ryght wysnes to shyne vpon euery person good yll The grace of cryste his doctryne is the lyght kepe the glasse towardes the lyght torne it not a waye towardes darkenes and this ymage shall euer contynewe in the glasse Saynt Iohan sayth IohÌ„ ij he that loueth his neyghboure he dwelleth in lyght and in hym is no sklaunder ne occasyon of yll he that hateth his neyghboure is in derkenes and torneth his glasse frome the lyght walkyng he wote not where somtyme in the myre of other mens synnes by suspectynge Iudgynge or talkynge of theyr defautes somtime amonges the serpentes of sclaunder detraccyon and enuy somtyme amonges the thornes breres and wylde beestes of couetous malyce Ire somtyme stummelynge amonges swyne in the foule sleweth and stynkyng gore of gloteny and beestly lustes of the body with many other parillous wayes wanderynge with grete Ieoperdy into deth of the soule for lacke of lyght whiche is not in defaute of the lyght of grace ne for the charyte of god is not present bycause the glasse is turned fro the lyght and thaÌ„ it is so infecte and defyled in derkenes that it is vnapte to receyue the lyght of grace the ymage of charite agayn as I sayd before for it is harde to remoue the foule deedly ymage of sinne and onely possyble vnto hym that is auctour of lyfe maker of this glasse Yf we wyll turne it agayne redressynge our loue towardes hym towardes our neyghboures thaÌ„ shal we receyue this ymage of lyfe agayne And saye with saynt Iohan. Nos scunê° qmÌ„ translati sumus de morte ad vitaÌ„ j. IohÌ„ iij. qm diligunê° irÌ„es We knowe that we be translated from deth to lyfe yf we loue euery persone as our selfe for yf we can not loue them that we se euery daye with our bodely eye how shall we loue god that we can not se. j. IohÌ„ iiij Therfore I may saye the charite is a lyuynge ymage and the spyryte of lyfe that gyueth onely lyfe vnto the body and as the body hath .v. wyttes worketh all his workes by them so the soule hath .v. ghostly wyttes wherby it worketh all thynge that is merytoryous pleasynge vnto god ¶ This lyuynge ymage hath .v. wyttes and the operacyons of them capi viij OF these .v. wyttes saynt Barnarde speketh in a sarmon shewynge that there is .v. maner of loues The fyrst is a reuerent and a kyndly loue of parentes and kynsfolkes The seconde is the Iocounde and pleasaunt loue of our neyghboures and they that dwell together The thyrde is ryghtwyse loue that we ought to haue vnto euery reasonable person The fourthe is vyolent loue of our enymyes The .v. is holy and deuoute loue of god aboue all These .v. loues may well be compared vnto .v. bodely wyttes The loue of kynred accordeth well vnto the sens of touchyng for this sens perteyneth moost and onely vnto the flesshe and so that loue is shewed to none but that be nere togyther touchynge carnall consanguynyte And as the sens of touchinge is in the flesshe and in euery parte of the body so this loue is in euery thynge that hath lyfe as well the Iewes and pagans loue theyr kynne as crysten men beestes also erpeÌ„tes loue theyr kynne and ofsprynge The seconde loue of neyghboures agreeth properly vnto the sens of tastynge bycause of the grete swetnes and pleasure that is therin bycause it is moost nedefull vnto mannes lyfe for I can not se by reason how a man shold lyue wel other bodely or ghostly iÌ„ this world but yf he loue those persones that he lyueth amonges he agayne be loued of them The generall loue wherby of ryght we muste loue euery man may be lykened vnto the smellynge in that that this sens perceyueth thynges somwhat farther of thaÌ„ doeth the sens of tastyng and it hath in it selfe not so grete pleasure and delectacyoÌ„ but yet it is very pleasauÌ„t and necessary so this loue extendeth not onely to our neyghboures but to theym that be somwhat farther of that is to aungelles and all mankynde The heerynge perceyueth thynges moche farther of than doeth the other inferyor senses so a monges men in this worlde there be none farther a sunder