The first chapiter sheweth / howe euery
creature naturally desyreth a lyfe
perpetuall / and endles felicite.

LIke as the byrde in a cage /
be the cage neuer so pleasaunt:
neuer so large and hye / can nat be
co~tented or quyet: bycause her naturall
inclinacion is to be abrode
in the open ayre: for bothe bestes /
fowles / and all other creatures in
this worlde / hath place deputed & assigned to them
by god and nature / wherin their propre quietacion
and rest is: euen so / man in the cage of this worlde / be
it to hym neuer so large and pleasaunt / all though he
may ascende and flye vp neuer so hye: neuer so auidiously
or swyftly: from perche to perch / from pleasure
to pleasure: from honour to honour: from dignitie
to dignitie: yet his naturall inclinacion and appetite
can neuer be saciat / contented and quieted in this
worlde: although one man myght haue all the pleasurs
of the same. Wherfore it appereth that ther is an
hyer cage / and a nother place ordayned for man to
his full contentacion and quietnesse / than is the cage
of this worlde. To the which place man of his owne
nature is nat able to atteyne / but onely by grace: Of
the which other place speketh saynt Austen seyeng.
My hert good lorde can nat be satisfied i~ this world:
but it is and euer shalbe vnquiet / vnto I come to the:
and no meruell: For in the syght of the deite resteth
all the accomplysshment of our desyre / for that is the
lyfe eternall. And all our glory / ioye & felicite / shalbe:

whan in perfet loue and fruicion / we shal se the father
of heuen / and whome he sent in to this worlde / his
eternall sonne our lorde Iesu christ. Many hath seen
god in this worlde diuerse ways / nat onely the philosophers /
but also the iewes. The philosophers had
such loue / zele & desyre to knowe the natures and properties
of thynges that they despysed al worldely riches
in comparyson to that knowlege and spared no
labours / neyther by see ne yet by lande: but in merueylouse
abstine~ce & streytnes of lyuyng gaue them selfe
to subdue the passions of their bodyes in greate and
long exercise & custome / wherby they myght come to
the perfeccion of the nature of man: which of it selfe /
is aboue all thynges moste desirous to haue the perfet
operacio~s & werkes of vertues moral / and knowlege
of the most noble creatures: as the vttermost perfeccion
that man may atteyne to of his nature in this
lyfe. They laboured nyght and day to knowe the natures
of thynges in this worlde / and yet they were nat
so co~tented: but they wolde sertche further / who was
the first causer of all thynges. And god suffred them
by their naturall reason to come to the knowledge of
many secrete & inuisible perfeccions of his diuinite
or godhed (as saynt Poule sayth). Wherfore syth
they knewe that ther is one and euer hath ben / that is
the first principall causer of all thynges: And wolde
nat gyue to hym the due honoure that they ought to
haue rendred and gyuen to their lorde & god: but takyng
& geuyng it to stockes and stones / as ydolaters
worshyppyng them for goddes / which were but creatures /
ryghtfully they be damned in hell and all the
frute of their labours gyuen to other. The Iews
also se almyghty god: but that was in a more excellent

maner: for they se hym in his great miracles and
wonders / whan he despoused their soules in feyth / &
ledde them in hope out of Egipt through the redde see
by desert / towarde the lande of promission / whiche he
promised them shulde flow and haue abundaunce of
mylke and hony / therby vnderstandyng the plenty of
all frutes: richesse and catell. But aboue these sightes
of feyth and miracles that the Iewes had. The seruant
of god Moyses / had moste hye reuelacions and
visions / for he spake with god / and god with hym / as
one frende to an other (as scripture recordeth) yet
that nat withstandyng the sayd Moyses nat contented
with these visio~s / made supplicacion to god in the
mount that he wolde shewe hym his glory: to whome
god answered and sayd. Ther is a place here nye by /
there thou shalt stande vpon the stone / and whan my
glory shall passe therby / thou shalt se my hynder partes:
but my face thou may nat se. Here myght som
persone say / syr: god hath no lyneamentes nor partes
corporall / for he is all spirit. Trouth it is / god hath
no suche bodely membres / as this texte to the letter
dothe pretende and shewe: but all this was done in
great mistery. This sta~dyng on the stone signifyeth
that who so wyl come to the syght of the glory of god /
must first stablisshe his hert i~ the feyth of Iesu christ /
which is the very stone (as saynt Poule sayth) vpon
whome all true feyth is founded and buylded.

Howe the christen people before all other / be admitted
to the glory eternall after this lyfe /
beynge here as pilgrymes to the
same. The seconde chap.

