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

The Abbey of the Holy Ghost

Ms. Thornton (Lincoln Cath. 91)

[folio 271]

Religio Sancti Spiritus, Religio Munda.

Off the abbaye of saynte Spirite, that es in a place that es callede conscyence. A dere brethir and systirs, I see þat many walde be in religyone bot þay may noghte, owthir for pouerte or for drede of thaire kyne or for band of maryage, and for-thi I make here a buke of þe religeon of þe herte, þat es, of þe abbaye of the holy goste, that all tho þat ne may noghte be bodyly in religyone, þat þay may be gostely. A Ihesu mercy, whare may þis abbay beste be funded and þis religione? Now certis, nowhare so wele als in a place þat es called Conscyence; and who so will, be besy to funde þis holy religione, and þat may

ilke gud cristyne mane and woman do þat will be besy þer-abowte. And at þe begynnynge, it es by-houely þat þe place of thi conscience be clensed clene of syne; to þe wilke clensynge þe haly goste sall sende two maydyns þat ere conande, the one es callede Rightwysnes, and þe toþer es called Luffe of Clennes; thiese two sall cast fro þe conscience and fro þe herte all maner of fylthe of foule thoghtes and desyris. / Whene þe place of þe conscience es wele clensed, than sall þe grownde be mad large and depe; and this two maydenes sall make: þe one es callede Mekenes, þat sall make þe grownde depe thorowe lowlynes of hir-selfe, the toþer es callede Pouerte, þat makis it large & wyde abowne; þat castis ouer ylke a halfe þe erthe owte, þat es to say, alle erthely lustes & worldely thoghtes ferre fro þe herte, þat if þay hafe erthely gudis with luffe þay forgete þayme for þe tyme & castis no lufe to þame, nor hase noghte ne settis noghte for þat tyme þaire hertes no-thynge one þame—and thies ere callede pure in spyrite, of whame god spekes in þe gospelle & sayse þat thaires es þe kyngdome of heuene, be thies wordes Beati pauperes spiritu, quoniam ipsorum est rignum celorum. Blyssed es þane þat religyone þat es fun¯dide in pouerte and in meknes. This es agaynes many religyous þat are couetous and prowde. / This abbaye also sall be sett on a gud reuer, and þat sall be þe reuer of teres; for swylke abbayes þat ere sett one swylke gude ryuers, þay are wele at ese, and þe

more dylecyous duellyng es þer. One swylke a reuer was Mary Mawdelayne fowndide, ffor-thy grace and rechesse come all to hir will. And for-thi sayde Dauid thus: Fluminis impetus letificat ciuitatem, þat es to saye «the gude reuer mase þe cete lykande»; for it es clene, sekyr, & ryche of all gude marchandyse. And so þe reuer of teris clenses goddis cete, þat es mannes saule þat es goddes cete; and also þe holy man sayse of fylthe of synne þat it brynges owte þe reches of vertus and of alle gude thewes. / And when þis grownde es made, þan sall come a dameselle, Bowsomnes, on þe tone halfe, and dameselle Miserecorde one þe toþer halfe, for to rayse þe walles one heghte, and to make þam stalworthe: with a fre hert largely gyfande to þe pure & to þame þat myster hase; ffor whene we do any gud werkes of charite thorow þe grace of gode, also ofte-sythis als we þam do in þe lufe and þe louynge of god and in gud entent, als many gud stonys we laye one owre howssynge in þe blysse of heuene, festenande togedir with þe lufe of gode and oure euene-crystene. We rede þat Salomone made his howssynge of grete precyouse stones: thiese precyous stones are almos-dedis and werkes of mercy & holy werkes; þat sall be bowdene togedir with qwykelyme of lufe & stedfaste byleue, and for-thi sayse Dauid, Omnia opera eius in fide, þat es to saye, «alle his werkes be done in stedfaste byleue»; and als a walle maye not laste with-owttene syment or mor[ter], also no werkes þat we wyrke are noghte worthe to god nor spedfull till oure sawles, bot þay be done in the lufe

