nourysshed the whelpes of another wulfe and hath defended them fro other beestes wel thēne ought a man to haue pyte compassyon on another of his euyl harme whyche is semblable to his nature For we al be made of one matere one forme one ymage The second thynge that ought to drawe a man to mercy to compassyon of another mannes harme is grace For we al be membres of one body that is of holy chyrche by grace and one membre helpeth another naturelly hath pyte compassyon Also we be bouzt redemed with one prys that is with the precyous blode of Ihesu cryst that henge on the crosse for to redeme vs fro deth perdurable whan our saueour Ihesu Cryst was thēne soo pyetous mercyful toward vs. wel ought we thēne to haue pyte compassyon one of another to ayde socour that one that other Also we ben al brethern of fader moder by fayth by grace For we ben al sones of god of holy chyrche the one broder ought to helpe that other whan he seeth it is nede for at nede is seen who is a frende The thyrd thynge that ought to moeue a man to mercy is the comandemēt of the holy scrypture whych coūceylleth commandeth the werkes of mercy aboue alle other thynges wherof the wyse Salamon sayth See wel to sayth he that thy hede be not wythout oylle for by thoylle that nouryssheth the fyre the lampe is vnderstōden mercy which ought alwaye to be in our tonnes For in lyke wyse as the oylle surmoūteth in the lampe aboue al other lyquours Ryght so mercy surmoūteth the other vertues And also as the oylle nouryssheth kepeth the fyre in the lampe whan the oylle faylleth the fyre quencheth Ryght so mercy kepeth the fyre of the loue of god in the hert whan mercy faylleth the loue of god faylleth Lyke as sayth saynt Iohan who that shal see sayth he his broder his neyghbour hauyng dysease necessyte in nede closeth the dore of his hert that is to say that he hath no pyte ne compassyō helpeth hym not yf he may how sayth he· shal the loue and charyte of god be in hym lyke as he wold saye That may not be For the oylle of mercy is faylled in the lampe of his hert Also the good thobye taught hys sone sayd thus Fayre sone be thou mercyful as moche as thou mayst yf thou haue plente of goodes gyue gladly largely yf thou haue lytel yet of the same yeue gladly to the poure And our lord sayth in the gospel Goo sayd he selle al that thou hast and gyue it to the poure This is the vertue that the holy scrypture prayseth moost generally And it is the vertu that moost playseth god as the scrypture sayth Herof sayth god by the prophete I wyl sayth he mercy not sacryfyse And Saynt austyn sayth that there is no thynge that so moche maketh a man amyable vnto god as doth pyte and to haue mercy on other Moche peple do seruyse and sacrefyse to god in fastynges or in pylgremages or in sharpe penaunce of the body but to do almesse they ben scarce caytyf strayte Also moche people of grete estate to whome god hath gyuen largely of his temporell goodes do sacryfyse seruyse not to god but to the world or to the deuyl in that that they dyspende folyly theyr goodes in vanytees and in oultrages and in honoures of the world But for to gyue fo goddes sake to the poure they ben harde as ademont ¶ Also lyke as mercy pleseth to god ryght so despleaseth it to the deuyl For it is the armure and the vertu by whyche he is moost sonnest vaynquysshed as is said in a glose vpon the psaulter he may not suffre the good odour of suche an oynemēte Nomore than the crapaulde may fele the smellyng or odour of the vygne Thys odour myght not Iudas smelle ne fele whan the holy Maudeleyne enoynted the heed of Ihesu Cryste wyth the precyous oynement For it semed to Iudas that it was a thynge loste and had leuer the money that it coste in hys purs by couetyse Of suche peple that be thus couetous and auarycyous is lord mayster a deuyl that is called closepurs whome an holy hermyte sawe that he had the offyce to close and shette the purses of couetous men that they shold not be opened to doo almesse The fourth thynge that ought to moeue a man to mercy is the grete largesse of our lord whyche gyueth largely to euery man after that they be as sayth Saynt Iames. and maketh his sonne to shyne vpon the good and vpon the euyl lyke as it is sayd in the gospel Sythe that the debonayr Ihesus is so large to vs· that he gyueth to vs. and hath gyuen alle that we haue that is good we ought to be large and curtoys that one anenste that other For so commaūdeth to vs god in the gospel whan he sayth Be ye mercyful lyke as your fader of heuen is mercyful He ought to resemble his fader ought to ensyewe hym whan he is good and wyse Or otherwyse he forsaketh hym and therfore sayth the wyse man in scrypture Be ye mercyful pyetous to the poure to the orphans lyke as thou were theyr fader or theyr moder be thou as their husbond and thus shalt thou be called the sone of god ¶ The fyfthe thynge that ought to moeue a man to mercy is the honour of god For as Salamon sayth he honoureth our lord that dooth wel to the poure For that whyche is doon to the poure is don vnto god lyke as hym self wytnesseth in the gospel That whyche ye haue doon to one of the leest of my seruauntes ye haue doon to me this sayth god The poure ben the lytel meyne of our lord who so honoureth them by the werkys of mercy he honoureth god For who honoureth the meyne he honoureth the lord and who that dooth vylonye to the famylye and seruauntes dooth vylanye to the lord ¶ Herof haue we a fayre and a good ensaumple of the holy saynt martyn To whome god appyeryd in the nyght after that he had departed and gyuen hys mantel to the pour man and he was couerd wyth the sayd mantel and god sayd to hys angellys Martyn hath clad me wyth thys vestement ¶ The syxthe thynge that ought moche to moeue a man to mercy is the drede of the Iugement For as sayth saynt Iames Iugement wythoute mercy shal be doo to hym that dooth not the werkes of mercy For lyke as god sayth in the gospel whan the day of Iugement shal come the sentence shal be gyuen ayenst them that haue not to theyr power doon and accomplysshed the werkes of mercy For god shal leye a deef eere to them that now leye a deef eere to the poure lyke as it appyereth in the exaumple that he recounteth of the ryche man
sayth saynt Poule Thys yefte taketh awaye alle ordure fylthe fro the hert maketh hym clene parfytelye fro al ordures of synne and specyally for the spotte of the synne of lecherye For who that of thys synne is entatched is veray blynde For he hath loste the eyen of the hert of reason and of vnderstondyng So that he may not vnderstonde ne knowe hys maker ne thynge that is holsom ne helthe of his soule But is lyke a beest that hath neyther wytte ne reason in hym self wherof dauyd saith in the psaulter that a man to whome god hath doon so grete honoure that he hath made hym to his ymage and his semblaunce by whyche he may knowe god haue hym whyche he hath not doon to ony other beest yf he forgete hys maker the bounte that he hath doon to hym he is bycomen semblable to folysshe beesâ—ys whyche haue none vnderstondyng The synne that maketh moost a man to be lyke a foule beest is the synne of lecherye of whyche we haue spoken tofore in the traytye of vyces The yefte thenne of vnderstondyng whyche is contrarye to thys ordure and destroyeth fro the hert the synne of lecherye· and setteth therin purete clennesse out of which groweth a ryght fayre tre That is the vertu of chastyte by whyche they come to this blessyng whyche god promytteth to them that kepen clennesse of herte whan he sayth blessyd be they that be clene of herte For they shalle see god By cause that they shal haue the eyen of the herte wel purged and wel enlumyned of the yefte of vnderstondyng This tree groweth and prouffyteth moche lyke to the other byforsayd by seuen degrees These been vij thynges whiche moche auaylle to lyue chastelye ¶ The first degree of the vertu of chastyte capitulo Cxlj THe fyrst degree is clene conscyence that is the rote of thys tree For wythoute clene conscyence chastyte may not plese god Thys clennesse chastyte and purete requyren that the hert may be kept fro euyl thoughtes soo that the herte consente to no synne For who so consenteth to euyl thought and to euyl desyre of his hert he is not chaste how wel that he kepe hym fro the dede For. for the consentyng onelye delybered purposed he shold be dampned yf he deyed in the same state Thre thynges auaylle moche to kepe clennesse of herte The fyrst is to here gladly the worde of god and the sermons wherof our lord sayth in the gospel to his dyscyples ye be alle clene sayd he by the wordes that I haue sayd to you For the word of god is lyke a fayre myrrour in whyche one may see the spottes of the hett The second thynge is very confessyon whyche is the fontayne where one ought ofte to wasshe hym of al ordure of synne The scrypture sayth in the book of kynges that Elysee the prophete commaunded to Naman which was a lepre that he shold wasshe hym vij tymes in the flom Iordan for to be clene and heled of hys maladye and whan he had wasshen hym there he was alle hool and clene The flom Iordan is as moche to say as the â—treme of Iugement whyche sygnefyeth confessyon where one ought to Iuge hym self wyth grete sorowe of hert and with grete repentaunce of his synnes so that a streme of teeres renne by the conduyt of hys eyes and thus the synnar shal be hool of the mezelrye of synne And therfore sayth saynt Bernard· loue confessyon yf thou wylt haue beaute· For veray confessyon and hool is the beaute of the soule The iij thynge is to haue remembraunce of the passyon of Ihesu Cryst For noo temptacyon ne none euyl wylle may not duelle in the hert that thynketh remembreth ofte the deth and the passyon of Ihesu Cryste For this is the armure that the deuyl doubteth moost as that by which he is ouercomen leseth hys power This is ryght wel sygnefyed to vs in scrypture where as Moyses reysed vp a serpent of brasse by the commauÌ„dement of god vpon a perche on hye that al the peple sawe it And al they that beholde it were helyd of the bytyng and hurtyng of the serpentes The serpent of brasse that henge on the perche sygnefyeth the body of Ihesu Cryst hangyng on the crosse That was the serpent withoute venym of whyche was made the tryacle of our sauacyon for who someuer feleth hym smyton and enuenymed of pryckyng and styngyng wyth the venemous serpentes of helle that ben the deuylles late hym beholde by veray fayth on the serpent of brasse That is to say that he haue in his hert parfyte mynde of the passyon of Ihesu Cryst and anone he shal be heled and delyuerd of the temptacyons of the enemye that is the deuyll ¶ The second degree of the vertu of chastyte capitulo Cxlij THe second degree of the vertu of chastyte by which this tree groweth prouffyteth is for to kepe hys mouth fro vylaynous wordâ—s whyche ben of rybauldrye and dyshonestees or suche as tornen to dyshonour For by suche wordes by suche wynde is ofte quyckened enflaÌ„med the fyre of lecherye wherof the scripture sayth who speketh of a comyn woman is brennyng as fyre And saynt Poul sayth that the shreude wordes corrumpen good maners And therfore who that wyl kepe hym chastly hym byhoueth that he kepe hym fro suche wordes and who that gladly speketh them or gladly hereth them he leseth god and sheweth wel that he is not chaste For there may none other thynge yssue out of a vessel but suche as is wythin it yf the wordes be foule vylaynous It is an open sygne that the ordure and the vyloÌ„nye is in the hert For of the habundaunce of the hert the mouth speketh this sayth our lord in the gospel ¶ The thyrd degree of the vertu of chastyte capitulo Cxliij THe thyrd degree of the vertu of chastyte is to kepe well the fyue wyttes of the body the eyen fro folye beholdyng the ere 's fro herkenyng of folye and vayne wordes The nose thrylles fro ouermoche delytyng in swete sauours and wycked odours The tongue fro euyl speche and rybauldous langage And the mouth fro ouer swete and delycyous metes drynkes These ben the â—â—yates of the cyte of the hert by which the deuyl entreth ofte· these ben the fyue wyndowes of the hous by whyche deth entreth ofte in to the hert· lyke as sayth the prophete Many grete wyse men haue be taken and ouercomen by thys that they kepte not wel the yates And yf thou wylt haue example of this matere thynke that no maÌ„ was more stronge than Sampson Ne more holy than dauyd the prophete Ne more wyse than Salamon And neuertheles they fylle and were al deceyued by wymmen Certaynly yf they had wel kepte theyr yates of theyr fyue wyttes corporell the fende had not taken so grete fortressesâ— For as saynt gregory sayth The toure of the hert may not be taken yf it
praye god and hys sayntes and not for to Iangle ne for to lawghe ne for to Iape· ne for to speke ydle wordes ne for to talke to other of seculer thynges For our Lord sayth My how 's is the hous of prayer And therfore a man ought not to do none other thynge therin than it for which it was establisshed this saith saynt austyn he that shal come tofore the kynge in his chambre for to empetre gete ony grace he ought wel to kepe hym fro sayeng of ony thyng that shold dysplese the kynge Moche more ought he to be ware that cometh in to the chyrche whyche is the chambre and the hous of god what he sayth and dooth tofore god and hys aungellys that specyally that shold dysplease hym Thenne god wyl not that a man shold make of hys hous a market ne an haâ—â—e For he hym self chaced and droof oute of his temple wyth good scourges them that bought and solde therin Also he wyl not that ony plee shold be made therin· ne noyse ne noo seculer nede but he wyl that we sholde entende to praye god deuoutely prayse and thanâ—â— hym of al his benefaytes There ouzt a man to calle ageyn his hert to hym self and put awaye alle worldly werkys al euyl thoughtes and thynke on his creatour on the bountees that god hath doon to hym and doth euery day to remembre his synnes and hys deffaultes to humble hym self tofore god to requyre hym of pardon grace to kepe hym from synne and to haue perseueraunce in good werkes vnto the ende ¶ Also in the chyrche ought the grete lordes and the grete ladyes to forgete alle theyr glorye theyr rychesse theyr power theyr dygnyte theyr hyenesse and theyr puyssaunce and ought to thynke that they be tofore their Iuge whyche shal straytely examyne them rekene straytly of the goodes that he hath doon to them· of the dygnytees and estates that he hath sette them in how they haue vsed them and he shal rewarde them after theyr deserte Therfore ought they moche to humble them to god and not to gloryfye them of theyr hyenesse ne of theyr fayre araye ne of their ryche robes They may take example of kynge Dauyd whyche forgate hys dygnyte whan he prayed tofore god and despysed hym self so moche that he sayd to our lord I am sayd he a lytyl worme and not a man In this Dauyd knowleched hys lytelnes his pouerte and his deffaultes made hym nouzt For lyke as a worme is lytel and nought groweth naked of the erthe al in like wyse is a man of hym self a vyle thyng poure For whan he entreth in