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MY moost worshipfull lady after your hygh worthynesse & derest loued goos
As ye deuoutly desyre a lytyll shorte treatyse
But in as moche as in y
Therfore I leue suche matere and take oonly y
¶ And therfore I take the sentence as me thynkyth moost open to the comyn vndirstan
Sentite a domino in bonitate & in simplicitate cordis querite illum qm̄ inuenietur ab hijs qui non temptant illum apparet autem eis qui fidem habent in illum Prohemium
THese wordis that I haue sayd here of euerlastynge wysdom ben thus moche to seye in englysshe. Felyth oure lorde in good
¶ And in the meane
¶ Wherfore the blessid disciple leuynge alle y
¶ There ben also so mani bokes and tretees of vices and of vertues and of dyuerse doc
The firste pointe is the maner and the propit
Now as he that is the spouse of his chyrche. And now as she that is the spouse and wyfe of eueri chosen soule that may seye of hyr euer
¶ Hanc amaui & exquisiui eam sponsam michi assumere & amator factus sum form
She seyth thus I haue loued and I haue v
Super salutem & omnem pulcritudinē dilexi sapīam & posui pro luce hēre illū venerunt michi omnia bona pariter cum illa.
A bouen helth & all bewte I haue loued wisSapīa speciosior est so le & super omnem disposicionem stellarum luci comparata inuenitur prior candorū est enim lucis eterne & speculū sine macula diuine ma
That is to seye wysdom is feyres than y
So that there is no place but that there is present charite that is god. for amonge all o
¶ Fili prebe michi cor tuum.
Sone yeue me thyne herte And anone as y
Wherfore the feruent affeccyon of myn herte to the that hast hit singulerly in thyn handis coueytyth and desiryth that as hit singulerly loueth the / y
Not that I desire that thou shuldyst loue me allone aboue all other. but that thou woldyst shewe to me and gyue me thy specyall loue amonges all other that ben loued of the
For that is a thynge that puttyth me in to anguysshe and sorowe that ther ben so many hertys louinge the thorugh moost brennynge charyte / the whyche ben before me and passyn
Thy loueth though it be feruent neuertheles hit semyth sumwhat blyndid. in as moche as thou felyst of godly and heuenli thynges / as in maner of erthely thynges / & therfore thou erryst in thy dome / for so is hyt not as thow takest But thou shalte vn
¶ And therfore withouten preiu
Than answeryd
The makynge and the kynde of euery crafte maye answere for me in as moche as thou mayst therin see my souereyne myghte / my souereyne wysdom / and my souereyne good
Wher thou mayst fynde me sufficyently / for that is as an amorus lettre sent to the in to solace and comforte of the For all that haue wryten / they haue wryten to thy comforte / to strengthe thyn hope and norysshe thy charite. What seyst thow / semyth the not that hit is sufficyent resons and proues of loue to the louer
O thou maystresse of all loue / why spekyst thou so to me / art not thow a trewe louer / ye and for to speke better / sothly thou arte / loue hit selfe and wythoute doubte / thou know
For ther is noo thynge suffisaunte to hym that louyth / but oonly the presence of that that he louyth
¶ And therfore thys is that makyth me sorowful byfore so worthy a face of goodnes the changynge in the comynge and gooynge of the For that tormentyth the soule that is not yet fully saddyd and stabled in the moost perfyte degree of loue /
And also these other maners of syghynges and longynges of the herte and spekynges of loue / O thou euerlastynge wysdom thou heryst hyt and puttyst not thine entent therto / but feynist as thou toke none forse ne noo rewarde therof
I take hede to all that thou seyest / and to all the desires of thyn herte
¶ But abyde a whyle and shewe to me wordys that I shall aske of the. answrynge to my questyon /
What is that thynge that the heuenly spy
O thou souereyne maystres of heuenly dyscyplyne / how shulde I soo symple & so vnkūnynge answere to that hye questyon But therfore I preye the answere for me /
Thow shalt vnderstonde that an
Meus cibus est vt faciam voluntatem patris mei quia in celis est.
¶ My mete is that I do the will of my fader that is in heuen / and soo thys is the mete of angels and of perfyte lyuers / that they haue delyte souereynly for to fulfylle the wylle of her lorde in hem selfe and vnyuersally in all creatures Werfore consyder and take hede of thi selfe what thou sekist or what thou louist. for vn{per}fite men sechin thoo thinges y
¶ Yf all the membrys of my body were
¶ And than myslyketh me alle
A lorde what a blessid chaungynge is than of goddys ryʒt hande For than alle the derke clowde of manlenoolye complexion is dissol
Of thyselfe thow hast nought but faylyng / and losse / and goenge to nought / but all the good beforeseyd and other lyke therto / knowe well that by my presence ben geuen to the / Wherfore this is y
Thys pleye of loue as hit semyth to me / is rather of mournynge and sorowe / than of solace and Ioye But I wolde wyte how the discyple that is not fully experte shulde haue hym and kepe hym in that dyuerse maner vysitacyon
In the daye and tyme of goodes and of prosperytee forgete not euelles / And in aduersite haue in mynde of goodes & pros
O lorde If thou woldist take entente and see sothly thou shul
wythoute ony doute thys tor
Milicie species. amor est discedite signes.
