were able to doo this dede but there was none DnÌ„â— in 〈◊〉 â—o 〈◊〉 â—u◠¶ Also sothfastnes sought fro heuene to the clowdes byneth whether there were ony creature that myght perfourme hit and thei were all vnable riÈtwysnes went doun to erthe among the hyhe hylles and in to the depe pytte of helle â–ª whether ther was ony man that myght take this good and Innocente dethe but there was none fouÌ„den clene of synne noo not the child of one dares byrthe and so she went vp to hir systers tellynge that men hadde forfetid were vnable and there was no ne that myght doo that go od dede wherfore they were al ful sory heuy that they myghte not fynde that one that they desyred than sayd pees wete ye note wel that the prophete Nâ—◠〈◊〉 qui 〈…〉 bonum 〈◊〉 â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—d â—num 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 saluâ—â—â—â— domic that sayd there is none founden â–ª that may doo good Afterward he put to more sayth tyl it come to one this one man may be he that yaf the sentence forsaid of mannes sauacoÌ„n wherfore pray we hym that he wyl helpe fulfylle it in dede for to him speketh the ê“phete in the psalme forsaid sayeÌ„g lord thou shalt saue man bestes after thy grete mercy but than was a question amonge the systers commytted to reison for Ca â–ª i â–ª to termyne whiche perione of thre yâ— fader sone holy ghost one god shold become man and doo this mercyfull dede than sayd reson that for as mykel as the persone of yâ— fader is propirly Râ—cio In caâ—nacio niâ—â—ilâ—i dei dredeful and myghty the persone of the sone all wyse wytty And the persone of the holy ghost most benigne godely the second persone seineth most couenyent as to the ful accorde of the forsayd systers to the skilful remedy of man to the most resonable vyctory of the enmy for as touchyng the first yf the persone of the rader shold doo this dede for his drede myght mercy pees myght somwhat haue him suspecte as not fully fauourable to hem and so on yâ— other syde for yâ— souerayne beiÌ„gnite goodnes of the holy ghost trouth ryÈt wysnesse myght drede of not ful satisfaccion but to mykel mercy wherfore as a good mene euen to bothe partyes the persone of the sone is moost coÌ„uenyent to performe thys dede thorugh his souerayne wytte wysdome ¶ Also it semeth moost skylfull remedy to man for as moche as he forfend by vnwytte foly that satisfaccion be made for hym by soth fast wysdome that is the sone soo that as he felle to deth by the fals worde of the fende that he ryse ageyne to lyf by the trewe word of god And as for most resonable vyctory of the enmy it is skylful yâ— as he coÌ„qnerd man by wycked sleyÈt fals wysdome so he be ouercome vaynquysshed by good sleyÈte trew wysdom whan reson had sayd this verditeur the fader said it was his wille that it shold be so the sone ya Mia et veri â—aâ— obuia ueruÌ„t sibi insciciam et Pax fe his asseÌ„t therto the holy ghost said he wold wyrche ther to also than felleÌ„ doun al the spirites of heuen soueraynly thankyd the holy Trinyte the foure sisters forseid weren kyssed made accorde so was fylfylled that the ê“phete dauid seid Mercy sothfastnes metten louely to gyder riÈtwysnesse pees hauen kyssed thus was termined ended the grete couÌ„ceyl in heuen for the restorynge of man and his sauacion the whiche processe shal be taken as in lykenes and only as a maner of parable deuoute ymagynacyon styringe man to loue god soueraynly for his grete mercy to man his endles goodnes Also to honoure and worship the blessid aungels of heuene for her good wylle to man and for his sauacion hauinge contynuel besynesse and also to loue vertues and hate Ca. â—â— synne that broughte man to soo grete wretchydnes And thus mykel and this maner maye be sayd and thoughte by deuoute contemplacion of that was done aboue in heuene before â—â—â— the Incarnacion of Jhesu now goo we doun to erthe thynke we how it stood with his blessid moder Marye and what was hyr lyuyng here before the Incarnacion on Jhesu that foloweth after Of the maner of lyuynge of the blessid vyrgyne Mary Capitulum secundum AS it is wryten in the lyf of oure lady seint Mary wheÌ„ne she was thre yere olde she was offrid in the Temple of fader and moder ther she abode and dwellyd in to the xiiii yere And what she dyde And how she lyued there in that tyme. we may knowe by the rouelacions made of hyr to a deuout woman whiche men troweÌ„ was seint Elizabeth in yâ— whiche reuelacions is coÌ„teyned amonge other that our lady told to the same woman and sayd in thys maner when my fader and my moder leften me in the temple I purposed and Nota propo 〈…〉 sette stably in my herte to haue god in to my tader and ofte sythes wyth grete denocion I thoughte â–ª what I myght do plesynge to God so that he wolde