t point. And for the
proof thereof, let us first begin at the consideration of the shame.

XXIII

How can any faithful wise man dread death so sore, for any respect
of shame, when his reason and his faith together can shortly make
him perceive that there is no true shame in it at all? For how can
that death be shameful that is glorious? Or how can it be anything
but glorious to die for the faith of Christ, if we die both for the
faith and in the faith, joined with hope and charity? For the
scripture plainly saith, "Precious in the sight of God is the death
of his saints." Now if the death of his saints be glorious in the
sight of God, it can never be shameful in very deed, however
shameful it seem here in the sight of men. For here we may see and
be sure that not only at the death of St. Stephen, to whom it
pleased him to show himself with the heaven open over his head, but
at the death also of every may who so dieth for the faith, God with
his heavenly company beholdeth his whole passion and verily looketh
on.

Now if it were so, cousin, that you should be brought through the
broad high-street of a great long city; and if, all along the way
that you were going, there were on one side of the way a rabble of
ragged beggars and madmen, who would despise and dispraise you with
all the shameful names that they could call you and all the
villainous words that they could say to you; and if there were
then, all along the other side of the same street where you should
come by, a goodly company standing in a fair range, a row of wise
and worshipful folk, lauding and commending you, more than fifteen
times as many as that rabble of ragged beggars and railing
madmen--would you willingly turn back, thinking that you went unto
your shame, for the shameful jesting and railing of those mad
foolish wretches? Or would you hold on your way with a good cheer
and a glad heart, thinking yourself much honoured by the laud and
approbation of that other honourable company?

VINCENT: Nay, by my troth, uncle, there is no doubt but that I
would much regard the commendation of those commendable folk, and
regard not a rush the railing of all those ribalds.

ANTHONY: Then, cousin, no man who hath faith can account himself
shamed here, by any manner of death that he suffereth for the faith
of Christ. For however vile and shameful it seem in the sight here
of a few worldly wretches, it is lauded and approved for very
precious and honourabl