shall defende no man with lyenge There is no lye that is iuste Lyes in euerye thyng are syn And all that agreeth not w t trueth is iniquite The temporall lawe punyshed those that are false those that are lyers yf euery man reproue lieng yf the lawe of man punish all falsehead coÌ„sider how moch more that such liers shalbe punished before god the very witnes of word dede before whome euery man must gyue accouÌ„t of euery ydle worde he hath spokeÌ„ be punished therfore Of this thyng speaketh Dauid saynge Thou shalt destrew coÌ„demne al those y â— lye Shal false witnes be vnpunished no verely Ther fore good syster fle auoyde all lyeng al false coÌ„municacyon speak that thyng y e is trewe nor neuer lye for no man Be trewe deceyue no man by lienge nor say not one thyng do another I pray god sende you the grace to speak that thing that is trew ¶ Of periury the .xxxij. ca THe lorde sayeth Sweare neyther by heueÌ„ nor yet by the earth For heueÌ„ is goddes seate the earth is his fote stole nor sweare not by thy head for thou canst not make the least heere of thy hed neyther whyte nor blacke But let your othe beye ye nay naye for yf it be anye more it is of euyl And as he that speaketh not can not lye so he y t sweareth not caÌ„ not be for sworn Howe craftely so euer a maÌ„ doth sweare yet god y t beareth witnes euery mans coÌ„scyeÌ„ce taketh euery mans othe after the mynde intent of hym that sweareth nor we shulde not fulfyll y t we haue ê“mised yf it be noughtes Good sister wil ye y e I shew you how ye shall neuer be for sworne neuer sweare For yf ye sweare not ye shall neuer be forsworne So w tout swearyng a man shal neuer fall into ê‘iury Leaue the vse of swearyng for y e custome therof bryngeth many a one to ê‘iury sweare by ye and by naye For y e trueth hath no nede of othes faythfull and true wordes are in the place of a nothe The holy goost giue you grace to speak and to vse youre wordes moderately and modestyously ☞ Of detractyoÌ„ the .xxxiij. cha WElbeloued sister harkeÌ„ vnto my wordes and to my exhortacyoÌ„ coÌ„syder wel what I say vnto you Detraction is a verye greuous syn a greuous vyce a greuous exclamacyon and a verye greuous cryme euery man doth repreheÌ„d detractioÌ„ euery maÌ„speaketh shame by stauÌ„derous Euery man doth dishonour them except such as be slauderous bacbyters or such as fauer theÌ„ and take pleasure in them Dauyd sayeth I dyd ê‘secute hym y â— secretly bacbited slaundered his neyghbour There is nothynge more haynus then detraction Detractours barke as dogges do and as dogges do bite those y â— passe by so these detractours batbyters do gnaw byte there neyghbours good name fame Therfore good syster remoue this slauÌ„derous vice of detractioÌ„ froÌ„ your tongue Gnawe at no mans liuyng repreheÌ„d nor hurt no maÌ„s liuing Defyle not your mouth w t no nother maÌ„s iniquite bacbyte not the synÌ„er but haue coÌ„passyoÌ„ vpoÌ„ hym and feare that thyng in your selfe that ye reproue in another and amend that thyng in your selfe that ye reproue in another loke that ye be as diligent to correcte and to amende your selfe as ye be to correcte to reproue other And when ye intende to slaunder another man loke wel vpon your selfe and fyrst or euer ye backebyte or slaunder any other man reproue youre owne mysliuyng For yf ye loke well vpon youre selfe ye shall neuer hurte nor yet slaunder no nother man Therfore take good hede that with all dylygence ye reforme youre owne selfe and amende your owne euyll demeanoure Listen not to these detractours nor gyue no eare to these whysperers and mutterers For he that slaundereth a man and he that harkeneth vnto hym are in lyke faute These detractours are neuer lyke to come to heueÌ„ that virgyn that intendeth to come to euerlastynge ioye must slaunder no persone O venerable virgyn yf ye remoue your