472 ' Wolf. 



tinewall lawde and prayse of thy name. and a liglit for the 

 wealth and edificacion of my neg-hbours. And so with outen 

 flackynge to amende oure lives that with a meker sprete and 

 milder mode hence forth whe ' maye have oure conuersacion 

 amonge all men. And so by pacience to be made stronge in 

 all aduersite, only trustynge in the oure lorde, and mereifuU 

 father through Christis merittes Amen, So. Wherin passest 

 thou the residue of thy tyrae? Fa. When [fol. 47*.] I was of 

 thyne age I Avent to scole, and with all diligence studied. 

 So. wherin? Fa. Yt is gretly to be pondered what a manne 

 begynneth in his youeth to learne, and that beeause he cannot 

 lyghtly forgett it when he commeth to age, Whe[r]fore I spe- 

 cially rede the newe testament in englisshe. And at sorae voyd 

 tyme the storys written by Titus Liuius, And when I rede 

 theym, I remember that I am a Christiane offered vppe to 

 god, and therfore rede I theym with feare. seynge that, that 

 matter shulde be to me most pleasunat-, and comfortable, 

 which clearly sheweth me the waye to god, Yet at some tyme 

 labouringe I maye rede, or heare soche wother treatises, as 

 teache me to knowe the waies of the wicked, and vngodly 

 deceytes of the worlde, craftynes, and delusions of the devill 

 and his servauntes. Soche workes also, as shewe and teache 

 howe a manne ought to behave hyme silfe in the lawes and 

 institutes of his temporall lordes and heddes. Wherby he 

 myght (yf nede requyre) be made the apter, to the administra- 

 cion, and service of the .commen well. For doutles there is 

 no Christen manne, but he shall (havynge his wit and vnder- 

 stondynge qiiickened by the redinge of theym) sone perceave 

 that fayth and charite, are both goode and proffitable. and all 

 wo- [fol. 47''.] ther thynges but vayne and transitory, end ^ 

 füll of pareles ^. And wheare as the knowledge off a perfett 

 belefe, and a moderate redynge oflf these worldely storyes are 

 to gether, doutlesse there is the reders minde more aud moi'e 

 withdrawne from the worlde. Yet ought a Christiane diligently 

 exercyse hyme silfe in redinge of scripture. whervnto tonges, 

 as hebrewe, greke, and laten healpe not aliteil, specially for 

 the vnderstondyuge of the profounde misteries of god. So, Howe 



we. ^ pJeasanttt. ^ and. ^ perilea. 



