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IN DIE INNOCENCIUM
2SERMO PRO EPISCOPO PUERORUM.

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LAUDATE PUERI DOMINUM.

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PSALMO CENTESIMO XII^O ET PRO HUJUS COLLACIONIS FUNDAMENTO.

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6    "Prayse ye childerne almyghty God," as the Phylosophre sayth
7in dyverse places. All those thynges that have the habyte of parfyght
8cognycyon may move themself and conveye themself to theyr ende,
9as a beest havynge sensyble knowlege, and man more parfyghter,
10bothe sensyble and intellygyble, may move themself whether they
11wyll, and so conveye al theyr accyons and dedes to theyr naturall ende;
12but carencia cognicione , those thynges that lacke cognycyon, have no
13mocyon of themself, nother be dyrected to theyr ende without the
14helpe of an other. As an arowe of hymself can not be movyd ne
15dyrected unto the prycke without the redy conveyaunce of hym that
16shoteth, thrugh whom dyrectly he attayneth his ende and is shotte
17to the prycke.
18    In as moche thenne as mankynde is ordeyned unto an ende ferre
19excedynge the lymytes of nature, as it is wryten by the Holy Ghost
20in Ysay lxiiij^o, Oculus non vidit, Deus, absque te quae preparasti exspectantibus
21te; et prima ad Corintheos secundo - Oculus non vidit, nec
22aures audivit, nec in cor hominis ascendit quae preparavit Deus diligentibus
23illum . "The eye of a man hath not seen, nother his eeres
24herde, nother it can not be thought in his herte, thende that Almyghty
25God hath ordened for them that lovyth hym." To this ende
26man, havynge the use of reason and parfyte knowlege, is dyrected

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27by his free wyll as by a pryncypall in hymself to move hym to God.
28And also by fayth as a pryncypall above naturall knowlege, without
29the whiche it is impossyble to plese God and attayne to the ende of
30grace in this present lyf and glory in heven, as it is wreten, Sine fide
31impossibile est placere Deo . Whyle it is so that man endowed with
32use of reason, havynge naturall knowlege and free, maye not suffycyently
33dyrect hymself to the ende that God hath ordeyned to without
34the helpe of fayth, as it is wryten, Jheremiae iiij^o, Non est enim hominis
35vincere, neque viri est ut ambuleter et dirigat gressus ejus . It is not in
36mannes power for to overcome vyce of hymself, nother for to walke
37parfyghtly and dyrecte his gooynge in the lawe of God, but by his
38grace assystente. Moche more those that bene chylderne for tendernesse
39of age and lacke of knowlege can not dyrect theyr dedes convenyentely
40to that ende without specyall helpe of God. In token
41herof childerne newely sette to scole, lackynge the use of reason and
42the habyte of cognycyon, have a recourse to Goddes dyreccyon,
43fyrste lernynge this ( Cristis Crosse be my spede ), and so begynnyth
44the A.B.C. In wytnesse of defawte of this perfeccion in knowlege,
45Pyctagoras, to the dyreccyon of Chylderne, he founde fyrste this letter
46in the A.B.C. Y, the whyche as Ysider sayth Ethimologis is formyd
47and made after the symylytude of mannes lyfe, for this letter Y is
48made of two lynes; one is a right lyne, the other is half ryght and
49half crokyd. And soo verely the Infant age of a childe is ryght
50neyther dysposed to vertue neyther to vyce, as the Phylosophre sayth,
51Tanquam tabula nuda in qua nichil depingitur . But the seconde age
52is called Adolescencia , and hath two lynes, a ryght and a crokyd, sygnefyenge
53the dysposycion that he hath thenne to vyce and thenne to vertue.
54In the whiche age is the brekynge of every chylde to goodnes or
55to lewdenes. Therfore that age is moost uncertayn in knowlege, as
56Salomon sayth, Proverbior. xxx^o, Tria sunt michi difficilia ad cognoscendum,
57et quartum penitus ignoro. Viam navis in medio maris, et
58viam viri in adolescencia . "Thre thynges (sayth Salomon) bene

