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
may be to all the worlde whan Ihesu sholde deye wepyng soo pyteously so sorowfully playninge for suche as toke nomore hede of his harde passion that he suffred for theym noo more than yf he neuer had become man A nother reason was there as he playned hym wepte full pyteously for that soo fewe folke sholde be soo dere bought wherof saynt gregorye sayth ¶ Si respicio facieÌ„ cristi in cruce pendentis primis michi occurrit quod fleuit orans Sêª quare fleuisti bone IhÌ„u quare fleuisti cum pocius esset gaudenduÌ„ maxime tunc cum operabaris salutem in medio terre affligens peccata nostra cruce daÌ„pnans diaboluÌ„ Saluans miseros fleuit igitur qr quia cuÌ„ passio sua sufficeret redempcioni oiÌ„m profuit redempcioni paucorum ¶ Whan I beholde the face of Ihesu cryst hangynge vpon the crosse Fyrst it renÌ„eth in my mynde that he in prayeÌ„g wept But whi wept ye swete Ihesu why wept ye where rather it sholde be Ioyed specyally whan he brought helth in the myddes of the erth fyxed our synnes on the crosse daÌ„pnyng the deuyll sauynge wretches But for this wept he that his passion was sufficyent ynoughÌ„ to the redempcyon of all folkes shold prouffyte allonely to the redempcoÌ„n of soo fewe For full fewe ben in all the worlde of Religyous or seculer or ony other maner of folkes of holy chyrche or other that a right louyth the kynge of glory the swete Ihesu criste as they ought wherof sayth saynt poul ¶ Omnes que sua sunt querunt non que Ihesu cristi All folkes seke eÌ„tentyfly the prouffyte of theyr bodyes and not the loue that they owe to Ihesu cryste And our lorde hymself sayth ¶ Putas ne filius hominis inueniet fidem super terrain Wene ye that that Ihesu the sone of mary founde fayth or charyte in erthe for sothe full scarsely Now dere frende remembre ye how yourselfe hath louyd ful pourly our gode lorde and loue Ihesu cryst And how our neighbours of this worlde beÌ„ now corrupted with many maner of synÌ„es And how the deth of our swete lorde spouse y e sone of god was harde cruell ThenÌ„e oughte we well to wepe togider wyth Ihesu cryst and crye hym mercy wherof saynt Bernarde saith ¶ Tria sunt preciosa vnguenta scilicêª flere pro peccatis proptiis pro peccatis proximi pro compassione passionis cristi Thre precyous oynementes ben th one is precyous the other more precious the thyrd rihÌ„t precyous The precyous is to wepe for our synnes The more precyous is to wepe for the synnes of our neyghbours The right precyous is to wepe for the compascyon of the cruell deth of IhÌ„u cryst wherof sayth saynt Bernarde O bone Ihesu si tam dulce est gaudere de te A Ihesu yf it be soo swete to wepe wyth you how it shal be swete to be Ioyous wyth you and after he sayth ¶ O bone Ihesu cito lacrimas inuenit soluitur in gemitum qui tui sensum habet doloris O good Ihesu full soone mighte he fynde teeres grete mater of sighynges that had ony felinge vnderstondyng of your sorowes paynes And after of the peteous playntes that ye made And whan ye cryed wyth hyhe voys to your fader ¶ In manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meum In to thy hondes fayr swete fader I yelde my spiryte for the loue of my dere loue mannes soule to delyuer from helle ¶ Et inclinato capite emisit spirituÌ„ And enclyned his blessid hede yelded his gloryous spyrite A fayr frende thynke on hym that was soo benygne to thyse harde tormeÌ„tes wherof saynt bernarde sayth ¶ O bone Ihesu benigne cuÌ„ hominibus conuersatus es quam magna hominibus largitus es quam dura pro hominibus passus es quaÌ„ dura verba duriora verbera durissima crucis tormeÌ„ta passus es O good Ihesu how benygne thou were conuersaunt wyth men how grete thynges thou hast gyuen man how harde paynes thou hast suffryd for maÌ„ as harde wordes harde betynges and right cruel and mortall tormentes that blessid be thou moost mercyfull Ihesu For neuer man suffred so harde deth