WE ought oftentymes to remembre deuoutly many & greuous paynes that our lord Ihe­su cryst suffred for our redempcion / that our loue may be the more feruent to hym. And we seynge his grete loue and kyndnes / may for his loue pacyently suffre tribulacyons & dyseases in this worlde / leste we for our vnkyndenes be cast from his face in to euerlastynge payne. ¶ Amonge his gre­uous paynes he shedde his precyous blode for our loue vii. tymes the whiche sholde often be consydered of vs. But whan we shall consyder his paynes or whan we shall praye / yf we wyll haue comfortable felynge of de­uocyon in our soule. At the begynnynge of our prayer or contemplacyon we must withdrawe our mynde and wyttes fro all outwarde thynges & besynes as moche as we may. And thynke on that thynge that our cōtemplacyon or prayer is of. As yf y^u wylte deuoutly remem­bre his circūcysyon / thou mayst thȳke as yf thou myght se afore the our blessyd lorde Ihesus in his chyldhode / that is to saye a fayre lytell babe a meke & a swete lāme so clene / soo pure / soo pleasaunt to beholde & loke on his blessyd vysage / so amyable his fauourable eyen / soo full of grace his Innocent handes & feet / so prety & louesom so fayre and whyte very god & man borne of a virgyne pure. And than haue pyte & cōpassyon in thy herte that so fayre & fauourable a babe / so swete and blessyd Innocent that neuer dyde amysse / sholde suffre soo greuous payne as he suffred for the / whan his tender flesshe was [Page]cutte with a knyfe made of stone whan he was but. viii dayes olde. Take hede how pyteously he wepeth in his moders armes for anguysshe & payne / and wepe with hym yf thou can. For y^u arte the cause of his wepynge / for he suffred gyltles suche paynes for the loue of the / & so whyle the mater is fresshe in thy mynde / thou mayst begyn thy deuocyon.

THe seconde tyme that our lorde & sauyour cryste Ihesu shedde his precyous blode for vs / was in the moūre of Olyuete / where he seynge his tedyous and horryble paynes of his bytter passyon drawynge nere / for grete anguysshe & payne swette water & blode. Here mayst thou thinke as thou sawest hym knelynge on the grounde holdynge vp his holy handes lyftynge vp his face to heuen with the moost pyteous chere & rufull cost tenaunce that thou canst ymagyne. Thynke as y^u sawe veryly his eyen swollen & reed for wepynge / & al his face chaūged with a meruayllous coūtenaunce of heuynes. And thynke as thou sawest & herdest hym sobbe wepe & syghe full heuyly / & how mournyngly he prayeth to the fader of heuen / how plentefully he wepeth to y^e fader of heuen / how thycke the teeres ranne downe by his che­kes / how he wepeth his eyen & face wasshed with teres / how his body is wete of it / as it were all bathed w^t swe­te and blode and water. Thou mayst well thynke he suffred greuous payne inwarde / that swette outwarde on his body water & blode. And the paynes of his passyon were greuous syth the thynkynge therof caused hym to swete blode & water. For the whiche payne desyre thou as hertely as thou can to wepe with hym / for thou arte the cause of his greuous payne. And whyle thou haste [Page]this fresshe in thy mynde faye thy deuocyon.

THe thyrde tyme our sauyour shedde his p̄cyous blode for vs / was whā he was boūde to a pyller & with scarpe scourges was cruelly beten. Here mayst y^u thynke as y^u sawe him veryly afore the naked boūden to a pyller / & how cruelly & fyersly the cursed tyraūtes pyncheth or smyteth hym without mercy with whyppes & roddes / so that no hole skynne is lefte vpon hym. Thynge as y^u sawest the stremes of his precyous blode rennyn ge downe on euery syde after the greuous and smarte lasshes of the whyppes / & that y^u seest the bare & naked bones / the flesshe rente fro the bones with many & fell strokes of the knotted scourges dyed with his precyous blode. Thynke also that thou herest hym grone / quake and tremble for anguysshe and wonderfull payne / how pyteously he casteth his loke towarde heuen / and that with the strokes of the scourges a parte of his blessyd flesshe or a droppe of his precyous blode falleth or drop­peth on thy face or on thy clothes / this payne suffred he for the loue of the / therfore y^u ought to haue more pyte on hym. And with as good deuocyon as thou can / lyfte thy herte & mynde to hym / & saye thy prayer.

