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
seuenth day of cessacion reste and pausacion THe .vii. consyderacion was of the werk of fruicioÌ„ that is to say / a ioyfull vse at ful pleasur / holly reioysyng and inioyeng our lorde And in the .vii. day wheÌ„ our lord had made all thynges perfect he ceased and rested and wrought no more but sanctified halowed that day And so after our glorificacion we shal no more merite but rest in our lord and sanctifie hym / laude / prayse / and loue hym / and in hym as is sayd haue all ioy / pleasure i. Cor. ii aboue that any eye maye se any eare may heare any mouth maye speake or any harte maye thynke ¶ Of the .viii. consyderacion / and of the .viii. day of eternite THe .viii. and last coÌ„syderaon was of perseueracion duraunce or suerty of these ioyes And the day of eternite is the day of all perfection wherin the ende and begynnynge be ioyned For that day was before all creatures / without beginnyng and that day shall contynue after all dayes wtout endyng Amen ¶ Thus haue we after our poore vnderstandyng performed this deuout request and yet was not the person coÌ„tent / but that nedely we shuld ioyne vnto these two eyghtes the thyrde .viii. of the .viii. beatitudes of the gospell sayng vnto me the reders be not bound but at theyr pleasure they maye as is sayd take what they wyll ¶ Of the .viii. beatitudes or blessed states of perfection Math. v OVr lorde and sauyour Iesu dyd set forthe in the gospell viii perfections or .viii. states or fourmes of perfection whiche he taught and betoke vnto his disciples by theym vnto vs. And vnto euery perfectioÌ„ or state he assigned appoynted a propre reward as you shall perceyue by ordre ¶ Of the fyrst beatitude THe fyrste beatitude that is the fyrste state of perfectioÌ„ of lyuynge is in latyne thus âšœ Beati pauperes spiritu The Englysshe wherof is The poore in spirite or of spirite bene blessed That is to meane that all suche persones as for the loue of god do lytle set by worldly ryches as to haue any loue or trust vnto theÌ„ but onely as may be necessary for theyr state and degree ben blessed This beatitude or state of perfectioÌ„ may be referred vnto the fyrst consyderacion of the benefyte of creacioÌ„ wherin the myghty power of God was consydered whiche thynge well coÌ„sydered / euery person may lyghtely and sone perceyue he hath no thynge of hym selfe ne any thynge that he maye call properly his owne but that all thynges as in very propertie done apperteyne vnto god and ben here but only lent vnto man wherof to gyue accounte and so may he be reasonably moued to gyue freely vnto god that is his owne and to retayne no thynge in propertie but all to be coÌ„mune in tyme of nede vnto the neyghbour accordynge vnto the wyll and coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of god and this is called pouertie of spirite In them also that haue ryches as lordes and not seruauÌ„tes therof and this is the fyrst and moost lowe degree or state of perfection / whiche notwitstondynge doth conteyne many degrees In the hygest degree wherof done religiouse persones lyue yf they kepe theyr promyse and vowe duely The rewarde of this beatitude / doth folowe Quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum For the realme and kyngdome of heuens dothe apperteyne and bylonge vnto theÌ„ They that is such persons pore in spirite for god haue here now the property and possession as it may be had in this lyfe of the heuyns after this lyfe they be sure therof For as I sayd there ben two heuens One aboue where God and his sayntes bene And an other bynethe that is the firmament and all thynges conteyned theryn The pore in spirite shall haue the possession of bothe For in this lyfe he hath all that is nedefull prouyded by our lorde a speciall grace to be content with his ordinauÌ„ce and after this myserable lyfe he shall haue the full property and possessioÌ„ of the very laude of euerlastyng lyfe Amen ¶ Of the seconde beatitude THe seconde beatitude and state of perfect lyfe / is âšœ Beati mites Blessed ben the mylde That is to meane / the such ê‘sones as be myld / soft sober curteyse geÌ„tyll restfull pacieÌ„t that in good can vaynquysh euyll Ro. xii d for the tyme can wyll gyue place vnto rebuks checks wylde rughe cruell behauioure ben in this state degre of perfection / whiche degree may be referred vnto the seconde coÌ„syderacion whiche was of the