haue no thynge / for they drede not to lese ony thyng And they that be of the worlde oftyme be sory and angry for the losse of theyr moneye or other worldly goodes ¶ The same sayd that they that assemble the rychesses of the worlde with grete payne and trauaylle of theyr bodyes / of soo moche more that they gete soo moche more wolde they haue But we renounce suche thynges that ben to vs necessarye for to lyue for the honour of our sauyour Ihesu cryste ¶ An holy man sayd / that he that is prompte to reteyne the euyll sooner than the good / is lykeneth to the fyre that is hydde within the stubbe For in suche wyse as the fyre soo hydde brenneth it / ryght in the same wyse the malyce that is hydde in the mynde wasteth and destroyeth the soule by euyll operacyons that folowe ¶ An holy man sayd that he that warneth an other of his helth / ought swetely to exhorte hym / to th ende that he be not vnprofytable / and that his admonycyon be auayllable ¶ A brother demaunded and asked of an auncyent olde fader / wherfore is it that my soule loueth oftymes thordure and fylthe of synne The holy man answered The soule oftentymes loueth the passyons of the bodye / but the spyryte of god is he that refrayneth it And therfore we ought to bewaylle our synnes / to th ende that they be to vs pardonned Haste thou not redde that Marye Magdalene after that she hadde be atte the Sepulcre of Ihesu cryste in wepyng and teres / that god called her to hym Alle in lyke wyse shall he do to the soule that shall puryfye hym selfe in wepyng ¶ A brother demaūded and asked an holy fader / whan a man thynketh not on his defaultes / and repreueth other / is it synne He answered that god saythe therof in the gospell Ypocryte take awaye the beme that is in thyn eye / and after thou mayst well see the better the festu that is in the eye of thyn neyghbour ¶ An other brother demaunded and asked of an olde auncyent fader / how he myght resyste and withstande the temptacyons The holy man answered Take ensample at Ioseph / the whiche beyng in the age of yougthe / amonge the Infydeles and Ydolatrers neuer wolde worshyppe theyr Ydoles / but he was stronge and constaunt in his fayth And furthermore haue mynde of Iob / the whiche in all his trybulacyons and aduersytees praysed and gaaf louynges to god / and forgate hȳ not / for all that / that he was so moche tourmented ¶ A knyght that hadde doon many euylles and moche harme / and wolde conuerte hym to god / demaunded and asked an holy man yf god receyued the synners in to his grace And the holy man answered to hym / ye / and shewed to hym by many reasons and auctorytees of holy scrypture Neuertheles the sayd knyght yet doubted And therfore the holy man shewed to hym this ensample Yf thy mantell be rente or broken in ony parte / wylt thou incōtnent caste it awaye The knyght answered to hym nay / but I shall make it agayne amende it / and it shall serue me as it dyde byfore Thenne sayd the holy man / ryght so my frende is it of god For how well that thy soule be broken by sȳne / neuertheles our lord casteth it not awaye / but by very penaūce pure cōfessyon shal make it hole agayn by his grace ¶ Ther was an holy man that was soo sobre and solytary / that alwaye he was the last that went out of the chirche / fered not that ony bodye sholde take ony mete or drynke out of his celle ¶ A Iuge of a certayne Regyon came in to the prouynce of thabbot Pastor / thynhabytantes there / herof aduertysed requyred the sayd abbot to requyre the sayd Iuge to do to hym so moche grace to pardōne a malefactour but the sayd holy man requyred theym that he myght haue thre dayes of respyte / and they agreed therto / durynge the whiche tyme by cause that the requeste that he sholde make semed to hym not to be lycyte ne leeffull / he requyrod to god / that he wolde suffre that he sholde obteyne the same So he came to fore the Iuge / and prayed for the sayd malefactour / but he sayd to hym / that he wolde not that whiche he requyred / bycause he prayed for a theef Of whiche answere he was gladde And thus thabbot Pastor retourned in to his celle / praysyng god of that / that the Iuge hadde denyed to hym his requeste ¶ The holy feders sayden that whan Moyses entred in to the see he spacke with god And whan he cam out / he spacke to the people ¶ In lyke wyse ought euery good Relygyous man to doo For whyles that he is in his celle / he ought to speke to god by deuoute prayer And whan he gooth out / he ought to speke with the people in techyng theym ¶ Certayne brethern demaunded and asked of the holy fader the abbot Pastor / yf they alwaye ought to repreue the synners To whom it was answered by the holy fader Yf I go and passe there where as they some tyme be I shall saye noo thynge to theym that I shall see synne And neuer Iuge ye ony persone / but yf ye touche theym fyrste with your handes / that is to saye / yf ye be not certayne of that ye saye / for oftentymes some wene thynges / whiche is all otherwyse ¶ A brother was on a tyme deceyued in his opynyon seeyng two sheues of whete to gydre / and he supposed that he hadde seen a man and a woman / and therfore without to knowe it / he Iuged that they cōmysed the synne of lecherye And after that he hadde well beholde it / he cam and smote it with his fote sayeng Cesse man to cōmyse this synne / and thenne he was all abasshed whan he founde that it were two sheues of whete Here ought we to note / that none ought to Iuge ony thyng but yf it be well knowen / for it is a grete peryll for the soule of hym that Iugeth so lyghtly without to knowe manyfestly a thyng / as he hadde touched it with his honde ¶ An hermyte beyng in his hermytage was strongely tempted with deuylles whiche appyred to hym vysybly / and he supposed that they hadde ben angellys His carnall and naturall fader hadde a custome for to come some tyme and vysyte hym Soo it happed that in vysytyng hym that he broughte an axe for to hewe doun the trees and wode and bere it to his hous / but the deuyll to th ende that he wolde deceyue this brother appyered to hym sayeng / loo here the deuyll in semblaūce and lykenyng of thy fader cometh to the for to tempte the with an axe / but go to mete with hym and slee hym Thus this byleuyng the deuyll wente and
