almyghty god and than vse by cōtynuall custome to make a crosse with your thōbe vpon your foreheed or front in sayng of these wordes In nomine patris and than an other crosse vpon your mouthe with these wordes Et filii And the thyrde crosse vpon your breste / saynge Et spūs sancti Amen And if your deuotion be therto ye maye agayne make one hole crosse from your heed vnto your fete from the lefte shulder to the ryght sayng all together In no mine patris filii et spūs sancti Amen That is to meane I do blesse and marke my selfe with thē cognisaunce badge of Christe in the name of the father and in the name of the sone and in the name of the holy ghost that is to saye the holy Trinite .iii. persons and one God Than saye or thynke after this forme Good lorde god my maker redemer here nowe in thy presence I do for this tyme for all the tyme of my hole lyfe byqueth and betake or rather do frely gyue my selfe soule and body with all my harte and mynde vnto the good lorde and vnto thy handes to be thy bonde seruaunte for euer accordynge vnto the promyse made in my baptysme at the font stone And here nowe I do ratyfye and newly confyrme the same and do fully consente in harte mynde therto neuer here after by the helpe of thy grace to contrary the same but to cōtynue in thy lawes good lorde vnto the ende of my lyfe But where thou knowest good lorde the I am a frayle persone infyrme feble weyke of my selfe prone redy ī thought Genesis ▪ viii worde and dede vnto euyll from the begynnynge of my lyfe hytherto I beseche the good lorde god and father of all puysaunce power of all myght strēght that thou wilt defende me from all myne enemyes and gyue me spirituall strenght and power that I may / in the / vaynquysshe and ouercome fle auoyde all suche fraylte lyght maners or disposicions as shuld be cōtrary to thy wyll and pleasure that accordynge vnto this wyll of the spirite whiche thy goodnes hath now frely gyuē vnto me I may destroye the wyll of the flesshe so contynue vnto the ende of my lyfe And yet good lorde where thou knowest also that I am but rude and vnlerned wtout wytte wysdome and due knowlege of the and thy lawes all ignoraūt and as an ydiote or foole in all good and spirituall vnderstandyng I byseche the good lorde god that art the essentiall sone of god the father and vnto whome is appropriate all wytte wisdome all science / connynge and knowlege and all ryght perceyuynge vnderstandynge / that thou wylte graunte me the due knowlege of thy selfe by ryght true fayth and the knowlege of all thy benefytes gyftes done to me and all mankynde / grace dewly to thanke the for them And also due knowlege of myne owne selfe of the state and condiciō of my lyfe and cōuersaciō and specially of my wretchednes with due contricion for all my synnes And knowlege also of thy lawes wyll pleasure / so that by no maner of ygnoraunce or mysvnderstandyng I do at any tyme in werke or dede / or in worde or thought any thynge contrary vnto the same And thyrdly good lorde where thou knoweste also that I am ofte tymes obstinate of mynde froward euyll wylled / stubburne of stomake vnkynde of harte / dull / neglygent and slouthfull in all maner of goodnes I beseche the good lord god holy ghost / that arte the spirite and wyll of the father / of the sone and with thē the same selfe essenciall god vnto whome is appropriate and specially appoynted / all boūte / all goodnes / all grace and good wyll that thou woldest voyche saffe to gyue me the grace of good wyll so that I neuer do / saye / ne thynke that shulde be contrary to thy wyll And hauynge vnto the euer a reuerēde drede I may loue the for thy selfe all other in the lorde and for the / so that accordynge vnto the spirituall strength and knowlege that thou hast gyuen me I may apply my wyll hooly vnto thy wyll / so that I haue no wyll propre vnto my selfe but the my wyll be all thy wyll bothe as moche as maye be possyble one wyll And so I maye here in this life ordre my loue and come vnto suche perfection of feruent charyte that by the grace I may attayne vnto the fruiciō of euerlastynge charyte in thy ioyfull presence Amē And good lorde god father of heuē I beseche the take receyue me thus vnto thy grace and haue mercy and pyte vpō me and all thy people And thou lorde God blyssed sone of god the father and sauyour and redemer of the worlde / haue pytie and mercy vpon me and vpō all Christen people And louyng lorde god holy ghost and blessed spirite of god / haue mercy pyte vpō me and alī the worlde Holy and blessed Trinite one selfe same essenciall god / haue pyte mercy vpon me and all myne / vpon all thy creatures Amen And than ones agayne blesse the with In nomine patris as before and thā go forth vnto your busynes where ye wyll Let this be for your mornynge exercise And though you that haue greate thynges to do wolde thynke this prayer and mornynge exercise ouer longe because of your busynes I acerteyne you if it ones were by vse goten redy and incorporate and prynted in the harte and mynde it wolde sone be sayd or thought / and the persone shulde I byleue haue grace to spede the better in other thynges and nothyng forthynke of the spēdynge of the tyme but rather accounte it for greate gaynes in so moche that we purpose to set forth in the ende a lōger exercise for them that haue longer tyme to spēde but nowe we shall go forth herin After the sayd morowe exercise I truste you wyll be well occupied vpon your appoynted course of occupacion For that was our counseyle in the begynnynge that ye shulde appoynte your selfe by a cōtynuall course vnto some certayne occupacion that may be profytable euer to auoyde ydlenes the mother and nourse of all synne and euyll And euer beware of suche occupacions as ben called communly pastymes that is to saye all maner of vnlawfull games / suche disportes as done drawe people rather to vyce thā to vertue whiche more properly maye be called lose tymes than pastymes Math. xii c For syth / by the affyrmaciō of our sauyoure we shall make accoumpte of euery ydle worde / it muste nedes followe that we shall make a more strayte rekenynge of euery ydle or euyll werke Let therfore your sayd appoynted occupacion be alwaye good vertuouse and profytable Syth thā ye must nedes make a rekenynge of euery werke worde and thought for none of these cā be hyd or kept
you maye in youthe teche theÌ„ what ye wyll / and that shall they lengest kepe remembre We shuld therfore aboue all thynges take hede and care in what company our chylderen bene nourysshed and brought vp For educacion and doctrine that is to saye bryngynge vp and lernynge done make the maners with good and vertuous persones saythe the prophete you shal be good and vertuous Psalmo xvii And with the euyll persones you shall be also euyll Let our chylder therfore vse and kepe good company The pye the iay and other byrdes done speake what they moste here by eare The plouer by syght wyll folowe the gesture and behauyour of the fowler And the ape by exercise wyll worke and do as she is taught / and so wyll the dogge by violence contrary to naturall disposicion lerne to daunce The chylder therfore that by reason don far excede other creatures wyll bere awaye what they here spoken they shulde therefore be vsed vnto suche company where they shulde here none euyll / but where they maye here godly and Christian wordes They wyll also haue in theyr gestures and behauyoure suche maners as they se beholde in other persones And as they bene taught / so wyll they do / and in many thynges they maye be compelled vnto a contynuall custome / whiche dothe alter and chaunge naturall disposicion Vnto some craftes or occupacions a certayne age is requyred in chylder / but vertu and vyce maye be lerned in euery age We must se therfore that in any wyse you vse no company but good and vertuous And as soone as they can speke we must also teche our chylder to serue god and saye the Pater noster Aue. and Crede as I sayd before And nat only our chylder but also se and proue that all our