Brief Comedy Concerning the Temptation of Jesus Christ by Satan, Play
Incipit Comoedia.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
IN to thys deſart, the holy Ghoſt hath brought me,
After my baptyme, of Sathan to be tempted▪
Therby to inſtruct, of Man the imbecyllyte,
That after he hath, Gods holy ſprete receyued,
Dyuer…ely he muſt, of Sathan be impugncd,
Leaſt he for Gods gyft, ſhuld fall into a pryde.
And that in parell, he take me for hys gyde.
Thynke not me to faſt, bycauſe I wolde yow to faſt,
For than ye thynke wronge, and hauehave vayne iudgement▪
But of my faſtynge, thynke rather thys my caſt,
Sathan to prouoke, to worke hys curſed intent,
And to teache yow wayes, hys myſchefes to preuent,
By the worde of God, whych muſt be your defence,
Rather than faſtynges, to withſtande hys vyolence.
I hauehave faſted here, the ſpace of forty dayes,
Perfourmynge that faſt, whych Moſes had in fygure,
To ſtoppe their mouthes with, whych bable & prate alwayes
Thus ded our fathers, My name and fame to dyſuygure.
Therfor now I taſt, of faſtynge here the rygure,
And am ryght hungrye, after longe abſtynence.
Thys mortall bodye, complayneth of indygence.
Satan tentator.
No where I fourther, but eueryevery where I noye,
For I am Sathan, the commen aduerſarye,
An enemy to Man, hym ſekynge to deſtroye
And to brynge to nought, by my aſſaultes moſt craftye.
I watche eueryevery where, wantynge no polycye,
To trappe hym in ſnare, and make hym the chylde of hell.
What nombre I wynne, it were very longe to tell.
I hearde a great noyſe, in Iordane now of late,
VponUpon one Ieſus, ſoundynge from heauen aboue.
Thys is myne owne ſonne, whych hath withdrawne al hate,
And he that doth ſtande, moſt hyghly in my louelove.
My wyttes the ſame ſounde, doth not a lyttle moue.
He cometh to redeme, the kynde of Man I feare,
Hygh tyme is it than, for me the cooles to ſteare.
I wyll not leaue hym▪ tyll I knowe what he ys,
And what he entendeth, in thys ſame border heare.
Subtyltie muſt helpe, els all wyll be amys,
A godlye pretence, outwardly muſt I beare,
Semynge relygyouſe, deuoute and ſad in my geare.
If he be come now, for the redempcyon of Man,
As I feare he is, I wyll ſtoppe hym if I can. Hic ſimulata religione Chriſtum aggreditur.
It is a grat ioye, by my holydome to ſe,
So vertuouſe a lyfe, in a yonge man as yow be.
As here thus to wander, in godly contemplacyon.
And to lyue alone, in the deſart ſolytarye.
Ieſus Chriſtus,
Your pleaſure is it, to vtter your fantaſye.
Satan tentator.
A brother am I, of thys deſart wylderneſſe,
And full glad wolde be, to talke with yow of goodneſſe▪
If ye wolde accept, my ſymple cumpanye.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
I dyſdayne nothynge, whych is of God trulye.
Satan tentator.
Than wyll I be bolde, a lyttle with yow to walke.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
Do ſo if ye lyſt, and your mynde frely talke.
Satan tentator.
Now forſoth and God, it is ioye of your lyfe,
That ye take ſech paynes, and are in vertu ſo ryfe.
Where ſo ſmall ioyes are, to recreate the hart.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
Here are for paſtyme, the wylde beaſtes of the deſart,
With whom moch better, it is to be conuerſaunt,
Than with ſech people, as are to God repugnaunt.
Satan tentator.
Ye ſpeake it full well, it is euen as ye ſaye,
But tell me how longe, ye hauehave bene here, I yow praye.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
Fourty dayes and nyghtes, without any ſuſtenaunce.
Satan tentator.
So moch I iudged, by your pale countenaunce.
Then is it no maruele, I trowe, though ye hungrye.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
My ſtomack declareth, the weakeneſſe of my bodye.
Satan tentator.
Well, to be pleyne with yow, abroade the rumour doth rōne
Amonge the people, that ye ſhuld be Gods ſonne.
