Of the propyrte of the name and the loue of euerlastynge wysdom. and how the disciple shal haue hym in felynge of that loue as wel in bitternesse as in swetnesse. Cap̄. j.

FIrste yf thou wylt wite y^e pro­pirte & reason of my name / thou shall vnderstonde that I am clepid of hem y^e lyuen in erthe euer­lastynge wysdom / y^e whiche na­me is moost conuenient and lest acordinge to myne nobleye / For though hit soo be that euery persone of the holy trinyte taken by hi [...] selfe his wisdom. and all the persones to gedir [...]n euerlastynge wisdom Neuerthelesse for as moche as wysdom is applyed propirly to y^e sone / and also hit fallith to hym by reason of his generacyon specyally / Therfore the bylo­ued sone of the fader is taken and vndirstonde in that maner sygnificacion of wisdom custumably now as god / and now as man.

Now as he that is the spouse of his chyrche. And now as she that is the spouse and wyfe of eueri chosen soule that may seye of hyr euer­lastynge wisdom.

¶ Hanc amaui & exquisiui eam sponsam michi assumere & amator factus sum form [...] illius.

She seyth thus I haue loued and I haue v [...] terly [Page] sowʒte fro my youthe and I haue desirid for to haue hyr to my spouse / and I am made a louer of hyr forme and schappe / and also in the selfe boke thus seyth.

Super salutem & omnem pulcritudinē dilexi sapīam & posui pro luce hēre illū venerunt michi omnia bona pariter cum illa.

A bouen helth & all bewte I haue loued wis­dom and I haue purposid for to haue hyr as for my lyʒte / and alle goodys haue comen to me wyth hyr Also of her worthynes hit is writen thus ‘Sapīa speciosior est so le & super omnem disposicionem stellarum luci comparata inuenitur prior candorū est enim lucis eterne & speculū sine macula diuine magestatis et ymago bonitatis illius.’

That is to seye wysdom is feyres than y^e son­ne / and in comparyson of hyr lyght she is foūden passynge aboue alle the disposicyon of sterres She is forsothe y^e bryʒtnesse of euer­lastynge lyʒte and y^e myrrour wythoute wemme of goddis mageste and the ymage of hys goodnes / Also thus ¶ Melior est sapīa [Page] cunctis opibus preciosissimis et omium deside rabile non potest et comparari longitudo dierum in dextera eius et in sinistra illius diuicie et gloria / ¶ Wisdom is better than alle maner of moost precious goodis / and all that may be desired maye not be in comparison lyke to hyr the lengthe of yeres is in hir ryght syde / and in hir lyfte syde rychesses and Ioye / ¶ And thus moche touchyth to the propyrte and the worthynes of my name seyth wisdom But now touchinge my loue be holde wyth a Ioyful mynde how able I am to be loued. how louely to be clippid and kissid of a clene soule. to whom is grauntyd in all hir lyfe thouʒ hit be but one tyme to fele that / and thouʒ hit be so that deth fall therby hit shall not be to hym greuous. For so­thely I am euer redy to hem that louen me for to loue hem aʒenwarde & wyth hem I am presente inchyrche / and at the lorde in y^e we ye and in the cloystre and in the market.

So that there is no place but that there is present charite that is god. for amonge all o­ther [Page] spouses the goodly wysdom hath thys synguler propyrte that she may be present ouer all euery where to the desire of hir louers and all the syghynges don for her wepynges and desires and all maner dedis and seruyses. she as present knowyth hit anone Also the syn­guler prerogatif of my goodnes and loue is so grete. that who so tastith thereof thouʒ hit be but oonly a lytil drope after that he shall holde all the lustis and lykynges of the worlde. but woo and filthe My loue dyschargyth hem that ben ouer leyde wyth the heuy birthyn of synnes / hit puryfyeth and makyth clene y^e conscyence hit strengthyth the mynde and the soule Hit geuyth fredom to hem that ben per­fite & coplyth and knyttith hem to me that am euerlastynge wysdom. And what more who so takyth me in to hys spouse & louyth me a loue all thynge. he lyueth wyth trāquil­lite and reste he dyeth wyth all sikernes / and in a manere he begynnyth here the blysse & the Ioye y^t shall laste euer worlde wyth outen en­de Men spekyn many thynges & yet they fay­len in her wordys / for the hye worthynesse of [Page] playnly telle hit may be in experience felte but hit may noʒt be fully spoken nor tolde / and therfore alle these wordys of y^e kynde of godly loue ben but as sodeynly rapers oute cast than in effecte plenerly ful spoken / Than seyde the disciple to hymselfe thus ¶ O lorde god how many goode thynges here is I spo­ken of thys souereynly fayre & worthy spouse. why my soule makyst thou dissimulacion or feynynge Why assaye [...]t thou not whether thou mayst haue hyr to the a benygne loue O how blessid were thou if thou myghtest wedde hir and haue hir vnto thy spouse For thou arte yonge & able to loue and ther is none herte that may be so soole alone as there in whom is lacke of loue wherfore now be fulle delyberacyon that haue vtterly sette me that I shall putte myselfe vnto the deth so that I may gete her to be a meke louynge spouse to me And than she euerlastinge wisdom wyth a gladde & a gracious chere goodely shall wedde hym and saye In thyse fewe wordis

¶ Fili prebe michi cor tuum.

Sone yeue me thyne herte And anone as y^e discyple herde thys worde for the gretnesse and feruour of loue his herte meltynge and as he were rauisshed oute of hym selfe thanked hir lowely / and seyde thus A a souereyn Ioye of my herte that I may haue so worthy a spouse thys is sothely the houre of hele and of goostly Ioye to me / and the tyme of gracious visytacyon / thys is the day that oure lorde hath made specyally to me / In the whiche / drede is torned to loue / and the gracyous experience of thyn homlynesse geueth me more pleyne trust to speke firthermore to the what me lykyth / wherfore I shall opene my mouthe / & the pry­uytees that I haue longe tyme bore close in y^e chambre of myn herte. now I shall shewe to the that knowyst best by experyence in that crafte of loue. that who so louyth specyally co­ueytith to be loued ayenwarde syngulerly /

Wherfore the feruent affeccyon of myn herte to the that hast hit singulerly in thyn handis coueytyth and desiryth that as hit singulerly loueth the / y^e thou doo soo ayenwarde me / thys [Page] is that souereine desire / and that thou woldist knowe me by mane / and syngulerly haue me biloued / and chese me to thi selfe amonge thin moost specyall frendys and louers

Not that I desire that thou shuldyst loue me allone aboue all other. but that thou woldyst shewe to me and gyue me thy specyall loue amonges all other that ben loued of the

For that is a thynge that puttyth me in to anguysshe and sorowe that ther ben so many hertys louinge the thorugh moost brennynge charyte / the whyche ben before me and passynge me in loue and in shewynge of loue in de­de to the Wherfore I drede sore leste thou that art louer of lylyes and fedde amonge ly­lyes. felyng y^e swete smelle of hem. shall forgete me that am but as a brere or a nettyll: and soo shall I fall in to harme for y^e loue of other Forgyue thou me my loued y^e I speke so. for as thou knowyst wel / hyt is the propyrte of feruent loue that hit can not putte lawe ne mesure to wordys / ne hit hath no regard to none other thynge but oonly to y^e y^e he desireth [Page] and to be alwaye occupied wyth hym that he louyth Than seyde

Thy loueth though it be feruent neuertheles hit semyth sumwhat blyndid. in as moche as thou felyst of godly and heuenli thynges / as in maner of erthely thynges / & therfore thou erryst in thy dome / for so is hyt not as thow takest But thou shalte vn­dirstande that the wysdom of god is loue. werfore ryght as the beynge of god that is in all thynge is not departyd therfore ne y^e lasse in hit selfe / ryght so his loue is neuertheles / though he loue all thynges that he hath made

¶ And therfore withouten preiu­dice of all other take thys sadly in thi mynde. that I am in all tymes and euery oure soo lo­uyngly bysie aboute the / as though alle other were putte a backe and gaf entente oonly to the / and as I shulde syngulerly answere to thy loue by hyt selfe Than seyde the dysciple Thys is a blessid worde & moost worthy in all manere to be acceptid of me Now is my soule magnifyed a loue all y^e dayes of my life [Page] ¶ Wherfore now all the worlde be gladde & Ioyful wyth me / for the goodlynesse of my beloued that so grete benyngne loue sheweth to me / and therfore o thou swettyst and euer­lastynge wysdom I aske of the that neyther lyfe ne deth ne noo maner fortune departe me fro the / but / that our loue strenger than the deth maye last euer wyth outen ende But yet I forto playne to the souereine loue and euerlastynge wysdome of the maner of thy louyn­ge / that sumtyme whan thou wylt thou arte so homely / so gladly and so lykynge in sensible felynge of thy blessid presence / And sumtyme in contrary manere so straūge / and so fer as though thou haddyst forgete / and fully forsaken me / and than syghe I / and sorowe gretly and no wonder / for wythdrawynge of that thynge that is loued ayens y^e wylle of hym y^e louith is ful harde & noyous / as I knowe seche to the that I haue ofte sythes felte in ex­perience that it hath be to me a grete labour and sorowe in louinge of loue / And therfore thus hit is that I haue ayens the thou mo­der [Page] of loue euerlastynge wysdome / in pūgyn­ge and compleynnynge of thy loue / that thou hast her byfore so gretly cōmendyd For why sothely ryght ofte sythes what tyme that the mynde and the thoughte of the louer wenyth for to haue the reste fully in the pryue cham­bre of hys herte / and troweth that he hath be clyppid the to hym wyth hys louynge armes wythoute departynge for euer / Sodeynly a­las I not whyder thou fleest a weye and arte not sene / but leuyst the soule full of sorowe after the / and so whyle the herte of y^e louer bren­nyth the soule trystyth after the / and the body sekyth and mournyth / coueytynge the my so­uereyn Ioye that art the pryncipall desyre of myn herte wyth all myn inwarde affeccyons And yet thou as hyt were takynge noo re­garde therto / ne geuist no manes felynge answere agayn / what is thys Semyth hyt not to strange a thynge. yes me thynketh and to heuysom and greuous it is to me that thou wilt not condescende to thy louer whom thou haste so inwardly woūdyd wyth thy loue

Than answeryd

The makynge and the kynde of euery crafte maye answere for me in as moche as thou mayst therin see my souereyne myghte / my souereyne wysdom / and my souereyne good­nesse. and yf that suffyseth not to the / holde the apayed in holy writte

Wher thou mayst fynde me sufficyently / for that is as an amorus lettre sent to the in to solace and comforte of the For all that haue wryten / they haue wryten to thy comforte / to strengthe thyn hope and norysshe thy charite. What seyst thow / semyth the not that hit is sufficyent resons and proues of loue to the louer

O thou maystresse of all loue / why spekyst thou so to me / art not thow a trewe louer / ye and for to speke better / sothly thou arte / loue hit selfe and wythoute doubte / thou know­yst the condycyons of euery louynge herte Wherfore hyt fallith not to the soo strangely to speke of loue / For thou knowest well hyt ys to lytyl and not Inowgh to hym [Page] that louyth what euer hyt be that is not his beloued

For ther is noo thynge suffisaunte to hym that louyth / but oonly the presence of that that he louyth

¶ And therfore thys is that makyth me sorowful byfore so worthy a face of goodnes the changynge in the comynge and gooynge of the For that tormentyth the soule that is not yet fully saddyd and stabled in the moost perfyte degree of loue /

And also these other maners of syghynges and longynges of the herte and spekynges of loue / O thou euerlastynge wysdom thou heryst hyt and puttyst not thine entent therto / but feynist as thou toke none forse ne noo rewarde therof

I take hede to all that thou seyest / and to all the desires of thyn herte

¶ But abyde a whyle and shewe to me wordys that I shall aske of the. answrynge to my questyon /

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What is that thynge that the heuenly spy­ritys angels owen forto seche and haue her entente to souereynly in her werkynge /

O thou souereyne maystres of heuenly dyscyplyne / how shulde I soo symple & so vnkūnynge answere to that hye questyon But therfore I preye the answere for me /

Thow shalt vnderstonde that an­gels / spiritis / and perfyte lyuers sechen noothynge so moche in her worchynge. as for to conferme all her dedys to myn wylle as the goodly wysdom seyth.

‘Meus cibus est vt faciam voluntatem pa­tris mei quia in celis est.’

¶ My mete is that I do the will of my fader that is in heuen / and soo thys is the mete of angels and of perfyte lyuers / that they haue delyte souereynly for to fulfylle the wylle of her lorde in hem selfe and vnyuersally in all creatures Werfore consyder and take hede of thi selfe what thou sekist or what thou louist. for vn{per}fite men sechin thoo thinges y^t [Page] ben of the ʒifte of hym that they loue and not hymselfe For other they eschewen her owne harmes as seruaūtes doon or ellys they sechin here owne wynnynges and profitis / as doon marchauntes But now for to answere more pleynly to thy pryncypall questyon / of the comynge and goynge of my comfortable visitacyons wherby the amorouse soules as thou seyst is tormentid and disesed whan she feleth myn abssence / by whyche her confort is withdrawe Thou shalt vndyrstande y^t sumtyme & ryʒt ofte sythes besyde other causes now pas­sed ouer the soule hit selfe is cause of suche maner wythdrawynge of goostly comforte what tyme that the wyndowe is stoken by sūme maner of stoppynge aʒens the sonne be­me or ellis vnreuerence is done wyth inne forthe to so worthy a gest / wherby she that is loued. but not in that perfitely loue is cons­treyned & made to goo oute / of whom seyth ho­ly wrytte / That her delices ben for to dwelle wyth the sones of men Somtyme also what tyme that I come / I ʒeue likynge and Ioye in [Page] dwellinge wyth my loue not opynly but prynely, so that ful fewe. and oonly thoo that ben moost expert mowe knowe the priuetees of so worthy a presence And for als moche as thou desirest that I shulde shewe to the sū­me tokene of my moost pryue & moost certeyne presence Fyrste thou shalte besely examyne thy selfe what thou arte in absence of my grace And anone thou shalte fynde y^e that y^u sechyst For sythen that I am souereyn goodnesse wyth my presence I fulfyll all thynges wyth goodnes. And as the sonne is knowē by his bemes and his lyghte so is my presēce knowen by her moost plenteuous goodnes Now than yf thou dydist euer proue & goodnesse and y^e lykynge of my presence. or ellis the bareynes and the myslykynge of myn absence / brynge forth in to knowynge & telle hit openly. so that thou mayst knowe the floures amonge the wedis

¶ Yf all the membrys of my body were [Page] turned in to tunges & all my weines and se­newes myght speke wyth mānes voys / they myghte noght expresse nor perfytely telle oute that thou askyst of me Neuertheles that I haue knowen in experience as thou haste gyuen hyt me I shall telle oute that I maye haue of the more pleyne and full informacyon of the maters before seyde ¶ Wherfore o thou souereine goodnesse I knowleche sothly that what tyme that thou turnest a we ye fro me thy gracyous face. full of goodnes and swetnesse and wythdraw est from me thyn inwarde comforte / and hidyst thy light ī thy hādys than my wretchy soule is sodenly chaūgyd and as made seke and vnlusty / and than folowyth werynesse of the body and hardnesse of herte, and soro­we of the spirit is felte so ferforth that than my soule is fulle of the lyfe

¶ And than myslyketh me alle [Page] thynges though they ben good that ben other seen or herde Also thyn absence bryn­gith in to me hatynge of the place fulsūnesse of the selle and dyspisynge of bretheren dwellynge wyth me And than my soule bygyne­nyth forto slumbre for heuynesse / sumtyme for the pusillanimyte and feblenesse of spirite. he wote neyther whan hyt commyth or whider hit gooth Than also I fele myselfe by most certein experience redy & light to falle in vices. & for to wythstande temptacyons weyke and feble. and vnmyghty to alle goostly exercise. wherfore who so sechyth me in that tyme he fyndyth but a voyde hous For the good housbon­de that fillith all his meyne wyth blessynge and gladnesse is gone oute / and hath left y^e dwellynge place voyde and bare But aʒen­warde whan thou that art y^e feyrest daye ster­re and bryʒtnes of euerlastynge lyghte rysest vp in myddes of the derkenes of myn herte.

A lorde what a blessid chaungynge is than of goddys ryʒt hande For than alle the derke clowde of manlenoolye complexion is dissol­ued [Page] and putte oute of the soule wyth all ma­ner heuynesse and sowwe / & hit lyghtneth as the daye wyth Ioye Than laugheth the herte / the soule gladyth / the conscyence clerith. and all the inward myghtes and affeccions togider reioycynge louen & worsshippen god for he is so gode / and for his mercy is so grete euer wythoute ende Than all that byfore were harde and sharpe / and that semyd in maner impossible / becomen lyghte and softe / for than is fastynge swete / wakynge semyth shorte. and all other excercyses though they ben grete For the myght of loue semeth but lytyl and smalle / and than in tyme of goostly grace I purpose for to amende my life / & myne maners / & for to do many good dedis / y^e whiche whan that grace passyth aweye alas I brynge not to effecte But wheder all these comen of me / or of the / y^e I coueyte to be enformed

Of thyselfe thow hast nought but faylyng / and losse / and goenge to nought / but all the good beforeseyd and other lyke therto / knowe well that by my presence ben geuen to the / Wherfore this is y^e playe [Page] of loue the whyche I am wonte to vse in an amorowse soule / And If thou wylte knowe more specyally what is the pleye of loue / wite hit well that hit is Ioye and sorowe / the whyche one after a nother of my presence and of myn absence fallen to the louer / for that is y^e propyrte of loue that in the presence of y^t thynge that is loued / hit is hadde / & not kno­wen / but in the absence therof hit shewyth hit selfe and is more knowen /

Thys pleye of loue as hit semyth to me / is rather of mournynge and sorowe / than of solace and Ioye But I wolde wyte how the discyple that is not fully experte shulde haue hym and kepe hym in that dyuerse maner vysitacyon

In the daye and tyme of goodes and of prosperytee forgete not euelles / And in aduersite haue in mynde of goodes & pros­peryte / so that thou lyfte not thy selfe vp ouer messure / in time of presence therof thow shalt not put down thy selfe to moche And specially that thou take not vnpaciently that diuerse gracyous vysitacyon commynge and goenge / though hit so be yet that thou shalt alwey [Page] besely seche my face

O lorde If thou woldist take entente and see sothly thou shuldyst well knowe that the taryenge and longe abydinge of that thinge that is loued is grete afflyccyon and sorowe to the herte

wythoute ony doute thys tor­nynge abowte of the whele of loue / he shal suffre what so euer he be that wyll loue / And no wondre for to the louers of the worlde fallyth not alwey prosperytees / but also amonge ofte sythes aduersytees / and yf thou knowe hit not by experyence aske of ony of hem that knowen hyt / & they shall telle the that who so wyll loue / he shal nedys trauaile There ben many louers to slowe and to weyke in werkynge / the whyche for a tyme gyuen hem to loue and wolde be louers / but they wolde haue hit wythoute trauaile to the whyche but hyt falle anone after her desire in the wyse as they coueyten / they ceassyn soone fro y^t whyche they began / and these men therfore comen not to the fruyte of loue Wherfore to hem [Page] as to vnworthy of loue hit be seyde thus /

Milicie species. amor est discedite signes.

That is thus moche to seye loue is a maner of knyghthode / goo ye away therfro that ben cowardes / whefore a feruente louer that wyl come to y^e fruite of loue y^t he desiryth / he muste be besye and abydynge and seruysable And he shal not lyghtly leue of / though he fyn­de hym putte fro hys desire a thousand sythes but alwey he shall be in good hope thynkynge that sumtyme contynuel trauayse ouercomith all thynges For what is softer than wa­ter / or harder than stone. and yet bi ofte fallinge and smytynge of dropes of the water on y^e stone y^e stone is perced And for to telle good tydinges to the and to all other trewe louers that desiren for to here. Wyte hyt well that this goodly spouse that thou trauaylist for wyll be preyed / and hath lykynge in suche maner seruyse done to hir Wherfore preye and aske ofte sithes and leue not / and I behote the sothly that y^u shalt haue after y^e desire of thyn herte For in all thys worlde is none foun­den that is so lyghte to be asked of / ne so gracyous [Page] and redy to here her seruauntes / ne y^t is soo goodly to answere to hem that ben her louers as is she / thys is thyn moost goodly spouse / wherfore who so wyll loue me: muste in all tyme be besye to loke to me as vnto his loue / as I am wonte contynuelly to be­holde my louer ¶ For he wote not whan he that he louyth and abydith wyll come / eyther fro the este or the weste / or fro the northe or the southe / ¶ And also he wote not what tyme whether erly or late / or at myddaye or at the cockis crowinge he wyl come / and knocke at hys dore / and aske entre / For ofte sithes whan the spyrite sekynge me mournyth and is sory / for he fyndeth not me / Afterward whan he sekyth me / and wenyth not to fynde me / he shall haue me his byloued presently wyth hym Wherfore hit sufficith not for to spende one oure of tyme wyth the beloued. but hites nedfull that he that louyth be ofte sithes besye to seche his beloued / and alweye to be redy to loue / and y^t he truste not more vpon his merytes / than on my goode wyll / yf he wyll haue and fele in experyence my precious [Page] presente / and for to menge wyth swete wor­dis / blamynge wordys / and sharppe wordys to loued wordes y^u muste be vndernome sadly / For sothly in suche maner exercyses of loue thou arte to be repreuyd and blamyd / Why for shame thou that hast taken vpon the / the knyghthode of loue / and hast byhoten to kepe thys forseyde / oure phylosophye / and sette thy shuldre to bere the swete yocke therof / why I seye arte thou soo hardy to stonde byfore so worthy a spouse / wyth an vnstable herte and flyttynge eyen / torned aboute in to the vttrest endys of all the worlde / and she wyth a contynuell lokynge and a bryghte gracyous face alwey beholdyth the How shamefull is hyt to the to yeue thyn entente to all thyn­ge that thou heryst wythoute forth / where thorough thou mayst not here how that the wysdom of god spekyth to the wyth inforthe O how foule is hit to y^e dyscyple of loue in so moche to foryete hym selfe / that he takyth not entente to the wordys of hym that is aboute hym euery where by hys presence Wherefore hyt may sothly be sayd that thou disceue­rest [Page] hym fro the sithen he fyndyth not the neyther in hym ne in thy selfe / but wythoute the / and wythout hym in the grete noyse of the worlde Wherfore I praye the amende these defawtes / and take hede how vncomly hyt is that a soule sechyth ony thynge in outewarde thynges / the whyche sowle beryth the kyngdom of god wythinne hym selfe as the apostyl seyth / ‘¶ Regnum dei intra nos est. The kyngdome of god is wythin vs’ / And that is ryghtwysnes pees and Ioye in holy goost / and thus endyth the fyrst lesson of the fyrste poynte of loue /

¶ Of y^e seconde poynte of loue y^t stondyth in declarynge of the loue of Ihesu in hys bytter passyon y^t he suffred for man / & how man shal cōferme his loue ayenwarde to him. Ca. ij.

O thou euerlastinge wysdom that fro the hye throne / that is fro the herte of thyne euerlastynge fader camest down in to thys waley of wretchidnesse and sorowe &. xxxiij. yere suffredyst diseses & trybulacyōs in the exyle of thys worlde. & for this cause y^t y^u woldist shewe to vs thi souereyn charitee

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Where thorough thou louedyst mankyn­de by the mysterye of thy moost byter passyon and hardyst deth that thow suffred for man / by thys vnspekeable charyte of thy dethe / I beseche the wyth all myn herte and all myn inwarde affeccions that thou woldyst vochesafe to shewe the to me / in that forme and disposicyon that thou suffredyst thorough the so­rowe of thy bytter passyon

In as moche as of the gretnesse of loue and so­rowe is the passyon of my deth by palenesse & by a manere of derkenesse in the flesshe I seme more foule / In so moche that in an amorowse herte and a well dyspossid soule I shulde be the better loued For ryght as he that loueth coueytyth kyndely to be loued ayen / ryght soo he as­kyth of his byloued a token / and shewynge of his loue For loue that is hydde and in clo­se / is not knowen / but oonly to hym selfe that loueth / and therfore louers ben aboute as mo­che as they mowen for to haue tokens and preues of loue shewed of hem that they louen and ofte sythes hyt fallyth that though the tonge be stille & speke not / tokens and signes [Page] wythoute forthe shewen and open that is hidde in the herte / and the strengthe of loue wythin is clossed / Also hit fallyth ofte sythes that thoo thynges that summe men de men as foule and vnsemely in hem that they loue not / other that louen hem preysen and cōmenden that selue thynges as feyre and comely

Sothely in y^e loue of thys worlde I knowe wel that hit is foo as thou seyst? But how that may be in a man crucyfyed I see not yet clerely For though hit soo be in a man or a woman that is beloued after y^e loue of thys worlde / sumtyme there is foūden a thynge that dysplesith to hym that louyth / neuerthelesse there ben many other thynges cōuenyent to loue / the wyche plesyn and lyken hym that seeth hem / But thys beloued tho­rough the bytternesse of deth all deformed how he shulde be seen louely / I can not vnderstan­de Whos dysposicion no wondre semyth more contrarye to loue in as moche as he of bloonesse and woūdes semyth all foule and full of sorowe wyth inforth and wythoute forth and shewyth no maner of beaute or likynge [Page] to the syghte of the louers / How than seyst thou that he is soo louely the whyche euydence in dede shewith soo gresly I paynned and vnlouely

Trewe louers taken not moche sors of the thorne that beryth the rose / soo that they mowe haue the rose that they desyren ¶ And also tre­we wyse men telle not more deynte of fayre thynges outforth / as cofres payntyd wyth gold that hauen in hem selfe but erthe or o­ther fowle thynges than they done by other suche vessels fowle wythoute forth / and full of precyous stones wyth inforth Soo the spouse of the soule euerlastynge wysdome wythoute forth semyth as in dyspite / foule & ab­iecte / but wythinforth she is full of grace & heuenly lyghte The flesshe wythoute forth semyth dede / but the bryghtnesse of the godhede that is not seen / shynyth / and shyneth wythinforth soo ferforth that the angels of god desyren contynuelly to loke vpon hym Wherfore the disposicyon and the forme of y^e dedly body wythoute forth is not as y^u supposyd [Page] to beholden foule and vnsemely / But the moost fayrest and apparysshande comelynesse For thou shalte not take hede and considere what he semyth that is seen / But what that he hath suffred and where of and why Yf thou aske where of he hath suffred / sothly of hys passynge loue and charyte / And yf thou aske wherfore Sothly hit is for the for to make the fayre and semely thorough his abiectyon and vnsemelynesse and wyth his woūdys to hele the / and wyth hys deth to yeue the euerlastinge lyfe / and soo yf thou beholde thy beloued wyth the eye of loue / thou shalt mowe see hym full of chary­te and loue / the whyche not oonly shewyth hys loue by wordys / as many louers of this worlde done but also he proueth himself trewe louynge in dedis / for vnto the deth he loued ¶ Wherfore hit folowyth openly that the abieccyon and the vnsemelynesse of the vtter man that he toke of the bytternesse of hys passyon is rather shewynge and proue of lo­ue / thanne mater of reprofe /

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¶ Ne h̄it is noghte there ayens / though he that louyth not see not thys / for the lyghte y^t is not noyous and greuous to seke eyen is comfortable and lykynge to clene & clere eyen

Sothly and withoute ony doute hit is as thow seyst / and blessid be tho eyen that soo seen / but thys syghte is not gyuen to alle men / but oonly to hem the wyche ben goode crysten people that feruently desiren to loue the / But now thou euerlastynge wysdom I beseche the that thou more specyally telle me y^e processe of thy passyon / that I myghte haue hit the more fresshely in the mynde of my sou­le and herte / and for to stere me the more fer­uently to thy loue / and how I shall comferme me to thy passyon after trewe loue.

