for euermore and wyll doo vtterly as his souerayn wyll It is not right grete meryte for to obey alway in such thynges as pleaseth but rather in suche thynges that dyspleaseth / therin lyeth grete meryte that is whan ony harde thyng or greuous thyng is coÌ„maunded for to be done whiche an obedyencer dooth gladly with grete repugnaunce of the self wyll There is no sacry fyce that man dooth be it in watching / fastyng / and other goostly and bodyly exercyses so acceptable to our lorde as is suche obedyence Nor there is nothyng that so displeaseth our lorde and deserueth tourment as dooth self wyll and vnobedyence for it dishonoreth our lorde and withdraweth from hym that is his that is self wyl as saynt Austyn sayth ⧠None ought to haue selfe wyll but god To hym it longeth proprely ☞ As for the seconde thyng whiche longeth to a relygious tree that is planted in relygion is watrynge Syster thou must be moysted and watred yf the rote of mekenesse shold vertuously encrease that is with the holy water of coÌ„puÌ„ccion reducyng bryngyng to thy mynd mekely synÌ„es that thou hast done good dedes that thou hast left vndone tyme that thou hast lost and payne that thou hast deserued Thus after the councell of saynt Gregory consyder .iiij. thnnges which .iiij. yf they be holly consydered may gendre in the veray compunction and gracyous moysture for the watring of the very rote of mekenesse ⧠Fyrst is thynke where thou hast ben / where thou arte now / where thou shalt be / and where thou art not yet where thou hast ben thynke thou hast ben conceyued in synne / borne in synne / after / warde greuously fallen in synne where thou arte now Thynke that thou arte in this wretched vale of mournyng lyuyng but a lytell tyme coÌ„syderynge the tyme that euer shall last in ioye And than thynke that this vale is full of mysery and wretchednesse whiche is proued better by experyence than I can tell it / where thou shalte thynke that within a fewe dayes haply thou shalt be deed and than be brought before thy iuge yeldyng accompt to hym there of al thy werkes dedes and thoughtes whiche were neuer by confessyon counted here or in wyll to be confessed therof And thynke also the styryng wordes oftentymes of saynt Anselme which may styre the moche to compunction saynge thus to thy self as he sayth ☞ Thou vnfruytfull tree where be now thy fruytes of vertue O drye tre and vnprofitable worthy to be cast in to the fyre How shalt thou answere at the daye of iugement where shal be ared of all the space and tyme of thy lyfe how it hath benspent / yea vnto the leest twynkling of thyn eye Than shal be demed and condempned that is founde in the of ony ydle worke ydle worde or vnê“fytable scylence vnto the leest thought of thyn hert / but if it be amended here and satysfyed by in warde sorowe and compunction ☞ Lo syster this is a harde sentence therfore I pray you wasshe all thy defautes away whyles thou arte here by water of compuÌ„ction ⧠The thyrde is / to haue in mynde where thou art not yet Thynke syster by the mercy of our lorde thou shalt come vnto his blysse where thou arte not yet / to the whiche he made the. For the whiche with his precious blode he bought the â–ª and for the whiche I hope thou hast forsaken all the fals delytes of this wretched worlde / and hast closed vp perpetually thy self in religion O syster it were ryght mery oft to haue in mynde the swete wordes of the prophete Dauyd whiche saynt Austyn expoundeth and ben these Meiâ—us est dies vna in atrijs tuis et super milia O sayth saynt Austyn good lord better is one day in thy heueÌ„ly halle than a thousand here There is so grete plenty of fayrnesse of swetnesse of gladnesse of goostly myrth and haboundauÌ„ce of shynyng lyght endlesly That yf it were lefull noo lenger to dwell there than one houre in a day for that houre alone all the yeres of this wretched lyfe / though they were as full of all maner wretched delyces pleasures or delytes haboundaunce of temporall goodes they may lawfully be dyspysed set at nought For our lorde hymselfe is there all ioye and blysse And he it is that gloryously there shall fulfyll all the capacyte of a soule by clere knowyÌ„g of trouth by ioyful fruycion of his souerayne goodnesse / and by suâ—e beholdyng of his endlesse felycyte He also it is that shall there gloryfy the body in foure maner of goostly clothes / that is with the stoole of mine â—cayle neuer after to deye with the stoole of vnpalsibylite / neuer after to suffre passyon nor payne with the stoole of agylyte / euer to be swyfter than a thought And with the stoole of subtylyte / euer to be as subtyll as a soule wtout poÌ„derosyte ☞ Lo syster what myrth and ioye is in that place ordeyned for clene soules and bodyes vndefyled Thyder I pray the cast thy goostly eye and thynke on the fyrst stoole of imortalyte sorowynge for thy synnes in place where thou hast ben ¶ Thynke on the second stoole of vnpassy bylyte / sorowynge for thy myseryes wretchednesse that thou suffred in this preseÌ„t lyfe where thou arte nowe ¶ Thynke also on the thyrde stole of agylyte or swyftnesse and sorow lamentably for the drede of strayt ingement in place where thou shalt be And thynkyng on the fourth stole of subtylyâ—e sorowe for the long delay of eternall felycyte and ioye of heuen where thou shalt be And doubt not syster yf thou inwardly desyre these thyngê thou shalt rather haue lust to wepe than to doo ony thyng elles Beleue it well thou shalt haue more conforte in suche wepyng than euer thou haddest in laughyng so that thou mayst say to our lorde god with the prophete Dauyd thus 〈◊〉 â—eundum multitudinem dolo ♃ in corde meo consolationis tue letificauerunt animam meaÌ„ That is Lo lorde Iesu the multytude of my so â—â—wes were neuer so grete many hert but that 〈◊〉 grete heuenly confortes hath moche more gladded my soule Thynke this veryly syster that we neuerred that our lorde laughed but many tymes he wept we rede not for hiself he wept but for vs in tokening that as long as we be in this wofull vale of teares we sholde euer be sorowful for wepyngly we came into this worlde and with payne we lyue at last with payne the soule shall departe from the body ⧠If thou moyst thus syster the rotes of mekenesse with water of compunction thou shalt haue the mery blyssyng whiche our blyssed lorde graunted in his testament to all suche compuncte hertes where he sayth thus Beati qui nuÌ„c fletis quia ridebitis Blissed be ye that now wepe here for ye shall after this be full mery with me ¶ Now the thyrde thyng that I spake of is