as he suffred for our soules to make vs parteners of all y e ioyes of heuen And he suffred not oonly this cruell and harde dethe but also the moost fowle shamfull deth that they myght put him to And all this suffred he for the loue of mannes soule For what shame was this that Iudas this traytour marchaunt solde him to y e felon Iewes to slee as men doo an oxe or a cowe And yet for a wretchid pryce for thyrty pens For Iudas scaryot sayd to the Iewes ¶ Quid vultis michi dare et ego eum vobis tradam at illi constitueruÌ„t ei triginta argenteos What wylle ye gyue me and I shall delyuer you hym And establisshyd to gyue for hym thyrty pens of syluer And he brought the Iewes the same nyghte to the place where oure lorde Ihesu cryst was And whan he came he sayd Aue rabi Heyle mayster and kyst hym And our lorde sayd to hym full pyteously ¶ Amice ad quid venisti Frende wherfore come ye ThenÌ„e came after the Iewes and toke our lorde full rudely And ful sore bounde him as yf he had be an arrante theef And ledde hym in y e cytee before his mortall enmyes Wherof hymselfe playned hym to theym that ledde hym and sayd ¶ Tanquam ad latronem existis cum gladiis fustibus comprehendere me cotidie apud vos eram docens in templo et non me tenuistis A Why doo ye me so grete vilanye that ye come wyth swerdes and wepens forto take me as I were a thef and euery daye I haue be byfore you in the temple· and ye took me not wherfore doo ye this to me now ¶ But for all that they lefte him not but drwe hym forth before cayphas where the cruel Iewes accused hym of felonye and treyson· And he was broughte forth thus as a lambe wherof he sayd ¶ Ego quasi agnus mansuetus qui portatur ad victimam I suffre all togider the vilaynous wordes reproches as a meke lambe with out resisteÌ„ce that men beryth to slee But Cayfas theyr mayster took so grete disdeyne for this that IhÌ„u wold not answer y t he said to him in scornÌ„ Where ben your dyscyples what folke ben they howe haue ye taughte theim And Ihesu answered I am acustomed to speke openly and alwaye to teche folke in the synagoge and the temple there as the Iewes came and in secrete places as here is I shall speke lityll And what aske ye me· aske them that haue herde what I haue sayd And vneth had he ended his wordes but there starte forth a felon ribawde that stroke hym ful cruelly in his fayr vysage wyth his hard honde And sayd full egrely before all folkes ¶
illusum spictis linidum plagis confixum clauis A man behelde the sone of the virgyn marye foylid wyth fowle spittynges all blody of his woundes and percyd wyth nayles Take hede of the kyng of angels beyng on the crosse pale to the deth fowle in flesshÌ„ passe bi this And take kepe whaÌ„ ye see the fygure how he is a man mekely bowynge a man smyten wyth shamfull deth A man lyke vnto a mesell A man of al sorowes apperynge on his body and all wrapt in sorowe And yet whan he was past all the anguysshÌ„ payn and shame that he myght suffre in his lyf for the loue of his loue maÌ„nes soule they dyde hym after hys deth the grettest shame they cowde thynke For they wold not bery hiÌ„ amonge other Iewes but wythoute the towne as a man that were acursed And his blessid soule descended in to helle for to destroye the mortall enmyes of his loue mannes soule And to fetche theym oute that longe had abyden hym there ¶ Now for goddis sake lete vs remembre well how moche we are bounden to loue that swete Ihesu cryst that so many manere of shames suffryd to put vs in honoure And that he suffred soo shamfull deth to conferme our sowles in the freedom of perdurable lyf For of al the peynes that ben in this worlde shame is the grettest For we maye fynde many of crysten folke that wyll suffre hardnes of lyffe as fastyng lyeng harde colde hungre thurst and diseases for the loue of god But to be holden vyle dyspysid for the loue of god vneth shall ye fynde ony For the wretchid hert desireth