be veray glorye and a lytel apple to be a grete montayne for they wene that the world be a grete thynge But to the regarde of heuen it nys but pouerte They wene that a glasse be a saphyr And they wene that theyr strengthe and theyr power be moche grete whiche is more feble more fraylle than is glasse ¶ Also I say that this chyldehode the wytte of the world is in them that so moche make them wyse for to kepe and ease the body and to be in delyces whyche lyuen as a chylde that seche nothynge ellys but to doo theyr propre wylle In suche people reason is deed therfore they lyuen as beestys for theyr wytte is al torned and corrupt lyke as is the taste and sauour of a seek man or of a woman grete wyth chylde whyche fyndeth more sauour and appetyte in a soure apple than in brede made of whete more sauour in a cool than in good metes Also these peple may not byleue that there is more Ioye and delyte in louyng god to serue and to honoure hym than in doyng the wylle of the caroyne of theyr body For they can not ryghtfully Iuge betwene swete bytter Also I say that the wytte of the world is wodenesse in them that soo moche be subtyl in fyndyng malyce for tengyne deceyue other be it by strengthe or by plee or by barate And that ne thynke ne studye sauf to auaunce and enhaunce them self and to greue other Thys wytte as sayth saynt Iames is the wytte of the deuyl whiche alwaye payneth hym self to do harme to other But the veray wytte that the holy ghoost enseygneth and techeth to the frendes of our lord is in knowyng wythoute mysprysyng what euery thyng is worthe he sheweth that the world is vayn in beyng foule in valour in louyng it and sauouryng it The rychessys ben vyle and transytorye And the delytes been bytter After he gyueth feelyng that the loue of god vertues is a thynge veray precyous and swete veray for she fylleth the hert nouryssheth susteyneth it She is precyous for one may bye god al that he hath She is swete for it is the manna that al thynges maketh swete labour sorowe wepynges shames trybulacyons aduersytees martyrdoms and al paynes And al that one may thynke to loue it maketh it sauour lyke suâ—re This is the wytte and the sapyence wherof the scrypture sayth Thys is the sapyence oute of whyche groweth purete and veray conscyence ¶ Of the prowesse of the knyghtes of Ihesu Cryst capo. lxix AFter I say that vertues and charyte gyuen veray prowesse Thenne there is no prowesse by right but in the knyghtes of god whyche the holy ghoost adoubeth and armeth wyth vertues and charyte In prowesse been thre partyes Hardynesse Strengthe Stedfastnes There is none noble by ryght but yf he haue these thre thynges but yf he be hardy prudent entreprenauÌ„t of grete thynges and stronge puyssant for to pursiewe them and ferme and stable to fynysshe them But wythoute wytte wythout purueaunce nothyng auayllen none of these iij thynges For lyke as sayth the book of the arte of chyualrye Errour wythoute bataylle may not be amended For it is anone compared Folyssh enterpryse is where as lyeth lytel prouffyte moche despence and grete payn and perylle These been thenterpryses of them that been called wyse and hardy in this world that theyr bodyes and theyr soules putten in synne in perylle and in payne for to gete a lytel loos and preysyng whiche is moche vayne and lytel endureth ¶ But vertue maketh a man of grete herte and of wyse enterpryse whan she maketh a man whiche is nothyng but erthe soo hardy that he dare enterpryse to conquere the royalme of heuen and to vaynquysshe alle the deuylles of helle that been so stronge ¶ Thys enterprise is good wyse moche prouffytable For there is therin lytel perylle and lytel payne but there is glorye honour and prouffyte inestymable and perdurable wythout mesure who hath noo vertu hath no grete herte but he is lyke hym that is aferde of nought Suche ben they that doubten the euylles the aduersytees perylles trybulacyons of the world And that haue drede to lese that whyche they may not longe kepe ¶ They haue noo grete hert that gyue hit ouer for nought lyke as doon they that gyue theyr hertes for to loue the goodes of fortune which in trouthe been ryght nought but fylthe charge and ordure to the regarde of the goodes and glorye perdurable ¶ Thenne suche people been lyke a chylde that loueth better an apple or a myrrour than a royame But vertu gyueth grete herte by ryght For vertue maketh them to conquere heuen despyse the world and to bere grete dedes of penaunce And to supporte and gladly suffre al the euylles of the world and to endure them for goddes sake And also for to wythstonde and resyste alle the assaultes of the deuyl Lyke as the wyse and prudente Seneke saith wepynges myschauÌ„ces sorows trybulacoÌ„ns harmes shames perylles and al that whyche euyl fortune may menace doo haue nomore power ayenst vertu than one drope of water shold do in the see vertu maketh a man hardy as a lyon stronge as an holyfaunte ferme and durable as the soÌ„ne whyche alwaye renneth and is neuer wery Thenne there is no prowesse ne strengthe but in vertues ¶ Of veray seygnorye which gyueth grace vertues lxx THus is there none veray seygnorye but in vertues A grete lord is he that knoweth alle the world Suche a lord gyueth to a man suche vertues and grace For he setteth a man in his ryght estate in whiche he was fyrst sette in and made The man was made in suche honour in suche seygnorye that he was lord ouer al creatures that were vnder heuen to whome al thynges obeyed and to whome noo thynge myght noye ne greue and this is the ryght estate to the man and to his seygnorye but he lost this seygnorye by synne And myght not recouer it ageyn but by vertu But vertue setteth a man on hyghe and setteth the world vnder his feet and maketh hym to conuerse in heuen vertue maketh a man by good ryght gretter lord of the world than the kyng is of his royame For of the goodes of the world he hath as moche as his herte desyreth he hath his vsage and his sustenaunce and as moche as he may haue for suffysaunce and more suffysantlye than the kyng hath in his royame For al that the good hath and the euyl al is his Therfore of alle he dooth hys prouffyte and preyseth god and thanketh and loueth hym the more and doubteth and serueth And in thys he seeth and knoweth that euery creature is made for to serue hym Also there is another seygnorye moche grete withoute whome there is none by ryzt lord for he is emperour lord of hym self that is of his body of his
may to take awaye and wythdrawe fro it al the vytaylles al metes and the water for to enfamysshe them For after that the castel is enfamyned and all vytaylle is take fro it It may not longe be holden ne kept ayenst his aduersarye Ryght so the castel of the bely which is the fortresse of the flesshe may not holde ayeÌ„st the spyryte whan it is enfamyned by fastynges· by abstynences and by other penaunces ¶ Also the estate of relygyon ought to be wythdrawen fro the world that they that been in suche estate ne fele ne retche noo thynge of worldly thynges For they ought to be dede to the world and lyue wyth god as sayth Saynt Poule For lyke as he that is dede bodyly hath loste all his wyttes bodyly as seeyng· spekyng tastyng heeryng and smellyng Ryght soo owen the relygyouse to be deed as to the world that they fele noo thynge that apperteyneth to synne so that they may veryly say the word that saynt Poul thappostle sayth of hym self The world sayd he is crucyfyed to me and I to the world Thappostle wold say that lyke as the world helde hym for foule for abhomynable lyke as one were hanged Ryzt so had he the world for foule for abhomynable as to hym that is hanged or crucyfyed for his trespace In lyke wyse dooth he that is in sucke estate dooth flee the world and hate it That is to say the couetyse and shrewdnesse of the world that he fele noo thynge by loue ne by desyre so that his conuersacyon be in heuen as saynt Poul sayth of hym self and of them that ben in thestate of perfection Our conuersacyon is in heneu For yf the body is in erthe the hert is in heuen by loue and by desyre ¶ A good relygyouse persone ought to haue no propre in erthe but he ouzt to make his tresour in heuen lyke as sayth our lord in the gospel Yf thou sayth he wylt be perfyght â–ª goo and selle al that thou hast and gyue it to the poure And thou shalte haue thy tresour in heuen whyche neuer shal faylle The tresour of a relygyouse man is veray wylful pouerte For the veray pouerte of the spyryte and of wylle is the money of whyche the royalme of heuen is bought wherof our lord sayth in the gospel Blessyd be the poure of spyryte for the Royalme of heuen is theyres Certayn who that is poure of spyryte that is of the wylle of god he secheth not in thys world noo delyâ—es ne rychesses ne honoures but put it all in forgetyng In suche wyse ought to doo good relygyouse people that wyl mounte vp in to the montaygne of perfectyon wherof the aungellys sayd to Loth whan he was goon oute of the cyte of Sodome· Reste ne tarye thou not nyghe the place that thou hast lefte but saue thy self in the montaygne For he that is goon oute of the conuersacyon of the world ought not to holde hym nyghe the world by hys wylle ne by hys desyre But ought to wythdrawe hym as moche as he may And to entende to his helthe wythoute lookyng bacward or behynde hym· That is for to say that he sette not ageyn hys hert to the world ¶ The wyf of Loth ageynst the commaundement of the aungel behelde the cyte fro whens she came out which brenned therfor she was tâ—rned in to an ymage of salte The wyf of Loth sygnefyeth them· that after they haue lefte the world· and ben entred in to relygyon retorne ageyn bacward by wylle and by desyre which haue theyr body in the cloystre but the hert in the world They be lyke thymage of salte whyche hath but the lykenes or semblaunce of a man· and is as harde colde as a stone Ryght so ben suche peple colde of the loue of god hard wyth out humour of pyte and of deuocyon and they retche nothyng but of the habyte of theyr relygyon no thynge of the obseruaunces and werkes Thymage that was of salte sygnefyeth in scrypture wytte and dyscrescyon For lyke as salte gyueth sauour to the 〈◊〉 Ryght so ought euery relygyouse persone to haue wytte dyscrescioÌ„ in his dedes in his wordes This ymage thenne of salte ought to gyue wytte and vnderstondyng and example to them that ben in religyon and after retorne to that whyche they haue lefte And therfore sayth our lord in the gospel to his dyscyples Remembre you of the wyf of loth That is to say Beholde ye not that whiche ye haue lefte for the loue of me lest ye lese the lyf of grace lyke as the wyf of loth lost the lyf of the body by cause she loked to the place whyche she had lefte wherfore our lord sayth in the gospel who that putteth his hande to the ploughe and loketh behynde hym is not worthy to the kyngdom of heuen For-lyke as he that ledeth the plough seeth alway tofore hym to lede strayt and to conduyte right his plough Ryght soo ought he to doo that putteth his haÌ„de to the plough of penauÌ„ce or of religyon alwaye he ought to haue the eyen of his hert tofore That is to say his vnderstondyng and his wylle to that whyche is to sore hym and not behynde That is to the goodes perdurable whyche ought to be tofore the hert not to the goodes temporall whiche ought to be behynde ¶ Thus dyd Saynt Poul whyche sayd that he had forgoten that whyche was behynde hym That is the world and alle the couetyse of the world whyche he praysed at nought And wente allewaye tofore hym For he had alwaye his entencyon and his desyre to god But many men of relygyon setten the plough tofore the oxen For many there ben and that is their â—ommage that more sechen the thynges bodyly and worldly than the thynges spyrytual They put that before whyche shold be behynde that ben the goodes temporal tofore the goodes perdurable spyrytuell Suche relygyous persones ben in moche grete peryll of theyr dampnacyon For they haue â—ought but the habyte of theyr relygyon By the example of Saynt Poul the good relygyouse persones forgete the world leue it byhynde them the goodes perdurable they haue tofore theyr eyen· and goon tofore alwaye fro vertu to vâ—rtu tyl they come to the montayne of Ioye perdurable where they shal see god clerely and shall loue hym perfyghtly and shal adoure hym perdurably This is the beneurte or the yefte of vnderstondyng whyche ledeth them that kepen cleÌ„nesse of hert and of body lyke as we haue shewed afore And therfore sayth our lord in the gospel that blessyd ben they that ben clene of hert For they shall see god This blessyng begynneth here for they been purged fro derknesses of errour as to the vnderstondyng and fro the spottes of synne as to the wylle and therfore they see god by fayth enlumyned of clerenes whyche cometh of the yeft of vnderstondyng â—y whyche a man knoweth hys creatour· and all
cryst may suffre it ¶ After whan one swereth falsely or bereth false wytnesse to his wytyng in ony maner that he swereth couertly or openlye or by arte colour or sophym For the lawe wryton sayth God that loueth symplesse and trouthe in suche a thynge he receyueth the oth and vnderstondeth the word as they that say entende it and whiche symply wythoute barate vnderstonde it Moche is the grete debonayrte of god whan suche men swere that whyche they knowe wel is not trouthe Or that promytteth a thynge whyche they wyl not holde that the deuyl strangle them not anone For whan they say as god kepe me or as god wyl me helpe he putteth hym self out of the grace of god and of his ayde helpe Now ought they of veray ryght to lese wytte and mynde alle that they holde of god ¶ The last braunche of this synne is whan one breketh the feyth that he hath promysed creanted by his fayth or by his oth For fayth lyed and oth broken is alle one ¶ Of the synne peryll that is of chydyng capitulo lvj SAynt Austyn sayth that there is none so lyke to the deuyl as is the chydar Thys crafte wythoute doubte pleseth moche the deuyl and dysplayseth moche vnto god whyche loueth aboue al other thynges pees concorde This braunche departeth hym in to vij bowes of which the first is to stryue The second to chyde The thyrd ledenger The fourth to curse The fyfthe to reproche or to repreue The sixte to menace or to threte The seuenth dyscorde and to râ—yse hate This is whan the deuyl seeth pees and loue bytwene two persones it moche desplayseth hym and for to make them dyscorde he dooth hys power to make them to stryue whan they begynne to stryue the deuyl begynneth to blowe the syre of angre Thenne after the stryffe angre cometh the noyse and chydyng Thenne as the fyre is lyght the smoke is vp anone cometh the flamme and lepeth out Stryuyng is whan that one sayth to that other It is so it is not so it was so it was not so Chydyng is whan they demene and say one to that other grete wordes After cometh the ledanges that is whan they pynche shoue that one to that other and say grete vylanyes grete felonyes For there be somme so felouÌ„s that haue theyr tongues more cuttyng than a rasour more percyng than arowes or alles Suche folke resemble the porpyn whiche is al ful of pryckes and sharpe poyntures