That is thus moche to seye loue is a maner of knyghthode / goo ye away therfro that ben cowardes / whefore a feruente louer that wyl come to y¶ Regnum dei intra nos est. The kyngdome of god is wythin vs
/ And that is ryghtwysnes pees and Io
O thou euerlastinge wysdom that fro the hye throne / that is fro the herte of thyne euerlastynge fader camest down in to thys waley of wretchidnesse and sorowe &. xxxiij. yere suffredyst diseses & trybulacyōs in the exyle of thys worlde. & for this cause y
Where thorough thou louedyst mankyn
In as moche as of the gretnesse of loue and so
Sothely in y
Trewe lo
¶ Ne h̄it is noghte there ayens / though he that louyth not see not thys / for the lyghte y
Sothly and withoute ony doute hit is as thow seyst / and blessid be tho eyen that soo seen / but thys syghte is not gyuen to alle men / but oonly to hem the wyche ben goode crysten people that feruently desiren to loue the / But now thou euerlastynge wysdom I beseche the that thou more specyally telle me y
Byfore the feste daye of paske af
Who shall gyue me that yefte that I may in thys howre after my desyre see thy louely face vndyr thys sorowfull forme and lyckenes / so that I may wasshe hit wyth the grettyst sorowe of teerys goynge oute of myn opene herte O thou myrrour of clennesse and of all vertues / on whome angels desyren to loke and beholde wyth very felycyte Who shall gyue to myn herte soo seuereyne in
Touchynge thy fyrste desyre thou shalt vndyrstonde that noo man yeldith better thankynges and rewardes to my passyon / thā he dooth that not oonly by wordys / but also by dedys folowyth hit / confermynge hym mekely to my steppes y
Lorde I wote well that man hath not of hym selfe ne hyt is not in his owne power or myghte for to dresse his steppis in to the waye of ryghtwis lyuynge and sothfaste fo
The mynde of my passyon shall not be hadde passyngly and wyth haste / and namely whan there is tyme Inowgh suffy
¶ There was a disciple of wysdome / whos name is wryten in the boke of lyfe / the / whi
And vpon a daye whanne he beynge in his celle was greuously ouerleyde wyth his passyon and turmentid wyth vnbyleuyd soro
Why syttist thou her soo ydle and dulle & heuy in thy selfe / rise vp now & treate deuou
My lorde I besyche the for thy souereyne goodnesse teche me synfull wretche thys moost profytable craft / for alas myn owne merytes sufficen not / wherfore hit is full nedefull to me / for to loke after the mery
Yf thou wylte the longe and bytter payne of purgato
¶ And all thy dedis though they ben good and meritorye thou shalt sette at nought ¶ And soo wretchedfull and sorowefull thou shalt abyde the grace of thy hyghe Ius
¶ Fader I haue synned in to heuen / and byfore the / and soo am I not worthy to be cle
¶ And thus largely I shedde my blood and soo plenteuously for to preue my grete loue & souereyne pite / and also to comforte therby all creatures that fleen to me for socour And the last thow shalt seche wyth a meke and a feruent affeccyon / the hande of thyn helper and the meryte of the / moost mercyfull ayen bier lord wythoute ende aske of hym in to thyn helpe noo thynge doutynge For that wel of pyte springynge full of mercy is mo
¶ O souereyne gracyous worde to me and to hem that ben lyke to me wretched synner and with soueyrene Ioye it oweth to be taken
What shall I mowe yelde aye to my lorde for al thoo grete benefices that he hath yeuen
Thow shalt haue alweye in thyne herte the mynde of my passyon / and all the tribulacyons aduersitees that thou sussrest referre to hit.
