I may nowe at this tyme receyue this holy sacrifice of thy blessed body and blode with puryte of hart clenenes of conscience with the gracious fountayne of deuout swete teares with desyre drede with honour and reuerence / with mekenes of harte / and feruour of loue / with spirituall gladnes and heuenly ioy And yf it may please thy goodnes lorde let me be somwhat reysed vp in spirite I dare not say vnto the very felynge and perceyuynge but vnto some maner lytle smake or taste of the swetenes of thy godly mooste pleasaunt presence and vnto the deuocion of thy holy aungels and sayntes that here be now presente about the same / and that I maye with them fynally be there present where now they be Amen O Moost gentyll lorde mercyfull sauyour Iesu / I beseche the for this holy mystery of thy blessed body and blode wherwith we vnworthy wretches ben dayly fed in thy churche and dayly wasshed clensed sanctified and made hole / and so parteyners of thy moost hygh diuinity and godhed Graunt me lord and gyue me the precious garment of innocency with suche garnysshe of other garmētes therunto accordyng as best may please thy grace Wherwith apparelled / bawned / dressed I may as in my nupciall and weddynge clothyng in good and clene cōscience approche vnto thy presence So that this celestiall heuenly sacrament ryceyued may be vnto me helth and saluacion of soule and body / vnto lyue euerlastynge Amen GOod swete mayster moste hyghly lerned / and best expert phisicion lord Iesu my sauyour I beseche thy gentyll harte to cure and hele my infyrme / feble / syke hart frome all maner of langoures / diseases / and sykenesses / Palate is the rofe of the mouthe and so to refourme and season the palate of my soule and mynd that I neuer sauer fele ne taste any maner of swetenes but onely thy selfe For thou good lord arte the moost swete sauored bred / the moost white / pleasaunte and most noble and beste nourisshynge bread / the bread of all breades / the bread paynmayne of pleasure the bread of all fortitude and strength / the bread of all vnderstandynge and knowledge / the bread of all grace good wyll / the bread of lyfe that hast in thy selfe all maner of delectament and pleasure / gyuest lyfe vnto the world And of thy moost excellent charity doste euer contynually refresshe and fede vs with thyne owne selfe yet in thy selfe doste nothyng waste / minushe / ne faynte / or fayle Let my hart good lord therfore fede vpon the / spiritually eate and drynke the / be so fed of the / that my soule may be fully saciat and fylled of the swete sauyour and taste of the sauory swetenes of thy diuine presence GOod swete lorde / I beseche the come thy selfe / entre in to my hart make clene myne inward partes from all inquinamētes / and filthynes of mynd and of spirite Entre good lord into my soule / make me whole frome all synfull diseases Sanctifye clēse me now and at al tymes vnto thy selfe for thy selfe Be thou good lord thy selfe both the phisicion the medicin / the salue and the surgeon the helth and conseruaciō of both my body soule Put awaye from me good lord all the crafty assayles and the sleyghty wyles of myne enimies that they haue nothynge to do with me but that thou lord alone may occupy me wholly vnto thy selfe so that nothyng els haue any tyme power ouer me but that I alwaye preserued and defended by this blessyd sacramēt may go forth contynue profyte perseuerantly in the pathe and way of my profession / thy holy christiā religion with due obseruaūce reguler disciplines christiā maners and all due catholyke obedience perteynyng vnto the same And that I neuer consent ne lene vnto any of them that ben contrarious thereunto Amen Ex cano ne miss GOod blessyd lorde father omnipotent eterne euerlastynge god I moost entierly beseche thy goodnes to graunt me grace so worthely now to receyue this holy sacred body and blessyd blode of my swete sauyour Iesu Christe that I may therby deserue to haue full remission and forgyuenes of all my synnes and to be replete and fulfylled with thy holy spirit and to haue thy peace For thou alone art my lord thou only my god / and non other thou lorde the entiere and inward loue of my hart / the true quietude and sure rest of my mynde the whole desyre of my soule Whose gloryouse impery and gouernaunce remayneth perfectly abydeth cōtynueth and indureth for euermore world without ende Amen MI swete lord god Ex eodē father of heuyn the fountayne well and spryng of all bountie goodnes / that moued of thy moost pyteouse mercy woldest vouchesafe that thyn owne sonne our sauiour Iesu Christe shulde descende and come down for vs for our sake vnto this wretched worlde / and here take flesshe and bloode of the blessyd virgyn his mother Mary and therin for vs to susteyne suffre and bere our myseryes moost bytter passyon intollerable and greuous payns and moost cruell and mooste shamefull dethe I beseche the lord graūt me that grace that I may dayly worshype the gloryfy the / and with all the intēt and wyll of my hart I may laude prayse the. And that thou good lord neuer leue ne forsake me / thy pore and wretched seruaunt but of thy depe and great mercy thou clerely forgyue and forget all my synnes So that in clene hart and chast body I may be able to serue the alone / my lorde eterne / euerlastyng / lyuynge / and very God omnipotent Amen Myne owne swete lorde sauyour Iesu very essenciall sonne of almyghty God / that of thy profound depe mercy by the wyll of thy eterne father by the workynge of the holy ghost haste by thy passion and deth quyckened and redemed the world I beseche moost lowly thy holy grace / in the honour of this thy holy sacred body blessed blode whiche I vnworthy wretche presume to receyue for the welthe of my soule that thou wilt vouchsafe to perdō my boldenes and to delyuer me quyte from all iniquities / offenses / all maner of euyls whereby in any tymes I haue or may any tyme hereafter offend or displease thy gracious goodnes And thou good lord make me euer obedient vnto thy wyll and commaundement And that thou neuer suffre me swete lorde to be perpetually departed from the my swete lord sauyour Iesu Christe that with the father with the holy ghoste lyueste and reygnest very selfe same essenciall god / world without ende Amen O Souerayn lorde sauyour Iesu / although I most vnworthy wretche now here do accede presume approche vnto this worthy sacrament of thy mooste precyous body and bloode yet I beseche thy
lorde make cause vs to be rewarded with thy holy sayntes in eterne euerlastynge glory and ioy âšœ Saluum fac populum tuuÌ„ domine / et benedic hereditati tue et rege eos et extolle illos vsque ineternum We beseche the good lorde make thy people saued soules gyue blessynge to thyne heneretaunce And rule good lord and gouerne theÌ„ And excolle inhaunce magnifye good lord and make them honorable vnto the ende of the world âšœ Per singulos dies bnÌ„dicimê° te / et laudamus nomeÌ„ tuuÌ„ in sclm in seculum seculi We done god lord blysse honour the euery day by day / done laude and prayse thy holy name from tyme to tyme / and from age vnto age for euermore âšœ Dignare domine die isto sine peccato nos custodire Vouchesafe good lord to kepe vs this day / and all our lyfe tyme from synne and trespas âšœ Miserere nrÌ„i dnÌ„e miserere nrÌ„i Haue mercye good lorde vpon vs / haue mercye âšœ Fiat miÌ„a tua dnÌ„e super nos / quemadmoduÌ„ sperauimus in te Let thy mercye / lorde / lyght on vs / as we haue had euer perfecte hope and trust in the. âšœ In te domine speraui / non confundar in eternum I haue alway hoped and perfectely trusted inwardly in the. I beseche the lorde I neuer be coÌ„founded disapoynted ne deceyued Thus endeth that swete prayer / your Te deum ¶ Prayers vnto the ende of masse O Moost benigne lord sauyour moost hyghest preste very Bysshope Iesu Christe / that woldest vouchesafe to offre thyne owne selfe most pure lambe / most immaculate / moost clene and vnspotted hoost in sacrifice vnto the father of heuyn vpon the aultre of the crosse for vs wretched synners And also that woldest gyue leue with vs perpetually thyne owne very flesshe for our spirituall fode and thyne owne precyous blode for our spirituall drynke / I beseche the for the sake of all thy sorowfull woundes for the effusion and shedynge of thy moost precyous blode for the vertue of thy most innocent deth and moost specially for that excellent meruelouse and vnspekeable charity thou had vnto vs wherby thou woldest vouchsafe to washe vs fylthy vnworthy wrethes in thyne owne holy sacred blode I beseche the haue mercy pytie on me forgyue me all my synnes neglygences all offences don eyther by coÌ„mission or omissioÌ„ that is to meane all suche offeÌ„ces as I dyd myght not laufully nor shulde haue don / also all that I myght or