preache In Marke whan he shulde cure a maÌ„ that was deffe dowme he fyrste toke hym on syde from the people / and thaÌ„ put his fyngers in his eares / and spitte out / therwith he touched his tonge / than he loked toward the heuen / and mourned or made great mone And in the gospell of Iohan / whan he tourned water in to wyne / he caused the waterpottê to be fylled with water wher he might haue made a pype of new wyne Io. 2. A. And whan he cured a blynde man Io. 9. E. he made cleye / oynted his eyes therwith In the wayshynge of the fete of his Apostles / and in the consecracion of his body Io. 13. A. B. he vsed many ceremonies / so dyd he iÌ„ many other places of the gospell And we knowe well none of them were made ne vsed in vayne Our mother holy churche hathe also ordeyned many holy ceremonies / as in all the .vii. sacramentes In all sacramentales and sanctificacion / or halowynges / diuine seruice that ben put forthe to be obserued vnder pÌ„cepte And so dyd our sauiour byd coÌ„mauÌ„de his Apostles to vse the same ceremonies that he dyd wherfore ceremonies ben of good auctorite Io. 13. And therfore religious fathers haue ordeyned many diuerse holy ceremonies iÌ„ religion The rule of euery religion is as coÌ„maundementes whiche coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes euery persone that is professed after / or accordynde vnto that rule is bouÌ„de to obserue kepe with al the ceremonies conteyned in the same And yet aboue and beyoÌ„de these ceremonies of the rules holy fathers For the more precise obseruaunce and kepynge of the same rules haue ordeined made many other holy ceremonies / put them also vnder coÌ„maundement in theyr constitucions or statutes ¶ Of constitucions / or statutes of religion / bothe generall and speciall The .xix. Chapitre IN euery religioÌ„ there ben besyde the rules statutes or constitucions / bothe general / and speciall / accordynge vnto the whiche the ceremonies of religion ben variant in diuerse places For by the generall statutes or coÌ„stitucions of the orders one order of the same selfe rule is diuided from an other in habite / in araye / and in ceremonies For euery order hathe constitucions or statutes general for euery monasterie of that order As by example of the rule of saynt Augustyn / of the whiche rule bene diuerse and many orders / and euery order hathe constitutions by it selfe As our order here of Syon is of the rule of saynt Augustyn after / accordynge vnto the same rule ben we professed Natwitstandynge our constitucions generall vnto euery monasterie of the same religion bene caled the rule of saynt sauioure / or the constitucions of saint Brigitte So caled bycause that by the reuelacioÌ„ of our sauiour they were shewed ordred by our holy mother saiÌ„t Brigitte / by the whiche coÌ„stitucions we ben differeÌ„t from other orders of the same rule For the reguler chanons / the bonehoms the order of saynt Iohans the crosse or crouched freres / the dominikê caled freres pÌ„chers the carmelites caled whyte freres / with diuerse other orders ben all of the same rule of saynt Augustyn / all of one rule but yet ben they of diuerse constitucions therby different eueryche froÌ„ other in habite in other ceremonies There ben also other coÌ„stitucioÌ„s speciall vnto euery monasterie of eueryche of these orders caled statutê / or coÌ„stitucions locall / wherby euery singuler monasterie doth differ froÌ„ other iÌ„ certeyn ceremonies priuate For euery siÌ„guler monasterie doth make statutê / or coÌ„stitucioÌ„s local priuate and ê‘ticuler or speciall for the same monastery / alone made by the coÌ„sent of the couent in theyr chapitre or els receyued by the iniunction of the ordinarie or visitours Syth therfore all the ceremonies of religioÌ„ ben conteyned in the constitutions / other generall or speciall / and euery singuler monasterie / hathe the proper ceremonies there vnto particuler wryten in theyr owne bokes / our laboure herein is moche the lesse natwithstandynge somewhat to answere the enemies and blasphemers of religioÌ„ / we shall speke of a fewe ceremonies suche as we herde of late they done mocke and rayle vpon And so the louers of good religion may coniecture what maye iustly be sayd vnto the residue ¶ Of the habite or araye of religious persones The .xx. Chapitre FIrste these heretikê done reyle agayne the habite of religious persones / whiche habite / clothynge / or araye / accordynge vnto the generall constitucions of euery order is diuerse and in fasshoÌ„ coloure and maner of werynge moche different / whiche these heretikes wolde haue to be all of one maner in fashon and coloure This therfore shal be the order and maner of our answeres vnto theyr reasons or rather mockes Fyrste we shal reherse theyr opinions and saynges / and than shall we make answeres there vnto by suche maner of reasoÌ„s as they done make onely of wytte and brayne without auctorite lyke vnto lyke And than shal we afterwarde put some reason for our parte grounded vpon auctorite ¶ The reason of the heretikes FIrste they say for theyr chefe assercion that the habite / clothynge / or araye of religious persones shulde be none other than all other christiane people done were For sythe all bene christianes in lyke all shulde be of lyke habite or araye / it is therfore more supersticion / and a very singularite and a pride to be knowen from other persones Answere here vnto SVrely I meruayle moche of theyr blyndnes howe they myght for shame writte so simple a reason They wolde haue all religious persones of one araye as other christianes And yet they se nat howe variant the clothynge and aray is of al other christianes / nat only of diuerse realmes or kyngdomes but also of the contres / or shyres of the same selfe realme And the cities also or townes / let them loke well vpon the selfe citezyns of LondoÌ„ / and they shall se euery crafte variant iÌ„ habite from other / and in one house theyr seruauntes ben nat of one araye The lordes / knyghtes / and Ientelmen / haue variant lyuereys and diuerse fashons After whiche sorte wolde these heretikes that the religious persones shulde be clothed or arayed I trowe they wyll appoynte none yet saye they it were coÌ„uenient that if they shulde be different frome other people Obiection they shulde yet amonge them selfe / be all of one hebite and fashon / and nat so many disgysyngê amonge them Here vnto saye I Answere let them brynge aboute that all the ley people be of one araye and of one fashone / and I wyll than vndertake to brynge all religious persones vnto the same / or vnto any other after theyr deuyse But in the meane tyme I fere and drede that theyr owne araye I meane the heretikes And the araye also of many other christianes shall go forthe /