¶ And as moche as hit is possible to the thou shalt as hit were clothe the wyth the lye
¶ Also what tyme of my pryue dispensa
¶ And than wythoute doute / the more that is the forsakynge and desolacyon of the inner man / wyth thyn wylle ones to god / soo moche the more thou shalt be lyke to thy cru
Disire the hele of all men / and to thy so
Yet haue I a lytill peticyon to putte to the euerlastynge wysdome of thys mater of thy swetist passyon the whyche thou haste so shor
Of thys mater I yeue the leue to goo to hyr and to besely enque
O mary ihesus. moder what herte haddyst y
And sythen thys mynde is soo feruente in y
Maria he that of his grace vouchedsafe to chese me his owne hande may
O how harde is that herte that of Inwarde stirynge hath not compassion of the and of thy sorowe blessid mayden and moder how euyll drye ben thoo eyen y
A Seke soule goostly whiche after y
Neuertheles this that I haue seyde soo in ge
A yonge hynde fowne that newe is born / se
Quantas ostendisti michi tribulaciones. Lorde how grete tribulacyons hast thou she
¶ And yet that deuoute woman pacyently suffrynge all thys / and not chydynge or grutchynge ayen prayed the soo deuoutly for to praye for that wicked man /
¶ And thenne as thou knowyst well thou
Arsanye. Makarie. and Poule. And other holy fadres in deserte / lyuynge many yeres / and ferre fro all the worlde Suffrynge tribu
Sothly the mynde of soo many worthy fadres is as hit were a lykynge mynistral
In on question as hit shewyth thou askest thre doutes / for to be assoyled to the / that is to seye of the fallynge or commynge of try
For ryght soo for sothe the euerlastynge wis
I byleue well that temporel tribulacions & diseses ben profitable and merytorye / soo that they passe not the myght and the possibilite of hym that suffrith hem / But loo now the pa
thys is contynuelly the condicions and maner of wretchis that hem thynken her owne disesis and tribulacyous passen all other / and euery man felynge his owne harmes is more sory for hem than for other mennes harmes / and
A lorde god how lyghte is thys to seye / but how harde to perfor
Yf hit soo were that tribulacy
For that that was spoken of before / is comyn bothe to goode men and to euyll / but this is oonly propre to hem that ben chosen where is soo grete passyng worthynesse of e
O thou souereyn and vnspekable pite how souereynly swete and lykyngely the
Wylte thou now here the harpe of goostly musike fayre and swe
Right as the daye sterre shewyth before to this worlde / the nyghe rysynge of the sōne / Ryght soo dooth goostly tribulacyon /
For hit shewyth the nyghynge of the hye he
Hit is a streyte waye / but therwyth syker and compedyous and shorte ledynge to lyfe /
Wherfore euery witty man / now take hede how gret a sole he were that wolde ofte sy
O lorde god how many ben and haue ben / the whiche sholde haue done the moost horrible syn
And what more shortely there maye noo
O lorde Ihesu how openly now hit shewyth what thou arte /
Forsoth hit is hat thou arte that souereyne worthy wysdome wythoute comparison to all deedly creatures the whiche shewyth and brin
Modicum laboraui.
I haue trauayled but lytil.
Et inueni michi multam requiem.
And I haue foūde moche reste / For sotheli what tyme that I wyth the eyen of an amo
I see that feliship of sayntis / the whyche as moroughe sterris shone in the derke nyght of thys world / and as grete ligh
¶ Maneat vnusquisque apud semeti{pre}m et nullus egrediatur ostium domus sue /
¶ Euery man dwelle by hymselfe / and noo man passe oute at y
Aboue all other thinges forsothe lete thys be thy princypall entente and besynesse / that thou haue alwaye thy soule and thy mynde lyfte vp in contemplacōn of heuenly thynges soo that the erthely freelte at the laste hit be besely drawe vp to thoo that ben abouen /
And what thynge soo euer be that is dy
Who is here in thys dedely body that may alwey be knytte to that spirituell contemplacyon /
There may no dedely man be alway fixid & set
And beside the celle of the forseyde olde man / there apperyd a ladder streyghte vpon hygh / in the whyche y
That is to seye the welle & the begynnynge of all goodes to a spūel man. is to dwelle be
Thus these wordis as they comen oute of he
sythen hit is so y
/ Thou shalt vndirstonde y
Hit sleeth aswell y
Loo we all deyen as watir fallyth down in to the erthe that turneth not ayen / and god wyll not that mannes soule perysshe / but he wyth drawyth his vengaūce from hym that he be not fully loost / that is of hym selfe abiecte Wherfore here now my coūseyle Repente the of al thyn offencys / & doo penaūce for thy mys
But at the nexte is my tribulacyon that I shall passe forth fro thys worlde Takyth hede of me now besely I preye yow / Loo in thys houre I wolde haue more Ioye of a litil shorte prayer. as of an Aue maria. seyde deuou
/ My
Disciple ayenwarde. Sothly thys doctri
The ymage of deth seyth / Therfore what ty
There I beholde wyth the eye of myn herte / wretchidnesse & sorowe and many folde pey
Alas me wretche there I see amonge other peynes that longen to that place / rysynge vp flaūmes of fyre and the soules of wretchid folke caste therinne / vp and downe and to and fro / that rennen as sparkles of fyre in myddys of that brennynge fyre / ryghte as in a grete towne all on fyre and in the fyre and smoke the sparkles ben boren vp and downe / soo the sowles weymentynge for sorowe of of her peynes / cryen euerychone / and seyen the
¶ Miseremini mei miseremini mei saltem vos amici mei.
