a gooly and wise man who will instruct them herein The fifte Chapter intreateth of the two other intentes namely of Desire nothing and remēber nothing SEeinge I haue nowe disclosed vnto thee my first intent wherewithall I maintayne the two damosels Obedience and Pouertie likewise I will discouer the nature and propertie of others namely Desire nothing Remember nothing Thou must know that the said first intent To wishe for nothing groweth and commeth of nothing but from a Desire to haue or doe nothing And when the cause which is the Desire to wishe for is taken awaye and rooted out then his force and effect doth cease quickly which is To aske for And hereby is made that which is contrarie to it namely To aske nothing which is my second intent wherewithall I maintain dame Pouertie But thou must marke that this Desire is vnderstood only of worldlye and earthly matters But because this hearbe hath an other roote where out it groweth which is to Remember for nothing there can bee wisht for which was not before remembred therefore make much of this third intent which is to Remember nothing wherewithall I mayntain the third Damsell called Chastitie But thou must vnderstande this Remembring when it is substantiall stedfast wilfull and springing out of a fleshly lust For it is not in mans power not to Remember nothing but wel not to suffer thoughtes to remayne and cast foundations in him but to turne them quickly of and to thinke of God But because that this hearbe Remembring doeth water it selfe with a water called To see we must cast vpon it a pouder called Diligently to haue care to the eyes which is very profitable so it These three intents do not onely clense my soule of all worldly things as selfe-wil such like spots but they breede in mee a great purenes promptitude to loue my Lorde drawing from me al other loues and vniting me altogether with him In these three intents I haue comprehended all the other godly exercises seruing the spirite as well of Humilitie as of any other vertues because I know that the perfection of vertue consisteth herein Thinke not therefore that in vame I serue these three Ladies for they bee very gracious and get me much fauour One of the three called Pouerty hath giuen me a faire iewell I pray you quoth Desire to let me see it I keepe it answered the Loue of God in two places namelie in my heart and Bed-chamber This iewel is so costly and of such price and value that I was not able to keepe it in my hart before I had cast out of it all earthly loue And in like sort it coulde haue no place in my Bed-Chamber before I had cast and throwne out of it all curious superfluous and partiall things reseruing onely to my vse but a few bookes Now do you call this iewell quoth Desire It is called answered the Loue of God Nothing at all for this is the greatest treasure that Pouertie can possesse who is the richest Ladie of all the earth because she hath as much treasure hereof as she will her selfe The sixte Chapter doth prosecute the office of the Loue of God and besides intreateth of praier IN this degree of charity wherof I haue spoken which was for to obey his commaundement as my duetie doeth require there is yet another circumstance to bee considered for the Office sake wherein hee hath placed me namely to be his chāberlain Which is whēsoeuer I come to serue him or come to craue something at his hands or but onely to speake with him I haue then a special care to come before him with such great humilitie lowlines purenesse of mind as I am able And the purer and cleaner that my heart is the more casie I see beholde and knowe him And pray my louing brother the Feare of God and my Aunt Reuerence to keepe mee companye What do you when Lady Reuerence goeth with you said Desire Then I remēber and think what I am answered the Loue of God and set before my eyes the maiesty and greatnes of my Lord who is to be serued with feare and reuerence as one onely worthie of it Besides I remember that all Angels and heauenly principalities do fall downe before him worshippe and adore him being astonished at such great excellent and incomprehensible a Maiestie Moreouer I conclude that hee knoweth the secrets of my bart and seeth my inward thoughtes better then I my selfe Likewise that he can according vnto his godly will and pleasure doo and vndoo all things and that life and death being and not being and the saluation and condemnation of al the world are in his hand and power Furthermore I remēber that hee is the fountaine and welspring of all goodnesse the onely and Soueraigne good in heauen and earth and when diligently I put in minde those thinges then I beginne to shake and tremble then my hearte and minde beginnes to alter so that oftentimes I fall in a sound chieflie when I consider that I being so wicked vile vncleane worser then any dog presume to vndertake such an high office to be so familiar with such a mighty Lord that such a