¶ A dialoge or cō municacion bytwene the curate or ghostly father: & the parochiane or ghostly chyld. For a due preparacion vnto howselynge. ⚜
¶ The werke for housholders wt the golden pystle and Alphabete or a crosrowe called and A. B. C.
INRI
¶ Vnto the deuoute reders in our lorde god & moste swete sauyour Iesu, Rychard whytford your pore bedeman of Syon: Salutacyon.
WHere: in a lytle werke ye of late, we send forth (at the requeste of deuoute persones) vnto housholders: we dyd sette forthe / a breue and short forme of confessyon / heryng and perceyuyng that ye sayde werke was thankfully and charitably receyued & supposynge that so deuoute receyuers ben well exercised / and haue profyted therin: we haue nowe here (for your fourthere increase of vertue) put forth vnto you a nother lesson: howe / when you ben disposed & mynded to receyue the holy sacrament of [Page] ye aulter: you shuld prepare ordre, make your selfe redy, & spiritually apparele your selfe therunto. For I acerteyne you: ther is no ꝑsone in this worlde can tell you wt how greate reuerence, howe depe deuotion, howe lowe and meke harte / with howe reuerente drede howe pure and cleane conscience with howe well adornate, garnyshed & appereled soule with howe firme & stedfast fayth, with howe hyghe & stronge hope & with howe ardente feruent, in flamyng and burnyng charite: any true Christian shulde accede approyche, & go vnto that honorable meruelouse, and moste hyghe mystery where (doubtles) is presente, the very naturall body / and soule, flesshe, & blode of our lord, & sauyoure Iesu very god / & very man in one ꝑsone very christ his humanytie, and his diuinite. The blessed trinite father sone, & [Page] holy ghost & also our blessed lady saynte Mary with in numerable multitude, and nowmbre / of gloryouse aungels, and holy sayntes ben ther also present all (how be it inuisible) doyng therunto that holy sacrement due honour, reuerence / and obeysaunce. Hit is therfore muche conuenient / and necessarie: that due and diligēt preparation / shulde be made therunto when so euer hit be receyued. Not withstō dynge I do not requyre ne moue you, to rede and recounte all that here is wryten / at euery tyme (yet were it good so to do if you haue tyme) but that hit maye lyke you to rede hit ones ouer and then to marke out suche places as beste done lyke you / and vse thē or parte of them as you haue tyme and leyser and thus fare you well in our Lorde who blesse you all.
Amen.
¶ A dialoge or communicacion bytwene the curate or ghostly father, and the parochiane or ghostly chylde. For a due preparacion vnto how selyng.
Syr I thanke you for the charitable labours you toke wt me whē I was last with you. And I haue (accordynge vnto your cō maundement) called my houshold together: and taught theym ye same lesson that you, then and before tyme. haue taught me. And (for the more suerty) I haue caused all your sayd lessons to be set forth in prynt: yt other persones may haue (as we haue) edificacion therby.
¶ Good ghostly chylde, I am [Page] ryght glad of your so deuout mynde and good wyll to profet in vertue, our lorde be praysed. And I shalbe glad (as my duety) to conforte you therin, & nowe that you haue a good fundation & grownd therunto by that forme and maner of lyuyng and also if you by fraylte, offende and fall therfrome, by ye remedy of the holy sacrament of confessyon I shall shewe you an ordre and a good waye or meane: how you shuld prepare and make your selfe redy vnto the holy sacramēt of ye aulter, when you shall be communed or howseled. For saynt Poule commaūded his disciples to proue,i. Cor. xi. and examen well them selfe in conscience byfore they shulde approyche or go vnto this holy sacrament. For who so euer (sayth he) do receyue it vnworthely: doth receyue hit vnto his owne iudgement, and condempnation. [Page] And our sauyour hym selfe dothe shewe howe this holy sacrament shulde euer be ministred in the memorie and remembraunce of hym.Luc. xxii. Saynt Paule also how oft so euer you receyue the sacrament (saythe he) so oftymes shuld you represent and shewe the deth of Christ,i. Cor. xi. vnto the tyme he come vnto the last iudgement. By these sayde auctorites confirmed by our mother the holy church with many holy doctours: doth appere yt two thynges shalbe conuenient & necessary vnto euery persone that shall receyue this holy sacramente. That is to saye. Fyrste due serche of conscience so yt no maner of synne: vnto knoweledge and remembraūce remayne or be left therin. The seconde that the persones so clered in consciēce / shuld ordre & appoynte them selfe vnto some maner of memorie by meditacyon or contemplacion / of [Page] our lorde / and sauyour Iesu / and of ye actes of our saluation. I wold therfore aduyse all maner of persons / that whē they wyll accede & approych vnto this holy mistery: they fyrst be confessed, if they cōueniently can haue a ghostly father / for although they know not theyr conscience charged wt any mortall or deedly synne: yet shall ye approbacion of theyr ghostly father, be vnto theym both confortable / and also suerty. And for this parte / the forme of confession that we sett forthe in the other werke for housholders may serue you / hit is but lytle / and of lytle pryce / & so maye the rather be ioyned hervnto, and both bownden to gether and you more redely maye haue at hande: that is referred frō the tone, vnto the tother. For the seconde parte that is meditation / muche necessarie for you at this tyme: I wolde [Page] counseyle you ye of destinate harte appoynted and wylfull purpose: you shulde fyrste geder yourselfe, vnto your selfe, that is to say, your soule, harte, mynde, and wyll, in as muche as you may, wt all force and diligence, holly & clerely: from all cures, cares, charges, and busynes of the worlde and frome all bodyly maters and all cogitatiōs and thoughtes, that by any meanes myght lett you, & hynder you in this exercise and so to compell your spirite to labor alone herin. And then cōmend your selfe wholy vnto our lorde thus. In manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meū redemisti me domine deus veritatis. That is to saye. ⚜ good lorde god / I commende / byquethe / render / gyue / and bytake my spirite / my harte / my mynde / and soule / wholly vnto thy hā des power and gouernaunce. For [Page] thou (good lorde the very god of trouthe) haste redemed & bought me. And those persones that bene lerned maye saye this ympne.
The fyrst verse. VEni creator spiritus: mentes tuorū visita imple superna gratia, q̄ tu creasti pectora. ⚜ That is to meane. Come vnto vs good lord god holy ghost creatour and maker of all the worlde with the father and the sone. Visite and comforde the myndes of thy people. Replenyshe and fulfyll wt thy moste hyghe grace: those hartes, and soules that thou thy selfe haste create, and made.
The secōde verse. ¶ Qui paracletus diceris donū dei altissimi: fons viuus, ignis charitas: et spiritualis vnctio.
⚜ Come thou holy spirite. That arte called, and named the essenciall comforde, and comforter of all [Page] Christians.
The gyft and rewarde of mooste hygh god. The quykke and lyuely founteyn / and well of lyfe. The mystike fyre, that is, the charite diuine. And the spiritual vnction, and medicine of all synners.
The .iii. verse. ¶ Tu septiformis munere: dex tre dei tu digitus: Tu rite promisso patris / sermone ditās guttura. That is. ⚜ Come holy spirite that vnto vs by thy gracious .vii. gyftes: art seuenfold boūtuous, & beneficiall, for thou (good lord) art ye fynger of the ryght hand of god.
⚜ Shewynge vnto vs ye ryght way of all prosperite saluaciō and goodnes, makynge our speche ryche, and plētuous, orderly to speke thy holy worde by the vertue of our sauyoure Iesu the essenciall word / or speche of the father of heuen promysed vnto vs.
The .iiii verse. ¶ Accende lumen sensibꝰ: Infunde [Page] amorē cordibꝰ: Infirmanti corporis: virtute firmans ꝑpetim. That is. ⚜ Good lord holy ghost we beseche ye accēde kyndle, & gyue lyght, vnto our senses, vnto our wyttes, our felynge, ꝑceyuyng, & vndstandyng. Infunde good lord ministre shede, and powre downe thy loue vnto our hartes. And by vertue, and ghostly strength, make thou firme, constant and stable perpetually, and contynually, the infirme, feble, and frayle disposicions of our bodye.
The .v. verse. ¶ Hostē repellas longius, pa cem (que) dones protinus: ductore sic te preuio: vitemus omne noxium. That is. ⚜ Come good lorde holy ghost. And put frō vs ferre away: our ghostly enemye & forthwith gyue vs contynuall peace. That so by the, our lodesman, & gyde, we maye eschue & auoyde all yt shuld vnto vs be noyouse or synfull.
The .vi. verse. ¶ Per te sciamus da patrem: noscamus at (que) filium: te vtriu: (que) spiritum: credamꝰ omni tempore. That is. ⚜ Come good lorde, holy ghoste, and graunt vs, that by the / and thy meane: we may know the father of heuen / and also in lykewyse we maye knowe his essenciall sone, and that we maye at all tymes bylyue that thou art the holy spirite of them both, and the same selfe god.
The .vii. verse. ¶ Sit laus patri cū filio / sancto simul paracleto / nobis (que) mutat filius: charisma sancti spiritus. That is. ⚜ Laude and prayse be vnto the father, with the sone, and with thē both vnto the holy ghost. And we beseche and pray, that the sone (accordynge vnto his promyse) wolde vouchsafe to sende vnto vs the grace of ye holy ghost. Amē.
The versicle. ⚜ Emitte spiritum tuū, et creaabuntur.
That is. ⚜ Sende downe (good lord) thy spirite, and all thy people shall be newly framed & refreshed.
The answere. ¶ Et reneuabis faciem terre. That is. ⚜ And so good lord shalt thou renewe, and comforde the face countenaunce and behauyoure of every faythfull persone.
The prayer. ¶ The collect, oration or prayer.
DEus cui omne cor patet, et omnis volūtas loquitur / et quem nullū latet secretū: purifica per infusionem sancti spiritus cogitationes cordis nr̄i, vt te perfecte diligere, et digne laudare mereamur. Per Christum dominum nostrum. Amen.
⚜ That is to meane. Good lord god, vnto whome euery harte is open and knowen / euery wyll doth specke and shewe what is thought and vnto whom no secrete or coū sell is hyd or vnknowen, we beseche the / purifie and clense, by the [Page] infusion of thy holy spirite: all the cogitacions and thoughtes of our hart, that so we maye deserue perfectly to loue the, and duely, and worthely to laude and prayse the, and this we done axe and desyre / by the meane, and in the name of Chrste our lord & mayster.
Amen.
¶ An other collect, oraciō or prayer to be sayd forthwith vnder one ende.
ACtiones nostras quesumꝰ domine aspirādo preueni, et adiuuando prosequere, vt cuncta nostra operatio, et a te semper incipiat / et per te cepta, finiatur. Per Christum dominū nostrum. Amen.
That is to meane. ⚜ We beseche the good lorde that the grace of thy holy spirite may go before all our werkes: and the helpe, and cō forte of the same grace: maye also [Page] folowe and performe the same, so that all our operacion & workyng may of the alway begynne, and so begon: may (by the) be finished / & performed / by ye good lord I meane Christ our mayster. Amen.
Or if you haue but small or shorte tyme, you maye saye these two verses with the sayd versycle / & collectes or without at your pleasure.
¶ The fyrst verse.
REx Christe clementissime / tu corda nostra posside: vt tibi laudes debitas, reddamus oī tempore.
That is. ⚜ Good lord and sauyour Christe / most gentell and curteyse kynge, we byseche the take, & receyue our hartes into thy possession; & gouernaunce. So that we maye, in euery tyme, or at all tymes: render, and yelde vnto the due laudes, and prayse
¶ The seconde verse.
¶ Sit laus patri cum filio. &c. as you haue before both in latin & Englyshe. These thynges thus spede: then go forthe with youre interpryse & mater of meditacion For saynte Augustyne saythe that meditacion dothe ingender / Augusti. de spiritu et anima: cap. l. and brynge forthe science or knoweledge: & science dothe bryng forthe compunction, and compunction bryngeth forthe deuocion / & deuocion dothe make prayer perfecte. All these thā by ordre: be very necessary. good / and conueniente for this purpose. Fyrst than bygyn wt meditacion. This terme meditacion: is as muche to say, or to meane, as a bysy, & muche vsed cogitacion, or thought, when the mynd is applyed and doth labour curiously / wysely / diligently / & groundly to serche out, & bryng to lyght those thynges that be obscure, darke & [Page] hard to perceyue, or vnderstond, & so to bryng vnto knowledge, or remembraūce: suche thynges as ben hyd, out of knowledge, or out of mynd. If we than wyll opteyne & haue grace: worthely to accede & approyche vnto this holy mystery of communion: lett vs fyrste exercise our hartes and myndes in good and fruytfull meditacion. For the holy spirite of god (saythe scrypture) doth auoyde & fle frome fayned and peynted holynes, and dothe withdrawe hym selfe frome those cogitaciōs & thoughtes that ben without vnderstōdynge good reason & auctoryte. ¶ The ghostly chylde. Syr wherwith or ī what maner of meditacions wolde you we shuld exercise our myndes specially. agayn or byfore suche tyme of houselynge. ¶ The ghostly father. I thynke (that vnto them yt haue short tyme & lytle leyser) the [Page] exercise that we set forth in the later ende of your boke for housholders: be very good, vnto them that haue tyme conuenient: we shall shewe our poore mynde makynge protestatiō that we done not hereby persuade any persones to leue or forsake theyr owne vsed exercises, takyn of any good and sufficient auctorite, approued by theyr ghostly fathers, or by any other famous persone of auctorysed lernyng, except the spirite of god moue them therunto.
¶ Of your meditacion the fyrst consyderation of the werke of creacion.
For the more redynes we haue diuided this meditacion in .viii. consideracions, whiche done folowe by order.
The fyrst consyderacion. ¶ Fyrste aryse and lyft vp your selfe, your harte, your mynde and soule to haue meditation, and to [Page] Hugo de setō Victore de oꝑibus trium die (rum). thynke vpon god hym selfe the father, the sone, and the holy ghoste, thre destinct persones and one essenciall god, one nature, and one substaunce. And here fyrst cōsyder his myghty power, howe greate & myghty a thynge it was to make any thynge of nought, muche more than to make so many thynges in nombre (vnto any mere creature) innumerable the spirites angelicall the sterres of the firmamēte / the grauell or sande of the see, the dust and powder of the yerthe, the dropes of rayne, with all other suche to longe to wryte. And yet not onely to consyder the multitude: but also ye magnitude, how great they ben in quantite, howe myghty they ben in vertu, strength and power. Se and beholde the hyght of heuē, the depnes of hell, ye great moles & rokkes, or hepes of moū teynes, the bredthe and length of [Page] the see, and flodes. The space and largenes of feldes with such other whereof to meruayle you may sone be wery and feynt but yet so to meruele: is a good werynes / & let this be for the fyrst consyderacion.
¶ The seconde cōsyderacion of ye wysedome of god. & the werke of gouernauns.
TVrne vp then, the eye / or syght of your soule, & mynde & loke vpō the wysdome of god in the orderynge of these creatures, cōsyder the heuyns, the planetes, and sterres, howe they ben sett in ordre, and done kepe cōtynually theyr owne proper place and theyr perpetuall course, and mouynges without chaunge, or stoppage, & lykewyse of the .iiii. elementes, the Fyre / the Aer / the Water / and the yerth, eueryche in theyr owne rowme and proper place. Consyder also the pulcritude, beawte of them [Page] and of all creatures vnder them & in thē. Se howe fayre, how goodly howe well framed, and fasshoned how well fygured & well fauored they ben, loke vpō theyr qualites / and vertues through: & you shall well therby perceyue the infinite wysdom, and excellent science & cō nyng of hym that thus dyd ordre / and doth so gouerne, and cōtynue them, & you shall delyte, haue affection, and pleasure therin. So that wt great wōder and merueyle: you shall saye / & crye with the prophet.
Psal. xci ¶ Delectasti me domine in factura tua, &c.
That is to meane. ⚜ Thou haste good lorde, gyuen to me delectacion, and pleasure in consyderaciō of thy facture, and creacion of this worlde.Psal. ciii For thou (good lorde) hast made all thinges in wysdom. And saynte Paule sayth.Rom. xi. O I merueyle, and wōder muche of the ryches [Page] and abundaunce: of the wisdome, science / knowledge, and connynge of almyghty god. And this for the seconde consyderacion.
¶ The thyrde consyderacion of bounte and goodnes.
YEt go forther / and loke well agayne vpon your god / and ꝑceyue not onely his moste myghty power / and moste infinite wisedom: but also his excellente bounte, and goodnes. Hit was a meruelouse liberalite / and moste hygh louyng kyndenes of our lord god that hauynge no nede of any creatures (for nother he was the better for them nor the worse without them) that yet not withstondynge: wolde (onely of his bountie / and goodnes) haue creatures, for the welthe onely of the same creatures, whiche selfe bountie & goodnes more euidently maye appere vnto you if you cōsyder the vtilite [Page] and profyt of the sayde creatures howe necessarie, and nedefull, how cōmodiouse, and profytable, howe congruent and conuenient, howe pleasaunte and comfortable they all ben eche vnto other & all vnto mankynde.
For all he made for man, and mā for him selfe to laude / prayse / and thanke him therfore, and to be vnto hym in all thynges obedient. And therunto he put hym in a place of all pleasure, called yerthly paradyse. And there hauyng all creatures vnto hym obediēt: he made hym lorde / and souerayne of all & put all vnto his frewyll, & liberte: except only on tre wherof or of the whiche tre he streytly commaūded hym (vpon determinate payne of lyfe (that he shuld not ete ne fede. These thynges well consydrede: you maye perceyue a maruelouse bountie, and moste liberall goodenes, [Page] and let this be your thyrde cō syderacion, & so than haue you the consyderacion, of the omnipotent / and almyghty power of God appropriate, & most properly applied vnto the father the fyrst person in trinite. And the consyderacion also of the infinite wysdom of god, appropriate vnto the sone, the secōde person. And thyrdly the consyderacion of the graciouse bowntie / & abundaūt goodnes of god appropriate vnto the holy ghost ye thyrd person. Nowe yet passe forthe in your meditacion vnto.
¶ The forth consyderacion of the werke of iustificacion.
YOu maye yet consyder the singuler grace / fauour / and loue, of all .iii. persones one God vnto mankynde in the werke of iustificacion.
For whē the sayd mā our father Adā, had by disobediēce, lost ye sayd [Page] place & pleasure of Paradyse and might (by no meanes of hym selfe) recouer ye same agayn, ne retourne therunto: the whole trinite, father, sone, & holy ghost, one god: by one assent fell to coūsell, & of very loue of mankynd) decreed, determined, & appoynted yt the sone of god, seconde persone in ye sayde trinite, & the same selfe essenciall god wt the father, & the holy ghost: shulde entrepryse, and vndertake to iustifie man agayne / & to brynge hym vnto his fyrst astate, and aboue that, that is to saye: to be agayne in as good case, and better bothe in ease and pleasure, dignite, and degree: then he was byfore hys fall / and then euer he shulde haue ben: yf he had neuer fallē, ne trespassed.Qusa gaudium in celo super vno peccatore. &c. Luc. v. ii So then our louynge lord, & sauyoure Christe: descēded, and came downe frome the bosome of the father of heuyn: into thys vale of myserie / [Page] and here toke our frayle and vyle nature, therin to suffre, and bere all maner of miserie, wretchednes: payne, and woo of the same nature conuenient for hym to bere and suffre except onely synne. And althoughe he neuer had, ne myght haue any synne: yet notwitstandynge, he toke vppon hym all the hole synne of man that euer was done before, or that shuld be done after / as though all that synne had ben his synne, & he the doer therof & onely trespasser. So was ꝓphecied he shuld do.Esai. liii ⚜ Vere languores nr̄os ipse tulit & dolores nr̄os ipse portauit / et posuit dn̄s in eo: iniquitatē oīm nr̄m. that is to say. ⚜ Verely he hath suffred our langores, and he hathe borne our dolours, sorowes, and hurtes, & our lorde hathe leyde vppon hym the iniquitie / & wykydnes of all vs. Here nowe in this place: you may [Page] bryng cōuenyently into your meditacion all the lyfe of our lorde / and sauyour Iesu after the maner of our sayd boke for housholders / or in some other forme of notable auctours, you haue many / we haue also set ye same forthe, at length but bycause so many haue wryten therin: we haue not cured to sende it forthe in prynt. There is also a lytle werke in print ye oure reuerend father dyd put forth / yt for this mater: is moche profitable / you may haue it for. i, d. & yf you se but only ye tytles you shall lyke it well and so is the golden letany with many other / whē you cōme vnto ye ende of that holy / and most profitable / & also vnto this entrepryse of communion / moste conuenient meditacion: & that you haue sene / & byholded well in your soule all ye processe of his passyon / dethe / and buryall / then loke agayne / who he [Page] was that dyd all thys & for whom he dyd so greate, and wonderfull thynges. Remembre well he was a great lorde, & thyn owne propre lord? and for whome suffred he all thys? For the, his seruaūd & bonde caytyue, he was not onely a lorde: but also, a kynge, an emperour? kynge of kynges,Apoc. xix. and lorde of lordes / and of all that haue dominacion & gouernaūce. And for whom dyd he suffre? For the man hys owne vile subiecte. And yet forther he was not onely a kynge, & lorde: but also very God / creator / and maker of all. And for whome dyde he thus? For a stynkyng lumpe of drytty and slyme erthe. And yet se what he was aboue all thys a speciall frende, and most trewe louer that for faythfull frēdeshyppe, & very feruent loue / and therin excedyng & passyng all loue: dyd all this. And for whom dyd he so? For [Page] a false traytor a moste vnkynde wretche, his enemy & foo. And yet he most innocēt: for ye moste gylty. And yet cōsydre not onely how excellēt & great ye dignite of his person was that dyd all this: but also howe great a thyng it was that he dyd / for so vnworthy a ꝑson. Fyrst where he was essēciall god / he made him selfe mā to make the a god. And where he was in most hyghe honour & he ye selfe & same essenciall honour most honorable: he made hym selfe moste vyle & spitefull to gyue the honour & to make the honorable. yet wher he was ī most hygh liberte, & he hym selfe ye very liberte, & fredom of all liberties: he made hym selfe bonde to gyue the fredom & to put the at liberte. And to cōclude: he yt was the very selfe life of all lyuynge creatures: toke wylfully / after most peynfull passion: most shamefull deth / and all to [Page] gyue the lyfe. Loke well nowe. & se what can be, or who maye haue more charite, then one frende to suffre dethe for an other, & he toke that deth (as I sayde) for his enemie. Nowe you haue thus in your meditacion brought our sauyour vnto dethe, nowe se hym buried, after whiche, deth and buriall: no man may (after the course of the worlde) do more for his frend, but (as is sayde) dye for hym / yet not withstondyng oure sauioure dyd more / for wher (by his deth) he had lefte his frendes in greate sorowe & disconfort: he (sone after) reysed hym selfe (by his godly power) vnto lyfe agayne / and appered vnto them / whiche thinge amonge the people of this worlde had bene a meruelouse ioy / and conforte / of theyr louynge frēde / and suerly so it was vnto his disciples & frendes. But yet consydre a forther [Page] kyndnes / that is that he dyd not onely aryse, and appere in the same selfe body: but also where that body at his deth was all deforme, & as a lepre out of frame, and fashō: by reason of moste cruell intrety & dealyng: he repared ye same agayn (vnto the syght / and cōforte of his frendes) into a more goodly, & more brawtuouse forme: than it was byfore, with clearty, & bryghtnes vnspekeable. And where that body byfore: was heuy and dull, and myght not (by nature) be remoued from one place vnto a nother: but in due space of tyme: he made hyt nowe of suche agilite so quycke, so nimble / so lyght, and so swyft: that it myght be in two or thre & many mo places in a moment / in ye space or tyme of the loke or twynklynge of an eye. And yet where that body was byfore his dethe: so grosse in quantite: that it myght not entre [Page] but into a due space of mesure in lengthe and brede accordynge vnto the same body: it myght now after his resurrexcion, entre, & go thorough any dores, wyndowes / stone walles, as the sonne goeth through ye glasse. And yet ouer all this where that body was byfore passible and mortall: & myght suffre and dyd suffre payne, passion, & hurt, or greue, and also dethe: now he brought it into such a state and case: that it is impassible and immortall, that is to say, neuer maye suffre any noyans ne euer possible to dye agayne.Rom. vi. This haue we shewed not onely for the ordre of your meditacion: but also for the syngular cōfort of all synfull soules.Idē .iiii. That as our lorde Iesu dyed for our synnes, and arose agayne for our iustificaciō, so euery synful soule wyllynge to forsake synne & hauyng the fayth of Christe: maye [Page] dye, and be buried with our sauyoure in his holy sacramentes baptisme, and cōfession,Ro. vi. and so leuyng all deformite of synne: the soule may arayse vnto a newe maner & forme of lyuyng and be more speciouse beawtuouse and more goodely in the syght of god,Luc .xv. and more acceptable then euer it was byfore & more ioye shall be made in heuen for one suche a person retorned frō synne thē for many other that neuer dyd synne & let this suffice for the fourthe consyderacion of your sayd meditaciō that is to say in cō syderyng the werke of iustificaciō.
¶ The fyft consyderacion of the werke of remuneracion.
NOwe lett vs ꝓcede forther vnto the worke of remuneracion or rewardyng and all is to moue and stere your affectiō your loue and deuocion vnto our lord. For although in the syght of this [Page] world, it were a maruelouse great kyndnes, for any frende, to paye, his frendes dette and delyuer him out of pryson and yet muche more kyndnes if he were not his frende, but his enemye, and foo and also to pay for his det / and delyueraū ce no smal pryce but his owne blode, & his lyfe also? this I saye were a maruelouse benefyte, & an excedyng kyndnes although he dyd no more. But our lord, & sauyour dyd yet more for man. For he dyd not onely delyuer hym fre, and out of daunger: but also rewarded hym, made hym butyfelowe of all his goodes, and heyre with hym of all his landes & possessiōs & brought hym vnto hyghe honoure dignite, and degre, he brought hym vnto ye presens of his owne naturall father and there after his ascencion he toke possession for man / and so made hym his brother / and coenheritor [Page] of all yt he had. Loke well hereupon and consyder how great a rewarde this was, and yet shall you se more added herevnto. For many in this world haue ben made heyres, and possession taken for thē, and yet dyd they neuer inioy the same. But our lord, and sauyour: when he had delyuered man in forme byfore shewed, and had also put hym in possession therof: ordeyned yet a forther meane to make mā surely to inioy the same, and to haue the moost pleasaunt vse therof, whiche was in sendyng downe the holy ghoste whiche (accordynge vnto his promyse) shuld instruct,Ioh. xvi. and teche his apostles & disciples, and by them all christianes the very trouth of all maner of thynges apperteynynge vnto mannes saluacion, and shuld also subministre, & put into theyr hartes / and myndes to put the same [Page] in execucion, and how, and vnder what forme they shulde so do. For (as I suppose) the apostles after the deth of Christe dyd neuer put any thyng in execuciō and vse that our sauyoure had byfore his deth or byfore his ascension committed vnto theyr power: vnto the tyme they had receyued the holy ghost. For althoughe they had commaū dement and power to preache the gospell and to baptyse, and to ministre all other sacramentes, to remit, or forgyue and to withholde & restrayne synne: yet dyd not they execute, or put in vse any thynge (but only whē Christ was among them before his passion) vnto the tyme they had receyued fully the holy ghoste at Pentecoste excepte only the election of saynt Mathie bycause the nombre of the apostles myght not be vnperfect. So then they receyued fully the holy ghost, [Page] not only for theym self: but also for all other that by thē shulde byleue vnto ye ende of the world. Thē dyd they ministre the holy sacramentes and taught theyr disciples / & by them all Christianes: the due forme, and maner therof, whiche forme hathe euer sythe that tyme and euer shall cōtinue in Christes catholicall churche / what so euer theyse new heretykes say vnto the contrary. In whiche holy sacramentes we haue not onely the person of our lord, and sauyoure hym selfe: but also ye other two persons, the father & the holy ghost all one self, and same essenciall god: to remayne, byde, and dwell amonge vs vnto the worldes ende, & this gyfte and rewarde is moch to be noted / and maye well suffise for the fyfthe consyderacion of this entrepryse of the werke of remuneracion.
¶ The syxte consyderacion of the werke of glorificacion.
YOu may well perceyue (good deuout christians) by that is sayd, that our lord Iesu, hath not onely redemed and bought vs dere: but also most lyberally, & graciously rewarded vs, & dayly doth not onely forgyue our synnes and offenses at the fyrste askynge or mouynge: but dothe also gyue vs great gyftes, for small, and dothe so multiplie here our merites: that we may come yet vnto a greatter gyft and rewarde whiche is in vs his werke of glorificacion? For after this lyfe: he wyll make vs gloriouse, & gyue vs ye same doweres that he hath now in hym selfe: that is to say clarite, or clerenes, agilite, or nimblenes, subtilite, or sklendernes, and īmortalite: so that we shall neuer dye, ne suffre any damage. This gyfte and werke is so [Page] noble and of so hygh honour, dignite and degre: that to intreate forther therof doth passe my pore wyt and therfore I praye you be cnotent, for this syxth consyderacion of the werke of glorificacion.
¶ The .vii. cosyderacion of the werke of fruicion.
YEt yet as though this were not ynough: he wyll gyue more. For many in this worlde, haue full great honour / hygh dignites, and excellente degrees: & yet haue but lytle ioy therwith but rather haue many greues, many displeasures, many incōmodites, I trow I myght well say many necessites & many miseries. But our lorde wyll gyue vs ye fruiciō of hym self: that is to say, to inioy hym and to be in his godly presens, and to haue the very vse of hym selfe at all libertie, and pleasure and there to se hym face to face as he is,i. Corin. xiii. d and so [Page] in hym: to se and knowe what we wyll or cā desyre, and also to haue the full possession of hym selfe and of all his, and this also withoute any myxture of euyll, greue, or displeasure.
¶ This gyft is aboue all ye other byfore rehersed, and maye therfore serue & contēt you for this .vii. cō syderaciō of the werke of fruicion.
¶ The eight & laste cosyderacion of the werke of sure perseueracion & duraunce.
THese benefytes, rewardes, and gyftes of our lord ben very great, & many and excellent gyftes. But yet your benygne lord & most louyng sauyour is not cō tent to leue you without any thinge, that he may gyue, so that you may not possible aske, desyre, thinke, or ymagyn any thyng more to be gyuen, & therfore he wyll vnto all his other gyftes adde, & gyue [Page] you the suerte, and certente of perseueracion & duraūce. For if a person had as muche ioy as all heuē hathe and were not certeyne nem suerte to contynue therin: that ioy were not fully perfecte. For that thynge onely is perfecte: vnto the whiche, no thynge, may be added / or put therunto, but as longe as a person myght stonde in feere or doubt to lose that ioy, or any parte therof: he were not in full perfecte ioy. And therfore wyll our louyng lord for the full perfection of your sayd ioy: giue you there a suer and certeyne knowledge of all these ioyes to perceuer, īdure, and laste without minushynge or mutacion worlde without ende, vnto the whiche ioy, & knowledge: he bryng vs that bought vs our lorde god / & moste swete sauyour Iesu, vnto whom be glory, due laude, & prayse / wt the father and ye holy ghost / [Page] one god in secula seculorum. Amē.
¶ An addicion vnto this foresayd meditacion.
I Was requyred of a good deuoute persone to ioyne these sayd cōsyderacions vnto .viii. notable dayes conteyned in scripture, that is to say .vi. dayes of creacion, and production or bryngyng forth of creatures, the .vii. of reste / and the .viii. of eternite, and so to shewe howe these werkes of our lorde may be instruction vnto vs, which thyng I was loth vnto, bothe bycause I lacked abilite thervnto, and also bycause this werke: whiche I intēded to be short: shuld be therby inlarged. Notwithstondyng bycause this werke is so diuided ī particles, yt (as we sayd) euery person may take what he wyll, accordynge vnto his leyser and deuocion: therfore we shall sumwhat to satesfye, say our mynde.
¶ Of the fyrste cosyderacion, and of the fyrst day of creaciō.
THe fyrst consyderaciō was of the power of god in creacion and productiō of all creatures.Gene. i. And we rede in ye begynnyng of scripture, that almyghty god in the begynnynge made heuen, and erth, spirituall, & corporall, or bodyly creatures, resonable, and vnresonable creatures.
And yt he made also the lyght / & dyuided that lyght frō darknes.
And the lyght he called the day, and the darknes he called the nyght, and this was the werke of the fyrst day of creacion, whiche in vs may teche vs how our lorde hath made in euery person an heuen & an erth, a spirituall partie and an erthly partie, and made in vs also the lyght of vnderstandynge and reason / wherby we shulde diuide in our dayly werkes the spirite frō [Page] the fleshe, the soule from the body / whiche is done by contemplacion or meditaciō, after the fourme beforesayd. That is to saye, that in euery daye of our lyue we shulde somtyme be as well actyue as contemplatyue / and this for the fyrste daye.
¶ Of the seconde cōsyderacion / & of the seconde day of creacion.
THe seconde consyderacion was of the wysdom of god in orderyng and guydynge of his creatures. And in the seconde day of creacion: our lord god made the fyrmament or the skye, and so dyuided the waters that were vnder the firmamēt, from them that were aboue the firmamēt, and called that firmament heuyn. Note here that almyghty god made two heuyns / the tone vpon the fyrste day aboue / and the tother the seconde daye / and byneth, to diuide (as [Page] is sayde) waters. Loke now groū dely vppon this order of the creatures. Some be aboue / and some bynethe. The hygher heuyn spirituall to rule / order / and guyde the lower heuen temporall, and erthely / And the spirituall creatures, to rule the bodyly creatures. And so those that be vnder and bynethe: to be subdued / obedient / & ordered in all thynges by thē that be aboue. The same order shuld be kepte in vs / not onely euery person in hym selfe: but also eueryche vnto other. For almyghty god made in man / not onely (as is sayde) an heuyn, hys soule: but also an erthe / his body.
So that the whole man of soule & body: dothe bere the towme and place of this firmament / whose office and duety is to dyuide the water that is bynethe apperteynynge vnto the sensualite: from ye [Page] water that is aboue called aqua sapientie salutaris, the water of helthfull wysdom and of saluatiō.Eccl xv A That is to say that mā shuld euer deuyde and departe vice from vertu, erthly conuersaciō from heuē ly exercise, vayne and voyde cogitacion, from fructuouse and profytable meditacion, and this for ye seconde daye.
¶ Of the thyrde consyderacion / and of the thyrde day of creacion.
THe thyrd cōsyderaciō was of the bountie, and goodenes, loue, and liberalitie of god / whiche doth appere in the vtilitie and profyte of the creatures.
And in the thyrd day of creaciō / our lorde god cōmaunded the waters that were vnder the sayd firmament called heuyn, to gader & hepe them selfe together into one place, and that the drye erthe yet [Page] bareyn: shulde appere / and whiche thynge done: ye erth that then was drye and bareyn: he called and named to be erthe tyllable / and apte / or disposed to be tylled. And ye congregacions and hepes of waters: he called the see, or sees. And then he commaundeth the sayd erthe to bryng forth fruite. In the vtilitie & profyte wherof dyd apere the boū tie & goodnes remembred byfore in this thyrde consyderacion. But now muste we in lyke maner commaūde by reason all the water of our voluptuous disposicions and viciouse appetites: to be gathered and heped into one place, that is ye worlde, leue all those disposicions vnto worldly persones and vnto infidels, viciouse and synfull people. And lett our bodyly werkes appere synles. And although they be yet baren: yet maye they be apt by the meane of the sacrament of [Page] penaunce to be tylled / and brynge forth the fruitful werkes of vertu & grace. And thus an ende of this thyrde day.
¶ Of the fourth consyderacion / & the fourth day of creacion.
THe fourth cōsideraciō was of ye werke of our iustificacion. And in the fourthe daye our lorde made the son, and the mone / and the sterres / to dyuide the daye and the nyght / & the tymes, houres / dayes and yeres / and to gyue lyght vnto the erthe.
The son doth signifie our sauiour Iesu, the very sonne of iustice / & the mone doth signifie the catholike churche of Christe, that taketh lyghte of the sayd sonne our sauyour, and so don the sterres also, by whō the holy doctours, preachers and curates ben signified. For these done illumine and gyue lyghte of grace vnto the erthly & synfull [Page] people / that by theyr ministracion of the blessed sacramentes ben iustified and made apte persones vnto saluacion / and so is the fourthe day applyed and sped.
¶ Of the fyft consyderacion and the fyft day of creacion.
THe fyft consyderacion was of ye werke of remuneraciō or rewarde, whiche rewarde euery person shall haue accordyng vnto his werkes. And in the fyft day our lord made fysshes and foules, ye fysshys to byde in ye see & the foules in the ayre. By the fysshes euyll werkes bē sygnified, and also euyll wordes and thoughtes.Mathei xii. c For of them (sayd our sauiour) accountes muste be rendred and made, & vnto eueryche: due reward gyuen. And these do remayne in the see of the synfull world / and shall be rewarded there after in payne. And ye good werkes, wordes & thoughtes: [Page] that ben sygnifyed by the byrdes of the ayer / done dwell, and abyde in heuenly conuersacion, and shal be rewarded in ioy and blysse, and let this stand for the fyft day.
¶ Of the syxt consyderacion, and the syxt day of creacion.
THe syxt consyderacion was of ye werke of gloryficaciō.
And in the syxte daye our lorde made man after, & vnto his owne ymage / similitude / and lykenes. And surely that was vnto man a great glory & an excellent honour and dignitie / vnto the whiche no man may atteyne and come / but he onely that alone dyd ascende vnto heuyn / our lord & sauyoure Iesu.Ioh. iii. b In the whiche saynge you muste vnderstande Christe and his mē bres, all faythfull people that ben lyke vnto hym, and done folowe his stepes. And thus an ende of the syxt day of creacion.
¶ Of the seuenth consyderacion / and of the seuenth day of cessacion, reste, and pausacion.