THe fourth tyme our blessyd lorde shedde his pre­cious blode for our redempcyon / was as he was crowned with a garlond of sharpe thornes. Here mayst thou thynke / as yf thou seest hym syttynge afore the his handes boūde behynde hym / & the boystous tyrauntes settynge a greuous garlonde of sharpe thornes on his heed / & pressynge it downe with so grete vyolence / that the sharpe thornes perced in to his brayne. Take hede [Page]and beholde his rufull and heuy countenaunce / how pyteously he shrynketh his necke in to his sholders for the grete anguysshe of that grete & horryble payne / & how pyteously he groneth for grefe of that horryble payne / how pyteously the stremes of blode renneth aboute his heed y^t is to torne in euery syde. Beholde his blessyd vy­sage y^t somtyme was so pleasaūt / so gracyous / so amya­ble is now made so reed with blode & all dysfygured w^t sorowe & heuynes / his eeres & his nose be stopped with blode. Beholde & se how pacyently he that was god and man & is / suffred to be scornefully mocked with rybau­des & caytyues: & his blessyd face to be foyled with theyr lothsome spyttynge / and all for the loue of man / therfo­re man ought to haue therof grete compassyon.

THe fyfth tyme our sauyour shedde his precyous blode for vs / was whan his clothes were taken fro him after his scourgynge. Here y^u mayst thynke as y^u seest hym as afore with a full heuy coūtenaunce gronynge pyteously with many a depe & profoūde sygh comyn­ge frō his herte rote. And the tyraūtes pullynge fresshe­ly of his clothes y^t clyued fast with drye blode to his ten­dre body / for in pullynge away his clothes the skynne & the flesshe rent fro his body y^t cliued so fast to his clothes with drye blode / by the whiche he was all to rente / all to rasshed / & all to torne & stremed all with blode / and so he bledde newe agayne. I trowe this payne was more greuous to hym than his scourgynge. Remembre how he shrynketh trembleth & quaketh & stoupeth lowe downe in all his body in pullynge of his clothes for the bytter anguysshe of that greuous payne. Beholde how rew­fully he is arayed lyke no man but more lyke a thynge [Page]that were newe slayne without ony skynne / yf y^u canst not remembre the anguysshe of this payne / thou mayst pynche thy fynger or some other parte of thy body / that by the felynge of thyn owne lytell payne thou mayst the better remembre the grete payne that he suffred for the whiche thou were cause of.

THe syxth tyme that our lord shedde his precious blode / was whan his blessyd & Innocent hādes and fete were nayled to the crosse. Here mayst thou thynke as yf thou seest hym / the fyers cruell tyrauntes & tur mentours of our mercyfull lorde hale & pull his blessyd armes / some the one and some the other / so sore / that it may seme to the that thou herest his Ioyntes to cracke and the senewes to braste in sondre. Than mayst thou thynke that y^u seest him dryue that is dryuer of the grete nayles in to his holy & swete handes & feet / & that thou beholdest the dryuer of the nayles & seest hym w^tout ony ruthe or pyte smyte in euery nayle with many myghty / & that y^u seest the blode springe out at euery stroke / than seest our lorde shrynke and quake for hydeous payne and smartȳge of his tender flesshe newe cutte at euery stroke. This mayst y^u thynke fyrst on y^e one hande and after on that other & also on the feet. Than y^u mayst beholde with ruthe & compassyon how pyteously & how greuous & hydeous payne they spoyled his clothes / his flesshe all to rente and to torne hangeth bledynge on the crosse / hauynge no thynge as I suppose to susteyne the weyght of his body ne to reste hym vpon but the harde nayled fyxed within his tendre flesshe / this was to hym a double payne / the whiche were to hym bothe greuous & harde to suffre the grete akynges & anguysshes bothe [Page]in his armes & hādes & feet. Another payne of sore smartynge in his handes & feet oppressyd harde w^t the nayles fyxed in the quycke flesshe. Bothe this paynes horryble were caused by the weyght of his precyous body. Beholdynge also the ryuers of blode flowynge out of his han­des & feet. Thou mayst thynke also y^t his lȳmes quake & trēble for payne / & that for werynes & anguysshe of his intollerable payne he somtyme shaketh his heed rufully and heuely / somtyme casteth it vpon his ryght sholder / somtyme vpon his lefte sholder / & somtyme lyfteth it vp full pyteously as a man swounynge & halfe deed / leteth it fall downe to his breste. Than mayst y^u beholde y^e dole full countenaūce of his face / how pale it is. And y^u mayst thynke y^e amonge all these paynes & sorowes he lytteth vp his eyen & loketh vpon the in token of loue. As who sayth I loue the so moche y^t I wylfully suffre this payne for the / & am redy to suffre more yf it be put to me. And that y^u sholdest remembre what he hath done for the.

