vnryghtfull ¶ Beware of ydelnes the whiche is moder of all synne vnclennesse so that by your offyce that ye be called to or by prayer redynge wrytynge lewynge or other handewerkes doynge ye may make your bodyes dayly wery crucyfyed And therby make your spyrytes the more quycke and apte to the seruyce of our lorde in confusyon of your enemye and encreace of glorye ¶ Beware to be Inquysytyf or to muse on hyghe maters and subtyll And leue them to worldely peopleâ— and to clerkes for otymesthe letter may hurte you Thynke euer that ye had leuer dye than ones to passe the clausures or bouÌ„des of your monasterye Yf ye haue a faythfull a Iuste frende to whom ye may open the secretes of your herte than ye haue a grete tresour for oftymes one shall be deceyued seldome can iuge the trouth in his owne maters so well as other Knowe your owne synnes wayle them medle with none other Beware euer of detraccion flee it as it were a venemous serpent that the speker therof be your contenauÌ„ce departynge from them may be ashamed therwith lothe for euer so to speke or do Moreouer yf ye wyll see your spouse Ihesu cryst in your mynde by contemplacoÌ„n euer kepe your sylence For saynt Ierom sawe many in Egypt amonge holy faders that .vij. yerâ—â— togyder spake not owne worde but only to god to his saynt Yf the caas be so that ye must speke lete it be in all peas charyte with fewe wordes Remembrynge that your spouse loueth no voyde â—latâ—â—ynge but wolde be with you alone in all quyetnesse in your soules Wherfore be ye aferde to dysplease hym or to dryue hym out from you with stryues or debate sclaundres othes and suche other ¶ Saynt Iames couÌ„selleth eche man to refrayne his tonge sayenge that lyf deth ben in the power of the same tonge wrytynge thus Who that refrayneth his tonge he shal be blessyd in all his dedes c. Knowleche your self at all tymes carayne and erthe the glory therof is as a floure in the medowe Absteyne you as pylgryms from all desyres of the flesshe the whiche dayly bataylleth ayenst the soule Absteyne also from lyes at all tymes as ye wolde from helle for them in no wyse loueth Ihesus your spouse And also beware to mayntene or botrace suche lyes whiche is abhomynable in the syght of god Yf there come ony strauÌ„ger vnto you lete hym knowe by your heuenly talkynge behauyour that ye be a well taught spouse of cryste that they may glorefye in you for you be amended by you Bere the wordes of saynt Ierom in your mynde that sayth thus Truste me verely that theris no thynge more peryllous to a man than is a woman to a woman no thynge more contagyous than is a man for eyther of them is chaff eyther is fyre And note this for a truth that preuy talkyng lacketh no suspycyon That thynge is not lefull to be seen that is not lefull to be desyred More than ony man can suppose or wryte the deuyll reioyseth whan memorye of o man is fixed had in a womaÌ„nes herte There is no venym in the worlde so noysom to woman as is affeccoÌ„n towarde man of what soeuer cause it procede or growe Ye may see that the desyre of worldly wymen is euer in vesture golde precyous stones ornament outwarde of the body therin they put theyr glorye felycyte In so moche that it suffyseth not them theyr luste gyuen by nature only but they seke occasyon craft by the sayd premysses to encreace theyr sayd luste desyres to theyr grete dampnacoÌ„n beware therfore of ony costely habyte or suche vanytees c. Certaynly sayth the sayd saynt Ierom the pryncypall desyre is of suche wymen that men sholde fest theyr eyen in the faces of them by the prouocacoÌ„n syght of theyr precyous arraye But they sholde coÌ„syder though nature hath gyuen to golde suche other a pâ—ecyosyte wherby they ben praysed what is that to the vyle carkas that it hangeth