The rule of an honest lyfe, wryten by the holy man Martyne, bysshop of Dumiense, unto ye ryght famouse kyng Myto, kyng of Galitia in spayne. And now (beyng founde in an auncyant copy) is faythfully translated out of the latyn tonge into Englyshe. For theyr sakes that be desyrous to rede englyshe bokes onely for utylyte and encrease of vertue. Here vnto is added a proper booke called: the Encheridyon of a spyrytuall lyfe — Formula vitae honestae

The rule of an honest lyfe, wryten by the holy man Martyne, bysshop of Dumiense, unto ye ryght famouse kyng Myto, kyng of Galitia in spayne. And now (beyng founde in an auncyant copy) is faythfully translated out of the latyn tonge into Englyshe. For theyr sakes that be desyrous to rede englyshe bokes onely for utylyte and encrease of vertue. Here vnto is added a proper booke called: the Encheridyon of a spyrytuall lyfe — Formula vitae honestae

Table of contents

Title page

¶The reuerend father Iohn̄ a Tryttenhem / abbot of Spanhemense in his boke entyteled Cathologus scryptorum ecclefiasticorū / wytnesseth of this holy mā on this wyse.

¶Martyne the bysshop of Dumience, vnto the moste gloryouse & peaceable kyng Myto / kynge of Gallicia in Spayne sendeth gretynge▪

¶The boke.

¶Prudence.

¶Magnanimite.

¶Contynence.

¶Iustice.

¶The encherydion of a spirytuall lyfe, teachyng the waye vnto perfeccyon. wherin be opened and brought to lyght .ix. impedimentes whiche do interrupte and let those that coueteth to walke in the waye of god.

¶The defynition of encherydyon.

¶Of the strayt and chaste intent.

¶The wanderynge of the harte thorough the loue of creatours.

¶The mortyfycacyon of the senses, or sensualytye.

¶Of humilyte.

¶Of charyte.

¶The renounsynge and denyenge of proper wyll.

¶The immitacyon of Chryste.

¶Of the puryte and eleuacyon of the mynde in to god.

¶An exercyse of the dyuyne loue.

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¶The rule of an honest lyfe / wryten by the holy man Martyne, bysshop of Dumiense / vnto ye ryght famouse kyng Myto, kyng of Galitia in spayne. And now (beyng founde in an auncyant copy) is faythfully translated out of latyn tonge into Englyshe. For theyr sakes that be desyrous to rede englyshe bokes onely for vtylyte and encrease of vertue.

¶Here vnto is added a proper booke called: The Encheridyon of a spyrytuall lyfe.

¶The reuerend father Iohn̄ a Tryttenhem / abbot of Spanhemense in his boke entyteled Cathologus scryptorum ecclefiasticorū / wytnesseth of this holy mā on this wyse.

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MArtyne the bysshop of Dumience / somtyme ruler & abbot of a monasterye / a man excellently lerned, bothe in dyuine scrypture, and also in the lawe cyuyle: came from the Caste partes into Fraunce / and conuerted the people of Sweuia (a prouince in germayne) from the wicked heresye of the Arrians, vnto the ryght fayth. And he constytute rules of the same trew catholike fayth, he reformed chyrches. And also he wrote vnto kynge Myto, kyng of Galicia this proper volume of the iiii. vertues / called the .iiii. cardynale [Page] vertues. The which he wold haue called: The rule of an honest lyfe.

¶Martyne the bysshop of Dumience, vnto the moste gloryouse & peaceable kyng Myto / kynge of Gallicia in Spayne sendeth gretynge▪

I Do very well know (most gentell kyng) the feruent thyrste of your minde, whiche vnsacyably gapeth after the lycure of sapyence / and without cease coueteth those thynges that floweth from the ryuers of morall scyence. And for this cause you haue monysshed me often tymes, by [Page] your letters, to wryte vnto your magestye, by the waye of epystle, some consolation, or exhortation, or els some other thynge, what so euer it were / I sholde sende it vnto you. But all though this laudable desyer of your deuocion requyreth this thynge of me: neuertheles I perceyue it wyll be imputed vnto me, (of some busye persons) as a poynt of presumpcion aboue my knowlege, yf I sholde trouble your royal dygnite, with assydual letters, or (as I myght saye) with vyle letters.

And therfore, lest I shold other abuse the lybertye of your godly motyon, in to moche bablynge, or els seme to denye your holly desyre, in holdynge my peace, I haue sent you this lyttell boke, faythfully to satysfye your desyrours ears / not garnysshed with ye shew [Page] of sophystrie nor logyke, but takē out of the playnest of pure symplycite. The which boke I haue not wryten, specyally for your instytution (in whom is naturally quycknes of wysdom) but generally for those that gyueth atendaūce vpon you / vnto whom it shalbe very, ꝓfytable to redde, to lerne, & to print perfectly in theyr memorye. The tytle therof is: The rule of an honest lyfe / which▪ I wolde shold be so called, bycause it doth not intrete of the hygh and perfecte thynges, that a fewe contemplatyue & heuenly persons doth kepe, but rather it doth teache those thynges, that may without the knowledge of diuine scryptures, by the naturall lawe of mans intellygens, ye of the lay people & craftes men, so that they lyue well & honestly, be playnly vnderstand & kept.

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¶The boke.