of god and in trewe by-leue; ffor alle þat þe synfull dose, alle es loste. / Sythene dameselle Sufferance and damesell Forte sall rayse þe pelars, & vndirsett þame so strangly þat no wynde of wordes, angre o[r] stryffe, fleschely nor gastely, sowre ne swete, caste þame downe. / A, dere brethir and systers, ȝitt by-houys þe cloystyre be made, one foure corners; and it es callede «cloyster» for it closys and stekys, and warely sall be lokkede. My dere breþer and systyrs, wylke of ȝow as will halde this gastely religyone & be in ryste of sawle & in swetnes of hert, halde þe with-Ine þe cloyster, and so sparre þou þe ȝates, and so warely kepe þou þe wardes of þi cloyster, þat non o[t]er fandyngeȝ nor euylle styrrynges hafe in-gate in the & make þe thy sylence forto [breke] or styrre the to synne; steke thyne eghne fro fowle syghtes, thyne heres fro foule herynges, thy mouthe fra foule speche, and thyne herte fra foule thoghtes. / Scrifte sall [make] thi chapitir, Predicacione sall make thi fratour, Oracione sall make thi chapelle; Contemplacione sall make thi dortoure, þat sall be raysede one heghte with heghe ȝernynge and with lufe-qwykkynynge to gode, and þat sall be owte ofe worldly noyse and of worldly angyrse and besynes als fere furthe als þou may for þe tyme thorow grace for þe tyme of prayere. Contemplacione es a deuote rysynge of herte with byrnynge lufe to god to do wele, and in his delites Ioyes

his saule, and somdele ressayues of that swetnes þat goddis chosene childir sall hafe in heuene. / Rewfulnes sall make the fermorye, Deuocione sall make þe celere, Meditacion sall make the gernere. / And when all þe howses bene made, þan behoues þe holy gaste ordeyne þe couent of grace & of vertu; and þan sall þe holy gaste þat þis religyone es of, bee wardene and visiture. The whilke god þe ffadir funded thorow his powere, ffor þus saise Dauide: Fundauit eam altissimus, and this es to saye: «the heghe gode þe ffadyr ffundide this relegyone»; the Sone thurgh his wysedome þan ordayned it, als sayne Paule witnes it: Que [sunt], a deo ordinata sunt, þat es at saye: «alle þat es of god, the Sone it rewlis & ordaynes»; the Holy goste ȝemys it and vesettes it, and þat saye [we] in holy kyrke whene we saye þis: Veni creator Spiritus,with Qui paraclitus diceris, þat es for to saye: «come þou god þe haly gaste, and thyne þou vesete, and fulfill þame with grace». / And than the gude lady Charite, als scho þat es most worthy by-fore alle oþer, sall be abbas of this sely abbaye. And also als þay þat are in relegyone sall do no thynge, ne saye thynge, ne gange in to no stede, ne take no gyfte with-owttene leue of þe abbasse, also gastely sall none of swylke thyngys be done with-owttene leue of charite; ffor thus commandes sayne Paule: Omnia vestra in caritate fiant, þat es: «what so ȝe do or saye or thynke with herte, alle ȝe mon

do in charite». A, dere Breþer and systirs, whate here es harde comandement! Bot it es [notfull] to oure sawles þat oure thoghtes & oure wordes & oure werkes be onely done for lufe. Wayleawaye, if I durste saye! for many are in religione, bot to fewe relegious þat þay ne done þe comandment of saynte Paule, or þe concelle of þe gud lady Charite þat es abbesse of this cely relegyone; and for-thi þay lose mekill tyme, and losses þaire mede, and ekes thaire payne gretly, bot if þay amende þam. Whare-fore, leue breþer and systirs, bese euermore wakire and warre, and in all ȝoure werkes thynke depely þat whate-so ȝee doo be it done in þe lufe of gode and for þe lufe of [god]. / Þe lady Wysdome sall be prioresse, for scho es worthi, Nam prior omnium creat[ur]ar[um] est sapiencia, þat es: «alþer-firste es Wysedome made», and thurgh þe lare and þe concele of þis prioresse sall we do alle þat we do; and this sayse Dauid: Omnia in sapiencia fecisti, þat es at saye: «alle þat þou hase made þou hase made wysely». / The gud lady Meknes þat aye elyke makis hir-selfe lowly and vndir alle oþer, sall be supprioresse: hir sall ȝe honoure and wirchipe with bouxomnes. A Ihesu, blyssede [es] þat abbaye and cely es þat religione, þat hase so haly ane abbas as Charyte, a prioresse as Wysedome, a supprioresse as Mekenes. A, dere breþer and systirs, blyssede and cely are þay; þat es to saye, those saules are cely þat haldis þe comandment of þe abbas lady Charite, and þe techynge of þe priores lady Wysdome, and the concele of þe suppriorese lady Mekenes. For who-so es

