105
this world / and nat by tresor ; / therfore sholde he preye to god / to
yeue hym respit a while / to biwepe / and biwaillen his trespas /
for
certes / al the sorwe / that a man myghte make / fro the bigynnyng of
the world / nys but a litel thyng at regard of the sorwe of helle ;
¶ The cause / why that Iob clepeth helle / the lond of derknesse /.
vnder-
stondeth / that he clepeth it lond of Erthe / for it is stable / and neuere
shal faille dirk. for he that is in helle / hath defaute of ligħt material
for certes / the derke ligħt that shal come out of the fyr that euere shal
brenne / shal turne hym al to peyne þt is in helle / for it sheweth hī
to the horrible deueles / that hym tormenten /
110
couered with the derknes-
se of deeth /. that is to seyn / that he þt is in helle / shal haue defaute
of the sigħte of god /. for certes / the sigħte of god / is the lyf pardurable
¶ The derknesse of deeth / been the synnes / that the wrecched man hath /
doon / whiche that destourben hym / to see the face of god / rigħt as dooþ
a derk clowde / bitwixe vs and the Sonne
¶ Lond of Misese
/ by cause
that ther been .iij. man
eres of defautes
/ agayn .iij. thynges
/ that folk
/ of this world
/ han in this p
ersent lyf
. that is to seyn honours
/ delices
/ and richesses
¶ Agayns honour haue they in helle / shame & cōfusioū
For wel ye woot that men clepen honour the reuerence / that man doþ
to man /. but in helle / is noon honour ne reuerence /. for certes / namoore ~
reuerence shal be doon there to a kyng than to a knaue
115
¶ For which
/ god
seith
/ by the
prophete Ieremye
Thilke folk
/ þt me despisen
/ shul been in de-
spit
¶ Honour / is eek cleped greet lordshipe / and heigħnesse / but in
helle / shul they been al fortroden of deueles /.
And god seith //. the horri-
ble deueles shulle goon and comen / vp on the heuedes of the dampned
folk /. and this is for as muche / as the hyer that they were in this persent
lyf /. the moore shulle they been abated and defouled in helle
¶ A-
gayns the richesses of this world / shul they han mysese of pouerte / and
this pouerte / shal been in foure thynges /.
In defaute of tresor / of which
that Dauid seith ¶ The riche folk / that embraceden and oneden al hir
herte to tresor of this world / shul slepe / in the slepynge of deeth /. and
no thyng ne shal they fynden in hir handes / of al hir tresor /
120
¶ And
moore ouer / the myseyse of helle / shal been / in defaute of mete and drin-
ke /.
for god seith thus by Moyses /. They shul been wasted with hunger
and the briddes of helle / shul deuouren hem with the bitter deeth / and
the galle of the dragon / shal been hir drynke / and the venym of
the dragou / hir morsels
¶ And forther ouer / hir myseyse / shal
been in defaute of clothyng. for they shulle be naked in body / as of
clothyng. saue the fyr / in which they brenne / and othere filthes /
&
naked shul they been of soule / as of alle manere vertues / which þt is
the clothyng of the soule /. Where been thanne the gaye Robes / and
the smale shetes / and the softe shertes
¶ Loo / what seith god of
hem / by the prophete Ysaye /. That vnder hem / shul been strawed
Motthes / and hir couertures / shulle been of wormes of helle
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¶ And
forther ouer / hir myseyse shal been / in defaute of freendes / for
he nys nat poure that hath goode freendes / but there is no frend
for neither god ne no creature / shal been freend to hem / and euer-
ich of hem / shal haten oother with deedly hate /