the length thou most paynefully most miserably yet most louynglye and willinglye sufferest moost crewel moost bytter and moost shamefull deathe for me specially and for all mākynd and so well thou yet louyst me that if nede were thou art redy to suffer the lyke yea more paynfull passion more cruel death rather then I should perysh if I wold faithfully loue and serue the. ¶ O Most louing and mercyfull sauyoure Iesu I moost vnkind sinner haue neglected and set at nought the that haue done so muche for me and I haue offended as vnkyndly and as greuously as though thou haddest done nothing at all for me For I haue contynually offendyd and synned all my life but specially ī these N. Thou most here remember thy special dedly sinnes one after another and be speciallye sorye yf tyme wyll serue And generally I confesse my innumerable enormytes wherin I haue contēpned and offendyd the. Fyrst in breking of thy holy .x. commaundementes In the .xii. Artycles of the catholyque fayth The statutes and commaundementes of holy churche In the .xii. coūsels of the gospell In breking such priuate vowes as I haue promised In the .vii. mortal sinnes ¶ Omytting the .vii. workes of meryc gostly and in not doing the .vii. gyftes of the holy inspiracions I haue misused the gyftes of grace lent vnto me I haue mysused my v. vyttes or senses outwarde and my senses inward I haue misspent al the powers members and myghtes of my body and of my soule I haue mysspent the gyftes of nature the gyftes of fortune the giftes of the holy goost I haue not desposyd me to haue constante fayth perfect hope and burning charitie which are the thre theological vertewes I haue not had in me the foure cardinall vertues Prudence Iustice Fortytude and Temperaunce I haue not labored to haue in me the .xii. frutes of the holy gost I haue not labored so ernestly to com to perfection of lyfe and to the perfect loue of the as I wolde haue done to come vnto hyghe dignitie and honour of the worlde I haue sinned and lyued sinfully in euerye place in euery state in euery office that I haue lyued in by word by dede thought in omission in losse of my tyme and in vnkyndnes and vnthankfulnes towardes the my Lorde God towardes thy blessed mother and all thy blessed angels and saintes And agaynst all myne neighbors against the good folkes the blessed frindes of god agaynst the weake and sinners agaynste my benefactours and frendes agaynste my superiors my egalles my inferiours agaynste the quicke and the deade against the sowles in purgatory againste all creatures against my owne selfe agaynste both my body and my soule for I haue misvsed these creatures to the great dyshonor of the my lord god to the iniurye of myne neghbours and to the condemnacion of myne owne soule So that ther is no gyfte nor benefyt that thou haste geuen me nor no good thing in the whiche I haue sought the sincerely and purelye For I haue lesse or more sought myne owne commodytie myne owne wyll or pleasure Thus in all my hole lyfe I haue ether done commytted sinne eyther omyttyd and not done my dewty or els doing my dewty or any good woorke I haue not done it so syncerelye purely as I ought to haue done Wherfor I forsake here al kynde of sinne and al my dedes good and bad and I runne only vnto thy greate mercy and infinyte merytes ¶ O most mercyfull petyfull and most louyng lorde Iesu I moost humbly lowly beseke thy mercyful goodnes for thy most holy concepcion and natiuitye For thy blessed conuersacion and moost holy lyfe For thy moost harde and sore laboure and trauel for the great sorow and heuynes of thy blessed harte for thy most payneful agonye and bloudy sweat for al thy bytter and most paynfull passion for al the cruell effucion of thy moost precious bloud for thy most painful most cruel moost bytter and shamefull death graunt me mercy and forgeuenes of all my vnkindnes and sinne mortyfye in me al that offendeth the worke in me suche vertues as moost maye please thy blessed wyll in me to thy honour my saluacion Amen O Moste gloryus mother of mercy and ladye of grace my syngular help and comfort in heauen and in earth nexte vnto my lord god and sauyor Iesu I humbly beseke the for that holy passyon death and al the paines that thy deare sonne Iesu sufferyd in thy sorowfull syght For al the sorow heuines and most bytter compassion that thou sufferedst for him and me optain for me cleane remyssyon of al my synnes and all the