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 Euensonge and of Indulgete.

There ar certayne houres of dyuyne seruyce that [The three Day Offices.] longeth to the day. as Pryme. Tyerce. Sexte & None. And certayne other that longe to the nighte. as Euensonge. Complyn. and Mattyns. And for euen∣songe [The three Night Offices.] is the fyrst howre that longeth to the nighte. therfore yt is called the songe of euen. that is the begynnynge of the nighte. & yt hathe hys name in latin of the euen sterre that apperyth at euen. ¶ Now [Natural insta∣bility, impatience, and frailty,] yt is so that man ys so frayle & vnstable in hymselfe. that. that thynge that plesyth one tyme. yt dysplesyth hym a nother tyme. & that he wyll now. he wyll yt not sone after. And that the reason desyreth. the sensualyte ageyne sayth. And that the soule wolde haue. the flesshe contraryeth. And sythe one man ys thus contraryous. & dyuerse in hymselfe. no meruayle thoughe many men gatheryd togyther be often tymes dyuerse & contrary in felynges. and in condycions. [help to excite small dissensions,] wherof riseth amongest them somtyme troubles. & grudgeynges in harte. or in worde. or in chere. or in dede. ¶ But though yt be not in oure power to ascape alwayes. but that we somtyme take occasion of other. wherby we ar meued ageynste them. & somtyme we do thynges that other take occasyon of. & are meued ageynste vs{punctel} yet yf is in our power by grace not to consente wylfully to suche sturrynges of ire. & of vnpacyence. namely & we be besy. and hasty to put remedy there ageynst. that is. to be redy to forgyue eny [but we should be quick and ready to forgive and to ask forgiveness.] thinge that ys done ageynste vs. & sone to aske for∣gyuenes. where we fele that eny ys hurte by vs. And therfore saynte Austyne byddeth in hys rewle. that [Capitulo .vj.] other we shulde haue no stryues. or else we shulde sone ende them. That is to meane. that thoughe we be moued by fraylete in harte to eny vnpacyence we shulde notte geue suche stede therto for to breke oute with wordes of stryfe. And yf we be so ouersene to

breke oute into stryffe. then we must haste vs. to make an ende therof by redy forgyfyng. & askynge of forgyf∣nesse for the lenger that suche forgyfynge. and askynge of forgyfnesse is taryed{punctel} the lenger endureth in the [Such strifes should not be allowed to last.] harte the sturryng of Ire. And the lenger that they endure. the more they encrese. tyl the fowleys ouer∣come and then grace withdrawyth. and the fende enteryth. And therfore sayeth saynte Paule. Sol non occidat super iracundiam vestram et nolite locum [Ephesi .iiij.] dare diabolo. That ys to saye. Suffer not wrathe to abyde in you tylle the sonne goynge downe. and wylleth not geue place to the fende. For he that kepyth wrathe in harte{punctel} ys occupyed wyth yuell and bytter thoughtes. whereby the fende catchyth holde. to brynge hym to worse. ¶ Therfore saynte Benet or∣deyned [Capitulo .xiij.] in hys rewle that eche day in the ende of [The Benedictine custom of daily forgiveness of each other.] mattyns at begynnynge of the daye. and in the laste ende of Euensonge at the begynnynge of nyghte{punctel} the Pryoure in the [Folio lxxxij.] name of all. shulde saye a lowde the Pater noster, that all myghte here yt. so that by the saynge of that petycyon where he sayeth. Et dimitte nobis, That ys. And forgyue vs oure trespaces as we forgyue them that trespace to vs. all shulde be sturred. and drawen to forgyue eche other. ¶ For these same causes hath our lorde ordeyned in his holy rewle that [Capitulo .iiij.] ye shulde euery day before the begynnyng of euen-songe. eche of you forgyue & aske forgyuenes of other. saynge a lowde with harte and tongue. Indulgete [The Augustinian Indulgete or∣dained for the same object,] nobis, Forgyue vs. for god. and for hys moste mercyfull mother Mary{punctel} yf we haue offended you. with worde. or dede. sygne. or token. for yf eny trespace be in you agenste vs{punctel} wyth moste full wylle and harte we for∣gyue yt. ¶ And before thys ye say an Aue maria, to oure lady that therby ye shulde be the more stronge to breke downe all contrarious sturrynges. that ye may forgyue veryly of harte lyke as ye say with the mouthe.

