Tho. Lupsets workes Londini ANNO. M. D. XLVI ¶ The contentes of this boke ¶ A treatise of charitie ¶ An exhortacion to young men perswadyng them to walke in the pathe waie that leadeth to honestee and goodnes ¶ A comâ—endious treatise teachyng the waie of dieyng well ¶ A sermon of Chrysostome that No man is hurte but of hym selfe ¶ A swete sermon of S. Cyprian of the mortalitee of man ¶ The rules of a Christian lyfe made by Iohn Picus the elder Erle of Mirandula ¶ Bathered counsels out of Saynt Isâ—dore Treatise of Charitie I Am wel mynded to stycke to my promesse of charitie by cause you can not mislike my writing how rudely so euer I write onles you diminishe your owne charitie For charitie taketh all thinges in good worth and consydereth more the good will of the workeman then the beautie of the worke Herevpon I am bolded to shewe my mynde in fewe woordes what is charitie and how we maie kepe charitie A saiyng muche vsed with euery man and woman but not so well perceyued as it is commonlye spoken Spekers of chaâ—â—tie be plentie kepers of charitie be veraie scase althoughe you wold make serche through out all religious cloisters To be without malice and hate is not inough yet veraie fewe be founde so clere nor it is not inough to loue in a slyght or a common or in a meane wyse If you kepe in you Charitie ye bespotles of al grudges and therwith ye loue in the moste hyghest degree of louyng bothe god and man god for hym selfe and man for goddis sake But here nowe me thynketh we be to sodeinly entred with a skyp to the myddes of this mater let vs make some conuenient beginning and therafter lette vs procede For both you shall with the more ease gather the fruite of this lesson and I shall the better se what is taught if the sentences be â—yde in their due ordre And for as muche good sister as this thynge that we here take in hande to treate of is all holy all godly all heauenly farre passyng the relyques of sayntes farre passyng the halowed chalices Lette vs I praie you beware of presumpcyon to touche this mattier with foule fingers It is our part to wasshe oure handes cleane I meane as the matter is spirituall so our spirite muste be prepared in a due reuerence accordyng to the highe dignitie of this vertue the water that clenseth our spirite and mynde is mekenes Here with I saie we must prepare vs both you to here and I to speke of holy charitie bycause Christe saieth that in charitie is conteined all the law of god And goddis lawe dothe chiefely enforce .ii. thynges one to make vs by thretening of peynes to flee from syn an other to cause vs promisynge of ioyes to folowe vertue It muste nedes then be true that Charitie maketh men do bothe these thinges to forsake synne and to embrace vertue This is to saie by Charitie we refuse euyll and take good by charitie we flee doyng naughtly and cleaue to doyng well by Charitie we escape disprayse and deserue prayse by charitie we duly bothe feare and loue god finally by charitie we be ryd from the bondage of our ennemy the prynce of this worlde and be franke in the libertie of goddis kyngdome ¶ In this speakynge of charitie there semeth to be an other streÌ„gth in the worde than comenly we vnderstande in our englyshe tonge and surely the trouthe is soo that farre aboue our coÌ„men vnderstandynge this worde signifiethe the hole perfection of a christen man It is a worde borowed with vs of the latyne called Charitas If you nowe will considre what is the fountayne lyfe and soule of mans vertue the spacing and rote of all his good workes you shall see that it is only the true loue of god For who so euer hath his mynde inwardly ameled bakeÌ„ through fyred with the loue of god he is the blessed man that kepeth goddis worde that fulfylleth all goddis lawe that neuer willethe doyng euyll and euer willeth doyng well in the perfecie forme facion shappe and kynde of well doyng This loue of god that causethe suche perfections in man is called Charitie But remembre it maie not bee taken in the weake common maner for all they haue not this charitie that saie thei loue God Nor all they loue not God that so say We be not as our seyyng soundethe but as god seeth our thoughtes so we beâ— None of vs loueth god that enforcethe to wyll any thyng besydes goddys wyll He loueth not god perfetly that thynkethe any thyng besyde god he loueth not god perfitely that dothe any thing without god The perfecte loue of god can not stande with any care or studye for this lyfe the perfyte loue of god abydethe not the couplyng with any other loue the perfect loue of god knoweth none affectioÌ„ to kinred it knoweth no difference betwene poore and ryche it knoweth not what meneth myne and thyneâ— it â—anne not diuyde a foo frome a frende For he that truely and perfectly loueth god muste loue god alone nothynge besyde god nor with god but loue all indifferently in god and for god We that saie we loue god when we scant ones in a daie remembre god and yet neuer remembre we God in suche a maner but that more often and more ernestly we remembre other thynges in saiyng we loue god and doyng thus we can not proue true that we saie For the perfecte louer of god is so wedded togod that â—his thought nothyng abydeth but the quycke remembraunce of god Our spirites and senses be occupied with so many other matters that scante we haue leiser to thynke on god so farre we be from this charitie the whiche I saie is a vertue of that dignitie power and maiestee that by it selfe it conteineth all the preceptes of the patriarkes all the lawes of the prophetes all the doctrine of Christe all the rules of the apostels all the inuencions of the holy churche ye more then all this charitie hath a lybertee of power ouer bothe the olde and the newe testament For the true louer of god the whiche is the charitable persone is vnder no rule but he is a lorde aboue all lawes all inuencions all preceptes all commaundementes that god hath gyuen to man For charitie hathe no bonde But alwaie sister remembre that charitie is not perfecte oneles that it bee burnyng It is not a quenched loue a colde loue a loue growinge in the tethe or lyppes that is charitie but the hotte feruente burnynge hertes affecte towarde god is the loue that is vnderstand in the name of charitie the whiche as is saied doth not only contein all the doctrine of Christe but also it is aboue all lawes to rule rather then to be ruled The ende of all the course and walkynge of the sonne of god in this worlde was to leaue amonge men this Charitie The marke
all and muche more to bee blamed then the other two For a felowe set to his pleasure loueth money to serue hym to make merie and to make therwith good cheare the other sette vpon honour loueth the present goodes bycause by theim he wolde bee regarded Bothe these men spende as faste as they gette and smalle stoore they putte in the vylenes of money but he that vpon mystrust seketh goodes loueth then to hyde them to kepe theim as well frome hym selfe as from other beyng euer in feare either of famine scarcenes or of olde age or of syckenes or of tribulacions and muche better confidence and trust he putteth in his owne policy and prouysion then he dothe in the goodnesse of god that made all and that nouryssheth vs all not leauynge the smalleste gnatte the leaste worme or flye withoute dyspensacion to haue conuement sustâ—naunce and of man he clerely is myndefull yet man can not truste hym Wherfore the loue of this worlde vppon a mystruste of lyuynge is a thyng in the syght of god mooste detestable Thus I saie we maie vse this worlde but we maie not abuse hit whan for the world we breake charitie with god And if our herte be not hollye gyuen to loue god we haue not god with perfyte charitie god hath not our holle herte if the worlde haue any parte This is the waie to come to perfitte Charitie to kepe our hert our soule our minde our witte all hole for god the whiche kepyng of our herte and mynde holle is the reste and quietnes of the soule from the saied temptacions and passions And this is the dryâ—yng awaie of the lettes and impedimentes to attaine charitie wherof nowe here a lyttell more This perfecte loue of god maketh as we haue saied the mynde stronge to withstand the thursting and shulderyng