renowned Maiesty will vouchsafe to delight in my vile companie suffer me to speak eat with him as his familiar and onely friend And oftentimes my selfe do tel him of it saying wherefore doest thou suffer O my God these vile vnclean sinners to stand before thee How my Lord is it decent that thou shouldest be serued of such wretches wicked offenders as we are Where is the honour and reuerence due to thy princely Maiestie But what aunswere doeth he giue you quoth Desire I cannot tell answered the Loue of God but onely that for very ioy hee makes mee to weepe and saith Doo not trouble thy selfe herewithall for thou hast not procured thee the office hast not placed thy selfe in it but I haue called thee vnto it and I know wherefore I haue done it but bee thou carefull to looke to thy calling and that which thy Office doth require demaunde endeuour thy selfe diligently to further and performe it What do you say vnto him quoth Desire when you come before him accompanied with Humilitie Charity Feare and Reuerence First of al quoth the Loue of God when I craue something at his hands and would moue him to grant me my request then I endeuour with all my force and power to exalte and prayse him and cease not for to giue him thankes for all his benefits which I haue receiued for I knowe that this is acceptable pleasant in his sight And whensoeuer I goe about to praise him then I rehearse all the wondrous workes which hee hath done recreating and delighting my selfe therein greatly This same I do touching his great power wisedome and goodnesse further I rehearse his great mercye and benefites which he hath bestowed vppon his people and seruants praising and
instructions by these meanes for to find out the Loue of God Most willingly wil I theÌ„ satisfie thy minde aunswered Humilitie and disclose all my secrets communicate vnto there my daylie exercises First my godly pretence and purpose beinge my husband whereof I haue spoken vnto thee before made mee by the meanes of Contempt to ouercom the worlde and by chasting and fasting to rule my one flesh and to vanquish Sathan by humilitie and make mee Soueraigne of this house but chiefly of my selfe which is the most of all For when my flesh feeleth that I trauell and endeuour to please the Loue of God then it doth resist me with all his crue is continually disquieted with my doings but neuerthelesse my soule doth then remaine in peace contentment and quietnesse Desire did meruaile greatly at the wordes of Lady Humilitie and sayd I pray your Ladishippe that it may please you to instruct me by some similitude in these things for I am somewhat dull of vnderstanding so that I shal better conceiue your meaning by an example or coÌ„parison This motion did greatly please Humilitie and chiefly because she saw how he did begin to waxe humble in confessing the dulnesse and grossenes of his wit and vnderstanding and said My childe whensoeuer any of that foresaide women doe enter in then I behaue my selfe in this sort as for example when Concupiscence of the flesh beginneth to siruit with me before she is able to come to mee I knowe her and her conditions very well for shee is verie gluttenous and gathereth forces by eating and drinking therefore I withdrawe from her all dainty kindes of meate and wil not giue her so much of ordinarie diet as she doth desire to haue And because my forces are not able to withstand or to vaÌ„quish her for mine owne houshold commeth to aide and to assist her I craue and call for helpe at the hands of God who standeth alwaies at my side to strengthen mee against these wicked women Moreouer I doe esteeme my selfe to bee as a beast who doeth eate no more then his maister doth giue and allow him But wheÌ„ his maister seeth that he is greedie at his meate hee doth restrayne his mouth with a mufle because hee should not eate but at such times and such as it doth please him to giue vnto him Wherefore the Loue of God my onely maister hath put about my mouth a mussell called Sobrietie that I should eat no more then will suffice nature hath tolde me that I shold of that yet something wtdrawe if I woulde please hun In this forte is this wicked Ladie vanquished and ouercome as much as it doth concerne my owne selfe But because she doth not onely assault me with mine owne flesh but by others doth prouoke and draw me to sensualitie and vncleannesse therefore I auoide her as much as I am able eschewing all things wherby she seeketh to intice me to her loue and liking esteeming this to be the best and only cemedy to escape her snares and deceytes Furthermore shee assaulteth not onely my body but also my mind with diuers and straunge imaginations and thoughtes for the which to auoid likewise I iudge it the best remedie to cast my mind vpon my Sauiour Christ and continually to behold his death passion martyrdome as also to remeÌ„der the pames of hell the straitnes of the last iudgement and my small enâ—e