mother of all vertues and norse For afore her was no vertue and without her is no vertue merytoryous She informeth and gyueth strength to all vertues that they may be acceptable to god without charyte may no soule be safe nor please god Charyte longeth to all folke and namely to relygious which shold be more parfyte than the comyn people ☞ what profyte is it syster to professe hygh lyuyng and in habyte to shewe parfeccyon yf we endeuor vs not to lerne vertue and exercise it in dede It is a great shame to vs and rather worthy payne than mede to professe or promyt great thynges and do the leest Therfore yf we be in charite we shall thynke hard thyÌ„ges lyght and easy ⧠Now ê‘adueÌ„ture thou woldest wyte what is this worthy fruyt of charyte that I speake of To this I answere and say the charyte is an ordynate and well dysposed wyll to serue god to please god and to haue fruycion vse of god Charyte and loue is all one Charyte is suche a souerayne vertue that it ioyneth coupleth togider the louer and the loued For mekenesse maketh vs swete vnto almyghty god Pouerte ioyneth and blyssed charyte maketh vs one with god Charyte is fayrest of all vertues Charyte is a thyng by the which god loueth vs and we god eueryche of vs other Charite is a desyre of the hert euer thynkyng on that the it loueth And whan it hath that it loueth than it ioyeth nothyng may make it sory Charyte is an holy desyre betwene two with lasting of thoughtes Charite is a strength of the soule to loue god for hym self and other thinges for god and in god which charyte whan it is so set in god it dooth away all inordynate loue And so charyte putteth away deedly synÌ„e for it is the richest affeccyon of mannes soule Charyte is the fruyte of trouthe stablynge of wyttes and of connynge Se how good charyte is who wolde forsake that blissed fruyt whiche is so good If we suffre to be slayne yf we gyue all that we haue yf we knowe as moche as men may in erthe all this without charite is nothyng els but sorow and torment Charyte is a very true turnynge from all erthly thynges and a ioynynge to god without departynge kyndled with the fyre of the holy goost fer from the fylthy fyre of carnal corrupcyon subiect to no deedly vyces but areysed vp aboue all flesshely lustes euer redy gredy to contemplacyon Charyte is also the fone of all good affeccyons helth of good maners dethe of synnes lyfe of vertues without whiche may no man please god with it man deuoutly seruethgod Very charyte clenseth the soule and delyuereth it from the paynes of helle and out of the felawshyppes of deuylles and soone maketh it the seruaunt of god parte takers of the herytage of heuen ☞ Lo syster in suche loue and charyte thou must enforce the to be arayed and clothed as yron and stele is clothed in fyre whan it brenneth as fyre And as the ayre or the fyrmament is clothed in the sonÌ„e whan it shyneth as lyght ⧠O blyssed be all they that be so turned all in to fyre and shynynge heate of charyte in euery prosperyte and in all aduersyte Suche charite maketh a deuout soule for to desyre for to be losed out of this wretched lyfe and be endlesly with god All suche liue in great pacience by tedious abydyng of the deth euery daye and euery houre desyryng a departyng of the body the soule by naturall deth ye though they were hard tormentes and passyons Suche charite made saynt Andrew for to halse desyrously the deth of the crosse And saynt Steuen to pray deuoutly for them the whiche stoned him to deth by the which he se into heuen that he had longe before desyred It made also saynt LaureÌ„ce to scorne his tormentours saint Vincent to haste his tormentors fast for to put hym to his deth Saynt Agate gladly and ioyfully to go to her passion as though she had benbyd and desyred to a great feast and other glorious martyrs to ioy in theyr tribulacions and to loue theyr enemys which pursued them by the whiche they were styrred to desyre most hastyly heuenly ioye and blysse which they loued here in erth Nethelesse though charite be so feruent that it maketh a soule to desyre departyÌ„g out of this worlde yet the same charyte is soo kyndled with the loue of goo that it styryth vs to abyde here after his wyll though it be paynfull to vs in asmoche we may not here haue copyouse plente in vse of that blyssed welle of lyfe Iesu chryst yet by his blyssed grace in the meane tyme of all our desyrous abydyng here after his wyll he norysheth vs conforteth vs with in great confortes as it were by the .iii. heuenly droppes of goostly graces One is by inwardely recreacyon of the blyssed sacrament of the aultre whan we receyue the blissed body which is to all deuout folke a synguler confort for releuyng of the tedious desyre of this wretched exyle for therin they receyue veryly and holsomly hym whome they best loue oure lorde Iesu Chryst Another is by multyplyeng of goostly fruyt that is in sekyng the encrease of other for to multyply the nombre of saued soules to the worshyppe of god By suche goostly multyplyyng they suffre more easely the euyls of thys present exyle The thyrd is for the preseÌ„ce of goddes chyldren with whome they be in a maner conforted of the blysse of heuen here in erth for as moche as they se suche encrease in charyte loue of vertue though suche a soule by feruent charyte mourne for the blysse of heuen in desyre for to be losed out of this wretched exyle and be with her spouse Iesu yet som gladnes she hathe for to abyde namely for the swetnes that she fyndeth in receyuynge here of our lordes blessid body In the turnyng of synners to vertue and in the profyt and increase of lyuers and so this exyle is the more tollerable in that it is more fruytfull For albe it that suche a mournyng soule in charite come late to her spouse Iesu yet she hopith to come bryng many with her Thus by suche charite was saynt Paul coarted for to abyde in this wretched world betwene desyre of losyng for to be with god and profytable increase of his subiectes Of suche profytable encrease he coÌ„forted hym selfe betwene whyles agaynst his tedyous delay frome the kyngdome of heuen sayeng thus Philip .i. Coartor enim eduobus desideriuÌ„ habens dissolui et esse cum christo multo melius ê‘manere in carne necessarium est propter vos That is I am coarted anguysshed in my selfe of two thyuges One is I desyre to be vnlosed out of my deadly body and be with christ that were right passyng good to me An other is I wote well yt is ryght necessary to abyde in my bodely lyfe only for you
away for theyr great mekenesse that they 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ynystryng to my swere louers whiâ—◠〈…〉 ioye of me The .xii. is that the hertes 〈◊〉 soules be lyffe by from erthly thynges 〈◊〉 may 〈◊〉 suche a soule to the fyrmament 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 clere for there in suche clerenesse 〈…〉 all suche soules buylde theyr neâ—â—◠〈◊〉 all erthly thynges by holy medytaâ—â—â— The .xiii. is that al clene soules ben oftenâ—◠〈…〉 eyther in redyng or in heryng 〈◊〉 good 〈◊〉 of wysdome or elles in swetâ—â—â—yers or in suche other goostly exercyses Suche can not syue blissedly and ioyfully with out suche holy contrâ—nplacyon for they haue â—eyther but â—rnesse nor heuynesse but ioye and â—â—adnesse Salomon sayth Ecclesia .xxiii. Niâ—â—â—â—â— dulâ—râ—â—s quam inspicere in mandatis dei There is nothyng so swete he sayth as it is to beholde in the wysdome of our lorde and in his coÌ„maundementes Therfore it was that Moyses whan he had talked with our lorde and receyued his coÌ„maundementes that he neyther dyde eate nor dryÌ„ke afterwarde for ioye of that holy presence forty dayes and .xl. nyghtes It was a great feast to hym him thought for many dayes the conforâ—e of our lordes preseÌ„ce and his speche ☞ O syster there be many ferre fro suche Ioyfull swetenesse that be lothe to here our lorde speke to them Anone they waxe dulle in soule haue no sauour of his speche whan speketh our lorde to vs Truely whan we rede suche thynges that be holsome to the soule Ex here other say to vs by preachyng or exhortacy oâ— I pray the be none of tho The .xiiii. is that all suche clene soules gouerne dyscretely theyr bodyes from excesse of mysrule in eatynge and drynkynge and stepynge They haue not suche hodyly dyseases as haue mysruled folkem excesse nor they dye not so soone as other but lyue longer to goddes worshyp out take suche that our lorde withdraweth out of this worlde by his preuy domes The .xv is the greatnesse of dyuyne loue that suche clene soules doo fele in within them selfes Loue is a very easy yoke and what some euer thynge is drawen with suche an easy yoke is made very easy and soft Saynt Bernard sayth ¶ O thou yoke of holy loue how graciously drawest thou to the suche as thou wylt drawe to the. All harde thynges greate thynges loue maketh lyght vneth of ony charge The .xvi. is that al suche gladsome â—lene soules make theyr wylles euer to accorde to the wyll of god For ryght as the wyll of god is fulfylled in them so the wyll of theÌ„ is fulfylâ—ed in other as though god bade it The .xvii. is that suche ioyfull and clene soules haue ioye vp 〈◊〉 ioye that is they haue double ioye here in erth â—â—ere is they haue ioye in Chryst all his werâ—â—s Another is they haue ioye of his body that is 〈◊〉 sayntes that be in heuen and of holy lyuers â—â—â—erthe The greatenesse of this ioye vpon ioye â—ay be fully consydered in suche that haue grâ—â—â—â—â—â—arite win them greate goostly gladnesse 〈◊〉 ryght as a mother hath greate ioye of her 〈◊〉 whan he is made a bysshop or singeth his 〈◊〉 masse or hath ony greate dygnyte which 〈◊〉 rekeneth for her owne worshyp / so all suche â—â—â—full soules thynkes that it is theyr worship â—hat sayntes be worshypped in heuen and also 〈◊〉 chrysten men encrease in vertue here in erthe which may also be vnderstande by all the lymes of a maÌ„nes bodi yf one parte of his bodi is wel 〈◊〉 case it is ioyfull and glad of the ease of euery other lymÌ„e so clene and ioyful soules in god haue ioye of eche other both of good that be in erthe and also of all holy that be in heuen The xviii is that causeth a clene soule to be in ioy is the longe vse of them that haue longe contynued in goodnesse Lo sister the longe contynuaunce of good lyuyng bryngeth in gladnesse of soule The .xix. is hope of mede for our long abydyng in good lyuyng As saynt Paul sayeth Ro. xii Spe gaudentes They that hope of endlesse rewarde suche soules wax ioyefull The .xx. is ioye of contemplacion that suche clene ioyfull soules fele somtyme with the whiche contemplacioÌ„ a soule is moche illumined and lyghtned Suche a soule seyth in his ioyfull coÌ„templacioÌ„ ryuers flowyng bothe hony and butter As sayeth Iob .xx. Vidit riunios stuâ—â—eris torrentis inellis et butirs Saynt Gregory sayeth vpon the same texte that these ryuers be callyd of the holy goost and they be reÌ„nyng ryuers for they be right plenteously gathered togyther in a contemplatyue soule whiche blyssed spiryt with all his holy gyftes fyllyth a conteÌ„platyue soule bothe wyth the swete hony of the godhed and also with the swete butter of passion that was thristed out vpon the cherne of the crosse Right as hony is gathered of flowers and of the ayre and butter of the body so contemplacion is gotten of the godheed of our lorde of swete heuely thinges of the bytter paynes of our lordes body And so by the gentyll bee of clennesse that hony of contemplacyon is brought to the hyue of the soule And by tendre compuÌ„ction the bucâ—er of Chrystes passion is brought in to the cherâ—e of the herte for to souple it and make it softe agaynst all maner anguysshes Oh well were 〈◊〉 soule at ease that might ioyfully souke of this â—hony eate of this swete butter Suche a conâ—eplatyue soule sholde then fele great rest / great â—â—â—ernesse / great delyte / great ioye / great loue â—â—uour in Iesu the lasteth euer lytel hauyng myÌ„de of ioye of this lyfe Also suche one though it â—ray lytell with the mouthe yet it is full with â—od and seeth oftymes into heuen beholdeth there the sayrnesse of aungels and of holy souâ—es O syster now is this ioyfull contemplacyoÌ„ 〈◊〉 wonderfull ioye of loue which ioye canno toÌ„â—â—â— tell And though that wonderfull beholdiÌ„g 〈◊〉 all the soule yet for habundaunce of ioye â—â—â—â—enesse whiche ascendeth in to the mouthe â—â—the body soule ioyeth in god There is none that hath this grace of contemplacyon but suche that our lorde first inspyreth to forsake this worlde alwordly vanytees the couetyse of the byle lust therof And than after that heledeth suche a soule by herself alone and speketh hym selfe to her herte and there gyueth her souke of his swetenesse of loue and than he styreth her to holy prayers medytacion and teares At last he maketh her gather her herte togyther and set it in hym And than he openeth to the eye of the soule the gates of heuen so that the eie may loke in to heuen And than the fyre of loue is veryly in her herte and brenneth therin and maketh it clere from all erthly fylthe and from all noyous thoughtes All suche so set be called contemplatyue soules be rauysshed in the loue of god For contemplacion is nothyng elles to mene but a
