not a man gyue all worldly goodes for one of thyse graces And all thise togyder in comparison of the soule is as noo thyng Wherfore yf ye be soo enraged so frowarde that ye refuse so grete agayn as I offre you Then̄e take hede to the thyrde that I wylle haue it by force or at your peryll For I holde redy the swerde of cruell vengaūce ouer you to slee yow wyth cruell deth and departe body soule and put theym to perdycōn to confoūde them both in helle for to be tormēted wyth fendes sorowfully anguysshously contynuelly wythout ēde Answer now yf ye wyll defende you agaynst me yf ye can or maye or els graūt me your loue y t I desire wyth so grete Ielousie with so feruent hert not for my wele but for yours Now take good hede to thise wordes of Ihesu cryst Is not she of ouer harde herte that to suche a sauyour wylle not graunt hyr loue Yf she remēbred wel thyse thre thynges what he is and how grete is the loue of soo hye a lorde as he is and soo vyle soo symple as she is she sholde doo hir deuour to loue hym though she sholde a hūdred tymes suffre dethe for the loue of hym wherof saynt bernarde sayth ¶ Quomodo ē istud sine modo a nobis deus amari meruit qui prior nos dilexit tantus tantū gratis tantillos tales miseros IN what manere is this· aboue al maner that can be deuysed by al erthly wyttes that our lorde Ihesu cryst deseruyd to be belouyd for that he louyd vs fyrst loueth vs somoche wythoute our deserte whiche is soo symple suche wretches as we ben And as saynt bernarde sayth ¶ Omne tempus in quo de deo non cogitas hoc te perdidisse computa All the tyme in whiche ye thynke not on god reken it as lost For therfore be we called crysten to serue cryste and to remembre of his sorowful paynes that he suffryd for our loue And surely yf we wyll not often thinke on his paynes we shal receyue ouer greuous vengaunce And to vs shall be rekenyd the dethe of our lorde Ihesu cryst wherof saynt bernarde pleyneth him in sayenge ¶ Quamdiu vixero ero me mor laboris quē cristus sustinuit in predicando fatigacionū in discurrendo temptacionū in ieiunando vigiliarū in orando lacrimarū in compaciendo c. As longe as I shal be in this lif I shall remembre me full pyteously of the greuous labours that our lorde Ih̄u criste suffryd in prechyng and of the werynesse in his gooynge aboute of his temptacyons in fastyng of his watche in praier and of the teres that he wept by compassion I shall remembre also his sorowes his dispisyng with shamful spittynges and the harde strokes that they layd vpon hym the felon repreues that he suffryd And the grete nayles and al thyse other passions that he suffryd for me ¶ And yf I doo it not there shall be cast on me to my confusion the In̄ocent blood that ihesu cryst shed vpon the erthe for me Doo we thenne doo we bi the coūseyle of saynt bernarde and by the counseylle of kynge dauyd that sayth in the sawter ¶ Sepcies in die laudem dixi tibi Fayr lorde god seuen tymes in the day I yelde to the thankynges praysynges for our benefactours benefaytes And for this reason ben vij houres of the of the day cōmaunded to say in holy chyrche in remembraunce of the pascyon of our lorde Ihesu cryst For this that at euery houre suffryd he soo moche shame Thise vij houres ben callyd compline matynes pryme tyerce myddy noone vespres Whan ye say or here cōpline thynke full ententyfly howe at that our Iudas betrayed hym solde hym for xxx pens soo good chepe was neuer seen solde nor bought soo delicyous precyous flesshe And well maye this tyme be callid complyne for this that oure lorde wolde soone after passe from this paynful lyf The whiche deth was purposed of the felon Iewes that he shold not escape For it was of hym as of a man condempned to deye for theft and is delyuerd to his execucōn of whom men sayen though he be yet liuynge he is as a dede man for cause he is Iuged to the deth This thefte wherfore Ihesu cryst was condēpnyd was not for golde nor siluer but for an apple that was full bytter as we haue harde that adam stale in paradice where he dyde sacrelage wherby he was acursid oute of holy chirche payned in this mortall lyf sorowfully ixC yeres more tormēted in hungre thurst in grete labour anguysshe and sith deyed of righte paynfull deth And his soule decended vnto the horrible paynes of helle and lay there bounde in prison derknesse xl̄C yeres more soo that he al his lignage that deyed wente thyder to the tyme that our lorde Ihesus cryst shedde his precyous blood on the holy crosse This ought ye to thīke whā ye say or here complin haue full grete fere of our lorde whom ye haue soo often offended whan he took so grete greuous vengaūce of adam that he had made wyth his owne hondes for one apple that was