and that I must appeare before the tribunall seat of God to giue an account of al my words thoughts and deedes And by these means is ouercome vanquished and quite ouerthrowne this wicked woman being Lieuetenant to the Pallace of Pride The xi Chapter Ladie Humilitie speaketh against the Concupiscence of the eyes and the pride of life IT auailed not to haue ouerthrowne the one vnles I shold endeuour my selfe also to vanquish the other her fellow and companion who is Steward of this vngodly Pallace is called Concupiscence of the eyes And oftentimes shee offered first the combate but I ouercome her by my godly intente and purpose saying whensoeuer that shee is ready to come In vaine doest thou seeke to assault me for I am not unlike to a beast that doth care for no thing but what is before him esteemed of no other superfluitie but what hee needeth and therewithall is contented being nothing curious in that which he lacketh nor carefull whether the Saddle and the Trappiâ—rs are cleane neat or old or whether the stable or maunger be altogether fit for him or not but is sufficiently satisfied when he may stand or lie for to take his naturall rest And because I esteeme my selfe to bee such an other for the Loue of God I will vse my body according as they are vsed for when the maister doth mark that they waxe wilde and stubborne hee putteth a bit and bridle in their mouth to rule them after his owne will Likewise bath the Loue of God brideled mee with a bitte called Shamâ—fâ—stnes that I shoulde not curiously beholde and loue vanitie for it is daungerous to beholde that which is forbidden to bee desired or coueted wherefore the Loue of God hath giuen me warning when â—â—euer I shoulde come to â—â—euer I shoulde come to see a thing which is beautifull comely and delightsome to the eyes that I shoulde not set my minde oppon it but shoulde diâ—daine it as a trifle of nothing and shoulde continually loue and behold yâ— cheefest felicitie being a a treasure not subiect to mutability or vnconstaÌ„cie which is my only Sauior Jesus Christ who doth seeke and demaunde my heart and loue and will most bountifully reward me for the same And by these contemplations I ouercome the other Damosell Now when these two are driueÌ„ away there resteth yet the last who is there Soueraigne to bee vanquished who hath more deceite and subtiltie then all the rest watcheth continually ouer the good workes of a man and is called the Pide of life And whensoeuer the commeth she is alwayes accompanyed with one page or an other the one called good and the other euill intent But so soone as I doe spie her then I vse her in this sort tell her Auoid thou wicked deceitfull Syren for if I sholdgiue eare to thy sweet poisoned words I should draw vpon me a sea of calamities miseries And although thou clounsellest me that I should grudge at the chastenings commandement of others yet I will not hearken to thy wordes for I tell thee plaine I thinke that hee loueth me who doth chasten and rebuke me for not to come to shame and vtterly to bee cast away Sometimes she doth present her selfe vnder the colour of Enuy and tels me This bodie is in such authoritie and this hath such a commandemente but no bodie esteemeth of thee The one is Soueraigne the other Lieuetenant the other Steward ouerseer the other but thou art accounted but as a kitchin drudge being notwithstanding vs old as good as
could enter or come into this place Seeing it is so as thou sayest quoth the Loue of God and that thou puttest all thy confidence into our handes tarrie here a while for thou canst not become familiar with the loue of God ere thou become acquainted first with his page therefore I will go call him and hee will instruct thee of all what thou hast to do and speak vnto his Lorde and maister The second Chapter intreateth of the loue of his neighbour DEsire tarried with great expectation for the forth comminge of this Page that he might bring him to the speech of his Lorde and maister And not long after sawe him come and was called Neighbourly loue which sight did greatly reioyce him that euen for the loue which he bare to she Loue of God coulde not abstaine frō weeping Wherefore dost thou weep quoth Neighbourly loue for they are all merrie in this house from hence is banished all sorrowe ladnesse I do not weepe for any griefe said Desire but for ioy For whome dost thou seek here quoth Neighbourly loue My son answered he I looke for the Loue of God I am his seruant page quoth he and if thou doest seeke my Lorde first of all thou must speake and come acquainted with me for my Lorde loueth me deerely therefore those that loue not me he wil not know them nor once speake vnto them Faine would I know thy nature conditions quoth Desire for thy Lorde and maysters sake become acquainted with thee If thou doest desire my acquaintance frendshippe quoth Neighbourly loue thou must prouide giue mee euery morninge an hearb