B.i.

THe great mistery of this by passyng of
god. The prophet Ezechiel many yeres
after disclosed & shewed / whiche sawe in
spirit in his visions a persone setyng in
the trone of god / which from the gyrdell
downward was al lyke fyer / moch to ye similitude of
ye coloure of the rayne bowe. And aboue the mydle / he
was the most amiable stature of a man / whose swete
visage & face was most beautefull / andmore pleasau~t
to beholde / than is the coloure of syluer myxte with
golde / called in latine electrum. And saynt Gregory
expoundyng the same place of scripture sayth / that
electrum is a myxture of syluer & golde myngled to
gyther / wherin the siluer hath dominacion / and so
ioyned with the golde / it is of more fresshe colour and
more delectable to beholde / than euer it was or myght
be in his proper nature. By this golde saynt Gregory
vnderstandeth the diuine nature or godhed: and by
the siluer vnit therto / the humanite or manhed of our
lorde Iesu christ / whiche so vnit & ioyned to god in
glory / was more delectable & pleasaunt to beholde /
than euer it was or myght be before / in the proper nature
of our mortalitie. This diuision of this thus
aperyng / representeth the syght of two maner of people /
the iewes and christians. The christians be admitted
as chyldren by adopcion or choyse / to haue the
contemplacion and clere vision of that moste blessed
face & visage of our moste swete / graciouse and mercyfull
sauiour Iesu / represented in the sayd vision by
the vpper part of this foresayd ymage: from the gyrdel
vpwarde. Of this syght speketh the prophete Dauid /
exhortyng in spirit all christen people to enforce
themselfe to labour for the same / sayeng. Inquyre &

seke our lorde / be fyxed in hym and seke euer that ye
may se his blessed visage or face: for as he sayth in an
other place. Whan we shall se that glorious visage / it
shal fulfyll vs with al glory / ioy / gladnesse / & heuenly
delectaccion / euer more worlde without ende. The
syght of the iewes was represented in the vision of
Ezechiel by the nether part of the ymage from the
gyrdell downwarde / which part was all fyer / lyke to
the colo2 of ye rayne bowe / which rayne bow: though
it myght signify both to the iewes and also to the gentyls
or christians sure token of the mercy of god / as
it was som tyme shewed to Noe in the tyme of the
vniuersall flode: yet bycause the iewes were euer vnkynde
and wold nat receyue his great mercy & kyndnesse
but rather despysed it / therfore god shewed hym
selfe to them all terrible & fearefull all in fyer. He bent
his bowe of Iustice agaynst them for their iniquite
& synne: For in the lawe of Moyses ther was almost
no correccion for notable and great crimes / but deth.
Example: for fornicacion deth / for adultery deth / for
dissobedie~ce of father & mother deth / with many such
other. But his great abundau~ce of mercy and grace /
he reserued & kept vnto the co~myng of the sauiour of
the worlde his blessed sonne our lorde Iesus. Therfore
the iewes sawe but the hynder partes of god /
which co~monly shewed hymselfe to them in fyer. He
apered to Moyses in fyer / he yede before the children
of Israel in desert by the nyght in fyer. And whan he
wolde shew that he was co~tented with their sacrifices
oftentymes fyer descended and brent vp their sacrifice /
as it is open in the bokes of Iudges / kynges and
diuerse other places: But all these were but figures
and shadowes of thynges to come. All that scripture

B.ii.

representeth to be wrought in the iewes: was fulfylled
afterwarde in our sauiour Iesu. For he was the
stone / on the which Moyses stode by true feyth: & the
fyer in the which he ofte~tymes apered / was fully ended:
whan the holy gost apered on the apostles i~ fyry
tonges / signifyeng that heuenly flame of ye holy gost
charite. The prophete Ezechiel sheweth in his forsayd
vision / that the persone that he sawe in the trone of
god had fyer / both aboue & byneth: but the fyer that
was aboue was hydde within hym: and the fyer that
was in the nether part was splendent & shynynge in
the circuite of the trone all rounde about / manifest &
open to euery ma~nes sight. The fyer so hydde in the
brest of the sayd persone / signifieth charite / whiche
charite no persone may know for certaynty / whether
he haue it or nat: but onely god and those to whome it
pleaseth his grace to reuele & shew the same. But the
fyer wherin god shewed hymselfe to the iewes was so
manifest & open / that euery persone present myght se
it: and so it was co~uenient to be / sith (as I sayd) all
was but figures that god notably wrought & shewed
to them. Their iourney out of Egipt vnto the cou~tre
of Ierusalem: And the destruccion of Pharao & all
his host / signifieth the iourney to the very Ierusale~ /
the pilgrimage of euery true christen man & woman
to heuen: whiche is the hye triumphant Ierusalem.
Whiche (as saynt Poule sayth) is fre from all captiuite
& daunger / and the prince of derknesse Pharao
our gostly ennemy the deuyll and all his host and
power / in this iourney be vterly confounded
& distroyed by the holy
sacramentes / baptyme
and penaunce.