voys sayd to hym ¶ O man of god come doune from the moyntayne / And be not aferde / For I am a man mortall as thou arte / ¶ Whanne Paphunce herde thyse wordes he was gladde and comforted / And tooke agayne hys mynde and courage and anone came downe from the place where he had ben / ¶ And after that he hadd salewed the holy man He fell downe on his knees tofore him ¶ The holy man anone defended him that he sholde not knele to hym sayenge so hym / Aâ—yse thou my frende thou arte the seruaunte of god namyd Paphunce loued of alle the sayntes of heuen / ¶ Thenne Paphunce aroos vpp Notwythstondyng that he was wery aswel for his longe fastynges as for his olde aege ¶ After he made hym to sytte by hym Desuynge to knowe his name· his conuersacyon and manere of lyuynge ¶ He sayde to him / Knowe thou seruaunte of god that by longe Iourneyes I haue walked in thise desertes and haue endured grete hungre and thirste / But now my vyage is accomplysshyd and fulfylled ¶ And I fele a solace in my membres / Lyke as they were all fyllyd and quyte of alle payne / And therfore I praye the my lorde and my frende for the hononore and loue of hym For the name of whom thou hast dwellyd in thise desertes thou tell me whens thou arte and thy name / ¶ And also whanne thou camyst in to this place to enhabyte here / ¶ The holy man seenge the grete affeccion of his desyre and also the traueylle that he hadde taken to fynde Ansuered to hym of that he hadde askyd And demaunded hym in sayenge to hym Fyrste that his name was Onuffâ—en Secondly that it was thre score and ten yeres that he hadde dwellyd in that deserte / Lyuynge wyth brute beestes etynge grapes and herbes in the mountaynes and valeyes And syth that he came thyther he hadde neuer seen man ne woman sauf him onely / ¶ Neuerthelesse he sayde that in his yongthe he had be nourysshed in a monasterye namyd Herâ—mopolyn in the prouynce of Thay / In whyche monasterye were an hundred Relygyouses / ¶ After he declared to hym how the relygyouses of the sayde monasterye lyueden in eâ—ynge and drynkynge alle togider And dyde then penaunces that one lyke to that other / ¶ And that whiche was playsaunt to that one was to that other agreable And yet that was more They hadde alle one wyll One herte And one thoughte / ¶ In the sayde monasterie was so grete taâ—ytuâ—ytee and scylence amonge the Relygyouses that none durste ones speke wythoute a Iuste cause / ¶ He beyng in this sayde monasterye herde recounte the lyfe of an holy fader namyd Helye / ¶ And how he hadde lyued in grete abstynence in deserte in grete straytnesse of lyfe / ¶ And how he hadde many preuyleges aboue the power of man kynde / ¶ In lyke wyse of saynt IohnÌ„ Baptyst whyche ladde soo holy merueylouse lyfe in deserte tyll that he had baptysed oure lorde Ihesu Cryste in the floâ— Iordan / ¶ Thenne herynge tolde of the Relygyouses the gloryouse lyues of theym· and many other / ¶ The sayde Onuffryen requyred of the sayde brethern that thei wolde saye to hym Yf the auncyent holy faders of the deserte had ben more stronge thanÌ„e they or more feble / ¶ They ansuered that they hadde ben more stronge For wythoute mannis comforte and wyth oute mete and drynke they lyued in deserte ¶ But they sayde that in spekynge as they hadde ben the holy faders of the sayd desertes We haue consolacion the one of an other / ¶ For whanne we haue hungre we fynde the mete redy / Whanne we ben seke / We thynke Incontynent and done penauÌ„ce to gete vs helth ¶ We haue fayre houses and grete edyfyces / And they that ben in deserte haue noo consolacyon / ¶ They haue hungre colde and hete And in al tribulacyons haue noo socours but of god ¶ And therfore whom some euer woll dwelle there· Hym behouyth to be constaunt and stedfaste for to endure al suche penaunces / ¶ Yet more the deuyll gyuyth to theym wythoute comparison more settynges and temptacions for to dyuerte theym from theyr good wyll / that to theym comynyke by the worlde / ¶ But whanne they haue very faythe Alwaye they ouercome the fende by armes spyrytuell / ¶ The aungellis comforte theym ofte / And delyuer to theym that is necessary for theym / ¶ For it is wryten / that they that shall putt theyr hope in gode Shall haue the vertue of strengthe for to endure all thynge / wyth fethers as an Egle for to flee to heuen / ¶ And yet more they that shall haue thurste shall drynke in the fountayne eternell / ¶ And the herbes that they shall ete shall gyue to theym also grete swetnesse as hony / ¶ Whanne the Relygyouses ben tempted of ony temptacyons / They oughte to putt theym to praye god lyftyng theyr hondes to heuen ¶ And Incontynente the angellis descende and come downe for to helpe theym to fyghte agaynste the deuyll / ¶ Thus also saythe the prophete Dauyd That in the ende the poore people shall not be forgeten ne theyr pacyente shall not perysshe / ¶ And also god enhauncyth alwaye the poore of spyryte And delyueryth theym from alle trybulacyons ¶ Fynably the same faders sayde to that ryght holy man saynt Onuffryen That the Aungelles contynuelly serue the Iuste and good Whyche arne peâ—fyghte in the loue of god / ¶ And theyr sowles ben Illumyned and kyndled wyth the lyghte of grace and of trouth ¶ Saynt Onuffryen whanne he hadd herde the fayr Instruccyons of thyse holy faders Hadde the herte all embraced wyth grete desire for to doo penaunce and to fyghte agaynste the deuyll / In suffrynge all pouertee to the ende that he myghte come to the glorye eternall / ¶ And thoughte in himselfe to accomplysshe and perfourme the counseyll of the sayde prophete Dauyd ¶ Techynge and sayenge that it is a good thyng to Ioyne hymselfe for the loue of god / And to sette in hym his hope / ¶ Whanne saynt Onuffryen hadde althyse thynges consydered He tooke a lytyll brede and a fewe pesen or benes to make potage wyth alle for to lyue abowte a foure dayes ¶ After he departed by nyghte secretely out of his abbaye / makynge his prayer to god That it myghte pleyse him to enseygne and shewe the place where he sholde doo his penaunce / ¶ And came in to a mountayn The whyche he passed ouer for to come in to deserte ¶ And he beynge there arryued and to men sawe in a place tofore hym a grete lyghte The whyche as hym semyd came strayghte to him / Wherof he was atâ—â—de ¶ And supposyd that it had sygnâ—fyed that be sholde retorne in his monastâ—rie / ¶ In the sayde lyghte he sawe a man ryght playsaunte sayenge to hym that he sholde noo thynge
/ ¶ A merueyllouse thynge in sayenge thyse wordes the membres of the seke man were restored in theyr strength and helthe / In suche wyse that he wente vppon his fete / ¶ Of whyche thynge and myracle the fame sprange and spradde there alle abowte / ¶ Wherfore the holy man Hylaryon wolde noo lenger abyde there / Not for to departe from thens for ony mutabylyte or chaungynge of thoughte / But by cause he desyred to lyue solytaryly wythoute to haue knowlege of ony persone / ¶ Whanne he was foure score yeres olde he felte himselfe moche feble / And by cause that Esicius his dyscyple was thenne absente / He made a cedule or letter of his honde / By the whyche he lefte to hym alle that he hadde / ¶ That is to wyte his Robe Whyche was made of a sake / His Frocke his Pelycon and his Gospellis / ¶ Alle thyse were noo greteâ—ychesses / ¶ Many deuowte Relygyouses of the cytee of Pafun And wyth theym a notable-woman named Constance att prayers of whom he hadd heeled her sone and her doughter / Camen to hym by cause he was in dysposicyon to deyeed / And spoken wyth hym as he hadde To whom he requyred and neuerthelesse commaunded that Incontynent as he sholde be deed They sholde putt hym in to the erthe in a gardine nyghe to his hous / ¶ And tofore that he deyed there as he hadde noo more charyte he sayd to his soule / What dredest thou my soule / Goo oute of my body / Wherfore arte thou aferde / ¶ It is now gone thre score and ten yere syth thou seruedeste Ihesu Cryste / And now thou dredest to deye / ¶ And thus sayenge he rendred his spyryte to god / Incontynent they buryed