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

De Worde's Early Editions, Attributed to Rolle

Contemplations of the Dread and Love of God

Ed. Wynkyn de Worde, 1506

[folio 1]

¶ Rycharde Rolle hermyte of Hampull in his contemplacyons of the drede and loue of god, with other dyuerse tytles as it sheweth in his table.

[folio 2]

¶ Opus Ricardi Rolle heremyte de Hampull, qui obiit Anno christi M.CCC.XlIX.

THis shorte epystle that foloweth is dyuyded in sondry maters / & eche mater by hymselfe in sondry tytles, as this kalender sheweth. And þat thou mayst sone fynde what mater the pleaseth / these tytles ben here in the Epystle marked with dyuerse lettres in maner of a table:

A ¶ How eche man sholde desyre to loue god.

B ¶ How men somtyme loued god / & how holy men somtyme were vysyted with swetnesse in the loue of almyghty god.

C ¶ What is drede & how a man shold drede god.

D ¶ What is charyte & how & why þou shalt loue thy god.

¶ Of foure degrees of loue / & in the fyrste ben fyue poyntes.

¶ Ordeyned loue.

E ¶ The fyrst is that thou shalt loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned.

F ¶ The .II. is þou shalt loue þe worlde to no superfluyte.

G ¶ The .III. is þou shalt loue thy neyghbour for god.

H ¶ The fourth is thou shalt loue thy frende for his good lyuynge.

I ¶ The fyfth is thou shalt loue thyn enemye for þe more [m]ede.

¶ In the seconde degre of loue ben thre poyntes.

¶ Clene loue.

K ¶ The fyrst poynt is thou shalt loue no vyce with vertue.

L ¶ The seconde is þou shalt hate all euyll customes.

M ¶ The thyrde is thou shalt not sette lyght by synne be it neuer so lytell.

¶ In the thyrde degree of loue be fyue poyntes.

¶ Stedfast loue.

N ¶ The fyrst is thou shalt loue god with all thy desyre.

O ¶ The seconde is thou shalt in the begynnynge of thy werkes thynke onþe worshyp & drede of god.

P ¶ The thyrde is thou shalt do no synne vpon trust of other good dedes.

Q ¶ The fourth is thou shalt rule the discretly that thou fayle not for [to] feruent wyll.

R ¶ The fyfth is thou shalt not leue thy good lyuynge for feynte herte ne for temptacyon.

¶ In the fourth degre of loue ben .VIII. (!) poyntes.

¶ Parfyte loue.

S ¶ How by encreace of vertues thou mayst come to perfeccyon.

T ¶ How good wyll is & may be in dyuerse maners.

U ¶ What profyte is in prayer and in what maner thou shalt praye.

X ¶ How thou mayst be ware & knowe of temptacyons wakynge or slepynge / & howe thou shalt withstande theym.

Y ¶ How thou shalt be pacyent & what tyme pacyence is moost nedefull.

Z ¶ How perseueraunce is nedefull & how þou mayst be perseueraunt.

AB ¶ By what prayer orthought thou mayst be styred to deuocyon.

Explicit tabula.

[folio 3]

IN the begynnynge and endynge of all good werkes worshyp & thankynge be to almyghty god / maker & byer of all mankynde / begynner and ender of all goodnes / without whose gyfte & helpe no maner vertue is ne may be / whether it be in thought / wyll / or dede; / than what euer we synfull creatures thynke or do / speke or wryte / that may tourne in to proufyte of mannes soule / to god onely be the worshyp that sente al grace / to vs no praysynge / for of vs without hym cometh no thynge but fylthe & synne. Now than good god of his endeles myght & plenteuous goodnes graunte me grace to thynke somwhat of his dere loue & how he sholde be loued; / of that same loue some wordes to wryte whiche may to hym be worshyp / to the wryter mede / and proufytable to the reder. Amen.

A ¶ How eche man sholde desyre to loue god.

AMonge all creatures that euer god of his endeles myght made / was there none þat he so loued as he dyd mankynde / whom he made [to reioyce] euerlastynge blysse in stede of aungels / whiche dyd fal from blysse downe in to helle. But that good god loued so man / that for as moche as man had forfeyted that blysse thorugh synne of Adam / he of his plenteuous charyte became man / to bye body and soule that was lost. In what maner he bought vs / euery crysten man knoweth or sholde knowe: / that no lasse pryce / but suffred his owne precyous body to be all to-rente with bytter paynes of scorgynge. He suffred also a garlonde of sharpe thornes pressyd to his heed / whiche percyd so the veynes that the blood ran doune in to his eyen / nose / mouth & eeres. Afterwarde vpon the crosse his bones were drawe out of Ioynte / the veynes & the senewes were borsten for strayte drawynge / to þe crosse he was nayled honde & foot / and so fayled the blood of kynd with bytter paynes of deth. He betoke his spyryte to the fader of heuen / and than suffred at the last his gloryous herte to be thorugh-percyd with a sharpe spere for to gyue his herte-blood to bye man body and soule into Ioye without ende. ¶ Yf god of his grete goodnes loued thus man, gyuynge hym ouer this wytte and reason and all other thynge that hym nedeth: / kyndely a man sholde nyght and daye with all his wyttes loue hym, and feruentely desyre to conne loue suche a good god that all thynge made, all thynge gyueth and susteyneth. Of this desyre there ben many, men and women, whiche haue full grete lykynge to speke of the loue of god / and all daye

askyne how they sholde loue god & in what maner they sholde l[y]ue to his pleasaunce for his endeles goodnes. To suche men & women, of that good wyll and [of] thatholy desyre, I wyll shewe fyrste of holy men before this tyme how feruent some were in the loue of god, Also in how hyghe a degree some were vysyted in þe swetenes [of þe loue] of cryst. But it may be so that it is full harde for the more partye of men & women to come to so hyghe a degree of loue / therfore after the shewynge of suche hyghe degrees of loue somwhat I wyll wryte to other of symple knowynge how they sholde loue god / as that gracyous god wyll gyue me grace.

B ¶ How men somtyme loued god / & how holy men somtyme were vysyted with swetenes in the loue of almyghty god.

I Fynde & rede of oure holy faders in olde tyme that for the loue of god they forsoke the worlde and all worldely thynges and lyued in wyldernes by grasse & by rotes / suche men were feruent in the loue of god. But I trowe there ben but fewe or elles none that folowen them now / for we fynde not by goddes lawe or heste that we sholde l[y]ue so. For all-be-it they were kepte & susteyned so moost by the myght and grace of god / as no goodnes may be without hym: yet I trowe they lyued so moche by þe strength of kynde that was in man tho dayes. I wyll not counseyll the to lyue as they dyde / for thou mayst by other maner lyuynge come to the loue of god / as thou shalt se afterwarde. ¶ I fynde also furthermore of other ful holy men of ryght late tyme whiche lyueden a ful holy lyfe, and toke theyr lyuelode as feblenesse of man asketh now in our dayes. Some of these men as I haue herde and redde were vysyted by the grace of god with a passynge swetenes of the loue of cryste / whiche swetenes for an example they shewed afterwarde by theyr wrytynge to other men folowynge / yf ony wolde trauayle to haue that hyghe desyre or degree of loue. This loue whiche they haue wryten to other is departed in thre degrees of loue / whiche thre degrees they hadden one after an other, standynge stablysshed in theyr desyre / and suffrynge pacyently for the loue of god many trybulacyons & temptacyons tyll they come by holy contemplacyon to þe hyghest degre of loue of tho thre. By this I suppose he that hath grace to come to the fyrst may by goddes helpe come to the seconde / & so with a feruent desyre & good perseueraunce he may come to the thyrde. Shortely I wyll shewe here these degrees of loue / for [percase] all men and women that sholde rede this haue not knowynge of theym / ne neuer herde speke of suche degrees of loue before-tyme. ¶ Degrees of hyghe loue. .I. ¶ The fyrste loue is so feruent that no-thynge whiche is contrary to goddes wyll may ouercome that loue / welth ne wo, helthe ne sykenes; Also he þat hath this loue wyl not make god ones angry for all the worlde withoute ende / but rather suffre all the payne that myght come to ony creature than ones wylfully dysplease his god in thought or [in] dede. .II. ¶ The seconde loue is more feruent, for þat is so stronge / that what man loueth in that degre, all his thought, herte & myght is so entyerly, so besely & so perfyghtly stablysshed in Ihesu cryste that his thought cometh neuer from hym

but [only] whan he slepeth. .III. ¶ The thyrde degre of loue is hyghest and moost wonderfull / for what man cometh to that loue / all comforte and all solace is closed oute of his herte / but onely the Ioye of Ihesu cryste / Other Ioye may his herte not receyue, for swetnesse that he hath of the Ioye euermore lastynge. This loue is so brennynge & so gladynge that who so hath that loue may as well fele the fyer of brennynge loue in his soule / as an other man may fele his fynger brenne in erthely fyre. This loue may well be called a brennynge loue. And yf men had suche swetnesse in the loue of god of so late tyme, I suppose wel þat þe same we may haue now by the gyfte of god yf we were as feruent in loue as they were. But these degrees of loue ben set vpon so hyghe loue to god / that what man sholde haue the fyrst of these thre / behoued that he were a sad contemplatyf man or woman, And by cause mankynde is now & euermore the lenger the febler or perauenture more vnstable / therfore vnethes sholde we fynde now a sad contemplatyfe man or woman. Men of relygyon haue taken dyuerse habytes of contemplatyf lyfe; Men & women also that ben enclosed, as it semeth lyuen a contemplatyfe lyfe / & so with goddes grace they do for the more partye: But for to speke of hyghe contemplatyfe lyfe as holy men lyued before this tyme, it semeth there ben ryght fewe. Therfore I trowe that I may sykerly say that fewe there ben now that wyl or may trauayle now to haue suche hyghe degrees of loue as I haue reherced before. Neuertheles what so euer thou be that redest or herest this / be neuer [þe] slower to trauayll. For yf thy desyre be sette feruently & lowly, holdynge the vnworthy to haue so hyghe a ghoostly gyfte before an other man / & puttest thy desyre to goddes dysposycyon trustyngly, he wyll dyspose that is best for the / whether thou haste thy desyre or haue it not. But it is fyrst nedefull to þe that thou haue other thre degrees of loue that the same holy men wrote in theyr treatyse / whiche be not of so hyghe a degree as tho that be reherced before. .I. ¶ The fyrst degree of these is / whan a man or a woman holdeth the commaundementes of god & kepeth hym-selfe out of dedely synne / & is stable in the fayth of holy chyrche. Also whan a man wolde not for none erthely thynge dysplease god / but truly standeth in his degree whether he be religyous or seculer. In this maner euery man behoueth to loue his god that wyll be saued: / therfore I counseyll the to haue & kepe this loue or thou clymbe to ony hyer degree. .II. ¶ The seconde degree is whan a man forsaketh all the worlde for the loue of god / that is for to saye his fader, his moder & all his kynred, & foloweth cryst in pouerte. Also studieth nyght & daye / how clene he may be in herte, howe chaste in body / how meke & buxom / howe clene in all vertues / & hate all vyces / soo that all his lyfe be ghoostly & none thynge flesshely. .III. ¶ The thyrde degree is hyghest / for that is a ful contemplatyfe lyfe, as whan a man or a woman loueth for to be alone from all maner noyse. And whan that he is saddely sette in this lyfe and in this loue, with his ghoostly eyen than may he se in to the blysse of heuen; And than his eyen be soo enlumyned and so clere lyghted with grace of ghoostly loue, and also thrugh-kyndeled with the gracyous fyre of crystes loue, that he shall haue a maner of brennynge loue in

his herte euermore lastynge, and his thought euermore vpwarde to god. ¶ Thus as I haue reherced god hath vysyted his seruauntes, gyuynge theym a specyall sauour to loue hym by theyr holy lyuynge. Many other men and women there be whiche please god full well standynge truely in theyr degree as men & women of the worlde / both lordes & ladyes & other husbonde men women & wyues. For al be it they may not come to suche hye contemplatyfe lyfe, it suffyseth [to] them to haue the fyrst degree of these thre whiche I reherced last / for that euery man is bounde to kepe. ¶ ¶ Yf thou desyre to haue an hygher degre of loue in to the worshyp of god / trauayle as other men dyde & aske helpe and grace with good perseueraunce / yf it please god to performe thy wyll & brynge the to thy purpose. But for as moche as there be many that haue not a sadde grounde ne but lytell felynge how they sholde loue and drede god / whiche is spedefull & nedefull for all men to knowe: Therfore to suche as be not knowynge I wyll shewe fyrste in what maner they sholde loue & drede god / that they may be þe more stable in the loue of god. After that I shall shewe by the grace of god foure degrees of loue / whiche euery crysten man relygyous & seculer sholde holde and kepe, & may performe for the more partye yf his wyll be feruently set to the loue of god. ¶ Now than as I sayd I shall in the begynnynge with the helpe of god wryte & shewe somwhat of the drede of god / that shal be to his worshyp, & proufyte to the reder.

C ¶ What is drede / and how a man sholde drede god.

I Rede that þe drede of god is begynnynge of wysedom. ¶ Drede, as clerkes haue wryten before this tyme, is in many maners. But I suppose thre kyndes of drede ben moost nedefull for to knowe. The fyrst is drede of man or drede of the worlde. The seconde is called drede of seruage. The thyrde is called a chaste drede or a frendely drede. .I. ¶ The fyrst whiche is drede of man or of the worlde is / whan a man or woman dredeth more the punysshynge of the worlde, as betynge the body or prysonynge, than the punysshynge of the soule; Also whan a man dredeth more to lese his temporall goodes in this passynge worlde than to lese the blysse without ende. / this drede is counted for nought / for god almyghty forbad this drede whan he sayd thus: Dredeth hym not that may slee þe body / but rather drede hym that may sende the body & soule in to euerlastynge fyre. .II. ¶ And the seconde drede whiche is the drede of seruage / is whan a man withdraweth hym or absteyneth hym fro synne / more for drede of the payne of helle than for loue that he sholde haue to god. Euery suche man what goodnes he doth it is not for drede to lese euerlastynge blysse whiche he desyred not / but for drede onely of suffrynge of grete paynes whiche he dreded sore. this drede suffyseth not as thou shalt see afterwarde / but yet it may be good & proufytable. .III. ¶ The thyrde drede whiche is called a chaste or a frendely drede is / whan a man dredeth the longe abydynge here for grete desyre that he hath to be with god; Also whan he dredeth that god wyll go fro hym / as peraduenture he withdraweth his grace fro hym; Also whan he dredeth to dysplease god for the grete loue & desyre þat he hath for to please god. / suche drede cometh of loue & that pleaseth moche god. Take

than hede how here be reherced thre maner degrees of drede: / fle the fyrst for it is not proufytable. The seconde may be proufytable / for some men there be whiche drede god by cause they sholde not be sente into hell to brenne there with the deuyls in euerlastynge fyre. This drede may be good, for by this waye they may come in to the loue of our lorde god, as by this waye that I shall shewe. All be it that thou drede our lorde god onely for payne, yet louest thou not god whome þou dredest / thou desyrest not yet goodnes of vertues / but thou withstandest þe wyckednes of vyces / whan thou withstandest the wyckednes thou begynnest to desyre goodnes. Whan thou desyrest goodenes & vertues / than cometh in to the the thyrde maner of drede / whiche is called as I sayd a chast or a frendely drede. For than thou dredest to lese the goodnes & grace that god hath put in þe / thou dredest than also to lese the blysse that is ordeyned for the / & so by this thou shalt drede god that he forsake not the / whan thou dredest god in this maner thenne hast thou hym sykerly with the / & so for his loue thou shalt desyre to be with hym. Thus mayst thou well knowe how drede of god may brynge the in to the loue of god / yf thou loue god than thou hast wysedom / so thus the drede of god is the begynnynge of wysedom. Take hede than and drede god in the maner as I haue reherced / for yf thou drede wel god thou shalt not be slowe in his seruyce. He that dredeth well god leueth no goodnes vndo whiche he may do to the pleasure of god. Yf thou drede god thou wilt kepe his commaundementes / and the drede that thou hast to god shall brynge the in to euerlastynge sykernes where þou shalt neuer drede. Of the drede of god wexeth a grete deuocyon and a maner sorowe with full contrycion for [thy] synnes / thrugh that deuocion and contrycion thou forsakest thy synnes / and perauenture somwhat of thy worldely goodes. By that forsakynge thou lowest the to thy god & comest in to mekenes / thorugh mekenes thy flesshely lustes ben destroyed / by þat destruccion all vyces be put out & vanysshed awaye /by puttynge out of vyces than vertues begyn to wexe and sprynge. Of the shynynge of vertues the clennes of the herte is purchased. By clennesse of thy herte thou shalte come to full possessyon of the holy loue of Cryst. By these wordes thou mayst knowe howe þou shalte drede for loue / & how thou mayst come to loue thrugh drede of god. But the more [þat] loue encreaceth in the / the more drede gooth from the / so that yf thou haue grace to come to a feruent loue thou shalt but lytell thynke on drede for the swetnesse that thou shalt haue in the loue of god. but yet be thou neuer so parfyte it is nedefull that thou drede discretely as longe as thou art in this worlde. [And] for as moche as I sayd thou mayst come to loue yf thou drede god / see now furthermore what is charyte & loue to god, How & in what maner thou shalt loue hym / why thou shalt loue hym, How þou shalt knowe whan god of his mercy graunteth the that grace to conne loue hym.

D ¶ What is charyte and how & why thou shalt loue thy god.
¶ Of foure degrees of loue / & in the fyrst ben fyue poyntes.
¶ Ordeyned loue.

CHaryte as I rede is a loue that we sholde haue to god / for as moche as he is almyghty god; also charyte is a loue wherby we sholde loue our neygh-

bour as our-selfe for god. And these be two pryncypall commaundementes of god. The fyrst longeth to þe loue of god / whiche is þe gretest commaundement of þe lawe of god; The seconde longeth to þe loue of thy neyghbour and this is lyke to the fyrst; / & thus thou hast what is charyte and loue. ¶ See now how thou shalt loue god. / thou shalt loue god with all thy herte / all thy soule / & with all vertue, as thus. Whan þou puttest away from the or withstandest with all thy power all thynge that is pleasynge or lykynge to thy flesshe for the loue of þe blessyd flesshe of cryste / than thou louest hym with al thy herte & al thy soule. Of this mater thou shalt her more afterwarde; / but se now ferthermore [why] thou shalt loue hym. ¶ The causes why thou shalt loue god ben without nombre hauynge rewarde to his benefaytes / but two causes we haue pryncypally aboue other. One is for he loue[d] vs fyrst with all his herte and al his soule swetely & strongely. Swetely whan he toke flesshe & blood & became man for oure loue. Strongly whan he suffred deth for loue of man. The seconde cause is / for ther is no thynge that may be loued more ryghtfully ne more proufytable. More ryghtfull is there none than the loue of hym that made man and deyed for man. More proufytable thynge is there none that may be loued than almyghty god / for yf we loue hym as we be bounde / he wyll gyue vs Ioye and blysse without ende / where no thynge lacketh but all thynge is plenteuous and euerlastynge. ¶ Se now how thou shalt knowe whan god putteth grace in the for to knowe loue. Whan the trauayle whiche thou hast for the loue of god is lyght & lykynge to the / than thou begynnest to haue sauour in the loue of god. For ther is no maner trauayle greuous ne trauaylous to hym þat loueth god feruently & trauayleth wylfully for the loue of god. ¶ Also stedfast loue feleth no bytternesse / but all swetenesse / for ryght as bytternesse is syster to the vyce of hatred / right so swetnesse is syster to þe vertue of loue, so that in loue is all swetnesse. ¶ Also the trauayle of louers may be in no maner trauaylous ne greuous. For ryght as hawkers & hunters what euer trauayle they haue it greueth them not for the loue & lykynge that they haue in theyr game / ryghth so what thynge it be that a man loueth & taketh vpon hym a trauayle for that thynge that he loueth, [either] it is no trauayle [to hym] / [or elles] yf it be trauaylous it lyketh hym to haue trauayle for þat thynge whiche he loueth. Take than good hede of these wordes / for yf thou loue god thou wylt gladly trauayle & suffre for þe loue of god; yf thy trauayle semeth than lyght to the / or ellys yf thou louest or desyrest gladly to haue trauayle for the loue of god thou mayst wel knowe that god of his grace hath put in the a begynnynge to come to loue. Whan thou hast suche a gracyous begynnynge withdrawe not þat loue from hym for no maner dysease that may fall to the. For many men & women there be that whyle they be in prosperyte / that is to say / whyle they be in welth & in rest, gladly they wyll shewe loue to god suche as they can: But yf god sendeth hym ony dysease or ony maner of chastysynge, anone her loue swageth; & that is no sadde loue. For who so loueth trustyngly & sadly he loueth as well in his aduersyte as in prosperyte / for what god sendeth to vs it is for our proufyte / therfore be it helth be it wo þat he sendeth we sholde hertely thanke hym &

not withdrawe our loue from hym; for no nede that he hath to our loue / but for grete profyte that we sholde haue to loue hym / & for his grete goodnes that he wyll chastyse vs here all for our better.

Thus than haue I shewed in fewe wordes what is charyte & loue to thy god / howe thou shalt loue hym / why thou shalt loue hym / and how thou shalt knowe whan thou hast grace to conne loue hym. Lerne than thus to loue; & se now ferther-more what proufyte and grace cometh of loue. ¶ In the loue of god ben fyue gracyous thynges: Fyre / lyght / hony / wyne / & sonne.