without confortable vysitacyon it sholde cause the to be the more quycker deuouter For afore feruent syngers with glad hertes praysyng and louyng theyr maker Iesu her blyssed sone with deuocyon she standeth long styll and beholdeth them face to face And so gladly to the mayde to al thy maydenly systers wyll offre her blyssed sone that ye may ioyfully clyppe the chylde kysse that chylde enbrace that chylde to your clene brestes O now is this a mery medytacyon for maydens whan thou hast long had this holy chylde in thyn armes beholde now and se how deuoutly the moder receyueth her blyssed sone agayne Knele doune in thy soule sister I pray the than delyuer the blyssed chylde to his blyssed moder for she must now goo for to chere other of thy systers Be not sory though other be gladded as well as thou Se now how she gooth full maydenly for to vysite other of thy systers And this is not ones but oftentymes whyles ye be at matyns and at all other tymes and houres And whan she hath so done se now how the chylde by the prayers of his blyssed moder lyfteth vp his holy hande and blysseth you all namely suche as singen with a corage sauourly deuoutly ☞ Lo syster I trowe veryly that suche medytacyons yf they be deuoutly coÌ„ceyued in thy soule shold put away dulnes in psalmody / euagacyons and dystractions / slepynesse / slouth / suche other temptacions indyuyne seruyce Al so whan ony maner of carnall thoughtes crepe in to thyn herte in tyme of gods seruyce anone crye in thyn hert knockyng and crossyng pryuely thy brest and say thus Cor munduÌ„ crea in me deus Lorde I praye the forme in me a clene herte I doubt not syster yf it be a fleshly thought with suche grete cryeng and crossyng it wyll ryght soone auoyde Also yf thou wylt eschue laughyng in dyuine seruyce I pray the kepe well thy syght And yf it happe somtyme that thou be wery by long abydynge in gods seruyce thynke that for euery verse our lorde wyll rewarde the in heuen a thousand yere and mâ—o ¶ Myghtyly therfore and dyligently laboure in the seruyce of almighty god after thy might and saye to our lorde in thyn herte thus If I more might more I wolde That I haue lord I gyue the. Beleue veryly sister our blissed lorde Iesu crist thy chosen spouse acceptyth thys gyfte for a worthy gyfte and a greate In this wyse syster thou maist ascende vp vnto god by deuocion in vocall prayers and also in mentall prayers that is by suche holy meditacion in tyme of diuyne saruice bothe in redyng and syngyng I mene not to be an hygh synger but for to be a deuout synger and a herty synger For in our lordes care sowneth not the crye but the loue not the voyce but the hert and wyl for to labour in his seruyce for his loue Lo sister thus mayst thou be a good singer though thou be no high synger He syngeth high whome our lorde hereth ¶ Also sister whan thou arte at our lady masse there behaue the deuoutly and reuerently And thynke how somtyme whan thou were in the worlde with what reuerence and what dyligence thou seruedest an erthly lorde or an erthly lady onely for to eschue theyr dyspleasure and for to wynne theyr benyuolence So now do thy dylygeÌ„ce or indeuour with moche more reuerence and more dylygence for to serue our heuenly lorde and our heuenly lady in heryÌ„g of her holy masse and of all other masses For to such holy seruyce thou hast now fully commytted the wherfore thou shalt haue a grete rewarde what rewarde is that wenest thou Truely Iesu hymself shall be thy mede and thy rewarde ☞ O now is this a grete rewarde for so lytell a labour Aboue all thynges therfore I praye the in tyme of herynge of thy masses refreyne the from all maner vnreuerence and dissolucion For be ryght sure yf thou haue more deuocyon in heryng of that masse than the preste hath that singeth or sayth the masse thou shalt receyue more grace of that blyssed sacrament than he ¶ On saterdayes or on other solempne dayes whan thou shalt be coÌ„muned than do all thyn inwarde outwarde dylygeÌ„ce goostly and bodily to receyue that blyssed sacrament with all maner sadnesse and deuocioÌ„ But aboue all thynges make fyrst a clene conscience by confessyon Be often coÌ„fessyd and mekely in suche wyse that thy coÌ„fessour may moost clerely vnderstande the. So that by oft vsynge of bothe these sacramentes of penaunce and howselyng purete clennes and deuocion may euer encrease and be kept in the ¶ In what wyse thou mayst best moost deuoutly dispose the to that moost holy sacrament after pure confessyon I wolde thou axed it of our lorde god and than the holy goost shal teache the. But yet soÌ„what shall I say to styre the for to receyue that blyssed sacrament deuoutly and it shall be but a short lesson ¶ Fyrst thynke how lytell thou art in his syght whiche holdeth vp bothe the and all the worlde In this thought as moche as thou mayst set thy self at nought Haue in mynde also how euery day thou synnest therfore thynke thy selfe ryght vyle and wretched and all vnworthy for to receyue that blyssed sacrament And in this thought thynke that though thou haddest be about to make the redy a thousand yere afore it had ben lytel ynough as for so worthy a sacrameÌ„t Thynke also that thou art vnworthy for to loke vp into heuen and to them that lyue in heuen or heuenly Therfore coÌ„sydering thy vnworthynesse long afore or thou receyue that blyssed sacrament caste doune thyn eye in to purgatory where paynes be ordeyned for to purge synners Among all thynke on some payne there ordeyned for thy synÌ„es and for thy trespaces / where peraduenture thou art worthy to lye vnto the day of dome / were not the grete mercy of our lorde god Therfore thynke thus and say alway in thyn hert before thou go to receyue that holy sacrament O lorde yf a thousand yere suffyse not a soule to be worthyly redy to receyue this blyssed body and blode good lorde haue mercy on me that soo vnworthily vnredyly come therto which am a ryght wretched creature dayly synnyng not ameÌ„dyng O. good lorde Iesu there is no stynkyng fylthe fouler than my soule is for to receyue thy blyssed body and blode I beseche the lord make some ryuer of compunction fyrst to renue by that foule stynking pyt of my soule to wasshe away the fylth or that thou entre O lorde I dare not els put the there Now blyssed be thou good lorde I fynde grete confort in thy mercy I wote well now without ony comparyson thyn infynyte mercy is more than all my wyckednesse And therfore through the felyng of that heuenly grace which thou hast now indued my soule trustyng onely vpon thy benygne mercy I go to receyue it as a
¶ A deuout treatyse called the tree xii frutes of the holy goost ¶ The tree of the holy goost Folio ij ⧠Grace in this worlde ioye withouten ende ⧠⧠⧠⧠RElygyous syster for as muche as the arte now planted in the gardyn of holy relygyon yf thou wylt at the last be a tree of the heuenly paradyse thou must vertuously growe here and bryng forthe good goostly fruyte For as our lorde sayeth Omnes arbor bona fructê° bonos facit Euery good tree he sayth bringeth forth good fruyte ☞ yf a tree materyall sholde bryng forth good fruyte it must be first depely roted afterwardâ— wel watred than sprede his brauÌ„ches abrode and at last to waxe hye In the same wyse if yâ— wylt be a good tree and bryng forth vertuous fruyte first thou must be veryly and depely roted in mekenesse whiche is the keper and very true grounde foundement of all vertues For as saynt Gregory sayth ☞ He the gadreth vertues without mekenesse is lykened to such one that bereth blasyngly precyous powdre in the wynde It is euydently knowen the deper a tree is roted the hyer it waxeth In the same wise the more meke thou art for Chryste loue the hyer thou shalt encrease in grace in this lyfe at the last to be enhaunced in ioye as our blyssed lorde sayeth Quise humiliat exaltabitur He that is beray meke here shall at laste be enhaunced in ioye ☞ If thou wylt lerne veray mekenesse for to be a relygious plante beholde the mekenesse of our blyssed lorde Iesu how he lowed hymself for vs in his incarnation in his natyuyte and in all his conuersacyon bothe in lowly wasshyng of his dysciples fete And also in his bytter passyon he lowed hymself so that he was for vs obedyent vnto the dethe For the whiche lowly obedyence almyghty god the father enhaunced hym and gaue hym a name aboue al names And that is for vs that we in relygion