seruauÌ„tes what age so euer they be of caÌ„ say the same And therfore don we vse dayly the in euery mele / dyner or soupper / one persone shulde with lowde voyce say thus The fyrst peticion PAter noster qui es in celis sanctificetÌ„ nomen tuum ✿ Good lorde god our holy father the arte in heueÌ„ let thy name he sanctified that is to meane / I beseche the graunte vs grace to blesse to honoure to laude and prayse thy holy name The seconde ¶ Adueniat regnum tuum ✿ Good lord god our father that art in heuen / let thy kyngdome come that is I beseche the lorde that all the people of the worlde may come vnto the grace of baptisme and so be the faythfull subiectes of thy realme and kyngdome of Christianite The thyrde ¶ Fiat voluntas tua sicut in celo et in terra ✿ Good lorde god our father that arte in heuen lett thy wyll be wrought in erth as it is wrought in heuen that is to meane I beseche the lorde that all thy christian people here in erth maye perfourme thy wyll and kepe thy coÌ„maundementes after theyr estate and condicion as thy holy angels and sayntes done in heuen after theyr state and degre The fourthe ¶ Panem nostrum cotidianuÌ„ da nobis hodie ✿ Good lorde god our holy father that arte in heuen gyue and graunte vnto vs this day our dayly brede that is to meane I beseche the good lord graunte vnto vs contynually the spirituall fode grace and effecte of thy holy sacramentes Or thus Graunte vnto vs the contynuall grace and effecte of thy holy sacramentes / whiche is the dayly fode of our soules spirituall suerty of our saluacion The fyfthe ¶ Et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris ✿ Good lord god our holy father that arte in heuen forgyue vs our dettes as we done forgyue our detters that is to meane I beseche the good lord forgyue and pardon me and all Christians all maner of offences and trespaces done agaynste the and thy lawes / lykewyse as we done forgyue all maner of persones all maner of greues and trespaces done agaynste vs. The .vi. ¶ Et ne nos inducas in teÌ„tationem ✿ Good lord god our holy father that arte in heuen / lede vs nat in to temptacion / that is to meane I beseche the good lord suffre me not ne any Christian to be lede or brought by any temptation / vnto the full consente of any synne The .vii. ¶ Sed libera nos a malo ✿ But good lorde god our holy father that arte in heueÌ„ delyuer me all christians from euyll that is to meane I beseche the good lorde / that not onely thou kepe me and all thy people from all synne and offence of thy goodnes / but also that thou wylte delyuer and make vs quyte of all synnes paste / and conserue and kepe vs continually in the state of grace AmeÌ„ So be it that is to meane / good lorde we beseche the that all these thynges maye come to passe in full effecte / accordynge to our peticion and desyre This prayer of the Pater noster / is the most excellent prayer bycause the our sauyour made it hym selfe / and taught it to his disciples ¶ The Aue Maria is the most plesaunte prayer and of most honoure vnto our blessed lady bycause one parte therof is the salutacion of the angell Gabriell wherby immediatly after her consente she conceyued the sone of god in her wombe And the other parte was spokeÌ„ vnto her by saynt Elizabeth inspired and moued thervnto by the spirite of god the holy ghost And therfore do we set forth the Aue maria after suche maner as we dyd the Pater noster AVe Maria gratia plena dominê° tecum benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui Iesus AmeÌ„ ⧠Hayle Mari full of grace god is with the. Blessed be thou amoÌ„g women and blessed be the fruyte of thy wombe Iesus Christe god and man Amen So mote it be ¶ That fyrst worde Aue whiche I do Englyshe after the commune maner hayle is a worde of salutacion as we say in commune coÌ„gresses or metynges together God spede you god saue you god blesse you Good morowe / good eueÌ„ god spede god be at your game god be at your werke god sende you with suche other after the maner of the countrey where it is spoken And the last worde Amen it is a worde of consente or desyre that the mater spokeÌ„ before shuld vnderstande what euery worde meaneth ¶ Nowe doth folowe the Crede ¶ The fyrste article CRedo in deuÌ„ patrem omnipotentem Saynte Peter creatorem celi et terre ✿ I byleue vpoÌ„ god the father almyghty maker of heuen of erth This terme In deum / is diuersly Englysshed some done saye / in to god some inwardly in god / some perfytly in god But the mooste commune vse of the countrey of the vnlerned people / is to saye I byleue vpon god and vpon his fayth / but all dothe meane in effecte
/ that the persone hath perfyte faythe and byleue in god / and vnto god ¶ The seconde article Saynte Andrew ¶ Et in Iesum Christum filiuÌ„ eius vnicum dominum nostrum ✿ And I also byleue perfytely vpon our lorde Iesu Christe his onely begoteÌ„ sone that is to say the only begoten sone of the sayd father ¶ The thyrde article Saynte Iohan. ¶ Qui coÌ„ceptus est de spuÌ„ sctoÌ„ natê° ex maria virgine ✿ And also I byleue perfytly the our sayd lorde Iesu was conceyued of the holy ghost borne of our lady saynt Mary she remaynyng abydyng euer euer a virgine ¶ The fourth article ¶ Passus sub pontio Pilato / crucifixus mortuus et sepultus Saynte Iames the more ✿ And also I perfytly byleue that our sayde lorde Iesu dyd suffre his passion was crucified deed and buried vnder the power and iugement of a man called by propre name Poncius / and by his seconde or surename Pylate ¶ The fyfth artycle ¶ Descendit ad inferna Saynte thomas of Inde tertia die resurrexit a mortuis ✿ And I byleue perfytely also / that our sayd lorde Iesu after his sayde passyon and dethe / descended and wente downe vnto the lowe places of hell / and brought forthe froÌ„ thense our fyrste father Adam and all that were there with hym / and that vpoÌ„ the thyrde day after his deth he dyde aryse from deth / and all the bondes therof vnto lyfe euerlastynge ¶ The syxth artycle Saynte Iames / the lesse ¶ Ascendit ad celos sedet ad dexteram dei patris oiÌ„potentis ✿ And also I byleue perfytly that our sayd lorde Iesu dyd ascende and slye vp vnto the hyghest heuens and ther doth syt vpon the ryght hande of god the father oiÌ„potent and almyghty ¶ The seuenth article Saynte Philipe ¶ Inde veÌ„turus est iudicare viuos et mortuos And I also ê‘fytely byleue that he wyll come theÌ„se agayne in to this worlde to iuge all persones quycke and deed ¶ The .viii. article Saynte Bartelmewe ¶ Credo in spiritum sanctum ✿ I byleue perfytly also vpoÌ„ the holy ghost the spirite of the father and of the sone with them both the same selfe god ¶ The .ix. article Saynte Mathewe ¶ Sanctam ecclesiam catholicaÌ„ ✿ I also byleue that the church of Christe is and was / and euer more shal be holy faythfull / therefore I do gyue fayth and credeÌ„ce vnto the same and vnto the determinacions therof ¶ The .x. article ¶ Sanctorum communionem Saynte Symon remissioneÌ„ peccatorum ✿ I byleue also the communioÌ„ of sayntes that is to say / I byleue that all the workes and good dedes of all good holy persones / ben and shal be coÌ„mune so that euery faythfull Christian hath shall haue part with other And also I byleue the remisson of synnes that is to say / that all maner of synnes may and shal be forgyuen / if forgyuenes be duely desyred and axed ¶ The .xi. article ¶ Carnis resurrectionem Saynte Iude called also saint Tadeus ✿ I also byleue the resurrection of our flesshe / that is to saye / I byleue that all maner of persones shall aryse at the daye of dome in soule body with the same flesshe blode and bones that they were borne with and dyed with ¶ The .xii. article Saynte Mathie ¶ Et vitam eternam Amen †And I also byleue euerlastyng lyfe that is to say that after the generall resurrection all maner of persones / as well good as euyll dampned or saued / shall coÌ„tynue in lyfe euerlastynge eyther in ioye or payne neuer departe therfroÌ„ This worde Amen is declared before in the ende of the Pater noster ¶ This maner of the