vpon the whiche is but a â—achell of dounge brought forth of vnclene seed fynally shall be wormes mete ¶ The wordes of saynt Ierom. O Thou moost vylest worse than ony beest how shamefast sholdest yâ— be in thy body yf thou woldest beholde thyself that so in thyn arraye auauÌ„cest thyself And this blessyd Ierom sayth I take them for no relygyous wymen that beâ— cladde in costlyous araye or in wanton pynched habytes but he calleth them in latyn Pessimas meretrices et storta Wherfore desyre ye to go in vyle vnshapely vesture that wanton dissolute persones may rather be prouoked to scorne laughe at you than to thynke euyl or desyre you for they say not trouthe that do ensure themself with a glorye to kepe chastyte in a costely or ony shapely vesture ye shal be called ladyes for bycause that ye shall be spoused to the kyng of all kynges Beware than take hede with all mekenesse to your dygnyte in lesse than your spouse be greued make a deuorce so departe from you Yf that ye wyst ones had tasted how swete your spouse were ye sholde haue pleasyr ynough that passeth all worldly pleasyrs This Ioye pleasyr had saynt Ierom many other both of men wymen kepe the mansyon of your spouse clene garnysshe it with floures of vertue and accompte your self moost vyle out caste of this worlde Remembre also how in your baptysme ye forsoke the worlde the enuye and all theyr pryde glory the whiche now ye shall coÌ„fer me vnder the grettest othe that may be therwith receyue our lorde god in sacrameÌ„t in this your fyrste entrynge in to religyon Beware also of vayne glory lyftynge vp your vysage voyce on hyghe as wymen done in the worlde Rebukyng other or to speke of your noble blood or kynrede for in the spousage and seruyce of god the poorest mannes doughter lyuynge shall be egall lyke to the gretest kynges doughter lyuynge in erthe Ye muste forsake all suche worldely pompe vanyte take a newe a more sure noble dignyte by your spouse Ihesu cryst that neuer shall haue ende the poorest of you bryngeth more to the monastery so that ye come with a meke herte and in wyll to forsake yf that ye hadde neuer so moche than she that bryngeth moche with a proude herte and therwith to other wolde haue it knowen Beware euer that no foule worde or stryue be amonge you that ben deed folke in this worlde But euer thynke that the trompe of the last daye of Iugement soundeth in your eeres and calleth you sayenge Ryse doughters Ryse come to your Iugement Lete euer your mynde be with your spouse and with your moder blessyd Marye the sayntes as often as ye synge or rede Remembrynge that god is there present and seeth what
gracyously profyte me And them that I am bounde to praye for or that haue nede of prayer Whether they be lyuynge or deed to thencreace of thy mercyes laude glorye worshyp of thy blessyd moder Mary all sayntes Amen ¶ Thankynges to our lord god for his dayly gyftes benefaytes is called Deo gracias ALmyghty euerlastynge lorde god Ihesu cryst I worshyp the. I gloryfye the. I thanke the now euer shall for the makynge of me to thy symylytude gyuynge to me with angelles wytte reason vnderstandynge and haste redemed me with grete paynes vnto deth shedynge thy precâ—ous blood plenteuously for me dayly defendest 〈◊〉 froÌ„ myn enemyes goostly bodely preserâ—â—â—â—e me to this tyme by thy grace both slepyng 〈◊〉 â—ynge from dyuers perylles dethys that oâ—â—â—â— hâ—th fallen in perysshed And ouer these thou 〈…〉 me with thyn holy coÌ„maundemenâ—â—◠〈◊〉 lawes of grace pyte with holy sacraâ—â—â—â—es of the chirche And moost in especyall gyâ—â—nge vs thy blessyd body blood for destruccion oâ—â—ur synnes encreace of vertue grace and synguler comforte to all that ben on lyue and deed And besydes these thou hast ordeyned angelles â—ll