AFter the opinions of many wyse men, there be defyned iiii. kyndes of vertues, wherwith a mans mynde ones bewtyfyed, maye attayne vnto the honestye of good lyuynge. Of these iiii. one is called Prudence / an other Magnanimyte or fortytude / the thyrde Contynence or temperaunce / and the fourth Iustyce or ryghtwysnes. All the whiche vertues togyther with theyr offyces, here vnto them annexed, maketh a man honest, cyuile, and well manered.

¶Prudence.

Who so euer therfore yt coueteth to folowe prudence, let hym then order his lyfe iustely, accordyng vnto reason / & ponder & way all thynges before, and gyue vnto eche thynge the value and dygnite / not after the opinions of [Page] many men, but accordynge vnto theyr qualite and nature. For you shall vnderstande that there be some thynges that semeth to be good, and be not / & there be some that apereth not to be good, & yet they be good. What so euer therfore you possesse of transytorye thynges, make not to moch vpon them / ne do not exteme that thyng to be of great value or pryce, whiche is casuall & vayne. Nor kepe not ī hugger mogar your goodes as though they were other mens, but bestowe them for your necessyte as you wolde your owne.

yf you do enbrace and loue prudence, you shall be all wayes one man: & lyke as the cause of thynges, and varyete of tymes dothe requyre, so behaue your selfe / do not chaunge your selfe in any affayers or busynes / but rather apply [Page] your selfe, lyke your hande, which is euer one both whan you sprede it abrode into a palme / and also whan you gather it togyther into a fyste. It behoueth a prudēt man to take councell with aduisement, and not suyftly (by lyghte credence) to fall vnto falsehode. Of dowbtfull thynges gyue no rasshe iudgement, but deferre the sentence vntyll you haue forther knowlege.

Affyrine nothynge styfely, bycause all thyng that semeth trewe, is not trewe in dede: lyke as many tymes that whiche (at the fyrste scyte) appereth to be vncredyble, is not alwayes false, for oftentymes the trueth bareth the face of a lye / and falshode lorketh vnder ye symylytude of trueth. And euen as a frende somtymes sheweth a lowerynge countenaunce, & a flaterer [Page] a fayre face, so is falshode colored with the lykelyhod of trueth to the entent he maye begyle and deceyue.

yf you intende to be prudent, beholde thynges a farre of, and consyder in youre mynde, what thynges maye chaunce hereafter. Let nothyng be vnto you soden or vnloked for / but behold all thyng before hande. For a prudent man doth not saye: I thoughte these thynges, wolde not haue come thus to passe. Bycause, he dothe not doubte, but seeth furely before, nor he doth not suspecte and feare / but doth cyrcumspectly prouyde and beware.

yow shall serche out the cause of euery thynge, and when you haue founde out the begynnynges. you shall caste what wyll come of the endes of the same.

[Page]you shall vnderstande that in certeyne thynges you ought to perseuer and contynewe, bycause you haue begonne, but some thynges you maye not begyn, wherin to perseuer is great hurte & daunger. A prudent man wyll not deceyue other, nor he hym selfe can not be deceyued. Let your opynyons he sure iudgementes. Do not receyue nor suffer wandrynge cogytacions and thoughtes, that be lyke vnto dreames / wherwith yf you please your mynde, you shall be heuy and pensyfe, when you haue ordered all thynges the beste waye you can: but let your cogytacyōs be stedfast stable and suer, whether it doth delyberate & take aduysement / whether it doth inquyre & serche / or whether it doth contemplate and studye, let it not swerue from the trueth.

[Page]Suffer not your communycacyon to be ydle, nor in vayne, but other swade and exhorte, or speke of dyuine thynges, or comforte other, or els cōmaunde and teache. Laude and prayse other moderatly / blame and rebuke very seldom For to moch praysynge, is as well worthy reprofe, as immoderate rebukynge / bycause that semeth to procede of flatery, & this to come of malyce. Gyue testymony vnto trueth, and not vnto frendshyp. Promyse with aduysement, perfourme it to the vttermoste.

yf your wytte and mynd be prudent, ordre well thre tymes. Dyspose and rule well thynges present / prouyde wysely for thynges to come / and remembre those that be paste. For he that thynketh nothyng of the tyme past, destroyeth his lyfe: and who that studyeth [Page] nothynge for the tyme to come, falleth into all thynge vnwaers. Put in your mynde the dyspleasures that be to come, and also the cōmo dytees, to the entent, you maye suffer them pacyently & these modetaetly. Be not contynually tedyously occupyed, but somtyme quiet, and refresshe your mynde with recreacyon / and take hede your recreacyon be full of the studyes of wysedome and good cogytacyons For a prudent man doth not wether nor waste with ydelnesse. He hath his mynde somtyme relaxed to recreacyon, but neuer clene separate from good occupacyon / he quyckeneth thynges yt be dull / he dyspatcheth spedfully those that be dowtfull / he molyfyeth and maketh easye thynges that be harde, and paynfull / and ouercometh those that be dyffyculte to attayne vnto. For he knoweth [Page] what he ought to do, and whiche waye to go to worke / and quyckly and perfytly seeth all thynges at ones. Of thynges manyfeste and knowen, he iudgeth obscure and hydde / of small he deameth the greate / of them that be present he decerneth the absente / and of the partes he conceyueth all the hole.

Let not the authoryte of hym that speaketh moue you / ne who it is that speaketh do not regarde but marke well what is sayde / nor do not studye how you shall pleayse many / but whom and what they be take good hede.