and is ouer felle and angry whan he is wrothe he launceth and casteth his prickes lyke arowes oute of his body and throweth on the ryght syde on the lyfte syde ¶ Also he resembleth the felon mastyf that byteth barketh on al them that he seeth goo by the waye After this comen the curses maledyctioÌ„s this is whan that one curseth that other And this is so grete a synne as the scrypture sayth that who curseth his neygbour he is cursed of god ¶ And Saynt poul sayth that suche folke may not haue the royame of god And Salamon sayth that theyr mouthes ben lyke as the pot that boylleth casteth oute on al sydes· scaldeth them that be aboute hym After comen the reproches whych ben yet more synne that is whan a man reprocheth another of hys synnes his defaultes or of his folyes his pouerte his poure kynne or other defaultes that he hath in hym he wexyth angry and synneth After comen the menaces thretenynges and thenne begynne the medlynges and warres But aboue alle the synnes that we haue here named passeth the synne of them that by theyr wycked tongues areyse and moeue dyscordes deuysyons and euyl wylle emonge them that been frendes to gyder and that destourbe and lette the pees and accordes God hateth moche suche peple as sayth the scrypture ¶ Of the synne of murmure capitulo lvij WE see that it happeth ofte tyme that they that dare not answere ne chyde begynne to murmure and to grunte wyth his teeth Therfore after the synne of chydyng we sette the synne of murmure how moche this synne is grete how god taketh vengeaunce and correction of it we shalle shewe For god oftymes hath taken vengeaunce on suche lyke as the holy scrypture recordeth For. for this the erthe opened and swolowed in dathan abyron and they descended all quycke in to helle And for this synne god sente a fyre from heuen that brente chore and al his felowes that is to wete ij hondred and xl thousand of the grettest that were in the hoost of our lord in deserte For this synne loste the Iewes the londe of promyssyon whyche god had promysed So that of vj. C thousand that god had delyuerd and put out of seruage of the kyng of Egypt pharao and that had nourisshed them xl yere in deserte wyth the manna of heuen Of al them there entryd in to the holy londe of promyssyon but two persones onelye whiche were named Caleph and Iosue but al deyed wyth sorow in deserte This synne hath two braunches For soÌ„me murmure ayenst god and somme ayenst man The synne of murmure ayenst man is in many maners lyke as seruauÌ„tes ayenste theyr lordes and maysters and chamberers wymmen ayenst theyr ladyes and maystresses chyldren ayenst fader moder The poure ayenst the ryche The vylaynes ayenst the nobles The laye peple ayenst the clerkes ayenst the prelates And the cloysterers ayenst thabbottes pryours and the oâ—fyâ—ers And this murmure groweth ayenst these persones of inobedyence by cause that there is made to them ouer harde commandementes or of drede or of inpacience by cause alle thynges be not doon ryghtfully or of enuye or of felonnye by cause that one is auauÌ„ced more than another and many other euyl rancours ¶ Murmure ayenst god hath many occasions that is he that loste grace and pacience wold be more than god For suche â—hynge as god hath made in erthe yf he hath not made it after his wylle anone he grutcheth ayenst god syngeth the deuyls pater noster For lyke as the holy ghoost enseygneth techeth his chosen to synge in theyr herte the swete songe of heuen that is deo gracias of al that he hath made gyuen vs. of al that he sendeth vs In lyke wyse the wycked spyrite maketh his dyscyples to synge the songe of helle That is of murmure that alwaye shal dure in helle Certeyn suche a man is a moche fool wood that wyl that god shold gyue to hym acomptes of alle that he hath made yf he sende to hym pouerte or maladye or dere tyme. or yf he take fro one gyue to another and al this be not doon at his deuyse anone he taketh ayenst god murmureth ayenst hym and can hym maulgree what meruayle is hit though god auenge hym on suche folke whan they wold take fro hym his seygnorye his sapyence and his puyssaunce
god or that it come of hys yefte and therfore he cesseth not to excyte vs that we praye and requyre hym of these yeftes And promyseth moche to vs that yf we requyre demaunde hym ony thynge that is good for vs and that it be ryghtfull we shal haue it And yet the debonayr Ihesus dooth vnto vs more of his curtosye For he is our aduocate that formeth for vs our requeste and our petycyon For we haue not the wytte yf he formed it not to vs. ¶ The petycion the requeste or oryson that the swete Ihesus enformed and taughte vs wyth his blessyd mouth is moche fayr moche good and but shorte by cause we shold reteyne it wel That is the pater noster wherin been vij petycyons and requestys by the whyche we requyre our good fader Ihesu Cryst that he gyue vs the vij yeftes of the holy ghoost that he delyuer vs fro the vij dedely synnes and that he take them awaye fro our hertes And in stede of the sayd synnes that he by hys grace wylle plante there and nourysshe the vij vertues whyche brynge vs to the vij blessynges of perfectyon of holy lyf by which we may haue the promysses that the debonayr Ihesus maad and promysed to hys chosen peple in the seuen wordes aforesayd ¶ Thenne our entencyon is wyth the ayde and grace of the holy ghoost to speke fyrst of the seuen petycions of the holy ghoost whyche been conteyned in the holy pater noster ¶ After I purpose to saye of the yeftes of the holy ghoost After of the seuen vertues ageynst the seuen dedely synnes ¶ The seuen petycyons and requestes ben lyke as seuen fayr maydens that neuer cesse to drawe the lyuyng waters oute of seuen ryuers for to watre and arouse these seuen trees that bere the fruyte of lyf perdurable ¶ The seuen petycyons an drequestes that been conteyned in the holy Pater noster capitulo lxxvj WHan a lytyl chylde is sette to scole atte begynnīg he lerneth his pater noster who that wyl lerne of this clergye knowe it he muste be lytel and humble as is a chylde For our good mayster Ihesu Cryst techeth his scolers this clergye whiche is the moost prouffytable and the moost fayr that is who that thys doctryne wel knoweth vnderstondeth and wel reteyneth hyt For suche there be that wene wel for to vnderstonde it that noo thynge knowe therof by the barke or rynde wythoutforth That is the lettre whyche is good But lytel is hit worth to the regarde of the margh◠of the goodnes and of the grete substaunce whyche wythinforth is so swete ¶ It is moche shorte in wordes and moche longe in substaunce lyght to saye and subtyl for to vnderstonde ¶ Thys prayer and oryson passeth and surmounteth alle other in thre thynges That is to wyte In shortnesse In dygnyte and in prouffytablenesse ¶ The dygnyte is in that that the ryght blessyd sone of god made it to god the fader in shorte wordes God the holy ghoost touchyng hys demaunde he wyl that it be shorte in wordes by cause that none ne excuse hym to lerne it and to conne it ¶ And also by cause that none shold be greued to say it wyllyngly and ofte And for to shewe that god the fader hereth vs ryght soone and graūteth it gladly whan we praye hym wyth good herte so that it be not of longe ryotte ne of wordes polysshed ne rymed ¶ For swete Saynt Gregory sayth Verayly for to werke is not to saye fayre and glosyng wordes wyth the mouthe but to caste oute wepynges and depe syghes from the herte ¶ The valure and the prouffyte of thys oryson or prayer is so grete that it compryseth and encloseth in wordes moche shorte alle that whyche may be desyred of herte and prayed and demaunded of mouthe That is to be delyuerd of alle euylles and replenysshed wyth al goodes ¶ Thus begynneth the holy pater noster Fader our that arte in heuen ¶ Beholde now how our good aduocate and our ryghte good and blessyd mayster our Lord Ihesus Cryste whyche is the sapyence of god the fader and that knoweth al the vsages and alle the lawes of his courte techeth vs for to plete wel and to speke wysely subtylly and shortly But certeynly yf the fyrst worde that thou sayest fader oure that arte in heuen· yt that it be wel vnderstonden and wel poursyewed he shalle gyue to the alle thy requeste and alle thy demaunde ¶ For Saynt bernard sayth that the oryson that begynneth by the ryght name of god the fader gyueth to vs hope to Impetre and gete alle our prayes and requestys ¶ Thys swete worde fader whyche maketh swete alle the remenaunte sheweth to the that whyche thou oughtest to byleue and somoneth the to that whyche thou oughtest to doo And these two thynges saueth the man whan he byleueth wel and a ryght And whan he dooth after that he ought to doo whan thou callest hym fader thou knowest that he is lord of the hous that is of heuen and of erthe and capytayn and begynnyng And fontayne of whome alle creatures and alle goodes comen Thus knowlechest thou in that his puyssaunce and myght ¶ After I say by cause that he is a fader he is ordeynour gouernour and pourueour of his meyne and specyally of hys chyldren that is of the men whome hym selfe hath created made and fourmed to his semblaūce and in this thou knowlechest hys sapyence yet also sythe that he is a fader by nature and by ryght he loueth that whyche he hath maad Lyke as sayth the book of Sapyence And he is debonayr and loueth and nouryssheth hys chyldren and dooth theyr prouffyte better than they can deuyse And he beteth and chastyseth theym whan they mysdoon for theyr prouffyte as a good fader And gladly he receyueth them vnto mercy and to pardon whan they haue trespaced and retorne to hym by grete repentaūce And by thys we knowe hys bountee and hys grete debonayrtee ¶ Now I haue shewed vnto the thenne thys worde whan thou sayest fader hys Puyssaunce hys Sapyence· hys bountee and hys debonayrte ¶ On that other parte he remembreth thy selfe thy noblesse thy beaultee and thy rychesse ¶ Of more grete noblesse ne mayst thou not be sone Ne vnto soo grete a kynge Ne vnto so myghty or puyssaunt an Emperour as is god For more gretter rychesse mayste thou not haue than to be heyre of all that he hath More grete beaulte mayst thou not haue than to resemble hym by ryght The whyche beaulte is soo grete that it passeth the beaulte of man and of angellys Thenne thys worde fader remembreth the that thou arte hys sone by cause that thou paynest thy self to resemble hym as a good sone ought to resemble hys fader and to ensyewe thy good fader in alle good vertues and in alle good werkys That is to say that thou be wyse and noble vygorous stronge
WHan I remembre and take hede of the conuersacion of vs that lyue in this wretched lyf in which is no surete ne stable abydyng And also the contynuel besynes of euery man how he is occupyed and dayly laboureth to bylde edefye as though theyr habytacion and dwellyng here were permanent and shold euer endure also practyse how they may gete temporalle possessyons goodes and rychesses of whyche they are neuer contente ne satysfyed as for the moost partye but contynuelly entende and laboure by many subtyl meanes how they may encreace theyr sayd possessyons and richesses for to come and attayne to worldly honour and estate In whiche they wene be veray felycyte and blessydnes and whan I haue wel ouerseen examyned these forsayd thynges and lyf I fynde nothyng in them but vanyte of vanytees and all vanyte yet I merueylle moche of them that ben lerned wyse noble men in the lawe that not withstondyng their rychesses sure lyuyng as wel in the spirituelte as in the temporalte contynuelly laboure to be enhaunced promoted to hye dygnytees and offyces as though therin were perpetuel felycyte In whyche ye may see at eye that al is but vanyte they that meÌ„ repute for wysest gretest aboute prynces in a moment ben ouerthrowen brought to nought Not withstondyng for the moost parte they of the spyrytuelte also of the temporalte entende more to gete worldly honours rychesses possessyons for to satisfye the appetyte of their inordynate desyre here in this transytorye lyf which anone hastely shal departe fro the corruptyble body thaÌ„ they do for theternal lyf which shal euer endure in Ioye or in payne TheÌ„ne to th ende that euery man resonable remeÌ„bre hym self that he is mortal shal withoute fayle departe out of this lyf hastely sone ought while he is here lyuyng to purueye ordeyne for the perpetuel lyf to come so to lyue accordyng to the lawe comandements of our lord ocupye hym self in vertuous â—â—â—racyons and werkes in eschewyng al vices synnes al the brauÌ„ches of theÌ„ that they may after this short traÌ„sytorye lyf attayne com to the euer lastyng lyf in heuen I purpose attende by the suffraunce of almyghty god to traÌ„slate a book late delyuerd to me reduce it out of frensshe in to our comyn englysshe tonge in whyche euery man may be enformed how he ouzt to kepe the lawe comauÌ„demeÌ„ts of god to folowe vertu flee eschewe vyces to pourueye ordeyne for hym spyrituel rychesses in heuen ppetuel permament which book was made in frensshe atte requeste of Phelip le bele kyng of frauÌ„ce in the yere of thyncarnacion of our lord MCClxxix reduced in to englisshe at the request specyal desyre of a synguler frende of myn a mercer of loÌ„don the yere of our sayd lord M.iiij C.lxxxiiij which book is entytled named in frensshe le lyure royal whiche is to say in englisshe· the ryal book or a book for a kyng in whiche book ben comprysed the x comandemeÌ„ts of our lord the xij artycles of the fayth the vij dedely synnes with their brauÌ„ches the vij petycions of the pater noster· the seuen yeftes of the holy ghoost the vij vertues and many other holy thynges maters good prouffytable for the we le of maÌ„nes soule Thenne I exhorte desyre euery maÌ„ that entendeth to the prouffyt seluacyon of his soule to ouer see this sayd book in whiche he shal fynde good prouffytable doctryne by which he may the rather attayne to come to euerlastyng blysse· alwaye what that is wryton is vnder correctyon of lerned men humbly besechyng them to correcte amende where as is ony dâ—faute so doyng they shal doo a merytory dede For as nyghe as god hath gyuen me connyng I haue folowed the copye as nyghe as I can I beseche almyghty god that this sayd werk may prouffyte the redars that is the special cause that it is made fore that knoweth god to whome noo thyng is hyd whyche gyue vs grace so to lyue vertuously in this short lyf that after this lyf we may come to his euerlastyng blysse in heuen ameÌ„ HEre foloweth the table of the rubriches of thys presente book entytled named Ryal whiche speketh fyrst of the ten commandementes Fyrst of the two tables of the lawe which god delyuerd vnto Moyses for to preche to the peple capitulo primo Of the fyrst comandement capitulo ij Of the fyrst comandement of the lawe cao. iij Of the second comandement of the lawe capo. iiij How one ought to loue his neyghbour capo. v Here folowe the ten comandements of the lawe ê‘ticuler vj Of the iij first comandements partyculer the fyrst thynge that a subget oweth to his Lord capo. vij Of the second thynge that a subget oweth to his lord viij The thyrd thynge that a subget oweth to his lord ca ix Of the seuen other comandements apperteynyng to the loue of his neyghbour capo. x Of the xij artycles of the fayth capo. xj Of the beest that saynt Iohan theuangelyst sawe in thapocalips capitulo xij The deuysyon of the seuen dedely synnes capo. xiij Of the brannches of the synne of pryde capo. xiiij Of the fyrst braunche of the fyrst bowh capo. xv Of the second bowh of the fyrst braunche capo. xvj Of the thyrd bowh capo. xvij Of the second braunche of pryde capo. xviij The thyrd braunche of pryde capo. xix The fourth braunche which is ambicoÌ„n capo. xx The v braunche which is vaynglorye capo. xxj The vj braunche is ypocrysye capo. xxij The vij braunche of pryde capo. xxiij The second heed of the beest capo. xxiiij The thyrd heed of the beest of helle is Ire capo. xxv The fyrst warre of the synne of yre capo. xxvi Of the synne of slouthe which clerkes calle accydye ca xxvij Of pusyllanymyte of delayeng werynes capo. xxviij Of delayeng to do wel capo. xxix Of the synne and vyce of neclygence capo. xxx Of forgetyng the vyce that cometh therof capo. xxxj Of the vyce of latchednes capo. xxxij Of euyl poyntes of slouthe capo. xxxiij Of the synne of auaryce capo. xxxiiij Of dyuers maners spyces of vsure capo. xxxv The second maner of vsurye ca xxxvj Of thefte ca xxxvij The thyrd braunche of the synne of auaryce capo. xxxviij The synne of chalenge capo. xxxix Of vij maners of the synne of chalenge capo. xl The fyfthe braunche of auaryce capo. xlj Of the synne of symonye capo. xlij Of the fyrst bough of Symonye capo. xliij Of the synne of malygnyte that cometh of auaryce xliiij Of marchaundyse capitulo xlv The ix braunche of auaryce xlvj Of the synne of lecherye capo. xlvij Of dyuers estates of lecherye capo. xlviij Of the synne of glotonnye capo. xlix Of the synne of the tongue capo. L Of the synne that is in ydle wordes lj
