preuy frō your audytour me thynketh it shulde be a greate suretye for you to make euery day ones your sayd accoūte by your selfe The cōmune prouerbe is that ofte rekenynge holdeth lōg fellawshype I wold aduyse you therfore to spēde some tyme ther vpō at nyght after all your occupaciōs before your bed there knele downe ther begynne to remēbre wheder ye wēte what ye dyd īmediatly after your morowe exercise in what company ye were what was there your behauiour and demanour ī werke worde or thought and so go forth vnto euery place / tyme cōpany as brekefaste / dyner / soupper / or drynkynge / where you fynde or perceyue any thyng that was good / vertuous / and profytable / ascribe and apply that vnto our lorde god gyue vnto him all the glory laude prayse therof / for he alone is the gyuer of all goodnes / so ouer passe that thynge lyghtly And where ye remēbre of any speciall thynge done / sayd / or thought amysse / stycke byde thervpō / bulte it as they say tourne it vp so downe / try the weyght daunger therof with all the maner and circumstaunce of the same So may ye knowe the quātytie therof that is to say howe greate a synne or howe lyttell it is / howe be it none offence cane be lyttell that doth offēde god surely euery synne is offence done vnto god although it seme to be done vnto mā For as the loue of god doth begyn̄e at the loue of the neyghbour For he the loueth nat his neyghbour i. Ioh. ii whō he may se with his bodyly eye or syght sayth saynt Iohn̄ howe may he loue god whome he cā nat so se so in lyke maner the offence of the neyghbour is forth with the offence of god Consyder therfore vnto whome the trespas is done so that consyderacion with the other qualyties and quantyties of the synne shall bryng you vnto a basshemēt therof and to be sory therfore or at the leest to wyll or wysshe that ye had nat so done Thā mekely crye god mercy / and aske hym forgyuenes therof with very pourpose and mynde to be confessyd therof at due tyme and to take and do penaunce therfore And I dare assure you that this maner of accoumpte rekenynge though your synne were neuer so greate shall saue you frō the ieopardy of dānaciō / which is no lytell grace goodnes of God Thanke hym than lowly therfore and so blesse your selfe as you dyd in the morning / and your bedde also / go therevnto and so cōmytte your selfe all hole body and soule vnto the protection / custody and kepyng of our lorde who gyue you good nyght and good reste Amen It shall be ryght well also that ye cal vpon suche holy sayntes as you haue speciall deuocion vnto vnder this fourme or some other lyke Blessed lady Mary mother of god alway vgin I beseche the pray for me for all Christians Holy angell of god what so euer thou be that arte deputed and appoynted vnto my custody I submyttynge me with most lowly obedience beseche the to pray for me for all the worlde Saynt Michaell saynt Gabriell saynt Raphaell with all holy angels archāgels I beseche you pray for me for all people Saynt Iohn̄ baptyste and all holy patriarkes and prophetes I beseche you pray for me for all christendome Saynt Peter saynte Paule saynte Iohn̄ the euangeliste and all holy apostles euāgelistes I beseche you pray for me for all the worlde and you also all disciples of our lorde and holy Innocentes Saynte Stephan and all holy martyres Saynte Augustine / and all holy confessours / all religious persones and heremites Saynt Katheryne / saynt Margarete saynte Barbara and all holy virgines I beseche you praye for me / and for all persones And fynally all you holy sayntes of heuē of euery degre and state where you be I beseche you all in generall / and eueryche in speciall / praye for me all mākynde Here may you brynge in the patrones of your churches or dioces and suche as you haue as I sayd synguler deuotion vnto And here an ende as vnto your selfe ¶ The persone for the housholde Syr / this werke is good for religious persones / and for suche persones as bene solytary and done lye alone by thē selfe / but we done lye .ii. or .iii. somtyme together / and yet in one chambre dyuers beddes so many in company / if we shulde vse these thynges in p̄sence of our fellowes some wold laugh vs to scorne moke vs. ¶ The housholder O bone Iesu O good lorde Iesu what here I nowe I dar well say there bene but fewe persones in Englande but they wolde byde some daunger or rebuke for pleasure of theyr kynge or prynce and many for theyr mayster or maistres or theyr soueraynes and some for theyr frendes and fellowes specially where great gaynes shulde growe therby vnto thē selfe And for the pleasure of God our father and of our swete sauyoure Iesu our brother shulde we be abasshed to take daūger bere a poore mocke or scorne that neuer shall woūde our flesshe ne yet tere our skyn̄e for the pleasure of our pereles prynce kynge of kynges / lorde of all lordes Fye for shame that any christian shulde be so cowardous Ventre vpon it go forth withall In .ix. dayes as they saye the daūger shal be past / fere nothinge Euery begynnyng is harde and of greate diffyculte Omne principium difficile Labor īprobus oīa vincit But īportune labour doth vayn quysshe ouercome all thynges I tell you this dayly exercise by custome and vse shall seme very shorte and swete profytable and pleasaunt Rede it or here it ouer ones or twyse at the leest before you caste it awaye How be it we thynke it nat sufficiēt nor ynough for vs to lyue well our selfe but the all other christians also lyue the better for vs and by our example specially those that we haue ī charge gouernaunce that is to saye our chylder and seruaūtes And me semeth it shuld also be a good pastyme and moche meritorious for you that cane rede to gather your felowes about you on the holy day specially the yonge sorte and rede to them this pore lesson For therin be suche thynges as bothe you and they bene bounde to knowe or can say that is the Pater noster the Aue maria and the Crede / with suche other thynges as done folowe I wold therfore you shuld begynne with them by tyme in youth as sone as they cā speke For it is an olde saynge Quod noua testa capit inueterata sapit The pot or vessell shall euer sauour or smell of the thynge wherew t it is fyrste seasoned And your englysshe prouerbe saythe / that the yong cocke croweth as he doth here and lerne of the olde
nowe wholy fully to recouÌ„te and reherce is vnto me for theyr multitude iÌ„possyble Wherfore with moost humble and lowly hart moost harty and desyrous wyll of perfecte contricion I vtterly forsake theÌ„ all And althoughe nothynge of my deseruynge yet good lorde for the honour of thy precious blode the merytes of thy bytter passion and most cruell most paynfull most shamefull deth I instaÌ„tly requyre aske craue moost mekely lowly beseche thy gracious benignity goodnes of mercy forgiuenes And that from hensforthe I maye haue thy grace lorde in whole fayth stronge hope perfecte charite / to fle auoyd and forsake all synne And in all my thoughtes wordes dedes / maners / contenauÌ„ces / behauiours / to ordre my selfe in vertue vnto the pleasure honoure of thy grace the welthe and saluacioÌ„ of my soule and vnto the edificacioÌ„ of all Christians And herunto I beseche our lady saynt Mary thy holy mother euer virgin / all the blessed company of heuen / and all faythfull persones to praye for me Amen ¶ All these partes of the masse yf you may conueniently shulde be herde standynge That is to saye / the office the kyrie Gloria in excelsis and specially the gospell with due reuerence at this worde Iesus The preface also the Pater noster sancte IohnÌ„s Gospell ¶ At the fyrst collectes pystle Myne owne good lorde and moost swete sauyour Iesu I beseche thy goodnes to put away ferre frome me all iniquities and wyckednes / and of thy mercyfull louynge kyndenes kendle in my hart the flamynge fyre of thy ferueÌ„t loue Be not swete lord displeased with me ne kepe in mynd or remembrauÌ„ce the multitude of myne offences For I do not presume good lord to make prayer peticion here before thy godly presence of any goodnes / ryghtwysenes or any deseruyng of my selfe but onely of full hope and trust of thy myseracion mercyfull pytye Take frome me swete lorde this harde and stony hart / and gyue me lord for it a newe hart full of compunction and due contricion And gyue me a stomacke kynde louyng that maye dredfully loue the and louyngly drede the that maye delyte take pleasure in the lorde alone / and wylfully folowe the. And at the laste may ouertake and catche the / fast holde the fully possede the. And fynally in eterne blysse to se the / and fully to inioye the. Amen ¶ After the pystle MOost swete sauyoure and louynge lord Iesu / I beseche thy benignity for the anguysshe of thy holy harte in all thy labours / passioÌ„s / and paynes for me susteyned and suffred And for the effusion and shedyng of thy moost holy sacred blode and for the vertue of thy moost innocent precyouse dethe For the mystery also of this holy sacrament thy blessyd body and moost holy sacred bloode / in the immolacion / offerynge / and sacrifice wherof I moste vyle synner am present moost vnworthy wretche do approche And fynally I beseche the lord for thyne owne selfe haue pytye and mercye vpon me that am I knowe well the moost myserable wretche moost synfull caytyfe vpon erth Purify thou good lorde than / and clense my harte soule froÌ„ all vnlaufull affections So that in this tyme all tymes I maye duely and worthely do the seruice Graunte me good lorde very contricion of all my synnes / the grace also of true coÌ„punction / the fountayn of fruitfull teares / pure deuocion clere clene conscience / the coÌ„tinuall memory and mynd of thy bytter passion precyous dethe And of thy moost coÌ„fortable loue perpetuall feruor and desyre Amen ¶ After the gospell O Moost benigne mercyfull louer of maÌ„kynde my swete lord Iesu / I beseche thy grace for the dolorous painfull smertyng of all thy woundes grauÌ„t me the grace of pacience in all aduersyty and to dispise sett at naught the loue of this world and all the goodes and pleasurs therof and to be coÌ„tent with a necessary and meane liuinge And to kepe firmely and constantly by due perseueraunce vnto my laste ende this state and degree that thou haste put me in And to folowe alway by due obedience thy forther callynges dayly to increase profyte in vertue / and euer to haue contynually the feruent desyre of myne owne cuntrey heuenly home Graunt me forther good lord in all the coÌ„uersacion of my lyfe to haue and kepe due discipline good maner / christian behauyoure vnto the auoydyng euer of thy displeasure of the sclaunder occasion / offence of my neyghbour And so to haue groundely in my hart and soule very and vnfayned mekenes / true faythfull kyndenes and meritorious pacience vnto the pleasure and honour of thy grace / the welth of my soule and vnto the edificacion of all persones Amen ¶ In the tyme of the eleuacioÌ„ THe great clerck holy saynt Thomas of Aquine dothe set forth this prayer folowyng as very conuenient to be sayd in this tyme of the eleuacion âšœ Tu rex glorie Christe Tu patris sempiternus es filius And so forth as you haue at matyns The englyshe wherof we haue here sett forth with the latyne / for the increase of your deuocion âšœ Tu rex glorie Christe That is to meane I beleue / confesse / and knowledge that thou good lord Iesu christe my sauyour / beynge here vnder the fourme of brede wyne art the kynge of glory / very god âšœ Tu patris sempiternus es filiê° And that thou good lorde Iesu art the essenciall / eterne and euerlastyng sonne of the father of heuen celestiall âšœ Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem noÌ„ horruisti virginis vterum I beleue that thou good lord disposynge / and by determinacioÌ„ concludyng to take the nature of maÌ„ / and so to redeme and delyuer hym frome the bondage of synne dydeste not abhorre ne disdayne the flesshly wombe of the virgyn âšœ Tu deuicto mortis aculeo aperuisti credentibus regna celorum I beleue that thou good lorde the siynge darte of deth vaynquysshed and ouercomen dydest open vnto all thy faythfull people the realme and kyngdome of heuen âšœ Tu ad dexteram dei sedes in gloria patris I beleue that thou good lord that art here ê‘sent in this holy sacrameÌ„t doste syt remayne and rest in the glory of thy father vpoÌ„ the ryght hande of god or thus syttest and doste remayne rest in glory vpoÌ„ the ryght hande of god thy father âšœ Iudex crederis esse veÌ„turus I byleue that all faythfull peopell done beleue that thou shalt come agayne to iudge all the worlde âšœ Te ergo quesumus tuis famulis subueni quos precioso sanguine redemisti Therfore good lord we beseche the / helpe and socoure thy seruantes whom thou hast redemed and bought with thy precious blode âšœ Eterna fac cum sanctis tuis gloria munerari We beseche the also good