Seke for that, that maye be founde / studye to lerne that whiche maye be knowen / and couet that, that may be laufully desyred before them that be good. Do not assocyat your selfe with your better, in whose company you shall [Page] tremble for feare, & in depertynge from hym you shall haue a fall. Then call vnto you holsome councell, when the prosperyte of this lyfe fauereth you. Then staye and stande faste, as you wold in a slyppery place / and suffer not your inocyons and passyons to ronne at large / but loke about you whether they intende, and how farre they may lawfully god.

¶Magnanimite.

FOrsothe yf Magnanimite, whiche is also called fortytude, be in your stomacke, you shall lyue in great suertye, fre without dyspleasure, vnfearefull, without daunger, and mery with a quyet conscyence. It is a meruelous good thyng of a mans mynde, not to tremble nor feare, but to be stedfaste vnto hym selfe, and to beholde quyetly the ende of [Page] this transytory lyfe.

yf you be of a valyaū stomack you shall neuer counte dyspleasur or damage to be done vnto you, you shall saye of your enemy: He hath not hurt me, but he dyd intende to hurte me. And when you haue hym in your powre and subieccyon, you shal counte your selfe suffycyently reuengyd, to be able to punysshe hym. For you shall well knowe, that to forgyue and perdon, is the moste excellent and honest kynde of reuengynge.

Rayle of no man pryuely in corners. Uudermynge ne dysceyue no man. Go playnly to worke and speke boldly to a mans face. For fraude and dysceyte becommeth a cowerde. Make no conflycte nor baytell with any man, except it be in your owne defence. you shalbe a bolde and a valiant man, yf you [Page] nother yeberde rasshely vpon daū gers, as one that were foolehardy nor yet feare them lyke a dastard / For there is nothyng that maketh a dredfull mynde, but the conscyence & knowlege of a gyltye lyfe.

¶Contynence.

YF you loue cōtynence, cut away all superfluyte. Kepe togyther your desyres in a narow strayt. Consyder wt your selfe how moch nature doth requyre of dewtye, & not how moch she coueteth vnlawfully. yf you be cōtynent you shall come to this poynt, that you shall be content & suffycyent with your owne selfe. And he that is vnto hym selfe satysfyed & suffycyent, is borne with ryches abundaunt. Put vnto concupycence a brydle. Cast away all those thynges that doth flater and please which intyseth and draweth the mynde with [Page] preue voluptie & delectatiō. Eate without crapulosyte, and surfet not. Quench your thurst, & quaffe not, and beware of dronkenesse. Take hede you do not in festes & other copanyes reproue & dampne such ꝑsons, whose maners you do not alowe. Ne delyte not to moch in such delicious pleasurs, as you haue present / nor yet couet those that you haue not. Se that your fare be of an easy coste, and come not vnto voluptuouse pleasures, but vnto meat. Let hūger styre vp your appetit, & not dainty dysshes Refreshe your desyres with a lytle bicause you ought only to care for this thyng, yt is, to labour yt they maye sease. And thus lyke as you be made after ye diuyne & godly symylitude, so endeuer your selfe as moch as you maye, to forsake the fleshe, & cleue vnto the spyryte.

[Page]yf you studie to haue cōtynence dwell not wantonly, in places all of pleasure, but in good ayre helthfully, nor do not couet to be knowen as a lord by your house, but let your house be knowen by ye mayster. Do not fayne to be, that you be not, nor yet to appere to be better then you be. Take good heed of this thynge, that pouertye be not vnto you fowle, that is to saye do not dyspyse it as a thynge vyle & lowthsome, nor frugalyte fylthy nor symplycyte neglecte, nor yet playnes paynfull or greuouse.

And yf your goodes be small, neuertheles let them not be nygardely vsed, nor do not dysperaetly dysprayse your owne, nor wt grudge prayse other mens. yf you loue contynence, fle all fylthy thynges before they come vnto you, feare no mā more then you do your own [Page] selfe, byleue that all thynges be more tolerable then fylthynes. Abstayne also from foule & fylthy cō municacyō, for ye sufferaūce therof increaseth & nouryssheth vnclenlynes & vnchaste bowldenes. Loue better fruetful cōmunicaciō, than those that be eloquent, those that be trew, rather then such as be flaterynge & fayre. Myxte somtyme myrth with maters of grauite, but yet temperate them & set them in theyr place, without the detrymēt of chastite & sadnes, for laughyng is reprochefull: yf it be immoderate / yf it be wanton & chyldyshe, or yf it be nyce & folyshe. Laughynge also (yf it be superstycyously prowde, yf it be lowde and shryll, yf it be dysdaynyng & malycyouse yf it be preuy & wysperynge, or yf it ryse of other mens hurte & dyspleasure) maketh a man haetful. [Page] yf therfore ye time requireth myrth & sporte, take hede you vse them also with grauite and wysdome, that no man fynde faute with you to be roughe and curyshe, nor yet to dyspyce you as though you were worthy to be caste out of cō pany. Use no rude carterly fashyon, but gentell cyuyle maner. Use myrthe without checkynge / sporte and pastyme without lyghtnesse / spekynge without lowde voyce / goenge without lowde noyse and trampelynge / and reste without slouth and slogeshnes.

