gladly to the nede of their affliccoÌ„ns Vpon this brauÌ„che makyth the shrikeowle hir neest that is of suche nature that she drawith hir about suche places as dede bodyes ben beried And whaÌ„ ony is nere his deth she felith it aferre cryeth lowde by grete pyte sorowe This byrde signefyeth the coÌ„pascion of the soule that shold put her in grete dyligence aboute hem that beÌ„ in sinne for to conuerte hem brynge hem ayen in the way of saluacion And whan she perceyueth ony that aprocheth to the deth of y e sowle bi dedely synÌ„e theÌ„ne sholde she crie by grete lamentacoÌ„n to god with teres wyth orysons Vpon thys brauÌ„che growyth the floure of glane this glane growyth aboute waters By this water is vnderstonde they that ReÌ„ne in dedely synne aboute whom sholde growe charite gyue attendauÌ„ce to the compascyonat soule VpoÌ„ this brauÌ„che was mouÌ„ted dauid that sayd Lord for this that the synÌ„ers haue not kepte your lawes I haue cast this grete habuÌ„dance of teres Vpon thys brauÌ„che was thereime mouÌ„ted the ê“phete y t said who shal gyue water to my hede a for this y t he thought water myghte drye and fayle sayde hÌ„e after and to myne eyen welles of teres that I myght wepe the wretchydnesse of my peple He thoughte teres that neuer sholde sease Suche teres shold hÌ„aue the soule y t wyll mouÌ„t vpon the appultree of comteÌ„placoÌ„n as an holy fader was theron wel mouÌ„ted that sayd who is seke in all holy chyrche eyther in body or in soule but that I be trowblid sory wyth hem ¶ The thyrde brauÌ„che of thappultree is temporell affliccoÌ„n whan she putteth hirself in grete afflicte by penauÌ„ce also that she suffreth Ioyefully with a peasible hert all aduersitees for the loue of our lorde VpoÌ„ brauÌ„che makith the swan her nest that is of suche naturÌ„ that whan she shall deye she singyth This signefyeth the soule that hathe Ioye in trybulacion VpoÌ„ this brauÌ„che were mouÌ„ted thappostles of whom meÌ„ say the apostles had grete Ioye whan they went out of the couÌ„sâ—yles of the Iewes pharesees where thei were beten for this that they thoughte theym worthy to suffre shame for the name of oure lorde Ihesu cryste Vpon thys brauche grewe the floure of the lelye wherof the spowse sayth in the Cantycles ¶ Thus as the lelye is amonge the thornes thus is my loue amoÌ„ge the chylderne of the worlde ¶ Whanne the flowre of the lelye is amonge the thornes they prycke hir and she pryckyth hem not but rather yeldeth good odour by true pacyence Thus oughte the holy soule to doo She oughte not answere by sharpe wordes but rather oughte to yelde good odour by true pacyence to all theym that done hyr ony offence soo that she maye saye wyth saynt poul we ben of good odour to god in al places· But they that yelden euyll for euyll and ben redy to answere by signes and by wordes And wyll not forgete one worde that folke saye to theym or doo ony wronge nor wyll not forgyue all suche folkes ben not of the appyl tree of coÌ„templacyon ¶ The fourth brauÌ„che of contemplacyon is compunccoÌ„n CompuÌ„ccyon is whan the soule is sore mouyd and prycked wyth the traueyâ—es of our lorde Ihesu cryst so that she forgeteth all other payne traueyle that maye come to hyr For as men wyll and maye more ease â—y dryue oute a wedge or a pyn of tree that is myssette by a nother In like wyse whan the soule is meuyd pryckyd wyth trybulacyon It oughte to remembre how hyr souerayn sauyour loue was for her perced nayled on the crosse And this sharpnesse sorow sholde put away all other payne sorowe froÌ„ hir â—ert VpoÌ„ this brauÌ„che makith hir neest a byrde whiche is callid harpia that hath the seÌ„blauÌ„ce of a manÌ„es visage hir nature is to slee the fyrst man she fyndeth theÌ„ne gooth she to some water where she beholdeth hirself seeth that she hath slayn hir owne liknes thenÌ„ makyth she a full grete sorowe alwaye that euer she sawe ony man This signefyeth y e soule that slew cryst by hir synÌ„e whose seÌ„blauÌ„ce is in hir for to his seÌ„blauÌ„ce was she created And whan she remeÌ„breth how IhÌ„u was dede for our synnes thenÌ„e ought â— she to make grete sorow lamentacoÌ„n Thus as the turtle dooth whaÌ„ she hath loste her felaw she come to the place where he deyed fynde feders or ony other signe she makyth grete sorowe Thus oughte the soule to doo that hath lost IhÌ„u cryst hir good lorde loue she ought to doo thus as dide the doughter of a kyng that abode orphelin And men took awaye hyr enheritaunce Thenne was there the sone of a myghty kyng that had soo grete pyte of hyr that he toke this yoÌ„ge lady to his wyf and conqueryd agayne hyr herytage and deyed in the bataylle Thenne this yonge lady took the armes of the knyghte that for hyr was dede· And behelde theim euery day wepyng vpoÌ„ tharmes made merueyllous grete sorowe The doughter of the kyng that abode orphelin lost hir heritage this was the soule that was doughter of adam that was a ryght noble man whan he was in paradys But he lost his enherytauÌ„ce whan he was dryuen thens by his synne And thenne had the sone of god greate pyte for the sowle that was thus dysheryted and dyscended fro paradyce to marye hir this same daye of maryage was made whan he Ioyned his deyte to our humanite fro that day fought for vs xxxij yeer an halfe at the laste deyed for vs in the batayle of the crosse Wherfore we oughte well to doo thus as this yonge lady dyde alway to haue his deth in remembrauÌ„ce wyth grete compascoÌ„n often to beholde his armes This is hys crosse his spere his nayles all y e Instrumentes of his passion and wepe euery daye for this that our lorde souerayn loue was dede for vs. ¶ Vpon this brauÌ„che growith the rose that signefyeth marterdom spuÌ„elly tho that be thus touched prycked forgeten lightly alle worldli troubles and may wel saey â— am wouÌ„ded bi charite for this is the tru way of charyte For as wel content is the very charitable with hem that blame hem· as them that prayse hem For the soule that is verely confermed in god ne is not ouerthroeÌ„ by aduersite ne a reysid bi ê“sperite The v. brauÌ„che of coÌ„templacoÌ„n is abidyng whaÌ„ y e sowle is of soo grete desire that she abydeth our lorde in desiryng ¶ VpoÌ„ this brauÌ„che were mouÌ„ted y e ê“phetes of tholde tyme that somoche desired the comyng of our lord whaÌ„ they sayd come lord tary not a nother sayd yf he make taryeng abyde we him for he shal com tary not longe VpoÌ„ this brauÌ„che was mouÌ„ted dauyd whaÌ„ he sayd beholde we abyde we our lorde after
them the ryght waye towarde heuen whanne he hade ended hys ryght swete sermon for all his seruise y e felon Iewis sterte on hym and wolde haue stoned hym to deth theÌ„ne seyd he full petously alas fayre folkis wherefore wyll ye now sle me ¶ Multa bona oê‘a ostendi vobis a patre meo ê“pter quod opus me vultis lapidare Many good werkys haue I shewede yow fro my fader for y e whyche ye wolde sle me Ryght as he hade sayde to them I haue geuen mete to yower poer folkes I haue made your seke folkys hole I haue done all y t ye haue desyrede me I haue thaught yow the scrypture of my fader now wolde ye sle me ¶ Non ex operibus bonis lapidamus te sed de blasphemia et nuÌ„c scimus quia demoniuÌ„ habes They answerede for thy good werkys we wolde not sle the but for thy blaspheminge that we knowe full well thow haste a deuill wythine they body ¶ Et Ihesus abscondit se et exiuitde teÌ„plo And IhÌ„s hide him wente oute of y e teÌ„ple whaÌ„ he sawe y t they wolde haue put hym to this shamfull deth he made a soroufull coÌ„pleinte by y e ê“phete dauid ¶ Ego suÌ„ vermis et noÌ„ homo obê“briuÌ„ hoiÌ„m abieccio plebis Right swete fader mercy what shall I do I am holden so vyle in erthe for synners that these folkis take me not as a man but as I were a worme I am in reproche of men of all caytyffys I am in abyeccyon A what meruaile was this yf he made suche compleynte to hys fader y t sente hym hedyr where alwey he receuide euyll for his gode dedis and harme hate for hys swete loue grete shame for hys honour as hym self seyde· ¶ Retribuebant michi mala pro bonis et odiuÌ„ prodilecione me a They yelde me euyle for wele hate for loue Alas what vylete was thys that Ihesâ— cryst suffred amonge this malicious folkys that alwey in hys blessid wordes were cruell ayen seyers and in hys holi dedys they were preuy aspyers and in hys anguyshous peynes they were sorufull in hys preyrs he hade poor conforters in hys gracious dedys ful few thankers wherefore he pleyneth hym in osee the proohete ¶ Consolacio abscoÌ„dita est ab oculis meis Euery conforte in thys worlde is hyde before