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

The Counsels of Saint Isidore [Several versions of this text exist. Harley 1706 records Version C, according to the Manual of the Writings in Middle English, vol. 7.]

Ms. Harl. 1706

[folio 90a]

These ben the gadered counsey[les] of seynte Isodre, to conferme man howe [he] schalle fle vyces and folowe vertues.

¶ Consyderacyon of a man hym-selfe.

O Man, knowe þi-sylfe, knowe what þou arte, knowe þy begynnynge: whye þou were borne, into what vse or ende þou were goten, why þou were maade, to what þinge in þis worlde þou were formede. Haue mynde of þy makynge, b[e] suche as þou were maade, ȝee suche as þi maker formede þee, suche as þi creator ordeyned þee.

Off yuel þouȝttys.

Euery day ransake þin herte, euery day examyne þin herte; kepe þi soule fro synnefulle þouȝte, and lette not foule þouȝte ouer-þrowe þi mynde. Whan a

schrewed þouȝte towecheþ þee, consent not to hyt; kylle þe serpent whane he fyrste apereþ, trede a-downe þe serpentys hede, ¶ caste vnder foote þe bygynnynge of yuelle suggestyon or styrynge to synne, amend synne þere w[h]ere yt is knowen. In þe bygynnynge wiþstond a schrewde þouȝte, and þou schalte ascape welle the remenaunte.

Off chastyte.

Be þou not defoulyd wiþ eny vnclennes, be þou not spotted þoruȝe eny luste; lete lechyrye growe no more in þe. ¶ Chastyte ioyneþ a man to god, to chastyte ys byhyte þe kyngdome of heuen. Yf þou ȝite fele the styryngges of þi flesche, yf þou ȝite be touched wiþ pryckenges of þi flesshe, yf þou ȝite be styryd wiþ þe suggestyon of luste, yf þe mynde of lecherye tykylle ȝite þi wylle, yf þi flesshe ȝite fyȝte aȝens þe, yf lecherye ȝit tempteþ þe, and yf luste ȝit styreþ the to synne: sette byfore þee þe mynde of deeþ, putte byfore þee þe day ofe þi deeþ, sette byfore þinne yȝen þe ende of þi lyf, putte byfore þee þe streyte dome þat is to come, putte byfore þee þe hard tormentys þat ben to come, sette byfore þee þe euerlastynge fyer of helle, putte byfore þee þe orryble peynes of helle.

Off contynuale preyer.

Preye wiþ wepynge contynually, preye besylye, byseche god day and nyȝte, morne and sorowe euer for synne. Aryse in þe nyȝte to preyer. Lette preyer be to þe contynualle armure. ¶ Þis ys þe fyrste vertu aȝens temptacyon: deuellys ben ouercome by preyer; preyer avayleþ aȝen alle yuellys.

Off fastynge.

Chastyse þi body, by fastynge, by abstynence and by scarsnese; þou ma[i]ste not ouercome temptacyons in her hyȝe hete, but yf þou be lerned to faste. Þoruȝ mete forsoþe groweþ luste, plente of mete styreþ þe flessh to lecherye; but by fastynge luste ys restreyned, by fastynge lecherye ys ouercome.

Off drynke.

Drynke forsoþe ys þe instrumente of lecherye. Fyer by castynge-to of wode encreseþ more and more; þe more mater ys in þe fyer, þe more ys þe flame.

Off lokynge.

Thynne yȝen ben þe fyrste dartys of luste, syȝte ys desyer of woman, and woman of man; mynde ys cauȝte by þe yȝen. Wiþ-draw þin yȝen from wantownes, set hem not in the bewte of flesshe; byholde not a woman to desyre hyr, do awey the cause of synnynge, and leue bysydes þee þe mater of trespassynge; yf þou wolte be sure fro lecherye, be þou desceuered fro women, boþ in body and syȝte.

Off wommen.

