euyll vnclene is that vyle sinne they sholde hate it wyth all theyr hertes and flee it as the deth yf they were not out of theyr wyttes or of suche frowardnesse that they raughte not of theyr dampnacōn For we rede in genesis that god for that vyle shamfull synne dystroyed al the worlde by the floode For it rayned xl dayes xl nyghtes And this wate◠was soo hye that it was aboue the hyest mountayn in erthe xv cubytes· which̄e drowned al folkes bestes fowles in the world sauyng noe his wyfe his thre sones their iij. wyues And those bestes fowles y t were saued in the same arke the whiche water roos soo hye ouer al erth to wasshe away the filth foilyng of that vyle synne of lecherye And as hye shall ryse the fyre before the daye of Iugement to purge the erthe of synne as a wise fader sayth A how vnclene a thyng vyle is that fowle synne of lecherye whiche foyleth not oonly therthe But the ayre the whiche fylthe to wasshe awaye suffyseth not all the water that was in erth but that god sente fro heuen Rayne xl dayes xl nyghtes And for sīple fornycacōn that the folke of israhel dyde wyth the women of madyan rede we that there were slay of theim in one daye by the com̄aundement of moyses xxiij thousāde men And saynt poul wytnesseth And for the auoutrye that the folke of gaba dyde one nyghte in the rauysshyng the wyf of a man were slayne lx v. M. men And for that vyle shāfull synne a ayēste nature god dystroyed v. cytees For it regned vpon sodome gomore stynkyng sulphur bren̄ynge fyre and ouerthrewe the cytees all the reame aboute And all tho that enhabyted in the cytees all the thynges growenge in that londe And this was done in signe that god took noo vengaunce vpon the sinners oonly but on the place where they enhabyted of al the place aboute theim that eyther vsid it or knewe it and myghte amende theym wolde not And knowe well that in all maners y e ony man or woman procureth or assenteth therto oute of maryage it is dedely synne and one of y e gretest synnes that is For saynt austin sayth in the decre Auoutry is gretter synne than fornycacyon woors more vyle is a man to sinne wyth his own moder then with a nother woman But ouer euyl abhomynable is it of the synne ayenst nature the leest of all oute of mariage is dāpnable Wherfore ye wretches that folow soo the vise desires of your flessh̄ bethinke ye and repent you And remēbre how greuous is this vyle syn̄e of lecherye And therof sayth saynt Ioh̄n in thapocalipsis y e vicyous wretches auouterers that will not leue their synne shall be payned perdurably in a lake of stynkyng sulphur brennyng fire for this that they ben now soo brennyng in the fowle desire of theyr wretchid flessh̄ before god his angelles and all good folkes But yet the mercy of our lord is soo grete y t whan the wretchid man or woman repēteth hem of hir synnes haue they euer somoche offended in ony syn̄e what soo euer it be so that they kepe hem clene forthe in body herte shall goo to the Ioye perdurable where they shall see Ih̄u cryst y e fader the holy goost soo as sayth y e gospell Blessyd be the clene of herte for they shal see god swete ihesu the sone of marye all the holy company of heuen My dere suster there I trust we shall be togyder bothe body sowle at the grete daye of Iugement And this graūt vs almighti god of his Infinite mercy Amen And all ye that rede or here this pray ye for hym that made it for theym that wrote it and for hir that was the cause that it was made and of your charite for theym that translated it wrote it out of frenssh̄ in to ēglissh̄ one pater noster one auee that god haue mercy on vs. that we may come to hym after this mortall lyfe in to the euerlastyng lyf wythout departynge Amen AS wyse folkes sayen there ben thre signes of very loue frenshyp One is a persone wyll be gladde to speke well of whom they loue beste A nother they wylle be gladde to here often well good tidynges of theym The thyrde they haue theim somoche in theyr remembraūce ▪ that at somtyme all other thyng is forgoten but oonly the same thyng that they loue best And this is the moost sure true signe