shuld haue don / dyd not And sythe good lord amonge all thyne other great mercyfull benefytes thou woldest vouchsafe onely of thy liberall goodnes without any deseruynge of me to call me vnworthy wrethe to the grace of thy fayth and to be one of thy sorte now also forther to receyue me this mistery holy sacrameÌ„t I beseche the lord teache me inspyre my soule to order me selfe thereunto with suche reuereÌ„ce drede and with suche feruour deuocion with suche loue charyte as may be acceptable to thy grace shall come or byseme my state and degre so increace in vertue by the receyuing herof in the same degre as maye be also to the edificacioÌ„ of all persons And I beseche the suffre me neuer to dout of this holy sacrameÌ„t but euermore to ê‘ceyue vnderstande holde beleue thynke speke after the true fayth of thy catholyke church Let good lord thy holy spirite come vnto me and entre into my hart there without wordes or noyse secretly speke vnto my soule / to instructe tell and teache me the very truthe of all that hyghe mystery / for I know well it is very ê“funde hyghe / excepte thy graciouse doctrine ferre aboue my capacite vnderstandyng Wherfore swete sauyour Iesu I now here fully and wholy without any forther discusse or reasonynge moost lowly submyt my selfe vnto thy mercy Besechynge the same / that I may with clene harte and pure coÌ„scieÌ„ce accede approche although vnworthy theruÌ„to And that thou good lord for the swetenes of thy holy harte woldeste vouchesafe to delyuer my synfull soule from all doubt and daunger of synne / and to mundify / purge / and clense my frayle mynde frome all vayne / all vnclene / all noyouse and vnfruitfull cogitacions and thoughtes And to conforte and strenght my faynt and feble hart with the grace of constancy and perseuerauÌ„ce / so that my soule may be made in thy loue and charity the worthy habitacle dwellyng place of thyne hyghe maiesty not onely now at this tyme but also in all tymes vnto the ende of my lyfe And after euer vnto the ende of the worlde Amen O Mooste swete louer of all mankynde lorde and sauyour Iesu / I beseche the for all the whole vertue of thy bytter passioÌ„ / put away from me the spirite of elacion and pryde of enuy and detraction of yre wrathe malyce impacience and of all other morbes diseases and pestilences of the soule And plante good lorde and grounde in my hart and mynd very true mekenes / charity and pacience innocency and the loue of pouerty / due temperaunce / pure chastity / with all suche other vertues / medicynes / and preseruatyues vnto the soule Mortifie good lord and sle in me all libidinouse and vnclene mocions / all carnall desyres and inordinate affectioÌ„s And kyndle lorde and quyken in me the feruour and loue of all vertues and of the perpetuall excercyse and workynge of them / with constant perseueraunce / so that in this tyme and all tymes in body and soule purifyed cleÌ„sed I may worthely receyue this holy sacrament Vnto the high mistery whereof I knowe well do so coÌ„fesse / graunt / knowledge here before thy gloryous face I am vnworthy very moch vnworthy most vnworthy Not only for my great habominable synnes many many neglygences but also for great dulnes wante of deuocion But not witstandyng I know as well agayne so do I beleue in harte and mynde so do knowledge in mouth worde / that thou my lorde god art omnipoteÌ„t almyghty so mayst therfor by thy power infinite if it so please thy grace make me worthy and acceptable For thou alone good lord mayste canst iustifye a synner and of the vyle fylthy wretche make a clene and pleasant person Therfore gracious lord I beseche thy worthy maiesty for thyne almyghty power whiche I firmly stedfastly beleue and for thyne infinite endles wysedom whiche I boldly coÌ„fesse for thyne excellent bounty goodnes wherin I fully hope trust And for all these togyther as one frame me make me worthy and acceptable vnto thy godly presence and grauÌ„t me thyne vnworthy lewde wretched seruauÌ„t of all my synnes very true coÌ„tricioÌ„ due coÌ„punction pure deuocioÌ„ and the feruent flame of thy loue / that
that euer was done before or that shuld be done after / as though all that synne had ben his synne he the doer therof onely trespasser So was ê“phecied he shuld do Esai liii âšœ Vere languores nrÌ„os ipse tulit dolores nrÌ„os ipse portauit / et posuit dnÌ„s in eo iniquitateÌ„ oiÌ„m nrÌ„m that is to say âšœ Verely he hath suffred our langores and he hathe borne our dolours sorowes and hurtes our lorde hathe leyde vppon hym the iniquitie / wykydnes of all vs. Here nowe in this place you may bryng coÌ„uenyently into your meditacion all the lyfe of our lorde / and sauyour Iesu after the maner of our sayd boke for housholders / or in some other forme of notable auctours you haue many / we haue also set the same forthe at length but bycause so many haue wryten therin we haue not cured to sende it forthe in prynt There is also a lytle werke in print the oure reuerend father dyd put forth / that for this mater is moche profitable / you may haue it for i d. yf you se but only the tytles you shall lyke it well and so is the golden letany with many other / wheÌ„ you coÌ„me vnto the ende of that holy / and most profitable / also vnto this entrepryse of communion / moste conuenient meditacion that you haue sene / byholded well in your soule all the processe of his passyon / dethe / and buryall / then loke agayne / who he was that dyd all thys for whom he dyd so greate and wonderfull thynges Remembre well he was a great lorde thyn owne propre lord and for whome suffred he all thys For the his seruauÌ„d bonde caytyue he was not onely a lorde but also a kynge an emperour kynge of kynges Apoc. xix and lorde of lordes / and of all that haue dominacion gouernauÌ„ce And for whom dyd he suffre For the man hys owne vile subiecte And yet forther he was not onely a kynge lorde but also very God / creator / and maker of all And for whome dyde he thus For a stynkyng lumpe of drytty and slyme erthe And yet se what he was aboue all thys a speciall frende and most trewe louer that for faythfull freÌ„deshyppe very feruent loue / and therin excedyng passyng all loue dyd all this And for whom dyd he so For a false traytor a moste vnkynde wretche his enemy foo And yet he most innoceÌ„t for the moste gylty And yet coÌ„sydre not onely how excelleÌ„t great the dignite of his person was that dyd all this but also howe great a thyng it was that he dyd / for so vnworthy a ê‘son Fyrst where he was esseÌ„ciall god / he made him selfe maÌ„ to make the a god And where he was in most hyghe honour he the selfe same essenciall honour most honorable he made hym selfe moste vyle spitefull to gyue the honour to make the honorable yet wher he was iÌ„ most hygh liberte he hym selfe the very liberte fredom of all liberties he made hym selfe bonde to gyue the fredom to put the at liberte And to coÌ„clude he that was the very selfe life of all lyuynge creatures toke wylfully / after most peynfull passion most shamefull deth / and all to gyue the lyfe Loke well nowe se what can be or who maye haue more charite then one frende to suffre dethe for an other he toke that deth as I sayde for his enemie Nowe you haue thus in your meditacion brought our sauyour vnto dethe nowe se hym buried after whiche deth and buriall no man may after the course of the worlde do more for his frend but as is sayde dye for hym / yet not withstondyng oure sauioure dyd more / for wher by his deth he had lefte his frendes in greate sorowe disconfort he sone after reysed hym selfe by his godly power vnto lyfe agayne / and appered vnto them / whiche thinge amonge the people of this worlde had bene a meruelouse ioy / and conforte / of theyr louynge freÌ„de / and suerly so it was vnto his disciples frendes But yet consydre a forther kyndnes / that is that he dyd not onely aryse and appere in the same selfe body but also where that body at his deth was all deforme as a lepre out of frame and fashoÌ„ by reason of moste cruell intrety dealyng he repared the same agayn vnto the syght / and coÌ„forte of his frendes into a more goodly more brawtuouse forme than it was byfore with clearty bryghtnes vnspekeable And where that body byfore was heuy and dull and myght not by nature be remoued from one place vnto a nother but in due space of tyme he made hyt nowe of suche agilite so quycke so nimble / so lyght and so swyft that it myght be in two or thre many mo places in a moment / in the space or tyme of the loke or twynklynge of an eye And yet where that body was byfore his dethe so grosse in quantite that it myght not entre but into a due space of mesure in lengthe and brede accordynge vnto the same body it myght now after his resurrexcion entre go thorough any dores wyndowes / stone walles