werke of gouernaunce the standeth in the consyderacioÌ„ of the wysedom and knowledge of god / whiche deply coÌ„sydered may lyghtely bryng downe the hyghe proude mynde of any persone so that he shall euidently perceyue that in coÌ„paracion vnto that wysedom he is but a very fole hathe neyther wysedom ne lernyng And so shall he begyn to bere a lowe sayle to be mylde and to chuse rather to be gouerned ruled than to rule or gouerne for that appertaynethe chiefely vnto myldenes The rewarde wherof dothe folowe QuoniaÌ„ ipsi possidebunt terraÌ„ That is for they shall possede or haue possession of the erth This terme the erth is takeÌ„ dyuersly One waye for the element that bereth bryngeth forth trees fruytes and graynes In an other maner it is takeÌ„ for the body of man whereof was sayd vnto Adam Gene. iii. erthe thou arte and to erth shalt thou go In a thyrde waye it is takeÌ„ for heuyn the land of life Psalm xxvi and of all these erthes shall the myld haue possessioÌ„ For the mylde persone desyreth no more of this worlde but the sufficient susttentacioÌ„ of the body and so doth he order his body by that sufficiently that he is lorde of all the passions and mocioÌ„s thereof and dothe constrayne the flesshe to serue the spirite the body to be duely subiect / subdued and in all obedient vnto the soule And finally he shall haue full and whole possession of the land that flowed mylke and hony Exo. iii. b that is the lande of lyfe euerlastynge Amen ¶ Of the thyrde beatytude THe thyrde beatitude or state of perfecte lyuynge / is âšœ Beati qui lugent Those persones that done mourne ben blessed This terme mournynge dothe betoken a sorowfull behauyour in coÌ„tenaunce in wordes in araye and suche other lyke behauyoures As in sadde and sorowfull lokes chere and countenaunce in wepynge waylynge / cryenge / complaynynge / wryngynge of handes / tearynge of heares or of clothes chauÌ„ge of araye / as you may se in funerales or buryalles Somtyme caused for the losse of goodes Somtyme of honours / dignities / degrees And somtyme for the losse or dethe of frendes And somtyme althoughe moste seldome for the offence of god ieopardy of soules And also for the feruent desyre of heuyn And this degree or state doth excede both the tother For as it is
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
¶ 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
lytle leyser the exercise that we set forth in the later ende of your boke for housholders be very good vnto them that haue tyme conuenient we shall shewe our poore mynde makynge protestatioÌ„ that we done not hereby persuade any persones to leue or forsake theyr owne vsed exercises takyn of any good and sufficient auctorite approued by theyr ghostly fathers or by any other famous persone of auctorysed lernyng except the spirite of god moue them therunto ¶ Of your meditacion the fyrst consyderation of the werke of creacion For the more redynes we haue diuided this meditacion in .viii. consideracions whiche done folowe by order The fyrst consyderacion ¶ Fyrste aryse and lyft vp your selfe your harte your mynde and soule to haue meditation and to Hugo de setoÌ„ Victore de oê‘ibus trium dierum thynke vpon god hym selfe the father the sone and the holy ghoste thre destinct persones and one essenciall god one nature and one substaunce And here fyrst coÌ„syder his myghty power howe greate myghty a thynge it was to make any thynge of nought muche more than to make so many thynges in nombre vnto any mere creature innumerable the spirites angelicall the sterres of the firmameÌ„te / the grauell or sande of the see the dust and powder of the yerthe the dropes of rayne with all other suche to longe to wryte And yet not onely to consyder the multitude but also the magnitude how great they ben in quantite howe myghty they ben in vertu strength and power Se and beholde the hyght of heueÌ„ the depnes of hell the great moles rokkes or hepes of mouÌ„teynes the bredthe and length of the see and flodes The space and largenes of feldes with such other whereof to meruayle you may sone be wery and feynt but yet so to meruele is a good werynes / let this be for the fyrst consyderacion ¶ The seconde coÌ„syderacion of the wysedome of god the werke of gouernauns TVrne vp then the eye / or syght of your soule mynde loke vpoÌ„ the wysdome of god in the orderynge of these creatures coÌ„syder the heuyns the planetes and sterres howe