¶ Haue mercy on me / haue mercy on me. at the leste ye that ben my frendys / where is now the helpe of my frendys / where ben now the goode byhestys of our kynnesmen & other. by whos inordynate affeccion we toke noo fors of our selfe / and soo encreasid we thys peyne to our selfe. Alas
why haue we done soo / loo the leste peyne of thys purgatorye that we maye fele / passith all maner sorowes of that temperel world / the bitternesse of peyne that we now felen in one houre semyth as grete as all the sorowes of the passynge worlde in an hundred yeres / But passynge all maner of other turmentys and peynes / hit greuyth me moost the absence of y
And then̄e turnyng hym to god he seyde thus Disciple ¶ where is euerlastynge wisdome now / lorde hast thou forsake me thy seruaūte / thou woldest teche me wisdom ynowgh but I am almost brought vnto y
These thynges that ben seyde my sone in alle tymes haue in mynde whyle thou arte yonge and hole and myghty / and mayste amende thy selfe / But what tyme thou comest to y
¶ And therfore ryghte as a trauaylynge man standynge in y
O Souereyne and euerlastyng wisdom for as moche as y
/ The seuen a sacrmentis of holy chyrche. ben seuen remedyes / thorough the whiche a man is in maner newe born in to a spirituel creature / & norysshed and kept / and thorowgh grace bro
I beseche the my lorde that I thy seruaunt may speke a worde in thyn eeris / & that thou be not wrothe to thy seruaunt / For sothly thou arte my lorde and I thy seruaunt / And I haue wel vndirstonde that thou hast seyde that thou arte in thys sacramente not figural
In very certeynte and sothfastly / and wyth
I beseke the my lorde be not displesid yf I speke. For thys that I shall speke cometh not of the rote of mysbyle
How that my body is conteyned in the sacrament / there may noo tunge telle / ne witte vndirstonde / ne mānes reason may not comprehende hit / But oonly by feyth hit is conuenient to knowe this in as moche as hit is the grete werkynge of goddes vertue oonly / And therfore hit longith to the for to byleue thys sothfastly / and to beware of pre
/ To these thyn
/ Yet putte I to thy symplenes this questyon herto acordyng / Seye me whether thou byleue y
I beleue not that I haue a soule / but I knowe hit well in as moche as I haue the knowynge herof by my meuyng & of my wytte & felynge & suche other / Also reason techith y
/ Of thyse before
So to our purpoos though this mater passe the kunnyng and knowynge of erthely men y
/ Sothely wyth moost euidente per
What arte thou is thyn owne beynge / that arte soo grete and soo worthy / and soo ver
¶ Wherfore now my kynge and my god.
Whenne y
Afterwarde a deuoute soule shal make me to here his voyce & synge to me wyth y
/ Oo y
I praye the fro whens cometh thys questy
Sothly all these hit is no doute bryngen with hem grete frute and grete bewte /
All these semen to the grete & gloryous / for as moche as they ben knowen comynly & comprehendyd by sighte / But for sothe the spirituel yeftis that ben yeuen in y
I am astonyed in this y
Knowest thou not while thou arte here thou walkest forth by fayth / and not by kyndely felynge. For that thynge that bo
/ Oo lorde how fewe ben there in this worlde that wyth diligente besynesse taken he
/ There ben thre ma
Some there ben in meane maner disposid / as they that ben vndeuoute / The fyrste men deseruen euerlastynge deth and temporel ma
/ What and a freele man haue perauenture done some pryue synnes / & in his goynge to that sacrament is contryte & dooth y
/ Sothe
¶ Euery man is habūdaūt in his owne wytte / But sothely in this purpoos I trowe feythfully
Or who may presume of hymselfe to receyue hym / whom Petir the prynce of apostles put fro hym sayenge thus / Goo fro me lorde for I am a synful man / And he whose fayth Ihesus commendid syngulerly in Ierusalem seyde thus to hym / lorde I am not worthy that thou sholdist entre in to myn howse / Who is thenne born of woman that may make hym and ordeyne hym worthely to soo grete myste
Amonge all that were born of wymen there rose neuer one that myghte of his vertu oonly of the ryʒtwisnesse of his werkes sufficyently ordeyne hym therof / as of worthynesse / though hit so were that one man hadde alle the naturel clennesse of alle aungels / or all the clernesse of sayntes glory
Of these wythoute the grace of god he were
Oo euerlastynge god how dredful is hit to me and suche as I am synners for / to here this / Alas alas lorde god sithen aun
Take hede bese
And therfore what tyme that he that recey
Oo these gracyous and louynge wordes comfor
To this questyon take y
But what seist y
Many causes there ben & many maners by y
/ Telle me I praye the / what tyme or what houre / the whiche he that gooth therto shall pryncypally take hede to. & wyth all his myght dispose hym and ordeyne hym to his grace.
That is the tyme of holy receyuyng & goostly etynge therof / For thenne heuen is in maner opened / and the loued sone of y
How is hit of hem that wyth soue
There ben some that at this borde re
Yet ben there lefte two doutes to me touchynge thys mater. One is whether he that etith bothe bodely and goostly hath more vertu of the than he that oonly receyueth the goostly. touchynge the effecte of the sacra
¶ Crede et manducasti.