other thy creatures bothe of heuen erthe as sonne and mone fysshe foule beest and fruyte wâ—â—h all other Innumerable to serue me And to the entente that I sholde loue serue agayne wiâ—h all myn herte deuoutly And also hast pyteously suffâ—ed me whan I haue synned Not takynge me 〈◊〉 to thy strayte Iugement to my â—ampâ—â—â—yâ—â— pâ—rpetuell Also I loue the and thanke the in 〈◊〉 especyall for that thou hast made me heyre 〈…〉 of thy blysse in heuen perpetuelly wheâ—â— I trusâ— to see the face to face with the fader and â—he holy goost in eternall peas and glorye Amen ¶ For these blessyd Ihesu other thy benefytes gyftâ—s Infynyte I thanbe the with all my herte I desyre euer to serue the to loue the to worshyp the magnyfye the here and in the worldes duâ—ynge wiâ—houten ende Amen ¶ A prayer full profytable to them that shal saye masse here masse or to them that shall be houseled comunyed and besyde for all other that ben on lyue or deed IHesu my lorde god my loue oonly comforte the whiche as preest moost hyghe synguler bysshop offered thyself to god thy fader an hoste sacrefyce moost clene vndefouled on the crosse for our gylte redempcyon hath gyuen it vnto vs lefte it in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of thy grete charyte deth passyon and therwith hast coÌ„maunded vs to ete coÌ„mone this gloryous sacrament of thy blessyd body ymade wonderfully by the vertue of the holy goost for our dayly helth freelte transgressyon wherfore blessyd Iesu to the be laude and praysynge worlde withouten ende Amen ¶ And for as moche that by the holy ordynaunce the consecracyon therof offerynge vp to thy hyghe mageste for the quycke and deed oonly belongeth to the order of preesthode For thy good lorde of thy grete pyte grace Make thy seâ—uauÌ„t or seruauÌ„tes ¶ Here name ye whom ye wyll that shall saye masse N. and all other preestes clene in body and soule And delyuer them of all vnclene wycked vayne and noysom thoughtes and strengthe them ayenst all theyr enemyes and vs also with thy gloryous angelles and confounde all suche that pursuen them and vs and wolde make vs to perysshe fynally ¶ Ihesu kyng of virgyns louer of chastyte Remembre how frele that our substauÌ„ce nature is be mercyfull vnto them vs as fader lorde god after thy grete mercy for thy bytter passyon For to the is oonly appropered to be mercyfull without whiche no creature may be saued Beholde swete Ihesu that our wyll is to worshyp the prayse the in the best maner that we can or may and lyke as thou haste begonne with vs here so make vs to contynue in thyn laude seruyce euerlastynge And where it is so that they knowleche themself vnable to do this heuenly mystery Foâ— thy good lorde Ihesu by thy grace make them able the whiche of synners haste made full often and dayly makest holy sayntes And gyue them also thy drede clennes of herte with the ryuer of â—eeres in all spirytuell consolacyon Make them to felâ— vnderstande the swetnes of thy blessyd presence the grete attendaunce of thy holy angelles about hem at theyr celebracyons Receyue mercyfull Ihesu this hyghe holy sacryfyce to the comfort of all that ben on lyne deed wouchesauf this daye that it be to vs to all them a synguler refresshynge feest that we so releued with this brede of lyne lambe Inmaculate borne of the blessyd virgyn Mary may Ioye in thy laude glorye eternally Thou saydest by thy holy mouth The brede that I shall gyue my body it is for the lyf of the worlde Who that eteth me he shal lyue for me he abydeth in me I in hym I am the brede of lyf that came downe from heuen He that eteth of this brede shall lyue without ende Now swete brede of lyfe make both them vs fele thy swetnes loue forsakynge all vanytees Come in to our soules clense vs goostly bodely