noble nor of soo ryall nor gentyll lygnage as was the swete Ihesu cryst For he was and his the sone of the kyng of heuen of the erth of helle and of all theym that ben therin And by his moder was he comen of the lignage of the ryche kynge dauyd and of the wyse kyng Salamon A good lorde mercy for he was lityll accustomed to lede suche lyfe Ful strange was it to hym to suffre suche paynes as ysaye sayth ¶ Alienum opus eius vt operetur opus suuÌ„ peregrinum est ab eo Moche chauÌ„ged is his werke that he dooth this vile crafte It is full strange to him And this sheweth saynt bernarde more openly ¶ Illud capud angelicis spiritibus adoranduÌ„ tremenduÌ„â— spinis et tribulis coronatur â— aures que audi unt canâ—us angeloruÌ„ audiuit insultus iudeoruÌ„ dicencium crucifige crucifige eum oculi lucidiores sole calligauerunt in morte c That hede is crowned wyth thornes breres that is worshipped fered of angelles The ere 's whiche here the songes of angelles thenÌ„e herde the cryenge of Iewes crucyfye hym crucifye hym The eyen y t ben bryghter than the sone became thenne all derke in his dethe The face that is most fayre amonge the sones of men was thenne all foyled wyth foule spittynges The hoÌ„des that maden heuen erthe were streyned thenne on the crosse The fete that be to be honoured were theÌ„ne rudely nayled to the tree O good lord there was neuer soo noble a persone soo gentyll nor soo curteys And yet was neuer none soo sorowfully entreated ¶ The fifth reson that was in 〈…〉 his benignyte And his 〈◊〉 wherof saynt poul saith ad 〈◊〉 ¶ Apparuit benignitas humâ—nitas saluatoris nostri corde dei The benignyte the humanyte of god our sauyour apereth And ihesu himself sayd ¶ Discite a me quia mitis sum humilis corde Lerne this of me fayr loue for I am humble of herte O saynt mary mercy whan he was soo benygne a man soo debonayr what nede was it to bete hym soo felonously what nede was it soo cruelly with a sharpe spere to perce his swete herte soo mortally What nede was it thus to tormente him and soo shamfully to drawe soo blessid a chylde soo fayr a sone soo debonayr· and of soo humble a herte as our lorde Ihesu cryst was Alas alas wherfore bounde slewe the felon iewes soo rudely the same that neuer dide harme but to all folkes shewed loue debonayrte wherof saynt austin playneth hym full gretly sayeÌ„g ¶ Odolor inestimabilis o angustia singularis palmatur que est vera palma victorie spinis coronatur qui venit spinas peccatoruÌ„ confringere ligatur â–ª qui soluit coÌ„peditos in ligno suspenditur qui erigit elisos sons vite sitis panis angeloruÌ„ esurit Quid plura disciplina ceditur salê° vulneratur vita ad tempus moritur vt inops inperpetuuÌ„ moriatur SOrow Inestymable O anguisshe synguler he was palmed â–ª that is the true palmÌ„ of victorie he was crowned with thornes that came to breke the thornes of synne He was sore bounde that came to lose theym that were in bondes He was hanged on the crosse that reyseth hem that ben ouerthrowen The welle of lyf had thurst The brede of angelles had hungre And what more discypline was beten Helth was wounded Lyfe for a tyme was dede to slee dethe wythouten ende There was neuer none herde of creature that receyued by many folde soo grete harme in rewarde of his grete goodnes And thenne to remeÌ„bre his benignyte his grete debonairte wherof holy chyrche makith grete sorow in an ympne of y e passyon And pyteously complaineth that soo gracyous a body was soo cruelly stryken wyth a spere and perced soo depe with grete nayles· saith thenne to the crosse ¶ Flecte ramos arbor alta c. O ye hye tree of the crosse wythdrawe your braunches slake your entrayles y t ben so stratchyd and your rygour the whyche he gaaf aswage yow siyth all the membres of the souereyne debonayre kynge is streyned on the harde stocke ¶ The sixt cause wherfor men sholde haue comâ—pascyon of our lorde Ihesu cryste this was the semblaunce of other thynges that maken sorowe For whan a man seeth other folke make sorow he is more apte to sorow wyth theym In like wyse beholde how many ensamples were of sorowe whaÌ„ our lorde Ihesu cryst deyed The vnresonable creatures made sorowe The sonne wythdrewe his lyghte hidyng his bemys and became al derke The harde stones all to brake· thus as though they had compascyon of theyr creatour The vayle of the temple claf on to as yf it were for anguysshe of the spowse of holy chyrche whoo 's bodi was soo pyteously entreated The bodyes of dede folke aroos for ensaÌ„ple of that sorowe And that men ought to remembre that deth with grete compascyon And also it is a grete ensample of pyte sorowe the lamentable complaint that his blessid sorowfull moder made for the dethe of hyr swete sone whan she was lefte allone of all frendes auf of saynt Iohan to whose kepyng she was delyuerde beholdyng thenne hyr dere chylde dede vpon y e crosse hangyng betwene two theues Well myghte she make thenne the moost sorowfull complaynte that euyr was made Wherof sayth saynt Bernarde ¶ Quis dabit capiti meo aquam c. And whan hir sone was dede on the crosse saynt bernarde sayth thus ¶ Cogitare libet quantê° dolor tuÌ„c iÌ„fuit matri mulieri cuÌ„'sic dolebant insensibilea non lingua loqui nec meÌ„s cogitare valebat quanto dolore afficiebantur pia viscera marie IT maye be thoughte full grete sorow was in his blessyd moder whan the creatures that felte not made soo grete sorowe as is before rehersed there can noo tongue saye nor hert thynke how merueyllous grete sorowes pyteous tormentes was in y e herte of that blessid vyrgyne mary and saynt bernarde sayth ¶ NuÌ„c soluis virgo maria cum viscera ê™ in partu mutuasti a natura doloreÌ„ pariendo filiuÌ„ non sensisti quem milies replicando filio moriente passafuisti Now swete virgin ye haue yelded wyth esurye this that in the byrth of your sone was chaunged ayenst nature· For in hys byrthe felte ye noo sorowe nor payne But in his deth felte ye the thousande folde of sorowes The moder was nere vnto the crosse at the dethe of Ihesu crist whiche she conceiuyd by the holy goost But she fayled bothe speche voys whiche sorow had taken fro her· ¶ O verum eloquiuÌ„ iustum simeonis O ye true worde of the very Iust Symeon For thenne was your promyse fulfilled of the swerde of sorow· whan that blessid virgyne mary was there present and hyr swete sone hanged on the crosse She laye at the erthe as dede pale and dyscolored but hyr soule lyued as in deyeÌ„g
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
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
Festiua non potui ibi quicquā facere donec egressus fueris This was whanne our lorde wolde cōfounde sodom and gomor loth hys louer was ther to whom our lorde seyde haste you to go oute of sodom for befor that ye be gone may I do thē none harme here appereth wherbi the louers of the swete kyng of heuene bindith hym A lone loue how thow arte precyous wythoute pere Loue is lyke to a precyous stnoe that is of suche vertue that who that hath it shall haue what thynge y t he towche wyth the sayd stone the same vartue hath loue For yf ye loue y e vartues or bounteys y e other folkes haue in them their weles ye make yours be the towchyng of your holy loue as saynt gregory seyth ¶ Aliena bona si diligis tua facis If ye loue the goodnesse of other ye make it yours wyth oute ony mor trauayle O loue how thow arte precyous and wyth out pere Nou ryght dere beloued in god take hede to thre thynge be whych ye may lerne wherfor ye oughte to loue our lorde on thynge is y e grete welys and graces that he hath geuyn you on other ys the grete loue that he hath shewed yow The thyrde that he desyryth your loue so faruently Now remēbre yow wel that grete gyft most comon̄ly draweth encresyth loue And what hath god geuyn yon All y e world wyth the apporthenaunce and paradyse wyth alle hys delytys And to adā our fader alle the thynge creaturs vndyr heuene as byrdys bestis fyshys alle were put vndyr y e foote of man at our comādment befor the synne of hym wherof dauid seyth ¶ Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius oues et boues And yet for all that these thinges be ordeyned stylle for to sarue the good and susteyne them in the seruyse of our lorde Another gyste hath he geuyn vs and euery day geuyth vs thys is h̄ym self for to kepe vs and helpe vs in alle our nedys As seyt saynt Austyn ¶ De multis periculis liberauit me virtute sua Quādo errabā reduxit me quādo ignorabā docuit me quādo contristabar consolatus est me quādo peccabā corripuit me quando cecidi erexit me quādo steti tenuit me quando iui duxit me hec et alia multa fecit michi dominus meus de quo erit michi dulce semper loqui semper cogitare semper gracias agere Of many pary lys hath deliuered me my sauioure whāne I walked he led me whan I cowde nat he taught me whāne I synned rep̄ued me whanne I was heuy he conforted me whāne I fell he areysed me whāne I stode he sustyened me whāne j zode he led me Thys grete bounteys many other hath doon to me mi lorde jhū cryste of whom it shall be alwey swete to speke and to thynke and alwey to yelde hym thankynge For full euele shull befalle of vs if he tooke not good kepe of vs for our enemyes haue besette vs all abooute to cōfounde vs. Thys ys to knowe our flesh the fende and the worlde vnde versus ¶ Nos certant triplici certamine tres inimici Serpens antiquus caro lubrica mūdus iniquus Thre enemyes greue vs be thre maner of batayles as the olde serpente the fēde and the frele vnstabyll flesh the deceynable worlde as saynte Barnard seyth ¶ O anima innocens o lilium candens O flos tener delicate vide quomodo caute ābules inter spinas habitas subuersores tecū habes intra te sūt extra te sunt super te sunt circa te sunt In carne tua sunt O ye Innosent sowle O ye flour of lely fayr and whyte O ye tendyr delycyous flour take kepe that ye go wysely amonge the thornys for ther in habyte your dedely enemies that wayte to ouerthrowe yow and wyth inne yow they be wythoute you they be ouyr yow they be and rounde abowte you they be now se how grete a gyfte this is of god for to defende yow be hys good wyll as dauid seyth ¶ Scito bone voluntatis tue coronasti nos Fayr lorde seyth dauid gret thynge haue ye geuin vs for ye haue crowned vs wyth the shylde of your good wyl But these gystys beforseyd be but lytyll in comparyson of on gyste that he hath geuyn vs that is the gyste of hym self for so moche loued he vs that he hath geuyn hym self to vs wherof saynt poule seyth ¶ Cristus dilexit eccleciā et dedit se ipsum pro eo Ih̄ū cryste loued so moche hys loue y t he wold gyf hym self for hyr so hye a gifte was neuyr geuyn to suche wretchys ne for suche wretchys Augustinus ¶ Miser ego quantū debeo diligere deū meū cum me fecit non arborē nec auem nec aliquod de animalibus Sed hominē me voluit esse Seyth saynte Augustyn alas I wretche how I oughte to loue my lorde god that made me whāne I was no thinge and nother tre nor byrde nor non other beste but man wolde he that I ware and gaf me wherwyth to leue and to fele and knowe good ylle I was perishte and juged to deth he dyscēded to me mortall mortalyte receyued suffyrd pascon̄ and veynquyshte deth and thus he me restablyshte wher j was parysht sold in myn owne synnes and he cam aftyr me to bye me ageyn and so derely loued he me that the pryes of his precyous blood he gaf for me be suche condycon̄ that the remembraunce of hym shold alwey abyde in me In canticis cāticorū sponsus ad sponsam ¶ Pone me vt signaculum super cor tuum Et vt signaculū super brachium tuū Fayr loue seyth our lorde and loue jhū cryste put me as a lytyll seale on your herte to the entente y t ye may thynke on me oftyn put me as a seale vppon your arme so that ye enbrace me wyth holy deuocyon Ryght dere beloued frende in god now take hede ententyfly and wyth grete deuocyon to thys ensample that folowyth and wherfor ye shuld loue thys swete jhū cryst therin shall ye fynde delicious matyr for thys hath doon jhū y e kyng of glorie be your sowle that is hys loue as doth a kynge of farre contreys that louyth a strange lady sendeth his massēgers before wyth hys lettyrs of loue In the same maner dyde our lorde Ihū y e sente hys patryarkis hys prophetis of the olde testamente wyth letters These ware the swete prophecyes of hys gracyous comynge in to erthe thāne at the laste he cam all preuyly and brought wyth hym y e gospels as lettyrs opened wreted wyth his precyous blood and wyth y e same saued he hys loue to conquar hyr Now leth her a tale in syngnyfyaunce of the entyre loue of our swete lorde Ihū cryste Ther was a lady som tyme in gret warre wyth hyr