alway to be honoured and praysid And by this we may well know that he louyd vs and louith vs enteerly that so many shames dispytes suffred for y e loue of vs. ¶ The same that is the very perfyte honoure and of hym cometh all honours that blessid be he of al creatures that vs soo moche hath louyd and louyth that gracyous lorde the moost true and hertely louer ¶ Now haue we spokeÌ„ grete parte of his harde deth and of the shame that men dyde hym wherby ye maye here that neuer man deyed of soo paynfull and vyle a deth wherof he pleyneth hym by the prophete dauyd sayenge ¶ Defeccio tenuit me pro peccatoribus derelinqentibus legem tuam FAyr swete fader full gret defawteÌ„ me holdeth for synners y t haue leste your lawe Now for trouthe their was neuyr man had more of pouerte defawte than he had in his hende and thys sheweth seynte barnarde that seyth ¶ Lignum defuit capiti terra pedi vestimentum corpori potus ori amicus consolacioni· ¶ Alas what defawte was thys the tre failed to hys hede the erthe failed to hys feete clothyng fayled to hys body euery frende failed to hys conforte Now beholde more veryly of thys gret defawte that the tree fayled to his hede for the crosse where he hinge was withoute hed for whan he was so wery hys hede greued hym that was so sore betyn brosed wyth many grete strokes â–ª that vnethe hys necke myght bere hyt hyt was so astoned wyth peyne whan he had so grete nede to reste hys wofull hede he founde not so moche ease that he had ony place to lene hyt to he was streyned so hye vpon the crosse that hys hed might towche no parte therof A what vnmesurable peynes and sorowes he had there founde he an ouyr hard and sharpe pelow for the hede of so noble and gret a kynge as he was O good lorde whan we fele ony gret peyne or febilnesse in our hedis we wyl haue softe pelowys vndir our harde hedys and some woman or some maÌ„ to hold hit for taswage the peine but he had nother the ton nor y e tothyr but skornars as hym self seyth be Ierom the prophete ¶ Factus sum in derisum omni populo meo canticuÌ„ eorum tota die I Am made in derysyon in mockage of all my people thier eueriday songe The tothâ—r gret defawte that erthe fayled to hys fete and not to them only but to all hys body that was so cruelly peyned that he was seke on to the deth in al the large worlde had he not so moche of place as he myght put oon fote on erthe to reste hys wofull body that was all to betin and brosed but hynge in y e eyre tered wyth gret nayles· full petously Alas their ys not so vyle a sarazin ne so fowle a mesell ne so poure a wretche but that they myght fynde some place or house wher they myght take some reste or ease in ther syknesse A swete IhuÌ„ cryste wherfor wold ye be in so gret dyssese ouyr all other of the wolrde Trewly for loue so moche had bouÌ„den hym in suche wyse y t he raught not of all the dysesys he had for the foruent loue he hade to mannys sowle Now se here the thyrde defawte that was Clothynge to hys fayr body as he seyth by Iob ¶ Nudê° egressê° sum de vtero matris mee nudus reuertar illuc· ¶ All nakyd I am come fro my moders wombe and all nakyd I shall retorne out of this worlde For the felon Iewes had robbed hym of his clothes departed them amonge them as he pleyneth him by dauid the prophete ¶ Considerauerunt et inspexeruÌ„t me deuiserunt vestimenta mea et super vestem meam miserunt sorteÌ„ ¶ Thise Iewes haue considered beholden me and haue deuyded my clothynge to theym cast lottes theron whiche of theyrs it sholde be And the swete Ihesu wolde not stryue ayenst theym but wyth good wylle gaaf theym for theyr seruyce al that he had of erthly thyng whyche was noo more but oonly his clothes so pour was he at that tyme for thus saith saynt bernard ¶ Quando fuisti pauperior tunc fuisti largior O bone Ihesu WhaÌ„ thou were moost pour thenne were thou moost large for thenÌ„e gauest thou to the theef the kyngdome of heuen to saynt IohÌ„n