of charyte though thou kepe coÌ„munycation not with them so specyally as thou doost with other / so it be doone measurably after the place and tyme without offence and euyll suspytion Therfore it is that saynt Ierome sayth in a pystle â—hat he wryteth to Nepotianum where he sayth thus ☞ Beware he sayth of all maner suspicioÌ„ that may be feyned on the erthan it be feyned eschue it Thy swetenesse / thy lyght / thy desyre shold be thy spouse Iesu chryst On holy days whan folke desyre to speke with the eschue al maner ydle tales or soone charytably take thy leue For I assure the it is ful perillous to coÌ„myn moche with ony specially with seculer people and namely of men / but it be for goostly instruction and yet loke it be of no long tarieng but in short wise speke as is best to the helth of soule and honeste of lyuing What shold nede maydens of religion to haue often communycacion with men but it be onely whan goostli couÌ„cell is required or confession And yet I conÌ„cell the syth thou shalt be oft confessed vse no longe abydinge in confession / rather come the ofter Presume neuer to moche of thy clene conscience â–ª nor of thy chastyte For trust me right well presumpcion of chastyte and oportunyte hathe torned many a clene soule to euyll ☞ Trust neuer so moche to thy self weuing that thou hast ouercome all maner of styringes of fleshly synnes though our lorde of his grete mercy hathe keptthe vnto this tyme. For if thou haue no styrynge now drede to haue in tyme for to come ¶ Saynt Gregory sayth Euery chosen soule eyther in his begynnynge or in his myddle aege or in his last dayes shall suffre temptacyon In his begynnyng suche shall suffre temptacion easely In his mydell coÌ„uersacyon suche one shall suffre temptacion more greuously but in his laste dayes suche shall suffre temptacioÌ„ moste greuously Therfore beware of communicacion For suche thynges do let the braunches of charyte to be spredde abrode ¶ If thou wylt also sprede abrode thy charyte I wolde thou sholdest gladly fulfyll and stoppe fawtes in dyuyne seruyce for ease of thy systers as moche as in the is possible Desyre neuer therfore ony praysyng nor fauoure of ony creature but onely of almyghty god For one thynge I shall tell the that what soeuer he be that desyreth for to becommended and praysed of other persones Somtyme he shal be moche made of somtyme lytell / somtyme nought And where that suche one for his charytable dedes sholde receyue of our lorde grete rewarde in heuen al is blowen away with the blast of a manÌ„es mouthe Alas the suche dysceyuable worldly prayse or fauour shall so deceyue a soule and defraude him from heuenly and perpetuall graces It is not all wtout cause that Salomon calleth all worldly fauour deceyuable graces For who that trusteth sore vpon suche graces it may stand a whyle / but at last it shall fall bycause his ground is feble ⧠Therfore syster whan thou art eyther praysed or blamed euer renne to thy coÌ„scyence hauyng in mynd the wordes of saynt Austyn / were he sayth that a true conscyence may neyther be hurt by wronges ne be holpen by fals praysynges Also as for thy meate and drynke shewe thy charite of suche that is set afore the. Holde the content without grudgyng and fede the therof without superfluyte thankyng our lorde For as saynt Gregory sayth Meate and drynke sholde be taken as a medycyn onely for nede and not in superfluyte or in voluptuosyte Therfore be not soo gredy vpon thy meate and drynke but that euer our lorde be thanked therfore And more set thy hert to gyue attendauÌ„ce to the lesson which is red among you than to thy bodyly meate So that with refresshing of thy body thy soule may also be refresshed Thinke also that thou eatest synnes of thy founder / god rest his soule and other benefactours whiche haue endued your monastery or by whose goodes ye be endued to pray for them thou art bouÌ„de so to pray for theyr soules ¶ Also in places of solace and recreacyon shew thy charyte and sprede thy brauÌ„ches abrode whan thou takest in the gardyn with thy systers bodyly recreacyon coÌ„myn there of some maner of edyficacyon or here some good thyng which may edyfy thy soule And bicause oftentymes after meate many ben dysposed to lyghtnesse and to vnrelygious myrthes I pray the as moche as thou mayst eschue that And yf thou here ony bachytyng or dyshonest communycation as I hope there is no such thynges vsed among maydeÌ„s do thy dylygence or do that lyeth in the to turne suche maters vnto better coÌ„munycacyons And yf thou mayst not relygyously go thens / lest thou be ê‘tyner of theyr synnes All by shonest playes I forbyd the for moch euyl cometh of such dysportes Neuertheles holy disportes for recreation bothe of body and of soule is nede full somtyme for to be had / so that it be done so brely sadly and relygiously And that the herers and seers may rather be edifyed than sclaundre in it For our lordes loue syster spend thy tyme profytably deuoutly There is none so greate a losse as is the losse of tyme. Another thynge yf it be loste may be founden agayne / but tyme whaÌ„ it is lost may neuer be fouÌ„de agayn Thinke therfore why thou comest to relygion I tro we for the profyte of thyn owne soule of thin ordre It is not ynough for the onely to entre religion for thyn owne profite except thou do thy dyligence in lernynge that thou may be able to further thine ordre by connyng as other of thy sisters done And though thou mayst not come to connyng anone leaue not therfore though thou sholdest euery day lerne right lytel For hasty coÌ„nyng wexeth soone drye but easily and sokingly wonÌ„e encreaseth and abideth Loke thou be in ony wyse euer well occupyed in some charytable occupacion that the goostly enmy the fende fynde the not ydle ☞ Idlenesse is the moost hyndrynge that thou mayst haue to thy soule moche sorowe cometh therof If thou be wery in redyng refresshe thy soule by prayer or meditacion or in some other vertuous and charitable werkes Now rede now pray / now labour besily and so shall thy houre be shorte and thy labour light ¶ Thus moche syster I haue spoken of the spredinge abrode of the braunches of charite ☞ I sayd also of the fourth properte which loÌ„geth to a tree that is how it groweth on hye ⧠After tyme thou arte mekely roted in relygion / and graciously watred by compunction and than spred abrode by brauÌ„ches of charite thou hast nede or it is expedyent for the to be enhaunced in deuocion by contemplacion vn to heuen ☞ But fyrst if a tree shold grow hye the water bowes is nothyng els but cuttynge away the superfluite of temporall goodes in dyspising them Therfore sister lyke as thou hast forsaken all
outwarde worldly goodes for the loue of heuenly goodes so now put them out of thy mynde as moche as thou mayst / and haue mynde of the vowe of pouerte not to haue one pynne mo to thy heed than is taxed in thy holy rule Be none other in thy soule than thou apperest outwarde in thyn habyte For of al synnes ypocrisy is a peryllous synne / namely amonge relygious folke Good sister be well ware of that cursed synne ypocrisy / and kepe the from al maner curyosite and superfluyte whiche ben very deedly enmyes to the holy pouerte of relygigion ☞ whan ony maner temptacyon of worldely couetousnesse is at ony tyme presented vnto thy soule anone haue mynd of the moost blissed pouerte of our worthy sauyour Iesu chryst thy chosen spouse and of the moost holy virgin his moder in worshyp of whome thy relygion is grounded Of the pouerte of Chryst and his blyssed moder beryth wytnesse the poore cryb and few clothes which he was wrapped in at his byrth Se now what pouerte he suffred in his begynnyng / and also all the tyme of his beyng in this lyfe who was euer poorer thaÌ„ he For he sayth hymself in his holy gospell Uulpes foueas habent et volucres celi nidos filiê° autem homims non habet vbi caput suum reclinet That is Foxes he sayth haue dennes and holes to hyde them in and byrdes haue nestes but the sone of the vyrgyn is soo poore in erthe that he hath not wherin he maylye his heed Also that he loued pouerte at his endynge that is in his passyon / the blyssed crosse whiche he hyng vpon bereth wytnesse where herde euer ony man or woman that ony body in his dethe what passyon soeuer he shall suffre â–ª sholde be denied his clothes for to couer them wt. Or if he axed drynke shold it not be gyuen to hym yes rather than fayle water But our lorde Chryst Iesu in his holy passyon hong naked vpon the crosse And whan he was athyrst tasted galle with eysell for his drynk Lo syster where herdest thou euer an hyer pouerte ☞ Of this pouerte and other suche thou must haue mynde that thou mayst suffre the better pouerte of relygyon If thou hast meate and drynke clothyng and a boke to loke vpon / it is inough to the. And yf thou hast more than these and namely more than is assigned in thy rule or more than thou hast leue of thy souerayne to haue thinke that thou arte ryght ferre from our lordes blyssed pouerte / and his holy moder ¶ Good syster folowe this holy pouerte that thou mayst deserue for to haue that kyngdom whiche is ordeyned for poore in spyryte / as our blyssed lorde ê“myseth hymself where he sayth Bearti pauperes spiritu quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum Blyssed be tho he sayth that be poore in spyryte for theyrs of ryght is the kyngdom of heueÌ„ for theyr herytage If thus thy water bowes be lopped away thou mayst growe ryght hye in deuocyon and contemplation ¶ what sholde be thy hye growyng Truely but deuocyon in prayers For as doctours sayen prayer is no thyng els but ascension or lyftyng vp of the soule to god by deuocyon which is deuyded parted in two partes / that is in to vocall prayer mentall prayer Vocall prayer is prayer made by mouthe accordyng with the soule Mentall prayer is all onely of the soule or mynde with sylde spekyng of the mouthe To vocall prayer that is euery day to serue our lorde Iesus and his blyssed moder in sayng matyns pryme tierce sext none euensong complyn thou art bouÌ„de by thy relygion but yf thou be lawfully letted And therfore to these I councell the to haue a zeale and a loue to say them distinctly and apertly with a pronouÌ„cyng of thy wordes gyuing therto the intent of thyn herte / so that thy toÌ„ge be not in the quere and thyn herte in the town In suche sayenges as moche as thou mayst eschewe distraction And that thou may so do make there dy afore after the councell of Salomon where he sayth thus Fili accedeÌ„s ad seruitutem dei sta in timore prepara animam tuam ad temptationeÌ„ That is â–ª whan thou goest to the seruice of god stande there in drede make redy thy soule for to withstand temptacion For than wycked spirites ben right besy for to let deuout soules from the good spede of prayer by immyssions of theyr subtyll temptacyons we haue neuer so many temptatyoÌ„s whan we be out of the quere as whan we be in the quere of gods seruyce ⧠Therfore I councel the for eschewyng of all euagacions cast downe thyn eyes vnto a certayn place all the tyme of dyuine seruyce be it nyght be it day ymaginyng in thy herte as though thou se lyeng afore the Christ Iesu streyned vpon the crosse And he with the crosse togyder lyft vpon hygh with woundes bledyng And in that lyfting than lift vp thyn tyes suynge after and renne from wounde to wounde and so sigh and sob pryuely Now for the nayles now for the thorns now for the spete now for the crowne now for the fete now for the handes / and so thanke him for his passyon whiche he suffred for the. ¶ And among all suche goostly medytacions loke in ones or ofter if thou mayst and entre in to his herte by the wounde of his syde wherin thou shalt fynde all maner treasour of pyte There are harbo towe for charyte and in the name of god entre a goddes behalfe Quenche thy thurste there with plente of haboundaunce of his moost blissed blode For he sayth hymselfe Quiscitit veniat ad me et bibat He that thursteth come to me and drynk Of suche deuocion in dyuine seruyce our lorde is hyghly pleased Blyssed aungelles nygh at hand to such a soule / and not onely aungels but also our lorde hymselfe speketh to suche a soule thus occupied sayth Doughter aske what thou wylte and thou shalt haue it ☞ O now is this a voyce of grete ioye and gladnesse Answere agayne and say to hym in thy thought Lorde I desyre nothyng els but that I and all tho which trusten and shal trust vpon thy grete mercy may be admytted amonges thy chosen people in thy heuenly blysse And as the holy prophete Dauyd sayth Ad let andum in leticia gentes tue For to ioye in gladnesse among thy chosen people ☞ Lo syster suche thoughtes whyle thou standest indyuyne seruyce sholde fyll thy hert with so moche gladnesse loue and swetenesse / that thou shalt be lothe to thynke on ony other thynge vnder god Also yf thou myghtest haue medytacion than of his blissed moder Mary entryng in to the quere beryng Iesu her blyssed sone in her holy armes / vysytig now one now another the syngen deuoutly and corageously in dyuine seruyce without dulnes or slepynes ouerpassing all suche that ben sluggisshe and stepy or slouthfull
