how sone nor of what deth we shall deye Circumdabunt te inimici tui vallo coangustabunt te vndique ¶ your enymies y t fendys shall be abowte yow and enuyrounde yow wyth anguyshÌ„ turmente of alle partyes a how parlous ys the astate sorowfull for y e whÌ„yche god hym self wepte so tendyrly wherof seyth seynte barnard Compatitur dei filiê° plorat patitur homo Ridet The sone of god hath compasconÌ„ for man wepyth man shall suffyr all the perell that laugheth mackth but a Iape also whan men preyse yow in ony thynge wherby ye fele veynglory sprynge in your harte be thynke ye theÌ„ne and full ententyf oo the humylyteys of swete IhuÌ„s yur anmyable spowse y t seyth· Non veni ministrarised ministrare He cam not in erthe to be serude but to serue hyt ys wretyn how seynte clemente axed one time of saiÌ„t petyr how our lorde IhuÌ„ delte amonge hys dyscyplys in erthe seynt petyr began to wepe full tendyrly Now fayr maystyr sayd saynt clemente wherefore wepe ye so petously trewly sayd saiÌ„t petyr I can not kepe me fro wepynge whan I here speke of hym or verily thynke on hym of his gracious dedys We were onday gretly greued wyth huÌ„gyr colde at nyght was lodged in an olde howse that was broken on the ton parte therof where the colde entyrd gretly whyche anoyed vs for our swete maystyr Ihesu cryst put hym self betwene the colde vs I perceyued hym that same nyght fiue tymes wyth hys owne clothys couyr our fete A good lord mercy so humbly serued he vs as to washe our fete how grete a pyte was this In lyke wise thenke how sorowful heny he was ayenst hys peynful passcoÌ„n y t was so ryght anguyshous Thynke how he langourd ·xv dayes before hys deth for in signyficacion therof men synge rede of hys pascioÌ„ xv dayes befor hys resurrexion ¶ For than was he in syghÌ„ingys heuynesse praiours so ful of troubill that he had lityll wil to ete or drynke nor of no conforte yette for all thys he seyde to hys dysciplys ¶ Desiderio desidera ui hoc pasca manducare vobiscum antequam paciar I haue gret desyre to ete with yow a soper befor I shall suffyr deth And hys apostels apoynted theÌ„ne where they shold ete their souper ete yâ—t And whan they hadde supped he tooke of hys ouyr garnement and gyrd hym wyth a toell and towke fayr watyr in a basyn weshÌ„ e fethte of hys dyscyplys yette the fete of the felon Iudas wherof seyth seynte gregory ¶ Quis tumoreÌ„ cordis noÌ„ repellat si secuÌ„ coÌ„ferat quod qui sedet iÌ„ throno suê‘ cherubyn lauit pedes sui proditoris What swellynge or rancour of harte ys so gret that shuld not aswage yf he well remembryd hym of hym y t sytte so hie aboune angellis in heuene that wishe y e feete of his owne traitour Iudas aftyr he tooke brede in his fayr handys blessed yt thanked hys father of all y e harme peyne y t he had suffryd in erthe or shuld suffyr gaf hyt to hys apostlys wyth hys owne handys to ete seid Ete ye this for hit ys in fleshe than tooke he wyn blessed hyt gaf hem to drinke sayde Drynke thys for thys ys my blood drynke ete now wyth good wyll For neuyr fro henfforth shall I drinke wyth yow befor I haue suffryd y e moste marueylous peynfull deth that euyr man suffyrd in erthe Alas what sorowfull tydynges myght hys dyscyplys here than A how they were sorowfull dyscouÌ„fortted Alas how they wepte petously no marueyle though they made woÌ„dyrfull sorow for he was all ther helpe all ther comforte now harde they verily y t they shuld lese hym that same nyght Alas wath sorow lamentable pleynte ther was whan y e swete IhuÌ„ had be soo longe in place for y e loue of hys loue so many vsuries of greuous peynys anguyshous ran vppon him he wold not go owte of y e sayde place to the tyme he had all acounted payed whan they cam for to rekne he was led vpon y e hygh mounte of caluarys where he was condempned of the cruell felon Iewys made hym to mounte all on hyr on the harde crosse right faste teyed wyth gret naylis NOw may ye knowe verily or euer the Iewys wold leue the plegde owte of ther kepynge they wold rekyn euery ferthyng euery mayle wythoute ony for getyng in y e same maner dyd thei of this plegde y e blessed body of IhuÌ„ cryste y t was ther presente to answerd befor them of euery demaunde Now harke how streyghtly he rekened y t hys dere mother myght full sorowfully rekyn A blessed mary full of pyte of wepynge of thought bittyr sorow she was vppon y e mounte of caluarey wythowte comforte wythoute helpe be spraynte wyth the precious blood of hyr right petous swete sone IhuÌ„ as y e blood than sprange owte of hys peynfull woundys ther as he hange vpon y e crosse hys fayr handys streined full sore wepte so sorowfully that she myght in no wyse hyr petous terys refreyne ne So myght she ê‘auentur sey A I wretche wherfor leue I so longe to se my dere swete