If ye be Gods ſonne, as it hath great lykelyhode,
Make of theſe ſtones breade, and geue your bodye hys fode.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
No offence is it, to eate whan men be hungrye,
But to make ſtones breade, it is vnneceſſarye.
He whych in thys faſt, hath bene my ſpecyall gyde,
Fode for my bodye, is able to prouyde.
I thanke my lorde God, I am at no ſoche nede,
As to make ſtones breade, my bodye ſo to fede.
Whā I come in place, where God hath appoynted meate,
Geuynge hym hygh thankes, I ſhall not ſpare to eate,
Satan tentator.
Not only for that, thys ſymylytude I brynge,
But my purpoſe is▪ to conclude an other thynge.
At the fathers voyce, ye toke thys lyfe in hande,
Myndynge now to preache, as I do vnderſtande.
In caſe ye do ſo, ye ſhall fynde the offyce harde.
My mynde is in thys, ye ſhuld your body regarde,
And not vndyſcretelye, to caſt your ſelfe awaye.
Rather take ſom eaſe, than ye ſhuld ſo decaye.
I put caſe ye be, Gods ſonne, what can that further?
Preache ye ones the truth, the byſhoppes wyll ye murther.
Therfor beleue not, the voyce that ye ded heare,
Though it came from God, for it is vnſauery geare.
Beyonde your cumpas, rather than ye ſo ronne,
Forſake the offyce, and denye yourſelf Gods ſonne.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
Ye ſpeake in that poynt, very vnaduyſedlye,
For it is written, in the eyt of Deutronomye,
Man lyueth not by breade, or corporall fedynge onlye,
But by Gods promyſe, and by hys ſcriptures heauenlye.
Here ye perſuade me, to recreate my bodye,
And neglected Gods worde, whych is great blaſphemye.
Thys cauſed Adam, from innocencye to fall,
And all hys ofſprynge, made myſerable and mortall.
Where as is Gods worde, there is both ſprete and lyfe,
And where that is not, death and dampnacyon is ryfe.
The ſtrength of Gods worde, myghtyly ſuſtayned Moſes,
For fourty dayes ſpace, therof ſoch is the goodnes.
It fortyfyed Helias, it preſerued Daniel,
And holpe in the deſart, the chyldren of Iſrael.
Sore plages do folowe, where Gods worde is reiect,
For no perſuaſyon, wyll I therfor neglect,
That offyce to do, whych God hath me commaunded,
But in all mekeneſſe, it ſhall be accomplyſhed.
Satan tentator.
I had rather naye, conſyderynge your febleneſſe,
For ye are but tuly, ye are no ſtronge perſone doughtleſſe.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
Well, it is not the breade, that doth a man vpholde,
But the lorde of heauen, with hys graees manyfolde.
He that Man create, is able hym to noryſh,
And after weakeneſſe, cauſe hym agayne to floryſh.
Gods worde is a rule, for all that man ſhuld do,
And out of that rule, no creature ought to go.
He that it foloweth, can not out of the waye,
In meate no… in drynke, in ſadneſſe nor in playe.
Satan tentator.
Ie are ſtyfnecked, ye wyll folowe no good counſell.
Ieſus Chriſtus,
Yes, whan it is ſoch, as the holye ſcripture tell.
Satan tentator.
Scriptures I knowe non, for I am but an hermyte I▪
I maye ſaye to yow, it is no part of our ſtody.
We relygyouſe men, lyue all in contemplacyon,
Scriptures to ſtodye, is not our occupacyon.
It longeth to doctours. Howbeyt I maye ſaye to yow,
As blynde are they as we, in the vnderſtandynge now.
Well ſhall it pleaſe ye, any farther, with me to walke,
Though I lyttle profyght, yet doth it me good to talke.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
To tarry or go, it is all one to me.
Satan tentator.
Lete vsus than wander, into the holye cyte,
Of Hieruſalem, to ſe what is there a do.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
I ſhall not ſaye naye, but am agreable therto.
Satan tentator.
My purpoſe is thys, A voyce in your eare ded rynge,
That ye were Gods ſone, and welbeloued darlynge,
And yow beleue it, but ye are the more vnwyſe,
For to deceyue yow, it was ſome ſubtyle practyſe.
