washed the sheep for the  
sacrifice1 and they tarry to see the    
water stirred4 ,and when his good angel1
 coming from ,god1 shall once begin to  
stir the water of his heart1 and move   
him to the lowly meekness of a simple   
sheep1 then if he call them to him they 
will tell him another tale1 and help to 
bear him and plunge him into the pool of
 penance over the hard ears6 ,but in the
 meanwhile1 for fear lest if he would   
wax never the better he would wax much  
the worse2 and from gentle1 smooth1     
sweet1 and courteous1 might wax angry1  

rough1 froward1 and sour1 and thereupon 
be troublous and tedious to the world to
 make fair weather with2 they give him  
fair words for the while and put him in 
good comfort1 and let him for the rest  
take his own chance4  ,and so deal they 
with him as the mother doth sometimes   
with her child1 when the little boy will
 not rise in time for her1 but will lie 
slug-abed1 and when he is up weepeth    
because he has lain so long1 fearing to 
be beaten at school for his late coming 
thither4 ,she telleth him then that it  
is but early days1 and he shall come in 
time enough1 and she biddeth him1 ,go1  
good son4 ,i warrant thee1 ,i have sent 
to thy master myself4 ,take thy bread   
and butter with thee--thou shalt not be 
beaten at all6 ,and thus1 if she can but
 send him merry forth at the door1 so   
that he weep not in her sight at home1  
she careth not much if he be taken tardy
 and beaten when he cometh to school4   
,surely thus1 ,i fear me1 fare many     
friars and state's chaplains too1 in    

giving comfort to great men when they   
are both loth to displease them4 ,i     
cannot commend their doing thus1 but    
surely ,i fear me thus they do4   ,,xv  
,,vincent3  ,but1 good uncle1 though    
some do thus1 this answereth not the    
full matter4 ,for we see that the whole 
church in the common service uses divers
 collects in which all men pray1        
specially for the princes and prelates1 
and generally every man for others and  
for himself too1 that ,god would        
vouchsafe to send them all perpetual    
health and prosperity4 ,and ,i can see  
no good man praying ,god to send another
 sorrow1 nor are there such prayers put 
in the priests' breviaries1 as far as ,i
 can hear4 ,and yet if it were as you   
say1 good uncle1 that perpetual         
prosperity were so perilous to the soul1
 and tribulation also so fruitful1 then 
meseemeth every man would be bound of   
charity not only to pray ,god send his  
neighbour sorrow1 but also to help      
thereto himself4 ,and when folk were    

sick1 they would be bound not to pray   
,god send them health1 but when they    
came to comfort them1 they should say1  
,i am glad1 good friend1 that you are so
 sick--,i pray ,god keep you long       
therein6 ,and neither should any man    
give any medicine to another nor take   
any medicine himself neither4 ,for by   
the diminishing of the tribulation he   
taketh away part of the profit from his 
soul1 which can with no bodily profit be
 sufficiently recompensed4  ,and also   
this you know well1 good uncle1 that we 
read in holy scripture of men that were 
wealthy and rich and yet were good      
withal4 ,solomon was1 you know1 the     
richest and most wealthy king that any  
man could in his time tell of1 and yet  
was he well beloved with ,god4 ,job also
 was no beggar1 perdy1 nor no wretch    
otherwise4 ,nor did he lose his riches  
and his wealth because ,god would not   
that his friend should have wealth1 but 
rather for the show of his patience1 to 
the increase of his merit and the       

confusion of the devil4 ,and1 for proof 
that prosperity may stand with ,god's   
favour1 ,god restored ,job double of all
 that ever he lost1 and gave him        
afterward long life to take his pleasure
 long4 ,abraham was also1 you know1 a   
man of great substance1 and so continued
 all his life in honour and wealth4     
,yea1 and when he died1 too1 he went    
unto such wealth that when ,lazarus died
 in tribulation and poverty1 the best   
place that he came to was that rich     
man's bosom6  ,finally1 good uncle1 this
 we find before our eyes1 and every day 
we prove it by plain experience that    
many a man is right wealthy and yet     
therewith right good1 and many a        
miserable wretch is as evil as he is    
wretched4 ,and therefore it seemeth     
hard1 good uncle1 that between          
prosperity and tribulation the matter   
should go thus1 that tribulation should 
be given always by ,god to those that he
 loveth1 for a sign of salvation1 and   
prosperity sent for displeasure1 as a   

token of eternal damnation4   ,,xvi     
,,anthony3  ,i said not1 cousin1 that   
for an undoubted rule1 worldly          
prosperity were always displeasing to   
,god or tribulation evermore wholesome  
to every man--or else ,i meant not to   
say it4 ,for well ,i know that our ,lord
 giveth in this world unto either sort  
of folk either sort of fortune4 ,he     
maketh his sun to shine both upon the   
good and the bad1 and his rain to fall  
both on the just and on the unjust4 ,and
 on the other hand1 he scourgeth every  
son that he receiveth1 yet he beateth   
not only good folk that he loveth1 but  
there are many scourges for sinners     
also4 ,he giveth evil folk good fortune 
in this world to call them by           
kindness--and1 if they thereby come not1
 the more is their unkindness4 ,and yet 
where wealth will not bring them1 he    
giveth them sometimes sorrow4 ,and some 
who in prosperity cannot creep forward  
to ,god1 in tribulation they run toward 
him apace4 ,their infirmities were      

multiplied1 saith the prophet1 and after
 that they made haste4 ,to some that are
 good men1 ,god sendeth wealth here     
also2 and they give him great thanks for
 his gift1 and he rewardeth them for the
 thanks too4 ,to some good folk he      
sendeth sorrow1 and they thank him for  
that too4 ,if ,god should give the goods
 of this world only to evil folk1 then  
would men think that ,god were not the  
,lord thereof4 ,if ,god would give the  
goods only to good men1 then would folk 
take occasion to serve him but for them4
 ,some will in wealth fall into folly3  
,when man was in honour1 his            
understanding failed him2 then was he   
compared with beasts and made like unto 
them4 ,some men with tribulation will   
fall into sin1 and therefore saith the  
prophet1 ,god will not leave the rod of 
the wicked men upon the lot of righteous
 men1 lest the righteous peradventure   
extend and stretch out their hands to   
iniquity4 ,so ,i deny not that either   
state1 wealth or tribulation1 may be    

matter of virtue and matter of vice     
also4  ,but this is the point1 lo1 that 
standeth here in question between you   
and me3 not whether every prosperity be 
a perilous token1 but whether continual 
wealth in this world without any        
tribulation be a fearful sign of ,god's 
indignation4 ,and therefore this mark   
that we must shoot at1 set up well in   
our sight1 we shall now aim for the shot
 and consider how near toward1 or how   
far off1 your arrows are from the mark4 
,,vincent3  ,some of my bolts1 uncle1   
will ,i now take up myself1 and readily 
put them under my belt again6 ,for some 
of them1 ,i see well1 are not worth the 
aiming4 ,and no great marvel that ,i    
shoot wide1 while ,i somewhat mistake   
the mark4  ,,anthony3  ,those that make 
toward the mark and light far too short1
 when they are shot1 shall ,i take up   
for you4  ,to prove that perpetual      
wealth should be no evil token1 you say 
first that for princes and prelates1 and
 every man for others1 we pray all for  

perpetual prosperity1 and that in the   
common prayers of the church1 too4      
,then say you secondly1 that if         
prosperity were so perilous and         
tribulation so profitable1 every man    
ought to pray ,god to send others       
sorrow4  ,thirdly1 you furnish your     
objections with examples of ,solomon1   
,job1 and ,abraham4  ,and fourthly1 in  
the end of all1 you prove by experience 
of our own time daily before our face1  
that some wealthy folk are good and some
 needy ones very wicked4 ,that last     
bolt1 since ,i say the same myself1 ,i  
think you will be content to take up1 it
 lieth so far wide4  ,,vincent3  ,that  
will ,i1 with a good will1 uncle4       
,,anthony3  ,well1 do so1 then1 cousin1 
and we shall aim for the rest4  ,first  
must you1 cousin1 be sure that you look 
well to the mark1 and that you cannot do
 so unless you know what tribulation is4
 ,for since that is one of the things   
that we principally speak of1 unless you
 consider well what it is1 you may miss 

the mark again4  ,i suppose now that you
 will agree that tribulation is every   
such thing as troubleth and grieveth a  
man either in body or mind1 and is as it
 were the prick of a thorn1 a bramble1  
or a briar thrust into his flesh or into
 his mind4 ,and surely1 cousin1 the     
prick that very sore pricketh the mind  
surpasseth in pain the grief that       
paineth the body1 almost as far as doth 
a thorn sticking in the heart surpass   
and exceed in pain the thorn that is    
thrust in the heel4  ,now cousin1 if    
tribulation be this that ,i call it1    
then shall you soon consider this3      
,there are more kinds of tribulation    
peradventure than you thought on before4
 ,and thereupon it followeth also1 since
 every kind of tribulation is an        
interruption of wealth1 that prosperity 
7which is but another name for wealth7  
may be discontinued by more ways than   
you would before have thought4 ,then say
 ,i thus unto you1 cousin3 ,since       
tribulation is not only such pangs as   

pain the body1 but every trouble also   
that grieveth the mind1 many good men   
have many tribulations that every man   
marketh not1 and consequently their     
wealth is interrupted when other men are
 not aware4 ,for think you1 cousin1 that
 the temptations of the devil1 the      
world1 and the flesh1 soliciting the    
mind of a good man unto sin1 are not a  
great inward trouble and grief to his   
heart8 ,to such wretches as care not for
 their conscience1 but like unreasonable
 beasts follow their foul affections1   
many of these temptations are no trouble
 at all1 but matter of their bodily     
pleasure4 ,but unto him1 cousin1 that   
standeth in dread of ,god1 the          
tribulation of temptation is so painful 
that1 to be rid of it or to be sure of  
the victory1 he would gladly give more  
than half his substance1 be it never so 
great4 ,now if he who careth not for    
,god think that this trouble is but a   
trifle1 and that with such tribulation  
prosperity is not interrupted1 let him  

cast in his mind if he himself come upon
 a fervent longing for something which  
he cannot get 7as a good man will not71 
as perchance his pleasure of some       
certain good woman who will not be      
caught4 ,and then let him tell me       
whether the ruffle of his desire shall  
not so torment his mind that all the    
pleasures that he can take beside shall1
 for lack of that one1 not please him a 
pin6 ,and ,i dare be bold to warrant him
 that the pain in resisting1 and the    
great fear of falling1 that many a good 
man hath in his temptation1 is an       
anguish and a grief every deal as great 
as this4  ,now ,i say further1 cousin1  
that if this be true1 as indeed it is1  
that such trouble is tribulation1 and   
thereby consequently an interruption of 
prosperous wealth1 no man meaneth       
precisely to pray for another to keep   
him in continual prosperity without any 
manner of discontinuance or change in   
this world4 ,for that prayer1 without   
other condition added or implied1 would 

be inordinate and very childish4 ,for it
 would be to pray either that they      
should never have temptation1 or else   
that if they had they might follow and  
fulfil their affection4 ,who would dare1
 good cousin1 for shame or for sin1 for 
himself or any other man1 to make this  
kind of prayer8  ,besides this1 cousin1 
the church1 you know1 well adviseth     
every man to fast1 to watch1 and to     
pray1 both for taming of his fleshly    
lusts and also to mourn and lament his  
sin before committed and to bewail his  
offence done against ,god1 as they did  
at the city of ,nineve1 and as the      
prophet ,david did for his sin put      
affliction to his flesh4 ,and when a man
 so doth1 cousin1 is this no tribulation
 to him because he doth it himself8 ,for
 ,i know you would agree that it would  
be1 if another man did it against his   
will4 ,then is tribulation1 you know1   
tribulation still1 though it be taken   
well in worth4 ,yea1 and though it be   
taken with very right good will1 yet is 

pain1 you know1 pain1 and therefore so  
is it1 though a man do it himself4      
,then1 since the church adviseth every  
man to take tribulation for his sin1    
whatsoever words you find in any prayer1
 they never mean1 do you be fast and    
sure1 to pray ,god to keep every good   
man 7nor every bad man neither7 from    
every kind of tribulation4  ,now he who 
is not in a certain kind of tribulation1
 as peradventure in sickness or in loss 
of goods1 is not yet out of tribulation4
 ,for he may have his ease of body or   
mind disquieted 7and thereby his wealth 
interrupted7 with another kind of       
tribulation1 as is either temptation to 
a good man1 or voluntary affliction1    
either of body by penance or of mind by 
contrition and heaviness for his sin and
 offence against ,god4 ,and thus ,i say 
that for precise perpetual wealth and   
prosperity in this world--that is to    
say1 for the perpetual lack of all      
trouble and tribulation--no wise man    
prayeth either for himself or for any   

man else4 ,and thus ,i answer your first
 objection4  ,now before ,i meddle with 
your second1 your third will ,i join to 
this4 ,for upon this answer will the    
solution of your examples fittingly     
depend4  ,as for ,solomon1 he was1 as   
you say1 all his days a marvellous      
wealthy king1 and much was he beloved   
with ,god1 ,i know1 in the beginning of 
his reign4 ,but that the favour of ,god 
continued with him1 as his prosperity   
did1 that cannot ,i tell1 and therefore 
will ,i not warrant it4 ,but surely we  
see that his continual wealth made him  
fall into wanton folly1 first in        
multiplying wives to a horrible number1 
contrary to the commandment of ,god1    
given in the law of ,moses1 and secondly
 in taking to wife among others some who
 were infidels1 contrary to another     
commandment of ,god's written law4 ,also
 we see that finally1 by means of his   
infidel wife1 he fell into maintenance  
of idolatry himself4 ,and of this we    
find no amendment or repentance1 as we  

find of his father4 ,and therefore1     
though he were buried where his father  
was1 yet whether he went to the rest    
that his father did1 through some secret
 sorrow for his sin at last--that is to 
say1 by some kind of tribulation--,i    
cannot tell1 and am content therefore to
 trust well and pray ,god that he did   
so4 ,but surely we are not so sure1 and 
therefore the example of ,solomon can   
very little serve you4 ,for you might as
 well lay it for a proof that ,god      
favoureth idolatry as that he favoureth 
prosperity2 for ,solomon was1 you know1 
in both4  ,as for ,job1 since our       
question hangeth upon prosperity that is
 perpetual1 the wealth of ,job1 which   
was interrupted with so great adversity1
 can1 as you yourself see1 serve you for
 no example4 ,and that ,god gave him    
here in this world all things double    
that he lost1 little toucheth my matter1
 which denieth not prosperity to be     
,god's gift1 and given to some good men1
 too2 namely1 to such as have           

tribulation too4  ,but in ,abraham1     
cousin1 ,i suppose is all your chief    
hold1 because you not only show riches  
and prosperity perpetual in him through 
the course of all his whole life in this
 world1 but after his death also4       
,lazarus1 that poor man1 who lived in   
tribulation and died for pure hunger and
 thirst1 had after his death his place  
of comfort and rest in ,abraham's--that 
wealthy man's--bosom4 ,but here must you
 consider that ,abraham had not such    
continual prosperity but what it was    
discontinued with divers tribulations4  
,was it nothing to him1 think you1 to   
leave his own country1 and at ,god's    
sending to go into a strange land1 which
 ,god promised him and his seed forever1
 but in all his life he gave him never a
 foot8 ,was it no trouble1 that his     
cousin ,loth and himself were fain to   
part company1 because their servants    
could not agree together8 ,though he    
recovered ,loth again from the three    
kings1 was his capture no trouble to    

him1 think you1 in the meanwhile8 ,was  
the destruction of the five cities no   
heaviness to his heart8 ,any man would  
think so1 who readeth in the story what 
labour he made to save them4 ,his heart 
was1 ,i daresay1 in no little sorrow1   
when he was fain to let ,abimelech the  
king have his wife4 ,though ,god        
provided to keep her undefiled and      
turned all to wealth1 yet it was no     
little woe to him in the meantime4 ,what
 continual grief was it to his heart1   
many a long day1 that he had no child   
begotten of his own body8 ,he that      
doubteth thereof shall find in ,genesis 
,abraham's own moan made to ,god4 ,no   
man doubteth but ,ismael was great      
comfort unto him at his birth2 and was  
it no grief1 then1 when he must cast out
 the mother and the child both8 ,as for 
,isaac1 who was the child of the        
promise1 although ,god kept his life1   
that was unlooked for4 ,yet while the   
loving father bound him and went about  
to behead him and offer him up in       

sacrifice1 who but himself can conceive 
what heaviness his heart had then8 ,i   
should suppose 7since you speak of      
,lazarus7 that ,lazarus' own death      
panged him not so sore4 ,then1 as       
,lazarus' pain was patiently borne1 so  
was ,abraham's taken not only patiently 
but--which is a thing much more         
meritorious--of obedience willingly4    
,and therefore1 even if ,abraham had not
 far excelled ,lazarus in merit of      
reward 7as he did indeed7 for many other
 things besides1 and especially for that
 he was a special patriarch of the      
faith1 yet would he have far surpassed  
him even by the merit of that           
tribulation well taken here for ,god's  
sake too4 ,and so serveth for your      
purpose no man less than ,abraham6  ,but
 now1 good cousin1 let us look a little 
longer here upon the rich ,abraham and  
,lazarus the poor4 ,and as we shall see 
,lazarus set in wealth somewhat under   
the rich ,abraham1 so shall we see      
another rich man lie full low beneath   

,lazarus1 crying and calling out of his 
fiery couch that ,lazarus might1 with a 
drop of water falling from his finger's 
end1 a little cool and refresh the tip  
of his burning tongue4 ,consider well   
now what ,abraham answered to the rich  
wretch3 ,son1 remember that thou hast in
 thy life received wealth1 and ,lazarus 
likewise pain1 but now receiveth he     
comfort1 and thou sorrow1 pain1 and     
torment4 ,christ described his wealth   
and his prosperity3 gay and soft apparel
 with royal delicate fare1 continually  
day by day4 ,he did fare royally every  
day1 saith our ,saviour2 his wealth was 
continual1 lo1 no time of tribulation   
between4 ,and ,abraham telleth him the  
same tale1 that he had taken his wealth 
in this world1 and ,lazarus likewise his
 pain1 and that they had now changed    
each to the clean contrary--poor        
,lazarus from tribulation into wealth1  
and the rich man from his continual     
prosperity into perpetual pain4 ,here   
was laid expressly to ,lazarus no very  

great virtue by name1 nor to this rich  
glutton no great heinous crime but the  
taking of his continual ease and        
pleasure1 without any tribulation or    
grief1 of which grew sloth and          
negligence to think upon the poor man's 
pain4 ,for that ever he himself saw     
,lazarus and knew that he died for      
hunger at his door1 that laid neither   
,christ nor ,abraham to his charge4 ,and
 therefore1 cousin1 this story of which1
 by occasion of ,abraham and ,lazarus1  
you put me in remembrance1 well         
declareth what peril there is in        
continual worldly wealth2 and           
contrariwise what comfort cometh of     
tribulation4 ,and thus1 as your other   
examples of ,solomon and ,job nothing   
for the matter further you1 so your     
example of rich ,abraham and poor       
,lazarus hath not a little hindered you4
   ,,xvii  ,,vincent3  ,surely1 uncle1  
you have shaken my examples sorely1 and 
have in your aiming of your shot removed
 me these arrows1 methinketh1 further   

off from the mark than methought they   
stuck when ,i shot them6 ,and ,i shall  
therefore now be content to take them up
 again4  ,but meseemeth surely that my  
second shot may stand4 ,for of truth1 if
 every kind of tribulation be so        
profitable that it be good to have it1  
as you say it is1 then ,i cannot see why
 any man should either wish1 or pray1 or
 do any manner of thing to have any kind
 of tribulation withdrawn either from   
himself or from any friend of his4      
,,anthony3  ,i think indeed tribulation 
so good and profitable that ,i might    
doubt1 as you do1 why a man might labour
 and pray to be delivered of it1 were it
 not that ,god1 who teacheth us the one1
 teacheth us also the other4 ,for as he 
biddeth us take our pain patiently1 and 
exhort our neighbours to do also the    
same1 so biddeth he us also not forbear 
to do our best to remove the pain from  
us both4 ,and then1 since it is ,god who
 teacheth both1 ,i shall not need to    
break my brain in devising wherefore he 

would bid us to do both1 the one seeming
 opposed to the other4  ,if he send the 
scourge of scarcity and great famine1 he
 will that we shall bear it patiently2  
but yet will he that we shall eat our   
meat when we can get it4 ,if he send us 
the plague of pestilence1 he will that  
we shall patiently take it2 but yet will
 he that we let blood1 and lay plasters 
to draw it and ripen it1 and lance it1  
and get it away4 ,both these points     
teacheth ,god in scripture1 in more than
 many places4 ,fasting is better than   
eating1 and hath more thanks of ,god1   
and yet will ,god that we shall eat4    
,praying is better than drinking1 and   
much more pleasing to ,god1 and yet will
 ,god that we shall drink4 ,keeping     
vigil is much more acceptable to ,god   
than sleeping1 and yet will ,god that we
 shall sleep4 ,god hath given us our    
bodies here to keep1 and will that we   
maintain them to do him service with1   
till he send for us hence4  ,now we     
cannot tell surely how much tribulation 

may mar the body or peradventure hurt   
the soul also4 ,therefore the apostle1  
after he had commanded the ,corinthians 
to deliver to the devil the abominable  
fornicator who forbore not the bed of   
his own father's wife1 yet after he had 
been a while accursed and punished for  
his sin1 the apostle commanded them     
charitably to receive him again and give
 him consolation1 that the greatness of 
his sorrow should not swallow him up4   
,and therefore1 when ,god sendeth the   
tempest1 he will that the shipmen shall 
get them to their tackling and do the   
best they can for themselves1 that the  
sea eat them not up4 ,for help ourselves
 as well as we can1 he can make his     
plague as sore and as long-lasting as he
 himself please4  ,and as he will that  
we do for ourselves1 so will he that we 
do for our neigbour too4 ,and he will   
that we shall in this world have pity on
 each other and not be sine affectione1 
for which the apostle rebuketh them that
 lack their tender affection here4 ,so  

of charity we should be sorry too for   
the pain of those upon whom1 for        
necessary cause1 we ourselves be driven 
to put it4 ,and whosoever saith that for
 pity of his neighbour's soul he will   
have no pity of his body1 let him be    
sure that1 as ,st4 ,john saith1 ,he that
 loveth not his neighbour whom he seeth1
 loveth but little ,god1 whom he seeth  
not1 so he who hath no pity on the pain 
that he seeth his neighbour feel before 
him1 pitieth little 7whatsoever he say7 
the pain of his soul that he seeth not4 
,yet ,god sendeth us also such          
tribulation sometimes because it is his 
pleasure to have us pray unto him for   
help4 ,and therefore1 the scripture     
telleth that1 when ,st4 ,peter was in   
prison1 the whole church without        
intermission prayed incessantly for him1
 and at their fervent prayer ,god by    
miracle delivered him4 ,when the        
disciples in the tempest stood in fear  
of drowning1 they prayed unto ,christ   
and said1 ,save us1 ,lord1 we perish1   

and then at their prayer he shortly     
ceased the tempest4 ,and now see we     
proved often that in sore weather or    
sickness by general processions ,god    
giveth gracious help4 ,and many a man in
 his great pain and sickness1 by calling
 upon ,god is marvellously made whole4  
,this is the goodness of ,god who1      
because in wealth we remember him not1  
but forget to pray to him1 sendeth us   
sorrow and sickness to force us to draw 
toward him1 and compelleth us to call   
upon him and pray for release of our    
pain4 ,when we learn thereby to know him
 and to pray to him1 we take a good     
occasion to fall afterward into further 
grace4   ,,xviii  ,,vincent3  ,verily1  
good uncle1 with this good answer ,i am 
well content4  ,,anthony3  ,yea1 cousin1
 but many men are there with whom ,god  
is not content6 ,for they abuse this    
great high goodness of his1 whom neither
 fair treating nor hard handling can    
cause to remember their maker4 ,but in  
wealth they are wanton and forget ,god  

and follow their pleasure1 and when ,god
 with tribulation draweth them toward   
him1 then wax they mad and draw back as 
much as ever they can1 and run and seek 
help at any other hand rather than at   
his4 ,some for comfort seek to the      
flesh1 some to the world1 and some to   
the devil himself4  ,consider some man  
who in worldly prosperity is very dull  
and hath stepped deep into many a sore  
sin2 which sins1 when he did them1 he   
counted for part of his pleasure4 ,god1 
willing of his goodness to call the man 
to grace1 casteth a remorse into his    
mind1 after his first sleep1 and maketh 
him lie a little while and bethink him4 
,then beginneth he to remember his life1
 and from that he falleth to think upon 
his death1 and how he must leave all his
 worldly wealth within a while behind   
here in this world1 and walk hence      
alone1 he knows not whither4 ,nor knows 
he how soon he shall take his journey   
thither1 nor can he tell what company he
 shall meet there4 ,and then beginneth  

he to think that it would be good to    
make sure and to be merry1 so that he be
 wise therewith1 lest there happen to be
 indeed such black bugbears as folk call
 devils1 whose torments he was wont to  
take for poet's tales4 ,those thoughts1 
if they sink deep1 are a sore           
tribulation4 ,and surely1 if he takes   
hold of the grace that ,god therein     
offereth him1 his tribulation is        
wholesome4 ,and it shall be full        
comforting to remember that ,god by this
 tribulation calleth him and biddeth him
 come home1 out of the country of sin   
that he was bred and brought up so long 
in1 and come into the land of behest    
that floweth milk and honey4 ,and then  
if he follow this calling1 as many a one
 full well doth1 joyful shall his sorrow
 be4 ,and glad shall he be to change his
 life1 to leave his wanton pleasures and
 do penance for his sins1 bestowing his 
time upon some better business4  ,but   
some men1 now1 when this calling of ,god
 causeth them to be sad1 they are loth  

to leave their sinful lusts that hang in
 their hearts1 especially if they have  
any kind of living such that they must  
needs leave it off or fall deeper into  
sin1 or if they have done so many great 
wrongs that they have many amends to    
make if they follow ,god1 which must    
diminish much their money4 ,then are    
these folk1 alas1 woefully bewrapped1   
for ,god pricketh them of his great     
goodness still4 ,and the grief of this  
great pang pincheth them at the heart1  
and of wickedness they wry away4 ,and   
from this tribulation they turn to their
 flesh for help1 and labour to shake off
 this thought4 ,and then they mend their
 pillow and lay their head softer and   
essay to sleep4 ,and when that will not 
be1 then they talk a while with those   
who lie by them4 ,if that cannot be     
either1 then they lie and long for day1 
and get them forth about their worldly  
wretchedness1 the matter of their       
prosperity1 and the selfsame sinful     
things with which they displease ,god   

most4 ,and at length1 when they have    
many times behaved in this manner1 ,god 
utterly casteth them off4 ,and then they
 set naught by either ,god or devil4    
,when the sinner cometh even into the   
depth1 then he contemneth1 and setteth  
naught by anything1 saving worldly fear 
that may befall by chance1 or that needs
 must1 he knoweth well1 befall once by  
death4  ,but alas1 when death cometh1   
then cometh again his sorrow4 ,then will
 no soft bed serve1 nor no company make 
him merry4 ,then must he leave his      
outward worship and comfort of his      
glory1 and lie panting in his bed as it 
were on a pine bench4 ,then cometh his  
fear of his evil life and of his        
dreadful death4 ,then cometh his        
torment1 his cumbered conscience and    
fear of his heavy judgment4 ,then the   
devil draweth him to despair with       
imagination of hell1 and suffereth him  
not then to take it for a fable--and    
yet1 if he do1 then the wretch findeth  
it no fable4 ,ah1 woe worth the time1   

that folk think not of this in time6    
,god sometimes sendeth a man great      
trouble in his mind1 and great          
tribulation about his worldly goods1    
because he would of his goodness take   
his delight and confidence from them4   
,and yet the man withdraweth no part of 
his foolish fancies1 but falleth more   
fervently to them than before1 and      
setteth his whole heart1 like a fool1   
more upon them4 ,and then he betaketh   
him all to the devices of his worldly   
counsellors1 and without any counsel of 
,god or any trust put in him1 maketh    
many wise ways--or so he thinks1 but all
 turn at length to folly1 and one subtle
 drift driveth another to naught4  ,some
 have ,i see even in their last         
sickness1 set up in their deathbed1     
underpropped with pillows1 take their   
playfellows to them and comfort         
themselves with cards4 ,and this1 they  
said1 did ease them well1 to put fancies
 out of their heads4 ,and what fancies1 
think you8 ,such as ,i told you right   

now1 of their own lewd life and peril of
 their soul1 of heaven and of hell1 that
 irked them to think of4 ,and therefore 
they cast it out with cards1 playing as 
long as ever they might1 till the pure  
pangs of death pulled their heart from  
their play1 and put them in such a case 
that they could not reckon their game4  
,and then their gamesters left them and 
slyly slunk away1 and it was not long   
ere they galped up the ghost4 ,and what 
game they came then to1 that ,god       
knoweth and not ,i4 ,i pray ,god it were
 good1 but ,i fear it very sore4  ,some 
men are there also that do as did ,king 
,saul1 and in their tribulation go seek 
unto the devil4 ,this king had commanded
 all those to be destroyed who used the 
false abominable superstition of this   
ungracious witchcraft and necromancy4   
,and yet fell he to such folly          
afterwards himself1 that ere he went to 
battle he sought unto a witch and       
besought her to raise up a dead man to  
tell him how he should fare4 ,now ,god  

had showed him by ,samuel before that he
 should come to naught1 and he went     
about no amendment1 but waxed worse and 
worse1 so that ,god would not look to   
him4 ,and when he sought by the prophet 
to have answer of ,god1 there came no   
answer to him1 which he thought strange4
 ,and because he was not heard by ,god  
at his pleasure1 he made suit to the    
devil1 desiring a woman by witchcraft to
 raise up the dead ,samuel4 ,but he had 
such success thereof as commonly they   
have who in their business meddle with  
such matters4 ,for an evil answer had   
he1 and an evil fortune thereafter--his 
army discomfited and himself slain4 ,and
 as it is rehearsed in ,paralipomenon1  
the tenth chapter of the first book1 one
 cause of his fall was for lack of trust
 in ,god1 for which he left off taking  
counsel of ,god and fell to seek counsel
 of the witch1 against ,god's           
prohibition in the law and against his  
own good deed by which he punished and  
put out all witches so short a time     

before4 ,such fortune let them look for1
 who play the same part6 ,i see many do 
so1 who in a great loss send to seek a  
conjurer to get their belongings again4 
,and marvellous things there they see1  
sometimes1 but never great of their     
good4 ,and many a silly fool is there   
who1 when he lies sick1 will meddle with
 no physic in no manner of wise1 nor    
send his urine to no learned man1 but   
will send his cap or his hose to a      
wisewoman1 otherwise called a witch4    
,then sendeth she word back that she    
hath spied in his hose where1 when he   
took no heed1 he was taken with a spirit
 between two doors as he went in the    
twilight4 ,but the spirit would not let 
him feel it for five days after1 and it 
hath all the while festered in his body1
 and that is the grief that paineth him 
so sore4 ,but let him go to no          
leechcraft nor any manner of            
physic--other than good meat and strong 
drink--for medicines would pickle him   
up4 ,but he shall have five leaves of   

valerian that she enchanted with a charm
 and gathered with her left hand4 ,let  
him fasten those five leaves to his     
right thumb by a green thread--not bind 
it fast1 but let it hang loose4 ,he     
shall never need to change it1 provided 
it fall not away1 but let it hang till  
he be whole and he shall need it no     
more4 ,in such wise witches1 and in such
 mad medicines1 have many fools a great 
deal more faith than in ,god4  ,and     
thus1 cousin1 as ,i tell you1 all these 
folk who in their tribulation call not  
upon ,god1 but seek for their ease and  
help elsewhere--to the flesh and the    
world1 and to the flinging fiend--the   
tribulation that ,god's goodness sendeth
 them for good1 they themselves by their
 folly turn into their harm4 ,and those 
who1 on the other hand1 seek unto ,god  
therein1 both comfort and profit they   
greatly take thereby4   ,,xix           
,,vincent3  ,i like well1 good uncle1   
all your answers therein4 ,but one doubt
 yet remaineth there in my mind1 which  

ariseth upon this answer that you make4 
,and when that doubt is solved1 ,i will1
 mine own good uncle1 encumber you no   
further for this time4 ,for methinketh  
that ,i do you very much wrong to give  
you occasion to labour yourself so much 
in matter of some study1 with long      
talking at once4 ,i will therefore at   
this time move you but one thing1 and   
seek some other time at your greater    
ease for the rest4  ,my doubt1 good     
uncle1 is this3 ,i perceive well by your
 answers1 gathered and considered       
together1 that you will well agree that 
a man may both have worldly wealth and  
yet well go to ,god2 and that1 on the   
other hand1 a man may be miserable and  
live in tribulation and yet go to the   
devil4 ,and as a man may please ,god by 
patience in adversity1 so may he please 
,god by thanks given in prosperity4 ,now
 since you grant these things to be such
 that either of them both may be matter 
of virtue or else matter of sin1 matter 
of damnation or matter of salvation1    

they seem neither good nor bad of their 
own nature1 but things of themselves    
equal and indifferent1 turning to good  
or to the contrary according as they be 
taken4 ,and then if this be thus1 ,i can
 perceive no cause why you should give  
the pre-eminence unto tribulation1 or   
wherefore you should reckon more cause  
of comfort in it than in prosperity1 but
 rather a great deal less--in a manner1 
by half4  ,for in prosperity a man is   
well at ease1 and may also1 by giving   
thanks to ,god1 get good unto his soul2 
whereas in tribulation1 though he may   
merit by patience 7as the other1 in     
abundance of worldly wealth1 may merit  
by thanks71 yet lacketh he much comfort 
that the wealthy man hath1 in that he is
 sore grieved with heaviness and pain4  
,besides1 a wealthy man1 well at ease1  
may pray to ,god quietly and merrily    
with alacrity and great quietness of    
mind1 whereas he who lieth groaning in  
his grief cannot endure to pray nor can 
he hardly think upon anything but his   

pain4  ,,anthony3  ,to begin1 cousin1   
where you leave off3 ,the prayers of him
 that is in wealth and him that is in   
woe1 if the men be both wicked1 are both
 alike4 ,for neither hath the one desire
 to pray1 nor the other either4 ,and as 
one is hindered with his pain1 so is the
 other with his pleasure--saving that   
pain stirreth a man sometimes to call   
upon ,god in his grief1 though he be    
right bad1 whereas pleasure pulleth his 
mind another way1 though he be good     
enough4  ,and this point ,i think there 
are few that can1 if they say true1 say 
that they find it otherwise4 ,for in    
tribulation 7which cometh1 you know1 in 
sundry kinds7 any man that is not a dull
 beast or a desperate wretch calleth    
upon ,god1 not hoverly but right        
heartily1 and setteth his heart full    
whole upon his request1 so sore he      
longeth for ease and help of his        
heaviness4 ,but when we are wealthy and 
well at our ease1 while our tongue      
pattereth upon our prayers apace--good  

,god1 how many mad ways our mind        
wandereth the while6  ,yet ,i know well 
that in some tribulation there is such  
sore sickness or other grievous bodily  
pain that it would be hard for a man to 
say a longer prayer of matins4 ,and yet 
some who lie dying say full devoutly the
 seven psalms and other prayers with the
 priest at their anointing4 ,but those  
who for the grief of their pain cannot  
endure to do it1 or who are more tender 
and lack that strong heart and stomach  
that some others have1 ,god requireth no
 such long prayers of them4 ,but the    
lifting up of their heart alone1 without
 any words at all1 is more acceptable to
 him from one in such a state1 than long
 service so said as folk usually say it 
in health4 ,the martyrs in their agony  
made no long prayers aloud1 but one inch
 of such a prayer1 so prayed in that    
pain1 was worth a whole ell or more1    
even of their own prayers1 prayed at    
some other time4  ,great learned men say
 that ,christ1 albeit that he was true  

,god1 and as ,god was in eternal equal  
bliss with his ,father1 yet as man      
merited not only for us but for himself 
too4 ,for proof of this they lay in     
these words the authority of ,st4 ,paul3
 ,christ hath humbled himself1 and      
became obedient unto the death1 and that
 unto the death of the cross2 for which 
thing ,god hath also exalted him and    
given him a name which is above all     
names1 that in the name of ,jesus every 
knee be bowed1 both of the celestial    
creatures and of the terrestrial and of 
the infernal too1 and that every tongue 
shall confess that our lord ,jesus      
,christ is in the glory of ,god his     
,father4 ,now if it be so as these great
 learned men say1 upon such authorities 
of holy scripture1 that our ,saviour    
merited as man1 and as man deserved     
reward not for us only but for himself  
also2 then were there in his deeds1 it  
seemeth1 sundry degrees and differences 
of deserving4 ,his washing of the       
disciples' feet was not1 then1 of like  

merit as his passion1 nor his sleep of  
like merit as his vigil and his         
prayer--no1 nor his prayers peradventure
 all of like merit1 either4 ,but though 
there was not1 nor could be1 in his most
 blessed person any prayer but was      
excellent and incomparably surpassing   
the prayer of any mere creature1 yet his
 own were not all alike1 but one far    
above another4 ,and then if it thus be1 
of all his holy prayers1 the chief      
seemeth me those that he made in his    
great agony and pain of his bitter      
passion4 ,the first was when he thrice  
fell prostrate in his agony1 when the   
heaviness of his heart with fear of     
death at hand1 so painful and so cruel  
as he well beheld it1 made such a       
fervent commotion in his blessed body   
that the bloody sweat of his holy flesh 
dropped down on the ground4 ,the others 
were the painful prayers that he made   
upon the cross1 where1 for all the      
torment that he hanged in--of beating1  
nailing1 and stretching out all his     

limbs1 with the wresting of his sinews  
and breaking of his tender veins1 and   
the sharp crown of thorns so pricking   
him into the head that his blessed blood
 streamed down all his face--in all     
these hideous pains1 in all their cruel 
despites1 yet two very devout and       
fervent prayers he made4 ,one was for   
the pardon of those who so dispiteously 
put him to his pain1 and the other about
 his own deliverance1 commending his own
 soul to his holy ,father in heaven4    
,these prayers of his1 made in his most 
pain1 among all that ever he made1      
reckon ,i for the chief4 ,and these     
prayers of our ,saviour at his bitter   
passion1 and of his holy martyrs in the 
fervour of their torment1 shall serve us
 to see that there is no prayer made at 
pleasure so strong and effectual as that
 made in tribulation4  ,now come ,i to  
the reasoning you make1 when you tell me
 that ,i grant you that both in wealth  
and in woe a man may be wicked and      
offend ,god1 in the one by impatience   

and in the other by fleshly lust4 ,and  
on the other hand1 both in tribulation  
and prosperity too1 a man may also do   
very well and deserve thanks of ,god by 
thanksgiving to ,god for his gift of    
riches1 worship1 and wealth1 as well as 
for his gift of need and penury1        
imprisonment1 sickness1 and pain4 ,and  
therefore you cannot see why ,i should  
give any pre-eminence in comfort unto   
tribulation1 but you would rather allow 
prosperity for the thing more           
comforting4 ,and that not a little1 but 
in manner by double1 since therein hath 
the soul comfort and the body too--the  
soul by thanksgiving unto ,god for his  
gifts1 and the body by being well at    
ease--whereas the person pained in      
tribulation taketh no comfort but in his
 soul alone4  ,first1 as for your double
 comfort1 cousin1 you may cut off the   
one6 ,for a man in prosperity1 though he
 be bound to thank ,god for his gifts1  
wherein he feeleth ease1 and may be glad
 also that he giveth thanks to ,god2 yet

 hath he little cause of comfort in that
 he taketh his ease here1 unless you    
wish to call by the name of comfort the 
sensual feeling of bodily pleasure4 ,i  
deny not that sometimes men so take it1 
when they say1 ,this good drink         
comforteth well mine heart4 ,but        
comfort1 cousin1 is properly taken1 by  
them that take it right1 rather for the 
consolation of good hope that men take  
in their heart1 of some good growing    
toward them1 than for a present pleasure
 with which the body is delighted and   
tickled for a while4  ,now1 though a man
 without patience can have no reward for
 his pain1 yet when his pain is         
patiently taken for ,god's sake and his 
will conformed to ,god's pleasure       
therein1 ,god rewardeth the sufferer in 
proportion to his pain4 ,and this thing 
appeareth by many a place in scripture1 
some of which ,i have showed you and yet
 shall ,i show you more4 ,but never     
found ,i any place in scripture that ,i 
remember in which1 though a rich man    

thanked ,god for his gifts1 our ,lord   
promised him any reward in heaven for   
the very reason that he took his ease   
and his pleasures here4 ,and therefore1 
since ,i speak only of such comfort as  
is true comfort indeed1 by which a man  
hath hope of ,god's favour and remission
 of his sins1 with diminishing of his   
pain in purgatory or else reward in     
heaven2 and since such comfort cometh of
 tribulation well taken1 but not of     
pleasure even though it be well taken2  
therefore of your comfort that you      
double by prosperity1 you may1 as ,i    
told you1 very well cut away the half4  
,now1 why ,i give prerogative in comfort
 unto tribulation far above prosperity1 
though a man may do well in both1 of    
this will ,i show you causes two or     
three4 ,first1 as ,i before have at     
length showed you out of all question1  
continual wealth interrupted with no    
tribulation is a very discomfortable    
token of everlasting damnation4         
,thereupon it followeth that tribulation

 is one cause of comfort unto a man's   
heart1 in that it dischargeth him of the
 discomfort that he might of reason take
 of overlong-lasting wealth4 ,another   
is1 that the scripture much commendeth  
tribulation as occasion of more profit  
than wealth and prosperity1 not only to 
those who are therein but to those who  
resort unto them too4 ,and therefore    
saith ,ecclesiastes1 ,better is it to go
 to the house of weeping and wailing for
 some man's death1 than to the house of 
a feast2 for in that house of heaviness 
is a man put in remembrance of the end  
of every man1 and while he liveth he    
thinketh what shall come after4 ,and    
after yet he further saith1 ,the heart  
of wise men is where heaviness is1 and  
the heart of fools is where there is    
mirth and gladness4 ,and verily1 where  
you shall hear worldly mirth seem to be 
commended in scripture1 it is either    
commonly spoken1 as in the person of    
some worldly-disposed people1 or else   
understood of spiritual rejoicing1 or   

else meant of some small moderate       
refreshing of the mind against a heavy  
and discomfortable dullness4  ,now1     
prosperity was promised to the children 
of ,israel in the old law as a special  
gift of ,god1 because of their          
imperfection at that time1 to draw them 
to ,god with gay things and pleasant1 as
 men1 to make children learn1 give them 
cake-bread and butter4 ,for1 as the     
scripture maketh mention1 that people   
were much after the manner of children  
in lack of wit and in waywardness4 ,and 
therefore was their master ,moses called
 ,pedagogus1 that is1 a teacher of      
children or 7as they call such a one in 
the grammar schools7 an usher or master 
of the petits4 ,for1 as ,st4 ,paul      
saith1 the old law brought nothing unto 
perfection4 ,and ,god also threateneth  
folk with tribulation in this world for 
sin1 not because worldly tribulation is 
evil1 but that we should well beware of 
the sickness of sin for fear of the     
thing to follow4 ,for that thing1 though

 it be indeed a very good wholesome     
thing if we take it well1 is yet1       
because it is painful1 the thing that we
 are loth to have4 ,but this ,i say yet 
again and again1 that the scripture     
undoubtedly so commandeth tribulation as
 far the better thing in this world     
toward the getting of the true good that
 ,god giveth in the world to come1 that 
in comparison it utterly discommendeth  
this worldly wretched wealth and        
discomfortable comfort4 ,for to what    
other thing tend the words of           
,ecclesiastes that ,i rehearsed to you  
now1 that it is better to be in the     
house of heaviness than to be at a      
feast8 ,whereto tendeth this comparison 
of his1 that the wise man's heart       
draweth thither where folk are in       
sadness1 and the heart of a fool is     
where he may find mirth8 ,whereto       
tendeth this threat of the wise man1    
that he who delighteth in wealth shall  
fall into woe8 ,laughter1 saith he1     
shall be mingled with sorrow1 and the   

end of mirth is taken up with heaviness4
 ,and our ,saviour saith himself1 ,woe  
be to you that laugh1 for you shall weep
 and wail4 ,but he saith1 on the other  
hand1 ,blessed are they that weep and   
wail1 for they shall be comforted4 ,and 
he saith to his disciples1 ,the world   
shall rejoice and you shall be sorry1   
but your sorrow shall be turned into    
joy4 ,and so it is now1 as you well     
know1 and the mirth of many who then    
were in joy is now turned all to sorrow4
 ,and thus you see plainly by scripture 
that1 in matter of true comfort1        
tribulation is as far above prosperity  
as the day is about the night4  ,another
 pre-eminence of tribulation over       
wealth1 in occasion of merit and reward1
 shall well appear upon certain         
considerations well marked in them both4
 ,tribulation meriteth in patience and  
in the obedient conforming of the man's 
will unto ,god1 and in thanks given to  
,god for his visitation4 ,if you reckon 
me now1 against these1 many other good  

deeds that a wealthy man may do--as1 by 
riches to give alms1 or by authority to 
labour in doing many men justice--or if 
you find further any other such thing2  
first1 ,i say that the patient person in
 tribulation hath1 in all these virtues 
of a wealthy man1 an occasion of merit  
which the wealthy man hath not4 ,for it 
is easy for the person who is in        
tribulation to be well willing to do the
 selfsame thing if he could4 ,and then  
shall his good will1 where the power    
lacketh1 go very near to the merit of   
the deed4 ,but the wealthy man1 now1 is 
not in a like position with regard to   
the will of patience and conformity and 
thanks given to ,god for tribulation4   
,for the wealthy man is not so ready to 
be content to be in tribulation1 which  
is the occasion of the sufferer's       
deserving1 as the troubled person is to 
be content to be in prosperity1 to do   
the good deeds that the wealthy man     
doth4 ,besides this1 all that the       
wealthy man doth1 though he could not do

 them without those things that are     
counted for wealth and called by that   
name--as1 not do great alms without     
great riches1 nor do these many men     
right by his labour without great       
authority--yet may he do these things   
being not in wealth indeed4 ,as where he
 taketh his wealth for no wealth and his
 riches for no riches1 and in heart     
setteth by neither one1 but secretly    
liveth in a contrite heart and a        
penitential life1 as many times did the 
prophet ,david1 being a great king1 so  
that worldly wealth was no wealth to    
him4 ,and therefore worldly wealth is   
not of necessity the cause of these good
 deeds1 since he may do them 7and he    
doth them best1 indeed7 to whom the     
thing that worldly folk call wealth is  
yet1 for his godly-set mind1 withdrawn  
from the delight thereof1 no pleasure   
nor wealth at all4  ,finally1 whenever  
the wealthy man doth those good virtuous
 deeds1 if we rightly consider the      
nature of them1 we shall perceive that  

in the doing of them he doth ever1 for  
the ratio and proportion of those deeds1
 diminish the matter of his worldly     
wealth4 ,in giving great alms1 he       
parteth with a certain amount of his    
worldly goods1 which are in that amount 
the matter of his wealth4 ,in labouring 
about the doing of many good deeds1 his 
labour diminisheth his quiet and his    
rest1 and to that extent it diminisheth 
his wealth1 if pain and wealth be each  
contrary to the other1 as ,i think you  
will agree that they are4 ,now1         
whosoever then will well consider the   
thing1 he shall1 ,i doubt not1 perceive 
and see that in these good deeds that   
the wealthy man doth1 though it be his  
wealth that maketh him able to do them1 
yet in so far as he doth them he        
departeth in that proportion from the   
nature of wealth toward the nature of   
some tribulation4 ,and therefore even in
 those good deeds themselves that       
prosperity doth1 the prerogative in     
goodness of tribulation above wealth    

doth appear4  ,now if it happen that    
some man cannot perceive this point     
because the wealthy man1 for all his    
alms1 abideth rich still1 and for all   
his good labour abideth still in his    
authority1 let him consider that ,i     
speak only according to proportion4 ,and
 because the proportion of all that he  
giveth of his goods is very little in   
respect of what he leaveth1 therefore is
 the reason haply with some folk little 
perceived4 ,but if it were so that he   
went on giving until he had given out   
all1 and left himself nothing1 then     
would even a blind man see it4 ,for as  
he would be come from riches to poverty1
 so would he be willingly fallen from   
wealth into tribulation4 ,and in respect
 of labour and rest1 the same would be  
true4 ,whosoever can consider this1     
shall see that1 in every good deed done 
by the wealthy man1 the matter is       
proportionately the same4  ,then1 since 
we have somewhat weighed the virtues of 
prosperity1 let us consider on the other

 hand the afore-named things that are   
the matter of merit and reward in       
tribulation--that is1 patience1         
conformity1 and thanksgiving4 ,patience 
the wealthy man hath not1 in so far as  
he is wealthy4 ,for if he be pinched in 
any point in which he taketh patience1  
to that extent he suffereth some        
tribulation4 ,and so not by his         
prosperity but by his tribulation hath  
he that merit4 ,it is the same if we    
would say that the wealthy man hath     
another virtue instead of patience--that
 is1 the keeping of himself from pride  
and such other sins as wealth would     
bring him to4 ,for the resisting of such
 motions is1 as ,i before told you1     
without any doubt a diminishing of      
fleshly wealth1 and is a very true kind 
7and one of the most profitable kinds7  
of tribulation4 ,so all that good merit 
groweth to the wealthy man not by his   
wealth but by the diminishing of his    
wealth with wholesome tribulation4  ,the
 most colour of comparison is in the    

other two2 that is1 in the conformity of
 man's will unto ,god1 and in thanks    
given unto ,god4 ,for as the good man1  
in tribulation sent him by ,god1        
conformeth his will to ,god's will in   
that behalf1 and giveth ,god thanks for 
it2 so doth the wealthy man1 in his     
wealth which ,god giveth him1 conform   
his will to ,god in that point1 since he
 is well content to take it as his gift1
 and giveth ,god also right hearty      
thanks for it4 ,and thus1 as ,i said1 in
 these two things can you catch the most
 colour to compare the wealthy man's    
merit with the merit of tribulation4    
,but yet that they be not matches1 you  
may soon see by this3 ,for no one can   
conform his will unto ,god's in         
tribulation and give him thanks for it1 
but such a man as hath in that point a  
very specially good disposition4 ,but he
 that is truly wicked1 or hath in his   
heart but very little good1 may well be 
content to take wealth at ,god's hand1  
and say1 ,marry1 ,i thank you1 sir1 for 

this with all my heart1 and ,i will not 
fail to love you well--while you let me 
fare no worse6 ,confitebitur tibi1 cum  
benefeceris ei4 ,now1 if the wealthy man
 be very good1 yet1 in conformity of his
 will and thanksgiving to ,god for his  
wealth1 his virtue is not like to that  
of him who doth the same in tribulation4
 ,for1 as the philosophers said very    
well of old1 virtue standeth in things  
of hardness and difficulty4 ,and then1  
as ,i told you1 it is much less hard and
 less difficult1 by a great deal1 to be 
content and conform our will to ,god's  
will and to give him thanks1 too1 for   
our ease than for our pain1 for our     
wealth and for our woe4 ,and therefore  
the conforming of our will to ,god's and
 the thanks that we give him for our    
tribulation are more worthy of thanks in
 return1 and merit more reward in the   
very fast wealth and felicity of heaven1
 than our conformity and our            
thanksgiving for our worldly wealth     
here4  ,and this thing saw the devil1   

when he said to our ,lord of ,job that  
it was no marvel if ,job had a reverent 
fear unto ,god--,god had done so much   
for him1 and kept him in prosperity4    
,but the devil knew well that it was a  
hard thing for ,job to be so loving1 and
 so to give thanks to ,god1 in          
tribulation and adversity4 ,and         
therefore was he glad to get leave of   
,god to put him in tribulation1 and     
trusted thereby to cause him to murmur  
and grudge against ,god with impatience4
 ,but the devil had there a fall in his 
own turn1 for the patience of ,job in   
the short time of his adversity got him 
much more favour and thanks of ,god1 and
 more is he renowned and commended in   
scripture for that1 than for all the    
goodness of his long prosperous life4   
,our ,saviour saith himself1 also1 that 
if we say well by them or yield them    
thanks who do us good1 we do no great   
thing1 and therefore can we with reason 
look for no great thanks in return4     
,and thus have ,i showed you1 lo1 no    

little pre-eminence that tribulation    
hath in merit1 and therefore no little  
pre-eminence of comfort in hope of      
heavenly reward1 above the virtues 7the 
merit and cause of good hope and        
comfort7 that come of wealth and        
prosperity4   ,,xx  ,and therefore1 good
 cousin1 to finish our talking for this 
time1 lest ,i should be too long a      
hindrance to your other business3  ,if  
we lay first1 for a sure ground1 a very 
fast faith1 whereby we believe to be    
true all that the scripture saith       
7understood truly1 as the old holy      
doctors declare it and as the spirit of 
,god instructeth his ,catholic church71 
then shall we consider tribulation as a 
gracious gift of ,god1 a gift that he   
specially gave his special friends2 a   
thing that in scripture is highly       
commended and praised2 a thing of which 
the contrary1 long continued1 is        
perilous2 a thing which1 if ,god send it
 not1 men have need to put upon         
themselves and seek by penance2 a thing 

that helpeth to purge our past sins2 a  
thing that preserveth us from sins that 
otherwise would come2 a thing that      
causeth us to set less by the world2 a  
thing that much diminisheth our pains in
 purgatory2 a thing that much increaseth
 our final reward in heaven2 the thing  
with which all his apostles followed him
 thither2 the thing to which our        
,saviour exhorteth all men2 the thing   
without which he saith we be not his    
disciples2 the thing without which no   
man can get to heaven4  ,whosoever      
thinketh on these things1 and           
remembereth them well1 shall in his     
tribulation neither murmur nor grudge4  
,but first shall he by patience take his
 pain in worth1 and then shall he grow  
in goodness and think himself well      
worthy of tribulation4 ,and then shall  
he consider that ,god sendeth it for his
 welfare1 and thereby shall be moved to 
give ,god thanks for it4 ,therewith     
shall his grace increase1 and ,god shall
 give him such comfort by considering   

that ,god is in his trouble evermore    
near to him--for ,god is near1 saith the
 prophet1 to them that have their heart 
in trouble--that his joy thereof shall  
diminish much of his pain4 ,and he shall
 not seek for vain comfort elsewhere1   
but shall specially trust in ,god and   
seek help of him1 submitting his own    
will wholly to ,god's pleasure4 ,and he 
shall pray to ,god in his heart1 and    
pray his friends pray for him1 and      
especially the priests1 as ,st4 ,james  
biddeth4 ,and he shall begin first with 
confession and make him clean to ,god   
and ready to depart1 and be glad to go  
to ,god1 putting purgatory to his       
pleasure4 ,if we thus do1 this dare ,i  
boldly say1 we shall never live here the
 less by half an hour1 but we shall with
 this comfort find our hearts lightened1
 and thereby the grief of our           
tribulation lessened1 and the more      
likelihood to recover and to live the   
longer4  ,now if ,god will that we shall
 go hence1 then doth he much more for   

us4 ,for he who taketh this way cannot  
go but well4 ,for of him who is loth to 
leave this wretched world1 mine heart is
 much in fear lest he did not well4     
,hard it is for him to be welcome who   
cometh against his will1 who saith unto 
,god when he cometh to fetch him1       
,welcome1 my ,maker--spite of my teeth6 
,but he that so loveth him that he      
longeth to go to him1 my heart cannot   
give me but he shall be welcome1 albeit 
that he come ere he be well purged4 ,for
 ,charity covereth a multitude of sins1 
and ,he that trusteth in ,god cannot be 
confounded4 ,and ,christ saith1 ,he that
 cometh to me1 ,i will not cast him out4
 ,and therefore let us never make our   
reckoning of long life4 ,let us keep it 
while we can1 because ,god hath so      
commanded1 but if ,god give the occasion
 that with his good will we may go1 let 
us be glad of it and long to go to him4 
,and then shall hope of heaven comfort  
our heaviness1 and out of our transitory
 tribulation shall we go to everlasting 

glory--to which1 good cousin1 ,i pray   
,god bring us both6  ,,vincent3  ,mine  
own good uncle1 ,i pray ,god reward you1
 and at this time ,i will no longer     
trouble you4 ,i fear ,i have this day   
done you much tribulation with my       
importunate objections1 of very little  
substance4 ,and you have even showed me 
an example of patience1 in bearing my   
folly so long4 ,and yet ,i shall be so  
bold as to seek some time to talk       
further of the rest of this most        
profitable matter of tribulation1 which 
you said you reserved to treat of last  
of all4  ,,anthony3  ,let that be surely
 very shortly1 cousin1 while this is    
fresh in mind4  ,,vincent3  ,i trust1   
good uncle1 so to put this in           
remembrance that it shall never be      
forgotten with me4 ,our ,lord send you  
such comfort as he knoweth to be best6  
,,anthony3  ,this is well said1 good    
cousin1 and ,i pray the same for you and
 for all our other friends who have need
 of comfort--for whom1 ,i think1 more   

than for yourself1 you needed some      
counsel4  ,,vincent3  ,i shall1 with    
this good counsel that ,i have heard    
from you1 do them some comfort1 ,i trust
 in ,god--to whose keeping ,i commit    
you6  ,,anthony3  ,and ,i you1 also4    
,farewell1 mine own good cousin4        
,,book ,,two  ,,vincent3  ,it is no     
little comfort to me1 good uncle1 that  
as ,i came in here ,i heard from your   
folk that since my last being here you  
have had meetly good rest 7,god be      
thanked71 and your stomach somewhat more
 come to you4 ,for verily1 albeit ,i had
 heard before that1 in respect of the   
great pain that for a month's space had 
held you1 you were1 a little before my  
last coming to you1 somewhat eased and  
relieved--for otherwise would ,i not for
 any good cause have put you to the pain
 of talking so much as you then did--yet
 after my departing from you1           
remembering how long we tarried         
together1 and that we were all that     
while talking1 and that all the labour  

was yours1 in talking so long together  
without interpausing between 7and that  
of matter studious and displeasant1 all 
of disease and sickness and other pain  
and tribulation71 ,i was in good faith  
very sorry and not a little wroth with  
myself for mine own oversight1 that ,i  
had so little considered your pain4 ,and
 very feared ,i was1 till ,i heard      
otherwise1 lest you should have waxed   
weaker and more sick thereafter4 ,but   
now ,i thank our ,lord1 who hath sent   
the contrary4 ,for a little casting     
back1 in this great age of yours1 would 
be no little danger and peril4          
,,anthony3  ,nay1 nay1 good cousin--to  
talk much1 unless some other pain hinder
 me1 is to me little grief4 ,a foolish  
old man is often as full of words as a  
woman4 ,it is1 you know1 as some poets  
paint us1 all the joy of an old fool's  
life to sit well and warm with a cup and
 a roasted crabapple1 and drivel and    
drink and talk6  ,but in earnest1       
cousin1 our talking was to me great     

comfort1 and nothing displeasing at all4
 ,for though we commoned of sorrow and  
heaviness1 yet the thing we chiefly     
thought upon was not the tribulation    
itself but the comfort that may grow    
thereon4 ,and therefore am ,i now very  
glad that you are come to finish up the 
rest4  ,,vincent3  ,of truth1 my good   
uncle1 it was comforting to me1 and hath
 been since to some other of your       
friends1 to whom1 as my poor wit and    
remembrance would serve me1 ,i did      
report and rehearse 7and not needlessly7
 your most comforting counsel4 ,and now 
come ,i for the rest1 and am very joyful
 that ,i find you so well refreshed and 
so ready thereto4 ,but this one thing1  
good uncle1 ,i beseech you heartily4 ,if
 ,i1 for delight to hear you speak in   
the matter1 forget myself and you both1 
and put you to too much pain1 remember  
your own ease4 ,and when you wish to    
leave off1 command me to go my way and  
seek some other time4  ,,anthony3       
,forsooth1 cousin1 if a man were very   

weak1 many words spoken 7as you said    
right now7 without interpausing1 would  
peradventure at length somewhat weary   
him4 ,and therefore wished ,i the last  
time1 after you were gone 7when ,i felt 
myself1 to say the truth1 even a little 
weary71 that ,i had not so told you a   
long tale alone1 but that we had more   
often interchanged words1 and parted the
 talking between us1 with more often    
interparling upon your part1 in such    
manner as learned men use between the   
persons whom they devise1 disputing in  
their feigned dialogues4 ,but yet in    
that point ,i soon excused you and laid 
the lack where ,i found it1 and that was
 even upon mine own neck4  ,for ,i      
remembered that between you and me it   
fared as it did once between a nun and  
her brother4 ,very virtuous was this    
lady1 and of a very virtuous place and  
enclosed religion4 ,and therein had she 
been long1 in all which time she had    
never seen her brother1 who was likewise
 very virtuous too1 and had been far off

 at a university1 and had there taken   
the degree of ,doctor of ,divinity4     
,when he was come home1 he went to see  
his sister1 as one who highly rejoiced  
in her virtue4 ,so came she to the grate
 that they call1 ,i believe1 the        
locutory1 and after their holy watchword
 spoken on both sides1 after the manner 
used in that place1 each took the other 
by the tip of the finger1 for no hand   
could be shaken through the grate4 ,and 
forthwith my lady began to give her     
brother a sermon of the wretchedness of 
this world1 and frailty of the flesh1   
and the subtle sleights of the wicked   
fiend1 and gave him surely good counsel 
7saving somewhat too long7 how he should
 be well wary in his living and master  
well his body for the saving of his     
soul4 ,and yet1 ere her own tale came to
 an end1 she began to find a little     
fault with him and said1 ,in good faith1
 brother1 ,i do somewhat marvel that    
you1 who have been at learning so long  
and are a doctor and so learned in the  

law of ,god1 do not now at our meeting  
7since we meet so seldom7 to me who am  
your sister and a simple unlearned soul1
 give of your charity some fruitful     
exhortation4 ,for ,i doubt not but you  
can say some good thing yourself4 ,by my
 troth1 good sister1 quoth her brother1 
,i cannot1 for you6 ,for your tongue    
hath never ceased1 but said enough for  
us both4  ,and so1 cousin1 ,i remember  
that when ,i was once fallen in1 ,i left
 you little space to say aught between4 
,but now will ,i therefore take another 
way with you1 for of our talking ,i     
shall drive you to the one half4        
,,vincent3  ,now1 forsooth1 uncle1 this 
was a merry tale6 ,but now1 if you make 
me talk the one half1 then shall you be 
contented far otherwise than was of late
 a kinswoman of your own--but which one 
,i will not tell you2 guess her if you  
can6 ,her husband had much pleasure in  
the manner and behaviour of another     
honest man1 and kept him therefore much 
company1 so that he was at his mealtime 

the more often away from home4 ,so      
happed it one time that his wife and he 
together dined or supped with that      
neighbour of theirs1 and then she made a
 merry quarrel with him for making her  
husband so good cheer outside that she  
could not keep him at home4 ,forsooth1  
mistress1 quoth he 7for he was a dry    
merry man71 in my company no thing      
keepeth him but one4 ,serve him with the
 same1 and he will never be away from   
you4 ,what gay thing may that be8 quoth 
our cousin then4 ,forsooth1 mistress1   
quoth he1 your husband loveth well to   
talk1 and when he sitteth with me1 ,i   
let him have all the words4 ,all the    
words8 quoth she1 marry1 than am ,i     
content6 ,he shall have all the words   
with good will1 as he hath ever had4    
,but ,i speak them all myself1 and give 
them all to him1 and for aught ,i care  
for them1 so shall he have them all4    
,but otherwise to say that he shall have
 them all1 you shall keep him still     
rather than he get the half6  ,,anthony3