than he that loueth one that loueth hym not agayne but hatteh hym for in other senses there is all waye some delectacyon and some nerenes in workynge vnto the flesshe but the heeryÌ„ge in maner goeth out frome the flesshe as for hauynge ony delectacyon in the flesshe and therfore it maye well be assembled vnto the vyolent loue that is onely caused by the obedience of goddes coÌ„mauÌ„dement Luc. vj. that byd vs loue our enymyes whiche obedyence appereth euedently to pertayn vnto the sens of heeryng where the grete occasyon cause of other loues that I haue spoken of are taken of the flesshe that is of nature and kynde But the syght aboue all other chalenge to it selfe the symylytude of the deuyne and holy loue of god in that that is moost excellent of a synguler nature more clere spyrytual than all other senses discerneth thynges moost farre of and knowe the dyfferences of many thynges for though the smellynge heerynge do perceyue thynges somwhat farre of yet it is more by drawynge to of the ayer that cometh from the obiecte or thynge that smelleth or soundeth wel or yll But the syght do not so but rather it semeth to go forth procede to thynges very farre of so it is in these maner of louinge In maner we drawe to vs our neyghboures whome we loue as our lyfe hauynge profyte pleasure of theÌ„ we drawe to vs also our enymyes whome we loue for this cause that they myght be as we be that is to say our frendes But yf we loue god as it is worthy we sholde do with all our strength with all our soule mynde we go frome our selfe vnto hym we hye vs fast and moost swiftely as the eye to the moost delectable obiecte we caste all our loue vnto hym that is onspekably moost hye goodnes aboue vs and all creatures hauynge no respecte vnto our owne profyte or pleasure no more than the eye can reflecte the syght to se it selfe but to take it for the moost hye perfeccyon and pleasure onely to beholde and loue hym in whome we maye moost perfytely and pleasauÌ„tly beholde our selfe and all creatures This is perfyte ynoughe and pleasure largely suffysynge what nede we to loke for other syth there is none but this witnes cryst himselfe in the gospel of IohnÌ„ IohÌ„ xvij Hec est vita eterna vt cognoscant te solum deum c. This is the very cause and begynnynge of lyfe euerlastynge to knowe loue the very god onely and hym that thou haste sent Iesu cryst thy sone one god with the. And as by the syght is goten moost konnynge and knowlege so by this loue is goten moost perfite koÌ„nynge and sure knowlege
The ymage of Loue. ¶ Here foloweth a goostly pamphlete or mater coÌ„pendyously extract of holy scrypture and doctours of the chyrche called the ymage of Loue very necessary for all vertuous persones to loke vpon The Ymage of loue Proemium COnsyderyÌ„ge in my mynde how that dyuers persones in the begynnynge of the newe yere gyue many gyftes tokeÌ„s I wolde fayne haue coÌ„fyrmyd my selfe vnto theÌ„ yf my pouerte wold haue suffered me My wyl was good my abylyte was lytyl or nothyÌ„ge yet be cause I sawe dyuers poore folkes geue small thynges of lytyll valour receyued agayne therfore good thyÌ„ges of moche valoure I thought with the poore woman of the gospell to be stowe a myte or twayne mar xij vpon some thynge for your pleasure trustynge to be rewardyd agayne with the woman that made a lytyll lofe of a handefull of mele a lytyll quantyte of oyle and gaue it vnto the holy prophete Helyas iij. reguÌ„ xvij And this I be leue wtout doubte that he in whose name I do it fore wyl not se it loste thoughe it were but a cup of colde water And as to spirituall persones my souerayns mathÌ„ x. me thought it best to gyue some goodly pyctures ymages of our sauyour Iesu of our blyssed lady or of some other holy sayntes And as I was sekynge about for dyuers pyctures there came to my mynde for to gete an ymage of loue ¶ Of naturall loue Capitulum primum BUt by cause I wyst not well where to fynde it I wente vnto dame Nature she shewed me many goodly ymages which