bouxome to thir thre ladyse, and þaire lyffe rewlis aftir þaire techynge, the ffadir, the Sone, the Holy goste, þam sall comfurthe with many gostely Ioyes, and þam helpe and socoure in alle fandinges [&] angirs þat þay ne be noghte ouer-comene; þam thare drede no wrenkis ne no wylis of the fende, for why god es with þame and standis aye by þame als a trewe kepere & a strange; and ffor-þi says Dauid thus: Dominus protector vite mee, a quo trepidabo? als if he sayd: «god es my champyone staleworthe and trewe, þat for me þat es so wayke and so vnmyghtfull, agaynes myne enemyse hase vndirtane for to fyghte: whame thare me þane drede ? now trewly, righte none». We rede in a buke of Danyele þat a myghtfull [kyng] was þat mene callede Nabogodhonosore, þat sett in [his] reme thre mene þat solde do & ordayne and stabyll als baylyes alle þe rewme, so þat þe kynge herde no noyse ne no playnte, bot þat he myghte be in pese & in Ioye & in ryste in his rewme. And righte so þe rewme of þe sawle þat thiese thre baylyes are Ine, and þe religione þat thies thre prelates are Ine, þat es Charite, Wysedome and Mekenes, thare es pese, ryste and lykynge in saule & comforthe in lyfe. / Damesele Discrecyone, þat es witty and be-[fore]-ware, sall be tresorere; scho sall hafe in hir kepynge alle, and ȝernely luke þat all go wele. / Orysone salle be chaunterese, þat with hertly prayers sall trauele daye & nyghte. And whate Orysone es, þe holy mane sayse: Oracio est deo sacrificium, angelis solacium, diabolo tormentum, þat es to saye: «Orysone es a louely sacrafice

to god, solase and lykynge to angells, and turment to þe fende». It witnes in þe lyfe of saynte Barthilmewe þat it es turment to þe fende: for þe fende cryede to hym and sayde: Bartholomee, ince[n]dunt me oraciones tue, þat es to saye: «Bartilmew, thi prayers byrnys me». And þat [it] es lykynge to angels, saynte [Austyn] wytnes it and sayse: «Whene we praye with deuocyone of hert, the angels standis byfore [vs] daunsesande & playeande, and beris oure prayers vp, and present þame to þe ffadir of heuene; þe whilke prayers oure lorde commandes to wryte in þe buke of lyfe». [zt;it it] es sacrafyce to god, [zt;is ane] of þame þat hym moste payes, and for-thi he askes vs it þer he sayse thus: Sacrificium laudis honorificabis me, þat es to saye: «zt;e salle wyrchipe [me] with sacrifice of louynge». / Iubilacio, hir felowe, sall helpe. And what Iubilacione es, a seynt it telles and sayse þat «Iubylacione es a grete Ioye þat es consayuede in teris thorow brynnande luffe of spirite, þat may noghte be in all schewede no in alle hyde»; als it fallis somtyme of tho þat god hertly lufes; þere efter þat þay hafe bene in prayere and in orysone, þay are so lyghte & so lykande in god, þat whare so þay go þer hertes synges murnynge songes of lufe-longynge to þaire lefe, þat þay zt;erne with armys of lufe semlyly to falde, and with gastely mourny[n]ge of his gudnes swetly to kysse; and zt;it vmwhile so depely þat wordis þam wanttis; for luf-longynge so

ferforthe rauesches thorow hertis þat somtyme þay ne wote noghte whate þay do. / Deuocione es celeresse, þat kepis þe wynnes, bothe þe white and þe rede, with depe vmbythynkynge of þe gudnes of god, & of þe paynnes & of þe anguyse þat he tholede, and of the Ioyes & þe delytes of paradyse þat he hase ordayned to his chosene. / Penance sall be kychynnere, þat with grete besynes trayuells daye & nyghte for to plese alle, and ofte swetis with bitter teris for angyre of hir synnes. Scho makes gud metis, þat es many bitter sorowes alle for hir gyltezt;, and theys metis fedis þe saule; bot scho sparis hir-selfe thorow abstynence and etys bot littill, ffor do scho neuer so mekill ne so mony-folde of gud werkes, ay semys scho hir-selfe vnworthy and synfull. / Atemperance serue[s]e in the fratour, þat scho to ylkone so lukes þat mesure be ouer-alle, þat none ouer-mekill nere ouer-lyttill ete ne drynke. / Sobirnes redis at the borde the lyues of the haly ffadirs, and synges and reherces whate lyfe þat þay lede, for to take gud ensampille to do als þay dyd, and þere-thorowe slyke mede to wyne als þay now hafe. / Pete es spensere, þat dose seruesse to gud all þat scho maye. And Mercy hir syster sall be ambynowre, þat gyffes to alle, and noghte kane kepe to hir-selfe. / The lady Drede es portere, þat kepis besyly þe cloyster of þe herte & of þe conscience, þat chases owte alle vnthewes and calles In alle gud vertus, & so