  ,forsooth1 cousin1 ,i can soon guess  
which of our kin she was4 ,i wish we had
 none1 for all her merry words1 who     
would let their husbands talk less6     
,,vincent3  ,forsooth1 she is not so    
merry but what she is equally good4 ,but
 where you find fault1 uncle1 that ,i   
speak not enough3 ,i was in good faith  
ashamed that ,i spoke so much and moved 
you such questions as 7,i found upon    
your answer7 might better have been     
spared1 they were of so little worth4   
,but now1 since ,i see you be so well   
content that ,i shall not forbear boldly
 to show my folly1 ,i will be no more so
 shamefast but will ask you what ,i     
like4   ,i  ,and first1 good uncle1 ere 
we proceed further1 ,i will be bold to  
move you one thing more of that which we
 talked of when ,i was here before4 ,for
 when ,i revolved in my mind again the  
things that were concluded here by you1 
methought you would in no wise wish that
 in any tribulation men should seek for 
comfort in either worldly things or     

fleshly4 ,and this opinion of yours1    
uncle1 seemeth somewhat hard1 for a     
merry tale with a friend refresheth a   
man much1 and without any harm          
delighteth his mind and amendeth his    
courage and his stomach1 so that it     
seemeth but well done to take such      
recreation4 ,and ,solomon saith1 ,i     
believe1 that men should in heaviness   
give the sorry man wine1 to make him    
forget his sorrow4 ,and ,st4 ,thomas    
saith that proper pleasant talking1     
which is called eutrapelia1 is a good   
virtue1 serving to refresh the mind and 
make it quick and eager to labour and   
study again1 whereas continual fatigue  
would make it dull and deadly4          
,,anthony3  ,cousin1 ,i forgot not that 
point1 but ,i longed not much to touch  
it4 ,for neither might ,i well utterly  
forbear it1 where it might befall that  
it should not hurt2 and on the other    
hand1 if it should so befall1 methought 
that it should little need to give any  
man counsel to it--folk are prone enough

 to such fancies of their own mind6 ,you
 may see this by ourselves who1 coming  
now together to talk of as earnest sad  
matter as men can devise1 were fallen   
yet even at the first into wanton idle  
tales4 ,and of truth1 cousin1 as you    
know very well1 ,i myself am by nature  
even half a gigglot and more4 ,i wish ,i
 could as easily mend my fault as ,i    
well know it1 but scant can ,i refrain  
it1 as old a fool as ,i am4 ,howbeit1 ,i
 will not be so partial to my fault as  
to praise it4  ,but since you ask my    
mind in the matter1 as to whether men in
 tribulation may not lawfully seek      
recreation and comfort themselves with  
some honest mirth 7first agreed that our
 chief comfort must be in ,god and that 
with him we must begin and with him     
continue and with him end also71 that a 
man should take now and then some honest
 worldly mirth1 ,i dare not be so sore  
as utterly to forbid it4 ,for good men  
and well learned have in some cases     
allowed it1 especially for the diversity

 of divers men's minds4 ,otherwise1 if  
we were also such as would ,god we were 
7and such as natural wisdom would that  
we should be1 and is not clean excusable
 that we be not indeed71 ,i would then  
put no doubt but that unto any man the  
most comforting talking that could be   
would be to hear of heaven4 ,whereas    
now1 ,god help us1 our wretchedness is  
such that in talking a while of it1 men 
wax almost weary4 ,and1 as though to    
hear of heaven were a heavy burden1 they
 must refresh themselves afterward with 
a foolish tale4 ,our affection toward   
heavenly joys waxeth wonderfully cold4  
,if dread of hell were as far gone1 very
 few would fear ,god1 but that yet      
sticketh a little in our stomachs4 ,mark
 me1 cousin1 at the sermon1 and commonly
 toward the end1 somewhat the preacher  
speaketh of hell and heaven4 ,now1 while
 he preacheth of the pains of hell1     
still they stay and give him the        
hearing4 ,but as soon as he cometh to   
the joys of heaven1 they are busking    

them backward and flockmeal fall away4  
,it is in the soul somewhat as it is in 
the body3 ,there are some who are come1 
either by nature or by evil custom1 to  
that point where a worse thing sometimes
 more steadeth them than a better4 ,some
 men1 if they be sick1 can away with no 
wholesome meat1 nor no medicine can go  
down with them1 unless it be tempered   
for their fancy with something that     
maketh the meat or the medicine less    
wholesome than it should be4 ,and yet1  
while it will be no better1 we must let 
them have it so4  ,cassian 7that very   
virtuous man7 rehearseth in a certain   
conference of his that a certain holy   
father1 in making of a sermon1 spoke of 
heaven and heavenly things so           
celestially that much of his audience1  
with the sweet sound of it1 began to    
forget all the world and fall asleep4   
,when the father beheld this1 he        
dissembled their sleeping and suddenly  
said to them1 ,i shall tell you a merry 
tale4 ,at that word they lifted up their

 heads and hearkened unto that1 and     
afterward 7their sleep being therewith  
broken7 heard him tell on of heaven     
again4 ,in what wise that good father   
rebuked then their untoward minds--so   
dull to the thing that all our life we  
labour for1 and so quick and eager      
toward other trifles--,i neither bear in
 mind nor shall here need to rehearse4  
,but thus much of that matter sufficeth 
for our purpose1 that whereas you demand
 of me whether in tribulation men may   
not sometimes refresh themselves with   
worldly mirth and recreation1 ,i can    
only say that he who cannot long endure 
to hold up his head and hear talking of 
heaven unless he be now and then between
 refreshed 7as though heaven were       
heaviness67 with a merry foolish tale1  
there is none other remedy but you must 
let him have it4 ,better would ,i wish  
it1 but ,i cannot help it4  ,howbeit1 by
 mine advice1 let us at least make those
 kinds of recreation as short and as    
seldom as we can4 ,let them serve us but

 for sauce1 and make themselves not our 
meat4 ,and let us pray unto ,god--and   
all our good friends for us--that we may
 feel such a savour in the delight of   
heaven that in respect of the talking of
 its joys1 all worldly recreation may be
 but a grief to think on4 ,and be sure1 
cousin1 that if we might once purchase  
the grace to come to that point1 we     
never found of worldly recreation so    
much comfort in a year as we should find
 in the bethinking us of heaven for less
 than half an hour4  ,,vincent3  ,in    
faith1 uncle1 ,i can well agree to this1
 and ,i pray ,god bring us once to take 
such a savour in it4 ,and surely1 as you
 began the other day1 by faith must we  
come to it1 and to faith by prayer4     
,but now1 ,i pray you1 good uncle1      
vouchsafe to proceed in our principal   
matter4   ,,ii  ,,anthony3  ,cousin1 ,i 
have bethought me somewhat upon this    
matter since we were last together4 ,and
 ,i find it a thing that1 if we should  
go some way to work1 would require many 

more days to treat of than we should    
haply find for it in so few as ,i myself
 believe that ,i have yet to live4 ,for 
every time is not alike with me4 ,among 
them1 there are many painful1 in which  
,i look every day to depart2 my mending 
days come very seldom and are very      
shortly done4  ,for surely1 cousin1 ,i  
cannot liken my life more fitly now than
 to the snuff of a candle that burneth  
within the candlestick's nose4 ,for the 
snuff sometimes burneth down so low that
 whosoever looketh on it would think it 
were quite out1 and yet suddenly lifteth
 up a flame half an inch above the nose 
and giveth a pretty short light again1  
and thus playeth divers times till at   
last1 ere it be looked for1 out it goeth
 altogether4 ,so have ,i1 cousin1 divers
 such days together as every day of them
 ,i look even to die1 and yet have ,i   
then after that some such few days again
 as you yourself see me now to have1 in 
which a man would think that ,i might   
yet well continue4 ,but ,i know my      

lingering not likely to last long1 but  
out will go my snuff suddenly some day  
within a while4 ,and therefore will ,i1 
with ,god's help1 seem ,i never so well 
amended1 nevertheless reckon every day  
for my last4 ,for though1 to the        
repressing of the bold courage of blind 
youth1 there is a very true proverb that
 as soon cometh a young sheep's skin to 
the market as an old1 yet this          
difference there is at least between    
them3 that as the young man may hap     
sometimes to die soon1 so the old man   
can never live long4  ,and therefore1   
cousin1 in our matter here1 leaving out 
many things that ,i would otherwise     
treat of1 ,i shall for this time speak  
but of very few4 ,howbeit1 if ,god      
hereafter send me more such days1 then  
will we1 when you wish1 further talk of 
more4   ,,iii  ,all manner of           
tribulation1 cousin1 that any man can   
have1 as far as for this time cometh to 
my mind1 falleth under some one at least
 of these three kinds3 ,either it is    

such as he himself willingly taketh2 or1
 secondly1 such as he willingly         
suffereth2 or1 finally1 such as he      
cannot put from him4  ,this third kind  
,i purpose not to speak of now much     
more1 for there shall suffice1 for the  
time1 those things that we treated      
between us the other day4 ,what kind of 
tribulation this is1 ,i am sure you     
yourself perceive4 ,for sickness1       
imprisonment1 loss of goods1 loss of    
friends1 or such bodily harm as a man   
hath already caught and can in no wise  
avoid--these things and such like are   
the third kind of tribulation that ,i   
speak of1 which a man neither willingly 
taketh in the beginning1 nor can 7though
 he would7 afterward put away4  ,now    
think ,i that1 just as no comfort can   
serve to the man who lacketh wit and    
faith1 whatsoever counsel be given1 so  
to those who have both ,i have1 as for  
this kind1 said in manner enough        
already4 ,and considering that suffer it
 he must1 since he can by no manner of  

means put it from him1 the very         
necessity is half counsel enough to take
 it in good worth and bear it patiently1
 and rather of his patience to take both
 ease and thanks than by fretting and   
fuming to increase his present pain1 and
 afterward by murmur and grudge to fall 
in further danger of displeasing ,god   
with his froward behaviour4  ,and yet1  
albeit that ,i think that what has been 
said sufficeth1 yet here and there ,i   
shall in the second kind show some such 
comfort as shall well serve unto this   
last kind too4   ,,iv  ,the first kind  
also will ,i shortly pass over1 too4    
,for the tribulation that a man         
willingly taketh himself1 which no man  
putteth upon him against his own will1  
is1 you know as well as ,i 7for it was  
somewhat touched the last day71 such    
affliction of the flesh or expense of   
his goods as a man taketh himself or    
willingly bestoweth in punishment of his
 own sin and for devotion to ,god4      
,now1 in this tribulation needeth he no 

man to comfort him4 ,for no man         
troubleth him but himself1 who feeleth  
how far forth he may conveniently bear1 
and of reason and good discretion shall 
not pass that--and if any doubt arise   
therein1 it is counsel that he needeth  
and not comfort4 ,and so the courage    
that kindleth his heart and enflameth it
 for ,god's sake and his soul's health  
shall1 by the same grace that put it in 
his mind1 give him such comfort and joy 
therein that the pleasure of his soul   
shall surpass the pain of his body4     
,yea1 and while he hath in heart also   
some great heaviness for his sin1 yet   
when he considereth the joy that shall  
come of it1 his soul shall not fail to  
feel then that strange state which my   
body felt once in a great fever4        
,,vincent3  ,what strange state was     
that1 uncle8  ,,anthony3  ,forsooth1    
cousin1 even in this same bed1 it is now
 more than fifteen years ago1 ,i lay in 
a tertian fever4 ,and ,i had passed1 ,i 
believe1 three or four fits1 when       

afterward there fell on me one fit out  
of course1 so strange and so marvellous 
that ,i would in good faith have thought
 it impossible4 ,for ,i suddenly felt   
myself verily both hot and cold         
throughout all my body2 not in one part 
the one and in another part the         
other--for it would have been1 you know1
 no very strange thing to feel the head 
hot while the hands were cold--but the  
selfsame parts1 ,i say1 so ,god save my 
soul1 ,i sensibly felt 7and right       
painfully1 too7 all in one instant both 
hot and cold at once4  ,,vincent3  ,by  
my faith1 uncle1 this was a wonderful   
thing1 and such as ,i never heard happen
 to any other man in my days4 ,and few  
men are there out of whose mouths ,i    
could have believed it4  ,,anthony3     
,courtesy1 cousin1 peradventure         
hindereth you from saying that you      
believe it not yet of my mouth1 neither6
 ,and surely1 for fear of that1 you     
should not have heard it of me neither1 
had there not another thing happed me   

soon thereafter4  ,,vincent3  ,i pray   
you1 what was that1 good uncle8         
,,anthony3  ,forsooth1 cousin1 this3 ,i 
asked a physician or twain1 who then    
considered how this should be possible1 
and they both twain told me that it     
could not be so1 but that ,i was fallen 
into some slumber and dreamed that ,i   
felt it so4  ,,vincent3  ,this hap1 hold
 ,i1 little caused you to tell that tale
 more boldly6  ,,anthony3  ,no1 cousin1 
that is true1 lo4 ,but then happed there
 another3 ,a young girl here in this    
town1 whom a kinsman of hers had begun  
to teach physic1 told me that there was 
such a kind of fever indeed4  ,,vincent3
  ,by our ,lady1 uncle1 save for the    
credence of you1 the tale would ,i not  
yet tell again upon that hap of the     
maid6 ,for though ,i know her now for   
such that ,i durst well believe her1 it 
might hap her very well at that time to 
lie1 because she would that you should  
take her for learned4  ,,anthony3  ,yea1
 but then happed there yet another hap  

thereon1 cousin1 that a work of ,galen1 
,de differentiis febrium1 is ready to be
 sold in the booksellers' shops1 in     
which work she showed me then the       
chapter where ,galen saith the same4    
,,vincent3  ,marry1 uncle1 as you say1  
that hap happed well4 ,and that maid    
had1 as hap was1 in that one point more 
learning than had both your physicians  
besides--and hath1 ,i believe1 at this  
day in many points more4  ,,anthony3    
,in faith1 so believe ,i too4 ,she is   
very wise and well learned1 and very    
virtuous too4  ,but see now what age is3
 lo1 ,i have been so long in my tale    
that ,i have almost forgotten for what  
purpose ,i told it4 ,oh1 now ,i remember
 me3 ,as ,i say1 just as ,i myself felt 
my body then both hot and cold at once1 
so he who is contrite and heavy for his 
sin shall have cause to be both glad and
 sad1 and shall indeed be both twain at 
once4 ,and he shall do as ,i remember   
holy ,st4 ,jerome biddeth--,both be thou
 sorry1 saith he1 and be thou also of   

thy sorrow joyful4  ,and thus1 as ,i    
began to say1 to him that is in this    
tribulation--that is1 in fruitful       
heaviness and penance for his sin--shall
 we need to give none other comfort than
 only to remember and consider well the 
goodness of ,god's excellent mercy1 that
 infinitely surpasseth the malice of all
 men's sins4 ,by that mercy he is ready 
to receive every man1 and did spread his
 arms abroad upon the cross1 lovingly to
 embrace all those who will come4 ,and  
by that mercy he even there accepted the
 thief at his last end1 who turned not  
to ,god till he might steal no longer1  
and yet maketh more feast in heaven for 
one who turneth from sin than for       
ninety-nine good men who sinned not at  
all4  ,and therefore of that first kind 
of tribulation will ,i make no longer   
tale4   ,v  ,,vincent3  ,forsooth1      
uncle1 this is very great comfort unto  
that kind of tribulation4 ,and so great1
 also1 that it may make many a man bold 
to abide in his sin even unto his end1  

trusting to be then saved as that thief 
was4  ,,anthony3  ,very sooth you say1  
cousin1 that some wretches are there who
 so abuse the great goodness of ,god    
that the better he is the worse in      
return are they4 ,but1 cousin1 though   
there be more joy made of his turning   
who from the point of perdition cometh  
to salvation1 for pity that ,god had and
 all his saints of the peril of         
perishing that the man stood in1 yet is 
he not set in like state in heaven as he
 should have been if he had lived better
 before4 ,unless it so befall that he   
live so well afterward and do so much   
good that he outrun1 in the shorter     
time1 those good folk that yet did so   
much in much longer4 ,this is proved in 
the blessed apostle ,st4 ,paul1 who of a
 persecutor became an apostle1 and last 
of all came in unto that office1 and yet
 in the labour of sowing the seed of    
,christ's faith outran all the rest so  
far that he forbore not to say of       
himself1 ,i have laboured more than all 

the rest have4  ,but yet1 my cousin1    
though ,i doubt not that ,god be so     
merciful unto those who1 at any time of 
their life1 turn and ask his mercy and  
trust in it1 though it be at the last   
end of a man's life2 and that he hireth 
him as well for heaven who cometh to    
work in his vineyard toward night at    
such time as workmen leave work1 and    
goeth home1 being then willing to work  
if time should serve1 as he hireth him  
who cometh in the morning2 yet may no   
man upon the trust of this parable be   
bold all his life to lie still in sin4  
,for let him remember that no man goeth 
into ,god's vineyard but he who is      
called thither4 ,now he who1 in hope to 
be called toward the night1 will sleep  
out the morning and drink out the day1  
is full likely to pass at night unspoken
 to4 ,and then shall he with ill rest go
 supperless to bed6  ,they tell of one  
who was wont always to say that all the 
while he lived he would do what he      
pleased1 for three words when he died   

should make all safe enough4 ,but then  
it so happed that long ere he was old   
his horse once stumbled upon a broken   
bridge4 ,and as he laboured to recover  
him1 when he saw that it would not be1  
but that down into the flood headlong he
 must go1 in sudden dismay he cried out 
in the falling1 ,have all to the devil6 
,and there was he drowned with his three
 words ere he died1 whereon his hope    
hung all his wretched life4  ,and       
therefore let no man sin in hope of     
grace1 for grace cometh but at ,god's   
will1 and that state of mind may be the 
hindrance that grace of fruitful        
repenting shall never after be offered  
him1 but that he shall either graceless 
go linger on careless1 or with a care   
that is fruitless shall fall into       
despair4   ,,vi  ,,vincent3  ,forsooth1 
uncle1 in this point methinketh you say 
very well4 ,but then are there some     
again who say on the other hand that we 
shall need no heaviness for our sins at 
all1 but need only change our intent and

 purpose to do better1 and for all that 
is passed take no thought at all4 ,and  
as for fasting and other affliction of  
the body1 they say we should not do it  
save only to tame the flesh when we feel
 it wax wanton and begin to rebel4 ,for 
fasting1 they say1 serveth to keep the  
body in temperance1 but to fast for     
penance or to do any other good work1   
almsdeed or other1 toward satisfaction  
for our own sins--this thing they call  
plain injury to the passion of ,christ1 
by which alone our sins are forgiven    
freely without any recompense of our    
own4 ,and they say that those who would 
do penance for their own sins look to be
 their own ,christs1 and pay their own  
ransoms1 and save their souls           
themselves4 ,and with these reasons in  
,saxony many cast fasting off1 and all  
other bodily affliction1 save only where
 need requireth to bring the body to    
temperance4 ,for no other good1 they    
say1 can it do to ourselves1 and then to
 our neighbour can it do none at all4   

,and therefore they condemn it for      
superstitious folly4 ,now1 heaviness of 
heart and weeping for our sins1 this    
they reckon shame almost1 and womanish  
childishness--howbeit1 ,god be thanked1 
their women wax there now so mannish    
that they are not so childish1 nor so   
poor of spirit1 but what they can sin on
 as men do and be neither afraid nor    
ashamed nor weep for their sins at all4 
,and surely1 mine uncle1 ,i have        
marvelled the less ever since ,i heard  
the manner of their preachers there4    
,for1 as you remember1 when ,i was in   
,saxony these matters were 7in a manner7
 but in a mammering4 ,luther was not    
then wedded yet1 nor religious men out  
of their habits1 but those that would be
 of the sect were suffered freely to    
preach what they would unto the people4 
,and forsooth ,i heard a religious man  
there myself--one that had been reputed 
and taken for very good1 and who1 as far
 as the folk perceived1 was of his own  
living somewhat austere and sharp4 ,but 

his preaching was wonderful6 ,methinketh
 ,i hear him yet1 his voice so loud and 
shrill1 his learning less than mean4    
,but whereas his matter was much part   
against fasting and all affliction for  
any penance1 which he called men's      
inventions1 he ever cried out upon them 
to keep well the laws of ,christ1 let go
 their childish penance1 and purpose    
then to mend and seek nothing to        
salvation but the death of ,christ4 ,for
 he is our justice1 and he is our       
,saviour and our whole satisfaction for 
all our deadly sins4 ,he did full       
penance for us all upon his painful     
cross1 he washed us there all clean with
 the water of his sweet side1 and       
brought us out of the devil's danger    
with his dear precious blood4 ,leave    
therefore1 leave1 ,i beseech you1 these 
inventions of men1 your foolish ,lenten 
fasts and your childish penance6        
,diminish never ,christ's thanks nor    
look to save yourselves6 ,it is         
,christ's death1 ,i tell you1 that must 

save us all--,christ's death1 ,i tell   
you yet again1 and not our own deeds4   
,leave your own fasting1 therefore1 and 
lean to ,christ alone1 good ,christian  
people1 for ,christ's dear bitter       
passion6 ,now1 so loud and shrill he    
cried ,christ in their ears1 and so     
thick he came forth with ,christ's      
bitter passion1 and that so bitterly    
spoken with the sweat dropping down his 
cheeks1 that ,i marvelled not that ,i   
saw the poor women weep4 ,for he made my
 own hair stand up upon my head4  ,and  
with such preaching were the people so  
taken in that some fell to break their  
fast on the fasting days1 not of frailty
 or of malice first1 but almost of      
devotion1 lest they should take from    
,christ the thanks of his bitter        
passion4 ,but when they were awhile     
nursled in that point first1 they could 
afterward abide and endure many things  
more1 for which1 if he had begun with   
them1 they would have pulled him down4  
,,anthony3  ,cousin1 ,god amend that    

man1 whatsoever he be1 and ,god keep all
 good folk from such manner of          
preachers6 ,one such preacher much more 
abuseth the name of ,christ and of his  
bitter passion than do five hundred     
gamblers who in their idle business     
swear and foreswear themselves by his   
holy bitter passion at dice4 ,they carry
 the minds of the people from perceiving
 their craft by the continual naming of 
the name of ,christ1 and crying his     
passion so shrill into their ears that  
they forget that the ,church hath ever  
taught them that all our penance without
 ,christ's passion would not be worth a 
pea4 ,and they make the people think    
that we wish to be saved by our own     
deeds1 without ,christ's death2 whereas 
we confess that his passion alone       
meriteth incomparably more for us than  
all our own deeds do1 but that it is his
 pleasure that we shall also take pain  
ourselves with him4 ,and therefore he   
biddeth all who will be his disciples to
 take their crosses on their backs as he

 did1 and with their crosses follow him4
  ,and where they say that fasting      
serveth but for temperance to tame the  
flesh and keep it from wantonness1 ,i   
would in good faith have thought that   
,moses had not been so wild that for the
 taming of his flesh he should have need
 to fast whole forty days together4 ,no1
 not ,hely neither4 ,nor yet our        
,saviour himself1 who began the ,lenten 
forty-days fast--and the apostles       
followed1 and all ,christendom hath kept
 it--that these folk call now so        
foolish4 ,king ,achab was not disposed  
to be wanton in his flesh1 when he      
fasted and went clothed in sackcloth and
 all besprent with ashes4 ,no more was  
the king in ,nineveh and all the city1  
but they wailed and did painful penance 
for their sin to procure ,god to pity   
them and withdraw his indignation4      
,anna1 who in her widowhood abode so    
many years with fasting and praying in  
the temple till the birth of ,christ1   
was not1 ,i suppose1 in her old age so  

sore disposed to the wantonness of the  
flesh that she fasted for all that4 ,nor
 ,st4 ,paul1 who fasted so much1 fasted 
not all for that1 neither4 ,the         
scripture is full of places that prove  
fasting to be not the invention of man  
but the institution of ,god1 and to have
 many more profits than one4 ,and that  
the fasting of one man may do good unto 
another1 our ,saviour showeth himself   
where he saith that some kind of devils 
cannot be cast out of one man by another
 without prayer and fasting4 ,and       
therefore ,i marvel that they take this 
way against fasting and other bodily    
penance4  ,and yet much more ,i marvel  
that they mislike the sorrow and        
heaviness and displeasure of mind that a
 man should take in thinking of his sin4
 ,the prophet saith1 ,tear your hearts  
and not your clothes4 ,and the prophet  
,david saith1 ,a contrite heart and an  
humbled--that is to say1 a heart broken1
 torn1 and laid low under foot with     
tribulation of heaviness for his        

sins--shalt thou not1 good ,lord1       
despise4 ,he saith also of his own      
contrition1 ,i have laboured in my      
wailing2 ,i shall every night wash my   
bed with my tears1 my couch will ,i     
water4  ,but why should ,i need in this 
matter to lay forth one place or twain8 
,the scripture is full of those places1 
by which it plainly appeareth that ,god 
looketh of duty1 not only that we should
 amend and be better in the time to     
come1 but also that we should be sorry  
and weep and bewail our sins committed  
before4 ,and all the old holy doctors be
 full and whole of that opinion1 that   
men must have for their sins contrition 
and sorrow in heart4   ,,vii  ,,vincent3
  ,forsooth1 uncle1 this thing yet      
seemeth to me a somewhat sore sentence1 
not because ,i think otherwise but that 
there is good cause and great wherefore 
a man should so sorrow1 but because of  
truth sometimes a man cannot be sorry   
and heavy for his sin that he hath done1
 though he never so fain would4 ,but    

though he can be content for ,god's sake
 to forbear it thenceforth1 yet not only
 can he not weep for every sin that is  
past1 but some were haply so wanton that
 when he happeth to remember them he can
 scantly forbear to laugh4  ,now1 if    
contrition and sorrow of heart be so    
requisite of necessity to remission1    
many a man should stand1 it seemeth1 in 
a very perilous state4  ,,anthony3      
,many so should indeed1 cousin1 and     
indeed many do so4 ,and the old saints  
write very sore on this point4 ,howbeit1
 the mercy of ,god is above all his     
works1 and he standeth bound to no      
common rule4 ,and he knoweth the frailty
 of this earthen vessel that is of his  
own making1 and is merciful and hath    
pity and compassion upon our feeble     
infirmities1 and shall not exact of us  
above the thing that we can do4  ,and   
yet1 cousin1 he who findeth himself in  
that state1 let him give ,god thanks    
that he is no worse1 in that he is      
minded to do well hereafter4 ,but in    

that he cannot be sorry for his sin     
passed1 let him be sorry at least that  
he is no better4 ,and as ,st4 ,jerome   
biddeth him who sorroweth in his heart  
for sin to be glad and rejoice in his   
sorrow1 so would ,i counsel him who     
cannot be sad for his sin to be sorry at
 least that he cannot be sorry6         
,besides this1 though ,i would in no    
wise that any man should despair1 yet   
would ,i counsel such a man while that  
affection lasteth not to be bold of     
courage1 but to live in double fear3    
,first1 because it is a token either of 
faint faith or of a dull diligence4 ,for
 surely if we believe in ,god1 and      
therewith deeply consider his high      
majesty1 with the peril of our sin and  
the great goodness of ,god also1 then   
either dread should make us tremble and 
break our stony heart1 or love should   
for sorrow relent it into tears4        
,besides this1 because1 since so little 
misliking of our old sin is an affection
 not very pure and clean1 and since no  

unclean thing shall enter into heaven1  
,i can scantly believe but it shall be  
cleansed and purified before we come    
there4 ,and therefore would ,i further  
give one in that state the counsel which
 ,master ,gerson giveth every man3 that 
since the body and the soul together    
make the whole man1 the less affliction 
he feeleth in his soul1 the more pain in
 recompense let him put upon his body1  
and purge the spirit by the affliction  
of the flesh4 ,and he who so doth1 ,i   
dare lay my life1 shall have his hard   
heart afterward relent into tears1 and  
his soul in a wholesome heaviness and   
heavenly gladness too--especially if he 
join therewith faithful prayer1 which   
must be joined with every good thing4   
,but1 cousin1 as ,i told you the other  
day1 in these matters with these new men
 ,i will not dispute1 but surely for    
mine own part ,i cannot well hold with  
them4 ,for as far as mine own poor wit  
can perceive1 the holy scripture of ,god
 is very plain against them1 and the    

whole corps of ,christendom in every    
,christan region4 ,and the very places  
in which they dwell themselves have ever
 unto their own days clearly believed   
against them and all the old holy       
doctors have evermore taught against    
them1 and all the old holy interpreters 
have construed against them4 ,and       
therefore if these men have now         
perceived so late that the scripture    
hath been misunderstood all this while1 
and that of all those old holy doctors  
no man could understand it1 then am ,i  
too old at this age to begin to study it
 now6 ,and ,i dare not in no wise trust 
these men's learning1 cousin1 since ,i  
cannot see nor perceive any cause       
wherefore ,i should think that these men
 might not now in the understanding of  
scripture as well be deceived themselves
 as they would have us believe all those
 others have been1 all this while       
before4  ,howbeit1 cousin1 if it so be  
that their way be not wrong1 but that   
they have found out so easy a way to    

heaven as to take no thought1 but make  
merry1 nor take no penance at all1 but  
sit them down and drink well for our    
,saviour's sake--set cockahoop and fill 
all the cups at once1 and then let      
,christ's passion pay for all the       
scot--,i am not he who will envy their  
good hap4 ,but surely1 counsel dare ,i  
give no man to adventure that way with  
them4 ,but those who fear lest that way 
be not sure1 and take upon themselves   
willingly tribulation of penance--what  
comfort they do take1 and well may take 
therein1 that have ,i somewhat told you 
already4 ,and since these other folk sit
 so merry with such tribulation1 we need
 talk to them1 you know1 of no such     
manner of comfort4  ,and therefore of   
this kind of tribulation will ,i make an
 end4   ,,viii  ,,vincent3  ,verily1    
good uncle1 so may you well do1 for you 
have brought it unto a very good pass4  
,and now1 ,i pray you1 come to the other
 kind1 of which you purposed always to  
treat last4  ,,anthony3  ,that shall ,i1

 cousin1 very gladly do4 ,the other kind
 is the one which ,i rehearsed second1  
and 7sorting out the other two7 have    
kept for the last4 ,this second kind of 
tribulation is1 you know1 of those who  
willingly suffer tribulation1 though of 
their own choice they took it not at    
first4  ,this kind1 cousin1 we shall    
divide into twain2 the first we might   
call temptation1 the second persecution4
 ,but here must you consider that ,i    
mean not every kind of persecution1 but 
only that kind which1 though the        
sufferer would be loth to fall in1 yet  
will he rather abide it and suffer than1
 by flying from it1 fall into the       
displeasure of ,god or leave ,god's     
pleasure unprocured4 ,howbeit1 if we    
well consider these two things1         
temptation and persecution1 we may find 
that either of them is incident into the
 other4 ,for both by temptation the     
devil persecuteth us1 and by persecution
 the devil also tempteth us4 ,and as    
persecution is tribulation to every man1

 so is temptation tribulation to a good 
man4 ,now1 though the devil1 our        
spiritual enemy1 fight against man in   
both1 yet this difference hath the      
common temptation from the persecution3 
,temptation is1 as it were1 the fiend's 
snare1 and persecution his plain open   
fight4 ,and therefore will ,i now call  
all this kind of tribulation here by the
 name of temptation1 and that shall ,i  
divide into two parts4 ,the first shall 
,i call the devil's snares1 the other   
his open fight4   ,,ix  ,to speak of    
every kind of temptation particularly1  
by itself1 would be1 you know1 in a     
manner an infinite thing4 ,for under    
that1 as ,i told you1 fall persecutions 
and all4 ,and the devil hath a thousand 
subtle ways of his snares1 and of his   
open fight as many sundry poisoned      
darts4 ,he tempteth us by the world1 he 
tempteth us by our own flesh2 he        
tempteth us by pleasure1 he tempteth us 
by pain2 he tempteth us by our foes1 he 
tempteth us by our own friends--and1    

under colour of kindred1 he maketh many 
times our nearest friends our most foes4
 ,for1 as our ,saviour said1 ,inimici   
hominis domestici eius4  ,but in all    
manner of so diverse temptations1 one   
marvellous comfort is that1 the more we 
be tempted1 the gladder have we cause to
 be4 ,for1 as ,st4 ,james saith1 ,esteem
 and take it1 my brethren1 for a thing  
of all joy when you fall into diverse   
and sundry manner of temptations4 ,and  
no marvel1 for there is in this world   
set up 7as it were7 a game of wrestling1
 in which the people of ,god come in on 
the one side1 and on the other side come
 mighty strong wrestlers and wily--that 
is1 the devils1 the cursed proud damned 
spirits4 ,for it is not our flesh alone 
that we must wrestle with1 but with the 
devil too4 ,our wrestling is not here1  
saith ,st4 ,paul1 against flesh and     
blood1 but against the princes and      
potentates of these dark regions1       
against the spiritual wicked ghosts of  
the air4  ,but as ,god hath prepared a  

crown for those who on his side give his
 adversary the fall1 so he who will not 
wrestle shall have none4 ,for1 as ,st4  
,paul saith1 ,there shall no man have   
the crown but he who contendeth for it  
according to the law of the game4 ,and  
then1 as holy ,st4 ,bernard saith1 how  
couldst thou fight or wrestle for it1 if
 there were no challenger against thee  
who would provoke thee thereto8 ,and    
therefore may it be a great comfort1 as 
,st4 ,james saith1 to every man who     
feeleth himself challenged and provoked 
by temptation4 ,for thereby perceiveth  
he that it cometh to his course to      
wrestle1 which shall be1 unless he      
willingly play the coward or the fool1  
the matter of his eternal reward4   ,x  
,but now must this needs be to man an   
inestimable comfort in all temptation if
 his faith fail him not3 that is1 that  
he may be sure that ,god is always ready
 to give him strength against the       
devil's might and wisdom against the    
devil's snares4  ,for1 as the prophet   

saith1 ,my strength and my praise is our
 ,lord1 he hath been my safeguard4 ,and 
the scripture saith1 ,ask wisdom of ,god
 and he shall give it thee1 in order    
that you may espy1 as ,st4 ,paul saith1 
and perceive all the crafts4 ,a great   
comfort may this be in all kinds of     
temptation1 that ,god hath so his hand  
upon him who is willing to stand and    
will trust in him and call upon him1    
that he hath made him sure by many      
faithful promises in holy scripture that
 either he shall not fall or1 if he     
sometimes through faintness of faith    
stagger and hap to fall1 yet if he call 
upon ,god betimes his fall shall be no  
sore bruising to him4 ,but as the       
scripture saith1 ,the just man1 though  
he fall1 shall not be bruised1 for our  
,lord holdeth under his hand4  ,the     
prophet expresseth a plain comfortable  
promise of ,god against all temptations 
where he saith1 ,whoso dwelleth in the  
help of the highest ,god1 he shall abide
 in the protection or defence of the    

,god of heaven4 ,who dwelleth1 now1 good
 cousin1 in the help of the high ,god8  
,surely1 he who through a good faith    
abideth in the trust and confidence of  
,god's help1 and neither1 for lack of   
that faith and trust in his help1       
falleth desperate of all help1 nor      
departeth from the hope of his help to  
seek himself help 7as ,i told you the   
other day7 from the flesh1 the world1 or
 the devil4  ,now he then who by fast   
faith and sure hope dwelleth in ,god's  
help1 and hangeth always upon that hope1
 never falling from it1 he shall1 saith 
the prophet1 ever dwell and abide in    
,god's defence and protection4 ,that is 
to say1 while he faileth not to believe 
well and hope well1 ,god will never fail
 in all temptation to defend him4 ,for  
unto such a faithful well-hoping man the
 prophet in the same psalm saith        
further1 ,with his shoulders shall he   
shadow thee1 and under his feathers     
shalt thou trust4 ,lo1 here hath every  
faithful man a sure promise that in the 

fervent heat of temptation or           
tribulation--for1 as ,i have said divers
 times before1 each is in such wise     
incident to the other that the devil    
useth every tribulation for temptation  
to bring us to impatience1 and thereby  
to murmur and grudge and blasphemy2 and 
every kind of temptation1 to a good man 
who fighteth against it and will not    
follow it1 is a very painful            
tribulation4 ,in the fervent heat1 ,i   
say therefore1 of every temptation1 ,god
 giveth the faithful man who hopeth in  
him the shadow of his holy shoulders4   
,his shoulders are broad and large      
enough to cool and refresh the man in   
that heat1 and in every tribulation he  
putteth them for a defence between4 ,and
 then what weapon of the devil may give 
us any deadly wound1 while that         
impenetrable shield of the shoulder of  
,god standeth always between8  ,then    
goeth the verse further1 and saith unto 
such a faithful man1 ,thine hope shall  
be under his feathers4 ,that is1 for the

 good hope thou hast in his help1 he    
will take thee so near him into his     
protection that1 as the hen1 to keep her
 young chickens from the kite1 nestled  
them together under her wings1 so from  
the devil's claws--the ravenous kite of 
this dark air--will the ,god of heaven  
gather the faithful trusting folk near  
unto his own sides1 and set them in     
surety1 very well and warm1 under the   
covering of his heavenly wings4 ,and of 
this defence and protection1 our        
,saviour spoke himself unto the ,jews1  
as mention is made in the twenty-third  
chapter of ,st4 ,matthew1 to whom he    
said in this wise3 ,jerusalem1          
,jerusalem1 that killest the prophets   
and stonest unto death them that are    
sent to thee1 how often would ,i have   
gathered thee together1 as the hen      
gathereth her chickens under her wings1 
and thou wouldst not4  ,here are1 cousin
 ,vincent1 words of no little comfort   
unto every ,christian man4 ,for by them 
we may see with what tender affection   

,god of his great goodness longeth to   
gather us under the protection of his   
wings1 and how often like a loving hen  
he clucketh home unto him even those    
chickens of his that wilfully walk      
abroad into the kite's danger and will  
not come at his clucking1 but ever1 the 
more he clucketh for them1 the farther  
they go from him4 ,and therefore can we 
not doubt that1 if we will follow him   
and with faithful hope come running to  
him1 he shall in all matter of          
temptation take us near unto him and set
 us even under his wing4 ,and then are  
we safe1 if we will tarry there1 for    
against our will no power can pull us   
thence1 nor hurt our souls there4 ,set  
me near unto thee1 saith the prophet1   
and fight against me whose hand that    
will4 ,and to show the great safeguard  
and surety that we shall have while we  
sit under his heavenly feathers1 the    
prophet saith yet a great deal further1 
,in velamento alarum tuarum exaltabo4   
,that is1 that we shall not only sit in 

safeguard when we sit by his sweet side 
under his holy wing1 but we shall also  
under the covering of his heavenly wings
 with great exultation rejoice4   ,,xi  
,now1 in the two next verses following1 
the prophet briefly comprehendeth four  
kinds of temptations1 and therein all   
the tribulation that we shall now speak 
of1 and also some part of that which we 
have spoken of before4 ,and therefore ,i
 shall peradventure 7unless any further 
thing fall in our way7 with treating of 
those two verses1 finish and end all our
 matter4  ,the prophet saith in the     
ninetieth psalm1 ,scuto circumdabit te  
veritas eius2 non timebis a timore      
nocturno1 a sagitta volante in die1 a   
negotio perambulante in tenebris1 ab    
incurso et demonio meridiano4 ,the truth
 of ,god shall compass thee about with a
 shield1 you shall not be afraid of the 
night's fear1 nor of the arrow flying in
 the day1 nor of business walking about 
in the darknesses1 nor of the incursion 
or invasion of the devil in the midday4 

,first1 cousin1 in these words the truth
 of ,god shall compass thee about with a
 shield1 the prophet for the comfort of 
every good man in all temptation and in 
all tribulation1 besides those other    
things that he said before--that the    
shoulders of ,god should shadow them and
 that also they should sit under his    
wing--here saith he further that the    
truth of ,god shall compass thee with a 
shield4 ,that is1 as ,god hath          
faithfully promised to protect and      
defend those that faithfully will dwell 
in the trust of his help1 so will he    
truly perform it4 ,and thou who art such
 a one1 the truth of his promise will   
defend thee not with a little round     
buckler that scantly can cover the head1
 but with a long large shield that      
covereth all along the body4 ,this      
shield is made 7as holy ,st4 ,bernard   
saith7 broad above with the ,godhead and
 narrow beneath with the ,manhood1 so   
that it is our ,saviour ,christ himself4
 ,and yet is this shield not like other 

shields of the world1 which are so made 
that while they defend one part the man 
may be wounded upon another4 ,but this  
shield is such that1 as the prophet     
saith1 it shall round about enclose and 
compass thee1 so that thine enemy shall 
hurt thy soul on no side4 ,for with a   
shield1 saith he1 shall his truth       
environ and compass thee round about4   
,and then incontinently following1 to   
the intent that we should see that it is
 not without necessity that the shield  
of ,god should compass us about upon    
every side1 he showeth in what wise we  
are environed by the devil upon every   
side with snares and assaults1 by four  
kinds of temptations and tribulations4  
,against all this compass of temptations
 and tribulations that round-compassing 
shield of ,god's truth shall so defend  
us and keep us safe that we shall need  
to dread none of them at all4   ,,xii   
,first1 he saith1 thou shalt not be     
afraid of the fear of the night4 ,by the
 night is there in scripture sometimes  

understood tribulation1 as appeareth in 
the thirty-fourth chapter of ,job3 ,god 
hath known the works of them1 and       
therefore shall he bring night upon     
them1 that is1 tribulation for their    
wickedness4 ,and well you know that the 
night is of its own nature              
discomfortable and full of fear4 ,and   
therefore by the night's fear here ,i   
understand the tribulation by which the 
devil1 through the sufference of ,god1  
either by himself or by others who are  
his instruments1 tempteth good folk to  
impatience as he did ,job4 ,but he who1 
as the prophet saith1 dwelleth and      
continueth faithfully in the hope of    
,god's help1 shall so be clipped in on  
every side with the shield of ,god that 
he shall have no need to be afraid of   
such tribulation as is here called the  
night's fear4 ,and it may be also       
fittingly called the night's fear for   
two causes3 ,one1 because many times1   
unto him who suffereth1 the cause of his
 tribulation is dark and unknown4 ,and  

therein it varieth and differeth from   
that tribulation by which the devil     
tempteth a man with open fight and      
assault for a known good thing from     
which he would withdraw him1 or for some
 known evil thing into which he would   
drive him by force of such persecution4 
,another cause for which it is called   
the night's fear may be because the     
night is so far out of courage1 and     
naturally so casteth folk into fear1    
that their fancy doubleth their fear of 
everything of which they perceive any   
manner of dread1 and maketh them often  
think that it were much worse than      
indeed it is4  ,the prophet saith in the
 psalter1 ,thou hast1 good ,lord1 set   
the darkness and made was the night1 and
 in the night walk all the beasts of the
 woods1 the whelps of the lions roaring 
and calling unto ,god for their meat4   
,now1 though the lions' whelps walk     
about roaring in the night and seek for 
their prey1 yet can they not get such   
meat as they would always1 but must hold

 themselves content with such as ,god   
suffereth to fall in their way4 ,and    
though they be not aware of it1 yet of  
,god they ask it and of him they have   
it4 ,and this may be comfort to all good
 men in their night's fear1 that though 
they fall in their dark tribulation into
 the claws of the devil or the teeth of 
those lions' whelps1 yet all that they  
can do shall not pass beyond the body1  
which is but as the garment of the soul4
 ,for the soul itself1 which is the     
substance of the man1 is so surely      
fenced in round about with the shield of
 ,god1 that as long as he will abide    
faithfully in the hope of ,god's help   
the lions' whelp shall not be able to   
hurt it4 ,for the great ,lion himself   
could never be suffered to go further in
 the tribulation of ,job than ,god from 
time to time gave him leave4  ,and      
therefore the deep darkness of the      
midnight maketh men who stand out of    
faith and out of good hope in ,god to be
 in far the greater fear in their       

tribulation1 for lack of the light of   
faith1 by which they might perceive that
 the uttermost of their peril is a far  
less thing than they take it for4 ,but  
we are so wont to set so much by our    
body1 which we see and feel1 and in the 
feeding and fostering of which we set   
out delight and our wealth2 and so      
little 7alas7 and so seldom we think    
upon our soul1 because we cannot see    
that but by spiritual understanding1 and
 most especially by the eye of our faith
 7in the meditation of which we bestow1 
,god knows1 little time71 that the loss 
of our body we take for a sorer thing   
and for a great deal greater tribulation
 than we do the loss of our soul4 ,our  
,saviour biddeth us not fear those      
lions' whelps that can but kill our     
bodies and when that is done have no    
further thing in their power with which 
they can do us harm1 but he biddeth us  
stand in dread of him who when he hath  
slain the body is able then beside to   
cast the soul into everlasting fire4    

,yet are we so blind in the dark night  
of tribulation1 for lack of full and    
fast belief of ,god's word1 that1       
whereas in the day of prosperity we very
 little fear ,god for our soul1 our     
night's fear of adversity maketh us very
 sore to fear the lion and his whelps   
for dread of loss of our bodies4 ,and   
whereas ,st4 ,paul in sundry places     
telleth us that our body is but the     
garment of the soul1 yet the faintness  
of our faith in the scripture of ,god   
maketh us1 with the night's fear of     
tribulation1 not only to dread the loss 
of our body more than that of our       
soul--that is1 of the clothing more than
 of the substance that is clothed       
therewith--but also of the very outward 
goods that serve for the clothing of the
 body4 ,and much more foolish are we in 
that dark night's fear than would be a  
man who would forget the saving of his  
body for fear of losing his old         
rain-beaten cloak1 that is but the      
covering of his gown or his coat4 ,now1 

consider further yet1 that the prophet  
in the afore-remembered verses saith    
that in the night there walk not only   
the lions' whelps but also all the      
beasts of the wood4 ,now1 you know that 
if a man walk through the wood in the   
night1 many things can make him afraid  
of which in the day he would not be     
afraid a whit4 ,for in the night every  
bush1 to him that waxeth once afraid1   
seemeth a thief4  ,i remember that when 
,i was a young man1 ,i was once in the  
war with the king then my master 7,god  
absolve his soul7 and we were camped    
within the ,turk's ground many a mile   
beyond ,belgrade--would ,god it were    
ours now as it was then6 ,but so happed 
it that in our camp about midnight there
 suddenly rose a rumour and a cry that  
the ,turk's whole army was secretly     
stealing upon us4 ,therewith our whole  
host was warned to arm them in haste and
 set themselves in array to fight4 ,and 
then were runners of ours1 who had      
brought those sudden tidings1 examined  

more leisurely by the council1 as to    
what surety or what likelihood they had 
perceived4 ,and one of them said that by
 the glimmering of the moon he had      
espied and perceived and seen them      
himself1 coming on softly and soberly in
 a long range1 all in good order1 not   
one farther forth than the other in the 
forefront1 but as even as a third1 and  
in breadth farther than he could see the
 length4 ,his fellows1 being examined1  
said that he had somewhat pricked forth 
before them1 and came back so fast to   
tell it to them that they thought it    
rather time to make haste and giving    
warning to the camp than to go nearer   
unto them4 ,for they were not so far off
 but what they had yet themselves       
somewhat an imperfect sight of them1    
too4 ,thus stood we on watch all the    
rest of the night1 evermore hearkening  
when we should hear them come1 but      
,hush1 stand still6 ,methink ,i hear a  
trampling1 so that at last many of us   
thought we heard them ourselves too4    

,but when the day was sprung1 and we saw
 no one1 out was our runner sent again1 
and some of our captains with him1 to   
show whereabout was the place in which  
he had perceived them4 ,and when they   
came thither1 they found that the great 
fearful army of the ,turks1 so soberly  
coming on1 turned 7,god be thanked7 into
 a fair long hedge standing even        
stone-still4  ,and thus fareth it in the
 night's fear of tribulation1 in which  
the devil1 to bear down and overwhelm   
with dread the faithful hope that we    
should have in ,god1 casteth in our     
imagination much more fear than cause4  
,for since there walk in that night not 
only the lion's whelps but all the      
beasts of the wood beside1 the beast    
that we hear roar in the dark night of  
tribulation1 and fear for a lion1 we    
sometimes find well afterward in the way
 that it was no lion at all1 but a silly
 rude roaring ass4 ,and sometimes the   
thing that on the sea seemeth a rock is 
indeed nothing else but a mist4         

,howbeit1 as the prophet saith1 he that 
faithfully dwelleth in the hope of      
,god's help1 the shield of his truth    
shall so fence him round about that1 be 
it an ass or a colt or a lion's whelp1  
or a rock of stone or a mist1 the       
night's fear thereof shall be nothing to
 dread4   ,,xiii  ,therefore find ,i    
that in the night's fear one great part 
is the fault of pusillanimity2 that is1 
of faint and feeble stomach1 by which a 
man for faint heart is afraid where he  
needeth not4 ,by reason of this1 he     
flieth oftentime for fear of something  
of which1 if he fled not1 he should take
 no harm4 ,and a man doth sometimes by  
his fleeing make an enemy bold on him1  
who would1 if he fled not but dared     
abide1 give over and fly from him4      
,this fault of pusillanimity maketh a   
man in his tribulation first1 for feeble
 heart1 impatient4 ,and afterward       
oftentimes it driveth him by impatience 
into a contrary affection1 making him   
frowardly stubborn and angry against    

