almyghty god and than vse by cōtynuall custome to make a crosse with your thōbe vpon your foreheed or front in sayng of these wordes In nomine patris and than an other crosse vpon your mouthe with these wordes Et filii And the thyrde crosse vpon your breste / saynge Et spūs sancti Amen And if your deuotion be therto ye maye agayne make one hole crosse from your heed vnto your fete from the lefte shulder to the ryght sayng all together In no mine patris filii et spūs sancti Amen That is to meane I do blesse and marke my selfe with thē cognisaunce badge of Christe in the name of the father and in the name of the sone and in the name of the holy ghost that is to saye the holy Trinite .iii. persons and one God Than saye or thynke after this forme Good lorde god my maker redemer here nowe in thy presence I do for this tyme for all the tyme of my hole lyfe byqueth and betake or rather do frely gyue my selfe soule and body with all my harte and mynde vnto the good lorde and vnto thy handes to be thy bonde seruaunte for euer accordynge vnto the promyse made in my baptysme at the font stone And here nowe I do ratyfye and newly confyrme the same and do fully consente in harte mynde therto neuer here after by the helpe of thy grace to contrary the same but to cōtynue in thy lawes good lorde vnto the ende of my lyfe But where thou knowest good lorde the I am a frayle persone infyrme feble weyke of my selfe prone redy ī thought Genesis ▪ viii worde and dede vnto euyll from the begynnynge of my lyfe hytherto I beseche the good lorde god and father of all puysaunce power of all myght strēght that thou wilt defende me from all myne enemyes and gyue me spirituall strenght and power that I may / in the / vaynquysshe and ouercome fle auoyde all suche fraylte lyght maners or disposicions as shuld be cōtrary to thy wyll and pleasure that accordynge vnto this wyll of the spirite whiche thy goodnes hath now frely gyuē vnto me I may destroye the wyll of the flesshe so contynue vnto the ende of my lyfe And yet good lorde where thou knowest also that I am but rude and vnlerned wtout wytte wysdome and due knowlege of the and thy lawes all ignoraūt and as an ydiote or foole in all good and spirituall vnderstandyng I byseche the good lorde god that art the essentiall sone of god the father and vnto whome is appropriate all wytte wisdome all science / connynge and knowlege and all ryght perceyuynge vnderstandynge / that thou wylte graunte me the due knowlege of thy selfe by ryght true fayth and the knowlege of all thy benefytes gyftes done to me and all mankynde / grace dewly to thanke the for them And also due knowlege of myne owne selfe of the state and condiciō of my lyfe and cōuersaciō and specially of my wretchednes with due contricion for all my synnes And knowlege also of thy lawes wyll pleasure / so that by no maner of ygnoraunce or mysvnderstandyng I do at any tyme in werke or dede / or in worde or thought any thynge contrary vnto the same And thyrdly good lorde where thou knoweste also that I am ofte tymes obstinate of mynde froward euyll wylled / stubburne of stomake vnkynde of harte / dull / neglygent and slouthfull in all maner of goodnes I beseche the good lord god holy ghost / that arte the spirite and wyll of the father / of the sone and with thē the same selfe essenciall god vnto whome is appropriate and specially appoynted / all boūte / all goodnes / all grace and good wyll that thou woldest voyche saffe to gyue me the grace of good wyll so that I neuer do / saye / ne thynke that shulde be contrary to thy wyll And hauynge vnto the euer a reuerēde drede I may loue the for thy selfe all other in the lorde and for the / so that accordynge vnto the spirituall strength and knowlege that thou hast gyuen me I may apply my wyll hooly vnto thy wyll / so that I haue no wyll propre vnto my selfe but the my wyll be all thy wyll bothe as moche as maye be possyble one wyll And so I maye here in this life ordre my loue and come vnto suche perfection of feruent charyte that by the grace I may attayne vnto the fruiciō of euerlastynge charyte in thy ioyfull presence Amē And good lorde god father of heuē I beseche the take receyue me thus vnto thy grace and haue mercy and pyte vpō me and all thy people And thou lorde God blyssed sone of god the father and sauyour and redemer of the worlde / haue pytie and mercy vpon me and vpō all Christen people And louyng lorde god holy ghost and blessed spirite of god / haue mercy pyte vpō me and alī the worlde Holy and blessed Trinite one selfe same essenciall god / haue pyte mercy vpon me and all myne / vpon all thy creatures Amen And than ones agayne blesse the with In nomine patris as before and thā go forth vnto your busynes where ye wyll Let this be for your mornynge exercise And though you that haue greate thynges to do wolde thynke this prayer and mornynge exercise ouer longe because