yow thaÌ„ne thynke ye often wyth gret pyte how she that was the quene of angellys and Empresse of all y e worlde how hyr bed was streyght and harde and arayed wyth pore clothys was so colde a tyme of the yeer and at y e oure in the nyght And how thys poore and petous lady had grete desyre to serue him in likewise haue in your mynde how hyr swete sone our lord jhesu cryste lay full hard in the rakke weymentynge and tendyrly wepyng as for colde and dyssese as chyldyrne do werof a holy man speketh â–ª ¶ Vagit infans inter arta conditus presepio The lytyll chyld waymentyng wepyng full petously where he lay betwene the bestys in the streyght manger hys swete tendyr body wrapte in poore clothys suche as that blessed vyrgyn hys moder hadde bounden hys handes hys feete hys theyes wyth a streyght bende And theÌ„ne If ony had come to jhuÌ„ cryst and seyde to hym A ye swete babe that be so yonge and so lytyll wherfor make ye suche sorow and wepe so petously he myght haue answerd yf it had pleased hym and be of age to speke what marueyle is It though j make sorow for I knowe well y t I am comyn in to thys â–ª place owte of my celestyall glorye for to aquite suche folkys that wyll not loue me nor I shall neuyr haue onÌ„ good day nor onÌ„ goode hour and I am now among so felon people that wyll put them in deuour day and nyght to sey do me all y e harme peyne y t they may thynke or deuyse Neuerthelesse I shall enforce me now so that my frendis for whom I am come hether wyll loue me but thys is a gret sorow that they for whome I am come shall con me so lytyll thaÌ„ke for all y e loue that I shewe theÌ„ in my comynge and for all the peyne and turment that I shall go to My dere frende in god trewly if ye thynke on all these thyngis I beleue veryly that in the nyght ye wyll lye in suche thoughetis and haue befoâ—â— your bed an Image of our lady and salew the crowned quene of the celestyall trone and hyr sone Ihesus the hye kyng of heuene that lay in the vile stabil thus poorely I pray yow thynke theÌ„ne on mi synfull sowle that It may haue parte of your deuocyon and I trust we shall fynde thys that seynte poule promyseth vs where he seyth yf we haue compacoÌ„n to gadyr in erthe wyth Ihesus and wyth hys blessed moder we shall reyne togeder in heuene wyth our lorde and hys swete moder thys ys a full good conuenaunce Now remeÌ„byr yow wel that the lenger the plegge lyeth in a place the more vsurye rennyth vppon It vppon thys precyous Iewell that lay more thaÌ„ne xxxij yeer in plegge and the lenger that he leuyd the more gret greuous was hys peynes and sorowys aâ— he seyth be the prophete dauid Super doloreÌ„ vulnerum meorum ad dâ—â—â—ruÌ„t Theâ— encreced alwey more and more vppoÌ„ the sorowes of my wouÌ„dys ye trewly for in all hys lyf suffyrd he the grettest pouerte and the gretteste vylene and peyne that euyr yette ony man myght suffyr wherof hym self seyth by dauid ¶ Pauper ego sum et in laboribus a iuueÌ„tute mea exaltatus humiliatus et coÌ„turbatus Alwey syth my yongthe syth I was a lytyll chylde I haue be full poore and yn gret trauayle and in full gret and hard peynes exalted and humbled full anguishly troubled Alas what pyte was thys of the swete IhuÌ„ criste that was in suche pouerte on palme sonday whaÌ„ne he had preched the worde of hys fader before None bode all the aftyrnone fastynge tyll euenynge and behelde full petously abowte hym to se yf ony wold haue pyte of hys dyscyplys that were hungry but none ther was y t deyned to gyf hym or them mete nor wolde logge hym in all the cyte of Ierusalem wherfor it behoued hem to go that euenynge to grete leges thens to the castell of Bethanye at the houâ—â— of martha and mary magdelâ—yn And as the gospell 〈◊〉 hys dyscyplâ—s had at that 〈…〉 gret hungyr y e as they wente thrughe the feldes they wente in to the whete gadered of y e eris and rubbyd theym in theyr handes and blewe away the chaff and ete the greines and yet were they full egerli repreued and blamed of the felon Iewes and so grete haste at somtyme had hys poure diciples there that thei toke no kepe to washe theyr handes or they set theim doun to y e borde and of him selfe it is writen ¶ Ihesê° fatigatus exitinere sedebat super fontem cÌ„ IhuÌ„ was one dai weri of grete walkyng that he hade and sate doune for to rest him bi a welle syde cam a woman of samarye to fetche water at y e welle and the swete Ihesu that was so wery for trauyle prayd hyr to gyue hym drynke And she wolde not but beganÌ„ to chyde wyth hym wherof he myght say by the prophete dauyd ¶ Defeccio tenuit me pro pecca toribus dereliÌ„quentibus legeÌ„ tuaÌ„ Full greet defaute holdeth me fayr suete fader for synners that refuse your commauÌ„demeÌ„te this nyghte y e swete Ihesu cryst said to his fader him self pleineth him of this defaute ¶ Vulpes foueas habent et volucres celi nidos filius auteÌ„ homuÌ„s noÌ„ habet vbâ— capud suum reclinet My dere swete faâ—â—â— mercy I am pouer in erthe for foâ—is haue holes where they may lie birdes of y e wode haue nestes where they may reste And Ihesu crist the sone of mary hath not so moche of place as he may leen hys hede to alas what pouerte is thys a god merci Saynt gregory ¶ Magna abusio et nimis magna quod velis vermiculus vult diues esse pro quo ita pauper fuit deus sabaoth et dnÌ„s magestatis Grete abusyon is it and ouer grete skorne that suche vyle wormes in erthe as we sholde desyre to be so ryche sythe he that was the kynge of glorye lorde of all power suffred suche pouerte here for vs Item bernardus ¶ Summuâ— magister elegit paupertateÌ„ esurie sitire mori sicut ista sunt simpliciter eligenda qui tibi aliud dicit sit tibi 〈◊〉 ethineus et puplicanus IhuÌ„ cryst the grete kynge mayster chose pouerte and suffred hungre thurst wherby yet sheweth well that thyse are thynges specially to be chosen and who that wyll say otherwyse holde them as a myscreaunte Se what vsurye of egre pouerte ran vpon thys pledge in the place where he was putte for vs. Now haue we sayd soÌ„what of hys pouerte but what vilany suffred y e swete Ihesu cryst in this lyfe in the place where he laye soo long for vs For the gospel sayth that whan he prechid to the pepyll for the sauacyon of theyr sowlys opened to
them the ryght waye towarde heuen whanne he hade ended hys ryght swete sermon for all his seruise y e felon Iewis sterte on hym and wolde haue stoned hym to deth theÌ„ne seyd he full petously alas fayre folkis wherefore wyll ye now sle me ¶ Multa bona oê‘a ostendi vobis a patre meo ê“pter quod opus me vultis lapidare Many good werkys haue I shewede yow fro my fader for y e whyche ye wolde sle me Ryght as he hade sayde to them I haue geuen mete to yower poer folkes I haue made your seke folkys hole I haue done all y t ye haue desyrede me I haue thaught yow the scrypture of my fader now wolde ye sle me ¶ Non ex operibus bonis lapidamus te sed de blasphemia et nuÌ„c scimus quia demoniuÌ„ habes They answerede for thy good werkys we wolde not sle the but for thy blaspheminge that we knowe full well thow haste a deuill wythine they body ¶ Et Ihesus abscondit se et exiuitde teÌ„plo And IhÌ„s hide him wente oute of y e teÌ„ple whaÌ„ he sawe y t they wolde haue put hym to this shamfull deth he made a soroufull coÌ„pleinte by y e ê“phete dauid ¶ Ego suÌ„ vermis et noÌ„ homo obê“briuÌ„ hoiÌ„m abieccio plebis Right swete fader mercy what shall I do I am holden so vyle in erthe for synners that these folkis take me not as a man but as I were a worme I am in reproche of men of all caytyffys I am in abyeccyon A what meruaile was this yf he made suche compleynte to hys fader y t sente hym hedyr where alwey he receuide euyll for his gode dedis and harme hate for hys swete loue grete shame for hys honour as hym self seyde· ¶ Retribuebant michi mala pro bonis et odiuÌ„ prodilecione me a They yelde me euyle for wele hate for loue Alas what vylete was thys that Ihesâ— cryst suffred amonge this malicious folkys that alwey in hys blessid wordes were cruell ayen seyers and in hys holi dedys they were preuy aspyers and in hys anguyshous peynes they were sorufull in hys preyrs he hade poor conforters in hys gracious dedys ful few thankers wherefore he pleyneth hym in osee the proohete ¶ Consolacio abscoÌ„dita est ab oculis meis Euery conforte in thys worlde is hyde before my sorowfull eien as y e ê“phete dauyd seyth ¶ Heu michi quia iÌ„colatê° meê° ê“loÌ„gatê° eÌ„ And iÌ„ y e gospel of marke OgeneracoÌ„ incredula quam diu apud vosero quam diu vos paciar Alas I sorowfull for this y t I am so moche ê“loÌ„ged here wyth these myscreauÌ„t folke where I haue so longe abyden in pledge And of thys spekyth saynt austyn to prowde folkes ¶ Ecce humilitatis exemplum superbis superbie medicamentum quid ergo intime sis homo O pellis morticina quo teÌ„dis insanies fedida quid in flaris princeps tuê° humilis eÌ„ tu superbus capud tuuÌ„ humile et tu membrum superbi diaboli et comes membroruÌ„ suorum ¶ we haue ensamples of mekenes medecyn ayenst pryde wherfore wretched men dyscharge yow therof O ye mortall careyne wherfore goo ye in suche height o ye stynkyng fylthe wherfor be ye swollen wyth rotyn pryde was not your prince hede huÌ„ble ye that be hys subiectê membryrs be pryde maketh yow felawes to the fende and hys membrys ¶ Item Erubesce homo esse suberbus qr quia factus est deus humilis ¶ Haue shame wretchyd man to be prowde yn asmoche as god y t made yow ys humble ¶ Discite a me qr quia mitis sum et humilis corde ¶ Lerne ye of me y t am debonair huÌ„ble of herte sayth our lorde IhuÌ„ cryste yn the grete payne that he suffyrd yn thys place of owr mortalyte Thys ys the thyrd parte of vsurye y t ran vppon thys pledge was the swete body of our lorde IhÌ„u cryst wherof hym self sayth he Ierom the ê“phete ¶ O vos omnis qui traÌ„sitis per viam attendite videte si est dolor sicut dolor meus ¶ O ye alle folkys that passe be the waye of thys synfull world beholde se yf ony sorow or peyne be so grete or lyke vnto myn Trewly neuyr man borne of moder led so sorowfulk lyf nor y e suffyrd so peynfull deth as The swete IhÌ„u cryste ther as he lay yn pledge for hys loue For tendyrly wepynge cam he yn to thys world wherof he pleneth hym be y e ê“phete ¶ Caligauerunt oculi met a fleâ— tu meo alibi languerunt occuli mei pre inopia ¶ My fayr eyen be com all derke so moche wepe I for my loue that wyll not loue me all the clernesse of myn eyen be anysshe for peyne dyssese And what merueyle for he wente poorely petously yn erthe all barfote yn colde yn hete in harde yn soste fro town to towne from couÌ„tre to couÌ„tre whyche was full of frost and snow aâ— seyth seynte barnard· ¶ Exiuit a patre deposito diademate aspersit caput cinere nudo pede eiulans et flens venit querens illum qui perierat ¶ He cam from hys fader put of hys crowne of the reyngne celesâ—tyall strewid his hed with ashys all barfote syghyng wepyng full petously lamentyng cam heder to seke his loue that same pore caytyf y t was perysht A god mercy how he was in gret heuynesse many syghtê and desyrys to hys Ioye fro whens he cam Trewly he was not to â—lame for he cam from hys gret honour that ys to sey whaÌ„ne he was wyth hys Angels archaÌ„gels whyche were redy for to serue hym to his pleasur now was the swete IhuÌ„ in preson in thys valey of mysery wher so many vnhappy pepyll were to shame hym mokke hym to sey do euylle vnto hym wythoute pyte as hym self seyth ¶ Multiplicati sunt suê‘ capillos capitis mei qui oderunt me gratis May enemyes be multyplyed more thanne the herys of myn hed y t hateth me dedeli Beholde now him y t was in so gret ioye eses he y t was kyng of heuene y t had nede of nothyng y t was in erthe deyned to com in so gret defawte as for to suffyr so sorowfull peynys and so gret labour as to be in colde in hungyr in thurste in hardnesse werynesse yn heuynesse shortly to sey alle y e euelys peynys y t we haue deserued fyll vppon hys gloryous hed wherof sayth ysaye ¶ Vere langores nostros ipse tu lit dolores nostros ipse portauit et nos putauimê° eum quasi leprosum percussum a deo humiliatum Trewly IhuÌ„ the swete kyng of heuene suffyrd langour bare the sorowys peynys of our deserte vppon hym self for the gret anguisshis shamis that he suffird