chylde suffyr so gret owtragyous peynes Alas fayr sone your colour that was more cleer thaÌ„e ony flour is becom now all pale blo for your peynes that be so greuous I se your hede crowned wyth sharpe thornys euy rounde so greuousli and betyn on wyth gret stauys your Iâ—n beholde me so petously that fayleth yow be very forse of peyne whyche perseth thorugh myn harte as a sharpe sword of harde steyll your swete delycious wordys Now becom full heuy sorowfull the abbomynable spyttyngys of the felon prowde Iewys soyle you full fowle for the loue of synfull folkes the fayr colour of your lyppys ys now becuÌ„ as blo as led that had be gretly betyn Thy swete face I see all blody thy terys rennynge down from your gret trauayle peynes that be so harde And for ye seyd that ye had thurste the creuell wretched Iewis to do yow gretter harme gaue yow to drynke eysyll And gaule yette more they euennymed your tunge Alas how I am sorowfull for yow Ihesu my dere chylde that I se thy pure hed suffyr so ryght greuous peynys that neuyr dyd to no man harme nor neuyr euell nor shamefull worde coÌ„ from your moethe yette see I moche more harme all down your body I see your fayr armys so rudely drawen on lengthe so streite streyned on trauas on y e crose that doth myn harte full gret anoye And gret sorow may I well take to se yow suffyr so gret turmentê that your anguyshous lyf ys all full of syknesse for your
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
dedely enemyes y t had dystroyed the substauÌ„ce of all hyr londe and she all poore was beseged in an olde castell wyth hym rounde abowte thys castell was weyke and made of full febyll mater Neuertelesse ther was a ryche kynge and of grete power y t marueylously loued her wyth suche far neuce that often he sente hys messeÌ„gers on to her sente her mani fair Iowellys good socours wherwyth she myghth be susteyned and good helpe of hys noble meny to defende hyr hyr castell And she receyued alle these thynge as a vyleyne y t vnuethys cowde yelde hym a gramercy for alle these grete welys so rude harde was hyr herte how be it had not the bounte and the pyte of thys noble kynge bene she had be vtterly loste dystroyed for he was so supprysed wyth hyr loue that at y e laste he cam him self to the rofe of the tour and shewed hyr his fayre visage whiche was most fayr of alle other to beholde and spake to hÌ„yr soo swete wordys delycious y t they myght haue quikned a body half dede Ther dyd he mani marueyles and shewed grete mastryes and befor hyr eyen preued parte of hys power and tolde of hys rychÌ„esse and offrid to make hir quene of all y t he hade to gif hir all his reme with thys that she wolde gyf hym hyr loue wythoute more But thys was in veyne for hyr lone wolde she not promyse hym A was not thys a grete abusion of thys bestly wretche that was not worthy to serue vndyr his fete yte of hys debonarite pyte hadde so veynquysht him be fo rs of loue y t at y e laste he seide A madam I se well ie be gretly greued wyth your enemyes that be soo ner you and so fers stronge that ye may in no wyse escape ther handis but they wyll put you to euele and sorowfull deth but ye haue helpe wherfor I wyl for your loue entyrprise this bataile vppon them to dysconÌ„fyte your enemyes how be it I knowe well y t I shall receyue amonge them full harde dedely wouÌ„dys but wyth my good wyll I shall take them tho wynne your herte And now I pray you full petonsly wepyng for the grete loue that I shall shewe you that at the leste ye wyll loue me aftyr my peynfull deth syth in my lyf ye wyll not loue me thanne in thys maner entyrd thys kynge in to this batayle and dystounfyted alle hyr enemyes delyuered hyr from them that purposed hyr deth and was hym self wounded so sore and greuously that he dyed but by miracle roos he frodeth to lyue was not thys lady ouyr vnnaturell and moche to be blamed if she loued not hym ouyr all other Thys same kynge is the swete IhuÌ„s y t in thys maner hath loue to our sowles that fendes hadde beseged and he as a nobleÌ„ sauyour sente hyr many massengers many grete bounteys doone to her and fynalle cam hym self for to preue hys loue and shewed well be cheualrye that he was worthi to be be loued wherof seyth saynte barnarde ¶ Nonne dei filius cum esset 〈◊〉 sinu patris a regalibus sedibus pro anima tua descendit vt eaÌ„ liberâ—ret a potestate dyaboli quam cuÌ„ audisset peccatoruÌ„ finibus irretica iamque demonibus trateÌ„dam vt morte perpetua daÌ„pnaretur fleuit super illa qui se flere nesciebat nec solum fleuit sed ecia occidi pertulit vnde versus Aspice mortalis per te datur hostia talis Ne se you not ryght dere freendes seyth saynte Barnarde that IhuÌ„ cryste the sone of god how that he beynge in the bosom of hys father