UIdete vocatiōem vfam. These are y^e wordes of the appostle the whiche dothe par­teyne to men and women of relygion. Take hede sayth he / & beholde wherto ye be called. And this sayth he for to moue and stere vs to perfeccyō. And therfore whan soeuer and as often as I thynke vpon my selfe / be it by nyght or by day I haue on the one parte grete ioye / & on y^e other grete sorowe. Grete ioye for the holy relygion / sorowe and confusyon for the feble conuersacion. And it is no meruayle / for I haue grete cause / for this sa­yeth saynt Eusebe in a sermon. Uenire ad religione [...]a ꝑfectio est. [...] non ꝑfecte viuere est suma dāpna­tio. That is to saye. To come to relygyon is a soue­rayne & hygh perfeccyon / but not to lyue parfytely is a souerayne and hygh dampnacion. And therfore you that lyue in relygyon or in congregacyō folowe the way of perfeccyon. And so yf ye loue your helthe and wyll be saued leue / forsake and dyspyse y^e worl­de & all thynge in it and belongynge to it / & set & put all your dylygence and power for to lyue parfytely.

To lyue parfytely also as saynt Bernarde te­cheth vs is to lyue mekely louyngly and honourably. Mekely / as to your selfe. Louīgly towarde your neyghboure. And honourably as towarde god / so y^t ye set all your herte and mynde to do al that [Page] is to the pleasure & wyll of god. That is to haue god in euery thinge alway y^t ye thynke with your herte or speke with your mouthe / or do in o [...]acion / by wer ke ofony of your .v. wyttes. As in [...] with your [...] herynge with your eeres / tastinge with your tonge smellynge with your nose / felynge or touchin ge with your handes / goynge / standynge / syttynge or lyenge. Thynke alway in the begynnynge why­ther it be the wyll of god or not. And yfit be his wyll do it as nygh as ye may to your power. And yf it be not do it not / & though ye sholde suffre dethe. But he r [...] vpon some wyll aske me what is the wyll of god. I say the wyll of god is nothinge but our holynesse. For as saynt Poule the apostle sayth. [...] est volun tas dei. [...]ctificatio vestra. It is y^e wyll of god that ye be holy and sayntes.

[...]wo thȳges w^tout ony mo maketh mā a saynt That is to wyte / knowlege of trouthe / and y^e loue of goodnesse. But to y^e knowlege of god whiche is very & trouthe may you not come but yf fyrst you knowe your selfe. Nor to the loue of god whiche is al goodnes & boūte can you not come w^tout ye loue your neyghbour. Than to the knowlege of your self may ye come by oft & swete medytaciō / & to the knowlege of god by pure contēplacyon. Now to the knowlege of your selfe may ye come in this maner. Thinke dy­lygētly inwardly & often what ye be / what ye haue ben / & what ye shall be / fyrst touch ynge your body & [Page] after as to your soule. As touchinge your body thynke y^t ye are fouler thā ony donge or slyme. ye were en gendred in so grete fylthe y^t it is shame to tell it / & ab­homynable to thynke it. For ye were borne in grete fylthe / & ye haue led your lyfe in grete wretchednesse & mysery. And after your dethe ye shall be delyuerd to todes & wormes & to other foule beestes whiche shal deuoure & ete you. what ye haue ben & what ye now are ye sholde thȳke as touchige your soule / for what ye shall be ye may not knowe. Therfore call to your rem [...]braunce & thinke often how ye haue done grete euylles & many / & how ye haue loste grete goodes & many. Thinke also how longe ye haue lyued / what ye haue receyued / & how ye spent your tyme for eue ry houre in whiche ye thought not on god ye haue lo ste. For ye shal gyue a rekenyge of euery ydle worde / of all ydle & vayne thoughtes / & of euery ydle dede & worke. And lykewise as ye haue not one onely heere in your heed but it shal be gloryfyed whan ye shal be saued / so shall there scape no houre of your tyme but it shall be rekened to you in the mercy of god. O good lorde yf all y^e worlde were full of small [...] or [...] who might be so wyse to iuge euery sperke by it selfe and tò deuyde euery one from other; But y^e soule is a thousāde tymes greter than y^e worlde / & yf the worl­de were a thousande tymes gretter than it is. [...] then yf y^e soule be full of diuers thoughtes / [...] & desyres / who may serche or inquyre of his herte to knowe all y^t is in it, or thinke it. ¶Now beholde & t [...] ke hede my dere syster how ye haue grete nede to cō ­syder & to knowe your self. Thā after take good [...] what ye be now as touchig yoursoule how ye haue [Page] lytell goodnesse in you / lytell vnderstādynge or wyt lytell power and pyte / for ye alway desyre that whi che is not good for you nor profytable. And alway ye do for sake and leue y^t whiche myght doo you moche good. And oftentymes ye be deceyued / now by ouer gretesoro we / now by [...] loue / now by indy serecyon & intemperaūce / now by vaynglory / now malycyous & seke / now helthy and mery / now are ye vered with aduersyte / now lyft vp with fals ho­pe. On the other syde yeare so mutable & wauer yn­ge y^• loke what thynge ye wyll this day to moro we ye wyll none of it. And oftentymes ye languysshe & are angry and sore tormented for many thinges that ye coueyte and desyre / & than after ye haue them at your wyll: than are ye incontyuent or by & by of the wery anoyed / & greued. Thynke also on y^e other par te how ye are lyght to be tempted / frayle and feble to resyst / & redy to consent and agre. Of all these ifyr­mytees and wretchednes hath delyuered you your spouse & your god Thū cryst / & dooth dayly delyuer more and more. For whan ye were not than he ma­de you in soule to his owne propre symylytude & ly­kenesse. And of y^t moost foule & fylthy thynge of whi­che it is abhomynable to thinke he made your body and fourmed your wyttes & your membres so noble and so fayre that no man can it better deuyse / nor no­ne suche dyspose & prouyde. Thynke also now dyly­gently & with good affeccion you whiche loue your carnall & flesshely frendes & kynne so tenderly. wher fore loue ye them so [...] and so feruently? yf ye say that ye loue your [...] and your moder bycause ye be [...] of theyr flesshe and theyr blode. So [Page] are the wormes that bredeth in theym and cometh from theym dayly and hourely. And on the other syde ye haue of them neyther soule nor body / but ye haue them of god by the. For your fader and moder hath brought you forthe to syn̄e. what sholde ye ha­ue ben yf ye had abyden styll that whiche ye had of your fader and moder whan ye were engendred in fylthe and synne of them? On the other syde yf ye lo ue your brod or your sister or [...]ny other of your kyn̄e bycause they be of the same flesshe & blode y^t ye be of. So sholde ye in lykewyse loue [...] of y^t flesshe of your fader or of your moder yf it were cut out of y^e bo dy of one of them / & that sholde be grete [...] & shame out of measure. And yf ye say y^t ye loue them bycause theyr flesshe & ymage is fygured to the lyke nesse of a man & bycause they haue a soule as ye ha­ue / thā are your flesshely broder & syster no [...] to you than ony other / but onely bycause y^t you & they haue one flesshely fader the rote and begynnynge of your flesshe / the whiche is a fylthy thinge foule and stynkynge. Therfore loue hym specyally of whome all your beaute cometh / and loue euery man spyritu ally & goostly. And leue of / fro hensforth to loue car­nally and flesshely / for certaynly so sholde ye do.

MOre ouer yf ye thynke wysely on the grete goodnesse y^t our lorde god hath done to you [...] dayly dooth & wyl alway more and more yf ye loue hym intyerly or inwardly. For as I tolde you in y^• [...] [Page] begynnynge / whā ye were not he made you of nou­ght. And whan ye were lost than he founde you. And whan ye were in deedly synne solde / than he bought you and redemed you. And whan ye were dampned than he saved you. And whā ye were borne in synne he baptysed you. And afterwarde whan ye syn̄ed so foule & so often / than he suffred you gentyll and pacyently / & taryed for you so lōge. Than after receyued you so swetely & hath put you & set in his moost swe­te couent. And euery day that ye do ony yll he rebu­keth you. And whā ye do syn̄e he dooth pardō you. Whan ye erre than he correcteth you. And whan ye stande in doute he techeth you. Whan ye ben hongry than he fedeth you. And whan ye are athyrste he gyueth you drynke. Whan ye haue colde he warmeth you. Whan ye be to hote he cooleth you. Whan ye wa­ke he saueth you. Whan ye slepe he conserueth you. Whan ye ryse he susteyneth you. Whan ye fall he reyseth you. And whan ye sytte than he holdeth you. Whan ye stāde than he supporteth you. Whan ye go than he ledeth you. Whan ye retourne he dyrecteth you. Whan ye come to hym he receyueth you. And whan ye go from hym he dooth conduyte you. And whan ye are out of the way he calleth you agayne. And euer whan ye be seke and euyll at ease he cōfor­teth you. ¶ Lo these grete goodes and many other dooth and hath done to you your swete spouse Iesus In and with the swetenesse of his herte.