sanctefye vs Inwarde outwarde be a contynuell defence of soule body so that we may come to thy kyngdome there to be fedde of thâ—â—â—ith a meruaylous vnspekable sacyâ—teâ— Where â—fter we shall neuer haue hongre ne thurâ—t seyngâ— the than not as we now do in mysteryes of ferâ—e hoâ—e but thenne shall we see the face to face in gloryâ— with thy fader in vnyte of the holy goost by all woâ—â—des Amen ¶ Pater noster Aue maria ¶ Here foloweth a prayer to all sayntes examyned and pâ—â—â—mned ¶ Ad scaÌ„m mariaÌ„ Gaudem mtÌ„ saluatoris felix fide flos decorê Mundique solacium Nunc letare celi choris In hoc festo languoris Nostri sis remedium ¶ Ad scoÌ„s angelos Gaude michael iÌ„ hac die Gabriel raphaelque messie Angelorum ordines Vos precamur nobis pie Sitis causa melodie Supra celi cardines ¶ Ad Patriarchas et ê“phetas Gaude ventre ê¯secratê° O baptista mire natus Sacer degens seculo Patriarchis sociatus Et ê“phetis vite flatus Fac finire iubilo ¶ Ad Apostolos et euangelistas Gaude petre cuÌ„ sodali Paulo cristo speciali Lucens orbis climata Et caterna generali Vestra sita loco tali Nos cuÌ„ eis adiuna ¶ Ad martires Gaude 〈◊〉 spes aÌ„glorum Et georgi tutor horum Cum Edwardo nobili Tu laurenti rege lorum Vt tuamur poli chorum Cum fauore stephani ¶ Ad. s. confessores Gaude presul o martine Nicholae hugo line Posce nobis graciam Erkenwaldeque birine Iam cuÌ„ tuis augustine Da supremo gloriam ¶ An. s. virgines Gaude virgo katherina Margareta magdalena Cum brigitta brigida Anna.
see it be but selde haue thy comunicacion but with fewe persones shortly behaue thyself so in all thy sayenge that thou speke not rather in a doubte than men sholde take auctoryte or grouÌ„de of thy sayenge The seconde thou mayst obteyne in this wyse Gyue thyself with grete deuocyon to praye lete thyn herte agree with that thou sayest both daye nyght Remembre also dylygentely that thou ymagyne the state of them in whose remembrauÌ„ce thou makest thy prayer These thre haue alwaye in thy mynde what thou were what thou art what thou shalt be By reason of thy body thou were foule slyme of the erthe now thy body is the hous of fylte derte herafter it shall be wormes mete Also ymagyne the paynes of them that ben in helle how that payne shall neuer haue ende how they suffre all these paynes for a lytell delectacoÌ„n pleasyr in synne Also ymagyne the Ioye of paradyse how that shal neuer be fynysshed how shortly and soone it may be goten Than thynke what sorowe waylynge may be to them that for so lytell a thynge here haue lost so grete Ioye contynuell And whan thou hast ony thynge that doth dysplease the or elles thou dredest to haue it thynke yf thou were in helle thou sholdest haue that all that thou woldest not haue so shalt thou suffre all thynge â—or crystus sake his loue Also whan thou hast ony thynge that pleaseth the or elles that thou desyrest to haue thynke yf thou were in paradyse thou sholdest haue it all other thynges that thou woldest desyre Also whan there falleth ony fest of ony saynt thynke on hyÌ„ what payne he suffred here for goddes sake how shorte his paynes was Than thyn be how greate Ioye he hath in heuen for that whiche is euerlastynge And soo thou mayst thynke that the trybulacion or tourmentynge oâ— the good men is soone gone And in lyke wyse the Ioye of euyll men fadeth anone but good men with theyr trybulacyon here geteth eternall glorye And euyll men with theyr ouermoche Ioye here geteth euerlastynge payne Furthermore whan thou art accombred with slouth lackest deuocoÌ„n take this wrytynge ymagyne dilygently all these thynges rehersed Than thynke of the tyme that thou lesest in vayne ydelnes thynke that they that ben in helle wolde gyue all the worlde for so moche tyme to redeme theyâ— synnes yf they myght