folke wende that he had ben a mesell A god how humble ware ye to suffyr them so cruelly vengably to stryke yow for such anguysh he pleyned hym to his father in y e gospell ¶ Nunc aiÌ„a mea turbata est et quid dicam pater saluifica me ex hac hora sed propter hoc veni in horam hanc ¶ Now ys my sowle gretly troblede A what may I sey fayr dere fader saue me nethelesse her fore I cam in erthe to suffyr so hard peynis to aquyte my frendes of all thys made he no force yf he myght haue wonne the loue our sowle for the whyche he suffyrd so gret sorowys greuous peyne yn y e place wher he was put for our loue wherfor ye may well thinke for trouthe that yt behoueth vs to suffyr sum penaÌ„nce for hym for our sauaconÌ„ how beyt he hath no nede of vs of our good dedys wherof dauid sayth ¶ BonoruÌ„ meorum non indiges dnÌ„e ¶ Fayr lord seyth he ye haue no no nede of my good dedys but for all that good wyll not saue a man yf he helpe not therto hym self as seynte Austyn seyth ¶ Qui fecit te sine te non iustificabit te sine te that same that made yow wythoute yowr helpe he will not saue yow wythoute your helpe and the glose vppon seynt powle ¶ Deus pro omiÌ„bus saÌ„guineÌ„ suuÌ„ fudit illis solis prodest sanguis xpÌ„i qui voluptates deseruuÌ„t se ipÌ„os affliguÌ„t God shed hys blood for alle but to them only shall hys blood profyte in redempconÌ„ y t leue the delyte of ther flesh chastyse their bodies in penaunce for yt shulde be no reson that he shulde suffyr all the peyne we shulde haue all y e ioye here el lys wher For trewly yf we suffir not som penauÌ„ce The father wyll no more spare vs hys ylle chyldyrn thaÌ„ne he dyd the swete IhuÌ„ cryst hys good chylde wherof seynt Bernard sayth ¶ Qui non pepercit filio suo nunquaÌ„ fimento nunquaÌ„ parcet seruo nequâ—m How shuld he spare vs vyle stynkynge fylthys y t spareth not hys swete sone IhuÌ„ cryst how shuld he thaÌ„ne spare hys fowle and euele felons Now I pray yow sith yowr sowle ys the loue of IhuÌ„ cryste the hygh kynge of heuene that yf ye may no more do for his swete loue yette at y e leeste y t ye haue often yn remeÌ„braunce these thre maner of anguyshys that he suffryd so longe in the place wher he lay for your aquytayle WhaÌ„ne ye beholde your ryche clothis other fayr Iewellis your gret horses fayr harneys thaÌ„ne bethynke yow of the poor clothyng that your lorde loue ihesu cryst hys dyscyplys hadde how they wente abowte barfote yn wyntyr in somyr what dyssese they suffryd also often whaÌ„ne ye sytte at y e tabyll so rychely arayd serued goodly IentylmeÌ„ abowte yow so well araid well seruinge y t serue yow so noâ—ely wyth cuppys of gold syluyr vessell wyth so many dyuerse good metys wyth delycyous sawses pleysauÌ„t wynes ThaÌ„ne remeÌ„byr yow wyth gret compasconÌ„ how poorely the ryche kyng of heneue was serued your spowse the swete IhuÌ„s whaÌ„ne he was so wery for gret trauayle hungyr y t yt behoued hym to go owte of y e cite of samerie in y e mene tyme that hys dyscyplys weÌ„te in to y e cyte to fetche bred in the mene whylys cam a womaÌ„ to fetche watyr at a welle wherby he satte he preyde the woman to gyue hym of hyr water to drynke but she wold not but rather repreuyd hym full egyrly he spake ageyn so benyngly to that woman that she was conuerted than cam hys discyplis And brought mete and set them all down wythowte tabyll and wythoute cloth ê‘auentur toke one of ther poore mantellys set theron ther bred sayde â–ª Rabi maÌ„duca dixit eis Ego cibuÌ„ habeo maÌ„ducare queÌ„ vos nescitê meê° cibê° eÌ„ vt faciaÌ„ voluÌ„tateÌ„ eiê° qui misit me vt ê‘ficiaÌ„ opê° eiê° His disciplis seide mastir ete now he answerd I haue mete to ete wherof ye knowe no thinge a good lord mercy yette for all y e gret desir he had to ete he abode til yt was nere hygh none y t he veinquisht dis desire wold soner ete O y t thys ys a gret ensample to vs whaÌ„n we haue ony tyme gret desyr to ony delicyous mete or drynke or ony other sore temptaconÌ„ we shuld fyght â—â—â—nst our owne wyll â–ª But what seyde he aftyr my mete ys that I muste do y e wyll of my fader y t ys to suffyr hungre thurste gret anguisshys greuous peynes bethynke yow also how y e poor dyscyplys ete y e erys of whâ—te in y e seldis whan they wente wyth ther swete mastyr IhuÌ„ cryst of hym self yt ys wretyn that he cam one day in the mornynge hadde gret hungyr as he that had watched in prayeer in trauayle in sermonys saw a fygge tre full of leuys wythowte ony frute whan he cam nere yt he seyde to the fyggetre ye shall neuyr bere frute wythoute ende and forth wyth the fygtre becam all drye beholde now fayr frende how many dissesis your swete spowse suffird for to redeme yow Wherfor hyt ys good for yow to thynke well often on all thys wahn ye be in the dysportys of this worlde or whan ye see other coÌ„forted in foule vanyteys Remenbyr yow theÌ„ne wyth preuy syghynge how petowsly the swete IhuÌ„s the sone of god wepte whan he cam rydynge all barfote vpon A poore asse VideÌ„s IhuÌ„s ciuitateÌ„ fleuit suê‘ illaÌ„ dicens qr quia cognouissis tu ciuitateÌ„ id ecclesiam As he cam knew al thys y t was to come aswell to theÌ„e y t were present as to al vs y t shuld come after wepte petously for compasconÌ„ of vs seyde yf ye knew asmoche as I knowe ie shuld wepe as tendirly as I do right as he hade seide to theÌ„ I wepe for thys that ye do in foly in vanyte y t ye thynke not how streyght the waye ys that goth toward heuene wherof hym self seyde ¶ Arta est via que ducit ad celuÌ„ pauci inueniuÌ„t illaÌ„ et iteruÌ„ NoÌ„ ne oportuit xpÌ„m pati et ita intrare in gloriam suaÌ„ Full streyte ys the weye that ledyth to perdurable lyfe fewe folkes fynde hyt Ne see ye not well that IhuÌ„ cryst suffyrd full sharpe trauayle or euyr he entrede in to hys glorye for thys wepte he that we so lyghtly forgete our self take no hede how wretchedly we be engendyrde nor how sorowfully we be borne nor how perlously we lyue in synne in vanyte nor how hedously we shall deye nor knowe not whan nor
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
Sic respondes pontifici Sholde thou thus answere to the bysshoppe A how the swete Ihesu answerde to this felon wretche ¶ Si male locutus sum testimoniuÌ„ perhibe de malo si autem bene cur me cedis Yf I speke euyll bere wytnesse of euyll and yf it be well wherfore smytes thou me He sayd not thou cursid traytours ye haue striken me with wroÌ„ge ye shall be confounded in helle Wherby ye maye see his benignite ¶ But for all this the cruell tyrauÌ„ts buffet him couerde his blessyd eyen and bete wyth theyr cursid fystes all abowte his blessid hede and smote his fayr vysage ful vylaynously wherof saynt bernarde sayth ¶ Libertas captiuorum traditur gloria angelorum illuditur splendor lucis eterne et speculum sine macula conspernitur deus omnium flagellatur vita hominuÌ„ occiditur quid nobis restat ad agendum eamus et moriamur cum illo O bone Ihesu trahe me me post te non in odorem suauitatis sed in odorem tue passionis ¶ A Ihesu cryst that was the deliuerer of prysoners he was deliuered to prison for vs The glorye of angels was mocked for vs The shyner of eternall lighte and myrrour wythout ony spotte is dispysed God almyghty is scourged The lyf of man is slayne what is now for vs to doo Goo we deye wyth hym A good Ihesu draew me after the not in to the odoure of swetnes but in to the odoure of thy harde passion ¶ And whan they had all the nyight tormented him and doon him all the harme and shame they coude On the morne they assembled theym all togyder and Iuged hym to the most shamfull deth that they cowde thynke whyche was to be hanged vpon the crosse vpon an hyghe mountayne betwene two theues wherof this verse is sayd ¶ Dismas et gismas medio diuina potestas Et cum iniquis de putatus est ¶ Dysmas the tone theef hynge on that one parte and Gysmas y e other theef on the other parte and betwene them henge the diuyne mageste this was our lorde Ihesu criste And whan he was Iuged the cruel tourmentours and hangmeÌ„ trussed the heuy wood of the crosse vpon his backe as sayth saynt Iohan the euangeliste ¶ EduxeruÌ„t eum et cetera They ledde Ihesu oute of the cyte and hymself beringe his harde crosse soo feynt wery that vnneth myghte he bere it wherof he sayth by dauyd ¶ Q mÌ„ defecit in dolore vita mea My lyff and my force faylleth me in sorow and payne And whan they sawe he myght not goo so spedely as they wold they toke wyth force a stronge man that passed by the waye whyche was namyd simon And made hym ayenst his wylle to bere the crosse the sooner to haast the dethe of our lorde Ihesu cryst ¶ And whan they took fro hym the crosse to delyuer to symon they smote our lorde ful cruelly ThenÌ„e came there wymmen of galilee folowyng our lorde and wepte full peteously And made full grete sorowe to see hym suffre soo moche shame and payne withoute deserte ¶ And whan he sawe thyse wymen wepe soo sore he had full grete pyte And sayd to theym ¶ Filie Iherusalem nolite flere super me cÌ„ DOughters of Iherusalem wepe ye not for me but for yourselfe and your chylderne For the dayes shall come whaÌ„ ye shall saye blessed be the bareyne woman â— and the wombes that neuer bare chylde and the breestes y t neur gaaf souke For thenne shal ye begynÌ„e to saye mountayns fall on vs and the erthe couere vs ¶ The cruell Iewes ledde hym forth and hynge hym on the crosse nakyd before all the peple in the same fowle place where the stynkynge rotyn careyns were of the bodies of theuis· that they had put to deth in that same place afore ¶ Alas whan he was crusifyed thus sorowfully the cursyd traytours escryed hym soo shamfully sayd ¶ MoueÌ„tes capita sua dixerunt vath qui destruit templum dei et in tribus diebus illud reedificat salua teipsum si filius dei es descende de cruce ¶ They brandysshyd theyr hedes and sayd in scornÌ„ see him here that same that wylle destroye the temple of god make it ayen wythin iij dayes Now saue thiself yf thou be the sone of god Come downe of the crosse where thou arte hanged Thus cryed the felon Iewes See that same that auauÌ„ted hym hymselfe to saue other folkes and hymselfe he maye not saue See how thyse vnhappy Iewes tempted hym thise same folk that dyde hym the sondaye before so grete honour· that they layed theyr clothes in the waye where he passed and caste flowres and braunches before hym and songe ¶ Osanna filio dauid benedictus qui venit in nomine domini GLorye and honour be done to Ihesu the sone of god of the lignage of dauyd And blessid be he that cometh in y e name of our lorde the kyng of Iherusalem w Wherof saynt Bernarde spekyth of this shame ¶ Ab eodom populo in eodem loco et in ipso tempore paucissimis interpositis diebus primo cum taÌ„to triumpho susceptus postea crucifixus est Of the same peple and in the same place and abowte the same tyme. where he was fyrst receyued wyth grete honoure After was he hanged on the crosse as a theef See how grete dyfference was this thenne to receyue hym as kynge of Iherusalem and forth wyth to saye we haue noo kynge but cezar And how the difference was betwene y e region the crosse betwene the floures and the crowne of thornes befor him were clothes of silke riche panes sprad now was he dispoyllid all naked Alas what shame IhÌ„u suffrid of tho same folke that dide him so grete honour a litill before anone after so many reproches soo vilaynously hangyng on the crosse betwene two theues· for the loue of his dere loue manÌ„es soule was he thê° shamfully slayn that men myght holde hym for maister of the theuis And hyng there soo fowle arayed as yf he were a mesell as he sayth by ysaye the prophete ¶ Non est ei species neque decor et vidimê° euÌ„ no erat asspectus et desiderauimê° despectuÌ„ nouissimuÌ„ viroruÌ„ virum doloruÌ„ scienteÌ„ infirmitateÌ„ et qua si absconditus vultus eiê° dispectê° vnde nec reputauimê° euÌ„ Nother bewte nor honour was in hym at that houre And we sawe hym and desyryd hym dispysed And the laste and moost vyle of all men And his face dyfformyd wyth blood and fowle spyttyng so that we had hym in derysion ¶ A sorowe of sorowes that the Emperour of heuen and of all the worlde suffryd Soo cruelly was he wouÌ„ded for our wretched soules of whiche we holde soo lityll pryce For this admonestith saynt Bernard to take kepe of the vilaynies and sorowes that Ihesu cryst suffryd for vs. And sayth ¶ Oho no considera filium virginis