of all other moost to be preysed And this dyde saynt Fraūceys of whom pope gregory wytnessith by his bull y t he sawe often wyth his eyen that whan men named the name of ihesu before saynt fraunceys he was soo rauysshyd wyth that blessid name that he had nother the herynge nor the sight of ony persone or thīge that was done aboute him for a tyme. And thus my right dere suster for goddes sake ouer all thyng loue ye him· doo your true deuour to wynne the specyall fauour and grace of him that so hiely will marye his louers As well preuyd it saynt Katheryne and saynt an̄es and holde ye thenne this maner to thynke what a loue the swete Ih̄s is· Thynke fyrst how by naturell reason ye be moost beholden to loue theim that moost hath gyuen you and moost hath don̄ for you with out ony deserte of you wythoute ony rewarde of you For al y e good weles that is in you ye haue receyued of hym Thenne shee wit well that aboue all other ye ought to loue him wyth all your herte wyth all your power For after y e grete weles bountees that ye haue receyued of him soo ought youre loue to be grete towarde hym this sayth hymself by the prophete Ysaye I haue noo desire of golde nor siluer nor other tresour but onely of the faythfull loue of man or woman Now bethynke you well thenne dere suster where may ye better gyue your hert loue thā to hym Wherfore to remēbre yow euery daye yf ye haue leyser what ben y e weles that ye haue receyued of god wythout your deserte say or thinke in this manere My lorde god I vnderstonde well that ye of your grace hath made me of no thyng and giuen me beyng amonge your creatures and truly whā I was noo thynge I myght noo thyng deserue Then̄e all this that I am haue I haue receiued of your specyall gyfte grace wythout my deserte And of your creatures there ben some hyer some lower And I knowe well that ye myghte haue made me the most vyle creature that is and this dyde ye not But of your bountee fourmed me to be amonge the moost hie creatures that is this is to knowe aungell man that in your owne liknesse shall see you in your glorye And this
Sic respondes pontifici Sholde thou thus answere to the bysshoppe A how the swete Ihesu answerde to this felon wretche ¶ Si male locutus sum testimoniuÌ„ perhibe de malo si autem bene cur me cedis Yf I speke euyll bere wytnesse of euyll and yf it be well wherfore smytes thou me He sayd not thou cursid traytours ye haue striken me with wroÌ„ge ye shall be confounded in helle Wherby ye maye see his benignite ¶ But for all this the cruell tyrauÌ„ts buffet him couerde his blessyd eyen and bete wyth theyr cursid fystes all abowte his blessid hede and smote his fayr vysage ful vylaynously wherof saynt bernarde sayth ¶ Libertas captiuorum traditur gloria angelorum illuditur splendor lucis eterne et speculum sine macula conspernitur deus omnium flagellatur vita hominuÌ„ occiditur quid nobis restat ad agendum eamus et moriamur cum illo O bone Ihesu trahe me me post te non in odorem suauitatis sed in odorem tue passionis ¶ A Ihesu cryst that was the deliuerer of prysoners he was deliuered to prison for vs The glorye of angels was mocked for vs The shyner of eternall lighte and myrrour wythout ony spotte is dispysed God almyghty is scourged The lyf of man is slayne what is now for vs to doo Goo we deye wyth hym A good Ihesu draew me after the not in to the odoure of swetnes but in to the odoure of thy harde passion ¶ And whan they had all the nyight tormented him and doon him all the harme and shame they coude On the morne they assembled theym all togyder and Iuged hym to the most shamfull deth that they cowde thynke whyche was to be hanged vpon the crosse vpon an hyghe mountayne betwene two theues wherof this verse is sayd ¶ Dismas et gismas medio diuina potestas Et cum iniquis de putatus est ¶ Dysmas the tone theef hynge on that one parte and Gysmas y e other theef on the other parte and betwene them henge the diuyne mageste this was our lorde Ihesu criste And whan he was Iuged the cruel tourmentours and hangmeÌ„ trussed the heuy wood of the crosse vpon his backe as sayth