¶ That is byleue: and thou hast eten / The seconde doute is. how longe abydith thys worshypfull sacrament after hit is receyued of man.
Sothly touchynge the firste he hath more mater of deuocyon and grace that receyueth bothe togedir. than he that takyth but that one / for he hath bothe togedir the yeuer wyth the yefte. and the cause wyth the effecte. And of y
¶ And for an ende thus shalt thou praye to that holy sacrament.
HAyle moost holy goddis body in thys sacrament sothly conteyned. I knowe
leche the wyth my lyppis / I loue the wyth all myn herte / I desire the wyth all myn inwarde affeccions / I beseche the that y u vouchesafe benignely and graciously this day to visite my seke soule coueytyng for to receyue the heelful sacryfice and welle of all graces. that I may Ioyefully fynde hele in body and soule by thy gracyous presence / Lorde beholde not to my wyckydnesses & many maner neclygences / but to thyn endles mercyfull yeftis / For in sothe y u arte ye vndefouled lambe / yt this day art offrid to thyn euerlastynge fadir / for the redempcyon of all the world / Oo thou manna aūgels mete / oo thou moost swettist drynke / brynge in to myn inwarde mouthe the hony swete taste of thyn heelful presence / kyndle in me thy charyte / Caste oute vyces / pore in me vertues / encrease graces / & yeue me hele of bo dy and soule / Bowe I beseche the thyn heuen and come down to me. soo that I be knyt and vnyed to y e . and be made one spirite wyth the Oo thou worshipful sacrament I beseche the that thorouh the all myn enmyes be putte frome / & my synnes foryeuen / & all eueles by thy presence be excluded / Goode purpoos y u yeue me / my maners yu amende. & all my dedis yu dispose in thy wylle myn vndirstondynge by y e swete Ihesu be here lightenyd wyth a newe liʒte / myn affeccion be flammed & kyndelyd / my hope be strengthid soo that my lyfe in amēdemente euer profite in to better lykynge / & at y e laste I maye haue a blessid frohens passyng to lyfe euerlastynge / .
wyth a curious meditacion I walke aboue in heuen / I goo bynethe a
with a swete maner of goostly mynstralsye / al they kydelyn myn herte in to louynge & pray synge of the creatour & maker / And in thys tyme of restful contemplacion I take besely he
But what tyme that I begynne to ouergoo all these / & brynge to my mynde the that art so
For that is that before all the Ioyes of thys worlde I coueyte & desire / and lorde thou that knowest al thynges / y
Knowest the prophetis seyenge in this maner / y
Yes forsothe lorde. & ther
He is abowte to clyppe the wynde & folowe the shadowe / the whiche trowith for to prayse me of his worthynes / & he takyth vpon hym thynge y
I beseche the suffre thy seruaūte for to speke a worde to y
/ Who so euer he be / that in all his dedes hath god in his entente and kepith hym fro synne / & leuyth not y
And then̄e what tyme that he is so pourged of vices & flesshly passiōs / & is knytte to that souereyn good strongely he shal withoute stin
/ Now moreouer / Oo thou best beloued wisdom after these swe
In comtempla
To that hye cō
To these thre questy
¶ Touchynge the secoūde demande as often as y
¶ Of the laste thynge that thou askedist thou shalt doo in this maner. what tyme thou perceyuest or seest in ony maner the passynge fayrnes of diuerse thynges / as is the wode
Oo euerlastynge god sythen thy praysynge
/ Loo now y
Oo thou desire & Ioye of my soule y
Wherfore thow benygne spouse euerlastynge wisdom that arte besye of the hele & sauacyon of all other / thynke and shewe a waye conue
Sothli I am euer redy and all tymes to fulfylle that y
¶ And for as moche as flesshely louers vsen to haue in her clothes some worde or token writen in mynde of her veyne flesshly loue. so shal y
And with how grete kyndnes they ben glad for to receyue for her refresshynge in so grete wretchidnes the leste drope or the leste crūme that falleth down fro her lordes boorde /
And that this deuoute exercise be y
Wherfore euery deuoute disciple of wysdom shall worshippe hir euery daye wyth the aū
Aue maria
¶ He shall seye on the morowe what tyme that he rysyth firste out of his bedde knelynge to this entente that all the goode dedes that he shall doo that daye / he putte deuoutly in to the handes of thys lady quene of heuen / So that what tyme thys reuerente and beste lo
That he maye the more sykerly slepe he shall aske of hir that what soo euer he hath that daye lefte vndone that he shulde haue do¶ Nota or̄o
Oo y
¶ Emprynted at westmynstre.