paines that I haue deserued for them and increase of al vertue perfeccion Here praye to thy specyall aduowryes O Mooste blessyd and holy N N. N. N. and al ye moost holy and blessed company of heauen for al the paynes and labours that ye suffered here by the grace of the holy goost and for the very loue and honoure of god I humbly beseche your blessyd charyte pray for me vnto my lord and swet sauyour Iesu that he vochesaf to remyt my wickednes and synnes and so to confyrme me in his grace and loue that I neuer returne to syn agayne Here turne thy heart agayne vnto thy Lorde Iesu saynge ¶ And were I dayly fall and am redy to syn vochesafe to graūt me oh Lorde grace euer moore as ofte as I fal to arise againe with perfect sorow hate of syn and with most lowely cōfidēce trust of his blessed swet mercy That the multytude of my syn and mi great frailtie driue me not to disperate sorowe and inordynatte heuynes Nether let me mistrust the great and most gracius redynes of thy moost louyng mercy that is euer redye to forgyue as ofte as we do repent be yt neuer so ofte Draw me not to presūpcyon but that I how so euer whan so euer and how often soeuer I offend the I may moost lowly and mekely acknowelege my wretchydnes and frayltie and repente myne offences and synnes wyth a fyrme purpose to amend and with an vnfayned trust of remyssyon and forgeuenes in the infynyte merytes of thy most blessed blood payneful passyon and most precyus death to the glory honoure of thy mercy ful charytie most myghty maiestie Amē ¶ The Thyrd exercyse of reformacyon of the soul in the fyue wyttes sences COnsider how thy fyue wittes are wonderful wekened and dysorderid by the fall of our forefather and parent Adam But a greate deale more infected and disorderyd by thy owne actual synnes the great abuse of thē Wherefore that they may be redyer brought againe vnto ther former and original purenes wherin they were before the fall of adam thou must nedes shut vppe and refrayne from all misuse of all thy senses as thy syghte hearing taisting with thy tong smellyng and fealyng in the crucyfied humanitie of Chryst accordyng to hys exāple wyth so
to be necessary for the to hys hyghe honoure and the soule health of thyne euen christē For certaine this wysdō is very necessary for all gostly lyfe whiche ought to be instituted begone and fully ended in an order according vnto reason Wysdome bryngeth thre daughters the feare of god dyscrecion and symplycitie The godly wyse offendyth god neuer for he that sinneth he is not godly wise in that pointe for al syn is foly and folyshnes and where euer abydeth wysedome godly there is founde also the feare of god whiche is the begynninge of al wysedome And with this feare we ought to be adorned alway like after the maner of childrē and not lyke seruile seruantes And then of his owne nature wyll discrescion folowe the whiche laboryth to keepe a meane and a measure in all vertue least doinge anye thynge more or lesse then reason dothe requyre or ryght is god myght be offendyd Holy simplicitie is to auoyde doublenes al troublesomnes and al curiousnes to cleue vnto the high goodnes of god onlye and to take all thinges good or bad immedyatly as at the hand of god and not of any creature and render and referre them agayne vnto god wysely to obserue and marke the wyll and ordinacion of god in all thynges to obaye god and al creatures for god doynge all thynges in god symply and perfectly with a resigned minde a swete mildnes not with rashnes for god worketh all thynthinges in vs yf we gyue place to hym with out simplicite wisdō wold be curius prod Where so euer the very feare of god and wise descrescion are possessed error or syn can not lyghtly crepe in ¶ The thirde principall vertue is the trew charitie of god This vertu thou shalt here in thy harte lokinge well vpon and marking the throw pearced harte of Iesu christ printyng thy hart into it Thou shalt most humbly and deuoutly desyre thy lord Iesu by the loue of his godly and woūdyd harte that he wyl vouchesafe to grante the in the merytes of the same the perfecte loue of of him selfe The charitie of god begettith thre daughters fayth hope and perseueraunce For hereof commyth al our faintnes and decay that we do not perseuer for bycause our charitie is lytle is not great inoughe which might beget perseuerance for he that attempteth entreth any thing of very trewe charitie be it neuer so harde