Companion to the English prose works of Richard Rolle : a selection / from the edition by Carl Horstman.

Ms. Harley 1704

[folio 48b]

It was an holy man besought god to send hym grace to teche soch vertues for to vse that were best to lyf and to soule. / «Yef thyn hert to me and a peny to the pore for the loue of me: and it shall like me better þan þou yeue all the good of þis world after thy day. / Veppe a tere with thyn eye þenkyng on my passione: & it shall like me better þan þou wepte also moch water as is in the see for anger or for tene of los of worldis Catell. / For-bere a wicked word fro thyn euen-Cristen: & it shall like me better þan þou bete thy-self with all-so monye Roddis as growen in an acre londe. / Kepe the oute of synne with all thi myght: and it shall like me better þan þou fynd IX knyghtes werryng vppon the Sareȝens, euer-more lying aboute my sepulcre: þan þou for to lie in synne. / Haue rewth and pite on thy euen-Cristene: & it shal like me better þan þou fastid xl^ti wynter III dayes in the woke bred and water. / Visite the pore and the sike, spekyng all goodnesse: and it shall like me better þan þou goo barefote that þe waye renne blod after thy feet. / Do no wrong to no mane, nether harme ne shame: and it shal like me better þen þou eueryday make a newe Chyrch. / Tell to me all thy will, and beleue wele that I am al-myghti god and all goodnesse to fulfill: and it shal like me better þen my moder & all alowene

praydene for the. / Loue me for me: and it shall like me better þan þou make a piler Rechyng vp to heven, stiking full of Rasoures all þi body to Rendyn vppone.»

Flee perile and doute of deth, take þe better for hope of mede: the blisse of heven shalt þou not misse, so þou wilt kepe the commaundementis of Crist. / Thou most forsake pride and all wickid willis, yef þou wilt kepe þe commaundementis of Crist. // I besech the, leue brother, take to þe loue & Charite, yef thou wilt to heven flee. // Here þou might lere the commaundementis x; ne be þou neuer so gret Clerke, þou hast gret nede for to lerne hem. // Haue god in worship. Take not his name in Idelship. / Hold wele þi Holidaye. Fader and moder worship aye. / Loke that þou nought stele, Ne no fals wetenesse thou ne bere. / Loke þou ne sle non mane. Do no foli by no womane. / Desire not thy neygbours wyff, Ne nothing that þerto light. / He that will kepe these commaundementis he shal neuer die. // Leue frende, I beseche the, the VII. dedely synnes that þou flee, / yf þou wilt in heven be. / Who so is taken þerin / in hell shalbe his wonnyng. // Pride / Wrath / Envye, / Slouth / Glotenye, / Lecherie / Couetise. / He that is taken þerin, sore may hym agrise. // Man, take Comfort to the, beholde and se the vertues seuyne, that will bring the to heuyne: // Mekenesse, Pacience, Charite / Besinesse, Mesure, Chastite / Largesse to hem that haue nede to the. / He that will kepe these vertuesse seuen: in heven shal be his dwellyng, with oure lord heven kyng. AmeN.