Pater noster Aue and Crede I wold haue vsed rede vpoÌ„ the boke at euery mele / or at the leeste ones a day with a lowde voyce as I sayde that all the persones presente may here it And yet forther I wolde aduyse counseyle all other housholders to se as I do knowe / and proue / that euery persone in theyr house / all that ben vnder theyr gouernaunce and charge can say the same and therfore they muste take the laboure to here them theym selfe and wher nede is to teche them For many that ben aged and can not say wyll be abasshed to lerne it openly and yet if they here it dayly redde after the maner shewed before they shall by vse and custome lerne it very well And some other persones there bene that can saye ryght well / both vpon the boke and without but yet amonge them some bene dullardes and slouthfull and seme negligente and careles / and so done they not saye it but in tyme forgete it / as in maner they hade neuer lerned it I pray you therfore good deuoute housholders do as I do take the payne to here them your selfe at the leeste ones a weke let none escape you / olde nor yong It shall byleue me be vnto you a great discharge of conscience and not without merite greate rewarde And charge them straytly vnder payne of punysshement / that they say it euery day thre tymes at the leest / that is to saye / in the mornynge / at none or myddaye / at nyght Than must you teche them to knowe by ordre the preceptes or coÌ„maundementes of god the names of the .vii. priÌ„cipall synnes of theyr .v. wyttes as thus The coÌ„maundementes of god ben .x. in noÌ„bre The fyrst The fyrst that we shall haue no straunge ne other godes but one alone and hym to loue honoure drede aboue all thynges The .ii. The seconde we may not take the name of god in vayne therfore we may not vse to swere The thyrde The .iii. we must kepe our holy day with close mynde vnto god reuerende deuocion and therfore we may do no bodely or worldly labours for lucre therin .iiii. The fourth we muste with reuerende and due lowly maner do honoure vnto our parentes that is to say vnto our fathers and mothers and we shall haue by the promyse of god longe lyfe therfore .v. The .v. we shall not slee or kyll any persone neyther in dede nor yet in wyll or mynde nor yet may we hate any persone in harte For who so euer so doth i. Ioh. iii. is an homicide and maÌ„sleer .vi. The .vi. we maye do no lechery .vii. The .vii. we may do no thefte .viii. The .viii. we may bere no false wytnes ne make any lye or lesynge .ix. The .ix. we may not coueyte or desyre any wedded or maried persone .x. And the .x. we may not coueyte ne desyre any other mannes goodes These bene the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes gyueÌ„ coÌ„mauÌ„ded by almyghty god / gyueÌ„ ben deuyded in two partes as two tables or bokes Exod. xx The fyrste
flyght in to Egypte that was whā kynge Herode dyd pursue our sauyour and wyllyng surely to slee hym dyde cause to slee all the Innocent chyldren within the coostes countrey of Bethleē ¶ The disputacion that was after his retourne and cōmynge frōe Egypte agayne whan he wēt with his mother and Ioseph vnto Hierusalem there vnknowynge vnto them remayned and taryed / tyll that thre dayes after with great sekynge they founde hym in the tēple disputyng amōge the doctours than was he .xii. yeres of age ¶ His humiliacion and meke behauyoure vnto his parentes / that was whā he lefte that hyghe place and exercise of contemplacion and went with them and was obedient vnto them ¶ His educaciō or bryngynge vp that was whan he taried and dwelled at Nazareth with his blessed mother and with Ioseph her husbande euer occupied after theyr wyll and mynde vnto theyr conforthe and euer as he grewe encreased in age and statur so dyd he appere and shewe hym selfe in grace and vertue ¶ His Baptysme that was whan he was baptised of saynt Iohn̄ baptiste in the flode of Iordane where the voyce of the father of heuen was herde and the holy ghoste in the kynde and lykenes of a doue was sene whiche dyd testifye and declare for trouth that Christe was god and man the Messie and sauyoure of the worlde ¶ Wyldernes that is that immediatly and forthwith after his sayde baptisme he was led by the spirite of god in to a wyldernes / not farre frome the sayd flode of Iordane to the ende and purpose to be attempted of the deuyll ¶ Faste that is that he in the wyldernes dyd faste frome all maner of fode meat or drynke by the space of .xl. dayes and fourty nyghtes contynually together ¶ Temptaciō / that is that immediatly and forthwith after that faste whan he beganne to waxe hūgry the deuyll dyd tempte him vnto glotonye and vnto pryde / vnto couetyse ¶ Victory / that is that our sauioure dyd cōfounde the deuyll in all his temptaciōs for our welth had ouer hym the vyctory maystry ¶ Election / that is the chosynge of his disciples and the appoyntyng and deuydyng of them in to dyuers degrees and ordres ¶ Preachyng that was whan he spake openly vnto the people / and that cōmunly in paraboles ¶ Teachynge / that was whan he taught his disciples apostles secretly by thē selfe suche misteries as apperteyned vnto thē to know and not vnto the cōmune people ¶ Laboures that was whā he wente aboute from towne to towne from cite to cite from countrey to countrey in hunger thurste colde and many a wery iourney ¶ Miracles whiche he dyd in many a sondry maner In tournyng water in wyne / in fedynge of many thousandes with a small porcion of vytayle In curynge helynge of all maner of syckenes diseases in shewynge to many theyr secrete inward thoughtes ¶ The Maundy / that was the laste souper that he made to ende and conclude the olde testamente / by the pascal lambe / and to ordeyne begynne the newe testament ¶ The ministery or seruyce / that was whan he wasshed the fete of his disciples arisynge therunto frome the soupper ¶ The Consecracion that was whan he retournyng agayne vnto the table dyd of bread wyne consecrate make his owne holy body and sacred blode and therewith dyd cōmune and howsell his apostles / and gaue them power to consecrate make the same wherby they were all made preastes ¶ The sermone / that was whā after all this he preached vnto his apostles a solempne maruelous swete sermō makyng specially mēciō of loue vnite peace cōcorde ¶ Agony / that was whan he went a syde from the company with saynt Peter saynt Iohn̄ and saynt Iames / yet went somwhat from them vnto prayer / wherin he swet water blode for agony / fere / care / and trouble of mynde / for the maner of that bytter passyon and moste cruell dethe that he sawe to come / and howe lytell it shulde be regarded and set by ¶ Betraynge / that was whan the traytoure Iudas that before had solde hym vnto the Iewes / came with a company of harneysed men / with a false flaterynge kysse shewed vnto them whiche was he ¶ Takynge / that was whan after that kysse the soudyers layde hande vpon hym and toke hym / all his disciples fledde and forsoke hym for the tyme. ¶ Bysshopes / that is whan the soudiers that toke hym / brought hym vnto the bysshopes Anne and Cayphas where he was examined and by false wytnes accused / and cruelly tormēted all the nyght ¶ Pylate that is that on the morowe he was presented by the Iewes falsly accused vnto Pylate ¶ Herode / that is whan Pylate had examined hym and coulde not fynde hym in any thynge defauty than dyd he sende hym vnto Herode the kynge ¶ Pylate agayne that is whā Herode had examined hym in many thynges / and he wolde answere hym vnto nothynge than he put vpō hym a whyte foles cote / with derysion and mokery sente hym agayne vnto Pylate ¶ Examinacion that was whā after many newe false accusaciōs of the Iewes he ferther examined hym by longe processe ¶ Flagellacion that was whā Pylate wyllynge to delyuer hym bycause he foūde hym in all thynges fautles and yet coulde not appease the crye and malyce of the Iewes dyd put hym naked and tyed him vnto a pyller and caused hym to be cruelly scourged so that no place of his body was vntorne or vnwounded ¶ Coronacion that was whan the Iewes wolde not yet be satisfyed and contente Pylate caused hym to be crowned with a crowne of sharpe thornes and with a rede in his hande in stede of a septre / clothed in purpure brought hym forth amonge them and sayde in mockage / Beholde your kynge ¶ Condempnacion / that was whan the Iewes wold in nowyse be otherwyse contente than with his deth Pylate set in a trone as iudge condempned him iudged hym vnto the deth of the crosse ¶ Fatigacion / that was whā Pylate hade putt vpon hym his owne clothes agayne / and gyuen the sayde iugement thā layde the heuy crosse vpō his necke / vnder the whiche for very werynes and fayntenes he fell downe as not able to bere it any forther and thā caused they a nother mā to bere it for hym vnto the place / that was the mounte of Caluary ¶ Crucifixion that was whan he came vnto the place they caused hym to put hym selfe naked agayne and to ioyne and frame his body vnto the crosse whervnto they nayled him with foure great nayles Lib. iiii reuelat btē Brygide cap. lxx b one through the mydle of hys ryght hande the seconde through the lefte hāde and through eyther fote one laynge the legges on croswyse the one ouerthwarte ouer the other and so dyd they hang hym
and yet muche more kyndnes if he were not his frende but his enemye and foo and also to pay for his det / and delyueraūce no smal pryce but his owne blode his lyfe also this I saye were a maruelouse benefyte an excedyng kyndnes although he dyd no more But our lord sauyour dyd yet more for man For he dyd not onely delyuer hym fre and out of daunger but also rewarded hym made hym butyfelowe of all his goodes and heyre with hym of all his landes possessiōs brought hym vnto hyghe honoure dignite and degre he brought hym vnto the presens of his owne naturall father and there after his ascencion he toke possession for man / and so made hym his brother / and coenheritor of all that he had Loke well hereupon and consyder how great a rewarde this was and yet shall you se more added herevnto For many in this world haue ben made heyres and possession taken for thē and yet dyd they neuer inioy the same But our lord and sauyour when he had delyuered man in forme byfore shewed and had also put hym in possession therof ordeyned yet a forther meane to make mā surely to inioy the same and to haue the moost pleasaunt vse therof whiche was in sendyng downe the holy ghoste whiche accordynge vnto his promyse shuld instruct Ioh. xvi and teche his apostles disciples and by them all christianes the very trouth of all maner of thynges apperteynynge vnto mannes saluacion and shuld also subministre put into theyr hartes / and myndes to put the same in execucion and how and vnder what forme they shulde so do For as I suppose the apostles after the deth of Christe dyd neuer put any thyng in execuciō and vse that our sauyoure had byfore his deth or byfore his ascension committed vnto theyr power vnto the tyme they had receyued the holy ghost For althoughe they had commaūdement and power to preache the gospell and to baptyse and to ministre all other sacramentes to remit or forgyue and to withholde restrayne synne yet dyd not they execute or put in vse any thynge but only whē Christ was among them before his passion vnto the tyme they had receyued fully the holy ghoste at Pentecoste excepte only the election of saynt Mathie bycause the nombre of the apostles myght not be vnperfect So then they receyued fully the holy ghost not only for theym self but also for all other that by thē shulde byleue vnto the ende of the world Thē dyd they ministre the holy sacramentes and taught theyr disciples / by them all Christianes the due forme and maner therof whiche forme hathe euer sythe that tyme and euer shall cōtinue in Christes catholicall churche / what so euer theyse new heretykes say vnto the contrary In whiche holy sacramentes we haue not onely the person of our lord and sauyoure hym selfe but also the other two persons the father the holy ghost all one self and same essenciall god to remayne byde and dwell amonge vs vnto the worldes ende this gyfte and rewarde is moch to be noted / and maye well suffise for the fyfthe consyderacion of this entrepryse of the werke of remuneracion ¶ The syxte consyderacion of the werke of glorificacion YOu may well perceyue good deuout christians by that is sayd that our lord Iesu hath not onely redemed and bought vs dere but also most lyberally graciously rewarded vs dayly doth not onely forgyue our synnes and offenses at the fyrste askynge or mouynge but dothe also gyue vs great gyftes for small and dothe so multiplie here our merites that we may come yet vnto a greatter gyft and rewarde whiche is in vs his werke of glorificacion For after this lyfe he wyll make vs gloriouse gyue vs the same doweres that he hath now in hym selfe that is to say clarite or clerenes agilite or nimblenes subtilite or sklendernes and īmortalite so that we shall neuer dye ne suffre any damage This gyfte and werke is so noble and of so hygh honour dignite and degre that to intreate forther therof doth passe my pore wyt and therfore I praye you be cnotent for this syxth consyderacion of the werke of glorificacion ¶ The .vii. cosyderacion of the werke of fruicion YEt yet as though this were not ynough he wyll gyue more For many in this worlde haue full great honour / hygh dignites and excellente degrees yet haue but lytle ioy therwith but rather haue many greues many displeasures many incōmodites I trow I myght well say many necessites many miseries But our lorde wyll gyue vs the fruiciō of hym self that is to say to inioy hym and to be in his godly presens and to haue the very vse of hym selfe at all libertie and pleasure and there to se hym face to face as he is i. Corin. xiii d and so in hym to se and knowe what we wyll or cā desyre and also to haue the full possession of hym selfe and of all his and this also withoute any myxture of euyll greue or displeasure ¶ This gyft is aboue all the other byfore rehersed and maye therfore serue contēt you for this .vii. cōsyderaciō of the werke of fruicion ¶ The eight laste cosyderacion of the werke of sure perseueracion duraunce THese benefytes rewardes and gyftes of our lord ben very great many and excellent gyftes But yet your benygne lord most louyng sauyour is not cōtent to leue you without any thinge that he may gyue so that you may not possible aske desyre thinke or ymagyn any thyng more to be gyuen therfore he wyll vnto all his other gyftes adde gyue you the suerte and certente of perseueracion duraūce For if a person had as muche ioy as all heuē hathe and were not certeyne nem suerte to contynue therin that ioy were not fully perfecte For that thynge onely is perfecte vnto the whiche no thynge may be added / or put therunto but as longe as a person myght stonde in feere or doubt to lose that ioy or any parte therof he were not in full perfecte ioy And therfore wyll our louyng lord for the full perfection of your sayd ioy giue you there a suer and certeyne knowledge of all these ioyes to perceuer īdure and laste without minushynge or mutacion worlde without ende vnto the whiche ioy knowledge he bryng vs that bought vs our lorde god / moste swete sauyour Iesu vnto whom be glory due laude prayse / with the father and the holy ghost / one god in secula seculorum Amē ¶ An addicion vnto this foresayd meditacion I Was requyred of a good deuoute persone to ioyne these sayd cōsyderacions vnto .viii. notable dayes conteyned in scripture that is to say .vi. dayes of creacion and production or bryngyng forth of creatures the .vii. of reste / and the .viii. of eternite and so to shewe howe these werkes of our lorde may be
