The myrrour or glasse of Christes passion

THexecucion of this glasse, shalbe asentenciouse declaracion of our lordes passion, approbate & taken of many holy doctours. As of saynte Hie∣rom, sayntes Augustine, Bernarde, Simon de Cassia, Reynarde de Laudenburg / and for the more part, taken of Ludolphe carthusience. And we shall folowe the processe of the gospell / begynnyng this declaracion of the passion, where as saynt Iohn theuāgelist begynneth the passion of Christ / that is, in the .xviii. chapitre of his euangely. And we shall diuide this part into .lxv. articles. And euery article shall shew sum notable poynt or payn that Christ suffred. And to euery article shal we adde a document or lesson with a prayer / which prayers may serue vnto vs for two purposes or causes. Fyrst, it is as a summary and breue or short recollection or declarynge of all that was wryten in tharticle and also document goynge before. Secondly, to kyndle the deuoci∣on of the reders / whiche deuocion, that it may be more encreased: all thoo thynges that Christe dyd than suffre, shulde be so moche imprynted in our herte, and so pleasaunt to vs: as yf he had only suffred them for vs, and our onely saluacion. And for this cause also, all the prayers be fourmed and made in the singular nom∣bre / to the intent that we may applye them to our selfe. As it shall appere hereafter in the same prayers.

¶The fyrst artycle. Of the feare and heuynes of Christe.

THe fyrste artycle of our lordes passion, is the voluntary takynge of feare and heuynes. For as the euangelyst sayeth: Hymno dicto: exie∣runt in montem Oliueti.* 1.1 For shortly after that the supper was ended, and the deuout sermon the whiche he spake, was done: than he sayd grace / and so they wente vnto the mounte of Oliuete. This sermon is wrytten by the Euangelyst Iohn̄. And immediately after that sermon: it folo∣weth in the begynnynge of the .xviii. Chapytre. Hec cum dixisset Iesus: Egressus est cum discipulis suis trans torrentem Cedron.

Whan Iesus had spoken that longe and deuout sermon:* 1.2 he went from that house where as he made his supper / nat taryenge or a∣bydynge there for Iudas, whiche was gone to get a great com∣pany of the Iues, for to take his maister Christe. Our lorde (I say) wolde nat abyde the cummyng of Iudas in his hoste house / lesse paraduenture his hoste, or sum of his familie or seruauntes shulde haue ben euyll entreated by the cruell Iues or theyr mini∣sters and seruauntes / and therefore he wente thence ouer the ry∣uer of Cedron. To signifie also to vs, that no man may attayne and cum to the pleasures and ioye of heuenly paradise: except he, fyrste passe ouer the ryuer and water of penaunce. And so, he passyng ouer that ryuer of Cedron: cam vnto a lytle vyllage that was at the fore of the moūt of Oliuet, called Gethsemany / where as was a garden or orcharde / into the whiche he entred with his disciples. Gethsemani is as moche to say by interpretacion as Villa pinguedinis. The towne of fatnes / signifienge thereby that by the mekenes of his passion, he wold replenyssh vs with the fat∣nes of grace and vnction of the holy goost. And that he went into the gardeyn: doeth signifie that he wolde by his passyon induce vs and brynge vs into the orcharde of vertues and spirituall ry∣chesse. And also that the maner of our curacion and redempti∣on shulde corresponde and reaunswere vnto the maner of oure fyrste transgression and perdition, whiche toke begynnynge of the synne of oure fyrste father Adam in the orcharde of Para∣dyse: so in lyke maner our reparacion that shulde be made by the passion of Christe, shulde haue his begynnynge also in the or∣charde.

And whan they were in this orcharde or garden: our lorde sayd to his disciples:* 1.3 Sedete hic donec vadam illuc et orem, orate{que} ne intretis in temptationem.* 1.4 Sy•• here vnto the tyme I go and praye / and praye you that ye be nat ouercum by temptaci∣on. It foloweth:* 1.5 Et assumpsit secum Petrum, Iacobum, et Iohan∣nem. And he toke with hym Peter,* 1.6 Iames, and Iohn̄.

And here noteth Simon de Cassia / that a persone, put in greate agonyes or troubles, hathe neede to haue a certeyne trynytye of vertues / withoute the whiche trynytye, he fyghteth in vayne / his prayer is frustrate / and his contemplacion of lytle profyte. Fyrste, he must haue a knowlege of those thynges that he ought to do / that is, the lyghte of true faythe / whereby he knoweth all thynges necessarye for his saluacion. The seconde, is a debellacyon and trewe supplantynge or subduynge of vyces. The thyrde, is the assystante grace of the hooly gooste▪ This trynytie of vertues is noted by these thre appostles, Pe∣tre, Iames, and Iohn̄. And that appereth by the interpretaci∣on of theyr names. For Petre is as moche to saye (by interpre∣tacion) as knowynge / and so signifieth the stable knowledge of the faythe. Iames is interpreted a supplantoure or a subduer. And by Iohn̄ is sygnyfyed the grace of god. And withoute this trinitie of vertues, all oure laboure is in a maner but loste.* 1.7 It foloweth in the gospell: Cepit Iesus contristar•• et mest•••• esse. Iesus began to be heuye and sadde. Marke sayeth:* 1.8 Cepit pauere et tedere. He began to feare and to be yrke∣som or heuye. And here is the fyrste poynte or artycle of the passion of our lorde / that is, feare and heuynes / whiche he volun∣taryly toke for vs / and that in the mooste intense and hyghest de∣gree / and this is to be vnderstonde in lyke maner of all other ar∣tycles. And note here the wordes of the Euangelystes / whiche sayeth: Cepit Iesus contrista••••, &c. Iesus began to be heuye. They say•• nat that he was heuye / for than that passion of feare or heuynesse, shulde haue had dominion in his soule. Whiche was nat trewe / for he tooke that feare or heuynesse of his owne voluntarye wyll / and that for many causes. As for the ruyne or fall of his dyscyples. For the blyndenes, enuye, and perdy∣cyon of the Iues. For the desperacyon and dampnacion of Iu∣das. For the distruction of the citie and temple of Ierusalem. And also for the bytternes of his greuouse paines / and of the most shamefull dethe / that by the vertue of his godhed, he knewe be∣fore, that he shulde suffre it afterwarde. And therefore he sayde:

Tristis est anima mea vs{que} ad mortem.* 1.9 My soule is heuye vnto the dethe / that is. My heuynes is so intense and so greate, that yf it were any more: dethe shuld folow. Or els, My heuines is such, that it shall nat cea••se or leue me vnto the dethe. And note how he sayeth, vnto the dethe / and nat thus, My soule is heuye for my dethe. For he toke this sorowe and heuynes wylfully for thobedi∣ence of his father,* 1.10 and saluacion of mankynde. And here Si∣mon de Cassia noteth a good lesson / that it is moche profitable to preuent heuynes by heuynes / that is, eternall payn and heuines, by temporall heuynes. This heuynes in Christe dyd excede all the sorowes and heuynesses of all the men of this worlde / for he suffred for all the synnes of all mankynde.* 1.11 And therfore he sayeth by the prophete: My god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me? This is the cause. The wordes of my synnes hathe put me tarre from my helthe and conforte.* 1.12 Heuynes is than (for a truthe) a laudable & commendable passion (as saynt Austyn sayeth) whan it procedeth of a ryght loue or good cause. As whan a man is he∣uy for his owne synnes, or for the synnes of other persones.

Also heuynes is taken profitably,* 1.13 whan it is taken for the satis∣faction of our synnes. And therefore saynt Paule sayeth: Que se∣cundum deum est tristitia: penitētiam in salutem stabilem operatur. That heuynes whiche is accordynge to the wyll of god: doeth worke penaunce into our stable and sure helthe. And therefore Christe, to do satisfaction for the synnes of all men: toke vppon hym the moost heuynes that might be / and yet it excedyd nat the order and rule of ryght reason. Also he suffered payne in his bo∣dy for the synnes of all mankynde. Whiche payne and sorow exce∣dyd the sorowes of euery person contrite. And no maruell that his sorow was so greate / for it procedyd of a more depe or inwarde knowledge and wysdom / and also of a more perfyte charitie and loue, than the sorowe of any otherman. And these be the causes whereby the sorow of contricion is encreased. Also he suffered & sorowed for all our synnes / as the prophete sayeth: Vere dolores nostros ipse portauit.* 1.14 Truely he bare oure sorowes, and suffered for vs. Also Christe toke all the causes of our heuines / and ther∣fore his heuynes and sorow was the moost. It foloweth in the texte:* 1.15 Vigilate et orate ne intretis in temptationem. He sayd vnto his thre disciples whom he founde slepynge, watche and praye: that ye be nat ouercum by temptacion. He watcheth, that doeth good werkes, and that kepeth hym selfe diligently that he fall nat into any heresy or derke and erroniouse opinion. Spirius quidē

promptus est, caro autem infirma. The spyryte is prompte and re∣dy to do well and to promise great thynges / but the flesshe is in∣fyrme & fraile to do good, or to suffre payne. And Christe spake this for the proude folysshe persons whiche thynke that they may do what so euer they wyll.* 1.16 And hereunto saynte Hierom sayeth: As moche as we trust of the feruour and redynes of our mynde & spyryte: so moche we shulde feare of the infirmitie and frailtie of our flesshe.* 1.17 It foloweth: Et positis genibus orabat dicens: Pater si vis: transfer calicem istum a me. Iesus knelynge, prayed to his father / sayenge: Father, yf thou wylte: thou may take this payn and passion from me. Our lorde here prayed after his sensuall wyll, to that that the reason of Christ dyd here expresse the affect and desyre of his sensualitie as the aduocate of sensualitie for this tyme. And therefore whan he added in his prayer: Verumtamen non mea voluntas, sed tua fiat. This nat withstandyng, thy wyll be fulfylled / and nat myne: He dyd expresse that this affection in hym was subdued to ryght reason / that is, to his reasonable and godly wyll / by the whiche he wolde the same thynge that god his father wolde / from whom by this wyll, he was nat diuided.

It foloweth:* 1.18 Et cum surrexisset ab oratione et venisset ad discipu∣los suos: inuenit eos dormientes. And whan he rose from his pray∣er and cam to his disciples: he founde them slepynge. This cor∣porall slepe was a fygure & sygne of the slepe of infidelitie / wher∣with they shulde be shortely greued and oppressed. Peraduen∣ture sum person may maruell how that they myght slepe, heryng of the dethe of theyr maister Christe? We may answere thus.

They were very heuy for his dethe / and heuines wyll induce and moue a man to slepe. Also it was than well forwarde in y^e night. And thoughe they all dyd slepe: yet he blamed Petre rather than the other. Fyrst, for bycause he boosted and sayde, Though all other forsake the: I wyl neuer forsake the. Therfore he was wor¦thy more to be rebuked. Also bycause he was the capitayne and chefe of thapostles / and therfore Christ rebuked hym for them all / saynge to Peter thus:* 1.19 Sic? non potuisti vna hora vigilare mecum? What Petre? mayst thou nat watche one houre with me? As yf he had sayd, How wylt thou dye with me, that canst nat watche one houre with me? And in that that he sayeth, one hour: he sig∣nifieth to vs, that the burden and tyme of temptacion, is very shorte in the respecte of the remuneracion or rewarde in glory.

And note, how that Christe dyd pray thre tymes one and the same prayer / and after euery tyme he cam to his disciples, and founde

them slepynge. He dyd thryse pray the same prayer: to signifie to vs (as saynt Bernarde sayeth) that we shulde dyrect all our pray∣ers to the father, to the sonne, & to the holy goost, that we might haue spirituall strength of the father, wysdom of the sonne, and a good wyll, of the holy goost. Or therefore he prayed thryse, that we shuld excercise the thre powers of our soule in prayer / that is, that our reasonable power shulde be diligent in meditacion / our affection and concupiscible power, shulde be feruent in desy∣rynge / and our wrathfull power shulde be stronge in auoydynge all euyll. Christe also, after euery tyme of his prayer, cam to his disciples, and founde them slepynge. At the fyrst tyme, he rebu∣ked them, as we sayd before. At the seconde tyme, he suffred thē. And at the thyrde tyme, he commaunded them to slepe / sayenge: Dormite iam, et requiescite. Slepe now, & rest. And this was to signifie thre maner of slepys. And that the fyrste, whiche is the slepe of synne, correspondynge to the fyrst slepe of the disciples: is to be reproued. The seconde, that is naturall slepe: is tol∣lerable, and to be suffered. And the thyrde, whiche is the slepe of contemplacion and glory: is to be desyred of all people.

¶Here foloweth a lesson or instruction.

OF this artycle we may take this lesson / that whan we wolde pray deuoutly: that we shuld go to sum secret place from the noise or cumpany of men. Al∣so that we commyt all our tribulacions, heuynes, paynes, and infirmities vnto the wyll of god, as Christe dyd after his prayer / thoughe it so be y^t we praye and desyre to be delyuered from theym, as Christe dyd: yet let vs submyt our wyll to the wyll of god. Also let vs put all our tribulacions and paynes, as it were into the herte of Christe: de∣syrynge and prayenge hym that he wolde performe and make our pacience perfite in the vnion of his passion / and so offer them to y^e laude and glorye of his father. For hereby oure tribulacions and paynes shall be greately dignified. For as the passion of Christe brought great fruite and conforte bothe in heuyn and in erthe: so our paynes and tribulacions, what so euer they be, yf they be in the foresayde maner commytted and commendyd in the vnion of Christes passion: they shall be so frutyfull, that they shall bryng ioye, to the aungels in heuyn / meryte, to the good persones ly∣uynge in erthe / forgyuenes, to the synners / and great refresshyng

and conforte, to the soules in purgatorye. And this is bycause Christe reputeth and accompteth all thynges done to any of his seruauntes, whether it be good or euyll: as done to hym selfe.

And therefore he sayeth in the gospell:* 1.20 Quod vni ex minimis meis fecistis: mihi fecistis. What so euer ye haue done to one of the leest of myne: ye haue done it to me. And in an other place he sayd to his disciples:* 1.21 Qui vos recipit: me recipit, et qui vos spernit: me spernit. He that receiueth you: receiueth me / and he that dispiseth you: dispiseth me. And so our sauiour Christ taketh all our pai∣nes and tribulacions committed to hym (as I sayd before) as his owne / and o••••rech them to his father as his owne with lyke effect and fruite, as is sayd before. Therefore euery good and fayth∣full person ought moche to ioye in his tribulacions and paynes. For what so euer he suffre: Christe doeth confesse that he suffreth the same in hym and with hym.

¶A prayer.

O Lorde Iesus Christe, sonne of the lyuynge god, whiche at mydnyght thy passion drawynge nygh, wolde take vpon the, feare & heuynes for me moost wretchyd synner: graunt me continually & fayth∣fully to referre all my tribubulacions, heuynes, & paines vnto the, the god of my hert / & y^t thou wolde vouchesafe to bere them with me in the vnion of thy passion and heuynes. That so by the merites of thy moost holy passion, they myght be made to me fruitfull and profitable. Amen.

¶Of the blody swet of Christe. The seconde article.

THe seconde artycle is the flowynge of the bloode of Christe into the erthe by the maner of swet, or of the blody swet of Christe, flowynge from his bodye into the erthe. For the seconde tyme that Christ prayed: for anguysshe he swet blood / and the aungell, descendynge from he∣uyn: a••••ered to hym and conforted hym. It foloweth therfore in th•• gospell:* 1.22 Factus in agonia prolixius orabat et factus est sudor eius sicut gutte sanguinis decurrentis in terram. Christe was in a great agony / and therfore he prolonged his prayer. And in this prayer for his great agony: his swet was as droppes of bloode runnynge downe from his body into the erthe. Here do our doc∣tours

say, that whan our lorde Iesus Christe dyd so prolong his prayer: his most holy hert was greatly enflamed / & so cōsequent∣ly all his hole body most holy & most innocent. In so moche, that thrughe that greate feruour of prayer, and his excessyue loue and moost feruent desyre that he had to suffre and to dye for our helth. And of the other parte, thrugh the vehement angwyssh and ago∣ny that he had in his manhode in the remembraunce of his moost greuouse paynes and shamefull dethe that he shulde suffre / and thrugh the stronge reluctacion and stryuynge of sensualitie, na∣turally abhorrynge that dethe, and therfore myghtely fyghtynge agaynst it: for these causes (I say) the poorys of his body were open, and so flowed out the blood for his swet. That vehement angwysshe and excessyue loue constreyned the bloode to cum out of the vaynes agaynst nature (as Bede sayeth) in so moche that many droppes of blood ranne downe by his clothes and fell vpon the erthe.* 1.23 The loue of god in the herte of Christe, dyd ouercum in that agony his natural feare and the feare of his manhode / and so the bloode of Christe so quyckened and conforted by this loue: was styrred and moued, as yf it wolde haue cum all furthe of the body at that tyme, thrugh that excessyue loue / as yf he wolde nat or might nat haue abyden the tyme of his dethe appointed whan all that blood shulde be vtterly sheddyd. And so (I say) thrughe this vehement loue: the droppes of blood dyd issue and fall from the vaynes of his body. And as the inwarde cause of swet (after naturall phisiciens) is the naturall hete, dissoluynge that is hote and moyst in the bodye: so the supernaturall cause of this bloody swet myght be the feruent hete and burnynge of his excessyue loue redowndyng from the herte of Christe into al his hole body there dissoluynge the vaporouse moisture. Phisiciens also say, that it is possible that a man may swet naturally thrugh the vehemēce of loue. In lyke maner, as our doctours say, Christe swet blood aboue nature thrugh his vehement feruour of charitie / for thā the more he approched to his dethe: the more he burned in loue for the feruente desyre of our helthe. O, how bytter and paynefull was this dethe of Christe in it selfe: sythe the onely imaginacion therof dyd so greatly chaunge thorder of nature: for it drew from all the partes of his bodye, droppes of bloode: as yf he had swet / whiche blody swet shulde signifie and note to vs the helthe of his misticall body / that is, the catholicall chyrch. Hereto sayth saint Bernarde: By the erthe moisted with the bloody swet of Christ: is signified that erthely men shulde be redemyd by the bloode of

Christe. By the whiche blood also he shulde reduce vnto lyfe, all the worlde ded in synne. Woo be to that wretchyd hert, that wyll nat be moisted and made softe with this blood or swet. Beholde thou wretche the great tribulacion of this most mylde, gentyll, & louynge herte, in what angwyssh it was: whan all his bodye on euery parte swet blood. O thou my stony herte, quake and trem∣ble, and breke in pecys, and moyst thyne iyen with blody teres / for as thou mayst se, thy creatour and maker is all wet in bloode for the / and that with suche plenty: that it ranne downe vpon the erthe. And surely, his body outwardly wolde neuer haue bene so wet with bloode: yf his herte inwardly had nat ben broken with sorowe and heuynesse. Therefore the prophete sayeth in the persone of Christe:* 1.24 Contritum est cor meum in meipso. My herte is broken within me. The herte of our mooste louynge Iesus thus inwardly broken or cut: the outwarde skynne also was bro∣ken / so that his blood myght abundantly flow out vpon the erthe. And this bloody swette was very naturall and true bloode of the moost purest body of Christe. But as we sayd before, it was nat shed naturally / for it is agaynst nature, to swet blood. (∵) (∴)

¶Doctrines or holsom lessons.

IN this artycle we may take thre holsum and profy∣table lessons. Fyrste, by the apparicion of the aun∣gell. &c. We be enfourmed that the holy aungelles of god do assyst vs and also conforte vs in our pray∣ers.* 1.25 Hereunto sayeth the prophete Dauyd: Pre∣uenerunt principes coniuncti psallentibus. The prynces or holy aungelles do preuent them that prayse god or praye to hym with theyr helpe, and also be ioyned vnto them in theyr praysynges.

And in an other place he sayeth:* 1.26 In conspectu angelorum psallam tibi. I shall synge to the, or prayse the lorde, in the syghte or cum∣paignie of aungelles. The seconde lesson. In that that oure lorde in his age went vnto prayer, & also continued longer tyme in the same: we be instructe in all oure trouble or necessytye: to runne vnto prayer. And the more that oure necessytye is: the more to continue our prayer. The thyrde doctrine, is taken of this pryncypall article / & is this / that in our prayer we shuld be so

feruent and intent thereunto, that thrugh the vehemence of our intencion and feruour of our deuocion: we shuld swet as it were bloode, by conformynge our selfe to the passion of Christe, & by the feruour of our loue vnto god.* 1.27 Hereunto sayeth the glose, Ad Romanos. 8. That that charitie whiche is in vs by the grace of the holy goost: that same doeth mourne / that same charitie doeth pray for vs. And agaynst this charitie, he that gaue it: can nat shyt his eares. Moreouer that charitie doeth mourne and pray, vnto it droppe blood. And that is, whan deuocion is so feruently kyndeled in the herte: that for the loue of god (yf nede requyred) he wolde nat be afrayd to shed his blood. And therefore pray ye deuoutly and hertely in the maner folowyng / or in any other lyke maner after your deuocion.

¶A prayer.

O Lorde Iesu Christe, sonne of the lyuynge god, whiche in thy long prayer wolde be conforted of the aungell / and in thy agony swet meruelously droppes of blood: graūt to me by the vertue of thy prayer, that thy hooly aungell myghte euer assyst me in my prayer, and conforte me / that I restynge in the swete remembraunce of thy moost bytter passion: myght de∣uoutly swet the droppes of teares for thy bloode in thy syghte and knowledge. Amen.

¶Of the vendition or sellynge of our lorde. The thyrde article. ❧

THe thyrde article is the sellynge of our lorde. Whiche sellynge, though it began and was promysed before the other two articles that we haue spoken of: as whā Iudas went to the prynces of the preestes / sayenge to them: What wyll ye giue to me, and I shal gyue hym in to your handes? Whiche was done vpon the wednysday as we sayd before in the fyrst part of this boke.* 1.28 At whiche tyme this con∣tracte was than begun & promysed.* 1.29 As saynt Luke sayeth: Pacti sunt ei pecuniam dare, et ipse Iudas spopondit. The Iues dyd couenaunde and promise to gyue hym money / and Iudas promi∣sed to fulfyll his sayenge. Though (I say) this sellynge was be∣gun vppon the wednysdaye: yet it was nat perfourmed vnto the tyme that Iudas went from our lorde and his apostles after sup∣per vppon the thurseday in the night, vnto the prynces of the Iu∣es, and there receyued his money / that is, thyrty pennys of syl∣uer /

and so was that sellynge perfourmed / and this article appe∣red in effecte. And it is conuenient that this sellynge be num∣bred amonges the poyntes of Christes passion: for therby he suf∣fered great dispisynge. What is nat a great rebuke & dispisynge to Christe, that he whiche is moost noble and good, and of infi∣nite goodnes, in whom be all treasures of wysdom & knowledge hyd / whiche is also lorde of all lordes, and kynge aboue all kyn∣ges: to be estemed and solde for so vyle a pryce? Also the sorow of Christe was moche encreased, in that that he was solde so vile∣ly of his owne disciple / of one of those twelue whom he dyd chose singulerly amonges all the world to be his apostels and messan∣gers. And of this the prophet greatly complaineth in the person of Christe,* 1.30 sayenge: Si inimicus meus maledixisset mihi: sustinu∣issem vti{que}. Yf myne enemye had dyspysed me: I shulde quietely haue suffered and borne it.* 1.31 And in an other psalme: Etenim ho∣mo pacis mee in quo speraui qui edebat panes meos magnificauit su∣per me supplantationem. O, or truely the man of my peace (that pretendyd loue and peace to me) in whom I trusted / (for he kept all the mony that we had for the necessities of me & myn apostles / and also for to releue the pore people) whiche eat my bread & meat (sat at the meat with me) This man (and pretense frende I say) hathe magnyfyed agaynste me his supplantacion / his pryuye and mooste craftye treason. He craftely and deceytefully hathe trayterously betrayed me and solde me. O vnwyse and moost wretchyd and vnhappy marchaunt / who hath lerned or taughte the suche marchaundyse: that thou shouldest put the pryce of thy marchaundyse to the wyll of the byers / that the byer shulde make the pryce thereof. Whan a thynge is folde (yf it be thoughte precyouse, or of any greate valoure: the marchaunte that sellyth it, wyll nat put the pryce of the same in the arbytremente or wyll of the byer, that he shulde make the pryce at his pleasure. But yf the seller or marchaunt set lytle or nought by the thyng that he selleth: than he regardeth nat yf the byer make the pryce. And so dyd Iudas, whan he solde our sauioure Iesu Christe. For he sayd to the Iues: Quid vultis mihi dare, et ego eum vobis tradam? What wyll ye gyue to me, and I shall betray hym and gyue hym into your handes and power. As yf he sayd: Make what pryce ye wyll: and I shall fulfyll your wyll. O moost wycked cruel∣tie. O moost craftye wyckednes. The creature sellyth his crea∣toure and maker. The dyscyple, his mayster / the seruaunte, his lorde / the famylyar, his moost dere frende. There be many

now a dayes lyke vnto Iudas / which wyl sell & forsake iustice for temporall lucre / & so they sell god, that is very iustice. So do all they that commyt symony / which sell the grace of god, or y^e sacra∣mentes of the chyrche / or els spirituall thynges: for temporall thinges. As thoo prelates & iudges that sell the true & iust sentēce / that is, whiche wyll nat gyue the iust & true sentence without re∣wardes. Also thoo religiouse persons & prestes y^t wyll nat pray, say masse, or ministre the sacramentes without money. All these with suche other, be lyke vnto Iudas / & say with hym (though nat in wordes, yet in dedes) what wyl ye gyue to me: & I shal betray Christ & gyue hym to you?* 1.32 Of these maner of persons, it is wry∣ten by the Prophete Micheas: Principes eius in muneribus iudi∣cabant, et sacerdotes eius in mercede docebant. The prynces and iudges dyd iudge for gyftes / & the prestes taught for rewardes.

And note that the syn of simony is nat onely in the seller: but also in the byer or receyuer. And so nat onely Iudas dyd synne in the sellyng of Christe: but also the Iues in byeng of hym. That per∣son doeth bye Christe of me, which gyuyng to me any temporall thyng: taketh Christ frō me. As yf a flaterer wold falsly cōmende & praise me, where as I am nat worthy / by the whiche laude and prayse, my hert is exalted in pryde: he taketh Christ fro me / & I, consentynge to y^t praise: do sell & betray Christe for a lytle vayne glory or prayse. In lyke maner, a man gyuynge to me money or any other thynge so mouyng me to mortall synne: he wolde take Christe from me. And I consentynge to the same: do betray & sell Christe. And yet neither he by his byenge may reteyne and kepe Christe / neither I with my sellynge, may kepe Christe with my selfe, nor with the byer. And so neither Iudas nor the Iues had Christe to theyr saluacion / but by that bargayne he was purcha∣sed and gotten to vs christians that truely serue Christe. Many people in the remembraūce of this sellyng, that was made on the wednisday: do fast or absteyn frō flesshe for the loue of Christe.

¶Two doctrynes or holsom lessons.

THe fyrst lesson is, that we shulde be well ware that we neuer commytt so abhomynable syn / that is, to sell our lorde / as to bere false wytnes for rewardes or gyftes / or in iudgement to denye the truthe / that is, to selle Christe, whiche is verye Iustice and truthe. And generally to speke: that we neuer sell

spirituall thynges for temporall lucre. The seconde doctrine is, that we paciently suffre to be solde, dispised and set at nought for the loue and laude of god / sayenge with the prophete.* 1.33 Quoni∣am propter te sustinui obprobrium. I haue suffered & borne rebuke for the good lorde. In consyderynge this article: let a man re∣membre his owne vylenes / and whether he hathe solde Christe, omyttynge or brekyng his commaundementes for any temporall thynge or vayne loue. Remembre also how that whan he hath solde Christe: he hathe recouered and gotten hym agayne freely of the mere goodnes of god. Remembre furthermore, y^t Christe is yet to be boughte / and that is with charitie or good werkes.

Therfore bye thou hym with almes. And yf thou haue no money or goodes to gyue: gyue to hym than thy hert / for y^t is the thynge whiche he loueth and desyreth aboue all the thynges in the world / and therfore he sayeth by the wyse man:* 1.34 Fili prebe mihi cor tuum. Son, gyue to me thy hert / and yf thou loue me: I wyll loue the. And than pray thus as foloweth.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu, whiche woldest be set at nought, and solde of one of thy disciples for a vyle pryce: graunte to me that I neuer chaunge the my god and creatour for any transitory thynges / and also that I may paciently bere al rebukes and dispisynges for the glory of thy holy name. Amen.

¶Of the betrayenge of our lorde. The .iiii. article.

THe .iiii. article is, of the treason of Iudas / how trayterously he betrayed our lorde. Whan the vendition or sellyng was consumate and put in effect. In the mean tyme our lorde beynge in his prayers, and than thryse cummynge to his dis∣ciples:* 1.35 at the last tyme he said to them: Surgite, eamus, ecce appropinquauit qui me tradet. Arise, go we / he that shall betray me, is nigh at hande. In these fewe wordes, our lord doeth fyrst enfourme vs to spede vs to spirituall battell or temptacion, in this worde aryse. Secondly he moueth vs to profyte in good werkes, in this worde, go we. Thyrdely, in the other wordes folowynge: he moueth vs to awayte at all tymes and houres for temptacion / for our enemies be euer redye to tempte vs.* 1.36 It foloweth in the gospell: Et adhuc eo loquente.

Ecce Iudas vnus de duodecim cum accepisset cohortem venit. &c.* 1.37 Our sauyour Christe, yet spekynge to his disciples: Loo, Iu∣das, one of the .xii. apostles of Christ, after that he had taken his money and a great cumpany of souldiers (to the numbre of fyue hundreth, as Papias sayeth) he cam, & with hym a great numbre of people with lanternes and burnynge brondes / with armour, swerdes, battes, and clubbes, sent from the prynces of the prestes and pharisies from the scrybes and the seignours of the people.

Wherof saint Austin sayeth:* 1.38 What shulde suche a great people do to seche one person? What shulde tho armed men do, to seche one man without armour or weapon? What shulde they seche hym in the nyghte, that was dayly teachynge, and that openly in theyr temple?* 1.39 This acte was fygured in the fyrst boke of the kynges / where as Saule toke thre thousande armed men to seche for Da∣uyd.* 1.40 And note here (as maister Lira sayeth) that Iudas dyd arme and defende hym selfe fyrst with a great cumpany / stronge, and of auctoritie / and that was agaynste the multitude of the co∣mon people, that they shulde nat let hym in his purpose. Se∣condly, he cam with great lyghtes / that Christe shulde nat escape from hym in the darkenes of the nyght. And thyrdly, he defen∣dyd hym selfe with armour / that yf any body wolde resyst theym: they wolde defende them selfe, & also put the other people a backe. And Iudas that promysed to betraye Christe: gaue to his cum∣pany a pryuy token or sygne / sayenge: Quemcum{que} osculatus fue∣ro,* 1.41 ipse est: tenete eum et ducite caute. Whom so euer I kisse: that same is Christe. (This he spake, that they shuld nat take Iames the lesse for Christe / for he was very lyke in face vnto Christe). And furthermore Iudas sayd / whom I kysse: holde hym, and lede hym warely. For sum of theym thoughte that he wroughte by nygromancie or wytchecrafte.* 1.42 For they sayd an other tyme of hym / that he caste oute deuylles in the power of Beelzebub, the prynce of the deuylles.* 1.43 It foloweth in the gospell of saynte Iohn̄: Sciens Iesus omnia que ventura erant super eum processit. Iesus knowynge all thynges and aduentures that shulde cum vnto hym: wente towardes theym and met with theym, that all men myght know that he was taken voluntarilie with his owne wyll. And anon Iudas approchynge towardes hym, sayde: Aue rabi.* 1.44 Hayle mayster. Et appropinquauit vt oscularetur eum. Iudas drewe nygh,* 1.45 to the intente that he myght kysse Christe / and so he dyd. In this poynt there be thre thynges expressed:

that made this betrayenge moche paynefull or sorowfull vnto Christe. One is, that it was done by one of his owne disci∣ples. The seconde is, that he so falsely and trayterousely be∣trayed Christe with the sygne or token of peace,* 1.46 and kysse of loue or frendeshyppe. Of the whiche saynt Ambrose sayeth: O Iu∣das, thou woundest thy mayster & lorde with the token or pledge of loue / and thou bryngest hym to dethe with the kysse of familia∣ritie and frendeshyppe. The thyrde, was nat lesse paynefull, that the false traytoure with his stynkynge mouthe durst touche or kysse that mooste louely and mellifluouse mouthe of Christe, the eterne sonne of god. If it be paynefull to a man to kysse the mouthe of hym that hathe a stynkynge brethe: how moche more was it than paynefull to oure fauyour Christe, to take a kysse of that mooste synfull and stynkynge mouthe of Iudas / whose herte was replenysshed with the deuyll and all wyckednes. And than Iesus sayde vnto hym:* 1.47 Iuda, osculo filium hominis tradis▪ Iudas, wylte thou betraye the sonne of a vyrgyn, thy mayster vnto the dethe with a kysse or token of peace? All traytours vn∣to truthe, feynynge the truthe: do vse this same token of frende∣shyppe, a kysse.* 1.48 Also Christe sayde vnto Iudas: Amice, ad quid venisti? Frende, for what intente cummest thou? He called Iudas frende, onely to rebuke hym for his false dissimu∣lacion. I do nat remembre that this worde Amice in the voca∣tyfe case: that is, O frende: is spoken to any one good persone / but to euyll persones, it is dyuerse and many tymes spoken.

As is sayde in the gospell of saynte Mathew:* 1.49 Amice, quomodo huc intrasti?. &c. O frende, how dyddest thou entre vnto this feaste, nat hauynge a conuenient garment? And also in an other place is sayde thus:* 1.50 Amice, non facso tibi iniuriam. O frende, I do vnto the non iniurie or wronge. And here now at this tyme. O frende, wherefore cummest thou? As he myghte say: Thou kyssest me, to the ende to betraye me vnto the dethe. To gyue a kysse: it is a sygne or token of a frende / but thou cum∣mest nat therefore, ne to that intente. And nat withstandynge that thou haste done cruelly and trayterously agaynste me: yet retourne to me, and I shall gladly receyue the, as a frende to the. And so wolde Christe haue don (after all doctours) yf he had re∣tourned and bene sorye for his synne and wretchydnes. But he was so indurate and so obstinate of herte, that none of all these thynges coulde call or reuoke hym agayne, or make hym to leue his false and trayterouse purpose / and so he kyssed hym.