Byfore the feste daye of paske af­ter the souper made wyth my disciples / whā y^e tyme was come of my passynge out of thys worlde to the fader / I wente forth wyth myne xj. dysciples in to y^e mounte of olyuete / where I beenge in agonye after y^e Ihadde longe tyme preyed / & hade vnderstonde in my mynde soo cruel manere of tormentis y^t were for to [Page] come to me / than was my swete as dropes of blood renninge downe in to the erthe / Sothly vnnethis wolde ony man lyuynge vndyr he­uen byleue what maner anguysshes / and how grete and dredeful in mynde of deth the delycate kynde than felte in that tyme after the na­ture of man After soone comen the sones & children of derkenesse / as an hoost takynge me dispytously / & byndinge me cruelly / and so ledde me as a thefe in to the cyte / there the cursed creatures spendyd that nyghte in dyuerse manere of tormentrye aboute me / And vpon y^e mowwe I was ledde and brought byfore y^e Iustyce pylate And in many maners they accussed me / and at the laste to the dyspytous deth of y^e crosse dampned me / and soo cruelly leyeng y^e heuy crosse vpon my tendre shuldres they ledden me dyspytously oute of the cyte vnto the place of Iewys / where they hynge me bytwyx two theues / to that ende that my deth shulde seme the fouler and the more ab­homynable / ¶ And soo I hangyd on the crosse / and on all sides I was bylapped wyth the moost bytter sorowes of dethe / my clere & [Page] shynynge eyen were all adased and derked myn goodly erys fyllyd wyth scornes and repreues / my smellynge dysesyd wyth foule stenche of y^e place / my swettyst mowthe wyth drinke of galle made bytter / and so all to tore beten, and woundyd. I shedde my blood that ranne down on all sydes of my body that was than ful of woo O If thou haddyst seen me that hour and tyme so wretchydly and pyteuously hangyng on the crosse I trowe that thy spirite shulde haue fayled for sorowe

Who shall gyue me that yefte that I may in thys howre after my desyre see thy louely face vndyr thys sorowfull forme and lyckenes / so that I may wasshe hit wyth the grettyst sorowe of teerys goynge oute of myn opene herte O thou myrrour of clennesse and of all vertues / on whome angels desyren to loke and beholde wyth very felycyte Who shall gyue to myn herte soo seuereyne in­warde felynge of compassyon that myghte passe all other / by the whiche I myghte in thy [Page] loue syngulerly be rauysshed / so that I myght sheede plenteuous teerys of all ayen / And haue wepynge voyces and styrynge of all ton­ges / wherwyth I shulde mowe yelde ayen to the thankynges / and conferme me in dede to that precyous passyon that thou suffredyst for me Wherfore you maystresse of the dyscyplyne of god and euerlastynge wysdom teche me I beseche the how I shall mo we bere in my body thy swettyst woūdis / and in what maner I may holde hem contynuelly in my mynde / so that therby I may shewe to heuenly and erthely creatures what than­kynges I owe to yelde y^t for soo mani benefyces wythoute nombrelargely geuen to me wretche of the passynge habundance of thy pyte

Touchynge thy fyrste desyre thou shalt vndyrstonde that noo man yeldith better thankynges and rewardes to my passyon / thā he dooth that not oonly by wordys / but also by dedys folowyth hit / confermynge hym mekely to my steppes y^t is to seye settinge at nought prosperite / and [Page] dredynge not aduersitee / and goenge alway in the heyghthe of goostly perfecyon by a brennynge desyre For I seye the forsothe as many shedynges of teerys as ben ryuers or wa­ters / were not to me so acceptable and lykyn­ge as that were / though hit soo be yet deuoute teerys comynge of Inwarde compassyon / ben full plesynge byfore god. And for to teche the ferthermore how thou shalt conferme the to myn passyons / Atte the begynnynge thou shalt turne awey thyn eyen that they see not by lykynge veyne thynges Thyne eerys thou shalt stoppe that they here not wycked & noyous wordys And for thoo thynges y^e ben swete thou shalt take thynges that ben bytter / put a way fro y^e superfluite and vnordynat delyces of thy body Pees and reste of thyn herte seke oonly in me Receyue gladly all maner trybulacyons / and wronges / and harmes done to y^e / thou shalt paciently suffre and all thynges desyre to be in dyspyte / lerne to breke thy wyll in all thynges / and atende to the loue of thy sauyoure that yed for the thou shalt also be besye to slee al the lustes of [Page] thy flesshe / Loo sone thise ben the fyrste principles and techynges the whyche euerlastynge wysdom yeuith to the and suche other that ben her louers / y^e whiche ben wryten and grauen in thys open boke as thou seest / that is to seye in my body crucyfied / and for to telle the yet in more specyall maner how thou shalt be crucifyed to me & confermed to my passyon / y^u shalt offre to me thy selfe / and all that thou hast ones offred thou shal not in ony maner take to the ayen by propre wyll / And thou shalt absteyne the not oonly fro thoo thynges that ben superfluous / but also otherwhyle fro hem that ben leyffull / and yf thou kepe thyse / than hast y^u thyne handes nayled to my crosse. Also thou shalt doo that is good and suffre euyll thynges that ben done to the / and thou shalt gadre to gyder thy chaungeable wyll & seueryd thoughtes And whan thou hast gadryd hem to gyder thou shalt stable hem in me souereyne god / And than hast thou nayled thyn feete to my crosse by thyn inwarde affec­cion / Also thys shall be thy crosse that thou shalt bere yf thou wylte be my trewe louer / [Page] what tyme thou yeuist thyn entent to the exercise of vertues and to fulfyllinge of my commaundementys after thy power / and neuer­theles thou hast therfore scornynges and de­traccōns of enuyous folke that haten the / & also therfore thou semyst in her eyen soo wretchid and soo moche in dyspyte that they arec­te not thy pacyence in that parte to vertues ne to grace / that is in y^e / but rather to vnmyghte and cowardyse that thou art not wyllyn­ge to auenge the / or darest not or cannest not / and thou' ayenwarde / not oonly suffrest thys paciently and gladly for the loue of god but also of more habundante charyte thou preyest the fader y^e is in heuen besely for hem / & deuoutly arte aboute to excuse hem recommendynge hem to me / Who soo euer in thys maner contraryously ouercomyth soo hymselfe to the worship of god crist ihesu / and in fo­lowyng of his crucyfyenge / he shall well wite that also ofte as he dooth thys / so ofte he makyth the deth of hys lorde fresshely quynken in hys soule / and beryth wythin hym selfe y^e ymage [Page] of hym y^t was crucyfied for hym / Also whan y^u leuyst thy dere frendis & kynnesmen for loue of thy sauyour / than settyst thou the as my loued dysciple and brother besyde my crosse / hauynge inwarde compassion of me Also by ensample of my trewest moder and my loued dysciple / take the mynde of my passion alweye in thyn herte by inwarde thoughte there vpon ¶ And in preyer be thow deuoute in spekynge and in dede werchynge by y^• af­fectuous folowynge / and who soo euer folo­wyth thys and dooth thus / he is trewe folo­wer of Ihesu / & he shall mynistre to hym plen­teuous delyces of hymselfe / Wherfore lette the token of thy loue be fulfyllinge in dede / for who soo is felawe and pertyner of my grete trybulacōn he shall be felowe & partyner of my souereyn Ioye

Lorde I wote well that man hath not of hym selfe ne hyt is not in his owne power or myghte for to dresse his steppis in to the waye of ryghtwis lyuynge and sothfaste fo­lowing of thy passyon lorde / but be thyn helpe Wherfore I lyfte vp myn eyen and myn handes [Page] to the my mercyfull sauyour deuoutely besekynge the that the ymage and y^e lyknesse of thy worshipful passyon be effectuelly pryntid in my soule / thorough thy vertuous grace and that hit werke in me contynuelly by helfull effecte to the louynge and worshipynge of thy blessyd name For as thou louely wys­dom best knowest there were noo thynge in thys lyfe swetter ne more lykynge to myn herte / than that I myghte contynuelly wyth a de­uoute herte haue compassyon / But alas I am constreyned wyth a maner of dryenesse & hardnesse of herte / that in the mynde therof I am not compūcte nor sorowfull as hit were worthy that I shulde be / Wherfore thou benigne wysdom of the fader teche me how I shall doo in thys mater that is soo precyous /

The mynde of my passyon shall not be hadde passyngly and wyth haste / and namely whan there is tyme Inowgh suffy­saūte and conuenyent / but wyth a sadde and abidynge compassyon For but thys swete tree be chewid & defyed wyth y^e teeth of [Page] affectuous discrecyon / y^e sauour therof thouʒ hit be neuer soo grete shall not meue ne be felte / And yf hit be soo y^t y^u mayst not wepe or haue soww wyth hym that wepte & had sorowe for y^e / at the leste thou shalt be Ioyeful & yelde thankynges wyth a deuoute affeccyon for so grete benefeytes yeuen to y^e freely by y^e pas­sōn / & yet yf it besoo y^e neyther y^u arte meued by compassion ne by Ioye / but thou felist y^e ouer leyde wyth a maner harde herte in mynde of y^e passion / Neuertheles in that maner hardnes continue forth in the minde of that heelful passion to the louynge of god / and that thou mayste not haue of thy selfe / commytte hit to thoo swete handes of hym that is thy sauy­our / Neuertheles be thou perseuerante in askynge knockynge and sechynge tyll thou haue thyn askynge / smyte twyes vpon the harde flynte / that is to seye wyth inwarde mynde of herte and outewarde exercise of body / as by lyftynge vp of handes and eyen to the crucy­fix / or by knockynge on thy breste or deuoute knelynges / Soo contynuynge in suche ma­ner deuoute exercises tille y^e watres of teeris [Page] passyn oute wherof reson may drinke watres of deuocyon / and the body be abled to receyuynge of grace / ¶ And thou shalt vnderstonde that ofte mynde of my passyon amonge other benefyces wythoute nombre souereynly hit shall profyte to the in two manere of sola­ces / that is to seye to putte awey vnskylfull heuynesse / and forto lesse the peyne of purgatorye As touchynge to the fyrste how that the mynde of my sorowe putteth oute vnskilfull heuynesse and sorowe of the soule I shall shewe the better by ensample than by worde /

¶ There was a disciple of wysdome / whos name is wryten in the boke of lyfe / the / whi­che aboute the fyrste begynnynge of / his con­uersacyon was soo ouerleyde wyth an in or­dynat sorowe and vnskylfull heuynesse that for the tyme he hadde neyther will to rede ne to praye / ne to doo ony good werke /

And vpon a daye whanne he beynge in his celle was greuously ouerleyde wyth his passyon and turmentid wyth vnbyleuyd sorowe / there come from abouen a voyce in his mynde / seyenge to hym in thys maner /

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Why syttist thou her soo ydle and dulle & heuy in thy selfe / rise vp now & treate deuoutly my passyon in thy mynde and my bytter­nesse therof Thou shalt ouercome thyn vnordynatte sorowe And anone as that brother herde thys / he rose vp and gaf hym besely to the passyon of oure lorde Ihesu / And fro that tyme he was heled / by contynuel replycacōn therof / that he felte neuer there after suche passion in his sowle / And how thys moost profytable meditacyon of my passion shall relesse y^e peyne of purgatorye I shall shewe the Loo y^e actour and maker of kynde leuith nothynge Inordynat in his kynde / and also the ryghtywisnesse of god leuith noo wickdnesse or synne vnpunisshed / but that h̄it shall ey­ther here in this worlde / or after in a nother be dewly correctid / But that grete peyne and longe in place of purgatorie that is dewe after the rightwisnesse of god to the synfull man for grete synnes that mowe not here be dewly punysshed / ye not to y^e thousande parte he may make shorte and lyghtly recompence that cowde take hit of the tresory of that precyo{us} [Page] passion of y^e Innocēt lambe wythoute wēme Ihesu / For thys precyous tresour that is of his grettist charyte and of moost worthy persone and greuous sorowe and peyne is suffisante to heele all syknesse and soorys of sowle / wherfore a man myghte so applye hym therto / and soo deuoutely drawe to hym of Ihesu meryte and satysfaccyon that though he shulde after his deseruyng be punysshed and purgid a thousand yere / by vertue therof he shulde soone be delyuered and relecyd /

My lorde I besyche the for thy souereyne goodnesse teche me synfull wretche thys moost profytable craft / for alas myn owne merytes sufficen not / wherfore hit is full nedefull to me / for to loke after the merytes of other

Yf thou wylte the longe and bytter payne of purgato­rye change and turne in to temporell peyne that is lyght and shorte / thou shalt be besye to kepe and fulfylle these thynges that folowen ¶ Fyrste of all wyth inwarde contempla­cyon and sorowe of herte / thou shalte greetly weye the greues of thy synnes / know­chynge [Page] ayen thy selfe thyn vnryghtwysnesse to oure lorde by thynkynge moost bitterly what thou hast done / and whome thou haste offendid / or what thou haste deserued / seyenge thus Lorde I haue synned / ye I haue synned passynge the nombre of the grauell of the see After thou shalt mekely dispise thy selfe byfore the eyen of the h̄ye euerlastynge domes man / and h̄old thy selfe soo foule that thou shalt not mowe dure thyn vnclene eyen lyfte vp to heuen wyth the publycan / ne with thy pollute lyppes name that glory­ous name / Ne thou shalt holde thy selfe as a man / but as a foule worme /

¶ And all thy dedis though they ben good and meritorye thou shalt sette at nought ¶ And soo wretchedfull and sorowefull thou shalt abyde the grace of thy hyghe Ius­tice byfore his yates seyenge thus wyth depe inwarde sorowe of thyn herte

¶ Fader I haue synned in to heuen / and byfore the / and soo am I not worthy to be clepid thy sone / And therfore doo to me as to [Page] one of thy hyred seruantes / After / thys thou shalte wyth souereyne affeccyon magnifye and commende the meryte of my passyon thynkynge that at me is moost copiouse and plenteuous redempcion / And that the leste drope of that moost precyous blode that largely ranne out by al the parties of my body ful of woundys hadde be suffysante for the redempcyon and satisfacyon of al the worlde

¶ And thus largely I shedde my blood and soo plenteuously for to preue my grete loue & souereyne pite / and also to comforte therby all creatures that fleen to me for socour And the last thow shalt seche wyth a meke and a feruent affeccyon / the hande of thyn helper and the meryte of the / moost mercyfull ayen bier lord wythoute ende aske of hym in to thyn helpe noo thynge doutynge For that wel of pyte springynge full of mercy is more [...]edy to yeue y^e mercy thanne thou art redy to aske hit

¶ O souereyne gracyous worde to me and to hem that ben lyke to me wretched synner and with soueyrene Ioye it oweth to be taken [Page] for als moche as we fynden soo redely in thy passyon wherthrugh we may wasshe awey oure synnes & doo a weye peynes / and fynde grace / and deserue euerlastynge blysse /

What shall I mowe yelde aye to my lorde for al thoo grete benefices that he hath yeuente me / O my god I beseche the teche me thyn vnworthy seruaūte how that I may oonly of thy grace plese the / for als moche as I fayle by myn own infirmyte / and the litylnesse and the vnworthynesse of my werkys are not couenable

Thow shalt haue alweye in thyne herte the mynde of my passyon / and all the tribulacyons aduersitees that thou sussrest referre to hit.

¶ And as moche as hit is possible to the thou shalt as hit were clothe the wyth the lyekenesse therof.

¶ Also what tyme of my pryue dispensa­cyon I wythdrawe thyn inwarde comforte and leue the as desolate / thou shalt to the lyknesse of y^e very crucyfix not seche comforte els where / but paciētly abyde wyth hī & haue thyn [Page] inwarde beholdynge vpwarde to the fader that is in heuen / forsakynge thy selfe and all thy thoughte castynge in to hym /

¶ And than wythoute doute / the more that is the forsakynge and desolacyon of the inner man / wyth thyn wylle ones to god / soo moche the more thou shalt be lyke to thy cru­cifix and the more acceptable to his loued fader / For sothely thys is the poynte of aduersyte / by the whiche the beste preued knyghtes that ben now in heuen in the presence of criste / were in thys world moost streytly examy­ned / Also folowe not thy lustes / but breke hem manly / and than shalt thou wyth hym that thou louest drynke the galle of bytternes

Disire the hele of all men / and to thy so­uereynes yeue deuoute obedyence / and be aboute to brynge all thy werkes to the perfeccōn of vertues / that it may come to a good ende / Also all mysshappes and all sorowfull thynges that fallen y^u shalt commytte to y^e goodnes of god / & kepe y^t frely in euery dede as a mā y^t were in the tyme of passynge oute of thys worlde / & y^u shalt euer seche cōtinuel ī refute y^e [Page] wounde of my syde as a douue in the hole of the stone For in that place thou shalt euer fynde the moost copyous remyssyon of synnes the moost plente of grace and a syker defense fro all eueles that be fallen

Yet haue I a lytill peticyon to putte to the euerlastynge wysdome of thys mater of thy swetist passyon the whyche thou haste so shortly ouerpassid that is to seye / how that wor­shipfull moder thy trewist berer hadde her whan she stode by the crosse / and sawe her lo­ued sone byfore hir eyen hangynge there vpō soo pytously

Of thys mater I yeue the leue to goo to hyr and to besely enquere and aske of hir mowthe what thou wylte / Stabat iuxta crucē Ihū mater ei{us}.

O mary ihesus. moder what herte haddyst y^• whan thou stode besyde the crosse and behelde Ihesu the blessyd frute of thy wombe hangynge there vpon. Sothely reson tellyth and experyence prouith, and strength of loue shewyth that thou were pasyngly sorowfull for thou louedyst passyngly For sithyn it soo is that the mynde oonly of the passyon [Page] of thy sone maketh somme deuoute creatures as they were halfe dede for the grete inwarde compassyon that they haue therof / What wroughte the presence and the syghte of that cruell passyon in hyr that hym bare sauyoure of the worlde. soo Innocently suffrynge.

And sythen thys mynde is soo feruente in y^e herte of the synner. how moche more feruently wroughte hit in the mynde of the soule of the moost holyest virgine hys moder. Also we knowen well that the more feruently that he that is experte in loue loueth a nother / and y^e more worshipfull and the more / delectable & the more profytable the presence of hym that he loued is to hym / the more the departynge & wantynge of him. bryngith to the louer ma­ter of sorowe. And sothe it is as I byleue wythoute ony doute. that the blessid presence of h̄ym was to the y^t loued thyne owne sone so derely without comparison passid y^e presence of all dedely creatures in all maner grace Wherfore hit folowyth that his departyng and dethe passid all other in sorowe / Good lady therfore abydeth awhile and answere to [Page] vs though thow be absente in body / but pre­sente in spirite telle vs somwhat of the sow­we that thow haddest whan thow sawe thy sone payned / and the Ioye that thow haddest of thyn blessyd loued sone afore whan thoo wordys were seyd of gretynge

Maria he that of his grace vouchedsafe to chese me his owne hande mayden vnto his moder / he knytte and constrey­ned myne herte to hym wyth soo brennynge loue that my spyrite myghte neuer receyue souereyne Ioye ne souereyne sorowe / but oonly of hym & in him / Wherfore in hym I hadde al thynge / & his loue was to me full possession of al y^e world Mi soule was there as Ihū was & I leuyd more sothfastly in hym than in my selfe / & shortly to seye al heuenly & erthely goodys thys blessid desired presence broughte to me / but ferthermore what time y^t I sawe with myn eyen hym y^t was myn owne goten sone y^t precyous tresour of myn herte so dyspytously hangynge wyth theues on y^e crosse / & an­guisshed wyth sorowes of y^e bitter deth A god how sorowfull & peynfull was y^t sighte to me [Page] my herte was awey fro me for he hadde taken hym fro me & helde hyt wyth h̄ym crucyfyed / & I had lost my voys for cryenge & grete sowwynge / in soo moche y^t I myght vnethe speke & so I faylled in body for sorow & felle down / but after I had sumwhat take ayen spyrite I brake out in to these maner wordys / O thou Ioye & cōforte of myn herte and lyghte of myn eyen / sumtyme I sawe y^e wyth Ioye & lykynge of myn hert but now I see y^e wyth grete mourning / & sorow Alas alas / how wretchidly see I the now so hangynge on that tree O thou all my life O thou oonly comforte of my life take wyth the I preye the thy moost sorowful moder / for I desyre gretly to deye / & I maye no longer lyue withoute the / sothely I see the deye / in whom stondeth all my lyfe & all myn hele O who shall yeue me that I myghte deye for the / And whan hys moost sowweful moder hadde seyde thise wordys & other like / to hem / the sone as forgetynge hys owne pey­ne & sowwe comfortid swetly hys moder / and soo deyenge and passyng awey he toke hys leue of me / commendyd me to hys dysciple. the [Page] whiche he syngulerly loued / And whā y^e herte of y^e moder herde y^e voys of hir sone so wylfully spekynge wyth a passynge sorowe / y^e swerde of bitter mournynge perced y^e soule of me his moder / And whan I cowde fynde none other comforte / wyth agrete luste I kyssed the hote blode that droppid downe in to y^e erthe oute of the woūdes of my swete sone in soo moche that the moders face was al blody of the slayne sones bloode O yf thou haddist in y^t sorowful hour seen that woo of the moder hauynge compassion of y^e sone thow woldest haue h̄ad grete sorowe for the sone / and made mone for the moder / I wote well that thou / myghtist not haue seen and herde thys wythoute an inwarde woūde of sorowfull compassion

O how harde is that herte that of Inwarde stirynge hath not compassion of the and of thy sorowe blessid mayden and moder how euyll drye ben thoo eyen y^e seen the soo sorowfully wepynge / and yet they mowe not wepe wyth the / But what shall I seye / Loo thou moost piteuous moder now I standynge byfore the wyth a wepynge mynde I [Page] beseche the and charge the on goddis byhalfe that thou yeue to me thy dere tresour my kynge and my lorde / that for me suffred passyon and deth And that vndyr thys forme / In the whiche I beholde wyth the Inner eyen of contemplacion / hym now in the lappe vnder the crosse soo pale dede / y^t that compassion and sorowe that was that tyme yeuen to the as to hys moder in bodely presence that hit be grauntid as hit fallith to me synfull wret­che / at y^e leste spirituelly in the mynde of my soule There ben somme the wh̄iche ben Ioyfull of clennesse of her lyfe / there ben other y^e presumen of the multitude of her meritys / & somme that reioycen hem of the worthynesse of goostly exercysis / But what shall I truste in / sothly alle myn hope / all myn solace oonly hangyth vpō thy passyon my lorde Ihū ¶ And of the gretnesse and worthynesse of thyne merytis / and of the pite of thy moost benygne moder / as thou oonly knowyst that haste consideracion to myne infirmite and pouertee / And therfore thys mynde of my lordes passyon is to be taken affectuously in the [Page] chambre of myn herte / & bothe by worde & by dede by helpynge of thy grace to be folowed / and wyth all maner worship and reuerence to be magnyfied / O euerlastynge wisdom of y^e fa­der of heuen / loo now I brynge in to my socour & helpe thy swettist moder / presentyng her to the / & hydynge me behynde her backe / for I dare not lyfte vp myne eyen byfore the gloryous face of the thow blessyd lorde / but by her I desire to be herde / Wherfore I beseche the y^t y^u wilt haue in mynde all the seruyses & besynes that y^u toke of hir in thy youthe / in y^e yeres of thy chyldehode / in swathynge / yeuynge sowke clyppynge / in kyssynge / and all other seruises done to the / And also goode lorde haue in minde all the sorowes y^t she standynge vndyr the crosse wyth piteuous compassion suffred / & y^e grete woo y^t was in y^t tendre moders hert y^t tyme for the / & for her loue graunte me lorde y^e as I see y^e now wyth inwarde affeccōn with the eye of trewe byleue / how thow were so dedely & soo sorowfully turmentyd / y^e I may see y^e soo gloryously aboue y^e sterris of heuen / sittynge in y^e fadres ryght hande in blysse wyth [Page] outē ende / And also thou blessid mayden and moost piteuous moder I praye the as thow that stondynge by the crosse of thy dere sone / feltist affectuously in thy soule the woūdis of his passion / and therof thou were made rede wyth the spryngynge of his bloode / and all oonly thou kepedyst to hym perfite byleue in to the laste ende / Graūte me meke mayden my dere lady that I brynge to my mynde wyth an Inwarde deuocyon all these woūdis and thy sorowe / and beclyppe the wyth the armes of myn herte / and as berynge the felyship I lede the to thyn hous by the yate of the cyte of Ierusalem as in ensample / & figure of thoo thynges that ben passed O thou moder of grace I praye the at the laste ende th̄at the soules of all the disciples of euerlastynge wisdom / whan they passen oute fro the bodyes that thow lady for thy grete goodnesse take hem in to thyne armes / and bringe hem wyth Ioye to that heuenli Ierlm̄. there to abide with thy dere sone god crist ihū in the blisse wyth oute ende Amen.

How the disciple of Ihū euerlastynge wisdom shall gladly suffre [Page] trybulacyons and aduersitees for his loue by ensāple of his suffraūce and of his chosen louers / ¶ Consolamini consolamini popule mi dicit dn̄s deus noster. That is to seye in englisshe / Ben comfortyd / ben comfortid my peple seyth oure lorde god ∴

A Seke soule goostly whiche after y^e day and tyme of prosperite was fallen in to the myghte of aduersitee / began to mourne and wyth a / sorowfull herte made his com­pleynte to god wyth inwarde cōpassion / bryngynge to mynde y^e diseses that he suffred with sore wepynge and teerys shedynge / And whan the forseyde dysciples seyenge of com­pleynynge was done / he sawe y^t he had not at hande redy / where thorough he myghte comforte the spirite soo traueylid in aduersitees for criste / Loo therwyth in a visyon a fayre yonge man apperyd standynge byfore hym / y^t whiche toke hym in his hande an Instru­mēt of musike that is clepyd a sawtrye mar­ked wyth acrosse a bouen / and therwith plenteuously fyllid his mynde wyth goostly sentences / byddynge that he sholde lykingly & wisely [Page] pleye therupon & synge and solace hym / and make gladde chere to ferfull and dredfull her­tis comfortynge in her lorde god / And also many other that stode nygh hym & were tra­uaylynge with dyuerse sekenesse of soule and other diseses prayed hym mekely y^t he wolde doo soo in to solace & comforte of her trauayle / wherfore he toke y^t sawtrye of the yonge man̄es honde / and vndirstondynge the purpoos byfore his pacience began to pleie & synge / & toke his dite of the prophetis wordes byfore / Ben comfortid ben comfortid my peple seyth oure lorde god / ¶ And whan he had seyde these wordis of comforte & other moo for to abate the sorowe of y^t mournynge spirite. he wolde not be comfortid / but wexid more sory and soryer / For soth hit is y^t for the tyme that mournynge and sorowe is in his course / swete wordis & lykyng maken ofte sythes sorowfull hertis more sorowful / as hit is seyde that mynstralsye makyth hym that is mery more merier than hym y^t is sory / And so a deuoute soule y^t is feruent in y^e loue of god the more swetly y^t he felyth by experyence in hym selfe. [Page] the comforte of god after better prefe / Soo moche y^e more of vnseyene byfore Ioye / he fal­lyth all to teeris In y^e selue maner hit befelle soo to owre purpos / y^t to y^e forseide mournynge soule y^e mater of Ioye was turned in to occasion of sorowe / For he y^t shulde by reson haue lawghed / he bygan to wepe wythoute me­sure / And whan he was asked why he wepte & what hym eyled or what he suffred / he ans­werid & seyde Loo I here aforn whan I was in yonge age / I soughte aboute to gete me a wife y^t I myghte wyth hir gracious felyship lede a blessid life / And whan I hadde seen many & hadde chose of hem all / one y^t was fayrest of all other as to my syghte was lykynge & plesante / & large byhestis yeuynge & proferyn­ge hir selfe to me / leuynge all other / I assentid to hir & toke hir vnto my spouse / & whā I hadde dwellid a while with hir / & hadde hope to haue had grete {pro}sperite & welthe of hir cōpanie Alas of a frende she is made an enmye / & y^e lambe is turned in to a lion / & so thorough hir al my lyfe is fillid with sorowe & wretchid­nesse / and shortly to seye the tyme wolde not [Page] suffice / yf I wolde telle all the aduersitees & diseses that she hath tormentid me wyth in to thys tyme / But hit is best to me for to seye wyth the prophete Secretum meum michi. My pryuete I shall kepe priue to myselfe /

Neuertheles this that I haue seyde soo in ge­nerall shortly hath broken oute vyolently of the habundaūce of herte / with wepinge teeris shedynge at the styrynge of the swete voys of thy comfortynge / Whan the disciple had herde this / he vndirstode that this was the mysterie of y^e weddynge of euerlastynge wisdom / y^e wyche is wonte for to preue hir louers wyth temperel tribulacyons and diseses / and whan they ben preued / so to knytte hem in to hir loue / and frendeship / And than he turned hym to hir & seyde in this maner / O thou depe coūseyle vnbesoughte of goddis wisdom / Why betyst thou soo and scorgest hem y^t louen y^e / and suffrest hem that taken litil fors of y^e for to goo prowdely. wyth an vp streyʒte necke / knowist not well thou that arte four­mer and maker of al men / the feble groūde of man̄es infirmitee / and that y^e body that is her̄ [Page] in corupcion ouerleyth moche the soule / that hit may not alwey beholde & take hede to thoo thyngis that ben to come here after / but rather is constreyned to falle to thoo thynges that her ben seen in thys life / O mooste mercyfull lord god beholde / and see benygnely ou­re tribulacions and diseses / & yeue vs the vertue of paciēce / and wyth thyn moost free comfortis / comferme fro abouen & stable thoo her­tis y^t ben feble and vnmyghti

A yonge hynde fowne that newe is born / sekyth the refute of the moder / and for to sowke hir tetes / but whan hit is growen & wexen elder hit leuyth y^e moders mylke / and gooth vp to the hye hilles / & there is fedde and fely­shipid wyth the flocke And soo thou that arte passed childis condicions / that hast nede to be fedde wyth mylke / and arte come now to sadnesse of man̄es yeres / Hit is tyme that y^u be weyned fro mylke / & drawen fro y^e tete / & be Ioyned & felyshipid in the nombre of stronge men / wherfore by ensample of hem thou shalt lerne what y^u shalt doo / & how pacyētly y^u / shalt bere all maner aduersitees / soo y^t whan y^u arte [Page] preued wyth tribulacions as they were y^u maye be felishiped to here nōbre In Ioye wythoute ende / Lyfte vp thyn herte and beholde behynde thy backe / & see y^e grete companye of sayntis wythoute nombre y^e haue ben fro the begyn̄ynge of the worlde / And y^u shalt mowe vndir­stonde y^t all thoo that pleseden me syngulerly / were also in synguler maner preued by suf­france of aduersitees / And for to passe ouer / Abraham Moysen. and other patrirakes {pro}phetis & other withoute nombre y^t were goddis derlynges Loo what Dauid. of whom seith god / I haue foūden a man after myn owne herte / spekith in the sawter thus

Quantas ostendisti michi tribulaciones. Lorde how grete tribulacyons hast thou she­wed to me many & wicked / and thou torned to mercy hast quykened me / & hast este sones brought me ayen to reste fro the depe disese of the erthe / Take hede how Ioseph that was ordeyned by god lorde of egypte / fyrste by enuye was solde of his bretherne in to egipte / & ther̄ falsely accused / and defamed of a wickid wo­man & soo put in to prison wrongefully / and [Page] there laye longe tyme / Also take hede / how y^e holy prophete Isaie was sawen wyth a treen sawe / Ieremie that was halowed in his mo­der wombe was stoned to dethe. Ezechiel was cruelly brayned. Danyel caste in to the pitte of lyons. Iob & Thobie harde assayed wyth temptacions of the worlde & of y^e fende Machabes wyth wonder tormentrye putte to cruel deth / & other fadres wythoute nombre of the olde lawe all proued wyth diuerse & grete trybulacōns / Ferthermore yet beholde my de­rest loued frendes / y^e apostles lyuyng in this worlde in grete pennurye in hunger and thirste / in colde & nakidnesse. in prisones & betyn­ges & all maner of disese of this life that thei putte hem selfe wylfully to. & yet neuer faylynge in tribulacions nor grutchynges nor playnynge as y^u doste / but were pacient indespites in repreues / & Ioyful for my sake in al maner of sorowes / & diseses Also who y^e beholdeth y^e holy martyrs suffrynge soo many tormentes wythout nombre / & harde dethis. how dare they complayn hem of tribulacyons / Also confessours and vyrgyns that suffrid here [Page] in penaūce doynge longe martyrdom. and yet all day in the brode weye of y^e worlde ben somme that for y^e loue of god suffrenful harde / bothe yonge men & olde maydens & wydowes & weddid folke. and taken it mekely wyth grete deuocōn Whos grete trybulacyon and disese / & hit were knowen by reson sholde stoppe thy mowthe of pleynynge / and putte the in silence / Hast y^u not in mynde y^e notable ensample of that deuoute weddid woman the whiche shewid to the in confession how she h̄ad lyued wyth hir housbonde twenty yeres / the wh̄iche was not in maners lyke to a man. but as a fers lyon ofte sythes with a naked swerde ferde as he wolde haue slayne hir all wyth betynges & many dispites / all tymes turmentid hir soo y^e holy woman / that welner euery hour at the syghte of hym she drede and loked to haue ben sodeynly slayne and dede /

¶ And yet that deuoute woman pacyently suffrynge all thys / and not chydynge or grutchynge ayen prayed the soo deuoutly for to praye for that wicked man /

¶ And thenne as thou knowyst well thou [Page] liftynge vp thyn eyen towarde heuen knocke dyst on thy breste / and wyth a shamefull herte knowlechedist y^t thy suffraūce of disese was but as nouʒt / and y^t thou were but as ydel in regarde of hem Yet also for to conclude this letter, and teche the pacience in aduersitees / findist not in thoo bokes that thou redist al day soo likyngely / that is to seye the colacions of fadres and the lyues of fadres / how