iiij which deffendeth to do euyl in hurtyng or doyng wronge to other by worde that is this Thou shalt not speke ayenst thy neyghbour false wytnes ayenst this comandement trespacen and synnen mortalle al they that accusen other in fals Iugement also al they that Iudgen falsely also alle they that by detraccoÌ„n of sayeng euyl of other take aweye their good name fame Also alle they that recyten and taken playsyr delyte in sayeng recountyng that whiche they haue herde saye and recyte in deffame of other also al they that alowe approuue the wordes of a creature sayd in the deffame and anoyeng of another ¶ Also by the sayd commaundemente is deffendyd alle lesynges and lyes the whiche is commysed in many maners Somtyme in thynges whyche byholden the feythe of holy chyrche to the spyrytuel hurte of another to hys dampnacyon in delyueryng to hym false doctryn and ageynst the trouthe of the faythe of holy chyrche Somtyme in thynges that been to the domage gryef of another as touchyng his goodes temporell and in these two caases al lesynges is fouÌ„de dedely synne Somtyme a lesyng is sayd and commysed in hys propre dede by humylyte as doon somme people which accusen them self in confessyon by humylyte of that whyche they haue not doon And fro suche a leesyng ought a creature moche for to kepe hym and for to be ware right gretely therof for suche humylyte is wycked For after the sayeng of saynt Austyn Lyke as a creature ought not for to hele ne hyde in hys confessyon that whyche he hath doon In lyke wyse ouzt he not for to say that whyche he hath not doon ¶ Somtyme a creature lyeth in his owne dede for shame That is to wete whan he sayth somme thynge which he weneth be trewe And in sayeng it he aduyseth hym knoweth in hym self that it is not soo And neuertheles for shame he dare not wythdrawe that he hath sayd accordyng vnto the trouthe ¶ And somtyme a creature lyeth for to haue somme prouffyte therby or for to escape somme perylle Somtyme for to doo prouffyte vnto another Or to delyuer or kepe hym from somme perylle or for to empesshe hys prouffyte Or to lette hys dommage ¶ Also somtyme the creatures maken lesynges or lyes in Iapes or playes and for to gladde and enioye the people whyche they are in companye wyth al. ¶ And fro alle these lesynges after the sayeng of swete saynt Austyn a creature ought alwaye to kepe hym For euery leesyng is synne the two fyrst ben dedely synnes thother by euyl custoÌ„ may bryng a creature to dedely synne· after these iiij comandementes aforesayd whiche defende to do euyl by werk and by worde folowe the other two whyche defende the wylle of lyberte to greue and do euyl to another· The fyrst deffendeth the wylle to hurte another in his goodes temporel And that is this Thou shalte not coueyte the thynge of thy neyghbour Ayenst this comandement mespryseth and synneth a creature somtyme mortally or dedely that is to wete as ofte as by delyberacyon he coueyteth wold haue the goodes of another ayenst reason Somtyme venyally that is to wete whan he coueyteth the goodes of another But he wold not haue them but by reason as for the prys that they be worthe and by the good wylle of hym or them that owe them The second commandement defendeth the wylle delybered or concluded to coueyte the wyf of another man for to haue carnal companye wyth hir For to haue the knowleche of the sayd comandemeÌ„t it is to vnderstonde that in iij maners concupyscence carnal is in a creature Fyrst in the herte whan it is by consentyng delybered concluded To this purpoos sayth our sauyour Ihesu Cryst that he that byholdeth a woman by carnal concupyscence that is to say by a wylle concluded to haue hyr companye flesshly in his herte he hath commysed fornycacyon synneth dedely Secondly in the mouth in expressyng declaryng theuyl desyre that is in the hert by consentyng the whych conseÌ„tyng is called dedely synne thyrdly in werke whan the euyl purpoos or conseÌ„tyng is done in dede After it is to wete that iiij thynges pryncipally kepeÌ„ a creature fro fallyng in to the synne of concupyscence ¶ The fyrst is to flee euyl companye and alle occasyons that gyuen and moeuen cause of concupyscence As for to frequente and to see wymmen ofte and to here speke of them The ij is to put out not remembre in his herte the euyl thouztes the temptacions that come by the thynges that he hath seen to chastyse his body holde in penauÌ„ce afflictioÌ„ The iij is to haue recours to god by deuoute oryson and prayer whan flesshly temptacyon cometh in requyryng deuoutlye his helpe ¶ The fourth is also in occupyeng hym self in good werkys accordyng to god And alwaye to flee ydlenes whyche is cause of alle euyl Thus it appyereth clerely by the comandements aforesayd and declared that the creature that loueth god hath of necessyte for to do thre thyngys Fyrst that he adoure ne worshyp but one god after the fyrst commandement partyculer Secondly that the name of god he receyue not in vayne after the second commandement Thyrdly that he honoure god after the thyrd commandement In lyke wyse a creature that loueth his neyghbour hath of necessyte to do vij thynges The fyrst is that he do honoure and reuerence due after the fourth commandement The second that he do none euyl ne Iniurye by werke Fyrst as touchyng to his persone after the fyfthe comandement Secondly as touchyng the persone to hym conioyned after the vj comandement Thyrdly as touchyng to his goodes after the vij commandement Also that do not ne bere domage by his worde after the viij comandement Ne also by thoughte and wylle concluded fyrst whan he coueyteth his wyf after the ix commandement Secondly as touchyng to coueyte his thynges after the x commaundemente The whyche god gyue vs grace to accomplysshe Amen ¶ Thus enden the commaundementes of the crysten lawe whyche eche man ought to holde kepe entyerly for to haue the lyf and glorye pardurable Deo gracias ¶ The fyrst artycle of the fayth capitulo xj I byleue in god fader almyzty creatour or maker of heueÌ„ erthe this article made saynt peter sayeng Credo in de uÌ„ patreÌ„ omiÌ„poteÌ„teÌ„ creatoreÌ„ celi terre The ij apperteyneth to the sone as touchyng his deyte that he is god that is thys I byleue in our lord sone of the fader in this we ouzt to byleue that he is seÌ„blable egal to the fader to al thynges whiche apperteyne to the deyte is one thynge with the fader saut the ê‘sone which is other thaÌ„ the fader as touchyng thumanyte this article made saynt andrew sayeng Et in IhesuÌ„â—pÌ„m filiuÌ„ eiê° vnicuÌ„ dnÌ„m nrÌ„m ¶ The iij article is of the coÌ„cepcion of cryst·
lyke as doctryne and chastysyng doth to the proude For the more men chastyse and blame them of theyr defaultes so moche more ben they angry defende them Pryde is the fyrst doughter of the deuyl and she that hath moost grettest parte in his herytage Pryde warreth ageynst god his goodnes al graces and ageyn al the good werkys that ben in the maÌ„ for pryde maketh of almesse synne of vertu vyce thus is pryde a theef to god wyth the goodes that one ought gete heuen he maketh hym wynne helle This synne is the fyrst For it assaulteth the knyghtes of our lord that laste leueth them For whan the knyghtes of god haue ouercomen vaynquysshed alle other vyces and synnes Thenne assaulte them most strongly the synne of pride and of vayne glorye ¶ The brauÌ„ches of the synne of pryde ben these capo. xiiij THe synne of pride deuydeth hym departeth in so many partyes that vnnethe they may be nombred But there ben in this synne vij pryncypal partyes whiche been as seuen braunches that yssue and growe of an euyl rote of whyche the fyrst braunche of pryde is dysloyalte or vntrouthe The second despyte The thyrd is surquydrye whiche soÌ„me calle presumpcion The fourth folehaste whiche is called ambycion The fyfthe vayne glorye The vj ypocrysye The vij euyl and foule shame of wel doyng To these vij partyes braunches apperteyne alle the synnes that growe of pryde But eueryche of these vij braunches haue many smale bowes ¶ The first braunche is dysloyalte or vntrouthe capo. xv THe fyrst brauÌ„che of pryde is dysloyalte whiche deuydeth hym in to thre braunches The first is euyl The second is werse The thyrd is werste That one is vylaynnous That other is wode The thyrd is renyeng Vylaynnous generally is in alle synnes for noo synne is wythoute vylonye But the vylonye of whiche we speke here specyally that groweth of pryde is a partye of dysloyalte whyche is called of clerkes Ingratytude that is vnkyndenes That is to say forgetyng of god of his yeftes that men thanke not our lord ne yeue hym laude and praysyng therof But he forgeteth rendreth euyl for good and vylonye for curtesye This vylonye doth euery creature to god whan he forgeteth his goodnes grace yeftes and yeldeth not to hym therfore praysynges thankes lyke as he ought to do But oftymes fyghteth in euyl custome and vsage ageynst the wylle of god This is moche grete vylonye whan a persone receyueth grete bounte and goodnes and daygneth not ones to say gramercy yet is the vylanye gretter whan one seeth and whan he forgeteth But that slouthe is ouer grete whan a persone receyueth alle waye the bountees and rendreth alwaye euyl for good who thenne bethought hym wel and took hede ofte of the bountees and goodes that god hath gyuen and doon to hym and doeth contynuelly fro day to day for he hath noo goodes but god hath gyuen them to hym Ne goodes of nature as beaute helthe strengthe of body clere vnderstondyng and natural wytte as of the partye of the soule Ne goodes of fortune lyke as rychesses honoures and hawtesses Ne goodes of grace lyke as ben vertues grace good werkes wel ought suche a persone to preyse thanke god honoure doubte and loue hym wyth al his goodes for one bounte requyreth asketh another ¶ Of the second bough of the first braunche capo. xvj THe second bough of dysloyaulte that groweth of pryde is woodnes That maÌ„ is holden for wood that is oute of his wytte in whome reason is goon and departed TheÌ„ne is he a ryght grete fool wel may be sayd oute of his wytte and wood that in good ernest wasteth destroyeth and setteth in euyl vsage the goodes that ben not his but ben the goodes of his lord of whiche he must straytely counte and gyue a rekenyng· thâ—â— is to wete the tyme that he hath loste and how he hath emâ—loyed his tyme. and of the temporelle goodes how he hath vsed them the whiche he hath had in his kepyng and hath despended them in folyes in oultrages in euyl vsages tofore the eyen of his lord that is god Ne hath not pourueyed hym to rendre his acompte knoweth wel that he muste rekene and wote not whenne ne the day ne the houre Suche folye is callyd forsenerye or woodnesse Of thys vyce and of thys synne been the grete proude men that vse ryght euyl the goodes that god hath lente them ¶ Of the thyrd bowh of dysloyaulte capitulo xvij THe thyrd bowhe of dysloyaulte that cometh of pryde is renyeng he is wel renyed that the loÌ„de which he holdeth of his lord putteth in the hande of his enemye and dooth to hym homage Thys synne doo al they that synne mortally or dedely For in as moche as in them is they do homage to the deuyl And become seruauntes and caytyues of the enemye and rendre to hym al that they holden of god bothe body and soule And al other thynges that they haue they put in the seruyce of the deuyl And how be it that suche folke say calle them crysten they renye god by werke and shewe that they been not But in thre maners a man is callyd renegate or renyed and fals crysten Or for by cause that he byleueth not that he ouzt lyke as dooth the bougre or the heretyke and the apostata that renyeth his feythe Or by cause that they breke the feythe that they byleue lyke as doon they that ben pariured be lye theyr fayth Or by cause they byleue more than they ought to doo lyke as doon deuynours Sorciers the charmerers whyche vse and werke by tharte of the deuyl and al they that in suche euyl werkys byleue and sette theyr hope synne dedely For all these thynges ben ayenst the feythe and therfore holy chyrche for bedeth and deffendeth them These been the maners of desloyaulte whyche is the fyrst braunche of pryde ¶ The second braunche of pryde capitulo xviij THe second braunche of Pryde is despyte whiche is a moche grete synne how wel that dedely synne be not wythoute despyte of god Yet alwey after that we here speke in this despyte specyally may one synne in thre maners Or by cause that a persone preyseth not ryghtfully another in his herte lyke as he ought to do Or by cause he bereth not reuerence ne honoure there as he ouzt to do Or by cause he obeyeth not a ryght them to whome he ought to obeye ¶ Now thynke ryght wel dylygently in thyn herte how oftymes thou hast mesprysed herin that whyche thou hast in thyn herte thyn owne self other falsely preysed And the bettyr despreysed and despyted and the werse preysed and thynke hou ofte thou hast despysed in thyn herte them that ben of more valewe thaÌ„ thou arte And how thou hast despysed them for soÌ„me forayne grace that god hath gyuen to the Or for