FOr these grete goodes and many other sholde ye alway thynke of god / and speke vnto hym / and thanke hym intyerly. Euermore laudyn­ge & praysynge hym / & that as well by nyght as by daye / yf that ye knewe ony thynge what loue were / or yf ye had ony loue in you. Therfore euery mornynge or at mydnyght whā ye ryse oute of your bedde thynke incontynently how that many thousā ­des of men hathe ben perysshed that nyght / and lost bothe in body and soule. As some in the fyre bren­ned / and some in the water / some in the see drow­ned / and some on the londe in many dyuers wayes / as robbed / wounded / waxed ma [...]de and out of mynde / maymed / kylled / deed sodaynly without confessyon / which haue descended in to euerlastynge dam­nacyon. Thynke also how many thousandes of per­sones are the same nyght fallen in daūger and peryll of theyr soules / as in glotony / lechery / auaryce / ho­mycyde / or manslaughter / and in many other grete myscheuous dedes and folyschenesses. And from all these grete myscheues and euylles hath your swete lorde Iesu chryst delyuered you without your deseruinge or merytes. ¶ For what good seruyce or other thynges haue ye doone vnto hym for the whiche he sholde so kepe and hath kept and preserued you / and to leue and forsake so grete nombre of other / Therefo­re yf ye marke dylygently and take good hede how moche good he hath doone / and dooth to you alway in euery where / and on euery syde / ye shal fȳde hym soo occupyed and dylygent about your proufyte as though he dyde none other thynge elles but onely to gyue attendaūce / and take alway hede and regarde [Page] to your welthe and salute / and so shall yefe him that for to kepe you he is so curyous & besy as though he had forgoten all y^e worlde & toke hede to no body but onely to attende and kepe you. And whan ye haue thought all this lyfte vp your handes to your lorde god & thanke hym of these and of all other his grete benefytes and goodes in this maner. Gratias tibi ago dn̄e iesu xp̄e qui me indignam famulā tuam. N. in hac nocte custodisti / [...] / visitasti ac sanā et ico lumen: ad hanc horam ꝑuenire fecisti et pro alijs bene fic [...] tuis que michi tua sola bonitate contulisti. Qui [...] & regnas deus ꝑ oia [...] seculo (rum). Amē. ¶ And euen in the same maner shold ye say whan ye ryse in the mornynge / & whan ye goo to bed at nyght / sauf onely that where ye say at mydnyght. [...] hanc ho ram there sholde ye say in the mornynge. [...] hutꝰ [...]. And at nyght. [...] huius [...]. And whan ye haue so doone than sholde ye besyly & inwardly thynke & consider how ye haue spent all y^e tyme from the mornynge y^t ye rose vnto that tyme at nyght whan ye lye in your bed. And also from y^e ty­me y^t ye lye doune in your bed vnto the tyme that ye are rysen in the mornynge. Than desyre / requyre / & aske of god hettely his mercy for all the euylles y^t ye haue done / & of all the good dedes that ye haue left & lost in that day or y^t night. And than do none erthely thynge vnto the tyme that ye haue commēded your selfe and all your frendes quycke and deed in to y^e ha­des of our swete sau your Iesu cryst / and saye in this maner for your selfe & for the this prayer folowynge. In manus tuas dn̄e & sctō (rum) angelorum tuo (rum) com [...] ­do in hac nocte aīam meam & corpus meū parentes: [Page] [...]ratres: sorores: amicos: [...]: ꝓpinquos: bene factores meos & oēm [...] catholicū. Custedi nos do mine in hac nocte ꝑ merita & ltercessiōes beate marie virginis eto [...]m sctō (rum) tuo (rum) a vitus & [...] a pctis & a temptationibꝰ diaboli / a [...] a et ipro uisa morte / & a penis [...]. [...] cormeū despū sctō & detua sctā [...] fac me tuis semꝑ obedire māda­tis: & a te nū (que) seperari ꝑmittas. Qui viuis & reg. & [...]

¶ whan ye ryse in the mornynge where ye sayd at nyght In hac nocte.) than say In hac die. Yf ye ha­ue this maner forme than shall ye haue y^e true know lege of yourselfe. For this sayth the holy man. Yf ye trust & put your [...] in yourselfe ye shal be de lyuered to your self. And yf ye trust in god & mistrust your selfe / to god ye shall be commeded & del [...]. And this maner of consyderacion is called [...] on. therfore by this maner & way ye may [...] y^e knowledge of your selfe / & by holy [...]. Then shal ye come to y^e knowlege of god by pure [...]

[...] ben .iii. maners of contemplacyon. The fyrst maner is in creature. The .ii. [...] ­re. The .iii. is of god hymselfe in his owne nature.

¶ Coutemplacyon the fyrst wyse is nothynge elles but the syght of god in his creatures / & that may ye se in this maner. Thre thinges there ben in god y^t is to [...] / power / wysdome / & bounte or loue. Power is ap ꝓpryate to god y^e fader / wysdome to god y^e sone & bounte to god y^e holy goost. By his power all thyn ges are created and made. by his wysdome they are [Page] they prayse you / they [...]oure you / & all your cre [...] [...]es dooth glorify you o blyssed trynite. All creatures of ryghtdooth prayse you for theyr goodnesse, they adoure you of ryght for theyr fayrnesse / and of [...]yght they gloryfy you for t [...]eyr [...]gyte & welthe. O blyssed trynite of whome all thinge by your power [...] ted & made. By whome all thynges by your wysdo me are gouerned. In whome all thiges are by your boūte multyplyed. Tibi honor & g [...]a isc [...]a (rum). am̄.

NOw haue ye mater how ye may se y^t wyll of god in euery creature / & y^t is the fyrst degre of cōtēplation. ¶ The .ii. degre of cōtēplacion is in scry pture. But now perauēture ye y^t be of sȳple lerninge wyll aske me this questyon. Now may I euer come to y^t cōtēplatiō of god in scrypture & haue no cōn [...]ge? Now swetely attēde to me & here me & it may hap I shall tell you. what so euer is wryten in scrypture it may be tolde & shewed to you. And therfore yfye vn­derstāde not y^t scrypture be glad to lerne & here althȳ ge y^t wyse men wyll shewe you so y^t ye may vnderstā de & knowe all thige y^t good is & to kepe it whan it is shewed you. And whā ye here ony thynge in opē set mon or in secrete collacyon / take good hede yf ye here ought y^t may do you good to the edyfycacion of your soule / to y^e hatynge of syn̄e / & louynge of vertue. to y^t ferynge of payne / and to the desyringe of ioye. to y^t dy spysynge of this worlde / and to y^e hastynge towarde another. what is to be done / & what to be left / & how moche dooth illumyn & quycken your vuder stādy ge [Page] in y^t [...]owlege of trouthe / and how moche dooth in­flam be theyr desyre in the feruour or bren̄ynge loue of charyte. For of these good thȳges sholde ye knowe whatsoeuer be wryten secretely or open. Out of ho­ly sctypture shall ye take & knowe whiche ben y^t .vii deedly synnes / & the .vii. vertues of the gospell / y^t .vii gyftes of the holy goost / & the .x. cōmaund [...]mētes of god / the .xii. artycles of y^e faythe / & the .vii. sacramen tes of holy chyrche. the .vii. vertues / and y^t. vii. wer­kes of mercy. the .vii. pet ycyons of the pater nt̄. the paynes of hell / and the wyes of heuen.

THe .vii. deedly syfies are these folowynge. Pryde / enuy / wrathe / slouthe / auaryce / glotony / & lechery. ¶ Than first pryde is y^e loue of his owne excellece / & hyghnesse / and of it dooth [...]ede & come these. vii. vy­ces & braūches / that is to [...]ay. Inobedience agaynst god or agaynst his superyour or lorde / that is to leue that thynge y^t he is commaunded to do. And to do y^e thynge whiche is forboden & defended. ¶ The secon de braunche is boost. [...]taūce / or auauntry. whan & man dooth boost hym [...]e & wexe proude of the god des that he hath of another. or of the euyll or vngra­cyousnesse that is in hymselfe. The .iii. is y pocrysy / and y^t is whan a man dooth fayne hym to haue goo­des that he hath not / or dooth hyde the euyl whiche is in hym. The .iiii. braunche is dyspyte of other; y^t is w [...] on y mynyssheth or maketh sytill the good­nesse [Page] of another y^t he hymselfe may seme & appere the better. The .v. is arrogaūce / stoburnesse / or reioycyn ge in yll / & that is whan a man maketh comparyson betwene his cuyls & vnhappy dedes / & the wycked dedes of another / bycause that his may seme y^t lesse. The .vi. is vnshamefastnes / y^t is whan a man hath no maner shame of his wycked lyfe / or vngracyous­nesse openly knowen. The .vii. braunche is clacyon / o: auauncynge of hȳselfe / as whan a man reioyceth of his owne wyckednesse & euyll. And here ye shall knowe that thre thȳ gesthere be of the whiche man is proude. The fyrst is of the goodes and giftes of na ture as beaute / strēgth / good wytte / & noblenesse of [...]ynred. The secōde is of the goodes & gyftes of fortu ne that man dooth acquere & gete / as connynge / ver tue / grace / good name & fame / & dygnyte or worldly worshyp. The thyrde is of temporall goodes / as clo­thynge / housynge / rentes and possessyōs / housholde meyny & suche as longeth to rydynge / as horses / ar­mure or harneys / & suche worldly honours. ¶ Out of enuy cometh [...]oye of others yll / and sorowe for his welthe & good. And y^t may be in herte by afflyccion / or in mouthe by detraccyon / or in dede by subtraccyō as by styrynge or mouynge of good or yll. ¶ Out of wrathe dooth come & procede chydynge / contencyos or debates / rysynge or swellynge of herte / euyll and reprouable wordes / dysdayne / blasphemy / or sclaun der. ¶ Out of trystesse or slouthe dooth come malyce and [...]ancour of wyll / dyspayre of mercy / neclygence about the commaundementes of god / & wauerynge mynde about vnlawfull thinges. ¶ Of auaryce pro cedeth gyle / treason / periury / euyll rest / vyolēce / hardenesse [Page] of herte agaynst mercy. ¶ Out of glotony cometh ydle & wāton myrthe or gladnesse / lechery / vn­clenlynesse / ouer moche speche & wordes / & a weyke or feble vnderstandynge. ¶ Out of lechery cometh y^e blyndenesse of herte in prayenge vnstedfastnesse / an­guysshe / folye / hastynesse / loue of hymselfe / hatred of god / affeccyon & loue of this present worlde / horrour and dyspayre of the worlde to come. ¶ These ben the vii. deedly syn̄es / & so they may well be called deedly For. iii. the fyrst dispoyleth & robbeth the wretched & caytyf synner. The fourth all to tourmenteth hym. The .v. dooth cast and treed him vnder fote. The .vi. dooth deceyue & dyshe [...]yte hym. The .vii. bryngeth hym in all bondage and fylthy seruyce. For pryde taketh fro man his god. Enuy his neyghbour. wrathe hȳselfe. Slouthe tourmenteth hym. Auaryce oppresseth him. Glotony deceyueth hym. And lechery bryngeth hym in to all fylthy & foule seruage or bondage.