,god1 and thereby to fall into          
blasphemy1 as do the damned souls in    
hell4 ,this fault of pusillanimity and  
timorous mind hindereth a man also many 
times from doing many good things which1
 if he took a good stomach to him in the
 trust of ,god's help1 he would be well 
able to do4 ,but the devil casteth him  
in a cowardice and maketh him take it   
for humility to think himself unfit and 
unable to do them4 ,and therefore he    
leaveth undone the good thing of which  
,god offereth him occasion and to which 
he had made him fit4  ,but such folk    
have need to lift up their hearts and   
call upon ,god1 and by the counsel of   
other good spiritual folk to cast away  
the cowardice of their own conceiving   
which the night's fear by the devil hath
 framed in their fancy4 ,and they have  
need to look in the gospel upon him who 
laid up his talent and left it          
unoccupied and therefore utterly lost   
it1 with a great reproach of his        
pusillanimity1 but which he had thought 

to have excused himself1 in that he was 
afraid to put it forth into use and     
occupy it4  ,and all this fear cometh by
 the devil's drift1 wherein he taketh   
occasion of the faintness of our good   
and sure trust in ,god4 ,and therefore  
let us faithfully dwell in the good hope
 of his help1 and then shall the shield 
of his truth so compass us about that of
 this night's fear we shall have no fear
 at all4   ,,xiv  ,this pusillanimity   
bringeth forth1 by the night's fear1 a  
very timorous daughter1 a silly wretched
 girl and ever whining1 who is called   
,scrupulosity1 or a scrupulous          
conscience4  ,this girl is a good enough
 maidservant in a house1 never idle but 
ever occupied and busy4 ,but albeit she 
hath a very gentle mistress who loveth  
her well and is well content with what  
she doth--or1 if all be not well 7as all
 cannot always be well71 is content to  
pardon her as she doth others of her    
fellows1 and letteth her know that she  
will do so--yet can this peevish girl   

never cease whining and puling for fear 
lest her mistress be always angry with  
her and she shall severely be chidden4  
,would her mistress1 think you1 be      
likely to be content with this          
condition8 ,nay1 surely not4  ,i knew   
such a one myself1 whose mistress was a 
very wise woman and 7a thing which is in
 women very rare7 very mild also and    
meek1 and liked very well such service  
as she did her in the house4 ,but she so
 much misliked this continual           
discomfortable fashion of hers that she 
would sometimes say1 ,eh1 what aileth   
this girl8 ,the elvish urchin thinketh  
,i were a devil1 ,i do believe4 ,surely 
if she did me ten times better service  
than she doth1 yet with this fantastical
 fear of hers ,i would be loth to have  
her in mine house4  ,thus fareth1 lo1   
the scrupulous person1 who frameth      
himself many times double the fear that 
he hath cause1 and many times a great   
fear where there is no cause at all4    
,and of that which is indeed no sin1 he 

maketh a venial one4 ,and that which is 
venial1 he imagineth to be deadly--and  
yet1 for all that1 he falleth into them1
 since they are of their nature such as 
no man long liveth without4 ,and then he
 feareth that he is never fully         
confessed nor fully contrite1 and then  
that his sins be never fully forgiven   
him4 ,and then he confesseth and        
confesseth again1 and cumbereth himself 
and his confessor both4 ,and then every 
prayer that he saith1 though he say it  
as well as the frail infirmity of the   
man will suffer1 yet he is not satisfied
 unless he say it again1 and yet after  
that again4 ,and when he hath said the  
same thing thrice1 as little is he      
satisfied with the last time as the     
first4 ,and then is his heart evermore  
in heaviness1 unquiet1 and fear1 full of
 doubt and dullness1 without comfort or 
spiritual consolation4  ,with this      
night's fear the devil sore troubleth   
the mind of many a right good man1 and  
that doth he to bring him to some great 

evil4 ,for he will1 if he can1 drive him
 so much to the fearful minding of      
,god's rigorous justice1 that he will   
keep him from the comfortable           
remembrance of ,god's great mighty      
mercy1 and so make him do all his good  
works wearily and without consolation or
 quickness4  ,moreover1 he maketh him   
take for a sin something that is not    
one1 and for a deadly sin one that is   
but venial1 to the intent that when he  
shall fall into them he shall1 by reason
 of his scruple1 sin where otherwise he 
would not1 or sin mortally 7because his 
conscience1 in doing the deed1 so told  
him7 where otherwise indeed he would    
have offended only venially4  ,yes1 and 
further1 the devil longeth to make all  
his good works and spiritual exercises  
so painful and so tedious to him1 that1 
with some other subtle suggestion or    
false wily doctrine of a false spiritual
 liberty1 he should be easily conveyed  
from that evil fault into one much      
worse1 for the false ease and pleasure  

that he should suddenly find therein4   
,and then should he have his conscience 
as wide and large afterward as ever it  
was narrow and straight before4 ,for    
better is yet1 of truth1 a conscience a 
little too narrow than a little too     
large4  ,my mother had1 when ,i was a   
little boy1 a good old woman who took   
care of her children4 ,they called her  
,mother ,maud--,i daresay you have heard
 of her8  ,,vincent3  ,yea1 yea1 very   
much4  ,,anthony3  ,she was wont1 when  
she sat by the fire with us1 to tell us 
who were children many childish tales4  
,but as ,pliny saith that there is no   
book lightly so bad but that a man may  
pick some good thing out of it1 so think
 ,i that there is almost no tale so     
foolish but that yet in one matter or   
another1 it may hap to serve to some    
purpose4  ,for ,i remember me that among
 others of her foolish tales1 she told  
us once that the ass and the wolf came  
upon a time to confession to the fox4   
,the poor ass came to shrift in         

,shrovetide1 a day or two before ,ash   
,wednesday4 ,but the wolf would not come
 to confession till he saw first ,palm  
,sunday past1 and then he put it off yet
 further until ,good ,friday4  ,the fox 
asked the ass1 before he began          
,benedicite1 wherefore he came to       
confession so soon1 before ,lent began4 
,the poor beast answered him that it was
 for fear of deadly sin1 if he should   
lose his part of any of those prayers   
that the priests in the cleansing days  
pray for them who are then confessed    
already4 ,then in his shrift he had a   
marvellous grudge in his inward         
conscience1 that he had one day given   
his master a cause of anger in that1    
with his rude roaring before his master 
arose1 he had wakened him out of his    
sleep and bereaved him of his rest4 ,the
 fox1 for that fault1 like a good       
discreet confessor1 charged him to do so
 no more1 but to lie still and sleep    
like a good son himself until his master
 were up and ready to go to work1 and so

 should he be sure that he should wake  
him no more4  ,to tell you all the poor 
ass's confession1 it would be a long    
work4 ,for everything that he did was   
deadly sin with him1 the poor soul was  
so scrupulous4 ,but his wise wily       
confessor accounted them for trifles 7as
 they were7 and swore afterward to the  
badger that he was so weary to sit so   
long and hear him that1 saving for the  
sake of manners1 he had rather have sat 
all that time at breakfast with a good  
fat goose4 ,but when it came to the     
giving of the penance1 the fox found    
that the most weighty sin in all his    
shrift was gluttony4 ,and therefore he  
discreetly gave him in penance that he  
should never for greediness of his food 
do any other beast any harm or          
hindrance4 ,and then he should eat his  
food and worry no more4  ,now1 as good  
,mother ,maud told us1 when the wolf    
came to ,father ,reynard 7that was1 she 
said1 the fox's name7 to confession upon
 ,good ,friday1 his confessor shook his 

great pair of beads at him1 almost as   
big as bowling balls1 and asked him     
wherefore he came so late4 ,forsooth1   
,father ,reynard1 quoth he1 ,i must     
needs tell you the truth--,i come1 you  
know1 for that4 ,i dared not come sooner
 for fear lest you would1 for my        
gluttony1 have given me in penance to   
fast some part of this ,lent4 ,nay1 nay1
 quoth ,father ,fox1 ,i am not so       
unreasonable1 for ,i fast none of it    
myself4 ,for ,i may say to thee1 son1   
between us twain here in confession1 it 
is no commandment of ,god1 this fasting1
 but an invention of man4 ,the priests  
make folk fast1 and then put them to    
trouble about the moonshine in the      
water1 and do but make folk fools4 ,but 
they shall make me no such fool1 ,i     
warrant thee1 son1 for ,i ate flesh all 
this ,lent1 myself4 ,howbeit indeed1    
because ,i will not be occasion of      
slander1 ,i ate it secretly in my       
chamber1 out of sight of all such       
foolish brethren as for their weak      

scrupulous conscience would wax offended
 by it4 ,and so would ,i counsel you to 
do4 ,forsooth1 ,father ,fox1 quoth the  
wolf1 and so1 thank ,god1 ,i do1 as near
 as ,i can4 ,for when ,i go to my meal1 
,i take no other company with me but    
such sure brethren as are of mine own   
nature1 whose consciences are not weak1 
,i warrant you1 but their stomachs are  
as strong as mine4 ,well1 then1 no      
matter1 quoth ,father ,fox4 ,but when he
 heard afterward1 by his confession1    
that he was so great a ravener that he  
devoured and spent sometimes so much    
victuals at a meal that the price of    
them would well keep some poor man with 
his wife and children almost all the    
week1 then he prudently reproved that   
point in him1 and preached him a sermon 
of his own temperance4 ,for he never    
used1 he said1 to pass the value of     
sixpence at a meal--no1 nor even that   
much1 ,for when ,i bring home a goose1  
quoth he1 it is not out of the          
poulterer's shop1 where folk find them  

with their feathers ready plucked and   
see which is the fattest1 and yet for   
sixpence buy and choose the best2 but   
out of the housewife's house1 at first  
hand1 which can supply them somewhat    
cheaper1 you know1 than the poulterer   
can4 ,nor yet can ,i be suffered to see 
them plucked1 and stand and choose them 
by day1 but am fain by night to take one
 at adventure4 ,and when ,i come home1  
,i am fain to do the labour to pluck it 
myself too4 ,yet1 for all this1 though  
it be but lean and1 ,i know1 not well   
worth a groat1 it serveth me sometimes  
both for dinner and for supper too4 ,as 
for the fact that you live of ravine1 ,i
 can find no fault in that4 ,you have   
used it so long that ,i think you can do
 no otherwise1 and therefore it would be
 folly to forbid it to you--and1 to say 
the truth1 against good conscience too4 
,for live you must1 ,i know1 and other  
craft know you none1 and therefore1 as  
reason is1 must you live by that4 ,but  
yet1 you know1 too much is too much1 and

 measure is a merry mean1 which ,i      
perceive by your shrift you have never  
used to keep4 ,and therefore surely this
 shall be your penance1 that you shall  
all this year never pass the price of   
sixpence at a meal1 as near as your     
conscience can guess the price4  ,their 
shrift have ,i told you1 as ,mother     
,maud told it to us4 ,but now serveth   
for our matter the conscience of them   
both in the true performing of their    
penance4 ,the poor ass after his shrift1
 when he waxed an-hungered1 saw a sow   
lie with her pigs1 well lapped in new   
straw4 ,and he drew near and thought to 
have eaten of the straw1 but anon his   
scrupulous conscience began therein to  
grudge him4 ,for since his penance was  
that1 for greediness of his good1 he    
should do nobody else any harm1 he      
thought he might not eat one straw there
 lest1 for lack of that straw1 some of  
those pigs might hap to die for cold4   
,so he held still his hunger until      
someone brought him food4 ,but when he  

was about to fall to it1 then fell he   
yet into a far further scruple4 ,for    
then it came in his mind that he should 
yet break his penance if he should eat  
any of that either1 since he was        
commanded by his ghostly father that he 
should not1 for his own food1 hinder any
 other beast4 ,for he thought that if he
 ate not that food1 some other beast    
might hap to have it4 ,and so should he1
 by the eating of it1 peradventure      
hinder another4 ,and thus stayed he     
still fasting till1 when he told the    
cause1 his ghostly father came and      
informed him better1 and then he cast   
off that scruple and fell mannerly to   
his meal1 and was a right honest ass    
many a fair day after4  ,the wolf now1  
coming from shrift clean absolved from  
his sins1 went about to do as a certain 
shrewish wife once told her husband that
 she would do1 when she came from       
shrift4 ,be merry1 man1 quoth she now1  
for this day1 ,i thank ,god1 ,i was well
 shriven4 ,and ,i purpose now therefore 

to leave off all mine old shrewishness  
and begin even afresh6  ,,vincent3  ,ah1
 well1 uncle1 can you report her so8    
,that word ,i heard her speak1 but she  
said it in sport to make her goodman    
laugh4  ,,anthony3  ,indeed1 it seemed  
she spoke it half in sport4 ,for in that
 she said she would cast away all her   
old shrewishness1 therein ,i daresay she
 sported4 ,but in that she said she     
would begin it all afresh1 her husband  
found that in good earnest6  ,,vincent3 
,well1 ,i shall tell her what you say1  
,i warrant you4  ,,anthony3  ,then will 
you make me make my word good6  ,but    
whatsoever she did1 at least so fared   
now this wolf1 who had cast out in      
confession all his old ravine4 ,for then
 hunger pricked him forward so that1 as 
the shrewish wife said1 he should begin 
all afresh4 ,but yet the prick of       
conscience withdrew him and held him    
back1 because he would not1 for breaking
 of his penance1 take any prey for his  
mealtide that should pass the price of  

sixpence4  ,it happed him then1 as he   
walked prowling for his gear about1 that
 he came where a man had1 a few days    
before1 cast off two old lean and lame  
horses1 so sick that no flesh was there 
left upon them4 ,and the one1 when the  
wolf came by1 could scant stand on his  
legs1 and the other was already dead and
 his skin ripped off and carried away4  
,and as he looked upon them suddenly1 he
 was first about to feed upon them and  
whet his teeth upon their bones4 ,but as
 he looked aside1 he spied a fair cow in
 an enclosure1 walking with her young   
calf by her side4 ,and as soon as he saw
 them1 his conscience began to grudge   
him against both those two horses4 ,and 
then he sighed and said to himself1     
,alas1 wicked wretch that ,i am1 ,i had 
almost broken my penance ere ,i was     
aware6 ,for yonder dead horse1 because  
,i never sad a dead horse sold in the   
market1 even if ,i should die for it1 ,i
 cannot guess1 to save my sinful soul1  
what price ,i should set on him4 ,but in

 my conscience ,i set him far above     
sixpence1 and therefore ,i dare not     
meddle with him4 ,now1 then1 yonder live
 horse is in all likelihood worth a     
great deal of money4 ,for horses are    
dear in this country--especially such   
soft amblers1 for ,i see by his pace he 
trotteth not1 nor can scant shift a     
foot4 ,and therefore ,i may not meddle  
with him1 for he very far passeth my    
sixpence4 ,but cows this country hath   
enough1 while money have they very      
little4 ,and therefore1 considering the 
plenty of the cows and the scarcity of  
the money1 yonder foolish cow seemeth   
unto me1 in my conscience1 worth not    
past a groat1 if she be worth so much4  
,now then1 her calf is not so much as   
she1 by half4 ,and therefore1 since the 
cow is in my conscience worth but       
fourpence1 my conscience cannot serve   
me1 for sin of my soul1 to appraise her 
calf above twopence4 ,and so pass they  
not sixpence between them both4 ,and    
therefore may ,i well eat them twain at 

this one meal and break not my penance  
at all4 ,and so thereupon he did1       
without any scruple of conscience4  ,if 
such beasts could speak now1 as ,mother 
,maud said they could then1 some of them
 would1 ,i daresay1 tell a tale almost  
as wise as this6 ,save for the          
diminishing of old ,mother ,maud's tale1
 a shorter sermon would have served4    
,but yet1 as childish as the parable is1
 in this it serveth for our purpose3    
that the night's fear of a somewhat     
scrupulous conscience1 though it be     
painful and troublous to him who hath   
it1 as this poor ass had here1 is yet   
less harm than a conscience that is     
over-large4 ,and less harm is it than a 
conscience such as a man pleases to     
frame himself for his own fancy--now    
drawing it narrow1 now stretching it in 
breadth1 after the manner of a leather  
thong--to serve on every side for his   
own commodity1 as did here the wily     
wolf4  ,but such folk are out of        
tribulation1 and comfort need they none1

 and therefore are they out of our      
matter4 ,but he who is in the night's   
fear of his own scrupulous conscience1  
let him well beware1 as ,i said1 that   
the devil draw him not1 for weariness of
 the one1 into the other1 and while he  
would fly from ,scilla draw him into    
,charibdis4 ,he must do as doth a ship  
coming into a haven in the mouth of     
which lie secret rocks under the water  
on both sides4 ,if by mishap he be      
entered in among them that are on the   
one side1 and cannot tell how to get    
out1 he must get a substantial clever   
pilot who can so conduct him from the   
rocks on that side that yet he bring him
 not into those that are on the other   
side1 but can guide him in the mid way4 
,let them1 ,i say therefore1 who are in 
the troublous fear of heir own          
scrupulous conscience1 submit the rule  
of their conscience to the counsel of   
some other good man1 who after the      
variety and the nature of the scruples  
may temper his advice4  ,yea1 although a

 man be very well learned himself1 yet  
if he be in this state let him learn the
 custom used among physicians4 ,for if  
one of them be never so learned1 yet in 
his own disease and sickness he never   
useth to trust all to himself1 but      
sendeth for such of his fellows as he   
knoweth to be able1 and putteth himself 
in their hands4 ,this he doth for many  
considerations1 and one of the causes is
 fear4 ,for upon some tokens in his own 
sickness he may conceive a great deal   
more fear than needeth1 and then it     
would be good for his health if for the 
time he knew no such thing at all4  ,i  
knew once in this town one of the most  
learned men in that profession and the  
most expert1 and the most famous too1   
and him who did the greatest cures upon 
other men4 ,and yet when he was himself 
once very sore sick1 ,i heard his       
fellows who then took care of him--every
 one of whom would1 in his own disease1 
have used his help before that of any   
other man--wish that yet1 while his own 

sickness was so sore1 he had known no   
physic at all4 ,he took so great heed   
unto every suspicious token1 and feared 
so far the worst1 that his fear did him 
sometimes much more harm than the       
sickness gave him cause4  ,and          
therefore1 as ,i say1 whosoever hath    
such a trouble of his scrupulous        
conscience1 let him for a while forbear 
the judgment of himself1 and follow the 
counsel of some other man whom he       
knoweth for well learned and virtuous4  
,and especially in the place of         
confession1 for these is ,god specially 
present with his grace assisting the    
sacrament4 ,and let him not doubt to    
quiet his mind and follow what he is    
there bidden1 and think for a while less
 of the fear of ,god's justice1 and be  
more merry in remembrance of his mercy1 
and persevere in prayer for grace1 and  
abide and dwell faithfully in the sure  
hope of his help4 ,and then shall he    
find1 without any doubt1 that the shield
 of ,god's truth shall1 as the prophet  

saith1 so compass him about1 that he    
shall not dread this night's fear of    
scrupulosity1 but shall have afterward  
his conscience established in good quiet
 and rest4   ,,xv  ,,vincent3  ,verily1 
good uncle1 you have in my mind well    
declared these kinds of the night's     
fear4  ,,anthony3  ,surely1 cousin1 but 
yet are there many more than ,i can     
either remember or find4 ,howbeit1 one  
yet cometh now to my mind1 of which ,i  
thought not before1 and which is yet in 
mine opinion4 ,that is1 cousin1 where   
the devil tempteth a man to kill and    
destroy himself4  ,,vincent3            
,undoubtedly this kind of tribulation is
 marvellous and strange4 ,and the       
temptation is of such a sort that some  
men have the opinion that those who once
 fall into that fantasy can never fully 
cast it off4  ,,anthony3  ,yes1 yes1    
cousin1 many a hundred1 and else ,god   
forbid4 ,but the thing that maketh men  
so to say is that1 of those who finally 
do destroy themselves1 there is much    

speech and much wondering1 as it is well
 worthy4 ,but many a good man and woman 
hath sometime--yea1 for some years1 once
 after another--continually been tempted
 to do it1 and yet hath1 by grace and   
good counsel1 well and virtuously       
withstood that temptation1 and been in  
conclusion clearly delivered of it4 ,and
 their tribulation is not known abroad  
and therefore not talked of4  ,but      
surely1 cousin1 a horrible sore trouble 
it is to any man or woman whom the devil
 tempteth with that temptation4 ,many   
have ,i heard of1 and with some have ,i 
talked myself1 who have been sore       
cumbered with it1 and ,i have marked not
 a little the manner of them4           
,,vincent3  ,i pray you1 good uncle1    
show me somewhat of such things as you  
perceive therein4 ,for first1 whereas   
you call the kind of temptation the     
daughter of pusillanimity and thereby so
 near of kin to the night's fear1       
methinketh on the other hand that it is 
rather a thing that cometh of a great   

courage and boldness4 ,for they dare    
with their own hands to put themselves  
to death1 from which we see almost every
 man shrink and flee1 and many of them  
we know by good proof and plain         
experience for men of great heart and   
excellent bold courage4  ,,anthony3  ,i 
said1 ,cousin ,vincent1 that of         
pusillanimity cometh this temptation1   
and very truth it is that indeed so it  
doth4 ,but yet ,i meant not that only of
 faint heart and fear it cometh and     
growth always4 ,for the devil tempteth  
sundry folk by sundry ways4  ,but ,i    
spoke of no other kind of that          
temptation save only that one which is  
the daughter that the devil begetteth   
upon pusillanimity1 because those other 
kinds of temptation fall not under the  
nature of tribulation and fear1 and     
therefore fall they far out of our      
matter here4 ,they are such temptations 
as need only counsel1 and not comfort or
 consolation1 because the persons       
tempted with them are not troubled in   

their mind with that kind of temptation4
 but are very well content both in the  
tempting and in the following4 ,for some
 have there been1 cousin1 such that they
 have been tempted to do it by means of 
a foolish pride1 and some by means of   
anger1 without any fear at all--and very
 glad to go thereto1 ,i deny not4 ,but  
if you think that none fall into it by  
fear1 but that they have all a mighty   
strong stomach1 that shall you well see 
to be the contrary4 ,and that           
peradventure in those of whom you would 
think the stomach more strong and their 
heart and courage most bold4  ,,vincent3
  ,yet is it marvel to me1 uncle1 that  
it should be as you say it is--that this
 temptation is unto them that do it for 
pride or anger no tribulation1 or that  
they should not need1 in so great a     
distress and peril1 both of body and    
soul to be lost1 no manner of good      
ghostly comfort4  ,,anthony3  ,let us   
therefore1 cousin1 consider an example  
or two1 for thereby shall we better     

perceive it4  ,there was here in ,buda  
in ,king ,ladilaus' days1 a good poor   
honest man's wife4 ,this woman was so   
fiendish that the devil1 perceiving her 
nature1 put her in the mind that she    
should anger her husband so sore that   
she might give him occasion to kill her1
 and then should he be hanged because of
 her4  ,,vincent3  ,this was a strange  
temptation indeed6 ,what the devil      
should she be the better then8          
,,anthony3  ,nothing1 but that it eased 
her shrewish stomach beforehand1 to     
think that her husband should be hanged 
afterward4 ,and peradventure1 if you    
look about the world and consider it    
well1 you shall find more such stomachs 
than a few4 ,have you never heard a     
furious body plainly say that1 to see   
such-and-such man have a mischief1 he   
would with good will be content to lie  
as long in hell as ,god liveth in       
heaven8  ,,vincent3  ,forsooth1 and some
 such have ,i heard4  ,,anthony3  ,this 
mind of his was not much less mad than  

hers1 but rather perhaps the more mad of
 the twain4 ,for the woman peradventure 
did not cast so far peril therein4  ,but
 to tell you now to what good pass her  
charitable purpose came3 ,as her husband
 7the man was a carpenter7 stood hewing 
with his chip axe upon a piece of       
timber1 she began after her old guise to
 revile him so that he waxed wroth at   
last1 and bade her get herself in or he 
would lay the helm of his axe about her 
back4 ,and he said also that it would be
 little sin even with that axe head to  
chop off the unhappy head of hers that  
carried such an ungracious tongue in it4
 ,at that word the devil took his time  
and whetted her tongue against her      
teeth4 ,and when it was well sharpened  
she swore to him in very fierce anger1  
,by the mass1 whoreson husband1 ,i wish 
thou wouldst6 ,here lieth my head1 lo1  
and with that down she laid her head    
upon the same timber log4 ,if thou smite
 it not off1 ,i beshrew thine whoreson's
 heart6 ,with that1 likewise as the     

devil stood at her elbow1 so stood 7as  
,i heard say7 his good angel at his1 and
 gave him ghostly courage and bade him  
be bold and do it4 ,and so the good man 
up with his chip axe and at a chop he   
chopped off her head indeed4  ,there    
were other folk standing by1 who had a  
good sport to hear her chide1 but little
 they looked for this chance1 till it   
was done ere they could stop it4 ,they  
said they heard her tongue babble in her
 head1 and call1 ,whoreson1 whoreson6   
twice after the head was off the body4  
,at least1 thus they all reported       
afterward unto the king1 except only    
one1 and that was a woman1 and she said 
that she heard it not4  ,,vincent3      
,forsooth1 this was a wonderful work6   
,what became1 uncle1 of the man8        
,,anthony3  ,the king gave him his      
pardon4  ,,vincent3  ,verily1 he might  
in conscience do no less4  ,,anthony3   
,but then was there almost made a       
statute that in such a case there should
 never after be granted a pardon1 but   

7if the truth were able to be proved7 no
 husband should need any pardon1 but    
should have leave by the law to follow  
the example of that carpenter1 and do   
the same4  ,,vincent3  ,how happed it1  
uncle1 that that good law was left      
unmade8  ,,anthony3  ,how happed it8 ,as
 it happeth1 cousin1 that many more be  
left unmade as well as that one1 and    
almost as good as it too1 both here and 
in other countries--and sometimes some  
that are worse be made in their stead4  
,but they say that the hindrance of that
 law was the queen's grace1 ,god forgive
 her soul6 ,it was the greatest thing1  
,i daresay1 that she had to answer for1 
good lady1 when she died4 ,for surely1  
save for that one thing1 she was a full 
blessed woman4  ,but letting now that   
law pass1 this temptation in procuring  
her own death was unto this carpenter's 
wife no tribulation at all1 as far as   
men could ever perceive4 ,for she liked 
well to think upon it1 and she even     
longed for it4 ,and therefore if she had

 before told you or me her intent1 and  
that she would so fain bring it so to   
pass1 we could have had no occasion to  
comfort her1 as one that were in        
tribulation4 ,but marry1 counsel her we 
might1 as ,i told you before1 to refrain
 and amend that malicious devilish      
intent4  ,,vincent3  ,verily1 that is   
truth4 ,but such as are well willing to 
do any purpose that is so shameful1 they
 will never tell their intent to nobody1
 for very shame4  ,,anthony3  ,some will
 not1 indeed4 ,and yet are there some   
again who1 be their intent never so     
shameful1 find some yet whom their heart
 serveth them to make of their counsel  
therein4  ,some of my folk here can tell
 you that no longer ago than even       
yesterday1 someone who came out of      
,vienna told us1 among other talking1   
that a rich widow 7but ,i forgot to ask 
him where it happened71 having all her  
life a high proud mind and a malicious  
one--as those two virtues are wont      
always to keep company together--was at 

dispute with another neighbour of hers  
in the town4 ,and on a time she made of 
her counsel a poor neighbour of hers1   
whom she thought she might induce1 for  
money1 to follow her intent4 ,with him  
she secretly spoke1 and offered him ten 
ducats for his labour1 to do so much for
 her as in a morning early to come to   
her house and with an axe unknown       
privily strike off her head4 ,and when  
he had done so1 he was to convey the    
bloody axe into the house of him with   
whom she was at dispute1 in such manner 
as it might be thought that he had      
murdered her for malice4 ,and then she  
thought she should be taken for a       
martyr4 ,and yet had she farther devised
 that another sum of money should       
afterward be sent to ,rome1 and there   
should be measures made to the ,pope    
that she might in all haste be          
canonized6  ,this poor man promised1 but
 intended not to perform it4 ,howbeit1  
when he deferred it1 she provided the   
axe herself4 ,and he appointed with her 

the morning when he should come and do  
it1 and thereupon into her house he     
came4 ,but then set he such other folk  
as he wished should know of her mad     
fancy1 in such place appointed as they  
might well hear her and him talk        
together4 ,and after he had talked with 
her so much as he thought was enough1 he
 made her lie down1 and took up the axe 
in his own hand4 ,and with the other    
hand he felt the edge1 and found a fault
 that it was not sharp1 and that        
therefore he would in no wise do it1    
till he had ground it sharp4 ,he could  
not otherwise1 he said1 for pity1 it    
would put her to so much pain4 ,and so1 
full sore against her will1 for that    
time she kept her head still4 ,but      
because she would no more suffer any    
more to deceive her and put her off with
 delays1 ere it was very long           
thereafter1 she hung herself with her   
own hands4  ,,vincent3  ,forsooth1 here 
was a tragical story1 whereof ,i never  
heard the like4  ,,anthony3  ,forsooth1 

the party who told it to me swore that  
he knew it for a truth4 ,and he is1 ,i  
promise you1 such as ,i reckon for right
 honest and of substantial truth4  ,now1
 here she forbore not1 as shameful an   
intent as she had1 to make someone of   
her counsel--and yet1 ,i remember1      
another too1 whom she trusted with the  
money that should procure her           
canonization4 ,and here ,i believe that 
her temptation came not of fear but of  
high malice and pride4 ,and then was she
 so glad in that pleasant device that1  
as ,i told you1 she took it for no      
tribulation4 ,and therefore comforting  
of her could have no place4 ,but if men 
should give her anything toward her     
help1 it must have been1 as ,i told you1
 good counsel4  ,and therefore1 as ,i   
said1 this kind of temptation to a man's
 own destruction1 which requireth       
counsel1 and is outside tribulation1 was
 outside of our matter1 which is to     
treat of comfort in tribulation4   ,,xvi
  ,but lest you might reject both these 

examples1 thinking they were but feigned
 tales1 ,i shall put you in remembrance 
of one which ,i reckon you yourself have
 read in the ,conferences of ,cassian4  
,and if you have not1 there you may soon
 find it4 ,for ,i myself have half      
forgotten the thing1 it is so long since
 ,i read it4  ,but thus much ,i         
remember3 ,he telleth there of one who  
was many days a very special holy man in
 his living1 and1 among the other       
virtuous monks and anchorites that lived
 there in the wilderness1 was           
marvellously much esteemed4 ,yet some   
were not all out of fear lest his       
revelations 7of which he told many      
himself7 would prove illusions of the   
devil4 ,and so it proved afterwards     
indeed1 for the man was by the devil's  
subtle suggestions brought into such a  
high spiritual pride that in conclusion 
the devil brought him to that horrible  
point that he made him go kill himself4 
,and1 as far as my mind giveth me now1  
without new sight of the book1 he       

brought him to it by this persuasion3   
,he made him believe that it was ,god's 
will that he should do so1 and that     
thereby he should go straight to heaven4
 ,and if it were by that persuasion1    
with which he took very great comfort in
 his own mind himself1 then was it1 as  
,i said1 out of our case1 and he needed 
not comfort but counsel against giving  
credence to the devil's persuasion4 ,but
 marry1 if he made him first perceive   
how he had been deluded and then tempted
 him to his own death by shame and      
despair1 then it was within our matter4 
,for then was his temptation fallen down
 from pride to pusillanimity1 and was   
waxed that kind of the night's fear that
 ,i spoke of4 ,and in such fear a good  
part of the counsel to be given him     
should have need to stand in good       
comforting1 for then was he brought into
 right sore tribulation4  ,but1 as ,i   
was about to tell you1 strength of heart
 and courage are there none in that     
deed1 not only because true strength 7as

 it hath the name of virtue in a        
reasonable creature7 can never be       
without prudence1 but also because1 as  
,i said1 even in them that seem men of  
most courage1 it shall well appear to   
them that well weigh the matter that the
 mind whereby they be led to destroy    
themselves groweth of pusillanimity and 
very foolish fear4  ,take for example   
,cato of ,utica1 who in ,africa killed  
himself after the great victory that    
,julius ,caesar had4 ,st4 ,austine well 
declareth in his work ,de civitate ,dei 
that there was no strength nor          
magnanimity in his destruction of       
himself1 but plain pusillanimity and    
impotency of stomach4 ,for he was forced
 to do it because his heart was too     
feeble to bear the beholding of another 
man's glory or the suffering of other   
worldly calamities that he feared should
 fall on himself4 ,so that1 as ,st4     
,austine well proveth1 that horrible    
deed is no act of strength1 but an act  
of a mind either drawn from the         

consideration of itself with some       
fiendish fancy1 in which the man hath   
need to be called home with good        
counsel2 or else oppressed by faint     
heart and fear1 in which a good part of 
the counsel must stand in lifting up his
 courage with good consolation and      
comfort4  ,and therefore if we found any
 such religious person as was that      
father whom ,cassian writeth of1 who    
were of such austerity and apparent     
ghostly living as he was1 and reputed by
 those who well knew him for a man of   
singular virtue2 and if it were         
perceived that he had many strange      
visions appearing unto him2 and if after
 that it should now be perceived that   
the man went about secretly to destroy  
himself--whosoever should hap to come to
 the knowledge of it and intended to do 
his best to hinder it1 he must first    
find the means to search and find out   
the manner and countenance of the man4  
,he must see whether he be lightsome1   
glad1 and joyful or dumpish1 heavy1 and 

sad1 and whether he go about it as one  
that were full of the glad hope of      
heaven1 or as one who had his breast    
stuffed full of tediousness and         
weariness of the world4 ,if he were     
found to be of the first fashion1 it    
would be a token that the devil had1 by 
his fantastical apparitions1 puffed him 
up in such a childish pride that he hath
 finally persuaded him1 by some illusion
 showed him for the proof1 that ,god's  
pleasure is that he shall for his sake  
with his own hands kill himself4        
,,vincent3  ,now1 if a man so found it1 
uncle1 what counsel should he give him  
then8  ,,anthony3  ,that would be       
somewhat out of our purpose1 cousin1    
since 7as ,i told you before7 the man   
would not be in sorrow and tribulation1 
of which our matter speaketh1 but in a  
perilous merry mortal temptation4 ,so   
that if we should1 beside our matter    
that we have in hand1 enter into that   
too1 we might make a longer work between
 both than we could well finish this    

day4 ,howbeit1 to be short1 it is soon  
seen that in such a case the sum and    
effect of the counsel must 7in a manner7
 rest in giving him warning of the      
devil's sleights4 ,and that must be done
 under such a sweet pleasant manner that
 the man should not abhor to hear it4   
,for while it could not lightly be      
otherwise that the man were rocked and  
sung asleep by the devil's craft1 and   
his mind occupied as it were in a       
delectable dream1 he should never have  
good audience of him who would rudely   
and boisterously shog him and wake him1 
and so shake him out of it4 ,therefore  
must you fair and easily touch him1 and 
with some pleasant speech awake him1 so 
that he wax not wayward1 as children do 
who are waked ere they wish to rise4    
,but when a man hath first begun with   
his praise 7for if he be proud you shall
 much better please him with a          
commendation than with a dirge7 then1   
after favour won therewith1 a man may   
little by little insinuate the doubt of 

such revelations--not at first as though
 it were for any doubt of his1 but of   
some other man's1 that men in some other
 places talk of4 ,and peradventure it   
shall not miscontent him to say that    
great perils may fall therein1 in       
another man's case than his own1 and he 
shall begin to preach upon it4 ,or1 if  
you were a man that had not so very     
great scrupulous conscience of a        
harmless lie devised to do good with    
7the kind which ,st4 ,austine1 though he
 take it always for sin1 yet he taketh  
but for venial2 and ,st4 ,jerome1 as by 
divers places in his books appeareth1   
taketh not fully for that much71 then   
may you feign some secret friend of     
yours to be in such a state4 ,and you   
may say that you yourself somewhat fear 
his peril1 and have made of charity this
 voyage for his sake1 to ask this good  
father's counsel4  ,and in the          
communication1 upon these words of ,st4 
,john1 ,give not credence to every      
spirit1 but prove the spirits whether   

they be of ,god1 and these words of ,st4
 ,paul1 ,the angel of ,satan            
transfigureth himself into the angel of 
light1 you shall take occasion 7the     
better if they hap to come in on his    
side71 but yet not lack occasion neither
 if those texts1 for lack of his offer1 
come in upon your own--occasion1 ,i say1
 you shall not lack to enquire by what  
sure and undeceivable tokens a man may  
discern the true revelations from the   
false illusions4 ,a man shall find many 
such tokens both here and there in      
divers other authors and all together in
 divers goodly treatises of that good   
godly doctor1 ,master ,john ,gerson1    
entitled ,de probatione spirituum4 ,as1 
whether the party be natural in manner  
or seem anything fantastical4 ,or1      
whether the party be poor-spirited or   
proud4 ,the pride will somewhat appear  
by his delight in his own praise2 or if1
 of wiliness1 or of another pride for to
 be praised of humility1 he refused to  
hear of that1 yet any little fault found

 in himself1 or diffidence declared and 
mistrust of his own revelations and     
doubtful tokens told1 wherefore he      
himself should fear lest they be the    
devil's illusion--such things1 as       
,master ,gerson saith1 will make him    
spit out somewhat of his spirit1 if the 
devil lie in his breast4 ,or if the     
devil be yet so subtle that he keep     
himself close in his warm den and blow  
out never a hot word1 yet it is to be   
considered what end his revelations tend
 to--whether to any spiritual profit to 
himself or other folk1 or only to vain  
marvels and wonders4 ,also1 whether they
 withdraw him from such other good      
virtuous business as1 by the common rule
 of ,christendom or any of the rules of 
his profession1 he was wont to use or   
bound to be occupied in4 ,or whether he 
fall into any singularity of opinions   
against the scripture of ,god1 or       
against the common faith of ,christ's   
,catholic ,church4 ,many other tokens   
are spoken of in the work of ,master    

,gerson1 by which to consider whether   
the person1 neither having revelations  
of ,god nor illusions from the devil1 do
 feign his revelations himself1 either  
for winning of money or worldly favour1 
and delude the people withal4  ,but now 
for our purpose3 ,if1 among any of the  
marks by which the true revelations may 
be known from false illusions1 that man 
himself bring forth1 for one mark1 the  
doing or teaching of anything against   
the scripture of ,god or the common     
faith of the church1 you may enter into 
the special matter1 in which he can     
never well flee from you4 ,or else may  
you yet1 if you wish1 feign that your   
secret friend1 for whose sake you come  
to him for counsel1 is brought to that  
mind by a certain apparition showed unto
 him1 as he himself saith1 by an        
angel--as you fear1 by the devil4 ,and  
that he cannot as yet be otherwise      
persuaded by you but that the pleasure  
of ,god is that he shall go kill        
himself4 ,and that he believeth if he do

 so he shall then be thereby so         
specially participant of ,christ's      
passion that he shall forthwith be      
carried up with angels into heaven4 ,and
 that he is so joyful for this that he  
firmly purposeth upon it1 no less glad  
to do it than another man would be glad 
to avoid it4 ,and therefore may you     
desire his good counsel to instruct you 
with some substantial good advice1 with 
which you may turn him from this error1 
that he be not1 under hope of ,god's    
true revelation1 destroyed in body and  
soul by the devil's false illusion4  ,if
 he will in this thing study and labour 
to instruct you1 the things that he     
himself shall find1 of his own          
invention1 though they be less          
effectual1 shall peradventure more work 
with him toward his own amendment 7since
 he shall1 of likelihood1 better like   
them7 than shall things double so       
substantial that were told him by       
another man4 ,if he be loth to think    
upon that side1 and therefore shrink    

from the matter1 then is there no other 
way but to venture to fall into the     
matter after the plain fashion1 and tell
 what you hear1 and give him counsel and
 exhortation to the contrary4 ,unless   
you wish to say that thus and thus hath 
the matter been reasoned already between
 your friend and you4 ,and therein may  
you rehearse such things as should prove
 that the vision which moveth him is no 
true revelation1 but a very false       
illusion4  ,,vincent3  ,verily1 uncle1  
,i well allow that a man should1 in this
 thing as well as in every other in     
which he longeth to do another man good1
 seek such a pleasant way that the party
 should be likely to like his           
communication1 or at least to take it   
well in worth4 ,and he should not enter 
in unto it in such a way that he whom he
 would help should abhor him and be loth
 to hear him1 and therefore take no     
profit by him4  ,but now1 uncle1 if it  
come1 by the one way or the other1 to   
the point where he will or shall hear   

me2 what be the effectual means with    
which ,i should by my counsel convert   
him8  ,,anthony3  ,all those by which   
you may make him perceive that he is    
deceived1 and that his visions are no   
godly revelations but very devilish     
illusion4 ,and those reasons must you   
gather of the man1 of the matter1 and of
 the law of ,god1 or of some one of     
these4  ,of the man may you gather them1
 if you can peradventure show him that  
in such-and-such a point he is waxed    
worse since such revelations have       
haunted him than he was before--as1 in  
those who are deluded1 whosoever be well
 acquainted with them shall well mark   
and perceive4 ,for they wax more proud1 
more wayward1 more envious1 suspicious1 
misjudging and depraving other men1 with
 the delight of their own praise1 and   
such other spiritual vices of the soul4 
,of the matter may you gather1 if it has
 happened that his revelations before   
have proved false1 or if they be strange
 things rather than profitable ones4    

,for that is a good mark between ,god's 
miracles and the devil's wonders4 ,for  
,christ and his saints have their       
miracles always tending to fruit and    
profit4 ,the devil and his witches and  
necromancers1 all their wonderful works 
tend to no fruitful end1 but to a       
fruitless ostentation and show1 as it   
were a juggler who would for a show     
before the people play feats of skill at
 a feast4  ,of the law of ,god you must 
draw your reasons in showing by the     
scripture that the thing which he       
thinketh ,god biddeth by his angel1 ,god
 hath by his own mouth forbidden4 ,and  
that is1 you know well1 in the case that
 we speak of1 so easy to find that ,i   
need not to rehearse it to you4 ,for    
among the ,ten ,commandments there is   
plainly forbidden the unlawful killing  
of any man1 and therefore of himself1 as
 7,st4 ,austine saith7 all the church   
teacheth1 unless he himself be no man4  
,,vincent3  ,this is very true1 good    
uncle1 nor will ,i dispute upon any     

glossing of that prohibition4 ,but since
 we find not the contrary but that ,god 
may dispense with that commandment      
himself1 and both license and command   
also1 if he himself wish1 any man to go 
kill either another man or himself1 this
 man who is now by such a marvellous    
vision induced to believe that ,god so  
biddeth him1 and therefore thinketh     
himself in that case discharged of that 
prohibition and charged with the        
contrary commandment--with what reason  
can we make him perceive that his vision
 is but an illusion and not a true      
revelation8  ,,anthony3  ,nay1 ,cousin  
,vincent1 you shall in this case not    
need to ask those reasons of me4 ,but   
taking the scripture of ,god for a      
ground for this matter1 you know very   
well yourself that you shall go somewhat
 a shorter way to work if you ask this  
question of him3 ,since ,god hath       
forbidden once the thing himself1 though
 he may dispense with it if he will1 yet
 since the devil may feign himself ,god 

and with a marvellous vision delude one1
 and make as though ,god did it2 and    
since the devil is also more likely to  
speak against ,god's commandment than   
,god against his own2 you shall have    
good cause1 ,i say1 to demand of the man
 himself whereby he knoweth that his    
vision is ,god's true revelation and not
 the devil's false delusion4  ,,vincent3
  ,indeed1 uncle1 ,i think that would be
 a hard question to him4 ,can a man1    
uncle1 have in such a thing even a very 
sure knowledge of his own mind8         
,,anthony3  ,yea1 cousin1 ,god may cast 
into the mind of a man1 ,i suppose1 such
 an inward light of understanding that  
he cannot fail but be sure thereof4 ,and
 yet he who is deluded by the devil may 
think himself as sure and yet be        
deceived indeed4 ,and such a difference 
is there in a manner between them1 as   
between the sight of a thing while we   
are awake and look thereon1 and the     
sight with which we see a thing in our  
sleep while we dream thereof4           

,,vincent3  ,this is a pretty           
similitude1 uncle1 in this thing6 ,and  
then is it easy for the monk that we    
speak of to declare that he knoweth his 
vision for a true revelation and not a  
false delusion1 if there be so great a  
difference between them4  ,,anthony3    
,not so easy yet1 cousin1 as you think  
it would be4 ,for how can you prove to  
me that you are awake8  ,,vincent3      
,marry1 lo1 do ,i not now wag my hand1  
shake my head1 and stamp with my foot   
here on the floor8  ,,anthony3  ,have   
you never dreamed ere this that you have
 done the same8  ,,vincent3  ,yes1 that 
have ,i1 and more too than that4 ,for ,i
 have ere this in my sleep dreamed that 
,i doubted whether ,i were asleep or    
awake1 and have in good faith thought   
that ,i did thereupon even the same     
things that ,i do now indeed1 and       
thereby determined that ,i was not      
asleep4 ,and yet have ,i dreamed in good
 faith further1 that ,i have been       
afterward at dinner and there1 making   

merry with good company1 have told the  
same dream at the table and laughed well
 at it1 to think that while ,i was      
asleep ,i had by such means of moving   
the parts of my body and considering    
thereof1 so verily thought myself awake6
  ,,anthony3  ,and will you not now     
soon1 think you1 when you wake and rise1
 laugh as well at yourself when you see 
that you lie now in your warm bed asleep
 again1 and dream all this time1 while  
you believe so verily that you are awake
 and talking of these matters with me8  
,,vincent3  ,god's ,lord1 uncle1 you go 
now merrily to work with me indeed1 when
 you look and speak so seriously and    
would make me think ,i were asleep6     
,,anthony3  ,it may be that you are1 for
 anything that you can say or do whereby
 you can1 with any reason that you make1
 drive me to confess that you yourself  
be sure of the contrary4 ,for you cannot
 do or say anything now whereby you are 
sure to be awake but what you have ere  
this1 or hereafter may1 think yourself  

as surely to do the selfsame thing      
indeed while you be all the while asleep
 and do nothing but lie dreaming4       
,,vincent3  ,well1 well1 uncle1 though  
,i have ere this thought myself awake   
while ,i was indeed asleep1 yet for all 
this ,i know well enough that ,i am     
awake now4 ,and so do you too1 though ,i
 cannot find the words by which ,i may  
with reason force you to confess it1    
without your always driving me off by   
the example of my dream4  ,,anthony3    
,meseemeth1 cousin1 this is very true4  
,and likewise meseemeth the manner and  
difference between some kind of true    
revelations and some kind of false      
illusions is like that which standeth   
between the things that are done awake  
and the things that in our dreams seem  
to be done when we are sleeping4 ,that  
is1 he who hath that kind of revelation 
from ,god is as sure of the truth as we 
are of our own deeds while we are awake4
 ,and he who is deluded by the devil is 
in such wise deceived as they are by    

their dream1 and worse1 too4 ,and yet he
 reckoneth himself for the time as sure 
as the other1 saving that one believeth 
falsely1 the other truly knoweth4 ,but  
,i say not1 cousin1 that this kind of   
sure knowledge cometh in every kind of  
revelation4 ,for there are many kinds1  
of which it would be too long to talk   
now4 ,but ,i say that ,god doth         
certainly send some such to a man in    
some thing1 or may4  ,,vincent3  ,yet   
then this religious man of whom we      
speak1 when ,i show him the scripture   
against his revelation and therefore    
call it an illusion1 may bid me with    
reason go mind my own affairs4 ,for he  
knoweth well and surely himself that his
 revelation is very good and true and   
not any false illusion1 since for all   
the general commandment of ,god in the  
scripture1 ,god may dispense where he   
will and when he will1 and may command  
him to do the contrary4 ,for he         
commanded ,abraham to kill his own son1 
and ,sampson had1 by inspiration of     

,god1 commandment to kill himself by    
pulling down the house upon his own head
 at the feast of the ,philistines4      
,now1 if ,i would then do as you bade me
 right now1 tell him that such          
apparitions may be illusions1 and since 
,god's word is in the scripture against 
him plain for the prohibition1 he must  
perceive the truth of his revelation    
whereby ,i may know it is not a false   
illusion2 then shall he in turn bid me  
tell him whereby ,i can prove myself to 
be awake and talk with him and not be   
asleep and dream so1 since in my dream  
,i may as surely think so as ,i know    
that ,i do so4 ,and thus shall he drive 
me to the same bay to which ,i would    
bring him4  ,,anthony3  ,this is well   
said1 cousin1 but yet could he not      
escape you so4 ,for the dispensation of 
,god's common precept1 which            
dispensation he must say that he hath by
 his private revelation1 is a thing of  
such sort as showeth itself naught and  
false4 ,for it never hath any example   

like1 since the world began until now1  
that ever man hath read or heard of1    
among faithful people commended4        
,first1 as for ,abraham1 concerning the 
death of his son3 ,god intended it not1 
but only tempted the towardness of the  
father's obedience4 ,as for ,sampson1   
all men make not the matter very sure   
whether he be saved or not1 but yet     
therein some matter and cause appeareth4
 ,for the ,philistines being enemies of 
,god and using ,sampson for their       
mocking-stock in scorn of ,god1 it is   
well likely that ,god gave him the mind 
to bestow his own life upon the         
revenging of the displeasure that those 
blasphemous ,philistines did unto ,god4 
,and that appeareth clear enough by     
this3 that though his strength failed   
him when he lacked his hair1 yet had he 
not1 it seemeth1 that strength evermore 
at hand while he had his hair1 but only 
at such times as it pleased ,god to give
 it to him4 ,this thing appeareth by    
these words1 that the scripture in some 

place of that matter saith1 ,the power  
or might of ,god rushed into ,sampson4  
,and so therefore1 since this thing that
 he did in the pulling down of the house
 was done by the special gift of        
strength then at that point given him by
 ,god1 it well declareth that the       
strength of ,god1 and with it the spirit
 of ,god1 entered into him for it4  ,st4
 ,austine also rehearseth that certain  
holy virtuous virgins1 in time of       
persecution1 being pursued by ,god's    
enemies the infidels to be deflowered by
 force1 ran into a water and drowned    
themselves rather than be bereaved of   
their virginity4 ,and1 albeit that he   
thinketh it is not lawful for any other 
maid to follow their example1 but that  
she should suffer another to do her any 
manner of violence by force and commit  
sin of his own upon her against her     
will1 rather than willingly and thereby 
sinfully herself to become a homicide of
 herself2 yet he thinketh that in them  
it happened by the special instinct of  

the spirit of ,god1 who1 for causes seen
 to himself1 would rather that they     
should avoid it with their own temporal 
death than abide the defiling and       
violation of their chastity4  ,but now  
this good man neither hath any of ,god's
 enemies to be revenged on by his own   
death1 nor any woman who violently      
pursues him to bereave him by force of  
his virginity6 ,and we never find that  
,god proved any man's obedient mind by  
the commandment of his own slaughter of 
himself4 ,therefore is both his case    
plainly against ,god's open precept1 and
 the dispensation strange and without   
example1 no cause appearing nor well    
imaginable4 ,unless he would think that 
,god could neither any longer live      
without him1 nor could take him to him  
in such wise as he doth other men1 but  
must command him to come by a forbidden 
way1 by which1 without other cause1 we  
never heard that ever he bade any man   
else before4  ,now1 you think that1 if  
you should after this bid him tell you  

by what way he knoweth that his intent  
riseth upon a true revelation and not   
upon a false illusion1 he in turn would 
bid you tell him by what means you know 
that you are talking with him well awake
 and not dreaming it asleep4 ,you may   
answer him that for men thus to talk    
together as you do and to prove and     
perceive that they do so1 by the moving 
of themselves1 with putting the question
 unto themselves for their pleasure1 and
 marking and considering it1 is in      
waking a daily common thing that every  
man doth or can do when he will1 and    
when they do it1 they do it but for     
pleasure4 ,but in sleep it happeneth    
very seldom that men dream that they do 
so1 and in the dream they never put the 
question except for doubt4 ,and you may 
tell him that1 since this revelation is 
such also as happeneth so seldom and    
oftener happeneth that men dream of such
 than have such indeed1 therefore it is 
more reasonable that he show you how he 
knoweth1 in such a rare thing and a     

thing more like a dream1 that he himself
 is not asleep1 than that you1 in such a
 common thing among folk that are awake 
and so seldom happening in a dream1     
should need to show him whereby you know
 that you be not asleep4  ,besides this1
 he to whom you should show it seeth    
himself and perceiveth the thing that he
 would bid you prove4 ,but the thing    
that he would make you believe--the     
truth of his revelation which you bid   
him prove--you see not that he knoweth  
it well himself4 ,and therefore1 ere you
 believe it against the scripture1 it   
would be well consonant unto reason that
 he should show you how he knoweth it   
for a true waking revelation and not a  
false dreaming delusion4  ,,vincent3    
,then shall he peradventure answer me   
that whether ,i believe him or not      
maketh to him no matter2 the thing      
toucheth himself and not me1 and he     
himself is in himself as sure that it is
 a true revelation as that he can tell  
that he dreameth not but talketh with me

 awake4  ,,anthony3  ,without doubt1    
cousin1 if he abide at that point and   
can by no reason be brought to do so    
much as doubt1 nor can by no means be   
shogged out of his dead sleep1 but will 
needs take his dream for a very truth1  
and--as some men rise by night and walk 
about their chamber in their sleep--will
 so rise and hang himself2 ,i can then  
see no other way but either bind him    
fast in his bed1 or else essay whether  
that might hap to help him with which1  
the common tale goeth1 a carver's wife  
helped her husband in such a frantic    
fancy4 ,when1 upon a ,good ,friday1 he  
would needs have killed himself for     
,christ as ,christ did for him1 she said
 to him that it would then be fitting   
for him to die even after the same      
fashion4 ,and that might not be by his  
own hands1 but by the hand of another2  
for ,christ1 perdy1 killed not himself4 
,and because her husband would take no  
counsel 7for that would he not1 in no   
wise71 she offered him that for ,god's  

sake she would secretly crucify him     
herself upon a great cross that he had  
made to nail a new-carved crucifix upon4
 ,and he was very glad thereof4 ,yet    
then she bethought her that ,christ was 
bound to a pillar and beaten first1 and 
afterward crowned with thorns4          
,thereupon1 when she had by his own     
assent bound him fast to a post1 she    
left not off beating1 with holy         
exhortation to suffer1 so much and so   
long that ere ever she left work and    
unbound him 7praying nevertheless1 that 
she might put on his head1 and drive    
well down1 a crown of thorns that she   
had wrought for him and brought him71 he
 said he thought this was enough for    
that year4 ,he would pray ,god to       
forbear him of the rest till ,good      
,friday came again6 ,but when it came   
again the next years1 then was his      
desire past2 he longed to follow ,christ
 no further4  ,,vincent3  ,indeed1      
uncle1 if this help him not1 then will  
nothing help him1 ,i suppose4           