seke body to a leache that thy blyssed goostly medycin may make my seke soule hole The seker that I am lorde the more nede haue I to come to the that thy greate pyte mercy may be shewed in me by delyueraunce of my synnes Vpon this trust lorde I come to the. for thy mercyes I wote well be infynite There lorde I shal fynde heuenly delycates in the whiche delycates I purpose euer to dwell in the lorde and in none other Soo feruently I wyll set my hert as I wyll of the euer for to haue ioy with the withouten ende ☞ Lo syster by suche short meditacions and other lyke these thou mayst clense thy herte and thy soule with rennyng ryuers of very compunction Before thou go to receyue that blyssed sacrament say also in thy herte yf thou haue leyser in thy goyng thus O I that am powdre and asshes shall I now go to my lorde Than answere agayne and say with a reuereÌ„t mekenesse yea that shall I as an vnprofitable seruaunt gooth to his benygne mayster And as an hongry soule gooth to his meate And as a seke man gooth to his leache Say also as saynt Austyn sayth My lorde my mercy my refuge my desire to the I come for I may not helpe my selfe with myn own werkes And therfore lorde releue me / socour me / haue mercy on me I mystrust of my merytes / but I trust in thy grete mercyes more than I mystrust of myn euyl dedes Lord thou art my hope To the alone I haue synÌ„ed mercy lorde ☞ Many folke vse to saye longe afore they be houseled the .vij. psalmes of penaunce with a â—etany Prayeng to all those sayntes for helpe which psalmes saynt Austyn toke out of the psalter and set them togyder And named theÌ„ psalmes of penauÌ„ce It is a good deuocioÌ„ for to say I wyll not charge the withall considering the contynual labour that thou hast in thyn ordre ¶ Thynke also on the grete charite whiche he sheweth to synners / in gyuyng his blyssed body to them for theyr goostly helthe and goostly meate And that it is very goostly meate he proueth it well hymselfe where he sayth thus Caromea vere est cibus et sanguis meus vere est potê° Â¶ My flesshe sayth he is very meate / my blode is very drynk ☞ This is the meate whiche is fygured by that manna in the old testament which had all maner of delyce all maner sauour of swetenesse that at the last shal be gyuen to thy grete mede and rewarde of euerlastyng blysse as he sayth hymselfe thus Qui manducat meam caruem bibit meum sanguinem habet vitam eternam That is He that receyueth my flesshe dryÌ„keth my blode shal haue for his hye rewarde euerlastyng lyfe here by grace after this lyfe by ioye ¶ Now syster after the gracious receyuynge of his blyssed sacrameÌ„t / thanke our lorde for the grete benefite say thus in thy herte Inuem queÌ„ diligit aia mea tenebo euÌ„ et noÌ„ dimittaÌ„ the is I haue found whome my soule loueth now shal I kepe him neuer shall I leue hym And for bycause it is called a sacrament of loue I wold thou prouydysted some maner of prayers of loue whiche might styre the poynt of thy loue as is this orysoÌ„ Duleê iesus memoria or such other than I drede not but thou shalt fele grete deuocyon ¶ O good syster somtyme my goostly doughter I pray the than for to desyre of thy spouse for me one drop of that deuocion I wolde also thou sholde desyre of him suche deuocion for all my goostly frendes Among all other of thy deuocion and vocall prayers it were a medefull sayeng for to saye Placebo Dirige at leest with thre psalmes thre lessons and laudes thynkyng that thou hast thy lyuelode of them that peraduenture lyen in paynes of purgatory which paynes as some doctours done say passeth all the paynes of the world and is more greuous ¶ This thou myghtest vse well at after none whan thou walkest in the gardyn And thynke that he were an vnkynde frende a ryght cruell whiche myght se the in a brennynge fyre were in his power for to delyuer the and wyll not Truly ryght soo our lorde hath graunted the one frende in erth may delyuer his freÌ„de in purgatory by deuout prayers other goostly meanes / If suche one be neclygeÌ„t his frende in purgatory may well thynke that suche one is rather a cruell enmy than a frende Sende therfore in spare tymes thy prayers to our lorde for them that ben in purgatory / recommendyng to hym thy kynne thy founders benefactours of thy monastery and all other which ben passed out of this worlde Lo sister all this before is sayd moche of bocall prayer lytell of mentall prayers For euer amonges all goostly exercyses prayer is a holy meane Vocall prayer mentall prayer they two ben so nygh of kynne that the one is neuer founde without the other If vocall prayer haue chefe occupacion medytacion medleth somwhat with hym And yf medytacion haue chefe occupacion than prayer breketh out among And therfore in as moch as it is longyng to prayer somwhat shall I say of mentall prayer whiche is called medytacion And also for to styre the whan thou arte alone how thou shalte be occupyed in medytacion ¶ Syster suche mentall prayer by medytacion is ryght swete merytorious and precyous to a deuout soule / but right few vse it and that is pyte And as saynt Hue sayth in a boke whiche he maketh of the maner of suche medytatyue prayer that such prayers is called deuocioÌ„ purely of the soule which is a very tornyng in to god by meke and mylde affection By this thou mayst knowe that medytacion sholde be meke by consyderacyon of hym that so prayeth Of this we fynd a good example by the publycane in the gospell whiche in his herte prayed submyttyng thy self mekely to god a very synÌ„er sayeng outward by right fewe wordes as for vocal prayers whan he sayd thus Deus propicius esto michi peccatori For all his prayers were inward for the moste parte All suche that praye by medytacion they speake fewe wordes In other properte meditatiue prayer hathe yt is shorte as short wordes of loue or of mercy and sendith out his flames and beames Such a short medytatyf prayer sister perceth heuen For all suche soules that so ben occupyed in meditacions done rest in god as in the begynnyng endyng of his medytacyon And thus suche medytatife prayer is short Not for the shortnesse of deuocion but for the shortnesse of the length in wordes Another properte that longeth vnto medytatyue prayer that is desyrous by waylyng sobbyng and syghing to be with our lorde So that suche one may say with the ê“phete Dauyd thus Sitiuit anima mea ad deum fontem viuum quaÌ„do veniam et apparabo ante faciem det fueruÌ„t
of these two I know not which I may rather chose Lo sister what swete frute charite is Thus frute of charite shuld euer be in thy hart and in thy wyll not only in thy dedes but also in thy soule Many spekith charitably and doth charitably but yet they loue nother god nor be in charyte as ypocrytes whiche suffren greate penaunce and seme holy to the sight outward but by cause thy seke outward worshyp and praysyng fauour they haue lost theyr mede whan a man gyuith him to penaunce and to pouerte and dothe great almes dedes it is a token he is in charite yet he is neuer the more in charite for that alone without more But whan he forsakyth the worlde only for goddes loue settyth all his thoughte to good and is in charite with all folke and all good dedes that he may do he dothe theÌ„ in that intent for to please our lorde Iesu and to com to the blysse of heuen than he is in very charyte and that charite is in the soule for so his dedes shewith outwarde If thou therfore syster speke good do good folke that herith the so speke do wene the thou art in charite for they wene thy wordes and thy dedes accordyth with thy soule in god els thou art a deceyuer of the people and dampnest thy soule Lo syster thus charite is in wyll veryly not in werke only for in werke only it is a token of charite but he that sayth that he is in charyte and wyll not do in dede that in hym is for to shew loue truely he is not in charite as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth For charite is neuer ydel it is euermore workyng som good And yf it cease of workynge know right wel it wastyth a way what is very workyng of loue and charite Truely very loue and charite is to loue god with all thy strength myghtyly with all thy hert wysely with all thy soule deuoutly swetly wylt thou be in loue charite myghtely Than must thou be meke for all goostly strength cometh of mekeneesse Our lorde saith Esa lxvi Suê‘ quem requiescet spuÌ„s meus nisi super humileÌ„ On whome shall the holy goost rest sayth our lorde but in the make soule Mekenes kepith vs gouernith vs in all our teÌ„ptacioÌ„s so that they may not ouercome vs. But many be ouerthrowen by the fende in theyr mekenesse by tribulacions reproues bacbytynges yf thou be wrothe and lose thy charyte for ony anguysshes of this casuall worlde or for ony worde that men saye to the thou art not yet very meke ne in myghty charite for yf thou be in parfyt charite it shall not greue the what shame or anguisshe that thou suffre but thou shalte haue delyte and ioye in suche reproues and shames and glad for to suffre al maner reproues for the loue of Iesu and fare as a deade body whiche answerith not what so euer the people sayeth or dooth to hym Right so if thou be in parfyt charite thou wylt not be sterid for no worde that may be sayd to the. Trewly syster it is a very token that thou canste not loue 〈◊〉 be in very charite yf thou may not suffre payne or anger for thy freÌ„des loue Iesu For it is wryâ—en thus Charitas penam non habet Very â—harite hathe no payne of all suche outwarde thynges All vnmeke people in relygion be not in myghty charite for they be so feble weyke that they falle at euery steryng of the wynd of temptacion And why is that Truely for they wyll haue theyr wyll done and not theyr soue rayns wyll whiche is goddes wyll Therfore syster be very meke that thou may be in myghty charite and do not thy wyll in this worlde that thou may haue it more plenteously in the other worlde and so thou shalt ouercome thyn ennemye the fende Thou must also haue charite and loue god wysely with all thy hert and that thou mayst not doo but yf thou be wyse whan art thou wyse Truely whan thou art poore without couetyse and despysest thy self for the loue of Iesu despendyst all thy wyttes and thy wyl in his seruice They that seme most wysest in this world be most fooles whiche done spende in couetousnes in besynes all theyr wysdom and forsake that thou haste taken pouerte / penauÌ„ce / and gostly trauayle For thy pouerte thou shalt haue riches wtout ende For thy penauÌ„ce and sorow for thy synÌ„es and that thou art so long in this exyle from thy couÌ„trey heuen blysse thou shalte haue the endlesse ioye of heuen And for thy trauayle of relygion for wakyng / fastyng / prayers / medytacions / huÌ„ger / thrust / heate and colde / mysease and anguysshe that thou suffrest for the loue of Iesu thou shalt come to rest whiche lasteth endlesly Thus mayst thou se that yf thou be wysely in loue and charite thou must loue lastyng thyng lastingly passyng thyng passyngly / so that thy herte be set and fastened in nothyng but in god or for god charytably Thou must also not only be in loue and charyte myghtely and wysely but also swetly deuoutly Swete loue charite is whan thy body is chast thy thought clene Of the whiche chastite by the grace of god I purpose to wryte in the last ende of this treatyse as for the .xii. fruyte of euery goostly soule For as I begyn with the swete fruyte of charyte so shall I ende with the swete fruyte of chastyte ⧠Deuout loue and charyte is whan thou offrest thy prayers and thoughtes to god with goostly Ioyes in the holy goost Of this goostly ioye I purpose for to wryte in the next goostly fruyte of euery goostly soule Nowe wylt thou knowe whan thou arte in loue and charyte Truely syster there is none in erthe that knoweth whan he is in charyte but suche that be inspyred or haue ony specyall grace which god hath gyuen to him for to knowe it by of the whiche all other may take example All blyssed lyuers trust and hope that they be in charyte / and in that doo as well as they may for to encrease in vertue trust verily that they shold be saued / they knowe it not anone For yf they knewe it theyr meryte were the lesse / so that it is kepte vncertayne vnto another worlde with hope Neuerthelesse certayne tokens there be by the which thou mayst knowe yf thou be in charyte ☞ Fyrst is whan all couetyse of erthly thynges is quenched in the. For where that couetyse is there is no charite nor loue of god the loue of that one putteth out the other The second token is hertely desyrynge in all tymes eatyng and drynkyng wakyng and sleping of heuen blysse Yf thou be set in loue and charyte syster that thou canst fynd no ioye in this lyfe it is a token that thou arte in charyte And the more thou sauourest of heuen the more thou desyrest it The thyrd token is chaungynge