for my breakfast called to thinke humblie for my dinner another called to speake humblie for my supper another not vnlike the first called to worke and doe humblie But where shall I get these hearbes quoth Desire the first called to think humblie aunswered the Page groweth in Humilities garden where she esteemed her selfe a slaue of all slaues and worse then a beast But to come easily to this hearbe because it is a great way to the pallace of Humilitie and thou shalt take a horse to ride on called to thinke well of euerie man and by these means mayest thou come by this hearb euery morning The second hearbe is made of three sundrye hearbes of the first thinke humblie of meekenes and affabilitie in speech vpon the last is cast a smal ponder called Slow and little The third hearbe called to worke humblie is made of diuers hearbes whereof Mirth loue and quietnesse or diligēce are the chiefest And whensoeuer thou doest feede mee with these hearbs then our acquaintance and frend shippe wil cōtinue abide for euer I wil soons bring thee to that speech of my maister The counsell and doctrine of the Page did delight Desire said Seeing thou hast made me acquainted with thy nature and desire I will diligently endeuour my self to procure and get these hearbes for to giue them vnto thee After this they both continued in samiliaritie one with another a long time And Desire hauing conueniēt time and opportunitie said vnto him I beseech thee shew me so much fauour as to bringe mee to thy Lorde Willingly quoth Neighbourly loue for thou hast done thine endeuour since thou hast beene with mee But tarrie here a while I will go call my Lorde see whether hee will come forth to speake with thee The thirde Chapter intreateth of the loue of God his neighbour and of the second degree to loue of his office and dayly exercise DEsire doubting whether the Loue of God woulde come forth to speake with him because he saw his own vilenesse pouertie and miserie and how vnworthy he was to speake with such a Lorde espied one to come towardes him who saide Brother what doest thou looke for or what is thy desire Sir quoth Desire I looke for that Loue of God I am bee aunswered the Loue of God And as soone as Desire did heare this fell in a sounde but the Loue of God tooke him by the hand and lifting him vp reuiued him againe And when hee sawe the loue of God make so much of him hee began most bitterly to weepe insomuch that hee could not speak any word at all Which the loue of God seeing being of a gētle and tender heart was moued with compassion and meruailed greatly of the extreame loue desire affection which Desire did beare vnto him because he saw him weep for very ioy and said I pray thee weepe no more and doe not make me sadde for I cannot abide to see those weepe that loue mee Tell me who told thee I dwelt here A shepheard quoth Desire whome I met by the way and did direct me hether What said he of me vnto thee said the Loue of God that thou louest and desirest me so much doest thou loue mee so deerely because thou hast beene told that I am bountiful to my frendes and vnto those that serue mee very franke and liberall No quoth Desire not therfore but because you are a noble and good Lorde and because you bring your frendes in a place where they shall see God which is the greatest blessednesse of at the world This good and holy minde of Desire did delight the Loue of God not a little was an occasion that he loued him the more for it I meruell my Lord quoth Desire seeing your highnes are so noble a Prince that your Grace putteth those that come to seeke you to such pain and trauaile and are so hardly so be found out Hold thy peace answered the Loue of God this misterie is hidden from many For some there are who thinke they haue not founde mee nor knowen me yet I nowtstāting am alwaies neere them and they are filled and replenished with me And some there are likewise who perswade themselues that they haue founds me who are yet far from me and know me not I pray your highnes theefore quoth Desire to let me vnderstande your nature and conditions that I may know thereby whether I am neer or far from you for I take you for my Lorde and maister Mine exercise and office is aunswered the Loue of God to loue God I am a child of the knowledge of God In what sort do you loue God quoth Desire I haue aunswered the Loue of God a desire to wish for him with all my heart with all the strength and force of my soule and to find him I leaue nothing vndone vsing all means thereunto possible And that I might knowe him the better to his praise glorie I desire that all the earth wold acknowledge his vnspeakeable and infinite goodnesse and that all creatures should laud honour and praise him with this desire I constraine and force my selfe to do nothing wherewith to displease him and if peraduenture I offend him then presently I prostrate my selfe before him and craue pardō at his hands for my