sholde mekely obey vnto our dethe Beholde also very mekenesse in his blyssed moder our lady saynt Mary the holy vyrgyn whiche nexte vnto hym in erthe was moost mekest for she was chosen of hym specyally therfore as it is wryten Quia respexit humilitatem ancille sue 〈◊〉 Beholde also very mekenesse in all the holy apostles euangelystes martyrs coÌ„fessours and vergyns / and many other chosen soules which worthyly therby pleased our lorde And thynke that they were meke bothe in herte speche and in dede to gyue vs that ben in relygion exsample to be meke bothe in herte speche and dede In herte holde thy selfe moost vyle moost abiect and moost synner / and moost wretche of all And than thynke that yf our blyssed lorde had gyuen to the moost synner in erthe that grace that which he hath gyuen to the that the same synner wolde be more meker than thou arte more loue hym than thou doost Thus to thynke quencheth pryde of all relygious folke In this wyse thou mayst thynke euery body in erth better than thy selfe And yf thou mayst not ouercome pryde of herte in this wyse / thynke than that in this vyce of pryde thou passest all other bryngynge to thy mynde the wordes of saynt Iames the holy apostle where he sayth of our lorde thus Qeus superbis resistit humilibê° dat gratiam That is Our lorde withstandeth proude hertes and gyueth greate graces to all meke hertes Syster suche knowlege of thyne owne pryde shall be cause of wynnyng of very mekenesse ☞ But now for as moche that it is ryght harde to escape the fyrst styringes of pryde namely of thoughtes which do crepe ryght pryuely into the herte Therfore as soone as thou perceyuest such proude thoughtes anone throwe them vpon the meke stone Chryst Iesu that is RenÌ„e to the mekenesse of Christ Iesu there all to brest thy proud thoughtes also shew theÌ„ in coÌ„fession to thy coÌ„fessour For our lord by the prophete Dauyd blysseth all suche / where he sayth thus Beatus qui tenebit et allidet ê‘uuios suos ad petrain ☞ Blyssed be he sayth our lorde that shall kepe well in mynd his proude thoughtes and all to breke them at the stone that is Chryst consyderyng his mekenesse Suffre neuer good sister pryde to rest within the / workyng after the councell of Thoby which taught his sone very mekenesse in herte saynge thus Fili suê‘biam nunque in tuo sensu aut iÌ„ tuo verbo dnÌ„ari permittas ab ea enim sumpsit initiuÌ„ ois ê‘ditio ☞ Sone he sayth suffre neuer pryde haue domynacion in thy wyttes in thy felynge ne in thy worde For thereof euery myschefe hath his begynÌ„yng Beleue it well syster the begynnynge of all synne is pryde Beware therof I praye the specyally now thou arte in relygion Make no partyes / mayntene no querels I sayd also thou must haue mekenesse in mouthe In mouthe thou must be meke as in answerynge mekely and reuerently to thy souerayns and elders I sayd also thou must be meke in all thy werkes fulfillyng all maner lowe seruyce in relygyon werkes And than haue mynde of our lordes lowlynesse / how he beyng souerayn god and lorde of all dysdayned not to wasshe his disciples fere Shewe therfore meke seruyce to thy sisters deuoutly obey them hauyng in mynde the wordes of our sauyour where he sayth thus Non veni ministrarised ministrate That is I come not sayth he for to be serued as a mayster but for to mynystre as a seruauÌ„t ☞ And for as moch as mekenesse gooth neuer alone in relygion wtout the felawe of obedyence therfore obey mekely to all namely to thy souerayns and elders Thus do all thy besynesse and dyligence I pray the for the loue of our lorde his holy moder to put away all thyn owne wylles whiche somtyme thou vsed in the worlde / and obey gladly to thy souerayns bothe in indyfferent thynges and generally in all thynges whiche is not agaynst god and thy holy rule ☞ Beholde afore thyn eye a good ensample of our lorde thy spouse Iesu that was subiect and obedyent to his owne handy werke bothe to Ioseph Mary For he sayth hymselfe Non vem facere voluÌ„tatem meam That is I come not sayth he in to this erthe for to do myn owne wyll Than sholde euery relygious persone be sore abasshed and ashamed of hymself yf he do ony parte of his own wyl syth the maker came not for to do his wyll but that wyll of his fader obeyng to creatures in erth in the name of his fader Trust right well syster that if thou obey lowly to thy souerayns thou obeyest to god At the begynnyng of thy obedyence thou yeldest thyn handes in to thy souerayns handes in token that she myght lede the vertuously whyder she wyll Saynt Bernard sayth a very obedyent yeldeth to his souerayns handes bothe his wyll and his nyll in his obedyeÌ„ce makyng so that suche one excludeth hymselfe of euer eyther
seke body to a leache that thy blyssed goostly medycin may make my seke soule hole The seker that I am lorde the more nede haue I to come to the that thy greate pyte mercy may be shewed in me by delyueraunce of my synnes Vpon this trust lorde I come to the. for thy mercyes I wote well be infynite There lorde I shal fynde heuenly delycates in the whiche delycates I purpose euer to dwell in the lorde and in none other Soo feruently I wyll set my hert as I wyll of the euer for to haue ioy with the withouten ende ☞ Lo syster by suche short meditacions and other lyke these thou mayst clense thy herte and thy soule with rennyng ryuers of very compunction Before thou go to receyue that blyssed sacrament say also in thy herte yf thou haue leyser in thy goyng thus O I that am powdre and asshes shall I now go to my lorde Than answere agayne and say with a reuereÌ„t mekenesse yea that shall I as an vnprofitable seruaunt gooth to his benygne mayster And as an hongry soule gooth to his meate And as a seke man gooth to his leache Say also as saynt Austyn sayth My lorde my mercy my refuge my desire to the I come for I may not helpe my selfe with myn own werkes And therfore lorde releue me / socour me / haue mercy on me I mystrust of my merytes / but I trust in thy grete mercyes more than I mystrust of myn euyl dedes Lord thou art my hope To the alone I haue synÌ„ed mercy lorde ☞ Many folke vse to saye longe afore they be houseled the .vij. psalmes of penaunce with a â—etany Prayeng to all those sayntes for helpe which psalmes saynt Austyn toke out of the psalter and set them togyder And named theÌ„ psalmes of penauÌ„ce It is a good deuocioÌ„ for to say I wyll not charge the withall considering the contynual labour that thou hast in thyn ordre ¶ Thynke also on the grete charite whiche he sheweth to synners / in gyuyng his blyssed body to them for theyr goostly helthe and goostly meate And that it is very goostly meate he proueth it well hymselfe where he sayth thus Caromea vere est cibus et sanguis meus vere est potê° Â¶ My flesshe sayth he is very meate / my blode is very drynk ☞ This is the meate whiche is fygured by that manna in the old testament which had all maner of delyce all maner sauour of swetenesse that at the last shal be gyuen to thy grete mede and rewarde of euerlastyng blysse as he sayth hymselfe thus Qui manducat meam caruem bibit meum sanguinem habet vitam eternam That is He that receyueth my flesshe dryÌ„keth my blode shal haue for his hye rewarde euerlastyng lyfe here by grace after this lyfe by ioye ¶ Now syster after the gracious receyuynge of his blyssed sacrameÌ„t / thanke our lorde for the grete benefite say thus in thy herte Inuem queÌ„ diligit aia mea tenebo euÌ„ et noÌ„ dimittaÌ„ the is I haue