¶ And thys ye saye before euensonge rather then [and said at Evensong to pre∣vent anger from opening the door to other sins.] before eny other of youre howres. by cause that euen∣songe is the begynnynge of the nyghte as I said before. And therfore that the sonne shulde not go downe vpon youre wrathe. for pareyles that I haue rehersed before{punctel} ye forgyue and aske forgyuenes at this tyme of all occasyons. and trespaces that hathe hapned in all the day before. that ye may in clene and pesyble conscience pray god with your euensonge. For his holy seruyce oughte to be sayde wyth clene and restefulle hartes. ¶ If eny were so ouercome wyth temptacyon of Ire. [No one should omit this custom of daily mutual forgiveness,] whyche god forfende. that she wolde not saye thys Indulgete by cause she wolde not forgyue{punctel} then she were gretly to blame. and yet she were neuer the more excused. For yt is sayd in the name of all. and ther∣fore it byndethe all whether they saye yt. or saye yt not. and whether they be there. or thense. And ther∣fore they that are absente. and saye theyre euensonge alone. oughte neuer the lesse to say yt. For thoughe there be none presente to speke to. yet they speke to all. and in the name of al. And in vnyte of all the [which is said in the name of all.] congregacyon. the forgyuenesse is asked and offered. And this ye may wytte by that. that eche person sayeth. we forgyue. for an eche one spake onely in her owne name. she shulde saye I forgyue. & forgyue me. And also yf yt were not sayd in vnyte of all. they that stande on the tone syde. shulde not forgyue eche other. for they speke all to gyther ouer to the tother syde. & not to themselfe. as yt shulde seme. But for eche one sayeth yt in the name of all. & in vnyte of all{punctel} ther∣fore yt byndeth all to forgyue. & pardoneth all theyr trespace. And therfore wretched were that persone that for eny waywardenes of harte wolde be vnrecon∣cyled. and dysceuered from that holy vnyte at that tyme. ¶ Thys ys that dayely sacryfyce that ye offer euery daye to God at euensonge tyme. fygured by

the contynewall sacrifyce that god bad by moyses shulde be offered dayly to hym at euensonge tyme. be∣fore [Exodi .xxix.] the sone goynge downe. And then he sayd he wolde dwelle amongest them. and be theyr lorde god. & they shulde well know that he were theyr lorde god. ¶ Therfore seure may ye be that ye shall haue of our lorde god all that ye wylle aske of hym to youre helthe. yf ye gette hym to dwelle thus amongest you by dayly offerynge of thys sacryfyce. of charyte & of vnyte. ¶ But nowe perauenture ye myghte aske whether thys askynge of forgyuenesse by thys [Folio .lxxxiij.] In∣dulgete, be suffycient for eny trespace or offence that eny dothe ageynste a nother without eny specyal aske∣ynge. ¶ To thys I answere that the persone agenste [How far the general "In∣dulgete" suffices for special tres∣passes against others.] whome the trespace or offence is done{punctel} oughte not after Indulgete, is saide in the quier. whether she be there or no. to bere wylfully eny heuines in harte. or to make. or to shew eny heuynes in worde. or dede. agenste that persone that hathe offended her. as far as the offence longeth to her owne selfe or to her owne cause. though the other aske her neuer other forgyue∣nesse before ne after. But the trespaces that are done agenste god. & agenst the relygyon. oughte to be cor∣recte after the rewles of relygyon. when tyme ys. netheles for Indulgete, But be ware. that none kepe wrathe. ne make quarell to other for her owne cause. vnder coloure of relygyon or of zele of the obseruaunces therof. For all personal causes as far as they hurte not the relygyon. ar to be forgyuen. by Indulgete, as ys before sayde. And thys ye may se by the wordes. when ye say. If eny trespace be in you ageynste vs. wyth moste full wyll we forgyue yt. And therfore if eny forgyue not in all the wyll of her harte when these wordes ar sayd{punctel} she maketh a gabbynge. thoughe she say not the wordes herselfe. ne here them sayd. For they ar sayde in the quier in the name of all. and