the good dedes of holy chyrch and at the last be ryche with heuen blisse The fourth vertue is that it maketh a man lykyng pleasauÌ„t to god For whan a soule loueth our lorde our blyssed lorde wyll loue hym agayne which passeth al other loue As our lorde sayth by Salomon Prouerb .viii. Ego diligeÌ„tes me diligo I loue theÌ„ the loue me he sayth And in another place our lorde sayth thus Io .xiiii. Qui diligit me diligetur a patre meo et manifestabo meipsum He that loueth me he sayth shall be loued of my father I shall loue hym make me all open to hym in shewyng me to hym as a louyng father Thus syster charite is pleasauÌ„t and lykyng to god I praye the kepe well this fruyt ofte eate therof bothe late and erly full and fastynge For it is as good after meate as a fore meate in the nyght as in the daye parte with thy systers but eate it neuer colde Roste it well make it ryght hote in the fyre of Chrystes loue whiche sent among his dystyples breÌ„nyng tongues of charyte that bothe they all his folowers in erthe sholde speke brennyngly of loue and charyte eche to other and so to lyue euer in loue our blyssed lorde graunt vs all for his blyssed charyte Amen ¶ The seconde fruyte of the tree of goostly lyuyng is Ioye Ca. ij THe second fruyte of the holy goost in holy lyuers is called Ioye Truely Ioye in the holy goost that is goostly ioye / not erthly ioye but for to ioye in god in hope of endlesse goodes / and in the grete benefytes of our lorde All suche ioye is for to be glad and ioyfull of the encrease of vertue of other for to thanke god for them / and for to lothe all vanytees and for to be quycke and mery goostly in dyuyne seruyce This is that fruyte of ioye which I wolde thou eate of whaÌ„ worldly wretched gladnesse is about to chaunge thy soule in to dyssolucion and banyte That is whan it wold make the to ioye in affluence of temporall goodes / of laughynge and scornyng of ydle tales and dyshouest playes And also wolde make vnsauery to the al that longeth to godward / as is to be dulle in dyuyne seruyce in besynesse of deuocyon vertue and suche other All this is no goostly ioye but worldly ioyes It is no very ioye but vayne ioye Gostly ioye is very ioye though it be no full ioye This ioye may none haue but suche that be in charyte eate therof swetely as I sayd before in the fyrst fruyte of charyte Very charite axeth very ioye Of this ioye speketh Salomon thus Eccl .xxx. Non est oblectamentum suê‘ cordis gaudiuÌ„ That is there is no ioye to the ioye of the herte In thre thynges ioye of herte that is goostly ioye passeth all carnall ioyes Fyrst is that it is contynuall An erthly man though he syt at a delycate bodyly feast yet at the laste he shall iothe it be the feast neuer soo delycate But a sure ioyfull soule set in vertue is euer as it were at a contynuall feast without lothynge The seconde is that goostly ioye is more pure than erthely or carnall ioye Aglotonous man fyndeth many bitternesses annexed to his ioye One is afflyction and torment within hymselfe of longe delay from his delycates that he desyreth Another is defaut that he findeth in theÌ„ whan that they be set afore hym / which is not made to his lykynge And yf that they be made to his lykynge than he receyueth them so lustyly ioye / the more it is had the gladder is the hauer Neuer wery nor seke of thou vse therof The thyrde is that carnall ioye is of vyle thynges not lastyng But ioye of herte is of very good thynges euerlastyng Many thynges I fynde that causeth a man to be glad in herte and also in godstly ioye One is parfyte purete and clennesse of conscyence A very gentyll soule resteth moche rather in the bedde of a clene conscyence than of an vnclene conscyence For kyndely the the pure and clene soule abhorreth and hath abhomynacyon of vnclenesse / and hath right grete ioye of clennesse As oft as the soule is syke so often it is vnclene Sykenesse of the soule is vnclennesse whan thou soule is hole that is whan it is in clennesse / than it is in reste and ioye as Salomon sayeth in his prouerbes Prouerbiorum .xvi. Dulcedo anime samtas ossiuÌ„ That is The swetenesse of the soule he sayth that is the clennesse of the soule is helthe of the boones By these bones be vnderstande gyftes of graces of the holy goost which be myghty and stronge as bones and kepeth the soule in strengthe and vygour It is not so with worldly louers whiche haue erthely ioye For theyr ioye is not lastynge in as moche as they lacke clennesse of theyr conscience The seconde is the dyschargynge of the burden of euerlastynge dethe whiche all wretched synners be charged with As the holy prophete Dauyd sayd Ps .xxxvii. ⧠Iniquitates mee supergresse sunt capud meum sicut onus graue grauate suÌ„t super me The wyckednesse he sayth of synners haue ouerpassed theyr heed for as a greuous burden they be passyng greuous aboue hym Of this all clene soules be dyscharged for asmoche as they haue clensed theyr conscyence by oft coÌ„trycion so that they fele an herty ioye in god The thyrde is Fredome of soule for they be not bounde in the boÌ„des of the fende Who that hath the holy goost hath fredome as saynt â–ª Paule sayth it Cor .iii. Ubi spiritus duÌ„i ibi libertas Where the holy goost is there is fredome out of the deuylles daunger whiche causeth in a clene soule grete gladnesse This fredome hath not wretched synners for they be so bounde in the deuyls bondes that they may not do as they sholde do after the hygher parte of reason Of this bonde speketh Salomon sayth ê“uer .v. Iniquitates sue capiunt ipium et funibê° peccatorum suorum vnusquisque coÌ„stringitur ⧠with wyckednesse a synner is taken and so with the bondes of synnes euery synner is bounde Our synnes be the bondes wherwith we be bounde lete vs breke these bondes and than may we haue fredome of spyrite and be in grete gladnesse The fourth is rest of tormentes from all euyl affections by the whiche all wretched synners be oft tymes tormented in herte / that is with richesses with delytes and with worshypp And so they be tormented with suche thinges that they perysshe and spyll withall They be also tormented somtyme with drede as it sheweth well in a coueytous man For though there be peas ynough yet he supposeth euer that he shall be deceyued by theues Somtyme also they be tormeÌ„ted with wrathe suche other passyons All these euyll affections wretched passyons cease in them that lyue well and therfore they fele right grete rest and grete ioye
in herte The fyfth is rest from the worme of conscyence A synner as long as he is in synne so longe he is prycked of the worme of conscyence that he hath no rest And this is the fyrst vengeaunce that our lorde taketh of a synner for he wyll not suffre shame of synne be in mannes herte whiche sholde be his divellyng place without shame of vengeaunce as saynt Austyn sayeth Inclene soules it is not soo for whan synne is put out by contrycion and coÌ„fessyon than ceaseth theyr worme of conscyence that is the freatyng and the remors of coÌ„scyence and so they be in good rest For lyke as a man hath better rest in a swete bedde ful of fluores than in a sharpe or harde bedde full of thornes So suche a ioyful soule resteth more swetely in suche a vedde of cleÌ„nesse than in a bedde of synÌ„e Of this swete bedde of floures speketh Salomon in the boke of loue in the persone of all mery soules in clennesse Canr .i. Lectê° noster floridus Our bedde he sayth of our conscyence smelleth swete with floures of vertue wherin we rest without tormentes of remors The .vi. is the presence of our lordes grace which lyghtneth a clene soule by knowlege and sprynkleth it with the dewe of grace of the which the soule is in greate gladnesse ioye It is not soo with synners for they be in derkenesse of synÌ„e what ioye may suche haue in theyr coÌ„scyence which lyue in such derkenesse of synne and may not se for derkenesse of synÌ„e the lyght of heuen This lyght I call the ioye of heuen as Dauyd sayth Ps lrxxviii One in lumme vultus tui aÌ„bulaâ—imê° Lorde he sayth we shall walke that is we shall iyue in the ioye of the whiche is the lyght of thy blyssed face Also al clene soules haue greâ—â— cause of ioye For all the vertues that they haue â—â—meth from the welle of heuenly swetnesse â—e sprynkled in theyr hertes which causeth hâ— to be glad ¶ Saynt Austyu sayeth where he speketh of the rauysshyng of saynt Paule in to heuen that in that blyssed kyngdome of heuen where blyssed lyuynge is fully soped vp in his â—wue welle from thens some dropes of vertue of grace be sprynkled downe on erthe to mankynoâ— that in the teÌ„ptacyons of this wretched worlde they may lyue more temperatly more myghtyly more ryghtwysly and more prudeÌ„tly wysely And how that vertue in soule causeth a man to be glad sheweth well saynt Bernarde sayeng thus Euery vertue naturally is good / there is no vicekyndly nor naturall therfore vertue syth it is natural and kyndly whan it cometh in to the soule though he come not alway without labour yet whan he cometh he cometh as in to his owne naturall place where he sytteth full truly accordeth well with the soule as with his owne nature and kynde Lo how grace and vertue syster gladdeth the soule whiche gladnesse all synners lacke The .vii. is the wytnesse of the holy goost whiche is win a clene soule that maketh it so glad Of the which gladnesse saynt Paule sayth thus Ro .viii. Spiritus sctuÌ„s testumoniuÌ„ reddit spuÌ„m nostro quod sumê° filiâ— dei The holy goost he sayth bereth wytnesse to all clene soules that they be the ioyful chyldreÌ„ of god This wynÌ„esse is that gladsome oyle whiche the wyse maydens toke in theyr vesselles as our lorde sayth And it is also the ioye the saynt Paule speketh of where he sayth thus it cor .1 Gloria nostra hee est testunoniuÌ„ conscientiente Our ioye he sayth is the wytnesse of our coÌ„science This ioye brigeth forth in a clene soule true coÌ„punction swete deuocion holsome labom of penaunce werkes of pyte besynesse of prayer very obedyence fulnesse of loue and hygh contemplacyon in god The .viii. is good â—â—paâ—y All gladsome soules haue god in theyr â—elawshyp and all good folke which ben full wtâ—â—d For amonge suche a company resteth the hoâ—â— goost gyuyng to suche true confelawes hoâ—â— for to dwell togyder in peas duyte O how 〈◊〉 suche a company ryght gladsome to dwell aâ—â—â—â—nge as â—auyd sayth Ps C .xxxii. Ecce 〈…〉 quâ— toâ—â—â—dum habitare fres in 〈◊〉 Lo he sath how good how mery it 〈◊〉 todwell all togyder in loue and â—hye of the 〈◊〉 goost The .ix. is gladnesse of good werkes 〈◊〉 they that lyue in holy workes dedes 〈…〉 be gretly reward â–ª doâ— god as Dauyd 〈…〉 â—â—â—custodied is â—â—â—â—s retributio 〈◊〉 A grece rewarde shal be in at that kepe worâ—â—â— good werkes not â—nely â—â—che at the laste 〈◊〉 also here in thâ—â—â—ysâ— for theyr kepyng they 〈◊〉 fraue greate ioye in soule as doctours sayâ—â—â— that is so greate â—â—ye that it may not be sayd 〈◊〉 â—eiter be felt than spoken for al good werâ—â—â—â— be kyndly the chyldren of the soule And eight 〈◊〉 a good wyse hath ioye in the bringyng forth 〈◊〉 well shapen chylde and greate drede and coÌ„fusyoÌ„ if she brought forthe rather a serpent or a 〈◊〉 worâ—ne than a childe Right so a soulâ—â—s is glad whan she bryngeth forthe good werkes as fruyte whiche is best accordyng to the soule and sholde be sory yf that she bryng forth in stede of good werkes the bad fruyete of euyll werkes for that is agaynst kynde of the soule Loke how sory a wyfe shold be yf she brought forthe rather a foule serpent than a chylde / soo sholde we be of synne The .x. is sykernesse of the soule Clene soules be so syker that of outwarde paynes they be not hyng afterde for they wote well they sholde do them no harme but purge them and make them clene All theyr besynesse is for to kepe them from inwarde euylles that is frosynnes And therfore they fele greate gladnesse wtin in the soule The .xi. is that our lorde spareth a clene soule from many greate laborous peryllous werkes as saynt Gregory sayeth ¶ Our mercyfull lorde hydeth his true louers whiche he loueth tendrely from all laborous peryllous werkes whome rather he calleth his seruauÌ„tes than his chyldren Them he spareth for tendrenesse and wyll not that suche be occupyed in suche outwarde occupacyons but kepeth them without vexacion and in fayrenesse There he wyl the his seruauÌ„tes be not put to out ward labour foule theyr fere onely in the duste of out warde besynesse Lo syster all suche that be not dysposed to gladnesse of soule with swetenesse of our lorde in contemplacyon he wyll that suâ—he be put to outwarde besynesse And yet he of his great mercy kepeth them from fylthynesse â—aut of the fere that is of the affections which way not escape some maner of dust which our lorde hymselfe wyll wasshe away with his owne haÌ„des as he dyde to saynt Peter and all his dyâ—â—yples whan he sayd Io .xiii. Qui let us est â—on indiget 〈◊〉 â—t pâ—des lauet He that is cleâ—â— saythour lorde â—edeth not to be purged but 〈◊〉 of his affections whiche I my selfe wyll â—hasshe