my sorowfull eien as y e ê“phete dauyd seyth ¶ Heu michi quia iÌ„colatê° meê° ê“loÌ„gatê° eÌ„ And iÌ„ y e gospel of marke OgeneracoÌ„ incredula quam diu apud vosero quam diu vos paciar Alas I sorowfull for this y t I am so moche ê“loÌ„ged here wyth these myscreauÌ„t folke where I haue so longe abyden in pledge And of thys spekyth saynt austyn to prowde folkes ¶ Ecce humilitatis exemplum superbis superbie medicamentum quid ergo intime sis homo O pellis morticina quo teÌ„dis insanies fedida quid in flaris princeps tuê° humilis eÌ„ tu superbus capud tuuÌ„ humile et tu membrum superbi diaboli et comes membroruÌ„ suorum ¶ we haue ensamples of mekenes medecyn ayenst pryde wherfore wretched men dyscharge yow therof O ye mortall careyne wherfore goo ye in suche height o ye stynkyng fylthe wherfor be ye swollen wyth rotyn pryde was not your prince hede huÌ„ble ye that be hys subiectê membryrs be pryde maketh yow felawes to the fende and hys membrys ¶ Item Erubesce homo esse suberbus qr quia factus est deus humilis ¶ Haue shame wretchyd man to be prowde yn asmoche as god y t made yow ys humble ¶ Discite a me qr quia mitis sum et humilis corde ¶ Lerne ye of me y t am debonair huÌ„ble of herte sayth our lorde IhuÌ„ cryste yn the grete payne that he suffyrd yn thys place of owr mortalyte Thys ys the thyrd parte of vsurye y t ran vppon thys pledge was the swete body of our lorde IhÌ„u cryst wherof hym self sayth he Ierom the ê“phete ¶ O vos omnis qui traÌ„sitis per viam attendite videte si est dolor sicut dolor meus ¶ O ye alle folkys that passe be the waye of thys synfull world beholde se yf ony sorow or peyne be so grete or lyke vnto myn Trewly neuyr man borne of moder led so sorowfulk lyf nor y e suffyrd so peynfull deth as The swete IhÌ„u cryste ther as he lay yn pledge for hys loue For tendyrly wepynge cam he yn to thys world wherof he pleneth hym be y e ê“phete ¶ Caligauerunt oculi met a fleâ— tu meo alibi languerunt occuli mei pre inopia ¶ My fayr eyen be com all derke so moche wepe I for my loue that wyll not loue me all the clernesse of myn eyen be anysshe for peyne dyssese And what merueyle for he wente poorely petously yn erthe all barfote yn colde yn hete in harde yn soste fro town to towne from couÌ„tre to couÌ„tre whyche was full of frost and snow aâ— seyth seynte barnard· ¶ Exiuit a patre deposito diademate aspersit caput cinere nudo pede eiulans et flens venit querens illum qui perierat ¶ He cam from hys fader put of hys crowne of the reyngne celesâ—tyall strewid his hed with ashys all barfote syghyng wepyng full petously lamentyng cam heder to seke his loue that same pore caytyf y t was perysht A god mercy how he was in gret heuynesse many syghtê and desyrys to hys Ioye fro whens he cam Trewly he was not to â—lame for he cam from hys gret honour that ys to sey whaÌ„ne he was wyth hys Angels archaÌ„gels whyche were redy for to serue hym to his pleasur now was the swete IhuÌ„ in preson in thys valey of mysery wher so many vnhappy pepyll were to shame hym mokke hym to sey do euylle vnto hym wythoute pyte as hym self seyth ¶ Multiplicati sunt suê‘ capillos capitis mei qui oderunt me gratis May enemyes be multyplyed more thanne the herys of myn hed y t hateth me dedeli Beholde now him y t was in so gret ioye eses he y t was kyng of heuene y t had nede of nothyng y t was in erthe deyned to com in so gret defawte as for to suffyr so sorowfull peynys and so gret labour as to be in colde in hungyr in thurste in hardnesse werynesse yn heuynesse shortly to sey alle y e euelys peynys y t we haue deserued fyll vppon hys gloryous hed wherof sayth ysaye ¶ Vere langores nostros ipse tu lit dolores nostros ipse portauit et nos putauimê° eum quasi leprosum percussum a deo humiliatum Trewly IhuÌ„ the swete kyng of heuene suffyrd langour bare the sorowys peynys of our deserte vppon hym self for the gret anguisshis shamis that he suffird
Sic respondes pontifici Sholde thou thus answere to the bysshoppe A how the swete Ihesu answerde to this felon wretche ¶ Si male locutus sum testimoniuÌ„ perhibe de malo si autem bene cur me cedis Yf I speke euyll bere wytnesse of euyll and yf it be well wherfore smytes thou me He sayd not thou cursid traytours ye haue striken me with wroÌ„ge ye shall be confounded in helle Wherby ye maye see his benignite ¶ But for all this the cruell tyrauÌ„ts buffet him couerde his blessyd eyen and bete wyth theyr cursid fystes all abowte his blessid hede and smote his fayr vysage ful vylaynously wherof saynt bernarde sayth ¶ Libertas captiuorum traditur gloria angelorum illuditur splendor lucis eterne et speculum sine macula conspernitur deus omnium flagellatur vita hominuÌ„ occiditur quid nobis restat ad agendum eamus et moriamur cum illo O bone Ihesu trahe me me post te non in odorem suauitatis sed in odorem tue passionis ¶ A Ihesu cryst that was the deliuerer of prysoners he was deliuered to prison for vs The glorye of angels was mocked for vs The shyner of eternall lighte and myrrour wythout ony spotte is dispysed God almyghty is scourged The lyf of man is slayne what is now for vs to doo Goo we deye wyth hym A good Ihesu draew me after the not in to the odoure of swetnes but in to the odoure of thy harde passion ¶ And whan they had all the nyight tormented him and doon him all the harme and shame they coude On the morne they assembled theym all togyder and Iuged hym to the most shamfull deth that they cowde thynke whyche was to be hanged vpon the crosse vpon an hyghe mountayne betwene two theues wherof this verse is sayd ¶ Dismas et gismas medio diuina potestas Et cum iniquis de putatus est ¶ Dysmas the tone theef hynge on that one parte and Gysmas y e other theef on the other parte and betwene them henge the diuyne mageste this was our lorde Ihesu criste And whan he was Iuged the cruel tourmentours and hangmeÌ„ trussed the heuy wood of the crosse vpon his backe as sayth saynt Iohan the euangeliste ¶ EduxeruÌ„t eum et cetera They ledde Ihesu oute of the cyte and hymself beringe his harde crosse soo feynt wery that vnneth myghte he bere it wherof he sayth by dauyd ¶ Q mÌ„ defecit in dolore vita mea My lyff and my force faylleth me in sorow and payne And whan they sawe he myght not goo so spedely as they wold they toke wyth force a stronge man that passed by the waye whyche was namyd simon And made hym ayenst his wylle to bere the crosse the sooner to haast the dethe of our lorde Ihesu cryst ¶ And whan they took fro hym the crosse to delyuer to symon they smote our lorde ful cruelly ThenÌ„e came there wymmen of galilee folowyng our lorde and wepte full peteously And made full grete sorowe to see hym suffre soo moche shame and payne withoute deserte ¶ And whan he sawe thyse wymen wepe soo sore he had full grete pyte And sayd to theym ¶ Filie Iherusalem nolite flere super me cÌ„ DOughters of Iherusalem wepe ye not for me but for yourselfe and your chylderne For the dayes shall come whaÌ„ ye shall saye blessed be the bareyne woman â— and the wombes that neuer bare chylde and the breestes y t neur gaaf souke For thenne shal ye begynÌ„e to saye mountayns fall on vs and the erthe couere vs ¶ The cruell Iewes ledde hym forth and hynge hym on the crosse nakyd before all the peple in the same fowle place where the stynkynge rotyn careyns were of the bodies of theuis· that they had put to deth in that same place afore ¶ Alas whan he was crusifyed thus sorowfully the cursyd traytours escryed hym soo shamfully sayd ¶ MoueÌ„tes capita sua dixerunt vath qui destruit templum dei et in tribus diebus illud reedificat salua teipsum si filius dei es descende de cruce ¶ They brandysshyd theyr hedes and sayd in scornÌ„ see him here that same that wylle destroye the temple of god make it ayen wythin iij dayes Now saue thiself yf thou be the sone of god Come downe of the crosse where thou arte hanged Thus cryed the felon Iewes See that same that auauÌ„ted hym hymselfe to saue other folkes and hymselfe he maye not saue See how thyse vnhappy Iewes tempted hym thise same folk that dyde hym the sondaye before so grete honour· that they layed theyr clothes in the waye where he passed and caste flowres and braunches before hym and songe ¶ Osanna filio dauid benedictus qui venit in nomine domini GLorye and honour be done to Ihesu the sone of god of the lignage of dauyd And blessid be he that cometh in y e name of our lorde the kyng of Iherusalem w Wherof saynt Bernarde spekyth of this shame ¶ Ab eodom populo in eodem loco et in ipso tempore paucissimis interpositis diebus primo cum taÌ„to triumpho