hearyng froÌ„ there detractours coÌ„men bacbyters refrayne your tongue from all euyll and vnclenly coÌ„munycacyoÌ„ ye as I haue sayde before shalbe counted amonge the prudent and wyse virgyns ¶ Of enuye the .xxxiiij. ca THe enuyous man is a meÌ„bre of the deuyl By whose enuie deathe came iÌ„to y â— world enuye consumeth clene away all the braunches of vertue Enuy through his pesty ferus heate deourneth all goodnesse enuy is the mothe and the worme y â— coÌ„sumeth destroyeth the soule enuy hurteth it selfe soner theÌ„ any other maÌ„ Enuye gnaweth byteth it selfe moche sooner theÌ„ any other Enuy byteth his owne maister first of al enuy coÌ„sumeth a mans senses vnderstaÌ„dyng It burneth wasteth his brest It teareth his soule as a pestiferus thyng it pearseth and runneth throughe maÌ„s hart And therfore goodnes must w t staÌ„de enuye and charite must be prepared agaynst it Good syster loke ye neuer be sory of another mans vertue nor of no nother maÌ„s ê‘fyte torment not your self y â— your neyghbour doth prosper there is no vertue but y â— enuy hateth it is clene agaynst it And there is nothyng except misery but y â— enuy is as an aduersate to it why so For nomaÌ„ hateth y â— wretched y â— virgyn y t desyreth to inhabite heueÌ„ must enuy nor hate no ê‘son the virgin y â— desyreth to go to the maryage w t chryst Iesus must not be sorowfull of another mans promocion honour Deare syster I beseche pray almightye god to clense to purifye youre harte mynde froÌ„ al maliciousnesse enuye to theÌ„tent ye may serue him in al purenes clenlynesse of lyfe ⧠Of anger the .xxxv. cha HOnest virgyn harken vnto SalomoÌ„s wordes A geÌ„tyl and a louly answere breketh anger And hastye wordes make anger and debate agayne he sayth Swete geÌ„tyll wordes do mitygate anger encrece freÌ„des The more that a maÌ„ is vnpacieÌ„t y â— more meÌ„ do iudge him to lacke wisdome By anger y â— eye of the harte is troubeled by anger wise meÌ„ lese there wisdoÌ„e By anger meÌ„ fal be syde theÌ„ self Many meÌ„ are sone angery sone pacifyed plesed Some there be y t are very slowe to anger very hard to be pacy fyed agayne Some other there are which are sone angery very hard to be pleased but yet better is he y â— is sone angry soone pleased theÌ„ he y t wyll belong or euer he be angarde long or he be pleased Deare syster I pray you harkeÌ„ vnto s Iames wordê sayng Let euery maÌ„ be sayeth s Iames hasty diligeÌ„t to here tardius to speake slow to anger why so For y e anger of man doth not effectuously cause y â— iustice of god nor y e anger of a
of holy scrypture y â— is that ye do nothiÌ„ge but as holy scrypture shal lerne and informe you for ye shall fynde therin how ye maye exchew and auoyde y â— deceytes of the deuyll Ferthermore I exhorte you to kepe you vpoÌ„ y â— bankes of holy scripture for feare of reueners that is least y â— wicked spiryte do sodenly engrype you deceyue you Therfore I wolde counsell you to watche w t all diligence to auoyde his fraude deceytefulnes Alas wretches as we be why do we not lerne vnderstaÌ„d y â— all our thoughtes are openly knoweÌ„ to god or euer we put theÌ„ in execucioÌ„ Dauyd sayeth God is he onely that knoweth searcheth mans harte and mynde Therfore good sister let vs thiÌ„k that we be continually before God let vs lerne knowe y t we be but earth asshes Let vs also coÌ„sider y t the lorde is terâ—yble rewardyng euery man after his deseruyng He is not far froÌ„ vs nor wyl not tary very long He wyll come saue vs. Let vs therfore watche coÌ„tinually w t good deuocyoÌ„ y t at his coÌ„myng wheÌ„ he shall knocke at our dores he fynde vs not a slepe but brode wakiÌ„ge in his lawde loue holy seruice Let vs therfore run whilest we haue light lest y â— darknesse do ouer take vs. For SalomoÌ„ saieth Blessed is he y â— heares me that kepeth dayly watche at my dore