haue it Whan thou hast ony trouble thynke that they that ben in paradyse shall neuer haue suche trouble And whan thou hast ony spirytuell consolacyon or comforte thynke that they that ben in helle shall euer lacke that Whan thou goost to bedde or to thy rest thynke what thou hâ—â—â—â—hâ—â—ght what thou hast sayd what thou hast done â—hat daye And how prouffytable thou haste spende thy tyme the whiche was gyuen the to spende it vertuouslyâ— to obteyne euerlastynge lyf Yf thou haue spended it well gyue praysynge to god And yf thou haue spended it euyll wepe be sory for it And â—he next daye yf thou may dyfferre not to be confessed Yf thou haue sayd or done ony thynge that greneth thy conseyence sore ete no mete vntyll thou be shryuen thou mayst Now for a conclusyon ymagyne in thy mynde two cytees one full of trouble mysery whiche is helle an other full of Ioye and comfortâ— whiche is paradyse And how to one of these two ye must nedes come Than thynke in thyself what thynge sholde cause the to do euyll or what thynge sholde drawe the fro god And I trowe thou shalt fynde none suche I am certayne yf thou kepe well all these that ben wryten here The holy goost wyll be with the teche the to kepe them parfytly Wherfore kepe well all these preceptes coÌ„mauÌ„dementes leue none behynde Rede them twyes in the weke on wensdaye saterdaye And as thou fyndest thou hast done as it is wryten Gyue praysynge to god whiche is euer pyteous mercyfull in worlde withouten ende Amen ¶ A deuoute prayer for relygyous people or for theym that entre in to relygyon Remembrynge the termes and to do theym in dede IHesu my maker sauyour to thy wyll and ordynauÌ„ce I commytte me euery houre Besechynge the entyerly for grace mercy so that I may be one of them that shall be saued Teche me good lorde thy commaundementes to fulfylle and to do that I come fore eschewynge all euyll Gyue me grace to loue the and to dâ—ede the aboue all thynge Remembrynge thy gâ—ete benefettes and euer to gyue the thankynge And to kepe euer charyte obedyence pacyence sylence with humylyte demynge euer the best saye well telle the trouthe and neuer to lye Lothe to offende sory for my synne and to helpe whan nede is to serue the euer deuoutly with mekenes to haue mede Of the trespaces of other to haue compassyon with good couÌ„sell example frendely consolacyon to do after good prechynge holy sayntâ— lyues kepynge my tonge conscyence clene to flee bacbytyng stryues to gyue none occasyon of greuauÌ„ce neuer grutchyng flee ydelnes to praye for the deed quycke alwaye be my besynes Takyâ—ge hede to my charges do to them with good wyll gladde to be correcte of eche creature to leue myn owne wyll And euer to be ware to excuse my syÌ„ne to trust in myn owne wytte RemeÌ„brynge that I come to relygyon for to do penauÌ„ce for synne repugne ayenst it to crye for mercy to the Ihesu to thy moder Mary In whome I trust shall serue neuer for to varye Amen V ¶ DuÌ„e fiat voluntas â—ua R ¶ Sicut in celo et in terâ—a ALâ—iones nraÌ„s quesumê° dnÌ„e aspirando Oratio pÌ„ueni et adiuuando ê“sequere vt â—â—â—ta nraÌ„ operatio a te semê‘ incipiat et ê‘ te cepta fimaâ— Peâ— xpÌ„m dnÌ„m nostruÌ„ Amen ¶ This prayer folowynge is good for them that vnderstande not theyr seruyce in latyne in syngynge or sayenge or that lacke deuocyon in tyme of theyr sayd seruyce and wolde haue it BLessyd Ihesu cryst our lorde god sauyour whiche I knowe well come in to this worlde not for them that were Iuste ryghtfull but for synners to redeme them by thy deth shedyng of thy precyous blood Now mercyfull pyteous lord Iesu cryste forgyue me haue mercy of me after thy grete mercyes for thy crosse bytter passyon For I am a synner haue greuously erred offended the. Not for thy swete Ihesu I byleue in the neuer denyed the nor shall Attende beholde good lorde Iesu my fayth Intencyon the vertue of the wordes of holy prayers that I haue sayd songe or shall beholde not myn Inhabylyte Ignoraunce Wauerynge of mynde neclygence But grauÌ„t of thy grete goodnes that the prayers with all other good dedes done by me or to be done may