found whome my soule loueth now shal I kepe him neuer shall I leue hym And for bycause it is called a sacrament of loue I wold thou prouydysted some maner of prayers of loue whiche might styre the poynt of thy loue as is this orysoÌ„ Duleê iesus memoria or such other than I drede not but thou shalt fele grete deuocyon ¶ O good syster somtyme my goostly doughter I pray the than for to desyre of thy spouse for me one drop of that deuocion I wolde also thou sholde desyre of him suche deuocion for all my goostly frendes Among all other of thy deuocion and vocall prayers it were a medefull sayeng for to saye Placebo Dirige at leest with thre psalmes thre lessons and laudes thynkyng that thou hast thy lyuelode of them that peraduenture lyen in paynes of purgatory which paynes as some doctours done say passeth all the paynes of the world and is more greuous ¶ This thou myghtest vse well at after none whan thou walkest in the gardyn And thynke that he were an vnkynde frende a ryght cruell whiche myght se the in a brennynge fyre were in his power for to delyuer the and wyll not Truly ryght soo our lorde hath graunted the one frende in erth may delyuer his freÌ„de in purgatory by deuout prayers other goostly meanes / If suche one be neclygeÌ„t his frende in purgatory may well thynke that suche one is rather a cruell enmy than a frende Sende therfore in spare tymes thy prayers to our lorde for them that ben in purgatory / recommendyng to hym thy kynne thy founders benefactours of thy monastery and all other which ben passed out of this worlde Lo sister all this before is sayd moche of bocall prayer lytell of mentall prayers For euer amonges all goostly exercyses prayer is a holy meane Vocall prayer mentall prayer they two ben so nygh of kynne that the one is neuer founde without the other If vocall prayer haue chefe occupacion medytacion medleth somwhat with hym And yf medytacion haue chefe occupacion than prayer breketh out among And therfore in as moch as it is longyng to prayer somwhat shall I say of mentall prayer whiche is called medytacion And also for to styre the whan thou arte alone how thou shalte be occupyed in medytacion ¶ Syster suche mentall prayer by medytacion is ryght swete merytorious and precyous to a deuout soule / but right few vse it and that is pyte And as saynt Hue sayth in a boke whiche he maketh of the maner of suche medytatyue prayer that such prayers is called deuocioÌ„ purely of the soule which is a very tornyng in to god by meke and mylde affection By this thou mayst knowe that medytacion sholde be meke by consyderacyon of hym that so prayeth Of this we fynd a good example by the publycane in the gospell whiche in his herte prayed submyttyng thy self mekely to god a very synÌ„er sayeng outward by right fewe wordes as for vocal prayers whan he sayd thus Deus propicius esto michi peccatori For all his prayers were inward for the moste parte All suche that praye by medytacion they speake fewe wordes In other properte meditatiue prayer hathe yt is shorte as short wordes of loue or of mercy and sendith out his flames and beames Such a short medytatyf prayer sister perceth heuen For all suche soules that so ben occupyed in meditacions done rest in god as in the begynnyng endyng of his medytacyon And thus suche medytatife prayer is short Not for the shortnesse of deuocion but for the shortnesse of the length in wordes Another properte that longeth vnto medytatyue prayer that is desyrous by waylyng sobbyng and syghing to be with our lorde So that suche one may say with the ê“phete Dauyd thus Sitiuit anima mea ad deum fontem viuum quaÌ„do veniam et apparabo ante faciem det fueruÌ„t
micht lactime mee paries die ac nocte That is my soule thursteth to our lord which is the quicke gracious welle the refressheth euery mournynge sowle O. whan shal I come and appere before thy gloryous face blissed lorde Euery day my soule is fed with teares as my bodi is with breades for they be the loues of my soule vnto the tyme that I maye se the face to face ⧠Syster is not this avery good mournynge myrthe If thou wylt come come to suche mery mournynge of medytacion thou must as moch as thou maist sequester thi selfe from all maner outwarde noyses distractions and soo entre into the pryue chambre of thyn hert and there exclude all thynges vnder god and than assende vp vnto him by suche deuout medytacions ¶ In the whiche medytacions fyrst thou shalt bethynk the of thyn owne fraylte How redy thou art to euyll how dull and slowe to good After this thynke vpon the grete cruelte of thy goostly enmies How day and night they lye in awayte by many wicked suggestions fals subtyltees how they might deceyue thy soule and drawe it to synue And after this thynke vpon the grete goodnesse of god how moch grace he hath wrought for that Fyrst in makyng the of nought And than how he with his precyous blode bought the. Departynge disceueryng the from all mysbeleuyng people paynyms and heretykes Gyuyng the a chrysten name by receyuyng of the sacrameÌ„t of baptysme And also abyding mercy ably and beny gnely thy tornyng out of synne Delyuerynge the out from the fendes mouth and from the vanyte of this fals worlde by entryng into relygion And so gyuynge the many other vertues and graces without nombre ⧠The first me dytacion wyll styre the to compuÌ„ction sorow The seconde to drede And the thyrde to loue ¶ Of this me semeth saynt Hue in a boke that he made De arra amme sayth a right swete worde and it is this I am sayeth he hyghly bounde to loue my lorde Iesu of whome I haue receyued many benefytes of loue For fyrst he sayth hath gyuen me my essensiall beynge in hym not onely with all vnseÌ„sible creatures but effectuall beyng of fayrnesse aboue essensyble creatures But effectual beyng of fayrnesse he hath gyuen me also lyfe in hym not onely with beestes beestly / but for to lyue by grace heuenly He hath gyuen me a body with wyttes A soule with strengthes Erth with that which is conteyned therin for my sustenauÌ„ce Gyftes of grace with holy sacramentes of the chyrche And hymselfe with his tormeÌ„tes which he suffred in his passion ☞ After these thre maner medycacions ascende vp with an hye trust to our lorâ—e Iesu And yf thou mayst with habundaunce of teares say with meke boldnes as saynt Austyn sayth thus ⧠I shall now surely go to my lorde Iesu and crye vpon hym mekely to moue hym for to helpe me / consyderyng by his mercy full goodnesse bothe my fraylte and the grete cruelte of my goostly eÌ„myes ¶ Than after this rest a whyle by medytacyon / and be ryght sure he wyll fulfyll thy desyre graunt the thyn askyng And though thou fynd no swetenesse anone leaue not therfore / but cry vnto hyÌ„mekely importunely sayng thus in thy soule Non dimittam te donec benedixeris michi Lorde I shall not leaue the vnto the tyme thou hast gyue me thy blissynge yea though he put the to scylence Or put the from hym with his haÌ„de Or shoue the away with his fote yet leaue not but crye vpon hym mekely alway And I tell the for a trouthe yf thou contynue thus in such importunyte it shall encrease thy deuocyon ryght moche And yet therto thou shalt haue thyn askyng and be sped of thy desyre Whiche I fynde well proued by example of the holy writynge of Thoby to whome the aungell sayd thus Quando orabas cum lacrimis ego optuli orationem tuam deo ☞ whan thou dydest praye with wepynge than I offered thy prayers to god ⧠Lo syster set neuer lytell by prayers whiche