A potacio[n] or dry[n]king for this holy time of le[n]t very co[m]fortable for all…A potacio[n] or dri[n]kynge for this holi time of le[n]t very co[m]fortable for all…

Hitherto have I rehearsed y• words of the famous Doctor Ba silius. The blessed martyr S. Cyprian ¹also saith, with fasting the stinking pool of vices is dried up, wantonness withereth away, concupiscences and lusts decay, vain pleasures go away. With fasting the flame of the burning Etna is quenched, & the furnace of the flammivomus vulcane ⟨image 44⟩quenched within, doth not burn the hills near unto it. Fasting, if it be governed with discretion, tame the all the rebellion & fierceness of the flesh, & spoileth & maketh weak the tyranny of gluttony. Fasting speareth up & encloseth as though it were in a narrow prison the extraordinary & unlawful motions, yea it holdeth straight and bindeth the wandering appetites. Fasting if it be garnished with humility maketh the servants of God despisers of the world. Fasting is fed with the dainties of the Scriptures, it is refreshed with contemplation, it is established with grace, it is nourished with celestial & heavenly bread. Th•s see you also by the ancient Doctors, how precious a thing fasting is. Again ye see of how great virtue & strength it is, & how many commodities it brim gethe to them that use & exercise it ⟨image 45⟩aright. Let these few things there fore suffice for this present, for the commendation & praise of fasting.

Hytherto haue I rehearsed y• wordes of the famous Doctor Ba silius. The blessed martyre S. Cypriane ¹also sayth, wyth fasting the stynckynge poole of vyces is dryed vp, wantonnes wythereth awaye, concupiscences and lustes decaye, vayne pleasures go awaye. Wyth fastyng the flame of the burnynge Ethna is quenched, & the fornace of the flammiuomus vulcane quen ⟨image 44⟩ched wythin, dothe not burne the hylles nere vnto it. Fastynge, yf it be gouerned wt discresion, tame the all the rebellion & fearcenes of the flesshe, & spoyleth & maketh weake the tyranny of glotonye. Fastynge speareth vp & encloseth as though it were in a narrowe prison the extraordinary & vnlawfull mocions, yea it holdeth streight and bindeth the wanderynge appetites. Fastig if it be garnysshed wt humilite maketh the seruauntes of God despisers of the worlde. Fastynge is fed with the deyntyes of the Scriptures, it is refresshed with contem placion, it is establysshed wt grace, it is norysshed with celestiall & heauenly bread. Ths se you also by ye auncient Doctours, how precious a thynge fastynge is. Agayne ye se of howe great vertue & strength it is, & howe many cōmodities it brī gethe to them that vse & exercyse it