be gone Ioc. 3. â— is not from aboue as saynte Iames sayth of sapience 2. Io. 2. And saynte IohnÌ„ coÌ„maunded his disciples therfore that they shulde not wyll ne desyre to loue the worlde nor those thynges that be ther in The worldly pacience than is al worldly and the gostly pacience heuenly The one bestly carnall The other gostly and spirituall The one / synfull and dyuelyshe And the other good and goodly Vnto the ton pacience man may attayne and rech by hym selfe by his owne wyll But vnto the tother not so And why The cause is that the coÌ„cupiscens desyre and loue wherby the worldly ê‘sons do so styffly and obstinately bere and suffre paynes and sorous is of the worlde all synfull and man of hym selfe may fal into synne though he can not by hym selfe aryse agayne vnto the state of grace as by exeaÌ„ple a man caÌ„ not clymbe vnto a steple toppe without streyrê or some other-helpe but when he is at the hyghest place therof he may of hys owne wyl without helpe fal downe But vnto the gostly pacience man may not so attayne and come of hym felfe be cause the seruouâ— loue and desyre wherby the gostly ê‘sons done so strongly and meruelousely suffre so wonderfull paynes is of god and god is a spirite impossible that maye not suffre ne haue any payne A man therfore can not loue that thynge impassible with out he be holpyn inflamed with that godly fyre that is the holy goste so then maye he loue god and by that loue he may suffre and gladly bere vnsufferable and vnbereable paynes for god For as we sayde before charite bereth and suffreth al thynges Psal 〈◊〉 3. d. From the whiche charite saynte Paule sayde no thyng shulde departe him Nother trouble nor anguyshe nother hongre thyrst nor colde no peryle nor ioperdy ne ê‘secucion nor vengauÌ„ce no dent of swerde nor drede of death For hyt is wrytten that we be mortified put to death euery daye / in all our lyfe tyme for the good lorde but in all these do we venquyshe and ouercome al for hym and by hym that hathe ê‘fectly loued vs. For I am certene sayeth he that nother death ne lyfe nor angelles nother pryncipates nor vertues nother thynges instant or preseÌ„t nor thyngê to come No strength nor power nother heyght ne depthe nor any other creature may departe vs from the charite and loue of god which is in Christe Iesu our lorde and mayster Nowe you se what myght and streÌ„gth loue hathe and howe inwordly ê‘sons hyt causeth them to take great labours and suffre muche and so to lerne pacience / and yet is hyt in dede no pacience nor worthy the name of pacieÌ„ce although hyt be a suffraunce and so doeth seme only pacience For as we haue shewed before the cause of the suffrauÌ„ce doeth make pacience not the selfe suffraunce yet may we christians take exeample at theyr suffrauÌ„ce that be worldly to lerne and wynne true faythfull meritorious pacieÌ„ce And muche may we be abashed a shamed of our dulnes and vnkyndenes when we se or here howe they suffre bere for the vayne loue of theyr lewde desyres and howe lytle payne we take and suffre for god to wynne very pacience Nowe let vs thaÌ„â—urne our face froÌ„ thys maner of pacieÌ„ce because we perceyue hyt is not true pacieÌ„ce although the exeample myght moue vs and so teache vs / and let vs folowe the exeamples of better maysters and more sure lernynge ⧠☞ ⧠☜ ¶ Of the exeamples of gostly persons The .xvi. Chapiter ⧠⚜ ⧠SAynte Iames sayeth we may take example of the yuel labour Iâ— 5. 〈◊〉 payne and pacience of yuel persons but muche more of the holy ê“phetes whom nowe we blesse and prayse for theyr paynes and suffrynges you haue harde sayeth he what Iob suffered and what ende our lorde made you haue sene and perceyued Nowe than yf we shall take the doctryne and lerdynge of our pacience / before defined Ro. 2. â— and destribed at and by exeample We maye well begynne at the exeample of oure Lorde god that as saynte Paule sayeth doeth by greate pacience tarie byde and loke for oure â—oÌ„uersion from synfull lyfe vnto good lyfe Aug. de pacieÌ„tia Capâ—â— But here must you beware that you thynke not ne beleue pacience to be in god as hyt is in vs. For wâ— can neuer haue pacience without payne without suffrynge of losse hurte or grefe whiche maner of passions be neuer in god but when god doth mynystre Iustice so doth punysh the synne of man then we saye that god is angry displeased and yet in dede ther is no perturbacion of that passion of Ire in hym And agayne when he doeth vse vntâ— vs his mercy grace benignite and goodnes then saye we that god loueth vs is pleased with vs and yet be ther non suche mutacions nor chaungynges of affecâ—yons or passions in god And yet may we say that god without any passion is most hyghly paciente And that he hath not only moste parfecte pacience but also that he is the selfe essenciall pacience and the founteyne well spryng and begynnynge of all good pacience And therfore they erre and thynke muche a mysse Aug. de pacieÌ„â—â—s et eyprâ— anus aug 〈◊〉 suprâ— Cap. 5. that do saye they may haue pacience of theyr owne selfe by the libertye of theyr fre wyll For Dauid sayde good lorde god thou arte my pacience That god hath pacience and that muche and meruelous aboue that any tonge can speke or any hert may thynke appereth openly from the begynnynge of the worlde In that specially that he so pacieÌ„tly and mercifully suffred and bare the greate vnkyndnes yet forther the great rebellious obstinacie and disobedience of our fyrst pareÌ„tes Adame and Eue. And also of theyr fyrst soÌ„ne Cayne in fleyng of his brother Abel And euer sythe that tyme hytherto hath borne and suffred and yet doth bere vnto the greate contumely and dyspyte of hys mayeste honour the ydolatrye of Caynes poste ryte ysshue and ofsprynge Cyprianus vbi supra and of al infideles that sette vp theyr fals goddes theyr ydoles of yerth metalles of ston wode in theyr profane teÌ„ples that is to saye such teÌ„ples as were neuer coÌ„secrate ne halowed but coÌ„trarye vnto all good religion wyched cursed he suffreth them to do vnto them sacrifice and sacrilege And yet god doth not only suffre and most paciently bere them in all these many other abhominacions but also dothe gyue hys gyfies equally as well vnto theÌ„ as vnto hys chosen chyldren The son the mone and yâ— sterres the elementes all maner of wedders all maner of frutes and fode in lyke vnto the good and badde or yuel ê‘sons And although hyt be in hys power and also iuste vnto theyr deseruynge to take vengaunce and wreke vpon them vtterly to destroy them yet
or hynges For concience moueth hym to ryse when he waketh / and sluggyshnes causeth hym to walowe Iâ—ra IbideÌ„ and turne ouer in hys bedde For he is afrayde of colde And so shortly to say with the wyseman nowe the slugge Prouer 1â— a. wyll and nowe he wyll not so he neuer runneth backe loseth vertue Where the labour waxeth ryche and hys soule increaseth in vertue and perfection we maye nowe of these auctorites gether thys coÌ„clusion of troth that our propre fleshe and bodies shuld not be inordinately beloued ne ouer much charyshed but rather to be had in a discrete hatered And that for dyuers causes one is because that saynt Paule sayeth the body is enimie vnto the soule and the flesh doth moue coÌ„cupiscens Ga. 5. c. and vnlawful desyre agaynst the spirite For they be euer aduersaries and enimies eche vnto other and yet must they nedely dwell to gether in thys lyfe tyme wherfore the secunde cause is that the body is a great grefe vnto the soule And the corrupt and frayle flesh doth muche vexe and trouble the spirite Gapi 9. So sayeth the scripture Corpus quod corrumpitur aggrauat animam The body that is corrupt and doth waste doth greue the soule For the good soule wolde many tymes aryse and waych and pray and labour but the body is greued ther with and so doth muche let and hynder wherfore a great lerned man sayth Cicero in tuse MultuÌ„ refert in quo corpore anima bona sit posita It forceth much sayth he into what body a good soul be put The thyrd cause why the flysh shulde be had in discrete hatred is the synguler loue that the flesh hathe vnto hyt selfe wherof as froÌ„ the