If þou be departed in body from wommen, þou schalte [falle] from þe entente of synne. Yf þou sytte bysydys a serpente, þou schalte not longe be unhurte; yf þou be longe byfore a fyre, ȝhe alle-þouȝ þou were made of yren, sume tyme þou schuldeste melte; yf þou abyde ryȝte nye perelle, þou schalt not longe be syker. Ofte-tyme leyser haþ ouercome whom wylle myȝte not.

Off good bysynes.

Lecherye ouercomeþ soone a man ȝouen to ydylnes, luste brenneþ greuousely whom sche fyndeþ ydylle. Luste ȝeueþ place to trauele, to werke, to bysynes and to laboure. Þerfore be ware of ydylnes, lede not þi lyfe in ydylnes, spende þi body in laboure, vse sume maner of bysynes, seke vnto þe sume profytable werke where-vpon þe entent of þi soule may be sette.

Off redynge.

ȝeue þe moche to redynge, take hede in medytacyon of scrypture, bysye þe in þe lawe of god; haue a customable vse in deuyne bokes. Redynge trewely [teche]þ what þou schalt schone ..., redynge telleþ whyder þou goeste. In redynge, wytte and vndyrstondynge encreseþ. Þou schalt moche profyȝte in redynge, yf þou do as þou redyste.

Off mekenesse.

Be þou meke, be þou grounded in mekenesse, [be þou] laste and loweste of alle. By mekenesse make þi-selfe leste, sette þi-selfe before noman, trowe þi-selfe aboue noman; a-vaunte not þi-selfe, boste not þi-selfe, enhaunce not þi-selfe wanntounly; streche not forþe þe wynges of pryde; so moche þou schalt be þe more precyouse afore god, þat þou setteste lytylle pryce by þi-selfe. ¶ Bere þerfore schamefastenes in chere by mynde of þi defauȝttes, for schame of þi synnes be dysmayed to loke prowedly, walke wiþ a lowe chere, wiþ a meke mouþe, and wiþ a sad vysage. In hyȝe worschype, haue grete mekenesse; alleþouȝ þou be of hyȝe power, restreyne hyȝnes in þi-sylfe, lete not worschype make þe prowde; þe heyȝer þou arte in dygnyte, þe lower by mekenesse þou make þee.

Sadnes of mynde.

Be not sory in þi dysesys, in þi sekenesse þanke þou god. ¶ Be rather more bysy to be hoole in soule, þan in body. If prosperytees come: be þou not prowde; yf aduersytees falle: be þou not heuy. Knowe in þi-selfe þat god haþ prowued þe in sorowe for þat þou schuldeste not be prowd. Be euen þerfor in alle þinges; for ioye neyþer for sorowe chaunge neuer þi mynde. Vnderstonde welle þere is noþinge but yt may falle as god wolle, and yf þese þinges be þouȝ[t]e on byfore, þei ben þe esyer whan þey fallen; and þerfor what-so-euer happeþ, suffre yt mekely wiþ fre wylle.

Off paciencye.

Be more redy to suffre dysese, þen to do yt. Be pacyent, be meke, be softe, be esy. Kepe pacyence in alle þinges, kepe softenes, kepe mekenes. Sette byfore a scharpe worde þe schylde of sufferaunce, and þouȝ eny man sterre þe to wraþe, þouȝ he whette þee, þouȝ he chyde þee, þouȝ he blame þe, þouȝ he repreue þee, þouȝ he do wronge to þee: be þou stylle, holde þi pees, sette not þere-by, speke not a worde þere-aȝens; for by sylence þou schalte þe sonner ouercome.

(Of manhod.)

Lerne of Cryste manlynes, take hede at Cryste and be not heuy; he sufferynge wrongges lete to vs ensample. ¶ He bobbyd and buffetyd, spytte vpon and scorned, nayled honde and foote, crowened wiþ þornes, dampned to þe crose: euermore helde hys pees; ... and so tempre þou þi dysese by consyderacyon of ryȝtewysnes—and þou schalte suffre yt þe lyȝtelyer, yf þou take hede wherefor yt comeþ.

