A small diseas whiche is ynoughe durable At the begynnynge, for lacke of medycyne At longe contynuaunce becomyth incurable The paynfull pacyent bryngynge vnto ruyne Wherfore who wyll to his owne helth enclyne And soone be helyd of yll without all tary To the Phesician ought nat to be contrary Obstynat frowarde or inobedyent Ought he nat be, but with a pacyent mynde Shewe all his soris truly playne and euydent To the Phesician if he wyll socour fynde. And thoughe his saluys in paynes hym sore bynde. Let nat for that, but after his wyll the gyde Better a shorte payne, than that doth longe abyde No sore can be releuyd without payne. Forsake nat the short, the longe payne to eschewe To the Phesycian we ought in worde be playne And shewe hym our sore, whether it be olde or newe For in thy wordes if that thou be nat trewe Or kepe ought close, thou dysceyuest be thou sure Thy selfe. and nat hym that of the hath the cure. In lyke fourme who comyth vnto confessyon There to declare howe he his lyfe hath spent And shewyth nat his synne lyke wyse as he hath done Hymself he disceyuyth, as blynde of his entent. Thus many one endureth infernall tourment With wo contynuall and payne for euermore For kepynge secrete there, of his goostly sore. Thus who that is payned in any malady Bodely or gostly, ought nat to be callyd wyse To the Phesycian without that he aply. And his preceptis hant kepe and exercyse But now olde wytches dare boldly interpryse To intromyt to hele all infyrmyte And many them byleue, whiche sothly is pyte Suche wytches of theyr byleue abhomynable On brest or hede of the paynfull pacyent With theyr wytchecraftis shall compasse chat and bable Assurynge hym of helth, and short amendement Than he that is seke fyxith his intent Upon hir errour: to haue helpe of his sore But she hym leuyth wors than he was before Poule the apostyll doth boldly say and preue That they whiche to suche wytches wyll assent Ar heretykes, Lolardes and false of theyr byleue Brekynge goddes lawes and commaundement And oft also by profe it apereth euydent That suche as to wytches craftis wyll intende By theyr fals Phesyke come soner to theyr ende Theyr body dede, theyr soule in ieopardy By mysbyleue for euer in paynes infernall. Whiche ar rewarde for wretchyd synne and heresy But if thou to thy mynde and reason call And of this wrytynge perceyue the sence morall Whan thou art fallen seke and in dedely syn Seke helpe betyme, and byde nat longe therein THE ENUOY OF BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS. Thou man or woman, that lyest seke in vyce To goddes vycayrs confesse thy syn holly So shalt thou from thy goostly yll aryse. For thy soule fyndynge helpe and remedy Without leasynge shewe hym thy synne playnly Let nat for shame nor fall nat thereto agayne Better shewe thy sore there to one secretely Than after openly: and byde eternall payne