And when that other spende the tyme folyshly / occupye your selfe about some honest thynge vertuously. yf you be contynent, shonne flaterers, and be as loothe to be praysed of naughtye fylthy persons, as you wold to be laudyd for filthy dedes. Reioyce & be glad [Page] so often as you dysplease those yt be naught, & counte the naughty estymacyons of yll persons to be very laude and prayse vnto you. It is the most hardest thyng that belongeth vnto contynence, to auoyde the pleasable and glosynge speche of flaterers: whose cōmunicocyon melteth a mans mynde with a certayne delectation. Gette no mans amyte or frendshyppe by flateryng, nor suffer no man to get yours by such wayes. Be not malaparte boulde, nor yet presumptuouse prowde. Humilyate your selfe and do not dysdayne / but kepe grauyte and sadnes.

Take monycyons gentely, and pacyently reproches. yf any man doth chyde you worthely, counte that he profyteth you / yf he blame you vnworthely, you shall know that he entendyd verely to profyte [Page] you. Feare not sharpe and bytter wordes, but beware fayre & flateryng speche. Fle your owne vyces & fautes, and be not to curyouse a sercher of other mens, nor yet a bytter and greuouse rebuker, but (without tawnte & checke) a corrector / so that you myxte your monycyons with hillaryte & gentelnes, and gyue ꝑdon vnto hym yt erreth Do not extoll any man to hygh / ne dysprayse no man to lowe. Be a styll hearer of them that speketh vnto you, and a prompt & dylygēt teacher of them yt wyll heare you. Answer gently vnto hym that speketh vnto you, & vnto hym that cō tempneth departe quyckly, and do not go awaye checkynge & brawlynge, nor yet cursynge. yf you be contynent, take hede of the mocyons and dysposycyons, bothe of your mynde & also of your body, [Page] that they be not vncomly nor out of fassyon / & do not lytell regarde them, bycause they be preuy and secrete / for it shall not skyll though no man seeth them / it is suffyciēt when you know them your selfe. Be mouable and flexible, but not lyght & waueryng / constant & sted fast, but not selfe wylled nor obstynate. Remēber, & let it not be greuouse vnto you, to haue the knowlege of some thynge. you shall counte euery man to be equall wt you. yf you contempne not your inferyores by pryde, you shall (in lyuyng well) be out of the feare of your superyores. In requytynge beneuolence, be not neglygente, nor do not apere to be folyshe dylygent. Be gentell vnto euery man, & a flaterer vnto none / famylier vnto a few, and iust & trewe vnto all. Be more cyrcūspect ī your iudgement [Page] than in your cōmunicaciō more strayter in your lyuyng, then in your outward countenance. Be a mercyfull punyssher, & abhorrer of crudelyte. Be nother a spreder of your owne good fame, nor yet an haeter of other. Gyue no lyght credence vnto rumors, cryems, & suspycyons / but rather be moost agaynst such malicyouse persons that crepeth vnder ye cloke of symplycyte to hurte other. Be slow vnto yre, & vnto mercy be prompte & redye. Be stronge and stedfaste in aduersite, & in prosperyte be cyrcū specte and ware. Be an hyder of your own vertues, lyke as other be of theyr vyces. Be a dyspiser of vayne glorye, and not an egar requyrer of the houour, whiche god hath indued yow withall. Laugh not to scorne the vnwysnes, and ygnoraunce of other. Be of fewe wordes, but a pacyent hearer of [Page] them that speketh. Be dyscret and sad, but dyspyse not them that be merye. Be desyrous of wysdome & redy to lerne / and those thynges that you know teache with all dylygence & gentelnes, & those yt you know not, desyer to be taught, wt out any shamfastnes or hydynge of your ygnoraunce.

¶Iustice.

WHat is the fourth vertue Iustyce? but a cōuencyō & cōuenaunt of nature? inuented to the helpe & cōfort of many. & what is iustyce? forsoth not our institucyō nor ordynaūce, but a dyuyne lawe & bond of mans socyete. In this we may not way and ponder what shalbe expediēt & necessary, yt is expediēt & necessary what someuer iustyce sheweth vnto vs. who soeuer therfor you be yt desyreth to folow this iustyce. Fyrst drede & loue god, yt you may be loued of god [Page] Trewly you shal loue god, yf you wyl imytate hym ī this / yt is to say Be wyllyng to profyte all men, & to hurte none. And then euery mā wyll call you a iust & a ryghtwyse man, euery man wyll laude you, euery man wyll worshyp you / and euery man wyll loue you. To the entent you maye be iust, you shall not onely do no hurt, but you shal also wtstand naughty doers. For, to do no hurt, is not iustice, but to abstayne from yll is iustyce. Therfore begyn at these, yt you take not awaye other mens goodes / & endeuer your self to cōme vnto hygher ꝑfection / yt you may also helpe to restore thynges taken awaye / and castygate, punyshe & holde strayt robbers and spoylers of other.