to the exyle of thys world he bryngeth no thynge ne no thynge shal bere awaye al naked he entred al naked he shal goo hens wherof saynt· bernard sayth what is a man but foule sperme a sacke ful of dunge mete to wormes He is moche foule and made of foule seed in his concepcyon a foule sacke ful of dunge in his lyf mete to wormes after his deth ¶ Also the grete ladyes that been so arayed wyth golde and syluer wyth precyous stones robes ought in the chyrche tofore god wel to take example of the good quene hester whych tooke of hyr precyous roobes hir parementes whan she came for to praye god humbled hir self knowleged hir pouerte and her deffaultes tofore god and sayd to hym lord thou knowest that I hate the synne of pryde and the glorye of parementes of Iewels whiche me byhoueth to sette doun fro my heed in grete abhomynacyon of them that in suche thynges trusten delyten gloryfyen were them for to shewe them to please the fooles God hath not to do wyth suche parementes in hys chyrche but of a clene conscyence and of an humble hert ¶ Saynt Poule enseyneth techeth ryght wel how the wymmen ouzt to araye them whan they come for to praye god· he sayth that they ought to haue honeste habyte withoute ony oultrage that is to vnderstonde after that it apperteyneth to the estate of the persone For that whyche is oultrage in one persone is not oultrage in another somme is conuenyent to a quene whiche is not accordyng to a bourgeys wyf or another symple woman Also thapostle techeth that the wymmen of what estate they be that they shold be of symple beholdyng regarde humble that is to vnderstonde that they shold be symple humble shamefast and not afronted ne openlye shewe hyr vysage as doon these comyn wymmen whyche goon wyth theyr necke stratched oute as an herte in the launde and loke a syde or a trauers as an hors of prys Also he wyl that they be not curyous for to araye theyr heed wyth golde ne syluer ne with precyous stones And yet he wyl also that they haue in the chyrche theyr hedes couerd so that noo man be styred by them to euyl· ne synne not in beholdyng of them but they ought to be arayed as deuoute and good wymmen whyche shewe the bounte of theyr hert by good werkys and therfore sayth saynt Ambrose· who wyl be herd in prayer he ought to take awaye fro hym al sygne of pryde and ought to enclyne hym to god wyth his hert by veray confessyon by penaunce in profouÌ„de humylyte for to moeâ—â— god to do hym mercy For as he saith proude habyte geteth no thynge of god but it gyueth cause to Inge euyl of hym that wereth it ¶ Now I haue shewed to the thre thynges that ought to be in prayer fayth· hope and deuocyon But to that that prayer may be perfyghtly agreable and playsaunte to god and worthy to be enhaunced and herde it behoueth foure thynges That is that it haue ij wynges whyche bere it tofore god These two wynges ben almesses and fastynges or other penaunces wherof the auÌ„gel said to Thobye Prayer is good whan it hath in hym self fastyng almesse· wythoute these two wynges the prayer may not flee to god For as sayth Saynt Ambrose good lyf maketh the prayer to flee to god But synne letteth it and wythdraweth it ageyn wherof thou oughtest to wete that in two maners is prayer lette lyke as sayth saynt Ysodore One is by cause a man kepeth hym not fro synne and fro doyng euyll and for that a persone wyl not forgyue the euyl wylle that he hath to another For in lyke wyse as the oynementes wyll not hele the wounde as longe as the yron is wythin Ryght so auaylleth not ne prouffyteth noo thynge the prayer to hym that sayth it as he hath euyl wylle to another And therfore sayth the prophete lete vs lyfte vp our hertes our handes to god He lyfteth vp his hert his handes to god that lyfteth vp his prayers by good werkes And thappostle sayth that he that lyfteth vp his pure handes to god in prayer lyfteth vp in pure clene conscyence without synne
may to take awaye and wythdrawe fro it al the vytaylles al metes and the water for to enfamysshe them For after that the castel is enfamyned and all vytaylle is take fro it It may not longe be holden ne kept ayenst his aduersarye Ryght so the castel of the bely which is the fortresse of the flesshe may not holde ayeÌ„st the spyryte whan it is enfamyned by fastynges· by abstynences and by other penaunces ¶ Also the estate of relygyon ought to be wythdrawen fro the world that they that been in suche estate ne fele ne retche noo thynge of worldly thynges For they ought to be dede to the world and lyue wyth god as sayth Saynt Poule For lyke as he that is dede bodyly hath loste all his wyttes bodyly as seeyng· spekyng tastyng heeryng and smellyng Ryght soo owen the relygyouse to be deed as to the world that they fele noo thynge that apperteyneth to synne so that they may veryly say the word that saynt Poul thappostle sayth of hym self The world sayd he is crucyfyed to me and I to the world Thappostle wold say that lyke as the world helde hym for foule for abhomynable lyke as one were hanged Ryzt so had he the world for foule for abhomynable as to hym that is hanged or crucyfyed for his trespace In lyke wyse dooth he that is in sucke estate dooth flee the world and hate it That is to say the couetyse and shrewdnesse of the world that he fele noo thynge by loue ne by desyre so that his conuersacyon be in heuen as saynt Poul sayth of hym self and of them that ben in thestate of perfection Our conuersacyon is in heneu For yf the body is in erthe the hert is in heuen by loue and by desyre ¶ A good relygyouse persone ought to haue no propre in erthe but he ouzt to make his tresour in heuen lyke as sayth our lord in the gospel Yf thou sayth he wylt be perfyght â–ª goo and selle al that thou hast and gyue it to the poure And thou shalte haue thy tresour in heuen whyche neuer shal faylle The tresour of a relygyouse man is veray wylful pouerte For the veray pouerte of the spyryte and of wylle is the money of whyche the royalme of heuen is bought wherof our lord sayth in the gospel Blessyd be the poure of spyryte for the Royalme of heuen is theyres Certayn who that is poure of spyryte that is of the wylle of god he secheth not in thys world noo delyâ—es ne rychesses ne honoures but put it all in forgetyng In suche wyse ought to doo good relygyouse people that wyl mounte vp in to the montaygne of perfectyon wherof the aungellys sayd to Loth whan he was goon oute of the cyte of Sodome· Reste ne tarye thou not nyghe the place that thou hast lefte but saue thy self in the montaygne For he that is goon oute of the conuersacyon of the world ought not to holde hym nyghe the world by hys wylle ne by hys desyre But ought to wythdrawe hym as moche as he may And to entende to his helthe wythoute lookyng bacward or behynde hym· That is for to say that he sette not ageyn hys hert to the world ¶ The wyf of Loth ageynst the commaundement of the aungel behelde the cyte fro whens she came out which brenned therfor she was tâ—rned in to an ymage of salte The wyf of Loth sygnefyeth them· that after they haue lefte the world· and ben entred in to relygyon retorne ageyn bacward by wylle and by desyre which haue theyr body in the cloystre but the hert in the world They be lyke thymage of salte whyche hath but the lykenes or semblaunce of a man· and is as harde colde as a stone Ryght so ben suche peple colde of the loue of god hard wyth out humour of pyte and of deuocyon and they retche nothyng but of the habyte of theyr relygyon no thynge of the obseruaunces and werkes Thymage that was of salte sygnefyeth in scrypture wytte and dyscrescyon For lyke as salte gyueth sauour to the 〈◊〉 Ryght so ought euery relygyouse persone to haue wytte dyscrescioÌ„ in his dedes in his wordes This ymage thenne of salte ought to gyue wytte and vnderstondyng and example to them that ben in religyon and after retorne to that whyche they haue lefte And therfore sayth our lord in the gospel to his dyscyples Remembre you of the wyf of loth That is to say Beholde ye not that whiche ye haue lefte for the loue of me lest ye lese the lyf of grace lyke as the wyf of loth lost the lyf of the body by cause she loked to the place whyche she had lefte wherfore our lord sayth in the gospel who that putteth his hande to the ploughe and loketh behynde hym is not worthy to the kyngdom of heuen For-lyke as he that ledeth the plough seeth alway tofore hym to lede strayt and to conduyte right his plough Ryght soo ought he to doo that putteth his haÌ„de to the plough of penauÌ„ce or of religyon alwaye he ought to haue the eyen of his hert tofore That is to say his vnderstondyng and his wylle to that whyche is to sore hym and not behynde That is to the goodes perdurable whyche ought to be tofore the hert not to the goodes temporall whiche ought to be behynde ¶ Thus dyd Saynt Poul whyche sayd that he had forgoten that whyche was behynde hym That is the world and alle the couetyse of the world whyche he praysed at nought And wente allewaye tofore hym For he had alwaye his entencyon and his desyre to god But many men of relygyon setten the plough tofore the oxen For many there ben and that is their â—ommage that more sechen the thynges bodyly and worldly than the thynges spyrytual They put that before whyche shold be behynde that ben the goodes temporal tofore the goodes perdurable spyrytuell Suche relygyous persones ben in moche grete peryll of theyr dampnacyon For they haue â—ought but the habyte of theyr relygyon By the example of Saynt Poul the good relygyouse persones forgete the world leue it byhynde them the goodes perdurable they haue tofore theyr eyen· and goon tofore alwaye fro vertu to vâ—rtu tyl they come to the montayne of Ioye perdurable where they shal see god clerely and shall loue hym perfyghtly and shal adoure hym perdurably This is the beneurte or the yefte of vnderstondyng whyche ledeth them that kepen cleÌ„nesse of hert and of body lyke as we haue shewed afore And therfore sayth our lord in the gospel that blessyd ben they that ben clene of hert For they shall see god This blessyng begynneth here for they been purged fro derknesses of errour as to the vnderstondyng and fro the spottes of synne as to the wylle and therfore they see god by fayth enlumyned of clerenes whyche cometh of the yeft of vnderstondyng â—y whyche a man knoweth hys creatour· and all
that apperteyneth to the helth of his soule wythout slydyng wyth out doubtyng and wythout waueryng in the fayth of Ihesu Cryst where they be so Ioyned and fermly founded that they may not departe them for deth ne for to suffre ony tormente what someuer it be ¶ And therfore been blessed they that be clene of hert in this mortal lyf For they haue the eyen of the herte the vnderstondyng and the wylle soo clere and soo clene that they see god and byleue hym by fayth ferme and certayn lyke as we haue sayd tofore ¶ wherrof our Lord sayd to saynt Thomas by cause thou hast seen me thou hast byleued me· But they ben blessyd that haue not seen me bodyly and haue byleued me certeynlye but this blessyng shall be perfyght in the lyf perdurable where he that is clene of hert whyche here seeth hym by fayth that is alwaye derkly· There in his glorye shal see hym face to face al clerely as saith saynt poule That is the blessyng to aungellys to sayntes whych see hym in his precyouse vysage to knowe one god in thre persones to byholde clerely in that myrrour where al thynges shynen angellys and al the sayntes loken therin and merueylen them and taken there theyr glorye and neuer may they be ful for to loke therin For there is alle beaute alle bounte alle swetenes and fontayâ—e of lyf perdurable and al that whiche hert may wylle and desyre But yet I shal saye a lytel For lyke as sayth the scrypture The eyen mortal may not beholde Ne ere here Ne hert of man thynke what that god hath arayed and maad redy to his frendes that louen seruen hym kepe his commaundements and that kepe them fro synne wherof Saynt Amelme sayth· Soule sayth he lyft vp thyn entendement there aboue· and thynke as moche as thou mayst what wele how grete and how moche delectable is that good whyche conteyneth in hym self the Ioye and the delyte of alle goodes And not suche Ioye and suche delyte as is founden in creatures but as moche more Ioye as the creatour and maker is more grete and more worthy and more excellent than hys creatures O sayth he thou faytour thou man that goost so folyly for to seche dyuers goodes to thy soule and to thy body loue thou and seche one good wherin ben alle goodes and he shal suffyse the. For the good that god hath graunted and gyuen to hys frendes that is hym self whiche is the souerayn good of whome comen and sourden al other goodes as stremes that yssuen out of the quycke fontayne ¶ Certeynlye ryght blessyd shal he be sayth saynt austyn which wythout vylonye shal see the vysage dyscouerd and the glorye of god and shal be transformed in to thymage of glory where as he shal see god as he is The whyche syght is glorye crowne with out ende and al the rewarde meryte of sayntes This shalle be al the good of man· This sayth maistre hughe of saynt vyctor The man that made alle and formed For therfore wold god bycome man whiche made in hym self al men blessyd in body and in soule by cause that the man sawe hym wyth the cyen of his body in hys humanyâ—e that the soule sawe hym in his deyte so that he fonde swetenes and delyte in hys creatour and maker wythin and wythout within in hys deyte and wythout in his humanyte This shal be the Ioye of euery creature his Ioye his delyâ—e â— lyf perdurable of this blessed vysyon That is the blessyng that they attende whyche kepe clennesse chastyte of hert of body ¶ Of the yefte of sapyence Capitulo Cliiij THe last yefte the souerayn the moost hye· is the yefte of sapyence or of wysedom whyche is a grace that the holy ghoost gyueth to the hert contemplatyf by whyche he is esprysed of the loue of god that he desyreth ne secheth none other thynge but to see god to haue hym to delyte in hym to loue hym to honoure and serue hym and dwelle wyth hym This is the soÌ„me of perfection and the ende of contemplacion ¶ The yefte of vnderstondyng of whyche we haue spoken tofore maketh god to be knowen and the thynges spyrytuel as by syght and symple byholdynges But the yefte of sapyence maketh to fele and knowe god by taste theÌ„ne sapyeÌ„ce is none other thyng but a sanery knowleche which is with sauour grete delyte of hert for otherwyse knoweth nothe the wyn that drynketh it in a fayr vyrre or glasse yf he drynke and taste it not sauour it Many phylosophres knewen god by scripture by the creatures lyke as by a myrrour wherin they behelde by reason by vnderstondyng his myght his beaute his wytte his bounte in that whych they see the creatures that he hath made so grete so fayr so wel ordeyned Thenne they knewe hym by symple byholdyng of vnderstondyng natural reason But they neuer felte hym by taste of ryght loue ne by dâ—uocyon Ryght so ben there many crysten persones clerkes laye whyche wel knowe hym by fayth and by scrypture but by cause they haue theyr taste dysordynate by synne they may not fele hym nomore than the seek persone may fynde taste or sauour in good mete ¶ The yefte of sapyence whyche the holy ghoost putteth in a â—erfyght hert purgeth clenseth it fro alle ordure of synne lyfteth vp soo â—he spyryte of a man that he Ioyneth hym to god by ardaunt desyre of loue so that he is al wyth god there he fedeth hym there he nouryssheth hym there he fatteth hym there he delyteth resteth hym and there he slepeth There he forgeteth al his trauaylles al hys flesshly desyres erthely hym self so that he remembreth no thynge but god whome he loueth aboue al thynges Thys is the last degree of the laddre of perfectyon that Iacob saw in his slepe whyche touched heuen by whyche aungellys mounted descended The degrees of thys laddre been the seuen yeftes of the holy ghoost of whyche we haue spoken tofore· By these seuen degrees mounten the aungellys These been they that leden the lyf of aungellys in erthe by purete clennesse of conscyeyce whyche haue the hert in heuen by veray desyre holy conuersacyon whan they prouffyte fro vertu to vertu tyl they see god clerely and loue hym parfyghtly But whan they be mounted vnto the last degree somtyme byhoueth it them to descende by humylyte for of so moche as a good maÌ„ is more parfyght of so moche is he more humble and lasse preyseth hym self Thenne a good man a parfyght ought to be lyke as a tree whyche is charged wyth fruyt For the more that the tree is charged and laden with fruyt· the more he enclyneth boweth to the erthe In another maner may be vnderstonden that the aungellys descenden For the good men that leden the lyf of angellys in erthe by