them selfe vnto that exercyse all ê‘sones can nat tell For many that fayne wolde haue and vse the meditacyon and exercyse of deth haue nat the way ne knowe any fourme or fassyon therof And yet ben there dyuers fourmes and wayes therof and all good For some persones One maner of exercyse of dethe Tho. done go no forther but to remembre and thynke that deth is the payne of synÌ„e inflycted iudged appoynted by almyghtye god vnto our fyrst parentes and therfore due ryght vnto all theyr posteryte folowers and of sprynge so that no man after them dyd euer escape deth / ne neuer man shall vnto the day of generall iudgement therfore sure it is that we must dye but whan or howe we can nat tell To haue therfore a dayly exercyse of deth I shall set you here .ii. fourmes of this exercyse An other fourme or maner of the exercyse of dethe The fyrste fourme is this that in some conuenyent tyme of the day or nyght appoynted and chosen for this exercyse you shall ymagyne call vnto remembraunce and so set forth before the eyes syght of your soule howe you haue sene or herde of a person that hathe ben condemned by iudgement vnto bodely dethe as to be brent hanged or heded or suche other Than saye or thynke vnto your selfe what and if I were in suche case as that person was I knowe well and knowledge vnto our lorde that I haue deserued more cruel dethe for euery deedly synne is worthy more payne / than any worldly payne or els yf you were in suche case as you haue dremed in your slepe or herde of dremyng / that you shulde forthwith go vnto the execucyon of deth without remedye howe than wolde I do / or howe shulde I then or were bouÌ„de to do for the saluacion of my soule / or yf euer you haue sene or herde of the maner of them that ben nere vnto theyr passage / lye drawyng vpon vnto deth And the people about some wepynge mournyng / some cryenge and callynge vpon the sycke / to remeÌ„bre our lorde god and our moste swete sauyour Iesu Christ / our blessyd lady with other holy sayntes And remembre howe that sycke is than coÌ„bred with syckenes and payne so that he can do lytle for hym selfe / all weke feble infirme And howe than the ghostly enemye the deuyll wolde prese and come in before you with a foule sorte of vgsum souldiours / assayle you in many soÌ„dry wyse / lay before you the multytude of your synnes all your omyssyons of suche good dedes as you might haue done / wherof you were neglygent and all to brynge you vnto dispeyre of your saluacyon that you shulde leaue your faythe / and haue no hope ne trust of mercy ThaÌ„ remeÌ„bre what coÌ„fort it shulde be vnto you at that tyme / that you had prepared made redy before hande for all these maters / howe oftymes you had sene in your soule all this conclusyon howe often you had reasynge vp your frayle hert dispysed deth and nothyng set therby / how you had apointed / to beleue that iÌ„ deth is none euyll but great good / and that you thaÌ„ shuld make an ende of al mysery shortly coÌ„e vnto a better state ThaÌ„ begyn to say vnto your selfe I wil now iÌ„ helth study exercise my selfe with this fourme specially how I shal answere the lothly best that feÌ„de I wyl now iÌ„ this tyme pÌ„sent for the tyme of deth that nedely shall coÌ„e / left vp my haÌ„des hert vnto my lord / besech him of grace succour / thaÌ„ wil I besech the good blessed lady mother of mercy my good angel with my holy patroÌ„s there namyng such saintes as you haue in most synguler deuocyon all the holy sayntes of heuen to be there pÌ„sent with me to ayde confort to streÌ„gth me agayne that cruel best And as vnto my synÌ„es say you I haue gadred them al togeder as ferre as I can remeÌ„bre brought theÌ„ vnto the ston there to be polysshed rubbed scoured that stone is the holy sacrament of penaunce that by the merytes of Chrystes precyous blode / hathe wasshed awaye my synne For I knowe well that one drope alone of that most holy sacred blod were sufficyent and ynoughe / and ferre more than ynoughe / to wasshe and clense all the synne of the worlde / and yet shed he all his blode euery drope And therfore nowe at this tyme for and in stede of that tyme I put the precyous blode with his bytter passyon and his most cruel / and shamefull deth / bytwene me all the synnes that euer I dyd in thought worde or dede betwexe me and his wrath and displeasure And hauynge full fayth and trust vnto his promyse that is that he wyll gracyously receyue all penytentes vnto mercy I now for then boldly prouoke the and deffye the most cruell and false fende and I straytely charge that in his holy blessed name Iesu that if you haue any thinge to lay vnto my charge shewe it nowe tell it out For thou shalt nother confouÌ„de ne feare me / nor yet disconforde me therwith / but rather do me great pleasure to put me in remembraunce ⧠If I haue forgoten to confesse any thynge worthy penaunce / that I may nowe vnto thy confusyon / shewe it and with the wyll at the lest desyre of perfect contricyon and with indignacyon I may cast it at thy face amonge all the other synnes that euer I dyd by any meanes / whiche synnes I vtterly forsake as nothynge appertaynynge vnto me For I am gracyously bathed wasshed and clensed in the precyous blode of my souerayne sauyour Iesu Chryst And therfore I bequethe and commytte all my synne vnto the cruell best / the auctor begynner of all synne with the to remayne from wheÌ„s it came and whether it shall / in the with the eternally to be punysshed And than leauyng him there turne vnto our lorde god vnto our swete sauyour Iesu And as yf you were than at the poynt of deth / are hym hertely forgyuenes of all your offenses / and beseche his goodnes of mercy and grace pray the sayntes as I sayd before to pray for you and than yf you be goynge vnto rest whiche tyme is most conuenyent for this exercise blesse you thus In manus tuas coÌ„mendo spirituÌ„ meum redemisti me domine deus veritatis In nomine patris filii spiritus saÌ„cti Amen Makynge a crosse with a holy candell yf you haue it present after the maner that you haue / iÌ„ your boke for housholders And thus do .iii. tymes together / and so go vnto reste as you shulde go vnto your grace This exercyse good deuout soules is nat to be dispysed / for by dayly vse and custome / it shall ingeÌ„dre and bylde in you a great boldnes and hardynes
¶ A dialoge or coÌ„municacion bytwene the curate or ghostly father the parochiane or ghostly chyld For a due preparacion vnto howselynge âšœ ¶ The werke for housholders with the golden pystle and Alphabete or a crosrowe called and A. B. C. INRI ¶ Vnto the deuoute reders in our lorde god moste swete sauyour Iesu Rychard whytford your pore bedeman of Syon Salutacyon WHere in a lytle werke the of late we send forth at the requeste of deuoute persones vnto housholders we dyd sette forthe / a breue and short forme of confessyon / heryng and perceyuyng that the sayde werke was thankfully and charitably receyued supposynge that so deuoute receyuers ben well exercised / and haue profyted therin we haue nowe here for your fourthere increase of vertue put forth vnto you a nother lesson howe / when you ben disposed mynded to receyue the holy sacrament of the aulter you shuld prepare ordre make your selfe redy spiritually apparele your selfe therunto For I acerteyne you ther is no ê‘sone in this worlde can tell you with how greate reuerence howe depe deuotion howe lowe and meke harte / with howe reuerente drede howe pure and cleane conscience with howe well adornate garnyshed appereled soule with howe firme stedfast fayth with howe hyghe stronge hope with howe ardente feruent in flamyng and burnyng charite any true Christian shulde accede approyche go vnto that honorable meruelouse and moste hyghe mystery where doubtles is presente the very naturall body / and soule flesshe blode of our lord sauyoure Iesu very god / very man in one ê‘sone very christ his humanytie and his diuinite The blessed trinite father sone holy ghost also our blessed lady saynte Mary with in numerable multitude and nowmbre / of gloryouse aungels and holy sayntes ben ther also present all how be it inuisible doyng therunto that holy sacrement due honour reuerence / and obeysaunce Hit is therfore muche conuenient / and necessarie that due and diligeÌ„t preparation / shulde be made therunto when so euer hit be receyued Not withstoÌ„dynge I do not requyre ne moue you to rede and recounte all that here is wryten / at euery tyme yet were it good so to do if you haue tyme but that hit maye lyke you to rede hit ones ouer and then to marke out suche places as beste done lyke you / and vse theÌ„ or parte of them as you haue tyme and leyser and thus fare you well in our Lorde who blesse you all Amen ¶ A dialoge or communicacion bytwene the curate or ghostly father and the parochiane or ghostly chylde For a due preparacion vnto how selyng ¶ The ghostly chylde Syr I thanke you for the charitable labours you toke with me wheÌ„ I was last with you And I haue accordynge vnto your coÌ„maundement called my houshold together and taught theym the same lesson that you then and before tyme. haue taught me And for the more suerty I haue caused all your sayd lessons to be set forth in prynt that other persones may haue as we haue edificacion therby ¶ The ghostly father ¶ Good ghostly chylde I am ryght glad of your so deuout mynde and good wyll to profet in vertue our lorde be praysed And I shal be glad as my duety to conforte you therin nowe that you haue a good fundation grownd therunto by that forme and maner of lyuyng and also if you by fraylte offende and fall therfrome by the remedy of the holy sacrament of confessyon I shall shewe you an ordre and a good waye or meane how you shuld prepare and make your selfe redy vnto the holy sacrameÌ„t of the aulter when you shall be communed or howseled For saynt Poule commauÌ„ded his disciples to proue i. Cor. xi and examen well them selfe in conscience byfore they shulde approyche or go vnto this holy sacrament For who so euer sayth he do receyue it vnworthely doth receyue hit vnto his owne iudgement and condempnation And our sauyour hym selfe dothe shewe howe this holy sacrament shulde euer be ministred in the memorie and remembraunce of hym Luc. xxii Saynt Paule also how oft so euer you receyue the sacrament saythe he so oftymes shuld you represent and shewe the deth of Christ i. Cor. xi vnto the tyme he come vnto the last iudgement By these sayde auctorites confirmed by our mother the holy church with many holy doctours doth appere that two thynges shal be conuenient necessary vnto euery persone that shall receyue this holy sacramente That is to saye Fyrste due serche of conscience so that no maner of synne vnto knoweledge and remembrauÌ„ce remayne or be left therin The seconde that the persones so clered in conscieÌ„ce / shuld ordre appoynte them selfe vnto some maner of memorie by meditacyon or contemplacion / of our lorde / and sauyour Iesu / and of the actes of our saluation I wold therfore aduyse all maner of persons / that wheÌ„ they wyll accede approych vnto this holy mistery they fyrst be confessed if they coÌ„ueniently can haue a ghostly father / for although they know not theyr conscience charged with any mortall or deedly synne yet shall the approbacion of theyr ghostly father be vnto theym both confortable / and also suerty And for this parte / the forme of confession that we sett forthe in the other werke for housholders may serue you / hit is but lytle / and of lytle pryce / so maye the rather be ioyned hervnto and both bownden to gether and you more redely maye haue at hande that is referred froÌ„ the tone vnto the tother For the seconde parte that is meditation / muche necessarie for you at this tyme I wolde counseyle you the of destinate harte appoynted and wylfull purpose you shulde fyrste geder yourselfe vnto your selfe that is to say your soule harte mynde and wyll in as muche as you may with all force and diligence holly clerely from all cures cares charges and busynes of the worlde and frome all bodyly maters and all cogitatioÌ„s and thoughtes that by any meanes myght lett you hynder you in this exercise and so to compell your spirite to labor alone herin And then coÌ„mend your selfe wholy vnto our lorde thus In manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meuÌ„ redemisti me domine deus veritatis That is to saye âšœ good lorde god / I commende / byquethe / render / gyue / and bytake my spirite / my harte / my mynde / and soule / wholly vnto thy haÌ„des power and gouernaunce For thou good lorde the very god of trouthe haste redemed bought me And those persones that bene lerned maye saye this ympne The fyrst verse VEni creator spiritus mentes tuoruÌ„ visita imple superna gratia qÌ„ tu creasti pectora âšœ That is to meane Come vnto vs good lord god holy ghost creatour and maker of all the worlde with the father and the sone Visite and
and yet muche more kyndnes if he were not his frende but his enemye and foo and also to pay for his det / and delyueraūce no smal pryce but his owne blode his lyfe also this I saye were a maruelouse benefyte an excedyng kyndnes although he dyd no more But our lord sauyour dyd yet more for man For he dyd not onely delyuer hym fre and out of daunger but also rewarded hym made hym butyfelowe of all his goodes and heyre with hym of all his landes possessiōs brought hym vnto hyghe honoure dignite and degre he brought hym vnto the presens of his owne naturall father and there after his ascencion he toke possession for man / and so made hym his brother / and coenheritor of all that he had Loke well hereupon and consyder how great a rewarde this was and yet shall you se more added herevnto For many in this world haue ben made heyres and possession taken for thē and yet dyd they neuer inioy the same But our lord and sauyour when he had delyuered man in forme byfore shewed and had also put hym in possession therof ordeyned yet a forther meane to make mā surely to inioy the same and to haue the moost pleasaunt vse therof whiche was in sendyng downe the holy ghoste whiche accordynge vnto his promyse shuld instruct Ioh. xvi and teche his apostles disciples and by them all christianes the very trouth of all maner of thynges apperteynynge vnto mannes saluacion and shuld also subministre put into theyr hartes / and myndes to put the same in execucion and how and vnder what forme they shulde so do For as I suppose the apostles after the deth of Christe dyd neuer put any thyng in execuciō and vse that our sauyoure had byfore his deth or byfore his ascension committed vnto theyr power vnto the tyme they had receyued the holy ghost For althoughe they had commaūdement and power to preache the gospell and to baptyse and to ministre all other sacramentes to remit or forgyue and to withholde restrayne synne yet dyd not they execute or put in vse any thynge but only whē Christ was among them before his passion vnto the tyme they had receyued fully the holy ghoste at Pentecoste excepte only the election of saynt Mathie bycause the nombre of the apostles myght not be vnperfect So then they receyued fully the holy ghost not only for theym self but also for all other that by thē shulde byleue vnto the ende of the world Thē dyd they ministre the holy sacramentes and taught theyr disciples / by them all Christianes the due forme and maner therof whiche forme hathe euer sythe that tyme and euer shall cōtinue in Christes catholicall churche / what so euer theyse new heretykes say vnto the contrary In whiche holy sacramentes we haue not onely the person of our lord and sauyoure hym selfe but also the other two persons the father the holy ghost all one self and same essenciall god to remayne byde and dwell amonge vs vnto the worldes ende this gyfte and rewarde is moch to be noted / and maye well suffise for the fyfthe consyderacion of this entrepryse of the werke of remuneracion ¶ The syxte consyderacion of the werke of glorificacion YOu may well perceyue good deuout christians by that is sayd that our