consideracioÌ„ And agayne lokyng vpon your selfe / and coÌ„syderyng in how great sorowe and woo / sighyng / and sobbynge you dwell here in the vale of myserye / lackyng his godly presence you shall approche go vnto this sacrament as a person in depe coÌ„sumpcion for sorowe vnto the meate of mercy / the fode of all helth and saluacion and the very restoratiue of all recouery comforte Now laste of all yf you loke vpon the surety and certaynty of all these thynges as in your last consyderacion And agayne yf you beholde and se well your selfe you shall perceyue you haue ben euer incoÌ„stant euer flyttynge and neuer in one state abydyng that shall moue you than to goo vnto this holy house and lodgyng of our lorde as a vagabunde and prodigall or vnthryfty chylde vnto the house home of his father / there mercy asked and opteyned contynually to dwell and byde amonge the seruauÌ„tes of that house / where voyd of all euyll is abuÌ„daunce and plenty of all maner of thynges that be good with sure surety coÌ„staÌ„t certaynty of the same so to ê‘seuer and indure without minushyng or mutacioÌ„ world wtout ende whiche he grauÌ„t vs that made and bought vs. Amen ¶ Thus haue you eyght consyderacions for the knowledge of your selfe after and accordynge vnto the thre eyghtes that wente before and this eyght to be the fourth eyght And this is the same science / arte / craft / or cunnynge that I sayd is ingendred and brought forthe by medytacion And â–ª these foure eyghtes may be signified by the foure flodes of paradise Gene. ii whiche done water all the worlde For as saynt Austin sayth of this science cometh compunction Vbi supra whiche coÌ„punctioÌ„ sayth he is whaÌ„ the harte by consyderacion or of the consyderacion of hys owne euyll synne is touched pricked with inward sorow De summo bono And saynte ysodore sayth that the compunction of the harte is a mekenes of the mynde with teares wepyng whiche doth sprynge and aryse of the recorde remembrauÌ„ce of synnes with drede CoÌ„punction This terme compunctioÌ„ is as moche to say as a ioyned pricking or strykyng Whan so euer than a person knowynge hym selfe by the science before shewed doth remembre any of his offeÌ„ces and felynge his hart coÌ„science pricked and grudged therwith / doth with inwarde sorowe remors knocke vpoÌ„ the brest lyfte vp the handes eyes or syght wepe or sygh that is compunction and doth include contricion And this compunctioÌ„ as ye may well ê‘ceyue is begotten and brought forth of the sayd science And dothe as sayth saynte Austin byget chylde and brynge forth deuocion whiche deuocion sayth he is âšœ Pius et humilis affectus in deum humilis De spiritu et anima ex conscientia infirmitatis proprie Pius ex consideracione diuine clementie That is to saye Deuotion Deuocion is a religious faythfull and meke affection inwardly and perfectely vnto god And that affection saythe he is meke and lowly by the conscience and full knowledge of our propre infirmity feblenes And it is deuoute relygious faythfull by the consyderacion of the benynge piteouse and mercyfull geÌ„tylnes of our lord If you wold know what this terme affectioÌ„ is here to meane Affecte or affection Saynt Austin sayth it is a certeyn / free / wylfull lyberall / and swete or pleasaunt inclinacion leanynge of the mynd vnto our lord god And nothynge saythe he dothe so moche inclyne moue and styre almyghty god vnto pytye and mercy as doth the pure and clene affection desyre of mynde De modo oraÌ„di âšœ Deuocion than as saynte Hughe sayth de sancto Victore is whan the mynde of a persone is affrayde of his greate and many synnes And than mystrustynge vtterly hys owne vertue / power / strength dothe tourne hym selfe vnto our lorde god / and so moche the more feruentely doth aske and beseche his helpe and socoure as he perceyueth and seeth well there is no helpe without hym wherin he myght haue confidence trust Vt supÌ„ So concludeth saynt Austin / that deuocioÌ„ doth make the prayer perfecte Prayer For prayer saythe he is nothyng els but a deuocioÌ„ of mynd / and conuersion and tournynge of the hart mynde inwardely and perfectely vnto god by a deuoute religiouse and meke affection coÌ„forted holden vp sayth the sayd saynt Hugh with fayth / hope / and charity Prayer than Ibidem without deuocioÌ„ is vnperfect lytle worthe And deuocioÌ„ as is sayd is had goten of compunction / and compunction of science and science of meditacion So that vnto this purpose that is to saye the due receyuynge of the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter all these fyue be as we sayde good necessarye Not so as often we haue sayd that any person is bouÌ„den vnto all of necessity but of coÌ„ueniency And therfor as we haue before set forth vnto your election and choyce dyuers meditacioÌ„s so haue we in lyke maner done of prayers gadered out of dyuers auncient auctours Whan ye haue than thus sumwhat appareled and disposed your self vnto this iourney by these .iiii. that is / meditacion / selfe knowledge compunction / and deuocion than fall vnto prayer vocall or meÌ„tall or both at your pleasure That is to meane / that you maye at wyll speke and rede these prayers or onely thynke them in your hart mynde or both say and thynke ¶ The ghostly chylde Syr / which is best of these thre wayes ¶ The ghostly father Surely to say or rede alone without thought is lytle worthe To thynke alone is very good but bothe is beste ¶ Here don folow many prayers but do you as is sayd rede them ones ouer and chose at wyll Fyrste than I wolde aduyse you to appoynte your selfe to here one whole masse / if ye may coÌ„uenyently before your communion whan so euer you ben disposed thereunto and than to rede or say this that folowed before or sone after the Confiteor / whiche is a maner of confession Not so to be taken as though it were myght be sufficient for any greuous synnes without sacramentall confession as we sayd before yf it may be had but that it maye be vaylable for lyght offenses the more excite and styre vp your mynd in that you vnderstaÌ„d and perceyue well what you saye or thynke ¶ Before or at the begynnyng of masse O Good lorde god and moost swete sauiour Iesu I moost myserable wretche of the worlde / here before thy diuine and godly presence playnely do confesse and openly knowledge that in all my lewde lyfe hytherto myspent by many miserable wretched ways of synne I haue offended thy graciouse goodenes as well in the brekyng of thy preceptes coÌ„maundementes as in commission of all the seuen pryncipall synnes misused my fyue wyttes not fulfilled the .vii. werks of mercy Whiche synnes offences here
nowe wholy fully to recouÌ„te and reherce is vnto me for theyr multitude iÌ„possyble Wherfore with moost humble and lowly hart moost harty and desyrous wyll of perfecte contricion I vtterly forsake theÌ„ all And althoughe nothynge of my deseruynge yet good lorde for the honour of thy precious blode the merytes of thy bytter passion and most cruell most paynfull most shamefull deth I instaÌ„tly requyre aske craue moost mekely lowly beseche thy gracious benignity goodnes of mercy forgiuenes And that from hensforthe I maye haue thy grace lorde in whole fayth stronge hope perfecte charite / to fle auoyd and forsake all synne And in all my thoughtes wordes dedes / maners / contenauÌ„ces / behauiours / to ordre my selfe in vertue vnto the pleasure honoure of thy grace the welthe and saluacioÌ„ of my soule and vnto the edificacioÌ„ of all Christians And herunto I beseche our lady saynt Mary thy holy mother euer virgin / all the blessed company of heuen / and all faythfull persones to praye for me Amen ¶ All these partes of the masse yf you may conueniently shulde be herde standynge That is to saye / the office the kyrie Gloria in excelsis and specially the gospell with due reuerence at this worde Iesus The preface also the Pater noster sancte IohnÌ„s Gospell ¶ At the fyrst collectes pystle Myne owne good lorde and moost swete sauyour Iesu I beseche thy goodnes to put away ferre frome me all iniquities and wyckednes / and of thy mercyfull louynge kyndenes kendle in my hart the flamynge fyre of thy ferueÌ„t loue Be not swete lord displeased with me ne kepe in mynd or remembrauÌ„ce the multitude of myne offences For I do not presume good lord to make prayer peticion here before thy godly presence