illusum spictis linidum plagis confixum clauis A man behelde the sone of the virgyn marye foylid wyth fowle spittynges all blody of his woundes and percyd wyth nayles Take hede of the kyng of angels beyng on the crosse pale to the deth fowle in flesshÌ„ passe bi this And take kepe whaÌ„ ye see the fygure how he is a man mekely bowynge a man smyten wyth shamfull deth A man lyke vnto a mesell A man of al sorowes apperynge on his body and all wrapt in sorowe And yet whan he was past all the anguysshÌ„ payn and shame that he myght suffre in his lyf for the loue of his loue maÌ„nes soule they dyde hym after hys deth the grettest shame they cowde thynke For they wold not bery hiÌ„ amonge other Iewes but wythoute the towne as a man that were acursed And his blessid soule descended in to helle for to destroye the mortall enmyes of his loue mannes soule And to fetche theym oute that longe had abyden hym there ¶ Now for goddis sake lete vs remembre well how moche we are bounden to loue that swete Ihesu cryst that so many manere of shames suffryd to put vs in honoure And that he suffred soo shamfull deth to conferme our sowles in the freedom of perdurable lyf For of al the peynes that ben in this worlde shame is the grettest For we maye fynde many of crysten folke that wyll suffre hardnes of lyffe as fastyng lyeng harde colde hungre thurst and diseases for the loue of god But to be holden vyle dyspysid for the loue of god vneth shall ye fynde ony For the wretchid hert desireth alway to be honoured and praysid And by this we may well know that he louyd vs and louith vs enteerly that so many shames dispytes suffred for y e loue of vs. ¶ The same that is the very perfyte honoure and of hym cometh all honours that blessid be he of al creatures that vs soo moche hath louyd and louyth that gracyous lorde the moost true and hertely louer ¶ Now haue we spokeÌ„ grete parte of his harde deth and of the shame that men dyde hym wherby ye maye here that neuer man deyed of soo paynfull and vyle a deth wherof he pleyneth hym by the prophete dauyd sayenge ¶ Defeccio tenuit me pro peccatoribus derelinqentibus legem tuam FAyr swete fader full gret defawteÌ„ me holdeth for synners y t haue leste your lawe Now for trouthe their was neuyr man had more of pouerte defawte than he had in his hende and thys sheweth seynte barnarde that seyth ¶ Lignum defuit capiti terra pedi vestimentum corpori potus ori amicus consolacioni· ¶ Alas what defawte was thys the tre failed to hys hede the erthe failed to hys feete clothyng fayled to hys body euery frende failed to hys conforte Now beholde more veryly of thys gret defawte that the tree fayled to his hede for the crosse where he hinge was withoute hed for whan he was so wery hys hede greued hym that was so sore betyn brosed wyth many grete strokes â–ª that vnethe hys necke myght bere hyt hyt was so astoned wyth peyne whan he had so grete nede to reste hys wofull hede he founde not so moche ease that he had ony place to lene hyt to he was streyned so hye vpon the crosse that hys hed might towche no parte therof A what vnmesurable peynes and sorowes he had there founde he an ouyr hard and sharpe pelow for the hede of so noble and gret a kynge as he was O good lorde whan we fele ony gret peyne or febilnesse in our hedis we wyl haue softe pelowys vndir our harde hedys and some woman or some maÌ„ to hold hit for taswage the peine but he had nother the ton nor y e tothyr but skornars as hym self seyth be Ierom the prophete ¶ Factus sum in derisum omni populo meo canticuÌ„ eorum tota die I Am made in derysyon in mockage of all my people thier eueriday songe The tothâ—r gret defawte that erthe fayled to hys fete and not to them only but to all hys body that was so cruelly peyned that he was seke on to the deth in al the large worlde had he not so moche of place as he myght put oon fote on erthe to reste hys wofull body that was all to betin and brosed but hynge in y e eyre tered wyth gret nayles· full petously Alas their ys not so vyle a sarazin ne so fowle a mesell ne so poure a wretche but that they myght fynde some place or house wher they myght take some reste or ease in ther syknesse A swete IhuÌ„ cryste wherfor wold ye be in so gret dyssese ouyr all other of the wolrde Trewly for loue so moche had bouÌ„den hym in suche wyse y t he raught not of all the dysesys he had for the foruent loue he hade to mannys sowle Now se here the thyrde defawte that was Clothynge to hys fayr body as he seyth by Iob ¶ Nudê° egressê° sum de vtero matris mee nudus reuertar illuc· ¶ All nakyd I am come fro my moders wombe and all nakyd I shall retorne out of this worlde For the felon Iewes had robbed hym of his clothes departed them amonge them as he pleyneth him by dauid the prophete ¶ Considerauerunt et inspexeruÌ„t me deuiserunt vestimenta mea et super vestem meam miserunt sorteÌ„ ¶ Thise Iewes haue considered beholden me and haue deuyded my clothynge to theym cast lottes theron whiche of theyrs it sholde be And the swete Ihesu wolde not stryue ayenst theym but wyth good wylle gaaf theym for theyr seruyce al that he had of erthly thyng whyche was noo more but oonly his clothes so pour was he at that tyme for thus saith saynt bernard ¶ Quando fuisti pauperior tunc fuisti largior O bone Ihesu WhaÌ„ thou were moost pour thenne were thou moost large for thenÌ„e gauest thou to the theef the kyngdome of heuen to saynt IohÌ„n euangelist thy moder to thy fader thy spyryte and to vs thy flesshe to ete thy blode to drynke And thou gauest thy clothynge to thy crucyfyers in suche wyse that thouÌ„ abodeste all nakyd on hye vpon the patyble A good lorde god mercy the moost stronge theef of the worlde that were Iuged to be hanged yet sholde he haue to couer hym a poure gowne or a pour sherte But Ihesu the kyng of glory had nother gonne nor sherte to couer him where he hynge openly before al folke wherof he playneth hym by dauyd ¶ FactuÌ„ est cor meum tanquam cera liquescens in medio ventris mei My herte is becomen alle softe meltyng as it were waxe in my body Alas we pour wretches what Ioye maye we haue of oure honour that is come of none other thynge but of the shame of Ihesu cryst What gladnesse may we haue of ease that is
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
et non respondit michi MY sorowfull soule is al dessoluid for anguysshe of mi swete sone that entendeth not to my wordes I seke hym I maye not fynde hym I speke to hym and he answeryth me not Thenne came saynt Ioh̄n to whō our lorde had deliuerde hir in kepīge soo sore wepyng that in no wyse he cowde refreyne hym· Then̄e took he vp this blessyd virgyn wepīge snobbing in sorowes and soo weryed in wepyng so moche greuyd dyscomforted that vnnethes hir fete myghte susteyne to bere hir Notwythstōdyng thus as she myighte wyth the helpe of the holy wymen that were there they all wyth wepyng entryd in to Iherusalem many wymen that sawe this had suche pyte of the sorowfull wepyng of the blessyd vyrgyn marye that they cowde not refreyne theyr teres Hyr sorowfull herte pyteous demeanyng constreyned many a harde herte to wepe sorow and thus was she ledde al wyth wepinge vnto the hous of saynt Iohan bothe hirself weping all that wēte wyth hyr and as many as saw hyr So rested she abode in his hous whiche honoured hir serued her louyd hyr more than she had be his owne moder And whan our lorde was buryed the iewes sealid his sepulture apointed certē kniigh̄tes in harneys for to kepe it In the meane tyme the blessid virgyn mary ēdured grete sorow in the hous of saynt Iohan For she wept contynually wythout comfort for there was no frende she had myght ease hyr nor saynt Ioh̄n hymselfe for she was alwaye in sorowe bytter teres A who is soo encombrid with syn̄e or is somoche encōbryd of erthly loue Or who is soo fulfyllid of errour or is soo charged wyth worldly rychesse that hathe the hert soo harde that they can not haue compascōn conpūccyon whan they redde or here of the sighes wepynges the sorowes tormentes that this blessid pure vyrgyn saynt mary y e ryght swete moder of our lorde Ihesu cryst suffryd Truely they haue the herte right harde wythout mercy that hath not some compascōn of thyse paynes And who that is wythoute mercy pyte god wyll haue noo mercy nor pyte on him yf it be not the gretter merueyle For seldom is the man sauyd that is wythout a mercyful hert wherof saynt bernarde sayth ¶ Nemo duri cordis salutem vmquā adeptus est nisi forte miseratus deus abstulerat ab eo cor lapideū dederit ei cor carneum Neuer man of harde hert purchaced not thelth of his soule but perauenture the mercyable god hath be pleysed some tyme to take frō hym his hert of stone and gyue hym a tender hert of flesshe wherby he may be sauyd ¶ Nunquid cor durum ipsum quod nec compassione scinditur nec pietate mollitur minis non cedit c. IS not this a harde herte that is not meuyd by compascōn nor softed by pyte nor makith noo force of menaces that can come to hym nor other Nor takyth noo hede of counseylle Nor to noo mannes Iugement not to shame nor dispysing nor to noo maner peryl Is not this mā ouer folisshe in the opinyons of al resonable folkes that all thynges past forgeteth And necligently vsith those thynges that ben now and taketh none hede to puruey for suche thynges as ben for to come But shortly putteth all in auenture This is a harde herte that nother dredeth god nor beryth reuerēce to man And yf ye leue not me aske Pharaon that had the herte soo ouer harde ¶ Now fair swete frend hauē ye herde that our lorde Ihesu cryst louyd more his loue than euer sowle louyd body For he loued her more than his lyfe whan he gaaf his lyfe and suffryd his gloryous soule to departe fro his precyous body for the loue of hyr that honouryd praysed and thankid be he of al creatures wythout ende THe fourth grete loue that is in the werld is betwene man wyf yet the wyf may be so wretchyd of hyr body and soo enstraūged to hyr husbonde that perauenture though she wolde retorn̄ to him again he wolde not receyue hyr And this hath be ofte preuyd but the loue of our lorde Ihesu crist passith all beyonde this loue For neuer was the soule of his loue acompanyed wyth soo many syn̄es nor soo often in a voutre or other syn̄es but yf she wolde retourne to to hym agayn he wolde gladly receyue hyr wyth grete Ioye Wherfore alway be he honoured thankyd for he is euer redy to theym y t wyll leue the fende come to hym As hymself sayth by Ieramye the prophete· ¶ Si dimiserit vir vxorem suā c. tu autem fornicataes cū amatoribus tn̄ reuertere ad me dicit dn̄s Yf a man leuith his wyfe for ony synne it maye wel be for it befalleth often But ye fayre loue though ye haue offended in dedely syn̄es innumerable yet leue not therfore to retorne to me and I shal receyue you full swetly benygnely And what dooth more yet this amerous kynge whā his loue is torned from hym he gooth folowynge cryenge after hyr lyke as it is wreten in the book of loue· ¶ Reuertere reuertere suauitatis reuertere reuertere vt intuiamur te ¶ Retorne ye retorne ye to me ye wretchyd soules Retorne ye to the entente that I maye defende you kepe you from your enmyes that wyll confounde you And saynte austin sayth that our lorde spekyth this to the synfull soule ¶ Capud meū spictis tenui manus meas clauis obiecti lancee latus apperui sanguinem meū fudi vt michi coniungerem te et tu diuidis te a me erubesce My hede face I helde agaynst the fowle spyttynges my hondes I spradde agayns harde nayles I openyd my syde agayns the spere my precyous blood I shedde to Ioyne you to me And wolde ye thenne thus depart fro me Ye oughte full gretly to be ashamed A good lorde mercy what is this that he sekith the sinfull soule soo ententyfly and callith hir soo often like as it is wreten in the book of loue ¶ En ipse erat post parietem nostrū prospiciens per cancellos BEholde how Ihesu Cryste was behynde y e walle watchynge· and beholdynge Inwarde by the creueces yf she wolde in ony wyse retorne to hym And in the apocalips is sayd Ecce ego sto ad hostiū pulso et si quis apparuerit michi intrabo ad eū c. See how I am at the dore knocke make noyse who y t cometh to open his door I shall entre in wyth hym to his comforte As it is sayd in the gospell ¶ Omnes qui laborati et ornati estis venite ad me et ego reficiam vos O all ye that ben traueylled in the seruyse of the fende charged wyth synne ▪ come to me and I shall refresshe you comforte yow And what doth he yf he