at my postornes For he y â— shal fynde me shal find lyfe shal haue the goodnes of god Therfore good syster I monyshe you that w t all your hart mynde ye watche in the loue seruyce of god y â— at the dredfull day of dome ye may fynde hym kynde and mercyfull vnto you Let no chance fynde you vnprepared thynk vpoÌ„ al chaÌ„ces remeÌ„ber y t there is nothynge but y â— may chance Thynk euermore vpoÌ„ the wretchednes y â— is to come And iÌ„ ê“speryte remeÌ„ber y â—aduersite may assayle you thiÌ„ke euermore vpoÌ„ euyl lest any such thiÌ„g chance for it is a point of a wyse maÌ„ to pÌ„meditate fore thynk y â— losse of such chances for yf it be thought vpoÌ„ it is y â— more easyer to be suffered born if amaÌ„ loke for amishap it may be y â— bett born the premeditacioÌ„ forethynkiÌ„g of a thiÌ„g breketh diminisheth the grefe therof but yf any such thyng chauÌ„ce vnloked for it greueth a man very sore for soden harme troubeled a maÌ„ greuously y â— a man hath not ê“uyded for doth vexe him shrodly all soden teÌ„pest do put men in great feare and euery soden thynge is moch more troubelous then is y â— that man thinketh vpoÌ„ Therfore prepare your hart mynde both to good euyll in ê“sperite remeÌ„ber aduersite inaduersyte remeÌ„ber ê“sperite Be alwaies waâ— thyng â—est euyl thoughtê assaylâ— you Loue holy scrypture despise all carnalite for so shall ye come to the celestial court ioye euerlastynge Of wysdome the .liiij. cha MY deare syster harâ—eÌ„ vnto goddes wordes be you as wyse as the Serpente as simple as y â— doue and Salomon sayth The symplycyte of iust men shall dyrecte them and the subplantacyon of peruerse persons shall dystroye theÌ„ The good siÌ„ple mans way is goddes waye they that do naughtely shalbe euer more in feare the Iustyce of the symple man shall gyde his soule but y â— proude maÌ„ shall dye in his naw tynes the Innocent person beleueth euery body they y â— deceyue the iust and leade hym to synne shall dye and the symple shall possesse his goodes they that are euyl do hate the symple but they that are iuste shall guyde theÌ„ holy symple rusticyte profyteth it selfe onely as moche as it throughe good lyfe dothe augmeÌ„t profyte the church so moch it damageth hurteth it yf it resyste not those y â— w tstaÌ„de veryte and truethe And. s Hierome sayth that man shuld not requyre of goddê seruauÌ„tes bodely ornameÌ„tes but y â— siÌ„plycyte mekenes of mynde nor esteme al holynes to be iÌ„ theyr toÌ„gues but to be onely in the pure and siÌ„ple coÌ„scieÌ„ce And of two vnperfyte thiÌ„ges holy rusticyte is moche better theÌ„ synful eloquence holy rusticyte is moch more alowed theÌ„ vaine loquacite Good syster if your inteÌ„cyoÌ„ mynd be simple before the syghte of god your workê at y â— day of iudgmeÌ„t shall not be obscure and darke And they that can not be chasteÌ„ by the workes of Iustyce caÌ„ by no meanes be innoceÌ„tes by symplycyte The church doth begin the way of trueth and of simplycyte w t feare and endeth it with charytye God doth not onely take hede to mans wordes but also to the harte and mynde of man and he louethe those that serue hiÌ„ w t the siÌ„plicyte of hart of this speaketh god in the Can tycles sayng My doue is but one my perfite is alone onely choseÌ„ out for her mother Oure mother be generacyoÌ„ is y â— grace of god to the which there is chosen out a doue for she bryngeth them onely togither that abyde in symplycyte and vnytie For when many faythfull people set theyr hole mynde and intencyoÌ„ vpon god when they withe one mynde desyre god onely wheÌ„ they ar asseÌ„bled iÌ„ charyte w t one hart one mynd theÌ„ they so ioyned make of diuers meÌ„bres but one body And al they that lyue in simplicite vnyte are but as one doue they that men do dispraise and gest at in this world are greatly in goddes fauoure Therfore good sister let vs