NOw for a remedy a­yēst these .vii. vyces & sinnes our lorde putteth. vii. vertues in y^e holy gospel of saynt Mathew & sayeth thus. ¶ Blyssed be y^e poore in spyrite / for theyrs is y^e kȳ gedom of heuen. And y^t is agaynst pryde y^t fro man ta­keth his god. ¶ Blyssed be y^e meke and deb [...]nayrs. For they shall possesse the londe [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [Page] perdurable or euerlastynge. And that is agaynst [...] uye that taketh fro man his neyghbour. ¶ Blyssed be they that here do wayle & wepe / for they shall be conforted. And that is agaynst wrathe that taketh fro man hymselfe. ¶ Blyssed be y^t mercyfull that ha­ue mercy on other. For they shall gete mercy of god. And that is agayust auaryce that taketh pite on no man nor mercy. ¶ Blyssed be they whiche be hōgry and thrysty / that is to say / after ryght & iustyce / for they shall be refresshed. That is agaynst slouthe and neclygence. ¶ Blyssed be they that be clene in herte for they shall se god. And that is agaynst glotony y^• whiche thynketh alway [...] & [...] & fyllynge of the bely. ¶ Blyssed be the peasybles for they shall be called the chyldren / or sones of god. And that is agaynst lechery / for the lecherous body can neuer haue reste in his mȳde nor peas in his her [...]. ¶ Also agaynst the [...] of pryde man sholde ha­ue in his herte bothe in worde & dede veray humyly te. Agaynst enuy [...] of others welthe & good / & so­rowe for his hurt and domage & agayne frendshyp. Also agaynst wrathe a man sholde haue pacyence & [...] or myldenesse. Also agaynst slouthe, lyght­nesse or swyftnesse / & strengthe bothe of herte & body in y^e seruyce of god & in other good werkes. Agaynst auaryce lyberalyte & largenesse / that he gyue of his goodes to the poore & nedy / and y^t with good wyll & herte after his power. Agaynst lechery he sholde be chaste in herte / in body & in [...]. Agaynst glotony he sholde haue measure in hymselfe / bothe of meet & drynke / and moost specyally of drynke. For by super [...] and ouer moche drinke many yonge persones [Page] hath ben perysshed & lost / and many vyrgyns hath lost theyr vyrgynyte / and also many good men & wo men hath lost the chastyte. Also the dropesyes / the fe uers or the ague / the goute & apostumes / the tothe a che and many diuers other infyrmytees mo than I can reherse or name cometh often by the super fluyte of drynke. These are the .vii. remedyes & anty dotes agaynst the forenamed. vii. venyms. Therfore take these helthy medycyns agaynst the foresayd deedly sekenesses / and greuous infyrmytees.

NOw haue ye the dyseases & theyr medycyns. Than he­re cometh y^e souerayne & hye [...] / & taketh his me dycynes and heeleth y^e man of these. vii. infyrmytees / & cōforteth hym in the .vii. vertues by the .vii. gyftes of the holy goost whiche ben these. The spyrite of wysdome, & vnderstādyng. The spyryte of councell and of strength. The spyryte of scylence & of pyte. The spyryte of y^e feere of our lor­de. By these. vii. gyftes our lorde techeth man euery thynge y^t is to hun necessary bothe for the lyfe [...] and the lyfe contemplatyf. ¶ Now thanse fyrst how a man sholde and ought to for sake the euyll and y^t te cheth the spyryte of the feere of our lorde. And to do y^e good lerneth vs y^e spyryte of pyte. And bycause there be two thynges that letteth man to do well that is to wyte / prosperyte / & aduersyte of this [...]. For prosperyte dooth deceyue hym by flatery & aduersy [Page] & not se hym loste & spylte sholde not take y^e from [...] whiche sholde susteyne & kepe his lyfe. ¶The .viii. cōmaundement is. Ye shall bere noo fals wytnesse a­gaynst your neyghbour. That is to wyte w^t them y^t wyll slee hym or do by ony way hurt / ye shall not cō ­sent therto / & that is ryght. For he y^t [...] not of hym selfe hurt his neyghbour he shall to none other whi­che wyll hurte hym / consent / councell / nor helpe.

¶The . [...]. cōmaundement is. ye shall not [...] yt nor [...]. [...] y^e wyfe of your neyghbour. In whiche is vn derstande y^t no man shall coueyt y^e wyfe of his neygh bour / his doughter nor ony other his seruaunt. And agay [...] that noo woman shall coueyt nor desyre ony [...] of y^e worlde w^t wanton carnall or [...] leue.

¶The . [...]. cōmaundement is. ye shall coueyt noth yn ge that is your neyghbours. These two last cōmaū ­dementes accordeth to y^e other two y^t go [...] / whi­che are these. Thou shalt do no lechery / & thou shalte do no theft. For who y^t hath an euyll wyll or an [...] intent in his herte can not lōge absteyne & kepe hym fro doynge cuyll in worke & dede. And therfore [...] ye wyl do no lechery in dede you man coueyt no maner of woman / nor you woman also no man wan yll in­ [...] of herte. And yfye wyll not stele or do [...] de coueyt neuer another mānes godes in your [...]. These are the .x. [...] whiche our lorde gaue to Moyses in y^e mount synay / of the whiche the fyrst thre perteyneth & belongeth to the loue of god / & the other. vii. to y^e loue of our self & of our neyghbour.

[Page] MOreouer now shall ye knowe whiche bē the .vii. vertues / y^t is to wite Faythe / hope / charyte / prudēce / iustyce / teperaūce / & strength. Of all one mater be the .x. cō ­maundemētes and y^e. vii. vertues. But this is the dyfference / y^t the .x. comaundementes te­cheth vs what we shall do / and these. vii. vertues te­cheth vs to do good. The .iii. first vertues y^t is to say faythe / hope / & charyte dooth ordre vs how we shall lyue as towarde god. The other foure affermeth vs how we shall ordre our lyfe in this worlde that they may brynge vs to y^e [...] of heuen. [...] ye shal knowe that we all are create & made for one ende / y^t is / [...] knowe god / to haue god / & to loue god. But. iii. thȳges are necessary for to come to a good ende. The one is that we knowe whyder we shal go. That we desyre with [...] loue in wardly for to come to [...]. And that we hope surely thyder to go. For it is grete foly to a man to begyn a thynge y^t he can not brynge to an enoe. ¶On the other syde yfony man [...] do ony good he [...] nedes haue these thre / y^t is to wyte / knowlege / power / & wyll. That is y^t he can do it well. That he may do it well. And y^t he wyl doo it well. But bycause we haue noo knowlege nor wyl of our selfe / therfore god hath gyuen to vs fayth to fulfyll the defaut of our knowlege. Hope to [...] y^e defaut of our power. Charyteor true loue [...] ordey ne our wylone to another. And Fayth ordeyneth vs to god the sone to whome is appropryed [...]. Hope to god the Fader to whome is [...] po­wer. And Charyte and loue vnto god the holy goost vnto whome is appropryed goodnesse. And therfore [Page] faythe maketh vs to haue y^e knowlege of god. And y^e knowlege sheweth vs y^t he is god almyghty / & that he is meruelous & lyberall that in suche maner & soo largely giueth and lendeth vs of his goodes. And of this faythe cometh hope by the same knowledge y^t sa­yeth y^• god is hye god. And fro thens cometh the .iii. vertue y^t is called charyte or loue. For euery [...] naturally dooth loue that the whiche is good.

HEre after ye shal knowe whiche be y^e .iiii cardynal vertues / by y^e whiche al y^e lyfe of mankynde is ruled & kept. & the worl de also guided / & these are they. Prubēce iustyce [...] / & strēgth. Of these. iiii. sayth y^e ho­ly goost in y^e boke of sapyence y^t in this worlde is no­thige so pfytable for man / & here is y^e cause. For who so euer wyll do well it is necessary y^t he can chuse the good fro the yll / & of. ii. good thinges to chuse y^e better & y^t techeth you prudēce. And whan ye haue chosen y^e good fro the yll / & of the .ii. goodes y^e better / than shal ye leue y^e yll & do the good / & leue the lesse good & do y^e greter / and y^t is the [...] called iustyce. And bycau se there be. ii .thynges y^t letteth a man to do good & to leue the yll / y^t is to wyte / y^e ꝓsperite of this worlde y^t deceueth [...] by flatery / pleasures / & fals swetenesse / & the aduersyte of y^e same y^t may oppresse by y^e sorow­full & sore sharpnesse & paynes. Therfore ayenst ꝓspe [...] ye must haue measure & dyserecyō y^t ye be not to moche elate & proude of it / & this vertue is [...] peraunce. And agaynst aduersyte ye must [...] dacyte or boldenesse y^t ye be not [...] And this vertue is called Strength.