seeth you comyng towarde hym to crye hym mercy It is wreten in the gospell ¶ Occurrens prodigo cecidit suê‘ colluÌ„ eius osculatusque est euÌ„ c. Whan he seeth the sowle comynge toward him he spredith his armes to clippe hir kyssyth hir and makith gretter Ioy of hir than of many other that were wyth hym alway as hymself sayth ¶ Dico vobis quod ita gaudiuÌ„ est in celo super vno pccoÌ„re penitenciaÌ„ agente quaÌ„ super nonaginta nouem iustis qui non indigent penitencia I saye you surely that gretter Ioy is there in heuen of one oonly synnar doynge his penaunce than of nynty nyne rightfull that neuer had nede to doo penauÌ„ce And yet here a gretter merueyle of the loue of Ihesu cryst For though his loue mannes soule be neuer somoche foylid wyth dedely synne yet assonÌ„ as she comith to him he makith her as clene as she was tofore the sinne as ryche of all welÌ„es as saynt austyn sayth ¶ Erant sicut fueraÌ„t antequaÌ„ ê“ieceraÌ„ eos They shalle be as clene riche of good werkes restablisshid in vyrginite of the soule yf ye wyl haue an ensaÌ„ple how this may be ye may here by â–ª this Al the synÌ„es that is or euer was may not be doo but in thre maners That is to know in thought in worde or in werke Now shold not this be one of the grettest synÌ„es y t a maÌ„ myght doo in thoughte to thiÌ„ke desire to destroy al holy chyrche truly this same was y e thought desire of saynt poul as it is wreteÌ„ in actibus applorum apostolorum Saulus adhuc spiraÌ„s c. Saul began furiously tenforce him to y e destruccoÌ„n of al cristyndoÌ„ wyth menaces betynges weÌ„t to archebysshops to pryncipal masters of the iewes gate lettres of theÌ„ to take all crysteÌ„ meÌ„ that he might fynde wherso euer he cam bryng them bouÌ„de and put theym in pryson And in his chyef auctoryte malyce was he conuerted to our lorde And is now a hye saynt glorifyed in heuen wyth saynt Iohan euangelist and other that were of pure and perfyght lyfe Also the grettest synne that man myghte do wyth worde sholde be to renye oure lorde saynt peter renyed hÌ„iÌ„ thre times in one nyghte whan he had thus done he took right hertly repentaunce ¶ Exiuit petrus foras et fleuit amare He went oute and wepte full bytterly and sorowed cryed god mercy And now is he senescall of heuen And the moost fowle synne of the body is the vyle synne of the flesshe And men wolde say that he or she shold be the gretest synner of the worlde that had accompanyed theym not oonly moost comunely wyth man but also wyth fendes And marye mawdeleyn had them wythin hyr whiche is now the dere loue of our lorde IhÌ„u Cryst as sayth saynt gregorye ¶ Maria septem demonia habuit qui vniuersis viciis plena fuit Mary had seuen fendes wythin hyr by whiche she was fulfyllid wyth all maner of vyces But for all those euyll vyces she made a resonable amendement as saynt gregory sayth ¶ Quotquot in se habuit delectamenta tot de se inuenit holocausta Asmany delites as she had in hyr of synnes soo many sacrefyces dide she vpon hyrself for amendes of hyr offences NOw retornÌ„ we to this grete loue that our lorde hathe shewed vs· wherof he sayth yet by ZachÌ„arye ¶ Zelatus sum syon zelo magno I am Ielous ouer mannes soule wyth a grete Ielousie As he saith in exodi ¶ Ego suÌ„ deus zelotes I am god the Ielous And not allonly was he Ielous of the gode but to make peas wyth theuyll as dauyd sayth ¶ Zelaui suê‘ iniquos paceÌ„ pccoÌ„ruÌ„ videns I haue desired by grete Ielousie to haue pees with euyl folkes soo sayth he to saynt peter in y e sawter ¶ Tabescere me fecit zelê° meê° My Ielousie hath caused me to suffre dethe yet myne enmyes haue forgoten my wordes so that they wylle in noo wyse graunt me theyr loue for al that I haue do for theym And yet agayn sayth our lorde IhÌ„u cryst ye shalle not escape me but that ye shal grauÌ„t me youre loue I aske ye whether it be to be gyuen or to be solde or to be taken wyth force Yf it be to be gyuen to whom may ye better giue it than to me that passe all meÌ„ that euer werÌ„ am fayrest of all other He is soo fayr y t yf a man were in hell mighte see his visage beaute of his diuynyte he sholde fele nother harmÌ„ ne payn And therfor sayth he where may ye better set your loue than on me Am not I the kyng of alle kyngis am I not more fayr than other nor am I not of more hie lignage than ony prynce Am I not more wyse than all other am I not of al folke moost curteys of al thyng most large free am I not of alle other the moost swete debonayr Thenne is there none exscuse â–ª syth that ye maye fynde in me all the causes of reason wherefor man shold yeue his loue and namely yf ye haue clennesse chastyte For none maye loue a right but they be clene fro dedely synne ¶ Now and ye will not gyue your loue I wyll by r it wyll ye selle it for mi loue or for ony other thinge It is moost resonable marchandyse loue for loue And yf it be to selle for that pryce I haue truly boughte it wyth a nother loue And that loue that I haue shewed you passeth all the louys of the world And though they were al togider yet is it gretter· And yf ye say that ye wyll not gyue it me so good chepe name how moche ye wyll haue· And ye can not name somoche but I wyll gyue you asmoche ¶ Wyll ye castelles wyll ye reames Or wyll ye aske al the worlde Yet shall I make you a better couenaunt giue me your loue and I shall crowne you in heuen make you seuen tymes more clere theÌ„ne is the sonne Nor neuyr harme shall towche you nor neuyr thyng shal greue you nor noo wele shal fayle you· But all your wyll shal be doon in heuen in erth and in helle ¶ For neuer manÌ„ys wytte may deuyse nor herte thynke the Ioye the glorye that I wyll gyue you for your loue wythoute ony comparyson wythoute ony rekenyng and wythout ony ende more more And moche more wyth all the gladnes of Estre â–ª al the beaute of absolon as often as he dyde clippe his hede he myght selle the here that was kytte of for ijCC siclis of siluer The swyftnes of Asaell y t wolde stryue wyth the hertes in reÌ„nyng The strength of Sampson that slewe at one tyme a thousand men in batayle The largenesse of cezar The renomme of alexandre the holynesse of moyses But good lorde mercy wolde
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
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
blessid body that henge there on the crosse dredde theym sayeng This is truli the sone of god At y e same hour brake they the thies of the two theues that henge on eche side of oure lorde Ihesu cryst And at that houre a blynde knyght wyth a sharpe spere percyd hym thrugh his tender flesshe side vnto the hert to know yf he were perfyghtly dede And thēne ran̄e from his herte blood water for to wasshe vs from the fylth of synne And of that blood ran̄e downe by the spere to the honde of longeus wherwyth he wyped his eyen and forth wyth receyued his sighte And that hour was saynt Iohan all his other discyples frendes departed from hym sauf y e tender virgyn mary his sorowful moder that abode there allone amōge the dede theues wyth the blessid body of hir sone At the hour of euensonge yelde we thankynges to our lorde· for at this hour came Ioseph abaremathye nychodemus y t often had lodged our lorde was not consentīg to his deth and had goten leue of pylate to take down the body of Ih̄us and soo he Nychodemus dyde And anoynted it wyth myrre And wrapped it in a fayr clene clothe and layed it in y e sepulcre And also at that hour his moder and his other frendes that thenne were retorned made full sorowfull compleynt for hym And after that as some saye was Ioseph abaromathye taken put in pryson by the Iewes And the thirde day made our lorde his resurrexcōn after his pyteous paynfull deth that he suffryd for vs syn̄ars Wherof he be honoured thankyd wythout ende And for this that we haue ofte many tymes offended ayēst that grete loue that he hathe shewed vs. dayly sheweth vs we ought deuoutly to pray serue him not oonly seuen tymes of the daye but fro the begynnyng of oure lyf vnto the ende to prayse hym to gloryfye his name his passyon to remembre And thus sayth dauyd ¶ A solis ortu vsque ad occasū laudabile nomen dn̄i Amen ¶ Here endeth the lamentacōn of our lady whiche she had in y e passion of our sauyour ¶ Here begynneth a treatyse moche prouffitable for reformacōn of soules defoyled wyth ony of the vij dedely synnes TO his rih̄t dere suster salute helthe of soule of body in hī that is true sauyour In whom is alwaye charyte pacyence chastyte whyche in trouth defendeth vs fro euyl dooyng and meuyth vs to the holy trynite this he graūt vs by his holy pyte the swete Ihesus cryste of whom as moche more as man vnderstondeth sayth of his merueylous godenes soo moche more loueth he hath Ioye in him for spyrituell Ioye comyth of the loue of our lorde the right swete Ihesus And the very signe of loue is to thynke often on hym Wherfore remembre you oft of the humilite of his Incarnacōn of y e goodnes of his conuersacōn of the charytee of his passion And who well remembre thyse may fynde sure medycyne ayenst euery dedely synne temptacōn Fyrst who that entendeth to be proude bethynke hym of the grete humylite of our lorde Ihesu cryst whiche is soo grete that heuen erthe maye not comprehende hym And by his mekenes list to close him wythin the wombe of a mayde Thus was the sone of god ensample of humylite medycyne of pryde as saynt austyn sayth for he hath shewed to· vs mekenes in alle his werkes For he wolde haue an humble moder the blessyd vyrgyne marye an hūble howse where he was borne whiche was callyd a dyuersorye soo hūble a bedde as the manger for bestes And whan he came to the age of xij yere by his mekenes he was obedyent to Ioseph to his blessyd moder as it is shewed in y e gospell whan he came to more age he choos meke persones as saynt peter saynt andrew poor meke fisshars wyth other suche to be in his company in token that what man or woman that wold be with him in his perdurable Ioye it behoueth hē to be hūble meke as saynt austī sayth By the humylite of Ih̄u criste ye may come to the Ioye perdurable For in asmoche as Ih̄u criste is kyng of that coūtree whether we entende to goo And for asmoche as he is man he is sure waye wherby we shall goo for he is our exāple soo as he saith in the gospel I haue giuen you ensample of humylite Now may the proude folke vnderstonde that they may goo by none other way but by Ih̄u cryste this is by the waye of mekenesse ¶ For as saynt Iames sayth For god resisteth to the hie proude folkes to the hūble he gyueth̄ his grace They ben hūble that can marke ther owne proper defawtes holde theymself for foles wretches For the more they disprayse theymselfe the more largely shalle they haue y e grace of our lord ▪ wherefor it is sayd in scrypture The gretter that ye be in auctoryte the more hūble shold ye be in your herte in worde in werke And thenne shal ye finde grace at our lord after the Ioye with̄out ende Whiche vs graūte the swete Ih̄u cryst that somoche louyth humylite ¶ Ayenst the synne of Enuye WHo sholde reioyce the hurte of other or be sory of y e we le of other as enuyous folke done yf they beholde bi the eye of ferme fayth how grete charyte the swete Ih̄u very god man shewed vs not for his we le but for y e we le of other whan he soo dere boughte vs from thinfernal pryson whiche was wyth noo lityll raunson whan he gaaf hymself for our saluacyon and all this made charyte For he reioyseth the we le of other And the sorow of other was more paynful to hym than his owne which̄e shewed well by his moost pyteous paynfull deth that euer man suffred in erth for the releef comforte of other This charyte was the gyfte that he lefte wyth his discyples at his departyng as he saith in the gospel By this shal all folkes knowe yf ye ben truely my dysciples for thēne shall ye haue truly charite loue among you Now dere suster remember well what marke he setteth vpon al his Wherfore yf ye wyl be one of his ye must be of that marke as wolde our lorde I were one of the leest of theim· For god is ordener of loue And in loue restyth hymselfe soo as saynt Ioh̄n sayth ¶ Deus caritas est c. Now take gode hede by thyse ensamples that be soo open how good a thyng is humylite of herte wyth true loue of Ih̄u cryst For there is noo thyng vnder heuen that he loueth somoche yf ye haue that ye shall haue alle weles and god hymself And yf ye fayle that ye shall fayle all that may torne to your we le and as saynt poul sayth Know ye not wel that where