noblesse or for beaute or for prowesse or for strengthe of body or for lyghtnes Or for what someuer other good that it be by whyche thou hast â–ª preysed more thy self than thou oughtest to do the other thou hast lasse preysed than thou oughtest After thynke hou many tymes thou hast borne lytel honour reuerence to them that thou oughtest to do Fyrst to god to his swete moder to alle the angels and sayntes of heuen For there is none but thou hast trespaced to by despyte or by irreuerence In that thou hast ofte tymes euyl kepte the festys holy dayes After thynke hou many tymes thou hast seruyd euyl our lord Ihesu cryste Or in that that thou hast not gladly herde his seruyce ne sayd his houres ne herde his sermons And whan thou wenest to here the messe in the chyrche or the sermons thou Ianglest bourdest tofore god lettest other to do wel after thynke how thou hast many tymes doon lytel honour to the body of Ihesu cryste whan thou seest hym or whan thou receyuest hym In thys that thou arte not worthely apparaylled ne made redy by confessyon and by repentaunce Or by aduenture that werse is thou hast receyued hym in dedely synne thy self wytyng The whiche thynge is as grete despyte vnto god as to crucyfye hym After thynke how vnto thy swete felowe to thy good kepâ—r thyn angel whiche is alwaye wyth the alwaye kepeth the how many vylanyes thou hast doon to hym in soo moche as thou hast commysed synne tofore hym after thynke how oftymes thou hast be inobedyent to thy fader and to thy moder and to them to whome thou oughtest obeye and bere honour Yf thou wylt in this manere recorde thy lyf thou shalte see that thou hast ofter synned in this maner of pryde whyche is called despyte than thou canst recounte or telle Of the iij braunche of pryde which is arrogance capo. xix THe thyrd braunche of pryde is arrogance which is callyd surquydrye or presumpcyon that is to wete whan a man weneth more of hym self than he oughte That is to say that he weneth to be of more valure than he is worthe or to knowe more or to mow more than other Thys synne is the fortresse of the deuyl For he kepeth and nouryssheth al the grete synnes This synne sheweth hym in many maners by werke and by worde But namely he sheweth hym in vj maners That is to wyte in syngularyte For the proude surquidrous that weneth to be more of valewe and of power and to knowe more than the other daygneth not to doo as thother doo whiche ben of more valewe than he is Also he wyl be synguler in his werkys This is the fyrst synne for whiche surquydrye sheweth hym in werke or by dede The second folye is enterpryse of grete dyspences of his owen or of other for to be preysed renomed And that he be holden the more large and the more curtoys The thyrd euyl that groweth of surquydrye is folysshe empryse of leude stryffe For thus sayth Salamon emonge the proude men been alwaye stryues and plees The iiij bough of thys braunche by whyche the proude man sheweth the pryde of his herte is auauntyng whyche is a moche foule synne to god and to the world he that auanteth hym is lyke vnto the cuckow that can synge noo thynge but of hym self this synne is foule in hym that by his owne mouthe auaunteth hym of his wytte or of his parage or of his werkys or of his prowessys But this synne doubleth in them that folowe and flatre these vauntours and losengers and suffre them for to preyse them and for to say of them that they durst not say and for to lye and for to crye theyr oublyes The fyfthe tacke of this braunche is derisyon For that is the custom of the proude surquydrous for it suffyseth not ynough to despyse the other in his herte that hath not the grace that he weneth to haue but he maketh his mockeryes and derysyons And yet that werse is he scorneth mocketh the good wyse men and them that he seeth be good and honeste whyche is a moche grete synne perylous For by their euyl tongues they lette moche peple to do wele The vj boughe of thys braunche is rebellyon That is whan a man is rebelle to alle them that wold hym good For yf one repreue the proude surquydrous he deffendeth hym yf one chastyse hym anone he is angry yf one counceyl hym he byleueth it not but hys owne wytte This is a peryllous maladye that may not suffre that he be touched and to whome euery medycyne torneth to venym Hit is an euyl thynge to murmure but moche werse is rebellyon Rebellyon is a vyce of the herte whiche is harde froward and dyuers that wyl alwaye that his wylle be doon and his sentence holden wyl that alle other bowe and enclyne to hym and he shal not bowe ne humble hym self to no persone This is the harde herte of the worde of salamon whiche may not faylle to come to an euyl ende and lyke as murmure is ageynst god ayenste man right so is suche an herte that is rebelle ayenst god ayenst the men This synne thys vyce whiche is called rebellyon departeth and deuydeth hym in to four braunches Suche an herte is repugnante and rebelle to byleue counceyl to suffre chastysyng to receyue doctryne yf ony of theyr frendes wold counceyl and shewe theyr prouffyte or theyr defaultes he deygneth not to take hede therto ne to here it But by cause that they haue spoken he wyl the more gladly do al the contrarye And on the other party they be moche rebelle to the counceylles of our lord as to the counceyl of the holy gospellys of the other holy scryptures and of sermons To whiche they be bounden to do and to accomplysshe the wylle of god for to haue glorye perdurable And the deuyl leyeth tofore them eyther Impotence or yongthe or age or other euyl reasons so that at the laste they may no thynge doo After whaÌ„ men repreue and chastyse them they defende them as a boor so that they wyl not knowe theyr folyes and so moche more as they excuse them so moche more is theyr synne Also it is whaÌ„ god smyteth chastyseth or correcteth hem to the ende they shold knowe theyr synnes and theyr defaultes and that to the ende they repente and amende them They con hym noo thanke but despyse hym sayeng O what haue I trespaced what wyl god doo wyth me and thus they murmure ayenst god Thus doon say the fooles For that whyche shold be tryacle purgacyon of the soule it torneth to hem venym and the medecyne torneth to the deth After they be of so dyuers wyttes that they knowe noo good doctryne But alwaye defende theyr sentence what someuer it be in that wyse they falle ofte in errour and in false oppynyons in heresyes
hert whiche he Iustyceth holdeth them in good pees and dooth his wylle For his herte is so ioyned to the wylle of god so that of al that that god doeth he thanketh hym and it playseth hym wel And thys is the seygnorye that vertu gyueth to hym that hath it Of thys speketh seneke sayth as grete honour gyueth god to the whan thou art lord emperour of thy self more thā a kyng ha lord god how many kynges emperours other grete lordes haue ben in the world also barons that haue citees castellis royames that haue not this seygnorye For they be not lordes of theyr hertes By cause that it tormenteth ofte by wrath or by maletalente or by couetyse or by desyre that they may not accomplysshe ¶ Here is spoken of veray fraunchyse capo. lxxj AFter thys I say that there is none that hath veray fraūchyse yf he haue not grace and vertue Thenne yf thou wylte knowe what is veray fraūchyse of a man and of a woman by right Thou oughtest to vnderstonde that a man hath iij maner of fraunchyses One of nature another of grace and the thyrd of glorye The fyrst is free wylle by whiche a man may chese and do frely good or euyl This fraunchyse holdeth euery man of god so frely that no man may do it wronge ne alle the deuylles of helle may not enforce a man ayenste hys wylle to do a synne wythout his accorde and consentemente For yf a man dyd euyl ayenst his wylle· he shold haue therof no synne for as moche as he in no wyse myght eschewe it lyke as sayth saynt austyn This fredom and fraunchyse hath euery man But this fredom is not in chyldren ne in wood men ne in fooles by cause they haue not the vsage of reason by whiche they can chese the good from the euyl A man putteth awaye from hym thys fraunchyse in grete partye whan he synneth dedelye For he selleth hym self vnto the deuyll for the delyte of hys synne And yeldeth hym selfe vnto hym and bycometh his seruaunt by synne so that he may not caste hym self out ne put hym fro his wylle for he hath deserued the deth of helle yf the grace of god helpe hym not The second fraunchyse is suche that the wyse man hath in this world whome god hath fraūchysed by grace by vertues from the seruyce of the deuyl fro synne that they be not bonde to golde ne to syluer ne to temporalle goodes of this world ne to theyr bodyes whyche is caroyn ne to the goodes of fortune whyche the deth may sone take awaye but they haue theyr hertes lyfte vp gyuen to god so that they preyse no thyng the goodes of the world ne the honours ne the vanytees ne kyng ne duc ne meschaunce ne pouerte ne shame ne deth For they been now deed to the world haue the hert so deceueryd taken awaye fro the loue of the world that they desyre the deth lyke as the werkman his payment of his Iourney or dayes labour and the labourer his hyre also lyke as they that ben in the tormēt and in the fortune of the see desyre to come to port salue And lyke as the prysonner desyreth good delyueraunce and as the pylgrym desyreth to come ageyn in to hys contreye And yf they be parfytelye free in thys world lyke as a creature may be thenne fere they ne doubte they no thynge but god and been in greet pees of herte For they haue thenne theyr herte in god and been in heuen by desyre And thys fraunchyse cometh of grace and of vertue But yet al this fraunchyse nys but seruytude to the regarde of the thyrd fraunchyse that they haue that been in glorye They be verayly free For they be verayly delyuerd fro alle perylles and fro alle tormentes fro fere of deth and of deth fro the grynnes empesshemēs of the world fro myserye fro pouerte and fro al payne of herte and of body wythoute retornyng Of the whiche thynge there is none free in thys world how parfyte that he be ¶ Of veray noblesse capo. lxxij WHo that shal haue the second fraunchyse of whyche I haue spoken shal come to grete noblesse The veray noblesse cometh of gentyl hert Certeyn none hert is gentyl but yf he loue god There is no noblesse but to serue and loue god and to kepe hym fro al synnes and from the seruage of the de +uyl Ne there is no vylanye but to angre god by synne Ther is no man by ryght gentyl ne noble of the gentylnesse of hys body For as touchyng the body we ben al sonnes of one moder That is of the erthe and of fylthe of whyche we al haue taken flesshe and blood Of this parte there is none gentyl ne free But our swete fader Ihesu Cryst whiche is kyng of heuen that fourmed the body of the erthe and created the soule to his ymage and semblaūce and al in lyke wyse as it is of the carnal fader that is moche glad and ioyous whan hys sone resembleth hym Ryght so is it of our fader Ihesu Cryst For by the holy scrypture by hys messagers he techeth vs. that we shold payne our self to resemble hym And therfore he sent to vs hys blessyd sone Ihesu Cryst in to therthe for to brynge and gyue to vs the veray exemplayre by whyche we may be reformed to hys ymage and semblaunce lyke as they that dwelle in the hye cytee of heuen That been the angellys and the sayntes of heuen where eueryche is of so moche more hye and more noble As more proprely he bereth thys fayre ymage And therfore the holy men in thys world payne them self to knowe god and to loue hym wyth alle theyr hert and purge them clense and kepe them from alle synnes For of so moche as the herte of a creature is more pure more clene wythout synne of so moche he seeth more clerely more euydently the precious face of Ihesu cryst of soo moche he loueth more ardauntly of so moche he resembleth more proprelye And by that he hath the more gretter glorye And thys is the veray noblesse that god hath gyuen vs ¶ And therfore sayth ryght wel Saynt Iohan the appostle and euangelyst that thenne we shal be the sōnes of god and we shal resemble hym proprely whā we shal see hym euydently lyke as he is This shal be in his glorye whan we shal be in heuen For no man seeth so dyscouerd ne so clerely the beaute of god lyke as sayth saynt poule But thenne we shal see hym face to face proprely and clerely whan we shal be in glorye in his Ioyous companye ¶ The veray noblesse of a man thenne begynneth by grace and by vertues and that is parfyght glorye This noblesse maketh the holy ghoost in the hertes that he purgeth and culumyneth in trouthe and in parfyte charyte These been the grettest
hys grace The blessyd sone of god whyche is the veray sonne by the vertu of his clerenesse maketh them to growe on hye prouffyte These thre thynges be necessarye to al the thynges that growe in erthe that is to wete erthe couenable humour nourysshable and hete resonable wythoute these thre thynges spyrytually may not the ympes of vertues growe ne brynge forth fruyte These thynges maketh the grace of the holy ghoost in the herte of the persone and maketh to wexe grene to flourysshe and to fructefye it maketh hym as a gardyn moche delectable ful of good and precyous trees But in lyke wyse as god planted in paradys terrestre plente of good trees and of fruyt And in the myddle he planted a tree whyche was called the tree of lyf By cause that hys fruyt had strengthe vertu to kepe the lyf to them that shold ete of hit wythout deyeng and wythoute euer to haue ony maladye or sekenesses Ryght so doth he spyrytuelly in the hert of a persone The grete gardyner that is god the fader For he planted the trees of vertues And in the myddle he sette the tree of lyf That is Ihesu cryst whyche sayth in the gospel who that eteth my flesshe and drynketh my blood hath lyf perdurable Thys tree enuerdureth and embelyssheth by his vertu alle that whyche is in paradys By the vertu of this tree growen flourysshen and fructefyen alle the other trees In this tree is al good as moche as there is This tree is to be preysed and to be loued for many thynges For the rote for the fruyt for the stocke for the floure for the odour for the leef and for hys fayre shadowe The rote of thys tree is the ryght grete loue and the oultrageous charyte of god the fader of whyche he loued vs so moche that for to bye ageyn his euyl seruaunte he gaf his ryght blessyd sone delyuerd hym to deth to tormente Of this rote speketh the prophete sayth thus That a rodde shal yssue of the rote of Iesse This word is as moche to saye as embracer of loue The stocke of this precyous tree is the precyous flesshe of Ihesu Cryst The herte of this tre that was the holy soule in whyche was the precyous marghe of the sapyence of god The barke of the tree was the fayr conuersacion wythoutforth The droppynges of this tree the body weren thre precyous thynges and of ryght grete vertu whyche yssueden and dropped out of the precyous membres of Ihesu crist that were the water the teres the swete and the blood The leuys of this tree weren the precyous holy wordes of Ihesu Cryst whyche heleden al maladyes The floures were the holy thoughtes of Ihesu Crist whiche were fayr honest beryng fruyt The fruyt weren the twelue apostles whyche fedde alle the world nourysshed it wyth theyr holy doctryne by theyr examples by theyr good werkys wyth theyr benefaytes The braunche of this tree in one sens been al the chosen that euer were and that