braunche of an olyue tree By the olyue is vnderstande Peas and by the culuer the holy goost whiche betokeneth that all goostly folke in whome the holy goost dwelleth sholde euer bere peas bothe in theyr brest in theyr mouthe and styre other to peas as saynt Martyn oyde whose mouthe was euer in spekynge eyther of Chryst / or mercy / or peas and soo made peas among other Also it semeth wel that peas is a precyous fruyte in that that our lorde bought the fruyte with his deare precyous blood / soo that he made peas therby throughout all the worlde ¶ Also it is wel proued that it is a precious fruyt for all martyrs toke theyr dethe to bryng peas among vs. Therfore sory may al they be that refuse so precious a fruyte whiche our lorde his aungels all his apostles all his dyscyples and all his martyrs sayntes set so moch therby This precyous fruyte our lorde Iesu hath left to his spouse holy chyrche that all her chyldren may take ynough therof yf they wyl ☞ But now to knowe veryly peas thou shalt vnderstande that there is two maner of peas of good folke One is peas of hertes here iÌ„ this lyfe and peas euerlastyng in another lyfe By the fyrst peas we may come to the second peas Therfore true it is the our lorde sayth Math .v. Beati pacifici qmÌ„ filij dei vocabunt Blyssed be they that be peasyble for they be called goddes chyldren All suche be called peasyble that be louers of peas / whiche alway besy them to reforme peas kepe peas fyrst in hymself / and seconds ryly in other Peas in hymself is for to make the flesshe subiect to the spyrite and for to make the styrynges of the soule subiecte to the ouer parte of reason Be therfore syster fyrst a maker of peas with in thyself makynge thy body subiecte to thy soule and than a maker of peas of other For thou canst not be a very maker of peas of other but yf thou be fyrst in peas within thy selfe This fyrst peas lyeth in repressing of all carnal lustes desires and that the lawe of the flesshe repugne not the lawe of the soule but that the body serue the soule vnder trybute that is for to serue the soule as a seruaunt serueth the body and elles there shal no peas be The body is as a seruaunt to whome it longeth for to serue the souâ—e is as a lady to whome it loÌ„geth for to haue the soueraynte whan the seruaunt taketh awaye from yâ— lady her herytage than is there a greate erthquake as Salomon sayth ê“uerb .xxx. Vnum est per quod terra mouetur quando an cilla heres fuerit domine sue ⧠There is one greate thyng he sayth whiche causeth the erthquake and that is whan the seruaunt is heyre of the lady The body whiche is the seruauÌ„t is than the ladyes neyre whan he by fleshly lyuyÌ„g â—ereth away the herytage of the soule so myspendeth it by the whiche the soule that is lady is depryued from spyrytuall and endlesse delytes And this causeth an erthquake that is the erth which is thy flesh may not suffre vertues to growe in the soule but ouertorneth all the edyfyenge and buyldyng of vertue vp and downe Alas that suche a wretched seruauÌ„t shold ouercome suche a gentyll lady of our lordes kynne yf there shold be very peas betwene them two nedes the seruaunt must come and lowe herself to her lady That is she must be compelled to obey to the soule and to all the profytes the longe to the soule for to be dylygent who so can make the flesshe to lowe he shall haue peas ynough in himself be able to make peas amonges other Though thou fele soÌ„tyme styriÌ„ges of thy flesshe to synne yf reason folowe not deme it not consent but onely a felynge whiche is called but a tourneyment betwene the soule and the body Trowest thou that therfore that thou hast lost peas Naye syster as longe as thou neuer consentest for to be ouercome There is no maner of thynge forboden the in all suche tourney meÌ„tes betwene the soule and the body but onely consent in the felynge of ony suche temptacyons Playne not and saye that thou hast loste peas bycause that thou doost fele great temptacions of thy flesshe For as long as thou coÌ„sentest not to suche temptacyons thy peas is not broken The seconde peas that I dyde make mencyon of is peas of herte and that is whan all the styringes and moueinges of the soule be made subiecte and obedyeÌ„t vnto the ouer parte of reason This peas is all inwarde and it cometh of affection of a ryght intent yf thyn affection be clene thyne intent be ryght for to profyte in vertue anone without ony delay our lorde wyll delyuer the from all vnquyetnesse of herte make thy conscyence a peasyble dwellyng place of ryght wysnesse This peas of conscyence whiche is called peas of herte is nothyng elles but a maner of ernest and a taste of that ioye peas whiche is euerlastyng in heuen And the we shall haue at the last yf we kepe very peas and rest Also they that haue rested them here from wicked workes there shall they rest from endlesse trybulacion Of these bothe peases that is of coÌ„scyence of ioye our blyssed lorde made his testament The fyrst peas whiche is called peas of hert he bequethed here to his dysciples whaÌ„ he sayd Io. xiiii Pacem relinquo vobis My peas I bequethe to you The second peas whiche is peas of endlesse blysse he bequethed to suche that kepe the fyrst peas whan he sayd Ioh. xiiii Pacem meaÌ„ do vobis My peas endlesly I gyue to you The fyrst is not now in this erthe to vertuous folke ful stable namely for troubles and vnquyetnesse which many vertuous folke fele somtyme among And no wonder for all such peas is but the relyef and almesse of heuenly peas which is gyuen to the poore in spyryte syttyng at the gates of Ierusalem abyding there some peas seÌ„t from our lordes table The almes that cometh fro a lordes table is not always able to be eaten For somtyme among in such almesse be founde bones bare from flesshe and other fragmentes which be not able for to be eaten So such peas that is graunted of our lorde to clene hertes here in erth is somtime ful barayne from rest quyetnesse as is a bone fro flesshe And yet all such maner vnquietnesse cometh from our lordes table of heuen for to proue a soule ☞ Lo syster blyssed be all such that be thus peasyble which bothe make peas betwene the soule body and also kepe peas in herte For they be made our lordes chambrelayns in as moche as they make redy for hym in theyr own hertes soules a resting place as Dauyd sayth Ps lxxv In pace factus est locus eius His place he sayeth is made in peas whan the
fle In this degre of pacyence yf thou be well lerned therin thou wylt not be troubled with aduersyte but suffre and be styll ¶ The thyrd degre of pacyence is to be ioyfull in try bulacyoÌ„s and glad whan thou felest them and desyre theÌ„ whan thou lackest them Ryght as a famous a worthy knyght wold be glad whan he might proue his knighthode with another knight as he is Such gladnesse had that worthy knight of god saynt Paul whaÌ„ he said thus .ii. Co. xii Placebo mihi in infirmitatibus in contumelijs in necessitatibus in angustijs in ê‘secutionibê° pro Christo It lyketh me well he sayth it is pleasauÌ„t to me for to be in sekenesse in reproues in necessitees in anguysshes in ê‘secucyoÌ„s for Chrystes loue ⧠I rede also that our lorde taught how that the chyldren of Israell sholde do sacryfyce whan he sayd thus Deut. xxxiii Immolabunt victimas iusticie quasi iundationem maris lac sugeÌ„t They shall souke the waues of the see as they wolde souke mylke he sayth and so they shal sacryfice to me the sacryfyce of rightwysnesse What is this for to mene syster Thou shalt vnderstande that the see is ryght bytter how may thaÌ„ a man souke out mylke of such bytternesse I shal tel the. Thou soukest well mylke out of the waues of the bytter see whan thou art glad as it were by the swete mylke of goostly conforte of euery aduersyte whiche encreaseth and haboundeth in the bytter see of this wretched worlde and than thou sacryfyest the sacryfyce of ryghtwysnesse to our lorde god For as sayth saynt Gregory ⧠It is more mede for to suffre paciently aduersytes than for to do all the good werkes that may be done without that For yf thou somtyme in desyre for to please god doost put to thyn owne body some maner of affiction torment wilfully in chasty syng of it or els tormentest thy self for goddes loue by compuÌ„ction mournyng why than art thou not as well willyng gladly for to suffre outward occasyons of pacience profered by other Good syster be as glad for to suffre the one as the other For it is more mede for the to suffre of another than of thy selfe Yf thou settestly tell by thy self why art thou not well apayd to be lytell set by of other For right as very mekenesse is as ioyfull to be set lytell by of another as he is of himself so very pacience suffreth as gladly aduersyte of other as he wolde of hiself ☞ Lo syster he that is moost pacyent in wronges moost shall be set by in the kyngdome of heuen O syster now is this vertue of pacyence a necessary vertue whiche causeth a man to loue them that hurt hym not to hurt them agayn And forgyueth them which do hym wronge not dooth wrong agayne And spareth theÌ„ that noyeth hym and not noyeth agayne Therfore pacience is called by doctours the roote and the keper of all vertues For our lorde sayth Luc. xxi In pacientia vestra possidebitis animas vestras In your pacyence he sayeth ye shall kepe in true possessyoÌ„ your soules that is in rest and peas The fruyt of such pacyence hath .iiii. fayre vertues One is that a pacyent soule is stronger than that myghtyest man that lyueth in erth For a pacyent soule suffreth all euylles wronges more myghtyly than the strongest man in all the myghtyest dedes the euer he dyde though he had wonÌ„e bothe townes and castels as Salomon sayth Prouerb xvi Melior est vir paciens viro forti qui dominatur animo suo expugnatore vrbium More stronger and better in the syght of god is a pacyent soule in suffrynge of wroÌ„ges than the myghtyest man in erthe For he that ouercometh wynÌ„eth his owne wyll is more commendable than he that wynÌ„eth castelles and townes we fynde many such great conquerours of townes but fewe conquerours of theyr wylles He that ouercometh hymselfe is stronger than ony other Suche wynÌ„eth not a towne or a cyte in ouercomyng hymself but the kyngdome of heuen Math .xi. Regnum celoruÌ„ vim patitur et violenti rapiunt illud The kyngdome of heuen must be wonÌ„e with suche a vyolent strength For all vyolent ouercomers of theÌ„self bereue it It is more maystry to ouercome al a regyoÌ„ than for to ouercome thyn own wylfull soule The second vertue of this fruyt of pacieÌ„ce is that it maketh a man ryght wyse as SalomoÌ„ sayth ê“uerb xiiii Qui pacieÌ„s est multa gubernatÌ„ sapieÌ„tia He that is pacient is gouerned with moche wysdome he sayth In thre maner of wyse a wyse man is pacyent One is that suche one purchaceth hym full wysely by his pacyeÌ„ce as it were in maner without great labour many great iewels of golde and syluer and of precyous stones to make hym therwith an endlesse crowne in the blysse of heuen The contrary dooth he that is vnpacyent as saynt Bernarde sayth ⧠For he with his cruelte depryueth his crowne from all suche precyous it wels Another is that he is wyse in kepynge For though somwhat he leseth by fraylte yet he waxeth wyse afterwarde that he wyll kepe the remeynant well and wysely so that he wil not lese all The contrary dooth he that is iÌ„pacyent yf he lose his lande he wyll for angre soo stryue therfore that he wyll lese also the kyngdome of god ☞ Lo for a lytell erthly thyng he casteth away from hym for angre all his goostly goodes The thyrd is that he amendeth such thynges as he wynÌ„eth as is whan he torneth to good al the euyll that he suffreth as saynt Paule sayth Ro. viii Diligentibus deum omnia cooperautur in bonum To them that loue god all thynges tourne to good Soo it fareth not with them that be impacyent For yf they haue wrong with theyr aÌ„gre they put more to and so make it wors ¶ The thyrd vertue of this fruyte of pacyence is that it kepeth a man froÌ„ goostly venym as our lorde sayth Math. vlt. Simorâ—ferrum â—d biberint noÌ„ eis nocebit Though a pacient soule drynke venym of dyspytful and veny mous wordes it shall do hym no harme but it is holsome to hym the maketh the vertue of pacieÌ„ce Saynt Gregory sayth in his dialogues that the vertue of pacyence is more worth than for to do bodyly myracles ¶ The fourth vertue of the fruyt of pacience is that it crowneth endlefly a soule in heuen ⧠Saynt Iherom sayth what saynt in heuen is crowned without pacyence †And holy chyrche from the begynnyng vnto this tyme wanted neuer ê‘secucion no. suffreâ—s of ê‘secucyoÌ„s And therfore all pacyent soules of ê‘secucyoÌ„s haue for to shewe for them our lordes patent lettres that the kyngdâ—me of heuen is theyrs whiche patent lettres begyn in this wyse Math .v. Beati qui ê‘secutionem paciuntur propter iusticiam qmÌ„ ipsorum est regnum celorum Blyssed be all them he sayth that suffre ê‘secucyon for