euangelist thy moder to thy fader thy spyryte and to vs thy flesshe to ete thy blode to drynke And thou gauest thy clothynge to thy crucyfyers in suche wyse that thouÌ„ abodeste all nakyd on hye vpon the patyble A good lorde god mercy the moost stronge theef of the worlde that were Iuged to be hanged yet sholde he haue to couer hym a poure gowne or a pour sherte But Ihesu the kyng of glory had nother gonne nor sherte to couer him where he hynge openly before al folke wherof he playneth hym by dauyd ¶ FactuÌ„ est cor meum tanquam cera liquescens in medio ventris mei My herte is becomen alle softe meltyng as it were waxe in my body Alas we pour wretches what Ioye maye we haue of oure honour that is come of none other thynge but of the shame of Ihesu cryst What gladnesse may we haue of ease that is
noble nor of soo ryall nor gentyll lygnage as was the swete Ihesu cryst For he was and his the sone of the kyng of heuen of the erth of helle and of all theym that ben therin And by his moder was he comen of the lignage of the ryche kynge dauyd and of the wyse kyng Salamon A good lorde mercy for he was lityll accustomed to lede suche lyfe Ful strange was it to hym to suffre suche paynes as ysaye sayth ¶ Alienum opus eius vt operetur opus suuÌ„ peregrinum est ab eo Moche chauÌ„ged is his werke that he dooth this vile crafte It is full strange to him And this sheweth saynt bernarde more openly ¶ Illud capud angelicis spiritibus adoranduÌ„ tremenduÌ„â— spinis et tribulis coronatur â— aures que audi unt canâ—us angeloruÌ„ audiuit insultus iudeoruÌ„ dicencium crucifige crucifige eum oculi lucidiores sole calligauerunt in morte c That hede is crowned wyth thornes breres that is worshipped fered of angelles The ere 's whiche here the songes of angelles thenÌ„e herde the cryenge of Iewes crucyfye hym crucifye hym The eyen y t ben bryghter than the sone became thenne all derke in his dethe The face that is most fayre amonge the sones of men was thenne all foyled wyth foule spittynges The hoÌ„des that maden heuen erthe were streyned thenne on the crosse The fete that be to be honoured were theÌ„ne rudely nayled to the tree O good lord there was neuer soo noble a persone soo gentyll nor soo curteys And yet was neuer none soo sorowfully entreated ¶ The fifth reson that was in 〈…〉 his benignyte And his 〈◊〉 wherof saynt poul saith ad 〈◊〉 ¶ Apparuit benignitas humâ—nitas saluatoris nostri corde dei The benignyte the humanyte of god our sauyour apereth And ihesu himself sayd ¶ Discite a me quia mitis sum humilis corde Lerne this of me fayr loue for I am humble of herte O saynt mary mercy whan he was soo benygne a man soo debonayr what nede was it to bete hym soo felonously what nede was it soo cruelly with a sharpe spere to perce his swete herte soo mortally What nede was it thus to tormente him and soo shamfully to drawe soo blessid a chylde soo fayr a sone soo debonayr· and of soo humble a herte as our lorde Ihesu cryst was Alas alas wherfore bounde slewe the felon iewes soo rudely the same that neuer dide harme but to all folkes shewed loue debonayrte wherof saynt austin playneth hym full gretly sayeÌ„g ¶ Odolor inestimabilis o angustia singularis palmatur que est vera palma victorie spinis coronatur qui venit spinas peccatoruÌ„ confringere ligatur â–ª qui soluit coÌ„peditos in ligno suspenditur qui erigit elisos sons vite sitis panis angeloruÌ„ esurit Quid plura disciplina ceditur salê° vulneratur vita ad tempus moritur vt inops inperpetuuÌ„ moriatur SOrow Inestymable O anguisshe synguler he was palmed â–ª that is the true palmÌ„ of victorie he was crowned with thornes that came to breke the thornes of synne He was sore bounde that came to lose theym that were in bondes He was hanged on the crosse that reyseth hem that ben ouerthrowen The welle of lyf had thurst The brede of angelles had hungre And what more discypline was beten Helth was wounded Lyfe for a