Arsanye. Makarie. and Poule. And other holy fadres in deserte / lyuynge many yeres / and ferre fro all the worlde Suffrynge tribu­lacions and diseses wythoute nombre / y^e gre­te deuocyon and pacience ladden an holy and wonderfull lyfe to all mennes sighte / Arte thou not ashamed whan thou beholdist all suche / and coueytist wyth all thyn herte for to be nombred in to theyr felyshyp / and yet thou wylte not folow her suffrages in the leest po­ynte / wylt thou be ouerleyd wyth sompnolen­ce and Idelnesse amonge soo many doughty knyghtes / Naye god forbede / betyde the hit neuer / For loo thou arte now turned in to mannes astate / and therfore caste awey [Page] now childhode and dresse the and make the redy to stronge and myghty batayles /

Sothly the mynde of soo many worthy fadres is as hit were a lykynge mynistral­sye in a feste of dilicate wyne. and eueri sou­le sette in trybulacyons hit shall be swetter than hony / Wherfore that tyme that I behel­de wyth the Inner eye of myn herte these glorious doughty knyghtes of the hye halle of he­uen and her wonderfull dedis / I see my sel­fe but as a poore lytil worme / and that lytil disese that I wende I hadde suffred / at the sighte of hem I lefte / and softely syghed & mourned But I wolde wite whether casuel fortu­ne and trybulacions ayens the will ben heel­full and medeful / and why thou arte wonte for to visite thy frendys / rather by aduersitees and diseses than by prosperite and eeses

In on question as hit shewyth thou askest thre doutes / for to be assoyled to the / that is to seye of the fallynge or commynge of trybulacions / and of the maner of hem / and of the causes of hem / And as to the fyrst / holde this sentence sadly groūdid that what maner [Page] aduersite fallyth to the / hit is done and sente by his will and prouydence / by whos vertue all thynges ben made and kepte in her beyn­ge / soo y^e in that partie hit shall not be clepid casuell / but ordeyned by god / And as to the seconde that is of trybulacions that comen a­yens the will / thou shalt knowe and vndyr­stonde that though that thinge that is ayens the wyll in partie is not meritorye / neuerthe­les yf a wyse soule by vndyrstondynge wylle gladly suffre y^e that is sent and comyth fyrste ayens y^e wylle / & soo bowe y^t wille y^t was fyrste rebelle mekely to y^e yerde or scorge of god makynge vertue of nede / no doute but y^e that semed before as venemous and wicked shal after become holsom and merytorye / and shall profite to the goostly encrese of vertues /

For ryght soo for sothe the euerlastynge wisdome of god fro the beginnynge of the worlde hath drawen to hym ayens her fyrste will / creatures wythoute nombre / and compelled hem y^t were fyrste rebelle to entre in to lyfe / But touchynge y^e thrydde question y^t is why y^e they y^t ben goddis chosē children ben her ī this [Page] worlde ouerseyde wyth aduersitees / take thys for an open skyl and reson that for als moche as the wyttes of man ben redy to euyl fro his firste youthe soo forthe / Therfore the wey of ryghtwysmen is resonabely to be hegged wyth the thornes of trybulacions / leste that wickyd lykynge mynistre mater of trespas­synge / so that euery chosen soule be here in this wretched lyfe ouerleyde wyth contynuell tribulacions / that therby he be compellyd as ayens his will for to drawe vpwarde to the euerlastynge lyfe in an other worlde /

I byleue well that temporel tribulacions & diseses ben profitable and merytorye / soo that they passe not the myght and the possibilite of hym that suffrith hem / But loo now the paynful presence of hem greuith soo moche and disesith other while that they semen passyn­ge man̄es myght for to bere

thys is contynuelly the condicions and maner of wretchis that hem thynken her owne disesis and tribulacyous passen all other / and euery man felynge his owne harmes is more sory for hem than for other mennes harmes / and [Page] passyngly greued / whan y^e gooth awaye and a nother comyth the selfe difficulte of plainynge abidith / Wherfore all excepcions putte a weye submitte the to goddis wille and take gladly his scorges / For he is the trewe god that will not suffre hem that ben his chosen to be temptid aboue myghte / but he shall ma­ke wyth temptacyon also comforte that they mowe bere hit / Why than yet quakest thou and why dredist / For sothe he is moost pite­uous / & therfor he will helpe. he is moost wisest and therfore he wote best what is expedient and profitable to euery man. & also he is mo­ost myghty / And therfore his moost strengest hande fulfillith & performyth there as a man of hym selfe faylyth / Wherfore caste thy thought in to god / & commytte the to hym / & all thy care in to hym. for he hath cure & charge of the / goo nere & sey trustly to hym / My dere fader thy wylle be fulfillid and not myne And what tyme trybulacyon comyth to the / goo oute gladly ayens so worthy a ghest be­nignely hym receyuynge / and sey in thys maner wyth gladde herte / Welcome be thou my [Page] frende tribulacion /

A lorde god how lyghte is thys to seye / but how harde to performe in dede that is seide / for the bytter woūdys of heuy trybulacyons ben full sore and peyn­full.

Yf hit soo were that tribulacyons greued not / they myghten not sothely beclepid tribulacions / Wherfore tribulacion for the tyme that hit lastith is noyous and gen­drith heuynesse / But what tyme hit is passed and ouercome hit souereynly gladyth & com­fortith / Hit hath shorte bytternesse / but longe comforte and gladnesse / Trybulacion that fallyth often sythes / by custumable berynges of pacyence / at the laste trybulacyon is ouer­come / So that a nother like semyth not trybulacyon / or ellis hit is lyghte to bere / As a mā that is wonte to merueylous and gastefull thynges / for custome takyth the lasse fors of hem / the grete habūdance of swetnesse of god in soo moche were not to the so merytorye. ne soo grete preysynge worthy as trybulacyon pacyently suffred thorough feruente charyte For we fynde moo that by prosperite of the worlde haue fallen / than thoo that by aduersitees [Page] broken / than fallen fro her goostly pur­poos / And sothly yf hit soo were y^t thou haddest souereyne cūnynge of all the .vij. artes and passedist in eloquence and subtilite of argumentis all the philosophres and logiciēs all that shulde not helpe the / nor ferther so moche to good lyuynge as thys one thynge y^t is necesarye to hele the soule / that is to sey throuʒ charyte of a clene herte and good conscience & feyth not feyned to forsake thy selfe / and com­mytte the all holy to god in all maner tribu­lacyon / and for to obeye pacyētly to hys wyll

For that that was spoken of before / is comyn bothe to goode men and to euyll / but this is oonly propre to hem that ben chosen where is soo grete passyng worthynesse of euerlastynge blisse to rewarde temperel passio­ons / that who soo wolde wisely beholde and take hede / he sholde rather chese wylfully to be many yeres in an hote brennynge ouen of fy­re / thanne to be priuyd and wythdrawe of the leest mede that is reserued to hym in the blysse that is to come And why [Page] soo for the trauayle & disese hath an ende / but the mede and the blisse is wythoute ende.

O thou souereyn and vnspekable pite how souereynly swete and lykyngely these organes sownen in the eeris of hym that is sorowfull O wonderfull & worthy cha­rite of thy pite aboute vs in as moche as y^u settist thyn herte soo aboute a wretchid man that is turmentid and desolate / and that thou vouchestsafe soo to lessen oure sorowe / & comforte hem that ben heuy and mournynge / For whyle thou syngist soo swetly / the spirite that suffryth sorowe is lightenid in thy heuenly melodye / dryueth awey for the tyme the spirite of sorowe that disesith y^e mynde soo that hit maye be y^e lyghter boren / and yf hit soo were that me were yeuen choyse / I had leuer conti­nuelly suffre aduersitee / soo wyth thy moost swettist comforte / than to lake aduersitee and therwyth not to haue thy moost precyous oynement / Wherfore doo now forth wyth me as thou haste begūne For that man thynkith that all y^t he suffrith is as nought to whom euerlastynge wisdome soo swetly harpith in [Page] aduersytee /

Wylte thou now here the harpe of goostly musike fayre and swe­tely sownyng / sytte vp and take hede besely to the precyous frute of temperell aduersytees / ryght as in an harpe the strengys in proporcion streyned and wrested yeuen swete sowne to hym that heryth hit / ryght soo euery chosen man what tyme that he is ouerleyd wyth ad­uersytee / he is as in maner by strengthe oute of hym selfe constreyned / and more playn made able for to yelde a swete heuenly melodye For thou shalt vndirstonde that temperel trybulacyon is dispised of thys moost wode worlde / but of the hye domes man god hit is demed full precyous / For tribulacyon quen­chith the wrathe of the hye Iustyce and tur­nyth hys harde ryghtwysnesse in to frenship and myldnesse / And he that suffryth gladly aduersitees for god / he is made lyke to god in his passion / and therfore he is knytte to hym as to his like felowe by the knotte of loue /

Right as the daye sterre shewyth before to this worlde / the nyghe rysynge of the sōne / Ryght soo dooth goostly tribulacyon /

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For hit shewyth the nyghynge of the hye he­uenly sōne comynge to comforte of a soule that is in trybulacyon / And ryght soo as a derke nyghte gooth tofore a bright shynynge daye / and the colde sharpnesse of vynter gooth by fore the lykynge hete of somour / ryght soo tribulacion comynly gooth byfore both the Inner and the vtter comforte of a good soule What is thanne more profitable / or what is more precyous tresour / sothly noo thynge / for hit dooth a waye synne / It slakyth purgato­rye and puttyth a waye temptacyons / It clensyth fleshlynesse / hit reneweth the spiryte / hit strengtheth the hope. and gladyth the chere / hit bryngith clerenesse of conscyence and yeuyth contynuel plente of inwarde Ioyes and lykynge / hit gendryth forsakynge of the worlde / but hit gendryth the loue and the famylyaryte of god / hi [...]s wonte for to lessen flesshely frendis but comynly hit encresith the grace of god /

Hit is a streyte waye / but therwyth syker and compedyous and shorte ledynge to lyfe /

Wherfore euery witty man / now take hede how gret a sole he were that wolde ofte sythes [Page] take to the profyte of tribulacion / and therwyth desire not his supportacyon

O lorde god how many ben and haue ben / the whiche sholde haue done the moost horrible synnes / but hit had soo be that thorough the piteuous dispensacion of god they haue be preserued by the meane of tribulacyons /

And what more shortely there maye nootunge telle / nor herte thynke how profitable hit is to suffre aduersytees pacyently

O lorde Ihesu how openly now hit shewyth what thou arte /

Forsoth hit is hat thou arte that souereyne worthy wysdome wythoute comparison to all deedly creatures the whiche shewyth and bringest oute in to lyghte of knowynge thy soth fastnesse wyth the swete sauour of thyn oute spekynge / soo that thou leuest no place of doutynge therof in vs / Wherfore hit is no wonder though that men suffre all ad­uersytees gladly the whiche arn comfor­tid by the soo swetly. ¶ But now [Page] my swete fader / Loo I fallynge downe at thy feet / with a deuoute affeccyon of my herte I yelde thankynges to the for all my present aduersitees / and also for all y^e grete betyngis and scorgynges / with whiche thou vouchedist safe to chastise and seren me in to thys tyme. the whiche semen to me sumtyme soo greuo­us / that as though they come fro the wrothe enmye / But now in a wonderfull maner all these dredefull thynges ben sone passed / ryght as the morowe clowde / & so they ben now be­fore my syghte thorough thy gracyous wor­chynge as they had neuer ben. and soo I am compellyd for to seye wyth the wyse man.

And I haue foūde moche reste / For sotheli what tyme that I wyth the eyen of an amo­rous herte beholde the that art the oonly tresour of myn herte / and clyppe the wyth the in­warde affecyon of all my desires / I forgete al sorowfull thynges / and they passen oute of mynde / and all thoo that myght haue traueyled [Page] or sorowed me / But now forthermore thou euerlastynge and souereyne wysdome and the principall comforte of myn herte / I beseche the that as thou hast tauʒte me and comfortid me to bere pacyently tribulacyous and aduersytees / soo thou enfourme me / how that I shall bothe in prosperyte and aduersitee / liue ryghtwisly and plesyngly to thy loue / and that compediously and in shorte setence∴

How the disciple of Ihesu euerlastynge wisdom shall kepe hym in trew goostly lyfe that is groundid in the loue of Ihesu / and how he shall flee and eschewe that is contrary therto.

I see that feliship of sayntis / the whyche as moroughe sterris shone in the derke nyght of thys world / and as grete lightis shedden oute the hemes of theyr clere cunnynge / thou shalte fynde summe the whyche passyngly were perfitely groūdid / not o onlyf in actife lyfe and vertu / but also contemplaty Of whoos techynge and ensample thou ma­yst take y^e moost perfite doctryne and lore of [Page] trewe goostly life / Neuertheles / I wyllyn­ge for to condescēde to thyn experience and vnconnynge / I shall yeue the shortly summe princyples of gostly lyuynge / as for a memoryall / the whiche hauynge alwaye atte hande thou shalt mowe be sette in ryghte worchynge / wherfore yf thou desyre for to haue the perfeccyon of goostly lyfe / the whiche is to be desyred of all men / And yf thou wylle in haste take hit vpon the wyth a feruent spirite man fully / thou shalt fyrst wythdrawe the fro euyl felishippis and noyous famyliarytees / and fro al men that wolde lette thy good purpoos Sekynge alwaye oportunite where and in what tyme thou mayst fynde a place of reste / and there take the pryue sylences of contem­placyon / and flee the periles of dysturbance of thys noyous worlde / All tymes hit longith to the principally to studye to haue the clennesse of herte / that is to seye soo that closynge thy flesshly wittes / thou be turned in to thy selfe / And that thou haue in as moche as hit is possible / the dores of thyn herte besely clossed / fro the fourmes of outewarde [Page] thynges and ymagynacyon of erthly thynges For sothly amonge alle goostly exercises / clennesse of herte hath the pryncipalyte / as fynal entencyon and rewarde of all the trauayles / that a chosen knyght of cryste is wonte for to receyue / Also thou shalt loose thyne affeccyon wyth all thy diligence fro all thoo thynges that myght lette the fredom therof / and fro euery thynge that in ony maner hath myʒt or power / for to bynde and drawe that afeccyon to hit after that / that is wryten in moyses lawe /

¶ Maneat vnusquisque apud semeti{pre}m et nullus egrediatur ostium domus sue /

¶ Euery man dwelle by hymselfe / and noo man passe oute at y^e dore / of his hous vpon y^e sabbote daye. y^t is thus moche for to seye / For to dwelle a man by hym selfe or in hym selfe is to vnderstonde y^t he gadir to gedre all y^e varyenge thoughtis & affeccyons of his herte. & haue hem knytte to gedirs in to one sothfaste & souereyne good / y^t is god / & for to kepe y^e sabbote is to haue y^e herte free & vnboūde fro all flesshely affeccōus y^t myʒt defoyle y^e soule / & fro [Page] all the cures and besynesse of the worlde / that myghte distracte hit / and soo reste swetely in pees of herte / as in the hauen of silence / and the loue and felynge of his maker god.

Aboue all other thinges forsothe lete thys be thy princypall entente and besynesse / that thou haue alwaye thy soule and thy mynde lyfte vp in contemplacōn of heuenly thynges soo that the erthely freelte at the laste hit be besely drawe vp to thoo that ben abouen /

And what thynge soo euer be that is dy­uerse fro these / though hit seme grete in hit selfe / as chastisynge of the body / fastynge / wakynge and other exercyses of vertue / they shold be taken and demyd as secundarye and lesse worthe / but in soo moche they ben expedient and profytable / as they profyten and hel­pen to the clennesse of herte / And therfore hit is that soo fewe comen to perfeccyon / for thei dispendē her time & myʒtes in meane thynges y^t ben not moche {pro}fitable / & y^e dewe remedyes they leuen & putten behynde / But yf y^u desirest for to come by a ryʒte way to the ende of thyn entent / y^u shalt souereynly desire to contyme [Page] in clennesse of herte / and reste of spiryte and tranquillite / and for to haue thyn herte besely liste vp to god /

Who is here in thys dedely body that may alwey be knytte to that spirituell contemplacyon /

There may no dedely man be alway fixid & sette in to thys contēplacyon / But for this cau­se that sentence before is seyde / that thou knowe where thou shalt haue fixid and saddely sette the entencyon of thy spyrite / and to what destynacyon / thou shalt alwey drawe the be­holdynge of thy soule The whiche what tyme that mynde may gete / thenne be he gladde / and whan he is distracte & drawen aweye / then̄e be he sory and seke as often as he felyth hym selfe departid fro that beholdynge / But yf y^u wylte perauēture wyth a cōplaynynge voyce come ayens me / and seye that thou myght not longe abyde in one maner astate / thou shalt knowe and vnderstonde that the vertue of god may doo and worche more than ony man may thynke / Wherfore hit fallyth oftetymes that the thynge to the whiche a man byndith hym at the begynnynge wyth a ma­ner [Page] wiolence and difficulte / afterwarde he shall doo hit lyghtly / and at the laste wyth grete lykyng / soo that he contynue and leue not / fro that fyrste he hath begūne / Here now my dere sone the disciplyne of thy fader take hede to my wordys / and wryte hem in thyn herte as in a boke / And stable hit in thyn mynde / folowe thou not the multitude of wretchydnesse of hem that goon backewarde after the desires and the lustys of hir hertis In whom deuocyon is slakyd / charyte is coldid / and all vertues ben wythdrawē / Obe­dience is caste down / the whiche coueyten to be ouer other men in prelacie. and seken besely worshippis / and delycatly seruen to y^e wombe The whiche ouer mesure sechyn yeftis / and folowen rewardes / these persones receyuen in this worlde that that they coueyten / as for the mede of here werkinge / But in a nother worlde thy shalbe lefte voyde of euerlastyng Ioye Wherfore folowe thou not these maner folke / but take hede besely to thoo worthy folow­ers our holyest fadres the whiche spradden oute that swete odour of her souereyne holynesse [Page] and besye were to take her purpos with suche entēte & cōuersacion as hit is now shewed to the wherfore whether y^u ete or drynke or ony other thynge doo lete euer this voyce of the swete fader sowne in thyn eeris thus amo­nisshynge & seyenge to the / My sone turne ayen in to thyn herte wythdrawynge y^e fro althoo outwarde thynges y^t myghte lete the fro vertue in as moche as hit is possible to the / & wyth a feruent loue cleuynge euer to y^e soue­reyne good y^t is god / and hauyng alweye thy mynde lifte vp in contemplacyon of heuenly thynges Soo y^t all thy soule wyth y^e myʒtes & streyngthes therof be gadred to geder in to god & be made one spirite with hym / In whom stante y^e souereyn / perfeccion of all y^e weye of lyuynge in thys worlde / Soo than take this shorte doctryne for y^e fourme & y^e maner of thy lyuynge y^t is now yeuen to y^e / In whiche stante y^e souereynte of all perfeccion / in y^e whiche yf thow wylte besely studie / & trewly fulfylle hit in effecte / y^u shalt be blessid / & in maner be­gyn̄e euerlastynge felycite in thys freele body My sone thys is y^t heelful weye y^t mynarseme [Page] y^t was tauʒt of y^e angel kepte hym selfe & bad his disciple to kepe it / ¶ Fuge tace quiesce That is to seye flee and kepe silence / and be in reste / these he seyde ben y^e pryncipall meanes of goostly hele / Also thys souereyne doctryne the goostly wisdom shewyd & opened to a disciple that thou knowest / what tyme that he enforumed him openly of his estate / for what tyme that the forseyde discyple purposed hym in maner for to occupie hym wyth the scyences foūden of man / there beganne many vanitees growe vpon hym as hit were vpon hys bakhalfe / & thenne began to aspire more than hit behoued the coueytise of temperell auaūcemētes and worshippis / And whan his tyme came / for y^e whiche he had longe tyme trauayled / and shold haue be put vp to thoo worshippis that he had desired / he beganne to thynke wythinne hym selfe what was moost sped­full to hym / & what shulde moost plese god And soo hit byfelle vpon a tyme. that after matens he fyll down in his prayer ful strayte wyth his bodi prostrate / and wyth all his deuocion askyd of god that he wolde vouchesafe [Page] to shewe to hym what hym was beste to doo / And at the laste rysynge vp fro hys prayer / and lenynge hym vpon a deske / He sawe in a visyon as hit were a fayre yonge man comynge to hym / the whyche toke hym by the hande and ledde hym in to a cherche / wherein was bylded a lytel celle / and therein dwel­led an olde man solitaryeledynge an ankrys lyfe / and he was olde and hore hauynge a longe berde / and the grace of god shyned in hym.

And beside the celle of the forseyde olde man / there apperyd a ladder streyghte vpon hygh / in the whyche y^e forseyde yongelynge goynge vpwarde and downward as hit were pleyenge / the brother that sawe this and seyde to him thus Come nere and herken the lesson that I wyll rede to the / to whom anone the brother gladly ren̄ynnge / coueytyd fyrste to see the boke wherof he sholde here that lesson / And than he sawe in his handis a wondir olde boke of lytil quantite / the whiche as to the syghte se­med as of none reputacōn & of lityll valure / & was none hede take to / But thenne that Iongelynge beganne to rede in these wordys [Page] Hons et origo omniū bonorum homini spūali est in cella sua iugiter cōmorari /

That is to seye the welle & the begynnynge of all goodes to a spūel man. is to dwelle be­sely in his celle. the whiche wordis of y^e yon­gelynges mowthe I radde on that olde boke Soo swetly sowneden in the brothers eeres / & in hys herte so likyngly wroughte / that hym thoughte of hym selfe al to gedir meltid in to heuenly loue / soo that of the vertue & effecte of thoo heuenly wordes / hit was opynly she­wid & knowen what he was that radde thoo wordes / and whan after y^e requeste of the brother / the forseyde yonglynge hadde rehersed este sones the forseyde wordys / Hons et ori go omnium benoruz. The brother for Ioye that he had therof in his herte. brake oute and seyde. O lord how precyous & {pro}fitable is thys helful doctrine / & then̄e he askid whether he was of y^e nombre of wyse men y^t broughte forth thys shorte fructuous seyenge / The yonglynge answerid and seyde / he that souereyne. Arsenye. And whenne the brothere forther more made instance that he sholde rede hym [Page] more of the forseyde boke / he bygan ofte to rede and seyde. E conuerso Fons et origo omni um malorum sunt discursus inutiles euan­gelizancium. That is the welle & begyn­nynge of all eueles or wickydnesse / ben y^e vnprofitable rennynge aboute of prechours / the whiche worde the forseyd brother takynge with a maner turbulance & gutchynge of her­te / was aboute to argue and make resones in to y^e contrarye / alledgynge for hym y^e goynge aboute thorough all the worlde of the holy a­postles oonly for the cause of prechynge / but he toke non hede to that these wordes were not oonly of prechours / But also of all thoo generally y^t coueyten in goostly lyuynge to plese god / For very soth hit is y^t to euery su­che man, hit is the begynnynge of alle euels / yf he wyll loose his brydel to vnprofitable rennynges aboute / wherfore y^e forseyde yong­lynge mekely answeryd to y^e reson of y^e broder & with al myldenes seyde Wite y^u well brother y^t y^e forseyde philosophir y^t is to seye Arsenye. repreueth ful moche vn{pro}fitable rennynge a b [...]ute / & her̄with y^e vision passed away / & then̄e y^e forseide brother felte sheding in hym selfe an [Page] heuenly comforte / and began to thynke and haue in mynde / thoo thynges that he had her­de & seen byfore & merueylid gretly who was that phylosophir Arsenye For that tyme he gaf all his dilygence to wordly philosophie & to the maysters therof / but of goostly phylosophie and the techers therof he toke not soo moche hede and then̄e he seyde thus to hymselfe Loo how mani bokes of diuerse philosophirs thou haste redde and herde aledged the auc­torurs of hem / but of thys Arsenye. thou fonde none mencyon made in ony of hem / & then̄e at the aste he thouʒt thus / perauenture thys is that / Arsenye. the moost famouse philosophir of cristen doctrine that souereyne anker / whom thou herdist somtyme alledged though hit now be oute of thy mynde / and in preyf herof perauenture / hit is that thou saw the forseyde olde man dwellyng in a lytil celle and by y^e olde boke that y^e yonglynge helde in his hande and redde vpon / is vndirstonde the boke of lyfe of fadres and her collacyons / the whiche boke is as an olde forlette thynge and is lytil take hede to of many men. & neuerthe­les [Page] the rule of all perfeccion & the sothfaste science of crysten phylosophye by certayn expe­rience is knowen & conteyned therin / Wherfore y^e forseyd broder erely on the morowe aroos & toke y^e forseide boke of y^e lybrary willynge to knowe y^e sooth whether therin were conteyned y^e forseyde Arsenye and his seyenge byfo­reseide / anone as he hadde opened hit he foūde bothe hym & his sentence / the whiche y^e forseid yongelyng had radde clerely writen in y^e boke Wherfore y^e forseyde broder held hym selfe suf­ficyētly by these wordis spoken before enfourmed & tauʒte / & then̄e he left y^e scoles of naturell science & worldly wisdom and toke hym oonly to thys scole of goostly science & heuenly wisdom / desirynge for to conferme hym to the seyenge of the forseyde Arsenye /

Thus these wordis as they comen oute of heuenly shewenge meue me so in al partees that thorough their moost lykynge swetnesse y^e feruour of deuocyon is in me encresed / & a pley­ne waye of more perfite lyfe is gyuen to myn vndirstondynge / & all maner difficulte & dou­tys is putte a waye from me.

How y^e disciple of euerlastynge wisdom shal lern to cūne deye & desir̄ to deye for y^e loue of Ihesu. Capitulum quintum /

sythen hit is so y^e deth yeuyth nought to man. but rather fro him taketh & pryueth hym of that he hath / wherof profitith thys doctryne of deth telle me. hit se­myth wonderfull / & therfore teche me heuenly mayster /

/ Thou shalt vndirstonde y^e hit is a science moost profitable & passynge al other sciences for to cunne deye for a man to knowe y^t he shal dey / that is comyn to al men in as moche as there is no man y^t may euer lyue or hath hope or trust therof / But y^u shalte fynde full fewe y^t hauen thys cunnynge to cunne dey / for that is a souereyne yefte of god Sothly a man for to cunne dey is for to ha­ue his herte & his soule at all tymes vpwarde to thoo thynges y^t ben abouen / that is to seye that what tyme deth comyth hit fynde hym redy / so y^t he receyue hit gladly wythoute ony wythdrawynge / ryʒte as he y^t abydith the desyred cōmyng of his dere loued felowe / but alas forsorowe y^u shalt fynde in summe relygyous as well as in veyne seculers full many that [Page] haten so moche y^e deth / y^e vnnethes wylle they haue hit in mynde / or here speke therof / They wolde not goo fro thys worlde / & cause is / for they sernid not to cūne deye / they spende moche of her tyme in veyne spekynges / in pleyenges & in vayne ocupacions & curiositees / & other suche veyne thynges / and therfore what tyme deth comyth sodeynly / for as moche as he fyndith hem vnredy he drawyth oute of the body y^e wretchyd soule / & ledith hit to helle / as he wolde ofte sythes haue done to the / had not y^e hande of the grete mercy of god wythstande hym / Wherfore leue y^u veyne thynges to hem y^t ben veyne / & yeue good entente to my doctrine the whiche shall {pro}fite y^e more than chose golde / or all y^e bokes of all philosophres y^t haue ben / And y^e this doctrine of me y^e more feruently moue y^e / & y^t hit be alwey dwellyngly fixid in thyn herte / Therfore vndir an opyn ensāple I shall yeue the y^e mysterie of thys doctrine / the whiche shal profite y^e gretly to y^e begyn̄yng of goostly hele & to a stable foūdement of al ver­tues / see now therfore y^e lyknes of a mā dyēg & therwith spekīg to the / And then̄e y^e disciple [Page] herynge this began to gader̄ all his wittis fro outwarde thynges / & in hym selfe besely to considere & beholde y^t lyknesse sette before hym / for thenne there apperid byfore hym the lyknes of a fayre yonge man the whiche was sodeynly ouercome with deth in hasty time for to dey & had not disposed for the hele of soule before / for y^e whiche wyth a careful voys cried & seid Circūdederunt me gemit{us} mortis dolores in ferni cicūdederunt me. That is the wey mentynges of deth hauen vmbylappid me / & the sorowes of helle haue enuyronned me / Alas my god euerlastynge / wherto was I boren in to thys worlde / and why after that I was born had I not perisshid anone / For loo the begyn̄ynge of my life was wepynge & sorowe / & now the ende & the passynge is wyth grete care & mournynge / O deth how bytter is thy mynde to a lykynge herte & norysshed vp in delyces / O how litil trowid I y^t I sholde soo sone dey / but now y^u wretchid deth sodeynly as oute of awayte as a thefe haste fallen vpon me / Now for sorow wryngynge myn handes I yelde outwarde goyng desirynge to flee deth. [Page] but there is no place to flee to fro her / I loke on euery syde & I fynde none counseyler ne cōfortour. For deth is vtterly fyxyd & sette in me. & therfore hit may not be chaūged of that horrible voys of deth seyenge to me in thys maner / y^u arte y^e sone of deth / Nor rychesse nor reson nor kynnesmen nor frendis mowen deliuere the fro my hande / the ende is come / y^e ende is come hit is demyd / & therfore hit must be done / O my god shall I now nedis dey / may not thys sentence be chaūged / shall I now so­ne goo fro this world / O the grete cruelte of deth / spare I praye the to the yowthe / spare to the age / that is not yet fully ripe / Doo not so cruelly with me / withdrawe me not soo vn­purueyed fro this lighte of lyfe / The disciple / herynge these wordes turned to hym and seide Frende thy wordis seme to me not sauering disciplyne / knowest y^u not y^t y^e dome of deth is euen to al men / For hit takyth no persone before other / & hit sparyth no man / hit hath no mercy / neyther of the yonge ne of the olde /