alle the wyttes of the body vnder the lordshyp of ryght reason as sayth Tullius the wyse man soo that reason enlumyned by the yefte of sapyence holdeth in pees the lordshyp of the hert of the body And this is the ende and thentencyon of al vertues that the hert the body be wel ordeyned to god· so that god onely be lord souerayn in suche maner◠that al be in his obedyence And this maketh sobre the loue of god whiche putteth hym wyth al the hert to the wylle of god wherof Saynt Austyn sayth that the vertue of attemperaunce of sobrenes is a loue whyche kepeth hym in entyernesse wythout corrupcyon wythdraweth vs fro the loue of the world whyche troubleth the hert putteth it to dysease and taketh fro hym ryght knowleche of god of hym self lyke as a persone seeth not clerely in water troubled But the loue of god whiche is pure clene is departed fro al erthely loue and fro carnall affection setteth the hert in pees For it setteth it in his propre place That is in god there he resteth there he is in pees Ne he hath noo pees ne Ioye ne reste but in god wherof our lord sayth in the gospel ye shalle be oppressyd in this world but in me ye shal fynde pees And Saynt austyn sayd to god Lord myn hert may not be in pees vnto the tyme it reste in the suche loue cometh not of an erthely hert ne of the maryce of thys world But it descendeth fro that hye roche vpon whyche is sette foūded the grete cyte of heuen of holy chyrche That is Ihesu cryst whyche al is sette foūded fermely by true fayth that ben the holy hertes of good men Fro this hye roche descendeth that fontayne of loue in to the hert that is wel purged taken awaye fro the loue of the world This welle is so clere that he knoweth hym self his maker lyke as one seeth hym self in a fontayn wel clere clene vpon this fōtayne he resteth the hert fast by after the trauayl of good werkes So as we rede of our lord Ihesu cryst that whan he had so moche goon that he was wery he satte doun rested hym vpon the welle This is the fontayne vpon whyche a good hert that wyl saue hym self-resteth hym in the loue of god Thys fontayne is so swete that he that drynketh therof forgeteth al other swetenes al other sauour therfore it is so swete good to drynke for of so moche as the fontayne feleth better the erthe· so moche is it more holsom better to drynke This is the fontayne of wytte of sauour For he that drynketh therof he knoweth feleth sauoureth the grete swetenes that is in god that is the souerayn wytte of man to knowe wel his maker and to loue hym drede hym serue and honoure hym wyth al hys hert For without this phylosophye alle other wytte nys but folye Suche wytte setteth the holy ghoost in the herte whan he gyueth the yefte of sapyence whyche fedeth and nourissheth the hert with spyrytuel Ioye and maketh it dronke with his holy loue that is the wytte whiche the holy ghoost setteth in the hert that is wel purged and clensyd fro alle ordures of synne lyke as tofore is sayd This spirytuel wytte that cometh of the parfyght loue of god maketh the hert sobre and attempred in alle thynges by mesure so that the hert that is in suche estate is in pees lyke as it may be in this mortal lyf For in this world none may lyue without tournoyes bataylle of temptacyon whyche god sendeth for to preue hys knyghtes by cause they can vse the armes of vertue For otherwyse they myght not be good knyghtes yf they were not proued how they can resyste to temptacions And men be woned to make tournoyes in tyme of pees but whan a good knyzt hath ouercomen the tournoye he retorneth home to his hous there he resteth hym at his ease Ryght so doth the good hert whan he hath wel foughten ouercomen the tournoye of tēptaciōs wel strongely resisted them Thēne he cometh ageyn to hym self resteth in god which comforteth hym after his trauayll which he hath resysted ayenst the synnes soo that he forgeteth there al his trauaylle thynketh on no thynge but on god in whome he syndeth al that he desyreth This is the fruyt that the tree of sobrenes bereth whych cometh of the yefte of sapyence like as I haue shewed tofore Sobrenes nys noue other thyng but to kepe ryght mesure in al thynges in vij maners ought a persone to kepe mesure which ben lyke to seuen degrees by which groweth prouffyteth the tree of sobrenes ¶ Of the fyrst degree of sobrenes of mesure capitulo Clv THe fyrst degree of sobrenes is that a man ought to set mesure in his vnderstondyng Specially in the poyntes of the artycles of the fayth he passeth mesure whyche wyll seche reason natural in that whyche is aboue reason aboue the vnderstondyng of a man as doon the heretykes myscreaūtes whiche wyl mesure their feyth after theyr vnderstōdyng but they ought to mesure theyr vnderstondyng reason vnto the mesure of the fayth as doon good crysten men Therfore sayth saynt poul that a mā shold not be wyse more than fayth bereth but by sobrenes after the mesure of the fayth that god hath gyuen to vs. salamon sayth to his sone fayr sone saith he put in thy wytte mesure that is to say be thou not of thyn owen propre wytte so fyxed in thy presumpcion but that thou bowe and enclyne the for to byleue good counceyl thou leue thyn owne wytte for to obeye to hym that is more wyse than thou art in especyal in the artycles of the fayth a man ought to leue his owne wytte his vnderstondyng to bowe enclyne also put hym self in seruage of the fayth as saith saynt poul and not for to enserche ne enquyre naturell reason there where as is none as don the melancolyous men which ben lyke to hym that secheth muskles emonge frosshes or he that secheth heer in the egge or vnder the hyde The second degree of sobrenes of mesure capitulo Clvj THe second degree of sobrenes of mesure is that one put mesure in thappetyte and in the desyre of his wylle so that he late not the rayne of the brydle ouermoche at large that he renne not after the desyre of his flesshe ne to the couetyse of the world wherof the wyse man sayth in the scrypture Ne ensyewe not sayth he thy couetyses ne the desyres of thy body ne of thy flesshe And beware and kepe the that thou accomplysshe not thy wylle For yf thou doost to thyn herte hys desyres thou shalt make Ioye to the fendes of helle lyke as he that dooth to his aduersarye ayenst whome he must fyght whan
chyrche the monasterye is halowed to the seruyce of god Soo that he ought none other thynge doo but to serue and honoure god After he dyeth hym self in blode For he putteth hym selfe in one so stronge and ardant loue and in so swete loue of Ihesu Cryst and of deuocyon that whan he thynketh on hym and on his passyon he is as he were alle dronke of the precyous blood that Ihesu Cryste shedde for hym in hys holy passyon lyke as is a soppe of hote brede whan it is put in wyne This is a newe bapteme For to dye and to baptyse is alle one After he confermeth hym in god soo strongelye that nothyng may dysseuere ne desioyne hym Now thenne wylle thou to say thys word thy name be sayntyfyed in vs· That is to say gyue to vs the yefte of sapyence by whyche we may be soo fyned as is the golde and the syluer in the fornays and clensed fro alle ordures of synne by which we be dronken of his loue and that al other loues be to vs bytter by whyche we be soo gyuen to the and to thy seruyce that we neuer retche of none other charge to th ende that we be not onelye wesshen fro alle synnes but dyed in grayne renewed and rebaptysed in the precyous blode of Ihesu Cryst by deuocyon of feruent loue to thys that the blessyd name of our good fader Ihesu Cryst be soo confermed in vs that he be our good fader and we his good sones and his seruauntes as very obedyent to alle hys commandements and in suche manere that no thyng what someuer it be may come ne happene to desioyne thys fastnes ne thys grace Moche is grete the grace of god whā the wylle of the creature humayn is so rooted in god confermed that it may not wagge ne moeue for no temptacyon Moche gretter a thynge it is whan one is so affermed in the loue of god and so dronken in his swetenesse that no soulas ne no comforte ne no playsaunce may not be had but in hym thenne is the herte parfytelye confermed in god whan the memorye is so fastned ioyned to hym that it may not thynke on noo thynge but on hym And thys requyre we whan we saye Sanctificetur nomen tuum that is to say Syr thy name be sayntyfyed in vs. ¶ Here is the second petycyon and requeste of the holy pater noster capitulo lxxx ADuemat regnum tuū This is the second petycyon requeste of the holy pater noster where we praye requyre that the royame of god come in vs. and be wythin vs Our lord sayth in the gospel to his dyscyples The royalme of god is now wythin you Now vnderstonde wel how this may be whan god gyueth to a persone in his herte the spyrite of vnderstondyng Thus as the sonne taketh awaye the derknesses of the nyght and wasteth the cloudes and the mystes in the mornyng Ryght soo wasteth thys spyrite and taketh awaye alle the derknesses of the herte and sheweth hym al his synnes and defaultes grete and smale lyke as the rayes of the sonne sheweth the motes and the duste that is in the hous ¶ Also this spyrite of vnderstondynge sheweth on that other parte not onelye that which is within hym but that which is vnder hym helle and that whyche is aboue hym heuen· that whyche is aboute hym alle the fayre creatures whych al preysen god and wytnessen how god is fayr good wyse puyssant swete and grete And who that seeth moost clere the creatures is moost desyryng to see god but lete hym consydere that he is not pure ne worthy to see hym Thenne the good herte trewe and deuoute chauffeth hym and is angry wyth hym self Thenne he begynneth to entre in to his herte and to examyne hym And there he fyndeth so many synnes vyces pouertees deffaultes troublynges of herte and of thoughtes euyl wylle that he is angry wyth hym self by grete contrycyon and desplayser that he hath of hys synnes· And thenne he begynneth to clense his herte and purge hym of al ordures of synne by bytter repentaunce and by deuoute confessyon and after by sharpe and condygne penaunce But whan he hath longe ledde thys lyf and hath caste oute al hys synnes by veray confessyon Thenne he fyndeth pees and reste and consolacion And tereth soo moche god to falle ageyn to synne that hym semeth that alle the world be to hym helle to the regarde of thys clerenesse and thys pees that he fyndeth in hys herte And thys demaunde we of god whan we saye Aduemat regnum tuum that is to saye Fayr fader plese it to the that the holy ghoost wyl enlumyne in vs the hert and clense purge it fro al synnes And that he vouchesauf to come and dwelle as a kyng and a lord gouernour and commaundour in oure hertes so that al the herte be hys and that he be kyng lorde and alwaye that we may see hym For it is a lyf perdurable to haue the royame of god within vs. Therfore sayth our lord in the gospel that the royame of god is as a tresour hyd in a felde that is in the herte of a good man whiche is more grete than alle the world ¶ The iij peticion requeste of the holy pater noster lxxxj FIat voluntas tua sicut in celo in terra This is the iij peticion and requeste where we praye our lord that his wylle be doon in vs lyke as it is done in heuen that is as in holy angellys whyche ben in heuen whiche ben so enlumyned and confermed in god that they may wylle none other thyng but that which that god wyl we may not haue this peticion ne thys perfection but we haue the yefte of counceyl whyche is the thyrd yefte of the holy ghoost whych techeth vs to do his good wylle and that he conuerte our caytyf and fraylle wylle so that in vs growe noo propre wylle but that his wylle be onely lady of al the herte hooly and do in vs what someuer he wylle lyke as his wylle is doon in holy aungellys of heuen whyche may not synne And that alwaye done the wylle of god wythoute mespryse and gaynsayeng ¶ Now hast thou herde the thre petycyons and fyrst requestes of the holy Pater noster whyche ben the hyest and moost worthy In the fyrst we demaunde the yefte of sapyence In the second the yefte of vnderstondyng and in the thyrd the yefte of counceyl lyke as I haue tofore shewed These iij thynges we requyre not by cause we shold haue them in thys mortal lyf parfytelye But we shewe vnto our good fader Ihesu Cryst our desyres that they be alwaye in heuen where they ought to be To the ende that these thre requestes petycyons be doon accomplisshed in vs in the lyf perdurable we demaūde them in this presente lyf ¶ In the other four petycyons that comen