holy auugels don offre to oure lorde god and namely there as it is contynued with Christ ☞ In all such medytatyue prayers I wolde thou had a specyall insyght vnto our blyssed lady moder of mercy and pray her to be a tender meane to her dere sone for the. namely at her masse other tymes also And grete her with Auees and other specyall deuocyons made of her ⧠And I praye the yf thou mayst vse often for to say that blyssed swete worde of saynt Anselme in the ende of thy medyta tyue prayer to our blyssed lady which is this ¶ Gloryous vyrgin gods moder / as thou verily louedest thy sone and verily woldest that he were loued â–ª gete me that grace of thy sone that I may veryly loue hym ⧠Truely I hope that thou sholdest fynde grete confort in such deuout wordes And yf thou may I wolde thou saydest to her among her psalters of Auees called our ladyes psalter Also I wolde thou were occupyed namely on holy dayes with redyng of deuout bokes as is Stimulis amoris or such other In the which specially I recommend to thy medytacyon the holy passyon of our lorde Iesu and namely after complyn after matins And beleue it ryght well it shal inflame thy soule ferueÌ„tly in his loue / and teche the for to dispyse this wretched worlde And also it wyll teche the for to wynne grete pacyence in al maner aduersiters And it wyll arme the agaynst thy gostly enmyes and gyue the myght strength to ouercome theÌ„ worthyly For as saynt Bernard sayth Be a man neuer so delycate yf he consyder inwardly the bytter passyon of Chryst / he must nedes absteyn hym be he neuer so wrath full he must nedes forgyue be he neuer so malycious he must be bothe ful of pyte compassioÌ„ Say therfore with the same holy Bernarde say it inwardly intentyfly thus ☞ O good Iesu how myghtyly hast thou called me enbraced me to the with thyn holy armes of thy holy passyon where thy soule passed out of thy body and water out of thy syde blode out of thy herte O mercyful Iesu thou louedest me thaÌ„ full hote / ful feruently good lorde forsake me not now Thus mayst thou growe on hygh by deuocion bothe in vocall prayers and in mentall prayers ¶ It is necessary for the also syster yf thou wylt encrease and grow deuoutly incongregacion for to eschue syngularite in all thin own outward obseruaunces myngle or tempre dyscrecyon with all thy dedes lest it be sayd of the as our lord sayd in his gospell Ecce homo q cepit edificare et non potuit consummare Lo sayth our lorde this man hath begon to buyld but he can make no ende Therfore do so discretly as thou mayst coÌ„tinue Take no specialites on the wtout leue / but kepe a comyn forme of lyuing For by dyscretion and
our prayers feruently deuoutly that we desyre Of this the prophet sayeth thus Hie. xxix Orabitis et exaudiam vos cuÌ„quesicritis me in toto corde vfÌ„o ye shall praye sayeth our lord and I shall here you namely whan you seke me in all your hert and not els The thyrd is for because we perseuer not contynew in our prayers tyll we haue that we desyre Of this our lord sayeth thus Luc. xi Si perseueraueris pulsans propter inprobitatem surget dabit If thou coÌ„tynew in prayers be sely knockyng at the last he sayeth I must nedes graunt thyne askyng for thy great importunite that thou makest to me ¶ The fourth why we be not herd anone is for because we pray doubtyÌ„g and without any great trust Of the which the holy apostle saynt Iames sayth Iacob i. Si quis vestrum hesitat non estimet quod aliquid accipiat He that doubteth in his prayers lete none suche suppose that he shall haue his askynge Therfore we sholde not tempre oure lorde to our wylles for to wyte whyther he wyll graunte vs that we demaunde or not But we sholde tempre our soules vnto his wyll afore we do praye that whyther he wyll graunt vs or not His wyll be fulfylled and not ours ¶ The fyfth why we be not herde is for it is not dyscretely and wysely asked that we pray for but hurtfull to vs. As the chyldren of zebedee whiche asked nothyng for theyr helth and therfore it was not grauuted vnto them ⧠The blyssed apostle saynt Iames sayeth Iaco. iiii Detitis et non accipietis eo qd male petatis Ye aske ye shall not haue that ye aske for as moche as ye aske not well In suche askynges sister though thou wepe and sobbe for to haue thyn askynge as is for to aske to be fayre / semly / worldely wyse / and suche other our lorde wyl not here the for it is not for thy helth The .vi. cause why we be not herd in our prayers anon is that whan we haue our desire we shold kepe yt wysely that so longe and with so great hardnesse hathe be desyred ☞ Lo here mayst thou se two great profytes in longe abydyng One is that wanton pride shold be repressed in that that we be humbled and made meke in our taryeÌ„g and another that the gift which our lorde gyueth vs better than we can desyre shold be made moch of and not to be set lytel by The seuenth cause why we be not herd anon in our prayers of our lorde is because our lorde wyll delay and defer our desyre and peticion vnto a more conuenient tyme for our profyt than if we had it anon So Moyses whan he desyred the ioye of god to be shewed vnto hym he had not anon his desyre but it was delayed that he se it afterward The eyght cause why we be not anon herd in our prayers of our lorde is for because our lorde wold be sought helpe of other to pray for vs and helpe vs in our prayer for paraduenture that we aske is a hard thing or els it is done for to put away our pryde foule presuÌ„pcyon that we shold haue yf we thought that our lorde dyd so moch for vs without help of other So prayed that holy kyng Ezechie to the holy prophete ysay for to pray for him and all his people So prayed also that deuout kyÌ„g Iosias to a holy woman the was a prophetesse for to pray for hyÌ„ So also prayed saynt Paul Ro. xv Obsecro vos vt adiuuetis me in orÌ„oê° vrÌ„is vt liberet ab infidelibus qui sunt in iudea I pray you he sayd helpe me in your prayers that I may be delyuered from the vnfaythfull people that ben in Iury. †Thus syster in all our nedes we shold renÌ„e to the remedy of prayers not onely for our selfe but by help of other trustynge more to the prayers of other than to our own ¶ The .ix. cause is why we haue not that we aske in our prayers of our lorde For ê‘aduenture that we aske is not so profytable for vs as some other thiÌ„g that were more nedefull for vs which we aske not which was wel proued by saynt Paul that asked one thyng of our lorde and he had another He asked for to be delyuered from the styringes of his flesshe for he thought it was foule not maydenly for to suffre suche foule temptacyon and yet was he not delyuered therof But our lorde gaue hym another better than that which was more profitable to him and that was strength of vertue and grace of wtstondyng .ii. Cor. xii Or virtê° iÌ„ infirmitate ê‘ficitur For vertu is made parfit in with standyng of suche temptacion of infirmite So than it is more profitable for vs for to haue exercise of trybulacions than for to be in rest and quyetnesse of prosperyte though we oft desyre more the one than the other ⧠Loo syster by this thou mayst knowe whiche thynges they be that let vs to be herde of god in our prayers Therfore yf thou wylt be herde in thy prayers of god fyrst be clene fro synÌ„e asmoche as it is in thy power Be feruent and besy in prayer Haue great trust in prayer Be meke seke help of other Kepe the graces that our lorde gyueth the and thanke him for them And aske nothing of hym but