.I. ¶ The fyrst is fyre, clensynge the soule of all maner vyces thrugh holy medytacyons. .II. ¶ The seconde is lyght, shynynge in the soule with clerenes of vertues thorugh holy prayers. .III. ¶ The thyrde is hony, makynge swete the soule whan he hath in mynde the benefaytes & þe grete gyftes of god almyghty / & yeldynge to hym thankynges. .IIII. ¶ The fourth is wyne, fulfyllynge þe soule with a grete gladnes thorough a swete contemplacyon. .v. ¶ The fyfth is a sonne, makynge the soule clere with a shynynge lyght in myrthe withouten ende, & gladynge the soule with an easy hete in Ioye & blysse euermore lastynge. Thus thou mayst see what proufyte he shall haue that can well loue. God than of his grete grace graunte vs hym so to loue as it is moost to hym pleasynge. Amen.

¶ Now ferthermore I wyll shewe to the as I sayd before / foure degrees of loue, whiche thou mayst kepe & easely come to one after an other yf thou haue good wyll.

FOure degrees of loue there be / the fyrst is called an ordeyned loue or els ordynat loue / that is to saye a loue ordeyned to be knowen and kept of all maner men & women of euery degree in the worlde. To this degree of loue longen .v. poyntes to be kepte. The fyrst is thou shalt loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned. The .II. is that thou loue the worlde to no superfluyte. The .III. is that thou loue thy neyghbour for god. The .IIII. is that thou loue thy frende for his good lyuynge. The .v. is to loue thyn enemye for the more mede of god.

E ¶ The fyrst is that thou shalt loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned.

THe fyrste poynte is as I sayd: thou shalt loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned, as thus. Thou shalt take mete & drynke, clothynge and al other thynge that is nedefull to thy body / in resonable maner, to kepe thy body in his estate, in comforte of thy soule, to trauayle & contynue in the seruyce of god / & not for to nourysshe thy flesshe in lust & lykynge with dyuerse [&] delycate metes & drynkes / for ther-of cometh foule stynkynge synne & many bodyly sykenes / namely whan ther is to moche excesse. This wytnesseth an holy clerke & sayth / they that delyted them in lustes of the flesshe they haue ful often many dyseases in theyr flesshe. ¶ Also as I rede a soule that is wonte to delytes of the flesshe gadreth togyder many fylthes and wyckednes. Thou mayst also do no exces / for yf thou vse the to excesse / thou fallest in to the vyce of glotonye / whiche [as] thou knowest well is dedely synne. Of þat synne I rede thus: / where þe vyce

of glotony reygneth in ony man he leseth þe ghoostly strength yf he had ony before; And but yf the wombe of glotonye be swaged all his vertues ben cast downe. / therfore loue thy flesshe to [his] sustentacyon & not to delytes & to excesse / for here thou mayst well knowe & se that it is good & nedefull to flee delycacyes. But thou shalt vnderstande here þat I counseylle the not to forbere ony mete or drynke in specyall / for the vyce of delycacye is not in the mete / but in þe lust that thou hast in mete; / therfore sayth an holy clerke: Often we take deynte metes without blame / & somtyme other metes and comyn to euery man not without gylte of conscyence. So thus it semeth wel whan we take ony mete for delyte more than for sustenaunce we offende god / therfore flee delytes & lustes of mete & drynke and loue thy flesshe onely that it be susteyned / & than thou hast the fyrst poynte of this degree of loue.

F ¶ The seconde is thou shalt loue the worlde to no superfluyte.

THe seconde poynte is thou shalt loue the worlde to no superfluyte. As thus: Yf thou loue god thou shalt not desyre ne loue vanytees of the worlde / ne worldely goodes more than þe nedeth. Yf god hath ordeyned the to an hyghe degree in the worlde / as for to be a lorde or a lady / or for to haue ony soueraynte ghoostly or worldely / by reason reuerence must be done to the more than to an other man or woman. For after that the fyrst man Adam was inobedyent to goddes commaundement it was ordeyned by almyghty god that man sholde be subgect to man; Also for as moche as þe people must [nedes] haue gouernaunce / therfore it is reason to do reuerence to them that haue power & gouernaunce aboue other. But all be it þat þou be grete & worldely worshyp must be do to the / loue it not ne desyre it not but mekely yelde all þat worshyp to god whiche myght haue made the a subget there he hath ordeyned the a lorde or a souerayne / & thrugh that lownes thou shalt haue some grace to withstande þe desyre of worldely vanytees. I say[d]e ferthermore / yf thou loue the world to none superfluyte / þou shalt not desyre ne loue worldely good more than the nedeth. As thus: thou knowest well ynough in thy begynnynge whether thou art lord or subgect / poore or ryche / holde the apayde with thy degree so that thou haue thy sustenaunce / & desyre to be no greter / but onely as goddes wyll is & as he wyll dyspose for the. Yf thou holde the not payde with that that god hath sente to the and to thyn a resonable lyuelode / but euer desyrest for to be greter and greter in the worlde, than thou louest the worlde to superfluyte for thou desyrest more than thou nedest, & soo by that foule desyre thou fallest in to the vyce of couetyse whiche is repreued by [al] goddes lawe as a foule dedely synne. This synne is full peryllous / for I rede where that the synne of couetyse is in a man, þat man is made subgect to all other vyces. I fynde also that couetyse and pryde be as it were one vyce or one wyckednes / in so moche that yet where pryde reygneth there is couetyse / & where couetyse reygneth there is pryde. / this vyce is so wycked & so greuous [þat] as longe as it reygneth in ony man he shal haue no grace for to drawe to god-warde. This wytnesseth well a full holy clerke saynt Gregorye & sayth thus in an Omelye: That in none other wyse we may ne can neuer come ne drawe to þe begynner & maker of

all goodnes / but that we caste awaye frome vs the synne of couetyse whiche is rote of all euylles. Than it semeth well, yf thou wylt come to the loue of god thou must flee the synne of couetyse. ¶ Thre thynges there be in the worlde as I rede whiche men desyre aboue all other worldely thynges. The fyrst is rychesse. The seconde is lustes. And þe thyrde is worshyp. Of rychesse cometh wycked dedes. Of lustes cometh foule dedes. And of worshyp cometh vanytees. Ryches engendreth couetyse; lustes noryssheth glotonye & lecherye / & worshyp noryssheth boost & pryde. Thus thou mayst knowe what peryll it is to loue the worlde. [Therfor yf thou wylt stande sikerly, loue not the worlde] more than nede is / & than thou shalt kepe the seconde poynte of this degree [of loue]

G ¶ The thyrde is thou shalt loue thy neyghboure for god.

THe thyrde poynte is howe thou shalt loue thy neyghboure for god / to this thou arte bounde by the commaundement of god where he commaundeth & sayth / thou shalt loue thy neyghboure as thy-selfe; / yf thou shalt loue hym as thy-selfe nedes thou must loue hym. / thou shalt loue hym also for god. Of this loue speketh saynt Austyn & sayth / thou shalt loue god for hym-selfe with all thy herte / & thy neyghboure for god as thy-selfe / that is to saye / loke where-to and for what thou louest thy-selfe so thou shalt loue thy neyghboure. Thou shalt loue thy-selfe in all goodnesse & for god / ryght so thou sha[l]t loue thy neyghboure for god & in all goodnes, but in none euyll. / therfore sayth the same clerke: He that loueth men þat is to saye his neyghbours, he loueth or sholde loue them for they ben good & ryghtfull or els that they may be good & ryghtfull / & that is to saye thou shalt loue them in god or els for god / & in this maner euery man sholde loue hymselfe. Also of the loue of thy neyghbour I rede, whan thou forsakest a synguler prouffyte for þe loue of thy neyghbour than þou louest thy neyghbour. Also thou louest thy neyghbour as thy-selfe whan thou doost hym no harme but desyrest the same goodnes & prouffyte ghoostly & bodely to hym that þou desyrest to thy-selfe. Loue thus thy neyghbour or els þou louest not god. To this accordeth an holy clerke & sayth: By the loue of god the loue of thy neyghbour is purchased / & by þe loue of thy neyghbour the loue of god is nourysshed / for he þat taketh no hede to loue his neyghbour he can not loue his god. But whan thou hast fyrste sauour in [þe] loue of thy neyghbour / than thou begynnest to entre in to þe loue of god. Loue thus thy neyghbour for god & than thou kepest the thyrde poynte of this degree of loue.

H ¶ The fourth is thou shalt loue thy frende for his good lyuynge.

THe fourth poynte is / thou shalt loue thy frende for his good lyuynge. Yf thou haue a frende that is of good lyuynge / thou shalt loue hym in double maner / for he is thy frende, and for the goodnes that is in hym; yf he be not good of lyfe but vycyous thou mayst loue hym but not his vyces. For as I rede parfyte frendshyp is whan thou louest not in thy frende þat sholde not be loued / and whan thou louest in hym or desyrest to hym goodnes whiche is to be loued.

As thus: though it be so þat thy frende lyueth folysshly thou shalt not loue hym [for his] foly lyuynge but that he may by goddes grace amende hym and be parfyte in lyuynge. For what man it be þat loueth hymselfe in folye he shal not prouffyte in wysedom. Also the same clerke sayth in an other place: Loueth not the vyces of your frendes yf ye loue your frendes. Loue than thy frende for his good lyuynge / & than thou shalt kepe the fourth poynte of this degree of loue.

I ¶ The fyfthe is thou shalt loue thyn ennemye for the more mede.
¶ In the seconde degree of loue ben thre poyntes.
¶ Clene loue.

THe fyfth poynte is thou shalt loue thyn ennemye for the more mede. A grete dede of charyte it is & medeful to forgyue them þat haue trespaced ayenst vs, with all our herte. ¶ It is but lytell goodnes & full lesse mede to be wel wyllynge to hym that doth the no harme / but it is a grete goodnes & a greter mede that thou be well louynge to thyn ennemye, And þat thou do good & wyll good with all thy power to hym that doth euyll or is in wyll to do euyll to the with all his power. Of this mater speketh an holy clerke and sayth: It is holden a grete vertue amonge worldely men to suffre pacyently theyr ennemyes / but it is a greter vertue a man to loue his enemye / for that vertue is presented as for sacrefyce before the syght of almyghty god. Also to this purpose accorden the wordes of cryst where he sayd to his dyscyples: Loue your ennemyes / do good to theym that hate you / & praye for them þat pursyewe you to dysease / & for them þat despyse you, that [ȝ]e may be the chyldren of the fader in heuen. Loue than thyn enemye for þe more mede yf þou wylt kepe þe fyfth poynt of this fyrst degree of loue. — ¶ Shortly thus ben declared to the the fyue poyntes of þe fyrst degree of loue. In the fyrste, yf thou take good hede, thou art warned and counseyled for the loue of god / and as thou art bounde by all crysten lawes / to withstande the synne of glotonye & al other flesshely lustes. In the seconde poynte to withstande þe foule vyce of couetyse, pryde & all other vanytees of the worlde. In the thre last poyntes to loue thy neyghbour, thy frende & all other men for the loue of god and for the more mede. Loue than god in this fyrst maner of loue / and thou shalt thrugh his grete grace yf thou wylt come to the seconde degree of loue.

THe seconde degree of loue is called a clene loue. Yf thou wylt come to this seconde degre of loue thou must kepe thre poyntes. The fyrste is / þat thou loue no vyce with vertue. The seconde is þat thou despyse all euyll custome. The thyrde is that thou sette not lytell by synne whether it be lytell or grete.

K ¶ The fyrste poynte is thou shalt loue no vyce with vertue.

THe fyrst poynte is / thou shalt loue no vyce with vertue. As thus: what euer thou be in mannes syght / be ware that thou be not vycyous Inwarde in thy soule vnder colour of vertues whiche þou shewest openly. Our ghoostly ennemye þe fende hath many subtyltees to dysceyue mankynde, But amonge all this is a grete dysceyte / whan that he maketh a vyce lyke to vertue, & vertue

lyke to vyce. This thou mayst see by ensample. For all be it that mercy is a grete vertue where þat it is kepte in þe worshyp & in þe name of god, yet it is vycyous where it is do in worshyp of man & not of god. Also [the] vertue of ryghtwysnes is tourned in to vyce / whan it is do for worldely couetyse or els for anger or inpacyence. The vyce also of pryde is hyd somtyme vnder mekenesse, As whan a man loweth & meketh hymself in speche and in berynge to be holde meke & lowely. Pacyence also semeth in many a man whan there is none: As whan a man wolde take vengeaunce yf he myght for the wronge that is do to hym / but for he may not / or els he hath no tyme to wreke hym on his enemye / for that cause he suffreth, & not for the loue of god. By these ensamples & many other thou mayst well knowe that vyces somtyme be lyke to vertues. To this accordeth saynt Iherom & sayth thus: A grete & an hyghe connynge it is to knowe vyces & vertues, for all be it that vyces & vertues be contraryous / yet they be so lyke that vnnethe the vertue may be knowe from the vyce / ne þe vyce fro the vertue. Be ware therfore & loue so sadly vertues without ony faynynge that þou hate all maner vyces / and so þou mayst kepe the fyrst poynte of this degree of loue.

L ¶ The seconde is þou shalt hate all euyll customes.

THe seconde poynt is thou shalt despyse all euyl customes. A grete peryll it is to haue an euyll dede in custome. For as I rede / synnes be they neuer so grete ne so horryble / whan they be drawe in to custome they seme but lytell to theym that vse suche synne in custome / in so moche that it is to them a grete lykynge to tell and shewe theyr wyckednes to al other men without ony shame. Of this & suche vsage speketh an other holy clerke & sayth: Whan synne cometh so in vse that the herte hath a lust & a lykynge ther-in / that synne shall ful fayntly be withstande. For whan a synne is brought in to custome it byndeth sore the herte & maketh the soule bowe to hym, that it may not ryse agayne & come in to the ryght waye of clene lyfe; For whan he is in wyll to ryse / anone he slydeth & falleth agayne. For this sayth the same clerke in an other place: Many there be þat desyren to come out of synne / but for as moche as they ben closed in the pryson of euyll custome they may not come out from theyr wycked lyuynge. ¶ Also to this purpose I rede that he þat vseth hym not to vertue[s] in his yonge age he shal not conne withstande vyces in his olde age. Thus þou mayst well se þat yf thou be vsed in ony synne it wyll be full harde to withstande it. And but thou leue all maner synne to thy power þou hast none clene loue to thy god / therfore withstande all maner synne & take none in custome / than þou shalt kepe the seconde poynt of this degree of loue.

M ¶ The thyrde is thou shalt not sette lyght by synne be it neuer so lytell.
¶ In the thyrde degree of loue be fyue poyntes.
¶ Stedfast loue.

THe thyrde poynte is / thou shalt not sette lyght by synne / as thus. What euer synne it be lytel or grete / drede it ryght dyscretly in thy conscyence and

set not lytell there-by. For as I rede what man þat passeth mesure in takynge of his lyuelode as often more than hym nedeth that man offendeth god / this semeth to many men full lytell trespas: But this holy man saynt Austyn sayth: It is no lytell synne for as moche as we trespas euery daye there-in for the more partye; In as moche as we synne therin euery day we synne therin often / & by that we multeplye our synnes & that is full peryllous / therfore it is full nedeful to drede al suche venyall synnes & sette not lytell by theym. Also venyall synnes be they neuer so lytell / they be moche to be dradde. As the same clerke sheweth by ensample of lytell bestes where they be many to-gyder / be they neuer so lytell yet they slee & do moche harme; Also þe granes of sande be full lytell / but yet where a shyp is ouer-charged with sande it must nedes synke or drenche. Ryght so it fareth by the synnes; be they neuer so lytell they be full peryllous. For but yf a man be [þe] rather ware & put theym awaye they shall make hym forto synne deedly. Therfore yf thou wylt haue a clene loue to god / charge in thy conscyence euery synne lytell & grete & withstand in the begynnynge & put it out as soone as god wyll gyue to the grace, with contrycyon, confessyon & som almesdedes. And than thou shalt kepe the thyrde poynte of this degree of loue. — Here is reherced the mater of these poyntes. ¶ Thus ben declared the thre poyntes of the seconde degre of loue. In the fyrste thou art counseyled to loue all vertues and hate all vyces. In the seconde poynte, that thou haue no synne in vsage but that thou voyde it soone & that thou hate all other euyll custome. In þe thyrde poynt that thou [be] not to lyght of conscyence / but that thou be ware & drede euery synne lytell & grete by counseyl of thy confessour. Yf thou kepe thus these poyntes for the loue of god than thou louest god in the seconde degree of loue / that is to saye in a clene loue. Loue than saddely in this degree / & by goddes grace thou shalt the soner come to the thyrde degree of loue.

THe thyrde degree of loue is called a stedfast loue. Yf thou wylt come to this degre of loue þou must kepe fyue poyntes. The fyrste is thou shalt loue god with all thy desyre. The seconde is: what euer thou do thynke vpon the worshyp & drede of god. The thyrde is thou shalt do no synne vpon trust of other good dedes. The fourth is thou shalt rule the so dyscretly þat thou fayle not for [to] feruent wyll. The fyfth is that thou fall not from thy good lyuynge for feynte herte or by temptacyon.

N ¶ The fyrste is thou shalt loue god with all thy desyre.

THe fyrste poynt is thou shalt loue god with all thy desyre / thou mayst not loue stedfastly but thou loue with all thy desyre. An holy desyre it is to desyre the presence of almyghty god for the grete loue that thou haste to god. Suche an holy desyre is soo acceptable to god as I rede / that what man hathe a grete desyre, all be it he speke not with the tonge / he cryeth full loude with the tonge of his herte; And [he] that not desyreth, how euer he loueth to our syght outwarde / or speketh to our herynge, he loueth not in his hert & as a dombe man he is to-fore god whiche may not be herde. Of suche holy desyre I rede also,

the lenger that loue lacketh whiche is so sore desyred þe more feruent is his desyre whiche abydeth, & that desyre begynneth to brenne thorugh strength of þat desyrynge loue / in so moche that though the body or the flesshe fayle þat desyre is nourysshed & encreaced. To this accordeth saynt Gregorye & sayth / holy desyres wexen & encreasen in taryenge & abydynge / for where desyres fayle in abydynge there is no sad desyre. Thus than loue god stedfastly with all thy desyre / & so thou shalt kepe the fyrste poynte of this degree of loue.

O ¶ The seconde is thou shalt in the begynnynge of thy werkes thynke on the worshyp & drede of god.

THe seconde poynte is: what euer thou do thynke vpon the worshyp & drede of god. If thou kepe this thou shalt the more sykerly lyue to goddes pleasure. For what dede thou art in wyll to perfourme in worshyp of god, thou mayst be syker of grete mede. Also yf thou drede god, thou art aferde for to do ony thynge that sholde be dyspleasynge to hym / & for as moche as þou dredest thou doost it not; Soo by that drede thou leuest that thynge vndo whiche shold tourne the in to grete peryll of thy soule yf it had ben perfourmed in dede. By this thou mayst wel knowe that it is full spedfull to thynke in þe begynnynge of all thy werkes vpon the worshyp & drede of god. To this accordeth the techynge of saynt Paule where he sayth thus: What euer ye do in worde or in dede / do it in the name of our lorde Ihesu cryst. For he that begynneth all thynge in þe name of almyghty god he begynneth in the worshyp of god. Loue than so stedfastly almyghty god / that what euer thou shalt do thynke fyrst in þe worshyp & drede of god / & thus thou shalt kepe the seconde poynte of this degree of loue.

P ¶ The thyrde is thou shalt do no synne vpon trust of other good dedes.

THe thyrde poynt is thou shalt do no synne vpon trust of other good dedes. What man that synneth wylfully he neyther loueth ne dredeth god. Yf thou synne vpon trust of ony goodnes wylfully thou synnest, so in þat þou louest not stedfastly. ¶ To this purpose I rede also that he is full vnkynde that is full of vertues & dredeth not god. Also a grete folye & a grete pryde it is for to synne vpon trust of ony good dedes. For be thou neuer so full of vertues or goodnes / vnkyndnes to thy god may destroye all tho vertues. More vnkyndenes mayst thou not shewe than dysplease god wylfully / whiche is begynner and gyuer of all goodnes; be ware therfore & flee suche vnkyndnes / & do no synne vpon trust of other good dedes. Of suche vnkyndenesse also it is nedefull for to be ware for the more acceptable [that] thou art to god thorugh thy good lyuynge / þe more culpable shalt thou be yf that thou fall agayne in to synne and in to euyll lyuynge. ¶ And of this thou hast ensample of Adam. For as moche as he was fulfylled fyrst with goodnes / therfore his trespas was moche the more whan that he fell in to synne. ¶ Also I rede þat it is but a sclyder hope where a man synneth vpon trust for to be saued / for he that so doth he neyther loueth ne dredeth god, And but yf that we loue and drede god to our connynge or knowynge we

may not be saued / therfore it is more spedefull for to drede well than to trust amys. Also it is more prouffytable a man to holde hymselfe lowe & feble than to desyre to be holden stronge / and for feblenes to fal and be lost. Take hede than what goodnes that god putteth in the and thanke hym mekely & praye hym of contynuaunce / & doo no synne vp trust of other good dedes. And thus thou shalt kepe the thyrde poynte of this degree of loue.

Q ¶ The fourth is thou shalt rule the dyscretly that thou fayle not for [to] feruent wyll.

