for help, and labour to shake
off this thought. And then they mend their pillow and lay their
head softer and essay to sleep. And when that will not be, then
they talk a while with those who lie by them. If that cannot be
either, then they lie and long for day, and get them forth about
their worldly wretchedness, the matter of their prosperity, and the
selfsame sinful things with which they displease God most. And at
length, when they have many times behaved in this manner, God
utterly casteth them off. And then they set naught by either God or
devil. "When the sinner cometh even into the depth, then he
contemneth," and setteth naught by anything, saving worldly fear
that may befall by chance, or that needs must, he knoweth well,
befall once by death.

But alas, when death cometh, then cometh again his sorrow. Then
will no soft bed serve, nor no company make him merry. Then must he
leave his outward worship and comfort of his glory, and lie panting
in his bed as it were on a pine bench. Then cometh his fear of his
evil life and of his dreadful death. Then cometh his torment, his
cumbered conscience and fear of his heavy judgment. Then the devil
draweth him to despair with imagination of hell, and suffereth him
not then to take it for a fable--and yet, if he do, then the wretch
findeth it no fable. Ah, woe worth the time, that folk think not of
this in time!

God sometimes sendeth a man great trouble in his mind, and great
tribulation about his worldly goods, because he would of his
goodness take his delight and confidence from them. And yet the man
withdraweth no part of his foolish fancies, but falleth more
fervently to them than before, and setteth his whole heart, like a
fool, more upon them. And then he betaketh him all to the devices
of his worldly counsellors, and without any counsel of God or any
trust put in him, maketh many wise ways--or so he thinks, but all
turn at length to folly, and one subtle drift driveth another to
naught.

Some have I see even in their last sickness, set up in their
deathbed, underpropped with pillows, take their playfellows to them
and comfort themselves with cards. And this, they said, did ease
them well, to put fancies out of their heads. And what fancies,
think you? Such as I told you right now, of their own lewd life and
peril of their soul, of heaven and of hell, that irked them to
think of. And therefore they cast it out with cards, playing as
long as ever they might, till