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59harde to me to knowe, and the fourth utterly I knowe not. The
60flyghte of the egle in the ayer; The waye of the serpent on the
61erthe; The sayllyng of a shyppe in the see; But the fourth and moost
62hardest is to understande the waye of a man in his growynge age."
63Tho children thenne the whiche lacke dyscrecyon, use of reason,
64and parfyght cognycyon, and yet attayne to the ende that is prepared
65for mannes blysse, as thyse blessyd Innocentes whoos solempnyte
66we halowe this daye (Qui non loquendo sed moriendo confessi sunt)
67may moost in a specyall laude that gloryous Lorde (sequentes Agnum
68quocumque ierit,) to whom by our Moder Holy Chirche in tytle of
69tryumphe may contynually be applyed the wordes of my tyme
70(Laudate, pueri, Dominum) , ye chosen chylderne of God, lackynge
71the use of cognycyon and yet gloryfyed by your passyon in lyfe
72everlastynge, prayse ye God.
73    In the begynnynge thenne of this symple exhortacyon, that I a
74chylde, wantynge the habyte of connynge, maye be dyrected by hym
75that gave to that childe Danyell Sermonem rectum et Spiritum
76Deorum , somwhat to say to his laude and praysynge, and to alle
77pure chylderne that bene here present edifyenge, we shall atte this
78tyme devoutly make our prayers.
79    In the whiche prayers I recommende unto your devocyons the
80welfare of all Chrysts chirche; our holy fader the Pope with alle
81the Clergye, my Lorde of Caunterbury, and the ryghte reverende
82fader and worshypfull lorde my broder Bysshopp of London your dyocesan,
83also for my worshypfull broder the Deane of this cathedrall
84chirche, wyth all resydensaryes and prebendaryes of the same. And
85moost intyerly I praye you to have myself in your specyal devocyon,
86so that I may contynue in this degree that I now stande, and never
87more herafter to be vexed with Jerom's vysyon, the whiche is wryten
88Jeremiae primo : whan the good Lorde askyd of Jeremye, Quid tu
89vides, Jeremia? he answered and sayd Virgam vigilantem ego video ,
90"A waken rodde I see," sayd Jeremye. Truely thys waken rodde
91oftentymes hath troubled me in my childehode, that lumbi mei impleti

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92sunt illusionibus, et non est sanitas in carne mea; afflictus sum
93et humiliatus sum nimis . And therfor, though I be now in hye
94dygnyte, yet whan I see other here my mayster that was thenne,
95operuit confusio faciem meam; a voce contremuerunt labia mea . As
96Nero the Emperour wold to his mayster Seneca, the same wysshe I
97wold to my mayster I love soo well. And for theyr true dylygence
98that all my maysters the whiche taughte me ony connynge in my
99youthe gave to me, I wolde they were promytted to be perpetuall
100felowes and collegeners of that famouse college of the Kynges
101foundacyon in Southwerke that men calle the Kynges Benche.
102Gretter worshypp I cannot wysshe than for to sytte in the Kynges
103owne Benche. And for by cause charyte is parfyght yf it be
104extendyd as well to the ende of the lyf as it is the lyf self, I wolde
105they sholde ende ther lyf in that holy waye the whyche often tymes
106I radde whan that I was Querester, in the Marteloge of Poules,
107where many holy bodyes deyed, callyd in Latyn Via Tiburtina : in
108Englysshe asmoche to saye as the highe waye to Tyburne. In this
109behalf ye shall praye specyally for all prelates that cometh to theyr
110dygnytee as I dyde; for, thanked be God, wythout conspyracy,
111lordshyp, or symony I was sette in thys degree; for verely promocyon
112in ony realme hadde per demonum Simonem et principem
113hath and shall brynge Crystys chirche in confusionem dampnabilem .
114    In the seconde partye ye shall praye for the wele and peas of all
115Crysten reames, specyally for the reame of Englonde, Our soverayne
116lorde the Kyng, Our soverayne lady the Quene, My lorde the
117Prynce, My lady the Kynges Moder, My lorde her Husbonde,
118with all the Lordes of the Realme; The welfare of this Cyte, for
119my ryght worshypful broder and lover of the Mayer, with all the
120Aldermen and Shyrefs.
121    In the thyrde partye, all the soules lyenge in the paynes of
122Purgatory; specyally for the soule of the reverende fader my