Howe god hath ordayned the rychesse of the philosophers
& of the iewes / to redou~de to the profyte of the
christen people for their profyte. The.iii.chapt.

HEre myght som be moued to aske a question
or twayne: why almyghty god
wolde put the iewes to that great labours /
and gyue them nothyng but figures
& shadowes of thynges to come ?
To this it may be answered / yt our lorde god shewed
them great mercy in euery thyng: For those labours /
to them that were good / caused augmentacion and
encrease of merite: and to the other / peraue~ture it diminysshed
their peyne in hell: so that they haue nat so
moche peyne as they shulde haue had / if they had nat
suffred those peynes in erthe. More ouer / almyghty
god shewed great loue and mercy to them: whan he
brought them out of Egipt / and deliuered them from
the importable captiuite & thraldome / in the whiche
they lyued there /vnder kynge Pharao & the Egipcians /
and ledde them by deserte / delyuerynge them
from their ennemyes / and gyuyng them the victory
in many great batayles by the way. And accordyng
to his graciouse promesse / brought them safe & surely
to the lande of Canaan / where nowe is Ierusalem / &
gaue it to their vse and possession / and promysed that
he wolde be come man / and shew hymselfe to them / &
be conuersaunt among them: and that he wolde be
their lyght / their gyde / their prince & kyng: to go before
them / and co~ducte or leade them a newe iourney:
that is to say / from this erthly Ierusalem / to ye hye Ierusalem
in heuen: from the countre of Canaan / to the
lande of lyfe / and from the thraldome of the princes

B.iii.

of the worlde / to the fredome of glory and kyngdome
of god / that neuer shall haue ende. If they had ben
kynde & louyng to god / and diligent to procure their
owne saluacion / these figures & labours myght haue
ben to them a great lyght to haue sen the way / & meanes
how they myght haue iourneyed from the erthly
Ierusalem to heuen. For certaynly / onely for that consideracion
they were gyuen: as the ordinary glose
vpon the first epistle of saynt Poule to the Corinthes
dothe expresse / that in suche temporal & sensible thynges
/ god wrought the effectes of his iustice / in the correccion
of them: and the effectes of his mercy in replenisshyng
them with his benefytes / for that he wolde
instructe them before by suche figures and similitudes:
what shuld be the effectes of his grace in the lyfe
spirituall / of them that wolde receyue the true feyth of
Iesu christe. But whan the tyme of grace was come /
and the wyl of the father of heuen was / that his onely
sonne shulde be incarnat of the gloriouse virgyn Mary /
of the house and kyndred of Dauid / he aperynge
amonge them / they nat onely despised hym / but also
they blasphemed the holy goste / for the hye workes of
his grace and mercy: ascribyng his great and innumerable
miracles to the prince of deuylles Belzebub.
And nat withstandynge that their owne reason conuicte
them: shewyng / that those workes myght nat be
wrought / but onely of god: yet (as ye wyse ma~ sayth)
Their owne malice made them blynd: wherfore they
hated bothe the sonne of god and also his father: as
our sauiour testifieth in the gospell of Iohan / sayng.
Nowe they haue sen me / and they haue bothe hated
me and also my father wherfore the kyngdome of
god shalbe taken from them & gyuen to the gentylles.