of synne and the same bringeth forthe consequently the ioyfull rest and quietnes from the forsaied passions whiche the corrupte loue of this lyfe bredeth So that this calmnes of mynde is a certaine effecte and worke of charitie And hope in god maketh vs fyrmely to awayte for the fulfyllyng of the promesse of god in vs and to vs which hope is goten by pacience that is constante endurynge of aduersitie the whiche paciente endurynge is purchased with abstinence that is a stronge resistyng against euyll enticementes And feare of god causeth courage to flie and to absteine from euill the whiche feare of god groweth of an vndoubted belefe in our maister Christes teachyng Thus from faith we come to feare from feare to fleyng of synne and in fleynge of synne we take a paciente mynde to suffre wherby we take hope and trust in god through the which Hope our soule sytteth in a sure chaire of a certain expectacion of that whiche is laide vp in storâ— for vs in heauen And therof finally cometh in vs this charitie whiche causeth vs to loue god for his infinite goodnes in the same promesse makyng whereof nowe we wayte for the fulfyllyng the whiche is also the thing that inforceth and ordereth all oure thoughtes in suche a dewe rule that our life thereby rendrethe in all his actes a swete sauour bothe to god and to man But agayne let vs ones repete the effect of this lesson who so euer beleueth our maister he feareth his punysshement and he that feareth to be punyshed of Chryste refrayneth hym self â—rom sensuall lustes the whiche be the causes of punysshmente he that kepeth of suche causes abydeth wel and suffreth tribulacion he that paciently suffreth tribulacion hath a blessed hope and truste in god the whiche drawethe and pluckethe the mind from worldly affections and the mynde ones frely discharged of all loue to this worlde streighte taketh the pure burnynge charitie towarde god and that makethe quietnes rest and peace in our conscience Thus euery waie we must resolue ourselfe to reste finally in the possession of charitie or elles we neither canne beleue nor feare Chryste as we oughte to doo nor refraine euyll lustes as we oughte to dooe nor suffre tribulacions as we ought to dooe nor hope in god as we oughte to dooe nor leaue the loue of these worldely dregges as we oughte to dooe but in the fame we shall bee drowned boothe â—yght and daie durynge the space without interrupcion of any lette in this worlde And touchyng charitie in god the which is vtterly to for sake al loue of this worlde that thereby we maie cleane bee rydde from all passions to loue and honour god alone lette this that we haue hetherto spoken be inoughe Nowe a lyttell harken what is this saiyng to haue and kepe charitie Truely hit is to deryue and to take out from our loue in god an other loue towardes man for god For he that hath perfect charitie in god loueth for goddes sake all men as hym selfe by cause in man he knowethe is the image of god the whiche image of god the charitable herte embraceth indifferently in the holle kynde of man withoute makynge excepcyon of frende and no frende of well wyllers and ennemies of kynsfolke and strangers but as the fygure of god is equalle in all soo he equally fauoureth all For though with obstynate synners and with men wedded to theyr passions he bee displeased yet his dyspleasure becometh hym as a louer that soâ—oweth his frendes hurte Wherfore if he bee a synner amended or conuerted he is fulle of gladnes and neuer cessethe he laiynge his waite and watche to do man good so that by his charitie toward man for goddes sake he continuallye myndeth man well and therof he neuer slaketh In vysytynge the sycke in clothyng the naked in fedyng the hungrye in refreshynge the poore in comfortyng the miserable in praying for synfull in all workes of mercie pitie and deuocion he laboureth with pleasure by reason of his fast loue towarde god He freely and gladlye forgyueth all maner displeasures of iniuries of rebukes of hurtes and so depe he is in his loue that nothing can cause hym to hate For it is a true saiyng that who soo euer felith in his herte any poynte of hatred for any maner of cause against any maner a man this person maie be assured that he is not in charitie with god For our maister Christ saith He that loueth me kepeth my commaundement my commandement is that one of you loue an other Wherfore he that loueth not his neyghbour euerye man is neyghboure vnto other dwellyng in the smalle compasse of this erthe kepeth not our maisters commaundemente and he that kepeth not the commaundement can not loue oure mayster Christe whom he that loueth not loueth not god Wherfore he that loueth not his neyghbour halteth in his Charitie towardes God Thus we maie see that charitie in god teacheth what is to be done of vs towarde man and euer we be assured to worke wel if we kepe in vs this holy charitie the whiche onely can kepe and knowethe the waye howe
the face of god And this is the conclusyon of the passionat soule that lieth in the fetters of fylthye â—â—â—tes without reste drawen nowe hyther nowe thyther in a continuall waueryng of vayne fantasies But on the other syde the quycke lyuyng soule that quietly resteth in the loue of god dryueth frome hym by the power of grace wherwith he is indued all these vnquiete passions If he stande in feare to be moued with vncomely appetytes he fasteth he watcheth he laboreth The man I saie or woman dothe this in whome suche a blessed soule beareth rule Lyke wise against anger wrath and vayne glorie he settethe atte naught bothe honour and dyshonour shame sclaunder and worshyppe in this worlde bee nothyng in his reputacion Against remembraunce of displeasures he praieth for his euyll wyllers Suche a maner charitie teacheth and courageth this blessed soule to bee occupied in the mainteinyng and defendyng the myndes quietnesse a thynge aboue all thynges in this worlde to be kepte warely The rest that aungels in heauen haue is none other but this not to be moued nor sturred with these passions of louyng of hating of beyng pleased of beyng diseased of trustyng of lusting of abhorring of couetyng of refusyng of reioysyng of lamentyng and of innumerable such other that scourgeth and whippeth mans minde by reason of the corrupte affection and loue that he beareth in his ytching bodie a loue mooste contrarye to charitie the whiche hath as muche ease as that hath trouble You shall here a lesson of our mayster Christ the auctour and preacher of charitie He aduysethe counsaileth and commaundeth me if I be his disciple not to resist ageinst euill to offre my lefte cheke to him that hathe bee blowed me on the righte to leaue my gowne to hym that hath taken from me my cote to walke two miles with hym that hath vexed me and compelled me to walke one myle The forme of this lesson that Christe here gyueth is to enstructe and warne all christen men to regarde nothynge of the bodye or of the worlde aboue the rest and quietnesse of the mynde but that we shoulde suffre the losse of our goodes with the hurte ye with the deathe of our bodies rather then we shulde lose any smalle porcion of charitie to bee moued with any passion of minde wherby our loue towarde god myght decaie It is not possible after Christes doctrine to take in this worlde by any kynde of vyolence soo greatte domage or hurte in bodye or goodes as is the least drope of trouble in the mynde where no tyrant nor the deuyll hym selfe hath any dominion For there onely ruleth our owne free wyll soo that if we will disordre our mynde with any passion we be to our selfe more violente and cruell than the deuyll can be Wherfore my good syster let vs beleue our maister Christe and to the deathe lette vs neuer breake peace with god For if we do fare well all reste We breake peace with god when we tourne vs for any cause to the care of this lyfe If you fele your selfe inordynatly moued with displeasante woordes with angry countenaunces with euyll reportes with dyspraises with rebukes with fals sclander with vntrue complaintes beware syster for surely you be not in charitie with god If you mumble vpon coniectours if you fede vpon suspicions if you gnawe vpon shrewde tales if you delyte to gyue taunte for taunte beware