A newe Treatyse deuyded in thre [arties

All this worlde here, both longe and brode
God it made, for mannes gode
And al other thynges, as clarckes can proue
He made onely for mannes byhoue
If a man loue any thyng more by any way
Than he doth God, that in heuen is on hye
Than is that man to God vnkynde
That so lytell on hym, setteth his mynde
For God is more worthye, loued to be
Than any creature, that men may se
Syth he is the begynnynge of all maner thynge
And of all thynge, make shall an endynge
And thus I say by them, that gyueth them ofte
To the worldes lykynge, that thynketh them softe

And loueth all thynge, that therto falleth
And suche men worldely men me calleth
For theyr loue moste, in the worlde is set
The whiche the loue of God, slaulyche doth let
And for the loue of this worldes vanyte
A man at the last, for barred may be
From the hye heauen, where all ioye is
There a man shall dwell without ende ywys
But a great clarcke telleth, that is Bartylmewe
There be two worldes, pryncypally to eschewe
And that one worlde, is inuysyble and clene
And that other bodely, as men may sene
And the ghostly worlde, that no man may se
Is the hye heauen, where God sytteth in trynyte
And thyther shall we come, and there lyue ay
If that we thytherwarde, holde the ryght way
Nowe wyll I no longer, vpon this matter stande
For soone after it shall come more to hande.
But the same worlde, that men may here se
In two partyes well deuysed may be
For both partyes, men may well knowe
For that one is hye, and that other lowe
The hyer lasteth from the moone ful euen
To the hyest place, of the sterred heauen
And that worlde, is bryght and fayre
For there is no corrupcyon, but clene ayre
But sterres and Planettes, bryght shynynge
As euery man may there haue vnderstandynge
But the lowest worlde, that may befall
Conteyneth holly, the Elamentes all
And in this worlde, is both well and wo
And ofte tyme chaungeth, both to and fro

To some it is softe, and to some men harde
As ye shall here soone afterwarde
But that worlde, that passeth all maner thynge
Was made for mannes, endeles dwellynge
For euery man, there shall haue a place
Euer to be in ioy, that here hath grace
And that was made, for our aduauntage
For there is ordeyned, our kynde herytage
But that other worlde, that lower is atwyne
Where that the sterres and planettes be set in
God ordeyned onely, for our behoue
By this reason, that I shall proue
For the eyre from thence, and the hete of the Sōne
Susteyneth the earth here, where that we wōne
And noryssheth all thynge, that fruyte here gyueth
To helpe man and beest, that in earth lyueth
And tempreth our kynde, and our complexyon
And setteth the tymes of the yere, in theyr season
And gyueth vs lyght here, where that we dwell
Elles were this worlde, as darke as hell
And the lowest worlde, was made for man
And for these encheasones, that I tell can
For man shulde therin, haue his dwellynge
And lyue in Goddes seruyce, and do his byddynge
And holde his cōmaundementes, and done his wyll
Them to knowe and kepe, and flye all euyll
And here to be proued, in ghostly battayles
Of many ennemyes, that man often assayles
So that throughe ghostly myght and vyctorye
He may gete to hym endeles glorye
And haue than the crowne, of endeles blysse
Where all ioye is, that neuer shall mysse

Twayne worldes togyther, here may befall
That all men may earthly call
One is this dale, that is our dwellynge
Another is man, that is therin abydynge
And this same dale, that we dwell in
Is full of sorowe, and all maner synne
That of wyse Clarckes, in bokes called is
The more worlde, that men may knowe by this
And of the lesse worlde, yet wyll I nought speke
For in to that matter, soone I wyll breke
And of the more worlde, yet wyll I tell
Or I go further therin to dwell
Than wyll I tell, afterwarde as it falleth
The cause why men, a man the worlde calleth.

The more worlde, God wolde in earth set
For it shulde to man be subget
Man to serue, after his owne delyte
And so God ordeyned, for mans proffyte
But nowe this worlde, that man lyueth in
So wycked is, and so full of synne
For many maketh the worlde, theyr soueraygne
So that all theyr workes, tourneth in to vayne
And some man doth therto, all that he may
To serue the worlde, both nyght and day
But this worlde, is nothynge elles
But the condycyon of men, that therin dwelles
For the worldely men knowe may nought
But by the condycyons, that they hath wrought
For what myght men, by the worlde vnderstande
If none worldely men, lyued in lande
But he that serueth the worlde, and hath therto loue
Serueth the worlde, and nothynge God aboue

For the worlde is here, the deuylles seruaunt
And he that it serueth, and therto wyll graunt
And many a man nowe after the worlde lysteneth
But I holde hym nat wyse, that theron trusteth
For this worlde is false, and deceyuable
And in all thynges wonderly vnstable
Therfore I holde a man nothynge wytty
That aboute the worlde, maketh hym besy
For a man may nat Goddes seruaunt be
But he the maners of the worlde wyll fle
And he may nat loue God, but he the worlde dyspyse
For the holy Gospell sayeth in this wyse.