A fygure herof we haue in y^e seconde boke of kynges.* 1.51 Where as y^e the false traytoure Ioab toke his cosyn Anasa by the chynne / kys∣synge hym, and sayenge Salue mi frater. Haile my brother / and so slew hym with that worde. Our lorde called Iudas by his pro∣pre name, to the intent to prouoke hym to grace, and nat to mys∣chief / but he wolde nat receyue grace. O thou innocent lambe Iesu, what doest thou in cumpany with that wolfe Iudas, that wyll deuoure the. Morally, Iudas betokeneth the worlde / whiche doeth smyle or laugh vpon vs: whan he gyueth to vs ry∣ches at our pleasure. Than he kisseth vs: whan he gyueth to vs solace and worldly pleasure. But than doeth he halse vs: whan he gyueth to vs honours and dignities. And in all these he deceiueth vs, and betrayeth vs into eternall dethe. As witnesseth Iob, say∣enge: Ducunt in bonis dies suos:* 1.52 et in pūcto ad inferna descēdunt. These worldly people lede theyr lyfe here in pleasure: and in an instant they descende downe to hell.

¶Here foloweth two lessons.

THe fyrst lesson. Who so euer fayneth to loue his neigh∣bour, and secretly worketh euyll agaynst hym: he be∣trayeth his neighboure. Whiche false dissimulacion: our lorde taketh as done to hym selfe / for so he sayeth: What so euer ye do to one of my leest seruauntes:* 1.53 I take it as done to my selfe. The seconde is, that we shulde nat hate our aduersaries: but louyngly and charitably correcte theym / as Christe dyd Iudas.

¶A Prayer.

O Iesu that suffered thy selfe to be betrayed by a kysse of Iu∣das: graunt to me that I neuer betray the in my selfe, nor in my neighbour. And also, that I neuer deny to myne aduersa∣ries thoffice of loue / that is, charitie / to loue them, and to correct them with charitie. Amen.

¶Of the takynge of Christe. The .v. article.

THe .v. article, is the takyng of Christe. Which was done in this maner. What tyme the wycked Iudas had kyssed our lorde / Iesus knowynge what shuld cum vppon hym self: went vnto the cumpanye of the souldiers & of the Iues that cam with Iudas, & sayd vnto them:* 1.54 Quem queritis?. &c. Whom seche

you? And they sayd, Iesus of Nazareth. And Iesus sayd to thē, I am. At whiche worde, they went backewarde, and so fell vnto the grounde backewarde. And here note that they that fall backe∣warde: do nat se where they fall. Signifienge thereby, that they fall from grace,* 1.55 into synne / from god, vnto the deuyll / from he∣uym, into hell. And here also saynte Austyn sayeth: Yf he that cam to be iudged, caste his aduersaries downe with one worde: what shall he do whan he shall cum to iudge all the worlde? Yf he dyd thus whan he came to dye: what shall he doo to his enemies whan he shall cum with great power & maiestie to reigne in glo∣ry for euer? Surely he shall than cast his enemies backeward in∣to euerlastynge paynes with this terryble worde:* 1.56 Go ye cursed in to euerlastynge fyre. And whan his aduersaries the Iues were rysen agayne, Iesus sayd / agayne vnto them: whom seche you? whom wolde ye haue? And they aunswered, Iesus of Na∣zareth. Here was a meruelouse thynge / they knewe hym nat / nor yet his owne disciple Iudas whiche cam to betray hym. And this is as great a signe or token that may be: that he was nat taken, but at his owne wyll / and therefore he gaue theym licence to take hym,* 1.57 whā he sayd: Si ergo me queritis: sinite hos abire. Yf ye seche me, or wolde haue me: suffre these that be with me, to departe without hurte or trouble. Our lord was diligent to helpe his dis∣ciples, that they shulde nat be taken / that his wordes whiche he sayd the same nyght after supper:* 1.58 shuld be true / that is: Quos de∣disti mihi:* 1.59 non perdidi ex eis quem{quam}. Father, I haue nat lost any of them, whom thou haste gyuen to me. And so his disciples esca∣ped thrugh the goodnes and power of Christe / that afterwarde by them myght be shewed the worde of helth, the gospell of Christe, thrughout the hole worlde. The disciples of Christe, seynge and perceyuyng what was lyke to cum to theyr maister Christe, sayd vnto Christe:* 1.60 Domine si percutimus gladio. Maister, shall we smyte with the swerde?* 1.61 Petre beynge hasty, and nat abydynge the aunswere of our lorde: drew out his swerde, and smote at one of the bysshop seruauntes called Malchus / and cut of his ryghte eare.* 1.62 To signifie (as Origene sayeth) that thoughe it be sene or thought that they here the law of god:* 1.63 that is onely with the lefte eare / for they onely here the shadow and the lettre of the law: and nat the truthe and misterie therof. Also Petre that cut of this right eare: may signifie to vs the faithfull people of the gentiles / the whiche in that that they beleuyd in Christe: were the cause by occasion, that the ryght herynge of the Iues was cut away. But

yet that same ryght eare was restored agayne by the goodnes of god,* 1.64 vnto those Iues that beleuyd in Christe / and therefore he touched the eare of that seruant: and cured hym / shewynge there in dede,* 1.65 that whiche he taught before / sayenge: Bene facite his qui oderunt vos. Do good to them that hate you. And this he dyd as well for the conuersion of the people that were there presente, or that shulde here thereof: as for our instruction. He cured hym, that shortely after shulde buffet hym and smyte hym / for oure ex∣ample / that we shulde do good agaynst euyll.* 1.66 And hereof say∣eth Bede:* 1.67 Our mercifull lorde wyll neuer forget his pitie / which also wolde nat suffre his enemies to be wounded. And therefore he sayd to Petre and his disciples:* 1.68 Sinite vs{que} adhuc. Suffre yet. As yf he had sayd: Suffre the Iues to cum and take me. Who so euer taketh the swerde and smyteth without auctoritie: they shal peryssh with the swerde. In these wordes also he thretened & mo∣nisshed the people / whiche had no auctoritie to slee hym. He sayd furthermore to Petre:* 1.69 An putas quia non possum rogare patrē me∣um, &c. Thynkest thou that I may nat desyre my father for helpe yf I wold / & he wolde sende to my helpe aboue .xii. legions of aū∣gelles.* 1.70 Euery legion conteineth .vi.M.vi.C.lx.vi. Wyl nat thou that I shuld be obedient to my father, & drynke of the cuppe / that is, to suffre payne & dethe / the which my father wyll that I shuld drynke or suffre / Yf nat, how shall the scriptures be fulfylled, that sayeth, that these thynges must be done? Therefore now set all vengeaunce a parte / and let vs be pacient. And than our lorde sayd to the people that cam to take hym:* 1.71 Tan{quam} ad latronem existis cum gladiis et fustibus comprehendere me. Ye cum with swordes & clubbes, to take me as yf I were a thefe. As yf he sayde: Why do ye nat cum to take me quyetly and without suche violence / for I was dayly in your temple amonges you teachynge. Yf ye wolde haue had me: ye myght than haue taken me quietly at your plea∣sure. But this is your hour and tyme graunted vnto you to take me. This is the power of the prynce of darkenes, that hath styr∣red you to do thus. O what myldenes was in our sauioure Ie∣su Christe / that so gentylly spake vnto his aduersaries / and so lo∣uyngely rebuked theym, to swage theyr malyce and iniquitie / and also to moue vs to folowe his benignitie and gentylnes.

This nat withstandynge, the souldyers and the mynysters of the Iues layd vyolent handes vppon our lorde Iesu, and so toke hym. And though he was taken of his owne free wyll: yet that captiuitie and takynge was moche paynefull to hym.

For sythe it is paynfull to euery man that is put in captiuitie / for as moche as thereby his libertie is taken from hym, and he put in to thraldome / his libertie (I say) is taken from hym / as well the libertie of condicion, as of operacion and werkynge. The li∣bertie of condicion is taken from hym. For after the Ciuile law: he is in bondage and thraldome. Also his libertie of operacion is taken from hym. For he that is so taken, can nat werke & do what he wyll: but as it shall please hym that hath hym in captiuitie.

For these causes (as ye may perceyue) it is moche paynefull for a man to be put in captiuitie: moche more than it was paynefull to our lord Iesu (whiche is the lorde and maker of heuyn and erth / and whom heuyn or erth can nat comprehende nor take) to be ta∣ken and holden in captiuitie with the violent handes of so cruell persones. And in this acte was verified the sayenge of Dauyd / whiche said of Christe many yeres before:* 1.72 Ecce ceperunt animam meam, irruerunt in me fortes. Beholde (sayeth Christe by the pro∣phete) stronge and cruell persons hath fallen vpon me, and they haue taken me.* 1.73 And in an other psalme: Captabunt in animam iusti, et sanguinem innocentem condemnabunt, They shall take in∣to captiuitie the rightuouse person / and they shall condempne the innocent blood.* 1.74 Also the prophet Hieremie sayeth: Venatione ce∣perunt me quasi auem inimici me••. Myne enemies hath taken me with theyr huntynge, as a byrde in a snare or with an hawke.

Thus our true Ioseph (Iesus Christe) was taken of his bre∣theren and led into Egipte / that is, into angwyssh and tribulaci∣on. And so I say they toke hym and bounde hym / as we shall de∣clare in the next article.

¶A lesson.

OF this article we may take a moral lesson / that as Christ for our loue dyd suffre hym selfe wylfully to be taken of the Iues: so we for his loue shulde subdue our selfe and all our sencys vnto the obsequye and seruyce of Christe: accordynge to the sayenge of the apostle / subduynge our wyt and reason to the fayth and seruice of Christe.* 1.75

¶A prayer.

O Iesu Christe, the sonne of the lyuyng god, which wolde be wylfully taken and holden of the Iues: graunt to me that I may continually subdue all my sencys and vnder∣standynge

vnto thy seruyce / that by thy infinite goodnes, I may be delyuered from eternall dethe and captiuitie. Amen.

¶Of the byndynge of our lorde. The .vi. article.

THe syxt article, is the byndynge of our lorde. For the Iues, after that they had taken Christe: they bounde hym so harde and strayte: that (after saynt Anselme) the bloode sprange out of euery fynger ende vnder the nayles. They boūde his blessyd handes behynd hym / they cast hym downe vppon the erthe, as he before had cast them downe by his godly power. Moreouer they dyd trede vpon his brest / and spued or spytted in his face. Also they so harde boūde hym by the necke and throte: that he was nygh strangled, yf god had nat preserued hym for a tyme, that he shulde suffre more and greater paynes after this tyme. They bounde hym for thre cau∣ses. Fyrste, that he shulde nat escape theyr handes. For Iudas bad them holde hym fast, and lede hym warely. Secondely, for they intendyd to sley hym. For it was a custome amonges the Iues, that whom they iudged worthy dethe: he shulde be boūde and so presented to the president and iudge. Thyrdly, he wold be bounde for a misterie, for bycause he cam to lawse and delyuer them that were bounde with the bondes of synne, and also those that were bounde as prysoners in Limbo patrum: therefore he wolde be wylfully bounde as a thefe, thoughe he were all inno∣cent and without spot of synne. Our fyrst father Adam dyd com∣myt theft, what tyme he ate of thapple that was forbydden hym / for whose syn all mankynde was taken and holden by the deuyll as theuys. For whose satisfaction Iesus Christ wolde be taken as a thefe / though in hym selfe he be incomprehensible. Also he wolde be bounde: whiche cam to lawse them that were bounde.

And they bounde hym with thre ropes or bondes. One about his handes. The seconde, about his necke. And sum do say that that was a chayne of yron. And the thyrde, about his myddell. And these bē represented in the ornamentes of the preest at his masse.

The fyrste, by the maniple vpon his arme. The seconde, by the stole in his necke. And the thyrde by the gyrdell. O my moost dere beloued Iesu, the very true vyne. Who is he that doeth nat se and consyder the bondes wherewith this oure vyne tree was bounde? He was bounde with seuen bondes. The fyrste (sayeth saynt Bernarde) I trow, was his obedience, whereby he was

obedient to his father, vnto the death of the crosse. He dyd also o∣bey to his mother Marie, and to his father putatiue Ioseph. As saynt Luke sayth:* 1.76 Venit Nazareth: et erat subditus illis. Iesus came to Nazareth with mary and Ioseph, and was obedient to them. He was also obedient vnto the emperour, paynge tribute vnto hym.* 1.77 The second bonde was the wombe of the virgyn Ma∣rie. Hereunto the churche syngeth of our lady in a certen respond, whom the heuens coulde nat take: thou virgyn hath conteyned hym in thy wombe.* 1.78 The thyrde bonde was his cradell bondes or the cryb, wherin he was layde / as saynt Luke sayth. The .iiii. bonde was this bonde, wherwith he was bounde whan he was taken. O howe rughe and harde were these bondes of these moste cruell Iues, wherwith they bonde that most mylde lambe Iesus Christe. O good Iesu, I considre and se with the eyen of my soule, the swete lorde bounde with moost harde ropes and drawen as a thefe, to the house of the prynce of preestes. I se this good lorde, and I abhorre it, and also moche meruayle thereat, and so meruaylynge / I shulde faynte and also dye for sorowe, but that manifestly I knowe that thou was fyrste bounde in thy herte with the bondes of loue and charitie, whiche louyngly dyd drawe the to suffer gladely these outwarde bondes. The fyrste bonde was that wherwith he was fastyned to the pyllar whan he was scourged, of the whiche we shall speake hereafter. The syxte bonde, was the crowne of thornes wherewith his heed was faste bounde, as we shall declare hereafter. The seuenthe bonde were the nayles that nayled his handes and feete faste vnto the crosse.* 1.79 Or elles we may saye after saynte Birgitte in her reue∣lations, that this seuenthe bonde, was that corde and rope wher¦with they drewe his arme and his feete, so that all the ioyntes of his body were dissolued,* 1.80 for fyrste they nayled his ryghte hande and then they drewe the left hand with a rope vnto the hoole that was made before for that hande. And in lyke maner they drewe his feete, so that al his veynes and synewes brast, and all his ioyn∣tes loosed, so that a man myght nombre all his bones, as the pro∣phet Dauid sayth.* 1.81 And this payne was so great & greuous that the lyfe myght nat continue with it in any other man, but Christe preserued his lyfe vnto suche tyme it pleased hym to yelde vp his spirit into y^e handes of his father,* 1.82 & therfore he said: Potestatē ha∣beo ponēdi āam meā & nemo tollit eā a me. I haue power to gyue vp my soule at my pleasure. Also no man may take my life frō me, but I shall forsake it at my wyll, and at my wyll take it agayne.

Our sauyour Iesu thus taken and bounden, al his disciples for∣sakynge hym for feare fledde from hym, as we shall declare in the nexte article.

¶Here foloweth .iii. lessons.

THe first lesson is our lord wolde be bounde, bycause that he wold loose the bōdes of our synnes. Second∣ly he wold be bounde, for that he wolde bynde vs to hym with the bonde of charite. He is the same bonde of charitie wherwith our soule is bounden to god. He is signifyed by the reed coorde or lyne, whiche Raab tyed in the wyndowe of hyr house for a sure signe or token that she and al hyrs, shulde be saued at the destruction of Hiericho. So surely euery faythfull soule corrupte by the olde synne of Adam, and so signifyed by Raab that is comonly noted for a comen woman,* 1.83 yf this soule be regenerate by the fayth of Christ, and haue this reed corde tyed in the wyndowe of hyr inwarde house, by the whiche the lyght of god entrethe in to hyr soule, without doubte suche a soule hath a sure token of hyr health, for suche a soule is so tyed vn¦to god, and god vnto hyr: that she can nat lyghtly be separat from god. This is also the corde or rope wherwith our lord was tyed vnto the pillar, whiche without doubte was reed, for it was made reed with the holy blode of Christ.* 1.84 This is also that lyne or corde wherwith Paule was so surely fastened to Christe, that nothyng myght depart hym from Christ. Nother tribulation / ne anguish nor hungre / nor nakednes / persecution nor swerde / and shortly to speake, no creature myght departe hym from the charite of Christ The thyrde lesson is that we shuld so bynde all our membres, and specyally our tonge / with the cordes of the preceptes of god, that she shulde nat be loosed vnto any thynge contrarie to the wyll of god or his commaundementes.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche wold be bounde with the handes of wycked men. I beseche the loose the bondes of my synnes, and so bynde me to the with the bondes of thy preceptes, that ne∣uer the membres of my body, nor the powers of my soule be loosed and at lybertie to do any thynge contrarie to thy wyll. Amen.

¶Of the fleynge or departynge away of the disciples of Christe. The .vii. article.

THe .vii. article is of the departyng awaye or fleyng of the disciples of Christe. Of the whiche it is wryten in the gospel thus:* 1.85 Tunc omnes relicto eo fugerunt. Whan Iesus was taken, then all his disciples lefte hym and fled from hym. This fleynge and departyng was no lytell payne to Christe. And therfore this article is nombred with the other articles of his passion, for specyally he was sory for this maner of departynge. And of this departynge speaketh Iob in the person of Christ sayenge.* 1.86 Fratres mei elongauerunt a me et no ti mei quasi aliem recesserunt a me. My bretherne haue gone farre from me and myne aquayntance or knowen disciples as straun∣gers hath forsaken me. And in a token or remembraunce of this forsakyng: the aulters on shire thursday be bared, for all theyr or∣namentes be taken awaye, and the aulter lefte naked and bare. Christ is this aulter. and the apostles be the ornamentes, whiche fled from Christ, and left hym alone in the hādes of his enemies. Our lorde was heuy and sory of this departyng of his discyples, nat for hym selfe: but for them, that they were so sclaundered in hym. Of this sorowe saynt Ierome saythe: It is nat to be bele∣ued that this departynge was without greate anguysshe and he∣uynes of the herte of Christe, and also it was nat without greate mornynge and wepynge of the apostles. For I can nat thynke that after they se that cruell compeigney take and bynde our saui∣our Iesu theyr most louynge maister: but that they wept and said with greate sorowe. O moost benygne maystre / more swete or pleasaunte than all hoony. It is moche sorowfull to vs to se the so cruelly entreated of the malycyous Iues. Alas, we wretches, what shall we do, leauynge so gracyouse a father, we forsake all our goodes and folowe the, and nowe we perceyue for a suerty that we shalbe pryued of thy presence / and wante thy confortable wordes and dedes, for we be assured nowe that the Pharyseys wyll sley the. O howe ofte (suppose you) dyd they looke backe towardes theyr moost mercyfull mayster, seynge and beholdyng with bytter sorowe theyr lorde so cruelly ledde of the malicyouse Iues, as we shall declare in the next article.

¶Here foloweth .vi. causes of the fleyng or departynge of Christes disciples.

OF these disciples:* 1.87 the prophet speaketh in the person of our lorde sayenge: Dispersa sunt omnia ossa mea. All my boones are disperpled or deuyded, that is all my apostles, whiche / as bonys in a mannes bo∣dye shulde haue ben most stronge, and yet they are [ 1] fled and fallen. And that for .vi. causes. The fyrst cause was that the doctrine of Christe god and man, was forgo∣ten then of them,* 1.88 and therfore the prophet Dauid sayth: Factum est cor meum tan{quam} cera liquescens so medio ventris mei, My herte is made as wax meltynge in the mydle of my body, that is. My doctrine is vanysshed throughe the heete and fyer of my passyon, and that in the myddle of my bely, that is, in my apostles that be [ 2] moost nyghe vnto me. The seconde cause, was the ceasynge of myracles. Of the whiche, also it folowethe in the forsayde .xxi. psalme: Aruit tan{quam} testa virtus mea. My vertue and power is as drye as a shell. And that was bycause he suffred hym selfe to be taken, and so put to most cruell and shamefull deathe, and wolde nat helpe hym selfe and shewe his power as he had done dyuerse tymes before. But nowe he wold nat so do / & therfore his power of in shewynge of myracles semed to be consumed and dryed by the heete and fyere of hys passyon, and hereunto speakethe the prophet,* 1.89 saynge: Ibi abscondita est fortitudo eius. There was hyd his power or strength that is in his crosse or passyon. And note / that the sayde not, his power was lost, but his strength was hyd in his passyon, as we shall declare in the thyrde parte of this [ 3] treatyse in the .iiii. fruyte. The thyrde cause was the silence of Christe, for at his passyon he wolde nat speke for hym selfe. Ther∣fore saith the prophet:* 1.90 Adhesit lingua mea faucibus meis. My tong cleuyd faste to my iawes or chekes, for he wolde nat speake to his owne excuse, and therfore the prophet Esay long before this tyme sayd of hym:* 1.91 Quasi agnus coram tondente se obmutescet et non ape riet os suum. He shalbe as domme as a lambe whan he is shorne, and he shall nat open his mouthe. And this prophycie was ve∣rifyed in Christe as it is playnly wryten in the gospell:* 1.92 Et non respondit e•• ad vllum verbum, ita vt miraretur preses. Christe an∣swered nat one worde vnto Pylate, whiche meruayled moche [ 4] therof. The .iiii. cause was that they were in a maner sure of the deth of Christ, but they were in a dispeyre or mistrust of his resur¦rectiō. And therfore the {pro}phet Dauid saith in y^e person of Christ.

Et in puluerem mortis deduxisti me.* 1.93 Thou hast brought me in to asshes, or in to the dust of deth. And this he spake after the opi∣nyon of the Iues.* 1.94 As it appereth in an other psalme: Estimatus sum cum descendentibus in lacum. I am estemed and accompted by the Iues with them that descende in to the lake and pytte of eternall perdition, and neuer to retourne agayne. The .v. cause [ 5] was the crueltie of the Iues, and therfore the prophet saythe in the persone of Christe:* 1.95 Circumdederunt me canes multi. Many dogges haue compassed me, that is the Iues barkynge and by∣tynge by detraction as dogges. The .vi. cause was the congre∣gation [ 6] of euyll persones / and therfore it foloweth in the psalme: Consilium malignantium obfedit me.* 1.96 The congregation and coun¦sayle of euyll persones haue obsessed and beseaged me. and that very obstinately and fro wardely vnto my deathe. Of this com∣peigney and counsayle speaketh the prophet Dauid in an other psalme sayenge:* 1.97 Astiterunt reges terre et principes conuenerunt in vnum aduersus dominum et aduersus Christum eius. Rewlers of the worlde and princes ben cume to gyther in counsayle agaynste our lorde and agaynst his sonne Christe. And for these causes the apostles flodde and forsoke our lorde. Whereat wonderynge and meruaylynge the prophet Hieremy saythe:* 1.98 Quomodo disper si sunt lapides fanctuarij: Howe is this / that the holy stoones ben disperpled? that is the apostles of Christ whiche shulde haue ben as holy stones strong / stable & firme in the faith & loue of Christe, but they fled.* 1.99 Percutiam pasto rem et dispergentur oues gregis.* 1.100 I shall smyte or take the herde∣man, and the shepe of the flocke shalbe disperpled abrode.

Here folowethe .ii. lessons.

THe fyrste lesson is that we shulde be well ware that we [ 1] neuer flye from Christe. He flyeth from Christe, that for any feare of man / or by the temptation of the deule or by any passyon or corrupte affection forsaketh the truthe or iustice, for Christe is truth and also iustice. And generally, in euery mortal or deedly synne, a man flieth from god. The seconde lesson is this / that thoughe these persones [ 2] that seame to be our frendes or neyghbours and louers, flye from vs in the tyme of our aduersytie and necessitye, yet lette vs beare it patiently / remembrynge that the apostles fled from our sauy∣our Christe in his aduersitie and trouble.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu that dyd suffre all thyne electe and chosen disciples to flye from the: receyue thou me thy fugitiue seruaunt for thy greate vertue and omnipotent power. And suffre me nat to wandre from the, thorughe the libertie of my frowarde wi••••. Amen.

¶Of the leadynge of Christe. The .viii. article.

THe .viii. article, is of his leadynge. For after that they had taken and bounde hym, and after that his disciples fledde: the Iues led Christ towardes the house of Annas.* 1.101 As it is in the gospell of Iohn̄. And this ledynge was moche laborouse and payne∣full to Christe. Also it was rebukefull and violent. It was violent: for he was led with a great cumpanye of armed men and theyr captayne with them. It was also rebukefull to Christe, for he was led with his handes bounde as a thefe or an euyll persone.* 1.102 And so the Iues sayde to Pilate: Yf this persone (that is Christe) were nat a malifactour or an euyll doer & a mys∣lyuer: we wolde nat haue delyuered hym to thy handes and po∣wer. This ledynge was also laborouse, paynfull, and sorow∣full to hym. And that bothe to the herte inwardely, and also to the bodye outwardely. Fyrste, it was sorowfull inwardely. For where euer herde you of any man, that wolde nat be heuy in hert, and inwardly sory, to be lad with the handes of his enemies, so cruelly, with so great a cumpany of armed men, with suche and so many rebukes and reprouynges, bothe in worde and in dede, as those mooste cruell Iues dyd vnto Christe at that tyme & le∣dynge. That ledyng was also paynfull to his body. For though he wente wylfully with them: yet they drewe hym with a rope, they thrust hym & droue hym forwarde / and oft tymes they thrust hym downe and ranne ouer hym / and so drewe hym thorughe the vale of Iosaphat, from the flood or ryuer of Cedron, vp towar∣des Hierusalem / ledynge hym with great haste and violence, he goynge bare foted / and therefore they greuously hurted & woun∣ded his moost holy fete in that stony and moost harde waye. In so moche, that the steppys of his moost hooly fete were dyed and wet with blood. For cruelly those Iues (whose fete were swyfte & redy to shed the innocent blood) those Iues (I say) moost cru∣elly thrusted hym from the one parte of the waye, vnto the other parte or syde. But wherfore dyd Christe suffre all these paynes

and rebukes, but onely to cure the woundes of our fete, whiche haue gone to do many a synfull dede / and specially the woundes of our spirituall fete and inordinate affections.* 1.103 Christe ranne thrugh thornes and breres, sechynge for his shepe that was lost. He sought hym by the brood stretys and narow lanes / and so the watchemen of the citie founde hym / they smote hym, they woun∣ded hym and toke from hym his pall and garmentes. So that it may be well verified of Christ, that is wryten in the fyrst boke of Paralipomenon:* 1.104 Ex omni parte angustie me premunt. Anguyssh, troubles, & paynes oppresse me on euery part. Sum doctours don say, that what tyme the Iues led Christe towardes Hieru∣salem: thy came by the ryuer & water of Cedron, the ministres and the people went ouer the brydge / but they drew Christe boū∣den thrugh the water, so that the watre entred into his mouthe & body. At whiche tyme, what for the coldnes of the water, and al∣so for his longe prayenge in the garden or orcharde: all his body was so colde, that all his tethe dyd quyuer and shake in his hed for colde.* 1.105 Herein were fulfylled the sayenges of Dauid: Sal∣uum me fac deus quoniam intrauerunt aque vs{que} ad animam meam. Saue me my lorde god / for the waters haue entred into me.

And in an other Psalme:* 1.106 De torrente in via bibet propterea exal∣tabit caput. He shall drynke of the ryuer in the way, and therfore he shall exalte his hed. And whan they cam to Hierusalem, they dyd nat brynge hym in by the same gate that he wente furthe at, whan he went to Bethany: but by an other gate, called the gol∣den gate. And it was so called: bycause all the golde that was gyuen to Salomon, was brought in by that gate and all other thynges y^t were of great valour. By this gate also was brought in all suche sacrifices as were offered in the temple. And for as moche as Christ, whan he entred into this worlde, he cam in by the golden gate / that is by the virgyns wombe: it was conueni∣ent that whan he shulde departe from this worlde vnto his father by his dethe and passion: that he shulde goo to his dethe by this golden gate. And the Iues brought hym in by this gate: bicause there sat at that tyme many Scribes and Phariseis, for the more suretie that the comon people shulde nat take Christe from them. And one doctoure sayeth,* 1.107 that in that golden gate were grauen & painted the ymages of Patriarches & Prophetes in stone werke. And at the entryng of Christe by this gate: all thoo ymages dyd reuerently inclyne to Christe, as to theyr creatour and maker.

Also this same doctoure sayeth, that the multitude of the prestes

and scribes went with a great compaigney vnto the forsayd gate cryenge and sayenge: Beholde the these is taken, the deulisshe person, the deceyuer of the people, the breaker of the lawe, and so they cast durte and clay agaynst hym. Also it is sayd / that from the place where as they toke and bounde hym, vnto the house or palace of Annas, ware .iii. M. passys saue .xv. And here note, that Christ this day in the processe of his passyon, was .ix. tymes led from place to place, as we may playnly se in the gospelles. Fyrste as soone as he was taken and bounde,* 1.108 he was led vnto the house of Annas.* 1.109 Secondly from Annas, vnto Caiphas, Third∣ly from Caiphas,* 1.110 vnto Pylate. Fourthly from pilate, vnto He∣rode. Fyftly from Herode,* 1.111 vnto pylate agayne. Sextly the sou¦diours led him in to the courte of the comen haulle,* 1.112 motehaule or iudgement house, where as they mocked hym and put a crowne of thornes vpon his heed.* 1.113 Seuenthly Pilate led hym from that place out vnto the Iues, cladde in an olde purpure garment, and the crowne of thornes vpon his heed.* 1.114 Eyghtly / Pilate led hym from the motehaule vnto a place called Lichostratos, where as he iudged hym to be crucified.* 1.115 Neyntly / they led hym from thense vnto the mownte of Caluarie where as they dyd crucifie Christe.

¶Here foloweth a lesson.

IN diuers contreis it is a laudable custome amonges faith full christianes, that on good frydaye they go aboute from the mornynge vnto the .ix. houre of the day, that is from .vi. of the clocke vnto .iii. of the clocke at after noone, and visyte .ix. chur∣ches, in the remembraunce that Christe that day was .ix. tymes led from place to place as we sayd before. And nowe for a lesson / they that so visite .ix. churches / I wolde they remembred what Christe suffred in euery place. Fyrste what he suffred whan he was ledde to the house of Annas / and also what he suffred there. Secondly what he suffred in Caiphas house and so furth of al o∣ther, as ye shall se declared herafter in diuerses articles. And also that a man myght conforme hym selfe to this article, he shulde re∣membre how obprobriously and shamefully Christe was led lyke a thefe and a rober, and in this consideration: he shulde haue a full purpose, that he wyll, with the helpe and grace of god, be ap∣plyable to all vertue / and also to suffre / or to do all thynges that shalbe to the wyll and pleasure of god. And let hym pray as folo¦weth / or in lyke maner,* 1.116 Spiritus tuus bonus deducet me in terram rectam. Thy good spirite shall guyde and lede me in to a ryght∣ful

contrey.* 1.117 Or thus: Deduc me domine in semita mandatorum tuorum. Leade me good lorde in the pathe of thy cōmaundmen∣tes or any other prayer as god shal put in to your mynde.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche bounde as a thefe and an euyl doer, wolde be led by the armed handes of wicked men from place to place with great rebuke and shame: graunt to me that grace / that I neuer be led vnto any synne, throughe the persua∣sion of the deule / or counsaile of any wicked person, but that I may be leade by the holy spirite vnto all thynges that shalbe plea¦saunt vnto the. Amen.

How Christ was presented vnto Annas. The .ix. article.

THe .ix. article is of the presentynge of Christe vnto An∣nas. For after they had brought Christ vnto the golden gate of Hierusalem, nat without his great payne, for one drewe hym by his garmēt / another by the necke and the thirde by the heire of his heed / they brought him fyrste vnto Annas bycause his house was in the way, and they thought that they shulde haue ben rebuked: if they had ouerpassed hym, for as moche as he was father in lawe vnto Caiphas, whiche was the high bisshop for that yere. And therfore they first presented Christ vnto Annas / willyng therby to honore Annas, and also to reioyse of that great acte whiche they had done in takyng of Christe,* 1.118 for as the wise man saith, Letantur impij cum malefecerint. &c. Wic∣ked men be glad whan they do euyl, and they reioyse in their most mischeuous dedes. Also they first presēted Christ vnto Annas, by∣cause that lesse defaut shulde be founde and put in Caiphas for the condempnation of Christ seinge that Christ was also condēp¦ned of suche a wise / sage and also high bisshop as Annas was. In this house of Annas, our lorde suffred .iii. thynges moche payn∣full to hym. The fyrste was the horrible denyenge of Petre. The seconde was the indiscrete question of the bisshop. And the thirde was the myghty stroke that the seruaunte gaue to hym vpon hys face. First he suffred the denyenge of Petre, whiche was horrible and also paynful to Christ for .vi. causes, that is for the multitude of people that were present at that denyenge, second was bycause Petre was so slacke to folowe his maister. &c. these causes and the other .iiii. shalbe declared in the next article.

¶Here foloweth a lesson.

IN this article we may take this lesson, that we shuld not be moche afrayed to be presented before a seculer iudge for the loue and fayth of Christe, and to ••u••re for Christe, for therby cometh greate grace to man. Therfore our lorde sayd to his disciples: Whan your enemyes shal betray you and present you vnto y^e great iudges of the worlde,* 1.119 be nat afrayed / nor to studiouse what ye shall saye, it shalbe gyuen to you at that tyme by the spirite of god what ye shall saye. And this is noted in this article, in that that Annas is as moche to say by interpretation: as deuotion. Not that An∣nas nor any temporall iudge may gyue to that person whome he iudgethe any grace or deuotion: but for as moche as those holye persones suffre greate wronges of suche iudges: the goodnes of god gyueth to those that paciently suffre iniuryes: his grace, for all grace is of god.* 1.120 And hereunto the wyse man sayth: Audi ta∣cens, et pro reuerentia accidet tibi bona gratia. Here thou & obey patiently, and for thy reuerence, good grace shal come to the. And that a man myght conforme hym selfe vnto this article: he shulde remembre howe reuerently and paciently our lorde and sauyour Iesus stode then before Annas & the Iues. And then pray thus.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche wolde be first led and presented vnto the bys∣shop Annas: graunt to me that I neuer feare to be ledde or presented for thy name and faythe, before any tiraunte or seculer iudge of this worlde. And also that thy grace & ryght reason haue euer the dominion in me, that I may lerne to present all myne actes / willes and desyres vnto the examination of right reason before that I do them in dede, thy grace at all tymes be∣ynge assistant vnto me. Amen.

¶Of the denyenge of Petre. The .x. article.