agayne good syster for withoute doubte god and you betwayne And if you beleue the sonne of god your selfe with your owne will do more then any fierce prynce ouer you coulde dooe all thoughe he brought you to extreme wretchednes and at the laste to the deathe tourmented your body It is with out comparison worse to bee sette with these passions than it is to suffre the panges of death But at this pointe peraduenture you will saie and aske me whether we shuld forsake al the commodities of this worlde whether we shulde make no force to gette suche thynges as kepeth vp the welthe of our bodie whether we shulde vtterly refuse all thynges ordeyned for this lyfe whether we shoulde be cleane careles of good name No no syster not soo Holly scripture forbeadeth vs nothynge that is for vse or profyte as by Chrystes lawe it is not forbyd to eate to drynke to haue and gette wherwith suche sustinaunce maie bee mainteyned to gette chyldren to haue money to haue possessions to bee in honour to bee regarded but the worde of god suffrethe not glottony and a delyte in the belye cheare nor lechery and an vnlauful pleasure in bodylye lustes nor couetousnesse nor a gredye desyre to be ryche not vaynglory and a proude desyre to be magnified Lykewise the commaundemente of god forbeadeth vs not the thynkynge of these and of suche other thynges but it is playne contrarye to the wylle of god that we shoulde with any great intencion solicitude or carefulnesse of mynde prosecute these bodyly necessities And in the hauynge of the goodes promocions and honours we maie not iudge to be any hygher at all then is to haue thynges for mans necessitie So that towarde theim we maie not beare any maner of loue or affection but only we must with suche a mynde take theym to help forthe this lyfe as the craftes men take the instrumentes and toles to helpe theyr handye woorkes that in the hauynge of ryches our mynde considre nothyng but a plentie of thynges apperteinyng to our vse and necessytyes And thus we maie bothe for our selfe and for our neyghbours bethynke vs well howe we shall lyue but it maie be noo care nor yet any erneste studye least therby our charitie with god be dimynysshed For holde faste my syster in your remembrance that to haue and kepe charitie with god is to loue God with your holle herte with your hole mynde with your hole power If any smalle parte of your herte or of your mynde or of your wit be bestowed in any affection or loue towarde this life ye mynishe the perfection of your charitie with god the which requireth of you all and hole to be withoute a felowe by hym selfe alone loued You maie right well syster putte youre mynde and witte to gette these thynges that mainteyne this lyfe but it muste be done without all loue and affection there maie bee no parte of loue spente in suche matters for your mynde can not with any loue and affect labour to get and to holde this worldly commodities but in the meane season your charitie with god is greatly decayed and welnyghe broken Also you betray your selfe to mystruste the promission of god with the whiche mistruste god is moste displeased For there be three causes noted that shulde chiefly moue mens mindes to desyre these worldelye goodes One is the loue of welthe case myrthe and pleasure An other loue of worshyppe honour and glorye the thyrde the doubtefulnes and mystruste of lyuyng here the whiche mystrust I saie is worste of
to kepe goddes worde It is our maister Christe that byddethe vs loue oure ennemies to dooe well with theim that haten vs to praye for theym that persecute vs. Chryste thus commandeth vs to th entent he wolde clense and rydde vs from hatred from doyng iniuries from beyng myndefull of displeasures to haue vs pure from hate rancour angre and grudging he commandeth vs to loue without excepcion as well our foo as our frende He wolde haue vs of our charitie in god to loue man after the ensaumple of god the which wolde haue all men indifferently to be saued and come to the lyghte of trouthe lyke as his sonne shynethe ouer the good and euylle his rayne fallethe as well vpon the vniust as vpon the iuste so wolde Christe haue vs indifferentely sprede our affections to all men after the free lyberalle distribucion of charitie For and if you be in this case that some persones ye loue some you hate some you nother loue nor hate somme you loue so so in a meane facion somme you loue veraie ernestly by this inequalitie of louyng learne that you be fare from perfecte charitie with god the whiche perfecte charitie indifferentely louethe all men for goddes sake the good sort of men as his dere frendes the euyll sorte as theim of whome maie be made dere frendes In charitie is no knowladge of any difference betwene ryche and poore betwene maister and seruant betwene bond and free betwene faithfull and vntrue betwene male and female betwene kinne and no kinne the charitable spirite lokethe vpon mans symple nature the whiche in all men is lyke and one thyng wherof he conceiueth in his mynde one indifferente contemplacion of all and at all seasons he is well mynded euer well dysposed to doo all men good with whome is neyther englyshe nor scottisshe aquayntaunce nor straunger but with hym one is all and in all Chryste Iesus alone whome and whose crosse he knoweth and nothynge elles Thus by our Charitie with god we learne what is our dueitie towarde man But here in louynge your neyghbours and bretherne loke you deceiue not your selfe for hit is not inoughe to loue youre neyghbour but ye muste in the ordre and rule of charitie loue hym that is onelye or chyefely to loue hym for goddes sake There bee fyue waies noted of louynge one of vs an other of the whiche numbre one waie is praised thre be vtterly dispraysed and one neyther praysed nor dispraised Fyrste I maie loue my neyghbour for goddis sake as euery good vertuous man loueth euery man Seconde I maie loue my neyghbour of a naturall affection bycause he is my sonne or brother or kynsman Thirdly I maie loue for vainglorye as if I loke by my neyghbour to be worshypped or aduaunced to honour Fourthly I maie loue for couetousnes as whan I cheryshe and flatter a ryche manne for his goodes whan I make muche of them that haue done me pleasures and may do me mo The fifte waie I maie loue for my sensuall luste as when I loue to fare delicately or elles when I madde or dote vppon women The fyrst waie to loue my neighbour for the loue I beare to god is onely worthy to bee praysed The seconde waie naturally deserueth neyther praise nor dispraise The thyrde the fourthe and the fyfte to loue for glory aduantage or plesure all thre be stark naught Therfore syster oute with your loue and consydre welle in what waie your herte is gyuen to loue pour neyghbour Charitie hath but one way of louing a man truly an well that is onely for goddes sake To conclude nowe this mattier the whiche of him selfe is in sight lette vs knytte vppe charitie with this generall knotte that man is made absolute and perfecte in all vertues through this one vertue of Charitie But whan I saie all vertues loke that you vnderstand what is ment in the name of vertue or elles this generalle clause maie deceyue you Wherfore you must learne that the body hath his propre vertues and the soule lyke wyse hath his owne aparte frome the other The vertues of the bodie bee as to faste to watche to goo on pylgremage to trauaille with hande and fote for to helpe theyr neyghbours to distribute your goodes in almes dedes to buylde vp churches wherein the people maie here the worde of god and come together to praier to punyshe the fleshe with roughe heer to slepe vpon the harde grounde to socour the nedy to ayde the miserable and other suche actes bodilye men dooe for the loue and honour of god The vertues of the soule be of a nother sorte as mekenes pacience abstinence hope faithe charitie pitye mercy and other lyke Nowe if it so bee that of some infirmitee I can not faste nor watche for lacke of money I can not do any almes for lacke of bodily strengthe I canne not traueyle if suche necessarie and true consideracions make vs wante the vertues of the bodie we bee without blame and had excused before god the whiche beholdethe the secrete and priuie cause of oure