ben and that euer shal been For lyke as our sauyour Ihesu Cryste sayd to his appostles I am sayd he the vygne and ye ben the braunches ¶ In another sens his braunches were his fayre vertues and his gloryouse exemples whyche he shewyd by werke and taught them wyth his mouth These were the parfyte vertues ful of veray beneurte blessydnesse whyche Ihesu Cryst shewed to his pryue frendes to the xij apostles whome he ledde in to the montayne and there he satte as sayth the gospel and his dyscyples were aboute hym And thenne the debonayr Ihesus opened his mouth sayd Blessyd be the poure of spyryte for the royalme of heuen is theyres Blessyd be the debonayr for they shalle be lordes of the erthe Blessyd be they that wepen For they shal be comforted Blessyd be they that haue hungre and thurst for Iustyce for they shal be ful fedde Blessyd be the mercyful for they shal fynde mercy Blessyd be they that be clene of hert for they shal see god Blessyd be the peasyble for they shal be callyd the sones of god ¶ These ben the seuen braunches of lyf of the blessyd sone of god Ihesu Cryste In the shadowe of thys tree ought the fyne and good herte to shadowe hym oughte to see and beholde these fayre braunches whiche bere the fruyte of lyf perdurable In these braunches and in these seuen wordes is enclosed all hyenesse al perfection of grace of vertu of blessydnesse as moche as may be had in this world and to haue and atteyne in that other For these ben seuen rules of holy lyf whyche Ihesu Crist taughte to hys chyldren This is the veray phylosophye that the maystre of angellys enseygned to his dyscyples ¶ In these wordes is enclosed alle the somme of veray perfection of the newe lawe of loue and of swetnesse And it is wel sayd newe For it may wel wexe olde lyke as dyd tholde lawe to the Iewes And by cause that the soule was woxen olde by synne it is made yonge ageyn and bycomen newe by these wordes aforesayd It is veray newe and desguysed fro the other lawes lawe is said by cause it is bounden But the other bynden and thys vnbyndeth The other chargen this dyschargeth The other lawes menâ—cen and threten thys lawe promyseth In other lawes is plee In this newe lawe is pees In other lawes is drede In this newe lawe is loue The other lawes haue maledyctyon and cursyng this newe lawe hath benedyction and blessyng ¶ Thenne is this newe lawe al ful of beneurte and blessydnesse And therfore ben blessyd alle they that kepe it accomplysshe it this sayth Salamon For al they that kepe it wel wynnen the tree of lyf perdurable Thenne these vij wordes abouesayd whyche god sayd ben callyd blessynges For they make a man to be blessyd as moche as he may be in thys present lyf and yet more blessyd in that other Now hast thou herde what the tree of lyf is whyche is in the myddel of paradys whyche god planted in the holy soule In the shadow of thys tree groweth prouffyteth the fruyt The tree of vertues whyche god the fader that is the grete gardyner planted in this gardyn and bydewed it wyth the fontayne of grace which maketh it wexe grene growe to prouffyte holdeth it in vertue and in lyf This fontayne is departed in to seuen ryuers These ben the vij yeftes of the holy ghoost which arowsen watren al the gardyn Now beholde the ryght grete curtosy of god whyche cam in to this world for to seche saue that whyche was loste by cause that he knewe wel our pouerte and our feblenesse by whych we may falle in to synne But by our self we may not relyeue vs ne yssue out of synne ne gete vertue ne do none other good but yf it be by the grace of
How and by what manere one may knowe what he is and what manere man But he sayth not hys propre name a ryght ¶ But thus as we speke of god we fynde many fayre and swete wordes The whych shewe vnto vs somme thynge of hym ¶ But there nys no word soo propre as thys same word here folowyng qui est which so proprelye is shewed to vs and soo subtylly In as moche as our entendemente may stratche and compryse ¶ For our blessyd Lord Ihesu cryste is he that is onelye lyke as Iob sayth he is onelye for to say ryght For he is onelye perdurable wythout begynnyng and wythoute endyng But this may not be sayd of none other thynge After he is veray trouthe For he is waye trouthe Alle thynges created that ben creatures ben vayn and vanytees as Salamon sayth and be nought to the regarde of hym to nought shall they come fro whens they came yf he susteyne them not kepe them by his vertu yet also he is onelye establement and stedfastnesse For he is alwaye hym self and in one self poynte wythoute trouble wythout to chaunge hym wythout to moeue hym in ony maner thys sayth Saynt Iames. Al other thynges been moeuable in somme manere of theyr nature Thenne is he proprely called that is For he is verayly wythoute vanyte establysshement wythout begynnyng wythoute ende wythout he was and wythout he shal be for in hym is no departyng Now oughtest thou here vnderstonde that he is And that there is no thynge that may better be knowen than this that god is And therfore I counceyl the that thou muse not tenquyre ferther For thou mayst sone erre and goo oute of the waye late it suffyse to the that thou say Fader our that arte in heuen Trouth it is that he is oueral present in erthe in heuen in see and in helle lyke as he is in heuen But it is sayd that he is in heuen by cause that he is more seen there more knowen more byloued more honoured ¶ After I say that the debonayr Ihesus is in persones spyrytuel deuoute That is in the holy hertes that ben hye clensyd clene purged from alle synne as is the heuen For in suche hertes is he seen knowen honoured loued ¶ Now hast thou herde these iiij wordes Pater noster qui es in celis The fyrst word somoneth the to honour god The second to loue god The thyrd to redoubte god For how wel he be fader and oure alwaye he is Iuste and not meuable The fourth word somoneth the to engyne thy self to hym and to encorage and enforce the. for â—yth he is so hye and thou arte so lowe yf thou be not hardy vygorous to vaynquysshe al synnes to resyste al the temptacions of the enemye and to kepe hooly his commandementes thou shalte not come in to the glorye of heuen ¶ The fyrst word abouesayd sheweth to vs the lengthe of hys eternytee The second the largesse of his charyte The thyrd the depnesse of his veryte and trouthe And the fourth the hyenesse of hys mageste who someuer shal haue these foure thynges attayned wythoute doubte he shal be wel blessyd ¶ How Sanctificetur nomen tuuÌ„ is expowned capo. lxxix Now hast thou herde the prologue of the holy pater noster whyche is lyke vnto an entre in to a towne A lord god who that wel coude al thys songe he shold fynde therin many swete notes For it is no doubte that in the prayer and songe spyrytuel whyche the sapyence of god made he that taught the byrdes to synge hath many notes and wordes subtyl swete in his holy songe and prayer of the holy pater noster how wel that it conteyneth lytel letter In thys songe and excellente oryson ben vij notes whyche ben the seuen petycyons and requestes of the holy pater noster whyche gete and Impetre the seuen yeftes of the holy ghoost whyche put awaye destroye the seuen vyces capytal of the hert those ben the seuen dedely synnes And they plante nourisshe the vij vertues by the which one may come to the seuen blessynges Of these vij peticions and requestes The thre fyrst make a man holy as moche as he may be in thys world The iiij after maketh hym parfytly Iuste Alle the holynesse of a man that is made to thymage of the holy Trynyte after thre thynges that ben in the soule that is to wete memorye entendement and wylle is in iij thynges In this that the soule be parfytely purged and the wylle parfytly enlumyned the vnderstondyng parfytly confermed in god wyth god in the memorye And the more the soule receyueth of god these iij thynges the more habondantly and more proprely she approcheth more to his ryght beaute naturelle· That is to the semblaunce of the fader of the sone· of the holy ghoost That is whan god the fader confermeth vnto hym his memoire God the sone enlumyneth to hym his vnderstondyng God the holy ghoost purgeth in hym hys wylle These thre yeftes we requyre in the iij fyrst peticions of the holy pater noster whan we say SaÌ„ctificetur nomen we shewe to our good fader curtoysly our pryncypal desyre whyche we ought alwaye to haue That is that his gloryous name be sanctyfyed that it be confermed in vs. Thenne whan we say Sanctificetur nomen tuum we shewe to our good fader Ihesu Cryst curtoysly our desyre That is to say Syr thys is our souerayn desyre This requyre we aboue alle thynges that thy blessyd name be sanctyfyed in vs. That is thy good renoÌ„mee thy knowleche thy fayth be confermed in vs. In thys fyrst petycyon we requyre the fyrst the pryncypal yefte of the holy ghoost That is the yefte of sapyence whyche maketh stedfast confermeth the herte in god Ioyneth hym so to hym that he may not be desioyned ne deceuerd Sapyence is said of sauour for to sauoure for whan a man receyueth this yefte he tasteth assauoureth feleth the swetenesse of god lyke as is felte the swetenesse of good wyne by the taste better than by the syght But to thys that thou vnderstonde better what it is to say Thy name be santyfyed Thou oughtest to knowe that this word Saynt is as moche to saye as pure as golde as erthe as dyed in blode as confermed In these fyue maners is sayntyfyed the holy ghoost of sapyence in the hert of a man Fyrst he clenseth purgeth lyke as the fyrefyneth and purgeth the golde the syluer after he taketh it awaye fro the erthe that is fro al carnal affections maketh al to bycome lothely that whyche he was wonte to loue lyke as the water is hated to hym that is lykorous to the good wyne After he haloweth hym self alle to the seruyce of god For he leueth al charges putteth hym self al to thynke on god and to loue serue and honoure hym lyke as the
heuen in erth al them that ben in grace men wymmen and angellys and al in lyke wyse as there beu in heuen thre estates of aungellys as saynt denys sayth of whome one is moost hye that other moyen or myddle and the thyrd more lowe The moost hye ben lyke them that ben of the kynges coūceyl They be alwaye wyth god more nerre to hym than the other and see hym and here hym and his secretes The moyen or myddle ben as barons and bayllyes that gouerne loue and kepen al the royam and gone comen lerne of them of the coūceyl that whiche they comande· make it to be done to other the lowest ben lyke as seruauntes offycers whiche haue theyr craftes and done their offyces messages as is sayd to them By this maner ensaumple there ben iij estates of the chyldren of god in erth the whyche the holy ghoost ledeth conduyteth as sayth saynt Poul The one estate is of them hat ben in the world· lyuen after the commandementes of god and of holy chyrche after that they here and byleue of theyr prelates The other estate is of them that ben parfyte that al haue theyr hert out of the world of this mortal lyf haue theyr conuersacyon in heuen and theyr body in erthe and theyr herte wyth god The thyrd ben in the myddle estate whyche gouerne them self wel other and lyuen after the counceyl of the gospel and not onelye after the commandements These thre maner of people techeth the holy ghoost and ledeth gouerneth by these vj yeftes and departeth to them his graces to eueryche after his benygne volente and wylle as sayth thappostle The two fyrst of these vj yeftes apperteyne to them that ben of the fyrst estate The yefte of scyence techeth them the yefte of pyte maketh them to werke The ij myddle apperteyne to them of the moyen estate The yefte of counceyl gouerneth them· the yefte of strengthe accomplyssheth the werkes The ij last apperteyne to them of the moost hye estate The yefte of vnderstondyng enlumyneth them the yefte of sapyence confermeth them Ioyneth them wyth god Another reason there is wherfore there ben vij yeftes for the holy ghoost by his seuen yeftes wedeth plucketh and taketh awaye the vij synnes vyces fro the hertes of the persones planteth there nouryssheth vij vertues contrarye which make perfytely a man to be honoured These ben the goodes that the holy ghoost maketh in the hertes where as he descendeth by these seuen yeftes But tofore that I descende vnto the vertues whiche ben contrarye to the seuen dedely synnes I wyl shortly speke of seuen other vertues of whyche thre ben callyd dyuyne the other four been callyd the foure cardynal vertues ¶ Of seuen vertues of whome there been thre dyuyne foure cardynal capitulo lxxxx THe thre fyrst vertues dyuyne Saynt Poul thappostle calleth them Fayth hope charyte And they be callyd dyuyne by cause they be godly ordeyne the herte to god fayth lyke as saynt Austyn sayth setteth vs vnder god maketh vs to knowe hym knowleche hym a lord of whome we holde al that whyche we haue of good Hope sayth he enhaunceth vs to god and maketh vs stronge and hardy and to entrepryse for the loue of god that whiche passeth the vertu and strengthe of man Charyte sayth saynt Austyn Ioyneth vs to god For charyte is none other thynge but chyere vnyte that is dere onehede for she maketh the hert and god alle one as sayth saynt Poul Fayth byholdeth in god souerayn vnyte hope beholdeth in god souerayn hyenesse and charyte souerayn bounte These iij vertues ben deuyded by iij degrees of loue for for iij thynges a mā is loued One is by cause that one hath herde or hereth grete good of hym Or by cause that he hath receyued grete good of hym Or by cause he entendeth to haue grete good of hym These iij maners of loue ben in these iij vertues Loue of fayth hereth werketh loue of hope feleth the sauour and requyreth it loue of charyte taketh and seeth it and tasteth holdeth it ¶ Of the foure cardynal vertues by whyche a man ought to gouerne hym capitulo lxxxxj OF the four cardynal vertues speken moche the auncyent phylosophres but the holy ghoost gyueth them enseygneth them better an hondred tymes as sayth Salamon in the book of sapyence The fyrst of these iiij vertues is prudence the second attemperaunce the iij strengthe and the fourth Iustyce These iiij vertues ben callyd cardynallys by cause they ben the moost pryncypal emonge the vertues of whyche the auncyent phylosophres speken For by these iiij vertues a man gouerneth hym self in this world Lyke as the pope gouerneth al holy chyrche by hys cardynalles ¶ Prudence kepeth a man that he be not deceyued by none engyne of the enemye Attemperaunce kepeth a man that he be not corrupt by none euyl loue· Strengthe kepeth hym that he be not vaynquysshed ne ouercome by wrath or by drede or by sorowe This is that holdeth a man in good estate toward hym self Iustyce setteth a man in ryght ordre in ryght estate anenst hym self other for Iustyce rendreth to eche man that whiche is his These ben the iiij toures at iiij corners of the hous of the good man that maketh it stronge sure good Prudence garnyssheth it toward the eest by pourueaunce for perylles Attemperaunce garnyssheth it toward the south ayenst the euyl heetys Strengthe garnyssheth it toward the north for the euyll coldes Iustyce garnyssheth it toward the west ayenst the euyl raynes Yet ageyn of the four cardynal vertues as foloweth lxxxxij THese iiij vertues haue dyuers offyces and been moche dyuers in theyr werkys lyke as sayth an aūcyent phylosophre named plato in his book that he made of these foure vertues deuydeth thē moche subtylly sayth that prudence hath iij offyces For by this vertu al that which a man doth sayth thynketh is ordeyned al ledde by lyne rule reason in al his werkys he pourueyeth that he vse them after thordynaunce of god that al seeth Iugeth A grete lord shold he be as me semeth that shold haue this onely vertu by these thre thynges shold gouerne hym ¶ Of the vertu of attemperaunce capitulo lxxxxiij THe vertu of attemperaunce hath iij offyces for the hert that hath this vertu wylle not ne coueyteth not to do a thynge of whyche he ought to repente In no thynges he breketh not the lawe dysmesurably but putteth hym self alwaye vnder the yoke of reason And no thynge doubteth of alle the couetyses of the world That is to say who hath this vertu he kepeth hym that he he not corrupt by the thre thynges that foulen and shamen the world ¶ Of the vertu of strengthe capitulo lxxxxiiij THe vertu of strengthe hath also iij offyces for a man that
