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A newe Treatyse deuyded in thre [arties

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[The fyrst parte is to know, & haue ī mynde]

Here begyn̄eth a newe Treatyse deuyded in thre parties.

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1.

Here begynneth the fyrste parte of this boke/that speaketh of mannes wretchednes.

Of the begynnyng of mans lyfe.

Of the myddes of a mans lyfe.

Here ye may here of the ende of a mannes lyfe.

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2.

Here begynneth the seconde parte of this boke/that speaketh of the worlde.

Howe the worlde may be lykened vnto the see.

Howe the worlde may be lykened vnto a wyldernes.

Howe the worlde may be lykened vnto a Forest.

Howe the worlde may be lykened to a battell in a felde.

Of two wayes in this worlde.

Of the vnstedfastnes of this worlde.

Howe the rowndenes of this worlde is lykened to a man.

Of the condycyons of worldly men.

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3.

Here begynneth the thyrde parte of this boke/that speaketh of death.

Of thre maners of death.

Howe a mannes soule is deade throughe synne.

Howe in hell is death without ende.

What maner thynge is death.

Men dredeth death for foure thynges.

Of the fyrste encheason why men dredeth death.

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The .ij. encheasō why mē dredeth death.

Howe the deuyll came and appered vnto saynt Bernarde.

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Of the thyrde encheason why men dredeth death.

Of the fourth encheason why men dredeth death.

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Terret me tota vita mea que diligentur discussa apperet michi aut peccatum, aut sterilitas, aut res sunilata et imperfecta. &c.

Saynt Bernarde, the holy man sayeth this
All my lyfe here, sore greueth me ywis
For yf it well and euen dyscussed be
Nothynge elles it semeth to me
But synne that the soule moste dereth
Other barayne thynge, that no fruyte bereth
And yf any fruyte myght theron seme
It must thus be sayde, ryghtly to deme
Other a faynynge thynge, to shewe in syght
Other a thynge that is done nought by all ryght
So it may for nothynge ben forth brought
To please almyghty God, that made vs all of nought
So that all a mannes lyfe, is with sorowe lad
Therfore no wonder, thoughe a man selde be glad
What may a synfull man say therto
Syth he that was an holy man of lyfe euermo
Coulde no maner fruyte in hym selfe se
Than may another man, drede and sory be
Of this lyfe here, that euer is so vnclene
In the whiche there may no fruyte be sene.