defaulte But in the vertues of our soule we haue no maner of defence if it bee soo that we lacke any of theim For they haue noo necessitie nor constraynte of any thyng but all be frely vnder the election and choyce of oure free will And whan it is generally said that charitie maketh a man absolute and perfecte in all vertues ye must vnderstande in all the vertues of the soule the whiche be very vertues to speake and to name the truthe Whereby the bodye can haue of hym selfe no vertue nor nothyng can be done of the bodie worthy of praise onles the acte bee coupled and ioyned with the vertues of the mynde But contrarye the soule is perfecte in his vertues without all assistence and helpe of the body Then boldelye we maie saie that from charitie cometh all vertues and none other worke there is of charitie than to make and bringe forth in vs vertue It is holy scriptures testimony that charitie can not bee ydle Alwaie than a charitable spirite is doyng and what so euer he dothe hit muste nedes bee a good worke For what can come frome the loue of god but it shall sauer and smelle of god the whiche sauour is this onelye thynge that geuethe to mans acte all thâ— goodnes Nowe then my entierly beloued syster to obserue and keepe this mooste precious and mooste holy charitie with god you shall in fewe woordes haue a shorte rule The beste waie to kepe you frome fallynge out of charitie with god is neuer to suffre your christen neighbour to slepe in a displeasure with you and agayne that you neuer slepe in a dyspleasure with your chrysten neyghbour Remembre we all be knytte in a faste kynrede vnder one father in heuen the whiche commaundethe vs to loue together as bretherne and systerne without regarde of hyghe or lowe poore or ryche whether your neighbour
whiche feruent loue in god he exerciseth amonge men all the kinde of vertue And thus was the fyrst thyng syster to haue you to knowe what the woorde of charitie sygnifieth SISTER Me thought brother that fyrst of all you shewed that charitie conteyneth all goddes lawes BRO. I dyd in dede to brynge you to the syght of the greatte compasse that was in the name of Charitie wherby you might the better lerne that in englysshe tongue we conceyue but a lyttell porcion of this infinite vertue whan we commenly speake therof But howe soo euer I begonne the fyrste poynte of youre lesson was to learne the strengthe of charities name SIS I wold nowe aske you the second if it cam not in my minde to doubt whether charitie and loue bee not all one as in communycacion I haue harde some clerkes saie they be BRO. I thinke well some clerkes wyll so saie For I note in the last englishe translacion of the gospels out of latine the translatour alwaie for Charitas writeth Loue wherin I can not consent with him For after mine opinion there is as muche difference betwene loue and charity as it is in your occupacion betwene threde and twined threde For you will saie that all twined threde is threde but all threde is not twined threde So this worde Loue is more commen and more general then is charitie For trouth it is that all Charitie is loue but it is not trouthe that all loue is charitie In greke charitie is agape and loue is eros as in latine loue is amor and charitie is Charitas In all these thre tonges there is the same difference in the tone woorde frome the tother that is a penne and a quylle All our pennes for the moste parte be quylles but all our quylles be not pennes The quylle is that remaineth in his nature without any other facion or forme put to it the penne is a quille shaped and formed and made apte to write Lyke wise loue is the common affecte of fauoure charitie is loue reduced in to a due order towardes god and man as to loue god alone for him selfe and to loue man for goddes sake Do you perceyue syster what I saye SVS Me thynketh brother that you meane as I woulde saie that betwene charitie and loue is a like difference as is betwene my perles and wiers For I see that my pierles bee wiers but they haue a facion by my labour putte to the whiche facion wyers haue not And here maie I saie as you saied of Charitie and Loue that al pierles be wyers but all wyers be not pierles But brother if all charitie be loue what defaulte put you in the translatour the whiche writeth loue for Charitas BROTHER The same defaulte I put in hym that you wold put in one the whiche doth giue to you wiers for pierles or quyls for pennes But sister remembre you wolde haue me bee shorte SIS It is trouthe brother but the beste shortenesse is to bee playne For whan I vnderstande my lesson I canne soone make hit shorte Nowe thenne if you wyll I praie you telle me the secounde poynte BRO. The seconde was to shewe you that charitie could not be had without the assured myndes quyetnes as an effecte folowynge the same the whiche stedfast quietnes of mynde is not to be inordinatlye styrred or moued with passions SIS Sauyng your tale brother I praie you tell me some englyshe woorde what you call passion For truely I knowe no nother passion but the passion of Christe BRO. Than I haue loste many wordes For I thoughte I hadde sufficiently declared vnto you that any mouynge of the mynde in to an vngodlye desyre was called a passion as malyce rancour yre enuy ambicion couetousenes letchery glottony pryde hatred study of prayse study of auengynge and suche other whiche styrre vp and moue the mynde oute of his naturall reste to loue or to hate without reason and measure As whan our bodie suffreth any tourment we saie we be in a passion so when our mynde suffreth any suche inordinat desires we haue the myndes passion and euery suche mocion of mynde out of due cours is called a passion The mynde is moued out of his due cours as often as hit is stirred with these affectes that bee engendred of our principall loue to this lyfe as to bee dispraised with oure dispraises or sclaunders is a thyng that ryseth in vs frome the loue of this lyfe where if we studie to be magnified we bee in a soore passion agaynst reason the whiche teacheth vs to seke our glorye in more stable thynges then can bee founde in this life But bycause you speke of the worde shortely as you saie it is no veraie englysshe woorde howe be it whan we bee dryuen to speake of thynges that lacke the names in our tongue we bee also driuen to borowe the wordes that we haue not sometyme out of latine sometyme out of greke euen as the latine tongue dothe in lyke necessitie borowe and take of other And thoughe nowe at the firste hering this worde standeth straungely with you yet by vse it shal waxe famyliar specially whan you haue it in this maner expressed vnto you Nowe then to obteine this reste of mynde the chefe effecte of charitie we must beware that no passion rule in vs but alwayes in all thynges we muste ordre our desyres by the draughte and traine of this one desire the whiche we haue for louing god alone with all our holle hertes power wittes and intellygence neuer suffring aduisedlye the corrupte loue of this false flattering lyfe to haue any smalle place in our soule wherby we shuld waxe the weaker in the full vniyng and knittyng of all our intencions to the wille and pleasure of god And syster it was the seconde part of your lesson SISTER Ye brother I wolde I had learned well that I myghte euer bee quiete howe so euer I were handeled ryghtwisely or vnryghtwisely well or euill gentilly or chorlishly It were an aungels condicion to be nothing changed or moued with well or woo but to be continually in one tenure in one temperature neither heryng nor seyng nor felyng nor smellynge nor tastynge nor wysshynge nor myndyng any erthly thyng besydes god but hauyng continually a feruent desire to knowe to loue and to honour god But brother what meane you by this to speake thus as thoughe it were possible to make of men aungelles and more ouer to make of this worlde heauen as longe as man is man and as long as this worlde is this worlde I reken hit not possible to kepe vs thus cleane from passions as you saie the perfecte reste of charitie requyreth BRO. You entre with me nowe sister into a mattier of a longe communicacion but at this tyme I wyll make you therto a veraie shorte aunswere Chryste wolde neuer teache man to praie and to aske of god thynges impossible to be opteined He instructed vs to saie in our prayer