as the sonne goeth through the glasse And yet ouer all this where that body was byfore passible and mortall myght suffre and dyd suffre payne passion hurt or greue and also dethe now he brought it into such a state and case that it is impassible and immortall that is to say neuer maye suffre any noyans ne euer possible to dye agayne Rom. vi This haue we shewed not onely for the ordre of your meditacion but also for the syngular coÌ„fort of all synfull soules IdeÌ„ .iiii. That as our lorde Iesu dyed for our synnes and arose agayne for our iustificacioÌ„ so euery synful soule wyllynge to forsake synne hauyng the fayth of Christe maye dye and be buried with our sauyoure in his holy sacramentes baptisme and coÌ„fession Ro. vi and so leuyng all deformite of synne the soule may arayse vnto a newe maner forme of lyuyng and be more speciouse beawtuouse and more goodely in the syght of god Luc .xv. and more acceptable then euer it was byfore more ioye shall be made in heuen for one suche a person retorned froÌ„ synne theÌ„ for many other that neuer dyd synne let this suffice for the fourthe consyderacion of your sayd meditacioÌ„ that is to say in coÌ„syderyng the werke of iustificacioÌ„ ¶ The fyft consyderacion of the werke of remuneracion NOwe lett vs ê“cede forther vnto the worke of remuneracion or rewardyng and all is to moue and stere your affectioÌ„ your loue and deuocion vnto our lord For although in the syght of this world it were a maruelouse great kyndnes for any frende to paye his frendes dette and delyuer him out of pryson
and yet muche more kyndnes if he were not his frende but his enemye and foo and also to pay for his det / and delyueraūce no smal pryce but his owne blode his lyfe also this I saye were a maruelouse benefyte an excedyng kyndnes although he dyd no more But our lord sauyour dyd yet more for man For he dyd not onely delyuer hym fre and out of daunger but also rewarded hym made hym butyfelowe of all his goodes and heyre with hym of all his landes possessiōs brought hym vnto hyghe honoure dignite and degre he brought hym vnto the presens of his owne naturall father and there after his ascencion he toke possession for man / and so made hym his brother / and coenheritor of all that he had Loke well hereupon and consyder how great a rewarde this was and yet shall you se more added herevnto For many in this world haue ben made heyres and possession taken for thē and yet dyd they neuer inioy the same But our lord and sauyour when he had delyuered man in forme byfore shewed and had also put hym in possession therof ordeyned yet a forther meane to make mā surely to inioy the same and to haue the moost pleasaunt vse therof whiche was in sendyng downe the holy ghoste whiche accordynge vnto his promyse shuld instruct Ioh. xvi and teche his apostles disciples and by them all christianes the very trouth of all maner of thynges apperteynynge vnto mannes saluacion and shuld also subministre put into theyr hartes / and myndes to put the same in execucion and how and vnder what forme they shulde so do For as I suppose the apostles after the deth of Christe dyd neuer put any thyng in execuciō and vse that our sauyoure had byfore his deth or byfore his ascension committed vnto theyr power vnto the tyme they had receyued the holy ghost For althoughe they had commaūdement and power to preache the gospell and to baptyse and to ministre all other sacramentes to remit or forgyue and to withholde restrayne synne yet dyd not they execute or put in vse any thynge but only whē Christ was among them before his passion vnto the tyme they had receyued fully the holy ghoste at Pentecoste excepte only the election of saynt Mathie bycause the nombre of the apostles myght not be vnperfect So then they receyued fully the holy ghost not only for theym self but also for all other that by thē shulde byleue vnto the ende of the world Thē dyd they ministre the holy sacramentes and taught theyr disciples / by them all Christianes the due forme and maner therof whiche forme hathe euer sythe that tyme and euer shall cōtinue in Christes catholicall churche / what so euer theyse new heretykes say vnto the contrary In whiche holy sacramentes we haue not onely the person of our lord and sauyoure hym selfe but also the other two persons the father the holy ghost all one self and same essenciall god to remayne byde and dwell amonge vs vnto the worldes ende this gyfte and rewarde is moch to be noted / and maye well suffise for the fyfthe consyderacion of this entrepryse of the werke of remuneracion ¶ The syxte consyderacion of the werke of glorificacion YOu may well perceyue good deuout christians by that is sayd that our lord Iesu hath not onely redemed and bought vs dere but also most lyberally graciously rewarded vs dayly doth not onely forgyue our synnes and offenses at the fyrste askynge or mouynge but dothe also gyue vs great gyftes for small and dothe so multiplie here our merites that we may come yet vnto a greatter gyft and rewarde whiche is in vs his werke of glorificacion For after this lyfe he wyll make vs gloriouse gyue vs the same doweres that he hath now in hym selfe that is to say clarite or clerenes agilite or nimblenes subtilite or sklendernes and īmortalite so that we shall neuer dye ne suffre any damage This gyfte and werke is so noble and of so hygh honour dignite and degre that to intreate forther therof doth passe my pore wyt and therfore I praye you be cnotent for this syxth consyderacion of the werke of glorificacion ¶ The .vii. cosyderacion of the werke of fruicion YEt yet as though this were not ynough he wyll gyue more For many in this worlde haue full great honour / hygh dignites and excellente degrees yet haue but lytle ioy therwith but rather haue many greues many displeasures many incōmodites I trow I myght well say many necessites many miseries But our lorde wyll gyue vs the fruiciō of hym self that is to say to inioy hym and to be in his godly presens and to haue the very vse of hym selfe at all libertie and pleasure and there to se hym face to face as he is i. Corin. xiii d and so in hym to se and knowe what we wyll or cā desyre and also to haue the full possession of hym selfe and of all his and this also withoute any myxture of euyll greue or displeasure ¶ This gyft is aboue all the other byfore rehersed and maye therfore serue contēt you for this .vii. cōsyderaciō of the werke of fruicion ¶ The eight laste cosyderacion of the werke of sure perseueracion duraunce THese benefytes rewardes and gyftes of our lord ben very great many and excellent gyftes But yet your benygne lord most louyng sauyour is not cōtent to leue you without any thinge that he may gyue so that you may not possible aske desyre thinke or ymagyn any thyng more to be gyuen therfore he wyll vnto all his other gyftes adde gyue you the suerte and certente of perseueracion duraūce For if a person had as muche ioy as all heuē hathe and were not certeyne nem suerte to contynue therin that ioy were not fully perfecte For that thynge onely is perfecte vnto the whiche no thynge may be added / or put therunto but as longe as a person myght stonde in feere or doubt to lose that ioy or any parte therof he were not in full perfecte ioy And therfore wyll our louyng lord for the full perfection of your sayd ioy giue you there a suer and certeyne knowledge of all these ioyes to perceuer īdure and laste without minushynge or mutacion worlde without ende vnto the whiche ioy knowledge he bryng vs that bought vs our lorde god / moste swete sauyour Iesu vnto whom be glory due laude prayse / with the father and the holy ghost / one god in secula seculorum Amē ¶ An addicion vnto this foresayd meditacion I Was requyred of a good deuoute persone to ioyne these sayd cōsyderacions vnto .viii. notable dayes conteyned in scripture that is to say .vi. dayes of creacion and production or bryngyng forth of creatures the .vii. of reste / and the .viii. of eternite and so to shewe howe these werkes of our lorde may be