saynt Iohan the euangeliste ¶ EduxeruÌ„t eum et cetera They ledde Ihesu oute of the cyte and hymself beringe his harde crosse soo feynt wery that vnneth myghte he bere it wherof he sayth by dauyd ¶ Q mÌ„ defecit in dolore vita mea My lyff and my force faylleth me in sorow and payne And whan they sawe he myght not goo so spedely as they wold they toke wyth force a stronge man that passed by the waye whyche was namyd simon And made hym ayenst his wylle to bere the crosse the sooner to haast the dethe of our lorde Ihesu cryst ¶ And whan they took fro hym the crosse to delyuer to symon they smote our lorde ful cruelly ThenÌ„e came there wymmen of galilee folowyng our lorde and wepte full peteously And made full grete sorowe to see hym suffre soo moche shame and payne withoute deserte ¶ And whan he sawe thyse wymen wepe soo sore he had full grete pyte And sayd to theym ¶ Filie Iherusalem nolite flere super me cÌ„ DOughters of Iherusalem wepe ye not for me but for yourselfe and your chylderne For the dayes shall come whaÌ„ ye shall saye blessed be the bareyne woman â— and the wombes that neuer bare chylde and the breestes y t neur gaaf souke For thenne shal ye begynÌ„e to saye mountayns fall on vs and the erthe couere vs ¶ The cruell Iewes ledde hym forth and hynge hym on the crosse nakyd before all the peple in the same fowle place where the stynkynge rotyn careyns were of the bodies of theuis· that they had put to deth in that same place afore ¶ Alas whan he was crusifyed thus sorowfully the cursyd traytours escryed hym soo shamfully sayd ¶ MoueÌ„tes capita sua dixerunt vath qui destruit templum dei et in tribus diebus illud reedificat salua teipsum si filius dei es descende de cruce ¶ They brandysshyd theyr hedes and sayd in scornÌ„ see him here that same that wylle destroye the temple of god make it ayen wythin iij dayes Now saue thiself yf thou be the sone of god Come downe of the crosse where thou arte hanged Thus cryed the felon Iewes See that same that auauÌ„ted hym hymselfe to saue other folkes and hymselfe he maye not saue See how thyse vnhappy Iewes tempted hym thise same folk that dyde hym the sondaye before so grete honour· that they layed theyr clothes in the waye where he passed and caste flowres and braunches before hym and songe ¶ Osanna filio dauid benedictus qui venit in nomine domini GLorye and honour be done to Ihesu the sone of god of the lignage of dauyd And blessid be he that cometh in y e name of our lorde the kyng of Iherusalem w Wherof saynt Bernarde spekyth of this shame ¶ Ab eodom populo in eodem loco et in ipso tempore paucissimis interpositis diebus primo cum taÌ„to triumpho susceptus postea crucifixus est Of the same peple and in the same place and abowte the same tyme. where he was fyrst receyued wyth grete honoure After was he hanged on the crosse as a theef See how grete dyfference was this thenne to receyue hym as kynge of Iherusalem and forth wyth to saye we haue noo kynge but cezar And how the difference was betwene y e region the crosse betwene the floures and the crowne of thornes befor him were clothes of silke riche panes sprad now was he dispoyllid all naked Alas what shame IhÌ„u suffrid of tho same folke that dide him so grete honour a litill before anone after so many reproches soo vilaynously hangyng on the crosse betwene two theues· for the loue of his dere loue manÌ„es soule was he thê° shamfully slayn that men myght holde hym for maister of the theuis And hyng there soo fowle arayed as yf he were a mesell as he sayth by ysaye the prophete ¶ Non est ei species neque decor et vidimê° euÌ„ no erat asspectus et desiderauimê° despectuÌ„ nouissimuÌ„ viroruÌ„ virum doloruÌ„ scienteÌ„ infirmitateÌ„ et qua si absconditus vultus eiê° dispectê° vnde nec reputauimê° euÌ„ Nother bewte nor honour was in hym at that houre And we sawe hym and desyryd hym dispysed And the laste and moost vyle of all men And his face dyfformyd wyth blood and fowle spyttyng so that we had hym in derysion ¶ A sorowe of sorowes that the Emperour of heuen and of all the worlde suffryd Soo cruelly was he wouÌ„ded for our wretched soules of whiche we holde soo lityll pryce For this admonestith saynt Bernard to take kepe of the vilaynies and sorowes that Ihesu cryst suffryd for vs. And sayth ¶ Oho no considera filium virginis