vouchesauf to sende me his grace And herewith I was taught and lernyd the lawe of my lord God In the whiche lawe of all the hestes and dyddynges â–ª pryncypally I kepte thre in my hert ¶ The fyrste is 〈…〉 thou shalt loue thy lord god with all thy herte wyth all thy soule wyth alle thy mynde and wyth alle thy myghtes The second thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy felf And Ca. iii. the thyrdde is thou shalt hate thyne enemy these I kepte trewely in herte and anone I concyued and toke al the vertues that ben conteyned in hem For there may no soule haue vertue but it loue god with all the herte for of thys loue cometh Nota odiuÌ„ inimicoru â–ª all plente of grace And after hit is comen it abydeth not in the soule but it renneth oute as water but hit so be that he hate his enemyes that is to saye vyces and synnes wherfore he that wylle haue grace kepe hit hit behoueth that he dispose and ordeyne his herte to loue and to hate as it is said And so Nota orâ— cionem Marie I wylle that thou doo in maner as I dyd I rose vp algate at mydnyghte wente forth before the Aulter of the. Temple there wyth al 's grete desyre wyl affeccion as I coude and myghte I asked grace of almyghty god to kepe tho thre hestes and all other byddynges of the lawe And so standynge Nota septeÌ„ peticioneâ— Marie before the Aulter I made seuen peticions to god the which ben these Fyrste I asked grace of god thorugh the whiche I myÈt fulfylle the heste of loue that is to saye for to loue him with al my herte The second I asked that
wyth curtesye thanking gode wyll And theÌ„ne it befelle that Mary Maudeleyne that parauentur of time before had herde hym preche thorugh touchyng of hys grace was gretly styred to compunction and to the feruent loue of hym though hit were yet preuely hydde in her herte whan she herde knew that he was at mete in the hous of the forsayd Simon she was ferueÌ„tly touched with sorow of herte with inforth for her synnes also wyth the brennynge fyre of hys loue that she myght no lenger abyde but anone she wente to that forsayd hous where Jhesus sat at mete considryng that wythoute hym she myght not be sauf ne haue foryeuenes of hir synÌ„es and so she went bodely in to the hous And as she had foryete hir self taking none regarde to the gestes that there were at the mete holding doune hir face hir eyen to the erth she letted not tyll she come to hym that she sought inwardly NoÌ„ 〈…〉 loued our lord Jhesu And anone thenÌ„e she fell doune to the grounde prostrate at hys feet and wyth grete inward sorowe shame for hyr synnes spake in hyr herte to hym thynkynge as it were in thys manere My swete lord I wote well and truly knowleche that ye be my god and my lorde and that I haue offendyd your hyghe mageste in many grete offenses and trespaces in so mykel that I knowleche sothely that my synnes ben wythoute nombre as the grauell of the see But for as mykel as I belyue that your mercy passeth alle thynge Therfor I wretchyd synful come to you flee to your grete mercy forthynkynge inwardly of that I haue offendid askynge mercy foryeuenes And I behete with all my herte ameÌ„dement of my synÌ„es And that I shall neuer to my power for sake youre obedyence Good lord put me not fro you forsake not my repentauÌ„ce for other refute I wote well I may none haue and also I wyll not haue For I loue you soueraynly aboue alle other wherfore gode lorde forsake ye not me but punysshe ye me at youre wille Neuertheles I aske algate mercy And here wyth wyth grete turste of hys mercy and inward affectyon of hys loue she kyssede hys feete otfe And sadly wepynge shedynge teres so thylke that shwesshe his feete wyth hem And so it semeth there by that our lord Jhesus went bare fote After whan she had wel wepte with grete drede of hyr vnworthynes that hyr here 's sholde touche hyr lordes fete she wiped hym with her here deuoutely For she borught no thing wyth hyr so precyous to wype him with And also she wyped hem wyth hyr heer in a mendement of that she had beofre trespaced with hyr heer that is to saye as she hadde before vsed it in the pryde and vanyte than she wold put hyt to the vse of mekenes deuocion And also for the ferueÌ„te loue deuocion that she had to hym she wolde not be letted therof bi the fetching of ony cloth to wipe hem with but so wypyng his feete with her here afterwarde de uoutly kissynge hem ofth sythes after she aÌ„oynted hem with a precious oynement that she brouÈt wyth hyr supposyng pe raueÌ„tur that oure lordes feete were hard of the weye also for inward deuocyon begynnynge wyth drede at hys feete as she dyd after with more boldenes of loue anoynted hys hede Lord god who so wold inwardly thinke take hede to this dede of this woman all the circumstauÌ„ce therof mykel ghostly fruyte sholde he fynde