,,anthony3  ,and yet1 cousin1 the devil 
may peradventure make him1 toward such a
 purpose1 first gladly suffer other     
pain2 yea1 and diminish his feeling in  
it1 too1 that he may thereby the less   
fear his death4 ,and yet are            
peradventure sometimes such things and  
many more to be essayed4 ,for as the    
devil may hap to make him suffer1 so may
 he hap to miss1 namely if his friends  
fall to prayer for him against his      
temptation4 ,for that can he himself    
never do1 while he taketh it for none4  
,but1 for conclusion3 ,if the man be    
surely proved so inflexibly set upon the
 purpose to destroy himself1 as being   
commanded by ,god to do so1 that no good
 counsel that men can give him nor any  
other thing that men may do to  him can 
refrain him1 but that he would surely   
shortly kill himself2 then except only  
good prayer made by his friends for him1
 ,i can find no further shift but either
 to have him ever in sight or to bind   
him fast in his bed4  ,and so must he   

needs of reason be content to be        
ordered4 ,for though he himself may take
 his fancy for a true revelation1 yet   
since he cannot make us perceive it for 
such1 likewise as he thinketh himself by
 his secret commandment bound to follow 
it1 so must he needs agree that1 since  
it is against the plain open prohibition
 of ,god1 we are bound by the plain open
 precept to keep him from it4           
,,vincent3  ,in this point1 uncle1 ,i   
can go no further4 ,but now1 if he were1
 on the other hand1 perceived to intend 
his destruction and go about it with    
heaviness of heart and thought and      
dullness--what way would there be to be 
used to him then8  ,,anthony3  ,then    
would his temptation1 as ,i told you    
before1 be properly pertaining to our   
matter1 for then would he be in a sore  
tribulation and a very perilous4 ,for   
then would it be a token that the devil 
had either1 by bringing him into some   
great sin1 brought him into despair1 or 
peradventure1 by his revelations being  

found false and reproved or by some     
secret sin of his being deprehended and 
divulged1 had cast him both into despair
 of heaven through fear and into a      
weariness of this life for shame4 ,for  
then he seeth his estimation lost among 
other folk of whose praise he was wont  
to be proud4  ,and therefore1 cousin1 in
 such a case as this1 the man is to be  
fairly handled and sweetly1 and with    
tender loving words to be put in good   
courage1 and comforted in all that men  
goodly can4 ,here must they put him in  
mind that1 if he despair not1 but pull  
up his courage and trust in ,god's great
 mercy1 he shall have in conclusion     
great cause to be glad of this fall4    
,for before he stood in greater peril   
than he was aware of1 while he took     
himself for better than he was4 ,and    
,god1 for favour that he beareth him1   
hath suffered him to fall deep into the 
devil's danger1 to make him thereby know
 what he was while he took himself for  
so sure4 ,and therefore1 as he suffered 

him then to fall for a remedy against   
over-bold pride1 so will ,god now--if   
the man meek himself1 not with fruitless
 despair but with fruitful penance--so  
set him up again upon his feet and so   
strengthen him with his grace1 that for 
this one fall that the devil hath given 
him he shall give the devil a hundred4  
,and here must he be put in remembrance 
of ,mary ,magdalene1 of the prophet     
,david1 and especially of ,st4 ,peter1  
whose high bold courage took a foul     
fall4 ,and yet because he despaired not 
of ,god's mercy1 but wept and called    
upon it1 how highly ,god took him into  
his favour again is well testified in   
his holy scripture and well known       
through ,christendom4  ,and now shall it
 be charitably done if some good        
virtuous folk1 such as he himself       
somewhat esteemeth and hath afore longed
 to stand in estimation with1 do resort 
sometimes to him1 not only to give him  
counsel but also to ask advice and      
counsel of him in some cases of their   

own conscience4 ,for so may they let him
 perceive that they esteem him now no   
less1 but rather more than they did     
before1 since they think him now by this
 fall better expert of the devil's craft
 and so not only better instructed      
himself but also better able to give    
good advice and counsel to others4 ,this
 thing will1 to my mind1 well amend and 
lift up his courage from the peril of   
that desperate shame4  ,,vincent3       
,methinketh1 uncle1 that this would be a
 perilous thing4 ,for it may            
peradventure make him set the less by   
his fall1 and thereby it may cast him   
into his first pride or into his other  
sin again1 the falling in to which drove
 him into this despair4  ,,anthony3  ,i 
do not mean1 cousin1 that every fool    
should at adventure fall in hand with   
him1 for so might it happen to do harm  
indeed4  ,but1 cousin1 if a learned     
physician have a man in hand1 he can    
well discern when and how long some     
certain medicine is necessary which1 if 

administered at another time or at that 
time over-long continued1 might put the 
patient in peril4 ,if he have his       
patient in an ague1 for the cure of     
which he needeth his medicines in their 
working cold1 yet he may hap1 ere that  
fever be full cured1 to fall into some  
other disease such that1 unless it were 
helped with hot medicine1 would be      
likely to kill the body before the fever
 could be cured4 ,the physician then    
would for the while have his most care  
to the cure of that thing in which would
 be the most present peril4 ,and when   
that were once out of jeopardy1 he would
 do then the more exact diligence       
afterward about the further cure of the 
fever4  ,and likewise1 if a ship be in  
peril to fall into ,scilla1 the fear of 
falling into ,charibdis on the other    
side shall never hinder any wise master 
thereof from drawing himself from       
,scilla toward ,charibdis first1 in all 
that ever he can4 ,but when he hath     
himself once so far away from ,scilla   

that he seeth himself safe out of that  
danger1 then will he begin to take good 
heed to keep himself well from the      
other4  ,and likewise1 while this man is
 falling down to despair and to the     
final destruction of himself1 a good    
wise spiritual leech will first look    
unto that1 and by good comfort lift up  
his courage4 ,and when he seeth that    
peril well past1 he will care for the   
cure of his other faults afterward4     
,howbeit1 even in the giving of his     
comfort1 he may find ways enough in such
 wise to temper his words that the men  
may take occasion of good courage and   
yet far from occasion of new relapse    
into his former sin4 ,for the great part
 of his counsel shall be to encourage   
him to amendment1 and that is1 perdy1   
far from falling into sin again4        
,,vincent3  ,i think1 uncle1 that folk  
fall into this ungracious mind1 through 
the devil's temptation1 by many more    
means than one4  ,,anthony3  ,that is1  
cousin1 very true4 ,for the devil taketh

 his occasions as he seeth them fall    
convenient for him4 ,some he stirreth to
 it for weariness of themselves after   
some great loss1 some for fear of       
horrible bodily harm1 and some 7as ,i   
said7 for fear of worldly shame4  ,one  
,i knew myself who had been long reputed
 for a right honest man1 who was fallen 
into such a fancy that he was well near 
worn away with it4 ,but what he was     
tempted to do1 that would he tell no    
man4 ,but he told me that he was sore   
cumbered and that it always ran in his  
mind that folk's fancies were fallen    
from him1 and that they esteemed not his
 wit as they were wont to do1 but ever  
his mind gave him that the people began 
to take him for a fool4 ,and folk of    
truth did not so at all1 but reputed him
 both for wise and honest4  ,two others 
,i knew who were marvellous afraid that 
they would kill themselves1 and could   
tell me no cause wherefore they so      
feared it except that their own mind so 
gave them4 ,neither had they any loss   

nor no such thing toward them1 nor none 
occasion of any worldly shame 7the one  
was in body very well liking and lusty71
 but wondrous weary were they both twain
 of that mind4 ,and always they thought 
that they would not do it for anything1 
and nevertheless they feared they would4
 ,and wherefore they so feared neither  
of them both could tell4 ,and the one1  
lest he should do it1 desired his       
friends to bind him4  ,,vincent3  ,this 
is1 uncle1 a marvellous strange manner4 
,,anthony3  ,forsooth1 cousin1 ,i       
suppose many of them are in this case4  
,the devil1 as ,i said before1 seeketh  
his occasions4 ,for as ,st4 ,peter      
saith1 ,your adversary the devil as a   
roaring lion goeth about seeking whom he
 may devour4 ,he marketh well1          
therefore1 the state and condition that 
every man standeth in1 not only         
concerning these outward things 7lands1 
possessions1 goods1 authority1 fame1    
favour1 or hatred of the world71 but    
also men's complexions within           

them--health or sickness1 good humours  
or bad1 by which they be light-hearted  
or lumpish1 strong-hearted or faint and 
feeble of spirit1 bold and hardy or     
timorous and fearful of courage4 ,and   
according as these things minister him  
matter of temptation1 so useth he       
himself in the manner of his temptation4
  ,now likewise as in such folk as are  
full of young warm lusty blood and other
 humours exciting the flesh to filthy   
voluptuous living1 the devil useth to   
make those things his instruments in    
tempting them and provoking them to it2 
and as1 where he findeth some folk full 
of hot blood and choler1 he maketh those
 humours his instruments to set their   
hearts on fire in wrath and fierce      
furious anger2 so where he findeth some 
folk who1 through some dull melancholy  
humours1 are naturally disposed to fear1
 he casteth sometimes such a fearful    
imagination into their mind that without
 help of ,god they can never cast it out
 of their heart4  ,some1 at the sudden  

falling of some horrible thought into   
their mind1 have not only had a great   
abomination at it 7which abomination    
they well and virtuously had71 but the  
devil1 using their melancholy humour and
 thereby their natural inclination to   
fear for his instruments1 hath caused   
them to conceive therewith such a deep  
dread besides that they think themselves
 with that abominable thought to be     
fallen into such an outrageous sin that 
they are ready to fall into despair of  
grace1 believing that ,god hath given   
them over for ever4 ,whereas that       
thought1 were it never so horrible and  
never so abominable1 is yet unto those  
who never like it1 but ever still abhor 
it and strive still against it1 matter  
of conflict and merit and not any sin at
 all4  ,some have1 with holding a knife 
in their hand1 suddenly thought upon the
 killing of themselves1 and forthwith1  
in devising what a horrible thing it    
would be if they should mishap to do so1
 have fallen into a fear that they would

 do so indeed4 ,and they have1 with long
 and often thinking thereon1 imprinted  
that fear so sore in their imagination1 
that some of them have not afterwards   
cast it off without great difficulty4   
,and some could never in their life be  
rid of it1 but have afterward in        
conclusion miserably done it indeed4    
,but like as1 where the devil useth the 
blood of a man's own body toward his    
purpose in provoking him to lechery1 the
 man must and doth with grace and wisdom
 resist it2 so must the man do whose    
melancholy humours and devil abuseth1   
toward the casting of such a desperate  
dread into his heart4  ,,vincent3  ,i   
pray you1 uncle1 what advice would be to
 be given him in such a case8           
,,anthony3  ,surely1 methinketh his help
 standeth in two things3 counsel and    
prayer4  ,first1 as concerning counsel3 
,like as it may be that he hath two     
things that hold him in his temptation2 
that is1 some evil humours of his own   
body1 and the cursed devil that abuseth 

them to his pernicious purpose1 so must 
he needs against them twain the counsel 
of two manner of folk2 that is1         
physicians for the body and physicians  
for the soul4 ,the bodily physician     
shall consider what abundance of these  
evil humours the man hath1 that the     
devil maketh his instruments1 in moving 
the man toward that fearful affection4  
,and he shall proceed by fitting diet   
and suitable medicines to resist them1  
as well as by purgations to disburden   
the body of them4  ,let no man think it 
strange that ,i would advise a man to   
take counsel for the body1 in such      
spiritual suffering4 ,for since the body
 and the soul are so knit and joined    
together that they both make between    
them one person1 the distemperance of   
either one engendereth sometimes the    
distemperance of both twain4 ,and       
therefore ,i would advise every man in  
every sickness of the body to be shriven
 and to seek of a good spiritual        
physician the sure health of his soul4  

,for this shall not only serve against  
peril that may peradventure grow further
 by that sickness than in the beginning 
men think were likely1 but the comfort  
of it 7and ,god's favour increasing with
 it7 shall also do the body good4 ,for  
this cause the blessed apostle ,st4     
,james exhorteth men in their bodily    
sickness to call in the priests1 and    
saith that it shall do them good both in
 body and soul4 ,so likewise would ,i   
sometimes advise some men1 in some      
sickness of the soul1 besides their     
spiritual leech1 to take also some      
counsel of the physician for the body4  
,some who are wretchedly disposed1 and  
yet long to be more vicious than they   
are1 go to physicians and apothecaries  
and enquire what things may serve them  
to make them more lusty to their foul   
fleshly delight4 ,and would it then be  
any folly1 on the other hand1 if he who 
feeleth himself against his will much   
moved unto such uncleanness1 should     
enquire of the physician what things1   

without diminishing his health1 would be
 suitable for the diminishing of such   
foul fleshly motion8  ,of spiritual     
counsel1 the first is to be shriven1    
that the devil have not the more power  
upon him by reason of his other sins4   
,,vincent3  ,i have heard some say1     
uncle1 that when such folk have been at 
shrift1 their temptation hath been the  
more hot upon them than it was before4  
,,anthony3  ,that think ,i very well1   
but that is a special token that shrift 
is wholesome for them1 since the devil  
is most wroth with it4 ,you find1 in    
some places in the gospel1 that the     
devil did most trouble the person whom  
he possessed when he saw that ,christ   
would cast him out4 ,otherwise1 we must 
let the devil do what he will1 if we    
fear his anger1 for with every good deed
 will he wax angry4  ,then is it in his 
shrift to be told him that he not only  
feareth more than he needeth1 but also  
feareth where he needeth not4 ,and      
besides that1 he is sorry for a thing   

for which1 unless he will willingly turn
 his good into his harm1 he hath more   
cause to be glad4  ,first1 if he have   
cause to fear1 yet feareth he more than 
he needeth4 ,for there is no devil so   
diligent to destroy him as ,god is to   
preserve him2 nor no devil so near him  
to do him harm as ,god is to do him     
good4 ,nor are all the devils in hell so
 strong to invade and assault him as    
,god is to defend him if he distrust him
 not but faithfully put his trust in    
him4  ,he feareth also where he needeth 
not4 ,for he dreadeth that he were out  
of ,god's favour1 because such horrible 
thoughts fall into his mind1 but he must
 understand that while they fall into   
his mind against his will they are not  
imputed unto him4  ,he is1 finally1 sad 
of that of which he may be glad4 ,for   
since he taketh such thoughts           
displeasantly1 and striveth and fighteth
 against them1 he hath thereby a good   
token that he is in ,god's favour1 and  
that ,god assisteth him and helpeth him4

 ,and he may make himself sure that so  
will ,god never cease to do1 unless he  
himself fail and fall from him first4   
,and beside that1 this conflict that he 
hath against the temptation shall1 if he
 will not fall where he need not1 be an 
occasion of his merit and of a right    
great reward in heaven4 ,and the pain   
that he taketh therein shall for so     
much1 as ,master ,gerson well showeth1  
stand him in stead of his purgatory4    
,the manner of the fight against        
temptation must stand in three things3  
that is1 in resisting1 and in           
contemning1 and in the invocation of    
help4  ,resist must a man for his own   
part with reason1 considering what a    
folly it would be to fall where he need 
not1 since he is not driven to it in    
avoiding of any other pain or in hope of
 winning any manner of pleasure1 but    
contrariwise he would by that fall lose 
everlasting bliss and fall into         
everlasting pain4 ,and if it were in    
avoiding of other great pain1 yet could 

he avoid none so great thereby as the   
one he should thereby fall into4  ,he   
must also consider that a great part of 
this temptation is in effect but the    
fear of his own fancy1 the dread that he
 hath lest he shall once be driven to   
it4 ,for he may be sure that 7unless he 
himself will1 of his own folly7 all the 
devils in hell can never drive him to   
it1 but his own foolish imagination may4
 ,for it fareth in his temptation like a
 man going over a high bridge who waxeth
 so afraid1 through his own fancy1 that 
he falleth down indeed1 when he would   
otherwise be able enough to pass over   
without any danger4 ,for a man upon such
 a bridge1 if folk call upon him1 ,you  
fall1 you fall6 may fall with the fancy 
that he taketh thereof2 although1 if    
folk looked merrily upon him and said1  
,there is no danger therein1 he would   
pass over the bridge well enough--and he
 would not hesitate to run upon it1 if  
it were but a foot from the ground4 ,so1
 in this temptation1 the devil findeth  

the man of his own foolish fancy afraid 
and then crieth in the ear of his heart1
 ,thou fallest1 thou fallest6 and maketh
 the foolish man afraid that he should1 
at every foot1 fall indeed4 ,and the    
devil so wearieth him with that         
continual fear1 if he give the ear of   
his heart to him1 that at last he       
withdraweth his mind from due           
remembrance of ,god1 and then driveth   
him to that deadly mischief indeed4     
,therefore1 like as1 against the vice of
 the flesh1 the victory standeth not all
 in the fight1 but sometimes also in the
 flight 7saving that it is indeed a part
 of a wise warrior's fight to flee from 
his enemies' traps71 so must a man in   
this temptation too1 not only resist it 
always with reasoning against it1 but   
sometimes set it clear at right naught  
and cast it off when it cometh and not  
once regard it so much as to vouchsafe  
to think thereon4  ,some folk have been 
clearly rid of such pestilent fancies   
with very full contempt of them1 making 

a cross upon their hearts and bidding   
the devil avaunt4 ,and sometimes they   
laugh him to scorn too1 and then turn   
their mind unto some other matter4 ,and 
when the devil hath seen that they have 
set so little by him1 after certain     
essays1 made in such times as he thought
 most fitting1 he hath given that       
temptation quite over4 ,and this he doth
 not only because the proud spirit      
cannot endure to be mocked1 but also    
lest1 with much tempting the man to the 
sin to which he could not in conclusion 
bring him1 he should much increase his  
merit4  ,the final fight is by          
invocation of help unto ,god1 both      
praying for himself and desiring others 
also to pray for him--both poor folk for
 his alms and other good folk of their  
charity1 especially good priests in that
 holy sacred service of the ,mass4 ,and 
not only them but also his own good     
angel and other holy saints such as his 
devotion specially doth stand unto4 ,or1
 if he be learned1 let him use then the 

litany1 with the holy suffrages that    
follow1 which is a prayer in the church 
of marvellous old antiquity4 ,for it was
 not made first1 as some believe1 by    
that holy man ,st4 ,gregory 7which      
opinion arose from the fact that1 in the
 time of a great pestilence in ,rome1 he
 caused the whole city to go in solemn  
procession with it71 but it was in use  
in the church many years before ,st4    
,gregory's days1 as well appeareth by   
the books of other holy doctors and     
saints1 who were dead hundreds of years 
before ,st4 ,gregory was born4  ,and    
holy ,st4 ,bernard giveth counsel that  
every man should make suit unto angels  
and saints to pray for him to ,god in   
the things that he would have furthered 
by his holy hand4 ,if any man will stick
 at that1 and say it needs not1 because 
,god can hear us himself2 and will also 
say that it is perilous to do so because
 7they say7 we are not so counseled by  
scripture1 ,i will not dispute the      
matter here4 ,he who will not do it1 ,i 

hinder him not to leave it undone4 ,but 
yet for mine own part1 ,i will as well  
trust to the counsel of ,st4 ,bernard1  
and reckon him for as good and as well  
learned in scripture1 as any man whom ,i
 hear say the contrary4 ,and better dare
 ,i jeopard my soul with the soul of    
,st4 ,bernard than with that of him who 
findeth that fault in his doctrine4     
,unto ,god himself every good man       
counseleth to have recourse above all4  
,and1 in this temptation1 to have       
special remembrance of ,christ's        
passion1 and pray him for the honour of 
his death1 the ground of man's          
salvation1 to keep this person thus     
tempted form that damnable death4       
,special verses may be drawn out of the 
psalter1 against the devil's wicked     
temptations--as1 for example1 ,exsurgat 
,deus et dissipentur inimici eius1 et   
fugiant qui oderunt eum a facie eius1   
and many others--which in such horrible 
temptation are pleasing to ,god and to  
the devil very terrible4 ,but none is   

more terrible nor more odious to the    
devil than the words with which our     
,saviour drove him away himself3 ,vade  
,sathana4 ,and no prayer is more        
acceptable unto ,god1 nor more effectual
 in its matter1 than those words which  
our ,saviour hath taught us himself1 ,ne
 nos inducas in tentationem1 sed libera 
nos a malo4 ,and ,i doubt not1 by ,god's
 grace1 but that he who in such a       
temptation will use good counsel and    
prayer and keep himself in good virtuous
 business and good virtuous company and 
abide in the faithful hope of ,god's    
help1 he shall have the truth of ,god   
7as the prophet saith in the verse afore
 rehearsed7 so compass him about with a 
shield that he shall not need to dread  
this night's fear of this wicked        
temptation4  ,and thus will ,i finish   
this piece of the night's fear4 ,and    
glad am ,i that we are past it1 and come
 once unto the day1 to those other words
 of the prophet1 ,a sagitta volante in  
die4 ,for methinketh ,i have made it a  

long night6  ,,vincent3  ,forsooth1     
uncle1 so have you1 but we have not     
slept in it1 but been very well         
occupied4 ,but now ,i fear that unless  
you make here a pause till you have     
dined1 you shall keep yourself from your
 dinner over-long4  ,,anthony3  ,nay1   
nay1 cousin1 for ,i broke my fast even  
as you came in4 ,and also you shall find
 this night and this day like a winter  
day and a winter night4 ,for as the     
winter hath short days and long nights1 
so shall you find that ,i made you not  
this fearful night so long but what ,i  
shall make you this light courageous day
 as short4  ,and so shall the matter    
require well of itself indeed4 ,for in  
these words of the prophet1 ,the truth  
of ,god shall compass thee round about  
with a shield from the arrow flying in  
the day1 ,i understand the arrow of     
pride1 with which the devil tempteth a  
man1 not in the night 7that is1 in      
tribulation and adversity71 for that    
time is too discomfortable and too      

fearful for pride1 but in the day 7that 
is1 in prosperity71 for that time is    
full of lightsome pleasure and courage4 
,but surely this worldly prosperity in  
which a man so rejoiceth and of which   
the devil maketh him so proud1 is but a 
very short winter day4 ,for we begin1   
many full poor and cold1 and up we fly  
like an arrow shot into the air4 ,and   
yet when we be suddenly shot up into the
 highest1 ere we be well warm there1    
down we come unto the cold ground again4
 ,and then even there stick we still4   
,and yet for the short while that we be 
upward and aloft--,lord1 how lusty and  
how proud we be1 buzzing above busily1  
as a bumblebee flieth about in summer1  
never aware that she shall die in       
winter6 ,and so fare many of us1 ,god   
help us4 ,for in the short winter day of
 worldly wealth and prosperity1 this    
flying arrow of the devil1 this high    
spirit of pride1 shot out of the devil's
 bow and piercing through our heart1    
beareth us up in our affection aloft    

into the clouds1 where we think we sit  
on the rainbow and overlook the world   
under us1 accounting in the regard of   
our own glory such other poor souls as  
were peradventure wont to be our fellows
 for silly poor pismires and ants4  ,but
 though this arrow of pride fly never so
 high in the clouds1 and though the man 
whom it carrieth up so high be never so 
joyful thereof1 yet let him remember    
that1 be this arrow never so light1 it  
hath yet a heavy iron head4 ,and        
therefore1 fly it never so high1 down   
must it needs come1 and on the ground   
must it light4 ,and sometimes it falleth
 not in a very cleanly place1 but the   
pride turneth into rebuke and shame and 
there is then all the glory gone4  ,of  
this arrow speaketh the wise man in the 
fifth chapter of the book of ,wisdom1   
where he saith in the person of them    
that in pride and vanity passed the time
 of this present life1 and after that so
 spent1 passed hence into hell3 ,what   
hath pride profited us8 ,or what good   

hath the glory of our riches done unto  
us8 ,passed are all those things like a 
shadow 4 4 4 or like an arrow shot out  
into the place appointed2 the air that  
was divided is forthwith returned unto  
the place1 and in such wise closed      
together again that the way is not      
perceived in which the arrow went4 ,and 
in like wise we1 as soon as we were     
born1 are forthwith vanished away1 and  
have left no token of any good virtue   
behind us1 but are consumed and wasted  
and come to naught in our malignity4    
,they1 lo1 that have lived here in sin1 
such words have they spoken when they   
lay in hell4  ,here shall you1 good     
cousin1 consider1 that whereas the      
scripture here speaketh of the arrow    
shot into its place appointed or        
intended1 in the shooting of this arrow 
of pride there be divers purposings and 
appointings4 ,for the proud man himself 
hath no certain purpose or appointment  
at any mark1 butt1 or prick upon earth1 
at which he determineth to shoot and    

there to stick and tarry4 ,but ever he  
shooteth as children do1 who love to    
shoot up cop-high1 to see how high their
 arrow can fly up4 ,but now doth the    
devil intend and appoint a certain mark1
 surely set in a place into which he    
purposeth--fly this arrow never so high 
and the proud heart on it--to have them 
both alight at last1 and that place is  
in the very pit of hell4 ,there is set  
the devil's well-acquainted prick and   
his very just mark4 ,and with his       
pricking shaft of pride he hath by      
himself a plain proof and experience    
that down upon this prick 7unless it be 
stopped by some grace of ,god on the    
way7 the soul that flieth up with it can
 never fail to fall4 ,for when he       
himself was in heaven and began to fly  
cop-high1 with the lusty light flight of
 pride1 saying1 ,i will fly up above the
 stars and set my throne on the sides of
 the north1 and will be like unto the   
,highest1 long ere he could fly up half 
so high as he said in his heart that he 

would1 he was turned from a bright      
glorious angel into a dark deformed     
devil1 and from flying any further      
upward1 down was he thrown into the deep
 dungeon of hell4  ,now may it1         
peradventure1 cousin1 seem that1 since  
this kind of temptation of pride is no  
tribulation or pain1 all this that we   
speak of this sorrow of pride flying    
forth in the day of prosperity1 would be
 beside our matter4  ,,vincent3         
,verily1 mine uncle1 and so seemed it   
unto me4 ,and somewhat was ,i minded so 
to say to you1 too1 saving that1 whether
 it were properly pertaining to the     
present matter or somewhat digressing   
from it1 methought it was good matter   
and such as ,i had no wish to leave4    
,,anthony3  ,but now must you consider1 
cousin1 that though prosperity be       
contrary to tribulation1 yet unto many a
 good man the devil's temptation to     
pride in prosperity is a greater        
tribulation1 and more hath need of good 
comfort and good counsel both1 than he  

who never felt it would believe4 ,and   
that is the thing1 cousin1 that maketh  
me speak of it as of a thing proper to  
this matter4 ,for1 cousin1 as it is a   
right hard thing to touch pitch and     
never defile the fingers1 to put flax   
unto fire and yet keep them from        
burning1 to keep a serpent in thy bosom 
and yet be safe from stinging1 to put   
young men with young women without      
danger of foul fleshly desire--so it is 
hard for any person1 either man or      
woman1 in great worldly wealth and much 
prosperity1 so to withstand the         
suggestions of the devil and occasions  
given by the world that they keep       
themselves from the deadly danger of    
ambitious glory4 ,and if a man fall into
 it1 there followeth upon it a whole    
flood of all unhappy mischief3 arrogant 
manner1 high solemn bearing1 overlooking
 the poor in word and countenance1      
displeasant and disdainful behaviour1   
ravine1 extortion1 oppression1 hatred   
and cruelty4  ,now1 many a good man1    

cousin1 come into great authority1      
casteth in his mind the peril of such   
occasions of pride as the devil taketh  
of prosperity to make his instruments   
of1 with which to move men to such high 
point of presumption as engendereth so  
many great evils4 ,and1 feeling the     
devil therewith offering him suggestions
 to it1 he is sore troubled therewith4  
,and some fall so afraid of it that even
 in the day of prosperity they fall into
 the night's fear of pusillanimity1 and 
they leave the things undone in which   
they might use themselves well4 ,and    
mistrusting the aid and help of ,god in 
holding them upright in their           
temptations1 whereby for faint heart    
they leave off good business in which   
they would be well occupied4 ,and1 under
 pretext 7as it seemeth to themselves7  
of humble heart and meekness1 and of    
serving ,god in contemplation and       
silence1 they seek their own ease and   
earthly rest unawares4 ,and with this1  
if it be so1 ,god is not well content4  

,howbeit1 if it be so that a man1 by the
 experience that he hath of himself1    
perceiveth that in wealth and authority 
he doth his own soul harm1 and cannot do
 the good that to his part appertaineth2
 but seeth the things that he should set
 his hands to sustain1 decay through his
 default and fall to ruin under him1 and
 seeth that to the amendment thereof he 
leaveth his own duty undone2 then would 
,i in any wise advise him to leave off  
that thing--be it spiritual benefice    
that he have1 parsonage or bishopric1 or
 temporal office and authority--and     
rather give it over quite and draw      
himself aside and serve ,god1 than to   
take the worldly worship and commodity  
for himself1 with incommodity of those  
whom his duty would be to profit4  ,but1
 on the other hand1 he may not see the  
contrary but what he may do his duty    
conveniently well1 and may fear nothing 
but that the temptations of ambition and
 pride may peradventure turn his good   
purpose and make him decline unto sin4  

,i deny not that it is well done to     
stand always in moderate fear1 for the  
scripture saith1 ,blessed is the man    
that is always fearful1 and ,st4 ,paul  
saith1 ,he that standeth1 let him look  
that he fall not4 ,yet is over-much fear
 perilous and draweth toward the        
mistrust of ,god's gracious help4 ,this 
immoderate fear and faint heart holy    
scripture forbiddeth1 saying1 ,be not   
feeble-hearted or timorous4 ,let such a 
man therefore temper his fear with good 
hope1 and think that since ,god hath set
 him in that place 7if he think that    
,god have set him in it71 ,god will     
assist him with his grace to use it     
well4 ,howbeit1 if he came to it by     
simony or some such other evils means1  
then that would be one good reason      
wherefore he should rather leave it off4
 ,but otherwise let him continue in his 
good business4 ,and1 against the devil's
 provocation unto evil1 let him bless   
himself and call unto ,god and pray1 and
 look that the devil tempt him not to   

lean the more toward the contrary4  ,let
 him pity and comfort those who are in  
distress and affliction4 ,i mean not    
that he should let every malefactor pass
 forth unpunished1 and freely run out   
and rob at random4 ,but in his heart let
 him be sorry to see that of necessity1 
for fear of decaying the common weal1   
men are driven to put malefactors to    
pain4 ,and yet where he findeth good    
tokens and likelihood of amendment1     
there let him help all that he can that 
mercy may be had4 ,there shall never    
lack desperately disposed wretched      
enough besides1 upon whom1 as an        
example1 justice can proceed4 ,let him  
think1 in his own heart1 that every poor
 beggar is his fellow4  ,,vincent3      
,that will be very hard1 uncle1 for an  
honourable man to do1 when he beholdeth 
himself richly apparelled and the beggar
 rigged in his rags4  ,,anthony3  ,if   
there were here1 cousin1 two men who    
were both beggars1 and afterward a great
 rich man would take one unto him1 and  

tell him that for a little time he would
 have him in his house1 and thereupon   
arrayed him in silk and gave him a great
 bag by his side1 filled even with gold1
 but giving him this catch therewith3   
that1 within a little while1 out he     
should go in his old rags again1 and    
bear never a penny with him--if this    
beggar met his fellow now1 while his gay
 gown was on1 might he not1 for all his 
gay gear1 take him for his fellow still8
 ,and would he not be a very fool if1   
for a wealth of a few weeks1 he would   
think himself far his better8           
,,vincent3  ,yes1 uncle1 if the         
difference in their state were no other4
  ,,anthony3  ,surely1 cousin1          
methinketh that in this world1 between  
the richest and the most poor1 the      
difference is scant so much4 ,for let   
the highest look on the most base1 and  
consider how they both came into this   
world4 ,and then let him consider       
further that1 howsoever rich he be now1 
he shall yet1 within a while--          

peradventure less than one week--walk   
out again as poor as that beggar shall4 
,and then1 by my troth1 methinketh this 
rich man much more than mad if1 for the 
wealth of a little while--haply less    
than one week--he reckon himself in     
earnest any better than the beggar's    
fellow4  ,and less than thus can no man 
think1 who hath any natural wit and well
 useth it4 ,but now a ,christian man1   
cousin1 who hath the light of faith1 he 
cannot fail to think much further in    
this thing4 ,for he will think not only 
upon his bare coming hither and his bare
 going hence again1 but also the        
dreadful judgment of ,god1 and upon the 
fearful pains of hell and the           
inestimable joys of heaven4 ,and in the 
considering of these things1 he will    
call to remembrance that peradventure   
when this beggar and he are both        
departed hence1 the beggar may be       
suddenly set up in such royalty that    
well were he himself that ever was he   
born if he might be made his fellow4    

,and he who well bethinketh him1 cousin1
 upon these things1 ,i verily think that
 the arrow of pride flying forth in the 
day of worldly wealth shall never so    
wound his heart that ever it shall bear 
him up one foot4  ,but now1 to the      
intent that he may think on such things 
the better1 let him use often to resort 
to confession4 ,and there let him open  
his heart and1 by the mouth of some     
virtuous ghostly father1 have such      
things often renewed in his remembrance4
 ,let him also choose himself some      
secret solitary place in his own house1 
as far from noise and company as he     
conveniently can1 and thither let him   
sometimes secretly resort alone1        
imagining himself as one going out of   
the world even straight unto the giving 
up his reckoning unto ,god of his sinful
 living4 ,there1 before an altar or some
 pitiful image of ,christ's bitter      
passion1 the beholding of which may put 
him in remembrance of the thing and move
 him to devout compassion1 let him then 

kneel down or fall prostrate as at the  
feet of almighty ,god1 verily believing 
him to be there invisibly present1 as   
without any doubt he is4 ,there let him 
open his heart to ,god and confess his  
faults1 such as he can call to mind1 and
 pray ,god for forgiveness4 ,let him    
call to remembrance the benefits that   
,god hath given him1 either in general  
among other men or privately to himself1
 and give him humble hearty thanks for  
them4 ,there let him declare unto ,god  
the temptations of the devil1 the       
suggestions of the flesh1 the occasions 
of the world--and of his worldly        
friends1 much worse many times in       
drawing a man from ,god than are his    
most mortal enemies1 as our ,saviour    
witnesseth himself where he saith1 ,the 
enemies of a man are they that are his  
own familiars4 ,there let him lament and
 bewail unto ,god his own frailty1      
negligence1 and sloth in resisting and  
withstanding of temptation2 his         
readiness and proneness to fall into it4

 ,there let him lamentably beseech ,god1
 of his gracious aid and help1 to       
strengthen his infirmity--both to keep  
him from falling and1 when he by his own
 fault misfortuneth to fall1 then with  
the helping hand of his merciful grace  
to lift him up and set him on his feet  
in the state of his grace again4 ,and   
let this man not doubt but that ,god    
heareth him and granteth him gladly his 
boon4  ,and so1 dwelling in the faithful
 trust of ,god's help1 he shall well use
 his prosperity1 and persevere in his   
good profitable business1 and shall have
 the truth of ,god so compass him about 
with a shield of his heavenly defence   
that he shall not need to dread of the  
devil's arrow flying in the day of      
worldly wealth4  ,,vincent3  ,forsooth1 
uncle1 ,i like this good counsel well4  
,and ,i should think that those who are 
in prosperity and take such order       
therein1 may do much good both to       
themselves and to other folk4           
,,anthony3  ,i beseech our ,lord1       

cousin1 to put this and better in the   
mind of every man who needeth it4  ,and 
now will ,i touch one word or twain of  
the third temptation1 of which the      
prophet speaketh in these words3 ,from  
the business walking in the darknesses4 
,and then will we call for our dinner1  
leaving the last temptation--that is1   
from the incursion and the devil of the 
midday--till afternoon4 ,and then shall 
we with that1 ,god willing1 make an end 
of all this matter4  ,,vincent3  ,our   
,lord reward you1 good uncle1 for your  
good labour with me4 ,but1 for our      
,lord's sake1 take good heed1 uncle1    
that you forbear not your dinner        
over-long4  ,,anthony3  ,fear not that1 
cousin1 ,i warrant you1 for this piece  
will ,i make you but short4   ,,xvii    
,the prophet saith in the said psalm1   
,he that dwelleth in the faithful hope  
of ,god's help1 he shall abide in the   
protection or safeguard of ,god in      
heaven4 ,and thou who art such a one1   
the truth of him shall so compass thee  

about with a shield1 that thou shalt not
 be afraid of the business walking about
 in the darknesses4  ,negotium1 the     
business1 is here1 cousin1 the name of  
the devil who is ever full of busy-ness 
in tempting folk to much evil business4 
,his time of tempting is in the         
darknesses4 ,for you know well that     
beside the full night1 which is the deep
 dark1 there are two times of darkness1 
the one ere the morning wax light1 the  
other when the evening waxeth dark4 ,two
 times of like darkness are there also  
in the soul of man3 the one ere the     
light of grace be well sprung up in the 
heart1 the other when the light of grace
 beginneth out of the heart to walk fast
 away4 ,in these two darknesses this    
devil who is called ,business busily    
walketh about1 and he carrieth about    
with him such foolish folk as will      
follow him and setteth them to work with
 many a manner of bumbling business4    
,he setteth some1 ,i say1 to seek the   
pleasures of the flesh in eating1       

drinking1 and other filthy delight4 ,and
 some he setteth about incessant seeking
 for these worldly goods4 ,and of such  
busy folk whom this devil called        
,business1 walking about in the         
darknesses1 setteth to work with such   
business1 our ,saviour saith in the     
gospel1 ,he that walketh in darknesses  
knoweth not whither he goeth4 ,and      
surely in such a state are they--they   
neither know which way they go1 nor     
whither4 ,for verily they walk round    
about as it were in a round maze2 when  
they think themselves at an end of their
 business1 they are but at the beginning
 again4 ,for is not the going about the 
serving of the flesh a business that    
hath no end1 but evermore from the end  
cometh to the beginning again8 ,go they 
never so full-fed to bed1 yet evermore  
on the morrow1 as new they are to be fed
 again as they were the day before4     
,thus fareth it by the belly2 thus      
fareth it by those parts that are       
beneath the belly4 ,and as for          

covetousness1 it fareth like the        
fire--the more wood there cometh to it1 
the more fervent and the more greedy it 
is4  ,but now hath this maze a centre or
 middle place1 into which these busy    
folk are sometimes conveyed suddenly    
when they think they are not yet far    
from the brink4 ,the centre or middle   
place of this maze is hell4 ,and into   
that place are these busy folk who with 
this devil of business walk about in    
this busy maze1 in the darkness1        
sometimes suddenly conveyed1 unaware    
whither they are going4 ,and that may be
 even while they think that they have   
not walked far from the beginning1 and  
that they have yet a great way to walk  
about before they should come to the    
end4 ,but of these fleshly folk walking 
in this busy pleasant maze the scripture
 declareth the end3 ,they lead their    
life in pleasure1 and at a pop down they
 descend into hell4  ,of the covetous   
man saith ,st4 ,paul1 ,they that long to
 be rich do fall into temptation and    

into the snare of the devil1 and into   
many unprofitable and harmful desires1  
which drown men into death and          
destruction4 ,lo1 here in the middle    
place of this busy maze1 the snare of   
the devil1 the place of perdition and   
destruction1 in which they fall and are 
caught and drowned ere they are aware6  
,the covetous rich man also that our    
,saviour speaketh of in the gospel1 who 
had so great plenty of corn that his    
barns would not receive it1 but intended
 to make his barns larger1 and said unto
 himself that he would make merry many  
days--he thought1 you know1 that he had 
a great way yet to walk4 ,but ,god said 
unto him1 ,fool1 this night shall they  
take thy soul from thee1 and then all   
these goods that thou hast gathered1    
whose shall they be8 ,here1 you see1 he 
fell suddenly into the deep centre of   
this busy maze1 so that he was fallen   
full into it ere ever he had thought he 
should have come near to it4  ,now this 
,i know very well3 ,those who are       

walking about in this busy maze take not
 their business for any tribulation4    
,and yet are there many of them as sore 
wearied in it1 and sore panged and      
pained1 their pleasures being so short1 
so little1 and so few1 and their        
displeasures and their griefs so great1 
so continual1 and so many4 ,it maketh me
 think on a good worshipful man who1    
when he divers times beheld what pain   
his wife took in tightly binding up her 
hair to make her a fair large forehead1 
and with tightly bracing in her body to 
make her middle small 7both twain to her
 great pain7 for the pride of a little  
foolish praise1 he said unto her1       
,forsooth1 madam1 if ,god give you not  
hell1 he shall do you a great wrong4    
,for it must needs be your own very     
right1 for you buy it very dear and take
 very great pain therefore6  ,those who 
now lie in hell for their wretched      
living here do now perceive their folly 
in the more pain that they took here for
 the less pleasure4 ,there confess they 

now their folly1 and cry out1 ,we have  
been wearied in the way of wickedness4  
,and yet1 while they were walking in    
that way1 they would not rest           
themselves1 but ran on still in their   
weariness1 and put themselves still unto
 more pain and more1 for a little       
childish pleasure1 short and soon gone4 
,for that they took all that labour and 
pain1 beside the everlasting pain that  
followed it for their further advantage 
afterward4 ,so help me ,god1 but ,i     
verily think many a man buyeth hell here
 with so much pain that he might have   
bought heaven with less than half6  ,but
 yet1 as ,i say1 while these fleshly and
 worldly busy folk are walking about in 
this round busy maze of the devil called
 ,business who walketh about in these   
two times of darkness1 their wits are so
 bewitched by the secret enchantment of 
the devil that they mark not the great  
long miserable weariness and pain that  
the devil maketh them take and endure   
about naught4 ,and therefore they take  

it for no tribulation1 so that they need
 no comfort4 ,and therefore it is not   
for their sakes that ,i speak of all    
this1 saving that it may serve them for 
counsel toward the perceiving of their  
own foolish misery1 through the help of 
,god's grace1 beginning to shine upon   
them again4 ,but there are very good    
folk and virtuous who are in the        
daylight of grace1 and yet the devil    
tempteth them busily to such fleshly    
delight4 ,and since they see plenty of  
worldly substance fall unto them1 and   
feel the devil in like wise busily tempt
 them to set their hearts upon it1 they 
are sore troubled therewith4 ,and they  
begin to fear thereby that they are not 
with ,god in the light but with this    
devil that the prophet calleth          
,negotium--that is to say1              
,business--walking about in the two     
times of darknesses4  ,howbeit1 as ,i   
said before of those good folk and      
gracious who are in the worldly wealth  
of great power and authority and thereby

 fear the devil's arrow of pride1 so say
 ,i now here again of these who stand in
 dread of fleshly foul sin and          
covetousness3 they do well to stand ever
 in moderate fear1 lest with waxing     
over-bold and setting the thing         
over-light1 they might peradventure     
mishap to fall in thereto4 ,yet1 since  
they are but tempted with it and follow 
it not1 to vex and trouble themselves   
sorely with the fear of loss of ,god's  
favour is without necessity and not     
always without peril4 ,for1 as ,i said  
before1 it withdraweth the mind of a man
 far from the spiritual consolation of  
the good hope that he should have in    
,god's help4 ,and as for those          
temptations1 as long as he who is       
tempted followeth them not1 the fight   
against them serveth him for matter of  
merit and reward in heaven1 if he not   
only flee the deed1 the consent1 and the
 delectation1 but also 7so far as he    
conveniently can7 flee from all         
occasions of them4  ,and this point is  

in those fleshly temptations a thing    
easy to perceive and plain enough4 ,but 
in worldly business pertaining unto     
covetousness the thing is somewhat more 
dark and there is more difficulty in the
 perceiving4 ,and very great troublous  
fear of it doth often arise in the      
hearts of very good folk1 when the world
 falleth fast unto them1 because of the 
sore words and terrible threats that    
,god in holy scripture speaketh against 
those who are rich4 ,as1 where ,st4     
,paul saith1 ,they that will be rich    
fall into temptation1 and into the snare
 of the devil4 ,and where our ,saviour  
saith himself1 ,it is more easy for a   
camel--or1 as some say1 for a great     
cable rope1 for camelus so signifieth in
 the ,greek tongue--to go through a     
needle's eye than for a rich man to     
enter into the kingdom of ,god4  ,no    
marvel1 now1 if good folk who fear ,god 
take occasion of great dread at so      
dreadful words1 when they see the       
worldly goods fall to them4 ,and some   

stand in doubt whether it be lawful for 
them to keep any goods or not4 ,but     
evermore1 in all those places of        
scripture1 the having of the worldly    
goods is not the thing that is rebuked  
and threatened1 but the affection that  
the haver unlawfully beareth to them4   
,for where ,st4 ,paul saith1 they that  
will be made rich1 he speaketh not of   
the having but of the will and desire   
and affection to have1 and the longing  
for it4 ,for that cannot be lightly     
without sin4 ,for the thing that folk   
sore long for1 they will make many      
shifts to get and jeopard themselves    
for4  ,and to declare that the having of
 riches is not forbidden1 but the       
inordinate affection of the mind sore   
set upon them1 the prophet saith1 ,if   
riches flow unto you1 set not your heart
 thereupon4 ,and albeit that our ,lord1 
by the said example of the camel or     
cable rope to come through the needle's 
eye1 said that it is not only hard but  
also impossible for a rich man to enter 

into the kingdom of heaven1 yet he      
declared that though the rich man cannot
 get into heaven of himself1 yet ,god1  
he said1 can get him in well enough4    
,for unto men he said it was impossible1
 but not unto ,god1 for unto ,god1 he   
said1 all things are possible4 ,and yet1
 beside that1 he told of which manner of
 rich man he meant1 who could not get   
into the kingdom of heaven1 saying1 ,my 
babes1 how hard is it for them that put 
their trust and confidence in their     
money1 to enter into the kingdom of     
,god6  ,,vincent3  ,this is1 ,i suppose1
 uncle1 very true--and otherwise ,god   
forbid6 ,for otherwise the world would  
be in a full hard state1 if every rich  
man were in such danger and peril4      
,,anthony3  ,that would it be1 cousin1  
indeed4 ,and so ,i suppose it is yet4   
,for ,i fear me that to the multitude   
there are very few who long not sorely  
to be rich4 ,and of those who so long to
 be1 there are also very few reserved   
who set not their heart very sorely     

thereon4  ,,vincent3  ,this is1 uncle1  
,i fear me1 very true1 but yet not the  
thing that ,i was about to speak of4    
,but the thing that ,i would have said  
was this3 ,i cannot well perceive 7the  
world being such as it is1 and so many  
poor people in it7 how any man can be   
rich1 and keep himself rich1 without    
danger of damnation for it4  ,for all   
the while he seeth so many poor people  
who lack1 while he himself hath         
wherewith to give them4 ,and their      
necessity he is bound in such case of   
duty to relieve1 while he hath wherewith
 to do so--so far forth that holy ,st4  
,ambrose saith that whosoever die for   
default1 where we might help them1 we   
kill them4 ,i cannot see but that every 
rich man hath great cause to stand in   
great fear of damnation1 nor can ,i     
perceive1 as ,i say1 how he can be      
delivered of that fear as long as he    
keepeth his riches4 ,and therefore1     
though he might keep his riches if there
 lacked poor men and yet stand in ,god's

 favour therewith1 as ,abraham did and  
many another holy rich man since2 yet   
with such an abundance of poor men as   
there is now in every country1 any man  
who keepeth any riches must needs have  
an inordinate affection unto it1 since  
he giveth it not out unto the poor needy
 persons1 as the duty of charity bindeth
 and constraineth him to4  ,and thus1   
uncle1 in this world at this day1       
meseemeth your comfort unto good men who
 are rich1 and are troubled with fear of
 damnation for the keeping1 can very    
scantly serve4  ,,anthony3  ,hard is it1
 cousin1 in many manner of things1 to   
bid or forbid1 affirm or deny1 reprove  
or approve1 a matter nakedly proposed   
and put forth2 or precisely to say ,this
 thing is good1 or ,this thing is evil1 
without consideration of the            
circumstances4  ,holy ,st4 ,austine     
telleth of a physician who gave a man in
 a certain disease a medicine that      
helped him4 ,the selfsame man at another
 time in the selfsame disease took the  

selfsame medicine himself1 and had of it
 more harm than good4 ,this he told the 
physician1 and asked him how the harm   
should have happened4 ,that medicine1   
quoth he1 did thee no good but harm     
because thou tookest it when ,i gave it 
thee not4 ,this answer ,st4 ,austine    
very well approveth1 because1 though the
 medicine were the same1 yet might there
 be peradventure in the sickness some   
such difference as the patient perceived
 not--yea1 or in the man himself1 or in 
the place1 or in the time of the year4  
,many things might make the hindrance1  
for which the physician would not then  
have given him the selfsame medicine    
that he gave him before4  ,to peruse    
every circumstance that might1 cousin1  
in this matter be touched1 and were to  
be considered and weighed1 would indeed 
make this part of this devil of         
,business a very busy piece of work and 
a long one6 ,but ,i shall open a little 
the point that you speak of1 and shall  
show you what ,i think therein1 with as 

few words as ,i conveniently can4 ,and  
then will we go to dinner4  ,first1     
cousin1 he who is a rich man and keepeth
 all his goods1 he hath1 ,i think1 very 
good cause to be very afraid indeed4    
,and yet ,i fear me that such folk fear 
the least4 ,for they are very far from  
the state of good men1 since1 if they   
keep all1 they are then very far from   
charity1 and do1 as you know well1      
either little alms or none at all4  ,but
 now our question1 cousin1 is not in    
what case that rich man standeth who    
keepeth all1 but whether we should      
suffer men to stand in a perilous dread 
and fear for the keeping of any great   
part4 ,for if1 by the keeping of so much
 as maketh a rich man still1 they stand 
in the state of damnation1 then are the 
curates bound to tell them so plainly1  
according to the commandment of ,god    
given unto them all in the person of    
,ezechiel3  ,if1 when ,i say to the     
wicked man1 ',thou shalt die1' thou do  
not show it unto him1 nor speak unto him

 that he may be turned from his wicked  
way and live1 he shall soothly die in   
his wickedness and his blood shall ,i   
require of thine hand4  ,but1 cousin1   
though ,god invited men unto the        
following of himself in wilful poverty1 
by the leaving of everything at once for
 his sake--as the thing by which1 being 
out of solicitude of worldly business   
and far from the desire of earthly      
commodities1 they may the more speedily 
get and attain the state of spiritual   
perfection1 and the hungry desire and   
longing for celestial things--yet doth  
he not command every man to do so upon  
the peril of damnation4 ,for where he   
saith1 ,he that forsaketh not all that  
ever he hath1 cannot be my disciple1 he 
declareth well1 by other words of his   
own in the selfsame place a little      
before1 what he meaneth4 ,for there     
saith he more1 ,he that cometh to me1   
and hateth not his father1 and his      
mother1 and his wife1 and his children1 
and his brethren1 and his sisters1 yea  

and his own life too1 cannot be my      
disciple4 ,here meaneth our ,saviour    
,christ that no one can be his disciple 
unless he love him so far above all his 
kin1 and above his own life1 too1 that  
for the love of him1 rather than forsake
 him1 he shall forsake them all4 ,and so
 meaneth he by those other words that   
whosoever do not so renounce and forsake
 all that ever he hath in his own heart 
and affection1 so that he will lose it  
all and let it go every whit1 rather    
than deadly to displease ,god with the  
reserving of any one part of it1 he     
cannot be ,christ's disciple4 ,for      
,christ teacheth us to love ,god above  
all things1 and he loveth not ,god above
 all things who1 contrary to ,god's     
pleasure1 keepeth anything that he hath4
 ,for he showeth himself to set more by 
that thing than by ,god1 since he is    
better content to lose ,god than it4    
,but1 as ,i said1 to give away all1 or  
that no man should be rich or have      
substance1 that find ,i no commandment  

of4  ,there are1 as our ,saviour saith1 
in the house of his father many         
mansions4 ,and happy shall he be who    
shall have the grace to dwell even in   
the lowest4 ,it seemeth verily by the   
gospel that those who for ,god's sake   
patiently suffer penury1 shall not only 
dwell in heaven above those who live    
here in plenty in earth1 but also that  
heaven in some manner of wise more      
properly belongeth unto them and is more
 especially prepared for them than it is
 for the rich4 ,for ,god in the gospel  
counseleth the rich folk to buy 7in a   
manner7 heaven of them1 where he saith  
unto the rich men1 ,make yourselves     
friends of the wicked riches1 that when 
you fail here they may receive you into 
everlasting tabernacles4  ,but now1     
although this be thus1 in respect of the
 riches and the poverty compared        
together1 yet if a rich man and a poor  
man be both good men1 there may be some 
other virtue beside in which the rich   
man may peradventure so excel that he   

may in heaven be far above that poor man
 who was here on earth in other virtues 
far under him4 ,and the proof appeareth 
clear in ,lazarus and ,abraham4  ,nor ,i
 say not this to the intent to comfort  
rich men in heaping up riches1 for a    
little comfort will bend them enough    
thereto4 ,they are not so proud-hearted 
and obstinate but what they would1 ,i   
daresay1 with right little exhortation  
be very conformable to that counsel6    
,but ,i say this for those good men to  
whom ,god giveth substance1 and the mind
 to dispose it well1 and yet not the    
mind to give it all away at once1 but   
for good causes to keep some substance  
still4 ,let them not despair of ,god's  
favour for not doing the thing which    
,god hath given them no commandment of1 
nor drawn them to by any special        
calling4  ,zachaeus1 lo1 who climbed up 
into the tree1 for desire that he had to
 behold our ,saviour3 at such a time as 
,christ called aloud unto him and said1 
,zachaeus1 make haste and come down1 for

 this day must ,i dwell in thy house1 he
 was glad and touched inwardly with     
special grace to the profit of his soul4
 ,all the people murmured much that     
,christ would call him and be so        
familiar with him as1 of his own offer1 
to come unto his house4 ,for they knew  
him for the chief of the publicans1 who 
were custom-men or toll-gatherers of the
 ,emperor's duties1 all which whole     
company were among the people sore      
infamous for ravine1 extortion1 and     
bribery4 ,and then ,zachaeus not only   
was the chief of the fellowship but also
 was grown greatly rich1 whereby the    
people accounted him in their own       
opinion for a man very sinful and       
wicked4 ,yet he forthwith1 by the       
instinct of the spirit of ,god1 in      
reproach of all such temerarious bold   
and blind judgment1 given upon a man    
whose inward mind and sudden change they
 cannot see1 shortly proved them all    
deceived4 ,and he proved that our ,lord 
had1 at those few words outwardly spoken

 to him1 so wrought in his heart within 
that whatsoever he was before1 he was   
then1 unawares to them all1 suddenly    
waxed good4 ,for he made haste and came 
down1 and gladly received ,christ1 and  
said1 ,lo1 ,lord1 the one half of my    
goods here ,i give unto poor people4    
,and yet1 over that1 if ,i have in      
anything deceived any man1 here am ,i   
ready to recompense him fourfold as     
much4  ,,vincent3  ,this was1 uncle1 a  
gracious hearing4 ,but yet ,i marvel me 
somewhat1 wherefore ,zachaeus used his  
words in that manner of order4 ,for     
methinketh he should first have spoken  
of making restitution unto those whom he
 had beguiled1 and then spoken of giving
 his alms afterward4 ,for restitution   
is1 you know1 duty1 and a thing of such 
necessity that in respect of restitution
 almsdeed is but voluntary4 ,therefore  
it might seem that to put men in mind of
 their duty in making restitution first1
 and doing their alms afterward1        
,zachaeus would have spoken more        

fittingly if he had said first that he  
would make every man restitution whom he
 had wronged1 and then give half in alms
 of that which remained afterward4 ,for 
only that might he call clearly his own4
  ,,anthony3  ,this is true1 cousin1    
where a man hath not enough to suffice  
for both4 ,but he who hath1 is not bound
 to leave his alms ungiven to the poor  
man who is at hand and peradventure     
calleth upon him1 till he go seek up all
 his creditors and all those whom he    
hath wronged--who are peradventure so   
far asunder that1 leaving the one good  
deed undone the while1 he may1 before   
they come together1 change that good    
intent again and do neither the one nor 
the other4 ,it is good always to be     
doing some good out of hand1 while we   
think on it2 grace shall the better     
stand with us and increase also1 to go  
the further in the other afterward4     
,and this ,i would answer1 if the man   
had there done the one out of hand--the 
giving1 ,i mean1 of half in alms--and   

not so much as spoken of restitution    
till afterward4 ,whereas now1 though he 
spoke the one in order before the other 
7and yet all at one time7 it remained   
still in his liberty to put them both in
 execution1 after such order as he      
should then think expedient4 ,but now1  
cousin1 did the spirit of ,god temper   
the tongue of ,zachaeus in the utterance
 of these words in such wise that it may
 well appear that the saying of the wise
 man is verified in them1 where he      
saith1 ,to ,god it belongeth to govern  
the tongue4 ,for here1 when he said that
 he would give half of his goods unto   
poor people and yet beside that not only
 recompense any man whom he had wronged 
but more than recompense him by three   
times as much again1 he doubly reproved 
the false suspicion of the people4 ,for 
they accounted him for so evil that they
 reckoned in their mind all his goods   
wrongly gotten1 because he was grown to 
substance in that office that was       
commonly misused with extortion4 ,but   

his words declared that he was deep     
enough in his reckoning so that1 if half
 his goods were given away1 he would yet
 be well able to yield every man his due
 with the other half--and yet leave     
himself no beggar either1 for he said   
not he would give away all4  ,would     
,god1 cousin1 that every rich ,christian
 man who is reputed right               
worshipful--yea1 and 7which yet1 to my  
mind1 is more7 reckoned for right       
honest1 too--would and could do the     
thing that little ,zachaeus1 that same  
great publican1 were he ,jew or were he 
paynim1 said that he would do3 that is1 
with less than half his goods1 to       
recompense every man whom he had wronged
 four times as much4 ,yea1 yea1 cousin1 
as much for as much1 hardly6 ,and then  
they who receive it shall be content1 ,i
 dare promise for them1 to let the other
 thrice-as-much go1 and forgive it4     
,because that was one of the hard points
 of the old law1 whereas ,christian men 
must be full of forgiving1 and not      

require and exact their amends to the   
uttermost4  ,but now1 for our purpose   
here3 ,he promised neither to give away 
all nor to become a beggar--no1 nor yet 
to leave off his office either4 ,for1   
albeit that he had not used it before   
peradventure in every point so pure as  
,st4 ,john the ,baptist had taught them 
the lesson3 ,do no more than is         
appointed unto you1 yet he might both   
lawfully use his substance that he      
intended to reserve1 and lawfully might 
use his office1 too1 in receiving the   
prince's duty1 according to ,christ's   
express commandment1 ,give the ,emperor 
those things that are his1 refusing all 
extortion and bribery besides4 ,yet our 
,lord1 well approving his good purpose1 
and exacting no further of him          
concerning his worldly behaviour1       
answered and said1 ,this day is health  
come to this house1 for he too is the   
son of ,abraham4  ,but now ,i forget    
not1 cousin1 that in effect you conceded
 to me thus far3 that a man may be rich 

and yet not out of the state of grace1  
nor out of ,god's favour4 ,howbeit1 you 
think that1 though it may be so in some 
time or in some other place1 yet at this
 time and in this place1 or any other   
such in which there be so many poor     
people1 upon whom you think they are    
bound to bestow their goods1 they can   
keep no riches with conscience4         
,verily1 cousin1 if that reason would   
hold1 ,i daresay the world was never    
such anywhere that any man might have   
kept any substance without the danger of
 damnation4 ,for since ,christ's days to
 the world's end1 we have the witness of
 his own word that there hath never     
lacked poor men nor ever shall4 ,for he 
said himself1 ,poor men shall you always
 have with you1 unto whom1 when you     
will1 you may do good4 ,so that1 as ,i  
tell you1 if your rule should hold1 then
 ,i suppose there would be no place1 in 
no time1 since ,christ's days hitherto1 
nor ,i think in as long before that     
either1 nor never shall there be        

hereafter1 in which any man could abide 
rich without the danger of eternal      
damnation1 even for his riches alone1   
though he demeaned himself never so     
well4  ,but1 cousin1 men of substance   
must there be4 ,for otherwise shall you 
have more beggars1 perdy1 than there    
are1 and no man left able to relieve    
another4 ,for this ,i think in my mind a
 very sure conclusion3 ,if all the money
 that is in this country were tomorrow  
brought together out of every man's hand
 and laid all upon one heap1 and then   
divided out unto every man alike1 it    
would be on the morrow after worse than 
it was the day before4 ,for ,i suppose  
that when it were all equally thus      
divided among all1 the best would be    
left little better then than almost a   
beggar is now4 ,and yet he who was a    
beggar before1 all that he shall be the 
richer for1 that he should thereby      
receive1 shall not make him much above a
 beggar still4 ,but many a one of the   
rich men1 if their riches stood but in  

movable substance1 shall be safe enough 
from riches1 haply for all their life   
after6  ,men cannot1 you know1 live here
 in this world unless some one man      
provide a means of living for many      
others4 ,every man cannot have a ship of
 his own1 nor every man be a merchant   
without a stock4 ,and these things1 you 
know1 must needs be had4 ,nor can every 
man have a plough by himself4 ,and who  
could live by the tailor's craft1 if no 
man were able to have a gown made8 ,who 
could live by masonry1 or who could live
 a carpenter1 if no man were able to    
build either church or house8 ,who would
 be the makers of any manner of cloth1  
if there lacked men of substance to set 
sundry sorts to work8 ,some man who hath
 not two ducats in his house would do   
better to lose them both and leave      
himself not a farthing1 but utterly lose
 all his own1 rather than that some rich
 man by whom he is weekly set to work   
should lose one half of his money4 ,for 
then would he himself be likely to lack 

work4 ,for surely the rich man's        
substance is the wellspring of the poor 
man's living4 ,and therefore here would 
it fare by the poor man as it fared by  
the woman in one of sop's fables4 ,she  
had a hen that laid her every day a     
golden egg1 till on a day she thought   
she would have a great many eggs at     
once4 ,and therefore she killed her hen 
and found but one or twain in her belly1
 so that for a few she lost many4  ,but 
now1 cousin1 to come to your doubt how  
it can be that a man may with conscience
 keep riches with him1 when he seeth so 
many poor men on whom he may bestow     
them4 ,verily1 that might he not with   
conscience do1 if he must bestow it upon
 as many as he can4 ,and so much of     
truth every rich man do1 if all the poor
 folk that he seeth are so specially by 
,god's commandment committed unto his   
charge alone that1 because our ,saviour 
said1 ,give to every man who asketh     
thee1 therefore he is bound to give out 
still to every beggar who will ask him1 