descended fro that ryall sete in the heuenly empyre for the loue he hadde to your sowle to delyuer hyr fro y e power of the fende whanne he harde how she was beseged and wyth the bondys of synne enbrased and wythoute taryenge sholde haue be deliuered to the fende to the preson of helle and was condempned to pardurable deth And he be grete pyte and compassyoun wepte full tenderly for her in asmoche as she nother cowde wepe nor helpe hyr self and yete he wepe not only but offryd hym self to dye for hyr relefe Beholde now mortall wretchys who suffrid deth for your lyf thys dyd the swete Ihesus the kynge of heuene to wynne your loue as knyghte were wone to do som tyme he cam to the tourney and for the loue of his loue whiche is iour sowle bar his shyld on alle partys of the bathayle as A valyaunte knyght and A hardy Hys shylde that couered the godhede was hys blessed body that was spred vppon the harde crosse ther appered he as A shylde in hys armys wyth hys handys streyned and persed and hys feete nayled down as summe men sey the tone vppon the tother And wher thys shylde had no syde syngnyfyeth y t hys dyscyplys that sholde haue be shilde to his sydis fledde alle from hym as he seyth in the gospell· ¶ Relicto eo omnes fugerunt They be alle fledde lefte hym all for fere of deth Thys shylde is geuyn vs for our dyffense ayenste alle euelis and alle temptaconÌ„ as saynte Ierome seyth ¶ Dabit stictuÌ„ cordis in laborem tuuÌ„ Lord jhesu cryste thanked be ye ye haue geuyn vs a shylde for our hertes whiche is y e thoughte of your peynfull trauayle wherof seyth saynte Barnard ¶ Quid taÌ„ efficax ad curanduÌ„ vulnera nec noÌ„ ad purganduÌ„ mentis quaÌ„ cristi vulneruÌ„ sedula meditacio what thynge is so spedfull to hele and purge y e spyrytuall woundys as ententyf medytaconÌ„ of y e sorowfull woundys of our swete lorde jhuÌ„ cryste dauid seyth wyth thys shylde be eÌ„uyronÌ„ed alle they that loueÌ„ hym And serue hym nyght and day Scito circuÌ„dabit te veritas eius non timebis a timore nocturno Ne drede we nat y e fere of y e nyght for thys is the trowth the sone of god enuyroundyth vs wyth hys shylde where sum euyr we be and it more be his good wyll with hys shylde he hath crowned vs. as dauid seyth for wyth hys good wyll suffyrd he all thys as Isaee seyth ¶ Oblatus est quia ipse voluit Now wyll ye sey paraueÌ„ture wherfor suffyrd he these marueylous grete peynes myght he nolightlyer redeme vs fro helle A yis yis myght he wyth moche les yf it had pleased hym but he wolde not so wherfor but to shewe vs how moche he loued vs and to gyf vs ensample to loue hym for suche as men loue lytyll they lette it lyghtli go and if they haue it not they aske not theraftyr also the more peyne and harme that a man suffryth for hys frende the more hys he to be beloued wherof saynte bernarde seyth ¶ Amplius michi vilis esse non debeo quia tantum deo placuit anima mea vt mori pro
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
may be to all the worlde whan Ihesu sholde deye wepyng soo pyteously so sorowfully playninge for suche as toke nomore hede of his harde passion that he suffred for theym noo more than yf he neuer had become man A nother reason was there as he playned hym wepte full pyteously for that soo fewe folke sholde be soo dere bought wherof saynt gregorye sayth ¶ Si respicio facieÌ„ cristi in cruce pendentis primis michi occurrit quod fleuit orans Sêª quare fleuisti bone IhÌ„u quare fleuisti cum pocius esset gaudenduÌ„ maxime tunc cum operabaris salutem in medio terre affligens peccata nostra cruce daÌ„pnans diaboluÌ„ Saluans miseros fleuit igitur qr quia cuÌ„ passio sua sufficeret redempcioni oiÌ„m profuit redempcioni paucorum ¶ Whan I beholde the face of Ihesu cryst hangynge vpon the crosse Fyrst it renÌ„eth in my mynde that he in prayeÌ„g wept But whi wept ye swete Ihesu why wept ye where rather it sholde be Ioyed specyally whan he brought helth in the myddes of the erth fyxed our synnes on the crosse daÌ„pnyng the deuyll sauynge wretches But for this wept he that his passion was sufficyent ynoughÌ„ to the redempcyon of all folkes shold prouffyte allonely to the redempcoÌ„n of soo fewe For full fewe ben in all the worlde of Religyous or seculer or ony other maner of folkes of holy chyrche or other that a right louyth the kynge of glory the swete Ihesu criste as they ought wherof sayth saynt poul ¶ Omnes que sua sunt querunt non que Ihesu cristi All folkes seke eÌ„tentyfly the prouffyte of theyr bodyes and not the loue that they owe to Ihesu cryste And our lorde hymself sayth ¶ Putas ne filius hominis inueniet fidem super terrain Wene ye that that Ihesu the sone of mary founde fayth or charyte in erthe for sothe full scarsely Now dere frende remembre ye how yourselfe