Implycate no cōtrouersy of yt ambyguite & dowtfulnes of spekyng but behold the qualytie & menyng [Page] of the mynde. It shall not skyll whether you affyrme or sweare, when so euer you intreate of the truth, you shal wel know yt you intreate both of fayth & religyō. For yf in swerynge, god sholde not be called to wytnesse, & yet vnto hym that sweareth not by hym, he is wytnesse. Do not than ouerslyppe the trueth, leste you ouerpasse the boundes & law of iustyce. And yf you be cōstrayned at any tyme to vse a fayned word / vse it not for ye clokyng of falshode, but for the custodie & kepynge of trueth. And yf you chaunce to be cōpelled to saue your fydelyte or honeste wt a fayned word / do not make a lye / but rather excuse your selfe: bycause where as the mater is honest, the ryghtwyse dylcloseth not secretes nor coūcelles, but kepeth thynges that sholde be close, and speaketh [Page] those thynges that may be laufully spoken. And thus he is in peace quyet, & sure tranquylyte / & whyles other be ouercome with theyr yll doenges, he vāquessheth those yt be yll. yf therfore you endeuer to studye these thynges gladly and wtout drede, loking for the ende of your pylgremage. you shal merely with a quyet conscyence, beholde the calamyte and heuenes of this wretched world, & quyetly the dysquyetnes & trouble, & sauely the wyckednes & daungers of ye same

These. iiii. kyndes of vertues with these instytucyons & offyces vnto them belongyng, wyll make you a perfyt man. yf you kepe the mesure & straytnes of them with a iuste intent of good lyuynge.

The moderatiō of ye .iiii. vtues ¶For yf prudence passe her boū des, you shalbe craftye, and your [Page] wytte & inuentyon tymorouse and fearefull, you shall seme to be a seker of secretes, a sercher of all maner of fautes, you shalbe counted to be a watcher of other men, a suspycyouse & a busy ꝑson euer fearyng, cōtynually sekīg, & alwayes faynyng some thynge. And one yt occupyeth suttle suspicyons to the reproch of ye cryme & faute of some other: you shalbe poynted wt the fyngar, yt is to say, you shalbe surely noted, to be one full of sutteltye, a dowble felow, an enemye to symplycyte & playnnes, an inuentor of fautes. And in cōclusyō you shalbe called (wt one voyce) of euery man a naughty body. Prudēce therfore beyng not measured with reason, bryngeth a man into these dyshonestes, & shames. But who so euer ledeth his lyfe in ye euen & equale balaunce therof hath nothyng ī hym suspicious nor crafty [Page] ¶Also yf Magnanimytye stretceth beyonde his due measure, he maketh a mā a thretenar, a proude facer & craker, trobulous and dysquyet, hasty to auaunce hym selfe to excell in all thynges that ben spoken of, honesty set clene aperte which at euery mynute styreth vp his browes, lyke as a beest or wyld boore setteth vp his brystels, and suffereth nothynge to be quyete / he stryketh one man, he dryueth & chaseth awaye an other. But all though he be a bolde and valyant chāpyon, yet for all yt he can not suffer thynges aboue his strength but at last, other dyeth a wretched deth, or elles leueth a lamentable ende and memorye. The measure therfore of magnanymite, maketh a man nother fearefull nor folehardye.

¶Furthermore let cōtinēce kepe [Page] you within these lymites. Beware you be not a nygarde, ne scrapse nor kepe your goodꝭ suspyciously & fearefully, as though you shold neuer haue ynough, nor set not to moche by tryfulles of no value, but kepe contynence by the rule of medyocryte or meanes, yt you be not gyuē to voluptuosite nor seme to be prodygal or vyciouse, nor yet thorough couetouse catchynge to be vyle and fylthye.

¶Fynally iustyce must be orderyd by the way of mediocryte leste (she beynge apoynted cōtynually by a lyght & wāton gwyde) neglygens of the mynde do folowe: As when you do not correcte nor reforme the lyuing of nawghtypackes, nother for great fautes nor for smale, but do permytte the libertye of naughty doynge, other to suche as flater & pleyse you, or els vnto them yt prowdly contempneth [Page] you. And agayne to be to rygorouse & strayte, shewenge no fauour nor gentelnes, you shall apere vnto men to be sharp & cruel. Therfore the rule of iustice ought to be so louyngly kept, yt the reuerence therof wexeth not vyle by to moch sufferaunce of neglygence, nor yet (thorough to cruell straytnes) lese ye grace of humanyte.

¶yf any man therfore desyreth to ordre his lyfe (wtout faute) not onely for his owne vtylite & profyte, but to the profyte of many other / let hym kepe (by the same path of mediocryte) this rule of the aforesayde vertues accordyng to ye qualyties of places, tymes, ꝑsons, & causes / lyke as he were ascēdynge into ye top of an hygh hyll hauyng on euery syde broken dyches, yt he may shone rasshe madnes, & also ouercome slouthfull cowerdnes.

¶Finis.

¶The encherydion of a spirytuall lyfe, teachyng the waye vnto perfeccyon. wherin be opened and brought to lyght .ix. impedimentes whiche do interrupte and let those that coueteth to walke in the waye of god.

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¶The defynition of encherydyon.

ENcherydion (after the mynd of Angell Polytian) signyfieth bothe a manuell or hand boke / & also a sowldyars dagger. We se by experyence that a dagger is so proper and handsome a weapen, that euery man, ye (almoost) euery boye, hath one hangyng [Page] by his syde. But verely this word encheridyon, when it signifyeth a small hand booke, is moch more handsome and necessary, not to hange at a mans gyrdell, but for euery man and chylde to haue in his hande. And therfore it is called encheridiō, in englysh, an hand booke, not only bycause it is small and portatyue, but bycause it is (for the fruyte and vtylite therin) worthy and necessary to be had in in euery mans hande. When so euer therfore hereafter you redde this tytle vpon any boke, thyncke surely that there is a booke handsome and mete for you. And so let this word encherydion from hensforth be as comune (for the sygnyfycacyon afore sayde) in our englysshe tonge, as it is in greke or latyne, bycause we can not fynde [Page] in our mother tonge any one word (without cyrcumlocucyon) to sygnyfye the very etymologye and proper strength therof.

