loue of god in suffrynge pacyently aduersyte and mekely takynge prosperyte ¶ These ben the .vij. sacrementes of holy cherche Baptysme wedloke the sacrament of the awter coÌ„firmacoÌ„n ordre penauÌ„ce the last enoyntynge ¶ Here folowen the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„demen◠¶ Worshyp no fals god In whiche is forboden wytchecrafte enchauÌ„temenâ— mawmentry redyng of dremes al mysbyleue such other ¶ Take not his name in vayn In which is forboden all heresyes forsweryng of all mysmenyng vnworshyp of god takyÌ„ge his name iÌ„ vayn other ¶ Halowe the holydays herynge deuoutly thy seruyce kepyng the out of dedely syÌ„ne visyte the poore helpe to acorde them that ben at debate suche other ¶ Worshyp thy fad thy moder God thy fad holy chirche thy mod thy goostly fads thy flesshly fader mod people of age prelates of holy chirche ¶ Slee no man with hande smytynge nor with thy mouth in bacbytyng with herte cursynge ne wyll ony euyll or vengeauÌ„ce ¶ Do no lechery In this is forboden all spousebreche with bodely dede or goostly all wylfull polucoÌ„ns or prouokynge â—o the same ¶ Do no theefâ— as iÌ„ stelyng wronge getyng trechery oker dysherytage of heyres wronge amercymeÌ„â— fals mesure wrong purchasyng ¶ Bere no fals wytnes in this is forboden tals byenge bacbytyng fals accusyng and all such other ¶ Desyre not thy neyghbours wyf In this is not only forboden the dede doyng but also the desyre wyll of herte ¶ Desyre not thy neyghbours thynge as house londe beest seruaunt nor ony thynge that is his ¶ These .vij. thynges folowynge sholde we haue euer in our mynde THe synnes that we dayly do The short tyme that we shall abyde here The vncertayne of the daye of our deth The vnstablenes fraylte of vs. The strayte ferefull Iugement of god The bytter vnspekable paynes ordeyned for synnes The euerlastynge losse of eternall glorye ¶ Here foloweth a short remeÌ„brauÌ„ce for confessyon to al peple in especyal to al religious folke SEldom shalt thou fynde tyme in all the yere in whiche thou shalt not haue cause to shryue the of some of these folowynge that is to wete of hasty or neclygence saynge the seruyce of god or of lesynge of tyme or els of vayne thougt or of vndue reuerence to god or to our lady or his saynt or to the other that ben thy souerayns Or in forgetynge god his dayly benefayt not thankyng hyÌ„ for his creacion his redempcoÌ„n that he gat the that mynde to dyspose the better than other ben with suche other And also not thankynge hyÌ„ for thy dayly sustenaunce clothynge helth of thy body for remissyon of thy synnes for thyn enherytauÌ„ce of heuen with other Innumerable Also remeÌ„bre thy wode wordes or noysom or els fals Iugementes in thy mynde or fals suspycoÌ„n Alâ—â— of ony mouynge to wrath or to vayne heuynes or vayne gladnes â—lso serche in thy mynde yf thou haue well spended the daye nyght without synne as yf thou haue prayed or rede to lytell with suche other Also yf thou haue past thy bouÌ„des in wordes or in etynge or drynkynge slepynge or laughynge with suche other Also remembre how thou haste kepte the maundementes of thy souerayne chastyte pouerte sylence in places houres accordynge as thou art called for to do Also yf ony persone in worde sygne or dede thou haste offended gyuen ony cause or occasyon of greuauÌ„ce Remembre also yf thou hast ouerskypped in the seruyce of god ony wordes verses or ony Inclynacyons suche other And of the wauerynge of thy mynde thyn eyen other vnmanerly behauyour of all thy body Also of thy vnhonest noysom thoughtes that thou sholde myghtly resyst not taryenge with them by thy wyll Serche also yf thou haue grutched for mete or drynke or other necessaryes for bycause they were not gyue to the after thy pleasyr Loke also yf thou haue â—ynned in moche takynge of mete drynke or ony other necessaryes more than nede requyred