of any goodnes / ryghtwysenes or any deseruyng of my selfe but onely of full hope and trust of thy myseracion mercyfull pytye Take frome me swete lorde this harde and stony hart / and gyue me lord for it a newe hart full of compunction and due contricion And gyue me a stomacke kynde louyng that maye dredfully loue the and louyngly drede the that maye delyte take pleasure in the lorde alone / and wylfully folowe the. And at the laste may ouertake and catche the / fast holde the fully possede the. And fynally in eterne blysse to se the / and fully to inioye the. Amen ¶ After the pystle MOost swete sauyoure and louynge lord Iesu / I beseche thy benignity for the anguysshe of thy holy harte in all thy labours / passioÌ„s / and paynes for me susteyned and suffred And for the effusion and shedyng of thy moost holy sacred blode and for the vertue of thy moost innocent precyouse dethe For the mystery also of this holy sacrament thy blessyd body and moost holy sacred bloode / in the immolacion / offerynge / and sacrifice wherof I moste vyle synner am present moost vnworthy wretche do approche And fynally I beseche the lord for thyne owne selfe haue pytye and mercye vpon me that am I knowe well the moost myserable wretche moost synfull caytyfe vpon erth Purify thou good lorde than / and clense my harte soule froÌ„ all vnlaufull affections So that in this tyme all tymes I maye duely and worthely do the seruice Graunte me good lorde very contricion of all my synnes / the grace also of true coÌ„punction / the fountayn of fruitfull teares / pure deuocion clere clene conscience / the coÌ„tinuall memory and mynd of thy bytter passion precyous dethe And of thy moost coÌ„fortable loue perpetuall feruor and desyre Amen ¶ After the gospell O Moost benigne mercyfull louer of maÌ„kynde my swete lord Iesu / I beseche thy grace for the dolorous painfull smertyng of all thy woundes grauÌ„t me the grace of pacience in all aduersyty and to dispise sett at naught the loue of this world and all the goodes and pleasurs therof and to be coÌ„tent with a necessary and meane liuinge And to kepe firmely and constantly by due perseueraunce vnto my laste ende this state and degree that thou haste put me in And to folowe alway by due obedience thy forther callynges dayly to increase profyte in vertue / and euer to haue contynually the feruent desyre of myne owne cuntrey heuenly home Graunt me forther good lord in all the coÌ„uersacion of my lyfe to haue and kepe due discipline good maner / christian behauyoure vnto the auoydyng euer of thy displeasure of the sclaunder occasion / offence of my neyghbour And so to haue groundely in my hart and soule very and vnfayned mekenes / true faythfull kyndenes and meritorious pacience vnto the pleasure and honour of thy grace / the welth of my soule and vnto the edificacion of all persones Amen ¶ In the tyme of the eleuacioÌ„ THe great clerck holy saynt Thomas of Aquine dothe set forth this prayer folowyng as very conuenient to be sayd in this tyme of the eleuacion âšœ Tu rex glorie Christe Tu patris sempiternus es filius And so forth as you haue at matyns The englyshe wherof we haue here sett forth with the latyne / for the increase of your deuocion âšœ Tu rex glorie Christe That is to meane I beleue / confesse / and knowledge that thou good lord Iesu christe my sauyour / beynge here vnder the fourme of brede wyne art the kynge of glory / very god âšœ Tu patris sempiternus es filiê° And that thou good lorde Iesu art the essenciall / eterne and euerlastyng sonne of the father of heuen celestiall âšœ Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem noÌ„ horruisti virginis vterum I beleue that thou good lord disposynge / and by determinacioÌ„ concludyng to take the nature of maÌ„ / and so to redeme and delyuer hym frome the bondage of synne dydeste not abhorre ne disdayne the flesshly wombe of the virgyn âšœ Tu deuicto mortis aculeo aperuisti credentibus regna celorum I beleue that thou good lorde the siynge darte of deth vaynquysshed and ouercomen dydest open vnto all thy faythfull people the realme and kyngdome of heuen âšœ Tu ad dexteram dei sedes in gloria patris I beleue that thou good lord that art here ê‘sent in this holy sacrameÌ„t doste syt remayne and rest in the glory of thy father vpoÌ„ the ryght hande of god or thus syttest and doste remayne rest in glory vpoÌ„ the ryght hande of god thy father âšœ Iudex crederis esse veÌ„turus I byleue that all faythfull peopell done beleue that thou shalt come agayne to iudge all the worlde âšœ Te ergo quesumus tuis famulis subueni quos precioso sanguine redemisti Therfore good lord we beseche the / helpe and socoure thy seruantes whom thou hast redemed and bought with thy precious blode âšœ Eterna fac cum sanctis tuis gloria munerari We beseche the also good
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
offered vpon the crosse for our redemption And so don you receyue the same that the prest in the masse dothe receyue at the aulter and he none other neyther more or lesse than you do but that he doth there consecrate receyue in bothe the fourmes because he doth there represent the persone of Christe and doth there ministre make that oblacion sacrifice offerynge not for hym selfe alone but for all Christianes as Christe dyd Not witstondyng yf the same preste shulde an other tyme out of masse be communed houseled as you be he shuld receyue as you do and none other than you do ¶ And thus I pray you be content for this mater and forthwith after your communioÌ„ do not you as many do renne forthe make haste vnto brekefaste or dyner or vnto bodyly recreacioÌ„ but rather gyue some thankes vnto our lord as becommeth a good Christian ¶ A prayer to be sayd immediately after your communioÌ„ and houselynge IN moost huÌ„ble Ex missale moost lowly and most harty louynge maner / with moost due reuerence I thanke the good lorde moost holy father eterne euerlastynge God that by the bountye of thy mercyfull grace woldest vouchsafe thus to refresshe and fede me with the brede of lyfe the holy sacred body precyous blode of thy sonne our lorde god sauyour Iesu Christe And I beseche thyne infinite pyteouse goodnes that this most high and holy sacrament of our saluacion that I most vnworthy wretche and moost vyle caytife haue nowe receyued come neuer hereafter in iudgement condempnacion vnto me for myne euyll merites deseruynges but rather good lorde it may come vnto the profyte and comforte of my body and vnto the saluacion and helthe of my soule vnto the lyfe euerlastyng Amen ¶ An other prayer for the same tyme. MOost swete lord sauyour Iesu I beseche thy grace for the vertue in the honour of thy moost holy body and blessyd blode whiche althoughe moche vnworthy I haue here now receyued graunt and gyue me the inwarde swetenes of thy charitie / who le vnfayned loue of all good persoÌ„s spirituall myght and strengthe in all temptacions purity of harte clennes of coÌ„science and in all my conuersacyon of lyfe suche Christiane disciplyne / good maners / behauyours as may auoyd all actyue sklaunder occasion gyueÌ„ And also to be vnto all ê‘sons exaÌ„ple of good edificacioÌ„ So that by thy gracyouse guydynge and gouernaunce I maye go forwarde and increace in thy religion with perseuerant constancy accordynge vnto that state degre that thou good lord haste called me vnto Amen ¶ A deuoute prayer / moche vsed vnto this sacrament with the Englysshe after the Latine ¶ The Antheme O Sacrum conuiuium in quo Christus sumitur recolitur memoria passionis eius mens inpletur gracia Et future glorie nobis pignus datur Alleluia ¶ That is to meane O Meruelouse solempne and holy sacred feest in that whiche feest our lord and sauiour Christe is receyued The memory and remembraunce of his passion is renewed called vnto mynde Our soule / harte / and mynde is replete and fulfylled with grace and comfort And the pledge and ernest token of the glory ande euerlastynge ioye blysse to come is vnto vs gyueÌ„ and delyuered ¶ Alleluya ¶ This Ebrew