[Page]HEre shall ye knowe whiche ben the .xii. artycles of the faythe. ¶ The fyrst is y^t y^t fader / the sone / & the holy goost is one god &. iii. persones. And y^t selfe same god whiche is one in substaūce / &. iii. in persones is with out begynnynge & shall be w^tout ende / the whiche W^t his worde made heuen & erthe / the see & all that is in them of nothynge. ¶ The seconde artycle is that y^e sone of god was [...]as & toke flesshe & blode of the [...] Mary & of the same vyrgyn was borne very god & very man. The .iii. artycle is y^t the same Iesus the [...] of god & of the blyssed vyrgyn Mary suffre [...] passyon was deed / & honestly buryed. This passion he suffred kyndly & mekely & of his owne good wyll that he might redeme vs out of the infernall bondes [...] captyuyte. His soule dese ended in to hell w^t his god [...]d his body lyenge in the sepulere / & drewe out w^t [...]m the soules y^t in this worlde had done his wyll.

¶ The .iiii. article is y^t the selfe Iesus cryst very god & very man arose y^e thyrde day fro dethe to lyfe in his [...] glorifyed and appered many tymes to Mary inawdeleyne & his dysciples & appostles / & dydespe [...] & ete with them. And by his resurreccyon with y^t same body whiche we haue here in this worlde we shall ar yse fro dethe to lyfe. ¶ The .v. artycle is y^t the same Iesu cryst very god & very man ascended to he­uen & by hym to heuen we shall ascende yf we be ta­ken out of this worlde w^tout deedly syn̄e. And fro he­uen he dide sende to his apostles y^t holy goost. And in y^t day of [...]ugement he shal come fro thens in his man heed to iuge the lyuinge & deed / and euery [...] a [...]er his dedes to receyue rewarde.

THe fyrst sacrament of holy chyrche is baptun. For our lorde god made himselfe to be bapty sed in the floode or ryuer of [...]ordane to halowe & san­ctyfy the sacrament of ba­ptym / by y^e vertue of wor­des. And by y^e sacramet of baptim y^t deuylis put out & chaced fro y^t chylde & his orygynall synne is taken fro hym whiche he toke of his tader & moder / & is in­fūded in y^t chylde the grace of baptym. And yf y^t chyl de borne were or happed to be in peryl of dethe and y^t there be no plēte of prestes / as no preste to gete than shall a lay man or womā say to hȳ. N. so named I ba ptyse the. In nole p [...]s & [...] & spūss [...]ti. A [...]nē. And thē put water vpon hȳ / & that suffyseth to y^e chyldes sou le. Yfa chylde be founde vnknowen yf it be baptysed or not / than shall y^t chapellayne or preste say to y^e chyl de. Si [...]ō es baptizatꝰ ego baptizo te in [...] pris & ft lij & spūss [...]ti. a [...]nē. They y^t holde the chylde at y^t fonte stone ought & sholde teche him his beleue / y^t is to say the Qat noster / y^e Aue maria / & the Credo. For man can not be saued but by baptym and faythe. And lete the preste be well ware y^t he put not the chyide agay ne in the water yf he were baptised before of ony lay man or woman / leste y^t he be made irreguler and the chylde also after y^t decree. ¶ The seconde sa [...] [...] [Page] is cōfyrmacyon the whiche confyrmeth y^e holy goost in y^e persone baptysed & cōserueth hym. within. v. yeres at the leest after y^e chylde is borne he sholde be cō ­fyrmed of the bysshoppes handes / & yf he passe y^t ty­me by necligence he falleth in deedly syn̄e & sholde be cōfessed before he were cōfyrmed. The fader & moder shall also beware and kepe thē well y^t they holde not theyr owne chylde before y^e bysshop at confyrmynge.

¶ The thyrde sacramēt is penaūce the whiche wassheth & taketh euer away bothe y^e actuall syn̄e / y^e ve­nyall synne / & the deedly syn̄e. This sacramēt ordey­ned y^e sone of god whiche comynge fro heuen dyde here meke penaūce / not for hȳselfe / but for y^e saluacyō of his people. And saynt Iohn̄ baptyst preched penaū ­ce in remyssyon & forgyuenesse of synnes. For penaū ­ce w^t contricyon of the herte / cōfessyon of y^e mouthe / & with satisfaction of y^e dede & with mekenesse putteth out & banissheth the enmye fro y^t herte of the penytēt & dystroyeth deedly syn̄e / & draweth y^e man agayne to his maker / & ledeth y^e mynde or wyll to grete ioye & clerenesse. ¶ The .iiii. is y^e sacrament of the auter y^t confyrmeth y^e penytent & conforteth lest he agayne slyde & fall in to deedly syn̄e / & also reconsyleth hym & susteyneth. For whan our lorde Iesu cryst souped w^t his dysciples he dyde ordeyne this sacrament in y^e cō memoracyon & memory of his passyon. And therfore euery crystē man sholde at the leest be houseled ones in the yere / as in y^e eester day with grete deuocyon.

¶ The .v. sacrament is holy ordres y^t bryngeth & gyueth power to suche as be ordred & ordeyned for to do theyr offyce / & for to celebrate and halowe the sacra­mentes. For our lorde Iesu god almyghty hath gy­uen [Page] power to preestes and prelates of the chyrche y^t they sholde helpe other / & informe theym in y^e faythe / that they shal bynde & loose / y^t is to say fro synne / and that they sholde mynystre to them the sacramētes of holy chyrche / & namely the sacrament of y^e auter the whiche is made by the vertue of wordes of the true preste of prelates. For in thre thynges there be vertues / y^t is to wyte in stones / in wordes / and in herbes.

¶ The .vi. sacrament is matrymony or wedlocke y^e whiche excludeth & putteth away deedly syn̄e in the worke of generacyon betwene man & woman. God y^t is souerayne & hye good / & also hye wysdome dyde ordeyne in erthly paradyse this sacrament in Adam & Eue / whiche is a coniunccion & knyttynge so stronge that it may not be vndone nor dysseuered in theyr lyfe / but by the iugemēt of holy chyrche or by dethe. God also made matrymony for the procreacyon & ge tynge of chyldren / & for chastite to be kept. Notwithstandynge wedded people sholde with dylygence & wysedome kepe tyme and houre. ¶ The .vii. sacra­ment is y^e last holy anoyntynge or enelynge y^t alyghteth & swageth y^e seke people in peryl of dethe bothe fro the bodyly payne & goostly. And it is giuen to thē that be seke to the mynysshynge or makynge lesse of theyr penaunce. For euer lightly the payne of y^e pacient & seke dooth aswage at that anoyntynge / & euer some thynge is forgyuen of his penaunce. And ther­fore as it is sayd the last anoyntynge or euelynge is one of the .vii. by whome are released the paynes of satysfaccion. wherfore the errour of the lay people is to be remoued & put away whiche wyll not receyue the laste holy anoyntynge but onely at the houre of [Page] dethe. It were better for them to be anoynted in y^e be gynnynge of theyr sekenesse. For as sayeth saynt Ia­mes. Infirmatus quis ex vobis [...]ducat sacerdotes orantes & vnguentes oleo & allemabit infirmus. & s [...] in pet [...]s sit dunittentur ei p [...]tā. Therfore a man may knowe that many are heeled of theyr sekenesse by y^e la [...]te holy anoyntynge or anclynge. And yet there is another errour of the lay people to be put away / and y^t is this. That it is not lawfull to ony mā after this last anoyntȳge to touche his wyfe flesshely / they say also that euer after he sholde lyue in abstynence / & al these be fals. Not with standinge he y^t is so anoynted sholde kepe his body in the more reuerēce after than he dyde before / & not for al y^t to eschue his wyfe / nor a preste also his ordres after one yere. ¶ Moreouer it is to be noted & knowen that y^e last holy anoyntynge may be iterate agayne after the custome of holy chyr the. For the vertue of y^t last holy anoyntynge dureth but one yere / as y^e penaūce of all synues is termyned & ended in one yere. And therfore y^e benedyccion & the con [...]ecracion or halowynge of the holy cresme or oyle is euer made newe of the bysshop in y^e ende of y^e yere / not by cause the olde cresme or oyle dooth leue or loose his v [...]diccion. But it is done bycause y^e newe cresme is had in greter reuerēce than the olde / & bycause all the olde cresme or oy [...] might haue be spent in y^e yere passed. ¶ Moreouer it is to be douted of that y^t saynt James sayeth. Inf [...]rmat̄. [...]. That is to say / yfony of you be seke lete hym cause to be brought in prestes prayenge & anoynt [...]ge / & he shall soon [...] be releued of his payne & infyrmyte / & yf he be in synne his syn̄es shall be forgyuen / as though he wolde saye that one [Page] preste is not ynough. But is sayd of councell. For [...] [...]e [...]re in [...]alue y^e prayers of many prestes than of one It [...] [...]pleth more to be [...] yuen to many prestes thā to [...]. For by many shamefastnesses shall som what of the payne of synne be released & forgyuen. And ne­uerthelesse it is suffyeyent to be shryuen to one preste onely. ¶ So therfore it sheweth well y^t the last holy anoyntinge may be iterate & [...] agayne / but [...]ot dystroyed / that is to say after one yere onely. For to all sekenesses & [...] y^t fall or happen in one yere one onely anoyntynge is ynough. And also it is not called the last bycause there may none other folo­we / but bycause moost con [...]nly it happeneth that s [...] che anoyntȳge is gyuen to them y^e labour in y^e poynt & pāges of dethe. And therfore euer after y^t ony hath taken this holy anoyntynge he sholde be y^e more prō pte & [...]esyer in the dyuyne co [...]emplacyon.