instruction vnto vs which thyng I was loth vnto bothe bycause I lacked abilite thervnto and also bycause this werke whiche I intēded to be short shuld be therby inlarged Notwithstondyng bycause this werke is so diuided ī particles that as we sayd euery person may take what he wyll accordynge vnto his leyser and deuocion therfore we shall sumwhat to satesfye say our mynde ¶ Of the fyrste cosyderacion and of the fyrst day of creaciō THe fyrst consyderaciō was of the power of god in creacion and productiō of all creatures Gene. i. And we rede in the begynnyng of scripture that almyghty god in the begynnynge made heuen and erth spirituall corporall or bodyly creatures resonable and vnresonable creatures And that he made also the lyght / dyuided that lyght frō darknes And the lyght he called the day and the darknes he called the nyght and this was the werke of the fyrst day of creacion whiche in vs may teche vs how our lorde hath made in euery person an heuen an erth a spirituall partie and an erthly partie and made in vs also the lyght of vnderstandynge and reason / wherby we shulde diuide in our dayly werkes the spirite frō the fleshe the soule from the body / whiche is done by contemplacion or meditaciō after the fourme beforesayd That is to saye that in euery daye of our lyue we shulde somtyme be as well actyue as contemplatyue / and this for the fyrste daye ¶ Of the seconde cōsyderacion / of the seconde day of creacion THe seconde consyderacion was of the wysdom of god in orderyng and guydynge of his creatures And in the seconde day of creacion our lord god made the fyrmament or the skye and so dyuided the waters that were vnder the firmamēt from them that were aboue the firmamēt and called that firmament heuyn Note here that almyghty god made two heuyns / the tone vpon the fyrste day aboue / and the tother the seconde daye / and byneth to diuide as is sayde waters Loke now groūdely vppon this order of the creatures Some be aboue / and some bynethe The hygher heuyn spirituall to rule / order / and guyde the lower heuen temporall and erthely / And the spirituall creatures to rule the bodyly creatures And so those that be vnder and bynethe to be subdued / obedient / ordered in all thynges by thē that be aboue The same order shuld be kepte in vs / not onely euery person in hym selfe but also eueryche vnto other For almyghty god made in man / not onely as is sayde an heuyn hys soule but also an erthe / his body So that the whole man of soule body dothe bere the towme and place of this firmament / whose office and duety is to dyuide the water that is bynethe apperteynynge vnto the sensualite from the water that is aboue called aqua sapientie salutaris the water of helthfull wysdom and of saluatiō Eccl xv A That is to say that mā shuld euer deuyde and departe vice from vertu erthly conuersaciō from heuēly exercise vayne and voyde cogitacion from fructuouse and profytable meditacion and this for the seconde daye ¶ Of the thyrde consyderacion / and of the thyrde day of creacion THe thyrd cōsyderaciō was of the bountie and goodenes loue and liberalitie of god / whiche doth appere in the vtilitie and profyte of the creatures And in the thyrd day of creaciō / our lorde god cōmaunded the waters that were vnder the sayd firmament called heuyn to gader hepe them selfe together into one place and that the drye erthe yet bareyn shulde appere / and whiche thynge done the erth that then was drye and bareyn he called and named to be erthe tyllable / and apte / or disposed to be tylled And the congregacions and hepes of waters he called the see or sees And then he commaundeth the sayd erthe to bryng forth fruite In the vtilitie profyte wherof dyd apere the boūtie goodnes remembred byfore in this thyrde consyderacion But now muste we in lyke maner commaūde by reason all the water of our voluptuous disposicions and viciouse appetites to be gathered and heped into one place that is the worlde leue all those disposicions vnto worldly persones and vnto infidels viciouse and synfull people And lett our bodyly werkes appere synles And although they be yet baren yet maye they be apt by the meane of the sacrament of penaunce to be tylled / and brynge forth the fruitful werkes of vertu grace And thus an ende of this thyrde day ¶ Of the fourth consyderacion / the fourth day of creacion THe fourth cōsideraciō was of the werke of our iustificacion And in the fourthe daye our lorde made the son and the mone / and the sterres / to dyuide the daye and the nyght / the tymes houres / dayes and yeres / and to gyue lyght vnto the erthe The son doth signifie our sauiour Iesu the very sonne of iustice / the mone doth signifie the catholike churche of Christe that taketh lyghte of the sayd sonne our sauyour and so don the sterres also by whō the holy doctours preachers and curates ben signified For these done illumine and gyue lyghte of grace vnto the erthly synfull people / that by theyr ministracion of the blessed sacramentes ben iustified and made apte persones vnto saluacion / and so is the fourthe day applyed and sped ¶ Of the fyft consyderacion and the fyft day of creacion THe fyft consyderacion was of the werke of remuneraciō or rewarde whiche rewarde euery person shall haue accordyng vnto his werkes And in the fyft day our lord made fysshes and foules the fysshys to byde in the see the foules in the ayre By the fysshes euyll werkes bē sygnified and also euyll wordes and thoughtes Mathei xii c For of them sayd our sauiour accountes muste be rendred and made vnto eueryche due reward gyuen And these do remayne in the see of the synfull world / and shall be rewarded there after in payne And the good werkes wordes thoughtes that ben sygnifyed by the byrdes of the ayer / done dwell and abyde in heuenly conuersacion and shal be rewarded in ioy and blysse and let this stand for the fyft day ¶ Of the syxt consyderacion and the syxt day of creacion THe syxt consyderacion was of the werke of gloryficaciō And in the syxte daye our lorde made man after vnto his owne ymage / similitude / and lykenes And surely that was vnto man a great glory an excellent honour and dignitie / vnto the whiche no man may atteyne and come / but he onely that alone dyd ascende vnto heuyn / our lord sauyoure Iesu Ioh. iii. b In the whiche saynge you muste vnderstande Christe and his mēbres all faythfull people that ben lyke vnto hym and done folowe his stepes And thus an ende of the syxt day of creacion ¶ Of the seuenth consyderacion / and of the
offered vpon the crosse for our redemption And so don you receyue the same that the prest in the masse dothe receyue at the aulter and he none other neyther more or lesse than you do but that he doth there consecrate receyue in bothe the fourmes because he doth there represent the persone of Christe and doth there ministre make that oblacion sacrifice offerynge not for hym selfe alone but for all Christianes as Christe dyd Not witstondyng yf the same preste shulde an other tyme out of masse be communed houseled as you be he shuld receyue as you do and none other than you do ¶ And thus I pray you be content for this mater and forthwith after your communioÌ„ do not you as many do renne forthe make haste vnto brekefaste or dyner or vnto bodyly recreacioÌ„ but rather gyue some thankes vnto our lord as becommeth a good Christian ¶ A prayer to be sayd immediately after your communioÌ„ and houselynge IN moost huÌ„ble Ex missale moost lowly and most harty louynge maner / with moost due reuerence I thanke the good lorde moost holy father eterne euerlastynge God that by the bountye of thy mercyfull grace woldest vouchsafe thus to refresshe and fede me with the brede of lyfe the holy sacred body precyous blode of thy sonne our lorde god sauyour Iesu Christe And I beseche thyne infinite pyteouse goodnes that this most high and holy sacrament of our saluacion that I most vnworthy wretche and moost vyle caytife haue nowe receyued come neuer hereafter in iudgement condempnacion vnto me for myne euyll merites deseruynges but rather good lorde it may come vnto the profyte and comforte of my body and vnto the saluacion and helthe of my soule vnto the lyfe euerlastyng Amen ¶ An other prayer for the same tyme. MOost swete lord sauyour Iesu I beseche thy grace for the vertue in the honour of thy moost holy body and blessyd blode whiche althoughe moche vnworthy I haue here now receyued graunt and gyue me the inwarde swetenes of thy charitie / who le vnfayned loue of all good persoÌ„s spirituall myght and strengthe in all temptacions purity of harte clennes of coÌ„science and in all my conuersacyon of lyfe suche Christiane disciplyne / good maners / behauyours as may auoyd all actyue sklaunder occasion gyueÌ„ And also to be vnto all ê‘sons exaÌ„ple of good edificacioÌ„ So that by thy gracyouse guydynge and gouernaunce I maye go forwarde and increace in thy religion with perseuerant constancy accordynge vnto that state degre that thou good lord haste called me vnto Amen ¶ A deuoute prayer / moche vsed vnto this sacrament with the Englysshe after the Latine ¶ The Antheme O Sacrum conuiuium in quo Christus sumitur recolitur memoria passionis eius mens inpletur gracia Et future glorie nobis pignus datur Alleluia ¶ That is to meane O Meruelouse solempne and holy sacred feest in that whiche feest our lord and sauiour Christe is receyued The memory and remembraunce of his passion is renewed called vnto mynde Our soule / harte / and mynde is replete and fulfylled with grace and comfort And the pledge and