THe .vii. consyderacion was of ye werk of fruiciō, that is to say / a ioyfull vse at ful pleasur / holly reioysyng and inioyeng our lorde. And in the .vii. day whē our lord had made all thynges perfect he ceased and rested, and wrought no more, but sanctified & halowed that day. And so after our glorificacion we shal no more merite, but rest in our lord and sanctifie hym / laude / prayse / and loue hym / and in hym (as is sayd) haue all ioy / & pleasure,i. Cor. ii aboue that any eye maye se, any eare may heare, any mouth maye speake, or any harte maye thynke.
¶ Of the .viii. consyderacion / and of the .viii. day of eternite.
THe .viii. and last cōsyderaon was of perseueracion & duraunce, or suerty of these ioyes. And the day of eternite is the day of all perfection, wherin the ende and begynnynge be ioyned. For that day was before all creatures / without beginnyng, and that day shall contynue after all dayes, wt out endyng. Amen.
¶ Thus haue we (after our poore vnderstandyng) performed this deuout request, and yet was not the person cōtent / but yt nedely we shuld ioyne vnto these two eyghtes: ye thyrde .viii. of the .viii. beatitudes of the gospell, sayng vnto me the reders be not bound but at theyr pleasure they maye (as is sayd) take what they wyll.
¶ Of the .viii. beatitudes or blessed states of perfection.
Math. vOVr lorde and sauyour Iesu dyd set forthe in the gospell [Page] viii. perfections, or .viii. states or fourmes of perfection, whiche he taught and betoke vnto his disciples & by theym vnto vs. And vnto euery perfectiō or state he assigned & appoynted a propre reward, as you shall perceyue by ordre.
¶ Of the fyrst beatitude.
THe fyrste beatitude, that is the fyrste state of perfectiō of lyuynge is in latyne, thus.
⚜ Beati pauperes spiritu.
The Englysshe wherof is. The poore in spirite or of spirite: bene blessed. That is to meane that all suche persones as (for the loue of god) do lytle set by worldly ryches as to haue any loue or trust vnto thē, but onely as may be necessary for theyr state and degree ben blessed. This beatitude or state of perfectiō may be referred vnto ye fyrst consyderacion of the benefyte of creaciō, wherin the myghty power [Page] of God was consydered, whiche thynge well cōsydered / euery person may lyghtely and sone perceyue he hath no thynge of hym selfe: ne any thynge yt he maye call properly his owne, but yt all thynges (as in very propertie) done apperteyne vnto god, and ben here but only lent vnto man, wherof to gyue accounte, and so may he be reasonably moued, to gyue freely vnto god that is his owne, and to retayne no thynge in propertie, but all to be cōmune in tyme of nede vnto the neyghbour accordynge vnto the wyll and cōmaundemēt of god, and this is called pouertie of spirite. In them also that haue ryches, as lordes, and not seruaū tes therof, and this is the fyrst and moost lowe degree, or state of perfection / whiche notwitstondynge doth conteyne many degrees. In the hygest degree wherof: done religiouse [Page] persones lyue, yf they kepe theyr promyse, and vowe duely. The rewarde of this beatitude / doth folowe.
Quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum.
For the realme, and kyngdome of heuens: dothe apperteyne and bylonge vnto thē. They: that is such persons pore in spirite, for god: haue here now the property and possession (as it may be had in this lyfe) of the heuyns, & after this lyfe they be sure therof. For (as I sayd) there ben two heuens, One aboue where God and his sayntes bene. And an other bynethe, that is the firmament, and all thynges conteyned theryn. The pore in spirite shall haue the possession of bothe. For in this lyfe he hath all that is nedefull, prouyded by our lorde, & a speciall grace to be content with his ordinaūce, and after this myserable [Page] lyfe: he shall haue the full property and possessiō of the very laude of euerlastyng lyfe.
Amen.
¶ Of the seconde beatitude.
THe seconde beatitude and state of perfect lyfe / is.
⚜ Beati mites.
Blessed ben ye mylde. That is to meane / ye such ꝑsones as be myld / soft, sober, curteyse, gētyll, restfull, & paciēt, yt in good can vaynquysh euyll,Ro. xii. d & (for the tyme) can & wyll gyue place vnto rebuks, checks, wylde, rughe, & cruell behauioure: ben in this state & degre of perfection / whiche degree may be referred vnto ye seconde cōsyderacion, whiche was of ye werke of gouernaunce ye standeth in the consyderaciō of the wysedom and knowledge of god / whiche deply cōsydered: may lyghtely bryng downe the hyghe proude mynde of any persone, so that he shall euidently perceyue that (in [Page] cōparacion vnto that wysedom) he is but a very fole, & hathe neyther wysedom ne lernyng. And so shall he begyn to bere a lowe sayle, & to be mylde, and to chuse rather to be gouerned & ruled: than to rule or gouerne, for that appertaynethe chiefely vnto myldenes. The rewarde wherof dothe folowe.
Quoniā ipsi possidebunt terrā. That is, for they shall possede or haue possession of ye erth. This terme (the erth) is takē dyuersly. One waye, for the element that bereth & bryngeth forth trees, fruytes, and graynes. In an other maner it is takē for the body of man, whereof was sayd vnto Adam,Gene. iii. erthe thou arte: and to erth shalt thou go. In a thyrde waye it is takē for heuyn, the land of life:Psalm. xxvi. and of all these erthes shall the myld haue possessiō. For the mylde persone desyreth no more of this worlde: but the sufficient [Page] susttentaciō of the body, and so doth he order his body by that sufficiently: that he is lorde of all ye passions and mociōs thereof, and dothe constrayne the flesshe to serue the spirite, & the body to be duely subiect / subdued, and in all obedient vnto the soule. And finally he shall haue full and whole possession of the land yt flowed mylke and hony,Exo. iii. b that is the lande of lyfe euerlastynge.
Amen.
¶ Of the thyrde beatytude.
THe thyrde beatitude or state of perfecte lyuynge / is.
⚜ Beati qui lugent.
Those persones yt done mourne: ben blessed. This terme (mournynge) dothe betoken a sorowfull behauyour, in cōtenaunce, in wordes, in araye, and suche other lyke behauyoures. As in sadde and sorowfull lokes, chere, and countenaunce, in wepynge, waylynge / [Page] cryenge / complaynynge / wryngynge of handes / tearynge of heares, or of clothes, chaūge of araye / as you may se in funerales, or buryalles. Somtyme caused for the losse of goodes. Somtyme of honours / dignities / & degrees. And somtyme for the losse or dethe of frendes. And somtyme (althoughe moste seldome) for the offence of god & ieopardy of soules. And also for the feruent desyre of heuyn. And this degree or state doth excede both the tother. For as it is necessarye for the mylde persone to be poore in spirite: so is it lykewyse necessarye for the persone that mourneth for our lord to be bothe poore and myld. And therfore this beatitude may be well referred vnto the thyrde consyderacion, which was of the bountie of our lorde god, whiche bountie dothe apperteyne vnto the holy ghost, ye thyrde [Page] persone, and conclusion or knot of the holy trinite. The rewarde of this beatitude and degree of perfection, is set forth thus.
⚜ Quoniā ipsi consolabuntur.
That is, for they shall be conforted and haue consolacion. Consolacion is a cōfort, had of other persons, specially in wordes: wherby the waylynge person is releued of his sorowe, and put in good hope of ioy, & ease, or pleasure. Whiche consolacion these maner of mourners shall haue in two maners. One in this worlde, by the assuraunce of clene conscience, voyde of all despayre. And after in blysse eterne, amōge the holy citizens & sayntes of heuyn.
Amen.
¶ Of the fourth beatitude of perfecte lyuyng.
THe fourth beatitude & state of perfectiō, is in ye gospell. ⚜ Beati qi esuriūt et sitiūt iusticiā. [Page] Blessed be those persons that done hunger & thurst iustice. That is to meane, those persones yt feruently don couet & desyre iustice, ben blessed. Iustice is a vertu yt doth render & gyue to euery person that is ryght, & he worthy to haue. That is vnto god: loue & drede, vnto the parentes and souerayns: honour & obedience, vnto the neyghboure that is frende & beneficiall: thankes and kyndnes, and vnto ye enemye that noyeth: pacience & sufferance, and euery persone vnto him selfe: due gard and kepynge of the soule, due correction of the body / & vnto bothe: the continuall exercise of vertue, good maners, and holy conuersaciō. This beatitude may be referred vnto the fourth consyderaciō whiche was of the werke of iustificacion. For the persone of suche hunger, thurst, & feruēt desyre of iustice, shalbe sure to be iustyfyed. [Page] That is / to be made (by iustice) apte and mete for the heuenly blysse. The rewarde of the whiche beatitude doth folowe accordyng.
⚜ Quoniam ipsi saturabuntur.
That is, for they shall be saturate, satiate, full fed, habundantly contented, & fulfylled here in this lyfe by the visitacion, ordenaūce / and comfort of our lord.Psal. xvi And after (as the prophete saythe) whan his glory shall appere in ioye & blysse euerlastynge.
Amen.
¶ Of the fyfte beatitude and state of perfecte lyuynge.
THe fyfte beatitude & state of perfection is.
⚜ Beati misericordes.
Eccle. xxx. dThat is, the persons mercifull ben blessed. Mercifull I say vnto them selfe / by due reformacion of them selfe. Mercyfull vnto the neyghbour by due releuing of misery / and this beatitude maye be [Page] referred vnto the .v. cōsideracion which was of the werke or benefite of remuneraciō or rewarde. For as a great gyfte is worse and more than loste vpon ye vnkynde person that doth forget it: so is it well spēt vpon ye kynde that doth remembre it / & duely doth thankes therfore. And the greatest thanke that can be gyuen vnto our lorde: is to be mercifull / and to releue hym in his / for so dothe he accepte that is done for his sake.Math. xxv. And therfore the rewarde dothe folowe. Quoniā ipsi misericordiam cōsequētur. For they shall optayne & get mercy here in this lyfe of all theyr synnes / & after be rewarded ferre more and aboue theyr deseruynge / & more thā they loked for / or than they coulde by any meane requyre or desyre / inioye eterne & euerlastynge. Amen
¶ The syxte beatitude or state of perfecte lyfe
THe .vi. beatitude is ⚜ Beati mūdo corde. That is / those persōs yt ben of clene herte bē blessed. That is to meane / such as don kepe theyr cōsciēce clene vndefowled / or vnspotted / & the soule wtout synne. For suche persōs don here lyue the lyfe of aūgels & therfore this beatitude or state may be referred vnto the .vi. cōsideraciō / whiche was of ye werke of glorificaciō. And the rewarde is. Quoniā ipsi deū videbūt. For they shall se god. The clene hart & clere cōsciēce doeth see god here in this lyfe by whole and full fourmed fayth / by strōge hope & feruēt charite / and he doeth se him self by due discusse & by diligēt examinaciō and serche & by due custody and garde of him self. And he doth se his neyghbour by loue kyndenes / mercy / & pyte.i. Cor. xiii. And after this lyfe he shal se our lord / face to face as he is & wt hym [Page] be glorified in soule & body / world without ende. Amen
¶ Of the seuenth beatitude or state of perfecte lyuynge.
THe seuenth beatitude & state of perfection / is. ⚜ Beati pacifici. Blessed be ye peacefull. That is to meane yt suche persons as don make peace / ben blessed. Our lorde and sauiour made peace betwyxt god & man / & he was very peace of hym selfe / and he made also peace bytwene man & man. Those persons thā that done make peace bytwyxte god and thē self by penaunce & due recōsiliaciō & that don make and kepe peace in thē selfe by due orderyng of ye body vnto the soule and bytwyxte them and theyr neyghbours / by the exercyse of pacience / and betwyxte neyghboure & neyghbour by charitable kyndenes & neyghbourly loue: Those I say be of this beatitude [Page] / and theyr reward foloweth. Qm̄ filii dei vocabūtur. For they shall be called ye chyldrē of god. And this beatitude maye be referred vnto the .vii. consyderacion / whiche was of ye werke & benefite of fruicion. For in that they be the chyldren of god, they ben heyres and coheneritours vnto our sauyour, and therby shal haue the possession of all heuyn: & the full fruicion of the deitie & godhede, to vse at pleasure, reioice, & inioye the same in blysse euerlastynge.
Amen.
¶ Of the .viii. beatitude or blessed state of perfect lyuynge.
THe eyght beatitude is.
⚜ Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iusticiam. That is, those persones yt don suffer ꝑsecuciō for iustice: ben blessed. It is a great perfection (as before is sayd) feruently to desyre and to loue iustice, but to fuffre trouble & [Page] to bere daunger for iustice: is ferre more perfection. For alway to suffre euyll, is of more perfection thā is to do good. I meane to suffre euyll for iustice and for the loue of god, for els many ꝑsons may suffre payne & euyll by theyr own deseruynge and agaynst theyr wyll. And many do suffre & take greate payne & labour to do euyll. And these ben not blessyd: but rather ye contrary. The reward of this beatitude doth folow.
Qm̄ ipsorum est regnū celorū. That is, for the kyngdome of heuyn is theyrs, or dothe apperteyn vnto them. This rewarde is two tymes named / & assigned / or appoynted in these states or beatitudes, that is to say, fyrst, & last. And therfore may cōueniently be referred vnto the .viii. & last cōsyderacion, which was of the sure perseueracion, certaynty, & duraunce of [Page] all the benefytes of our lorde. A thynge is called perfecte whā the ende and begynnynge done frame and mete to gyther, and therfore this rewarde is twyse appoynted for to shewe the perfection and excellency therof, whiche is also declared further, after the declaracion of the sayde persecution, where is sayd,Math. v you shall be blessed whan the men of this worlde done curse you. And whan they do chase you from place to place, and vexe and trouble you, and whan they shall speke all euyll agaynste you, lyeng or makynge lesynges vpon you. For me and for my sake / ioye you than, and make you gladnes, for youre hyre and reward is moche plētuouse in heuyns. The seruaū tes of Christe haue here nothynge in suerty,Heb. xiii. for they haue here no city ne dwellynge place of suerty to byde in: but done seke for an other [Page] lodgyng, where the shall be (as is sayd) in full surety and certaynty / neuer to chaunge, ne to be mynysshed of theyr ioy in any parte: but euer to remayn in one perfect and moost ioyfull state / blessed euer of our lorde god and moost swete sauyour Iesu whyder he brynge vs that bought vs. Amen.
Thus haue ye an ende of your meditaciō. Now you muste remebre that before we showed you yt as the mother dothe trauell and brynge forthe a chyld / so (in a maner) doth meditacion (after saynte Austin) chylde and brynge forthe science,Vt sup cunnynge and knowledge wherof we promysed somwhat to speake.
¶ Of science or knowledge, gotē & brought forth by meditaciō.
ALl maner of science, cunnynge / and lernyng, is goten and brought forth by meditacion. [Page] Howe be it we do not here intēde to speke of that sciēce / whiche lerned men saye is to knowe any thynge by hys cause or causes. Whiche sciēce (saynt Austin sayth) as of heuenly and erthly thynges to know:Vbi supra. worldly men don moche prayse & loue. But they ben moche better men (sayth he) that set more by the knowledge of them selfe.Ibidem. For that soule (saythe he) is more laudable and more to be praysed / that knoweth the selfe mysery and wretchednes: thā is that soul that without that knowledge dothe seke and serche out the wayes of the sterres, and the natures of other thynges. The moste hygh & moste profytable science (after hym) is selfe knowledge. Whiche is (sayth he) whan a person by diligent & oft vsed meditacion is illumined and lightened vnto ye very ꝑceyuynge and knowledge of hym selfe. Se [Page] than / loke well / and perceyue that you be a man, and not god: a man made of nought, cōceyued in synne / nourisshed in your mothers wombe, wt fylthy & lothesum mater, borne in mysery & wretchydnes, & here don lyue in peyne & labours, and shal dye in feare & drede, sure & certeyne thervnto of necessity, ineuitable & vnauoydable, and yet vnsure & vncerteyne whā, where, or how, & in what maner or state you shall dye. Perceyuynge than that dethe doth euery where and euer more loke, gape, & wayte for you. If ye bewyse, thā loke you agayne euery where, and cōtinually prouyde for it, and so shall ye moch lesse feare it. This science & knowledge is the fruite and profyte of your sayd meditaciō, engē dred, opteyned, and gotē thereby. yf you wolde knowe how this science doth come of that meditaciō / [Page] you muste (as they saye) chowe or chewe your cud agayne / that is / you must haue resorte agayn vnto your sayd consyderacions.
.ii. The .i. cō syderacion.Fyrst than whan you consyder and loke well vpon the power of our lord / as in your syrst consyderacion you shall perceyue that he is allmyghty. And than agayn lokynge vpon your selfe, you shall know well ye be of lytle power, or none at all: but that you be all infirme, feble, weyke, and sycke. And so shall you accede, approyche / & go vnto this holy sacrament: as a sore sycke ꝑsone vnto a sure phisicion. And whan you loke forther vpon the wysdome of our lord (as in the .ii consyderacion) you shall conclude he is all wyse. And cōtrary, lokyng vpō your self, you shall graunt you be all folysshe, and (as saynt Austin sayth) inwardely say in your hart & thought, for truthe [Page] it is that ye say, and so shall you be wyse in approchyng vnto this holy sacramēt: as ye ignorāt & blynde vnto the sonne of iustice & vnto the true doctour & teacher of all verity & trouth. And yet whā you loke agayn vpon the bountie and goodnes of our lorde, .iii. as in your .iii. consyderacion ye shall perceyue by the vtility & profyte of hys creatures, that he is all good and goodnes. And agayne lokynge vpon your selfe: ye shall fynde your selfe all nought and fruytles / and you shall go vnto this holy mystery: as a barē beest vnto the mooste fruytfull progenitour & begetter of all goodnes & vertue. And yet agayn, whan you loke vpon the werke of iustificacion, .iiii as in your .iiii. consyderaciō: you shall se meruelouse kyndnes, in that he payed your dettes, & set you at liberty wt so great a pryce. And contrary yf [Page] you loke well on your self and recount how often ye haue wylfully slypped & fallen down agayn into the same daungerous dungeon of synne: you shal lyghtly cōdempne your selfe of meruelous great vnkyndnes, & so shall you thā make haste vnto this holy sacramēt: as a thefe or traytour founde gylty to aske forgyuenes and pardon. .v. But whan you loke vpon ye gyfte of remuneracion, as in your fyfte consyderaciō. And there perceyue yt our lorde dyd not onely redeme you derely: but also habundauntly rewarded you, you shall fynde in hym excedynge lyberalytye. And than agayne lokynge vpon your selfe, and consyderynge how lytle labour you haue made / and how lytle study ye haue gyuen to rewarde or gyue hym any thynge agayne: ye shall condempne your felfe for a very vnkynde nygarde [Page] that nothynge wolde gyue / or els for a very bare wretche that nothynge had to gyue / and so shall you accede and go vnto this sacramēte, as a nedy naked beggar vnto the moste rychest and lyberall lord, and he wyl inspyre & tell you what you maye gyue hym to content hym, that is to say, your hart & good wyll. And yet yf you loke further, how aboue & beyonde all these gyftes he hath made you honorable, goodly, bryght & beautiouse by his werke of glorificacion .vi. (as in your syxt consyderacion. And agayne lokyng vppon your selfe, how many tymes you haue fallen downe into the myre & dyrte of vnclene cogitacion: you shall renne vnto this blessed borde: as a filthy defouled body vnto the ryuer and fountayne of all purity & clennes. yet loke forther beyond & aboue these gyftes & honour how [Page] meruelouse pleasure and ioyfull gladnes he hath prepared and ordeyned for you in the werke of his fruiciō / .vii. (as in your seuēth consideraciō. And agayne lokyng vpon your selfe / and cōsyderyng in how great sorowe and woo / sighyng / and sobbynge you dwell here in ye vale of myserye / lackyng his godly presence: you shall approche & go vnto this sacrament as a person in depe cōsumpcion for sorowe vnto the meate of mercy / the fode of all helth and saluacion and the very restoratiue of all recouery & comforte. Now laste of all, yf you loke vpon the surety and certaynty of all these thynges .viii. (as in your last consyderacion). And agayne yf you beholde and se well your selfe: you shall perceyue you haue ben euer incōstant, euer flyttynge, and neuer in one state abydyng, & that shall moue you than to goo [Page] vnto this holy house and lodgyng of our lorde: as a vagabunde and prodigall or vnthryfty chylde vnto the house & home of his father / there (mercy asked and opteyned) contynually to dwell and byde amonge the seruaūtes of that house / where (voyd of all euyll) is abū daunce and plenty of all maner of thynges that be good, with sure surety & cōstāt certaynty of the same, so to ꝑseuer and indure without minushyng or mutaciō, world wtout ende, whiche he graūt vs: yt made and bought vs. Amen.
¶ Thus haue you eyght consyderacions for the knowledge of your selfe, after and accordynge vnto the thre eyghtes that wente before, and this eyght to be the fourth eyght. And this is the same science / arte / craft / or cunnynge yt I sayd is ingendred and brought forthe by medytacion. And▪ these [Page] foure eyghtes: may be signified by ye foure flodes of paradise,Gene. ii. whiche done water all the worlde. For (as saynt Austin sayth) of this science cometh compunction,Vbi supra. whiche cō punctiō (sayth he) is whā the harte by consyderacion, or of the consyderacion of hys owne euyll & synne, is touched & pricked with inward sorow.De summo bono And saynte ysodore sayth that the compunction of the harte is a mekenes of the mynde with teares wepyng, whiche doth sprynge and aryse of the recorde & remembraūce of synnes with drede.Cōpunction. This terme compunctiō is as moche to say as a ioyned pricking or strykyng. Whan so euer (than) a person knowynge hym selfe (by the science before shewed (doth remembre any of his offēces, and felynge his hart & cōscience pricked and grudged therwith / doth (with inwarde sorowe & remors) knocke [Page] vpō the brest, lyfte vp the handes, eyes, or syght, wepe or sygh, that is compunction, and doth include contricion. And this compunctiō (as ye may well ꝑceyue) is begotten and brought forth of the sayd science. And dothe (as sayth saynte Austin) byget, chylde, and brynge forth deuocion, whiche deuocion (sayth he) is.
⚜ Pius et humilis affectus in deum: humilis,De spiritu et anima. ex conscientia infirmitatis proprie. Pius, ex consideracione diuine clementie,
That is to saye.Deuotion. Deuocion is a religious, faythfull and meke affection inwardly, and perfectely vnto god. And that affection (saythe he) is meke and lowly by the conscience, and full knowledge of our propre infirmity & feblenes. And it is deuoute, relygious, & faythfull by the consyderacion of the benynge, piteouse, and mercyfull [Page] gētylnes of our lord. If you wold know what this terme affectiō is here to meane:Affecte or affection. Saynt Austin sayth it is a certeyn / free / wylfull lyberall / and swete or pleasaunt inclinacion, & leanynge of the mynd vnto our lord god. And nothynge (saythe he) dothe so moche inclyne moue and styre almyghty god vnto pytye and mercy: as doth the pure and clene affection & desyre of mynde.
De modo orādi.⚜ Deuocion than (as saynte Hughe sayth de sancto Victore) is whan the mynde of a persone is affrayde of his greate and many synnes. And than mystrustynge vtterly hys owne vertue / power / & strength: dothe tourne hym selfe vnto our lorde god / and so moche the more feruentely doth aske and beseche his helpe and socoure as he perceyueth and seeth well there is no helpe without hym: wherin [Page] he myght haue confidence & trust.Vt sup̄ So concludeth saynt Austin / that deuociō doth make the prayer perfecte.Prayer. For prayer (saythe he) is nothyng els but a deuociō of mynd / and conuersion and tournynge of the hart & mynde inwardely, and perfectely vnto god by a deuoute religiouse and meke affection, cō forted & holden vp (sayth the sayd saynt Hugh with fayth / hope / and charity. Prayer than,Ibidem without deuociō is vnperfect & lytle worthe. And deuociō (as is sayd) is had & goten of compunction / and compunction: of science: and science, of meditacion. So yt vnto this purpose, that is to saye the due receyuynge of ye sacramēt of the aulter, all these fyue be (as we sayde) good & necessarye. Not so (as often we haue sayd) that any person is boū den vnto all of necessity: but of cō ueniency. And therfor as we haue [Page] before set forth vnto your election and choyce dyuers meditaciōs: so haue we in lyke maner done of prayers, gadered out of dyuers auncient auctours.
Whan ye haue than thus sumwhat appareled and disposed your self vnto this iourney by these .iiii. yt is / meditacion / selfe knowledge, compunction / and deuocion, than fall vnto prayer, vocall or mētall, or both at your pleasure. That is to meane / that you maye at wyll speke and rede these prayers, or onely thynke them in your hart & mynde, or both say and thynke.
Syr / which is best of these thre wayes?
Surely to say or rede alone without thought: is lytle worthe. To thynke alone is very good: but bothe is beste.
¶ Here don folow many prayers but do you (as is sayd) rede them ones ouer, and chose at wyll.
Fyrste than I wolde aduyse you to appoynte your selfe to here one whole masse / if ye may cōuenyently before your communion, whan so euer you ben disposed thereunto, and than to rede or say this that folowed before or sone after the Confiteor / whiche is a maner of confession. Not so to be taken as though it were & myght be sufficient for any greuous synnes without sacramentall confession (as we sayd before) yf it may be had: but that it maye be vaylable for lyght offenses, & the more excite and styre vp your mynd in that you vnderstād and perceyue well what you saye or thynke.
¶ Before, or at the begynnyng of masse.
O Good lorde god, and moost swete sauiour Iesu, I moost myserable wretche of the worlde / here before thy diuine and godly presence: playnely do confesse and openly knowledge that in all my lewde lyfe, hytherto myspent (by many miserable & wretched ways of synne) I haue offended thy graciouse goodenes, as well in ye brekyng of thy preceptes & cōmaundementes: as in commission of all the seuen pryncipall synnes, misused my fyue wyttes, & not fulfilled ye .vii. werks of mercy. Whiche synnes & offences here nowe wholy & fully to recoūte and reherce: is vnto me (for theyr multitude) īpossyble. Wherfore with moost humble and lowly hart, & moost harty and desyrous wyll of perfecte contricion: I vtterly forsake thē all. And althoughe nothynge of my deseruynge: yet (good lorde) for the honour [Page] of thy precious blode, & the merytes of thy bytter passion and most cruell, most paynfull & most shamefull deth: I instātly requyre aske, craue, & moost mekely & lowly beseche thy gracious benignity & goodnes of mercy & forgiuenes. And that from hensforthe I maye haue thy grace (lorde) in whole fayth stronge hope, & perfecte charite / to fle, auoyd, and forsake all synne. And in all my thoughtes, wordes, & dedes / maners / contenaūces / & behauiours / to ordre my selfe in vertue vnto the pleasure & honoure of thy grace, the welthe and saluaciō of my soule, and vnto the edificaciō of all Christians. And herunto I beseche our lady saynt Mary, thy holy mother, euer virgin / all the blessed company of heuen / and all faythfull persones to praye for me.
Amen.
¶ All these partes of the masse, yf you may conueniently, shulde be herde standynge. That is to saye / the office, the kyrie Gloria in excelsis, and specially the gospell, with due reuerence at this worde Iesus. The preface also the Pater noster, & sancte Iohn̄s Gospell. ¶ At the fyrst collectes & pystle.
Myne owne good lorde and moost swete sauyour Iesu I beseche thy goodnes to put away ferre frome me all iniquities and wyckednes / and, of thy mercyfull louynge kyndenes, kendle in my hart the flamynge fyre of thy feruēt loue. Be not, swete lord, displeased wt me, ne kepe in mynd or remembraūce the multitude of myne offences. For I do not presume, good lord, to make prayer & peticion here before thy godly presence [Page] of any goodnes / ryghtwysenes, or any deseruyng of my selfe: but onely of full hope and trust of thy myseracion & mercyfull pytye. Take frome me, swete lorde, this harde and stony hart / and gyue me, lord, for it a newe hart, full of compunction and due contricion. And gyue me a stomacke kynde & louyng that maye dredfully loue the, and louyngly drede the & that maye delyte & take pleasure in the, lorde, alone / and wylfully folowe the. And at the laste may ouertake and catche the / fast holde the, fully possede the. And fynally in eterne blysse to se the / and fully to inioye the.
Amen.
¶ After the pystle.
MOost swete sauyoure and louynge lord Iesu / I beseche thy benignity for ye anguysshe of thy holy harte, in all thy labours / passiōs / and paynes for me [Page] susteyned and suffred. And for the effusion and shedyng of thy moost holy sacred blode: and for the vertue of thy moost innocent & precyouse dethe. For the mystery also of this holy sacrament thy blessyd body, and moost holy sacred bloode / in the immolacion / offerynge / and sacrifice wherof: I moste vyle synner am present, & moost vnworthy wretche do approche. And fynally I beseche the lord, for thyne owne selfe: haue pytye and mercye vpon me, that am (I knowe well) the moost myserable wretche, & moost synfull caytyfe vpon erth. Purify thou (good lorde) than / and clense my harte & soule frō all vnlaufull affections. So that in this tyme & all tymes I maye duely and worthely do the seruice. Graunte me (good lorde) very contricion of all my synnes / the grace also of true cōpunction / the fountayn of fruitfull [Page] teares / pure deuocion, clere & clene conscience / the cōtinuall memory and mynd of thy bytter passion & precyous dethe. And of thy moost cōfortable loue: perpetuall feruor and desyre.
Amen.
¶ After the gospell.
O Moost benigne & mercyfull louer of mākynde, my swete lord Iesu / I beseche thy grace, for the dolorous & painfull smertyng of all thy woundes, graūt me the grace of pacience in all aduersyty, and to dispise & sett at naught the loue of this world and all the goodes and pleasurs therof, and to be cōtent with a necessary and meane liuinge. And to kepe firmely and constantly, by due perseueraunce vnto my laste ende, this state and degree that thou haste put me in. And to folowe alway, by due obedience, thy forther callynges, dayly to increase & profyte in vertue / [Page] and euer to haue contynually the feruent desyre of myne owne cuntrey & heuenly home. Graunt me forther, good lord, in all the cōuersacion of my lyfe: to haue and kepe due discipline, good maner / & christian behauyoure, vnto the auoydyng euer of thy displeasure, & of the sclaunder, occasion / & offence of my neyghbour. And so to haue groundely in my hart and soule very and vnfayned mekenes / true faythfull kyndenes, and meritorious pacience vnto the pleasure and honour of thy grace / the welth of my soule, and vnto the edificacion of all persones.
Amen.
¶ In the tyme of the eleuaciō.
THe great clerck holy saynt Thomas of Aquine dothe set forth this prayer folowyng, as very conuenient to be sayd in this tyme of the eleuacion.
⚜Tu rex glorie Christe. Tu [Page] patris sempiternus es filius.
And so forth as you haue at matyns. The englyshe wherof we haue here sett forth with the latyne / for the increase of your deuocion. ⚜Tu rex glorie Christe. That is to meane. I beleue / confesse / and knowledge that thou, good lord, Iesu christe my sauyour / beynge here vnder the fourme of brede & wyne, art the kynge of glory / very god. ⚜Tu patris sempiternus es filiꝰ. And that thou, good lorde Iesu, art the essenciall / eterne, and euerlastyng sonne of the father of heuen celestiall.
⚜Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem: nō horruisti virginis vterum.
I beleue that thou, good lord, disposynge / and by determinaciō concludyng to take the nature of mā / and so to redeme and delyuer hym frome the bondage of synne: [Page] dydeste not abhorre ne disdayne the flesshly wombe of the virgyn.
⚜Tu deuicto mortis aculeo: aperuisti credentibus regna celo (rum).
I beleue yt thou (good lorde) the siynge & darte of deth, vaynquysshed and ouercomen: dydest open vnto all thy faythfull people the realme and kyngdome of heuen.
⚜Tu ad dexteram dei sedes in gloria patris.
I beleue yt thou (good lord) that art here ꝑsent in this holy sacramēt doste syt, remayne and rest, in the glory of thy father, vpō the ryght hande of god: or thus, syttest, and doste remayne & rest in glory vpō the ryght hande of god thy father.
⚜Iudex crederis esse vēturus.
I byleue yt all faythfull peopell done beleue, that thou shalt come agayne to iudge all the worlde.
⚜Te ergo quesumus tuis famulis subueni: quos precioso sanguine [Page] redemisti.
Therfore (good lord) we beseche the / helpe and socoure thy seruantes whom thou hast redemed and bought with thy precious blode.
⚜Eterna fac cum sanctis tuis gloria munerari.
We beseche the also, good lorde, make & cause vs to be rewarded with thy holy sayntes in eterne & euerlastynge glory and ioy.
⚜Saluum fac populum tuū domine / et benedic hereditati tue: et rege eos, et extolle illos vs (que) ineternum.
We beseche the (good lorde) make thy people saued soules, & gyue blessynge to thyne heneretaunce. And rule, good lord, and gouerne thē. And excolle, inhaunce, magnifye, good lord, and make them honorable vnto the ende of ye world.
⚜Per singulos dies bn̄dicimꝰ te / et laudamus nomē tuū in sclm [Page] in seculum seculi.
We done, god lord, blysse & honour the euery day by day / & done laude and prayse thy holy name from tyme to tyme / and from age vnto age for euermore.
⚜Dignare domine die isto: sine peccato nos custodire.
Vouchesafe, good lord, to kepe vs this day / and all our lyfe tyme from synne and trespas.
⚜Miserere nr̄i dn̄e, miserere nr̄i
Haue mercye, good lorde, vpon vs / haue mercye.
⚜Fiat mīa tua dn̄e super nos / quemadmodū sperauimus in te.
Let thy mercye / lorde / lyght on vs / as we haue had euer perfecte hope and trust in the.
⚜In te domine speraui / non confundar in eternum.
I haue alway hoped and perfectely trusted inwardly in the. I beseche the lorde I neuer be cōfounded, [Page] disapoynted, ne deceyued. Thus endeth that swete prayer / your Te deum.
¶ Prayers vnto ye ende of masse.
O Moost benigne lord & sauyour, moost hyghest preste & very Bysshope Iesu Christe / that woldest vouchesafe to offre thyne owne selfe, most pure lambe / most immaculate / moost clene, and vnspotted hoost in sacrifice vnto the father of heuyn vpon the aultre of the crosse, for vs wretched synners. And also that woldest gyue & leue with vs perpetually thyne owne very flesshe for our spirituall fode and thyne owne precyous blode for our spirituall drynke / I beseche the for ye sake of all thy sorowfull woundes, for the effusion and shedynge of thy moost precyous blode, & for the vertue of thy most innocent deth, and moost specially for that excellent, meruelouse, and [Page] vnspekeable charity thou had vnto vs, wherby thou woldest vouchsafe to washe vs fylthy & vnworthy wrethes in thyne owne holy sacred blode. I beseche the haue mercy & pytie on me, & forgyue me all my synnes & neglygences & all offences, don eyther by cōmission or omissiō, that is to meane, all suche offēces as I dyd & myght not laufully, nor shulde haue don / & also all yt I myght or shuld haue don / & dyd not. And sythe, good lord, amonge all thyne other great mercyfull benefytes yu woldest vouchsafe (onely of thy liberall goodnes without any deseruynge of me) to call me vnworthy wrethe to the grace of thy fayth, and to be one of thy sorte, & now also forther to receyue me this mistery & holy sacramēt, I beseche the, lord, teache me & inspyre my soule to order me selfe thereunto, with suche reuerēce [Page] & drede, and wt suche feruour & deuocion, & with suche loue & charyte: as may be acceptable to thy grace, & shall come or byseme my state and degre, & so increace in vertue by the receyuing herof in the same degre: as maye be also to the edificaciō of all persons. And I beseche the suffre me neuer to dout of this holy sacramēt: but euermore to ꝑceyue, vnderstande, holde, & beleue, thynke & speke, after the true fayth of thy catholyke church. Let (good lord) thy holy spirite come vnto me, and entre into my hart, & there without wordes or noyse, secretly speke vnto my soule / to instructe, tell and teache me the very truthe of all that hyghe mystery / for I know well it is very ꝓfunde & hyghe / & (excepte thy graciouse doctrine) ferre aboue my capacite & vnderstandyng. Wherfore, swete sauyour Iesu, I now here fully [Page] and wholy, without any forther discusse or reasonynge, moost lowly submyt my selfe vnto thy mercy: Besechynge the same / that I may with clene harte and pure cō sciēce accede & approche (although vnworthy) therūto. And that thou good lord, for the swetenes of thy holy harte, woldeste vouchesafe to delyuer my synfull soule from all doubt and daunger of synne / and to mundify / purge / and clense my frayle mynde frome all vayne / all vnclene / all noyouse and vnfruitfull cogitacions and thoughtes. And to conforte and strenght my faynt and feble hart with the grace of constancy and perseueraūce / so yt my soule may be made (in thy loue and charity) the worthy habitacle & dwellyng place of thyne hyghe maiesty, not onely now at this tyme: but also in all tymes vnto ye ende of my lyfe. And after [Page] euer vnto the ende of the worlde.
Amen.