meruelus he will not cease vntyl he hath opteyned it for charitie begetteth faythe by which we may do and worke wonders as also by fyrme and sure hope and trust in god abidinge with confidens in his helpe and not in our owne power ¶ The fourth principall vertu is Iustice or ryghtwysnes whom thou shalte bere in thy ryght hand and thou must marke wel and take good heede vnto the ryghte hande of Iesu Chryst how for ryghtwysenes sake it was fastened vnto the crosse with a gros and sturdy nayle besechynge him mooste humbly by the moost bytter payne that he sufferyd in the precyus wound of his ryght hand for rightwisenes by the loue that forced him to suffer the paine that he wyl vochesafe to graunt vnto the very trew ryghtwysenes in all thy dedes that thou mayst render to god almyghty that which belongeth vnto him as al honor and glorie al loue and thankes gyuinge in al thy cogitacions wordes and dedes in lyke sorte vnto thy superyor to thy egual vnto thi inferior suche thinges as belong vnto them as ys thy dewtye to render vnto them and also vnto thy body that thou mayst geue vnto it those thynges whiche belong vnto it as in meate drynke slepe clothe in other necessaryes no more nor no lesse then thou art bond This ryght wisenes begettyth thre doughters Mercy truthe or verytie and thankefullnes Ryghtwisenes is a meruelus vertue the which geuithe to euery one that belongyth and is dew to them and bryngith forth mercy Very true mercye fyrste takyth compassion vpon the soule of the euen chrysten as for example Yf a poore man shold aske an almes fyrst of al if it be expedient and oportunitie do serue and thou doist hope of frute goostly profit in him and perceiuest that he is dyseasyd goostly and is in danger of syn thou art bond to geue hym a gostly almes for the comforte of the soule whiche ought fyrst to be fed for it is muche better then the body and then feade his body yf he nede and thou be able Rightousenes begettith verytie or treuthe whiche seaketh god in al thyngs it begettyh also thankfullnes For it is not possyble that a ryght wyse man shulde not be thankeful vnto god and vnto al such as hath shewed him the way to come to god haue holpen hym toward his soule healthe The fifte principal vertue is veray and godly fortytude or strenghth gostly in fulfylynge and doynge al vertwe and in eradycatynge and dystroynge al vyce Trew fortytude careth for no creature nor fearyth nether the deuyl neyther men nether the whole worlde nether the owne fleshe but boldly and manfully goynge forward and passynge thorow al thynges he can cōtepme easeli al thinges for goddes loue of whome he hath receauyd that fortytude When any temtacyon comyth vppon a man where by he is forced to fal thē doth this godly fortytude succure him and putteth him in minde sayng What wilte thou do wylt thou offend god thy maker why ther wylt thou Abyde styl stedfastly where thou art now ryhtwel least more myschefe come to the. This vertew of trew fortitude thou shalt bere in thy left hand beholdinge and marking wel the left hand of thi sauiour Iesu Chryst most humbly beseke hym by the sorowe payne of the precyous woūde of hys left hand and by the wonderful fortytude that he shewed in al his workes that he wyll vochesafe to powre in to thy soule and body very trew fortitude as much as is necessarie for hys hyghe honour and thy saluacion This godly and gostly fortitude begettyth thre daughters Chastitie sobryetie and pouertie A strong man in god he stickes not nether tarieth not any wher but strongely and stowtly passyth thorow al that euer is in the whoole worlde as thoughe they appertaynyd nothynge at al vnto him neyther feareth to passe thorowe fyer or water trustinge in the helpe of god vntyl he hath optayned that whiche he desyereth A stronge man in god is easely pleasyd and sone contentyd in al thynges yea wyth a peece of browne breade wyth an homyly apparel wyth poore and vyle houshold stuf he sekith not curius paintīgs hangings images and suche other in hys chamber lest suche shuld pul any porcyon of his loue from god and stay let hys hart that wold to god for he wold perpetually without impediment cleaue vnto god And therefore it begettyth chaistitie for thys fortitude detestith abhorrith al vnclennes that displeasyth and is hateful to god it begettyth also sobryetie