Hit sleeth aswell y^e riche as y^e pore / & soth it is / y^t ryghte many byfore y^e perfit fulfillynge [Page] of her yeeres ben drawen awey fro this lyfe / Trowest thou y^t deth sholde haue spared y^e alone / naye for y^e prophetes ben dede / The lyknes or the ymage of deth answerid & seyde / Sothly he seyde thou arte an heuy comfortour / Nor thy wordis sownen but foly / & they rather be lyke to fooles the whiche hauen lyued euyl in to her deth / & hauen wrouʒte thoo thynges y^t ben worthy deth / & yf they drede not deth whan hit nyʒeth / they ben blynde & lyke to vnresona­ble beestis y^t seen not before her laste ende / nor y^t that is to come after deth / And therfore I wepe not sorowynge the dome of deth / but I wepe for the harmes of vndisposed deth / I wepe not for I shall passe hens, but I am so­ry for the harme of thoo dayes y^t ben passed the whiche were vnprofitably dispendyd wyth oute ony fruyte / Erram{us} a via veritatis, &c̄ In libro sapience. Alas how haue I lyued I haue errid fro the weye of sothfastnes & the lyghte of riʒtwisnesse hath not shyned in to me / ne the trouthe of vndirstondyng was not receyued in my sowle / Alas what profi­teth hit to me pryde or the boste of rychesses [Page] what haue they holpen me / all thoo ben passed as a shadowe & as the mynde of a ghest of one daye passynge forth / And therfore now is mi worde & my speche in bytternesse to my sowle / & my wordys full of sorowe & myn eyen da­syth / O why ne had I be ware in my yowthe of thys that falleth me in myn laste dayes / Whenne I was clothed with streng the / & with bewte & had many yeres before me to come / that I myʒte haue knowe the euels that hauen sodeynly fallen vpon me in thys hour / I toke no fors to the worthines of time but freely yeuyng me to lustes & to wretchyd lyfe / & spended my dayes all in vanite / And therfore now ryʒte as fisshes ben cauʒte with the hoke / And as byrdis ben take with the grenne / soo am I taken wyth cruell deth that hath come vpon me sodenly / & my tyme of lif is passed & slyden awey & may not be clepid a­yē of ony mā / There was none houre so shorte but y^t I myʒte therin haue goten goostly wynnynges y^t passē in value al erthely godis wythoute cōparisō / alas I wretche why haue I dispēdid so many gracio{us} dayes in moost veyne [Page] & longe spekynges & soo litil fors haue taken of my felfe / Othe vnspekable sorowe of myn herte / why haue I so yeuen me to vanyte / and why in al my lyffe lerned I not to deye / Wherfore ye al y^t ben here & seen my wretchidnes ye that ben Iocoūde in the floure of yowthe / & haue tyme able to lyue beholde me & take hede of myn myscheues & sorowes / & eschewe youre harme by my perille / Spende ye in good the floure of youre youthe & occupye ye the time y^t is yeuen to yow in holy werkes / Leste y^t yf ye doo like to me / ye suffre the peynes y^t I suf­fre / O euerlastynge god to the I knowleche complaynyng the grete wretchidnesse that I fele of the wanton yowthe in whiche I ha­tyd wordes of blamynge for my trespaas / I wolde not obeye to hem y^t tauʒte me / & I tur­ned a waye y^e eere fro hem that wolde goodly coūseyle me / I hated disciplyne / and myn herte wolde not assente to reprehencions / and therfore now I am fallen in to a depe pytte & am cauʒte wyth the grenne of deth / Hit had be better to me yf I hadde neuer be borne / or els that I hadde perysshed in my moders wombe [Page] than that I had soo vnprofitably spendid the tyme y^t was graūted to me for to doo penaunce soo mysusyd wretchidly in pride /

Loo we all deyen as watir fallyth down in to the erthe that turneth not ayen / and god wyll not that mannes soule perysshe / but he wyth drawyth his vengaūce from hym that he be not fully loost / that is of hym selfe abiecte Wherfore here now my coūseyle Repente the of al thyn offencys / & doo penaūce for thy mysdedis that ben passed / & tourne the to thy lorde by good dedis / For he is ful benigne and mercyfull / And yf hit so be that the ende be goode suffycith to hele of soule / The ymage of deth seyde / What worde is thys that thou spekyst shal I tourne me & doo penaunce Seest not y^e anguysshe of deth that ouerleyth me / Loo I am so gretly feryd wyth the drede and horrour of deth & soo bonden wyth bondes of deth that I may not see nor knowe what I shall doo / But ryght as y^e pertryche is constreyned vndir y^e claues & nayles of y^e hauke / is as halfe deed for drede & anguisshe of y^e deth / ryʒte soo all witte is gone fro me thynkynge not ellis [Page] but how I myghte in ony maner escape this perille of deth / the whiche neuertheles I maye not escape O y^e blessid penaūce & turnynge fro synne be tyme / for y^t is siker waye / Forsothe he y^t hath late turned hym / & yeuyth him to penaūce he shall be in doute & vncerteyn / for he wote no wether his penaūce be true or feyned Woo to me y^t haue soo longe suffred for to a mende my life / alas I haue to longe taryed for to gete me heele / Loo all my dayes ben passed & loste / & wretchidly perisshid / and ben gone so neclygently / y^t I wote not whether I haue spendid one daye of hem all in y^e wylle of god & the exercise of all vertues not doon soo worthely & perfitly as perauenture I myght or sholde haue done / or ellis yf I euer dide to my maker so plesynge seruyse & acceptable as myn astate askyth / Alas for sorowe thus hit is / wherfore all myn inwarde affeccyous ben sore woūdid / A god euerlastynge how sham­full shall I stonde at y^e dome before y^e / & all thi sayntes / whenne I shall be compellyd to yeue answere and reson of all that I haue done / & lefte vndone / and what I shall seye herto

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But at the nexte is my tribulacyon that I shall passe forth fro thys worlde Takyth hede of me now besely I preye yow / Loo in thys houre I wolde haue more Ioye of a litil shorte prayer. as of an Aue maria. seyde deuoutly of me / thanne of a thousand pounde of siluer or golde / O my god how many goodis haue I necligently loste / Sothly now I knowe y^t as to y^e gretnesse of heuenly medis / hit sholde more haue auayled me a besy kepynge of myn herte / & al my wittis with clennes of herte than y^t I lefte by inordinate affecōn defoyled and effecte / or that ony other man .xxx. ye­rys had besyed hym by prostracyons for to gete me rewarde of god here or in blysse / O ye al y^t see my wretchidnessis haue ye compassion of me / & mercy vpon your selfe / & while youre strengthes sufficen & haue tyme / helpe & ga­der to heuenli bernes heuenly tresoures / y^e whiche mowen receyue yow in to euerlastynge tabernacles what tyme that ye faylen / and that ye ben not lefte voyde in suche an hour y^t is to come to yow as ye seen me now woyde and of all goodis dispoyled /

/ My [Page] loued frende I see well that thy sowwe is ful grete / and therfore I haue compassion of the Wyth all my herte adiurynge the by god al­myghty / that thou yeue me coūseyle wherby I may be taughte / that I falle not in to suche perylle of vndisposed deth / Herto seyde the ymage of deth / The coūseyle of souereyne pru­dence and moost of prouidence stant in thys poynte that thou dispose the while thou arte hole and stronge by trewe contrycion / and clene and hole confessyon / and by dewe satisfac­cyon and all wickid and noyous thynges that sholde wythdrawe y^e or lette the fro euerlastynge helthe / that thou caste a waye fro the / & that thou kepe the so in all tymes as though thou sholdist passe oute of this world thys daye / or to morowe / or at the vttrest wythin thyse seuen nyghtes / Putte in thyn herte as though thy soule were now in purgatorye / & had in penaūce for thy trespasse .x. yere in the fourneys of brennynge fyre / and oonly thys yere is graūtid the for thyn helpe / And soo be­holde ofte sithes thy soule amonge the bren­nynge coles cryenge / O thou beste beloued [Page] of all frendis / helpe thy wretchid soule / haue mynde on me that am now in soo harde pry­son / haue mercy on me that stande al desolate / and suffre me noo lenger to be tormentid in thys derke prison / for I am forsaken of thys worlde / there is none that shewyth me kyn­denes or that wolde putte hande to helpe me nedy / Euerychone seken her owne profite and hauen forsake me / and lefte me in thys pay­nefull brennynge flammes all desolate.

Disciple ayenwarde. Sothly thys doctri­ne of the were moost profytable who soo had hit by experyence as thou hast hit / But though hit soo be that thy wordes ben seen fully styrynge and bytynge / neuertheles they profiten litil to many folke / For they turne a waye her faces that they wylle not see vnto her ende. her eyen seen not / ne her eeres here not they wene to lyue longe and that disceyueth hem / and for they drede not vndisposed deth / therfore they take noo kepe to see byfore th harmes therof / What tyme that the mesen­ger comyth of deth / that is to seye harde and grete syknesse / thenne comen frendys and fe­lowes [Page] to the seke man for to visite hym & comforte hym / And thenne all promysen and by heten the gode / & that he nedyth not to drede y^e deth / and that there is noo perylle therof / and that hit is but a rennyng of the humeces vnkyndely. or stoppynge of the senewes or veynes that shall soone passe ouer. Thus the frendes of the bodyes ben enemyes to the sowle / For what tyme the sikenes contynuelly encresith / and he that is seke euer hopyth of amendement / at the laste sodeynly he faylyth and wythoute fruyte of hele yeldith vp y^e wretchyd soule / Righte soo these that heren thy wordys the whiche leuen all to geder to mannes prudence / and worldly wisdom / they cas­ten behynde theyr backys thy wordis / and wylle not obeye to thyn heelful coūseyle

The ymage of deth seyth / Therfore what tyme they ben taken wyth the grenne of deth whenne there fallyth vpon hem sodeynly try­bulacyon and anguysshe / they shall crye and not ben herde for as moche as they hadden wisdom in hate and dispiseden to here my coūseyse And ryght as now ful fewe ben foūden that [Page] ben compūcte thorough my wordis / forto amende hem and turne her lyfe in to better / noo forsothe / for the malyce of the fende in tyme / and defaute of goostly feruour / and the wyc­kidnesse of the worlde letteth hem / so that there ben ful fewe soo perfitly disposed to deth / the whiche for grete abstraccyon / of the world and deuocyon of herte coueyten to deye for the desi­re of euerlastynge lyfe / & wyth all her inwarde affecyons / desyren to be wyth cryste / But rather the contrarye / and for the moost parte of peple they ben soo sodeynly wyth the bytter deth ouercomen that they be foūdem at that tyme all vndisposed in maner as I am now o­uercomen / And yf thow wilte knowe the cause of soo grete and soo comune a perylle / Loo thys the vnordynate desire of worshyp and the superslue cure of the body / erthely lo­ue / and to moche belynesse aboute wordly ly­uynge bynden many hertis of y^e comynte / and bryngeth hem at the laste to these myschenes ¶ But sothly yf thou wyth fewe desirest to be saued fro thys perylle of vndiposid deth / Here my coūseyle and ofte sithes sette before [Page] thyne eyen / thys that thou seest now in my sorowfull persone / and besely brynge hit to thy mynde / And thou shalt fynde soone that my doctrine is to the moost profytable / For thou shalte soo profite therby that oonly thou shalt not drede to dey. but also y^t deth that is to alle lyuynge men dredeful thou shalte abyde and receyue wyth the desyre of thyn herte / in that hit is the ende of trauayle / and y^e begynnynge of felicite euerlastynge / Thys thynge looke that thow doo / that thou euery daye brynge me inwardly to thy mynde / and besely take entente to my wordis / and wryte hem sadly in thyn herte / Of the sorowes and anguysshes that thou seest in me / takē hede and thynke vpon thoo thynges that ben to come in hasty tyme vpon the / haue in mynde of my dome / for suche shall be thy dome. O how blessed arte thou Arsenye that euer haddist thys hour̄ of deth before thynē eyen / and soo blessid is he the whiche what tyme that his lorde comyth and knockith on the yate fyndyth hym redy to lette hym Inne / For by what maner deth he be ouerleyde he shall be purged and brouʒte [Page] to the sighte of almyghty god / and in the passynge oute of his spirite shall be receyued in to the blessid paleys of euerlastynge blysse / But woo is me wretche where trowest thou that thow shalt abyde thys myʒte my spiryte / who shall receyue my wretchid sowle / & where shall hit be herboured atte nyghte in that vn­knowen countre Oo how desolate shal then̄e be my soule & abyecte passynge all other sou­les / Therfore hauynge compassyon of my selfe amonge these bytter wordys / I shedde oute te­res as the ryuer / But what helpyth hit to wepe / or to multyplye many bitter wordis / hit is concludid & may not be chaūgid Oo my god now I make an ende of my wordys / I maye noo lenger make sorowe / For loo now is y^e houre come that wyll take me fro y^e erthe / woo is me now I see and knowe y^e I maye noo lenger lyue / and that deth is all the nexte / For loo the handes vnwylde begynnen to raūcle / the face to be pale / the syghte to daske / and the eyen to goo Inne / The lyghte of the worlde I shall no more see / and the state of an other worlde before y^e eyen of my sou­le [Page] in my mynde / I begynne to beholde / Oo my god how dredfull syghte is thys / Loo y^e cruel beestis the horyble faces of deuels and blake for shappen thynges wythoute nombre haue enuyronned me / aspyenge and abydynge my wretchid soule that shall in haste passe oute / yf perauenture hit shulde be taken to hem for to be turmentyd as for her lotte / Oo thou moost ryghtwysse domesman / how streyt and harde ben thy domes / chargynge and harde demynge me wretche in thoo thynges / the whiche fewe folke feren or dreden / for as moche as thei semen smale & lytyl / Do y^e dredful syghte of the ryghtwys Iustyce / that is now present to me by drede and sodeynly to come in dede / Loo the deth swyfte percynge the membres is comen / that wittenessith the kynde of the flesshe that peryssheth and ouercometh the spirite / Now fare wel felowes and frendes moost dere. for now in my passynge I caste the eye of my mynde in to purgatorye whid [...]r I shall now be ladde / & oute therof shall I not passe tille I haue yelden the leste ferthynge of my dette for synne.

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There I beholde wyth the eye of myn herte / wretchidnesse & sorowe and many folde pey­nes and tourmentynge /

Alas me wretche there I see amonge other peynes that longen to that place / rysynge vp flaūmes of fyre and the soules of wretchid folke caste therinne / vp and downe and to and fro / that rennen as sparkles of fyre in myddys of that brennynge fyre / ryghte as in a grete towne all on fyre and in the fyre and smoke the sparkles ben boren vp and downe / soo the sowles weymentynge for sorowe of of her peynes / cryen euerychone / and seyen the­se wordys /

‘¶ Miseremini mei miseremini mei sal­tem vos amici mei.’

¶ Haue mercy on me / haue mercy on me. at the leste ye that ben my frendys / where is now the helpe of my frendys / where ben now the goode byhestys of our kynnesmen & other. by whos inordynate affeccion we toke noo fors of our selfe / and soo encreasid we thys peyne to our selfe. Alas

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why haue we done soo / loo the leste peyne of thys purgatorye that we maye fele / passith all maner sorowes of that temperel world / the bitternesse of peyne that we now felen in one houre semyth as grete as all the sorowes of the passynge worlde in an hundred yeres / But passynge all maner of other turmentys and peynes / hit greuyth me moost the absence of y^t blessid face of god / Thise wordis that I haue now seyde in my laste passynge I leue to the as in mynde / and soo passynge I deye / At thys visyon the disciple made grete sorowe / and for drede all hys bones quakeden /

And then̄e turnyng hym to god he seyde thus Disciple ¶ where is euerlastynge wisdome now / lorde hast thou forsake me thy seruaūte / thou woldest teche me wisdom ynowgh but I am almost brought vnto y^e deth / Oo my god how moche byndeth me the presence of deth / that I haue seen now. the ymage of deth hath soo ouerleyde all my mynde that vnnethes / wote I whether I haue seen y^e ymage of deth or not / for I am soo gretly troubled that vn­nethes woot I whether thys that I haue seen [Page] be soo in dede or els in lyknes / Oo lorde of lordes dredful and mercyful / I thanke the wyth all myn herte for thy specyall grace / and I promyse to amende / For I am made a ferde wyth passynge grete drede / A forsothe I percey­ued neuer in all my lyfe the perilles of deth vndisposed soo openly as I haue now in thys houre / I bileue for certeyne that thys dredfull syghte shall auayle to my sowle for euer / for certeyne now I knowe y^t we haue here none euerlastynge citee / & therfore to y^e vnchaūgeable state of the soule that is to come / I dispose me wyth all my myghtea / nd I purpose me to lern to deye / and I hoope by goddys grace to amende my lyfe wythoute ony wythdrawyng or dyfferrynge / For sythen I am soo made a ferde oonly of the mynde / what sholde be to me the presence therof / wherfore now doo awey fro me / doo aweye the softenesse of beddynge y^e precyosite of clothynge / & y^e slowthe of slepe & al y^t letteth me fro y^e lord Ihū crist / Oo y^u holy & mercyfull sauyour putte me not to bitter deth / Loo I fallynge downe byfore the wyth wepynge teeres / I aske of the that thou pu­nysshe [Page] me here at thy wille / soo that thou reser­ue not my wicked dedis in to the laste ende / Forsothly in y^e horrible place there is so grete sorowe and peyne / that noo tonge may suffice to telle Oo how grete a foole haue I be in to thys tyme / in as moche as I haue so litil fors taken of vndisposed deth / and of the peyne of purgatorye / that is soo grete / and how grete wysdom is to haue these thynges ofte byfore the eyen / But now sythen I am soo ferdely amonysshed and taughte / I open myn eyen and drede hit gretly /

These thynges that ben seyde my sone in alle tymes haue in mynde whyle thou arte yonge and hole and myghty / and mayste amende thy selfe / But what tyme thou comest to y^t hour sothly thou mayst none other wyse helpe thy selfe / Thenne is there none other remedye. but that thou cōmitte the to the mercy of god oonly / and that thou take my passyon betwix the and my dome / leste that thou drede my ryʒt wysnesse more than nedyth / for soo thow myghtest falle downe fro thyn hope / And now for as moche as thow arte aferde wyth [Page] a passynge drede be of good comforte vnder­stōdynge that y^e drede of god is y^e begynnyng of wisdom / Seche thy bokes and thou shalt fynde how many goodes and profytes y^e mynde of deth bryngith to man / Wherfore haue mynde of thy creatour and maker in y^e dayes of thy youthe / or that the pouder torne ayen in to his erthe whens he came fro / and the spiryte torne ayen to the lorde that yaf it hym And blesse thou god of heuen wyth all thyn herte / and be kynde to hym that yeueth the grace to see thys / for there ben full fewe that per­ceyue wyth her hertes y^e vnstablenesse of this tyme / ne y^e deceyt of deth y^t in al tymes lyeth in awayte / ne y^e euerlastyng felicite of y^e contree whiche is to come / lyfte vp thyn eyen & loke aboute y^e besely / & see how many there ben blynde in her soules / & stoppen her eeris y^t they here not for to be cōuerted & heled of synne / & therfore her losse & dapnacōn shal not longe tarye. Alas beholde y^e cōpanye wythoute nombre of hem y^t ben now lost thorouh̄ y^e myschefe of vndisposid deth / nombre y^e multitude of hem yf y^u [Page] maye and take hede how many they ben / the whyche in thy tyme dwellynge wyth y^e now ben dede and passid hens fro thys worlde / How grete a multytude of bretherne and fe­lawes / and other of thy knowleche in soo fewe yeeres ben gone byfore the that arte yet a yonge man and lefte yet alyue / and they dede Aske of hem all and seche of euerychone / and they shall telle the wepynge and mornynge seyenge thus / ¶ Oo how blessid is he that seeth before and purueyth for these las­te thynges / and kepyth hym fro synne / and dooth after the coūseyle of wyse men / And in all tyme dysposith hym to hys laste houre / wherfore puttynge abacke all thyngys that shuld wythdrawe the herfro / ordeyne for thyn hous / and make the redy to that laste way of euery man / and to the houre of deth / For in certeyne thou knowest not what houre hit shall come and how nygh it is /

¶ And therfore ryghte as a trauaylynge man standynge in y^e hauen beholdith besely a shippe y^t swyftly seylyth toward ferre coun­tries that he shulde goo to / leste that hit shulde [Page] ouerpasse him he stondeth stylle and remeueth not thennes tyl hit come to him / ryght so stonde thoustable in vertues / and more for loue thenne for drede soo that all thy lyf and all thy werkynge be dressed and sette to that en­tente euer pryncypally to loue and please thy lord god trustyng to hys mercy / so that thou haue a blessid obite by whiche thow mayst at y^e laste came to y^e place of Immortalite & euer latynge felycite /

¶ Of y^e souereyne loue of our lord ihesu in y^e holy sacrament of his blessid body & that longeth therto / Capl̄m .vj. ¶

O Souereyne and euerlastyng wisdom for as moche as y^e grete profite of thy doctrine hath stired me wyth a feruent desyre for to goo to the scoles of vertue / and to yeue myne hole entente to hem / in the whiche I haue sufficientlylernyd how I shall bothe ly­ue and deye / Sothly in the exercise and ful­fillynge of hem in dede / I knowleche of myn owne infirmyte y^t I vnmyʒty am ofte tymes caste downe / Wherfore I flee to the almyʒty god / and to thy souereyne myght / and aske [Page] of the that thou vouchesafe of thy grete pite to shewe me remedyes y^t I may haue recours to in aduersitees that fallen /

/ The seuen a sacrmentis of holy chyrche. ben seuen remedyes / thorough the whiche a man is in maner newe born in to a spirituel creature / & norysshed and kept / and thorowgh grace bro­ughte vppe in to the souereyne degree of per­feccyon / Amonge the whiche sacramentys a specyal excellent maner spryngith oute of the sacramente of y^e awter. y^e shynynge of goddes loue / and a maner ryuer of heuenly grace blessidly brennynge deuoute soules / and swetly makynge hem dronken in goostly loue / as hit sothly is knoken / For ryghte as drye stickis yeuen kynde mater to bodely fyre for to brenne more feruently / and maken y^e flam̄es therof to sprynge vppe and sprede all aboute (Soo forsothe thys worshipful sacrament that is norysshynge of goostly hete yeuith grete en­crese to the fyre of goddes loue / and norissheth hit whan hit is deuoutly receyued / For amonge all the tokens of loue / there is noo thinge that soo rauysshith all holy to hym the wylle [Page] of the louer as is to desire the presence of him that is loued / for that passith all other thyn­ges / wherfore in my laste supper I yaf myselfe to my loued disciples in sacramente / and to hem and all other mynystres of thys sacryfice I haue lefte that grete power in the ver­tue of myne wordys that they may haue me present bodely / that am present euerywhere by my godhede goostly /

I beseche the my lorde that I thy seruaunt may speke a worde in thyn eeris / & that thou be not wrothe to thy seruaunt / For sothly thou arte my lorde and I thy seruaunt / And I haue wel vndirstonde that thou hast seyde that thou arte in thys sacramente not figurally / but ryally and bodely. And yf hit be soo I praye the mekely to be taughte / for that sholde yeue me grete mater to loue the ferruently.

In very certeynte and sothfastly / and wyth­oute ony doute I am conteyned in thys sacramente god and man wyth body and soule flesshe and blode as I wente oute of my mo­ders wombe [Page] and henge on the crosse / and sitte on the fadres ryght hande.

I beseke the my lorde be not displesid yf I speke. For thys that I shall speke cometh not of the rote of mysbyle­ue / but of full grete merueyle. For yf I durst seye it semyth full grete wonder how y^t shaply body of my lorde wyth all hys membris / and mesures in all maner perfeccion may be conteyned vnder that litil fourme that we seen of the sacrament / as to porcion vnlyke in mesure /

How that my body is conteyned in the sacrament / there may noo tunge telle / ne witte vndirstonde / ne mānes reason may not comprehende hit / But oonly by feyth hit is conuenient to knowe this in as moche as hit is the grete werkynge of goddes vertue oonly / And therfore hit longith to the for to byleue thys sothfastly / and to beware of pre­sūtuous serchynge in thys mater so curious Neuertheles I coueytyng for to profite to thy deuoute symplenesse / for to excite thy feruoure more than shewynge of y^t thynge y^t is oonly knowen to god / I shall answere to thy sym­ple wordys / takynge the waye of answere [Page] of thoo thyngys y^e ben knowen in her owne kynde / and yet vnknowen to the / to thoo thyngys that passen the knowynge of all deedly creatures / Telle me therfore yf thou canste / how that a litil pupille of y^e eye may by siʒte close in hit all that grete circumference y^e hit seeth of the firmament / or in what maner a broken glasse may receyue a perfit ymage in euery broken parte therof / sythen these thyn­ges ben not euen in proporcyon / And thouʒ hit soo be y^t these symple ensamples bē rather vnlyknesse than perfite lyknesse / as euery thynge of kynde in thys purpoos hath more vnlyknesse than lyknesse / Neuertheles of these thynges may be taken this conuenyent skille / that sythen nature may werke soo many & grete merueyles kyndely / Why may not the vertue of the auctour & maker of kynde stretche hym in to gretter merueyles many folde in his werkynge / Also if hit seme possible that the maker of the worlde seyde / and al thyngis were made of nouʒt / why shulde he not tourne one thynge in to an other thorouʒ his pryue power / And therfore right as all thynge y^e [Page] he wolde he māde / ryght soo there is noo thyng to hym vnpossible that he wyll haue done / Wherof thenne hast thou wondyr / Forther­more y^u byleuest that dyuyne wysdom fedde fyue thousand men wyth fyue loues / & I aske of y^e wh̄at mater that was y^t serued theym al but his grete myʒte.

/ To these thyngys I can not answere of my symplycite / but y^t I openly knowleche y^t y^e werkynges of god ben full merueylous /

/ Yet putte I to thy symplenes this questyon herto acordyng / Seye me whether thou byleue y^t y^u hast a soule or that there be ony thynges inuysible /

I beleue not that I haue a soule / but I knowe hit well in as moche as I haue the knowynge herof by my meuyng & of my wytte & felynge & suche other / Also reason techith y^t there ben many thyngys in her kyn­de / the whyche maye not be comprehendid by the sighte ne by other bodely wyttis / and perauenture there ben moo of the werkys of god vnseen / than thoo y^t mannes witte may com­prehende / as a besye secher may fynde in the ordre of all thyngys /

/ Of thyse before [Page] seyde wordys gadir to thy purpoos that the vnderstondynge of euery blessid spirite pas­sith moche more the vndyrstondynge of eue­ry wyse man than dooth the vndyrstondyng of a wyse man passe the vndyrstondynge of an ydeot / For thus experience techith that many vnlettrid men holden as vnpossyble many thynges of the whiche clerkes hauen certeyn cunnynge and knowynge / as hit preuyth pryncypally in gemetrye and astronomye /

So to our purpoos though this mater passe the kunnyng and knowynge of erthely men y^e whyche hauen but a blynde vndyrstonding of thoo thyngys that ben moost open in kynde / neuertheles they that hauen the kunnynge of hem y^t ben in blysse / seen these thynges perfytly in god / Here what seyth herof the wyse man in holy writte by these wordis / There is some man that besieth hym daye and nyghte / & brekyth his slepe for to knowe al thyng / & I haue vndirstonde y^t there may noo man fynde reson of all y^e werkes of god y^t ben done vn­dir sōne / & y^e more he trauaylith to fynde / y^e lesse he shall fynde / Loo also a grete philosophire [Page] that subtylly & besely yaf hym to knowe a certeyne naturel mater / & myght not come therto by his witte / at the laste he seyde / Leue we these thynges to hem that ben strenger / that is to seye more cunnynge / Sythen thenne hit is soo that these thynges y^t ben of kynde & openly in erthe seen maye not be knowen / how thenne may thoo thyngys y^t ben heuenly and may not be seen / but passen all the vittys of dedely nature / who may knowe hem. Therfore seide oure lorde to. Nichodeme. Si terrena dixi vobis &c̄. If I haue spoken and tolde yow erthely thyngys / and ye byleue it not / yf I wolde speke to you of heuenly thyngys / how shuld ye byleue hem / therfore men shulde flee al suche ymagynacyons and conceytes that le­den to erroures by enserchyng thoo thynges that touchen y^t feyth / For some thynken oftetymes of that groūde in whyche they ymagy­ne that they deme of godly thyngys / as they wolde doo of manly thyngys / & of thoo thyn­gys y^t ben aboue kynde / as of thoo that ben in kynde / But soo shulde they not doo / & namely in thys purpoos hem behoued to be ware / For [Page] in sothe goddis body is not in y^e maner in the sacramēt as a body in a place that is mesured therafter / but hit his there in a maner that is spirituel / & yf y^u aske me what maner y^t is / I telle y^e y^t hit is suche a maner as is longyng propirly to thys sacrament. the whiche for to knowe / thyn ymagynacōn maye not atteyne therto / Wherfore thyn vndyrstondynge as blynde muste be constreyned & brouʒte in to y^e bondage of criste for to haue alwey byfore thyn eyen / how moche of myʒt is y^t vertue y^t is wythoute ende / to y^e wyche al maner maters obeyen & seruen at wille / thouʒ a man maye not see this by defaute of y^e myʒt in seenge of the Inner eye / A pleyne ensample y^u hast her of by a chylde born in prison & longe tyme no­risshid therin / the whiche wolde holde hit for a grete merueyle / who so wolde telle hym many thyngys of y^e course of sterris / & of y^e disposi­cōn of this worlde y^t we knowe and see / & merueyle not therof / wherfore y^e wisdom of god cōdescendynge to mānes Ignoraūce y^e forseyde thyngys hath lefte to men oonly for to byleue in as moche as they passen y^e myʒt of mannes witte / To the whiche byleue trewe men [Page] leenynge as to a sadde foūdement / hauen mo­re certeyne therof / than if they shulde leene to her owne vndirstondynge / or other mennes in thyngys knowen & proporcined by kynde.