O Mooste swete louer of all mankynde, lorde and sauyour Iesu / I beseche the for all the whole vertue of thy bytter passiō / put away from me the spirite of elacion, and pryde, of enuy, and detraction, of yre, wrathe, malyce, & impacience, and of all other morbes, diseases, and pestilences of ye soule. And plante, good lorde, and grounde in my hart and mynd very true mekenes / charity, and pacience, innocency, and the loue of pouerty / due temperaunce / & pure chastity / with all suche other vertues / medicynes / and preseruatyues vnto the soule. Mortifie good lord, and sle in me all libidinouse and vnclene mocions / all carnall desyres, and inordinate affectiōs. And kyndle, lorde, and quyken in me ye feruour and loue of all vertues, [Page] and of the perpetuall excercyse and workynge of them / with constant perseueraunce / so that in this tyme and all tymes, in body and soule purifyed & clēsed: I may worthely receyue this holy sacrament. Vnto the high mistery whereof, I knowe well & do so cōfesse / graunt / & knowledge here before thy gloryous face: I am vnworthy, & very moch vnworthy, & most vnworthy. Not only for my great habominable synnes, & many many neglygences: but also for great dulnes & wante of deuocion. But not witstandyng I know as well agayne, & so do I beleue in harte and mynde, & so do knowledge in mouth & worde / that thou, my lorde god, art omnipotēt & almyghty, & so mayst therfor (by thy power infinite if it so please thy grace) make me worthy and acceptable. For thou alone, good lord, mayste [Page] & canst iustifye a synner, and of the vyle & fylthy wretche: make a clene and pleasant person. Therfore (gracious lord) I beseche thy worthy maiesty, for thyne almyghty power, whiche I firmly & stedfastly beleue: and for thyne infinite & endles wysedom, whiche I boldly cōfesse: & for thyne excellent bounty & goodnes, wherin I fully hope & trust: And for all these togyther as one: frame me, & make me worthy and acceptable vnto thy godly presence, and graūt me (thyne vnworthy & lewde wretched seruaūt) of all my synnes, very true cōtriciō, due cōpunction, pure deuociō and the feruent flame of thy loue / yt I may nowe at this tyme receyue this holy sacrifice of thy blessed body and blode, with puryte of hart & clenenes of conscience, with the gracious fountayne of deuout & swete teares, with desyre & drede [Page] with honour and reuerence / with mekenes of harte / and feruour of loue / with spirituall gladnes and heuenly ioy. And yf it may please thy goodnes, lorde, let me be somwhat reysed vp in spirite. I dare not say vnto the very felynge and perceyuynge: but vnto some maner lytle smake or taste of the swetenes of thy godly & mooste pleasaunt presence, and vnto the deuocion of thy holy aungels and sayntes that here be now presente about the same / and that I maye with them fynally be there present where now they be.
Amen.
O Moost gentyll lorde & mercyfull sauyour Iesu / I beseche the for this holy mystery of thy blessed body and blode wherwith we vnworthy wretches ben dayly fed in thy churche, and dayly wasshed, clensed, sanctified, and made hole / and so parteyners of [Page] thy moost hygh diuinity and godhed. Graunt me lord and gyue me the precious garment of innocency, with suche garnysshe of other garmētes therunto accordyng, as best may please thy grace. Wherwith apparelled / bawned / & dressed: I may (as in my nupciall and weddynge clothyng) in good and clene cōscience approche vnto thy presence. So that this celestiall & heuenly sacrament ryceyued: may be vnto me helth and saluacion of soule and body / vnto lyue euerlastynge.
Amen.
GOod swete mayster & moste hyghly lerned / and best expert phisicion lord Iesu my sauyour, I beseche thy gentyll harte to cure and hele my infyrme / feble / & syke hart frome all maner of langoures / diseases / and sykenesses / Palate is the rofe of the mouthe and so to refourme and season the palate of my soule and mynd, that [Page] I neuer sauer, fele, ne taste any maner of swetenes: but onely thy selfe. For thou, good lord, arte the moost swete sauored bred / ye moost white / pleasaunte, and most noble and beste nourisshynge bread / the bread of all breades / the bread & paynmayne of pleasure, the bread of all fortitude and strength / the bread of all vnderstandynge and knowledge / the bread of all grace & good wyll / the bread of lyfe, that hast in thy selfe all maner of delectament and pleasure / & gyuest lyfe vnto the world: And (of thy moost excellent charity) doste euer contynually refresshe and fede vs with thyne owne selfe, & yet in thy selfe doste nothyng waste / minushe / ne faynte / or fayle. Let my hart, good lord, therfore fede vpon the / & spiritually eate and drynke the / & be so fed of the / that my soule may be fully saciat and fylled of the swete [Page] sauyour and taste & of the sauory swetenes of thy diuine presence.
GOod swete lorde / I beseche the come thy selfe / & entre in to my hart, & make clene myne inward partes from all inquinamē tes / and filthynes of mynd, and of spirite. Entre, good lord, into my soule / & make me whole frome all synfull diseases. Sanctifye & clēse me now and at al tymes vnto thy selfe & for thy selfe. Be thou (good lord) thy selfe both the phisicion & the medicin / the salue, and the surgeon, the helth and conseruaciō of both my body & soule. Put awaye from me, good lord, all the crafty assayles and the sleyghty wyles of myne enimies, that they haue nothynge to do with me: but that yu (lord) alone may occupy me wholly vnto thy selfe: so yt nothyng els haue (any tyme) power ouer me: but that I (alwaye preserued and [Page] defended by this blessyd sacramēt) may go forth, contynue, & profyte, perseuerantly in ye pathe and way of my profession / thy holy christiā religion, with due obseruaūce, reguler disciplines, christiā maners, and all due catholyke obedience perteynyng vnto the same. And yt I neuer consent ne lene vnto any of them that ben contrarious thereunto.
Amen.
Ex cano ne miss.GOod blessyd lorde, father omnipotent, eterne, & euerlastynge god: I moost entierly beseche thy goodnes to graunt me grace so worthely now to receyue this holy sacred body and blessyd blode of my swete sauyour Iesu Christe: that I may therby deserue to haue full remission and forgyuenes of all my synnes, and to be replete and fulfylled with thy holy spirit, and to haue thy peace. For thou alone art my lord, thou [Page] only my god / and non other, thou lorde the entiere and inward loue of my hart / the true quietude and sure rest of my mynde, & the whole desyre of my soule. Whose gloryouse impery and gouernaunce remayneth, perfectly abydeth, cōtynueth, and indureth for euermore, world without ende.
Amen.
MI swete lord god,Ex eodē. father of heuyn, the fountayne, well and spryng of all bountie & goodnes / that moued of thy moost pyteouse mercy: woldest vouchesafe that thyn owne sonne our sauiour Iesu Christe: shulde descende and come down (for vs & for our sake) vnto this wretched worlde / and here take flesshe and bloode of the blessyd virgyn his mother Mary, and therin (for vs) to susteyne, suffre, and bere our myseryes, moost bytter passyon, intollerable and greuous payns, and moost cruell [Page] and mooste shamefull dethe, I beseche the, lord, graūt me that grace that I may dayly worshype the, gloryfy the / and with all the intēt and wyll of my hart: I may laude & prayse the. And that thou good lord, neuer leue ne forsake me / thy pore and wretched seruaunt: but (of thy depe and great mercy) thou clerely forgyue and forget all my synnes. So that in clene hart and chast body I may be able to serue the alone / my lorde eterne / euerlastyng / lyuynge / and very God omnipotent. Amen.
Myne owne swete lorde & sauyour Iesu, very essenciall sonne of almyghty God / that (of thy profound & depe mercy, by the wyll of thy eterne father, & by the workynge of the holy ghost (haste by thy passion and deth, quyckened and redemed the world. I beseche moost lowly thy holy grace / [Page] in the honour of this thy holy sacred body & blessed blode, whiche I vnworthy wretche presume to receyue for the welthe of my soule that yu wilt vouchsafe to perdō my boldenes, and to delyuer me quyte from all iniquities / offenses / & all maner of euyls: whereby in any tymes I haue or may any tyme hereafter offend or displease thy gracious goodnes. And thou (good lord) make me euer obedient vnto thy wyll and commaundement. And yt thou neuer suffre me (swete lorde) to be perpetually departed from the my swete lord & sauyour Iesu Christe, that wt the father & with the holy ghoste lyueste and reygnest very selfe same essenciall god / world without ende.
Amen.
O Souerayn lorde & sauyour Iesu / although I (most vnworthy wretche) now here do accede, presume & approche vnto this worthy sacrament of thy mooste [Page] precyous body and bloode: yet I beseche thy mercyful goodenes it neuer be vnto me condempnacion and iudgement: but vnto the profyte and auayle of the eterne and euerlastyng saluacion and helthe of both my soule & body.
Amen.
O Moost benygne & louynge lorde, how vyle, how wretched, and vnworthy am I to receyue so worthy a lorde, so royall a prynce, so myghty a kynge, so noble an Emperour into so pore a coysshe, not worthy to be called an house, & so ferre out of good garnysshe and due apparell? Surely moche and very moche, and moost vnworthy am I thereunto. But gracious lord I beseche thy goodnes that perfectly hast create and made all this worlde of nought, & with payne infinyte repayred our mortalyte. Create and make now [Page] in me a newe hart, and repayre, or rather new frame agayne and facion my hous, & adorne / appareyll garnylshe / and dresse or fornisshe it so as best may become or beseme thy maiesty / and best maye please thy gentyll hart. And of thy moost large and lyberall boūtye: vouchsafe (good lord) to receyue my wyll mynde / intent / and desyre, whiche (as here before thy goodly presence I affirme & confesse) is to receyue the worthely & accordynge vnto thy wyll and pleasure / vnto the whiche I wholly yelde / recōmende / & betake my selfe harte / mynd / and wyll / soule, & body. Not onely nowe for this present tyme: but also for all tymes for euermore.
Amen.
¶ A lytle before your cōmumon / a prayer.
O Lyuely flesshe and blood of my louynge lorde Iesu / the [Page] reuyuer & quyckener of my dethe. O precyouse foode immortall / the nouryssher & standerde of my lyfe. O very matter of my beatitude & blessednes. O fulfyller and whole contentacion of all my desyres: I beseche thy goodnes so worke in me thy grace: that by the receyuynge of this glorious sacramente I may be transformed & chaunged in to the (lord) thy selfe / and that I may lyue in the / repause & rest in the / loue the, lorde, alone / and that I maye thynke vpon the alone / & thou alone to be sole obiecte spirituall of all my wyttes / ye is to say / that I may haue no maner of delectacion nor pleasure to herkē or here any thynge: but onely the. Nor any thynge to se or beholde: but the alone. Nothynge to smell: but onely thy spirite / nothynge to taste: but onely thy swetenes, ne euer any thyng to touch, [Page] wt pleasure: but the, lord, alone. Be thou (good lord) alone ye whole boke of all my study & lernynge, and ye table of all my fode or fedynge. The bed also, or ye couche of all my rest & slepynge. And be thou (good lord) ye closet, arcke, chest, coffer, & casket of all my Iuels, treasure & ryches. Let, good lord, all my who le fayth & beleue be in ye alone. All my full hope & truste in the onely. And (in the also alone) all myne affectiō, loue, & desyre. In the, lorde, the ꝑfecte tranquilyte & rest of all my hart & mynd. And fynally, good lord, let the whole trāsformaciō & full exchaunge of bothe my soule & bodye be all in the. Se ye the more often here (by thy grace) I receyue the in this blessyd sacramente: the more fully and surely I maye (in euerlastyng blysse) possede, and wholy inioye the my swete lorde Iesu, that with god the father, & [Page] wt the holy ghost dost lyue & reigne very god for euermore. Amen.
⚜ Domine secundum actum meum noli me iudicare. &c.
Good lorde, do not iudge me after or accordynge vnto myne acte, workynge, or dede. For nothynge haue I done, worthy and acceptable in thy cōspecte and syght. And therfore I most lowly beseche thy maiestye that thou lorde god woldest put away myne iniquite and wyckednes. Wasshe and clense me lorde god from hensfort from myne vnryghtwysnes and all defautes, & make me clene frome all my synne & trespas. For I haue trespassed and synned vnto the good lord alone. And therfor, as I sayd byfore, I beseche thy maiesty that thou very God wylt put awaye myne iniquite and wyckednes / & supply, lord, all thynges yt myght by any meanes, promote me vnto [Page] this holy mystery. Amen.
HAyle very god & very man / and blessyd euer must thou be,Ex canone moost holy flesshe & sacred blod of Christe my sauyour Iesu / vnto me aboue all thinges moost hygh swetenes / moost delectable pleasure, and mooste syngular comfort. Be, good lord, vnto me both gyde and way / fode / and lyfe vnto the remedy of euerlastyng lyfe. Amē.
⚜ In nomine patris / et filii ⚜ / et spiritus sancti. Amen. And so receyue our lorde. ⚜
TAke good hede howe ye take in the hoste. For many done full rudely behaue them selfe therin. Some done catche ye hoost & snatche it out of the prestes hande with theyr tethe hastely, and so [Page] gnaw & chewe it as cōmune meat, but do not you so. Come therunto reuerently and dredefully, and wt sobrenes. Whan the preeste dothe put the hooste into your mouthe: open it well, and take the hooste vpō your tonge, and holde it styll a whyle, and than it wyll relent / & so you may fold it in your mouthe with your tongue, and receyue it down with as litle brusur of your tethe as you conueniently maye. And yf by chaunce the hooste do stycke and cleue vnto the roufe of your mouth: be not troubled therwith: but take pacience, and fuffre a lytle whyle, & thā may you lyghtely remoue it with your tongue / without any daunger. Than with good deliberacion take the chales & drynke after the custome whiche custume is in many places to stād vp to drynke, whiche thynge surely I do prayse very moche, for that [Page] is done in signe and token that no reuerence shuld be done nor gyuē vnto ye drynke, for it is no parte of the sacrament. And it is not requyred that you shuld drynke any thynge at all thereunto, for that drynke is taken onely to brynge downe the hooste wholy and clene into the stomake, and therefore it forseth not what lycour you drynke, but yt the custume is (for the honour of the sacrament) to drynke wyne. For ye loue of our lord (good deuoute christians) I beseche you take no hede vnto these new heretykes that done moue the symple people to requyre to haue, & to receyue the sacrament in bothe fourmes & kyndnes, that is to saye / of bread and wyne as the prest doth. But good people I praye you beleue stedfastly that in the last parte that you maye perceyue of the hooste sacred: is the very quycke [Page] body & soule of our sauyour Iesu god and man. And a quycke body (you knowe well) is not without both quyck flesshe & quyck blode, so that in receyuynge that sacred hoost or any part thereof: you verely receyue both the body & soule / all the quycke flesshe, and all the quyck blode of our sauyour Iesu. and the very selfe same flesshe and blode that was offered vpon the crosse for our redemption. And so don: you receyue ye same yt the prest in the masse dothe receyue at the aulter and he none other, neyther more or lesse than you do: but that he doth there consecrate & receyue in bothe the fourmes: because he doth there represent the persone of Christe, and doth there ministre & make that oblacion sacrifice & offerynge not for hym selfe alone: but for all Christianes, as Christe dyd. Not witstondyng yf the same [Page] preste shulde an other tyme out of masse be communed & houseled as you be: he shuld receyue as you do and none other than you do.
¶ And thus I pray you be content for this mater, and forthwith after your communiō: do not you as many do: renne forthe & make haste vnto brekefaste or dyner, or vnto bodyly recreaciō: but rather gyue some thankes vnto our lord, as becommeth a good Christian.
¶ A prayer to be sayd immediately after your communiō and houselynge.
IN moost hūble,Ex missale moost lowly and most harty louynge maner / with moost due reuerence I thanke the good lorde moost holy father eterne & euerlastynge God: that by the bountye of thy mercyfull grace woldest vouchsafe thus to refresshe and fede me with the brede of lyfe, the holy sacred body, [Page] & precyous blode of thy sonne our lorde god & sauyour Iesu Christe. And I beseche thyne infinite pyteouse goodnes: that this most high and holy sacrament of our saluacion that I most vnworthy wretche and moost vyle caytife haue nowe receyued: come neuer hereafter in iudgement & condempnacion vnto me for myne euyll merites & deseruynges: but rather (good lorde) it may come vnto the profyte and comforte of my body, and vnto the saluacion and helthe of my soule vnto the lyfe euerlastyng.
Amen.
¶ An other prayer for the same tyme.
MOost swete lord & sauyour Iesu, I beseche thy grace for ye vertue & in the honour of thy moost holy body and blessyd blode: whiche (althoughe moche vnworthy) I haue here now receyued graunt and gyue me the inwarde [Page] swetenes of thy charitie / whole & vnfayned loue of all good persōs, spirituall myght and strengthe in all temptacions, purity of harte, & clennes of cōscience, and in all my conuersacyon of lyfe: suche Christiane disciplyne / good maners / & behauyours: as may auoyd all actyue sklaunder & occasion gyuē. And also to be vnto all ꝑsons exā ple of good edificaciō. So yt by thy gracyouse guydynge and gouernaunce: I maye go forwarde and increace in thy religion, with perseuerant constancy, accordynge vnto that state & degre that thou (good lord) haste called me vnto.
Amen.
¶ A deuoute prayer / moche vsed vnto this sacrament, with the Englysshe after the Latine. ¶ The Antheme.
O Sacrum conuiuium, in quo Christus sumitur, recolitur memoria passionis eius, mens inpletur gracia. Et future glorie nobis pignus datur. Alleluia.
¶ That is to meane
O Meruelouse solempne and holy sacred feest, in yt whiche feest our lord and sauiour Christe is receyued. The memory and remembraunce of his passion: is renewed & called vnto mynde. Our soule / harte / and mynde is replete and fulfylled with grace and comfort. And the pledge and ernest token of the glory ande euerlastynge ioye & blysse to come: is vnto vs gyuē and delyuered.
¶ Alleluya.
¶ This Ebrew worde Alleluya of foure sillables in sowne and speakynge: is as moche to meane as though you sayd in Englyssh: All you people that ben here presente [Page] laude & prayse your creatour and maker.
¶ The versicle.
⚜ Panem de celo prestitisti eis.
Thou hast gyuē (good lord) vnto thy people this breade frome heuyn.
¶ The responde or answere.
⚜ Omne delectamentum in se habentem. Alleluya.
And this breade hathe in it selfe all delectament and pleasure.
¶ Oremus.
⚜ Praye we or lett vs praye.
¶ The collecte.
DEus qui nobis sub sacramento mirabili passionis tue memoriā reliquisti, tribue quesumus: ita nos corporis & sanguinis tui sacra misteria venerari, vt redemptionis tue fructum in nobis iugiter sentiamus / qui viuis et regnas deus. Per omnia secula seculorum.
Amen.
¶ That is to meane.
GOod lorde & sauyour Iesu, ye vnder this meruelous sacrament hast left vnto vs the memory & remembraunce of thy passion. Graunt vnto vs (we beseche the) so to honour & worshyppe the holy sacred misteryes of thy blessyd bodye & blode, that we therby may cōtynually vnderstande, perceyue and fele in vs / the fruite / & effecte / the profyte / and auayle of thy redemptyon lorde / that lyuest and reignest with god the father / in the vnitie of the holy ghost, very selfe same essenciall god, by all worldes of worldes.
Amen.
¶ A lesson for your masse tyme whan you be not communed or houseled.
YOu muste nowe remembre: that (as is sayd before) euery preste in the masse, dothe represent and vse: the person / and offyce of [Page] Christe / and doth in the same masse make oblaciō and offer the holy sacrament / not for hym selfe alone / but also for all faythfull Chrystians. And therfor euery deuoute louer of Christ, in clene lyue / couetynge / desyrynge / and wysshynge with feruoure of hart and mynde / to receyue there with the preste in euery masse the same sacramente: shall (doutles) receyue a greate effecte and vertue therof. Wherfore it may be for you moche meritoryous / & profytable: so (in the masse tyme / and specially towarde the Agnus) to prepare / ordeyne / and dyspose your selfe / with affectiō of hart / wt desyre & deuociō of mynd, & with ye charyte & loue of all your whole soule vnto your lorde & sauyour: as thoughe you shuld at ye same masse be actually cōmuned and houseled with the preste.
¶ A prayer for the same purpose.
O Moost swete lord and sauyour Iesu,Oratio doctoris Nydar pro communione spirituali thou knowest wel that I moche do couete, and with all my harte / haue greate desyre now to receyue this blessed sacrament. And wolde to god that (accordyng vnto my wysshe, and desyre) I were (vnto thy pleasure & in thy syght) so well disposed in my soule: yt now at this tyme / and euery day. And (if it myght cōueniētly be) many tymes in the day: I myght be able worthely to receyue it, But, lord, Thou knowest what I am, thou dost se and beholde my hart / my hole desyre of mynde & soule / is openly sprade and knowē before thy face / yet, good lord, I beseche the gracyous bountie and infinite goodnes, graunt me this one peticyon / that is / that I maye (nowe at this tyme / and in euery masse, receyue spiritually in to my soule / some effecte & vertue of this [Page] maruelouse misterie. And so to be parteyner of ye same / that my hart maye perceyue & fele the swetenes of thy godly presēce. And that my soule: all enflamed & fyered with desyre and deuocion / may swetly brene in thy loue. And so (without wastyng) to remayne contynually and to byde / reste and dwell / with the and in the for euermore. For thou alone, good lord, art my lord and my loue, my comforth & helth, my lust and my lyfe, my very god, and moost swete soueraigne sauyour Iesu Christe / that lyuest and reignest with god the father in the vnitie of the holy ghost euer with them one god: by all worldes of worldes.
Amen.
IT shalbe meritoryous for you to recōmende your frendes quycke and deed vnto your prayers / to haue communion, and [Page] to be partakers with you / at the wyll of god / as you wold be with them. And so (in word, or in mynd) to recounte them by ordre / after suche fourme as we shewed you / set forth in the goldē pystle.
¶ Syr I thanke you for all your charytable labours with me. And yf it please you, syr, I wyl put this vnto pryntyng as I dyd your tother lesson: that moo persons may haue comfort therby.
¶ Sonne I pray you so do. And here ben .ii. Alphabetes or crosserowes, & a prety pystle: all of my translaciō, I pray you rede theym and (yf you wyll) put theym forthe withall. And our lorde god, and moost swete sauiour Iesu wyll rewarde you who euer blesse you, & sende you the grace of perseueraū ce in his seruice and holy loue,
Amen.
¶ The Crossrowe▪ or A. B. C. ❧¶ Here done folowe two❧ opuscules or small werks of saynt Bonauenture / moche necessarie & profytable vnto all christiās specyally vnto religyous persons, put in to Englyshe by a brother of Syon Rychard whytforde. ¶ Alphabetum religiosorum.
¶ A lytle werke of many prety & deuoute lessons / set forth by saynt Bonauēture, after the ordre of the Alphabete / that is to say / after the letters of the crosrowe / or A. B. C.
¶ Amite.
AMor / in latyn / is Amite / or loue in Englysshe / which is a thynge necessarie / not onely vnto religious persones, but also [Page] vnto all christianes and commaū ded of almygty god: chefely to be had vnto hym selfe, and secondary vnto the neyghboure / wherevpon all lawe and lernynge doth hand as in thē cōprehended & cōteyned / for by the depe cōsyderaciō therof euery persone maye take occasyon to haue hym selfe in due garde & warenes, that he do not offende / and to kepe hym selfe sole & closse / without desyre of prayse or reputacion / but rather content to be set at noughte / wherin shall be more soule helth / than to be in fauoure of people.
¶ Benignite and beniuolence.
By the foresayde consyderacion / doth aryse benignite & beniuolence / so yt the persone shall vnto all other in god & for hym, be gētle / beningne & curteys / kynde / louynge and charitable, & vnto no ꝑsone ouer greuous ne cōberous.
¶ Custody.
CVstody of harte doth than folowe that is to say / closse keping of the mynde from all wauerynge / voyde & vayne thoughtes. And lykwyse the mouthe frome all voyde speche and ydle wordes: so also of all the .v. wyttes herynge / seyng / smellyng / tastyng and touchyng / all to be subdued & gouerned vnder the rygur of discipline and religious behauyour.
¶ Diligence.
DIligēce than is moche profytable in all maner of outward werkes / aswell in diuine seruyce / as in bodyly labours: neuer to be ydle / but euery where to be occupyed / & yet loue well solytude to be alone and to kepe sylēce with grauyte / for so maye a persone lyue in quietude and rest / & in moost clene conscience.
¶ Election.
ELectyon here vnto is necessary / that is to saye, yt a persone do electe / and chuse some certeyne exercyse (by syde duete) wherin they may be occupyed of continuaunce / and that alwaye for the cōmune welthe & profyte / and not vnto propre, or selfe auauntage or pleasure but rather to affecte and desyre pouerte, to lyue with a lyttell in scarcyte without murmure or gruge agayne them that vsed plenty.
¶ Flyght.
FLyght then doth well, folowe this appoyntment, that is to saye, to fle & auoyde the cōpany of all maner of suche persones as shuld be cōtraryous vnto that appoynted exercyse / for no persone maye both serue god & the worlde / ne be occupyed in thynges transytory and heuenly.
¶ Grauite.
GRauyte is a behauyoure in a persone, in wordes, lokes / coūtenaunce, in gesture, & suche other disciplines, whiche is a meane betwene lyghtnes, wātones, folysshenes, roughnes, cruelte, rudenes lummyng / lowryng / eluskyshnes / and such other: for grauite causeth euer a person to seme wyse / sadde / well manered / cōstant / and faythfull: and moche dothe edyfye the neyghbour / so it perseuer and continue as well in prosperite as in aduersyte / aswell in welth as in woe / in payne aswell as in pleasure, and euer to prayse & thanke our lorde / as well for the one as for the other / knowynge and beleuynge that he accordyng vnto right iudgement / doth alway dispence / mynyster and dispose vnto all maner of persons / without parcialite vnto the beste.
¶ Humilite.
HVmilite maye well be ioyned vnto grauite / for ye meke persone (the gospell to wytnes)Luc. xiiii. et. xviii. dothe obteyne and get grace & fauour both of god and man / & doth moost valiauntly chase and put to flyght the ghostly enemy / auoyde all synne / & mooste surely perseuer in all maner of vertue.
¶ Intencyon.
INtende well / meane well / purpose well: and you maye be sure to be rewarded well / for euery acte / werke or dede of man / is iudged after his intent: for yf ye intenciō (sayth the gospell)Mathei. vi. c be symple and without deceyte in wyll & knowledge / than is all the werke pleasaunte and meritoryous. And contrary / yf the intent be vycyate & blemysshed / than is all the werke after the same maner: for our lord beholdeth / pōdered and weyeth the intent of the hart & mynde, [Page] and he loueth moche the pure / clene / symple and iuste persones.
¶ Knowledge.
KNowe god by ryght fayth / knowe thy selfe / by due examinacion / by iust iudgement and ryght condempnacyon / know thy neygbour / by loue / kyndnes and charity. For charitie: of euery persone doth euer iudge ye best / know thy frende / and knowe thy foo: iudge no persone to be thy foo or enemye / but hym that doth consayle (entyce or moue the vnto synn or els that doth flater the and fauour thy defaut. And thynke thou those persones thy beste frendes that be moost playn wt the / and redy to reforme in the that is amysse. And beleue thou that they done moost profyte the: that done moost noye the / oppresse and kepe the vnder / and then yf thou sauour of the spirite and taste well howe swete the [Page] yoke is of our lord, yu shalt by that exercise obteyne moost ghostly pacience and meritoryous profyt.
¶ Labour.
Iob. v. b Iudith. v. ii. Duo xiiii. d Eccle. xxxiii. d LAbour here muste by our lyfe. For mā (sayth scripture) is born to labour, & the byrde to flye. By labour, payne, penaunce, & by many tribulacions haue all faythfull persons passed this lyfe. And by them onely / we muste entre the kyngedome of heuen: and contrary ydlenes / ease and pleasure in honour and delycacy: dothe teache a man moch myscheffe and euyll, and bryngeth him at the last vnto the pyt of perdycyon.
¶ Mercy.
MOche is ye mercy of our lorde / shewed vnto mā in many sondry wyse / & among all other specially vnto them that haue the spiryte of pouerte / that is to saye / a determynate wyll and mynde to [Page] be pore for the loue of god. And be voyde as well of all honours and hyghe rowme and degree: as of ryches & worldely goodes / for pouerte bryngeth a persone vnto me kenes / and the other bryngethe hym (by intycement and suggestiō of the enemy (to clymbe on hyght / to the intent and ende that he may fall farre and be sore hurte. Take and accounte pouerte therfore as a greate gyfte of the mercy of god, & who so euer duly doth gyue thā kes for ye lytle gyftes: shall mercyfully deserue to haue great gyftes.
¶ Noyance.
NEuer shulde a very christiane noye or hurt / ne yet despyse any persone / but rather (sythe by the gospell we be boūde to loue our enemyes)Luc. vi. [...] we muste be sory for the noyaunce / hurt and trouble of any person / & cōfort them in all we may / or els shall we be accounted [Page] as dysdeyners of other persones / extollynge or exaltynge and preferrynge our selfe.
¶ Oblacyon.
OFfre thy hart wholly vnto our lord. For that oblacyon is vnto hym acceptable and pleasaunte.
⚜Da mihi cor tuū & sufficit mihi. Gyue vnto me (saythe he) thyne harte / & that suffyseth / contenteth and is ynoughe for me. Spende therfore thy tyme with hym in his seruice / and iudge and thynke nothynge more precyous then tyme / wherin we maye here meryte & deserue to be where our tresure is / & our hart shuld be that is in blysse. Offre thē thy selfe for his sake vnto all persones / gentle / kynde, and curteys. And (asmoche as maye be conuenient) cōpenable / referrynge euer & applyenge all that is good: vnto our lord / and in all thynges [Page] folowe coūseyle with delyberaciō.
¶ Pleasure.
POndre and weye in euery thynge the pleasure of our lord / that is to meane / that in euery werke or dede we shulde fyrste consydre / and weye in conscience: whether that dede shulde please hym or no / and than neuer (for fauour ne fere) to do contrary vnto the conscience. And yf any doubte be in conscience: we must then leue the werks, for the tyme, and resorte & haue recourse other vnto holy scrypture / or els vnto the determinacyō of the church / or at the leste vnto sure / wyse and lerned counseyle, specially of our prelate or curate. And neuer shulde we truste syngulerly vnto our selfe / ne leyne vnto our owne wyttes / we shulde accustome our selfe to seme dumbe rather than to speake, & to be more gladde to lerne then to teache: to [Page] be reformed: then to reforme / & to byde secrete as an vnknowen persone: rather than to shewe our selfe, and appere outwarde after our owne propre estymacyon, and of deceyueable opynyon.
¶ Quyetude.
QVyetude & rest of mynd: is a great forderer of all maner of vertues, we shulde therfore study to quēch all yre, & to represse all hasty passiōs: as well ī wordes signes, tokens, countenaūce & behauyoure, as in outwarde dedes. And neuer shuld we take vpon vs to iudge, or to be busy, or to medle with other folkes maters, specially that nothynge done apperteyne or bylōg vnto vs. For the cōmune ꝓuerbe is.Ecclesi. vi. a In lytyll medlyng is moch rest. So thā we shuld neuer gyue occasion of vnreste, but rather study by ientle wordes: to appese euery occasiō gyuē for a swete [Page] and ientle worde (saythe the wyse man) slaketh yre, and multiplyeth, and makethe frendes / yet shulde we not vtterly flye and avoyde occasyon of vnreste gyuen vnto vs / as rebuke persecucyon, and suche other troubles: but rather shulde we ordre our selfe vnto pacience, for so (without synne) to folowe the commune maner, and to auoyde all syngularite: shall we best edify and buylde loue and charite, & come vnto perfectiō, and of all thynges: vnto quyetude of mynde: auayleth moch the clennes of cōscience. For if we do wel our duety in due tyme: our cōscience shalbe the more lyght, & our hart careles, & mery, and we so quyete in mynde.
¶ Rekenynge.
REturning oftymes, and hauyng recourse vnto the inward parties of our hart: we shuld (at ye lest) ones in the day recount, [Page] and make rekenyng with our lord and cōsydre how we spend ye tyme: that by the temptacion of the enemy / and by our owne fraylte and neglygency, specially in leauynge open our dores & wyndowes, that is to saye, our senses and wyttes, we royle not about ne wander or walke amonge the vayne pleasures and varyaunt desyres of the worlde. And that we suffre not suche ghestes to entre by our sayde wyndowes & dores, into the chambre of our mynde: that shuld noye vs, & by ryght loth, without vyolence and extreme laboure, to departe. To byde therefor with our lorde in the secrecye of sylence, and in precyse contynence of our sayde wyttes: is a great surety and redynes for our sayd dayly rekenynge and accompte. The Enlysshe prouerbe saythe. Ofte rekenynge holdeth longe fellowsheppe.
¶ Sobryete.
SObryete or sobrenes: is proprely a due temperaunce in meate and drynke, and oftymes it is taken for a moderacion, a due meane & discrecyō in all other thynges, & therfore it is necessary for all christians, specyally religyous persōes yt must (by theyr ordynaūce) euer take in fedyng rather som what to lytle, thā any thynge to moche, & also to be moderate, in aray, prouydent, ware, and wyse in wordes, honest in maners, and all behauyoure, sadde and charytable in conseyle. Strong in aduersyte, dredefull in prosperyte, meke, lowly & pacyent: in contuinely, rebukes & vpbraydes, in sorowe deiectyon & despectes: cherefull and tractable. And in all workes, sobre, dyscrete and moderate.
¶ Tymorouse.
Tymorate / or as communely is sayde) tymorouse: is as moch to say as dredefull & ferefull to offend. Iob the symple & dredefull persone / Iob. ix b. and of hygh perfectyon was (not withstandynge) in all his werkes dredefull. How moche more than shuld it become or byseme vs that ben frayle persones: to be dredefull / and euer in fere to offend our lord in the lest neglygēcy / offence or defaut / and neuer to presume vpō any good dede: ne yet to despeyre for any euyll or synfull dede.Prouer. xix c & Eccle. i b Eccle. i. b Prouer. xv. The begynnynge of all wysdome: is the drede of god, and in al our lyfe (after the wyse man) shuld we be dredefull. For he that dredeth god (sayth he) shal at his ende haue good passage. For the drede of god causethe vs to fle and auoyde synne / and moche helpeth & forthereth yt euery good dede may be done with due circumstaunce / [Page] & so be meritoryous. The dredeful persone wyll suffre & take peyne to please our lorde / and so shall the thynge that seamed very harde in the begynnyng: wax (in processe of tyme) lyght / easy and pleasaūt, for all peyne and trouble: taken and vsed for the kyngdome of heuen / is of great cōforte and gladnes.
¶ Vauntage.
VTilyte, profyte or vauntage, is to sell or to chaūge a thyng of small pryce, for a thynge of great pryce. Or contrary, to bye for lytell, yt is moche worth. The state of perfectyon (in this lyfe) is moche worthe / but heuen is more worth.Math. xix. [...] Our lorde & sauyour therfore coūseyled / & aduysed a person to forsake & sel all his wordly goodes to come here vnto the lyfe of perfection. And after he shulde also haue for them, the treasure of heuen. And yf a man haue no goodes [Page] to sell: yet may he bye heuē for a cup of cold water.Mathei. x. d An happy bargayn maketh he that for loue alone: doth bye our lord and sauyour Iesu, that by his crosse, bytter passyon & deth: bought all the worlde. Here you maye se moche gaynes & greate auauntage. Who wyll now forsake this bargayne: surely none that is wyse, happy or gracious, than gyue thy selfe man wholly for hym that gaue hym selfe wholly for the.
¶ Xp̄e. Christe.
Xp̄e: is a worde of the Greke tonge and wryten communely in Latyn with the Greke letters: as thus: Xp̄s, Christ. For this letter, X, with them, is with vs, Ch and this letter, P, with them: is wt vs, R, the other letters ben with vs and them in lyke both in forme and sownde. Christe in our tonge is as moche to saye, as a person [Page] oynted. And bycause we in our baptisme be oynted: we bē of Christe / called Christianes / so that we shuld of ryghte: dedycate our lyfe wholy vnto Christe / & he shulde be our very lyfe and our loue. Christ shuld be our lesson & our lernyng. Christe also our medytacyon and communycacyō. Christe alone our lucre / gaynes, profyte and auauntage. Christe our treasore / ryches / and our whole desyre. Christe all our hope and truste. For yf we put our trust: or any thynge desyre but Christ, we shall (sure) be deceyued / labour in vayne and neuer fynde rest. Let christe therfore vnto euery christiāe be all & fynally his meryte / rest & reward.
¶ ymnes
Y Is a letter of the Greke tō ge and neuer wrytē in Latyn / but yet it is wrytē in the Englyshe tonge and therfore done we wryte ymnes after the Englysshe maner [Page] An ympne or ympnes is as moche to say, as songe or songes / laude or prayse suche songes specyally as the churche doth vse in metres to laude & prayse god / and so done the angelles and holy sayntes in heuen. It becomethe therfore euery christyane to laude & prayse our lord, & to be diligent in his seruyce. And to consydre what differēce is betwene the seruyce of god / & the seruyce of the flesshe / ye world and the deuyll. Who so doth synne, is the bonde seruaūt of synne, and so felowe vnto the deuyll / and in the same state (for the tyme) with hym.Io. viii. d And those that bē all worldly ben seruauntes vnto the worlde, that is vnto auaryce, whiche saynt Paule called the bondage & thrall seruyce of ydolles.Col. iii. a And the carnall persones ben thralles & bond sernauntes vnto the flesshe, & so done they seruyce vnto deth, for ye flesshe [Page] is but wormes meate the corrupcion of ye bodye / & yet more stynkynge / and lothsom than of any brute beaste. It is foode of infyrmyte / the lyfe of synne / ye lodgynge place of fendes. It is ye enemy of the spirite / & deformyth the soule / desteyneth & blotteth christiāe disciplyne and all good maner & behauyour hyndreth & holdeth backe all maner of vertue. And ye flesshe is vnreasonable / so yt by no meanes wyl it be corrected and vaynquesshed or ouercom: but only by violence / cōsydre nowe what it is to do seruyce vnto suche a sorte. And cōtrary the seruyce of god is ye helthe of the body / the quietude and rest of the mynde / the conforte of conscience. The prudence and wysdom of the spirite. The promoter of vertue. The beaute of the soule / and the lyfe of heuenly blysse a dulce swete and pleasaunte ympne [Page] ympne to serue god with / is (with a louynge hart) to laude & prayse hym in euery tribulacyon.
¶ Zachye.
ZAche cometh of the Ebrewe tonge and is by interpretacyon as moche to say as a persone Innocent / pure / clene and iuste or ryghtwyse. And after some auctours: a persone iustifyed and makynge hast / & Zache: was the propre name of a persone / that (by the testymonye of the gospell) for the great desyre he had to se our sauyour: dyd clymbe in to a tree, because he was of stature very lytle, and that with great hast and gladnes: descended and came downe at his commaundement to receyue hym into his house / where (by our sauiour) he was iustifyed and rendred apt vnto ye way of saluacion. This name Zache than dothe well frame and agre vnto euery faythfull [Page] christiane / that by his professyon shuld be Innocent / pure and clene / glad by fayth to se and knowe our lorde. And redy with hast and diligēce to descende & come downe frome the hyght of secular science: and of all worldly state. And to receyue hym in to ye house of his soule, by true kepynge of his worde & commaundement / for vnto suche persons he promised to come with the father of heuē & with thē to make his mansyō and dwellinge place. And after therby to brynge thē to his owne celestiall paleyse / into the glory of eterne & euerlastynge blysse.