hyÌ„ wythin the gardyne ¶ Anone after his dyscyple Esicius whyche was in Palestyne knew his departyng / And thenne he came in to Cypre / ¶ And whanne he was in the gardyne where as he was buryed / He fayned that he wolde dwelle there / ¶ To the ende that they that kepte hym sholde haue noo suspecyon ne mysdemyng that he wolde transporte and carye away the body of saynt Hylaryon / But he wroughte soo pryuely that ten monethes after that he stele hym a waye transported or caryed hym to Maxymian his auncyen and olde chyrche in the whyche the same Esicius and also all the men and Relygyouses there abowte buryed hym in his frocke and his pelycon / Whyche as it is sayde is there alhoole / ¶ And saynt Hylaryon is yet as he was in playne lyfe / Gyuynge out odoures sauours merueyllously smellynge swete / ¶ The good woman Constaunce / whyche hadde be acustomyd in curyouse wakinges to passe the tyme in makinge her prayers there as he had be burybe alyue / ¶ Whanne she knewe that he was transported and taken from thens She wynge the grete loue that she had to him Rendred and gaaf Incontinente her spyryte vnto god / ¶ And yet preseÌ„tly by this occasyon is there grete questyon bytwene theym of Cypre and of Palestyne / ¶ By cause they of Cypresayen that they haue the spirite / ¶ And they of Palestyne sayen to haue the body / ¶ Neuerthelesse in Cypre atte this daye ben done to the praysynge of him moo myracles thanne in Palestine / ¶ And perauenture for almoche as he loued more the place ¶ Or by cause onely that it playsyth god that soo it be done / ¶ Thus endeth this Prossesse of the ryghte holy and deuowte man saynt Hylaryon / ¶ Here folowyth the life of saynt Malachye / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Caromas / Caplm .xxxviii. CAromas is a cyte in Syrie distaunt or beynge of fernesse fro Anthyoche abowte thyrty myle / In the whyche dwelled Malachye a man soo named / ¶ Malachye is a sayeng Syryaque / The whyche in latyn tongue is asmoche to saye as kynge / ¶ This same Malchus or Malachye was an holy man borne of Syrye with hym was alwaye an olde woman the whyche was so olde that she semyd alwaye redy to deye ¶ Thei two were so contynuelly in the chirche that they myghte be lykenye to Zacharye and Elysabeth in deuocoÌ„n / ¶ Saynt Iherom beyng in Syrye some cyteyzyns of the same cyte axed yf the sayd Malachie same woman were maryed or kynnes folke / By cause he sawe theym soo contynuelly togider / ¶ To whom was ansuered that they were holy and deuoute persones towarde god / Thenne saynt Iherom wente to vysite the holy man for to demaunde and enquyre of his life / ¶ The holy man Malachyas sayd to him that he was born of a place namyd Nyzibam / and oonly Herytour of his fader and moder / ¶ The whyche for to contynue their lygnage wold haue constrayned hym to take the Sacrament of Maryage / And nothwythstondynge that he was by his fader strongly menaced and threrenyd / And of hys moder affectuously requyred for to marye hym / ¶ Neuerthelesse he loued beter to these the state of Relygyon and to renounce and forsake the world / ¶ After he sayde to hym that for doubte of the Romayns that made watche vpon the passages and of other men of the sayde countree / He durste not goo in to the Eeste / But wente hym in to the Weste ¶ He sayde to hym also that he had be in an Hermytage whyche was namyd Calcidâ—s and stode towarde the Southe bytwene Mynas Heroas / ¶ And that he had founde there good Relygyous vnder whyche werkynge and laborynge he had lyued longe tyme. ¶ After he was in wyll to retorne in to hys countree / By cause that he wyste well that his fader was deed ¶ And for this cause he wold haue the goodes that were lefte for to gyue a parte to poore peple / Another parte to make a churche the Resydue for to susteyne his lyfe / ¶ The whiche thinge he had declared to his Abbot as he sayd / And he Incontynent blamyd hym / sayenge that it was temptacyon of the deuyll / ¶ And alleged and shewed to hym for the same many fayre hystoryes of some Relygyouses whyche in lyke caas hadd be deceyued / ¶ For the denyll vnder the coloure of good thynge temptyth alwaye the persone for to make him to accomplysshe and doo some euyll / ¶ He sayde ferdermore that his Abbott hadde sayde to hym / That he resembled and was lyke the hounde the whiche after he hadd made his vomyte Retourned and receyued it agayne / ¶ And for prayer that the Abbot cowde doo he wolde not consente to abyde ¶ How be it that he knelyd downe on his knees tofore hym / Prayenge that he sholde not goo / but abyde wyth him in prayenge and shewyng that he that putteth his honde to the plough· That is to saye that entreth in to Relygyon And he loke backewarde / Is not worthy to haue the kyngdom of heuen / ¶ Alas sayde Malachye to
faders he shall haue for hys herytage the reame of heuen / ¶ Whanne the chylde herde thyse wordes he knelyd downe tofore him sayenge / ¶ Thou arte my fader and my moder / And wyth this I take the for my Dyrectour of alle my werkes and operacyons / Thou haste this daye sauyd my soule· the whyche was in the waye of perdycyon ¶ Now I shall goo in suche wyse as thou haste taughte me Or god shall conduyte and lede me / ¶ His wyll of me be done / ¶ Yet the good fader enfourmyd hym that he sholde haue pacyence in aduersytee / ¶ And after this the sayde Symeon wente vnto a monasterye of a ryght perfyghte man namyd Thymothee Tofore the yates of whiche monastery he taryed fyue dayes wythoute mete and wythout drynke / ¶ After the sayde fyue dayes the holy Abbot Thymothee came out of the sayde monasterye And founde the chylde Symeon / ¶ And he askyd hym of whens he was / And yf he hadde done ony harme by cause he was fugyâ—yf / ¶ Saynt Symeon answered sayenge Syre I haue not begyled ne trowbled my frendes ne none other persones of the worlde ¶ But I desire to be the seruaunte of god yf it playse hym / ¶ To the ende that I may saue my soule the whiche is loste / ¶ And therfore I praye the / that thou receyue me in to thy monasterye for to serue alle the brethern therin ¶ Thenne the good Abbot tooke hym by the honde as he hadde knowen hys grete deuocyon / And ladde hym in to the monasterye / sayenge to the relygiouses ¶ Alle ye my brethern I delyuer to you this chylde namyd Symeon for to teche and enfourme hym in the Rules of oure monasterye / ¶ And therfore I coÌ„maunde you that eche of you be to him as his fader / For I byleue that he shal be of the nombre of perfyghte men / ¶ The chylde Symeon seruyd the sayde Relygyous by the space of foure monethes / In whyche foure monethes he lerned the Psaulter In lyuynge allone spyrytuelly / ¶ For the refeccoÌ„n that he hadde wyth the Relygyouses he gaaf it secretely to the poore people / ¶ And notwythstondynge that the brethern toke theyr refeccyon alwaye atte euyn saynt Symeon tooke noo thynge but on the seuenth daye / ¶ On a daye amonge the other he tooke the corde of the pytte by whyche they drewe the water / and bounde it on his bare flesshe abowte his raynes and his sholdres / ¶ And soo faste he bounde it abowte that the corde entred wyth in his flesshe vnto the bone / ¶ And for this cause his