she sayd came from her pareÌ„tes forefaders wherfore she loued theÌ„ very moche Neuerthelesse I lyked them not bycause theyr colours faded dayly dyde dekaye They were also comyn to fooles to wyse men to crysten men to hethen men to beestes to fowles serpentes lytyll profyte come of them These ymages be often tymes payntyd vndyscretely dysceyuably doeth moche harme in the chyrche of god j. And there be many of theym One that is made amonges kynrede parentes whiche yf the holy ghost put not to his hande it is of no valoure but somtyme very noysom for it maketh men blynde peruerteth the ryght ordre of Iustyce settyth fooles before wyse men it takyth awaye ryght IugemeÌ„t contrary to saynt Paulys doctryne example for he sayde Neminem nouimus scdm carnem ij corÌ„ v. I knowe no man after kynred or carnall affeccioÌ„ j. reg ij it caused Hely to be reprouyd of god whan our lorde sayd vnto hym why hast thou made more of thy chyldren than of me wherfore as it foloweth in the byble he dyed an euyl deth his chyldren also it causeth that Iesu can not be founde example or fygure we haue in the gospel of Luke whan chryst was sought amonge his kynsfolkes Luc. ij he coude not be founde therfore sayth saynt Barnarde Lorde I can not fynde the but in the crosse ij An other ymage of naturall loue is made bytwene the soule the body Ro. viij The soule loue so the body that it bydeth woo to be departyd therfro but whan it is ordered after the holy ghost so that the soule vse the body vnder the lawe of god for to do penaunce to encrease merytys to profytte other to chose rather to want all erthely pleasure and to dye than to coÌ„mytte ony synne than is it a payÌ„ted ymage but yf we loue this lyfe for to Ioy here to dilyte in this worlde for to abyde longe in lustes pleasures for the mainteynyÌ„ge of theÌ„ care not for the displeasure of god than it is a deuylysshe ymage portrayed by the deuyll whiche is very peryllous moche myschefe come by it as it appereth in the epystell of saynt Paule vnto Thimothe as shall be rehersed after ij tiÌ„o iij. And as saynt Augustyn sayth by it is bylded the cyte of the deuyl iij. The thyrde ymage of natural loue is made by twene the fyue wyttes theyr obiectes as bytwene the syght beautefull thynges of pleasant coloures bytwene the herynge of swete voyce or sounde of hermony bytwene the tastynge sauour in delyciouse metes drynkes by twene smellynge swete odoures bytwene the felynge or touchynge all thynges that be pleasaunt to it iiij And an other ymage of naturall loue is made bytwene man his wyfe v. The fyfth bytwene contrary men vj. The syxte bytwene frendes them that be brought vp togyder frome theyr youth all these but yf the holy ghost worke in them it is easy to consyder what yll come of theÌ„ The Romayns in olde tyme praised moche an ymage that they had which as I rede was portrayed lyke a yonge man standyng bareheed in his foreheed was wryten Estas et Hyems That is wynter somer he had on a shorte thynne cote in whose hemme they wrote Mors et Uita Deth lyfe his syde was open that his herte myght be seen his arme was bowed poyntynge with his fynger to his hert where was wryteÌ„ by it Longe et prope farre nere he was peynted lyke a yonge maÌ„ sygnyfyenge that true loue frendeshyppe is alway fresshe newe neuer fadynge ne faylynge he was bareheed for to shewe him selfe vnto all meÌ„ that he was not a ferde to shewe hym selfe a frende at all tymes his rude thynne vesture shewed that a very frende wyl not refuse to suffre harde thynges extreme pouerte for loue of his frende there was wryten Uita et mors for he that loueth truely loueth his frende all his lyfe vnto deth and after Estas et hyems That is true frendeshyppe endureth as wel in aduersyte as in ê“sperite his herte was open for he wolde hyde nothynge frome his louer he shewed his herte with his fynger shewynge that his dedes doeth accorde to his herte and his herte to his wordes There was wryten Longe et prope For trewe loue in no tyme can be done