the veray humble whiche hateth not but for to playse the world and desyreth noo thynge but to plese god After the very humble is ryght vygorous ryght swyfte and open whan he bereth the vertu of obedyence and the loue of god and doth it to his prelate But whan his owne wylle bereth hym and ledeth Thenne he is heuy and slowe to do wel· lyke vnto the sterre named saturnus whyche renneth as moche in one day wyth the fyrmament whan the fyrmament ledeth hyr as she doeth in xxx yere in hir propre â—ours Also the veray meke humble obeyeth generally oueral and in al places where he byleueth that it playseth god and in al thynges lyke as dooth the asse of the mylle that as gladly bereth barley as whete· lede as golde and whete to a poure man as to a ryche man ¶ Also the veray meke and humble is made stronge For he chaungeth his strengthe wyth the strengthe of god lyke as sayth the prophete ysaye And therfore there is noo thynge but the veray humble may wel bere For god bereth hym and his dedes Thenne he obeyeth vygorously and perseuerantly For he is neuer wery nomore than the soÌ„ne is which god ledeth conduyteth and the lenger it lyueth the more groweth hyr force and hir vygour Now mayst thou see clerely how humylyte techeth the wel and parfytely to serue obeye god Of the techyng and doctryne of our lord capitulo Cv IHesu cÌ„rist the grete maystre of humylyte whan he had preched fedde his peple heled the seck men and lame Thenne he fledde awaye fro the peple in to the montaygne for to be in orison for to enseygne and gyue vs an ensaumple to flee the praysyng of the world therfore the trewe humble herte lyke as he payneth to doo wel whan he obeyeth Ryght so he payneth hym to fle the praysyng of the world and to hyde hym for to kepe hym from the wynde of vaynglorye And to fyxe hym in the shadowe of the roche lyke as ysaye the prophete sayth fro the tempest of euyll tongues Thys roche is Ihesu Cryst hym self whyche is the refuge and the charyte to the humble and meke ¶ To thys roche that is Ihesu crist fleeth the humble hert charged with thornes lyke as is the yrchon that is of sharpnes of penaunce Thys is the dounehous in to whyche fleen for refuge the dounes of our lord That ben the meke humble and symple hertes that flee thyder to refuge for the foules of proye or rauayn That ben the deuyls whiche alwaye seche to daÌ„pne the soules whan an humble hert hath done soo moche that he is entryd in to this roche as the doune in to a dounehous that is whan he remembreth wel the lyf of Ihesu Cryste and hys blessyd passyon· thenne he forgeteth al his sorowes and prayseth lytel al that the world hath and is worth may be of valu A good hert that hath assayed thys desyreth noo thynge so moche as to be forgoten to the world The world is to hym a charge and besynes· for as sayth the wyse man The good man is neuer more sure than whan he is al allone ne more in werkys than whan he is ydle For he is thenne wyth ij of his best frendys that is wyth god and wyth hym self There a deuoute hert treateth of his grete quarellys complayntes by whyche al other werkes semen to hym truffes nought and al vanytees There he acompteth wyth god and god with hym by holy thoughtes by feruent desires TheÌ„ne he seleth the grete swetnes of consolacioÌ„s comforte that god gyueth to them that drede hym loue hym lyke as Dauyd the prophete sayth in the psaulter Thenne al langages and al wordes ennoye greue hym yf they be not of god to god or for god Thus begynneth the soule to loue solytude scylence And thenne cometh to hym in his hert an holy shamefastnes whiche is one of the fayr doughters of humylite for al in lyke wyse as a damoysel that loueth paramours wyth grete shamefastnes whan she is apperceyued she hereth that it is spoken of In lyke wyse the humble persone and deuoute whan he hereth that one speketh of hym of his spyrytuel goodes that god hath done to hym and no thynge lasse doth he than the mayde doth which is ardantly surprysed of loue for what someuer the world say to hym it is knowen Neuertheles he secheth his corners hydles lyke as he that requyreth none other thynge but to be rauysshed in god lyke as was Saynt Poule ¶ Of the pryuyte that god hath to an holy soule ca Cvj OF this acqueyntaunce and of thys preuyte· thys holy soule begynneth to haue of god bytwene hyr an holy pryde For whan the holy soule is rauysshed vnto heuen she beholdeth the erthe fro ferre lyke as sayth ysaye the prophete there seeth it soo lytel to the regarde of the gretenes of heuen so foule to the regarde of that grete beaute so troublus to the regarde of that grete clerenesse soo wyde to the regarde of that grete plente Thenne he despreyseth despyseth certeynly alle the rychessys of the world beautees honoures and noblesses Thenne it semeth to hym that it is but a playe of chyldren that playe in the waye â–ª moche trauayllen them self wynne nothyng It semeth that al is but wynde dremes as sayth salamon Thenne he begynneth to deye to the world and lyue to god as sayth saynt Poul Thenne is the soule so poure of spyryte that it hath nought For god hath his spyryte taken fro hym rauysshed it replenysshed wyth his yeftes as he dyd to thappostles on whytsonday Thenne the holy ghoost gyueth to hym so grete an hert that the prosperyte ne aduersyte of the world he prayseth no thynge at al. wyth this he gyueth to hym so holy so ferme a conscyeÌ„ce that he awayteth hardyly the deth and he hath in god so grete fayth and hope loue that there is noo thynge but he dar enterpryse it for the loue of god For he hath that fayth of whiche god speketh in the gospel whiche is lykened to mustard seed by whyche he may comande to roches and montaygnes and they shal obeye to hym Of the comparysoÌ„s of mustard seed to the loue of god Cvij THe seed of mustard is moche lytel but it is moche stronge and sharpe And it is hote in the fourth degree as the physycyens sayen By the hete is vnderstonden loue The fyrst degree of loue as sayth saynt Bernard is whan a man feleth no thynge of loue but of hym self of hys owen prouffyte The second is whan he begynneth to loue god The iij is whan he knoweth best god loueth hym proprely for his bounte The fourth is whan he is so esprysed wyth thys holy loue that he ne loueth hym self ne none other thynge but god or for god or wyth god And vnto
this loue bryngeth hym veray humylyte ¶ Now mayst thou see clerely that the poure of spyryte ben blessyd For they be soo humbled voyde of theyr spyryte that their spyryte is alle mynuysshed for god hath it al. and the holy ghoost hath replenysshed the hous of his hert is there lord and enhaunceth them that been poure of spyryte These been the veray meke and humble whome he maketh to regne in heuen by holy hope by holy conscyence therfore sayth our lord in the gospel that the royame of heuen is theyres Not onelye by promesse but by fyn certeynte lyke as they that began somtyme to receyue the fruytes the rentes how they shold be blessyd in that other world That may noo man knowe vnto the tyme that he be there For the hert of a mortal man may not thynke it ne expresse wyth mouthe ne here it wyth hys cerys ¶ Of the yefte of holy drede of pyte capitulo Cviij THe first yefte of the holy ghoost maketh the hert huÌ„ble dredeful and to doubte god and hate al synnes therfore it is named the yefte of drede ¶ The second yefte of pyte maketh the hert swete debonayr and pyteous And therfore is it named the yefte of pyte And that is proprely a dewe and a tryacle ayenst the venym of felonnye and in especyal ayenste the venym of the synne of enuye of whyche we haue spoken tofore For this yefte of pyte taketh awaye and plucketh out of the hert the rote of enuye and there heleth it parfyghtely Thenne the hert that receyueth thys yefte and feleth in hym a dewe whyche maketh hym to germyne a swete rote ryzt wel atempred that is good loue oute of whyche groweth a fayr tree beryng grete fruyt that is a fayr vertu good that is callyd in latyn mansuetudo That is to say swetenesse and debonayrte of hert whyche maketh a man swete debonayr charytable and amyable For this vertu maketh a man to loue his neyghbour parfytely and hym self after god This tree hath vij degrees by whiche he mounteth on heyght These vij degrees sheweth to vs saynt Poul· there where as he admonesteth and prayeth that we do payne to that that we be al one in god The fyrst reason is that we haue al one herte the hye and the lowe the poure and the ryche That is that we haue al one fader in heuen That is god whych made vs al comunely to his ymage and to his semblaunce by cause that we al haue one creatour and maker whyche maad vs al of one matere and of one fourme and to one ende that is that we be al in hym and wyth hym lyke as he sayth in the gospel It is moche grete reason that we loue eche other for the bestys and the byrdes eche loueth his semblable· The second reason is that we be al crysten and baptysed in the sacrament of bapâ—esme poure and ryche That is that we be al wasshen wyth the precyous blood of Ihesu Cryst And we were redemed wyth one maner money and as moche coste that one as the other Moche thenne owe we to loue eche other and to honoure For god hath moche loued vs and praysed vs. and hath made vs of grete dygnyte ¶ The thyrd reason is by cause we haue al one fayth and been bounden all to one lawe whyche alle is accomplysshed lyke as Saynt Poul sayth in thys word loue thy neyghbour as thy self Of thys debte is no man quyte for ony thynge that he can do this debte oweth eche man to other who that moost rendreth moost oweth ¶ The fourth reason is that we haue al one maystre one lord that is god of whome we holde al. body and soule and al that we haue he hath made vs al and formed and hath vs al redemed of a lyke prys he shal Iuge vs al· rewarde largely to al them that shal haue kepte and holden hys commandementes and that haue loued eche other truly ¶ The fyfthe reason is by cause that we be al felowes in the hoost of our lord And we ben al hys knyghtes souldyers whyche we al abyde one rewarde that is the glorye perdurable and loue and companye of alle sayntes ¶ The vj reason is that we lyue alle of one espyryte spyrytuelly lyke as we lyue alle of one ayer corporally By this spyryte we ben alle sones of god by adopcyon That is by aduoerye and sones of holy chyrche brethern germayn of fader and moder a spyrytuel fraternyte whyche is better worthe than a carnal fraternyte lyke as the spyryte is of more value than the body ¶ The seuenth reason is by cause that we been al membres of one body of whyche Ihesu cryst is the heed we been the membres which lyuen al of one mete That is of the precyous flesshe blode of Ihesu Cryst whyche so moche loueth vs and vs holdeth so dere that he gyueth to vs his precyous blood to drynke his precyous flesshe to ete Therfore remembreth vs so ofte saynt Poule this loue whyche he sheweth to vs. For a more quycke reason ne more fayrer example may he not shewe to vs of veray amytye and frendshyp yf thou wylte thynke wel on these reasons thou shalte fynde vij degrees of amytye and frendshyp whyche comen of the yefte of pyte ¶ Of vij maners of spyrytuel loue capitulo Cix OF this stocke and oute of this rote growen vij braunches For this vertu sheweth hym in seuen maners lyke as loue is knowen whyche is emonge the membres of a body in vij maners Fyrst the one of the membres kepeth countregardeth the other that it do to hym none euyl ne that at faylle hym not ne that it do hym none harme ne doÌ„mage to hys power herin we vnderstonde our Innocencye which we ought to kepe eche anenst other For thys comandement is wryton in the hert of euery persone That is that thou do to another after god that whyche thou woldest that he dyd to the. and that thou sholdest not doo to another otherwyse than thou woldest shold not be doon to the. Ne that thy ryght honde shold smyte thy lyft honde Also that one membre suffre swetelye that other that it do to hit no harme ne no vengeaunce ne wrath But yf that one membre haue harme or hurte that other membres fele it And in this vnderstonde we parsyght debonayrte whyche hath iij degrees The fyrst is that he reuenge hym not The second that he reteyne not wrath ne yre The thyrd that he ne fele no moeuyng of hate ne yre toward his neyghbour for ony thynge that he doth ¶ Also the membres obeyen al to theyr souerayn For they do al to theyr power that whiche the hert comandeth them and the cyen enseynen them In this vnderstonde we the vertu of obedyence of which we haue spoken tofore whyche ought to be apparaylled in loue in charyte lyke as sayth