teÌ„pte you A nother medycyne ayenst spirytuell slouth is in the hope comfor to of euerlastyng Ioye And this may a man haue by holy medytacion of the passion of the swete Ihesu cryst of his Ioye of heuen ¶ And thise medytacoÌ„ns comen ofte by good lessons herde of other folke or by redyng theymself that makyth man woman fermly to trust in god and for noo synne to be in dyspaire of his mercy for thê° sayth saynt bâ—â—narde I haue synned gretly wherwyth my conscyence is trowblid but for this I dyspayre not for I shall thynke of the woundes of our lorde that he suffryd for synÌ„ars And thenne canÌ„ I not be afrayed for noo synÌ„e that I haue done in tyme paste but that I shall be sauid yf I haue grace to come wyth repentaunce to the mercy of our lorde· A nother remedie there is ayenst slouth ayenst euery euyll and a mene to purchace euery we le This is oryson and therfore the fende dredeth moche y e charytable prayer for this cause y e prayer entreth somoche in the court of ihesu cryst ayenst the fende that it doth two thiÌ„gis It byndeth hym brenneth hym We rede that a holy man was in his prayers the fende came fleyng ouer hym in the eyre sholde passe towarde the occydent by the commauÌ„dement of Iulian the emperour of Rome And there became he soo faste bounde by the prayers of the holy man that to hym ascended as wynges mouÌ„tynge towarde heuen that in noo wise he myght remeue bi y e space of x. dayes enteerly And of a nother fende rede we in the lyf of saynt bertylmew y t as he was in his prayers the fende sayd to him grete pane haue I wyth you for your praiers brenne me sore And for thys I pray you good suster that ye oft remembre thise thynges thennel shall ye haue the ioy of heueÌ„ y t shal be gyuen to theym that tâ—aueylle for our lord Ihesu cryst Soo as he hymselfe sayth in the gospell calle sayth he the labourers gyue them theyr hire that is the Ioye of heueÌ„ WHo sheld be coueytous or scarse as ben thei that will for the purchasyng receyuyng of erthly weles trespace ayeÌ„ste god yf they beholde by true fayth the grete pouertee that was in the swete Ihesu that conteyned fro the begynnyng of his lyf more more vnto th ende For at the fyrst tyme whaÌ„ the kyng was borne that made bothe heuen erth he had not soo moche place on all the erth vpon whiche his lityl body myght reste And therfore his piteous moder wrapped him in pour clothes layed him in a manger betwyx an oxe an asse As it is sayd in the gospell Yet after this was he more pour so as he hymself sayd that he had not soo moche place wheron he might rest his hede so pour was he of erthly loggyng But yet foloweth a greter pouerte for the kiÌ„ge of glorye was dyspoyled aâ—â—e nakyd put vpon the crosse And yet what is more merueile that of all the large erthe brode might he not haue space to laye his body to deye vpon For the crosse was not of brede past a foâ—e or lityll more This was a thyng of grete merueyle that he that was almyghty in heuen in erthe wolde wylfully be so pour as I haue here befor touchid ThenÌ„e vnhappy ben they that ouermoche desyren erthly goodes loue honour of this world Wherof saynt poul spekyth sore ayenste saith in this wyse It is not euyl to haue them but rather it is euyll to loue theym For the rychÌ„esse of this worlde is but thyng that gooth comyth And therfore who that hath rychesse loueth it becometh pour they that haue riches loueth pouerte is ryche For thyse riche folkes that ouermoche loueÌ„ this worlde haue the curse of god soo as he sayth in the gospell Cursed be ye ryche folkes that haue your comfort in your ryches But to theim that lityll loue it hath he gyueÌ„ his blessyng the Ioye perdurable thus sayth he in the gospell ¶ Blessyd be the poore for theyrs shall be the reame of heuen Thys graunt vs the swete Ihesus that soo moche louyd pouertee· WHo sholde ete ouermoche by wyll or custome or drynke wherby that the naturel forces of the soule or body sholde be destourbed soo that they maye not doo thoffice that they are ordeyned to Suche that ben thus accustomed ben the glotons that are ofte grutchyng for mete drynke ¶ But who that by true fayth be holde well the poure petaunce that our lorde Ihesu cryst had the day y t he was lete blood on the crosse they sholde haue lityll appetyte to that glotenie There ben two maner of folkes that haue grete nede of good comfortable metes this is to knowe they that traueyle they y t blede And the day of his passion our lorde was both in harde traueyle bledyng and his pour petauÌ„ce was thenÌ„e but a draught of eysell galle as the gospel sheweth who thenne sholde grutche for defawte though he haue somtyme not plente at his wyll of mete or drynke for the seruauÌ„t ought not to be better seruid than his lord wherof oure lorde spekith by Ieramye RemeÌ„bre you sayd he that haue soo moche trespased of my grete pouerte of the bytternesse of the eysell galle that was gyuen to me to drynke yet had I noo thynge trespased Alas wretches that we ben For truely if we thought of this grete defawte we sholde be content wyth lityll furnysshÌ„ penauÌ„ce wyth abstinence and helpe those meÌ„bres of our lorde that haue grete defawte whiche ben the pour nedy But it is grete merueyle y t thise rychÌ„e men haue not grete remorse of conscyeÌ„ce to thynke how they wythdrawe from the mouth of god in the pour gyue it to the chyldern of the fende as to thise mynstrelles triflers glotons vnthryftes doon ayenst the commauÌ„dement of oure lorde Ihesu cryste to the reryll of her soules· For the book sayth for the commaundement of god receyue the pour whiche is to meane to helpe them after your power And yf ye may not yet haue compascoÌ„n on theym· and be of good wyll to helpe theim and god wyll rewarde you And saynt austin sayth the ryche be made to helpe the pour and the pour to pray for the riche god wyll gyue to eche of theim richesse Ioye wythout ende The whiche Ioye vs graunt the swete Ihesus that fastyd xlÌ„ dayes in erthe AYeÌ„st lecherye is to be noted the clenÌ„esse of the pure vyrgyn mary for he sholde be ouer vyle of his body that by tru fayth beholde the clene byrth of Ihesu cryst of his rihÌ„t clene pure moder the blessyd vyrgyn saynt mary and the clenÌ„esse of the lif that thei ledde in erthe and all theyrs And on that other partye how shamfully
euyll vnclene is that vyle sinne they sholde hate it wyth all theyr hertes and flee it as the deth yf they were not out of theyr wyttes or of suche frowardnesse that they raughte not of theyr dampnacōn For we rede in genesis that god for that vyle shamfull synne dystroyed al the worlde by the floode For it rayned xl dayes xl nyghtes And this wate◠was soo hye that it was aboue the hyest mountayn in erthe xv cubytes· which̄e drowned al folkes bestes fowles in the world sauyng noe his wyfe his thre sones their iij. wyues And those bestes fowles y t were saued in the same arke the whiche water roos soo hye ouer al erth to wasshe away the filth foilyng of that vyle synne of lecherye And as hye shall ryse the fyre before the daye of Iugement to purge the erthe of synne as a wise fader sayth A how vnclene a thyng vyle is that fowle synne of lecherye whiche foyleth not oonly therthe But the ayre the whiche fylthe to wasshe awaye suffyseth not all the water that was in erth but that god sente fro heuen Rayne xl dayes xl nyghtes And for sīple fornycacōn that the folke of israhel dyde wyth the women of madyan rede we that there were slay of theim in one daye by the com̄aundement of moyses xxiij thousāde men And saynt poul wytnesseth And for the auoutrye that the folke of gaba dyde one nyghte in the rauysshyng the wyf of a man were slayne lx v. M. men And for that vyle shāfull synne a ayēste nature god dystroyed v. cytees For it regned vpon sodome gomore stynkyng sulphur bren̄ynge fyre and ouerthrewe the cytees all the reame aboute And all tho that enhabyted in the cytees all the thynges growenge in that londe And this was done in signe that god took noo vengaunce vpon the sinners oonly but on the place where they enhabyted of al the place aboute theim that eyther vsid it or knewe it and myghte amende theym wolde not And knowe well that in all maners y e ony man or woman procureth or assenteth therto oute of maryage it is dedely synne and one of y e gretest synnes that is For saynt austin sayth in the decre Auoutry is gretter synne than fornycacyon woors more vyle is a man to sinne wyth his own moder then with a nother woman But ouer euyl abhomynable is it of the synne ayenst nature the leest of all oute of mariage is dāpnable Wherfore ye wretches that folow soo the vise desires of your flessh̄ bethinke ye and repent you And remēbre how greuous is this vyle syn̄e of lecherye And therof sayth saynt Ioh̄n in thapocalipsis y e vicyous wretches auouterers that will not leue their synne shall be payned perdurably in a lake of stynkyng sulphur brennyng fire for this that they ben now soo brennyng in the fowle desire of theyr wretchid flessh̄ before god his angelles and all good folkes But yet the mercy of our lord is soo grete y t whan the wretchid man or woman repēteth hem of hir synnes haue they euer somoche offended in ony syn̄e what soo euer it be so that they kepe hem clene forthe in body herte shall goo to the Ioye perdurable where they shall see Ih̄u cryst y e fader the holy goost soo as sayth y e gospell Blessyd be the clene of herte for they shal see god swete ihesu the sone of marye all the holy company of heuen My dere suster there I trust we shall be togyder bothe body sowle at the grete daye of Iugement And this graūt vs almighti god of his Infinite mercy Amen And all ye that rede or here this pray ye for hym that made it for theym that wrote it and for hir that was the cause that it was made and of your charite for theym that translated it wrote it out of frenssh̄ in to ēglissh̄ one pater noster one auee that god haue mercy on vs. that we may come to hym after this mortall lyfe in to the euerlastyng lyf wythout departynge Amen AS wyse folkes sayen there ben thre signes of very loue frenshyp One is a persone wyll be gladde to speke well of whom they loue beste A nother they wylle be gladde to here often well good tidynges of theym The thyrde they haue theim somoche in theyr remembraūce ▪ that at somtyme all other thyng is forgoten but oonly the same thyng that they loue best And this is the moost sure true signe of all other moost to be preysed And this dyde saynt Fraūceys of whom pope gregory wytnessith by his bull y t he sawe often wyth his eyen that whan men named the name of ihesu before saynt fraunceys he was soo rauysshyd wyth that blessid name that he had nother the herynge nor the sight of ony persone or thīge that was done aboute him for a tyme. And thus my right dere suster for goddes sake ouer all thyng loue ye him· doo your true deuour to wynne the specyall fauour and grace of him that so hiely will marye his louers As well preuyd it saynt Katheryne and saynt an̄es and holde ye thenne this maner to thynke what a loue the swete Ih̄s is· Thynke fyrst how by naturell reason ye be moost beholden to loue theim that moost hath gyuen you and moost hath don̄ for you with out ony deserte of you wythoute ony rewarde of you For al y e good weles that is in you ye haue receyued of hym Thenne shee wit well that aboue all other ye ought to loue him wyth all your herte wyth all your power For after y e grete weles bountees that ye haue receyued of him soo ought youre loue to be grete towarde hym this sayth hymself by the prophete Ysaye I haue noo desire of golde nor siluer nor other tresour but onely of the faythfull loue of man or woman Now bethynke you well thenne dere suster where may ye better gyue your hert loue thā to hym Wherfore to remēbre yow euery daye yf ye haue leyser what ben y e weles that ye haue receyued of god wythout your deserte say or thinke in this manere My lorde god I vnderstonde well that ye of your grace hath made me of no thyng and giuen me beyng amonge your creatures and truly whā I was noo thynge I myght noo thyng deserue Then̄e all this that I am haue I haue receiued of your specyall gyfte grace wythout my deserte And of your creatures there ben some hyer some lower And I knowe well that ye myghte haue made me the most vyle creature that is and this dyde ye not But of your bountee fourmed me to be amonge the moost hie creatures that is this is to knowe aungell man that in your owne liknesse shall see you in your glorye And this