ernest token of the glory ande euerlastynge ioye blysse to come is vnto vs gyueÌ„ and delyuered ¶ Alleluya ¶ This Ebrew worde Alleluya of foure sillables in sowne and speakynge is as moche to meane as though you sayd in Englyssh All you people that ben here presente laude prayse your creatour and maker ¶ The versicle âšœ Panem de celo prestitisti eis Thou hast gyueÌ„ good lord vnto thy people this breade frome heuyn ¶ The responde or answere âšœ Omne delectamentum in se habentem Alleluya And this breade hathe in it selfe all delectament and pleasure ¶ Oremus âšœ Praye we or lett vs praye ¶ The collecte DEus qui nobis sub sacramento mirabili passionis tue memoriaÌ„ reliquisti tribue quesumus ita nos corporis sanguinis tui sacra misteria venerari vt redemptionis tue fructum in nobis iugiter sentiamus / qui viuis et regnas deus Per omnia secula seculorum Amen ¶ That is to meane GOod lorde sauyour Iesu the vnder this meruelous sacrament hast left vnto vs the memory remembraunce of thy passion Graunt vnto vs we beseche the so to honour worshyppe the holy sacred misteryes of thy blessyd bodye blode that we therby may coÌ„tynually vnderstande perceyue and fele in vs / the fruite / effecte / the profyte / and auayle of thy redemptyon lorde / that lyuest and reignest with god the father / in the vnitie of the holy ghost very selfe same essenciall god by all worldes of worldes Amen ¶ A lesson for your masse tyme whan you be not communed or houseled YOu muste nowe remembre that as is sayd before euery preste in the masse dothe represent and vse the person / and offyce of Christe / and doth in the same masse make oblacioÌ„ and offer the holy sacrament / not for hym selfe alone / but also for all faythfull Chrystians And therfor euery deuoute louer of Christ in clene lyue / couetynge / desyrynge / and wysshynge with feruoure of hart and mynde / to receyue there with the preste in euery masse the same sacramente shall doutles receyue a greate effecte and vertue therof Wherfore it may be for you moche meritoryous / profytable so in the masse tyme / and specially towarde the Agnus to prepare / ordeyne / and dyspose your selfe / with affectioÌ„ of hart / with desyre deuocioÌ„ of mynd with the charyte loue of all your whole soule vnto your lorde sauyour as thoughe you shuld at the same masse be actually coÌ„muned and houseled with the preste ¶ A prayer for the same purpose O Moost swete lord and sauyour Iesu Oratio doctoris Nydar pro communione spirituali thou knowest wel that I moche do couete and with all my harte / haue greate desyre now to receyue this blessed sacrament And wolde to god that accordyng vnto my wysshe and desyre I were vnto thy pleasure in thy syght so well disposed in my soule that now at this tyme / and euery day And if it myght coÌ„uenieÌ„tly be many tymes in the day I myght be able worthely to receyue it But lord Thou knowest what I am thou dost se and beholde my hart / my hole desyre of mynde soule / is openly sprade and knoweÌ„ before thy face / yet good lord I beseche the gracyous bountie and infinite goodnes graunt me this one peticyon / that is / that I maye nowe at this tyme / and in euery masse receyue spiritually in to my soule / some effecte vertue of this maruelouse misterie And so to be parteyner of the same / that my hart maye perceyue fele the swetenes of thy godly preseÌ„ce And that my soule all enflamed fyered with desyre and deuocion / may
thou shalt by that exercise obteyne moost ghostly pacience and meritoryous profyt ¶ Labour Iob. v. b Iudith v. ii Duo xiiii d Eccle. xxxiii d LAbour here muste by our lyfe For maÌ„ sayth scripture is born to labour the byrde to flye By labour payne penaunce by many tribulacions haue all faythfull persons passed this lyfe And by them onely / we muste entre the kyngedome of heuen and contrary ydlenes / ease and pleasure in honour and delycacy dothe teache a man moch myscheffe and euyll and bryngeth him at the last vnto the pyt of perdycyon ¶ Mercy MOche is the mercy of our lorde / shewed vnto maÌ„ in many sondry wyse / among all other specially vnto them that haue the spiryte of pouerte / that is to saye / a determynate wyll and mynde to be pore for the loue of god And be voyde as well of all honours and hyghe rowme and degree as of ryches worldely goodes / for pouerte bryngeth a persone vnto me kenes / and the other bryngethe hym by intycement and suggestioÌ„ of the enemy to clymbe on hyght / to the intent and ende that he may fall farre and be sore hurte Take and accounte pouerte therfore as a greate gyfte of the mercy of god who so euer duly doth gyue thaÌ„kes for the lytle gyftes shall mercyfully deserue to haue great gyftes ¶ Noyance NEuer shulde a very christiane noye or hurt / ne yet despyse any persone / but rather sythe by the gospell we be bouÌ„de to loue our enemyes Luc. vi â— we muste be sory for the noyaunce / hurt and trouble of any person / coÌ„fort them in all we may / or els shall we be accounted as dysdeyners of other persones / extollynge or exaltynge and preferrynge our selfe ¶ Oblacyon OFfre thy hart wholly vnto our lord For that oblacyon is vnto hym acceptable and pleasaunte âšœ Da mihi cor tuuÌ„ sufficit mihi Gyue vnto me saythe he thyne harte / that suffyseth / contenteth and is ynoughe for me Spende therfore thy tyme with hym in his seruice / and iudge and thynke nothynge more precyous then tyme / wherin we maye here meryte deserue to be where our tresure is / our hart shuld be that is in blysse Offre theÌ„ thy selfe for his sake vnto all persones / gentle / kynde and curteys And asmoche as maye be conuenient coÌ„penable / referrynge euer applyenge all that is good vnto our lord / and in all thynges folowe couÌ„seyle with delyberacioÌ„ ¶ Pleasure POndre and weye in euery thynge the pleasure of our lord / that is to meane / that in euery werke or dede we shulde fyrste consydre / and weye in conscience whether that dede shulde please hym or no / and than neuer for fauour ne fere to do contrary vnto the conscience And yf any doubte be in conscience we must then leue the werks for the tyme and resorte haue recourse other vnto holy scrypture / or els vnto the determinacyoÌ„ of the church / or at the leste vnto sure / wyse and lerned counseyle specially of our prelate or curate And neuer shulde we truste syngulerly vnto our selfe / ne leyne vnto our owne wyttes / we shulde accustome our selfe to seme dumbe rather than to speake to be more gladde to lerne then to teache to be reformed then to reforme / to byde secrete as an vnknowen persone rather than to shewe our selfe and appere outwarde after our owne propre estymacyon and of deceyueable opynyon ¶ Quyetude QVyetude rest of mynd is a great forderer of all maner of vertues we shulde therfore study to queÌ„ch all yre to represse all hasty passioÌ„s as well iÌ„ wordes signes tokens countenauÌ„ce behauyoure as in outwarde dedes And neuer shuld we take vpon vs to iudge or to be busy or to medle with other folkes maters specially that nothynge done apperteyne or byloÌ„g vnto vs. For the coÌ„mune ê“uerbe is Ecclesi vi a In lytyll medlyng is moch rest So thaÌ„ we shuld neuer gyue occasion of vnreste but rather study by ientle wordes to appese euery occasioÌ„ gyueÌ„ for a swete and ientle worde saythe the wyse man slaketh yre and multiplyeth and makethe frendes / yet shulde we not vtterly flye and avoyde occasyon of vnreste gyuen vnto vs / as rebuke persecucyon and suche other troubles but rather shulde we ordre our selfe vnto pacience for so without synne to folowe the commune maner and to auoyde all syngularite shall we best edify and buylde loue and charite come vnto perfectioÌ„ and of all thynges vnto quyetude of mynde auayleth moch the clennes of coÌ„science For if we do wel our duety in due tyme our coÌ„science shal be the more lyght our hart careles mery and we so quyete in mynde ¶ Rekenynge REturning oftymes and hauyng recourse vnto the inward parties of our hart we shuld at the lest ones in the day recount and make rekenyng with our lord and coÌ„sydre how we spend the tyme that by the temptacion of the enemy / and by our owne fraylte and neglygency specially in leauynge open our dores wyndowes that is to saye our senses and wyttes we royle not about ne wander or walke amonge the vayne pleasures and varyaunt desyres of the worlde And that we suffre not suche ghestes to entre by our sayde wyndowes dores into the chambre of our mynde that shuld noye vs by ryght loth without vyolence and extreme laboure to departe To byde therefor with our lorde in the secrecye of sylence and in precyse contynence of our sayde wyttes is a great surety and redynes for our sayd dayly rekenynge and accompte The Enlysshe prouerbe saythe Ofte rekenynge holdeth longe fellowsheppe ¶ Sobryete SObryete or sobrenes is proprely a due temperaunce in meate and drynke and oftymes it is taken for a moderacion a due meane discrecyoÌ„ in all other thynges therfore it is necessary for all christians specyally religyous persoÌ„es that must by theyr ordynauÌ„ce euer take in fedyng rather som what to lytle thaÌ„ any thynge to moche also to be moderate in aray prouydent ware and wyse in wordes honest in maners and all behauyoure sadde and charytable in conseyle Strong in aduersyte dredefull in prosperyte meke lowly pacyent in contuinely rebukes vpbraydes in sorowe deiectyon despectes cherefull and tractable And in all workes sobre dyscrete and moderate ¶ Tymorouse Tymorate / or as communely is sayde tymorouse is as moch to say as dredefull ferefull to offend Iob the symple dredefull persone / Iob. ix b. and of hygh perfectyon was not withstandynge in all his werkes dredefull How moche more than shuld it become or byseme vs that ben frayle persones to be dredefull / and euer in fere to offend our lord in the lest neglygeÌ„cy / offence or defaut / and neuer to presume vpoÌ„ any good dede ne yet to despeyre for any euyll or synfull dede Prouer. xix c