lyft syde for they be on the werse syde To them ought one to take hede Fyrst by cause that a man shold haue pyte and compassyon Also that one shold not ensyewe theyr folye ne theyr predycyon so as the wyse Salamon sayth I passed sayd he by the vyneyerde of the slouthful fool and sawe that it was ful of thornes and nettles and by thys ensaumple I haue lerned wytte and prouydence Also that one loue moost god by whome he is quyte of suche synnes and of suche perylles But hym byhoueth on thys syde to kepe dyscrescyon and equyte For whan I see a fool and a synnar I ought to haue pyte and compassyon not to make of hym mocquerye ne derysyon I ought alwaye to hate the synne and loue the persone· moche I ought to kepe me that I wylle no grief ne harme in my hert to noo persone ne to condempne hym Ne compare my self to another that is so euyl For he is thys day euyl that shal be to morne good and suche is this day good that to morne shal be euyl Also I ought as moche as I may wythout mysdoyng vnto other enploye my self humble and condescende in werkys and in wordes for to wynne hym to god and to wythdrawe hym fro synne For lyke as sayth Seneke and Saynt Gregory we may not better relyeue them that ben fallen than by that whyche is aforesayd and late vs not wylle our self how that it be· enclyne toward them ¶ The vi degree of the vertu of equyte capitulo Cxiiij THe vj degree of the vertu of equyte is the vj eye that the wyse man hath That is that he see clerely behynde the nette and the engynes of the deuyl whyche been to vs as behynde vs. For the fende seeth vs we may not see hym ¶ The fende our enemye that is the deuyl· whyche is moche stronge wyse subtyl besy for to deceyue vs For he cesseth neuer day ne nyght but alwaye is in a wayte for to deceyue vs by his crafte by his engynes that he vseth in moo than a thousand maners And lyke as sayth saynt austyn The deuylles see moche subtylly thestate of a man and his manere his complexyon and to what synne and to what vyce he is moost enclyned by nature or by custome and to that parte wherto a man enclyneth hym self Therto the deuyl assaylleth moost strongely The coleryke man to wrath and Ire The sangueyn man to Iolyte and to lecherye The fleumatyke coglotonnye and to stouthe and the malencolyke to enuye and heuynesse And therfore euery man ought to deffende kepe hym fro that parte where he seeth that his hous is moost feble· And ayenst thys vyce and thys synne ought one to fyght and resyste moost of whyche he is moost assaylled And how moche more he shal resyste strongely ayenste alle synnes Soo moche more meryte shal he haue in paradyse or in heuen and vnderstonde wel that the enemye of helle spareth noo persone For he is hardy and aygre· as he that assaylleth our lord Ihesu Cryst in temptyng hym Knowest thou sayth our lord to Iob. in how many guyses the fende desguyseth hym in how many maners Lyke as he shold saye Noo man knoweth but I onely For lyke as sayth saynt Denys Al the angellys the good and the euyl and al the spyrytes of men ben lyke as a myrrour spyrituel Thenne lyke as a myrrour receyueth al the fourmes thenpryntes that comen tofore hym Ryght so doth a spyryte of a man be it in slepyng be it in wakyng Now thenne toke a myrrour and set it ayenst another Anone al the formes that ben in that one thou shalt see in that other ¶ In suche it is sayd that the deuyl sheweth to a man suche fygures and suche fourmes as he wyl that god suffreth hym And the soule receyueth maulgre hym self somtyme in thouzt and in ymagynacyon lyke ayenste my wylle me byhoueth to see and receyue in the syght of myn eye the forme that cometh byfore me ¶ Now is it a ryght grete grace of god and a ryght grete yefte of the holy ghoost to vnderstonde wel alle the langages of the deuyl and to knowe alle hys temptacyons and alle his engynes For lyke as sayth saynt Bernard It is ouer subtyl a thyng to knowe and to dyscusse bytwene the thoughtes that the herte conceyueth and bryngeth forth and them that the deuyl planteth· And the fende sheweth to a man how the synnes been playsaunte and delectable lyghtly may a dyscrete man and resonable knowe thys But whan the fende cometh to tempte a man in guyse of an Angel And sheweth to hym good for to drawe hym to euyl Thenne is the temptacyon moost stronge And therfore sayth saynt Iohan that one ought not to byleue alle spyrytes but they ouzt to preue and wel examyne them tofore that one byleue them and to consyder yf they be of the parte of god Ryght soo doon they that haue theyr confessours good and holy men wyse wel approued in theyr fayt To whyche confessours they that confesse them shewen ofte theyr thoughtes whyche come vnto theyr hert bothe the good euyl For lyke as Salamon saith Blessyd be they that alle soo doubten that they synne not ne mysdoon And he sayth also in another place Doo by good counceyll alle that thou shalte doo And thenne thou shalte not repente the. ¶ The seuenth degree of the vertu of equyte capitulo Cxv THe vij degree of Equyte is the seuenth eye whyche he must haue that wyl haue thys vertue That is that he beholde vpward on hye And that he haue god alle waye tofore hym ¶ Of suche our Lord sayth in the gospel· yf thyn eye be pure and symple Alle thy body shal be clere and shynyng And yf thyn eye be derke and tenebrouse Alle thy body shal be derke obscure and tenebrouse That is to say yf the entencyon of thyn hert is pure and symple and gooth forth the ryght lygne after god by alle the degrees that we haue tofore named Alle the masse and substaunce of thy werkes and of thy vertues shalle be fayre clere and playsaunt to god And yf the entencyon be not good but froward and euyl and reployeth bacwarde alle the werke shal be derke tenebrouse For wythoute good and ryghtful entencyon Almesse bycometh synne and vertues vyces Thentencyon is symple whan a man maketh hys werkes good ryght for goddes loue and it is obscure and derke whan a man dooth hys werkes for to playse the world or for vayne glorye It is croked and not ryght in two thynges that is whan one holdeth one parte to god and that other of the world For thentencyon retorneth bacward whan a man secheth hys owne prouffyte in alle thynge that he dooth Now hast thou herde the seuen degrees ol â—hys vertu of Equyte by whyche thys tre reyseth on heyght ¶ Here folowen the vertues ayenste the seuen dedely synnes capitulo
This is ayenste ryche men that done grere oultrages of mete for bobaunce pryde vaynglorye of the world and haue no pyte on the poure peple But they ought to haue grete drede that they falle not in meschyef lyke as it byfel to the ryche gloton of whome god sayth in the gospel whyche ete euery day delycyously and plentyuously and suffred the poure Lazare deye for hungre at his yate But as to the deth of that one and of that other was a grete chaunge For lazare was borne wyth aungellys in to Abrahams bosome the ryche man auarycyous and gloton had his sepulture in helle where he desyred to haue one drope of water for to refresshe his tongue Alas yf al the water of the see had ronne ouer his tongue it shold not haue ben coled in that fyre perdurable of helle whyche may not be quenched Therfore it is good to fede the poure peple For there by may one escape fro the paynes of helle and wynne the glorye of heuen lyke as sayth holy scrypture wherof our lord shal say atte day Iugemente Come ye blessyd of my fader in to the royame of heuen whyche is redy to you For whan I had hungre and thyrst ye yafe to me to ete and to drynke For that which ye dyd to the leste of my poure peple ye dyd it to me ¶ The second braunche of mercy capitulo Cxxxiij THe second braunche of mercy is to clothe the poure naked peple That is to say that he that may shold gyue to them clothyng hosen and shoon Thus taught Thobye his sone whan he sayd Couer the naked wyth thy gowne and Ysaye the prophete sayth whan thou shalt see the poure naked couere hele hym For suche werke saynt Peter reysed that good woman named Dorcas For she clothed the poure peple as the scrypture sayth Herof hast thou a fayre example of saynt Martyn as I haue sayd tofore The gowne or vesture or what someuer almesse one gyueth to the poure is a memoryal to them that praye for hym that hath gyuen it And is represented to god of his angellys ¶ The thyrd brauÌ„ch 〈◊〉 mercy capitulo Cxxxiiij THe thyrd 〈…〉 mercy is to lene to the poure peple at their nede to 〈…〉 to them the dette that they owe whan they may not 〈…〉 For it is not onely almesse to gyue but it 〈…〉 almesse to lene wythoute vsure· and ony prouffyte 〈…〉 euyl entencyon but purely for goddes loue In 〈…〉 to pardonne quyte his dette whan 〈…〉 and may not paye it this is that whych◠〈◊〉 commauÌ„deth in the olde lawe where he sayth yf one of thy bâ—ethern falle in pouerte thou shalt not enhard thy hert ne wythdrawe not thy hande fro hym But thou shalt opene it to the poure shalt lene to hym that wherof he hath nede And our lord sayth in the gospel lene sayth he to hym that hath nede and that requyreth the. without hope of wynnyng ony temporell thynge and god shal rendre to the an hondred folde double in glorye This mater is ayenste the vsurers that wyl alwaye haue more than they lene in money or in seruyces or in other thynges But god commaundeth to lene to the poure nedy purely for his loue he shal rendre to the an hondred double to the poure man to whome thou hast lente or that oweth to the. or that may not paye to the. thou oughtest to foryeue pardone hym For so commauÌ„deth to the god in the gospel sayth thus yf ye foryeue not eche other god shal not foryeue you And herof God sheweth an ensaumple of an euyl seruaunt to whome his lord had pardonned his dette and by cause he wold not pardone hym that ought to hym The lord repelyd the curtosye bounte that he had doon to hym dyd doo dystrayne helde hym tyl that he had rendred al that he ought Ryght so shal our lord doo yf we foryeue not eche to other ¶ The fourth braunche of mercy capitulo Cxxxv THe iiij braunche of mercy is to vysyte comforte to ayde the seek peple That is a werke that moche pleseth to god· and more than trauaylle or fastyng or other bodely penaunce wherof we fynde in vitis patrum that an hermyte demauÌ„ded of one of the auÌ„cyent faders the whiche was of moost grettest meryte of hym that fasted vj dayes in the weke trauaylled and laboured wyth his handes or of hym that serued the seek malades The good fader answerd that he that fasted trauaylled though he henge by the nosethrylles myght not compare to hym that seruyd the seek peple This werke auaylleth moche to eschewe synne· is a grete remedye ayenst synne And therfore sayth Iob. vysyte thy semblable that been the seek men that ben semblable to the in nature For they be men as thou arte and yf thou so do god shal kepe the fro synne for to do suche a good werke And saynt Iames sayth that it is a relygyon holy and clene tofore god to vysyte the orphanes the seek and poure men the wydowes them that ben in trybulacyon wherof is recounted of a moche grete synnar whyche wente ouer the see vnto the yle of roodes and put hym self in an hospytal for to awayte and serue the seek peple and it happed on a tyme that he had grete abhomynacyon of a seek man of whome he wesshe the feet Anone al ageyn his hert he dranke of that water his ful draught And whan he had dronken he felt a ryght swete good smellyng odour· and this was a grete token and sygne that his synnes were pardonned by thys good werke Also by thys werke is goten grete perfectyon of holy lyf wherof the wyse man sayth in holy scrypture be thou not ennoyed to vysyte the seek peple For by that thou shalt be confermed in the loue of god Also therby is goten grete rewarde as is sayd in the gospel· wherof is tolde that a lady named Marye whyche was a moche holy woman conuerted hyr husbond so moche that they lefte alle that they hadden and wente to the mesell how 's for to serue the seek malades by whyche they came to grete perfectyon After it was shewed to the same Marye that hir husbond that had ben hir felowe in humylite for to serue the seek men wymmen shold be hyr felowe in the glorye of heuen Of the same our lord gyueth vs ensaumple in the gospel that he touched the seek peple heled them The seruaunte ought not to haue desdaygne ne shame to vysyte the seek peple ne to serue them whan the lord of heuen came in to this world for to serue and vysyte them Of whome he took the forme and semblaunce of hys seruaunte This sayth saynt Poul for to serue vs that were seek by synne ¶ The fyfthe braunche of mercy capitulo Cxxxvj THe fyfthe braunche of mercy is to herberowe the waye faryng men the poure people and the pylgrymes
the degrees the braunches the fruyt and the spyrituel good that cometh therof in thys world and in that other Of the fruyt of thys tree sayth Dauyd to vs in the psaulter in thys wyse Blessyd is he that entendeth to the nedy to the poure· That is to say that he abyde not soo longe tyl the poure demaunde hym but that he 〈◊〉 wythoute askynge Ne he hath no hert to gyue that gyueth not wythout askyng he dooth wel that gyueth to the poure but he doth moche better that gyueth with oute demaundyng And therfore sayth Dauyd the prophete blessyd is he that entendeth vnto the poure· and wherfore is he blessyd he sayth after in the sayd place that god shal delyuer hym in the euyl day fro his enemyes That shal be at the day of dome whyche shal be harde and euyl to them that shalle be dampned by cause they haue not fulfylled the werkes of mercy ¶ Thenne shal the Iuge saye to them at that day· Goo ye cursyd in to the fyre of helle wyth the deuyls whan I had hungre and thyrst ye gaue to me neyther mete ne drynke I was seek and ye vysyted not me I was naked and ye clothed me not and therfore they shalle be delyuerd to theyr enemyes that been the deuylles of helle And they that haue been pyetous and haue entended to the poure shalle be delyuerd that day and shullen be put in the possessyon of heuen Lyke as our lord sayth in the gospel For he shalle saye vnto them that haue doon and accomplysshed the werkes of mercy ¶ Come ye blessyd of my fader Receyue ye and take ye the kyngdom of heuen whyche that I haue maad redy for you syth the begynnyng of the world For that whyche ye haue doon to the poure ye haue doon to me Grete honoure shalle god doo to theym whan he shall thanke theym of the werkes of mercy and shalle gyue to them the glorye perdurable And therfore sayth he in the gospel Blessyd ben the merciful For they shal haue mercy by cause they haue enlonged the lyf of the poure peple by their almesse therfore they that haue had pyte of the membres of Ihesu Cryste· haue susteyned them in thys world haue comforted ayded them in theyr aduersytees It is wel reasoÌ„ that he do to them mercy which delyuerth fro al aduersytees fro al myserye so shall he doo whan he shal gyue to them the lyf â—erdurable wherto mercy shal lede them and herberowe them ¶ Of the lyf actyf of the lyf contemplatyf capitulo Cxl THe holy scripture wytnesseth and enseigneth to vs ij maners of wele and gooâ—es by which a persone cometh to the lyf perdurable The fyrst is called the lyf actyf by cause it is in labour of good werkes maketh a man to enteÌ„de to the prouffyte of hym self and of hys neyghbour The second is called conteÌ„platyf by cause it is in reste of good werkes ne entendeth to no 〈◊〉 but to loue to knowe god TheÌ„ne is he ydle of wer 〈…〉 like as he were a slepe but he is awaked 〈…〉 for to thynke vpon god and for to loue hym And for the loue that he hath to god he put al other thyngeâ— in forgetyng lyke as he were al rauysshed fyxed in god desyreth to be dysseueryd fro the mortal body for to be alwaye wyth Ihesu Cryst The fyrst lyf is the felde of good werkes where the knyghtes of god assaye preue them The second reste them wyth god in the chambre of clene conscyence· The fyrst entendeth to fede god wyth the mete of good werkes The second entendeth to be â—edde and fulfylled of god by veray comfort spyrytuel Of the fyrst is sygnefyed by martha whyche was besy to fede our lord as it is sayd in the gospel The second is sygnefyed by marye magdalene which satte at the feet of Ihesu Cryst· and herde hys wordes The fyrst is a waye entre to the second For no persone may come to the lyf contemplatyf· yf he be not fyrst wel proued in the lyf actyf lyke as saith saynt Gregory· The yeftes the vertues wherof we haue spoken tofore apperteynen to the fyrst lyf whyche is called actyf The two last yeftes of whyche we shal speke by the helpe ayde of the holy ghoost that is to wete of the