Well, vponupon that voyce, ye are geuen to perſyghtneſſe
Not els regardynge, but to lyue in ghoſtlyneſſe.
Ye watche, faſt and praye, ye ſhyne in contemplacyon,
Leadynge here a lyfe, beyonde all eſtymacyon,
No meate wyll ye eate, but lyue by Gods worde onlye▪
So good are ye w…t, ſo perfyght and ſo holye.
I wyll brynge ye (I trowe) to the welle of ghoſtlyneſſe,
Where I ſhall fyll ye, and glutt ye with holyneſſe.
What, holy, quoth he? Naye, ye were neuer ſo holye,
As I wyll make ye, if ye folowe hanſomlye.
Here is all holy, here is the holy cytie,
The holy temple, and the holy preſtes here be.
Ye wyll be holy? wel, ye ſhall be aboue them all,
Bycauſe ye are Gods ſonne, it doth ye ſo befall.
Come here, on the pynnacle, we wyll be by and by.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
What meane ye by that? ſhewe fourth your fantaſy,
Satan tentator.
Whan ye were hungrye, I ded ye firſt perſuade,
Of ſtones to make breade, but ye wolde non of that trade.
Ye layed for yourſelf, that ſcripture wolde not ſerue it,
That was your bucklar, but now I am for ye fyt.
For the ſuggeſtyon, that I now ſhall to ye laye,
I hauehave ſcripture at hande, ye ſhall it not denaye.
Ieſus Chriſtus
Kepe it not ſecrete, but lete it than be hod.
Satan tentator.
If ye do beleue, that ye are the ſonne of God,
Beleue thys alſo, if ye leape downe here in ſcoff,
From thys hygh pynnacle, ye can take no harme theroff.
And therfor be bolde, thys enterpryſe to ieoparde·
If ye be Gods ſonne, caſt downe your ſelf here backwarde.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
Truly that nede not, here is other remedye,
To the grounde to go, than to fall downe folyſhlye.
Here are greſynges made, to go vp and downe therby,
What nede I than leape, to the earthe preſumptuouſly.
Satan tentator.
Saye that ye ded it, vponupon a good intent.
Ieſus Chriſtus
That were neyther good, nor yet conuenyent.
Daungers are doubtfull, where ſoch preſumpcyon is.
Satan tentator.
Tuſh, ſcripture is with it, ye can not fare amys.
For it is written, how God hath geuen a charge,
VntoUnto hys Angels, that if ye leape at large,
They ſhall receyue ye, in their handes tenderly,
Leaſt ye dalhe your fote, agaynſt a ſtone therby.
If ye do take ſcath, beleue God is not trewe,
Nor iuſt of hys worde, And than byd hym adewe.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
In no wyſe ye ought, the ſcriptures to de praue,
But as they lye whole, ſo ought ye them to hauehave.
Nomore take ye here, than ſerue for your vayne purpoſe
Leauynge out the beſt, as ye ſhuld tryfle or gloſe
Ye mynde not by thys, towardes God to edyfye,
But of ſyncere faythe, to corrupt the innocencye.
Satan tentator.
Whye, is it not true, that ſoch a text there is?
Ieſus Chriſtus.
Yes, there is ſoch a text, but ye wraſt it all amys.
As the Pſalme doth ſaye, God hath commaunded Angels,
To preſerue the iuſt, from daungerouſe plages and parels.
Satan tentator.
Well, than I ſayd true, and as it lyeth in the text.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
Yea, but ye omytted, foure wordes whych foloweth next,
As (in all thy wayes) whych if ye put out of ſyght,
Ye ſhall neuer take, that place of ſcripture a ryght.
Their wayes are ſoch rules, as God hath them commaunded,
By hys lyuynge wo…de, iuſtlye to be obſerued.
If they paſſe thoſe rules, the Angels are not bounde,
To be their ſauegarde, but rather them to confounde.
To fall downe backwarde, of a wanton penyſhnes,
Is non of thoſe wayes, that God euer taught doughtles.
Then if I ded it, I ſhuld tempt God very ſore,
And deſerue to hauehave, hys anger euermore.
I wyll not ſo do, for their fathers in the deſart,
Ded ſo tempt hym ones, and had the hate of hys hart▪
The clauſe that ye had, maketh for nō outwarde workynge,
If ye marke the Pſalme, throughly from hys begynnynge.