Eccle. i b Eccle. i. b Prouer. xv The begynnynge of all wysdome is the drede of god and in al our lyfe after the wyse man shuld we be dredefull For he that dredeth god sayth he shal at his ende haue good passage For the drede of god causethe vs to fle and auoyde synne / and moche helpeth forthereth that euery good dede may be done with due circumstaunce / so be meritoryous The dredeful persone wyll suffre take peyne to please our lorde / and so shall the thynge that seamed very harde in the begynnyng wax in processe of tyme lyght / easy and pleasaūt for all peyne and trouble taken and vsed for the kyngdome of heuen / is of great cōforte and gladnes ¶ Vauntage VTilyte profyte or vauntage is to sell or to chaūge a thyng of small pryce for a thynge of great pryce Or contrary to bye for lytell that is moche worth The state of perfectyon in this lyfe is moche worthe / but heuen is more worth Math. xix ◠Our lorde sauyour therfore coūseyled / aduysed a person to forsake sel all his wordly goodes to come here vnto the lyfe of perfection And after he shulde also haue for them the treasure of heuen And yf a man haue no goodes to sell yet may he bye heuē for a cup of cold water Mathei x. d An happy bargayn maketh he that for loue alone doth bye our lord and sauyour Iesu that by his crosse bytter passyon deth bought all the worlde Here you maye se moche gaynes greate auauntage Who wyll now forsake this bargayne surely none that is wyse happy or gracious than gyue thy selfe man wholly for hym that gaue hym selfe wholly for the. ¶ Xp̄e Christe Xp̄e is a worde of the Greke tonge and wryten communely in Latyn with the Greke letters as thus Xp̄s Christ For this letter X with them is with vs Ch and this letter P with them is with vs R the other letters ben with vs and them in lyke both in forme and sownde Christe in our tonge is as moche to saye as a person oynted And bycause we in our baptisme be oynted we bē of Christe / called Christianes / so that we shuld of ryghte dedycate our lyfe wholy vnto Christe / he shulde be our very lyfe and our loue Christ shuld be our lesson our lernyng Christe also our medytacyon and communycacyō Christe alone our lucre / gaynes profyte and auauntage Christe our treasore / ryches / and our whole desyre Christe all our hope and truste For yf we put our trust or any thynge desyre but Christ we shall sure be deceyued / labour in vayne and neuer fynde rest Let christe therfore vnto euery christiāe be all fynally his meryte / rest reward ¶ ymnes Y Is a letter of the Greke tōge and neuer wrytē in Latyn / but yet it is wrytē in the Englyshe tonge and therfore done we wryte ymnes after the Englysshe maner An ympne or ympnes is as moche to say as songe or songes / laude or prayse suche songes specyally as the churche doth vse in metres to laude prayse god / and so done the angelles and holy sayntes in heuen It becomethe therfore euery christyane to laude prayse our lord to be diligent in his seruyce And to consydre what differēce is betwene the seruyce of god / the seruyce of the flesshe / the world and the deuyll Who so doth synne is the bonde seruaūt of synne and so felowe vnto the deuyll / and in the same state for the tyme with hym Io. viii d And those that bē all worldly ben seruauntes vnto the worlde that is vnto auaryce whiche saynt Paule called the bondage thrall seruyce of ydolles Col. iii. a And the carnall persones ben thralles bond sernauntes vnto the flesshe so done they seruyce vnto deth for the flesshe is but wormes meate the corrupcion of the bodye / yet more stynkynge / and lothsom than of any brute beaste It is foode of infyrmyte / the lyfe of synne / the lodgynge place of fendes It is the enemy of the spirite / deformyth the soule / desteyneth blotteth christiāe disciplyne and all good maner behauyour hyndreth holdeth backe all maner of vertue And the flesshe is vnreasonable / so that by no meanes wyl it be corrected and vaynquesshed or ouercom but only by violence / cōsydre nowe what it is to do seruyce vnto suche a sorte And cōtrary the seruyce of god is the helthe of the body / the quietude and rest of the mynde / the conforte of conscience The prudence and wysdom of the spirite The promoter of vertue The beaute of the soule / and the lyfe of heuenly blysse a dulce swete and pleasaunte ympne ympne to serue god with / is with a louynge hart to laude prayse hym in euery tribulacyon ¶ Zachye ZAche cometh of the Ebrewe tonge and is by interpretacyon as moche to say as a persone Innocent / pure / clene and iuste or ryghtwyse And after some auctours a persone iustifyed and makynge hast / Zache was the propre name of a persone / that by the testymonye of the gospell for the great desyre he had to se our sauyour dyd clymbe in to a tree because he was of stature very lytle and that with great hast and gladnes descended and came downe at his commaundement to receyue hym into his house / where by our sauiour he was iustifyed and rendred apt vnto the way of saluacion This name Zache than dothe well frame and agre vnto euery faythfull christiane / that by his professyon shuld be Innocent / pure and clene / glad by fayth to se and knowe our lorde And redy with hast and diligēce to descende come downe frome the hyght of secular science and of all worldly state And to receyue hym in to the house of his soule by true kepynge of his worde commaundement / for vnto suche persons he promised to come with the father of heuē with thē to make his mansyō and dwellinge place And after therby to brynge thē to his owne celestiall paleyse / into the glory of eterne euerlastynge blysse Amen ¶ The conclusion LEt euery faythfull persone wryte this Alphabete A. B C. or crosrowe in the boke of his harte as in the boke of lyfe And euery daye / by day loke there vpon and vse the maners / effecte conteyned in the same For here ben but fewe wordes / and short lessons but in misterye they ben great and the very way and werkes of perfectiō / wherwith euery persō may outwardely be adorned and garnysshed with christiāe disciplyne / and good godly behauiour And inwardly moche / in the herte / in the mynde be quieted rested / cōueyed and browght or led vnto the grounde and begynnynge of all good perfectiō that is / that a persone shulde distruste
as longe as we byde in this corruptyble sory bodye we must loue / and euer proue that loue by contynuall penaunce and good werkes forsakynge all synne For els is all the penaunce the workes voyde and loste But yet foloweth nat therof that we shulde desyre longe lyfe ne shorte but as he wyll For to gyue vnto god frely fully and holly our wyll / so that we haue no wyll but his is the greattest gyfte that we can gyue vnto god and the thynge that he chefely requireth desyreth of vs / for he doth nat desyre our affliction ne penauÌ„ce / but gyue me saith he thyne hert that suffyseth me Than so to gyue vnto him the thynge that he fyrst gaue frely vnto vs that is fre wyll is that thyng that may best auoyde or make lesse that payne And so to say thynke wyl that yf he wolde haue vs longer in payne / we shulde consent and wyll so to be / yet forther we shuld rather chuse desyre payne ê‘petuall after his wyl thaÌ„ ioy euerlastyng contrarye vnto his wyll And this wil may be had iÌ„ fewe yeres short tyme. To wyll than Marcu trismeg ad Esclo pium and to desyre to be with god / by longe or shorte payne or withoute any payne as beste shall please hys gracyous goodnes / is the best meane nexte remedy and moost sure waye to auoyde fle and to minysshe payne / and in that wyll without feare drede of deth / or rather dispysynge deth to tary byde / in euery thing to suffre