together in all the whoole world can thinke or speake it is lesse in comparison of hys hyghe worthines and perfeccion then one lytle droppe of water in comparyson of the whoole mayne sea And yet marke well he so myghty so great so hyghe and so wonderfull a lorde god hath creatyd thy soule moost nobly vnto hys owne lykenes and made it able and mete to be pertaker and to receaue his hygh maiestie and goodnes by loue of hym For he hathe knytte vnto thy soule three excellent myghtes or powers that not only in the lyfe to come in heauen but also in this present life and world thou myghtest know hym by thy vnderstanding in fayth and goostly contemplacyon And by thy wyll thou myghteste choose and loue hym And by thy memorie thou mightest reste in him and be knyt vnto him thou myghtest remayne and dwell euer in hym And playnely yf thou weere not blyndyd by the deuell the world and the fleshe and the loue of thes thou woldest be so rauished in the pleasure and loue of hym that for Ioye and wonder thou shuldest not be able to stand but faynt and synke The Ioyes and sorows of this world thou shludest not marke nor take any heede to them nor passe for them any thyng at all For thou woldest not suffer thy selfe in any wyse to be seperatyd not one momente from the consyderacyon and loue of that hyghe and infinite goodnes ¶ Secondlye consyder and beholde with greate Ioye gladnesse and thankefulnesse how so hyghe excellent wonderfull a lord of his euerlastynge loue and charytie offreth hym self euery where in euery place specyally in thy soule very presently vnto the. Yea more nearer the then thou arte to thyne owne self to vpholde thy lyfe and being to conserue to gouerne the and to saue the and to bring the to eternal blisse Wherfore thou haste more neade to be ware and charie of thy honestie of verteous couersacyon yf thou wylt not dissemble for as muche as thou dost all thynges yea al that thou thynkest and spekest is openly done spoken and thought in his very presence whiche seeth all thynges Take heede therfore and consyder thy moste deare louyng lord god thy creator thy very hartes loue alway before the present and walke in thy conuersacion lyke a chaiste spouse with reuerent feare louely shamefastnes mekenes obedyence and pacyence before the eies of so highe a maiestie of god preparing thy selfe alway without ceassyng to please him syghyng and desyryng in the botome of thy hart to haue hys loue in thy hart and moost louyngly to enbrase hym ¶ Oh what abūdance of grace wold grow in thee yf thou coldest thus do At the leaste do as thou maist vntyll more grace come ¶ Thyrdely consyder that the same so myghty and omnipotent lord of his vnmesurable charytie and of moost constant and free loue turneth hym selfe and hath speciall regarde to the so specyally and syngularly that it passeth the vnderstanding desire of the aungels So great is his dignacion and goodnes toward the an vncleane and vyle worme that he intendyth and taketh soo great hede and care for the as though ther were no mo creatures left hym neyther in heauen nor in earth but thou alone He also hath deliuered the and defendid the from many periles and dangers both of body and of soule and dothe styll euery moment kepe the. He also vnaskyd doth geue thee allure the and intyse the wyth so many benyfytes gyftes and graces thoughe thou be very vnkynd and most vnworthy vnto hym agayne that thou canst not number the least part of them And of the same hys charitie he geuyth the most free lybertie to come to hym euery momente so that with onely a good thoughte and a louely desire thou maist obtaine and possesse infinite and euerlastynge goodnes whiche he his hym selfe In so muche that thou mayst safely surely and most profitably open vnto hym as vnto thy moost faithful louing and trustye frynde all thy necessyties Wherefore for a special laude and praise vnto so louing and so good a lord god among the infynite number of these thinges that myght be spoken or written to hys honor it shal help the greatly to come to hys loue contynually to remember and to haue meditacyon of his infynite and perpetuall goodnes wysedome mercy swetnes lowelynes and charitie That by this as by smal coles of fyre thy hart may be kindled to rēder some loue for loue agayne And that thou mayest be transformed and made lyke hym in lyke vertues and graces Oh wolde God thou couldest and woldest exercise thy selfe contynually in these thre how wold it delyght the to aryse earely and to watche wyth thy lorde god How sone sholdest