say coÌ„ueniency Wherby we meane that thynge that doth bycome all persones accordynge vnto theyr estate / and after theyr degre / dignite / office / rowme / order / or condicion And this conueniency or comlynes in garmentes or clothyng / is partely of the ordinauÌ„ce of god / and partely of nature / and partely of the inuencion and of custome or vsage of man As by example / it is not coÌ„uenient nor comely or accordyng / that men and women shulde be of lyke habyte or araye Obiection Yet here some done saye / that Adam and Eue by the ordinaunce of god were both of one habyte or araye And surely so they were / as vnto the matter wherof theyr garmentes were made Answere For bothe were ledder or furre And so may yet a man and his wyfe / haue theyr garmentes of one pece of clothe / bothe lyke / for the clothe and coloure / but nat of one fourme or fashon For so were the garmentes of Adam and Eue / moche different and vnlike of fashon Howe can you proue that saye they Obiection By an other place of scripture say I. Answere For the same selfe god that clothed Adam and Eue / dyd afterwarde gyue in coÌ„mauÌ„dement vnto his chosen people / that no womaÌ„ shulde be clothed with mans araye Deu. 22. A. Ne any man shulde vse the clothyng of women For that is sayth the scripture abhominacion vnto almyghty god you may than surely conclude that god wolde ordeyne nothinge that after shulde be abhominacion or displeasure vnto hym selfe Than is it trouthe that a man to were a womans garment and aray / or the contrarie a woman to were mans aray is nat comely / conuenient / nor accordynge And thus dothe folowe that I sayd / the garmentes of Adam Eue were in fasshon accordynge vnto the sexe notably different And so oughte it to be amoÌ„ge wel ordred christianes accordynge vnto the ordinaunce of the church / it becoÌ„meth nat also a prynce to were a beggers cote / nor a wyse man a foles cote 30. disti Si qua muli The naturall disposicioÌ„ of maÌ„ wyll prayse a good a goodly maner of vesture / thoughe it were ryght course and poore / and contrarie wyll abhorre or disprayse / an vncomely / or inconuenient vesture Put this case the a man or woman / wolde for vesture or in stede of a garment were the skinne or hyde of a bull / or a cowe / and set the hornes vpon his hed / let the tayle come after vpon the grouÌ„de were that a comely syght / or accordynge vnto mans nature I am sure you wyll saye nay A shepe is knowen by the vesture / from a dogge or a wolfe / and so of other beastes And some tyme here in Englande / the marchauÌ„tes where knowen by theyr vestures from men of the lawe / both they from courtiours / so forthe of other lyke / whiche diuersites were founde by mans deuyse But nowe let vs se of some diuersites of araye fouÌ„ded in scripture ¶ Of diuersites of araye / and of the reasons or causes therof by the auctorite of scripture The .xxiii. Chapitre IF we loke well vpoÌ„ holy scripture we shal fynde that from the begynnyng of the world sythe that tyme that there was diuersite of people there was also diuersite of garmeÌ„tes / clothynge / or araye For as sone as Cayn / and some of his systers with hym were departed frome Adam and Eue / and frome the doughters that remained with them / than byganne a diuersite of people that is to say a people of god that was feythful and a people of men that was synful and infideles So the scripture after dothe name theÌ„ / as you shall here forthwith And these people were diuerse in theyr maner of lyuynge / lykewyse diuerse of aray So that the mysordred araye or clothynge / byganne fyrste in the children of Cayn / that were misordred in theyr lyuynge as infideles departed froÌ„ god And euer sythe the tyme hederto hathe ben notable difference of habite / garmentes / araye / bytwene the well ordred people of god / the mysordred people caled the chyldren of men / as apperethe iÌ„ the .vi. Chapitre of Genesis Gene. 6. Where is sayd Videntes filij dei filias hominum c. That is to saye whan the chyldren of god / his well ordred people dyd se beholde the doughters of men / that was the mysordred chyldreÌ„ of cursed Cayn whiche to set forthe to shewe out the beaute of theyr bodies dyd vse fynde out by newe inueÌ„cions inordinate wantoÌ„ aray They that is to saye the chosen people of god / fell in affection of them / by carnall concupiscence contrarie vnto the wyll of god dyd marie with them / and company with them where they shulde haue maried of theyr owne people onely / and none of them as maye appere by that coÌ„maundemente that god afterwarde gaue in the lawe Deu. 7. A. where he vtterly dyd prohibite and for bede the chyldren of Israel to mary with infideles Thus apperethe the difference of arye / and what hurte came therof For all fel vnto mysorder / so that god drowned all the hole worlde excepte .viii. persones / and al byganne by the occasion of mysordred araye Difference of araye was betwene Esau as mysordred / and Iacob as well ordered Gene. 27. And so as I sayd that alwaye difference was bytwene the wel ordred and mysordred persones scripture dothe shewe in many places In the .xxxiiii. Chapitre of Genesis Genesis 34. A. is shewed howe Dina the doughter of Iacob / went forthe from her father / and her owne company to se and byholde the women and the variant araye of that contre / and therby she laste her virginite / and caused great murther and myschefe And after in the same boke / Thamare a wedowe that was doughter in lawe vnto Iudas one of the .xii. IbideÌ„ 38. Patriarkê by exchauÌ„ge of her araie vnto the fourme fashoÌ„ of the coÌ„mune vnclene womeÌ„ dyd deceiue her sayd father in lawe / so caused hym to mysuse her body Sampson also / and Salamon were snared by the beaute of infideles whiche beauty was set out in shewe by wantone and mysordred araye Argument wherof was shewed in Oliferne / that by the beaute of Iudyth was lymed / caught / taken fast / whiche beaute althoughe it wer increaced eched by god / yet was it as scripture shewethe set forthe in shewe / by the exchaunge of her araye / from the sad araye of wedowehode Iudi. 10. A. vnto the lyght araye of wanton persones So is euident that as lyght and mysordred persones / had lyght and mysordred araye So had the sad and honeste persones theyr garmeÌ„tes / and aray accordynge And that nat onely in wedowes but also in persones maried or to be maried as appereth by Rebecka the mother
of Iacob / that in rydynge towarde her mariage ware clothes for her coÌ„modite and ease / but as sone as she sawe the honorable persone of Isaacke and knewe by informacion that he was her spouse vnto whome she shulde be maried / she lyght downe and couered her selfe saythe the scripture with a pall / or mantell / a garment of honoure and honesty Gene. 24. Our lorde god hymselfe / put difference of clothynge and araye bytwene the spirituall parte of his people of Israel / whiche was the tribe of Leui. Exod. 28. And the temporall parte of the same people all the other tribes And yet whan Aaron / or any of those spiritual persones shulde do sacrifice / or ministre vnto god they dyd chaunge those coÌ„mune garmentes vnto other / ordeyned for the same ministerie Here the heretikes make obiection / saynge that the ceremonies of the olde lawe ben ceassed and ended / and of all other Obiection the ceremony specially ended by the acte of our sauiour Christ in the consecracion of his holy sacred body / whiche acte he dyd in his coÌ„mune clothes or garmeÌ„tes Answere Yet saye I therof dothe nat folowe the vniformite / of clothynge or / oraye as they requyre in vs / but rather maye we take of the gospell that the habite or garmente of the Christe was notably different from the Apostles Marci 14. E. For whan Christe was taken saynt Iohan fled saythe the gospell naked that was in his cote / and left his pall or mantel behynde hym Matth. 