nos inducas in temptacionem That is to saye Fayr swete fader suffre not thou that we entre in to temptacyon and that we consente not to ony synne The deuyl is the temptour of synne for it is his crafte of which he serueth in the hous of god to preue the newe knyghtes of god And yf the temptacyon were not good and prouffytable to good peple God whyche dooth al thynge for our prouffyte wolde neuer suffre that temptacyon shold come But as saynt Bernard sayth whan our temptour smyteth vs on the backe He forgeth to vs our crownes of glorye lyke as he that smyteth on the backe of a good knyght forgeth to hym his praysyng and hys glorye The deuyl tempteth a man proprely to th ende that he take hym aweye and departe hym holly from the loue of our lord Ihesu Cryste ¶ Therfore prayed and prayeth to vs Saynt Poule the appostle and vnto hys dyssyples that they be founded and terme as a toure and roted as a tree in charyte and in the loue of god soo that no temptacyon may moeue theym ne make them for to stakre ne quaure ¶ And therfore in thys petycyon request we requyre and demaunde the ayde and helpe of god in our bataylle ayenst the fende that he wyl gyue to vs the yefte of pyte That is a grace that arouseth and bedeweth the hert and maketh hym swete pyetous and maketh hym al to rendre and wexe grene and to bere fruyt ynough of good werkes wythoutforth wythinforth And wythin to make stedfast and ferme his rootes in the londe of lyuyng peple ¶ That is lyke as the good cyment of whyche been maad these walles sarazynoys whyche may not be broken ne defeated wyth pykoys ne wyth hamer whan we say thenne Et ne nos inducas in temptacionem That is to say swete fader make our hertes ferme and stable that they moeue not ne quauer for noo temptacion that come to them by the grace of the yefte of pyte we praye not that we be in noo wyse tempted For that were a folysshe prayer and shameful lyke as the sone of a lord or of another noble man that shold be adoubed a newe knyght he shold say to his fader Fayr fader I praye you that ye me deporte or forbere and kepe that I neuer see batayl ne tournoye ¶ we ought wel wylle to be tempted for it is our grete prouffyte in many maners For we been the more humble the more doubcous and the more wyse in many caases and the bettyr proued the more hardy For as Salamon sayth the. who that hath not be tempted he may knowe no thynge a ryght but lyke as one knoweth of the batayl of troye by here sayeng for he may not know hym self ne his Infirmyte ne the strengthe of his enemyes ne their subtylte ne how god is trewe 〈◊〉 at nede to ayde his frende ne how many tymes he hath kepte vs from many perylles synnes by al these reasons be shal not coÌ„ne loue god aryght ne thaÌ„ke hym of hys yeftes yf he be not tempted but praye we hym that he kepe to vs our hertes that they entre not in to temptacyon that is to say that the hert consent not therto and as touchyng our self we be soo pour that we may not an houre of the day susteyn thassautes and the dyuers temptacions of the fende withoute the helpe of our lord And whan he faylleth for to ayde and helpe vs we entre in to temptacion And whan he helpeth vs we resyste we fyght vaynquysshe the fende our enemye whan that we consente not to synne ¶ The seuenth petycyon of the pater noster capo. lxxxv Ed libera nos a malo amen saynt austyn sayth that al the other temptacyons ben to vs eyther for to do wel or for to leue to do wel But all the yeftes all the good that a man dooth or that he can gete is for to put awaye and destroye pryde al synnes and euylles And therfore whan god hath gyuen to a man this that he hath requyred of god in the vj requestes aforesayd Thenne certaynlye it is of veray nede that god delyuer hym from the puyssaunce of the fende fro alle his engynes and from al his temptacyons And therfore cometh at the laste thys petycyon and requeste as the ryergarde whyche sayth thus Sed libera nos a malo amen that is to saye Fayr fader Ihesu Cryst delyuer vs fro al euyl fro alle synnes and fro alle perylles passed present and to come And fro al thengynes of the fende our enemye that we lose not by pryde the goodes that thou hast gyuen to vs. ¶ In thys requeste we praye to god that he gyue to vs the yefte of holy drede By the whyche we may be delyueryd fro the fende and from hys temptacyons and fro alle manere of euyl that is fro alle perylles and fro al synnes in this world and in that other amen So be it as we haue sayd so moche is it to say this worde amen ¶ Now hast thou heâ—â— the seuen petycyons and requestys whyche god made wyâ—â— hys blessyd mouth for to enseygne teche vs to lerne al that whiche we may ought to praye and demaunde for the body and for the soule and for thys worlde and for that other And al is conteyned and comprysed in the holy Pater noster Now kepe the wel that thou saye it aryght wyth herte and wyth mouthe For grete good shal come to the therof yf thou so doo ¶ Thus endeth the seuen petycyons of the holy Pater noster ¶ Of the seuen yeftes of the holy ghoost capitulo lxxxvj AFter the peticions requestes that been conteyned in the holy Pater noster vs byhoueth to speke in grete reuerence of so hye a matere as of the holy yeftes of the holy ghoost like as he hym self of hys grace shalle enseygne and teche vs. And we shal saye fyrste whyche ben the yeftes of the holy ghoost ¶ After wherfore they be callyd yeftes and wherfore they be callyd of the holy ghoost After wherfore they be seuen yeftes of the holy ghoost ne moo ne lasse After we shal say of the goodes that the yeftes of the holy ghoost do Custome it is reason and curtosye that a man hye ryche valyaunt noble whan he wyl goo to his spouse that he loueth wyth al hys herte that he bere to hyr of his Iewellys ¶ Ysaye the prophete sawe in spyrite the gloryouse espowsaylles that were made in the bely of the blessyd vyrgyn marye whan the blessyd sone of god espoused her and toke in hyr our blood and our flesshe our humanyte and our nature So recounteth to vs the sayd prophete of the Iewellys and the fayre yeftes that he brought wyth hym for to gyue to hys espouse and to hyr parentes And sayth thus the sayd prophete moche curtoyslye Fro the rote of Iesse
the veray humble whiche hateth not but for to playse the world and desyreth noo thynge but to plese god After the very humble is ryght vygorous ryght swyfte and open whan he bereth the vertu of obedyence and the loue of god and doth it to his prelate But whan his owne wylle bereth hym and ledeth Thenne he is heuy and slowe to do wel· lyke vnto the sterre named saturnus whyche renneth as moche in one day wyth the fyrmament whan the fyrmament ledeth hyr as she doeth in xxx yere in hir propre â—ours Also the veray meke humble obeyeth generally oueral and in al places where he byleueth that it playseth god and in al thynges lyke as dooth the asse of the mylle that as gladly bereth barley as whete· lede as golde and whete to a poure man as to a ryche man ¶ Also the veray meke and humble is made stronge For he chaungeth his strengthe wyth the strengthe of god lyke as sayth the prophete ysaye And therfore there is noo thynge but the veray humble may wel bere For god bereth hym and his dedes Thenne he obeyeth vygorously and perseuerantly For he is neuer wery nomore than the soÌ„ne is which god ledeth conduyteth and the lenger it lyueth the more groweth hyr force and hir vygour Now mayst thou see clerely how humylyte techeth the wel and parfytely to serue obeye god Of the techyng and doctryne of our lord capitulo Cv IHesu cÌ„rist the grete maystre of humylyte whan he had preched fedde his peple heled the seck men and lame Thenne he fledde awaye fro the peple in to the montaygne for to be in orison for to enseygne and gyue vs an ensaumple to flee the praysyng of the world therfore the trewe humble herte lyke as he payneth to doo wel whan he obeyeth Ryght so he payneth hym to fle the praysyng of the world and to hyde hym for to kepe hym from the wynde of vaynglorye And to fyxe hym in the shadowe of the roche lyke as ysaye the prophete sayth fro the tempest of euyll tongues Thys roche is Ihesu Cryst hym self whyche is the refuge and the charyte to the humble and meke ¶ To thys roche that is Ihesu crist fleeth the humble hert charged with thornes lyke as is the yrchon that is of sharpnes of penaunce Thys is the dounehous in to whyche fleen for refuge the dounes of our lord That ben the meke humble and symple hertes that flee thyder to refuge for the foules of proye or rauayn That ben the deuyls whiche alwaye seche to daÌ„pne the soules whan an humble hert hath done soo moche that he is entryd in to this roche as the doune in to a dounehous that is whan he remembreth wel the lyf of Ihesu Cryste and hys blessyd passyon· thenne he forgeteth al his sorowes and prayseth lytel al that the world hath and is worth may be of valu A good hert that hath assayed thys desyreth noo thynge so moche as to be forgoten to the world The world is to hym a charge and besynes· for as sayth the wyse man The good man is neuer more sure than whan he is al allone ne more in werkys than whan he is ydle For he is thenne wyth ij of his best frendys that is wyth god and wyth hym self There a deuoute hert treateth of his grete quarellys complayntes by whyche al other werkes semen to hym truffes nought and al vanytees There he acompteth wyth god and god with hym by holy thoughtes by feruent desires TheÌ„ne he seleth the grete swetnes of consolacioÌ„s comforte that god gyueth to them that drede hym loue hym lyke as Dauyd the prophete sayth in the psaulter Thenne al langages and al wordes ennoye greue hym yf they be not of god to god or for god Thus begynneth the soule to loue solytude scylence And thenne cometh to hym in his hert an holy shamefastnes whiche is one of the fayr doughters of humylite for al in lyke wyse as a damoysel that loueth paramours wyth grete shamefastnes whan she is apperceyued she hereth that it is spoken of In lyke wyse the humble persone and deuoute whan he hereth that one speketh of hym of his spyrytuel goodes that god hath done to hym and no thynge lasse doth he than the mayde doth which is ardantly surprysed of loue for what someuer the world say to hym it is knowen Neuertheles he secheth his corners hydles lyke as he that requyreth none other thynge but to be rauysshed in god lyke as was Saynt Poule ¶ Of the pryuyte that god hath to an holy soule ca Cvj OF this acqueyntaunce and of thys preuyte· thys holy soule begynneth to haue of god bytwene hyr an holy pryde For whan the holy soule is rauysshed vnto heuen she beholdeth the erthe fro ferre lyke as sayth ysaye the prophete there seeth it soo lytel to the regarde of the gretenes of heuen so foule to the regarde of that grete beaute so troublus to the regarde of that grete clerenesse soo wyde to the regarde of that grete plente Thenne he despreyseth despyseth certeynly alle the rychessys of the world beautees honoures and noblesses Thenne it semeth to hym that it is but a playe of chyldren that playe in the waye â–ª moche trauayllen them self wynne nothyng It semeth that al is but wynde dremes as sayth salamon Thenne he begynneth to deye to the world and lyue to god as sayth saynt Poul Thenne is the soule so poure of spyryte that it hath nought For god hath his spyryte taken fro hym rauysshed it replenysshed wyth his yeftes as he dyd to thappostles on whytsonday Thenne the holy ghoost gyueth to hym so grete an hert that the prosperyte ne aduersyte of the world he prayseth no thynge at al. wyth this he gyueth to hym so holy so ferme a conscyeÌ„ce that he awayteth hardyly the deth and he hath in god so grete fayth and hope loue that there is noo thynge but he dar enterpryse it for the loue of god For he hath that fayth of whiche god speketh in the gospel whiche is lykened to mustard seed by whyche he may comande to roches and montaygnes and they shal obeye to hym Of the comparysoÌ„s of mustard seed to the loue of god Cvij THe seed of mustard is moche lytel but it is moche stronge and sharpe And it is hote in the fourth degree as the physycyens sayen By the hete is vnderstonden loue The fyrst degree of loue as sayth saynt Bernard is whan a man feleth no thynge of loue but of hym self of hys owen prouffyte The second is whan he begynneth to loue god The iij is whan he knoweth best god loueth hym proprely for his bounte The fourth is whan he is so esprysed wyth thys holy loue that he ne loueth hym self ne none other thynge but god or for god or wyth god And vnto
this loue bryngeth hym veray humylyte ¶ Now mayst thou see clerely that the poure of spyryte ben blessyd For they be soo humbled voyde of theyr spyryte that their spyryte is alle mynuysshed for god hath it al. and the holy ghoost hath replenysshed the hous of his hert is there lord and enhaunceth them that been poure of spyryte These been the veray meke and humble whome he maketh to regne in heuen by holy hope by holy conscyence therfore sayth our lord in the gospel that the royame of heuen is theyres Not onelye by promesse but by fyn certeynte lyke as they that began somtyme to receyue the fruytes the rentes how they shold be blessyd in that other world That may noo man knowe vnto the tyme that he be there For the hert of a mortal man may not thynke it ne expresse wyth mouthe ne here it wyth hys cerys ¶ Of the yefte of holy drede of pyte capitulo Cviij THe first yefte of the holy ghoost maketh the hert huÌ„ble dredeful and to doubte god and hate al synnes therfore it is named the yefte of drede ¶ The second yefte of pyte maketh the hert swete debonayr and pyteous And therfore is it named the yefte of pyte And that is proprely a dewe and a tryacle ayenst the venym of felonnye and in especyal ayenste the venym of the synne of enuye of whyche we haue spoken tofore For this yefte of pyte taketh awaye and plucketh out of the hert the rote of enuye and there heleth it parfyghtely Thenne the hert that receyueth thys yefte and feleth in hym a dewe whyche maketh hym to germyne a swete rote ryzt wel atempred that is good loue oute of whyche groweth a fayr tree beryng grete fruyt that is a fayr vertu good that is callyd in latyn mansuetudo That is to say swetenesse and debonayrte of hert whyche maketh a man swete debonayr charytable and amyable For this vertu maketh a man to loue his neyghbour parfytely and hym self after god This tree hath vij degrees by whiche he mounteth on heyght These vij degrees sheweth to vs saynt Poul· there where as he admonesteth and prayeth that we do payne to that that we be al one in god The fyrst reason is that we haue al one herte the hye and the lowe the poure and the ryche That is that we haue al one fader in heuen That is god whych made vs al comunely to his ymage and to his semblaunce by cause that we al haue one creatour and maker whyche maad vs al of one matere and of one fourme and to one ende that is that we be al in hym and wyth hym lyke as he sayth in the gospel It is moche grete reason that we loue eche other for the bestys and the byrdes eche loueth his semblable· The second reason is that we be al crysten and baptysed in the sacrament of bapâ—esme poure and ryche That is that we be al wasshen wyth the precyous blood of Ihesu Cryst And we were redemed wyth one maner money and as moche coste that one as the other Moche thenne owe we to loue eche other and to honoure For god hath moche loued vs and praysed vs. and hath made vs of grete dygnyte ¶ The thyrd reason is by cause we haue al one fayth and been bounden all to one lawe whyche alle is accomplysshed lyke as Saynt Poul sayth in thys word loue thy neyghbour as thy self Of thys debte is no man quyte for ony thynge that he can do this debte oweth eche man to other who that moost rendreth moost oweth ¶ The fourth reason is that we haue al one maystre one lord that is god of whome we holde al. body and soule and al that we haue he hath made vs al and formed and hath vs al redemed of a lyke prys he shal Iuge vs al· rewarde largely to al them that shal haue kepte and holden hys commandementes and that