/ Sothely wyth moost euidente per­suasions & resons y^u preuyst to me y^e feyth of this sacrament / & takest fro my herte noyous wonderyngys / & dreedful thouʒtys / y^t growen & disesen a seke soule / For of this that y^u hast seyde. I perceyue wel y^t hit is a symple wytte that sechith thyngys that ben imposyble / and coueytith to knowe the wondirful werkys of god alone / and neuertheles yf he faylith in knowynge of werkys of the selfe kynde / I wote wel & sadly byleue that y^u arte souereyn & endeles myʒte y^t may doo all thyngys & souereyn & euerlastynge wysdom. that knowist & seest al thynge / y^u that arte god playn and vnchaūgeable soothnes y^t mayst not lye not de­ceyue. wherfore y^u arte the ende of my byleue / & the anker of my hope / now & euermore knowynge y^t blessid is that man that trystith and hopith in the / Wherfore now all the inwarde affeccyons of my soule ben gladde & Ioyfull / for I haue souʒte / and that I haue longe desired. [Page] now I haue goten. Why arte y^u my soule sory / & why distourblest thow me / thou hast souʒte. Ihū and thou hast foūden Ihū. Ofte sythes in to thys tyme y^u hast compleyned y^t thy loued Ihū was away fro the. what ty­me y^u sawe an other man gladde of the presence of hym that he loued / thou haddist enuye in thy herte & madyst sorowe for as moche as thou foūdist not hym presente that thou lo­uedist / and in thys maner seydist / Oo wolde god that he my byloued were suche one that wolde ofte sythes or alwey yf hit plesyd hym be wyth me & lyue wyth me. soo that I myʒte haue Ioye and lykynge of hys presence for that shulde comforte me in trybulacyons and in diseses / But now thys voys of sorowe is torned in to y^e voys of gladnes For now I fynde hym presente / for whom I made sorowe / as for his absence / Wherfore now al ye y^e louen god be glad wyth me / For I haue foūde my byloued / & not oonly after y^e godhede wherby he is to all men presēte / but also after y^e māhede sacramētly to me presēte / & therfore hit is woūder y^t I may hens forwarde be drawen away fro y^e chirche & y^t I dwelle not there [Page] nyght / where I haue my lorde presente / not o­only goostly / but also bodely / & not oonly god all myghty / but also as my brother & beloued frende / Oo lorde how blysful had I sūtyme be yf I myʒt haue receyued in to my mouthe at the leest one drope of y^t precious bloode ren­nynge oute of y^e open woūdis of my lorde my beloued / But now wyth my besy diligent consideracōn I begynne to take hede / y^t not oonly I receyue one drope or tweyne of y^t precyous blode rennyng oute of the handes or of y^e fete or fro the herte of hym / but also I receyue alle his bloode holy / & hys body is Ioyned to my body / Oo lorde how worthely shulde the presēce of so grete a gheste meue the affeccōn of mannes herte what maye be shewed more of loue than the homely knyttynge to geder of hym y^t is loued to hym y^t louyth / & thouh̄ hit so be y^t he may not be seen here in y^e sacrament so opē­ly as in heuen / neuertheles the feruent affec­cōn of man leenyng to the foūdemēt of feyth shulde be sadly stablysshed / that the presence of thys sacrament shulde ouercome all erthely thynge & affeccōn of herte / Wherfore thys sa­crament may wel be called the sacrament of [Page] loue / in as moche as hit knyttith togedir the loue with the louer / Now my soule be y^u comfortid / for y^t y^u hast soughte / y^u hast foūden / and therfore receyue & take criste in sothenesse & in presence as Symeon dide y^t ryʒt wysely & dredefully receyued him ī his bodely presēce / For thouʒ y^t symeon receyued hī visibly / & y^u vnuysibly neuertheles y^u receyuest hī as feythfully in louelynesse & as verily as he dide / For ryghte as my bodely eye maye not see now in the sa­crament thyn humanyte y^t is there presēte / so the forseide symeon berynge the in his armes myʒt not see thy godhede / but oonly wyth the eyen of byleue. as I see y^e bodely now presente with the eyen of byleue / But what were y^t to me of bodely siʒte / Sythen thoo eyen ben af­fermed blessid / that seen not after y^e flesshe / as the scrybes & pharysees bodely / but now thyne chosen children see the goostly / what wilte y^u my soule desyre more of thy beloued to knowe certeynly & wythoute ony doute y^u hast hym in the sacrament present / thouh̄ hit be inuisible But now take hede to goddes ordenaūce / & see that this mysterye is done / & made moche mo­re conuenyently vndir a nother lyknesse / than [Page] in the lyknesse of his propre persone. For who myʒte be so feers or harde that wolde presume to take hym, and ete hym in y^e fourme of flesshe and blode / Wherfore the diuyne wis­dom disposynge all thyngys in the beste ma­ner / ordeyned that the flesshe & the blode be­yng vnder y^e lyknes of brede & vyne / y^e whiche seruen comynly to mannes refeccyon / This sacrament shulde soo be taken / What myʒte be foūden more semely more couenable or more lyʒte / that shulde soo accorde to vs / & hit se­ueth not the sothfastnes of hitselse / Wherfore oo euerlastynge wisdom what tyme that I consyder and beholde by thyse and suche other thyne grete werkys. and merueylles soo passyngly wel disposid and ordeyned / For wonderynge I fayle in my selfe / crienge inwardly and seynge / O the hye worthynesse of the rychesse of wysdom and cunnynge of god /

What arte thou is thyn owne beynge / that arte soo grete and soo worthy / and soo ver­tuous in werkynge of creatures made of the ¶ Hec pertinent ad sacerdotem specialiter.

¶ Wherfore now my kynge and my god. [Page] that vouchedistsafe to chese me in to the office of presthode not / of my deserte / and woldyst make me mynistre of so grete mysteryes that I may euery day receyue and offre the that lambe wythoute wemme. I aske of the that thou teche me. how that I shall worthily receyue the / soo that hit be to thy louynge and hele of my soule / knowynge for certeyne that there was neuer kynge soo grete and soo gloryous that was soo worshipfully and soo reuerently receyued of ony cite / ne none moost dere frende comyng fro ferre countre soo gladly and effectuously salewed and greted of his specyal frende / ne noo loued spouse soo amo­rously and hertely receyued of his spouse and soo reuerently treatid / as my soule this day desyreth for to receyue the myn worthiest Emperour swettyst frende and deryst loued ghest and moost lykynge spouse / and for to brynge the in to my goostly hous and in to the moost secrete chambre of my herte. and there for to doo to the all maner reuerence & loue / & for to yelde to y^e all the worship that is possible to be yelden of a poore crature to his [Page] god & his maker.

Whenne y^u comyst vp to the worshipful awter beholde wyth thyn Inner eye of byleue that holy body in flesshe & bloode of thy god / y^t is to seye in thys maner that moost certeynly / and wythoute ony dou­te. thou byleue with al thyn herte & knowleche wyth thy mowthe that that hoost is very goddis sone. born of the vyrgyne Marye / and that was deed & rysen fro deth to lyfe. & shal be domesman of al bothe quycke & deede / And after this with dewe reuerence & souereyne worship wyth thy lorde god I haue merueyle In­warde wyth a meke deuocyon / that soo grete a lorde to so litil vnworthy a seruaunte / & that soohye a noble prynce. to suche a wret­chid worme. & soo worthy a mageste to soo vyle a mesell vouchethsafe to come. and thenne seye with drede & reurence Lorde I am not worthy that thou entre in to my hous but turstyng of thy grete pite and mercy / I come seke to the leche of lyfe. trustyng to the welle of mercy- Nedy to the lorde of heuen and erthe. the shepe to h̄is herde man. the creature to his maker. mournynge and desolate to the my pyteuous comfortoure and myʒty / [Page] moost ardente desire / & wyth inwarde luste of herte receyue thy worthy spouse hauynge souereyn delyte of hys blessyd & swettyst presence / And that one thynge is in specyal / that shulde passynge all other thyngys stire & meue an amorous soule / that is to seye whan he thyn­kyth y^t he hath presente his dere loued spouse & frende / for whos loue he deyeth euer y d yas to this worlde / & dispisith all erthely a loue / Loo these feyned louers of this worlde / what day they seen y^e hous where they haue in mynde y^t her loued frende or spouse dwellith alle day / they ben the more gladde & meryer / Ta­ke hede thenne herby how worthely he shulde be gladde & souereinly reioyce hym y^t receyueth vnder thys visible fourme / not a foule crea­tour / but the maker of all thynge / not a clo­sed filthe / but y^e wisdom of god becomen man Hit his wondir that an amorouse soule may be that day sory for ony temperel thyng in the whiche he hath receyued his beloued maker god / For wythoute doute he hath thenne in hymself so grete mater of Ioye / that worthely hit shulde deuoure & putte to nouʒt all chaūce [Page] of heuynesse & sorowe / ryght as the grete see wolde a drope of eysel or vynegre caste therin Forthermore yf thou desyrest to knowe in experyence y^e swete sauour of this sacrament the whiche is yet vnknowen to the / be besye aboute firste for to wythdrawe thy soule fro seculer nedis / & fro flesshly lustes and vices / soo that before the receyuynge therof / thou haue profunde contrycyon / and clene and open confession / & that thou be drawe therto by in­warde deuocyon / more than by vsed custome wyth moost ardent affeccions / & moost holy meditacyons / as wyth rede roses & white ly­lyes thou shalt araye ayens hym the gheste chambre of thyn herte / and make hit redy to soo worthy a spouse by inwarde pees / And what tyme thou felyst hym presente / chyppe hym betwyx the armes of thyn herte / thorouh̄ the outcastynge of all erthely loue / and the inwarde closynge of that heuenly spouse /

Afterwarde a deuoute soule shal make me to here his voyce & synge to me wyth y^e songes of syon / Wherof y^e melodye whan it is made of thre maner proporcyons yeldyth moost swettist sowne / that is to seye of perfyte foryetynge [Page] al erthely thyngys / & feruente affeccōn of euerlastynge thyngys / & a maner begyn­nynge of louynge y^t the blessid spirites haue in heuen / wel is hym y^t may {per}ceyue & fele thyse thyngys wyth inwarde taste / & y^t may knowe hem by sothfaste experyēce more than by wordys or wrytyngys /

/ Oo y^t wonder hardnes & blyndenes of my herte / wherfore I may wel be sory. For in y^e moost habundance of goostly rytches I haue longe tyme dwellid moost pore. & y^e grete goostly goodys I haue wretchidly forslowthed. & of y^e grete swetnes passynge mesure of y^e yeftes of grace I haue be voyde & drye. Oo my god to y^t I make my cōpleynte with inwarde sorowe of herte that I haue ben so longe fro y^t. & y^u hast be so nye me y^u were with me. & I was not with y^e / for me­delyng & settynge my selfe in wordly besynesses. & other su{per}flue vanitees I toke litil fors of y^e For oste sythes I haue had my selfe soo tedyously to the as though y^u my god haddist not be presente to me. But now puttynge awaye all maner dissymulacōn. as though I were waked fro slepe / I haue opened myne eyen clyppyng thy presēce with my most affeccyon [Page] and desire of body and soule / For as ofte as I thynke and haue in mynde thy blessid presence / my spiryte begynneth to glade for io­ye as he that receyueth a good messegar co­mynge fro ferre countre / And therfore now hit is cōuenyent that as thou hast fedde me wyth thy blessid presence / as with the brede of lyfe and vndirstondynge / soo thou enfourme me forthermore yeuynge me drynke of y^e water of helfull wysdom / answerynge me thy seruaunte to thoo thyngys that I shall aske the And firste I aske of the / what good thou yeuist by thy presence to the man that deuoutly receyueyth the in the sacrament.

I praye the fro whens cometh thys questy­on / whether arte thou a louer or a marchaūte Trowyst thou that this questyon is conuenient to an amorouse herte that loueth inwardly / Soo that he haue that thynge that he lo­uith he takyth not moche fors of other thyn­gys. What thyng haue I better or more profitable or more precyo{us} than myselfe / And he y^t hath that he louyth what shall he desire more He y^t yeuyth all hym selfe to his frende / what [Page] I praye y^e kepith he fro hym / loo in the sacra­ment I yeue my selfe to the / & I take a wey thy selfe fro the / & I tourne the in to me / For in soth thou shalt not turne me in to the / as the mete of thy flesshe / but thou shalt be chaūgid and turned in to me / But perauenture y^u arte not yet perfite in loue / wherfore thou couetist not oonly loue / but also somme rewarde therof / & therfore I shall answere now by a questyon lyke to thynne askynge / Telle me what helpyth or profytith to the ayre the shy­nynge of y^e sōne / what tyme that hit shyneth hote wyth all his vertue / wythoute clowde at myddaye tyme. Or ellis what profyten the bryʒte sterrys & in specyall that fayre sterre Lucyfer to the derke nyʒte / or ellis what fay­re hete bryngith the hote sommer tyde to y^e erthe that is byfore clongyd with the colde froste of wynter /

Sothly all these hit is no doute bryngen with hem grete frute and grete bewte /

All these semen to the grete & gloryous / for as moche as they ben knowen comynly & comprehendyd by sighte / But for sothe the spirituel yeftis that ben yeuen in y^e sacrament in her maner ben moche more. [Page] worthy and greter forderynge / For the leeste yefte of grace therof makyth a man more gracyous whan he receyueth the sacrament yf it be deuoutly take / and hit shall more cla­refye the sowle herafter wyth his spirituel lyʒtnynge than ony sōne beme may lyʒten the clene ayre / and for as moche as spirituel thyngys wythoute comparyson passen bodely thyngys ryght so forthermore thou mayst concey­ue of other lyknesses also my body gloryfyed that is receyued here in the sacrament trewly wyth grace / shall more lyʒte & worship wyth his lyghte all the courte of heuen / & euery cho­sen soule / than the cours of sterrys & the va­ryaūce of tymes mowen helpe or forther in o­ny maner the erthe / And also my soule that is conteyned in the sacrament is of more lyʒt in his maner than ben all the day sterrys or euen sterris in erthe / And all these shall be yeuen herafter to a trewe soule by vertue of thys sacrament wythoute other profitys and graces / that fallen euery day grete and wyth oute nombre y^t ben ofte sythes rehersed & spo­ken of /

I am astonyed in this y^t I here so many worthy merueyles & werkyn­gys [Page] of thys gloryous sacrament. But lord I praye y^e dispise not one doute y^t I shall putte & open to the / Sythen hit is soo y^t y^u almyʒty god vouchedistsafe to magnyfye this wor­shypful sacrament with soo many gloryous miracles & profytis wythoute nombre / not oonly for the tyme to come / but also in thys ty­me presente. why is all this soo hidde & ab­stracte y^t vnneth is hit perceyued of ony man & if I durst seye y^e vertue therof is not seen for to apere to trewe byleuyng men. what is done aboute other men I wote / not in as moche as I am not a curyo{us} sercher of other mēnes conscience. But this am I experte of. in myselfe other wyle y^t what tyme I shulde come to y^e holy sacramēt / wherof I haue foūden myselfe bothe in goynge therto & goynge therfro in soo grete hardnesse of herte & a maner dulnes of spirite / y^t of all y^e gostly lyʒtyngis. & godly graces y^t comen fro y^t sacramēt to my dome I haue belefte so voyde y^t I myʒte not fele in my selfe y^e swete taste therof in ony maner / But I was lefte so desolate without frute / as thouʒ y^t sacramēt had none effecte in hit selfe. Oo the wondirful counseyle of all myghty god [Page] and vnwyse durste be so bolde for to reprehen­de & vndirtake in thys parte his lorde / that is moost wyse and wythoute reprehension alle thynge in the beste maner disposyng / I praye the why hast thou so hidde soo many & / grete goodis. Were hit not better that y^u haddest ordeyned the faith of soo grete mysteryes wyth more open sygnes and more euydent experience.

Knowest thou not while thou arte here thou walkest forth by fayth / and not by kyndely felynge. For that thynge that bo­dely witte shewyth and experyence prouyth. how may fayth receyue. Naye fayth muste ne deys fayle where that open shewynge of reson hath place / And so folowyth that the worthy meryte of fayth sholde peryshe / For as the wyse man sayth / Fayth hath noo meryte to the whiche fayth reason yeuyth experyence. and therfore yf y^u wylte committe to experyence of reason the mysterye of thys sacrament. nedis fayth and the merytys of faith muste perysshe and fayle / and what if hit soo befalle that a chosen soule felith rennynge thouʒtis that ben dredfull / sothly yf he fyghte ayens hem law­fully by hys wyll he shall be crowned therfo­re [Page] / Open I praye the / the boke of thy herte and see how open knowynge the mysterye of this sacrament is yeuen of god to be knowen in the hertis of some chosen / the whiche though hit be not alway / Neuertheles somtyme of grace and specyal preuyleged in a maner vn­spekeable perceyuen & felen y^e sothenes of this sacrament / In so moche that yf hit be possible for to be ony knowynge more certeyn than y^e knowynge of feyth / by that knowyng hit is yeuen to hem of god for to fele and knowe y^e moost sothfast beynge of y^e sacrament / Wherfore of these thyngis that ben seyde openly gadir to thy mynde that thys sacrament is neuer the lesse in sothe / by cause that y^e spirituel effecte therof inuysyble or not perceyued wyth bodely witte / For the goodly lyghte is not as suche maner lyghte that may be com­prehendyd or seen wyth bodely sighte / or that spredith hit selfe to outwarde thynges / but y^t may be seen of the goodly vndirstondynge oonly / or ellis of the syghte that is in blisse / & that is propirly lighte in his owne beynge.

/ Oo lorde how fewe ben there in this worlde that wyth diligente besynesse taken he [Page] and chargen the moost precyous vertue and profyte of thys worthy sacrament / for some ben that goon to thys sacramēt comynly and by custome folowynge the maner of the comynalte / besyeng hem not for to goo therto but rather to goo therfro / & not often wyth inwarde deuocyon / but of lacke of spirituel fer­uour / And therfore as they comen voyde therto / soo they goon voyde therfro & wythoute grace / as dyden y^e vnclene beestys that weren reproued in y^e olde lawe / for they thynke not besely nor taken hede what they receyuen ne / how moche good and grace foloweth to hem y^t deuoutly receyuen it wyth a clene herte / nor how moche euyll and peryll therof foloweth to hem y^t vnworthyly receyueth hit / And yf hit soo be that there come to her mynde ony good stiryng / perauenture it is but shortly and passyth away / Hit fareth as a litil smalle sparcle in her hertes that sodeynly is quenchid and apperyth no more /

/ There ben thre maner of men y^t receyuen me in the sacramente some ben all vndisposyd / as thoo that ben cōbred with dedely synne / Some ben wel disposid as they that ben passynge god lyuers /

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Some there ben in meane maner disposid / as they that ben vndeuoute / The fyrste men deseruen euerlastynge deth and temporel ma­lyson / The seconde euerlastynge lyfe and spirytuel goostly blessynge / The thyrde etynge drye brede & vnsauery mete to hem / fele not y^e swet­nes therof /

/ What and a freele man haue perauenture done some pryue synnes / & in his goynge to that sacrament is contryte & dooth y^t he may after the ordeynaūce of holy ch̄irche / whether this synful man dare goo therto trustynge vpon thy grace /

/ Sothely if he be contrite and dooth after the counseyl of goostly leches / thenne propirly to speke. he is not a synner / For marie mawde leyne what tyme that she was contrite in herte and came to the feete of our lorde / and wasshed hem with hir teeris / she had the name of a synfull woman / neuertheles after that tyme she was not a syn̄er / for criste had foryeuen her hir synnes

¶ Euery man is habūdaūt in his owne wytte / But sothely in this purpoos I trowe feythfully [Page] that the godly mysteries of this sacramente passen all maner vertue of man / and ben a boue all the merueylous werkes of god in this worlde / For who is he y^t lyueth in thys worlde soo clene & so innocently / that is a worthy mynystre or receyuour of thys sacramente /

Or who may presume of hymselfe to receyue hym / whom Petir the prynce of apostles put fro hym sayenge thus / Goo fro me lorde for I am a synful man / And he whose fayth Ihesus commendid syngulerly in Ierusalem seyde thus to hym / lorde I am not worthy that thou sholdist entre in to myn howse / Who is thenne born of woman that may make hym and ordeyne hym worthely to soo grete mysteryes /

Amonge all that were born of wymen there rose neuer one that myghte of his vertu oonly of the ryʒtwisnesse of his werkes sufficyently ordeyne hym therof / as of worthynesse / though hit so were that one man hadde alle the naturel clennesse of alle aungels / or all the clernesse of sayntes gloryfyed / or all the merytes of holy lyuers in erthe by streyghtnesse of lyuynge.

Of these wythoute the grace of god he were [Page] not able to receyue so hye and grete mysteries

Oo euerlastynge god how dredful is hit to me and suche as I am synners for / to here this / Alas alas lorde god sithen aungels ben not clene in thy sighte and men of grete werkinges ben not worthy of her owne ryghtwysnesse for to receyue the / What shall falle of vs that walowen euery daye in the cleye of syn̄es y^e whiche hauen litil or nought of deuocōn / Ne be not as it nedyth compūcte of our owne neclygences / wyth what drede is it to vs for to come vnworthely to that sacrament skylfully it is to drede / lest that that shulde be to vs into foryeuyng / torne in to sorowfull punysshing.

Take hede besely that thys sacrament of pite is ordeyned in to remedye ayens synne / wherfore what tyme a man dooth what he may in ablynge hym to grace / hit sufficith to him. for god askith not of a man that he seeth imposible to hym

And therfore what tyme that he that recey­ueth the sacramente dooth that he may / the pite of god fulfillith by grace that / that a man may not come to wythoute grace / Wherfore if a man dyspose hym as well as he can / he shal [Page] rather goo to that sacramente vpon truste of the pite of god than he shuld abstene hym ther fro by consyderacōn of his owne freelte / thouʒ hit so be that he fele hymself frele and vncouenable It is comendable and meritorye to goo therto by meke hope / Who is he that soo / vn­wysely dare seye that they that ben goostly se­ke sholde not come to hym that for hem tooke deth to clense hem of her syknes and Infirmy­tees / Wherfore hit may conuenyently be seyd / that as his comynge in mankynde was into saluacyon of synfull men / Soo thys heelful hoost is ordeyned to trewe cristen men in to remedye of synnes / For he the wisdom of god at his laste sooper in the ordynaūce of thys helful sacrament seyde thus / This is my body y^t shall beyeuen for you. and this is my bloode that shal be shedde for you in remission of synnes / wherfore what tyme thou hast done that is in the / goo therto hardely wythoute ouer grete drede wyth fayth and charyte noo thyng doubtynge of his endeles pite /

Oo these gracyous and louynge wordes comforten me that thouh̄ I wretchid synner haue had drede in conscience to nyghe y^e my sauyour [Page] for my wyckid wretchidnesse now I dare nyghe and come to the kynge of mageste e­uer full of mercy. But yet I praye the. that y^u wylte telle me whether hit be better to goo ofte tymes to thys heelfull sacrament or seelden

To this questyon take y^e co­mune & knowen sentence of that worthy doc­tour Austyn. the whyche seyth y^t bothe ben cō­mendable / as for y^e place & y^e tyme / y^t is to seye y^t for reuerence other while hit be lefte / & for deuocōn hit be taken / But sothly to hē y^t felen her deuocyon encresid wyth reuerence of y^e sa­crament. in ofte receyuynge therof / to / hem hit is profitable ofte goynge therto /

But what seist y^u of hem y^e whiche semen al­weye dwellyng as in one maner affeccōn / in as moche as they fele not nor can perceyue therby hemselfe moche profityd on y^t one halfe nor moche amendyd on y^t other halfe / & yet more ouer they fele hemselfe ofte tymes ouer­come wyth a maner harde herte & dryenes of deuocion / & though hit so be y^t they seyen eueri day salmes & prayers y^t they haue in custome to seye / & ofte tymes maken hem clene by cōfessyon / yet dwelle they alwey as in hardnes of [Page] deuocyon / and fele no thyng the taste of spirituel / and grace yet also I shall reherse more­ouer one thinge that is full paynful to deuoute soules and sorowful / as full often tymes of thys compleyne hem / thys is to sey that o­ther while at the tyme of receyuynge of the sacramēt / grace semyth wythdrawe fro some more than hit was wonte to be afore / In soo moche y^t hit semith / as though hit forsoke him y^t was after hym cryenge / Sothly thys semyth to me an harde thynge & also a sorow­full:

Many causes there ben & many maners by y^e whiche thys hardnes is wonte to trowble a deuoute soule. as they seyen that ben experte / y^e whyche all now ouerpassynge / take this oonly in sykernes / y^t what tyme by dylygēt serchyng of thy cōscience. y^u hast noo mynde that y^u h̄ast giuen ony cause therto. but y^t y^u hast done y^t y^t in y^e is. yf hit so falle by suffraūce of god y^e whiche is wonte in a thou­sand maners for to trouble & preue his chosen peple. & thouh̄ suche an hardnes of hert falle / lete not this discoūforte y^e ne bere y^e down. nor herfore y^t y^u wythdrawe y^e fro this helful sacramēt knowyng y^t y^e pite of god werkyth y^e hele [Page] of soule oftesithes whan a soule weneth he is vnsyker and what tyme that the soule oonly leeneth vpon y^e foūdemente of fayth wythoute ony specyal goostly swetnes it is exceptyd as though he had haboundaūce in felynge of goostly graces & comfortes / Perauenture if a creature had suche swetnes whan he wolde he shulde be neclygent & not kepe hym in hem so visely and waarly as hym nedid / & therfore suche graces other while ben profitably with drawen / & also for thys cause that when they ben wythdrawen / they shulde be the more besely souʒte after / And whan they comen the more wysely be kepte / soo that therby the lo­uynge soule be put to exercyse of vertu in the scole of mekenes / and one thynge in thys mater is notable and that y^u shalt besely take hede to y^e is to seye that thys goostly sauour & in warde taste of deuocyon is not the dewe ef­fecte of fayth y^t longith to this tyme here in thys worlde / but his propirly longynge to y^e blisse that is to come herafter / And therfore whan hit is yeuen in the sacrament or elles ony other tyme gyue y^u thankynges to god y^e yeuer / And what tyme hit is not yeuen / suf­fre [Page] pacyently knowyng that hit is not in thy power / but in the souereyn and moost benyg­ne yeuer therof / we whiche wylle not yeue hit as y^u wylte / but whan hit lykyth hym after y^t he demyth to his louynge & thy profyte / Also thou shalt vndirstonde y^t that souereyn god is soo plenteuous wythout ende that the more hit be taken / the more he that takyth hit is made able to receyue hit / Wherfore hit fallith oftetymes touchynge this sacrament that y^e more that a man wythdrawyth hym therfro by inordynate drede / the more thorough his dif­ferynge fro daye to daye / he shall be vndisposed / wherfore hit is better all thyngys consyderid / for to goo therto by stirynge of loue / than to absteyne therfro thorough stiryng of drede And better hit is to goo therto euery weke or euery daye wyth trewe mekenes and knowynge of his owne imperfeccyon than ones in the yere by presumpcyon of his owne ryʒtwysnesse.

/ Telle me I praye the / what tyme or what houre / the whiche he that gooth therto shall pryncypally take hede to. & wyth all his myght dispose hym and ordeyne hym to his grace.

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That is the tyme of holy receyuyng & goostly etynge therof / For thenne heuen is in maner opened / and the loued sone of y^e fader is sente in to the soule that is well dysposid & therto is bodely vnyed and therfore is hit callyd in latyn. Missa that is of the faders sendynge.

How is hit of hem that wyth souereyne desyre coueyten for to receyue the in the sacrament / & yet they maye not haue that thei desyren / for they seen byfore hem y^e preste stondynge / and they receyuynge / and they wyth desyre of herte coueytyng for to receyue the / and there is none that wylle yeue the to hem and fulfille her hungry soules with this desyrid presence. And thou knowest wel that h̄it is full peynfull to a desirynge soule for to see coueytid mete and not taste therof.

There ben some that at this borde receyuen me sacramently / And neuertheles they goon therfro fastynge / and there ben some that come not to thys borde / and neuer­theles of y^e plente therof / they ben habundaūtly and goostly dronkyn For the firste men felen and receyuen oonly the sacra­mente. [Page] but that other receyuen the sacrament goostly / and the vertu therof affectuously /

Yet ben there lefte two doutes to me touchynge thys mater. One is whether he that etith bothe bodely and goostly hath more vertu of the than he that oonly receyueth the goostly. touchynge the effecte of the sacra­ment: and the cause of the doute is / For thou knowest who hit is that seith thus.

‘¶ Crede et manducasti.’

¶ That is byleue: and thou hast eten / The seconde doute is. how longe abydith thys worshypfull sacrament after hit is receyued of man.

Sothly touchynge the firste he hath more mater of deuocyon and grace that receyueth bothe togedir. than he that takyth but that one / for he hath bothe togedir the yeuer wyth the yefte. and the cause wyth the effecte. And of y^e seconde doute thou hast Inough the sentences of fadres / that is to se­ye that soo longe tyme dwellyth goddis body as ben hole the spyces of the sacrament.

¶ And for an ende thus shalt thou praye to that holy sacrament.

¶ How y^e disciple of euerlastinge wysdom shall in all thyngys loue & prayse Ihū and wedde hym to hym thorouh̄ trewe loue & become his disciple. Ca. vij. ¶ Sic dicetis in confessione / opera dn̄i bonavalde / ¶ Thus ye shuld seye in knowleging that all the werkes of god ben ful goode /

wyth a curious meditacion I walke aboue in heuen / I goo bynethe aboute in erthe / I seche the depnesse of the see / I cōsider all y^e worlde with his lustes & lykinges / I merueyle vpon the wodes y^e ben sprad with soo fayre grene leues / & I beholde the medewes grene / & with many maner fayre flou­res of dyuerse coloures arayed / & what tyme y^t I consyder all thise. & beholde euerychone.

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with a swete maner of goostly mynstralsye / al they kydelyn myn herte in to louynge & pray synge of the creatour & maker / And in thys tyme of restful contemplacion I take besely hede how souereynly fayr and wel thou dyuyne wysdom ordeynest all thynges that ben made bothe goode and ylle / Riʒtwis & vnryʒtwis / so that in all that makyng y^u leuest no thyng inordynatly doon / & wyth grete reuerence I beholde thys / and I begynne thenne gretly to be gladde in soule / and wyth Ioyfull voyce I am constreyned to breke oute in to these wordys All the werkes of god ben ryʒte goode.

But what tyme that I begynne to ouergoo all these / & brynge to my mynde the that art souereyne god vnmade & euerlastynge wysdom byfore all other chosen to be the special spouse of myn herte / for passynge wonder & stodyen­ge of mynde I haue noo more spirite but alle to gedir faylynge in myselfe / I am soo gretly reioyced and gladid in the / Wherfore my lorde beholde now the pryncypal affeccion of my herte / and teche me to loue the / and to gloryfye thy gloryous name /

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For that is that before all the Ioyes of thys worlde I coueyte & desire / and lorde thou that knowest al thynges / y^u knowest wel that fro my childehode I haue this euer desyred & souʒt

Knowest the prophetis seyenge in this maner / y^t louynge & praysyng besemen to hem that ben riʒtwis in herte / & also y^t louyng and praysyng is not fayre in the mowthe of synners.