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123lorde Thomas Kempe late Bysshop, and for the soules of all Benefactours
124of thys chirche of Poules, wyth all Crysten soules, for the
125whiche and for the entent premysed I praye you devoutly saye a
126Pater Noster and an Ave.
127    Laudate Pueri Dominum (ut supra).
128    In as moche as Cryste sayth in the Gospell, Sinite parvulos venire
129ad me, quia talium est regnum Celorum (Mathei xix^o.) "Suffre ye
130childerne to come to me, for of suche the kyngdom of heven is
131fulfylled," by whom, after saynt Austyn (in originali, ubi thema) ,
132it is not oonly understonde those that bene chylderne of age, but
133those that bene chylderne pure in clennesse from synne and malyce.
134As the holy appostle saynt Poule sayth, Nolite effici pueri sensibus,
135malicia autem parvuli estote (prima ad Corintheos xiiij^o) "Be ye not
136chylderne in your wyttes; but from all synne and malyce be ye
137chylderne in clennesse." And in this fourme alle maner of people
138and al maner of ages in clennesse of lyf ought to be pure as
139childerne, to whom generally may I saye Laudate, pueri, Dominum;
140Laudate, pueri, Dominum in infantia; laudate Dominum in adolescentia;
141laudate Dominum in perseverante etate humana, - "Prayse,
142ye childerne, your God in your infant age; Prayse ye hym in your
143growynge age; And prayse ye hym perseverauntly (usque in senectum
144et senium) in your mannes age." And in thyse thre praysynge
145of thre ages shall stande the processe of this symple Collacyon.
146    Thyse thre ages after the consceyte of the appostle ( ad Galathas
147and ad Romanos ) is lykened to the thre lawes, - that is to saye -
148to the Lawe of Kynde, the Lawe Wryten, and the Lawe of Grace.
149The first age is likenyd unto the Lawe of Kynde. A childe fyrste
150whan he is in his infant age is not constreyned unto no lawes;
151he is not corrected nother beten; and there is no defaute layde
152unto hym, but utterly he is lefte unto the lawe of kynde. Do he
153what somever he wyll, no man doth blame hym. Morally the state
154of man inmedyatly after synne was verely the state of childehode

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155and infans havinge no nouryce. Whan that man was utterly left
156without ony expressyd lawe, havynge no mayster, to his owne
157naturall inclynacyon as to his lawe, there was no lawe of God newe
158put to hym. Many defawtes dyde he, and to many inconvenyences
159he ranne. Correccyon was there none, but utter destruccyon, as Noes
160floode, destroyenge all infantes of mankynde save viij. persones
161(Genesis vij^o.) The destruccyon of Sodome and of Gomor with other
162cytees (Genesis xix^o.) And lyke wyse as a childe, havynge noo
163nouryce nor guyder deputed to hym, may as well renne in to the fyre
164or water as to go besyde, soo verely in the fyrste age of man, in
165the lawe of kynde, a man beynge wythout a nouryce or guyder,
166lefte to hys naturall guydynge, mysusyd soo ferre hymselfe, that he
167ranne to water where he was utterly destroyed as I sayde before,
168save Noes housholde, and also to the fyre, where a grete parte was
169destroyed. And verely, Maysters, yf we clerely consydre our lyf
170and state that we stande in now in thyse dayes, I fere me we shall fynde
171ourself soo ferre guyded by our sensuall nature, that we shall nede
172to be purefyed to our streyte correccyon wyth a streyte afflyccyon, as
173the water or the fyre. And all for lacke of our maysters and
174nouryces all wrapped in neclygence taketh none attendaunce to us.
175Our maysters and nouryces spyrytuall, Querentes quae sua sunt et
176non quae Jhesu Christi, sunt canes muti non valentes latrare (Ysaye lvi^o.)
177Our temporall rulers Infideles, socii furum, diligunt munera, sequuntur
178retribuciones; pupillo non judicant, causa viduae non ingreditur
179ad eos. (Ysaye i^o.) This neclygence in our nouryces spyrytuall
180and temporall causeth in the Chirche insolent lyf, seculer conversacyon
181(In habitu interiori et exteriori, ut qualis populus talis sit et
182sacerdos.) In the temporalte it causeth that manslaughter is not
183sette by; lechery is pleysure; robbery and dysceyte is called chevesaunce;
184extorcyon lordshyp, power; falshede, a fete of wytte; usury
185counted no synne. Quomodo facta est meretrix civitas fidelis, plena
186judicii. Justicia habitavit in ea, nunc autem homicidae. Argentum
187tuum versum est in scoriam. Vinum tuum mixtum est aqua. (Ysaye i^o.)
188A merveyllous chaunge! somtyme our reame was prosperous,