awaye ne mynysshed by no distance of place This semeth a good ymage and a precyous very necessary to this lyfe whom Plato Arystotle Cato many other prayse aboue all thynges that be in nature Eccli vj. And the wise man Eccliasticê° sayth there is no coÌ„parison to a faythfull freÌ„de I coude fynde no faute therin saue it loked alwaye downewarde vpon erthely thynges cruelly vpon theyr enymyes yf it had loked vpwarde hauynge respecte vnto god to heuenly thynges I had thought to haue bought it but saynt Paule for the cause dispysed it sayenge to theym that paynted this ymage though they knewe god they dyd not honour hyÌ„ Ro. j. loue hym ne thaÌ„ke hym as they ought for to haue do but gaue them selfe to vanytees and soo fell to blyndenes of mynde thynkynge them selfe wyse and were but fooles fell to Idolatrye to many grete inconuenyences
tymes A certayne wyse man gaue me good counsell and bade me in no wyse I sholde beholde it lest I sholde perysshe and be lost by the false workynge of it Eccli xix Dropter spem mulieris multi perierunt Through the beaute of this ymage many a thousande haue perysshed and than I consydered the he sayd treuth in all degres remembrynge stroÌ„ge Sampson holy Dauyd wise Salomon many other how they were disceyued pÌ„ c. xviij Therfore Dauyd axed helpe of our lorde to torne awaye his eyes froÌ„ the vanytees of this ymage for they were so allectyfe and pleasaunt to the outwarde syght that he coude not refrayne hym selfe therfro Than Salomon coude saye that outwarde beaute was a vayne and a dysceyuable grace Therfore sayth he in his prouerbes beholde not this disceyuable ymage for perauenture thou lokest not well aboute ê“u xxxj yf thou beholdest onely the outwarde countenaunce thou arte dysceyued Eauê° emÌ„ distilans labia meritricis ê“uer v. c. For this harlottes lyppes be as swete as a hony combe and the throte of her shyninge more clerer than oyle but the last ende of it is very bytter and styngeth more venymously than the tayle of a serpente he shewed me also that I perceyued not I was so blyndyd with lokynge vpon the ymage onely and a lytell frome her was there deth hell mouth gapynge to receyue her and all that were with her ê“uer v. Pedes eiusdescenduÌ„t in mortem et ad inferos gressus eius penetrant Therfore he bad me flee farre of and come not nere the gates of that house where this ymage is for though it be offered frely yet at the last it put bothe soule fame and goodes in grete Ieoperdy Ro. viij And saint Paule sayth yf ye lyue after flesshly pleasure delytynge in this ymage ye shal dye ghostly a very yll deth therfore sayth he it is not onely good not for to touch it but it is necessary to fle farre from it and from all that longeth therto it hathe a foule sanoure to them the hath good tastynge it gendereth pockes leprousy bothe in body and soule and is so infectyfe that many be dayly in grete Ieoperdy to perisshe therby yf they haue no helpe and socoure onely of god The ymage of artyfycers be not the very ymages of loue nor but lytyl conducynge to pyete and charyte Capi. iiij THan leauynge these peryllous ymages I weÌ„te to the artyfycers that make meruaylous goodly ymages in diuers maters as iÌ„ metall stone tymbre and cloth dyuers wayes but the very ymage of loue was not there Neuertheles there was many goodly ymages whiche I though sholde stere a man to deuocyon and to the loue of god And bycause it was harde to fynde the very treu ymage I set my myÌ„de to by one of these and as I was chosynge out of the goodlyest there came to me a holy deuoute doctour rebukynge me gretely Iero. de fetÌ„ sayd why doest thou cast away thy monye vpon these corruptyble and vayne thynges thy goodes were not gyuen to the for that entente thou arte moche to blame seyst not thou the goodly lyuynge ymage of god moost pyetefull fade decaye euery daye in grete multytude yet that wylte bestowe thy mony vpon these yf thou hauynge worldly substaunce seyste thy broder haue nede j. IohÌ„ iij thou sparest