suche thing that he knoweth is best moost spedefull for the. ⧠Now wyll I tell the of the great vertue of this blyssed fruyte of long abydynge ☞ Foure vertues I fynde of this fruyt One is that it kepeth al other goodnesse For in one houre long or ê‘seueraunt abydyng dooth as moch as other vertues haue done .xxx. yeres or many yeres afore why trowest thou Truly for yf that perseueraunce in abydyng kepe not well in that is gadred afore all our labour in vertue were lost what profyte were it for vs all our lyfe for to wynÌ„e vertues and lose them at last Saloman sayth Eccl. ii Ce hijs qui ê‘diderint sustinentiam ⧠wo be to them he sayth that haue lost all theyr sustenaunce What is the sustenauÌ„ce of the soule but vertues whiche be gathred in to the barne of the conscyence there the soule to be fed with them vnto the tyme that it be departed from the body Therfore yf suche vertues of long tyme gathred be lost for defaut of ê‘seueraunce sory may that soule be that so lacketh her sustenaunce for defaut of her houswife Perseueraunce or longe abydynge ¶ The second vertue of this fruyt is that it maketh a soule true to god For onely all perseueraunt soules in long abydynge forsake neuer our lorde in theyr trybulacyons but euer be true to hym And therfore they aloue worthyly shall here that swete worde where our lorde sayth thus to all perseueraunt soules Luc. xxii Vos estis qui permansistis me cuÌ„ in tribulationibus meis et ided ego dispono vobis sicut disposuit
fyrst edyfied by the shall afterward scorne the and set lytell by the. In all thy coÌ„munycacyon also beware of ydle speche exchue at all tymes And though they be not rekened among great synnes yet the contynuall custome of them causeth great synnes For oftentymes yf we gladly open our tongue largely to speke ydle wordes or we be ware we fall into noyous wordes wherof spryngeth soÌ„time trobles dissolucioÌ„s or other greuoê¯ fretynges of the conscyence In all thy coÌ„munycacyon also beware of moche spekyÌ„g leest thou fall by such long dalyaunce into lesynges or othes Of dyshonest wordes I hope thou wylt beware wel ynough for that is very poyson to maydens In all thy coÌ„munycacion also be rather a herer than a speker Here mekely and paciently good thinges which be sayd of other Dyspute not agaynst it as some do that heryng good thinges anone lest they shold be taken or counted lewd vnconuyng begyn to dyspute therof that other shold know they can some skyl therof All those seke not theyr edyficacion in suche coÌ„munycacion but theyr ostentacyon and bostynge that they shold be knowen connyng And therfore many good coÌ„munycacyons be left among relygyous persones bycause of such proud dysputacyons In all thy coÌ„munycacion also be not in nothing contencious and full of stryuing wordes but rather soone gyue it vp For yf it be good and true that the other hath sayd thou sholdest not saye there agaynst And if it be not good nor true that is sayd thou sholdest rather amend hym pacieÌ„tly by turnyng away and by meke shewyng of the trouthe than by sharp informyng In all thy coÌ„munycacion also whan thou shalt speake speake with a meke voyce with a glad chere with quyetnesse of spyrite than what soeuer thou speakest of good it shal be more profytable more of auctorite than it shold be otherwyse Be neuer bold for to speake afore thyne eldres but shamefaste And lysten rather to here other speake than for to speake thy self For it longeth to olde folke for to teach and to yong for to here lern In all thy coÌ„munycacion also beware of moche laughynge I mene not that thou sholdest not laugh but I wold that thy laughyng be not to moch but ryght selde and soft without great noyse And in all thy coÌ„munycacyon be glad for to speake of god and of good edyficacion For all suche speche intyceth the hert to vertue and the soule to deuocyon There is no membre of the body that is so nedeful to be kept as is the toÌ„gue For in the tongue we may offend in many maners in spekyng fals thynges wytyngly true thynges trecherously sharp thynges hastyly foule thynges vnclenly good thinges bostyngly and ê“fytable thynges vnwysely ⧠Senow syster how by the speche of the tongue our lord may be offended and pleased Therfore I fynd that the holy goost appered rather in lykenesse of toÌ„gues than in ony other membre of manÌ„es body For a toÌ„gue is the moost profytable parte of man yf it be well ruled But why appered the holy goost in fyry tongues Truely for bycause he wold that our tongues were euer speakyng of god and of goostly thynges in brennyng loue So speake syster that thou mayst set all thy systers afyre in loue Haue suche a new tongue as our lordes dysciples had that thou may speke benyguely and graciously that in thy speche may be bothe hony and mylke that is that it be swete and benigne in speakyng haue also such a new tongue that it maye be feruent and breÌ„nyng in charite and medcinable by confortyng than is thy tongue made the penÌ„e of the holy goost for therby he writeth in the hertes of good people holy wordes holy dedes holy vertues but amonges all thynges be neuer so redy for to speke but that thou haue euer a loue to scilence for taciturnite scilence is the vertue of mekenesse and token of sadnesse noryssher of vertue keper of soules As Salomon sayeth Prouer. xxi Qui custodit os suuÌ„ et linguam suam custodit ab angustijs animam suaÌ„ He that kepeth his mouthe his tongue he sayth kepeth his soule from anguysshe that is delyuereth his soule from anguysh of endlesse payne He that loueth moche stylnesse his tongue must nedes be kept from euyll spekynge from all folysh and dayne speakyng Foure fayre vertues I fynde of this fruyt of benygne spekyng and of gentyll coÌ„munycacyon of thynges by the mouthe ¶ The fyrst vertue is that suche gentyll coÌ„munycacyon maketh vs to be loued and it is so expedyent that it maketh of enmyes frendes for good coÌ„munycacyon bryngeth them into frendshyp agayne that were enemyes afore as Salomon sayth Ecclesiastic vi Uerbum dulce multiplicat amicos et mitigat inimicos ⧠Agentyll a swete vertuous coÌ„munycacyon multyplyeth frendes he sayeth and swageth enemyes ¶ The second vertu is that it maketh our mouthes our lordes oratory wherin he is prayed praysed by suche vertuous coÌ„munycacion For lykewyse as the chyrch which is ordeyned to prayse god in to pray to god and to preache so a mouth is ordened to prayse god to please god and to teache vertues by good coÌ„munycacyon Thus a manÌ„es mouthe is made our lordes or a tory and therfore it shold be of great clennesse and holynesse and without all vnclennesse ⧠¶ The thyrd vertu is that it maketh our mouthes our lordes fertour or his arke wherin be put holy relykes For yf clothes or ony other thyng which touch holy relykes be hold for relykes why than the good wordes which come out of a vertuous mouth shold not be hold for relykes ⧠That good wordes be as relykes it is well proued by goostly myracles whiche be all day done by such good wordes For goostly blynd be made to se by such coÌ„fortable wordes for to know theyr coÌ„scyeÌ„ce as Dauyd sayth ps xviii PreceptuÌ„ dnÌ„iluciduÌ„ illuminaÌ„s oclos ¶ The holy wordes of our lorde shewed out by a deuout mouth which is bryght and shyning maketh goostly blynd to se Also goostly dead be areysed to lyfe as our lorde sayth Io. v. Ueuit hora et nunc est quandomortui audient voceÌ„ fili dei et q â— audierint viuent ⧠An hour shall come he sayth and that is now in these dayes whan goostly dead shall here the voyce of gods chyld that is good coÌ„munycacyon of gods chyldren And they that here such coÌ„muncacyon shall be reysed from theyr goostly dethe and lyue vertuously ¶ The fourth vertu is that it maketh our mouthes gods cup or his chalyce wheriÌ„ is put and layde his blyssed body And therfore it must nedes be holy clene For right as it were great synÌ„e to throwe in a chalyce fylth wherin shold be put the holy body of our lorde So it were ryght great synÌ„e for to defoule the mouth by foule spekyng or ydle spekyng where it sholde euer brynge forth holy wordes and wordes of blyssed coÌ„munycacyon ☞ Lo syster thus