THe .vii. tyme that our mercyfull sauyour shedde his precyous blode for vs / was whan he hanged on the crosse & was smyten in to the syde w^t a spere. Here mayst thou thȳke as yf y^u seest the body of our mercyfull lorde after y^t he for our trespasse hath suffred pacyently many outrages & excedynge paynes hynge deed vpon y^e crosse all pale & wanne or lyke to be a beest newly slayne for he spared not his owne blode / but gaue it wylfully for our redempcyon. After that y^u hast with pyte & com­passyon beholden well how pyteously his visage somtyme moost beauteous & amyable hāgeth inclined downe all wanne & pale of colour his precyous body / also y^t excedeth all other in beaute & fayrenes hangeth all to rent & [Page]torne. Thou mayst beholde how the spere rēneth thrugh his syde w^t grete vyolence & renneth thrugh his herte / & thou mayst thynke how y^u herde the sowne of the cruell stroke entrynge in to his syde / & that y^u seest blode & wa­ter y^t was redy to renne hastely out to wasshe awaye thy fylth & make the clene / flowed out at the terrible woūde of his syde / and ranne parte downe on the spere & parte downe on his syde. O swete Ihesu how pacyently how mekely suffrest y^u so vnkyndly to be entreated / so cruelly turmented / so rufully arayed for the loue of man. O tender & mercyfull lorde that after that y^u hast spent thy blode of thy body to deth / woldest after thy deth for the loue of thy seruaūt spende all the precyous blode of thy body & herte. After yf pyte & compassyon wolde suffre y^e thou mayst loke in at y^e wounde of his syde & beholde how his herte that was free & kynde to the is rennen / torne and smyten thrugh with the spere. And with deuoute prayer & compassyon desyre that he suffre thy loue neuer to de­parte fro hym / but that thou mayst be redy for the loue of hym pacyently to suffre payne and aduersyte of this wretched world / for he suffred gyltles mekely & pacyently moche payne & anguysshe for the loue of the. Bycause the deuoute memorye of the bytter passyon of our sauy­our expelleth temptacion and excyteth many tymes the deuocyon of the true louer of our lorde. Thou mayste thynke & ymagyn on that our mercyfull redemer com­playneth & not without a cause / for the grete Iniurye & vnkyndenes of the Iewes / & sayth to them in this wyse O ye myn owne / how may ye fynde in your hertes soo vncurteysly to entreate me / sythen I haue chosen you before other / & brought you fro straunge nacyons and put you in my delectable vyneyarde. I haue create and [Page]made you lyke vnto my selfe / & ye haue laboured to de­stroye me / & haue caused me gyltles to be put to shame­full deth on the crosse lyke a thefe or a mansleer. I chase and preferred you before people of other nacyons / & ye haue done to me grete vilany & made me obieccyon & derysyon of people. And I by many myracles in correccy­on of your aduersaryes of Egypte losed you from captyuite & brought you out of theyr subieccyon. And by fals accusacyons & excitynge & sterynge of the people ayenst me / hath caused me without trespasse to be nayled and fastened to a tree / and gyltles to dye. I mynystred to you lyght whā it was derke / that ye myght escape sauely the daūger of your aduersaryes: & ye came ayenst me with lyght of lanternes swerdes & staues as I were a thefe / to take me & put me in many dyuers paynes and dyspyteous deth. I fedde & nourysshed you .xl. yere in wyldernesse with delycate manna / & for you caused water to renne out of the harde stone. And ye caused me to be fedde with bytter aysel & gall / & caused the blode and water to renne out of my syde. I gaue to you lawes by Moyses accordynge to reason / and ye haue caused me ayenst reason withoute trespasse to be condempned to cruell deth. I by correccyon of your aduersaryes ledde you in to the londe of promyssyon / and put you in to my swete & delectable vyneyarde / where often I gaue you the vyctory of your enemyes. And ye not satysfyed with derysyon & mockynge me with many greuous & cruell paynes that I haue suffred / to lede me to torne & all to rente with strokes to put me vpon the crosse. I haue exalted you aboue all other people / & ye haue mocked me & caused me to be punysshed with syn̄ers & trespassours what thȳge haue I done vnto you / or what vnkyndnes [Page]haue ye founde in me that ye entreate me soo vngently haue not ye founde me mercyfull and gracyous to you in your nedes. I haue chosen you & ye haue refused me. I haue brought you forthe and nourysshed you as my chyldren / & ye haue despysed me. O how vnryght wyse and vnkynde these rewardes be / to rewarde euyll for good / shame & vylany for worshyp & good and dygnyte malyce and enemyte for fauour and frendshyp / trouble and vexacyon for peas and tranquyllyte / greuous and bytter payne with aduersyte for pleasure & prosperyte / cruell and shamefull deth for prosperous lyfe.

