University of Virginia Library

Nichil opertum quod non reuelabitur.

There is no maner of thynge here so hydden
That ne shall than be shewed and knowen
And styll there abyde must we
Tyll there all our lyfe clene examyned be
Therfore saynt Ancelme, as the boke telleth vs
Speaketh to the soule sharpely thus
Thou wretched soule sayth he, what myght thou wyn
When thou from thy body departe shall atwyn
For than behoueth the acomptes to yelde
Of all that thou hast done in youth and in elde
From the begynnynge, that thou couldest wyt
Unto the last day, for thou myght nat flyt
And than shall wel away, forsoth be thy songe
For thou hast spended thy lyfe here in wronge
And than shall all thy synnes here ben shewed
Whyther so that thou be lered other lewed
Of whiche synne, thou shalt more drede
Than of all the deuylles, that thyther the wyll lede
And thus shall euery man, at his endynge
There be brought to an harde rekenynge
For no synne than to hym shall be vntolde
Be it neuer so pryue, other kept in holde
And I fynde wrytten, thre causes why
That no man may trust than sykerly
Upon his good dedes, that he hath done here
And the causes why, be good to lere
One is that all thynges, that good be
From God they come, and nat from the
So that all good dedes, that here be wrought
Be Goddes owne dedes, and ours ryght nought
But all our synnes, that we may do knowen
Cōmeth all from our selfes, and they be our owne
And an other cause there is also
For bycause that we be redy euermo
An hondred tymes rather to do synne
Than once a good dede here to begynne
And thus we may acompte, reken, and rede
An hondred synnes agaynst one good dede
The thyrde cause is, for to shewe amonge
For oft tymes our dedes be done with wronge
And nat in good maner, as they ought to be
And perchaunce they be done out of charyte
And therfore our good dedes, pure good are nought
But saynt Austyne sayth, our euyl pure euyl are wrought