A nother question myght be moued / why almyghty
god gaue nat the benefytes of philosophy
and figures of the iewes first before all creatures to
the christen people / whome he loued aboue all other /
as his owne elect and chosen chyldren: whiche benefytes
and figures / were to them / bothe great lyght &
helpe / and reputed for their great treasour and rychesse.
To this it may be answerd / that the inuencion
or fyndyng of philosophy / was nat gyuen to the
christen man / bycause he shulde nat lene to moche to
his naturall reason / as the philosophers dyde: which
ascribed all thynges to their wyt: and that / in the
christen man oftentymes causeth heresyes and errours /
and so is great hurte to feyth: For (as saynt
Gregory sayth) Feyth hath no meryt / where natural
reason of it selfe may discerne and perceyue the thyng
by experie~ce. Also the lawe of Moyses was nat first
gyuen to the cristen man / lest he wolde leane all to
gyther to the litterall sense of scripture / and nat to the
spirituall or misticall sense of the same: which myght
be to their co~fusion / as it was to the iewes. And therfore
the goodnesse of god (as Rabanus sayth) and it
is put in the holy canons: hath ordayned / that lyke
as the iewes spoyled Egipt of their richesse / and toke
nat their ryffe raffe: but according to the comau~deme~t
of god / they toke their principall substau~ce: as golde /
siluer / and plate. So in lyke wyse / the christen people
after the ordinaunce of god / hath spoyled bothe the
iewes and also the philosophers. We haue nat taken
their ryffe raffe: for we haue nat taken their errours:
but the noble veritees or truthes of philosophy / and
all moralitees and instruccions of good maner and
pollicy / or other gouernaunce of the people: whiche

B.iiii.

the Romans and other gentyles vsed / but vnlyke to
vs: For they vsed all to the hono2 of their false goddes / :
And we in sure feyth to the honour of the onely god /
and sauiour / our lorde Iesu christ: For what so euer
be nat ordred in his feyth / and to his holy honour / co~maundement
and lawe: it is no phylosophy: it is no
lawe: it is no truth: but errour /falsnesse / ydolatry / &
tyranny. Yet / we admyt nother this philosophy / nor
the pollicies or lawe of the Romayns / to proue our
feyth therby: but bycause our reason by the naturall
knowledge & properties of thynges / may be the more
apte and better disposed to receyue the lyght of feyth /
and to perceyue the misteryes of the same. Also our
lorde wolde nat that we shulde take the drosse of the
lawe of Moyses / nother the cerimonyes / nor legalles
and customes / whiche all were euacuat and made
voyde by the passion of our sauiour Iesu Christ: as
sone as his holy lawe of the gospell was promulgat
and publisshed. But he wolde that we shulde spoyle
them of the. x. co~maundementes and other preceptes
of good moralite and vertue / and suche iudicialles
and figures: whiche may helpe to the same: Wherfore
/ euery christen man and woman ought to be glade
whan they here the prechar of the worde of god / reherse
and figures or stories of the lawe of Moyses / or
prophetes in his sermon: knowyng for certaynty / that
in the sayd figures and scriptures / they may perceiue
and haue a great lyght howe to order themselfe / in
one part or other / of their iourney toward heuen: For
as I sayd / for that entent and ende they were made &
gyuen to the iewes / bycause they shulde redownde to
the
perfyte of al christe~ people (as saynt Poule sayth).
To them al were as figures or significacio~s of thy~ges

for to come: and all be writen for our profyte / whome
nowe god hath called to his grace in the ende of the
worlde. And (as saynt Austen sayth) Bycause that
we redyng their punysshme~tes for synne / & benefites
for well doyng: shulde be the more ware to offende
god / and the gladder to fulfyll his blessed wyll. The
iewes (sayth saynt Bede) were all carnall people /
wherfore they had carnal and temporall thynges promysed
and gyuen to them. But the cristians shulde be
all spirituall: transcendyng and fleyng aboue all the
thynges of this worlde / and puttyng their trust onely
in spirituall or heuenly thynges. Wherfore / the christian
shulde be glade to here the misteries of the olde
lawe preched / as the shale of the nut to be broken / that
he may fede of the cornell. But al their figures and similitudes
/ signifyeth or representeth som mistery of
the feyth / and declareth some poynt of our iourney.
Nat so vnderstandyng that the scie~ce of phylosophy /
or the lawe of Moyses and prophetes / was or is sufficient
of it selfe / to bryng man to the hye Ierusalem in
heuen: for that it myght neuer do ne gyue of it selfe.
For nat withstandyng / their philosophy and great
co~nyng: Aristotle / Plato / and Socrates / with many
other be damned in hell after doctours. And al the
chyldren of Israel that dyed ryghtuously vnder the
lawe of Moyses / went to Lymbo patru~: for the lawe
myght nat delyuer them: sith (as saynt Poule sayth)
The lawe of Moyses bryngeth nat man sufficiently
to any perfection of grace or glory: but ioyned to
the lawe of grace: whiche is the holy gospell of our
lorde Iesu. It may helpe ryght well: lyke as the rychesse:
of the whiche the chyldren of Israel spoyled
the Egiptians / was nat sufficient to bryng them to