frome hym the treasure of mercy and pyete in thy herte how is the charite of god in the why syr sayd I may not I speÌ„de myn owne good as I wyl so that I spende it not in synne poore people were in extreme necessyte I sholde synne deedly yf I sholde se them be loste hauynge more than is necessary for me but I knowe none suche and there be many that wyll be more able than I to helpe theÌ„ nor I am not bounden to seke where suche be that be in extreme necessyte nota bnÌ„ Thus we fel in to a longe dysputacioÌ„ at the last he concluded thus that not onely extreme necessyte doeth bynde vs to gyue almes but also whan we haue more superfluê° that is whan we haue more than is necessary to our state and he ledged for hym the gospel of cryst Luc. xj UeruÌ„tamen quod superest date elemosinaÌ„ Gyue almes of that that is superfluê° it is to be thought that there shall be no lytyll company of the lyfte hande of cryst where he shal gyue sentence of dampnacyon vpon them rehersynge the lacke of almes doynge as pryncypall cause in maner where the sentence is gyuen he brought in saynt Ierom in the decrees saynt Augustyn vpon the psalme distiÌ„ xlij Lauda Ierusalem dnÌ„m Saynt Thomas scda scde and saynt Ambrose dysputynge ayenst suche persones that sayth thus I breke not ne take awaye none other mens goodes but kepe that is myn owne ayenst whome sayth saynt Ambrose O folysshe man what is thyne distiÌ„ xlvij what broughtest thou in to this worlde is god vniuste for that he wyl gyue more to one than to another or is he vnryghtwyse for bycause thou doest habounde and an other man do lacke it is rather for to shewe the experience of his gentylnes that thou sholdest haue the greter meryte for the well bestowynge of thy goodes vnto the poore And for that the poore myght be as well rewarded for his pacience and thus he dyde conclude It is the brede and sustenaunce for the hungry that thou reteynest with the it is the clothynge of naked men u thou sparrest vp in thy presses it is the redempcyon and relyfe of them that be in thraldom and pryson the mony that thou hydest in the grounde as wel it is synne not to gyue vnto the nedy whan thou hast superfluê° hec aÌ„bro distiÌ„ xlvij as it is to take awaye wrongfully frome them that haue ony thynge therfore be ware how thou spendest thy goodes why syr sayd I maye not I spende my goodes none other wayes but in almes Ryches saythe he is not to be loued for it selfe but for an other thynge that is for the necessyte of this present lyfe That that is not necessary nother to the necessary sustenaunce of the body nor to the honeste and reasonable mayntaynynge of the degree and state of a persone can not well be ordred but to an yll ende excepte it be bestowed vpon poore people or to the necessytees of crystes chyrche as to the maynteynynge and defendynge of the fayth to the magnyfyenge of godes honour and to thencreace of vertue good lyfe this thou thynkest doth make thy purpose but yet it is not so for as it is sayd in the lawe these ymages be the bokes of lay people symple and vnlerned that be vnperfyte in ghostly lyfe yf they excyte peoples myndes to deuocyon as well that maye be by suche as be of lytyll pryce as by theÌ„ as be of grete pryce curiously wrought whiche me thynketh brynge
but onely to ê“fyte other it hath none angry countenaunce so that ye shall thynke it can ymagen none yll it bereth an heuy chere vnto all that is yll false and a Ioyouse vnto treuth and goodnes it is very stronge for it may bere all trobles aduersyte it beleueth all treuth though it be a boue reason it hath good hope in all thing that god promiseth it is stedfast perceuerant beryÌ„ge pacyently all maner of displeasures without grudgynge tyll better maye be it neuer fayleth ne fade but the more longer that it endureth the more oryent goodly is the colours and the more strength and vertue it is of and the more pleasaunt it is to beholde it is so goodly that no creature can praise it at the full nor haue the ful knowlege