The myroure of Oure Ladye, containing a devotional treatise on divine service, with a translation of the offices used by the sisters of the Brigittine monastery of Sion, at Isleworth, during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Edited from the original black-letter text of 1530 A.D., by John Henry Blunt.

¶ Of them that are vayne or troubelous in tyme of goddes seruyce and lette bothe hymselfe and other.

Capitulo .xvii.

But thys malycyous serpent when he seeth that he is thus chased of many and dryuen a way he seketh to entre agayne by an other way. For then he assayeth [Yet even when the Evil One is driven away for a time he has many devices for causing dis∣traction.] to gette holde in some one whome he sturrethe anone, to make some vayne chere or sygne or token wherby one or other and some tyme many ar meued to some maner of dyssolucyon, and so dystracte from the sad∣nes of inwarde deuocyon. An other he sturreth to make som weywarde token or to do some thynge com∣berously where thrughe other ar taryed in theyre myndes and troubeled & so theyre spyrytes ar dryuen from quyetnes of deuocyon into anguysshe & paynefull grudginges. Then but if they haste them the faster to

theyre armure, and begynne to gyue batayle to suche [So that constant watchfulness is needed.] vayne or troubelous sturrynges and laboure to gather and holde theyre mynde to gyther as I sayde before; or else the subtyll enemy wyll enter vpon theym ageyne. [Folio .xx.] ¶ And therfore suche vayne or comberous people ar the fourthe cause, that make dystraccyon in goddes seruyce. And they are the fendes chyldren and fulfyl [.iiij. Vain and clumsy hinderers of Divine Service.] hys desyre, that he may not brynge aboute by hym∣selfe, as oure lorde sayth to them in hys gospel. Vos ex patre diabolo estis, et desideria patris vestri [Ioan .viij.] vultis facere. That is ye ar chyldren of the father the fende. And ye wyll do the desyres of youre father. ¶ If a kynge were at meate and hys seruantes aboute hym to serue hym. Or yf he were in the feylde to fyghte, and hys knyghtes with hym to warre for hym. Or yf he had laboures in hys vyne yerde or in hys gardyn, & there came one and made hys seruantes and [Who are like traitors in a king's army:] hys knyghtes and hys laboures to be skatered, & to flye from hys seruice. Shulde not suche one be called a traytor to the kynge, and be put to dethe; How moche more parlously ar they traytours to god that other by vanyte or by trouble cause dystraccyon in hys holy seruyce, and make the myndes of hys trew knyghtes & laboures be all to skatered. ¶ These ar [bad companions who hinder the common profit, like thorns growing among corn.] bad felowes for they let the comon profyt of all theyre felyshyp. Lyke vnto thornes and bryers that wyll not suffer the corne that groweth amongest them to brynge forthe fruyte. But a non as yt wolde growe vp, they oppresse or strangle yt and bere yt downe. So these folkes when goddes seruantes ar besy to growe vp, by holy desyres and deuocyon in hys seruyce; they with theyre vanyte or troubelousnes pulle downe theyre myndes, & let them. Therfore yt ys good that suche thornes be ware of that our lorde sayth by the prophet. Spine congregate igne comburentur that ys. Thornes [Esaie .xxxiij.] gatheryd togyther shall be cast in to fyer and brente.

¶ Remedy ageynste this is, that the gyuers of suche [These should be dealt with by a strict discipline.] occasyon be sadly blamed with all dylygence of charyte tyl they amende, for therwith ar the prelates of the chyrche charged by the comone lawe, as I haue writen [Capitulo .vij.] aboue. ¶ Another remedy is, that all that ar occu∣pyed in oure lordes seruyce be full ware and besy to kepe theyr syghte and all theyr out warde wyttes [And others should discipline them∣selves against being distracted by them.] from all occasyons that they take no hede of eny thynge but only of that holy seruyce that they haue in hande, so that they take none occasyon ne brynge in no tydynges to the harte to occupye theyr mynde with all. But that in all theyr berynge they kepe the sad∣nes of relygious dysciplyne. For soche sobre and sad outwarde kepynge so yt be done in trouth, and not fayned; helpyth moche to that inwarde stablenes of the harte, as the scrypture sayeth. Religiositas custodiet [Ecclesi. primo.] et iustificabit cor. that ys. Relygyousnes shall kepe the harte, and make yt ryghtfull.