NOw here after shall ye knowe whiche bē the .vii. werkes of merry. The fyrst is to fe [...]e y^e hōgry The secōde is to gy­ue drinke to the thyrsty. The thyrde is [...] clothe y^e [...]. The fourth is to her­borowe the pylg [...]s. The fyfth is to dysyte y^e pry­soners. The syxte is to co [...]forte [...]hoscke. And the .vii. is to bury y^e deed. These ben the .vii. wer [...]es of mer­cy y^e dooth belonge and perte yne to the body of man. ¶ But now ye may say this [...]o [...]. I [...] in [...] [...] [Page] not wherof I may doo it. Nor I may not vysyte the pry [...]oners / nor co [...]forte the seke / nor bury the deed for I am put & set vnder the wyl of another man / & ther fore it were moche better for me that I were [...] that I myght performe & do these werkes of mercy. But as to y^t be ye not deceyued. for better it is & dot [...] more preuayle to haue pyte and compassyon in your herte of ony poore wretche hauynge & suffrynge [...]e­de / than though ye had in possessyon all this worlde that ye myght gyue it hym for charyte. For it is mo­ [...]he more worthe without cōparyson that whiche ye be than y^t whiche ye haue. Therfore gyue yourselfe & than do ye gyue more than though ye gaue all the worlde. ¶ But now may ye say this to me. Trouthe it is that it is better for a man to gyue hymselfe than of his / but it auayleth gretely to do the one with the other. For more are worthe two good thynges than one by hymselfe. I say that is not so. For whyther is it better to be called god or his seruaūt / ye wote well that it is better to be called god. But those the whi­che doo suffre hongre / thurste / colde / defaute / and su­che other mysery and wretchednesses of the worlde for goddes sake our lorde Iesu crystealleth them h [...] ­selfe. For this he sayth in the gospell. Quicquid f [...]ce­ritis vni de hus minimis [...] meo michi [...]is That is to saye. Loke what ye doo to one of the leest in my name / as who wolde saye / for my sake / ye doo it to me. ¶ On the other syde whyther dooth it mo­re auayle to iuge or to be iuged? ye knowe well it is better to iuge / and that doo the po [...]re. For these poo­re people shall iuge the [...] men. As Cryst say [...] the gospell. [...]s [...] omnia & secuti es [...] [Page] me [...] filius hois in sede magestatis sue. sede bitis & vos s [...]. xii. tribus thronos iudicātes. xii. tri­bꝰ israel. That is to saye. Ye that haue left & forsaken all worldly thynges and haue folowed me / whan y^e sone of man shal come in the seet of his mageste than shall ye syt vpon. x [...]. thrones iugynge the .xii. tribes of israell. ¶ On the other syde whyder is it better to haue y^e ioye of heuen in possessyon or in promysse. Su rely it is better in possessyon / and so hath it the poore people. For this saythour lorde in the gospell. Bea [...] pauperes spū [...]n̄ ipso (rum)ē regnū celo (rum). Blyssed ben y^e poore in spyryte / for theyrs is the kȳgdom of heuen. He sayth not / theyr shal be / but theyrs is. as though he sayd / they be as sure of the ioye of heuen as of the thynge the whiche they holde in theyr handes. And therfore sayth saynt Bernarde in this wyse. [...]au­peres nichil habet in terra nec du [...]tes aliquid habēt in celo. That is to say. the poore men hath noth ynge in erthe / nor the ryche men hath noth ynge in heuen. And therfore yf they wyll haue ony thige there they must bye it of the poore. ¶ Now I wote wel y^t yede syre to knowe who is poore & who is not who is ve ry ryche & who is not / therfore here me with deuocy on. There be some whiche haue rychesse & they loue them as be the nigardes and couetous people of the worlde. Other there be that haue no [...] neuer thelesse they loue them & desyre / and wolde [...] ha ue them / as [...]en the wretched beggers of [...] [...]rlde & the [...]uyll relygiouses / and they are as [...] the other or more. And these are they of [...] Iesus cryst speketh in the [...] est camelum performen [...] [Page] Parfyte loue towarde him to whome we pray [...] And sure & sted fast hope to hau [...] all [...] whiche we desyre & aske. And stedfast beleue in hym in whome we bele­ue. And very [...] bycause we haue noo good­nesse of our selfe. ¶ [...] is [...] in this worde [...]. For euery man naturally loueth his fader. ¶ Sure and [...] hope is cōteyned in this worde. [...]. For yf [...] be ours we may [...] pray & hope in [...] & say that he is beholden or [...] ­de to vs. ¶ Stedfast [...] in this worde. Quies. For whan we say [...] than we [...] & [...] y^• god is whome we neuer [...] & that is ryght and true faythe. For sayth is none other [...] but y^• [...] of a thynge whiche may not be [...]. ¶ [...] is named in these wordes. [...]. For whā we thynke y^t he is hye aboue & we lowe vndernethe than we be humbled & [...]. ¶ whan [...] haue these. [...]. roted in our hertes [...] ly pray & say with all our [...]. [...] [...] ­men [...]. That is as who [...] say. [...] thou thy name in vs y^t arte our fader y^t we may soo be thy sones & doughters that we do nothinge agaynst [...] mynde & pleasure. And y^t we may [...] do all that may be acceptable & [...], to the [...] more dooth apperteyne to thy [...] And bycause we may neuer [...] and do [...] tely whyle we ben in this wretched worlde therfo­re we aske and [...]. [...] thy [...] come to vs / that y^• [...] reygne in vs in this lyfe by grace. & that [...] y^• other by glory. And in the [...] may [...] which [...]. And [...] we can [...] [Page] [...] with the in [...] y^t we do thy wyl [...]. therfore [...] & aske. [...] in [...] et [...]. your wyll be doone in erthe as in [...] that [...]. Gyue vs grace to doo all y^t thou doost [...] & to leue all whiche y^• [...] & [...] & [...] as well in [...] as in [...]. That is [...]. [...]. [...] & all holy [...] & act [...] patry at [...] tyrs. [...]. [...] & all thy chosen people do thy wyll [...]. [...] all [...] whiche [...]. as [...] holy [...] the pope / the eardynalles [...] / [...] / [...] / abbesses pry [...] [...] / [...] / [...] / & preestes. And all holy [...]. prnices. dukes. [...]. barons / y^• poore [...] clerkes [...] and lay people. & all that be [...] to the [...]. in euery [...] in [...] / & [...] euery [...]. ¶ And [...] we may not do your wyll & [...] as longe as [...] in our [...] body without [...] & helpe vs. therfore we saye. [...] nostrū [...] nobis hodie. [...] to vs [...] dayly [...] this day, y^t is to say [...] [...] vs strength of body & of soule / and the helthe of [...]. [...] it is to be knowen that the re be thre maners of breed. ¶ [...] bodyly breed as meet and clothynge. Spyrituall breed as the doctry ne of holy [...]. And the breed of whiche is the blyssed [...] of the [...] for to conforte bothe the natures. that is for to [...] bothe of the body and y^e soule. ¶ But for bycause that we be not dygne nor worthy for to haue [...] good or [...] [Page] as longe as we be indeedly syn̄e. therfore [...] and aske. [...] nobis [...] di­mittimꝰ debitoribus [...]. That is [...] Forgyue vs our syn̄es. as who sayth / al y^t we haue [...] in thought worde & dede. And y^t [...] as we [...] whiche hath done & dooth [...] to vs. [...] cause it is lytell worthe to vs to haue pardon & [...] uenesse yf we kepe vs not [...] after [...]. [...] ­re we do pray & say this. [...] nos [...]. Suffre vs not to be brought nor [...] of the deuyll / the [...] / and y^• [...]. [...] not onely fro [...] on. [...]. But delyuer vs fro al yll bothe of body & [...] & payne bothe present and to come. [...] And [...] y^t our lorde [...] cryst sayth in y^• [...] meo [...]. That is. what so euer [...] aske of my [...] me he shal gyue it to you [...] therfore say this at y^e ende. [...] dūm [...] et regnat in [...]. [...] ¶ This is the prayer y^t our lorde taught in y^e gospel. And vnderstande nor thynke y^t ye shall say all worde by worde as I haue wryten here. but onely say y^• [...] lettre with your mouthe / & thynke in your [...] vpon y^t whiche I haue here exposed & shewed of / [...] ty worde by hymselfe. nor take no regarde to [...] often y^• [...] noster. or to say man y^• [...]. For better it is to say ones y^e Pater [...] with a good vnder standynge & with a good [...] than a. [...]. [...] out vnderstand [...]. For saynt [...] these wordes. [...] vellem dicere [...] meo corde deuote [...] ore [...] et [...] [Page] [...]. That is to say. I had leuer [...]. v. [...] in [...] herte deucutly than to speke. v. M. [...] my [...] without vnderstand ynge & [...]. And [...] shall ye doo your seruyce in the [...]. For this sayth the prophete. [...]. That [...] to say. [...] ye & say wysely. wysely to synge is this. y^t what a man sayth with his mouthe he [...] thinke it in his herte. For yf your body be in the quere or chyrche / & your lyppes in y^• [...] / & your herte in the market or y^• [...] / than are ye wret [...] dysposed in your selfe & are not graciously her de of our lorde god. And bycause our lorde [...] sayth in the gospell. [...] querite [...] et [...] vobis. That is to say. First serche & aske thercalme of god / & all that ye haue nede of [...] shall be gyuen to you [...] askige. Ther fore ye shal knowe what ye shal haue ī y^e [...] of [...].