THe .x. article is of y^e denyeng of Petre, what tyme Iesus was led to the house of Annas, Petre folowed a farre of to se the ende what they wolde do with Christ. There folowed also Iohan whiche was well aquaynted with the bysshopes seruauntes, and knowen to the bysshop, and ther∣fore he entred in with the other Iues into the bysshopes palace,

but Petre abode without. And then Iohn̄ spake to the maide that kept the doore, to let Petre come in. And whan she se Petre: she sayd to hym:* 1.121 Nū quid et tu ex discipulis es hominib{us} istius? Art thou nat of the disciples of this man? that is of Christe. And Petre sayd: I am nat. The wordes of this mayden myght seme more to be spoken for compassyon of Christe, and to admonysshe Petre to bewarre of suche compeigney as was then within in the courte, rather then to betraye Petre, for she se hym verye fearfull, he was so afrayed that he denyed Christ to be his maister. The ministres and seruauntes stode at the coolys or fyre and warmed themself, and Peter stode amonges them. And then a nother mayden said: This felawe was with Iesu, and the compeigney that was there sayd / truely he is one of them,* 1.122 for he is a Galilee, that is a man of the contreth of Galilee. Then Petre denyed it with an othe, and sayd:* 1.123 I knowe nat that man. After that by the space of one houre the compeigney sayd to Petre agayne: veryly / thou arte one of them,* 1.124 and specyally one persone cosen to Malchus / whose eare Petre smote of: sayd to Petre: Dyd nat I se the in the garthen or orcharde with Iesu? And than Peter began to sweare / to curse and banne and sayd: I neuer knewe this man of whom ye speake and furthwith the cocke dyd synge or crawe.* 1.125 And then our lorde turned hym and behelde Petre. And Petre remembrynge the say∣enges of Christe before, how that he shulde thryse denye hym be∣fore the cocke craw, he went furth of the bisshopes palace or court and wepte full bytterly.* 1.126 And here sayth saynt Hierome: Petre myght no longer abyde in derknes, for the lyght of the mercyes of god dyd shyne vpon hym, and therfore he wepte. And Petre after this had euer in vse & custome to stande in prayer and wepe from the fyrst cocke crawe: vnto the sonne rysynge, in the remem∣braunce of his thryse denyenge of Christe. Also he bare alwaye with hym a sudarie, to wype awaye the teares that continually fell from his eyen for his synne. And for the same synne he wepte so moche, that his face seamed to be aduste and burned with the teares. And therfore he deserued to haue forgyuenes both of his synne & of the payne due for his synne. This threfolde negation of Petre, was no lytel payne vnto our sauiour Iesu, for it greued hym very moche to heare & se howe his owne chefe apostle, whom he had ordred to be called a stone, wherupon he wolde founde and buylde his churche, to se hym (I say) so openly and so shamefully thryse to denye his own mayster Christ, & that at the voyce of one mayden or woman. And note here that as a woman was the first

mouer of man vnto synne, so a woman compelled the first prynce and prelate of Christes churche to denye Christe openly, so that by this exemple the infirmite of Petre myght more clerely appere to hym selfe. And this is it that we sayde in the .ix. article, that Christ suffred in the house of Annas, the denyeng of Petre which was shamefull to Petre and moche paynfull to Christe, and that for .vi. causes. Fyrste for the multitude of people that were then present, for he denyed Christe in the bysshopes palace, where as was at that tyme, moche people gathered, and therfore this synne was moche more greuous, than if it had ben done in a pryuate and secrete place. Secondly, it was the more shamefull to Petre / for his slaknes in folowynge Christe, for he folowed a farre of / thoughe before he had spoken and made his boste that he wolde rather dye then denye hym. The thyrde cause was the vylenes of the persone that moued the question vnto Petre, for it was a wo∣man, nat a noble woman, but a seruaunt, and other vyle seruant{is}, which was so moche the more to y^e rebuke of Petre, that he wolde denye his lorde god, at theyr questions. Fourthly for Petre short∣ly and lyghtly denyed Christ at one worde of a pore and vyle ser∣uaunt. The .v. cause is the periurie and cursynge of Petre, for this made his synne moche greuous.* 1.127 And therfore sayth Symon de Cassia: Petre in his word{is} & his threfold negation, dyd great∣ly rebuke Christe, whiche had chosen so inconstant and vnkyn••e a person to his disciple and to his chefe apostle. &c. And sextly the greuousnes of Petre synne dyd appere by his great and cōtinuall wepyng, for a great synne requireth great cōtrition and penaūce There be .iii. thynges in this gospel that moued & induced Petre vnto penaunce.* 1.128 The fyrste is syngynge or crawynge of the cocke.* 1.129 The seconde was y^e respecte and beholdynge of Christe. And the thyrde was y^e remembraunce of the wordes that our lorde sayde to Petre at the supper the same nyght, that was that Petre shulde denye Christ thryse that nyght before the cocke crawe. Our lorde suffred Petre to fall for our example, that no man shuld presume of hym selfe, seynge that the prynce of thapostles dyd fall. And also that no man shuld dispeyre, syth that Petre after so greuous a syn, was made y^e porter of heuyn. And thyrdly that Petre shuld lerne to haue cōpassion of his subiect{is}. For shortly after he was to be made the chefe prelate of the churche. But where dyd Petre de∣ny his mayster Christe? Not in y^e mount, nor in the temple, nor yet in his owne house, but in the bysshopes palace standyng and warmyng hym selfe by the fyre with the ministres and seruaunt{is}

of the bysshoppes. What signifyeth this palace or court of the bis∣shoppe but worldly couuersacyon and maners. These ministers signify deuylysshe persons. The feare signifyeth carnall concu∣piscence and desyre / who so euer abyde with these companyes: he can not wepe and do penaunce for his synnes. And therfore it is very daungerous and perilouse to be conuersant in the court{is} of prynces, for Peter dyd but ones entre in to the palace of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bisshop / and anone he lost the vertu and strength of his soule / and also denyed Christe. What suppose you wolde he haue done if he had longe continued there? I feare that he wolde haue then ben as our preestes be nowe in great mennes houses, that is worse in al poyntes than lay men. But Peter went thens to do penaūs for there he could do none. In lyke maner the sterre that appered to the .iii. kynges in the Est, whan they entred in to Hierusalem in to thepalace and court of Herode: the sterre vaynysshed from theyr syghte / and whan they were departed from thens: it appe¦red to them agayne.

¶Here folowe .vi. lessons.

THe first lesson is this / that the prelate of the churche [ i] shulde be suche a person as can haue compassyon of the frayltyes and infirmities of his subiectes. The [ ii] seconde is that no man shulde presume of his owne vertue. The thyrde is that we shulde resist and with [ iii] stande synne in the begynnynge / for one synne if it be not shortly put a way by penaunce / it wyll drawe to it an other synne more greuous. exemple herof we haue in Peter which at the first tyme he onely denyed his mayster without ony oth or other wordes.* 1.130 And the seconde tyme / he denyed hym with an othe.* 1.131 And at the thyrde tyme he cursed / he sware and also he denyed Christe. Here ye may se howe one synne bryngeth in an other synne more greuous than the first. The .iiii. lesson is / that if we fall in to [ iiii] ony synne though it be but a small synne to our thynkynge / and also done of onely frayltye / yet for no cause we shulde perseuer and cotynue therin. For to perseuer in synne (as the glose sayth) it gyuethe an encreasynge to the synne.* 1.132 For as the wyse man also sayth: He that dispyseth or lytyll regardeth small synnes / by lytyll and lytyll / he shall fall to moche more greuouse synnes.

[ v] The .v. lesson is that no man shulde dispeyre of the mercye of god what so euer synne he hath done, but let hym wepe & do penauns [ vi] for his synnes. &c. The .vi. that we shulde neuer deny Christ, who so euer committeth ony mortal synne: he denyeth Christ / for he consentynge to the deuyll: forsaketh Chryste.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche suffred thy selfe to be denyed thrice of y^e prince of thy apostles, whom also thou mercyfully beholdynge / made hym to wepe bytterly for his synne: I beseche the beholde me with the eye of thy mercy that I maye worthelye wepe in thy syght for my synnes / and that I neuer denye the my lord god ney¦ther in worde nor in dede. Amen.

¶Howe our lorde was smyten vpon the cheke. The .xi. article.

THe .xi. article of the smytynge of our lorde, for in meane tyme that Peter outward in the courte denyed our lord iii. tymes our sauyour Iesu was in the house: present before the bysshop Annas, where as Annas moued vn∣to Christ an vnwyse and folisshe question before and in the audi∣ence of all the people that were there present that was of his discy¦ples and of his doctrine,* 1.133 and Iesus answered not one worde of his discyples, for as at that tyme he could speake no good of thē for they all had forsaken hym that nyght / teachynge vs therby, that whan we can nat truely speake ony good of our neyghbours then we shuld kepe silence and speake none euyll of them, though we knowe it. But to the other question of his doctrine Iesus answered shewynge that it was not euyll nor suspecte: but good and holye, and that he proueth by the place and the compeyney where and amonge whome he spake it saynge:* 1.134 Ego palam locut{us} sum mundo. &c. I spake openly to the people, I euer taught in the sinagoges and in the temple where as the Iues ben gathered togyther / and I spaketh nothynge in priuye corners / therfore in∣quere of them that harde me / for they can tell what I haue sayde and taught, and here our lorde dyd so moderate his answere that nother he wolde hyde the treuthe nor yet be sene to defende hym self / gyuynge to vs a fourme and a maner howe to answere mo∣derately vnto our aduersaries, so that we nother hyde the treuth nor yet prouoke or moue them agaynst vs with our word{is}. Then one of the mynysters smote Chryste vpon the cheke sayenge.

Sic respondes pontifici?* 1.135 Is this a good answere vnto the bishop This stroke was so myghtye and greate / that the sownde therof was herde ouer all the palace / and it was so strongly gyuen that the prynte of his fyngurs remayned in Christes cheke, whiche prynte we may well se and perceyue in the image of his face that he gaue to the blessed woman called Veronica. This image was lately in Rome, and it shulde seame that he myghte not gyue ••o sore a stroke with his bare hande, and therfore it is moche lykly that he smote Christ with his gawntlette sayng: Is this a good answere vnto a bisshop? this he spake with great arrogance and prowdly without ony reuerence vnto Christ, and this he dyd to please and flatter the bysshop. Of this stroke saint Ambrose saith That it was so paynfull that it had ben sufficyent for mannes re¦demption. It was so vehement / that therby all his teeth in his hed were moued or lowsed, and also his nose and his mouth gus¦shed out of blode. Our lorde wolde abūdantly and plentuously satisfye for our synnes. And therfore he most hygh in noblenes / was smyten of a vyle wretche, god was smyten of a synner, the lord of his seruant, the creature of his creature, the gouerner of the hole worlde of a vyle porcyon of the same worlde, the moste mercyful redemer was smyten of hym whom he came to redeme, if he wolde receyue it. This cōtumely with many other that fo∣loweth our lord suffred for vs with al paciēce & mildnes, so that with great myldnes he answered to hym that smote hym:* 1.136 Si ma∣le locutus sum testimonium perhibe de malo. &c. If I haue spoken euell beare witnes agaynst me of that euyll. But if I haue an∣swered well / truly and conueniently / wherfore dost thou smyte me?* 1.137 This answere of Christ as saint Austen sayth / was not spo∣ken of any impacyence / but gentely and swetely he dyd reproue that seruaunt / and called vnto his mynde his vnkyndnes. And herunto saynt Barnarde sayth. O merueylous greate vnkynd∣nes / this same Malchus whom our lorde but a lytyl byfore dyd cure and heale his ryght heare the whiche Peter dyd smyte of. He nowe was bolde to smyte so cruelly his lorde god and curer. O good Iesu in what compaigney arte thou nowe, howe moch was thy pacyence. Howe great was theyr crueltye and inpa∣cyence. But wyll they / nyll they / thy pacyence ouercometh theyr malyce / thy loue theyr enuy / and thy pitye / theyr crueltye. And thus ye may se that this smytyng is cōueniently nōbred among{is} the articles of Christes passyon, also therin was fulfylled the sa∣yng of y^e {pro}phet:* 1.138 Dabit {per}cutiēti se maxillā: he shall offer his cheke

to the smyter.* 1.139 And an other prophet saith: Percutient maxillam iudicis Israel: they shall smyte the cheke of the iudge of Israell. This stroke was fygured in Michea / whiche was smyten vpon the cheke:* 1.140 bycause he sayde the treuthe vnto Achab the kynge of Israell / as it is writen in the thyrde boke of the kynges.

¶Here foloweth a lesson.

OF this article we may take this lesson, sythe that Christe wolde be buffeted and smyten for vs: it is cōuenient that we stoppe our mouthes that we speake no thyng contrary the honour of god, and also that we excite and moue our selfe to speake and do that is good. And in all iniuries and contumelies done vnto vs: that we haue pacyence by the example of Christe, whiche dyd vouchsafe to gyue vs specyally in this poynte an ex∣ample of great pacyence. And also a man to conforme hym selfe vnto this article: may to remember the great stroke of Christe, gyfe hym selfe a moderate clappe or stroke for all his lyes / euyll and vayne wordes, and then pray on this maner.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche wolde be smytten for me moste vnworthy, of the vyle minister and seruant of Annas: graūt to me I be∣seche the thy grace / that I may stoppe my mouthe from all euyll and vayne speache / and that I neuer cease frome thy laude and praysynges. Amen.

¶Howe Iesus was presented vnto Cayphas. The .xii. article.

THe .xii. article of the presentacyon of Christe vnto Cay∣phas / whan our lorde had taken that great stroke in the house of Annas, shortly after / Annas sent Christ bound as gyltye and worthy death and therunto condempned by hym, he sent hym (I say) vnto Caiphas / gyuyng thankes vn¦to the ministres that it wolde so please them to brynge Christe first vnto hym.* 1.141 Annas (I say) sent Christe to Cayphas, for he was the chiefe bishop for that yere, and so to him it apperteyneth principally to entreat of the condemnacyon and death of Christ, and for the same cause there were gathered a great companye of preestes and scribes in the forsayde house of Cayphas to counsell herin. In this house of Caiphas Christe dyd abyde vnto the moornynge, at the whiche tyme he was ledde vnto Pylate.

And in this house he suffred .iii. thynges that were moche payn∣full to hym / that is: the false witneshyng / the crafty adiuracyon and the most dispitefull confutacyon / as it shall appere in the ar¦ticles folowyng. And here note that this presentacyon was more greuous vnto Christ, than the first that was to Annas, for this Cayphas was the cheyfe bysshop for that yere. And also he was more crafty and more malicyous than Annas / and that well ap∣pereth by the interpretacyon of his name. Cayphas is as moche to say by interpretacyon as a crafty or wyly searcher, for he more craftely dyd searche for false witneshes agaynst Christe, & whan he coulde fynde no conuenient testimonye agaynst hym: then he malicyously and craftely by hym self toke occasyon in our lordes wordes of his dampnacyon as we shall declare hereafter in the xiiii. article. O how payneful is it to a good man to be presen∣ted before suche a iudge / so craftie / so captious / so malicyous / and replete with all enuy. It is sayd that from the house of An∣nas vnto Cayphas house were an hundreth neynty & .iiii. passes by the whiche space about .xxx. tymes they condemned hym / and spued or spyt vpon hym / bisydes many other tormētes & paynes.

¶Here folowe .ii. lesson.

OF this article we may note .ii. lessons. The firste that the seruantes of god shuld not be moche afrayd to be presented before euyll and wicked iudges. For the more wicked the iudge is / the more grace therby commeth to the seruauntes of god. Ex¦emples herof we haue in the glorious apostles Peter and Poule whiche suffred deth vnder the moste cruell Iudge Nero. Also in saynte Laurence / whiche by the moste wycked tyraunt Decyus was put to deth, and so of many other holy sayntes. The se∣cond lesson is this / that we shulde depely remember al our euyll{is} that we haue done / and so present our conscyence before the hye Iudge Christ / and also before his vycar here in erth our curate to be duely examyned / for our sauyour Christe disdeyned not to be examined before the pryncys of the preestes / the scribes & the seniours of the Iues. And pray as foloweth.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu which for me most vnkynd wretch wold be sent from Annas vnto Caiphas & also wold be examined before hym graunt to me I beseche the for y^e loue of thy name that I feare not the iudgement of euyll persones / and also that I may appere in thy syght with a good and pure conscience. Amen.

¶Of the bryngynge furth of false testimonie agaynst Christe. The .xiii. article.

THe .xiii. article is of the saynges of .ii. fals witnesses. For whan Christe stode before Caiphas the hyghe prince of prestes, and all the counsaile there gathered dyd serche to haue false testimony against Iesus that by some colour they myght put hym to death, and yet they coulde fynde none conuenient wytnes, thoughe many false witneshes were brought forth,* 1.142 then at laste there came two false witneshes / of the whiche Symon de cassia sayth: The counsell of the Iues saughte for testimonie agaynst Chryst that vnder the colour of iustyce they myght put hym to deth, whome they persu∣ed of pure enuy / but they laboured to cloke the crueltye and enuy of theyr myndes with y^e cloke of iustyce / and therfore they saught for false witnes. And here note that it is to the hyghe laude and prayse of Christ that they could not fynd the leste thynge that he was culpable in / or to be reproued / and note wele that it is wry∣ten: Falsum testimonium. They saughte for false testimonie for they myght neuer fynde true wytnesse agaynst hym.* 1.143 But at last two false wytnes came furth and sayd: we herd hym say, I may distroy this temple of god that is here made & in .iii. dayes buyld an other temple. By this testimonie they intended to proue that Christ wolde vsurpe vnto hym the power of god as if he were god / but these two were false witneshes for they chaunged the wordes of Christe and also his sense and vnderstandynge. The wordes of Christe were these:* 1.144 Soluite templum hoc: et in tribus diebus excitabo illud / That is / dissolue this temple (that is kyll or sley this bodye of myne) and in thre dayes I shall rayse it vp agayne. He ment of the temple of his body and they spake of the material temple in Hierusalem / and therfore they added in theyr testimony: Templum hoc manufactum: This temple made by the hand of man / whiche wordes Christ spake not / and therfore they bare false witneshe agaynst hym / and that dyd not a lytell hurte or greue Christ.* 1.145 What man is he that wyl not be sory to be falsly accused / though he (as euery man is) be mutable and many thyn¦ges do offende? Howe moche more then shulde Christe be sorye to be falsly accused / syth he in nothynge can offende, for he is the essencyal treuth of god and the selfe god in substance. Here saint Anselme in his boke called Cur deus homo / merueylynge of the mischeuouse mynde that the Iues had, so to procure the death of

Christ: answereh to hym selfe instructe by the spirite of god / and sayth: I thynke that there is none other cause of theyr malyce to∣wardes Christe, but that he continually and stably keapt truthe and iustyce both in his dayly speache / in his teachynge and also in his lyuynge. And contrary wyse / the Iues were euell / false / vn¦iuste and craftye or disceytefull, for the whiche Christe sharplye rebuked them, and therfore they procured his deth for they wold haue none to lyue that shulde be better than they: lesse that they shulde then be reputed as synfull men / and so suffer great shame and rebuke. This counsel was spoken of by the holy patriarche Iacob sainge:* 1.146 Simeon et Leui fratres: vasa iniquitatis bellantia. &c. Symeon and Leny brretherne / armed or feyghtynge vesselles of iniquitie, I wolde that my soule or lyfe came not in to theyr handes / power or counsell. And of this text the ordinerye glose sayth / that the bysshoppes & preestes were of the tribue or stocke of Leni, and the scribes for the more partie were of the stocke of Symeon.

¶Here folowe a lesson.

OF this article we may take this doctrine, that we shulde hate and abhorre all false testimony / also all falsnesse and lyes / for Christe / by false testimonye and by lyes was con¦dempned to deth, and as ofte as we speake false witnes agaynst our neyghbour we condempne Christe vnto the death / asmoche as is in vs.* 1.147 And howe abhominable this synne is: Isydore in his boke De summo bono sheweth saynge:* 1.148 He that beareth false witnes: offendeth agaynst thre persons, that is agaynste god, whome he contemneth by his swearynge and breakynge of his commaundement. Also agaynst the iudge, whome by his lyeng he disceyueth. And thyrdly agaynst the innocent, whom he hur∣teth by his false testimonie.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche wolde for me be blamed of the Iues / and by theyr false testimonie accused: graunt to me that I neuer blame or rebuke man for the, nor falsely that I accuse any person and also that I pacyently suffer all false accusacyons for thy ho∣nour and glorye. Amen.

¶Of the blasphemy imputed to Christe. The .xiiii. article.

THe .xiiii. article is the false imposicyon of blasphemy vnto Christe. Cayphas the cheyfe prynce of the preest{is} and the highe bysshop for that yere, seyng that Christ wold not speake or answere to theyr false accusacyons And that suche testimonies as was spoken agaynste hym / were not sufficyent for his condempnacyon: He was gretly troubled bycause I say he coulde fynde no cause wherin he myghte accuse hym & iustly condempne hym, and then he so kyndled with wroth in a great furye of mynd he arose vp with great inpacyence from his seate of dignitie and sayd vnto Iesus:* 1.149 Nihil respondes ad ea¦que isti aduersum te testificātur? Wyl thou not answere vnto such causes as these persons lay agaynst the? By the inordinate mo∣uynge of his bodye he made knowen the furye of his mynde / as Bede sayth where as temperance and grauitye beseameth a pre∣late and a iudge both in his wordes / dedes and gesture.* 1.150 And as Symon de Cassia saythe:* 1.151 Cayphas rose vp for vnquyetenes of mynde and so by his cruell mynde he was made higher then hym selfe / for a man standynge is hygher than whan he is syttyng, he prouoked Christ to answere / nor for the intent that he wolde be∣leaue his answere or take his excuse: but hearynge his answere he myght peruert it and take therof occasyon to accuse hym, but Iesus wold not answere / he held his speach meakly / for he knewe that Cayphas wolde take summe occasion of his answere / wher∣by he wold accuse hym, therfore Iesus wold not speake, & that was not of any displeasure or feare: but for a misterie, as kno∣wynge that he whiche moued hym to speake: dyd it of a crafte and fraude, and not to knowe the truthe. Also he kepte silence to gyue vs example to contempne the false craftes and disceytes of our aduersaries / and therfore he wolde rather strongly keape his silence than to defende his cause without ony profyte. And of this silence was spoken longe before that tyme, by the prophet Esay:* 1.152 Quasi agnus coram tondente se obmutescet. &c. He shalbe as dumbe as a lambe whan he is shorne / and he shal not open his mouth to gyue answere.* 1.153 And the prophet Dauid saith in the per¦son of Christ: I as a deafe man hard not: & I was as a dumbe man not openynge his mouth. And the more that our sauyoure Iesus kepte silence to them that were not worthy his answere: the more Cayphas the bisshop beynge in greate furye / prouoked Christe to answere.* 1.154 And therfore with great indignacyon and inpacyence he said to Christ Adiuro te per deum viuum vt dicas no bis si tu es Christus filius dei: I adiure the by the lyuynge god /

or charge and commaunde the by the vertue of the lyuynge god / that thou say vnto vs if thou be Christ the sonne of god lyuynge. This adiuracyon Cayphas spake of a false craftie and disceytful mynde and not for to knowe the truthe.* 1.155 And therfore saynt Hie∣rom sayth: Cayphas dyd adiure Christ by the lyuynge god, that for the reuerence of the name of god: he shulde answere and speke vnto them not intendyng therby to knowe the truth, but to take occasion of his wordes to falsly accuse Christe. O what madnes and wickednes was this, fyrst they sent to take hym and so they bounde hym as a thefe worthy deth. And now they examyn hym not to knowe the truth / but rather to fynd some occasion in hym wherby they myghte accuse hym vnto Pylate as worthy death. And this adiuracyon was a greuous synne in Caiphas, for it per¦teyneth not to the inferiour so to coniure the superiour without a reasonable cause / to say the treuthe. This notwithstandynge Christe for the reuerence of the name of god wherwith he was adiured: he answered and spake the truth fyrste that they shulde not excuse theym selfe but that they herde hym saye the treuth, and also that he wolde not be noted to contēpne the name of god, for these causes Iesus answered & sayde:* 1.156 Tu dixisti, ego sum. &c. Thou hast sayd the truthe, I am the sonne of god notwithstan∣dynge,* 1.157 I say vnto you that from hensforth or herafter ye shall se the sonne of man, that is, ye shall se me, whome you nowe con∣tempne and shamefully entreate, syt on the ryght hand of the ver∣tue of god, that is in maiestie and power equall / and one with god the father and ye shall se me cume at the day of iudgement in my manhode with great power and maiestie in the clowdes of heuen.* 1.158 Than Cayphas whiche before rose vp in a greate furye hearynge this answere was more mad,* 1.159 and so cut or rent his gar¦mentes,* 1.160 for as Bede sayth whome that furie made ryse from his seate: this madnes prouoked hym to cut and rent his vestiment. and as Symon de Cassia sayth, this cuttynge of his garment doth shewe a folysshe diuisyon in his maners / and also the want of the bond of Charitie. And in this acte Cayphas dyd also pro∣phicye / shewynge and signifyenge by the cuttynge of his gar∣ment, that the Iues shuld shortly lese theyr dignitye of preesthod which began in Aaron, for when he cut his garment or clothyng he made that openly to be sene, which before was secreat, and so consequently he cut and put from hym the couerynge of the lawe, though he knewe it not: nor yet intended y^t, for he onely cut his clothynge: that he mygh: make his accusacyon agaynst Christe,

more greuous, and to shewe that thynge by his doynge: which he spake in his wordes, for he sayde that Christe dyd blaspheme god. It was a custome and a maner amonges the Iues y^t whan they herde any blasphemye spoken agaynst god: they wolde cut and rent theyr clothynge or garmentes in token of sorowe and de¦testacyon of so great a cryme. This greuous synne of blasphemy the prynce of preestes Cayphas dyd impute to Christe saynge: Blasphemauit: He hathe blasphemed god attributynge and gy∣uynge that thynge to hym selfe: whiche is onely propre to god. What nede we of ony other witnes as he myght say we labour in vayne to searche for wytnesse agaynste hym, for he hath spoken openly and before al your presence, ye haue hard hym speake blas¦phemye. O wreche and prynce full of wyckednesse, he spake no blasphemye but the treuth thou dost blaspheme the sonne of god, for thou wyll not gyfe that thynge to god that apperteynethe to god, thou reputest the essencyall sonne of god to be a pure crea∣ture, and therfore thy blasphemye shalbe with the euermore to thy eternall perdicyon and dampnacyon.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may take this lesson, that we shulde be pure and clene from all blasphemye both in our selfe and al∣so to other persons, in our selfes: that we nother do nor say any thynge wherby the name of god shuld be blasphemed in vs or by vs. And also that we moue not ony other persons to blaspheme god. And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article let hym in a contrarie maner blysse or prayse god in this or lyke maner. Sit nomen domini benedictum. &c. Blessed be the name of god nowe and euer. Amen. And also pray as foloweth.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche dyd suffer the abhominable synne of blasphe∣my to be put vpon the: kepe me that thy name be neuer blas¦phemed by me in worde nor in dede / and that neuer ony blasphe∣mie / or ony other euyl word be spoken or vttered with my mouth.

¶Of the Condempnacyon of Christe. The .xv. article.

THe .xv. article is the condempnacyon of Christe vnto the death. Whan Cayphas the prynce of preestes had sayde to his compaigney that were there gathered in counsel, ye all haue nowe herd hym speake blasphemy, he asked of them what they thought, and then they al answering

sayd:* 1.161 Reus est mortis: He is worthy death / he hath deserued deth. This they sayd that theyr malice shuld be openly knowen, and though they dyd not so intende: yet it was so done by the permis∣syon and suffrance of god, as many other thynges here spoken and done in these articles.* 1.162 And beholde here (sayth Symon de Cassia) howe iustyce is oppressed / vertu put vnder foote / and reason vtterly subdued to theyr malice, in so moche that all the princes / wyse men and seniours dyd agre in one sentence to con∣demne to deth the rightuous person. And there was not one that wolde speake for the innocent / that wolde defende hym / excuse hym / or requyre respyt of that he myght answere or defend hym selfe / but all they condempned hym as worthy deth / where as Christe spake onely the treuth.* 1.163 And note here the merueylouse folysshenes or rather madnes of this bisshop / howe he syttynge in the place of a iudge / dyd peruerte the ordre of iustyce and of the lawe. Fyrst he gaue sentence of blasphemy agaynst Christe / and after that he asked counsell of suche as satte in examinacyon with hym sayeng what thynke you in this cause, and they sayd: Reus est mortis: He is worthy death. Suche a iudge hath suche coun∣sellers, they were the accusers of Christe, they discussed and exa¦mined his cause and they also gaue sentence and all contrarie to the order of the lawe. They sayd he is gyltye and worthy death. It Christ had blasphemed as they said that he dyd:* 1.164 they had then sayd treuthe, for who so euer dyd blaspheme the name of god, by the lawe he shulde suffer death, for he shulde be stoned to death. But for asmoche as Christe dyd not so in dede as they sayd: ther¦fore theyr sentence was false and wycked. And therfore this con∣dempnacion of Christ vnto the death: is conueniently nombred amonges the articles of Christes passyon, for what man is there that wyll not be heuy and sory to be falsly condēpned vnto deth, how moche then shulde Christe be sory beynge moste innocent, and the lyfe of all lyuynge creatures, to be condempned vnto so shameful a death of the crosse / and that by those persons: whome he came to saue and helpe.

¶Here folowe, ii. lessons.

OF this article we may take .ii. lessons. Fyrst that this voyce [ i] of the Iues: Reus est mortis: He is worthy death / whiche was spoken of Christ most innocent, that this voyce (I say) ne∣uer rest or be founde in our hertes and mouthes. Nor that it at ony tyme be truely veryfyed in vs: as it may be of euery persone

that committeth deedly synne, for of euery suche person it maye [ 2] be truly spoken: He is worthy death, The seconde is that if at any tyme we be persued and also condempned to the deth falsely innocently or without iustyce / and for the name of Christe: that we be not troubled / but rather glad and ioyefull remembrynge (as Christ sayth) that our reward shalbe great and plentuous in heuen / if we here paciently suffer for Christe / and than pray as foloweth or in lyke maner.* 1.165

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche feared not the Wycked voyce of the most cru∣ell Iues when they sayd of the: Reus est mortis: He is wor¦thy deth, and pacyently dyd suffer the same for me most wretche: kepe and preserue me / that I neuer be founde worthye eternall deth in thy syght. Amen.

¶Of the buffetynge or smytyng in the necke of Christ. The .xvi. article.

THe .xvi. article is the beatynge or smytynge of christ in the necke with theyr fystes / for whan Iesus hadde confessed hym selfe to be the sonne of god / whiche the Iues toke for the most blasphemy that might be: then all the compeyney that were present fel vpon hym lyke mad men rebukynge and mockynge hym / some dyd spytte in his face and some dyd smyte hym in the necke with theyr fystes as saynt Ma∣thewe sayth:* 1.166 Comonly suche persones as be taken for foolys or vyle persons and dispysed be so smyten in the necke. Therfore in that / that the Iues bet Christ with theyr fystes in the necke there is not so moche intended in this article / the payne that then he suffred, as the cōtumely and dispisynge, for that, they that tyme reputed hym as a foole and a vyle person, for therby he was moc¦ked / scorned and blasphemed / and therfore they also pinched / nip¦ped him and pulled hym by the chekes & by the heyre of his berde, whiche all he suffred pacyently / and so was fulfylled the sayenge of the prophyt whiche sayd in the person of Christ:* 1.167 Corpus meum dedi percutientibus: et genas meas vellentibus: I offer my body pacyently to them that smote it / and my chekes to them that pyn¦ched them. And these laste wordes some men expounde them / of the rentynge and tearynge of Christes chekes with the sharpe nayles of the most cruell Iues,* 1.168 and some doctours declare them of the pullynge of Christes heyre out from his berde,* 1.169 & whether

of these be true or that both be true (whiche I rather suppose) I may well se and {per}ceyue that the cursed handes of the most cruell Iues were not saciate with smytyng / beatyng & spyttyng in that most swete face of our sauiour Iesu, but also they rent his beau∣tious face with theyr nayles & pluckyng out the heyre frome hys berde,* 1.170 and as Symon de Cassia saith: This smytyng in y^e neck may signifye vnder a misterie the obstinate malice of the Iues, wherby they cōtinually curse our fayth / whiche ioyneth vs vnto god, and also it signifieth the crueltie of the paganes which cōti¦nually labored by theyr tyrannie to distroy & cut away our fayth. For the pagans before y^t they were cōuerted to the faith: they put to deth as many faythfull people as they might get. Colaphus is properly called a beetyng in the necke with y^e fyst. Nowe spūally our faith is called the necke of the church for asmoch as it ioyneth the hed & the body togyther that is: christians be ioyned to christ by fayth / and this faith shulde be strong as the necke / and therfore in the canticles it is compared to the towre of Dauid which was very stronge.* 1.171 Our sauiour Iesus was smyten in the necke .xl. tymes in the house of Cayphas, and there were gathered in this counsell of the Iues agaynste Christe. lxxvii. Iues.

¶A Lesson.

IN this article we may take this lesson / that we be well ware that we neuer beate Christ in the necke: as saynte Bede sayth:* 1.172 All false christians that confesse Christe in worde and denye hym in theyr lyuyng: they beat Christ in the necke / for Colaphus is that stroke that is gyuen byhynde a man. They also do beate Christe in the necke: that prefer theyr owne honor and glorie before the glory of Christe. And also they that sclaunder theyr neyghbour byhynde his backe. And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article he may gyue hym selfe a clap in the necke / in the remembraunce of all Christes strokes, and then praye thus.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche wolde be smytten by the cruell Iues in the necke for my loue: graunt to me that I may so confesse the my lorde god with my mouthe: that I neuer do contrarye thy preceptes in my dedes. Amen.

¶Of the spittyng in Christes face. The .xvii. article.

THe .xvii. article is of y^e spittyng in Christ{is} face, whan al the Iues had accused Christ as worthy to dye / then they dyd spytte in his face / as in a persone most vyle / abiecte and to be dispysed / a person cursed and repro∣ued of god,* 1.173 and therfore as the gospell sayth: Ceperunt quidam conspuere eum: Some be ganne to spytte vpon hym / and that in his most amiable face as Mathewe sayth:* 1.174 This spyttynge was done and suffred of Christe for many causes. Fyrst to note theyr great vnkyndnes:* 1.175 as Symon de Cassia saythe: Our lorde dyd spytte on the erth and made clay / and therwith anoynted the eyen of hym that was borne blynde & so gaue to hym hys syght / which he had not by nature.* 1.176 And nowe the Iues to shewe theyr vnkynd¦nesse / dyd defoyle the face of our lorde with theyr soule spyttyn∣ges. Secondely they spyte in his face to his great shame and des¦pection, for it was the propertie of the Iues to spytte in the face of hym whom they dispysed and reputed as a vyle and abiect per¦sone. O abhominable maner of the Iues whiche abhorred not to defoyle that most amiable and louly face / the whiche angelles haue great desyre to beholde whichens ful of grace & fauour and desired of all good people for it is y^e lyfe conforth & helth of al y^t be holdeth it / & not only they dyd spyt in his face / but also they coght and retched & so cast y^e foule stynkyng flegme into his fayre face. Therfore Mathew saith: Expuerūt, that is / they retching & cou∣ghyng / dyd spyt it into his face. And Marchus saith Conspuerūt: that is not only one {per}son but many togither dyd spue in his face, in somoch that y^t most blessed & amiable face was made so abhomi¦nable to behold as if it had ben full of lepre / and y^t was thorough theyr spittyng{is} / scratchyng{is} & betayng{is}▪ as we shall declare in the next article. And so was fulfylled in christ y^e {pro}phecie of Esay sa∣yng of christ:* 1.177 Non erat ei species. &c. There was nother beautye nor fauour in his face, we se him & we might not se his face it was so couered w^t blode & spyttyng{is}, we reputed hym as a lepre and smyten of god as y^e most wretched / but he was woūded for our ini¦quites & oppressed for our sinnes & not for his owne. And herunto saint Barnard saith.* 1.178 O good Iesu these moste wretched & cruell Iues haue w^t theyr stynkyng spuyng{is} defoyled thy face so beau∣tious & amiable y^t angelles desire to behold it which fulfylleth all heuyns w^t ioye & gladnes / which both rich & pore in y^e worlde do worship / & yet good lord thy wretched creatours dyd smyte y^e and dispise y^e as a vyle seruant / thou beyng the lorde of all creatours.