Ierusalem / nother able to saue them in their probacion
in desert: where god prouided their feyth and
hope / leauyng them and sufferyng them to be without
meate and drynke a certayne season / to proue
their stablenesse in feyth and hope. And they anone
mistrustyng god / began to despeyre and grudge: but
god sone releued them by the hande of Moyses: wha~
he / at the commaundement of god /smote water out
of the harde flynt stone for to refresshe them: And also
/ god sent from heuen a swete fode for their breed /
called manna: whiche had the tast in their mouthes /
of all thinges pleasau~t and delectable / that they coud~
desyre. There the rychesse of Egipt myght nat helpe
them: but god by his grace goyng before them / as
their lyght and gyde: but the sayd ryches holpe them
well by the way in diuerse other necessaries. So in
lyke wyse / the science of philosophy and the lawe of
Moyses / by the ayde / strength / & lyght of the gospel
of Christ / may helpe vs well in our iourney / and that
for diuerse necessities. But aboue all these rychesse /
god hath gyuen to the true christen man / an hyer treasure
of more noble valour / strength / and vertue: whiche
/ nat onely gyueth al pleasaunt tast to the mouthe /
as the sayd manna gaue to the iewes: but also / it gyueth
to vs all maner of thynges necessary to our iourney
by the way / from the begynnyng to the endyng
of the same: Which / whan we be in derkenesse / is our
lyght: whan we be in sickenesse / is our medicine and
helth: whan we be in batayle / is our sauegarde and
defence. In heuynesse / feblenes / and trouble of ennemyes
/ it is our conforte / our strength / saueconducte /
and peas. It bereth out our costes / and dischargeth
all dutyes. It gyueth to vs our sustenaunce. It is

our wyne / our oyle / our dayly breed and suportacion.
It neuer minyssheth / ne leueth vs (excepte we wyll)
vnto the tyme it hath brought vs to our iourneys
ende / to the hye citie of glory /countre of ioy /
and lande of lyfe euerlastyng.

Howe the rychesse and glory of the worlde lytell
helpeth man in his iourney / but rather letteth
hym. The fourthe chapter.

SOme persons parauenture wyll muse
or maruell / what maner of rychesse ben
these / that so gyueth to the christen man
al these benefites and excellent prerogatiues:
And whether they be vndersta~de
the rychesse of this worlde or no. But it is soone answerde
/ that they can nat be the rychesse of this worlde
for many causes: and specially for these two. For the
corruptible rychesse of this worlde / moste co~monly
agaynst the wyll of man / forsaketh & deceyueth hym
whan he weneth leste and hath moste nede: For whan
a man hath moste dignitees / honour / and rychesse in
this worlde: than is he oftentymes moste nye the state
of misery & decay / outher here or els where. Another
cause is / that it can nat be the goodes of this worlde:
for al the goodes / honours & dignitees of this worlde
be nat able without the forsayd ryches to helpe hym
any thynge in this his iourney to heuen: but rather
to hynder and let hym. But of the contrary wyse: If
man haue these other rehersed noble rychesse: to the
whiche if he but onely put his good wyll / they be sufficient
to bryng hym to the hye triu~phaunt Ierusalem /
all the goodes of the worlde set a part & vtterly despysed.

Than ought we moche to loue and desyre these
heuenly ryches / and to study both nyght & daye with
all our affection: nat onely / howe we myght gete and
encreasse them: but also whan they be optayned and
wonne howe to kepe them that we lose them nat / and
in comparyson of them to despyse the corruptible and
deceyuable ryches of the worlde: whiche our sauiour
calleth false ryches. For certaynly they be no true ryches:
but false and deceyuable manmotry of iniquite:
and they make all that loueth them inordinatly to co~mytte
ydolatry (as saynt Poule sayth). Than / syth
the goodes of the worlde / of the~selfe may nat profyte
man nor helpe hym in his iourney towarde heuen:
why shulde nat man despyse them? And so moche the
rather / that the more they be despysed / the more occasion
they be of good: And the more that man loueth
them / the more euyll he procureth to hymselfe. For the
ryches of the worlde hath no goodnesse: but in order
to man: And if man were nat / they shulde nat be: And
if they had no beyng / they shulde nat be good. At the
generall day of iudgeme~t / whan all this worlde shal
be transposed and man translate / outher to ioy or to
peyne: than shall all the pleasure of this worlde cesse.
Whan the fyer of god shall come / than shal this vale
of misery be brent: whan god withdraweth his rayu~:
whiche nowe for vs vnkynde wretches maketh it to
apere / as a paradise with trees and floures of pleasure.
Than shall there be nother oxe ne cowe / ne any
other beest ne catel / nether tree ne frute / herbe ne floure /
ryuer ne fysshe / castel ne towne / ryall / noble / grote
ne peny / the fyer shal co~sume all. Wherfore / saynt Austen
sayth. I maruell moche / howe the hert of man
can loue so feruently these erthly thynges / that hath