rote doth spryng all vice and causeth the synne of the whole worlde euer to multiplye as the holy apostle Paule dyd se / and perceyue by the spirit of god saynge vnto his disciple Timothe Timo. 3 Knowe thou sayth he that in the last dayse towarde the ende of the worlde ê‘ilous and troubles tymes shal come And such meÌ„ shall be then that wyl loue theÌ„ selfe proude couetous hyght mynded blasphemers of god hys sayntê not obedieÌ„t vnto theyr parentes and theyr elders and betters vnkynde cursed shrewde without affection or loue without peace quarelers all vnrestfull rebukers checkers and chalengers incoÌ„tinent of theyr bodyes wylde ragers raylers without benignite or geÌ„telnes without pyte and mercy traytours deceyuours frowarde and fals braggers and bosters And the louers rather of theyr owne voluptuous pleasures then of god And yet wyll they haue a countenance and behauiour of faythfull religion but the vertu troth therof wyll they as ypocrites deney fle thou sayeth he and auoyde all suche ê‘sons Ga. 5. e. Thys sayde selfe loue of the bodye doth also bryed nurysh bryng in the vices of the flesh glotony sloth and lechery as the same apostle sayeth and noumbreth thus Fornicacion vnclennes bolde vnbashfulnes and shameles auarice which is the bondage of ydoles stryfte and debate coÌ„parison and wrath sectê and opinioÌ„s Inuie malice homicide maÌ„slaghter dyuers festes and fedynge Drunkenes and such other whiche sayeth he I tel you as I haue told you before who so vseth or doth shall neuer come vnto the kyngdome of god let vs therfore sayth he cast awaye and forsake the workes of darkenes and arme or cloth our selfe Ro. 13. e. with the armour / or harnes of lyght And let vs walke honestly as in the day tyme or thus So that we may in the day tyme walke honestly Not in festes and fedynge not in drunkenes surfetes Not in sluggyshnes and vnclennes Not in contencions stryfte / and debates not yet in malice or inuie but let Iesu Christe be our garment clothynge and aray that is that hys vertues examples do appere in vs and in all our workes And not to cure ne charysh the flesh in vnlawfull desyres pleasures For all these thynges do let the spirituall profete spede full passage in the lyfe of perfection The poyson christiane religion For they do not suffre the influxion and moyster of goddes grace towater / seasone the bared drught or drines of our harde hertes what meruel is hyt than though we workynge these wreched vices be made partcles of al diuine consolacion and godly coÌ„forte August For saynte Augustyne sayeth Thou shalte neuer taste the swetnes pleasure of diuine consolacion godly coÌ„forte yf thou spotte defowle thyne herte and soule with carnall delectacion fleshly pleasure From the whiche delectacion he saue kepe by hys grace delyuer vs that derely bought vs out lord god most swete sauiour Iesu Christ AmeÌ„ ⧠A lytle lesson of .iiij. vertues good and profetable to be had of euery person but not to be called vn to remeÌ„brans but rather to be forgoten ☞ ⧠☜ THe serpent sayth holy scripture was more wyly Gâ— 3. a. and deceytfull then al the other bestes of the yerth by whom is ment the great gostly enimie the dyuyl that in the serpent deceyued our fyrst parentes The properte of the serpent is that where so euer hys â–ª hede may entre al the body may lyghtly folowe The hede of thys serpent is the pryncypall suggestion and mouynge vnto synne which mouynge receyued into deleciacion may lyghtly brynge a person vnto confent inregula Ca. 4 And although not vnto the consent of actuall synne yet may it cause the distruction of vertue For saynte Augustyne sayth al other sinnes do worke labour to bryng the person vnto the acte dede of synne but pride by vayneglory doth subtelly lye in wayte vpoÌ„ the good werkes and vertues that they maye ê‘yshe and not come vnto effecte So than bountie and goodnes sauntite holynes and vertue shulde be in euery good faythfull chrystiane but to call theÌ„ wylfully vnto remeÌ„braunce loke or coÌ„syder theÌ„ to be in hym selfe is grete ioperdy excepte in certen causes of scrupulosite or mocions of despere / or such other necessite els I saye yt were better to forgete them For the remembrans of them maye lyghtly brynge a person to reioyce and take pleasure in them and so to fall into vaygneglory and spirituall pride whiche vnto almyghty god and all hys angeles and saintes is much odious and hatefull wherof saynte Gregory sayeth Grego he that in remeÌ„bryng hys owne good worke or dede doth reioyce therin may lyghtly in alowans reysing vp of hym selfe fall ful lowe in the syght of him that is auctor of all humilite and mekenes And well worthely may he be called a madde fole the vaynly bosteth him selfe of other mennes goodes or ryches which he had borowed But as saynte Paule sayeth what thynge haste thou man that thou hast not receyued in prest borowed goodê as though he sayde no thyng And syth than thou so hast taken and borowed hyt why doest thou
that hated peace And when I spake feyre vnto theÌ„ they without cause impugned and contraried my saynge and so thwarted with me Iacobi 1. â— Blessed is that person sayeth saynt Iames that suffreth temptacion trouble For when he therin is proued he shall receyue the crowne and garlonde of lyfe And before that he sayeth Thynke you iudge or suppose myne owne bretherne that all ioye and pleasure is when you fall in to variant and dyuers tentacioÌ„s and troubles knowynge for certente that the probacion ê“fe of your fayth doth worke pacieÌ„ce pacience shal haue the worke of perfeccion that so you may be ê‘fecte whole vnto god in no thynge feyntynge feylynge ne lackynge Thus haue we shewed you of one mayster and teacher of pacience which by certeyne preceptes rules of holy scripture doeth teache the disciples and lerners of pacieÌ„ce to loue troubles and to be excercised in troubles by no meanes to fle nor auoyde any wrongê Nowe shal we setforth some doctors that do teache pacience by exeample and those be in two maners that is to saye worldly persons and gostly persons ¶ Of the exeample of worldly persons The .xv. Chapiture ☞ âšœ ☜ WE may take exeample to lerne pacience at the worldly folkes and that as well of the that be yuel dampnable ê‘sons as of them that be good and vtuous The ambycious synners to atteyne and wynne wordly honours and dignites by ryght or wronge do take and suffre gladly losse of theyr goodes Ioperdy and hurt of theyr bodyes lytle carynge for theyr name fame lesse for the welth of theyr soules whiche thynge we haue not only of the storyes of the getyles Saluâ—â— as of carelyne in Saluste / and of the syege of Troye in Vergil but also in holy scripture as in the bokes of kynges Vergil In the Machabies and in many other placê although we name none of the cronicles of christians Auguâ—â— sermuÌ„e 223. c. de tê‘e et de paciencia 3. et 4. Cap. Theues also robers vnclene liuers sawldiours do take meruelous pacience in all troubles and Ioperdyes for to obteyne that they vnlawfully couet desyre And so do many full good vertuous ê‘sons as the marchantes shypmen pore housbaÌ„des artificers and laborers And all worldly persons whiche by good reason may moue make the gostly ê‘sons abashed and a shamed when they se and perseue these maner of lyueres take suche pacience in so greate paynes and all for to haue and gete those thynges that be vncerten vnto theÌ„ but onely that they hope trust to obtayne them And yet when they haue the full possession of them at desyre and pleasure they be in as great vncerteÌ„te howe longe to kepe and inioye theÌ„ or whether they shall soner be taken from theyr goodes by death or theyr goodes from them by chaunce Rede the gospell Lucke .xii. C. But vnto the true pacient persons Luc. 12. theyr gaynes be euer sure so that when they haue ons the rewarde fynall of theyr pacieÌ„ce they shal be sure neuer to departe therfrom ne euer shal hâ— be lesse in any parte but rather more And coÌ„tracie is it of those thynges for the which the worldly ê‘sons do suffer For when they haue gotyne haue in possession that thyngeÌ„ they labored fore desyred yet besyde that as we sayde