Homo potest duobus [illeg.] seruire aut vnum odio [illeg.] & [illeg.] diliget & vnum sustinebit & alterum contempnet.

He sayeth, no man can serue God at wyll
Neyther two lordes, that he ne doth full euyll
For els he shall hate one in his dede
And that other loue in his manhede
Other he shall mayntayne that one outryght
And that other despyse, and set full lyght
The worlde is Goddes ennemye, and so men shulde it call
For it is contraryous to his workes all
And so be euerychone, that the worlde loueth well
As the holy euangelyst, sayeth in the Gospell.

Qui vult esse amicus huius mūdi inimicus dei cōstituitur.

He sayeth, he that wyll the worldes frende be
Goddes ennemye, forsoth than is he
And sore worldly men greueth God ywys
Therfore the Apostell, in his epystell sayth this.

[illeg.] diligere mundum nec ea que in mundo sunt.

Loue nought the worlde sayeth he
Ne nothynge that in the worlde may be

For all that is in this worlde, that any man tell can
Other it is couytous, or lust of flesshe of man
Other couytous of eyen, that men may with loke
Other pryde of lyfe, as wytnesseth the boke.

Omne quod est in mundo aut est concupiscentia carnis aut concupiscentia oculorum, aut superbia vite.

Couytous of flesshe, that is seynge
That parteyneth to a mannes lust or lykynge
Couytous of eyen, as euery man may gesse
Is ryches that cōmeth to a man with blysse
And pryde of lyfe, that men kepeth in thought
And euer desyreth, to great honour to be brought
And lyckynge and lust, of flesshely maiestye
Engendreth the foule synne of lecherye
But God made the worlde, as he is wytnes
For to serue man, in all maner of goodnes
Wherfore is man seruaunt to the worlde than
And make hym the worldes bonde man
Syth he may serue God, and euer be fre
And out of the worldes thraldom be
But wolde a man knowe ryght as he shulde
What the worlde is, and her falsenes beholde
He shulde haue no wyll, as I vnderstande
After the worlde any thynge to fonde
Lo what sayth Bartholomewe, the great clarke
That speaketh of the worlde, and of her warke.

Mundus nichil aliud est quoth quoddam exilium [illeg.] labore, dolore, dolo, & tristicia plenus.

He sayth that the worlde, is nothynge elles
But an harde exyle, that a man in dwelles
Both darcke and dym, and a dolefull dale
That is full of sorowe, and eke of bale

And a place full of all wretchydnes
Of anger and trauayle, and all besynes
Of sorowe and synne, and of all folye
Of shendshyp also, and eke vylonye
Of flyttynge also, and of moche taryinge
Of moche greuaunce also, and moche mournynge
Of all maner of fylth, and corrupcyon
Of moche wrath, and extorcyon
And full of gyle, and of falshed
Of great debate, and contynuall dred
So that in this worlde, is nought man to auaunce
But moche sorowe, and harde myschaunce
And pompe and pryde, with foule couytyse
With vayne glorye and slouth, that men ofte vse
The worlde to hym draweth all men
And so dysceyueth his louers then
And to many is greuous, and to fewe auayleth
For his louers, he dysceyueth and fayleth
And all that despyseth hym, he awayteth fast
And thynketh them soone, in to myschyfe cast
For them that he loueth, he wyll socour
And make them ryche, and great of honour
And to begyle them, he thynketh at the last
And in to great myschyfe, he wyll them cast
Therfore worldly worshyp, may be tolde
A vanyte, that dysceyueth both yonge and olde
And worldly rychesse, howe so it come
I holde nought elles, but as fantome
The worlde hath many a man, with vanyte defyled
And with pompe and pryde, ofte them begyled
Therfore an holy man, as ye may here
Speaketh vnto the worlde, in this manere.

O munde in munde vtinam ita in mundus esses vt me non tangeres, aut ita mundus esses vt me non conquaris.