¶ Qui legit emendet / pressorem non repre
¶ Wyllelmū Caxton. Cui de{us} alta tradat
The firste mayster seyde / y
¶ The seconde mayster seyde that yf there wer̄ ony man in thys worlde that myghte be with oute spotte of synne / as oure lorde Ihū criste was And myght lyue here .xxx. yeres and it were possible wythoute mete or drynke.
And also were soo deuoute in prayers that he myghte speke wyth angels in the ayer as dy
¶ The thirde mayster sayde that if so were that y
SI sciret homo quantum ei infirmitas vtili{us} fuisset nunqam sine infirmitate viuere voluisset / Quare / Quia infir
Num valde est dolendū & flendo dicendū quod nō nulli statū cū deo flagellantur ei{us} salutife rum flagellū ab eis auferre nituntur Mox vasa vitrea querūt vrmam consulunt vtrum
DA nobis dn̄e auxiliū de tribulaciōe. &c̄ ¶ Lorde god graunte vs helpe of tribu
But of .xij. I purpoos to speke in speciall whiche who soo will wyth good diligence. re
And note well that god ordeyneth all thyn
¶ Fidelis est enim deus qui non pacietur vos temptari supra id quod potestis sed fa
Righte soo our lorde god sendyth comforte of grace to soules y
¶ Hoc autem acertum habet omnis qui colit te quia vita eius si in
¶ Secūdum multitudinē dolorū meorū con
¶ After the multitude of my sorowes in my hert thy comfortes haue glad my soule / His cōforte of one houre ouerpassyth the sorowes of tribulacyon of many yeres / For god that cometh for to helpe and comforte after tribu
as louers he wonte to playne Herto answe
¶ Ipsa velocitas dei desideranti & amanti
¶ Da nobis dn̄e axilium de tribulacione.
¶ Lorde god graunte vs helpe of tribulacy
¶ De secunda vtilitate tribulacionis.
THe seconde prouffite of tribulacōn is that it stoppith the malyce of the sen
Nemo loquebatur ei vbum videbāt enim do
THe thirde prouffite of tribulacōn is that it purgeth the soule / But it is to wyte that there is v. maner of pourginges / one is pourgyng of mannes body. for corrupcyon of wicked humours / and that is on / two ma
¶ Mali humores. sunt mali mores.
¶ Euyll humours ben euyll maners
¶ Sed publicanus a longe stans noluit ad celū oculos leuare / sed percuciebat pectus suū
Ffor els maye it neuer come to haue of hym y
¶ Oēm palmitem in me non ferētem fructum tollet eū Et omnem qui fert fructum purgabit eū vt fructum plus afferat. ¶ Eueri vyne branche y
But thyse tribulacyons broughte Iob to y
THe iiij. prouffite of tribulacyon is y
Nosce te iusticia est consūmata To knowe the lorde god it is rightfulnesse ende of kunnynge / to this knowyng helpith tribulacōn / For as the rodde constreyneth a childe to bowe down his hede / and taketh hede vnto his boke / and recorde his lesson / So tri tribulacōn mekyth y
Wherfore seyth seynte Bernarde / Deus fa
¶ Nunquid obliuisci potest mulier infantē suū vt non misereatur filio vteri sui / et si illa oblita fuerit ego tamen nō obliuiscar tui. Ec
¶ Whether a woman maye foryete her chil
The lorde the kynge hath broughte me in to his wyne seler / Herto accordeth seinte Austin and seithe That holy martirs weren so pres
whan all the apostles fledde from hym.
And was redy to suffer dethe for the compas
THe v. prouffite of tribulacyon is that it reuoketh or bryngeth the to know
And therfore seythe sainte Gregory As he y
Maneat vnisquisque apud semetip̄m.
Dwelle eche man with hymselfe / that is kno
¶ Conuertete anima mea in requiem tuam. Tourne ayen thou my soule in to thy reste / And also oure lorde god hauynge pitee of y
In funiculis adam traham eos & in vīculis caritatis. I shall drawe hem in the smale cordis of Adam and in the bondis of charite Thyse smale cordis of adam oure fyrste fa
Therfore thou sely soule that arte troublid If thou wylte haue god to the merciable / suffre the to be restreyned with thyse bondis of tri
Disesis that oppresson vs to haste to god compelle vs / Suppose thou not y
And that is figured by seynte Peter. y
Note well that tribulacōn turmētyth in pour
THe sixte prouffite of tribulacyon is y
Sothely I seye to the thou shalte be wyth me to daye in paradise / Woo to hym that noo thynge payeth of his dette in thys lyfe / but addyth synne \ vpon synne Woo to hym that of large expencys that he maketh shall be constreyned to come to a stre
Many ben innocente the whiche shold soone lese Innocencie / but yf tribulacōns preseruen hem Therfore thou soule that feliste boū
There ben none worthy passyons of thys ty
THe vij. prouffite of tribulacōn is that it spredith abrode / or openeth thy her
In tribulacione dilatasti michi.
