University of Virginia Library

Jhesu Cryst heuen kynge
Sende all them good endynge
That on this werke wyll rede or loke
Gyue atendaūce here or correcte this boke
The whiche is of the synnes seuen
Dysapoyntynge many soules frome heuen
And of the remedyes and the cyrcumstaunce
Of this is the chefe substaunce
And howe thou shalte thyselfe shryue
Of euery thynge thy conscyence dothe greue.
If thy soule be out of synne whiche is treason.
To shewe of his beaute it passeth my reason
But and it be in synne and purpose there to abyde.
Without helpe to helle it wyll glyde.
This is trewe and a Iuste case
Eeuery thynge wyll to his naturall place.
Ensample of the same take a feder
Caste it frome the an hyghe in the weder
Thoughe it be lyght and byde there a season
It cometh agayne to ye erth yu may preue by reason.
So the lenger a soule is in contynuaunce.
The further fro god and the nerer to vengeaunce.
The furthest place from god is the dungeon of hell
Upon this thou mayst bothe bye and sell.
Whiche is a place naturall for synners and synne.
There to abyde euer and neuer to blynne
And thou trust vpon longe lyfe & to amende in aege
I rede the beware of this terryble cage
If sodayne dethe come and take the than
Whether shall thy soule thou synfull man.
Leue synne sone or synne leue the
Come to thy ghostly fader and saye (Benedicite)
And be thy synnes neuer so grete and many
Neuer mystrust our sauyours mercy
The mercy of god it passeth all thynge.
As I fynde in holy wrytynge.
(Sicut sintilla ignis in medio maris noli)
(I ta iniquitas viri in misericordia dei.)
Loke howe a sparcle of fyre is quenched in the see.
So is all a mannes synnes and iniquyte
In our lordes mercy and more redy to forgyue
Then thou to aske mecy/this I do preue
Therfore sone in ony thynge thou couthe
Shewe thy confessyon with thyne owne mouthe
For yf a surgean haue an hurte man in cure
He must knowe the wounde iuste and sure
Wherwith it was hurte/and in what place it is
And than maye he helpe hym by good practys
Therfore sone spare thou nought
If ony synne thou haue wrought
And I wyll mynystre medysens sure and sole
That shall make the parfytely hole
And bycause thou arte not lerned I saye than
I wyl helpe the and I can
And there as thou fyndest thyselfe gylty
Holde vp thy handes and aske god mercy.

Of pryde to the I wyll begyn
Haste thou sone synned therin.
Haste thou ony tyme wyttyngly.
Wrathed thy god greuously
Haste thou ben inobedyente.
Agaynst goddes commaundemente
Haste thou by pryde set at naught.
Hym that hathe the good taught
Haste thou ony tyme boost made
Of ony thynge thou haste hade
Of vertue/of connynge or of wyt
whiche god hymselfe sende the hyt.
Or of chylde father or mother
Of kynne syster or of brother
Of theyr inherytaunce fame or mode.
Or because they haue had moche good
Of catayll of golde and syluer also
Of place of housholde wt purtenaūce therto.
Haste thou thyne owne gylte forsaken.
And to another the blame taken
Haste thou fayned thyselfe holy
To hypocrysy and to foly
In trust that it sholde be hyde.
Thy foule synne and thy foule pryde
Haste thou ony tyme by vayne glory
Thought thyselfe so good and holy
That thou hast had grete dysdayne
Of thy neyghbours that thou hast sayne
Haste thou ben proude my sone I saye
Bycause thou hast ben stedfast in the faye.
Hast thou ony tyme taken on the
Ony good dede of charyte
That was another mannes doynge.
And of thyne no maner thynge
Hast thou oppressed thy neyghboure.
To gete the good and honoure
Hast thou shente his good fame
For to gete the a good name.
Haste thou also proude be
Of ony thynge god gaue the
For thy voyce was good and hye.
Or for thy wyt was good and slye
Or for thy heere was cryspe and longe.
Or for thou hast a reasonable tonge.
Or for thou arte myghty and stronge.
Or for thy body is fayre and longe
Or for thy flesshe is whyte and clene
None the lyke dost thou wene.
Haste thou be proude by strete or borde
Upon trust of lady or lorde.
Hast thou be proude of worshyp or good.
Or thou comest of grete blode
Hast thou ony tyme prouder the made
Of ony offyce chat thou hast hade
Hast thou be proude ghoostly

Ep̄s.

Tell me sone hardely
Of mekenes of pacyence or of pyte.
Of beaute of eloquence or of chastyte
And of other vertues many mo.
Sone hast thou synned in tho
Hast thou ony tyme with herte proute.
Anothers synne spoken oute
And thyne entencyon suche it was
That thy synne sholde seme the las.
Hast thou be proude and glad in thought.
Of ony synne that thou hast wrought
Hast thou be proude of ony guyse
Of ony thynge that thou dydest vse
Of party hosen or of pyked shone.
Or of garded clothes as foles done

cristus.

Of landes of rentes or of gay howsynge
Of many seruauntes to thy byddynge
Or of horses fatte and rounde.
Or for thy goodes are saufe and sounde
Or for thou arte so myghty and ryche
That no neyghboure is the lyche.
Or yf thou be a crafty man
And canst more than another can
Haste thou be proude of tenyse playenge
Of daunsynge or of barre castynge.
If thou haue ben this maner proute.
Shryue the sone and tell it oute