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BEfore matyns ye shall fyrst thynke on the natyuyte of our lorde / & after on his passiō ¶ On y^e nat y [...]yte shal ye thynke inward ly / the tyme / the place and the houre in y^e whiche our lorde Iesu cryst was borne. The tyme was in y^e myddes of wȳter whan it was moost colde. The houre was at mydnyght whiche is y^e moost hardest houre. The place was in the myd des of the way in a hous without walles / the whi­che is called in latyn. Diuersorium. That is as ino che to saye / as a place where men went euer to [...] themselfe fro the rayne & other stormes. In the whi che he was wrapped in y^e moost poore cloutes / & bo [...] de with alyste. He was layde in the crybbe or racke before an oxe & an asse / for he had none other place in that hous Than shall ye thynke on the dylygent & besy labour and charge y^t our blyss [...]d lady tok [...] about her swete sone Iesu. & of Ioseph her spouse what gre te ioye he made & had. Thynke also on the [...] that the shepeherdes had / & of the [...] company of [Page] aungelles / & lyft vp your herte & synge with them y^t swetesonge. Gl̄ia ī excelsis deo. &c. ¶ Than touchȳ ­ge the passyon shall ye thynke how y^t at suche an hou re of the nyght he was betrayed of his dysciple. as a traytre taken. as a thefe boūde. & as a wycked perso ne ledde & brought. Thinke also inwardly how frely & with good wyll he offred hymselfe to y^e iewes / & to y^e people. & how y^t he kyssed Iudas his traytre & na­med hym by his name / & called hym his frende. and how he for bode & defended his disciples y^t none of thē sholde drawe swerde out of y^e shethe. And how he hee led y^e eere whiche saynt Peter cut of. & how his dysci ples left hym. & how the cursed iewes toke hym hel de hym & bounde hym / & after brought hym before Anne. & how he was there examyned & buffeted by­cause he answered cōtrary to theyr wyll. After how they led hm̄ to Cayphas / where saynt Peter trēbled for feere. & thryes forsoke hȳ by y^e wordes of a w [...]che.

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Afore mydday shall ye thynke on the annūcya­cion and on the passyon. ¶On y^e annūcyaciō shal ye thynke of the grete mercy of our lorde god by cause he wolde vouch sauf to become man. & to suffre [...]ethe for vs in his manheed syth he myght haue re­demed vs otherwyse. And a [...] y^t dyde he to vs that he myght drawe & gete to hym our loue. For yf one had­ben our maker & another our redemer / thā sholde we more haue loued our redemer than our maker. And therfore wolde our maker be our sau your & redemer & suffre in one body all our soro we y^t he myght so bye all our loue. ¶Of the passyon shall ye thynke y^t at s [...] che an houre was our lorde Iesu cryst crucyfyed be­twene. ii. theues / on eche syde one / as though he had ben the mayster of them. ¶Now here can I not tell what I shall say. For yf al the paynfull sores / sorow full & wofull sekenesses of this worlde were in the bo [...]y of one onely man / & yf this man myght conceyue & haue as moche angu ysshe & payne with greuous sorowe as all the men in y^e worlde / it sholde be lytel or [Page] nothynge in regarde & comparyson to y^e sorowe y^e our lorde suffred for vs in one houre of the day. wherfore yf I myght lyue by y^e space of a. C. M. yeres and in euery day dye a. M. tymes for him the same dethe y^t he deyed for me but ones / it were nothinge in cōpary son to the doloure and payne whiche he had in hym. Than it may happen y^t some man wyll saye to me y^t the payne whiche Iesu crist suffred on y^e crosse for vs was more & greter [...]or the space & tune than y^e payne of he [...]. It is trouthe. and for this cause. There is no creature y^t may suffre so moche as dyde our lorde Ie­su. For no man hath nor had in hym so moche [...] as he. Thā it appereth y^t the payne of helle was lesse for so moche space & tune than y^e payne y^t our lorde Ie su cryst suffred. I say not this certaynly or for a sure­te bycause of the cōscy ence of some people. For y^e whi­che he sayth hymselfe by Ierempe y^e prophet. O vos oēs [...] transitis ꝑ viam att [...]e et videte si est dolor [...] cut dolor meꝰ. that is to say. O all ye whiche go by y^e waye / beholde & se yf there be ony sorowe lyke vnto myne. Surely there is none / nor ueuer was yet soro, we lyke yours O swete lorde Iesu) in this worlde. ¶Also ye shall here thynke ou the moost swete & blys sed vyrgyn Marye how she was replenys [...]hed & fyl­led ful of grete sorowe & anguysshe whan she stode on the ryght syde of her best beloued sone / & receyued y^• [...]y sey ple for the mayster. & how she had grete sorowe whan she toke the seruaunt for y^e lorde. the sone of a [...] ner for the sone of an emperour. Iohn̄ the sone of zebedee for Iesu the sone of god. Therfore myght she say of her that Noemye sayd. De me dicas mag [...]ali­ter pulchram sed de tetero appellare me amaram. [Page] That is to say. call me neuer here after fayre but call me bytter & sorowful. Also she myght well say this y^t is in y^e sōge of loue. ¶Meruayle ye not though I be pale & broune. For I am dyscolored by heet of y^e son̄e. Therfore an englysshe mā moued w^t pyte made this

¶O fayrest / o beautifullest mayden now haue ye ta sted & truly felte y^e moost sharpe poynt of y^e swerde of y^e whiche Symeon made mencion to you in y^e day of your puryfycation. & now ye haue also receyued the promesses y^t Anne the prophetesse promysed you.

A Fore noone ye shall thynke on y^e passyon / & on the ascensyon. ¶On the passyon ye shall thȳ ke y^t at suche an houre deyed y^t auctour of lyfe for our [Page] loue. Also ye shall here thynke on y^e. vii. wordes y^t he spake on y^e crosse & on y^e. iiii. tokēs y^t befel at his dethe ¶The fyrst worde y^t he spake was. Pat ignosce il­lis or nesciūt [...]d faciūt. y^t is to say. Fader forgyue thē theyrsyn̄e for they wote not what they doo. ¶The ii. worde was. A men dico tibi or hodie mecū eris in paradiso. These wordes he spake to y^e thefe penytent & sory for his synnes. y^t is to saye. Certaynly I say to the y^t this day shalt y^e be w^t me in paradise. ¶The .iii worde was whā he spake to his moder of saint ioh [...] in this wyse. Multer ecce filiꝰ tuꝰ. Lo woman behol de & take here thy sone. And than sayd to his disciple [...]cce mt̄ tua. y^t is to say. Behold & take her there for thy moder. ¶The .iiii. word was. [...]ly. h [...]ly lama zabathani. y^t is to saye. O my god my god wherfore hast y^e for saken me. ¶The .v. worde was. [...]itio. y^e is to say. I am a thyrst. ¶The .vi. was. [...]ōsūmatū est. y^t is to say. Now are y^e ꝓphecies fulfylled. ¶The vii. was. [...]t̄ in manꝰ tuas cōmendo spin̄ meu. y^t is to say. Fader in to thy handes I cōmende my spyrite & so bowynge doune his he [...]d his spyryte departed. ¶The .iiii. sygnes or tokens were these. All y^e erthe began to tremble. & of all the vnyuersal worlde there was an erthquake. The veyle or couerynge of y^e tem ple was deuided aso [...]der & fell doune. The stones dy de breke & cleue in pyeces / the deed bodyes arose out of theyr graues. The sonne wexed darke & [...]drewe his lyght fro mydday tyll y^e houre of noone. wherof saynt Denys Arryopage beynge in y^e partyes f [...]rre fro Jerusalem sayd. A ut deꝰ nature pa [...]. aut ma­china mūdt dissoluiē. y^t is. Or y^e god of nature suffreth passyon / or y^e hole mach y [...]emēt of y^e worlde is dyssol­ued [Page] & losed in sonder. ¶ [...] astensyon shall [...] y^t suche an houre our lorde went in to y^e [...]oūt of Oly­ [...]ete-seyng his dysciples & his moost swete moder. & fro them he ascēded to heuen / & sytteth on y^t ryght ha de of his fader. And than his disciples retorned to Je rusalem & there they were in fastiges & prayers tyll y^e comynge of y^e holy goost. And there were of thē cō ­gregate togyder in one hous about the nombre of. vi score men abydynge the blyssed comynge of the holy goost as our lorde had commaunded them.