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189now it is in mysery; somtyme Ryghtwysnesse was the cheyf ruler,
190now Falshede is quarter-mayster; somtyme was inhabytaunt Peas,
191Love, and Charyte, now Wrathe and Manslaughter and false Dyssymulacyon;
192somtyme Trouth was mayster of our marchauntes, (nunc vero
193usura et dolus) . And somtyme Trouth stode upryght, now he is fallen.
194Good men have inserchyd the strete where he felle; some sayde he
195fell in Lombarde Strete, some sayde in Buklarsbury. And whan it
196was utterly knowe he was fallen in every strete (Veritas corruit in
197plateis) , the cause is none other but we lacke our maysters and
198guyders that sholde streytly attende in this Infant age of condycyon
199that we bene in.
200    Whan that infant age is ended, the fader provydeth for hys
201childe for a mayster, the whyche gyveth instruccyon in small
202doctrynes, as in hys Donate, Partes of reason, and suche other, the
203whiche mayster comunely is called Pedagogus in Latyne. This
204mayster gevyth commaundementes to the childe in his growynge
205age. And he breke them he is sharpely correctyd. There is no
206fawte that he doth but he is punysshed. Somtyme he wryngeth
207hym by the eeres. Sometyme he geveth hym a strype on the honde
208wyth the ferell. Some tyme beteth hym sharpely with the rodde.
209And so with commaundementes and sharpe correccyon he geveth
210hym full instruccyon in the lawer scyence. So in lyke manere
211after the lawe of kynde. As mankynde grewe in age almyghty
212God provyded to man an enfourmer that was called Moyses, the
213whiche sholde teche man his pryncypalles and small and rude
214doctrynes. And so the olde lawe taught to man his Donate and
215Partes of reason. Also he taught hym how he sholde gyve to God his
216partes: the whyche were sacrefyces, oblacyons and tythes justely and
217truely to be gyven to God - as it is wryten (Ecclesiasticis xxxv^o.) Da
218Altissimo secundum Donatum ejus . That what thou sholdest gyve

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219also to thy neyghbour and broder his partes, that is to saye, almes
220dedes frely wythout grutchynge, lenynge of thy good without ony
221trust or hope of usury, and forgevynge thy neyghbour yf he be in
222necessyte without trouble for Goddes sake; and lyke wyse as the
223people under Moyses growynge in childehode, thyse thynges were
224taught by the whiche specyally Goddes lawe and praysynge was
225encreaced, so in our growyng age in vertue that gode Lorde
226(cujus laus est in ecclesia sanctorum) canne not be better praysed,
227than yf we gyve unto hym justly and truely his Donat, to hym
228oblacyons, sacrefyces, and tythes. To our neyghbour mercyfully geve
229oure almesse, and pyteuously forgyve offences and dettes to theym
230that bene nedy and maye not paye. Thyse bene the thynges that
231longeth to Goddes praysynge in mankyndes childehode, as is wryten
232of Thoby (Thobie primo,) Haec et his similia puerulus secundum legem
233observabat . In Moyses tyme streyte commaundementes were gyven
234to Man, streyte punysshmentes and sharpe correccyons; they were
235taken by the eere streytly, whan it commaunded in the Lawe aurem
236pro aure, dentem pro dente , without ony mercy. He that gadred
237styckes on the Sabot daye was stoned unto the dethe. And for one
238grutched ayenst theyr mayster Moyses, the whiche was but Pedagogus ,
239the chosen woman moost accepte, Maria, Aaron's sister, was
240smytten of God with the infyrmyte of leprehode. How ofte tymes
241breke we our holy daye! How oft tymes grutche we ayenst our
242maysters, not holdynge us content with noo kynge, nother prynce,
243archebysshopp, nor bysshopp; beynge as varyaunt as the mone!
244And yet the good Lorde spareth us. The old lawe was harde to
245observe; in the whiche tyme God entreatyd mankynde after his
246wrath and punysshement. Wherfore he was callyd Deus ulcionum ,
247for whoos delyver mercy cryed to almyghty God to sende mankinde
248a newe mayster that sholde entreate hym and teche more
249curtously; and it lyked hym, Non ex operibus justiciae quae fecimus nos,
250sed secundum suam misericordiam, (Ad Titum iij^o.) to come downe
251hymself and toke on hym oure mortallyte, gave us a newe lawe,