Amen.
¶ The conclusion.
LEt euery faythfull persone wryte this Alphabete A. B C. or crosrowe: in the boke of his harte as in the boke of lyfe. And euery daye / by day: loke there vpon and vse the maners / & effecte conteyned [Page] in the same. For here ben but fewe wordes / and short lessons but in misterye they ben great and the very way and werkes of perfectiō / wherwith euery persō may outwardely be adorned and garnysshed wt christiāe disciplyne / and good & godly behauiour. And inwardly moche / in the herte / & in ye mynde be quieted & rested / cōueyed and browght or led vnto ye grounde and begynnynge of all good perfectiō that is / that a persone shulde distruste hym selfe. Forsake hym selfe. Despyse hym selfe. Frō the whiche groūde: he shalbe takē vp / and promoted / profecte / and atteyne to the hyght here of contē placion / and spirituall felyng of our lorde god / and moost swete sauyour Iesu / which shall from that poynte and conclusion bryng hym vnto the full perfectione thereof (that is) vnto hys mooste ioyfull [Page] and blessed presence / whyther he brynge vs all ye bought vs. Amē.
❧An other alphabete. A. B. C. or crosrowe / in meter of the same holy saynt Bonauenture / moche praysed of many deuoute persones and therefore put into englysshe by the same brother of Syon.
A ❧ Alway loue pouerte / with vyle thinges be content.
B Be also in good workes: busy and dilygent.
C Couet nat moch to speake: but rather to kepe scylence.
D Deme in euery place & tyme: ye god is in presence.
E Euer loue wel to fast: and glotony to refrayne.
F Feestes for to folowe be lothe: and them dysdayne.
G Glad be with the gladfull / With wepers wepe in dolour.
H Humbyl be with the meke: thy betters honour.
I In euery thynge obey / namely vnto your prelate.
K Kepe charyte with all persones after theyr estate.
L Let your flesshe be kept vnder: brought lowe by godly drede.
M Mundify your conscience. so that you not excede.
N Neuer haue you propryete: but naked folowe Christe.
O Ouerpasse with burthē lyght: this worlde with all his myst.
P Pyteously remembre / the passyon of thy lorde.
Q Quenche onely for his sake: the glory of this worlde.
R Resyste strongly all vyce: and praye contynually.
S So receyue the sacrament: oft and moost reuerently.
T The mocyons of the mynde, represse. Ire mitigate.
V Vayne communycacyon: shet clene out of thy gate.
X Xpiste to kepe: couet you moost moche alone to byde.
Y You must (chylde) then / for his sake: set all this world asyde.
Z zele haue vnto his lawe / with feruent charyte.
& & forgyue you your foes all / as you forgyuen wold be.
ꝯ ꝯceyue here .ii. tytles mo. ii. preceptes / for ten.
Loue god and your neyghbour both: so conclude Est.
Amen.
¶ Thus haue we rendred the Latyn in sentence / after the same metre / in maner and measure. If you lerne perfectely this crosrowe you may the better spell and do togyther / and so more redyly rede. And fynally (by laboure) you may [Page] the rather fele / perceyue & vnderstande in ye schole of chryst / ye duety of a christyane / which I besech our lorde we may do all.
⚜Thus is ended ye two opuscles / or small warkes of saynt Bonauē ture / & hereafter foloweth a goodly treatyse: and it is called a notable lesson / otherwyse it is called the golden pystle.
¶ The prologue.
A Good holsome lesson and profytable vnto all christyanes / ascrybed vnto saynt Bernarde / & put among his warkes (I thynke) by some good man yt wolde it shuld [Page] therby haue the more authoryte / & the rather be red & better be borne awaye. For doubtles, it is a good matter / and edyfycatyue vnto all them that haue a zele and cure vnto soule helth & desyre of saluacion. It is called in the title. Notabile documentum: that is to say / a notable lesson. And some do call it the golden pystle. It foloweth immedyately after a lytell werke called: Formula honeste vite. The forme and maner of an honest lyfe, or of honest lyuynge.
IF you intende to please god / and wolde obtayne grace to fulfyll the same: Two thynges ben vnto you very necessarye.
The first you must withdrawe your mynde from all worldly and transytorye thynges / in suche maner [Page] as though you cared not wether any suche thynges were in this worlde or no. The seconde is / that you gyue and applye your selfe so wholy to god / and haue your selfe in such a wayte / that you neuer do, say / ne thynke / that you knowe / suppose or beleue shulde offende or displease god / for by this meane you maye sonest and moost redely obteyne and wynne his fauoure & grace. In all thynges esteme & accōpte your self most vyle & symple / and as very nought in respecte / & regrade of vertue and thynke / suppose and beleue that all persones be good / and better than you be / for so shall you moche please our lord. What so euer you se or seme to perceyue / in any persone / or yet here of any chrystiane / take you none occasyon therin / but rather ascrybe & applye you all vnto the best / and thynke or suppose all is [Page] done or sayd for a good intente or purpose / though it seme contrary. For mannes suppocicyons & lyght iudgementes ben soone & lyghtly deceyued or begyled. Displease no person wyllyngly. Ne euer speake euyl of any person / though it were neuer so true that ye saye. For it is nat laufull to shewe in confessyon the vyce or defaut of any persone / excepte ye myght nat otherwyse shewe and declare your owne offence. Speke lytle or nought vnto your propre & selfe laude or prayse / thoughe it were true / & vnto your familyer felowe or faythfull frēde. But study to kepe secrete & pryuey your vertue / rather thā your vyce. yet were it a cruell dede for any ꝑsones to defame thē selfe. Be more glad to gyue your eare & hearyng vnto the prayse / rather then vnto the disprayse of any ꝑson. And euer be ware as well of heryng / as speakynge [Page] of detraccyon. And whan you speake take good delyberacyon / & haue fewe wordes & let those be true & good / sadly set & wysely ordred. If any wordes be spoken vnto you of vyce or vanyte (as soone as ye may) breke of & leaue ye talke or cōmunicacyon. And euer retourne & applye your selfe vnto some appoynted good & godly occupacion / bodely or ghostly, yf any sodayne chaūce fall or happe vnto you or vnto any of youres / leyne nat lyghtlye there vnto / ne care moche therfore. If it be of prosperyte / reioyce nat moche therin / ne be ouerglad therof. If it be aduersite / be nat ouercast or ouerthrowen therwith, ne brought to sorowe or sadnes / thanke god of all / & set lytell therby. Repute all thinges trā sytory: as of lytell pryce or value. Gyue euer most thought and care vnto those thynges yt may profit & [Page] promote the soule. Fle and auoyde the persones and places of moche speche / for better is to kepe scylēce than to speke. Kepe the tymes and places of scylence precysely / so that ye speke nat without reasonable & vnfeyned cause. The tymes of scylence in religyon ben these. From collacyon vnto the masse be ended after the houre of terce. From the first grace in the fraytour / vnto ye ende of the latter grace. And from the begynnynge of euensong, vnto grace be ended after souper / or els Benedicite after ye cōmune beuer. The places of scylēce ben ye church and cloustre / the fraytour and the dortour / yf you be sclaundred / and do take occasyon at the defaute or offence of any ꝑson / then loke well vpon your selfe / whether you be in the same defaut sōtyme your selfe / and than haue compassyon vpon your brother or syster. If there be [Page] none suche defaut in you / thynke verely and beleue there may be / & than do as (in lyke), you wolde be done vnto. And thus (as in a glas) you may se and beholde your selfe. Grudge nat ne complayne vpon any person for any maner cause / except you se and perceyue by large coniecture that you may profyte & edyfy therby. Nother deny nor afferme your mynde or oppynyon styfly or extremely: but that your affyrmacyon, denegatiō, or doubt, be euer powdered with salt / that is to say / wysdome / discrecyon, and pacyence. Vse nat in any wyse to mocke / checke or scorne / ne yet to laugh or smyle but ryght seldome. And that alway to shewe reuerēce or louynge maner / lyght countenaūce or loude behauyour becommeth nat a sad person. Let your cō municacyon be shorte & with fewe ꝑsones / alway of vertue lernyng / [Page] or good and chrystyane edyfycacyon / and euer with suche warenes, that no persone in thynges doubtfull: maye take any auctoryte of your wordes or sentence. Lette all your pastyme be spended in bodely laboures / good and profytable: or els godly in study / or (that passeth all) in holy and deuoute prayer. So that the hert & mynde be occupyed with the same you speke. And whā so euer that you praye for any certayne persons / remembre theyr degree, state, and condicyon. For a forme & ordre of your prayer / this may be good and a redy waye. To folowe ye ordre of the .vi. grammatycall cases. The nominatyue / the genityue / the datyue / the accusatyue / the vocatyue and ablatyue. The nominatyue, that is fyrste to praye for your felfe / that you may haue ghostlye strengthe and constancye / that you nat fall in to any [Page] deedly offence by fraylte. And the ii. that you may haue right knowledge of god by fayth, and of your selfe by due consyderacyon of your estate and condycyon / and of the lawes of god / for your condyte & contynuaunce. And thyrdly that you may haue grace and good wyl accordynge vnto the same strenthe & knowledge / & that hauyng vnto god a reuerēde drede: you neuer offēde hym ī thought / word nor dede but yt ye may euer loue him for him selfe and all his creatures in due ordre for hym and in hym. The seconde is the genityue case. Then must you pray for your genitours / your progenitours and parentes / that is to saye / your fathers, your mothers spirytuall and carnall: as your ghostly fathers / or spirytuall soueraynes / your godfaders / your godmothers / youre naturall father and mother / your graundfathers [Page] and graundmothers / your brothers and systers / and all your kynne. In the thyrde place is the datyue case. There must you praye for your benefactours / good doers of whome you haue receyued any maner of gyftes spirytuall or temporall vnto the welth of your soule & body. In the fourth place is the accusatyue case where you shulde pray for your enemyes / such ꝑsons as by any meanes haue noyed / hurt or greued you / eyther ghostly or bodely / that is to saye / in your soule or maners by any suggestiō / intysynge / euyll counseyll or euyll example. In your fame or good name / by detraccyon / bacbytynge, or sclaūderyng / or yet by familyer companye. For a person comunely is reputed and supposed to be of suche condicyon / as they ben with, whome he hath conuersacyon and companye. And for them that haue [Page] hurt your body, eyther by strokes or by any other occasion haue hyndred the state & helthe therof. And lykewyse of your goodes or possessyōs. For all these maner of enemyes must you pray / that our lord god wolde forgyue them, as you do / and as you forgyuen wolde be: and that they may come to ryght charyte and peace. The .v. case is called the vocatyue: that is to saye the callyng case / where you conuenyently may call / crye and praye vnto our lorde for all maner of ꝑsones that ben out of the state of grace. Eyther by infydelyte, as turkes, sarasyns, and suche other / or els by erroure as all maner of heretykes / or els by any deedlye synne or offence to god. Pray for al these maner of persones that they may come to ye ryght waye of theyr saluacyon. In the .vi. & last place, is ye ablatyue case / where you must [Page] pray for all them that be taken out of this life / and that dyed or passed the same lyfe in charyte / and that nowe haue nede of prayer. In the which you may kepe a forme of the same ordre that is before / that is to saye. In stede of the nominatyue, where you prayed for youre selfe: you may nowe praye for all those yt do byde in payne for any defaulte or offence done by your example or occasyon. And for the genytyue in the seconde place / for your parentes and all youre kynne departed this lyfe. And in ye .iii. place for the datiue / pray for your benefactours passed. And for ye accusatyue in the iiii. place / you may praye for them that lye in payne for any occasyon or any example that they gaue vnto you. And in the .v. place / for the vocatyue. Praye for all them that haue greatest paynes, and leaste helpe here by the suffrage of [Page] prayers. And for the ablatyue in the .vi. and last place. Pray you for all soules in general. And that you may be the more apte to pray / call thre thynges to your remēbraūce / that is to say, what you haue ben / what you be, and what you shalbe. Fyrst by reason of your body: you were conceyued of the most fylthy abomynable mater of man / shamefull to be spoken / ferre more vyle then the sluch or slyme of the erth / & after borne a synfull soule / purged onely by grace. And nowe (as vnto the bodye) you ben a mucke hepe or donghyll more vyle then any vpon erthe / yf you remembre what doth yssue dayly & come forth out of the meates, ben yssewes of your body / & your soule is daylye in some synne or (at ye least) ful lyke to be. What you shalbe as vnto your body ye may se in experyēce / wormes meate and erth agayne. [Page] And what shall become of youre soule / no man in this worlde can assure you. To remembre than the ioyes of heuen, and paynes of hell / and that bothe be infynyte endles / and without rebate / but both euer encreasynge and neuer seasynge / neuer haue ease nor reste / but euer contynue and euerlastyng. To remembre than (I say) these thynges may greatlye moue you to haue your selfe in good a wayte / & study howe ye may auoyde the tone and and obtayne the tother. Remembryng specyally howe great a losse it is to lose heuen / and howe vncō fortable gaynes, to wynne hell / & howe sone and how lyghtly eyther of them may be goten or lost. Whā any thyng than of aduersyte / hurt, or displeasure fortune or fall vnto you / thynke than or ymagyne that if you were in hell / you shuld haue the same displeasure & many worse [Page] And so to auoyde those, you shall here (the better) suffre / and for our lorde the more pacyentlye bere all these that nowe be present or may come hereafter. And ī lyke maner / if any good prosperyte or pleasure happe or come vnto you: thynke then that if you were in heuen / you shulde haue that pleasure & many more excellent ioyes. And so for the feruent desyre of those ioyes / you shall set lytell by any worldly comfort or pleasure. A good contemplacyon therfore maye it be vnto you in feestes of holy sayntes (you may in one englysshe Martyloge breuely se the lyues of many sayntes for euery day in the yere) to thynke & recorde howe great paynes they suffred here for ye loue of our lorde / and howe short they were / & howe sone passed / and then agayne howe merueylous rewarde they had therfore in ioye and blysse euerlastyng. [Page] So the troubles and tormentes of good persons ben sone and shortly gone and ended. And the ioyes & and pleasures of synfull persones done soone fade and flye for euer. The good persons for theyr troubles suffred here vppon erthe / done gette and wynne eterne and euerlastynge glorye. Whiche the euyll synfull ꝑsons done lose. And contrary these euyll and synfull ꝑsones / for theyr ioye and pleasures here / done obteyne by exchaūge eterne and euerlastynge shame and rebuke / with payne & wo vnspeable. Whan so euer that you ben disposed to sluggysshnes, or to be drowsye / remysse in prayer or dull in deuocyon / than take this lytell werke / or some other good treatyse and rede therin / and euer note wel the contentes therof, and also what is ment therby. And yf you be nat therby delyuered or eased therof / [Page] than shyfte vnto some other werke or occupacyon, so yt euer ye auoyde ydlenes and all vayne pastymes / which in dede ben lose tymes. And then remēbre that those that nowe byde in payne, eyther in hell or yet in any other place conuenyent / for suche tymes so passed or loste / had leuer than all the world / haue such tyme to redeme theyr paynes by / as you may haue if you wyl. Tyme than vnto al persons well occupyed / is very precyous and dere. Beware well therfore howe you spēde it or passe it. For you can neuer reuoke it nor call it backe / if the tyme passe you by trouble and vexacyō / thynke they ben happy and gracyous yt ben past this wretched lyfe / and nowe in blysse / for they shall neuer haue any suche mysery. And whan you fele a confort or consolacyon spirytual / thanke god therof / and thinke the dampned soules [Page] shall neuer haue any suche pleasure. And thus let this be for your exercyse in the daye tyme. At nyght whan you go to rest / first make a count with your selfe, & remembre howe you haue spende or passed ye day and tyme that was gyuen you to be vsed in vertue / and how that you haue bestowed your thoughtes / your wordes & your werkes. And if you fynde no great thynge amysse: gyue the whole laude and prayse vnto our lorde god. And if you perceyue contrarye / that you haue mispended any parte therof / be sory therfore & beseche our lorde of mercye & forgyuenes / and promyse and verely purpose to make amendes the nexte day. And if you haue oportunite therupon / it shalbe full conuenient for you to be cō fessed on ye nexte morowe. And specyally if the mater / done / sayde / or thought by delyberate consent / do [Page] greuouslye wey and worke with a grudge in your conscyence / than wolde I aduyse you neuer to eate nor drynke / tyll you be dyscharged therof / if you may conuenyentlye get a ghostly father. Nowe for a conclusyon of this werke put before you / as by case or ymagynacyon .ii. large cyties / one full of trouble / turmoyle and myserye, and let that be hell. The other cytie full of ioye, gladnes, confort and pleasure / and let that be heuen. Loke wel on thē bothe, for in bothe be many dwellers & great companye. Then cast and thynke within your selfe what thynge here myght so please you / that you shulde chuse ye worse cytye, or what thynge shulde displease you on ye other party / wherby you shoulde withdrawe your selfe from the vertue that myghte conuey and brynge you vnto the other cytye. And whan you haue [Page] studyed well hereupon, & can nothynge fynde / I dare well assure you if you kepe well the preceptes and coūseyles of this lytell lesson / you shall fynde the ryght waye / for the holy ghoste wyll instructe and teche you where you be nat suffycyēt of your selfe / so you endeuoyre and gyue dilygence to bere awaye and to folowe that here is taught. Rede it euery weke ones or twyse / or oftener if you wyll. And where you profyt gyue thankes, laude & prayse vnto our lorde god & most sswete sauyour Iesu Chryste, who sende you his mercy & grace. Amē. ❧ We haue prynted this golden pystle agayne / bycause the other before, is nat of the trāslacyon nor edicyon of this auctor.
❧ This was brought vnto me in englysshe of an olde translacyon / rughe and rude, and requyred to amende it. I beseche you to take [Page] all vnto the best / and praye for the olde wretched brother of Syon Rycharde Whytforde.
♣ Syr I haue nowe done as you commaunded, and all is in prynt.
YOu haue done well chylde, god rewarde you. But nowe shall you haue yet an other lesson most profytable for you, that is / to make you prest and redy to dye and departe this lyfe. And howe you shall nat feare deth / but haue a dayly exercyse and experyence therof as foloweth hereafter.
⚜ Imprynted by me Iohn̄ Waylande / at London within the Temple barre / at the sygne of the blewe Garlande. Anno. M.D.xxxvii.
¶ A dayly exercyse and experyence of dethe / gathered and set forth, by a brother of Syon Rycharde Whytforde.
❧ Vnto the deuout reders.
IN our lorde god, & moost swete sauyour Iesu salutacyon. This lytle tretie, or draght of deth, dyd I wryte more then .xx. yeres a go / at the request of the reuerēde Mother Dame Elizabeth Gybs / whome Iesu perdon / thē Abbes of Syon. And by the oft callyng vpon / and remembraunce of certeyne of hyr deuout systers. And nowe of late I haue ben compelled (by the charytable instance and request of dyuers deuout persones) to wryte it agayne & agayne. And bycause that wrytynge vnto me is very tedyouse: I thought better to put it in print / wherunto I was the rather moued / that I perceyued by the prynters: you haue thankfully [Page] taken suche other poore labours: as we before haue sende forth. Rede this I pray you ones ouer & after as you lyke it is but very short: and therfore haue I not deuyded it into chapytours: but only into .ii. partes. In the fyrst parte wherof is intreated of the fere / or drede of deth to be excluded, exiled, and vtterly put awaye. In the .ii. parte is put forth. The dayly exercyse and experyence of deth.
❧ Of the dayly exercyse of deth the fyrst parte, whiche is of the feare or drede of deth / to be excluded, exyled and to vtterly be put away.
REuerende Mother, and good deuout sisters: you haue (many & oftentymes with great instance) requyred me to wryte vnto you some breue / or short lesson of deth, [Page] and howe you shulde prepare and ordeyne your selfe dayly therunto. This lesson is very short & playne after saynt Augustine:De tēpore serm. ii. c. xxxix. for he sayth, the lest lesson and the best meane to dye well: is well to lyue. For who so well lyueth (saythe he) may nat euyll dye. Then done, we lerne to dye well / whan we lerne well to lyue / and that lesson can you teche me better thā I you. For you haue longer vsed the crafte: and gyuen more dilygēce therunto. Notwithstandynge somwhat in parte to satisfye your deuout myndes: somwhat / after our poore vnderstandynge: shall we say. But fyrst (as semeth vnto me) it is necessarye & spedefull that we inforce and gyue dilygence to auoyde, exclude, exyle, and put ferre away: that chyldyssh vayne and folyssh feare, and drede of deth, that many persones haue: for doubtles it is both vayne and [Page] folye: to feare & drede that thynge: that by no meane, may be auoyded & yet some persones ben so afrayde of deth / that they shrugge, tremble and quake, whan they here speke therof: and renne or departe out of company / bycause they wyll nat here tell of dethe. And to excuse theyr folye they take auctoryte of Aristotle the great Philosophour:iii. Ethicorū. ca. i. tra▪ ii. M. xxvi. d. Mar. iiii. d. L. xxii. T ii. Co. v. a. that sayth: that of al terryble thynges, deth is moste terryble / & ouer that our sauyour byfore his passyon, was afrayde of deth, and naturally dyd abhorre it: for ye payne therof. Saynt Paule sayth also / yt we wolde nat be spoyled of our bodyes / and yet wolde we haue the clothynge of immortalyte vpon whiche / and apon lyke auctorytes they cōclude that deth is peynfull, and therfore to be feared and dred. For declaracyon hereof: you must vnderstande that the drede of deth [Page] may be taken .ii. wayes, for .ii. causes / one for the payne that is in the departynge of the soule / and the body by deth. And an other waye / or cause: for the vncertente of the houre of deth and of the state of ye ꝑson in that houre, or tyme. This feare & drede of deth shulde euery person haue euery houre. But as vnto the fyrst feare that is for the drede of ye payne in deth, that feare is vayne. For in deth is no payne, or ryght lytle to be feared / as after we shall shewe. Arystotle sayth in dede:Vbi su. that deth is terryble & fearefull / but that is vnto them alone (sayth he) that doubt of any other lyfe after this present lyfe. yet say they: that euery man doth abhorre and lothe dethe:Obiection. and dothe what he can, to auoyde deth / and to prolonge lyfe / and that is generall in all lyuynge thynges / Aunswere. vnto that I say, that nature dothe worke / and [Page] cause in all thynges: the apperyte and desyre to be contynued and to endure: and last for euer / and therunto dethe infors as muche as nature may / other in them selfe or in theyr frute and kynde. But therof doth nat folowe that any peyne is in deth: ne any feare or drede to be takyn therfore. As by example of trees and frutes as well as of sensyble bestes. The trees when they wexe olde, don naturally put forth newe sprynges from the rote: and the frutes: when they be grene and yonge: wyll nat departe from the tree: nor the sedes from the herbe / or grayne, excepte vyolence: but when they ben full rype / then wyll they naturally of them selfe / and by them selfe departe without any vyolence. So is it in man: after a lyke maner: that when the person is in nature yong: grene, lusty, and stronge / and in the body conformyte [Page] / and lyke state of complexcyons: deth is then horrible hugsum, and fearefull vnto the persone bycause it is then vyolent. But when the persone is full rype: that is to say / worne by age, or sekenes, vnto the point of deth. Then is nat deth vnto that person, any thynge lothsome, fearefull, ne peyneful / but rather swete, pleasant, and desyrous: and so sayth Arystotle in his boke of naturall philosophye. Mors senum,Phi. v. dulcis est. Iuuenum vero: violenta. The dethe of aged persones (sayth he) is swete and pleasaunte / but the dethe of yonge persones: is vyolent and greuous / yet say I: that the feare is nat for the peyne of deth in departynge of the soule. For then is no peyne / but all the peyne is in the sekenes disease / and affliccyon before dethe. For the persones that (as I sayde) ben worne or wasted vnto the poynte: [Page] done dye, and departe this life: nat only without sorowe or peyne: but also with gladnes, swetnes, and pleasure. And so sayth ye same philosophour Arystotle in an other boke.Aristot. de vita & morte. & Cicero. i. Tusc. And so dothe also an other greate philosophoure / and lerned Tullie. And I dare well say, that in dethe is lesse peyne vnto suche persones: then is in the prycke of a pynne, or nedyll vnto a whole persone. The feare than that our saui-had before his passyon / was nat for the peyne of deth: but it was of the fraylte of our nature in his carnall flesshely parte for the paynes that he knewe wel shulde precede / and go before dethe. And ye peyne doth our sensualyte / and our carnall parte / alway abhorre / & feare naturally: all though in some persones more / and some lesse. For you may se in experyence / that some ꝑsones ben redy to swone or talme / [Page] yf they se an other ꝑsone sore woū ded / blede, or put vnto great peynes / & some done shake for feare / whā they here tell howe some other persones shal be racked, and streyned. And some persones wyll abhorre to loke vpon the instrumentes, or ingyns of tourmentrye: as chyldren whan they se the rodde, or whyppe. Deth therfore is nat to be feared / nor dredde for any peyne that is therin. Many done dye, & departe this lyfe: nat onely (as we sayd) without peyne / but also with desyre, and pleasure. Which thyng we haue before,Probacyon by reason. proued by auctoryte / and good reason / wyll conclude the same. For yf peyne be in dethe / that peyne muste nedely be / other in the body, or in the soule. But in the body (at the poynte of dethe) is no peyne. For than ben all the senses and wyttes of the body: wherby he shulde feale peyne or pleasure [Page] / gone and departed: & the bodye than in suche case (as for fealynge peyne) as whan it is full dede. And as vnto ye soule / deth is nat peynefull but rather pleasant, and ioyfull / as a person that long had ben in prison / and then were sodenly loused and put at lyberte.De bono mortis. For (as saynt Ambrose sayth. The soule is in prison / whyle it is in the body, & therfore is it glad to be delyuered by deth. And to saye trothe, whan the poynt of deth approcheth and draweth nere bothe the partes (in maner) ben glad to deꝑte in soūdre / that is to saye,Marowse they cal in the coūtr [...] .ii. housbād men that done tyll their lāde together the soule from the body / & the body from the soule / as by example of .ii. marowes or .ii. suche persones that muste nede labour bothe to gether vnto such an effecte / & purpose / as can nat come to pas and be fulfylled by one of them alone / then at nyght, or when theyr purpose is ended, they ben [Page] gladde,wher the tone is nat able therūto alone with out helpe to depart vnto theyr owne propre whomes, logynges and places. So is it of the soule, and the body / that here as .ii. marowse or mates done labour to gether as in an exyle or straunge countrey (for as saynt Paule sayth) non habemꝰ hic ciuitatem manentem / we haue nat here (sayth he) any cytie or dwellynge place / and whan that labour of them bothe to gether hathe fulfylled the course of nature vnto the periode / & poynt assygned of god / than done they gladly depart eueryche towarde his propre whome / that is, the bodye vnto the erthe, from whens it came.Gene. iii. d. And the soule vnto heuyn / except it be letted with any synne, which may neuer entre into heuen. Thus haue we proued vnto you bothe hy auctoryte and by reason / that in deth is no peyne, and so that no feare shulde be taken of any, or for any suche peyne. [Page] yet shall I go forther, and proue ye same by experyence.Probacyon by experyence For lady experyence hath shewed oftymes / vnto many persones, that in dethe is no peyne. For some persones haue ben in traunce / that for the tyme haue had a large experyence of dethe / whan the body was so desolate of the soule / yt the body felt nothynge ne any thynge perceyued by any of the senses, or wyttes / and yet hath the soule (in the same tyme) sene / & perceyued the state of heuen, hell, or any other place.ii. Cor. xii. a. Saynt Paule was so in suche rapte / yt he coulde nat tell him selfe whether the soule was in his bodye, or nat. And that was a large and nere experyence of dethe / but yet nother he, ne any of those so takyn in traūce, or rapt / haue made any mencyon of any peyne in theyr rapte: ergo there is no peyne in deth. Swonynge also or talmynge / is (in maner) a dethe / [Page] syth the body (for that tyme) is destytute / and voyde of all the wyttes and some in suche swones, talmes, done expyre, dye, and departe this lyfe. yet those that done suruyue / recouer, & lyue agayne / done euydently shewe what peyne they had, or suffred / that so departed in theyr swone, or talme / but they confesse / and say playnly: they felte no maner of payne / but rather a greate ease of all peynes: ergo in dethe is no peyne. Some ꝑsones also haue expyred and dyed slepynge (which I doubt nat) shulde haue ben waked, yf a pynne or a nedell had ben thraste, or put through theyr eares or yf fyre had brent theyr fynger / ergo no peyne in deth. Let vs yet go vnto a forther experyence of deth.Io. xi. d. Lazare brother to Magdalene and Martha (as the Gospell sheweh) was dede .iiii. dayes, and yet reysed by our sauyour (& many [Page] haue ben reysed by myracle. I knewe, and spake with one suche my selfe. But nothynge haue I herde / or redde of any peyne that any of them suffre in dethe / ergo, no peyne in deth, and so doth saynt Ambrose plainly / affyrm in a boke that he wrote of the goodnes and profyte of dethe.Amb. de bonomor tis & .ii. li. de Cain et Abel. cap. x. The feare (sayth he) that the frayle persones haue of dethe / is rather by ye opinyon that they conceyue of deth / then for the selfe deth. Bycause they haue sene, or herd tell of many great paynes, syckenesses, and passyons yt many done suffre before theyr dethe / and that causeth theyr frayle flesshe to abhorre,De bono mortis. cap. viii. and to lothe deth / bycause of those peynes and greues. And specyally suche persones as haue a loue inordynate vnto the vayne pleasures of this present lyfe. And those also, that ī a whole body, haue a sycke soule / & foyled conscyence & [Page] moste done they feare dethe, that halte and ben faynte in the faythe. And no meruayle thoughe suche maner of persons do feare,In tusvbi sup. & drede deth. For (as ye lerned Cicero sayth) yf theyr lyfe had nothynge cōmyttes ne done / that were to be feared, they shulde of dethe haue no drede: wyse men done feare synne, whiche is the acte / and dede of quycke, and nat of dede persones. We shulde (sayth saynt Ambrose) feare & drede our life / the actes and dedes wherof,De bono mortis. de supra. done appertayne and belonge vnto our selfe / and ben ī our owne power and at our owne will / & nat feare dethe yt is nother in our wyll, ne power. For whether we wyll or nat: that is / wyll we, nyll we expire / and dye / nedely we must.De remedis fortuit corū & Cice. vbi supra. Than (as we sayd before) as the wyse mā Seneke saythe / it is great foly to feare and drede that thynge / that by no meane maye be escaped ne [Page] auoyded. And who so euer wyll remayne in suche feare or drede,Cicero vbi sup. shal neuer lyue in quietude and rest of mynde. Wyse men sayeth Cicero / done nat feare dethe / but rather done they contemne, dispyse dethe / & set nought therby / which thynge doutbles, doth moch auayle, ꝓfet,In tusc. vbi sup. cōfort, & strength any person whan so euer deth shall approche, drawe nere, and happe vnto hym / specyally if he be a feythfull christyane.Cicero vbi sup▪ For who so euer nat onely bycause deth is necessarye, and can nat be auoyded / but also bycause that in deth is nothyng to be feared / doth dispyse & set nought by deth / that person / sayeth he / shall for a surete haue a great succoure and helpe, here to lyue quietly / and whan the tyme shall come, to receyue dethe gladly / and after this present lyfe ioyfully to lyue / and blessedlye. ❧ Note here howe great courage [Page] and conforte this pagane gyueth men, to dispyse / and nothynge to feare dethe. Well syr, say you / this is soone sayd, or soone spoken. But yet is nat dethe so soone dispysed / ne so lyghtly set at nought. For we se, & beholde many men / that shuld haue stronge hertes, & more boldnes than we women, and such also that ben taken, & supposed for wyse & well lerned men / that ben moche affrayde of deth. Ah good systers / you muste consydre and call vnto mynde / that men ben made of the same metall, that women ben / and yt amonge them some ben as feynte herted as women / & therfore take no hede vnto them.Cicero ī tuscu. vt supra. For althoughe a bolde and hardye herte do moche helpe vnto the contempte, and dispisynge of dethe / yet maye you by the examples and counsels of holy fathers / ingender & make in your selfe a more stronge boldnes and [Page] hardynesse spirytuall therunto / & specially by conforte and counsell of holy scripture / whiche, as a phisicyon, dothe cure ye feynt and feble hertes, withdraweth all vayne & frutles cures and cares / and delyuereth the frayle herte / from the delectable poyson of all worldly & flesshely pleasures / and so putteth awaye all feare and drede.Vbi sup. Reason also, as they said Cicero saith, doth nat lytle auayle vnto the cōtempte of dethe, whiche as it were by certayne preceptes, or reules doth cō firme / & reyseup the feynt cowardouse herte. But aboue & beyonde all thinges, whole and pure fayth, stronge and stedfast hope and perfecte feruent charyte / done moste helpe thereunto. For these do nat onely exyle, exclude, and putte awaye all feare and drede of dethe with the moost hyghe contempte therof / but also done ingendre and [Page] gette a feruent couetous desyre of dethe.Philip. i. c. Saynt Paule vnto wytnes sayenge. Cupio dissolui, et essem cū Christo / I couet, sayeth he, and desyre / to be dissolued and departed from this lyfe, to be with Chryste / for faythe dothe teche, assure, and gyue certayne knowledge of an other lyfe to come after this lyfe which shall be more pleasaūt without cōparacyon, than this lyfe is. For to say trouth in this lyfe is no maner of pleasure,Amb. lib. ii. de. Caī St Abel. Capi. x. Augusti. Catho. without some maner of passyon or payne goynge before, or folowynge after. And therfore saynt Augustyne sayet / it shulde rather be called a deth than a lyfe / & contrarye this deth shulde be called lyfe / because it is the ende of all dethes (yt is to saye) the ende of al myseryes / all sorowes, all syckenesses, all diseases, all troubles / all paynes whiche in them selfe ben dethes.Ambrosi s de b o o mortis. capi-viii. et. Boetius de coosolatione .i. i. Cor. xv And also because it is nat onely ye ende of all euylles / but also [Page] the begynnynge of all that is good as of all felicyte, ioye, gladites, cō forth, and pleasure / & of lyfe euerlastynge. For as by this wretched lyfe is one passage vnto dethe / so by this dethe / is oure retourne vnto lyfe / for yf we shulde neuer expyre and dye / we shulde neuer ryse to lyfe agayne. And yf we neuer ryse, we shuld neuer be rewarded in our bodyes / for ye great miseryes & paynes that we done here suffre in them for the loue of god.i. Cor. xv And if that were true / than were we, as saynt Paule sayeth / in more myserable state, and in wors case than any other people. But our faythe doth make vs sure and certayne of resurrectiō, where we say. Carnis resurrectionem / that is to say, I beleue the resurrexion of our flesshe and bodyes / as in our commune Crede. Hope also doth helpe moche vnto the dispysyng of deth. [Page] For whan a person hath full fayth that god maye and can do all that he wyll / & that he is of suche goodnes that he dothe loue vs all: than doth hope folowe that faythe / and so dothe verely trust and byleue to haue (after or in the sayd resurrexion) euerlastyng rewarde, and that rewarde shall be good and pleasaunt, ioyouse and confortable. It shall be a great rewarde, as moche as may be desyred or gyuen / it shal be all god hym selfe. And this rewarde than muste nedely cause a great loue, that is charyte, & very charyte / and loue dothe nat onely dispyse deth / but also causeth a feruent desyre therof. Here some persones done saye syr / yf we were certen and sure of that rewarde after our deth / we shuld set lytle by deth, and be content and glad to depart: wherunto I saye, that all we may be sure therof, yf we wyll our selfe. [Page] For our lorde hath frely gyuen vs that grace,Augusti. that we may wyll and so wyllynge & disposynge our selfe therunto: he may nat of iustyce / ne wyll of his goodnes withholde it from vs.Diuus Thoma. i. sent. That rewarde thā he ordeyned and promysed vnto them that loue hym / & done worke there after. Well syr say you, it is harde so well to worke in this lyfe / that we may come vnto that rewarde without payne, after this lyfe: and that payne is it / that feareth vs more, than dothe the payne of deth / and causeth vs to be so lothe to dye, and departe hens. For we wolde lyue lenger to amende our lyfe, and to do penaunce to auoyde or (at the least) to minysshe & make lesse that payne. Vnto this I saye true penaunce done for the loue of god / may as well in short tyme as in longe, auoyde or minysshe that payne / as is euydent in hym that [Page] hange by our sauyour on the crosse vnto whom he sayde. ♣ Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso. Thys day shalt thou be with me in paradyse: it is than nother the longe tyme: nor the short: nor yet the penaunce that dothe put away: or make lesse that payne of it selfe: but the loue of god / for whose sake that penaū ce is done, and that loue may be in a persone feruente in shorte tyme as well as in longe / and all the penaunce that is done,Grego. probatio a mortis. is nothynge but a profe of that loue / & so as longe as we byde in this corruptyble sory bodye we must loue / and euer proue that loue by contynuall penaunce and good werkes forsakynge all synne. For els is all the penaunce & the workes voyde and loste. But yet foloweth nat therof that we shulde desyre longe lyfe ne shorte, but as he wyll. For to gyue vnto god frely, fully, and [Page] holly our wyll / so that we haue no wyll but his, is the greattest gyfte yt we can gyue vnto god, and the thynge yt he chefely requireth & desyreth of vs / for he doth nat desyre our affliction ne penaūce / but gyue me saith he thyne hert: & that suffyseth me. Than so to gyue vnto him ye thynge yt he fyrst gaue frely vnto vs: that is fre wyll, is yt thyng that may best auoyde or make lesse that payne. And so to say, thynke, & wyl that yf he wolde haue vs longer in payne / we shulde consent and wyll so to be / & yet forther, we shuld rather chuse & desyre payne ꝑpetuall after his wyl: thā ioy euerlastyng, contrarye vnto his wyll. And this wil may be had ī fewe yeres & short tyme. To wyll than,Marcu. trismeg. ad Esclo pium. and to desyre to be with god / by longe or shorte payne or withoute any payne, as beste shall please hys gracyous goodnes / is the best meane, nexte [Page] remedy and moost sure waye to auoyde, fle, and to minysshe payne / and in that wyll (without feare, & drede of deth / or rather dispysynge deth) to tary, byde / & in euery thing to suffre his wyll & pleasure / euer redy for dethe, and lokynge euery houre for deth, with feruēt desyre / and wysshe to be with hym, and to abyde here / for nothynge, but only for hym / so yt he be (as saynt Paule sayth) all our lyfe / and deth (for his sake) be vnto vs lucre,Phil. i. gaynes, wynnynge and auauntage.In Tus. The pagane Cicero sayeth, that a wyse man wyll neuer feare dethe. The reason why is: that deth by reason of vncertayne chaūces, doth dayly and hourely fall happye, & sodenly come vnto euery sorte / degre, and maner of ages / and also because of the shortnes of our lyfe, dethe can nat be longe absent from vs. For (as saynt Ambrose sayeth) we may [Page] be in certente: that yf we lyue very longe: yet shall we dye shortly.De bono mortis. ca. 1. &. ix. For the longest of our lyues, is very shorte / and specially, yf we compare it vnto the longe life of eternite: than is it nothynge nat so moche: as one mote vnto the whole erthe / yet the commune people, whan a yonge person departeth doth saye: oh alas,Vbi su. it is pytie that such a ꝑson shuld dye thus, and departe before his tyme / but hereunto he doth answere. Before the tyme, sayeth he / what tyme done they meane? other that tyme that they wolde set and desyre: or els that tyme that god hathe determyned and appoynted? If they meane theyr tyme, I wyll nat dispute ne reason with them. But if they meane goddes tyme / than wyll I saye / that almyghtye god dothe nat gyue lyfe vnto any ꝑson for euer / as his owne thyng: but rather dothe lende it. As dette [Page] be payde, whā so euer it shalbe axed, and nat at any certayne day appointed / and as the detter may vse the dette so lent, whyle he hathe it / and yet hath no wronge, although it be axed soner than he wolde, or yet than he supposed. So in lyke maner god hath lent euery person lyfe, but he poynted no daye whan he wyll axe and haue it agayne / & that he dyd bycause he wolde that man shulde be alway redy to paye, whan so euer he were called vpon. Howe than may any person complayne or grudge, whā so euer he is taken by deth / syth he receyued life by that condicyon▪ yet syr say they / the credytour and lender is called harde, that calleth for the dette before the borower haue any gaynes, or profet therof / & so done we thīke that god dealeth hardely with the yonge persones / because he taketh theyr lyfe, before they haue any [Page] pleasure thereof. Hereto nowe (saye I) they done suppose (by erroure) that is nothynge trewe / that is, that in this lyfe shulde be pleasure / whiche in very dede well consydered, is contrarye (that is to say) displeasure, payne, miserie, wo, and dethe. And therfore those persones that come to dethe in theyr youthe / ben moch bounde to thāke our lorde: that hath delyuered thē from those incommodytes and miseryes, that they shulde haue had and suffred in lenger lyuynge. And here the cōmune people suppose an other great errour, that is / yt longe lyfe shulde be good and pleasaunt, where in dede longe lyfe taketh awaye all maner of goodes & pleasures of this lyfe / that is to say, the goodes of fortune / as landes, possessyons, golde, syluer, and other good es, and cattell. For age in longe life spendeth all / and getteth [Page] nothynge.Cicero vbi sup It taketh away also the senses and wyttes of man / as hearynge, syght, smellynge, tastynge, and touchyng / with the other goodes of nature: as youthe, strength, beaute, and agilyte / nymlesse and quickenes. And yet the goodes that ben more precyous and dere than al these: that is to say, memorye, and remembraunce / reason & vnderstandynge, connynge, and knowlege / & maketh many tymes the wyll frowarde. And doth rendre and make whole man, bothe in soule and body: full dull in deuocyon and in all maner of goodnes and vertue, wherfore the wysman sayd.Ec. vi. b. Better is he and more happy that dyeth at the mothers wombe forthwith after his byrth / than is he ye lyueth longe. No person therfore of any age hath wrōge by deth for euery person (by ye lawe of syn̄e) is in the fyrste day of byrthe, or rather [Page] in the fyrst day of lyfe mortall and subdued vnto deth / and in the fyrste daye of lyfe, euery person begynneth to dye.Augusti. And therfore is it nat agayne the lawe for any persō to dye at any tyme, yonge or olde. Let vs therfore (good deuout chrystyanes) put clene away and vtterly exyle this frayle and fals opinyon of deth / and let vs thynke verely, and beleue / that in dethe is no wrōge, but all ryght: no payne, but great pleasure,In tus. vbi sup. all good & nothyng euyll. For (as the oftsayde Cicero sayth) howe may that thyng be vnto any person euyll, and hurt? that almyghty god hath ordayned vnto all persones indifferentlye / for theyr good and profet: and as the ende of all euyles? Good lorde, thā howe curragyously & gladly shuld that iourney and voyage be interprysed & taken / whiche ones made and finysshed no care, newoo / no [Page] thought ne busynes / no turmoyle▪ ne trouble, no slryfe ne debate / no payne, ne disease / no vexacyon, ne displeasure may remayne ne folow but vnto them that well hope / shal wel happe / what tyme so euer they go. But yet ben they most happye / and gracyouse, that (in state of saluacyon) done dye, and departe this lyfe, in theyr youthe / and strength. For vnto them (immedyately after theyr deth, must nedely folowe one of these twayne (that is) that they must go streyght way vnto heuyn: or els vnto payne. If they go vnto payne / than the soner they dye / & the shorter tyme they lyue: the lesse there, and the shorter tyme shall be theyr payne. And ouer that they shall haue the greattest comforde that any creature may haue beyng out of heuyn. For the whiche comforde to be had: any faythfull person wold be glad to suffre any maner [Page] of most cruell & horryble payne or passyon (that is to say) surety of saluacyon.Sāctus Thoma. iiii. sent. di. xv. q. .iii. ar. l. For all ye soules beynge in payne ben cōmunely sure, & certayne of theyr saluacyon, that whā theyr penaunce is paste, and theyr synnes purged / they knowe for certente they shal go into heuen vnto euerlastynge ioy and comfort. But remembre that I sayde / they ben communely sure & certayne of saluacyon. For it may be, yt some one, or fewe soules haue nat that knowledge / but that god (for some specyall offence / and for a speciall payne & punysshement therof) doth hyde, & kepe that knowledge from them, as we haue in the reuelacyons of our holy mother saynte Byrget. And that payne is more alone, thā all the paynes of the other soules. For that sure knowledge of saluacyon,Live. vi. c. xxxix. r. is vnto them a synguler confort in all paynes, and dothe cause [Page] them to suffre ye paynes with good wyll in ye charyte of our lorde: glad to suffre moche more at his gracyous wyll and pleasure. If those that departe this lyfe, go streyght vnto heuyn: than ben they ferre more happye that from the miseryes of this wretched worlde: they be come vnto the pleasaunt possession of so great vnspekeable ioye. For you may be sure it is an excellente ioye, to be there in companye with the pure virgynes, the holy confessours / the gloryous martyrs / diuyne apostles, sage patryarches / bryght shynynge aungels / and the virgyn mother our blessyd Lady, and all these to se and beholde with our reuerende lord, and souerayne sauyour Iesu Chryst / And all before the presence of the blessyd Trinyte / father son & holy ghost, there prayenge all for vs, and lowly besechinge ye hygh mageste eterne, & [Page] euerlasting god. For al mākynd I thīke & verely beleue yt any faithful christiane, wold be glad to expire & suffre dethe euery day newely / if it were possible, & oftimes in ye day, so he were sure yt he therby myght atteyne & come vnto ye pleasure / why thā (nowe I speke wt stomake) why for shame, shuld we as cowardes or chyldren fere & drede deth? specially sith deth is nothīg, but like vnto a slepe. For ye old philosophours said yt slepe was a very ymage of deth: & as one mā may knowe an other by his ymage althogh he had neuer se ne hī before:ii. Mac. xii. Iohā. xi. Iob. so may we know what deth is by ye ymage, which is slepe: & so is it called also ī scripture ī diuers places, & our sauiour him selfe said: ye lazarꝰ slept whā he was ded / & deth also is called a shadow / but your ꝑceyue wel & se, yt folkes bē nat afrayde of a shadow, nor yet of step nother. For oftimes we slepe wt our [Page] feare or drede, and without any payne or grefe / but rather with desyre and pleasure / why shulde we than feare deth? syth we so euydētly done se & perceyue by the ymage howe lytle dethe is to be drede / let vs therfore put awaye this opinyonatyue feare and drede of dethe / and syth it dothe dayly approche & wayte for vs: let vs agayne with glad mynde and redye good wyll, abyde and wayte for it, and haue therof a thurst and a desyre / rather than any feare or drede: howe be it (of a suretye) dethe is than lest feared, and most desyred: whan ye lyfe of the persone / may (at the tyme of deth) be of sure and vnfayned godly frendes / conforted with the true testymonye and prayse of vertue / wherfore (good deuoute chrystynes) althoughe your reason & lernynge be nat sufficyent to cause or to perswade you / vtterly to dispyse [Page] deth / yet let your well spente lyfe & clere conscyence, perfourme and so satisfie you that you be perswaded: and verely beleue as a trothe euydent and opyn vnto you / that to lyue lenger were more miserye / & that your lyfe hath be verey longe or rather ouerlonge. If it had pleased our lorde: before and erste to haue called you. Thus now (good Chrystianes) let vs without any care of deth, leaue the carnall mournynge, and waylynge therof / vnto our suruyuyng frendes / that with lamentacyon / and shal inteere and burye our bodyes. And let vs take an other maner of care and dilygence / to prepare, apparell, and to order our selfe vnto that thynge yt we knowe well, no persone shall auoyde nor escape / byleuynge and trustyng verely, that he that made vs of nought / and whan we were lost, wold so derely bye vs agayne / [Page] wyll nat suffre vs to dye. But rather (as I sayd before) to chaunge this wretched lyfe, for an other more precyous and ioyful / & onely to be desyred. All this hytherto haue I sayde to the intente that you shulde exyle, exclude, and put away ferre from you, the commune feare full fantasye of the odious opinyon of deth / and somwhat to ingendre, and bylde in you a contrarye opinyon. A couetous desyre to be with our lorde.