maner of bokes with me to passe the tyme after my maner and custome And thoughe I had here with me plentie of bokes yet the place suffreth me not to spende in theim any studie For you shall vnderstande that I lye waitynge on my lorde Cardinall whose houres I muste obserue to be alwaie at hande lest I bee called whan I am not by the whiche shuld be streyght taken for a fault of greatte negligence Wherfore now that I am well saciated with the beholdynge of these gaie hangynges that garnyshe here euery wall I will tourne me and talke with you For you muste knowe that my mynde hath long coueted to shewe what affecte I beare towarde you the which hitherto paraduenture I neuer vttered vnto you soo plainely that you myghte take thereof any perfecte knoweladge And that I so dyd kepe in suche outwarde tokens wherof when you were with me you shuld haue perceiued my loue the cause was none other but that in dede I loued you For long I haue ben taught that the maister neuer hurteth his scholer more than whan he vttereth and sheweth by cheryshing and cokeryng the loue that he beareth to his scholers I think you lacked with me no cherishing but of cokering you had veraie lytell bycause I was lothe to hurte you the whiche lothnesse came I saye of that I loued you But now in as muche you be of age and also by the common borde of houselynge admitted in to the noumbre of men to bee noo more in the company of children and specially for as muche as my rule ouer you is ceassed I will not deferre any longer the expressing of mine hert that no lesse loueth and fauoureth you than yf nature had made you either my son or my brother For this alwaie is my mynde if I haue a frend in whom I fynde such faith and honestee that I inwardly ioy in hert with him I reken streight that al his be mine without any excepcioÌ„ So that in very dede I take to my care as mine owne all thinges that bee in my frendes care This mynde hadde I to my frende Andrewe Smythe whose sonne Christofer your felow I euer toke for my sonne and nowe I thinke plainely that he is so in very dede This strengthe hath trewe loue in frendeshyp the whiche hath likewise ioyned your father in such maner to my herte that me thinke you shulde be no more his son than you be myne And though I can suffre your father to take the rule of you more then I do yet I can not suffre that he shoulde care more for your profyte than I do For as I desire and wysshe that you neuer haue nede of me soo surely yf you euer shoulde haue it shoulde well than appere that as nature hath gyuen you one father so your fathers frendeship hath prouided for you an other father Wherefore good Edmonde reken no lesse affecte in me to do you good than is in your owne father whose onely studie and care is to se you growe and prosper towarde the state of an honest man and I to further you to the same am as desirous as he is and as muche as I can I will helpe you bothe with my counsaile and power suche as I haue ¶ If you wil cal to your minde al the fraies that haue bene betwene you and me or beetwene me and Smith you shall finde the causes euer depended of a care I had for your and his maners whan I sawe certaine phantasies in you or hym thaâ—iarred from true opinions the which true opinions aboue all lernyng I wolde haue maisters euer teache their schoolers But nowe that you bee of better habilitee to take counsaile I will begynne to shewe you my mind in staiyng you for the hole course of your life that you maie in time learne what is to be done to be a good and an honest man You be yet in the firste entre of your lyfe and nowe is the tyme to haue a guide that may faithfully conducte you in the right waie For there be so many pathes and for the moste parte all by pathes be more worne with the steps of your foregoers than is the veraie true pathe of liuyng that if you go alone you maie paraduenture long wander out of the streighte waie Wherfore as nere as I can I will in fewe wordes apoynte vnto you certaine markes vpon the whiche if you dilygently loke you can not erre nor faile of the waie that leadethe to the rewarde of an honeste good man whose vertue sauoureth pleasauntly to heauen pleaseth the worlde and nourishethe hym selfe with an incomparable delyte and gladnes that continually reigneth in his cleane and pure conscience With these markes and tokens the whiche I wolde you loked still vpon I will assigne you certaine auctors in whose workes I wolde you shoulde bestowe your lesure when you maie haue time to reade that by theim you maie at the fulle be instructed in all thynges apperteinyng to vertue and in all your lyfe I wolde you medled not greatly with any other bokes then with these that I shall name vnto you It is not the readyng of many bokes that getteth increase of knowladge and iudgement for the moste parte of them that redeth all indifferently confounde their wits and memory without any notable fruit of their readyng It muste be a dilygente reader that shall take the profytte of his laboure and dilygence No man specially of theim that haue other occupacions can vse readyng but in very fewe workes the whiche I wolde shulde be piked out of the best sorte that the fruite of the reders diligence maie bee the greatter I see many lose their tyme when they thinke to bestowe their time best bycause they lacke iudgement or knowladge to pike out the bokes the whiche be worthy to be studied And in euery thing an order wel obserued bringeth more profâ—te than any labour or peme beside Wherfore my good withipol take hede to my lesson I am in doubt whether you haue any other louer that can and will shewe you a lyke tale but well I am assured that you haue none that can thus teach you with a better will to haue you take profytte by him than I do and of me howe longe you shall haue this vse it is in goddes will to determyne As muche as lyeth in me I will nowe procure and prouide that these letters shal kepe to your vse the suÌ„me of my counsaille by the whiche yf you order your will I putte noo doubte but first the grace of god shall be roted in you and next you shall liue with a mery hert and fynally neuer to lacke the commodities requisite for the shorte tyme in this worlde In the which case you shall opteine the worshyp and dignitee of a goodde and an honeste man whose condicions I had rather see youe haue with pouertee than in great aboundance to bee a man of small honestee You mai be good honest
kingdome the whiche Chryste teacheth vs to praye for in our Pater noster Where we craue of God that his rule and reigne maie come among vs. But as I despaire that commonly this studie and care can not be chaunged from these worldly riches to the soule soo I am full of good hope that you will take hede to your lyfe to order therin your desires in this due maner more reâ—arâ—gâ—ng what shulde be done then what is done Whan you see and know the ryght pathe I trust you wyll not walke in the croked hâ—e waie The trouth shall more drawe you to loue and to folowe vertue than the common ensaumple shall intice you to folowe vice the which no man can loue not the sâ—nner him selfe But now my owne good Edmond here of these thre thiÌ„ges somwhat more you must prynt in your minde with a perfecte perswasion that your soule is the chefe treasure that you haue whervpon your continuall thoughte and care must be to kepe it to defende it to nourishe it to comforte it by all waies and meanes possible for you In this study you must spend all your wittes nyghte and daie you muste thynke on this thynge what so euer you do you must dyrecte your acte to this thynge If you bee occupied in the state of your bodie either to driue awaie sickenesse or to susteine helth lette it bee for the seruyce your bodye oweth to the soule If you trauaile for goodes of this worlde to gette your owne liuyng or to helpe your frende or elles to prouide for your children when god shall sende you theim let your trauaile be for the necessities of the bodie and so fynally for the soule Consider what the goodes of the worlde be howe they bee but instrumentes for the bodie Use than the worlde in his kynde Loke againe vppon your bodie howe it is preciouser than