tyme was dede to slee dethe wythouten ende There was neuer none herde of creature that receyued by many folde soo grete harme in rewarde of his grete goodnes And thenne to remeÌ„bre his benignyte his grete debonairte wherof holy chyrche makith grete sorow in an ympne of y e passyon And pyteously complaineth that soo gracyous a body was soo cruelly stryken wyth a spere and perced soo depe with grete nayles· saith thenne to the crosse ¶ Flecte ramos arbor alta c. O ye hye tree of the crosse wythdrawe your braunches slake your entrayles y t ben so stratchyd and your rygour the whyche he gaaf aswage yow siyth all the membres of the souereyne debonayre kynge is streyned on the harde stocke ¶ The sixt cause wherfor men sholde haue comâ—pascyon of our lorde Ihesu cryste this was the semblaunce of other thynges that maken sorowe For whan a man seeth other folke make sorow he is more apte to sorow wyth theym In like wyse beholde how many ensamples were of sorowe whaÌ„ our lorde Ihesu cryst deyed The vnresonable creatures made sorowe The sonne wythdrewe his lyghte hidyng his bemys and became al derke The harde stones all to brake· thus as though they had compascyon of theyr creatour The vayle of the temple claf on to as yf it were for anguysshe of the spowse of holy chyrche whoo 's bodi was soo pyteously entreated The bodyes of dede folke aroos for ensaÌ„ple of that sorowe And that men ought to remembre that deth with grete compascyon And also it is a grete ensample of pyte sorowe the lamentable complaint that his blessid sorowfull moder made for the dethe of hyr swete sone whan she was lefte allone of all frendes auf of saynt Iohan to whose kepyng she was delyuerde beholdyng thenne hyr dere chylde dede vpon y e crosse hangyng betwene two theues Well myghte she make thenne the moost sorowfull complaynte that euyr was made Wherof sayth saynt Bernarde ¶ Quis dabit capiti meo aquam c. And whan hir sone was dede on the crosse saynt bernarde sayth thus ¶ Cogitare libet quantê° dolor tuÌ„c iÌ„fuit matri mulieri cuÌ„'sic dolebant insensibilea non lingua loqui nec meÌ„s cogitare valebat quanto dolore afficiebantur pia viscera marie IT maye be thoughte full grete sorow was in his blessyd moder whan the creatures that felte not made soo grete sorowe as is before rehersed there can noo tongue saye nor hert thynke how merueyllous grete sorowes pyteous tormentes was in y e herte of that blessid vyrgyne mary and saynt bernarde sayth ¶ NuÌ„c soluis virgo maria cum viscera ê™ in partu mutuasti a natura doloreÌ„ pariendo filiuÌ„ non sensisti quem milies replicando filio moriente passafuisti Now swete virgin ye haue yelded wyth esurye this that in the byrth of your sone was chaunged ayenst nature· For in hys byrthe felte ye noo sorowe nor payne But in his deth felte ye the thousande folde of sorowes The moder was nere vnto the crosse at the dethe of Ihesu crist whiche she conceiuyd by the holy goost But she fayled bothe speche voys whiche sorow had taken fro her· ¶ O verum eloquiuÌ„ iustum simeonis O ye true worde of the very Iust Symeon For thenne was your promyse fulfilled of the swerde of sorow· whan that blessid virgyne mary was there present and hyr swete sone hanged on the crosse She laye at the erthe as dede pale and dyscolored but hyr soule lyued as in deyeÌ„g
seeth you comyng towarde hym to crye hym mercy It is wreten in the gospell ¶ Occurrens prodigo cecidit suê‘ colluÌ„ eius osculatusque est euÌ„ c. Whan he seeth the sowle comynge toward him he spredith his armes to clippe hir kyssyth hir and makith gretter Ioy of hir than of many other that were wyth hym alway as hymself sayth ¶ Dico vobis quod ita gaudiuÌ„ est in celo super vno pccoÌ„re penitenciaÌ„ agente quaÌ„ super nonaginta nouem iustis qui non indigent penitencia I saye you surely that gretter Ioy is there in heuen of one oonly synnar doynge his penaunce than of nynty nyne rightfull that neuer had nede