no goodnes: but onely by the reason of man & set so
lytel by those ryches / without the which man hath no
goodnesse. For man lackyng preceding word illegible: grace / by synne is sonne
made nought (as the sayd doctour sayth). Also he
sayth in a sermon de verbisdomini. Wyll thou or nyll
thou / thou mayst lese thy goodes temporall / as thy honours /
thy power / thy iurisdiccion / thy autorite and
glory of the worlde: and also by chaunce the helth of
thy body: but the goodes spirituall / as vertu & grace
thou neuer receyuest agaynst thy wyll / neyther yet
mayst lese them but with thy wyll. Wherfore great
cause hath man to despyse and set at nought all this
worlde with the co~tentes in the same / in comparison
to the heuenly rychesse / that neuer shall fade ne fayle.
For (as saynt Gregory sayth) If we wolde consyder
and fixe our loue in the heuenly rychesse: all the transitory
honours of this worlde shulde apeyre to vs /
vile & nought / as they be in very dede. For the erthly
substau~ce of this worlde compared to the eternal felicite
of heuen / is rather (as he sayth) a burden than a
felicitie / and may more verily be called a deth than a
lyfe / more lyke to a shadow / than to a very true thyng.
This may more euidently apere: if we wolde for an
example / compare the pleasurs of this worlde to the
heuenly ryches. These ben the thynges in this worlde
moste desirable: co~nyng / knowlege / honours / power /
helth of body / & beautie of the same / voluptuousnesse /
rychesse / strength / wyt: with suche other / which well
considered in them selfe be nothyng: but lyke to the
smoke of fyer. Smoke / the more it encreaseth / the lesse
is behynde: and the hyer it ascendeth / the sooner it vanyssheth
away. So in very dede dothe all these transitory
delectacions of this worlde. The more that a

man vsed them / somtyme the lesse he setteth by them.
And whome they most auaunce / they most consume:
And whome they most extolle and lefte vp moste hye /
they forsake sonnest / and commonly gyue them the
greater fall. And at the houre of deth whan their miserable
soule shall depart from the body / & their eyes
be openned that they may se them selfe: and what is
before them / & what is behynde them. Before the~ they
shall se a worlde that neuer shal haue ende / in the whiche
they shall lyue euermore in ioy / or euermore in
peyne. Behynde them they shal se this lytell transitory
worlde / with the ententes & pleasures of the same:
whiche they haue left behynde them / whiche worlde
euermore fayling & decayng draweth fast to an ende.
And compared to the worlde that euer shall endure:
it is nat so moche as a pynnes poynte / compared to
the hole erth. This they well perceyuyng them after
their departyng. Anone thy begyn to marueyll howe
euer the herte of man cowde fynde any pleasure in
these transitory thynges / or howe mannes mynde
myght be fixed in the loue of this worlde: which hath
in it no substaunce / and negligently forgete the state
of his saluacion / and the worlde that neuer shal haue
ende. This / the soule consideryng / specially before
his particular iudgement: whan he is vncertayn /
whether he shall be iudged for euermore / to ioy or to
peyne: than he cryeth out / and wyssheth that he neuer
had hadde eyes to se thynges in this worlde / nother
eares to here any pleasure of the same / ne other
senses to haue knowen any thyng that
was let to his saluacion. Lo / this
is the ende of all worldely
lyuyng.

Howe the co~nyng / knowlege / honours / dignities /
and prosperities of this worlde / be nothyng in comparyson
to the spirituall rychesse of heuen / with a short
excapitulacion or rehersall of all that is sayde ( and
what condicions be requyred to these pilgrymes.
The fyfthe chapter.