THe fourth poynt is thou shalt rule the so dyscretly that thou fayle not [for] to feruent wyll. To kepe this it is nedefull to the to haue the vertue of discrecyon; as thus: Yf thou take for þe loue of god so moche abstynence, wakynge or other bodely penaunce þat thou mayst not for feblenes contynue to trauayle in þe seruyce of god / than is thy wyll to feruent: For be thy loue neuer so grete god is not pleased whan þou rulest þe in suche maner that thou mayst not abyde in his seruyce thrugh thy mysrule. Therfore be ware and rule the vp reason / take nomore vpon the than thou mayst bere / besy not the to folow other stronge men or women of olde tyme in doynge of penaunce other wyse than thy strength wyl aske; And gouerne thy lyuynge by good counseyll that thou fayle not thrugh thyn owne folye. For almyghty god of his endeles mercy hath ordeyned heuens blysse to the synfull men thrugh dedes of charyte & of mekenes where they be done in mesure and with dyscrecyon, The deuyll is so enuyous to mankynde that somtyme he styreth an vnparfyte man or woman to fast more than he may, [to] begynne thynges of hyghe parfeccyons hauynge no rewarde to his feblenesse / in soo moche that whan his bodely strength begynneth to fayle, eyther he must contynue that he hath begonne so folysly for shame of men / or ellys vtterly leue all for feblenesse. To this accordeth saynt Austyn and sayth: Our wycked ennemye the deuyll hath not a more spedefull engyn to drawe the loue of god from mannes herte / than to [m]ake vs by his fals suggestyon to l[y]ue vnwysely & without reason / that is to saye as I sayd before: To styre vs for to take fastynges, wakynges and other bodely penaunces ouer our myght. Take therfore to the dyscrecyon & rule the so dyscretly that thou fayle not for to feruent wyll / and than thou mayst kepe the fourth poynte of this degre of loue.

R ¶ The fyfthe is thou shalt not leue thy good lyuynge for feynte [herte] ne for temptacyon.

THe fyfthe poynte is / thou shalt not fall fro thy good lyuynge for feynte herte ne for temptacyon. To kepe well this poynt it is nedefull to haue a perseueraunt wyll & a stable hert ayenst all temptacyons. Some men there be whan ony heuynesse bodely or ghoostly or whan that ony grutchynge of the flessh cometh to theym / anone they ben so heuy & so full of vnlust that they leue theyr ghoostly trauayle & fal fro theyr good lyuy[n]ge / suche men haue no stable ne stedfast herte. Therfore yf thou wylt loue god stedfastly suffre no heuynes ne dysease chaunge thy trauayle ne thy herte fro th[e] seruyce and loue of god / but take hede of the wordes of almyghty god where he sayth: He is blessyd that is perseueraunt vnto

his lyues ende. Here-of thou hast ensamples of holy martyrs & confessours whiche neuer wolde be departed fro the loue of god for all the persecucyon that myght be do to them. Also to suche men of feble herte & vnlust speketh saynt Bernarde and sayth thus: Whan thou art vnlusty or dyseased with heuynesse / haue none vntrust therfore ne leue not thy trauayle / but suffre mekely & aske conforte of hym that is begynner & ender of all goodnes. And all be it that thou haue not suche deuocyon than as in other tymes / thynke well how he that gafe þe suche deuocyon hath withdrawen it for thy defautes as for a tyme / & happely to th[i] more mede / therfore withstande all suche heuynes and stande strongely / suffre lowely / & take gladly the chastysynge of god / & euermore aske helpe & grace. ¶ Ferthermore some for defaute of knowynge & for vnstablenes haue fall thorough trauayle of temptacyons / therfore whan thou art soo trauayled with ony temptacyons that shold be lettynge / or els is dredefull to the / chaunge not therfore thy wyll / but stande stedfastly & shewe thy dysease to thy ghoostly fader, askynge of hym to gyue the suche counseyll that may be moost helpynge to thy soule. Yf thou do thus mekely with a ful good wyll to please thy god & to withstande the temptacyons of thyn enemye, the grace of the holy ghoost wyll fully fulfyll bothe hym & the / hym for to teche / the for to lerne / & take of hym suche counseyll that shall be moost strength & conforte to the & confusyon to the deuyl. And so by the helpe of god thou shalt be conforted in suche maner that þou shalt not fall thorough trauayle of temptacyons / but euer the lenger the more stable and the more stronge [be] in the loue of god to thy lyues ende. Thus than take hede that thou fall not from thy good lyuynge for feynte herte ne by temptacyons / and than thou mayst kepe the fyfth poynte of this degree of loue.— ¶ Here is shortly declared the mater of these fyue poyntes.

¶ Thus be declared the fyue poyntes of the thyrde degree of loue. In the fyrste thou art taught to loue god with full desyre. In the seconde for to do all thynge in þe worshyp of almyghty god / and euer for to drede god in the begynnynge of all thy werkes. In the thyrde fully to withstande all maner synne / and no synne for to do vpon trust of other good dedes. In the fourth that thou fall not for defaute of dyscrecyon. In the fyfth thou art taught & counseylled for to haue a stable herte and for to withstande all temptacyons that thou fall not from thy good lyuynge. Yf þou kepe thus these fyue poyntes than thou hast the thyrde degree of loue / whiche is called a stedfast loue to god. And yf thou loue god stedfastly thou mayst soone come to perfeccyon / and so by the grace of god thorugh encreace of vertues thou shalt lyghtly come to the fourth degree of loue.

¶ In the fourth degree of loue ben .VIII. poyntes.
¶ Parfyte loue.

S ¶ How by encreace of vertues thou mayste come to parfeccyon.

THe fourth degree of loue is called a parfyte loue. An other loue there is all be it I make noo mencyon but of foure / whiche is called moost parfyte loue. Of that loue speketh saynt Austyn & sayth: Charyte is parfyte in some men & inparfyte in some men, But þat charyte that is moost parfyte may not be had

here whyle we lyue in this worlde. Of the same moost parfyte loue speketh the same clerke thus: In the fulfyllynge of the countre of charyte / that is to saye / in fulfyllynge of heuen where that all is loue and charyte, This commaundement of god shall be fulfylled where he sayth / Þou shalt loue thy lorde god with al thy herte / with all thy mynde / and with all thy soule; For whyle ony flesshely desyre is in man god may not be loued with all the herte and full mynde. And by this thou mayst knowe that there is a passynge loue whiche may not be fulfylled in this worlde / and that may well be called moost parfyte loue. But here perauenture some man wyll aske / why it is commaunde[d] / but it myght be performed in this worlde? To that the same clerke answereth and sayth / that it is skylfull that suche a perfeccyon sholde be commaunded / and this he sheweth by ensample in this wyse. Ryght as no man may renne euen and sykerly but he knowe whether he shall renne, In the same maner noo man sholde knowe [t]his moost parfyte loue / but it hadde be shewed in the commaundementes of god; Yf noo man hadde knowen it no man wolde haue laboured hym to come therto. ¶ Now sythen it is so we knowe [well that we so must loue, it is nedeful we] sette vs in a redy waye, whyle we be here, that wyll brynge vs euen to that moost parfyte loue. A more syker waye is there none in this worlde than the waye of parfyte loue. Wherfore I counsell the to haue this fourth degree of loue whiche is called a parfyte loue, that [thou] may come the more sykerly to [þe most] parfyte loue. ¶ Of parfyte loue speketh Saynt Austyn and sayth: He that is redy to deye gladly for his brother, in hym is parfyte loue. To this acordeth the wordes of Cryste where he sayth: No man hath more charyte in this worlde than he that putteth his soule for his frendes / that is to saye than he that gyueth gladly his lyfe for the loue of god to wynne his frendes soule. This loue is the gretest loue in this worlde / & many there be, I trowe, thrugh the gyfte of god that haue this parfyte loue; but yf it thynke the harde to come to suche an hyghe loue / be therfore not agast. For other parfyte loue there is wherin thou mayst loue parfytly thy god / as I fynde by the techynge of an holy clerke where he counseylleth in this wyse: ¶ Yelde we vs to god of whome we be made / and suffre we not theym to haue the maystrye ouer vs whiche ben not of so grete value as we be / but rather haue we þe maystrye ouer theym; As thus / lete reason haue the maystrye ouer vyces / lete the body be subgect to the soule and lete the soule be subgect to god / & than is all þe parfeccyon of man fulfylled. Thus we sholde lyue by reason as þe same clerke sheweth by ensample. / For as we put lyuely thynges before them þat be not lyuely, Also as we put wytty thynges before them that haue no wytte ne reason, Also ryght as we putte tho that ben not dedely before theym that ben deedly / ryght so yf we wyl lyue parfytly we must putte proufytable thynges before theym that ben lusty and lykynge, Also put them that ben honest before theym that ben proufytable, Also putte theym that ben holy before them that ben honest, And put all thynges that ben parfyte before them that ben holy. Take hede than of this / for yf thou wylt lyue after this techynge than thou mayst lyue parfytely / yf thou lyue parfytely þou sha[l]t loue parfytely; lyue than thus & thou

shalt come to parfyte loue. But for as moche as it is full harde to come sodaynly to suche a parfyte loue / therfore take hede to tho thre degrees of loue whiche ben reherced before / & begynne to lyue sadly in the fyrste / & than from þe fyrst clymbe vp to the seconde / & fro the seconde to the thyrde / & yf thou be sadly stabled vpon the thyrde thou shalt lyghtely come to þe fourth where is all perfeccyon / yf thou haue perfeccyon thou shalt l[o]ue perfytely. Begyn than at the fyrst degree of loue / & so encreace in loue & vertues yf thou wylt come to this degree of parfyte loue. ¶ I rede that some men begynne to be vertuous / som encreace in vertues / and some be parfyte in vertues. Ryght so it fareth by the loue of god; as soone as thou art in wyll & begynnest to loue god / that loue is not yet parfyte but thou must stande fast & nourysshe þat wyll / & yf it be well nourysshed it wyll wexe stronge / & yf it hath full strength than it is parfyte. ¶ To this purpose I rede also that no man may be sodaynly in so hyghe a degree / but euery man that lyueth in good conuersacion / whiche may not be without loue / they must begynne at the lowest degree yf they wyll come to an hyghe parfeccyon. Thus than, good brother or syster whether thou be, withstande all vyces / and gadre to the vertues for the loue of god, and encreace in them tyll they ben parfytely stabled in the. And amonge all vertues loke that thou haue a feruent wyll / be besye [in] deuout prayers / stande strongely ayenst temptacyons / be pacyent in trybulacyons / & stable in perseueraunce, that thou lyue parfytely & so come to parfyte loue. Take none hede of them that set lytell by parfeccyon / as of them that saye þat they kepe not to be parfyte / it suffyseth to them to be lest in heuen / or come within the yates of heuen; these be many mennes wordes & they be peryllous wordes. For I warne þe forsothe what man hath not parfyte loue here he shall be purged with paynes of purgatorye / or ellys with dedes of mercy performed for hym in this worlde / and so be made parfyte / or he come to heuen blysse / for thyder may noman come but he be perfyte. Beware therfore of suche lyght & foly wordes, & trust more to thyn owne good dedes whyle þou art in this worlde than to thy frendes whan thou art deed. / Thynke also this lyfe is but short, þe payne[s] of purgatory passe all the paynes of the world, the paynes of hell is euerlastynge / & the Ioye & blysse of sayntes is euermore durynge. Thynke also ryght as god is full of mercy & pyte, ryght so he is ryghtfull in his domes. Yf thou wylt thynke on these wordes ofte, I trust to the mercy of god thou shalt waxe [so] stronge in vertues & withstande so vyces þat within a short tyme thou shalt come to a parfyte loue. Whan god hath so vysyted the that thou can loue hym parfytely than shal all thy wyll & all thy desyre be for to come to þat loue whiche is moost parfyte / that is to saye euermore to se almyghty god in his gloryous godhede, euermore with hym to dwelle. But for as moche as we may not come to our desyre / but we begynne somwhat to loue hym here in this lyfe: Therfore almyghty god mercyfull thorugh the besechynge of his blessyd moder Marye graunte vs grace so to loue hym here / þat we may come to the Ioyfull & euerlastynge lyfe / where is moost parfyte loue, & blysse without ende. Amen. ¶ Here is reherced shortly how by encreace of vertues thou mayst come to parfeccyon & what vertues thou shalt loue.

IN this fourth degree of loue / whiche is called a parfyte loue / thou art taught and counseylled to begynne at a lowe degree yf þou desyre to haue an hygh degree, as thus: Yf thou wylt haue this fourth degree of loue thou must begynne at the fyrst, & so encreace in vertues tyll thou come to parfeccyon. But amonge all vertues & al other poyntes whiche ben reherced before / fyue poyntes there be as me thynketh spedefull & nedefull euery man to haue & kepe þat ony good dede shall begynne & brynge to good ende. The fyrste is þat thou haue a feruent wyll. The seconde is that thou be besy in deuoute prayers. The thyrde is þat thou fyght strongely ayenst all temptacyons. The fourth is that thou be pacyent in trybulacyons. The fyfth is that thou be perseueraunt in good dedes. Of these poyntes I spake before in the fourth degree of loue / but for as moche as they be not there fully declared / my wyll is by þe helpe of god to wryte more openly of eche of them one after an other / & fyrst to wryte of good wyll, for þat must be begynnynge & endynge of all good dedes.

T ¶ How good wyll is and may be in dyuerse maners.

WYll may be [& is] in dyuerse maners / good and euyll / besy & feruent / grete & stronge / but for as moche as reason whiche god hath gyue onely to mankynde techeth & sheweth in euery mannes conscyence full knowynge of euyll wyll / & by cause þat good wyll may be in dyuerse kyndes / therfore I leue at this tyme to speke of euyl wyl / & purpose me fully thrugh þe techynge of almyghty god to declare somwhat openly þe vertue of good wyll. I trow wel þat euery man wold be good or wolde do some good dede be he neuer so synful & perauenture not chargeth gretly to be good ne besyeth hym to do good dede. But for as moche as he wolde good I may not saye but [þat] he hath a good wyll. So [þat] euery man that wyll well be it strongly or feyntly / lytell or grete / in as moche as he wolde good he hath a good wyll. Neuertheles though this be a good wyll it is worthy lytell or no mede / for it is no feruent ne besy wyll, for he desyreth to be good without ony trauayle / & so he suffreth that good wyl passe & chargeth not gretly to be good ne to do good dede. But what tyme he besyeth hym to performe that good wyll in dede / in that he desyreth to be good & besyeth hym to do good though he haue not fully his purpose ne may not performe his wyll in dede / yet there is a feruent wyll & a besy wyll & [as] I hope a medeful wyll. So that what man desyreth to be good & to do good dede, & therto besyeth hym to performe that wyll in dede, of hym it may wel be sayd that he hath a feruent wyll. Yet is þat wyll but lytell acounted & feble hauynge rewarde to a grete & stronge wyll. But what tyme thou hast performed in dede that thou hast so feruently wylle[d], than thou hast a grete & a stronge wyll / so that of euery man that is in wyll to be good or to do good dedes, whan he performeth that wyll in dede it may be sayd sothly of hym þat he is a man of a grete and a stronge wyl. To this acordeth saynt Austyn & sayth thus: He that wyl do the commaundementes of god & sayth he may not he hath a good wyll / [but] that wyll is but lytell & feble / for he may do & kepe the commaundementes whan he hath a grete & a stronge wyll. As who sayth what man hath a grete & a stronge wyll may kepe the commaundementes of god / and but

he kepe them he hath no grete ne stronge wyll. Yf thou wylt thou mayst kepe the commaundementes of god / yf thou kepe them thou shalt be good & do good / so yf thou wylt þou mayst do good & be good. But yet somtyme & ofte it falleth that by the grace of the holy ghoost we wyl do somwhat with al our herte to the worshyp of god that is not in our myght ne power to performe in dede; whan our wyll is sette in this maner the goodnes of god is so moche that he receyueth that wyll as for dede. Of this saynt Austyn bereth wytnes & sayth: What thou wylt & mayst not do god acounteth for dede. Thus mayst thou knowe with-in thy-selfe whan thou hast a lytell or a feble wyl / a grete or a stronge wyll / & how acceptable a good wyll is to almyghty god where thou doost thy besynes to performe it in dede. But se now more openly & in specyal poyntes how thou shalt knowe whan thou hast a good wyl. Saynt Gregory sayth: We haue a good wyl whan we drede the harme of our neyghboure as our owne dysease / & whan we be Ioyfull of the prosperyte of our neyghboure as of our owne proufyte. Also whan we trowe other mennes harmes [our harmes] as by waye of compassyon / & whan we acounten other mennes wynnynges our wynnynges as by waye of charyte. Also whan we loue our frende not for the worlde but for god / & whan we loue & suffre our enemye for the loue of god. Also whan we do to no man that we wolde that no man dyde to vs. Also whan we helpe our neyghboure to our power and in wyll somwhat ouer our power. These poyntes stande moche by the wyll withoute dede / but who so wylleth these fully in his herte to be do hath a good wyll, And as I sayd before his good wyll shall be acounted before god as for dede. Thus than haue I shewed whiche is good & feruent wyll though it be not performed in dede / whiche is a grete and a stronge wyll / and how good wyll in some poyntes is acounted for dede before god all be it that it be not performed / so that the wyller do his besynes to his power. ¶ Take hede now ferthermore and be ware for though thou haue all these maners of good wyll to thy felynge / it may be so that yet thy wyll is not rygtfull / se how. Be thou neuer so full of wertues: but thou conforme thy wyll to goddes wyll in all maner thynges bodely and ghoostly thy wyll is not ryghtfull. To this purpose saynt Austyn sayth thus: The ryghtwysnes of god is that thou be somtyme hole of body & somtyme syke / and perauenture whan thou art hole and in prosperyte / than the wyll of god pleaseth the moche and thou sayst that he is a good god and a curteys; yf thou say so or thynke so onely for thou hast helth or welth of body / thou hast no ryghtful wyl for as moche as thou conformest not thy wyll to goddes wyll / but onely in helth and welth. For yf he sente the sykenesse or other dysease / perauenture thou woldest be sory and grutch ayenst the wyll and the sendynge of god / & soo in thy wyll thou woldest make the wyll of god / the whiche may not be but euermore ryght and euen, bowe downe to thy wyll / whiche boweth and is full crocked / and in this thou hast ne[iþ]er ryghtfull herte ne ryghtfull wyll. But what tyme thou dressest thy wyll that is so croked and makest it stande ryght with þe wyll of god whiche may not be croked but euer standeth euen / that is to saye noo thynge wylle[st] helth ne sykenesse / welth ne wo / but euer holdest the pleased with the wyl

of god, than thou hast a ryghtfull wyll. ¶ Also it is nedefull to a good wyll that [shall] encreace in vertues and come to the loue of god, that it be stable and resonable. What tyme thou art trauayled sore with temptacions and grutchest not ayenst goddes wyl but with a glad herte thou thankest god & suffrest hym lowely & thynkest well it is chastysynge to the for thy synnes, than is thy wyll stable. And whan thou desyrest not hygh rewarde in blysse for thy good lyuynge or ghoostly trauayle whiche thou hast here in erthe but onely at goddes wyll what he wyll dyspose for the & no thynge at thy wyll, than thou hast a resonable wyll. Thus I haue shewed the dyuerse kyndes of good wyl whiche be full spedefull & nedefull the for to knowe yf thou be in good wyll to [conne] loue god / & yf thou haue a stable & a resonable wyll þou shalt soone come to parfyte loue. ¶ Now perauenture thou þat trauaylest in ghoostly werkes wylt thynke or say thus / somtyme it happe[th] that thou woldest do some ghoostly trauayle & thou may not performe it in dede / & all be it so thou do it in dede it is full oft with so grete heuynesse þat thou grutche somwhat for defaute of ghoostly comfort. To this I may answere as I sayd before: yf þou grutche þou hast no stable wyll, & yf thy wyll be stable þou shalt not drede in this case / & se why. Thou shalt vnderstande þat the flesshe is euer contraryous to þe spyryte & þe spyryte contrarye to þe flesshe: herof þou hast ensample where saynt Poule sayd of hymself in this wyse: Þat goodnes whiche I wolde do I do not / as yf he had sayd thus: Some good dedes I wyll & desyre in my soule / but I may not fulfyl them for feblenes of my flesshe / & all be it somtyme I performe them in dede it is without ony gladnes. but what, for this trowest þou þat thapostle sholde therfore lese his mede / for he wolde & myght not or els [for] he dyde good somtyme without gladnes? Nay, but moche the more his mede was encreaced, for two causes. Fyrst for the trauaylous werkynge of his body that he suffred whan the flesshe stryued soo sore ayenst the goodnes of the spyryte. The seconde cause is for the heuynes & trauayle whiche þe spyryte suffred whan he had no ghoostly comforte. In the same maner what euer grutchynge thou hast of thy flesshe ayenst good dedes or what heuynesse thou suffrest for defaute of ghoostly conforte / be not therfore abasshed so thy wyll be stable, but suffre & abyde lowely the grace of god for thy more mede. Be than stable in wyll & the deuyll ne thy flesshe shall neuer haue maystrye of the / for all the deuyls in hell may not make the to synne but þou put therto thy wyll. Ne all the aungels of heuen may not make the to do good dedes but þou put-to thy wyll. ¶ Take hede than that thy wyll be well dysposed to god & that it be set stably & resonably / & than thou hast a spedefull begynnynge to come to the loue of god. but for as moche as mannes wyll is ordeyned fyrst & dysposed with the grace of god that he shall wyll good: to haue that grace in wyll & in all other dede / Prayer me thynketh is nedefull & therfore somwhat I wyl wryte of prayer as god wyll gyue me grace.

U ¶ What profyte is in prayer and in what maner thou shalt praye.