that they be vnsure of yâ— kepynge therof they may be sure it may shal be mynushed made lesse dayly Alas howe is it thâ— that the gostly persons be not prouoked by theyr exeamples to suffer bere more gladly troubles and paynes for God and gostly gaynes I feare me Lucke 16. â— hyt be as our sauyour sayde of worldly wysedome / or wytte Saynge The chylderne of thys worlde be more prudent and wyse or wytty of prouision in theyr kynd then be the chylderne of lyght and grace So I thynke that the worldly ê‘sons do more feruently desyre those thynges that they suffre for August sermoÌ„e 223. c. de â—â—pore then do the gostly ê‘sons For. S. Augustyne sayeth that the violent feruour of desyres doeth cause in man the tolerance and sufferaÌ„ce of troubles labours paynes For no man doeth gladly suffer and bere that thynge that doeth put hym to losse or vnto hurte payne grefe but for the loue and desyre of that thynge that vnto him is a delectacion and pleasure Aug. de pacieÌ„tia Capi. 5. And therfore the more vehement and huge the more ardent flamynge / that the sayde delectacion coÌ„cupiscience and pleasure is in man so much is he therby reÌ„dred and made more pacieÌ„t to suffer and bere all maner of sorous paynes greues for that thyng yâ— he so coueteth desyreth and loueth That desyre than and loue is the cause of pacience and suffrance as well in gostly as in worldly ê‘sons The loue of yâ— worlde in worldly ê‘sons And in gostly persons the loue of god whiche two loues as they be in them selfe dyuers so haue they dyuers begynnynges and sprynges For the loue of the worlde hath begynnynge and sprynge in the frayle and corrupte fre wyll of man procedynge of the fals flaterynge voluptuous beawtye semynge pleasure of worldly thynges And is fastened pyght grouÌ„ded to remayne coÌ„sume in the herte mynde by lewde vse vnlawful custome which custome after sait Ysodore so byndeth the person Ysodo Vt vix remoueri posset That skant sayth he or vuÌ„eth it may euer be remoued But the godly and gostly loue is not so ingendred ne brede in man but rather is diffused shed and powred downe vpon vs so synketh into our hertes of the holy goste spirite â—o 5. a. that as saynte Paule sayeth is gyuen vnto vs. And therfore the pacience of the gostly persons is of that spirite that so dyd sende and mynistre the sayde loue not of the selfe ê‘sons though they be neuer so iuste and gostly For as we sayde before it is a gyfte of god that no person of hym selfe may obteyne or come by NotwithstaÌ„dinge euery man as oftymes we saye hath of god that grace frely gyuen of his owne bountie goodnes that he maye dispose hys wyll hert mynde to leyne vnto that grace and to folowe the mocion therof So than is the pacience of gostly ê‘sons 1. Cor. â— Aug. de pacieÌ„tiâ— grounded hathe begynnyng rote of charite whiche as the Apostle sayeth doeth susteyne suffer and bere all thynges to be borne and suffred Accordyng therfore vnto the quantite of loue and desyre in both the gostly and worldly ê‘sons is the quantite of paynes and troubles for the thyng that is beloued desyred is more stroÌ„gly and gladly suffred and more mekely and myldly borne and taken Yet is there muche differeÌ„ce betwene these paciences For the worldly pacience ingendred of worldly loue of those thynges that be transitorye and that sone passe and
⧠Here foloweth dyuers holy instrucyons and teachynges very necessarye for the helth of mannes soule newly made and set forth by a late brother of Syon Rychard whit forde ¶ CVM PRIVILEGIO AD IMPRIMENDVM SOLVM ¶ The contentes of this Boke FYrste a deuoute worke of pacience A worke of dyuers impedimentes and lettes of perfectyon An instruction to auâ—… 〈◊〉 eschewe vyces and folowe good maners Of Detraction ¶ A preface GOOD deuoute reders I made myne excuse as foloth shewed you the verye cause of the settynge forth of my name But nowe I am coÌ„pelled not onely to setforth my name but also to ioyne therunto thê cata loge and wryttynge of the contentes by nouÌ„ber of thê volume And that I do charitably to gyue you warnyng to serche well / and suerly that none suche other workes be put amonge them that myght deceyue you For of a certente I founde nowe but very late a worke ioyned and bounde with my pore labours vnder the coÌ„tentes of the same volume / and one of my workes that was named in the same contentes lefte out in sted wherof was put thê other worke the was not myne For the tytle of myne was thus A dayly excercyse experience of death An the other worke hathe no name of any auctour and all such workes in thys tyme be euer to be suspected For so the heretykes do vse to sende forthe theyr poyson amonge the people couered with suger For they seme to be good and deuout workes be in very dede very starke hereses as of late I sawe a boke worke of the archeheretyke Luter traÌ„slate into Englysh worde for worde and I sayde that boke was against the kyuges honour bycause he had by hys noble worke condempned hym for an heretyke Be you ware therfore of all suche fatherles bokes that nother haue the name of the auctour nor of the translatour Knowe what you rede and what you suffre your chyldren to lerne Specially after my pore aduise medle not with the workes of nameles vnknowne auctours I haue shewed you why ¶ The preface vnto the deuout reders I Byseche you all good deuout reders take euer myne excuse in setting forth of myne name for a verye trothe not otherwyse to be done then that none other person shuld be supposed in blame for my defaultes yf the worke went forth wtout any named auctour I wrote thê worke many peres ago as I sayd of the worke of deth by lyke occasion haue nowe sende hyt forth in prynte I byseche our lorde you may take profete and edification therby for that is my mynde and desyre And troth hyt is that in the redynge and recount of any vertu pfet may be takeÌ„ And for a suerte thys vertue of pacyence is a noble vertu muche necessarie for euery faythfull Christiane Cipriauus de Pacientia as shall playnly appere vnto you yf hyt maye please you to rede hyt ouer notwithstandyng hyt is better to haue hyt then to rede hyt Better to practise hyt then to knowe hyt Better to worke hyt then to wyshe hyt And yet by redyng hyt may the better be knowne And wel knowne the vetter be put in vse excercyse and practise And well vsed and excercysed the more may hyt profet Rede hyt therfore I praye you and take with charite and good wyll that therof is offred and thus euer fare you wel in our lorde god and most swete sauiour Iesu Chryste and of youre charite praye for the olde wreche youre assured bedeman late of Syon Rycharde Whytforde ¶ Here foloweth the chapters of the fyrst boke called the boke of pacience THe definicion of pacieÌ„ce in generall Fol. i. Of naturall pacience Fol. i. Of artificiall pacience and of the defynycyon or determynacyon therof Folio iiii Of the very true determynacyon discripcion and declaracyon of meritorious pacience Fo. v. Of the ymage and byhauour of pacieÌ„ce Fo. v. Of the coÌ„modites or frutes of pacience in generall Folio vii Howe pacience is profitable and necessarye vnto the true gettynge and vnto the lawfull kepynge and increasynge of worldly goodes Fol. vii That pacience is necessarie for the due and lawfull kepynge of suche goodes as be truely lawfully goten Folio viii That pacience is coÌ„modious profytable vnto the good state of the body of man Fol. x. Howe pacience is coÌ„modious and necessarie vnto good fame and good name to be obtayned holden and kept Fol. xi ¶ Of the fourth coÌ„modite frute and procete of pacyence folio xiii That pacience is profitable and necessary vnto the quietude and reste of mans mynde fo xiiii Of the circuÌ„stances of pacience folio xvii Howe pacieÌ„ce is adquired gotten lerned fo xxii Of the example of worldly persons fo xxv Of the example of gostly persons Fo. xxviii ¶ Of the pacieÌ„ce of our lorde and sauiour Iesu Folio xxxv ¶ That our owne meserye and multitude of our synnes shulde moue vs vnto pacieÌ„ce fol. xl ¶ A brefe recapitulacion and short recounte of the sayde coÌ„modites of pacience by the respecte and consideracion of