c. ¶ Saynt Bernarde to a newe begynner in relygyon YF thou entende to please god woldest obteyne grace to fulfyll the same two thyngê ben to the necessary Fyrst thou must withdrawe thy mynde from all transytory erthely thynges as who saye yâ— carest as lytell for them as there were none suche thynges The seconde is yâ— thou gyue thyself to god that thou saye nor do ony thynge but that only that yâ— verely byleuest sholde please god And in this wyse folowynge thou mayst gete grace for the fyrst In all thynges counte thyself vyle symple and as nothynge in regarde of vertue byleue all other to be good better than thyself so shalt thou moost please god What soeuer thou here or see of ony relygyous peâ—sone or of ony other good peâ—sones thynke alwaye that all is done sayd for good entent though they seme the contrary for oft man by suspycyon is begyled Dysplease no creature vtter no langage to laude of thyself though it were to thyn â—ost famylyer be loued felowe studye euer more to kepe more preuy thy vertue than thy vyce spâ—ke neuer euyll of ony man or woman though iâ— be neuer â—o tâ—ue â—pen it not without it be in confâ—ssyon that whan thou can not elles shewe clerely thyn owne conâ—essyon Be more gladde to gyue thyn eere whan ony man is praysed than whan ony peâ—sone is dyspraysed Whan thou spekest haue fewe wordes true ladde euer of god yf ony worldely persone speke with yâ— and purpose or vtter vayne wordes as soone as thou mayst brebe out of suche comunycaâ—oÌ„n talkynge talke of god of his vertues or elles departe gyue that to some goodly goostly occupaâ—oÌ„n What soeuer befall the or ony other of thy frendes gyue no charge of it yf it be prosperyte reioyse not ther of yf it be trouble or aduersyte be not sory for it But take or acompte all suche thyngê as nought euer prayse thanke god gyue charge as moche as thou mayst to the wele prosperyte of thy soule flee places of moche speche as moche as thou canst For it is moche betâ— one to kepe his tonge than to speke After complyn speke no worde tyl the masse be done the next daye folowynge without a grete cause requyre Whan thou seest ony thynge that dyspleaseth the see yf the faute be in thyself than haue compassyon yf it be not thynke that it may be so lete all thynges be to the as it were in a glasse to see thyself Grutche not ayenst ony persone without thou see that thou may profyte what soeuer cause thou haue Afferme neyther denye nothyng ouerthwartly but lete thy nay or ye or thy doubte be powdred euer with salt that is to saye lete hem be spokan with discrecion pacyence Be euermore ware of mockynge of scornynge Yf thou be lyght of contenauÌ„ce
vnryghtfull ¶ Beware of ydelnes the whiche is moder of all synne vnclennesse so that by your offyce that ye be called to or by prayer redynge wrytynge lewynge or other handewerkes doynge ye may make your bodyes dayly wery crucyfyed And therby make your spyrytes the more quycke and apte to the seruyce of our lorde in confusyon of your enemye and encreace of glorye ¶ Beware to be Inquysytyf or to muse on hyghe maters and subtyll And leue them to worldely peopleâ— and to clerkes for otymesthe letter may hurte you Thynke euer that ye had leuer dye than ones to passe the clausures or bouÌ„des of your monasterye Yf ye haue a faythfull a Iuste frende to whom ye may open the secretes of your herte than ye haue a grete tresour for oftymes one shall be deceyued seldome can iuge the trouth in his owne maters so well as other Knowe your owne synnes wayle them medle with none other Beware euer of detraccion flee it as it were a venemous serpent that the speker therof be your contenauÌ„ce departynge from them may be ashamed therwith lothe for euer so to speke or do Moreouer yf ye wyll see your spouse Ihesu cryst in your mynde by contemplacoÌ„n euer kepe your sylence For saynt Ierom sawe many