PRayer [&] ensample of good lyuynge [be] moost spedefull to gete grace & to drawe men to loue god. A deuoute prayer & often vsed purchaseth grace of almyghty god & putteth awaye the fals suggestyons of the fende & stablysshe[th]

a man in all goodnesse. Therfore god sayth to his dyscyples thus: Waketh & prayeth that ye fall not in [to] temptacyons. Ryght as it is nedefull for a knyght that shall go in to batayll haue with hym armoure & wepen / ryght so it is nedeful & spedefull to euery crysten man to haue with hym contynuell prayer / for what of our owne freelte / what by [the] malyce & enuye that the fende hath to vs / we be euer in this worlde in ghoostly batayll more or lesse by the suffraunce of our lorde god. Therfore sayth saynt Gregory: The more we be trauayled with thoughtes or flesshely desyres / the more nede we haue to stande besely in prayers. So thus þou mayst se that prayer is spedefull & nedefull. ¶ Also prayer as I rede is a souerayne helpe to thy soule / confort & solace to thy good aungell / torment & payne to þe deuyl / acceptable seruyce to god / parfyte Ioye / sad hope / & ghoostly helthe without corrupcyon. ¶ Prayer is also a nedefull messager from euery mannes soule to almyghty god in heuen / & namely from that mannes soule whiche is moche troubled & hath no reste. Some conscyences there be whiche be good / that is to saye be well ruled & be in reste / to suche prayer is also a nedefull messager to holde þe soule in ghoostly confort & to encreace it & stable it in goodnes. But there be many other men & wymen of dyuerse conscyence. Some there be that haue a bad conscyence whiche be in rest & not troubled / & that ben they that ben sette fully to euyll & not to good. Some haue a bad conscyence & somwhat be troubled in theyr conscyence / & tho be suche þat be somwhat euyll or begynne to be euyll. Some haue good conscyence & also ben greued in theyr conscyence / & [tho] be suche as lyue euyll & begynne to be good. Whyle the conscyence is thus troubled the soule hath no reste / therfore to pursyewe for helpe & grace / prayer that nedefull messager must do well his offyce / that is to saye besely without ony taryenge / & strongely without ony feynynge; & rather [to] come to the presence of almyghty god hym nedeth to haue two specyall frendes / þat is to say stedfast fayth and trusty hope: with these two frendes prayer taketh his waye & renneth fast to þe yates of heuen / & entreth without ony lettynge / for he goth to the presence of þat good lorde truly to do his message with full fayth & sad hope / full pyteously he sheweth his nedes & the perylles of [the] soule. Than anone the good lorde so ful of pyte & mercy sendeth his blessyd loue in to þe soule thorugh the pursute of that good prayer. Whan this loue entreth in to that soule anone he maketh all glad þat was full elenge & sory / he maketh in peas & reste that was sore troubled. Hope cometh agayn that was out / and ghoostly strength þat was awaye is fully restored. Whan the enemyes of the soule / that is to saye the fendes se this helpe & confort to the soule / with sorowfull chere they torne awaye & thus they begynne to crye: Alas alas, sorowe & wo is come to vs / fle we fast awaye for god fyghteth for this soule. Thus mannes soule is delyuered fro the fende by prayer / & so it may sothly be sayd that prayer is a spedefull & a nedefull messager fro mannes soule to almyghty god in heuen. ¶ Thus þou hast herde what is prayer / se now ferthermore how þou shalt praye. ¶ As often as thou prayest / or what euer thou prayest, put all thy wyll in [to] goddes wyll / in the ende of thy prayer / desyrynge euermore in euery askynge his wyll to be fulfylled and no thynge thy wyll. For thou mayst praye & aske

some thynge that he wyl not here ne graunte / as yf þou praye for soules that be dampned thy prayer is not accepted. Also it may so be that thou desyrest not that is moost helpynge to thy soule ne to other perauenture for whom þou prayest. Also many men praye somtyme for no good entent / and for that they be not herde. Therfore to be alwaye syker, whan euer thou prayest put thy desyre and thy entent in askynge in goddes wyl, for he knoweth all thynges, and what euer thou prayest he wyll not graunte the but that is moost proufytable for the. To this accordeth an holy clerke and sayth: Oftentyme god graunteth not many men at theyr wyll / for he wyll graunte them other grace than they aske, to more helth of theyr soules. So that it is nedeful that we put all our askynge in to his ordynaunce. To this acordeth [also] saynt Bernarde and sayth: No man sholde set lyght by his prayer / for he to whom we praye aftertyme the prayer is passed from our mouth or from our herte / he wryteth it in his booke / and trustyngly we may hope that he wyll graunte that we aske or ellys that is more proufytable to vs. Thus than what euer thou prayest put all thy wyll in to goddes wyll. ¶ Also whan that thou prayest thou shalt praye generally / that is to saye / as thou prayest for thy selfe so thou shalt praye for other. Thus thou must do for thre causes: Fyrst for loue and charyte wyll that thou do so. And therfore sayth the apostle: Prayeth eche of you for other that ye may be saued. The seconde cause is / for the lawe of god wyll that euery man helpe other in nede. This thou hast by the techynge of saynt Poule where as he sayth thus: Eche of you bere others burthen / that is for to say / eche of you praye for other or helpe other in nede & so ye shall fulfyll the lawe of cryste. The thyrde cause is / for who so prayeth for al other as for hymselfe / þe goodnes of god wyll that he shall be partyner of all other mennes prayers. To this acordeth saynt Ambrose & sayth thus: Yf thou pray onely for thy self and for none other than shall none other pray for the but thy selfe / & yf thou praye for all other than all other shall praye for the. Thus than whan þou prayest praye for all other. ¶ Also whan thou shalt praye thou must praye with full herte & put away fro the all vanytees of the worlde, all ymagynacyons & all ydel thoughtes. To this acordeth an holy clerke & sayth: Whan we stande to praye we must with all our herte gyue our entent to that we praye / that is to say we must voyde all flesshely & all worldely thoughtes & suffre not our herte otherwyse to be occupyed than about our prayer. But to this perauenture thou sayst that though þou be neuer in so good wyll to praye / thyn herte is awaye from thy prayer & encombred with dyuerse thoughtes that thou mayst haue no whyle thyn herte sadly vpon thy prayer. To this I graunte þat what [thrugh] the fende whiche euer is besy to lette all goodnes & what thrugh the vnstablynes of man thyn herte shall not be stable vpon thy prayer I trowe scarsely the tyme of a Pater noster. But whan thou go to thy prayer / take good hede what nede thou hast to praye / what thou wylt praye / & how grete, how myghty & how ryghtfull & mercyfull he is to whom þou wylt praye. Yf thou set thyn herte thus in the begynnynge of thy prayer / thou shalt not I trow gretly be

letted / & though it be so that somtyme thou be letted with other thoughtes / fyght ayenst them with all thy besynes / & anone tourne to thy prayer. Yf thou wylt fyght wylfully in this maner god of his grete grace & endeles pyte wyll alowe thy good wyll / & moche the rather for thy trauayle graunte that þou askest. Thus than whan thou wylt praye þou must praye with full herte. ¶ Also an other maner prayer there is / that who soo hath grace to come therto his prayer shal soone be herde yf he praye resonably. This maner of prayer is whan thou art vysyted by the grace of god with grete conpunccyon of herte and swetnes of deuocyon. Conpunccyon is a grete lou[nes] of thy soule spryngynge out of thy herte with teeres of thyn eyen, whan þou bethynkest the vpon thy synnes & vpon the dredefull dome of god. Whan þou hast this conpunccyon & these teeres than þou hast full deuocyon / with suche deuocyon besely praye for all tho that haue nede / for what thynge þou prayest in þat tyme so it be worshyp to god þou art anone herde without ony taryenge. For as I rede prayer peaseth almyghty god & maketh hym torne to mercy; but whan deuoute teeres come with prayer than of his grete pyte he may no lenger suffre / but anone as he were constrayned he graunteth what we aske. Ferthermore yf þou be vsed to suche deuocion þou shalt feruently desyre to conne loue god / & so by goddes grace þou shalt soone come to loue / thus than loue prayer yf thou wylt come to þe loue of god. And for as moche as many men & women be moche trauayled by dyuerse temptacyons or they come to loue / therfore [to] be ware of theym & sooner to withstande them / somwhat I wyl shewe of temptacyons as me thynketh is nedefull.

X ¶ How þou mayst be ware & knowe of temptacyons wakynge or slepynge / & how þou shalt withstande them.

BY the ordynaunce of almyghty god there be ordeyned good aungels to defende vs fro euyll & to styre vs to vertues and to kepe vs in goodnes. ¶ Also other badde aungels & euyl spyrytes there be whiche trouble mankynde with dyuerse temptacions to preue mannes stablenes, & that to grete mede to mannes soule. The power of this wycked spyryte / that is to saye the fende is so grete þat the more a man besyeth hym to please god þe rather he is about to greue hym. For as I rede oftymes it happeth þat many men whan th[e]y gyue them hole to contemplacyon or to other deuocyons than they be trauayled with stronge temptacyons by þ[e] suffraunce of god, that they may knowe theyr owne feblenes & to kepe theym meke & lowe, for they sholde not lese þe grete mede of god for ony maner spyce of pryde / whiche mede is ordeyned for theyr ghoostly trauayle. Also in whateuer maner of lower degree [a] man or woman be that wyll withstande synne to his power & lyue after the techynge of goddes lawe / to al suche the wycked spyryte hath enuye / & euermore gyueth theym some maner of batayll grete or lytell, slepynge or wakynge. ¶ Other men & women there be that he suffreth to be in reste & peas / & tho ben suche as drede not god but nyght & daye gyue them to all maner lustes & lykynges of theyr flesshe / for they ben so redy to synne & to do his wyll that hym nedeth not to styre them to euyll / & therfore he suffreth them in peas & without ony trauayle of temptacyons. Of suche men speketh saynt Austyn & sayth thus:

Some men & women profer themyselfe to synne wylfully & abyde not the temptacyons of the fende / but they go before the temptacyons & be redyer to synne than the fende is to tempte them. ¶ And sythen it is so that euery man whiche is besy to please god shal be trauayled and pr[e]ued with dyuerse temptacyons, I wyl shewe the to my felynge, and as I rede of other auctours, þe maner of begynnynge of euery temptacyon, that thou mayst be ware of them & rather withstande the begynnynge, & so ouercome the hole temptacyon. ¶ I rede that our enemye the fende whan he wyll make vs to folowe his wyll or ellys for enuye wyll trauayle and greue vs, he begynneth with fals suggestyons / that is to saye he putteth in our myndes diuerse ymagynacyons / as worldely & flesshely thoughtes, and somtyme other thoughtes whiche be full greuous & peryllous / eyther to make vs haue a grete lust & lykynge in them that be worldely or flesshely / or ellys to brynge vs in grete heuynes or drede thrugh tho thoughtes whiche be greuous & peryllous. ¶ As to the worldely or flesshely thoughtes, yf we suffre theym to abyde in oure herte so longe wylfully tyll we haue lykynge in them / than hath the deuyll wonne a grete stronge warde of vs & pursyeweth ferthermore with all his besynes to make vs assente to hym as in wyll to performe it in dede. By that dede thou mayst vnderstande euery dedely synne after þe suggestyon is in þe begynnynge. To some he begynneth with a fals suggestyon of pryde / or ellys of couetyse / to some with a suggestyon of glotonye or lecherye / and so of all other synnes wherin he supposeth soonest to haue maystrye ouer man / for euery man is enclyned more to one maner synne than to an other. And where he hath maystrye / that is to say where that synne is performed in dede / he besyeth hym sore to brynge it in to custome / & so thorugh the custome to haue vs hole vnder his power. Go fle & withstande all these perylles, the prophete Dauyd sayth in the sawter: Go awaywarde or bowe awaye from euyll & do good / that is to saye after the exposycyon of doctours: Go from the euyll of suggestyon / from the suggestyon of entysynge / from þe euyl of delytynge / from the euyll of assentynge / from the euyl of dede / & from the euyll of custome. Withstande than all suche worldely or flesshely thoughtes as moche as god wyll gyue the grace, þat thou fal in none of these euylles whiche as I haue sayd be full peryllous. ¶ Ferthermore as to þe greuous thoughtes & peryllous, perauenture þou wylt aske whiche be tho thoughtes þat be so greuous & peryllous. All tho thoughtes that thou hast ayenst thy wyl whiche make the heuy or sory, be greuous. And for to shewe the more openly: what man that ymagy[n]eth vpon hyghe maters þat be ghoostly whiche passe all erthely mennes wytte, As vpon þe fayth of holy chyrche or suche other that neden not to be specyf[y]ed at this tyme, that man hath greuous thoughtes & peryllous. Yf we suffre suche ymagynacyons abyde & take none hede in the Legynnynge to the fals suggestyon of þe fende, within [a] short tyme or euer we be ware eyther he wyll make vs lese our kyndely wytte & reason / or ellys he wyl brynge vs [in] to vnreasonable drede. Of suche temptacyons it is nedefull to be ware & put theym awaye yf þou may with deuoute prayers & other occupacyons / & yf thou may not voyde them suffre them than esely. For þou shalt vnderstande þat they be ryght nedeful & medefull for thy soule / for but it were so þat suche thoughtes come somtyme in to

thy mynde þou sholdest seme in thyselfe that þou were an aungell & no man / therfore it is nedefull that thou be tempted otherwyle with euyll thoughtes that thou mayst se & knowe thyn owne feblenes & vnstablenes whiche cometh of thyselfe / and that þou mayst fele the strength whiche þou hast onely of god. Also thou shalt suffre suche thoughtes esely / but thou mayst voyde them / for all suche thoughtes so þat thou delyte the not in them they ben a grete purgynge for thy soule / & a grete strength to kepe within the vertues / & all be it þat they be sharpe & bytter for the tyme thynke well þat they shal make thy soule clene that was ryght foule / & make it hole that was ryght syke / and brynge it in to euerlastynge lyfe & helth without ende to the whiche lyfe & helth may no man come withoute grete sharpenes & bytternes. Also whan þou art trauayled with thoughtes whiche þou mayst not put away, thynke wel that it is a grete ryghtwysnes of god that thou haue suche thoughtes: For ryght as þou hast had full often thy wyl & lykynge in worldely and flesshely thoughtes ayenst the wyll of god / ryght so it is þe wyl of god that thou haue other thoughtes ayenst thy wyl. ¶ But yet it is good that thou be ware of them & that þou drede them dyscretly and truste stedfastly in god. For whan the soule hath no delyte in suche thoughtes but hateth & lotheth them / than they be a clensynge & a grete mede to þe soule; but yf it so be that there come somtyme ony lykynge of synne or of ony vanyte thorugh suche thoughtes / than withstande & thynke that it is a fals suggestyon of the deuyll / & therwith be dredful and sory that þou hast offended god in lykynge of suche fals ymagynacyons. I rede that for suche thoughtes onely þou shalt not be dampned though they be come in to thy mynde / for it is not in thy power to let them to come: But yf it be so that þou assente or delyte in them than be ware, for there thou dyspleasest god. Also it is good that þou drede though þou assente not to euyll thoughtes, that þou fall not for pryde. For eche man that standeth in vertues standeth onely by þe vertue & grace of almyghty god. Thus than be ware of thoughtes, for here þou mayst se that all temptacyons begynne with fals suggestyons of the wycked spyryte. And yf þou haue grace to withstande suche thoughtes þou shalt ouercome all temptacions. And for moost souerayn remedy ayenst all maner temptacions it is good that þou shewe thy disease to thy ghoostly fader as oft as it nedeth [or] els to some other good man of ghoostly lyuynge, as I sayd before in the fyfth poynt of þe thyrde degree of loue. ¶ Ferthermore to speke of temptacyons, I rede that whan the wycked fende may not ouercome a man wakynge / than is his besynes to trauayle & to tary hym slepynge. And that is to dysceyue hym yf he may in thre maners. One is to begyle hym thrugh glad & confortable dremes. The seconde is to greue & to lette hym thrugh sorowfull & dredefull dremes. And the thyrde is to make hym the rather assente to synne wakynge thrugh foule syghtes or other dyuerse vanytees whiche he suffreth slepynge. therfore it is good to be ware of dremes / for in some thou mayst wel byleue & some it is good to sette at nought. for somtyme god sheweth comfort to wycked men slepynge þat they sholde the rather leue theyr synne, & somtyme he comforte[th] good men slepynge to make them more feruent in his loue; but for as moche as þou myghtest lyghtly be disceyued thrugh suche illusyons, I counseyll

the to put them all out from thy herte or els to shewe them to thy ghostly frendes. For oftymes he þat hath moche lykynge in dremes is moost taryed and out of reste. Also þou shalt not drede suche dremes what-soeuer they be: For as I rede yf thou be stable in the fayth of holy chyrche / yf þou loue god with all thy herte / yf þou be obedyent to god & to thy souerayns what euer þou be as well in aduersyte as in prosperyte, and yf þou put all thy wyll at goddes dysposycyon, than shalt þou drede no maner of dremes; for though they be dredefull & sorowfull to thy syght be therfor not agast ne heuy / but trustyngly put al togyder in to goddes honde he to ordeyne for the as he wyll. Also though they be to thy syght glad & confortable, desyre them not ne byleue not in them but yf it [so] be that they torne to the worshyp of god. Yf þou do thus by the grace of god þou shalt ouercome all temptacions slepynge. Thus than, slepynge & wakynge, yf thou withstande in the begynnynge þe fals suggestyons of that wycked aungell, þat is to saye wycked thoughtes & peryllous ymagynacyons as I sayd before / than þou shalt ouercome all temptacions. To this acordeth saynt Austyn & sayth: Yf we withstande the lust & lykynge of vnclene thoughtes there sholde no synne reygne in our dedely bodyes. Withstande than thoughtes & be stronge ayenst temptacions / & so thrugh that ghoostly strength þou shalt lyghtly come to the loue of god. And for as moche as suche temptacyons & other worldely trybulacyons fall oftentymes to goddes seruauntes in to grete mede of theyr soules so that they can suffre them mekely & thanke god therfore, I wyll shewe a fewe confortable wordes of þe vertue of pacyence by the whiche þou mayst be styred for to suffre bodely and ghoostly dyseases gladly for the loue of god.

Y ¶ How thou shalt be pacyent & what tyme pacyence is moost nedefull.

CHaryte whiche is moder & keper of vertues is lost full often by Inpacyence. To this acordeth saynt Gregorye & sayth thus: Men that be Inpacyent whan they wyll not suffre gladly trybulacyons / destroye the good dedes whiche they dyde whyle þe soule was in peas & reste / & sodaynly they destroye [w]hat ghoostly werke that they haue begonne by good auysement & grete trauayle. By these wordes it semeth þat it is nedefull to kepe with vs the vertue of pacyence yf we sholde come to the loue of god / for without encreace of vertues we may not come to þat loue. ¶ To speke than of pacyence: I rede þat in prosperyte it is no vertue to be pacyent / but what man is troubled with many aduersytees & standeth stably hopynge in the mercy of god / he hath the vertue of pacyence. ¶ In thre maner of wayes goddes seruauntes haue nede to be pacyent in trybulacions. The fyrst is whan god chastyseth them with his rodde / as with losse of worldely godes or ellys with bodely sykenes. The seconde is whan our enemye the fende trauayleth vs with dyuerse temptacyons by the suffraunce of god. The thyrde is whan our neyghbours do to vs wronge or despytes. In eche of these thre our enemye besyeth hym to brynge vs oute of pacyence / & in eche of these we sholde ouercome hym yf we be pacyent. As thus: yf we suffre easely & gladly the chastysynge of god without ony grutchynge; Also yf we delyte vs not in the fals suggestyons of the fende & assente in no maner to his wycked temptacyons;