And that is in englysshe, thus moche for to mene
O thou worlde he sayth, that euer arte vnclene
Why myght thou nat euer so vnclene be
That thou shuldest nener nyghe me
Other be so clene, in thy werkes all
That thou make me in to no synne fall.

Howe the worlde may be lykened vnto the see.

The worlde may by many encheason
Be lykened to foure thynges by good reason
Fyrste may the worlde be lykened ywys
Most proprely to the see, that long & brode is
For the see after her owne certayne tyde
Ebbeth and floweth, and may nat abyde
And throughe stormes waxeth kene and blowes
And than ryseth tempestes and stronge wawes
So fareth the worlde, with his fauour
Bryngeth a man in to ryches and to honour
But afterwarde, than he casteth hym a downe
Into moche pouerte, and trybulacyown
And those be the great stormes and kene
That bryngeth a man, in sorowe and tene.

Howe the worlde may be lykened vnto a wyldernes.

Yet may the worlde, that is brode and wyde
Be lykened to a wyldernes in euery syde
That is full of bestes that be wylde
As Lyons, Lybardes, and Wolfes vnmylde

That wyll strangle men and dystroye
And slee theyr beestes, and sore them noye
So is this worlde full of mysdoers all aboute
Of many tyrauntes, that bryngeth men in doute
That euer be besy, both nyght and day
Men to annoye, in all that they may.

Howe the worlde may be lykened vnto a Forest.

Also the worlde lykened may be
To a forest, that standeth in a wylde coūtre
That is full of theues, & wylde out lawes
That often tymes to suche forest drawes
Haūteth theyr hyre passe, robbeth & reueth
Both men and women, and nothynge leueth
So fareth this worlde, that we in dwell
Is full of theues, that be deuylles of hell
That? vs awayteth, and euer be besy
For? to robbe and reue our goodes ghostly.

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

And yet is this worlde, as ye shall here
May thus be lykened, in the fourth manere
To a fayre felde, full of dyuers battayles
Of straunge ennemyes, yt eche day vs assayles
For here we be brought in great doute
And set with ennemyes, all harde aboute
And pryncypally, with these ennemyes thre
But agaynst them, well armed we myght be
That is the worlde, the fende, and thy flesshe
That eche day assayleth vs lyke fresshe

Therfore vs behoueth both day and nyght
For to be redy agaynst them to fyght

The worlde, as clarckes doth vs to vnderstande
Agaynst vs fyghteth euer, with double hande
Both with the ryght hande, and the left also
That euer yet, hath yben our flesshe fo
And welth the ryghthande, may ben tolde
And the left hande is hap, and angers colde
For the ryght hande, assayleth men some whyle
With welth of the worlde them to begyle
And that is welth, without anger and dolour
Of worldly ryches, and great treasour
And with the left hande, he assayleth eftsoone
And maketh men sory often, and grone
And that is anger and trybulacyon
And also pouerte, and moche persecucyon
Suche thynges Clarckes, the left hande calleth
That in this worlde, amonges men falleth
And with the worlde cōmeth dame fortune soone
That eyther hande chaungeth, as the newe moone
For euer he tourneth aboute her whele
Somtyme in to wo, and somtyme to wele
And when she letteth the whele aboute go
Somtyme she tourneth from well in to wo
And eftsones agayne, from wo in to blysse
And thus tourned her whele often is
And that whele Clarckes, nought els calleth
But hap or chaunce, that sodaynly falleth
And suche hap, men holdeth nothynge elles
But wrath or hate, that in men dwelles
Therfore worldly welth, is euer more in doubte
Whyle dame fortune, tourneth her whele aboute

Wherfore perfyte men, that good lyfe lede
The welth of the worlde, sore they drede
For welth draweth a man from the ryght way
And ledeth hym from God, both nyght and day
Thus may eche man drede welth, who that can
And so sayth saynt Ierome, the good holy man
The more he sayth, that a man waxeth vp ryght
In welth other in any worldly myght
The more he shulde, haue drede in thought
That from the blysse, he ne fall nought.

Quanto magis in virtutibus crescimus, tanto plus timere debemus ne sublimius corruamus.

To this accordeth a clarcke Seneca the wyse
That counceyleth vs, the worlde to despyse.

Tunc salubre consiliū aduoca cū tibi alludūt [illeg.] vespeta.

Seneca sayeth, and gyueth good counceyll
When this worlde maketh his merueyll
Than seche thy wyt, and after counceyll call
That moche welth make the nat fall
For welthynes is but a shadowe somdele darcke
And so sayth saynt Gregory, the noble clarcke.