AFter thou hast with deuocyon beholde our bles­syd sauyour & consydered well his cruell outra­gyous payne / turne the than towarde his sorowfull moder / and beholde well her heuy chere & sorowfull coun­tenaunce / and se how pyteously the teeres renne out of her gracyous eyen and dystayne her beauteous vysage how dolefully she sobbed / how pyteously she wryngeth her hondes with many a sorowfull syghynge comynge from her herte replete with sorowe and heuynes / how she falleth often in swounynge her tender herte lyke to be braste for pyte & compassyon of her chylde that was and is very god & man / how she somtyme amonge her swounynge and greuous paynes with coūtenaunce dysconsolate / casteth vp her eyen for pyte and loue vpon her swete sone and blessyd chylde / and anone for pyte & moderly compassyon she felle downe in swounynge in more greuous payne and sorowe than she was before.

¶ O good lady moder of pyte noo meruayle thoughe y^u were heuy and sorowfull to se thy blessyd and mercyfull sone suffre gyltles so many greuous paynes.

¶ O blessyd lady the moder of mercy how ful of sorowe and anguysshe was thy herte / to se thy blessyd sone his heed perysshed with sharpe thornes whiche thou were wonte to lappe full tenderly.

¶ O louely lady quene of heuen and example of honeste how heuy was thy chere & coūtenaunce to se y^e fauoura­ble face of thy blessyd chylde y^t was & is very god & man foyled with the spyttynge of rybawdes and caytyues.

¶ O swete lady the floure of chastyte / how depe & how sorowfull were thy syghynges to se offred bytter aysell and galle to thy chylde to drynke / to whome thou were wonte to gyue swete virgyns mylke of thy blessyd brest

¶ O gracyous lady the perfyte myrrour of vertue and goodnes / how full of sorowe were thy sobbynge to be­holde the Innocent handes and feet of thy blessyd childe that neuer dyd trespasse nayled harde to a tree / the whiche thou were wonte to dresse and wasshe reuerently.

¶ O benygne lady welle of mercy and grace / how co­pyously dyde thyn eyen shedde out flodes of bytter tee­res / whan thou beheldest the blode flowynge out of the hondes and feet of thy deresone / the whiche thou were wonte to lappe and swadell full moderly.