lord Iesu hath not onely redemed and bought vs dere but also most lyberally graciously rewarded vs dayly doth not onely forgyue our synnes and offenses at the fyrste askynge or mouynge but dothe also gyue vs great gyftes for small and dothe so multiplie here our merites that we may come yet vnto a greatter gyft and rewarde whiche is in vs his werke of glorificacion For after this lyfe he wyll make vs gloriouse gyue vs the same doweres that he hath now in hym selfe that is to say clarite or clerenes agilite or nimblenes subtilite or sklendernes and īmortalite so that we shall neuer dye ne suffre any damage This gyfte and werke is so noble and of so hygh honour dignite and degre that to intreate forther therof doth passe my pore wyt and therfore I praye you be cnotent for this syxth consyderacion of the werke of glorificacion ¶ The .vii. cosyderacion of the werke of fruicion YEt yet as though this were not ynough he wyll gyue more For many in this worlde haue full great honour / hygh dignites and excellente degrees yet haue but lytle ioy therwith but rather haue many greues many displeasures many incōmodites I trow I myght well say many necessites many miseries But our lorde wyll gyue vs the fruiciō of hym self that is to say to inioy hym and to be in his godly presens and to haue the very vse of hym selfe at all libertie and pleasure and there to se hym face to face as he is i. Corin. xiii d and so in hym to se and knowe what we wyll or cā desyre and also to haue the full possession of hym selfe and of all his and this also withoute any myxture of euyll greue or displeasure ¶ This gyft is aboue all the other byfore rehersed and maye therfore serue contēt you for this .vii. cōsyderaciō of the werke of fruicion ¶ The eight laste cosyderacion of the werke of sure perseueracion duraunce THese benefytes rewardes and gyftes of our lord ben very great many and excellent gyftes But yet your benygne lord most louyng sauyour is not cōtent to leue you without any thinge that he may gyue so that you may not possible aske desyre thinke or ymagyn any thyng more to be gyuen therfore he wyll vnto all his other gyftes adde gyue you the suerte and certente of perseueracion duraūce For if a person had as muche ioy as all heuē hathe and were not certeyne nem suerte to contynue therin that ioy were not fully perfecte For that thynge onely is perfecte vnto the whiche no thynge may be added / or put therunto but as longe as a person myght stonde in feere or doubt to lose that ioy or any parte therof he were not in full perfecte ioy And therfore wyll our louyng lord for the full perfection of your sayd ioy giue you there a suer and certeyne knowledge of all these ioyes to perceuer īdure and laste without minushynge or mutacion worlde without ende vnto the whiche ioy knowledge he bryng vs that bought vs our lorde god / moste swete sauyour Iesu vnto whom be glory due laude prayse / with the father and the holy ghost / one god in secula seculorum Amē ¶ An addicion vnto this foresayd meditacion I Was requyred of a good deuoute persone to ioyne these sayd cōsyderacions vnto .viii. notable dayes conteyned in scripture that is to say .vi. dayes of creacion and production or bryngyng forth of creatures the .vii. of reste / and the .viii. of eternite and so to shewe howe these werkes of our lorde may be
necessarye for the mylde persone to be poore in spirite so is it lykewyse necessarye for the persone that mourneth for our lord to be bothe poore and myld And therfore this beatitude may be well referred vnto the thyrde consyderacion which was of the bountie of our lorde god whiche bountie dothe apperteyne vnto the holy ghost the thyrde persone and conclusion or knot of the holy trinite The rewarde of this beatitude and degree of perfection is set forth thus âšœ QuoniaÌ„ ipsi consolabuntur That is for they shall be conforted and haue consolacion Consolacion is a coÌ„fort had of other persons specially in wordes wherby the waylynge person is releued of his sorowe and put in good hope of ioy ease or pleasure Whiche consolacion these maner of mourners shall haue in two maners One in this worlde by the assuraunce of clene conscience voyde of all despayre And after in blysse eterne amoÌ„ge the holy citizens sayntes of heuyn Amen ¶ Of the fourth beatitude of perfecte lyuyng THe fourth beatitude state of perfectioÌ„ is in the gospell âšœ Beati q i esuriuÌ„t et sitiuÌ„t iusticiaÌ„ Blessed be those persons that done hunger thurst iustice That is to meane those persones that feruently don couet desyre iustice ben blessed Iustice is a vertu that doth render gyue to euery person that is ryght he worthy to haue That is vnto god loue drede vnto the parentes and souerayns honour obedience vnto the neyghboure that is frende beneficiall thankes and kyndnes and vnto the enemye that noyeth pacience sufferance and euery persone vnto him selfe due gard and kepynge of the soule due correction of the body / vnto bothe the continuall exercise of vertue good maners and holy conuersacioÌ„ This beatitude may be referred vnto the fourth consyderacioÌ„ whiche was of the werke of iustificacion For the persone of suche hunger thurst ferueÌ„t desyre of iustice shal be sure to be iustyfyed That is / to be made by iustice apte and mete for the heuenly blysse The rewarde of the whiche beatitude doth folowe accordyng âšœ Quoniam ipsi saturabuntur That is for they shall be saturate satiate full fed habundantly contented fulfylled here in this lyfe by the visitacion ordenauÌ„ce / and comfort of our lord Psal xvi And after as the prophete saythe whan his glory shall appere in ioye blysse euerlastynge Amen ¶ Of the fyfte beatitude and state of perfecte lyuynge THe fyfte beatitude state of perfection is âšœ Beati misericordes Eccle. xxx d That is the persons mercifull ben blessed Mercifull I say vnto them selfe / by due reformacion of them selfe Mercyfull vnto the neyghbour by due releuing of misery / and this beatitude maye be referred vnto the .v. coÌ„sideracion which was of the werke or benefite of remuneracioÌ„ or rewarde For as a great gyfte is worse and more than loste vpon the vnkynde person that doth forget it so is it well speÌ„t vpon the kynde that doth remembre it / duely doth thankes therfore And the greatest thanke that can be gyuen vnto our lorde is to be mercifull / and to releue hym in his / for so dothe he accepte that is done for his sake Math. xxv And therfore the rewarde dothe folowe QuoniaÌ„ ipsi misericordiam coÌ„sequeÌ„tur For they shall optayne get mercy here in this lyfe of all theyr synnes / after be rewarded ferre more and aboue theyr deseruynge / more thaÌ„ they loked for / or than they coulde by any meane requyre or desyre / inioye eterne euerlastynge Amen ¶ The syxte beatitude or state of perfecte lyfe THe .vi. beatitude is âšœ Beati muÌ„do corde That is / those persoÌ„s that ben of clene herte beÌ„ blessed That is to meane / such as don kepe theyr coÌ„scieÌ„ce clene vndefowled / or vnspotted / the soule wtout synne For suche persoÌ„s don here lyue the lyfe of auÌ„gels therfore this beatitude or state may be referred vnto the .vi. coÌ„sideracioÌ„ / whiche was of the werke of glorificacioÌ„ And the rewarde is QuoniaÌ„ ipsi deuÌ„ videbuÌ„t For they shall se god The clene hart clere coÌ„scieÌ„ce doeth see god here in this lyfe by whole and full fourmed fayth / by stroÌ„ge hope ferueÌ„t charite / and he doeth se him self by due discusse by diligeÌ„t examinacioÌ„ and serche by due custody and garde of him self And he doth se his neyghbour by loue kyndenes / mercy / pyte i. Cor. xiii And after this lyfe he shal se our lord / face to face as he is with hym be glorified in soule body / world without ende Amen ¶ Of the seuenth beatitude or state of perfecte lyuynge THe seuenth beatitude state of perfection / is âšœ Beati pacifici Blessed be the peacefull That is to meane that suche persons as don make peace / ben blessed Our lorde and sauiour made peace betwyxt god man / he was very peace of hym selfe / and he made also peace bytwene man man Those persons thaÌ„ that done make peace bytwyxte god and theÌ„ self by penaunce due recoÌ„siliacioÌ„ that don make and kepe peace in theÌ„ selfe by due orderyng of the body vnto the soule and bytwyxte them and theyr neyghbours / by the exercyse of pacience / and betwyxte neyghboure neyghbour by charitable kyndenes neyghbourly loue Those I say be of this beatitude / and theyr reward foloweth QmÌ„ filii dei vocabuÌ„tur For they shall be called the chyldreÌ„ of god And this beatitude maye be referred vnto the .vii. consyderacion / whiche was of the werke benefite of fruicion For in that they be the chyldren of god they ben heyres and coheneritours vnto our sauyour and therby shal haue the possession of all heuyn the full fruicion of the deitie godhede to vse at pleasure reioice inioye the same in blysse euerlastynge Amen ¶ Of the .viii. beatitude or blessed state of perfect lyuynge THe eyght beatitude is âšœ Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iusticiam That is those persones that don suffer ê‘secucioÌ„ for iustice ben blessed It is a great perfection as before is sayd feruently to desyre and to loue iustice but to fuffre trouble to bere daunger for iustice is ferre more perfection For alway to suffre euyll is of more perfection thaÌ„ is to do good I meane to suffre euyll for iustice and for the loue of god for els many ê‘sons may suffre payne euyll by theyr own deseruynge and agaynst theyr wyll And many do suffre take greate payne labour to do euyll And these ben not blessyd but rather the contrary The reward of this beatitude doth folow QmÌ„ ipsorum est regnuÌ„ celoruÌ„ That is for the kyngdome of heuyn is theyrs or dothe apperteyn vnto them This rewarde is two tymes named / assigned / or appoynted in these states or beatitudes that is to say fyrst last And therfore may coÌ„ueniently
be referred vnto the .viii. last coÌ„syderacion which was of the sure perseueracion certaynty duraunce of all the benefytes of our lorde A thynge is called perfecte whaÌ„ the ende and begynnynge done frame and mete to gyther and therfore this rewarde is twyse appoynted for to shewe the perfection and excellency therof whiche is also declared further after the declaracion of the sayde persecution where is sayd Math. v you shall be blessed whan the men of this worlde done curse you And whan they do chase you from place to place and vexe and trouble you and whan they shall speke all euyll agaynste you lyeng or makynge lesynges vpon you For me and for my sake / ioye you than and make you gladnes for youre hyre and reward is moche pleÌ„tuouse in heuyns The seruauÌ„tes of Christe haue here nothynge in suerty Heb. xiii for they haue here no city ne dwellynge place of suerty to byde in but done seke for an other lodgyng where the shall be as is sayd in full surety and certaynty / neuer to chaunge ne to be mynysshed of theyr ioy in any parte but euer to remayn in one perfect and moost ioyfull state / blessed euer of our lorde god and moost swete sauyour Iesu whyder he brynge vs that bought vs. Amen Thus haue ye an ende of your meditacioÌ„ Now you muste remebre that before we showed you that as the mother dothe trauell and brynge forthe a chyld / so in a maner doth meditacion after saynte Austin chylde and brynge forthe science Vt sup cunnynge and knowledge wherof we promysed somwhat to speake ¶ Of science or knowledge goteÌ„ brought forth by meditacioÌ„ ALl maner of science cunnynge / and lernyng is goten and brought forth by meditacion Howe be it we do not here inteÌ„de to speke of that scieÌ„ce / whiche lerned men saye is to knowe any thynge by hys cause or causes Whiche scieÌ„ce saynt Austin sayth as of heuenly and erthly thynges to know Vbi supra worldly men don moche prayse loue But they ben moche better men sayth he that set more by the knowledge of them selfe Ibidem For that soule saythe he is more laudable and more to be praysed / that knoweth the selfe mysery and wretchednes thaÌ„ is that soul that without that knowledge dothe seke and serche out the wayes of the sterres and the natures of other thynges The moste hygh moste profytable science after hym is selfe knowledge Whiche is sayth he whan a person by diligent oft vsed meditacion is illumined and lightened vnto the very ê‘ceyuynge and knowledge of hym selfe Se than / loke well / and perceyue that you be a man and not god a man made of nought coÌ„ceyued in synne / nourisshed in your mothers wombe with fylthy lothesum mater borne in mysery wretchydnes here don lyue in peyne labours and shal dye in feare drede sure certeyne thervnto of necessity ineuitable vnauoydable and yet vnsure vncerteyne whaÌ„ where or how in what maner or state you shall dye Perceyuynge than that dethe doth euery where and euer more loke gape wayte for you If ye bewyse thaÌ„ loke you agayne euery where and coÌ„tinually prouyde for it and so shall ye moch lesse feare it This science knowledge is the fruite and profyte of your sayd meditacioÌ„ engeÌ„dred opteyned and goteÌ„ thereby yf you wolde knowe how this science doth come of that meditacioÌ„ / you muste as they saye chowe or chewe your cud agayne / that is / you must haue resorte agayn vnto your sayd consyderacions The .i. coÌ„syderacion Fyrst than whan you consyder and loke well vpon the power of our lord / as in your syrst consyderacion you shall perceyue that he is allmyghty And than agayn lokynge vpon your selfe you shall know well ye be of lytle power or none at all but that you be all infirme feble weyke and sycke And so shall you accede approyche / go vnto this holy sacrament as a sore sycke ê‘sone vnto a sure phisicion And whan you loke forther vpon the wysdome of our lord as in the .ii consyderacion you shall conclude he is all wyse And coÌ„trary lokyng vpoÌ„ your self you shall graunt you be all folysshe and as saynt Austin sayth inwardely say in your hart thought for truthe it is that ye say and so shall you be wyse in approchyng vnto this holy sacrameÌ„t as the ignoraÌ„t blynde vnto the sonne of iustice vnto the true doctour teacher of all verity trouth And yet whaÌ„ you loke agayn vpon the bountie and goodnes of our lorde as in your .iii. consyderacion ye shall perceyue by the vtility profyte of hys creatures that he is all good and goodnes And agayne lokynge vpon your selfe ye shall fynde your selfe all nought and fruytles / and you shall go vnto this holy mystery as a bareÌ„ beest vnto the mooste fruytfull progenitour begetter of all goodnes vertue And yet agayn whan you loke vpon the werke of iustificacion as in your .iiii. consyderacioÌ„ you shall se meruelouse kyndnes in that he payed your dettes set you at liberty with so great a pryce And contrary yf you loke well on your self and recount how often ye haue wylfully slypped fallen down agayn into the same daungerous dungeon of synne you shal lyghtly coÌ„dempne your selfe of meruelous great vnkyndnes so shall you thaÌ„ make haste vnto this holy sacrameÌ„t as a thefe or traytour founde gylty to aske forgyuenes and pardon But whan you loke vpon the gyfte of remuneracion as in your fyfte consyderacioÌ„ And there perceyue that our lorde dyd not onely redeme you derely but also habundauntly rewarded you you shall fynde in hym excedynge lyberalytye And than agayne lokynge vpon your selfe and consyderynge how lytle labour you haue made / and how lytle study ye haue gyuen to rewarde or gyue hym any thynge agayne ye shall condempne your felfe for a very vnkynde nygarde that nothynge wolde gyue / or els for a very bare wretche that nothynge had to gyue / and so shall you accede and go vnto this sacrameÌ„te as a nedy naked beggar vnto the moste rychest and lyberall lord and he wyl inspyre tell you what you maye gyue hym to content hym that is to say your hart good wyll And yet yf you loke further how aboue beyonde all these gyftes he hath made you honorable goodly bryght beautiouse by his werke of glorificacion as in your syxt consyderacion And agayne lokyng vppon your selfe how many tymes you haue fallen downe into the myre dyrte of vnclene cogitacion you shall renne vnto this blessed borde as a filthy defouled body vnto the ryuer and fountayne of all purity clennes yet loke forther beyond aboue these gyftes honour how meruelouse pleasure and ioyfull gladnes he hath prepared and ordeyned for you in the werke of his fruicioÌ„ / as in your seueÌ„th