[illeg.] timenda est: magis tū prospeta quoth aduersa.

Saynt Gregory sayeth in this maner
That yf euery hap be for to drede here
Yet is hap of welth to drede more
Than any maner sorowe, thoughe it greue sore
For anger mannes lyfe clenseth and proueth
And welth to synne a man soone moueth
And so may man his soule lyghtly spyll
Throughe welthes, that men haue at theyr wyll
And so cometh afterwarde, to endles payne
And so wytnesseth the doctour saynt Austayne.

Sanitas continua, et rerum habundancia eterna dampnacionis sunt iudicia.

He sayth contynuall hele, and worldly wele
As to moche ryches and goodes fele
Be tokens as in boke wryten is
Of hell dampnacyon endles ywys
And to these wordes, that some men mysspeaketh
Accordeth saynt Gregory, and thus he sayeth.

Continuus successus rerum temperalium eterne dampnacionis est iudicium.

He sayeth, that contynuall hap cōmynge
Of worldly goodes, is a tokenynge
Of dampnacyon, that at the last shall be
Before God, that then shall fall without pyte
But the worlde prayseth none men onely
But them that to the worlde be happy
And vpon worldly thynges, setteth theyr herte
And euer flyeth the symple state of pouerte
Suche men be besy, and gathereth fast
And fareth as theyr lyfe shulde euermore last
To them the worlde is queynt and fauourable
In all thynge, that thynketh them profytable
And can moche of worldly queyntyse
The worlde calleth them good men and wyse
And to them falleth ryches many folde
But it is theyr dampnacyon, as I haue tolde
For in heauen, may no man haue an home
That foloweth the worlde, and his wysdome
And suche wysdome, sayeth a wyse clarcke and [illeg.]ytty
That before God, it is holde but foly.

Sapiencia huius mundi stulticia est apud

But many to the worlde, moche lysteth

And he is nat wyse, that theron trusteth
For it ledeth a man, with wrynches and wyles
And at the last hym it begyles
A man may be calde both wytty and wyse
That setteth the worlde at lytell pryse
And hateth the thynges, that the worlde loueth moste
And thynketh to blysse, to brynge his ghoste
And to the worlde trusteth ryght nought
But euer in that other worlde, setteth his thought
For no sure dwellynge, shall we here fynde
As the apostell Paule wytnesseth, thus sayende.

Non manentem ciuitatem hic habemus set futuram inquitimus.

He sayeth, no sure dwellynge here haue we
But seke we another, that euer shall be
And as gestes haue our soiourne
A lytell tyme tyll we hence tourne
And that may fall rather than we wene
For man is here, but as an alyane
To trauayle here in way all tymes
To wende in to our countre, as doth pylgrymes
Therfore the Prophete, vnto God speaketh thus
As Dauid in the Psalter telleth to vs.

Ne silias [illeg.] aduena ego sum apud te [illeg.] peregrinus vt omnes patres mei. &c.

Be thou styll Lorde, sayeth he
For why, I am cōmynge towarde the
And a pylgryme, as all my fathers were
Thus may euery man se, that lyueth here
That is to say, Lorde be thou nat styll
That [illeg.] make me here knowe thy wyll
And such comforte to my soule thou gyue

That may make her, both glad and blyue
And say thus therto, I am thy saluacyon
For thou arte my pylgryme trewe in deuocyon.

Of two wayes in this worlde.

Two wayes there be in this worlde full ryfe
One is way of death, another of lyfe
This worlde is the way and also passage
Throughe the whiche lyeth our pylgrymage
By this way all we must nedes go
And eche man beleueth, that it is so
In this worlde be two wayes of kynde
Who that wyll assay, the soth he may fynde
One is the way of death here tolde
And that other is the way of lyfe holde
But the way of death, semeth large and easy
For that may vs lede, euen and lyghtly
To the horryble lande of darckenes
Where sorowe and payne is, and wretchydnes
But the way of lyfe, semeth narowe and harde
That ledeth vs, euen to our countre warde
And that is the kyngdome of heauen bryght
Where we shall be in Goddes syght
And as Goddes sones there ben ytolde
If we do well, both yonge and olde
For the way of the worlde, is here vnstable
And our lyfe also, well chaungeable
As often is sene in many maner wyse
Through tempest of wethers, that maketh men anguyse
For the worlde, and the worldly lyfe yfere
Chaungeth full ofte, and in dyuers manere
And in her state dwelleth but a whyle

Unneth the space of a lytell myle
And for the worlde is so vnstedfast
For all thynge theron soone is ouercast.