of your busynes I acerteyne you if it ones were by vse goten redy and incorporate and prynted in the harte and mynde it wolde sone be sayd or thought / and the persone shulde I byleue haue grace to spede the better in other thynges and nothyng forthynke of the spēdynge of the tyme but rather accounte it for greate gaynes in so moche that we purpose to set forth in the ende a lōger exercise for them that haue longer tyme to spēde but nowe we shall go forth herin After the sayd morowe exercise I truste you wyll be well occupied vpon your appoynted course of occupacion For that was our counseyle in the begynnynge that ye shulde appoynte your selfe by a cōtynuall course vnto some certayne occupacion that may be profytable euer to auoyde ydlenes the mother and nourse of all synne and euyll And euer beware of suche occupacions as ben called communly pastymes that is to saye all maner of vnlawfull games / suche disportes as done drawe people rather to vyce thā to vertue whiche more properly maye be called lose tymes than pastymes Math. xii c For syth / by the affyrmaciō of our sauyoure we shall make accoumpte of euery ydle worde / it muste nedes followe that we shall make a more strayte rekenynge of euery ydle or euyll werke Let therfore your sayd appoynted occupacion be alwaye good vertuouse and profytable Syth thā ye must nedes make a rekenynge of euery werke worde and thought for none of these cā be hyd or kept
consideracioÌ„ And agayne lokyng vpon your selfe / and coÌ„syderyng in how great sorowe and woo / sighyng / and sobbynge you dwell here in the vale of myserye / lackyng his godly presence you shall approche go vnto this sacrament as a person in depe coÌ„sumpcion for sorowe vnto the meate of mercy / the fode of all helth and saluacion and the very restoratiue of all recouery comforte Now laste of all yf you loke vpon the surety and certaynty of all these thynges as in your last consyderacion And agayne yf you beholde and se well your selfe you shall perceyue you haue ben euer incoÌ„stant euer flyttynge and neuer in one state abydyng that shall moue you than to goo vnto this holy house and lodgyng of our lorde as a vagabunde and prodigall or vnthryfty chylde vnto the house home of his father / there mercy asked and opteyned contynually to dwell and byde amonge the seruauÌ„tes of that house / where voyd of all euyll is abuÌ„daunce and plenty of all maner of thynges that be good with sure surety coÌ„staÌ„t certaynty of the same so to ê‘seuer and indure without minushyng or mutacioÌ„ world wtout ende whiche he grauÌ„t vs that made and bought vs. Amen ¶ Thus haue you eyght consyderacions for the knowledge of your selfe after and accordynge vnto the thre eyghtes that wente before and this eyght to be the fourth eyght And this is the same science / arte / craft / or cunnynge that I sayd is ingendred and brought forthe by medytacion And â–ª these foure eyghtes may be signified by the foure flodes of paradise Gene. ii whiche done water all the worlde For as saynt Austin sayth of this science cometh compunction Vbi supra whiche coÌ„punctioÌ„ sayth he is whaÌ„ the harte by consyderacion or of the consyderacion of hys owne euyll synne is touched pricked with inward sorow De summo bono And saynte ysodore sayth that the compunction of the harte is a mekenes of the mynde with teares wepyng whiche doth sprynge and aryse of the recorde remembrauÌ„ce of synnes with drede CoÌ„punction This terme compunctioÌ„ is as moche to say as a ioyned pricking or strykyng Whan so euer than a person knowynge hym selfe by the science before shewed doth remembre any of his offeÌ„ces and felynge his hart coÌ„science pricked and grudged therwith / doth with inwarde sorowe remors knocke vpoÌ„ the brest lyfte vp the handes eyes or syght wepe or sygh that is compunction and doth include contricion And this compunctioÌ„ as ye may well ê‘ceyue is begotten and brought forth of the sayd science And dothe as sayth saynte Austin byget chylde and brynge forth deuocion whiche deuocion sayth he is âšœ Pius et humilis affectus in deum humilis De spiritu et anima ex conscientia infirmitatis proprie Pius ex consideracione diuine clementie That is to saye Deuotion Deuocion is a religious faythfull and meke affection inwardly and perfectely vnto god And that affection saythe he is meke and lowly by the conscience and full knowledge of our propre infirmity feblenes And it is deuoute relygious faythfull by the consyderacion of the benynge piteouse and mercyfull geÌ„tylnes of our lord If you wold know what this terme affectioÌ„ is here to meane Affecte or affection Saynt Austin sayth it is a certeyn / free / wylfull lyberall / and swete or pleasaunt inclinacion leanynge of the mynd vnto our lord god And nothynge saythe he dothe so moche inclyne moue and styre almyghty god vnto pytye and mercy as doth the pure and clene affection desyre of mynde De modo