they ben sett in ordre and done kepe coÌ„tynually theyr owne proper place and theyr perpetuall course and mouynges without chaunge or stoppage lykewyse of the .iiii. elementes the Fyre / the Aer / the Water / and the yerth eueryche in theyr owne rowme and proper place Consyder also the pulcritude beawte of them and of all creatures vnder them in theÌ„ Se howe fayre how goodly howe well framed and fasshoned how well fygured well fauored they ben loke vpoÌ„ theyr qualites / and vertues through you shall well therby perceyue the infinite wysdom and excellent science coÌ„nyng of hym that thus dyd ordre / and doth so gouerne and coÌ„tynue them you shall delyte haue affection and pleasure therin So that with great woÌ„der and merueyle you shall saye / crye with the prophet Psal xci ¶ Delectasti me domine in factura tua c. That is to meane âšœ Thou haste good lorde gyuen to me delectacion and pleasure in consyderacioÌ„ of thy facture and creacion of this worlde Psal ciii For thou good lorde hast made all thinges in wysdom And saynte Paule sayth Rom. xi O I merueyle and woÌ„der muche of the ryches and abundaunce of the wisdome science / knowledge and connynge of almyghty god And this for the seconde consyderacion ¶ The thyrde consyderacion of bounte and goodnes YEt go forther / and loke well agayne vpon your god / and ê‘ceyue not onely his moste myghty power / and moste infinite wisedom but also his excellente bounte and goodnes Hit was a meruelouse liberalite / and moste hygh louyng kyndenes of our lord god that hauynge no nede of any creatures for nother he was the better for them nor the worse without them that yet not withstondynge wolde onely of his bountie / and goodnes haue creatures for the welthe onely of the same creatures whiche selfe bountie goodnes more euidently maye appere vnto you if you coÌ„syder the vtilite and profyt of the sayde creatures howe necessarie and nedefull how coÌ„modiouse and profytable howe congruent and conuenient howe pleasaunte and comfortable they all ben eche vnto other all vnto mankynde For all he made for man and maÌ„ for him selfe to laude / prayse / and thanke him therfore and to be vnto hym in all thynges obedient And therunto he put hym in a place of all pleasure called yerthly paradyse And there hauyng all creatures vnto hym obedieÌ„t he made hym lorde / and souerayne of all put all vnto his frewyll liberte except only on tre wherof or of the whiche tre he streytly commauÌ„ded hym vpon determinate payne of lyfe that he shuld not ete ne fede These thynges well consydrede you maye perceyue a maruelouse bountie and moste liberall goodenes and let this be your thyrde coÌ„syderacion so than haue you the consyderacion of the omnipotent / and almyghty power of God appropriate most properly applied vnto the father the fyrst person in trinite And the consyderacion also of the infinite wysdom of god appropriate vnto the sone the secoÌ„de person And thyrdly the consyderacion of the graciouse bowntie / abundauÌ„t goodnes of god appropriate vnto the holy ghost the thyrd person Nowe yet passe forthe in your meditacion vnto ¶ The forth consyderacion of the werke of iustificacion YOu maye yet consyder the singuler grace / fauour / and loue of all .iii. persones one God vnto mankynde in the werke of iustificacion For wheÌ„ the sayd maÌ„ our father AdaÌ„ had by disobedieÌ„ce lost the sayd place pleasure of Paradyse and might by no meanes of hym selfe recouer the same agayn ne retourne therunto the whole trinite father sone holy ghost one god by one assent fell to couÌ„sell of very loue of mankynd decreed determined appoynted that the sone of god seconde persone in the sayde trinite the same selfe essenciall god with the father the holy ghost shulde entrepryse and vndertake to iustifie man agayne / to brynge hym vnto his fyrst astate and aboue that that is to saye to be agayne in as good case and better bothe in ease and pleasure dignite and degree then he was byfore hys fall / and then euer he shulde haue ben yf he had neuer falleÌ„ ne trespassed Qusa gaudium in celo super vno peccatore c. Luc. v. ii So then our louynge lord sauyoure Christe desceÌ„ded and came downe frome the bosome of the father of heuyn into thys vale of myserie / and here toke our frayle and vyle nature therin to suffre and bere all maner of miserie wretchednes payne and woo of the same nature conuenient for hym to bere and suffre except onely synne And althoughe he neuer had ne myght haue any synne yet notwitstandynge he toke vppon hym all the hole synne of man