Yes forsothe lorde. & ther­fore woo is me. for what I shall answere & seye I wote neuer / & if I wyll Iustifye myselfe myn owne mowthe shal dampne me But what / shall I not therfore loue & prayse the / for I knowe myselfe vnclene / See we not y^e frosshes & vnclene wormes gendrid of powder of the erthe in standynge watris & pittes cry­ynge in hir maner / & as they may louen and praysen theyr creatour & maker / For thouh̄ hit so be that they can not ne maye not synge swetely as y^e larke and the nyghtyngale / nor knowe the as resonable creature man / neuer­theles this they done that they yeuen mater to hem y^e knowen the / for to loue the & prayse the / Oo thou fader of mercy / I knowe sothly and knowleche that hit is more semely to me [Page] wretchid synner for to lye prostrate byfore y^e & wyth wepynge and wyth sorowe aske for­yeuenesse of my synnes / than to loue y^e & prayse y^e / wyth a defowled mowthe. But neuertheles trustynge vpon thy piteuous goodnesse & thy grete mercy shewid to all dedly creatures I coueyte to preyse the wyth al myn inward affeccions besechynge the my lord god y^t y^u despyse me not / y^e am but a wretchid worme / & a deed dogge & a stynkynge careyne /

He is abowte to clyppe the wynde & folowe the shadowe / the whiche trowith for to prayse me of his worthynes / & he takyth vpon hym thynge y^e is impossible / that trauayleth for to prayse me to the fulle / Neuertheles therfore shall a creature not leue to prayse me / But hit fallith to the & to all creatures for to loue & prayse her maker / for there is none creature but y^t hit louyth & prayseth his maker & fourmer. or at the leste shewith hym to be praysed / Also thou shalt vndirstonde that in the eerys of goddis maieste / hit sownyth more swetly an holy medytacion than many hye wordys spoken wythoute inwarde vndirstondynge and more pleyseth him sorowe of herte of a cōtrite [Page] creature than oonly cryenge of mowth & trewe mekenes / than chaūtynge wyth broken voys / And that y^u maye y^e better vnderstonde thys y^t I haue seid vndir one ensample / take heede by this y^t I shal shewe y^e Th̄ouh̄ hit be so y^e all my life in erthe was to y^e Ioye & louyng of the hye fader of heuen / neuertheles he was more excellently in maner gloryfied / & clarifyed in me what tyme y^e I knowlechyd to hym on the crosse the agaynbyeng of mankynde in suffrynge the sorowful deth by obedyence / There ben many y^e whiche louen & praysen me wyth cryenge wordis / but they greuen me wyth displesynge dedis / they worshyppyn me with her lyppis / but her hertes ben ferre fro me / And also there ben many y^e whiche in prosperite praysen & louen god / but in aduersytee they styren impacyēce ayenst hym / & therfore her louynge & praysynge is not acceptable to god / for hit is not clene / but y^t louynge & praysyng byfore god is moost acceptable & plesynge / y^t is of hem y^e whiche as wel in aduersitee as in prosperytee of al her hertes & all tymes know­lechen and louen god / and though they ben in many maner scorged and disesed / yet they yel­den [Page] thankynges to god for all /

I beseche the suffre thy seruaūte for to speke a worde to y^e herte of his lord / Sothly I knowleche me in these forseyde thynges vnto thys tyme I haue fayled gretly / & that I haue more loued the & praysed the in prosperite than in aduersyte / But now I offre me holy as in sa­crifyce to thy wylle / hauynge a redy wyll her to / that wheder so euer fallen good or euyll I wyll neuerthelesse loue the & prayse the / But in all thyngys yeue thankyngys to y^e / & alle thise aduersitees forsayd to susteyne pacyētly for loue of the / And if hit were to thy Ioye my deth rather than my lyfe / sothely I wolde put gladly to the deth my lyfe / that is yet ly­kynge in yowthe / & thoo yeres in the whyche I myʒte lyue / yf I were not ouercome wyth deth / I wolde so offre to y^e my lord as in sacrifyce / Wherfore as lōge as I am here in y^e prison of my wretchid body / I coueyte & aske of y^e to be enformed how I myght come to that poynte that I maye of all myn herte and of all my soule and of all my strengthes in all tymes in as moche as hit is possible contynuelly to loue the / worshippe [Page] the & prayse the /

/ Who so euer he be / that in all his dedes hath god in his entente and kepith hym fro synne / & leuyth not y^e exercises of vertues / he leuyth not to loue & prayse god contynuelly / But for to make a remedye to thyn clene entencyon / y^u shalte vndirstonde after the sentences that thow hast herde of fa­dres. that what tyme a soule is pourged of erthely thyngys & vyces / & clensid of all the degrees of passions / and in as moche as hit is graūted to mannes freelte / is comyn to vn­meuable tranquyllite & reste of soule & perfy­te clennesse / Neuertheles he shall come to the vnbroken perseueraūce of my louynge & praysynge / the whiche is y^e ende and fulfillynge of all the perfeccion of a spirituel man.

And then̄e what tyme that he is so pourged of vices & flesshly passiōs / & is knytte to that souereyn good strongely he shal withoute stintynge loue god & prayse god / reformed in to aūgels liknes /

/ Now moreouer / Oo thou best beloued wisdom after these swete wordes y^t thou hast brouʒt oute fro y^e pryue chambre of thy godly wisdom I desyre y^t thou vouchesafe for to enforme me of certeyne [Page] doubtys. And firste where I maye fynde the moost sterynge & the principal mater of thy louynge & praysyng /

In comtemplacions of that souereyn & moost excellent ma­geste of god / In the whiche as in the welle & begyn̄ynge of al goode thynges for euer wonderfully ben conteyned / And afterwarde in ryuers of perticuler goodes y^t goon oute fro that souereyne god: the whiche ben yeuen to creatures in dyuerse maners more or lesse / as hit likith hym that is cause of causes for to comune hem to hym.

To that hye cōtemplacion of dyuyne mageste / I that am fe­ble & lyke may not ryse vp & come therto. I am not worthy ne myghty / therfore I leue that to hem y^t ben more strenger & more myʒti in soule Neuertheles therfore I shal not cease so as I cāne fro thy louyng & praysyng / And sothely other thynge can I not synge swetter of god than that is writen in the sauter / that is to seye / That oure lorde is swete to all h̄is crea­tures. & that his mercy is a bouen all his werkes / Oo my god mercy in this songe my soule is ryghte Ioyeful. & my conscience is lyght­ned / For sothly as ofte as I thynke in my her [Page] be what that I was somtyme / & what myscheses I haue scapid / & fro what perilles y^u hast kepte me / & fro sorowes y^u hast gracyously de­lyuered me / In all these & many moo whan I brynge hem to mynde I may not cease fro thy louynge & praysynge / wherfore my god & my mercy for these & all other benefices wyth oute nombre I coueyte & desyre y^t there be of me to y^e suche a maner / & so swete a praysinge as was y^e praysynge & louynge of the blessid spirites in heuen / what tyme y^t in the sighte of thy godly mageste they reyoiced hem y^t they were cōfermed foreuer in louynge & praysynge / seenge the euyll spirites departed fro the wythoute ende / Also I desyre y^t my praysynge be as grete & as lykynge / as is of holy soules what tyme they ben delyuerd oute of y^e pryson of purgatory / & presented to the presence of thy blysse / there to see & beholde thy swete face with vnspekable Ioye / & also be hit as grete as shal be the louynge & praysynge in the stretes of heuenly Ierusalem after the laste general resurrexion / whan y^t thyne chosen ben departyd fro the wicked dampnyd / & wyth a glad & mery herte shallen loue god / & be Ioyful of her sauacyon [Page] for euermore / Oo thou swete and benygne mayster now wolde I also knowe how I myghte tourne in to thy praysynge & louynge thoo affeccions that I fele other whyle rysynge within me / of whiche I doubte whether they come of kynde or of grace / And also how I myʒte torne in to thy louynge & praysynge of y^e my creatour / & bere not oonly good thyngys / but also euyll thyngys as ben euyll sty­ryngys wroughte by the wretchid aūgels / & generally yeue to thy preysynge all thynges wroughte herde & seen / and felyngly perceyued and knowen.

To these thre questy­ons by order / we yeue to the these maner an­sweres / ¶ Firste as touchynge the affecci­ons that y^u spekest of his is harde to knowe one fro an other / by cause of her grete lyknesse And therfore all suche affeccyous that ben clene & honeste / as is Ioye of spirite & lykinge stirynges that strengthentheto Inwarde gladnesse / or els it fallyth other whyle to swete teerys / All suche affeccions and styrynges y^e whyche y^u knowest not of whens they comen / ne whider they gone / All suche swete affeccōns anone as y^u felyst thou shalt offre [Page] hem vp to the creātour & maker of al thyngys wyth inwarde deuocyon in maner of that ac­ceptable sacryfyce that abel offryd to god / So that they be dispendid in to the louyng of hym that is auctour & maker of kynde and yeuer of grace / And so suche yeftis of grace y^e whyche in y^e maner ben of nature & as of hemselfe not merytorye thorouʒ the forseyde ende maye be made in maner aboue kynde & merytory.

¶ Touchynge the secoūde demande as often as y^u felyst y^e euyll suggestyons / or styrynges of wicked spiritis begynynge to ryse vp wy­thin the / anone ryse vp quykly in spirite & se­ye thus / Oo y^u hyest almyʒty god / I beseche the y^e my soule may fulfylle y^e place and office of this wicked spirite / by y^e whiche he shuld haue loued the if he had stande in euerlastynge blisse. lord I coueyte & desire y^t as ofte as this wicked spirite puttith in myn mynde these foule abhomynable thoughtys ayens my wylle / so ofte wyth all my desyre vnspekable louyng & thankyng be to y^e in euerlastyng blysse / And as ofte as I suffre these wicked styrynges putte in me of the fende / soo ofte I offre to the louynge and thankynge wyth alle myne [Page] affeccion / and so thou myʒte see how y^e to hem that louen god / all thyngis tournen in to the beste / as well the euyll as the goode / In as moche as the wicked suggestion of y^e spirite tourneth so in to / prosperite & mede of soule.

¶ Of the laste thynge that thou askedist thou shalt doo in this maner. what tyme thou perceyuest or seest in ony maner the passynge fayrnes of diuerse thynges / as is the wodeful of grene trees / or y^e mede ful of fayr flow­res. or the felde sowen wyth dyuerse cornys. & suche maner fayr creatures. lyfte vp thyn her­te & thyne eyen & stretche vp thy handes in to heuen / & seye wyth all the inwarde affeccyon of thy herte in these wordis / Oo y^u gentyl and moost feyrest wisdom after y^e excellent & fayr prerogatyues & graces of thys thynge / A thousande thousande of heuenly spirites my­nistrynge to the thankynges. and salue y^e on my behalfe / & ten thousāde tymes / an hūdreth thousand spirites y^t ben aboute the maye glo­fye the / & the vnyuersall melodye of al crea­tures may prayse the and loue y^e for me / now and euer wythoute ende / Amen.

Oo euerlastynge god sythen thy praysynge [Page] and louynge is soo lykynge here in the vaye of thys lyfe / what is hit in y^e countree of blysse / and sythen so lykynge is the mynde therof here / what is y^e presence therof elswhere. / But alas by this wōderful & vnspekable swetnes of thy praysynge / Oo y^u godly wisdom my herte is bothe gladyd and also with grete sorowe woūded / For what tyme I thynke how that I am in this valeye of wretchidnesse / & consider me so ferre fro the perfite louynge of the blys­sed spiritis bytwene the voyce of Ioyful praysynge and of mornynge. I breke oute and wyth teerys of sorowfull weymentynge I se­ye to the my lord thus. Oo my god who shall amonge so many trauayles and anguysshes / sorowes / and bytternes that here in thys worlde ben / comforte me and gladde my soule.

/ Loo now y^u hast where thorough y^u mayst cōforte the for y^e tyme. y^t is to seye thys boke of swete & lykynge praysynge of god y^e whiche if y^u wylte ofte tymes rede & beholde / y^u mayste therby in aduersitees be cōfortid / For goostly lykynge & gladnes of diuyne louyng & praysynge / here is a maner enterludye and ereneste of heuenly Ioyes where all my chosen [Page] children with ful mouthes and Ioyful hertes shallen loue & gloryfye me wythoute ende /

Oo thou desire & Ioye of my soule y^t maye not be expressed by worde my swettist loue passyng fayr a boue all other wythoute comparyson moost gentill / thou knowest wel that this is y^e cōdicion and propirte of feruēte loue. that y^t thynge y^t a man loueth inwardely he desirith y^t hit shulde be plesant to other. and coueytyth y^t hit shulde be loued and praysed of all other wythoute preiudyce of hym selfe / and as thou hast taughte thy synguler prerogatise of loue is suche / y^t to y^e moo that thy lo­uer comuneth the wythoute enuye the more perfytely he shall haue the in hym selfe /

Wherfore thow benygne spouse euerlastynge wisdom that arte besye of the hele & sauacyon of all other / thynke and shewe a waye conuenient by the whiche this loue of the and of y^e goostly weddynge of the maye be multyplyed orels as hit is waxen olde and feble in moche ydel folke that hit maye be sumwhat re­newed. soo that y^u suffre not this goostly weddynge of the perisshe in oure dayes / but that thou shede in to the hertis of dyuerse folke [Page] some maner grace. of renewynge therof / so y^t thou suffre the to be goostly weddid now in oure dayes / as thou hast ben here byfore to thi chosen derlyngys / Bowe the downe I beseche the by compassyon to oure infirmitees / & con­sider the malice of y^e tyme that now is / & teche vs & schewe some specyal maner: wherby they that ben not perfyte in thy loue / but as children that haue nede to be fedde wyth mylke maye be partyners of thy blessyng.

Sothli I am euer redy and all tymes to fulfylle that y^u askyst & to assente in to thys goostly wed­dynge / if there were ony that wolde feruently desire hit and trauayle therfore. But in dyuerse maners many desyren for to haue this li­kynge ernest. but fewe wyll trauayle therfore. Neuertheles as I haue behyʒt in the gos­pel that I shall dwelle with trewe cristen men in to the worldis ende / and that I shall neuer suffre the shyppe of petir that is holy chyrche perysshe / thouh̄ hit be ofte tymes shaken and trowbled in diuerse maners / And so fro the begynnyge of holy chirche as I haue chosen in dyuerse estatys diuerse persones to my loued frendes soo now shall I shewe the certeyne deuonte [Page] exercises & werkynges of loue / by the whiche men of diuerse degrees and estatis maye be goostely weddid to meand become myne special disciples / & how my loue maye be contynuelly renuewed behightynge morouer to all thoo that wylle be deuoute folowers of this doctryne of euerlastyng wisdom / y^e whiche is groūdid & foūdid vpon the stone of y^e apostles trewthe of that blessynge y^t was behighte to the sede of abraham & soo to the blysse of oure lorde Ihū crist they shallen be pertyners & heyres euer wythoute ende / Wherfore what so he be y^t coueytith & desiryth to be a louer and disciple of euerlastynge wisdom. of what ma­ner condicyon that he be / or of what estate or ordre or relygion man or woman / he shall besely kepe these thynges that folowen / the whi­che ben so temprid & ordeyned y^t they hauen none difficulte or hardnesse in hem selfe / but that euery man maye doo hem wythoute preiudice of his profession & estate / For sothly dyuyne wisdom purposith not by these thynges for to make or ordeyne ony specyal bonde or professyon / or ony maner constreynynge / but oonly a maner newe stirynge by free wylle of deuocyon [Page] / y^t h̄ath byfore in maner slepte / In y^e whiche he that wyll laboure & besy hym to fulfylle hit he dooth well & cōmendably / & he that wyl not doo hit / therfore synneth not nor trespassith Wherfore euery disciple of wisdom before all other thyngys shal forsake & leue flesshely loue if he haue ony / & take to his spouse & amyable frēde y^t fayr euerlastyng wisdom of god And if ony man perauenture be so boūden by ony maner pryuate loue / y^t hym thynkith to harde to hym sodeynly to be cōstreined therfro / at y^e leste lete hī haue a gode purpoos for to wyth drawe hym fro y^t vnclene loue as soone as he may thorouh̄ ony occasion by y^e helpe of god / And thoo men y^t ben not boūden through er­thely loue / but neuertheles ī to thys tyme thei hauē ben neclygēte & slowe or dulle in to this loue of Ihū / they shallen as in a newe maner wedde hem to this goostly spouse / & renewe hē selfe in to his loue y^t is god euerlastyng with a deuoute affeccōn / And y^t shal be done ī this maner / y^t is to seye as they were wonte to serue him as her lorde by drede / now they shallē be / aboute besely to plese h̄ym / & drawe to hym [...]s to her swete spouse by goostly & feruēt loue [Page] euermore thynkynge y^e excellēce / & y^e goodnes of thys dyuyne spouse / & how blessid bē thoo y^t maye be honourid with his frenship in this lyfe / And thys weddynge or els renewyng of olde weddynge / for more feruente / stirynge of deuocion shal not be done oonly wythinne forth in y^e soule / but also withoute forth by some sygne pryuely as by thre {pro}stracōns wyth a pr̄ nr̄ & an Aue at eury of hem to this entente / y^t he to god yeuyth hym selfe & offrith hī all holyly to so worthy a spouse & he of his grete mercy wyll yeue hem an ernest of that wedynge / y^t is to seye some newe grace in tokene of they bothe loues & truthes to other / the whiche nother deth ne lyfe / ne none other creature mayebreke / but laste wythoute ende.

¶ And for as moche as flesshely louers vsen to haue in her clothes some worde or token writen in mynde of her veyne flesshly loue. so shal y^e disciple of wisdom haue writen sūwher̄ priuely y^e name of his trew heuēly spouse Ihū to brynge the ofter to his mynde. For man̄es mynde is so freel y^t hit fallyth lyʒtely fro gode purposes y^t ben newe begon / but [...] yf hit be by sygnes ofte tymes renewed / Also the deuoute [Page] worshipers & disciples of euerlastyng wisdom mayen if they wylle euery daye seye or rede the shorte seruise of y^t wisdom y^t is wryten in latyn to clerkes / & they y^t can not rede / or els ben occupied lawfully on other maters / or els wylle chaūge y^t seruyse into shorte deuocyon they shalle in the stede therof seye. vij pr̄ nr̄s / that is for the seuen houres / y^t is to seye for euery houre / a pr̄ nr̄ / ¶ And this shal be her entente in the seyenge of thys seruyse that the dyuyne wysdom kepe her hertys & bodyes y^t they be not cumbred & gnared wyth thys folyssh worlde that is now in these dayes ful of va­nite & wickidnesse / but that they maye goo warely & wysely / so that they be preserued & kepte fro al wickidnesse & perylles / Also at the borde or they begynne to ete they shal saye a pr̄ nr̄ / & after mete a nother / or els Deprofūdis as for a spirituel almes to thoo soules that in purgatorye hauen moost nede / Ta­kynge hede how perillous hit is to ete wythoute rewarde y^e almes of hem y^t ben passed. & not serue to hem by nedful helpes trewely / & on y^t other syde how merytory hit is to helpe hem that in none maner maye helpe hem selfe /

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And with how grete kyndnes they ben glad for to receyue for her refresshynge in so grete wretchidnes the leste drope or the leste crūme that falleth down fro her lordes boorde /

And that this deuoute exercise be y^e more acceptable to piteuous soules / Hit is to wite y^t on a time as a deuoute persone of relygion approbate amonge other toke on newe thise prayers to seye / & namely that Deprofundis for desolate sowles wyth inwarde deuocion there apperyd to hym in a vision many soules y^e whiche were in paynes of purgatorye / & by her foule abite & sorowful chere y^t thei shewid they dide hym to vndirstōde piteuously y^t they had nede of goostly benefices & helpe / amonge y^e whiche one specyally came to y^e forseyde per­sone / & wepynge asked y^t he wolde lette hym be y^t begger of hym / to whom he shulde euery daye atte y^e mete yeue y^t Deprofundis / as for his spirituel almes / Of the whiche vision he was afterwarde styred more feruently to y^t goostly almes / Also y^e disciple of euerlastynge wis­dom shal seye ones on y^e day / a pr̄ nr̄ to y^t swettist & moost heelfull name Ihū / to y^t entente y^e he oure lorde oure sauyour saue and kepe all [Page] the disciples of euerlastyng wisdom / & he as moder of holy chirche saue and kepe hem from al aduersitees / & defende hem fro the deceytis of her enemyes / & for y^e reuerence of so worthi a name seyeng eyther byfore or after this prayer ¶ Bn̄dictū sit nomē dn̄i nr̄i Ihū xp̄i dei / & gloriose virgīs marie matris ei{us} ineternū et vltra amen. ¶ And herof ben Indulgences / the reson & the cause of this prayer to thys name is this / y^t he is swete Ihūs y^t whiche swetnes in many now a dayes is quwenchid / & deuocion is caste oute fro y^e hertis of suche folke / y^e whiche sechen thoo thyngys y^t ben to hee owne propre tēporel profyte / & not y^e worship of Ihū criste / & for this swete name maye be quykned & brouʒt into y^e hertys of crystē men more plenteuously / & renewe loue ayen there y^t it is wythdrawe / the forseyde exercise of pite & of charite shall be seyde & cōtynued / for this castyng oute of Ihū from hem y^t were sōtyme his byloued frendis / he euerlastyng wisdom hath aperid in vision to some creaturis. and complayned wyth a piteuous voyce cryeng to hem / Also these dayes folowynge shall be kepte in special deuocion to this dere spouse [Page] euerlastyng wisdom / y^t is to seye / the firste day y^t is ordeyned by holy chirche for the storye of wisdom to be songen / y^t is to seye the sondaye of Auguste. And also what tyme that by fore the vygyle of y^e natiuite of oure lorde is begon at euensonge y^t antheme O sapīa. &c. ¶ And thoo dayes y^t folowen vnto y^t gloryous nyʒte in the whiche the sone of y^e fader of heuen y^t euerlastyng wisdom vouchedsafe to be born in to this world some special mynde be made there of in preuy prayers by an antheme or collecte. or the Pr̄ nr̄. And who so wolde in these dayes synge a specyall masse of y^e euerlastyng wisdom / hit were plesyng to him Ihū Also there ben yet thre dayes in the yere the whiche shulde be had in mynde & prynci­pally kepte of all the disciples and louers of wisdom / soo that they in eche of these doo some spirituel seruise to this goostly spouse / And the firste daye is the Circumcision of oure lorde / For in this daye begynnyth the yere and after the custome of certeyne londes they that ben knytte togedir by loue specyally vsen to yeue eche other [Page] yeris yeftis / & desiren good yere to come to hem / So in the selfe maner for to excite & sty­re the slūbrynge soule in to y^e loue of god / euery deuoute & loued disciple of wisdom in thys daye shal in his entente come to his oonly loued spouse dyuyne wisdom / & aske of hir trewly as for a yeeris yefte / prosperite & good yere goostly to hym selfe & to all the disciples of hir and to all holy chirche / seyenge therfore some specyal prayer / or els they that maye offre a taper or a serge byfore the aulter of the cru­cifixe in worship of hym that is euerlastyng lyʒte In token of y^t the trewe disciple know­lechith & asketh y^t he myghte haue all his hele & wel fare ī this vnstable tyme oonly of thys dyuyne spouse / & y^t his loue aboue maye brenne & lyʒte in his hert / and then̄e shal he aske y^t yf hit so be that perauenture this loue be quenchid by ony occasion / that hit maye so merci­full be ayen lyʒtenyd / that hit neuer after ma­ye be quench̄id / The seconde daye is the sōne daye In quinquagesima / with two dayes folowynge / that is calld schroftyde / and in laten / Carnipriuiuz. And this tyme is had all in vanitees & lustys and lykyngys of the [Page] flesshe / wyth folysshe louers of the world / For then̄e they ben wonte for to come togedir frendis & felawes / & feest other lustely / and wyth grete excesse in fedynge of the foule flesshe in many maners / wherfore in contrarye maner herof & in token y^t that dyuyne spouse shall be to hir disciple all maner of Ioye & solace & lo­ue bothe in this world & that is to come / for stirynge & excitynge of deuocyon / & quyknynge of his dulle herte / euery trewe disciple shal worship h̄is forseyde spouse / thys tyme in maner as hit is seyde byfore wyth specyal deuocyon & trewe entencyon / The thrydde daye is y^e firste daye of y^e moneth of Maye Whan so­mer bewte that is to all men and to beestes & briddis gladsom and Ioyfully begynneth / & the growynges of the erthe maketh fayr to shewe And thenne is the custome of diuerse countrees that yonge folke gone on the nyʒte or erly on the morowe to medewes & wedes / And there they kytten down bowes y^t haue fayre grene leues and arayen hem wyth flowres / and after they setten hem byfore the dores where they trowen to haue in her louers in token of frenship & trewe loue / So in goostly [Page] maner of a flesshly customes be made deuoci­ons as hit is ordeyned by holy chirche of y^e first daye of Nouēbre. So y^t thoo thynges y^e bē done of suche flesshely louers to deedly creaturis / the disciples of god doon hem deuoutly to y^e maker of all creatures / & y^t the more besely & fer­uently / in as moche as wythoute doubte thys godly lord & spouse passith wythoute cōpary­son al erthely creaturis / & plentyuously yeueth his yeftis of grace [...] vs / Wherfore y^t daye these disciples in excytinge theyr deuocōn to her dere worthy & godly spouse. shall offre bodyly lyʒte / wyth seyenge some deuoute prayers recommendynge hem to her spouse affectuously / The disciples also of wisdom muste worship specyally that worthy moder of the souereyne kynge euerlastyng wysdom the whiche gloryous lady vouchethsafe to take hem as hir owne sones to hir derest byloued sone / & hath the cure of hem by deoderly affeccion.

Wherfore euery deuoute disciple of wysdom shall worshippe hir euery daye wyth the aū­gels gretynge .ix. tymes seyde one.

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Aue maria

¶ He shall seye on the morowe what tyme that he rysyth firste out of his bedde knelynge to this entente that all the goode dedes that he shall doo that daye / he putte deuoutly in to the handes of thys lady quene of heuen / So that what tyme thys reuerente and beste lo­ued moder shall presente hem to hir sone the souereyn kynge / that they maye be plesaunt & acceptable to hym at the reuerence of soo worthy a medyatour / y^t whiche perauenture shulde be but litil worth / or fowle and not accepta­ble if they were presented inmediatly by the handes of a synfull man Also at euen laste whan he is towarde his bedde after all other prayers seyenge that. Aue maria.

That he maye the more sykerly slepe he shall aske of hir that what soo euer he hath that daye lefte vndone that he shulde haue do­ne / by hir be fulfylled / & that he hath euyl done by hir be relesid and foryeuen / and that that he hath by her helpe done well / that by hir it be [Page] kepte and suportyd. Also they shall seye vij. tymes Aue maria / Soo that swettist herte of goddes moder that is the moost piteuo{us} refute of all synfull creatures / y^t she mercyfully open y^t priue chambre of euerlastynge wisdom thorouh̄ hir meditacōn / & bowe hit to al y^t disciples of thys wysdom hir sone in the laste passyng oute of her spiritys / & that she then̄e wouchesafe to defēde hē fro al enmyes / & bryng hem with her to the paleys of heuen fynally / & at the leste euery yere the nexte daye that fo­lowith all soules daye / for all these disciples of euerlastyng wisdom that ben dede & for all her dere frendes / they that ben preestes shallē seye a masse / And they that ben not offre or seye a hundreth tymes / pr̄ noster / Muttynge therto this supplicacōn in her prayers / that oure lorde god almyghty by his euerlastyng wisdom mercyfully helpe and socoure holy chirche in short tyme / and suffre it not to be desolate / and of his grete mercy putte hit in to pees & tranquyllite now & euer amen / Ferthermore if there were ony creatures soo feble or [Page] seke or so occupyed in lawfull occupacions y^t they were lettyd therby fro y^e forseyde exercise or els if they were of harde herte in seculer af­feccion / that for her dullnes they knowe not all y^e forseide techynge / ne may not aplye to y^e entēt y^t is seyde / Lette hem then̄e seye ix. pr̄ nr̄s wyth so many Auees. & doo y^e forseyde suffragye with a general entēcyon that other done wyth a special deuocyon / and hit suffysith / Now atte the laste sayth dyuine wysdom for to goo ayen sōwhat to oure firste purpoos y^u mayst cōsider y^t thys is myn ful profitable doctrine that semyth but symple in spekynge / but sothely hit is full of al goostly fruyt in wer­kynge / And therfore hit shal be takē of the wyth souereyne deuocyon / For as y^u seest and mayst fele in experience thereby / the feruour of deuocyon is kyndelyd / goodis seruise is encresed / men̄es neyghbours bē profitably edyfyed / & to y^e soules in purgatorye piteuous helpe is ministred / And hit may not displese to ony man by ryʒte reson examined / but hit be to the enuyous backebiter & detractour / or to hem y^t haue her vndirstondyng blynded / & her affec­cion indurate & hardyd / Wherfore kepyng [Page] the ordre of charyte here drawe first deuocyon to thy selfe / & after be aboute for to profyte to y^e hele of thyn neighbour soules. ‘¶ Nota or̄onem pro discipulis eterne sapīe.’

Oo y^u souereyne herte loue of my soule to whome oonly I haue cōmittid me all hooly / desyryng that hit be cōtynued perpetuelly / now also at y^e laste I haue a worde to speke to the / & firste I yelde thākynges to y^e my beste beloued lord & spouse for these & all other benefices / wyth­oute nombre / y^t y^u haste yeuē to me of thy grace all oonly / To the loue Ihū be louyng glorie worship & Ioye withoute ende. and I beseche the with brennynge desire with al my herte / y^t by y^e inwarde steryng of thyn mercyes / & by y^e v̄tues of y^t rose rede blode that y^u sheddist habūdantly in thy passyon for mānes saluacyon / that al thoo the whiche haue purposed hem to wedde the euerlastyng wisdom in maner by­fore seideby deuoute exercises of praiers / or els besyen hem to comune hē forth to other trewe cristen soules / y^t al these y^u my kyng & my god blesse he wyth an heelful blessyng / For sothly y^u arte y^t blessid fruyt y^t of olde tyme was by hoten to the world in y^t poynte syngulerly pryuylegid [Page] / y^t who so euer y^u blessiste he shal trewely be blessed / wherfore thou my fader blesse these children y^t ben thyn louers & disciples / wyth the blessyng of the patryarkys / & al thy chosen derlyngys the whiche pleseden the fro y^e begynnynge of the worlde y^t they maye at the laste be gaderid & Ioyned to y^t blessed nombre wyth Ioye / Thy louely & gloryo{us} name I beseche the be clippid vpō hem / y^t hit be to hem / an heelfull defēce in al diuerse perilles of thys worlde / thyn euerlastyng wisdom teche hem & dresse hem ī al her dedis / the aungels of pees kepe hem in prosperyte & in god / heele of body & soule & in grace alwey. Lord yeue hem tyme & space of penaūce y^t by verey cōtricōn & clene cōfession & dewe satisfaccion they maye be turned before herdeth to the her creatour & her maker {per}fytely to the reconsyled / and also whan they ben trauaylynge at her laste passynge fro thys lyfe that they maye be sykerly helpen & defendyd wyth the worthy receyuynge of thy holyest body in sacramēt / so y^t they be neuer ouercome wyth sodeyn & vndysposed deth / Lorde for thy name do hem this grace / y^t as they now seruē y^e wyth [Page] these deuout exercises & seruises so ī y^e last hour of her yeldynge vp y^e goost be they blessed of y^e & bi thy swete moder y^t is thy moder of mercy / be they brouʒt gloryously to y^e kyngdom of heuen / Where all the cōpany of heuen & multy­tude of blessid spiritis / after y^e exile & sorowe of this life shall be Ioyfull made dronkyn of grete plēte of swetnes y^t is in goddes pre­sēce / seenge y^e kynge of blysse. & mayster of al vertues in y^e godhede Ihū criste oure lorde / y^e whiche wyth y^e fader & the holy gooste lyuen & regnen god euerlastyng worlde wythoute ende.

¶ De prima vtilitate tribulacionis. Ca: j.