¶Of the strayt and chaste intent.

THe fyrst & cheyf impediment, yt hindereth those that wolde profyte & go forth in the waye of god, is the loue of hym selfe, wherof spryngeth all other vyces For of this it cometh to passe, that men thorough the impuryte and imperfeccyon of theyr intent, do in all thynges more seke for theyr owne selues (that is to saye, theyr owne profyte, theyr owne laude, [Page] and that they moost desyre, theyr owne beatytude) rather then the honour and glorye of god, & that not onely in theyr workes, but also in theyr vertues and gyftes of god, ye in theyr sekyng of ye kyngdome of heuens. And therfore it is no meruayle though they fall many tymes into dyuers errours and synnes. But you (syns all our workes getteth fruyt and meryte accordynge to the intent they be done fore, yf you desyre to be saued and profet) shall fyrste call for the helpe of god, without the whiche you can nothynge preuayle. And merke well all your wordes, all your actes, and all your desyers, and in euery one of them seke out your intent, that you may inquyre nothyng else but purely the honour and pleasure of god / your owne selfe and all other thynges [Page] set aperte now and euer. Nor you shall say nothyng, nor do nothyng but that wherin you truste verely to pleyse god.

¶The wanderynge of the harte thorough the loue of creatours.

THe seconde impedyment, is, an inordynate and vndyscret loue vpon creatours. This loue quyckly dysquyeteth a mans harte of euery lyght occasyon, so that the interyor eye beyng vexed with loue, hactered, ioye, sorowetrouble, or vnlustynesse, can nother knowe god nor hym selfe, nor yet what is ryght and iuste.

Wherfore, yf yow loue the peace of the herte, it is necessary to kepe [Page] it clene and fre, frome the loue of creaturs, and referre all thynges (how so euer they chaunce vnto you) vnto ye dyuyne prouydence of god, cōmyttynge vnto hym all your cares, all your cogytacyons takynge good hede that nothynge resteth in you, nothynge entreth your mynde, but god. Gyue the erth for heuen / gyue the world for god. All thynges are vyle, that be in the worlde, and not worthy to be set by, nor loued / let it alone for them that be of the worlde, for the whiche our sauyour Chryste dyde not vouthsaue to praye. you can not serue and please two lordes, nor loue thynges dyuerse and cō trary. yf you wyll know, what you loue, take good hede what you thynke mooste often vppon. For where as is youre treasure, euen there is your harte.

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¶The mortyfycacyon of the senses, or sensualytye.

THe thyrde is the mortyfycacyon of sensualyte: For, men beynge prone vnto vyce do ouerthrowe and gyue them self to moche to the intycementes and vayne delectacyons of the senses, and vnto the solace and comforte of nature more than nede or reasonable dyscrecyon, as, in meat and dryncke, in cōmunycacyon, in companye, in goodes, in occupacyons and in other lyke thynges, bothe vayne and curyouse, wherby they lese and let the inwarde peace, the sensyble deuocyon, and the grace of god, sowyng in the flesshe wherof they shall reype corrupcyon.

But be you contynent and chaste of your senses, fyghtynge manful [Page] agaynst your vnlaufull desyers, and concupycences, fleynge all the occasyons and intysementes vnto the same, and constraynynge your selfe, by vyolense, vnto vertues, contrary vnto them, vntyll you be mortyfyed from vyces and passyons, that the same sensualyte may obey vnto the spyryte. ¶Further of this mater, you shall haue in a trearyse of the fyue senses taken out of the euangelycall worke of Marchus Marulus.

¶Of humilyte.

THe fourth is pryde, vayne glory, his owne conceyte or pleasure in extemynge hym selfe, and the desyre and ioye of prayse, wherby many do rest in the [Page] fauour, laude, and estymacyon of men. For these vyces dyuerse are forsaken of almyghty god, bycause when they iudge them selfes to be hole, they nother seke nor receyue medycynes and remedyes. In so myche therfore as very humylite is chyefly necessary for you (which is the onely & moost surest waye vnto god, wherof springeth all goodnes) labour than so vehemently to optayne it, yt you stycke not to praye vnto almyghty god without cease for it, extemynge youre selfe (as yet) to be mooste proudeste and moost vyleste.

More ouer you shall contynually haue before youre eyes, the infynyte mayestye, the infynyte wysedom, & the infynyte goodnes of god, and on tother syde the depe vylyte of your own vnworthynes [Page] iudgynge your selfe vnfaynedly to be the moste wretched synner in the worlde, for the multytude of your vylenes and ingratitude, vnworthy all the benefytes whiche you haue or shall receyue, other of god or his creaturs, & fynally to be worthy all paynes & dyspleasurs. And thus you shall submyt your selfe vnto all men, and chosynge to your selfe, euery where, the lowest place, cryeng vnto god as a wretche, Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori, O god be mercyfull vnto me a wretched sinner, couetynge to be contempned & trode vnder fote of all men. This humilyte getteth fauour of god. & maketh you parttaker of all his graces and benefytes. Oh who can clayme vnto hym holynes? when it is so harde, so vncertayne, and so dyffyculte, to renounce and forsake [Page] sensualyte and proper wyll. How be it there is oftentymes, by onely nature a dysposycyon there vnto, wherof is ingendred a false opynion of great sanctyte and holynes.