as long as any penny lasteth in his     
purse4 ,but verily1 cousin1 that saying 
hath 7as ,st4 ,austine saith other      
places in scripture have7 need of       
interpretation4 ,for1 as holy ,st4      
,austine saith1 though ,christ say1     
,give to every man who asketh thee1 he  
saith not yet1 ,give them all that they 
will ask thee4 ,but surely they would be
 the same1 if he meant to bind me by    
commandment to give every man without   
exception something4 ,for so should ,i  
leave myself nothing4  ,our ,saviour1 in
 that place of the sixth chapter of ,st4
 ,luke1 speaketh both of the contempt   
that we should have in heart of these   
worldly things1 and also of the manner  
that men should use toward their        
enemies4 ,for there he biddeth us love  
our enemies1 give good words for evil1  
and not only suffer injuries patiently  
7both the taking away of our goods and  
harm done unto our body71 but also be   
ready to suffer the double1 and over    
that to do good in return to those who  

do us the harm4 ,and among these things 
he biddeth us give to every man who     
asketh1 meaning that when we can        
conveniently do a man good1 we should   
not refuse it1 whatsoever manner of man 
he may be1 though he were our mortal    
enemy1 if we see that unless we help him
 ourselves1 the person of that man      
should stand in peril of perishing4 ,and
 therefore saith ,st4 ,paul1 ,if thine  
enemy be in hunger1 give him meat4  ,but
 now1 though ,i be bound to give every  
manner of man in some manner of his     
necessity1 were he my friend or my foe1 
,christian man or heathen1 yet am ,i not
 bound alike unto all men1 nor unto any 
many in every case alike4 ,but1 as ,i   
began to tell you1 the differences of   
the circumstances make great change in  
the matter4 ,st4 ,paul saith1 ,he that  
provideth not for those that are his1 is
 worse than an infidel4 ,those are ours 
who are belonging to our charge1 either 
by nature or by law1 or any commandment 
of ,god4 ,by nature1 as our children2 by

 law1 as our servants in our household4 
,albeit these two sorts be not ours all 
alike1 yet would ,i think that the least
 ours of the twain--that is1 the        
servants--if they need1 and lack1 we are
 bound to look to them and provide for  
their need1 and see1 so far as we can1  
that they lack not the things that      
should serve for their necessity while  
they dwell in our service4 ,meseemeth   
also that if they fall sick in our      
service1 so that they cannot do the     
service that we retain them for1 yet may
 we not in any wise turn them out of    
doors and cast them up comfortless1     
while they are not able to labour and   
help themselves4 ,for this would be a   
thing against all humanity4 ,and surely1
 if a man were but a wayfarer whom ,i   
received into my house as a guest1 if he
 fell sick there and his money be gone1 
,i reckon myself bound to keep him      
still1 and rather to beg about for his  
relief than to cast him out in that     
condition to the peril of his life1     

whatsoever loss ,i should happen to     
sustain in the keeping of him4 ,for when
 ,god hath by such chance sent him to me
 and there once matched me with him1 ,i 
reckon myself surely charged with him   
until ,i may1 without peril of his life1
 be well and conveniently discharged of 
him4  ,by ,god's commandment our parents
 are in our charge1 for by nature we are
 in theirs4 ,since1 as ,st4 ,paul saith1
 it is not the children's part to       
provide for the parents but the parents'
 to provide for the children4 ,provide1 
,i mean1 conveniently--good learning or 
good occupations to get their living by1
 with truth and the favour of ,god--but 
not to make provision for them of such  
manner of living as they should live the
 worse toward ,god for4 ,but rather1 if 
they see by their manner that too much  
would make them wicked1 the father      
should then give them a great deal less4
 ,but although nature put not the       
parents in the children's charge1 yet   
not only ,god commandeth but the order  

of nature compelleth1 that the children 
should both in reverent behaviour honour
 their father and mother1 and also in   
all their necessity maintain them4 ,and 
yet1 as much as ,god and nature both    
bind us to the sustenance of our father1
 his need may be so little 7though it be
 somewhat7 and another man's so great1  
that both nature and ,god also would    
that ,i should1 in such unequal need1   
relieve that urgent necessity of a      
stranger--yea1 my foe1 and ,god's enemy 
too1 the very ,turk or ,saracen--before 
a little need1 and unlikely to do great 
harm1 in my father and my mother too4   
,for so ought they both twain themselves
 to be well content that ,i should4     
,but now1 cousin1 outside of such       
extreme need well perceived and known   
unto myself1 ,i am not bound to give to 
every beggar who will ask2 nor to       
believe every imposter that ,i meet in  
the street who will say himself that he 
is very sick2 nor to reckon all the poor
 folk committed by ,god only so to my   

charge alone1 that no other man should  
give them anything of his until ,i have 
first given out all mine4 ,nor am ,i    
bound either to have so evil opinion of 
all other folk save myself as to think  
that1 unless ,i help1 the poor folk     
shall all fail at once1 for ,god hath   
left in all this quarter no more good   
folk now but me6 ,i may think better of 
my neighbours and worse of myself than  
that1 and yet come to heaven1 by ,god's 
grace1 well enough4  ,,vincent3  ,marry1
 uncle1 but some man will peradventure  
be right content1 in such cases1 to     
think his neighbours very charitable1 to
 the intent that he may think himself at
 liberty to give nothing at all4        
,,anthony3  ,that is1 cousin1 very true4
 ,some will be content either to think  
so1 or to make as though they thought   
so4 ,but those are they who are content 
to give naught because they are naught6 
,but our question is1 cousin1 not of    
them1 but of good folk who1 by the      
keeping of worldly goods1 stand in great

 fear to offend ,god4 ,for the quieting 
of their conscience speak we now1 to the
 intent that they may perceive what     
manner of having of worldly goods1 and  
keeping of them1 may stand with the     
state of grace4  ,now think ,i1 cousin1 
that if a man keep riches about him for 
a glory and royalty of the world1 taking
 a great delight in the consideration of
 it and liking himself for it1 and      
taking him who is poorer for the lack of
 it as one far worse than himself1 such 
a mind is very vain foolish pride and   
such a man is very wicked indeed4 ,but  
on the other hand1 there may be a       
man--such as would ,god there were      
many6--who hath no love unto riches1 but
 having it fall abundantly unto him1    
taketh for his own part no great        
pleasure of it1 but1 as though he had it
 not1 keepeth himself in like abstinence
 and penance privily as he would do in  
case he had it not4 ,and1 in such things
 as he doth openly1 he may bestow       
somewhat more liberally upon himself in 

his house after some manner of the      
world1 lest he should give other folk   
occasion to marvel and muse and talk of 
his manner and misreport him for a      
hypocrite4 ,and therein1 between ,god   
and him1 he may truly protest and       
testify1 as did the good queen ,hester1 
that he doth it not for any desire      
thereof in the satisfying of his own    
pleasure1 but would with as good will or
 better forbear the possession of       
riches1 saving them--as perhaps in      
keeping a good household in good        
,christian order and fashion1 and in    
setting other folk to work with such    
things as they gain their living the    
better by his means4 ,if there be such a
 man1 his having of riches methinketh ,i
 might in a manner match in merit with  
another man's forsaking of all4 ,or so  
would it be if there were no other      
circumstances more pleasing unto ,god   
added further unto the forsaking        
besides1 as perhaps for the more fervent
 contemplation by reason of the         

solicitude of all worldly business being
 left off1 which was the thing that made
 ,mary ,magdalene's part the better4    
,for otherwise would ,christ have given 
her much more thanks to go about and be 
busy in the helping her sister ,martha  
to dress his dinner1 than to take her   
stool and sit down at her ease and do   
naught4  ,now1 if he who hath these     
goods and riches by him1 have not haply 
fully so perfect a mind1 but somewhat   
loveth to keep himself from lack2 and if
 he be not1 so fully as a pure          
,christian fashion requireth1 determined
 to abandon his pleasure--well1 what    
will you more8 ,the man is so much the  
less perfect than ,i would that he were1
 and haply than he himself would wish1  
if it were as easy to be it as to wish  
it4 ,but yet is he not forthwith in the 
state of damnation1 for all that4 ,no   
more than every man is forthwith in a   
state of damnation who1 forsaking all   
and entering into religion1 is not yet  
always so clear purified from worldly   

affections as he himself would very fain
 that he were1 and much bewaileth that  
he is not4 ,many a man1 who hath in the 
world willingly forsaken the likelihood 
of right worshipful offices1 hath       
afterward had much ado to keep himself  
from the desire of the office of        
cellarer or sexton1 to bear yet at least
 some rule and authority1 though it were
 but among the bellies4 ,but ,god is    
more merciful to man's imperfection--if 
the man know it1 and acknowledge it1 and
 mislike it1 and little by little labour
 to amend it--than to reject and cast   
off to the devil him who1 according as  
his frailty can bear and suffer1 hath a 
general intent and purpose to please him
 and to prefer or set by nothing in this
 world before him4  ,and therefore1     
cousin1 to make an end of this piece    
withal--of this devil1 ,i mean1 whom the
 prophet calleth ,business walking in   
the darknesses3 ,if a man have a mind to
 serve ,god and please him1 and would   
rather lose all the goods he hath than  

wittingly to do deadly sin2 and if he   
would1 without murmur or grudge1 give it
 every whit away in case ,god should so 
command him1 and intend to take it      
patiently if ,god would take it from    
him2 and if he would be glad to use it  
unto ,god's pleasure1 and do his        
diligence to know and be taught what    
manner of using of it ,god would be     
pleased with2 and if he be glad to      
follow therein1 from time to time1 the  
counsel of good virtuous men1 though he 
neither give away all at once1 nor give 
to every man who asketh him neither2 and
 though every man should fear and think 
in this world that all the good that he 
doth or can do is a great deal too      
little--yet1 for all that fear1 let that
 man dwell in the faithful hope of      
,god's help6 ,and then shall the truth  
of ,god so compass him about1 as the    
prophet saith1 with a shield1 that he   
shall not so need to dread the snares   
and the temptations of this devil whom  
the prophet calleth ,business walking   

about in the darknesses4 ,but he shall1 
for all the having of riches and worldly
 substance1 so avoid his snares and     
temptations1 that he shall in           
conclusion1 by the great grace and      
almighty mercy of ,god1 get into heaven 
well enough4  ,and now was ,i1 cousin1  
after this piece thus ended1 about to   
bid them bring in our dinner4 ,but now  
shall ,i not need to1 lo1 for here they 
come with it already4  ,,vincent3       
,forsooth1 good uncle1 ,god disposeth   
and timeth your matter and your dinner  
both1 ,i trust4 ,for the end of your    
good tale--for which our ,lord reward   
you6--and the beginning here of your    
good dinner too 7from which it would be 
more than pity that you should any      
longer have tarried7 meet even at the   
close together4  ,,anthony3  ,well1     
cousin1 now will we say grace4 ,and then
 for a while will we leave talking and  
essay how our dinner shall please us1   
and how fair we can fall to feeding4    
,after that1 you know my customary guise

 7for manner ,i cannot call it1 because 
the guise is unmannerly7 to bid you not 
farewell but steal away from you to     
sleep4 ,but you know ,i am not wont to  
sleep long in the afternoon1 but even a 
little to forget the world4 ,and when ,i
 wake1 ,i will again come to you4 ,and  
then is1 ,god willing1 all this long day
 ours1 in which we shall have time      
enough to talk much more than shall     
suffice for the finishing of this one   
part of our matter that now alone       
remaineth4  ,,vincent3  ,i pray you1    
good uncle1 keep your customary manner1 
for manner may you call it well enough4 
,for as it would be against good manners
 to look that a man should kneel down   
for courtesy when his knee is sore1 so  
is it very good manners that a man of   
your age 7aggrieved with such sundry    
sicknesses besides1 that suffer you not 
always to sleep when you should7 should 
not let his sleep slip away but should  
take it when he can4 ,and ,i will1      
uncle1 in the meanwhile steal from you1 

too1 and speed a little errand and      
return to you again4  ,,anthony3  ,stay 
as long as you will1 and when you have  
dined go at your pleasure4 ,but ,i pray 
you1 tarry not long4  ,,vincent3  ,you  
shall not need1 uncle1 to put me in mind
 of that1 ,i would so fain have up the  
rest of our matter4     ,,book ,,three  
,,vincent3  ,i have tarried somewhat the
 longer1 uncle1 partly because ,i was   
loth to come over-soon1 lest my         
soon-coming might have happed to have   
made you wake too soon4 ,but ,i tarried 
especially for the reason that ,i was   
delayed by someone who showed me a      
letter1 dated at ,constantinople1 by    
which it appeareth that the great ,turk 
prepareth a marvellous mighty army4 ,and
 yet whither he will go with it1 that   
can there yet no man tell4 ,but ,i fear 
in good faith1 uncle1 that his voyage   
shall be hither4 ,howbeit1 he who wrote 
the letter saith that it is secretly    
said in ,constantinople that a great    
part of his army shall be shipped and   

sent either into ,naples or into        
,sicily4  ,,anthony3  ,it may fortune1  
cousin1 that the letter of a ,venetian1 
dated at ,constantinople1 was devised at
 ,venice4 ,from thence come there some  
letters--and sometimes from ,rome1 too1 
and sometimes also from some other      
places--all stuffed full of such tidings
 that the ,turk is ready to do some     
great exploit4 ,these tidings they blow 
about for the furtherance of some such  
affairs as they have themselves then in 
hand4  ,the ,turk hath also so many men 
of arms in his retinue at his continual 
charge that1 lest they should lie still 
and do nothing1 but peradventure fall in
 devising of some novelties among       
themselves1 he is fain yearly to make   
some assembly and some changing of them 
from one place unto another1 and part   
some asunder1 that they wax not         
over-well acquainted by dwelling        
over-long together4 ,by these ways also1
 he maketh those that he intendeth      
suddenly to invade indeed1 to look the  

less for it1 and thereby to make the    
less preparation before4 ,for they see  
him so many times make a great visage of
 war when he intendeth it not1 but then1
 at one time or another1 they suddenly  
feel it when they fear it not4          
,howbeit1 cousin1 it is of very truth   
full likely that into this realm of     
,hungary he will not fail to come4 ,for 
neither is there any country throughout 
,christendom that lieth so convenient   
for him1 nor never was there any time   
till now in which he might so well and  
surely win it4 ,for now we call him in  
ourselves1 ,god save us1 as sop telleth 
that the sheep took in the wolf among   
them to keep them from the dogs4        
,,vincent3  ,then are there1 good uncle1
 all those tribulations very like to    
fall upon us here1 that ,i spoke of in  
the beginning of our first communication
 here the other day4  ,,anthony3  ,very 
truth it is1 cousin1 that so there will 
of likelihood in a while1 but not       
forthwith all at first4 ,for since he   

cometh under the colour of aid for the  
one against the other1 he will somewhat 
see the proof before he fully show      
himself4 ,but in conclusion1 if he be   
able to get it for that one1 you shall  
see him so handle it that he shall not  
fail to get it from him1 and that       
forthwith out of hand1 ere ever he      
suffer him to settle himself over-sure  
therein4  ,,vincent3  ,yet say they1    
uncle1 that he useth not to force any   
man to forsake his faith4  ,,anthony3   
,not any man1 cousin8 ,they say more    
than they can make good1 those who tell 
you so4 ,he maketh a solemn oath1 among 
the ceremonies of that feast in which he
 first taketh upon him his authority1   
that he will diminish the faith of      
,christ1 in all that he possibly can1   
and dilate the faith of ,mahomet4 ,but  
yet hath he not used to force every     
whole country at once to forsake their  
faith4 ,for of some countries hath he   
been content only to take a tribute     
yearly and let them then live as they   

will4 ,out of some he taketh the whole  
people away1 dispersing them for slaves 
among many sundry countries of his1 very
 far from their own1 without any        
sufferance of regress4 ,in some         
countries1 so great and populous that   
they cannot well be carried and conveyed
 thence1 he destroyeth the gentlefolk   
and giveth the lands partly to such as  
he bringeth and partly to such as       
willingly will deny their faith1 and    
keepeth the others in such misery that  
they might as well 7in a manner7 be dead
 at once4 ,in rest he suffereth else no 
,christian man almost1 but those that   
resort as merchants or those that offer 
themselves to serve him in his war4     
,but as for those ,christian countries  
that he useth not only for tributaries1 
as he doth ,chios1 ,cyprus1 or ,crete1  
but reckoneth for clear conquest and    
utterly taketh for his own1 as ,morea1  
,greece1 and ,macedonia1 and such       
others--and as ,i verily think he will  
,hungary1 if he get it--in all those he 

useth ,christian people after sundry    
fashions4 ,he letteth them dwell there1 
indeed1 because they would be too many  
to carry all away1 and too many to kill 
them all1 too1 unless he should either  
leave the land dispeopled and desolate  
or else1 from some other countries of   
his own1 should convey the people       
thither 7which would not be well done7  
to people that land with4 ,there1 lo1   
those who will not be turned from their 
faith1 of which ,god--lauded be his holy
 name6--keepeth very many1 he suffereth 
to dwell still in peace4 ,but yet is    
their peace for all that not very       
peaceable4 ,for he suffereth them to    
have no lands of their own1 honourable  
offices they bear none2 with occasions  
of his wars1 he plucketh them unto the  
bare bones with taxes and tallages4     
,their children he chooseth where he    
will in their youth1 and taketh them    
from their parents1 conveying them      
whither he will1 where their friends    
never see them after1 and abuseth them  

as he will4 ,some young maidens he      
maketh harlots1 some young men he       
bringeth up in war1 and some young      
children he causeth to be gelded--not   
their stones cut out as the custom was  
of old1 but their whole members cut off 
by the body2 how few escape and live he 
little careth1 for he will have enough6 
,and all whom he so taketh young1 to any
 use of his own1 are betaken unto such  
,turks or false renegades to keep1 that 
they are turned from the faith of       
,christ every one4 ,or else they are so 
handled that1 as for this world1 they   
come to an evil end4 ,for1 besides many 
other contumelies and despites that the 
,turks and the false renegade           
,christians many times do to good       
,christian people who still persevere   
and abide by the faith1 they find the   
means sometimes to make some false      
knaves say that they heard such-and-such
 a ,christian man speak opprobrious     
words against ,mahomet4 ,and upon that  
point1 falsely testified1 they will take

 occasion to compel him to forsake the  
faith of ,christ and turn to the        
profession of their shameful            
superstitious sect1 or else will they   
put him to death with cruel intolerable 
torments4  ,,vincent3  ,our ,lord1      
uncle1 for his mighty mercy1 keep those 
wretches hence6 ,for1 by my troth1 if   
they hap to come hither1 methinketh ,i  
see many more tokens than one that we   
shall have some of our own folk here    
ready to fall in with them4  ,for as    
before a great storm the sea beginneth  
sometimes to work and roar in itself1   
ere ever the winds wax boisterous1 so   
methinketh ,i hear at mine ear some of  
our own here among us1 who within these 
few years could no more have borne the  
name of ,turk than the name of devil1   
begin now to find little fault in       
them--yea1 and some to praise them      
little by little1 as they can1 more glad
 to find faults at every state of       
,christendom3 priests1 princes1 rites1  
ceremonies1 sacraments1 laws1 and       

customs spiritual1 temporal1 and all4   
,,anthony3  ,in good faith1 cousin1 so  
begin we to fare here indeed1 and that  
but even now of late4 ,for since the    
title of the crown hath come in         
question1 the good rule of this realm   
hath very sore decayed1 as little a     
while as it is4 ,and undoubtedly        
,hungary shall never do well as long as 
men's minds hearken after novelty and   
have their hearts hanging upon a change4
 ,and much the worse ,i like it1 when   
their words walk so large toward the    
favour of the ,turk's sect1 which they  
were ever wont to have in so great      
abomination1 as every true-minded       
,christian man--and ,christian woman1   
too--must have4  ,i am of such age as   
you see1 and verily from as far as ,i   
can remember1 it hath been marked and   
often proved true1 that when children in
 ,buda have fallen in a fancy by        
themselves to draw together and in their
 playing make as it were corpses carried
 to church1 and sing after their        

childish fashion the tune of the dirge1 
great death hath followed shortly       
thereafter4 ,and twice or thrice ,i can 
remember in my day when children in     
divers parts of this realm have gathered
 themselves in sundry companies and made
 as it were troops and battles4 ,and    
after their battles in sport1 in which  
some children have yet taken great hurt1
 there hath fallen true battle and      
deadly war indeed4 ,these tokens were   
somewhat like your example of the sea1  
since they are tokens going before1 of  
things that afterward follow1 through   
some secret motion or instinct of which 
the cause is unknown4  ,but1 by ,st4    
,mary1 cousin1 these tokens like ,i much
 worse--these tokens1 ,i say1 not of    
children's play nor of children's songs1
 but old knaves' large open words1 so   
boldly spoken in the favour of          
,mahomet's sect in this realm of        
,hungary1 which hath been ever hitherto 
a very sure key of ,christendom4 ,and   
without doubt if ,hungary be lost and   

the ,turk have it once fast in his      
possession1 he shall1 ere it be long    
afterward1 have an open ready way into  
almost all the rest of ,christendom4    
,though he win it not all in a week1 the
 great part will be won1 ,i fear me1    
within very few years after4  ,,vincent3
  ,but yet evermore ,i trust in ,christ1
 good uncle1 that he shall not suffer   
that abominable sect of his mortal      
enemies in such wise to prevail against 
his ,christian countries4  ,,anthony3   
,that is very well said1 cousin4 ,let us
 have our sure hope in him1 and then    
shall we be very sure that we shall not 
be deceived4 ,for we shall have either  
the thing that we hope for1 or a better 
thing in its stead4 ,for1 as for the    
thing itself that we pray for and hope  
to have1 ,god will not always send it to
 us4 ,and therefore1 as ,i said in our  
first communication1 in all things save 
only for heaven1 our prayer and our hope
 may never be too precise1 although the 
thing may be lawful to ask4  ,verily1 if

 we people of the ,christian nations    
were such as would ,god we were1 ,i     
would little fear all the preparations  
that the great ,turk could make4 ,no1   
nor yet1 being as bad as we are1 ,i     
doubt not at all but that in conclusion1
 however base ,christendom be brought1  
it shall spring up again1 till the time 
be come very near to the day of         
judgment1 some tokens of which          
methinketh are not come yet4 ,but       
somewhat before that time shall         
,christendom be straitened sore1 and    
brought into so narrow a compass that1  
according to ,christ's words1 ,when the 
,son of ,man shall come again--that is1 
to the day of general judgment--thinkest
 thou that he shall find faith in the   
earth8 as who should say1 but a little4 
,for1 as appeareth in the ,apocalypse   
and other places of scripture1 the faith
 shall be at that time so far faded that
 he shall1 for the love of his elect1   
lest they should fall and perish too1   
abridge those days and accelerate his   

coming4 ,but1 as ,i say1 methinketh ,i  
miss yet in my mind some of those tokens
 that shall1 by the scripture1 come a   
good while before that4 ,and among      
others1 the coming in of the ,jews and  
the dilating of ,christendom again      
before the world come to that strait4   
,so ,i say that for mine own mind ,i    
have little doubt that this ungracious  
sect of ,mahomet shall have a foul fall1
 and ,christendom spring and spread1    
flower and increase again4 ,howbeit1 the
 pleasure and comfort shall they see who
 shall be born after we are buried1 ,i  
fear me1 both twain4 ,for ,god giveth us
 great likelihood that for our sinful   
wretched living he goeth about to make  
these infidels1 who are his open        
professed enemies1 the sorrowful scourge
 of correction over evil ,christian     
people who should be faithful and who   
are of truth his falsely professing     
friends4  ,and surely1 cousin1 albeit   
that methinketh ,i see divers evil      
tokens of this misery coming to us1 yet 

can there not1 to my mind1 be a worse   
prognostication of it than this         
ungracious token that you note here     
yourself4 ,for undoubtedly1 cousin1 this
 new manner of men's favourable fashion 
in their language toward these          
ungracious ,turks declareth plainly not 
only that their minds give them that    
hither shall he come1 but also that they
 can be content both to live under him  
and1 beside that1 to fall from the true 
faith of ,christ into ,mahomet's false  
abominable sect4  ,,vincent3  ,verily1  
mine uncle1 as ,i go about more than    
you1 so must ,i needs hear more 7which  
is a heavy hearing in mine ear7 the     
manner of men in this matter1 which     
increaseth about us here--,i trust that 
in other places of this realm1 by ,god's
 grace1 it is otherwise4 ,but in this   
quarter here about us1 many of these    
fellows who are fit for the war were    
wont at first1 as it were in sport1 to  
talk as though they looked for a day    
when1 with a turn to the ,turk's faith1 

they should be made masters here of true
 ,christian men's bodies and owners of  
all their goods4 ,and1 in a while after 
that1 they began to talk so half between
 game and earnest--and now1 by our      
,lady1 not far from fair flat earnest   
indeed4  ,,anthony3  ,though ,i go out  
but little1 cousin1 yet hear ,i         
sometimes--when ,i say little6--almost  
as much as that4 ,but since there is no 
man to whom we can complain for redress1
 what remedy is there but patience1 and 
to sit still and hold our peace8 ,for of
 these two who strive which of them both
 shall reign over us--and each of them  
calleth himself king1 and both twain put
 the people to pain--one is1 as you know
 well1 too far from our quarter here to 
help us in this behalf4 ,and the other1 
since he looketh for the ,turk's aid1   
either will not1 or 7,i suppose7 dare   
not find any fault with them that favour
 the ,turk and his sect4 ,for of natural
 ,turks this country lacketh none now2  
they are living here under divers       

pretexts1 and of everything they        
advertise the great ,turk full surely4  
,and therefore1 cousin1 albeit that ,i  
would advise every man to pray still and
 call unto ,god to hold his gracious    
hand over us and keep away this         
wretchedness if his pleasure be1 yet    
would ,i further advise every good      
,christian body to remember and consider
 that it is very likely to come4 ,and   
therefore ,i would advise him to make   
his reckoning and count his pennyworths 
before1 and ,i would advise every man   
7and every woman1 too7 to appoint with  
,god's help in their own mind beforehand
 what they intend to do if the very     
worst should befall4   ,i  ,,vincent3   
,well fare your heart1 good uncle1 for  
this good counsel of yours6 ,for surely 
methinketh that this is marvellous good4
  ,but yet heard ,i once a right learned
 and very good man say that it would be 
great folly1 and very perilous too1 if a
 man should think upon any such thing or
 imagine any such question in his mind1 

for fear of double peril that may follow
 thereupon4 ,for he shall be likely to  
answer himself that he will rather      
suffer any painful death than forsake   
his faith1 and by that bold appointment 
should he fall into the fault of ,st4   
,peter1 who of oversight made a proud   
promise and soon had a foul fall4 ,or   
else would he be likely to think that   
rather than abide the pain he would     
forsake ,god indeed1 and by that mind   
should he sin deadly through his own    
folly1 whereas he needeth not do so1    
since he shall peradventure never come  
in the peril to be put thereto4 ,and    
therefore it would be most wisdom never 
to think upon any such manner of        
question4  ,,anthony3  ,i believe well1 
cousin1 that you have heard some men who
 would so say4 ,for ,i can show almost  
as much as that left in writing by a    
very good man and a great solemn doctor4
 ,but yet1 cousin1 although ,i should   
happen to find one or two more1 as good 
men and as well learned too1 who would  

both twain say and write the same1 yet  
would ,i not fear for my part to counsel
 my friend to the contrary4  ,for1      
cousin1 if his mind answer him as ,st4  
,peter answered ,christ1 that he will   
rather die than forsake him1 though he  
say therein more unto himself than he   
should be peradventure able to make good
 if it came to the point1 yet ,i        
perceive not that he doth in that       
thought any deadly displeasure unto     
,god4 ,for ,st4 ,peter1 though he said  
more than he could perform1 yet in his  
so saying offended not ,god greatly     
neither4 ,but his offence was when he   
did not afterward so well as he said    
before4 ,but now may this man be likely 
never to fall in the peril of breaking  
that appointment1 since of some ten     
thousand that shall so examine          
themselves1 never one shall fall in the 
peril4 ,and yet for them to have that   
good purpose all their life seemeth me  
no more harm in the meanwhile than for a
 poor beggar who hath never a penny to  

think that1 if he had great substance1  
he would give great alms for ,god's     
sake4  ,but now is all the peril if the 
man answer himself that he would in such
 case rather forsake the faith of       
,christ with his mouth and keep it still
 in his heart than for the confessing of
 it to endure a painful death4 ,for by  
this mind he falleth in deadly sin1     
which he never would have fallen in if  
he had never put himself the question4  
,but in good faith methinketh that he   
who1 upon that question put unto himself
 by himself1 will make himself that     
answer1 hath the habit of faith so faint
 and so cold that1 for the better       
knowledge of himself and of his         
necessity to pray for more strength of  
grace1 he had need to have the question 
put to him either by himself or by some 
other man4  ,besides this1 to counsel a 
man never to think on that question is1 
to my mind1 as reasonable as the        
medicine that ,i have heard taught      
someone for the toothache3 to go thrice 

about a churchyard1 and never think on a
 fox-tail6 ,for if the counsel be not   
given them1 it cannot serve them4 ,and  
if it be given them1 it must put the    
point of the matter in their mind4 ,and 
forthwith to reject it1 and think       
therein neither one thing nor the other1
 is a thing that may be sooner bidden   
than obeyed4  ,i think also that very   
few men can escape it4 ,for though they 
would never think on it by themselves1  
yet in one place or another where they  
shall happen to come in company1 they   
shall have the question by adventure so 
proposed and put forth that--like as1   
while a man heareth someone talking to  
him1 he can close his eyes if he will1  
but he cannot make himself sleep--so    
shall they1 whether they will or not1   
think one thing or the other therein4   
,finally1 when ,christ spoke so often   
and so plain of the matter1 that every  
man should1 upon pain of damnation1     
openly confess his faith if men took him
 and by dread of death would drive him  

to the contrary1 it seemeth me 7in a    
manner7 implied that we are bound       
conditionally to have evermore that     
mind--actually sometimes1 and evermore  
habitually--that if the case should so  
befall1 then with ,god's help so we     
would do4 ,and thus much methinketh     
necessary1 for every man and woman to be
 always of this mind and often to think 
thereon4 ,and where they find1 in the   
thinking thereon1 that their hearts     
shudder and shrink in the remembrance of
 the pain that their imagination        
representeth to the mind1 then must they
 call to mind and remember the great    
pain and torment that ,christ suffered  
for them1 and heartily pray for grace   
that1 if the case should so befall1 ,god
 should give them strength to stand4    
,and thus1 with exercise of such        
meditation1 through men should never    
stand full out of fear of falling1 yet  
must they persevere in good hope and in 
full purpose of standing4  ,and this    
seemeth to me1 cousin1 so far forth the 

mind that every ,christian man and woman
 must needs have1 that methinketh every 
curate should often counsel all his     
parishioners1 beginning in their tender 
youth1 to know this point and think on  
it1 and little by little from their very
 childhood accustom them sweetly and    
pleasantly in the meditation thereof4   
,thereby the goodness of ,god shall not 
fail so to inspire the grace of his     
,holy ,spirit into their hearts1 in     
reward of that virtuous diligence1 that 
through such actual meditation he shall 
confirm them in such a sure habit of    
spiritual faithful strength1 that all   
the devils in hell1 with all the        
wrestling that they can make1 shall     
never be able to wrest it out of their  
heart4  ,,vincent3  ,by my troth1 uncle1
 methinketh that you say very well4     
,,anthony3  ,i say surely1 cousin1 as ,i
 think4 ,and yet all this have ,i said  
concerning them that dwell in such      
places that they are never like in their
 lives to come in the danger to be put  

to the proof4 ,howbeit1 many a man may  
think himself far from it1 who yet may  
fortune to come to it by some chance or 
other1 either for the truth of faith or 
for the truth of justice1 which go      
almost all alike4  ,but now you and ,i1 
cousin1 and all our friends here1 are   
far in another point4 ,for we are so    
likely to fall in the experience of it  
soon1 that it would have been more      
timely for us1 all other things set     
aside1 to have devised upon this matter1
 and firmly to have settled ourselves   
upon a false point long ago1 than to    
begin to commune and counsel upon it    
now4  ,,vincent3  ,in good faith1 uncle1
 you say therein very truth1 and would  
,god it had come sooner in my mind4 ,but
 yet is it better late than never4 ,and 
,i trust ,god shall yet give us respite 
and time4 ,and that we lose no part     
thereof1 uncle1 ,i pray you proceed now 
with your good counsel therein4         
,,anthony3  ,very gladly1 cousin1 shall 
,i now go forth in the fourth           

temptation1 which alone remaineth to be 
treated of1 and properly pertaineth     
wholly unto this present purpose4   ,,ii
  ,the fourth temptation1 cousin1 that  
the prophet speaketh of in the          
fore-remembered psalm is plain open     
persecution4 ,and it is touched in these
 words3 ,ab incursu et demonio          
meridiano4  ,and of all his temptations1
 this is the most perilous1 the most    
bitter1 the most sharp1 and the most    
rigorous4 ,for in other temptations he  
useth either pleasant allectives unto   
sin1 or other secret sleights and       
snares2 and cometh in the night and     
stealeth on in the dark unaware2 or in  
some other part of the day flieth and   
passeth by like an arrow2 so shaping    
himself sometimes in one fashion1       
sometimes in another1 and dissimulating 
himself and his high mortal malice1 that
 a man is thereby so blinded and        
beguiled that he cannot sometimes       
perceive well what he is4 ,but in this  
temptation1 this plain open persecution 

for the faith1 he cometh even in the    
very midday--that is1 even upon those   
who have a high light of faith shining  
in their hearts--and he openly suffereth
 himself to be perceived so plainly1 by 
his fierce malicious persecution against
 the faithful ,christians1 for hatred of
 ,christ's true ,catholic faith1 that no
 man having faith can doubt what he is4 
,for in this temptation he showeth      
himself such as the prophet nameth him1 
the midday devil1 so lightsomely can he 
be seen with the eye of the faithful    
soul1 by his fierce furious assault and 
incursion4 ,for therefore saith the     
prophet that the truth of ,god shall    
compass that man round about who        
dwelleth in the faithful hope of his    
help with a shield from the incursion   
and the devil of the midday1 because    
this kind of persecution is not a wily  
temptation but a furious force and a    
terrible incursion4 ,in other of his    
temptations1 he stealeth on like a fox1 
but in this ,turk's persecution for the 

faith1 he runneth on roaring with       
assault like a ramping lion4  ,this     
temptation is1 of all temptations1 also 
the most perilous4 ,for in temptations  
of prosperity he useth only delectable  
allectives to move a man to sin2 and in 
other kinds of tribulation and adversity
 he useth only grief and pain to pull a 
man into murmuring1 impatience1 and     
blasphemy4 ,but in this kind of         
persecution for the faith of ,christ he 
useth both twain--that is1 both his     
allectives of quiet and rest by         
deliverance from death and pain1 with   
other pleasures also of this present    
life1 and besides that the terror and   
infliction of intolerable pain and      
torment4  ,in other tribulation--as     
loss1 or sickness1 or death of our      
friends---though the pain be            
peradventure as great and sometimes     
greater too1 yet is not the peril       
nowhere nigh half so much4 ,for in other
 tribulations1 as ,i said before1 that  
necessity that the man must perforce    

abide and endure the pain1 wax he never 
so wroth and impatient with it1 is a    
great reason to move him to keep his    
patience in it and be content with it   
and thank ,god for it and of necessity  
make a virtue1 that he may be rewarded  
for it4 ,but in this temptation1 this   
persecution for the faith--,i mean not  
by fight in the field1 by which the     
faithful man standeth at his defence and
 putteth the faithless in half the fear 
and half the harm too2 but ,i mean where
 he is taken and held1 and may for the  
forswearing or denying of his faith be  
delivered and suffered to live in rest  
and some in great worldly wealth also4  
,in this case1 ,i say1 since he needeth 
not to suffer this trouble and pain     
unless he will1 there is a marvellous   
great occasion for him to fall into the 
sin that the devil would drive him      
to--that is1 the forsaking of the faith4
  ,and therefore1 ,i say1 of all the    
devil's temptations1 this temptation1   
this persecution for the faith1 is the  

most perilous4  ,,vincent3  ,the more   
perilous1 uncle1 this temptation is--as 
indeed1 of all the temptations1 the most
 perilous it is--the more need have     
those who stand in peril of it to be    
well armed against it beforehand1 with  
substantial advice and good counsel4    
,for so may we the better bear that     
tribulation when it cometh1 with the    
comfort and consolation thereof1 and the
 better withstand the temptation4       
,,anthony3  ,you say1 ,cousin ,vincent1 
therein very truth4 ,and ,i am content  
therefore to fall in hand with it4  ,but
 forasmuch1 cousin1 as methinketh that  
of this tribulation you are somewhat    
more afraid than ,i--and of truth       
somewhat more excusable it is in you    
than it would be in me1 mine age        
considered and the sorrow that ,i have  
suffered already1 with some other       
considerations upon my part             
besides--rehearse you therefore the     
griefs and pains that you think in this 
tribulation possible to fall unto you4  

,and ,i shall against each of them give 
you counsel and rehearse you such       
occasion of comfort and consolation as  
my poor wit and learning can call unto  
my mind4  ,,vincent3  ,in good faith1   
uncle1 ,i am not wholly afraid in this  
case only for myself1 but well you know 
,i have cause to care also for many     
others1 and that folk of sundry sorts1  
men and women both1 and that not all of 
one age4  ,,anthony3  ,all that you have
 cause to fear for1 cousin1 for all of  
them1 have ,i cause to fear with you1   
too1 since almost all your kinsfolk are 
likewise kin to me4 ,howbeit1 to say the
 truth1 every man hath cause in this    
case to fear both for himself and for   
every other4 ,for since1 as the         
scripture saith1 ,god hath given every  
man care and charge of his neighbour1   
there is no man who hath any spark of   
,christian love and charity in his      
breast but what1 in a matter of such    
peril as this is1 in which the soul of  
man standeth in so great danger to be   

lost1 he must needs care and take       
thought not only for his friends but    
also for his very foes4 ,we shall       
therefore1 cousin1 not rehearse your    
harms or mine that may befall in this   
persecution1 but all the great harms in 
general1 as near as we can call to mind1
 that may happen unto any man4   ,,iii  
,since a man is made of the body and the
 soul1 all the harm that any man can    
take1 it must needs be in one of these  
two1 either immediately or by the means 
of some such thing as serveth for the   
pleasure1 welfare1 or commodity of one  
of these two4  ,as for the soul first1  
we shall need no rehearsal of any harm  
that may attain to it by this kind of   
tribulation1 unless by some inordinate  
love and affection that the soul bear to
 the body1 she consent to slide from the
 faith and thereby do herself harm4 ,now
 there remains the body1 and these      
outward things of fortune which serve   
for the maintenance of the body and     
minister matter of pleasure to the soul 

also1 through the delight that she hath 
in the body for the while that she is   
matched with it4  ,consider first the   
loss of those outward things1 as being  
somewhat less in weight than the body   
itself4 ,what may a man lose in them1   
and thereby what pain may he suffer8    
,,vincent3  ,he may lose1 uncle1 money1 
plate1 and other movable substance 7of  
which ,i should somewhat lose myself72  
then1 offices and authority2 and finally
 all the lands of his inheritance for   
ever that he himself and his heirs      
perpetually might otherwise enjoy4 ,and 
of all these things1 uncle1 you know    
well that ,i myself have some--little1  
in respect of that which some others    
have here1 but yet somewhat more than he
 who hath most here would be well       
content to lose4  ,upon the loss of     
these things follow neediness and       
poverty2 the pain of lacking1 the shame 
of begging 7of which twain ,i know not  
which is the most wretched necessity72  
besides1 the grief and heaviness of     

heart1 in beholding good men and        
faithful and his dear friends bewrapped 
in like misery1 and ungracious wretches 
and infidels and his mortal enemies     
enjoying the commodities that he himself
 and his friends have lost4  ,now1 for  
the body very few words should serve us4
 ,for therein ,i see none other harm but
 loss of liberty1 labour1 imprisonment1 
and painful and shameful death4         
,,anthony3  ,there needeth not much     
more1 cousin1 as the world is now4 ,for 
,i fear me that less than a fourth part 
of this will make many a man sore       
stagger in his faith1 and some fall     
quite from it1 who yet at this day1     
before he come to the proof1 thinketh   
himself that he would stand very fast4  
,and ,i beseech our ,lord that all those
 who so think1 and who would yet when   
they were brought to the point fall from
 the faith for fear or pain1 may get of 
,god the grace to think still as they do
 and not to be brought to the essay1    
where pain or fear would show them1 as  

it showed ,st4 ,peter1 how far they are 
deceived now4  ,but now1 cousin1 against
 these terrible things1 what way shall  
we take in giving men counsel of        
comfort8 ,if the faith were in our days 
as fervent as it hath been ere this in  
times past1 little counsel and little   
comfort would suffice4 ,we should not   
much need with words and reasoning to   
extenuate and diminish the vigour and   
asperity of the pains4 ,for of old      
times1 the greater and the more bitter  
the pain were1 the more ready was the   
fervour of faith to suffer it4 ,and     
surely1 cousin1 ,i doubt little in my   
mind but what1 if a man had in his heart
 so deep a desire and love--longing to  
be with ,god in heaven1 to have the     
fruition of his glorious face--as had   
those holy men who are martyrs in old   
time1 he would no more now stick at the 
pain that he must pass between than     
those old holy martyrs did at that time4
 ,but alas1 our faint and feeble faith1 
with our love to ,god less than lukewarm

 because of the fiery affection that we 
bear to our own filthy flesh1 maketh us 
so dull in the desire of heaven that the
 sudden dread of every bodily pain      
woundeth us to the heart and striketh   
our devotion dead4 ,and therefore hath  
every man1 cousin1 as ,i said before1   
much the more need to think upon this   
thing many a time and oft aforehand1 ere
 any such peril befall1 by much devising
 upon it before they see cause to fear  
it4 ,since the thing shall not appear so
 terrible unto them1 reason shall better
 enter1 and through grace working with  
their diligence1 engender and set sure1 
not a sudden slight affection of        
suffering for ,god's sake1 but1 by a    
long continuance1 a strong deep-rooted  
habit--not like a reed ready to wave    
with every wind1 nor like a rootless    
tree scantly set up on end in a loose   
heap of light sand1 that will with a    
blast or two be blown down4   ,,iv  ,let
 us now consider1 cousin1 these causes  
of terror and dread that you have       

recited1 which in his persecution for   
the faith this midday devil may1 by     
these ,turks1 rear against us to make   
his incursion with4 ,for so shall we    
well perceive1 weighing them well with  
reason1 that1 albeit they be indeed     
somewhat1 yet 7every part of the matter 
pondered7 they shall well appear in     
conclusion things not so much to be     
dreaded and fled from as they do        
suddenly seem to folk at the first      
sight4   ,v  ,first let us begin at the 
outward goods1 which are neither the    
proper goods of the soul nor those of   
the body1 but are called the goods of   
fortune1 and serve for the sustenance   
and commodity of man for the short      
season of this present life1 as worldly 
substance1 offices1 honour1 and         
authority4  ,what great good is there in
 these things of themselves1 that they  
should be worthy so much as to bear the 
name by which the world1 of a worldly   
favour1 customarily calleth them8 ,for  
if the having of strength make a man    

strong1 and the having of heat make a   
man hot1 and the having of virtue make a
 man virtuous1 how can these things be  
verily and truly goods1 by the having of
 which he who hath them may as well be  
worse as better--and1 as experience     
proveth1 more often is worse than       
better8 ,why should a man greatly       
rejoice in that which he daily seeth    
most abound in the hands of many who are
 wicked8 ,do not now this great ,turk   
and his pashas in all these advancements
 of fortune surmount very far above a   
,christian estate1 and any lords living 
under him8 ,and was there not1 some     
twenty years ago1 the great ,sultan of  
,syria1 who many a year together bore   
himself as high as the great ,turk1 and 
afterward in one summer unto the great  
,turk that whole empire was lost8 ,and  
so may all his empire now--and shall    
hereafter1 by ,god's grace--be lost into
 ,christian men's hands likewise1 when  
,christian people shall be amended and  
grow in ,god's favour again4 ,but since 

whole kingdoms and mighty great empires 
are of so little surety to stand1 but   
are so soon transferred from one man    
unto another1 what great thing can you  
or ,i--yea1 or any lord1 the greatest in
 this land--reckon himself to have1 by  
the possession of a heap of silver or   
gold8 ,for they are but white and yellow
 metal1 not so profitable of their own  
nature1 save for a little glittering1 as
 the rude rusty metal of iron4   ,,vi   
,lands and possessions many men esteem  
much more yet than money1 because the   
lands seem not so casual as money is1 or
 plate4 ,for though their other         
substance may be stolen and taken away1 
yet evermore they think that their land 
will lie still where it lay4 ,but what  
are we the better that our land cannot  
be stirred1 but will lie still where it 
lay1 since we ourselves may be removed  
and not suffered to come near it8 ,what 
great difference is there to us1 whether
 our substance be movable or unmovable1 
since we be so movable ourselves that we

 may be removed from them both and lose 
them both twain8 ,yet sometimes in the  
money is the surety somewhat more4 ,for 
when we be fain ourselves to flee1 we   
may make shift to carry some of our     
money with us1 whereas of our land we   
cannot carry one inch4  ,if our land be 
a thing of more surety than our money1  
how happeth it then that in this        
persecution we are more afraid to lose  
it8 ,for if it be a thing of more       
surety1 then can it not so soon be lost4
 ,in the transfer of these two great    
empires--,greece first1 since ,i myself 
was born1 and after ,syria1 since you   
were born too--the land was lost before 
the money was found6  ,oh1 ,cousin      
,vincent1 if the whole world were       
animated with a reasonable soul1 as     
,plato thought it were1 and if it had   
wit and understanding to mark and       
perceive everything1 ,lord ,god1 how the
 ground on which a prince buildeth his  
palace would loud laugh its lord to     
scorn1 when it saw him proud of his     

possession and heard him boast himself  
that he and his blood are for ever the  
very lords and owners of the land6 ,for 
then would the ground think the while1  
to itself1 ,ah1 thou poor soul1 who     
thinkest thou wert half a god1 and art  
amid thy glory but a man in a gay gown6 
,i who am the ground here1 over whom    
thou are so proud1 have had a hundred   
such owners of me as thou callest       
thyself1 more than ever thou hast heard 
the names of4 ,and some of them who went
 proudly over mine head now lie low in  
my belly1 and my side lieth over them4  
,and many a one shall1 as thou does now1
 call himself mine owner after thee1 who
 shall neither be kin to thy blood nor  
have heard any word of thy name4  ,who  
owned your village1 cousin1 three       
thousand years ago8  ,,vincent3  ,three 
thousand1 uncle8 ,nay1 nay1 in any king1
 ,christian or heathen1 you may strike  
off a third part of that well           
enough--and1 as far as ,i know1 half of 
the rest1 too4 ,in far fewer years than 

three thousand it may well fortune that 
a poor ploughman's blood may come up to 
a kingdom1 and a king's right royal kin 
on the other hand fall down to the      
plough and cart1 and neither that king  
know that ever he came from the cart1   
nor that carter know that ever he came  
from the crown4  ,,anthony3  ,we find1  
,cousin ,vincent1 in full ancient       
stories many strange changes as         
marvellous as that1 come about in the   
compass of very few years1 in effect4   
,and are such things then in reason so  
greatly to be set by1 that we should    
esteem the loss so great1 when we see   
that in keeping them our surety is so   
little8  ,,vincent3  ,marry1 uncle1 but 
the less surety we have to keep it1     
since it is a great commodity to have   
it1 so much more the loth we are to     
forgo it4  ,,anthony3  ,that reason     
shall ,i1 cousin1 turn against yourself4
 ,for if it be so as you say1 that since
 the things be commodious1 the less     
surety that you see you have of keeping 

them1 the more cause you have to be     
afraid of losing them2 then on the other
 hand the more a thing is of its nature 
such that its commodity bringeth a man  
little surety and much fear1 that thing 
of reason the less we have cause to     
love4 ,and then1 the less cause we have 
to love a thing1 the less cause have we 
to care for it or fear its loss1 or be  
loth to go from it4   ,,vii  ,we shall  
yet1 cousin1 consider in these outward  
goods of fortune--as riches1 good name1 
honest estimation1 honourable fame1 and 
authority--in all these things we shall1
 ,i say1 consider that we love them and 
set by them either as things commodious 
unto us for the state and condition of  
this present life1 or else as things    
that we purpose by the good use of them 
to make matter of our merit1 with ,god's
 help1 in the life to come4  ,let us    
then first consider them as things set  
by and beloved for the pleasure and     
commodity of them for this present life4
   ,,viii  ,now1 as for riches1 if we   

consider it well1 the commodity that we 
take of it is not so great as our own   
foolish affection and fancy maketh us   
imagine it4 ,i deny not that it maketh  
us go much more gay and glorious in     
sight1 garnished in silk--but wool is   
almost as warm6 ,it maketh us have great
 plenty of many kinds of delicate and   
delicious victuals1 and thereby to make 
more excess--but less exquisite and less
 superfluous fare1 with fewer surfeits  
and fewer fevers too1 would be almost as
 wholesome6 ,then1 the labour in getting
 riches1 the fear in keeping them1 and  
the pain in parting from them1 do more  
than counterweight a great part of all  
the pleasure and commodity that they    
bring4  ,besides this1 riches are the   
thing that taketh many times from its   
master all his pleasure and his life1   
too4 ,for many a man is slain for his   
riches4 ,and some keep their riches as a
 thing pleasant and commodious for their
 life1 take none other pleasure of it in
 all their life than as though they bore

 the key of another man's coffer4 ,for  
they are content to live miserably in   
neediness all their days1 rather than to
 find it in their heart to diminish     
their hoard1 they have such a fancy to  
look thereon4 ,yea1 and some men1 for   
fear lest thieves should steal it from  
them1 are their own thieves and steal it
 from themselves4 ,for they dare not so 
much as let it lie where they themselves
 may look on it1 but put it in a pot and
 hide it in the ground1 and there let it
 lie safe till they die--and sometimes  
seven years thereafter4 ,and if the pot 
had been stolen away from that place    
five years before the man's death1 then 
all the same five years he lived        
thereafter1 thinking always that his pot
 lay safe still1 since he never occupied
 it afterward1 what had he been the     
poorer8  ,,vincent3  ,by my troth1      
uncle1 not one penny1 for aught that ,i 
perceive4   ,,ix  ,,anthony3  ,let us   
now consider good name1 honest          
estimation1 and honourable fame4 ,for   

these three things are of their own     
nature one1 and take their differences  
in effect only of the manner of the     
common speech in diversity of degree4   
,for a good name may a man have1 be he  
never so poor4 ,honest estimation1 in   
the common understanding of the people1 
belongeth not unto any man but him that 
is taken for one of some countenance and
 possessions1 and among his neighbours  
had in some reputation4 ,in the word of 
honourable fame1 folk conceive the      
renown of great estates1 much and far   
spoken of1 by reason of their laudable  
acts4  ,now1 all this gear1 used as a   
thing pleasant and commodious for this  
present life1 may seem pleasant to him  
who fasteneth his fancy thereon4 ,but of
 the nature of the thing itself ,i      
perceive no great commodity that it     
hath--,i say of the nature of the thing 
itself1 because it may by chance be some
 occasion of some commodity4 ,for it may
 hap that for the good name the poor man
 hath1 or for the honest estimation that

 a man of some possessions and substance
 standeth in among his neighbours1 or   
for the honourable fame with which a    
great estate is renowned--it may hap1 ,i
 say1 that some man1 bearing them the   
better1 will therefore do them some     
good4 ,and yet1 as for that1 like as it 
may sometimes so hap 7and sometimes doth
 so hap indeed71 so may it hap sometimes
 on the other hand 7and on the other    
hand so it sometimes happeth indeed7    
that such folk are envied and hated by  
others1 and as readily take harm by them
 who envy and hate them as they take    
good by them that love them4  ,but now1 
to speak of the thing itself in its own 
proper nature1 what is it but a blast of
 another man's mouth1 as soon past as   
spoken8 ,he who setteth his delight on  
it1 feedeth himself but with wind2 be he
 never so full1 he hath little substance
 therein4 ,and many times shall he much 
deceive himself4 ,for he shall think    
that many praise him who never speak    
word of him4 ,and they that do1 say yet 

much less than he thinketh and far more 
seldom too4 ,for they spend not all the 
day1 he may be sure1 in talking of him  
alone4 ,and those who so commend him the
 most will yet1 ,i daresay1 in every    
four-and-twenty hours1 shut their eyes  
and forget him once6 ,besides this1     
while one speaketh well of him in one   
place1 another sitteth and saith as ill 
of him in another4 ,and finally1 some   
who most praise him in his presence1    
behind his back mock him as fast and    
loud laugh him to scorn1 and sometimes  
slily to his own face1 too4 ,and yet are
 there some fools so fed with this      
foolish fancy of fame that they rejoice 
and glory to think how they are         
continually praised all about1 as though
 all the world did nothing else1 day nor
 night1 but ever sit and sing ,sanctus  
sanctus1 sanctus upon them6   ,x  ,and  
into this pleasant frenzy of much       
foolish vainglory are there some men    
brought sometimes by those whom they    
themselves do 7in a manner7 hire to     

flatter them4 ,and they would not be    
content if a man should do otherwise1   
but would be right angry--not only if a 
man told them truth when they do evil   
indeed1 but also if they praise it but  
slenderly4  ,,vincent3  ,forsooth1      
uncle1 this is very truth4 ,i have been 
ere this1 and not very long ago1 where  
,i saw so proper experience of this     
point that ,i must stop your tale long  
enough to tell you mine4  ,,anthony3  ,i
 pray you1 cousin1 tell on4  ,,vincent3 
,when ,i was first in ,germany1 uncle1  
it happed me to be somewhat favoured by 
a great man of the church and a great   
estate1 one of the greatest in all that 
country there4 ,and indeed1 whosoever   
could spend as much as he could for one 
thing and another1 would be a right     
great estate in any country of          
,christendom4 ,but vainglorious was he1 
very far above all measure4 ,and that   
was great pity1 for it did harm and made
 him abuse many great gifts that ,god   
had given him4 ,never was he satiated   

with hearing his own praise4  ,so happed
 it one day1 that he had in a great     
audience made an oration in a certain   
manner1 in which he liked himself so    
well that at his dinner he thought he   
sat on thorns till he might hear how    
those who sat with him at his board     
would commend it4 ,he sat musing a      
while1 devising1 as ,i thought          
afterward1 upon some pretty proper way  
to bring it in withal4 ,and at last1 for
 lack of a better1 lest he should have  
forborne the matter too long1 he brought
 it even bluntly forth and asked us all 
who sat at his board's end--for at his  
own place in the midst there sat but    
himself alone--how well we liked his    
oration that he had made that day4 ,but 
in faith1 uncle1 when that problem was  
once proposed1 till it was full         
answered1 no man1 ,i believe1 ate one   
morsel of meat more--every man was      
fallen in so deep a study for the       
finding of some exquisite praise4 ,for  
he who should have brought out but a    

vulgar and common commendation1 would   
have thought himself shamed for ever4   
,ten said we our sentences1 by row as we
 sat1 from the lowest unto the highest  
in good order1 as though it had been a  
great matter of the common weal in a    
right solemn council4 ,when it came to  
my part--,i say it not1 uncle1 for a    
boast--methought that1 by our ,lady1 for
 my part1 ,i quit myself well enough6   
,and ,i liked myself the better because 
methought that1 being but a foreigner1  
my words went yet with some grace in the
 ,german tongue1 in which1 letting my   
,latin alone1 it pleased me to show my  
skill4 ,and ,i hoped to be liked the    
better because ,i saw that he who sat   
next to me1 and should say his sentence 
after me1 was an unlearned priest1 for  
he could speak no ,latin at all4 ,but   
when he came forth for his part with my 
lord's commendation1 the wily fox had   
been so well accustomed in court to the 
craft of flattery that he went beyond me
 by far4 ,and then might ,i see by him  

what excellence a right mean wit may    
come to in one craft1 if in all his life
 he studieth and busieth his wit about  
no more but that one4 ,but ,i made      
afterward a solemn vow unto myself that 
if ever he and ,i were matched together 
at that board again1 when we should fall
 to our flattery ,i would flatter in    
,latin1 that he might contend with me no
 more4 ,for though ,i could be content  
to be outrun by a horse1 yet would ,i no
 more abide it to be outrun by an ass4  
,but1 uncle1 here began now the game3 he
 that sat highest and was to speak last1
 was a great beneficed man1 and not only
 a doctor but also somewhat learned     
indeed in the laws of the church4 ,a    
world was it to see how he marked every 
man's word who spoke before him6 ,and it
 seemed that the more proper every word 
was1 the worse he liked it1 for the     
cumbrance that he had to study out a    
better one to surpass it4 ,the man even 
sweated with the labour1 so that he was 
fain now and then to wipe his face4     