thou mayst knowe how swere this fruyt of gentyll coÌ„munycacion is medled with sad scylence Of that which fruyt Iesu fulfyll the that thou may speke wysely soberly sadly and vertuously among thy systers AMEN ¶ The .viii. fruyt of the tree of goostly lyuers is Myldnesse Ca. viii ¶ Of Myldnesse THe .viii. fruyt of the holy goost in gostly lyuers is called Myldnesse Of the whiche fruyt our lorde sayth thus Math. v. Beati mites quoniam ipÌ„i possidebunt terram ⧠Blyssed be all they that be mylde in hert for they shall haue for theyr heritage the land of lyfe that is the blyssed land of heuen This is also syster a precyous fruyt and a delycate for it groweth out of our lordes hert which must be fetched there he sayth hymselfe Math. xi Discite a me quia mitis suÌ„ et humilis corde Lerne of me he sayeth For I am both meke and mylde in hert Thus it semeth wel that it is a delicate fruyt For all such mylde hertes shold se that same lande that it groweth in And there may none felt the vertu of that fruyt but such that be mylde Yf thou wylt be very mylde kepe not in mynde but forgete what is sayd agaynst the for to make the wrothe And that thou mayst neuer do but yf thou arme the afore by quyetnesse of herte that what soeuer is sayd to the for to styre the thou wylt not be vnmylde and than it shal not greue the. For lyke as a man that sholde make batayle and fyght with another fyrst he assayeth his armure and so proueth how he coud defend hym by his target in auoyding of strokes lest he be wounded So must thou do Thynke euery houre thou wotest not how soone thou shalt be assayed by some sharp wordes which ê‘aduenture shold make the vnmylâ— in here but thou were ware afore I saye not impacyent though it be almoost lyke For impacience is called suche a thyng that wyll suffre and not loue But myldnesse is that that wyll bothe suffre loue also do good in dede for euyll as our lord fayth Luc. vi Benefacete hijs qui oderunt vos ⧠Do ye good to them that hate you he sayth To myldnesse of herte also longeth shamefastnesse As whan thou art assayled or supposest to be assayled than thynke of thy vertuous state of relygioÌ„ that thou hurt not that nor cause other to sclaundre that in the thynkyng that in thyne entre of relygyon thou offredest the to all maner of myldnesse with loue of vertu Moche vncase cometh of suche vnmyldnesse of hert It putteth away deuocyon and it troubleth the conscyence Wylt thou well kepe thyne herte in myldnesse than absteyn thy selfe from coÌ„tencion and striuiÌ„g Stryue neuer in no mater but it be agaynst vyces in thy self And if thou haue charge of other than so tempre thy stryuyng the thy hert lese not therby this myldnesse how so euer it is takeÌ„ of other This teacheth vs saynt Paul sayeng .ii. Ti. ii Seruum dei non oportet ligitare sed mansuetum esse ad omnes ⧠It besemeth not he sayth gods seruaunt for to be a stryuer but for to be mylde vnto all folke For ryght as yf thou felt within the an inordynate heate by the which thy body is dystempered mayst not serue god I trowe thou woldest after the councell of a physicien refreyne thy selfe from such thinges that shold make the more hote lest thou sholdest be more seke Moche more than thou art bound to kepe thy soule from dystemperauÌ„ce of heates wherby thou myghtest be the more vnmylde in hert There be two thyÌ„ges that make a soule mylde One is that thou speke neuer boystously Another is that thou be no threatener It is not ynough for the not for to speke boystously but also that thou be no threatener The one teacheth the to hurt no body by word And the other teacheth the to haue an easy hert of forgyuenesse without rebukiÌ„g or threatenyng The fyrst longeth to trouth of good lyuyng the other to mercy and coÌ„passyon These be the two ways of our lorde of the which speketh the prophet thus Ps xxiiii Uniuerse vie dnÌ„i et miÌ„a et veritas All the wayes of our forde for to come to blysse by be trouth and mercy ⧠These wayes be taught of our lorde to all mylde folke as Dauyd sayth Psal xxiiii Docebitmites vias suas ⧠He shall teach he sapeth all mylde hertes his wayes of true lyuiÌ„g without stoborne spekynge and threatenynge A herte that is souple and myloe may lyghtly be applyed to receyue the impressyon of our lordes swete and meke doctryne Therfore syster yf thou wilt haue a mylde hert fyrst apply the to here holy doctryne holy exhortacion holy in formacyon and iÌ„struction bothe of thy soueraynes in relygion and also of other For to all such that be glad to here our lordes holy doctryne he sayth hymself that he was sent Esa lxi Ad annunciandum mansuetis misit me ⧠I am sent he sayth in to erthe for to teache and informe mylde hertes That is by such that haue auctoryte for to teache and informe in my name what shold they teache all myld folke NothiÌ„g els but as I sayd before by the auctoryte of the prophete the ways of god what be these ways Veryly trouthe and mercy Trouthe for to aske requyre forgyuenesse mekely of them that thou hast doone wronge to Mercy for to forgyue all those that haue done the wrong and neyther of them to speake boystously or threatyngly By these wayes thou must come to that lande that our lorde hath bequeathed to all mylde in hert which is the lande of blysse All mylde folke be peasably inclosed here in this life in the possession and hauyng of our mylde lorde Iesu therfore by ryght they must nedes be had possessed of our lorde at last in endlesse blysse There shall none be veryly had of our lorde but suche as be had of hym veryly in this lyfe All vnmylde folke whiche be not had and possessed of god with in themself but ben from themself had and possessed of yre and wrathe must nedes be excluded from that worthy possession of blysse which our lorde hath ordeyned for almyld but yf they turne and amend them ☞ Syster yf thou wylt come to this vertue of myldenesse thou must be ful of pyte which maketh a hert swete by the whiche swetenesse a hert is made louyng vnto all creatures for god In the which swetenesse as a Bee such a hert goth about in his thought and gadereth of euery maner of creature some maner of hony Of some it gadreth swete hony of obedyence whan it seeth how mekely some do obey Of some it gadreth pacyence / of some deuocion / of some discrete abstynence / and of some chastyte clennesse It beholdeth not theyr defautes but theyr good dedes And that that it loueth that it prayseth and than it seketh swetenesse of deuocyon of