hath louyd ful pourly our gode lorde and loue Ihesu cryst And how our neighbours of this worlde beÌ„ now corrupted with many maner of synÌ„es And how the deth of our swete lorde spouse y e sone of god was harde cruell ThenÌ„e oughte we well to wepe togider wyth Ihesu cryst and crye hym mercy wherof saynt Bernarde saith ¶ Tria sunt preciosa vnguenta scilicêª flere pro peccatis proptiis pro peccatis proximi pro compassione passionis cristi Thre precyous oynementes ben th one is precyous the other more precious the thyrd rihÌ„t precyous The precyous is to wepe for our synnes The more precyous is to wepe for the synnes of our neyghbours The right precyous is to wepe for the compascyon of the cruell deth of IhÌ„u cryst wherof sayth saynt Bernarde O bone Ihesu si tam dulce est gaudere de te A Ihesu yf it be soo swete to wepe wyth you how it shal be swete to be Ioyous wyth you and after he sayth ¶ O bone Ihesu cito lacrimas inuenit soluitur in gemitum qui tui sensum habet doloris O good Ihesu full soone mighte he fynde teeres grete mater of sighynges that had ony felinge vnderstondyng of your sorowes paynes And after of the peteous playntes that ye made And whan ye cryed wyth hyhe voys to your fader ¶ In manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meum In to thy hondes fayr swete fader I yelde my spiryte for the loue of my dere loue mannes soule to delyuer from helle ¶ Et inclinato capite emisit spirituÌ„ And enclyned his blessid hede yelded his gloryous spyrite A fayr frende thynke on hym that was soo benygne to thyse harde tormeÌ„tes wherof saynt bernarde sayth ¶ O bone Ihesu benigne cuÌ„ hominibus conuersatus es quam magna hominibus largitus es quam dura pro hominibus passus es quaÌ„ dura verba duriora verbera durissima crucis tormeÌ„ta passus es O good Ihesu how benygne thou were conuersaunt wyth men how grete thynges thou hast gyuen man how harde paynes thou hast suffryd for maÌ„ as harde wordes harde betynges and right cruel and mortall tormentes that blessid be thou moost mercyfull Ihesu For neuer man suffred so harde deth as he suffred for our soules to make vs parteners of all y e ioyes of heuen And he suffred not oonly this cruell and harde dethe but also the moost fowle shamfull deth that they myght put him to And all this suffred he for the loue of mannes soule For what shame was this that Iudas this traytour marchaunt solde him to y e felon Iewes to slee as men doo an oxe or a cowe And yet for a wretchid pryce for thyrty pens For Iudas scaryot sayd to the Iewes ¶ Quid vultis michi dare et ego eum vobis tradam at illi constitueruÌ„t ei triginta argenteos What wylle ye gyue me and I shall delyuer you hym And establisshyd to gyue for hym thyrty pens of syluer And he brought the Iewes the same nyghte to the place where oure lorde Ihesu cryst was And whan he came he sayd Aue rabi Heyle mayster and kyst hym And our lorde sayd to hym full pyteously ¶ Amice ad quid venisti Frende wherfore come ye ThenÌ„e came after the Iewes and toke our lorde full rudely And ful sore bounde him as yf he had be an arrante theef And ledde hym in y e cytee before his mortall enmyes Wherof hymselfe playned hym to theym that ledde hym and sayd ¶ Tanquam ad latronem existis cum gladiis fustibus comprehendere me cotidie apud vos eram docens in templo et non me tenuistis A Why doo ye me so grete vilanye that ye come wyth swerdes and wepens forto take me as I were a thef and euery daye I haue be byfore you in the temple· and ye took me not wherfore doo ye this to me now ¶ But for all that they lefte him not but drwe hym forth before cayphas where the cruel Iewes accused hym of felonye and treyson· And he was broughte forth thus as a lambe wherof he sayd ¶ Ego quasi agnus mansuetus qui portatur ad victimam I suffre all togider the vilaynous wordes reproches as a meke lambe with out resisteÌ„ce that men beryth to slee But Cayfas theyr mayster took so grete disdeyne for this that IhÌ„u wold not answer y t he said to him in scornÌ„ Where ben your dyscyples what folke ben they howe haue ye taughte theim And Ihesu answered I am acustomed to speke openly and alwaye to teche folke in the synagoge and the temple there as the Iewes came and in secrete places as here is I shall speke lityll And what aske ye me· aske them that haue herde what I haue sayd And vneth had he ended his wordes but there starte forth a felon ribawde that stroke hym ful cruelly in his fayr vysage wyth his hard honde And sayd full egrely before all folkes ¶