susceptus postea crucifixus est Of the same peple and in the same place and abowte the same tyme. where he was fyrst receyued wyth grete honoure After was he hanged on the crosse as a theef See how grete dyfference was this thenne to receyue hym as kynge of Iherusalem and forth wyth to saye we haue noo kynge but cezar And how the difference was betwene y e region the crosse betwene the floures and the crowne of thornes befor him were clothes of silke riche panes sprad now was he dispoyllid all naked Alas what shame IhÌ„u suffrid of tho same folke that dide him so grete honour a litill before anone after so many reproches soo vilaynously hangyng on the crosse betwene two theues· for the loue of his dere loue manÌ„es soule was he thê° shamfully slayn that men myght holde hym for maister of the theuis And hyng there soo fowle arayed as yf he were a mesell as he sayth by ysaye the prophete ¶ Non est ei species neque decor et vidimê° euÌ„ no erat asspectus et desiderauimê° despectuÌ„ nouissimuÌ„ viroruÌ„ virum doloruÌ„ scienteÌ„ infirmitateÌ„ et qua si absconditus vultus eiê° dispectê° vnde nec reputauimê° euÌ„ Nother bewte nor honour was in hym at that houre And we sawe hym and desyryd hym dispysed And the laste and moost vyle of all men And his face dyfformyd wyth blood and fowle spyttyng so that we had hym in derysion ¶ A sorowe of sorowes that the Emperour of heuen and of all the worlde suffryd Soo cruelly was he wouÌ„ded for our wretched soules of whiche we holde soo lityll pryce For this admonestith saynt Bernard to take kepe of the vilaynies and sorowes that Ihesu cryst suffryd for vs. And sayth ¶ Oho no considera filium virginis
Festiua non potui ibi quicquā facere donec egressus fueris This was whanne our lorde wolde cōfounde sodom and gomor loth hys louer was ther to whom our lorde seyde haste you to go oute of sodom for befor that ye be gone may I do thē none harme here appereth wherbi the louers of the swete kyng of heuene bindith hym A lone loue how thow arte precyous wythoute pere Loue is lyke to a precyous stnoe that is of suche vertue that who that hath it shall haue what thynge y t he towche wyth the sayd stone the same vartue hath loue For yf ye loue y e vartues or bounteys y e other folkes haue in them their weles ye make yours be the towchyng of your holy loue as saynt gregory seyth ¶ Aliena bona si diligis tua facis If ye loue the goodnesse of other ye make it yours wyth oute ony mor trauayle O loue how thow arte precyous and wyth out pere Nou ryght dere beloued in god take hede to thre thynge be whych ye may lerne wherfor ye oughte to loue our lorde on thynge is y e grete welys and graces that he hath geuyn you on other ys the grete loue that he hath shewed yow The thyrde that he desyryth your loue so faruently Now remēbre yow wel that grete gyft most comon̄ly draweth encresyth loue And what hath god geuyn yon All y e world wyth the apporthenaunce and paradyse wyth alle hys delytys And to adā our fader alle the thynge creaturs vndyr heuene as byrdys bestis fyshys alle were put vndyr y e foote of man at our comādment befor the synne of hym wherof dauid seyth ¶ Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius oues et boues And yet for all that these thinges be ordeyned stylle for to sarue the good and susteyne them in the seruyse of our lorde Another gyste hath he geuyn vs and euery day geuyth vs thys is h̄ym self for to kepe vs and helpe vs in alle our nedys As seyt saynt Austyn ¶ De multis periculis liberauit me virtute sua Quādo errabā reduxit me quādo ignorabā docuit me quādo contristabar consolatus est me quādo peccabā corripuit me quando cecidi erexit me quādo steti tenuit me quando iui duxit me hec et alia multa fecit michi dominus meus de quo erit michi dulce semper loqui semper cogitare semper gracias agere Of many pary lys hath deliuered me my sauioure whāne I walked he led me whan I cowde nat he taught me whāne I synned rep̄ued me whanne I was heuy he conforted me whāne I fell he areysed me whāne I stode he sustyened me whāne j zode he led me Thys grete bounteys many other hath doon to me mi lorde jhū cryste of whom it shall be alwey swete to speke and to thynke and alwey to yelde hym thankynge For full euele shull befalle of vs if he tooke not good kepe of vs for our enemyes haue besette vs all abooute to cōfounde vs. Thys ys to knowe our flesh the fende and the worlde vnde versus ¶ Nos certant triplici certamine tres inimici Serpens antiquus caro lubrica mūdus iniquus Thre enemyes greue vs be thre maner of batayles as the olde serpente the fēde and the frele vnstabyll flesh the deceynable worlde as saynte Barnard seyth ¶ O anima innocens o lilium candens O flos tener delicate vide quomodo caute ābules inter spinas habitas subuersores tecū habes intra te sūt extra te sunt super te sunt circa te sunt In carne tua sunt O ye Innosent sowle O ye flour of lely fayr and whyte O ye tendyr delycyous flour take kepe that ye go wysely amonge the thornys for ther in habyte your dedely enemies that wayte to ouerthrowe yow and wyth inne yow they be wythoute you they be ouyr yow they be and rounde abowte you they be now se how grete a gyfte this is of god for to defende yow be hys good wyll as dauid seyth ¶ Scito bone voluntatis tue coronasti nos Fayr lorde seyth dauid gret thynge haue ye geuin vs for ye haue crowned vs wyth the shylde of your good wyl But these gystys beforseyd be but lytyll in comparyson of on gyste that he hath geuyn vs that is the gyste of hym self for so moche loued he vs that he hath geuyn hym self to vs wherof saynt poule seyth ¶ Cristus dilexit eccleciā et dedit se ipsum pro eo Ih̄ū cryste loued so moche hys loue y t he wold gyf hym self for hyr so hye a gifte was neuyr geuyn to suche wretchys ne for suche wretchys Augustinus ¶ Miser ego quantū debeo diligere deū meū cum me fecit non arborē nec auem nec aliquod de animalibus Sed hominē me voluit esse Seyth saynte Augustyn alas I wretche how I oughte to loue my lorde god that made me whāne I was no thinge and nother tre nor byrde nor non other beste but man wolde he that I ware and gaf me wherwyth to leue and to fele and knowe good ylle I was perishte and juged to deth he dyscēded to me mortall mortalyte receyued suffyrd pascon̄ and veynquyshte deth and thus he me restablyshte wher j was parysht sold in myn owne synnes and he cam aftyr me to bye me ageyn and so derely loued he me that the pryes of his precyous blood he gaf for me be suche condycon̄ that the remembraunce of hym shold alwey abyde in me In canticis cāticorū sponsus ad sponsam ¶ Pone me vt signaculum super cor tuum Et vt signaculū super brachium tuū Fayr loue seyth our lorde and loue jhū cryste put me as a lytyll seale on your herte to the entente y t ye may thynke on me oftyn put me as a seale vppon your arme so that ye enbrace me wyth holy deuocyon Ryght dere beloued frende in god now take hede ententyfly and wyth grete deuocyon to thys ensample that folowyth and wherfor ye shuld loue thys swete jhū cryst therin shall ye fynde delicious matyr for thys hath doon jhū y e kyng of glorie be your sowle that is hys loue as doth a kynge of farre contreys that louyth a strange lady sendeth his massēgers before wyth hys lettyrs of loue In the same maner dyde our lorde Ihū y e sente hys patryarkis hys prophetis of the olde testamente wyth letters These ware the swete prophecyes of hys gracyous comynge in to erthe thāne at the laste he cam all preuyly and brought wyth hym y e gospels as lettyrs opened wreted wyth his precyous blood and wyth y e same saued he hys loue to conquar hyr Now leth her a tale in syngnyfyaunce of the entyre loue of our swete lorde Ihū cryste Ther was a lady som tyme in gret warre wyth hyr