the goodes vse hym than in his worthynes and hurt not your bodie for a thyng of lesse value And as ye haue nothynge nother your bodie nor your goodes to be compared with the dignitee of youre soule so my swete Withipol lette nothyng be in your reputacion aboue this cheife and principal iewell the whiche muste onely for him selfe be cared for and al other thinges in this life muste be cherisshed for it I sticke muche with you in repetyng one thyng but maruaile not thoughe I so do for I see vs all in this worlde so blynded partly by a vse and custome frome the cradill in the magnifiyng of these goodes partely by the insaumple of theim with whome we be daiely conuersaunt that scant after long criyng it can nowe be harde that the Soule must bee cheifely cared for And excepte grace worke with you that you your selfe wyll consente to the trouthe it is not possible to perswade you that the vcrie true waie of liuyng is this to care cheifely for the soule and to care for all other thynges onely for the soules sake This saiyng though it be true yet I saie it can not bee harde in as muche the liues of all theim with whome ye shall be continually conuersaunt shal crie out clene contrarie against my saiyng For on all sydes you shall see men sweatyng in a continuall worke bothe of bodie and of minde to get these worldely goodes without any mencion made of the Soules state the whiche the veraie friers care lyttell for as it openly appereth But euer I saie to you loke what christen men shulde doo and if you se men so do be glad of that sight and folowe the same if you se the contrary flee from the ensaumple and cleaue euer fastely to the trouth with a sorowful hert for the losse of other men that so blyndely rushe forthe in the traine of a vicious liuyng where the Soule is so lyttel cared for ¶ That this fyrste thyng maie be the better in your studie I wylle briefely touche somewhat of two thynges that appertaine hereto to haue you knowe what nourisheth and comforth the Soule and what hurteth and noyeth the same The Soule can not but euer lyue it hath noo ende of liuynge yet we maie saie that the soule lyueth and dieth It liueth in the grace of god and dieth in the malice of the deuil The Soules lyfe is the lighte of vertue his death is the darkenes of synne You haue a free will gyuen you whereby you maie either quicken or slaie at your owne pleasure your Soule in the bryghte paradyse of lyfe and you maie set your soule in the blacke dungeon of deathe Let therfore this will of yours euer studie to procure for the soules lyfe the which is your owne life and in the same study you shall deliuer the soule frome his deathe the whiche is the perpetuall paine ordained for sinne that seperateth the ymage of god frome his patrone I saie synne plucketh your soule from god whose ymage your soule shulde beare Therfore in all your actes so do that you willingly displease not god who can not be pleased but with a pure and cleane conscience pure and cleane if you suffre no sinne to remaine soo long in your desyre and mind that it cankarethe the thoughte Your thought is cankared with the long residence of synne when either you be weake in the studie of vertue or elles make veraie littell of a fault or defend your vice or nowsel your selfe in a custome of an inordinate desyre The frailenes of our fleshe is so great that it can not bee but that sinne shall come to our desire but it is our blame if sinne tarie and abyde with in vs. God hath gyuen vs a mightie power ouer our selfe we maie whan we wyll correcte our desires and dryue out all synne If you knowe not what is Sinne nor what is vertue by the feare and loue of god you shall knowe both The feare of god will teache you to fle sinne and folowe vertue The loue of god will teache you to folowe vertue and slee sinne wherby your preuie and secrete conscience shall better and more clerely perceiue what is to be done and what is not than any diffinicion or descripciou can appoynte out to you Therfore my dere Withipol enwarpe your selfe faste and sure in the feare and loue of god from your fyrste rysyng to your reste drawe forth the daie in all your busines as this louynge feare and feareful loue shal secretly admonishe and warne you and die rather than you wolde pursue any lust against your knowladge of goddes pleasure ¶ What marchandyse so euer you occupie remembre it is the busines of the thirde care for the whiche you maie not leaue any poynte of this fyrst care that belongeth to the soule Likewise if ye be occupied aboute the bodie remembre it is the worke of the seconde care the whiche also muste be ordered vnto the fyrste the whiche first must alwaie sticke in your mynde sturred vp and led in all desyres and appetites by the saied feare and loue
conceiueth by the riddaunce of the soule from the heauy burden of this bodie ¶ Of these contrarye opinyons you shall lesse maruaile whan we haue a littell considered the thyng it selfe what shoulde be death the whiche one parte of vs soo muche feareth and an other sort setteth so littel by the same and so by a short processe you shall see whether the saied Canius bee more woorthy of praise for his littell regardyng the deadly punishement than is frances Philip that within fewe yeres passed was put to execucion with vs for treason the whiche died soo cowardely in soo great panges of feare that he semed extracte from his wittes scant for quakyng and trimbling the wreche could speake one worde The fewe wordes that he coulde with muche stutterynge sounde were onely in the declaracion of his dispraieâ— nor nothynge was sene nor harde of hym but weâ—yng lamentyng wryngyng of his handes with banninge the houre and daie of his byrthe continually sighing as though his hert shuld haue burste for sorowe The difference of these affectes wil here after be I thynke plainer to you whan we haue a littel more spoken in this mattier For nowe good JohnÌ„ I will crepe a littel nygher to your desyre the which you haue of learnyng the waie to die well ¶ THIS DIYNGE well is in effecte to die gladly For who soo euer dieth gladlie he departeth froÌ„ this lyfe in a sure hope to lyue againe beynge nowe wery of this worlde but nother this hope of the lyfe to come nor this werynes of the lyfe presente can make in any man a glad herte to die Oneles he be one that hath lyued well here For in deathe there can be no gladnes excepte there bee a fulle truste of opteyning the rewarde of vertue partely by the truste and faith of a good mynde partely by the mercie of god that fulfilleth euer our insufficiencie yf we bryng ought with vs woorthy of his fauour For goddis grace supplieth where our power lacketh if it soo bee that our soules appere before hym in an apparelle mete for his presence the whiche apparell requireth a perfecte faith and an ernest will of doing well all though we haue not alwaie done wel The mercie of god neuer failethe hym that fully trusteth in it But a ful truste canne not bee withoute the strength of charitee the whiche euer burneth in the loue of doynge good and faith can not be perfect oneles there bee good workes the whiche maie stur vp and quycken in vs faithe to take a beeleue that by Christis actes our final demerites maie grow to be perfect Thus a cherefull hert be sette with faith hope and charitee taketh no pensifulnes in the remembraunce of death but rather it reioyseth to remembre that by death it shall passe to lyfe neuer more to die Wherfore to die well euer is to die gladly either to be ridde from the bondes of this prison or to optaine the lybertee of heauen bothe waies commeth from a good lyfe passed so that surely no man can die well that lyueth not well for euer death is a sorowfull thyng to the euyl lyuer bycause he hath nothing to lay before the mercie of god whervpon he maie take hope and truste to be made worthy of the sure lyfe in the whiche deathe medleth not Nowe than yf we can gether what maie let vs to be gladde of deathe and what wyll bring vs to a desire of diyng gladdely we shall by the same picke out the waie to die well For in my minde these .ii. be alwais one to die well and to die gladly ¶ The glad desire of diyng is letted cheifely by two thynges one by the feare of death the tother by the loue of