Off peece.

Loue peece wiþoute-forþe, loue peece wiþinforþe, kepe peece wiþ alle men, wiþholde alle men in myldenesse, beclyppe charyte, proue more þi-selfe to

loue þen þou to be louyd. Make peece þere hate ys; haue stabylnes of mynde, haue goodnes of wylle, be redy in good desyre, speke gladly to alle men; flee chydynge, be ware of stryues, do awey þe occasyon of stryffe, dyspyse stryffe, and lyue alwey in peece; stryffe not in eny wyse.

Off compassyon.

Be not glade vppon þe deeþ of þin enemye, leeste perauenture vppon þe falle þe same, ȝhe and leeste god turne hys wraþe fro hym to þee. Who forso þe ioyeþ of þe falle of hys enemye, he schalle sone falle into þe same. ¶ Be [not] glade to sorow vppon hym þat ys dy[s]esyd; in oþer mennys mysesys be not harde-hertyde, and so oþer mennys myscheefe morne as þin owne.

Folowynge of goodnesse.

In alle þi bysynes, in alle þi werkys, in alle þi lyuynge folowe good men, folowe hooly men, haue before þin yȝen þe ensample of seyntys, take hede to worche welle after vertues of hooly men, lerne to lyue welle by þe techynges of ryȝtewys men.

Dyspysynge of preysynge.

Dispyse þou cheryschynge, preysynge and fauoure of peplys; stodye raþer to be good þen to seme good; take noon hede who preyseþ þee, or who dyspyseþ þee, leste preysynge dysceyue þee, or blamynge lete þee. If þou sette not be preysynge, lyȝtely þou schalt sette bysydys þe blamynge. þerfor suppose not þi-selfe good, þouȝ þou be holde goode in oþer mennys tungges; aske þin owen conscience, deme þi-selfe by þin owne dome, and not by oþer mennys speche but in þin owne mynde enscherche þi-selfe; þere may noman knowe better what þou arte, þen þou þat knoweste þi-selfe; what profyteþ [it] þee, syþen þou arte a schrewe, to be hoolde goode?

Honeste conuersacyon.

Flee þou symulacyon, feyne not holynes in derke cloþinge; suche as þou woldeste be holde in alle þi conuersacyon, suche be þou in dede. Schewe þy professyon in lyuynge, and not in tokenes oonly; in cloþinge and in-goynge haue wiþ þe sympylnesse, in þi gate and in þi mouynge clennes, in þi berynge sadnes, in þi walkynge honeste; noþinge of vylonye, noþinge of vnclennes, noþinge of wantownes, and noþinge of wyldenes. ¶ Be ware in þi gouernaunce þat þere apere noþinge of beestelynes. Ȝeue not to oþer men cause to scorne þee, ȝeue not to eny man occasyone to bacbyte þee.

Good felowschype.

Schone yuele men, be ware of wyked men, flee schrewys, dele not wiþ broþelles; flee þe companyes of þo men raþeste whiche ben euer redy to vyces. Ioyne þe wiþ good men, desyre þe felouschyppe of dyscrete men, seke þe companyes of vertues men; for who [so] goeþ wiþ wyse men, he schall be wyse; and who so draweþ to folys, schalle be lyke to hem; for lyke to lyke ys woned to be ioyned.

Kepynge of þinne eres.

Schytte þin eres þat þou here none yuele; forsake vnchaste spechys, flee vnhoneste wordys; for a vayne worde soon defouleþ þe soule; and þat ys lyȝtly doon [þat is] gladly herde soone.

Kepynge of þinne mouþe.