Also yf we kepe vs sadly in charyte whan we suffre ony wronges or despytes of ony of our neyghbours / thus we sholde ouercome that wycked fende with the vertue of pacyence. ¶ I sayd as for the fyrst we shold ouercome the fende yf we suffre easely & gladly the chastysynge of god without ony grutchynge / this is good þat we suffre for it is for grete loue whiche he hath to vs & [for] grete mede that he wyll ordeyne for vs. To this purpose saynt Austyn speketh & sayth thus to eche mannes soule callynge the soule doughter, and sayth thus: Doughter yf thou wepe vnder thy fader wepe not with Indygnacion ne for pryde / for that thou suffrest is for medycyne to the & for no payne / it is a chastysynge & no dampnacyon; yf thou wylt not lese thyn herytage, put not from the that rodde / take no hede to the sharpenes of that rodde / but take good hede how well thou shalt be rewarded in thy faders testament. These wordes may be remeued to euery crysten man & woman, as thus: Yf our fader in heuen sholde chastyse vs with losse of goodes or with sykenes of body we sholde not grutche / but we sholde be sory þat we trespaced ayenste our fader / & take mekely his chastysynge & euer aske mercy. His chastysynge is hel[þ]e to our soules & reles of grete[r] penaunce / his chastysynge is but a warnynge for loue & not dur[esse] for wrath. [If] we sholde not be put out frome the herytage of heuen it is nedefull we be boxum to our fader in heuen & suffre lowely & gladly his ryghtfull chastysynge for our greuous trespasynge, that thrugh the vertue of pacyence we may come to that grete herytage / that is to saye to the blysse of heuen to þe whiche he ordeyned vs in his last testament, that was whan he gafe for vs his herte blood vpon þe crosse. Thus we must suffre gladly the chastysynge of god without grutchynge. This chastysynge as I sayd is somtyme in sykenes of body / & somtyme in losse of worldely goodes. Yf thou be chastysed with sykenesse of body / haue in thy mynde the wordes of the apostle whan he sayd thus: All be it that our body outwarde be corrupted with sykenes our soule within is made newe & more clene frome daye to daye. Also yf [thou] be chastysed with losse of goodes / take hede to þe pouerte of Iob where þou may haue a grete example of pacyence, for with grete thankynges to god he toke full mekely & gladly grete pouerte, sykenes & many dyseases & sayd: Our lord gafe / our lorde hath take awaye / as it pleaseth hym so it is do / blessyd be the name of þat lorde Iesu. Thus þou hast example to suffre gladly the chastysynge of god. ¶ I sayd also as for the seconde we sholde ouercome þe fende yf we delyte vs not in his fals suggestyons & yf we assente in no maner to his wycked temptacyons. In the last chapytre before thou hast how thou shalt be stronge & stable ayenst all temptacyons: Se now more openly why thou shalt gladly suffre temptacyons without ony grutchynge. One skylle is for yf thou suffre them not gladly but grutchest ayenst them than þou lettest them that sholde helpe the / the whiche be good angels & other sayntes / & helpest thyn enemyes whiche be wycked fendes / for a greter confort is none to theym but whan they fynde a man heuy and grutchynge; therfore suffre them gladly and aske helpe & mercy of hym in whom all grace is and confort. Also yf thou suffre suche temptacions gladly and assentest not to them in lykynge ne in wyll / than thou stoppest the

fende that he dar not assayle the with other temptacions, for he dredth to be put out from the & be ouercome whan he feleth the so stable & so pacyent; that is a grete drede to hym. For whan he trauayleth a man with temptacyons and he be withstande / than be his paynes moche the more encreased in hell. Withstande than his temptacyons with the vertue of pacyence & so thou shalt ouercome hym. ¶ As for the thyrde way of pacyence I sayd þat we sholde kepe vs sadly in charyte whan we suffre wronges or despytes of [our] neyghbours / suche wronges it is [m]edefull to suffre for the loue of god: For as saynt Austyn sayth / he that is so pacyent that gladly wyll suffre wronges shall be ordeyned grete and myghty in heuen. If than thy goodes be taken from the wrongfully / suffre esely and thynke in thy herte that thou came naked in to this worlde & no better than naked shalt thou go away out of the worlde. Also thynke vpon þe wordes of the apostle where he sayth: Nought we brought in to this worlde and no thynge we may bere with vs / thynke vpon these wordes & I trowe they shall styre the moche to pacyence. ¶ If thou be dysp[y]sed or defamed wrongfully / thynke vpon the wordes of cryst whan he sayd thus to his dyscyples: Ye be blessyd whan wycked men curse you or despyse you wrongfully, whan they pursyewe you or saye ony euyll makynge lesynges ayenst you wrongfully / Ioyeth than & be glad for your mede is plenteuous in heuen. These wordes me thynketh sholde make the to suffre gladly despytes & euyll wordes. It falleth somtyme that some mennes hertes be full grete & stoute by pryde & Inpacyence: But goddes seruauntes whan they se suche men so dyseased and trauayled in theyr soules, haue grete conpassyon of them knowynge wel that it cometh of vnstablenes of herte and of wycked sterynge of the flesshe / & therfore they suffre wycked & angry wordes for þe tyme, hopynge þat after so grete noyse shall come some maner ease & lownes of herte; they suffre also for þe tyme for they knowe well it is full harde a man to ouercome hymselfe; / for thyse causes euery good man sholde gladly suffre angry wordes. Also some men and women there be that wyll not suffre / but for one wycked worde they saye an other and take noo hede to the rewarde that they sholde haue of god yf they wolde suffre / suche men al daye fall in temptacyons for angre of herte and for inpacyence. Therfore what euer thou be that art despysed of thy neyghbour, suffre gladly / & feyne the as thou herdest hym not / vnto the tyme that his herte be eased, and than yf it be suche mater that chargeth þou mayst speke to hym in easy maner / and yf it is no chargynge than it is no force though thou holde thy peas and answere ryght nought. Thus I haue shewed the examples for to styre the to pacyence, Fyrst how thou shalt gladly suffre the chastysynge of almyghty god as sykenes of body or ellys losse of goodes. The seconde how thou shalt gladly suffre the temptacyons of the fende. And the thyrde how thou shalt gladly suffre wronges and despysynges of thy neyghbour. ¶ But now ouer all the ensamples I counseyll the for to haue one thynge specyall[y] in thy herte / the whiche shal be a generall ensample of pacyence to suffre gladly all maner trybulacyons for the loue of god: This ensample is for to haue euermore in thy mynde in eche dysease the grete pouerte, trybulacyon and the bytter passyon of Ihesu cryst goddes sone whiche he suffred gladly & wylfully for the loue of all mankynde. ¶ Of this good lorde

speketh saynt Bernarde & sayth thus. Cryst goddes sone of heuen frome the tyme þat he came out of the gloryous maydens wombe Marye / had neuer but pouerte & trybulacyon tyll he went to suffre deth. Whiche maner of deth it nedeth not at this tyme for to shewe it to the, For þou hast it openly by þe techynge of all holy chyrche. Haue than sadly in thy mynde as moche as god wyll gyue the grace / how gladly, howe lowely & what he suffred for the / & þat thought I trowe shall make the to wynne the vertue of pacyence / & to encreace in other vertues / & so forth within a whyle to come to the loue of god. And now ferthermore for as moche as all þe vertues be moost pleasynge & acceptable to god whiche be contynued & brought to good ende, therfore to strength þe in these vertues I wyll shewe þe now some wordes of þe vertue of perseueraunce.

Z ¶ How perseueraunce is nedefull & how thou mayst be perseueraunt.

PErseueraunce is fulfyllynge & ende of all vertues / keper of all goodnes / without whiche perseueraunce no man may se god. But thou be perseueraunt / þou mayst haue noo mede, thanke ne worshyp for thy seruyce. Yf thou be perseueraunt thou shalt haue mede for thy true seruyce / & a grete rewarde for thy ghoostly trauayle & a worshypful crowne of vyctorye for thy stronge batayle. Of this mater þou hast before in þe fyth poynt of the thyrde degree of loue / therefore at this tyme it nedeth not to speke but lytell more as of this purpose. But I counseyll the in fewe wordes yf thou wylt be perseueraunt in goodnes that þou trauaylest to wynne the vertue of pacyence wherof I haue touched somwhat in the last chapytre before. For many men begynne full well and ende theyr lyfe full peryllously / & the cause is for the more partye Inpacyence / for they wyll not suffre gladly temptacyons & other trybulacyons; For whan they fele neuer so lytel dysease ghoostly or bodely anone they fall awaye from vertues & torne agayne to synne, And often it falleth that some men fall so sore that they deye by that fall / that is to saye they fall in to [so] grete sykenes & peryll of soule / that to our syght they deye in grete synne & errours without ony amendement. Of suche men speketh god almyghty & sayth: No man þat putteth his honde to the plowe & loketh behynde hym is dysposed to come to the kyngdom of heuen. ¶ Here perauenture thou woldest aske what is he that holdeth the plowe & loketh behynde hym. He putteth his honde to þe plowe that amendeth his synnes with contrycyon & confessyon to brynge forth fruyte of penaunce & to encreace in vertues. He loketh behynde hym that torneth agayne to synne[s] whiche were forsaken after tyme he had begonne good werkes. Therfore what euer thou be that hast begonne to leue vyces / torne not agayne to them for a lytell dysease, yf thou wylt haue the grete mede that longeth to perseueraunce. ¶ Also yf thou wylt be perseueraunt thou must be stable in herte / yf þou wylt be stable in herte þou must be ware of the lykynge & pleasynge of the worlde / & flee from wycked company / thou must take no hede to praysynges ne to blamynges / for of all these cometh vnstablenes, And yf thou haue ony lykynge in ghoostly werkes, that vnstablenes wyll put it awaye; therfore be ware & flee suche maner of occasyons yf thou wylt be stable. ¶ I saye not that þou shalt flee bodely from þe world or fro [þi] worldely goodes for they be pryncypall occasyons / but I

counseyll the in herte and in wyll that thou flee all suche vanytees. For though þou be lorde or lady / husbonde man or wyfe / thou mayst haue as stable an herte & wyll as some relygyous that sytte in the cloystres. But sothe it is that the moost sykerest waye is to fle as relygyous do / but for all may not be men or women of relygyon / therfore of euery degre in þe worlde god hath chosen his seruauntes. What euer than thou be þat wy[l]t come to þe loue of god begynne fyrst to do good dedes with a good wyll and a contynuell desyre. After that desyre fulfyl thy wyll in dede with dyscrecyon that thou mayst contynue to thy lyues ende. Whan thou hast begonne thynke in thyn herte that god hath gyue the suche grace to begynne that thynge to his worshyp / thou mayst well do it yf thou wylt performe it in dede with the helpe of god. After this poynte stande stably in wyll / aske grace of perseueraunce / and performe it in dede with a feruent spyryte. And whan thou hast begonne dyscretly / though it be trauaylous in the begynnynge / all that trauayle be it in fastynges / wakynges / prayers or ony other ghoostly trauayle, all shall be lyght to the & shall torne the [to] in so grete myrthe and ghoostly conforte that thou shalt sette lytell by the passynge Ioye and the vanytees of the worlde. Stande than stably in wyll and in dede / and god almyghty that hath begonne good werkes in the / wyll norysshe the forth in all vertues / defende the from thyn enemyes / teche the to loue hym / and kepe the in his loue to thy lyues ende; After this deth thou shalt not drede for thou shalt euer abyde in his kyngdome where that is no care ne drede / but all Ioye & conforte for euermore lastynge. ¶ Now I haue shewed to the foure degrees of loue / & declared here fyue specyall vertues whiche as me thynketh be moost nedeful euery man for to haue that wyl trauayle in ghoostly werkes / & to al other maner men and women they be full spedefull to knowe whether they be relygyous or seculer. And for as moche as many in the begynnynge haue full lytell sauour in deuoute prayers or in holy medytacions, some perauenture for tender age / & some for vnconnynge / therfore to suche symple folke I wyll shewe a maner forme how by medytacyon they may be styred to deuocyon / and what maner prayer shall be to theym nedefull.

AB ¶ By what prayer or thought thou mayst be styred to deuocyon.

[W]Han thou ordeynest þe to praye or haue ony deuocyon, founde to haue a preuy place from all maner noyse, & tyme of reste without ony lettynge. Syt there or knele there as is moost to thyn ease. Than be thou lorde or lady, thynke wel thou hast a good þat made the of nought / whiche hath gyue to the thy ryght wyttes / ryght lymmes & other worldely ease more than to some other as þou mayst se aldaye þat lyue in grete dysease & moche bodely myschyef. Thynke also how synful thou art, & were not the kepynge of þat good god thou sholdest fall in to all maner of synne by thyn owne wretchednes, & than þou mayst thynke sothly as of thyself þat there is none so synful as thou art. Also yf þou haue ony vertue or grace of good lyuynge thynke it cometh of goddes sendynge & nothynge of thyselfe. Thynke also how longe & how often god hath suffred the in synne / he wolde not take the in to dampnacyon whan þou haddest deserued it / but goodly hath abyden the tyll þou woldest leue synne & torne to goodnes /

for loth hym were to forsake þat he bought so dere with bytter paynes. Also þou mayst thynke for he wolde not lese the he became man & was borne of a mayde / in pouerte & trybulacyons all his lyfe he lyued, & after for thy loue deth he wolde suffre to saue the by his mercy. ¶ In suche maner thou mayst thynke of his grete benefytes / and for the more grace to gete to the compunccyon beholde with thy ghoostly eye his pyteous passyon.

¶ A short medytacion of the passyon of our lorde Ihesu cryste.

THou mayst here ymagyne in thy herte as yf þou sawe thy lorde take of his enemyes with many repreues & despytes / brought before a Iuge / falsely there accused of many wycked men / & he answered ryght nought but mekely suffred theyr wordes. They wolde nedes haue hym deed / but fyrst to suffre paynes. Beholde than that good lorde cheuerynge & quakynge all his body naked bounde to a pyler / about hym standynge wicked men without ony reason sore scorgynge þat blessyd body without ony pyte. Se how they cesse not from theyr angry strokes tyll they se hym stande in his blood vp to his ancles / from the toppe of his heed to the sole of his foot hole skynne they lefte none / his flesshe they rased to the bones / & for werynes of themselfe they lefte hym almoost dede. Loke than asyde vpon his blessyd moder / se what sorow she made for her dere sone / & haue compassyon of her payne that laye there aswowne. Torne agayne to thy lorde & se howe they vnbynde hym / how hastly they drawe hym forth to do hym more dysease. A garlonde of thornes they put vpon his heed tyll the blood ran downe in to his eyen / nose / mouth & eeres. Than they kneled downe with scornes, & arose vp with repreue & spette in his face. See than how þat blessyd lady beteth her breste / draweth her clothes / & wryngeth her hondes / & I trowe thou wylt wepe for that pyteful syght. ¶ Loke yet agayn to thy lorde & se how they hurle hym forth to an hyghe hylle there to nayle hym hande & foot vpon the rode tree. Se than fyrst how fyersly they drawe of his clothes & how mekely that he than wente to the crosse / he spredeth his armes abrode / but strayter with cordes they drewe forth his armes tyl the synewes & the Ioyntes be all to-broke / & than with full grete nayles they nayled his precyous hondes to the crosse. In the same maner thou mayst se how greuously they drawe his dereworthy legges and nayled his feet downe to the tree. Se than how they profered hym for to drynke bytter galle & eysyll / and kneled agayn before hym with many despytes. Than herken to that good lorde how mekely he taketh leue of his gracyous moder and of his dere apostle & betaketh them eyther to other as dere moder and sone. Than with a grete voyce he commended his spyryte to his father in heuen / and hanged downe that blessyd heed ryght forth vpon his brest. Se also how soone after they perced his herte thrugh with a spere with full grete anger, and ranne downe by his body medled blood & water. Than mayst thou haue full grete pyte beholdynge that good lady how for sorowe she synketh downe in her systers armes. Take hede to the chere of his apostle saynt Iohan, to the teres of Marye magdalene and of his other frendes / and I trowe amonge all these thou shalt haue com-

punccion & plente of teres. Whan there cometh suche deuocyon than is tyme that thou speke for thyn owne nede & for all other quycke or deed that trusten to thy prayer. Caste downe thy body to the grounde & lyfte vp thy herte on hye with dreedfull chere / than make thy mone & yf thou wylt thou mayst thynke thus & saye: A lord god almyghty blessyd mote thou be / þou madest me / thou boughtest me / thy suffraunce is full grete in me / þou woldest not take me in to dampnacyon that often I haue deserued / but thou hast kepte & saued me tyll I wolde forsake synne and torne hole to the. Now lorde with sorowfull herte I knowleche to thy godhede that falsely I haue spended and without proufyte all my wyttes and vertues whiche thou hast gyuen me in helpynge of my soule all the tyme of my lyfe in dyuerse vanytees / all the lymmes of my body in synne & superfluytees / the grace of my crystendom in pryde & other wretchydnesse. And sothly good lorde I haue loued other thynges moche more than the / & notwithstandynge my grete vnkyndenes euer thou hast nourysshed me and tenderly kepte me. Of thy grete suffraunce I had full lytell knowynge / of thy grete ryghtwysnes I had but lytell drede. I toke no hede to thanke þe for thy grete goodnes / but al my lyfe from daye to daye grete mater of wrath I haue shewed to þe thrugh myn owne wyckednes. herfore lorde I wote not what I shall saye to the but onely this worde in whiche I trust: God of thy grete mercy haue mercy on me / I wote well lorde all þat I haue cometh onely of þe / I wote well without the no thynge may be / but my synne & wretchydnes cometh all of me; wherfore lorde with meke herte I beseche thy grace do not to me as I haue deserued but after thy grete mercy / and sende me [þat] grace of thyn holy ghoost to lyghten myn herte / to comforte my spyryte / to stable me in the ryght waye to performe thy commaundementes / that I may haue perseueraunce in that I haue begonne & that I be nomore departed from the by my vnstablenes or by temptacyons of myn enemye. It is lorde yet ful worthy that I be chastysed for my wycked lyuynge with what rodde thy wyll is / welcome be thy sendynge. Pacyently good lorde sende me grace gladly to suffre thy chastysynge / comfort me amonge for thy grete grace / & whan thy wyll is withdrawe thy rodde & take me to thy mercy. Full bytter be these temptacyons & full greuous to suffre / & though they be dredefull I wote well hereafter they shall be medefull to my soule / but good lorde þou knowest well myn herte is ryght feble / moche is myn vnstablenes / my connynge is but lytell: therfore good lorde strength me / stable me & teche me / [&] as þou madest me & bought me so kepe & defende me / body & soule I take to the / no thynge after my wyll but as þou wylt lorde so mote it be. And now good Ihesu goddes sone knower of all thynge, helpe me in wycked thoughtes that I dysplease the not in ly[k]ynge ne in assentyng / efull often I haue dyspleased the in dyuerse thoughtes all ayenst thy wyll & moche to my lykynge, therfore it is thy ryghtwysnes that I be trauayled with other thoughtes at thyn ordynaunce & greuous to me / but curteys Ihesu whan thy wyl is put them awaye & take me in to thy grace. Iesu cryst goddes sone whiche stode styll before þe Iuge nothynge to hym answerynge / withdrawe my tongue tyll I thynke what & how I shall speke þat may be to thy worshyp. Ihesu goddes sone

whose hondes were bounde full sore for my loue / gouerne & wysshe myn hondes & al myn other lymmes that all my werkes may begynne & gracyously ende to thy moost pleasure. Also lorde þou seest well that many ther be that trust to my prayer for grace that ye shewe to me more than I am worthy / ye wote well lorde I am not suche as they wene, but though my prayer be vnworthy / take hede to theyr lownes & to theyr deuocion & what they desyre to your worshyp graunte it them for your goodnes. Graunte them & me & to all other for whom we be bounde to praye grace to loue all that is to your lykynge / and you to loue to your moost pleasynge / nothynge to desyre that sholde dysplease you, All maner temptacyons myghtely to withstande / all other vanytees for your loue to despyse / you good lorde euer to haue in mynde / and in your seruyce for to abyde to our lyues ende. And yf ye graunte vs ony thynge to doo that shall be to vs medefull / graunte parte to the soules whiche be departed from the body In the paynes of purgatorye abydynge your mercy Amen.

¶ In suche maner thou mayst praye in the begynnynge / & whan thou art well entred in to deuocyon thou shalt perauenture haue better felynge in prayers and in holy medytacyons otherwyse than I can saye or shewe. Good broder or syster praye than for me whiche by the techynge of almyghty god haue wryten to the these fewe wordes in helpynge of thy soule.

A Good curteys aungell ordeyned to my gouernale, I knowe well my feblenes & my vnconnynge / also well I wote þat strength haue I none to do goddes seruyce but onely of his gyfte & of your besy kepynge. The connynge þat I haue cometh no thynge of me but what god wyll sende me by your good entysynge. Now good gracyous aungel I aske you lowely mercy / for lytell hede I haue taken of your good besynes; but now I thanke you as I can, with full herte besechynge you þat ye kepe me truely this daye & euermore slepynge & wakynge with syker defendynge & your holy techynge. Defende me & kepe me from bodely harmes, defende me and kepe me from ghoostly peryles to goddes worshyp & sauynge of my soule. Teche me & wysshe me my wyttes for to dyspende moost to goddes worshyp & pleasynge. Fede me with deuocyon & sauour of ghoostly swetnes / conforte me whan nede is ayenst my ghoostly enemyes & suffre me not to lese þat grace that is graunted me / but of your worthy offyce kepe me in goddes seruyce to my lyues ende. And after þe passynge of the body presente my soule vnto the mercyfull god. For though I fall aldaye by myn owne freelte you I take in wytnes þat euer I hope in mercy. Gladly wolde I worshyp the & I myght to your lykynge therfore god to worshyp for you / you also in hym after his holy techynge. I thanke hym with this holy prayer. ¶ Pater noster. Et ne nos. Sed libera nos a malo. Amen.

Deo gratias.
¶ Enprynted at London in Fletestrete in þe sygne of the sonne By Wynkyn de Worde. Anno dn¯i. MCCCCC.Vi.

The Remedy Against the Troubles of Temptations [This is the general title of the volume and also of the second and longest piece.]

Ed. Wynkyn de Worde, 1508 and 1519

Four profitable things

¶ Here after foloweth foure proufytable thynges to haue in mynde, whiche hath be taken out of þe thyrde chapiter of a deuoute treatyse & a fourme of lyuinge that the dyscrete & vertuous Richard hampole wrote to a deuoute & an holy persone for grete loue.

THe fyrst: mesure of thy lyf whiche is so shorte that vnnethes it is ony thynge / for we lyue here but in a poynte that is the leest thynge þat may be. And for to saye sothe, our lyfe is lesse than a poynte yf we sholde lyken it to the lyfe euerlastynge. / An other thynge is the vncertaynte of our endynge / for we wote not whan we shall dye nor how we shall dye nor whether we shall goo whan we be deed. And the wyll of god is that it be to vs vncertayne / for he wylleth that we be alwaye redy to dye. / The thyrde is þat we shall answere before the ryghtwyse Iuge of all the tyme þat we haue ben here, how we haue lyued / what our occupacyon hath be / and what good we myght haue done whan we haue ben ydle. Therfore þe prophete sayd: he hath called the tyme ayenst me / that is for euery day he hath lente vs here to spende in good vse as in penaunce and in goddes seruyce. And yf we waste it in erthly loue and vanytees, full greuously must we be demed and punysshed. Therfore it is one of the moost sorowes þat may be to vs / but yf we enforce vs to the contrary / & set our herte to the loue of god, And doo good to all that we may in þe shorte whyle that our tyme lasteth. For eche tyme þat we thynke not of god we may counte it as loste. / The fourth is that we thynke how moche the Ioye is that they shall haue whiche contynueth in the loue of god to theyr endynge / for they shall be bretherne & felowes with aungelles, seynge the kynge of Ioye in his beauty and shynynge maieste the whiche shall be to them aboue all the delytes that ony creature may thynke. Than, to remembre the grete and intollerable sorowe, payne & turmentes whiche they shal haue that loueth not god aboue all thynge as we may se in this worlde many of that dysposycyon whiche set all theyr pleasure in lust and lykynge of this lyf / as in pryde / couetyse / and other synnes / they shall brenne in the fyre of helle with the deuyll whome they serued as longe as god is in heuen with his seruauntes that lasteth euer. —

The remedy ayenst the troubles of temptacyons [A translation of William Flete's De remediis contra temptaciones.]

¶ Here foloweth and enseweth a souerayne notable sentence to comforte a persone that is in temptacyon.