THe firste prouffite of tribulacōn is vnderstonde y^t is a trewe socoure or helpe sente fro god to deliuer the soule fro the hand of his enemyes. whiche enemies ben th ise. Priue suggestions of the fende that cruell enemye / false Ioyes and rychesse of the worlde. that disceynable enemye. vnclene lus­tis of the flesshe that homly enemye. These enemyes slayn the soule in so moche the more perliously that thei disceyuen it with false feyned frēdshippe so priuely. The whiche ben figured by Ioab ij. regum. xx. That feyned him fren­de [Page] to Amase holdyng hym by the chynne as he wolde haue kissid hym. and soo wyth his swerde in that other hande priuely slewe hym Vpon thys seith saynt gregory / yf ony fortune is to be drede, mochemore is to be drede prosperitee than aduersitee / as shewith openly

And note well that god ordeyneth all thyngys in tribulacōn to the delyueraunce of his seruaūte. as he behotyth by the prophete dauid seyng thus. ¶ Cum ipso sum in tribulacione eripiam [...]um & glorificabo euz. ¶ I am wyth him in tribulacōn I sh̄all deliuer hym of tribulacōn & I shal glorifie him for tribulacōn. For as moche then̄e as god is wyth vs in tribulacōn we sholde suffre it pacyētly & gl­adly / for y^e more y^e tribulacōn greuyth y^e y^e more nerer god nygheth to y^e / As the prophete seyth ¶ Iuxta ē dn̄s hijs qui tribulato sūt corde & hūiles spū saluabit ¶ Oure lorde god is faste by to hem that ben in tribulacōn of herte. and he shal saue hem that ben meke of spirite / Therfore if y^e payne of tribulacōn maketh the heuy & greuyth the / The myghte and the mercy of god thy sauyour that is with the in tribulacōn shulde Inwardly comforte the: [Page] But now perauenture thou myghtest, answere and seye thus / The bitter peyne of tribula­cōn I feele well / But swetnes of his felyship in tribulacyon feele I none / For if he shewid to the presente swetnesse of his myrthe as he dooth the bitternesse of tribulacōn y^u shulde suffre it / Also perauenture y^u woldest seye that afore trybulacōn thou feliste more swetnesse in god than thou dideste whan thou were in tribulacōn Herto maye be answerd y^t y^e frendship of god in tribulacōn is vnderstonde in two maners / Firste righte as tribulacōn encresith soo god multiplieth grace & vertue / as the apostle seythe in cō{rum} .x:

¶ Fidelis est enim deus qui non pacietur vos temptari supra id quod potestis sed fa­ciet eciam cum temptacione prouentum vt possitis sustinere ¶ God is full trewe y^e behotyth to defende his seruaūntys in tribula­cyon / whiche shall not suffre you to be temp­tid more than ye maye suffre / but also more ouer he shall make puruyaūce in tribulacōn that ye maye suffre it / that is to seye he shall yeue grace & vertue for to suffyr tribulacōn paciently and gladly / Example as lordes sende [Page] socoure & helpe to comforte her seruanutys y^t ben in castellis bysegyd of her enemyes /

Righte soo our lorde god sendyth comforte of grace to soules y^t ben bisegid wyth temptacy­ons of tribulacōn. ¶ The seconde maner of felyship of god in tribulacōn / as the apostill seythe. i. co{rum}. ij. Sicut habundāt passiones cristi ī vobis. Ita habundat consolacio vestra As y^e passions of crist encreason in vs so encressith oure comforte / cristys passyons encreasyn in vs whan they ben sente from hym mekely and paciently suffre hem as goddys seruauntys / & not as mensleers / & thefes whi­che haue deseruyd that they suffre & / vnderstonde well / that comforte of grace in tribulacyon is not alwaye yeuen to be felte of hym that is in tribulacōn / And that is for he shulde preue hymselfe he shulde drede god & truste in hym to be delyuerd / As we rede in y^e boke of holy faders of seynte anton / How he aftir many spirituell temptacyons / was troubled of fendis bodelyche betyn and woūded all h̄is body Soo that whan his seruaunte came to visyte hym lyenge as dede / And soo he toke hym vppe and bare [Page] hym in to the nexte towne where he was watchid tille aboute mydde nyghte / And then̄e by the wyll of god he releued. & badde his ser­uaūte pryuely alle other slepyng bere hym ayen and so he dide / And whan he was brouʒte ayen thyder soo feble that he myghte not stonde / but sittynge vp he seyde thus / Where be ye euyll spiritis wyked fendys / Loo I am here by the myghte of god redy to wythstonde all youre malyce / And aftir thyse & many other wonderfull temptacōns / oure lorde apperid to him in a wonderful lyght and comfortable To whom holy saynte auton seyde / A lorde Ihesu where hast thou ben soo longe from me in tribulacōn / And oure lord answerid & sayd here wyth the beholdyng thy fyghtynge / redy. to rewarde to the after thy vyctory as I am wonte to doo for my chosen chyldrē / For wyte thou well that comforte oweth not to come tyll that a place be arayed therto by trybulacyon / Also we rede of Sare y^e doughter of Raguel. Thobie. iij.

¶ Hoc autem acertum habet omnis qui colit te quia vita eius si in [Page] temptacione fuerit coronabitur. Si aūt in tribulacione fuerit liberabitur / Et si in correp­cione fuerit. ad mīam tuam peruenire licebit. Non enim delectaris in {per}dicionibus nostris quia post tēpestatē tranquillū facis / & post la crimacionem & fletum exultacionē infundis: ¶ Eueri man that worshippeth y^e god hath this forcerteyne / y^t yf his lyfe be here in temp­tacion / he shal be crowned / And yf he be in tribulacion he shall be delyuerd / And yf he be in chastisinge It shall be leefull to come to thy mercy. Thou delyghtes not in oure perisshinges / For after tempestys thou makest tran­quillytee / And after teeris & wepynge y^u sen­deste gladnesse / as the prophete seythe.

¶ Secūdum multitudinē dolorū meorū con­solaciones tue letificauerunt aīam meam.

¶ After the multitude of my sorowes in my hert thy comfortes haue glad my soule / His cōforte of one houre ouerpassyth the sorowes of tribulacyon of many yeres / For god that cometh for to helpe and comforte after tribu­lacyon shall abide wyth y^e gladynge thi soule And perauēture if thou playnest y^e that thou taryeste ouerlonge abidinge his comforte.

as louers he wonte to playne Herto answe­rith a grete clerke casiodorus:

¶ Ipsa velocitas dei desideranti & amantitarditas videtur ¶ The swyftnesse of god to a disiryng and a louynge soule semeth longe taryeng / Or thus a thynge that is moche coueyted semeth grete taryeng to a louyng soule / then̄e of thise toforseyde maye be con­cluded that a soule discomforted in trybulacōn oweth not to holde hymselfe ouercome of his enemyes / but rather delyuerd. Sythe thenne that this is sothe that tribulacyons delyuer vs from oure enemyes though it soo be that they be somtyme heuy & chargeable / yet neuer thelesse thei shulde be suffrid paciently and gladly wythoute grutchyng / For if we grut che ayen tribulacyons / then̄e we stryue ayen ourhelpers / and we helpe our enmyes / And for we be not strong of oure selfe to delyuer vs from oure enemyes / praye wee to god mekely seyenge wyth the prophete /

¶ Da nobis dn̄e axilium de tribulacione.

¶ Lorde god graunte vs helpe of tribulacy­on

¶ De secunda vtilitate tribulacionis.

THe seconde prouffite of tribulacōn is that it stoppith the malyce of the sende / For he is aferde to tempte the soule that is in tribulacōn / for he dredith hym to be ouercome / or els refusid / & y^t is fygured by y^e frendis of Iob / Where it is seyde Iob. iij.

Nemo loquebatur ei vbum videbāt enim do­lorem ei{us} vhementem. Noo man spake to hym a vorde they sawe his sorowe was soo grete Thyse feyned frendys of Iob betokē wycked fendys y^t vexen or trauayl̄en soules. wh̄yche dare not come nyghe a soule that is in tribu­lacyon / ne tempte it beynge distroubled / And not oonly tribulacyon stoppeth the malyce of the fende / but also there thorough the comforte of angels and of sayntes / as we rede of holy faders many one of whiche one cometh to mynde / Abotte sysoy after moke suffering of certayn tribulacyons & dissesis A litill to fore the soule shulde parte from the bode / He seyde brethern be gladde / loo holy anton cometh to vs. and soone after he seyde / loo here comē y^e worshipfull companye of prophetys / And y^e thirdde tyme he seide / Now comen y^e holy apos­tles. & as it semed hem y^e stode about he spake [Page] wyth hem. & then̄e they prayed hym y^t he shulde telle hem wyth whom he spake / & he answerd and seyde wyth holy Angels that came to ta­ke my soule / And I prayed hem abide a while that I shulde suffre more penaūce / And they se wordes seyde the spirite passid wyth grete lyghte. All they felynge a wonderfull swete sauour / Noote well y^e there is noo peryll in tribulacion of temptacions / soo that thou ans­were not to hem by delectacyon or consentyng as the speche of an openly cursyd man noyeth notte. but yf thou answere hym / That is fy­gured in holy wrytte / Where it is seyde / Isaye xxxvj. ¶ Mandauerat enim rex Ezechias ne populus responderet blasphemijs rapsacis / ¶ Kyng Ezechie commaūdid. y^t the peple shulde not answere to y^e blasfemies of that tyraunte Rapsacis / By Rapsacis is vnderstonde the fende / And by his blasphemies ben vndirstonde temptacōns of wicked thoughtys / y^e whiche noyen not but if thou wylfully assente to hem / And if y^u fele y^e feble by freelte of thy flesshe / praye thou god besely in tribulacyon / that he stoppe the maliciouse [...]mptacion of the fende / as the prophete seyth [Page] Lorde god graunte vs helpe of tribulacyon.

¶ De tercia vtilitate tribulacionis. ¶ Capitulum .iij.

THe thirde prouffite of tribulacōn is that it purgeth the soule / But it is to wyte that there is v. maner of pourginges / one is pourgyng of mannes body. for corrupcyon of wicked humours / and that is on / two ma­ners. One is by medicinable drynkyng. Another is by crafty bloode letyng / The seconde pourging is of metalle / as golde by the fyer. and Iren by the fyse / Te thirde pourgyng is of trees / as of cuttyng of vynes of vnfrute­full braūches / The fourthe pourgynge is of corne as betyng or thresshyng wyth a flayle / The fifth pourgyng is of grapis and that is by a pressoure / On thus many maners god doothe pourge y^e soule by tribulacōn / For as the body is pourgid by medicinable drinkys of euyll humours / Ryght soo the soule made clene by tribulacyons sente fro oure souereyn leche oure lorde god of veyne affeccyons and euyll maners / For seynte Gregorie seythe.

¶ Mali humores. sunt mali mores.

¶ Euyll humours ben euyll maners [Page] Drinke this medicine of tribulacion sente to the fro god / For he is a wyse leche / & knoweth all thy pryue syknesse / and howe moche thou mayeste suffre / and how moche thou nedeste: For he sendeth the noo thyng but that that is prouffitable to the / And he that hathe tasted and assayed and dranke it afore the / not for himselfe / but for thy pourgyng he suffrid the passyon of deth / wherof he seyde to the apostles Ioh̄n. and Iames. M / xx. ¶ Potes­tis bibere calicem quem ego bibiturus sum. ¶ Maye ye drynke the passion that I shall drinke / ¶ Then̄e sythen this wyse leche hath dronken thys medycine for thy loue / Drin­ke thou therof wythouten drede / for it is hol­som / This drinke thristed the prophete dauid whan he seyde / ¶ Calicē salutaris accipiam & nomē dn̄i inuocabo. ¶ I shall take y^e hol­som passion of tribulacion. And yf y^u thinke it bitter clepe thy lorde god into thyne helpe as he seyde ¶ Da (nob)nobis dn̄e &c̄. Lorde god graūte vs helpe of tribulacōn / And as a purgacyon shulde be resceyued hastely withoute ouer moche tastyng or longe taryeng / soo shulde tribu­lacōn be acceptid willfully / wythoute argu­mentys [Page] of disputynge or rebellyon of grut­chynge. But now be well ware / For somty­me as the prouffite of the medicine is lettid. and werkith the contrarie to corrupcōn. Not for the defaute of the medicine / but for y^e euyll disposicion of hym y^t receyueth it / So / in the same wyse the prouffite of tribulacōn is lettid of purgacyon and dooth the contrarye / For it is beginnyng of payne / aftir whiche folowith euerlastyng dampnacyon / As we rede of kynge Pharao kynge of egipte. For the more that he was visited by tribulacyon / the more his rebellynge herte encresyd in to his dampnacion / The seconde purgacōn of man̄es body for euyll humours / is by crasti blode letynge & y^t is on two maners / as by openyng of y^e veine / or els by boxyng or vētusyng Opening of y^e veyne is approprid to cōfession / & boxyng or ventusynge to tribulacyon / And note well y^e ryʒte as foule blode corruptith y^e body / so syn̄e which̄ is callid in holy writte blode defouleth y^e soule / The veyne by y^e whiche this blode or sinne is voyded oute is the mowthe / as it is seid xii. x ¶ Vena vite. os iusti. qr iust{us} ī principio accusator ē sui. ¶ The mouthe of a riʒt [Page] full man is a veyne of lyfe / For the rightfulle man in the begynnynge blameth hymselfe. that is to seye by confessyon / and also note / that as a man owyth by thys veyne to voyde oute wicked bloode to pour­gyng of hys body / and kepe the good bloode to his norisshinge / righte soo in confession he oweth by his mowthe to shewe all his syn­nes / and wythholde & kepe preuy all his / good dedis / for fere of lesing / For good dedis shewyd in confessōn by veyne glorie or auaūtyng turnen from vertue vnto vyce / for defaute of wyse kepyng / As we rede of the pharise that seyde luc xviij. ¶ Gracias tibi ago dn̄e. quia non sum sicut & ceteri hoīm raptores / adulteri velut eciam hic publicanus / ieiuno bis in sabato decimas de ominū que posideo. ¶ Lorde I thanke y^e / for I am not lyke as other men / robbers and auoutrers / Also not lyke this publicane / I faste twyes in the we­ke I paye tythes of all that I haue / Loo here thou mayste vnderstōde by this pharisee a false feyned & a proude confession /

¶ Sed publicanus a longe stans noluit ad celū oculos leuare / sed percuciebat pectus suū [Page] dicēs Deus propici{us} esto m̄ peccatori. But y^e publicane stonding aferre behynde / holdyng himselfe vnworthy / wolde not lift vp his eyē to heuen / but he smote his herte & seide / God haue mercy on me / And so this publicane yeede thens / iustified or made right by his very meke cōfession / To this accordeth y^e veri prophe­te Dauid where he seyth thus / ¶ Dixi cōfi­tebor aduersū me īiusticiā meā dn̄o & tu remisisti impietatē peccati mei / ¶ I shall know leche by meke cōfessyon ayens myselfe to my lorde myn vnrightwysnes / & y^u haste foryeuē y^e wyckidnes of my syn̄e / Boxyng or vētusing accordeth to tribulacōn / For as many disesis as god sendith to y^e in tribulacōn / soo many remedies he ordeyneth for thy purgacōn / But note well as it is nedefull a fore ventusyng y^e flesshe to be hette & chauffyd / for then̄e y^e smyttyng of y^e blood Iren maye be suffrid more e­sely / So it is spedefull afore tribulacōn / y^t y^e herte be heted wyth perfight loue & charitee / y^e tēptacōn of tribulacōn maye be suffrid y^e more paciētly & gladly / In figure herof the holy­goost came downe to the apostels in likenes of fyre / By whom they were soo strengthed & [Page] comforted they were gladde / and yeden Ioy­enge / for they were had worthy to suffre tri­bulacōn angre / & repreffe for y^e name of Ihū The whiche afore y^e tyme were so dredefulle y^e they fledde a waye fro hym / And some forso­ke hym / as Petir y^e was prince of y^e apostles for fere of a woman swore y^t he knewe hym not / Ye whiche aftir the comynge of y^e holy­goost drad not the cruell tourmētis of Nero the Emperour / But paciētly & gladly suffrid to be crucified & dede / The seconde manere of materyall purgacōn is of metals / as golde bifyer & Iren by fyle / For ryght as y^e fyer departith golde from other metals / & pourgyth hym of ruste & filthe / & makith it fayre & clene / So tribulacōn departyth y^e soule fro his aduersaries / And maketh him to god louely & acceptable / & therfore it is seyde / Sapīe quinto / Tan quam aurum in fornace probauit electos dn̄s. & quasi holocausta hostie accepit illos / & ī tēpore erit respect{us} eo{rum}. Oure lorde hathe prouyd his chosen by tribulacōn as golde is prouid in the furneis / & he hath acceptid hem as sacrifice of offeryng / & in tyme of rewarde they shal be be holde wyth thys fyer of tribulacyon / As [Page] Iob was prouyd whan he seide. Iob xxiij. Probat me de{us} sicut aurum quod per ignē transit God prouith me by tribulacōn as golde that passith by the fyer / & note well y^t amonge all metallis golde is mooste precyouse / & sede is leste of price And yet neuertheles golde is not pourgid wythoute leede / For lede drawyth wyth him in the furneys the filthes of y^e gol­de / On the same maner chosen soules the whiche ben lykened to golde ben pourgid by euyll men / whiche ben likened to lede. wherof Sala­mon seyth / Stult{us} seruiet sapiēti. The foole shall serue the wyse man / Euyll men shall serue to pourge good men by tribulacōn / Also as Iren is pourgid by the fyle of ruste / & made shynyng & bryghte / so is the soule pourgid by tribulacōn from vnclennesse / & comfortid wyth goostly lyght / & as a knyfe that is not vsid abiding in the sheeth drawyth ruste. soo y^e soule wythoute exercise of tribulacōn desireth vnclene lust / as we rede of dauid / ij. regum ij. Whā he was without tribulacyōn of werrīg wyth his enmyes felle in to auoutre with the wyfe of Vrie that worthy knyghte / & aftyr in to homycyde or mān slaughter / Therfore seith y^e {pro}phete Ieremie: Fertil̄ fuit moab / ī die{bus}adoles [Page] cēcie sue / & requieuit in feci{bus} suis Moab. y^e whiche is vnderstonde the sone of my people was plenteuouse by grace in tyme of his try­bulacōn / & he hathe restid in filthes of synne. Then̄e grutche not ayens god whan he fyleth thy soule to make it fayre & clene louely & liʒt

Ffor els maye it neuer come to haue of hym y^e blessid sighte / wherof it seyde M. quinto ¶ Beati mundo corde qm̄ ipsi deū videbunt. Blessid bē thei y^t be clene of herte / for they shal see god / The iij maner of pourging that accordeth to tribulacyon is of trees / as cuttyng of vynes or voydyng of vnfruytfull braunches Wherof criste seythe Io. xx.

¶ Oēm palmitem in me non ferētem fructum tollet eū Et omnem qui fert fructum purgabit eū vt fructum plus afferat. ¶ Eueri vyne branche y^t bryngeth forthe noo frute in me y^t am a very vyne. my fader that is a tilyer shall kitte him of & caste him awaye. & y^e braunche y^t berith frute / he shal pourge hī / y^t he may brynge forth more frute By this vyne maye be vnderstōde mānes hert / by y^e humore is vnderstō­de affeccōn or loue / & by vnfrutefull braun­ches bē vnderstonde flesshly lustes / Inordinate [Page] loue of creatures / carnalle affeccōn of kynrede / & worldly richesse / Whan y^e humours of a vyne or of a tree is spredde aboute in to ouer many vnfrutuful braūches. It bringeth forth y^e lesse frute or els none / Then̄e it longith to a wyse tylyer or to a goode Gardiner to kitte of thyse vnfrutefull braūches / y^t the vyne or the tree maye brynge forth y^e better frute & the more. Right so almyghty god the whiche is a wise tylter & a souereyne gardiner cuttith awaye vnclene lustes of y^e flesshe wyth y^e knyfe of bodely syknesse / he cutteth awaye Inordynate loue of creatures wyth y^e hoke of aduersitee & tribulacōn He cutteth awaye carnalle affeccōn of kynrede wyth the swerde of dethe / And he cutteth awaye worldly richesse with his Iren rodde / as brennyg of fyre / drēchyng of water / robbyng of theues & suche other On all these maners dooth god chastyse and pourge by tribulacōn / For he wolde y^t the loue of thine herte shulde abide with him / & brynge for the plente of spūell frute in hym / & not abyde ne truste in suche disceyuable frendshippe For seynte Gregorye seyth Qui aūt labet īuititur Necesse est vt cū labente labatur / He that se­neth [Page] to a fallīg thing / nedis y^e falling he must falle The iiij. maner of materiall pourging y^t accordeth to tribulacōn is of corne. as bi betinge or thresshīg with afflayle to departe the cerne from the chaffe. wherof seynt Austin seith Quod flagello granū. quod fornay auw / {quod} luna ferro hoc facit tribulacio viro iusto. As y^e flayle seruith to corne / as y^e fyle seruyth to y^e Iren / soo seruith tribulacōn to y^e riʒtfull man As we rede. y^e the angel Raphael seide to thobie thobie .xij. Et qr accept{us}eras deo / Necesce fuit vt tēptacio {pro}baret be / And for y^u were acceptable to god it was nedefull y^t tribulacyon sholde preue y^e / For as betyng of a flayle constreyneth y^e corne to departe from y^e chaffe / soo tribulacōn cōstreyneth y^e herte to forsake y^e disceyuable loue of y^e world & the false frendship of synners. whiche are vnderstonde by chaffe. The prouffite of this flayle knewe y^e prophete whan he seide. Ecce ego ī flagella pat{us} / ū. Lo I am redy to suffre y^e betyng of tribulacōn / & therfore saith seynte Austyn. Noli cōquererede flagello tribulacioīs si vis hēre purū gra­nū & reponi cupis ī celo vbi nō nisi purū granū reponeret{ur}. Playne y^e not of y^e flayle of tribulacōn. [Page] If y^u wylte haue clene corne of cōsci­ence & if y^u wilte coueyte to be putte in y^e gar­ner of y^e blisse of heuen / in to y^e whiche y^u mayst not come. till y^u be clene pourgid. But be wel ware for as corne y^t is greue & moyste / & not rype ne dryed is not departid from the chaffe with y^e betīg of y^e flayle but rather cleueth therto. Soo it is for to drede y^e hertis y^e whiche a ren grene in begyn̄ynge of cōuersion & moyst in carnall affeccōn / y^e whiche haue not assa­id y^e prouffite of tribulacyon ben not departyd from the false frendship of her enemyes. But rather cleuen to hē / as though thei wolde be cōfortid by hē / For whan god sendith vs visitacōns for to pourge y^e soule y^t he louyth / be it by bodely sykenes. or losse of tēporal godes. or aduersite of enemyes / or ony other tēptacion of heuynesse. A none the herte rennyth al aboute to seke cōforte to haue mīde on the / Why shuldeste not be glad whan he sendyth to the suche tokens of loue / as he toke here for the. For he wolde y^t y^u shuldest haue mynde of hym / & knowe hym / For he is thy frēde & wyll not forgete y^t / For as many diuerse tribulacōns as he sēdeth to the / soo many sondrye messengers y^u [Page] haste cleping y^t & warnyng y^e to haue mynde on hym / But nowe perauēture y^u woldest seye y^t suche tribulacōns are not moost necessary to clepe y^e to haue mynde on him / But rather his gracyo{us} benefaytys of prosperite. For as seynte Austyn seythe / Dei bn̄ficia nil aliud fuit nisi monicōe [...] beniēdi ad eū / The bn̄fytes of god bē no thing els but warnynges or clepynges to come to hym. To this maye be answerid al though y^e graciouse bn̄faytes of god as yeftis of prosperitee / riches / bewte / & boūtee & suche other clepen y^e to haue mynde on hym. Yet neuerthelesse inordinate loue is soo cle­uynge to suche yeftis / y^t he wythdraweth thyn herte to haue mynde rather on the yeftis than on y^e yeuer Wherfore he playneth by y^e prophete seyeng. Expādi man{us} meas / & nō erat qui aspiceret / I haue spred out myn handes / y^t is yeuyng benefices / And there was noo man y^t wolde beholde / Qr oēs diligūt munera & seqū­tur retribuciōes. For all men louen yeftys & they pursuen aftir rewardes from y^e mooste to the leste / But fewe there ben or els none y^t beholden mekely knowing y^e yeuer of hē / Also perauenture y^u woldyst seye / all though it be [Page] according to god to clepe indurate & rebellyng hertis to knowe him by tribulacōn. Neuertheles it nedith not to good and meke hertys y^e whiche desire to knowe hym by benefaytes & yeftis / To this maye be seyde / all though good and meke hertys knowen the yeuerof hem by naturall delityng in benefaytes / yet neuertheles to the prouffite of perfighte kno­wing of god maye thei not come wythoute growyng of tribulacion / Example herof we reden y^t Salamon was clepid by benefaytes and yeftis. Iob was clepid by drawyng or takyng awaye of his temporell goodes / and sending him tribulacions and aduersitees.

But thyse tribulacyons broughte Iob to y^e perfight knowyng of god / Salamon by prosperitee felle in to folie lesyng the prouffite of perfighte knowing of god / What so euer y^u arte truste not that thou myghteste not longe abide in this knowyng in suche prosperitee. & therfore suffre paciently tribulacōns and aduersitees / And yf thou be discomfortid y^t they be many and grete / be thou comfortid. For y^e moo and the gretter that they ben to the / the more prouffite of knowyng of god they bryn­gen [Page] to the / And if thou can not yet fele ony comforte for frowardenes or freelte of thy selfe / pray to god that he comforte the in tribula­cyon. & graunte the grace to come to the prouffite of perfyghte knowyng of hym and seye. Da nobis domīe auxilium de tribulacione. Lorde graunte vs helpe of tribulacyon.

De quarta vtilitate tribulacionis. Ca iiij.

THe iiij. prouffite of tribulacyon is y^t it lygh̄teneth the to haue y^e knowyng of god. In whiche is perfeccion· and y^e prouffite of mannes knowyng / the whiche seynte Austyn desired seyeng in the boke of answeris to hymselfe. Libro soliloquiorum. Thus wolde god I shulde knowe y^e. and also it is wretyn in the boke of wisdom. sap̄. v·

Nosce te iusticia est consūmata To knowe the lorde god it is rightfulnesse ende of kunnynge / to this knowyng helpith tribulacōn / For as the rodde constreyneth a childe to bowe down his hede / and taketh hede vnto his boke / and recorde his lesson / So tri tribulacōn mekyth y^e herte / and makyth h̄ym to beholde his owne freelte / & to knowe god.

Wherfore seyth seynte Bernarde / Deus facit se cognosci verberando qui oblitus & incognitus erat percendo. God maketh hymselfe to be knowen in betyng wyth tribulacōn whiche was foryetyn / and vnknowen in his mercyfull sparyng / Daniel̄ iiij. Of this we haue ensample of y^e kyng Nabugodonosor whiche for pryde was caste oute of his kyngdom & liued with wilde bestis / & ete haye as an oxe But whan he lifte vp his eye to his maker of hole herte / his witte was restorid to hym a­yen, and he knewe god y^t chastised him / in tribulacyon. As the maner of chidren. whan they felen strokes sharpe of the rodde / They liften vppe her eyen to hem that smyten hem / For thei wolden y^t he shulde turne his face to hem by pitee. and by compassion. Now thenne thou lowely soule that arte vnder the rodde of tribulacyon / considre and knowe well that y^e maner of louers is for to sende yeftis / to­kens and preui lettris eche of hem to other / for to kepe loue and mynde and knowyng eche to other· On the same maner oure lorde Ihū crist as a true louer sendith to his treue louyd [Page] children suche tokens as he toke here for hem. ¶ For here he toke mankynde / in whiche he suffrid many tiribulacōns / detraccōns / blasphemyes / scornes / repreues / sclaundris. hun­ger thirste / and colde / & many betingys / sharpe scourgyngys / many thousandis / of grete woundes. and was nayled vpon the crosse / be­twene ij. theues / and deyed the shamefulliste dethe that the Iewes cowde ordeyne for hym / & aftir that he was rysen from deth / and stied vp into heuē / he kept his woūdes as for tokēs that thou shuldest knowe that he wolde haue mynde of the and neuer forgete the. as he seyde by the prophete Isaye / xlix.

¶ Nunquid obliuisci potest mulier infantē suū vt non misereatur filio vteri sui / et si illa oblita fuerit ego tamen nō obliuiscar tui. Ecce in manibus meis descripli te.

¶ Whether a woman maye foryete her chil­de that she haue noo mercy to the sonne of her owne body / And though she forgete her childe / I shall neuer forgete the. Loo I haue writen the in myne hondys / that is in all my wo­ūdes whiche I suffrid for loue of the / sithen it is soo that he kepith the shewyng of woun­dis [Page] as for a token of loue / And it hath grete drede there as is noo drede / as the prophete seythe. Ibi ceciderūt timore / vbi nō erat timor. They fellen down for drede / there as noo drede was / It maye be clepid a cursid comforte / that is sette rather in ony creature than in god / For the prophete Ieremie seyth Ieremie xvij. Maledictus homo qui confidit in homīe & po­nit carnem brachium suū & a deo recedit cor e­ius Cursyd be that man / that trystyth in man. and he that settyth ony creature to be his strengthe / and he that departyth his herte from god. But it maye be clepid a blessid comforte that is sette in god / as the same prophete seide. Benedictus vir qui confidit in dn̄o & erit dn̄s fiducia ei{us}· Blessid be that man that trustith in oure lorde god / and oure lorde shall be his truste / And than that we shall fully truste oonly in god in al maner tribulacyon / And drede false comforte & euyll counseille of oure enmyes. We haue ensample of Ochosias the kynge that sente mesengers to Belzebub the fende of Acharon to haue comforte & counseyle / whether he shulde escape the tribulacōn of sykenes or none / And god [Page] sent an angell to the prophete and bad hym se­ye to chosie / iiij. regū i. ē. Or misisti nuncios. ad consulendum belzabub deū accharon quasi non esset deus in israel a quo posses interogare sermonem / Ideo non descendes de lecto super quē ascendisti sed morte morieris. For thou hast sente mesengers to aske counseyle of bel­zabub the feende ef accharon / as though there were noo god in Israel / of whom thou myght teste aske comforte / therfore thou shalte not goo oute of the bedde that thou yediste vpon but thou shalte deye / Also that we shulde not loue the worlde ne truste in worldly thyngis saynte Iohn biddith j. Iohīs ij. Nolite diligere mundum ne{que} ea que in mundo sunt. Wyll not ye loue the worlde / ne worldly thingys &c̄. ¶ The v. maner of materiall purgacion is of grapis and that is by a pressour / For as a pressour pressith y^e grapes to parte the preciouse lycour of wyne from draffe and the draggys / Soo god pourgith the soule that he loueth in the presour of tribulacyon from corrupcyon and wickidnes of synne / Some tyme by bodely sykenesse / or preuy goostly heuynesse / and some tyme losse [Page] of temporell goodes: or persecucion / or sclaū­der of euyll men / and enmyes / Somtyme by lackynge of noble kynrede / or by dethe of faythfull frendys. And therfore suffre pacyētly the prouffite of thys pressour yf y^u wylte be broughte in to cristes blessyd celer / of why­che it is seide. Cant ij. Introduxit me dominus rex in cellam suam vinariam.