instruction vnto vs which thyng I was loth vnto bothe bycause I lacked abilite thervnto and also bycause this werke whiche I intēded to be short shuld be therby inlarged Notwithstondyng bycause this werke is so diuided ī particles that as we sayd euery person may take what he wyll accordynge vnto his leyser and deuocion therfore we shall sumwhat to satesfye say our mynde ¶ Of the fyrste cosyderacion and of the fyrst day of creaciō THe fyrst consyderaciō was of the power of god in creacion and productiō of all creatures Gene. i. And we rede in the begynnyng of scripture that almyghty god in the begynnynge made heuen and erth spirituall corporall or bodyly creatures resonable and vnresonable creatures And that he made also the lyght / dyuided that lyght frō darknes And the lyght he called the day and the darknes he called the nyght and this was the werke of the fyrst day of creacion whiche in vs may teche vs how our lorde hath made in euery person an heuen an erth a spirituall partie and an erthly partie and made in vs also the lyght of vnderstandynge and reason / wherby we shulde diuide in our dayly werkes the spirite frō the fleshe the soule from the body / whiche is done by contemplacion or meditaciō after the fourme beforesayd That is to saye that in euery daye of our lyue we shulde somtyme be as well actyue as contemplatyue / and this for the fyrste daye ¶ Of the seconde cōsyderacion / of the seconde day of creacion THe seconde consyderacion was of the wysdom of god in orderyng and guydynge of his creatures And in the seconde day of creacion our lord god made the fyrmament or the skye and so dyuided the waters that were vnder the firmamēt from them that were aboue the firmamēt and called that firmament heuyn Note here that almyghty god made two heuyns / the tone vpon the fyrste day aboue / and the tother the seconde daye / and byneth to diuide as is sayde waters Loke now groūdely vppon this order of the creatures Some be aboue / and some bynethe The hygher heuyn spirituall to rule / order / and guyde the lower heuen temporall and erthely / And the spirituall creatures to rule the bodyly creatures And so those that be vnder and bynethe to be subdued / obedient / ordered in all thynges by thē that be aboue The same order shuld be kepte in vs / not onely euery person in hym selfe but also eueryche vnto other For almyghty god made in man / not onely as is sayde an heuyn hys soule but also an erthe / his body So that the whole man of soule body dothe bere the towme and place of this firmament / whose office and duety is to dyuide the water that is bynethe apperteynynge vnto the sensualite from the water that is aboue called aqua sapientie salutaris the water of helthfull wysdom and of saluatiō Eccl xv A That is to say that mā shuld euer deuyde and departe vice from vertu erthly conuersaciō from heuēly exercise vayne and voyde cogitacion from fructuouse and profytable meditacion and this for the seconde daye ¶ Of the thyrde consyderacion / and of the thyrde day of creacion THe thyrd cōsyderaciō was of the bountie and goodenes loue and liberalitie of god / whiche doth appere in the vtilitie and profyte of the creatures And in the thyrd day of creaciō / our lorde god cōmaunded the waters that were vnder the sayd firmament called heuyn to gader hepe them selfe together into one place and that the drye erthe yet bareyn shulde appere / and whiche thynge done the erth that then was drye and bareyn he called and named to be erthe tyllable / and apte / or disposed to be tylled And the congregacions and hepes of waters he called the see or sees And then he commaundeth the sayd erthe to bryng forth fruite In the vtilitie profyte wherof dyd apere the boūtie goodnes remembred byfore in this thyrde consyderacion But now muste we in lyke maner commaūde by reason all the water of our voluptuous disposicions and viciouse appetites to be gathered and heped into one place that is the worlde leue all those disposicions vnto worldly persones and vnto infidels viciouse and synfull people And lett our bodyly werkes appere synles And although they be yet baren yet maye they be apt by the meane of the sacrament of penaunce to be tylled / and brynge forth the fruitful werkes of vertu grace And thus an ende of this thyrde day ¶ Of the fourth consyderacion / the fourth day of creacion THe fourth cōsideraciō was of the werke of our iustificacion And in the fourthe daye our lorde made the son and the mone / and the sterres / to dyuide the daye and the nyght / the tymes houres / dayes and yeres / and to gyue lyght vnto the erthe The son doth signifie our sauiour Iesu the very sonne of iustice / the mone doth signifie the catholike churche of Christe that taketh lyghte of the sayd sonne our sauyour and so don the sterres also by whō the holy doctours preachers and curates ben signified For these done illumine and gyue lyghte of grace vnto the erthly synfull people / that by theyr ministracion of the blessed sacramentes ben iustified and made apte persones vnto saluacion / and so is the fourthe day applyed and sped ¶ Of the fyft consyderacion and the fyft day of creacion THe fyft consyderacion was of the werke of remuneraciō or rewarde whiche rewarde euery person shall haue accordyng vnto his werkes And in the fyft day our lord made fysshes and foules the fysshys to byde in the see the foules in the ayre By the fysshes euyll werkes bē sygnified and also euyll wordes and thoughtes Mathei xii c For of them sayd our sauiour accountes muste be rendred and made vnto eueryche due reward gyuen And these do remayne in the see of the synfull world / and shall be rewarded there after in payne And the good werkes wordes thoughtes that ben sygnifyed by the byrdes of the ayer / done dwell and abyde in heuenly conuersacion and shal be rewarded in ioy and blysse and let this stand for the fyft day ¶ Of the syxt consyderacion and the syxt day of creacion THe syxt consyderacion was of the werke of gloryficaciō And in the syxte daye our lorde made man after vnto his owne ymage / similitude / and lykenes And surely that was vnto man a great glory an excellent honour and dignitie / vnto the whiche no man may atteyne and come / but he onely that alone dyd ascende vnto heuyn / our lord sauyoure Iesu Ioh. iii. b In the whiche saynge you muste vnderstande Christe and his mēbres all faythfull people that ben lyke vnto hym and done folowe his stepes And thus an ende of the syxt day of creacion ¶ Of the seuenth consyderacion / and of the
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
/ by many rebukes mocked hym / and whan he coÌ„playned of thurst / they gaue hym eysell gall And whan he had haÌ„ged ther so paynfully the space of thre houres he with lowde crye commendyng his spirite and soule vnto the father of heuen / expired dyed And yet after his departynge to be sure of his deth one of the sowdyours made a wounde in his syde thraste hym vnto the harte with a spere ¶ Sepulture that is to saye the buryinge whan Iosephe ab Aramathie had asked of Pylate his blessed body / he toke hym downe at complyn tyme and buried hym in a newe graue or tombe that he had made for hym selfe ¶ Resurrection / that was whaÌ„ the thyrde daye after he dyd aryse in a gloryous body and soule and appered fyrst vnto our blessed lady his mother than vnto Mary magdalene and after vnto the thre Maries / than vnto saynte Peter and after that vnto two of his disciples at Emaus And the same nyght vnto ten of the Apostles whan all theyr dores and wyndowes were faste shut and closed vp Thus you maye perceyue he dyd appere .v. tymes that same daye of his resurrection ¶ Ascencion / that was whaÌ„ he in many sondry wyses by many apperynges had sufficiently proued assured his gloryous resurrection by the space of .xl. dayes than in the presence of his mother his apostles and in the preseÌ„ce of many other disciples men women he dyd meruelously ascende and stye vp into heuen ¶ The MissioÌ„ or sendyng of the holy ghost that was whan the .x. day after the sayd meruelouse asceÌ„sion accordyng vnto his promyse he sent downe the holy ghost vnto his blessed mother / his apostles disciples wherby they were all fulfylled with grace confyrmed theryn as the fyrste churche of christe and so hath coÌ„tynued / and doth shall coÌ„tynue iÌ„ the churche vnto the ende of the worlde Amen ¶ you now wyll thynke this table ouer loÌ„g for a dayly exercise but you muste remeÌ„bre that the selfe table is conteyned in the fyrst wordes of euery artycle and the resydue is a breue declaracion of the same therfore I shall be contente to set it out alone in selfe wordes whiche ben in noÌ„mbre .xl. ¶ Thus. ¶ Incarnation / Natiuite / Circumcision / Epyphani / Presentation / Egypte / DisputacioÌ„ / HumiliacioÌ„ / EducacioÌ„ / Baptysme / Wildernes / Faste TeÌ„ptacioÌ„ / Victory / ElectioÌ„ / Preachyng / Teachyng / Laboures / Miracles / Maundy / Ministery / ConsecracioÌ„ / SermoÌ„ / Agonye / Betraynge / Takynge / Bisshopes / Pylate / Herode / Pylate agayne / ExaminacioÌ„ / Flagellacion / Coronacion / Condemnation / Fatigation / CrucifixioÌ„ / Sepulture / Resurrection / Ascention / Mission ¶ The ende ¶ Nowe you may se this table is not long but may easely be had by harte and if it so be and dayly vsed I dare well say the persones shall fynde conforte therin bothe to exclude vyce / also to encrease in vertu grace And yet forthermore to coÌ„tynue therin vnto theyr conforte ioye euerlastyng whervnto he bryng vs that bought vs our lord god and most swete sauioure Iesu who guyde you kepe you all Amen ¶ The housholder ¶ Thus haue I nowe in dischargynge of my coscience done fulfylled the cownsell byddynge of my ghostly father that taught me thys lesson whiche cownsell was that I shulde call you all byfore me as well my wyfe and chyldren as myne other seruauntes men / women and chyldren and to teche you thys sayd and same lesson that he taught me Now I pray you all and charge you to do your deuoyr and diligence to followe it and vse it ¶ Also he delyuered vnto me an other prety lesson whiche was not his owne werke but of his translation as foloweth and bad me also teche it you ¶ A breue or shorte monycioÌ„ or counseyle of the cure and gouernaunce of a housholde accordyng vnto policy TakeÌ„ out of a pystle of a great lerned maÌ„ called Bernarde Siluestre put amonge the werkes of saynt Bernarde for bycause that many done iudge and thynke hit was his owne werke Set forth by the same brother FIrste good deuoute christians / take moste hede and gyue moste diligeÌ„ce to ordre your selfe and all youres vnto our lorde accordyng vnto the poore lesson that goeth before / and than se well vnto the substaunce / and guydyng of your house / and goodes Se fyrst that peace be in the house / and that you agre all together / for els all your goodes wyll sone goo to naught Than after the commune prouerbe cut your thoÌ„ges after or accordynge vnto your ledder Spende accordynge vnto your gaynes / gettynges / or reÌ„tes / and not aboue It is also good policy / to haue one yeres rente / or a yeres gaynes in store for chauÌ„ces whiche is not coÌ„trary vnto christianite where extreme or very streyte nede / is not perceyued in the neyghbour A negligeÌ„t or rechles ê‘sone may soone set on fyre destroye great substauÌ„ce Haue therfore a good eye / and garde vnto the diligence of your seruauÌ„tes for vnder theÌ„ your goodes may soone mynushe / and be wasted before you knowe / beware or haue knowlege therof / If your goodes begynne to waste better is lesse rebuke for you to absteyne withdrawe your charges / than to fall in to nedynes / or daunger An olde prouerbe Qui plus expeÌ„dit quam reruÌ„ copia tendit NoÌ„ admiretur si paupertate grauetur That is âšœ Who so done spende beyonde theyr faculte / No meruayle thoughe with nede they greued be ¶ It is therfore a great prouideÌ„ce good foresyght ofteÌ„ to couÌ„te / coÌ„pare your goodes and your gaynes with your expenses OfteÌ„ to ouerse your goodes shal be necessary For your beastes maye take hurte for defaute of fode all though they nothynge aske ne coÌ„playne Aristoti iÌ„ Econo The stepp of the husbaÌ„de maketh a fatte donghyll And the eye of the mayster a fatte horse that is to meane that the presence of the mayster in euery corner / is moche profytable Sumptuous costly weddynges or brydales beÌ„ damage / without honoure ExpeÌ„ses done vpoÌ„ warre ben more honorable than profytable Better is to suffre some wronge to bye peace than to make warre or to kepe warre Coste made vpoÌ„ prodigall persones is clerely loste Coste made vpon kynne frendes is resonable Fede your housholde seruauÌ„tes with honest commune fare / without delicates For the seruaunte that is made a glotoÌ„ shall neuer after mende his maners Glotony is vyle fylthy and stynkyng and wyll make the negligeÌ„t and careles persone soone roten shorte lyued Ecclesi xxxi Meane fedyng with scarcite is vnto the diligent persone / pleasaunte and profytable vpon the holydayes hyghe feastes gyue your housholde plenty of meate but seldome fewe delicates For the vse of delicate fode / wyll soone marre a good