Lete noþinge passe þi mouþe þat myȝte lette vertue. Lete þe sowne of þi voyce breke noþinge but þat þat nedyþ. Lete þat procede of þi lyppys þat defouleþ not þe erys of þe herer. A veyne worde ys taken of a veyne conscyence; þe tunge of man scheweþ hys maners, and suche as þe worde ys, suche ys þe soule, for þe mouþ spekyþ of þe habundaunce of þe herte. Refreyne þi tunge from veyne speche and ydyle, for an ydyle worde schalle not passe vnponysshede; who so wylle not refreyne hys tunge from ydyle wordys, he schale falle lyȝtely in to synefule wordys. Lete þi worde be wiþ-owte reprefe, lete yt be profitable to the herers. ¶ Bysye þe not [to] speke þat þat lykeþ, but þat þat nedeþ. Take hede what þou spekeste & what þou spekeste not, and boþe in spekynge and not spekynge be ryȝte ware. Take good avysemente what þou seyeste, leste þou mayste not calle aȝen þat þat þou seydeste. Flee þe chaunces of tunge, lete not þi tunge lese þee. Haue euermore scylence to þi frende; speke whan tyme ys, and be stylle whan tyme ys; speke not or þou here, and lete askynge open þi mouþe.

Synne of bacbytynge.

Bacbyte not þe synner, but be sory for hym. Kutte fro þi tunge the synne of bacbytynge, hurte not a noþer manys lyfe . . . . ¶ That þat þou bacbytyste in a noþer, drede þou þat in þi-selfe; whan þou blameste anoþer, rep[reue] þin owen defawtys. If þou wolte bacbyte, þenke on þin owen synnes; byholde not oþer mennys trespasses, but inwardely by-holde þin owne; þou schuldeste neuer bacbyte, yf þou wolte byholde þi-selfe. ¶ Here no bacbyters, lysten not to tale-tellers; for lyche gylty ben þe bacbyters and þe herers. Desyre not þou to wytte þat þat perteynyþ not to þee; þo þingges þat men speken by-twene hemselfe, bysye þe not to knowe; axe þou neuer what eny man spekeþ, seyeþ or doeþ; be not to bysye, leue suche [bysynes þat perteyneþ not to þee; by as grete] bysynes amende þin synnes, by howe myche þou byholdyste oþer mennys.

Off lyynges.

Flee bysylye alle maner of lyynge, and neyþer by hape ne be avysemente sey þou neuer fals; ffor the mouþe þat lyeþ: sleeþ þe soule. Þerefor flee dysc[e]yte, avoyde lesynges, be ware of falsenes, speke clenly, be trewe in worde; deceyue no man in lyinge, ne brynge no man in to mys-wenynge. ¶ Speke not oo þinge & doo a noþere; sey not oo þinge and mene anoþere.

Off swerynge.

Putte from þe swerynge, doo awey þe vce of swerynge. Vengiaunce gooþ not fro þe housys of hem þat swereþ myche, but schulde be fulfyllyd wiþ wyckednesse. ¶ Hit ys perylouse soþely for to swere, for ofte swerynge makeþ þe custome of swerynge. Treueþ nedeþ noon ooþe; a feyþfulle speche holdeþ the place of a sacramente—as who seiþ: a feyþfulle worde ys as myche as alle the swerynge of þe worlde.

Off a-vowe made.

Do þe good þat þou haste be-hote; be not lyȝte in worde and harde in dede. Þou schalte be myche gylty to god, yf þou ȝeelde not þat þat þou haste a-vowede; þei dysplesen god þat fulfylen not her avowys; þey ben a-counted amonges heþen men þat performen not her avowys. I seye not of avowes þat ben yuelle, but good; ffor yf þou þoruȝ þin owne folye haste made a fonned avowe, þoruȝ þe doome of a dyscrete man be yt wysely turned in to good.

To god alle þinge ys open.