of it in this lyfe to dyscryue it as it is Grego it worketh maruelous thynges and grete wyghty and substancyall in effecte yf it be the very ymage yf it be not the treu ymage it hathe but small effecte or none it hathe this maruelous effecte that what so euer is wrought or done where that is present it is suffycyent and good thoughe some tyme it appereth yll to some persons j. corÌ„ xiij contrary wyse all thynge that is done where that is not present thoughe it semeth neuer so good yet it is but of lytyll valour or nought it vneth make many men all one and coÌ„feder them so fast togyder that nothynge can sundre them Colo. iij. it couereth the synÌ„e of penytentes redemeth theyr forfertes transgressyons j. pet iiij who so euer haue this ymage vpon hym shall not nede to fere ony parell nor no Iugement may go agaynst hyÌ„ ne nothyng can hurte him j. IohÌ„ iiij it gyueth lyght in darkenes it causeth Ioy in heuynes myrth in sadnes in payne it maketh gladde pacyence there can no wronge be done where it is it maketh peace and concorde it setteth all thynge in ordre it swageth hungre and thurst it maketh bonde men free poore men ryche seke meÌ„ hole ye and some tymes it reseth the ded to lyfe Osee. xj it is so attractyfe that it draweth all good thynges to it selfe than maketh all comyn some tyme it hath a sharpe a rygorous countenaunce vpon synners but neuer malycyous nor enuyous countenance it morneth with morners it Ioyeth with them that be gladde it wepeth with wepers it taketh awaye all suspycyous and mysiugynge from the herte of man it abhorreth all stryfe enuy murmure and contencyon it hateth all yll and loueth all that is good there is nothynge that pleaseth god more than this ymage without it nothynge can please hym there is nothynge more desyrous to the deuyll than the dystruccyon of it and to that entent he applyeth all his laboure all his caste with moost extreme malyce in forsynge both nyght and daye full besely to dystroye this ymage of loue that is none other but charyte But nowe lokynge in the glasse of holy scrpture for this blyssed ymage and perceyuynge my blyndenes my ygnoraunce my vnkyndenes my vnworthynes wretchednes presumpcyon I fere me rather to gete shame reprefe than thankes for myne enterpryce seynge this ymage so excellent so beautefull so full of vertue and grace so farre excedynge the praysynges and commendacyon of all men And yet I wretch moost symple without lernynge presume to shewe in ony maner thy heuenly ymage that am moost vnkonnynge to gyue the leest prayse vnto it that can be Neuertheles as I sayd before a blynde man hold the ymage D.j. forthe a picture for other to beholde yf it be put in to his hande thoughe he handle it grosly shewe it forth rudely so it is and yet me thynke I presume blynde and ygnoraunt I take of other holy doctoures this ymage to shewe vnto you whiche I thynke verely ye can shewe more hansomly vnto me and better dyscerne it than I yet though I can shewe no pleasure by reason of myn vnkoÌ„nynge and rude handlynge of this ymage I trust at the leest ye shal be content for to se the symple ymage of myn owne loue towardes you And thoughe it be rude of lytyl valoure to consyder my spyrytual entent good wyll the wolde better yf it coude ¶ That this ymage is a lyuyng thyÌ„ge takyng a patrone of the inuysyble ymage of god ca. vij I sayd be fore that this ymage is a liuynge thynge and can not be founde amonge these deed ymages there is one that saynt Paule speketh of Colo. iij. Qui est imago dei inuisibilis An ymage of god Inuisible incomprehensible the sone of god by whome he hath made all creatures and man moost syngularly vnto his ymage and symylytude bycause he was inuysyble and incomprehensyble he toke a glasse that is our nature whiche well may be compared to a brytyl glasse wherin he shewed vs this ymage of loue that is hymselfe in whome though there appered infynyte power and wysdome yet charyte passed all as vnto our behofe for that put awaye the olde ymage of