,howbeit1 in conclusion1 when it came to
 his course1 we who had spoken before   
him had so taken up all among us before 
that we had not left him one wise word  
to speak afterward4  ,,anthony3  ,alas1 
good man--among so many of you1 some    
good fellow should have lent him one6   
,,vincent3  ,it needed not1 as it       
happened1 uncle4 ,for he found out such 
a shift that in his flattering he       
surpassed us all4  ,,anthony3  ,why1    
what said he1 cousin8  ,,vincent3  ,by  
our ,lady1 uncle1 not one word4 ,but he 
did as ,i believe ,pliny telleth of     
,apelles the painter1 in the picture    
that he painted of the sacrifice and    
death of ,iphigenia1 in the making of   
the sorrowful countenances of the noble 
men of ,greece who beheld it4 ,he       
reserved the countenance of ,king       
,agamemnon her father for the last1     
lest1 if he made his visage before1 he  
must in some of the others afterward    
either have made the visage less        
dolorous than he could1 and thereby have

 forborne some part of his praise1 or1  
doing the uttermost of his craft1 might 
have happed to make some other look more
 heavily for the pity of her pain than  
her own father1 which would have been   
yet a far greater fault in his painting4
 ,when he came1 therefore1 to the making
 of her father's face last of all1 he   
had spent out so much of his craft and  
skill that he could devise no manner of 
new heavy cheer and countenance for him 
but what he had made there aleady in    
some of the others a much more heavy one
 before4 ,and therefore1 to the intent  
that no man should see what manner of   
countenance it was that her father had1 
the painter was fain to paint him       
holding his face in his handkerchief6   
,the like pageant 7in a manner7 played  
us there this good ancient honourable   
flatterer4 ,for when he saw that he     
could find no words of praise that would
 surpass all that had been spoken before
 already1 the wily fox would speak never
 a word4 ,but as one who were ravished  

heavenward with the wonder of the wisdom
 and eloquence that my lord's grace had 
uttered in that oration1 he set up a    
long sigh with an ,oh6 from the bottom  
of his breast1 and held up both his     
hands1 and lifted up his head1 and cast 
up his eyes into the welkin1 and wept4  
,,anthony3  ,forsooth1 cousin1 he played
 his part very properly4 ,but was that  
great prelate's oration1 cousin1 at all 
praiseworthy8 ,for you can tell1 ,i see 
well4 ,for you would not1 ,i suppose1   
play as ,juvenal merrily describeth the 
blind senator1 one of the flatterers of 
,tiberius the emperor1 who among the    
rest so magnified the great fish that   
the emperor had sent for them to show   
them4 ,this blind senator--,montanus1 ,i
 believe they called him--marvelled at  
the fish as much as any that marvelled  
most4 ,and many things he spoke of it1  
with some of his words directed unto it1
 looking himself toward his left side1  
while the fish lay on his right side6   
,you would not1 ,i am sure1 cousin1 have

 taken upon you to praise it so1 unless 
you had heard it4  ,,vincent3  ,i heard 
it1 uncle1 indeed1 and1 to say the      
truth1 it was not to dispraise4         
,howbeit1 surely1 somewhat less praise  
might have served it--less by a great   
deal more than half4 ,but this ,i am    
sure3 had it been the worst that ever   
was made1 the praise would not have been
 the less by one hair4 ,for those who   
used to praise him to his face never    
considered how much the thing deserved1 
but how great a laud and praise they    
themselves could give his good ,grace4  
,,anthony3  ,surely1 cousin1 as ,terence
 saith1 such folk make men of fools even
 stark mad4 ,and much cause have their  
lords to be right angry with them4      
,,vincent3  ,god hath indeed1 and is1 ,i
 daresay4 ,but as for their lords1      
uncle1 if they would afterward wax angry
 with them for it1 they would1 to my    
mind1 do them very great wrong4 ,for it 
is one of the things that they specially
 keep them for4 ,for those who are of   

such vainglorious mind1 be they lords or
 be they meaner men1 can be much better 
contented to have their devices         
commended than amended4 ,and though they
 require their servant and their friend 
never so specially to tell them the very
 truth1 yet shall he better please them 
if he speak them fair than if he telleth
 them the truth4  ,for they be in the   
condition that ,marciall speaketh of in 
an epigram1 unto a friend of his who    
required his judgment how he liked his  
verses1 but prayed him in any wise to   
tell him even the very truth4 ,to him1  
,marciall made answer in this wise3     
,the very truth of me thou dost require4
 ,the very truth is this1 my friend     
dear3 ,the very truth thou wouldst not  
gladly hear4  ,and in good faith1 uncle1
 the selfsame prelate that ,i told you  
my tale of--,i dare be bold to swear it1
 ,i know it so surely--had one time     
drawn up a certain treaty that was to   
serve for a league between that country 
and a great prince4 ,in this treaty he  

himself thought that he had devised his 
articles so wisely and composed them so 
well1 that all the world would approve  
them4 ,thereupon1 longing sore to be    
praised1 he called unto him a friend of 
his1 a man well learned and of good     
worship1 and very well expert in those  
matters1 as one who had been divers     
times ambassador for that country and   
had made many such treaties himself4    
,when he gave him the treaty and he had 
read it1 he asked him how he liked it1  
and said1 ,but ,i pray you heartily1    
tell me the very truth4 ,and that he    
spake so heartily that the other thought
 he would fain have heard the truth1 and
 in that trust he told him a fault in   
the treaty4 ,and at the hearing of it he
 swore in great anger1 ,by the mass1    
thou art a very fool6 ,the other        
afterward told me that he would never   
tell him the truth again4  ,,anthony3   
,without question1 cousin1 ,i cannot    
greatly blame him4 ,and thus they       
themselves make every man mock them1    

flatter them1 and deceive them--those1  
,i say1 who are of such a vainglorious  
mind4 ,for if they be content to hear   
the truth1 let them then make much of   
those who tell them the truth1 and      
withdraw their ears from them who       
falsely flatter them1 and they shall be 
more truly served than with twenty      
requests praying men to tell them true4 
,king ,ladislaus--our ,lord absolve his 
soul6--used much this manner among his  
servants4 ,when one of them praised any 
deed of his or any quality in him1 if he
 perceived that they said but the truth 
he would let it pass by uncontrolled4   
,but when he saw that they set a gloss  
on it for his praise of their own making
 besides1 then would he shortly say unto
 them1 ,i pray thee1 good fellow1 when  
thou sayest grace at my board1 never    
bring in a ,gloria ,patri without a     
sicut erat4 ,any act that ever ,i did1  
if thou report it again to mine honour  
with a ,gloria ,patri1 never report it  
but with a sicut erat--that is1 even as 

it was and none otherwise4 ,and lift me 
not up with lies1 for ,i love it not4   
,if men would use this way with them    
that this noble king used1 it would     
diminish much of their false flattery4  
,i can well approve that men should     
commend such things as they see         
praiseworthy in other men--keeping them 
within the bounds of truth--to give them
 the greater courage to the increase of 
them4 ,for men keep still in that point 
one quality of children1 that praise    
must prick them forth4 ,but better it   
were to do well and look for none4      
,howbeit1 those who cannot find it in   
their hearts to commend another man's   
good deed show themselves either envious
 or else of nature very cold and dull4  
,but without question1 he who putteth   
his pleasure in the praise of the people
 hath but a foolish fancy4 ,for if his  
finger do but ache of a hot blain1 a    
great many men's mouths blowing out his 
praise will scantly do him1 among them  
all1 so much ease as to have one boy    

blow on his finger6   ,,xi  ,let us now 
consider likewise what great worldly    
wealth ariseth unto men by great offices
 and authority--to those                
worldly-disposed people1 ,i say1 who    
desire them for no better purpose4 ,for 
of those who desire them for better1 we 
shall speak after anon4  ,the great     
thing that they all chiefly like therein
 is that they may bear a rule1 command  
and control other men1 and live         
uncommanded and uncontrolled themselves4
 ,and yet this commodity took ,i so     
little heed of1 that ,i never was aware 
it was so great1 until a good friend of 
ours merrily told me once that his wife 
once in a great anger taught it to him4 
,for when her husband had no desire to  
grow greatly upward in the world1 nor   
would labour for office of authority1   
and beside that forsook a right         
worshipful office when it was offered   
him1 she fell in hand with him1 he told 
me4 ,and she all berated him1 and asked 
him1 ,what will you do1 that you will   

not put yourself forth as other folk do8
 ,will you sit by the fire and make     
goslings in the ashes with a stick1 as  
children do8 ,would ,god ,i were a      
man--look what ,i would do6 ,why1 wife1 
quoth her husband1 what would you do8   
,what8 ,by ,god1 go forward with the    
best6 ,for1 as my mother was wont to    
say--,god have mercy on her soul--it is 
evermore better to rule than to be      
ruled4 ,and therefore1 by ,god1 ,i would
 not1 ,i warrant you1 be so foolish as  
to be ruled where ,i might rule4 ,by my 
troth1 wife1 quoth her husband1 in this 
,i daresay you say truth1 for ,i never  
found you willing to be ruled yet4      
,,vincent3  ,well1 uncle1 ,i follow you 
now1 well enough6 ,she is indeed a stout
 master-woman4 ,and in good faith1 for  
aught that ,i can see1 even that same   
womanish mind of hers is the greatest   
commodity that men reckon upon in       
offices of authority4  ,,anthony3  ,by  
my troth1 and methinketh there are very 
few who attain any great commodity      

therein4 ,for first there is1 in every  
kingdom1 but one who can have an office 
of such authority that no man may       
command him or control him4 ,no officer 
can stand in that position but the king 
himself2 he only1 uncontrolled or       
uncommanded1 may control and command    
all4 ,now1 of all the rest1 each is     
under him4 ,and yet almost every one is 
under more commanders and controllers1  
too1 than one4 ,and many a man who is in
 a great office commandeth fewer things 
and less labour to many men who are     
under him than someone that is over him 
commandeth him alone4  ,,vincent3  ,yet 
it doth them good1 uncle1 that men must 
make courtesy to them and salute them   
with reverence and stand bareheaded     
before them1 or unto some of them       
peradventure kneel1 too4  ,,anthony3    
,well1 cousin1 in some part they do but 
play at gleek--they receive reverence1  
and to their cost they pay honour again 
therefor4 ,for except1 as ,i said1 a    
king alone1 the greatest in authority   

under him receiveth not so much         
reverence from any man as according to  
reason he himself doth honour to the    
king4 ,nor twenty men's courtesies do   
him not so much pleasure as his own once
 kneeling doth him pain if his knee hap 
to be sore4 ,and ,i once knew a great   
officer of the king's to say--and in    
good faith ,i believe he said but as he 
thought--that twenty men standing       
bareheaded before him kept not his head 
half so warm as to keep on his own cap4 
,and he never took so much ease with    
their being bareheaded before him1 as he
 once caught grief with a cough that    
came upon him by standing long          
bareheaded before the king4  ,but let it
 be that these commodities be somewhat1 
such as they be4 ,yet then consider     
whether any incommodities be so joined  
with them that a man might almost as    
well lack both as have both4 ,goeth     
everything evermore as every one of them
 would have it8 ,that would be as hard  
as to please all the people at once with

 one weather1 since in one house the    
husband would have fair weather for his 
corn and his wife would have rain for   
her leeks6 ,so those who are in         
authority are not all evermore of one   
mind1 but sometimes there is variance   
among them1 either for the respect of   
profit or the contention of rule1 or for
 maintenance of causes1 sundry parts for
 their sundry friends1 and it cannot be 
that both the parties can have their own
 way4 ,nor often are they content who   
see their conclusions fail1 but they    
take the missing of their intent ten    
times more displeasantly than poor men  
do4 ,and this goeth not only for men of 
mean authority1 but unto the very       
greatest4 ,the princes themselves cannot
 have1 you know1 all their will4 ,for   
how would it be possible1 since almost  
every one of them would1 if he could1 be
 lord over all the rest8 ,then many men1
 under their princes in authority1 are  
in such a position that many bear them  
privy malice and envy in heart4 ,and    

many falsely speak them full fair and   
praise them with their mouth1 who when  
there happeth any great fall unto them1 
bark and bite upon them like dogs4      
,finally1 there is the cost and charge1 
the danger and peril of war1 in which   
their part is more than a poor man's is1
 since that matter dependeth more upon  
them4 ,and many a poor ploughman may sit
 still by the fire while they must arise
 and walk4  ,and sometimes their        
authority falleth by change of their    
master's mind4 ,and of that we see      
daily1 in one place or another1 such    
examples and so many that the parable of
 that philosopher can lack no testimony1
 who likened the servants of great      
princes unto the counters with which men
 do reckon accounts4 ,for like as that  
counter that standeth sometimes for a   
farthing is suddenly set up and standeth
 for a thousand pound1 and afterward as 
soon is set down beneath to stand for a 
farthing again2 so fareth it sometimes  
with those who seek the way to rise and 

grow up in authority by the favour of   
great princes--as they rise up high1 so 
fall they down again as low4  ,howbeit1 
though a man escape all such adventures1
 and abide in great authority till he   
die1 yet then at least every man must   
leave at last4 ,and that which we call  
at last hath no very long time to it4   
,let a man reckon his years that are    
past of his age ere ever he can get up  
aloft2 and let him1 when he hath it     
first in his fist1 reckon how long he   
shall be likely to live thereafter2 and 
,i daresay that then the most part shall
 have little cause to rejoice4 ,they    
shall see the time likely to be so short
 that their honour and authority by     
nature shall endure1 beside the manifold
 chances by which they may lose it      
sooner4 ,and then1 when they see that   
they must needs leave it--the thing     
which they did much more set their      
hearts upon than ever they had          
reasonable cause--what sorrow they take 
for it1 that shall ,i not need to tell  

you4  ,and thus it seemeth unto me1     
cousin1 in good faith1 that since in the
 having of authority the profit is not  
great1 and the displeasures neither     
small nor few2 and since of the losing  
there are so many sundry chances and by 
no means a man can keep it long2 and    
since to part from it is such a painful 
grief3 ,i can see no very great cause   
for which1 as a high worldly commodity1 
men should greatly desire it4   ,,xii   
,and thus far have we considered        
hitherto1 in these outward goods that   
are called the gifts of fortune1 only   
the slender commodity that              
worldly-minded men have by them4 ,but   
now1 if we consider further what harm to
 the soul they take by them who desire  
them only for the wretched wealth of    
this world1 then shall we well perceive 
how far more happy is he who well loseth
 them than he who ill findeth them4     
,these things are such as are of their  
own nature indifferent--that is1 of     
themselves neither good nor bad--but are

 matter that may serve to the one or the
 other according as men will use them4  
,yet need we little doubt but that for  
those who desire them only for their    
worldly pleasure and for no further     
godly purpose the devil shall soon turn 
them from things indifferent and make   
them things very evil4 ,for though they 
be indifferent of their nature1 yet     
cannot the use of them lightly stand    
indifferent1 but must be determinately  
either good or bad4 ,and therefore he   
who desireth them only for worldly      
pleasure1 desireth them not for any     
good4 ,and for better purpose than he   
desireth them1 to better use is he not  
likely to put them4 ,and therefore will 
he use them not unto good but           
consequently to evil4  ,and for example1
 first consider it in riches1 and in him
 who longeth for them as for things of  
temporal commodity and not for any godly
 purpose4 ,what good they shall do him1 
,st4 ,paul declareth1 when he writeth   
unto ,timothy1 ,they that long to be    

rich fall into temptation and into the  
snare of the devil1 and into many       
desires unprofitable and noxious1 which 
drown men into death and into perdition4
 ,and the holy scripture saith also in  
the twenty-fourth chapter of the        
,proverbs1 ,he that gathereth treasures 
shall be shoved into the snares of      
death4 ,so that whereas ,god saith by   
the mouth of ,st4 ,paul that they shall 
fall into the devil's snare1 he saith in
 the other place that they shall be     
pushed and shoved in by violence4 ,and  
of truth1 while a man desireth riches   
not for any good godly purpose but only 
for worldly wealth1 it must needs be    
that he shall have little conscience in 
the getting4 ,but1 by all evil ways that
 he can invent1 shall he labour to get  
them4 ,and then shall he either         
niggardly heap them up together1 which  
is1 as you well know1 damnable2 or else 
shall he wastefully misspend them upon  
worldly pomp1 pride1 and gluttony1 with 
occasion of many sins more1 and that is 

yet much more damnable4  ,as for fame   
and glory desired only for worldly      
pleasure1 they do unto the soul         
inestimable harm4 ,for they set men's   
hearts upon high devices and desires of 
such things as are immoderate and       
outrageous4 ,and by help of false       
flatterers1 they puff up a man in pride 
and make a brittle man--lately made of  
earth1 that shall again shortly be laid 
full low in earth and there lie and rot 
and turn again into earth--take himself 
in the meantime for a god here upon     
earth and think to win himself to be    
lord of all the earth4 ,this maketh     
battles between these great princes1    
with much trouble to much people1 and   
great effusion of blood1 and one king   
looking to reign in five realms1 who    
cannot well rule one4 ,for how many hath
 now this great ,turk8 ,and yet he      
aspireth to more4 ,and those that he    
hath1 he ordereth evilly--and yet he    
ordereth himself worst4  ,then1 offices 
of authority3 ,if men desire them only  

for their worldly fancies1 who can look 
that ever they shall occupy them well1  
and not rather abuse their authority and
 do thereby great hurt8 ,for then shall 
they fall from indifference and maintain
 false suits for their friends4 ,and    
they shall bear up their servants1 and  
such as depend upon them1 with bearing  
down of other innocent folk1 who are not
 so able to do hurt as easy to take     
harm4 ,then the laws that are made      
against malefactors shall they make1 as 
an old philosopher said1 to be much like
 unto cobwebs1 in which the little gnats
 and flies stick still and hang fast1   
but the great humble-bees break them and
 fly quite through4 ,and then the laws  
that are made as a buckler in the       
defence of innocents1 those shall they  
make serve for a sword to cut and sore  
wound them with--and therewith wound    
they their own souls sorer4  ,and thus  
you see1 cousin1 that of all these      
outward goods which men call the goods  
of fortune1 there is never one that1    

unto those who long for it not for any  
godly purpose but only for their worldly
 welath1 hath any great commodity to the
 body4 ,and yet are they all1 beside    
that1 very deadly destruction unto the  
soul4   ,,xiii  ,,vincent3  ,verily1    
good uncle1 this thing is so plainly    
true that no man can with any good      
reason deny it4 ,but ,i think also1     
uncle1 that no man will do so4 ,for ,i  
see no man who will confess1 for very   
shame1 that he desireth riches1 honour1 
renown1 and offices of authority only   
for his worldly pleasure4 ,for every man
 would fain seem as holy as a horse4    
,and therefore will every man say--and  
would it were so believed1 too--that he 
desireth these things1 though for his   
worldly wealth a little so1 yet         
principally to merit thereby through    
doing some good with them4  ,,anthony3  
,this is1 cousin1 very surely so1 that  
so doth every man say4 ,but first he who
 in the desire of these things hath his 
respect unto his worldly wealth1 as you 

say1 but a little so1 so much as he     
himself thinketh but a little1 may soon 
prove a great deal too much4 ,and many  
men will say so1 too1 who have principal
 respect unto their worldly commodity1  
and toward ,god little or none at all4  
,and yet they pretend the contrary1 and 
that unto their own harm4 ,for ,god     
cannot be mocked4  ,and some            
peradventure know not well their own    
affection themselves4 ,but there lieth  
more imperfection secretly in their     
affection than they themselves are well 
aware of1 which only ,god beholdeth4    
,and therefore saith the prophet unto   
,god1 ,mine imperfection have thine eyes
 beheld4 ,and therefore the prophet     
prayeth1 ,from mine hidden sins cleanse 
thou me1 good ,lord4  ,but now1 cousin1 
this tribulation of the ,turk3 ,if he so
 persecute us for the faith that those  
who will forsake their faith shall keep 
their goods1 and those shall lose their 
goods who will not leave their          
faith--lo1 this manner of persecution   

shall try them like a touchstone4 ,for  
it shall show the feigned from the      
true-minded1 and it shall also teach    
them who think they mean better than    
they do indeed1 better to discern       
themselves4 ,for there are some who     
think they mean well1 while they frame  
themselves a conscience1 and ever keep  
still a great heap of superfluous       
substance by them1 thinking ever still  
that they will bethink themselves upon  
some good deed on which they will well  
bestow it once--or else that their      
executors shall6 ,but now1 if they lie  
not unto themselves1 but keep their     
goods for any good purpose to the       
pleasure of ,god indeed1 then shall     
they1 in this persecution1 for the      
pleasure of ,god in keeping his faith1  
be glad to depart from them4  ,and      
therefore1 as for all these things--the 
loss1 ,i mean1 of all these outward     
things that men call the gifts of       
fortune--this is1 methinketh1 in this   
,turk's persecution for the faith1      

consolation great and sufficient3 ,every
 man who hath them either setteth by    
them for the world or for ,god4 ,he who 
setteth by them for the world hath1 as  
,i have showed you1 little profit by    
them to the body and great harm unto the
 soul4 ,and therefore1 he might well1 if
 he were wise1 reckon that he won by the
 loss1 although he lost them but by some
 common cause4 ,and much more happy can 
he then be1 since he loseth them by such
 a meritorious means4 ,and on the other 
hand1 he who keepeth them for some good 
purpose1 intending to bestow them for   
the pleasure of ,god1 the loss of them  
in this ,turk's persecution for keeping 
of the faith can be no manner of grief  
to him4 ,for by so parting from them he 
bestoweth them in such wise unto ,god's 
pleasure that at the time when he loseth
 them by no way could he bestow them    
unto his high pleasure better4 ,for     
though it would have been peradventure  
better to have bestowed them well       
before1 yet since he kept them for some 

good purpose he would not have left them
 unbestowed if he had foreknown the     
chance4 ,but being now prevented so by  
persecution that he cannot bestow them  
in that other good way that he would    
have1 yet since he parteth from them    
because he will not part from the faith1
 though the devil's escheator violently 
take them from him1 yet willingly giveth
 he them to ,god4   ,,xiv  ,,vincent3   
,in good faith1 good uncle1 ,i can deny 
none of this4 ,and indeed1 unto those   
who were despoiled and robbed by the    
,turk's overrunning of the country1 and 
all their substance movable and         
unmovable bereft and lost already1 their
 persons only fled and safe1 ,i think   
that these considerations--considering  
also that1 as you lately said1 their    
sorrow could not amend their            
chance--might unto them be good occasion
 of comfort1 and cause them1 as you     
said1 to make a virtue of necessity4    
,but in the case1 uncle1 that we now    
speak of1 they have yet their substance 

untouched in their own hands1 and the   
keeping or the losing shall both hang in
 their own hands1 by the ,turk's offer1 
upon the retaining or the renouncing of 
the ,christian faith4 ,here1 uncle1 ,i  
find it1 as you said1 that this         
temptation is most sore and most        
perilous4 ,for ,i fear me that we shall 
find few of such as have much to lose   
who shall find it in their hearts so    
suddenly to forsake their goods1 with   
all those other things before rehearsed 
on which their worldly wealth dependeth4
  ,,anthony3  ,that fear ,i much1       
cousin1 too4 ,but thereby shall it well 
appear1 as ,i said1 that1 seemed they   
never so good and virtuous before1 and  
flattered they themselves with never so 
gay a gloss of good and gracious purpose
 that they kept their goods for1 yet    
were their hearts inwardly in the deep  
sight of ,god not sound and sure such as
 they should be 7and as peradventure    
some had themselves thought they were7  
but like a puff-ring of ,paris--hollow1 

light1 and counterfeit indeed4  ,and    
yet1 they being even such1 this would ,i
 fain ask one of them4 ,and ,i pray you1
 cousin1 take you his person upon you1  
and in this case answer for him4 ,what  
hindereth you1 would ,i ask1 your       
,lordship1 7for we will take no small   
man for an example in this part1 nor him
 who would have little to lose1 for     
methinketh such a one who would cast    
away ,god for a little1 would be so far 
from all profit1 that he would not be   
worth talking with74 ,what hindereth    
you1 ,i say1 therefore1 that you be not 
gladly content1 without any deliberation
 at all1 in this kind of persecution1   
rather than to leave your faith1 to let 
go all that ever you have at once8      
,,vincent3  ,since you put it unto me1  
uncle1 to make the matter more plain1   
that ,i should play that great man's    
part who is so wealthy and hath so much 
to lose1 albeit that ,i cannot be very  
sure of another man's mind1 nor of what 
another man would say1 yet as far as    

mine own mind can conjecture1 ,i shall  
answer in his person what ,i think would
 be his hindrance4 ,and therefore to    
your question ,i answer that there      
hindereth me the thing that you yourself
 may lightly guess3 the losing of the   
many commodities which ,i now           
have--riches and substance1 lands and   
great possessions of inheritance1 with  
great rule and authority here in my     
country4 ,all of which things the great 
,turk granteth me to keep still in peace
 and have them enhanced1 too1 if ,i will
 forsake the faith of ,christ4 ,yea1 ,i 
may say to you1 ,i have a motion        
secretly made me further1 to keep all   
this yet better cheap2 that is1 not to  
be compelled utterly to forsake ,christ 
nor all the whole ,christian faith1 but 
only some such parts of it as may not   
stand with ,mahomet's law4 ,and only    
granting ,mahomet for a true prophet and
 serving the ,turk truly in his wars    
against all ,christian kings1 ,i shall  
not be hindered to praise ,christ also1 

and to call him a good man1 and worship 
and serve him too4  ,,anthony3  ,nay1   
nay1 my lord--,christ hath not so great 
need of your ,lordship as1 rather than  
to lose your service1 he would fall at  
such covenants with you as to take your 
service at halves1 to serve him and his 
enemy both6 ,he hath given you plain    
warning already by ,st4 ,paul that he   
will have in your service no            
parting-fellow3 ,what fellowship is     
there between light and darkness8       
,between ,christ and ,belial8 ,and he   
hath also plainly told you himself by   
his own mouth1 ,no man can serve two    
lords at once4 ,he will have you believe
 all that he telleth you1 and do all    
that he biddeth you1 and forbear all    
that he forbiddeth you1 without any     
manner of exception4 ,break one of his  
commandments1 and you break all4        
,forsake one point of his faith1 and you
 forsake all1 as for any thanks that you
 get of him for the rest4 ,and          
therefore1 if you devise1 as it were1   

indentures between ,god and you--what   
you will do for him and what you will   
not do1 as though he should hold himself
 content with such service of yours as  
you yourself care to appoint him--if you
 make1 ,i say1 such indentures1 you     
shall seal both the parts yourself1 and 
you get no agreement thereto from him4  
,and this ,i say3 ,though the ,turk     
would make such an appointment with you 
as you speak of1 and would1 when he had 
made it1 keep it--whereas he would not1 
,i warrant you1 leave you so when he had
 once brought you so far forth4 ,but he 
would1 little by little1 ere he left    
you1 make you deny ,christ altogether   
and take ,mahomet in his stead4 ,and so 
doth he in the beginning1 when he will  
not have you believe him to be ,god4    
,for surely1 if he were not ,god1 he    
would be no good man either1 since he   
plainly said he was ,god4 ,but through  
he would go never so far forth with you1
 yet ,christ will1 as ,i said1 not take 
your service by halves1 but will that   

you shall love him with all your whole  
heart4 ,and because1 while he was living
 here fifteen hundred years ago1 he     
foresaw this mind of yours that you have
 now1 with which you would fain serve   
him in some such fashion that you might 
keep your worldly substance still1 but  
rather forsake his service than put all 
your substance from you1 he telleth you 
plainly fifteen hundred years ago with  
his own mouth that he will have no such 
service of you1 saying1 ,you cannot     
serve both ,god and your riches         
together4  ,and therefore1 this thing   
being established for a plain           
conclusion1 which you must needs grant  
if you have faith--and if you be gone   
from that ground of faith already1 then 
is all our disputation1 you know1 at an 
end4 ,for how should you then rather    
lose your goods than forsake your faith1
 if you have lost your faith and let it 
go already8 ,this point1 ,i say1        
therefore1 being put first for a ground1
 between us both twain agreed1 that you 

have yet the faith still and intend to  
keep it always still in your heart1 and 
are only in doubt whether you will lose 
all your worldly substance rather than  
forsake your faith in your word alone2  
now shall ,i reply to the point of your 
answer1 wherein you tell me the lothness
 of the loss and the comfort of the     
keeping hinder you from forgoing your   
goods and move you rather to forsake    
your faith4  ,i let pass all that ,i    
have spoken of the small commodity of   
them unto your body and of the great    
harm that the having of them doth to    
your soul4 ,and since the promise of the
 ,turk1 made unto you for the keeping of
 them1 is the thing that moveth you and 
maketh you thus to doubt1 ,i ask you    
first whereby you know that1 when you   
have done all that he will have you do  
against ,christ1 to the harm of your    
soul--whereby know you1 ,i say1 that he 
will keep you his promise in these      
things that he promiseth you concerning 
the retaining of your well-beloved      

worldly wealth1 for the pleasure of your
 body8  ,,vincent3  ,what surety can a  
man have of such a great prince except  
his promise1 which for his own honour it
 cannot become him to break8  ,,anthony3
  ,i have known him1 and his father     
before him too1 to break more promises  
than five1 as great as this is that he  
should here make with you4 ,who shall   
come and cast it in his teeth1 and tell 
him it is a shame for him to be so      
fickle and so false of his promise8 ,and
 then what careth he for those words    
that he knoweth well he shall never     
hear8 ,not very much1 though they were  
told him too6  ,if you might come       
afterward and complain your grief unto  
his own person yourself1 you should find
 him as shamefast as a friend of mine1 a
 merchant1 once found the ,sultan of    
,syria4 ,being certain years about his  
merchandise in that country1 he gave to 
the ,sultan a great sum of money for a  
certain office for him there for the    
while4 ,but he had scantly granted him  

this and put it in his hand when1 ere   
ever it was worth aught to him1 the     
,sultan suddenly sold it to another of  
his own sect1 and put our ,hungarian    
out4 ,then came he to him and humbly put
 him in remembrance of his grant1 spoken
 with his own mouth and signed with his 
own hand4 ,thereunto the ,sultan        
answered him1 with a grim countenance1  
,i will have thee know1                 
good-for-nothing1 that neither my mouth 
nor mine hand shall be master over me1  
to bind all my body at their pleasure4  
,but ,i will be lord and master over    
them both1 that whatsoever the one say  
and the other write1 ,i will be at mine 
own liberty to do what ,i like myself1  
and ask them both no leave4 ,and        
therefore1 go get thee hence out of my  
countries1 knave6 ,think you now1 my    
lord1 that ,sultan and this ,turk1 being
 both of one false sect1 you may not    
find them both alike false of their     
promise8  ,,vincent3  ,that must ,i     
needs jeopard1 for other surety can     

there none be had4  ,,anthony3  ,an     
unwise jeoparding1 to put your soul in  
peril of damnation for the keeping of   
your bodily pleasures1 and yet without  
surety to jeopard them too6  ,but yet go
 a little further1 lo4 ,suppose me that 
you might be very sure that the ,turk   
would break no promise with you4 ,are   
you then sure enough to retain all your 
substance still8  ,,vincent3  ,yea1     
then4  ,,anthony3  ,what if a man should
 ask you how long8  ,,vincent3  ,how    
long8 ,as long as ,i live4  ,,anthony3  
,well1 let it be so1 then4 ,but yet1 as 
far as ,i can see1 though the great     
,turk favour you never so much and let  
you keep your goods as long as ever you 
live1 yet if it hap that you be this day
 fifty years old1 all the favour he can 
show you cannot make you one day younger
 tomorrow4 ,but every day shall you wax 
older than the day before1 and then     
within a while must you1 for all his    
favour1 lose all4  ,,vincent3  ,well1 a 
man would be glad1 for all that1 to be  

sure not to lack while he liveth4       
,,anthony3  ,well1 then1 if the great   
,turk give you your goods1 can there    
then in all your life none other take   
them from you again8  ,,vincent3        
,verily1 ,i suppose not4  ,,anthony3    
,may he not lose this country again unto
 ,christian men1 and you1 with the      
taking of this way1 fall in the same    
peril then that you would now eschew8   
,,vincent3  ,forsooth1 ,i think that if 
he get it once1 he will never lose it   
after again in our days4  ,,anthony3    
,yes1 by ,god's grace4 ,but yet if he   
lose it after our day1 there goeth your 
children's inheritance away again6 ,but 
be it now that he could never lose it2  
could none take your substance from you 
then8  ,,vincent3  ,no1 in good faith1  
none4  ,,anthony3  ,no1 none at all8    
,not ,god8  ,,vincent3  ,god8 ,why1 yes1
 perdy4 ,who doubteth of that8          
,,anthony3  ,who8 ,marry1 he who        
doubteth whether there be any ,god or   
no4 ,and that there lacketh not some    

such1 the prophet testifieth where he   
said1 ,the fool hath said in his heart1 
there is no ,god4 ,with the mouth the   
most foolish will forbear to say it unto
 other folk1 but in the heart they      
forbear not to say it softly to         
themselves4 ,and ,i fear me there be    
many more such fools than every man     
would think4 ,and they would not        
hesitate to say it openly1 too1 if they 
forbore it not more for dread or for    
shame of men than for any fear of ,god4 
,but now those who are so frantic       
foolish as to think there were no ,god1 
and yet in their words confess him1     
though 7as ,st4 ,paul saith7 in their   
deeds they deny him--we shall let them  
pass till it please ,god to show himself
 unto them1 either inwardly1 in time1 by
 his merciful grace1 or else outwardly1 
but over-late for them1 by his terrible 
judgment4  ,but unto you1 my ,lord1     
since you believe and confess1 as a wise
 man should1 that though the ,turk keep 
you his promise in letting you keep your

 substance1 because you do him pleasure 
in the forsaking of your faith1 yet     
,god1 whose faith you forsake1 and      
thereby do him displeasure1 may so take 
them from you that the great ,turk1 with
 all the power he hath1 is not able to  
keep you them--why will you be so unwise
 with the loss of your soul to please   
the great ,turk for your goods1 since   
you know well that ,god whom you        
displease therewith may take them from  
you too8  ,besides this1 since you      
believe there is a ,god1 you cannot but 
believe also that the great ,turk cannot
 take your goods from you without his   
will or sufferance1 no more than the    
devil could from ,job4 ,and think you   
then that1 if he will suffer the ,turk  
to take away your goods albeit that by  
the keeping and confessing of his faith 
you please him1 he will1 when you       
displease him by forsaking his faith1   
suffer you to rejoice or enjoy any      
benefit of those goods that you get or  
keep thereby8  ,,vincent3  ,god is      

gracious1 and though men offend him1 yet
 he suffereth them many times to live in
 prosperity long after4  ,,anthony3     
,long after8 ,nay1 by my troth1 that    
doth he no man6 ,for how can that be1   
that he should suffer you to live in    
prosperity long after1 when your whole  
life is but short in all-together1 and  
either almost half of it or more than   
half1 you think yourself1 ,i daresay1   
spent out already before8 ,can you burn 
out half a short candle1 and then have a
 long one left of the rest8  ,there     
cannot in this world be a worse mind    
than for a man to delight and take      
comfort in any commodity that he taketh 
by sinful means4 ,for it is the very    
straight way toward the taking of       
boldness and courage in sin1 and finally
 to falling into infidelity and thinking
 that ,god careth not or regardeth not  
what things men do here nor of what mind
 we be4 ,but unto such-minded folk      
speaketh holy scripture in this wise3   
,say not1 ,i have sinned and yet there  

hath happed me none harm1 for ,god      
suffereth before he strike4 ,but1 as    
,st4 ,austine saith1 the longer he      
tarrieth ere he strike1 the sorer is the
 stroke when he striketh4  ,and         
therefore1 if you will do well1 reckon  
yourself very sure that when you deadly 
displease ,god for the getting or the   
keeping of your goods1 ,god shall not   
suffer those goods to do you good4 ,but 
either he shall shortly take them from  
you1 or else suffer you to keep them for
 a little while to your more harm and   
afterward1 when you least look for it1  
take you away from them4  ,and then1    
what a heap of heaviness will there     
enter into your heart1 when you shall   
see that you shall so suddenly go from  
your goods and leave them here in the   
earth in one place1 and that your body  
shall be put in the earth in another    
place1 and--which then shall be the most
 heaviness of all--when you shall fear  
7and not without great cause7 that your 
soul first forthwith1 and after that at 

the final judgment your body1 shall be  
driven down deep toward the centre of   
the earth into the fiery pit and dungeon
 of the devil of hell1 there to tarry in
 torment1 world without end6 ,what goods
 of this world can any man imagine1 the 
pleasure and commodity of which could be
 such in a thousand years as to be able 
to recompense that intolerable pain that
 there is to be suffered in one year8   
,yea1 or in one day or one hour1 either8
 ,and then what a madness is it1 for the
 poor pleasure of your worldly goods of 
so few years1 to cast yourself both body
 and soul into the everlasting fire of  
hell1 which is not diminished by the    
amount of a moment by lying there the   
space of a hundred thousand years8  ,and
 therefore our ,saviour1 in few words1  
concluded and confuted all these follies
 of those who1 for the short use of this
 worldly substance1 forsake him and his 
faith and sell their souls unto the     
devil for ever4 ,for he saith1 ,what    
availeth it a man if he won all the     

whole world1 and lost his soul8 ,this   
would be1 methinketh1 cause and occasion
 enough1 to him who had never so much   
part of this world in his hand1 to be   
content rather to lose it all than for  
the retaining or increasing of his      
worldly goods to lose and destroy his   
soul4  ,,vincent3  ,this is1 good uncle1
 in good faith very true4 ,and what     
other thing any of them who would not   
for this be content1 have to allege in  
reason for the defence of their folly1  
that can ,i not imagine4 ,i care not in 
this matter to play the part any longer1
 but ,i pray ,god give me the grace to  
play the contrary part in deed4 ,and ,i 
pray that ,i may never1 for any goods or
 substance of this wretched world1      
forsake my faith toward ,god either in  
heart or tongue4 ,and ,i trust in his   
great goodness that so ,i never shall4  
,,xv  ,,anthony3  ,methinketh1 cousin1  
that this persecution shall not only1 as
 ,i said before1 try men's hearts when  
it cometh and make them know their own  

affections--whether they have a corrupt 
greedy covetous mind or not--but also   
the very fame and expectation of it may 
teach them this lesson1 ere ever the    
thing fall upon them itself4 ,and this  
may be to their no little fruit1 if they
 have the wit and the grace to take it  
in time while they can4 ,for now may    
they find sure places to lay their      
treasure in1 so that all the ,turk's    
army shall never find it out4           
,,vincent3  ,marry1 uncle1 that way they
 will not forget1 ,i warrant you1 as    
near as their wits will serve them4 ,but
 yet have ,i known some who have ere    
this thought that they had hid their    
money safe and sure enough1 digging it  
full deep in the ground1 and yet have   
missed it when they came again and found
 it digged out and carried away to their
 hands4  ,,anthony3  ,nay1 from their   
hands1 ,i think you would say4 ,and it  
was no marvel4 ,for some such have ,i   
known1 too1 but they have hid their     
goods foolishly in such place as they   

were well warned before that they should
 not4 ,and that were they warned by him 
whom they well knew for such a one as   
knew well enough what would come of it4 
,,vincent3  ,then were they more than   
mad4 ,but did he tell them too where    
they should have hid it1 to make it     
sure8  ,,anthony3  ,yea1 by ,st4 ,mary1 
did he6 ,for else he would have told    
them but half a tale4 ,but he told them 
a whole tale1 bidding them that they    
should in no wise hide their treasure in
 the ground4 ,and he showed them a good 
cause1 for there thieves dig it out and 
steal it away4  ,,vincent3  ,why1 where 
should they hide it1 then1 said he8 ,for
 thieves may hap to find it out in any  
place4  ,,anthony3  ,forsooth1 he       
counselled them to hide their treasure  
in heaven and there lay it up1 for there
 it shall lie safe4 ,for thither1 he    
said1 there can no thief come1 till he  
have left his theft and become a true   
man first4 ,and he who gave this counsel
 knew well enough what he said1 for it  

was our ,saviour himself1 who in the    
sixth chapter of ,st4 ,matthew saith1   
,hoard not up your treasures in earth1  
where the rust and the moth fret it out 
and where thieves dig it out and steal  
it away4 ,but hoard up your treasures in
 heaven1 where neither the rust nor the 
moth fret them out1 and where thieves   
dig them not out nor steal them away4   
,for where thy treasure is1 there is    
thine heart too4  ,if we would well     
consider these words of our ,saviour    
,christ1 methinketh we should need no   
more counsel at all1 nor no more comfort
 either1 concerning the loss of our     
temporal substance in this ,turk's      
persecution for the faith4 ,for here our
 ,lord in these words teacheth us where 
we may lay up our substance safe1 before
 the persecution come4 ,if we put it    
into the poor men's bosoms1 there shall 
it lie safe1 for who would go search a  
beggar's bag for money8 ,if we deliver  
it to the poor for ,christ's sake1 we   
deliver it unto ,christ himself4 ,and   

then what persecutor can there be1 so   
strong as to take it out of his hand8   
,,vincent3  ,these things1 uncle1 are   
undoubtedly so true that no man can with
 words wrestle therewith4 ,but yet ever 
there hangeth in a man's heart a        
lothness to lack a living6  ,,you ,,are 
,,here  ,,anthony3  ,there doth indeed1 
in theirs who either never or but seldom
 hear any good counsel against it1 or   
who1 when they hear it1 hearken to it   
but as they would to an idle tale1      
rather for a pastime or for the sake of 
manners than for any substantial intent 
and purpose to follow good advice and   
take any fruit by it4 ,but verily1 if we
 would lay not only our ear but also our
 heart to it1 and consider that the     
saying of our ,saviour ,christ is not a 
poet's fable or a harper's song but the 
very holy word of almighty ,god himself1
 we would be full sore ashamed of       
ourselves--and well we might6 ,and we   
would be full sorry too1 when we felt in
 our affection those words to have in   

our hearts no more strength and weight  
but what we remain still of the same    
dull mind as we did before we heard     
them4  ,this manner of ours1 in whose   
breasts the great good counsel of ,god  
no better settleth nor taketh no better 
root1 may well declare to us that the   
thorns and briars and brambles of our   
worldly substance grow so thick and     
spring up so high in the ground of our  
hearts that they strangle1 as the       
,gospel saith1 the word of ,god that was
 sown therein4 ,and therefore is ,god a 
very good lord unto us1 when he causeth1
 like a good husbandman1 his folk to    
come on the field--for the persecutors  
are his folk1 to this purpose--and with 
their hooks and their stocking-irons to 
grub up these wicked weeds and bushes of
 our earthly substance and carry them   
quite away from us1 that the word of    
,god sown in our hearts may have room   
there1 and a glade round about for the  
warm sun of grace to come to it and make
 it grow4 ,for surely those words of our

 ,saviour shall we find full true1      
,where thy treasure is1 there is also   
thine heart4 ,if we lay up our treasure 
in earth1 in earth shall be our hearts4 
,if we send our treasure into heaven1 in
 heaven shall we have our hearts4 ,and  
surely1 the greatest comfort any man can
 have in his tribulation is to have his 
heart in heaven4  ,if thine heart were  
indeed out of this world and in heaven1 
all the kinds of torments that all this 
world could devise could put thee to no 
pain here4 ,let us then send our hearts 
hence thither in such a manner as we    
may1 by sending hither our worldly      
substance hence4 ,and let us never doubt
 but we shall1 that once done1 find our 
hearts so conversant in heaven1 with the
 glad consideration of our following the
 gracious counsel of ,christ1 that the  
comfort of his ,holy ,spirit1 inspired  
in us for that1 shall mitigate1         
diminish1 assuage1 and 7in a manner7    
quench the great furious fervour of the 
pain that we shall happen to have by his

 loving sufferance of our further merit 
in our tribulation4  ,if we saw that we 
should be within a while driven out of  
this land1 and fain to fly into another1
 we would think that a man were mad who 
would not be content to forbear his     
goods here for the while and send them  
before him into that land where he saw  
he should live all the rest of his life4
 ,so may we verily think yet ourselves  
much more mad--seeing that we are sure  
it cannot be long ere we shall be sent1 
spite of our teeth1 out of this         
world--if the fear of a little lack or  
the love to see our goods here about us 
and the lothness to part from them for  
this little while that we may keep them 
here1 shall be able to keep us from the 
sure sending them before us into the    
other world4 ,for we may be sure to live
 there wealthily with them if we send   
them thither1 or else shortly leave them
 here behind us and then stand in great 
jeopardy there to live wretches for     
ever4  ,,vincent3  ,in good faith1 good 

uncle1 methinketh that concerning the   
loss of these outward things1 these     
considerations are so sufficient        
comforts1 that for mine own part ,i     
would methinketh desire no more1 save   
only grace well to remember them4       
,,xvi  ,,anthony3  ,much less than this 
may serve1 cousin1 with calling and     
trusting upon ,god's help1 without which
 much more than this cannot serve4 ,but 
the fervour of the ,christian faith so  
sore fainteth nowadays and decayeth1    
coming from hot unto luke-warm and from 
luke-warm almost to key-cold1 that men  
must now be fain to lay many dry sticks 
to it1 as to a fire that is almost out1 
and use much blowing at it4  ,but else  
,i think1 by my troth1 that unto a warm 
faithful man one thing alone1 of which  
we have spoken yet no word1 would be    
comfort enough in this kind of          
persecution1 against the loss of all his
 goods4  ,,vincent3  ,what thing may    
that be1 uncle8  ,,anthony3  ,in good   
faith1 cousin1 even the bare remembrance

 of the poverty that our ,saviour       
willingly suffered for us4 ,for ,i      
verily suppose that if there were a     
great king who had so tender love for a 
servant of his that he had1 to help him 
out of danger1 forsaken and lost all his
 worldly wealth and royalty and become  
poor and needy for his sake1 that       
servant could scantly be found who would
 be of such a base unnatural heart that 
if he himself came afterward to some    
substance he would not with better will 
lose it all again than shamefully to    
forsake such a master4  ,and therefore1 
as ,i say1 ,i surely suppose that if we 
would well remember and inwardly        
consider the great goodness of our      
,saviour toward us1 when we were not yet
 his poor sinful servants but rather his
 adversaries and his enemies1 and what  
wealth of this world he willingly       
forsook for our sakes--for he was indeed
 universal king of this world1 and so   
having the power in his own hand to have
 used it if he had wished1 instead of   

which1 to make us rich in heaven1 he    
lived here in neediness and poverty all 
his life and neither would have         
authority nor keep either lands or      
goods4 ,if we would remember this1 the  
deep consideration and earnest          
advisement of this one point alone would
 be able to make any true ,christian man
 or woman well content rather for his   
sake in return to give up all that ever 
,god hath lent them 7and lent them he   
hath1 all that they have7 than unkindly 
and unfaithfully to forsake him4 ,and   
him they forsake if1 for fear1 they     
forsake the confessing of his ,christian
 faith4  ,and therefore1 to finish this 
piece withal1 concerning the dread of   
losing our outward worldly goods1 let us
 consider the slender commodity that    
they bring2 with what labour they are   
bought2 what a little while they abide  
with whomsoever they abide with longest2
 what pain their pleasure is mingled    
with2 what harm the love of them doth   
unto the soul2 what loss is in the      

keeping if ,christ's faith is refused   
for them2 what winning is in the loss1  
if we lose them for ,god's sake2 how    
much more profitable they are when well 
given than when ill kept2 and finally   
what ingratitude it would be if we would
 not forsake them for ,christ's sake    
rather than for them to forsake ,christ 
unfaithfully1 who while he lived for our
 sake forsook all the world1 beside the 
suffering of shameful and painful death1
 of which we shall speak afterward4  ,if
 we will consider well these things1 ,i 
say1 and will pray ,god with his holy   
hand to print them in our hearts1 and   
will abide and dwell still in the hope  
of his help1 his truth shall1 as the    
prophet saith1 so compass us about with 
a shield that we shall not need to be   
afraid of this incursion of this midday 
devil--this plain open persecution of   
the ,turk--for any loss that we can take
 by the bereaving from us of our        
wretched worldly goods4 ,for their short
 and small pleasure in this life        

forborne1 we shall be with heavenly     
substance everlastingly recompensed by  
,god1 in joyful bliss and glory4        
,,xvii  ,,vincent3  ,forsooth1 uncle1 as
 for these outward goods1 you have said 
enough4 ,no man can be sure what        
strength he shall have or how faint and 
feeble he may find himself when he shall
 come to the point1 and therefore ,i can
 make no warranty of myself1 seeing that
 ,st4 ,peter so suddenly fainted at a   
woman's word and so cowardly forsook his
 master1 for whom he had so boldly      
fought within so few hours before1 and  
by that fall in forsaking well perceived
 that he had been too rash in his       
promise and was well worthy to take a   
fall for putting so full trust in       
himself4 ,yet in good faith methinketh  
now 7and ,god will1 ,i trust1 help me to
 keep this thought still7 that if the   
,turk should take all that ,i have1 unto
 my very shirt1 unless ,i would forsake 
my faith1 and should offer it all to me 
again with five times as much if ,i     

would fall into his sect1 ,i would not  
once stick at it--rather to forsake it  
every whit1 than to forsake any point of
 ,christ's holy faith4  ,but surely1    
good uncle1 when ,i bethink me further  
on the grief and the pain that may turn 
unto my flesh1 here find ,i the fear    
that forceth my heart to tremble4       
,,anthony3  ,neither have ,i cause to   
marvel at that1 nor have you1 cousin1   
cause to be dismayed for it4 ,the great 
horror and fear that our ,saviour had in
 his own flesh1 against his painful     
passion1 maketh me little to marvel4    
,and ,i may well make you take this     
comfort1 too1 that for no such manner of
 grudging felt in your sensual parts1   
the flesh shrinking in the meditation of
 pain and death1 your reason shall give 
over1 but resist it and manly master it4
 ,and though you would fain fly from the
 painful death and be loth to come to   
it1 yet may the meditation of our       
,saviour's great grievous agony move    
you4 ,and he himself shall1 if you so   

desire him1 not fail to work with you   
therein1 and to get and give you the    
grace to submit and conform your will   
unto his1 as he did his unto his        
,father4 ,and thereupon shall you be so 
comforted with the secret inward        
inspiration of his ,holy ,spirit1 as he 
was with the personal presence of that  
angel who after his agony came and      
comforted him4 ,and so shall you as his 
true disciple follow him1 and with good 
will1 without grudge1 do as he did1 and 
take your cross of pain and suffering   
upon your back and die for the truth    
with him1 and thereby reign with him    
crowned in eternal glory4  ,and this ,i 
say to give you warning of the truth1 to
 the intent that when a man feeleth such
 a horror of death in his heart1 he     
should not thereby stand in outrageous  
fear that he were falling4 ,for many    
such a man standeth1 for all that fear1 
full fast1 and finally better abideth   
the brunt1 when ,god is so good unto him
 as to bring him to it and encourage him

 therein1 than doth some other man who  
in the beginning feeleth no fear at all4
 ,and yet may he never be brought to the
 brunt1 and most often so it is4 ,for   
,god1 having many mansions1 and all     
wonderful wealthful1 in his ,father's   
house1 exalteth not every good man up to
 the glory of a martyr4 ,but foreseeing 
their infirmity1 that though they be of 
good will before and peradventure of    
right good courage too1 they would yet  
play ,st4 ,peter if they were brought to
 the point1 and thereby bring their     
souls into the peril of eternal         
damnation1 he provideth otherwise for   
them before they come there4 ,and he    
findeth a way that men shall not have   
the mind to lay any hands upon them1 as 
he found for his disciples when he      
himself was willingly taken4 ,or else1  
if they set hands on them1 he findeth a 
way that they shall have no power to    
hold them1 as he found for ,st4 ,john   
the ,evangelist1 who let his sheet fall 
from him1 upon which they caught hold1  

and so fled himself naked away and      
escaped from them4 ,or1 though they hold
 them and bring them to prison too1 yet 
,god sometimes delivereth them hence1 as
 he did ,st4 ,peter4 ,and sometimes he  
taketh them to him out of the prison    
into heaven1 and suffereth them not to  
come to their torment at all1 as he hath
 done by many a good holy man4 ,and some
 he suffereth to be brought into the    
torments and yet suffereth them not to  
die in them1 but to live many years     
afterward and die their natural death1  
as he did by ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist 
and by many another more1 as we may well
 see both by sundry stories and in the  
epistles of ,st4 ,ciprian also4 ,and    
therefore1 which way ,god will take with
 us1 we cannot tell4  ,but surely1 if we
 be true ,christian men1 this can we    
well tell3 that without any bold        
warranty of ourselves or foolish trust  
in our own strength1 we are bound upon  
pain of damnation not to be of the      
contrary mind but what we will with his 

help1 however loth we feel in our flesh 
thereto1 rather than forsake him or his 
faith before the world--which if we do1 
he hath promised to forsake us before   
his ,father and all his holy company of 
heaven--rather1 ,i say1 than we would do
 so1 we would with his help endure and  
sustain for his sake all the tormentry  
that the devil with all his faithless   
tormentors in this world would devise4  
,and then1 if we be of this mind1 and   
submit our will unto his1 and call and  
pray for his grace1 we can tell well    
enough that he will never suffer them to
 put more upon us than his grace will   
make us able to bear1 but will also with
 their temptation provide for us a sure 
way4 ,for ,god is faithful1 saith ,st4  
,paul1 who suffereth you not to be      
tempted above what you can bear1 but    
giveth also with the temptation a way   
out4 ,for either1 as ,i said1 he will   
keep us out of their hands1 though he   
before suffered us to be afraid of them 
to prove our faith 7that we may have1 by

 the examination of our mind1 some      
comfort in hope of his grace and some   
fear of our own frailty to drive us to  
call for grace71 or else1 if we call    
into their hands1 provided that we fall 
not from the trust of him nor cease to  
call for his help1 his truth shall1 as  
the prophet saith1 so compass us about  
with a shield that we shall not need to 
fear this incursion of this midday      
devil4 ,for these ,turks his tormentors1
 who shall enter this land and persecute
 us1 shall either not have the power to 
touch our bodies at all1 or else the    
short pain that they shall put into our 
bodies shall turn us to eternal profit  
both in our souls and in our bodies too4
 ,and therefore1 cousin1 to begin with1 
let us be of good comfort4 ,for we are  
by our faith very sure that holy        
scripture is the very word of ,god1 and 
that the word of ,god cannot but be     
true4 ,and we see by the mouth of his   
holy prophet and by the mouth of his    
blessed apostle also that ,god hath made

 us faithful promise that he will not   
suffer us to be tempted above our power1
 but will both provide a way out for us 
and also compass us round about with his
 shield and defend us that we shall have
 no cause to fear this midday devil with
 all his persecution4 ,we cannot        
therefore but be very sure 7unless we   
are very shamefully cowardous of heart  
and out of measure faint in faith toward
 ,god1 and in love less than luke-warm  
or waxed even key-cold7 we may be very  
sure1 ,i say1 either that ,god will not 
suffer the ,turks to invade this land2  
or that1 if they do1 ,god shall provide 
such resistance that they shall not     
prevail2 or that1 if they prevail1 yet  
if we take the way that ,i have told you
 we shall by their persecution take     
little harm or rather none harm at all1 
but that which shall seem harm indeed be
 to us no harm at all but good4 ,for if 
,god make us and keep us good men1 as he
 hath promised to do if we pray well    
therefore1 then saith holy scripture1   