Amen.
❧ Nowe shall folowe the seconde parte of this interpryse / of the dayly exercyse and experyence of deth. ❧ Of the exercyse and experyence of dethe. The seconde parte of this interpryse.
FIrst you must knowe, what is exercyse / and what is experynce / & howe by them you may come vnto the knowledge of deth. An exercyse (than) is an acte dede & an vse of workynge or laborynge. Than done you exercyse vertue,Defini. of exercice. whan you put it vnto vse and workyng therof, & the exercyse of deth / is the acte and vse of the workyng therof.Defini. of experyence. 1. Meth. Experyence is a knowledge that without any maister or techer is founde out and gotyn, by exercyse and vse.Ibidem. And by many experyences sayeth Aristotle arte / crafte or connynge is ingendred and gotyn, so ye experiēce (as he sayth) doth apꝑtayne & by long proprely vnto singulare ꝑsones & art craft or cō nyng vnto al ꝑsōes. And although that artcraft or connyng yt is called speculatyue may be had by lerning of a techer, or by dylygent studye / yet this arte or craft that we speke [Page] of here must nedely be had, by experyence / and experyence, by exercyse and vse. So that yf you wyll haue the actyue knowledge of dethe / by the arte and crafte therof, you must begynne fyrste at exercyse and vse. And yet can no man put a thynge vnto exercyse / without some introduction and leadynge therunto / other by techynge, studye, or naturall disposicyon. you muste than knowe fyrst what the thing is that you shall put in exercyse / and so to haue experyence, and knowledge therof (yt is to say) you must knowe what dethe is / or what is ment by this terme, or worde dethe. For the selfe terme deth dothe signifye / and is taken dyuersly ī dyuers maners Somtyme dethe is taken, & called a chaunge of lyfe. So the cōmune people done often vse it, as whan they say of a deed person / he is nat deed (say they) out he hathe chaunged [Page] his lyfe / and so dothe saynte Ambrose say, as we shewed before.De bono mortis. And yet chaunge of lyfe is called deth in dyuers other maners. As whan a person dothe fall by synne frō good lyfe vnto the state of damnacyon or contrary / whan he doth aryse by grace from synne vnto the state of saluacyon.Ro. vi. [...]. Saynt Paule dothe shewe bothe vnto the Romaynes / as whā he sayeth that in our baptysme we ben buryed with Chryst vnto deth from synne / and we byleue we shall aryse agayne with Chryste vnto a newe lyfe of grace.Rom. i. [...] And for the tother parte he sayeth, that occasyon hathe deceyued the frayle person / and so hathe slayne hym, & brought him to deth. This chaunge of life is,Augusti. that spirytuall dethe / that (as saynt Augustyne sayeth) doth departe god from the soule. For god is the lyfe of the soule / & whan god than is (by syn̄e) [Page] departed there from, the soule is deed. And this is the deth onely to be feared & abhorred / as the worste dethe of all dethes / and yet to saye trouthe, there is none other dethe euyll / except onely that dethe that must nebely folowe this deth / that is to say, the deth of both body and soule eterne and euerlastyng damnacyon. The other maner of dethe: that I spake of / that is: the chaūge of euyll lyfe vnto good / and of the whiche (as I sayde) saynt Paule wrote vnto ye Romanes:Rom. vi. is a good deth / whiche you and euery faythfull persone haue exercysed and oft put in vse, by reason of the holy sacramentes. And whan nede shal requyre, ben redy so to do / whan I speke here of euyll lyfe to be chaū ged: I meane nat the state onely of mortall or deedly synne. For many persones, that ofte done vse the sacramētes / done lyue without [Page] any deedly synne / but I meane the lyfe spotted wt any vyce or synne.Mercu. trismeg. For a great clerke sayeth. Omne donū nostrū, mixtum est cū malo. Euery thinge good that is ours / & doth appertayne vnto vs, is mixed or myngled wt euyll. So that our whole lyfe, is euer mixed, coupled, & cumbred with some vise & euyll / which natwithstandynge may (by the grace of ye sacramentes) be dayly purged, and so our life chaūged / and we therby haue ye exercyse, vse, & experyence of this deth. But yet is there an other maner of deth called of lerned mē, meditatio mortis / that is to meane ye meditacion (that is to saye) the cogytacyon, thought and remembraunce / the busynes, tractacyon or intreatye, mencyon, & disputacyon of dethe. Tota vita philosophorum, meditatio mortis est. All the whole lyfe of philosophers: and wyse men (saye they) is [Page] the cōmentacyon, remembraunce, & mencyon or disputacyon of deth / oft mencyon, remēbraunce / oft disputacyon, and discussyon of any thyng doth cause it to be the better knowen.Cicero. Macer. libro. i. de somno Sipiōis. Eras. in Euchr. And men cōmunely wyll make oft mencion, speke, and talke often of that thyng wherunto they haue desyre, loue, or haue good mynde and affection. And cōtrarye they wyl nat here tell of that thyng that they hate, and loue nat: and so is it of many persones that wyll nat here speke, ne any mencyon made of deth. And yf (by chaunce) any mencyon be made of dethe agayne theyr myndes and wylles / they wyll lyfte vp the hande and blesse them, or els murmure out softly: some supersticyous prayers as though they harde speke of the deuyll / or of some abhomynable & cruell dede. And certaynly it is no meruayle thoughe suche persones [Page] be affrayde to dye, and lothe therunto / because they be nat acquoynted with deth, nor be exercysed therin. But as (in case) a person yt longe tyme had layne fetred in prysone / coulde nat for lacke of exercyse go faste, ne renne whan he were newly put vnto lyberte / so these maner of persones, wrapped in the worlde / & fetred in ye flesshe / can nat quyckely and couragyouslye for lacke of experyence: walke the way of deth, whiche natwithstādyng they must nedely trede / & passe whether they wyll or no. Lacke (I say) of exercyse vse, and experyence / causeth these persones to feare and drede dethe. As by example, chyldren and some women, or such ꝑsones neuer had experiēce ne knowledge of a bugge that is a personage, that in playe dothe represent the deuyll at ye fyrst syght / ben moche affrayde therof: in so moche that some ꝑsones haue [Page] ben in ieoꝑdye to lose theyr wytte & reasō therby. But whā they afterward haue knowledge what it was & by vse haue experiēce therof: they ben than nothyng affrayde therof, but rather done take pleasure ther in. So is it of them yt haue nat the experiēce of deth / bycause they will nat take, but rather wyll they fle / & auoyde / ye vse & exercise therof. But & yf they knewe what / & how great profet there is in ye exercyse / meditacyon & oft recorde: & remēbraūce of dethe: they wolde nat fle nor auoyde it: but rather with studye & diligence gyue & applye them selfe dayly therunto.Ec. i. d. Psalmꝰ. xxxviii. The wysemā saith. Fili memorare nouissima tua. &c. In al thy werkes sone (sayth he) remembre thy laste ende / and thou shalte neuer offende god. The prophete therfore prayde vnto our lorde sayenge. Notum fac mihi domine finem meum. Good lorde [Page] (sayeth he) let me haue knowledge of my last ende, as though he sayd. Good lorde gyue me grace that (by the dayly exercyse, and meditacyō of deth) I may haue an experyence and knowledge of my last ende: & euermore to be redy therunto / accordyng vnto thy wyll & pleasure. Nothyng is more valyaunt to expell and put awaye synne from the soule: nor yet more profytable to replenyssh & garnysshe the soule with good vertues: then is the dayly exercyse, & meditacyon of dethe. But howe to put & apply them selfe vnto that exercyse, all ꝑsones can nat tell. For many that fayne wolde haue and vse the meditacyon and exercyse of deth: haue nat the way, ne knowe any fourme or fassyon therof. And yet ben there dyuers fourmes and wayes therof and all good. For some persones:One maner of exercyse of dethe. Tho. done go no forther, but to remembre [Page] and thynke that deth is the payne of syn̄e inflycted, iudged & appoynted by almyghtye god, vnto our fyrst parentes: and therfore due & ryght vnto all theyr posteryte, folowers, and of sprynge: so that no man after them dyd euer escape deth / ne neuer man shall, vnto the day of generall iudgement: & therfore sure it is that we must dye: but whan or howe we can nat tell. To haue therfore a dayly exercyse of deth. I shall set you here .ii. fourmes of this exercyse.An other fourme or maner of the exercyse of dethe. The fyrste fourme is this that in some conuenyent tyme of the day or nyght appoynted and chosen for this exercyse: you shall ymagyne, call vnto remembraunce and so set forth before the eyes & syght of your soule: howe you haue sene or herde of a person that hathe ben condemned by iudgement, vnto bodely dethe: as to be brent, hanged, or heded, or [Page] suche other. Than saye or thynke vnto your selfe: what and if I were in suche case: as that person was I knowe well, and knowledge vnto our lorde: yt I haue deserued more cruel dethe (for euery deedly synne, is worthy more payne / than any worldly payne) or els yf you were in suche case as you haue dremed in your slepe, or herde of dremyng / that you shulde forthwith go vnto the execucyon of deth, without remedye: howe than wolde I do / or howe shulde I then, or were boūde to do for the saluacion of my soule / or yf euer you haue sene or herde of the maner of them that ben nere vnto theyr passage / & lye drawyng vpon vnto deth. And the people about some wepynge & mournyng / some cryenge, and callynge vpon the sycke / to remēbre our lorde god and our moste swete sauyour Iesu Christ / our blessyd lady with other [Page] holy sayntes. And remembre howe yt sycke is than cōbred with syckenes and payne: so yt he can do lytle for hym selfe / all weke, feble, & infirme. And howe than, the ghostly enemye the deuyll wolde prese: and come in before you wt a foule sorte of vgsum souldiours / & assayle you in many sōdry wyse / lay before you the multytude of your synnes & all your omyssyons of suche good dedes as you might haue done / wherof you were neglygent, and all to brynge you vnto dispeyre of your saluacyon: & that you shulde leaue your faythe / and haue no hope ne trust of mercy. Thā remēbre what cōfort it shulde be vnto you at that tyme / yt you had prepared & made redy before hande for all these maters / & howe oftymes you had sene in your soule all this conclusyon: & howe often you had reasynge vp your frayle hert dispysed deth and [Page] nothyng set therby / & how you had apointed / to beleue yt ī deth is none euyll but great good / and that you thā shuld make an ende of al mysery & shortly cōe vnto a better state. Thā begyn to say vnto your selfe. I wil now ī helth study, & exercise my selfe wt this fourme: & specially how I shal answere ye lothly best yt fēde. I wyl now ī this tyme p̄sent: for ye tyme of deth yt nedely shall cōe / left vp my hādes & hert vnto my lord / & besech him of grace & succour / & thā wil I besech ye good blessed lady mother of mercy: my good angel wt my holy patrōs there namyng such saintes as you haue in most synguler deuocyon: & all ye holy sayntes of heuen, to be there p̄sent with me to ayde, confort, & to strēgth me agayne yt cruel best. And as vnto my syn̄es say you I haue gadred them al togeder (as ferre as I can remē bre) & brought thē vnto ye ston there to be polysshed, rubbed, & scoured [Page] (that stone is the holy sacrament of penaunce) that by the merytes of Chrystes precyous blode / hathe wasshed awaye my synne. For I knowe well that one drope alone of that most holy sacred blod, were sufficyent, and ynoughe / and ferre more than ynoughe / to wasshe and clense all the synne of the worlde / and yet shed he all his blode euery drope. And therfore (nowe at this tyme for and in stede of that tyme: I put ye precyous blode with his bytter passyon and his most cruel / and shamefull deth / bytwene me & all the synnes that euer I dyd in thought, worde, or dede, & betwexe me and his wrath and displeasure. And hauynge full fayth and trust vnto his promyse (that is) that he wyll gracyously receyue all penytentes vnto mercy: I now for then boldly prouoke the and deffye the most cruell and false fende, and I [Page] straytely charge yt in his holy blessed name Iesu: that if you haue any thinge to lay vnto my charge: shewe it nowe: tell it out. For thou shalt nother confoūde, ne feare me / nor yet disconforde me therwith / but rather do me great pleasure to put me in remembraunce.
❧ If I haue forgoten to confesse any thynge worthy penaunce / that I may nowe (vnto thy confusyon / shewe it and with the wyll at the lest) & desyre of perfect contricyon, and with indignacyon: I may cast it at thy face amonge all the other synnes yt euer I dyd by any meanes / whiche synnes I vtterly forsake, as nothynge appertaynynge vnto me. For I am gracyously bathed, wasshed, and clensed in the precyous blode of my souerayne sauyour Iesu Chryst. And therfore I bequethe and commytte all my synne, vnto the cruell best / the auctor [Page] & begynner of all synne: with the to remayne from whēs it came and whether it shall / in the & with the eternally to be punysshed. And than leauyng him there: turne vnto our lorde god, & vnto our swete sauyour Iesu. And as yf you were than, at the poynt of deth / are hym hertely forgyuenes of all your offenses / and beseche his goodnes of mercy and grace, & pray ye sayntes (as I sayd before) to pray for you, and than (yf you be goynge vnto rest, whiche tyme is most conuenyent for this exercise) blesse you thus In manus tuas cōmendo spiritū meum: redemisti me domine deus veritatis. In nomine patris & filii, & spiritus sācti. Amen. Makynge a crosse wt a holy candell yf you haue it present, after the maner that you haue / ī your boke for housholders. And thus do .iii. tymes together / and so go vnto reste as you shulde [Page] go vnto your grace. This exercyse (good deuout soules) is nat to be dispysed / for by dayly vse and custome / it shall ingēdre and bylde in you a great boldnes, and hardynes. So that whan so euer naturall dethe shall approche / you shall than, nat as a woman or chyld, but as a very man / as a stronge and myghty champyon thus surely armed / stande styfly without feare, or drede, and lytle care / or rather set nought by deth / but vtterly dispyse dethe, as euery houre and tyme redy therunto.An other exercyse of dethe. But nowe we shall lede you forth vnto an other exercyse of dethe more hygh & excellent thā this / & so to haue experyēce of ye deth / that more proprely is called dethe / wherby you shall nat onely without fere or drede) dispyse deth, but also (as an hongrye ꝑson) you shall haue an auidiouse & gredye appetite to thurst & wyssh for deth. [Page] And with a feruent mynde, and flamynge desyre / you shall langour mourne and longe for deth. Sayenge with saynt Paule.Phi. i. [...] Cupio dissolui et esse cum Christo. I couete wysshe, & wyll, to be dissolued from this presente lyfe, and to be with Chryst. In this exercyse: you shall nat onely haue the experience / and the full arte, scyence, connyng, and knowledge of dethe / but also the very practyse of dethe / so that you shall euery day (whan you wyll) be as verely deed / accordynge vnto the very definicyon of dethe. For deth (after all auctours) proprely taken is.The definiciō & determinacion of dethe. A departynge in sondre / of the soule and the bodye. To departe than the soule from ye body: and to rendre and put eyther vnto his propre and naturall place / is the very practyse of deth. The propre and naturall place or whome of the soule, is heuyn. Wherof saint [Page] Paule sayth.Heb. xiii. c. Non habemus hic ciuitatem manentem, sed aliam inquirimus: we haue here (sayeth he) no dwellyng place / but we do seke and serche for an other place.Gen. iii. c And the naturall place of the body, is ye earth / for thens it came, and thyder it muste agayne / whā so euer than the soule (by dilygent study) is occupyed wholly in heuēly thynges / and the body lefte without the senses or wyttes / that is without hearyng, seynge, smellynge, tastynge, and touchyng / than is that person as deed. But that a person (for the state of this lyfe) may be in suche case / the philosophours done shew & determyne. Tullie sayeth.Plato. & Cicero in tusc. i. quest. Fieri potest, vt oculis, et auribus apertis: nihil videamus ne (que) audiamꝰ. It may come to passe (sayeth he) yt thoughe our eyes & eares be opyn: yet shall we nother se, nor here. Many a holy person (as saynt) Katheryne [Page] of Sene and dyuers other) hath ben so depe in contemplacion that the body (for the tyme) was wt out the senses, so that whan they were prycked wt pynnes, or nedles, they nothynge felte. So than this exercyse, standeth al in contemplacyon, which thing who dayly vseth shall be so experte, and practysed in deth / that whan so euer it shall approche and come, it shall be no new thyng vnto the ꝑson. For betwyxt naturall deth, and this deth of contemplacyon, is lytle difference. For as the person that exspireth and departeth this lyfe / dothe leaue and forsake all this worlde, and all the care of kynne or frendes / as father mother, syster, and brother, neyghboure / & the whole pleasure of all. So doth the person, that is deed in cōtemplacyon for that tyme / leaue the body as a lumpe of claye without any mynde, care, or thoughte [Page] therupon / or vpon any other bodely or worldly thyng / wherfore whā dethe cōmeth (as I sayd before) it shall nother be newe, nor straunge vnto ye person that hath ben dayly exercised therin / & that had so large experyence therof, and often practysed the same. But as you haue herde of .ii. marouwse that (for tyllynge of theyr lande) done laboure sore all day together, and at nyght theyr labours fynished and ended / done thankefully, and gladly eche departe frō other vnto theyr owne whomes, howses, or dwelling places: so doubtles done the body and the soule, whan theyr labours ben accomplysshed and at an ende / and the due tyme commen / they done gladly and ioyfully departe, eche vnto his propre whome / the body vnto his naturall place the erthe. And the soule as a prisoner newly losed and put vnto lyberte / [Page] doth ren streyght forth hyr redye race / hyr knowen cours / hyr tryed and ofte troden path, and her well vsed way vnto her propre and naturall place / that is heuyn. But here nowe you wyll are of me / in what maner of contemplacion you may best put this deth in exercyse / and so to haue the said experyence / and practyse of dethe, wherunto I answere that (althoughe you can teche me that lesson better than I you) I wyll sende you vnto ye lytle werke that I deuysed vnto youre cōmunyon, or howselynge. For to wryte and setforth all that here agayne, shuld be superfluous. Specyally syth this werke is so lytle yt you may (with small coste) ioyne or bynde it with that werke. And therfore haue I caused it to be prynted of ye same volume. And yet because you shal nat fynde the ende of this lytle werke all naked and bare / we [Page] shall make you a breue and shorte remembraunce of these thynges yt there ben sayd in effecte, althoughe nat after that same ordre.The order of this deth & cōtemplacion Fyrst thā purposynge at that tyme to haue the very experyence, and practyse of deth / remēbre depely from whēs you came. For you were nat, ne be of your selfe. Than remembre that whan you had a beynge / what you were / a filthy lumpe of slymy erth / and yet agayne, whan that slymye clay was fourmed and framed vp with your soule / and you a reasonable creature / & therunto a creature most noble except aungell / yet were you but an hethen hounde / vnto ye tyme you receyued ye grace of baptisme. Than remēbre whan, where, howe, and of whom / and by whome you had all that you nowe haue & all that you euer shall haue that is or shall be good / and you shal fynde (by reason) and perceyue [Page] that you hadde neuer / ne haue, or shall haue any thynge of your selfe but euyll. For whan you were nothynge, you had a begynnynge in your mothers wombe / and that by synfull generacyon with ful fylthy and lothesum mater / thus you se whan, where, and howe (that is) whā you were nat, you had beyng: where? in your mothers wombe / howe by synfull concepcyon. Of whome thā had you al, of our lorde god alone. And by whome, & what meane? Certenly by the meane of our lorde & sauyour Iesu Chryste, the seconde person in Trinite very essencyall god one / and the same selfe substaunce, and nature with the father, and the holy ghost. Se well, beholde, and consydre who it is that hathe done for you: howe excellent the person is. And than for whom he dyd. For you of whom he had no nede / nor you any thyng [Page] had or coulde or might do for him / but all he dyd for loue, and of mere charyte / and that also for his enemye / and so beynge in depe prison, neuer to be delyuerde, but by hym alone. Nowe consyder, and pondre well who this persone is / and than loke vpō your self make collacyon / & cōpare both together, although there may in deed, no cō paryson be made. yet se, & beholde howe great & mighty a ꝑson he is / how lytle, & howe infyrme & feble a ꝑson you be, howe wyse, & how well lerned he is / & howe lytle lernynge & wysdome you haue, how ryche he is: & howe poore you ben / howe excellēt & noble he is, & how rustycall a vyllayne you be / howe goodly a ꝑson he is, and howe vyle & fylthy you be: how kynde & louyng he is: & howe churlysshe, & frowarde you be. And to conclude, he most hyghe god / and you a wretched worme [Page] of the earthe he all: and you ryght nought. After this collaciō perceyuyng what maner of ꝑsones bothe ben: than pondre and wey, what & howe moche he dyd for you. Fyrst he left (in maner) all heuyn for you: and here toke vpon hym your nature / & so made you a great estate / cosyn and of kynne vnto almighty god. And yet dyd he serue here for you: nat onely .vii. yeres: as Iacob for Rachell: but for a worse & more lothsum than Lia, all the dayes of his lyfe / and here begyn to remembre that lyfe of our sauyour. After some suche auctours as we haue named in the other workes / or at the least vnder suche a shorte fourme as we haue set forth in the boke of housholders. Thus his blessyd incarnacyon, his ioyfull byrthe / his paynefull circumsicyon: his honorable epiphanye / his legall presentacyon / his sorowfull [Page] flyght into Egypt / his cōfortable retourne and commynge agayne in to his coūtrey / his meruaylous and lerned disputyng with the doctours at .xii. yeres of age, his lowly obedyence vnto his parentes, his educacyon & bryngynge vp vnto ye age of nere .xxx. yeres his baptisme his fast in wyldernes / his temptacyon there of the wycked spiryte & his victory. The callynge eleccyon and chosynge of his apostles and discyples, prechynge, techynge, labours, and miracles / & his manye wrongfull repreues, rebukes / and infamyes of the iewes, and theyr malicyous awaytes / his solempe soper / his most meke minystrye / & seruyce in the wasshynge of the fete of his apostles. The worthy consecracyon of his blessyd body & blode in the whiche sacrament, all his apostles were made preestes / & had the same power, his most swete sermon [Page] & his tediouse agonye / whan he swette water and blode / his fals betrayenge (by Iudas) and his takynge his presentacyon vnto the bysshoppes Annas and Cayphas. And the cruell dealyng of the rues & the presentynge of hym (by them) vnto Pylate, & by hym vnto Herode by whom mocked and clothed in a whyte fooles cote / he was sende agayne vnto Pylate and by hym examyned, and without cause founde: put naked and scourged & arayde with a purpure garment & crowned with thornes with a rede in his hāde as a sceptre al ī mockeage & scorne brought forthe before the iewes & by their crye, & request: put agayne into his owne clothes & condemned vnto deth his paynefull beryng of the heuy crosse / his fatigacyon / and feyntynge vnder the same, so that he fell vnto the grounde / his crucifixon & naylyng [Page] vpon the crosse & his pytefull hangyng vpon the same his deth with a lowde crye. The woundynge of his hert after that deth his takyng downe, & buryall, his gloryous resurrection & apperynges / his meruaylous ascencyon into heuyn / where he toke for you possessyon of ye place: yt was prepared & ordayned for you, before ye cōstitucyon & ordynaūce of ye world. Here you may remembre ye cōmodytes of ye place: whiche in hit selfe is moste hyghly beauteous, fayre, goodly, and pleasaunte aboue that can be thoughte vpon erthe and of all thynges that ben in this worlde, is there plentye and aboundance without any nede or wante possessyon is there of the lande that neuer shall decaye / & ryches that neuer shall be minisshed or made lesse. And as vnto ye cōmodites of the body & goodes of nature there is youth, euer [Page] florysshyng fresshe without age or any miseryes therof. Beaute and fayrenes, without any deformyte / or fadynge. Myght and strength, without debilyte or feblenes helth without syckenes, or disease / all pleasure and neuer payne. Euer myrth without any mornyng, euer gladnes: and neuer sadnes. Euer ioy, and neuer sorowe of all thynges cōtentacion without any murmure or grudge. Euer loue, and neuer hate. Euer charyte, and neuer enuye, mercye, pitye, and compassyon / without any crueltye, or vnkyndnes. Euer vnyte and peace and neuer varyaunce: ne debate. Euer trouth and fidelite: without any falshed or deceyte. Euer iustice equite: and ryghte / and neuer oppression / ne wronge. Euer due honoure / and reuerence & neuer dysdayne ne dyspyte. And to conclude there is al that is good / and neuer [Page] euyll. And of all these thynges: constant durans,i. Cor. ii. without any mynysshynge, mutabilyte or chaung. And yet ben there mo cōmodytes thā eare may here, eye may se, tōge may tell, or any herte may thynke. whiche almyghty god hath ordayned for them that loue hym. And yet there is vnto all these cōmodytes, lyfe immortall, & euerlastyng. And yet forthermore, you may cō sydre in what company / and with whom you shall vse, and inioye the sayd cōmodytes. There shall you fynde your holy patrones / suche sayntes, as you dayly haue serued / the pure company of virgynes / the cōfessours, and martyrs / the innocentes, the apostles / ye patryarches & prophetes. And ye goodly bright company of angels / al redy to present you vnto our lady the blessyd gloryous virgyne Marye / and by her with them to be recommended [Page] & cōmitted vnto her dere sone our lorde / & moste swete sauyour Iesu, which wyl nat disdayne to receyue you most beningly & gently & so to rep̄sēt & offre you vnto ye p̄sēce of his most worthy father which (by him) is also your father. Se now (good deuout soule) beholde, & loke wel & inwardly, ꝑceyue where you nowe ben / & wt whom. With your lorde & maister / your very father & brother your gouernor & gyder / your helpe & cōfort your only refuge, & succour your inward loue: your whole hert & desyre, redemer & sauyour, your creature & maker, your god & all your good: with all ye holy sayntes & angels of heuyn in ye presēce / & before ye throne of ye gloryous trinite, ye father ye sone & the holy ghost .iii. distinct ꝑsōs, & one nature one substāce one essencyall god. Se nowe (I saye) and take hede where and with whome you be. And here knelynge [Page] or rather lyenge downe prostrate vpō your face: remayne, byde & dwell here styll / here expyre & dye starke deed / & vtterly that no soule ne spiryte be lefte or byde in youre body / but all for the tyme so ferre departed / nat onely from all thynges of the world, but also from the selfe body yt there lyenge as a lūpe of cley be lefte without any senses or wyttes of heryng, seynge, smellynge, tastyng, or touchynges. So done we rede (as I sayde before) of saynt Ambrose,Aug. li. confes. saynt Katheryne of Shene with diuers other. This is nowe the moost hyghe poynte of this exercyse and practyse of dethe after the verye definicyon of deth. Whiche (as I sade) is called a departynge of the soule from the bodye. For in this dethe (for that tyme) youre soule is departed from youre body, so that you be nat than youre selfe: but deed [Page] & clene frō your selfe. For as ye yren lyenge in the fyre / is by similytude al fyre, so ben you al one with god. Qui adheret deo / vnus spiritꝰ est. [...]. Cor. vi. [...] Who so euer (sayeth saynt Paule) dothe cleue, and stycke faste vnto our lorde: is with hym one spiryte. So ben you than that same thyng that you shall be / with our lorde hereafter, that is al one with hym / dwellynge and abydynge in hym, and he in you so al diuyne & godly. Say nowe (good deuout soule) yf you can thynke or suppose in conscyence, that any faythfull christyane vsynge this exercise: and so hauynge so large experyence & practyse of deth / may haue, fele, or perceyue, any notable payne in dethe / syth nowe in this deth, so oftymes exercysed the bodye prycked with pynnes or nedyles: feleth no payne at all. Or howe may any horrour drede, or feare, troble or moue that [Page] person / that is in suche place, with suche company and in such case as before we haue shewed. yet (saye you) syr the deuyll wyll be present at my dethe / what than? saye I so peraduenture / he wyll be at this dayly exercyse. For so done we rede in the lyues: and collacyons of the holy fathers / but that hathe alway ben, and euer shall be vnto his cō fusyon / rebuke, and hurte / and vnto your triumphe, glorye, & prayse. But yet you saye, that the syght of that greslye ghost, can nat be without great feare: wherunto I saye agayne that although the syght of hym be (of it selfe) horryble, vgly, & fearefull / yet ben there dyuers cō fortes redy at hande to helpe. One is that may be sure, he can nat hurt you. An other is,Ex t [...]. diue Brigit. li. vi. ca. lxxxxiii▪ the presence of the holy sayntes, your sayde fryndes yt wyll restrayne his power and malicyous wyll. For they ben moche [Page] more valeant and myghty than he is. And doubt you nat they wyll al be preste, and redy there at ye tyme about you / nat feyned, but as faithfull frendes, with whome well acquoynted and fully knowen / you ben nowe and of longe tyme haue ben very familyer and whomely. Truste you surely in them, for they wyll nat deceyue you. For yf they dyd, they were nat faithful / but rather feyned frendes. For a very frende (sayth the wyseman) loueth at all tymes and euer is proued in necessyte or nede: & at dethe is most nede. For although good loue and faythfull frēdshyppe / be well proued in all the lyfe tyme: yet is it better proued at the tyme of dethe / and best of all after deth. For than cōmunely feyned frēdes done sone forget. But these frendes wyll neuer forget you. For as they nowe (in your helth) done dayly conforte [Page] and defēd you in all temtacyōs: so wyl they at your deth delyuer you out of all daungers / & afterwarde wyl they deduce, lede, cōuey, & cary or bere you vp vnto the place & cō pany before rehersed. And yet haue you no meruayle though (in ye meane tyme) they suffre you to be troubled & grudged with the opinyon of dethe & with the drede of ye vgly syght. For they done so suffre for your welth & meryte that you therby may be exercised with deth: and so to be euer redy for it. For dethe only semeth euyll and onely is feared by opinyon & nat of any other ryght cause. For deth of it selfe is very good & to be loked & wayted for, & receyued of all ꝑsōs, specially thus exercysed / nat onely without feare or drede of payne / but also, as we sayd before, with feruent desyre great ioy & gladnes as the fynall conclusyon and laste ende of all [Page] miseryes, sorowes, and all euyls, & as the begynnynge of all welthe & goodnes (that is to saye) of euerlastynge helthe and saluacyon in the blysse of heuyn. Whyther he brynge vs yt bought vs, our lorde & most swete sauyour Iesu Chryst, that lyueth and reigneth with god the father / and with god the holy ghost world without ende. Amen.