in Egypt amonge holy faders that .vij. yerâ—â— togyder spake not owne worde but only to god to his saynt Yf the caas be so that ye must speke lete it be in all peas charyte with fewe wordes Remembrynge that your spouse loueth no voyde â—latâ—â—ynge but wolde be with you alone in all quyetnesse in your soules Wherfore be ye aferde to dysplease hym or to dryue hym out from you with stryues or debate sclaundres othes and suche other ¶ Saynt Iames couÌ„selleth eche man to refrayne his tonge sayenge that lyf deth ben in the power of the same tonge wrytynge thus Who that refrayneth his tonge he shal be blessyd in all his dedes c. Knowleche your self at all tymes carayne and erthe the glory therof is as a floure in the medowe Absteyne you as pylgryms from all desyres of the flesshe the whiche dayly bataylleth ayenst the soule Absteyne also from lyes at all tymes as ye wolde from helle for them in no wyse loueth Ihesus your spouse And also beware to mayntene or botrace suche lyes whiche is abhomynable in the syght of god Yf there come ony strauÌ„ger vnto you lete hym knowe by your heuenly talkynge behauyour that ye be a well taught spouse of cryste that they may glorefye in you for you be amended by you Bere the wordes of saynt Ierom in your mynde that sayth thus Truste me verely that theris no thynge more peryllous to a man than is a woman to a woman no thynge more contagyous than is a man for eyther of them is chaff eyther is fyre And note this for a truth that preuy talkyng lacketh no suspycyon That thynge is not lefull to be seen that is not lefull to be desyred More than ony man can suppose or wryte the deuyll reioyseth whan memorye of o man is fixed had in a womaÌ„nes herte There is no venym in the worlde so noysom to woman as is affeccoÌ„n towarde man of what soeuer cause it procede or growe Ye may see that the desyre of worldly wymen is euer in vesture golde precyous stones ornament outwarde of the body therin they put theyr glorye felycyte In so moche that it suffyseth not them theyr luste gyuen by nature only but they seke occasyon craft by the sayd premysses to encreace theyr sayd luste desyres to theyr grete dampnacoÌ„n beware therfore of ony costely habyte or suche vanytees c. Certaynly sayth the sayd saynt Ierom the pryncypall desyre is of suche wymen that men sholde fest theyr eyen in the faces of them by the prouocacoÌ„n syght of theyr precyous arraye But they sholde coÌ„syder though nature hath gyuen to golde suche other a pâ—ecyosyte wherby they ben praysed what is that to the vyle carkas that it hangeth vpon the whiche is but a â—achell of dounge brought forth of vnclene seed fynally shall be wormes mete ¶ The wordes of saynt Ierom. O Thou moost vylest worse than ony beest how shamefast sholdest yâ— be in thy body yf thou woldest beholde thyself that so in thyn arraye auauÌ„cest thyself And this blessyd Ierom sayth I take them for no relygyous wymen that beâ— cladde in costlyous araye or in wanton pynched habytes but he calleth them in latyn Pessimas meretrices et storta Wherfore desyre ye to go in vyle vnshapely vesture that wanton dissolute persones may rather be prouoked to scorne laughe at you than to thynke euyl or desyre you for they say not trouthe that do ensure themself with a glorye to kepe chastyte in a costely or ony shapely vesture ye shal be called ladyes for bycause that ye shall be spoused to the kyng of all kynges Beware than take hede with all mekenesse to your dygnyte in lesse than your spouse be greued make a deuorce so departe from you Yf that ye wyst ones had tasted how swete your spouse were ye sholde haue pleasyr ynough that passeth all worldly pleasyrs This Ioye pleasyr had saynt Ierom many other both of men wymen kepe the mansyon of your spouse clene garnysshe it with floures of vertue and accompte your self moost vyle out caste of this