pray god that it wyll please hym to seÌ„de vs froÌ„ heueÌ„ the holy gooste by whose ayde we may obtayne the siÌ„plicyte of the doue the wisdome of the Sarpent that we may be simple in malyce wyse in doyng of good workes A sarpent is a very subtyll beaste for we rede of y â— SerpeÌ„t called Iaspys the which perceyuyng the inchauÌ„ter comiÌ„g towardes her doth laye one of her eares vpon the grouÌ„de stoppeth the other w t her tayle lest she shuld heare the voyce of the inchanter And the prophet speakyng of those y â— are cruell wise in all naughtynes saith that they are in a fury as is the deth sarpeÌ„t stoppiÌ„g of her eares because she wold not here y â— voice of y â— inchaÌ„ter Therfore good syster in Chryst Iesu folowe the sarpeÌ„t in this cace y â— is stoppe youre eares y â— ye here no euyll wordes praye god that the oyle of synners anoynte not your hed the oyle of the synner is y â— laude of a flatterer the sarpent stoppeth her eares because she wyl not here the inchanters voyce so muste you stop your eares that ye here not the vycyousnes of flatterers and slauÌ„derers the sarpent Iaspis is wyse for he wyll not here y t wordes of the inchanter lest he shulde dye loone after be you wyse also
that it wyll please hiÌ„ so to puryfy your conscyence that ye may receyue the mysterye of his precious bodye and blode Amen ☞ Of thought the .xxxix. Cha. DEare syster heare I pray you what God saith by y â— ê“phe Isa Take remoue all euyl froÌ„ your cogytacyons thoughtes not w t staÌ„ding a maÌ„ cease leaue of to do euyll yet yf he be in thoughte iÌ„ hart defyled he is not w toute faute and therfore sayth s Isodory MaÌ„ doth not syn onely in dede but also in thought mynde yf suche thoughtes do delyte please hym For as the vyper is kylled and dystroyed by his yonglinges beyng yet in her bely so our owne euyl and myscheuous thoughtê coÌ„sume and slay our soules yf we nonrishe them within vs. Wherfore good syster I counsayle you that with al diligeÌ„ce ye take good hede to your hart minde for from the hart coÌ„meth both life and deth HarkeÌ„ also what y â— spouse sayth in the Cantycles to the laude of y â— holy church The heate of thy heade is like y â— kynges purpure ioyned to pÌ„lates The heare of the church is the lytle bed of the deuoute soule it is in memory as is the kiges purpure ioyned vnto the pÌ„lates for purpure is bouÌ„de by haÌ„dfulles to those pÌ„lates wherupoÌ„ they cast water y â— which water runneth throughe the pÌ„lates vpoÌ„ the cloth so is purpure died of this doth purpure take his name And al this doth agre is ryght coÌ„uenyent and meete for the deuout soule For the heares of y â— hed are the thoughtê of the mynde y â— which are bouÌ„de vnto these condettes for they are faste bouÌ„de in holy scrypture because they shulde not ruÌ„ne ouer belost in vayn Therfore kepe your hart minde froÌ„ such noyfull thoughtes loke it be net pure lest y t any such vayn thoughtê cuÌ„ crepyng in vnto it For god doth not onely examine maÌ„nes body but also he examyneth his soule God iudgeth maÌ„nes coÌ„scyence God iugeth mans thought y â— soule of maÌ„ yf any vayn thoughtê do moue or troble you coÌ„sent not iÌ„ no maner of wyse vnto theÌ„ but iÌ„coÌ„tynent eiect theÌ„ froÌ„ you And as sone as y â— scorpioÌ„ shal appere breke his hed that is breke and caste away al such euyll cogitacyoÌ„s A faute must be amended there where it hathe his begynnyng that is in mans hart put oute of your hart the hede of all euyll thoughtes for there caÌ„ no thyng be hyddeÌ„ froÌ„ god God is euery where the spiryte of god fulfylleth all maner of places the maiestye of god almyghtye pereseth the elemeÌ„tes god knoweth maÌ„s thought Good syster wyll ye neuer be heuy Ye good brother TheÌ„ inteÌ„d to lyue well for yf ye lyue well ye shal neuer be heuy For a sure a vncarefull mynde