impacyence and of the merites and rewardes of pacience folio xiii Of the merite of the rewarde of pacieÌ„ce fo xiv ¶ The chapters of the boke or worke of dyuers impedimentes and lettes of perfectyon ☞ ☜ OF the fyrste impediment Folio xlix Of the secuÌ„de impediment or let of spiritual profete and increase folio li. Of the thyrde impediment or let of spiritual profete and good spede folio liii ¶ Of the fourth impediment and let of spiritual profete and spede folio lv Of the fyfte impediment or let of spiritual pfete and increase of perfection folio lvi Of the syxte impediment let of spiritual pfete good spede in the lyfe of perfection fo lvii ¶ Of the seuynth impediment let of spirituall profete forwarde spede of perfection fo lviii ¶ A lytle lessen of foure vertues good and profe table to be had of euery ê‘son but not to be called vnto remeÌ„brans but rather to be forgotten fo lx Of the secuÌ„de poynt that shulde rather be forgoten then remeÌ„bred Folio lxii Of the thyrde poynt to be put clene away neuer to be called ne kept in remeÌ„brans folio lxiii ¶ Of the forth thynge to be forgotten and to be put froÌ„ our cogitacyon remeÌ„brans fo lxiiii ¶ The chapters of an instruction to auoyds and eschewe vyces and folowe good maners ⧠⧠Of yuell thoughtes Folio lxvi Of chastite folio lxvii ¶ Of prayer folio eodem Of superfluous fedynge folio eodem Of aspecte or cast of the syght folio eodem ¶ Of the cuÌ„panye and presence of the contrarye sexes folio lxviii Of labour occupacyon and of the contrarie that is ydelnes folio eodem ¶ Of redynge folio lxix Of humilite or mekenes folio eodem Of the constancie of mynde folio lxx Of pacience in aduersite folio eodem Of the imitacion folowyng of good meÌ„ fo lxxi
Of peace and charite folio eodem ¶ Of pitie and compassion folio eodem Of the coÌ„teÌ„pt dispising of worldly praise fo lxxii Of honest conuersacyon folio eodem Of the cuÌ„panye or felyshyp of good ê‘soÌ„s fo lxxiii ¶ Of the custodye or kepynge of the eares or hearynge folio eodem Of the custody kepyng of the mouth fo lxxiiii Of detraction or bachytynge folio lxxv Of a lye or lyenge folio lxxvi ¶ Of swerynge folio eodem Of ê“myse vowe to he rendred kept fo lxvii That al thynges be open and knowne vnto god Folio eodem ¶ Of good conscience folio lxxviii That all thynges shulde be attrybuted and applyed vnto god folio eodem ¶ That the vertues of man shulde be hydde and kept clos folio eodem ¶ Of confessyon folio lxxix ¶ Of premeditacyon folio lxxix Of sapience and wysdome folio eodem Of doctrine or lernynge folio lxxx ¶ To take oft kepe that is taken And to teache that lerued was These iii. do the scoler make hys mayster for to ouer pas folio eodem ¶ Of curyosyte folio lxxxi Of obedyence folio eodem Of prelacye folio lxxxii ¶ Of contempte and despysynge of the worlde Folio lxxxiii Of almes dede folio eodem ¶ Of Detraction Chrisostomus homilia texcia Folio lxxxvi ¶ FINIS TABVLE ¶ The definicion of pacience in generall Capi. primo THe definicion or determinacion of euery thyng that is intreated spoken of is fyrste necessarye to be knowen that is to saye that you may knowe what is ment by thê terme or worde pacieÌ„ce and what thynge it is and that fyrst in generall The definicion of Pacience seÊ’m Lactan. Firmia num Exemple Pacience is a voluntarie and wylfull tolerance / and sufferance of all suche paynes hurtes aduersi tes / yules as be put or as do fortune ar happe / vnto any parson And this pacieÌ„ce I cal general bycause it doeth extende and strech vnto the body as wel as vnto the soule / or mynde As by exeample when a parson maye and wyll suffre hongre thurst colde labours such other paynes and incoÌ„modites of the body then is that parson called pacient of that thynge that he so doeth suffre Vt de Catelina refert salâ— stius But this pacience of it selfe is no thynge meritoriouse although the coÌ„plexiones and disposicions of the body may helpe muche or hyndre pacience therfore the sayde incoÌ„modites / wylfully borne / suffred for a good cause may be meritorious but nat as I sayde of them selfe but of the grace of our lorde And therfore a grete lerned man doth make a forther definicion of pacience saynge another definition Cicero prime rethorices Pacience is a voluntarye and wylful perpession and sufferance of those thinges that be greuous and harde to be borne and suffred for any of these cause that is to saye For honesty For ease or pleasure or for auayle profet or auanÌ„tage And yet thê pacieÌ„ce is coÌ„mune vnto man and vnto brute bestes For the bestes althoght not for any honesty yet for theyr ease pleasure and ê“fet done sumtyme suffre incoÌ„modites And sumtymes for feare or drede But that is not proprely pacience bycause it is not wylful And therfore that you may knowe whiche is the very pacience that I wolde here speke of we shall dyuyde this pacience into pacience natural and pacience artificiall that is to saye suche a pacience as is gotyn had by craft conyng or labour and diligeÌ„ce and of grace ⧠☞ ⧠☜ ¶ Of naturall pacience Captâ—ii NAturall pacience is a sufferance that is in man or best by the disposicions of the natural coÌ„plexions of the body For in euery man and beste be .iiij. coÌ„plexions that haue theyr names of .iiij. principal humors that be in the body that is to saye Colexe Bloude Flegme or flewme and melaÌ„coly so that of this humour colere is named the coleryke coÌ„plexion and of the bloude the coÌ„plexcion Sangwyne And of slewme the flewmatyke And of the humour melaneoly the coÌ„plexion melanco lyke And these .iiij. humours and coÌ„plexions in in the body haue the same qualites and disposicions in simititude that be in the .iiij. elementes the Fyre the Ayre the water and the yerth For as the fyre is drye and hote so is colore and the coleryke coÌ„plexion And as the ayre is hote and moyste so is the bloude / the sang wyne coÌ„plexion And as the water is moyste and colde so is the flegme or flewme and the coÌ„plexion flewmatyke And as the yerth is colde drye so is melancoly and the coÌ„plexion melancolyke And therfore accordyng vnto that humour that hath in the body most dominacyon and rewle that body is called of that coÌ„plexion As where colere moste reygneth that body is called coleryke of coÌ„plexion And so in lyke maner of the tother And bycause that these coÌ„plexions haue a respecte vnto the bodyes aboue and thereafter do naturally moue man or beste accordynge vnto theyr disposicioÌ„s they may muche helpe or hyndre pacience notwithstandyng man may by wysdom grace and goodwyll rule and gouerne all bodyly and naturall disposicyons And also educacion bryngyng vp and doctrine teachynge do bylde frame and make maners in man or best coÌ„trarye vnto naturall disposicions For custum and vse may alterate nature yet I say that of them selfe bothe man and beste do muche and coÌ„munly folowe naturall mocions disposecions And therfore sum men and sum bestes be naturally more disposed vnto pacieÌ„ce or inpacience then suÌ„ other be For sume parsones lyke vnto the ore be al disposed to pacience and yf by chauÌ„ce they be moued vnto the contrary yet be they sone and shortly appeased sume ê‘sones be naturally disposed to loue pacience to lyue restfully but yet wyll they sone be moued for a lyght occasion And yet forthwith whan they ê‘ceyue them selfe they wyl sone be appeased yf in that passion they sayde or dyd any thynge amysse they wyl mekely make amendes And these maner of ê‘sonê Inregula Câ— 6. doeth saynt Augustyne preferre byfore theÌ„ that wyll not so sone be wrogh and yet when they be moued wyl not so lyghtly be appeased nor make amendes For suche a kynde of ê‘sons ther is in .ii. maners on of those persons that yf they be wroth wyll nener be appeased tyll they be reuenged or at the lyest tyll they so ferre haue the vectory and maystry that they might be reuenged For vnto sume ê‘sons to haue the power to reuenge Satis est potu isse vincere is sufficient and ynough But sume other wyll not so be content ne euer be appeased vnto the tyme the haue done as muche vengauÌ„ce as is possible for them to do and yet ouer that haue they wyll to do more vengaunce yf hyt lye or were in theyr power As the lion yâ—â—gle And yet these persons be in .ii. mauers For some of them