me eligeret ne me perderet In asmoche as the swete jhesus was more vyle in erthe for me in so moche ys he to me more dere in swete loue for I coude not thynke that he had loued me so moche A swete Ihū fro hensforth ought I not to sette lyttyll be my sowle syn it was so pleysaunte to hym that he chaas rather to suffyr deth thāne lese it Itē Barnardus ¶ Nisi amasset me dulciter nō me in carcere Requisisset illa maiestas If y e swete jhesu had not loued me the more feruenhly he had not come from hys hygh ryall maieste for me that was so lowe in helle In thys shylde be thre thynges y e ton is the wode y e thother is the skyn and the thyrde is the colour Thys it is of the shylde that Ihū cryste hath lefte yow The wode of the crosse the lethir of the peynfull passyō of our lorde And colour of hys red blood Thāne the skyn of hys precyous body was all to rente and broken and colowred wyth hys precyous blood and the crosse also The thyrde reson of thys shylde is that aftyr the deth of a valyaunte knyghte men shulde shewe hys shylde in the remembrance of hym Thys shylde is the crucyfyxe that is sette in y e chyrche wher mē may se and thinke of the cheualrye that our lorde jhū cryste dyd on hye vppon the crosse on the mounte of caluarye befor theym of hys blessed dere sorowfull mother Thys shylde is hāgyd vppe in euery chyrche y t hys loue whyche is our sowle may beholde how dere he hath bought her he lette not to bere hys shylde to opyn hys syde to shewe hys herte shewed all openli how entyrly he loued hyr and how she oughte often to thynke of the tokenys of loue that in thys shylde is syngnyfyed wherof seyth saynte Bernarde ¶ O felix anima aspice inclinacionē capitis ad osculū extencionem brachiorū ad ampbexum O ye blessed and happy spowse of jhū cryste beholde on the crucyfyx the shylde of jhesu cryste your spowse And se the inclinacyon of hys hed to kysse yow se the spredyng of hys armys to clyppe yow beholde the openynge of hys syde and the crucyfyenge of hys fayr body and wyth greet affeccyoun of your holy loue turne it and returne it from syde to syde fro the hede to the fete and ye shall fynde that ther was neuer sorou nor peyne lyke to that payne our lorde Ihesu cryste endureed for your loue seyth he hath geuyn so myche for your loue and yet may not haue it It is gre marueyle I may seyth he gyf now no more wherfor ye wyll loue me and that forthymketh me but whanne I may no forther I shall sey suche thynge wherof ye shall haue pyte yf ye wyll at the leste be charyte of gret gyftys wherof speketh saynte Barnarde ¶ Uere compaciendū est ei qui dedtt nobis clauos in salsam carnem in cibum sanguinem in potum aquam ex latere in balneum sudorem sanguinis in medicinā propriam animam in redempcionem Trewly is the swete Ihesu cryste A herttely louer and A compassyonate that hath gnuyn vs so many grete specyalteys Beholde how he hath geuyn vs hys nayles in sauce hys swete fleshe in mete hys precyous blood in drynke watyr of hys precyous syde in Baynes hys blody swete in medecyne hys propyr blessed sowle in our redēpcyon A what may wee more axe that he shuld gyf for vs Alas alas full harde is that herte and full vnnaturell that wyll not loue hym that hath geuyn so moche for their loue-here is a gret specialt wherfor we shold loue god The secunde cause wherfor god is to be beloued more thāne ony other thynge is for the marueylous gret loue that he hath shewed vs. ouyr alle other louys Ther be four special louys in this worlde y e one is betwene ij good felawes The tother betwene mother and chylde The thyrde betwene body and sowle And the fourth betwene mā and wyf But the dere loue that Ihū cryste louyth vs and also that we shulde loue hym passeth surmounteth alle other louys Men myght say that thys were a right good felaw that wolde laye hys plegge in place for to aquite hys felaw owte of dette of vsurye but the swete Ihū put hym self in place and leyd hys tendyr body to aquyte hys loue whyche is our sowle owte of the pryson of helle and of alle vsuryes wherof dauid seyth ¶ Et pro vsuris et iniquitate redimit animas eorū From alle vsuries and ynyquiteys he hath redemeth our sowlys Take hede now who brought thys pereaunte to the place wete ye well it was the blessyd mayden our lady saynte mary that bare the swete Ihū the sone of god in hyr vyrgynall wombe in the tyme of wynter in the cyte of Bethlē for to put hym in plegge to make our pees in the place wher the aungels sunge gloryously befor hys ▪ fader in heuene ¶ Gloria in excelsis deo et in terra pax Glorye be yeldyn on hye to god and in erth pees to mē of good wyll But loo how malycyous were these cruell Iewes that they deyned to logge this lady that bare thys blessed plegge and in so colde atyme as it was thenne in wyntyr parauentur it was frost and the pure vyrgyne mary grete wyth chylde and wente to seke sum place wher she myght reste hyr she was so wery of the gret trauayle that she hath in walkynge moche of that day tell it was nye nyght and wyst not whether to goo sauf at the ende of the town was ij hye walles of rokkes ▪ and thys pytons wery vyrgyne entryd ther and founde an oxe and an asse teyed ther and so streyght was the place that vnnethe myght she and Iosoppe hyr spowse haue ony rome to sytte in wyth ese but ther were they fayne to reste tyll it was mydnyght that the sone of god was borne and so poore was the bedde of thys lady and so streyght that h̄yr chylde might not lye by hyr as seyth the gospell ¶ Peperit filiū suū primogenitū pannis eū in voluit et reclinauit eū in precepio quia nō erat ei locus in diuersario Mary bare a sone wrappyd hym in poor clothis and leyd h̄ym in y e rakke before bestys ▪ for thys that she had not in all the worlde so moche place that hys lytyll swete body myght lye in for yf she had put hym behynde the bestys yt was so streyght there wher folkis vsed to go and cum that they shulde haue hurte hym wyth their feete the way was so nere there Now I pray yow ryght dere sustyr remembyr yow stedfastly whāne ye lyein your large softe bed wel arayed wyth ryche clothys and warme couerynge and hote furrys so well at ese and your Ientylwoman so redy to serue
outrageousli y t hys tendyr skyn all to brake y e precious blode ran downe his bodi leggis bi stremis on to his feete in suche wise was he there turmented that many yeres after men myghte see the peler all blody wherof he sayth by the prophete Isaye Corpus meuÌ„ dedi ê‘cucientibus et genas meas velleÌ„tibus faciem meaÌ„ noÌ„ auerti ab increpantibus et conspuentibus iÌ„ me IGaf my tender body to turmentis strokes my face I turned not fro those folkis that spyte on me shamefully blamed me In suche maner suche traueyle made he thys bayne to saue hys loue our soule from alle swellynge of the syknesse of thys spirituell dropsye And yet was our sowles stylle encombred wyth peyne of the hede that is a full sore sikenesse ¶ Cui capud iÌ„firmum cetera membra dolent A who y t is seke in hys hede all other partyes of hys body compleyne And therefore y e good Ihesu saw the hede of his loue so seke that she was all aÌ„guished enraged wherbi she cowde not knoue god nor serue hym he had soo grete pyte compasion therof that hymself suffryd wylfully that thyse mortall enemyes wounde to geder a grete crowne of thornys longe sharpe thykke y e prikked so wofulli his blessid hede bete wyth a gret staf vpon y e crowne y t made his pÌ„cious blod to reÌ„ doune iÌ„ many places on hys forhed as it is sayth in y e gospell ¶ Plectentes coronam de spinis posueruÌ„t suê‘ caput eiê° acceperuÌ„t aruÌ„dineÌ„ et percusserunt In suche maner suffrid the swete amiable IhuÌ„ hys tendyr hede to blede for to saue the hede of hys syke loue our sowle for whom he suffryd in hys holi hede as saintis sain A M. wouÌ„des thus siath he iÌ„ Iob· ¶ CoÌ„scidit me vulnê° suê‘ vulnus The harde crowne kittith me wounde vpon wouÌ„de saint bernarde seith QuaÌ„ suanissimuÌ„ eÌ„ seruitalÌ„ michi bone Ihesu corona illa capitis tui A swete Ihesu this crowne of your hede is to me full dere Now fayr frende remeÌ„bre yow whaÌ„ne ye will slepe and your hede is layd so eseli vpon softe pelowys how peynfull was the crowne of thorne vopn the hed of the blessid IhuÌ„ your spowse that shedde so grete plente of blood to hlpe your sowle Now yette was there a nother syknesse wherof our wretched sowle languysht whyche was stryken wyth the dedely letarge these letarges ben opellaconÌ„s in the veynes and in the senewys enterlased preuyly that maketh a man slumboryng alwey redy to slepe tyll he be dede And in y e same maner were our sowlys sore stryken wyth y e spuÌ„all letarge wherby she nother myght nor cowde helpe hyr self but abyde stylle alwey in mortall neclygence vnto y e tyme y t hyt shold dyscende in helle But how dyd theÌ„n our swete lorde loue IhuÌ„ cryst wite for trewthe that he wyl fully suffyrd to be let blood on veynys senewys of all partyes of hym for to baine the wretched sowle of man And how was he let blood he suffyrd that thyse fowle vyleyne Iewys tooke hym wyth full gret dysdeyne hynge hym all naked vpon the crosse and persed thrugh hys fayr hand ys and fete wyth full grete myghty nayles wherof hym self seyth by dauid ¶ Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos dinumerauerunt omnia ossa mea ¶ They haue thyrled my handys my fete and nombyrd alle my bonys Alas what sorow they dyde hym so gret that y e stremis of blood