speres þe zt;atis of þe cloyster & þe wyndows, þat none evylle hafe none Ingate to þe herte thorowe þe zt;atis of þe mouthe ne thorowe þe wyndows of þe eghne nere of þe eris. / Honeste es maystresse of þe nouyce, and teches þam alle curtasye, how þay sall speke and gange and sytt and stande, and how þay sall bere þame with-owttene and with-Ine, howe to god, how to mane, so þat alle þat þame sese of þam may take ensampill of alle gudnes and alle gud thewes. / Dameselle Curtasye sall be hostelere, & þay þat com[es] and bydes scho sall þam resafe hendely, so þat ylke one may speke [gud] of hir. And for-thi þat nowþer sall be by þame one emange the gestes—ffor it myghte falle þat damesele Curtasye solde be oure-balde & ouer-hardy,—for-thi sall scho hafe a felawe damesele Symplese, for þay two alyede to-gedir thorowe felawchipe are sekyre and semande; for þe tone with-owttene þe toþer vmwhile es littill worthe: for ouer-grete symplesse may make of þe symple a sott or ouer-nyce, and ouer-grete curtasye may be somewhile oþer to lyghte chere or to glade, or ouer-balde for to paye þe gestes; bot fayre and wele, & with-owttene fandynge of blame, may þay do þaire offece bothe to-gedir. / Damesele Resone sall be puruerere, ffor scho sall ordayne with-In & with-owttyne so skilfully þat þere ne be no defaute. / Damesele Lewte sall be fermoresse, þat sall trauelle abowte & besely serue þe seke. And for-þi sen þat in þe fermory of this religyone are moo seke þane

hole, mo febyll þane wighte, and es ouer-grete trauelle to serue þam alle hyrone, ffor-thi sall scho hafe a felawe, damesele Largesse, þat sall see full wele to ylkone after þat þam nedis. / Damesele conande and wysse þat es callede Meditacyone or Poleschesy, es garnere: scho sall gedyre and sembyll gude whete and oþer gud cornnes to-gedir, and þat fully, with grete plente, thorow þe whilke alle þe gud ladyse of þe howse may hafe þaire sustenance. Meditacione es in gud thoghtes of god, & of his werkes, and of his wordes, and of his creaturs, and of his paȳnes þat he tholede, and of his grete lufe þat he had and hase to þame for whayme he tholede. This garnere had þe gud kyng Dauid, ffor-þi was he ay riche & in plente; and for-thi he sayse in þe psaltyre: In omnibus operibus tuis meditabar ... die ac nocte, þat es to saye: «Lorde, in thi lawe I thynke nyghte and daye». This es begynnynge of all perfeccione whene mane settis and stabylls his herte in depe thynkynge on god & on his werkes; ffor ofte es better a gud thoghte in haly meditacyone þan many wordes sayd in prayere, ffor þe holy thoghtes in meditacione cryes in goddes eris. Ofte it falles þat þe herte es so ouer-tane and so raueschede in holy meditacyone þat it wote noghte what it dose, heris nor sayse, or seys, so depely es þe herte festenede in god and in his werkes þat wordis hym wanttis: and þe stillere þat he es in slyke meditacione the luddere he cryes in goddis eris; and þerfore sayd Dauid thus: Quoniam tacui, dum