setteth lytle by heuynes a good a cleare coÌ„scyence is euer more in myrth yf ye contynew in goodnes all heuynes shall froÌ„ you departe yf ye coÌ„tynew iÌ„ holynes deuocioÌ„ ye shal haue none occasion of heuines Yf ye lyue well ye nede nother to fere plage nor yet death But the coÌ„science of a sinner is euermore in payne he that is gylthy is neuer at reste And a synfull mynde is alwayes vexed w t the pryckes of his owne coÌ„scyence Good syster listen what the lord sayeth of the woman to the serpent she shall breake thy heade The serpentê head is theÌ„ broken when a maÌ„s faute is there ameÌ„ded where it had his begynnyng I praye GOd to puryfye your harte your mynde froÌ„ all syn and euyll cogytacyon that ye may serue hym in al purenes and clenlynesse both of mynde and thought ¶ Of silence the .xxx. cha I Saye the prophet sayeth That scyleÌ„ce is the honour of iustice his perpetuall sauegarde and suertie the prophet Dauid sayeth put some defence custody aboute my mouthe a dore of circuÌ„stauÌ„ce about my lyppes The holy fathers keping there sileÌ„ce applide gaue all there mynd to knowe to se the swetenesse of the lord leauyng of all worldly care they gaue them self holy to coÌ„templatioÌ„ Good syster I praye you to despyse to auoyde al vnhonest coÌ„municacyoÌ„ to fle froÌ„ all vnclenly wordes for vayne coÌ„municacioÌ„ doth right sone polute defyle mans soule And maÌ„ doth that thing ryght willyngly that he hereth gladly neuer speake such wordes that maye let anye vertue or goodnesse nor neuer speake y â— thynge that shall not become you to speake Let no such wordes scape you that may hurte those that heare them flee all vnclenly wanton coÌ„munycacyon For vayne wordes betoken a vayne conscyence mans tongue declareth and openeth his conscyence and loke what a mans wordes be suche is his harte and mynd For the mouth speaketh after the abundaunce and courage of the harte Refrayne yourself froÌ„ all ydle wordes Use to tel no vayue fables for ydle wordes shall be condeÌ„pned Euery man shall gyue a tekenyng of his wordes and at the day of iudgemeÌ„t euery maÌ„s wordes shall stande before his face Loke therfore that youre wordes be ful of grauyte of sadnesse and of good lernynge and that theybe irreprehensyble Loke that youre tongue be not the cause of yourdaÌ„natioÌ„ enuiroÌ„ your mouth w t good watche meÌ„ and seale vp your lippes Put y â— clausures of scilence vnto them Loke what tyme ye do speake and in what houre and speak in conuenyent tyme holde youre peace when tyme shall requyre speake not vntyll ye be spoken vnto Let a nother mans demaunde opon youre mouthe speake but fewe wordes passe not your measure for in manye wordes is syn A babbeling and a chatterynge made is counted but a fole For she that is wyse vseth fewe wordes Wysdome causeth fewe wordes and it is a great foly to speake many wordes 〈◊〉 Loke therfore y e in wordes ye passe not your measure Good syster I pray hym to kepe youre mouth y e hath choseÌ„ you to his spouse and seruant ¶ Oflieng the .xxxj. cha LYers are ofteÌ„ tymes the occasyon cause that men byleue not those which tell the trueth Man shulde auoyde exchue all kyndes of lyes notwithstandynge there are some of lesse syn then some as wheÌ„ a maÌ„ fayneth some pretye lye for the welth of many other But yet bicause it is wrytten the mouth that lieth kylleth the soule perfyte good men haue also auoyded this maner of lienge nor wolde in no maner of wyse defende anye mans lyfe by deceyte least y â— by helpyng of other meÌ„ they shuld hurte there owne soules But yet I beleue y â— such maner of lyenge is lyghtly for gyuen My welbeloued syster in god I exhort you to flee asmoche as is possyble all maner of lyes nor willigly ye shall not speake that is false nor study to lye notwithstandyng ye may do another man pleasure withall nor ye