rightwysnesse for the kyngdome of heuen is theyrs of ryght ☞ Lo syster what vertue may be founde in this necessary fruyt of pacience that thus coÌ„mendeth vs to god and kepeth vs froÌ„ al euyls For it teÌ„ê‘eth yre it refeeyneth the congue it gouerneth the soule it kepeth peas it breketh hasty lykyng and swageth the vyolence therof it quencheth stryle and debate it maketh vs meke in ê‘rosperite stronge in aduersyte mylde agaynst iniuryes wronges it ouercometh teÌ„ptacyous it suffreth ê‘secucyons it wardeth myghtyly the grounde of our fayth it encreaseth worthyly our hope it gouerneth wysely all our dedes it dyrecteth vs sadly in Chrystes way and confyrmeth vs surely that we may be gods chyldreÌ„ This vertue syster sholde be beloued with great ioye be cleped enbraced with all our myghtes So to eate of this fruyte w thy systers vnto thy lyues ende our lorde Iesu graunt it that ye all may in blysse receyue the crowne of pacyence which is endlesse AMEN ⧠¶ The fyfth fruyte of the tree of goostly lyuyng is suffraunce Ca. v. THe fyft fruyte of the holy goost in all goostly lyuers is called suffrauÌ„ce or long abydyng This is a good fruyt a hard But it is ê“fitable whiche lyeth in suffrauÌ„ce abydyng of our lord as Dauid sayth ps xxvi Expecta dnÌ„m viriliter age If the aske our lorde ouy thynge in thy prayer the is longyng to thy helth abyde our lorde in myghty suffrauÌ„ce than shal thy hert be coÌ„forted Thre causes there be why we wold abyde suffre our lorde tyll he wyll graunt vs that we aske One is for a grete rewarde is prepared to suche long abydyng And there is nothiÌ„g better to be abyden taryed for than our lorde with his medes and rewardes Another is for he deceyueth neuer a suffring abyder froÌ„ his desyre as Dauyd sayth Ps xxiiii Vniuersi qui te expectant noÌ„ confuÌ„dentÌ„ All they which abyde mekely the lorde he sayth thou shamest neuer nor deceyuest Thynke it not sayth saynt Augustin the our lorde deceyueth the and iapeth with the though thou haue not anone that thou woldest haue of hym For though he defer it he wyll not vtterly put it away froÌ„ the. Though thou be not herde anone of the court of heuen sayth saynt Gregory thynke not that they haue forgoten the. The thyrd is that he deferreth suche thynges whiche we desyre of hym for our profyte For the lenger that we desyre suche thinges the more we be tormented in meke mournyng And the more that we be tormented in meke mournynge the more we be purged and clensed And than we be able for to receyue suche thynges as we desyre of our lorde ⧠Thus sayth saynt Gregory Our lorde in deferryng of desyres of chosen soules he tourmenteth theÌ„ in the tourment he purgeth theÌ„ ¶ The secoÌ„d cause why we shold abyde suffre our lord is the our desyre shold icrease For the more that our lord deferreth that we aske And though it seme that our askynge is not taken hede to the more deper in the roote of our foule be our desyres fastned though we can not fele it For ryght as the sede of corne is hyd longe vnder erth by harde frost and come late vp and at the last encreas in manyfolde cornes so holy desyres with delaye groweth and encreaseth And yf they sayle by suche delay from increas trust ryght well that they were neuer holy desyres Saynt Austyn sayth Though our lorde gyue soÌ„tyme late that thou desyrest yet his gyftes be neuerthelesse commendable But therfore he dooth it that it shold swetely be kept whiche is long desyred That that is soone gyuen and graunted is set lytell by Our lorde therfore kepeth it safe to the the which he wyll not anone graunt the. that thou mayst lerne therby to desyre great thynges worthyly The thyrd cause is why we shold abyde and suffre our lorde although he graunt vs not that we aske hym is that we sholde kepe wisely that he hath gyuen vs. And saynt Gregory sayth ⧠A thing that is fouÌ„de and hath belong desyred is kept more warely Therfore they that somtyme be choseÌ„ soules seme that theyr desyres be not herd of god there ryseth moche wynnyng of vertue in such pacyent abydynge †O now is this a merueylous dyspensacyon of pyte that where they wene theyr purpose of desire is adnulled there they aryse more rather in vertu than they were And yet that same thyng whiche they haue desyred with long abydyng though they haue it not anone as they wolde by suche longe delay they shall haue it more larger thaÌ„ they coude desyre it And so that whiche myght by importune desyre be lytel our lorde by his mercyfull disposition ordeâ—neth that it is made right plenteous Of this I fynde that Salomon speketh in the name of our lordes spouse thus Cant. iii. Quesiui quem diligit anima mea quesiui et non inueni I haue sought she sayth hym the my soule loueth I sought hym and haue not founde hym Our lorde hydeth hym in maner whan he is sought that he sholde feruently be sought before that he be founde And a chosen soule whiche is his spouse is delayed in her sekynge of her desyre that by suche taryenge she may be made the more able to receyue manyfold that she hath sought Therfore syster our holy desyres by delayes in suche meke suffryng and longe abydyng be made more larger to vs than we coude desyre and so they be increased to our profyte It is a swete conflyct and a merytoryous batayle so for to mekely abyde our holy desyres of our lorde for the which meke conflyet we shal hope for to haue a great rewarde of mede by whiche labour and conflict increaseth a crown of victori Be not loth therfore for to loÌ„ge abyde our lord in thy prayers or in thy syknes For though our lorde heare the not anon yet in suche repulsyon he draweth the to hym full loauÌ„gly albeit thou canst not espy it He fareth as a wise leche A leche though a sicke man which is infected with a sore and contagious dysease cry vpon hym neuer so moch for to cease of hys cuttyng he wyll cease neuer the more vnto the tyme he be hole So fareth our lorde with vs whan we pray hym of any thyng that we wolde haue our self he denyeth vs why for paradueÌ„ture he aspyeth in vs som defaut that is reprouable the whiche we can not espy our self and that he cutteth a way for vnto the tyme that it he cut away with the yren of som tribulation be wyll not graunt vs that we aske so that he wyll haue vs all hole woue suche greuous sekenesse before that he grauÌ„t that we desyre Other causes ther be why we be not herd anon of our lord in our prayers One is for our systes whiche be not yet fully forsaken in wyll as I haue rehersed Another is for because we pray not and aske not in
trust not to thyne owne merytes for soo shalt thou lose grace An holy desyre helpeth moche vnto a soule to good dedes where that euer a soule is besy in good werkes glad in feruour of good lyuyng in such one is very fayth of true lyuig This fruyt of true faythfull lyuyng hath .iiii. vertues ¶ Syster one is that it maketh a soule truly to be commended as Salomon sayth Prouerb .xxviii. Uit fidelis multum laudabitur ⧠A true lyuyng soule he sayth shall moche be coÌ„mended This coÌ„mendacyon is not onely of a man but also of god and of all his sayntes For it is great lykyng to sayntes for to knowe good lyuers in erthe The second is that it maketh a soule hyghly to be enhauÌ„ced and promoted to goostly dygnyte And therfore it was that our lord sayth Math. xxiiii Quis putas est fidelis seruus et prudens quem constituit do minus super familiam suam ⧠whiche trowest thou is he whome our lord shold enhaunce and promote aboue all his meyny As who sayth none but suche one that is bothe true and wyse True in good lyuyng and wyse in gouernaunce Lo though it so be that two thynges be rehersed in this auctoryte yet faythfulnesse of true lyuyng is put afore The thyrd is that it maketh a soule vertuously to be loued as wel of god as man as Salomon sayth Ecclesi xxxiii Si est tibi seruus fidelis fit tibi quasi amicus quasi fratrem sic tracta eum ⧠yf thou fynd a true seruaunt cherisshe him as thou woldest thy frende and as thy brother treate hym Lo syster by this thou mayst know that in the syght of god a true lyuer is cherysshed as a frende in the syght of man as a brother The fourth vertue is that it maketh a soule to receyue the crowne of endelesse mede as our lorde sayth to euery true lyuer thus Math. xxv Super pauca fuifti fidelis supra multate coÌ„stituam Vpon few thynges he sayth thou hast be founde true in this lyfe and therfore I shall ordayne for the a crowne of endlesse mede and rewarde so to be set aboue many thynges O now is this fruyt of good true faythfull lyuyng a fayre fruyt ⧠Good sister eate specially of this fruit for with out this fruit is there no fruit saueri It is so sauerly a fruit that it smelleth and sauoreth in to the blysse of heuen where all true faythful soules through eatyng of that fruyt whyles they lyued in this life benow her boured wout ende Amonge whome I hope to se the Amen ⧠¶ The X. Fruit of the tree of goostly lyuers is maner of good lyuyng Capitulo Decimo ¶ Of good Lyuyng THe .x. fruyt of the holy goost in euery goostly lyuer is called maner of good lyuyng which is also a ful precious fruyt This maner of good lyuynge standeth in a reasonable conuersacy on as whan thou gouernest manerly after reason all thy wordes and all thy dedes so that all thy lyuyng may sauoure swetly to all folke as saynt Paul sayth Phi. iiii Modestia vestra nota sit omÌ„ibus hominibus Solyue he sayth that your vertuous coÌ„uersacion may be knowen to all men who so foloweth the hastines and beastlynes of his owne wyll and is not gouerned by modestnes or softnes or manerly conuersacion is lykened rather to a beastly man than to a reasonable man O this maner of lyuynge our lord Iesus gaue vs example for he himself disposed all thynges in measure and in easy maner that we shold manerly and easly without hastynes be gouerned This is syster one of the vertues wherin all chosen soules be arayed as the apostell sayth Col. iii. Induite vos sicut electi dei sancti et dilecti viscera mie benignitateÌ„ humilitatem et modestiam ⧠Araye you he sayth as gods chosen and wel beloued chyldren with mercy benygnite mekenesse and manerly softnesse of good conuersacyon It is also one of those ornamentes wherin bysshops ben arayed as the same apostle sayth Tit. i. Oportet episcopum esse irreprehensibilem non ê‘cusoreÌ„ sed modestum ⧠A bysshop he sayth must be in all his lyuyng vnreprouable no smyter but modest and soft in all good conuersacion ☞ Lo syster all thy good lyuyÌ„g auayleth not but it be gouerned manerly that is in hert in mouth werke Manerly modestnesse is in two thiges / that is in refreynyng of superfluyte of thoughtes and superfluyte of desyres Beware that thyne hert be not occupyed about vnprofytable thoughtes that desyre is nothyng but suche thyng as is very nedefull Holde the content with meat and drynke and clothes rather in a scarse wyse than in a large wyse Manerly easynesse of mouthe restreyneth superfluyte of wordes whiche maketh vs for to speke easyly softly demurely without hastynesse in refreynyng of our vnreasonable Wylles Manerly softnesse of werke restreyneth the excesse of our dedes that we be not to importune and besy in all our werkes But softly and easyly we shall wynÌ„e vertue without struglyng or stryuynge with god For all suche hasty gatherers of vertue fall oft in sinÌ„e and so be made poore and nedy lose al theyr good dedes which they haue gadred afore Though it so be that a modest laborer and a manerly gaderer of vertue do not so many good dedes as do hasty gaderers yet al soft and easy gaderers kepe better that they haue wonÌ„e and haue moch more goostly rest in theyr gadering than haue such hasty befyers in good werkes as wyse Saloman sayeth Ecelesiastic xxxi Sompnus suauitatis in homine parco ⧠A slepe of swetenesse is in a scarse man By this slepe is vnderstand easynesse of vertu that is rest quyetnesse of soule is more pleÌ„teously in an easy man manerly gaderyng vertue than in a hasty gaderer Vertue that is softly or sobrely gadered proueth and that that is hastyly gadered sodeynly standeth in great peryll for to be loste Therfore syster desyre neuer to be hastyly sodeynly vertuous that thy lyfe may shyne coÌ„tynually by good exsample and abyde ê‘petually without ceasyng why is that trowest thou that some which were somtyme parfyte be now vnparfyte Truly for theyr parfection caught no rote of abydyng bycause of hasty settyng whiche oftentymes with euery wynd be ouerthrowen and cast doune Do not thou so but wynÌ„e vertue softly and sobrely and that shal euer abyde what wynde soeuer come ☞ yf thou wylt veryly wynÌ„e sure abydyng vertue Fyrst labour in all that thou mayst to haue a good and a true conscyence and than shall all thy conuersacyon smell swete in good fame to all folke Thy good conscyence is necessary for thy selfe thy good fame for other It is not ynough for the to lyue well but yf thy lyuyng be good exsample to other Therfore it is that whaÌ„ a chylde is chrystned it is anoynted with holy creme whiche is made with oyle bawme By the oyle which is shynyng is