of noo value y t he took agaynst his cōmaundemēte And therfore at that hour yelde w◠culpable to god within our hertes· and to the preste with our mouth And yf ye maye thenne haue in mynde al that ye haue doon that day ayenst the commaūdement of god ◠of al that ye haue euyll spokē wyth your mouth and wyth your eyen euyll beholden ofte of all y t we can thynke that daye we haue doon agaynst the wyll of our creatour and deuoutly require merci pardon And this hour was concluded felonously the dethe of Ih̄u cryst for our synnes And haue very hope that we shal haue this y t we desire yf we repent ourself truly and be well confessyd so that oure axynge be resonable For this sayth our lorde in the gospell ¶ Pette et accipietis REquyre and ye shall receyue after this complyne He sayd to his thre dyscyples full pyteously fayr brethern abyde and wake here whyle I make my prayers to my fader Thenne fylle he downe to the erthe and prayed thre tymes his fader that yf it miight be his passion were put from hym And thenne appered an angell to hym conforted him wherof ye ought to thynke that as longe as he was in his prayer he swet droppes of blood In the meane tyme slepte his discyples but hymself had noo wyll to slepe to the tyme that he deyed on the crosse and then̄e rested he in the sepulture vnto the daye of his Resurrexcion thenne awaked he thus as a man slepyng hastly awaketh thus soone sooner awoke he fro deth wherof dauyd the prophete sayth ¶ Excitatus est tanquam dormi ens dn̄s At matynes yelde we
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
thankynges to our lorde Ihesu criste and specyally in the nyght for this that at suche hour was he for vs taken wythin a gardyne by the treyson of Iudas his discyple After tormeÌ„ted dyspoyllid beten bouffeted and fasly accused And wyth theyr fowle spetyll foylled of all his dyscyples lefte of his appostles refusid for theyr lorde all this nyghÌ„te vylaynously cruelly wythoute ony mercy drawen wyth paynfull torment Thise were his matynes of harde lessons ¶ Who thyse thynges truly byleueth vnderstondeth and hath in remembraunce by holy deuocoÌ„n yeldeth thankynges to him that this suffryd he singyth his matynes spirituelly At matynes whan we ryse thynke to say matynes Or whan we here other say theym or yf we lye in our beddes wakyng aboute mydnyght we may thynke take ensample of the grete passyon of IhÌ„u cryst and how mekely he suffryd at that hour of the nyghte yf we be in ony trybulacyon or aduersitee eyther bodely or goostly the remembrauÌ„ce of his meke suffraunce thenne sholde be to vs grete comforte And at the hour of prime sholde we yelde thankynges to our lord For at that hâ—ur was he shamfully bounde as a theef brought to the court before pylate and deliuerde him to be Iuged At that hour broughte Iudas again to the court the xxx pens that he had receiued for his grete treison and in contyneÌ„t hyng hymselfe for sorow dyspeyre And at that same hour was our lorde acused to pylate of thre thynges Fyrst sayd they ful falsly that he had defended that noo man sholde paye noo truage to Cezar of his erthly reame For asyd not he to the peple that he wold be theyr kyng erthly But he sayd that his owne reame was not teÌ„porall but perpetuell that neuer shall haue ende And after they accused hym that he sholde say that was trouthe that he was the very sone of god And at this hour was he sent· by pilate to herode· where he wolde not speke one worde wherfore they helde him for a fole oute of his wytte And made him to be clothyd in whyte as a foole so sent hym agayne to pylate and after that was herode pylate acorded that had be longe before at debate At the hour of tyerce yelde we thankynges to our lorde Ihesu cryste For at that hour cried the iewes ayenst hym Crucyfie him crucifye hym At that hour was he put out as a theef whyles that thei yelded the sentence of his pardicoÌ„n yaf his Iugement At this hour sent pylates wyf to hir husbonde y t he sholde medle nomore wyth Ihesu cryst And this was by the entysinge of the fende that by a woman put vs all to dampnacyon by a woman wolde haue dystourned our redempcoÌ„n wenyng to haue ouerthrowen vs in perdurable perdycoÌ„n But by the swete vyrgine mary god sent our saluacoÌ„n so that the felons myghte not folow the fendes presumpcyon At thys hour wysshe pylate his hondes and wolde noo more entermente with Ihesu cryst By this wente he to haue made hym clene that he shold not haue be gylty therof At this same hour was our lorde bounde to the pyleâ— all nakyd And was soo loÌ„g beteÌ„ wyth scorges y t there was noo place of his body but it was paynfully bledynge from his hede vnto his fete His flesshÌ„ was alle steyned wyth his