,unto good folk all things turn them to 
good4  ,and therefore1 cousin1 since    
,god knoweth what shall happen and not  
we1 let us in the meanwhile with a good 
hope in the help of ,god's grace have a 
good purpose of standing sure by his    
holy faith against all persecutions4    
,and if we should hereafter1 either for 
fear or pain or for lack of his grace   
lost in our own default1 mishap to      
decline from his good purpose--which our
 ,lord forbid--yet we would have won the
 well-spent time beforehand1 to the     
diminishment of our pain1 and ,god would
 also be much the more likely to lift us
 up after our fall and give us his grace
 again4 ,howbeit1 if this persecution   
come1 we are1 by this meditation and    
well-continued intent and purpose       
beforehand1 the better strengthened and 
confirmed1 and much more likely to stand
 indeed4 ,and if it so fortune1 as with 
,god's grace at men's good prayers and  
amendment of our evil lives it may well 
fortune1 that the ,turks shall either be

 well withstood and vanquished or       
peradventure not invade us at all1 then 
shall we1 perdy1 by this good purpose   
get ourselves of ,god a very good cheap 
thank6  ,and on the other hand1 while we
 now think on it--and not to think on   
it1 in so great likelihood of it1 ,i    
suppose no wise man can--if we should   
for the fear of worldly loss or bodily  
pain1 framed in our own minds1 think    
that we would give over and to save our 
goods and lives forsake our ,saviour by 
denial of his faith1 then whether the   
,turks come or come not1 we are         
meanwhile gone from ,god4 ,and then if  
they come not indeed1 or come and are   
driven to flight1 what a shame should   
that be to us1 before the face of ,god1 
in so shameful cowardly wise to forsake 
him for fear of that pain that we never 
felt or that never was befalling us6    
,,vincent3  ,by my troth1 uncle1 ,i     
thank you4 ,methinketh that though you  
never said more in the matter1 yet have 
you1 even with this that you have spoken

 here already of the fear of bodily pain
 in this persecution1 marvellously      
comforted mine heart4  ,,anthony3  ,i am
 glad1 cousin1 if your heart have taken 
comfort thereby4 ,but if you so have1   
give ,god the thanks and not me1 for    
that work is his and not mine4 ,for     
neither am ,i able to say any good thing
 except by him1 nor can all the good    
words in the world--no1 not the holy    
words of ,god himself1 and spoken also  
with his own holy mouth--profit a man   
with the sound entering at his ear1     
unless the ,spirit of ,god also inwardly
 work in his soul4 ,but that is his     
goodness ever ready to do1 unless there 
be hindrance through the untowardness of
 our own froward will4   ,,xviii  ,and  
now1 being somewhat in comfort and      
courage before1 we may the more quietly 
consider everything1 which is somewhat  
more hard and difficult to do when the  
heart is before taken up and oppressed  
with the troublous affection of heavy   
sorrowful fear4 ,let us therefore       

examine now the weight and the substance
 of those bodily pains which you        
rehearsed before as the sorest part of  
this persecution4 ,they were1 if ,i     
remember you right1 thraldom1           
imprisonment1 and painful and shameful  
death4 ,and first let us1 as reason is1 
begin with the thraldom1 for that was1  
as ,i remember it1 the first4           
,,vincent3  ,i pray you1 good uncle1 say
 then somewhat of that4 ,for methinketh1
 uncle1 that captivity is a marvellous  
heavy thing1 namely when they shall 7as 
they most commonly do7 carry us far from
 home into a strange unknown land4      
,,anthony3  ,i cannot deny that some    
grief it is1 cousin1 indeed4 ,but yet1  
as for me1 it is not half so much as it 
would be if they could carry me out into
 any such unknown country that ,god     
could not know where nor find the means 
to come at me6  ,but now in good faith1 
cousin1 if my migration into a strange  
country were any great grief unto me1   
the fault should be much in myself4 ,for

 since ,i am very sure that             
whithersoever man convey me1 ,god is no 
more verily here than he shall be there1
 if ,i get 7as ,i can1 if ,i will7 the  
grace to set mine whole heart upon him  
and long for nothing but him1 it can    
then make no matter to my mind1 whether 
they carry me hence or leave me here4   
,and then1 if ,i find my mind much      
offended therewith1 that ,i am not still
 here in mine own country1 ,i must      
consider that the cause of my grief is  
mine own wrong imagination1 whereby ,i  
beguile myself with an untrue           
persuasion1 thinking that this were mine
 own country4 ,whereas in truth it is   
not so1 for1 as ,st4 ,paul saith1 ,we   
have here no city nor dwelling-country  
at all1 but we seek for one that we     
shall come to4 ,and in whatsoever       
country we walk in this world1 we are   
but as pilgrims and wayfaring men4 ,and 
if ,i should take any country for mine  
own1 it must be the country to which ,i 
come and not the country from which ,i  

came4 ,that country1 which shall be to  
me then for a while so strange1 shall   
yet perdy be no more strange to me--nor 
longer strange to me1 neither--than was 
mine own native country when first ,i   
came into it4 ,and therefore if my being
 far from hence be very grievous to me1 
and ,i find it a great pain that ,i am  
not where ,i wish to be1 that grief     
shall in great part grow for lack of    
sure setting and settling my mind in    
,god1 where it should be4 ,and when ,i  
mend that fault of mine1 ,i shall soon  
ease my grief4  ,now1 as for all the    
other griefs and pains that are in      
captivity1 thraldom1 and bondage1 ,i    
cannot deny that many there are and     
great4 ,howbeit1 they seem yet somewhat 
the more--what say ,i1 somewhat8 ,i may 
say a great deal the more--because we   
took our former liberty for a great deal
 more than indeed it was4  ,let us      
therefore consider the matter thus3     
,captivity1 bondage1 or thraldom1 what  
is it but the violent restraint of a    

man1 being so subdued under the         
dominion1 rule1 and power of another    
that he must do whatever the other      
please to command him1 and may not do at
 his liberty such things as he please   
himself8 ,now1 when we shall be carried 
away by a ,turk and be fain to be       
occupied about such things as he please 
to set us1 we shall lament the loss of  
our liberty and think we bear a heavy   
burden of our servile condition4 ,and we
 shall have1 ,i grant well1 many times  
great occasion to do so4 ,but yet we    
should1 ,i suppose1 set somewhat the    
less by it1 if we would remember well   
what liberty that was that we lost1 and 
take it for no larger than it was       
indeed4 ,for we reckon as though we     
might before do what we would1 but in   
that we deceive ourselves4 ,for what    
free man is there so free that he can be
 suffered to do what he please8 ,in many
 things ,god hath restrained us by his  
high commandment--so many1 that of those
 things which we would otherwise do1 ,i 

daresay it be more than half4 ,howbeit1 
because 7,god forgive us7 we forbear so 
little for all that1 but do what we     
please as though we heard him not1 we   
reckon our liberty never the less4 ,but 
then is our liberty much restrained by  
the laws made by man1 for the quiet and 
politic governance of the people4 ,and  
these too would1 ,i suppose1 hinder our 
liberty but little1 were it not for the 
fear of the penalties that fall         
thereupon4 ,look then1 whether other men
 who have authority over us never       
command us some business which we dare  
not but do1 and therefore often do it   
full sore against our wills4 ,some such 
service is sometimes so painful and so  
perilous too1 that no lord can command  
his bondsmen worse1 and seldom doth     
command him half so sore4 ,let every    
free man who reckoneth his liberty to   
stand in doing what he please1 consider 
well these points1 and ,i daresay he    
shall then find his liberty much less   
than he took it for before4  ,and yet   

have ,i left untouched the bondage that 
almost every man is in who boasteth     
himself for free--the bondage1 ,i mean1 
of sin4 ,and that it be a true bondage1 
,i shall have our ,saviour himself to   
bear me good record4 ,for he saith1     
,every man who committeth sin is the    
thrall1 or the bondsman1 of sin4 ,and   
then if this be thus 7as it must needs  
be1 since ,god saith it is so71 who is  
there then who can make so much boast of
 his liberty that he should take it for 
so sore a thing and so strange to become
 through chance of war1 bondsman unto a 
man1 since he is already through sin    
become willingly thrall and bondsman    
unto the devil8  ,let us look well how  
many things1 and of what vile wretched  
sort1 the devil driveth us to do daily1 
through the rash turns of our blind     
affections1 which we are fain to follow1
 for our faultful lack of grace1 and are
 too feeble to refrain4 ,and then shall 
we find in our natural freedom our      
bondservice such that never was there   

any man lord of any so vile a bondsman  
that he ever would command him to so    
shameful service4 ,and let us1 in the   
doing of our service to the man that we 
be slave unto1 remember what we were    
wont to do about the same time of day   
while we were at our free liberty       
before1 and would be well likely1 if we 
were at liberty1 to do again4 ,and we   
shall peradventure perceive that it were
 better for us to do this business than 
that4 ,now we shall have great occasion 
of comfort1 if we consider that our     
servitude1 though in the account of the 
world it seem to come by chance of war1 
cometh unto us yet in very deed by the  
provident hand of ,god1 and that for our
 great good if we will take it well1    
both in remission of sins and also as   
matter of our merit4  ,the greatest     
grief that is in bondage or captivity1  
,i believe1 is this3 that we are forced 
to do such labour as with our good will 
we would not4 ,but then against that    
grief1 ,seneca teacheth us a good       

remedy3 ,endeavour thyself evermore that
 thou do nothing against thy will1 but  
the things that we see we shall needs   
do1 let us always put our good will     
thereto4  ,,vincent3  ,that is soon     
said1 uncle1 but it is hard to do4      
,,anthony3  ,our froward mind maketh    
every good thing hard1 and that to our  
own more hurt and harm4 ,but in this    
case1 if we will be good ,christian men1
 we shall have great cause gladly to be 
content1 for the great comfort that we  
may take thereby4 ,for we remember that 
in the patient and glad doing of our    
service unto that man for ,god's sake1  
according to his high commandment by the
 mouth of ,st4 ,paul1 ,servi obedite    
dominis carnalibus1 we shall have our   
thanks and our whole reward of ,god4    
,finally1 if we remember the great      
humble meekness of our ,saviour ,christ 
himself--that he1 being very almighty   
,god1 humbled himself and took the form 
of a bondsman or slave1 rather than that
 his ,father should forsake us--we may  

think ourselves very ungrateful caitiffs
 7and very frantic fools1 too7 if1      
rather than to endure this worldly      
bondage for awhile1 we would forsake him
 who hath by his own death delivered us 
out of everlasting bondage to the devil1
 and who will for our short bondage give
 us everlasting liberty4  ,,vincent3    
,well fare you1 good uncle1 this is very
 well said6 ,albeit that bondage is a   
condition that every man of any spirit  
would be very glad to eschew and very   
loth to fall in1 yet have you well made 
it so open that it is a thing neither so
 strange nor so sore as it before seemed
 to me4 ,and specially is it far from   
such as any man who hath any wit should1
 for fear of it1 shrink from the        
confession of his faith4 ,and now1      
therefore1 ,i pray you1 speak somewhat  
of imprisonment4   ,,xix  ,,anthony3    
,that shall ,i1 cousin1 with good will4 
,and first1 if we could consider what   
thing imprisonment is of its own nature 
methinketh we should not have so great  

horror of it4 ,for of itself it is1     
perdy1 but a restraint of liberty1 which
 hindereth a man from going whither he  
would4  ,,vincent3  ,yes1 by ,st4 ,mary1
 uncle1 but methinketh it is much more  
sorry than that4 ,for beside the        
hindrance and restraint of liberty1 it  
hath many more displeasures and very    
sore griefs knit and adjoined to it4    
,,anthony3  ,that is1 cousin1 very true 
indeed4 ,and those pains1 among many    
sorer than those1 thought ,i not        
afterward to forget4 ,howbeit1 ,i       
purpose now to consider first           
imprisonment as imprisonment alone1     
without any other incommodity besides4  
,for a man may be imprisoned1 perdy1 and
 yet not set in the stocks or collared  
fast by the neck4 ,and a man may be let 
walk at large where he will1 and yet    
have a pair of fetters fast riveted on  
his legs4 ,for in this country1 you     
know1 and ,seville and ,portugal too1 so
 go all the slaves4 ,howbeit1 because   
for such things men's hearts have such  

horror of it1 albeit that ,i am not so  
mad as to go about to prove that bodily 
pain were no pain1 yet since it is      
because of this manner of pains that we 
so especially abhor the state and       
condition of prisoners1 methinketh we   
should well perceive that a great part  
of our horror groweth of our own fancy4 
,let us call to mind and consider the   
state and condition of many other folk  
in whose state and condition we would   
wish ourselves to stand1 taking them for
 no prisoners at all1 who stand yet for 
all that in many of the selfsame points 
that we abhor imprisonment for4 ,let us 
therefore consider these things in      
order4 ,first1 those other kinds of     
grief that come with imprisonment are   
but accidents unto it4 ,and yet they are
 neither such accidents as be proper    
unto it1 since they may almost all      
befall man without it2 nor are they such
 accidents as be inseparable from it1   
since imprisonment may fall to a man and
 none of them therein4 ,we will1 ,i say1

 therefore begin by considering what    
manner of pain or incommodity we should 
reckon imprisonment to be of itself and 
of its own nature alone4 ,and then in   
the course of our communication1 you    
shall as you please increase and        
aggravate the cause of your horror with 
the terror of those painful accidents4  
,,vincent3  ,i am sorry that ,i did     
interrupt your tale1 for you were about1
 ,i see well1 to take an orderly way    
therein4 ,and as you yourself have      
devised1 so ,i beseech you proceed4 ,for
 though ,i reckon imprisonment much the 
sorer thing by sore and hard handling   
therein1 yet reckon ,i not the          
imprisonment of itself any less than a  
thing very tedious1 although it were    
used in the most favourable manner that 
it possibly could be4  ,for1 uncle1 if a
 great prince were taken prisoner upon  
the field1 and in the hand of a         
,christian king1 such as are accustomed1
 in such cases1 for the consideration of
 their former estate and mutable chance 

of war1 to show much humanity to them1  
and treat them in very favourable       
wise--for these infidel emperors handle 
oftentimes the princes that they take   
more villainously than they do the      
poorest men1 as the great ,tamberlane   
kept the great ,turk1 when he had taken 
him1 to tread on his back always when he
 leapt on horseback4 ,but1 as ,i began  
to say1 by the example of a prince taken
 prisoner1 were the imprisonment never  
so favourable1 yet it would be1 to my   
mind1 no little grief in itself for a   
man to be penned up1 though not in a    
narrow chamber4 ,but although his walk  
were right large and right fair gardens 
in it too1 it could not but grieve his  
heart to be restrained by another man   
within certain limits and bounds1 and   
lose the liberty to be where he please4 
,,anthony3  ,this is1 cousin1 well      
considered of you4 ,for in this you     
perceive well that imprisonment is1 of  
itself and of its own very nature alone1
 nothing else but the retaining of a    

man's person within the circuit of a    
certain space1 narrower or larger as    
shall be limited to him1 restraining his
 liberty from going further into any    
other place4  ,,vincent3  ,very well    
said1 methinketh4  ,,anthony3  ,yet ,i  
forgot1 cousin1 to ask you one question4
  ,,vincent3  ,what is that1 uncle8     
,,anthony3  ,this1 lo3 ,if there be two 
men kept in two several chambers of one 
great castle1 of which two chambers the 
one is much larger than the other1 are  
they prisoners both1 or only the one who
 has the less room to walk in8          
,,vincent3  ,what question is it1 uncle1
 but that they are both prisoners1 as ,i
 said myself before1 although the one   
lay fast locked in the stocks and the   
other had all the whole castle to walk  
in8  ,,anthony3  ,methinketh verily1    
cousin1 that you say the truth4 ,and    
then1 if imprisonment be such a thing as
 you yourself here agree it is--that is1
 but a lack of liberty to go whither we 
please--now would ,i fain know of you   

what one man you know who is at this day
 out of prison8  ,,vincent3  ,what one  
man1 uncle8 ,marry1 ,i know almost none 
other6 ,for surely ,i am acquainted with
 no prisoner1 that ,i remember4         
,,anthony3  ,then ,i see well that you  
visit poor prisoners seldom4  ,,vincent3
  ,no1 by my troth1 uncle1 ,i cry ,god  
mercy4 ,i send them sometimes mine alms1
 but by my troth ,i love not to come    
myself where ,i should see such misery4 
,,anthony3  ,in good faith1 ,cousin     
,vincent 7though ,i say it before you7  
you have many good qualities1 but surely
 7though ,i say that before you1 too7   
that is not one of them4 ,if you would  
amend it1 then should you have yet the  
more good qualities by one--and         
peradventure the more by three or four4 
,for ,i assure you it is hard to tell   
how much good it doth to a man's soul1  
the personal visiting of poor prisoners4
  ,but now1 since you can name me none  
of them that are in prison1 ,i pray you 
name me some one of all those whom you  

are1 you say1 better acquainted         
with--men1 ,i mean1 who are out of      
prison4 ,for ,i know1 methinketh1 as few
 of them as you know of the others4     
,,vincent3  ,that would1 uncle1 be a    
strange case4 ,for every man is out of  
prison who may go where he will1 though 
he be the poorest beggar in the town4   
,and1 in good faith1 uncle 7because you 
reckon imprisonment so small a matter of
 itself7 meseemeth the poor beggar who  
is at his liberty and may walk where he 
will is in better case than is a king   
kept in prison1 who cannot go but where 
men give him leave4  ,,anthony3  ,well1 
cousin1 whether every way-walking beggar
 be1 by this reason1 out of prison or   
no1 we shall consider further when you  
will4 ,but in the meanwhile ,i can by   
this reason see no prince who seemeth to
 be out of prison4 ,for if the lack of  
liberty to go where a man will1 be      
imprisonment1 as you yourself say it is1
 then is the great ,turk1 by whom we    
fear to be put in prison1 in prison     

already himself1 for he may not go where
 he will4 ,for if he could he would go  
into ,portugal1 ,italy1 ,spain1 ,france1
 ,germany1 and ,england1 and as far in  
the other direction too--both into      
,prester ,john's land and into the      
,grand ,cham's too4  ,now1 the beggar   
that you speak of1 if he be 7as you say 
he is7 by reason of his liberty to go   
where he will1 in much better case than 
a king kept in prison1 because he cannot
 go but where men give him leave2 then  
is that beggar in better case1 not only 
than a prince in prison but also than   
many a prince out of prison too4 ,for ,i
 am sure there is many a beggar who may 
without hindrance walk further upon     
other men's ground than many a prince at
 his best liberty may walk upon his own4
 ,and as for walking out abroad upon    
other men's1 that prince might be       
withstood and held fast1 where that     
beggar1 with his bag and staff1 might be
 suffered to go forth and keep on his   
way4  ,but forasmuch1 cousin1 as neither

 the beggar nor the prince is at free   
liberty to walk where they will1 but    
neither of them would be suffered to    
walk in some places without men         
withstanding them and saying them nay2  
therefore if imprisonment be1 as you    
grant it is1 a lack of liberty to go    
where we please1 ,i cannot see but the  
beggar and the prince1 whom you reckon  
both at liberty1 are by your own reason 
restrained in prison both4  ,,vincent3  
,yea1 but uncle1 both the one and the   
other have way enough to walk--the one  
in his own ground and the other in other
 men's1 or in the common highway1 where 
they may both walk till they be weary of
 walking ere any man say them nay4      
,,anthony3  ,so may1 cousin1 that king  
who had1 as you yourself put the case1  
all the whole castle to walk in4 ,and   
yet you deny not that he is prisoner for
 all that--though not so straitly kept1 
yet as verily prisoner as he that lieth 
in the stocks4  ,,vincent3  ,but they   
may go at least to every place that they

 need1 or that is commodious for them1  
and therefore they do not wish to go    
anywhere but where they may4 ,and       
therefore they are at liberty to go     
where they will4  ,,anthony3  ,i need   
not1 cousin1 to spend the time about    
impugning every part of this answer4    
,let pass by that1 though a prisoner    
were brought with his keeper into every 
place where need required1 yet since he 
might not when he wished go where he    
wished for his pleasure alone1 he would 
be1 as you know well1 a prisoner still4 
,and let pass over also that it would be
 needful for this beggar1 and commodious
 for this king1 to go into divers places
 where neither of them may come4 ,and   
let pass also that neither of them is   
lightly so temperately determined by    
what they both fain would so do indeed1 
if this reason of yours put them out of 
prison and set them at liberty and made 
them free1 as ,i will well grant it doth
 if they so do indeed--that is1 if they 
have no will to go anywhere but where   

they may go indeed4  ,then let us look  
on our other prisoners enclosed within a
 castle1 and we shall find that the     
straitest kept of them both1 if he get  
the wisdom and grace to quiet his mind  
and hold himself content with that      
place1 and not long 7as a woman with    
child longeth for her desires7 to be    
gadding out anywhere else1 is by the    
same reason of yours1 while his will is 
not longing to be anywhere else1 he is1 
,i say1 at his free liberty to be where 
he will4 ,and so he is out of prison    
too4  ,and1 on the other hand1 if1      
though his will be not longing to be    
anywhere else1 yet because if his will  
so were he should not be so suffered1 he
 is therefore not at his free liberty   
but a prisoner still1 since your free   
beggar that you speak of and the prince 
that you call out of prison too1 though 
they be 7which ,i daresay few be7 by    
some special wisdom so temperately      
disposed that they will have not the    
will to be anywhere but where they see  

that they may be suffered to be1 yet1   
since if they did have that will they   
could not then be where they would1 they
 lack the effect of free liberty and are
 both twain in prison too4  ,,vincent3  
,well1 uncle1 if every man universally  
is by this reason in prison already1    
after the proper nature of imprisonment1
 yet to be imprisoned in this special   
manner which alone is commonly called   
imprisonment is a thing of great horror 
and fear1 both for the straitness of the
 keeping and for the hard handling that 
many men have therein4 ,of all the      
griefs that you speak of1 we feel       
nothing at all4 ,and therefore every man
 abhorreth the one1 and would be loth to
 come into it4 ,and no man abhorreth the
 other1 for they feel no harm and find  
no fault therein4  ,therefore1 uncle1 in
 good faith1 though ,i cannot find      
fitting answers with which to avoid your
 arguments1 yet 7to be plain with you   
and tell you the very truth7 my mind    
findeth not itself satisfied on this    

point4 ,but ever methinketh that these  
things1 with which you rather convince  
and conclude me than induce a credence  
and persuade me that every man is in    
prison already1 are but sophistical     
fancies1 and that except those that are 
commonly called prisoners1 other men are
 not in any prison at all4  ,,anthony3  
,well fare thine heart1 good ,cousin    
,vincent6 ,there was1 in good faith1 no 
word that you spoke since we first      
talked of these matters that ,i liked   
half so well as these that you speak    
now4 ,for if you had assented in words  
and your mind departed unpersuaded1     
then1 if the thing be true that ,i say1 
yet had you lost the fruit4 ,and if it  
be peradventure false1 and ,i myself    
deceived therein1 then1 since ,i should 
have supposed that you liked it too1 you
 would have confirmed me in my folly4   
,for1 in good faith1 cousin1 such an old
 fool am ,i that this thing 7in the     
persuading of which unto you ,i had     
thought ,i had quit me well1 and yet    

which1 when ,i have all done1 appeareth 
to your mind but a trifle and           
sophistical fancy7 ,i myself have so    
many years taken it for so very         
substantial truth that as yet my mind   
cannot give me to think it any other4   
,but ,i would not play the part of that 
,french priest who had so long used to  
say ,dominus with the second syllable   
long that at least he thought it must   
needs be so1 and was ashamed to say it  
short4 ,so to the intent that you may   
the better perceive me and ,i may the   
better perceive myself1 we shall here   
between us a little more consider the   
thing4 ,so spit well on your hands      
boldly1 and take good hold1 and give it 
not over against your own mind1 for then
 we would be never the nearer4          
,,vincent3  ,nay1 by my troth1 uncle1   
that intend ,i not to do4 ,nor have ,i  
done it yet since we began4 ,and that   
may you well perceive by some things    
which1 without any great cause1 save for
 the further satisfaction of my own     

mind1 ,i repeated and debated again4    
,,anthony3  ,that guise1 cousin1 you    
must hold on boldly still4 ,for ,i      
purpose to give up my part in this      
matter1 unless ,i make you yourself     
perceive both that every man universally
 is a very prisoner in very             
prison--plainly1 without any sophistry  
at all--and also that there is no prince
 living upon earth who is not in a worse
 case prisoner by this general          
imprisonment that ,i speak of1 than is  
many a simple ignorant wretch by that   
special imprisonment that you speak of4 
,and beside this1 that in this general  
imprisonment that ,i speak of1 men are  
for the time that they are in it1 so    
sore handled and so hardly and in such  
painful wise1 that men's hearts have    
with reason great cause to abhor this   
hard handling that is in this           
imprisonment as sorely as they do the   
other that is in that4  ,,vincent3  ,by 
my troth1 uncle1 these things would ,i  
fain see well proved4  ,,anthony3  ,tell

 me1 then1 cousin1 first by your troth3 
,if a man were attainted of treason or  
felony2 and if1 after judgment had been 
given of his death and it were          
determined that he should die1 the time 
of his execution were only delayed till 
the king's further pleasure should be   
known2 if he were thereupon delivered to
 certain keepers and put up in a sure   
place out of which he could not         
escape--would this man be a prisoner1 or
 not8  ,,vincent3  ,this man1 quoth he8 
,yea1 marry1 that would he be in very   
deed1 if ever man were6  ,,anthony3     
,but now what if1 for the time that were
 between his attainder and his          
execution1 he were so favourably handled
 that he were suffered to do what he    
would1 as he did while he was free--to  
have the use of his lands and his goods1
 and his wife and his children to have  
license to be with him1 and his friends 
leave at liberty to resort unto him1 and
 his servants not forbidden to abide    
about him4 ,and add yet thereunto that  

the place were a great castle royal with
 parks and other pleasures in it1 a very
 great circuit about4 ,yes1 and add yet1
 if you like1 that he were suffered to  
go and ride also1 both when he wished   
and whither he wished2 only this one    
point always provided and foreseen1 that
 he should ever be surely seen to1 and  
safely kept from escaping4 ,so though he
 had never so much of his own will in   
the meanwhile 7in all matters save      
escaping71 yet he should well know that 
escape he could not1 and that when he   
were called for1 to execution and to    
death he should go4  ,now1 ,cousin      
,vincent1 what would you call this man8 
,a prisoner1 because he is kept for     
execution8 ,or no prisoner1 because he  
is in the meanwhile so favourably       
handled and suffered to do all that he  
would1 save escape8 ,and ,i bid you not 
here be hasty in your answer1 but advise
 it well that you grant no such thing in
 haste as you would afterward at leisure
 mislike1 and think yourself deceived4  

,,vincent3  ,nay1 by my troth1 uncle1   
this thing needeth no study at all1 to  
my mind4 ,but1 for all this favour      
showed him and all this liberty lent    
him1 yet being condemned to death1 and  
being kept for it1 and kept with sure   
watch laid upon him that he cannot      
escape1 he is all that while a very     
plain prisoner still4  ,,anthony3  ,in  
good faith1 cousin1 methinketh you say  
very true4 ,but then one thing must ,i  
yet desire you1 cousin1 to tell me a    
little further4 ,if there were another  
laid in prison for a brawl1 and through 
the jailors' displeasure were bolted and
 fettered and laid in a low dungeon in  
the stocks1 where he might lie          
peradventure for a while and abide in   
the meantime some pain but no danger of 
death at all1 but that out again he     
should come well enough--which of these 
two prisoners would stand in the worse  
case8 ,he that hath all this favour1 or 
he that is thus hardly handled8         
,,vincent3  ,by our ,lady1 uncle1 ,i    

believe that most men1 if they should   
needs choose1 had liefer be such        
prisoners in every point as he who so   
sorely lieth in the stocks1 than in     
every point such as he who walketh at   
such liberty about the park4  ,,anthony3
  ,consider1 then1 cousin1 whether this 
thing seem any sophistry to you that ,i 
shall show you now4 ,for it shall be    
such as seemeth in good faith           
substantially true to me4 ,and if it so 
happen that you think otherwise1 ,i will
 be very glad to perceive which of us   
both is beguiled4  ,for it seemeth to   
me1 cousin1 first1 that every man coming
 into this world here upon earth as he  
is created by ,god1 so cometh he hither 
by the providence of ,god4 ,is this any 
sophistry first1 or not8  ,,vincent3    
,nay1 verily1 this is very substantial  
truth4  ,,anthony3  ,now take ,i this1  
also1 for very truth in my mind3 that   
there cometh no man nor woman hither    
into the earth but what1 ere ever they  
come alive into the world out of the    

mother's womb1 ,god condemneth them unto
 death by his own sentence and judgment1
 for the original sin that they bring   
with them1 contracted in the corrupted  
stock of our forefather ,adam4 ,is this1
 think you1 cousin1 verily thus or not8 
,,vincent3  ,this is1 uncle1 very true  
indeed4  ,,anthony3  ,then seemeth this 
true further unto me3 that ,god hath put
 every man here upon the earth under so 
sure and so safe keeping that of all the
 whole people living in this wide world1
 there is neither man1 woman1 nor       
child--would they never so far wander   
about and seek it--who can possibly find
 any way by which they can escape from  
death4 ,is this1 cousin1 a fond imagined
 fancy1 or is it very truth indeed8     
,,vincent3  ,nay1 this is no            
imagination1 uncle1 but a thing so      
clearly proved true that no man is so   
mad as to deny it4  ,,anthony3  ,then   
need ,i say no more1 cousin4 ,for then  
is all the matter plain and open evident
 truth1 which ,i said ,i took for truth4

 ,and it is yet a little more now than  
,i told you before1 when you took my    
proof yet but for a sophistical fancy1  
and said that1 for all my reasoning that
 every man is a prisoner1 yet you       
thought that1 except those whom the     
common people call prisoners1 there is  
else no man a very prisoner indeed4 ,and
 now you grant yourself again for very  
substantial truth1 that every man1      
though he be the greatest king upon     
earth1 is set here by the ordinance of  
,god in a place1 be it never so large1  
yet a place1 ,i say 7and you say the    
same7 out of which no man can escape4   
,and you grant that every man is there  
put under sure and safe keeping to be   
readily set forth when ,god calleth for 
him1 and that then he shall surely die4 
,and is not then1 cousin1 by your own   
granting before1 every man a very       
prisoner1 when he is put in a place to  
be kept to be brought forth when he     
would not1 and himself knows not        
whither8  ,,vincent3  ,yes1 in good     

faith1 uncle1 ,i cannot but well        
perceive this to be so4  ,,anthony3     
,this would be true1 you know1 even     
though a man were but taken by the arm  
and in a fair manner led out of this    
world unto his judgment4 ,but now1 we   
well know that there is no king so great
 but what1 all the while he walketh     
here1 walk he never so loose1 ride he   
with never so strong an army for his    
defence1 yet he himself is very         
sure--though he seek in the meantime    
some other pastime to put it out of his 
mind--yet is he very sure1 ,i say1 that 
escape he cannot4 ,and very well he     
knoweth that he hath already sentence   
given upon him to die1 and that verily  
die he shall4 ,and though he hope for   
long respite of his execution1 yet can  
he not tell how soon it will be4 ,and   
therefore1 unless he be a fool1 he can  
never be without fear that1 either on   
the morrow or on the selfsame day1 the  
grisly cruel hangman ,death1 who from   
his first coming in hath ever hoved     

aloof and looked toward him1 and ever   
lain in wait for him1 shall amid all his
 royalty and all his main strength      
neither kneel before him nor make him   
any reverence1 nor with any good manner 
desire him to come forth4 ,but he shall 
rigorously and fiercely grip him by the 
very breast1 and make all his bones     
rattle1 and so by long and divers sore  
torments strike him stark dead in his   
prison4 ,and then shall he cause his    
body to be cast into the ground in a    
foul pit in some corner of the same1    
there to rot and be eaten by the        
wretched worms of the earth1 sending yet
 his soul out further into a more       
fearful judgment4 ,of that judgment at  
his temporal death his success is       
uncertain and therefore1 though by      
,god's grace not out of good hope1 for  
all that in the meanwhile in very sore  
dread and fear and peradventure in peril
 inevitable of eternal fire1 too4       
,methinketh therefore1 cousin1 that1 as 
,i told you1 this keeping of every man  

in this wretched world for execution of 
death is a very plain imprisonment      
indeed4 ,and it is1 as ,i say1 such that
 the greatest king is in this prison in 
much worse case1 for all his wealth1    
than is many a man who1 in the other    
imprisonment1 is sore and hardly        
handled4 ,for while some of those lie   
not there attainted nor condemned to    
death1 the greatest man of this world   
and the most wealthy in this universal  
prison is laid in to be kept undoubtedly
 for death4  ,,vincent3  ,but yet1      
uncle1 in that case is the other        
prisoner too1 for he is as sure that he 
shall die1 perdy4  ,,anthony3  ,this is 
very true1 cousin1 indeed1 and well     
objected too4 ,but then you must        
consider that he is not in danger of    
death by reason of the prison into which
 he is put peradventure but for a little
 brawl1 but his danger of death is by   
the other imprisonment1 by which he is  
prisoner in the great prison of this    
whole earth1 in which prison all the    

princes of the world be prisoners as    
well as he4  ,if a man condemned to     
death were put up in a large prison1 and
 while his execution were respited he   
were1 for fighting with his fellows1 put
 up in a strait place1 part of that     
prison1 then would he be in danger of   
death in that strait prison1 but not by 
the being in that1 for there is he but  
for the brawl4 ,but his deadly          
imprisonment was the other--the larger1 
,i say1 into which he was put for death4
 ,so the prisoner that you speak of is1 
beside the narrow prison1 a prisoner of 
the broad world1 and all the princes of 
the world are prisoners there with him4 
,and by that imprisonment both they and 
he are in like danger of death1 not by  
that strait imprisonment that is        
commonly called imprisonment1 but by    
that imprisonment which1 because of the 
large walk1 men call liberty--and which 
you therefore thought but a sophistical 
fancy to prove it a prison at all6  ,but
 now may you1 methinketh1 very plainly  

perceive that this whole earth is not   
only for all the whole of mankind a very
 plain prison indeed1 but also that all 
men without exception 7even those that  
are most at their liberty in it1 and    
reckon themselves great lords and       
possessors of very great pieces of it1  
and thereby wax with wantonness so      
forgetful of their state that they think
 they stand in great wealth7 do stand   
for all that indeed1 by reason of their 
imprisonment in this large prison of the
 whole earth1 in the selfsame condition 
that the others do stand who1 in the    
narrow prisons which alone are called   
prisons1 and which alone are reputed    
prisons in the opinion of the common    
people1 stand in the most fearful and in
 the most odious case--that is1         
condemned already to death4  ,and now1  
cousin1 if this thing that ,i tell you  
seem but a sophistical fancy of your    
mind1 ,i would be glad to know what     
moveth you so to think4 ,for1 in good   
faith1 as ,i have told you twice1 ,i am 

no wiser but what ,i verily think that  
it is very plain truth indeed4   ,,xx   
,,vincent3  ,in good faith1 uncle1 thus 
far ,i not only cannot make resistance  
against it with any reason1 but also ,i 
see very clearly proved that it cannot  
be otherwise4 ,for every man must be in 
this world a very prisoner1 since we are
 all put here into a sure hold to be    
kept till we be put unto execution1 as  
folk all already condemned to death4    
,but yet1 uncle1 the strait-keeping1    
collaring1 bolting1 and stocking1 with  
lying on straw or on the cold ground    
7which manner of hard handling is used  
in these special imprisonments that     
alone are commonly called by that name7 
must needs make that imprisonment much  
more odious and dreadful than the       
general imprisonment with which we are  
every man universally imprisoned at     
large1 walking where we will round about
 the wide world4 ,for in this broad     
prison1 outside of those narrow prisons1
 there is no such hard handling used    

with the prisoners4  ,,anthony3  ,i     
said1 ,i think1 cousin1 that ,i purposed
 to prove to you further that in this   
general prison--the large prison1 ,i    
mean1 of this whole world--folk are1 for
 the time that they are in it1 as sore  
handled and as hardly1 and wrenched and 
wrung and broken in such painful wise1  
that our hearts 7save that we consider  
it not7 have with reason good and great 
cause to grudge against the hard        
handling that there is in this          
prison--and1 as far as pertaineth only  
to the respect of pain1 as much horror  
to conceive against it--as against the  
other that there is in that one4        
,,vincent3  ,indeed1 uncle1 it is true  
that you said you would prove this4     
,,anthony3  ,nay1 so much said ,i not1  
cousin6 ,but ,i said that ,i would if ,i
 could1 and if ,i could not1 then would 
,i therein give over my part4 ,but ,i   
trust1 cousin1 that ,i shall not need to
 do that--the thing seemeth to me so    
plain4  ,for1 cousin1 not only the      

prince and king but also the chief      
jailor over this whole broad prison the 
world 7though he have both angels and   
devils who are jailors under him7 is1 ,i
 take it1 ,god4 ,and that ,i suppose you
 will grant me1 too4  ,,vincent3  ,that 
will ,i not deny1 uncle4  ,,anthony3    
,if a man1 cousin1 be committed unto    
prison for no cause but to be kept1     
though there be never so great a charge 
against him1 yet his keeper1 if he be   
good and honest1 is neither so cruel as 
to pain the man out of malice1 nor so   
covetous as to put him to pain to make  
him seek his friends and pay for a      
pennyworth of ease4 ,if the place be    
such that he is sure to keep him safe   
otherwise1 or if he can get surety for  
the recompense of more harm than he     
seeth he should have if he escaped1 he  
will never handle him in any such hard  
fashion as we most abhor imprisonment   
for4 ,but marry1 if the place be such   
that the keeper cannot otherwise be     
sure1 then is he compelled to keep him  

to that extent the straiter4 ,and also  
if the prisoner be unruly and fall to   
fighting with his fellows or do some    
other manner of ill turns1 then useth   
the keeper to punish him in some such   
fashions as you yourself have spoken of4
  ,now1 cousin1 ,god--the chief jailor1 
as ,i say1 of this broad prison the     
world--is neither cruel nor covetous4   
,and this prison is also so sure and so 
subtly built that1 albeit that it lieth 
open on every side without any wall in  
the world1 yet1 wander we never so far  
about in it1 we shall never find the way
 to get out4 ,so ,god neither needeth to
 collar us nor to stock us for any fear 
of our escaping away4 ,and therefore1   
unless he see some other cause than only
 our keeping for death1 he letteth us in
 the meanwhile1 for as long as he       
pleases to respite us1 walk about in the
 prison and do there what we will1 using
 ourselves in such wise as he hath1 by  
reason and revelation1 from time to time
 told us his pleasure4  ,and hence it   

cometh1 lo1 that by reason of this      
favour for a time we wax1 as ,i said1 so
 wanton1 that we forget where we are4   
,and we think that we are lords at      
large1 whereas we are indeed1 if we     
would consider1 even poor wretches in   
prison4 ,for1 of very truth1 our very   
prison this earth is4 ,and yet we       
apportion us out divers parts of it     
diversely to ourselves1 part by         
covenants that we make among ourselves1 
and part by fraud and violence too4 ,and
 we change its name from the odious name
 of prison1 and call it our own land and
 our livelihood4 ,upon our prison we    
build2 our prison we garnish with gold  
and make it glorious4 ,in this prison   
they buy and sell2 in this prison they  
brawl and chide4 ,in this they run      
together and fight2 in this they dice2  
in this they play at cards4 ,in this    
they pipe and revel2 in this they sing  
and dance4 ,and in this prison many a   
man who is reputed right honest         
forbeareth not1 for his pleasure in the 

dark1 privily to play the knave4  ,and  
thus1 while ,god our king and our chief 
jailor too1 suffereth us and letteth us 
alone1 we think ourselves at liberty4   
,and we abhor the state of those whom we
 call prisoners1 taking ourselves for no
 prisoners at all4 ,in this false       
persuasion of wealth and forgetfulness  
of our own wretched state1 which is but 
a wandering about for a while in this   
prison of this world1 till we be brought
 unto the execution of death1 we forget 
in our folly both ourselves and our     
jail1 and our under-jailors the angels  
and devils both1 and our chief jailor   
,god too--,god1 who forgetteth not us1  
but seeth us all the while well enough4 
,and being sore discontent to see so ill
 rule kept in the jail1 he sendeth the  
hangman ,death to put some to execution 
here and there1 sometimes by the        
thousands at once4 ,and he handleth many
 of the rest1 whose execution he        
forbeareth yet unto a farther time1 even
 as hardly and punisheth them as sorely1

 in this common prison of the world1 as 
there are any handled in those special  
prisons which1 for the hard handling    
used in them1 you say your heart hath in
 such horror and so sore abhorreth4     
,,vincent3  ,the rest will ,i not       
gainsay1 for methinketh ,i see it so    
indeed4 ,but that ,god1 our chief jailor
 in this world1 useth any such prisonly 
fashion of punishment1 that point must  
,i needs deny4 ,for ,i see him neither  
lay any man in the stocks1 nor strike   
fetters on his legs1 nor so much as shut
 him up in a chamber1 neither4          
,,anthony3  ,is he no minstrel1 cousin1 
who playeth not on a harp8 ,maketh no   
man melody but he who playeth on a lute8
 ,he may be a minstrel and make melody1 
you know1 with some other instrument--a 
strange-fashioned one1 peradventure1    
that never was seen before4  ,god1 our  
chief jailor1 as he himself is          
invisible1 so useth he in his           
punishments invisible instruments4 ,and 
therefore are they not of like fashion  

as those the other jailors use1 but yet 
of like effect1 and as painful in       
feeling as those4 ,for he layeth one of 
his prisoners with a hot fever as ill at
 ease in a warm bed as the other jailor 
layeth his on the cold ground4 ,he      
wringeth them by the brows with a       
migraine2 he collareth them by the neck 
with a quinsy2 he bolteth them by the   
arms with a palsy1 so that they cannot  
lift their hands to their head2 he      
manacleth their hands with the gout in  
their fingers2 he wringeth them by the  
legs with the cramp in their shins2 he  
bindeth them to the bed with the crick  
in the back2 and he layeth one there at 
full length1 as unable to rise as though
 he lay fast by the feet in the stocks4 
,a prisoner of another jail may sing and
 dance in his two fetters1 and fear not 
his feet for stumbling at a stone1 while
 ,god's prisoner1 who hath his one foot 
fettered with the gout1 lieth groaning  
on a couch1 and quaketh and crieth out  
if he fear that there would fall on his 

foot no more than a cushion4  ,and      
therefore1 cousin1 as ,i said1 if we    
consider it well1 we shall find this    
general prison of this whole earth a    
place in which the prisoners are as sore
 handled as they are in the other4 ,and 
even in the other some make as merry too
 as there do some in this one1 who are  
very merry at large out of that4 ,and   
surely as we think ourselves out of     
prison now1 so if there were some folk  
born and brought up in a prison1 who    
never came on the wall or looked out at 
the door or heard of another world      
outside1 but saw some1 for ill turns    
done among themselves1 locked up in a   
straiter room2 and if they heard them   
alone called prisoners who were so      
served and themselves ever called free  
folk at large2 the like opinion would   
they have there of themselves then as we
 have here of ourselves now4 ,and when  
we take ourselves for other than        
prisoners now1 verily are we now as     
deceived as those prisoners would be    

then4  ,,vincent3  ,i cannot1 uncle1 in 
good faith deny that you have performed 
all that you promised4 ,but yet1 since1 
for all this1 there appeareth no more   
but that as they are prisoners so are we
 too1 and that as some of them are sore 
handled so are some of us too2 we know  
well1 for all this1 that when we come to
 those prisons we shall not fail to be  
in a straiter prison than we are now1   
and to have a door shut upon us where we
 have none shut upon us now4 ,this shall
 we be sure of at least if there come no
 worse--and then there may come worse1  
you know well1 since it cometh there so 
commonly4 ,and therefore is it yet      
little marvel that men's hearts grudge  
much against it4  ,,anthony3  ,surely1  
cousin1 in this you say very well4      
,howbeit1 your words would have touched 
me somewhat the nearer if ,i had said   
that imprisonment were no displeasure at
 all4 ,but the thing that ,i say1       
cousin1 for our comfort in the matter1  
is that our fancy frameth us a false    

opinion by which we deceive ourselves   
and take it for sorer than it is4 ,and  
that we do because we take ourselves for
 more free before than we were1 and     
imprisonment for a stranger thing to us 
than it is indeed4 ,and thus far1 as ,i 
say1 ,i have proved truth in very deed4 
,but now the incommodities that you     
repeat again--those1 ,i say1 that are   
proper to the imprisonment of its own   
nature2 that is1 to have less room to   
walk and to have the door shut upon     
us--these are1 methinketh1 so very      
slender and slight that in so great a   
cause as to suffer for ,god's sake we   
might be sore ashamed so much as once to
 think upon them4  ,many a good man     
there is1 you know1 who1 without any    
force at all1 or any necessity wherefor 
he should do so1 suffereth these two    
things willingly of his own choice1 with
 much other hardness more4 ,holy monks1 
,i mean1 of the ,charterhouse order1    
such as never pass their cells save only
 to the church1 which is set fast by    

their cells1 and thence to their cells  
again4 ,and ,st4 ,brigit's order1 and   
,st4 ,clare's much alike1 and in a      
manner all enclosed religious houses4   
,and yet anchorites and anchoresses most
 especially1 all whose whole room is    
less than a good large chamber4 ,and yet
 are they there as well content many    
long years together as are other        
men--and better1 too--who walk about the
 world4 ,and therefore you may see that 
the lothness of less room and the door  
shut upon us1 since so many folk are so 
well content with them and will for     
,god's love choose to live so1 is but a 
horror enhanced of our own fancy4  ,and 
indeed ,i knew a woman once who came    
into a prison1 to visit of her charity a
 poor prisoner there4 ,she found him in 
a chamber that was fair enough1 to say  
the truth--at least1 it was strong      
enough6 ,but with mats of straw the     
prisoner had made it so warm1 both under
 foot and round about the walls1 that in
 these things1 for the keeping of his   

health1 she was on his behalf very glad 
and very well comforted4 ,but among many
 other displeasures that for his sake   
she was sorry for1 one she lamented much
 in her mind4 ,and that was that he     
should have the chamber door made fast  
upon him by night1 by the jailor who was
 to shut him in4 ,for1 by my troth1     
quoth she1 if the door should be shut   
upon me1 ,i think it would stop up my   
breath6 ,at that word of hers the       
prisoner laughed in his mind--but he    
dared not laugh aloud or say anything to
 her1 for indeed he stood somewhat in   
awe of her1 and he had his food there in
 great part of her charity for alms4    
,but he could not but laugh inwardly1   
for he knew well enough that she used to
 shut her own chamber door full surely  
on the inside every night1 both door and
 windows too1 and used not to open them 
all the long night4 ,and what           
difference1 then1 as to the stopping of 
the breath1 whether they were shut up   
within or without8  ,and so surely1     

cousin1 these two things that you speak 
of are neither one of so great weight   
that in ,christ's cause they ought to   
move a ,christian man4 ,and one of the  
twain is so very childish a fancy1 that 
in a matter almost of three chips       
7unless it were a chance of fire7 it    
should never move any man4  ,as for     
those other accidents of hard handling1 
,i am not so mad as to say that they are
 no grief1 but ,i say that our fear may 
imagine them much greater grief than    
they are4 ,and ,i say that such as they 
be1 many a man endureth them--yea1 and  
many a woman too--who afterward fareth  
full well4  ,and then would ,i know what
 determination we take--whether for our 
,saviour's sake to suffer some pain in  
our bodies1 since he suffered in his    
blessed body so great pain for us1 or   
else to give him warning and be at a    
point utterly to forsake him rather than
 to suffer any pain at all8 ,he who     
cometh in his mind unto this latter     
point--from which kind of unkindness    

,god keep every man6--he needeth no     
comfort1 for he will flee the need4 ,and
 counsel1 ,i fear1 availeth him little1 
if grace be so far gone from him4 ,but1 
on the other hand1 if1 rather than to   
forsake our ,saviour1 we determine      
ourselves to suffer any pain at all1 ,i 
cannot then see that the fear of hard   
handling should anything stick with us  
and make us to shrink so that we would  
rather forsake his faith than suffer for
 his sake so much as imprisonment4 ,for 
the handling is neither such in prison  
but what many men1 and many women too1  
live with it many years and sustain it1 
and afterward yet fare full well4 ,and  
yet it may well fortune that1 beside the
 bare imprisonment1 there shall happen  
to us no hard handling at all4 ,or else 
it may happen to us for only a short    
while--and yet1 beside all this1        
peradventure not at all4 ,and which of  
all these ways shall be taken with us1  
lieth all in his will for whom we are   
content to take it1 and who for that    

intent of ours favoureth us and will    
suffer no man to put more pain to us    
than he well knoweth we shall be able to
 bear4 ,for he himself will give us the 
strength for it1 as you have heard his  
promise already by the mouth of ,st4    
,paul3 ,god is faithful1 who suffereth  
you not to be tempted above what you may
 bear1 but giveth also with the         
temptation a way out4  ,but now1 if we  
have not lost our faith already before  
we come to forsake it for fear1 we know 
very well by our faith that1 by the     
forsaking of our faith1 we fall into    
that state to be cast into the prison of
 hell4 ,and that can we not tell how    
soon2 but1 as it may be that ,god will  
suffer us to live a while here upon     
earth1 so may it be that he will throw  
us into that dungeon beneath before the 
time that the ,turk shall once ask us   
the question4 ,and therefore1 if we fear
 imprisonment so sore1 we are much more 
than mad if we fear not most the        
imprisonment that is far more sore4 ,for

 out of that prison shall no man ever   
get1 and in this other shall no man     
abide but a while4  ,in prison was      
,joseph while his brethren were at      
large2 and yet afterward were his       
brethren fain to seek upon him for      
bread4 ,in prison was ,daniel1 and the  
wild lions about him2 and yet even there
 ,god kept him harmless and brought him 
safe out again4 ,if we think that he    
will not do the like for us1 let us not 
doubt that he will do for us either the 
like or better1 for better may he do for
 us if he suffer us there to die4 ,st4  
,john the ,baptist was1 you know1 in    
prison1 while ,herod and ,herodias sat  
full merry at the feast1 and the        
daughter of ,herodias delighted them    
with her dancing1 till with her dancing 
she danced off ,st4 ,john's head4 ,and  
now sitteth he with great feast in      
heaven at ,god's board1 while ,herod and
 ,herodias full heavily sit in hell     
burning both twain1 and to make them    
sport withal the devil with the damsel  

dance in the fire before them4          
,finally1 cousin1 to finish this piece1 
our ,saviour was himself taken prisoner 
for our sake4 ,and prisoner was he      
carried1 and prisoner was he kept1 and  
prisoner was he brought forth before    
,annas1 and prisoner from ,annas carried
 unto ,caiphas4 ,then prisoner was he   
carried from ,caiphas unto ,pilate1 and 
prisoner was he sent from ,pilate to    
,king ,herod1 and prisoner from ,herod  
unto ,pilate again4 ,and so was he kept 
as prisoner to the end of his passion4  
,the time of his imprisonment1 ,i grant 
you1 was not long4 ,but as for hard     
handling1 which our hearts most abhor1  
he had as much in that short while as   
many men among them all in a much longer
 time4 ,and surely1 then1 if we consider
 of what estate he was and also that he 
was prisoner in that wise for our sake1 
we shall1 ,i think1 unless we be worse  
than wretched beasts1 never so          
shamefully play the ungrateful coward as
 sinfully to forsake him for fear of    

imprisonment4  ,nor shall we be so      
foolish either as1 by forsaking him1 to 
give him the occasion to forsake us in  
turn4 ,for so should we1 with the       
avoiding of an easier prison1 fall into 
a worse4 ,and instead of the prison that
 cannot keep us long1 we should fall    
into that prison out of which we can    
never come1 though the short            
imprisonment should have won us         
everlasting liberty4   ,,xxi  ,,vincent3
  ,forsooth1 uncle1 if we feared not    
further1 beside imprisonment1 the       
terrible dart of shameful and painful   
death1 ,i would verily trust that1 as   
for imprisonment1 remembering these     
things which ,i have here heard from you
 7our ,lord reward you for them67 rather
 than that ,i should forsake the faith  
of our ,saviour1 ,i would with help of  
grace never shrink at it4  ,but now are 
we come1 uncle1 with much work at last  
unto the last and uttermost point of the
 dread that maketh this incursion of    
this midday devil--this open invasion of

 the ,turk and his persecution against  
the faith--seem so terrible unto men's  
minds4 ,although the respect of ,god    
vanquish all the rest of the trouble    
that we have hitherto perused 7as loss  
of goods1 lands1 and liberty71 yet1 when
 we remember the terror of shameful and 
painful death1 that point suddenly      
putteth us in oblivion of all that      
should be our comfort4 ,and we feel 7all
 men1 ,i fear me1 for the most part7 the
 fervour of our faith wax so cold and   
our hearts so faint that we find        
ourselves at the point of falling even  
for fear4  ,,anthony3  ,i deny not1     
cousin1 that indeed in this point is the
 sore pinch4 ,and yet you see1 for all  
this1 that even this point too taketh   
increase or diminishment of dread       
according to the difference of the      
affections that are beforehand fixed and
 rooted in the mind--so much so1 that   
you may see a man set so much by his    
worldly substance that he feareth less  
the loss of his life than the loss of   

lands4 ,yea1 you may see a man abide    
deadly torment1 such as some other man  
had rather die than endure1 rather than 
to bring out the money that he hath hid4
 ,and ,i doubt not but that you have    
heard by right authentic stories of many
 men who 7some for one cause1 some for  
another7 have not hesitated willingly to
 suffer death1 divers in divers kinds1  
and some both with despiteful rebuke and
 painful torment too4 ,and therefore1 as
 ,i say1 we may see that the affection  
of the mind toward the increase or      
decrease of dread maketh much of the    
matter4  ,now the affections of men's   
minds are imprinted by divers means4    
,one way is by means of the bodily      
senses1 moved by such things1 pleasant  
or unpleasant1 as are outwardly offered 
unto them through sensible worldly      
things4 ,and this manner of receiving   
the impression of affections is common  
unto men and beasts4 ,another manner of 
receiving affections is by means of     
reason1 which both ordinately tempereth 

those affections that the five bodily   
senses imprint1 and also disposeth a man
 many times to some spiritual virtues   
very contrary to those affections that  
are fleshly and sensual4 ,and those     
reasonable dispositions are spiritual   
affections1 and proper to the nature of 
man1 and above the nature of beasts4    
,now1 as our ghostly enemy the devil    
enforceth himself to make us lean to the
 sensual affections and beastly1 so doth
 almighty ,god of his goodness by his   
,holy ,spirit inspire us good motions1  
with the aid and help of his grace1     
toward the other spiritual affections4  
,and by sundry means he instructeth our 
reason to lean to them1 and not only to 
receive them as engendered and planted  
in our soul1 but also in such wise to   
water them with the wise advertisement  
of godly counsel and continual prayer1  
that they may become habitually         
radicated and surely take deep root     
therein4 ,and according as the one kind 
of affection or the other beareth the   

strength in our heart1 so are we        
stronger or feebler against the terror  
of death in this cause4  ,and therefore1
 cousin1 will we essay to consider what 
things there are for which we have cause
 in reason to master the fearful        
affection and sensual4 ,and though we   
cannot clean avoid it and put it away1  
yet will we essay in such wise to bridle
 it at least that it run not out so far 
like a headstrong horse that1 in spite  
of our teeth1 it carry us out unto the  
devil4  ,let us therefore now consider  
and well weigh this thing that we dread 
so sore--that is1 shameful and painful  
death4   ,,xxii  ,and first ,i perceive 
well by these two things that you join  
unto death--that is1 shameful and       
painful--that you would esteem death so 
much the less if it should come along   
without either shame or pain4           
,,vincent3  ,without doubt1 uncle1 a    
great deal the less4 ,but yet1 though it
 should come without them both1 by      
itself1 ,i know well many a man would be

 for all that very loth to die4         
,,anthony3  ,that ,i believe well1      
cousin1 and the more pity it is4 ,for   
that affection happeth in very few      
without the cause being either lack of  
faith1 lack of hope1 or finally lack of 
wit4  ,those who believe not the life to
 come after this1 and think themselves  
here in wealth1 are loth to leave this  
life1 for then they think they lose all4
 ,and thence come the manifold foolish  
unfaithful words which are so rife in   
our many mouths3 ,this world we know1   
and the other we know not4 ,and some say
 in sport 7and think in earnest71 ,the  
devil is not so black as he is painted1 
and ,let him be as black as he will1 he 
is no blacker than a crow6 with many    
such other foolish fancies of the same  
sort4  ,there are some who believe well 
enough but who1 through lewdness of     
living1 fall out of good hope of        
salvation4 ,and then ,i very little     
marvel that they are loth to die4       
,howbeit1 some who purpose to mend and  

would fain have some time left them     
longer to bestow somewhat better1 may   
peradventure be loth to die also        
forthwith4 ,and albeit that a very good 
will gladly to die and to be with ,god  
would be1 to my mind1 so thankful that  
it would be well able to purchase as    
full remission both of sin and pain as  
peradventure he would be like to        
purchase1 if he lived1 in many years'   
penance1 yet will ,i not say but what   
such a kind of lothness to die may be   
approvable before ,god4  ,there are some
 also who are loth to die1 who are yet  
very glad to die and long for to be     
dead4  ,,vincent3  ,that would be1      
uncle1 a very strange case6  ,,anthony3 
,the case1 ,i fear me1 cousin1 falleth  
not very often4 ,but yet sometimes it   
doth1 as where there is any man of that 
good mind that ,st4 ,paul was4 ,for the 
longing that he had to be with ,god1 he 
would fain have been dead1 but for the  
profit of other folk he was content to  
live here in pain1 and defer and forbear

 for the while his inestimable bliss in 
heaven3 ,desiderium habens dissolvi et  
esse cum ,christo1 multo magis melius1  
permanere autem in carne1 necessarium   
propter vos4  ,but of all these kinds of
 folk1 cousin1 who are loth to die      
7except for the first kind only1 who    
lack faith71 there is ,i suppose none   
who would hesitate1 for the bare respect
 of death alone1 unless the fear of     
shame or sharp pain joined unto death   
should be the hindrance1 to depart hence
 with good will in this case of the     
faith4 ,for he would well know by his   
faith that his death1 taken for the     
faith1 should cleanse him clean of all  
his sins and send him straight to       
heaven4 ,and some of these 7namely the  
last kind7 are such that shame and pain 
both joined unto death would be unlikely
 to make them loathe death or fear death
 so sore but what they would suffer     
death in this case with good will1 since
 they know well that the refusing of the
 faith1 for any cause in this world     

7seemed the cause never so good71 should
 yet sever them from ,god1 with whom1   
save for other folk's profit1 they so   
fain would be4 ,and charity it cannot   
be1 for the profit of the whole world1  
deadly to displease him who made it4    
,some are these1 ,i say also1 who are   
loth to die for lack of wit4 ,albeit    
that they believe in the world that is  
to come and hope also to come thither1  
yet they love so much the wealth of this
 world and such things as delight them  
therein1 that they would fain keep them 
as long as ever they can1 even with     
tooth and nail4 ,and when they can be   
suffered in no wise to keep it longer1  
but death taketh them from it1 then1 if 
it can be no better1 they will agree to 
be1 as soon as they be hence1 hauled up 
into heaven and be with ,god forthwith6 
,these folk as as very idiot fools as he
 who had kept from his childhood a bag  
full of cherry stones1 and cast such a  
fancy to it that he would not go from it
 for a bigger bag filled with gold4     