flesshe roted and was ful of vermyn The whyche fell from hym in suche wise as the good Symeon walked ¶ Now it happed that the bredern knew that he ete not but from one son daye to a nother / And they founde him gyuynge his porcyon to the poore people ¶ And soo they accused hym to the Abbot sayenge That he brake the rules of the abbay / And also that he was alle enfecte And they felte hym moche stynkynge / ¶ The Abbot made hym to come speke to hym In repreuynge hym of his strayte lyfe By cause he ete not euery daye ones lyke as he hymselfe dyde / And there was noo dyscyple aboue his mayster / ¶ And after he made hym to be dyspoylled / And thenne they founde how he was bounde wyth a corde And that it was the cause why he stanke soo / ¶ The Abbot was gretly abasshed and prayed hym that he wolde goo oute of the monasterye But fyrste they tooke it from hym wyth grete payne and smarte / And dyde doo hele hym / ¶ And that done he departed oute of the monasterye secretely / And went vnto a deserte place whyche was not ferre from the sayde monasterye / Where he founde a pytte whyche was not vsyd / And in whyche was noo water / but there were therin euyll spyrytes ¶ The nyghte folowynge was shewed to the Abbot Thymothee that many armyd people came for to assyege the howse for to haue the good seruaunt of god Symeon / ¶ And yf they wold not delyuere hym / That they wolde thretene to brenne theym and all theyr monasterye / ¶ Whanne Thymothee was awakyd consyderyng this reuelacyon / And that he hadde soo blamyd the seruaunte of god was sore aferde and recyted to his brethern the sayde reuelacyon / ¶ And how he was therwyth sore trowblyd / ¶ The nyghte folowynge came abowte the howse moche people that cryed wyth an hyghe voyce / ¶ Thymothee delyuer to vs Symeon ¶ He is better bylouyd wyth god thanne thou / Wherfore haste thou trowbled hym soo hardely / ¶ Alle the heuenly courte is wrothe wyth the / ¶ By cause for hym god shall doo merueyllous thynges / whyche man neuer dyde / ¶ Incontynente Tymothee aroos and went to his brethern commaudynge theim that wyth oure delaye they sholde goo and fynde Symeon / or ellis they were all in way to deye wythin theyr monasterye / ¶ The brethern anone wente oute of their chyrche for to go seche where thei myghte fynde the good Symeon / but they cowde not fynde hym / ¶ Thenne they retorned to the Abbot sayeng that they hadde serched ouer alle sauf in the pytte of the deserte / ¶ The abbot whyche of thise tydynges was moche dysplaysed tooke wyth hym fyne of hys brethern wyth whom he transported hym vnto the sayde pytte wherin the good Symeon was descended / ¶ And tofor â—r they wolde goo downe in that place they made theyr prayers to god to haue grace for to fynde the good relygyous Symeon / And that he wolde kepe theym from Inconuenyent / And that done they descended in to the pytt ¶ The holy man Symeon seenge theym there sayde to theym / O ye seruauntes of god / I praye you suffre ye me to abyde here that I maye yelde my spyryte to god / For I haue but a lytyl whyle to lyue / And my soule is yet alle greuyd of that I haue enfecte your house / ¶ The Abbot ansuerd / Certaynly my frende we shall not leue the here / But thou shalte come with vs in to our monasterye / For we knowe that thou arte louyd of god / ¶ Thyse wordes sayde they broughte hym wolde he or noo into theyr chyrche / In whyche alle they felle downe to his fete and cryed hym mercy of the offence that they had done to hym / ¶ Saynt Symeon wepynge sayde to theym / Helas my brethern ye grieue me to exalte me thus that am a poore synnar / And ye ben soo holy faders / ¶ A yere after dwelled saynt Symeon in the sayde monasterye / And after he departed secretely in to a solytary place Whyche was not ferre from the sayde monasterye / ¶ And there edefyed a lytyll cloysture of stones / And there dwellyd he thre yeres / ¶ In that tyme beganne his fame to
enfourme me in thyne holy lawe ¶ And fynably wyll gyue to me the glorye eternall / ¶ And from thens forth on Pastumyen besyed hym in deuowte comtemplacyons / Alwaye awaytinge that the angell of god sholde come agayne to him ¶ But that notwithstondynge he wente agayne to his crafte / whyche was as tofore is sayde to make cordes of Ionâ—es / ¶ And fynably the aungell apperyd to hym and sayde / Pastumyen wolt thou that I lede the to a preest / Whyche shal baptyse the in the name of the fader of the sone and of the holy ghoste / To whom he ansuered that it was the grettest Ioye that myghte come to hym / And that he desyred none other thynge ¶ Anone the aungell tooke him by the heere 's / and bare hym vnto a place where as was an an holy man named Prisce / To whom the Aungell commaunded that he sholde enseygne and teche hym the faythe and lawe / And to lyue as a good Crysten / ¶ The holy fader seenge the grete bryghtnesse of the aungell Sodaynly he was abasshed in suche wyse that he felle downe for fere / But the aungell releuyd hym and comforted hym sayenge ¶ Be not aferde / for I am the seruaunte of god as thou arte / ¶ And in sayenge thise wordes the aungell chaunged his fourme vnto the semblaunce or lickenesse of a man clad wyth whyte and of a playsaunt face / ¶ After agayne he sayde to hym / Doubte the noo thynge / I come to the for to shewe to the fro god / That it is his playsure that thou take to the this goode man Pastumyen / And that thou enfourme hym in the faythe of holy chyrche To the ende that he maye deserue the glorye eternall / ¶ And Incontinente the aungell departed / ¶ Saynt Prysce thenne toke Pastumien And enfourmyd hym in the faythe / And to faste and to doo other vertuous werkes / ¶ After he baptysed hym and this done he made a prayer vnto oure lorde sayenge thus ¶ O sone of god I yelde to the humbly thaÌ„kynges of thys that it hathe playsed the. by thyne holy ghoste to reconcyle me to god thy fader And thou haste redemyd me from eternall dethe / The whyche dethe suffren perpetuelly alle they that byleue not in thy name / Alas I knowlege now that alle thynges the lasse oughte to obeye the gretter And the symple to theym that ben wyse / ¶ The seconde commaundement that ye oughte / for to kepe is subieccyon To the ende that in reuerent drede ye maye serue god wyth a chaste herte pure and clene / ¶ The thirde is that ye oughte to lyue sobrely and Iustly in hauynge compassyon on youre soules and of others / ¶ The fourth that ye oughte to chastyse youre bodyes by fastynges and abstynence after your possybylyte / For to the spyryte desyrynge to gete vertue it is a synguler delectacoÌ„n and playsaunce to be and enhabyte in a body lene by penaunce / ¶ The fyfthe is for to be ofte in oryryson and prayer in ensâ—ewyng the doctryne of the appostle whyche commaundyth vs to praye god wythoute ceassynge / For after his doctryne alle they that contynuelly faste and pray to god Lyghtly they putt vnder by the vertue of the faythe alle the cautels and subteltees of the deuyll of helle / And causyth also to resyste and wythstonde alle vyces and synnes / ¶ Fyrst and pryncypally to pryde / For of that synne proceden alle euylles And euery daye as one seeth by experyence / Pryde is the