wyl not lyghtly be moued vnto wrath but kepe long theyr pacience suffre greate wronges or peynes but when they be ons fulvexed they be as is sayde mercyles all venge able Theto ther kynde is of them that wyll sone be moued of a lyght occasion for a tryfle suÌ„tyme wyll seke occasion and make quarelles And yet then when they be angry wyll they neuer as is sayd be appeased without extreme moste cruell vengaunce And these ê‘sons be of the worst kinde of impacieÌ„ce For these in maner haue no pacieÌ„ce at all Ther is yet an other kynde of pacience naturall called A vnlpyne pacyence That is to saye suche pacience as the fox hathe sume tymes or the catte that wyll lye or syt full styll and paciently byde vnto the tyme theyr praye be within danger then sodenly shewe what they be This pacience had the Iewes vnto our sauiour so haue many wyked parsons But of all maner of paciences naturall pacience that is most excellent that is in the lambe and in the innocent parsons that neuer do shewe any sygne or token of wrath displeasure or reuengance Yet is there an other pacience which is alwaye kept inwardly and in effect yet outwardly semeth muche contrarye as it was in our sauyour Math. 21. b. Marci 11. c. Lu. 19. 〈◊〉 Io. 2. 〈◊〉 When he dyd byet and dryue out with a whyppe or slayle the byers and sellers in the teÌ„ple and when he caste downe the tables of them that made exchauÌ„ges and solde dowues there wherin he semed outwarde very impacient and angrye and so he was in dede as the prophete dauid bade and coÌ„mauÌ„ded saynge Pâ—al â— Irascimini et nolite peccare Be you wrath sayeth he or angry and yet haue no wyll to synne This maner of pacience may be naturally in man or best as in the mothers or pareÌ„tes that do with semyng angre or hasty wrath dryue or put a waye theyr chyldren froÌ„ fyre or water or other parylouse places and so wyl the bestê and bryddes do vnto theyres and yet do they naturally loue them And so haue they pacience inwarde in effecte although hyt seme outwarde otherwyse All these maner of paciences haue we shewed vnto you by cause you maye knowe that the disposicions of nature whiche communely be moued of the coÌ„plexions may helpe much or hynder pacience but yet they can not of theÌ„ self make the pacience meritoriouse For as the philosofour sayeth Aristot For those thynnges that be in vs of nature we be not worthy any prayse or yet disprayse / rewarde or payne I saye determinately of them selfe Notwithstandynge a man is bounde by the coÌ„maundement of God to restrayne all naturall disposicions and inclynacious vnto vice and to force them forth by violence vnto vertue For the greate meryte standeth in the great violence For the scripture sayth Regnum coelorum vim patitur c. Math. 11. b. The kyngdome of heuen doeth suffre violeÌ„ce and the violent parsons do rauysh and wynne it And saynt Paule vnto his disciple Timothe No parson shall wynne the crowne 2. Timo 2. a. but that doeth feght accordynge vnto the lawe of batell And in the Apocalyps Who so euer hath here that victorye shall neuer be hurte with the secunde death Apoc. 2. c. that is damp nacion And agayne I wyl make him that geteth or wynneth that victorye a pyler or post in that churche of Christe 3. c. Thus you may ê‘ceyue that those parsons that haue moste pacience by naturall dispocion haue lyest meryte therby And coÌ„trarye those that haue lyest pacience but be all disposed of nature vnto passions may restraynyng those naturall passions by grace and goodwyl haue moste hygh merite For the more greuous the batell be the more noble is the victorye and the merite and rewarde more large And therfore we leue this naturall pacience sum what to intreate of the pacieÌ„ce artificial that is more merytorious ¶ Of artificiall pacyence and of the definicion or determinacion therof Capitulo tercio ⧠⧠ARtificiall pacience we cal that pacience that all natural disposicion venquyshed by violence and ouercuÌ„men is obteyned and gotten by doctryne labour and vse with grace goodwyl And this pacience may be thus defined or determined Pacience is a voluÌ„tarie or wylful coÌ„tinual sufferauns another definicâ— on of pacience of those thynges that be greuous noyouse or paynfull taken and suffred not onely as the pagane sayde for honestie / or profet / and auayle but also for vertue and for the increas of merite I say here that pacience is a suffrauÌ„ce but euery sufferauÌ„ce is not pacience For pacience is a vertue many parsons do suffre greate paynes without any vertue but rather theyr sufferaunce is much viciouse Therfore that sufferaunce that maketh pacience muste be voluntarye so that the parsons do suffre with theyr owne goodwyll and consent of mynde For yf they be coÌ„strayned coÌ„pelled for any cause contrarye vnto the wyll it is a sufferaunce but not pacience Except we call hyt as the Frenchman doth Pacience per force The sayde sufferauÌ„ce therfore must be voluntarye hyt must also be coÌ„tinual For els it is not meritorioê° ne worthy rewarde For many ê‘sons do incerprise and begyn many thinges with great paynes and greuouse sufferaunce for the tyme. But they sone gyue ouer they say they caÌ„ suffre no lenger That sufferance therfore is not pacience nor yet meritoriouse Math. â—0 â— and 24. b. For the scripture sayeth Qui perseuerauerit vsque in finem hic saluus erit Who so euer doth per seuer and continue vnto the ende that ê‘son shall haue the merite and rewarde of saluacion The sufferauÌ„ce also muste be of those thynges that be greuous For euery man may lyghtly suffre and here that thynge that is not peyneful ne dothe greue although sume persons they saye can not here welth but that is not bycause it is greuouse but for defaulte of wysdome discrecion But where is no greue is no sufferaunce and therfore no pacience but when the greue or payne is borne and suffered for a good cause with good wyl as is sayd and coÌ„tinually then is that sufferauÌ„ce called pacieÌ„ce notwithstandynge those causes that the Pagan setforth that is to saye honesty or profet be not sufficient to rendre and declare our pacience For many prowde and lyght mynded persons do suffre muche for honeste The coÌ„mune prouerbe is that hit is good to dyete or stryke the prowde persons For they wyl suffre well for theyr honeste without coÌ„playnt kepe al counsel but that sufferauÌ„ce is nat patieÌ„ce although to suffre for some honeste may be a good degre of pacience And to suffre for ê“fet alon is not alwaye pacience For so as we sayd by fore the fox or other bestes myght haue that pacieÌ„ce But bycause the pacience that we haue purposed here to intreate is a noble vertue â–ª meritorious apperteynynge onely
of yule wyked ê‘sons sayeth the wyse man shall putrifye rote Prouer 10. c. Eccli 〈◊〉 f. Iâ—â—doÌ„ Prâ—uer â—2 a. Ecclesi 7. a. Encli 37. d. But the name of good persons shall indure laste byde for euermore Trake therfore greate care diligense for thy good name and fame For better is a good name then greate ryches And man other place he sayeth that a good name is more holsome vnto the body then precious oyntemeÌ„tê And the fame of the wyse man shall inheryte honour amonge the people and shall lyue and laste for euermore But no man can be truly wyse with out pacience For euery vtu hathe nede of pacieÌ„ce The great clerke Pudencius sayeth in the place by fore named De belâ—â—â—tur vicÌ„ Inde quieta manet Paciencia fortis ad omnes Omnibus vna quies vittutibus associâ—â— Nam vidua est viâ—rus quam non Paciencia firmat That is to say Pacience doth euer remayne / and byde quiete restfull stronge and myghty agayâ—â—t all enemies And she alon so quiete / and restfull is associate and accuÌ„penied with all vertues For that vertue is a wydo we / all without coÌ„forde and heâ—pe that is not fyrmed stayde made stedfast by pacience Pacience than is not only the wynner â—obteyner but also the sure custos / keper of all vertues without whom all other vtues do flowe vanysh and vttexly perysh PacieÌ„ce is the doghter of humilite