oraÌ„di âšœ Deuocion than as saynte Hughe sayth de sancto Victore is whan the mynde of a persone is affrayde of his greate and many synnes And than mystrustynge vtterly hys owne vertue / power / strength dothe tourne hym selfe vnto our lorde god / and so moche the more feruentely doth aske and beseche his helpe and socoure as he perceyueth and seeth well there is no helpe without hym wherin he myght haue confidence trust Vt supÌ„ So concludeth saynt Austin / that deuocioÌ„ doth make the prayer perfecte Prayer For prayer saythe he is nothyng els but a deuocioÌ„ of mynd / and conuersion and tournynge of the hart mynde inwardely and perfectely vnto god by a deuoute religiouse and meke affection coÌ„forted holden vp sayth the sayd saynt Hugh with fayth / hope / and charity Prayer than Ibidem without deuocioÌ„ is vnperfect lytle worthe And deuocioÌ„ as is sayd is had goten of compunction / and compunction of science and science of meditacion So that vnto this purpose that is to saye the due receyuynge of the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter all these fyue be as we sayde good necessarye Not so as often we haue sayd that any person is bouÌ„den vnto all of necessity but of coÌ„ueniency And therfor as we haue before set forth vnto your election and choyce dyuers meditacioÌ„s so haue we in lyke maner done of prayers gadered out of dyuers auncient auctours Whan ye haue than thus sumwhat appareled and disposed your self vnto this iourney by these .iiii. that is / meditacion / selfe knowledge compunction / and deuocion than fall vnto prayer vocall or meÌ„tall or both at your pleasure That is to meane / that you maye at wyll speke and rede these prayers or onely thynke them in your hart mynde or both say and thynke ¶ The ghostly chylde Syr / which is best of these thre wayes ¶ The ghostly father Surely to say or rede alone without thought is lytle worthe To thynke alone is very good but bothe is beste ¶ Here don folow many prayers but do you as is sayd rede them ones ouer and chose at wyll Fyrste than I wolde aduyse you to appoynte your selfe to here one whole masse / if ye may coÌ„uenyently before your communion whan so euer you ben disposed thereunto and than to rede or say this that folowed before or sone after the Confiteor / whiche is a maner of confession Not so to be taken as though it were myght be sufficient for any greuous synnes without sacramentall confession as we sayd before yf it may be had but that it maye be vaylable for lyght offenses the more excite and styre vp your mynd in that you vnderstaÌ„d and perceyue well what you saye or thynke ¶ Before or at the begynnyng of masse O Good lorde god and moost swete sauiour Iesu I moost myserable wretche of the worlde / here before thy diuine and godly presence playnely do confesse and openly knowledge that in all my lewde lyfe hytherto myspent by many miserable wretched ways of synne I haue offended thy graciouse goodenes as well in the brekyng of thy preceptes coÌ„maundementes as in commission of all the seuen pryncipall synnes misused my fyue wyttes not fulfilled the .vii. werks of mercy Whiche synnes offences here
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
coÌ„fession ¶ Not wtstaÌ„dyng I thynke it necessary to shew here yet howe as I lerned of my gostly father that taught me all this lesson you shuld teche your folkes to be ordered vnto the confessyon of these thynges For I haue knoweÌ„ many come vnto coÌ„fessyoÌ„ that could not tell howe to do or what to say there I shall therfore set forth here a short forme and maner therof For ther ben many formes of coÌ„fessions in print set out at lengh Fyrst good deuout christiaÌ„s I beseche your gyue no credeÌ„ce vnto the false heretykes that done depraue set nought by confessyon nor by this holy sacrament of penaunce For I a certayne you those persones what so euer they be that after theyr baptyme and christendome haue done any deedly synne cane neuer be in the state of saluacion wtout the fayth wyll of confession Gene. iii. For almyghty god in euery lawe dyde requyre confession and prouoke euery trespasser thervnto as of our fyrst parentes AdaÌ„ Eue in paradyse whiche confessyoÌ„ if they had mekely made they we shuld haue suffred the lesse payne Leuit. iiii v. In the olde lawe speciall oblacions and sacrifyce was appoynted opeÌ„ly by the prestes to be done for suche synnes amonge the people that were preuy vnknowen vnto all other persones excepte onely the selfe trespassers wherby it must nedes be trouth that they were confessed therof vnto the prestes WhaÌ„ any persone also was suspecte of lepry the iugement and determynacion therof remayned by the ordynauÌ„ce of the lawe vnto the preste Whiche thyng was a playne figure of the sacramente of penaunce and confessyon Math. v And our sauyoure sayde he came not to breke the lawe but rather to accomplyshe and fulfyll the lawe