,these folk fare1 cousin1 as sop telleth
 in a fable that the snail did4 ,for    
when ,jupiter 7whom the poets feign for 
the great god7 invited all the poor     
worms of the earth unto a great solemn  
feast that it pleased him upon a        
time--,i have forgotten upon what       
occasion--to prepare for them1 the snail
 kept her at home and would not come4   
,and when ,jupiter asked her afterward  
wherefore she came not to his feast1    
where he said she would have been       
welcome and have fared well1 and would  
have seen a goodly palace and been      
delighted with many goodly pleasures1   
she answered him that she loved no place
 so well as her own house4 ,with this   
answer ,jupiter waxed so angry that he  
said1 since she loved her house so well1
 she should never after go from home1   
but should always afterward bear her    
house upon her back wheresoever she     
went4 ,and so hath she ever done since1 
as they say4 ,and at least ,i know well 
she doth so now and hath done so as long

 as ,i can remember4  ,,vincent3        
,forsooth1 uncle1 ,i should think the   
tale were not all feigned1 for ,i think 
verily that so much of your tale is     
true6  ,,anthony3  sop meant by that    
feigned fable to touch the folly of such
 folk as so set their fancy upon some   
small simple pleasure that they cannot  
find it in their heart to forbear it1   
either for the pleasure of a better man 
or for the gaining of a better thing4   
,for by this foolish froward fashion    
they sometimes fall in great disgrace   
and take by it no little harm4  ,and    
surely such ,christian folk as1 by their
 foolish affection1 which they have set 
like the snail upon their own house here
 on earth1 cannot1 for the lothness of  
leaving that house1 find it in their    
hearts to go with good will to the great
 feast that ,god prepareth in heaven and
 of his goodness so graciously calleth  
them to--they are1 ,i fear me1 unless   
they mend that mind in time1 like to be 
served as the snail was1 and yet much   

worse too4 ,for they are like to have   
their house here1 the earth1 bound fast 
on their backs for ever1 and not to walk
 with it where they will1 as the snail  
creepeth about with hers1 but to lie    
fast bound in the midst of it with the  
foul fire of hell about them4 ,for into 
this folly they bring themselves by     
their own fault1 as the drunken man     
bringeth himself into drunkenness1      
whereby the evil that he doth in his    
drunkenness is not forgiven him for his 
folly1 but to his pain is imputed to his
 fault4  ,,vincent3  ,surely1 uncle1    
this seemeth not unlikely1 and by their 
fault they fall in such folly indeed4   
,and yet1 if this be folly indeed1 then 
are some folk fools who think themselves
 right wise4  ,,anthony3  ,who think    
themselves wise8 ,marry1 ,i never saw a 
fool yet who thought himself other than 
wise6 ,for as it is one spark of        
soberness left in a drunken head when he
 perceiveth himself to be drunk and     
getteth himself fair to bed1 so if a    

fool perceive himself a fool that point 
is no folly but a little spark of wit4  
,but now1 cousin1 as for these kind of  
fools1 who are loth to die for the love 
that they bear to their worldly fancies 
which they would1 by their death1 leave 
behind them and forsake3 ,those who     
would for that cause rather forsake the 
faith than die1 would rather forsake it 
than lose their worldly goods1 though   
there were no peril of death offered    
them at all4 ,and then1 as touching     
those who are of that mind1 we have1 you
 know1 said as much as you yourself     
thought sufficient this afternoon here  
before4  ,,vincent3  ,verily1 uncle1    
that is very true4 ,and now have you    
rehearsed1 as far as ,i can remember1   
all the other kinds of them that would  
be loth to die for any other respect    
than the grievous qualities of shame and
 pain joined unto death4 ,and of all    
these kinds1 except the kind of         
infidelity--when no comfort can help1   
but only counsel to the attaining of    

faith1 for faith must be presupposed to 
the receiving of comfort and had ready  
before1 as you showed in the beginning  
of our communication the first day that 
we talked of the matter4 ,but else1 ,i  
say1 except that one kind1 there is none
 of the rest of those that were before  
untouched who would be likely to forsake
 their faith in this persecution for the
 fear and dread of death1 save for those
 grievous qualities--pain1 ,i mean1 and 
shame--that they see well would come    
with it4  ,and therefore1 uncle1 ,i pray
 you1 give us some comfort against those
 twain4 ,for in good faith1 if death    
should come without them1 in such a case
 at this is1 in which by the losing of  
this life we should find a far better1  
mine own reason giveth me that1 save for
 the other griefs going before the      
change1 no man who hath wit would       
anything stick at all4  ,,anthony3      
,yes1 peradventure suddenly they would1 
before they gather their wits unto them 
and well weigh the matter4 ,but1 cousin1

 those who will consider the matter     
well1 reason1 grounded upon the         
foundation of faith1 shall show they    
very great substantial causes for which 
the dread of those grievous qualities   
that they see shall come with           
death--shame1 ,i mean1 and pain         
also--shall not so sore abash them as   
sinfully to drive them to that point4   
,and for the proof thereof1 let us first
 begin at the consideration of the      
shame4   ,,xxiii  ,how can any faithful 
wise man dread death so sore1 for any   
respect of shame1 when his reason and   
his faith together can shortly make him 
perceive that there is no true shame in 
it at all8 ,for how can that death be   
shameful that is glorious8 ,or how can  
it be anything but glorious to die for  
the faith of ,christ1 if we die both for
 the faith and in the faith1 joined with
 hope and charity8 ,for the scripture   
plainly saith1 ,precious in the sight of
 ,god is the death of his saints4 ,now  
if the death of his saints be glorious  

in the sight of ,god1 it can never be   
shameful in very deed1 however shameful 
it seem here in the sight of men4 ,for  
here we may see and be sure that not    
only at the death of ,st4 ,stephen1 to  
whom it pleased him to show himself with
 the heaven open over his head1 but at  
the death also of every may who so dieth
 for the faith1 ,god with his heavenly  
company beholdeth his whole passion and 
verily looketh on4  ,now if it were so1 
cousin1 that you should be brought      
through the broad high-street of a great
 long city2 and if1 all along the way   
that you were going1 there were on one  
side of the way a rabble of ragged      
beggars and madmen1 who would despise   
and dispraise you with all the shameful 
names that they could call you and all  
the villainous words that they could say
 to you2 and if there were then1 all    
along the other side of the same street 
where you should come by1 a goodly      
company standing in a fair range1 a row 
of wise and worshipful folk1 lauding and

 commending you1 more than fifteen times
 as many as that rabble of ragged       
beggars and railing madmen--would you   
willingly turn back1 thinking that you  
went unto your shame1 for the shameful  
jesting and railing of those mad foolish
 wretches8 ,or would you hold on your   
way with a good cheer and a glad heart1 
thinking yourself much honoured by the  
laud and approbation of that other      
honourable company8  ,,vincent3  ,nay1  
by my troth1 uncle1 there is no doubt   
but that ,i would much regard the       
commendation of those commendable folk1 
and regard not a rush the railing of all
 those ribalds4  ,,anthony3  ,then1     
cousin1 no man who hath faith can       
account himself shamed here1 by any     
manner of death that he suffereth for   
the faith of ,christ4 ,for however vile 
and shameful it seem in the sight here  
of a few worldly wretches1 it is lauded 
and approved for very precious and      
honourable in the sight of ,god and all 
the glorious company of heaven1 who as  

perfectly stand and behold it as those  
foolish people do4 ,and they are in     
number more than a hundred to one2 and  
of that hundred1 every one a hundred    
times more to be regarded and esteemed  
than a hundred such whole rabbles of the
 other4  ,and now1 if a man would be so 
mad as to be ashamed1 for fear of the   
rebuke that he should have of such      
rebukeful beasts1 to confess the faith  
of ,christ1 then1 with fleeing from a   
shadow of shame1 he would fall into a   
true shame--and a deadly painful shame  
indeed6 ,for then hath our ,saviour made
 a sure promise that he will show       
himself ashamed of that man before the  
,father of heaven and all his holy      
angels1 saying in the ninth chapter of  
,luke1 ,he who is ashamed of me and my  
words1 of him shall the ,son of ,man be 
ashamed when he shall come in the       
majesty of himself and of his ,father   
and of his holy angels4 ,and what manner
 of shameful shame shall that be1 then8 
,if a man's cheeks glow sometimes for   

shame in this world1 they will fall on  
fire for shame when ,christ shall show  
himself ashamed of them there6  ,the    
blessed apostles reckoned it for great  
glory to suffer for ,christ's faith the 
thing that we worldly wretched fools    
think to be villainy and shame4 ,for    
they1 when they were scourged1 with     
despite and shame1 and thereupon        
commanded to speak no more of the name  
of ,christ1 went their way from the     
council joyful and glad that ,god had   
vouchsafed to do them the worship to    
suffer shameful despite for the name of 
,jesus4 ,and so proud were they of the  
shame and villainous pain put unto them1
 that for all the forbidding of that    
great council assembled1 they ceased not
 every day to preach out the name of    
,jesus still--not only in the temple1   
out of which they were set and whipped  
for the same before1 but also1 to double
 it with1 they went preaching the name  
about from house to house1 too4  ,since 
we regard so greatly the estimation of  

worldly folk1 ,i wish that we would1    
among the many wicked things that they  
do1 regard also some such as are good4  
,for it is a manner among them1 in many 
places1 that some by handicraft1 some by
 merchandise1 some by other kinds of    
living1 arise and come forward in the   
world4 ,and commonly folk are in their  
youth set forth to suitable masters1    
under whom they are brought up and grow4
 ,but now1 whensoever they find a       
servant such that he disdaineth to do   
such things as his master did while he  
was himself a servant1 that servant     
every man accounteth for a proud        
unthrift1 never like to come to good    
proof4 ,let us1 lo1 mark and consider   
this1 and weigh it well withal3 ,our    
master ,christ 7who is not only the     
master1 but the maker too1 of all this  
whole world7 was not so proud as to     
disdain for our sakes the most          
villainous and most shameful death1     
after the worldly count1 that then was  
used in the world4 ,and he endured the  

most despiteful mocking therewith1      
joined to the most grievous pain1 as    
crowning him with sharp thorn1 so that  
the blood ran down about his face4 ,then
 they gave him a reed in his hand for a 
sceptre1 and kneeled down to him and    
saluted him like a king in scorn1 and   
beat then the reed upon the sharp thorns
 about his holy head4 ,now our ,saviour 
saith that the disciple or servant is   
not above his master4 ,and therefore1   
since our master endured so many kinds  
of painful shame1 very proud beasts may 
we well think ourselves if we disdain to
 do as our master did4 ,and whereas he  
through shame ascended into glory1 we   
would be so mad that we would rather    
fall into everlasting shame1 both before
 heaven and hell1 than for fear of a    
short worldly shame to follow him to    
everlasting glory4   ,,xxiv  ,,vincent3 
,in good faith1 uncle1 as for the shame1
 you shall need to take no more pains4  
,for ,i suppose surely that any man who 
hath reason in his head shall hold      

himself satisfied with this4  ,but1 of  
truth1 uncle1 all the pinch is in the   
pain4 ,for as for shame1 ,i perceive    
well now that a man may with wisdom so  
master it that it shall nothing move him
 at all--so much so that it is become a 
common proverb in almost every country  
that shame is as it is taken4 ,but1 by  
,god1 uncle1 all the wisdom in this     
world can never so master pain but that 
pain will be painful1 in spite of all   
the wit in this world6  ,,anthony3      
,truth it is1 cousin1 that no man can1  
with all the reason he hath1 in such    
wise change the nature of pain that in  
the having of pain he feel it not4 ,for 
unless it be felt1 perdy1 it is no pain4
 ,and that is the natural cause1 cousin1
 for which a man may have his leg       
stricken off at the knee and it grieve  
him not--if his head be off but half an 
hour before6  ,but reason may make a    
reasonable man not to shrink from it and
 refuse it to his more hurt and harm4   
,though he would not be so foolish as to

 fall into it without cause1 yet upon   
good causes--either of gaining some kind
 of great profit or avoiding some kind  
of great loss1 or eschewing thereby the 
suffering of far greater pain--he would 
be content and glad to sustain it for   
his far greater advantage and commodity4
  ,and this doth reason alone in many   
cases1 where it hath much less help to  
take hold of than it hath in this matter
 of faith4 ,for you know well that to   
take a sour and bitter potion is great  
grief and displeasure1 and to be lanced 
and have the flesh cut is no little     
pain4 ,now1 when such things are to be  
ministered either to a child or to some 
childish man1 they will by their own    
wills let their sickness and their sore 
grow1 unto their more grief1 till it    
become incurable1 rather than abide the 
pain of the curing in time4 ,and that   
for faint heart1 joined with lack of    
discretion4 ,but a man who hath more    
wisdom1 though without cause he would no
 more abide the pain willingly than     

would the other1 yet1 since reason      
showeth him what good he shall have by  
the suffering1 and what harm by refusing
 it1 this maketh him well content and   
glad also to take it4  ,now then1 if    
reason alone be sufficient to move a man
 to take pain for the gaining of worldly
 rest or pleasure and for the avoiding  
of another pain 7though the pain he take
 be peradventure more1 yet to be endured
 but for a short season71 why should not
 reason1 grounded upon the sure         
foundation of faith1 and helped toward  
also with the aid of ,god's grace--as it
 ever is1 undoubtedly1 when folk for a  
good mind in ,god's name come together1 
our ,saviour saying himself1 ,where     
there are two or three are gathered     
together in my name1 there am ,i also   
even in the very midst of them4 ,why    
should not then reason1 ,i say1 thus    
furthered with faith and grace1 be much 
more able first to engender in us such  
an affection1 and afterward1 by long and
 deep meditation thereof1 so to continue

 that affection that it shall turn into 
a habitual purpose1 fast-rooted and     
deep1 of patiently suffering the painful
 death of this body here in earth for   
the gaining of everlasting wealthy life 
in heaven and avoiding of everlasting   
painful death in hell8  ,,vincent3  ,by 
my troth1 uncle1 ,i can find no words   
that should have any reason with        
them--faith being always presupposed1 as
 you protested in the beginning1 for a  
ground--words1 ,i say1 ,i can find none 
with which ,i might reasonably          
counter-plead this that you have said   
here already4  ,but yet ,i remember the 
fable that sop telleth of a great old   
hart that had fled from a little bitch1 
which had made pursuit after him and    
chased him so long that she had lost    
him1 and 7he hoped7 more than half given
 him over4 ,having then some time to    
talk1 and meeting with another of his   
fellows1 he fell into deliberation with 
him as to what it were best for him to  
do--whether to run on still and fly     

farther from her1 or to turn again and  
fight with her4 ,the other hart advised 
him to fly no farther1 lest the bitch   
might happen to find him again when he  
would be out of breath by the labour of 
farther fleeing1 and thereby all out of 
strength too1 and so would he be killed 
lying where he could not stir himself4  
,whereas1 if he would turn and fight1 he
 would be in no peril at all4 ,for the  
man with whom she hunteth1 he said1 is  
more than a mile behind her4 ,and she is
 but a little body1 scant half so much  
as thou1 and thy horns can thrust her   
through before she can touch thy flesh1 
by more than ten times her tooth-length4
 ,by my troth1 quoth the other hart1 ,i 
like your counsel well1 and methinketh  
that the thing is even soothly as you   
say4 ,but ,i fear me that when ,i hear  
once that cursed bitch bark1 ,i shall   
fall to my feet and forget all together4
 ,but yet1 if you will go back with me1 
then methinketh we shall be strong      
enough against that one bitch between us

 both4 ,the other hart agreed1 and they 
both appointed them thereon4 ,but even  
as they were about to busk them forward 
to it1 the bitch had found the scent    
again1 and on she came yalping toward   
the place4 ,and as soon as the harts    
heard her1 off they went both twain     
apace6  ,and in good faith1 uncle1 even 
so ,i fear it would fare by myself and  
many others too4 ,though we think it    
reason1 what you say1 and in our minds  
agree that we should do as you say--yea1
 and peradventure think also that we    
would indeed do as you say--yet as soon 
as we should once hear those hell-hounds
 the ,turks come yalping and howling    
upon us1 our hearts should soon fall as 
clean from us as those other harts fled 
from the hounds4  ,,anthony3  ,cousin1  
in those days that sop speaketh of1     
though those harts and other brute      
beasts had 7if he say sooth7 the power  
to speak and talk1 and in their talking 
power to talk reason too1 yet they never
 had given them the power to follow     

reason and rule themselves thereby4 ,and
 in good faith1 cousin1 as for such     
things as pertain to the conducting of  
reasonable men to salvation1 ,i think   
that without the help of grace men's    
reasoning shall do little more4 ,but    
then are we sure1 as ,i said before1    
that if we desire grace1 ,god is at such
 reasoning always present and very ready
 to give it4 ,and unless men will       
afterward willingly cast it away1 he is 
ever ready still to keep it and glad    
from time to time to increase it4 ,and  
therefore our ,lord biddeth us1 by the  
mouth of the prophet1 that we should not
 be like such brutish and unreasonable  
beasts as were those harts1 and as are  
horses and mules3 ,be not you like a    
horse and a mule1 that hath no          
understanding4 ,and therefore1 cousin1  
let us never dread but what1 if we will 
apply our minds to the gathering of     
comfort and courage against our         
persecutions1 and hear reason and let it
 sink into our heart and cast it not out

 again 7nor vomit it up1 nor even there 
choke it up and stifle it with pampering
 in and stuffing up our stomachs with a 
surfeit of worldly vanities71 ,god shall
 so well work with it that we shall feel
 strength therein4 ,and so we shall not 
in such wise have all such shameful     
cowardous hearts as to forsake our      
,saviour and thereby lose our own       
salvation and run into eternal fire for 
fear of death joined therein--though    
bitter and sharp1 yet short for all     
that1 and 7in a manner7 a momentary     
pain4  ,,vincent3  ,every man1 uncle1   
naturally grudgeth at pain1 and is very 
loth to come to it4  ,,anthony3  ,that  
is very true1 and no one biddeth any man
 to go run into it1 unless he be taken  
and cannot flee4 ,then1 we say that     
reason plainly telleth us that we should
 rather suffer and endure the less and  
the shorter pain here1 than in hell the 
sorer and so far the longer too4        
,,vincent3  ,i heard of late1 uncle1    
where such a reason was made as you make

 me now1 which reason seemed undoubted  
and inevitable to me4 ,yet heard ,i     
lately1 as ,i say1 a man answer it thus3
 ,he said that if a man in this         
persecution should stand still in the   
confession of his faith and thereby fall
 into painful tormentry1 he might       
peradventure happen1 for the sharpness  
and bitterness of the pain1 to forsake  
our ,saviour even in the midst of it1   
and die there with his sin1 and so be   
damned forever4 ,whereas1 by the        
forsaking of the faith in the beginning1
 and for the time--and yet only in word1
 keeping it still nevertheless in his   
heart--a man might save himself from    
that painful death and afterward ask    
mercy and have it1 and live long and do 
many good deeds1 and be saved as ,st4   
,peter was4  ,,anthony3  ,that man's    
reason1 cousin1 is like a three-footed  
stool--so tottering on every side that  
whosoever sits on it may soon take a    
foul fall4 ,for these are the three feet
 of this tottering stool3 fantastical   

fear1 false faith1 and false flattering 
hope4  ,first1 it is a fantastical fear 
that the man conceiveth1 that it should 
be perilous to stand in the confession  
of the faith at the beginning1 lest he  
might afterward1 through the bitterness 
of the pain1 fall to the forsaking and  
so die there in the pain1 out of hand1  
and thereby be utterly damned4 ,as      
though1 if a man were overcome by pain  
and so forsook his faith1 ,god could not
 or would not as well give him grace to 
repent again1 and thereupon give him    
forgiveness1 as he would give it to him 
who forsook his faith in the beginning  
and set so little by ,god that he would 
rather forsake him than suffer for his  
sake any manner of pain at all6 ,as     
though the more pain that a man taketh  
for ,god's sake1 the worse would ,god be
 to him6 ,if this reason were not       
unreasonable1 then should our ,saviour  
not have said1 as he did1 ,fear not them
 that may kill the body1 and after that 
have nothing that they can do further4  

,for he should1 by this reason1 have    
said1 ,dread and fear them that may slay
 the body1 for they may1 by the torment 
of painful death 7unless thou forsake me
 betimes in the beginning and so save   
thy life1 and get of me thy pardon and  
forgiveness afterward7 make thee        
peradventure forsake me too late1 and so
 be damned forever4  ,the second foot of
 this tottering stool is a false faith4 
,for it is but a feigned faith for a man
 to say to ,god secretly that he        
believeth him1 trusteth him1 and loveth 
him1 and then openly1 where he should to
 ,god's honour tell the same tale and   
thereby prove that he doth so1 there to 
,god's dishonour flatter ,god's enemies 
as much as in him is1 and do them       
pleasure and worship1 with the forsaking
 of ,god's faith before the world4 ,and 
such a one either is faithless in his   
heart too1 or else knoweth well that he 
doth ,god this despite even before his  
own face4 ,for unless he lack faith1 he 
cannot but know that our ,lord is       

everywhere present1 and that1 while he  
so shamefully forsaketh him1 he full    
angrily looketh on4  ,the third foot of 
this tottering stool is false flattering
 hope4 ,for since the thing that he     
doth1 when he forsaketh his faith for   
fear1 is forbidden by the mouth of ,god 
upon the pain of eternal death1 though  
the goodness of ,god forgiveth many folk
 for the fault1 yet to be bolder in     
offending for the hope of forgiving is a
 very false pestilent hope1 with which a
 man flattereth himself toward his own  
destruction4  ,he who1 in a sudden turn 
for fear or other affection1 unadvisedly
 falleth1 and after1 in labouring to    
rise again1 comforteth himself with hope
 of ,god's gracious forgiveness1 walketh
 in the ready way toward his salvation4 
,but he who with the hope of ,god's     
mercy to follow1 doth encourage himself 
to sin1 and thereby offendeth ,god      
first--,i have no power to keep the hand
 of ,god from giving out his pardon     
where he will 7nor would ,i if ,i could1

 but rather help to pray for it71 but   
yet ,i very sorely fear that such a man 
may miss the grace to ask it in such    
effectual wise as to have it granted4   
,nor can ,i now instantly remember any  
example or promise expressed in holy    
scripture that the offender in such a   
case shall have the grace offered       
afterward1 in such wise to seek for     
pardon that ,god1 by his other promises 
of remission promised to penitents1     
would be bound himself to grant it4 ,but
 this kind of presumption1 under pretext
 of hope1 seemeth rather to draw near on
 the one side 7as despair doth1 on the  
other7 toward the abominable sin of     
blasphemy against the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and
 against that sin1 concerning either the
 impossibility or at least the great    
difficulty of forgiveness1 our ,saviour 
himself hath spoken in the twelfth      
chapter of ,st4 ,matthew and in the     
third chapter of ,st4 ,mark1 where he   
saith that blasphemy against the ,holy  
,ghost shall never be forgiven1 neither 

in this world nor in the world to come4 
,and where the man that you speak of    
took in his reason an example of ,st4   
,peter1 who forsook our ,saviour and got
 forgiveness afterward1 let him consider
 again on the other hand that he forsook
 him not upon the boldness of such a    
sinful trust1 but was overcome and      
vanquished by a sudden fear4 ,and yet1  
by that forsaking1 ,st4 ,peter won but  
little1 for he did but delay his trouble
 for a little while1 as you know well4  
,for beside that1 he repented forthwith 
very sorely that he had so done1 and    
wept for it forthwith full bitterly4 ,he
 came forth at the ,whitsuntide ensuing1
 and confessed his ,master again1 and   
soon after that1 he was imprisoned for  
it4 ,and not ceasing so1 he was         
thereupon sore scourged for the         
confession of his faith1 and yet after  
that imprisoned again afresh4 ,and1     
being from thence delivered1 he stinted 
not to preach on still until1 after     
manifold labours1 travails1 and         

troubles1 he was in ,rome crucified and 
with cruel torment slain4  ,and in like 
wise ,i think ,i might 7in a manner7    
well warrant that no man who denieth our
 ,saviour once and afterward attaineth  
remission shall escape through that     
denial one penny the cheaper1 but that  
he shall1 ere he come to heaven1 full   
surely pay for it4  ,,vincent3  ,he     
shall peradventure1 uncle1 afterward    
work it out in the fruitful works of    
penance1 prayer1 and almsdeed1 done in  
true faith and due charity1 and in such 
wise attain forgiveness well enough4    
,,anthony3  ,all his forgiveness goeth1 
cousin1 as you see well1 but by perhaps4
 ,but as it may be perhaps yea1 so may  
it be perhaps nay1 and where is he then8
 ,and yet1 you know1 he shall never1 by 
any manner of hap1 hap finally to escape
 from death1 for fear of which he       
forsook his faith4  ,,vincent3  ,no1 but
 he may die his natural death1 and      
escape that violent death4 ,and then he 
saveth himself from much pain and so    

winneth much ease4 ,for a violent death 
is ever painful4  ,,anthony3            
,peradventure he shall not avoid a      
violent death thereby1 for ,god is      
without doubt displeased1 and can bring 
him shortly to as violent a death by    
some other way4  ,howbeit1 ,i see well  
that you reckon that whosoever dieth a  
natural death1 dieth like a wanton even 
at his ease4 ,you make me remember a man
 who was once in a light galley with us 
on the sea4 ,while the sea was sore     
wrought and the waves rose very high1 he
 lay tossed hither and thither1 for he  
had never been to sea before4 ,the poor 
soul groaned sore and for pain thought  
he would very fain be dead1 and ever he 
wished1 ,would ,god ,i were on land1    
that ,i might die in rest6 ,the waves so
 troubled him there1 with tossing him up
 and down1 to and fro1 that he thought  
that trouble prevented him from dying1  
because the waves would not let him     
rest6 ,but if he might get once to land1
 he thought he should then die there    

even at his ease4  ,,vincent3  ,nay1    
uncle1 this is no doubt1 but that death 
is to every man painful4 ,but yet is not
 the natural death so painful as the    
violent4  ,,anthony3  ,by my troth1     
cousin1 methinketh that the death which 
men commonly call natural is a violent  
death to every may whom it fetcheth     
hence by force against his will4 ,and   
that is every man who1 when he dieth1 is
 loth to die and fain would yet live    
longer if he could4  ,howbeit1 cousin1  
fain would ,i know who hath told you how
 small is the pain in the natural death6
 ,as far as ,i can perceive1 those folk 
that commonly depart of their natural   
death have ever one disease and sickness
 or another4 ,and if the pain of the    
whole week or twain in which they lie   
pining in their bed1 were gathered      
together in so short a time as a man    
hath his pain who dieth a violent death1
 it would1 ,i daresay1 make double the  
pain that is his4 ,so he who dieth      
naturally often suffereth more pain     

rather than less1 though he suffer it in
 a longer time4 ,and then would many a  
man be more loth to suffer so long1     
lingering in pain1 than with a sharper  
pang to be sooner rid4 ,and yet lieth   
many a man more days than one1 in       
well-near as great pain continually1 as 
is the pain that with the violent death 
riddeth the man in less than half an    
hour--unless you think that1 whereas the
 pain is great to have a knife cut the  
flesh on the outside from the skin      
inward1 the pain would be much less if  
the knife might begin on the inside and 
cut from the midst outward6 ,some we    
hear1 on their deathbed1 complain that  
they think they feel sharp knives cut in
 two their heartstrings4 ,some cry out  
and think they feel1 within the         
brainpan1 their head pricked even full  
of pins4 ,and those who lie in a        
pleurisy think that1 every time they    
cough1 they feel a sharp sword snap them
 to the heart4   ,,xxv  ,howbeit1 what  
need we to make any such comparison     

between the natural death and the       
violent1 for the matter that we are in  
hand with here8 ,without doubt1 he who  
forsaketh the faith of ,christ for fear 
of the violent death1 putteth himself in
 peril to find his natural death a      
thousand times more painful4 ,for his   
natural death hath his everlasting pain 
so instantly knit to it1 that there is  
not one moment of time between1 but the 
end of the one is the beginning of the  
other1 which never after shall have an  
end4  ,and therefore was it not without 
great cause that ,christ gave us so good
 warning before1 when he said1 as ,st4  
,luke in the twenty-second chapter      
rehearseth1 ,i say to you that are my   
friends1 be not afraid of them that kill
 the body1 and when that is done are    
able to do no more4 ,but ,i shall show  
you whom you should fear4 ,fear him who1
 when he hath killed1 hath in his power 
further to cast him whom he killeth into
 everlasting fire4 ,so ,i say to you1 be
 afraid of him4 ,god meaneth not here   

that we should not dread at all any man 
who can but kill the body1 but he       
meaneth that we should not in such wise 
dread any such man that we should1 for  
dread of them1 displease him who can    
everlastingly kill both body and soul   
with a death ever-dying and that shall  
yet never die4 ,and therefore he addeth 
and repeateth in the end again1 the fear
 that we should have of him1 and saith1 
,so ,i say to you1 fear him4  ,o good   
,god1 cousin1 if a man would well weigh 
those words and let them sink down deep 
into his heart as they should do1 and   
often bethink himself on them1 it would 
7,i doubt not7 be able enough to make us
 set at naught all the great ,turk's    
threats1 and esteem him not a straw4    
,but we should be well content to endure
 all the pain that all the world could  
put upon us1 for so short a while as all
 they were able to make us dwell in it1 
rather than1 by shrinking from those    
pains 7though never so sharp1 yet but   
short71 to cast ourselves into the pain 

of hell--a hundred thousand times more  
intolerable1 and of which there shall   
never come an end4 ,a woeful death is   
that death1 in which folk shall evermore
 be dying and never can once be dead6   
,for the scripture saith1 ,they shall   
call and cry for death1 and death shall 
fly from them4  ,o1 good ,lord1 if one  
of them were not put in choice of both1 
he would rather suffer the whole year   
together the most terrible death that   
all the ,turks in ,turkey could devise1 
than to endure for the space of half an 
hour the death that they lie in now4    
,into what wretched folly fall1 then1   
those faithless or feeble-faithed folk1 
who1 to avoid the pain that is so far   
the less and so short1 fall instead into
 pain a thousand thousand times more    
horrible1 and terrible torment of which 
they are sure they shall never have an  
end6  ,this matter1 cousin1 lacketh1 ,i 
believe1 only full faith or sufficient  
minding4 ,for ,i think1 on my faith1    
that if we have the grace verily to     

believe it and often to think well on   
it1 the fear of all the ,turk's         
persecution--with all this midday devil 
were able to do in the forcing of us to 
forsake our faith--should never be able 
to turn us4  ,,vincent3  ,by my troth1  
uncle1 ,i think it is as you say4 ,for  
surely1 if we would often think on these
 pains of hell--as we are very loth to  
do1 and purposely seek us childish      
pastimes to put such heavy things out of
 our thought--this one point alone would
 be able enough1 ,i think1 to make many 
a martyr4   ,,xxvi  ,,anthony3          
,forsooth1 cousin1 if we were such as we
 should be1 ,i would scant1 for very    
shame1 speak of the pains of hell in    
exhortation to the keeping of ,christ's 
faith4 ,i would rather put us in mind of
 the joys of heaven1 the pleasure of    
which we should be more glad to get than
 we should be to flee and escape all the
 pains of hell4  ,but surely ,god is    
marvellous merciful to us in the thing  
in which he may seem most rigorous4 ,and

 that is 7which many men would little   
think7 in that he provided hell4 ,for ,i
 suppose very surely1 cousin1 that many 
a man--and woman1 too--of whom some now 
sit1 and more shall hereafter sit1 full 
gloriously crowned in heaven1 had they  
not first been afraid of hell1 would    
never have set foot toward heaven4  ,but
 yet undoubtedly1 if we could conceive  
in our hearts the marvellous joys of    
heaven as well as we conceive the       
fearful pains of hell--howbeit1 we can  
conceive neither one sufficiently4 ,but 
if we could in our imagination approach 
as much toward the perceiving of the one
 as we may toward the consideration of  
the other1 we would not fail to be far  
more moved and stirred to suffering for 
,christ's sake in this world1 for the   
winning of those heavenly joys than for 
the eschewing of all those infernal     
pains4 ,but forasmuch as the fleshly    
pleasures are far less pleasant than the
 fleshly pains are painful1 therefore we
 fleshly folk1 who are so drowned in    

these fleshly pleasures and in the      
desire of them that we have almost no   
manner of savour or taste for any       
pleasure that is spiritual1 we have no  
cause to marvel that our fleshly        
affections are more abated and refrained
 by the dread and terror of hell than   
spiritual affections are imprinted in us
 and pricked forward with the desire and
 joyful hope of heaven4  ,howbeit1 if we
 would set somewhat less by the filthy  
voluptuous appetites of the flesh1 and  
would1 by withdrawing from them1 with   
help of prayer through the grace of     
,god1 draw nearer to the secret inward  
pleasure of the spirit1 we should1 by   
the little sipping that our hearts      
should have here now1 and that          
instantaneous taste of it1 have an      
estimation of the incomparable and      
uncogitable joy that we shall have 7if  
we will7 in heaven1 by the very full    
draught thereof4 ,for thereof it is     
written1 ,i shall be satiate or         
satisfied1 or fulfilled1 when thy glory1

 good ,lord1 shall appear1 that is1 with
 the fruition of the sight of ,god's    
glorious majesty face to face4 ,and the 
desire1 expectation1 and heavenly hope  
thereof1 shall more encourage us and    
make us strong to suffer and sustain for
 the love of ,god and salvation of our  
soul1 than ever we could be made to     
suffer worldly pain here by the terrible
 dread of all the horrible pains that   
damned wretches have in hell4           
,therefore in the meantime1 for lack of 
such experimental taste as ,god giveth  
here sometimes to some of his special   
servants1 to the intent that we may draw
 toward the spiritual exercise too--for 
which spiritual exercise ,god with that 
gift1 as with an earnest-penny of their 
whole reward afterward in heaven1       
comforteth them here in earth--let us   
labour by prayer to conceive in our     
hearts such a fervent longing for them  
that we may1 for attaining to them1     
utterly set at naught all fleshly       
delight1 all worldly pleasures1 all     

earthly losses1 all bodily torment and  
pain4 ,and let us do this1 not so much  
with looking to have described what     
manner of joys they shall be1 as with   
hearing what our ,lord telleth us in    
holy scripture how marvellous great they
 shall be4 ,howbeit1 some things are    
there in scripture expressed of the     
manner of the pleasures and joys that we
 shall have in heaven1 as1 ,righteous   
men shall shine as the sun and shall run
 about like sparkles of fire among      
reeds4  ,now1 tell some carnal-minded   
man of this manner of pleasure1 and he  
shall take little pleasure in it1 and   
say he careth not to have his flesh     
shine1 he1 nor like a spark of fire to  
skip about in the sky4 ,tell him that   
his body shall be impassible and never  
feel harm1 and he will think then that  
he shall never be ahungered or athirst1 
and shall thereby forbear all his       
pleasure of eating and drinking1 and    
that he shall never wish for sleep1 and 
shall thereby lose the pleasure that he 

was wont to take in lying slug-abed4    
,tell him that men and women shall there
 live together as angels without any    
manner of mind or motion unto the carnal
 act of generation1 and he will think   
that he shall thereby not use there his 
old filthy voluptuous fashion4 ,he will 
say then that he is better at ease      
already1 and would not give this world  
for that4 ,for1 as ,st4 ,paul saith1 ,a 
carnal man feeleth not the things that  
be of the spirit of ,god1 for it is     
foolishness to him4  ,but the time shall
 come when these foul filthy pleasures  
shall be so taken from him that it shall
 abhor his heart once to think on them4 
,every man hath a certain shadow of this
 experience in the fervent grief of a   
sore painful sickness1 when his stomach 
can scant abide to look upon any meat1  
and as for the acts of the other foul   
filthy lust1 he is ready to vomit if he 
hap to think thereon4 ,when a man shall 
after this life feel in his heart that  
horrible abomination1 of which sickness 

hath here a shadow1 at the remembrance  
of these voluptuous pleasures1 for which
 he would here be loth to change with   
the joys of heaven3 when he shall1 ,i   
say1 after this life1 have his fleshly  
pleasures in abomination1 and shall have
 there a glimmering 7though far from a  
perfect sight7 of those heavenly joys   
which here he set so little by--,o1 good
 ,god1 how fain will he then be1 with   
how good will and how gladly would he   
then give this whole world1 if it were  
his1 to have the feeling of some little 
part of those joys6  ,and therefore let 
us all who cannot now conceive such     
delight in the consideration of them as 
we should1 have often in our eyes by    
reading1 often in our ears by hearing1  
often in our mouths by rehearsing1 often
 in our hearts by meditation and        
thinking1 those joyful words of the holy
 scripture by which we learn how        
wonderful huge and great are those      
spiritual heavenly joys4 ,our carnal    
hearts have so feeble and so faint a    

feeling of them1 and our dull worldly   
wits are so little able to conceive so  
much as a shadow of the right           
imagination6 ,a shadow1 ,i say1 for1 as 
for the thing as it is1 not only can no 
fleshly carnal fancy conceive that1 but 
beside that no spiritual person         
peradventure neither1 so long as he is  
still living here in this world4 ,for   
since the very essential substance of   
all the celestial joy standeth in the   
blessed beholding of the glorious       
,godhead face to face1 no man may       
presume or look to attain it in this    
life4 ,for ,god hath said so himself3   
,there shall no man here living behold  
me4 ,and therefore we may well know not 
only that we are1 for the state of this 
life1 kept from the fruition of the     
bliss of heaven1 but also ,i think that 
the very best man living here upon      
earth--the best man1 ,i mean1 who is no 
more than man--cannot attain the right  
imagination of it2 but those who are    
very virtuous are yet 7in a manner7 as  

far from it as a man born blind is from 
the right imagination of colours4  ,the 
words that ,st4 ,paul rehearseth of the 
prophet ,isaiah1 prophesying of         
,christ's incarnation1 may properly be  
verified of the joys of heaven3 ,oculus 
non vidit1 nec auris audivit1 nec in cor
 hominis adscendit1 quae preparavit     
,deus diligentibus se4 ,for surely1 for 
this state of this world1 the joys of   
heaven are by man's mouth unspeakable1  
to man's ears not audible1 to men's     
hearts uncogitable1 so far excel they   
all that ever men have heard of1 all    
that ever men can speak of1 and all that
 men can by natural possibility think   
on4  ,and yet1 whereas such be the joys 
of heaven that are prepared for every   
saved soul1 our ,lord saith yet1 by the 
mouth of ,st4 ,john1 that he will give  
his holy martyrs who suffer for his sake
 many a special kind of joy4 ,for he    
saith1 ,to him that overcometh1 ,i shall
 give him to eat of the tree of life4   
,and ,i shall confess his name before my

 ,father and before his angels4 ,and    
also he saith1 ,fear none of those      
things that thou shalt suffer 4 4 4 1   
but be faithful unto the death1 and ,i  
shall give thee the crown of life4 ,he  
that overcometh shall not be hurt of the
 second death4 ,and he saith also1 ,to  
him that overcometh will ,i give manna  
secret and hid4 ,and ,i will give him a 
white suffrage1 and in his suffrage a   
new name written1 which no man knoweth  
but he that receiveth it4 ,they used of 
old in ,greece1 where ,st4 ,john did    
write1 to elect and choose men unto     
honourable offices1 and every man's     
assent was called his suffrage1 which in
 some places was by voices and in some  
places by hands4 ,and one kind of those 
suffrages was by certain things that in 
,latin are called calculi because1 in   
some places1 they used round stones for 
them4 ,now our ,lord saith that unto him
 who overcometh he will give a white    
suffrage1 for those that were white     
signified approving1 as the black       

signified reproving4 ,and in those      
suffrages did they use to write the name
 of him to whom they gave their vote4   
,now our ,lord saith that to him who    
overcometh he will in the suffrage give 
him a new name1 which no man knoweth but
 him who receiveth it4 ,he saith also1  
,he that overcometh1 ,i will make him a 
pillar in the temple of my ,god1 and he 
shall go no more out thereof1 and ,i    
shall write upon him the name of my ,god
 and the name of the city of my ,god1   
the new ,jerusalem which descendeth from
 heaven from my ,god1 and ,i shall write
 on him also my new name4 ,if we wished 
to enlarge upon this1 and were able to  
declare these special gifts1 with yet   
others that are specified in the second 
and third chapters of the ,apocalypse1  
then would it appear how far those      
heavenly joys shall surmount above all  
the comfort that ever came in the mind  
of any man living here upon earth4  ,the
 blessed apostle ,st4 ,paul1 who        
suffered so many perils and so many     

passions1 saith of himself that he hath 
been in many labours1 in prisons oftener
 than others1 in stripes above measure1 
at point of death often times2 of the   
,jews had ,i five times forty stripes   
save one1 thrice have ,i been beaten    
with rods1 once was ,i stoned1 thrice   
have ,i been in shipwreck1 a day and a  
night was ,i in the depth of the sea2 in
 my journeys oft have ,i been in peril  
of floods1 in peril of thieves1 in peril
 by the ,jews1 in perils by the pagans1 
in perils in the city1 in perils in the 
desert1 in perils in the sea1 perils by 
false brethren1 in labour and misery1 in
 many nights' watch1 in hunger and      
thirst1 in many fastings1 in cold and   
nakedness2 beside those things that are 
outward1 my daily instant labour1 ,i    
mean my care and solicitude about all   
the churches1 and yet saith he more of  
his tribulations1 which for the length  
,i let pass4 ,this blessed apostle1 ,i  
say1 for all these tribulations that he 
himself suffered in the continuance of  

so many years1 calleth all the          
tribulations of this world but light and
 as short as a moment1 in respect of the
 weighty glory that it winneth us after 
this world3 ,this same short and        
momentary tribulation of ours that is in
 this present time1 worketh within us   
the weight of glory above measure on    
high1 we beholding not these things that
 we see1 but those things that we see   
not4 ,for those things that we see are  
but temporal things1 but those things   
that are not seen are eternal4  ,now to 
this great glory no man can come        
headless4 ,our head is ,christ1 and     
therefore to him must we be joined1 and 
as members of his must we follow him1 if
 we wish to come thither4 ,he is our    
guide to guide us thither1 and he is    
entered in before us4 ,and he therefore 
who will enter in after1 the same way   
that ,christ walked1 the same way must  
he walk4 ,and what was the way by which 
he walked into heaven8 ,he himself      
showed what way it was that his ,father 

had provided for him1 when he said to   
the two disciples going toward the      
village of ,emaus1 ,knew you not that   
,christ must suffer passion1 and by that
 way enter into his kingdom8 ,who can   
for very shame desire to enter into the 
kingdom of ,christ with ease1 when he   
himself entered not into his own without
 pain8   ,,xxvii  ,surely1 cousin1 as ,i
 said before1 in bearing the loss of    
worldly goods1 in suffering captivity1  
thraldom1 and imprisonment1 and in the  
glad sustaining of worldly shame1 if we 
would in all those points deeply ponder 
the example of our ,saviour himself1 it 
would be sufficient of itself alone to  
encourage every true ,christian man and 
woman to refuse none of all those       
calamities for his sake4  ,so say ,i now
 for painful death also3 ,if we could   
and would with due compassion conceive  
in our minds a right imagination and    
remembrance of ,christ's bitter painful 
passion--of the many sore bloody strokes
 that the cruel tormentors gave him with

 rods and whips upon every part of his  
holy tender body2 of the scornful crown 
of sharp thorns beaten down upon his    
holy head1 so strait and so deep that on
 every part his blessed blood issued out
 and streamed down2 of his lovely limbs 
drawn and stretched out upon the cross1 
to the intolerable pain of his          
sore-beaten veins and sinews1 feeling   
anew1 with the cruel stretching and     
straining1 pain far surpassing any cramp
 in every part of his blessed body at   
once2 of the great long nails then      
cruelly driven with the hammer through  
his holy hands and feet2 of his body1 in
 this horrible pain1 lifted up and let  
hang1 with all its weight bearing down  
upon the painful wounded places so      
grievously pierced with nails2 and in   
such torment1 without pity1 but not     
without many despites1 suffered to be   
pined and pained the space of more than 
three long hours1 till he himself       
willingly gave up unto his ,father his  
holy soul2 after which yet1 to show the 

mightiness of their malice1 after his   
holy soul departed1 they pierced his    
holy heart with a sharp spear1 at which 
issued out the holy blood and water1    
whence his holy sacraments have         
inestimable secret strength--if we      
could1 ,i say1 remember these things1 in
 such a way as would ,god that we would1
 ,i verily suppose that the             
consideration of his incomparable       
kindness could not fail so to inflame   
our key-cold hearts1 and set them on    
fire with his love1 that we should find 
ourselves not only content but also glad
 and desirous to suffer death for his   
sake who so marvellously lovingly       
forbore not to sustain so far passing   
painful death for ours4  ,would ,god    
that we would here--to the shame of our 
cold affection toward ,god1 in return   
for such fervent love and inestimable   
kindness of ,god toward us--would ,god  
we would1 ,i say1 but consider what hot 
affection many of these fleshly lovers  
have borne and daily bear to those upon 

whom they dote4 ,how many of them have  
not stinted to jeopard their lives1 and 
how many have willingly lost their lives
 indeed1 without any great kindness     
showed them before--and afterward1 you  
know1 they could nothing win6 ,but it   
contented and satisfied their minds that
 by their death their lover should      
clearly see how faithfully they loved4  
,the delight thereof1 imprinted in their
 fancy1 not only assuaged their pain but
 also1 they thought1 outweighed it all4 
,of these affections1 with the wonderful
 dolorous effects following upon them1  
not only old written stories1 but beside
 that experience1 ,i think1 in every    
country1 ,christian and heathen both1   
giveth us proof enough4 ,and is it not  
then a wonderful shame for us1 for the  
dread of temporal death1 to forsake our 
,saviour who willingly suffered so      
painful death rather than forsake us8   
,considering that1 beside that1 he shall
 for our suffering so highly reward us  
with everlasting wealth4 ,oh1 if he who 

is content to die for his love1 of whom 
he looketh afterward for no reward1 and 
yet by his death goeth from her1 might  
by his death be sure to come to her and 
ever after in delight and pleasure to   
dwell with her--such a love would not   
stint here to die for her twice6 ,and   
what cold lovers are we then unto ,god1 
if1 rather than die for him once1 we    
will refuse him and forsake him         
forever--him who both died for us       
before1 and hath also provided that1 if 
we die here for him1 we shall in heaven 
everlastingly both live and also reign  
with him6 ,for as ,st4 ,paul saith1 ,if 
we suffer with him1 we shall reign with 
him4  ,how many ,romans1 how many noble 
hearts of other sundry countries1 have  
willingly given their own lives and     
suffered great deadly pains and very    
painful deaths for their countries1 to  
win by their death only the reward of   
worldly renown and fame6 ,and should we1
 then1 shrink to suffer as much for     
eternal honour in heaven and everlasting

 glory8 ,the devil hath also some       
heretics so obstinate that they         
wittingly endure painful death for vain 
glory4 ,and is it not then more than    
shame that ,christ shall see his        
,catholics forsake his faith rather than
 suffer the same for heaven and true    
glory8  ,would ,god1 as ,i many times   
have said1 that the remembrance of      
,christ's kindness in suffering his     
passion for us1 the consideration of    
hell that we shall fall in by forsaking 
him1 and the joyful meditation of       
eternal life in heaven that we shall win
 with this short temporal death         
patiently taken for him1 had so deep a  
place in our breast as reason would that
 they should--and as1 if we would strive
 toward it and labour for it and pray   
for it1 ,i verily think they would4 ,for
 then should they so take up our mind   
and ravish it all another way1 that1 as 
a man hurt in a fray feeleth not        
sometimes his wound nor yet is aware of 
it1 until his mind fall more thereon 7so

 much so that sometimes another man     
telleth him that he hath lost a hand    
before he perceive it himself71 so the  
mind ravished in the thinking deeply of 
those other things--,christ's death1    
hell1 and heaven--would be likely to    
diminish and put away four parts of the 
feeling of our painful death--either of 
the death or the pain4 ,for of this am  
,i very sure3 ,if we had the fifteenth  
part of the love for ,christ that he    
both had and hath for us1 all the pain  
of this ,turk's persecution could not   
keep us from him1 but there would be at 
this day as many martyrs here in        
,hungary as there have been before in   
other countries of old4  ,and ,i doubt  
not but that1 if the ,turk stood even   
here with all his whole army about him2 
and if every one of them all were ready 
at hand with all the terrible torments  
that they could imagine1 and were       
setting their torments to us unless we  
would forsake the faith2 and if to the  
increase of our terror they fell all at 

once in a shout1 with trumpets1 tabrets1
 and timbrels all blown up at once1 and 
all their guns let go therewith to make 
us a fearful noise2 if then1 on the     
other hand1 the ground should suddenly  
quake and rive atwain1 and the devils   
should rise out of hell and show        
themselves in such ugly shape as damned 
wretches shall see them2 and if1 with   
that hideous howling that those         
hell-hounds should screech1 they should 
lay hell open on every side round about 
our feet1 so that as we stood we should 
look down into that pestilent pit and   
see the swarm of poor souls in the      
terrible torments there--we would wax so
 afraid of the sight that we should     
scantly remember that we saw the ,turk's
 host4  ,and in good faith1 for all     
that1 yet think ,i further this3 ,if    
there might then appear the great glory 
of ,god1 the ,trinity in his high       
marvellous majesty1 our ,saviour in his 
glorious manhood sitting on the throne1 
with his immaculate mother and all that 

glorious company1 calling us there unto 
them2 and if our way should yet lie     
through marvellous painful death before 
we could come at them--upon the sight1  
,i say1 of that glory1 ,i daresay there 
would be no man who once would shrink at
 death1 but every man would run on      
toward them in all that ever he could1  
though there lay by the way1 to kill us 
for malice1 both all the ,turk's        
tormentors and all the devils4  ,and    
therefore1 cousin1 let us well consider 
these things1 and let us have sure hope 
in the help of ,god4 ,and then ,i doubt 
not but what we shall be sure that1 as  
the prophet saith1 the truth of his     
promise shall so compass us with a      
shield that we shall never need to fear4
 ,for either1 if we trust in ,god well1 
and prepare us for it1 the ,turk shall  
never meddle with us2 or else1 if he do1
 he shall do us no harm but1 instead of 
harm1 inestimable good4 ,wherefore      
should we so sore now despair of ,god's 
gracious help1 unless we were such      

madmen as to think that either his power
 or his mercy were worn out already8    
,for we see that so many a thousand holy
 martyrs1 by his holy help1 suffered as 
much before as any man shall be put to  
now4 ,or what excuse can we have by the 
tenderness of our flesh8 ,for we can be 
no more tender than were many of them1  
among whom were not only men of         
strength1 but also weak women and       
children4 ,and since the strength of    
them all stood in the help of ,god2 and 
since the very strongest of them all was
 never able to himself to stand against 
all the world1 and with ,god's help the 
feeblest of them all was strong enough  
so to stand2 let us prepare ourselves   
with prayer1 with our whole trust in his
 help1 without any trust in our own     
strength4 ,let us think on it and       
prepare ourselves for it in our minds   
long before4 ,let us therein conform our
 will unto his1 not desiring to be      
brought unto the peril of persecution   
7for it beseemeth a proud high mind to  

desire martyrdom7 but desiring help and 
strength of ,god1 if he suffer us to    
come to the stress--either being sought1
 found1 and brought out against our     
wills1 or else being by his commandment1
 for the comfort of our cure1 bound to  
abide4  ,let us fall to fasting1 to     
prayer1 and to almsdeed in time1 and    
give unto ,god that which may be taken  
from us4 ,if the devil put in our mind  
the saving of our land and our goods1   
let us remember that we cannot save them
 long4 ,if he frighten us with exile and
 flying from our country1 let us        
remember that we be born into the broad 
world1 not to stick still in one place  
like a tree1 and that whithersoever we  
go1 ,god shall go with us4 ,if he       
threaten us with captivity1 let us      
answer him that it is better to be      
thrall unto a man for a while1 for the  
pleasure of ,god1 than1 by displeasing  
,god1 to be perpetual thrall unto the   
devil4 ,if he threaten us with          
imprisonment1 let us tell him that we   

would rather be man's prisoner a while  
here in earth than1 by forsaking the    
faith1 be his prisoners for ever in     
hell4 ,if he put in our minds the terror
 of the ,turks1 let us consider his     
false sleight1 for this tale he telleth 
us to make us forget him4 ,but let us   
remember well that1 in respect of       
himself1 the ,turks are but a shadow4   
,and all that they can do can be but a  
flea-bite in comparison with the        
mischief that he goeth about4 ,the      
,turks are but his tormentors1 for he   
himself doth the deed4 ,our ,lord saith 
in the ,apocalypse1 ,the devil shall    
send some of you to prison1 to tempt    
you4 ,he saith not that men shall1 but  
that the devil shall1 himself4 ,for     
without question the devil's own deed it
 is1 to bring us by his temptation1 with
 fear and force1 into eternal damnation4
 ,and therefore saith ,st4 ,paul1 ,our  
wrestling is not against flesh and      
blood1 etc4  ,thus may we see that in   
such persecutions it is the midday devil

 himself that maketh such incursion upon
 us1 by the men who are his ministers1  
to make us fall for fear4 ,for until we 
fall he can never hurt us4 ,and         
therefore saith ,st4 ,james1 ,stand     
against the devil and he shall flee from
 you4 ,for he never runneth upon a man  
to seize him with his claws until he see
 him down on the ground1 willingly      
fallen himself4 ,for his fashion is to  
set his servants against us1 and by them
 to make us fall for fear or for        
impatience4 ,and he himself in the      
meanwhile compasseth us1 running and    
roaring like a ramping lion about us1   
looking to see who will fall1 that he   
may then devour him4 ,your adversary the
 devil1 saith ,st4 ,peter1 like a       
roaring lion1 runneth about in circuit1 
seeking whom he may devour4  ,the devil 
it is1 therefore1 who1 if we will fall  
for fear of men1 is ready to run upon us
 and devour us4 ,and is it wisdom1 then1
 to think so much upon the ,turks that  
we forget the devil8 ,what a madman     

would he be who1 when a lion were about 
to devour him1 would vouchsafe to regard
 the biting of a little fisting cur8    
,therefore1 when he roareth out upon us 
by the threats of mortal men1 let us    
tell him that with our inward eye we see
 him well enough1 and intend to stand   
and fight with him1 even hand to hand4  
,if he threaten us that we be too weak1 
let us tell him that our captain ,christ
 is with us1 and that we shall fight    
with the strength of him who hath       
vanquished him already4 ,and let us     
fence with faith1 and comfort us with   
hope1 and smite the devil in the face   
with the firebrand of charity4 ,for     
surely1 if we be of the tender loving   
mind that our ,master was1 and do not   
hate them that kill us but pity them and
 pray for them1 with sorrow for the     
peril that they work unto themselves1   
then that fire of charity thrown in his 
face will strike the devil suddenly so  
blind that he cannot see where to fasten
 a stroke on us4  ,when we feel         

ourselves too bold1 let us remember our 
own feebleness1 and when we feel        
ourselves too faint1 let us remember    
,christ's strength4 ,in our fear1 let us
 remember ,christ's painful agony1 that 
he himself would for our comfort suffer 
before his passion1 to the intent that  
no fear should make us despair4 ,and let
 us ever call for his help1 such as he  
himself may please to send us4 ,and then
 need we never doubt but that he shall  
either keep us from the painful death1  
or else strengthen us in it so that he  
shall joyously bring us to heaven by it4
 ,and then doth he much more for us than
 if he kept us from it4 ,for ,god did   
more for poor ,lazarus1 in helping him  
patiently to die for hunger at the rich 
man's door1 than if he had brought to   
him at the door all the rich glutton's  
dinner4 ,so1 though he be gracious to a 
man whom he delivereth out of painful   
trouble1 yet doth he much more for a man
 if1 through right painful death1 he    
deliver him from this wretched world    

into eternal bliss4 ,whosoever shrinketh
 away from it by forsaking his faith1   
and falleth in the peril of everlasting 
fire1 he shall be very sure to repent   
ere it be long after4  ,for ,i am sure  
that whensoever he falleth sick next1 he
 will wish that he had been killed for  
,christ's sake before4 ,what folly is   
it1 then1 to flee for fear from that    
death which thou seest thou shalt       
shortly afterward wish thou hadst died6 
,yea1 ,i daresay almost every good      
,christian man would very fain this day 
that yesterday he had been cruelly      
killed for ,christ's sake--even for the 
desire of heaven1 though there were no  
hell4 ,but to fear while the pain is    
coming1 there is all our hindrance6 ,but
 if1 on the other hand1 we would        
remember hell's pain into which we fall 
while we flee from this1 then this short
 pain should be no hindrance at all4    
,and yet1 if we were faithful1 we should
 be more pricked forward by deep        
consideration of the joys of heaven1 of 

which the apostle saith1 ,the passions  
of this time be not worthy to the glory 
that is to come1 which shall be showed  
in us4 ,we should not1 ,i believe1 need 
much more in all this matter than one   
text of ,st4 ,paul1 if we would consider
 it well4 ,for surely1 mine own good    
cousin1 remember that if it were        
possible for me and you alone to suffer 
as much trouble as the whole world doth 
together1 all that would not be worthy  
of itself to bring us to the joy which  
we hope to have everlastingly4 ,and     
therefore1 ,i pray you1 let the         
consideration of that you put out all   
worldly trouble out of your heart1 and  
also pray that it may do the same in me4
  ,and even thus will ,i1 good cousin1  
with these words1 make a sudden end of  
mine whole tale1 and bid you farewell4  
,for now begin ,i to feel myself        
somewhat weary4  ,,vincent3  ,forsooth1 
good uncle1 this is a good end4 ,and it 
is no marvel if you are waxed weary4    
,for ,i have this day put you to so much

 labour that1 save for the comfort that 
you yourself may take from having       
bestowed your time so well1 and for the 
comfort that ,i have taken--and more    
shall1 ,i trust--of your good counsel   
given1 else would ,i be very sorry to   
have put you to so much pain4  ,but now 
shall our ,lord reward and recompense   
you therefore1 and many1 ,i trust1 shall
 pray for you4 ,for to the intent that  
the more men may take profit of you1 ,i 
purpose1 uncle1 as my poor wit and      
learning will serve me1 to record your  
good counsel not only in our own        
language1 but in the ,german tongue too4
  ,and thus1 praying ,god to give me1   
and all others who shall read it1 the   
grace to follow your good counsel1 ,i   
shall commit you to ,god4  ,,anthony3   
,since you be minded1 cousin1 to bestow 
so much labour on it1 ,i would it had   
happed you to fetch the counsel at some 
wiser man1 who could have given you     
better4 ,but better men may add more    
things1 and better also1 thereto4 ,and  

in the meantime1 ,i beseech our ,lord to
 breathe of his ,holy ,spirit into the  
reader's breast1 who inwardly may teach 
him in heart4 ,for without him little   
availeth all that the mouths of the     
world would be able to teach in men's   
ears4  ,and thus1 good cousin1 farewell1
 till ,god bring us together again1     
either here or in heaven4 ,amen4