ye do Lete none see you from the seruyce of god or vnoccupyed In redynge of prophetes epystles gospelles sayntes lyues other dedes of vertue doynge hauynge euer bokes in your handes studyenge or wrytynge that people seynge you may saye Beholde here the seruauÌ„t of god the lanternes of the worlde Beware also of glotony whiche is moder of all vnclennesse bocheres of chastyte kepe your stomake rather voyd than to take to it superfluyte wherthorugh ye shall not nede to take medicynes for a digestyon Vse curtesly to ete not gredely nor hastely for therin may ye synne It is wryten in the lyf of saynt Benet that a religyous woman with a gredenes receyued a wycked spiryte in etynge of letuse in the gardeyn Also they that vse to dryÌ„ke wyne go not wtout fyre iÌ„ theyr bosom And euer beware of dronkenshyp remembrynge that abstynence fastynge is a sure medycyne for all sekenes And by them cometh grete vertue grace Not for thy beware of vndiscrete abstynence whiche myght cause you to haue payne here in tyme to come Whan tyme is of redyng at your meles repast or ony other good doctryne than beware of speche of laughynge but take hede to the lecture And knocke pryuely your brestes that yf ye may with fallynge of teeres after your meles reherce your lectures or some notabilytees of sermons or other holy thynges that ye haue herde or seen afore And whan ye praye be sory for the IgnorauÌ„ce of the people theyr synnes mynde the soules that ye be specyally bouÌ„de to praye for with all other crysten soules And yf ye wyl haue the swetenes of contemplacoÌ„n clense your herte from all worldly thynges And be as ye were deed amonge them as ye were buryed in your sepulcre the whiche betokeneth your monastery to the tyme ye aryse appere afore your spouse to haue your rewarde of his glory Whan ye shal go to your garden seen the herber grene trees smellynge the floures fruytes with theyr swetnesse meruaylle the grete power of god in his creatures thenne labour engendre in your mynde or talkynge of deuocoÌ„n lyfte vp your herte to heuen thynke verely that the maker of them that is your spouse in heuen is vnspekable fayre swete delectable and gloryous But beware touche there nothynge to a vayne vse or nycete of the worlde After complyne kepe your tonge take you to prayer contemplacion And call to your mynde suche heuenly thynges that ye haue herde or redde afore See in ony wyse that ye kepe this poynt of goddes lawe of the lawe of nature Do euer to an other as ye wolde be done vnto ¶ Deo gracias ¶ Thyse short prayers folowynge taught our lorde saynt Brigytte Saye ye them ofte in the daye DOmiÌ„e ihÌ„u xpÌ„e ego cognosco me grauit peccasse Et libenter volo emeÌ„dare ê‘ graÌ„m tuaÌ„ Miserere mei ê“pter amaraÌ„ passioneÌ„ tuaÌ„ DnÌ„e ihÌ„u xpÌ„e Redemisti nos in sanguiÌ„e tuo Laus sit tibi ê“ amara passione tua ¶ Pater nrÌ„ Aue maria ¶ Also vse for to saye dayly knelynge in remembrauÌ„ce of the passyon of our lorde his fyue wouÌ„des of the grete compassyon of our blessyd lady .v. Pater noster and .v. Aue maria a Credo ¶ Deus propicius esto michi peccatori Ihesu fili dei miserere mei et tocius populi cristiani Semper deo gracias ¶ Praye for your broder Thomas Betton which for your soules that be come or shall come in to relygyon drewe and made the contentes of this lytell quayer exhortacion necessary nedefull to them that ben come shall come to relygyon ¶ Lerne to kepe your bokes cleue c. INRI