And so he dyd confyrme and ratifye that lawe whaÌ„ he sent the lepres that he cured and heled vnto the prestes Math. viii Luc. xvii And iÌ„ euery cure he dyd vpon the syke persones he expressed mystycally coÌ„fessyon in that he caused them to shew theyr disease before they were cured And saynt Peter his apostle after his ascension dyd requyre confessyon of a man called Ananye Acto v. of his wyfe called Saphirye as appereth in holy scripture of a deedly synne whiche he by the reuelation of god knewe they had done / and bycause they wolde not make confession therof they were bothe strykeÌ„ to deth with the vengeauÌ„ce of god Our mother holy churche therfore hath by the inspiracioÌ„ of the holy ghost ordeyned that euery persone that coÌ„mytte or do any deedly synne iÌ„ werke worde or by full deliberate coÌ„sente in thougt must nedely if they wyll be saued be coÌ„fessed therof vnto a preste Sythe than all christeÌ„ people haue receyued and vsed the same so many hondred yeres take you that vse custome for sufficient auctoryte to folow the same and to put all maner of contrary opinion clene out of mynde and in no wyse to here speke or talke therof Nowe vnto our mater Fyrste teche your folkes to come reuerently vnto the ghostly father with meke sobre countenaunce behauyour For it is no laughynge game Than knele down at the place appoynted there make a crosse vpoÌ„ the foreheed or froÌ„te with In nomine patris as before is shewed and thaÌ„ forth with say thus Benedicite And whan the preest hath answered than say if the persone be lerned Confiteor deo beate Marie omnibê° sanctis et vobis peccaui nimis cogitatione locutione et opere mea culpa that is to saye for the vnlerned I confesse knowlege my selfe gylty vnto our lorde god the blessed lady saynt Marie vnto all the holy coÌ„pany of heueÌ„ / and vnto you my ghostly father that I haue offended my lord god many tymes in my lyfe and specially syth the laste tyme of my confessyon in thought worde and dede in many and dyuers wayes mo thaÌ„ I can shewe specially in the seuen pryncipall synnes Pryde enuy wrath couetyse glotony slouth and lechery And by them I haue broken his commaundementes ¶ Pryde ¶ For by the synÌ„e of pryde I haue ben presumptuous disobedient vnto god haue not loued hiÌ„ aboue all thynges but many tymes set more by myne owne frayle appetyte and sensuall desyre For where I shuld haue desyred euer the laude and prayse of our lorde / and with all mekenes of hart accused my selfe / I haue coÌ„trary bosted my selfe or desyred and bene glade of myne owne prayse bene loth to be dispraysed And whan I haue ben chalenged reproued rebuked or corrected or yet charitably ben monysshed and warned of and for my defautes I haue rebelled there agaynst and not mekely receyued it but rather ben redy to defende or to excuse my selfe and somtyme with a lye or a false othe And for lacke of reuerende drede and loue of our lorde I haue by presumpcion of pryde taken his holy name in vayne and vnlawfuly sworne by god by our lady or the holy sayntes by my faythe or trouthe with suche other And for very pryde and presumption and for lacke also of loue drede I haue mysvsed the holydaye in thynges of pleasure or profyte vnto my selfe and not in his seruyce vnto his honoure I haue also of hyghe proude harte or mynde bene disobedieÌ„t and not done due honoure and reuerence vnto my fathers and mothers spirituall carnall ghostly bodyly nor vnto myne elders and betters but haue ben many tymes full obstynate and frowarde vnto them I crye God mercy Thus by this foule synne of pryde I haue brokeÌ„ foure of the principall coÌ„maundementes of our lorde and many other wayes haue I also offended therin I beseche his grace of mercy and forgyuenes ¶ Enuye ¶ I haue also offeÌ„ded my lord god in the synne of enuye for I haue not loued my neyghbour as my selfe nor ben so charitable so kynde so louynge and fauorable vnto all persones as I wold they shuld haue ben to me but rather I haue by suspicion thought iuged sayd or herde of other persones otherwyse than I wolde they shulde of me nor ben so glade of theyr welthe ne so sory for theyr hurte as I wold haue ben of myne owne I crye god mercy ¶ Wrathe ¶ In wrath also I haue offended for lacke of due pacience and for lyght slyght or small occasion haue leyghtly soone ben styred moued wroth angry whaÌ„ any thynge hath ben done or sayd coÌ„trary vnto my mynd And therwith haue ben redy to reuenge the same with froward and veÌ„geable countenaunce and behauyoure / with hyghe hasty and vngoodly wordes brawlyng chydyng scoldyng reuylynge rebukynge raylynge vpbraydyng thretyng cursyng bannyng sweryng And if it came thervnto in stryuyng fyghtyng or at the lest in wyll as god forbede iÌ„ kyllyng or sleyng Thus by these two great synnes of enuy wrath I haue brokeÌ„ the .v. the viii coÌ„maundement of our lorde in them both I beseche his grace of mercy and