¶Here foloweth a lesson.

OF this article we may take this doctrine, that we oughte diligently to be warre that we neuer spytte in the face of god as the Iues dyd, which we do when we defoyle our soule & cōscyence with ony fylthy thoughtes or dedes, for Christ doth rest in the soule and conscience in the whiche his face or yma¦ge is hole and perfyt. And therfore who so euer defoyleth his con¦science with deedly synne: he spytteth in the face of Christ, saint Hierom sayth that our lorde Iesus wolde suffer pacyently suche spyttynges in his face:* 1.179 that therby he myght wasshe our conscy∣ence whiche is as the face of our soule. And that a man myghte conforme hym selfe to this article, he shulde forme and ymagyne in his mynde: Christe horribly in his face deformed and defoyled with the spyttynges of the Iues, and then he shulde thanke hym with all his herte for his great pacyence, and so glorifye Christ for that rebuke and shame. Also we shulde remember howe ofte we haue defoyled the most beautifull face of Christ in our conscy¦ence by mortall synne. Also howe oftentymes we haue receyued vnworthelye the blessed bodye of our lorde and defoyled it with our fylthy spotyll, and then praye thus.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche wolde suffer thy most fayre and amyable face to be defoyled for my loue wich the fylthy spyttynges of the Iues: graunt to me that I neuer defyle the face of thy ymage in my soule / by my synfull actes or fylthy cogitacyons. Amen.

¶Of the smytynge of Christe in the face. The .xviii. article.

THe .xviii. article is the smytynge of Christe in the face. Of the whiche saynte Mathewe sayth thus: Et palmes ei in faciem dederūt,* 1.180 And they smote hym in the face with the palme of theyr handes, as the hande whan it is closed it is called the fyste / so whan it is open and spredde abrode it is called the palme.* 1.181 As papias and Isydore saythe.* 1.182 So nowe they smote Christe with theyr open handes vppon the face.* 1.183 And this smytynge maketh a specyall article of the passyone of Chryste / for asmoche as a manne dothe suffer more payne by suche smytynge in the face:* 1.184

then by smytynge in the necke, for in the face of man ar all y^e sen∣ces or wittes, and also the face is moche ten••er and soone hurte. And therfore it is very lyke that by suche swytynge in the face the blode ranne out from his noose and also from his mouth though it be not writen by the euangelistes.* 1.185 For as Symon de Cassya sayth: That the euangelistes dyd omitte many thynges decla∣rynge the bytternes of Christes passyon, whiche yet we meakly beleue, and that was bycause the euangelistes wrote onely for the truthe of the historie to be had / and not pryncypally to excite and moue the effecte of compassyon in vs. O what enorme and greuous synne of the most wicked Iues was this, y^t they wolde so cruelly smyte so pleasaunt a face?* 1.186 But as saynt Hierom saith: He wolde pacyently suffer so to be smyten with theyr palmes: that we with our handes and lyppes, that is with our workes and wordes myght laude and prayse hym. Also we may say that he is smytten in the face: whiche is rebuked and reuyled to his owne face. And in this maner also was Christ smyten in the face for he suffred many rebukes / contumelies and dispysynges open¦ly to his owne face spoken.* 1.187 And of the prophet Esay in the person of Christe / Faciem meam non auerti▪ ab increpantibus et conspuen∣tibus in me. I haue not turned my face frome theym that reuyled and rebuked me and spytted vpon me, for the Iues dyd not on∣lye smyte Christ vpon the face: but also they reuyled hym to hys face with many opprobrious and blasphemous wordes, which all the euangelistes do not expresse. But yet Lucas touchethe them in a generaltie sayenge:* 1.188 Et multa alia blasphemantes: dice∣bant in eum: The Iues blasphemyng Christ: spake many other opprobrious wordes to hym.

¶Here foloweth .ii. lessons.

[ i] THe firste lesson is that we shuld be ware that we smyte not Christe in the face with our palmes, He smyteth Christe in the face with his palme (as saynte Austen sayeth: Whiche doethe hurtte and offende the inte∣gryty and the perfeccyon of the ymage of god in his soule, and therfore a man fallynge from grace by mortall synne doth smyte Christe (as it were) in the face with his hande and euyll worke, for therby he offendeth and hurteth y^e integritie & {per}feccyon of the [ ii] image of god in his soule. The .ii. is / as christ our god dyd neuer

auerte and turne away his face from such rebukes / blasphemies dispysynges / persecucyons and spyttynges, but rather gladlye and pacyently dyd offer his face to them for our loue: so shulde we in tyme conuenient not refuse / but rather gladlye suffer lyke thynges for the loue of Christe. And then let vs worshyppe hym and pray we as foloweth.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche wolde suffer for my loue thy most louely face to be smyten with the handes of the moste wycked Iues: graunt to me that I may euer kepe the face of thyne ymage pure and vndefoyled in my soule / that it neuer be spotted or hurte by the synfull handes and workes of my iniquityes or sinnes. Amē.

¶Of the couerynge and blyndfyldynge of Christes face. The .xix. article,

THe .xix.* 1.189 article is the couerynge of Christes face / for as the Gospel saith: Velauerunt faciem eius: They couered his face, who so euer couereth the face of an other person: he hydeth that face from hym, and so the Iues hydd the face of god from them. And this couerynge yet continueth vnto this daye vpon the hertes of the Iues / for they wyll not se and knowe god as they shulde do. O mad blyndnes and blynde madnes of these vnhappy Iues, that most pleasaunt face whiche the holye patriarches and prophetys and theyr formar fathers greatly desyred to come and with conty¦nuall and longe syghenges desyred to se it, but these wycked Iu¦es / when they had it present and myght haue sene it / they wolde not, but couered it and hyde it from them. Moyses desyred to se this face whan he sayd:* 1.190 Ostende mihi faciem tuam: Lorde shewe to me thy face, Also Dauid sayd: shewe to vs thy face and we / shalbe safe.* 1.191 Psal. lxxix. Also in the canticles it is writen / shewe to me thy face for it is very fayre.* 1.192 All the fathers also in Limbo patrum dyd crye and say: Come and shewe to vs thy face lorde that syttest aboue Cherubyn. And at laste: He that was thus desyred of all good men: came and shewed his face to the Iues, and they as most wretched couered his face,* 1.193 not for that he shuld not se theyr synnes but to hyde hys face from them selfe as Bede sayethe:* 1.194 for theyr soore and blynde ey ene myghte not beholde the face of Moyses: Excepte that it were fyrste couered, but this person Chryste is moche more of dignity then Moyses.

And therfore his face is moche more glorious and shinynge then Moyses face was, though Christes glory were al inwardly and outwardly couered with a clowde of a mortall bodye / yet there was a lytyll sparke of glorye shynynge in his face, that dyd so glymer and beat in the eyes of the Iues: that they could or wold not pacyently beholde his face / but couered it and hyd••d it from them selfe, signifyenge therby (though they so dyd not intende) that no infidele and synfull person turned from god: myghte se and beholde the face of Christe, for it is hyd from them, A figure of this couerynge and blyndfyldyng we may take in Sampson which for the loue he had vnto the synful woman Dalida:* 1.195 he lost his strength / he was taken of his enemyes / his eyen were putte out / and also he was fatigate and weryed with manifolde illusy∣ons and scornes. So our stronge Sampson Christ Iesus was serued in lyke maner as it appereth in the articles of his passyon, and al that was for y^e loue of our synfull soule, to whom he spake by the prophet,* 1.196 Thou hast done fornicacyon with many straūge louers, yet returne & come agayne to me and I shal receyue the.

¶A lesson.

OF this article we may lerne this lesson that we ought to be wele ware that we neuer blyndfylde Christe or couer his face. But alas many Christyans nowe a dayes do couer Christ{is} face, whiche do synne priuily / thynkynge that god doth not se them. Also they do couer Christes face whiche seeth all thynges that do chaunge / gyue or sell craftelye / that thynge whiche ys e∣uyll or nought: for a good thynge. Also they couer Christes face which do derke or couer the Image of god in theyr soules with the cloke of wylfull ignorans or synne. And therfore saynte Hie∣rom sayth,* 1.197 that Christ wold haue his face couered, bycause that he wolde take awaye the couer and cloke of ignorance and synne from our hertes.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche dyd suffer for my loue thy most gracyous face (the whiche angelles desyre to behold) to be couered of the wicked Iues to thy great rebuke: I beseche the make thy face to shyne vpon me thy most wretched seruant / that thy godly ymage in me be neuer derked or couered and that mercyfully thou wold take away the cloke of synne and the derknes of ignorance from my herte with the lyghte of thy heuenlye grace. Amen.

¶Of the mockynge of Christ when they bad hym prophicye, who is this that smy∣teth the. The .xx. article.

THe .xx. article is the scornful questyon of the Iues vnto Christ, For when they had couered his face: they smote hym on the heed saynge: Arede or prophicye vnto vs Christe, who is he that smyteth the nowe. But in what parte they then dyd smyte hym: the euangelistes spake diuersly. For Marcus sayth that then they smote hym with theyr fystes in the necke.* 1.198 But Mathew and Luke say that they smote hym vp∣pon the face wyth the palmes of theyr handes.* 1.199 Therfore we may say cōueniently, that after they had couered his face: euery man smote hym as he wold, and so some smote hym in the necke / some in the face and some on the chekes: and so smytynge they sayde. Arede or prophicye to vs thou Christ / who smote the nowe?* 1.200 And this they spake to mocke and scorne hym as the glose sayth,* 1.201 by∣cause he wolde be taken as a prophet amonge his apostles and comen people, and whom the people also toke for a great prophet But the Iues nowe bycause he wolde not saye who smote hym: they toke hym for a false prophet. Our sauyour Iesus wolde not answere to theyr folisshe and mad questyon / bycause he knewe that they mocked hym, and so surely it had ben but a folysshenes to answere vnto theyr madnes. Saynt Hierom sayth: that they ware without mercy and full of crueltie / and therfore they dyd all the euyll and derysyon that they coulde do to hym. Some smote hym of an euyll frowarde wyl, and some to please y^e great prynces, whiche were moste cruell and full of malice. And as saynt Hierome saith: this payne and passyon that he suffred that nyght: shall neuer be manyfestly & hollye knowen vnto y^e day of iudgemēt, for frō the beginnyng of the nyght vnto the mornyng, he was left in the handes & custody of the vyle seruantes whiche dyd then exercyse and proue in hym all maner of tormentes and paynes that they coulde ymagyne: Nowe drawynge hym by the heyre of the heed nowe smytyng hym on the face, nowe spyttyng in his face and mouthe, nowe pynchynge his chekes and so of o∣ther paynes as we sayd before and shall say more hereafter: they vexed and greued our sauyour Christe both in soule and in body.

¶Of the Compassyon of oure Ladye.

BVt where art thou nowe O thou blessed virgyn Ma∣rie mother of Christ? Doyst not thou knowe nowe what thynges be done aboute thy dearbeloued sonne Iesus? Some do say that Iohan the Euangeliste, leauynge Christ in the house of Cayphas / ranne to Bethanie to the house of Marie Magdalen where as our lady remaned when Iesus went with his disciples to Hierusalem to make his supper and to eat the paschal lambe, and whan Iohan was come to bethany he knocked and rapt vpon the dore / and the blessed virgyn beynge in hyr prayers / hearynge hym was great∣ly astonisshed and called vnto Magdalene and sayde: Aryse my doughter and know what is become of my sonne. Anon the dore was opened and Iohan came in cryenge / wepynge and saynge / Alas reuerent mother, I brynge heuy tythynges to the / and for sobbynge and wepynge he coulde scarsely speake, then the vyr∣gyn with great heuynes & also weapyng asked of Iohan, where is my sonne: where is my Iesus: what is done with hym? is he yet on lyue or the most cruell Iues hath slayne hym? and Iohan as he myght speake sayd: He is yet lyuynge / but as I can per∣ceyue: they wyll this day put hym to death. The ministers and the Iues toke hym this nyght / and nowe they kepe hym faste bound in the house of Cayphas / and those wicked scrybes and phariseys do say that he ought to be iudged to deathe. O howe colde then was the vyrgins hert, with howe moche sorowe was she then replete? And then furth with she wente with Iohan has∣tely to Hierusalem, and Magdalene with other diuers women went with her / and whan she came in to the citye she saughte her sonne by the brode stretes and narrowe laynes / askynge of them she met, where is my dearbeloued sonne / and so forthe as ye shal se in the next article, and also in the .xliiii. and .lviii. articles.

¶A deuout Contemplacyon for a lesson.

FOr an holsom lesson in this article we shall set before you a breue contemplacyon of the most shamful moc¦kinges and derisions that the Iues dyd vnto y^e most innocent lambe our sauyour Iesus. O my deuoute soule / awayke / ryse and depely consider howe thy sa¦uyour Iesus whiche is the soueraigne lorde & glorye of angelles is nowe made the mockynge stocke of the Iues, and as it were a tenyse ball of derysyon wherwith the preestes and the scribes

and phariseys done play togyther castynge and sendynge hym from one to an other to his greate rebuke and heuynes. As An∣nas sent hym to Cayphas, Cayphas to Pylate, Pylate to He∣rode and Herode to Pylate agayne. And in all these places and in goynge also thyther he suffred many dispytes and greuous paynes / as we sayde before and shall say more herafter. Of this the prophete Dauid speaketh in the persone of Christe sayenge: Omnes videntes me deriserunt me:* 1.202 All that se me•• dyd mocke me, and that .iii. maner of wayes, with-false wordes, with signes and with scornefull sentences. Of the fyrste the prophet sayth: Lo cuti sunt labiis: They haue spoken with theyr lyppes / withoute good consideracyon or aduysement. Nowe false thynges impu∣tynge to me and somtyme makynge false promyses to me. For the firste they sayd:* 1.203 Alios saluos fecit: seipsum non potest sa luum fa cere•• He made other safe / but he can not saue hym selfe. Here they imputed a false thynge to hym / that he coulde not saue hym selfe, and that is false. Also they made to hym a false promisse whan they sayd.* 1.204 Si rex Israel est: descenda•• hunc de cru•••• et credimus ei. If Christe be the kynge of Israell let hym discende nowe & come downe from the crosse and we wyll beleue to hym. There was a false promisse for they thought not as they sayd. The second de∣risyon was with signes.* 1.205 And of this also speaketh Dauid: Et mouerunt capita sua / They dyd moue and shake theyr heedes at hym.* 1.206 And so saith Mathewe: Prete••eunt•••• autem blasphemabat eum mouentes capita sua. &c. They that passed by the mount of Caluarie where as Christe was crucifyed dyd blaspheme hym / mouynge theyr heedes and sayenge (Hoy) This is he that wyl distroy the temple of god and in .iii. dayes buyld it agayne. The thyrde derisyon was with scornefull and mockynge or ironyous sentences.* 1.207 And of this it foloweth in Dauid: Sperauit in domino eripiat eum. &c. He trusted in god the father, let hym nowe dely∣uer hym from our handes, let hym saue Christe / by reysyng hym agayne. For as Christ saith▪ His father loueth hym & wyll saue hym.* 1.208 On this maner the Iues sayd: Confidit in deum: liberet nunc eum si vult: dixit enim, filius dei ego sum▪ Christ trusteth in to god the father, let hym delyuer hym nowe if he may and wyll, for he said that he was the sonne of god. Thus they mocked hym also they couered his face and smote hym with other thynges as we sayd before. Also of these thynges the prophet Dauid speketh in an other psalme in the persone of Christe: Confortati sunt qui persecuti sunt me inimici mei iniuste. &c. My enemyes that haue

persecuted me wrongfully haue nowe the hygher hande and do∣minyon ouerme / and therfore I nowe paye and suffer paynes for that thynge whiche I had not. Adam and Eue dyd eate the apple: but nowe I paye for it and suffer payne for theyr synne. And that a man might conforme hym self to this article: let hym remember what irrisyon and shame Christe suffred in this acte / and howe the Iues made hym theyr laughynge and mockynge stocke: and as it were a chylderne game at hym / and then praye as foloweth / or in any lyke maner.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche with scornefull mockes of the Iues was smy¦ten vpon the heed and bydden to arede and prophycye who smote the: I beseche the good Iesu prophicye and shewe to me, that I myght knowe what a wreche and synner I am, whiche so ofte (alas for sorowe) haue smytten the with the hand of myne euyll and synfull dedes. Amen.

¶Howe Christe was presented before Pylate. The xxi. article.

THe .xxi. article is the presentacyon of Christe before Py¦late. For what tyme it was clere day / that is the fyrste houre of the day / at .vi. of the clocke at the sonne rysyng. A greate multitude of Iues came to Cayphas house / and from thens they ledde Iesus bounde vnto the mote halle or iudgement house as a mylde lambe that is borne to his deth. O my soule beholde here howe thy sauyour Iesus entreth vnto his iudgement bounde thurst and many other wayes vexed / and all men behelde hym and mockyng hym sayd: O Iesu thou art here nowe, if thou had ben a prophet: thou wolde haue preuyded for this before, with many other lyke wordes that those cursed Iues spake then to hym. And thus they brought hym bounde and dely¦uered hym to ponce Pylate the president and hygh iudge of Iu∣ry vnder the emperoure of Rome.* 1.209 This presentynge vnto Py∣late was most greuous of all other vnto Christe, fyrste bycause he was presented before that iudge, whiche had ful power vnder the emperour to condempne hym vnto the deth. Secondly by∣cause the Iues that presented hym to Pylate dyd presente hym / not as to be examyned by Pylate: but they delyuered hym vnto Pylate as conuicte and founde gylty by theyr examinacyon / and so to be put to y^e deth without ony other examinacion or taryeng.

For they sayd to Pylate:* 1.210 If this man were not a mislyuer and so worthy deth / we wolde not haue delyuered hym to the. Of this we shall speake more in the next article. Thyrdly this presentyng to Pylate was moste greuous to Christe bycause he had ben faty gate and weryed the nyght before, many wayes by the crueltye of the Iues, and therfore it was moche more payne to hym now to be brought to the iudgement of a pagane and infidele, for they brought hym bound to Pylate to be slayne and deuoured by hym whiche was reputed as a dogge amonge the Iues bycause he was a gentyle and not circumcysed as they were.

¶A remembraunce of the mornynge of our Ladye.

WHen it was publysshed thoroughe out all the cytye of Hierusalem that Iesus was taken, and howe that the Iues wolde crucifye hym: his moste sorowfull mother the virgine Marye herde therof / and so al∣moste deed for sorowe: was led by her systers and o∣ther women with vnspeakeable lamentynges / wepynges / mor∣nynges and syghynges, to se her moste derebeloued sonne, and so wepynge without ceasyng / she sawght hym thorough y^e brode stretes and narowe lanes of Hierusalem cryenge / and sayenge: where is my moste derebeloued sonne, where arte thou my most swete Iesu, where shal I fynd the / who hath taken the from me? why may not I dye for the? These word{is} with other lyke might this most sorowefull mother of Iesu say. And whan they came to that place where as they myght se Iesus, they seynge hym so bounde / so tormented / so deformed with theyr spyttynges, forsa¦ken of all his disciples / dispysed / mocked and destitute of all help and solace, so shamfully and paynfully with a greate multitude of armed men cruelly led to the tribunall of the wycked Iudge, and there to be condempned to the death, our ladye with her sys∣ters and the other women I saye seynge and considerynge these thynges: what heuynes / what sorowe and bytternesse were they then fulfylled with: it can not be spoken nor expressed by any sen¦tence. Also our lorde Iesus seynge and knowynge his mother with the other women in so great sorowe: greatly sorowed ther∣of, for without doute he had greate compassyon of them / and so was greatly greued of this compassyon / and most specyally for his most kynd mother, for he knewe that her sorowe was almost

to the deth, as it shall appere in the .lviii. article. And as some doctours say: there were .xl. seruantes that led Christ from Cay¦phas house vnto Pylate besydes the greate multitude of people that went with them: and there were a thousande passes frome Cayphas house vnto the house of Pylate.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may take this lesson, that the secular po∣wer is not to be dispised but to be honoured. For as saynte Poule sayth:* 1.211 there is no power but of god, and therfore who so resisteth the power: he resisteth the ordinauns of god. And therfore as saynt Austen sayth: Our lorde god stode before Py∣late a gentyle and pagane iudge / and spake neuer one word vn∣reuerently vnto hym. So shulde we with reuerence stand before our prelates and iudges though they be not good: but euyll and vicyous.

¶A prayer.

O Lorde Iesu Christe sonne of the lyuynge god, whiche in the firste houre of the day for our helth wolde be presented by the Iues vnto Pylate a pagane iudge: graunte to me for the loue of thy name that I dispyse no maner of power / but that I may gyue due and worthy honoure to my superiours and to all iudges. Amen.

¶Howe the Iues falsely accused Christe before Pylate. The .xxii. article.

THe .xxii. article is the false accusacyon that the Iues made of Christe, for whan Christe was brought in to the mote hal and there stode bound before Pylate the iudge: the Iues wolde not come in to the mote hall bycause they wolde not be defoyled and made vnclene, for that day was theyr Pasch day, wherin all the Iues that were clene shulde eate the pure breade that is made of pure where without leuyn, and the Iues had this opinyon, that yf they came in the house of any gentyle or straunger whiche was not circumcided as they were: by that entrance they were made vnclene and so myght not eate of those pure breades: vnto suche tyme they were fyrst purifyed.* 1.212 And here sayth saynt Austen. O wycked blyndnes, the Iues feared to entre the house of a straun∣ger, bycause they wolde not be contaminate / but they feared not to sley theyr innocent brother and also lorde. O thou christiane

note here howe the Iues kepte them selfe frome all vnclennes that they myghte eate the pure breade of wheate whiche gaue to theym no grace of god for the selfe eatynge, moche more then shuldest thou keape thy selfe clenne, whiche receyuest the blessed bodye of Chryste / the heuenlye breade whiche gy∣ueth to the / the eternall lyfe. The Iues wolde not entre in to y^e iudgmēt house: and thou wylt not auoyd euyl compaigny and tauernes / where as oftentymes bene spoken temerary vn∣godlye iudgementes,* 1.213 and also moche blode shedde by false de••xaccyons and other wayes. Symon de Cassia also sayth here: That the Iues of an olde tradycyon and ordynaunce / auoyded and shunned the houses of straungers in suche hyghe solempnytyes. And so they euer intendynge to suche lyghte and vayne ceremonyes and lytyll regardynge greatter thynges: fell in to the deape pytte of greate synnes,* 1.214 and Pylate seyng that they wolde not enter in to hym: he went forth to them and sayd: what accusacyon brynge you agaynst this man. And here sayth Symon de Cassya:* 1.215 It apperteyneth to the wisdome and iustyce of euery iudge and president not to iudge after the mynde of the accusers / excepte theyr accusacyon be probable and true. Ther∣fore Pylate wysely dyd inquyre, and ordinarylye dyd procede in this cause / whan he sayde: what accusacyon shewe yow agaynste this man. For also by the lawes of the Romaynes / no man shulde be condempned to deathe, Excepte he be fyrste accused and that proued, Also Pylate merueylynge and also moued with displeasure agaynste the Iues, that they of theyr owne auctoritye wolde bynde Christe / nor yet conuicte before the iudge: thoughte that they hadde some greate cause agaynst Christe, and therfore he asked of them / what cause they layde agynste hym.* 1.216 And then they answered: Si non esset hic male∣factor: non tibi tradidissemus eum: If this persone were not a mysordred lyuer: we wolde not haue delyuered hym to the, As if they hadde sayde / after Symon de Cassya we be not mo∣ued of enuye / nor yet styrrede of haytred,* 1.217 Nor yet we haue bene hastye in this dede, before that we delyuered hym to the: we dyscussed hys cause, we se his euyll dedes, we knowe his myscheuous tongue / there is nothynge that compellethe vs to delyuer hym vnto the / to be iudged & cōdempned by the: but his euyl dedes. Also addyng this we haue examined him in our wise

and lerned counsell / and there we haue founde hym worthy to dye / wherfore it is not nedeful to haue any further examinacyon. Thus these malicyous Iues dyd iustify them self before the iuge that they myght the more spedely cōdempne the innocent. Pilate sōwhat moued or despleased with theyr answere bicause he knew that they accused Christ for enuy onely that they had to Christe, and therfore thynkyng that they wold not shewe what cause they had against hym: for bycause he had offended against theyr law, therfore I (sayd Pilate) wold not punish him but remitted hym to theyr punisshmēt, which was onely to be beaten & not to inner deth.* 1.218 And so Pylate sayd to them: Accipite eum vos: et secūdum legem vestram iudicate eum, Take you christ and iudge him after your lawe, as if he shuld say, If your examinacyon be sufficient then iudge you hym and condempne hym for I wyll condempne no man without a cause proued before me. And this also he spake mockynge them,* 1.219 for he knewe well that they myght condempne no man to deth. then the Iues sayd to hym: Nobis non licet in∣terficere quem{quam}: we may sley no man / for that auctoritie was ta¦ken from them by the emperour of Rome. And here sayth saynte Austen:* 1.220 If he be so a mischeuous person as ye say: why may ye not sley hym, if ye may not sley hym for your solempne feeste of pasche: why do ye crye and saye: crucifye hym / crucifye hym / Pylate perceyuing by theyr wordes that they wold not be cōtent with any small punisshement of Chryste / but that they wolde haue hym slayne: he wolde nedes heare the cause why he shulde dye. And then they perceyued that Pylate was angrye: began to accuse Chryste falsely in many thynges, of the whiche onelye thre we rede in Luke.* 1.221 And so the Iues sayde, Hunc inueni∣mus subuertentem gentem nostram. &c. we founde thys persone subuertynge our people from our lawe. Also forbyddyng the pe∣ple to pay tribute to the emperoure. And saynge hym selfe to be Chryste and our kynge. But these accusacyons were al false. And therfore they sayde: Inuenimus: we haue founde hym, for that was onely in theyr owne malicyous hartes, for it was not truthe in dede: but onelye theyr owne ymagynacyon and inuencyon. For he whiche came to fulfyll the lawe and not to breke it: dyd not subuert the people from y^e lawe. Nor he dyd not subuert them: but rather cōuerted them to goodnes whom he taught y^e truth, nor he dyd forbyd y^e people to pay tribute to y^e em¦perour / for he said openly:* 1.222 pay or rēder tho thyng{is} to y^e emperour

whiche be his,* 1.223 and gyue to god that apperteyneth to hym▪ And also he payd tribute for hym selfe and also for Peter, and where he sayd hym selfe to be Christe the kynge: he sayd truthe, but yet he wolde not take vpon hym his kyngdome in this worlde, and so he was falsely accused and that not withstandynge: he wolde not answere one worde for his excuse.* 1.224 And therfore Pylate sayd to hym: Non audis quanta aduersum te dicunt testimonia? Doyst not thou heare what and howe many accusacyons they brynge agaynst the? And Iesus answered•• not one word in the presence of the Iues, in so moche that Pylate moche merueyled therat: And specyally seynge that the Iues vnresonably and with great turmoyle and with importunitye / requyred his death but Christ for all that wolde not answer, remembrynge the sayenge of the wyseman.* 1.225 Vbi non est auditus: non effundes sermonem: Speake not where as is no conuenient audience. Then Pylate entred in to the motehall, bycause he myght more quietely examyn hym frome the turmoyle and noyse of the people, and there lityll regardynge the firste accusacyon whiche was concernyng theyr lawe, nor yet the seconde accusacyon, for he reputed that to be false, for parauenture he had hard before howe Christ said / gyue to the emperour that is his, therfore he onely examined hym in the thyrde cause saynge:* 1.226 Tu es ••ex iudeorum? Arte thou the kyng of Iues? as if he shulde say / is it true that the Iues saye of the / that thou woldest vsurpe and take vpon the the name of a kynge contrarie to the decree and statute of the emperour of Rome / for the emperour had taken frō the Iues y^e name of a kyngdome that they shulde haue no kyng / and that was to breke theyr pryde and to take from them all occasyon of rebellyon. Then Iesus said to Pylate A temetipso hoc dicis:* 1.227 an alii tibi dixerūt de me? Spekes thou this of thyne own mynd: or other persons haue spoken this to the of me, shewyng by these wordes y^t Pylate dyd not folowe the order of y^e lawe, as if he shuld say / if thou knowe y^t I haue ta∣ken vpon me the name of a kyng shew openly y^e signes or actes of my rebellyon / if onely thou herest this of oder {per}sons / make ordy∣nary inquisition & cause thē to bryng in witnes. Then pylate an∣swered, I am no Iue / and therfore I speke it not of my self / thy people & thy bisshopp{is} haue delyuered y^e vnto me / whiche shulde defēce the, but it semeth that y^u hast greatly offēded thē: that they so obstinatly do accuse the,* 1.228 what hast y^u done? Iesus answered: Regnū meū nō est de hoc mūdo:* 1.229 my kyngdom is not of this world & so he denyes not to be a kyng for he is y^e kyng of king{is} and lorde

of lordes, if my kyngdome were of this worlde: my ministres and seruantes wolde feyght for me & defend me then Pylate said: Ergo thou arte a kynge.* 1.230 And Iesus answered: Tu dicis: Thou sayst so / as if he sayd it is as thou sayst, for I am a kynge, and that thou shuldest knowe the condicyon of my kyngdome, for that cause I was borne temporally into this worlde / and for that cause I came into this worlde: that I might bere testimony and witnes to the truthe, and who so euer is the chylde or louer of truth: he hereth my voyce, Of these wordes we maye take that there be .ii. thynges requyred to the kyngdom of Christ, the first is truth y^t it be hard, and the second is obedience: that is y^t the truth herd be fulfylled.* 1.231 Then Pylate sayd: Quid est veritas: what is truth? Pilate dyd not here inquire the diffinition of truth / but what is that vertue of truth: thorough whose perticipation and vertue men be taken and made of the kyngdom of god. The solu¦tion of this question Pylate wold not abyde to here, for seynge that he was not of the kyngdom of christ / nor wold intricate hym self with spūall thynges: therfore he had no cure or desire to here it; and also he cared not for it / bycause he shuld shortly cōdempne the truth. And also bycause he herd a great murmur & trouble of the people without forth feryng some busynes or insureccyon by∣cause he differred y^e deth of Christ so longe,* 1.232 and for these causes: he hasted hym to the Iues and sayd to them: Ego nullam causam inuenio in homine isto:* 1.233 I fynde no cause of deth in this man. Here as Chrisostom saith: Pylate dyd substancyally alledge for christ that he nother knewe or coulde fynd any cause of malice in hym. And then the Iues for asmoche as they fayled in theyr proue for wante of resonable causes: wolde haue preuayled by theyr mul∣titude & cryeng,* 1.234 and at laste they brought agaynst hym this accu¦sacyon, He hath troubled al the people from Galilee vnto this cy¦tye, wyllynge so to aggrauate theyr accusacyon / bycause it appa¦red contrarie to the peace of the emperour vnder whome Pylate was the hyghe iudge in Hierusalem, that therby Pylate shulde be the more moued agaynst Christe. But you wycked Iues / howe dyd he moue the people to sedicyon and warre: that euer preached and taughte peace / and came to make peace bytwixte god and man? But spyrytually we maye saye that he moued the people and troubled them frome theyr synfull lyfe / by hys holsome monicyon teachynge them the way of vertue and truth. Of the whiche mocyon and also trouble: the prophete Dauid sayethe:* 1.235 Commouisti terram: et conturbasti eam: Thou hast

thou hast moued the erth that is erthly persons / and thou hast tro¦bled it, that is / put them from theyr erthly and synfull lyfe / cure / and heale (good lorde) his woundes / for he is moued to good∣nesse and vertue. And Pylate then herynge them speke of Gali∣lee and knowynge that Iesus was of Galilee he sent hym to He∣rode, as ye shall se in the next article.

¶A Lesson.

IN this article we may lerne this lesson that we shulde be∣ware that we accuse not our sauiour Christ falsly or of false-thynges. They accuse Christe of false thynges / whiche impute or put any false thyng vpon hym, as the Iues / paganes and he∣retykes do. For the Iues put vpon Christe that he was the natu¦rall sonne of Ioseph the carpenter, and that he was a gloton and a drynker of wyne, that the deuyll was in hym and that he sub∣uerted the people whiche all were false. The paynyms impute to hym that he was a pure man and not god, and that it was in∣possible that god shuld be incarnate. The heritykes put to christ that he had no true bodye / but onely a fantasticall body, and that he was no very true man: but onely apparent. &c. There be other y^t accuse god falsly, as these euyl & false christians / which accuse god, as the cause of theyr synnes, saynge: God hath made me of that compleccyon: that I must nedes synne, the constellation or coniunccyon of suche planetes or sterres made me to synne, and god made the sterres, therfore he made me to synne. Thou dost falsly impute thy synne to god. True it is that god made the sterres and also the of that compleccyon / for he create all thynges and they were good. But all these can not compell the to synne, for it is onely the malice and frowardnes of thy wyll. &c. Also a man to conforme hym selfe to this article: shulde remember how he that is the very truth dyd pacyently suffer to be falsly accused for vs, that he myght founde and grounde vs in the truthe.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche wolde for me be falsely accused in many false thynges before the iudge Pylate: teache me to auoyde the disceyres of wicked men and truly to professe thy faith with good werkes. Amen.

¶Howe Christ was sent to Herode. The .xxiii. article.