Of the vnstedfastnes of this worlde.

God ordeyned, as it was his wyll
Uaryaunce of the season to fulfyll
And dyuers wethers, and other seasones
In token of the false worldes condycyones
That so vnstable be to mannes hande
That lytell tyme in theyr state may stande
For God wyll that men throughe tokens may knowe
Howe vnstable the worlde is in euery throwe
So that men theron the lesse shulde trust
And for no welth theron, to moche haue lust
The tymes chaungeth often, and be nat in one state
For nowe is the morenynge, and nowe it is late
And nowe it is day, and nowe it is nyght
And nowe it is darcke, and nowe it is lyght
And nowe is there colde, and nowe great hete
And nowe it is drye, and nowe it is wete
And nowe it is hayle, and snowe full stronge
And nowe fayre wether, and Sonne shyne amonge
And nowe is the wether clere, and fayre with all
And nowe it is darcke, and rayne doth downe fall
By all the varyaunce men may vnderstande
Are tokens of the worlde, that is varyande
Yet there be mo tokens, that we may lere
Of the vnstablenes, of this worlde here
For nowe is great myrth, and nowe mournynge
And nowe is laughter, and nowe wepynge
And nowe men be well, and nowe be wo

And nowe is a man frende, and nowe is fo
And nowe is a man lyght, and nowe is heuy
And nowe is a man glad, and nowe is drery
And nowe haue we ioy, and nowe haue we pyne
And nowe haue we cattayle, and nowe we it tyne
And nowe we be ryche, and nowe we be poore
And nowe we haue lytell, and nowe we haue more
And nowe we haue rest, and nowe we haue trauayle
And nowe fynde we our strength, what it may auayle
And nowe we be great, and nowe we be bare
And nowe we be well, and nowe we be in care
And nowe we be lyght, and nowe we be slowe
And nowe we be hye, and nowe we be lowe
Nowe loue, nowe hate, nowe peace, and stryfe
All these be the maners, of mannes lyfe
That euer betokeneth moche vnstedfastnes
Of this worldes welth, that so chaungeable is
And as this lyfe is euer away passynge
So is the worlde euery day apparynge
For the worlde to her ende draweth fast
As clarckes by many thynges can cast
Therfore the worlde, as clarckes hath me tolde
Is as moche to mene, as the worlde that is olde
For two earthly worldes to this lyfe befalleth
As tolde is before, as clarckes it calleth
But the more worlde, and also the lesse
Full chaungeable be, and away doth passe
The more worlde is this worlde, longe and brode
But the lesse worlde is lykened to manhode.

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

And as the more worlde, is rownde yset
So is the lesse, as a man that is met
For in ye brede of a man, as god wolde sende
As moche space fro the longe fyngers ende
Of the ryghthande, the armes out spredynge
To the fyngers ende of the left hande out stretchynge
And also fro the top aboue at the crowne
Streyght to the soole of the fote there downe
Than yf a man his armes out sprede
No more is the lenght of hym, than is the brede
And so may a man be met all aboute
Euer as a compas, hym selfe without
And thus hath the lesse worlde, that a man is
Euen after the shape of the more worlde ywys
But these two worldes, the more and the lesse
At the last tyme away shall passe
For the more eldre, that they shall bere
The more they enpereth, and become feblere
As me may se, that gyueth here entent
And so wytnesseth the great clarcke Innocent.

Senuit iam inūdus vterque & maior mundus & minor & quanto proluvius vtriusque senectus perducitus tanto deternis vtriusque natura conprobatur.

He sayeth, as it is in latyne tolde
Eyther worlde, nowe waxeth full olde
And the longer that theyr tyme is here sought
And the age of eyther, other forth ybrought
The more in malyce, and in feblenes ywys
The kynde of ey? her other medled is.

Of the condycyons of worldly men.