BVt nowe to the example and co~paryson
before rehersed. We that be here in Englande:
which is but a small Ile & a lytel
cornar in respect to the hole worlde. What
is our co~nyng or knowlege / co~pared to
the knowledge of the hole worlde: In the which there
be innumerable secretes of nature & other pleasures in
many realmes / that we here shal neuer knowe. Euen
as the knowledge of euery singular persone in this
realme of Englande / is to the knowledge of the hole
brode worlde: so & moch lesse ( is the co~nyng or knowledge
of this present worlde / co~pared to the knowlege
that is in heuen. There is the very knowlege / there is
the moste excellent co~nyng: whan in the clere vision &
syght of the deite / we shall se in glory all the angelles
of heuen / and know eche one of them distinctly in his
owne persone: and al the holy sayntes that ben saued /
and also the damned spirites in hell / with al their adherentes
/ retynewe & seruau~tes: all the heuens: all the
sterres: all the elementes / with their properties & mouynges
/ & other perfeccio~s of their nature: and euery
creature that god hath wrought in ther same from the
begynnyng: more distinctly: more clerely & more nobly
than euer it was in the proper corruptible nature. And
aboue all this / we shal se clerely the gloriouse beautie
of the deite / and that shalbe our endles blysse & felicite.

In the whiche syght we shal knowe the infinite treasour
of all wysdome & knowlege: whiche no sense or
wytte may perceyue / no tonge expresse / ne herte can
thynke. O / who wolde nat be there? wher he myght
haue this hye knowledge and glory perdurable. Also
the honour power & glory of this worlde is / to be
familier & great in fauour with princes: and of them
to haue authorite and iurisdiccion to rule & gouerne /
realmes / cities and townes. This is the glory of this
worlde: whiche well co~sidered in it selfe / is in maner
nothyng: for therin is no stablenesse ne certaynty: but
all depe~deth of a thyng that is more lyght than is the
wynde / and more brytell than grasse. I meane the
wyl of their souerayn. And what is more frayle / more
inconstant & mutable / than is the wyll of man? Or
how many any one man put his trust therin / syth therby
all mankynde was vterly loste and excluded out
of paradise. But the very true honour is / to be great
in the fauour & grace of the kyng of all kynges god
almyghty. That is the dignitie / that is the noblenes /
that is the hye power & excellent familiarite: whan
in all reuerence and perfyte loue / man shall minister
in the presence of god / admytted among the citezyns
of heuen / to fulfyll and occupy the rom of an angell
farre aboue the dignite of knyghthed or barony / farre
excellyng the state of lordes / erles / dukes and kynges.
For in heuen / euery man & woman shalbe as an emperour
& empresse / accordyng to the sayeng of scripture.
And in testimony therof / they shall receyue of the
hande of god the crowne of glory and dyademe of
honour. There shalbe no acceptation of persons; nor
difference in power: but they that here moste loueth
almyghty god and ca for his sake moste inwardly

in hert despyse this worlde / with all the vanites of the
same / shall haue the moste hye crowne of glory / wher
they shall haue alway: co~nyng without ignoraunce:
helth & strength of body / without sicknesse or feblenesse:
ioye & endles felicite / wtout feare or tediousnes:
familiarite / nat with the synfull princes & lordes of
this worlde: but with ther holy sayntes / angelles. In
whose co~pany / they shall dwell perpetually / and se
dayle their holy & blessed co~uersacion / and here their
songe & melody: whiche / without co~paryson / passeth
all the armory of this worlde / both musicall instrumentes
and voyce of man / woman and byrdes. And
aboue all this / is the assuraunce of lyfe eternal / in all
glory and felicite / our soule / and all the desyres of the
same / fully saciat & contented / in the clere vision and
fruicion of the father of heuen / and his onely sonne /
our lorde Iesu christ: whome he sent into this worlde
for mannes redemption / with the holy goste / one god
in trinite of persons. Here parauenture the carnall &
beestly man wyll moue a folysshe question / bycause
he sauoreth no thynge: but that / that is carnall and
worldly / and aske: wheder in heuen shalbe any meate
or drynke / clothyng or money / with suche other corporall
thynges / without the which / some supposeth and
thynketh / that there can nat be any ioy or blysse. To
whome / it may be answerde after Bede: that none of
these transitory & corruptible thynges shalbe in that
heuenly cyte of glory. For as he syth: What nedeth
meate there / wher shalbe no hunger: or drynke / wher
shalbe no thyrst: or what nedeth phisycke / money or
clothyng: where shalbe no sickenesse / no necessitie nor
nakednesse: For there / all shalbe clothed with the vesture
of immortalite and garment of glory. And all