THe .xxiii. article is the sendynge of Christe to Herode. For whan Pylate herde that Iesus was a man of the countrye of Galilee and so vnder the power of Herode whiche was the captayne and the reuler of Galilee vnder the emperour hauynge this occasyon to delyuer his hand{is} of Christe: sent hym to herode / whiche was the ruler of Galilee and at that tyme he was also in Hierusalem, Pylate wyllynge herby to do honour vnto Herode that he beynge the capteyne of Galilee: shulde delyuer or condempne Christe beynge a man of his countrye / so wyllyng that euery man shulde be examined and iudged of his owne iudge / accordyng to the lawes of the Roma∣nes, and whan Iesus was thus sent / there was a greate cōcurse of people folowynge hym. O blessed lady Marie howe wente thou in suche a multitude? who helped the in that great thronge of people? Surely thou was then the example of sorowe and he∣uynes to all that loueth the or Christe thy sonne,* 1.236 and whan He∣rode dyd se Iesus he had greate ioye therof, not that he thought to wynne ony thynge therby: but for that he was curious to se a straunge man and suche a man / whom he had longe desired to se / that is from the decollacyon or behedyng of saint Iohn̄ the Bap∣tiste, for that tyme Christe beganne to preache openly and to do many miracles, whiche al Herode herynge: was moch desirous to se hym / and to se hym shewe some wonderous signe or miracle, not for any deuocyon: but for curiositie and to proue hym what he coulde do: for he thought that Christe had ben a iugler or any gromancyer, and for this cause he desired to se no miracle of our sauiour Iesus. This sendynge is conueniently accompted a∣monges the articles of Christes passyon, for it is a great displea¦sure for any man to be sent from one iudge to an other, how moch more then was it paynfull to this most swete and innocent lambe our sauyour Iesu? Herode asked of Christe many questyons / as we shal se in the next article. Also there were .CC. passes from Pylates house vnto Herodes house / by the whiche space / bothe goynge and comynge he suffred many despytes and rebukes.

¶A Lesson.

IN this article we may lerne this lesson: that is to suffer pacyētly if we be shamfully sent from one iudge to an other for the loue of Christe, seynge that our sauyour Iesus was so ser¦ued. And specially religyous {per}sons which shuld be the folowers

of Christe shulde not be troubled / if somtyme for obedience they be sent from one place to an other, and nowe vnder this prelate / and nowe vnder that. &c.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for my loue dyd not feare to be sent from Py∣late vnto Herode: graunt to me I beseche the that I with a glad mynd for thy loue may obey to the cōmaundement{is} of my superiours thoughe they be wicked, and to do my obedyence promtly and redylye without any grudgynge. Amen.

¶Howe Herode derided and mocked Christ. The .xxiiii. article.

THe .xxiiii. article is the derisyon or mockynge that He∣rode dyd to Christe,* 1.237 for after that he was presented to hym: he moued to Christe many questyons and proued hym in them, as parauenture he asked hym whether he was that chyld / at whose birth a new starre dyd appere to the .iii. kynges? and whether he dyd gyue syght to that man which was borne blynde, And if he dyd reyse Lazar that was .iiii. dayes dead? and suche other questyons. Some persons do moue que∣styons onely for curiositie to here newe thynges, some to know the truth / and some onely to tempte and proue howe the other per¦sone can answere, and some to take the answere in a trippe or de∣faute. And Herode here asked Christe many questions / not as a studious person to lerne or knowe the truth: but rather to rebuke Christe, not as a louer of the truthe: but to tempte hym, not to wynne or get any truth or vertue therby: but for curiositie to here newes. And for these causes Christ wolde shewe no token or my∣racle, nor yet answere vnto hym. Also Herode in his questions behaued hym selfe scornfully vnto Christ, and as mockyng hym sayd: If thou wyll do any miracle in my presence / I shall quyte the and delyuer the, and if thou wylt not honour me with some thynge I shall condempne the at the wyl and desyre of thy aduer¦saries these malicyous Iues. But for all this our sauyour Ie∣sus whiche doth all thynges ordinately.* 1.238 And as dauid sayth: Dis¦poseth his wordes and sentēces in ryght reason and iudgement: He (I say) wolde not answere to any one questyon, for he iud∣ged it most godlye to kepe silence at that tyme, for one word spo¦ken without prophet: may be somtyme the cause of the condemp¦nacyon

of the speaker. And at that tyme all the prynces of the Iues stode styfly accusynge Christe, as we shall declare in the nexte article.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may take this lesson after saynt Gregorye that as ofte as our audience wold here our preachyng / sen∣tence / or mynde, not for to amende therby theyr peruerse and vi∣cyous lyfe: but onely to commende our saynges: then so ofte we shulde kepe silence and speake not as they wolde, for if we shuld for that purpose folowe theyr desyre: we shuld offende god in so doynge, and theyr vicyous lyfe shulde be in no thynge amended therby. There be many thynges wherby we maye knowe and perceyue the mynd of the herer and desyrer, and specyally if they euer prayse that thynge whiche they here, and yet neuer folowe that thynge whiche they so prayse.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wolde suffer Herode scornfully to de∣maund many questions of the, to the which thou wold not answere one word: graūt to me for thy loue, y^t I may paciently here and bere scornfull questyons and mockynge wordes, and that I may declyne and auoyde my vayne prayse by my silence.

¶Howe Christe was accused before Herode. The .xxv, article.

THe .xxv. article is the accusacyon of Christe before Herode.* 1.239 For as Luke sayth: Stabant principes facer dotum et scribe constanter accusantes eum. The prin¦ces of the preestes and the scribes stode styfely accu∣synge Christe before Herode.* 1.240 And here Symon de Cassia saith: I wolde that the euangeliste or the interpreter that translated the euangelie of Luke out of Greke in to Latyne had vsed this terme or worde pertinaciter: rather than this worde constanter, for constantia is a name of vertue: and suche a ver∣tue as it is not conuenient and agreynge to enuyous or hatefull persons and all gyuen to mischeyfe. But this worde pertinatia, that is frowardnes: is conuenient to suche euyll persons, for it is the name of a vyce / and that suche a vice which wyll not gyue ouer or cease vnto the tyme his malicyous mynde be broughte to purpose. These malicyous Iues stode obstinatlye and styfelye

accusynge Christe that he myght be shortly put to deth, and they as the chylderne of deth: wold not suffer the lyfe to lyue vpon the erth, they accused Christe before Herode specyallye saynge that Christe had troubled and moued al the people begynnyng in Ga¦lilee / whiche was vnder the rule of Herode y^t therby they myght the more rather moue hym agaynst Christ, bycause he had trou∣bled & moued the people in his dominion. And notwithstādyng the accusacyons of Christ before Herode were the same that were spoken before Pylate: yet for asmoche as that they were spoken before an other iudge, and so a newe payne and sorowe was ther¦by vnto Christe: therfore this article is put here as diuerse or an other from the .xxii. article. And as Christe in no thynge wolde answere vnto Herode: so he in no thynge answered to his accu∣sers.* 1.241 But as saynt Ambrose sayth: He kept silence bycause theyr vnfaythfulnes deserued not to here the truth of god, and our lord also declyned then or wolde auoyde iactance and vayne prayse, for he wolde do no miracle before Herode as he then wolde glad∣ly haue sene. Also he wolde not then shewe any miracle bycause he wolde not let his passion.* 1.242 And as Albert sayth: The pride and curiositie of Herode dyd not deserue it. And her to our lorde com¦maūded in his gospell sayng Nolite sanctum dare canibus:* 1.243 Gyue no holy thynge to dogges, do no miracles before suche as wyll not prophet by them. Also ye knowe that a worde can not be spo∣ken or formed without a voyce, so bycause our sauyour Iesus is the eternall worde of god, and saynt Iohan the Baptist is called the voyce of that same worde, & Herode slewe that voyce Iohan Baptiste the Eester laste passed the yere before, therfore he was not worthy to here y^t eternal worde of god that is Christ / speke. And furthermore he was not worthy to heare Christe speake / for his manyfolde scornynge wordes, and also to gyue vs example / that we may better ouercome vayne and mockynge wordes / by silence then by speakynge.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may lerne this lesson, that truth is not to be spoken or shewed / in all places / in all tymes / nor to all persons, for oftymes it is better to kepe silence as we said before.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche presented before Herode wolde for my loue suffer the false accusacyons of the Iues, and thou wolde not excuse thy selfe / or deny in any worde theyr iniust sayenges:

graunt to me that I be nat ouercome by the iniuries of wycked men / nor that I shewe thy holy misteries to the vnworthy {per}sons.

¶Howe Christe was despised of Herode. The .xxvi. article.

THe .xxvi. article is of the despeccyon that Herode and his seruauntes dyd to Christ / for Herode seyng Christ wolde not shewe any signe or miracle before hym, nor speake one word to all his questions, nor yet answere to the accusacyons of the Iues for his owne defence: He repu∣ted hym to be a fole and to haue no witte or reason,* 1.244 And therfore he despysed hym and so dyd all his compeigney and seruauntes. Fyrst bycause Christe kepte so stably his silence in no thynge mo∣ued to speake though the Iues dyd so falsly accuse hym. Second¦ly Herode dispised Christ, bycause he reputed hym a fole or fere∣full of the death that the Iues labored to bryng hym vnto, or els for that he thought Christe to be presumptuous in his lyuynge and maners / and nowe kepte silence: bycause he could not defend his owne cause for want of good reason and iustice in his cause. And thyrdly he wolde be despysed of Herode for a greate miste∣rie, it is a profounde misterie and gyueth to vs a matter of hygh contemplacyon, to consider howe the eterne wysdome of god: wolde be reputed folisshnes, and the infinite power of god wold be taken for infirmitie as of lytyll or of no power, so that Christ the sonne of god very god and man wolde be made the obprobry or rebuke of men, the abiection and out cast of the people / and the mockynge stocke of kynges and great men. And in lyke ma∣ner nowe a dayes the folowers of Christ be dispysed of euyl men and reputed as foles, and that specyally when such euyl persons haue a wicked reuler or heed, for comonly suche persons shortlye consent vnto suche a captayn or reuler. A comen prouerbe / Such a kynge hath suche counsellers & lyke seruantes, and therfore it was so moch y^e more to the obprobry & rebuke of Christ / that not onely Herode despysed Christe: but also al his compaigney and seruantes. And in these dayes there be many that dispyse Iesus as Herode dyd: lokynge to se signes and miracles nowe / whan it is not tyme to shewe signes / but rather to do good werkes / our lorde sayd of the Iues:* 1.245 Habent moisen et prophetas: They haue moysen that is the lawe of moyses and the prophetes, lette them here them and folowe them. And we haue morouer the gospelles

and the apostles with the actes and apocalipse / and yet we wolde se signes, we do not fulfyll the gospell and in lyuynge therafter: but rather we desppyse it. This despysynge of Christe is con∣ueniētly taken for an article of Christes passyon, for syth it wold greue any man to se hym self despysed of other men and specyally of great men though he were but symple and an ideote: moche more it shulde greue our sauyour Christe whiche was all good / omnipotent and most wise, to be mocked & taken as omnipotent bycause he wolde do no miracle before Herode / to be reputed an ideote without knowlege: bycause he wolde not answere to hys questions, to be accompted as a fole / bycause he wold not defende hym selfe agaynst his accusers, and not onely they despysed hym in wordes: but also in dede, puttynge a folys cote vpon Christ / as ye shall se in the nexte article.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may take this lesson / that we shulde ra∣ther wyll to be despysed of euyll persons: then to be com∣mended of flaterers. As our lorde (after saynte Gregorie) dyd chose rather to be openly dispised of proude persons: then vayn∣ly to be lauded of vnfaythfull persones.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche was contente to be despysed for me of Herode and his compaignye or seruantes: graunte me to despyse all worldly pompe for the / and not to regarde the despysynge of wicked men for thy loue and for iustyce. Amen.

¶Howe Christe was cladde with a whyte garment to his despysyng. The .xxvii. article.

THe .xxvii. article is the mockynge of Christe with a whyte garment / whiche was put vpon hym to his great confusyon and shame.* 1.246 And here saith Symon de Cassia that this worde albedo / that is to saye / whitnes, is not taken at all tymes in scripture for vertue / or to the best parte, for somtyme it signifyeth the want of vertues, and so this whyt vest¦ment wherwith Herode dyd mocke Christ doth shewe what was Herode and his seruantes or folowers, for he and all they were

voyde of all the multiplicacitye or varietie and diuersitie of ver∣tues, and so theyr mockynge of Christe / turned to theyr owne preiudice / and to theyr euerlastynge despeccyon and rebuke. It is euer knowen to be a greate illusion and mockynge of Chryst: when his vertues are forsaken for worldlye pompe, whan his teachynges be despysed and all his dedes that he dyd and paynes that he suffred for our loue: be no thynge regarded. And so dyd Herode here / for not onely he despysed hym: but also as Luke sayth:* 1.247 Illusit indutum veste alba, He cladde hym in a whyte cote (whiche was taken for a folys cote) and so mocked hym in dede / to the greate derisyon of Christ, for Herode wold haue hym kno¦wen of all people for a fole. For it is lyke that that tyme to haue or weare a whyte garment: was a signe or token of a fole / and it is also very lyke that that whyte garment was lengar than the stature of Christe, and so therby thorowe the thurstyng & throng of the cruel Iues: he was oftymes thrawen downe to the groūd. But thoughe Herode dyd thus aray Christe to his rebuke: yet this whyte garment was not without greate misterie: as were all the other actes and dedes aboute the passyon of Christ. Ther¦fore as saynt Ambrose sayth:* 1.248 This whyte garment doth signify the immaculate and innocent passion of Christe, for he without spotte of synne: dyd beare and suffer payne for all synnes of the worlde, whiche whyte garment is signifyed by the albe of the preeste wherin he sayth masse, for the vestmentes that the bisshop or preest vseth at masse: doth represēt the hole passion of Christ. For our hygh bysshop Christe was cladde in his passyon with all the ornamentes of a bysshop. Fyrste he toke his amysse when the Iues couered his face / he toke his albe: whan Herode cladde hym in this whyte garment / he toke his manyple whan the Iu∣es or saugiours bonde his handes, but what tyme they lowsed his handes and put a rede in his ryght hande: then the corde or bonde dyd remayne vpon his lefte hande, and in token herof / the preest vseth the maniple vpon the lefte hande or arme / he toke his gyrdle: when he was bounde aboute the myddle to the pyller, he toke his stole: when he was bounde by the necke to the pyller, he toke his chesyble: when the saugiours of Pylate put an olde purpur garment vpon hym, he had a crowne of thornes for hys mytour, he had a rede in his hand for his crosse, he had his glo∣uys for his handes & his sandalles for his feete: when they were made all redde with blode. The sandalles haue a reed hole aboue wrought with red sylke, and the glouys haue an vche or a redde

precyous stone, or otherwyse wrought with red: to signifye the woundes of Christ in his handes and feete. These be the orna∣mentes of a bisshop whan he doth consecrate any thyng. Also ma¦ny of these the preest doth vse at his masse, to signify that he shuld haue in his vnderstandynge the meditacyon of Christes passion / in his memorie the remembraunce therof. The compassion ther of in his affection and wyll, so that as he is lyke to Christ in his vestmentes: so he may be lyke in his herte and mynde and also ly¦uynge, for who so euer hath these outwarde tokens of Christes passion / nothyng fealyng inwardly by meditacyon and compas∣syon: doth not serue or loue Christ: but rather mocke hym with Herode, which in that white garmēt sent hym to Pilate agayne, As it shall appere in the nexte article.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may lerne this lesson, all they that wyll lyue godly & innocently after the example of our newe man Christ: shalbe mocked & be had as folys of other persons y^t lyue after the old synful maner. But for al this, the true spirituall ser∣uantes of god / shulde not be troubled: but rather ioyfull / for the newe man our sauiour Christ clad in a white garmēt which sig¦nifyeth (to vs christians) his innocētie was mocked & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the chylderne of this worlde, to whome that white garmente was a signe of folisshenes. Also a man in his garmentes or aray¦ment shuld onely loke for profyt and his necessitie, and nothyng for vanitie or curiositie, for our sauyour was reputed as a fole for his aray. And that a man myghte conforme hym selfe to this article: he shulde thanke god: that it wold please hym to gyue to vs the garment of innocentie: for the derision that he suffred of his whyte cote. And a man shulde also oftymes thynke howe oft he hath defoyled by his sinnes, that white vestment of innocentie whiche our lorde gaue to vs at our baptisme, and pray thus.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu which wold be for me clad in a white garment & moc∣ked as a fole of Herode and his seruātes: graūt me warely to declyne or auoyde the wisdome of this worlde whiche in thy syght is but a folisshenes, and with a pure hert to come to the, whiche arte the very true wisdome. Amen.

¶Howe Christ was sent agayne to Pylate. The .xxviii.

THe .xxviii. article is the sendyng agayn of Christ from Herode vnto Pilate, for Herode when he fond no cause of deth in christ: he dispysed & mocked hym & sent hym agayn to Pilate in a white cote, and in this it apereth that he dyd cōsent vnto y^e deth of Christ / for sith Christe was sent to Herode as one of his iurisdiction & vnder his power, when he se no cause worthy deth {pro}ued of Christ: he shulde haue absolued hym & deliuered hym from y^e handes of the Iues, and not to haue sent agayn vnto a straūge iuge y^e which had no power ouer hym. And so Herode offēded in that y^t he sent Christ agayne vnto Py∣late,* 1.249 which sēdyng agayne is cōueniently taken for a speciall ar∣ticle, for therby Christ had a newe payne & labour. Also for that he returned agayne to Pylate clad in a white cote: to his greate shame & rebuke. Thyrdly by cause also he brought w^t hym, He∣rodes consent of his owne deth, whiche appered both in signe or token and also in dede, In signe: bycause he was sent in a folys cote,* 1.250 In dede: that is in the cōfederation of theyr frendshyp / for that same day Herode & Pylate by this sendynge of Christe were made frendes where as before they were enemyes, which frend∣shyp of Herode & Pylate was a figure & sygne that the Iues and gentyles shulde agre to gether in the persecucyon of christians, Or els we may take this frendshyp for a good signe: saynge that the Iues & gentiles which before y^e deth of Christ were enemies, by his deth were made frendes & agreynge in one faythe of Iesu Christe. For he is the peace or corner stone that ioyneth the two diuerse peoples in one. And whan Pylate se that Herode sente Christe agayne vnto hym: he was very sorye therof. And so cast in his mynde howe he myghte delyuer Christe frome deth. And therfore he called togyther the prynces of the preestes / the greate men of the Iues / and the comen people, and goynge forth to them: sayde / ye haue broughte and presented to me this man. &c. As in the nexte article.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may take this lesson, that the nature of goodnes hathe suche strengthe and vertue that it agreithe euyll persones and maketh theym frendes / and specyallye in the persecucyon of goodnes / and therfore the euyll persons may be well signifyed by the foxes that Sampson toke and tyed theyr tayles togyther,* 1.251 to distroye the corne and fruyte of his aduer∣saries.

So euyll persons ben confedered and tyed togyther to persue good men,* 1.252 and so Herode and Pylate, the Iues and the gentiles agreed to gyther against our lord and his sonne Christ. And herto sayth Theophilus: The deuyll in al places cōioyneth and agreeth enemyes to conspyre the deth of Christe. Therfore the iu••te person shulde not be afrayd / thoughe he se euyll persons copled agaynst hym, for that is a signe y^t there is some goodnes in hym, and therby also he is cōformed & made lyke vnto Christ / agaynst whom all euyl persons agreed in one, and also those per¦sons as were enemyes before. Also a man to conforme hym selfe to this article shuld remember what payne it was to Christe to be so shamfully led from one iudge to an other, and if a man haue any hatred in his herte agaynst any persone: let hym forgyue it with all his hert, and that for the loue of Christ, the whiche for vs in his blessed passyon wolde also agree wycked persones and make them frendes, and praye thus.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wolde be sent agayne from Herode vn¦to Pylate, and therby wolde make them frendes: graunt me that I feere not the frenshyp of wicked men agaynste me, but rather that I may so profyte by theyr exercyse: that I maye de∣serue to be conformed and made lyke vnto the. Amen.

¶Howe Christ was forsaken of the Iues / and Barrabas by them was delyuered. The .xxix. article.

THe .xxix. article is the reprouing or forsakyng of Christ for whan Christ was brought agayn to Pilate he called together the princes of the preest{is} / the great men of the Iues & the comen people / and goyng forth vnto theym sayd:* 1.253 Obtulisti mihi hūc hoiem quasi auertētem populum. &c. Ye haue ••sented this man vnto me as a subuerter of the people, and behold said Pylate / I examynyng hym afore you / can not fynde hym gylty in any such cause as ye accuse hym of / nor yet Herode, for I sent you vnto hym / and loo nothynge worthy deth is done vnto hym. Pylate went forth of y^e motehall to y^e Iues that stode without / and that he dyd to excuse christ / and to shewe y^e blyndnes or maliciousnes of the accusers.* 1.254 And here saith Symon de Cas∣sia: The Iues stode without for they knewe not the inwarde se∣cretes and misteries of the lawe / they were put without from the light of truthe / and frome al shynynge and operation of vertue▪ Pylate wente forthe to confounde the Iues, he wente forthe to theym: Not as moued to consente vnto theyr malyce: but

to declare and shewe vnto them in what euyls / peryls / and daun∣gers that people standethe: whiche is excluded frome all good∣nes. And therfore openly before all that were present he wolde reproue and shewe to be vayne all suche accusacyons as they had spoken agaynst Christ, whom after due examinacyon: he founde innocent. And also he went forth to the Iues to signifye spiri∣tually that they shulde be caste out of theyr kyngdome and also frome the kyngdome of god. And ferthermore Pylate sayde to the Iues, ye haue a custome that I shulde dimi••se at your deno∣mination one prisoner euery paschall tyme / to his liberty, which of these .ii wyll ye haue delyuered from prysone to libertye, Ie∣sus / or Barrabas. In this eleccyon: the Iues dyd chose Bar∣rabas,* 1.255 and y^t was to shewe theyr peruerse / obstinate & malicy∣ous mynde. And here sayth Symon de Cassia: Pylate put to the eleccyon of the Iues whither they wolde delyuer Barrabas / or Christe, Barrabas was a stronge thefe / a sedicyous persone / and a manquellar, Christe was al good / Pylate ioyned these .ii. togyther / that they considerynge the mischeuous lyfe of the one and the goodnes of the other though there be no comperison by∣twene good and euyll) they shulde condempne the euyll persone and delyuer y^e good.* 1.256 And after that Pylate had granted to them a space and tyme to consider whom they wold chose: the prynces of the preestes and the seniours of the people dyd per••wade and moue the people to aske Barrabas. And then Pylate inquiryng whiche of these .ii. they wolde haue delyuered: they asked that Barrabas might be put to libertie: and that Christ shulde be con¦dempned vnto most cruell deth. And therfore it foloweth in the gospell: Tunc vniuersa exclamauit turba: tolle hunc: et dimitte no his Barraban: All the people cryed away with Christ: and dely∣uer Barrabas vnto vs, as if these malicyous Iues shulde saye: sley hym y^t dyd rayse deed folkes and delyuere that thefe & man∣sleyar Barrabas, that he may sley them that be on lyfe. And ther¦fore vnto this day the Iues can haue no peace, bicause they wold rather chose the sedicyous thefe Barrabas, and so in hym the se dicyous prince & captayne of all synne the deuyll / whiche vnto this day doth reigne in them (rather I say) than Christ. Theyr example done folowe nowe a dayes such persons that wyl rather help & {pro}mote euyl men: then good men. And so in many elections and {pro}uisions of benefices or offices t••orall & spūall / Iesus / that is y^e good {per}son y^e frend of god which hath a good wyl to help and saue him self & also other / & therfore worthy to be chosē & {pro}moted:

is reproued and put awaye. And contrary wyse / Barrabas / the euyll and vnworthy person / and the enemy of Christe, whiche wyll slay hym selfe and also other in soule: is chosen and promo∣ted. And this article of Christes passyon: is not the leste, or of lytyll payne, for syth any man wyll be sory to se hym selfe repro∣ued / and also an other not so worthy: promoted: howe moche more then myght Christe be ••ory / seynge that so vyle and damp∣nable a person was preferred before hym, and that the Iues dyd aske the lyfe of the manslayer,* 1.257 and the lyfe of the sonne of god. And then Pylate asked of them: Quid faciam de Iesu qui dicitur Christus? What shall I do with Iesus whiche is called Christe your kynge and Messias? Pylate spake this to make them asha¦med of theyr iniquitie and also shewynge the mesure of theyr wic¦kednes, but the Iues were nother ashamed of that Pylate con∣fessed Iesus to be theyr messias:* 1.258 nor yet kept the mesure of theyr wickednes. For they all cryed with one voyce crucifigatur: cru¦cifye hym,* 1.259 in the whiche saynge (as Origene sayth) they multy¦plyed the measure of theyr wickednes. For before Cayphas they sayde: he is worthy deth, and nowe before the iudge they deter∣mine the kynde and maner of death sayng: Crucifye hym.

¶A Lesson.

IN this article we may lerne this lesson / that we quietly and pacyently suffer if any persone of vyle condicyon and euyll maners be preferred before vs, considerynge that a stronge thefe and a manqueller was preferred before Christe god and man.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu Christ the sonne of the lyuyng god, whiche for man∣nes saluacyon disdeyned not in the thyrde houre of the day to be reproued and forsaken of the Iues that dyd aske the sedicy∣ous thefe Barrabas, to be delyuered from deth vnto his liberty. And wolde haue the the auctor and gyuer of lyfe to be crucifyed: graunt to me that I may euer chose the my creatour and maker before all other, and neuer to reproue or forsake the: for any cre∣ature. Amen.

¶The pullynge of the garmentes of Christ. The .xxx. article.

THe .xxx. article is the puttyng of Christes garmentes. For whan Pylate heroe that the Iues dyd aske Bar∣rabas to be dimy••••ed: and Iesus to be crucifyed: he sayd vnto them:* 1.260 Quid enim mali fecit: Nullam causam mortis inuen••o in eo: Corripiam ergo illum et dimittam. What euel hathe Iesus done / I fynde no cause of deth in hym, therfore yf he committed any trespas agaynste your ••awe or ceremonyes / I shall correcte and amende hym and so dimisse hym. In these wor∣des Pylate beganne to swerue frome the iustyce of the lawe / he sayd that he wolde correcte and amende the innocent.* 1.261 O Pylate if he be innocent:* 1.262 howe mayst thou amende hym or correcte hym. except thou decline from iustice? and so furthwith he toke Christ and began to rebuke hym. And firste they put of his garmentes, and this was no lytyll iniurie and rebuke to Christe to be strypt naked before all the compaigney. And though Christe was not borne of that infecte and corrupte stocke of Adam, wherby oure nakednes was made shamfull (for before that Adam dyd synne / he was naked & in nothynge abashed therof / but after that he had synned: he was ashamed of his nakednes, and therfore he sayd: Timui eo {quod} nudus essem: et abscondi me:* 1.263 I was afrayd or ashamed bycause (sayd Adam) that I was naked / and therfore I dyd hyde me) thoughe I say Christ was not borne by the sede of man: yet bycause he came to take our infirmities and to suffer for our ••yn∣nes: therfore he was abasshed to be sene naked / and so moche the more ashamed then all other chast virgyns be: in how moch that his honesty and chastitye excelled without comparison the clen∣nes of all other virgyns. And whan Iesus was thus naked / Py¦late toke hym to the saugiours to be scourged as ye shall se in the next article. And note here that one doctor sayth that Christ was thryes scourged. Fyrste with roddes: bycause he dyd trouble and moue the people / and there he had .xl. strokes saue one, accor∣dynge to the commaundement of the lawe.* 1.264 Secondly with ru∣shys of the see, whiche be more sharp than thornes, and this bea¦tynge was bycause he had preached and taught a newe doctrine. And here he was scourged as Heliodore was by the angelles of whome we rede in the seconde boke of the Machabeis. Thyrd∣lye they scourged hym with whyppes.* 1.265

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may take this lesson that as Christe had his garmentes pulled of his bdye and was stryped naked: so shulde we put of our olde synfull cote and lyfe, and make open

and naked our cōscience before god and his minister our curate, by pure and playne confession of all our synnes, auoyde all cloke and colour of excusacyon / for al thynges ben open and naked be∣fore the syght of god. And a man to conforme hym selfe vnto this article: shulde remember howe miserably / and with howe moch iniurie and shame Christe was strypt naked and his clothes vio¦lentlye pulled of hym. And praye thus.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wold haue thy clothes pulled violent∣lye of thy backe and wolde be strypt naked to be scourged: graunt to me that I may caste of from me myne olde synfull cote or lyfe with al his operations by true / pure and playne confession of all my synnes and that I neuer apere in thy syght naked from vertues. Amen.

¶Howe Christe was scourged. The .xxxi. article.

THe .xxxi. article is the scourgynge of Christe. For when Iesus was so strypt naked: Pylate delyuered hym to the saugiours.* 1.266 The gospell sayth: Apprehendit illum Pilatus et flagellauit: Pylate toke Christe and scourged hym, that is, Pliate made hym to be scourged of his saugiours, that the Iues (as saynt Austen sayth) sacyate and content with those his paynes and rebukes:* 1.267 shulde desyre no more his death. And so he that dyd lowse them that were bounde / our sauiour Ie∣sus was bounde fast to a pyllar, whiche was so great and thycke that his armes & his handes myght nat compas it. And therfore the saugiours corrupt by mony drewe out his armes with harde cordes: that all the vaynes of his armes appered out to the extre¦mitie. And then those saugiours called in all theyr compaigney and our sauiour Iesus so bounde and naked / they bette so cruel∣ly with roddes / knotted whyppes and thorny rushes of the see: that they dyd teare the flesh and drewe it away / so that his bones ware sene bare, and also greate gobettes and pecys of the flesshe hange vpon the scourges and whyppes. There stode naked be∣fore all the people: the most louely yonge man / eligant and sham fast, beautious aboue all other men, speakynge not one worde / but as meake as a lambe dyd suffer pacyently the harde / sharppe and paynfull beatynges of those most vyle & cruell tormentours.

That most innocent and tender flesshe, most pure and most fayre the floure of all mankynde was replete and full of strokes / blo∣mes / woundes and brosers / he was wounded thorow out all his moste holye bodye, so that fro the toppe of the hed vnto the sole of his foote: there was none hole skynne. That noble and pre∣cyous blode of his: ranne from euery parte of his bodye, the cru¦ell tormentours added plage vpon plage and heped wounde vp∣pon wounde / brosynge vpon brosynge / blode vpon blode / vnto the tyme that both the cruell tormentours and also the beholders, were wery of smi••ynge and seynge, and so he was commaunded to be lowsed from the pyllar. And here sayth saynte Barnarde: that the tormentours dyd ons lowse Iesus, and bounde hym a∣gayne / turnynge his backe to the pyllar and bounde his handes aboue his heed, that they myght scourge hym vpon bely & breste and also his face, and so they spared no place of his most tender bodye whose crueltye cōsyderynge some of the pagans there stan¦dynge and beholdynge this sorowfull scourgynge: ranne to our lorde and bracke the ropes and so dyd lowse hym, and those cru∣ell tormētours not saciate with that scourgyng: pulled the heyre of his most blessed berde and also of his heed, wherin was ful∣fylled the prophecye of Esay:* 1.268 Corpus meum dedi percutientibus: et genas meas vellentibus: which auctoritie we declared before in the .xvi. article. ¶But howe many plages or woundes our sauyour Iesus had at this scourgynge, it can not be knowen but by reuelacyon, for they were in a maner innumerable, forsythe scripture sayth Pro mensura peccati:* 1.269 erit plagarum modus: After the measure of the synne: shalbe the measure of the beatynges or plages: and Christe was scourged for our synnes / whiche be in∣numerable: therfore his plages and woundes muste be innume∣rable. And that noted,* 1.270 the prophet whan he sayde of Christe, A planta pedis vs{que} ad verticem capitis: non est in eo sanitas: Frome the toppe of his hed vnto the sole of his fote: there was no hoole parte in hym.* 1.271 As saynte Hierom sayth: Christe wolde be scour∣ged that therby he might deliuer vs from perpetual scourgyng{is}. As a louynge mother seynge the father beatynge her sonne: wyl runne bytwixt the rodde & her sonne with her armes spred abrode and receyue the strokes to defende her sonne from that beatynge / so dyd Christe for vs, and therin was verifyed the saynge of the prophet that he spake of Christe sayenge:* 1.272 Disciplina pacis nostre super eum: et liuore eius sanati sumus: The disciplyne of our peace dyd lyght vpon hym: that is: the beatynges which we deserued

for our synnes / and were not punysshed for them. but lyued in peace and pleasure / these beatynges (I say) dyd fall vpon Christ and so by his woundes we were made hole. And after that Iesus was thus scurged: they mocked hym in many thynges / as it shal appere in diuers articles folowynge.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may take this lesson that we shuld gladly suffer y^e scourges of god / so that euery one of vs might say truely with the prophet:* 1.273 Ego in flagella paratus sum: I am prepa¦red and redy to receyue beatynges. And that is conuenient. For syth the onely sonne of god was redye to receyue vpon his owne bodye beatynges and scourgynges for our synnes, and that at the obedience of god his father: moche more then shulde we that be but the adoptyue chylderne of god: be redy to suffer gladly the scourges of our father in heuen, whiche he by hym selfe or by his ministres, doth mercyfully sende to vs for our amendement.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche wolde for me be bounde to a pyllar and gre∣uously scourged: graunt to me that I may pacientlye and gladly beare the scourges of thy fatherly correccyon, and neuer to scourge the agayne with my synnes. Amen.

¶Howe they put an olde purpur cote vpon Christe. The .xxxii. article.

THe .xxxii. article is the puttynge on of an olde purpull cote, for after that Christe was scourged and lowsed from the pyllar: they ledde hym so naked and scourged aboute the house to gather vp his clothes / which were cast about the house in diuers places by those cruel tormentours, and when he hadde founde them and wolde haue put them vpon hym: those most wicked saugiours sayd to Pylate: Syr / this lewde felowe called hym selfe a kynge, therfore (if it please you we shall aray hym lyke vnto a kynge, and so moche scornfullye they brought before hym al the ornamentes cōuenient for a kyng, and then these wretches called in all theyr compaigney / that they myght mocke Christe asmoche as any of them wolde, before that

they wolde put hym vnto the deth, Pylate paraduenture / com∣maundynge / or at leste sufferynge that it shulde so be and that he dyd to mitigate and swage the furie and malicyous mynd of the Iues.* 1.274 Or els as Crisostom sayth: The saugiours dyd thus to please the Iues of whom they receyued money. Fyrste they put vpon hym a robe of purpull / a kynges garment / but it was olde / to the more confusyon of Christe,* 1.275 this garment was conuenient for the bodie of Christe so scurged, for it was of red coloure and all his bodye was red with his owne blode. And herin was ful∣fylled the question that the prophet moued in the persons of the angelles saynge:* 1.276 Quare rubrum est indumētum tuum: et vestimen ta tua sicut calcantium in torculari: Why is thy clothyng red / and thy garmentes as of them that treyd in the presse, to the whiche Christe answereth by the same prophet saynge: Torcular calcaui solus: I alone haue troden in the presse, I alone haue suffred the pressure and payne of the crosse of scourgynges and beatynges for the synne of Adam and all mankynde, and therfore my bodye (whiche is as the garment of my godhed) is all red. Also this purpull vestment was moche conuenient to Christe, for purpull colour is made of the blode or lyquor of a certen fysshe of the see that is called in latyn Murex or conchilium, some men call it a Whelke, it is a shell fysshe. Our sauyour Christe was cladde on good Fryday with .iii. maner of garmentes, that is / a whyte garment / a scarlet robe / and a purpull robe, to signify that who so euer wylbe of the houshold of Christ: he must were the whyte garment of innocentie, the reed or scarlet of charitie and obedy∣ence, and the purpull of penaunce.