OUr mercyfull lorde god cryst Ihesu chastyseth his chyldren and suffreth them to be tempted for many proufytable causes to theyr soules helth / & therfore

sholde noo man nor woman be heuy or sory for ony temptacyon. For as saynt Iames the appostle techeth vs we sholde haue very greate Ioye whan we be tempted with dyuers temptacyons / for as the golde is pured and purged by the fyre / and a knyght in batayle is proued good: ryght so is a man by temptacyon proued for good / but yf he suffre hymselfe to be ouercome / that is to saye but he consent therto by delyberacyon. For sothely whan a man is sharpely tempted he may than haue hope of gr[et]e vertue / and it is necessary for a man moche to be troubled with temptacyons / for euery vertue is proued by his contrarye. Our enemy the fende is besy daye and nyght to tary and trauayle good men and women with dyuers temptacyons / in doubtes of the fayth and dredes of saluacyon and other many moo in dyuers maners, and specyally now in these dayes he is full besy to deceyue many soules / and therfore wysely rule you to withstande his vyolent sterynges of temptacyon / & for all that take ye noo dredes of his assawtes / ne haue ye ony doubte of his erroures ne dyspytes nor of his false leasynges or fantasyes or ony maner of trauayle of that foule fende; whether ye here hym / se hym or thynke of hym take noo hede therof / for all be maters of grete mede and noo synne in noo wyse be they neuer soo troublous or full of anguysshes whyles it cometh of the malyce of the fende or of euyll dysposycyon of mannes nature or compleccyon. And therfore all suche trauayle men ought not to charge but suffre mekely and abyde pacyently tyll god doo remedy therto. And for as moche as they be maters of grete mede none ought to stryue there agaynst / nor meruayle of them ne seke the cause nor thynke by what skyll he is soo trauaylled / for the more that a man laboureth in sechynge and thynkynge of suche anguysshes the more depely he falleth in to errours / and therfore in as moche as mannes thought is often vayne and dyuers and none ende hath: it ought not to be forced or be taken hede of / ne a man sholde not angre hymselfe therwith ne blame ne impute it to his owne defaute that he is so troubled / for suche trauaylles ben paynefull but not synfull in soo moche as they be gretely agaynst his wyll. Saynt Augustyne sayth that euery synne lyeth in wylfull wyll, And what that is agaynst mannes wyll is noo synne. And the holy doctour ysodore de summo bono sayth that the fende tempteth a man noo more than god gyueth hym leue. Therfore let vs haue alway a good wyll to wyll well and doo well / and god wyll kepe vs and gyue vs the vyctory / & so the fende shall be confounded. Fayth & hope is grounde of all perfeccyon and rote of all vertue / and therfore our olde enemy the fende is full besy with all his sleyghtes to drawe the soule downe therfro, And it happeth somtyme that the fende tempteth and trauaylleth a ryghtwyse soule so sharpely that it is ouerlayde with care and dryuen to dyspayre: and yet all that tyme though the soule perceyue it not it dwelleth styll in the drede and loue of god / and all that trauayle is to theyr grete mede afore god / for our lorde of his endles mercy arrecteth not to þe soule that synne whiche hymselfe suffreth the fende to werke in the soule without the consente or wyll of the sayd selfe soule. But whan we wylfully doo ayenst the wyll of god with delyberacyon than we commytte synne actually. But whan we be drawen with wycked vyolence or vyle thoughtes & turmented with dyspayre ayenst our

wyll thorugh the fendes vyolent temptynge we suffre payne but we do no synne / & yet the sely soules knowlege is hydde by that turment.

¶ The seconde chapytre.

BUt yet ryght often the temptynge of the fende that maketh the soule to erre in fayth and foule fantasye & in dyspayre: semeth to the selfe soule grete synne / but it is not soo. For all holy doctours sayth that fayth and hope be vertues of mannes wyll / wherfore who so wolde ryghtwysly byleue in this lyf: he is in ryght byleue before god / and lykewyse who so wolde here trustly hope he is in trusty hope before god / though he be neuer so moche troubled with ferefull thoughtes. The appostle saynt Poule sayth that in a mannes blyleue is wylfull byleue of ryghtwysnes; Of the whiche wordes sayth the glose that all onely in mannes wyll whiche may not be constrayned lyeth bothe mede and gylte / that is to saye: a man afore god hath neuer mede ne gylte for no dede but onely of the dedes that be done wylfully. But somtyme mannes thought[es] and womans be soo troubled and ouerlayde that they knowe not theyr owne wyll / & yet though it soo be they ought not to care. For good dedes sheweth alwaye good wyll / and euyll dedes euyll wyll, wherfore a man that dooth in dede the seruyce of god that man hath a good wyll to god / though his trauaylous herte deme the contrarye. Also there sholde noo creature deme his euencrysten for ony doubtfull fantasyes / but yf they haue a very open knowlege of that thynge whiche they sholde deme hym for: Than it is euyll and vnreasonable for ony creature to deme his owne soule in that plyght, that he sholde be parted from god for ony doubtfull fantasye.

¶ The thyrde chapytre.

ANd than yf it so be ye haue consented & fallen to synne by ony temptacions / than be sory and crye god mercy therof. And yet be ye not dyscomforted but thynke well on the grete mercy of god how he forgaue Dauid his grete synnes, Peter & Magdalene, and not onely them / but also all those that haue ben or now be or shall be contryte for theyr synnes & meke them lowly and crye our lorde mercy. And therfore syster flee to hym that all mercy is in / and aske mercy & ye shall haue it with forgyuenes of all your synnes / and meke you lowly & take the sacramentes of holy chirche / & than ye ought to byleue faythfully that your synnes be forgyuen / and that ye be receyued in to the grace of god. For god sayth hymselfe by his prophete Ezechiel that whan a synfull man soroweth for his synnes he wyll neuer haue mynde therof. & yf a man perceyue in his herte no very sorowe / and though he thynke whan he byddeth his bedes or cryeth to god for mercy that he dooth all ayenst herte: yet therfore sholde he not deme hymselfe graceles / for who so wolde haue very sorowe for his synnes or wold crye god mercy for them or in his herte wold crye for mercy: he cryeth god mercy truly / for as I haue sayd before / god taketh hede to mannes wyll & not to his trauayllous fantasyes / it is good that a man take noo hede of suche fantasyes or sterynges that cometh in suche maner. For god hydeth from them the knowleges of suche fantasyes for many causes vnto the

proufyte of theyr soules / wherfore suche passyons be not synfull / but rather mater of grace and of grete meryte. And soo good syster thynke ye alwaye / and yf it be soo that temptacyon cease not but wexe alwaye more & more be not afrayed but saye somtyme amonge in the worshyp of god and in the spyte of the fende your crede and knowlege your byleue and hope [by mouthe], and thynke on the wordes of saynt Poule that sayth: Knowlege of mouth is done to the helpe of soules; and they shall not be deceyued by the fendes whyles that with a good auysement bothe in worde and wyll withstandeth hym strongly. For there was neuer man deceyued of the fende but by consent of his owne wyll / & that with suche a wyll as the herte consented with the same / for other fantastycall troublous wylles putteth not awaye man from god.

¶ The fourth chapytre.

ANd therfore sholde noo man care nor be heuy that he is so troubled more than an other. Syster alwaye whan I speke of a man in this wrytynge take it bothe for man and woman / for so it is ment in all suche wrytynge / for all is mankynde: and ferthermore as touchynge your troubles thynke in all your dyseases what troubles goddes seruauntes hath suffred and what paynes and turmentes they haue had here in this worlde in many sondry maners and ye shall fynde cause to suffre. Leo the pope sayth / it happeth somtyme that good and ryghtwyse soules be styred sharpely by the fende / & somtyme by theyr owne compleccyon to angers, troubles, dredes & suche other taryenges that it semeth to them theyr lyf a turment, in so moche that somtyme for very drede the[y] begyn to dyspayre bothe in lyfe of body and soule / thynkynge they be forsaken of god / whiche dooth it but to assaye and proue his chosen chyldren and frendes by suche temptacyons. For as I afore haue sayd at the begynnynge of this wrytyng, in lyke maner as fyre purgeth golde and as a knyghte is proued good and hardy by batayle: ryght so temptacyons and troubles purgeth a ryghtwyse soule; this is proued well by Toby / for the aungell Raphaell sayd this to hym: Toby for as moche as thou arte ryghtfull to god it is nedefull that temptacyon sholde preue thy wyll. And well it is knowen that sykenes falleth to a man after the dysposycyon of his compleccyon: So lyke wyse temptacyon, as Leo the pope sayth: The fende our ghostly enemy aspyeth in euery man what wyse he is dysposed by his compleccyon / and by that disposicyon he tempteth hym. For there as he fyndeth a man full of malencoly he tempteth hym moost with ghoostly temptacyons of Ire. But they that wyll attende to withstande it for the loue of god they must shape them to pacyence & saye with Iob: Sythen we haue receyued of god so grete benefaytes why sholde we not receyue and suffre dyseases. And thynke on the grete anguysshes, sorowes and dyseases that our lorde Ihesu cryste suffred hymselfe here in erth, And also suffred his blyssed moder to haue the same. And thynke that to suffre dysease pacyently is the waye to heuen-warde. And that ye may not in this frayle worlde be so free as an aungell that is confermed by grace / but whyle your body and soule be togyder in this lyf they must receyue troubles as well as eases. And thynke not that god hath forsaken

you: but mekely abyde the comforte of hym and without doubte whan it nedeth ye shal not fayle therof. But some men whan they haue drede of saluacyon or be tempted to dyspayre by vysyons or ghostly sterynges of theyr owne frayltye / they wene anone that they haue synned in the synne of the holy ghoost / and than the fende putteth in them that they may neuer be saued nor forgyuen of theyr trespaces. Thus speketh the fende within them, so ferynge s[um]e good creatures that they wene to goo out of theyr myndes. But [ye] that ben thus tempted answere the fende thus agayne that he is false and a lyer as his nature is to be. For the synne of the holy ghoost as clerkes sayth is infynyte without repentaunce. And that is whan a man wylfully by delyberacyon wyll neuer repente nor aske god mercy ne forgyuenes of his synnes / nor wyll be tourned / but wylfully departeth hym from the goodnes of god / and in [t]his wretchednes abydeth wylfully with full consent of wyll; he that doth thus synneth in the holy ghoost whiche may not be forgyuen here nor elles where / for he wyll not trust in the goodnes of the holy ghoost nor aske forgyuenes of his synnes, And therefore he that wyll noo mercy aske noo mercy shall haue / for his synnes be infynyte without repentaunce. But thoughe a man or a woman haue or fele all these vycyous sterynges and as many moo as ony herte can thynke ayenst theyr owne free wyll, and whan reason cometh to them they be sory therof & flee alwaye hastely to the mercy of god: it is to them but a preuynge or a clensynge of theyr synnes though they be neuer soo ofte in the nyght and the daye now vp now downe as wrestlers be / & thoughe ye haue ony tyme fall in ony synne ghoostly or flesshely & layne therin wylfully by delyberacyon and full content of herte: ye than ought to be sory and aske god forgyuenes with as grete contrycyon as god wyll gyue you grace / and than thynke fully the goodnes of the holy ghoost surmounteth all synnes that euer was done or euer shall be done / [for] though a man had synned in them all / as well in dede as thought / he beynge truly contryte & confessed mekynge hymselfe lowly to almyghty god and to his sacramentes of holy chyrche / doubte ye not he so askynge mercy shall haue full forgyuenes of all his synnes / for the mercy of god is so grete that it passeth all his werkes. And therfore thoughe ye somtyme here by spekynge or elles of wrytynge or redynge in bokes sharpe wordes and harde sentences: yet comforte your selfe and thynke well that all suche harde wordes be sayd and wryten to chastyse the synners and to withdrawe them from euyll / and also to pourge and pure goddes specyall louers as the metall is in the fyre afore rehersed / and in them god wyll make his hous. And wete it well many wordes that seme full harde be ment full tenderly whan they be well vnderstonde / and though some wordes be ment ryght hardely as the playne texte sheweth / yet sholde ye not take them to you-warde / but comforte your selfe and thynke that all those harde sentences shall be fulfylled in Iewes and sarasyns / for the crysten people that wyll be contryte & trust in goddes mercy or haue a wyl so for to do: they shal escape all perylles / so þat they shall not perysshe but be saued / where as the Iewes & sarasyns in theyr perylles shal vtterly persysshe to pardycyon / for they

haue not the strength of Baptym ne the precyous oyntement of crystes passyon / that sholde gyue to theyr soules lyf and helth. Of this [we] haue example & a grete fygure in holy wryte that where as Moyses ledde the chyldren of Israell ouer the reed see whiche were goddes people, Moyses wente before them and smote the water with his rodde and therwith the water parted & the chyldren of Israell wente ouer in suertye, And they of egypte that folowed perysshed & were drowned. By Moyses I vnderstonde our lorde Ihesu cryste / and by the yerde or rodde that departed þe water I vnderstonde his holy passyon / and by the chyldren of Israell that were not perysshed all crysten people: for ryght so our lorde Ihesu cryst came from his faders bosome to the see of trybulacyons & temptacyons to be our guyde & leder / he gooth before vs with his precyous passyon & smyteth awaye the perylles of our troublous temptacyons / so that we shall not perysshe / but it shall brynge vs to suertye of euerlastynge lyf; and therfore gyue we to hym thankynges, louynges & infynyte praysynges as the chyldren of Israell dyde. For thoughe a crysten man were neuer soo synfull thynkynge hymselfe þat he stode in the sentence of the hardest wordes that be wryten: yet sholde he trust faythfully in the mercy of god / for and he wyll forsake his synnes & tourne hym to good and vertuous lyf: he shall haue grace and forgyuenes / and the harde sharpe wordes of dampnacyon sholde tourne hym to mercy and saluacyon. For thus sayth our lord god in holy wryte by his prophete Ieremye: though I make grete thretes I shall repent me of my wordes yf my people wyll repent them of theyr synnes. O beholde the grete goodnes of our lorde / and how pyte alwaye constrayneth hym to mercy, worshyp and thankes be euer to his goodnes; he is so benygne and mercyfull to them that be repentaunt that he frely wyll chaunge his sentences from sharpe vengeaunce to forgyuenes / & of the paynes that they be worthy to suffre / gyue them alygeaunce or lyghter payne to suffre. He sayth also by the prophete I saye: I shall forgyue the synnes of euery man that with very true contrycyon wyll drawe hym to good and vertuous lyfe. And this grete mercy shewed our lorde openly vpon the Cyte of Niniue / and also by kynge Eȝechie. Therfore lette noo man dyspayre but alwaye trust fully to goddes mercy that so well can redresse our myscheues and tourne all our woo to wele / and our sorowe to Ioye. O thou gloryous [&] myghtyfull god that thus meruayllously werketh in thy creatures, it is to se that thy mercy is large and brode whiche maketh the to chaunge thy sentence that before was bothe thy wyll and worde / blessyd be thou good lorde in all thy vertues for thou canst / may / and wyll tourne and chaunge all our infyrmytees to our moost proufyte yf we wyll not flee from the / but tourne to thy goodnes and aske mercy. But for all this grete goodnes / god forbede that ony man sholde be the more bolder to synne, or wylfully and wyttyngly by delyberacyon sholde presume to falle to synne vpon trust of [his] mercy; and [for] our lorde is so mercyfull I surely trust that euery true courteys soule wyl be the more lothe to offende his goodnes. [But] as for you that be tempted ayenst your wyll / and wyll not for all the worlde dysplease god wylfully: but that ye be thus begyled and encombred by the fende with many paynefull thoughtes / be ye not afrayde of the fende nor of his fere-

full assawtes / for he is full sore dyscomforted whan that he seeth a man or a woman whiche he soo tempteth is not aferde of hym. Somtyme the fende cometh and tempteth a soule fyersly lyke a dragon / and somtyme he assaylleth hym lyke a rampynge lyon; but and yf a creature strength hymselfe saddely in the passyon of almyghty god / and arme hym with that holy passyon / a thousande suche fendes how someuer that they come shall haue noo more power ouer hym thenne hath as many flyes or gnattes. And therfore strength you all in god / and be not abasshed soo to strength and arme you in hym though ye be synfull / for he sayth hymselfe in the gospell he came for synners. And in an other place of the gospell he saythe that he came for mercy and not for noo vengeaunce / and to be our shelde and strength; and so lette vs humbly with a meke herte take hym. And yf ye fele ony dredes by ymagynacyon or temptacyon or for wordes that ye haue herde or redde in bookes by the whiche ye doubte of saluacyon / than thynke on the wordes that cryste hymselfe taught to a man that doubted / sayenge and askynge of our lorde who sholde be saued / for he thoughte it was to harde to hymselfe for to eschewe all the poyntes that ledde man to pardycyon. And our lorde badde hym for to saye Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem creatorem celi et terre, Et in iesum christum filium eius, Byleue sayd our lorde Ihesu that god the fader is almyghty and that no thynge to hym is impossyble but that he may forgyue all synnes and redresse all wronges and brynge the soules to his blysse. and thynke ferthermore that his myght and power may do all that his wysdome can / and his goodnes wyl / and therfore truste fully that by his goodnes he wyll saue you and brynge you to euerlastynge Ioye whan he seeth best tyme / for he hath bought you full dere with his precyous blode and paynefull deth. And I dare sauely saye that there is none so synfull a caytyf whiche is crystened or wolde be crystened this daye on the erthe all thoughe he were in the syght of god dampnable and in the syght of all creatures also, ye and yet were Iuged to be dampned by all scrypture, and he wolde forsake his synne and be contryte and aske god forgyuenes he sholde haue mercy and forgyuenes of hym / & yf it were so that he stode in that case or had a good mynde to stonde so in the tyme of deth he sholde be saued / the myght & mercy of god is so grete that it surmounteth all his lawes, Iugementes and scryptures. And so our lorde Ihesus sheweth vs by an example in the gospell of a woman that was founde in aduoutry and by Moyses lawe whiche was ordeyned by god þat she sholde be stoned to the deth: But the myght and the wysdome of that blessyd lorde god was soo gretely shewed to the pharyȝens whiche accused her that they so largely perceyued theyr synnes that they myght not for shame deme her but stale awaye out of the temple, And our lorde Ihesu wolde not deme her but of his gracyous mercy forgaue her all her synnes. And therfore be a man or woman neuer soo synfull and that they fele neuer soo many bodely and ghostly synnes alwaye rysynge and sterynge within them / they sholde neuer the rather dyspayre of the mercy of god / ne be dyscomforted. For there as moche synne is / there is shewed moche mercy and grace / and the goodnes of god is knowen by the forgyuenes of the synne whan a body turneth hym there-from and is very

contryte; but god forbede as I sayd before that ony creature be the more recheles or bolde to synne wylfully / for in so moche the mercy of god is so large we ought to be the more besy and dylygent to loue and prayse hym. Almyghty god werketh lyke a leche / for a leche suffreth somtyme the deed flesshe to growe on hym that he hath in cure / but afterwarde he taketh away the same and maketh the quycke flesshe to growe / and soo he heleth the pacyent. Ryght soo dooth our lorde Ihesu cryste maker of heuen and erth, suffreth somtyme a man or a woman to fall in deedly synne: but afterwarde of his grete mercy and pyte he putteth-to his hande of grace / for they that were deedly wounded thorough synne he heleth them and wassheth away theyr synnes with the water of his well of mercy / & maketh in them quycke vertues to growe wherby he gyueth to theym euerlastynge lyfe. Oure lorde god is also lyke a gardyner: for a gardyner suffreth somtyme wycked wedes to growe in his gardyn / and whan the erth thorugh moysture of rayne wexeth tender he taketh & pulleth awaye the wedes bothe rote & rynde. So in lyke wyse dooth our lorde Ihesu cryst, he suffreth somtyme in his gardyn whiche is mannes soule wycked dedes of synne to growe / but whan the herte of man wexeth tender by mekenes and moysture of contrycyon he than taketh away all the synnes bothe rote and rynde and planteth and setteth in his gardyn herbes and fruytes of good vertues / and watreth them with the dewe of his blessyd goodnes / wherby the soule of man shall come to euerlastynge Ioye and reste. Now than sythen our lorde god is so good, so pyteous and soo mercyfull to synners that wylfully offendeth hym by commyttynge of horryble synnes / moche more he is mercyfull and hath pyte and compassyon of a soule that thorughe trouble and temptacyons falleth to synne / for almyghty god suffreth often tymes the soule of man for to be tempted and vexed in withstandynge temptacyons / wherof it deserueth the more meryte. And therfore be ye not doubtefull nor heuy for it shall neuer tourne you to peryll ne daunger but to grete proufyte. For therby ye shall wynne the crowne of glorye and the palme of vyctorye whiche shall be gyuen to you for withstandynge of suche temptacyons & to the fende it shall tourne to shame and confusyon; and though it semeth to you somtyme that ye fele dyscorde bytwene god and you be not therfore recreaunt ne dyscomforted, For almyghty god sayth by his prophete Isaye: A lytell whyle I haue forsaken and hydde my face from the: but I shall call the to me agayne by my ma[ny]folde mercyes whiche euer shall endure.

¶ The fyfte chapytre.

ANnd therfore grutche not agaynst the wyll of god ne meruayle not of these temptacyons / for the more that a man or a woman be tempted in this maner or in ony other agaynst theyr wyll and they withstande it that is to saye not wyllyngly consentynge therto but mekely suffreth the same: the more they shall encreace in vertues to the proufyte of theyr soules in the syght of god thoughe it be hydde from them. For perauenture whan ye be sharpely tempted ye thynke ye be to dull and neglygent in ghoostly excercyse thorughe wyckednes of your spyryte that is sore trauayled and vexed / wherby ye thynke that ye haue [in] wyll consented to suche temptacyons as ye be tempted with; but it is not so.