1â— D. And the garment of Christe was / de super contexta knytte or wouen all ouer and ouer So was it notable and yet religious and honorable So that it was nat deuided / but lot se caste therfore / moche set by And where they saye that Christe dyd consecrate in his coÌ„mune / and dayly clothes that was so for that tyme conuenient For he dyd than consecrate in a priuate and secrete maner amoÌ„ge his disciples alone / where he made his Apostles preestes / and gaue theÌ„ the same auctorite to consecrate wtout any appoyntemeÌ„t of aparell / or clothynge there vnto And so dyd they after many daies / of loÌ„ge time consecrate after the same maner priuely secretely / bycause the tyme were but fewe ê‘sones of the feythe byleue / yet had they many enemies But afterwarde whaÌ„ they had goten / gadred moche people thaÌ„ dyd they coÌ„secrate in open maner / dyd ordeyn make preestê / diacons / other ministres / with vestimentes clothynge therto accordynge And yet no man dothe say that any clothynge is so necessary vnto the coÌ„secracioÌ„ that no preestê may coÌ„secrate wtout suche clothes For if a pÌ„ste duely ordred / wolde pÌ„sume or els by ignorance dyd say masse / consecrate in any maner of clothes / yet shulde he verely coÌ„secrate the very sacrameÌ„te of the aulter / natwithstaÌ„dyng that he shulde therin by disobedience vnto the churche greuously offende Furthermore also / the sacrameÌ„t that Christe hym selfe dyd than coÌ„secrate was nat the full sacrifice final oblacion for the redempcion of maÌ„ / but a memoriall for euer to endure of that sacrifice / and oblacion / that was that tyme to come / that afterwarde was ê‘fourmed fully accompleshed fulfylled offred vp vpon the aulter of the crosse by the deth resurrexion of our sauioure for the redeÌ„pcion of all mankynde / whiche complete and hole sacrifice is nowe dayly represented iÌ„ the masse / by the consecracion and oblacion of the holy sacrament / wherfore if they wolde as they do contende and holde that we shulde folowe our sauiour as well in all his maner of sacrifice / as in vesture araye / we muste thaÌ„ be all naked vpon a crosse / whan so euer we shulde consecrate You may se therfore what wyse reasons these men done make / and of what strengthe yet here done they saye Obiection Syr althoughe there be moche variety and difference in the clothynge or araye of the seculer persones yet thynke we it were moche conuenient that all religious persones that done ê“fesse the same vowes shulde accordynge vnto the sexe or kynde be of one and lyke habite ¶ Of reason why in religion / diuerse orders haue diuerse habites The .xxiiii. Chapitre Answere THese heretikes done take for inconuenience that religious persones accordynge vnto theyr orders ben diuerse in habite and yet shewe they no reasoÌ„ therof / but that bycause they done ê“fesse the same thynges / that is the vowes caled / esseÌ„cials It were conuenieÌ„t they saye they shulde be of one and lyke habite And I saye that by that reason it were conuenieÌ„t that all christianes shulde be of one and lyke habite For they ben all of one essenciall profession / and that se they well is nat so / and yet accounte they none inconuenience therin / we shall natwithstandynge shewe it is none inconuenience but rather of good and conuenient reason / that the habite be accordynge vnto the order different where vnto moche maye auayle to remembre that byfore we haue shewed of the effectes and causes of garmentes / that is to saye necessite / coÌ„modite / and conueniency For as vnto curiosite we leue out of this treaty or draught Some holy fathers of religion than dyd thynke and ymagyne bycause our fyrste parentes / Adam and Eue / had but one maner of habite / one garment alone / whiche dyd serue theÌ„ for all the sayd effectes / that is to say to couer the nakednes of body / to garde and defende them frome the noyance of weders were content to deuise and ordeyne an habite of the same maner / that shulde be also coÌ„modious and profitable / comely and honest / and of smale price without curious coloures / as nature brought forthe So done the reuerente fathers of the obseruauntes after the institucion of theyr patrone saynt Franciske And so done diuerse other orders Some other fathers / consideryng they had red in scripture of certeyne persones / that for great sorowe and for penauÌ„ce to be done for theyr synnes dyd for the tyme vse and were garmeÌ„tes therafter harde / rough / and sharpe And some for the deth of theyr frendes and other chaunces dyd were garmeÌ„tes of mournyng as yet ben vsed in these dayes / caled mournynge clothes 2. Re. 12. Ionas 3. As of kynge Dauid for the sekenes of his chylde And of the Niniuites that ware sackes and heere / and dyd caste asshes dust vpon theyr hedes and bodes For these or lyke occasions some holy fathers accountynge them selfe as perpetual mourners and persones of perpetuall penaunce dyd deuise theyr garmentê and habite there after / as the fathers of saynt Benettes order and other Some other holy fathers consyderynge that maner of habite or garment by the example of holy scripture was conuenieÌ„t by significacion for some degrees of ê‘sones dyd ordeyne for theyr disciples habite
after that consederacion / as by exaÌ„ple some thought that a whyte habyte was moste conuenieÌ„t for virgins / bycause that colour dothe signifie and bytoken purite and cleÌ„nes / whiche minde they toke of the habyte of Angelles / vnto whome virginite as saynt Ierome sayth is familier / well knowen / and of good acquayntance Marci 16. Io. 20. Act. 1. Apoca. 3.4.6 For scripture sheweth iÌ„ diuerse places that Angelles dyd appere in whyte Some fathers dyd make habites of simplicite and mekenes without any curiosite And some habites of wysdome and sadnes For as we sayd byfore it bycoÌ„meth nat a wyse man to were a foles cote / nor a sad ê‘sone a gygges garment / natwithstaÌ„dyng we se in this miserable tyme the mater moche misordred For certeynly in my mynde if al the wyse counsell of Englande shulde deuyse a garment for a gygge / or an vnclene coÌ„mune woman / to be represented shewed in a comedy / or interlude / or coÌ„mune play / they coulde nat all deuyse a better nor more apte gramente than suche as the ladies / great estates / suche as shulde be / and so seme sad persones done dayly were / and the men in dede ben nat behynde for theyr partes But this mea culpa bysede our matter Some holy fathers also had great deuocioÌ„ to marke theyr habytes with holy and deuoute memorialles / some of the crosse of Christe / some of his woundes / some of the blessed sacramente / fo forthe of other lyke / as you dayly may se Thus than haue we shewed howe the variete or diuersite of habite dothe bycoÌ„me or byseme diuerse orders of religion accordinge vnto the institucion ordinauÌ„ce of holy fathers / that nat without reasonable cause or occasion grounded in scripture vertue dyd deuyse ordeyne the same / for the edificacion of all christianes and for to auoyde the occasions temptacions of the worlde / that ben gyuen takeÌ„ / by inordinate aray / whiche as we byfore haue shewed was fyrst fouÌ„de bygynne so hathe alwaye ben continued by misordred ê‘sones And howe moche misordred araye dothe displease god Esa 3. C. D is shewed by the ê“phete Esay and the punyshemeÌ„t or peyne that shal come therof / specially vnto women / moche more