orygynall roote of al synnes / ¶ By pryde ben the aungellys caste downe in to helle / By cause that Adam desyrynge to knowe the good euyll ete of the fruyte forboden in transgressynge and brekynge the commaundement of god / ¶ By this concupiscence he deseruyd and bounde him and alle his posterytee and ofsprynge vnto the dethe eternall / Wherof we hadde neuer be quyte yf the blessyd sone of god by his grete mercy and by his worthy dethe and passyon hadde not quyted redemed vs / ¶ The vertue opposyte and coÌ„trary to pryde is Humylytee roote of alle good / And the begynnyng and getâ—nge of al vertues wythoute the whyche was neuer none ne neuer shall persone be perfyghte / ¶ And the cause that most moeuyd oure blessyd Sauyoure to take oure humanyte in the wombe of the vyrgyne of the Intemerate and moost clene and ryght blessyd vyrgyne Marye that was her humylytee For in soo doynge is wryten in the Cantycle / God hathe beholden the humylytee and mekenes of his hondmayde Quâ—a respexte humilitatem ancille sue c ¶ After the holy man Pastumien commaunded theym that they sholde haue charytee fraternall togyder in hauyng perfyghte faythe / Sayenge that the princypall Rule and mooste grettest charge that Religyouses oughte to haue is for to haue one wyth a nother perfyghte loue and charytee / Wythoute the whiche none Relygyouses in the cloystre maye not well gouerne theymselfe / ¶ Whan many brethern ben togyder wythoute loue eche entendyth to his synguler prouffyte / And soo theyr comynte is deuyded / ¶ Soo euery reame and other gouernement of multytude and of subgettes yf it be deuyded wythoute doubte it is desolacyon / ¶ Alas now the mooste parte of Relygyouses in this present tyme enteÌ„de to be Abbottes Pryours and to offyces Desyrynge to be oute from theyr brethern / ¶ Lyke as the byrde sechyth but to escape oute of the cage / ¶ And who sholde demaunde or wyte the reason wherfore I trowe that there sholde be defaulte to haue loue wyth theyr brethern / ¶ For by cause that thei ben ouermoche replenysshyd and fulfyllyd wyth the dampned vyce of Pryde they can not be compatyble and felyshypped wyth the other / But woll be alone ¶ A lorde god well is chaunged the tyme that the holy faders fledd in to deserte sedynge there a solytary lyfe for to renounce and leue the worlde / and to lede a lyfe contemplatyf / ¶ And as it is sayde the Relygyouses whanne they be closyd in an abbay where as they haue ben put for to be oute of the worlde / They thynke on none other synne but to opteyne and gete pryeryes and other benefyces / Whether it be by synne or no synne to the ende to retorne agayne to the worlde / For the whyche thynges all deuocyon is loste / ¶ Perauenture yf the Pryours were vnyed and onyd wyth the abbayes / And that suche Relygyouses had none occasyon for to departe with oute lycence / It sholde be better and lightlyer for theyr helthe / thanne for to seke theyr lodges from vyllage to vyllage / ¶ It hath be seen in tyme passed that the chyldren of kynges for to serue god haue renouÌ„ced and vtterly forsaken all theyr rychesses / ¶ But now whan there ben many in a noble house / they ben made Abbottes tofore that they ben relygyouses ¶ Noo
aferde / and knowe thou that bi the wyll of god thou arte comen vnto this place / To the ende to burye me laye my body in the erthe / ¶ Anone my soule shall departe fro my body shall be borne in to the heuenly Reame / ¶ My brother I knowe thy desire and thy wyll / ¶ And therfore whanne thou shalte be retournyd in to Egypte· I praye the that thou remembre me and of my name / ¶ And to the ende that thou and alle thy brethern be desyrynge to haue of me remeÌ„braunce I shall saye to the the prerogatyues and specyall gyftes that I haue obteyned of my lorde and god Rededemer of alle the worlde / ¶ Fyrste euery persone that shall make to hym Immolacyon or sacrefyce be â— in messes or otherwyse in soo dooynge haue mynde of my name He shall be preserued and kepte from alle frawdelous decepcyons and temptacyons dyabolyke and worldly / ¶ And att laste be shall haue partycipacion wyth the aungellis in the reame of heuen / ¶ And yf ony haue noo power to make the sacrefyce / And in gyuynge oonly for the loue of god and of me an asmesse to some poore man Wythout faâ—â—e I shall praye for hym in heuen to then de that god make him worthi to haue part of his excellent glori ¶ yet yf he may not doo neyther that one ne that other In gyuynge a candell or in makynge a lytyll oblacyon As encencynge wyth â—â—ence or other offrynge / Certaynly I shall soo make prayer to god To the â—â—â—e that he haue euerlastynge Ioye / ¶ Paphunce herynge thyse alle thyse â—â—ynges made to hym this demaunde â—â— question Now fader yf some or ony persone haue noo power to doo ony of thyse thre thynges / By what moyen maye he doo for to be in thi recommendacyon and prayer / To the ende that as what trybulacyon he be in / thou make thyne oryson for hym / ¶ The holy man ansuered / My brother and frende yf it happed as thou sayst / That the suppliaunt haue noo facultee ne power to doo ony of the thynges aforsayd Yf he knele downe on his knees In lyftynge his hondes Ioyned to god and sayenge deuowtly thre tymes the Pater noster Aue maria in the honoure of the glorious Trinyte of heuen / and remember my name / Surely I shall doo soo moche anenste the same ryght holy Trinyte that he shall haue parte in the reaâ—e of heuen with all the sayntes that ben there / ¶ Or yf ony be in doubte or hesytacyon of the thynges tofore sayde He maye rede saynt Iherom in his boke whyche he hathe composyd in latyn Intytulyd of the lyfe of faders / Of the whyche hath be made this present traÌ„ssacyon as in other places hathe be sayd And there he shall see alonge this that is sayde here tofore / ¶ In retournynge to purpoos the holy Paphunce was gretely content wyth the wordes of saynt Onuffryen ¶ And for asmoche as he reputed the same place where as they wereÌ„ to be holy / he prayed to the sayd Onuffryen that he wolde gyue him lycence to dwelle there after his dethe / The whyche thynge the good holy fader wold not But commaunded hym that he sholde retorne in to Egypte / And there perseuere in goode werkes / For in the ende he sholde haue felycyte eternall / ¶ Whanne Paphunce hadde herde his ansuere He knelyd doune tofore the holy fader Onuffryen and sayde to hym this that folowyth ¶ Alas my dere fader frende I knowe and byleue that alle that thou shalte demaunde of god For the loue of whom thou haste be lxx yeres in this deserte thou shalte lyghtly obteyne· ¶ Thenne gyue to me now thy blessynge To the ende that I be also perfyghte as thou / ¶ The holy fader ansuered / My brother Paphunce be not angry For thy demaunde shall be obteyned / Be thou stedfaste in the faythe in seruynge god wyth all thyne herte and wyth alle thy thoughte / And by this moyen thou shalte haue eternall lyfe / ¶ I praye to oure lorde that thou be kepte alwaye of his worthy aungellis in alle thy cogytacyons and wylles To the ende that thou be clene and puryfyed tofore the face of Ihesu Cryste ¶ Whanne the holy man hadde sayde alle thyse wordes He knelyd downe to the