❧Thus (after our poore abilyte) haue made an ende of this poore labour of the dayly exercyse, experyence and practyse of dethe. *
WHan I had wrytten vp this lytle werke redye to the pryntyng / it pleased a wyse and well lerned man, to take the laboure to rede it ouer, and to shewe his iudgement and mynde in dyuers thinges and [Page] places. And amonge other, because I had made mencyon in it / of raptes or transes (vnto the whyche in bede) very fewe ꝑsons done duely attayne or clymbe, & come so hye / he aduysed me to warne ye deuoute reders therof / that they gyue nat to lyght credence to all suche persones. For many of them haue disceyued manye men, that were full holy and deuoute. For those may sonest be deceyued in such persons, because they euer suppose the beste in euery persone, without suspicyon of euyll in any person. And they ben moost glad to here yt our lorde shulde so visyte and comforte hys people. But yet such persones may also in them selfe be disceyued dyuersly. For some such persons that were simple and very deuout, haue ben disceyued by a wycked spiryte / that (to illude and mocke them / hath trāsfygured and shewed hym [Page] selfe as an angel of lyght / and hath shewed vnto the persones many thynges full good and godly / and some thinges to come after ye forme of prophecy, yt haue truely cōmen to passe in effecte: and all to cause them to gyue faythe and credence vnto other thynges vnlaufull and false. But to wryte here, howe such a spiryte shulde be knowen from an angel or a good spiryte: it shuld be a longe werke, and also superfluus, syth, who so euer haue mynde to se that matter / may haue it well and playnly set forth and declared in englysshe, by a lerned mā a bacheler of diuinyte / one of our deuout bretherne, lately departed: whome Iesu ꝑdon, mayster Wyllyam Bonde / in his boke called the Pylgremage of perfeccyon in the .vii. chapyter of the secōde boke and in the thyrde and .iiii. chapyters of the thyrde boke, in the .iii. [Page] dayes iourney. Some other ꝑsons ben deceyued onely by the corrupcyon of fantasye, whiche causeth them to thynke and beleue verely, yt suche thynges as (by onely ymagynacyon) come vnto theyr myndes, ben verely spoken vnto them / as some done thynke that ye crowe or other byrde, dothe saye or synge certayne wordes, or that the bell or bellys done rynge and saye after theyr ymagynacyon. And of this sorte ben many persones, & moche different, accordynge to the disease of the hede / as the fantasye is more or lesse corrupted. And yet some of thē wyll shewe many meruaylous thynges, that they beleue verely for true, which in dede were neuer true. But these persones done cō munelye shewe nothynge that is greatly euyll: nor yet any greate good / but that men may fone discerne and perceyue for fantasyes & [Page] ymagynacyon / except the persones were some preuey synners. And than wyl the wycked speryte be redye to put hym selfe in prease / and with that corrupcyō to helpe forth vnto illusyon. But yet ben other deceyuers, thoughe none of this sorte / but of a more deuelisshe sorte very ypocrytes, that feyne them selfe to haue reuelacyons, & knowe well they haue none suche, but that (to deceyue the people) seme in a transe or rapt / whan they wyll, as we rede of Dauid,i. [...]eg. xxi. d. that feyned him selfe madde, and in a rage vpon a certayne tyme: For a good purpose to saue his selfe. And so playde his pagyant, that he frothed or fomed at the mouthe / & raged as thoughe he had ben furyous and madde in dede. And so done these wretches the disceyuynge of many persones wilfully and of purpose. But howe to be ware of suche wretches and [Page] ypocrytes: surely it is very harde. For as to gyue ouerlyght credence to suche persones, is agaynst wysdome: so vtterly to cōdempne thē, or to dispyse them / is peryllous & agaynste vertue. Wysdome is therfore, to proue well the spiryte before. yet do I nowe ymagyn what many persons wyll say hereunto, that is, that this exercyse is a mater ouer hyghe / and excedynge the wyttes and vnderstandyng of symple vnlerned people. And so is the tother worke also / wherunto I do sende them in this worke, that is to say / the disposicyon and ordynaunce vnto cōminyon or houselynge. Wherunto I saye agayne, that bothe the workes ben so deuyded into such partes: that euery person may take what he wyll, accordynge to his state and condicyon. Rede the werke ones ouer, and than chose / for I thynke there ben [Page] but fewe persones: but yt they may lyghtly vnderstande and vse one of those exercyses. And (as a great lerned man sayd of a werke that he had sende forthe) althoughe this werke were so deuysed:Cicero de orato ꝑfecto. that fewe persones myght attayne to the full heyght and clere vnderstandynge therof: yet shulde no person dispayre, ne be discouraged thereby. For as a prycke or marke is set in a butte for all men to shute at: althoughe none hytte the prycke. Those that done shute nere ben nat wtout prayse.i. Cor. ix. d. And saynt Paule sayeth, whan there is a glayue set vp for renners: all or many done renne / but one catcheth the glayue alone / and yet is it nother shame ne rebuke, to wynne the seconde or the thyrde game. But here in our cāpe, none that dothe assaye to renne / shalbe without a synglar rewarde.i. Cor. iii. c. For (as the same apostle sayeth) [Page] euery person shall receyue his propre wages or rewarde: acccordyng to his labour and deseruynge. And many tymes it may here fortune, and come to passe / that those that come laste: shal be fyrst and best rewarded.Math. xx. b. So sayeth our sauyour in the gospell. Erunt primi nouissimi, et nouissimi primi. In this campe / the fyrst shalbe last, and the last shall (in rewarde) be fyrst. The respect and weyght of this labour: standeth nat in the bodely exercyse of the outwarde werke / but in the infors and dilygence of the wyll / put therunto your good wyll and dilygence to do what you can: And thoughe it be but very very lytle that you spede or do in this exercyse: that lytle lytle, thoughe it be neuer so lytle: yet shall it be greatly rewarded. And peraduēture, moch more meryte and rewarde shall the dull persone haue by that infors, [Page] dilygēce and good wyll: than shall the lerned and quycke wytted persons: that more lyghtly and with lesse labour done spede in this mater. Let no person therfore dispayre ne take discomforte with any dulnesse. For the poete sayeth. Labor improbus omnia vincit. Importune labour doth ouercōe all thynges. And yet though some persons can (by no meanes, fall vnto the hyghest exercise of this lessō: let thē fall vnto prayer / and be sory that they can nat flye so hygh, makyng protestacyon / and call our lorde to wytnesse / that fayne & gladly they wolde do what beste myght please his goodnes / And let them there cōmytte, recommende, betake, and bequeth them selfe body and soule vnto his handes at that tyme: as they intende to do, at the houre of dethe. And beseche his grace / that this recommendacyon & bequeste, [Page] may stande / and of hym be receyued for that tyme / and therwith let them saye. In manns tuas. &c. as is beforesayd. Some ꝑsones euery yere ones at ye least, and some .iiii. tymes, that euery quarter ones / done make theyr funeralles / that is / all the solempnyte of theyr buryalles, with Dirige and masse / & offre theyr masse peny them selfe. And after that / make a feast & dele almes: as thoughe they were than deed in dede & buryed / also whiche custome I prayse very moch. And yf yt were done euery moneth ones or euery weke / or yet euery daye, of them that haue abilyte and tyme therunto. I wolde thynke & iudge it a deuoute and meritoryous obseruaunce. For those persones, that by any of these / or lyke meanes, done so prepare & make them selfe redy to dethe: may be sure neuer to dye sodenly. For many persones [Page] ben sore affrayde of soden dethe / & done ful hartely make prayer, that they neuer dye sodenly. Let them vse this maner / or some one of these formes and maner of exercyses / & they may be sure of theyr prayer / that is, neuer to dye sodēly. Study therfore good deuout soules, to be redy at euery houre / and pray vnto our lorde,Phi. i. c that you may haue the wyll that saynt Paule had, whā he sayde. I couet and desyre / to be dyssolued, and to departe this lyfe / and to be with Chryst. Whether he brynge vs all that made vs.
¶ Imprynted by me Iohn̄ Waylande / at Lō don within the Temple barre / at the sygne of the blewe Earlande. An. M.D.xxxvii.
¶ The werke for housholders, nowe newly corrected and set forthe into a dyaloge betwene the housholder and his housholde / by a professed brother of Syon Rycharde Whytford with an addicyon of pollecye for housholdynge / set forth also by the same brother.
INRI
¶ Certayne small werkes of a brothers of Syon Rycharde Whytforde.
❧ The contentes of this boke.
- FIrst a dyaloge and cōmunicacyon, betwene ye housholder and his housholde.
- ¶ An other dyaloge betwene the curate and his ghostly chylde.
- ¶ Two maners of alphabetes / crosroes / called. A. b. c.
- ¶ A dayly exercyse, and experyēce of deth / all duely corrected by the selfe auctour, and nowe prynted trewely.
- ❧ The sayd auctour requyred me instantly that I shulde nat prynte nor ioyne any other werkes vnto his. Specially of vncertayne auctours. For (of late) he founde a [Page] werke ioyned in the same volume with his werkes / and bought and taken for his werke / and was nat his. But was put there in stede of a werke of his. That before was named amonge the contentes of his boke. And yet his werke lefte out / as is contayned in this preface here vnto the reders.
❧ Vnto the deuout reders, Rycharde Whytforde a professed brother of Syon / gretyng in our sauyour Iesu euerlastynge.
I Suppose and thynke verely good deuout reders / that whan you rede these pore symple werkes: some of you yt haue had mynde to rede them / wyll nowe meruayle to se and perceyue that these ben the same werkes that went forthe before, and nothynge chaunged in substaunce / but onely the tytle, and some fewe thynges added. Some other wyll paraduenture iudge or feare in me ambicyon that I wold seme to make many werkes / and yet dyd sende forthe but the same, newely chaunged or disguysed. To satisfye therfore your deuoute myndes with the trothe in trewe [Page] cōscyence / there is none such cause. But yet causes there ben dyuers appartaynynge bothe vnto you & me. One cause is that I trust verely you haue them here in a more perfecte lettre than you had before. And also more truely prynted. For (of a suretye) the tother letter was moche vicyous and faultye / & that in some places, that myght seme vnto my neglygencye. And also in the same volume or boke / is one of my workes left out / whiche werke is nombred amonge the contentes of the same volume and boke. And in stede of my werke, is an other heretyke or heretycall werke set in place / and the whole boke solde for my werke / whiche thynge is the most chefe cause of the sayd mutacyon or chaunge. For that thynge dothe nat onely put me vnto infamye and sclaunder: but also dothe put all the reders in ieopardye of [Page] conscyence to be infecte and also in the daunger of the kynges lawes, for the manyfolde erronyous opynyons that ben contayned in the same boke. Nowe iudge you (deuout reders) whether these causes ben nat reasonable for the sayd mutacyon and chaunge. I praye you therfore of your charyte take all vnto the beste. And by my poore aduyse / rede nat those bokes that go forth without named auctours. For (doubtles) many of them that seme very deuout and good werkes: ben full of heresyes. And your olde englysshe poete sayeth. There is no poyson so peryllous of sharpnes, as that is: that hathe of sugre a swetnes. I wolde gladly ye welth and nat ye ieopardye of your soules our lord god, & most swete sauyour Iesu my iudge / who kepe you, and sende you ye increase of grace. Amē.
¶ A Dialoge or cōmunycacion bytwene the housholder and his housholde.
The spekers.
¶ Fyrst speketh the housholder & than speketh one of the housholde for all the residue.
GOod chylderne & frendes: I had (of late) coūsell to call you all to gether. And (for the discharge of my conscience) to shewe vnto you a forme of lyuynge: fyrst therfore lett vs cōsydre that all we bene mortall, as well the ryche as ye poore, the yonge as the olde, there is no difference, none excepte, all must nedes dye. And thoughe we lyue very lōge, yet shall we dye shortly: [Page] for ye lengest lyfe of this worlde, is very shorte. And yet haue we no certayne, ne yet cōiecture of knowlege, whā / where / howe, or in what state we shall departe this lyfe. And sure we bene, that as we bene founde at that tyme, so shall we be takē, and without respite or delay, forthwith shall we be presented and brought before ye hyghe iudge, that can nat be deceyued, to make a counte of all our lyfe past, where no man of lawe may speke for vs, ne any excuse may serue vs. Our owne conscyence shall there speke and tell playne trouthe, wtout craft or dissymulacion, and (in a momente, a twynclynge of an eye) shall clerly confesse all our hole lyfe, and euery wryncle and parte therof: whiche confessiō, if our lyfe were good, shalbe vnto our great honour, comforte, reioysynge, [Page] & ioye euerlastynge. And contrary, if it were euyl, it shalbe vnto our great shame & rebuke, vnto our endles sorowe & payne and wo euerlastynge. We haue nede therfore to be well ware, howe we spende our tyme, howe we passe this lyfe, or rather howe this lyfe passeth vs. And moche shall it auayl and profyte vnto the helth of our soules: ofte tymes for to remembre our laste ende. The wyse mā sayth.Ecclesi. vii. ✿ In omnibus operibꝰ tuis, memorare nouissima tua, &c. In all thy werkes (sayth he) remēbre thyne endynge daye & what thynges shall come vnto the at thy laste ende, and thou shalte neuer do synne, ne cōtynue euerlastyngly therin.
Syr we all byseche you, than, yt you wyll shewe & teche vs yt forme, & meane our waye that you [Page] speke of.
The fyrste poynte therfore of a good Christiā, is to entende and purpose wt good harte & constaunte mynde, to auoyde synne, and dyligently to study howe to fle and beware of the occasyons therof. And than to appoynte hym selfe vnto some custumable course of good & ꝓfytable exercyse.Psalmo. xxxiii. ✿ Diuerte a malo, & fac bonū. (saythe the prophete) Tourne awaye thy face, thy harte, wyll, & mynde, frō all euyll, and appoynte thy selfe to worke good werkes.
Syr, hyt is sone sayd, Fle euyll & do good. But I pray you shew vs forther howe to do so.
For a fourme therfore howe to folowe ye same by cōtinuaunce I shall shewe you my poore aduyse. I speke vnto you good symple and deuoute soules, yt wolde [Page] fayne lyue well your selfe, & also cōforte all other vnto ye same. Fyrst than eueryche begynne wt your selfe. And as sone as you do awake in the mornynge, to aryse for all daye. Fyrst sodeynly tourne your mynde and remembraūce vnto almyghty god, and than vse (by cōtynuall custome) to make a crosse with your thō be vpon your foreheed or front, in sayng of these wordes. In nomine patris: and than an other crosse vpon your mouthe, with these wordes, Et filii. And the thyrde crosse vpon your breste / saynge, Et spūs sancti. Amen. And if your deuotion be therto, ye maye agayne make one hole crosse, from your heed vnto your fete, & from the lefte shulder to ye ryght sayng all together. In no mine patris & filii et spūs sancti. Amen. That is to meane, I do [Page] blesse and marke my selfe wt thē cognisaunce & badge of Christe, in the name of the father, and in the name of the sone, and in ye name of the holy ghost, yt is to saye, the holy Trinite .iii. persons and one God. Than saye or thynke after this forme. Good lorde god my maker & redemer, here nowe in thy presence, I do (for this tyme & for all the tyme of my hole lyfe) byqueth and betake, or rather do frely gyue my selfe, soule and body, with all my harte and mynde vnto the, good lorde, and vnto thy handes to be thy bonde seruaunte for euer, accordynge vnto ye promyse made in my baptysme at the font stone. And here nowe I do ratyfye and newly confyrme the same and do fully consente in harte & mynde therto, neuer here after, by the helpe of thy grace, to contrary the same, [Page] but to cōtynue in thy lawes, good lorde, vnto the ende of my lyfe. But where thou knowest, good lorde ye I am a frayle persone, infyrme, feble & weyke, & of my selfe prone & redy, ī thought,Genesis▪ viii. worde and dede vnto euyll, from the begynnynge of my lyfe hytherto: I beseche the good lorde god and father of all puysaunce & power, of all myght & strēght, that thou wilt defende me from all myne enemyes, and gyue me spirituall strenght and power, yt I may / in the / vaynquysshe and ouercome, fle & auoyde all suche fraylte, lyght maners or disposicions, as shuld be cōtrary to thy wyll and pleasure, & that accordynge vnto this wyll of the spirite, whiche thy goodnes hath now frely gyuē vnto me, I may destroye the wyll of the flesshe & so contynue vnto the ende of my [Page] lyfe. And yet good lorde, where thou knowest also that I am but rude and vnlerned, wtout wytte wysdome and due knowlege of the and thy lawes, all ignoraūt and as an ydiote or foole in all good and spirituall vnderstandyng, I byseche the good lorde god that art the essentiall sone of god the father, and vnto whome is appropriate all wytte & wisdome, all science / connynge and knowlege, and all ryght perceyuynge & vnderstandynge / that thou wylte graunte me the due knowlege of thy selfe by ryght & true fayth, and the knowlege of all thy benefytes & gyftes done to me and all mankynde / & grace dewly to thanke the for them. And also due knowlege of myne owne selfe, of the state and condiciō of my lyfe and cōuersaciō, and specially of my wretchednes [Page] wt due contricion for all my synnes. And knowlege also of thy lawes, wyll & pleasure / so that by no maner of ygnoraunce or mysvnderstandyng, I do (at any tyme) in werke or dede / or in worde or thought: any thynge contrary vnto the same. And thyrdly (good lorde) where yu knoweste also that I am ofte tymes obstinate of mynde, froward & euyll wylled / stubburne of stomake & vnkynde of harte / dull / neglygent, and slouthfull in all maner of goodnes, I beseche the good lord god holy ghost / that arte ye spirite and wyll of the father / & of the sone, and with thē ye same selfe essenciall god, vnto whome is appropriate and specially appoynted / all boūte / all goodnes / all grace and good wyll, that yu woldest voyche saffe to gyue me the grace of good wyll, so that I [Page] neuer do / saye / ne thynke that shulde be contrary to thy wyll. And hauynge vnto the euer a reuerēde drede, I may loue the for thy selfe, & all other in the (lorde) and for the / so that accordynge vnto the spirituall strength and knowlege that thou hast gyuen me, I may apply my wyll hooly vnto thy wyll / so that I haue no wyll propre vnto my selfe, but ye my wyll be all thy wyll, & bothe (as moche as maye be possyble) one wyll. And so I maye here in this life ordre my loue, and come vnto suche perfection of feruent charyte yt (by ye grace) I may attayne vnto ye fruiciō of euerlastynge charyte in thy ioyfull presence. Amē. And good lorde god father of heuē, I beseche the take & receyue me thus vnto thy grace. and haue mercy and pyte vpō me and all thy people. And [Page] thou lorde God blyssed sone of god the father, and sauyour and redemer of the worlde / haue pytie and mercy vpon me and vpō all Christen people. And louyng lorde god holy ghost and blessed spirite of god / haue mercy & pyte vpō me and alī the worlde. Holy and blessed Trinite, one selfe & same essenciall god / haue pyte & mercy vpon me and all myne / & vpon all thy creatures. Amen. And than ones agayne blesse the with, In nomine patris: as before, and thā go forth vnto your busynes where ye wyll. Let this be for your mornynge exercise. And though you that haue greate thynges to do, wolde thynke this prayer and mornynge exercise ouer longe, because of your busynes I acerteyne you, if it ones were by vse goten redy and incorporate and prynted in the [Page] harte and mynde, it wolde sone be sayd or thought / and the persone shulde (I byleue) haue grace to spede ye better in other thynges, and nothyng forthynke of the spēdynge of the tyme, but rather accounte it for greate gaynes, in so moche that we purpose to set forth in the ende a lōger exercise, for them that haue longer tyme to spēde, but nowe we shall go forth herin. After ye sayd morowe exercise I truste you wyll be well occupied vpon your appoynted course of occupacion. For that was our counseyle in ye begynnynge, that ye shulde appoynte your selfe, by a cōtynuall course, vnto some certayne occupacion that may be profytable, & euer to auoyde ydlenes the mother and nourse of all synne and euyll. And euer beware of suche occupacions as ben called communly [Page] pastymes, that is to saye, all maner of vnlawfull games / & suche disportes as done drawe people rather to vyce thā to vertue, whiche more properly maye be called lose tymes than pastymes.Math. xii. c For syth / by the affyrmaciō of our sauyoure, we shall make accoumpte of euery ydle worde / it muste nedes followe that we shall make a more strayte rekenynge of euery ydle or euyll werke. Let therfore your sayd appoynted occupacion be alwaye good: vertuouse and profytable. Syth thā ye must nedes make a rekenynge of euery werke: worde and thought (for none of these cā be hyd or kept preuy frō your audytour) me thynketh it shulde be a greate suretye for you: to make euery day ones your sayd accoūte by your selfe. The cōmune prouerbe is, that ofte rekenynge [Page] holdeth lōg fellawshype. I wold aduyse you therfore to spēde some tyme ther vpō at nyght after all your occupaciōs, before your bed, there knele downe & ther begynne to remēbre wheder ye wē te & what ye dyd īmediatly after your morowe exercise, & in what company ye were, & what was there your behauiour and demanour, ī werke, worde, or thought, and so go forth vnto euery place / tyme & cōpany as brekefaste / dyner / soupper / or drynkynge / & where you fynde or perceyue any thyng that was good / vertuous / and profytable / ascribe and apply that vnto our lorde god, & gyue vnto him all ye glory, laude & prayse therof / for he alone is ye gyuer of all goodnes / & so ouer passe that thynge lyghtly. And where ye remēbre of any speciall thynge done / sayd / or thought [Page] amysse / stycke & byde thervpō / & bulte it (as they say) & tourne it vp so downe / & try the weyght & daunger therof, with all the maner and circumstaunce of the same. So may ye knowe the quā tytie therof, that is to say, howe greate a synne or howe lyttell it is / howe be it, none offence cane be lyttell that doth offēde god, & surely euery synne. is offence done vnto god, although it seme to be done vnto mā. For as ye loue of god doth begyn̄e at ye loue of ye neyghbour (For he ye loueth nat his neyghbour)i. Ioh. ii. whō he may se wt his bodyly eye or syght (sayth saynt Iohn̄) howe may he loue god (whome he cā nat so se) so in lyke maner the offence of the neyghbour is forth with ye offence of god. Consyder therfore vnto whome the trespas is done, & so that consyderacion with the [Page] other qualyties and quantyties of the synne, shall bryng you vnto a basshemēt therof, and to be sory therfore, or (at ye leest) to wyll or wysshe that ye had nat so done. Thā mekely crye god mercy / and aske hym forgyuenes therof with very pourpose and mynde to be confessyd therof at due tyme, and to take and do penaunce therfore. And I dare assure you that this maner of accoumpte & rekenynge (though your synne were neuer so greate) shall saue you frō the ieopardy of dānaciō / which is no lytell grace & goodnes of God. Thanke hym than lowly therfore, and so blesse your selfe, as you dyd in the morning / and your bedde also / & go therevnto, and so cōmytte your selfe all hole body and soule vnto the protection / custody and kepyng of our lorde, who gyue you good [Page] nyght and good reste. Amen. It shallbe ryght well also that ye cal vpon suche holy sayntes as you haue speciall deuocion vnto, vnder this fourme or some other lyke. Blessed lady Mary mother of god alway vgin, I beseche ye pray for me, & for all Christians. Holy angell of god, what so euer thou be that arte deputed and appoynted vnto my custody, I (submyttynge me with most lowly obedience) beseche the to pray for me & for all the worlde. Saynt Michaell, saynt Gabriell, saynt Raphaell, with all holy angels & archā gels, I beseche you pray for me & for all people. Saynt Iohn̄ baptyste and all holy patriarkes and prophetes: I beseche you pray for me & for all christendome. Saynt Peter, saynte Paule, saynte Iohn̄ the euangeliste, and all holy apostles & euāgelistes, I beseche [Page] you pray for me & for all the worlde, and you also all disciples of our lorde, and holy Innocentes. Saynte Stephan, and all holy martyres. Saynte Augustine / and all holy confessours / all religious persones and heremites. Saynt Katheryne / saynt Margarete, saynte Barbara, and all holy virgines: I beseche you praye for me / and for all persones. And fynally all you holy sayntes of heuē, of euery degre and state where you be, I beseche you all in generall / and eueryche in speciall / praye for me & all mākynde. Here may you brynge in ye patrones of your churches or dioces, and suche as you haue (as I sayd) synguler deuotion vnto. And here an ende as vnto your selfe.
Syr / this werke is good for religious persones / and for suche persones [Page] as bene solytary: and done lye alone by thē selfe / but we done lye .ii. or .iii. somtyme together / and yet in one chambre dyuers beddes & so many in company / if we shulde vse these thynges in p̄sence of our fellowes, some wold laugh vs to scorne & moke vs.
O bone Iesu. O good lorde Iesu, what here I nowe? I dar well say, there bene but fewe persones in Englande but they wolde byde some daunger or rebuke for pleasure of theyr kynge or prynce, and many for theyr mayster or maistres, or theyr soueraynes and some for theyr frendes and fellowes, & specially where great gaynes shulde growe therby vnto thē selfe. And for the pleasure of God our father, and of our swete sauyoure Iesu our brother, shulde we be abasshed to take daūger & bere a poore mocke or scorne, that neuer [Page] shall woūde our flesshe, ne yet tere our skyn̄e for ye pleasure of our pereles prynce kynge of kynges / & lorde of all lordes? Fye for shame that any christian shulde be so cowardous. Ventre vpon it, go forth withall. In .ix. dayes (as they saye) the daūger shalbe past / fere nothinge. Euery begynnyng is harde and of greate diffyculte.Omne principium difficile. Labor īprobus oīa vincit. But īportune labour doth vayn quysshe & ouercome all thynges. I tell you, this dayly exercise by custome and vse, shall seme very shorte and swete, profytable and pleasaunt. Rede it or here it ouer ones or twyse at the leest before you caste it awaye. How be it we thynke it nat sufficiēt nor ynough for vs to lyue well our selfe, but ye all other christians also lyue the better for vs and by our example, & specially those yt we haue ī charge & gouernaunce, that is to saye: [Page] our chylder and seruaūtes. And me semeth it shuld also be a good pastyme and moche meritorious: for you that cane rede, to gather your felowes about you on the holy day, specially the yonge sorte and rede to them this pore lesson. For therin be suche thynges as bothe you and they bene bounde to knowe, or can say: yt is the Pater noster: the Aue maria: and the Crede / with suche other thynges as done folowe. I wold therfore you shuld begynne with them by tyme in youth as sone as they cā speke. For it is an olde saynge.Quod noua testa capit: inueterata sapit. The pot or vessell shall euer sauour or smell of ye thynge wherewt it is fyrste seasoned. And your englysshe prouerbe saythe / that ye yong cocke croweth as he doth here and lerne of the olde. you maye in youthe teche thē what ye wyll / and that shall they lengest kepe & [Page] remembre. We shuld therfore aboue all thynges, take hede and care in what company our chylderen bene nourysshed and brought vp. For educacion and doctrine, yt is to saye, bryngynge vp and lernynge, done make the maners, wt good and vertuous persones (saythe the prophete) you shalbe good and vertuous.Psalmo. xvii. And with the euyll persones, you shall be also euyll. Let our chylder therfore vse and kepe good company. The pye, the iay, and other byrdes, done speake what they moste here by eare. The plouer by syght wyll folowe the gesture and behauyour of the fowler. And the ape by exercise wyll worke and do as she is taught / and so wyll the dogge (by violence) contrary to naturall disposicion: lerne to daunce. The chylder therfore that by reason don far excede other creatures [Page] wyll bere awaye what they here spoken, they shulde therefore be vsed vnto suche company where they shulde here none euyll / but where they maye here godly and Christian wordes. They wyll also haue in theyr gestures and behauyoure suche maners as they se & beholde in other persones. And as they bene taught / so wyll they do / and in many thynges they maye be compelled vnto a contynuall custome / whiche dothe alter and chaunge naturall disposicion. Vnto some craftes or occupacions a certayne age is requyred in chylder / but vertu and vyce maye be lerned in euery age. We must se therfore that in any wyse you vse no company but good and vertuous. And as soone as they can speke: we must also teche our chylder to serue god and saye the Pater noster. Aue. and Crede. [Page] as I sayd before. And nat only our chylder, but also se and proue that all our seruaūtes, what age so euer they be of: cā say the same. And therfore don we vse dayly ye in euery mele / dyner or soupper / one persone shulde with lowde voyce say thus.
The fyrst peticion. PAter noster qui es in celis: sanctificet̄ nomen tuum. ✿ Good lorde god, our holy father ye arte in heuē let thy name he sanctified: that is to meane / I beseche the graunte vs grace to blesse, to honoure, to laude and prayse thy holy name.
The seconde. ¶ Adueniat regnum tuum. ✿ Good lord god our father that art in heuen / let thy kyngdome come: that is, I beseche the lorde, that all the people of the worlde may come vnto the grace of baptisme, [Page] and so be the faythfull subiectes of thy realme and kyngdome of Christianite.
The thyrde. ¶ Fiat voluntas tua: sicut in celo et in terra. ✿ Good lorde god our father that arte in heuen, lett thy wyll be wrought in erth as it is wrought in heuen: yt is to meane I beseche the lorde, that all thy christian people here in erth maye perfourme thy wyll, and kepe thy cōmaundementes after theyr estate and condicion, as thy holy angels and sayntes done in heuen after theyr state and degre.
The fourthe. ¶ Panem nostrum cotidianū da nobis hodie. ✿ Good lorde god our holy father yt arte in heuen, gyue and graunte vnto vs this day our dayly brede: that is to meane, I beseche the good lord graunte vnto vs contynually the spirituall fode grace and effecte of thy holy sacramentes. Or thus. [Page] Graunte vnto vs the contynuall grace and effecte of thy holy sacramentes / whiche is the dayly fode of our soules, & spirituall suerty of our saluacion.
The fyfthe. ¶ Et dimitte nobis debita nostra: sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. ✿ Good lord god our holy father that arte in heuen, forgyue vs our dettes, as we done forgyue our detters, that is to meane, I beseche the good lord, forgyue and pardon me and all Christians all maner of offences and trespaces done agaynste the and thy lawes / lykewyse as we done forgyue all maner of persones all maner of greues and trespaces done agaynste vs.
The .vi. ¶ Et ne nos inducas in tētationem. ✿ Good lord god our holy father that arte in heuen / lede vs nat in to temptacion / that is to meane, I beseche the good lord, [Page] suffre me not, ne any Christian, to be lede or brought by any temptation / vnto the full consente of any synne.
The .vii. ¶ Sed libera nos a malo. ✿ But good lorde god our holy father that arte in heuē, delyuer me & all christians from euyll: yt is to meane, I beseche the good lorde / that not onely thou kepe me and all thy people from all synne and offence of thy goodnes / but also that thou wylte delyuer and make vs quyte of all synnes paste / and conserue and kepe vs continually in the state of grace. Amē. So be it: that is to meane / good lorde we beseche the that all these thynges maye come to passe in full effecte / accordynge to our peticion and desyre.
This prayer of ye Pater noster / is ye most excellent prayer, bycause ye our sauyour made it hym selfe / [Page] and taught it to his disciples.
¶ The Aue Maria, is ye most plesaunte prayer, and of most honoure vnto our blessed lady, bycause one parte therof is the salutacion of ye angell Gabriell, wherby immediatly after her consente, she conceyued the sone of god in her wombe. And the other parte, was spokē vnto her by saynt Elizabeth, inspired and moued thervnto by the spirite of god the holy ghost. And therfore do we set forth the Aue maria, after suche maner as we dyd the Pater noster.
AVe Maria gratia plena dominꝰ tecum: benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui Iesus. Amē. ❧ Hayle Mari full of grace, god is with the. Blessed be thou amōg women, and blessed be the fruyte of thy wombe Iesus Christe, god and man. Amen. So mote it be.
¶ That fyrst worde Aue, whiche I do Englyshe after the commune maner, hayle is a worde of salutacion, as we say in commune cō gresses or metynges together. God spede you, god saue you, god blesse you. Good morowe / good euē, god spede, god be at your game, god be at your werke, god sende you, with suche other, after the maner of the countrey where it is spoken. And the last worde Amen, it is a worde of consente or desyre, that the mater spokē before shuld vnderstande what euery worde meaneth.
¶ Nowe doth folowe the Crede.
¶ The fyrste article.
CRedo in deū patrem omnipotentem:Saynte Peter. creatorem celi et terre. ✿ I byleue vpō god the father almyghty, maker of heuen & of erth. This terme: In deum / [Page] is diuersly Englysshed, some done saye / in to god, some: inwardly in god / some: perfytly in god. But the mooste commune vse of the countrey of the vnlerned people / is to saye. I byleue vpon god and vpon his fayth / but all dothe meane in effecte / that the persone hath perfyte faythe and byleue in god / and vnto god.
¶ The seconde article.
Saynte Andrew.¶ Et in Iesum Christum filiū eius vnicum dominum nostrum. ✿ And I also byleue perfytely vpon our lorde Iesu Christe his onely begotē sone: yt is to say, ye only begoten sone of the sayd father.
¶ The thyrde article.
Saynte Iohan.¶ Qui cōceptus est de spū sctō: natꝰ ex maria virgine. ✿ And also I byleue perfytly ye our sayd lorde Iesu was conceyued of the holy ghost, borne of our lady saynt Mary: she remaynyng & abydyng euer [Page] euer a virgine.
¶ The fourth article.
¶ Passus sub pontio Pilato / crucifixus mortuus et sepultus.Saynte Iames: the more ✿ And also I perfytly byleue yt our sayde lorde Iesu dyd suffre his passion, & was crucified, deed, and buried, vnder the power and iugement of a man called by propre name Poncius / and by his seconde or surename Pylate.
¶ The fyfth artycle.
¶ Descendit ad inferna:Saynte thomas of Inde. tertia die resurrexit a mortuis.
✿ And I byleue perfytely also / that our sayd lorde Iesu: after his sayde passyon and dethe / descended and wente downe vnto ye lowe places of hell / and brought forthe frō thense our fyrste father Adam: and all that were there with hym / and that vpō the thyrde day after his deth: he dyde aryse from deth / and all the bondes therof vnto [Page] lyfe euerlastynge.
¶ The syxth artycle.
Saynte Iames / the lesse.¶ Ascendit ad celos: sedet ad dexteram dei patris oīpotentis. ✿ And also I byleue perfytly: yt our sayd lorde Iesu dyd ascende and slye vp vnto the hyghest heuens, and ther doth syt vpon the ryght hande of god the father oī potent and almyghty.
¶ The seuenth article.
Saynte Philipe.¶ Inde vēturus est iudicare viuos et mortuos. And I also ꝑfytely byleue, that he wyll come thēse agayne in to this worlde, to iuge all persones quycke and deed.
¶ The .viii. article.
Saynte Bartelmewe.¶ Credo in spiritum sanctum. ✿ I byleue perfytly also vpō the holy ghost, the spirite of ye father and of the sone, & with them both the same selfe god.
¶ The .ix. article.
Saynte Mathewe.¶ Sanctam ecclesiam catholicā. [Page] ✿ I also byleue that the church of Christe is and was / and euer more shalbe holy & faythfull / therefore I do gyue fayth and credēce vnto the same, and vnto the determinacions therof.
¶ The .x. article.
¶ Sanctorum communionem:Saynte Symon. remissionē peccato (rum). ✿ I byleue also ye communiō of sayntes: yt is to say / I byleue that all the workes and good dedes of all good & holy persones / ben and shalbe cōmune: so that euery faythfull Christian hath & shall haue part with other. And also I byleue the remisson of synnes: that is to say / that all maner of synnes may and shalbe forgyuen / if forgyuenes be duely desyred and axed.
¶ The .xi. article.
¶ Carnis resurrectionem.Saynte Iude: called also saint Tadeus. ✿ I also byleue the resurrection of our flesshe / that is to saye / I byleue yt [Page] all maner of persones shall aryse at the daye of dome in soule & body with the same flesshe, blode and bones that they were borne with and dyed with.