his wyll pleasure / euer redy for dethe and lokynge euery houre for deth with ferueÌ„t desyre / and wysshe to be with hym and to abyde here / for nothynge but only for hym / so that he be as saynt Paule sayth all our lyfe / and deth for his sake be vnto vs lucre Phil. i. gaynes wynnynge and auauntage In Tus The pagane Cicero sayeth that a wyse man wyll neuer feare dethe The reason why is that deth by reason of vncertayne chauÌ„ces doth dayly and hourely fall happye sodenly come vnto euery sorte / degre and maner of ages / and also because of the shortnes of our lyfe dethe can nat be longe absent from vs. For as saynt Ambrose sayeth we may be in certente that yf we lyue very longe yet shall we dye shortly De bono mortis ca. 1. ix For the longest of our lyues is very shorte / and specially yf we compare it vnto the longe life of eternite than is it nothynge nat so moche as one mote vnto the whole erthe / yet the commune people whan a yonge person departeth doth saye oh alas Vbi su it is pytie that such a ê‘son shuld dye thus and departe before his tyme / but hereunto he doth answere Before the tyme sayeth he / what tyme done they meane other that tyme that they wolde set and desyre or els that tyme that god hathe determyned and appoynted If they meane theyr tyme I wyll nat dispute ne reason with them But if they meane goddes tyme / than wyll I saye / that almyghtye god dothe nat gyue lyfe vnto any ê‘son for euer / as his owne thyng but rather dothe lende it As dette be payde whaÌ„ so euer it shal be axed and nat at any certayne day appointed / and as the detter may vse the dette so lent whyle he hathe it / and yet hath no wronge although it be axed soner than he wolde or yet than he supposed So in lyke maner god hath lent euery person lyfe but he poynted no daye whan he wyll axe and haue it agayne / that he dyd bycause he wolde that man shulde be alway redy to paye whan so euer he were called vpon Howe than may any person complayne or grudge whaÌ„ so euer he is taken by deth / syth he receyued life by that condicyon â–ª yet syr say they / the credytour and lender is called harde that calleth for the dette before the borower haue any gaynes or profet therof / so done we thiÌ„ke that god dealeth hardely with the yonge persones / because he taketh theyr lyfe before they haue any pleasure thereof Hereto nowe saye I they done suppose by erroure that is nothynge trewe / that is that in this lyfe shulde be pleasure / whiche in very dede well consydered is contrarye that is to say displeasure payne miserie wo and dethe And therfore those persones that come to dethe in theyr youthe / ben moch bounde to thaÌ„ke our lorde that hath delyuered theÌ„ from those incommodytes and miseryes that they shulde haue had and suffred in lenger lyuynge And here the coÌ„mune people suppose an other great errour that is / that longe lyfe shulde be good and pleasaunt where in dede longe lyfe taketh awaye all maner of goodes pleasures of this lyfe / that is to say the goodes of fortune / as landes possessyons golde syluer and other good es and cattell For age in longe life spendeth all / and getteth nothynge Cicero vbi sup It taketh away also the senses and wyttes of man / as hearynge syght smellynge tastynge and touchyng / with the other goodes of nature as youthe strength beaute and agilyte / nymlesse and quickenes And yet the goodes that ben more precyous and dere than al these that is to say memorye and remembraunce / reason vnderstandynge connynge and knowlege / maketh many tymes the wyll frowarde And doth rendre and make whole man bothe in soule and body full dull in deuocyon and in all maner of goodnes and vertue wherfore the wysman sayd Ec. vi b. Better is he and more happy that dyeth at the mothers wombe forthwith after his byrth / than is he the lyueth longe No person therfore of any age hath wroÌ„ge by deth for euery person by the lawe of synÌ„e is in the fyrste day of byrthe or rather in the fyrst day of lyfe mortall and subdued vnto deth / and in the fyrste daye of lyfe euery person begynneth to dye Augusti And therfore is it nat agayne the lawe for any persoÌ„ to dye at any tyme yonge or olde Let vs therfore good deuout chrystyanes put clene away and vtterly exyle this frayle and fals opinyon of deth / and let vs thynke verely and beleue / that in dethe is no wroÌ„ge but all ryght no payne but great pleasure In tus vbi sup all good nothyng euyll For as the oftsayde Cicero sayth howe may that thyng be vnto any person euyll and hurt that almyghty god hath ordayned vnto all persones indifferentlye / for theyr good and profet and as the ende of all euyles Good lorde thaÌ„ howe curragyously gladly shuld that iourney and voyage be interprysed taken / whiche ones made and finysshed no care newoo / no thought ne busynes / no turmoyle â–ª ne trouble no slryfe ne debate / no payne ne disease / no vexacyon ne
displeasure may remayne ne folow but vnto them that well hope / shal wel happe / what tyme so euer they go But yet ben they most happye / and gracyouse that in state of saluacyon done dye and departe this lyfe in theyr youthe / and strength For vnto them immedyately after theyr deth must nedely folowe one of these twayne that is that they must go streyght way vnto heuyn or els vnto payne If they go vnto payne / than the soner they dye / the shorter tyme they lyue the lesse there and the shorter tyme shall be theyr payne And ouer that they shall haue the greattest comforde that any creature may haue beyng out of heuyn For the whiche comforde to be had any faythfull person wold be glad to suffre any maner of most cruell horryble payne or passyon that is to say surety of saluacyon SaÌ„ctus Thoma iiii sent di xv q. .iii. ar l. For all the soules beynge in payne ben coÌ„munely sure certayne of theyr saluacyon that whaÌ„ theyr penaunce is paste and theyr synnes purged / they knowe for certente they shal go into heuen vnto euerlastynge ioy and comfort But remembre that I sayde / they ben communely sure certayne of saluacyon For it may be that some one or fewe soules haue nat that knowledge / but that god for some specyall offence / and for a speciall payne punysshement therof doth hyde kepe that knowledge from them as we haue in the reuelacyons of our holy mother saynte Byrget And that payne is more alone thaÌ„ all the paynes of the other soules For that sure knowledge of saluacyon Live vi c. xxxix r. is vnto them a synguler confort in all paynes and dothe cause them to suffre the paynes with good wyll in the charyte of our lorde glad to suffre moche more at his gracyous wyll and pleasure If those that departe this lyfe go streyght vnto heuyn than ben they ferre more happye that from the miseryes of this wretched worlde they be come vnto the pleasaunt possession of so great vnspekeable ioye For you may be sure it is an excellente ioye to be there in companye with the pure virgynes the holy confessours / the gloryous martyrs / diuyne apostles sage patryarches / bryght shynynge aungels / and the virgyn mother our blessyd Lady and all these to se and beholde with our reuerende lord and souerayne sauyour Iesu Chryst / And all before the presence of the blessyd Trinyte / father son holy ghost there prayenge all for vs and lowly besechinge the hygh mageste eterne euerlasting god For al maÌ„kynd I thiÌ„ke verely beleue that any faithful christiane wold be glad to expire suffre dethe euery day newely / if it were possible oftimes in the day so he were sure that he therby myght atteyne come vnto the pleasure / why thaÌ„ nowe I speke with stomake why for shame shuld we as cowardes or chyldren fere drede deth specially sith deth is nothiÌ„g but like vnto a slepe For the old philosophours said that slepe was a very ymage of deth as one maÌ„ may knowe an other by his ymage althogh he had neuer se ne hiÌ„ before ii Mac. xii IohaÌ„ xi Iob. so may we know what deth is by the ymage which is slepe so is it called also iÌ„ scripture iÌ„ diuers places our sauiour him selfe said the lazarê° slept whaÌ„ he was ded / deth also is called a shadow / but your ê‘ceyue wel se that folkes beÌ„ nat afrayde of a shadow nor yet of step nother For oftimes we slepe with our feare or drede and without any payne or grefe / but rather with desyre and pleasure / why shulde we than feare deth syth we so euydeÌ„tly done se perceyue by the ymage howe lytle dethe is to be drede / let vs therfore put awaye this opinyonatyue feare and drede of dethe / and syth it dothe dayly approche wayte for vs let vs agayne with glad mynde and redye good wyll abyde and wayte for it and haue therof a thurst and a desyre / rather than any feare or drede howe be it of a suretye dethe is than lest feared and most desyred whan the lyfe of the persone / may at the tyme of deth be of sure and