vnderstond a clere shynyng coÌ„scyence to god and by the bawme that hath a swete smell is vnderstonde a good fame a good exsample of true lyuyng Be dyligent therfore to wynÌ„e a good conscience and soone wyl folow after a good name Be not neclygent for to haue a good name Saynt Augustyn calleth him cruell and not mercy full that is neclygent of his good name Of this our lord sayth thus Math. v. Sie luceat lux vestra coram hominibus vt videant vestra hona opera c. ⧠Soo he sayth Lete your lyuynge shyne aforemen that they may se your good workes and thanke hym for them Cure or set moche to haue a good name that it may euer shyne in vertu For better is a good name than moche rychesse sayeth Salomon ☞ Thus syster kepe manerly in vertue thy coÌ„scyence and thy name and specially in al thy lyuyng measure thy wordes in spekyng for els thou mayst lyghtly rather wound or slee than heale Lyue manerly gentylly in thy lyuyÌ„g thou shalt fele great rest and swetenesse therin And than by thy lyuiÌ„g they that be dead in bad lyuynge shall be reuyued and quykned to good lyuyng And they that be quykned in good lyuyng shal be strengthed and made more myghty therby what soeuer thou shalt do do it gentylly and swetely that thy dedes be warely or deyned and thy tongue be mylde easy in speakyng And yf it so be that thou be put in charge of gouernaunce namely of temporall and erthly thynges by very necessyte of obedience kepe them manerly and warely that they perysshe not And yf it so be that some take them away thou mayst not therfore by hastynesse lose thy pacyence but easyly suffre it And to some that take them awaye ye must charytably forbyd them so that in all thynges good gentyll curteys maner be kept Also in thy goyng beware that thou renÌ„e not for manerly goyng and easy becometh a relygious ê‘sone except it be eyther for great nede or that ony great peryl cause the to goo fast or to renÌ„e And though it so be that maner or measure of lyuyng be soo gentyll and lowly in it self that it vsurpeth nothyng yet it is ful ryche ayenst god For in measurable lowlynesse is great tranquylyte of soule myldnesse of spyryte grace of moderacyoÌ„ care of honeste and consyderacyon of clerenesse Thou must be also manerly in thy goynge in thy standyng in thyne habyte and in all thy maner of lyuynge so that nothyng be found in the which shold offend the sight of other but rather edify other to holynesse ☞ what is maner in good lyuiÌ„g but measure that nothyng be had to moch nor to lytell but in scarse meane This is one of the pryncypall thinges that longeth to good lyuyng for to shewe thy profession bothe in habyte and in goyng so that in thy goyng thou shewe symplenesse and sadnesse in thy mouyng purite gladnesse and in thy dedes honeste clennesse Thy lyfe is neuer vnparfyte syster yf it be honest therfore be neuer constreyned to wynÌ„e vertue but with a good wyll wynÌ„e it and kepe it honestly wylt thou be easy and moderate in lyuyng than thynke oft vpon that rest which is now had of blyssed soules in heuen that somtyme wanÌ„e it here with moderat lyuyng AmoÌ„g all other bytternesse of this wretched lyfe ymagyne in thy soule how those blyssed soules ben in the sight of god sad sobre in louyng chere and than shalt thou soone fele how swete this fruit of easy moderate lyuyng is And than also shalt thou fele more gladnesse of a good conscyence whaÌ„ ony heuynesses come than of a bad conscyence among erthly delytes Which shall be to the thaÌ„ as a paradise full of temperaunce myldnesse ryghtousnesse O how mery it is to haue a teÌ„ê‘ate and a moderate conscience with a symple hert full of quyetnesse and innocency There is nothyng fo blyssed in erth as is a symple herte For there that an hert sheweth symple innocency to other in spekyng in goyng in workyng that hert is neuer aferd to suffre pacyently what soeuer is done to it The more it is scorned of other the more worthy it is to god â–ª the whiche symple innocency kepeth a soule from worldly wyckednesse A moderate and an innocent lyfe is not for to be greued with theÌ„ that noyeth the. And though thou be noted and marked of all folke suppose rather that they speke good than euyl If thou wylt haue this grace syster of symple innocency in all thy lyuing moderatly kepe the from hatred malyce and enuy which be the sedes of all wyckednesse / of whome groweth all wretchednesse of synÌ„e Kepe not onely innoceÌ„cy in thy speche and in thy dedes but also pryncypally in thy hert who so hath such easynesse and manerly lyuing in innocency he shal be preserued from ony great offence For though he be tempted by that he wynneth great profyte yf he be lytel set by of other in that he is in the sight of god exalted the more Yf he fyght agaynst vyces he shall haue the maystry Yf he ouercome vyces he shall be crowned There is nothynge soo worthy to god in a new begynnyng soule as is suche softnesse of lyuyng Be a man neuer so deuout but yf he haue that his lyfe pleaseth neyther god nor man O now is this a well smellyng fruyt / for it sauoureth bothe to god and to man ¶ This fruyte of easynesse or maner of good lyuing hath .iiii. vertues One is it kepeth good lyuyng bothe bodyly and goostly For moderacyon or easynesse is a meane which setteth in measure and in rule al vertues that they breke not asondre but hold togyder He may neuer come to sadnesse of vertu that lacketh this meane of moderacion The second is that it maketh a soule iocund and mery in good lyuing Measure and easy moderacion causeth great gladnesse to a set soule lyke as vndyscretnesse in gaderiÌ„g of vertues causeth the soule to be vnglad for the losse that it fyndeth in vertue therby The .iii. is that such a soule so lyuing in easy moderacion is in maner lykened to the worthy prouydeÌ„ce of god which ordeyneth all his ordynauÌ„ces in nombre weyght and measure So yf thou discretly with easynesse gouern thy soule in all vertues in that it semeth ourlorde hath inpressed his prynt of prouydence in thy herte The iiii is it maketh a soule seme the it hath ynough and is content holdyng her well pleased mekely with that lytell vertue that god hath gyuen to her tyll it please hym to gyue more myldely abydynge our lordes grace ☞ Losyster how worthy a vertue thou hast yf thou haue this vertue of easynesse maner of good lyuyng Eate oft I pray the of this fruyte that thou may come at the last thyder where as all easynesse is without trouble or trauayle in gaderyng of vertues AMEN ¶ The .xi. fruyt of the tree of goostly
al sobre folk be more reteÌ„tyue in wyt than other There be .iii. degrâ—es of abstineÌ„ce or sobrenes The first degre of sobrenes is to absteyn fro to moch meat and drynke kepyng of due tymes houres in eatyng and drinking not for to breke the fastyng day ordeyned of holy chyrche nor for to lyue in delectacioÌ„ of meat and drinke in vnlawfull tyme. And not for to set his intent for to eate drink such thinges as be lykerous / rather styryÌ„g to vncleÌ„nesse thaÌ„ to cleÌ„nes A beest that only can none other thiÌ„g but for to serue the body kepeth his time in eatyng drynking / also the maner of eating according to his kynde Than moch more sholde a reasonable creature do whiche is indued with reason els it were better that he lacked reason as a beest than for to be ruled without reason for if he lacke reason as naturall fooles do he shold not synÌ„e ¶ The second degre of sobrenesse is to absteyn from certayn lawful thinges / as is froÌ„ flesshe / from wyne / from mylke / from fysshe / for to be wel contented with sharpe vitayles that is with homly bread / with thynÌ„e ale / with comyn potage / oft for to fast / and for to abstryne from suche meates drinkes the ben moost lykerous as religious folke / deuout folke / repentaunt folke do But religious must do theyr speciall abstyneÌ„ce yf they do other than the couent doth byleue or els it standeth hym to no mede The thyrd degre of sobernes is for to tame glotony and so to teche the pallate that a man may hold hym content with right scarce lyuelod suche as is only sufficient to necessite of kynd and not to the lust that is both in qualite in quantite of meat and drynke so the more symple the lyuelode is the better it shold beloued And yf somtimes we must nedes eate delicate meates thaÌ„ not for to receyue them delycatly but onely for to receyue them nedefully and sobrely wtout excesse ☞ Lo syster thus to loue abstynence sobrenesse is for to lyue contynent Therfore yf thou wylt come to the very vertu of contynency in sebre lyuyng thou must be coÌ„tent though thou lackest of suche meat drynk soÌ„tyme as thou woldest haue And be not sory though thou lackest them as some be which somtyme whan they want the meat that they desyre they be sory grudge put away shame nothyng thynking of theyr professyon consydering how that ryche folke want somtyme that they wold haue moch more than poore folke shold hold them content the ryche folke want Thou must also be glad to lacke in wyll for to want for gods sake and for the loue of sobrenesse for good exsaÌ„ple of other ⧠O syster se what vertue is in such contynent lyuing It purgeth the soule / it reyseth the wit it maketh the flesshe subiect to the spyrite / it maketh the hert lowe contryte Scarfite is the mother of holynesse By abstynence by fasting the batayles of the flesshe agaynst the soule and the batayle of the soule agaynst the flesshe do cease Which abstynence letteth the seruannt the body for to aryse agaynst the lady the soule so all such coÌ„flycts batayles by fastiÌ„ges abstyneÌ„ce do cease Scarsyte of meat abstineÌ„ce of dryÌ„k make vices to be vnknoweÌ„ for lyke as the spettel of a fastyng body sleyth an erthly serpent So moch more the fastyng of a deuout soule sleyth the serpent of vicious lyuing AbstineÌ„ce both quickeneth sleeth it sleyth the vicious leuyng and quickeneth the soule to god Abstinence with good workes is moch acceptable to god They that abstayn fast from meates and do euyl they folow the coÌ„dicion of fendes whiche neuer eate but they be neuer wtout wickednes If thou wylt be very coÌ„tinent in sobrenes and abstinent leuyng let not only thi throte fast from meat but the eye from vanite thy eares from mysheryng thy tongue froÌ„ mysspekyng thy hand from mystouchyng thy soule from proper wyll so shalt thou be a coÌ„tinent soule Of this fruyt of continence I fynd .iiii. vertues One is that it prolongeth the lyfe both bodily and goostly as Salomon sayth Eccl .xxxvii. Qui abstinens est prolongat vitam He that is abstinent lengthyth his lyfe for if the body be kept froÌ„ corrupcion of gloteny excesse the soule is fre from synÌ„e so both to lyue at the last endlessy in blysse for suche abstinence The seconde vertu is that it maketh the bodely wantonnes to be repressed for a leane body by abstineÌ„ce is coÌ„strayned for to obey to the soule leaue wantonnes As saynt Paul sayth .i. Corinth .ix. Castigo corpus meuÌ„ et in seruituteÌ„ redigo I chastyse my body he sayth and bryng it vnder in to seruitude bondage vnto the soule that by suche chastysyng by abstynence it may the better serue the soule obey therto The .iii. vertu is that it gladdeth bothe god his auÌ„gels That this is sothe I fynd by a figure of Abraham which made a grete feest in wynnynge of his chylde What meneth this wynnyng NothiÌ„g els but a departyng from the swete mylke of delycates For our lord hath great ioye of all such that forsaken all worldly and bodely delytes as a man wold be of a great feast yf we vse therfore scarsly meates drynkes we shall be kept both clene in our self also haue fruicioÌ„ felawshyp of holy sayÌ„tes in heuen The .iiii. vertu is the it kepeth a soul from the wicked enemy of lust which lust is bitterer than deth As Salomon sayth Eccl .vii. Inueni amariereÌ„ morti muliereÌ„ Lo he sayth I haue fouÌ„de a more bitterer enemy than is dethe And what is that Truly lust For lust sleeth not onely the body but also the soule ¶ Thus syster leaue lustes in meat / drynke / slepe and lerne to lyue coÌ„tynently in abstyneÌ„ce For though abstynence be but a homely fruyte Yet it is a holsom fruyt and a sauery in asmoch as it dysposeth bothe body and soule to al other vertue Of this vertuous fruyt our lorde bothe fede and fyll the. AMEN ¶ The .xii. fruyt of the tree of goostly lyuers is Chastyte Ca. xii ¶ Of Chastyte THe .xii. fruyt of the holy goost in euery goostly lyuer is called Chastyte whiche is a ryght precyous fruyt for as moche as it longeth onely for holy spouses of our heueÌ„ly kyÌ„g Chastyte is the doughter of sobrenesse For she is no rysshed of her lyke as vnclennesse by glotony Syster it is a great dyfference betwene vyrgynyte chastyte as it is betwene whytnesse of kynde and whytnesse made by craft The lylly is whyte by kynde clothe is made whyte by craft By the lylly is vnderstand vyrginite and by the white cloth is vnderstand chastyle Vyrgynyte is called puryte of soule body afore fallyng and chastyte is called purete of body