haue loued eche other truly ¶ The fyfthe reason is by cause that we be al felowes in the hoost of our lord And we ben al hys knyghtes souldyers whyche we al abyde one rewarde that is the glorye perdurable and loue and companye of alle sayntes ¶ The vj reason is that we lyue alle of one espyryte spyrytuelly lyke as we lyue alle of one ayer corporally By this spyryte we ben alle sones of god by adopcyon That is by aduoerye and sones of holy chyrche brethern germayn of fader and moder a spyrytuel fraternyte whyche is better worthe than a carnal fraternyte lyke as the spyryte is of more value than the body ¶ The seuenth reason is by cause that we been al membres of one body of whyche Ihesu cryst is the heed we been the membres which lyuen al of one mete That is of the precyous flesshe blode of Ihesu Cryst whyche so moche loueth vs and vs holdeth so dere that he gyueth to vs his precyous blood to drynke his precyous flesshe to ete Therfore remembreth vs so ofte saynt Poule this loue whyche he sheweth to vs. For a more quycke reason ne more fayrer example may he not shewe to vs of veray amytye and frendshyp yf thou wylte thynke wel on these reasons thou shalte fynde vij degrees of amytye and frendshyp whyche comen of the yefte of pyte ¶ Of vij maners of spyrytuel loue capitulo Cix OF this stocke and oute of this rote growen vij braunches For this vertu sheweth hym in seuen maners lyke as loue is knowen whyche is emonge the membres of a body in vij maners Fyrst the one of the membres kepeth countregardeth the other that it do to hym none euyl ne that at faylle hym not ne that it do hym none harme ne doÌ„mage to hys power herin we vnderstonde our Innocencye which we ought to kepe eche anenst other For thys comandement is wryton in the hert of euery persone That is that thou do to another after god that whyche thou woldest that he dyd to the. and that thou sholdest not doo to another otherwyse than thou woldest shold not be doon to the. Ne that thy ryght honde shold smyte thy lyft honde Also that one membre suffre swetelye that other that it do to hit no harme ne no vengeaunce ne wrath But yf that one membre haue harme or hurte that other membres fele it And in this vnderstonde we parsyght debonayrte whyche hath iij degrees The fyrst is that he reuenge hym not The second that he reteyne not wrath ne yre The thyrd that he ne fele no moeuyng of hate ne yre toward his neyghbour for ony thynge that he doth ¶ Also the membres obeyen al to theyr souerayn For they do al to theyr power that whiche the hert comandeth them and the cyen enseynen them In this vnderstonde we the vertu of obedyence of which we haue spoken tofore whyche ought to be apparaylled in loue in charyte lyke as sayth
Saynt Peter Also the one membre helpeth that other serueth that other without daunger wythout contradyctyon and wythoute auaryce And herin we vnderstonde the vertu· that is callyd charyte of whyche a man thenne helpeth and socoureth another gladly wyth the power that god hath gyuen hym or he enseygneth or counceylleth wyth the wytte that he hath· Or he gyueth departeth largely for goddes sake the goodes that he hath Than is sayd of hym that he is moche charytable and thus commandeth to vs saynt peter that the graces that god hath gyuen to vs· that we admynystre them to our neyghbours wherof Tullyus the phylosophre sayth we ought to fele alle that whyche is in the world and groweth al is made for to serue man And the men be made that one to ayde and helpe that other For the one is engendred of the other Lete vs thenne do that for whyche we be borne and that whyche nature enseygneth vs and seche we al the comyn prouffyte for thus as sayth Saynt Poule we been alle membres of one sole body Alle the membres felen and drawe to theym that whyche is doon to eueryche be it good be it euyl be it Ioye be it anguysshe whan one smyteth the fote the mouth sayth ye gryeue and hurte me ¶ By thys we vnderstonde the vertu of veray pyte whyche we ought to haue commynly whyche hath two offyces as sayth Saynt Poule That is to wete to Ioye for the good that other do and haue And to sorowe for the euylles that other fele and make ¶ Also yf a membre be seek or hurte al the other helpen it to th ende that it may be guarysshed and hool In thys vnderstonde we the vertu of Iustyce and of correctyon wythoute the whyche the body of holy chyrche may not endure For the roten membres defoulen the other that been hole who that wyl thenne chastyse hys brother and hys neyghbour and repreue and punysshe hys subgette late hym take hede at hym self whan that a membre is seek or hurte the herte hath grete compassyon· and feleth grete sorowe And that is for the grete loue that he hath to it he sette honde to moche swetely and ofte ¶ And lyke as sayth Seneke lyke as alle the membres of the body ayden and bere vp eche other Ryght soo ought euery man for to supporte hys neyghboue and to correcte and plucke away the woundes of synnes that been in hys hert ¶ Fyrst there ought for to be layed therto the oynementes and thenplaystres of swete admonycyons ¶ Also yf thys be nouzt worthe there must be layed therto the sharpe pouldres and poynaunt of harde reprehencyon And yf that helpe not thenne lete come the swerde to dysseuere or for to excommynye hym or to bannysshe hym out of the contreye or to wythdrawe fro hym Also the membres honoure and kepe that one that other and do worshyp lyke as sayth saynt poule we owe to bere and do reuerence one to another and specyally they that haue grete nede to be supported· These been the moost folysshe and moost feble Them ought men moost to supporte Thenne the wyse men and sage beren and supporten alwaye the fooles and the feble lyke as the bones beren the feble flesshe and as the pyler bereth the hous This is ayenst the myssayers that so gladly cryen and sayen the deffaultes and the synnes that they see in other Also that one membre deffendeth that other at nede and put hym tofore to saue that other for at nede is seen who is a frende· whan that one fote slydeth that other helpeth it anone whā that one wold smyte the heed the hande put hym tofore In that vnderstonde we parfyght and pure amytye wherof god sayth in the gospel who may doo gretter amytye or frendshyp than to sette his lyf for his frende This frendshyp sheweth vs Ihesu Cryst the veray frende whyche for vs sette his soule and hys body to deth shameful· And that dyd be to gyue to vs example lyke as sayth Saynt Peter and also Saynt Iames. that god hath sette his soule for vs And ryght so we ought to sette our soules for our brethern for our neyghbours yf we be aryght the membres of the body of Ihesu Cryst whyche is our heed who that hath thys vertu a ryght I shal say appertly that he is wel blessyd· Thys is the vertu that our good maystre Ihesu Cryste enseygneth vs. whan he sayth in the gospel· blessyd be the debonayr For they shal possesse the londe of them that lyuen in glorye wythoute ende ¶ Now vnderstonde wel thys blessyng that the debonayr hath in thys world For the parfyght debonayr been now in possessyon of therthe That is to vnderstonde in iij maners Fyrst of the erthe of lyuyng peple That is god hym self whyche is the herytage of theym that lyue perdurably that is of the sayntes and of good peple in lyke wyse as the erthe is habytacyon of beestys and of men And by cause that god hym self is the erthe of lyuyng men he hath the debonayrs in his possessyon For they do noo thynge but that whyche pleseth god Therfore it is ryght that they haue god in theyr possessyon Lyke as Dauyd the prophete sayth in hys psaulter The debonayrres sayth he shal haue the erthe in possessyon in herytage and also they shal haue delectacions in multitude of pees And Saynt Anstyn sayth that no man shal haue god in his possessyon but that fyrst he shal be in hys ¶ Also the debonayr haue in thys world the londe of theyr hert in possessyon For they be by ryght lordes of theyr herte The felon is not lord of his hert the debonayr hath the maystrye of hys herte and of hys euyl maners ¶ And Salamon sayth that he is more valyaunte that maystryeth wel his hert than he that taketh a stronge castel and cytees ¶ Also the debonayres ben lordes of therthe that is of worldly goodes· For yf they lese them they shal neuer be troubled ne angry therfore But they that been angry whan they lose worldly goodes be not lordes of theym ne of theyr hert But been seruauntes therto and therfore it is ryght and reson that they that haue here the goodes temporell and spyrytuel haue in them self theyr possessyon of the herte· ¶ But now vnderstonde and beholde that thys that God gyueth vnto the poure of spyryte is the heuen and to the debonayr the erthe where shal be the auarycyous men thenne and the felons but in the tormentes of helle ¶ Of the seuen yeftes of the holy ghoost and fyrst of the yefte of scyence capitulo Cx THe fyrst yefte of the holy ghoost is the yefte of scyence whyche maketh a man humble dredeful The second maketh hym swete pyteous The thyrd maketh hym clere seeyng and connyng and therfore it is callyd the yefte of scyence For it maketh a man wyse and connyng in mesure in al thynges whan this yefte
Cxvj THe braunches of this tree ben the seuen vertues pryncypal whyche answere vnto the seuen dedely synnes lyke as mekenesse or humylyte dooth ageynste pryde Amytye or frendshyp ayenste enuye· Debonayrte and pacyence ageynst yre and telonnye Prowesse and dylygence ayenste slouthe Largesse ayenste auaryce Chastyte ayenst lecherye· and Sobrenesse ayenst glotonnye These seuen vertues kepe and conduyde moche ryght the spyryte of scyence whyche ledeth conduyteth them by the waye of Equyte as Salamon sayth By the whyche waye dyscrescyon and reason whyche is the charytour and the conduytour of vertues as sayth saynt bernard and the gouernour of the shyppe of the soule ledeth and gouerneth them that they goo not oute of the waye ne on the ryght syde ne on the lyfte And thus prouffyten they growe and bryngeth forth fruyte plentyously ¶ Thenne the vertu of Equyte sheweth hym by dyscrescyon in al the werkes of other vertues that wythoute thys vertu the name of the vertu bycometh vyce I say wel that in another sence these seuen vertues beforesayd been the braunches of Equyte and alle the fruytes and the good werkes that growen therof apperteynen to this tree ¶ Now vnderstonde wel how the grete maystre of vertues speketh to vs of thys vertu For he sayth not in his rule blessyd be they that holden equyte oueral and in alle thynges haue dyscrescyon and mesure wythoute mystakyng For there is none but he mysdoeth in many maners And therfore our Lord Ihesu Cryste recomforteth vs. whan he sayth not Blessyd be they that synne not and that mysdoo not but doon alle by equyte and by ryght lygne but he sayth moche curioysly for to recomforte the synnars Blessyd be they that wepe for they shal be comforted That is to saye They been and shal be blessyd that seen knowen and vnderstonden wel theyr synnes theyr deffaultes in al the poyntes of equyte whyche we haue here tofore named And therof wepen and be sorouful that they fynde Inyquyte and wyckednesse there where as they shold holde and fynde equyte And therfore thys world is called the valey of teerys that none in the world may lyue wythoute teerys whyche hath receyued the yefte of scyence wherof we haue spoken tofore But it byhoueth as sayth Salamon that who that moost knoweth moost seeth the euylles and sorowes of the world he hath moost sorowe at his hert teres and wepynges ¶ Thus began the world to greue and annoye to whome this transytorye lyf moost annoyeth ans greueth he moost desyreth that other lyf whyche is wythouten ende Now oughtest thou to take here syxe maner of teerys whyche an holy man had here in thys world by the yefte of scyence The first teerys comen of that whyche a man hath oftymes angred god by thought by worde and by werke ¶ The second teerys comen of that whyche one byholdeth the grete tormentes horryble and perdurable of helle whyche thou hast deserued by thy synnes of whyche eche persone ought for to haue grete drede ¶ The thyrd teres growe of the euylles that a man see the good suffre of whome we ought to haue pyte compassyon· ¶ The fourth teres comen for the synnes that the euyl peple doo ¶ The v teerys comen for thys lyf which is peryllous and for that other lyf whyche is wythoute ende in glorye perdurable that we tarye so longe therfro ¶ The syxthe teres comen of deuocyon and of grete plente of spyrytuel Ioye of the presence of Ihesu Cryste and of the feelyng of the holy ghoost These been a ryght wel blessyd that thus wepen For they shal be comforted as sayth the gospel lyke as the nouryce comforteth the chylde that wepeth and cryeth For she dryeth the eyen and kysseth hym and maketh hym to laughe by force Ryght so shal our lord doo to theym that wepen by bytter contrycyon for theyr synnes lyke as I haue sayd The debonair Ihesus shal drye theyr eyen that they shal neuer wepe more Ne they shalle neuer fele harme ne sorowe But alle waye they shalle be wyth oure Lord god in pees in laughyng and in Ioye pardurable ¶ Here after foloweth how that a man ought for to lyue in moyen astate capitulo Cxvij NOw haue we spoken of the yeftes and of the vertues that gouerne them that lyue in thys world in the lowest of these thre estates of whyche we haue spoken tofore ¶ Now owe we by the ayde of the holy ghoost to speke of the yeftes and of the vertues whyche moost proprely apperteyne to them that despyse the world and tenden to the montayne of perfectyon Of theym sayth proprelye the holy man Iob. That the lyf of a man vpon the erthe· is as a knyghthode for the lyf of a man in therthe is laboryous ¶ Now beholde and take hede of a yonge bourges and of a yonge knyght These two maner men haue moche dyuers thoughtes and dyuers ententes ¶ The bourges entendeth to marchaundyse for to bye and selle to wynne and to gete good and the ende of hys entente is alle for to be ryche and noble and honoured in hys cyte or towne ¶ The newe knyght gooth alle another waye For he desyreth and entendeth to doo curtâ—syes and to gyue largelye To lerne chyualrye and for to vse armes To suffre payne and dysease and to shewe prowesse to conquere loos and honour and to mounte in to hye estate ¶ These two estates we see openlye in these two manere of people Of whyche somme been that wyll kepe them from grete synnes for they wyl doo penaunce and gyue almesse and holde and kepe the commaundementes of our Lord Ihesu Cryste and of holy chyrche And wel shold suffyse them yf they myght for soo moche saue them at the laste There been other to whome the world ennoyeth and greueth for the perylles synnes and the paynes of which it is al ful So that none may haue pees of herte ne sure conscyence They see ageyn on that other syde that there is no tresoure whyche may be compared vnto the loue of god Ne noo swetnesse soo grete as is pees of hert Ne noo glorye mondayne ne worldly that may compare to the glorye of a pure conscience It semeth to theym and trouthe it is that who that myght gete these thre thynges he shold be more than an Emperour ¶ Thys is a grete thynge but there been but fewe that dare take thys empryse But whan god gyueth to a man thys grace and thys yefte whyche is called the spyryte of strengthe he gyueth to hym a newe herte a noble herte and an hardy hert Noble for to despyse al that whyche the world may take and gyue And of thys hardynesse speketh our Lord in the gospel whan he sayth blessyd be they that haue hungre and thyrste for Iustyce Salamon sayth that he is Iuste that despyseth his doÌ„mage for his soule or for hys frende and saynt bernard sayth that he is not Iuste that seeth