teÌ„pte you A nother medycyne ayenst spirytuell slouth is in the hope comfor to of euerlastyng Ioye And this may a man haue by holy medytacion of the passion of the swete Ihesu cryst of his Ioye of heuen ¶ And thise medytacoÌ„ns comen ofte by good lessons herde of other folke or by redyng theymself that makyth man woman fermly to trust in god and for noo synne to be in dyspaire of his mercy for thê° sayth saynt bâ—â—narde I haue synned gretly wherwyth my conscyence is trowblid but for this I dyspayre not for I shall thynke of the woundes of our lorde that he suffryd for synÌ„ars And thenne canÌ„ I not be afrayed for noo synÌ„e that I haue done in tyme paste but that I shall be sauid yf I haue grace to come wyth repentaunce to the mercy of our lorde· A nother remedie there is ayenst slouth ayenst euery euyll and a mene to purchace euery we le This is oryson and therfore the fende dredeth moche y e charytable prayer for this cause y e prayer entreth somoche in the court of ihesu cryst ayenst the fende that it doth two thiÌ„gis It byndeth hym brenneth hym We rede that a holy man was in his prayers the fende came fleyng ouer hym in the eyre sholde passe towarde the occydent by the commauÌ„dement of Iulian the emperour of Rome And there became he soo faste bounde by the prayers of the holy man that to hym ascended as wynges mouÌ„tynge towarde heuen that in noo wise he myght remeue bi y e space of x. dayes enteerly And of a nother fende rede we in the lyf of saynt bertylmew y t as he was in his prayers the fende sayd to him grete pane haue I wyth you for your praiers brenne me sore And for thys I pray you good suster that ye oft remembre thise thynges thennel shall ye haue the ioy of heueÌ„ y t shal be gyuen to theym that tâ—aueylle for our lord Ihesu cryst Soo as he hymselfe sayth in the gospell calle sayth he the labourers gyue them theyr hire that is the Ioye of heueÌ„ WHo sheld be coueytous or scarse as ben thei that will for the purchasyng receyuyng of erthly weles trespace ayeÌ„ste god yf they beholde by true fayth the grete pouertee that was in the swete Ihesu that conteyned fro the begynnyng of his lyf more more vnto th ende For at the fyrst tyme whaÌ„ the kyng was borne that made bothe heuen erth he had not soo moche place on all the erth vpon whiche his lityl body myght reste And therfore his piteous moder wrapped him in pour clothes layed him in a manger betwyx an oxe an asse As it is sayd in the gospell Yet after this was he more pour so as he hymself sayd that he had not soo moche place wheron he might rest his hede so pour was he of erthly loggyng But yet foloweth a greter pouerte for the kiÌ„ge of glorye was dyspoyled aâ—â—e nakyd put vpon the crosse And yet what is more merueile that of all the large erthe brode might he not haue space to laye his body to deye vpon For the crosse was not of brede past a foâ—e or lityll more This was a thyng of grete merueyle that he that was almyghty in heuen in erthe wolde wylfully be so pour as I haue here befor touchid ThenÌ„e vnhappy ben they that ouermoche desyren erthly goodes loue honour of this world Wherof saynt poul spekyth sore ayenste saith in this wyse It is not euyl to haue them but rather it is euyll to loue theym For the rychÌ„esse of this worlde is but thyng that gooth comyth And therfore who that hath rychesse loueth it becometh pour they that haue riches loueth pouerte is ryche For thyse riche folkes that ouermoche loueÌ„ this worlde haue the curse of god soo as he sayth in the gospell Cursed be ye ryche folkes that haue your comfort in your ryches But to theim that lityll loue it hath he gyueÌ„ his blessyng the Ioye perdurable thus sayth he in the gospell ¶ Blessyd be the poore for theyrs shall be the reame of heuen Thys graunt vs the swete Ihesus that soo moche louyd pouertee· WHo sholde ete ouermoche by wyll or custome or