so mercyably wold represse ouerthrowe vnclene temptacyons of vyces gyue fynally peas and rest to all such that haue good wyl for his loue to lyue in cleÌ„nesse Of such peas our lorde sayth thus Leuit. xxv Dabo pacem finibê° vestris dormietis et noÌ„ erit qui exterreat auferam malas bestias ⧠I shall gyue you peas in your flesshe ye shall slepe and there shal no fend make you aferd by illusions I shal also with drawe froyou wycked beastes of flesshly ly kynges Lo what our lorde dooth to all suche that haue a good wyll to lyue in cleÌ„nesse Haue a good wyll syster and thou shalt haue rest fro all vncleÌ„nesse inwardly set thyne hert on hym For who so wyll inwardly behold our lord haue all his delyte in hym he must lyft hymself aboue hymself as the prophete sayth Trenoâ— iii. BonuÌ„ est prestolare cuÌ„ sileÌ„cio salutare dnÌ„isede bit solitarius et tacebit quia leuabit se supra se ⧠It is ryght good and well done to abyde in swete stylnesse the helth of our lord in al our lyuyng so to syt solytaryly aloue wtin himself set asyde from all outward lettynges for the soule wyll lyft herself by grace aboue herselfe In suche solytarynesse stylnesse a clene soule fyndeth great rest fro concupisceÌ„ces fro troubles fro worldly occupacyons These .iii. thinges do let a chast soule fro inwardly beholding of god I mene of such worldly occupacions that be all worldly wtout ony intent of goostlynesse Outward occupacion in relygioÌ„ is not worldly occupacyons for it is done for a goostly ende for a heuenly rewarde bycause of obedyence But that call I worldly occupacions which is done only for wynnyng of worship of temporal good of fauour He that desyreth nothyng of all these neyther for hymself nor for his worldly kyn frendes than hath he nothyng wherby he shold be troubled let from inwardly beholding of god for he dredeth nothyng to lese of suche thynges neyther of worldly worship nor of ê“fyte nor of teÌ„porall goodes Also yf such one shake fro hym his curyous beholdyng of other folkes dedes yf he be no demer nor occupy his thoughtes in thinking about such thynges he may right frely be occupyed about inward thynges For he that wyll be occupyed with hygh heuenly thynges He must be fre from all lower worldly thynges A byrde yf his wynges belymed or bound or broben or plucked or cut he may neuer fle hygh Ryght so yf the winges of the soule that is goostly loue affectâ—on be lymed with worldly affeccioÌ„ or bounde by worldly gyftes or plucked with worldly delytes or cut by wtdrawyng of goostly loue it shall neuer well fle goostly †Many thynges there be which shold moeue styre vs to chastyte One is fredome to entend about the soules helth about the pleasauÌ„ce of the loue of god For besynesse about worldly thynges fleshly desyres is so inordinate peryllous that it letteth the spyrituall fruyt of chastyte Fleshly loue is to a chaste soule as byrde lyme the letteth it to fle chastly Who so wyll not be shakled tyed with suche byrd lyme of fleshly loues lete them lyue in fredome of chastyte clennesse bothe of body and soule Another thyng that ought to styre vs to chastyte is the excellency worthinesse therof by the which it excedeth ouerpasseth in fruyt and rewarde all other maner of chastyte bothe of wedlocke widowhed For where as our lorde assygneth vnto the bodyly spousayle but .xxx. folde fruyte he rewardeth the chastyte of wydo whode with .lx. folde fruyt the chastyte of maydenhode with a. C. folde fruyt as it is aforesayd Therfore saynt Paul exhorteth and couÌ„celeth bothe maydens wydowes and all vnwedded ê‘sones to chastyte as to thestate of more ê‘feccyon and sayth .i. Cor .vii. Dico autem non nuptis et viduis bonum est illis si sic ê‘maneaÌ„t ⧠I say he sayth to theÌ„ that be vnwedded and wydowes It is good for them to lyue in clene chastyte yf such rewardes be ordeyned for all .iii. degrees of chastyte I trowe a relygious woman which hath made her vowe to lyue in chastite shall haue thre rewardes One is for her vyrginite and maydenhode Another for her goostly spousage to god And the. iii for her meke abyding here in maner of a mournyÌ„g wydowe in as moche as she lyueth here vnder a mournyng habyte So than such shall receyue of god .xxx. folde fruyt lx folde fruyte and a. C. folde fruyt O how precyous gloryous is the fruyt of chastite whan it is the spyrytual aray of all chosen spouses of the kynge of heuen O how ryall is this aray semely vpon a chaste soule whan it causeth almyghty god to chuse suche a soule vnto his dere beloued spouse Chastyte it is that arayeth the soule with merueylous sayrnesse with inwarde clennesse with plenteous fruyt It arayeth the soule with glorious brightnesse with the rewarde of iÌ„mortalyte and with lastyng worshyp bothe in heuen and in erth as that holy goost wytnesseth in holy wryte where he sayth Sap .iiii. O quaÌ„ pulcra est casta generatio cuÌ„ claritate imortalis est enim memoria illius qmÌ„ et apud deuÌ„ nota est et apud hoiÌ„es ⧠O he sayth how fayre is chast generacion with bryghtnesse the mynde of whose remembrauÌ„ce is iÌ„mortal For it is knowen bothe ayenst god and ayeÌ„st man ye and not onely knowen before god man but it maketh also of men women aungelles as saynt Bernard sayth Quid inquit castitate decentius que de hoiÌ„e angelum facit ⧠what is more semely he sayth than chastite that maketh of chaste men and womeÌ„ aungels For though the chastyte of aungels be in more blysse yet the chastyte of man or woman that standeth in batayle is more stronge Chastite he saith is alonly that thyng that in the tyme place of this mortalyte repÌ„senteth a maner of iÌ„mortall glory and blysse Therfore it was that our mercyful chast louer and lord Iesu although he wolde haue his holy mother spoused to Ioseph to shewe the spousage were good yet he wold in her spousayl that she shold kepe the chastyte of vyrgynite to shew that it was moche better more glorious than bodely spousayle Therfore also it was that our heuenly spouse Iesu kyng of blysse called a way his owne chosen derlyng holy apostel saint IohnÌ„ the euangelyst from his bodely spouses and because he lefte his bodely spousayl for our lorde therfore he made hym more famylyer homly with hym before all other apostels And because he forsoke the carnall loue of wedlocke therfore our lorde fulfylled hym with the swetnes of his goostly loue more plenteous than other In soo moche that at his last souper he made knowen to hym that that was hyd fro all other And there slepyng on our lordes brest dyde
se the preuytees of his godhede which afterward he wrote mere hyghly than euer dyde ony other To him bycause of chastyte our lorde in his passyon commended the kepyng of the moost holy chaste gloryous vyrgyn his owne gloryous mother For loue of chastite also it was that this same a postell loued specially the holy kyng saynt Edward for to whome he appered receyued his ryng in almes sent it agayn warnyng hyÌ„ before the time that he shold depart out of this lyfe receyue in heuen the great rewarde of chastyte which is full plenteous synguler as our lorde promyseth by his prophet I saye sayth Esa lvi Dabo ennuchis meis in domo mea locuÌ„ et nomen melius a filijs et filiabê° â§ I shall gyue sayth our lorde to my chaste seruauntes a place and a name in my hous of heuen better and more worthy before other of theyr sones or doughters O therfore now thou mayst se by this how worthy and excellent a vertue is chastyte and how acceptable and pleasyng it is to our lorde Iesu thy heuenly spouse Kepe it therfore and halse it to the as that thyng that may make the full louely pleasyng vnto the hye kyng â–ª and thyn endlesse spouse Iesu whither saynt Agate knew not this whan for the loue faith of chastite she went vnto deth as she wold go to a great feast whyther also saynt Margarete faynt Katheryn knew not this whiche for the loue of clene chastite chose rather to be martyred than for to lese it whither also saynt Lucy knew not this that for the loue of chastyte the holy goost made her so heuy that she myght not be drawen with many folde tyemes of oxen to the brothell or strumpet hous whyther also saynt Agnes that was so tendre of arge which was led vnto the brothell hous where an aungell of god kept her by ordinaunce of god was more clad with her heare than by ony clothes I trowe yes Loke syster and thou shalt fynde that all these holy vyrgyns rather wold be dead than to lose theyr chastyte The thyrd thynge that may styre vs to the vertue of chastyte is the inwarde callyng of our lorde the coÌ„fortable inspyracion of graces whiche our lorde sheweth to all meke chast soules for all suche desyreth vii thynges of god One is the syght the loue of hym and set ryght nought by outward beaute of any creature as for any lykyng in synÌ„e An other is that all suche desyre to haue right noughte but only wherof to lyue that to theyr only nede wtout ony superfluyte The .iii. is all suche fle eschewe vayne ydle wordes The .iiii. is they care not for to se theyr worldly frendes neyther faders nor mothers for our lorde they loue and desyre The .v. is al such coueyt to kepe mekenesse wtinforth in theyr conscyence and withoutforth in theyr habyte The .vi. is that all such be in wyl neuer to doo vnclennesse but rather for to dye The .vii. is that all such bryng forth to our lordes seruyce mo chyldren by theyr good conuersacyon good exsample by spekyng of spyritual and goostly wordes than they shold haue done yf they had ben wedded ☞ Lo syster what graces our lorde gyueth to all meke maydens Thus than chast vyrginite is peas of the flesshe scyleÌ„ce of charges pryson of lustes stoppyng of the .v. wyttes as touchyng to euyl the bedle of good name fame ioye of conscience parte of the nature of auÌ„gels fayrnesse of good lyuyng lord shyp of vertue the bed restyng place of Chryst and the foundament of al goodnesse Chaste vyrgynite is also as a lylly vndefyled ¶ In a lylly be .vi. whyte leaues by the whiche clennesse of chastyte is sygnyfied The fyrst is sobrenesse of meat drynke The second hard waring The iii. besynesse of labour The .iiii. keping of the. v wyttes The .v. casynesse of wordes The .vi. auoyding and eschuyng of ydlenesse Such chastyte as doctours say rauysshed the ê“phete Elyt in a fyry charet in to paradyse By such chastyte the same prophete reysed dead to lyfe By such chastyte Elizie the prophete had gyuen to hym of god a double spirite one of prophecy and another of myracles Such cleÌ„nesse chastyte queÌ„ched the outward fyre of the .iii. chyldren whiche were cast in to the fire as is rehersed in Danyel the prophete And no wondre though such outward fyre myght not brenÌ„e theÌ„ for as moche as the feruour of vnclennesse brenneth not them wtin All suche may in no wyse be breÌ„ned of ony mannes ordynaunce withoutforth that quenche the deuyls fyre withinforth And that hath be wel ê“ued by holy vyrgiÌ„s afore whose materyal fyre our lorde quencheth with his dewe without forth bycause they had quenched the fyre of hell withinforth Such chastyte delyuered Danyel fro deuouring of lyons bycause he dystroyed in hymself that moost cruell beest of flesshely delectacyon whiche is wylder wodder more than ony other wylde beest Thus than chast vyrgynite is the spouse of Chryst the throne of god the temple of the holy goost the hale of the endlesse king the treasure of heuen the ernest dowry of euerlastyng rewarde and the gate of paradyse And for to say shortly chaste vyrgynite maketh a man or a woman in this wretched body blyssedly to clepe and gracyously to wynÌ„e the blysse of heuen ¶ For to conclude vp this holy fruyt of chastyte foure great vertues I fynd wherby it is hyghly coÌ„mended praysed in the syght of god ⧠One is that chaste vyrgynite groweth among worldly people as the lylly dooth among thornes For lyke as a lylly among thornes groweth vpright without hurtyng so dooth worldly chaste vyrginite among worldly people thus sayth Salomon Cant .ii. Sicut lilium inter spinas sic amica mea inter filias As a lylly sayth our lorde by Salomon groweth without hurtyng among thornes so doth my deare beloued spouse chast virginite amonge all myne other doughters The seconde vertue is that chast vyrgynite beryth the precious floure aboue all other maner of chastite be it of wedlok or of wydowhed For lyke as one sterre passeth an other in shynyÌ„g in the fyrmament so doth chastite among all the clennesse of the erth The thyrd vertue is that chast vyrginyte hath the hygh seate in heuen next vnto the trinite in as moche as our blyssed lady goddes mother that holy virgyn is inhaunsed in blysse aboue all the orders of aungels Therfore glad may all chast maydens be whiche hathe so speciall a vyrgin nygh the trynite The fourth vertue is that chast vyrgynite here in erth is most next vnto Chryst bothe bodely and goostly Bodely bothe by famylyer conuersacyon and also by naturall knowlege ⧠The fyrst was well knowen by saynt IohnÌ„ the euangelist whiche by the merytes of his chastite was most famylyer with Christ aboue all the apostles and moche preuy to the secretes of his godhed The seconde was wel knowen in our blissed lady that holy vyrgyn whome our lorde chase to his mother because of her meke vyrgynyte so was borne of a chast vyrgyn to shew therby that he loueth euer the clennesse of meke and chast vyrgynyte ☞ Lo how vertuous chastyte is kepe it well for yf it be lost it may neuer be wonÌ„e agayne Though thou lese charyte thou may haue it agayn as well as euer thou hadest so of goostly ioy of pacience of sufferaunce of goodnesse of benyngnite of myldnesse of true lyuing and of contynence whiche I call here sobernesse of lyuyng but not so of chastyte For yf ye lose that it may neuer be had agayn as it was And therfore I pray the kepe it wel Which if it be meke wyll brynge in all the other vertues ⧠⧠†¶ Now syster I pray the specyally eate oft of this fruyt bothe wakynge and slepyng for it is swete in smellyng that it sauoureth among auÌ„gels in the blysse of heuen Parte with thy sysysters of this fruyt that ye all at the last may come thyder where as your holy cosyns be aungels there for to se the vyrgyn of vyrgyns our lord your louynge spouse her blyssed sone endlesly AMEN ¶ Here endeth an epystle made and sent to a relygyous woman of the .xii. fruytes of the holy goost ⧠Robert Coplande