or mekenes And in all maner of vertues the doghter is of more ê‘fection then the mother by cause that doghter doeth conteyne the mother pacieÌ„ce coÌ„teyneth mekenes For euery pacieÌ„t ê‘son is meke Sapie 8. a. pacieÌ„ce than doth vaynquish ouercome all malice and yule And doth atteyne strech forth from the fyrst vertue of all vertues vnto the last / and doeth dispose and ordre all vertues swetely gentelly in the best maner August Cato For the most hygh honour of wordly persons is gotyn by pacience that is victorie And the most noble most honorable kynde of victorie after saynt Augustyne and the wyse cato is goten by pacience For crueltie / and vengeauÌ„ce can neuer wyn suche victorye as doth pacience For pacience vaynquisheth subdueth her enimies wtout strokes Prouer 16. wtout any Ioperdy of death wherfore the victorye of pacience sayeth the wyse man is more noble ysidorê° Solo. 2. Chriso super Epi. ad Hebre. and more honorable then is the conquest of realmes or kyngdomes PacieÌ„ce than in wronges to suffre mekely when a person myght resist and doth wylfully susteyne and bere is the most hygh glorie and prayse of the pacient ê‘son and most disprayse / and condempnacion of the noyer and hurter Cato Catho sayeth that amonge al the good maners of man pacience is yâ— greatest vertu and doeth ingendre and gete most loue most fauour and fryndeshyppe And a boue all other vertues doeth purches and wynne most laude and prayse The wyse Solon Salon was therfore called or named of the people of athens not onely pacient but also selfe pacieÌ„ce PacieÌ„ce than dothe syngularly chesty wynne good name good fame laude and prayse So that without pacience no ê‘son / in any storyes or wryttynge was euer praysed or yet accounted for wyse or vertuous For pacience is called the custos and keper of innocence the perfection of charite And the preseruer of all vertues for without pacience al other vertues do flowe perysh and come to non effecte Syth than to conclude no prayse of good name or fame caÌ„ be iuste / and true without vertue and no vertue may continue and be preserued without pacience we may well say hyt must necessaryly folowe that pacience is profitable to obteyne and wyn and to kepe good name and fame which as we sayde is more precious then is other the goodê or the body For hit indureth / lasteth lenger For as the prophet sayeth Paciencia pauperum non peribit in finem that is The pacience of the ê‘son that is pore in spirite for our lorde shal neuer perysh but euer more induce Amen ⧠⚜ ⧠¶ Of the fourth coÌ„modite frute and profecte of pacience The xi Chapter ☞ ☜ THe soule of man is more excelleÌ„t then be the goodes of the worlde or yet then is the body or the sayde fame and name For the soule of man is the most noble creature of the morlde except only Angell And yet many mans soule althogh not in nature but by grace merite to be aboue angell and so it is in dede in our sauiour in his blessed mother and may so be in many other holy sayntê yf than we can shewe that thys goodely lady pacieÌ„ce is coÌ„modious frutful pfetable necessarie vnto the welth of the soule then shal we accoÌ„plesh our promysse and enterprise Fyrst than we muste coÌ„sydre / wey what thynges do apperteyne vnto the welth of the soule most directly that is to say shortly fayth hope charite For these do set the soule in state of saluacion without which no man may be saued but of these .iij. charite is the chefe Maior horum charitas sayeth saynt Paule And pacience as we shewed byfore is the perfection of charite 1. Cor. 13. D. Ergo dame pacieÌ„ce is necessarie vnto the saluacion of the soule Of hope the apostle sayth Spe enim salui facti sumus By hope shall we be saued Ro. 8. but we hope for that thynge that we se not that we ê‘ceyue not and therfore by pacience we byde â—nd tarye the due tyme. And the prophet sayeth Good lorde Psal 7. thou arte my pacience And my hope from my youth hyderto But se what very pacieÌ„ce spake and sayde by the flame of charite in the herte of thâ— apostle who sayde he shal departe vs from the charite of Christe RoÌ„ 8. shall trouble or anguysh shall persecucion â–ª or yet honger â–ª thurst or colde or any peryl or dent of swerde departe vs nay certenly but all thynges shall we bere by pacieuce rather then departe froÌ„ the charite yâ— is in christe Iesu without charite then we can not haue pacience And yet pacience as I sayde doeth make that charite ê‘fecte But without fayth can be no charite nor hope For no maÌ„ can loue ne hope that thynge that he knoweth not but all the suerte of knowledge that we haue in thys lyfe is by fayth alon For no man euer sawe or hathe sene God in hys natural substance but because we beleue that is taught vs by holy churche we hope and truste vpon the promises of god and then of these doth folowe charite for these do cause vs to loue god that made those promises vnto his louers And so consequently we suffre for his sake And thus thaÌ„ doeth pacience ê‘fourme all those vertues moste necessarye vnto the helth saluacion of our soules But nowe bycause that our pacience is sometyme taken for the losse
of worldly goodes Sometyme for the hurte noyance of the body Sometymes for the blottynge steynynge and hynderance of fame And suÌ„tyme byonde all these thynges for the trouble of the mynde alon we shall shewe you howe coÌ„modious and profitable pacience is vnto the quietude and reste of the mynde ¶ That pacience is profitable and necessarye vnto the quietude and reste of mans mynde The .xii. Chap. ☞ ☜ THe losse of wordly goodê may fortune vnto any person without any hurt or noyance of his body or of the fame or good name or yet without any ioê‘dy of soule as when theues or soden fyre do steyle and destroye the goodes and yet when the persons hauynge that losse haue knowlege therof the mynde is coÌ„munely troubled and gruged therwith But ther then hath pacieÌ„ce a place For then doth the ê‘son that is disciple vnto pacience call vnto mynde that al maner of worldly goodê be not gyuen vnto vs as vnto propriete as our owne goodes but they be coÌ„mitted and delyuered by our lorde as his goodê vnto our necessarie vse and administracion and euer vpon a counte For without any feyle we shal rendre yelde a count of euery peny And also yâ— sayde disciple knoweth well hyt is but lent good and that also without any day appointed or set but euer at the wyll of the owner wherfore he wyl saye mekely and with due pacience Iob. 1. b with holy Iob. Dominus dedit dominus abstulit c. Our lorde gaue al and our lorde hath take it as it pleaseth our lorde so be it blessed be euer the name of our lorde And lykewyse a ê‘son may be hurt or greued in his body although ther be no losse ne hurt in the goodê nor yet in yâ— fame and that when the mynde is quiete But yet sone after the mynde wyl be vnrested withall and seke for remedy And yf no remedy can be had then the disciple of this good lady calleth for his maystres and she ful louengly is redy at hande and sayeth RemeÌ„bre good chylde what botches skabbes / had holy Iob specially what payne thy sauyour Iesu suffred for the and take me thy maystres to be thy leche or phisicion thou shalte be lyghtly and well cased Yet forther the fame may be sore assayled and in greate ioperdye without any losse of goodes or greaf of the body and without any blemysh of the soule As was in holy Susan wheÌ„ she was in harde case shamefully accused but se what her maystres my lady dame pacieÌ„ce dyd for her For she neuer accused her fals accusers ne yet vnto her dere fryndes dyd she excuse her selfe but bydynge with her lady pacience she remytted and cuÌ„mytted her holle cause vnto our lorde and with as fewe wordes as myght shewe that she was not careles nor neglygeÌ„t of fame sayde vnto our lorde O eterne and euerlastynge god that haste the perfecte knowledge of all hydde Daniel 13. e. and pryuey thynges that knowest all thynges before theyr bygynnynge Thou knowest wel lorde that these men haue borne fals wytnes agaynste me and se good lorde I go to death whyle I dyd none of all these thynges that they haue malyciously coÌ„powned / and made