thou be delyuered from thy vices and passions from al betternes and from all temptacions beynge in maner dronken in the loue of thy sauyour Yea thou shuldest be turned into a newe man and be transformed in maner into almyghty god For there is no exercise more holyer and more fruteful thē this whiche perced the harte of holye saint Augustine and other fryndes of god with the darte of loue when they wyth their inner eyes lyghtened of god did depely consyder the wonderfull tokens of the loue of God towardes them specially in this incarnacion lyfe and passion wyth other innumerable benefites of so greate and myghtye a lorde god geuen vnto them specyally whē they consydered earnestly the wonderfull charyte of god wherby he hath geuen him selfe vnto vs by his birth as a felow in our nature in the sacrament as our foode In hys death as the pryce of our redempcion and reigninge in heauē as our euerlasting rewarde whiche he graunt vs of hys mercy and charitie Amen ¶ Of the consyderacyon of thy selfe AFter this done then turne thy thought vnto the profunde and depe consideracion of thy selfe earnestly behold how noblye thy soule was created of God and made by his power of nought to his ymage and likenes Then consyder also how miserable fylthy and abhomynable it was made by orygynall syne in Adam and howe mercyfully thou arte redemed throwe the vnspekable loue and moost harde and paynefull satysfaction of thy lord Iesu Yet after thy baptisme thou hast innumerable tyme defyled thy selfe agayne by thy actual synnes turnynge thy loue and obedience from the sēpiternall goodnes which is god hym selfe by thy frowarde cursed and noughty wyl and arte become now more filthye more vyle than is the vnresonable beast Consyder well and marke into how manye euyls thou arte fallen by thy owne sinnes from the whiche euylles thou arte neuer able to aryse by thy selfe but only by the helpe of almyghte god by whom thou arte able to do all thynge that thou can do For by the true turninge or conuersion of thy loue to god and to all vertue thou mayst come agayne vnto the vnion wyth god Attende consyder earnestly that thou arte created therfore of god bycause that thou
thinges lawful Moost perfect pacyence that I may moost quietli and with rest of mind suffer al thinges that thi blessid wil shal suffer to come vppon me be they neuer so paynful and hard remembrynge howe paciently thou sufferedest for me Moost discreat silence that thoughe I were neuer so wise wel lerned yet I may speake very fewe wordes and those only profitable and necessary A very meke parson swete sauior spekyth fewe wordes redely obeith sufferith al thing for thy loue and pleasure Moost gracius Iesu graunte me grace most earnestly to desire and labor for the vertue of wisedom which may teache gouerne me in al my thoughtes wordes and dedes that I haue to thinke to speake or to do that I may do nothyng be it neuer so lytle no not the wagginge of my finger but only as reason and wisedom shal leade to thy honor for necessite and soule helth of mine euen Chrysten ¶ Graunt me also good Lord to attayne godly feare descrecion simplicite which are the doughters of thy godly wysedome For wher soeuer is thys wisedome there muste be the feare of thee Lorde for the begynnyng of wysedom is to feare al mighty god DyscrecioÌ„ puttith a meane in al thing without the which there is no vertue For ether we shal do to muche or to lytle Holy simplicitie takith no care for no curiosytie in thynges It takyth al thynges as at the handes of god and in good part thinkith it good ynoughe be it neuer so homly or rude so it wyl serue bare nede Mercyful Lord to haue wysedome and vertue with out thy feare is occasion of pryde and with out simplicitie it wolde be to curyus without dyscresion it wold be to strayte hard ¶ GrauÌ„t me therfore good Lord the grace to be godly wise louely feareful symple with discrecion Moost louyng sauior Iesu graunt me most ardent desyre of true and burnynge charytie and moost infatygably to seke syghe vnto the most deuoutly for to optayne it For thys vertue Lord is so necessarie for me that al other vertues are nothynge worth without I haue perfecte charity This most perfect vertue workith in vs lyuely fayth and stronge beleue it bryngyth hope and turste in the. For loke how great our charytie is so great is oure trust hope in the. Yea if charity be great it begettyth in vs perseueraunce For loue wyl not