¶A Lesson.

IN this article we may take this lesson, that we shulde hyde and couer our synnes with the werkes of charitie, for like as Christ scourged and wounded for our synnes wold be couered and clad with a robe of purpull: so we shulde couer and hyde our blody werkes / that is our synnes with the purple of florisshynge charitie,* 1.277 For as saynte Iames sayth: Charitie couereth and hydeth the multitude of synnes. Or els by the purpull may be noted the remembraunce of the passyon of Christ. Herunto it is writen in the canticles of the spouse of god, that is the faythfull soule: Come capitis eius: sicut purpura regis, The heyre of her hed:* 1.278 be as the purpull of a kynge, for the cogi∣tations

of our mynde whiche be signifyed by the heyre of oure hed: shuld be diligently and continually occupyed in the remem¦braunce of the pa••syon of Christ, or els aboute other werkes of charitie. And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article and to the .vii. other folowynge: shulde diligently remember the acte of euery article with the circumstances of the same. And praye thus or in lyke maner.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wolde be clad in an olde purpull robe to thy dispysynge: graunte me continuallye to haue in my mynde or to be clad with the remembraunce of thy passyon, and to hyde and couer my synnes with the purpul of charitie. Amen.

¶Howe Christ was crowned with thornes. The .xxxiii. article.

THe .xxxiii. article is the puttynge of the crowne of thornes vpon the hed of Christe.* 1.279 A kynge shulde haue a deademe or a crowne, and for this crowne, the saugiours writhed a crowne of thornes & thurst it harde vpon his hed as a man shuld put a garlande vpon an other mannes hed. And this crowne was of the sharpe russhes of the see, whiche hath sharp corners and prickes, more sharpe and persynge than thornes. This crowne they put vpon his hed with the prickes dounwarde vnto his hed: not so moche to hurte hym: as to mocke hym therwith, though they dyd both mocke hym and also moste greuously payne and hurte hym, and herunto sayth saynt Barnarde, That godlye hed of Christ was persed vnto the brayne with those thornes, in so moche that the blode that ranne from his hed: dyd wasshe his forhed / chekes / all his face and necke. In this crowne was .lxxvii. sharp thornes, of these thornes it was spoken to Adam:* 1.280 Terra spinas et tribulos germinabit tibi: The erth shall bryng forth or burgen to the / thor∣nes and breers / for the erth of our bodye doth burgen and brynge forth many synnes, whiche with theyr prickes dothe prycke and wounde our conscience / as thornes the bodye. Christ toke these thorne and bare them as a crowne of victorie. These warry∣ours that haue ouercome theyr enemyes / are wonte to beare or weare the armoure of theyr aduersaries subdued / in a signe or

token of victorie, and do greatly reioyse therin. So Christe the lambe of god whiche hath ouercome the deuyll and taken a∣way the synnes of the worlde: and wolde weare a crowne of thor¦nes vpon his hed, in token of his victorie. For as I sayd before these thornes were our frute and the badge of our armes, & ther∣fore Christe wolde weare them. It is moche pleasaunt and also desyrous to euery louyng soule / to se our kyng with this crowne. And herunto the spousesse in her canticles callethe all fayth∣full soules sayng:* 1.281 Egredimini filie sion et videte regem salomonem in diademate. &c. O ye doughters of syon / or faithful soules / come forth and se your true kynge Salomon Iesus Christ in his dia∣deme or crowne with the whiche his mother the sinagoge of thē Iues hath crowned hym, or els spiritually: his mother charitie hath thus crowned hym. For as saynt Barnarde saythe: Thy loue (O blessed Iesu) and our iniquitie: made the to be scourged and crowned and nayled to the crosse.* 1.282 A figure of this crownyng we rede, that Abraham se a shepe or a wether fastned by his hor∣nes amonge the thornes, in the whiche visyon, he spyrytuallye dyd se Christe crowned with thornes.

¶Here folowe .ii. Lessons.

THe firste lesson of this article is, that we euer bere our synnes by remembraunce in our mynde, puttyng vpon our hed a crowne of thornes, that is / not to differ / but spedely to take vpon vs with a pure conscience, an hard and paynfull lyfe, as in abstinence / watche / labour / and other werkes of penaunce for god, as Christe wolde beare vpon hys hed the thornes of our synnes for our loue. ¶Second is that we shuld labour to be crowned with the thornes of temptations. For euery temptacyon that doth impugne vs: is as a thorne pric¦kynge the hed of our soule, whiche temptation if a man ouer∣come: he prepareth and byeth a precyous gemme to his crowne / and as many temptacyons as he ouercummeth: so many precy∣ous stones he addeth to his owne crowne of glorie. And ther∣fore the spouse sayth in his canticles:* 1.283 Sicut lilium inter spinas: sic amica mea inter filias: As the lylye florissheth among the thor∣nes / so doth my faithfull frende amonge the doughters of thys worlde by pacyence / meaknes / and charitie.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wold be crowned with thornes: make me so worthely to be compuncte by the thornes of penance / that I may deserue to be crowned of y^e in thy heuenly kyngdom.

¶Howe the saugiours put a rede in Christes ryght hande. The .xxxiiii. article.

THe .xxxiiii. article is the puttyng of a rede in Christes ryght hande for his regall sceptre,* 1.284 signifyenge therby that his kyngdome (whiche he vsurped callynge hym selfe a kyng) was voide and weyke as a rede, but they dyd not remember that Christe sayde:* 1.285 My kyngdome is not of this worlde / that is transitorie, and this was the thyrde acte of theyr scornfull illusyon. These .iii. that is / a purpull robe / a crowne or a deademe / and a sceptre be the ornamentes of a kyng, the whiche thre / these cruell saugiours gaue vnto Christe to his greate contumelie and illusyon, and therby, they wolde shewe that Christe was a false treytour agaynste the emperour / bycause he wolde haue vsurped and taken vpon hym (as they sayde) to be a kynge agaynst the ordynaunce of the emperour. But that they dyd to the cōfusion and rebuke of Christ: he turned it to his owne glorie & excellency,* 1.286 & herunto saynt Hierom saith: Christe helde the rede in his hand to write the sacrilege of the Iues / and to shewe hym selfe to be that person that shuld write his elect peo¦ple in the boke of lyfe.* 1.287 And saynt Hillary saith: Therfore oure lorde wold hold the rede in his right hand: that therby he might shewe / that he wyll kepe & maynteyne his seruantes though they be frayle & weyke / and he wyll replenyssh them with al goodnes.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may take this lesson that we shulde dili∣gently remember that we of our selfe be frayle / weyke and voyd of all goodnes / except we be susteyned & maynteyned with the ryght hand of god / euyn like as a rede which is in it self voyd and weyke or shortly broken but holden in the hande of Christe: it is strengthed.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche wolde haue a rede to be put in thy ryght hand scornfullye for a royall sceptre: I beseche the so to strength myne imbecillitie and fraylty with the ryght hande of thy power

that thy kyngdome maye be continually confirmed and stablis∣shed in me. Amen.

¶Howe the saugiours scornfully saluted Christe. The .xxxv. article.

THe .xxv. article is the scornful worshippyng & salu∣tynge of Christe, for after that the saugiours hadde arayed Christe with the ornamentes of a kynge: they kneled downe before hym and mocked hym sa∣ynge:* 1.288 Aue rex iudeorum: Hayle kyng of the Iues, as if they shuld say / thou wold haue ben a kynge but thou migh∣test not.* 1.289 And here sayth Bede: They worshypped hym scornful∣lye as god: bycause he sayde falslye hym selfe to be god as they thought. Also they saluted hym scornfully as a kynge bycause he sayde hym selfe to be a kynge, and this they dyd that theyr illu∣syon myght reanswere to the accusacyon of the Iues, for the Iu∣es accused Christ in both these .ii. Also these saugiours dyd these thynges to Christe of a detestable & dampnable mynde, for they crowned hym with sharp thornes and afterwarde scornfully wor¦shypped & saluted hym, and that to the great confusyon of Christ And therfore sayth Symon de Cassia:* 1.290 The ministers of Pylate to aggrauate and multiplye the vylenes & shame put vpon christ: dyd knele before hym, and besydes that: that they mocked hym after the maner of chyldren / they illuded hym with great threttes, so that nothyng wanted to the despysyng and the shame of christ, and in the remembrance of this despisyng, vpon good Friday we do not knele downe when we pray for the Iues, and though the gentyles dyd thus mocke Christe: yet it is imputed to the Iues for they were the autours and the cause of this illusion. After this scornfull salutacyon: they smote hym / as ye shall se in the nexte article.* 1.291 This fourthe acte of the mockynge of Christe was figured in Noe when he slepte in his tabernacle: his sonne Cham dyd laughe hym to scorne. Noe dothe signyfye Christe / whome the Iues his owne chyldren dyd mocke and scorne. Al∣so it is figured in Heliseus the prophete / whiche ascendynge vn∣to the hyll of Bethell,* 1.292 the chyldren that dyd se hym: dyd say and crye mockynge hym: Ascende calue ascende calue: Ascende or come vp thou balde man: ascende thou balde man. And of this mockyng speketh the {pro}phet Dauid sayng:* 1.293 Omnes videntes me de riserunt me: Al that se me dyd mocke me / also y^e {pro}phet Esay saith:

Blasphemauerūt sanctum Israel: They haue blasphemed the holy of Israell / that is the Messias and sauiour of the worlde.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may lerne this lesson, that we shulde be ware y^t we do not falsly worship or salute Christ / which we do (as Bede sayth) when we beleue in hym,* 1.294 but yet we despise hym with our euyl and froward dedes, when we confesse Christ with our mouth and denye hym in our dedes as sait Paule saith.* 1.295 Also they falsly worshyp or salute Christe: whiche when they pray or be in the seruice of god: occupye theyr mynde wylfullye with any thyng contrarie to the honour of god. Also they which in the churche she we signes of greate deuocyon / and afterwarde do greuous iniuries to Christe in hys membres.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wolde be scornfully worshypped and saluted of the saugiours knelyng and saynge: Haile kyng of the Iues: graunte to me that I may worshyp the (my verye lorde and god) in spirite and treuth, and reuerentlye to salute the / the onelye kynge of all kynges. Amen.

¶Howe the saugiours smote Christe with theyr handes. The .xxxvi. article.

THe .xxxvi. article is the smytynge of Christe / for these saugiours wyllynge to mocke Christe aswell in dedes: as in signes and wordes,* 1.296 Dabantei alapas: they smote hym with theyr palmes or handes, & that was to shewe in dede: that y^e honor which they had done to hym before: was onely to mocke hym, and in this they made theyr mockyng / more to the despisyng of Christ, for before where as they dyd worshyp and reuerence to hym as to god / and dyd salute hym as a kynge / nowe they smote hym to his dispite & shame. And this smytyng is not that of which we spake before in y^e .xi. article, for that was in the house of Annas / and thys was in the motehall of Pylate, also that was but one stroke whiche one of the ministers called Malcus dyd gyue to Christ / here were many strokes gyuen by diuers men to Christ. Thyrdly a Ie••e dyd gyue that stroke, but the saugiours & gentiles dyd gyue these. Fourthly y^t stroke was gyuen to reuenge y^e answere y^t Christe made to y^e bisshop Annas,

but these were gyuen onely to mocke Christ. And therfore this smytyng doth conueniently make a specyall article, diuers from the other, and after this they dyd spyr in his face as ye shall se in in the next article. The lessone we may take as in y^e .xi. article.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu which wold be smyten of the saugiours for me: make me euer to lande and prayse the both in word and dede / and also that the dedes of other men (thoughe they be euyll) maye euer torne to my good and profyte. Amen.

¶Howe the saugiours dyd spytte in the face of Christ. The .xxxvii. article.

THe .xxxvii. article is the spyttynge of the saugiours in the face of Christe, whiche dyd moche aggrauate all theyr actes done before,* 1.297 for what can be more vylanye to man: than to spyt in his face as dyd the saugiours in Christes face, lyke vyle and lewde persons. And herby ye may perceyue that thoughe these persons ben called in laten / milites, whiche comonly in englysshe we cal knyghtes / yet they were not knyghtes / that is gentyll and noble men / that be called also in la¦ten: Equites aurati, and that is for theyr golden spurres, for such gentyll men and noble persons wolde mocke no good man nor spytte in his face, nor yet crucifye hym and take his garmentes / whiche properly perteyneth to hangmen and tormentours. But these be called Milites, after the olde custome, seruantes / fotemen or saugiours / as it appereth in the lyfe / actes and gestes of Iu∣lius Cesar / where as Milites ben called fotemen / seruynge or hy¦red men that feyght on foot / and the knyghtes ben called horsmen These bene called / Milites,* 1.298 not for theyr noblenes: but for theyr strength. For comonly those saugiours were stronge in bodye and redye to all euyll.* 1.299 And of these speaketh Theophilus say∣enge:* 1.300 The vayne glorie of these saugyours in these mockynges / euer reioysynge in the inordynate rebukynges of other: done shewe what they be / that is vyle and lewde persons for the more parte of them, and this article is distincte from the .xvii. article, for that was done in the house of Cayphas before the Iues and of the Iues, but this spyttynge was in the motehall of Pylate, done by the saugiours before Pylate and all the compaygney.

Those were the spyttynges of the Iues, but these ware of the gentiles, and after this they smote Christe vpon the hed with a rede / as ye shall se in the next article. The lesson as in the .xvii. article.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me dyd suffer the vyle saugiours to spyt in thy most beautious face: graunt to me that I neuer polute or defoyle thy face in the sacrament of the aulte•• by my vnworthy receyuynge therof, and that I neuer defoyle my conscience with vnciene thoughtes. Amen.

¶Howe the saugiours smote Christ vpon the hed with a rede. The .xxxviii. article.

THe .xxxviii. article is the smytynge vpon Christes hed with a rede, for his more payne and confusion / for vyle and stoborne persons are wonte to be smy∣ten with a staffe as bestes be. And also they smote Christ vpon the hed with a rede: to make y^e crowne of thornes to go farther into his hed. And here note that y^e redes in those partes ben great and grosse / as bygge or great as a staffe wherwith we beate dogges.* 1.301 The cruell saugiours smote Christ vpon the hed with a rede to his more rebuke & shame / as if they shulde say: O thou vyle & lewed felowe why woldest thou make thy selfe a kyng / and here they ordred Christe as theues and man∣sleyers be ordred with vs / for oftymes they be manycled to shewe and confesse what they haue done / and the harder they thurste the manycles y^e more it is to theyr payn, and in lyke maner here they smote Christ{is} hed that was crowned with thornes / and y^t to put hym to more payne. They smote with a rede that hed whiche is ferefull to all deuyls, reuerent to all the vertues & angelles of he∣uen, the most blessed hed of Christe which is to be worshypped of all sayntes for euer, from y^e which hed cometh all blessyng and grace / not onely into our berde but also into the hem of our gar∣mentes, that is / not onely in to y^e holy apostles & martyrs which be as the berde of Christe. But also his blessynge and grace descendeth in to all the membres of the churche thoughe they be but of verye small perfeccyon / all they that be the chyl∣derne of god: receyue this influens. O ye wretches howe fereful and terrible shall that hed apere to you at the day of iudgement:

whiche nowe ye be not afrayd to smyte? And with that smytyng the blode ranne downe from his hed: vpon his necke / forehed and face, and so he appered lyke vnto a lepre, for the ••pyttynges mix¦ted with that blode: made hym lyke vnto a lepre. And then Py∣late wente forth to the Iues. &c. as in the nexte article.

¶A Lesson.

IN this article we may take this lesson, that we be well ware that we smyte not Christ{is} hed with a rede, as they do whiche impugne or denye his godhed, saynge that Christe is not god. Also they smyte Christe vpon the hed: whiche by theyr vayne and ydle lyfe offende Christe that is our hed, from whom cometh (as we said before) the influence of grace in to al his membres / wherby his membres haue their liue∣lye operations / and this hed hath gyuen to vs example of al our werkes. Wherfore in euery tyme that we haue any oportunitie to do any good: the ydle person that wyl not do that good worke doth in a maner smyte Christe vpon the hed, so that by that smy∣tynge and the prickynge of the thornes: the blode runneth from his hed / and nothynge to theyr comforth. And this it is y^t Christ nowe soroweth / and is pricked vnto the sheddynge of blode for our ydylnes, for he seeth that his examples do not fructifye in vs for we wyll take no payne for Christe / nor do good werkes after his examples.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche wolde haue thy noble and precyous hed smy∣ten with a rede for me: graūt to me that I neuer offend the our hed with my vayne and ydle lyfe / but that I may euer please the with my good and quyete maners and lyuynge. Amen.

¶Howe Pylate dyd shewe Christe scourged vnto the Iues. The .xxxix. article.

THe .xxxix. article is the shewyng of Christe so pitious∣lye arayed / vnto the Iues,* 1.302 for after that the saugiours had so miserably entreated our sauyour Christe: Py∣late toke Iesus and went forth vnto the people of the Iues & said to thē: Ecce adduco eū vobis foras vt cognoscatis quia nullā ī eo inuenio causā. Behold (sayd Pilate) I bryng him forth

to you thus punisshed for your wordes and to certifye you that I fynde no maner of cause of deth in hym, therfore he thus correct and punisshed:* 1.303 I shall dimisse hym. And here sayth Symon de Cassia: Pylate sayd that he found no cause of death in Christ, wherby he excludeth all crimes from Christe, for he bryngeth in an vniuersall negation / that is no cryme I fynde in Christ, and this he dyd for to shewe his diligēce for the deliuerance of Christ. And morouer Pylate dyd brynge forth Christe in the same habyt and aray: as he was illuded and mocked of the saugiours / and that was for the intent that the Iues seing hym so miserably and shamfully arayed: shulde cease of theyr malice towardes Christ. And also Pylate shewed Christ to the Iues on that maner: kno∣wynge that they wolde be very glad to se Christe thus dispysed and punisshed, and also supposyng y^t therby they content / wolde no more speake of his deth, & for this cause Pylate dyd scourge Christ and shewed hym to the Iues, and therfore the euangelist sayth:* 1.304 Exiuit ergo Iesus portans spineam coronam et purpureum vestimentum: Iesus came forth hauyng a crowne of thornes and a purpull robe and also a rede in his hande for a scepter. Behold here a lamentable spectacle / Iesus went forth (as saynte Austen sayth) in a kynges ornamentes not glorious and shynyng in his apparell:* 1.305 but full of obprobry and confusyon.* 1.306 And therfore Py∣late sayd to the Iues: Ecce homo: Beholde this is a man / as yf he shulde haue sayd (after saynt Austen) If ye haue enuy to hym bycause he called hym selfe a kynge: nowe spare hym / haue pytie vpon hym, for ye nowe se hym lyke to no kynge but shamefullye and miserably deiecte lyke a moste miserable wretch, for he scour∣ged / crowned with thornes / mocked in a kynges ornamentes / despysed with many rebukes / and bet or smyten with many stro∣kes / therfore sith ye se hym thus dispised: let 〈◊〉〈◊〉 enuy wax colde or cease. But for all these theyr enuy nothynge decreased: but ra∣ther encreased and waxed more hote and feruent. Se howe great is the malice of the Iues / that hereby wolde not cease of the pro¦curynge of the deth of Christe, theyr obstinate wickednes wold not be relented with mercye. And among all the other illusions: this was more payne to Christ, that is / that his deedly enemyes shuld se hym so dispytefully arayed of the saugiours, of y^e which syght: they had no lytyl ioy, and yet they were not content with this syght: knowyng that Pilate wold haue so delyuered Christ to his libertie / but they hauynge no compassion of Christe / nor yet cōtent with the excusacyon of Pylate: cried out with a lowd

voyce and also moued other to crye sayng: Crucify hym: cruci∣fye hym. &c. as in the next article.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may lerne to haue Christ thus illuded and mocked euermore in our remembraunce so that we neuer vaynly reioyse in our outwarde garment / habite / or apparel / for our lorde god was mocked and scorned in his apparell. And spe∣cyally religious persons ought to folowe Christe in this thyng / for they represent Christ thus illuded and mocked in theyr habyt and tonsure, for the habyt of a religiouse person is a vyle thynge despysed and mocked of the worldlye people. The tonsure or crowne of the religious person: doth represent y^e crowne of thor¦nes. And also in olde tyme religious men as monkes were wont to beare staues or styckes in theyr handes whiche dyd represente the rede that Christe had in his hande, and as Christe disdeyned not to be brought forth and shewed to the Iues in that scornfull habite: so religious persons shulde not be ashamed of theyr vyle habit nor to folow Christ which was dispised in this kyng{is} aray. And herunto saynte Paule sayth,* 1.307 Spectaculum facti sumus mūdo: We that despyse the worlde: be made a mocken stocke vnto the worlde / and neuer so moche as in these dayes / our lorde sende vs pacyence, and lyghten the soules of the dispysers.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wolde be shewed and presented vnto the Iues in so scornfull and dispitefull aray: graunt me to auoyde all ostentation of vayne glorie / and to appere before the at thy iudgement in suche aray as shall stande with thy fauour.

¶Howe the Iues dyd crye / Crucifye hym / crucifye hym. The .xl. article.

THe .xl. article is the cryenge of the Iues to haue Christ crucifyed, for when the bisshoppes and the other Iues had sene Christ so scornfully arayed / so miserably scour¦ged / bet and mocked / not content therwith / nor yet alo∣wynge the excusacyon of Pylate:* 1.308 dyd crye: Crucifige eum cruci∣fige eum: Crucifye hym / crucifye hym, they sayd twyse: Crucify

and that was to shewe theyr feruent desyre that they had to cruci∣fye Christe, and also for that they crucifyed hym both in wyl and in werke.* 1.309 And as Rabanus sayth: It had ben more profitable to theyr soules to haue sayde: Miserere mei deus miserere mei: Haue mercy vpon me (O thou god) haue mercy vpon me, or els these wordes of the prophet Iohel:* 1.310 Parce domine parce populo tuo: Spare lorde / spare thy people / gyue not thyne inheritance in to rebukes and confusion, let not the gentiles haue dominion vpon thy people the Iues, these prayers had ben more conueni∣ent for them: but they were so malicyous that they cryed / crucify crucifye hym, and when they cryed thus: it was the thyrde hour of the day / that is .ix. of the clocke after our computation. At that houre the Iues dyd crucifye Christ with theyr tongues. As saynt Austen sayth:* 1.311 and after this exposycyon the wordes of the euangeliste Marcus are to be vnderstanded where as he saythe:* 1.312 Erat autem hora tertia et crucifixerunt eum: It was y^e thyrd hour of the day and the Iues dyd crucifye hym / that is with theyr ton∣gues. &c. openly shewynge therby that the tongues of the Iues were more to be sayd or called the sleyers of Christe than the han¦des of the saugiours. And therfore this crye is conueniently as∣signed a specyall article of the passion of Christe. They asked and cryed to haue Christe crucifyed, whiche maner of deth was at that tyme of suche shame and confusion: that after a persone ware put to suche a death: he shulde neuer be remembred and spo¦ken of agayne: but to his euyl and despisyng, and in a maner no man durst speake (specyally any good) of hym that was hanged vpon the crosse after his deth.* 1.313 And of this complayneth Christe in the psalme saynge: Sicut aqua effusus sum: I am put out of mynde / as the water out of the vessel. Of all other liquores that be in a vessell, when they be put out of that vessell: there remay∣neth colour or smel, that sheweth / what liquor was before in that vessell, but whan water is put out of a vessell there remaynethe nothynge, wherby we myght knowe what liquor was in that vessell,* 1.314 so Christe saythe, that he is clerely forgoten. Also y^e wise man sayth in the person of the Iues: Morte turpissima condemp∣nemus eum: Let vs condempne Christ to the most shameful deth. And the prophet Hieremy saith in the person of our lorde Christ:* 1.315 Cogitauerunt super me consilia dicentes: venite mittamus lignum in panem eius: The malicyous Iues haue counseled agaynst me sayenge: Let vs put a tree in to his breade, that is / let vs cruci∣fye hym / and so he shalbe forgoten and dispysed of all people.

O thou faythful soule / behold here thy sauiour Iesus howe mise¦rably and scornfully clad and crowned: he is brought forth with a rede for his scepter in his hand, and how shamefastly he stādeth nowe with his heed downwarde, before suche a great multitude cryenge and sayenge: Crucifye / crucify hym / and also deridyng and mockynge hym, that he wolde be taken for a prophete and a wyse man sayenge: Where is nowe thy wysdome / thy pro∣phicye and miracles. &c. and so he not onely suffred payne and so∣rowe: but also rebukes and thretnynges of the Iues. Then Py∣late sayd to the Iues:* 1.316 Quid enim mali fecit: What euyll hath he done, I fynde no cause of deth in hym. These wordes of Pylate done / instructe and teache all iudges to procede in all causes / and specyally in causes of deth: wysely and diligently. But alas where shall we fynde a iudge that wyll laboure so diligentlye for the delyuerance of an innocent: as Pylate dyd for Christe, and surely if Pylate were lyuyng in these dayes: I suppose he wolde excell in ryght iudgement many of our iudges both temporall and also spirituall. At that tyme the bisshoppes and seniours / and preestes and the religious / and all the people of the Iues were agaynste Christe, and Pylate lytyl regarded all theyr wor¦des, for he of a longe seasone▪ and oftymes laboured to delyuer Christe from them,* 1.317 and therfore he sayd: Accipite eum vos et cru cifigite: Take you hym and crucify hym: for I fynd no cause in hym. These wordes Pylate sayd for diuerse causes. Fyrst / af∣ter Symon de Cassia,* 1.318 to rebuke the pryde of the Iues which so farre dyd excede: that they determined and assigned vnto the pre¦sident and hyghe Iudge vnder the emperour, what deth Christe shulde suffer / that is the moste detestable and shamefull death of the crosse. Secondly Pylate spake these wordes / for to delyuer and acquyte the innocent Christe.* 1.319 Herunto sayth Crisostome: The Iues brought christ to Pilate: y^t he shuld be put & condēp∣ned to deth by the sentence of the iudge, but it happed y^e cōtrary for the iudge declared Christ to be innocent, and oftymes he de∣lyuered and excused hym from theyr accusacyons. And that Py∣late sayd to the Iues: Take you hym and crucifye hym: was spoken in abhorryng theyr wordes, for that they wold haue com compelled hym to a thynge agaynst hys mynde and also agaynst ryght. Thyrdly he spake so for the declaracyon of his power and auctoritie / for he wolde gladly haue ben delyuered from the iud∣gement of Christe,* 1.320 the whiche the Iues perceyuyng: added the thyrd accusacyon besydes the other .ii. spoken in the .xxii. article

saynge: Nos legem habemus: et secūdum legem debet mori: quia fi∣lium dei se fecit: We haue a lawe after the which he ought to dye / for he hath made hym selfe the sonne of god.* 1.321 And here as Sy∣mon de Cassia sayth: It apereth manifestly the falsenes of theyr accusacyon, for if the wordes shulde be referred to theyr intent, or contrarie wyse if theyr intent shuld agre to theyr wordes, both wayes: the Iues do lye and theyr iniquitie doth lye and speake false to themselfes, for Christ dyd neuer make hym selfe god, no∣ther in this worlde: nor yet eternally, for he was god euerlas∣tyngly / not made / but eternally generate and goten of the father, but the Iues thought Christ to be onely a man and not god, nor Christe at any tyme as man / dyd affirme hym selfe to be made the sonne of god but for asmoche as he beynge the eterne sonne of god / was made man for vs / his godhed in no thynge chaunged, but takynge for our saluation / our nature: therfore he called him self the sonne of god / for he was both god and man in one person, but Pilate when he had herd this sayng of y^e Iues:* 1.322 he was more afrayd than he was before, not for that he feared theyr lawe: but that he was afrayd to condempne the sonne of god. And also he was afrayd hearynge suche a hyghe sentence / that was aboue his witte and vnderstandyng / that is that a man shulde be or make hym selfe the sonne of god, and whether it were true or not: he was afrayd to gyue sentence of deth.* 1.323 And herto sayth Alquine: He dyd not feare for that he harde them speake of theyr lawe, for he beynge a straunger and a gentill / regarded not that / but he was afrayd to cōdempne the sonne of god, and therfore he entred in agayne in to the motehall and callynge Iesus vnto hym sayd: Vnde es tu?* 1.324 Of what stocke or kyndred art thou? Pylate wolde haue knowen if he were the sonne of god / or if he were of the kynd or stocke of y^e goddes. And this laste poynte myght haue bene easely or lyghtlye persuaded vnto Pylate, for he was a gentill: which do suppose and beleue that many men may be of the stocke of goddes / and so the sonne of goddes. But Iesus dyd not an∣swere one worde to his question, and that was bycause Pylate was not sufficient to receyue or vnderstande the solution of hys awne question.* 1.325 For the prophet sayth: Generationem eius quis enerrabit? Who is able to declare and shewe his eterne genera∣tion? and though Christ was able to declare it: yet there is no mortall man able to vnderstande it. Secondly Iesus wolde not answere to Pylates question: that Pylates synne shulde not be aggrauate and made more greuous. And thirdly that the passion

of Christe shulde not be letted.* 1.326 For as saynt Paule sayth, Si cog nouissent: nun{quam} dominum glorie crucifixissent: If they had kno∣wen (howe Christe was the sonne of god) they wold neuer haue crucifyed the lorde of glorie, and this is to be vnderstand of Py¦late and y^e gentyles & not of the Iues, for they myght haue kno∣wen sufficiently if they had wolde.* 1.327 Then Pylate sayd to Christ: Mihi non loqueris, Nescis quia potestatem habeo crucifigere te. &c Why wylt not thou speake to me? dost thou not knowe y^t I haue power to crucifye the / or to dimisse and delyuer the? In these wordes Pylate cōdempneth hym selfe.* 1.328 And therfore Chrisostom sayth: O Pylate in this worde thou condempnest thy selfe, If thou haue this power: wherfore then dost not thou delyuer hym thou knowyng and so oftymes openly sayng that he is innocent? If thou reioyse or bost thy selfe of thy power that thou haste to kyll Christe or to delyuer hym: may not Christ then laufully say vnto the:* 1.329 De ore tuo te iudico serue nequam: I iudge the by thyne owne wordes / thou wycked seruant? and then Iesus to reproue the bostynge and pryde of Pylate sayd:* 1.330 Non haberes aduersū me potestatem vllam: nisi datum tibi esset de super: Thou shulde haue no power ouer me: except it were gyuen to y^e from aboue or from an hygher power. Fyrste from god: of whome is all power, as saynt Paule sayth.* 1.331 And secondly from the emperour, which at that tyme had the dominion ouer the Iues. And in these wordes Christ reproueth couertly or secretly the synne of Pylate, for no∣ther god, nor yet the emperour had ordred Pylate there a iudge to condempne or punisshe the innocentes / but rather to defende and delyuer them. And notwithstandyng the synne of Pylate was great: yet it was not so greuous as the synne of the Iues or of Iudas. And this our lord sheweth in the wordes folowyng: Propteria qui tradidit me tibi:* 1.332 maius peccatum habet: Therfore he that dyd betray or delyuer me vnto the: his synne is the more great and greuous, and that well apereth, for Iudas dyd synne moued of a couityse mynde, the Iues synned: moued of malyce and enuy, but Pylate: onely for feare of the emperour & fauour of y^e Iues. It is more greuous offēce to sinne of a couetyse mind and of rancor and enuy: than onely of feare, for feare accusethe the synne in a parte / though not in the hole, and here Pylate con¦sideryng that he was reasonably in a maner conuicte of synne in this cause: for he (as a wytty person) perceyuynge that he shuld be noted of synne / if he shulde condempne the innocent: therfore he sought oportunitie and occasion to dimisse and lette hym go,

as he dyd before / in sendyng Christ to Herode, and also in sayng that he founde no cause of deth in hym. But the Iues anone per∣ceyuyng the mynde of Pylate: returned to theyr first accusacyon and cryed saynge: Si hunc dimittis non es amicus cesaris: If thou dimisse this man thou art not true to the emperour. &c. as in the next article shal apere. And here note that there ware about. lxxx. M. people that cryed: Crucifige: crucifige: Of the whiche Peter conuerted in one day .iii. M. & shortly after .v. M. vnto y^e fayth.

¶Here folowe .ii. Lessons

IN this article we may take first this lesson, it is no dif∣ference [ 1] or diuersitie (to speake of the intente of synne) whether thou kyll a man with thy tongue / or with thy swerde, for thy intent in both these .ii. is to kyll hym. And therfore the profyte Dauid sayth:* 1.333 Lingua eorum gladius acu tus: Theyr tongue is a sharpe swerde, and this was spoken of the Iues that dyd cry:* 1.334 Crucifige crucifige: And of this text saint Austen sayth:* 1.335 Loke not vnto the vnarmed handes of the Iues: but to theyr armed mouth, for frome thens came y^t sharpe swerde that slewe Christ. Therfore lette all bacbyters and sclaunderers of theyr neyghbours beware that they do not make theyr tonges sharpe as a swerde / for as a swerde kylleth the body: so the sclaū∣derer tongue sleyeth the fame and good name of a man.* 1.336 And her∣to sayth Salomon: Mors et vita in manibus lingue: Deth & lyfe be in the handes or power of the tongue. The seconde lessone [ 2] is that we shuld not alwayes answere to euery question, for here in this passyon of Christe: we rede that thryes he kepte his sci∣lence. Fyrst before the bisshop / and that was to teache vs pacy∣ence agaynst contumelyes and rebukes. Secondly before He∣rode / and that was agaynst curiouse questyons to teache vs for to serch for true and necessarie thynges and not for vayne & curi∣ous thynges. Thyrdly before Pylate / agaynste vayne laude or prayse / to teache vs to folowe the true laude of god and to auoyd all vayne praysynges. And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article shulde remember howe terrible ware those cryenges of the Iues. And remēber also if he at any tyme hath cryed agaynst his neyghbour by consent vnto the wicked iudgementes of men / or to theyr detraccyons & sclaunders spoken agaynst theyr neygh¦bour. And then pray as foloweth or in lyke maner.