Seye not an yuele worde in þin herte: an yuele worde may not be hydde in scilence; þat þinge þat þou doeste or seyeste wiþ-in þi-selfe, byleue þou verely þat yt ys open be-fore god; if men ben stylle, bestes speken. Þerfor flee synne as þouȝ þou myȝte not kepe yt preuye, synne þou þere where þou knoweste god ys not; for þere ys no þinge hydde fro hym. Þou schalte be funden gylty in þe iugementys of god, þouȝ þou be hydde to mannys iugementys; ffor he be-holdeþ þe herte, þat ys wiþinforþe he seeþ, and knoweþ þat man hym-selfe knoweþ not. ¶ Turne þy counceylle and þi werke euermore to god, in euery dede aske goddys helpe; arette þou alle þinges to goddys grace and to goddys ȝifte, truste not to þin owne desertys, in þin owene vertu presume þou noþinge.

Off conscience.

There may no man flee hym-selfe, & þouȝ an opene fame harme þe not, [yit] þin owne conscience dampneþ þee; ffor þere ys no peyne gretter þen ys pryckynge of conscience. If þou woldeste neuer be sorye, lyue welle; a syker conscyence suffereþ esylye heuynes, a good lyuer haþ euermore ioye; þe conscience of a synnefulle man ys euermore in peyne, a gylty soule ys neuermore syker; neyþer wounde neiþer deeþ schalle fere þe, yf þou lyue welle and treuely.

Hydynge of vertu.

If þou wolte multyplye þi vertues, schewe hem not by þi wylle, [hide thi vertues] for dred of pryde and veyneglorye; flee to be seen and þan þou deserueste mede; þat þat þou mayste lese by schewynge, kepe þou yt be hydynge.

Off confession.

Schewe þe synnys of þin herte, make open þi sch[r]ewed þouȝttes. A synne schewed ys sone helyd; a defauȝte forsoþe hyde ys made more, synne doon by scylence encreseþ more and more. Truly yt behoueþ more to schone yuele þen to amende yt, leste parauenture whan þou falleste þere-ynne, þou mayste not avoyden yt.

Of fore-þouȝte.

By-þinke þe longe byfore þe deede, avyse [þe] longe byfore þe warke þat þou wolte doo; encerche yt longe, proue yt longe and so do yt. And whan þou haste longe by-þouȝte þee, do þou þanne as þou haste proued; in þinges þat ben certeyne of welle-doynge, tary not in puttynge -ouer tylle to þe morowe. ¶ In good þinges tariynge harmeþ, and lette[þ] þo þinges þat ben nedfulle.

Off techynge.

Lerne þat þou canste note, lest þou be founden an vnprofytable techer; þe good þat þou haste herde, seye yt; þe good þat þou haste lernyd, teche yt; þe more [þat it is yeuen, þe more] yt wexyþ. But [yet] lette dedys goo byfore þe worde þe whyche þou scheweste wiþ þi mouþe; ffulfylle þou þat in warke whyche þou techeste in wordys, in schewynge yt by ensample; ffor yf þou teche and doo yt, þou schalte be holden gloryous. In þi techeynge kepe þe from mannys preysynge;

so enforme oþere þat þou kepe þi-selfe, so teche þat þou lese not þe grace of mekenesse; be ware whyle þou reyseste oþer by techynge, þat þou falle not þi-selfe be desyre of preysynge. Whan þou techeste, vse note derkenesse of wordys, sey so þat þou mowe be vnderstonde; þe dyuersyte of personys ys to been seen; where, howe, and whom þat þou techeste be avysed; speke comon þinges to alle men, and to fewe men schewe þat ys hyd. Be not aschamed to speke þat þat þou canste welle defende; þat þat þou wanteste of kunnynge, aske of oþer men. By kunnynge trewely schewed hyde þinges ben openned, and harde þinges ben made lyȝte.

Curiosite.

Be not besy to knowe þat ys hyde, couyte note to knowe þat oweþ not to be knowe. In dysputynge do awey stryfe, do awey frowardnesse and assente sone to þe trouþe; seye not aȝens ryȝtewysnesse, stryfue not to avoyde þat ys ryȝte; loue more to here þan to seye, here in þe begynnynge & speke þe laste of alle; þe laste speche [is] better þen þe former.