se the preuytees of his godhede which afterward he wrote mere hyghly than euer dyde ony other To him bycause of chastyte our lorde in his passyon commended the kepyng of the moost holy chaste gloryous vyrgyn his owne gloryous mother For loue of chastite also it was that this same a postell loued specially the holy kyng saynt Edward for to whome he appered receyued his ryng in almes sent it agayn warnyng hyÌ„ before the time that he shold depart out of this lyfe receyue in heuen the great rewarde of chastyte which is full plenteous synguler as our lorde promyseth by his prophet I saye sayth Esa lvi Dabo ennuchis meis in domo mea locuÌ„ et nomen melius a filijs et filiabê° â§ I shall gyue sayth our lorde to my chaste seruauntes a place and a name in my hous of heuen better and more worthy before other of theyr sones or doughters O therfore now thou mayst se by this how worthy and excellent a vertue is chastyte and how acceptable and pleasyng it is to our lorde Iesu thy heuenly spouse Kepe it therfore and halse it to the as that thyng that may make the full louely pleasyng vnto the hye kyng â–ª and thyn endlesse spouse Iesu whither saynt Agate knew not this whan for the loue faith of chastite she went vnto deth as she wold go to a great feast whyther also saynt Margarete faynt Katheryn knew not this whiche for the loue of clene chastite chose rather to be martyred than for to lese it whither also saynt Lucy knew not this that for the loue of chastyte the holy goost made her so heuy that she myght not be drawen with many folde tyemes of oxen to the brothell or strumpet hous whyther also saynt Agnes that was so tendre of arge which was led vnto the brothell hous where an aungell of god kept her by ordinaunce of god was more clad with her heare than by ony clothes I trowe yes Loke syster and thou shalt fynde that all these holy vyrgyns rather wold be dead than to lose theyr chastyte The thyrd thynge that may styre vs to the vertue of chastyte is the inwarde callyng of our lorde the coÌ„fortable inspyracion of graces whiche our lorde sheweth to all meke chast soules for all suche desyreth vii thynges of god One is the syght the loue of hym and set ryght nought by outward beaute of any creature as for any lykyng in synÌ„e An other is that all suche desyre to haue right noughte but only wherof to lyue that to theyr only nede wtout ony superfluyte The .iii. is all suche fle eschewe vayne ydle wordes The .iiii. is they care not for to se theyr worldly frendes neyther faders nor mothers for our lorde they loue and desyre The .v. is al such coueyt to kepe mekenesse wtinforth in theyr conscyence and withoutforth in theyr habyte The .vi. is that all such be in wyl neuer to doo vnclennesse but rather for to dye The .vii. is that all such bryng forth to our lordes seruyce mo chyldren by theyr good conuersacyon good exsample by spekyng of spyritual and goostly wordes than they shold haue done yf they had ben wedded ☞ Lo syster what graces our lorde gyueth to all meke maydens Thus than chast vyrginite is peas of the flesshe scyleÌ„ce of charges pryson of lustes stoppyng of the .v. wyttes as touchyng to euyl the bedle of good name fame ioye of conscience parte of the nature of auÌ„gels fayrnesse of good lyuyng lord shyp of vertue the bed restyng place of Chryst and the foundament of al goodnesse Chaste vyrgynite is also as a lylly vndefyled ¶ In a lylly be .vi. whyte leaues by the whiche clennesse of chastyte is sygnyfied The fyrst is sobrenesse of meat drynke The second hard waring The iii. besynesse of labour The .iiii. keping of the. v wyttes The .v. casynesse of wordes The .vi. auoyding and eschuyng of ydlenesse Such chastyte as doctours say rauysshed the ê“phete Elyt in a fyry charet in to paradyse By such chastyte the same prophete reysed dead to lyfe By such chastyte Elizie the prophete had gyuen to hym of god a double spirite one of prophecy and another of myracles Such cleÌ„nesse chastyte queÌ„ched the outward fyre of the .iii. chyldren whiche were cast in to the fire as is rehersed in Danyel the prophete And no wondre though such outward fyre myght not brenÌ„e theÌ„ for as moche as the feruour of vnclennesse brenneth not them wtin All suche may in no wyse be breÌ„ned of ony mannes ordynaunce withoutforth that quenche the deuyls fyre withinforth And that hath be wel ê“ued by holy vyrgiÌ„s afore whose materyal fyre our lorde quencheth with his dewe without forth bycause they had quenched the fyre of hell withinforth Such chastyte delyuered Danyel fro deuouring of lyons bycause he dystroyed in hymself that moost cruell beest of flesshely delectacyon whiche is wylder wodder more than ony other wylde beest Thus than chast vyrgynite is the spouse of Chryst the throne of god the temple of the holy goost the hale of the endlesse king the treasure of heuen the ernest dowry of euerlastyng rewarde and the gate of paradyse And for to say shortly chaste vyrgynite maketh a man or a woman in this wretched body blyssedly to clepe and gracyously to wynÌ„e the blysse of heuen ¶ For to conclude vp this holy fruyt of chastyte foure great vertues I fynd wherby it is hyghly coÌ„mended praysed in the syght of god ⧠One is that chaste vyrgynite groweth among worldly people as the lylly dooth among thornes For lyke as a lylly among thornes groweth vpright without hurtyng so dooth worldly chaste vyrginite among worldly people thus sayth Salomon Cant .ii. Sicut lilium inter spinas sic amica mea inter filias As a lylly sayth our lorde by Salomon groweth without hurtyng among thornes so doth my deare beloued spouse chast virginite amonge all myne other doughters The seconde vertue is that chast vyrgynite beryth the precious floure aboue all other maner of chastite be it of wedlok or of wydowhed For lyke as one sterre passeth an other in shynyÌ„g in the fyrmament so doth chastite among all the clennesse of the erth The thyrd vertue is that chast vyrginyte hath the hygh seate in heuen next vnto the trinite in as moche as our blyssed lady goddes mother that holy virgyn is inhaunsed in blysse aboue all the orders of aungels Therfore glad may all chast maydens be whiche hathe so speciall a vyrgin nygh the trynite The fourth vertue is that chast vyrgynite here in erth is most next vnto Chryst bothe bodely and goostly Bodely bothe by famylyer conuersacyon and also by naturall knowlege ⧠The fyrst was well knowen by saynt IohnÌ„ the euangelist whiche by the merytes of his chastite was most famylyer with Christ aboue all the apostles and moche preuy to the secretes of his godhed The seconde was wel knowen in our blissed lady that holy vyrgyn whome our lorde chase to his mother because of her meke vyrgynyte so was borne of a chast vyrgyn to shew therby that he loueth euer the clennesse of meke and chast vyrgynyte ☞ Lo how vertuous chastyte is kepe it well for yf it be lost it may neuer be wonÌ„e agayne Though thou lese charyte thou may haue it agayn as well as euer thou hadest so of goostly ioy of pacience of sufferaunce of goodnesse of benyngnite of myldnesse of true lyuing and of contynence whiche I call here sobernesse of lyuyng but not so of chastyte For yf ye lose that it may neuer be had agayn as it was And therfore I pray the kepe it wel Which if it be meke wyll brynge in all the other vertues ⧠⧠†¶ Now syster I pray the specyally eate oft of this fruyt bothe wakynge and slepyng for it is swete in smellyng that it sauoureth among auÌ„gels in the blysse of heuen Parte with thy sysysters of this fruyt that ye all at the last may come thyder where as your holy cosyns be aungels there for to se the vyrgyn of vyrgyns our lord your louynge spouse her blyssed sone endlesly AMEN ¶ Here endeth an epystle made and sent to a relygyous woman of the .xii. fruytes of the holy goost ⧠Robert Coplande