to doo penauÌ„ce And yet here a gretter merueyle of the loue of Ihesu cryst For though his loue mannes soule be neuer somoche foylid wyth dedely synne yet assonÌ„ as she comith to him he makith her as clene as she was tofore the sinne as ryche of all welÌ„es as saynt austyn sayth ¶ Erant sicut fueraÌ„t antequaÌ„ ê“ieceraÌ„ eos They shalle be as clene riche of good werkes restablisshid in vyrginite of the soule yf ye wyl haue an ensaÌ„ple how this may be ye may here by â–ª this Al the synÌ„es that is or euer was may not be doo but in thre maners That is to know in thought in worde or in werke Now shold not this be one of the grettest synÌ„es y t a maÌ„ myght doo in thoughte to thiÌ„ke desire to destroy al holy chyrche truly this same was y e thought desire of saynt poul as it is wreteÌ„ in actibus applorum apostolorum Saulus adhuc spiraÌ„s c. Saul began furiously tenforce him to y e destruccoÌ„n of al cristyndoÌ„ wyth menaces betynges weÌ„t to archebysshops to pryncipal masters of the iewes gate lettres of theÌ„ to take all crysteÌ„ meÌ„ that he might fynde wherso euer he cam bryng them bouÌ„de and put theym in pryson And in his chyef auctoryte malyce was he conuerted to our lorde And is now a hye saynt glorifyed in heuen wyth saynt Iohan euangelist and other that were of pure and perfyght lyfe Also the grettest synne that man myghte do wyth worde sholde be to renye oure lorde saynt peter renyed hÌ„iÌ„ thre times in one nyghte whan he had thus done he took right hertly repentaunce ¶ Exiuit petrus foras et fleuit amare He went oute and wepte full bytterly and sorowed cryed god mercy And now is he senescall of heuen And the moost fowle synne of the body is the vyle synne of the flesshe And men wolde say that he or she shold be the gretest synner of the worlde that had accompanyed theym not oonly moost comunely wyth man but also wyth fendes And marye mawdeleyn had them wythin hyr whiche is now the dere loue of our lorde IhÌ„u Cryst as sayth saynt gregorye ¶ Maria septem demonia habuit qui vniuersis viciis plena fuit Mary had seuen fendes wythin hyr by whiche she was fulfyllid wyth all maner of vyces But for all those euyll vyces she made a resonable amendement as saynt gregory sayth ¶ Quotquot in se habuit delectamenta tot de se inuenit holocausta Asmany delites as she had in hyr of synnes soo many sacrefyces dide she vpon hyrself for amendes of hyr offences NOw retornÌ„ we to this grete loue that our lorde hathe shewed vs· wherof he sayth yet by ZachÌ„arye ¶ Zelatus sum syon zelo magno I am Ielous ouer mannes soule wyth a grete Ielousie As he saith in exodi ¶ Ego suÌ„ deus zelotes I am god the Ielous And not allonly was he Ielous of the gode but to make peas wyth theuyll as dauyd sayth ¶ Zelaui suê‘ iniquos paceÌ„ pccoÌ„ruÌ„ videns I haue desired by grete Ielousie to haue pees with euyl folkes soo sayth he to saynt peter in y e sawter ¶ Tabescere me fecit zelê° meê° My Ielousie hath caused me to suffre dethe yet myne enmyes haue forgoten my wordes so that they wylle in noo wyse graunt me theyr loue for al that I haue do for theym And yet agayn sayth our lorde IhÌ„u cryst ye shalle not escape me but that ye shal grauÌ„t me youre loue I aske ye whether it be to be gyuen or to be solde or to be taken wyth force Yf it be to be gyuen to whom may ye better giue it than to me that passe all meÌ„ that euer werÌ„ am fayrest of all other He is soo fayr y t yf a man were in hell mighte see his visage beaute of his diuynyte he sholde fele nother harmÌ„ ne payn And therfor sayth he where may ye better set your loue than on me Am not I the kyng of alle kyngis am I not more fayr than other nor am I not of more hie lignage than ony prynce Am I not more wyse than all other am I not of al folke moost curteys of al thyng most large free am I not of alle other the moost swete debonayr Thenne is there none exscuse â–ª syth that ye maye fynde in me all the causes