not that his herte feleth and vnderstondeth that he is boūden in his hert anenste god to loue hym aboue al thynges They that verayly desyre wyth alle theyr herte to rendre thys debte to god been they of whome our Lord speketh in the gospel whan he sayth that blessyd be they that haue hungre and thyrst for Iustyce He sayth not blessyd ben they that done Iustyce but that haue hungre and thyrst to do Iustyce For this Iustyce may not be holden ne playnly rendred in this world But in this world it shal be desyred and in that other payed Therfore our Lord sayth not they be blessyd that shal rendre yelde this Iustyce but he sayth more curtoysly As he that wel knoweth our pouerte Blessyd be they that of thys Iustyce haue hungre and thyrste For Ihesu Cryste requyreth not that we paye to hym here his debte but it suffyseth to hym yf we haue good wylle and desyre to rendre and yelde And how shalle I say that they be Iuste· that rendre not that whyche they owe. ne haue noo wylle ne hungre to paye ¶ Thys desyre whan it is veray in the hert hym byhoueth that he shewe it by werke For lyke as Salamon sayth Noo man may bere fyre in his lappe but yf that hys gowne brenne ¶ This demonstraunce may not be wythoute vertue and wythoute prowesse For by wytnesse ne by pletyng ne by preef may not be that one be a good knyght but by many good feetes of armes and by moche suffryng and enduryng of trybulacyons and myschyef And thys is the fourth vertue that the holy ghoost gyueth to a man to extyrpe and plucke alle oute the fourth dedely synne That is the synne that is callyd in clergye accydye that is slouthe Thys vertu aforesayd is of soo grete dygnyte that emonge alle other vertues this onelye bereth by hym self proprely the name of vertue For vertu and prowesse is al one God gyueth thys vertu of prowesse to hys seruantes whan he suffreth and wyl make theym knyghtes lyke as he dyd his apostles at pentecoste or whytsontyde Of whome we rede that they were soo cowarde tofore that they had receyued this vertu of prowesse that they durst not goo oute of theyr lodgyng vnto the tyme that they were armed wyth thys vertue but after they had this vertu of prowesse they suffred gladly al martyrdoms al maner tormentes Of the deuysyons of vertues after the phylosophres Cxviij THe phylosophres that treate of these vertues depart◠this vertu of prowesse in vj partyes which ben lyke vj degrees wherby this vertu mounteth and prouffyteth but our mayster whyche maad the phylosophres and the phylosophye that is Ihesu Cryste he put to the seuenth poynte of prowesse The fyrst poynte of prowesse is called magnytude The second is affyance The thyrd surete The fourth pacyence The fyfthe constaunce The syxte magnyfycence And the seuenth whyche our mayster Ihesu Criste adiousted that is hungre and thyrst of Iustyce Thys vertu may not so proprely be named in englysshe as thentendement or vnderstondyng of the world is sayd in latyn ¶ The fyrst of the vertu of magnanymyte capitulo Cxix MAgnanymyte is hyenesse gretenesse and noblesse of courage by whyche a man is hardy as a man of grete empryse Thys vertu hath two partyes That is to wete to despyse grete thynges or nought to preyse and more gretter thynges to enterpryse and to chese ¶ Of the fyrst partye sayth Saynt Austyn Prowesse is whan courage despyseth alle that whyche he hath not in hys power That is all that he may lese ayenste hys wylle And Seneke sayth in worldly thynges there is noo thynge grete but the hert whiche despyseth grete thynges Of the second partye sayth the phylosophre that magnanymyte is resonable empryse of hye thynges and ferdful who that hath thys vertue he byholdeth the world fro ferre as sayth Ysaye the prophete And thus hym semeth that al the world be a lytel thynge lyke as a sterre semeth to vs a lytel thynge· Thenne al the world and alle the charges and the grete werkes and nedes of the world semen to hym as nought wherof salamon sayth whan he had wel enserched the world and had desputed of al thestates of the fooles and wyse men He sayd hys sentence in thys manere vanyte of vanytees al that I see is vanyte That is to say that alle the world is vanyte and alle ful of vanytes And a man hym self for whome the world is made be peryssheth wyth al vanyte for in hym is al maner of vanyte and of ordure· Lyke as dauyd sayth in his Psaulter vanyte by mortalyte For hys lyf fleeth awaye as shadowe vanyte by curyosyte For hys hert is as a dreme vanyte by wyckydnesse For synne maketh hym more to be holden reputed nought than ony thynge that is in the world Now is thēne the fyrst partye of this vertue that hath made hym to despyse the world Lyke as haue somtyme done in tyme passed the phylosophres the paynems the sarasyns And holy crysten men That other partye is soo that he doo gete the waye of perfectyon and to chese the lyf that is so openlye sharpe and dredeful Thys is the waye that ledeth a man vnto the montaygne of god that is in thestate of perfectyon Thys is the waye of the pryue counceyl of our lord Ihesu Cryst which he shewed in the montaygne to his appostles wherof this traytye speketh This waye chese they to whome it suffyseth not onelye to kepe the commandementes of god to whyche they be bounden by trewe debte lyke as they doo· that leue alle that they haue for goddes sake and abandonne them self to dye for the loue of hym that deyed for theym in the crosse that was swete Ihesu Cryst Or for to goo vnto the holy londe or ellis where as they do that leue and despyse all for the loue of god bothe hauoyr frendes and them self and make them seruaūtes of other and pour that were ryche myght be in the world and put them self to suffre grete sharpenes whyche hadden in the world grete eases and grete delytes and al these thynges doon many haue doon wyth good hert that ben in relygyon for lytel auaylleth it to be in relygyon or in sharpenes of penaunce yf the hert be not there For the habyte maketh not the monke ne the armes the knyght but the good hertes and the purneaunce garneson of good werkes ¶ Of the vertu of affyaunce spyrytuel capitulo Cxx THe second degre of thys vertu is affyaunce For who that hath emprysed a good waye or ony good werkes hym byhoueth that he holde hym fermelye in hys purpoos And that he achyeue that he hath begonne ¶ This vertu is called fyaunce Fyaunce is necessarye ayenste thassautes of the world of the flesshe and of the deuyl of helle whyche moche strongely assaylen a man at the begynnyng· The flesshe sayth to hym I may not endure thys
prowesse and haue hungre and thyrste grete desyre to their power to mounte vnto the seuenth degree ¶ Of the spyrytuel bataylle ayenst synne capitulo Cxxv IN this tree lyke as in the other we fynde vij braunches for in vij maners the vertu the prowesse of the good knyght of god sheweth hym For by vij maners of bataylle there comen vij maners of vyctorye and by seuen manere of vyctoryes he conquereth seuen maners of crownes of glorye ¶ These been the rewardes and the seuen merytes of whyche speketh saynt Iohan thappostle euangelyst in thapocalypse For as Saynt Bernard sayth Moche is he a fool and ouer wenyng that without vyctorye attayneth to haue the crowne and that wythout batayl weneth to haue vyctorye wherof Saynt Poul sayth That he shal neuer be crowned in glorye that fyghteth not truly ayenste synne and vyces whyche is the champe of batayll in thys world The maystre of this â—elde of bataylle is Ihesu Cryst whyche preueth hys newe knyghtes lyke as it is wryton in the book of kynges Thys maystre is the debonayr Ihesu Cryste whyche is ryzt trewe as sayth saynt Poule and knoweth wel the power of euery maÌ„ wherfor he suffreth not that ony enemye or tende tempte vs aboue our power ne that noo aduersarye assayle vs so but that we may ouercome hym yf we wyl by thayde of god whyâ—he encreaseth our strengthe in the bataylle as sayth saynt Paule and saynt Iohan also as we haue sayd and deuysed vij vyctoryes vij crownes That is to say vij maner of rewardes of merytes whyche god promyseth to them that ouercome the synnes and the vyces ¶ Of the first bataylle ayenst al vyces capitulo Cxxvj THe fyrst bataylle that a crysten man hath is ayenste dedely synne There is none ouercomen ne vaynquyshed in thys bataylle but yf he wyl For who that wyl not consente to synne he vaynquyssheth the batayll which is lyght to doo to a good hert vygorous and moche harde to hym that is slowe and latchous and euyl encoraged to doo wel to the seruyse of god whyche is not stronge by drede ne hoot in prayer to god and in wel dooyng as Saynt Iohan sayth For who that falleth is vaynquysshed in thys batayll hath moche to do and is more harde for hym to releue hym and to defende hym than he that is in hye spyrytuel estate For he hath no power to releue hym· but yf it be by the grace of god For lyke as the fysshe entreth by hym self in to the nette yet may he not yssue ne goo oute but yf he be caste or put oute Ryght soo a man falleth by hym self and by his wylle in to synne but he may not yssue ne goo oute wythoute the grace of our lord and his ayde helpe as whan he gyueth to hym repentaunce to do penaunce for his synnes that is the armour that saynt Poul comaundeth to take in thys bataylle Now oughtest thou to knowe that whan a man is armed for to vaynquysshe and ouercome hardely synne parfyghtly hym byhoueth that he haue thre thynges whyche ben in very penaunce The fyrst is repentaunce of hert The second confessyon of mouthe The thyrd is satysfactyon and penaunce that is the amendes of synne yf one of these thre faylle the confessyon is nothyng worth ¶ Of veray repentaunce of hert capitulo Cxxvij REpentaunce requyreth grete sorowe grete bywayllynges of hert of that whych he hath angred dyspleased god and of so moche as he hath more synned dysplesed god so moche more ought be the sorowe and the repentaunce gretter Thus repented hym the good Kyng dauyd whan he sayd in his psaulter I haue laboured and trauaylled in my bewayllyng and haue wasshen in the nyghtes my bedde and my couche wyth my wepyng teerys He that hath dysplesed god by dedely synne· ought to wepe and waylle in the depnesse of hys hert and wyth grete syghynges crye god mercy lyke as the theef the murdrer and the traytour that hath deserued to be hanged on the gybet of helle· The synnar is the theef to god For he hath stolen mysused the goodes of hys lord whyche been but lente to hym for to wynne wyth Tho been the goodes of nature of grace and of fortune of whyche he must rendre gyue acompte and rekenyng moche straytly how he hath folyly dyspended them hath put them to euyll vse ¶ Also he is a murdrer of the doughter of the kyng that is of his owne soule whyche was doughter of the kyng of glorye by grace whome he hath slayn put to deth by dedely synne Also he is a traytre For the castel of hys herte and of his body whyche god hath gyuen hym to kepe he hath yolden to the deuyl whyche is his mortal enemye wel ought he to demene grete sorowe that is in suche perylle ought ofte to wasshe hys bedde that is his conscyence These teres chace and dryue awaye the deuyl oute of hys hert lyke as the scaldyng hote water dryueth a dogge oute of the kechyn After the repentaunce ought to come the confessyon that is the good chambryere whyche maketh clene the hous and casteth oute alle the ordures wyth the besomme of the tongue wherof dauyd sayth in the psaulter Now vnderstonde wel how a man ought to confesse hym ¶ Here after is conteyned how that a man ought to confesse hym capitulo Cxxviij VNto that that confessyon auaylleth vnto the sauacyon of the soule byhouen sixe condycyons ¶ The fyrst is that it be made wysely and thys is in two thynges the fyrst that he take good hede to whome he ought to confesse hym and after wherof he ought to be confessyd Saynt Austyn sayth that it whyche one shold doo for to eschewe and flee the deth of the body ought one doo for to eschewe the dethe and the dampnacyon of the soule The seek man for teschewe and to fle the deth for to haue helthe secheth gladly the best physician and the moost wyse that he may fynde Thus sayth Saynt Austyn who so wysely wyl confesse hym fynde grace anenst god he ought to seche suche a confessour whyche can and may bynde and vnbynde and also counceylle That is that the confessour can wel knowe synne and counceylle the synnar and that he haue power to assoylle hym to gyue hym penaunce after the synne For accordyng to his synne he ought to haue penaunce Also who so wyl confesse hym wysely he ought dylygently remembre his synnes tofore or he confesse hym enserche al his hert and his conscyence how he hath dysplesed god and his blessyd moder and al his sayntes and ought to remembre alle his lyf in grete drede Lyke as dyd the good kyng Ezechyas whyche sayd thus I shal remembre al my yeres in the grete bytternes of my soule and my herte The synnar ought to entre in to the hous of hys hert and not to passe