drynke wherby that the naturel forces of the soule or body sholde be destourbed soo that they maye not doo thoffice that they are ordeyned to Suche that ben thus accustomed ben the glotons that are ofte grutchyng for mete drynke ¶ But who that by true fayth be holde well the poure petaunce that our lorde Ihesu cryst had the day y t he was lete blood on the crosse they sholde haue lityll appetyte to that glotenie There ben two maner of folkes that haue grete nede of good comfortable metes this is to knowe they that traueyle they y t blede And the day of his passion our lorde was both in harde traueyle bledyng and his pour petauÌ„ce was thenÌ„e but a draught of eysell galle as the gospel sheweth who thenne sholde grutche for defawte though he haue somtyme not plente at his wyll of mete or drynke for the seruauÌ„t ought not to be better seruid than his lord wherof oure lorde spekith by Ieramye RemeÌ„bre you sayd he that haue soo moche trespased of my grete pouerte of the bytternesse of the eysell galle that was gyuen to me to drynke yet had I noo thynge trespased Alas wretches that we ben For truely if we thought of this grete defawte we sholde be content wyth lityll furnysshÌ„ penauÌ„ce wyth abstinence and helpe those meÌ„bres of our lorde that haue grete defawte whiche ben the pour nedy But it is grete merueyle y t thise rychÌ„e men haue not grete remorse of conscyeÌ„ce to thynke how they wythdrawe from the mouth of god in the pour gyue it to the chyldern of the fende as to thise mynstrelles triflers glotons vnthryftes doon ayenst the commauÌ„dement of oure lorde Ihesu cryste to the reryll of her soules· For the book sayth for the commaundement of god receyue the pour whiche is to meane to helpe them after your power And yf ye may not yet haue compascoÌ„n on theym· and be of good wyll to helpe theim and god wyll rewarde you And saynt austin sayth the ryche be made to helpe the pour and the pour to pray for the riche god wyll gyue to eche of theim richesse Ioye wythout ende The whiche Ioye vs graunt the swete Ihesus that fastyd xlÌ„ dayes in erthe AYeÌ„st lecherye is to be noted the clenÌ„esse of the pure vyrgyn mary for he sholde be ouer vyle of his body that by tru fayth beholde the clene byrth of Ihesu cryst of his rihÌ„t clene pure moder the blessyd vyrgyn saynt mary and the clenÌ„esse of the lif that thei ledde in erthe and all theyrs And on that other partye how shamfully
to serue you In all your werkes oughte to be attemperaunce For euery ouermesure torneth to vyce as to moche or te lityll In al your dedes holde descrecoÌ„n for yf ye kepe not dyscrecyon there is noo vertue in noo thyng that ye do· but rather it is vyce Doo by other as ye wolde they sholde doo by you Doo none enoyes to other by your wytnes nor wyth your worde empeyre noo body Doo not wyllingly harm to none lest ye suffre suche at the day of Iugement Ne mayntâ—ne none agayne trouth be they ryche or poore Loke ye be tru to all so that your trouth be neuer corrupte by noo couetyse of rychesse Gyue neuer Iugement wythoute mercy It is a peryllous thyng to Iuge a man by suspeccoÌ„n For somtyme is blamed the same that is gyltlees Be not reysed in pryde for none honour that ye haue but kepe you in humylite For it is ful harde to haue honour wythout sinne The honour of this worlde is soo deceyuable that it makyth somtyme the moost myghty persones to suffre the moost stronge tormeÌ„tes For the hyest trees ben moost in dangeour of the wynde or tempest The rychÌ„e man arrayed in purple and gold and hath his knyghtes abowte hiÌ„ his armes with moche more no blesse yet for all that is he often in grete trystesse anguysshÌ„ perylle Though he lie in a bedde of silke yet is he often in moche more trowble than he that lieth in raynen or in the strawe Lytill whyle endureth the glory of this world Say me now where ben the kynges the prynces the myghty the grete ryche folkes of thÌ„is worlde Al beÌ„ passed as a shadowe vanyssht as a dreme And who that enplieth theÌ„ in the grete gaynes of this worlde shall neuer haue rest wherfore yf ye wyll haue rest cast