lorde make cause vs to be rewarded with thy holy sayntes in eterne euerlastynge glory and ioy âšœ Saluum fac populum tuuÌ„ domine / et benedic hereditati tue et rege eos et extolle illos vsque ineternum We beseche the good lorde make thy people saued soules gyue blessynge to thyne heneretaunce And rule good lord and gouerne theÌ„ And excolle inhaunce magnifye good lord and make them honorable vnto the ende of the world âšœ Per singulos dies bnÌ„dicimê° te / et laudamus nomeÌ„ tuuÌ„ in sclm in seculum seculi We done god lord blysse honour the euery day by day / done laude and prayse thy holy name from tyme to tyme / and from age vnto age for euermore âšœ Dignare domine die isto sine peccato nos custodire Vouchesafe good lord to kepe vs this day / and all our lyfe tyme from synne and trespas âšœ Miserere nrÌ„i dnÌ„e miserere nrÌ„i Haue mercye good lorde vpon vs / haue mercye âšœ Fiat miÌ„a tua dnÌ„e super nos / quemadmoduÌ„ sperauimus in te Let thy mercye / lorde / lyght on vs / as we haue had euer perfecte hope and trust in the. âšœ In te domine speraui / non confundar in eternum I haue alway hoped and perfectely trusted inwardly in the. I beseche the lorde I neuer be coÌ„founded disapoynted ne deceyued Thus endeth that swete prayer / your Te deum ¶ Prayers vnto the ende of masse O Moost benigne lord sauyour moost hyghest preste very Bysshope Iesu Christe / that woldest vouchesafe to offre thyne owne selfe most pure lambe / most immaculate / moost clene and vnspotted hoost in sacrifice vnto the father of heuyn vpon the aultre of the crosse for vs wretched synners And also that woldest gyue leue with vs perpetually thyne owne very flesshe for our spirituall fode and thyne owne precyous blode for our spirituall drynke / I beseche the for the sake of all thy sorowfull woundes for the effusion and shedynge of thy moost precyous blode for the vertue of thy most innocent deth and moost specially for that excellent meruelouse and vnspekeable charity thou had vnto vs wherby thou woldest vouchsafe to washe vs fylthy vnworthy wrethes in thyne owne holy sacred blode I beseche the haue mercy pytie on me forgyue me all my synnes neglygences all offences don eyther by coÌ„mission or omissioÌ„ that is to meane all suche offeÌ„ces as I dyd myght not laufully nor shulde haue don / also all that I myght or shuld haue don / dyd not And sythe good lord amonge all thyne other great mercyfull benefytes thou woldest vouchsafe onely of thy liberall goodnes without any deseruynge of me to call me vnworthy wrethe to the grace of thy fayth and to be one of thy sorte now also forther to receyue me this mistery holy sacrameÌ„t I beseche the lord teache me inspyre my soule to order me selfe thereunto with suche reuereÌ„ce drede and with suche feruour deuocion with suche loue charyte as may be acceptable to thy grace shall come or byseme my state and degre so increace in vertue by the receyuing herof in the same degre as maye be also to the edificacioÌ„ of all persons And I beseche the suffre me neuer to dout of this holy sacrameÌ„t but euermore to ê‘ceyue vnderstande holde beleue thynke speke after the true fayth of thy catholyke church Let good lord thy holy spirite come vnto me and entre into my hart there without wordes or noyse secretly speke vnto my soule / to instructe tell and teache me the very truthe of all that hyghe mystery / for I know well it is very ê“funde hyghe / excepte thy graciouse doctrine ferre aboue my capacite vnderstandyng Wherfore swete sauyour Iesu I now here fully and wholy without any forther discusse or reasonynge moost lowly submyt my selfe vnto thy mercy Besechynge the same / that I may with clene harte and pure coÌ„scieÌ„ce accede approche although vnworthy theruÌ„to And that thou good lord for the swetenes of thy holy harte woldeste vouchesafe to delyuer my synfull soule from all doubt and daunger of synne / and to mundify / purge / and clense my frayle mynde frome all vayne / all vnclene / all noyouse and vnfruitfull cogitacions and thoughtes And to conforte and strenght my faynt and feble hart with the grace of constancy and perseuerauÌ„ce / so that my soule may be made in thy loue and charity the worthy habitacle dwellyng place of thyne hyghe maiesty not onely now at this tyme but also in all tymes vnto the ende of my lyfe And after euer vnto the ende of the worlde Amen O Mooste swete louer of all mankynde lorde and sauyour Iesu / I beseche the for all the whole vertue of thy bytter passioÌ„ / put away from me the spirite of elacion and pryde of enuy and detraction of yre wrathe malyce impacience and of all other morbes diseases and pestilences of the soule And plante good lorde and grounde in my hart and mynd very true mekenes / charity and pacience innocency and the loue of pouerty / due temperaunce / pure chastity / with all suche other vertues / medicynes / and preseruatyues vnto the soule Mortifie good lord and sle in me all libidinouse and vnclene mocions / all carnall desyres and inordinate affectioÌ„s And kyndle lorde and quyken in me the feruour and loue of all vertues and of the perpetuall excercyse and workynge of them / with constant perseueraunce / so that in this tyme and all tymes in body and soule purifyed cleÌ„sed I may worthely receyue this holy sacrament Vnto the high mistery whereof I knowe well do so coÌ„fesse / graunt / knowledge here before thy gloryous face I am vnworthy very moch vnworthy most vnworthy Not only for my great habominable synnes many many neglygences but also for great dulnes wante of deuocion But not witstandyng I know as well agayne so do I beleue in harte and mynde so do knowledge in mouth worde / that thou my lorde god art omnipoteÌ„t almyghty so mayst therfor by thy power infinite if it so please thy grace make me worthy and acceptable For thou alone good lord mayste canst iustifye a synner and of the vyle fylthy wretche make a clene and pleasant person Therfore gracious lord I beseche thy worthy maiesty for thyne almyghty power whiche I firmly stedfastly beleue and for thyne infinite endles wysedom whiche I boldly coÌ„fesse for thyne excellent bounty goodnes wherin I fully hope trust And for all these togyther as one frame me make me worthy and acceptable vnto thy godly presence and grauÌ„t me thyne vnworthy lewde wretched seruauÌ„t of all my synnes very true coÌ„tricioÌ„ due coÌ„punction pure deuocioÌ„ and the feruent flame of thy loue / that
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
swetly brene in thy loue And so without wastyng to remayne contynually and to byde / reste and dwell / with the and in the for euermore For thou alone good lord art my lord and my loue my comforth helth my lust and my lyfe my very god and moost swete soueraigne sauyour Iesu Christe / that lyuest and reignest with god the father in the vnitie of the holy ghost euer with them one god by all worldes of worldes Amen ¶ Finis An ende IT shal be meritoryous for you to recoÌ„mende your frendes quycke and deed vnto your prayers / to haue communion and to be partakers with you / at the wyll of god / as you wold be with them And so in word or in mynd to recounte them by ordre / after suche fourme as we shewed you / set forth in the goldeÌ„ pystle ¶ The ghostly chyld ¶ Syr I thanke you for all your charytable labours with me And yf it please you syr I wyl put this vnto pryntyng as I dyd your tother lesson that moo persons may haue comfort therby ¶ The ghostly father ¶ Sonne I pray you so do And here ben .ii. Alphabetes or crosserowes a prety pystle all of my translacioÌ„ I pray you rede theym and yf you wyll put theym forthe withall And our lorde god and moost swete sauiour Iesu wyll rewarde you who euer blesse you sende you the grace of perseuerauÌ„ce in his seruice and holy loue Amen ¶ The Crossrowe â–ª or A. B. C. ⧠¶ Here done folowe two ⧠opuscules or small werks of saynt Bonauenture / moche necessarie profytable vnto all christiaÌ„s specyally vnto religyous persons put in to Englyshe by a brother of Syon Rychard whytforde ¶ Alphabetum religiosorum ¶ A lytle werke of many prety deuoute lessons / set forth by saynt BonaueÌ„ture after the ordre of the Alphabete / that is to say / after the letters of the crosrowe / or A. B. C. ¶ Amite AMor / in latyn / is Amite / or loue in Englysshe / which is a thynge necessarie / not onely vnto religious persones but also vnto all christianes and commauÌ„ded of almygty god chefely to be had vnto hym selfe and secondary vnto the neyghboure / wherevpon all lawe and lernynge doth hand as in theÌ„ coÌ„prehended coÌ„teyned / for by the depe coÌ„syderacioÌ„ therof euery persone maye take occasyon to haue hym selfe in due garde warenes that he do not offende / and to kepe hym selfe sole closse / without desyre of prayse or reputacion / but rather content to be set at noughte / wherin shall be more soule helth / than to be in fauoure of people ¶ Benignite and beniuolence By the foresayde consyderacion / doth aryse benignite beniuolence / so that the persone shall vnto all other in god for hym be geÌ„tle / beningne curteys / kynde / louynge and charitable vnto no ê‘sone ouer greuous ne coÌ„berous ¶ Custody CVstody of harte doth than folowe that is to say / closse keping of the mynde from all wauerynge / voyde vayne thoughtes And lykwyse the mouthe frome all voyde speche and ydle wordes so also of all the .v. wyttes herynge / seyng / smellyng / tastyng and touchyng / all to be subdued gouerned vnder the rygur of discipline and religious behauyour ¶ Diligence DIligeÌ„ce than is moche profytable in all maner of outward werkes / aswell in diuine seruyce / as in bodyly labours neuer to be ydle / but euery where to be occupyed / yet loue well solytude to be alone and to kepe syleÌ„ce with grauyte / for so maye a persone lyue in quietude and rest / in moost clene conscience ¶ Election ELectyon here vnto is necessary / that is to saye that a persone do electe / and chuse some certeyne exercyse by syde duete wherin they may be occupyed of continuaunce / and that alwaye for the coÌ„mune welthe profyte / and not vnto propre or selfe auauntage or pleasure but rather to affecte and desyre pouerte to lyue with a lyttell in scarcyte without murmure or gruge agayne them that vsed plenty ¶ Flyght FLyght then doth well folowe this appoyntment that is to saye to fle auoyde the coÌ„pany of all maner of suche persones as shuld be coÌ„traryous vnto that appoynted exercyse / for no persone maye both serue god the worlde / ne be occupyed in thynges transytory and heuenly ¶ Grauite GRauyte is a behauyoure in a persone in wordes lokes / couÌ„tenaunce in gesture suche other disciplines whiche is a meane betwene lyghtnes waÌ„tones folysshenes roughnes cruelte rudenes lummyng / lowryng / eluskyshnes / and such other for grauite causeth euer a person to seme wyse / sadde / well manered / coÌ„stant / and faythfull and moche dothe edyfye the neyghbour / so it perseuer and continue as well in prosperite as in aduersyte / aswell in welth as in woe / in payne aswell as in pleasure and euer to prayse thanke our lorde / as well for the one as for the other / knowynge and beleuynge that he accordyng vnto right iudgement / doth alway dispence / mynyster and dispose vnto all maner of persons / without parcialite vnto the beste ¶ Humilite HVmilite maye well be ioyned vnto grauite / for the meke persone the gospell to wytnes Luc. xiiii et xviii dothe obteyne and get grace fauour both of god and man / doth moost valiauntly chase and put to flyght the ghostly enemy / auoyde all synne / mooste surely perseuer in all maner of vertue ¶ Intencyon INtende well / meane well / purpose well and you maye be sure to be rewarded well / for euery acte / werke or dede of man / is iudged after his intent for yf the intencioÌ„ sayth the gospell Mathei vi c be symple and without deceyte in wyll knowledge / than is all the werke pleasaunte and meritoryous And contrary / yf the intent be vycyate blemysshed / than is all the werke after the same maner for our lord beholdeth / poÌ„dered and weyeth the intent of the hart mynde and he loueth moche the pure / clene / symple and iuste persones ¶ Knowledge KNowe god by ryght fayth / knowe thy selfe / by due examinacion / by iust iudgement and ryght condempnacyon / know thy neygbour / by loue / kyndnes and charity For charitie of euery persone doth euer iudge the best / know thy frende / and knowe thy foo iudge no persone to be thy foo or enemye / but hym that doth consayle entyce or moue the vnto synn or els that doth flater the and fauour thy defaut And thynke thou those persones thy beste frendes that be moost playn with the / and redy to reforme in the that is amysse And beleue thou that they done moost profyte the that done moost noye the / oppresse and kepe the vnder / and then yf thou sauour of the spirite and taste well howe swete the yoke is of our lord