clamarem tota die, as if he sayd: «Lorde, lo here the whills myne herte was in depe thoghtes in the and of thi werkes, it cryed one the in holy medytacyons, and was stylle as beynge domme». And þer sayse þe glose, «the grete cryes þat we crye to god þan are oure grete desyres and oure grete ȝernynges». And this sayse saynte Denyse, þat sayse: »When þe herte es lyfte and raueschede to þe lufe of god with gelouse ȝernynges, he ne may sownde with worde þat þe herte thynkis». This holy Meditacione þat es þe gernare þat kepis ȝerely þe whete þat es rede with-owte and white with-Ine, þat hase þe syde clouene, of þe whilke men mase gud brede: þat es called Ihesu Criste, þat with-owttene was rede of his awene blode, and whitte with-Ine thorow his awene mekenes and clennes of lyfe, and hade his syde clouene with a spere; this es þe brede þat we ressayue and etis in þe sacrament of þe altyr. And wele þou weite þat the gerner sall be abowne þe selare: also sall be meditacione before deuocione; and for-thi Meditacione sall be gernare, Deuocione celerrere, and Pete penetancere. Of thiese thre sayse þe profete Dauide: A ffructu frumenti, vini, et olei sui, multiplicati sunt, þat es at saye: «Of the fruyte of þe whete and wyne and oyle þay ere fulfillede». In þe alde lawe in many stedis gode takis to his chosene thiese thre; «Serue me, he sayse, wele, & I sall gyffe ȝowe plente of whete and wyne & oyle». Plente of whete, es hertly to thynke one þe croyce and euer haffe þe passyone of Ihesu Crist hertly in mynde: this es meditacione. Plente of wyne, þat es þe welle of teres, wele for to wepe: this es deuocione. Plente of oyle, þat es for to hafe

delyte and sauoyre in god: and this es comforthe. For þe oyle gyffes odoure to metis, and lyghtes in þe kyrke, and byrnys in the lampe; also whene goddis seruandes hase depely thoghte with schire herte on gode & on his werkes, with lufe-longynge to þame, þane hase god pete of þame, and sendis þam petance of comforthe and of gastely Ioye. And th[u]s gyffes [þam], at þe begynnynge meditacione, and þis es þe whete þat god hyghttes vs; than sendis god sone after þe wyne, þat es plente of teris and deuocyone þat men consayues in medytacyone; and after þe wyne of swete teris than sendys he þe oyle of consolacione þat gyffes þame sauour & lyghtnes [þaire] knaweliggynge, and schewes to þam of his heuenly priuatyse þat es hide fro þame þat folowes fleschely desyris and gyffes þame-selfe alle to þe wysedome of þe worlde and his fantasyse, and so enflawmes þam with þe blysse of his lufe þat þay taste somedelle & fele how swete he es, how gud he es, how luffande he es—bot noghte alle fully. I wote wele þat none may fele it fully bot if his herte solde bryste for lykynge of Ioye. Sayne Austyne telles of a preste þat, whene he herde any thynge of god þat lykynge ware Ine, he wold be so raueschede in Ioye þat he walde fall downe and lygge als he ware dede; and also in þat tyme if men layde byrnande fyre to his flesche nakide, he felid it no more þan dose a dede corse. Sayne Bernarde spekes of

þe wordis of Iob þer he sayse Abscondit lucem in manibus, þat es at say «god hase lyghte hyde in his handis»: «Þou wote wele, he þat hase a candill lyghte bytwene his handis, he may hyde it & schewe it at his owenne will. So dose oure lorde to his chosene. Whene he will he opynis his handes and lyghtenes þam with heuenly gladnes; and whene he will, he closis his handis and withdrawes þe lykynge & þe comforthe fro þame». He wille noghte þat þay fele it fully aye, bot here he gyffes þame as for to taste & sauour somedele how swete he es, how gud he es, als Dauid sayse Gustate et videte quoniam suauis est dominus, als if god sayd to vs, ,be þis comforthe and this lykynge þat þou þis schorte tyme hase of me, þou may taste & fele how swete, how gude I ame to my chosyne in my blysse in þe werlde with-owttene ende'; and þus he dose for to drawe vs fro werldly besynes and þe lykynge þer-of, and for to enflawme oure hertes with lufe-ȝernynges, ffor to wyne and to hafe þe lykynge of þat Ioye alle at þe full, in body and saule with hym for to be euer-more with-owttene ende. / A dameselle wyse & wele taghte þat mene calles Gelosye, þat es ay wakyre and besy euer ylyke wele for to do, sall kepe þe orloge, and sall wakkyne þe oþer ladyse & make þame arely to ryse and go þe wyllylyere to þaire seruysse. Þer es orloges in towne þat wakyns mene to ryse to bodily trauayle, & þat es þe [coke]; and þer es orloges in þe cete þat wakynnes þe marchauntes to wende abowte þaire marchandyce: þat es þe [wayte] þat blawes daye. And þer es orloges