yefte of vnderstondyng and of the yefte of wysedom and sapyence apperteynen to the second lyf whyche is callyd contemplatyf Thys lyf hath two thynges lyke as we haue tofore touched that is to wete in ryght knowleche of god and in parfyght loue The yefte of vnderstondyng ledeth to perfectyon of ryzt knowleche The yefte of sapyence ledeth to perfectyon of loue we shal say fyrst of the yefte of vnderstondyng after that the holy ghoost shal teche enseygne vs. Thys yefte that is called the yefte of vnderstondyng nys none other thynge after the sayntes and the doctours· but a lyght and a clerenes of grace whyche the holy ghoost sendeth in to the hert by vnderstondyng a man is lyfte vp to knowe his maker the thynges spyrytuel whyche may not be seen bodyly And al the thynges thâ—t apperteynen to the helthe of the soule and to naturall reason to whyche the vnderstoÌ„dyng of a maÌ„ by hym self may not ome This yefte is called lyght for it purgeth the vnderstondyng of a man fro the derkenesse of ygnoraunce fro the spottes fylthe of synne For lyke as the bodyly lyght taketh awaye the derknesse and maketh the bodyly thynges to be seen clerely Ryght so this spyrytuel lyght purgeth the vnderstondyng of a man to that whyche he may see clerely knowe certeynlye as a man may knowe in this mortal lyf god hys maker the spyrytuel creatures lyke as â—en the aungellys the soules and the thynges that apperteyne to the helthe of soules That ben the artycles of the feyth of whiche we haue spoken tofore This knowleche is not but in conscyence wel purged pure and clene For lyke as sore eyen charged wyth fylthe may not beholde the clere lyght Ryght soo the vnderstondyng of a man whan it is of hym self may not beholde ne knowe spyrytuel thynges yf it be not wel purged fro al tatches of errour and of fylthe of synne by veray fayth whyche purgeth the hertes as the scrypture sayth· But the yefte of the holy ghoost of whyche we speke here perfourmeth this purgacyon atte herte so that the holy soule whyche is purged and enlumyned with this lyght of vnderstondyng may see and knowe god and al that whyche is to hym necessarye and prouffytable to his sauacyon And that is the blessyng wherof god speketh in the gospel whan he sayth blessyd be they that be clene of hert for they shal see god in presence by fayth in lyght and enformed by the yefte of vnderstondyng and after the deth they shalle see hym in heuen face to face clerely wythout ende as
thyng which they demauÌ„de of hym as sayth saint austyn Also in the tyme the woman lyeth in gesyne or nygh the tyme of chyldyng a maÌ„ ouzt to kepe hym fro the werke of mariage for shame and also for the perylle that myght come therof It is founden in the book that speketh of the nature of beestys that the olyfaunt shal neuer abyde wyth the female as longe as she is conceyued and bereth and a man by reason ought to be better attempred than a beest and therfore ought a man in suche tyme wythdrawe hym But neuertheles I say not that is synne to do the werke of maryage in suche tyme for good cause trewe entencyon wherof god is Iuge The thyrd caas is that in whyche one may moost greuously synne in his maryage that is in holy place For in holy place as is the chyrche whyche is ordeyned for to praye god and serue hym ought not be do lecherye of maryage ne none other synne for the reuereÌ„ce of the holy place he that hath no regarde in suche holy place to do suche werke he synneth for reason of the place For suche thynge is synne in one place and in one tyme that is not in another The iiij estate is of them that haue be in maryage but the deth hath deceuerd them that one fro that other· And he or she that is abyden ought to kepe and lyue chastly as longe as he or she is in the state of wydowhede This is an estate whyche Saynt poul preyseth moche sayth to the wydowes that he or she is good that holdeth hym in suche estate yf it playse not them they may marye them For better is to marye than to brenne them for yf he breÌ„ne so that he conseÌ„te to synne he synneth for he put his hert therto by wylle by desyre to the fyre of lechery and better it were more auaylle to hym to marye than to brenne hym self in the fyre that is to vnderstonde of them that ben in the state of symple wydowhede not them that been in thestate bouÌ„den by vowe they may not marye wtthoute dedely synne after their vowe but neuertheles yf the vowe be symple that it be pryuely made without solempnyte how be it that they synne dedely that after theyr auow marye theÌ„ neuertheles they may abyde in their maryage yf ther be none other lettyng And is bounden to do penauÌ„ce of the vowe broken but whan the vowe is solempne or by the hande of a prelate or by professyon of relygyon or by holy ordre that he hath receyued as subdeken deken or preest Thenne the mariage is none but they must deceuere departe that so ben assembled by mariage for they may not be laufully in suche estate To byholde the state of wydowhede ought to moeue the example of the turtle for lyke as sayth the book of nature of beestes Neuer after the turtle hath lost his make she shal neuer accompanye hir with another but is solytarye fleeth the companye of other Thre thynges apperteyne moche to them that bâ—e in thestate of wydowhede The fyrst is to hyde hyr self to be secretlye in hyr how 's not to syewe suspecyous felawshyp herof haue we a fayre example of Iudyth whyche was a wydowe was a moche fayre woman and yonge of whiche it is sayd in the holy scripture that she helde hir self in hir chambre cloos with hyr maydens wherfor saynt Poul repreueth the yonge wymmen wydowes that were ydle curyous for to goo come Iape and ouermoche speke but closely and secretely ought they to be in their lodgyng entende to doo good werkes· lyke as saynt Poul enseygneth them The ij thyng is to entende to praye god gladly and to yelde hym thankynges of hys benefaytes And to be in the chyrche in grete deuocyon in grete repentaunce of theyr synnes in teres wepyng As it is sayd in scrypture by saint luke that the good wydowe which was named Anne departed not out of the temple but serued god nyght day in prayer in fastynges in other penauÌ„ces The iij thyng is sharpnesse of metes Saynt poul saith that a wydowe that ledeth hir lyf in delices is deed by synne for lyke as saith saynt bernard chastyte peryssheth in delices in lyke wyse as he perissheth in the water that is so moche vnder in depnesse that he leseth his breeth No maÌ„ may haue his heed in the water that is to say his herte longe in the delyces of thys world but that he lose hys lyf That is the grace of the holy god by whyche the soule lyueth in god In suche estate also apperteyneth humble habyte and not proude ne curyous After the example of Iudith whyche lefte hir ryche robes and hir ryche paremeutis whan hir lord and husbond was dede and took the habyte of wydowhede symple and humble whyche was more sygne of wepyng of sorowe than of Ioye ne of vayn glorye and by cause she loued the vertu of chastyte and that she wold kepe alle hir lyf she clad hir wyth heyr and fasted euery day except the festes and yet was she fayr yonge ryche wyse But the â—â—â—nte of hir hert and loue of chastyte maad hyr to do it thus ouzt he· or she to lyue that wyl kepe chastyte in suche estate and thys is the fourth braunche of thys tree ¶ The fyfthe braunche of the vertue of chastyte and of vyrgynyte Capitulo Clj THe fyfthe brauÌ„che of chastyte and of vyrgynyte is the fyfthe estate whyche is in theym that kepe and haue alwaye kepte and yet alwaye kepe and purpose to kepe alle theyr lyf theyr body hool wythout corrupcyon for the loue of god This estate is moche to be praysed for hys dygnyte for his beaute and for his bounte For thys estate hath he that kepeth hym semblable to auÌ„gellys of heuen as sayen the sayntes But moche more haue the vyrgyns of glorye and of meryte than the aungellys For the aungellys lyuen wythoute flesshe but the vyrgynes haue vyctorye ouer theyr flesshe that is theyr propre body And that is a grete meruaylle that they kepe so feble a castel as is the body ayenst so stronge an aduersarye as is the deuyl that secheth alle thengynes that he may to take the castel for to robbe the tresour of vyrgynyte This is the tresour of whyche our lord speketh in the gospel whan he sayth that the royame of heuen is lyke to tresour that is hyd in a felde The tresour hydde in the felde is vyrgynyte hyd in the body whyche is lyke a felde whyche ought by penaunce to be eered laboured and sowen by labour of good werkys Thys tresour is semblable to the royalme of heuen For the lyf of vyrgynes is lyke the lyf of heuen that is the lyf of auÌ„gellys wheref our lord sayth in the gospel· that in the resurrectyon generall shal be noo maryages as ben in this world â–ª
that apperteyneth to the helth of his soule wythout slydyng wyth out doubtyng and wythout waueryng in the fayth of Ihesu Cryst where they be so Ioyned and fermly founded that they may not departe them for deth ne for to suffre ony tormente what someuer it be ¶ And therfore been blessed they that be clene of hert in this mortal lyf For they haue the eyen of the herte the vnderstondyng and the wylle soo clere and soo clene that they see god and byleue hym by fayth ferme and certayn lyke as we haue sayd tofore ¶ wherrof our Lord sayd to saynt Thomas by cause thou hast seen me thou hast byleued me· But they ben blessyd that haue not seen me bodyly and haue byleued me certeynlye but this blessyng shall be perfyght in the lyf perdurable where he that is clene of hert whyche here seeth hym by fayth that is alwaye derkly· There in his glorye shal see hym face to face al clerely as saith saynt poule That is the blessyng to aungellys to sayntes whych see hym in his precyouse vysage to knowe one god in thre persones to byholde clerely in that myrrour where al thynges shynen angellys and al the sayntes loken therin and merueylen them and taken there theyr glorye and neuer may they be ful for to loke therin For there is alle beaute alle bounte alle swetenes and fontayâ—e of lyf perdurable and al that whiche hert may wylle and desyre But yet I shal saye a lytel For lyke as sayth the scrypture The eyen mortal may not beholde Ne ere here Ne hert of man thynke what that god hath arayed and maad redy to his frendes that louen seruen hym kepe his commaundements and that kepe them fro synne wherof Saynt Amelme sayth· Soule sayth he lyft vp thyn entendement there aboue· and thynke as moche as thou mayst what wele how grete and how moche delectable is that good whyche conteyneth in hym self the Ioye and the delyte of alle goodes And not suche Ioye and suche delyte as is founden in creatures but as moche more Ioye as the creatour and maker is more grete and more worthy and more excellent than hys creatures O sayth he thou faytour thou man that goost so folyly for to seche dyuers goodes to thy soule and to thy body loue thou and seche one good wherin ben alle goodes and he shal suffyse the. For the good that god hath graunted and gyuen to hys frendes that is hym self whiche is the souerayn good of whome comen and sourden al other goodes as stremes that yssuen out of the quycke fontayne ¶ Certeynlye ryght blessyd shal he be sayth saynt austyn which wythout vylonye shal see the vysage dyscouerd and the glorye of god and shal be transformed in to thymage of glory where as he shal see god as he is The whyche syght is glorye crowne with out ende and al the rewarde meryte of sayntes This shalle be al the good of man· This sayth maistre hughe of saynt vyctor The man that made alle and formed For therfore wold god bycome man whiche made in hym self al men blessyd in body and in soule by cause that the man sawe hym wyth the cyen of his body in hys humanyâ—e that the soule sawe hym in his deyte so that he fonde swetenes and delyte in hys creatour and maker wythin and wythout within in hys deyte and wythout in his humanyte This shal be the Ioye of euery creature his Ioye his delyâ—e â— lyf perdurable of this blessed vysyon That is the blessyng that they attende whyche kepe clennesse chastyte of hert of body ¶ Of the yefte of sapyence Capitulo Cliiij THe last yefte the souerayn the moost hye· is the yefte of sapyence or of wysedom whyche is a grace that the holy ghoost gyueth to the hert contemplatyf by whyche he is esprysed of the loue of god that he desyreth ne secheth none other thynge but to see god to haue hym to delyte in hym to loue hym to honoure and serue hym and dwelle wyth hym This is the soÌ„me of perfection and the ende of contemplacion ¶ The yefte of vnderstondyng of whyche we haue spoken tofore maketh god to be knowen and the thynges spyrytuel as by syght and symple byholdynges But the yefte of sapyence maketh to fele and knowe god by taste theÌ„ne sapyeÌ„ce is none other thyng but a sanery knowleche which is with sauour grete delyte of hert for otherwyse knoweth nothe the wyn that drynketh it in a fayr vyrre or glasse yf he drynke and taste it not sauour it Many phylosophres knewen god by scripture by the creatures lyke as by a myrrour wherin they behelde by reason by vnderstondyng his myght his beaute his wytte his bounte in that whych they see the creatures that he hath made so grete so fayr so wel ordeyned Thenne they knewe hym by symple byholdyng of vnderstondyng natural reason But they neuer felte hym by taste of ryght loue ne by dâ—uocyon Ryght so ben there many crysten persones clerkes laye whyche wel knowe hym by fayth and by scrypture but by cause they haue theyr taste dysordynate by synne they may not fele hym nomore than the seek persone may fynde taste or sauour in good mete ¶ The yefte of sapyence whyche the holy ghoost putteth in a â—erfyght hert purgeth clenseth it fro alle ordure of synne lyfteth vp soo â—he spyryte of a man that he Ioyneth hym to god by ardaunt desyre of loue so that he is al wyth god there he fedeth hym there he nouryssheth hym there he fatteth hym there he delyteth resteth hym and there he slepeth There he forgeteth al his trauaylles al hys flesshly desyres erthely hym self so that he remembreth no thynge but god whome he loueth aboue al thynges Thys is the last degree of the laddre of perfectyon that Iacob saw in his slepe whyche touched heuen by whyche aungellys mounted descended The degrees of thys laddre been the seuen yeftes of the holy ghoost of whyche we haue spoken tofore· By these seuen degrees mounten the aungellys These been they that leden the lyf of aungellys in erthe by purete clennesse of conscyeyce whyche haue the hert in heuen by veray desyre holy conuersacyon whan they prouffyte fro vertu to vertu tyl they see god clerely and loue hym parfyghtly But whan they be mounted vnto the last degree somtyme byhoueth it them to descende by humylyte for of so moche as a good maÌ„ is more parfyght of so moche is he more humble and lasse preyseth hym self Thenne a good man a parfyght ought to be lyke as a tree whyche is charged wyth fruyt For the more that the tree is charged and laden with fruyt· the more he enclyneth boweth to the erthe In another maner may be vnderstonden that the aungellys descenden For the good men that leden the lyf of angellys in erthe by