m good. Many are worthy without and unclean within. Some
worldly and dissolute, and GOD'S private friends within. And some, in
man's sight bear themselves like angels; and in GOD'S sight, they stink
as sinful wretches. And some seem sinful to men's doom, and are full
dear to GOD Almighty, for their inward bearing is heavenly in GOD'S
bright sight. Therefore, judge we none other save ourselves. And pray we
for ourselves and all others to JESUS Christ, Mary's Son, Who for us
was nailed on the Rood, that whoso is bound in deadly sin, He loose
them; and they who are in good life, that He grant them end therein.

Two messengers are come to thee to bring thee tidings. The one is called
Fear, who comes from hell to warn thee of thy danger: the other is
called Hope that comes from Heaven to tell thee of bliss thou shalt have
if thou doest well. Fear says he saw so many betortured in hell, that if
all the wits of men were in one, he could not tell them: of gluttons,
unchaste, robbers, thieves, rich men with their servants who harmed the
poor: judges who would not give judgment except for reward: treasurers
who by subtilty maintained injustice: deemsters who condemned loyal men
and delivered stark thieves; workmen who worked dishonestly and took
full hire; tillers of the soil who tilled badly; prelates, with the
care of men's souls, who neither punished nor taught them; of all sorts
of men who have wrongly wrought; then I saw that every one bought it
bitterly. For there I saw want of all good, and plenty of pain and
sorrow; as hot fire burning ever, brimstone stinking: grisly devils like
dragons gaping ever; hunger and thirst for ever lasting, adders and
toads gnawing on the sinful. Such sorrow and yelling and gnashing of
teeth, I heard there, that nearly, for fear, I lost my wits. Such
mirkness there was, that I could grip it; and so bitter was the smoke
that it made the woe-ful wretches shed glowing tears; and bitterly I
heard them ban the day when they were born. Now, they long to die, and
cannot. Death, which, sometime they hated, were liefer to them now than
all the good of this world. And therefore I warn thee that thou amend
thee of thy sins with shrift and penance, and have a steadfast will to
leave them for ever: a seat I saw made for thee in hell of burning fire,
where devils should pain thee ever unendingly.

That other messenger, who is called Hope says he is come from Heaven to
tell thee of that untellable great joy