worlde Remembre also how in your baptysme ye forsoke the worlde the enuye and all theyr pryde glory the whiche now ye shall coÌ„fer me vnder the grettest othe that may be therwith receyue our lorde god in sacrameÌ„t in this your fyrste entrynge in to religyon Beware also of vayne glory lyftynge vp your vysage voyce on hyghe as wymen done in the worlde Rebukyng other or to speke of your noble blood or kynrede for in the spousage and seruyce of god the poorest mannes doughter lyuynge shall be egall lyke to the gretest kynges doughter lyuynge in erthe Ye muste forsake all suche worldely pompe vanyte take a newe a more sure noble dignyte by your spouse Ihesu cryst that neuer shall haue ende the poorest of you bryngeth more to the monastery so that ye come with a meke herte and in wyll to forsake yf that ye hadde neuer so moche than she that bryngeth moche with a proude herte and therwith to other wolde haue it knowen Beware euer that no foule worde or stryue be amonge you that ben deed folke in this worlde But euer thynke that the trompe of the last daye of Iugement soundeth in your eeres and calleth you sayenge Ryse doughters Ryse come to your Iugement Lete euer your mynde be with your spouse and with your moder blessyd Marye the sayntes as often as ye synge or rede Remembrynge that god is there present and seeth what
see it be but selde haue thy comunicacion but with fewe persones shortly behaue thyself so in all thy sayenge that thou speke not rather in a doubte than men sholde take auctoryte or grouÌ„de of thy sayenge The seconde thou mayst obteyne in this wyse Gyue thyself with grete deuocyon to praye lete thyn herte agree with that thou sayest both daye nyght Remembre also dylygentely that thou ymagyne the state of them in whose remembrauÌ„ce thou makest thy prayer These thre haue alwaye in thy mynde what thou were what thou art what thou shalt be By reason of thy body thou were foule slyme of the erthe now thy body is the hous of fylte derte herafter it shall be wormes mete Also ymagyne the paynes of them that ben in helle how that payne shall neuer haue ende how they suffre all these paynes for a lytell delectacoÌ„n pleasyr in synne Also ymagyne the Ioye of paradyse how that shal neuer be fynysshed how shortly and soone it may be goten Than thynke what sorowe waylynge may be to them that for so lytell a thynge here haue lost so grete Ioye contynuell And whan thou hast ony thynge that doth dysplease the or elles thou dredest to haue it thynke yf thou were in helle thou sholdest haue that all that thou woldest not haue so shalt thou suffre all thynge â—or crystus sake his loue Also whan thou hast ony thynge that pleaseth the or elles that thou desyrest to haue thynke yf thou were in paradyse thou sholdest haue it all other thynges that thou woldest desyre Also whan there falleth ony fest of ony saynt thynke on hyÌ„ what payne he suffred here for goddes sake how shorte his paynes was Than thyn be how greate Ioye he hath in heuen for that whiche is euerlastynge And soo thou mayst thynke that the trybulacion or tourmentynge oâ— the good men is soone gone And in lyke wyse the Ioye of euyll men fadeth anone but good men with theyr trybulacyon here geteth eternall glorye And euyll men with theyr ouermoche Ioye here geteth euerlastynge payne Furthermore whan thou art accombred with slouth lackest deuocoÌ„n take this wrytynge ymagyne dilygently all these thynges rehersed Than thynke of the tyme that thou lesest in vayne ydelnes thynke that they that ben in helle wolde gyue all the worlde for so moche tyme to redeme theyâ— synnes yf they myght haue it Whan thou hast ony trouble thynke that they that ben in paradyse shall neuer haue suche trouble And whan thou hast ony spirytuell consolacyon or comforte thynke that they that ben in helle shall euer lacke that Whan thou goost to bedde