For ye shall vnderstonde that euery man and woman hath two wylles, a good wyll and an euyll / the euyll wyll cometh of sensualyte the whiche is euer inclynynge downwarde to synne / and the good wyll cometh of grace whiche alwaye styreth the soule vpwarde to all goodnes; and [for] whan reason cometh to you ye haue alwaye a good wyll to do well / & [ar] myscontent with all euyl thoughtes & sterynges that ye fele / and putteth your wyll onely to the wyll of god: though ye thrugh suche wycked thoughtes & sterynges by vyolence and sharpnes be enclyned to sensualyte yet ye do it not ne consent therto but it is the sensualyte that dooth it in you / and your good wyll abydeth in you styll vnbroken though the cloudes of euyll thoughtes stoppeth your syght from the felynge of your good wyll: as ye may se by ensample of the mone / for the mone shyneth alwaye in her dewe place as well whan we se her as whan we se her not, But oftentymes the cloudes shadoweth and putteth from vs the syght therof; and so in lyke wyse it fareth by your good wyll whiche standeth alwaye vnbroken in you by the grace of almyghty god though ye fele it not thrugh trauayllous thoughtes whiche taketh awaye the syghte of your knowlege. Therfore ye good chyldren that sharpely be vexed with suche temptacyons & tribulacions, comforte yourselfe in your benygne & mercyfull fader that sayth to you by his prophete in holy wryte: my chyldren though ye go in þe fyre drede ye not / for þe flambe therof shall not trouble you. As who sayth ye that be crysten people wyllyng to do well, though ye goo in the fyre of trybulacyons & temptacyons drede you not for it shall tourne you to no peryll / but thorugh my goodnes & the merytes of my passyon it shall tourne you to grete proufyte & comforte of your soule. The maner of all these temptacions & þe remedyes of þe same sheweth our sauyour Ihesu cryst to his apostle saynt Peter as it appereth in þe gospel where he sayth thus: Peter sathanas asketh & desyreth to syfte the as men syfte whete / wherby it appereth well þat the fende hath no myght ne power to attempte þe seruauntes of almyghty god but by his suffraunce / & that was euydently knowen by the temptacyons of Iob whome the fende besyfted and tempted. For þe more þat whete is syfted & cast from syde to syde the more clene it is: Ryght so the more þat a man or a woman be tempted with the fende ayenst theyr wyll / the more clene they be afore god / wherfore it appereth playnly þat almyghty god suffreth not his seruauntes to be tempted but for theyr grete wele & profyte yf they purpose them-selfe myghtely to withstande the fendes temptacyon; whiche no man may withstande without the helpe of god, Therfore of his helpe he maketh vs sure lyke as he sayd to peter these wordes: I haue prayed for the that thy fayth fayle the not. And therfore that man whiche pacyently is redy to suffre all troubles and dyseases for the loue of his maker almyghty Ihesu not takynge hede of all the fendes mocyons and temptacyons: that man thrugh the myght and grace of cryst bereth downe and ouercometh the fende / wherby he may be called a vaynquyssher or ouercomer. And to suche men may be sayd thus: thou that arte thus tourned to almyghty god by the vertue of pacyence / but yf thou helpe to counseyle & conferme thy bretherne And teche them to suffre as the grace of god hath taught the: or elles thou arte vnkynde. For Salamon sayth that one brother well counseylled & confermed by an other is a myghty Cyte ayenst the

fende / and therfore they that be sharpely trauaylled and tempted, whan they haue had the good counseyle of theyr brother they ought to take comforte to them sayenge with Dauid whiche sayth: O my soule why arte thou so vnstedfast thus to assayle and trouble me: trust onely to almyghty god that is full of benygnyte and mercy, whome I onely confesse and knowelege to serue be I neuer so sore trauaylled ne troubled. And to suche men thus vexed with thoughtes, mocyons & sterynges is behouefull to take the counseyle and techynge of the wyse and dyscrete persones fleynge vtterly theyr owne wylde fantasyes whiche often tymes gretely troubleth them. And in eschewynge of suche temptacyons and troubles they must gyue themselfe to good & vertuous occupacyons / as to redynge and sayenge the seruyce of almyghty god / and doynge other vertuous dedes / and euer amonge prayenge to almyghty god they may haue strength in theyr soules to resyste suche mocyons and temptacyons. And though they fynde in themselfe noo maner of swetenes ne sauour in goddes seruyce: yet they ought not to be heuy therfore yf theyr wyll and mynde be to fulfyll the same. For as holy wryte sayth euery good wyl is accepted for the dede. Saynt Barnarde sayth that somtyme god withdraweth deuocyon from prayer to make the prayer more medefull / for he wyll be serued somtyme in bytternes and somtyme in swetenes whiche bothe two we muste mekely receyue. And therfore Arystotle sayth that with the more dyffyculte and trauayle vertuous ben goten: the more they proufyte and encrease in the soule. It was no maystry for saynt Peter whan he sawe almyghty god on the hyll of blysse, to saye / lorde it is good for vs to dwell here. But afterwarde whan he sawe hym amonges his enemyes cruelly turmented a womans worde fered and put hym in suche drede that he forsoke and denyed his mayster. But whan thorugh the myght of the holy ghoost he was reconsyled and confermed agayne: than was there no turment in erth that kinge or prynce put vnto hym coude fere hym. Ryght so yf a man be in perfyte rest and quyetnes of herte / it is no maystry for hym to serue god: But it is a maystary to hym that is in trauayle and out of quyetnes of herte to serue hym. Therfore that creature that is tempted or vexed in the seruyce of almyghty god and is in wyll to withstande the sayd temptacyons tyll he after be strengthed and comforted by the holy ghost the fende shall neuer haue power to fere ne put hym in drede / for though it be longe or he fele comforte yet let not hym drede / for our mercyfull sauyour knoweth what tyme comforte is moost nedefull to hym [&] than he fayleth not to gyue it hym. For somtyme the felynge of swetnes is withdrawen from man or elles he sholde wexe proude and presumtuous or neglygent and recheles in vertuous lyuynge / and therfore it is withdrawen for the best to the helth of his soule / wherfore hardnes and sharpenes sente to a creature is full proufytable to the soule: as saynt Austyn sayth in techynge vs of the maner of almyghty god that whan a man is feble and newly tourned to hym he gyueth hym peas and swetnes to the entent to stablysshe hym in his lawe and loue / But whan he is stablysshed and sadly grounded in his loue: than suffreth he hym to be vexed and trauaylled, for two reasons / one is to proue hym and to crowne hym the hyer in the blysse of heuen, An other is to pourge hym of his synnes in this worlde that in noo wyse he be from hym in the euerlastynge worlde.

¶ The syxte chapytre.

ANd for as moche as many men can not nor wyll not in tyme of temptacion se or perceyue it but haue a dredefulnes and a sorynes in themselfe by sterynge of theyr compleccyon / therfore to all suche men thre thynges be nedefull & necessarye. The fyrst is that they be not moche alone. The seconde is that they thynke ne study to depely in ony one thynge / but fully ordre them by some dyscrete persone as afore I sayd / and thoughe it come in theyr mynde that they sholde be in Ieopardye or peryll vtterly to be lost: they sholde take no hede of suche sterynges or thoughtes / for it neuer may tourne them to daunger of theyr soules. Almyghty god sayth in the gospell: yf the entent of a mannes purpose be good the dede is good. The thyrde remedye is this / that for as moche as the fende laboureth to make a man dredefull and sorye / a man agayne ought to the honour of god and confusyon of the fende to strength hymselfe and be mery though it be ayenst his herte / and drede noothynge the fendes malyce. For the lesse gladnes that he feleth in hymselfe the more meryte he shall haue whan he so enforceth hymselfe to be mery to the honour of god / and in spyte of his ghoostly enemy the deuyll. For as holy wryte sayth the holy appostles wente awaye mery & gladde whan the Iues enemyes of god had shamefully beten them. Also a man ought to be gladde for thre causes whan the fende tempteth and turmenteth hym: The fyrst is that he is troubled by the enemy of god. The seconde is by suche temptacyons and turmentes the fende sheweth playnly that he is his enemye, and euery man ought to be gladde that goddes enemy is his enemy. And the thyrde is that by suche turmentes a man is not onely released of the paynes in purgatorye but also it maketh hym to wynne euerlastynge blysse. Our lorde Ihesu sayth in the gospell: blessyd be they that suffreth persecucyon for ryghtwysnes for they shall haue the kyngdome of heuen.

¶ The seuenth chapytre.

ALso it is to vnderstonde that our olde enemy the fende is ofte tymes aboute to begyle mannes soule in dyuers and many maners / somtyme he styreth man vnder colour of goodnes to deceyue hym whan he is well dysposed, and specyally in thre thynges whiche I wyll speke of. One is that though a creature be it man or woman be neuer so well ne soo ofte shryuen / yet the fende maketh them byleue they are not well shryuen / and that he dooth to brynge the soule in heuynes / and so anoyeth & troubleth the poore soule that he maketh hym to forgete what he wolde saye / & therby maketh hym out of rest tyll he be newly shryuen agayne. But this doth he not for that he wolde that ony were often and well shryuen: but fully to lette and trouble hym / and to make hym byleue that he were blynded by synne and out of grace wherfore he myght not make hymselfe clene. The seconde whyle and colour that the fende maketh to withdrawe goodnes is th[is] whan a man or a woman by deuout sterynges of thoughtes haue felynges of contemplacyon and medytacyon as perauenture some solytarye persones hath: and he maketh them to thynke that to holde & kepe that medytacyons is to theyr moost proufyte to thentent they sholde leue theyr dyuyne

seruyce that they be bounde to / and bryngeth them in suche a combraunce that they wote not whyche waye is best to them to take; and all this he dooth vtterly to deceyue them and cause them to be vnquyet to doo ony of theym bothe. The thyrde crafte or wyle that he tempteth with is whan a man or a woman gyueth them to honest dysporte to strength themselfe ayenst his false wyles to the comforte of theyr owne soule / than wyll the fende cause theym to haue a conscyence therof / and putteth in to theyr myndes that all suche dysportes is but synne and vanyte, And many tymes bryngeth in to theyr myndes agayne the synnes that they before had done and were confessed of; And all that dooth he to brynge them in to heuynes and dyscomforte to thentent he myght brynge theym to dyspayre. Neuertheles there be good remedyes in these temptacyons. For as vnto the [first] where the fende whan they be neuer so clene shryuen alwaye putteth them in a doubte that they haue not shryuen them well or elles that there is yet some synne in theym that they perceyue not: but for all these fantasyes they oughte to take noo fere nor thought but verayly thynke that it is by suggestyon of theyr ghostly enemy that wolde lette theym from rest and peas of theyr soules; and though it be so somtyme that by the meane of suche fantasyes and troubles they forgete some thynge of theyr charge whiche they ought for to haue sayd: lette hym than be confessed yf he may, and yf he may not conuenyently and lyghtly haue his confessour: than lette hym haue a full wyll and purpose to be confessed as soone as he can possyble, And in the meane tyme crye god mercy and with a contryte herte aske forgyuenes for his synnes / and than trust fully it is forgyuen hym; for a man is not soo redy to aske forgyuenes and mercy: but our mercyfull lorde of his grete goodnes is moche more redy to forgyue theym. And as to the seconde temptacyon wherby the fende wolde lette a man from his dyuyne seruyce that he is bounde vnto vtterly temptynge hym to leue it: than ought he to be the more dylygent deuoutly & reuerently with good aduysement to saye it; & yf it be so he say alone his seruyce he may whan good thoughtes come or that it wyll please god with swetenes or some hye vysytacyon of the holy ghoost to vysyte and touche hym / than shall it be but well done for to stynte of his seruyce & attende to that medytacyon for a tyme, and after to saye forth / soo that his seruyce that he is bounde vnto be not lefte vnsayd or vndone; and in thus doynge it shall be but lytell lettynge to his seruyce / and he shall fynde grete comforte and ease therin; For though it lette hym for the tyme: it shall well further hym to the quyckenes of his soule an other tyme. The thyrde temptacyon is this: whan a man in due tyme gyueth hymselfe to honest company & dysporte for the strength and comforte of his soule / and the fende putteth in his mynde his synnes tofore done and that he synneth in vayne spendynge the tyme; for all suche temptacions gyue ye no charge for it is the ghostly enemy that so tempteth and troubleth you; For neuertheles ye may be sure that all thynge whiche is truly grounded in god pleaseth his goodnes & nothynge offendeth hym. Wherfore all goddes seruauntes must grounde them fastely in god / and do by the counseyle of holy chyrche / and yf they soo doo they shall neuer be deceyued / and therfore a man that

hath ben sore troubled wel done it is to take hym to dysporte in dyspyte of the fende / and put awaye all other fantasyes / and at tyme conuenyent to aske god mercy of his offences and to praye vnto hym for grace.

¶ The eyght chapytre.

ALso the fende is full besy to meue men & women to tender conscience / and to brynge them in suche erroures and maketh them wene somtyme whan they do euyll they do noo synne, And somtyme that is well done they thynke it synne, and maketh a venyall synne as greuous as a deedly; And somtyme also the fende encombreth them so gretely that what soeuer they do or leue vndone they be so sore bytten in conscyence that they can no whyle togyder haue ony rest in themselfe. And all this the cruell enemy dooth by the meane of puttynge them in a false drede and blynde conscyence that he bryngeth them to. But the remedy of these and all other temptacyons is to be gouerned by theyr confessour or some other dyscrete persone / and fully put them to theyr rule as afore is sayd and nothynge folowe theyr owne blynde conscyence; For yf they folowe theyr owne conscyence it were a grete pryde / in that he wolde holde his owne wytte better than the true counseyle of holy chyrche. For a man that so wyll doo must nedes fall in grete errours and in to the fendes handes. And yf suche an errour of conscyence made to you by your ghostly enemy make you thynke that other men fele not that ye fele And for that cause they can not gyue you good counseyle or remedye, And therfore ye nedes must folowe youre owne fantasyes: yet for all this charge not your herte therwith / but put away all suche errours of conscyence as fast as they come to mynde / and let them not tarye ne sinke in your soule. And yf ony persone wyll saye that they may not ne can not put theym awaye they saye not truly / for who so is in very wyll to doo away ony suche false suggestyon, tofore god it is put awaye though they haue in them neuer soo false demynges / and therfore haue he neuer so many of them ayenst the wyll of his conscyence: he nedeth not to drede them. For out of doubte almyghty god wyll comforte hym or he dye / and the lenger tyme that he suffreth suche vexacyon and trouble the more is he thankefull in the syght of god.

¶ The nynth chapytre.

ALso though the fende put in you ony thought of dyspayre or make you to thynke that in the houre of deth ye shall haue suche euyll thoughtes and greuous sterynges / and that ye than shall be but lost: yet for all that byleue hym noo thynge / but answere that ye haue fully put your truste in god / and therfore for all his temptacions by the grete powers of almyghty god and merytes of his passyon thynke verayly it shall be to you noo peryll of soule / but tourne to the shame and confusyon of your ghostly enemye. And yf ony creature man or woman speke to you sharpe or dyscomfortable wordes / take it mekely and pacyently & thynke that perauenture it is done by the temptacyon of the fende to trouble and lette you / or that it is a chastysynge of god for some worde or dede that ye haue done contrarye to his wyll. For our lorde god dooth lyke a kynde moder; for

a louynge moder that is wyse and well taught herselfe she wolde that her chyldren were vertuously and well nortured / and yf she may knowe ony of theym with a defaute she wyll gyue theym a knocke on the heed / and yf the defaute be more she wyll gyue hym a buffet on the cheke / and yf he doo a grete faute she wyll sharpely lasshe hym with a rodde. And thus dooth god that is our louynge fader from whome all vertue and goodnes cometh. He whyll that his specyall chosen chyldren be vertuously and well taught in theyr soules / and yf they doo a defaute he wyll knocke them on theyr hedes with some wordes of dyscomforte and dyspleasure / and yf they doo a greter faute he wyll gyue them a buffet with grete sharpenes in sondry maners after the dyuerse condycyon of the defautes / and yf they doo a moche greter trespas than he chastyseth theym moche more sharpely. And all this our blessyd lord doth for the specyall loue he hath vnto vs / for as he sayth hymselfe: them that he loueth / them he chastyseth. Now truly, and we toke good hede of these wordes we wolde be gladder of his chastysynge than of all this worldes cherysshynge / and yf we so dyde / all dysease and trouble sholde tourne vs to comforte and Ioye. But it is full harde thus to doo in the tyme of sharpe heuynes whan a soule standeth naked from all ghoostly and bodely comforte, to take and fynde Ioye in dysease; al be it they that be in suche inwarde dures they must seke in all wayes how they may comforte themselfe in god / and thynke and trust fully that god sente neuer suche chastysynge but that he wolde in longe tyme or in shorte sende comforte wherby they sholde be brought out of these heuynes. For the prophete sayth many be the trybulacyons of ryghtwysmen / and all suche god shall delyuer. And though ye fele somtymes sterynges of [dyspayre or of] vnkyndly euyll thoughtes comforte you euer in the goodnes of god / and in the paynefull passyon that his manhode suffredde for you; for the fende tempteth many of the seruauntes of god to dysperacyon and drede of saluacyon / as well worldely men as other ghoostly lyuers / puttynge in worldely mennes myndes the greuousnesse of theyr synnes / and to the ghoostly lyuers he putteth drede & strayte consyence in many more sondry wyses than I can tell: and full gracyously god hathe comforted theym and brought theym out of theyr errours. And now I am styred and moued for to tell you of one of them whiche was a squyer that hyght Iohn¯ Holmes. A narracyon. This squyer that I haue named had ben a grete synfull man / and soo at the last thorugh the beholdynge of his grete synnes, And by the temptacyon of the fende, he fell in to dyspayre, soo depely and greuously that he had nygh loste hys mynde. And thus he was troubled forty dayes that he myght neyther slepe ne ete but wasted awaye and was in the poynte to destroye hymselfe. But that blessyd gracyous lorde that is soo full of mercy and pyte wolde not haue hym loste. And vpon a day as he walked in a wood alone an aungell came to hym in fourme of a man and saluted the squyer full goodly / and talked with hym in full curteys maner / sayenge vnto hym: man thou semest to haue grete heuynes and sorowe / tell me I praye the the cause of thy dysease. Nay sayd the squyer it is not to be tolde to the. Yes hardely sayd the aungell / thou wotest not how well I may helpe and remoue thy dysease; For a man beynge in dyscomforte sholde alwaye dyscouer his heuynes to some

creature that myght ease hym / for thorugh good counseyle he myght recouer comforte and hele / or in some wyse haue remedye. The squyer answered the aungell agayne and sayd that he wyste well he neyther coude ne myght helpe hym, And therfore he wolde not tell it to hym. This sayd squyer wenynge alway that this aungell had ben an erthly man / and dredde that yf he had tolde it vnto hym he sholde haue sayd some worde that sholde vtterly haue greued hym more. And whan the aungell sawe he wolde by no way tell it vnto hym / he sayd vnto the squyer in this wyse: Now sythe thou wylte not tell me thy greue I shall tell it the. Thou arte sayd the aungell in dyspayre of thy saluacyon: but trust me faythfully thou shalte be saued / for the mercy of god is so grete that it passeth all his werkes / and surmounteth all synnes. It is sothe sayd the squyer, I wote wel that god is mercyfull, but he is also ryghtfull and his ryghtwysnes must nedes punysshe synne, And therfore I drede his ryghtfull Iugementes. The aungell spake vnto hym agayne and tolde hym many grete examples how gracyous and mercyfull our lorde god is to synners. But the squyer of whome we spake was so depely fallen in dyspayre that he coude take no comforte of ony thinge that he coude saye. Than the aungell spake agayne to hym in this maner: O sayd he that thou arte harde of byleue! but wylte thou haue an open shewynge that thou shalte be saued? Than sayd he to þe squyer I haue here thre dyce that I wyll throwe / and thou shalte throwe them also / & who that hath moost of the dyce sykerly shall be saued. A sayd the squyer how myght I in this throwynge of the dyce be certayne of my saluacyon? / & helde it but a Iape; / that notwithstandynge the aungell threwe the dyce and he had on euery of the dyce vpwarde the nombre of syxe. And he than bad the squyer throwe the dyce. O than sayd the squyer certaynly that dare I not doo / for I wote well though I caste / more than thou hast caste sholde I not cast ne haue / and yf I had lesse than sholde I fall in ferther dyscomforte. / But so specyally the aungell desyred and spake that at the last the squyer threwe the dyce / and in throwynge by the gracyous myght and power of god euery dyce deuyded in two / & on euery dyce was the nombre of syxe / and so he had the double that the aungell had. And as he was meruaylynge therupon the aungell vanysshed out of his syght / wherfore he thought veryly than it was an aungell sente from god to brynge hym out of his sorowe / and than he toke moche comforte and Ioye in the grete mercy & goodnes of god in suche maner that all his dredes and sorowes were clene departed / and he became a vertous man and the very seruaunt of god / and lyued blessydly. And whan he sholde departe from this worlde he deuysed there sholde be a stone layde vpon hym / with these wordes wryten aboute it that foloweth: Here lyeth Iohn¯ holmes that of the mercy of god may saye a larges. I knowe a worshypfull persone that was in the same abbey here in englonde where as he lyeth, that redde the same wordes afore sayd wryten on his tombe. Now than sythen our mercyfull lorde god sent thus his gracyous comforte to this man that was a worldly synfull man & receyued hym to grace and brought hym out of dyspayre: There sholde noo man be dyscomforted nor dyspayre of ony temptacyons / for hardely god wyll

comforte hym whan he seeth his tyme / and thoughe he sende not a man comforte shortely it shall be to his more mede / & therfore thynke alwaye whan ye thynke of ony temptacyons bodely or ghostly that ye stande in the blessynges of all holy chyrche / for holy wryte sayth: blessyd be they that suffreth temptacyons, For whan they be well proued they shall haue the crowne of lyf the whiche almyghty god hath promysed to them that loue hym.