thorough lyke a mynystrel whyche abydeth not gladly in his hous For he hath noo werse home than his owne But in his owne hert a man ought to dwelle and consyder all his synnes and his deffaultes wherof he ought to yelde acompts and reason truly to god and to his confessour and ought to remembre to ordeyne wel his acompte lyke as he that is adiourned tofore hys lord for to rendre acompte of al his receytes and payementes And also wel to take hede tofore the wrytyng of his conscyence that he faylle not to accompte alle hys lyf For yf he faylle of hys acompte god shal not faylle of his whan a man hath dylygently remembred hys synnes and beholden how and in how many maners he hath dysplesed god and how oftymes and how gretelye he hath synned And how longe he hath abyden in synne Thenne he ought to confesse hym anone and hastelye ¶ And thys is the second condycyon that ought to be in confessyon The kyng Dauyd rose at mydnyght for to confesse hym lyke as he sayth in the psaulter and abode neuer vnto a moneth ne to the ende of a yere And the wyse man sayth thus in another place Ne tarye thou not to conuerte to god ne withdrawe the not ne seke no delayes fro day to ady For in taryeng is moche peryl for many reasons Fyrst for the condycyon of synne For synne is a fyre brennyng whyche may not be quenched but by lacrymable confessyon And moche were he a fool that sawe hys how 's brenne and wold not hastely renne to fetche water for to quenche the fyre ¶ Also it is a grete maladye sekenesse to dwelle in synne and the veray medecyne is confessyon And certeyn lytel prayseth he hys helthe that seeth hym self seek to the deth and desyreth not to be guarysshed and helyd ¶ Also the deth whiche is nyghe and alle aboute to espye the synnar· ought to moeue and excyte hym hastelye to confesse hym For he knoweth not the day the houre ne the poynte or mynute whan the dethe shal come whyche surpryseth ofte the synnar there where he taketh none hede And certeynlye who that knewe what day he shold deye he shold make hym redy in the beste and hastyest wyse that he myght ¶ Also yf a synnar sawe wel the perylle wherein he is For he is in the holde and pryson of synne and in the throte of the lyon of helle and of the dragon that wyl deuoure hym he shold hastely goo to confessyon that assone as he myght ¶ Also a synnar ought to see what he hath loste by hys synne the goodes perdurable and the goodes spyrytuel Hys tyme and hym self whyche he myght al recoure by deuoute confessyon Moche thenne were he a fool yf he hasted not to recouure that whyche he had loste ¶ Also the mercy of god that abydeth for the synnar knocketh at hys dore as sayth the apocalypse For that he ought to haste hym to be confessyd For of as moche as god abydeth so longe the synnar of soo moche is hys Iustyce more harde and more cruel whan he seeth hym slowe and neclygente For lyke as the archyer gyueth to hys bowe more bente and tharbalester to the crosse bowe soo moche more smyteth it the harder and stronger And certeynlye god hath his bowe bente and redy to loze as sayth the Psaulter for to slee the synnars yf they wyl not conuerte them and yf they take not good hede ¶ Also the synnar that ouerlonge taryeth to confesse hym forgeteth ofte hys synnes Soo that it happeth that vnnethe that he is wel and truly confessyd For he forgeteth many synnes whyche he shal neuer remembre and so of them shall he neuer repente ne neuer be confessed of whyche it is to hym grete perylle ¶ Also whan a synnar is tofore hys confessour he ought to expresse and saye hys synnes clerely so that hys confessour see euydently hys herte and al thentencyon of hym that confesseth hym For the seek man ought to dyscoure his maladye vnto the physycyen ellys the physycyen myght not werke Ne the Surgyen ne myght not hele the sore but yf he sawe the wounde And therfore sayth the wyse man yf thou wylt that the Surgyan hele the. thou must dyscouere to hym thy wounde or sore ¶ Thenne the truaunte and the lame â—echen the to confesse the whyche shewen theyr maladyes and laye forth the foulest tofore for to haue almesse Thus thenne ought the synnar to dyscouer hys synnes to hys confessour for to haue mercy· and thys is the thyrd condycyon that ought to be in confessyon ¶ Also the synnar ought to confesse hym entyerly and hooly this is the fourth condycyon For he ought to saye alle hys synnes grete and lytel and alle the cyrcumstaunces of the synnes· Thenne he ought fyrst to byholde the dedely synnes· of whyche I haue spoken tofore and to confesse hym hooly of eueryche of them after that he feleth hym culpable wythoute to hyde ony thynge and wythoute sayeng more and wythoute excusyng hym· and wythoute to accuse ony other ¶ Ryght soo confessyd hym Dauyd that sayth in the Psaulter I shalle confesse me and shal saye all my synne ayenst me and not ayenst other lyke as ypocrytes whyche put alwaye the fayrest outward and telle theyr good dedes and hyde theyr euyl dedes And accusen other of that whyche they them self be more culpable of For they see wel a lytel festue or a lytel mote in the eyen of other and beholde not a grete beme or blocke whyche is in theyr owen eyen that is to saye the grete synnes that been in them Suche was the pharyse of whome the gospel sayth that he remembred hys good dedes and despysed the publycan that humbly smote his breste in the temple and cryed God mercy and sayd Lord god haue pyte and mercy on me poure synnar Thus ought the synnar Iuge hym self tofore god not aledge hys synne but to agryeue poyse· and recounte clerely wythoute lyeng ¶ Also confessyon ought to be hole and not departed to dyuers confessours· For it ought to be sayd alle to one confessour and not one parte to one and another parte to another god loueth not suche departyng ¶ Also a man ought not to saye onelye the synnes but alle the cyrcumstaunces whyche agreuen moche the synnes For the synnes ben perauenture more grete in one persone than in another as in a relygyous man more than in a seculer In a prelate than in a symple man ¶ Also thys is more grete synne in one place than in another as in a monasterye· or in ony other holy place· more than in an vnhalowed place also in one tyme more than in another as in lente or on festeful dayes ¶ Also whan one synneth wytyngly and in ernest he synneth more than whan one synneth ygnorantlye ¶ Also one ought for to saye the condycyon of the synne For it is gretter synne with a wedded woman
This is ayenste ryche men that done grere oultrages of mete for bobaunce pryde vaynglorye of the world and haue no pyte on the poure peple But they ought to haue grete drede that they falle not in meschyef lyke as it byfel to the ryche gloton of whome god sayth in the gospel whyche ete euery day delycyously and plentyuously and suffred the poure Lazare deye for hungre at his yate But as to the deth of that one and of that other was a grete chaunge For lazare was borne wyth aungellys in to Abrahams bosome the ryche man auarycyous and gloton had his sepulture in helle where he desyred to haue one drope of water for to refresshe his tongue Alas yf al the water of the see had ronne ouer his tongue it shold not haue ben coled in that fyre perdurable of helle whyche may not be quenched Therfore it is good to fede the poure peple For there by may one escape fro the paynes of helle and wynne the glorye of heuen lyke as sayth holy scrypture wherof our lord shal say atte day Iugemente Come ye blessyd of my fader in to the royame of heuen whyche is redy to you For whan I had hungre and thyrst ye yafe to me to ete and to drynke For that which ye dyd to the leste of my poure peple ye dyd it to me ¶ The second braunche of mercy capitulo Cxxxiij THe second braunche of mercy is to clothe the poure naked peple That is to say that he that may shold gyue to them clothyng hosen and shoon Thus taught Thobye his sone whan he sayd Couer the naked wyth thy gowne and Ysaye the prophete sayth whan thou shalt see the poure naked couere hele hym For suche werke saynt Peter reysed that good woman named Dorcas For she clothed the poure peple as the scrypture sayth Herof hast thou a fayre example of saynt Martyn as I haue sayd tofore The gowne or vesture or what someuer almesse one gyueth to the poure is a memoryal to them that praye for hym that hath gyuen it And is represented to god of his angellys ¶ The thyrd brauÌ„ch 〈◊〉 mercy capitulo Cxxxiiij THe thyrd 〈…〉 mercy is to lene to the poure peple at their nede to 〈…〉 to them the dette that they owe whan they may not 〈…〉 For it is not onely almesse to gyue but it 〈…〉 almesse to lene wythoute vsure· and ony prouffyte 〈…〉 euyl entencyon but purely for goddes loue In 〈…〉 to pardonne quyte his dette whan 〈…〉 and may not paye it this is that whych◠〈◊〉 commauÌ„deth in the olde lawe where he sayth yf one of thy bâ—ethern falle in pouerte thou shalt not enhard thy hert ne wythdrawe not thy hande fro hym But thou shalt opene it to the poure shalt lene to hym that wherof he hath nede And our lord sayth in the gospel lene sayth he to hym that hath nede and that requyreth the. without hope of wynnyng ony temporell thynge and god shal rendre to the an hondred folde double in glorye This mater is ayenste the vsurers that wyl alwaye haue more than they lene in money or in seruyces or in other thynges But god commaundeth to lene to the poure nedy purely for his loue he shal rendre to the an hondred double to the poure man to whome thou hast lente or that oweth to the. or that may not paye to the. thou oughtest to foryeue pardone hym For so commauÌ„deth to the god in the gospel sayth thus yf ye foryeue not eche other god shal not foryeue you And herof God sheweth an ensaumple of an euyl seruaunt to whome his lord had pardonned his dette and by cause he wold not pardone hym that ought to hym The lord repelyd the curtosye bounte that he had doon to hym dyd doo dystrayne helde hym tyl that he had rendred al that he ought Ryght so shal our lord doo yf we foryeue not eche to other ¶ The fourth braunche of mercy capitulo Cxxxv THe iiij braunche of mercy is to vysyte comforte to ayde the seek peple That is a werke that moche pleseth to god· and more than trauaylle or fastyng or other bodely penaunce wherof we fynde in vitis patrum that an hermyte demauÌ„ded of one of the auÌ„cyent faders the whiche was of moost grettest meryte of hym that fasted vj dayes in the weke trauaylled and laboured wyth his handes or of hym that serued the seek malades The good fader answerd that he that fasted trauaylled though he henge by the nosethrylles myght not compare to hym that seruyd the seek peple This werke auaylleth moche to eschewe synne· is a grete remedye ayenst synne And therfore sayth Iob. vysyte thy semblable that been the seek men that ben semblable to the in nature For they be men as thou arte and yf thou so do god shal kepe the fro synne for to do suche a good werke And saynt Iames sayth that it is a relygyon holy and clene tofore god to vysyte the orphanes the seek and poure men the wydowes them that ben in trybulacyon wherof is recounted of a moche grete synnar whyche wente ouer the see vnto the yle of roodes and put hym self in an hospytal for to awayte and serue the seek peple and it happed on a tyme that he had grete abhomynacyon of a seek man of whome he wesshe the feet Anone al ageyn his hert he dranke of that water his ful draught And whan he had dronken he felt a ryght swete good smellyng odour· and this was a grete token and sygne that his synnes were pardonned by thys good werke Also by thys werke is goten grete perfectyon of holy lyf wherof the wyse man sayth in holy scrypture be thou not ennoyed to vysyte the seek peple For by that thou shalt be confermed in the loue of god Also therby is goten grete rewarde as is sayd in the gospel· wherof is tolde that a lady named Marye whyche was a moche holy woman conuerted hyr husbond so moche that they lefte alle that they hadden and wente to the mesell how 's for to serue the seek malades by whyche they came to grete perfectyon After it was shewed to the same Marye that hir husbond that had ben hir felowe in humylite for to serue the seek men wymmen shold be hyr felowe in the glorye of heuen Of the same our lord gyueth vs ensaumple in the gospel that he touched the seek peple heled them The seruaunte ought not to haue desdaygne ne shame to vysyte the seek peple ne to serue them whan the lord of heuen came in to this world for to serue and vysyte them Of whome he took the forme and semblaunce of hys seruaunte This sayth saynt Poul for to serue vs that were seek by synne ¶ The fyfthe braunche of mercy capitulo Cxxxvj THe fyfthe braunche of mercy is to herberowe the waye faryng men the poure people and the pylgrymes
of theyr sepulture· and had grete bewayllyng and grete deuocyon to the holynesse good and holy lyf of theyr faders and therfore they wold be buryed wyth them Of whome Iacob sayd to his sone Ioseph Burye me not in egypt but with my faders and therfore it is good to be buryed emonge good relygyous men for to haue their prayers Nature ought to moeue a man to thys good werke wherof it is redde in the nature of beestes that the dolphyns whaÌ„ they see a dolphyn deed they assemble them to gydre an bere hym to the bottom of the see and there they burye hym Yf nature pyte moeue and styrre the Iewes and Sarasyns and other myscreauntes to doo thys moche more ought pyte and compassyon to moeue the crysten men to doo thus why he by our fayth see that the bodyes be reysed and rewarded with the soules And therfore who that loueth the soule of hys neyghbour he ought to loue the body and doo burye it whan it is dâ—ed wyth alle humanyte and mercy that he may ¶ Now hast thou herde the braunches of the tree of mercy These been the werkes of mercy corporell and spyrituel Here after is sayd how almesse ought to be doon Cxxxix IT is so that there is moche peple that lese their almesse and theyr other good dedes whyche they do by cause they doo theym not as they ought to doo Therfore I wyl shewe here shortly how almesse ought to be doon and how it is prouffytable and playsaunte to god Fyrst I wyl· shewe shortly how a persone ought to do almesse and wherof he shold do almesse For a man must doo it of his owne good and not of another mans and of suche good that is wel and truly goten God setteth no thynge of none euyl yefte Almesse whiche is made of thefte or of takyng awaye of others good of raâ—yne or of vsure or of other euyl gooten good pleaseth noo thynge to god wherof the scrypture sayth Thou shalte not make sacrefyse ne offryng to god· of oxen ne of sheep ne of thynge wherin is ony spotte of synne For god hath grete abhomynacyon of suche sacrefyse The wyse man sayth that who that dooth sacrefyse to god of the catayl or goodes of the poure man He dooth lyke to hyâ— that sâ—eâ—th the sone tofore the eyen of his fader And Saynt Austyn sayth what yefte is that whyche the one taketh gladly· and that other wepeth And therfore ought euery man take hede wherof he dooth hys almesse ¶ Also he ought to take hede to whome he dooth it wherof the scrypture sayth Beware to whome thou shalte doo good doo wel to the good That is to hym that thou wenest that he be good And gyue noo thynge to the wycked for cause of theyr wyckednesse Lyke as they doo whyche gyue to rybauldes and to menestrellys for theyr wyckednesse· whyche is a grete synne as saye the sayntes but who that gyueth to them not for euyl but for pyte and compassyon for theyr pouerte or of theyr wyues or of theyr chyldren yf they haue ony or of theyr faders or moders or for ony other good cause or reason as for to wythdrawe them fro synne he doth wel ¶ Thenne the almesse ought to be gyuen vnto the poure and more to them that be veray poure of herte and of wylle whiche haue lefte for goddes sake that whyche they had moche more than to other that be not poure wyth theyr wylle but somtyme of pure necessyte And somme there be trewauntes and slouful for to doo ony good and myght gete theyr lyuyng yf they wolde ¶ And somme there be that by fayntyse shewe somme hurtes and be faytours of them self that deceyue the world To suche ought a man not to gyue hys almesse but it ought to be gyuen to the poure orphans to shamefast peple to poure wydowes to the dyseased and lame and vnto seek poure people where as it is nede and whan one may doo it And yf a man is bounden to gyue to straungers he is moche more bounden wythoute comparyson to hys fader and moder more than to ony other For nature enseyneth it And God commaundeth it ¶ It is redde of the storkes that they nourysshe fader and moder whan they be olde and may not purchace theyr mete Thenne nature techeth that one ought to doo good to hys fader