than vnto religious women if cause were 1. Ti. 2. C. 1. Co. 11. A. Saynt Petre dothe speke also agayne the same / saynt Paule both and many holy doctours This haue we sayd for answere vnto theÌ„ that detracte without cause or good reason the holy habite of religion ¶ Of the fourme or maner of weryng of religious habite The .xxv. Chapitre HEre nowe doughter may I giue you some monicion / for the fourme maner of the vse werynge of your habyte For though I haue spokeÌ„ somewhat therof vpon your rule yet wolde I that you shulde ponder / wey / well note the very wordê of the texte in the .iiii. Chapitre Regn. Ca. 4. Let nat your habite sayth the letter be notable / thaÌ„ is the habite notable whan it is in matter fourme or shape / or coloure / or yet in maner of werynge / that is bowynge / dressynge / and orderynge of the araye vpon the places of the body different / variaunt / or diuerse nat accordynge or lyke vnto the company of the same couent / or vnto the moste laudable couent of the same same order The mater shulde be all of one clothe / as ferre as conuenientely maye be / and that clothe / be it wollen or lynen / nother to be ouer fyne or ouer precious / nor yet ouer cours or ouer vyle For the tone is a signe of pryde / and the tother of ypocrysie or superstision A meane is euer beste accordyng vnto good honeste and profytte And all I saye to be one throughe out the couent without notable difference / seniorite euer accordynge vnto due maner obserued And the fourme or fashon al one / and that nother to shorte / nor to syde / nor yet to narowe / nor to wyde The lengthe iÌ„ moste due coÌ„uenient meane is that no parte of the legge appere to be sene aboue the backe of the fote / and yet no parte of the habite trayle and folowe vpon the grounde For that doth the holy father saynt Hughe de faÌ„cto Victore moch reproue Hugo De institut nouicio The wydnes accordynge without superfluite and vnto profytte / and all vnto the quantyte of the persones in lyke The coloure also to be all one / and that can nat be to sad / the generall constitucions of the order al waye obserued For surely starynge and lyght coloures be nothynge conuenient for religious persones Blacke for your religioÌ„ me semethe best to accorde with your voels In any wyse let all be one For it is surely an vncomely syght / nothynge accordinge to se iÌ„ one quere some with theyr manrelles of violette / and yet those bene dyuerse of the same coloure Some blacke / some tawney / and so forthe all out of good frame / let all I saye be one excludynge euer all maner of curiosite and vanites in all other thynges also / as in rynges / brouches / gyrdels / bedes / knyues / purses / pyncases / gloues / with all suche other / one rynge is sufficient / and of the other as of all thynges to haue that is necessarie in due religious maner with honeste profytte The vse maner of the werynge of your habyte / that is the dressynge or bowynge shulde euer be one I haue sene some religious women were rolles / and pastes / as worldly people / some other frounted / or flyrted vp so hyghe that theyr heere maye be sene / whiche thynge saynt Augustine vtterly forbedeth in the original of your rule / as I haue there set forthe vpon the margyne And some done were theyr rochettê or brestclothes so lawe / and the wymples so narowe that theyr skynne may appere and be sene / whiche thynge nothynge becoÌ„meth relegion / nor yet in my mynde any christiane By ware I praye you of all superfluite in araye / for that shal be euer a clogge of conscience / loke nat what other persones haue For al be nat of lyke nede / your rule is playne therin Ca. 1. Be you content to haue that is nedefull for you And euer thynke / that as your rule sayth better is somewhat to want Ca. 3. in fi thaÌ„ to haue any thynge ouer moche / that is wherof you haue no nede / let this suffice for the habyte of religion ¶ Of silence vsed in religion the seconde example The .xxvi. Chapitre WHere we promysed to shewe by the example of a fewe ceremonies whiche the heretikes done mocke / that all the residue ben fouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ scripture good reason we nowe shal shewe theÌ„ an other exaÌ„ple of silence / whiche they saye is a mere and playne supersticion Obiection
presice and moste hyghe perfection of the same And for the loue of our lorde let no professed persones make excuse of any article or poynte of theyr rule / by any foreuse or custome of theyr place contrarie vnto the same For douteles that excuse shall nothynge serue before the presence of our lorde god / I euer excepte dispensacion / wher with we wyll nat meddell Nowe let this one Chapitre / with our sayd laboures vpon the sayd rule of saynt Augustine / content you for this seconde parte of our example of the houppes of our vessell / where by the rules of religioÌ„ ben signified wher rules were ordeyned by the holy fathers for the more sure holdynge and precise kepynge the vowes / whiche ben signified by the bordes of the Pype or vessell / where of nowe shall folowe by order ¶ The thyrde parte of this worke of the thre essencialles of religion / obedience / wylfull pouerte / and chastite And fyrste of obedience / and the definicion therof The fyrste Chapitre A Pype coÌ„munely is made of bordê / as the great substauÌ„ce of the vessel / whiche bordes duely framed and compassed with hopes / and the same hopê fastened with wykers done accoÌ„plysshe the vessell redy to holde wyne Of the whiche wykers and hopes / werby the ceremonies / constitucions / and the rules of religion ben signified / whiche we haue intreated Here nowe muste folowe of the bordes / whiche we done appoint .iii. in nombre wherby the .iii. partes of religion caled essensialles ben signified / and therfore this parte must be diuided in .iii. principall membres / obedience / wylfull pouerte / chastite / as the substanciall partes of religion monasticall wherof we do nowe intreate The fyrste membre than shal be obedience / as the fyrste borde of our vessell / and so forthe of the other twayne by order Fyrste we shall begynne with the definicion of obedience / that is to say to shewe vnto you what thynge obedience is / and what is ment by the selfe terme or worde obedience / bothe as it doth apperteyne vnto all christianes generally / and also vnto religious ê‘sones specially Difinitio â—enerall Fyrste than / Obedience generall is an applicacioÌ„ / or grauÌ„t of herte / minde / and wyll / vnto the due and the lawfull preceptes / or coÌ„maundementes of the ryght and ordinarie superiours / accordynge vnto the ordinaunce of god and of his churche catholike / after the rules of holy scripture And this obedience dothe apperteyne vnto al christianes But as it dothe apperteyne vnto religious persones as one of theyr essenciales Alia defi wherof we done here nowe intreate Obedience is a wylful and vtter abnegacion and forsakyng of ê“per wyll / and an obligacion or bounde vnto the wyl of the souereyne / in all thynges that ben lawfull and reasonable / accordynge vnto the rules / constitucions / ordinauÌ„ces / of that order or of that religion where the profession and promyse is made Here note well and marke that iÌ„ these definisioÌ„s or determinacioÌ„s of obedience / ben these termes or wordes put into the same / that is to saye 12. qÌ„ terti Quid ergo Ambrosiê° de paradiso Ca. 6. Thomas scde scde qÌ„ 104. 