But what is the cauſe, ye wēt not fourth with the next verſe…
Satan tentator.
It made not for me, if ye wyll, ye maye it reherſe.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
Thu ſhalt (ſayth the Pſalme) ſubdue the cruell ſerpent,
And treade vndre fote, the lyon and dragon peſtylent.
Satan tentator.
No nyghar (I ſaye) for there ye touche fre holde.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
Some louelove in no wyſe, to hauehave their rudeneſſe tolde.
To walke in Gods wayes, it becometh a mortall man,
And therfor I wyll, obeye them if I can.
For it is written, in the ſext of Deutronomy,
Thu ſhalt in no wyſe, tempt God preſumptuouſely.
Satan tentator.
What is it to tempt God? after your iudgement.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
To take of hys wo…de, an outwarde experyment,
Of an ydle brayne, whych God neyther thought not ment.
Satan tentator.
What perſones do ſo? Make that more euydent.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
All ſoch as forſake, anye grace or remedye,
Appoynted of God, for their owne polycye.
As they that do thynke, that God ſhuld fyll their bellye,
Without their labours, whan hys lawes are contrarye.
And they that wyll ſaye, the ſcripture of God doth ſlee,
They neuer ſerchynge, therof the veryte.
Thoſe alſo tempt God, that vowe preſumptuouſlye,
Not hauynge hys gyft, to kepe their contynencye.
With ſo manye els, as folowe their good intentes.
Not groūded on God, nor yet on hys commaundementes.
Theſe throwe themſelues downe, into moſt depe dāpnacyon.
Satan tentator.
Lyttle good get I, by thys communycacyon.
Wyll ye walke farther, and lete thys pratlynge be?
A mountayne here is, whych I wolde yow to ſe,
Truſt me and ye wyll, it is a commodyouſe thynge.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
If it be ſo good, lete vsus by thydre goynge.
Satan tentator.
Lo, how ſaye ye now, is not here a pleſaunt ſyght?
If ye wyll ye maye, hauehave here all the worldes delyght.
Here is to be ſeane, the kyngedome of Arabye,
With all the regyons, of Affryck, Europe; and Aſye,
And their whole delyghtes, their pompe, their magnyfycēce▪
Their ryches▪ their honour, their welth, their concupyſcēce.
Here is golde and ſyluer, in wonderfull habundaunce,
Sylkes, veluetes, tyſſues, with wynes & ſpyces of pleſaunce.
Here are fayre women, of countenaunce ameable,
With all kyndes of meates, to the body dylectable.
Here are camels, ſtoute horſes, & mules that neuer wyll tyre,
With ſo manye pleaſures, as your hart can deſyre.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
Well, he be prayſed, whych is of them the geuer.
Satan tentator.
Alas it greueth me, that ye are ſoch a beleuer.
Nothynge can I laye, but euer ye auoyde me,
By the worde of God. Leaue that poynt ones I pray ye▪
If I byd ye make, of ſtones breade for your bodye,
Ye ſaye man lyueth not, in temporall feadynge onlye.
As I byd ye leape, downe from the pynnacle aboue,
Ye wyll not tempt God, otherwyſe than yow behoue.
Thus are ye ſtyll poore, thus are ye ſtyll weake and nedye,
Ieſus Chriſtus.
And what ſuppoſe ye, wyll that nede remedye?
Satan tentator.
Forſake the beleue, that ye hauehave in Gods worde,
That ye are hys ſonne, for it is not worth a torde,
Is he a father, that ſe hys ſonne thus famyſh?
If ye beleue it, I ſaye ye are to folyſh.
Ye ſe theſe pleaſures. If yow be ruled by me,
I ſhall make ye a man. To my wordes therfor agre.
Loke on theſe kyngedomes, and incomparable treaſure,
I the lorde of them, maye geue them at my pleaſure.
Forſake that father, whych leaueth the without confort,
In thys deſolacyon, and hens fourth to me reſort.
Knowledge me for head, of thys worlde vnyuerſall.
And I wyll make the, poſſeſſor of them all.
Thu ſhalt no longar, be deſolate and hungrye,
But hauehave all the worlde, to do the obſequye.