of reason wherefor man shold yeue his loue and namely yf ye haue clennesse chastyte For none maye loue a right but they be clene fro dedely synne ¶ Now and ye will not gyue your loue I wyll by r it wyll ye selle it for mi loue or for ony other thinge It is moost resonable marchandyse loue for loue And yf it be to selle for that pryce I haue truly boughte it wyth a nother loue And that loue that I haue shewed you passeth all the louys of the world And though they were al togider yet is it gretter· And yf ye say that ye wyll not gyue it me so good chepe name how moche ye wyll haue· And ye can not name somoche but I wyll gyue you asmoche ¶ Wyll ye castelles wyll ye reames Or wyll ye aske al the worlde Yet shall I make you a better couenaunt giue me your loue and I shall crowne you in heuen make you seuen tymes more clere theÌ„ne is the sonne Nor neuyr harme shall towche you nor neuyr thyng shal greue you nor noo wele shal fayle you· But all your wyll shal be doon in heuen in erth and in helle ¶ For neuer manÌ„ys wytte may deuyse nor herte thynke the Ioye the glorye that I wyll gyue you for your loue wythoute ony comparyson wythoute ony rekenyng and wythout ony ende more more And moche more wyth all the gladnes of Estre â–ª al the beaute of absolon as often as he dyde clippe his hede he myght selle the here that was kytte of for ijCC siclis of siluer The swyftnes of Asaell y t wolde stryue wyth the hertes in reÌ„nyng The strength of Sampson that slewe at one tyme a thousand men in batayle The largenesse of cezar The renomme of alexandre the holynesse of moyses But good lorde mercy wolde
blessid body that henge there on the crosse dredde theym sayeng This is truli the sone of god At y e same hour brake they the thies of the two theues that henge on eche side of oure lorde Ihesu cryst And at that houre a blynde knyght wyth a sharpe spere percyd hym thrugh his tender flesshe side vnto the hert to know yf he were perfyghtly dede And thēne ran̄e from his herte blood water for to wasshe vs from the fylth of synne And of that blood ran̄e downe by the spere to the honde of longeus wherwyth he wyped his eyen and forth wyth receyued his sighte And that hour was saynt Iohan all his other discyples frendes departed from hym sauf y e tender virgyn mary his sorowful moder that abode there allone amōge the dede theues wyth the blessid body of hir sone At the hour of euensonge yelde we thankynges to our lorde· for at this hour came Ioseph abaremathye nychodemus y t often had lodged our lorde was not consentīg to his deth and had goten leue of pylate to take down the body of Ih̄us and soo he Nychodemus dyde And anoynted it wyth myrre And wrapped it in a fayr clene clothe and layed it in y e sepulcre And also at that hour his moder and his other frendes that thenne were retorned made full sorowfull compleynt for hym And after that as some saye was Ioseph abaromathye taken put in pryson by the Iewes And the thirde day made our lorde his resurrexcōn after his pyteous paynfull deth that he suffryd for vs syn̄ars Wherof he be honoured thankyd wythout ende And for this that we haue ofte many tymes offended ayēst that grete loue that he hathe shewed vs. dayly sheweth vs we ought deuoutly to pray serue him not oonly seuen tymes of the daye but fro the begynnyng of oure lyf vnto the ende to prayse hym to gloryfye his name his passyon to remembre And thus sayth dauyd ¶ A solis ortu vsque ad occasū laudabile nomen dn̄i Amen ¶ Here endeth the lamentacōn of our lady whiche she had in y e passion of our sauyour ¶ Here begynneth a treatyse moche prouffitable for reformacōn of soules defoyled wyth ony of the vij dedely synnes TO his rih̄t dere suster salute helthe of soule of body in hī that is true sauyour In whom is alwaye charyte pacyence chastyte whyche in trouth defendeth vs fro euyl dooyng and meuyth vs to the holy trynite this he graūt vs by his holy pyte the swete Ihesus