Afore euensonge tyme ye shall thȳke on y^e maū dy or souper of our lorde. & of his takȳge dou­ne fro y^e crosse. ¶Of his takinge doune shall ye thī [...] how Joseph of Aromathia had ipetred & goten y^e bo dy of Jesu of Pylate. & how y^e iewes came to y^e crosse of Jesu & brake y^e theues legges. & how a knyght to­ke a spere & perced the blyssed syd [...] of our lorde. & y^t in [Page] continent blode & water ran̄e out of it haboūdaūtly. Blode in token of our redēpcion. water in token of re­myssyon of our synnes. Joseph than toke hym d [...]une of y^e crosse / bycause y^t no body or corps sholde byde vn­buried in so grete & hye a feest as was y^e next day folo winge / whiche was theyr sabot day. ¶Of y^• maun dy or souper shall ye thike y^t at suche an houre out lor de gaue his body flesshe & blode to his dysciples in [...] lykenesse of breed & wyne. ¶Her [...] shall ye vnderstan de y^t in y^e blyssed sacramēt of y^e auter there ben. iii. thȳ ges. The fyrst is y^e lykenesse of breed & wy [...]e y^t whi­che we se bodyly. The .ii. is y^e very true body & blode of our lorde Iesu cryst which we may not se w^t our bo dyly eyen. The .iii. is spyrytuall grace whiche were ceyue whan we take worthyly y^e holy body / & that moost blyssed blode. We se y^e substaunce & lykenesse of breed & wyne. and yet y^e substaunce of breed & wyne dooth not remayne there after the consecracion. And we beleue surely & stedfastly that y^• symilytudeo: ly kenesse dooth conteyne in it veryly the body & blo [...]de of our lorde Iesu cryst. notwithstandynge y^e symy [...]y tude or lykenesse of y^• body & blode may we [...] se. [...]or we sholde abhorre & feere as touchynge our body to ete the rawe flesshe & dry [...]ke y^• blode of a man. Ther­fore hath our lorde gyuen to vs his body and his blo de vnder the lykenesse of breed and wyne to co [...]forte our bodyly vnderstandynge and wytte by suche me­te as we be wont to se and dare [...]te. and to [...]difye and make stronge our faythe by that / that [...]e doo se one thynge and beleue another. And therfore whan ye approche to the auter for to be cōmyned or houseled so take & receyue there y^e blyssed sacramēt as though [Page] ye receyued vysybly his blyssed and moost holy blo­de flowynge out of his syde.

BEfore cōplyn sholde ye thynke. Fyrst how Jo seph & Nychodeme wrapped & closed the body of our lorde Jesu cryst in fayre shetes & a clene shrow de & anoynted it wpretyous oyntemētes & dide put him in a sepulcre & also they put a stone at y^e dore of y^e monument & the people put to theyr seales & ordey­ned knyghtes to kepe y^e sepulcre. ¶ Secōdly ye shall thike how our lorde Jesu y^e day of his maundy after y^t he had souped went w^t his dysciples in to a gardyn where he prayed to his fader in suche wyse y^t for soro we of dethe he swette so y^t the droppes of blode dyst [...] led fro his blyssed face and fell to the [...]the.

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NOw haue ye y^e mater & way to thinke in god & to knowe hym as touchynge in his man he de. ¶ Now after shall ye knowe how to thynke vp [...] hym & to knowe him in his moon hygh godherd. As to [...] shal [...] y^• god so ordred y^• [...] of him selfe in [...] to mank ynde y^t he w [...]lde not of all be shewed nor of all be [...]ept [...] to hym. For yf he had fully & holly shewed himselfe than had fayth be no thige worthe & [...] had ben [...]. For fayth is of a thynge y^t may not be sene. & therfore y^e thynge is no faythe y^• [...] of hym. And yf he had of all thynge kept hymselfe secrete than faythe had not ben & infydelyte had ben excused. And therfore god [...] a parte shewe hymselfe & a parte kepe secrete. In. iiii. maner wyse he wolde shewe hymselfe to m [...] [Page] that is to wyte in .ii. maners withoutforth / and in .ii. maners withinforth. [...] you & by reason. without by sc [...]ypture & by creature. ¶ By re uelac yon as whan god hath shewed or dooth shewe hymselfe to some [...] people by insy yracyonor by myracle. ¶ By reason [...] god to the knowles ge of man in this wyse. Euery man may well kno­we and [...] hymselfe that he is / that is to saye that he hath beinge / and that he hath not ben euer. And by that he knoweth well that he hadde a begyn [...]yn­ge of some other. Than it foloweth that he must thin­ke and consyder. that somtyme was / in whiche or­whan he was not. But than whan he was not he­coude by no maner knowe hymself / nor make hym­selfe. And the selfe same seeth man in euery creature / for euery daye he seeth some creatures passe and de­parte. and some to come. And than bycause that all thynges be / and be not of themselfe / ther [...]re it must nedes be that one thynge be and is whiche gy [...]eth all thynges bey [...]ge / or too be. that is of whome all thynges be. And by that it must nedes be of ryght that he by whome all thynges he made is [...]ithout begynnynge / and without endynge. For [...] shol­de haue a begynninge it must nedes be that he shol­de haue it of some other. and so yf he hadde a begyn nynge of another / than sholde not he be the fyrst au­ctour and begynner / and [...] fyrst begynnynge of al. And therfore it is cōueny [...] and must nedes beth at he by whome all thynges be or haue beynge is befo­re all thynge / and nothynge before hym. And yf no [...] thynge be be [...]re hym than came [...]e of none other. And yf he came of none other than had he neuer be­gyunyng. [Page] For as I haue sayd before / euery thyn­ge that hath a begynnynge hath it of another. For there is noo thynge that is not that can gyue to it se [...] fe beynge. And therfore it must nedes be in all ma­net wyse that one thynge there be y^• whiche had ne­uer begynnunge. ¶ And whan that y^e reason of man booth se that of necessyte it can not / nor may none other wyse be / than begynneth he to beleue stedfast­ly that one thynge is without begynnynge whiche is the auctour / begynuer / maker & gouernout of all thynges whiche be in this worlde. And that thinge is called Deus. That is to say. God. For this worde Deus. came of a name of greke y^• whiche is called Theos. as moche for to say as to make or nout ysshe. And therfore call we the fyrst begynnynge. Deꝰ. in lat yn. and. God. in englysshe / for he hath created and made all. and hath noury [...]shed all / for so soūdeth this worde. deus. ¶ In this maner wyse came man fyrst to the knowlege of god whiche is high and al good.

AFter cometh y^e re­ason of man and seeth that necessarily the same god was & is one onely god & y^t there be no [Page] mo goddes. For yf there were. ii. goddes of y^t sholde nedes folowe y^t bothe goddes were superfluous & to scante. or to moche & to lytell. in same & seuerall. togy der & asonder. For the fyrst sholde be superfluous & to moche bycause y^e seconde sholde suffise / or elles he shol de not be god. By the same reason y^e seconde sholde be sup [...]uous whan y^e fyrst sholde be suffyrient ynough. On the other syde euery of them sholde be to scant or to lytell / bycause y^t eche of thē sholde defaute or fayle of other. for none of them sholde be other / but eche of them sholde be souerayne & hye good. & so than sholde good fayle of thē bothe / so in bothe of them. And ther fore yf there were two goddes ī bothe goddes there sholde be superfluyte & scantnesse / togyder & asonder & than it is cōuenyent & necessary y^t there be but one onely god. On the other syde no good may fayle or dy splease god. but bycause y^e consolacyon & cōforte of cō ­pany is good & swete / therfore god myght not be w^t ­out y^e goodnesse of cōpany. & than it sholde be cōueny ent & necessary y^t the pluralite of persones be in god y^e souerayne & hye good. And bycause y^t cōpany can be in no lesse than betwene. ii. therfore it is necessary y^t in god at y^e leest be. ii. persones. And bycause y^t cōpa­ny is lytel or nothinge worthe where there is no aly aunce nor loue / therfore it is cōuenyent y^t the .iii. per soue be in god whiche must be the knyttynge of loue & alyaunce betwene the .ii. other persones. Therfore syth vnyte is good & pluralyte / it is conuen yent & al so it must nedes be y^t bothe these persones be in god. By suche reason cometh man to y^e knowlege of god y^t he is one god in hymselfe & in his substaunce / &. iii. in persones. This same selfe thynge seeth man in hym­selfe. [Page] For he seeth well that euer from the begynnȳge that he hath had power in hymselfe to remembre in [...]ule. & after power wysdome to vnderstandt. & thā he began to knowe that he had power in soule / and of that power cometh cōnynge / and of bothe cometh loue. And whan man seeth well y^t it is so in hymselfe of that he vnderstandeth well y^t it sholde be so in god whiche is aboue hym. That is as moche to say that in god is power. & of that power cometh his wysdo me / and of bothe dooth loue peede and come. And be­cause that out of the fyrst persone cometh the seconde and y^t of them bothe the thyrde dooth procede. therso re the fyrst persone is called god the fadet. the secōde god the sone. & the thyrde god y^e holy spyrite or goost. And bycause that amonge men it is wont alway to be that the fader is more febler than y^e sone for his [...] ge / & that the sone is not so wyse as the fader [...] ­se of his youthe. leest ony man sholde thynke it soo in god / therfore is power appropryate to god the fader wysdome to y^e sone. & bycause that this worde sp [...] ­te or goost soundeth alway in feere / or y^t it is a feerful worde. therfore to the holy goost is appropryate sw [...] tenesse / loue / and goodnesse. By this maner cometh man fyrst to the knowlege of god his maker. how [...]e is without begynninge & without ende. & wherfore he is called god. & wherfore he is one in substaunce & iii. in persones. and wherfore the fyrst persone is cal­led fader / the seconde sone / the .iii. holy goost. & wher fore y^t power is appropryate to god y^e fader / wysdo­me to y^e sone / loue & goodnesse to the holy goost. J [...]su su the wyse shal ye knowe your god. and this [...] of knowlege is the foundement of contemplaryon.