com of the dysese of the swete IhÌ„u cryst How may we gloryfye vs of our ryches that cometh of the pouerte of Ihesu crist ¶ What delyte maye we haue of our fredom that is all comen of the bondes eÌ„prysonement of our lorde ihesu cryst It neuer pleysed him that he shold suffre bere on his body all the harme payne that we haue soo moche deseruyd wythout we ben parteners wyth hym in some maner of penaunce sorowe For trouth soo shal we doo yf we wylle be parteners of his Ioye For he is not wortâ—â— to be partener to the wynnyng that will not be partener to the losse wherof saynt bernarde sayth ¶ Videntes angustias dnÌ„i nostri IhÌ„u cristi leuiter portauimê° nrÌ„as ¶ Yf we saw thanguysshes that our lord Ihesu crist suffred for vs we sholde bere ours the more lyghtly And yf we wylle not be of his lyuerey in compassion it is noo reason we sholde be of his lyuerey in consolacyon ¶ See ye now the fourth defawte that Ihesu cryste had that was drynke fayllid hym to his mouth Two maner of meÌ„ haue grete nede of drynke A maÌ„ that hath moche traueiled and a man that hath moche bledde And both thise thynges were in our lorde Ihesu cryste that daye For neuer may was so wery of paynfull traueylle wooful seruyce as he was wherof hym selfe sayth by Ysaye the prophete ¶ Seruice me fecistis in pectiÌ„s nostris et laborem michi prebuistê in iniquitatibus nostris ¶ Ye make me serue in youre fowle synnes to giue my labour in your Iniquyte And after he sayth ¶ Ysaye Laboraui sustinens I haue traueylled in suffrynge For I haue suffred al the harmes that men wolde doo me for the loue of mannes soule And yf ye wylle ye maye fynde wreten that in that labour he traueylled soo moche that the blood ranne fro his teÌ„der bodi forto crye for mercy to his fader for his loue mannes sowle that was condempned to perpetuel pryson As he sayth by Iherom ¶ Laboraui rogans I haue sore traueylled in prayeng for your soules thyse were harde labours ¶ The seconde cause to say he was lete blood It was not of one veyne nor of two but he bledde ouer al his body In soo many places· that it was grete dyfficulte to nomber the woundes of the amyable body of Ihesu cryste that plenteuously bledde· But whan we ben lete blood vpon a lityll veyne on oure armes we kepe vs all stylle cloos in a chamber that none ayer come in to hurte vs. And haue alle thynges ordeyned to our comforte ¶ A good lorde al otherwyse weÌ„te it at your paynful bledyng that was so cruelly drawen oute of the towne wythout ony mercy or pyte and by the shamfull tyrauntes hanged vpon the Crosse agaynst that brennyng sonne streyned as streyte as· a parchemyn skynne to drye And by thyse paynfull wouÌ„des labours he had grete thurste whiche was noo merueylle And thenne he pleyned hym peteously sayd ¶ Scicio I haue thurst what thenne They gaaf him noo ypocras nor wyne ne yet fair water But they gaaf hym eysel and galle medled togyder ¶ Alas what drynke was thys to be gyuen at soo grete a nede ¶ Cum gustasset noluit bibere sed dixit consuÌ„matum est WHan he had taasted he wold not drynke but sayd all is fulfylled Thenne myght he wel haue sait alas now am I outrageously seruyd y t for al the companye that I haue had wyth them and for all the honoures that I haue shewed to theym they yelde me now thus shrewedly my seruyse that in soo grete disease as I am now in and in soo grete defawte they wylle not gyue me a lityl water to drynke Now am I outrageously seruyd For truly this same dyde more harme than many other of the paynes that he suffryd· And noo merueyle for he had longe laboured for to teche theym for to saue their soules â–ª and to drawe theyr loue towarde hym And for all this grete loue yet at the laste they dyde hym this grete vilanye Wherof he pleyneth hym by Iherom the prophete sayeng ¶ Recordare paupertatis trangressionis mee absinthij fellis Fayre frende remembre you of the pouertee that I suffred for you And remembre of the grete disptes that was done to me· whaÌ„ they gaaf me to drynke so euyll a drynke for your loue wherof sayth saynt bernarde ¶ Sitiui saluteÌ„ vestram I haue thurst sayd our lorde and not oonly for drynke but oonly for your sauacyon O good lorde mercy who had euer in hym soo ferme loue as he whan he was in soo paynfull caas that he felte the feuers of his harde deth pricke soo sore his pyteuous soule Yet sayd he not alas the harde crosse destroyeth my seke body But he sayd I haue grete thurste that my loue may be deliuerde from helle He sayde not how thyse thornes rase myn wooful hede Nor alas how my hoÌ„des fete ben broken perced wyth grete nayles Nor alas that I sholde suffre soo many grete paynes wythout deserte But he sayd I haue desire that my loue were sauyd â–ª as saynt bernarde sayth ¶ TantuÌ„ me dilexisti o bone IhÌ„u quod inmemor fuisti doloris noÌ„ inmemor mee salutis dixisti scicoÌ„ non dixisti doleo Soo moche thou hast louyd me o good IhÌ„u that y u hast not remembryd thy sorowe yet thou haddest y e remembraunce of my saluacoÌ„n whaÌ„ thou saydest