grounde / And in wepynge sayde ¶ O my god now in to thyne hondes myghte puyssaunce and streyngthe I coÌ„mende my spyryte / And thyse wordes sayde sodaynly came a grete lyghte / whyche enuyronned alle his body / ¶ Thenne after came many aungels to grete multytude / whyche songen songes melodyous Wherof alle the ayre resowned And bare the soule vnto the reame of heuen / ¶ Paphunce whyche herde those aungellis synge / Beganne to wepe and drowne in teeres sayeng / Alas I haue well cause to make lamentacyon whanne wyth soo grete payne I haue founde the holy man Onufryen And hane be soo lytyll whyse wyth hym / ¶ After whanne he hadde longe waylled wepte· He departed his garment in to two partes / And of that one he cladde hymselfe / And in that other he wounde the body of the holy man putte it in a Sepulture of stone whiche was there / ¶ Paphunce seenge that he was there alone wepte more thanne he dyde byfore / ¶ And supposyd to haue entred in to the caue of the holy man / But whanne he was atte the entree a grete parte of the roche fell downe / By whyche he knewe that god wolde not that he sholde vse the resydue of his lyfe in the sayde place / ¶ And soo thenne he came agayne in to his monastery in Egypte / Where as he recounted this bistorye lyke as tofore is wreton / ¶ And the holy man saynt Onuffryen deyed the twellyfth daye of Iuyn the day of saynt Barnabe the appostle / ¶ Here folowyth the lyfe of saynt Abraham the Heremyte And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Cupio et cetera Caplm .li. ¶ Soo it happed that the tyme to halowe the Sacrament of maryage approched and drewe nyghe / But by cause that he wolde not abyde thereby and persyste / His parentes and kynnesmen were angry wyth hym soo gretely that for the greyf that he hadde of theyr heuynesse He concluded in hymself to procede forthe therin / ¶ Thenne the mariage of theym solempnysed / And he beynge in his chambre and layed a bedde wyth his spowse and wyfe / ¶ Sodaynly there came vpon him a feruent wyll for to departe and goo oute of the cyte / ¶ And soo departed from thens that he was well two myle from the cyte / Where he founde a lytyll house Wherin noo man frequented nor vsyd / And entred in and kepte hym there a certayne tyme prayenge and makinge deuoute prayers to god / ¶ Whanne his parentes and kynnesâ—es knewe that he was goon they were moche angry / And for to seche
C.xlv FOr to styre his peple to mekenes· openly gaaf the holy Patryarke thise exortacoÌ„ns / My chyldern lete vs consyder put in our hertes the grete godenes of god his grete merci And certaynly we shal not desire to be put in grete honours that ben so dangeroous / But playnly we shall desyre to lyue in symple astate and pouertee / ¶ Alas what pouertee cowde we haue for to be also poore as hath be the lord our Sauyour and Redemer Ihesu Criste that kyng was bothe of heuen of erthe / ¶ Lete vs thynke vpon his mede fulnesse grete goodnesse that hath be shewed to vs / Where as we neuer shold haue ben yf he bi his grace had not formed Adam / The whyche by Inobedyence caused vs subget vnto euerlasting dethe / ¶ And alwayes thrugh his grece mercy paynfull passyon so moche benygnely he hath boughte vs ayen ¶ We also shall consydre that at all times that we fall in dedely synÌ„e the deuyll maye slee vs. brynge in to helle / And in dede he sholde doo it ne were the perfyghte loue that our lord hath to vs ¶ For coÌ„tynuelly by his doughter that is the chyrche· he prayeth vs to retorne to penaunce to th ende we maye haue hys grace / ¶ O moost swetnes whan he that may both daÌ„pne saue vs at his wyll And that alle thynges maye wythoute vs / And wythout hym we maye no thyÌ„ge / Neuerthelesse he prayeth vs that we woll loue him / ¶ How many theues euyll dooers are in the worde that god punysshyth not but coueryth theyr synnes / How many ben in the see that god preseruyth that they ben not robbed of the Pyrates / or drowned in to the deppest botomes But coÌ„maundeth the see that it suffreth theym to come to porte sauf / in abydynge the amendement of theyr lyfe / ¶ How many receyue the body of our lorde in dedely synne whiche he punysshyth not forth with / How many brybers theues are kepte from the wylde bestes / ¶ How many synÌ„ars ben preseruyd the anone after theyr synÌ„e thei ben not take of the deuyll of hell How many lurdens lye bi harlottes aduoutrers dronkelew glosâ—ets and other to all vyces ben wrapped / neuerthelesse god abydeth theym to gyue vnto them his mercy yf they woll aske it ¶ The bee fleeth in Somer in hylles valâ—es for to make hony swete for oure monthes that haue vttred sayd soo many fowle wordes and shamful / The floures shewe theim for to reioyce our â—yen whiche enforce theym for to loke on comyn wymmen / Or dysceyue a manÌ„es wyfe / ¶ We thenne that done suche dedes / And haue soo many rewardes of god / What drede oughte we for to haue whan oonly we consydre the last hour of oure dethe / ¶ Dyuerse ensamples of dethe gaaf the holy Patryarke to the ende that they that were prowde folysshe louers sholde mekely and lowely obeye theymself for to haue contrycyon / takynge sorowe for theyr synnes ¶ This holy man sayde It suffysyth me for to be sauyd to haue a coÌ„tynuell mynde of dethe / For at the selfe hour none shal acoÌ„pany wyth vs / but onÌ„ly our gode bad dedes ¶ Alas lete vs thyÌ„ke how our gode angel shal be wroth whaÌ„ aft our deth he shall finde noo gode dedes done bi vs wherby he miÈte kepe defeÌ„de vs ayeÌ„st thacusyÌ„g of our enmie the deuyll of hell / Alas thenÌ„e shall we pray god the he wol yeue vs space to liue yet a lytyl while to doo penauÌ„ce but to vs shal be answerd / Pore creature that haste euyl speÌ„ded the time that thou hast lyuen thou shalt neuer haue no respite sayd of hyÌ„self / Alas pore IohnÌ„ how shal thou passe the way for to goo in paradys / whaÌ„ afore the thou shal see somany enmies of horrible accusars byfore the rightwys Iuge / ¶ Alas IohnÌ„ what fere and drede shalt thou thenne haue whan Incontyâ—â—â—e after thy dethe thou shalt be presentes afore the Iugement of god ¶ This holy man had euer in his remembrauÌ„ce the good Symeon that had be so iusce And that whiche whan the hour of his dethe was come / that his soule ascended to paradys / mette wyth a grete coÌ„pany of deuilles in dyuers orders / Fyrst mette the soule of the sayd Symeon the order of proude deuylles And there she was questioned yf she had not be proude After he mette with the deuylles princes of sklaundrynge / and in lyke wyse she was there askyd yf she had not reported euyl of other / After this she met wyth other deuylles prynces of fornycacoÌ„n the whiche wolde accuse hym of flesshely dedes and flesshely desyres / And whan the soule is styed vnto heâ—uen and that she muste nedes yelde acounte afore god / the angels gyue her nomore socours / and hath thenne noo comfort ne helpe but of suche good dedes as he hath done in this worlde / As to this tyme the good Patryarke consydered how the soule hath noo comforte but onÌ„ly of her good dedes / ¶ And for to moue the more his spyryte / he broughte vnto his mynde the dethe of saynte Hâ—larion the whyche