The lorde the kynge hath broughte me in to his wyne seler / Herto accordeth seinte Austin and seithe That holy martirs weren so pres­syd by tribulacōn in thys presente lyfe y^t y^e bodely mater was left in y^e pressour of thys er­the But the preciouse soules weren resceiued in to the seler of euerlastynge blisse / Grutche not ayens god yf he hathe putte the in his prison of tribulacion / For he hathe assayed it a­fore the / As Isaye the prophete seithe in the persone of criste / Isa. lxiij. Torcular calca­ui solus & de genti{bus} nō ē ibi mecū. I alone haue troden the pressour of tribulacōn / & noo man was ther̄ with me And note it y^t he serde no man / but he sayd not noo woman / for that blessid woman moder & mayde oure lady saynte Marie abode with hym in feithfull.

whan all the apostles fledde from hym.

And was redy to suffer dethe for the compassion of her sone / as the prophete Simeon seith luc̄ ij. Et tuam ip̄ius animam pertransibit gladius / The swerde of dethe shall passe tho rough thyne owne soule. Now then̄e sithen this is sothe that oure lorde Ihū criste hathe assayed thys pressour of tribulacōn / and that blessid lady his moder mayde marie / What so euer thou be y^t feliste the in thys pressour / take it mekely and gladly prayeng wyth y^e prophete. ¶ Da nobis dn̄e auxilium de tribulacōne Lorde god graunte vs helpe of tribulacōn.

¶ De quinta vtilitate tribulacionis Capitulum .v.

THe v. prouffite of tribulacyon is that it reuoketh or bryngeth the to know­ynge of thyselfe / For y^t herte that hath not putte awaye ferre from himselfe worldly and veyne glorye maye not truly fele ne knowe hymselfe / For that herte hathe more very knowyng of lighte / wherof the prophete Dauid seyde. Lumen oculorum meorū / & i{pre}m non est mecuz. Lighte of knowyng there is of myn eyen / but y^t lighte is not wyth me. Woo to hem that dispenden the lighte of her [Page] knowynge in vayne Ioye and vorldly thynges / & noo thynge to desyre the knowyng of hemselfe / But howe shulde thei knowe hemselfe that ben not wyth hemselfe / For the more that the soule louyth and desireth vayne Ioye and worldly prosperitees / the more ferther he drawyth from the knowyng of hym selfe.

And therfore seythe sainte Gregory As he y^t is besegid wyth enmyes dare not goo ferre oute / but he is cōstreined to goo ayen for drede So tribulacōn constreyneth y^e herte to tourue in to himselfe / And the moo aduersytees y^t ben aboute hym the fewer he hathe of rennynges oute from hymselfe. Thenne it is a bles­sid aduersitee that bringeth the in to thyselfe / and maketh the that thou hast mysgoon to tourne ayen / wherof it is seyde / Exod. xij.

Maneat vnisquisque apud semetip̄m.

Dwelle eche man with hymselfe / that is knowe he hymselfe / Abide he wyth hymselfe / for as an howse in wiche noo man dwellith is wastid and fallyth to noughte / Ryghte soo the herte that dwellyth or abydith not wyth himselfe. Woo to that herte that renneth from hymselfe al aboute lyke as dooth a Iaper or a [Page] Iogeler in to other mennes howses / For the mor̄ he sīgith Iapeth & Ioyeth in other men̄es places / The mor̄ cause he fyndeth in his owne place of sorowe & of wepyng / So the more y^t the herte deliteth him outeward in vayne thinges and worldly Ioyes the lesse he fyndeth in hymselfe wherof he shuld be comfortid / Therfore tribulacyon is full necessary to the herte to make hym tourne in to hymselfe / And it cōstreyneth hym to seye with the prophete.

¶ Conuertete anima mea in requiem tuam. Tourne ayen thou my soule in to thy reste / And also oure lorde god hauynge pitee of y^e soule that hath for wrappid hymselfe wyth worldly thynges seyth thus / ¶ Reuertere reuertere sunamitis. reuertere vt ītueamur te Tourne ayen tourne ayen thou wretche cay­tyfe soule / tourne ayen / tourne ayen that we mowe beholde the that y^u beholde thiselfe with y^e eye of cōscience / & y^e I maye boholde y^e whiche y^e eye of mercy O y^u soule that arte distourbled in aduersitees / suffre the to be reuoked to knowynge of thyselfe by tribulacyon / And namely for that tribulacyon byndeth or knytteth y^e to thy maker whom wyked and large fredom [Page] of the worlde hath lete rūne longe loose from thyselfe / Wherof speketh the prophete thus.

In funiculis adam traham eos & in vīculis caritatis. I shall drawe hem in the smale cordis of Adam and in the bondis of charite Thyse smale cordis of adam oure fyrste fa­der whiche longen to vs as by the waye of heritage are clepid all maner pouertees sente fro god to reserue the herte from vayne and worldly comfortes. by y^e whyche god drawith many one / as it semeth by vyolence / Wherof seith saynte Bernarde ¶ Trahimur. cū tribulacionibus exercemur. We ben drawen whan we hauntid wyth tribulacōn / therfore thou that arte streyned wyth thyse cordys & bondis of charitee suppose not that thou arte defoiled or forsaken. but the rather made fayr and chosen of god all though thou haste not that thou askiste / Ne trowe not hem they ben not streyned wyth thyse bondis to be in very libertee / though they haue y^t they asken. For lyke as the leche whan he grauntyth to y^e syke all that he desyreth it is a certayne sygne of deth / Ryght soo the false fredom of the world is certayne sygne of perisshinge / For [Page] the more frely they desyren and fulfillen her one desyre wythoute tribulacyon / the rather they fallen down in in to her dampnacyon

Therfore thou sely soule that arte troublid If thou wylte haue god to the merciable / suffre the to be restreyned with thyse bondis of tri­bulacyon / whiche comen fro god and drawen the towarde god / Wherfore oure lorde seide to the prophete Ezechiel. Ecce dedi vincula mea super te. Lo I haue yeuen my bondis vpon y^e / By thys is vnderstonde / that bondys of tribulacion ben the yeftys of god / and the more tribulacyon the strenger byndeth the soule to god / Also the prouffite of tribulacōn is that it spedith the waye to god / For as ma­ny tribulacyons as thou haste / soo many messengers god hathe sente to the / that thou hast to hym / and not let by the waye / Wherof seythe y^e prophete / Multiplicate sunt infirmi­tes eo{rum} postea accelerauerunt. Her sykenes were multiplied / and afterwarde they hastid hem to god / Herof seynte Gregory seyde.

Disesis that oppresson vs to haste to god compelle vs / Suppose thou not y^e benefytes of tribulacyon to be disese / for to delyuer the [Page] from a greuous pryson / and to haste thi weye to y^e kyndom of heuen / As it is seyde. Ecclesi­astici iiij. De carcere cathenis{que} interdum quis introducitur ad regum. From pryson and from Iren bondis other while a man is brought into a kyngdom / This pryson is callid al that the herte loued inordinatly in this worlde / Thyse Iren bondis are suche thinges that wickid affeccions be bounden to / But of thys prison god delyuereth many one by tribulacyon / as whan he puttyth awaye from hem thyngys that they louen inordynatly.

And that is figured by seynte Peter. y^t was kepte in herodis prison. whan oure lordys angell stode besyde hym and peters syde I smy­ten. He excited hym / & seide aryse vppe lyghtly And anone the Iren bondis felle from hys hondis / By the side of petir is vnderstonde thi brother that cam oute of the same side that y^u came of / Or els all thoo generally that aren alyed to the by kynrede / or by affinitee / For whan ony of thyse or all. whyche by lawe of nature ought to be thy frende is contraryo{us} to the / or els by ony other maner / Vnderstonde thou arte smyten in y^e syde / for that thou shul­dist [Page] goo oute of the prisone of inordinate lo­ue / and set thyne herte oonly in god that may not fayle the / But take good heede that as petir playned not on the smytyng on hys syde. Soo thou owest not to playne ne to greue y^e of tribulacyon / whiche delyuerith y^e fro the false and disceiuable loue and flesshly & worldli frendis / And yf the smytynge of tribulacyon in the side be sharpe and greuouse to suffre / beholde criste thy maker and thi brother woun­did in the side for thy loue / and thou shalte suffre it y^e more easely as a trewe knyghte whan he seeth his lordis woūdis / therfore refuse not the messengers of thy lord god y^t comen to clepe the wyth hym and constreyne the to haste towarde hym / For he that refusyth the mesenger refusyth his lorde. Whan is the mesenger refusyd / whan the herte wyth a vysemente cōtrarieth and grutchith ayens tribulacyon:

Note well that tribulacōn turmētyth in pourgyng / and it pourgyth in turmentyng But whan the herte grutchyth ayenst tribulacyon Then̄e he parteth pourgyng from turmentynge / For he kepyth the bitter turmente of tribulacyon / And he lesith y^e swete profitable pourgynge [Page] thorough his folye and contrarious grutchyng.

De sexta vtilitate tribulacionis. Capitulum .vj.

THe sixte prouffite of tribulacyon is y^t it is ayenste in payeng of thy dettis in whiche thou arte bounde to god whom thou maye not flee / ne disceyue / ne hide noothynge from hym of thy dettis / Thyse dettys aren penaunce whiche thou owest for thy syn­nes / And though euerlastynge penaūce be dette for one dedely synne by the rightwysnes of god / Neuertheles by his mercy It is chaūgid in to temporell penaunce by contrycion and confessyon And forthermore it is forye­uen by satisfacyon / and somtyme it is all re­l̄esid / and namely by tribulacyon Hewf vnderstonde well / for what soo euer thou suf­feriste paciently in tribulacyon. afore god it is acounted to him as for paymente of thy dette / For as a lordis anditoure somtyme in the ende of acountys layeth a counter of bras or coper or a nother thyng of lytyll va­lewe to be worthe or signifie an hundryd / pounde of [Page] golde. or siluer / Soo tribulacōn of lytyll tyme wyth pacyence resceyued in this presente lyfe delyuerith y^t from euerlastyng tribulacyon of the peyne of helle / And bryngith the to the euerlastyng blysse of the ryche kyng of heuen Wherof we haue example of the theyf that hinge on cristis ryghte syde / that whan he suffryd the tourmente of the crosse / and was bounde by dewe dette of synne to the payne of helle / He hauyng contricion of his wickidnes in that same houre turned hym to god & seyde / Lorde whan thou comest in to thy kyngdome thynke on me / and anone he was vnbounden and delyuered of al dette of peyne And herde the swete voyce of criste seyenge to hym / Amen dico tibi hodie mecum eris in paradiso /

Sothely I seye to the thou shalte be wyth me to daye in paradise / Woo to hym that noo thynge payeth of his dette in thys lyfe / but addyth synne \ vpon synne Woo to hym that of large expencys that he maketh shall be constreyned to come to a stre­ighte countes [Page] Sothly suche that haue lyued euer withoute a coūte / muste paye for her dette euerlastynge payne in helle wythouten ony relees / There shalle wepe many marchauntys that in this lyfe laughen and Ioyen / Wherof it is seide in the boke of the apocalips. Mercatores terre flebunt. Marchauntis of the erthe shall wepe Marchaūtis of the erthe are thoo that set all her thoughte and her loue in erthely thyngys / the whiche shall vepe full bitter­ly / For god shall shewe her marchaundyse to al y^e worlde / But marchaūtys of heuen then̄e shall laugh and Ioye / For they shall see that for litill shorte tribulacōn they haue gete the blysse of paradise / Wherof it is seyde in Eclesiastici· Est qui multum redimit de modico precio. Some other ben that byen moche thinge wyth lityll price / that is to be paciente in tribulacōn of this presente lyfe / that god resceyneth for thi grete / For it is comenly saide of an euyll payer men resceyuen ootys for whete / And though it so be that thou arte not bounde in ony dette of dedely synne or ve­niall. For whiche tribulacyon shulde deliuer y^e Neuertheles tribulacyon reserueth the from [Page] fallyng in to dette as sainte Gregorye seide. Multa sunt innocencia que cito innocenciam perderent nisi ea tribulaciones preseruarent

Many ben innocente the whiche shold soone lese Innocencie / but yf tribulacōns preseruen hem Therfore thou soule that feliste boūdenin dettys / or thou that drediste the paymēte / suffer paciently tribulacōns / As longe as tyme endureth / It payeth tofore thy dettis in the whiche thou arte bounden as by an obligacion. For though all the tribulacōn of thys worlde were togider they myghte not be lykened to the leste poynte of tribulacyon of helle Ne all the tribulacōns of the erthe ben not in comparison to the leste Ioye of paradyse / As seinte paule seithe. Non sunt condigne passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam que reuelabitur in vobis. Ad romanos viij.

There ben none worthy passyons of thys ty­me / to the blysse that is to come. that shalle be shewyd in vs / vpon this seithe seinte Ber­narde Non sunt condigne passiones ad preteritum peccatum quod nobis dimittitur ad presentē graciā. que nobis immittitur. et ad futuram gloriam que nobis promittitur There ben noo worthy passyons to the synne [Page] that is foryeuen vs. to the presente grace that is yeuen vs. & to the blisse that is behight vs

¶ De septima vtilitate tribulacionis. Capitulum .vij.

THe vij. prouffite of tribulacōn is that it spredith abrode / or openeth thy her­te to receyue the grace of god / For as a goldesmyth wyth many strokes of the ha­mer spredeth a pece abrode of golde or of sil­uer to make a vessell for to putte in wyne or precyouse licour / Soo almyghty god maker of euery creature ordeineth tribulacōn to sprede or to opene the soule to put therin yeftys of his grace. Wherfore seithe the prophete in the psalme.

In tribulacione dilatasti michi.

In tribulacion thou haste spredde abrode. or opened to me / Therfore suffre gladly the strokes of tribulacyon. For the more they spredde abrode the herte in sufferyng pacy­ently / the more goostly yeftys oure lorde god puttith therein gracyously / And [Page] considre that as the more precyouse metalle is more ductill and obeyeng to the strokys of the goldsmyth / Soo the more precyouse a meke herte is more pacyent in tribulacyon / And all though the sharpe strokys of tribulacyon greuously turmente the / Yet comforte the. y^t the goldesmyth almyghty god holdeth the hamer of tribulacōn in his honde / and knoweth full well what thou mayste suffre / and mesuryth his smytyng after thy freel nature Ne will thou not be then̄e as metall in a boyston se gobet wyth spredyng of shappe / as herde hertys ben wythoute techynge In whyche god fyndeth noo place of worchynge / Ne wylle thou not be as an olde fryenge panne. that for hete by a lytyll stroke all to bresiyth in many brekynges / Ryghte soo faren felle and Im­pacyente hertys in tribulacyon by a lytyll stroke in temptacyon of assayenge they sallen in in to many grete harmes of peyryng / therfore suffre wyth good wylle tribulacyon to wor­che his crafte in y^e / For so biddith Salamon Eclesiastici ij. Sustine sustentaciōes dei coniungere deo et sustine vt crescat in no­uissimo vita tua. Suffre the berynge vppe [Page] or the helpes of god to Ioyne the to god / and suffre that thy lyfe encrese in the laste ende.

As who sayth suffre tribulacion in thys world for god / and yelde hym some what the tyme of his seruyse / And what tribulacōn he puttith to the take it mekely / and knowe wel that he wyll not charge the ouer thy myght / As seinte Poule witnessith Corinth x.

¶ Fidelis enim est deus qui non pacietur vos temptari super id quod potestis.

Sothely god is full trewe that shall not suffre you to be temptid ouer that that ye may suffre / therfore suffre tribulacion on suche manere that thy lyfe encrease in y^e laste ende / For therby y^u shalte lyue in the laste ende / Amen

¶ De octaua vtilitate tribulacionis. Capitulum .viij

THe viij. prouffite of tribulacyon is wherby god / hittith oute of the soule all worldly comfortes that ben here by nethe / and constreyneth the to seke heuenly cōfortes y^t ben aboue As an erthly lorde whan he wyll selle his wyne forbedeth all other to open her tauernes tylle that he hath solde hys.

Soo oure lorde god somtyme forbedith erthe [Page] comfortes / that he maye brynge forthe his comfortes / and that is that betokeneth by the prophete Ioel where it is seyde. ¶ Bestie agri quasi area faciens ymbrem suspexerunt ad te qm̄ exsiccati sunt fontes aquarum.

The bestes of the felde ben as drye erthe desiringe reyne they loken vp to the / for the welle of waters ben drye The bestes of y^e felde he clepith affeccions and fleshly desyres / The welles of y^e water he clepyth worldly comfortes / therfore whan that erthly comfortes faylen in aduersitee then̄e is the herte constreyned to loke vppe / and to seke helpe of heuenly comfortes

And so moche the more benygne is oure lorde god to the soule / In as moche as the herte fyndeth gretter bitternesse in outewarde thynges

But now by thyse thynges thou mayste saye / I am sory that the tauern of erthely comfortes is not open to me / But for the tauern of heuenly comfortes is so longe shitte fro me For nother hier ne louer I fynde no cōfort / To thys maye be answeryd thus / thou owest not to haue goostly comfortys / but If thou besye the desyrynge and sekynge / For there is mor̄ myrthe in desyrynge and sekynge god than in [Page] the delytynge of hym / For why the more y^u desireste and sekeste god the more comforte he shal brynge y^t / And y^e more swetnesse y^u shalt fynde in hym / As the mete sauoureth more to an hungry man than to an vnhungry man. And wytte thou well that heuenly comfortes shall not longe be differryd / yf wordly comfortes be shitte oute by tribulacyons / yf y^u aske desiryngly and seke besely / as Salamon seyde / ¶ Desiderium suum iustis dabitur.

To rightwysmen shallbe yeuen here her desire. De nona vtilitate tribulacionis. Capitulum .ix.

THe ix. prouffite of tribulacyon is that it puttith the in to the mynde of god / & the more tribulacion be / the more he impressith y^e in his mynde / Not for y^e god foryetyth y^e / or ony creature the whiche seeth & kno­weth al y^e preuytees of thy herte / But for scripture seythe god foryetyth a man y^t tribulacōn is yeuen to / For to hym y^e he sendyth trybulacōn he hathe in mynde / yeuynge goostely comforte / and encreasyng of grace / Therfore thou o good soule / yf thou wylte be putte in mynde In whoos mynde is thyne helthe and [Page] thy saluacyon / In whos foryetynge is thyne harme and thy dampnacyon / lerne for to fuffre pacyently aduersitees and tribulacyons / and in fufferyng thynke mekely in god / and he eftesones shall thynke mekely and mercyably / For a trewe frende thynketh feruētly on his frende that is in dissese / In figure herof oure lorde seide Ex^o. iiij.

I haue seen the dissesis of my peple that is in Egipte / and I haue harde her cryenge. For y^e duresse of hem that ben the ouerseers of y^e werkes And I knowyng her sorowe haue goon doun to delyuer hem from y^e hondis of y^e Egipcians / Therfore all though the egipcians. y^t is to saye euyll men or enmyes tourmenten and disesen the / be thou comfortid / For y^e merciable beholdyng of god in thy disese moche more auayleth the / as we rede of Dauid ij. regum xvj. Fleenge from absolon his sone that semeth / the whiche was Dauid enmye coursid hym and spake euyll to hym and sayde ¶ Egredere egredere vir sanguinum & vir belial. As whoo seyth goo thy wey [Page] goo thy waye thou man of syn̄es / and thou man of beliall / And abisay that was dauid frende seenge this seide to kyng dauid. This dede hounde hathe myssayde or cursid my lorde the kyng / I shall goo and smyte of his heede / And dauid answerid / suffre hym to myssaye or curse dauid vpon the comaundemente of god / Perauenture god wyll beholde my disese / and yelde me goode for thys myssayenge or cursynge thys same daye / Considre in thys that dauid wolde suffre the myssayeng or the cursynge of thys aduersarie / that he myght gete the blessyng of god then̄e loke how moche y^u desyreste the blessynge of god and suffre somoche y^e more pacyently y^e myssayeng or cursyng of thyne aduersarye / For pacyence of euyll mennys cursyng deserueth to haue goddis

blessyng / and that is tokened where it is seide danielis iij. That the angell yeede downe wyth Azarie and his felowes in to the fur­neys / And he made the myddes of the furneys as a blowyng wynde of a dewe / but the flam̄e brente the kyngis ministers that hette the furneys / But sothely the fyer touchid ne greuid hem in ony maner / Loo here thou ma­yst [Page] see / that the fyre not oonly brente theyr fo men / but also it refresshid hem / the whiche is vnderstonde that criste is presēte wyth hem y^t ben in tribulacyon and yeuith hem fresshynge in dysese / and blyssed hem that ben myssayde or cursyd for his name / Therfore yf thou desyre refresshinge in tribulacyons and thyne enmyes to be brente / suffer pacyently tribulacyons For in tribulacyon god is wyth the / & fro tri­bulacyon he shall delyuer the / and for tribula­cyon grete mede he shall yelde y^e / Of thyse thre spekyth the prophete. where he seyth thus.

Cū ip̄o sū in tribulaciōe eripiā eū & gl̄ificabo eū. I am wyth hym in tribulacyon. loo here a gracyouse feliship cōfortyng I shall delyuer hym. Loo here a fulfeyth of delyueryng / & I shall glorifie hym / loo here a certeyne hope of rewardyng.

De decīa vtilitate tribulacioīs ¶ Capl̄m x.

THe x. prouffite of tribu­lacion is y^t it makyth thy prayer to be herde of god / For it is not the maner of god to putte awaye the prayer of him y^t is in trbulacyon / but y^e rather mekely to here his preuy prayers / wherof Salamon sayde.

Ecce de{pre}cacionē lesi exaudiet dn̄s. Loo oure [Page] lorde shall here the prayer of hym y^e is hurte. Sothely god smyteth & chastysith many men and sendeth hem tribulacyon for to cōpelle hē to aske or to crye mercy / & y^t they shuld opē her mowthes to god in tribulacyon / for to aske helpe whiche had shite her mowthys from him in prosperitee / wherof sayth seynte Austyn / y^e god sendyth tribulacyon to some men to stire hem to aske y^t he wolde graunt / In the persone of suche seyth the prophete. ¶ Ad dn̄m cum tribularer clamaui & exaudiuit me. Whan I was in tribulacion I cryed to oure lorde / and he herde me. And though all it happe that in prosperitee y^u prayest god y^e prosperitee shulde not make y^t to slowe. Yet neuertheles it maketh y^t some tyme bothe insolent & slowe. so y^t thi prayer in prosperitee is not spedeful / as it is in aduersitee / And all though aduersitee occupie soo moche thy herte y^t y^u thynkeste y^t it hathe none entēte ne deuocyon / lyke as it had in {pro}speritee / yet y^e same aduersitee makith thi prayer more precyouse / And sothely al thouh̄ tribulacōn oppresse y^e so moche y^t y^u mayest not open thi mowthe to crye to god / certeynly this tribulacōn crieth & prayeth to god for y^e / so y^t y^u haue paciēce / for as seith a grete clerke. Petir [Page] of / lazar that as many woundis as he had so many prayers or cryers he had to god / For whan lazar stillid wyth hys mowth / his woundis cryed to god for hym / wherof oure lorde god seide to caym. that had killid his brother abelle Genesis / ¶ Vox sanguinis fra­tris tui abel clamat ad me de terra / ¶ The bloode of thy brother abel cryeth to me fro the erthe / Thus then̄e it shewyth / that tribulacōn maketh thy prayer the more precyouse / and y^e more acceptable to god / Tribulacyons ben as it were a paymente for a lettir selyd of delyueryng / Wherof seyth Iob. ¶ Quis michi det vt veniat peticio mea / & quod expecto tribuat mihi deus qui cepit me / ipse me conuertat sol­uat manum suam & succidit me / et michi sit consolacio vt affligens me dolorem meum nō percat. Who shall yeue me myn askyng. and who shall graunte me that I abyde. god that began he conuerte me / loose he his honde and kitte me vp / and that it be to my comfor­te that he tourmentynge me spare not my so­rowe. Note well that Iob that had loste his possessions / his sones and his doughters.

and alle his body was smytten wyth woundes [Page] of lepre from the soole of the foote vnto y^e ouerest parte of y^e hede / And was repreued of his frendes / and scorned of his wyfe and of his false frendes / He desired in noo other thynge cōforte. but y^e god shuld not spare him If thou askest what perteyneth to his deliue­rynge / it maye be answerid thus. the askynge of his affeccyons or tourmentes / For his tourmentys were paymentys of his leters as it is vsid in some place / that whan a poure man drinketh in a tauerne· and hath not wherof to paye hys scotte. He asketh to be be­ten. and soo to be delyuered / If thou askist. wherein was his comforte of thys Iob.

Whan he askyd to be turmentyd. seynte Gre­gory answeryth and saith / That god sparith some her in thys world to tourmente hem af­terwarde / & some he tourmentyth here the whyche he wylle aftirwarde spare. The comforte of Iob was that he wyste well by presente tribulacyon he shulde escape euerlastynge dampnacyon. For as it is seyde. ¶ Non iudicabit bis deus inidi{pre}m. God shall neuer punysshe or deme twyes for oo thyng. And therfore thys same Iob that asked that god shuld not [Page] spare hym here in thys world / askid in a no­ther place and sayde / ¶ Parce michi domine Lorde spare me in tyme cōmyng / suffer paciētly here in thys worlde tribulacyon / For tribulacyon saueth the soule / as Iob seyde. ¶ Ipse vulnerat & medicinat. He woundyth and he helyth / For he woundyth the body / and helith the soule.

De vndecima vtilitate tribulacionis. Ca xj.

THe xj. prouffite of tribulacyon is that it kepith and norissheth the herte / So thely ryghte as fyre is kepte in asshes ryghte soo the hertes the frendes of god aren kepte in tribulacyon Therfore oure lorde god cōmaundid / Exodi. ¶ Quod tabernaculum saccis cilicinis cooperietur / That the tabernacle of god [...]huld be hiled with heyren sackes the whiche shulde the fende / y^t precyouse curteyns of softe silke / & goddis ryche vessel­les of golde / & siluer ayens wyndes & reynes / In token that vertues of goddis seruaūtes named mekenes ben kept in aduersitee of tribulacyon / For tribulacōn constreyneth the herte to thynke on the wretchidnesse of his owne Infirmitee / And soo it constreyneth a [Page] man to be meke / Whom worldly prosperytee had haunsid by vaynglorie a bouen hymselfe Also tribulacyon norisshith the herte as a norysshe her childe / For as y^e moder with y^e childe cheweth hard mete / the whiche the childe maye not chewe / and drawyth it in to her body wher̄ that mete is turned in to mylke to norysshing of the childe / So criste that in holy writte is clepid oure moder for the gretenesse of his tender loue that he hathe to vs / He chewed for vs biter paynes / harde wordes / repreffes / and sclaūders / wyth bitternesse of his passion that suffred for vs to norisshe vs / and strey­neth vs goostly by ensāple of hym to suffre tribulacyons and aduersytees of thys world As wyne that is clensid thorough a bagge fulle of spices chaungith his owne sauoure drawynge to hym thesauoure ofthe spices /

Soo a man sufferynge tribulacyons and aduersytees of thye worlde oweth to clensehym by the blessyd body of oure lorde

Ihesu consyderinge the passyon that he suffred for hym / And soo it shalle wexe swete and tollerable y^t to fore semed full bitter & intolle­rable.

¶ De duodecīa vtilitate tribulacioīs: [Page] Capitulum .xij

THe xij. prouffite of tribulacion is that trybulacyon is a certeyne token of loue that god hathe towarde hym that it is sente to. Wherof he seyde. ¶ Quos amo arguo et castigo / Hym that I loue I vnder nymme & chastyse / And also Salamon seyde Eccīastici. Qui diligit filium assiduat ei flagella. He that loueth his sone he scour­gyth hym ofte tyme. wherof seyde seynts Iero­me. ¶ Sūmus pater Ihūs xp̄us filios suos semper sub aliquo flagello vel virga retinet vt qn̄ eripiuntur ab vno sub alio capiūtur. Ooure souereyne fader Ihū criste kepith euer his children vnder a scourge or a rodde / And whan they ben deliuerd of one / they ben cau­ghte vnder a nother / But oure goode meke fader and lorde sente not all his scourges at ones togedyr / but one after a nother knowynge oure freelte / For he wyll that noo man pe­risshe / but he wyll all men be saffe / But euyl men and vnkynde that byleue hym not ne louen hym y^e whyche lyuen here wythoute scourge of tribulacyon. whom noo correccyon [Page] of chastysynge maye wythdrawe from her er­roures god shall punysshe wyth al hys arowes of vengaunce / For sothely all tourmētes that now ben departyd aboute in all the worlde then̄e shall be gadryd togider and abyde as in her owne place / As oure lorde seyde Deutronomij xxxij. ¶ Congregabo super e­os mala. et sagitas meas cōplebo in eis·

I shall gader togyder euyll thynges vppon euyll men. And I shall spende all myne arowes of vengaunce among hem. Therfore thou good soule yf y^u wylte be belouid of god wylle thou not putte awaye tribulacions.

For they shewen to the tokens and wytnesse of the loue of god. But perauenture yf thou sayste that goddis children taken of hym bo­the good thynges and euyll thynges. Why is the takynge of euyll thyngys shewynge or token of the loue of god more than y^e takynge of good thynges. To thys maye be answeryd that god yeueth many good thynges and grete to his spirituell frendis and bitter and gretter to theym that he loueth more. But the blessid fader of heuen loued wythoute comparyson more his blessid sone oure lorde Ihesu [Page] criste than all the world / and yet he sente hym here many anguysshes / pouertees / tribulacy­ons / aduersytees / repreues / and scornynges / betynges / bydynges scorgynges / many woundes. & cruelle dethe: but fewe tēporell goodis. Then̄e is the yefte of aduersitee more shewinge token of loue of god than the yefte of temporell prosperitee / Also ferthermore oure lorde Ihesu criste goddis sone that lyued here in this worlde as a wyse marchaūte chose good marchaundyse / & refused y^e badde / For whan they wolde haue made hym kynge of Iude / he refusid it / and chase rather to flee in to deserte And whan they soughte hym to tourmente hym / and to slee hym / he fledde not. but he cha­se rather for to deye and seyde. ¶ Ego sum I am he / whom ye seke Then̄e yf criste was wyseste in chesynge / the whyche chase aduersitees / they ben moche foles that dispisen tribulacyon and aduersytees / and chesen worldly prosperitees that may not delyuer hem in tyme comynge from the hondes of her enmyes y^e cru­ell fendis / Suffre then̄e pacyently wyth criste here tribulacyons / that thou maye take af­terwarde the crowne of lyfe in the blysse of he­uen [Page] / For sothely otherwyse thou mayste not come to the blysse / For the apostle sayth.