11. qÌ„ tertia Quid ergo due and lawfull / and also lawfull and reasonable For that thynge that is nat lawfull and reasonable / that is to say synne / or yuel may neuer be done by any maner of obedience Natwithstandyng that thynge that is good and honest may be omitted or left vndone by good and meritorious obedience / so the persone obediencer be nat bouÌ„de by the lawe of god or the ordinauÌ„ce of the churche vnto good dede For the lawe of god the decrees of the churche must nedely be kepte / rather thaÌ„ the coÌ„trarie coÌ„mauÌ„dement of any souereyne / thus haue you the definicion or determinacion / declaracion of this terme obedience / what thynge is ment therby ¶ Of the diuersites of obedience The seconde Chapitre NOwe may coÌ„uenieÌ„tly folowe of the deuision diuersites of obideÌ„ce / that is say howe many maners ben of obedieÌ„ce For one obedience caled an obedieÌ„ce of pleasure or ê“fyt / an other is obedieÌ„ce of necessite or nede / that .iii. an obedieÌ„ce of fere drede / that .iiii. of liberall loue The fyrste obedience is of pleasure or profyte And this bothe vnto man / and best is natural / as by example / a dogge that is chastized / and by crafte made obedient vnto his mayster to go or byde at his wyll / whan he byddeth hym go or renue to take a beaste / as an Hare / a Cony / or a dyre / he is than sone and redely obedieÌ„t there vnto / partely of natural disposicion for his pleasure and partely for profytte / bycause coÌ„munely he is fed with parte of that he taketh And certeynly of this obedience ben many religious persones that lyghtely wyll be redy and obedient in all thynges that ben vnto theyr owne pleasure or ê“fyte / wherof we shal speake here after An other obedience is for nede / as the dogge dothe daunce for meate / and the syke persone is obediente vnto the phisicioÌ„ for very nede / so be many vnto labour The thyrde obedience is for drede of peyne or punisshement / as whan the mayster dothe compell the dogge to daunce vpon two / fete / or to swymme in the water to fetche his bolte or shafte / for that thynge dothe he agayne kynde by compulsion / and agayne his naturall disposicion / and wyl onely for drede and fere of peyne All these .iii. maners of obedience ben often tymes in religious persones wtout any great thanke and with lytel merite yet saye nat I without any thanke or any merite For without doute thanke there is merite both For the dogge we spake of that dothe his maysters byddynge / for his owne pleasure / or by compulsion yet bycause he is obedieÌ„t vnto the wyl of his maister / he dothe bothe cheryshe hym and also gyue hym rewarde So is it of the obedieÌ„ce of religious ê‘sones / done for pleasure / profyte / nede / or drede / yet if it be done but onely for the bonde and duety of the vowe and promyse made byfore in profession that obedience shall nat be without meryte and rewarde / bycause the bonde there vnto was wylfully made for the loue of god and his lawes / and so is it of any obedieÌ„ce done by any christiane for the duety bonde of his baptysme For though a christiane wolde fulfyl the obedience of the lawes of god and his churche onely for the fere and drede of dampnacion of the peynes due there vnto so shulde haue no meryte therfore / yet is it nat that obedience without ê“fyte For at the least the persone shulde haue the lesse peyne / and if that fere of dampnacion were rather for the losse of
creatures / Angelles and man / whiche were bothe create in the moste hyghe ê‘fection possible vnto theyr nature and kynde in al vertues / but whan the profe of mekenes shulde in effect by the liberte and fredome of wyl come to passe in the werke and be shewed and set forth in dede by obience therin dyd they bothe feyle and offeÌ„de vnto there owne great fall and greuous hurte of all vs / wherin dothe openly appere that this lady obedience is the mother and maystres and nurse of all other vertues Gregoriê° ultimo moralium For obedience dothe nat onely ingender / bygette and bryng forthe other vertues in the soule of man but also dothe noryshe and fede them therin and as a fure garde and keper doth gyde and preserue them continually / obedience muste than nedely be a noble and excellent vertue Compare it vnto martyrdome / whiche in very dede is an excellent sacrifice 8. qÌ„ 1. Sci. yet as saynt Gregory sayth vpon this texte Melior est obediencia quam uictima The body onely is in martyrdome slayne and offred / but in obedience is the proper wyll slayne the soule offred in swete sacrifice vnto our lorde / and so is obedience a precious kynde and maner of martyrdome yet forthermore / obedience is a lady souereyne and a maystres imperious / hauynge auctorite of precepte coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t ouer all creatures / vnto whome also as scripture sayth god hym selfe was inclyned / as obedieÌ„t vnto the voyce desyre of man Iosue 10. And also almyghty god in all the promyses and actes of our saluacion dyd wylfully bynde hym selfe to be obedient vnto the perfourmauÌ„ce of the same Obedience is also naturall vnto all creatures For all creatures ben naturally obedieÌ„t / nat onely vnto god theyr maker but also euery creature vnto other accordynge vnto the degrye order of theyr nature / as in Angelles the lower / in orderâ— ben obedieÌ„t vnto the hygher And the bodies bynethe vnto the bodies aboue And all the worlde vnto maÌ„kynde duely ordered / so that all creaturê by the coÌ„dicioÌ„ of theyr creacioÌ„ ben ordened of god naturally obedient Obedience is also so necessary vnto man that without obedience none other vertue may profytte or auayle vnto our saluacion For the vertue of feythe without whiche no ê‘sone may please god / thoughe it were as stroÌ„ge that as saynt Pale sayth it myght remoue mountes 1. Cor. 13. A yet with out obedience it shulde moche noye and hynder the persone rather thaÌ„ promote or profytte vnto grace For the ê‘sone that hathe moste stronge and constaÌ„t true feithe wolde for the same rather suffer dethe than forsake it / shulde without due obedience be in worse case degre of saluacioÌ„ thaÌ„ the Turke / Iue / Sarasyne / or any other infideles and feythles persones / as ben in dede all maner of heretykes And hope without obedience is dampnable presuÌ„pcion And Charite without obedience is fals feynynge flaterye Go forther nowe vnto the actes of meryte / as fastynge / waytche / prayer / pilgrimage / almes / and all penitenciall actes bene without obedience clerely lost after saynt Augustyne De obediencia et humilita Ca. 1. 