vnfayned godly frendes / conforted with the true testymonye and prayse of vertue / wherfore good deuoute chrystynes althoughe your reason lernynge be nat sufficyent to cause or to perswade you / vtterly to dispyse deth / yet let your well spente lyfe clere conscyence perfourme and so satisfie you that you be perswaded and verely beleue as a trothe euydent and opyn vnto you / that to lyue lenger were more miserye / that your lyfe hath be verey longe or rather ouerlonge If it had pleased our lorde before and erste to haue called you Thus now good Chrystianes let vs without any care of deth leaue the carnall mournynge and waylynge therof / vnto our suruyuyng frendes / that with lamentacyon / and shal inteere and burye our bodyes And let vs take an other maner of care and dilygence / to prepare apparell and to order our selfe vnto that thynge that we knowe well no persone shall auoyde nor escape / byleuynge and trustyng verely that he that made vs of nought / and whan we were lost wold so derely bye vs agayne / wyll nat suffre vs to dye But rather as I sayd before to chaunge this wretched lyfe for an other more precyous and ioyful / onely to be desyred All this hytherto haue I sayde to the intente that you shulde exyle exclude and put away ferre from you the commune feare full fantasye of the odious opinyon of deth / and somwhat to ingendre and bylde in you a contrarye opinyon A couetous desyre to be with our lorde Amen ⧠Nowe shall folowe the seconde parte of this interpryse / of the dayly exercyse and experyence of deth ⧠Of the exercyse and experyence of dethe The seconde parte of this interpryse FIrst you must knowe what is exercyse / and what is experynce / howe by them you may come vnto the knowledge of deth An exercyse than is an acte dede an vse of workynge or laborynge Than done you exercyse vertue Defini of exercice whan you put it vnto vse and workyng therof the exercyse of deth / is the acte and vse of the workyng therof Defini of experyence 1. Meth. Experyence is a knowledge that without any maister or techer is founde out and gotyn by exercyse and vse Ibidem And by many experyences sayeth Aristotle arte / crafte or connynge is ingendred and gotyn so the experieÌ„ce as he sayth doth apê‘tayne by long proprely vnto singulare ê‘sones art craft or coÌ„nyng vnto al ê‘soÌ„es And although that artcraft or connyng that is called speculatyue may be had by lerning of a techer or by dylygent studye / yet this arte or craft
preuy frō your audytour me thynketh it shulde be a greate suretye for you to make euery day ones your sayd accoūte by your selfe The cōmune prouerbe is that ofte rekenynge holdeth lōg fellawshype I wold aduyse you therfore to spēde some tyme ther vpō at nyght after all your occupaciōs before your bed there knele downe ther begynne to remēbre wheder ye wēte what ye dyd īmediatly after your morowe exercise in what company ye were what was there your behauiour and demanour ī werke worde or thought and so go forth vnto euery place / tyme cōpany as brekefaste / dyner / soupper / or drynkynge / where you fynde or perceyue any thyng that was good / vertuous / and profytable / ascribe and apply that vnto our lorde god gyue vnto him all the glory laude prayse therof / for he alone is the gyuer of all goodnes / so ouer passe that thynge lyghtly And where ye remēbre of any speciall thynge done / sayd / or thought amysse / stycke byde thervpō / bulte it as they say tourne it vp so downe / try the weyght daunger therof with all the maner and circumstaunce of the same So may ye knowe the quātytie therof that is to say howe greate a synne or howe lyttell it is / howe be it none offence cane be lyttell that doth offēde god surely euery synne is offence done vnto god although it seme to be done vnto mā For as the loue of god doth begyn̄e at the loue of the neyghbour For he the loueth nat his neyghbour i. Ioh. ii whō he may se with his bodyly eye or syght sayth saynt Iohn̄ howe may he loue god whome he cā nat so se so in lyke maner the offence of the neyghbour is forth with the offence of god Consyder therfore vnto whome the trespas is done so that consyderacion with the other qualyties and quantyties of the synne shall bryng you vnto a basshemēt therof and to be sory therfore or at the leest to wyll or wysshe that ye had nat so done Thā mekely crye god mercy / and aske hym forgyuenes therof with very pourpose and mynde to be confessyd therof at due tyme and to take and do penaunce therfore And I dare assure you that this maner of accoumpte rekenynge though your synne were neuer so greate shall saue you frō the ieopardy of dānaciō / which is no lytell grace goodnes of God Thanke hym than lowly therfore and so blesse your selfe as you dyd in the morning / and your bedde also / go therevnto and so cōmytte your selfe all hole body and soule vnto the protection / custody and kepyng of our lorde who gyue you good nyght and good reste Amen It shall be ryght well also that ye cal vpon suche holy sayntes as you haue speciall deuocion vnto vnder this fourme or some other lyke Blessed lady Mary mother of god alway vgin I beseche the pray for me for all Christians Holy angell of god what so euer thou be that arte deputed and appoynted vnto my custody I submyttynge me with most lowly obedience beseche the to pray for me for all the worlde Saynt Michaell saynt Gabriell saynt Raphaell with all holy angels archāgels I beseche you pray for me for all people Saynt Iohn̄ baptyste and all holy patriarkes and prophetes I beseche you pray for me for all christendome Saynt Peter saynte Paule saynte Iohn̄ the euangeliste and all holy apostles euāgelistes I beseche you pray for me for all the worlde and you also all disciples of our lorde and holy Innocentes Saynte Stephan and all holy martyres Saynte Augustine / and all holy confessours / all religious persones and heremites Saynt Katheryne / saynt Margarete saynte Barbara and all holy virgines I beseche you praye for me / and for all persones And fynally all you holy sayntes of heuē of euery degre and state where you be I beseche you all in generall / and eueryche in speciall / praye for me all mākynde Here may you brynge in the patrones of your churches or dioces and suche as you haue as I sayd synguler deuotion vnto And here an ende as vnto your selfe ¶ The persone for the housholde Syr / this werke is good for religious persones / and for suche persones as bene solytary and done lye alone by thē selfe / but we done lye .ii. or .iii. somtyme together / and yet in one chambre dyuers beddes so many in company / if we shulde vse these thynges in p̄sence of our fellowes some wold laugh vs to scorne moke vs. ¶ The housholder O bone Iesu O good lorde Iesu what here I nowe I dar well say there bene but fewe persones in Englande but they wolde byde some daunger or rebuke for pleasure of theyr kynge or prynce and many for theyr mayster or maistres or theyr soueraynes and some for theyr frendes and fellowes specially where great gaynes shulde growe therby vnto thē selfe And for the pleasure of God our father and of our swete sauyoure Iesu our brother shulde we be abasshed to take daūger bere a poore mocke or scorne that neuer shall woūde our flesshe ne yet tere our skyn̄e for the pleasure of our pereles prynce kynge of kynges / lorde of all lordes Fye for shame that any christian shulde be so cowardous Ventre vpon it go forth withall In .ix. dayes as they saye the daūger shal be past / fere nothinge Euery begynnyng is harde and of greate diffyculte Omne principium difficile Labor īprobus oīa vincit But īportune labour doth vayn quysshe ouercome all thynges I tell you this dayly exercise by custome and vse shall seme very shorte and swete profytable and pleasaunt Rede it or here it ouer ones or twyse at the leest before you caste it awaye How be it we thynke it nat sufficiēt nor ynough for vs to lyue well our selfe but the all other christians also lyue the better for vs and by our example specially those that we haue ī charge gouernaunce that is to saye our chylder and seruaūtes And me semeth it shuld also be a good pastyme and moche meritorious for you that cane rede to gather your felowes about you on the holy day specially the yonge sorte and rede to them this pore lesson For therin be suche thynges as bothe you and they bene bounde to knowe or can say that is the Pater noster the Aue maria and the Crede / with suche other thynges as done folowe I wold therfore you shuld begynne with them by tyme in youth as sone as they cā speke For it is an olde saynge Quod noua testa capit inueterata sapit The pot or vessell shall euer sauour or smell of the thynge wherew t it is fyrste seasoned And your englysshe prouerbe saythe / that the yong cocke croweth as he doth here and lerne of the olde