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252wold suffre none but hymselfe to be oure mayster; where with all
253love and benygnyte, without sharpnesse, he taught us noo rude
254nother grose erthly doctrynes, as they were taughte in the olde
255lawe; but he taughte us subtyll thynges, hevenly dyvynytee, oure
256glory and oure blysse (Docebat eos de regno Dei) . And as longe as
257we bene in the scole of mercyfull benygnytee and gentylnesse, though
258we doo fawtes, purposynge to amende, soo longe he abydeth us
259pacyently, holdynge hymself content. For by cause we bene now in
260mannes state and parfyght age with oure owne correccyon (Propterea
261expectat Deus ut misereatur vestri) (Ysaye tricesimo.) And yf we
262dyfferre and wyll not correcte our selfe here in the scole of mercy,
263full grevously and moost sharply shall we abyde the swerde of correccyon
264of his ryghtwysnesse, as dayly by experyence we maye fele.
265Therfore, in the thre ages of oure lyfe lette us besye ourselfe to
266prayse God wyth pure childerne, amendynge our lyfe by dedes of
267penaunce and vertuouse dedes usynge, exhortynge you with the
268wordes of my tyme - Laudate, pueri, Dominum .
269    The fourme and the maner how that we sholde worshyp and love
270almyghty God in the thre Ages, that is to saye, in Childehode,
271Yongthe, and Manhode, is shewed to us by a prety conceyte of oure
272comyn Kalender in every boke of servyce. Ye shall understande
273that every moneth noted in the Kalender is dyvyded in thre partyes,
274that is to say Kalendas, Nonas , and Ydus . The fyrst daye of every
275moneth is called and named Kalendas ; the seconde is namyd, not
276Kalendas , but quarto, quinto , or sexto Nonas , and soo tyll ye come
277to Nonas ; and after Nonas , the dayes bene namyd Ydus tyll ye come
278to the myddell, and thenne all the moneth after named Kalendas
279after certen nombres; as the myddes of the monthe is namyd xix.
280other xviii. Kalendas , countynge lesse tyll ye come to the ende.
281Morally by these thre, Kalendas, Nonas , and Ydus , is understande
282the thre Ages of Man. By Kalendas is understande Childhode;
283Kalendae is as moche to saye quasi colendo , for the consuetude of the

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284Romaynes was, the fyrste daye of the moneth that is called Kalendas
285falleth, to solempnyse to ther goddes Hely, Juno et Jupyter. So verely
286the childehode of man is dedycate to devocyon. Thenne sette the
287faders the childerne to scole; and thenne be they taughte to serve God,
288to saye grace, to helpe the preest to synge; for to be meke, gentyll,
289and lowely. Thenne saye they our Lady matens, and bene ryght
290devoute. Of whom may be verefyed that is wryten by Davyd -
291Haec est generacio quaerencium Dominum , that is the generacyon that
292besyly by devocyon seke almyghty God.
293    By the seconde daye that is callyd Nonas I understande the
294seconde age, that is callyd Juventus , Youthe. Nonae dicuntur quasi
295nullae , for in that daye the Romayns worshypt no Goddes, nother in
296that season was noo festyvall dayes; or elles nonae dicuntur quasi
297nundinae , as moche to saye as a fayer, for in that tyme they occupied
298themself in fayers and marchaundyses. And herto convenyently
299may be the Youthe of man applyed, that is in specyall from xiiij.
300yeres unto xviij., in the whiche he is ful of undevocyon, and all
301moost forgetith to worshyp his God or ony saynt. And yf he do
302it with his mouthe, his herte is ful ferre from God aboute worldly
303vanytees. As it is wryten, Populus hic labiis me honorat, cor autem
304eorum longe est a me (Ysay. xxix^o.) Congruently also Youthe
305maye be namyd Nonae i. nundinae - a fayer or market, for in this age
306is the marchaundyse of the devyll. The worlde habundauntly bought.
307Here the yonge man byeth a strompettes body for his body and
308soule. Here all vayne marchaundyses of the worlde bene bought,
309to the whiche is very prone and redy oure youthe of Englonde, as
310we may see dayly. There is no vanyte in no partye of the worlde
311but we bene redy to bye it: longe heres and shorte collers of Almayns;
312evyll fasshenyd garmentes and devyllisshe shoone and slyppers of
313Frensmen; powches and paynted gyrdylles of Spaynardes; newe
314founde hattes of Romayns; and so is fulfylled the wordes of oure
315Lord wryten in holy scrypture (Jeremiae xi^o.), Elongaverunt a me,
316et ambulaverunt post vanitatem, et vani facti sunt . "This Youthe
317(sayth our Lorde,) hath ferre put hymselfe fro me, and they have