Eccle. i b Eccle. i. b Prouer. xv The begynnynge of all wysdome is the drede of god and in al our lyfe after the wyse man shuld we be dredefull For he that dredeth god sayth he shal at his ende haue good passage For the drede of god causethe vs to fle and auoyde synne / and moche helpeth forthereth that euery good dede may be done with due circumstaunce / so be meritoryous The dredeful persone wyll suffre take peyne to please our lorde / and so shall the thynge that seamed very harde in the begynnyng wax in processe of tyme lyght / easy and pleasaūt for all peyne and trouble taken and vsed for the kyngdome of heuen / is of great cōforte and gladnes ¶ Vauntage VTilyte profyte or vauntage is to sell or to chaūge a thyng of small pryce for a thynge of great pryce Or contrary to bye for lytell that is moche worth The state of perfectyon in this lyfe is moche worthe / but heuen is more worth Math. xix ◠Our lorde sauyour therfore coūseyled / aduysed a person to forsake sel all his wordly goodes to come here vnto the lyfe of perfection And after he shulde also haue for them the treasure of heuen And yf a man haue no goodes to sell yet may he bye heuē for a cup of cold water Mathei x. d An happy bargayn maketh he that for loue alone doth bye our lord and sauyour Iesu that by his crosse bytter passyon deth bought all the worlde Here you maye se moche gaynes greate auauntage Who wyll now forsake this bargayne surely none that is wyse happy or gracious than gyue thy selfe man wholly for hym that gaue hym selfe wholly for the. ¶ Xp̄e Christe Xp̄e is a worde of the Greke tonge and wryten communely in Latyn with the Greke letters as thus Xp̄s Christ For this letter X with them is with vs Ch and this letter P with them is with vs R the other letters ben with vs and them in lyke both in forme and sownde Christe in our tonge is as moche to saye as a person oynted And bycause we in our baptisme be oynted we bē of Christe / called Christianes / so that we shuld of ryghte dedycate our lyfe wholy vnto Christe / he shulde be our very lyfe and our loue Christ shuld be our lesson our lernyng Christe also our medytacyon and communycacyō Christe alone our lucre / gaynes profyte and auauntage Christe our treasore / ryches / and our whole desyre Christe all our hope and truste For yf we put our trust or any thynge desyre but Christ we shall sure be deceyued / labour in vayne and neuer fynde rest Let christe therfore vnto euery christiāe be all fynally his meryte / rest reward ¶ ymnes Y Is a letter of the Greke tōge and neuer wrytē in Latyn / but yet it is wrytē in the Englyshe tonge and therfore done we wryte ymnes after the Englysshe maner An ympne or ympnes is as moche to say as songe or songes / laude or prayse suche songes specyally as the churche doth vse in metres to laude prayse god / and so done the angelles and holy sayntes in heuen It becomethe therfore euery christyane to laude prayse our lord to be diligent in his seruyce And to consydre what differēce is betwene the seruyce of god / the seruyce of the flesshe / the world and the deuyll Who so doth synne is the bonde seruaūt of synne and so felowe vnto the deuyll / and in the same state for the tyme with hym Io. viii d And those that bē all worldly ben seruauntes vnto the worlde that is vnto auaryce whiche saynt Paule called the bondage thrall seruyce of ydolles Col. iii. a And the carnall persones ben thralles bond sernauntes vnto the flesshe so done they seruyce vnto deth for the flesshe is but wormes meate the corrupcion of the bodye / yet more stynkynge / and lothsom than of any brute beaste It is foode of infyrmyte / the lyfe of synne / the lodgynge place of fendes It is the enemy of the spirite / deformyth the soule / desteyneth blotteth christiāe disciplyne and all good maner behauyour hyndreth holdeth backe all maner of vertue And the flesshe is vnreasonable / so that by no meanes wyl it be corrected and vaynquesshed or ouercom but only by violence / cōsydre nowe what it is to do seruyce vnto suche a sorte And cōtrary the seruyce of god is the helthe of the body / the quietude and rest of the mynde / the conforte of conscience The prudence and wysdom of the spirite The promoter of vertue The beaute of the soule / and the lyfe of heuenly blysse a dulce swete and pleasaunte ympne ympne to serue god with / is with a louynge hart to laude prayse hym in euery tribulacyon ¶ Zachye ZAche cometh of the Ebrewe tonge and is by interpretacyon as moche to say as a persone Innocent / pure / clene and iuste or ryghtwyse And after some auctours a persone iustifyed and makynge hast / Zache was the propre name of a persone / that by the testymonye of the gospell for the great desyre he had to se our sauyour dyd clymbe in to a tree because he was of stature very lytle and that with great hast and gladnes descended and came downe at his commaundement to receyue hym into his house / where by our sauiour he was iustifyed and rendred apt vnto the way of saluacion This name Zache than dothe well frame and agre vnto euery faythfull christiane / that by his professyon shuld be Innocent / pure and clene / glad by fayth to se and knowe our lorde And redy with hast and diligēce to descende come downe frome the hyght of secular science and of all worldly state And to receyue hym in to the house of his soule by true kepynge of his worde commaundement / for vnto suche persons he promised to come with the father of heuē with thē to make his mansyō and dwellinge place And after therby to brynge thē to his owne celestiall paleyse / into the glory of eterne euerlastynge blysse Amen ¶ The conclusion LEt euery faythfull persone wryte this Alphabete A. B C. or crosrowe in the boke of his harte as in the boke of lyfe And euery daye / by day loke there vpon and vse the maners / effecte conteyned in the same For here ben but fewe wordes / and short lessons but in misterye they ben great and the very way and werkes of perfectiō / wherwith euery persō may outwardely be adorned and garnysshed with christiāe disciplyne / and good godly behauiour And inwardly moche / in the herte / in the mynde be quieted rested / cōueyed and browght or led vnto the grounde and begynnynge of all good perfectiō that is / that a persone shulde distruste
hym selfe Forsake hym selfe Despyse hym selfe FroÌ„ the whiche grouÌ„de he shal be takeÌ„ vp / and promoted / profecte / and atteyne to the hyght here of conteÌ„placion / and spirituall felyng of our lorde god / and moost swete sauyour Iesu / which shall from that poynte and conclusion bryng hym vnto the full perfectione thereof that is vnto hys mooste ioyfull and blessed presence / whyther he brynge vs all the bought vs. AmeÌ„ ⧠An other alphabete A. B. C. or crosrowe / in meter of the same holy saynt Bonauenture / moche praysed of many deuoute persones and therefore put into englysshe by the same brother of Syon A ⧠Alway loue pouerte / with vyle thinges be content B Be also in good workes busy and dilygent C Couet nat moch to speake but rather to kepe scylence D Deme in euery place tyme the god is in presence E Euer loue wel to fast and glotony to refrayne F Feestes for to folowe be lothe and them dysdayne G Glad be with the gladfull / With wepers wepe in dolour H Humbyl be with the meke thy betters honour I In euery thynge obey / namely vnto your prelate K Kepe charyte with all persones after theyr estate L Let your flesshe be kept vnder brought lowe by godly drede M Mundify your conscience so that you not excede N Neuer haue you propryete but naked folowe Christe O Ouerpasse with burtheÌ„ lyght this worlde with all his myst P Pyteously remembre / the passyon of thy lorde Q Quenche onely for his sake the glory of this worlde R Resyste strongly all vyce and praye contynually S So receyue the sacrament oft and moost reuerently T The mocyons of the mynde represse Ire mitigate V Vayne communycacyon shet clene out of thy gate X Xpiste to kepe couet you moost moche alone to byde Y You must chylde then / for his sake set all this world asyde Z zele haue vnto his lawe / with feruent charyte forgyue you your foes all / as you forgyuen wold be ê¯ ê¯ceyue here .ii. tytles mo ii preceptes / for ten Loue god and your neyghbour both so conclude Est Amen FINIS ¶ Thus haue we rendred the Latyn in sentence / after the same metre / in maner and measure If you lerne perfectely this crosrowe you may the better spell and do togyther / and so more redyly rede And fynally by laboure you may the rather fele / perceyue vnderstande in the schole of chryst / the duety of a christyane / which I besech our lorde we may do all Amen ♣ Valete your prayers of charyte âšœ The same wretche of Syon the sayd Rycharde whytforde âšœ Thus is ended the two opuscles / or small warkes of saynt BonaueÌ„ture / hereafter foloweth a goodly treatyse and it is called a notable lesson / otherwyse it is called the golden pystle ¶ The prologue A Good holsome lesson and profytable vnto all christyanes / ascrybed vnto saynt Bernarde / put among his warkes I thynke by some good man that wolde it shuld therby haue the more authoryte / the rather be red better be borne awaye For doubtles it is a good matter / and edyfycatyue vnto all them that haue a zele and cure vnto soule helth desyre of saluacion It is called in the title Notabile documentum that is to say / a notable lesson And some do call it the golden pystle It foloweth immedyately after a lytell werke called Formula honeste vite The forme and maner of an honest lyfe or of honest lyuynge IF you intende to please god / and wolde obtayne grace to fulfyll the same Two thynges ben vnto you very necessarye The first you must withdrawe your mynde from all worldly and transytorye thynges / in suche maner as though you cared not wether any suche thynges were in this worlde or no. The seconde is / that you gyue and applye your selfe so wholy to god / and haue your selfe in such a wayte / that you neuer do say / ne thynke / that you knowe / suppose or beleue shulde offende or displease god / for by this meane you maye sonest and moost redely obteyne and wynne his fauoure grace In all thynges esteme accoÌ„pte your self most vyle symple / and as very nought in respecte / regrade of vertue and thynke / suppose and beleue that all persones be good / and better than you be / for so shall you moche please our lord What so euer you se or seme to perceyue / in any persone / or yet here of any chrystiane / take you none occasyon therin / but rather ascrybe applye you all vnto the best / and thynke or suppose all is done or sayd for a good intente or purpose / though it seme contrary For mannes suppocicyons lyght iudgementes ben soone lyghtly deceyued or begyled Displease no person wyllyngly Ne euer speake euyl of any person / though it were neuer so true that ye saye For it is nat laufull to shewe in confessyon the vyce or defaut of any persone / excepte ye myght nat otherwyse shewe and declare your owne offence Speke lytle or nought vnto your propre selfe laude or prayse / thoughe it were true / vnto your familyer felowe or faythfull freÌ„de But study to kepe secrete pryuey your vertue / rather thaÌ„ your vyce yet were it a cruell dede for any ê‘sones to defame theÌ„ selfe Be more glad to gyue your eare hearyng vnto the prayse / rather then vnto the disprayse of any ê‘son And euer be ware as well of heryng / as speakynge of detraccyon And whan you speake take good delyberacyon / haue fewe wordes let those be true good / sadly set wysely ordred If any wordes be spoken vnto you of vyce or vanyte as soone as ye may breke of leaue the talke or coÌ„municacyon And euer retourne applye your selfe vnto some appoynted good godly occupacion / bodely or ghostly yf any sodayne chauÌ„ce fall or happe vnto you or vnto any of youres / leyne nat lyghtlye there vnto / ne care moche therfore If it be of prosperyte / reioyce nat moche therin / ne be ouerglad therof If it be aduersite / be nat ouercast or ouerthrowen therwith ne brought to sorowe or sadnes / thanke god of all / set lytell therby Repute all thinges traÌ„sytory as of lytell pryce or value Gyue euer most thought and care vnto those thynges that may profit promote the soule Fle and auoyde the persones and places of moche speche / for better is to kepe scyleÌ„ce than to speke Kepe the tymes and places of scylence precysely / so that ye speke nat without reasonable vnfeyned cause The tymes of scylence in religyon ben these From collacyon vnto the masse be ended after the houre of terce From the first grace in the fraytour / vnto the ende of the latter grace And from the begynnynge of euensong vnto grace be ended after souper