THerfore afterwarde y^t ye haue thus esta­blisshed your herte in very ryght faythe­sted fast hope / & perfyte charyte. than lyft vp your herte in the moost hyest contēpla cyon of your cr [...]atour & maker. But your soule wolde often se god by contēplac yon in his natu re & she may not. & than she cometh agayne to herself and maketh of herselfe degrees & steppes by the whiche she may ascende and mount to the dyuine cōtem­placyon. so that fyrst she may se & beholde her owne propre nature. & afterwarde y^t nature y^t is aboue her. But yf her thought & mynde be by bodily ymagyna [...]iōs dyuersly dispercled & troubled / than may not she serche nor fynde herselfe in her owne nature. For loke was many yll thoughtes and cogytacions as she is leddew. with as many obstacles she is noyed & lette. ¶ The fyrst degre of cōtemplacyon of y^e soule is / that the soule be retorned to herselfe and gadred togyder & brynge her selfe in herselfe. ¶ The .ii. degre is that y^e soule may se and beholde herselfe what she is / whan she is so gadred togider. ¶ The .iii. degre is y^t the sou le lyft her vp aboue herselfe / & enforce herself to behol­de her degre in her owne ꝓpre in warde nature. But to the knowlege of herselfe may she neuer come / [...]yll she be taught and informed to refrayne euery ymaginacyon bodyly / erthly / and heuenly. And whan the re cometh to her herte ony maner of delecta [...]yo / why der it be by the syght / herynge / tastynge smellynge / or touchynge / or by ony other of her body y wyttes she sholde incontynently refuse & trecd thē vnder fote. [Page] that she may se herselfe suche as she is holly without body. Take ye therfore dyligent hede & merk [...] it wel how that the soule is merueylous in herselfe / & how she is one in her nature / yet [...] she dooth dyuers workes. For she ledeth hym that seeth with her [...]yen / heereth by her eeres / tasteth by mouthe / smelleth by nose / toucheth & feleth by all other mem­bres. ¶ Afterwarde thinke how grete she is / that w^t one onely thought she may comp [...]eh heuen and erthe / & al thīges that be in them / yf they were a. [...] tymes greter thā they are. whiche may not be. Thā yf the soule of man be so grete and so noble y^t noo crea­ture in this lyfe may vnderstande nor knowe her per fytely. how grete and how noble than is he that ma de so noble th [...]ges. Ueryly he is aboue all. vnder all. within all. & without all. He is aboue all / all thinges gouern [...]ge. vnder all / all th [...]ges supportynge. with in all / all thynges fulfyllynge. without all / all thyn­ges cōpassynge. Suche maner of contemplacyon en­gendreth in man sted fast beleue / and sure [...]. ¶ After shall ye knowe how he is large & lyberall. & that may yese in diuers wyse. Beholde fyrst how he is lyberall of temporall goodes. & how he giueth his goodes as well to the euyl as to the good and euery thynge that yese in erthe. ¶ Than after ye shall mer ke how large and lyberall he is to pardon and to for­gyue. For yf soo were that one man hadde doone and cōmytted as many euylles and synnes as all y^e men in the worlde may doo / yet of his grete and gracious goodnesse wyll he be and is dayly and hourely more redyer and dylygent for to forgyue and pardon than the moost wretched and myserable s [...]ner wyll be for [Page] to aske forgyuenesse. Moreouer ye shall thynke how lyberall he is of spyrytuall goodes. that is to saye of vertues. for who hath one hath them: that is to wy te charyte. The . [...]. ye shall thinke how large and [...] berall he is of euerlastinge goodes to [...] that will aske them ryghtfully. For how can he denye you y^t, whiche he cōmaundeth you to aske. for this he sayth h [...]selfe. Fyrst desyre & pray me that I shall gyue you the [...] of heuen and I wyll gyue it you. & also al tē porall good without askynge or re [...]uyringe. On the other syde he gyueth you here all the laude & [...] that ye can desyre. for all erthly thynges obeyeth to man. This maner of contēplacyon of his power and lyberalyte engendreth in man certayne & sure hope. ¶ After this ye shal thȳke of his goodnesse / his swe tenesse & of his beaute. and to do y^t take ye good hede of the grete goodnesse / of the grete beaute / and of the [...] swetenesse y^t is in an erthly creature. how m [...] ­ny thynges there be whiche are delectable and plea­saunt to the bodily eye for theyr beaute. and to the ta­stynge for theyr swetenesse. and to the no [...]e for the [...] swete smellynge & to the felynge for theyr softnesse. & so to all other wyttes. Than syth soo moche beaute / swetenesse / & goodnesse be in a creature whiche this day is & to morowe shall not be. how grete goodnesse beaute and swetenesse is there than in a goostly crea ture which neuer shall haue ende. On the other syde yf so moche [...] beaute / goodnesse / & swetenesse be in eue ry creature. how grete beaute / swetenesse / and good [...]esse sholde there than be in theyr creatour & maker. ye knowe well / moche more without compary [...]on. This [...] of contemplacion engendreth in man y^e [Page] loue of his maker. ¶ Than [...] whan y [...] h [...] ­ue thus beholden your moost swete creatour & ma­ker by the consyderacyon and syght of his creatures [...]. and put out fro your hert euery corporall or bo dyly ymagynacion. and than lete yo [...]r bare vnder­standynge fl [...]e aboue all maimes reason in to heuen. and there shall ye fynde so grete swetenesse & soo ma­ny secrete thynges that no man may knowe but he onely whiche hath proued & assayed it. ¶ yf ye wyll knowe this by techynge / go to hym y^t hath proued it by experience or vse. And for bycause that I wretche haue not done all this. I am the more [...] to [...] and tell with my mouthe whiche with myn herte I may not thynke. For it is so hye and so secrete that it surmounteth and passeth all maner thynkinge. And therfore it behoueth me to be styll. & also it is ryght y^t I do so / and not to teche it with my to [...]gue but to ful fyll it in worke onely by grace. ¶ Now haue ye y^e .iii degrees of contēplacyon. one in creature. another in scripture. & the .iii. of god in his moost swete nature.

VF [...] after this [...] and [...] than lyue ye honourably. & y^t is the fyrst parte of our sermon that we touched at y^e begynninge. And after ye shal study toly uelouyngly and frendly as touchyng to your neyghbour. And y^t for to do ye must put and se [...] all your payne and [...] for to lou [...] & for to be be loued. ye oughtor ye shall loue all men in god. that is [Page] to wyte / for goodnesse onely. and [...]ot for the bea [...]te & fayrnesse of body / or for good syngynge. nor for euery suche maner thynge. as strength / or ony suche corpo rall vertue. For beaute &: goodiynesse of [...]ody / swete syngynge & suche other bodyly vertues may by foly be beloued without god. & yet can they not [...]e with­out god. And therfore to loue man ī god is none other but to loue hym for suche a thinge that may not be be loued without god. as for goodnesse / rightwysnesse / or iustyce / & trouthe. For / [...]or suche vertues may ye lo ue no man but that ye loue god. And whā yeloue oni man for goodnesse / iustyce / and trouthe / than loue ye [...] in god. For god of all is goodnesse / [...] and trouthe. Therfore yf we be good / we shall haue no frende but the good. nor no ennemy but the euyll. And therfore sholde we loue the good people bycause they are good. and y^e euyll also bycause they may be good. and in this maner loue ye nothynge but good­nesse. ¶ And than yf ye wyil be beloued shewe your selfe [...]. And yf ye wyll be amiable I pray you for goddes sake receyue & take these. iii. thynges and kepe them without forgetynge. Do that ony you cō ­maundeth / & instauntly requyreth and prayeth. Ta ke without grutchynge that ony giueth to you / and kepe it. [...] and bere [...]ere what soeuer ony man sayeth to you. And yf ye lyue in this maner thā lyue ye louyngly and frendly. ¶ After more shall ye study how ye may lyue mekely. and for that shall ye knowe that there be. ii. maners of humylyte & meke kenesse. ¶ The one cometh of verite / and the other of charyte, By the knowlege of your selfe may ye come to y^e fyrst maner of humylyte. For by no maner wyse [Page] of the worlde may yese and knowe your selfe what ye be in verite. onelesse that ye be humble and m [...]ke. ¶ The seconde maner may ye knowe and hau [...] yf ye thynke often vpon y^e grete humylyte and [...] of our swete lorde Iesu cryst. how he humbled & me­ked hymselfe whiche neuer dydesynne / and that [...] cometh clerely of charyte. ¶ Now knowe ye what it is to lyue honourably / louyngly / and meke­ly. that is to say perfitely. Our moost [...]wete lo [...]de Ie su c [...]yst so graunt vs hȳ to honour. to loue our n [...]ygh bour. and to meke our self [...] / that we may for our ho­nour be honoured. for our loue be beloued. and for our humylyce to be exalted to the ioye of heuen / the [...] [...]he was ordeyned and made redy for vs sy [...]h the be­gynnynge of [...]he worlde.

Amen.