deth in our soule and reneweth his ymage agayn in vs made it quycke thrugh his ymage of loue Colo. iij. without the whiche we are but deed as saynt IohnÌ„ sayth j. IohÌ„ iij. Qui noÌ„ diligit manet in morte He that is not in charyte is deed in his soule thus ye may se in parte an ymage of loue that is charite which is god hyÌ„selfe life of our soules whom we can not wel se but by the glasse of his humanite A glasse shewe not the ymage so moche as it is no more we can consyder his loue so moche as it is a glasse can represent nothynge but yf somwhat be present vnto it So in man can be no charyte but yf god be present vnto his soule for Deê° charitas est et q â— manet iÌ„ charitate iÌ„ deo manet j. IohÌ„ iiij c. God is charite sayth saynt Iohan he that is in charite is in god god is in hym In whome soeuer god is he doeth no synÌ„e yf he do synÌ„e god is gone frome hym yf god be gone this ymage is loste gone frome hym as in the materiall glasse the persone that was preseÌ„t to it goynge awaye the ymage in the glasse seaseth and hath no beynge And forthwith the deuyll is redy to present hymselfe to the glasse causynge his contageouse ymage therin whiche infecteth so the glasse that it is harde to purge it to polisshe it clere to make it apte able to receyue againe the ymage of god but yf it be done be tymes and many tymes it is brokeÌ„ or it can be made clene hebre iiij RemeÌ„bre therfore that god is alwaye present in euery place and neuer withdrawe his loue frome man but many wayes prouoke them ye his enymyes vnto loue mathÌ„ v. and maketh his sone of grace
fote as we se the pyctures of the deuyll and of tyrauntes vnder the fete of sayntes to theyr vtter confucyon rebuke and dampnacyon If I sholde portraye it lyke the deuyll it is worse than he for by it the deuyll fel frome heuen horrybly dyfformed and dayly his malyce doeth encrease thrughe the same If I sholde make it lyke Nero yet is enuy moche worse for Nero brent but a parte of Rome but this enuy hath set all the worlde vpon a fyre that can not well be quenched Compare it vnto deth and it is moche worse for it brought deth in to the worlde banysshed maÌ„ frome paradyse It slewe abell and hath wrought moche of all the myschefe seth the begynnynge of the worlde it was the worker of crystes deth yet it contyneweth dayly in myschefe more more It is the cruell beest that was supposed to haue deuoured Ioseph Ouyde discryued it lyke to an olde trotte with a lene face pale wan the teth blacke a fyry tonge the mouth full of venyme the eyes holowe neuer lokynge ryght forth grymme cruell of countenaunce the brest swollen full of poyson cruell nayles with blody haÌ„des many other yll fetures but yet he cowde not dyscryue it so yll as it is in dede And bycause to haue it in dyspyte I wyll cast it vnder the fete of myne ymage as a monstre made of all yll The tayle of the serpente Detraccyon backebytynge of sclaunder whiche is a tayle of the serpent that the wyse man speketh of Eccli x. Qui mordet in silencio That styngeth preuely with the prickes of detraccyon sclaunder and backebytynge It hath the feete and subtelnes of a fox thrughe Ipocrysy A fox in the wodde goeth neuer ryght forth but somtyme of the one hand somtyme of the other he wyll feyne hyÌ„selfe deed for to dysceyue byrdes ezech xiij Quasi the ymage Uulpes in desertis prophete tui These enuyouse Ipocrytes be as foxes in wyldernes they walke by subtel wayes that they sholde not be espyed feyne them selfe holy religyous to disceyue them that be good it hath the bely of a dragon whiche is Idelnes full of stynkynge thoughtes and false ImagynacioÌ„s the breste of alyon proude disdaynous the heed partly lyke deth partly like the deuyl it hathe holes in stede of the eyes lyke vnto deth for it hath nother loue nother fere of god it hath the lyfte eere like Nero redy to heere all yll the ryght eere chopped awaye lyke malcus stopped that it can heere nothynge good the mouth wyde open lyke a graue open full of karyn pÌ„s