¶ The .xii. article.
Saynte Mathie.¶ Et vitam eternam. Amen. ❀ And I also byleue euerlastyng lyfe: that is to say, that (after ye generall resurrection (all maner of persones / as well good as euyll: dampned or saued / shall cōtynue in lyfe euerlastynge, eyther in ioye or payne, & neuer departe therfrō. This worde Amen, is declared before in the ende of the Pater noster.
¶ This maner of ye Pater noster, Aue, and Crede, I wold haue vsed & rede vpō the boke at euery mele / or at the leeste ones a day with a lowde voyce (as I sayde) that all ye persones presente may here it. And yet forther I wolde aduyse & counseyle all other housholders to se [Page] (as I do) knowe / and proue / that euery persone in theyr house / & all that ben vnder theyr gouernaunce and charge (can say the same) and therfore they muste take ye laboure to here them theym selfe, and wher nede is: to teche them. For many yt ben aged and can not say wyll be abasshed to lerne it openly, and yet if they here it dayly redde after the maner shewed before: they shall by vse and custome lerne it very well. And some other persones there bene: that can saye ryght well / both vpon the boke and without, but yet amonge them some bene dullardes and slouthfull and seme negligente and careles / and so done they not saye it: but in tyme forgete it / as in maner they hade neuer lerned it. I pray you therfore (good deuoute housholders do as I do) take the payne to here them your selfe: at the leeste ones [Page] a weke & let none escape you / olde nor yong. It shall (byleue me) be vnto you a great discharge of conscience, and not without merite & greate rewarde. And charge them straytly vnder payne of punysshement / that they say it euery day thre tymes at the leest / that is to saye / in the mornynge / at none or myddaye / & at nyght. Than must you teche them to knowe by ordre ye preceptes or cōmaundementes of god, ye names of ye .vii. prīcipall synnes, & of theyr .v. wyttes, as thus. The cōmaundementes of god ben .x. in nōbre.The fyrst The fyrst that we shall haue no straunge ne other godes. but one alone: and hym to loue, honoure & drede aboue all thynges.The .ii. The seconde we may not take the name of god in vayne, & therfore we may not vse to swere. The thyrde,The .iii. we must kepe our holy day with close mynde vnto god, & reuerende deuocion, and therfore we [Page] may do no bodely or worldly labours for lucre therin..iiii. The fourth we muste with reuerende and due lowly maner do honoure vnto our parentes, that is to say vnto our fathers and mothers, and we shall haue (by the promyse of god (longe lyfe therfore..v. The .v. we shall not slee or kyll any persone, neyther in dede: nor yet in wyll or mynde, nor yet may we hate any persone in harte. For who so euer so doth:i. Ioh. iii. is an homicide and māsleer..vi. The .vi. we maye do no lechery. .vii. The .vii. we may do no thefte. .viii. The .viii. we may bere no false wytnes, ne make any lye or lesynge..ix. The .ix. we may not coueyte or desyre any wedded or maried persone..x. And the .x. we may not coueyte ne desyre any other mannes goodes. These bene ye .x. cōmaūdemētes gyuē & cōmaū ded by almyghty god / gyuē & ben deuyded in two partes, as two tables [Page] or bokes.Exod. xx. The fyrste apperteyneth & belongeth vnto almyghty god, hym selfe. And in that parte ben conteyned the thre fyrste commaundementes, and all those thre commaundementes ben cōteyned in this one commaundemēt of the gospell. Loue god aboue all thynges. And in the seconde parte or seconde table, bene the other seuen cōteyned, whiche done apperteyne & belonge vnto the neygbour. And yet all those .vii. ben agayne cōteyned in this one commaundement of Christe. Loue thy neghboure as thy selfe.I declaracion of the sayde p̄ceptes. The fyrste. ¶ yet may you go ferther with them / some what to teache them what they meane. For whane you saye that we maye haue no mo goddes but one alone, that is to meane, yt we shulde loue nothynge so well as god. Whan soeuer that a persone doth sete his harte & mynde vpon any creature, more than [Page] vpon god / so that he wolde rather displease god & breake his lawes and ordynaunces, than for to leue & forbere the affection or pleasure of the creature / than hath he a straūge god: a nother god, for thā that thyng is his god / for yt which he doth forsake god, and dothe cō trary vnto his wyll & ordynaūce. And here (good and deuoute christians) be well ware, & warne all yours of these suꝑsticious wytchecraftes and charmes that bene moche vsed: and done deceyue many persones, that (for ye vnlawfull loue vnto the helthe of theyr bodyes, or of theyr chyldrē, or beastes, or other goodes lost or stolē) wyll go seke wysmē or wysewomē (for so they don call ye deuels proctours that done vse suche wytchcraftes and charmes) thē dō they seke I say, and put them selfe subiecte vnto the false god the deuyll [Page] and his cerimonyes, to get helthe vnlawfully by the meanes of that wytchecrafte forboden by the churche, vnder payne of cursynge. And yet the symple people, done suppose & wene they do nothynge offend therin. For I haue herde them say full often my selfe. Syr we meane well / & we done byleue well / & we thynke it a good & charitable dede to hele a seke ꝑsone / or a seke beest: & trouth they say / but yet it is neyther good ne charitable to helpe ye by vnlawfull meanes. And suerly yt meane is vnlawfull. For good reason wyll admitte, that no sore sekenes may be heeled, but eyther by nature, or by medicine, or by myracle. If a fynger be cutte, or small surfet takē: nature in a whyle wyll heele the persone. But in all greuous diseasis, medicine is the cō mune meane of helth: but sure ben they that suche charmes or wytchcraftes [Page] be no medicins. For thā shulde they heele as well by one persone as by a nother. And no mā byleueth they ben myracles ergo they muste nedely by the deuels crafte, that do deceyue the symple persones: dothe hurte some, & teached yt waye vnlawfully to brynge them in his daūger. For you wyll graūte that he were a fole, that for the helthe of his horse legge, wold lose one of his owne hādes, or one of his owne eyes / & yet is he more fole in dede: that for any creature wolde lose his soule. But yet some haue sayd to me. Syr / howe may this charme be euell or a mys, whā all thynges be good / as by example. The charmer is a good man or a good woman, and taketh here a pece of whyte breade, and sayde ouer ye breade nothynge: but onely the Pater noster, & maketh a crosse vpon the breade / whiche thynges [Page] ben all good, thā doth he nothyng els but ley yt pece of breade vnto the toth ye aketh or vnto any other sore: tournynge the crosse vnto the sore or dysease, & so is the persone heeled. Howe maye this be euyll nowe say they? I say agayne it is euyll and dampnable, bycause the faythe & byleue of the hole mater resteth in that applycacion of the crosse, whiche hathe no naturall oꝑacion, but is a cerimony vnlawfull. For although all other thynges here ben good, yet done they nothynge auayle without yt cerymony, & so is all a charme and vnlawfull and naught, whiche may euydently be knowen for nought & vnlawfull, bycause the churche doth condempne & forbede all suche, whiche thyng surely yt lerned churche of god, guyded euer by ye holy ghost wold neuer haue done, if it were good and lawfull. And [Page] therfore in any wyse, let none of your folks vse any suche.The seconde. ¶ Now for ye seconde precepte, whiche is yt no persone shulde take ye name of god in vayne, warne your folkes & take good hede vnto thē yt they be no cōmune swerers. For it were lesse ieopardy for you to haue in your house a thefe or a steler, a lecher or vnclen lyuer, thā an vsuall swerer. For a great othe accustomed, doth prouoke ye sodeyne vengeaūce of god The scripture sayth De domo iurātis non recedet plaga.Ecclesi. xxiii. b. The customable swerer, shall euer be full of iniquite & synne / & the plage of ye vengeunace of god shall contynually hāge ouer that house.Ibidem. Let not thy mouth be vsed vnto swerynge (sayth ye scripture) For ye customable swerer shall neuer be clene purged of syn̄e. Wherfore I dare well say yt swerynge is one of the great causes of all these [Page] sodeyne plages amonge men and beastes, as pestilence, pockes, swetynges, and moreyns, with suche other. And I byleue verely none of you wold be glad to kepe in his hous a lepre, or any persone infected with any of the forsayd plages And yet is a swerer more peryllous thā any of them. For his othe may slee or infecte your chylde in ye cradle, or stryke your beastes in ye feeldes, destroy your corne & graynes, and cause pryuely many myscheues. And yet many persones done thynke & byleue, that if they swere trouth, they do no synne, but they be surely deceyued, as by case. If a persone wolde prynte & coyne monye of good syluer or good golde, kepynge also the due weyghte and facion, that thynge wolde nothynge excuse the persone vnto the kynge or his lawes, thoughe also he proued the money were good & [Page] lawfull money. For ye kynges law is / that no persone shall prynte or coyne any money but suche as be assygned by hym, and that also in the place appoynted thervnto. So in lyke maner, the lawe of god is: yt no persone shall swere any othe / excepte it be at the appoyntemente or cōmaundemente of suche a persone that hath iust power to requyre and to take an othe, and that also muste be done in due place, that is to saye, before a lawfull iudge. And so may the persone lawfully swere, so euer that the swerer do thynke and byleue in true and vnfeyned conscience, that his othe is true. And els that is to saye without these circumstaūces and suche other causes expressed in the lawe no persone may swere, though it be neuer so true that he swereth. If than to swere true is synne, and dothe prouoke ye hyghe displeasure [Page] of god, by cause it is cōtrary vnto his cōmaundemēt, to swere false must nedes be more synne, & more ꝓuoke his vengaunce. Example shall I shew here of both, that is to say, howe god is prouoked by vsuall swerynge, & how by forswerynge & false othes. This story yt foloweth I herde at Stondō a lytell vylage .xxv. myles frō Londō not farre from ye hyghe way vnto Cābrydge / where for a tyme I dyd abyde in auoydynge yt greate plage yt both in London & Cambrydge dyde than quyckely & sharply reyne, where also this story was open in the knowledge of all ye coū trey there aboute, as don but smal tyme before. A gentylman yt was called mayster Baryngton whose wyfe was afterwarde maried in Cābrydge vnto a gentylman called maister Caryngton, so yt there was but one lettre chaūged in her [Page] name, yt is to say C. for B. And of her also I herde the same story, althogh (as she sayd) she was not present. This sayd gētylmā Baryngtō was a great swerer, & dyd customably vse greate othes: specially by the blode of our lord, or (as more cōmunely they swere) by godes blode. And vpō a sōday or els a feestfull holy day he wente forth on hūtyng or hawkynge: & nothynge spedyng after his mynde, he came vnto an alehous at a throughfare called Pulcriche .v. myles frome ware in ye hyghe way to Cābrydge yt one syde of yt whiche thoroughfare was in ye sayd parisshe of Stō dō, where this gentylman was, & called for drynk: & anone he began to swere after his vnhappy custome saynge. By godes blode this day is vnhappye. And in a whyle after in sweryng so, he bledde at ye nose, & therwith more vexed he begane [Page] to rayle & rayne god (as they say) in swerynge godes passyō, godes woundes, godes flesshe, godes nayles, and euer his holy and blessed blode, tyll at the laste he fell ferther to blede at the eares, at ye eyes, at his wrestes, and all the ioyntes of his handes, and of all his body, at his nauyll and foundemente, & of other places of his body, meruelouse great quātite and stremes of blode, & shotynge cut his tonge in a meruelous horrible, vgseme and ferefull maner, as blacke as pitche so that no persone durst come nere hym but stede a farre of, & cast holy water towarde hym / and so he conteynued euer swerynge / blasphemynge and bledynge / tyll he expyred and was deed. And the more we after they layd hym in a carte / and caried hym to the sayde churche of Stondon, and euer the body blede tyll he was burnd in ye [Page] waye as they came in very greate haboundaūce. This was a playn tokē that god was moche displeased with that swerynge, and dyde openly punysshe the same / in exā ple to all vsuall swerers. It maye also be a good monicion and warnynge for suche ꝑsones that done myse vse the holy day in hawkyng huntynge & suche other fruytles occupacions or pastymes. A nother example of the same vsuall sweryng was shewed vnto me by a bacheler of diuinite called mayster George wercke / a fellowe thā where I was also fellowe, of the quenes colege in Cambrydge, and after he was vycare of Harowe on the hyll, whiche thynge he sayd vpon his conscience. He sawe him selfe in a marchauntes house in London, whiche was his speciall frende, and sente for hym to gyue counseyle vnto the same persone, [Page] a yonge man that was prentyse: or els seruaunte vnto the same marchaunte / whiche yongman dyd vse to swere for his commune othe / by the bones of god: or by godes bones. And it came to passe that he was taken with a greate meruelous sekenes, so that no Physyke ne medicine myght helpe ne ease hym, but that he lay styl in bedde so longe, that the flesshe and the skynne of his armes and fyngers, and of his legges, thyes, shynnes / fete & toes / dyd deuyde in sondre / as though they had ben slytte with a knyfe, so that ye bare bones myght openly be sene and feled. And so in the same maner / (after he had with greate contricion and open cōfession of that swerynge) receyued the sacramentes of the churche / he departed this lyfe vnto our lorde. Here bene nowe two notable exāples of vsuall [Page] swerynge. The thyrde shall I shewe you of forswerynge, or false sweryng, whiche was shewed vnto me of an honest preest of my familier acqueyntaunce that was vycare of Halywell, where saynte Wenefredes well is, besyde the abbey of Basyng werke in Flynt shyre in the borders of Wales .xiiii. myles from Weslchester, whiche thynge he sayde on his conscience he dyde se hym selfe and was ther present with greate multitude of other people thousandes. A certeyne man was called to be sworne in a greate mater bytwene two parties, whiche sayd parties dyd put the mater hooly vnto the determination of his othe, and met bothe at a certeyne place where was a crucifixe: a holy rode that dyd many myracles, whervpon he shulde swere, and so dyd in the syght and herynge of a great multitude of [Page] people gathred on bothe partyes. And his othe gyuen, he layd both his hādes vpon the fete of ye rode / and sware false & contrary vnto his conscience, and so was dampnably forsworne, whiche thynge god wold haue knowen. For whā he wolde haue taken his handes away to departe, both the handes cleued and stycked faste vnto ye fete of ye rode, as though they had bē glued or fastened wt nayles therevnto. And than he wolde with violence haue pulled them of: & than with sterynge and hasty mouyng to and fro, the steppe whervpō he stode: slypped and voyded frome hym. And than hanged he styll by his handes, & so remayned hangynge styll contynually the space of thre dayes, & maruelous moche people came thyther to se and loke vpō hym, of the whiche many ben yet lyuyge. So at the laste after [Page] thre dayes whā he had with great contricion openly cōfessed his defaute / & receyued the sacramentes of the churche, whan ye people supposed & thought verely he shulde there haue expired & died he was sodeynly losed and delyuered / and lyued many yeres after a good & holy lyfe / vnto the glory of God and great example of them yt bene swerers.Lib. iiii. cap xviii ⚜ Saynt Gregory in his dialoges doth shewe of a chylde, yt (as he had herd of other persones) dyd swere great othes, & had pleasure therin, and sodeynly whan he was swerynge in his fathers lap vpon his kne / the deuyll came & openly rauysshed and by violence toke hym from his father / and caried him away / that he was neuer sene after. Here maye you perceyue the great peryll and ieopardy of sweryng. For ye loue of our lorde therfore good deuout christiās, [Page] take good hede therto / as well in your selfe as in your folkes. And yet shulde you haue no lesse garde or awayte vnto lyeng, or makyng of lyes or lesynges. For the lye or lesynge is very mother vnto both the defautes shewed laste before / that is to say, vnto periury or forsweryng,Mendarium. & vnto false wytnes. For eueryche of these doughters / is worse than the mother. For ye lyer careth lytell to bere false wytnes / and euery lyer is cōmunely a swerer / for els the lye shuld not be coloured / dubbed and paynted sufficiētly to seme true, & specially in a defaute whereof the lyer wolde fayne be excused for drede of punysshemēt or rebuke, or whā a mater shulde (by that lye) come to passe / & be broughte aboute vnto effecte, for profyte, auauntage, flatery or pleasure. For whā the lyer doth coueyte moste subtelly to deceyue [Page] & fayne and gladly wold be byleued, thā doth ye lyer most lyberally lasshe out othes, & sparethe for no cost (as they say) but whā suche a persone doth swere most, thā wyll a wyse persone byleue hym leste. And by this doth appere, that the commune & besy swerers bene suspecte to be lyers. For the lyer is combred so in conscience, that he supposeth and thynketh he can not be byleued without he swere many othes, and great othes. Beware therfore of lyers. For cōmune lyers bene communely theues or pyckers, & vnclene lyuers. And (to say the trouth) the lyer is [...] & disposed vnto all maner [...] ces, bycause that all lyers [...] chylder of ye deuyll. For the [...] was the fyrste lyer, and eue [...] [...] cōtynue a lyer. And as the g [...] [...] saythe, he is the father of all [...] Nowe ponder and wey (go [...] [...] [...] uoute [Page] christiās) I pray you, if you were requyred whether you wold be cōtente to kepe in your cōpany a thefe or pyker, a persone yt shuld enforce and laboure to corrupte your wyues / or your doughters / or yet suche a persone that were seruaūt or chylde vnto your deedly foo or enemy, I thinke you wyl say nay, you wold kepe no suche. Than say I beware of the lyer / for all commune lyers ben the deuyls chyldren, and done folowe theyr father the deuyl, whose properte and naturall disposicion is to lye. I cane well graunte yt you [...]gyue and pardon them yt done [...], pyke, or do lechery: for ones [...] [...]vyse, and labour and loke for [...] [...]ery and amendement, but in [...] [...]yse can I graunte that you [...] on the lyers, but euyn forth [...] [...] you wolde cure the sodeyne [...] [...]lence: so correcte & punysshe [Page] yt lye. Wherfor I haue set out here a p̄ty lesson, whiche I pray you teche your chyldrē, & euery chylde ye cometh ī to your cōpany you shall (I trust) do moch good therby.
¶ And than I pray you fulfyll & perfourme theyr peticiō & request, & thynke it not cruelly / but mercifully done. For ye wyse man sayth,Prouerb xiii d who spareth the roode: hateth the chylde. And in a nother place.Eccle vii. c If thou haue chyldren (sayth he) correcte [Page] them betyme / & hold thē vnd whyle they bene yong, your dayly practyse dothe shewe vnto you / yt if you powder your flesshe whyle it is new and swete / it wyll contynue good meate: but if it smell befor it be powdred, all the salte you haue shall neuer make it seasonable. Powder your chyldrē therfore betyme and than you loue them, & shall haue conforte of them. I dyd appoynte ye correction before vnto ye mother or maystres, for communely they done take the laboure of that mynistery and seruyce. Notwithstandynge there may be sayd father or maister, & the staffe or fote of the ryme be all one. But who so euer do ye correctiō, wheder it be in lasshes, or in wordes, let it be done wt the charite of our lorde / & with a myld and softe spirite: that euer it be done for the reformaciō of the persone / rather than for the [Page] reuengynge of the defaute, & therfore shulde you neuer do any maner of correction whyle you be vexed, chafed, troubled, wroth, or angry for any cause, but rather for that tyme deferre the correction, & a nother tyme by good delyberacyon take the persones on parte / or if the trespas be openly knowē, than do it openly, yt all the lokers thervpon may be warned therby, and gyue thē a good lesson before the correctiō / and tell them you do the correctiō agaynst your mynde compelled thervnto by consciēce, and requyre them to put you nomore vnto suche labour & payne. For if thou do (say you) you muste suffre parte of the payne with me / and therfore you shall nowe haue experience and proue what payne it is to vs bothe. And than paye truely, and afterwarde forthwith forgyue them clerly and gentelly / [Page] so that they do nomore so. And in doynge thus correction / you may edyfye & refourme the persones / & also meryte & haue thanke of our lorde. Where if cōtrary you chyde brawle, curse, and with vngoodly wordes rebuke, or stryke with hastynes to reuēge your owne cause or appetyte / you shall rendre the persones more stubbourne & styffe harted, and engendre in them an hatered toward you. And also not only lose your meryte, but also deserue payne and the punysshemēt of god, where the other correction done by sobrenes, shall cause the persōes to haue you in a reuerēde drede, and also to loue you, & here afterward to blysse you, and pray for you. I pray you therfore, wynne & deserue both theyr blyssynge and prayer / and also the blyssyng and rewarde of our lord. But bycause that communly all persones [Page] done vse to swere some othe / in affirmynge or denyinge / that is in saynge ye, as grauntyng, or nay, as denyinge, whiche be seldome sayd nakedly by them selfe without some addiciō, therfore I wold haue you in auoydyng of all vayne othes to teache your chyldren to make theyr addiciōs vnder this fourme. ye father, nay father: ye mother / nay mother: ye brother / nay brother: ye syster / nay syster: ye syr / nay syr: ye dame / nay dame: or vnto ye states, maister / maistres / and so forth of all suche cō mune termes / as graundfather, graundmother: godfather, godmother: vncle, aunte, cosyn / and suche lyke / wtout any other addicion, or any of these founde othes, as by cocke & pye, by my hode of grene, & suche other. For Christe sayth in the gospell vnto his disciples.Math. v Swere not you at all (sayth [Page] he) in any wyse, yt is to meane vnlawfully or in vayne. And the prophete sayth.Psalmo. lxii. ⚜ Laudabuntur oēs qui iurāt in eo: quia obstructū est os loquentium iniqua. That is those persones that done lawfully swere in god, shalbe praysed & haue rewarde therfore, & the mouthe of euyll spekers shalbe stopped / and they put to shame and rebuke. All this haue we spokē for the kepynge of the seconde precepte or cōmaundement.The thyrde p̄ cepte. ¶ Nowe for the thyrde commaundement. I praye you gyue good example in your owne selfe, and thā teche all yours howe they shulde kepe duely the holy day, that is to say (in asmoche as conuenientely maye be) to be voyde of all maner of worldly & bodyly laboures. I sayde in asmoche as cōueniently may be. For people must haue meat & drynke / the houses muste be appareyled / [Page] beastes muste be cured and loked vnto. And very vnfayned necessite or nede dothe excuse in cōscience. The holy daye is ordeyned of god and the churche, onely for the seruice of god. The due place of ye seruyce is the churche. vnto all thē that may conueniently come thervnto. And to them that may not / euery honest place of good & lawfull occupacion is theyr churche. For God is there presente where he is duely and deuoutly serued. Take the payn therfore whā you may to go forth your selfe / and cal your folkes to followe. And whā you ben at ye churche, do nothyng els but that you came for, and loke oft tymes vpon them that bene vnder youre charge, that all they be occupyed, lyke (at the leest) vnto deuoute christians.Mathei xxi. For ye churche (as our sauyour saythe) is a place of prayer, not of claterynge and [Page] talkyng. And charge them also to kepe theyr syght in ye churche cloce vpō theyr bokes or bedes. And whyle they ben yong / let them vse euer to knele / stande or syte / & neuer to walke in the churche. And let them here the masse quyckly & deuotly / moche parte knelynge. But at the gospell / at the preface / and at the Pater noster, teche thē to stande, and to make curtesy at this worde Iesus, as the preste dothe. Thus in the fore noone let the tyme be spente all in the seruys of god. And than in ye after noone, muste you appoynte them theyr pastyme with great diligence and strayte commaundement. Fyrste that in no wyse they vse such vanities as communely ben vsed, that is to say / berebaytynge and bulbaytynge, foteball, tenesplaynge / bowlyng, nor these vnlawfull games of cardynge, dycynge, closshynge [Page] / wt suche other vnthryfty pastymes, or rather losetimes: wherin (for a suerty) the holy day maye rather be brokē, than if they wēt to the ploughe or carte vpō Ester day, so it were not done by cōtempte or dispisynge of the commaundement of the lawe, ne for vnreasonable couetyse & loue of worldly goodes. For synne dothe alwaye more defoule and breke the holy daye than doth any bodely werke or occupacion. Therfore let them beware of the tauerne & alehouse / for drede of dronkennes, or of glotony, & of suspecte places / or wantō company, for fere of vnclēnes / or lechery / whiche thynges bene vnto youth moste peryllous / & of great daunger & ieopardy of corrupcion. Assigne you therfore and appoynte you them the maner of theyr disportes, honeste euer and lawfull for a resonable recreaciō / [Page] and (asmoche as conueniētly may be (lett the sexes be departed in all theyr disportes, that is to saye: the kyndes, mē by them selfe / and the women by them selfe. And also appointe the tyme or space, that they be not (for any disportes) from the seruyce of god. Appoynte thē also the place, that you may call or sende for them whan case requyreth. For if ther be a sermone any tyme of the daye, let them be ther presente all that bene not occupyed in nedefull and lawfull busynes / all other layde a parte, let them euer kepe the preachynges, rather thā the masse, if (by case) they maye not here both. To bye and sell or bargayne vpon the holy daye / is vnlaufull: excepte it be for very nede. Charyte vnto the poore and nedy neyghboures, doth lawfully excuse bodely or worldly labours vpon the holy day. Loke well you [Page] neyther do ne saye wylfully, and by deliberaciō vpon the holy daye any thynge that you knowe in cō science, shulde be contrary vnto the honoure of god, and thā done you iustely kepe your holy daye. A very good sure pastyme vpon the holy daye, is to rede, or to here this boke or suche other good englyshe bokes, and gather therunto as many persones as you can. For I tell you there shulde be no tyme loste, ne mysspente vpon the holy daye. Lett this poore lesson nowe cōtente you for these thre cō maundementes of the fyrst table, whiche (as I sayd) done apperteyne & belonge vnto almyghty God hym selfe. A nother shorte lesson shall we set forth for the commaundementes of the seconde table.The .iiii. precepte. And fyrste the due reuerende honoure to be done of ye chyldren vnto the parentes, that is to saye / [Page] vnto theyr fathers and mothers. Teche your chyldren therfore to aske blessynge euery nyghte knelynge, before they go to reste vnder this fourme. ⚜ Father I beseche you of blessynge for charite: or thus. Mother I beseche you of charite gyue me your blessynge. Than let ye father or mother hold vp both the handes, and ioynyng them bothe to gether, loke vp reuerently & deuoutly vnto the heuen, and say thus. Our lorde god blesse you chylde, & therwith make a crosse with the ryght hande ouer the chylde / sayng. In nomine patris et filii & spūs sancti. Amen. And if any chylde be styffe harted / stubburne and frowarde, and wyl not thus aske blessynge, if it be within age, let it surely be whysked with a good rodde, and be cō pelled thervnto by force. And if ye persones be of forther age, & paste [Page] suche correction, & yet wyll be obstynate, let thē haue suche sharpe & greuous punysshement as conuenyently maye be deuysed, as to fyt at dyner alone and by thē selfe at a stole in the mydle of the hal / with onely browne breade & water, and euery persone by ordre / to rebuke them as they wold rebuke a thefe or a traytour.Deute. xxi. d. For in ye olde lawe suche chyldrē were brought before the hole townshype, that is to saye, the people of the cyte, or of that towne, & there were they stoned vnto deth. And certeynly I wold not aduyse ne counseyle any parentes, to kepe suche a chylde in theyr house, without great affliction and punysshement. And therefore I thynke it were moche conueniēte for ther parētes, oft tymes to shewe vnto theyr chyldrē what commodyties and profytes, and what perylles & ieopardies done [Page] folowe the honoure and dishonoure of the parētes, accordyng vnto holy scripture. Some wherof I haue here set forth as is cōteyned in the boke of the wyse man called Ecclesiasticꝰ,Ecclesi. iii. [...] in the thyrde chapitre. Those persones (saythe he) that bene the chyldren of Christe / ben also ye chyldren of his church, & all suche (as thoughe it were by naturall disposicion) ben gyuen & applyed of that godly disposicion vnto obedience and loue. All you therfore that ben louyng chyldrē, be euer obedient vnto the iugement and discrecion of your parē tes. And so be you obedient in all your werkes, that you therby may be the chyldren of saluacion, that is to saye, that youre obedience be done with the very loue of your harte, vnfayned & without dissymulacion. For god hath ordeyned that the father shall haue due honoure [Page] amonge his chyldren, & the mother in lyke maner with lowly obedience. Those persones yt done loue god, wyll pray vnto hym for the forgyuenes of theyr synnes, & afterwarde wyll beware cōteyne & kepe them selfe from them. And in ye dayly prayer they shall graciously be herde. And lyke as a persone for the surete of his lyuynge here doth horde vp & gather treasure / so done they ordeyne for the suerte of theyr saluaciō that duely done honoure theyr parentes. This worde parentes doth sygnifye bothe ye father and mother. Who so euer doth duely honoure his parē tes shall haue ioy, pleasure, & conforte amonge his owne chyldren. And who so euer is duely obediēt vnto the father, dothe therby refresshe & moche cōforte ye mother And these persones that done due honoure vnto theyr parētes, shall [Page] haue longe lyfe, and in the daye of theyr prayer they shall gracyously be herde of our lorde, & haue theyr petycion. Those persones that haue a reuerende drede vnto our lorde god, haue in lyke maner a reuerende drede vnto theyr parentes / and done duely honour them, and wyll do them suche seruyce, and in lyke maner as a bonde seruaunte shuld do vnto his lorde and mayster, as well in werke as worde, wt all pacience and gentylnes. Do therfore to your parētes honoure and reuerence, that the blessynge of God maye therby lyght vpon you, and that blessynge shall remayne and endure vnto your last ende. The blessynge of the parentes doth fyrme and make stable ye possessions and the kynred of the chyldren. And contrary, the cursse of the parentes dothe eradicate & rotewalt & vtterly destroy bothe. [Page] Chylde, neuer take thou pleasure ne pryde in the rebuke & disprayse of thy parentes.. For that rebuke is not thy glory, boste, nor prayse, but rather thy confusyon, shame & rebuke. For the glory and prayse of euery persone, standeth in ye honoure of the parētes. And a great shame and rebuke is it vnto the chyldren, whan the parentes bene without honoure and reuerence. Good chyldren take good pacience with the age of your parentes, and neuer displease ne greue them in all your lyfe. And if they fayle ī wytte or vnderstandynge, & therafter speke or do any thynge contrary vnto your reason or wytte / take you pacience with them, & let ye mater passe. And in no wyse do you not dispise thē, bycause of your owne strēgth or better abilite. For the pyte and compassion that you haue vnto your parētes, shall neuer [Page] be forgoten before God. For you shall haue good and profyte of theyr offence & synne. And in the iustyce & ryght you do vnto them shall you be edifyed, and encreace in vertue. And ī the tyme of your trybulaciō, that good dede shalbe remembrede. For as the yce in the frost doth melte by the clere sonne beames, so shall your synnes (by your duety done vnto your parē tes be wasted and clene losed & for gyuē. That persone is of euyll name and fame that doth forsake the parentes in theyr nede. And those chyldren bene accursed of god, that done anger, vexe, & trouble theyr parentes. Chylde of what state or degre so euer thou be, do euer thy duty with myldenes, mekenes, and lowlynes, & than shalt thou be well by loued, and praysed aboue other persones. And ye more hyghe estate thou come vnto, ye [Page] more meke and lowly be thou in all thynges, and thā shalt thou in ye presence of god haue great merite, and encrease in grace. For God doth loke vpon thē that done rendre & gyue due thankes, for the fauoure & goodnes done vnto them before.Ad verbum ferme translata. All this nowe is the very texte and lettre of the holy scripture in the place before rehersed. Where you may se & perceyue many great commodytes and graces that done come vnto them that duely don honoure theyr parētes. And many great ieopardyes and peryles, and also the curse of god / that doth lyght vpō thē that wyll not do theyr duety of honour and reuerence vnto theyr parentes. Let therfore your chyldrē vse and accustome thē selfe, dayly to aske theyr fathers and mothers blessynges. For this dare I saye, that although in case the father or mother [Page] were an abhomynable synner,Er Gre. lib. d▪ alo. iii. ca. vii. or excommunycate, accursed / or an heretyke, & though ye chylde were so also. yet myght that crosse of the blessynge of that father or mother saue that chylde frome sodeyne myschefe, that els myght haue come vnto that chylde. And ye crosse may also do flee or chace away euyll spirites, that els shulde haue had power vpon that chyld. The blessynge of euery good person is good & not without greate vertue, accordynge vnto ye power and degre of the persones & therfore teche thē also to aske blessyng of euery bisshope, abbote & euery preste, and of theyr godfathers & godmothers, with other deuoute persones. And let this suffyse for this fourthe commaundemente. ¶ yet go ferther vnto the fyfthe cōmaundemente,The fyfthe precepte. whiche is to kyl or sle no persone. Teche thē there / [Page] that it is not ynoughe yt they put no persone to deth by stroke of hā de or wepē, but also that they hurte no persone in name or fame by detraction, backebytyng or sclaū derynge, or by euyll example of lyuynge, nor yet that they curse or banne or wysshe euyll vnto any persone, or yet hate any persone in herte.i. Ioh. iii. For (as scripture sayth) who so euer dothe bere in the harte or mynde any hatered, malyce, euyll wyll, or stomacke agaynste any christian, is an homicide, that is a mansleer or a manqueller. Many persones wyll say they ben in charyte, and haue no hatered vnto any persone, and yet wyll they not speke one to a nother and that is a sygne and token that preuy hatered is in the harte, & yt they do not loue theyr neyghboure as thē selfe, in the true and vnfayned charyte of our lorde. And sure it is, ye [Page] who so euer dothe not hooly and fully loue his neyghbore,i. Iohan. iiii. d. whome he may se & behold with his bodyly syght, he cane neuer loue god / whome he cane not se, nor so beholde. This is than the commaū dement of God: that who so euer doth loue god, muste also loue his neyghboure.The .vi. precepte. The syxthe cōmaundemēt is that no lechery be done / whiche is not mente onely for the vnlawful dede, but also for all maner of prouocacion therunto / as wanton and lyght behauyours, in kyssynge, clyppynge, and vnclene touchynge, a lyght loke or caste of the syghte,Math. v d. with a desyre and consente of harte vnto the dede, dothe breke this cōmaundemēt. Moche more than doth rybauldy breke it, and suche maner as befor is sayd. The olde prouerbe sayth. Who so wyll none euyll do: shulde do nothynge that longeth therto. The [Page] ghostly enemy dothe deceyue many persones by the pretēce and coloure of matrymony, in pryuate-secrete contractes.Contractes. For many men whan they cane not obteyne theyr vnclene desyre of the woman, wyll promyse mariage, & thervpō make a contracte promyse, and gyue faythe and trouth eche vnto other saynge. Here I take the. N. vnto my wyfe, and therto plyght ye my trouth. And she agayne vnto him in lyke maner. And after yt done / they suppose they may lawfully vse theyr vnclene behauyoure / & somtyme the acte & dede doth followe, vnto ye great offēce of god & theyr owne soules. It is a greate ieopardy therfore to make any suche contractes, specially amonge them selfe secretely alone without recordes, whiche must be two at ye leest. For many tymes after the vnlawfull pleasure is paste, discorde [Page] dothe fall bytwene the parties, eyther bycause that (as the cō mune prouerbe sayth) hote loue is sonecolde,ii. Regū. xiii. c or els by the meanes of theyr frendes, or by some couetyse to haue a better mariage they or one of them done denye the contracte, & so vnlawfully done mary otherwyse and lyue in aduoutry all theyr lyfe tyme. And bycause ye churche cane not openly knowe ye thyng that was spoken and done in priuyte, they bene thought and supposed so to lyue as lawfully in mariage, wher in dede before god they done lyue as noughty packes in dampnable aduoutry and vnlawfull lechery, and all theyr chyldren bastardes before God, all though they seme otherwyse vnto the worlde. Warne therfore your folkes ther be no such blynde bargaynes in youre house or gouernaunce. ¶ The .vii. cōmaundement [Page] is, do not thefte. Herin correcte your yong persones betyme.The .vii. precepte. For the chylde that begynneth to pyke at a pynne or a poynte, wyll after pyke a peny or a poūde. And so go forth from an apple vnto an oxe, and from a pere to a purse, or an horse, & so frō the smal thynges vnto the greate. Whan you take any chyld therfore wt the mayner, be it neuer so lytle a thynge: pay truely at the fyrste tyme, and the seconde tyme: and prycke the pynnes or the poyntes vpon the cappe or shulder in open syght, & let all the house wonder vpon thē and crye all: here is the thefe, this is the thefe, se se the thefe. And if they mēde not therby, let thē be so brought through the open stretes with shame ynoughe, & cruell punysshement. For better is it that ye chylde wepte in youth, and suffre shame and rebuke, than herafter [Page] the father, mother & frendes shuld wepe for sorowe and shame at his hangyng and shamfull deth. And let euery persone beware of thefte For all other synnes with contricyon / confessyon and penaunce / may be forgyuē clerely, but thefte and all goodes vnlawfully gotē / can neuer be forgyuē vnto the tyme that restituciō be made that is to saye, vnto the tyme those goodes / or the valure of them be restored, if the persones (in any wyse) maye be able therunto. Lett euery persone pōder well and wey, what vaūtage it is to stele or pyke, syth (besyde the payne certaynely to be suffred in hell) the same goodes (in valure) must be restored agayne. Small goodes truly gotē, done growe and encrease vnto the greate conforte of the persones-And contrary, euyll gotē goodes lyghtly come (as they saye) and [Page] lyghtly go, all wast vnto nought, with ye disconfort of the parties / & great combraunce of conscience. Se than yt all goodes be well goten amonge you.The .viii precepte. ¶ Of ye .viii. cō maundemēt you haue before some remēbraunce in the lessons of sweryng & lyeng.The .ix. precepte. ¶ The .ix. cōmaundemēt is that no persone shall desyre in mynde nor wyshe yt the wedded make of any other persone were lawfully theyr weded make.The .x. precepte. ¶ And the .x. commaundemēt is in lyke maner of the goodes. For so shulde the parties haue incommodite, losse, displeasure or disconforte. The dedes of these two cō maundementes were forboden of god in the .vi. and .vii. cōmaundemētes, here nowe bene the wylles and desyres forbodē. That thyng than that no man maye lawfully wyll: may no mā do lawfully. Let them therfore beware that do not [Page] onely wyll and desyre in mynde / but also done secretely, pryuely / and craftely laboure to take theyr neyghboures fermes, or his house (as they saye) ouer his heed, or to entyce and get away theyr seruaū tes, or any other goodes profytable for the parties. For though suche thynges maye seme vnto the worlde lawfull, surely they be not without the great offence of god / as contrary vnto his commaundemētes. And thus an ende of the .x. commaundementes.Of the seuen prī cipall synnes. ¶ yet muste you haue a lesson to teche your folkes to beware of the seuē pryncipall synnes, whiche ben cō munely called the .vii. deedly synnes, but in dede they do call them wronge, for they bene not alway deedly syn̄es. Therfore they shuld be called capitall or principall synnes: and not deedly synnes. These bene theyr names by ordre, after [Page] our diuisiō. Pryde / Enuy / Wrath Couetyse / Glotony / Slouth / and Lechery. Thus don we ordre thē / accordynge vnto our thre ghostly enemyes / the deuyll / the worlde, & the flesshe. For Pryde, Enuy, and Wrath, done apperteyne and belong vnto the deuyll, as chefe mouer of thē. And couetyse dothe apperteyne vnto the worlde, as chefe mouer therof. And glottony / slouth / and lechery, done belonge vnto ye flesshe / as theyr chefe mouer, whiche thre we done put vnder this ordre, bycause that glotony is a great occasyon of slouth. For (as the prouerbe sayth) Whan the bely is full, the bones wolde haue reste. The full fedde glotton is apte vnto no good werke or laboure, but rather all disposed vnto sluggysshenes and slouth. And those two betwene them done styre and ꝓuoke most vnto lechery.