than I say these thynges may greatlye moue you to haue your selfe in good a wayte / study howe ye may auoyde the tone and and obtayne the tother Remembryng specyally howe great a losse it is to lose heuen / and howe vncoÌ„fortable gaynes to wynne hell / howe sone and how lyghtly eyther of them may be goten or lost WhaÌ„ any thyng than of aduersyte / hurt or displeasure fortune or fall vnto you / thynke than or ymagyne that if you were in hell / you shuld haue the same displeasure many worse And so to auoyde those you shall here the better suffre / and for our lorde the more pacyentlye bere all these that nowe be present or may come hereafter And iÌ„ lyke maner / if any good prosperyte or pleasure happe or come vnto you thynke then that if you were in heuen / you shulde haue that pleasure many more excellent ioyes And so for the feruent desyre of those ioyes / you shall set lytell by any worldly comfort or pleasure A good contemplacyon therfore maye it be vnto you in feestes of holy sayntes you may in one englysshe Martyloge breuely se the lyues of many sayntes for euery day in the yere to thynke recorde howe great paynes they suffred here for the loue of our lorde / and howe short they were / howe sone passed / and then agayne howe merueylous rewarde they had therfore in ioye and blysse euerlastyng So the troubles and tormentes of good persons ben sone and shortly gone and ended And the ioyes and pleasures of synfull persones done soone fade and flye for euer The good persons for theyr troubles suffred here vppon erthe / done gette and wynne eterne and euerlastynge glorye Whiche the euyll synfull ê‘sons done lose And contrary these euyll and synfull ê‘sones / for theyr ioye and pleasures here / done obteyne by exchauÌ„ge eterne and euerlastynge shame and rebuke / with payne wo vnspeable Whan so euer that you ben disposed to sluggysshnes or to be drowsye / remysse in prayer or dull in deuocyon / than take this lytell werke / or some other good treatyse and rede therin / and euer note wel the contentes therof and also what is ment therby And yf you be nat therby delyuered or eased therof / than shyfte vnto some other werke or occupacyon so that euer ye auoyde ydlenes and all vayne pastymes / which in dede ben lose tymes And then remeÌ„bre that those that nowe byde in payne eyther in hell or yet in any other place conuenyent / for suche tymes so passed or loste / had leuer than all the world / haue such tyme to redeme theyr paynes by / as you may haue if you wyl Tyme than vnto al persons well occupyed / is very precyous and dere Beware well therfore howe you speÌ„de it or passe it For you can neuer reuoke it nor call it backe / if the tyme passe you by trouble and vexacyoÌ„ / thynke they ben happy and gracyous that ben past this wretched lyfe / and nowe in blysse / for they shall neuer haue any suche mysery And whan you fele a confort or consolacyon spirytual / thanke god therof / and thinke the dampned soules shall neuer haue any suche pleasure And thus let this be for your exercyse in the daye tyme. At nyght whan you go to rest / first make a count with your selfe remembre howe you haue spende or passed the day and tyme that was gyuen you to be vsed in vertue / and how that you haue bestowed your thoughtes / your wordes your werkes And if you fynde no great thynge amysse gyue the whole laude and prayse vnto our lorde god And if you perceyue contrarye / that you haue mispended any parte therof / be sory therfore beseche our lorde of mercye forgyuenes / and promyse and verely purpose to make amendes the nexte day And if you haue oportunite therupon / it shal be full conuenient for you to be coÌ„fessed on the nexte morowe And specyally if the mater / done / sayde / or thought by delyberate consent / do greuouslye wey and worke with a grudge in your conscyence / than wolde I aduyse you neuer to eate nor drynke / tyll you be dyscharged therof / if you may conuenyentlye get a ghostly father Nowe for a conclusyon of this werke put before you / as by case or ymagynacyon .ii. large cyties / one full of trouble / turmoyle and myserye and let that be hell The other cytie full of ioye gladnes confort and pleasure / and let that be heuen Loke wel on theÌ„ bothe for in bothe be many dwellers great companye Then cast and thynke within your selfe what thynge here myght so please you / that you shulde chuse the worse cytye or what thynge shulde displease you on the other party / wherby you shoulde withdrawe your selfe from the vertue that myghte conuey and brynge you vnto the other cytye And whan you haue studyed well hereupon can nothynge fynde / I dare well assure you if you kepe well the preceptes and couÌ„seyles of this lytell lesson / you shall fynde the ryght waye / for the holy ghoste wyll instructe and teche you where you be nat suffycyeÌ„t of your selfe / so you endeuoyre and gyue dilygence to bere awaye and to folowe that here is taught Rede it euery weke ones or twyse / or oftener if you wyll And where you profyt gyue thankes laude prayse vnto our lorde god most sswete sauyour Iesu Chryste who sende you his mercy grace AmeÌ„ ⧠We haue prynted this golden pystle agayne / bycause the other before is nat of the traÌ„slacyon nor edicyon of this auctor ⧠This was brought vnto me in englysshe of an olde translacyon / rughe and rude and requyred to amende it I beseche you to take all vnto the best / and praye for the olde wretched brother of Syon Rycharde Whytforde âšœ The ghostly chylde ♣ Syr I haue nowe done as you commaunded and all is in prynt ⧠The ghostly father YOu haue done well chylde god rewarde you But nowe shall you haue yet an other lesson most profytable for you that is / to make you prest and redy to dye and departe this lyfe And howe you shall nat feare deth / but haue a dayly exercyse and experyence therof as foloweth hereafter âšœ Imprynted by me IohnÌ„ Waylande / at London within the Temple barre / at the sygne of the blewe Garlande Anno. M.D.xxxvii ¶ A dayly exercyse and experyence of dethe / gathered and set forth by a brother of Syon Rycharde Whytforde ⧠Vnto the deuout reders IN our lorde god moost swete sauyour Iesu salutacyon This lytle tretie or draght of deth dyd I wryte more then .xx. yeres a go / at the request of the reuereÌ„de Mother Dame Elizabeth Gybs / whome Iesu perdon / theÌ„ Abbes of Syon And by the oft callyng vpon / and remembraunce of certeyne of hyr deuout systers And
So that whan so euer naturall dethe shall approche / you shall than nat as a woman or chyld but as a very man / as a stronge and myghty champyon thus surely armed / stande styfly without feare or drede and lytle care / or rather set nought by deth / but vtterly dispyse dethe as euery houre and tyme redy therunto An other exercyse of dethe But nowe we shall lede you forth vnto an other exercyse of dethe more hygh excellent thaÌ„ this / so to haue experyeÌ„ce of the deth / that more proprely is called dethe / wherby you shall nat onely without fere or drede dispyse deth but also as an hongrye ê‘son you shall haue an auidiouse gredye appetite to thurst wyssh for deth And with a feruent mynde and flamynge desyre / you shall langour mourne and longe for deth Sayenge with saynt Paule Phi. i. â— Cupio dissolui et esse cum Christo I couete wysshe wyll to be dissolued from this presente lyfe and to be with Chryst In this exercyse you shall nat onely haue the experience / and the full arte scyence connyng and knowledge of dethe / but also the very practyse of dethe / so that you shall euery day whan you wyll be as verely deed / accordynge vnto the very definicyon of dethe For deth after all auctours proprely taken is The definicioÌ„ determinacion of dethe A departynge in sondre / of the soule and the bodye To departe than the soule from the body and to rendre and put eyther vnto his propre and naturall place / is the very practyse of deth The propre and naturall place or whome of the soule is heuyn Wherof saint Paule sayth Heb. xiii c. Non habemus hic ciuitatem manentem sed aliam inquirimus we haue here sayeth he no dwellyng place / but we do seke and serche for an other place Gen. iii. c And the naturall place of the body is the earth / for thens it came and thyder it muste agayne / whaÌ„ so euer than the soule by dilygent study is occupyed wholly in heueÌ„ly thynges / and the body lefte without the senses or wyttes / that is without hearyng seynge smellynge tastynge and touchyng / than is that person as deed But that a person for the state of this lyfe may be in suche case / the philosophours done shew determyne Tullie sayeth Plato Cicero in tusc i. quest Fieri potest vt oculis et auribus apertis nihil videamus neque audiamê° It may come to passe sayeth he that thoughe our eyes eares be opyn yet shall we nother se nor here Many a holy person as saynt Katheryne of Sene and dyuers other hath ben so depe in contemplacion that the body for the tyme was with out the senses so that whan they were prycked with pynnes or nedles they nothynge felte So than this exercyse standeth al in contemplacyon which thing who dayly vseth shall be so experte and practysed in deth / that whan so euer it shall approche and come it shall be no new thyng vnto the ê‘son For betwyxt naturall deth and this deth of contemplacyon is lytle difference For as the person that exspireth and departeth this lyfe / dothe leaue and forsake all this worlde and all the care of kynne or frendes / as father mother syster and brother neyghboure / the whole pleasure of all So doth the person that is deed in coÌ„templacyon for that tyme / leaue the body as a lumpe of claye without any mynde care or thoughte therupon / or vpon any other bodely or worldly thyng / wherfore whaÌ„ dethe coÌ„meth as I sayd before it shall nother be newe nor straunge vnto the person that hath ben dayly exercised therin / that had so large experyence therof and often practysed the same But as you haue herde of .ii. marouwse that for tyllynge of theyr lande done laboure sore all day together and at nyght theyr labours fynished and ended / done thankefully and gladly eche departe froÌ„ other vnto theyr owne whomes howses or dwelling places so doubtles done the body and the soule whan theyr labours ben accomplysshed and at an ende / and the due tyme commen / they done gladly and ioyfully departe eche vnto his propre whome / the body vnto his naturall place the erthe And the soule as a prisoner newly losed and put vnto lyberte / doth ren streyght forth hyr redye race / hyr knowen cours / hyr tryed and ofte troden path and her well vsed way vnto her propre and naturall place / that is heuyn But here nowe you wyll are of me / in what maner of contemplacion you may best put this deth in exercyse / and so to haue the said experyence / and practyse of dethe wherunto I answere that althoughe you can teche me that lesson better than I you I wyll sende you vnto the lytle werke that I deuysed vnto youre coÌ„munyon or howselynge For to wryte and setforth all that here agayne shuld be superfluous Specyally syth this werke is so lytle that you may with small coste ioyne or bynde it with that werke And therfore haue I caused it to be prynted of the same volume And yet because you shal nat fynde the ende of this lytle werke all naked and bare / we shall make you a breue and shorte remembraunce of these thynges that there ben sayd in effecte althoughe nat after that same ordre The order of this deth coÌ„templacion Fyrst thaÌ„ purposynge at that tyme to haue the very experyence and practyse of deth / remeÌ„bre depely from wheÌ„s you came For you were nat ne be of your selfe Than remembre that whan you had a beynge / what you were / a filthy lumpe of slymy erth / and yet agayne whan that slymye clay was fourmed and framed vp with your soule / and you a reasonable creature / therunto a creature most noble except aungell / yet were you but an hethen hounde / vnto the tyme you receyued the grace of baptisme Than remeÌ„bre whan where howe and of whom / and by whome you had all that you nowe haue all that you euer shall haue that is or shall be good / and you shal fynde by reason and perceyue that you hadde neuer / ne haue or shall haue any thynge of your selfe but euyll For whan you were nothynge you had a begynnynge in your mothers wombe / and that by synfull generacyon with ful fylthy and lothesum mater / thus you se whan where and howe that is whaÌ„ you were nat you had beyng where in your mothers wombe / howe by synfull concepcyon Of whome thaÌ„ had you al of our lorde god alone And by whome what meane Certenly by the meane of our lorde sauyour Iesu Chryste the seconde person in Trinite very essencyall god one / and the same selfe substaunce and nature with the father and the holy ghost Se well beholde and consydre who
it is that hathe done for you howe excellent the person is And than for whom he dyd For you of whom he had no nede / nor you any thyng had or coulde or might do for him / but all he dyd for loue and of mere charyte / and that also for his enemye / and so beynge in depe prison neuer to be delyuerde but by hym alone Nowe consyder and pondre well who this persone is / and than loke vpoÌ„ your self make collacyon / coÌ„pare both together although there may in deed no coÌ„paryson be made yet se beholde howe great mighty a ê‘son he is / how lytle howe infyrme feble a ê‘son you be howe wyse how well lerned he is / howe lytle lernynge wysdome you haue how ryche he is howe poore you ben / howe excelleÌ„t noble he is how rustycall a vyllayne you be / howe goodly a ê‘son he is and howe vyle fylthy you be how kynde louyng he is howe churlysshe frowarde you be And to conclude he most hyghe god / and you a wretched worme of the earthe he all and you ryght nought After this collacioÌ„ perceyuyng what maner of ê‘sones bothe ben than pondre and wey what howe moche he dyd for you Fyrst he left in maner all heuyn for you and here toke vpon hym your nature / so made you a great estate / cosyn and of kynne vnto almighty god And yet dyd he serue here for you nat onely .vii. yeres as Iacob for Rachell but for a worse more lothsum than Lia all the dayes of his lyfe / and here begyn to remembre that lyfe of our sauyour After some suche auctours as we haue named in the other workes / or at the least vnder suche a shorte fourme as we haue set forth in the boke of housholders Thus his blessyd incarnacyon his ioyfull byrthe / his paynefull circumsicyon his honorable epiphanye / his legall presentacyon / his sorowfull flyght into Egypt / his coÌ„fortable retourne and commynge agayne in to his couÌ„trey / his meruaylous and lerned disputyng with the doctours at .xii. yeres of age his lowly obedyence vnto his parentes his educacyon bryngynge vp vnto the age of nere .xxx. yeres his baptisme his fast in wyldernes / his temptacyon there of the wycked spiryte his victory The callynge eleccyon and chosynge of his apostles and discyples prechynge techynge labours and miracles / his manye wrongfull repreues rebukes / and infamyes of the iewes and theyr malicyous awaytes / his solempe soper / his most meke minystrye / seruyce in the wasshynge of the fete of his apostles The worthy consecracyon of his blessyd body blode in the whiche sacrament all his apostles were made preestes / had the same power his most swete sermon his tediouse agonye / whan he swette water and blode / his fals betrayenge by Iudas and his takynge his presentacyon vnto the bysshoppes Annas and Cayphas And the cruell dealyng of the rues the presentynge of hym by them vnto Pylate by hym vnto Herode by whom mocked and clothed in a whyte fooles cote / he was sende agayne vnto Pylate and by hym examyned and without cause founde put naked and scourged arayde with a purpure garment crowned with thornes with a rede in his haÌ„de as a sceptre al iÌ„ mockeage