theryn sterynge to inward repentauÌ„ce of sin ne to true loue of Jhesu and grete deuocyon But now forth as to the processe take we hede also of the maner of oure lord Jhesu in thys tyme how benygnly and pacyently he suffreth hyr doo all hyr wylle For it lyked hym full welle knowynge the inward affection and the true loue of hyr herte And soo alle that tyme he seaced of etyng and also wyth hym all the ghestes wondryng of the woman and of that vnkouth dede and of the pacyence of oure lord Jhesu hys suffrauÌ„ce of her And specially of the maister of the hous Simon demed him gretely in hys herte that he wolde suffre suche a comyn synful womaÌ„ toche hym so homely And in that he thought that he was no prophete supposyng that he knew her not but our lord that passyng all other prophetes knewe the leest thought of manÌ„es herte answered openly to hys preuy thoughtes she wyng hym self therby a very prophete more than a prophete And by ensample of two doctours he concluded hym tusty fyeng the woman that he helde so synful preued that she loued hym more shewed more token of loue by her dede than he wyth all hys feste and soo shewynge that not only the perfection of all vertues But also the Justifyeng of the synfull stant pryncypally in true loue of god he sayd to Symon as for a conclusyon thus Many synÌ„es ben foryeuen hyr for she loued myket And thenÌ„e he tourned hym to mawdeleyne sayde to hir as for a full ende of that she asked Thy feyth hath saued the goo now in pees O lord Jhesu how swete and lykyng was thys word to hyr wyth how grete Joye that she wente a wey Sothely it was so lykyng that as I trowe hyt went neuer after oute of her mynde And so was she perfytely conuerted to Jhesu leuyng her synÌ„e fully and lyuynge euer after in all honeste holyly and drawen algate to hym and to NoÌ„ hys moder withoute departyng perseuerauÌ„tly In the forsayd processe the sentence of hys gospel ben many grete notabytees to our edificacyon of the whyche we shalle touche somÌ„e in party Firste as to a soueraine conforte of alle sinful folke we haue here openly shewed in our lord Jhesu the habundauÌ„ce of hys endeles mercy that soo soone soo gladly foryafe soo many grete synÌ„es trespaces of thys synful woman And so doth he to alle that truly desyren asken hys mercy but here behoueth charyte true loue that was so specyally commended Caâ—iâ—as boâ—â—â—â—â— of hym in thys woman the whcihe only pees bitwene god the synful man As the apostle sayth that charite couereth the multitude of synnes withoute the whyche it is Inpossyble to please god ¶ For as saynte Bernard saith the quaÌ„tite of euery mans soule shal be taken estemed after the mesure of Bernard suâ— can ser â—â—vii charyte that is therin that is to saye that soule that hath mykel of charite is grete And that hath lytyl is lytyl and that hath nought is nought as sayut Poule sayth after the rehersynge of many grete vertues concludynge thus If I haue not charyte soothely I am nought And therfor sayth our lord of thys woman that for she loueth mykyl therfore she hadde NoÌ„ mykel foryeuen as it was sayd befor Ferthermore also here haue we
grete comforte of hym that forsakyth worldly coÌ„forte for god The same saint bernarde coÌ„cluded in thise wordes The apostles in this bidyng seten perseuerauÌ„t wyth one No bnÌ„ wyll togyder in prayer wyth the woman mary JhuÌ„s moder And in the selfe maner lerne thou to praye lerne thou to seke No bernardum to aske and knocke at the door tyll thou fynde tyll thou take and tyll it be opened to the Our lorde knoweth thy freeyll feble kynde and he is true and wol not suffre the to be tempted more than thou mayst bere And I truste in him that yf thou wolt abyde truely thou shalt not abide the tenth day but that he shall come before coÌ„forte thy desolate soule And so prayenge in his blessynges of ghostly swetnesse soo that thou shalte haue soo grete likyng in his mynde and in those ghostly drinkes that he shal make the dronke oft in soule that thou shalt be Joyfull gladde that euer thou forsoke the fals comfortes of the worlde Loo by this forsaid sentence of saynt bernarde we maye see in party what behouyth to receyue the holy Ghost his loue wherfore that we maye be able to receyue here that grete yefte of the holy ghost his coÌ„forte and after come to the blisse that our lord JhuÌ„s is now steyen vp hath made our way before vs. leue we hate we al fals loue likyng of this wretched worlde And set we not our loue on the stynkyng flessh nourissh we it not in desires but desire we coÌ„tynuelly for to be departed therfro Soo that thrugh the grace of the holy ghost helping vs we maye folowe somwhat the blessed lyf of our lorde in this worlde after goo vp to him to our kynde heritage of blysse in the gloryious cytee of heuenly