I thurst after your saluacyon and sayd not I haue grete sorowe for my paynes But all otherwyse toke it the felon Iewes and therfore they dyde him suche a noye that thei most bytter eysell and galle gaaf hym to drynke ¶ The fifth defaute that was ful grete was whan euery frende fayled to his comforte soo as hymself pleyneth hym by dauyd ¶ Singulariter sum ego donec transeam I am lefte allone wythoute comforte tyll that I be passed oute of this mortall lyf Wherof he sayth by ysaye ¶ Circumspexi et non erat auxiliator I behelde all about me and there is none that of ony thynge helpeth me or wyll comforte me And syth sayth he by ysaye ¶ Torcular calcaui solus non erat de gentibus vir mecum I haue troden in the vylayn pressours all alone and of all the folkes in the worlde I haue not one man wyth me Wherof sayth ysaye ¶ Quare ergo est rubium indumentum tuum et vestimenta tua sicut calcancium in torculari ¶ But fayre lorde god wherfore was thenne thy vestyment soo rede as they that haue pressed wyne at the pressour Ye for trouth the vestyment that he was clothyd in was his clene skyn that was alle redde of his blessed blode as he had pressid redde wyne all alone with out comforte and wythout helpe ¶ But fayr frende ye wolde saye perauenture that allone wythoute comforte was he not For he had his dere moder
And sorowed for the swerde of the passion of our lorde Ihesu cryst perced thorugh theyr soules This swerde perced theym bothe full cruelly and whoo moost feruently louyd moost cruelly was tormeÌ„ted This was the moder that felte the sorowes that her sone suffred The swerde of sorow was the woundes of Ihesu cryst whyche were paynful tormentes in the soule of his moder Whan Ihesu cryst had deliuerde his blessid moder in the kepyng of saynt Iohan. And he saew that tender maydeÌ„ soo pyteously wepe· snobbe and sighe that noo thynge in all this worlde myghte comfort hyr thenne had he soo grete sorow that by compassion therof the anguysshe of the harde deth seased hym by the herte And cryed wyth merueyllous voys and sorowfull and yelded vp his spyryte ¶ Now maye ye see well how he had fawte of euery maner of comforte and how his blessid moder dide him thenne more of sorow than of comforte ¶ Now haue ye herde how harde dethe and shamefull the swete Ihesu hath suffryd for the loue of his loue our soules ¶ Yf she wolde yet in ony maner gyue hym hyr loue And haue compascyon of hym and all his payneful deth wherof be many thinges that may encrease our loue and our compassyon ¶ The fyrst thyng is the grete sorow that was in our lorde Ihesu cryst of the whyche he sayth by Ieremy ¶ Non est dolor sicut dolor meus THere is noo sorow like vnto my sorowe and it was noo merueylle For moche more tender is a yonge clene vyrgyne InÌ„ocent wythout synÌ„e than an olde wretched synÌ„er Now was there neuer a more pure vyrgyne ne more tender nor soo clene as was the blessyd pure virgyn mary the fayre moder of our lorde Ihesu cryste of whom he tork his humanytee of the moost pure dropes of hyr vyrgynal blood wythout synÌ„e and ony substaunce of the humayne seed For whÌ„an this blessyd bodi was borne of his moder he was more tender than is the apple of y e eye And as lityll payne dyde greue in his swete body as it shold do in the sighte of our eye ¶ For his blessyd moder was neuer blamyd of synne wherof he was soo tender that there was neuer man nor none other creature that in this worlde dyde suffre soo grete sorowes and so hideous tormentes as dyde our lorde Ihesu cryst in his tender body two thirty yere duryng alwaye greuous more greuous And he receyued theym full hardely and wysely for the loue of his loue as he saith by Ysaye ¶ Ideo posui faciem meam vt petram durissimam et subditur qui est aduersarius meus accedat ad me Therfore I haue put my face as a right harde stone who sayth who is myne aduersaryes come to me to do me asmoche harme as thei wylle And I shall receyue theym for the loue of my loue ¶ The seconde is the Right grete loue and that appered betwene Ihesu cryst and his moder For by the grete loue that his moder had towarde hym the swerde of harde marterdom passed thorugh her sowle as Symeon promysed hyr whan she offryd Ihesus in the temple ¶ Et tuam ipsius animam pertraÌ„sibit gladius The swerde shall passe thorugh your sowle ¶ Also dauyd playneth hym gretely for his sone Absolon in the boke of kyngis ¶ Quis dabit michi vt ego moriar pro te Alas mi fayr sone absolon what shall I do sith ye be dede wherfore maye I not deye for you Thus semeth it that the deth of his sone was more greuous vnto hym than sholde haue be his owne propre dethe· In like wyse our blesyd lady had by many folde more sorow of the deth of her swete sone than she sholde haue of hyr owne ¶ And