of theyr owne hedes agaynst me And forthwith by the meane of my lady pacience and of her mother mekenes helpe came she was delyuered and her fame and good name not only pÌ„serued kept but also vnto her eterne glorye multiplied increased Nowe yet go forther vnto the selfe mynde And you shall perceyâ—â—e that althogh in a ê‘son the state of the goodes of the corps or body of the fame and good name ye and also of the selfe soule be whole sounde / and stoude al vpryght yet may yâ— mynde be sore vexed and troubled Aug. de pacien cap. as dayly happeth in euery teÌ„tacion of the gostly enymyes the dyule the worlde and the flesh by many other occacions of theyr meÌ„bers and seruandes 2. Reg. 16. b. as was in dauid wheÌ„ he sled from his son absolon a man called semet a lym of the dyule rebuked him extremely in so much that hys seruandes were greately moued therwith so that one of them wolde haue slayne the wreche but dauid turned vnto my lady pacience and so was not only rested in hys owne mynde but also with his wyse godly wordes he appeased hys sayde seruandes Thus appereth that pacience is good and profitable vnto the quietude and reste of mynde For the mynde is not onely moued and troubled by tentacions and suche outwarde occasions but also many tymes without knowne occasion when the persons within them selfe ben troubled vexed can not tel why nor with whom yet wyll they lum / lowre Tertulianê° in Apolo loke all of a ded fashon and no thyng can please for that tyme. The cause wherof may be an humour in the body and many tymes that vnrest of mynde cuÌ„meth of opinion or suspicion Seneca ad Lucil epla 78. whiche many tymes do muche greue vnrest the mynde For let a person put a way opinion and suspicion sayeth seneke and greate outwarde trouble shall lytle or nothynge greue Aug. de pacien La. 9. For pacience wylfully taken doeth by good deliberacion auoyde all suche trouble and wynneth / and geteth therby great ease and rest of mynde For the person that hath wylfull pacience Quinti lianus La. 10. hathe but lytle payne And the impacient person by cause he wyll not suffre doth not auoyde the payne hurt that greueth hym and that he dredeth but rather doth he multiplye hys payne by impacience where the pacient person that hath determinate wyll rather to suffre then to do any wronge or puyl doth mynushe make hê payne Ouidiê° 8. Mâ—tha fa. 7. or trouble much lighter lesse by pacience Aud yet doeth also auoyde / and excape many wors or greater troubles paynes wherinto he shulde by impacience haue siypped / and be drowned The wyse seneke therfore sayde vnto a frynde of hys that was troubled and not pacient therwith Vbi supra ad Lucil. Make not sayde he thy mater wors and thy trouble more greuous by thy quarelles coÌ„playntes and impacience And vnto an other frende he sayde Bere and suffer sayth he with euyn mynde Ad Pau linum episco 6 and good wyll and take also and account as gaynes of marchandes al suche aduersites troubles as fortune doth sende or as happe fall by chaunce in this lyfe for the tyme shall come in a whyle very shortly Macto that felicite and ioy shall make an ende of al myseryes and yuyls And macrobius sayeth who so euer for the tyme wyll dissimble and lytle care for troubles vexacions shall in a shorte space after haue by the beniftce of paciencâ— great rest of mynde and ease and pleasure Your coÌ„mune englysh ê“uerbe doth so affirme
cal for grace dispose your selfe to receyue it Psal you shall suerly haue it Spera in deo et ipse faciet Trust in god sayeth the prophete he wyl ê‘forme your desyre Begyn fyrste to be meke Psal 4. ephe 4. f. mylde sobre of fewe wordê and so go forth in your scole And nother iudge you nor thynke that euery hasty mocion or displeasure doth breke pacieÌ„ce For the ê“phete sayth Irascimini et nolite peccare be you wroth yet be not in wyl to synne you may se before that in case you maye be moued yet kepe pacieÌ„ce RemeÌ„bre also that you be nother angel nor stone but a lumpe of flesh of the frayle Adam that may lyghly fall your coÌ„mune prouerbe sayeth It is no shame to fal but yâ— shame is to lye therby Holy saynt Paul that neuer dyd dedly synne after his coÌ„uercion cryed out vpoÌ„ yâ— fleshe sayng O vnhappy maÌ„ that I am who shal delyuer â—o 7. d rydde me of this dedly body we may after him serue god in our myndê Ibide although yâ— flesh be frayle PacieÌ„ce therfore good christians is not so lyghtly lost for she wyll neuer forsake you excepte you wylfully fyrst forsake her despice her with delyberacion For coÌ„teÌ„pt may lose pacieÌ„ce that is ê‘ilous For yâ— wyse maÌ„ sayth Ve hiis qui ê‘duÌ„t sustineÌ„ciam Eccli 2. c. Woo payne be vnto theÌ„ that do lose pacieÌ„ce God dothe dissimble with the fraylte of those ê‘sons that be dredful to offeÌ„de him Gyue credeÌ„ce vnto god Eccli 2. b. he wyl recouer the refourme yâ— when yâ— swaruest or doste erre Euery man is coÌ„munely named after that vtue or vice that he most vseth in dayly coÌ„uersacion As when a maÌ„ for yâ— most part doth shewe mekenes then is he called a meke maÌ„ when he so sheweth pride he is called proude And in lyke wyse that ê‘son that doth suffre much is seldon moued is called a pacieÌ„t ê‘son And the hasty ê‘son is called impaciâ—t Vse you than as diligent scolers to suffre pacieÌ„tly for yâ— great part of yor life if by chauÌ„ce you be moued in that passion say or do amysse call your selfe quycly home be bothe sory and ashamed or abashed of your selfe cry god mercy and make amendê to satisfie yâ— party et noÌ„ occidat sol suê‘iracuÌ„diaÌ„ vestraÌ„ let not yâ— son go downe vpoÌ„ your wrath or displeasure sayth saynt Paule and theÌ„ dar I wel say that both your good name fame of pacieÌ„ce shal be coÌ„serued that you of god shal be reputed as pacieÌ„t And accordyng vnto yâ— merite deseruyng of pacieÌ„ce to haue your hyre wagê and rewarde whiche rewarde shal be double or treble For in this lyfe yf you in al ê‘secucions passions aduersites troubles turne and applie your herte mynde thought vnto yâ— exaÌ„ples before shewed specially vnto yâ— exaÌ„ple of our sauiour Iesu you shall not onely haue pacience Phil. 2. but also you shal be glad ioyfull to suffre for his sake as he dyd for you so shal you be reÌ„dred made qâ—â—ete restful in your mynde coÌ„scieÌ„ce And for your good exaÌ„ple in yâ— edifieng of your neyghbour you shal with our sauiour be exalted haue good name fame aboue other And when you depart out of thê worlde your maystres lady pacieÌ„ce wyl accuÌ„peny you coÌ„uey lede you vnto youre longe desyred home there pÌ„seÌ„t you vnto yâ— patron that seÌ„de you that pacieÌ„ce where she wyll remayne dwell with you neuer depart froÌ„ you in yâ—pÌ„seÌ„ce euerlastyng fruâ—cion of yâ— selfe esseÌ„cial pacieÌ„ce our lord god most swete sauiour Iesu Christe that lyueth reyneth with god yâ— father with yâ— holy gost one selfe same god with theÌ„ worlde wtout ende whider of hys merciful goodnes he brynge vs all Amen Pray of your charite for a late brother of Syon R. Whitforde ¶ FINIS ⧠A worke of dyuers impedimentes and lettes of perfection ⧠✚ ⧠BVt late I seÌ„de forth a lytle worke of the lyfe of perfectyon named the pype or tunne of the same lyfe And here nowe one of my brethren brought vnto me a treatise or lytle draght in latyn of an vncerteyn auctor whiche he founde by chaunce of certen impedimentes or lettes of the spirituall profite profitynge good spede goyng forwarde in the iourney to obtayn come vnto the same lyfe whiche tracte or draght I thought shuld frame wel vnto the same worke And therfore I put hyt into Englysh and added thervnto many thynges that I thought conueuient for the same ☞ ⧠☜ ⧠¶ Of the fyrst impediment THe fyrst impediment let to profite and to go forth in the lyfe of perfection is the de faulte want or lacke of feruent desire…therunto For although euery maÌ„ wolde fayne haue that lyfe and dwell therin August homi 1. homiliaruÌ„ 50. yet ther be but very fewe that do profite go forwarde ther in the cause is they lacke feruour louyng desire and therfore they do not take the paynes labours and daungers that do apperteyne and belonge therunto For