¶A prayer:

O Iesu whiche for me was not afrayd to here the terrible and fearfull voyces of the Iues cryenge: Crucifige: crucifige: That is crucifye hym / crucifye hym: graunt to me that I be not afrayd of the cursed and malicyous word{is} of myne enemyes / and that I neuer hurt my neyghbour with my speche. Amen.

¶Howe Christe was brought vnto his iudgement. The .xli. article.

THe .xli.* 1.337 article is the bryngynge of Christe before the iudge / for when the Iues dyd perceyue y^t Pylate wold haue delyuered Christe: they returned to theyr fyrste accusacyon and cryenge sayd: Si hunc dimittis: non es amicus cesaris: If thou delyuer this person thou art not the frend of the emperoure nor true to hym, for who so euer maketh hym selfe a kyng: he is a traytour to the emperour. This they spake to make Pylate afrayde,* 1.338 and here sayth Symon de Cassia that the Iues serched all the false craftes and deuyses that they could ymagyne,* 1.339 and all to put Christe vnto the deth. And then Pylate hearynge these wordes beganne to be more afrayd, for he myght not contempne the emperour that gaue hym his power and auc∣toritie as sayth saīt Austen.* 1.340 And therfore he brought Iesus forth and sat downe to gyue sentence / openly, and this he dyd that the sentence of Christes d••th shuld not be imputed to hym / but to the Iues. And when Pylate sat downe to gyue sentence: it was the syxte houre of the day that is .xii.* 1.341 of the clocke. And then his wyfe sent to hym saynge: Nihil tibi et iusto illi, Mel not thou with the deth of that rightuous man,* 1.342 this night I haue suffred many thin¦ges in my slepe about hym, for as the glose saith there: the deuyl perceyuynge that he shuld lese his kyngdom & power by the deth of Christ: was sory that he made Christ to be taken, and therfore he shewed certen visions to Pylates wyfe, that by her the death of Christ shulde be letted, as in the begynnynge he brought deth in to the worlde by a woman. Then Pylate commaunded that Iesus shulde be presented before hym where as he sat in iudge∣ment and then he sayd to the Iues:* 1.343 Ecce rex vester: Behold your kynge / before he sayd: Beholde a man, therby shewynge howe shamefullye and miserably Christ was arayed, and that Pylate spake to moue the Iues to compassion. And nowe to moue them agayne: he sayd scornfully mockynge them: behold your kynge / as if he shulde saye: ye awght to be ashamed / that any wyse man

shuld perceyue that ye be afrayd that this simple person, so vyle∣ly abiecte and despised / shuld be your kynge / but the Iues in no¦thynge ashamed nor yet moued to pitie:* 1.344 cryed, Tolle tolle cruci∣fige eum: Away with hym hens with hym / take hym frome our syght, it is deth for vs to loke vpon hym, away with hym / cru∣cify hym. And note here that they dyd crye thrice: Crucify hym and in the remembraunce therof we say thryce / Agnus dei / in the masse.* 1.345 Then Pylate scornfully sayd to them: Regem vestrum cru cifigam? Shall I crucifye your kynge? wyllynge therby to re∣buke them and make theym ashamed to speake any more therof, whom he coulde not moue by the despysynges of Christe / but the Iues past all shame answered saynge:* 1.346 Non habemus regem nisi cesarem: We haue no kyng but the emperour. And herby ye may se howe moche the vnkynde Iues desyred the deth of Christe / for they to procure his deth wylfully submitted them selfe vnder the subieccyon of the Romaynes, the whiche before that tyme they wolde neuer gladly do, but rather they were alwayes in a mynde and purpose to rebelle agaynste the emperour for to haue theyr li∣bertye. And here note that this article was more greuous to Christe / then any of the other before: for here he was broughte to his iudgement and his accusars moste cruelly dyd crye / away with hym / hange hym vpon the gallowes. &c. where as all the other were done and spoken, the iudge not syttynge in iudge∣mente. And then Pylate seynge that that he myght in no thyng profyte to the delyueraunce of Chrste called for water. &c. as shall appere in the nexte article.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may lerne howe to iudge oure selfe in our owne soule and conscience / as Christe was iudged for vs, that therby we myghte auoyde the strayte iudgemente of god. For as saynte Paule saythe:* 1.347 If we here iudge our selfe: we shall not be Iudged.

¶A prayer.

O Lorde Iesu Christe the sonne of the lyuynge god whiche in the syxte houre of the day wold for me most wretched sin¦ner / be presented before the iudge syttyng in iudgement: graunt to me so to iudge my selfe in my selfe of all my synnes / by the testy¦monie

or witnes of myne owne conscience / and also pacyentlye to suffer thy iudgemente in all aduersities: that I may in suerty appere in thy laste and terrible iudgement. Amen.

¶Howe Christe was condempned. The .xlii. article.

THe .xlii. article is the condempnacyon of Christ by the sentence of the iudge,* 1.348 for Pylate seynge that he in no¦thyng profyted for the delyuerance of Christ, but that more busines was made / for as the glose sayth: The Iues reputed to Pylate treason and rebellion agaynst the empe∣rour, he was anone ouercome by feare / ād swerued from the way of treuth and iustice.* 1.349 But fyrst he toke water and wasshed hys handes sayng: Innocens ego sum a sanguine iusti huius: vos vide∣ritis:* 1.350 I am innocent of the blode and deth of this iust person / Py¦late toke water and wasshed his handes accordyng to the sayeng of the {pro}phet: Lauabo inter innocentes manus meas: I shal wassh my handes among the innocentes, but he sayd to the Iues: Vos videritis: Loke you to your parte / cōsider what shalbe your syn. I am the minister of the lawe, take good hede whom ye offer to me to be slayne, for I must gyue sentence after your sayng{is} / and not after my knoledge and mynde / and therfore this synne shalbe imputed to you and not to me.* 1.351 And then all the people of the Iu¦es answered and sayd: Sanguis ei{us} super nos et super filios nostros, His blode fall vpon vs & vpon our childern. This sayng / for the wordes is very good & most {pro}fitable to man saluacyon / for it is greatly to be desired that the blode of Christ fal vpon vs to wassh vs from all fylth of synne / accordyng to the sayng of saynt Iohan Dilexit nos et lauit nos a peccatis nostris in sanguine suo:* 1.352 Christe hath loued vs & wasshed vs frome our synnes in his blode. But the Iues spake these wordes with an other intent, for they desy∣red y^t the vengeance of his blode and deth shulde fall vpon them and vpon theyr children,* 1.353 and so it doth vnto this day y^t is almost xv, hūdreth yeres & so shal cōtinue (as saint Hierom saith) nygh vnto the ende of the worlde. And so pylate thought he had sayd before and declared Christ to be innocent / and so to be delyuered, yet nowe wyllyng to please the Iues / and sacysfye theyr cryeng{is} and fulfyll theyr wyl / dyd y^t thyng which was not plesyng to god and accordynge to iustyce. Also fearynge that he shulde haue bene accused of treason agaynst the emperour. Also supposynge no great peryll or daunger / though he condempned to deth this

pore innocent person, specyally considerynge that no man spake or intreated for hym, al this considered (I say) Pylate gaue sen¦tence and iudged Christe, for that he wolde haue ben a kyng con¦trarie to the precepte of the emperour: to be hanged vpon y^e crosse or crucifyed, and this sentence was agaynst all iustyce, and also agaynste his owne knowledge, for he knewe Christe to be inno∣cent in this cause and all other. And thus he gaue most cruel sen¦tence agaynste the innocent in whome was no cause of deth. And so by his iudgement and power of the emperoure: he betoke Ie¦sus vnto the Iues that he shulde be crucifyed. And note here that the euangelist sayth not (Vt crucifigerēt eū:* 1.354 sed vt crucifigeretur) That the Iues shulde crucifye Christe, but that he shulde be cru¦cified by the auctoritie of the iudge, but he sayth that Pylate be∣toke Iesus vnto the Iues: to shewe that they were the cause of his deth / though they wolde not haue had it so taken, for Pylate wold not haue gyuen this sentence / but onely for that he se that he coulde none otherwyse please and content the Iues. But what was the forme and the wordes of the sentence: it is not shewed in the gospelles: but in the euangely of Nichodeme it is writen howe that Pylate gaue sentence in these wordes folowyng / Gens tua comprobauit te regem: propterea precipio te primum flagellari secundum principum statuta deinde 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cruce leuari: Thy people haue affermed the to be a kynge, therfore I commaunde the first to be scourged accordyngly to the ordynaūces and statutes of the princes of Rome and after that to be hanged vpon the crosse. Be¦holde here howe the moste innocente lambe Christe dyd chose to be dampned for the with an vniuste and false sentence to dely∣uer the frome the iudgement of iustyce and payne of eternall dampnacyon, he payed for that he neuer had he suffred payne for oure synne. And here remember what lamentacyon his fren∣des then made, when they herde this horrible and moste vntrue sentence gyuen agaynste Christe. And in the remembraunce of that sentence and deth of Christe / whiche in scripture is cal∣led Alpha and Oo,* 1.355 the begynnynge and the endynge, and by∣cause that Christe was that daye taken frome vs by his death. Therfore the churche euery yere in that day vseth to omitte and leaue the begynnynge and endynge of the houres of the seruyce. After this condempnacyon: the saugiours toke oure sauyoure Iesus. &c. as in the nexte article.

¶A Lesson.

BY this article we may lerne to be ware that we neuer wor∣thely deserue the iust sentence of deth / nother of the soule / nor of the bodye. And also as Christe suffred for vs a false and a wicked sentence to be gyuen agaynst hym by a frayle man: so in lyke maner we shulde not feare the wicked iudgementes of men gyuen or spoken agaynst vs,* 1.356 but pacyētly suffer them for the loue of god. And herunto sayth saynt Poule, Mihi autem pro minimo est vt a vobis iudicer: aut ab humano die, I do lytyll regarde to be iudged of you or of any mannes day.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wolde pacyently and innocently suffer the vniust sentence of deth: and that of the most shamefull deth of the crosse: graunt to me that I neuer deserue the iust sen∣tence of deth in soul or in bodye / and that for thy loue I feare not the wicked iudgementes of men, and also that I neuer iudge a∣ny persone wrongfullye. Amen.

¶Howe Christe bare his crosse. The .xliii. article.

THe .xliii. article is the bearynge of his crosse, for after that Pylate had gyuen sentēce of deth agaynst the innocent Christ Iesus:* 1.357 then the saugiours toke hym and pulled of the purpull or scarlet robe, and put on hym his owne garmentes. And here saythe Symon de Cassia:* 1.358 When Christe shulde be crucifyed then the saugiours toke from hym that garment wherin they had derided and mocked hym, and nowe they beganne (not mockyngly or in sporte / but in verye dede) to put hym to the payne and deth of the crosse / and therfore they put vpon hym his owne garmentes / that therby he myght be the more knowen, and so goynge to his deth in his owne clothes: it shulde be the more to his confusyon and shame. And at this tyme without any doubte Christe suffred a newe payne and that was moste greuous / for that olde purpull robe was harde baken and cleued faste to his backe, in the woū∣des whiche he suffred before at his scourgynge, and therfore this robe myght not be pulled of his backe: but to his most greuous payne, for they rent and pulled the flesshe frome his bodye with that cote, and so put Christ, to a newe & intollerable payne agayn.

Then they byndynge his handes and necke with a rope: therby shewed that he was cōdempned vnto the deth, and so drewe hym out of his propre citie as a misdoer, and they layde the great / he∣uy and grosse tree of the crosse / vpon his moste soore and tender sholders, that he shulde beare it vnto the place where as he shuld be crucifyed. And for asmoche as that tree was reputed and thought of the Iues to be a prophane and vnclene thynge: and also that deth of the crosse shamefull / for the scripture sayth:* 1.359 Ma ledictus omnis qui pendit in ligno: He is a cursed that is hanged vpon a tree, therfore no man durst beare that tree not yet touche it. And for this cause: they leyde it vpon Christe, that he damp∣ned: shulde beare his owne crosse.* 1.360 This was a great ioye and sporre to the wicked men, but it was a great misterie to vs chris∣tians. And therfore saynt Barnarde sayth: O here is spectacle or thynge done that was neuer sene before / neuer herde nor done before, that a thefe or a malefactour shulde be compelled to beare the gallowes or tree wherupon he shulde be hanged / but onelye now in Christ? And here sayth saynt Austen: The mylde lambe Iesus taketh and beareth his owne crosse vpon his sholders go∣ynge with great payne and sorowe vnto the place of his passyon,* 1.361 and herin was fulfylled the saynge of the prophet: Factus est ptin cipatus super humeum eius: His dignitie and power is made v∣pon his shoulder, his crosse: is his dignitie and power, wherby he dyd ouercome the power of the deule, and for his obedience vn¦to the deth:* 1.362 god dyd exalte hym as saynte Poule sayth. And as greate men beare diuers thynges in token of theyr diuers digni¦ties, As kynges: a crowne, bisshoppes a myter, other men a gartar. &c. so Christe in the remembraunce of his dignitie: bare the crosse, and so thou serchynge: shal not fynde or perceyue that Iesus reigneth in any person: but by payne & herdnes / and ther∣fore these delicates & carnall persons whiche wyl suffer no payne but folowe all pleasure: ben the enemyes of the crosse of Christe as saīt Austen saith.* 1.363 In this acte was fulfylled y^e figure of Isaac whiche bare the stickes wherwith he shulde haue bene offered to god in sacrifice.* 1.364 Also this acte was figured in the wydowe of Sareptha that gatherd .ii. stickes.* 1.365 Also our sauyour Christe is signifyed by that clustre of grapes that was borne vpon a tre by∣twixte. ii. men, for Christe was hanged vpon a tre bytwixt two theuys. Also this Christe is signifyed by Helyseus whiche kut downe a tre and went with it to searche for the yren whiche was fallen in to the watre, and at that searchynge: the yren swame

aboue the water / where as the tree was, so our sauiour Christe saught for man kynde whiche was fallen in to the deape water of troubles and drowned synne / and in hell, but by the tree of the crosse of Christe: it swame vp agayne and so was recouered a∣gayne. Of this article saynt Anselme sayth: O my soule behold and se howe thy lorde god is in al thynges here despised and com¦pelled to bowe his backe vnder the heuye burden of the crosse / and so to beare his owne confusion and shame. O merueylouse spectacle to beholde doste thou not se hym? beholde his dignitie and power is shewed vpon his sholder,* 1.366 this is the rodde or tree of equitie, the tree of his kyngdome and power. And thus when Iesus had gone a lytyll forth bearynge his heuy crosse: he was so feynt & wery, partly for feblenes and tendernes of his bodye, and partly for the great afflicacyon and payne that he had suffred all the same day and nyght before: that he was fayne to go softly and also to lay downe the crosse from hym, or els (as some sayth) he fel downe vnder the crosse there to re••t hym and ease hym self. But those moste cruell tormentours not wyllynge to differ hys deth, and also fearynge lesse that Pylate shulde reuoke his sen∣tence bycause he shewed hym selfe to haue a good wyll to delyuer Christ from deth, therfore they constrayned a straunge man that passed by them called Symon Cireneus to beare the crosse after Iesus.* 1.367 Not moued (as the glose sayth) of any pitye or mercye towardes Christ:* 1.368 but that he myght the soner come to his death. And also that it myght appere that Iesus was not god / seynge that he was so feble & weyke a man that he was not able to beare that crosse as sayth saynt Austen. And this Symon was not a Iue or of the chylderne of Israell: but a pylgryme a straunger of the Sirenys that is a cytye in the countrie of Libia. And in this man was veryfyed the saynge of the prophet Dauid:* 1.369 Popu lus quē non cognoui: seruiuit mihi: The people that I haue not knowen: hath done seruice to me. And though the iues put this labour (that is to beare the crosse after Iesus) vnto this Symon as to a vyle person & despysed among{is} them: yet it was not done without great misterie,* 1.370 for as the glose sayth: Beholde and note here / that no Iue or Ebrewe: but a straunger / a gentyle is sub∣dued to the obprobry and crosse of Christe, to shewe that the plen¦tuousnes of grace & of the sacramentes or misteries of the lawe shulde departe from the Iues vnto the gentyles. Symon is as moche to say by interpretation as obedient,* 1.371 and Cireneus is in∣terpreted: heres / that is an heyre. And therfore by this man may

be well noted all good christians conuerted frome the erroure of gentilitie vnto Christe: whiche somtyme ware as pylgryms or straungers vnto the lawe and preceptes of god, but by theyr faith and obedyence vnto the cōmaundemētes of god: they were made of the housholde of god and his heyres / and also coenheritours with Christe. And thus bearynge his crosse: they brought hym to Golgotha. &c. as in the nexte article.

¶A Lesson.

IN this article we christians maye lerne to beare the crosse after Iesus for (as the glose sayth) Firste Christe beareth the crosse / for he suffred first,* 1.372 afterwarde it was put to Symon Cireneus to beare it after Christ / for we ought to folowe the step¦pes of Christ, for Symon dyd folowe we and not go before Christ. And herunto our lord sayth in the gospell:* 1.373 Si quis vult venire post me: tollat crucem suam quotidie et sequatur me: If any man wyll come after me: lette hym take his owne crosse dayly and folowe me. And here be noted thre thynges, necessary for hym that wyl folowe Christ. Fyrst that he beare it voluntarylye and not com∣pelled agaynst his wyll, and therfore he sayth: If any man wyll come after me: notynge therby that it muste be of his owne wyll. Seconde that he beare his owne propre crosse / and therfore / he sayth let hym take his owne crosse. Thyrde that it be done for the glorie of god / and not for vayne glorie, and therfore he sayth and folowe me / do it to my honour and for my loue. And by this crosse here is noted the purpose of godly and vertuouse lyfe, so that the hole lyfe of a christiane whiche lyueth after the gospell of Christ may be called a crosse and a martirdome. And this crosse is to be dayly borne after Christe, and for the loue of Christe. Fyrste in our hert by remēbraunce and compassion. In our mouth by ofte and deuoute thankes. And in our bodie by discreate / chastysyng and subduynge of the same, that so we myght reanswere & gyue thankes vnto our sauiour in hert / worde / and dede. Herby ye may se that loue without this crosse / nor yet this crosse without loue: may deserue any laude or prayse in thought / worde / nor dede. But that crosse is hyghely to be praysed whiche is ioyned with loue / whiche loue also the same crosse doth brynge in. In this state was saynt Paule whiche sayd of hymselfe:* 1.374 Christo con fixus sum cruci: I am fastened to the crosse for the loue of Christ. In this crosse fyrst our flesshe or body is fastened with the nayles

of feare and hexunto the prophet Dauid sayth:* 1.375 Cōfige timore tu••o carnes meas: Fasten or nayle faste my flesshe with thy feare. Se∣condly our spirite muste be fastened with the nayles of loue. And thyrdly our outwarde senses: with the nayles of disciplyne and rigour or payne.* 1.376 And herunto the wyse man sayth: Verba sapien cium quasi stimuli: et quasi claui in altum confixi: The wordes of wyse men be as pryckes or broddes, and as nayles fastened in the profunditie of our senses. Fourthly our handes must be nayled with the nayles of laboure. And therfore the wyse man sayth: Quodcun{que} potest manus tua:* 1.377 instanter operare: Werke diligently what so euer good thy handes may werke. Herby it doth clerely appere: that that person sheweth hym selfe manifestly to haue no true loue: whiche wyll not prepare and gyue hym selfe to harde and paynfull thynges for his louer. O howe gladlye ought the christians to take and beare his crosse, syth he is taught and mo∣ued therunto by nature and also by crafte. Naturally the byr∣des when they flye in the ayre: they vse the signe of the crosse / for theyr hed and theyr tayle and theyr winges abrode: make a crosse, and so in theyr flyenge they take theyr crosse. In lyke maner a man swymmynge takes his crosse. The shyppe goyng vpon the see: maketh the signe of the crosse. Also a man to conforme hym selfe to this article shuld remēber with how great charitie Christ bare his crosse for vs, and of what heuynes it was to hym, se∣ynge that all the synnes of the worlde was put vpon his crosse, whiche all: this swete and mylde lambe whome he went to be of∣fered: dyd beare vpon his shoulders. Also a man may ymagyne in hym selfe as if he bare the crosse of Christe with hym as Sy∣mon Cireneus dyd, and so pray thus.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me a wretche wolde beare thy heuy crosse vpon thyne owne shulders: make me wilfully and gladlye to take the crosse of penance and streyter lyfe / and to beare it day∣lye after the and for thy loue. Amen.

¶Howe Christ was led vnto Golgoltha that is the mount of Caluarie. The .xliiii. article.

THe .xliiii. article is the ledynge of Christe vnto Golgo∣tha, there to be crucifyed, for after that they had layde the crosse vpon Christes shulders and there tyed it fast. As saynt Iohan sayth:* 1.378 Eduxerunt eum: They led hym out of the citie. Fyrste to fulfyll the fygures of the lawe. For it

was commaunded in the lawe that the calfe and the gote / whiche were o••red in the moste solempne sacrifice for the expiation and purifyeng of the people:* 1.379 that they shulde be buryed without the castelles or the habitacyons of men. So Christe whiche is the sacrifice for the expiation and redēption of all man kynde: shulde suffer deth without the castels or cities. And also he wolde suffer without y^e citie to declare & shewe vnto vs howe y^t the vertue of his passion shuld not be included within the coostes or boūdes of the Iues: but that it shuld be knowen to be a comon sacrifice for all the worlde. And thyrdly to signifye and shewe to vs / that who so wolde haue the effecte and vertue of this passion: he muste go forth / or go from the worlde / at lest in desire / affeccyon / or loue that is: that he haue no inordinate loue to the worlde, the good∣des or pleasure therof. Wherfore let vs folowe Christe and go vnto hym frome our carnall frendes and worldlye conuersacyon bearynge with hym and for his loue rebukes and sharp paynes. And herunto saynt Bernarde sayth: Christe suffred his passyon and deth without the citye, therfore let vs go to hym from the cy∣tye, that is by the contempte of worldlye conuersacyon, and that may be done by .iii. maner of wayes. In affeccyon or loue / that we loue not inordinatly the world. In effect & dede: that we vt∣terly forsake the worlde both in wyll and also bodye. And thyrd∣lye by profytynge: that we desyre and labour to be made one spi∣rite with god. For as saynt Gregorie sayth: The more that a man is separate from the loue of the worlde: the more nygh he is to god. This ledyng aboue al the other .viii. of which we spake in the .viii. article: was most paynfull and shamefull to Christe and that for many causes, and therfore conueniently it maketh a specyall article. Fyrst by reason of his rebuke and shame / for it [ I] was moche shamefull to be led vnto hangynge. Secondly, for [ II] that he was copled and ioyned or led with .ii. theues and mische∣uous persons / and that was done to his more confusyon & shame that the people shulde thynke / there was no difference bytwixte Christe and them. Thyrdly for the greate noumber of people [ III] that se hym and folowed hym / and that not onely of men but also of women as the euangelist sayth.* 1.380 But they all dyd not folowe hym of one intent and one mynde / for some were moche ioyfull of that syght / as the moste parte of the Iues. And it is no small payne to a man to behold and se other men, and specially his ene¦myes gladde and ioyfull of his affliccyon and rebuke. There were also some that dyd wepe and were sorye for that syght, as

the blessed woman. And also this was moche paynfull to Christ to se his frendes & louers in sorowe and heuynes for hym.* 1.381 Saint Bernarde describeth this ledynge and procession in this maner folowynge. When Christ (sayth he) was broughte forthe to be ledde vnto his passion: there was gathered about hym a greate multitude of people, as ye comonly se: when theues and mur∣derars be had to hangynge. Some went saughynge / and some cast clay or durte vpon his most blessed hed and face. If Christe loked before hym / he sawe them cast durte vpon hym. If he lo∣ked aboue hym: he sawe the heuy tre of the crosse lyenge vpon his necke and greuously oppressed hym. If he loke behynd hym he sawe his mother with a great nomber of men and women we∣pynge and lamentynge for hym. And as some doctours do say / his most sorowefull mother wolde haue come to hym to haue hel¦pen hym: and myght not be suffred / the whiche her swete Iesus seynge and consederynge her great heuynes: fell downe for so∣rowe and werynes vnder the crosse. And that seynge his moste louynge mother: for sorowe she fell to the erth as deade. And in the remembraunce of this swonyng there was afterwarde a cha¦pell buylded by the faythful people in the same place in the honor of our lady whiche is called: sancta Maria de Spa••mo. and after this:* 1.382 Iesus turnynge hym selfe to the women that wepte: sayd, Filie Hierusalem nolite flere super me: sed super vosipsas flete et super filios vestros: O ye doughters of Hierusalem wepe not vpon me for I take these paynes and deth with my good wyll, for it is the wyll and ordinaunce of god my father / that I shulde thus dye, and also for the great profet y^t shall come therof to man¦kynde, for by my deth I wyll ouercome euerlastynge deth, but wepe for the cause of my passyon and dethe, that is: the synnes of the people which cause me to suffer deth by the order of iustice. And thus to wepe: it is necessarie for you, and therfore it folo∣weth: Sed super vosipsas flete: et super filios vestros: But weape for your selfes and for your chylderne. Herin Christ doth not re∣buke theyr affeccyon and compassyon that they had to hym: but he doth teche them an order howe to wepe, that is firste to wepe for them selfe and theyrs, for it is a vayne thyng and of no profyt to wepe for the passyon of Christ: and therwith to despyse hym with our euyl dedes and lyuyng. Also he byddes them that wepe for hym: to consider what paynes be lyke to fal vpon them selfe, And therfore they shuld wepe for them self and for theyr childern, and therfore Christe saythe:* 1.383 Quoniam ecce venient dies in quibus

dicent:* 1.384 beate steriles. &c. For the dayes shall come (sayth Christ) when they shall say: Blessed and happy be the baren and tho that brought forthe no fruyte, and those pappes or teates be happye that neuer gaue sucke or mylke, then they shall begynne to saye to the mowntes: Fal vpon vs, and to the hylles: Couer vs. And thsi he spake for the tyme of the seage of Hierusalem by the em∣perours Vaspasyan and Titus his son, for then the Iues were in great distresse as it appereth by the histories of Iosephus and Egesippus, or els we may say that Christe spake this for the ex∣treme and last day of iudgement. And the cause or reason of both these he addeth and sayth: Quia si in viridi ligno faciunt: in arido quid fiet? For sithe so greuous paynes and shamefull despites be done to me whiche am a grene tree florisshyng and quicke in the roote of my diuinitie / in the charitie of my manhode / in the bran∣ches of my vertues / in the leeses of good wordes / and the fruyte of my good dedes, if (I say) they do these thynges to me, that is: condempne me to the shamefull deth of the crosse / without all iustice: what shall they do to the drie tree or stocke / that is to the synner / whiche wanteth the moisture of grace / the fruyte of iu∣stice / the grenisse or florisshynge of the conscience, what payne (thynke you) be they worthy to haue. O Iesu, thou grene tre. O our hed. O thou glorie of all meake persons. O thou cedre of clenlynes, Palme of pacyence, Olyue of mercy, Vyne of glad∣nes, shewe to vs what was done to the? And he answering saith this grene tre is pilled or the barke pulled of, it is shred / lopte / it is cut downe and cast vpon the erth. Marke this well frendes sith he that came in to this worlde without synne: departed not hens without most greuous paynes and passyon: what paynes then be they worthye to haue / whiche were conceyued and borne in synne, and all theyr lyfe haue continued in synne? Herunto saythe saynte Gregorie. As ofte as I remember the deth of our sauiour / the pacyence of Iob / and the death of Iohan the Bap¦tiste. I say to the (O synner) therby I consider what paynes shall they suffer when god reproueth: syth tho whome he loueth [ 4] and hathe chosen / suffer so greuous paynes. Fourthlye / this ledynge was moche paynfull to Christe, For the place whether he wente: was moche fylthye and stynkynge, It is called in Ebrew: Golgoltha / that is by interp̄tation / Iocus Caluarie, The place of the skull, for Caluaria is called y^e skull of a mannes hed when the skynne / flesshe & the heire is all gone, this place was

so called bycause all they that were condempned to deth were hea¦ded or hanged there. To that place they broughte hym: bycause men shulde suppose that he was a misordred person. There was also many boones of deade mennes bodyes / and specyallye the skulles of the heedes spredde abrode ouer all that place / and that made it abhominable to beholde and also stynkyng. And for this cause this leadynge was moche paynfull to Christe, and the space that Christe went bearynge his crosse: was .vi.C.lxvi. passes. And from the fote of the mount of Caluary vnto the top where as the crosse was fixed in the erth: were fyfty passes. And in this ledynge Christ fel. v. tymes vnder the crosse vnto the erth, and when they had brought hym to that place: the saugiours pul¦led of his clothes. &c. as in the next article.

¶Here folowe .iii. Lessons.

[ I] OF this article we may lerne .iii. lessons. First is, as Christ was led wyllyngly vnto his passion with all pacyence / as a shepe vnto his deth: so shuld we wyllyngly and with pacyence be led vnto the obedience of the preceptes of god and of our pre∣lates in the place of our lorde, by the whiche obedience: our pro¦pre wyll is slayne or subdued, this desyred the prophete saynge: Deduc me in semita mandatorum tuorum. &c.* 1.385 Lede me lorde in the path of thy commaundementes: for that I haue desyred. The [ II] seconde lesson is that we shulde folowe Christe goyng to his pas∣sion, wepyng the miserie of our awne frayltie with the women, for as Theophilus sayth: The frayle soule signified by the wo∣man, if it with a contrite herte wepe by penaunce: it foloweth [ III] Christe. The thyrde lesson is / that pylgryms that go on pyl∣grymege for penaunce or deuocyon, and religious persones for obediens goynge by the way / if at any tyme they be wery: they shulde remember this ledynge of our sauiour Iesus and his we∣rynes. &c. And a man to cōforme hym self to this article: he shuld remember with howe great shame Christe was ledde vnto hys deth for our greate glorie, and so lette hym wepe with the holye women / at lest in the desyre of his hert / and thē pray as foloweth.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu which forme wolde be led vnto Golgoltha to be there crucifyed: lede me in the pathe of thy commaundementes,

that I may folowe the steppes of thy passion with the holye wo∣men / and wepe vpon my selfe the miserie of my frayle cōdicyon.

¶Howe Christe was spoyled of his clothes before the crosse. The .xlv. article.

THe .xlv. article is the pullyng of Christes clothes before y^t he was crucified, for whē Iesus was come to y^e place where as he shulde be crucifyed: the saugiours pulled of his clothes before the crosse.* 1.386 And as Marke sayth: Dabant ei bibere vinum mirrhatum: They gaue hym to drynke: bytter wyne for it was mixte with gall / as Mathew sayth,* 1.387 and when Iesus had tasted of it: he wolde not drynke, for he wolde not mortifye or hurt his tongue, wherwith he intended to praye for his enemyes and to make his testament. And in this was fulfylled the saynge of the {pro}phet.* 1.388 Dederunt in escam meam fel. &c. They put gall in to my meate, and they gaue me to drynke asell or vynacre. This poynt of the pullyng of Christes clothes doth conueniently make a specyall article: for it is no lityll payne for a man to be stripte naked before all the people, for so they dyd to Christ, for he was all naked without any cloth / the which thing was neuer done before to the most vyle persons, for comonly at the lest they left theyr shyrtes to hyde theyr nakednes. And in this pullyng of his clothes his woūdes that he had before with theyr beatynges and scourgynges: ware renewed to his great sorowe and payne, for his inner garment dyd cleue fast vnto his backe. And herunto sayth the prophet:* 1.389 Super dolorem vulnerum meorum addiderunt: They added wounde vpon wounde and so sorowe or payne vpon payne vnto me.* 1.390 O blessed mother / what sorowe was this to the when thou se hym so cruelly handled, thou wente to hym with spede and tyed thy veyle aboute his bodye. This most louely lorde Iesus wold be naked: that thou synner myght beholde howe pitiously that most pure bodie of his was arayed for the, he was naked for the / whiche dyd create the, and beynge eterne god: was cladde with beautie and strēgth, he was naked to whome we synge and saye with the prophete:* 1.391 Confessionem et decorem induisti: amictus lumine sicut vestimento: Thou arte cladde with praysynges and beautie, thou arte cladde with light as with a garmente. This lorde god is made a spectacle to all the worlde / a wonder to many persones and a mockynge stocke to the people / for at hym they shoke theyr hed. Thou our hed / our

ioy and our honour and glorie good Iesus: arte thus despysed. this article is different from the .xxx. article for there he was na¦ked before Pylate and his ministers, and here it was openly be∣fore all the people. There they toke from hym the white garmēt that herode put vpon hym to mocke hym: here they spoyled hym of his owne clothes, there he was stripte naked to be scourged, here to be crucifyed, there he was clad agayne: here they toke all his clothes frome hym.* 1.392 Of this nakednes saynt Ambrose saythe: Christe naked ascended his crosse, and there he shewed hym selfe vnto vs that we myght knowe / howe we were made by god and nature, he hange vpon the crosse: as Adam was in paradise / for as our first Adam dyd inhabyte paradise naked: so the seconde Adam our sauiour Iesus dyd enter in to paradise naked. And as some say: there was a stone vpon the whiche our sauyour Iesus sat naked vnto such tyme the crosse was prepared and made redy, and there sittyng: he suffred many rebukes both by spyttynges / smytynges / and many blasphemouse wordes speakynge to hym. And whan the crosse was made redy: then most furiouslye they toke Christ. &c. as in the next article. A lesson as in y^e. xxx. article.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wolde be spoyled of thy clothes and syt naked before y^e crosse: make me to be spoyled or naked from all worldly thynges that be hynderaunce to my saluacyon that I naked myght folowe thy naked crosse. Amen.

¶Howe Christ was layde or spred vpon the Crosse. The .xlvi. article.