or to thy rest thynke what thou hâ—â—â—â—hâ—â—ght what thou hast sayd what thou hast done â—hat daye And how prouffytable thou haste spende thy tyme the whiche was gyuen the to spende it vertuouslyâ— to obteyne euerlastynge lyf Yf thou haue spended it well gyue praysynge to god And yf thou haue spended it euyll wepe be sory for it And â—he next daye yf thou may dyfferre not to be confessed Yf thou haue sayd or done ony thynge that greneth thy conseyence sore ete no mete vntyll thou be shryuen thou mayst Now for a conclusyon ymagyne in thy mynde two cytees one full of trouble mysery whiche is helle an other full of Ioye and comfortâ— whiche is paradyse And how to one of these two ye must nedes come Than thynke in thyself what thynge sholde cause the to do euyll or what thynge sholde drawe the fro god And I trowe thou shalt fynde none suche I am certayne yf thou kepe well all these that ben wryten here The holy goost wyll be with the teche the to kepe them parfytly Wherfore kepe well all these preceptes coÌ„mauÌ„dementes leue none behynde Rede them twyes in the weke on wensdaye saterdaye And as thou fyndest thou hast done as it is wryten Gyue praysynge to god whiche is euer pyteous mercyfull in worlde withouten ende Amen ¶ A deuoute prayer for relygyous people or for theym that entre in to relygyon Remembrynge the termes and to do theym in dede IHesu my maker sauyour to thy wyll and ordynauÌ„ce I commytte me euery houre Besechynge the entyerly for grace mercy so that I may be one of them that shall be saued Teche me good lorde thy commaundementes to fulfylle and to do that I come fore eschewynge all euyll Gyue me grace to loue the and to dâ—ede the aboue all thynge Remembrynge thy gâ—ete benefettes and euer to gyue the thankynge And to kepe euer charyte obedyence pacyence sylence with humylyte demynge euer the best saye well telle the trouthe and neuer to lye Lothe to offende sory for my synne and to helpe whan nede is to serue the euer deuoutly with mekenes to haue mede Of the trespaces of other to haue compassyon with good couÌ„sell example frendely consolacyon to do after good prechynge holy sayntâ— lyues kepynge my tonge conscyence clene to flee bacbytyng stryues to gyue none occasyon of greuauÌ„ce neuer grutchyng flee ydelnes to praye for the deed quycke alwaye be my besynes Takyâ—ge hede to my charges do to them with good wyll gladde to be correcte of eche creature to leue myn owne wyll And euer to be ware to excuse my syÌ„ne to trust in myn owne wytte RemeÌ„brynge that I come to relygyon for to do penauÌ„ce for synne repugne ayenst it to crye for mercy to the Ihesu to thy moder Mary In whome I trust shall serue neuer for to varye Amen V ¶ DuÌ„e fiat voluntas â—ua R ¶ Sicut in celo et in terâ—a ALâ—iones nraÌ„s quesumê° dnÌ„e aspirando Oratio pÌ„ueni et adiuuando ê“sequere vt â—â—â—ta nraÌ„ operatio a te semê‘ incipiat et ê‘ te cepta fimaâ— Peâ— xpÌ„m dnÌ„m nostruÌ„ Amen ¶ This prayer folowynge is good for them that vnderstande not theyr seruyce in latyne in syngynge or sayenge or that lacke deuocyon in tyme of theyr sayd seruyce and wolde haue it BLessyd Ihesu cryst our lorde god sauyour whiche I knowe well come in to this worlde not for them that were Iuste ryghtfull but for synners to redeme them by thy deth shedyng of thy precyous blood Now mercyfull pyteous lord Iesu cryste forgyue me haue mercy of me after thy grete mercyes for thy crosse bytter passyon For I am a synner haue greuously erred offended the. Not for thy swete Ihesu I byleue in the neuer denyed the nor shall Attende beholde good lorde Iesu my fayth Intencyon the vertue of the wordes of holy prayers that I haue sayd songe or shall beholde not myn Inhabylyte Ignoraunce Wauerynge of mynde neclygence But grauÌ„t of thy grete goodnes that the prayers with all other good dedes done by me or to be done may