ran from al ê‘ties of hys blessed body wyth so greâ—e spede that hys loue myght be baynet therwyth bothe wythowte and wythynne But than myghte oure lord Ihesu cryst sey to hys loue our sowle my dere loue now be ye ferre in dette by reson ouyr alle thyngys to loue me Alas yette loue ye me nod I haue so often shed my â—lode to bayne purge yow from all siknesses from all fylthys yette for all thys wyll ye not loue me yette fayr loue now shall I make yow a gifte of amore speciall loue wherby ye shold in no maner denye me your loue I shall gyue yow the holy blood of my harte to bayne your harte in so that ye may alwey loue me TheÌ„n cam a stronge blynde knyght wyth a longe sharpe spere strake hym so iustly thâ—ugh the syde that he persed hys amâ—rus harte forthwyth ran oute gret plente of blood watyr ran full faste down vpon hys body wherof he seyth in the booke of loue ¶ Vulnerasti cor meum soror me a sponsa vulnerasti cor meum ¶ now haue ye woundyd my harte fayr suftyr and spowse now haue ye wouÌ„dyd my harte what can ye axe me ony more of loue Now I prey yow for my sake that ye will leue your synne so that ye may loue me the more swetly wherof sayth saynt bernarde ¶ NoÌ„ne pro te vulneratus sum nonÌ„e pro te satis afflictus sum desine amodo peccare quia peccata magis grauant me eciam vulnera peccati quam vulnus lateris mei Now say me my loue that I loue so moche thinke ye not that I am wounded and tormented ynough for you wherby ye ought to loue me Now leue your synnes thenne frohens forth For the wouÌ„de of your synne greuyth me more than dyde the wouÌ„de of my side A my dere frende put we vs vtterli in deuour to loue ihesu Cryst our swete loue spowse that suffryd so grete payne to wasshe vs in his precyous blood from all morall syknes wherof our soules languysshid And elles be we to ferre vnnaturell NOw see we the thyrde loue that is betwene the sowle the body There is a ful grete loue betwene the soule the lody And that appereth well for they ben in grete torment payne whan they shall departe For the gretter loue that is betwene frendes the greter paine is at theyr departyng And there was neuyr body that soo moche louyd soule nor soule body as dyde the body of Ihesu cryst his soule and his soule his body whyche was noo merueylle For there neuer was nor neuer shal be suche a body and soule Ioyned togyder And yet for al that he suffred wel that his soule departed from his body for to adioyne our pour soules to his wythout ende in his celestyall reygne And by what deth departed his glorious soule fro hys blessid body It was by the moost cruell deth shamfull and dyshoneste that they cowde deuyse amonge theym to Iuge hym to A what sorowful pyte was of this deth of Ihesu cryst It was soo cruel that many a day and often he playned hym to his disciples before his dethe And sayth in the gospell ¶ Ecce ascendimus IherosolimaÌ„ cÌ„ Loo my dere brethern we shal goo in to Iherusalem And the sone of mary shall be
illusum spictis linidum plagis confixum clauis A man behelde the sone of the virgyn marye foylid wyth fowle spittynges all blody of his woundes and percyd wyth nayles Take hede of the kyng of angels beyng on the crosse pale to the deth fowle in flesshÌ„ passe bi this And take kepe whaÌ„ ye see the fygure how he is a man mekely bowynge a man smyten wyth shamfull deth A man lyke vnto a mesell A man of al sorowes apperynge on his body and all wrapt in sorowe And yet whan he was past all the anguysshÌ„ payn and shame that he myght suffre in his lyf for the loue of his loue maÌ„nes soule they dyde hym after hys deth the grettest shame they cowde thynke For they wold not bery hiÌ„ amonge other Iewes but wythoute the towne as a man that were acursed And his blessid soule descended in to helle for to destroye the mortall enmyes of his loue mannes soule And to fetche theym oute that longe had abyden hym there ¶ Now for goddis sake lete vs remembre well how moche we are bounden to loue that swete Ihesu cryst that so many manere of shames suffryd to put vs in honoure And that he suffred soo shamfull deth to conferme our sowles in the freedom of perdurable lyf For of al the peynes that ben in this worlde shame is the grettest For we maye fynde many of crysten folke that wyll suffre hardnes of lyffe as fastyng lyeng harde colde hungre thurst and diseases for the loue of god But to be holden vyle dyspysid for the loue of god vneth shall ye fynde ony For the wretchid hert desireth alway to be honoured and praysid And by this we may well know that he louyd vs and louith vs enteerly that so many shames dispytes suffred for y e loue of vs. ¶ The same that is the very perfyte honoure and of hym cometh all honours that blessid be he of al creatures that vs soo moche hath louyd and louyth that gracyous lorde the moost true and hertely louer ¶ Now haue we spokeÌ„ grete parte of his harde deth and of the shame that men dyde hym wherby ye maye here that neuer man deyed of soo paynfull and vyle a deth wherof he pleyneth hym by the prophete dauyd sayenge ¶ Defeccio tenuit me pro peccatoribus derelinqentibus legem tuam FAyr swete fader full gret defawteÌ„ me holdeth for synners y t haue leste your lawe Now for trouthe their was neuyr man had more of pouerte defawte than he had in his hende and thys sheweth seynte barnarde that seyth ¶ Lignum defuit capiti terra pedi vestimentum corpori potus ori amicus consolacioni· ¶ Alas what defawte was thys the tre failed to hys hede the erthe failed to hys feete clothyng fayled to hys body euery frende failed to hys conforte Now beholde more veryly of thys gret defawte that the tree fayled to his hede for the crosse where he hinge was withoute hed for whan he was so wery hys hede greued hym that was so sore betyn brosed wyth many grete strokes â–ª that vnethe hys necke myght bere hyt hyt was so astoned wyth peyne whan he had so grete nede to reste hys wofull hede he founde not so moche ease that he had ony place to lene hyt to he was streyned so hye vpon the crosse that hys hed might towche no parte therof A what vnmesurable peynes and sorowes he had there founde he an ouyr hard and sharpe pelow for the hede of so noble and gret a kynge as he was O good lorde whan we fele ony gret peyne or febilnesse in our hedis we wyl haue softe pelowys vndir our harde hedys and some woman or some maÌ„ to hold hit for taswage the peine but he had nother the ton nor y e tothyr but skornars as hym self seyth be Ierom the prophete ¶ Factus sum in derisum omni populo meo canticuÌ„ eorum tota die I Am made in derysyon in mockage of all my people thier eueriday songe The tothâ—r gret defawte that erthe fayled to hys fete and not to them only but to all hys body that was so cruelly peyned that he was seke on to the deth in al the large worlde had he not so moche of place as he myght put oon fote on erthe to reste hys wofull body that was all to betin and brosed but hynge in y e eyre tered wyth gret nayles· full petously Alas their ys not so vyle a sarazin ne so fowle a mesell ne so poure a wretche but that they myght fynde some place or house wher they myght take some reste or ease in ther syknesse A swete IhuÌ„ cryste wherfor wold ye be in so gret dyssese ouyr all other of the wolrde Trewly for loue so moche had bouÌ„den hym in suche wyse y t he raught not of all the dysesys he had for the foruent loue he hade to mannys sowle Now se here the thyrde defawte that was Clothynge to hys fayr body as he seyth by Iob ¶ Nudê° egressê° sum de vtero matris mee nudus reuertar illuc· ¶ All nakyd I am come fro my moders wombe and all nakyd I shall retorne out of this worlde For the felon Iewes had robbed hym of his clothes departed them amonge them as he pleyneth him by dauid the prophete ¶ Considerauerunt et inspexeruÌ„t me deuiserunt vestimenta mea et super vestem meam miserunt sorteÌ„ ¶ Thise Iewes haue considered beholden me and haue deuyded my clothynge to theym cast lottes theron whiche of theyrs it sholde be And the swete Ihesu wolde not stryue ayenst theym but wyth good wylle gaaf theym for theyr seruyce al that he had of erthly thyng whyche was noo more but oonly his clothes so pour was he at that tyme for thus saith saynt bernard ¶ Quando fuisti pauperior tunc fuisti largior O bone Ihesu WhaÌ„ thou were moost pour thenne were thou moost large for thenÌ„e gauest thou to the theef the kyngdome of heuen to saynt IohÌ„n euangelist thy moder to thy fader thy spyryte and to vs thy flesshe to ete thy blode to drynke And thou gauest thy clothynge to thy crucyfyers in suche wyse that thouÌ„ abodeste all nakyd on hye vpon the patyble A good lorde god mercy the moost stronge theef of the worlde that were Iuged to be hanged yet sholde he haue to couer hym a poure gowne or a pour sherte But Ihesu the kyng of glory had nother gonne nor sherte to couer him where he hynge openly before al folke wherof he playneth hym by dauyd ¶ FactuÌ„ est cor meum tanquam cera liquescens in medio ventris mei My herte is becomen alle softe meltyng as it were waxe in my body Alas we pour wretches what Ioye maye we haue of oure honour that is come of none other thynge but of the shame of Ihesu cryst What gladnesse may we haue of ease that is