Therfor knele downe here, and worſhypp me thys houre,
And thu ſhalt hauehave all, with their whole ſtrenth and poure.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
Auoyde thu Sathan, Thu deuyll, thu aduerſarye,
For now thu perſwadeſt, moſt damnable blaſphemye.
As thu art wycked, ſo is thy promyſe wycked,
Not thyne is the worlde, but hys that it created.
Thu cannyſt not geue it, for it is not thyne to geue,
Thus dedyſt thu corrupt, the fayth of Adam and Eue.
Thus dedyſt thu deceyue, both Moſes and Aaron,
Cauſynge them to doubt, at the lake of contradyccyon.
Get the hens thu fyende, and cruell aduerſarye,
For it is written, in the tenth of Deutronomye.
God thu ſhalt worſhypp, and magnyfye alone,
Holde hym for thy lorde, and make to hym thy mone.
He is the true God, he is the lorde of all,
Not only of thys, but the worlde celeſtyall.
Thy perſwaſyon is, I ſhuld not hys worde regarde,
O venemouſe ſerpent, dampnacyon is thy rewarde.
Prouyde wyll I ſo, that thy kyngedom ſhall decaye,
Gods worde ſhall be hearde, of the worlde though thu ſaye naye.
Satan tentator.
Well, than it helpeth not, to tarry here any longar,
Aduauntage to hauehave, I ſe I muſt go farther.
So longe as thu lyueſt, I am lyke to hauehave no profyght,
If all come to paſſe, I ma ye ſyt as moch in your lyght,
If ye preach Gods worde, as me thynke ye do intende,
Ere foure years be paſt▪ I ſhall yow to your father ſende,
If pharyſees and ſcrybes, can do any thynge therto,
Falſe preſtes and byſhoppes, with my other ſeruauntes mo.
Though I hauehave hynderaunce, it wyll be but for a ſeaſon,
I dought not, thyne owne, herafter wyll worke ſome treaſon
Thy vycar at Rome, I thynke wyll be my frynde,
I defye the therfor, and take thy wordes but as wynde.
He ſhall me worſhypp, and hauehave the worlde to rewarde,
That thu here forſakeſt, he wyll moſt hyghlye regarde.
Gods worde wyll he treade, vnderneth hys fote for euer,
And the hartes of men, from the truth therof dyſſener,
Thy fayth wyll he hate, and ſlee thy flocke in concluſyon.
All thys wyll I worke, to do the vtter confuſyon.
Ieſus Chriſtus,
Thy cruell aſſaultes, ſhall hurt neyther me nor myne,
Though we ſuffer both, by the prouydence dyuyne.
Soch ſtrength is ours, that we wyll hauehave vyctorye,
Of ſynne death and helle, and of the in thy moſt furye.
For God hath promyſed, that hys ſhall treade the dragon,
Vnderneth their fete, with the fearce roarynge lyon.
Hic angeli accedunt, ſolacium adminiſtraturi.
Angelus primus.
The father of confort, and heauenly conſolacyon,
Hath ſent vsus hyther, to do our admynyſtracyon.
We come not to helpe, but to do our obſequye,
As ſeruauntes becometh, to their lorde and maſtre mekelye.
If our offyce be, to wayte on creatures mortall,
Why ſhuld we not ſerue, the maſtre and lorde of all?
Angelus alter.
It is our confort, it is our whole felycyte,
To do our ſeruyce, and in your preſence to be.
We hauehave brought ye fode, to confort your weake bodye,
After your great faſt, and notable vyctorye.
VntoUnto all the worlde, your byrth we firſt declared,
And now theſe vytayles, we hauehave for yow prepared.
Ieſus Chriſtus.
Come nyghar to me. Swete father thankes to the,
For theſe gracyouſe gyftes, of thy lyberalyte.
Hic coram angelis ex appoſitis comedet.
Angelus primus.
How meke art thu lorde, to take that nature on the?
Whych is ſo tendre, and full of infyrmyte.
As Mannys nature is, both feble faynt and werye,
Weake after laboure, and after faſtynge hungrye.
Forſoth heauen and earth, yea, helle maye be aſtoyned,
The Godhede to ſe, to ſo frayle nature ioyned,
Angelus alter.