suffer vs vnkindly to leade and for sake oure louer nor to leaue vndone that we begone of loue This charytie maketh vs to abyde in greate confydence and hope of the mercy of god and not to trust in our own power And therfore good lord what so euer charytie askyth whiche caÌ„ aske no euell with ful confydence and beleue in thy mercy it optaynyth easely ¶ Graunt me moost gracyus Iesu to desyre thi loue moost hartely to beleue in the moost constantly to trust in the moost vndoutydly to perseuer in thy loue most faythfully vnto the ende Moost mercyfull sauyoure Iesu graunte me moost feruente desyre of trew Iustice very ryghtwysenes in all my dedes First that I maye geue vnto the in all my wordes dedes and thoughtes al honor glory al obedience thankes Lykewyse that I maye geue vnto my superyours to my equales and to my inferiors and to euerye creature that whiche to euery man belongyth And also that I may geue that whiche belongeth vnto my body as in meate drinke cloth slepe and in other necessaryes nether more nether lesse then my dew is to geue This ryghtewysenes is a blessed and perfecte vertewe bryngeth forth thre other vertues mercy verytie and thankefullnes The whyche I humbly beseke the moost mercyfull Iesu graunt me grace to desyre to labour dylygently for trewe mercye For verye trewe mercy taketh firste pytye vpon the soule of oure euen chrysten and if he nede anye gostly almes he geueth that first if he be able and then the temporall almes Verytie sufferith no falshed nether in dede nether dyssymulacyon in worde nor yet ypocrysie nor any vntreuth be it neuer so profytable or neuer so lytle For it is vnmete that the seruaunte of god who is verytie it selfe shuld shew any vntreuth in worde or dede ThaÌ„kefulnes thynke it ryghte reasoÌ„ that euery maÌ„ do render thankes for the benefites which he hath receaued specyally vnto god the geuer of al gyftes and graces and to all suche that hath or doth helpe to further them in their soul health and all that maynteyneth them in ther bodyly necessytes These vertues graunt me most mercyfull Iesu that by ryghtwysenes I may do my deuty to the my lorde god to my eueÌ„ chrysten specially in dedes of mercy gostly and bodely to my power By veritie I may exchew al dyssymylacyon ypocrysy and al vntrewth And thankefully I may euer more render vnto the al laude prayse and thankes for thy innumerable benyfites And vnto suche as helpethe me goostlye or bodely I may dewly geue them thankes praye for them Mooste myghtyful maker Iesu graunt me grace moste affectuusly to desyre and optaine the holye vertue of fortytude and goostly strengthe that thereby I may myghtyly and strongly exercise and practyse al vertue and do al kynde of good workes and manfully resyst al trouble and temtacyon bothe goostly and bodyly that I neuer care for neather the world man nether the deuill but with goostly boldnes myghtyly passe thorowe all worldly thynges as though I had nothyng to do wyth them contempne and bare pacientlye al aduersity and temtacion and go thorow and increasyng in al perfeccyoÌ„ for thy loue and honoure that no trouble nor temptacion neuer let me or ouerthrow me in the way towarde thy perfecte loue and true seruice that I neuer feare to passe throughe fyre and water to come vnto the. ¶ Graunte me also good lorde Iesu pure chastytie meane and sobryetie and perfect pouertie whyche spryngeth out of thys fortytude ¶ Goostly fortytude thynketh it a greate vylany and shame to be ouerthrowne ruâ—â—d or mastered of the vyle fleshe the peuish pleasure and fylthye lustes there of therfore strongely resystynge them it kepethe hym chayste and pure in soule and bodye Gostly strengthe wyll not be in bondage vnto the vyle bely neather vnto the sinnefull body But lyke the valyante souldiour of chryst can be contented to fare harde to ware vyle and homly garmentes and hath al hys mynd to do his dewty vnto his greate captayne and lorde chryst to folow hym And therfore he coÌ„temnyth al beastly lust of the flesh al vnreasonable pampering of his bealy and the superfluus vnnedeful deckyng of his wretchyd carkas and when any suche temtacyons or lustes do aryse in hym he manfully and myghtyly resystyth and labouryth to mortifie them vtterly Wherefore moost mercyful Iesu grauÌ„t me this so necessary a vertue which am assaultid with diuers and many kindes of temtacyons whome wythout thy specyall gyfte of this gostly fortytude I am