Of those worldly mē/great outrage mē may se
Of pompe and pryde, and all vanyte
In dyuerse maner, and in dyuerse guyse
That nowe is vsed in many maner wyse
In worldly hauynge, and hye bearynge
As in ydle apparyle, and foule werynge
The whiche asketh ouer great costage
And at the last, it tourneth to moche outrage
For suche dysguysynge, and suche manere
As yonge men nowe hath, as we may lere
For nowe is euery day contynually say
That myght before, haue be by no way
For thynge that somtyme was called vylonye
Nowe yonge men holdeth it for great curtesye
And that men somtyme for curtesye wolde call
Nowe in lytell tyme to bvylonye it is fall
For nowe maketh men so oft theyr chaungynge
In many maners, and also of dyuerse clothynge
Nowe men vseth short clothes, and nowe wyde
And other whyle narowe clothes, and ouer syde
And some haue theyr clothynge, hangynge as stooles
And some goeth tatered, as it were fooles
And some goeth wryckynge towarde and fro
And some goeth skyppynge, as doth a do
And so vseth men all the newe get
And therwith the deuyll taketh them in to his net
And throughe suche vncomely pompe and pryde
They ne wote whyther they may gone or ryde
For so moche pryde, as nowe is ywene
Was neuer before, amonge men sene
For suche guyses, that cōmeth of wanton hede
I trowe that they may be tokens drede

Of great myschyfes, and hasty to vnderstande
That is nowe in to this worlde cōmande
And therfore Goddes wrath, with them shall mete
As wytnesseth Dauid the prophete.

Et irritauerunt deum in vanitatibus suis.

And they meued hym to wrath sayth he
In theyr newe fyndynges of vanyte
This may be called, as the boke proueth
By them that suche dysguyses vseth
For suche men therwith God greueth
And therfore from them his grace he reueth
And God at the last to them wyll sende
Great vengeaunce, but they them amende
God suffreth them a whyle to haue theyr wyll
And in theyr folyes, for to abyde styll
And that may be knowen, by many maner of guyse
As saynt Dauid wytnesseth in this wyse.

Et dimisi eos secundum desideria cordis corum.

The prophete Dauid speaketh, and sayeth thus
In Goddes name, as the Psalter telleth vs
I let them he sayeth, without all maner couerte
After custes and lykynge of theyr owne herte
And in theyr newe fyndynges, they shall go
Well may this be sayde, by them and other mo
That God suffreth in folye, and theyr tyme leseth
And after theyr lustes, newe fyndynges cheseth
That to the worlde maketh them gay
And from God tourneth, both nyght and day
And at the last they shall hence wende
To the p[illeg.]nes that be without ende
Therfore I counceyll all vanyties to forsake
And in this worlde, betymes amendes make

Yet hath the worlde, that is so trecherous
Many other maners, that be contraryous
For nowe is vertue tourned into vyce
And playeth myrth and game into malyce
And nowe is deuocyon, in many a mannes syde
Tourned all into boste, and to foule pryde
And nowe is wyt and wysdome, holde folye
Both amonge yonge and olde, tourned to trecherye
And nowe is folye, holde great wysdome
And therto is tourned nowe, both mayster and grome
And nowe is clene loue, tourned to lecherye
And all ryghtfulnes in to trecherye
And thus is this worlde, tourned vp so downe
To many a mannes soule, great dampnacyown
But suche semeth as they were wode
For good thynge they holde euyll, and euyll thynge gode
Wo shall they be therfore, as clarckes can tell
For God hym selfe, wytnesseth it in the Gospell
Wo to you sayth Chryst, that thynketh with your wyll
That euyll thynge is good, and good thynge euyll
That is to say, that them selfe shulde be wo
That in this worlde, myslyueth theyr lyfe so
And thus is the worlde, and mannes lyfe therin
Full with vanyte, and wretchednes of synne
But some men loueth, so moche this lyfe
And also the worlde, that is full of stryfe
And so they thynke, neuer to wende there fro
But euer to dwell here, yf it myght be so
And loueth so moche this worldes vanyte
And neuer desyreth here, in other lyfe to be
But wolde a man, well hym vnderstande
That the worlde is besy, a man for to shonde

And what he shall haue therof at the last ende
When he shall from the worlde wende
Than shulde hym lyst, both nyght and day
To forsake myrthes, and synge well away
A man therfore must suche workes forsake
And to Goddes mercye, all his herte take
And lede here his lyfe, in mekenes and pouert
In fastynge, and in penaunce, and other workes smert
And knowe his conseyence, that is inwarde
To haue the ioy of heauen than afterwarde
And thus shulde euery man, hym well be thynke
If he wyll Goddes grace in hym synke
Nowe haue I tolde you in dyuerse manere
The condycyons of mānes lyfe, and of the worlde here
And nowe I wyll passe furthermore
And speake of the thyrde parte, and of his lore
That telleth specyally, as I shall rede
Of death, and wherfore it is to drede.

University of Virginia Library

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