¶Of charyte.

THe fyfte is a bytternes of the herte, wherby many be prone and redy to impacyence, to haetred, to reuengynge, and to despysynge of other. These do murmur agaynst theyr superious and rulers / these do iudge & contempne theyr neyghbours / these do speke yll by, rayle and detracte theyr brotherne, and beholdyng al thynges with a venemouse eye (wherwith they be infecte) do interprete to the worste, haetfull both to god and men. Wherfore yf you wyll at any tyme profyte, it is necessary that you loue euery man in god, [Page] and in euery man reuerence and honour the ymage of god, and suffer no bytternesse nor dyspleasure to reste in youre mynde agaynste any man, but mete euery mā with a louely countenaunce, in the swetnesse of charyte, in the mansuetude and myldnes of harte, and in the gentelnesse of speche, redy to bare ye burthens and infyrmytyes of all other, dylygent to helpe the indygence and nedynes of other, prone to forgyne the trespace of other, and to interprete all thynge to the beste, to iudge nor dysplease no man, to profyte and to helpe al, and generally (without any excepcion of persons) to bestowe vpon euery man pytye and mercy.

¶The renounsynge and denyenge of proper wyll.

[Page]THe syxte is the propryetye of wyll, wytte, & counsell, whervnto many do so moch truste that they durste not commytte ne resyne them selues nother to god nor men, but they haue the same propryete bothe in iudgynge and chosynge, as an vnderpynnynge and fundacyon, where vpon they buylde all that they do. The whiche thynges, all though they some great and excellent, neuerthelesse they styncke before the eyes of god. Therfore yf you wyll ouerthrowe this fundycyon, there shal fall in you therwith all the walles of Hierycho, that is to saye, all the impedymentes and defautes. Wherfore it is very necessary that you laye an other fundacyon, that is too saye, a full and perfyte abnegacyon and renounsynge of youre owne selfe, [Page] by the whiche you shall forsake & leue your owne selfe, and without any let or retraccyon of the herte, cōmytte your selfe vnto the pleasure of god imbrasyng hertely his wyll with an inwarde delectacyon & obey vnto men for goddes sake in all laufull thynges, most surely trustynge vnto his goodnes, whiche vnto them (yt gyueth them selfes vnto hym both in herte and dede) is euery where present, and prouydeth for them (by his ineffable prouydence) bothe in prosperyte, and aduersyte / and also in smal thinges more better than they can desyre. What so euer thyngꝭ therfore chaunseth vnto you, receyue them, not as of man or other creature, but immedyatly of god, as though it were from the hande of his dyuine prouydence, and that with an equall mynde and quyet [Page] eleuate aboue the chaūces of transytory thynges, and fyxed by loue in god, no more desyrynge prosperyte then aduersyte, vntyll all propryete of your wyll and iudgemēt be vtterly in you extynguysshed and dede.

¶The immitacyon of Chryste.

THe seuenth is an immoderate studye, wherin the vnderstandynge is occupyed about bare speculations, and there as is nother deuocyon, nor heat of affeccyō toward god sought for, but redynge, whiche is vsed other for it selfe (bycause it doth delygthe) or els onely for knowlege. They that be suche persons, are vayne, pufte vp with pryde in theyr owne conceyt, presumptuouse, and very barreyn in effecte, the whiche verely can speke of the spyryte, but [Page] they neuer deseruyd to taste therof. But you shall not redde therfore to be counted lerned, bnt to thentent you maye be deuoute.

Euer iudge your selfe to knowe nothyng, nor desyre to know none other thynge, but Iesus Chryste, beynge for you crucyfyed / yf you knowe Iesus Chryste well, it is suffycyent though you knowe not other thynges, in his lyfe & in his passyon, occupye your selfe contynually, in contemplatyng what he sufferyd for you, that you may suffer with hym, how, that you may studye to imytate the same (that is to saye) his maners and vertues, Wherfore, that you maye in louynge hym agayne requyte his charyte. Let this desyre encrease in you euermore, that you may (so moch as is possyble) be conformed vnto your lorde, in pacyently suffure) [Page] ferynge (accordyng vnto his pleasure) all ye aduersyte, that he voutsaue to sende you.

¶Of the puryte and eleuacyon of the mynde in to god.