noble nor of soo ryall nor gentyll lygnage as was the swete Ihesu cryst For he was and his the sone of the kyng of heuen of the erth of helle and of all theym that ben therin And by his moder was he comen of the lignage of the ryche kynge dauyd and of the wyse kyng Salamon A good lorde mercy for he was lityll accustomed to lede suche lyfe Ful strange was it to hym to suffre suche paynes as ysaye sayth ¶ Alienum opus eius vt operetur opus suuÌ„ peregrinum est ab eo Moche chauÌ„ged is his werke that he dooth this vile crafte It is full strange to him And this sheweth saynt bernarde more openly ¶ Illud capud angelicis spiritibus adoranduÌ„ tremenduÌ„â— spinis et tribulis coronatur â— aures que audi unt canâ—us angeloruÌ„ audiuit insultus iudeoruÌ„ dicencium crucifige crucifige eum oculi lucidiores sole calligauerunt in morte c That hede is crowned wyth thornes breres that is worshipped fered of angelles The ere 's whiche here the songes of angelles thenÌ„e herde the cryenge of Iewes crucyfye hym crucifye hym The eyen y t ben bryghter than the sone became thenne all derke in his dethe The face that is most fayre amonge the sones of men was thenne all foyled wyth foule spittynges The hoÌ„des that maden heuen erthe were streyned thenne on the crosse The fete that be to be honoured were theÌ„ne rudely nayled to the tree O good lord there was neuer soo noble a persone soo gentyll nor soo curteys And yet was neuer none soo sorowfully entreated ¶ The fifth reson that was in 〈…〉 his benignyte And his 〈◊〉 wherof saynt poul saith ad 〈◊〉 ¶ Apparuit benignitas humâ—nitas saluatoris nostri corde dei The benignyte the humanyte of god our sauyour apereth And ihesu himself sayd ¶ Discite a me quia mitis sum humilis corde Lerne this of me fayr loue for I am humble of herte O saynt mary mercy whan he was soo benygne a man soo debonayr what nede was it to bete hym soo felonously what nede was it soo cruelly with a sharpe spere to perce his swete herte soo mortally What nede was it thus to tormente him and soo shamfully to drawe soo blessid a chylde soo fayr a sone soo debonayr· and of soo humble a herte as our lorde Ihesu cryst was Alas alas wherfore bounde slewe the felon iewes soo rudely the same that neuer dide harme but to all folkes shewed loue debonayrte wherof saynt austin playneth hym full gretly sayeÌ„g ¶ Odolor inestimabilis o angustia singularis palmatur que est vera palma victorie spinis coronatur qui venit spinas peccatoruÌ„ confringere ligatur â–ª qui soluit coÌ„peditos in ligno suspenditur qui erigit elisos sons vite sitis panis angeloruÌ„ esurit Quid plura disciplina ceditur salê° vulneratur vita ad tempus moritur vt inops inperpetuuÌ„ moriatur SOrow Inestymable O anguisshe synguler he was palmed â–ª that is the true palmÌ„ of victorie he was crowned with thornes that came to breke the thornes of synne He was sore bounde that came to lose theym that were in bondes He was hanged on the crosse that reyseth hem that ben ouerthrowen The welle of lyf had thurst The brede of angelles had hungre And what more discypline was beten Helth was wounded Lyfe for a tyme was dede to slee dethe wythouten ende There was neuer none herde of creature that receyued by many folde soo grete harme in rewarde of his grete goodnes And thenne to remeÌ„bre his benignyte his grete debonairte wherof holy chyrche makith grete sorow in an ympne of y e passyon And pyteously complaineth that soo gracyous a body was soo cruelly stryken wyth a spere and perced soo depe with grete nayles· saith thenne to the crosse ¶ Flecte ramos arbor alta c. O ye hye tree of the crosse wythdrawe your braunches slake your entrayles y t ben so stratchyd and your rygour the whyche he gaaf aswage yow siyth all the membres of the souereyne debonayre kynge is streyned on the harde stocke ¶ The sixt cause wherfor men sholde haue comâ—pascyon of our lorde Ihesu cryste this was the semblaunce of other thynges that maken sorowe For whan a man seeth other folke make sorow he is more apte to sorow wyth theym In like wyse beholde how many ensamples were of sorowe whaÌ„ our lorde Ihesu cryst deyed The vnresonable creatures made sorowe The sonne wythdrewe his lyghte hidyng his bemys and became al derke The harde stones all to brake· thus as though they had compascyon of theyr creatour The vayle of the temple claf on to as yf it were for anguysshe of the spowse of holy chyrche whoo 's bodi was soo pyteously entreated The bodyes of dede folke aroos for ensaÌ„ple of that sorowe And that men ought to remembre that deth with grete compascyon And also it is a grete ensample of pyte sorowe the lamentable complaint that his blessid sorowfull moder made for the dethe of hyr swete sone whan she was lefte allone of all frendes auf of saynt Iohan to whose kepyng she was delyuerde beholdyng thenne hyr dere chylde dede vpon y e crosse hangyng betwene two theues Well myghte she make thenne the moost sorowfull complaynte that euyr was made Wherof sayth saynt Bernarde ¶ Quis dabit capiti meo aquam c. And whan hir sone was dede on the crosse saynt bernarde sayth thus ¶ Cogitare libet quantê° dolor tuÌ„c iÌ„fuit matri mulieri cuÌ„'sic dolebant insensibilea non lingua loqui nec meÌ„s cogitare valebat quanto dolore afficiebantur pia viscera marie IT maye be thoughte full grete sorow was in his blessyd moder whan the creatures that felte not made soo grete sorowe as is before rehersed there can noo tongue saye nor hert thynke how merueyllous grete sorowes pyteous tormentes was in y e herte of that blessid vyrgyne mary and saynt bernarde sayth ¶ NuÌ„c soluis virgo maria cum viscera ê™ in partu mutuasti a natura doloreÌ„ pariendo filiuÌ„ non sensisti quem milies replicando filio moriente passafuisti Now swete virgin ye haue yelded wyth esurye this that in the byrth of your sone was chaunged ayenst nature· For in hys byrthe felte ye noo sorowe nor payne But in his deth felte ye the thousande folde of sorowes The moder was nere vnto the crosse at the dethe of Ihesu crist whiche she conceiuyd by the holy goost But she fayled bothe speche voys whiche sorow had taken fro her· ¶ O verum eloquiuÌ„ iustum simeonis O ye true worde of the very Iust Symeon For thenne was your promyse fulfilled of the swerde of sorow· whan that blessid virgyne mary was there present and hyr swete sone hanged on the crosse She laye at the erthe as dede pale and dyscolored but hyr soule lyued as in deyeÌ„g
blessid body that henge there on the crosse dredde theym sayeng This is truli the sone of god At y e same hour brake they the thies of the two theues that henge on eche side of oure lorde Ihesu cryst And at that houre a blynde knyght wyth a sharpe spere percyd hym thrugh his tender flesshe side vnto the hert to know yf he were perfyghtly dede And thēne ran̄e from his herte blood water for to wasshe vs from the fylth of synne And of that blood ran̄e downe by the spere to the honde of longeus wherwyth he wyped his eyen and forth wyth receyued his sighte And that hour was saynt Iohan all his other discyples frendes departed from hym sauf y e tender virgyn mary his sorowful moder that abode there allone amōge the dede theues wyth the blessid body of hir sone At the hour of euensonge yelde we thankynges to our lorde· for at this hour came Ioseph abaremathye nychodemus y t often had lodged our lorde was not consentīg to his deth and had goten leue of pylate to take down the body of Ih̄us and soo he Nychodemus dyde And anoynted it wyth myrre And wrapped it in a fayr clene clothe and layed it in y e sepulcre And also at that hour his moder and his other frendes that thenne were retorned made full sorowfull compleynt for hym And after that as some saye was Ioseph abaromathye taken put in pryson by the Iewes And the thirde day made our lorde his resurrexcōn after his pyteous paynfull deth that he suffryd for vs syn̄ars Wherof he be honoured thankyd wythout ende And for this that we haue ofte many tymes