precyous blood And soo largeli the blood ranÌ„e oute of his tender body that longe tyme after aperyd it on the pyler whereto he was bouÌ„de beten At this hour they clothyd him in a mantel of purple â— And at this houre they put a crowne of thornes vpon his hede painfully prickyng him and deliuerd hym a rede in his honde as a grete staffe and sith knelyng in scorne salewed hym sayeng Heyle kyng of Iewes and therwyth gaue hym a grete stroke vpon the face· And whan they had thus mockyd hym beten hym they took of his mantell of purple and clothid hym in his owne clothes agayne ledde hym forth to the mount of caluarye And made hym bere his owne crosse wheron he sholde deye At that hour came his blessyd moder wyth other wymmen folowynge after hym ful pyteously wepinge Also thyse shames and many mo paynes suffryd he betwene thour of tyerce myddy for our wretchyd soules AT the houre of mydy yelde we thankynges to our lorde ihesu crist For at that hour spredde he his swete body vpon the crosse and his hondes fete were fastnyd wyth thre grete nayles This crosse was made of iiij maner of wodes The wode that wente the length of the crosse was of sidyr the pece that weÌ„t ouerthwart was of appultree and the tabyl aboue wherin was wreten in ebrew in grewe in latyne ¶ Ihesus nazarenus rex iudeoruÌ„ that was of olif That same vnderneth that bare susteyned all the remenauÌ„t was of sipres At that hour required our lorde Ihesu cryst his fader right pyteously to pardon those tormentours his deth for all the paynes that they dyde him At that hour deuyded they his ouergarmente but his cote abode all hole At that hour mockid they hym that passed by the waye At that same houre promysed he to the theef paradyce And that same houre deliuerde he his dere moder to saynt Iohn euaÌ„gelist in kepyng And from that same hour becaÌ„m the sonÌ„e derke vnto hye none and lost his vertue clernesse At the hour of none yelde we thankynges to our lord for at y e hour he reysed a grete crye vpoÌ„ the crosse where ashe heng said in ebrewe ¶ Heloy heloy lamazaba tani My god my god wherfore haue ye left me forsaken me This said he not for this that he was lefte of his fader for that is not to be byleued but for that he was left at this hour of all the world sauf of his moder one oonly theef that in his grete payn byleued on hym ¶ At this hour pleyned him the same that was well sprynge of lyf that he had thurst thei offrid hym eysel galle to th entent that he sholde dey more soner but he wolde not drynke therof after that he had tasted it And theÌ„ne was donÌ„ alle that was to be doon before his deth theÌ„ne was al accomplisshed that a thousande yere before was of his passion spoken by the holy goost sayd in prophecye wherof our lorde IhÌ„u cryst hymself sayd at this hour ¶ ConsuÌ„matuÌ„ est This is to saye it is fulfylled And theÌ„ne sayd he all in cryenge ¶ In manus tuas dnÌ„e coÌ„mendo spÌ„m meuÌ„ And yelded his spirite deyed y e same that vs yeuyth susteineth our lyf at this same houre cloue the harde stones therth the montayns And the sepulcres of dede bodyes opened The veyle of y e temple claf in the myddes And for thyse merueyles many other that befell at that tyme. Centuryo and al other that kept that
dignyte haue ye gyuen me wythout my deserte yf I lese it not by my defawte· And by thys reason mercyful lorde am I enteerly bounde soueraynly to loue you wyth all my soule wyth all my herte and wyth all my power THenne after thynke agayn yet Lorde amonge thise creatures· angell man there ben some of one parte some of a nother For some of theym for theyr synne fylle in to helle And ye all pyteous hye kyng of heuen descended from your hye throne in to your lityll preuy chāber this was the wombe of the blessid virgyne whan of hir it pleysed you humbli to be born to receyue the humayn flessh̄ to suffre deth for the redempcōn of all mankynde wherof all be not parteners but suche as be crysten liue wel therafter dey in y e right fayth But other may not clayme that as Iewes sarrazins and all other mescreauntes vntrue crysten And good lorde ye miyghte haue lete me deye wythoute baptesme and thēne had I be caste wyth theym in to helle wythout ende But this dyde ye not but made me partener of your redempcōn by the grace that ye haue gyuē me to receyue baptesme wherby ye deliuerde me fro the snare of perdurable deth And yet had I then̄e noo thanke to yelde you nor noughte haue deserued of on wele or grace nomore than they that deyed vncrystned and descended in to helle wythout recouer o mercyfull lorde Ih̄u howe moche am I bounden by this reason ouer all thing to gyue you that poore loue that can come of me And after this thynke further of tho that ben