at the laste houre of his deth sayd vnto his soule / O my soule goo hardly out of my body Lxxx. yere thou hast serued god / Why ferest thou now thy departynge / ¶ O wonderfull a thyng / o moost drede o charyte vnable to be colde The good Hilarion the was ·lxxx yere al his lyfe had seruyd god in doynge grete penauÌ„ce neuer had synÌ„ed dedely but al his dayes was Ioyned to the goodnesse of god as he had hadde in erthe the perfeccyon of an angel / This notwythstondyng that he lyued an heuenly lyfe in makyng wonderfull miracles yet he feryd the dethe namely the sayd holy Patryarke that sayd ¶ What shall thou my soule answere to the horryble accusars that somoche ben subtyll / I fere me full sore that we shall be taken at our answers whaÌ„ the deuyls shall gyue vnto vs somany accusacoÌ„ns As of leesynges of couetise of myssayeng of vnpyte of euyll mynde· of hate and of all other synÌ„es / TheÌ„ne shall we well nede to haue gode aduocates that shall speke for vs / ¶ For the grete fere that we shall thenne haue shall kepe vs that we shall not answere noo thyng / And therfore we must pray god that we maye haue good angels for to lede vs in all our dedes whan that we oonly goo fro one cyte to a nother we take our guides / to th ende that they lede vs the streight waye / ¶ ThenÌ„e muste we well praye whan we shall depart from the erthe to heuen / that we be not ladde from our streyght waye but ledd guyded by good conduytours / Thys holy patryarke layed suche medyacoÌ„ns afore his eyen for to meke hyÌ„self / And who that
of preest paynem sacryfyeng ydoles / and that he beyng a yong childe in the Temple with the other lytyll childern / he sawe many tymes his fader sacrefye to the ydoles / and one tyme among other he entred secretly within the Temple where he sawe Sathan syttyng in auctoryte with all his chyualry whiche of a grete multytude of deuyls beynge about hym / one of the whiche come fyrste and presented hym afore hym / worshyppyng hym with grete Reuerence / to whome Sathan asked fro whens he came And he andswered to hym / that he came from a Prouynce whiche he named / where as he by subtyll meanes hadde moeued and raysed grete warres dyuysyons and bataylles vnto wonderfull shedyng of mannes blood the whiche thynge I am come for to shewe it vnto the. ¶ Thenne Sathan asked hym / how longe he was about the ymagynyng of soo worthy a werke done by hym Wherat he answered .xxx. dayes / whiche answere y herde / Sathan cōmaunded that he sholde be well bounde and scorged / saynge haste thou wasted soo longe tyme about soo fayre a dede Thenne came an other that in lykewyse worshypped Sathan And he asked hym fro whens he cam The deuyll answered hym I was late in the see where I haue moeued grete stormes / by meane of whiche I haue done perysshe many shyppes / and there grete trowbles I haue also made wherof grete slaughter of men hath ensued So am I now come for to shewe it vnto the. Sathan asked hym as he dyde to the other / how longe he was about the same And he answered that he had done it in .xx. dayes Alwayes Sathan made them to be scourged beten as the other was / sayng that he hadde be ouer longe tyme about the same After this came the thyrde that made hym Reuerence as the other had done / tolde hym that he came from a Cyte that he named / in whiche and atte certayn weddynges that were made there he hadde moeued wonderfull noyses and debates where many men and wymmen hadde slayne eche other and namely the spouse hadde be slayue there / saynge morouer that he had moeued and done all this grete myschyef there in .x. dayes oonly Sathan neuerthelesse made hym to be beten welcomed as the other were afore / bycause he hadde be to longe about the makyng of the same Fynably came a fore hym the fourth that worshypped hym as the other had done / and layed vnto hym how he came from the desertes where he hadde soyourned and vaked the space of .xl. yere for to haue made a monke to falle in to synne / duryng the sayd tyme he coude neuer brynge hym doune to doo it vnto that nyght / but the same nyght he hadde ouercomen hym / for he hadde made hym do the synne of fornycacōn The whiche thyng heryng the wycked Sathan / he rose Incontynence from his sette and came and kyssed hym in his feerfull and horryble vysage / and syn toke a crowne from his hede and sette it vpon the hede of the wyked tende / and made hym sette donne in a sete by hym / saynge thus to hym Thou art a valyaunt deuyll / thou haste fought worthyly and hast done a grete thyng After all the whiche thynges thus herde and seen / the sayd Relygyouse beynge yet a yonge childe as he sayd / he concluded and sayd to hym selfe / that the ordre of monkes was a grete and a worthy thynge Soo lefte and forsoke he from the same houre bothe fader and moder and all worldely possessyons / and wente to the desertes where he made hym selfe a monke ¶ An other relygyouse there was that hadde be a seculer and a wedded man the whiche after his conuersyon to the astate of Relygyon / was sore tempted and prycked of the synne of concupyscence desyryng euer his wyfe to be with hym / the whiche thynge he reherced and shewed vnto the faders whiche seeyng and knowynge this man to be experte and able to werke / and he dyde often more grete labours than he was charged to doo / dyde sette hym for to doo grete and paynfull werkes / to th entent that his bodye myght be febled and weyked so that he sholde not be soo soone moeued ayenst his spyryte And it happed by the suffraūce of god that a holy fader came in to Sychye where the sayd Relygyouse helde hym selfe And as he was come to his celle and founde it open / he wente and passed by / meruayllyng sore that noo bodye came out of it ayenst hym / wherfore he retourned Incontynenet / and stode styll byfore the dore of this habytacyon / and feeryng that by aduenture the brother that dwelled there hadde be syke / he thought to entre there in / and founde the sayd brother sore syke and ylle atte ease Soo he asked hym what hym eyled / to whome for an answere he reherced and tolde / how he was come and descended from the state of a seculer man to the astate of Relygyon And bycause that the deuyll tempted hym of the Remembraunce of his wyfe / he hadde gone towarde the holy faders to whome he hadde reherced and shewed his caas The whiche for to take awaye from hym this fantasye or temptacyon / they hadde or deyned and sette to hym dyuerse and sore grete charges And where he wolde doo and fulfylle the same / he hadde founde hym selfe soo feble that he coude not performe them / and alwayes this temptacyon lefte hym not / wherof he was moche noyouse and dyspleasaunt ¶ The holy fader heryng these wordes was wrothe and sory therfore / and sayd to hym Certes my brother / the faders and myghty men haue well sette to the charges wherof thou art agryued / but neuerthelesse yf thou wylt belyue my lytyll counseyll thou shalt yet doo otherwyse And as for me I counseyll the that thou leuest all hande werkes / and for to bryng the vp thou shalt take a lytyll mete as the tyme requyreth / and after gadryng thy strengthes togydre thou shalt sette thy selfe a lytyll to doo the werke of god / that is to saye / that thou shalt sette the to praye god / and shall sette in hym all thy thought For by suche labour thou shall mowe ouercome this temptacyon And for to enforme the / our bodye is lyke a gowne or other raymente / the whiche yf hit be dylygently treated and kept as it ought to be / may the better serue vs / but yf he be euyll kept / and that we be neclygente to dyspose hym as it apparteyneth / it rotyth and wasteth ¶ The brother heryng this counseyll dyde as the holy fader hadde tolde hym / and within fewe dayes the sayd temptacyon lefte hym ¶ There was a nother relygyouse moche solytaryly / and gretly stronge in conuersacyon / whiche dwelled in the montayne towarde the partes of Anthynoe / of whoo 's holy wordes and vertuouse werkes many prouffyted gretly Soo