offended ayēst that grete loue that he hathe shewed vs. dayly sheweth vs we ought deuoutly to pray serue him not oonly seuen tymes of the daye but fro the begynnyng of oure lyf vnto the ende to prayse hym to gloryfye his name his passyon to remembre And thus sayth dauyd ¶ A solis ortu vsque ad occasū laudabile nomen dn̄i Amen ¶ Here endeth the lamentacōn of our lady whiche she had in y e passion of our sauyour ¶ Here begynneth a treatyse moche prouffitable for reformacōn of soules defoyled wyth ony of the vij dedely synnes TO his rih̄t dere suster salute helthe of soule of body in hī that is true sauyour In whom is alwaye charyte pacyence chastyte whyche in trouth defendeth vs fro euyl dooyng and meuyth vs to the holy trynite this he graūt vs by his holy pyte the swete Ihesus cryste of whom as moche more as man vnderstondeth sayth of his merueylous godenes soo moche more loueth he hath Ioye in him for spyrituell Ioye comyth of the loue of our lorde the right swete Ihesus And the very signe of loue is to thynke often on hym Wherfore remembre you oft of the humilite of his Incarnacōn of y e goodnes of his conuersacōn of the charytee of his passion And who well remembre thyse may fynde sure medycyne ayenst euery dedely synne temptacōn Fyrst who that entendeth to be proude bethynke hym of the grete humylite of our lorde Ihesu cryst whiche is soo grete that heuen erthe maye not comprehende hym And by his mekenes list to close him wythin the wombe of a mayde Thus was the sone of god ensample of humylite medycyne of pryde as saynt austyn sayth for he hath shewed to· vs mekenes in alle his werkes For he wolde haue an humble moder the blessyd vyrgyne marye an hūble howse where he was borne whiche was callyd a dyuersorye soo hūble a bedde as the manger for bestes And whan he came to the age of xij yere by his mekenes he was obedyent to Ioseph to his blessyd moder as it is shewed in y e gospell whan he came to more age he choos meke persones as saynt peter saynt andrew poor meke fisshars wyth other suche to be in his company in token that what man or woman that wold be with him in his perdurable Ioye it behoueth hē to be hūble meke as saynt austī sayth By the humylite of Ih̄u criste ye may come to the Ioye perdurable For in asmoche as Ih̄u criste is kyng of that coūtree whether we entende to goo And for asmoche as he is man he is sure waye wherby we shall goo for he is our exāple soo as he saith in the gospel I haue giuen you ensample of humylite Now may the proude folke vnderstonde that they may goo by none other way but by Ih̄u cryste this is by the waye of mekenesse ¶ For as saynt Iames sayth For god resisteth to the hie proude folkes to the hūble he gyueth̄ his grace They ben hūble that can marke ther owne proper defawtes holde theymself for foles wretches For the more they disprayse theymselfe the more largely shalle they haue y e grace of our lord ▪ wherefor it is sayd in scrypture The gretter that ye be in auctoryte the more hūble shold ye be in your herte in worde in werke And thenne shal ye finde grace at our lord after the Ioye with̄out ende Whiche vs graūte the swete Ih̄u cryst that somoche louyth humylite ¶ Ayenst the synne of Enuye WHo sholde reioyce the hurte of other or be sory of y e we le of other as enuyous folke done yf they beholde bi the eye of ferme fayth how grete charyte the swete Ih̄u very god man shewed vs not for his we le but for y e we le of other whan he soo dere boughte vs from thinfernal pryson whiche was wyth noo lityll raunson whan he gaaf hymself for our saluacyon and all this made charyte For he reioyseth the we le of other And the sorow of other was more paynful to hym than his owne which̄e shewed well by his moost pyteous paynfull deth that euer man suffred in erth for the releef comforte of other This charyte was the gyfte that he lefte wyth his discyples at his departyng as he saith in the gospel By this shal all folkes knowe yf ye ben truely my dysciples for thēne shall ye haue truly charite loue among you Now dere suster remember well what marke he setteth vpon al his Wherfore yf ye wyl be one of his ye must be of that marke as wolde our lorde I were one of the leest of theim· For god is ordener of loue And in loue restyth hymselfe soo as saynt Ioh̄n sayth ¶ Deus caritas est c. Now take gode hede by thyse ensamples that be soo open how good a thyng is humylite of herte wyth true loue of Ih̄u cryst For there is noo thyng vnder heuen that he loueth somoche yf ye haue that ye shall haue alle weles and god hymself And yf ye fayle that ye shall fayle all that may torne to your we le and as saynt poul sayth Know ye not wel that where
euyll vnclene is that vyle sinne they sholde hate it wyth all theyr hertes and flee it as the deth yf they were not out of theyr wyttes or of suche frowardnesse that they raughte not of theyr dampnacōn For we rede in genesis that god for that vyle shamfull synne dystroyed al the worlde by the floode For it rayned xl dayes xl nyghtes And this wate◠was soo hye that it was aboue the hyest mountayn in erthe xv cubytes· which̄e drowned al folkes bestes fowles in the world sauyng noe his wyfe his thre sones their iij. wyues And those bestes fowles y t were saued in the same arke the whiche water roos soo hye ouer al erth to wasshe away the filth foilyng of that vyle synne of lecherye And as hye shall ryse the fyre before the daye of Iugement to purge the erthe of synne as a wise fader sayth A how vnclene a thyng vyle is that fowle synne of lecherye whiche foyleth not oonly therthe But the ayre the whiche fylthe to wasshe awaye suffyseth not all the water that was in erth but that god sente fro heuen Rayne xl dayes xl nyghtes And for sīple fornycacōn that the folke of israhel dyde wyth the women of madyan rede we that there were slay of theim in one daye by the com̄aundement of moyses xxiij thousāde men And saynt poul wytnesseth And for the auoutrye that the folke of gaba dyde one nyghte in the rauysshyng the wyf of a man were slayne lx v. M. men And for that vyle shāfull synne a ayēste nature god dystroyed v. cytees For it regned vpon sodome gomore stynkyng sulphur bren̄ynge fyre and ouerthrewe the cytees all the reame aboute And all tho that enhabyted in the cytees all the thynges growenge in that londe And this was done in signe that god took noo vengaunce vpon the sinners oonly but on the place where they enhabyted of al the place aboute theim that eyther vsid it or knewe it and myghte amende theym wolde not And knowe well that in all maners y e ony man or woman procureth or assenteth therto oute of maryage it is dedely synne and one of y e gretest synnes that is For saynt austin sayth in the decre Auoutry is gretter synne than fornycacyon woors more vyle is a man to sinne wyth his own moder then with a nother woman But ouer euyl abhomynable is it of the synne ayenst nature the leest of all oute of mariage is dāpnable Wherfore ye wretches that folow soo the vise desires of your flessh̄ bethinke ye and repent you And remēbre how greuous is this vyle syn̄e of lecherye And therof sayth saynt Ioh̄n in thapocalipsis y e vicyous wretches auouterers that will not leue their synne shall be payned perdurably in a lake of stynkyng sulphur brennyng fire for this that they ben now soo brennyng in the fowle desire of theyr wretchid flessh̄ before god his angelles and all good folkes But yet the mercy of our lord is soo grete y t whan the wretchid man or woman repēteth hem of hir synnes haue they euer somoche offended in ony syn̄e what soo euer it be so that they kepe hem clene forthe in body herte shall goo to the Ioye perdurable where they shall see Ih̄u cryst y e fader the holy goost soo as sayth y e gospell Blessyd be the clene of herte for they shal see god swete ihesu the sone of marye all the holy company of heuen My dere suster there I trust we shall be togyder bothe body sowle at the grete daye of Iugement And this graūt vs almighti god of his Infinite mercy Amen And all ye that rede or here this pray ye for hym that made it for theym that wrote it and for hir that was the cause that it was made and of your charite for theym that translated it wrote it out of frenssh̄ in to ēglissh̄ one pater noster one auee that god haue mercy on vs. that we may come to hym after this mortall lyfe in to the euerlastyng lyf wythout departynge Amen AS wyse folkes sayen there ben thre signes of very loue frenshyp One is a persone wyll be gladde to speke well of whom they loue beste A nother they wylle be gladde to here often well good tidynges of