worde Alleluya of foure sillables in sowne and speakynge is as moche to meane as though you sayd in Englyssh All you people that ben here presente laude prayse your creatour and maker ¶ The versicle âšœ Panem de celo prestitisti eis Thou hast gyueÌ„ good lord vnto thy people this breade frome heuyn ¶ The responde or answere âšœ Omne delectamentum in se habentem Alleluya And this breade hathe in it selfe all delectament and pleasure ¶ Oremus âšœ Praye we or lett vs praye ¶ The collecte DEus qui nobis sub sacramento mirabili passionis tue memoriaÌ„ reliquisti tribue quesumus ita nos corporis sanguinis tui sacra misteria venerari vt redemptionis tue fructum in nobis iugiter sentiamus / qui viuis et regnas deus Per omnia secula seculorum Amen ¶ That is to meane GOod lorde sauyour Iesu the vnder this meruelous sacrament hast left vnto vs the memory remembraunce of thy passion Graunt vnto vs we beseche the so to honour worshyppe the holy sacred misteryes of thy blessyd bodye blode that we therby may coÌ„tynually vnderstande perceyue and fele in vs / the fruite / effecte / the profyte / and auayle of thy redemptyon lorde / that lyuest and reignest with god the father / in the vnitie of the holy ghost very selfe same essenciall god by all worldes of worldes Amen ¶ A lesson for your masse tyme whan you be not communed or houseled YOu muste nowe remembre that as is sayd before euery preste in the masse dothe represent and vse the person / and offyce of Christe / and doth in the same masse make oblacioÌ„ and offer the holy sacrament / not for hym selfe alone / but also for all faythfull Chrystians And therfor euery deuoute louer of Christ in clene lyue / couetynge / desyrynge / and wysshynge with feruoure of hart and mynde / to receyue there with the preste in euery masse the same sacramente shall doutles receyue a greate effecte and vertue therof Wherfore it may be for you moche meritoryous / profytable so in the masse tyme / and specially towarde the Agnus to prepare / ordeyne / and dyspose your selfe / with affectioÌ„ of hart / with desyre deuocioÌ„ of mynd with the charyte loue of all your whole soule vnto your lorde sauyour as thoughe you shuld at the same masse be actually coÌ„muned and houseled with the preste ¶ A prayer for the same purpose O Moost swete lord and sauyour Iesu Oratio doctoris Nydar pro communione spirituali thou knowest wel that I moche do couete and with all my harte / haue greate desyre now to receyue this blessed sacrament And wolde to god that accordyng vnto my wysshe and desyre I were vnto thy pleasure in thy syght so well disposed in my soule that now at this tyme / and euery day And if it myght coÌ„uenieÌ„tly be many tymes in the day I myght be able worthely to receyue it But lord Thou knowest what I am thou dost se and beholde my hart / my hole desyre of mynde soule / is openly sprade and knoweÌ„ before thy face / yet good lord I beseche the gracyous bountie and infinite goodnes graunt me this one peticyon / that is / that I maye nowe at this tyme / and in euery masse receyue spiritually in to my soule / some effecte vertue of this maruelouse misterie And so to be parteyner of the same / that my hart maye perceyue fele the swetenes of thy godly preseÌ„ce And that my soule all enflamed fyered with desyre and deuocion / may
swetly brene in thy loue And so without wastyng to remayne contynually and to byde / reste and dwell / with the and in the for euermore For thou alone good lord art my lord and my loue my comforth helth my lust and my lyfe my very god and moost swete soueraigne sauyour Iesu Christe / that lyuest and reignest with god the father in the vnitie of the holy ghost euer with them one god by all worldes of worldes Amen ¶ Finis An ende IT shal be meritoryous for you to recoÌ„mende your frendes quycke and deed vnto your prayers / to haue communion and to be partakers with you / at the wyll of god / as you wold be with them And so in word or in mynd to recounte them by ordre / after suche fourme as we shewed you / set forth in the goldeÌ„ pystle ¶ The ghostly chyld ¶ Syr I thanke you for all your charytable labours with me And yf it please you syr I wyl put this vnto pryntyng as I dyd your tother lesson that moo persons may haue comfort therby ¶ The ghostly father ¶ Sonne I pray you so do And here ben .ii. Alphabetes or crosserowes a prety pystle all of my translacioÌ„ I pray you rede theym and yf you wyll put theym forthe withall And our lorde god and moost swete sauiour Iesu wyll rewarde you who euer blesse you sende you the grace of perseuerauÌ„ce in his seruice and holy loue Amen ¶ The Crossrowe â–ª or A. B. C. ⧠¶ Here done folowe two ⧠opuscules or small werks of saynt Bonauenture / moche necessarie profytable vnto all christiaÌ„s specyally vnto religyous persons put in to Englyshe by a brother of Syon Rychard whytforde ¶ Alphabetum religiosorum ¶ A lytle werke of many prety deuoute lessons / set forth by saynt BonaueÌ„ture after the ordre of the Alphabete / that is to say / after the letters of the crosrowe / or A. B. C. ¶ Amite AMor / in latyn / is Amite / or loue in Englysshe / which is a thynge necessarie / not onely vnto religious persones but also vnto all christianes and commauÌ„ded of almygty god chefely to be had vnto hym selfe and secondary vnto the neyghboure / wherevpon all lawe and lernynge doth hand as in theÌ„ coÌ„prehended coÌ„teyned / for by the depe coÌ„syderacioÌ„ therof euery persone maye take occasyon to haue hym selfe in due garde warenes that he do not offende / and to kepe hym selfe sole closse / without desyre of prayse or reputacion / but rather content to be set at noughte / wherin shall be more soule helth / than to be in fauoure of people ¶ Benignite and beniuolence By the foresayde consyderacion / doth aryse benignite beniuolence / so that the persone shall vnto all other in god for hym be geÌ„tle / beningne curteys / kynde / louynge and charitable vnto no ê‘sone ouer greuous ne coÌ„berous ¶ Custody CVstody of harte doth than folowe that is to say / closse keping of the mynde from all wauerynge / voyde vayne thoughtes And lykwyse the mouthe frome all voyde speche and ydle wordes so also of all the .v. wyttes herynge / seyng / smellyng / tastyng and touchyng / all to be subdued gouerned vnder the rygur of discipline and religious behauyour ¶ Diligence DIligeÌ„ce than is moche profytable in all maner of outward werkes / aswell in diuine seruyce / as in bodyly labours neuer to be ydle / but euery where to be occupyed / yet loue well solytude to be alone and to kepe syleÌ„ce with grauyte / for so maye a persone lyue in quietude and rest / in moost clene conscience ¶ Election ELectyon here vnto is necessary / that is to saye that a persone do electe / and chuse some certeyne exercyse by syde duete wherin they may be occupyed of continuaunce / and that alwaye for the coÌ„mune welthe profyte / and not vnto propre or selfe auauntage or pleasure but rather to affecte and desyre pouerte to lyue with a lyttell in scarcyte without murmure or gruge agayne them that vsed plenty ¶ Flyght FLyght then doth well folowe this appoyntment that is to saye to fle auoyde the coÌ„pany of all maner of suche persones as shuld be coÌ„traryous vnto that appoynted exercyse / for no persone maye both serue god the worlde / ne be occupyed in thynges transytory and heuenly ¶ Grauite GRauyte is a behauyoure in a persone in wordes lokes / couÌ„tenaunce in gesture suche other disciplines whiche is a meane betwene lyghtnes waÌ„tones folysshenes roughnes cruelte rudenes lummyng / lowryng / eluskyshnes / and such other for grauite causeth euer a person to seme wyse / sadde / well manered / coÌ„stant / and faythfull and moche dothe edyfye the neyghbour / so it perseuer and continue as well in prosperite as in aduersyte / aswell in welth as in woe / in payne aswell as in pleasure and euer to prayse thanke our lorde / as well for the one as for the other / knowynge and beleuynge that he accordyng vnto right iudgement / doth alway