this lyfe The tone of these foloweth the tother For he that loueth this lyfe feareth to die and he that feareth to die loueth this lyfe Yet we maie speake of eche parte by him selfe and fyrste let vs assaie the greatteste the whiche is the feare of death than next after we will come to the tother the whiche is the loue of this life If these two blockes bee taken out of our stomackes we shall fynde an easy and a plaine waâ— to the ende of our purpose For who someuer nother feareth to die nor loueth to tarie in this lyfe he is redie alwaie to die gladly But to performe my promisse let me saie some what of the saied feare and loue ¶ Fyrste and cheifely the feare of death taketh awaie all gladnes of diyng and therby after myne opinion no man that dieth fearefully can die well soo that to learne the waie of diyng well we must learne the waie to die without feare And yet how I shulde proue that death is not to be feared I can not well tel seyng the hole power of nature sheweth that of all thynges death is most fearefull and to reason againste nature it were paraduenture not soo harde as vaine For what can reason preuaile if nature resistâ— It is a thing to farre aboue mans power to striue or to wrastell with nature hir strengthe passeth the myght of our will what helpe some euer we take of reason or of auctoritee nother counsaile nor coÌ„maundment hath place where nature dothe hir vtter mooste It is none excuâ—e to saie that men feare death bycause they be loth to leaue the commoditees of this lyfe or bycause they feare the thretenynges of purgatorie and of hell or elles bycause they thynke vpon the sore peynefull panges the whiche be in the tyme of death Naie these thinges make not cheifely the feare of diyng it maie well be that of suche thynges the feare is increased and made more ful but there is a feare before and beside all these thinges the whiche feare nature I saie giueth as it is well sene in yong children that haue no remembraunce nother of this life nor of the dedely panges nor of heauen purgatorie or helle Whan we in sporte threten to caste theim headling out at some hye windowe they quake trimble and waxe pale shewynge plaine and euident tokens of a naturall feare towarde deathe And thoughe by learnyng or by a curragious minde somme few amongest vs seme lyttell or nothyng to be moued with deathe yet the ensaumple of these fewe can not take awaie the trouth that nature in all the reste worketh For howe many be there that onely to eschew death suffre al wretchednes al beggarie all peyne in pycking vp crommes of nourisshement to abide a while in this lyght And the more shamfully that men for the moste parte feare to die the greater proffe there is that suche extreme poyntes of feare against all shame shulde not in soo many daiely appere whan death approcheth onles by nature some iuste feare were of the same For as the exceasse of feare cometh by weakenes of herte and lacke of stomacke the whiche is worthy to be rebuked for shamefull cowardnes so there is a meane measure of feare nâ— death
haue in possession the hole earth yet neuertheles they wolde bourne in their desire and appetite to haue more And poore men likewise whileste they couete to be equall with riche men they bee tourmoyled with an incurable furie thei be madde they be wode they rage they raue and thus one syckenes and one disease gendreth â—â—â—he of theim a diuers kinde of fraâ—â—sie The loue of money so ruleth and cleaueth in euery mans minde and herte that it passeth the loue of frendeship of kinreade ye somtime of wife and children the whiche semeth the greattest affection amongest men yet the loue of money ouerthroweth to the grounde all these loues and trampeth theim vnder foote as a wilde beaste like a fierce and cruell maistres she possessethe and holdeth all mens hertes and as a tyran subduethe theim to all vncomely bondages This loue of riches rageth furieth lyke a hornewode and mad tyran and playeth euer a shameles parte lyke an harlot she neuer taketh pitie neuer abasheth in euery place she cometh forthe proude disdainefull stubborne terrible cruell churlyshe wicked and though she more furiously rageth than eyther beare wolfe or lyon yet she semeth to men plesaunt and amiable what saied I more plesant yea sweter than sugar or hunnye And where as she sharpethe swordes to hir louers and daily prepareth for them snares pynfalles to the deth and with many thousand sea wrackes hurlethe and tossethe theim to this rocke to that rocke yet she is styll loued still imbraced styll desired and sought for of them and by their own innumerable slaughters and dethes thei be glad that at the laste sometyme they may approche nere though it be but to the vtter gate of this strumpet and harlot For as swine thei reioice to tumble and walowe in hir dounghill and as blynde betils they delyte to stur and to wrappe togithers hir filthie and stinkynge mucke All they in maner that defoyle their handes with the shamefull couetousenes be more vnhappy more filthy than be the saied moste vile beastis And in this parte their misbehauour is more for this poynte to bee noted that the more thei be rolled in these filthes the greatter pleasure they take of the same The whiche vice and faute chauncethe not to theyin thorough the nature of the thynge selfe but of their owne corrupted wyll How now may we heale their myndes oppressed with suche diseases excepte they wyll a littell gyue vs the hering and take good hede and also gyue place too reason iâ— grauntyng our saiynges For the saied vnreasonable vile and brute beastes that tumble and walow in lyke filthes can not bee plucked from their filthy appetite bycause they wante perceiuance wytte and reason but we nowe haue a dooe with men to whom the goodnes of god hathe gyuen vnderstandynge and the vse of reason so that they wyll here they maie easily without great peine or labour be delyuered from the stynche and filthe of this worldly myre Nowe than harken and as men shulde answere me tell me why semethe ryches worthy to be loued and folowed There is no doubt your answere is that riches be coueted fyrst for the pleasure of life and welth of body secondarily for the honor that is in this lyfe And for offices dignities promotions that be gyuen to men for theyr riches Ferthermore thirdly bycause the ryche man may sone be auenged may sone bewreke his angre vpon theym that do hym any wronge or displeasure and that he may be feared of other as a man of power I thinke thou hast no cause to allege besyde these foresaid that is to saie beside pleasure honour offices feare and auengeance For ryches can not make a man nother better nor soberer nor more mercyfull nor wiser nor yet make a man softe quiet and gentill nor finally riches neuer teachethe an hastye man pacience an outragious man continency a drunkarde sobrenes a shamlesse person shamefastnes nor none other kinde of vertue is opteined by richesse no vice nor sin is tourned into the better by riches So than if riches preuail nothing to the gettyng or to the increasing of the goodnesse in the sowle and minde nor they make not a man in vertu better tell me I pray the for what cause shuld riches be desired Ye contrarye wyse this is trouthe that riches doth not onely nothing preuaile for vertue but also whan they ones come into the mynde yf thei finde any thing toward goodnesse and mete for vertue they vtterly distroy and corrupt the same and in the stede and place of vertu they bryng in vice and syn For the handemaides and folowers of ryches be bodily lustes sensuall appetues lechery angre gluttonye intempetancy fury wronge pride bostinges and all beastly and vnreasonable mocion But let vs deferre the speakyng of these enormityes to an nother place For these men that haue their myndes sycke in the desyre of rychesse wille not gladly here communicacion of vertue or of syn For they defende lustes and pleasure and they will not suffre any thinge to be saied herein againste theim Therfore we wyll nowe moue this question whether there be any thyng in rychesse that maie delite and please men or whether there be any honor in the same And here if it please you let vs begyn from feastes from the greate aboundauce of meates For in this thynge chiefly is