¶ O gloryous lady the tree of lyfe / how ferefull were thy swounynges and how pytefully were thy wryngynges of thy blessyd handes / whan thou beheldest the blessyd fruyte of thy body all to torne and rente / hangynge deed vpon the crosse that thou haddest brought forth & nourysshed tenderly vpon thy lappe.

¶ O mercyfull lady the moder of pyte and compassyon how greuous was thy pyteous & tēder herte woūded w^t the swerde of sorowe & compassyon / to se a spere to ryue his syde / y^t had chosen to dwell within thy blessyd sydes / [Page]and made his holy tabernacle not ferre from thy herte.

¶ O blessyd lady I knowe well that thou sholdest haue dyed before hym or with hym yf thou haddest not had stedfast byleue & hope that he sholde lyue agayne. Here thou mayst apply thy selfe to sorowe & mourne with thy carefull & heuy lady / for it besemeth not well that so glo­ryous & so vertuous a lady wasshe her face with teeres & thou a kaytyfe & a synner departe a synner with drye eyen syth he suffred these paynes for loue of the / it is not accordynge that so noble & prudent a lady sobbe / syghe and swoune for thy lordes deth / and thou that arte subgecte lyke an vnkynde seruaūt / leue hym without pyte or compassyon / syth he dyed for the loue of the.

AFter this y^u mayst ymagyn & thynke that what tyme the body of our lorde & blessyd sauyour is take downe from the crosse / our blessyd lady hasteth her towarde it with heuy chere / & enbraseth hym in her ar­mes & gyueth sorowfull kyssynges medled with bytter teres / & that she beholdynge his body & blody woundes wepeth so pyteously / that y^e sanguyn teeres medled w^t his p̄cyous blode renne downe on y^e deed body in mournynge & sorowynge the pyteous deth of her dere sone / sayth to hym in this wyse. A my dere sone my lorde & souerayne / my socour & comforte / my Ioye & my pleasure & my felycyte / thy sharpe tourmentes & Innocent deth perceth my herte w^t sorowe & heuynes & woūdeth it greuously. O ye vnkȳde & harde herted people / how might ye for pyte punysshe hym that neuer offended / how ye myght fȳde in your hertes to bete your souerayne may­stre that taught you the waye of vertue / how coude ye for pyte slee your connynge surgyn the whiche heled by [Page]myracles the blynde / deef / and lame / why wolde ye slee your wyse physycyen that gaue lyf to the deed. O ye vnkynde scourges nayles spere and thornes / how durste ye perse the flesshe of your maker & lorde. O thou stronge & sturdy tree / for vnkyndnes also I may accuse the / why dydest thou not leue & put awaye thy naturall styfnes and bowe thy braunches to fauour & ease my dere sone all weryed with sore payne and tourmentes.

¶ O how fortunate be ye chast virgyns chylderles and honest wyues & wydowes also / that haue your children to comforte you & gladde you in your sorowe & dysease. But alas for sorowe & pite my blessyd sone that was my Ioye & cōforte that neuer dyde offende / lyeth before my face slayne causeles / & I haue no moo. ¶ O holy aūgell Gabryell thou saluted me with wordes of grete Ioye & gladnes / but now my Ioye & gladnes ben tourned in to grete sorowe & heuynes. Thou saydest I sholde cōceyue and brynge forth the sone of god / & that his kyngdom & reygne sholde euer endure / but beholde now and se the blessyd fruyte y^t I conceyued thrugh thy wordes cruelly slayne. Thou called me full of grace & sayd / our lorde was with me / but se now how harde grace I fynde in the vnkynde people that hath taken my lorde fro me / & put hym to shamefull deth. Thou callest me also blessyd in thy salutacyon / but how may I be blessyd syth my dere sone my lorde / my Ioye & my blysse is refte fro me w^t vnkynde people & robbed of his lyf. Beholde cosyn Elysabeth how rufully he is arayed / at whose presence thy sone Iohn̄ Ioyned in thy wombe. ¶ O myn owne dere sone at thy natyuyte holy aūgelles songe songes of peas myrth & melody. And now agayne thy deth the vngen­tyll people made a noyse of grete trouble / sorowe & heuynes / cryenge [Page]with malycyous voyces. Crucyfye hym / without ruthe or pyte. At thy byrth also kynges of ferre coūtrees assembled togyder & ledde by y^t light of a sterre dyde to the moche worshyp & reuerence / and now thyn owne neyghbours blynde with hatefull malyce haue gadred them ayenst the with dysceyte and falsenes to condempne the to deth. ¶ O ryghtwyse Symeon / se how he is vnryghtfully slayne whome thou desyrest sore to se or thou sholdest dye. Now fele I the sore stroke of the sharpe swerde of sorowe & heuines that y^u faydest sholde thryll my herte. Beholde blessyd baptyst how pyteously that meke downe is put to deth on whome y^u sawest the holy ghost descende whan that y^u baptysed hym in flom Iordan. Beholde how that immaculate lambe lyeth Innocently slayne that y^u saydest / sholde take awaye synne and wyckednes. ¶ O dere sone / how shall I cease of sorowe / there is no remedy but onely in the / therfore bles­syd chylde syth I am thy moder haue pyte & compassyon on me / & other tourne to lyfe agayne or take my lyfe fro me for my sorowe swete sone I se none other remedy.