scorne brought forthe before the iewes by their crye request put agayne into his owne clothes condemned vnto deth his paynefull beryng of the heuy crosse / his fatigacyon / and feyntynge vnder the same so that he fell vnto the grounde / his crucifixon naylyng vpon the crosse his pytefull hangyng vpon the same his deth with a lowde crye The woundynge of his hert after that deth his takyng downe buryall his gloryous resurrection apperynges / his meruaylous ascencyon into heuyn / where he toke for you possessyon of the place that was prepared ordayned for you before the coÌ„stitucyon ordynauÌ„ce of the world Here you may remembre the coÌ„modytes of the place whiche in hit selfe is moste hyghly beauteous fayre goodly and pleasaunte aboue that can be thoughte vpon erthe and of all thynges that ben in this worlde is there plentye and aboundance without any nede or wante possessyon is there of the lande that neuer shall decaye / ryches that neuer shall be minisshed or made lesse And as vnto the coÌ„modites of the body goodes of nature there is youth euer florysshyng fresshe without age or any miseryes therof Beaute and fayrenes without any deformyte / or fadynge Myght and strength without debilyte or feblenes helth without syckenes or disease / all pleasure and neuer payne Euer myrth without any mornyng euer gladnes and neuer sadnes Euer ioy and neuer sorowe of all thynges coÌ„tentacion without any murmure or grudge Euer loue and neuer hate Euer charyte and neuer enuye mercye pitye and compassyon / without any crueltye or vnkyndnes Euer vnyte and peace and neuer varyaunce ne debate Euer trouth and fidelite without any falshed or deceyte Euer iustice equite and ryghte / and neuer oppression / ne wronge Euer due honoure / and reuerence neuer dysdayne ne dyspyte And to conclude there is al that is good / and neuer euyll And of all these thynges constant durans i. Cor. ii without any mynysshynge mutabilyte or chaung And yet ben there mo coÌ„modytes thaÌ„ eare may here eye may se toÌ„ge may tell or any herte may thynke whiche almyghty god hath ordayned for them that loue hym And yet there is vnto all these coÌ„modytes lyfe immortall euerlastyng And yet forthermore you may coÌ„sydre in what company / and with whom you shall vse and inioye the sayd coÌ„modytes There shall you fynde your holy patrones / suche sayntes as you dayly haue serued / the pure company of virgynes / the coÌ„fessours and martyrs / the innocentes the apostles / the patryarches prophetes And the goodly bright company of angels / al redy to present you vnto our lady the blessyd gloryous virgyne Marye / and by her with them to be recommended coÌ„mitted vnto her dere sone our lorde / moste swete sauyour Iesu which wyl nat disdayne to receyue you most beningly gently so to repÌ„seÌ„t offre you vnto the pÌ„seÌ„ce of his most worthy father which by him is also your father Se now good deuout soule beholde loke wel inwardly ê‘ceyue where you nowe ben / with whom With your lorde maister / your very father brother your gouernor gyder / your helpe coÌ„fort your only refuge succour your inward loue your whole hert desyre redemer sauyour your creature maker your god all your good with all the holy sayntes angels of heuyn in the preseÌ„ce / before the throne of the gloryous trinite the father the sone the holy ghost .iii. distinct ê‘soÌ„s one nature
one substaÌ„ce one essencyall god Se nowe I saye and take hede where and with whome you be And here knelynge or rather lyenge downe prostrate vpoÌ„ your face remayne byde dwell here styll / here expyre dye starke deed / vtterly that no soule ne spiryte be lefte or byde in youre body / but all for the tyme so ferre departed / nat onely from all thynges of the world but also from the selfe body that there lyenge as a luÌ„pe of cley be lefte without any senses or wyttes of heryng seynge smellynge tastyng or touchynges So done we rede as I sayde before of saynt Ambrose Aug. li. confes saynt Katheryne of Shene with diuers other This is nowe the moost hyghe poynte of this exercyse and practyse of dethe after the verye definicyon of deth Whiche as I sade is called a departynge of the soule from the bodye For in this dethe for that tyme youre soule is departed from youre body so that you be nat than youre selfe but deed clene froÌ„ your selfe For as the yren lyenge in the fyre / is by similytude al fyre so ben you al one with god Qui adheret deo / vnus spiritê° est â— Cor. vi â— Who so euer sayeth saynt Paule dothe cleue and stycke faste vnto our lorde is with hym one spiryte So ben you than that same thyng that you shall be / with our lorde hereafter that is al one with hym / dwellynge and abydynge in hym and he in you so al diuyne godly Say nowe good deuout soule yf you can thynke or suppose in conscyence that any faythfull christyane vsynge this exercise and so hauynge so large experyence practyse of deth / may haue fele or perceyue any notable payne in dethe / syth nowe in this deth so oftymes exercysed the bodye prycked with pynnes or nedyles feleth no payne at all Or howe may any horrour drede or feare troble or moue that person / that is in suche place with suche company and in such case as before we haue shewed yet saye you syr the deuyll wyll be present at my dethe / what than saye I so peraduenture / he wyll be at this dayly exercyse For so done we rede in the lyues and collacyons of the holy fathers / but that hathe alway ben and euer shall be vnto his coÌ„fusyon / rebuke and hurte / and vnto your triumphe glorye prayse But yet you saye that the syght of that greslye ghost can nat be without great feare wherunto I saye agayne that although the syght of hym be of it selfe horryble vgly fearefull / yet ben there dyuers coÌ„fortes redy at hande to helpe One is that may be sure he can nat hurt you An other is Ex tâ—â— diue Brigit li. vi ca. lxxxxiii â–ª the presence of the holy sayntes your sayde fryndes that wyll restrayne his power and malicyous wyll For they ben moche more valeant and myghty than he is And doubt you nat they wyll al be preste and redy there at the tyme about you / nat feyned but as faithfull frendes with whome well acquoynted and fully knowen / you ben nowe and of longe tyme haue ben very familyer and whomely Truste you surely in them for they wyll nat deceyue you For yf they dyd they were nat faithful / but rather feyned frendes For a very frende sayth the wyseman loueth at all tymes and euer is proued in necessyte or nede at dethe is most nede For although good loue and faythfull freÌ„dshyppe / be well proued in all the lyfe tyme yet is it better proued at the tyme of dethe / and best of all after deth For than coÌ„munely feyned freÌ„des done sone forget But these frendes wyll neuer forget you For as they nowe in your helth done dayly conforte and defeÌ„d you in all temtacyoÌ„s so wyl they at your deth delyuer you out of all daungers / afterwarde wyl they deduce lede coÌ„uey cary or bere you vp vnto the place coÌ„pany before rehersed And yet haue you no meruayle though in the meane tyme they suffre you to be troubled grudged with the opinyon of dethe with the drede of the vgly syght For they done so suffre for your welth meryte that you therby may be exercised with deth and so to be euer redy for it For dethe only semeth euyll and onely is feared by opinyon nat of any other ryght cause For deth of it selfe is very good to be loked wayted for receyued of all ê‘soÌ„s specially thus exercysed / nat onely without feare or drede of payne / but also as we sayd before with feruent desyre great ioy gladnes as the fynall conclusyon and laste ende of all miseryes sorowes and all euyls as the begynnynge of all welthe goodnes that is to saye of euerlastynge helthe and saluacyon in the blysse of heuyn Whyther he brynge vs that bought vs our lorde most swete sauyour Iesu Chryst that lyueth and reigneth with god the father / and with god the holy ghost world without ende Amen ⧠Thus after our poore abilyte haue made an ende of this poore labour of the dayly exercyse experyence and practyse of dethe * WHan I had wrytten vp this lytle werke redye to the pryntyng / it pleased a wyse and well lerned man to take the laboure to rede it ouer and to shewe his iudgement and mynde in dyuers thinges and places And amonge other because I had made mencyon in it / of raptes or transes vnto the whyche in bede very fewe ê‘sons done duely attayne or clymbe come so hye / he aduysed me to warne the deuoute reders therof / that they gyue nat to lyght credence to all suche persones For many of them haue disceyued manye men that were full holy and deuoute For those may sonest be deceyued in such persons because they euer suppose the beste in euery persone without suspicyon of euyll in any person And they ben moost glad to here that our lorde shulde so visyte and comforte hys people But yet such persones may also in them selfe be disceyued dyuersly For some such persons that were simple and very deuout haue ben disceyued by a wycked spiryte / that to illude and mocke them / hath traÌ„sfygured and shewed hym selfe as an angel of lyght / and hath shewed vnto the persones many thynges full good and godly / and some thinges to come after the forme of prophecy that haue truely coÌ„men to passe in effecte and all to cause them to gyue faythe and credence vnto other thynges vnlaufull and false But to wryte here howe such a spiryte shulde be knowen from an angel or a good spiryte it shuld be a longe werke and also superfluus syth who so euer haue mynde to se that matter / may haue it well and playnly set forth and declared in englysshe by a lerned maÌ„ a bacheler of diuinyte / one of our deuout bretherne lately departed whome Iesu
you maye in youthe teche theÌ„ what ye wyll / and that shall they lengest kepe remembre We shuld therfore aboue all thynges take hede and care in what company our chylderen bene nourysshed and brought vp For educacion and doctrine that is to saye bryngynge vp and lernynge done make the maners with good and vertuous persones saythe the prophete you shal be good and vertuous Psalmo xvii And with the euyll persones you shall be also euyll Let our chylder therfore vse and kepe good company The pye the iay and other byrdes done speake what they moste here by eare The plouer by syght wyll folowe the gesture and behauyour of the fowler And the ape by exercise wyll worke and do as she is taught / and so wyll the dogge by violence contrary to naturall disposicion lerne to daunce The chylder therfore that by reason don far excede other creatures wyll bere awaye what they here spoken they shulde therefore be vsed vnto suche company where they shulde here none euyll / but where they maye here godly and Christian wordes They wyll also haue in theyr gestures and behauyoure suche maners as they se beholde in other persones And as they bene taught / so wyll they do / and in many thynges they maye be compelled vnto a contynuall custome / whiche dothe alter and chaunge naturall disposicion Vnto some craftes or occupacions a certayne age is requyred in chylder / but vertu and vyce maye be lerned in euery age We must se therfore that in any wyse you vse no company but good and vertuous And as soone as they can speke we must also teche our chylder to serue god and saye the Pater noster Aue. and Crede as I sayd before And nat only our chylder but also se and proue that all our seruauÌ„tes what age so euer they be of caÌ„ say the same And therfore don we vse dayly the in euery mele / dyner or soupper / one persone shulde with lowde voyce say thus The fyrst peticion PAter noster qui es in celis sanctificetÌ„ nomen tuum ✿ Good lorde god our holy father the arte in heueÌ„ let thy name he sanctified that is to meane / I beseche the graunte vs grace to blesse to honoure to laude and prayse thy holy name The seconde ¶ Adueniat regnum tuum ✿ Good lord god our father that art in heuen / let thy kyngdome come that is I beseche the lorde that all the people of the worlde may come vnto the grace of baptisme and so be the faythfull subiectes of thy realme and kyngdome of Christianite The thyrde ¶ Fiat voluntas tua sicut in celo et in terra ✿ Good lorde god our father that arte in heuen lett thy wyll be wrought in erth as it is wrought in heuen that is to meane I beseche the lorde that all thy christian people here in erth maye perfourme thy wyll and kepe thy coÌ„maundementes after theyr estate and condicion as thy holy angels and sayntes done in heuen after theyr state and degre The fourthe ¶ Panem nostrum cotidianuÌ„ da nobis hodie ✿ Good lorde god our holy father that arte in heuen gyue and graunte vnto vs this day our dayly brede that is to meane I beseche the good lord graunte vnto vs contynually the spirituall fode grace and effecte of thy holy sacramentes Or thus Graunte vnto vs the contynuall grace and effecte of thy holy sacramentes / whiche is the dayly fode of our soules spirituall suerty of our saluacion The fyfthe ¶ Et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris ✿ Good lord god our holy father that arte in heuen forgyue vs our dettes as we done forgyue our detters that is to meane I beseche the good lord forgyue and pardon me and all Christians all maner of offences and trespaces done agaynste the and thy lawes / lykewyse as we done forgyue all maner of persones all maner of greues and trespaces done agaynste vs. The .vi. ¶ Et ne nos inducas in teÌ„tationem ✿ Good lord god our holy father that arte in heuen / lede vs nat in to temptacion / that is to meane I beseche the good lord suffre me not ne any Christian to be lede or brought by any temptation / vnto the full consente of any synne The .vii. ¶ Sed libera nos a malo ✿ But good lorde god our holy father that arte in heueÌ„ delyuer me all christians from euyll that is to meane I beseche the good lorde / that not onely thou kepe me and all thy people from all synne and offence of thy goodnes / but also that thou wylte delyuer and make vs quyte of all synnes paste / and conserue and kepe vs continually in the state of grace AmeÌ„ So be it that is to meane / good lorde we beseche the that all these thynges maye come to passe in full effecte / accordynge to our peticion and desyre This prayer of the Pater noster / is the most excellent prayer bycause the our sauyour made it hym selfe / and taught it to his disciples ¶ The Aue Maria is the most plesaunte prayer and of most honoure vnto our blessed lady bycause one parte therof is the salutacion of the angell Gabriell wherby immediatly after her consente she conceyued the sone of god in her wombe And the other parte was spokeÌ„ vnto her by saynt Elizabeth inspired and moued thervnto by the spirite of god the holy ghost And therfore do we set forth the Aue maria after suche maner as we dyd the Pater noster AVe Maria gratia plena dominê° tecum benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui Iesus AmeÌ„ ⧠Hayle Mari full of grace god is with the. Blessed be thou amoÌ„g women and blessed be the fruyte of thy wombe Iesus Christe god and man Amen So mote it be ¶ That fyrst worde Aue whiche I do Englyshe after the commune maner hayle is a worde of salutacion as we say in commune coÌ„gresses or metynges together God spede you god saue you god blesse you Good morowe / good eueÌ„ god spede god be at your game god be at your werke god sende you with suche other after the maner of the countrey where it is spoken And the last worde Amen it is a worde of consente or desyre that the mater spokeÌ„ before shuld vnderstande what euery worde meaneth ¶ Nowe doth folowe the Crede ¶ The fyrste article CRedo in deuÌ„ patrem omnipotentem Saynte Peter creatorem celi et terre ✿ I byleue vpoÌ„ god the father almyghty maker of heuen of erth This terme In deum / is diuersly Englysshed some done saye / in to god some inwardly in god / some perfytly in god But the mooste commune vse of the countrey of the vnlerned people / is to saye I byleue vpon god and vpon his fayth / but all dothe meane in effecte