Jhrlm where he souerain kyng wyth the fader the holy ghost one god in trinyte lyueth regneth wythout ende Amen ¶ Thus endeth the contemplacoÌ„n of the blessed lyfe of our lorde JhuÌ„ the whiche processe for asmoche as it is here thus wryten in englysshe tonge lenger in many partyes in other maner than is the laten of Bonauenture â–ª therfore it semyth not conuenient to folowe the processe therof bi the dayes of the weke after th entent of the forsayd Bonauenture For it were to tedious as me thynketh and also it sholde soo soone be fulsome and not in comfortable deyntees by cause of the freilte of mankynde that hath likynge to here and to knowe newe thynges and those that ben seldom herde ben oft in the more deyntee wherforÌ„ it semyth to me best that euery deuoute creature that loueth to rede or here this boke take the parties therof as it semyth moost comfortable and stirynge to his deuocoÌ„n Somtyme one somtyme another and specyally in tymes of the yere and the festes ordeyned in holy chirche as the maters ben pertynent to hem And for asmoche as that blessed and worthy feest of the precyous sacrament of JhuÌ„s body in the whiche he is euery daye bodily presente wyth vs to oure moost comforte that we maye haue in erthe is the ende and conclusyon of alle other Festes of hym gracyously and resonably ordeyned by holy chirche as it was sayd before TheforÌ„ wyth the grace of the holy ghost of him of whom that feest is we shal speke somwhat more to coÌ„forte of hem that truely bileuen and to confusion of all fals lollardes heretykes AmeÌ„ ¶ Blessed be the name of our lorde JhuÌ„ his moder mary now euer wythout ende AMEN ¶ Explicit Spâ—lm vite Cristi ¶ A shorte treatyce of the highest moost worthy sacrament of cristis blessid body and the merueyles therof MEmoriam fecit mirabiliuÌ„ suorum misericors miserator dnÌ„s escaÌ„ dedit timentibus se Thyse wordes of dauyd in the saâ—â—ter sayd in prophecye soÌ„ge tyme before thyncarnacoÌ„n of our lorde JhuÌ„ specyally of the worshipfull sacramente of his precyous bodi hauen senteÌ„ce vnder stondynge in englyssh tonge Our lorde mercyfull mercy yeuer hath maade a mynde of his merueyles that he hathe yeue mete to hem that dreden him This mete is that precyous ghostly mete of the blessed body of our lorde in the sacrament of th aulter that he of his souerayn mercy yeuyth euery day in forme of brede to all tho that truely dreden him as her lord god by the whiche drede they kepen hem from dedely synne and mekely standen in stedfaste byleue of holy chyrche ¶ And this ghostly mete he yeuyth and hath made therby a specyall mynde of his merueiles That is to saye as the prestes rehercen in the canon of the masse in mynde of his merueyles blessed passoÌ„n and of his merueylous ResurreccoÌ„n and of his gloryous AscencoÌ„n And generally in minde of all the merueylous werkes dedes of hym in his blessed lyf here in this worlde the whiche is treated in all this boke before wryten For to begyn â—yrst at his merueyllous IncarnacoÌ„n soo how expresse mynde therof is this mete that he yeuyth to vs in the sacrament of the aulter For therin is he verily and in that self body that was so merueylously conceyued by the holy ghost aboue kynde And also soo merueylously borne of his blessed moder mary wythout sorowe or weme of synne And soo forth of all the merueyllous werkes and dedes of hym in to this ghostly mete we haue that specyall mynde that none maye be more and that we haue of none other For all other thynges passed that we haue mynde of we conceyue in spiryte and in hert soo that therby we haue not the bodily presence of hem But in this ghostly mete and sacramentale coÌ„memoracoÌ„n of our lord Jhesu he is verily bodily present wyth vs vnder another forme But sothly in his owne proper substaunce very god man For what tyme he sholde stye vp in to heueÌ„ he sayd to his discyples his folowers in thise wordes Lo I am wyth you all the dayes in to the worldes ende coÌ„fortyng hem by this benigne promyse that he sholde dwell wyth hem not onÌ„ly by ghostly presence of his godhede but also by the bodyly presence of his manhede that he yeuyth to vs in this forsayd mete of his flessh blode in mynde of his merneyles generally as it is sayd but most specyall in mynde of that blessed passion that he suffred for vs. For what tyme he shold passe out of this world to the fader the nyght before his passoÌ„n at that worthy supper wyth his discyples as it is sayd before he made and ordeyned this souerayne moost worshypfull sacrament of his flessh blode yeuynge his body to mete and his blode in to drynke for a specyall mynde of his passion dethe For thus he sayde to his appostles in that fyrste makynge of this heelfull sacrament This dooth ye in my mynde Soo that the souerayne moost worthy