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318walked after theyr owne vanytees, and by theyr invencyons they bene
319all vayne and undoubtyd." This alterable vanytees in garmentes is
320a true argument and a faythfull conclusyon to all wyse straungers
321that Englysshemen bee as chaungable in theyr maners and wyttes
322as they be in outwarde garmentes. And yf this vayne marchaundyse
323were oonly in youth of the reame it were more tollerable, but inveterati
324dierum malorum , boyes of fyfty yere of age are as newe fangled
325as ony yonge men be. The whiche by reasons holde torne theyr face
326from the worlde, consideryng the ende of theyr lyfe. But lytell
327that is consydered; ye, rather in theyr vanytees they bene praysed.
328Quoniam laudatur peccator in desideriis animae suae, et iniquus benedicitur.
329(Psalmo, etc.)
330    And the thyrde daye is callyd Ydus , the whiche is asmoche to saye
331as divisio , a departynge. By whom I understande the latter age of
332man, in the whiche man is dyvyded from the worlde by dethe, to
333the ende for to receyve good or evyll as he hath deserved in this
334present lyfe. Lyke wyse thenne, as in the fyrst part of the moneth
335there is but one daye that is callyd Kalendae , the whiche is the
336fyrste daye of all, but in the later ende there be many dayes that
337bene named of the worde Kalendas , so, in comparyson of the fyrst
338daye of thy lyfe, that is to say of thy childehode, in the whiche
339thou wert well disposyd in devocyon, multeplye thy good lyf and
340holy dysposycyon in thy latter dayes, that thou mayest deserve oure
341Lordes mercy, sayenge with the Prophete in the sawter, Et senectus
342mea in misericordia uberi . And how be it thou hast often before in
343thy yonge age and myddell age dyvydyd thy lyfe somtyme to
344vertue, somtyme to vyce, ye as now in thy latter age kepe thy lyfe
345holy in vertue. Dyvyde it no more tyll dethe dyvyde it, after the
346counsell of the Gospelles, Joh'is xix^o: Non scindamus eam, sed sorciamur
347de ea cujus sit - "Lete us not cutte it, but lete us draw lottes
348whose it shall be." How be it this texte after the letter is understonde
349of Crystys cote without seme, yet convenyently it may be
350understonde of every mannys lyfe or soule - Tunica dicitur quasi tua

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351unica . Whether is more surer thyne owne than thy soule, for the
352whiche prayeth the Prophete, sayeng, Erue a framea, Deus, animam
353meam, et de manu canis unicam meam . And whyle it is so that man
354lyveth here in two lyves, one lyvynge after the pleasur of the worlde,
355the tother lyvynge here in vertue by grace to come to blysse, tho
356that woll geve one partye of theyr lyfe to vyces and another to vertue,
357and specially in theyr age, thyse maner of men dyvyde theyr
358cote, and they, nother all the tayllers in the worlde, shall never
359make it hole ayen; for, as saynt Jerome sayth in a pystle, Difficile,
360ymmo impossibile est, ut quis in praesenti et in futuro fruatur gaudiis,
361ut hic ventrem et ibi mentem, et de deliciis transiat - "It is harde, ye
362it is impossyble, that a man may have alle joye in this worlde and
363also in heven - here to fylle his body and there to fylle his mynde;"
364for truly the delytes of this worlde and the joyes of heven can never
365be togyder in one cote of thy soule. Wherfore yf thy cote of thy
366soule be ones hoole in vertue, without ony seme of vice, departe it
367never, but lete it retorne in sortem Domini , and contynewe thy
368lyfe in goodnesse without ony interrupcyon. And lyke wyse as in thy
369childehode thou begannest vertue oonly, where thrugh in that age
370thou prayseste almyghty God, so in thy myddell age, all wanton
371vanytees layed apart, encresse thy vertu as tho dyde of whom it is
372wryten, Ibunt de virtute in virtutem quousque videatur Deus . And
373that the ende may be conformable to his pryncyple without dyvysion,
374followynge the wayes of Innocency with thyse holy Innocents,
375in whose commendacions syngeth our moder holy chirche, Novit
376Dominus viam Innocentum qui non steterunt in viis peccatorum . And
377yf we be in synne to repare ourselfe to the state of grace without
378wyll to falle agayn. And in recognysaunce of this gracyous benefyte
379of remyssyon we may lovyngly prayse God as I exhortyd you

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380before, sayeng, Laudate, Pueri, Dominum , graunt us all, Cryste Jhesus
381Splendor Patris, corona Innocencium.
382Amen.
383Explicit sermo ista.