crystened how some of theym ben naturell fooles wythout vnderstondyng how god hath gyuen you wythout your deserte resonable vnderstonding ¶ Also in like wyse some of hem ben lepers deef dombe and ful of other foule siknesses or lame or difformed And ye haue receyued of god without your desert your naturel helth right shape wherof hūbli thanke him And thynke thenne ferder that some there be that haue their helth wel formed resonable vnderstondyng yet al the dayes of their lif liue in grete pouerte and labour for theyr mete drynke clothes and yet haue therof full scarse sustenaūce And all otherwyse hath our lorde pourueyed for you for to haue delicyous metes of all other sustenaūces grete largesse wythout your deserte Beholde thēne fro the begynnyng of your lif in al tymes yf euer ye cowde fīde in you ony manere of wele lityl or moche but that ye haue receyued it of god by his specyall loue grace that he hath gyuen to yow more than to many other And wyth thise grete bountees that he hath giuen you Remembre you of the grete harmes daūgers that he hath defended you deliuerd you from saye or thynke in this manere Moost mercyfull lorde Ihesu I know well that I haue ofte synned dedely both by wyll dede wherby ye myght by rightful Iugemēt haue condēpned me forthwyth in to helle without ende And this dide ye not but by your grete mercy hath spared me gyuen me leyser to doo penaūce And by this on̄ly reison am I boūde to serue you loue you ouer all thyng And whā ye shall haue in suche manere wel enserchid in your hert the grete graces giftes that ye haue receyued of our lord Ih̄u cryst Yf ye auyse you wel your lif your dedes and beholde what we le what loue and what kyndnesse ye haue yelded to hym that hath shewed you soo grete loue done somoche for you with out your deserte Perauenture ye shall well perceyue in your selfe y t noo thyng in regarde haue ye yelden to hym but oonly syn̄e and yf ye may fynde there ony wele it is soo lityll that it is as noo thynge ayenst soo many graces benefaytes as he hath lente gyuen you whan thyse thynges ye haue well remembred well torned retorned thēne with a hole mynde speke or thynke hūbly deuoutly in youre herte towarde hym My swete lorde Ih̄u cryst I perceyue wel that some Rent am I boūden to yeue yow for so many boūtees weles as ye haue gyuen me And I know wel that though I hadde a thousande worldes in my power for to gyue you noo thyng shold that encrease you For your glory ryches is so grete infenite that there may no thyng encrease it for ye haue nede of noothyng therfore good lord I wote well that ye aske of me no more than may be foūde in my power This is to knowe that I loue you serue you with al my soule wyth all my hert wyth all my power But this may I not haue but of your gyfte for I haue noo thyng of myself but sin̄e malice And it were to grete a wronge vnkyndnes to yelde you sin̄e malice for your grete boūtee swetnesse that ye haue shewed me truely than behoueth me to haue it of you For there is noo wele nor goodnes but it cometh of you But how shal I haue it of you not by byēge for I haue noo good to gyue you but of your owne for ye are lorde of all thīg haue power ouer al ¶ Ha good lord thēne behoueth it me to gete it by hūble fayr prayer And yf I pray to you ye may ryghtfully refuse it for this that I am a wretchyd sin̄er And yet mercyful lorde I know wel that though I had in me the sin̄es malyces of all creatures whiche sholde be ouermoche yet were all my vyle wretchydnesse lityll in comparison of your grete boūte Wherfore almiighty god al merciful piteous I beseche you that your grete boūtee be not wythdraw by my wretchidnesse Syth it is soo good lord that I yelde me to you come to yow wyth grete drede dyspayr for my grete wretch̄ydnesse but yet wyth grete sure hope of you for your merueylous mercy boūtee and sith ye axe of me nomore for all y e weles graces that I haue receyued of you but that I sholde loue you ouer all thyng and this may I not haue but oonly of you of youre gyfte Wherfore moost mercyfull lorde swete Ihesu I beseche you for that loue that made you descende frō heuen to be come man for mā and to suffre soo cruel harde deth for loue of the redempcōn of man That it may pleyse you tern towarde me graūt me of your grace that I may yelde you my lityll poor loue ayenst the grete merueylous mercyful loue ye haue shewed vnto me Soo that my poor herte rest on noo creature by vayne deceyuable loue cōtrary to your wyll pleysure As verely as I know well that noo thynge is to be belouyd But for bountee or beaute that they haue receyued of you And moost gracyous lorde for y e paynfull pascōn that ye deyned
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