accordyngly chyldern haue grete loue vnto ther moder and nature meueth theym to be in full grete fere and sorow whan they see theyr moder beten or wounded ¶ But what chylde saw euer his moder thus martred and soo beten and wounded of mortall sorowe as Ihesu cryst sawe his moder Not oonly in body ne in her tender hert but in hyr holy soule that was specyally crucyfied wyth hym And who louid euer moder so tenderly as dide the swete Ihesu cryst Wherof sayth saynt Ancelme ¶ Alloquens filius cum benedicta mater sic dixtt vestro continuo a more langueat cor meum liquefiet anima mea deficiat caro mea vtinam sic viscera anime mee dulci feruore dileccionis vestre ex arescereÌ„t ne viscera carnis mee ex arescant HOw swetely the Sone of god Ihesus spake to his blessyd moder aynt Maryes that sayd Fayr moder of your contynuell loue that ye haue to me my herte languysshyth my sowle maye wexe softe my flesshe may faylle I desire that the entraylles of my soule myghte drye for fauour of your loue as y e entraylles of my flesshe ben dryed for langour of aÌ„guisshe and of greuaunce· ¶ Alas how grete pyte is it whaÌ„ soo good frendes shal depart wyth soo grete sorowe THe thyrde reason is wherfore men ought to haue compassion of his grete Innocency For gretter sorowe is it to see a man suffre grete harme with oute deserte as saynt peter sayth ¶ IpÌ„e enim peccata non fecit nec inuentus est dolor in ore eius· He neuer dyde synne nor noo treyson wherfore we oughte to haue the gretter sorow that he suffred so moche torment for vs as Ysaye sayth ¶ Ipse enim vulnâ—ratus est propter iniquitates nostras at tritus est propter scelera nostra Truly he was mortally wounded for our Inyquyte and all defoylled for our felonyes A man that hathe a noble hert wylle haue ful grete compaâ—â—oÌ„n whan a nother shal suffre payne for his deserte For he hiÌ„self thinketh he felith the pain in hymself wherof it is wreten in the boke of kynges That whan Dauyd by pryde had nombred his people wherâ—ore our lorde sent â—n aungell to slee his peple for the displeysure that he took of the same pryde ¶ And whan dauyd sawe the angel slee his folke he sayd to our lorde full peâ—eously ¶ Ego sum qui peccaui ego inique egi isti â—ui oues sunt quid fecerunt vertatur obsecro ira tua contra me O fayre lorde sayd he I haue synned and I am he that hathe done euyll thyse folkes that ben innocentes what haue they done wherefor they ben slayne I beseche the lorde that thou retorne thy wrath towarde me and take vengaunce on me for I am worthy and they not Thus maye we saye· a lorde god mercy we ben they that haue ynned we ought by reason to suffre passion dethe ¶ A good Ihesus ye synned neuer wherfore sholde ye bere the vengaunce of our trespaces euyll dedes ¶ The fourth thyng is his noblenes for gretter pite is it of a noble man whan he is vile entreated thaÌ„ of a vyle persone And there was neuer none fouÌ„de soo
And yet was she not dede but liuyng as a dedely creature the sorowes tourmented hyr soule so cruelly that she desired moche more to deye than lyue For after the deth of hir swete chylde full painfully dedely lyued she though she were not vtterly dede· that daye was she therin full merueyllous sorow awaytimg whan the blessid body of our lorde Ihesu cryste sholde be taken downe of the crosse She wept in sayeng sayd in wepyng Alas alas who shall yelde to me your sorowfull moder the dede bodi of hyr dere loue and chylde O ye cruell Iewes ye haue acomplished now your desire Wherfore I require you take down this holy bodi of the crosse and yelde him to his wofull moder She beyng nere to the crosse beholdyng full pyteously hir swete sone IhÌ„u there hÌ„aÌ„gyng theÌ„ne roos she vp on hyr fete wyth full grete payne dressyd hyr to the crosse where she myghte best enbrace the blessyd body of Ihesu cryste to whom she had somtyme gyuen sowke wyth hyr owne swete brestes but she myghte not areche him And thenne enforced she hir with all hyr power to stretche hyr as hye as she myghte areche to towche some parte of hym wherwyth she oueâ—â—hrewe to the erthe and lay there a grete while in merueyllous sorowes But yet agayne the grete feruentnesse of loue made hyr to aryse coueytyng hyr dere sone And enforced hyr wyth alle hyr power to draw hym to hir But she was soo fulfyllid wyth sorow soo wey kid and weried wythinward marterdom that she cowde not susteyne hyr but ouerthrewe ayen to therth ¶ O graue martirium O frequens suspirium O languens pectus virgineum liquefacta est aiÌ„a mea facies pallet rosea Sêª precioso filii rubet cruore respersa cadentis fluctus sanguinis ore sacro tangebat terram deoâ—culans quaÌ„ cruoris vnda rigabat O How greuous marterdome O how depe often sighes O how this virgynal herte was paynfully tormented