that who that dyeth in dedely synne and wylle not forthynke it, he is dampned perpetuelly, for the synne ought to be confessid also foully as the dede was done, and by the same manere." And when she had al said, alle they that were there present were moche abasshed, for there was none but that he thouȝt she had be saued. And thus said this good man this ensample to this woman that confessyd her, that she shold confesse and telle her synnes lyke as she had done them, and she shold put aweye the spottes of the syluer vessel, these ben the spottes of the sowle. And thenne this woman confessid her, and lyued after an holy lyf. And thus the begynnyng of her sauacion cam of the fastynges that she fasted on the fryday in thonoure of the passion of oure lord, and the saterday for thonoure of the vyrgynyte of our blessid lady, by whiche she was saued from perylle; for ther is no good dede done but it is rewarded. And it is a moche hooly thyng to faste, and the more payne it doth or hurte to the heede or body, so moche is the fastyng more of meryte, & greter of valewe. For yf the fastyng greuyd not, there shold thereof be no mede ne merite. & yet for to shewe an ensample how fastyng is of grete meryte, it is trouthe that the kynge of Nynyue and alle his Cyte were saued therby, as it is conteyned in the grete book of the byble. For god had doo synken certayne Cytees and townes for the grete synnes that they delyted in. And god commaunded his prophete to telle to this kyng and to the Cyte that yf they amended them not, that they shold perysshe in lyke wyse. Thenne the kyng and the peple of the cyte had grete drede and fere; and for tappease the yre of god, alle they that were of age fasted fourty dayes and fourty nyghtes, and kneled doune on her knees and putte sackes on theyr hedes in grete humylyte, wherfore god took mercy on them, and repeled his sentence. And so by theyr mekenes and fastynge they were saued. And therfore, my fayre doughters, fastyng is an abstynence and a vertu moche couenable, whiche withdraweth and restreyneth