cryste of whom as moche more as man vnderstondeth sayth of his merueylous godenes soo moche more loueth he hath Ioye in him for spyrituell Ioye comyth of the loue of our lorde the right swete Ihesus And the very signe of loue is to thynke often on hym Wherfore remembre you oft of the humilite of his Incarnacōn of y e goodnes of his conuersacōn of the charytee of his passion And who well remembre thyse may fynde sure medycyne ayenst euery dedely synne temptacōn Fyrst who that entendeth to be proude bethynke hym of the grete humylite of our lorde Ihesu cryst whiche is soo grete that heuen erthe maye not comprehende hym And by his mekenes list to close him wythin the wombe of a mayde Thus was the sone of god ensample of humylite medycyne of pryde as saynt austyn sayth for he hath shewed to· vs mekenes in alle his werkes For he wolde haue an humble moder the blessyd vyrgyne marye an hūble howse where he was borne whiche was callyd a dyuersorye soo hūble a bedde as the manger for bestes And whan he came to the age of xij yere by his mekenes he was obedyent to Ioseph to his blessyd moder as it is shewed in y e gospell whan he came to more age he choos meke persones as saynt peter saynt andrew poor meke fisshars wyth other suche to be in his company in token that what man or woman that wold be with him in his perdurable Ioye it behoueth hē to be hūble meke as saynt austī sayth By the humylite of Ih̄u criste ye may come to the Ioye perdurable For in asmoche as Ih̄u criste is kyng of that coūtree whether we entende to goo And for asmoche as he is man he is sure waye wherby we shall goo for he is our exāple soo as he saith in the gospel I haue giuen you ensample of humylite Now may the proude folke vnderstonde that they may goo by none other way but by Ih̄u cryste this is by the waye of mekenesse ¶ For as saynt Iames sayth For god resisteth to the hie proude folkes to the hūble he gyueth̄ his grace They ben hūble that can marke ther owne proper defawtes holde theymself for foles wretches For the more they disprayse theymselfe the more largely shalle they haue y e grace of our lord ▪ wherefor it is sayd in scrypture The gretter that ye be in auctoryte the more hūble shold ye be in your herte in worde in werke And thenne shal ye finde grace at our lord after the Ioye with̄out ende Whiche vs graūte the swete Ih̄u cryst that somoche louyth humylite ¶ Ayenst the synne of Enuye WHo sholde reioyce the hurte of other or be sory of y e we le of other as enuyous folke done yf they beholde bi the eye of ferme fayth how grete charyte the swete Ih̄u very god man shewed vs not for his we le but for y e we le of other whan he soo dere boughte vs from thinfernal pryson whiche was wyth noo lityll raunson whan he gaaf hymself for our saluacyon and all this made charyte For he reioyseth the we le of other And the sorow of other was more paynful to hym than his owne which̄e shewed well by his moost pyteous paynfull deth that euer man suffred in erth for the releef comforte of other This charyte was the gyfte that he lefte wyth his discyples at his departyng as he saith in the gospel By this shal all folkes knowe yf ye ben truely my dysciples for thēne shall ye haue truly charite loue among you Now dere suster remember well what marke he setteth vpon al his Wherfore yf ye wyl be one of his ye must be of that marke as wolde our lorde I were one of the leest of theim· For god is ordener of loue And in loue restyth hymselfe soo as saynt Ioh̄n sayth ¶ Deus caritas est c. Now take gode hede by thyse ensamples that be soo open how good a thyng is humylite of herte wyth true loue of Ih̄u cryst For there is noo thyng vnder heuen that he loueth somoche yf ye haue that ye shall haue alle weles and god hymself And yf ye fayle that ye shall fayle all that may torne to your we le and as saynt poul sayth Know ye not wel that where
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