theym The thyrde they haue theim somoche in theyr remembraūce ▪ that at somtyme all other thyng is forgoten but oonly the same thyng that they loue best And this is the moost sure true signe of all other moost to be preysed And this dyde saynt Fraūceys of whom pope gregory wytnessith by his bull y t he sawe often wyth his eyen that whan men named the name of ihesu before saynt fraunceys he was soo rauysshyd wyth that blessid name that he had nother the herynge nor the sight of ony persone or thīge that was done aboute him for a tyme. And thus my right dere suster for goddes sake ouer all thyng loue ye him· doo your true deuour to wynne the specyall fauour and grace of him that so hiely will marye his louers As well preuyd it saynt Katheryne and saynt an̄es and holde ye thenne this maner to thynke what a loue the swete Ih̄s is· Thynke fyrst how by naturell reason ye be moost beholden to loue theim that moost hath gyuen you and moost hath don̄ for you with out ony deserte of you wythoute ony rewarde of you For al y e good weles that is in you ye haue receyued of hym Thenne shee wit well that aboue all other ye ought to loue him wyth all your herte wyth all your power For after y e grete weles bountees that ye haue receyued of him soo ought youre loue to be grete towarde hym this sayth hymself by the prophete Ysaye I haue noo desire of golde nor siluer nor other tresour but onely of the faythfull loue of man or woman Now bethynke you well thenne dere suster where may ye better gyue your hert loue thā to hym Wherfore to remēbre yow euery daye yf ye haue leyser what ben y e weles that ye haue receyued of god wythout your deserte say or thinke in this manere My lorde god I vnderstonde well that ye of your grace hath made me of no thyng and giuen me beyng amonge your creatures and truly whā I was noo thynge I myght noo thyng deserue Then̄e all this that I am haue I haue receiued of your specyall gyfte grace wythout my deserte And of your creatures there ben some hyer some lower And I knowe well that ye myghte haue made me the most vyle creature that is and this dyde ye not But of your bountee fourmed me to be amonge the moost hie creatures that is this is to knowe aungell man that in your owne liknesse shall see you in your glorye And this
sayd he thus as the harte desireth the welle thus desireth my soule to the my god in a nother place sayth he ¶ Dormitauit aiÌ„a mea prete dio Saynt poul was mouÌ„ted onÌ„ day on this brauÌ„che sayd I desire to be dyssolued to be wyth cryst in a nother place he sayd â–ª Wretched maÌ„ who shal delyuer me of this body of deth ¶ VpoÌ„ this brauÌ„che makith y e nightyngale his neest y t is of suche nature that he singyth al nyght ayeÌ„st y e day whaÌ„ he seth y e daye the sonÌ„e ryse he makyth so gre Ioy y e vneth he kepith his lyfe this signefieth y e holi soule y t in the derke night of this lif abydeth our lord whaÌ„ she felith his comiÌ„g in hir hert by grace· she hath soo grete Ioye that she can nother speke nor be stylle suche was the gode â—ld symeoÌ„ that was so Ioyful whan he beholde the comynge of the sone of god wherof he sayth Ha god whaÌ„ shall come the swete chylde whan shal he be born· whan shall I see hiÌ„ whether shall I dure soo long that he may finde me here at his holi natyuite Maye euer my eyen see that same by whom the eye of the soule shall be awakid· Thise wordes sayd he euery day in his prayer by y e oppressynge of the grete desire of his herte And by his grete desyre had he answere of the holy goost y t he sholde not fele deth tyll he had seeÌ„ the very sone of god Thus dide he as the nyghtyngale that singeth all the nyghte Whan he sawe com day the sone of Iustyce of whoÌ„ mary was moder broughte him to be offryd in the temple he ran ayenst him enbraced him and held hym ayeÌ„st his hert and had so grete Ioye that vneth his hert myght abyde it And thenne made he this fair songe ¶ NuÌ„c dimittis seruuÌ„ tuuÌ„ dnÌ„e c Lord put your seruaunt in peas for now I see the pease that I haue somoche desired â— whereof I haue somoche Ioye that deth is noo payne to me And for goddes sake doo we as simeon dyde enbrace we this swete chylde in tharmes of our hertes Saint anne enbraced him in the temple that had somoc desired hym Vpon this braunche grew the floure of safreÌ„ and the flour blanche whiche signefyen that this feruent desire maketh the soule pale yelow wherof it sayth in the cantycles lete me not to beholde though I be blacke for the sone hath dyscoloured me And in a nother place sayth he arayed wyth flowres set on wyth thornes for I languysshe in loue The sixte braunche of the appyll tree is vysitacyon whan our lord hath pyte on the soule desiryng hiÌ„ he vysiteth hir by his grace that he gyueth hir the felyng of his swete presence that she hath somoche desired Vpon this braunche makyth the swalow hir nest she is of suche nature that she takyth hir fediÌ„ge in ayre in fleeng This signe fyeth the soule vysited of god that ought to take no comfort nor pleisure of noo temporell thynge but of god allonly And tho thynges nedeful to the body sholde they take thus as in fleeng that is to abyde theron as lityll as they may but onely for their sustenauÌ„ce Vpon this brauÌ„che was mounted ezechiel whaÌ„ he sayd all thus as y e fawne that cryeth after his moder taketh noo comforte but of hir thus the soule contemplatyf whan she cometh ayen to hyrselfe and seeth the grete Ioye that she shall haue of this suffrauÌ„ce she oughâ— not to obeye hir to hir owne wyll nor to synne but allonely to the wylle of god Vpon this brauÌ„che groweth the marygolde whiche is of suche nature that whan the sonne sheweth the floure spredeth And whaÌ„ the sonne wythdrâ—â—eeth it closeth Right thus shold doo the comtemplatyf soule ayenst the sonÌ„e of Iustyse and ought alway to open hyr herte by desire by loue And yf it falle ony tyme that grace be wythdrawen they sholde close their hertes ayenst all forreyne pleysures ayenst all synne oughte to take noo reste nor comforte tyll it come ayen And as the marygolde foloweth the sonÌ„e soo ought the contemplatyf soule to folowe our lord to serue hym to desire hym to go after him Suche was mari mawdeleyne whan she went to the sepulcre where she fouÌ„de noo thyng· but thangel that answerd hir of whoÌ„ she took lityll hede for she was soo ferueÌ„t in the loue of our lorde whoÌ„ she soughte that she myght receyue noo comfort of thangel And yet was he as cleer as a full fayr sterre But she axed for the sonÌ„e that all enlumyneth took lityll kepe of al other cleâ—nes She sought hiÌ„ ofte where he was not thider came she wyth right grete desire For there was the last place where she had lefte him· and for this wende she there surely to fynde hym by her desires And afterwarde she fouÌ„de hym For truly who that wyll perseuer in deuoute praiers refuseth for him all other forreyne pleysures they shall surely fynde hym wythout doubt hymself promyseth soo in thapocalips sayth I loue them that loue me and those that wake bytymes for me shall fynde me And thus for cause she loued hym she fonde him and yet sayd he more Yf ony opeÌ„ his gate for me I wyll entre in wyth a good wyll dwelle wyth hym he wyth me and shal ete gladly wyth hym he wyth me Vpon this braunche sate dauyd whaÌ„ he sayd my soule hathe refused all comforte but oonly of the ¶ The seuenth braunche of contemplacyon is affeccoÌ„n that is whan the soule is come to thys that she felith somoche of god that the humanyte ne may not holde her but rather fayle Vpon this brauÌ„che was dauyd mounted whan he sayd I shal remember me of god shall delite me exercyse me in the loue of hym· my spiryte fayleth And in a nother place he saith mi soule fayleth Vpon this brauÌ„che makyth her nest the phenyx that signefyeth the spirytuell folke for this that he is singuler For full fewe is of them or of suche that come to this hye stage The phenyx is of suche nature that whan he shall deye he gadreth togyder thornes and gooth in to the moost hote part of al the londe y t he is in whan he hath heped them he fleeth ouer theym soo longe that they begyn to brenne and thenne brenÌ„eth he hymselfe in that fyre and of those asshes groweth a nother fenyx The phenix in one sence signefieth our lorde IhÌ„u crist that was with out fader in erth to whom was neuer none like in him was all y e brauÌ„ches of vertues asseÌ„bled whiche by loue brent hymself on th aulter of the crosse The phenyx also signefyeth the holy soule spirituell that hath gadred togyder the thornes of good vertues bereth hem in to the hete of