dispence / mynyster and dispose vnto all maner of persons / without parcialite vnto the beste ¶ Humilite HVmilite maye well be ioyned vnto grauite / for the meke persone the gospell to wytnes Luc. xiiii et xviii dothe obteyne and get grace fauour both of god and man / doth moost valiauntly chase and put to flyght the ghostly enemy / auoyde all synne / mooste surely perseuer in all maner of vertue ¶ Intencyon INtende well / meane well / purpose well and you maye be sure to be rewarded well / for euery acte / werke or dede of man / is iudged after his intent for yf the intencioÌ„ sayth the gospell Mathei vi c be symple and without deceyte in wyll knowledge / than is all the werke pleasaunte and meritoryous And contrary / yf the intent be vycyate blemysshed / than is all the werke after the same maner for our lord beholdeth / poÌ„dered and weyeth the intent of the hart mynde and he loueth moche the pure / clene / symple and iuste persones ¶ Knowledge KNowe god by ryght fayth / knowe thy selfe / by due examinacion / by iust iudgement and ryght condempnacyon / know thy neygbour / by loue / kyndnes and charity For charitie of euery persone doth euer iudge the best / know thy frende / and knowe thy foo iudge no persone to be thy foo or enemye / but hym that doth consayle entyce or moue the vnto synn or els that doth flater the and fauour thy defaut And thynke thou those persones thy beste frendes that be moost playn with the / and redy to reforme in the that is amysse And beleue thou that they done moost profyte the that done moost noye the / oppresse and kepe the vnder / and then yf thou sauour of the spirite and taste well howe swete the yoke is of our lord
one substaÌ„ce one essencyall god Se nowe I saye and take hede where and with whome you be And here knelynge or rather lyenge downe prostrate vpoÌ„ your face remayne byde dwell here styll / here expyre dye starke deed / vtterly that no soule ne spiryte be lefte or byde in youre body / but all for the tyme so ferre departed / nat onely from all thynges of the world but also from the selfe body that there lyenge as a luÌ„pe of cley be lefte without any senses or wyttes of heryng seynge smellynge tastyng or touchynges So done we rede as I sayde before of saynt Ambrose Aug. li. confes saynt Katheryne of Shene with diuers other This is nowe the moost hyghe poynte of this exercyse and practyse of dethe after the verye definicyon of deth Whiche as I sade is called a departynge of the soule from the bodye For in this dethe for that tyme youre soule is departed from youre body so that you be nat than youre selfe but deed clene froÌ„ your selfe For as the yren lyenge in the fyre / is by similytude al fyre so ben you al one with god Qui adheret deo / vnus spiritê° est â— Cor. vi â— Who so euer sayeth saynt Paule dothe cleue and stycke faste vnto our lorde is with hym one spiryte So ben you than that same thyng that you shall be / with our lorde hereafter that is al one with hym / dwellynge and abydynge in hym and he in you so al diuyne godly Say nowe good deuout soule yf you can thynke or suppose in conscyence that any faythfull christyane vsynge this exercise and so hauynge so large experyence practyse of deth / may haue fele or perceyue any notable payne in dethe / syth nowe in this deth so oftymes exercysed the bodye prycked with pynnes or nedyles feleth no payne at all Or howe may any horrour drede or feare troble or moue that person / that is in suche place with suche company and in such case as before we haue shewed yet saye you syr the deuyll wyll be present at my dethe / what than saye I so peraduenture / he wyll be at this dayly exercyse For so done we rede in the lyues and collacyons of the holy fathers / but that hathe alway ben and euer shall be vnto his coÌ„fusyon / rebuke and hurte / and vnto your triumphe glorye prayse But yet you saye that the syght of that greslye ghost can nat be without great feare wherunto I saye agayne that although the syght of hym be of it selfe horryble vgly fearefull / yet ben there dyuers coÌ„fortes redy at hande to helpe One is that may be sure he can nat hurt you An other is Ex tâ—â— diue Brigit li. vi ca. lxxxxiii â–ª the presence of the holy sayntes your sayde fryndes that wyll restrayne his power and malicyous wyll For they ben moche more valeant and myghty than he is And doubt you nat they wyll al be preste and redy there at the tyme about you / nat feyned but as faithfull frendes with whome well acquoynted and fully knowen / you ben nowe and of longe tyme haue ben very familyer and whomely Truste you surely in them for they wyll nat deceyue you For yf they dyd they were nat faithful / but rather feyned frendes For a very frende sayth the wyseman loueth at all tymes and euer is proued in necessyte or nede at dethe is most nede For although good loue and faythfull freÌ„dshyppe / be well proued in all the lyfe tyme yet is it better proued at the tyme of dethe / and best of all after deth For than coÌ„munely feyned freÌ„des done sone forget But these frendes wyll neuer forget you For as they nowe in your helth done dayly conforte and defeÌ„d you in all temtacyoÌ„s so wyl they at your deth delyuer you out of all daungers / afterwarde wyl they deduce lede coÌ„uey cary or bere you vp vnto the place coÌ„pany before rehersed And yet haue you no meruayle though in the meane tyme they suffre you to be troubled grudged with the opinyon of dethe with the drede of the vgly syght For they done so suffre for your welth meryte that you therby may be exercised with deth and so to be euer redy for it For dethe only semeth euyll and onely is feared by opinyon nat of any other ryght cause For deth of it selfe is very good to be loked wayted for receyued of all ê‘soÌ„s specially thus exercysed / nat onely without feare or drede of payne / but also as we sayd before with feruent desyre great ioy gladnes as the fynall conclusyon and laste ende of all miseryes sorowes and all euyls as the begynnynge of all welthe goodnes that is to saye of euerlastynge helthe and saluacyon in the blysse of heuyn Whyther he brynge vs that bought vs our lorde most swete sauyour Iesu Chryst that lyueth and reigneth with god the father / and with god the holy ghost world without ende Amen ⧠Thus after our poore abilyte haue made an ende of this poore labour of the dayly exercyse experyence and practyse of dethe * WHan I had wrytten vp this lytle werke redye to the pryntyng / it pleased a wyse and well lerned man to take the laboure to rede it ouer and to shewe his iudgement and mynde in dyuers thinges and places And amonge other because I had made mencyon in it / of raptes or transes vnto the whyche in bede very fewe ê‘sons done duely attayne or clymbe come so hye / he aduysed me to warne the deuoute reders therof / that they gyue nat to lyght credence to all suche persones For many of them haue disceyued manye men that were full holy and deuoute For those may sonest be deceyued in such persons because they euer suppose the beste in euery persone without suspicyon of euyll in any person And they ben moost glad to here that our lorde shulde so visyte and comforte hys people But yet such persones may also in them selfe be disceyued dyuersly For some such persons that were simple and very deuout haue ben disceyued by a wycked spiryte / that to illude and mocke them / hath traÌ„sfygured and shewed hym selfe as an angel of lyght / and hath shewed vnto the persones many thynges full good and godly / and some thinges to come after the forme of prophecy that haue truely coÌ„men to passe in effecte and all to cause them to gyue faythe and credence vnto other thynges vnlaufull and false But to wryte here howe such a spiryte shulde be knowen from an angel or a good spiryte it shuld be a longe werke and also superfluus syth who so euer haue mynde to se that matter / may haue it well and playnly set forth and declared in englysshe by a lerned maÌ„ a bacheler of diuinyte / one of our deuout bretherne lately departed whome Iesu