v. the tongue sharpe as a swerde and all fyry wherof the leest sparke is able to set a hole cyte a fyre Iaco. iij. and all is venyme as a cokatryce But the prophete wyll that myne ymage shall trede vpoÌ„ this vggely moÌ„ster sayeÌ„ge Suê‘ aspideÌ„ basiliscuÌ„ ambulabis coÌ„culcabis leonem draconem pÌ„ lxxxx Thou shalt go vpon this serpent and cokatryce and trede downe the dragon the lyon We rede that moyses Uerbis suis moÌ„stra placauit eccl xlv With his good wordes pacefyed the monsters of egypte But this monster coude neuer be pacyfyed nor contente exod vij Example of pharo after he was infecte with this monster no maner of thyng nother of loue nor of feere coude pacefy his mynde for to be content with the chyldren of Israell Be ware of this false monster and for this intente I haue thus drawen hym that euery man sholde be ware of hym vtterly dyspyse hym j. corÌ„ xl Notwithstandynge many tymes he wyll trauÌ„sforme hymselfe in to an aungel of lyght by flaterynge dissymulacyon and therof specyally be ware But yet he maye be easyly knowen yf we wyll not hastly gyue credence vnto hym Thus I haue paynted this vggely pycture for to set out myne ymage the more goodly Therfore I praye you accepte this ymage of loue that I vnworthy haue drawen to you vnkonnyngely The coÌ„mendacyon of this ymage after Hugo de sancto Uyctore Capi. xiij NOtwithstandynge I shall shewe you somwhat of the pryce that the holy man Hugo de sancto Uyctore saythe of it nota bnÌ„ O charitas qid dicam de te quoÌ„ laudabote si sapereÌ„ appreciarer te c O charyte what shall I saye of the how shall I prayse the yf I felte the or perceyued the I sholde caste in my mynde somwhat what thou arte worth yf I knewe thy valour I coulde esteme som pryce for the. But perchaunce thou excedest my poore scarsnes thy price can not be founde with me it passeth my lytyll power and yet wyll I gyue all that I haue and all that I can gete for the all the substaunce of my house I wyll permute for the all that is in the poore loggynge of my body I wyll gyue for the all that is in the habytacle of my soule I wyll bestowe for the and yet whan I shall gyue all I may repute it as nothynge All the delectacyous of my flesshe all the Iocundytes Ioye and pleasure of my herte I wyll gladly bestowe that I myght haue the onely in possessyon Thou onely arte to me more dere thou arte onely to me more profytable thou arte only to me more swete more Ioconde more delectable than ony creature Satysfyenge me more plenteously sauynge me more surely conseruynge me more prosperously I wyll shewe to all other men of the. Saye to me O thou herte of man whiche wylte thou chose to Ioye alwaye with this worlde or to be alwaye with god That thyng that thou louest moost that thinge doest thou rather chose Take hede therfore thou fayÌ„t herte that other thou redressest thy loue or els delay not the better eleccion what maner of goodlynes is there where the maker of the worlde is Loue therfore that better that thou mayst chose the better Chose than charyte for who so hath charyte hath god he that hath charite whan he goeth whan he resteth what so euer he doeth his herte goeth not from god They that haue charyte in exortynge of other to charyte they inflame themselfe with loue they shewe not onely inwarde but also in dede to euery man how swete the loue of god is And how sower and bytter is the vnpure and dysceyuable loue of the worlde Charyte scorneth the glory of this worlde it dysdayne and reproue the toylynge and besynes therof And sheweth what folisshnes it is to haue confidence and trust in these thynges that passen awaye so lyghtly it merueyleth at the blyndenes of men that louen so this erthely thinges it wondereth why they do not vtterly contempne them Charyte thynketh that thynge to be swete vnto all men that sauoureth well vnto her selfe that thynge to please them that she loueth it thynketh that thyng that she knoweth to be manyfest vnto all And thus it discouereth it selfe where it is for it