the apetites of man shalbe replenysshed wt all goodnes
/ and saciat with glory / to the vttermoste. For (as
saynt Austen sayth). What so euer man can desyre /
he shall haue it there: and he shall neuer desyre thyng
there that is euyll. O / who wolde nat despise this
worlde / to haue that great glory & ioy: Or who wolde
nat laboure with all his myght & power / the iourney and pilgrimage
/ our entent is / in this pore treatyse to declare / as
god shal sende vs his grace. But sith the mater is all
spiritual / it shall but lytell sauour or please the tast if
them that be carnal. God graunt al his holy seruantes
that taketh ye sayd iourney on them / graciouse perseuerau~ce
/ and me wretche / first to fulfyll that I wryte to
other. Amen. And thus hetherto / we haue touched in
generall / what is ye entent & purpose of this our pore
treatyse: In the whiche / we haue shewed / howe the
natural appetite of man / is neuer saciat or fully contented
in this worlde: And that sheweth also /
howe / that ende / for the whiche man was created and
made / resteth in the clere sight & fruicion of the deite:
And howe that many haue seen god diuerse wayes:
both the Philosophers / the Iewes / and the Christen
man. The philosophers se hym in his creatures: whiche
werre to them as a mirour of lokyng glasse /wherin
they hadsome sight and knowledge of god. The
iewes se hym more perfetly: but it was (as who myght
se) the hynder part of god that they sawe. But aboue
all these / the christen man / as welbyloued chylde
of god / is admytted to se in clere vision the face of
god: that is to say / his deite. Wherfore / moch worthy

blame is that christen man or woman / that wyll nat
with al their might labourre the iourney of perfection /
wherby they may atteyne to ye sayd clere vision & fruicion
of god. But before we entrete of this holy iourney:
it is to be knowen that. iiii. thynges be necessary
to be vnderstanded and obserued of all them that entendeth
to trauaile the same. First / they may nat haue
the co~dicions of the iewes / whiche were so obstinat &
strong in their owne opinion / so moche trustyng in
the cerimonyes of their lawe / that in no wyse they
wolde be counselled by the son of god / nether by his
apostles. Also / they may nat haue the properties of
the philosophers / that trusted in their owne connyng
and knowledge that they had before other / in there
owne pregnau~t and quycke wytte & reason / for these
co~dicions be able to destroy the pylgrime of perfeccion
/ so that he shal neuer come to the ende & purpose
of his iourney as I sayd before. Thyrdly / they muste
subdue reason to feyth: for feyth is one of the principall
partes of this iourney. Fourthly / they muste
truste onely in the grace & mercy of god / and kepe surely
the heuenly kynges hye way: that is to say / his
holy lawe of the gospell / and co~maundeme~tes of holy
church. Fyftely / they must despyse the deuyll wt al his
pompes: that is to say: all mortall synne: all worldely
honours & dignities: all curious appetites of knowledge:
all sensuall pleasures: all delectations of the
flesshe / and neuer be wery to labour in their iourney
for their saluacion: that is to say / strongly to feyght
agaynst these thre ennemyes: the worlde / the flesshe /
and the deuyll. I wolde shewe / what persons be apte to profyte
in this iourney of perfection: and who be contrary:

C.ii.

And as moche as is in me / I forbede all singular persons
from the studeyng of this treatise / and all suche
curious persons / that desyreth more to knoew secretes /
than to enswe or folowe perfection. Also all persons
that wyll nat be counsayled by their superiours or
heddes: but stycke fast in their owne blynde fantasy.
Suche hath the co~dicio~s of iewes & philosophers / as
it is before sayd / and be nat mete to profyte and go
forwarde in this pilgrimage / excepte they put away
these sayd perylous condicions. Wherfore you holy
seruantes of god / that taketh on you this greate pilgrymage:
I exhorte you in our lorde Iesu / to be in
purpose / euermore to apply your selfe / both soule and
body / to the seruice of god and to be simple in hert / as
god wyll gyue you grace: And what ye rede / se you
practise it in lyfe and dede. Be neuer to curious / or to
besy to aske questions curiously to apose any man in
suche secrettes that ye shall rede in this pore treatyse /
but rather / haue your eare alway redy to be enformed
and taught of any other that speketh of perfection:
And bycause ye entende the same / for your gostly encrease
in vertu / rede often this treatyse / wherin as in
maner is co~teyned but one sparke of perfection / in co~paryson
to the hole. Stande stedfast in the feyth and
hope of god / and let hym be all your trust / and than
you shall be sure: for on euery syde ye shall be assayled
and prouided dayly / as pilgryms that iourneyth
to Ierusalem. But be of good conforte and strong in
god: in whome (as saynt Poule sayth). We may do
all thyng: and he neuer suffreth man or woman
to be tempted / ouer that they may resiste.
Blessed he his holy name
therfore. Amen.