Off obedience.

Worsshype euery man for þe meryte of hys holynesse, after her worþines ȝeue to eche man honoure. Suppose not þi-selfe euyn to þi souereyn, ȝeue obedience to þin elders, serue to her byddyngges, bowe to her auctoryte, folowe her wylle; abeye to alle men in good byddynges; ȝite so obeye þee to man þat þou offende note þe wylle of god. þerfor fulfylle mekely þe charges þat þou haste take vpon þee, be obedyente to goddys ordynaunce, be not hardy to do aȝens hys wylle. Dyspose alle þinges not wiþ a sturdy wylle, but wiþ an esye herte. Be ware of worshippes [which þou maist not haue withoute synne; the lightnes of worshippis] ys þe grettenes of synnes, and þe gretter þi degre ys þe gretter ys þe peyne.

Off souereynte.

Be besy raþer to be loued of þi sogettys, þen to be drade; lette þi sogettys raþer worschyppe þee and serue þe for loue, þen for drede or nede. Qwyte þe so to þi sogettys þat þou be more loued þen dred. Wiþ a souereyne goodnes gouerne þi sogettys; be not feerdefulle to þi sogettys, be suche lorde to hem þat þey may be glad to serue þe. Boþe in ponsshynge and in cheryschynge kepe a maner; be not to streyte, ne forȝeue not to sone, but kepe maner in alle þi werke. Hit longeþ to a wyse man to mesure alle þingges, leste of good be made yuelle. Byholde certeynly what ys conuenyable for þe tyme, wher, whan, howe, and wherfor, þou comaundeste eny þinge to be done; and þat þou woldeste were doon to þee, do þou þat to a noþer. Be suche to oþer men as þou desyreste oþer men be to þee. ¶ Hynder noman wiþ þi wytnes; do noman harme, leste þou suffre þe same. Kepe manerlynes, kepe ryȝtewysnes; defende noman aȝens trouþe; whyle þou demeste, be he pore be he ryche, byholde þe cause and not þe persoone. Kepe trouþe in alle þingges; sytte þou neuer in dome wiþoute mercy. Be as meke in oþer mennys defauȝtys as in þin owne; ¶ so deme oþer men as þou desyreste to be demed þi-selfe. Whyle þou arte mercyfulle in oþere mennys gylte, þou haste mercy on þi-selfe; the doome þat þou putteste vpon a noþer, þou schalte bere þi-selfe. By what mesure þou mesureste, yt schalle be mesured aȝen to þe. ¶ Deme noman by suspecyon; fyrste prou and so deme. In douȝtys reserue þe sentence to goddys iugemente, and at hys dome be yt demed; and þat þat þou welle knoweste, at þin owne dome be yt demed.

Dyspyte of the worlde.

Ife þou wolt be in reste, desyre noþinge of þe worlde; þou schalt haue reste of soule yf þou putte fro þe þe bysynes of þe worlde. Caste fro þe alle þat may lette þe fro good purpose. Be mesured to the worlde, and þe worlde to þe. As þouȝ þou were dede, byholde not the glorye of þe worlde; sette not by þat, whyle þou lyueste, þat þou mayste not haue whan þou arte dedde. What-so-euer þou ȝeueste, ȝeue yt wiþ good wylle; do mercy wiþoute ȝifte, ȝeue almes wiþoute heuynes; þe good wylle is more þen þe þinge þat is ȝeuen. Þat þat ys ȝeuen wiþ good wylle, þat god accepteþ; but he þat ȝeueþ wiþ heuynes, schalle leese hys mede; þere ys no mercy wher ys no good wylle. Doo noþinge for preysynge, noþinge for worldly opynyon, but oonly for lyffe euerlastynge. Amen.

These ben þe counselles of seynte Ysodore, whiche ben good and holsume, yf þere be hade in þe reders and louers of hem wylfulle execucyon.