to suffre for my synÌ„es ye that neuer dyde synÌ„e I require huÌ„bly beseche you that ye grauÌ„t me very sorowe true repentauÌ„ce for my sinnes in this lif soo that I be not by theim deliuerde to eternall payne And dere suster whan ye shall thus haue spoken to the sone tourne yow theÌ„ne to his blessid moder say or thynke O moost blessid glorious virgyn mary moder of our lorde IhÌ„u cryst for that swete loue that was betwene you your dere sone whan ye soo swetly enbrased hym theÌ„ same that is the kyng of glori And wyth your breste gaaf hym sowke and many a swete kisse gaue and Receyued of hym I requyre huÌ„bly beseche you that ye purchace me that grace of your dere chylde truly to loue him And my prayer soo to auauÌ„ce that I maye atteyne his blessid loue And I beseche you moder of mercy for that grete sorow that was in your herte whan ye saw your dere sone wyth out gylte suffre soo harde cruel dethe for me synfull all other synÌ„ners that it wyll pleyse you to be meane for vs to gete vs his grace of true repentauÌ„ce for our synÌ„es here in thÌ„is wretchyd short lyf so y t we may to his pleysure peasible departe â–ª come Ioyfully to y e presence of your dere sone you there to contynue wythout ende Amen ¶ Here foloweth a Treatise that spekyth of the vertu of the brauÌ„ches of the appultree whiche is expouned morally as foloweth here after THE Prophete saith thise wordes I shall mount to the appultree take of the frute Somtyme is vnderstonde by the appultree the crosse And somtyme penaunce Somtyme contemplacyon ¶ On the appultre of the crosse gader men the fruyte of lyfe On ¶ This appultree shold haue vij braunches and vpon euery braunche a byrde a floure The fyrste braunche is consideracyon of hym selfe that is whan the soule knoweth hyrselfe and enserchyth faythfully truly in hir conscyence soo that therin abyde noo thynge that shold dysplese god Vpon this braunche makyth the pecok his neest The pecok is of suche nature that whan she slepyth on nyghtes and wakyth sodenly she cryeth for the fere that she hathe to lese hir bewte ¶ This signefyeth the soule that our lorde hath formed and created soo fayr that in the nyghte of this derke worlde oughte alwaye to be in drede soo that she lease not hir beaute whiche ben the bountees the graces that god hath lent gyuen hyr so ought she by grete dyscoÌ„forte to crye whan she felith knoweth ony derknesse and shortly and wyth ferme faythe to chace awaye all hir defawtes Vpon this brauÌ„che is a full fayre flour that is of good odour also hath an heuenly coloure whiche is called Narde It is an herbe lityll low of hote nature that signefieth humilite that gladly obeyeth hirself that maye not be done wythout y e hete of charite· Suche humylite yeldeth grete colour odour for it drewe y e sone of god down to erth soo as our lady it wytnesseth â–ª there where she sayth· For he hath behold the humylite of his hondmayde She sayd not the virgynite nor the charyte nor the noblesse nor many other vertues wherwyth she was fulfylled But she said rather humylite For this was the specyall vertue wherfore the sone of god descended in her For yf she had not be perfite meke he wold neuer haue chosen hir for he resisteth to the prowde to the huÌ„ble gyueth his grace Well rested this swete lady vpon the brauÌ„che of contemplacyon that kepte humylite loste not hir holinesse Vpon this brauÌ„che desired dauyd to sitte whan he sayd in prayenge Bedewe me lorde wyth esoppe theÌ„ne shal I be more whyte thaÌ„ snow Isoppe signefieth that same ye. narde doth The Isoppe purgeth the breste humylyte purgeth the hert of Rancour of enuye of shrewdnesse of al felonyes· By this desired dauyd to be clensid after his grete synne for he knewe well that this was the true medicyn ¶ The seconde brauÌ„che of contemplacoÌ„n is coÌ„punccion of theyr neyghbours for whaÌ„ y e soule hath good wyll to ameÌ„de al this that god is displesed for bi y e knouleche receyueth the floure of very humylytee Thenne oughte she to haue compascyon of hir neyghbours the appultree of Penaunce gader men seuen fruytes Foure to the body and thre to the soule The fyrste fruyte that the body shall haue after his penaunce â–ª done shal be clerenesse soo scrypture sayth The iuste folke shall shyne as the sonÌ„e in the Reame of their fader Of this sayth saynt poul we shall beholde sayth he our lorde Ihesu cryste that shall refourme the bodyes of oure humanytee as fygure to the body of his clernesse The seconde frute that the body shall haue shall be liightnesse for it shal be as light as the thought is now Wherof men finde of our lord after his resurrexcyon that he was light For now apered he to theim that were in eumans â–ª and forthwith to them that were in Iherusalem The thirde frute that the body shall haue shall be subtylte They shall not be thenne so groos as they are now but they shall be full subtyll As men fynde also of our lorde Ihesu cryst after the sayd resurrexcoÌ„n that he entred amonge his dyscyples whan the dores were shytte This myghte not be done before but by myracle The fourth fruyte that the body shall haue shall be Impassibylite this shall be helthe for it shal be so hole that it shall neuer maye haue siknes in bodi nor in soule thise four fruytes shal the body haue and the soule shall haue thre The fyrst shal be the knowlege of the godhede wherof saint poul saith I know now a partye by fygure as men loke in a glasse But theÌ„ne shal I knowe like as I am now knoweÌ„ we shall know god in all as he is see him clerly wythout couerture or wythout glasse this shall be the lighte of the grete glories that the soule shall haue The seconde shall be the glorye of humanyte of IhÌ„u cryst The thyrde shall be loue For yf the soule haue knowleche sighte loue not this sholde be noo perfyte glorye But she loue hir god whoÌ„ she shall see know Now come we to the appultree of conteÌ„placoÌ„n Thappultree is streite skleÌ„der douÌ„ward large vpward For the soule that wyll mouÌ„t in conteÌ„placoÌ„n ought to be streyght skleÌ„der douÌ„warde to all erthly thynges to all carnall affeccoÌ„ns large vpwarde in the loue of god and of his neyghbour For like as the appultree the more playn it be wythout bowes tyll it come to the height the more spredeth it in y e toppe thê° dooth the soule that stretchith on height by conteÌ„placoÌ„n of tyme hauiÌ„ge noo lowe bowes of worldly ne carnalle affeccyon spredeth moche more vpwarde in loue to god And sholde applie hyr humbly and
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
sayd he thus as the harte desireth the welle thus desireth my soule to the my god in a nother place sayth he ¶ Dormitauit aiÌ„a mea prete dio Saynt poul was mouÌ„ted onÌ„ day on this brauÌ„che sayd I desire to be dyssolued to be wyth cryst in a nother place he sayd â–ª Wretched maÌ„ who shal delyuer me of this body of deth ¶ VpoÌ„ this brauÌ„che makith y e nightyngale his neest y t is of suche nature that he singyth al nyght ayeÌ„st y e day whaÌ„ he seth y e daye the sonÌ„e ryse he makyth so gre Ioy y e vneth he kepith his lyfe this signefieth y e holi soule y t in the derke night of this lif abydeth our lord whaÌ„ she felith his comiÌ„g in hir hert by grace· she hath soo grete Ioye that she can nother speke nor be stylle suche was the gode â—ld symeoÌ„ that was so Ioyful whan he beholde the comynge of the sone of god wherof he sayth Ha god whaÌ„ shall come the swete chylde whan shal he be born· whan shall I see hiÌ„ whether shall I dure soo long that he may finde me here at his holi natyuite Maye euer my eyen see that same by whom the eye of the soule shall be awakid· Thise wordes sayd he euery day in his prayer by y e oppressynge of the grete desire of his herte And by his grete desyre had he answere of the holy goost y t he sholde not fele deth tyll he had seeÌ„ the very sone of god Thus dide he as the nyghtyngale that singeth all the nyghte Whan he sawe com day the sone of Iustyce of whoÌ„ mary was moder broughte him to be offryd in the temple he ran ayenst him enbraced him and held hym ayeÌ„st his hert and had so grete Ioye that vneth his hert myght abyde it And thenne made he this fair songe ¶ NuÌ„c dimittis seruuÌ„ tuuÌ„ dnÌ„e c Lord put your seruaunt in peas for now I see the pease that I haue somoche desired â— whereof I haue somoche Ioye that deth is noo payne to me And for goddes sake doo we as simeon dyde enbrace we this swete chylde in tharmes of our hertes Saint anne enbraced him in the temple that had somoc desired hym Vpon this braunche grew the floure of safreÌ„ and the flour blanche whiche signefyen that this feruent desire maketh the soule pale yelow wherof it sayth in the cantycles lete me not to beholde though I be blacke for the sone hath dyscoloured me And in a nother place sayth he arayed wyth flowres set on wyth thornes for I languysshe in loue The sixte braunche of the appyll tree is vysitacyon whan our lord hath pyte on the soule desiryng hiÌ„ he vysiteth hir by his grace that he gyueth hir the felyng of his swete presence that she hath somoche desired Vpon this braunche makyth the swalow hir nest she is of suche nature that she takyth hir fediÌ„ge in ayre in fleeng This signe fyeth the soule vysited of god that ought to take no comfort nor pleisure of noo temporell thynge but of god allonly And tho thynges nedeful to the body sholde they take thus as in fleeng that is to abyde theron as lityll as they may but onely for their sustenauÌ„ce Vpon this brauÌ„che was mounted ezechiel whaÌ„ he sayd all thus as y e fawne that cryeth after his moder taketh noo comforte but of hir thus the soule contemplatyf whan she cometh ayen to hyrselfe and seeth the grete Ioye that she shall haue of this suffrauÌ„ce she oughâ— not to obeye hir to hir owne wyll nor to synne but allonely to the wylle of god Vpon this brauÌ„che groweth the marygolde whiche is of suche nature that whan the sonne sheweth the floure spredeth And whaÌ„ the sonne wythdrâ—â—eeth it closeth Right thus shold doo the comtemplatyf soule ayenst the sonÌ„e of Iustyse and ought alway to open hyr herte by desire by loue And yf it falle ony tyme that grace be wythdrawen they sholde close their hertes ayenst all forreyne pleysures ayenst all synne oughte to take noo reste nor comforte tyll it come ayen And as the marygolde foloweth the sonÌ„e soo ought the contemplatyf soule to folowe our lord to serue hym to desire hym to go after him Suche was mari mawdeleyne whan she went to the sepulcre where she fouÌ„de noo thyng· but thangel that answerd hir of whoÌ„ she took lityll hede for she was soo ferueÌ„t in the loue of our lorde whoÌ„ she soughte that she myght receyue noo comfort of thangel And yet was he