In hys owne he is, for he the worlde firſt create,
Yet ſemeth the worlde, to hauehave hym in great hate.
Aboute thirty yeares, hath he bene here amonge them,
Some tyme in Iewrye, and ſome tyme in Hieruſalem.
But fewe to thys daye, hauehave done hym reuerence,
Or as to their lorde, ſhewed their obedyence.
Ieſus Chriſtus,
My commynge hyther, is for to ſeke no glorye,
But the hygh pleaſure, and wyll of my father heauenlye.
He wyll requyre it, at a certayne daye, no dought,
And ſhall reuenge it, loke they not wele abought.
Angelus primus.
Plebem alloquitur.
The lorde here for yow, was borne and circumcyſed,
For yow here alſo, he was latelye baptyſed.
In the wylderneſſe, thys lorde for yow hath faſted,
And hath ouerremen, for yow the deuyll that tempted.
For yow fryndes for yow, thys heauenly lorde doth all,
Only for your ſake, he is become man mortall.
Angelus alter.
Take the ſhy elde of fayth, and lerne to reſyſt the deuyll▪
After hys teachynges, that he do yow non euyll,
Full ſure ſhall ye be, to hauehave vsus on your ſyde,
If ye be faythfull, and holde hym for your gyde.
Ieſus Chriſtus
If they folowe me, they ſhall not walke in darkenes,
But in the clere lyght, and hauehave felycyte endles,
For I am the waye, the lyfe and the veryte,
No man maye attayne, to the father but by me.
Angelus primus.
In mannys frayle nature, ye hauehave conquerred the enmye.
That man ouer hym, ſhuld alwayes hauehave vyctorye.
Angelus alter▪
Our maner is it, moſt hyghlye to reioyce,
Whan Man hath confort, whych we now declare in voyce.
Hic dulce canticum coram Chriſto depromunt.
Balcus Prolocutor.
Lete it not greue yow, in thys worlde to be tempted,
Conſyderynge your lorde, and your hygh byſhopp Ieſus,
Was here without ſynne, in eueryevery purpoſe proued,
In all our weakeneſſe, to helpe and ſocour vsus,
Farthermore to beare, with our fragylyte thus.
He is vnworthye, of hym to be a member,
That wyll not with hym, ſome perſecucyon ſuffer.
The lyfe of Man is, a profe or harde temptacyon,
As Iob doth report, and Paule confirmeth the ſame.
Buſye is the deuyll, and laboureth hys dampnatyon,
Yet hauehave no dyſpayre, for Chriſt hath gote the game.
Now is it eaſye, hys cruelneſſe to tame▪
For Chriſtes vyctorye, is theirs that do beleue.
Where ſayth take rotynge, the deuyll can neuer greue.
Reſyſt (ſayth Peter) reſyſt that roarynge lyon,
Not with your faſtynges, Chriſt neuer taught ye ſo.
But with a ſtronge fayth, withſtande hys falſe ſuggeſtyon,
And with the ſcriptures, vponupon hym ouer go,
Then ſhall he no harme, be able yow to do.
Now maye ye be bolde, ye hauehave Chriſt on your ſyde,
So longe as ye hauehave, hys veryte for your gyde.
What enemyes are they, that from the people wyll hauehave,
The ſcriptures of God, whych are the myghty weapon,
That Chriſt left them here, their ſowles from helle to ſaue.
And throwe them headlondes, into the deuyls domynyon.
If they be no deuyls, I ſaye there are deuyls non,
They brynge in faſtynge, but they leaue out, Scriptum eſt,
Chalke they geue for gold, ſoch fryndes are they to the Beeſt.
Lete non report vsus, that here we condempne faſtynge.
For it is not true, we are of no ſoch mynde.
But thys we couere, that ye do take the thynge,
For a frute of fayth, as it is done in kynde,
And onlye Gods worde, to ſubdue the cruell fynde.
Folowe Chriſt alone, for he is the true ſheparde,
The voyce of ſtraungers, do neuer more regarde.
Thus endeth thys brefe Comedy concernynge the temptacyon of Ieſus Chriſt in the wyldernes. Compyled by Iohan Bale, Anno M.D.XXXVIII.
End of the text · John Bale, Brief Comedy Concerning the Temptation of Jesus Christ by Satan (1547)