in relegione, of contemplacione. And this es of this holy relegyone þat es fundede of þe haly gaste, and þis es Ielosy, and this es sauoyre of perfeccione. & ofte it falles in relegione, before þat þe orloge falles or any belles rynges, goddes gostely seruandes are lange wakenede be-fore, and hase wepede by-fore god, and hase waschene þame with þaire teris, and þaire spyrit hase vesete(!) with deuote prayers and gastely comforthe. And why rose þay so arely & so tymly? witterly, for þe orloge of lufe and damesele Ielosye had wakened þame before þe tyme þat þe handmade orloge felle. A, dere breþer and syster[s], sely ar tho sawles þat þe lufe of god and longyng till him wakyns, and slomers noghte no slepis noghte in slowthe of fleschly lustes! For-thi he sayse in Canticis: [Ego] dormio et cor meum vigelat, þat es at saye: «when I slepe bodily my flesche for to ese & ryste, my herte es ay wakyre in gelosy and in lufe-ȝernynge to gode». That saule þat þus wakes to god, [may] thynke [with] hole conscyence þat werldly mene thynke, and þat es this: Ieo ay le quer a-loche, rauayle par amours, þat es at saye: «Myne herte es styrte fro me, wakened with lufe». Whate es this þat mase þe herte fro þe flesche to wake, and for þat es it as it were fremde to hym? wittirly, Ieloussye with lufe-teres & murnynge, with lufe-longynge consayuede in deuote vprysynge of herte. // When this abbaye was alle wele ordaynede and goddes will seruede in ryste & in lykynge & in pese of saule: than come a tyrante of þe lande thorowe

his powere and did in this holy abbaye ffoure doghtyrs þat he hade, þat were lothely & of euyll maners, þat þe fende was fadir of thiese doghtirs. Þe firste of þis foule barne-tyme highte Envye, the toþer highte Pride, the thirde highte Gruchyn[g]e, the ferthe highte False demynge of oþer. Thiese foure doghetirs þan hase þe tyraunt, þe deuell of helle, for euyll will & malese, done in this holy abbaye, and þay with þaire foule vnclennes þe couent hase greuede and harmede, so þat þay no riste ne no pese may hafe, nyghte nor daye, nor lykynge in saule. And when þe gud lady Charite saw this þat was abbas, and the lady Wysdome þat was prioresse, and þe lady Mekenes supprioresse, and þe toþer gude ladyse of this holy abbaye, that the holy abbaye was in poynte for to worthe to noghte thorowe þe wykkydnes of thir foure, than range the chapetour belle and gedirde þam alle to-gedyr, and asked concele whate was beste to do. And than lady Dyscrecyone þame concelde þat þay solde alle falle in prayere to þe Holy goste, þat of this abbay es vesetour, þat he haste hym for to come, as þay grete myster hade, thare for to help and vesete with his grace. And þay all at hire consaile with grete deuocyone of herte vn-to hym songe alle with a swete steuene Veni creator spiritus. And also sone þe holy goste come at þaire desyrynge, and þam comforthede with his grace, and chasede owte þe fowle wyghtes, þose lothely fendis doghetirs, and clenesede þe abbaye of all þe

fylthe, and ordayned it and restorede better þane it was by-fore. / Now I pray ȝow all in charite of god, þat all þa þat of this relegione redis or heris, þat þay be bouxome with all þaire myghte, and suffire þat þe gud ladys be-fore namede do þaire offece ilke daye gastely with-In þaire hertes; and luke ylkone wysely þat he ne do no trispase agayne þe rewle ne þe obedyence of þis relegione and of þase [suferaynes]. And if thorow vnhape falle þat any of thiese foure fendis doghetirs seke one any wyse any Ingate for to hafe with-in ȝoure hertis for to duelle, or Ingate hase wonne and with ȝow duellis, [dose] after þe concelle of þe lady Discrescione and gyffe ȝow to deuocione with hertly prayers, in hope of goddes helpe and of his socoure, and ȝe sall be delyuerde thurgh þe mercy of oure lord Ihesu Criste there, blyssede mot he be with-owttene ende. Amen.

Explicit Relegio sancti Spiritus Amen.