as cleer as a full fayr sterre But she axed for the sonÌ„e that all enlumyneth took lityll kepe of al other cleâ—nes She sought hiÌ„ ofte where he was not thider came she wyth right grete desire For there was the last place where she had lefte him· and for this wende she there surely to fynde hym by her desires And afterwarde she fouÌ„de hym For truly who that wyll perseuer in deuoute praiers refuseth for him all other forreyne pleysures they shall surely fynde hym wythout doubt hymself promyseth soo in thapocalips sayth I loue them that loue me and those that wake bytymes for me shall fynde me And thus for cause she loued hym she fonde him and yet sayd he more Yf ony opeÌ„ his gate for me I wyll entre in wyth a good wyll dwelle wyth hym he wyth me and shal ete gladly wyth hym he wyth me Vpon this braunche sate dauyd whaÌ„ he sayd my soule hathe refused all comforte but oonly of the ¶ The seuenth braunche of contemplacyon is affeccoÌ„n that is whan the soule is come to thys that she felith somoche of god that the humanyte ne may not holde her but rather fayle Vpon this brauÌ„che was dauyd mounted whan he sayd I shal remember me of god shall delite me exercyse me in the loue of hym· my spiryte fayleth And in a nother place he saith mi soule fayleth Vpon this brauÌ„che makyth her nest the phenyx that signefyeth the spirytuell folke for this that he is singuler For full fewe is of them or of suche that come to this hye stage The phenyx is of suche nature that whan he shall deye he gadreth togyder thornes and gooth in to the moost hote part of al the londe y t he is in whan he hath heped them he fleeth ouer theym soo longe that they begyn to brenne and thenne brenÌ„eth he hymselfe in that fyre and of those asshes groweth a nother fenyx The phenix in one sence signefieth our lorde IhÌ„u crist that was with out fader in erth to whom was neuer none like in him was all y e brauÌ„ches of vertues asseÌ„bled whiche by loue brent hymself on th aulter of the crosse The phenyx also signefyeth the holy soule spirituell that hath gadred togyder the thornes of good vertues bereth hem in to the hete of
charite Soo make they to god sacrefyse of body soule whaÌ„ they offre to him in thodour of his humanyte on the auter of their hertes by perfyte desire and this sacrefyce is ful pleysaunt to god wherof dauyd sayd Suche sacrefyse is crase And in a nother place sayd Thenne is the sacrefise crase whan 〈…〉 is reysed by wynges of 〈◊〉 â—esires oute of al bodely affeccyons Imagynacyons and she is Ioyned to god in crase is dronken of the crase of the holy goost so that for the tyme hir behoueth to fayle bi the grete habundante Ioye that she felith This signefyeth the quene of saba that came to Iherusalem for to see the sapyeÌ„ce of Salamon wherof she had herde the grete renomme But whan she sawe hym she said she sawe more than she had herde And as scripture sayth she fayled in hirself for the merueiles that she behelde in hym The fruyte of this brauÌ„che is IhÌ„u cryst that sayd I am the floure of the felde and the lelye of the valeye Of this frute sayd Elisabeth ¶ Benedictus fructus c. The leues of this brauÌ„che ben the cryes sighes· the sownynges and the snobbynges that they haue that ben thus mouÌ„ted ¶ HEre ben declared the signes wherby men may seke the loue of our lorde WE CRysten oughte moche hertly to RemeÌ„bre in our hertes thynke on the rihÌ„t grete loue y t the swete childe of bethleem IhÌ„u crist shewed to vs by the wouÌ„de of his precious side in vij signes ful of right grete loue ¶ ThÌ„e fyrst signe of loue was shewed to vs in this y t he wold make of his precyoê° wouÌ„de the leure red blody to call oure hertes that by fleeÌ„g thoughtes ofte seaseth hem by fals loue vpon the careyne of vayn creatures ¶ The seconde signe is in this y t hÌ„e made their tresour to redeme vs this tresour is that of his precioê° bÌ„ody was put out the most precious lif that euer was or euer maye be gaf it for to redeme our soules fro the paynes of helle He gaf therfore also his precious soule ful of all weles full of grace wythoute mesure ful of all the blessid diuynite ful of the myght of god y e fader Ful of the sapyence of god the sone ful of the grace of god the holy goost And for asmoche as one bouÌ„tee requireth a nother we ought to opeÌ„ to him the tresour of our hertes whiche shold be in golde ensence myrre this is to knowe the golde of feruent loue thensence of deuout prayer the myrre of penauÌ„ce of satysfaccoÌ„n ¶ The thyrde signe is shewed in this that he made there a welle to wasshe our hertê this is the welle of grace that spriÌ„geth fro the depnes of the diuynite cometh thorugh the wouÌ„de of his side costeth vpon the grauell of holy medytacyon and decendeth in to the draught of the conscyeÌ„ce right brenÌ„yngly for to put out all vnclennesse ¶ The fourth signe is in this that he made there a tauerne to make vs drynke this tauerne hath the humanytee nature fulfyllid wyth wyne of consolacyon· that the true hert ordeneth in very charite In this tauerne descended the sone of god bi ix degrees y t thus representeth the ix orders of angels This wyne god the fader tuÌ„ned god the sone pressed god y e holy goost it fylled wyth ful mesure thrugh holy desire he reysed by y e vertu of the fire of loue wherof the furnays of the hert ought to be alway hote ¶ The v. signe is in this that he made there a nest for vs to rest in In this nest shold the religious soule seke y e rest of his conscyence bi holi conteÌ„placoÌ„n flee thoccacoÌ„ns that myght meue hir herte to desire spredde to many creatures by disordinat fals affeccyon ¶ The vj. signe is this tha the made there a sheld to defende vs froÌ„ oure enmyes that seaseth not day ne night to doo their power to deceiue vs Thise enmyes beÌ„ the flesshe the world the fende froÌ„ whiche none may defende hem nor kepe but bi y e vertu of the pascoÌ„n of our lord ihesu cryst of his swete wouÌ„des ¶ The vij signe is in this that he made there a tree of lif for vs in hiÌ„ to entree al thus as the waxe of the candell shold entree wythin the wyke for to drawe the light to it thus shold y e religious hert be eÌ„tred wythin this wouÌ„de by loue brennyng charite ought to be couerd wyth erth by y e knowlege of oure owne freelte wrapt in the barke by remebrauÌ„ce of that deth that vs al hath redemed seke the rewarde of the same by the steppes of holy werkes in the vertue of perseuerauÌ„ce wyth very humylite thenne draweth the light of deuocoÌ„n wardur of honest conuersacoÌ„n sauour right pleysauÌ„t wyth swete refeccyon Thus is the hert draweÌ„ to nature diuyne by the vertue of loue whiche of two makyth one all in Ioye that neuer shall haue ende Wyth this leure be our hertes calde of this tresour truly redemed of this welle clene wassht of this tauern swetly made drunke In this nest stilly to rest wyth this sheelde defended kept Soo that withoute ende be we in god soo set that neuer in noo tyme be we fâ—om hym dysseuered Amen ¶ How fayth exhorteth the persone to eschewe haue in contempt all euyl thoughtes to reduse theÌ„ self in al poyntes to good werkes vnder the hope of diuyne grace GRete awayte ought eueri bodi to haue vpon theymself y t they retorne not ayen vnto those synnes that they haue ben reconsiled of For vain is the penauÌ„ce that the same offence soyleth ayen Where resiste wyth al your power froÌ„ doyng those synÌ„es that ye haue lost soo that they growe not in you ayeÌ„ ThenÌ„e vnderstonde what ye beÌ„ to what enteÌ„t ye beÌ„ made for suche as god hath ordeyned you ought ye to be ¶ Haue in you very byleue that ye by one onÌ„ly sinÌ„e beÌ„ many vertues lost ThenÌ„e for the loue of god gyue not your sowle to the power of the flesshÌ„ suffre none vnclenÌ„es to abyde in you Resist at the begiÌ„nyng of euyll thoughtes soone may ye theÌ„ne surmouÌ„t the remenaunt Knowe ye for trouth that by your thoughtes shall ye be Iuged for the body may not be corrupt till the thought be fyrst corrupt And whan the wylle therto consenteth the flesshe is all redy to synÌ„e therfore torne your wylle froÌ„ euyll thoughtes the body shall not synne VnderstoÌ„de to this that is admonested to you that ye be not foyled wyth none vnclenÌ„es of lecherye nor that ye be vainquynshed bi fornycacoÌ„n for thise beÌ„ grete sinÌ„es among all other For better is it todey than to doo fornycacoÌ„n better to lese your life than be foiled with lecherye Therfore bewaar for contynuauÌ„ce somtyme makith one to synÌ„e Haa god how chastite atteyneth
ouer all is necessary prouffitable y e remeÌ„braunce of the paynful meke suffrauÌ„ce of our lorde IhÌ„u cryst It coÌ„forteth in all tribulacoÌ„n It surmounteth all temptacyon It deliuereth from all trystesse It takyth awaye all vayne gladnesse And of dyspayres makyth deliueraunce and is the sure true hope of pardone It is the rule of obedyence and the example of pacyence and sure medicyne agayn all euyll And of all true weles the very rote ¶ There were sixe mayster togyder and one askyd to a nother what thyng they shold say of god began to speke of trybulacoÌ„n The fyrst master sayd yf ony thinge were more noble than tribulacion to ony creature liuyng in this world god rader wold haue gyueÌ„ it to his sone therfore he gaaf hiÌ„ more to suffre therof thaÌ„ to ony other creature y t euer was or shall be ¶ The .ij master said y t yf ony creature were as clene fro sinÌ„e as he was at thour that he was cristened â–ª might liue xxx yere withoute bodely mete also that god had gyueÌ„ him grace to speke with thaÌ„gel in thayre soo as he dyde to mary magdalenÌ„ yet myght he not dysserne in this lif soo grete merite as some decerne in auersite by pacyeÌ„ce beryng ¶ The thyrde master sayd yf the moder of god all the sayntes that ben in hâ—â—â—en prayed for a creature they myght not gete hym soo grete meryte as he shold gete bi beryng pacieÌ„tly aduersite ¶ The fourth mayster sayd that our lorde IhÌ„u cryst henge on the crosse halfe a day therfore honour we the crosse· But I saye that we oughte by more grete reison honour tribulacion than the crosse For our lord suffryd that more than thyrty yere in erthe ¶ The fythe mayster sayd rather than to leue the leest rewarde that myght be goten by pacyent suffryng of trybulacion he had as leue forbere the sight of god vnto the day of dome An holy man say the y â— nonÌ„ is worthi to haue tribulacoÌ„n but suche as desire it gladly TribulacoÌ„n quenchith the sinnes tribulacoÌ„n arrayeth the persone to know y e secretê of god tribulacoÌ„n makith a man to know hiÌ„self other multiplieth y e vertues preuith hiÌ„ as gold in the furnays of god charite this doth tribulacoÌ„n TribulacoÌ„n bieth ayeÌ„ the time loste the creature eÌ„belissheth with innocense makyth hiÌ„ able to receyue al the weles that god giueth to his freÌ„des it is the tresour y t none may be coÌ„parid to trybulacyon vneth the creature to gode And that is the most certeyn wele that is ¶ Now askyth the sixte mayster wherfore we suffre soo enuyously trybulacyon And it is answerde for thre causes The fyrst is for we haue lityll loue to god The seconde for we thynke lityll of the rewarde that god wyll gyue vs therfore The thyrde for this that we thynke full lityll of the sufferaunce that our lorde Ihesu cryst suffred for vs Praysed maye he be of hys grete bountee Amen ¶ Thus endeth this present boke whiche treateth fyrst of the gloryous passion of our Sauyour and of the compascyon that his blessyd moder had therof And also sheweth in a nother treatyse folowyng wherfore we ought to loue our sauyour more than ony other thynge ¶ Also sheweth a nother treatise moche prouffytable for reformacyon of soules defoyled wyth ony of the vij dedely synnes ¶ ItmÌ„ a nother treatyse shewynge the signes of goostly loue ¶ ItmÌ„ a treatise of the vertues of the brauÌ„ches of the appultree whiche is expowned morally as is before expressyd ¶ Also folowiÌ„g is declared wherby men maye seke the loue of our lorde Ihesu cryst ¶ And the last treatyse of this forsayd boke spekyth to exhorte the persone to eschewe and haue in coÌ„tempte all euyll thoughtes And to reduce theymself in all poyntes â—o good werkes vnder the hope of dyuyne grace