from you the besie cures of this worlde for ryches is but seldom goteÌ„ without sinÌ„e It befallith ofte that thei that haue grete richesses haue not alwaye reste And specyall they y t moost delite theym therin For thise erthly charges disceuereth man from god For none may haue y e glorye of god of the worlde togyder In this maner may ye know how ye shold liue a right Therfore take hede that ye vse not tho thynges that ben defended in this lityll treatye The moost rightfull oughte not to trust in his owne bounte For our sinnes ouerthroweth all anone yf it be not euery daye purged by good werkes The synful man or woman ought not dispeyre of the mercy of god For god wolde they sholde be conuerted lyue thus as by wysdome is customably made grete famylieryte after dyscorde Better it is to dyspose the seculer famylieryte â–ª than to lese the saluacyon of the soule And as we haue folowed the euyll folkes to doo euyll From hens forth be we not slowthfull to folow the good folkes to doo well and goo nomore oute of the ryght way Who wyll be good be he fyrst as a dyscyple and begyn noo thynge of hymself wherby he may after repente hym ¶ Thenne yf ye wyll wel behoâ—de this techyng and counseyle the ofter that ye beholde them the more of fruyte ye shal fynde in theym And god grauÌ„t vs grace to kepe theim well to the ende that it may clense vs of al our sinÌ„es and make vs hole of all our wretchydnesse very god very man wythout ende by all the worlde of the worlde· Amen HEre begynneth a techynge by manere of predycacyon made to the peple by master Alberte conteynyng ix artycles ¶ Mayster Alberte Archebysshop of Coleyne sayd thyse wordes in the persone of Ihesu cryst ¶ The fyrste is this Gyue a a peny for my loue in thy lyfe whyle thou hast power and helthe And this shall pleyse me better more shall auayle the than yf meÌ„ gaaf after thy dethe for the a hepe of siluer that were as hye as froÌ„ erth to the skye ¶ The seconde is wepe one tere for my suffraunce passion that I haue suffrid for the for thy synÌ„es it shall pleise me more be better for the than yf y u wepte asmoche of teres as is water in the see for ony other thyng y t is vayn chauÌ„geable ¶ The thirde is this breke thy slepe thy owne wylle whan thou mayst doo it to worship prayse me it shall pleyse me more be better for the than yf men sende xij knyghtes in good quarell for the after thy deth ¶ The fourth is this kepe the fro euyll sayeng of thyn neyghbour hurt no body wylfully this shal plese me more be beter for the thaÌ„ yf thou wentest barefote so long y t men might folowe the by the trackes of thy blood ¶ The v. is this suffre Ioyfulli a hard worde whaÌ„ men say to the for the loue of me this shal pleise me more better for the than yf it myght be that y u suffredest as many roddes to be brokeÌ„ vpoÌ„ thy body as myght lye on a grete feld ¶ The vj. is herberow the poor doo good to theim that beÌ„ nedy thou shalt pleyse me more be beter to the than yf y u fastid xl yere brede water ¶ The vij is doo good to thy power in all y t thou may put peas loue amonge thy neyghbours it shal pleyse me more better to the than yf y u were euery day rauysshÌ„t to heueÌ„ ¶ The viij is this yf y u desire oni thyng eyther for soule or for body or for ony other thiÌ„g or caas pray therfore herâ—ly to myself it shall plese me more better for the than yf my moder all the sayntes in heueÌ„ praied me for the somoche it pleseth me thyne owne prayer wyth tru hert ¶ The ix is this loue me souerainly ouer al creatures of good herte of good loue true this shall plese me more be better for y e than yf there were a pyller that retchid froÌ„ erthe to heuen and sharpe as rasours were possible that y u myghtest goo vpoÌ„ this pyller come down ayen euery day not dey It pleyseth me more that thou sholde loue me faythfully wyth all thy soule wyth all thy hert enteerly ¶ Here begynÌ„en dyuerse treatises ensamples of saynt poul other doctours in diuynite ¶ In noiÌ„e dnÌ„i amen Thapostle saynt poul sayth that all they that wyll liue surely in IhÌ„u cryst shall suffâ—e persecucoÌ„n But our lord ihesu cryste wylle not that his chosen seruauÌ„tes fayle in trybulacoÌ„n For he coÌ„forteth helpeth theim himself gyueth theÌ„ vertue of his grace saith Haue no fere I am with you alwaye vnto the ende And haueÌ„ you the holy scryptures to teche you â–ª For by pacieÌ„ce coÌ„forte of holy scripture ought al folkes to haue hope in the same that sayd Truste ye in me for I haue vaiÌ„quysshed the worlde wherfore in all