praysed the magnificence and glorye of ryches Let vs in this place compare togithers the table of a riche man and of a meane person and let vs boult out the gestes of eyther party whether of them take of their chere more plesure They that sit eatyng in festis tyll their armes be wery and ioine their supper to theyr dyner and in maner stretch their bealies till they burst ouerladed with the bourdein of meate and drinke in whose body the sowle swymmethe drowned in the fluds as in a sea wracke of ale biere and wyne whose nother eyes nor tonge nor foote can do his dutie but all theyr membres lye more greuouser fetered with the bondes of drinke than men that lye in cheines to whom slepe bringeth no rest nor helth but with madde furious dreames they be feared and made worse and in maner willingly they bringe into their soules and phantasies euyll spirites beynge mocked and scorned of all that se them ye of theyr owne seruauntes They remembre nothynge that they see they perceiue nothyng thei fele nothyng they knowe nothynge they can not here nor speake but finally with shame they be borne from the table to bedde Is there than more pleasure in suche feastes than in other where is as muche of meate and drinke as is sufficient to driue away hunger and thirste the whiche moderat diete Nature taught the other superfluous maner was brought in by corrupt lustes bestly pleasures and therfore also helth abideth in the said temperate diete and Honestee with sobrenes contynueth in the same and risynge fro the table the body is not euercharged or
the â—leshe if thou yet be stirred with the suggestion of luste if the minde of lechery yet tickle thy wil if thy fleshe of fleshe Behold not a womaÌ„ for to desire hir Do away the cause of sinning Laie besides the the mattier of trespassing If thou wilt be sure frome lechery bee thou disceuered from woman in body and in sight Felowshyp of women IF thou be departed in body from womeÌ„ thou shalt fal from the entent of sin If thou sit besides a serpent thou shalt not loÌ„g be vnhurt If y u be long afore a fyre although thou were made of it on sometime thou shalt melt If thou abide right nigh peril thou shalt not longe be â—ekyr ofte times leisure hath ouercome whome will might not Trauaile LEchery ouertournethe soone a man geuen to idelnesse Luste brenneth greuously whom she findethe ydle Luste geuethe place to trauaile to worke to busines and labour Therfore beware of ydlenes spende thy good in labour vse some maner of busines seke vnto the a profitable worke whervpon the entent of thy soule maie be set Reading of holy scripture GIue the much to reading take heede in meditacion of scripture buisy the in the lawe of god haue a customable vse in diuine bokes readynge declarethe truelye what thou shalte shonne Reading shewethe what thou oughteste to dreade Readynge telleth whether thou goest In reading witte and vnderstanding increaseth Thou shalte muche profytte in readyng if thou do as thou readest Mekenes BE thou meke bee thou grounded in mekenes be thou leasie and loweste of all By mekenesse make thy selfe leaste Set thy selfe tofore no man Auant not thy selfe bost not thy selfe wantonly Stretche not forthe thy winges of pride So muche thou shalte be the more precious afore god that thou settest littell price by thy selfe Beare therfore shamefastnes in chere by minding of thy defaltes For shame of thy sin be dismayd to loke proudly Walke with alowe chere with a meke mouth and asad visage In high worship haue great mekenes Although thou be highe of power restreine highnes in thy selfe Let not worship make the proude The higher thou arte in dignitee the lower by mekenes make thou the. Sickenes and disease BE not sorie in thy diseases In thy sickenes thanke thou god Bee busie rather to bee holle in thy soule than in bodie If prosperitee come be thou not proude if aduersitee fal be thou not heauie Knowe thy selfe that god hath proued the in sorowe for thou shuldest not bee proude Be euen therfore in al thinges For ioye ne for sâ—row change neuer thy minde Understand wel there is nothynge but it maie falle as god will And if those thynges be thought on before thei bene the easier when theâ— fall And what so euer therefore happethe suffre it mekely with fâ—e will Sufferaunce BE more ready to suffre disease than to do it Be paciente bee meke be softe be busie Kepe pacience in all thinges Kepe softenes Kepe meknes Set before a sharpe worde the shielde of Sufferaunce Though any maÌ„stire the to wrath thoughe he whet the thoughe he blame the thoughe he repreue the thoughe he chyde the thoughe he dooe wronge to the be thou styll holde thy peace sette not thereby speake not a worde striue not there againste by silence thou shalte the soner ouercome Learne at Christ manlines take heede at Christ and be not heauie he suffring wronges lefte to vs ensaumple he was bobbed and buffetted spit vpon and scorned nailed hand and fote crouned with thornes dampned to the crosse euer more helde his peace ¶ Therfore what disease that fallethe to the witte it well it cometh to the for sin and for thy beste And so temper thy disease by consideraon of rightousnes And thou shalt suffre it the lightlyer if thou take heede wherfore it cometh Loue peace LOue peace without forth loue peace within forth kepe peace with all men withholde all men in mildenes beclip Charitee Proue more thy selfe to loue then to be loued Make peace there hate is Haue stablenes of minde Haue goodnes of will Be ready in good desire Speake gladly to all men Flee chidyng Beware of striues Doo awaie the occasion of striue despise striue and lyue alwaie in peace striue not in any wyse Compassion BE not glad vpon the deathe of thine enemie least paraduenture vpon the fall the same leaste god turne his wrathe frome him to the. For who soo euer ioyeth in the fall of his enemie he shall sone fall in the same Be glad to sorowe vpon hym that is diseased In other mens miseases be not hard herted and for other mennes mischeiues mourne as thine owne Folowing of goodnes IN all thy busines in all thy workes in all thy liuing folow good men folowe holy men haue before thine eien the ensample of sainctes take hede to worke wel after y â— vertues of holy men lerne to liue well by the teaching of rightuousnes Despisyng of praisyng DEspise thou praisynge cherisynge and fauoure of people Studie rather to be good than to seme good Take none heede who praiseth the or who dispraiseth the least praisynge deceiue the or blaming let the. If thou sette naught by praisyng lightly thou shalte set besydes the blaminge Therfore suppose not thy selfe good though thou be holde good in other mens tonges aske thine own conscience deme thy self by thine own dome not by other mens speache but in thine own minde inserche thy selfe There maie no man knowe better what thou art thaÌ„ thou that know est thy self What profiteth the sitheÌ„ thou art wicked to beholde good Honest conuersacion FLee thou simulacâ—on feine not holines in darke clothing Suche as thou woldest ben holde such be thou in deed Shewe thy profession in liuinge and not in tokens In clothyng and in goyng haue with the simplenes in thy gaâ—e and in thy mouing cleannes in thy bearyng sadnes in thy waâ—kynge honestee nothing of vilanie nothing of vncleanes nothing of wildenes ¶ Be ware in thy gouernaunce that there appere nothing of beastlynes Giue not to other cause for to scorne the giue thou not to any man cause to backebite the. Good felowship SHone euill men beware of wicked men flee shrewes dele not with brothels flee the companyes of those men whiche bene euer ready to vices Ioyne the to good meÌ„ Desire the felowshippe of discreate men Seke the company of vertuous men Who so gothe with wise men he shal be wise who so draweth to fooles shal be like to theÌ„ For like to like is wonte to be ioyned The hearyng SHut thine eares that thou here none euil Forsake vnchast speches Flee vnhonest wordes For a vaine woorde sone defouleth the soule and that that is light done that is gladly herde sone The mouthe LEtte nothynge passe out of thy mouthe that might let vertue Let the sounde of thy voice breake forth nothing but that nedeth Let that procede from thy lippes that fouleth not the eares of