they werke with theyr hondes And at tyrce / sexte / and none they saye but thre psalmes oonly in folowynge Danyell the prophete / the whiche was thre tymes in the cenacle and prayed god deuoutly Furthermore these psalmes they saye not without cause atte this houre there For the promesses made to thauncyent and olde faders haue be sente in some of these houres Fyrst the holy ghoost was sente on withsondaye vpon the appostles at the hour of tyerce / and gaaf to theym to speke all maner of langages At the hour of serte our sauyour and redemer Ihesus for the redempcyon of mankynde wolde be nayled and crucefyed on the crosse In the same hour was sente a vessell to saynt Pyeter / in whiche was conteyned the puryfycacōn of all theym that lyue / and was sente by four begynnynges of heuē And by this vessell we vnderstonde the gospell At the houre of none god rendred his spyryte on the crosse / and in the same hour he descended to helle for to take out the soules that were therin / and enlumyned with his clerenes the derkenes of the sayd helle / and restored to his auncyent Royalme that is paradyse In this same hour Cornelius knewe that his prayer was accepted to god Thenne it appereth that the appostles haue not Instytuted without cause these hours here in the chirche / and that we ought well to ensyewe folowe theym to the ende that in the same houres we may prayse and honour god / to serue hym deuoutly ¶ How in a monastery ought to be receyued a seculer that wyll entre in to relygyon / begynnyng in lytyn Cum igitur Caplm .xx. YF a man wyll be receyued in to one of the sayd monasteryes tofore that he shal be receyued he shall lye .x. dayes hole tofore the yate of the monastery / to th ende that by that moyen may be preued his perseueraunce / his humylyte / and obeyssaūce And he must knele doun on his knees to fore the feet of the brethern that passeth forth by the same yate But for the better to preue hym / eche ought to refuse hym and reiecte in sayeng / that it is by necessyte that he cometh for to be a relygyous / and nothyng for deuocyon Furthermore ought to be doon to hym all Iniuryes and repreues that may be do / to th ende that it may be knowen what pacyence he shall haue whan he shall be monke After that it is seen that he be pacyent / he shall be receyued in defendyng hym that he bryng with hym neyther golde ne syluer And thus he is made naked of all that he possedeth in suche wyse that his robe whiche he had shall not abyde with hym / but openly to fore all his brethern by the handes he shall be despoylled / shall be newe cladde with the Robes of relygyon / to th ende that he remembre that he hath renounced the worlde his temporell goodes / and that he hath chosen the veray pouerte of Ihesu cryste And they kepe his fyrst clothes vnto the tyme of his professyon / the whiche doon they be gyuen to the poore and Indygent / but yf so be that he wyll not abyde / his fyrste clothyng is rendred to hym agayn / and put out with the other Furthermore whan a Relygyous is thus receyued and cladde / he is not incontynent put among the other brethern / but he is delyuered to be taught to some holy fader / whiche hath the charge to receyue the pylgryms and the poore people to whome shall serue this same newe brother For it is the begynnyng of humylyte to serue the poore people and pylgryms After whan his humylyte is seen / he shall be suffred to goo with the other brethern In this faytte he is lerned to be mayster of his wyll / and to surmounte and ouercome it And to that ende he is ofte cōmaunded to doo thynges whiche ben ayenst his sayd wyll For the holy faders saye that yf a monke mortefye not his affeccyon / he ne maye eschewe / heuynes / Ire / ne fornycacōn / ne also haue peas with his brethern / ne may not be parfyghtly hūble And therfor eche Relygyous man ought to mortefye his wyll ¶ How a monke to th ende that he do not his owne wyll / ought not to doo ony thyng without the cōmaundemente of his spyrytuall fader / begynnyng in latyn Post hec Caplm .xxi. IN the forsayd monasteryes the relygyouses ben moche obedyent / in suche wyse that they do nothyng without the cōmaundement of theeyr abbot And they hem selfe go not to the places whiche ben naturelly requyred without demaundyng lycence And all that is cōmaūded to theym they accomplysshe lyke as yf god had cōmaunded theym / in soo moche that by theyr obedyence they doo thynges / as it were Impossyble to do And whan they be leyde on theyr couche / yf they here that they be called / they aryse and ne and renne lyghtly for to wyte what they sholde do / in suche wyse as by aduenture / they wrote / and hadde begonne a lettre / they wolde not achyeue it for drede that they sholde abyde ouer longe after that they were called ¶ Of a monke the sone of an Erle / the whiche by the cōmaundement of his abbot bare for to selle openly panyers and hottys / begynnyng in latyn Nouunus Caplm .xxij. I Knewe a brother whiche was of grete parentis the sone of an Erle ryght ryche and puyssaūt the whiche brother lefte fader and moder and wente and rendred hym selfe to be a monke Thabbot thenne of the sayd monastery for to ser his pacyence cōmaunded hym that he sholde go for to selle in the market .x. panyers or hottys grete / whiche were of no necessyte for to be solde / he delyuered hym by this condycōn / that he sholde not selle theym all to one man / to the ende that he sholde be the lenger there / but that he sholde selle one to one persone / an other to an other This broder thenne whiche was the sone of an Erle toke the sayd hottys for to bere thrugh the market / in suche wyse that he solde theȳ acordyng to his charge / and brought the moneye to his abbot ¶ Of thabbot Pinuphus / begynnyng Vidunus Caplm .xxiij. WE haue seen furthermore one named Pinuphus / whiche was of a grete monastery in Egypte / and the whiche was of euery man honoured and praysed But dredyng that he sholde be proude In an euentyde he fleddde and lefte the habyte of a monke / and toke thabyte of a seculer / wente to the monastery of Tabenesyens / that whiche was more strayter than other monasteryes And thus hopyng neuer to be knowen for the grete dystaūce of the place / cam was longe atte gate attendyng knelyng tofore atte feet of the brethern / requyryng that he myght be receyued in to theyr monastery / thēne after