ouer all is necessary prouffitable y e remeÌ„braunce of the paynful meke suffrauÌ„ce of our lorde IhÌ„u cryst It coÌ„forteth in all tribulacoÌ„n It surmounteth all temptacyon It deliuereth from all trystesse It takyth awaye all vayne gladnesse And of dyspayres makyth deliueraunce and is the sure true hope of pardone It is the rule of obedyence and the example of pacyence and sure medicyne agayn all euyll And of all true weles the very rote ¶ There were sixe mayster togyder and one askyd to a nother what thyng they shold say of god began to speke of trybulacoÌ„n The fyrst master sayd yf ony thinge were more noble than tribulacion to ony creature liuyng in this world god rader wold haue gyueÌ„ it to his sone therfore he gaaf hiÌ„ more to suffre therof thaÌ„ to ony other creature y t euer was or shall be ¶ The .ij master said y t yf ony creature were as clene fro sinÌ„e as he was at thour that he was cristened â–ª might liue xxx yere withoute bodely mete also that god had gyueÌ„ him grace to speke with thaÌ„gel in thayre soo as he dyde to mary magdalenÌ„ yet myght he not dysserne in this lif soo grete merite as some decerne in auersite by pacyeÌ„ce beryng ¶ The thyrde master sayd yf the moder of god all the sayntes that ben in hâ—â—â—en prayed for a creature they myght not gete hym soo grete meryte as he shold gete bi beryng pacieÌ„tly aduersite ¶ The fourth mayster sayd that our lorde IhÌ„u cryst henge on the crosse halfe a day therfore honour we the crosse· But I saye that we oughte by more grete reison honour tribulacion than the crosse For our lord suffryd that more than thyrty yere in erthe ¶ The fythe mayster sayd rather than to leue the leest rewarde that myght be goten by pacyent suffryng of trybulacion he had as leue forbere the sight of god vnto the day of dome An holy man say the y â— nonÌ„ is worthi to haue tribulacoÌ„n but suche as desire it gladly TribulacoÌ„n quenchith the sinnes tribulacoÌ„n arrayeth the persone to know y e secretê of god tribulacoÌ„n makith a man to know hiÌ„self other multiplieth y e vertues preuith hiÌ„ as gold in the furnays of god charite this doth tribulacoÌ„n TribulacoÌ„n bieth ayeÌ„ the time loste the creature eÌ„belissheth with innocense makyth hiÌ„ able to receyue al the weles that god giueth to his freÌ„des it is the tresour y t none may be coÌ„parid to trybulacyon vneth the creature to gode And that is the most certeyn wele that is ¶ Now askyth the sixte mayster wherfore we suffre soo enuyously trybulacyon And it is answerde for thre causes The fyrst is for we haue lityll loue to god The seconde for we thynke lityll of the rewarde that god wyll gyue vs therfore The thyrde for this that we thynke full lityll of the sufferaunce that our lorde Ihesu cryst suffred for vs Praysed maye he be of hys grete bountee Amen ¶ Thus endeth this present boke whiche treateth fyrst of the gloryous passion of our Sauyour and of the compascyon that his blessyd moder had therof And also sheweth in a nother treatyse folowyng wherfore we ought to loue our sauyour more than ony other thynge ¶ Also sheweth a nother treatise moche prouffytable for reformacyon of soules defoyled wyth ony of the vij dedely synnes ¶ ItmÌ„ a nother treatyse shewynge the signes of goostly loue ¶ ItmÌ„ a treatise of the vertues of the brauÌ„ches of the appultree whiche is expowned morally as is before expressyd ¶ Also folowiÌ„g is declared wherby men maye seke the loue of our lorde Ihesu cryst ¶ And the last treatyse of this forsayd boke spekyth to exhorte the persone to eschewe and haue in coÌ„tempte all euyll thoughtes And to reduce theymself in all poyntes â—o good werkes vnder the hope of dyuyne grace