8. qÌ„ 1. ScienduÌ„ in fi Obedience therfore is the vertue that dothe obteine and gete the meryte of all vertues And as we sayd without obedience the christiane is in lyke state and condicion with the infidele and hethen man Althoughe he seme to haue good feythe And to conclude no vertue morall dothe so moche please god as dothe obedience And therfore is obedience better and more excellent than all other vertues morall whiche thynge shuld be a great occasion vnto all persones that wolde be vertuous Aug. ubi supra to laude and loue this noble vertue of obedience ¶ Vnto whome obedience is due The .vi. Chapitre SIthe nowe we haue shewed what obedience is by definicion and also the diuersite and excellency therof it semethe conuenieÌ„t to shewe who may and shulde of ryght take and haue obedience / vnto whome it is due you knowe wel by reason and also by that we haue sayd that obedience is due of all creatures vnto almighty god / of all christianes also is obedience due vnto them that done vse / this persone as the Pope / the bysshopes / curates / and suche other And also vnto the parentes of the chyldren For by the lawe / chyldren bene bounde to be obediente vnto the fathers and mothers And the subiectes of euery realme vnto theyr kynges and prynces / and the seruauÌ„tes vnto the lordes / and wyues vnto theyr housbandes But our mater is nat of these obediences / but of the obedience of religious persones that bene solemly professed due vnto theyr souereynes whiche souereynes also as well as theyr subiectes ben bounde vnto the due obedience of theyr rules and ordinauÌ„ces NatwithstaÌ„dynge bycause the souereynes done beare the rowme and vse the place and persone of our lorde and sauiour Iesu and muste as is sayde in the rule render and yelde accounte for the subiectes therfore I saye the subiectes byonde the obedience of the rule and ordinaunces muste also be obedient vnto the souereynes So that contrarie vnto theyr preceptes and commaundementes they no thynge do / nat so moche as the leaste thynge If the naturall chylde be bounde to be obedient vnto the naturall parentes moche more bene the spirituall chyldren vnto the spirituall parentes bounde So moche more I saye as the soule is aboue the body / or the spirite aboue the flesshe Ephesi 6. Colo. 3. And the seculer subiectes bene bouÌ„de by scripture to be obedient vnto theyr seculer princes and souereynes as they shulde be obedient sayth saynt Paule vnto our lorde god And Peter doth commaunde his disciples to be obedient vnto theyr souereines althoughe they were vicious Ebre 13. 1. Petri. 2. Moche more than ben religious persones bounde to be obedient vnto theyr souereynes that ben good and vertuouse / specially sythe by soleÌ„pne vowe and profession they haue made promyse ther vnto But here done these great heretykes moche delude and deceyue the people For thy done saye wryte also / that by the very same auctoritê of saynt Peter and Paule that we spake of all maner of ê‘sones as well spirituall as temporall shulde be obedient vnto the prophane and seculer princes / and the none obedience is due vnto any persones of the spiritualte or clergie For they say that none suche obedience was coÌ„maunded of the Apostles / but only as I sayd vnto the temporall princes And ouer that they say / that Christe hym selfe was obedieÌ„t in his body and goodes vnto the Emperours deputê Pylate / Herode / and suche other that bothe receyued trybute of Christ / and also in theyr court iuged hym And Paule say they also appealed vnto the Emperour that was a temporall persone / and nat vnto any spirituall iuge of the clergie /
we done so labour on pilgrimage in the body / by the troubles wherof bothe our intent is letted / and also by the cares and busines of the same body our charite loue is fatigate / and dwelled In the ende of your secoÌ„de epistle you aske me / howe I wolde iuge or thynke of the vnderstandyng of this text of the gospel Ecce enim merces vestra multa est in celis Lu. 6. D. Lo / take hede se For your wages rewarde is great or moche in heuen And you meruell very moche that saynt Augustyne wolde say vpoÌ„ the same texte that it shulde nat be nedefull to vnderstaÌ„de here these visible corporall or bodely heueÌ„s / lest so our wages rewarde shuld seme to be set appoynted in thinges mouable / and slepery vncerteine And therfore you thinke here shulde some spirituall firmameÌ„tes be vnderstaÌ„de ment / of the whiche as you say you can nat tell nor yet suspecte what shulde be supposed or thought But if you attende hede well what you haue red The realme kingdome of god Luce. 17. Ephe. 3. is within you / and saynt Paule sayth / that Christ by feyth doth dwel in your hertes / as a kyng in his owne realme rule And in a nother place he sayth Ro. 8. The passions and paynes of this tyme ben nothyng of dignite / degre or worthynes ne any thyng coÌ„parable vnto the glorie to come / whiche shal be reueled shewed in vs / he sayth nat / that shal be shewed vnto vs / as an outwarde thynge / but in vs / as nowe bydynge dwellyng within vs / but nat yet apperyng And the prophete sayth also Psal 44. Psal 63. All the glorie of the kyngê doghter is within forth / or froÌ„ within And in a nother place man hath assended vnto an hygh herte / and mynde of contemplacion Psal 83. Sapien. 7 And yet agayne man hath disposed ascencions in his herte And the wysemaÌ„ The soule of the iuste persone is the seete / or stall / or syttyng place of sapience / the voyce of the whiche sapience is this / heuen is my sittyng place If you now take hede I say note well these thynges many other like in holy scripture Esai 66. A you wyl in very dede study gyue diligence to seke labour that the kyngdome of god his iustice may rather entre come vnto you than that other you shulde go forth outwarde / or els ascende clymbe vpwarde or aboue But I cal here this termes / aboue / or without forth accordyng vnto the posicion order of the place / as the heuen doth froÌ„ the yerth holde or kepe an exteriour outwarde place And the soÌ„ne / the mone the sterres done kepe a superiour hygher place For those same selfe thynges that ben within vs by the very subtyle sleÌ„der inuisibilite vnê‘ceyuablenes of theyr nature ben also aboue vs by the very hygh dignite and degre of theyr excellency And also they ben without vs by the immensite vnmesurable excesse of theyr mageste But these thynges ben very hyghe moste hyghe harde to be intreated And therfore had they nede of a more diligeÌ„t disputacioÌ„ and also of a more wyse better lerned disputer / yet thervnto of a more large worke and intreaty I had went supposed / I shulde nat in the intreating of these maters haue exceded the maner of a pistle But as I nowe se ê‘ceyue the coÌ„municacion and tale hath ê“ceded vnto more length than I trusted or thoght Name you therfore the worke if it so please you a boke / or if it please you an epistle / as you wyl For whether it shulbe be / in fewe wordes or in many I was bouÌ„de whiche thynge I haue studied desyred to satisfie your wyll and desyre ¶ Thus endeth the boke of saynt Bernarde of precepte and dispensacion / translated and tourned out of latyne into englysshe by the sayd brother of Syon / applie all vnto the best I byseche you / and pray for the olde wreche / Rycharde Whytforde ¶ The sayd wreche vnto bothe the parties that is to say the souereynes the subiectes I Byseche you mekely / bothe reuerent souereines / deuout subiectes ê‘done my rudenes in all / be coÌ„tent I coÌ„clude vnto you 1. Pet. vlti Seniores ergo qui in vobis suut with the senteÌ„ce of saynt Petre / that is / that you both / eueryche by theÌ„ selfe all in coÌ„mune do so laboure inforse your selfe that folowing the steppê of Christ you may attayne / ê‘fectly come vnto his coÌ„pany / that is / to be both together membres of hin misticall body Howe be it coÌ„uenieÌ„t it is and good ryght reasoÌ„ that suche ê‘sones as by the auctorite of theyr age / yeres of profession / office or dignite bene seniores in religioÌ„ / and so in rowme or place aboue other that also in lyke maner in the diligent study and precise obseruaunce of the religion they be the effectuous workers / laudable teachers so very examplars of the ê‘fection of the same For all the residue of the couent or coÌ„pany done take fourme and done coÌ„munely folowe the examples / the doctrines and teachynges / the maners and byhauiours / and the auctorite of them And therfore it is nat sufficient and ynough for them / to kepe them selfe frome defaulte and offence of the religion but that they also study labour with diligence to bryng al the multitude vnto the same For the age of the seniores doth put them in auctorite And the vse and experience of many thynges doth rendre them prudent and wyse And theyr integrite ê‘fection of lyuyng / ê“ued and openly knowen vnto the coÌ„pany doth put theÌ„ in credence trust Vnto you therfore fyrst I speke reuerent souereynes seniores of religion that ben the kepers gyders of the multitude And I humely byseche you in visceribê° Christi / that is / for the teÌ„derloue of our lorde sauiour Iesu Christe for the bytter paynes passion that he suffred for you al maÌ„kinde that you reÌ„dre frame your selfe vnto suche multitude coÌ„pany as by the ordinauÌ„ce of god bene put vnder your gouernaÌ„ce very pastores / pitious vnfeyned fathers / wache wake / gyue dililigeÌ„ce take good hede / loke wel on euery parte / take care thought that your flocke for whome Christ suffred dethe nother lacke ne want any thyng necessary for the body ne yet for the soule / nother holy coÌ„solacino ne holsome doctrine couÌ„sayle / ne in any wyse the very exaÌ„ple of the lyfe euauÌ„gelical / that is to say the life of our lorde 〈…〉 Iesu you be vnto theÌ„ theyr bysshope / ê“uider / perfourme theÌ„ the effecte of the same / fede theÌ„ / cure theÌ„ / gouerne
they say and suppose to be a sufficieÌ„t excuse for theÌ„ passynge theyr fathers / and auctores tradicions they muste confourme themselfe vnto the worlde Syth also they haue vtterly forsaken the worlde / and in theyr profession proclamed them selfe enemies vnto the worlde Why shulde they nowe make peace / or take truce with the worlde Or rather why shulde they yelde them as bonde caytiues vnto the seruitude thraldome of the worlde For if they loke wel vpon theyr astate / and maner of lyuynge in theyr maner places / graunges / lodges so costly and pleasauÌ„tly bylded / cyled / hanged / rychely stored with al thynges of pleasure / plate of golde / syluer / and other metalles / a bushement / and company of waiters / some gentelmeÌ„ / some ye men gromes well decked / and clenly arayde in sylkes / cheynes of gold syluer the abbesse with treyned gentlewemeÌ„ wayters after the same maner / all after the moste courtly fashon they may ê“ue euideÌ„tly they done more apê“che vnto gentilite / ben more like gentiles Theyr entreprise of ê‘fectioÌ„ weyed accouÌ„ted thaÌ„ the prophane princes / lay people of the world Nowe for the thyrd where the exaÌ„ple of Christe doth shewe howe all the residue / remayne of the goodes of the monasterie / after all charges allowed and reasonable ê“uision made for the yere to come all I say holly shulde be delte / and gyuen our vnto the pore they natwtstandynge done gyue a great parte vnto the thyrde generall enemy of mankynde / that is the flesshe / nat onely iÌ„ theyr abouÌ„dauÌ„ce of dysshes / suê‘fluous fare that takeÌ„ both our of due tyme place but also vnto theyr kynsfolke / carnal freÌ„des Which as the coÌ„mune sayng is done take great parte froÌ„ the coueÌ„t And vnto the mayntenauÌ„ce of this misordred ministerie / mispence of the goodes of monasterie the souereynes ben nat ashamed to take by pacte / comnaunt / by coÌ„sent of the subiectes a certeyn porcioÌ„ of propriete they say vnto theyr chaÌ„bre / but it is in dede / as well vnto the hale / as the chaÌ„bre / vnto the kychyn stable And generally to be spent vsed / or rather misused / after theyr owne wyl priuate pleasure And if that be nat ê“priete there can be iÌ„ my reason no propriete Whiche thus contrarie vnto the exaÌ„ple of Christ / the tradicioÌ„s of theyr rules misvsed doth cause theÌ„ the more lyghtly to dispence / gyue licence vnto the officers / other of the subiectes to do as they done / so eueryche to haue a singuler porcion of ê“priate vnder the fourme byfore sayd I sayd to dispense / but I shulde haue sayd rather to presume to dispense aboue theyr power / or yet as is sayd aboue / beyonde any power vpon yerth / so done they make double offence / both vnto the dauÌ„ger of theyr soules / the blyndfull deceyt of theyr subiectes These many other offences in the souereynes ben great occasioÌ„ of the misorder / ruine of religion For the souereynes muste rendre gyue account / answere for the subiectes And therfore is nat sufficient for theÌ„ to say vnto theyr subiectes go forthe / do this / or that reguler obseruaunce but rather shulde they say / as our sauiour sayd vnto his disciples come you after me / folowe me Matth. 4. C. Matth. 10. E. Mar. 10. C Luce. 9. C Do as ye se me do For it is sufficient vnto the disciple if he be as his mayster is / but that is to meane / whaÌ„ he supposeth / or trusteth that his mayster doth well or els nat amys If than the souereynes wold leue / forsake / and clene put away this poyson of ê“priete / in theÌ„ selfe I doute nat it shulde nat long remayne in the subiectes / but shortely vanysshe / faynte and deye ¶ Of the occasion and causes of propriete in the subiectes The .xv. Chapitre ANd yet ben there many great defaultes occasioÌ„s of this ê“priete iÌ„ the selfe subiectê One / that I thynke a principall occasioÌ„ cause 1. Cassianus i. 7. des puÌ„ Philar. ca. 7. of these stipendes / suche other ê“prietes is the dulnes / feynt herte / lacke of mekenes / lacke of the loue of god of the religioÌ„ / lacke of the reuereÌ„t / dred of our lorde / in the subiectê For the meke ê‘sone / that hath the reuereÌ„c drede / loue of our lorde and doth groundly / and stedfastly set the herte and minde to loue religion / and to profecte and go forth therin / vnto the honoure and laude of oure lorde / the welthe of his owne soule / and the edificacion of all christianes wyll take no occasion / ne medle medle / nor note / ne marke any maters wtout theÌ„ selfe Except they were extremely gyueÌ„ / and shulde seme to redownde / growe vnto the dishonoure of god and hurte vnto the religion And yet than nothing to be vndescretly vexed therwith / nor ouer bysye in medlynge therwith / but accordynge vnto the order of the holy gospel Matth. 18. B. gyue monicion / with charite soft wordê and meke and lawly byhauiour / beyng sory in herte for the defaut / and pray for the parties An other occasion in the subiecters is / that some ê‘sones mynded vnto religion Ibidem Ca. 14. byfore theyr entre ben infected with auarice For they wolde be glad to serue god so they myght be sure to lacke nothynge And therfore they cast byfore what may fall / and so they fall by teÌ„ptacion Loke vpon saynt Brigittes reuelacions li. 7. ca. 20. into a doute / drede or fere of theyr intreaty in religion Howe they shal be cherysshed and prouided fore amonge the company And to be sure of somwhat if nede be they make prouision / leue some money / Iuelles / landê / or some other goodes in the custody and kepynge of theyr trusty frendes / that in suche case shall serue them Whiche prouision standeth well with good policie prudence but nat with good religion / as we haue shewed at large / in your boke of statutes / in the tytle of entre into religioÌ„ / or of receiuyng In extra vag vrbani 4. Sane ne iÌ„ vinea domini Act. 5. For iÌ„ such entre they ben excoÌ„municate / accursed by the pope For so dyd Ananie / and Saphira his wyfe / ê“uide for them sefe / both peryshed / stryken to deth / by the iuste iugemeÌ„t of god / executed by saynt Petre / as doth appere iÌ„ the actes of the Apostles Some other persones / that without any blemyshe of conscience haue ryghtly entred religion Done nat fynde there so good cheryshynge / welfare as they loked fore / thaÌ„ done they begynne to loke backe from whens they came / what state or case