And this holy soule that was all dyssoluyd in sorowe And this colour that before was freshe as the rose was become soo pyteously pale And she all bespren clid wyth the precyous blood of hir swete sone wherof grete plente fylle vpon the erthe whyche she wyth hyr holy mouth kyssed soo entrerly that she brake the wawes and clotyrs of that precyous blood towchyng y e erthe soo wonderfully was she tormented wyth full grete sorowes ¶ O was not this more lyke a sorowfull deyeng than a lyf And whyle she was in thyse tormentes came a noble man that was namid Ioseph whiche was truly in his herte a discyple to IhÌ„us And he wente all hardely to pylate and axyd the body of Ihesu cryst whiche was graunted to hym Thenne took he a nother man wyth hym that was callyd Nychodemus soo came they to golgatha where oure lorde was crucyfyed And broughte wyth theym theyr Instrumentes to take oute the nayles of his hondes fete and to take him doune of the crosse And whan that blessyd vyrgyne saw that they wolde take hym downe she roos vp as well as she myghte for all hyr sorowe to helpe theym to hyr power ¶ That one took oute the nayles and that other susteyned his body that it sholde not falle to the erthe And his blessid moder took hym by the arme And as soone as he was taken downe his swete moder took hym in his armes full sorowfully kyssyng and clyppynge hym soo pyteously wepyng that she all to wette his blessyd vysage wyth hyr sorowfull teres And tourmeÌ„ted hyrselfe wyth many and often sighes and snobbynges ful lamentably complaynynge wryngyng hyr hondes· and sayd O my swete sone why suffryd ye thise felon Iewes to crucifye you O what sorow now I your wretchyd moder holdeth you dede in my lappe A what shall I sorowfull doo now Alas fayre sone alas where is becom that grete Ioy that I had in your natiuyte alas now is my Ioye chaunged and torned in to grete sorowe my fayre dere chylde And euyr amonge she kyssyd full swetely his blessid vysage wyth soo grete plente of sorowful teres as all hyr flesshe had be molten in teres And thenne sayd she full piteously to the body of hyr sone Saye me my right swete sone Saye me myne oonly sone the lyfe of my soule My synguler conforte myne oonly Ioye Wherfore suffre ye me thus sorowfully to abyde after you Saye me my swete lorde god wherfore be ye soo ferre from me A god mercy comforte my soule Beholde me haue mercy on me Now speke who speke wyll how grete was y e sorow that thenne had the blessyd moder of Ihesu cryst Trewly there may no creature saye nor thynke perfyghtly the gretnes of the sorowe that this pyteuous blessid virgyne felt ¶ For how be it that she knewe well that he was very god man and that he sholde aryse ayen fro dethe to lyfe the thyrde daye thus as he sayd hymself Yet was hyr loue soo feruent vnto hym that made hyr sorowe to passe and excede all other sorowes that euer were ANd thenÌ„e after she had loÌ„g contynued in this traueylle and tourment wyth sorowfull sighes and wepynge thenne came Ioseph and Nychodemus to wrappe vp his blessyd body in a clene cloth of sendall and to lay it in a fayr newe sepulcre of stone ¶ Thyder came thousande thousandes of angelles to the beryenge of theyr lorde whiche songen pray singes to almighty god But marye his blessyd moder gaf hertly sighes snobbynges and sorowfully wepte by the sepulcre This sorowfull moder wold haue be beryed bi hyr sone And full often tymes by constraynt of loue eÌ„braced him and sayd full pyteously ¶ Miseremini mei miseremini me saltem vos amici mei illuÌ„ adhuc paululuÌ„ relinquite michi She sayd to ioseph nychodeme haue mercy on me haue mercy on me my freÌ„des my frendes lete me alityll beholde his visage sith it is ouercouerd so soo that I maye haue some comforte and put him not thus soone in the sepulcre But yf ye wylle nedes burye hym burye me with him For a sorowfull lyf shall I haue after hym Thenne by the moost reuerend and humble wayes they cowde they dide their deuour to peasifye hyr and layed his blessyd body in the sepulcre full bytterly wepynge all in suche wyse that vnethis ony of theym myghte sowne a right worde And what merueyle was it They sawe his pyteous moder dyspourueyed of all maner of comforte whyche was a greate encreasing of theyr sorowe And thus the lorde of this lyf was gyuen to the sepulcre of dethe And whan he was buryed his blessyd moder drewe towarde hym enbrasyng the sepulture wyth al hyr herte soo as she myghte and callid on Ihesu cryst and sayd Fayre sone what shal I do that am your wretchyd moder Now myghte ye say thenne fayr vyrgyne ¶ Anima me liquefacta est vt dilectus locutus est quesiui eum non inueni illum vocaui
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
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