In tribulacion thou haste spredde abrode. or opened to me / Therfore suffre gladly the stro
As who sayth suffre tribulacion in thys world for god / and yelde hym some what the tyme of his seruyse / And what tribulacōn he puttith to the take it mekely / and knowe wel that he wyll not charge the ouer thy myght / As seinte Poule witnessith Corinth x.
¶ Fidelis enim est deus qui non pacietur vos temptari super id quod potestis.
Sothely god is full trewe that shall not suf
THe viij. prouffite of tribulacyon is wherby god / hittith oute of the soule all worldly comfortes that ben here by nethe / and constreyneth the to seke heuenly cō
Soo oure lorde god somtyme forbedith erthe
The bestes of the felde ben as drye erthe desirin
And so moche the more benygne is oure lorde god to the soule / In as moche as the herte fyn
But now by thyse thynges thou mayste saye / I am sory that the tauern of erthely com
THe ix. prouffite of tribulacyon is that it puttith the in to the mynde of god / & the more tribulacion be / the more he im
¶ Vidi affliccionem populi mei. in egipto & clamorem eius audiui. &c̄.
I haue seen the dissesis of my peple that is in Egipte / and I haue harde her cryenge. For y
blessyng / and that is tokened where it is seide danielis iij. That the angell yeede downe wyth Azarie and his felowes in to the fur
Cū ip̄o sū in tribulaciōe eripiā eū & gl̄ificabo eū. I am wyth hym in tribulacyon. loo here a gracyouse feliship cōfortyng I shall delyuer hym. Loo here a fulfeyth of delyueryng / & I shall glorifie hym / loo here a certeyne hope of rewardyng.
THe x. prouffite of tribu
Ecce de{pre}cacionē lesi exaudiet dn̄s. Loo oure
and alle his body was smytten wyth woun
Whan he askyd to be turmentyd. seynte Gre
THe xj. prouffite of tribulacyon is that it kepith and norissheth the herte / So thely ryghte as fyre is kepte in asshes ryghte soo the hertes the frendes of god aren kepte in tribulacyon Therfore oure lorde god cōmaundid / Exodi. ¶ Quod tabernaculum saccis cilicinis cooperietur / That the taber
Soo a man sufferynge tribulacyons and aduersytees of thye worlde oweth to clensehym by the blessyd body of oure lorde
Ihesu consyderinge the passyon that he suffred for hym / And soo it shalle wexe swete and tollerable y
THe xij. prouffite of tribulacion is that trybulacyon is a certeyne token of lo
I shall gader togyder euyll thynges vppon euyll men. And I shall spende all myne arowes of vengaunce among hem. Therfore thou good soule yf y
For they shewen to the tokens and wytnesse of the loue of god. But perauenture yf thou sayste that goddis children taken of hym bo
¶ Per multas tribulacyones oportet nos intrare in regnum celorum.
It behoueth vs as by many tribulacyons to entre in to ye kyngdom of heuen / He bringe all vs. ye suffryd dethe / oure lorde Ihesus Amen.
WHan soo euer ony takyth by true elec
To other thynges of lesse charge the souereyn owe to take counseyle of the senyours of the relygion & sadder / Soo y
OBedyence is a grete ver
AS for silence doo aftir the cheyf prophe
HOly scrypture cryeth and seyth / he that wyll high hymselfe. shal be made lowe and he that mekyth hym selfe shall be made high / In thys is shewid that exaltacyon is y
¶ The iiij degree is whan one can suffre wyth all obedience & pacyence all Iniuries. wronges / wordes of rebuke & suche other done or sayd vnto theim / & to take hem gladly for goddis sake their lyfe enduring / For y
¶ The enleuenth is for to speke euer softely wyth sadnes / & mekely & with fewe wordes groūdid vpon reason and godly / It is wryten The wyse man is knowen by hys wordes.