was deed Than shewed he vnto them his handes / and howe he was temted with her / and than fel vnto prayer / and so reysed the deed corse / and forthwith were all his fyngers restored vnto hym agayne / and the woman and all the men conuerted vnto the state of perfecte lyuyng Al this haue we shewed / that ye shulde perceyue the ieoê‘ty of sole preseÌ„ce / and of the occasion and liberte of sole presence Syth specially it was so ê“ued in ê‘sones of so hyghe perfection howe than shulde any persones in this tyme of corrupcion / where in all vertue exiled synne raygneth haue truste in them selfe And why shulde nat al religious persones be glad to be inclosed / for the more surety of theyr vowe and promyse Let no good religious persone thynke lytell or gyue lytell force of sole presence / or of the liberte and power of sole preseÌ„ce The coÌ„mune canon lawe dothe also forbede sole presence / vnto ê‘sones religious / specially women So that no religious woman shulde any tyme / speke with any man / althoughe he were also religious 18. qÌ„ 2. Diffiniuimus et ca. sequenti without the company of sufficient and honest wytnes For sole presence in the lawe is a great presumpcion / and argument or euidence of suspicion The lawe therfore doth prohibite and forbede / that religious ê‘sones / or yet seculer prestes shulde be alone De statu monacorum ca. Mona Et dist 81. In oibus Eccle. 4. Libro 3. ca. Monasteri And the wyse man sayth Vesoli Wo and ieoparty be vnto the ê‘sone alone For if by case he fall he hathe no ê‘sone to helpe hym vp And in the lawe also De vita et honestate clericorum If any man of custome do vse to entre any monasterie of religious women to accoÌ„pany / and be familiar with theÌ„ And after due warnyng doth nat withdrawe and leue that resorte let hym sayth the lawe if he be of the clergy be deposed And if he be a lay maÌ„ let hym be excoÌ„municate and cursed And in an other place 18. qÌ„ 2. ê‘uenit ad nos The lawe sayth / that women shulde nat come with in the monasterie of men Many other monicions and counsayles bene gyuen / in the coÌ„mune canon lawe and by holy fathers for the prohibicion / condempnacion and reproue of sole presence / as a perilous enemy of chastite ¶ Of the .xi. keper of Chastite / that is / cure of the body The .xv. Chapitre YEt after saynt Augustyne doth folowe an other enemy of chastite moche subtyle / and as nat moche greuous / so moche more ieopardous That is to saye delectacion and pleasure in clene clothynge / and in the pykyng curyng of the body For the prohivicion and letting wherof he sayth in the begynnyng of the .vi. Chapitre of the rule Let your clothyng saythe he be laundred or wasshen / at the appoiÌ„temeÌ„t / and after the wyll of the souereyne And yet agayne Baynes also for the body c. Where saynt Augustyne wyl that the disciples of this rule shulde haue shyft of clene clothes / and purgacion of the body accordyng vnto discrecion / and as nede the honestie of religion doth require / but nat after the appetite or desyre of the persones / lest sayth he the superfluous pleasure / of fayre and clene clothes shulde defoule and make the soule vnclene fylthy And in very dede / I haue knowen diuerse religious persones / that after theyr shyftynge into clene clothes haue bene more troubled with vnclene mocions than they were at other tymes And so lyke wyse of the waysshyng / and pykyng of the body Wherin to be ouercurious is contrarie vnto the purite of chastite And nothyng to care therfore is coÌ„trarie vnto the honeste of religion / specially iÌ„ them that done lyue in congregacion And therfore saint Augustyne wyll / the seke persones / althoughe they deney shulde natwithstandynge take by the commaundement of the souereyne that were necessarie and honeste / and if any shulde desyre that were nat expedient they shulde be denyed All these thynges haue we set forth here for the garde and custody of chastite / accordyng vnto the order and very mynde of the selfe rule of saynt Augustyne That the disciples therof hauynge zele vnto the obseruaunce of theyr rule shulde the more diligentely applie them selfe and gyue study / to perfourme the solempne ê“fession / and promyse of theyr vowe ¶ Of the .xii. keper of Chastite / whiche is disposicion in the selfe persones c. The .xvi. Chapitre NOwe shal I shewe a litel of my pore mynde / of the most sure excelleÌ„t garde and custody of chastite Fyrste vnto all vertues to be obteyned and kepte and all vices and synnes to be remoued and secluded muste be a disposicion and good wyll in the selfe ê‘sones For althoughe man by sinne was brought into suche bondage that of hym selfe he myght neuer helpe him selfe / ne yet dispose hym selfe yet hath our lorde god / of his bounte and gracious goodnes / so prynted in man his owne ymage / and therwith the fredome and liberte of wyll the after his ordinate iustice god maye no more take from man fre wyll than he maye take from hym his ymage And this is euident in scripture / in Cayn / the eldest sone of Adam / after his consent vnto synne Vnto whome our lorde sayd Gene. 4. Why arte thou wrothe why dothe thy chere fall / and thy countenaunce feyle the If thou well do I wyll so accepte it / and if thou do nat well the defaulte is open redy to be knowen / yet is thy passion in thyne owne power and thou mayste by lorde and gyther therof / as hauynge thy wyll disposicion in thyne owne fre power and liberte This haue I sayd to confounde the false opinion of this great heretyke Luther / and his folowers The fyrst than is to dispose your selfe / and for the dred loue of god / for the merite of the excelleÌ„t vertue chastite to make a statute and a coÌ„nauÌ„t with your selfe / by tired purpose to forsake vtterly / nat onely the vice / or acte of the fleshe but also all maner of occasions / that by any meane may apperteyne thervnto Than next after this / to serche well your owne astate / and to ê‘ceyue howe ferre ye haue therin bene in tyme past ouersene / and be it lytell / be it moche rase and scrape all clene out of the boke of your conscience / by contricion / confession / and specially by purpose neuer to coÌ„mitte or consent any more vnto any suche ¶ Of awayte of cogitacions or thoughtes The .xvii. Chapitre THan gyue good hede / and awayte vnto your cogitacions and thoughtes For those wyll best teche you of what desyre your fraylte is For by the cogitacions done aryse the troubles assayles of the fesshe And those cogitacioÌ„s ben caused in the