¶ The tenth chapytre.

O ye chyldren of holy chyrche that hath forsaken the worlde for the helth of your soules & pryncypally to please god: comforte you in hym whome ye haue chosen to loue and serue / for he wyll be to you full free and large: as ye may se by example of Peter in the gospel where as he asked our lorde Ihesu cryst what rewarde he sholde haue that had forsaken all thynge to folowe hym, And our lorde answered hym and sayd that he sholde Iuge with hym the twelue trybes of kynredes of Israell at the daye of dome; and ferthermore our lorde sayd also vnto him that not onely one or two or some / but he sayd all tho that forsake for his loue kynne / frendes / possessyons / or ony erthly goodes: they shall haue in this lyfe an hondred folde more / and after blesse withouten ende. Therfore syster cast awaye all suche false dredes that wolde trouble and lette you from loue and hope of our mercyfull lorde god / for no thynge pleaseth soo moche the fende as to se the soules withdrawe from the loue of god And therfore he besyeth hymselfe full sore daye and nyght to lette and trouble loue and peas in mannes soule / and on the other syde noo thynge confoundeth nor dyscomforteth hym so moche as whan he seeth a man sette all his desyre to haue the loue of god. Alas though ye fele not that feruent loue of god / shall ye by your Imagynacyon fall in dyscomforte and heuynes of herte / & thynke yourselfe lost? Nay / nay / put awaye all suche dyscomfortable heuynes & thynke well it cometh of your enemy the fende / & euer haue a good wyl to loue and please god / and prynte well these wordes in your herte that a good wyll is accepte[d] as for a dede in the syght of god; and comforte you alwaye in the name of Ihesu / for Ihesu is as moche to saye as a sauyour / & therfore thynke well euer therupon / & bere it in your mynde with his passyon / and also his other grete vertues / for nothynge shall so soone put awaye all dredefull temptacyons & fantasyes as the remembraunce of this name Ihesu / his bytter passyon and gloryous vertues. These thre be shelde and spere / armure / & strength to dryue downe the fendes power be he neuer so fyersly set to tempte man or woman; & specyally to thynke on his grete vertues: how god the fader in hymselfe hath all dyuyne nature & in whome is all myght and power and to whome is all thynge possyble and no thynge impossible to hym, And god the sonne is all wysdome that all thynge may make and gouerne / and god the holy ghoost is all loue and bounte that in a moment of tyme all synnes may forgyue. I saye not to you thre goddes but thre persones and one god / in whome is all blysse and glory. He is so fayre and bryght shynynge that all the aungelles meruayle of his beaute / his gloryous blessydfull beaute & presence fedeth and fulfylleth all the courte of

heuen with suche myrthe and melody that is euerlastynge. In hym is all benygnyte kepynge vs from vengeaunce / and in hym is all grace and gentylnes / curtesy / fredome / and largenes / pyte / mercy / and forgyuenes / Ioye / swetenes / and endles helth; our socour he is in all trybulacyons whan we call vpon hym / our comforte / our strength / our helpe / and our soules helth. Iwys syster this is [y]our spouse / whome ye desyre to loue and please; the gretenes of his vertues ne the multytude of his Ioyes whiche spredeth to all them that be in the courte of heuen noo herte can thynke nor tonge tell / for the blessydness of his presence can neyther be sayd nor wryten. Ioye ye therfore [in] our lorde cryst Ihesu / for he hath bought you full dere to brynge you to that blysse / and therfore saye to hym: O holy god in whome is all goodnes / whose pyte and mercy made the to descende from the hygh trone downe in to this wretched worlde the valay of woo and wepynge / and here to take our nature / and in that nature thou suffre[d]st payne and passyon with cruell sharpe deth to brynge our soules to thy kingdome: Therfore mercyfull lorde forgyue me all my synnes that I haue done / thought / and sayd. Gloryous trinite sende me clennes of herte / purete of soule / restore me with thy holy vertues / strength me with thy myght / that I alway may withstande the fende and all euyll temptacyons. O good lorde comforte me with thy holy ghoost and fulfyll me with perfyte grace and charyte: that I may from hens forth lyue vertously And loue the with all my herte / with all my myght and with all my soule / so that I neuer offende the but euer to folowe thy pleasures in wyll / worde / thought and dede; now graunte me this good lorde that arte infynyte / whiche eternally shall endure. And now good syster yf ye doo thus I hope it shall do you grete ease. And thoughe ye fynde noo maner of comforte, swetnes nor deuocyon whan ye wolde / be not therfore dyscomforted / but suffre it mekely. For ryght many there be that stryue with themselfe as thought they wolde haue swete deuocyon by maystry: And I saye you for trouth so wyll it not be had / but by mekenes moche sooner it may be goten, And that is as thus that a man holde and thynke hymselfe vnworthy to haue ony swetnes or comforte & offre hymselfe lowly to the wyll of god and put his wyll fully to the wyll and mercy of that blessyd lorde; for a man sholde not desyre to haue that swetnes & deuocyon for his owne comforte and pleasaunce: but purely and onely entendynge to please god and to folowe his wyll / and than it suffyseth vnto vs whether we haue it or noo. Some also weneth that and they haue not suche swetnes & deuocyon that they be out of grace: but certaynly some there be that in themselfe feleth noo swetnes nor deuocyon that be in more grace then the other that feleth it / for they haue many comfortes / and better it were mekenes without felynge than felynge without mekenes. Therfore syster suffre mekely and pacyently what euer falleth vnto you / & euer haue a good wyll to do that may be moost pleasynge to god / and whan ony dyscomforte cometh by temptacyon or ymagynacyon of your enemy haue the wordes in your mynde that ofte is sayd in this wrytynge before, whiche is that a good wyll shall be accepted for a dede / for and ye desyre to be vertuous and to loue and please god it is accepted as for dede before our lorde god / yf you so folowe

it with your myght and power / as whan reason cometh to you with a desyrefull wyll to lyue and doo well; and yf ye ony tyme fele comforte & swetnes and after fele these temptacyons as ye dyde before / yet be ye not dyscomforted therfore ne thynke therupon, Say not alas it is comen agayne it wyll neuer away from me, And by the meane of your owne ymagynacyon fall agayne in discomforte; doo not soo / but comforte you in god / & be gladde that the fende hath enuy vnto you / for whyle the lyfe is in the body he wyll alwaye trouble and tary the seruauntes of god / he is so fully sette ayenst them with al malyce to dysease and dyscomforte theym in all the dyuerse maners that he can or may. Saynt Augustyne sayth þat in many maner wayes temptacyons be hadde by the whiche the serpent adder enemye to all mankynde tourmenteth mannes soule. And saynt Gregorye sayth that there is noo thynge in the worlde [in] whiche we ought to be soo syker of god as whan we haue these tourmentes and troubles. And yf a man saye that bodely turmentes be medeful and not ghoostly turmentes he sayth not ryght / for doubtles the ghoostly tourmentes be more greuous and paynefull that come ayenst mannes wyll than be bodyly tourmentes / and soo moche more be they medefull / and therfore many men doo dyshonour to god that sayth with full aduysement that the fende in this world may more turment than god may gyue meryte / wherfore truly there is no thynge more medefull, charytable nor more godly than for to strength and comforte the soule that the fende soo troubleth / for who so comforteth them that be dyssolate and in sorowe the lorde of comforte Ihesu cryste our lorde and god wyll comforte them without ende in the blysse of heuen / the whiche lorde thorugh the myght and meryte of his paynefull passyon and precyous blode hath puth downe þe power of þe fendes / & hath graunted to crysten soules the vyctory ouer them to the worscyp of all the hole trynyte / fader / sone / and holy ghoost that lyueth & reyneth with-outen ende. Amen.

¶ Here endeth þe remedy ayenst the troubles of temptacyons.

Katherine of Rome [A translation of Alanus de Rupe's Tractatus mirabilis de ortu atque progressu psalterii Christi et Marie.]

¶ Here begynneth a deuoute medytacyon in sayenge deuoutly þe psalter of our lady with dyuers ensamples.

THe gloryous mayster Iohn¯ of the mounte in his moryall telleth / whiche also I founde in þe boke of frere Thomas of the temple. In the tyme þat moost blessyd Domynyck the noble fader and leder moost famouse of þe ordre of prechers / preched throughout the worlde in many regyons and exhorted incessauntly þe people to the laude and prayse of þe blessyd marye vyrgyn vndefyled / & to her angelyke confraternyte: It fortuned hym to preche at Rome in the audyence of the grete prelates of the worlde, and shewed by fygures and examples this blessyd vyrgyn to be saluted moost specyally by her psalter. All they meruaylled of thaffluence of his wordes, They were astonyed at the

grete wonders. To whome he sayd: O faythfull and true lordes and other true louers of the fayth: here this synguler holsome sayenge to you all / that ye may veryly knowe those thynges whiche I haue spoken to be true: Take the psalter of this blessyd vyrgyne / and in sayenge it: call deuoutedly vnto your remembraunce the passyon of cryste: Thus I shewe vnto you that ye shall haue in experyence the spyryte of god. Truely soo greate a flamble may not stonde in ony place without makynge hote, Neyther soo grete lyghte without gyuynge lyght / nor soo godly a medycyne without the vertue of makynge hole. What sholde I saye more? all the people gaue audyence and in maner astonyed: they meruaylled of his godly wordes / [&] many persones not onely of the comyn people but also of grete prelates of the chyrche as reuerende cardynalles and many honourable bysshoppes toke vpon them to saye this psalter of our lady / to thentent they myght gete some grace of almyghty god. A meruayllous thynge: The cyte beynge in trouble / dyuerse multyplycacyon of prayers was [made] amonges the people in euery state or degree. For truly thou myght se bothe mornynge / euenynge / and at myddaye men and women euerywhere berynge the psalter of our lady. Cardynalles whiche be named the pyllers of the worlde and bysshoppes shamed not to bere in theyr handes & at theyr gyrdelles these soo grete tokens of the godhede and of our fayth veryly to be byleued. Truely by the myracles of our lady shewed by saynt Domynyck they doubted not but in excercysynge of this psalter goddes helpe to be redy at all tymes. What more? All that dyde assaye this psalter perceyued some knowlege of the pyte of god. And amonges all I shall shewe this wonder or myracle onely folowynge.

At Rome was a certayne mysdysposed woman of her body, moost famouse aboue all other lyke dysposed / in beaute / eloquence / apparayle / and worldly gladnes / whiche fortuned gracyously to haue the psalter of our lady by thaduyse of holy saynt Domynyk / whiche she hydde vnder her kyrtell and sayd it many tymes on the daye. But alas she neuertheles vsed the vnlawfull flesshely pleasure and vnclennes of her body aboue all other / more men resorted to her than to ony other woman of suche vayne dysposycyon. This woman, named fayre Katheryne for the incomperable beaute of her body, contynued in her mysse-lyuynge / and ones on the day at the leest she dyde vysyte the chyrche sayenge the psalter of our lady / and thus was her medytacyon and thought: The fyrst fyfty she sayd for the infancye of cryst in the whiche he bare all his passyon to come / and yf it were not at that tyme in execucyon / neuertheles it was in his entent and mynde. The seconde fyfty she sayd for crystes passyon exhybyte and done ryally lyke as he suffred in his manhode. The thyrde fyfty she sayd for the passyon of cryste as it was in his godhede / not bycause the godhede as the godhede myght suffre / but bycause this infynyte godhede loued so moche the nature of man / that yf it had ben mortall it sholde haue suffred deth; Therfore bycause the eternall wysdome of god in hymselfe myght not dye for vs / he toke vpon hym our manhode / whiche his wyll was sholde suffre passyon & dye for all mankynde. And as this fayre Katheryne thus contynued in prayenge / it happened on a season as she wente aboute Rome wandrynge after her olde

maner / a meruayllous fayre man mette her & sayd: Heyle Katheryne / why stondest thou here / hast thou noo dwellynge place? To whome she answered sayenge: Syr I haue a dwellynge place and euery thynge in it ordered to the best and goodlyest maner. To whome he sayd: This nyghte wyll I soupe with the. She answered: I graunt with all myne herte / and what so euer thou wylte haue I shall gladly prepare. Thus goynge hande in hande they came vnto her hous where as were many wenches of lyke dysposycyon. Souper was prepared and this vnknowen geste sate with fayre Katheryne / the one dranke to the other. But euery thynge that this straunge geste touched / were it drynke or other thynge lyke / anone turned in to blody colour, with a meruayllous excellent smell & swete sauour. She meruaylynge sayd to hym: Syr what arte thou / eyther it is not well with me elles thou arter very meruaylous / for euery thinge that thou touchest is anone made of blody colour. And he answered sayenge: Knowest thou not that a crysten man neyther eteth nor drynketh but that is dyed or coloured with the blode of cryste. Thus this woman was meruayllously abasshed of this straunger / soo moche that she fered for to touche hym. Notwithstondynge she sayd: Syr I well perceyue by your countenaunce that ye be a man of grete reuerence: I beseche you who be ye / and from whens come ye? To whome he sayd: Whan we be togyder in thy chaumbre / I shall shewe the all thyn askynges. And thus lefte in doubte of the mater: she made redy the chaumbre. This woman Katheryne wente fyrst to bedde / & desyred the straunger to come to bedde to her. A wonderful thynge and suche one as in maner neuer was herde of ony creature: Sodeynly this straunger chaunged hymselfe in to the shappe of a lytell chylde / bare vpon his heed a crowne of thorne / vpon his sholder a crosse / and tokens of his passyon with innumerable woundes vpon all his body / and sayd vnto Katheryne: O Katheryne now leue thy folysshenes. Beholde / now thou seest the passyon of Cryste veryly as it was in his infancye for the whiche thou sayd the fyrst fyfty of thy psalter. I shewe vnto the / that from the fyrste houre of my concepcyon vnto my deth I bare contynually this payne in myne herte / whiche for thy sake was soo grete that yf euery lytell pece or stone of grauell in þe see were a chylde and euery one of them had as moche payne as euer suffred al the men in the worlde at theyr deth: yet all they togyder suffre not so grete payne as I suffred for the. This woman was sore abasshed seynge and herynge this wonder. And anone agayne he was tourned in to the lykenes of a man, euen after the same fourme whiche he had the tyme of his passyon ryall, And sayde: Doughter beholde now thou seest how grete paynes I suffered for the / whiche dooth excede all the paynes of helle / for my power of suffrynge is of god and not of man. And my passyon was so grete that yf it had ben deuyded amonge all creatures of the worlde / they sholde all haue dyed or ben dystroyed. After this sey[i]nge he chaunged hymselfe in to the clerenes of the sonne / notwithstandynge the tokens of his passyon remaynynge also gloryously/ in all his woundes were sene al and infynyte creatures of the worlde for compassyon of the same / and he sayd vnto her:

BEholde / take hede / now thou seest what I suffred in my godhede for thyn helth; syth all thynges be in me and I in euery thynge / in all these I se the / I loue the / & in them all I am redy to suffre eternally the payne for thy soules helth whiche thou seest, for my loue is infynyte (after saynt Dyonyse) and all thynges in me be infynyte as the same Dyonyse sheweth. Therfore knowe the mekenes of god / and call to mynde the threfolde passyon of cryste / for the whiche thou sayd thryse fyfty Aues / & fyftene Pater nosters, And here after amende thyselfe / that as thou were before the example of all malyce and vnclene lyuynge / soo now from this tyme forwarde [þou] lyue in suche maner that thou may be to all other a myrrour of purete and clennes. I do not appere to the for thy merytes but onely for an example of penaunce / and bycause thy brethren and systers of myn vndefyled moders fraternyte haue prayed for the / that by thy conuersacyon many sholde be conuerted and be the chyldren of god / lyke as before innumerable were made the chyldren of the deuyll by thy wyckednes.

What more? This vysyon vanysshed awaye. It was also vnfayned / for the woman afterwarde felte in her handes and fete the sorowe of crystes passyon / and in other partes of her body. Therfore she rose from synne & toke her to penaunce / and on the morowe after made her confessyon to saynt Domynyk; to whome he enioyned in penaunce to saye the psalter of the blessyd vyrgyn Marye as she was wonte to doo, and to be one of her fraternyte / whyche she had not before in dede but onely in purpose and entent as it is afore sayd; where it is to be noted how moche this sayd fraternyte is worth to them whiche haue it in dede / syth it was soo grete valure to this woman hauynge it but in purpose. [&] whyles that she prayed deuoutely vnto this vyrgyn Marye / the same blessyd lady appered to her with saynt Katheryne, sayenge to her: Doughter beholde / take hede / thou hast synned moche: therfore thou must suffre grete penaunce; for this cause take in penaunce euery daye thre dyscyplynes or thre correccyons / wherof euery one shall be of .lv. strokes whiche make a penytencyall psalter. She sayd also / it shall not alwaye nede to haue a rodde / but prycke the with thy nayles / or pynche thy flesshe in euery place. Thou mayst at all tymes doo this penaunce ayenst euery wycked temptacyon and for to obteyne all goodnes / and this is a royall, preuy penaunce and naturall, It may be called the quene of all penaunces. This woman herde all these wordes and fulfylled them in dede. And as she was thus dayly penytent: vpon a tyme saynt Domynyk auaunced by the power of god sawe in the nyght a wonderfull thynge to all the worlde. He perceyued that from the hous of this same Katheryne yssued out .lv. flodes from the membres of a lytell chyld / ewhiche flodes descended to hell, in whose comynge the soules, there to be purged, were gretely comforted. O how grete and Ioyfull noyses made they than: how many blessynge gaue they vnto this sayd Katheryne; veryly the erth sounded agayne to theyr voyces for Ioye. There were soules delyuered / comforted / made hole & excluded from theyr paynes, by the medytacyon that Katheryne had of crystes passyon in his chyldehode. She was alwaye aboute to applye it to the comforte of all true crysten soules departed out of this worlde. O meruaylous thynge: After this saynt Domynyk sawe a man entre

in to Katheryns chaumbre / & from .v. [woundes] of his body yssewed out .lv. [fountaynes] whiche nourysshed and watred all the chyrche mylytante / and also this present worlde; trees and plantes dyde burgyn / byrdes and fysshes were quyckened / true crysten people were bathed in those flodes. O how grete swetenes was there and how grete worldly gladnes. All creatures blessyd this woman Katheryne and prayed for her to almyghty god maker of all thynges. And these two meruaylles were shewed for the fyrst fyfty and the seconde. And where as this penytent Katheryne began the thyrde fyfty of her psalter, Saynt Domynyk sawe a meruaylous grete gyaunt clerer than the lyght / of whome yssewed out fyue fountaynes / of the fyue fountaynes sprange fyfty flodes whiche neyther descended to therth / nor to hell / but meruayllously ascended togyder vnto heuen, And by them all heuenly paradyse was watred. Theyr swetenes was so grete that the aungelles and holy sayntes dyde drynke of theym / gyuynge grete thankes to almyghty god. Whan saynt Domynyck sawe all these meruaylles as Thomas of the temple wryteth: he meruaylled gretly why they sholde be shewed and done in the hous of so grete a synner. To whome marye the vyrgyn appered and sayd: O my frende Domynyk why doost thou meruayle in suche causes? Knowest thou not I am a frende to all synners and that the mekenes of god is in me? It was my wyll to shewe these vysyons to the of this my doughter that thou sholde preche them to the worlde / for this entent that no crysten persone be theyr synnes neuer so grete sholde dyspayre in ony condycyon / but alwaye trust in god and his mercy / and namely they that wyll flee vnder my proteccyon with this woman Katheryne. The holy vyrgyn and martyr saynt Katheryne socoured her very moche whiche alwaye she loued and serued with some prayer from her yonge aege / for the congruence of the name. More ouer the blessyd moder of god sayd: O Domynyk thou haste sene these meruaylles: Here now and preche that I soo holy and meke shall saye. Shewe that I haue purchased of my sone to all suche as sayth my psalter and are of my fraternyte / they shall haue the same excellence whiche the sayd Katheryne hath. & though they can not se it in this worlde, lykewyse as men can not se god / his aungelles / the deuylles / neyther theyr merytes and vertues in this lyfe, Also they can not se the vertue of a precyous stone nor of the sterres: therfore the knowledge of heuenly thynges must be moche ferther from them; Notwithstondynge they shall beholde this excellence after theyr deth. Therfore Domynyk be of good comforte [&] preche my psalter & my fraternyte / for vnto all suche as hath them I haue purchased not onely to se this excellence / but also to haue it eternally in possessyon. What sholde I saye more? Saynt Domynyk gaue thankes to almyghty god for his grete mercy. And this Katheryne made herselfe a recluse [&] she dystrybuted her goddes to the poore people. Whiche afterwarde was of so grete holynes that many very holy persones came vnto her bycause of her godly reuelacyons. To whome appered our lorde Ihesu .C. dayes & fyfty before her departynge out of this lyfe shewynge the tyme of her deth / whiche afterwarde departed out of this lyfe very holy. Thre holy vyrgyns one named Iohanne / an other Martha / the thyrde Lucya sawe her soule departe from the body bryghter than the sonne /

bytwene the armes of her spouse cryst. Her sepulture is in the chyrche of saynt Iohn¯ lateranence. All crysten people by this take hede of how grete vertue the psalter of our lady is with the remembraunce of crystes passyon / it is alwaye in strength bothe in lyf and at the houre of deth. Therfore let vs prayse and laude our lorde Ihesu and Marye his moder in theyr psalter / to thentent we may deserue to haue the Ioyes of heuen / here by grace / & after this lyfe by glorye.

¶ Here endeth a deuoute medytacyon in sayenge deuoutly the psalter of our lady with dyuers ensamples. Enprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the sonne. By Wynkyn de Worde. Anno domini .M.CCCCC.Viii. the fourth daye of February.