and moder and therfore it is wel ryzt and reason that myschyef falle to al them that do euyl to their faders and moders as it oftyme happeth Also a persone ouzt to take hede how he ought to do almesse and the maner of gyuyng For iij condycyons ought to be had in gyuyng almesse The fyrst is that a man ought to gyue gladly wyth good herte For god hath more regarde to the hert than to the handes wherof god in his sacrefyse as saynt gregory sayth beholdeth not onelye the thynge that is gyuen but with what herte Lyke as hit appyereth wel in the gospel of the poure woman that had nomore but two mytes whyche she offeryd in the temple And our lord sayd that she had offred more than alle the other whyche had offred grete thynges for more playseth somtyme to god a peny that a poure man gyueth gladly for goddes sake than yf a ryche man had gyuen an hondred marke of syluer in grudchyng And therfore sayth the wyse man in the scrypture Make alwaye sayth he good chyere in al thy yeftes And Saynt Poul sayth that god loueth moche the yeuar that is glad curtoys There been soÌ„me peple ryght ryche be so rude and vylaynous to the poure that whan they demaunde hem almesse they answer to them so vylaynously that they calle them truauÌ„tes and saye to them many reproches and vylonnyes Suche almesse pleseth not god and therfore sayth the wyse man in holy scrypture Enclyne bowe thyn eere to the poure man wythoute heuynesse and answer hym swetelye ¶ The second thynge that apperteyneth to doo almesse is that it be doon anone and hastelye wherof Salamon sayth say thou not to thy frende goo and come ageyn to morne· and thenne I shal gyue to the whan thou mayst gyue anone· And also god saith withdrawe not longe thy yefte fro the poure and fro them that be nedy That is to say· make thou not hym abyde whan thou mayst gyue forthwyth Thys is ayenste many ryche men whych make poure men to crye after them that haue to doo wyth them And soo moche delaye them· that they must ofte praye and requyre them tofore that they wyl ony thynge doo They selle ouer dere theyr bounte and curtosye that they do to them for lyke as seneque sayth nothyng is so dere bought as that whyche is requyred the ê“uerbe saith that it is ouer dere bouzt that is demauÌ„ded Thus shold euery maÌ„ hastely do for his soule as longe as he is alyue hool wherof the wyse man saith Fayr sone saith he do wel to thy self yf thou haue
deuocyon of hert pleaseth noo thynge to god but it dyspleaseth hym he torneth hys eere For he wyl not vnderstonde suche langage who that prayeth god wythoute deuocyon it semeth that he mocketh god lyke as he that wyl mocke a deef and a dombe man that meueth his lyppes onely as he spacke no thynge sayth To suche peple god maketh a deef ere but the prayer that cometh fro the depnes of the herte that hereth our lord as he sayth in the gospel God is a spyryte and therfore who wyl praye god and haue hys requeste graunted hym byhoueth that he praye in spyryte and in trouthe Dauyd the prophete enseygneth techeth vs in the psaultrr to praye to god deuoutely whan he sayth lord myn oryson be adressyd tofore the lyke to thensence Thensence whan hit is vpon the fyre it smelleth swetely Ryght so doth the prayer that cometh fro the hert brennyng in the loue of god smelleth moche swetely tofore god otherwyse the prayer may not be enhaunced tofore god yf it come not fro the hert lyke as a messager whyche bryngeth noo letters ne hath noo knowleche entreth not gladly tofore the kynge Oryson or prayer wythout deuocyon is as a messager wyth oute letters who suche message sendeth to the courte he dooth euyl his erandes· who thenne wyl praye god veryly he ought to crye to god fro the depthe of his hert as dyd dauyd whyche sayd in the psaulter lord god here my wys For I crye to the fro the depnesse of my herte The feruour of loue is the crye fro the depnesse of the hert this sayth saynt Austyn Suche a wys and suche a crye pleseth moche to god and not the noyse of wordes polysshed wherof Saynt Gregory sayth that veryly to praye to god is in the teres and bewayllynges of conpunctyon of hert This crye chaseth awaye the theues that ben the deuylles whyche lye in awayte for to trouble robbe vs. And therfore ought we ofte to crye and praye vnto god that he wyl kepe and deffende vs fro the theuys of helle Thus ought we strongely to crye to god ayenst the fyre of couetyse or of lecherye that he gyue to vs the water of teres for to quenche suche fyre that hit enflamme not our hertes Also we ought to crye to god ayenste the euyl thoughtes that come ofte to the hert that the hert and the soule perysshe not by consentyng Therfore cryed Dauyd to god and sayd Lord saue me and kepe me fro the perylle of waters whyche ben now entred in to my hert the dyscyples of our lord whan they sawe the tempest of the see vpon them they cryed sayeng lord saue vs for we been in grete perylle And for these thre thynges that I haue here sayd one ought ofte to crye to god that he saue vs fro these thre perylles that is to wete fro the theues of helle and fro the fyre of couetyse and fro the flodes of euyl thoughtes and of temptacyon ¶ Now oughtest thou to knowe that in alle tymes and in alle places may a persone praye to god But he ought specyally and moost deuoutelye ought he to praye in the chyrche on the sondayes in festes whyche ben stablysshed for to praye to god to preyse honour hym therfore theÌ„ne they seace ought to â—eace alle persones fro bodyly werkes temporall for the better tentende to praye to god honoure hym to spyrituel werkys God commauÌ„ded so straytly to kepe the sabotte day in the olde lawe that he made a maÌ„ to be stoned tofore the peple by cause he had gadrid a fewe styckes on the sabotte day what shal god doo thenne of them that do the grete synnes on the sondayes the festes waste the tyme in vanyte in folyes and yet werse doon they on the sondayâ—s on the festes on solempne dayes than they do on other dayes Certeynly they shal be more punysshed dampned in that other world than the Iewes that brake theyr sabotte day· For the sonday is more holy than the sabotte So ben the pryncypal feestes whyche ben establisshed in holy chyrche for to praye to god and to honoure thanke hym of the goodnes and bountees that he hath doon to vs dooth euery day lyke as holy chyrche remembreth In suche a feste as is cristemas that is of hys natyuyte how he was borne of the vyrgyn marie At Ester how he roos fro deth to lyf At the ascencyon how he styed vp in to heuen At whytson tyde how he sente the holy ghoost vpon thappostles Also there been establysshed to kepe the feestys of sayntes for to preyse worshyp god and hys sayntes and to remembre the holy myracles that he dyd for them for to conferme our fayth And therfore we ought to kepe the feestys of sayntes and to praye them deuoutelye to ayde and socoure vs vnto our lord whyche hath so moche honoured them in heuen in glorye and in erthe and therfore they synne greuously that kepe not theyr feestys For they doo ayenst the commaundement of god and of holy chyrche But here somme may say to me Fayre syr a man may not al day praye to god ne be at the monasterye ne in the chirche what harme is it yf I goo playe and dysporte me as longe as I playe I thynke none euyl To that I shal answer Al the tyme that thou employest in folysshe playes and in vanytees and in werke that is not ordeyned in ony maner to god thou lesest it For thou oughtest to knowe that alle the tyme that thou thynkest not on god thou oughtest to acounte for loste this sayth the scrypture That is to vnderstonde whaÌ„ thou thynkest on vanyte and in thynge that is not in ony maner ordeyned to god And certeynlye he leseth a grete thynge that leseth his tyme this sayth Seneke· For he leseth the goodes that he myght doo in as moche as he so leseth in playes and in vanytees and that is not wythoute synne for to despende the tyme in euyl vsage For god requyreth rekenyng at the day of Iugement this sayth Saynt Ancelme therfore ought one alwaye wel to employe his tyme as longe as he lyueth in this world And the tyme is shorte as sayth the scrypture Ne no man knoweth how longe tyme he hath to lyue ne no man knoweth whan he shal deye ne how he shall passe oute of this world· who thenne wyl kepe the holy dayes as he oweth he ought to kepe hym fro doyng that desplayseth god and hys sayntes and wel to employe hys tyme in god in prayeng hym praysyng and gyuyng hym thankes of hys goodes and to here the sermons and put them in eure and to entende to other good werkys and nedes that been accordyng to god ¶ Also whan a man is in the chyrche he ought to conteyne hym moche honestlye· and doo reuerence to god and to his sayntes deuoutelye For the chyrche is ordeyned for to
but they shal be as aungellys in heuen ¶ Also I say that thys estate is for to be praysed for his beaulte For it is the moost fayr estate that is in erthe· except vyrgynyte clenly kept wherof Salamon sayth in his book of sapyence in meruayllyng hym self O sayth he hâ—w fayre and chaste is generacion wyth clerenes charyte he sayd wel chaste with clerenes For thenne is fayr chastyte and vyrgynyte whan it is clere by good lyf honeste lyke as the clere soÌ„ne maketh the fayre day In lyke wyse the clerenes of grace of good lyf maketh the virgynyte fayre plesauÌ„t to god wherof Saynt Iherome saith that moche fayr clere is virgynyte tofore other vertues whan it is without spotte without ordure of synne for who that is hool chaste of body is corupte of hert of thought he or she is lyke a sepulcre which is whyt fayr withoutforth within is ful of careyn of dede bodyes stynkyng rotyn vyrgynyte is lyke to a whyt robe wherin the spottes be more foule more apparauÌ„t than in a robe of another colour Thys robe ouzt to be wel kept fro iij spottes that is of fylthe of blode of fyre thyse iij spottes defoule more thys whyt robe than other The spotte of fylthe is the couetyse of the world which ought not to be in the hert that wyl plese god in thestate of virgynyte For none may please god the world his enemye as sayth saynt gregoire he sheweth that there is no frende of god that wyl plese the world whyche is enemye of god wherof saynt IohaÌ„ sayth who that wyl be freÌ„de of the world shal be enemy to god saint poul saith yf I wold plese the peple of the world I shold not be seruauÌ„t of Ihesu crist It is a sygne that he wyl not playse the world that his hert is al set to god he that hath ouer grete araye curyous aboute hys body is not so for no persone secheth neuer beaulte ne curyosyte of roobes ne of paremeÌ„ts yf he supposed not to be seen of the peple who that secheth moost of suche beaute leseth most the beaute of his soule of his conscieÌ„ce wythinforth by which they shold plese god wherof saynt Bernard sayth to them that sechen these fayre precyous robes the fayr parementes for to please the world to shewe them The doughters of babylone ben of confusyon for theyr glorye shal torne to confusyon to shame to perdurable dampnacyon yf they be not wel ware kepe them wel They clothe them sayth he wyth purple of fayr precyous robes and vnder those fayr robes is ofte the conscyence poure and foule naked of good dedes and of vertues and ful of synnes They shyne withoutforth of precyous stones of owches of golde syluer· but they be foule byfore god abhomynable saynt bernard sayth that they that so araye them in euyl entencyon doon more than their estate requyreth synnen greuously â—ut al the glorye of the doughter of the kynge of glorye as dauyd the prophete sayth is withinforth that is in holy coÌ„scyence in good vertues where as is no poynte of couetyse but for to playse to god in this wyse the spot of fylthe defoylleth not Also a persone ought to kepe hym fro the spotte of blood That is of thoughtes of flesshly desyres wherof saynt Ierome saith that suche virgynyte is sacrefice offryng to Ihesu cryste whyche is not entatched in the hert of ony euyl thought or consentyng for lyke as hym self sayth Nothynge auaylleth vyrgynyte of body where as is corrupcyon of herte or of thought or of conseÌ„tyng Also the fruyt is not good how wel that it be fayr withoutforth whan it is ful of wormes and of rotynnesse wythinforth ¶ Also he ought to kepe hym fro the spotte that cometh of the fyre the fyre brenneth and bruleth the whyte robe of chastyte of vyrgynyte that is whan gladly they here or herkene foule wordes that may moeue them to synne For thus as sayth saynt Poul· also other tymes we haue sayd it tofore The euyl wordes corrupten the good maners And therfore sayth Seneke kepe the fro euyl wordes dyshoneste For who that is soo acustomed he dredeth noo shame falleth the more lyghtly in to synne therfore who that wyl clenly kepe the whyte robe of vyrgynyte hym byhoueth to kepe hym wel fro sayeng heeryng suche wordes as therby he myght brenne The catte brenneth ofte hyr skynne so dooth not the wylde catte Virgynytâ— emonge al other vertues is compared lykenyd to the flour de lys whyche is a moche fayr flour moche whyte wherof our lord sayth in scrypture by the mouth of Salamon My frende that is the holy soule of a vyrgyn is as the lylye emong the thornes Thespecyal frende of our lord is the soule of them that kepe virgynyte of hert of body For that is a vertu by which the soule geteth moste specyally the loue the famyliarite of our lord wherof saynt Iohan theuangelist was a clene virgyn was emonge al thapostles moost famylyer with our lord moost pryue as it appyereth in the gospel neuertheles he loued wel thother but he loued saynt Iohan moost for his vyrgynyte this flour de lys or lylye that kepeth his beaute emoÌ„g the thornes of teÌ„ptacioÌ„s of the flesshe· for the flessh that is our body humayn is but as a smoke· that hath no charge as of hym self but as thornes nettles that is the euyl menynges whyche ofte pricken the soule but the flour of virgynyte taketh no hede of the thornes whaÌ„ it is wel rooted in the loue of god whiche defendeth it fro thornes of teÌ„ptacion this flour ouzt to haue vj leues iij graynes of gold tofore The first leef is the hoolnes of thy body that is to say that the body be entyer and hool without corrupcoÌ„n of lecherye For yf a vyrgyn were corrupt and al ayenste hyr wylle she shold not lese therfore the meryte and the rewarde of virgynyte wherof Saynt Lucye vyrgyn martyr sayd to the tyraunte yf thou corrupte me ayenst my wylle my chastyte shal be doubled as touchyng the meryte of the crowne of glory The second leef of vyrgynyte is clennesse of hert For lyke as saynt Iherome sayth nought auaylleth to haue vyrgynyte of the body· that hath wylle for to marye hym or hyr he speketh of them that hath auowed chastyte For who that hath auowed to kepe vyrgynyte or chastyte he ought to kepe his hert clene and chaste The thyrd leef of vyrgynyte· is humylyte For vyrgynyte wyth pryde pleaseth not god And therfore sayth saynt bernard that it is a moche fayre thynge of humylyte wyth vyrgynyte And that soule moche pleaseth to god that in humylyte gyueth preysyng of vyrgynyte vyrgynyte embelyssheth humylyte I dare wel say sayth he that wythoute humylyte the