yf they dyd they shulde gyue studie and diligeÌ„ce euery day somewhat to ameÌ„de But when the desyre is not feruent ne hotte or skante a lytle warme but rather colde and flatte then do the ê‘sons lytle or no thynge amende but as they dyd yesterdaye so they do to daye as they do thys daye so wyl they do to morowe and so do they kepe on state and go no thyng forwarde for lacke I saye of ferueÌ„t desyre Quest But here you wolde paradueÌ„ture are why is hyt or what is in cause that a man hath not feruent desyre Two thyngê may be in cause Answe One is presuÌ„pcion of perfeccion For many ê‘sons do stande well in theyr owne fauour and thynke or iudge them selfe very holy ê‘fete ynoghe Theyr perfection doth so suffice theÌ„ that they seke no forther wherof Seneke sayeth we wyl therfore Seneca be no better because we suppose and thynke our selfe very good alredy and the best An other cause is presumption of wytte wysdome or connyng which doth inflate and flowe vp a ê‘son into pryde cause hym to repute hym selfe somewhat worth where in dede he is of hym selfe no thyng worth at al. The wysemaÌ„ sayeth Do not ex toll Eccli 6. a. enhauns ne lyfte vp thy selfe in the cogitacion thought of thy mynde lest by thyne owne foly thou haue a fall August And saynt Augustyne sayeth yf thou woldest come vnto a forther state of ê‘fection then thou haste thou muste be displeased and discontent with the state case thou art in Ergo he that wolde profete and go forwarde must haue a feruent desyre therunto For as saynt Bernarde sayeth that person for a suerte is not good Bernaâ— that wolde be no better For when
reioyce bost and crake therof as though thou haddest not so taken and borowed hyt And saynte Gregory agayne Grego he the sheweth out borded goodê as hys owne doth feght with god with his owne rewardes and gyftes Dessende therfore sayeth saynte Augustyne and come downe lowe that thou mayst asceÌ„de and clymbe suerly vp make thy selfe vyle meke lowe that thou mayst be exalted promoted lest peraduenture yf thou exalte thy selfe thou be plucked downe agaynst thy wyll For so sayth our sauyour in the gospell Qui se exaltat humiliabitur Who so euer doth exalte et enhauns or set vp hym selfe shall be brought downe made vyle and lowe By these auctorites many mo dothe appere that to call vnto remeÌ„brans / our good dedes or vertues is not profetable but rather perilous Notwithstandynge for such causes as I shewed before in extreame disconforte it may be lawfull and good as we haue of the holy father Iob Iob. 31. in the .xxxi. Chapiter throughout And specially at the houre or in the Ioperdy of death as is euident in the boke of kynges of the good kynge Ezechias 4. ReguÌ„ 20. a. So may we do at suche tymes / or in such necessites that is to saye to cal wylfully vnto mynde and remeÌ„brans our good dedes and workes or the paynes that we haue suffred for the loue of god to quench viâ—e and to kendle and increas vertue And therfore I wolde aduyse all them that shall fortune to be present with any persons drawynge vnto death to put them in remeÌ„brans of all suche and that they neuer thynke at that tyme vpoÌ„ any fyâ—â—e â—â—offâ—ns that euer they dyd but to coÌ„mytte all those with stedfast fayth / and pure hope vnto the passion and death of our sauyour and vnto hys mercy Amen ¶ Of the secuÌ„de poynt that shulde rather be forgotyn then remeÌ„bred ⧠☞ ⧠☜ LYke as we shulde not call vnto mynde or remeÌ„brance our good dedes So shulde we clerely forgete all yuel and wronges done vnto vs / of any ê‘son for any cause And yf by chauns any suche come vnto mynde put them quycly awaye with violence So was coÌ„maunded in the olde lawe Seke not vengauns nor to wreke thy selfe Leuiti 19. d. nor kepe in thy mynde the iniurie or wronge of thy neyghbour But here some persons wyl saye Syr I can fynde well in myne herte to forgyue the wronge but I can not forgete hyt And although I do not seke or mynde any meane of veÌ„gauns yet my hert doeth some tyme aryse and I then murmure and go out of cuÌ„peny â—erâ—er supra cautieÌ„ wyll nother salute ne be saluted of the parties and yf by chauns I can not auoyde then I checke or vpbrayde the person of the wronge Thys forgyuenes can not discharge the conscience byfore god And yet be they in wors case that make outwarde a fayre face as though all were clerely forgyuen and yet inwarde they bere rancore and grugge wolde be glad that god or some other persons shulde take vengauns or do some hurte vnto the parties Thys is in dede a very hatered who so kepeth hyt in herte be homicides and manslers Qui odit fratrem suum 1. Io. 3. c homicida est Who so euer sayth the scripture hateth his brother is a mansleer That hert or mynde that lyghtly forgeteth the benifetes of his frynde and that holdeth kepeth well in mynde the hurt and iniurye of hys foo or enimie is well assimuled and lykened vnto a colender or streyner that putteth on t the beste and reteyneth and kepeth the worst A very faythfull christiane therfore shulde clerely fully forgyue and vtterly forgette with al hys herte al iniures wronges and hurtes done in any wyse vnto his goodes or body Takynge euer example of oure sauiour and his holy folowers For he prayde his father vpon the crosse to forgyue hys foose and cruel crucifiers And saynt Stephan in lyke maner And saynt Bernarde sayeth that god doeth lyberally Gernar and frely forgyue all penitentes al iniuries wronges so that nother he wyl by damp nacyon take veÌ„geance nor yet coÌ„founde or make them abashed by vpbrayde nor impute ne lay any thynge vnto theyr charge by lesse loue or fauour so that they onely haue perfete wyl to do no more And yf we do in lyke maner eche vnto other we shall fullfyll the greate and laste coÌ„maundement that our sauiour gaue vnto hys disciples saynge Hoc mando vo bis c. Io. 15. c. This one thing I coÌ„mauÌ„de you sayde he that you loue to gether that you fauore eche other For in that shal euery maÌ„ knowe sayeth he that you be my disciples yf you loue eche other Thus shall we than haue perfete and vnfayned charite in our hertes yf we forgete and neuer kepe in mynde or remeÌ„brance iniuries wronges hurtes hyndrances and al displeasures done vnto vs. ⧠☞ ⧠☜ âšœ ⧠¶ Of the thyrde poynte to be put clene a way and neuer to be called ne kept in remembrance ☞ âšœ ☜ THe thyrde to be forgoten is the dilectacion of synnes past which is very perilous For although the recorde and remembrans of synnes past may be good and profitable vnto some persons yet is that recorde neuer good Auguâ— but rather yuel except ther folowe forthwith some maner of repentance sorowe and displeasure for the offeÌ„ce of god in the synnes or by those synnes But to haue delectacion in that recorde or remembrans is neuer good but alway nought For as saynte Hugh De sancto victory sayeth Huge when so euer our lorde god by his holy sarrameÌ„tes or by coÌ„tricion doth louse the penitent from hys synnes forgyueth hys transgressions and offences he dothe therwith also bynde hym vnto perpetual detestation hatred of them that is that when the sayde synnes come vnto remembrans by any meanes that the person be abashed of them with hatred and sory that he so dyd with purpose and mynde neuer to coÌ„mit any suche agayne and thus that recorde may be good and profetable as I sayde vnto some ê‘sons For theyr be some maner of persons that after myne opinion shulde neuer call wylfully theyr synnes vnto mynde nor yet when they come vncalled kepe them in remeÌ„brance For some persons be carnall very frayle and sone set one fyre in flamed or at the least sore assayled with a lytle remeÌ„brans and so intendynge by recount of theyr synnes to make a mendes sodeÌ„ly they fal vnto forther daunger Let these maner of ê‘sons therfore beware and neuer call those synnes vnto mynde that were coÌ„fessed And yf by chauÌ„ce they come to remeÌ„brance let them caste them quicly a way with feare horror detestacion indignacion as they wolde cast an edder or a snake from theyr hande or a venemus tode that sodenly shulde fall in theyr lappe and with reuereÌ„de drede retourne vnto our lorde god and most swete sauiour