The .v. wyttes.¶ Teche them also to knowe ye names of the fyue wyttes, and to put the fyrste fynger of the ryght hande vnto the instrumentes of the same wyttes, that is to say vnto the eare, the eye, the nose, the mouth, and than to ioyne & clappe both the handes togeder, saynge thus. Herynge, seynge, smellynge, tastynge, and touchynge.
The .vii. werkes of mercy.¶ It shalbe also well done to teche thē the .vii. workes of mercy. which you shuld (after your power) set forth in werke as you teche thē in voyce. That is to fede ye hū gry. To gyue drynke vnto ye thursty. To cloth ye naked. Herborow or lodge ye wayfarynge folkes / or them that haue nede of lodgynge. Visite the sycke. Redeme ye prysoner. And bury the deed. Here is now an ende hereof.A fourme of cōfession. ¶ Not wtstā dyng I thynke it necessary to shew here yet howe as I lerned of my [Page] gostly father yt taught me all this lesson you shuld teche your folkes to be ordered vnto ye confessyon of these thynges. For I haue knowē many come vnto cōfessyō, yt could not tell howe to do, or what to say there. I shall therfore set forth here a short forme and maner therof. For ther ben many formes of cō fessions in print set out at lengh. Fyrst good deuout christiās I beseche your gyue no credēce vnto the false heretykes, yt done depraue & set nought by confessyon, nor by this holy sacrament of penaunce. For I a certayne you those persones what so euer they be, yt (after theyr baptyme and christendome) haue done any deedly synne, cane neuer be in ye state of saluacion wt out the fayth & wyll of confession.Gene. iii. For almyghty god in euery lawe dyde requyre confession and prouoke euery trespasser thervnto, as [Page] of our fyrst parentes Adā & Eue in paradyse, whiche confessyō if they had mekely made, they & we shuld haue suffred the lesse payne.Leuit. iiii &. v. In ye olde lawe speciall oblacions and sacrifyce was appoynted opēly by the prestes to be done for suche synnes amonge the people yt were preuy vnknowen vnto all other persones, excepte onely the selfe trespassers, wherby it must nedes be trouth, that they were confessed therof vnto the prestes. Whā any persone also was suspecte of lepry, the iugement and determynacion therof remayned (by ye ordynaūce of ye lawe) vnto the preste. Whiche thyng was a playne figure of the sacramente of penaunce and confessyon.Math. v And our sauyoure sayde, he came not to breke the lawe: but rather to accomplyshe and fulfyll the lawe. And so he dyd confyrme and ratifye that lawe, whā he sent [Page] the lepres that he cured and heled vnto the prestes.Math. viii. Luc. xvii. And ī euery cure he dyd vpon the syke persones, he expressed mystycally cōfessyon, in that he caused them to shew theyr disease before they were cured. And saynt Peter his apostle after his ascension, dyd requyre confessyon of a man called Ananye,Acto. v. & of his wyfe called Saphirye (as appereth in holy scripture) of a deedly synne, whiche he (by the reuelation of god) knewe they had done / and bycause they wolde not make confession therof, they were bothe strykē to deth with the vengeaūce of god. Our mother holy churche therfore hath (by the inspiraciō of ye holy ghost) ordeyned that euery persone yt cōmytte or do any deedly synne ī werke, worde, or by full deliberate cōsente in thougt, must nedely (if they wyll be saued) be cō fessed therof vnto a preste. Sythe [Page] than all christē people haue receyued and vsed the same so many hondred yeres, take you that vse & custome for sufficient auctoryte to folow the same and to put all maner of contrary opinion clene out of mynde, and in no wyse to here speke or talke therof. Nowe vnto our mater. Fyrste teche your folkes to come reuerently vnto the ghostly father with meke & sobre countenaunce & behauyour. (For it is no laughynge game.) Than knele down at ye place appoynted & there make a crosse vpō the foreheed or frōte, with In nomine patris (as before is shewed) and thā forth with say thus. Benedicite. And whan the preest hath answered, than say (if the persone be lerned) Confiteor deo, beate Marie, omnibꝰ sanctis, et vobis, peccaui nimis, cogitatione, locutione, et opere mea culpa. that is to saye for [Page] the vnlerned, I confesse & knowlege my selfe gylty vnto our lorde god, the blessed lady saynt Marie, vnto all the holy cōpany of heuē / and vnto you my ghostly father yt I haue offended my lord god many tymes in my lyfe, and specially syth the laste tyme of my confessyon, in thought, worde, and dede, in many and dyuers wayes, mo thā I can shewe, specially in the seuen pryncipall synnes. Pryde, enuy & wrath, couetyse, glotony, slouth, and lechery. And by them I haue broken his commaundementes-
¶ Pryde.
¶ For by ye syn̄e of pryde I haue ben presumptuous & disobedient vnto god, & haue not loued hī aboue all thynges, but many tymes set more by myne owne frayle appetyte and sensuall desyre. For where I shuld haue desyred euer [Page] the laude and prayse of our lorde / and with all mekenes of hart accused my selfe / I haue cōtrary bosted my selfe, or desyred and bene glade of myne owne prayse & bene loth to be dispraysed. And whan I haue ben chalenged, reproued, rebuked, or corrected, or yet charitably ben monysshed and warned of, and for my defautes, I haue rebelled there agaynst, and not mekely receyued it but rather ben redy to defende or to excuse my selfe, and somtyme with a lye, or a false othe. And for lacke of reuerende drede and loue of our lorde, I haue by presumpcion of pryde taken his holy name in vayne, and vnlawfuly sworne by god, by our lady, or ye holy sayntes by my faythe or trouthe, with suche other. And for very pryde and presumption, and for lacke also of loue & drede: I haue mysvsed the holydaye, in [Page] thynges of pleasure, or profyte vnto my selfe, and not in his seruyce vnto his honoure. I haue also (of hyghe & proude harte or mynde) bene disobediēt and not done due honoure and reuerence vnto my fathers and mothers spirituall & carnall, ghostly & bodyly, nor vnto myne elders and betters, but haue ben many tymes full obstynate and frowarde vnto them. I crye God mercy. Thus (by this foule synne of pryde) I haue brokē foure of the principall cōmaundementes of our lorde, and many other wayes haue I also offended therin. I beseche his grace of mercy and forgyuenes.
¶ Enuye.
¶ I haue also offēded my lord god in the synne of enuye: for I haue not loued my neyghbour as my selfe, nor ben so charitable, so kynde, so louynge and fauorable vnto [Page] all persones: as I wold they shuld haue ben to me, but rather I haue (by suspicion) thought, iuged, sayd or herde of other persones, otherwyse than I wolde they shulde of me, nor ben so glade of theyr welthe, ne so sory for theyr hurte as I wold haue ben of myne owne. I crye god mercy.
¶ Wrathe.
¶ In wrath also I haue offended, for lacke of due pacience, and for lyght, slyght. or small occasion, haue leyghtly & soone ben styred & moued, wroth & angry, whā any thynge hath ben done or sayd cōtrary vnto my mynd. And therwith haue ben redy to reuenge the same with froward and vēgeable countenaunce and behauyoure / with hyghe, hasty, and vngoodly wordes, brawlyng, chydyng, scoldyng, reuylynge, rebukynge, raylynge, vpbraydyng, thretyng, cursyng, [Page] bannyng, sweryng. And if it came thervnto, in stryuyng, fyghtyng, or (at the lest in wyll: as god forbede) ī kyllyng or sleyng. Thus by these two great synnes of enuy & wrath I haue brokē the .v. & the viii. cōmaundement of our lorde, in them both. I beseche his grace of mercy and forgyuenes.
¶ Couetyse.
In couetyse also I haue synned bycause I haue not bene contente with the goodes, state, and degre of lyuynge that god hath sente me where it is moche better than I haue deserued, or am worthy, but I haue coueyted and desyred / wysshed & wylled, studyed & laboured to haue more (if any be vnlawfully goten or so with holden, make playne cōfessyon therof as the mater requyreth.) Thus by this synne of couetyse haue I broken the vii. commaundement of our lorde [Page] and the tenth and otherwyse dyuersly offended in couetyse. I beseche his grace of mercy and forgyuenes.
¶ Glotony.
¶ I haue also synned in glotony, in takynge meate & drynke vndiscretely / and aboue that nature dyde requyre, & haue pycked out & chosen (somtyme by sensuall appetyte) the delycate swete and plesaunt meates and drynkes, rather for pleasure thā for nede / and taken therof suche superfluyte (at some tymes) that I haue ben therby sycke or diseased, or at the leste ben the more dull bothe in body & soule, vnto all maner of vertue & good exercises (loke here whether you haue broken any fastes commaunded by the law, or ben dronke, or taken any notable surfet) after meat commonly I haue bene more redy to passe the tyme in bodyly [Page] disportes and ydlenes thā in labours. I crye god mercy.
¶ Slouth.
¶ I haue bē also moche slouthfull and neglygent to serue God, both vpon the holy day and other dayes also, and I haue ben yrke wery, & thought ye tyme of prayer longe, come late therunto, & make haste therin, and ouer passed the seruyce of god, without due reuerence, more by course and custome than by any good remembraunce or deuocion, and also I haue not ben diligēte to apply my selfe vnto suche bodyly labours as I haue had in charge & sometyme haue not done the labours at all, or els full sleyghtly done them, and spent the tyme after myne owne appetyte full vnfruytfully, sometyme in wantonnes, & somtyme in very ydlenes. I crye god mercy.
¶ Lechery.
¶ By the meanes of these two [Page] foule synnes of glotony & slouth / I haue bene the more redy vnto ye thyrde synne of ye flesshe, that is to say lechery, for I haue not bene so chaste in soule & body as ye state / degre & maner of my lyuyng doth requyre, not so diligent & ready to put awaye vnclene thoughtes or mociōs of ye body as I shulde be / but rather folowed thē at sōtymes wyllfully, & suffred them to hange vpon me, & taken in them delectacion and pleasure for the tyme. And whan I haue ben in p̄sence of cōpany, I haue not alway ordered my selfe in chaste maner in my lokes or syghtes, countenaunce and behauyour, wordes & dedes, but many tymes haue ben full lyght to take or to gyue occasyon. I crye god mercy. Here must you remē bre sute or prouocaciō vnto vnclē nes, done or suffred on your behalfe, as ī wordes, wrytyngs, sygnes tokens, messages, kyssynge, clyppyng, [Page] touchyng, or other more fylthy and vnlawfull behauyoure / done in dede or in full consente. And so shewe euery thynge with ye due circumstances, of ye tyme, place, and persones, not namynge the persones, but shewynge the states or degrees of thē: as whether they he maried or vnmaried. &c. Thus by this foule synne of lechery: haue I brokē the .vi. & also .ix. commaundemēt of god, and by many other meanes, as well in this synne as in all the other of these .vii. pryncipall synnes, haue I greuously offended my lorde god, brokē his cōmaundementes, not fulfylled ye workes of mercy vnto my power, and mysvsed my fyue wyttes, in herynge, seynge, smellyng, tastynge, and touchynge. For the whiche & for all other, as our lord knoweth me gylty, and I wolde confesse & knowlege if they came [Page] to mynde, I beseche his gracious goodnes of mercy & forgyuenes. And you my ghostly father of penaunce and absolucion. Et precor sanctam Mariam, omnes sanctos dei, & vos orare pro me. Whiche is to meane vnto the vnlerned. And I beseche the blessed lady saynte Mary, all the holy cōpany of heuen, & you also my ghostly father to pray for me. And whan you haue taken your penaunce, and haue ben assoyled, than say you vnto ye preste. Syr / and it please you, this is my penaunce, and than reherse the same ones or twyse your selfe / that you may the more surely bere it in mynde. For I assure you, it is ieopardeous (after lerned men) to forget the penaunce. And thus an ende therof. ¶ yet dyd I promyse in the begynnynge / to set forthe here a forther exercise, whiche I thynke shulde be good and profytable [Page] for all persones. For the cō mune prouerbe is, that a great benefyte or gyfte is worse than loste vpon suche vnkynde persones yt done not remēbre it, ne gyue due thankes therfore. It shuld become therfore euery faythfull christian to haue euer in mynde the greate and excellēt benefyte of our saluacion. And therfore haue I deuysed here a shorte table, that dothe (in some) conteyne the hole lyfe of our sauyoure Iesu, that suche persones as wyll can it by harte, and haue it ready in mynde may lyghtly ordre & lay vp as it were treasure in a cheste or cofre, all suche maters of the gospell, & that done appertayne vnto the actes of our sauyour, as bene preached where they ben presente, or that they don here any good communycacions or redynges. And also ouer this / they shall haue two greate profytes [Page] hereby, one is: that no remedy maye better ne soner chace awaye all temptacions, & put the ghostly enemyes to flyght, than this remē braunce. The seconde is, that nothynge in this worlde may rather ne more spedefully moue a dull harte vnto deuotion, & vnto contynuaūce of vertue, than this exercise. I beseche you all therfore, in visceribus Iesu christi: that is to say, for the tender loue of our lord god and most swete sauyour Iesu: gyue some laboure and diligence thervnto, and dayly vse the same. It is but shorte and therfore may it soone be had by harte. And it is very swete, pleasaunt and profytable, and therfore shulde be receyued with god wyll and diligence.
¶ The selfe table of remembraunce.
The fyr∣ſte. ¶ The Incarnacion, that is: [Page] whan (after the salutacion & gretyng of ye angell Gabriell) our sauyoure was conceyued perfite mā & very god, in the wombe of our blessed lady Mary, euer virgine.
ii, ¶ The Natiuite, that is the blessed byrth of our sauiour whan he was borne in Bethleē of the same blessed lady, without any payne: she euer remaynyng virgine.
iii. ¶ The Circumcision / whan he fyrste shedde his precyous blode for our redempcion.
iiii. ¶ The Epyphany / whan he was shewed and openly declared vnto the hoole worlde by the thre kynges, to be very god, and very man, the sauyoure of the worlde.
v ¶ The Presentacion / that is whan he was brought vnto the temple with oblacion or offrynge accordyng vnto the lawe, and also the purificacion or churchynge of our Lady.
vi. ¶ The flyght in to Egypte, yt was whā kynge Herode dyd pursue our sauyour, and wyllyng surely to slee hym, dyde cause to slee all the Innocent chyldren within the coostes & countrey of Bethleē.
vii. ¶ The disputacion, that was after his retourne and cōmynge frōe Egypte agayne, whan he wēt with his mother and Ioseph vnto Hierusalem, & there vnknowynge vnto them remayned and taryed / tyll that thre dayes after, wt great sekynge they founde hym in ye tē ple disputyng amōge ye doctours, & than was he .xii. yeres of age.
viii. ¶ His humiliacion and meke behauyoure vnto his parentes / that was whā he lefte that hyghe place and exercise of contemplacion, and went with them, and was obedient vnto them.
ix. ¶ His educaciō or bryngynge vp, that was whan he taried and [Page] dwelled at Nazareth wt his blessed mother and with Ioseph her husbande, euer occupied after theyr wyll and mynde vnto theyr conforthe, and euer as he grewe & encreased in age and statur, so dyd he appere and shewe hym selfe in grace and vertue.
x. ¶ His Baptysme, yt was: whan he was baptised of saynt Iohn̄ baptiste in ye flode of Iordane, where the voyce of the father of heuen was herde, and the holy ghoste (in the kynde and lykenes of a doue) was sene, whiche dyd testifye and declare for trouth, yt Christe was god and man, the Messie and sauyoure of the worlde.
xi. ¶ Wyldernes, that is: that immediatly and forthwith after his sayde baptisme he was led (by the spirite of god) in to a wyldernes / not farre frome the sayd flode of Iordane, to the ende and purpose [Page] to be attempted of the deuyll.
xii. ¶ Faste, that is: yt he in the wyldernes dyd faste frome all maner of fode, meat or drynke, by ye space of .xl. dayes and fourty nyghtes contynually together.
xiii. ¶ Temptaciō / that is: that immediatly and forthwith after that faste whan he beganne to waxe hūgry, the deuyll dyd tempte him vnto glotonye and vnto pryde / & vnto couetyse.
xiiii. ¶ Victory / yt is: yt our sauioure dyd cōfounde the deuyll in all his temptaciōs, & (for our welth) had ouer hym the vyctory & maystry.
xv. ¶ Election / that is: ye chosynge of his disciples, and the appoyntyng and deuydyng of them in to dyuers degrees and ordres.
xvi. ¶ Preachyng, that was whan he spake openly vnto the people / and that cōmunly in paraboles.
xvii. ¶ Teachynge / that was whan [Page] he taught his disciples & apostles secretly by thē selfe suche misteries as apperteyned vnto thē to know and not vnto the cōmune people.
xviii. ¶ Laboures, that was whā he wente aboute from towne to towne, from cite to cite, from countrey to countrey, in hunger, thurste, & colde, and many a wery iourney.
xix. ¶ Miracles, whiche he dyd in many a sondry maner. In tournyng water in wyne / in fedynge of many thousandes with a small porcion of vytayle. In curynge & helynge of all maner of syckenes & diseases, & in shewynge to many theyr secrete & inward thoughtes.
xx. ¶ The Maundy / that was the laste souper, that he made to ende and conclude the olde testamente / by the pascal lambe / and to ordeyne & begynne the newe testament.
xxi. ¶ The ministery or seruyce / yt was whan he wasshed the fete of [Page] his disciples arisynge therunto frome the soupper.
xxii. ¶ The Consecracion, that was whan he retournyng agayne vnto the table, dyd (of bread & wyne) consecrate & make his owne holy body and sacred blode, and therewith dyd cōmune and howsell his apostles / and gaue them power to consecrate & make the same, wherby they were all made preastes.
xxiii ¶ The sermone / that was whā (after all this) he preached vnto his apostles a solempne & maruelous swete sermō makyng specially mē ciō of loue, vnite, peace, & cōcorde.
xxiiii. ¶ Agony / that was whan he went a syde from the company, wt saynt Peter, saynt Iohn̄, and saynt Iames / & yet went somwhat from them vnto prayer / wherin he swet water & blode for agony / fere / care / and trouble of mynde / for the maner of that bytter passyon and [Page] moste cruell dethe that he sawe to come / and howe lytell it shulde be regarded and set by.
xxv. ¶ Betraynge / that was whan the traytoure Iudas that before had solde hym vnto the Iewes / came with a company of harneysed men / & with a false flaterynge kysse shewed vnto them whiche was he.
xxvi. ¶ Takynge / that was whan (after that kysse) ye soudyers layde hande vpon hym and toke hym / & all his disciples fledde and forsoke hym for the tyme.
xxvii. ¶ Bysshopes / that is whan the soudiers that toke hym / brought hym vnto the bysshopes Anne and Cayphas, where he was examined, and by false wytnes accused / and cruelly tormēted all ye nyght.
xxviii ¶ Pylate, that is: that on the morowe he was presented by the Iewes, & falsly accused vnto Pylate.
xxix. ¶ Herode / that is: whan Pylate had examined hym and coulde not fynde hym in any thynge defauty, than dyd he sende hym vnto Herode the kynge.
xxx. ¶ Pylate agayne, that is: whā Herode had examined hym in many thynges / and he wolde answere hym vnto nothynge: than he put vpō hym a whyte foles cote / & with derysion and mokery sente hym agayne vnto Pylate.
xxxi. ¶ Examinacion, that was whā (after many newe false accusaciōs of the Iewes) he ferther examined hym by longe processe.
xxxii. ¶ Flagellacion, that was: whā Pylate wyllynge to delyuer hym (bycause he foūde hym in all thynges fautles, and yet coulde not appease the crye and malyce of the Iewes) dyd put hym naked, and tyed him vnto a pyller, and caused [Page] hym to be cruelly scourged, so that no place of his body was vntorne or vnwounded.
xxxiii. ¶ Coronacion, that was whan the Iewes wolde not yet be satisfyed and contente, Pylate caused hym to be crowned with a crowne of sharpe thornes, and with a rede in his hande in stede of a septre / & clothed in purpure: brought hym forth amonge them, and sayde in mockage / Beholde your kynge.
xxxiiii. ¶ Condempnacion / that was: whan the Iewes wold in nowyse be otherwyse contente than with his deth. Pylate set in a trone as iudge (condempned him) & iudged hym vnto the deth of the crosse.
xxxv. ¶ Fatigacion / that was: whā Pylate hade putt vpon hym his owne clothes agayne / and gyuen the sayde iugement, thā layde the heuy crosse vpō his necke / vnder the whiche (for very werynes and [Page] fayntenes) he fell downe (as not able to bere it any forther) and thā caused they a nother mā to bere it for hym vnto the place / that was the mounte of Caluary.
xxxvi ¶ Crucifixion, that was: whan he came vnto the place, they caused hym to put hym selfe naked agayne, and to ioyne and frame his body vnto the crosse, whervnto they nayled him with foure great nayles,Lib. iiii. reuelat btē Brygide cap. lxx. b one through the mydle of hys ryght hande, the seconde through the lefte hāde, and through eyther fote one, laynge ye legges on croswyse, the one ouerthwarte ouer ye other, and so dyd they hang hym / & by many rebukes mocked hym / and whan he cōplayned of thurst / they gaue hym eysell & gall. And whan he had hāged ther so paynfully the space of thre houres, he with lowde crye commendyng his spirite and soule vnto the father [Page] of heuen / expired & dyed. And yet after his departynge (to be sure of his deth) one of ye sowdyours made a wounde in his syde & thraste hym vnto the harte with a spere.
xxxvii. ¶ Sepulture, that is to saye: the buryinge, whan Iosephe ab Aramathie had asked of Pylate his blessed body / he toke hym downe at complyn tyme, and buried hym in a newe graue or tombe that he had made for hym selfe.
xxxviii. ¶ Resurrection / that was: whā the thyrde daye after he dyd aryse in a gloryous body and soule, and appered fyrst vnto our blessed lady his mother, than vnto Mary magdalene, and after vnto ye thre Maries / than vnto saynte Peter, and after that vnto two of his disciples at Emaus. And the same nyght vnto ten of the Apostles whan all theyr dores and wyndowes were faste shut and closed [Page] vp. Thus you maye perceyue he dyd appere .v. tymes that same daye of his resurrection.
xxxix. ¶ Ascencion / that was: whā he (in many sondry wyses, by many apperynges) had sufficiently proued & assured his gloryous resurrection, by the space of .xl. dayes: than in the presence of his mother his apostles, and in the presēce of many other disciples, men & women: he dyd meruelously ascende and stye vp into heuen.
l. ¶ The Missiō or sendyng of the holy ghost, that was whan the .x. day after the sayd meruelouse ascē sion accordyng vnto his promyse he sent downe the holy ghost vnto his blessed mother / his apostles & disciples, wherby they were all fulfylled with grace, & confyrmed theryn, as the fyrste churche of christe, and so hath cōtynued / and doth & shall cōtynue ī the churche [Page] vnto the ende of the worlde. Amen. ¶ you now wyll thynke this table ouer lōg for a dayly exercise, but you muste remēbre that the selfe table is conteyned in the fyrst wordes of euery artycle, and the resydue is a breue declaracion of the same, & therfore I shall be contente to set it out alone in selfe wordes, whiche ben in nōmbre .xl.
¶ Thus.
¶ Incarnation / Natiuite / Circumcision / Epyphani / Presentation / Egypte / Disputaciō / Humiliaciō / Educaciō / Baptysme / Wildernes / Faste, Tēptaciō / Victory / Electiō / Preachyng / Teachyng / Laboures / Miracles / Maundy / Ministery / Consecraciō / Sermō / Agonye / Betraynge / Takynge / Bisshopes / Pylate / Herode / Pylate agayne / Examinaciō / Flagellacion / Coronacion / Condemnation / Fatigation / Crucifixiō / Sepulture [Page] / Resurrection / Ascention / Mission.
¶ The ende.
¶ Nowe you may se this table is not long, but may easely be had by harte, and if it so be, and dayly vsed: I dare well say the persones shall fynde conforte therin, bothe to exclude vyce / & also to encrease in vertu & grace. And yet forthermore to cōtynue therin vnto theyr conforte & ioye euerlastyng whervnto he bryng vs that bought vs our lord god and most swete sauioure Iesu, who guyde you & kepe you all.
Amen.
¶ Thus haue I nowe (in dischargynge of my coscience) done & fulfylled the cownsell & byddynge of my ghostly father that taught me thys lesson, whiche cownsell was, that I shulde call you all byfore me: as well my wyfe and chyldren, [Page] as myne other seruauntes, men / women, and chyldren, and to teche you thys sayd and same lesson that he taught me. Now I pray you all and charge you to do your deuoyr and diligence to followe it and vse it.
¶ Also he delyuered vnto me an other prety lesson, whiche was not his owne werke, but of his translation as foloweth, and bad me also teche it you.
¶ A breue or shorte monyciō or counseyle of the cure and gouernaunce of a housholde, accordyng vnto policy. Takē out of a pystle of a great lerned mā, called Bernarde Siluestre, & put amonge ye werkes of saynt Bernarde for bycause that many done iudge and thynke hit was his owne werke.
Set forth by the same brother.
FIrste good deuoute christians / take moste hede, and gyue moste diligēce to ordre your selfe and all youres, vnto our lorde, accordyng vnto the poore lesson that goeth before / and than se well vnto the substaunce / and guydyng of your house / and goodes. Se fyrst that peace be in the house / and that you agre all together / for els all your goodes wyll sone goo to naught. Than (after the commune prouerbe) cut your thōges: after, or accordynge vnto your ledder. Spende accordynge vnto your gaynes / gettynges / or rētes / and not aboue. It is also good policy / to haue one yeres rente / or a yeres gaynes in store for chaūces, whiche is not cōtrary vnto christianite where extreme, or very streyte nede / is not perceyued in the neyghbour. A [Page] negligēt or rechles ꝑsone may soone set on fyre, & destroye great substaūce. Haue therfore a good eye / and garde vnto the diligence of your seruaūtes, for vnder thē your goodes may soone mynushe / and be wasted before you knowe / beware or haue knowlege therof / If your goodes begynne to waste better is, & lesse rebuke for you to absteyne, & withdrawe your charges / than to fall in to nedynes / or daunger. An olde prouerbe. Qui plus expēdit (quam) rerū copia tendit. Nō admiretur si paupertate grauetur. That is. ⚜ Who so done spende beyonde theyr faculte / No meruayle thoughe with nede they greued be.
¶ It is therfore a great prouidē ce, & good foresyght oftē to coūte / & cōpare your goodes, and your gaynes with your expenses. Oftē to ouerse your goodes, shalbe necessary. [Page] For your beastes maye take hurte for defaute of fode, all though they nothynge aske ne cō playne.Aristoti. ī Econo. The stepp of the husbāde: maketh a fatte donghyll. And the eye of the mayster: a fatte horse. that is to meane. that the presence of the mayster: in euery corner / is moche profytable. Sumptuous & costly weddynges or brydales: bē damage / without honoure. Expē ses done vpō warre: ben more honorable, than profytable. Better is to suffre some wronge, & to bye peace, than to make warre, or to kepe warre. Coste made vpō prodigall persones? is clerely loste. Coste made vpon kynne, frendes? is resonable. Fede your housholde seruaūtes: with honest commune fare / without delicates. For ye seruaunte that is made a glotō, shall neuer after mende his maners. Glotony is vyle, fylthy, and stynkyng, [Page] and wyll make the negligēt and careles persone soone roten & shorte lyued.Ecclesi. xxxi. Meane fedyng with scarcite: is vnto the diligent persone / pleasaunte and profytable. vpon the holydayes & hyghe feastes: gyue your housholde plenty of meate, but seldome & fewe delicates. For the vse of delicate fode / wyll soone marre a good seruaūt. Let glotony and thy purse stryue, and go to lawe together: and beware thou well, whiche parte thou takest, but for the moste parte alway holde with the purse. For glotons, men of lawe, and wytnesses / done speke all of affection, but the purse bryngeth in playn euidence and profe, the empte barne and ye empte bagge. But if very negardy shut vp thy purse, than arte not thou an euen iudge. For nygardy is a folysshe and nedeles fere / and euer lyuynge in pouerte, & hourdeth [Page] & muckereth vp: he can not tell for whome. If you haue plēty of corne desyre no derth. For those persones that of couetous mynde done procure or desyre derth, done procure & desyre the deth of ye poore, and shalbe accused: as homicides & māsleers. Sell thy corne better chepe vnto thy neyghbure (althouhg he were thyne enemye) thā vnto straūgers. For an enemye is somtyme soner vaynquysshed and ouercomen by a kynde dede / than by the swerde. Be neuer at debate with thy neyghbure, but rather study / & laboure to be at one. For yu canst haue none so sure a castel / or garde of thy lyfe: as is the loue and frendshype of thy neghbure. If thou suspecte the womē of thy house: let other persones rather shewe the / thā yu shulde be ouer busy to try out ye mater. For though it were of thyne owne wyfe / or the [Page] wyfe of the husbande: it were better vnknowē. For ones knowē, it is neuer cured / ye wounde is wtout remedy. If any remedy be: it shalbe whan lyke chaunce is herde of other ꝑsones. The lest & most easy way therin: is to dissimule the mater though it were pryuely knowē / and pretende ygnoraūce without any quarell or cōtenaunce, but rather by a dyscrete ghostly father let the parties be reformed ye synne be not contynued. A noble harte / & hygh gentyll mynde: wyll neuer serche of womēs maters. A shrew wyll soner be corrected by smyling or laughynge: than by a staffe / or strokes. The beste way to kepe a womā good: is gentyll intreaty, & neuer to let her knowe yt she is suspected / & euer to be counseyled & informed wt louing maner. An olde woman vnclene of lyuyng (if ye lawe wolde suffre) shuld be buried [Page] quycke. Let your clothynge or aray,Of aray. be in a meane, nor vyle ne precyous, but alway, fayre & honest / and of sad: and not of wanton fasshyon. A costly garmēte beyonde: or aboue the state and degre of the persone: is a sygne and tokē of lytell wytte. For a woman that hath suffyciente araye: to desyre newe / and chaunge: is a synge of lytell sadnes. ⚜ Truste hym rather for thy frende, that somwhat doth for the: than hym that doth offre hym selfe: saynge. I am yours in all I can & may. For in wordes is great plenty of frendes.Prouerb xvii. c * A true frende loueth at all tymes, and neuer fayleth at nede. There is no comparyson of ryches: vnto a faythfull frende.Ecclesi. x. b * Neuer repute, ne thynke hym thy frende that doth prayse / or boste the vnto thy face, or in thy presence. Whan you gyue coū seyle vnto a frēde: say this semeth [Page] best vnto me, not thus you muste nedely do. For you may soner get rebuke, or blame for your coūseyle if it proue not: than thāke for your good counseyle: though it spede well. If mynstreles, iogulers, or gesters, come vnto thy house: saye thou haste no lodgynge for suche gestes / you kepe neyther Inne nor alestake. For if you take pleasure in theyr pastymes: you bene full lyke to haue a nother wyfe shortly after, whose name is called pouerte, or beggry. If you fortune to come wher they ben, and begynne somwhat to delecte in theyr maters: I aduyse you dissymule & take vpon you that you herde thē not / ne set any thynge therby. For if they perceue & se you but laugh: they wyl take that for an ernest to crye largesse / and to haue reward. And so importune wyll they be / & so shāfully craue: that you shalbe [Page] yrke and wery of them, & peraduē ture they wyll fall to rebukynge / braulynge, and scoldynge, so that you shalbe fayne & glade, to gyue somwhat (for fere) vnto those galowe clappers, worthy in dede to be hanged vp. For I tell you, god is not pleased wt that occupacion: except it be (as scāt tolerable or alowable) among prynces, lordes / and hyghe estates.
Now for your seruaūtes, if you haue a seruaūt of hyghe proude mynde & stubburne stomake, put hym away lest after he do you harme, & so do hym that alway doth prayse your maners in all thinges. For a flaterer is worse than an enemye: your enemy can not lyghtly deceyue you, but your seruaūts or your neyghbours yt do prayse you bene surely aboute to deceyue you.Ecclesi. vii. c. & xxxiii. d If you haue a basshefull & dredefull seruaunte & fynde hym faythfull / [Page] than loue hym & cherysshe hym as your owne naturall chyld. Make your buyldynges rather for nede than for plesure. For ye appetyte of buyldyng for pleasure shall neuer haue ende, tyll pouerte teche wyt: sōwhat to late. Be loth to sell your herytage, & if you muste nede sell? Sell not vnto great persones, but rather for lesse vnto ye lower persones. Better is to sell, thā to borow by vsury. For vsury is lyke a thefe yt wolde warne you before: what harm he wold do vnto you. If you bye or bergayn, be not buty fellow wt great persones. And though he be vnder you, yet stryue not with hym leste he put his parte vnto your better, or master. In all thinges kepe truely & faythfully your bonde & promyse, accordyng vnto your couenaūte. Due temperaūce is a thynge of greate honesty in a houshold, let therfore your drynke [Page] wyne / ale / or bere / be temperate. Strong drynke is more pleasaū te / than holsome.Ecclesi xxxi. d The wyse man sayth, that sobre drynke is the hel-the both of soule and body.Ibidem. And the wise & lerned persone wyl be ryght well contente with lytell drynke: & that shall not trouble ye stomake / but rather cause swete and holsome slepe: and of the contrary done come many incōmodytes as there doth folowe. Who so euer among many & dyuers strōge drynkes wt haboundaūce therof: is sobre / may be called an erthly god, or a god vpon erth, wrastle not therwith if you do my coūsell. And if by chaū ce you be in cōpany, & begynne to fele ye drynke werke: aryse and departe: a slepe is more mete for you than any cōpany. Who so by wordes wolde excuse drōkennes: doth openly declare his owne disease. The knowlege & iugement of wynes: [Page] doth nothyng become a yong ꝑsone. If a physicion or surgiō vse to be dronke, let him not haue ye cure of your disease ne let none of thē take experience, and lerne in you / howe to cure or hele a nother. For though they be well lerned / & haue not experience: it is no wisedome to let thē proue theyr connyng vpon you. Great gaye horses, and lytell preaty dogges: leue you vnto lordes & ladyes. A byg labouryng horse, & a mastyfe, or a curre dogge: ben good to kepe your house. As for haukes, houndes & hū tyng dogges do spende more than they done get, they ben mete and accordyng for states: to set ydle seruaūtes on werke, but farre vnaccordyng ben they, for husbandes & ware housholders. It is no wysedome to make your owne chyldrē stewardes or rulers of your houshold or goodes. Foles & negligēt [Page] or careles ꝑsones, haile many misfortunes. For that is theyr cōmune excuse whā any thyng is wrōg they say thā, that chaunce or misfortune was cause therof. I saye not nay: but yt chaunce or mysfortune may fall. But who so doth folow wysdome, lernyng, & discreciō shall seldome accuse mysfortune. For diligēt warenes, & good hede, done seldome cōpany wt mysfortune. But yet more seldom shall you se mysfortune & slouth or neglygē ce, departed in sondre, for they dōe cōmunely cōpany together. The sluggard saythe, god wyll helpe hym, & so longe he trusteth thervnto, tyll he be brought vnto beggry For god by ye wyse man doth sende the sluggarde (for example) vnto the Ant or pysmere,Prouer. vi. to lerne to laboure.Iob. v. For man (sayth Iob (is borne vnto laboure, as a byrd to flye. Kepe you (therfore) but fewe ydle [Page] persones or men. And watche you well & take good hede vnto euery ꝑsone of your house. And euer pō dre, weye, and cōsydre your expenses, wt your gaynes or gettynges. Fyrst get and bryng in, & thā spende. For it is no good husbādry to borow. And whan you waxe aged truste rather vnto god than vnto your chyldrē or frēdes. That you sede before you, you shalbe sure to fynde. No cofre, cheste, ne towre may be more sure to kepe treasure? than is heuē. Let not (therfore) the poore passe you. What you gyue vnto thē: you gyue vnto Christe. And of yt you leue behynd you: appoynt vnto euery ꝑsone his parte. For better were it for you nothing to leue: thā yt stryfe & debate shuld be made cōsciēce blamysshed & god offended for your goodes. Truste them best to do for your soule: not yt done loue, or say they done loue [Page] your soule, but that you done perceyue, and coniecture, done loue theyr owne soule. Make your testamente euery yere newe, & surely sealed by wytnes. Laye it where (whā nede is) [...] may be founde, no man [...] howe to ende his life. The [...] sure way, to dye well, is well to lyue. Whiche he graunte vs, that bought vs, our lord god, & most swete sauyour Iesu christe.
¶ Imprynted by me Iohn̄ waylande / At London within temple barre. At the sygne of the blew garlande / Frome the temple gate not farre.
An̄. M.CCCCC. & xxxvii.