¶ The holy ordre of aūgelles I beseche you to helpe me that gloryous aungell that is my keper and counseyle be in my kepynge as thou thynkest moost profytable to my soule and to present my prayer before the throne of the gloryous trynyte. And I thanke the blessyd aungell whiche arte my keper to kepe me y^t I may euerlastyng­ly loue the and thanke the in the heueuly Cyte.

¶ The seconde ordre of aungelles I beseche you that I may haue by your prayers & helpe reuelacyon from the trynyte of suche thynges as ye wolde I sholde doo his pleasure / and with assystence of his grace to do them.

¶ The thyrde ordre of pryncypates I beseche you so to [Page]helpe thy prelates & prynces in gouernynge of the peo­ple that they may lyue in reste / & truly serue theyr lorde god / & that at the houre of deth ye be present to delyuer our soules from daunger of the deuyll / and brynge vs to the endlesse Ioye of the celestyall paradyse.

¶ The fourthe ordre of potestates I beseche you to re­presse my ghostly enemyes / y^t they neuer p̄uayle to hurte me bodyly ne ghostly / & to delyuer me fro y^t fals cautels by the whiche they entende the destruccyon of my soule.

¶ The fyfth ordre of vertues I beseche you for to praye that I may haue strength in body & soule to execute the werkes of that vertue & that my memory & reason may be more apte to receyue & vnderstande by your helpe & prayer. Also the gyftes of nature be made more parfyte to the vse & vertue & to the pleasure of my lorde god.

¶ The syxth ordre of domynacyon I beseche you that by youre helpe and prayer that my soule may haue par­fyte domynacyon vpon my body / to rule it accordynge to reason and to the wyll of my lorde god / and that I may haue vyctory in temptacyon of myn enemye / and parfyte pacyence in all trybulacyons.

¶ The .vii. ordre of thrones I beseche you y^t by your helpe & prayer I may execute the werkes of mercy the whiche perteyneth to the ryghtwysnesse of god & of my ney­ghbour / & at the houre of deth whan I shall receyue Iugement for the dedes of my lyfe / that by the merytes of you I may fynde my lorde god my mercyfull Iuge.

¶ The .viii. ordre of cheruphyn I beseche you praye my lorde god y^t I may haue the gyfte of wysdome to knowe the goodnes of my lorde god & kyndnes whiche he hath shewed me. And to knowe tho thynges whiche be to his pleasure and that I may do them / & tho thynges that be [Page]to his dyspleasure that I may haue grace to fele them.

¶ The .ix. ordre of seraphyns I beseche you to praye for me that I may haue the gyfte of feruent loue in my lorde god / and the swetnes of deuocion in his seruyce with holy meditacyon / that my soule be enflambed with loue of the gloryous trynyte / and endles Ioye of his moost blessyd presence. Amen.

Enprynted at Lon­don in Fletestrete at the sygne of the sonne / by wynkynde worde. The yere of our lorde god. M. ccccc. ix.