bynde all as I sayde before. ¶ But the parsone that hathe wyttyngly offended a nother{punctel} oughte to do that ys in her to be reconcyled and to aske forgyuenesse of [Let all forgive whether forgive∣ness asked or not.] her that she knoweth she hathe offended{punctel} before or In∣dulgete begynne. And yf she wyl not then thoughe the other forgyue yt at Indulgete, and oughte no more to speke therof{punctel} yet she muste aske forgyuenesse after∣warde and the souerayne and serches that haue cure of the relygyon. oughte to se that she be sadly correcte. [But let those who will not ask for∣giveness be pun∣ished.] not onely for the trespace that she dyd agenste her syster. but moche more for her obstynasy and inobedy∣ence agenste the intente of the rewle that she wolde not seke to be reconcyled. For in that she breketh the vnyte of the congregacyon. & myghte cause oure lorde to wythdrawe hys gracious presence from all. for he loueth to dwelle in vnyte of restfull soulles. And also she geueth a way to the enmy to take power ouer her selfe. in that. that she dysceuereth her selfe from vnyte of the holy congregacyon as a shepe that wander∣eth alone from vnyte of the flocke. ys sone taken and deuoured of the wolfe. And the same ys to be sayde of her that wyll not forgyue. namely at that tyme. of Indulgete. ¶ And therfore eche one oughte to be full [Nursing up grudges drives away grace.] ware that they kepe ne bere no grudgeynge. ne wrate in harte for though eny man can hyde yt for a tyme from outwarde shewynge{punctel} god knoweth yt well ynoughe. & wythdrawyth hys grace. and the fende catchyth holde in that sowle. ¶ Now in happes somme myghte thynke. what shall I do. I wolde fayne forgyue. but I cannot. Loke yt be as ye saye wythout feynynge. that ye wolde forgyue veryly. and of harte: and then ye forgyue. thoughe ye fele neuer so many contrary sturynges. so ye folowe not the sturynges in worde ne in dede. but are veryly dys∣pleased with them. & lothe them. and compelle youre selfe to do the contrary of suche frowarde sturynges.

then they hurte not the sowle. for we haue oure wylle free. but not oure felynges. And therfore we may wylle and not wylle what vs [Folio .lxxxiiij.] lyste. but we may not fele. ne vnfele what vs lyste. And therfore oure mercyfull lorde takyth vs not after oure felynges but after oure wylles. ¶ Netheles though a persone felte many bytter sturrynges of ire and of vnpacyence. yf he had a very dysplesaunce therwith. and arose ageynste [Every one can forgive if they try mightily to do so and also pray for grace.] them wyth a myghty. and a feruente wylle. and prayed oure lorde. and hys holy mother of helpe. and so wente to chyrche. and sayde. Aue maria, and In∣dulgete, wyth the couente. in hope to gette grace. & to ouercome hymselfe{punctel} I trowe that by prayer of oure lady. and for obedyence of the rewle. and by knyttynge of hymselfe to vnyte of the congregacyon{punctel} he shulde fele the fersenesse of hys sturrynges sone abated. ¶ Thus therfore reconcyled to gither ye begynne youre [After mutual reconciliation begin Evensong.] euensonge where ye saye fyue psalmes to haue forgyue∣nesse of all that ye haue offended god in your fyue wyttes. And by meryte of our lordes fyue woundes. whyche he had in hys holy body. bothe at euensonge tyme of the day. when he was losed and taken downe frome the crosse. & at euensonge tyme of the worlde. For in the begynnynge of the laste age of the worlde. he suffered hys holy passyon.