/ that the persone hath perfyte faythe and byleue in god / and vnto god ¶ The seconde article Saynte Andrew ¶ Et in Iesum Christum filiuÌ„ eius vnicum dominum nostrum ✿ And I also byleue perfytely vpon our lorde Iesu Christe his onely begoteÌ„ sone that is to say the only begoten sone of the sayd father ¶ The thyrde article Saynte Iohan. ¶ Qui coÌ„ceptus est de spuÌ„ sctoÌ„ natê° ex maria virgine ✿ And also I byleue perfytly the our sayd lorde Iesu was conceyued of the holy ghost borne of our lady saynt Mary she remaynyng abydyng euer euer a virgine ¶ The fourth article ¶ Passus sub pontio Pilato / crucifixus mortuus et sepultus Saynte Iames the more ✿ And also I perfytly byleue that our sayde lorde Iesu dyd suffre his passion was crucified deed and buried vnder the power and iugement of a man called by propre name Poncius / and by his seconde or surename Pylate ¶ The fyfth artycle ¶ Descendit ad inferna Saynte thomas of Inde tertia die resurrexit a mortuis ✿ And I byleue perfytely also / that our sayd lorde Iesu after his sayde passyon and dethe / descended and wente downe vnto the lowe places of hell / and brought forthe froÌ„ thense our fyrste father Adam and all that were there with hym / and that vpoÌ„ the thyrde day after his deth he dyde aryse from deth / and all the bondes therof vnto lyfe euerlastynge ¶ The syxth artycle Saynte Iames / the lesse ¶ Ascendit ad celos sedet ad dexteram dei patris oiÌ„potentis ✿ And also I byleue perfytly that our sayd lorde Iesu dyd ascende and slye vp vnto the hyghest heuens and ther doth syt vpon the ryght hande of god the father oiÌ„potent and almyghty ¶ The seuenth article Saynte Philipe ¶ Inde veÌ„turus est iudicare viuos et mortuos And I also ê‘fytely byleue that he wyll come theÌ„se agayne in to this worlde to iuge all persones quycke and deed ¶ The .viii. article Saynte Bartelmewe ¶ Credo in spiritum sanctum ✿ I byleue perfytly also vpoÌ„ the holy ghost the spirite of the father and of the sone with them both the same selfe god ¶ The .ix. article Saynte Mathewe ¶ Sanctam ecclesiam catholicaÌ„ ✿ I also byleue that the church of Christe is and was / and euer more shal be holy faythfull / therefore I do gyue fayth and credeÌ„ce vnto the same and vnto the determinacions therof ¶ The .x. article ¶ Sanctorum communionem Saynte Symon remissioneÌ„ peccatorum ✿ I byleue also the communioÌ„ of sayntes that is to say / I byleue that all the workes and good dedes of all good holy persones / ben and shal be coÌ„mune so that euery faythfull Christian hath shall haue part with other And also I byleue the remisson of synnes that is to say / that all maner of synnes may and shal be forgyuen / if forgyuenes be duely desyred and axed ¶ The .xi. article ¶ Carnis resurrectionem Saynte Iude called also saint Tadeus ✿ I also byleue the resurrection of our flesshe / that is to saye / I byleue that all maner of persones shall aryse at the daye of dome in soule body with the same flesshe blode and bones that they were borne with and dyed with ¶ The .xii. article Saynte Mathie ¶ Et vitam eternam Amen †And I also byleue euerlastyng lyfe that is to say that after the generall resurrection all maner of persones / as well good as euyll dampned or saued / shall coÌ„tynue in lyfe euerlastynge eyther in ioye or payne neuer departe therfroÌ„ This worde Amen is declared before in the ende of the Pater noster ¶ This maner of the Pater noster Aue and Crede I wold haue vsed rede vpoÌ„ the boke at euery mele / or at the leeste ones a day with a lowde voyce as I sayde that all the persones presente may here it And yet forther I wolde aduyse counseyle all other housholders to se as I do knowe / and proue / that euery persone in theyr house / all that ben vnder theyr gouernaunce and charge can say the same and therfore they muste take the laboure to here them theym selfe and wher nede is to teche them For many that ben aged and can not say wyll be abasshed to lerne it openly and yet if they here it dayly redde after the maner shewed before they shall by vse and custome lerne it very well And some other persones there bene that can saye ryght well / both vpon the boke and without but yet amonge them some bene dullardes and slouthfull and seme negligente and careles / and so done they not saye it but in tyme forgete it / as in maner they hade neuer lerned it I pray you therfore good deuoute housholders do as I do take the payne to here them your selfe at the leeste ones a weke let none escape you / olde nor yong It shall byleue me be vnto you a great discharge of conscience and not without merite greate rewarde And charge them straytly vnder payne of punysshement / that they say it euery day thre tymes at the leest / that is to saye / in the mornynge / at none or myddaye / at nyght Than must you teche them to knowe by ordre the preceptes or coÌ„maundementes of god the names of the .vii. priÌ„cipall synnes of theyr .v. wyttes as thus The coÌ„maundementes of god ben .x. in noÌ„bre The fyrst The fyrst that we shall haue no straunge ne other godes but one alone and hym to loue honoure drede aboue all thynges The .ii. The seconde we may not take the name of god in vayne therfore we may not vse to swere The thyrde The .iii. we must kepe our holy day with close mynde vnto god reuerende deuocion and therfore we may do no bodely or worldly labours for lucre therin .iiii. The fourth we muste with reuerende and due lowly maner do honoure vnto our parentes that is to say vnto our fathers and mothers and we shall haue by the promyse of god longe lyfe therfore .v. The .v. we shall not slee or kyll any persone neyther in dede nor yet in wyll or mynde nor yet may we hate any persone in harte For who so euer so doth i. Ioh. iii. is an homicide and maÌ„sleer .vi. The .vi. we maye do no lechery .vii. The .vii. we may do no thefte .viii. The .viii. we may bere no false wytnes ne make any lye or lesynge .ix. The .ix. we may not coueyte or desyre any wedded or maried persone .x. And the .x. we may not coueyte ne desyre any other mannes goodes These bene the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes gyueÌ„ coÌ„mauÌ„ded by almyghty god / gyueÌ„ ben deuyded in two partes as two tables or bokes Exod. xx The fyrste
god by cause it is coÌ„trary vnto his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t to swere false must nedes be more synne more ê“uoke his vengaunce Example shall I shew here of both that is to say howe god is prouoked by vsuall swerynge how by forswerynge false othes This story that foloweth I herde at StondoÌ„ a lytell vylage .xxv. myles froÌ„ LondoÌ„ not farre from the hyghe way vnto CaÌ„brydge / where for a tyme I dyd abyde in auoydynge that greate plage that both in London Cambrydge dyde than quyckely sharply reyne where also this story was open in the knowledge of all the couÌ„trey there aboute as don but smal tyme before A gentylman that was called mayster Baryngton whose wyfe was afterwarde maried in CaÌ„brydge vnto a gentylman called maister Caryngton so that there was but one lettre chauÌ„ged in her name that is to say C. for B. And of her also I herde the same story althogh as she sayd she was not present This sayd geÌ„tylmaÌ„ BaryngtoÌ„ was a great swerer dyd customably vse greate othes specially by the blode of our lord or as more coÌ„munely they swere by godes blode And vpoÌ„ a soÌ„day or els a feestfull holy day he wente forth on huÌ„tyng or hawkynge nothynge spedyng after his mynde he came vnto an alehous at a throughfare called Pulcriche .v. myles frome ware in the hyghe way to CaÌ„brydge that one syde of that whiche thoroughfare was in the sayd parisshe of StoÌ„doÌ„ where this gentylman was called for drynk anone he began to swere after his vnhappy custome saynge By godes blode this day is vnhappye And in a whyle after in sweryng so he bledde at the nose therwith more vexed he begane to rayle rayne god as they say in swerynge godes passyoÌ„ godes woundes godes flesshe godes nayles and euer his holy and blessed blode tyll at the laste he fell ferther to blede at the eares at the eyes at his wrestes and all the ioyntes of his handes and of all his body at his nauyll and foundemente of other places of his body meruelouse great quaÌ„tite and stremes of blode shotynge cut his tonge in a meruelous horrible vgseme and ferefull maner as blacke as pitche so that no persone durst come nere hym but stede a farre of cast holy water towarde hym / and so he conteynued euer swerynge / blasphemynge and bledynge / tyll he expyred and was deed And the more we after they layd hym in a carte / and caried hym to the sayde churche of Stondon and euer the body blede tyll he was burnd in the waye as they came in very greate haboundauÌ„ce This was a playn tokeÌ„ that god was moche displeased with that swerynge and dyde openly punysshe the same / in exaÌ„ple to all vsuall swerers It maye also be a good monicion and warnynge for suche ê‘sones that done myse vse the holy day in hawkyng huntynge suche other fruytles occupacions or pastymes A nother example of the same vsuall sweryng was shewed vnto me by a bacheler of diuinite called mayster George wercke / a fellowe thaÌ„ where I was also fellowe of the quenes colege in Cambrydge and after he was vycare of Harowe on the hyll whiche thynge he sayd vpon his conscience He sawe him selfe in a marchauntes house in London whiche was his speciall frende and sente for hym to gyue counseyle vnto the same persone a yonge man that was prentyse or els seruaunte vnto the same marchaunte / whiche yongman dyd vse to swere for his commune othe / by the bones of god or by godes bones And it came to passe that he was taken with a greate meruelous sekenes so that no Physyke ne medicine myght helpe ne ease hym but that he lay styl in bedde so longe that the flesshe and the skynne of his armes and fyngers and of his legges thyes shynnes / fete toes / dyd deuyde in sondre / as though they had ben slytte with a knyfe so that the bare bones myght openly be sene and feled And so in the same maner / after he had with greate contricion and open coÌ„fession of that swerynge receyued the sacramentes of the churche / he departed this lyfe vnto our lorde Here bene nowe two notable exaÌ„ples of vsuall swerynge The thyrde shall I shewe you of forswerynge or false sweryng whiche was shewed vnto me of an honest preest of my familier acqueyntaunce that was vycare of Halywell where saynte Wenefredes well is besyde the abbey of Basyng werke in Flynt shyre in the borders of Wales .xiiii. myles from Weslchester whiche thynge he sayde on his conscience he dyde se hym selfe and was ther present with greate multitude of other people thousandes A certeyne man was called to be sworne in a greate mater bytwene two parties whiche sayd parties dyd put the mater hooly vnto the determination of his othe and met bothe at a certeyne place where was a crucifixe a holy rode that dyd many myracles whervpon he shulde swere and so dyd in the syght and herynge of a great multitude of people gathred on bothe partyes And his othe gyuen he layd both his haÌ„des vpon the fete of the rode / and sware false contrary vnto his conscience and so was dampnably forsworne whiche thynge god wold haue knowen For whaÌ„ he wolde haue taken his handes away to departe both the handes cleued and stycked faste vnto the fete of the rode as though they had beÌ„ glued or fastened with nayles therevnto And than he wolde with violence haue pulled them of than with sterynge and hasty mouyng to and fro the steppe whervpoÌ„ he stode slypped and voyded frome hym And than hanged he styll by his handes so remayned hangynge styll contynually the space of thre dayes maruelous moche people came thyther to se and loke vpoÌ„ hym of the whiche many ben yet lyuyge So at the laste after thre dayes whaÌ„ he had with great contricion openly coÌ„fessed his defaute / receyued the sacramentes of the churche whan the people supposed thought verely he shulde there haue expired died he was sodeynly losed and delyuered / and lyued many yeres after a good holy lyfe / vnto the glory of God and great example of them that bene swerers Lib. iiii cap xviii âšœ Saynt Gregory in his dialoges doth shewe of a chylde that as he had herd of other persones dyd swere great othes had pleasure therin and sodeynly whan he was swerynge in his fathers lap vpon his kne / the deuyll came openly rauysshed and by violence toke hym from his father / and caried him away / that he was neuer sene after Here maye you perceyue the great peryll and ieopardy of sweryng For the loue of our lorde therfore good deuout christiaÌ„s take good hede therto / as well in your selfe as in your folkes And yet shulde you haue no lesse garde or awayte vnto lyeng or makyng of lyes or lesynges For the lye or lesynge is very mother vnto both the defautes
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