¶ The xij. degree is whan one not oonly in his mowthe but aswell in his body shewyth meknesse to all that beholde hym / as in al his dedes / in chaptour / in chirche. in garden / in felde. sittynge walkynge or standynge. & his hede enclynynge / and his sight to the grounde shewynge hym selfe euery houre gylty of hys syn̄e. hauynge euer suspect for to be brought to the ferefull Iugement of god seyeng thus wyth the publycan. Good lorde Ia synner am not worthy to lyfte vp myn eyen to heuen who som euer hath ascendyd al thise degrees of mekenesse shall anone haue the charyte of god perfitely y
HOw the seruyse of god is to be doone at his howres acordyng to the tyme / is shewid in the hole rule distynctly by chaptours where it is noted in y
SIth it is so that our bileue is that god is presente in euery place & beholdyth at eche howre both the gode & the euyll / then̄e it is to truste wythoute ony dowte / y
YF we shulde make ony suggestion to a state temporall / we wolde not presume to doo it but with mekenes & reuerence / then̄e how moche more owe we to oure lorde god wyth all mekenes and clennesse / deuoutly to make our prayer and supplicacion & that not in haste and moche seyenge. but in clennesse of the herte & cōpunccion wyth wepyng / y
OF the eleccyon of the deanes & offycers of the religyon and of theyr good lyfe / & of their charges / by the whyche the souereyn maye in partie be discharged. And how they owe to be chosen for theyr good lyfe / theyr ler
And how offenses and sinnes grete & lesse dyuersly owen to be corrected / And how y
THe cellerer of the place is to be chosen of the congregacyon suche one that is wyse quicke well condycyoned & sobre not prowde impacient not trowbelo{us} ferefull not large / but euer dredynge god / beyng as a fader or a louyng moder to al y
FOr the other stuff of the monestary and vesture of the couent wyth other necessa
THe grete vice & syn of properte in rely
EChe one be besy to serue other & none is to be exscusid frō y
GRete attendaūce is to be had aboute se
AT all refeccyons and meles / redyng & lecture must be had / And the reder after the masse on the sonday shall entre / and hum
And suche owe to rede euer / the whiche by theyr redyng may best edyfye the herers / And the same is to be obseruyd in all syngyng and redynge in the chirche or in prechyng / and that
IT folowyth in the rule of the mesures of mete and drynke / and what howres after the season and tyme of the yere / the congregacyon shall take theyr repast and me
GO the seruyce of god as sone as is her
And they that come late therto / shal not goo to their owne place in y
THo that fayle in psalmody / respons / an the mes or lessōs yf they meke not theyr selfe openly afore all the congregacōn / as put
WHo that euer in his laboures / as in the kechyn. in celary / in the gardyn or in ony other occupacyon offendyth or brekyth ony thyng / or els lesith and wyll not knowleche his offence to the hede and souereyn or to the congregacyon / they ow
IDilnesse is the enmye of y
IN the tyme of lent echon by theyr selfe ha
Yf ony be suche foūde / see that they be spoken vnto sharply ones or twyes / & yf they amen
HOw be it that a relygions persone owe euery tyme to kepe lent / yet for by cause that fewe haue thys vertu / therfore we aduise and counseyll seyth saynt benet all of the rely
And to wythdrawe some what of slepe and speche and wanton behauour
And as for abstynence of mete and drynke it owe to be doon wyth the consente euer of the souereyn and the helpe of prayer.
For yf it be otherwyse doon / it is to be taken of presumpcyon and vayne glory / and then̄e it hath noo mede∴
NOo thynge is to be spoken in the chir
AL strangers or ghestes arn to be recey
NOo wyse be it leefull to ony broder to take or receyue of fader or moder ony
CLothynge to the couent and habyte is to be yeuen accordyng to the hete of the yere or to the coldenes of the coūtre that they dwell in lasse or more as newis / And the soue
THe borde or table of the souereyn is to be garnysshid wyth pilgrymes or ghestes / And whan there ben few strangers / the soo
WHan ony cōmyth from the worlde to en
And yf he promyse to contynwe and to be stable in his purpoos. then̄e after two mone
Beholde here the lawe vndyr whyche thou must sore laboure and fyght / Yf thou thyn
YF a man of worship offre a yong childe his sone to god and to the religion. then̄e shall he or his frendes make the peticōn as it wryten afore for him with writyng / and their offryng wyth the hande of y
WHan euer the bredern mete togider / the yonger shall meke hymselfe / desirynge the blessynge of hys senyour / And whan ony senyour commyth at ony tyme before hym / he shal arise and gyue place to sytte. and the sayd Ionger shall stande tyll he be cōmande to sitte Yonge children of the religion both in ch̄irche and at table & elswhere shall kepe theyr place after their age in relygion / and they shal haue ouerseers. techinge theym & gyuynge disciply
TO the gate of the monestary an aged persone wise and well manerd is to be assigned / the whiche can take an answere wit
WHan ony of the bredern must doo a Iour
IF ony greuouse or impossible thynges be put vnto abroder of his souereyn to doo / he shall wyth all mekenesse and obediēce take the cōmaūdement vpon hym: Yf cace be that it passe his power in ony wise to fulfill it then̄e wyth all lowlynesse he shal tell it to
EChe one shuld beware y
IT is ordeyned also that it is not lefull to ony of the couent to punisshe or to bete an other of the same / but suche one as the so
OBedience is not oonly to be yeuen of al the couent to the souereyn / but also echon to other must obeye / knowyng that by y
AS there is an euyll zele / loue or affec
Echone shewe charitee to other as brethern in all clene & chaste loue / dredyng euer god / and louynge theyr souereyn in charyte vnfeyned. preferryng euer goddis cause and mater afo
¶ Of your charite praye for the transla
¶ Thus endeth this present boke composed of diuerse fruytfull ghostly maters / of whiche the forseyde names folowen to thentent that wel disposed persones that desiren to here or re
¶ Emprynted at westmynstre by desiryng of certeyn worshipfull persones ∴