THe eyght is the negligence and forgetfulnes of the inward man, the vnstabylyte of the herte, and to moche sufferaunce of wanderyng of the mynde, wherof it cometh to passe, that the herte beynge paynted with dyuers imagyes and fygurs, taketh no hede of the dyuyne inspyracyons, nor can not lyfte vp it selfe vnto god. But you (all the occasyons of vnquyetnes set aperte) shall seclude (so moch as is possyble) the imagynacyons, formes, and symylytudes of thynges, and also the memoryes of wordes and dedes. And then (the poures of your soule beynge [Page] gathered togyther) you shall rest with thyn your selfe, in the sylence and quyetnes of the spyryte, to the entent you maye (hauynge your vnderstandyng pure & clene from ymages and fygures, & the affeccyon fre from all creatures, yt memorye also eleuate vnto god) intende fynally euery thynge that you do, vpon hym, and euer cleue and stycke vnto hym. For why do you labour about many thynges? Thynke vpon one, desyre one, and you shall fynde reste. Alwayes therfore where so euer you be, let this voyce sounde in your eare. My sonne turne vnto the herte, refraynynge your selfe frome all other thynges, that you may stedfastly, with a clere & symple herte, perceuer in god, thynkynge vpon nothynge but hym, desyrynge nothynge but hym, euen as though [Page] you ware in the worlde alone with hym. And vnto this so lowly and feruently, endeuour your selfe, yt your soule with all his strengthe and powers (accordynge vnto the great cōmaundement of the law) vnyte together in god, maye be made one spyryte with god.

¶An exercyse of the dyuyne loue.

THe nyenth is, vnlustynesse or dulnesse, wherby many beynge led by the onely custome and vse, do good dedes, extemyng perfectyō in the multytude of workes, rather then in the feruor and heate of charyte, or in the puryte of the intent / and therfore they do not obeye nor gyue hede (by renoū synge theyr owne selfes) vnto the dyuyne scrypture. But kepe you this rule as a profytable compendyouse & brefe worke full of vtylyte, [Page] that you may at all tymes haue your herte eleuate, by a louyng conuersyon vnto god, with a seruent desyre to please hym, and per fytly to loue hym, brethynge and cryenge without sease, by some fyrye shorte prayers, and flamynge aspyracyons on this wyse. O my god, o the lyfe of my soule, o my hole desyre & my ioye. when shall I hertely loue the? when shall I (for thy sake) contempne myne owne selfe? when shall I (for thy loue) despyse all the worlde? Ooh wold I myght forsake myn owne selfe, and be melted in the / and of the vehement heat of thy loue be consumed, transformed, and chaū ged. O lorde graunte vnto me, to loue the, with all my herte, with al my mynde, and with al my poures and workes. yf I loue the with all myne herte, then shall I loue nothyng [Page] so well as the. yf I loue the with all my mynde, then shall I thynke of nothyng so moch as of yt yf I loue the with all my poures and workes, then shall I do all thynges fynally, to thy laude and prayse. Therfore good lord graūt me grace to loue the with all myne herte &c. And with dyuers lyke fasshyons euer more louynge, desyrynge, and laudyng your welbelouyd, in gyuynge hym thankes, and offerynge your owne selfe into his laude & prayse, as the holy goost shal instructe you.

This exercyse, and occupacyon is moste excellent, by the whiche you maye aske (of the moste infynyte and great lord) large & great petycyons. For the desyre of charyte ought to extende it selfe with out measure. God hym selfe commaundeth vs to aske, and he promysed [Page] vs to be haerd, whiche suffereth (by his infynyte bountefulnesse) no syghe nor grone offeryd vnto hym, to tourne agayne in vayne, but other infundeth and sendeth newe grace, or increaseth that you haue all redy receyued, or draweth the herte vnto hym more feruenter, or more swetely refresshed, or doth illumynate more perfyter / or els cōfyrmeth more stronger and stedfaster. Do not therfore neglecte by slouthfulnesse, suche goodly benefytes, whithe you maye at euery moment receyue of hym. Do not sease, do not flee frō the face of your lorde. Folow your welbelouyd thorough fyre and water / and though you somtyme be dystract, attempted, and fall from hym, yet tourne agayne penytent vnto the lorde of mercy, begynne agayne manfully, and desyre to fatygate [...]

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Information about this book

Title statement

The rule of an honest lyfe, wryten by the holy man Martyne, bysshop of Dumiense, unto ye ryght famouse kyng Myto, kyng of Galitia in spayne. And now (beyng founde in an auncyant copy) is faythfully translated out of the latyn tonge into Englyshe. For theyr sakes that be desyrous to rede englyshe bokes onely for utylyte and encrease of vertue. Here vnto is added a proper booke called: the Encheridyon of a spyrytuall lyfeFormula vitae honestae

Martin, of Braga, Saint, ca. 515-579 or 80.

Edition statement

1538

Publication

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A07097

ID [STC]

STC 17500

ID [STC]

ESTC S103484

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99839237

ID [PROQUEST]

99839237

ID [VID]

3640

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A07097)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 3640)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 716:06)

Source

— The rule of an honest lyfe, wryten by the holy man Martyne, bysshop of Dumiense, unto ye ryght famouse kyng Myto, kyng of Galitia in spayne. And now (beyng founde in an auncyant copy) is faythfully translated out of the latyn tonge into Englyshe. For theyr sakes that be desyrous to rede englyshe bokes onely for utylyte and encrease of vertue. Here vnto is added a proper booke called: the Encheridyon of a spyrytuall lyfe, Formula vitae honestae, Martin, of Braga, Saint, ca. 515-579 or 80., Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, ca. 4 B.C.-65 A.D., attributed name..

Extent

[54+] p.

R. Redman?,. [London :: 1538?]. (A translation of "Formula vitae honestae" by Saint Martinus. Sometimes misattributed to Seneca, and possibly based on a lost work by him.) (Imprint conjectured by STC.) (Signatures: A-C D³.) (Leaf D3 missigned D5.) (Imperfect; lacks all after leaf D3.) (Reproduction of the original in the Folger Shakespeare Library.)

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