THe .xlvi. article is the extensyon of Christe vpon the crosse, for after they had taken his clothes frome hym and the crosse was made redy: they with greate fury toke Christe from his mother Marie / not without her great sorowe / wepynge & sobbyng: they cast hym very harde na∣ked as he was vpon the harde crosse lyeng vpon the erth / and so cruelly they spred hym abrode vpon the crosse / and drewe out his armes and legges as a cloth is stretched & drawen out vpon ten∣ters, in somoche they drewe hym so that all his mēbres and ioyn∣tes were in a maner out of theyr proper places. Of this speaketh the prophet sayng:* 1.393 Funes extenderunt in laqueum: These moste cruell tormentours haue extended theyr ropes to make a snare for me.* 1.394 And in an other psalme: Funes peccatorum circumplexi sunt me: The roopes of synners haue compassed me aboute, and

that so sharplye: that all his bones myght be nombred: and ther¦fore the same prophet sayth of these tormentours in the persone of Christe:* 1.395 Dinumerauerunt omnia ossa mea: They haue nombred all my bones, for they dyd prepare the crosse without aduysemēt or any mesure takynge of the length and brede of Christes body, or els they dyd it of pure malice / that is to make the holes so far distance: to put Christ to the more payne. And when Iesus wyl∣lingly prepared hym selfe to lye downe vpon y^e crosse: those most wicked and cruell tormentours toke hym by the armes violently and cast his most holye and tender bodye vpon the harde crosse, in so moche that therby the crowne of thornes was thurste more fast and farther in to his hed and so put hym to extreme payne. O thou christen soule beholde the face of thy sauyoure Christe, but howe can thou lyft vp thyne eyne vnto his face to beholde his tor¦mentes without teares? And howe can thou thynke in thy herte of his most greuous paynes without sorowe and syghyng? And consider what tribulation and sorowe he founde when he saught the. And herby ye may perceyue that this extension doth conue∣niently make a specyall article, for therby Christe suffred a great and greuous payne.* 1.396 And therfore the churche doth say and synge in a certen hympne: Flecte ramos arbor alta tensa laxa viscera. &c. O thou high tre of the crosse bowe downe thy branches / lawce the bowels that be stretched vpon the. &c. This extension or stret¦chynge forth of the bodie of Christe doth also shewe and declare vnto vs the great effusyon of the goodnes of Christe towardes vs whiche procedeth from his highe and infinite charitie that he hathe to vs. By this extension of his armes and membres vp∣pon the crosse, he doth shewe y^t he loued vs asmoche as he might / gyuynge to vs / to gette our loue all that he was in hym self / and all that he myght do. And that whiche he coulde not expresse by worde (for his charitie in vnspeakeable) he dyd expresse it with this signe and token of his bodye, that is in this extensyon and stretchynge oute of his bodye vpon the crosse. And hereunto saynte Bernarde sayth: Verylye oure sauyour Iesus is a large and a liberall dispenser / stewarde / or prouysoure, whiche hath gyuen to vs his owne flesshe to oure meate / and his blode to oure drynke, his soule: for the pryce of oure redemption, hys woundes: for oure remedye agaynste temptacyons, hys ar∣mes: for oure refuge and comforth, his crosse: for oure shelde, his herte: for a token of loue to vs, his water: to bathe and

wasshe vs, his swette: for a medicine to vs, his nayles: for our sauce, his crowne of thornes: to our ournament, his wordes to our instruccyon, both his lyfe and deth: to our example. These be the .xii.* 1.397 fruytes of the tre of lyfe of whiche saynt Iohan spea∣keth in his apocalipse:* 1.398 These also be signifyed by the .xii. brea∣des or looues that were dayly sette vpon the table in the temple of god / called mensa propositionis.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may take this lesson that we shuld extend and streche forthe all our membres and partes of our body in to the obsequy and seruyce of Christe that is our handes and armes to good werkes, our fete in goynge to good and godlye places, our kneys to knele in prayer, and all our senses: to holy exercyse of theyr actes and operacyons, so that we may say with the prophet:* 1.399 Omnia ossa mea dicent domine quis similis tui: Al my bones shall say: O lorde who is lyke to the? there is none so lo∣uynge to vs as thou arte, therfore we aught to serue the with all the partes of our bodie.* 1.400 And herunto saynt Paule exhorteth vs saynge: Obsecro vos vt exhibeatis corpora vestra hostiam viuētem sanctam. &c. I beseche you that ye so order your bodies that they may be a quicke or lyuynge hoste / holye / pleasaunt to god and a reasonable obsequie / that all thynges be done reasonably. Of this extencyon we may take example in the strynges of a harpe or lute / whiche wyll make no sowne good and pleasaunt: except they be extended and writhed vp. And a man to conforme hym selfe vnto this article: he may extende all his membres and specy¦ally his armes in the maner of a crosse, and that outher standyng or lyenge as his deuocyon moueth hym / and also extende all the powers of his saule to the laude and prayse of god / and pray as foloweth or in lyke maner.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wold be extended vpon the crosse & that so cruelly that all thy bones myght be nombred: make me to extende all my membres and powers both of soule and bodye vnto thy laude and praysynge. Amen.

¶Howe Christ was crucifyed. The .xlvii. article.

THe .xlvii. article is the crucifienge of Christ, for our sauiour Iesus wold not onely be extended vpon the crosse, but also wolde be fastened and nayled to the crosse to commende vnto vs his indissoluble chari∣tie wherby he dyd stablysshe our helth. Therfore after that those cruell tormentours had so stretched Christe vpon the crosse that the veynes and synnouse were greatly and aboue mesure extended and also the ioyntes of the bo••es out of order:* 1.401 then dyd they crucify hym and nayle hym fast to the crosse / bothe his handes and fete / and that with great / harde and grosse nay∣les whiche were so blunte and grosse: that they bracke both skyn and flesshe / synnouse and vaynes, and also put the ioyntes of the bones out of order. And the cause why he wolde be crucifyed: is this, for asmoche as our firste parent Adam extendynge his han¦des to the tre that was forbodden to hym and with his fete going to taste of the fruyte of the sayde tree dyd consente to the deuyle and so make an obligacyon of his awne dampnacyon: therfore our sauiour Iesus that he myght cancell and distroye the sayd ob¦ligacion and writynge, wold be faste nayled both in handes and fete to the tree of the crosse with the nayles of vnsuperable cha∣ritie, therby cancelynge and destroyeng that decre and writyng that was contrarie to our saluacyon,* 1.402 for our sauiour Iesus toke it from the deuyl and fastened it to the crosse as saynt Paule saith O howe gladlye dyd Christ ascende vpon this crosse, with what loue dyd he suffer al these paynes for vs, with what pacyēce was he obedient vnto the dethe? howe great pleasure had his father omnipotent in that obedience? O what sorowes / wepynges and mornynges ware there harde amonge his frendes and louers, and specyally of his most sorowful mother: when he was so cru∣elly extended / fastened / nayled / and in all his holye body vexed? O moste wonder. O the depenes of pitie. O the greate fyre of loue. O the meruaylous pitie of god towardes vs. O the inesti¦mable charitie of god. Besyde this reason we may assigne .iii. other reasons why christ wolde be crucifyed. First that he han∣gynge vpon the crosse myght shewe hym selfe to be a mediatour and meane bitwixt god and man, and this is taken of the glose, Pri•• ad Timoth. scdo.* 1.403 Seconde reason is / that as the deuyle dyd ouercome Adam by the tre: so he shulde be ouercome by the tre of the crosse. The thyrde is that he myghte euidentlye shewe that he suffred deth for to repayre the ruyne and decay of the aun∣gelles in heuen, also to bryng out and deliuered his frendes from

hel that is called Lymbus patrum: to gather together his louers and to reconsyle his enemyes. It is comonly sayd that the crosse was made of .iiii. diuerse treeys, that is / the stocke or fote was of Cedre, the streyght longe tree: was a Palme, the armes or tree ouerwharte: was a Cipresse, and the table aboue the crosse wherin the title was writen and fixed: was of Olyue. The ce∣dre signifyeth the profoūdnes of contemplacyon. The Cipresse: fame of good opinyon. The Palme signifieth y^e fruyte of iustice And the Olyue: the plentuousnes of mercy. Therfore the crosse of Christ is worthely called the tree of lyfe,* 1.404 for of it we may ga∣ther threfolde lyfe or thre maner of lyues. First the lyfe of nature in token herof,* 1.405 When Christ was Crucified: deade men roose a∣gayne to lyfe of nature. Secondly the lyfe of grace and in signe herof: when Christ dyd pray vpō the crosse there were many con∣uerted to grace and knocked vpon theyr brestes.* 1.406 Thyrdly the lyfe of glorie: in token herof: Christ hyngynge vpon the crosse sayd to the thefe: This day thou shalbe with me in paradise.

¶Here folowe .ii. Lessons.

[ i] THe first lesson is that we shulde crucify our fleshe with all his vyces and concupiscences / that we myghte be fixed to god with nayles, that is: with the preceptes [ ii] of Iustice: as Christe was nayled to the crosse. The second is: that we be ware that we neuer make nailes wherwith the handes or fete of Christe shulde be nayled or wounded. They make nayles to crucifye Christe: whiche sawe or cause discorde among louers and neyghbours. They wounde or nayle the han¦des of our lorde whiche wyll not gyue almes of suche gooddes as god hath gyuen to them. They nayle the fete of Christ which wyl rather go to tauernes and vayne sportes than to the churche.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wolde be nayled with moste hard nay∣les vnto the crosse: and therby wolde fasten the obligation and writynge of our synnes and deth vnto thy crosse: nayle fast I beseche the my fleshe with thy feare / that I surely cleuyng fast to thy commaundementes, may euermore be fastened to the and to thy holy crosse. Amen.

¶How Christes handes and fete were nayled & specially of the first or lefte hande. The .xlviii. article.

THe .xlviii. article is the diggynge / borynge or nay∣lynge of Christes handes and fete, whiche caused a specyall and greuous payne to Christ, and therfore they make a specyall article, and herof speaketh the prophet in the person of Christe:* 1.407 Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos. They haue digged and bored my handes and my fete. But for asmoche as by suche cruell boryng and naylyng Christe suffred or had .iiii. greuouse woundes, of the which eue¦ry one of them caused a specyal and distincte payne: therfore con¦ueniently this article conteyneth in it selfe .iiii. distincte and dy∣uerse articles / that is for euery hand and fote one distincte article so that this .xlviii. article is of the naylynge of the firste hande. The next. of the naylynge of the seconde hande, the .l. article is of the borynge of the firste fote. And the .li. article is of the boo∣rynge or naylynge of the ryght fote. And note here that we say not the ryght hande and the lefte hand, for comonly in scripture by the ryght hande is noted vertue and goodnes, and by the lefte hand vyce & euyl, & in Christ is no sinistrall thyng or euyll. And as saynt Hierom sayth:* 1.408 The extension of the firste hande vnto the crosse: dyd take and nayle faste deth vnto the crosse. And the extension of the seconde hande: dyd fynde lyfe that was perisshed and lost. And the first hande may be here called that hand which they first nayled, whiche paraduenture myght be that hand that we call in vs the left hande bycause it is more nigh to the hert. Or els for a misterie (the whiche those crucifiers dyd not intende) that is this. For firste the euyll / vyce or synne is to be remoued whiche is signified by the lefte hande, and afterwarde is vertue and goodnes brought in, whiche is noted by the ryghte hande. Therfore the first wounde was in the first or lefte hand. In scrip¦ture comonly by y^e handes ar vnderstanded werkes. And so these handes of hym that wrought in the begynnyng or made y^e world, dyd nowe performe in the crosse the werke of oure redemption, whiche werke standeth in .ii. thynges, that is in the destruccion of deth and reparacyon of lyfe. But firste he destroyed death, wherby is vnderstanded synne / and all that foloweth therof. And therfore we sayd before that the extension of the first hande / vnto the tree of the crosse: dyd take death / and so faste nayle it vnto the crosse. And morouer he wrote with his owne blode in the same hande / as it were in velym or parchment a writynge of his vic∣torie that he had vpon or ouer deth. And that this writyng shulde euer cōtinue: he graued it very depe in to his hand, yea it persed

through his hande. And of this saynt Bernarde sayth: Christe is exalted vpon the crosse / the handes & fete of the moste benigne Iesus be faste nayled to that crosse, his blode is drawen out / our mediatour and meane standeth before his father / as Moyses dyd before god in the breakynge of the golden calfe / to turne away the wrath of his father from vs:* 1.409 that he shulde not destroye vs. And truely our sauiour Iesus stode in cōfraccyon / in breakyng▪ for thoughe he were brosed and broken in all his bodye, yet he dyd not fall downe in soule and mynde, but stode stedfastly in perse∣uerance of good wyll. O blessed Iesu in what state do I se the? O most swete and amiable Iesu / who hath put the to so bitter / cruell and odiouse deth. O onely sauiour of our olde rotten woū¦des, who hath brought the: not onely to most paynfull: but also to suffer moste shameful woundes. O most dulce and swete vyne tree.* 1.410 O good Iesu is this the fruyte that thy vyneyarde dothe brynge forthe to the, whiche thou translated out of Egipte in to a moste pleasaunt and fruytefull soyle and grounde,* 1.411 and hathe most paciently taried vnto this day of thy mariage / and loked that it shulde haue brought to the swete grapes, but it broughte forth thornes, for it hath crowned the with thornes / these Iues thy vyneyarde haue cōpassed the about with the thornes of theyr synnes Beholde to what bitternes and sharpnes this vyne is turned, not nowe thy vineyarde: but rather a straunger to the, for it denyed the cryenge and sayenge Non habemus regem nisi ce∣sarem:* 1.412 We haue no kynge but the emperour. Therfore these cur¦sed and cruell tylmen haue caste the out of the vyneyarde of the cy¦tye of Hierusalem / or els out of theyr compaigney and there haue slayne the,* 1.413 not sodenly or out of hande: but with a longe tormēt and payne of the crosse, and haue gyuen to the many greuouse woundes with whippynges / beatynges / scourgynges, and at last: naylynge the handes and fete to the crosse where as thou suf¦fred .xxvi. strokes with the hamer vpon thy handes, and .xxxvi. vp on thy fete in dryuynge in the nayles.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may lerne howe to put and hyde all oure troubles / aduersities / temptacyons / infirmities / our syn∣nes and al our paynes dewe for synne: in this most swete wound of the first hande of our sauiour Iesu wherwith he toke deth & al our miserie / and nayled it fast to the crosse. In that maner dyd

saynt Austen sayng:* 1.414 When any fylthy cogitacyons doth inpugne me: I runne to the woundes of Christe: and I am helped, when the flesshe oppresseth me: I ryse thorowe the remēbraunce of the woundes of my lorde god, when the deuyll doth lye in a wayte of me: I flye to the woundes of our lorde and he flyeth from me. If carnall concupiscence do moue my bodye: that fier of carnall pleasure is extincte by the remēbraunce of the passion of my lord god. And this in all myne aduersities and temptacyons, I fynde none so sure remedy: as the woundes of Christ, in these I slepe surely / in these I reste without fere and thoughe saynte Austen speake here indifferently of all the woundes of Christe, yet pro∣perlye we may say that this sure remedye is founde in the wound of this firste or lefte hand of Christe. Also it apperteyneth to this wounde, that we shulde auoyde all euyll werkes for the loue of god crucifyed for vs. And a man to conforme hym selfe to this ar¦ticle may ofte kysse this wounde of Christe and ofte remēber the forsayde woundes of saynt Austen. And pray thus.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me most wretched wold haue thy left hand digged or boored with a nayle / and fastened to the crosse: graunt to me that I may euer put and hyde al myne aduersities / and temptacyons in the moste swete wound of that left hand and that I may fynde in it a sure and holsome remedye agaynste all maner of tribulacyons. Amen.

¶The boorynge or naylynge of the seconde or ryght hande. The .xlix. article.

THe .xlix. article is the naylynge of Christes seconde or ryghte hande,* 1.415 wherwith (as saynte Hierome sayth) he founde lyfe: that was lost and perisshed. And here by lyfe: may be taken and vnderstanded all thynges that perteyne to our helth and saluacyon, as afore by deth were vnderstanded synne and all that folowed of synne. This lyfe our sauiour Iesus hath gyuen to vs with his second hande. And of this gyfte he hathe writen to vs a sure preuilege or dede of gyft writen (I saye) with his precyous blode, not in paper or parch∣ment: but in his ryghte hande / whiche also he hath sealed for a perpetuall remēbraunce with a sharp nayle persynge his hande,

as it were with a seale.* 1.416 And herunto sayth saynt Peter: Maxima et preciosa vobis promissa donauit deus. &c. Almightie god hath gyuen to you most good and precyous promysses, and therby ye may be made lyke vnto god / and felowes or partakers of his di¦uine and godlye nature.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may lerne howe to hyde all our good wer¦kes that our lorde worketh in vs, in this wounde of this second hande attributyng them, not to ourselfe as that we shuld be the chefe werkers of them: but gyuyng all to the goodnes and grace of god, praynge and desyrynge his grace that all our neg∣ligences and inperfeccyons may be restored / performed and ful∣fylled by this most swete wounde.* 1.417 And thus dyd saynte Austen saynge: What so euer I want in my selfe as of my selfe: I vsurp and take it to me, of the bowelles of my lorde Iesus / for frome thens floweth mercy plentuously, nor there wanteth no hooles or ryuers wherby that mercy myght haue recours to me. And therfore I shall euermore prayse the mercyes of our lorde, for the woundes of Iesu Christe be full of mercye, full of pitie, full of swetenes and charitie, by these hooles and riuers: it is le••ull for me to taste howe swete and pleasaunt my lorde my god is. And thoughe this is spoken generally of all the woundes of Christe: yet specyallye it apperteyneth to the wounde of this seconde or ryght hand. And a man to conforme hym self to this article shuld oftymes kysse the wounde of the ryght hande of the crucifix / and ofte reuolue in his mynde the forsayde wordes of saynte Austen and praye as foloweth.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me a wretche wolde haue thy ryght hande persed thorowe with a nayle and so fastened to the crosse: graunt to me that I may hyde in the most swete wounde of thy ryght hande with thankes, al my good werkes that it shal please thy goodnes to worke in me / and that all my neglige••ces and imperfeccyons may therby be performed and supplyed. Amen.

¶The naylynge of the first foote or lefte fote of Christ. The .l. article.

THe .l. article is the naylynge of the first or lefte foote of Christe, By feete in scripture ar taken and vnderstan∣ded our affeccyons and desyres, with the whiche oure soule goeth / which for the more parte / be in vs senistrall that is of the left parte euyll or imperfite, but in Christe they all be on the ryght syde good and perfyte, and therfore Christ by the wounde of his first or left fote that dyd cure and heale oure euyll cogitacyons & affeccyons. Scripture speakyng of our olde and corrupt man sayth:* 1.418 Cuncta cogitatio cordis humani prona est ad malum omni tempore: All the cogitacyon and desyre of mannes herte is prone and redy to euyll at all tymes. But nowe of man renewed and healed by Christe: may be veryfyed this sayenge of the wyseman:* 1.419 Desiderium iustorum omne bonum: The desyre of iuste men is all good. Of these iust men also speaketh the prophet Ezechiell saynge:* 1.420 Pedes eorum pedes recti: The feete of them be ryght feete / for the affeccyons and desyres of good men be not cro¦ked / frowarde / or turned to euyll, and that is by the efficacitye and vertue of this wounde of the first or lefte foote of Christe.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may take this lesson that as ofte as we be impugned with euyll cogitacyons / affeccyons or vayne de¦syres: we shulde forthwith flye vnto the wounde of this foote of Christ, for from thens, as from a most pure and holsom foūteyn there floweth to vs an holsom medicine, wherwith all the fylthe of our cogitacyons / all our corrupte affeccyons and desyres and breuely all our euyl and synne is wasshed and so purified and hea¦led. This perceyued wele saynt Austen in hym self when he sayde in his contemplation those wordes that be writen in the lesson of the .xlviii. article. A man to conforme hym selfe to this article, shulde oftymes kysse the wounde of the lefte foote of Christ with the remembraunce of this lesson, and pray as foloweth.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu which for me wolde haue thy moste holye feete persed with a great grosse & hard nayle and so to be fastened vnto the crosse: graunt to me y^t when so euer I am impugned or trou¦bled with euyl cogitations / sinistrall affeccyons and desyres: I may runne to the wounde of thy left foote and there to fynde and receyue holsome medicynes for my saluacyon. Amen.

¶The naylynge of the seconde or ryght foote of Christ. The .li. article.

THe .li. article is the nailyng of the right foot of Christ. By the wounde of this foote our good desyres which of them selfe be feble and imperfyte:* 1.421 be strengthed and made perfit. For as saynt Paule sayth: We be not suf¦ficyent of ourselfe / as of our awne vertue: to thynke any good thynge, but our sufficiencye therin is of god, wherfore thoughe our cogitacyons / wylles / affeccyons & desyres be somtyme good of theyr owne kynde and nature: yet they be of no value or merit in the syght of god: excepte they be dyed or put in the blode of the feet of Christe,* 1.422 therfore the prophet sayth: Vt intinguatur pes tu us in sauguine: Thy foot or affeccyon must he dyed and put in the blode of Christe or els all is without fruyte of eternall rewarde. And herunto sayth the glose vpon these wordes:* 1.423 Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos:* 1.424 They haue delued or digged my handes and my feete, he sayth not: Transfixerunt or vulnerauerunt: They hath nayled or wounded: but foderunt: they haue delued or dig∣ged for the erth that is delued is apte to brynge forth fruyte. So Christ digged in his handes and fete, brought to vs the fruyt of lyfe, and no meruell / for he ranne after vs all the dayes of, his lyfe with great thyrst and moste feruent desyre of our health▪

¶A Lesson.

IN this article we lerne how to offre and to put al our good thoughtes / wylles affeccyons and desyres into the frutfull wound of the ryght foote of Christ and that with great thankes ioynynge our desyres vnto his desyres at all tymes / as it ware by a louynge kysse that therby they myghte be performed / and so myght brynge forth good fruyte. So Mary Magdalene dyd kysse the feet of Iesu: and therby she receyued so plentuouse frute that all her affeccyon and loue were turned in to teares of contri∣cyon / compassion and deuocyon, and if at somtyme we can not haue good desyres: at the lest let vs haue a wyll to haue good de∣syres / as Dauyd sayth:* 1.425 My soule hath coueted to desyre thy iu∣stificacyons at all tymes, and if we so do: then god shall accepte our wyll for a dede. A man to conforme hym selfe to this article: may oftymes kysse the wounde of the righte foote of the crucifix with the remembraunce of this lesson / and then pray thus.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche dyd make a founteyne of thy grace sprynge to vs from the holsom and most swete woūde of thy right foote: graunt to me that I may fasten and ioyne all my good de∣syres to that same thy wounde with a louely kysse / and to make them conformable and agreynge to thy holy desyres. Amen.

¶Howe the crosse with Christe vpon it was raysed vp. The .lii. article.

THe .lii. article is the areyryng vp or lyftyng vp of Christ vpon the crosse,* 1.426 for after some doctours Christe was nayled to the crosse: the crosse lyeng vpon the erth, and after that he was nayled therunto: they lyfted hym vp with the crosse / and this lyftyng vp and puttynge of the crosse in to the stamp or fote that was fixed in the erth was one of the most greuous paynes of Christ, and that was bycause all the weyght of his bodye dyd rest vpon hys handes and fete nayled, and ther¦fore when they had areysed vp the crosse and put it downe with violence in to the stampe or foote: it dyd so shake the bodye that it rent the woundes of his handes & feet, in so moche that greate plenty or ryuers of blode dyd flowe or runne out of those woun∣des and founteynes of our sauiour. O blessed Iesu howe swet∣ly and pleasantly was thou conuersant with men, Howe greate gyftes dyd thou gyue to men, and that in most abundance? howe harde and sharpe paynes haste thou suffred for them? thou haste suffred harde wordes / harder strokes and beatynges, and most harde tormentes of the crosse, and that in euery parte of thy bo∣dye. Man was seake in his heade / that is in his intention, that is when he dyd any thynge for an euyll intent, whiche intention is as it were the heade of the soule. Man was also seake in hys handes when he dyd euyll werkes or imperfyte, he was also seke in his fete: when he had vnclene affeccyons and desyres / he was seake in his herte for he had euyl and vayne cocitacyons, he was also seake in his hole bodye: for he lyued a worldly lyfe / after the pleasures of the worlde and of the bodye. And for these causes good Iesu / thou wolde be wounded, first in the heade: that thou myght cure all our euyll and peruerse intencyons, thou wold be woūded in thy hādes: to heale al our sinful & remisse operations In thy fete: to purge all our vnclene & worldly affeccyons, thou wolde be wounded in thy hert to clense all our euyll and vayne

cogitacyons. And also thou wolde be scourged and wounded in all thy hole bodie: to amende all our carnall life and worldly con¦uersacyon. But wherfore good Iesu wolde thou be lefte vp on hight?* 1.427 Herunto saynt Austen answering saith, that was: he by∣cause he wolde also purge the ayre from the power of the deuyls, and from the infeccyon o•• our synnes. And in lyke maner he clen¦sed the erth: by his blode that ranne from his body vnto the erth. Of this exaltacyon and lyftynge vp Christe sayd before:* 1.428 Si exal∣tatus fuero a terra: omnia traham ad meipsum: If I be exalted or lyfted vp aboue the erth: I shall drawe to me all thynges / that is all my electe and chosen people, also he drewe to hym of all nacy¦ons or of all kynde of people. who is he that hearyng these thyn¦ges / wyll not haue a sure hope and truste to haue remission and forgiuenes of his synnes, and that specyally when he remēbreth and beholdeth the desposicyon of Christes bodie hyngynge vpon the crosse / he hath his hed enclyned downe redy to kysse the / his armes abrode redy to halfe the / his handes open redy to gyue / his hert open to loue the / his fete nayled faste to abyde and continue with the / his body all spred abrode redy to gyue hym selfe holly and all to gether to the.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may take this lesson that we remembring the paynes and passion of our lorde shulde be exalted from the erthe, that is from erthly affeccyons or worldly conuersation at lest / for that tyme of our remembrance / and thoughe it be not gyuen to all persons to be bodylye eleuate or lyfted vp from the erth / as ware Mary Magdalene / saynte Austen mother called Monica / saynte Birgite / with diuers other: yet let vs enforce our selfe with the grace of god to be eleuate in mynde, that so we maye be drawen frome the erthe / vp to Christe hyngynge vpon the crosse, so that we may be of the noumber of them / of whome he spake / saynge:* 1.429 And I be exalted frome the erthe: I shall drawe to me all my electe people. And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article maye of his deuocyon rayse vp his herte and mynde vnto Christe / as if he sawe hym visibly hangynge vpon the crosse. Also he may somtyme shewe that deuocyon: in the out∣warde gesture and behauiour of his bodye / and pray thus.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wolde be lefted vp on the crosse and so wolde be exalted from the erth: make me I besech the to be eleuate from all erthly affeccyons, and to be conuersant in mynde in heuenlye thynges. Amen.

¶Howe .ii. theues were crucified with Christ. The .liii. article.

THe .liii. article is the crucifyenge of .ii. theues with Christe, whiche without was done to his great rebuke and shame,* 1.430 as saynt Crisostom sayth. And also to make men beleue that Christe was culpable in suche thynges as the Iues dyd accuse hym in, and so worthely to suffer death. O the wicked and cursed iniquitie of the Iues in this dede, for they crucified Christ as a thefe, and with hym as the euangeliste sayth:* 1.431 Crucifixerunt duos latrones: vnum a dextris: et alium a fi∣nistris: They crucified .ii. theues / one of the ryghte hande of Christ and the other of his lefte hande. This vilanye our lorde suffred wyllynge to be crucifyed with theues: to shewe that he suffred passion and deth for synners, and herin / was fulfylled the saynge of the prophet:* 1.432 Et cum sceleratis reputa••us est: He is ac∣compted with theues or reputed to be as one of the wicked per∣sons, he was rekened or accōpted with wicked men in his deth: that by his resurreccyon he might reuyue and quicken them: as saynt Ambrose sayth▪* 1.433 and so our lorde was crucifyed bytwixt .ii. theues as the capteyne and mayster of them, and the worste or moste mischeuous of them, and also that he seynge or hearynge theyr paynes and heuynes: myghte be more troubled and vexed therby in his passyon. By these .ii. theues may be signifyed those persons that be crucifyed with Christe for to do penance for theyr synnes / in religion, and that by {pro}rofession made vnto the same, but some of them vtterly leaue or forsake theyr religion by aposta¦sie, of whom is well veryfyed the sayng of saynt Paule: Nomen dei per vos blasphematur inter gentes:* 1.434 The name and religion of god is blasphemed by such apostatays amonges the worldly peo¦ple, and that neuer so moch as in these dayes / our lorde amende it, and these persons be noted by that the••e that hang of the lefte hande of Christe and dyd blaspheme Christ. The other that kepe theyr professyon / and paciently bere theyr crosse of penance / be sig¦nified by the other the••e that hang on the right hande of Christe and confessed Christe and desyred hym of his mercy.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we maye lerne howe we shulde be crucified with Christe bitwixt two theues. For as Iesus was cru∣cified and .ii. theues with hym: so morally our spirite noted by Christ: shuld be crucifyed bitwixt .ii. theues y^t is the flesshe & the worlde. The flesshe is to be crucifyed: as the thefe on the right syde.* 1.435 And herunto saynt Paule sayth: Qui Christi sunt: carnem suam crucifixerunt cum viciis: They that be verye true christians haue crucified and subdued theyr flesshe and sensualitie with all vyces. The worlde is to be crucified as the thefe on the left hand. And therfore saynt Paule sayth:* 1.436 Nichi mundus crucifixus est: et ego mundo: The worlde is crucifyed to me and I to the worlde. These theues thus crucified in vs: our spirite is crucified with Christe in the myddle,* 1.437 so that it maye saye with saynte Paule: Christo confixus sum cruci: viuo autem: iam non ego: viuit vero in me Christus: I am crucifyed with Christe / I lyue not nowe with myne own lyfe: for Christ liueth in me: and in his life I do liue. And here note that the left thefe was crucified: but not saued / for he continued in his infidelitie. So the worlde though he be cru∣cifyed: yet he is not saued: for he remayneth in his miserie and wretchednes. The flesshe is crucified and saued with the spirite, for after the generall resurreccyon: it shalbe glorified with the soule.* 1.438 And therfore Christe sayde to the ryghte thefe: Hodie me∣cum eris in paradiso: This day thou shalbe with me in glorie. And farthermore note here that the crosse wherupon our flesshe is crucifyed: is the rigor of discipline or sharpnes of penaunce, and this crosse hath .iiii. branches or partes, that is: watche / abstinence / harde or sharpe wearynge clothes / and sharpe or re∣bukynge wordes. The crosse vpon the whiche the worlde is cru¦cified: is the pouertie of spirite, and this crosse hath also .iiii. ar¦mes: that is the contempte of worldlye glorie / the contempte of mony / of our countrie / and of our kynsfolke. The crosse of the spirite: is the feruour of deuocyon / and his .iiii. armes / be these hope / feare / loue and sorowe, hope is the parte that is vpwarde, feare is downwarde, loue: of the ryght syde, and sorowe: of the lefte parte, the roote wherof all these do sprynge: is charitye. And herunto sayth the apostle:* 1.439 In caritate radicati vt possitis com¦prehendere, &c. Be ye founded in charitie / that ye maye compre∣hende and clerely se with all sayntes what is the length / the brede the hyghte and the depenes. In these wordes (as saynte Austen

sayth and also the glose ordinarye is playnly expressed the figure of the crosse and the misterie therof.* 1.440 And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article: shulde ofte remember howe Christ dyd hyng bitwixt .ii. theues,* 1.441 and remēbre therwith this lesson & pray thus.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me a wretche wolde be crucified bitwyxt ii. theues and wolde be reputed as one of them: graunte that my spirite may be crucifyed bitwixt the flessh and the world, that I may reste quietely in the in the middle, the extremes that is the flesshe and the worlde crucified to me. Amen.

¶Howe the saugiours diuided Christes garmentes. The .liiii. article.

THe .liiii. article is the diuision of Christes garmen¦tes, for when the saugiours had crucified Christe: they toke his garmentes & deuyded them in to .iiii. partes, to euery saugiour one parte, for there were iiii. hangmen, and besydes those .iiii. partes Christ had an other cote that was hole vnsewed or without any seame, for it was wouen or knytte.* 1.442 Of this cote the saugiours or hang men sayd Non scindamus eam: sed sottiamur de ea cuius sit: We wyll not cut this cote: but cast lottes who shall haue it, and her∣in was fulfylled the scripture whiche sayth:* 1.443 Diuiserunt sibi vesti∣menta mea: et super vestem meam miserunt sortem: The hangmen deuyded to them selfe my garmentes, and they cast lottes vpon my garment. This was a great abiection and vilanie to Christ as Crisostom saith,* 1.444 for they dyd not so to the theues. This thyng is onely done to vyle / abiecte and condempned persons that haue nothynge but his garmentes.* 1.445 And Theophylus sayth: they dyd this to the rebuke and shame of Christ, and of a wantones as yf they shulde say scornfully / bicause he called hym selfe a kynge we wyll haue iche one of vs, some of his royall or kynges roobes. O meruelous pacyence and dispensacyon of the mercy of Christ whiche is the very lambe of god, a shepe or a lambe doth bothe fede and cloth them, that clyp hym and sley hym, he feades them with his flesshe and body, and clotheth them with his flees. So our true lambe Iesu Christe dyd cloth those saugiours with his garmentes, and also he feades vs daylye in the sacrament of the

aulter with his precyous bodye flesshe and blode.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may note that charitie (which after saynt Austen is signifyed by the cote without seames) can not be deuyded, and yet that same charitie doth knytte vertues togy∣ther. And also by that same cote is signifyed one holye catholical and vniuersall churche whiche gathereth all faythfull people in to one fayth / which churche & faith: No man ought to deuyde by any scisme or heresye. Of this churche speaketh the spouse in his canticles:* 1.446 Vna est columba mea: vna est perfecta mea: My douue (that is my spousesse symple as the douue) is one / my perfecte spousesse is but one / and so theyr is but one churche / as theyr is but one god / one fayth / and one baptisme.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wolde haue thy garmentes deuyded a∣monges thy crucifiers / and wolde haue them cast lottes for thy vnsewed cote that was wouen or knyt and without seames: graunt to me to take parte with thy saintes and to folowe theyr examples in the kepynge of thy commaundementes / and that I maye euer keape thy charitie in me. Amen.

¶Of the writynge of the title aboue Christes heade. The .lv. article.

THe .lv. article / is the superscription or wrytynge of the title, for Pylate at the desyre of the Iues wrote a title expressynge the cause of Christes deth and this was it:* 1.447 Iesus nazarenus rex iudeorum: Ie¦sus of Nazareth kynge of the Iues / as if he shuld say / Iesus of Nazareth was crucifyed: bycause he is the kynge of the Iues. And this title was writen thus to separate the cause of his deth / from the causes of the other .ii. that were crucifyed with hym, and that for theyr euyll dedes and lyfe. The Iues in∣tended by this title (as Theophilus sayth) scornfully to rebuke the person of Christ which (as they sayd) made hym selfe a kyng so that the people passynge by and redynge this title / shuld haue no compassion vpon hym:* 1.448 but rather rebuke hym as a tyrante /

that wolde haue vsurped the kyngdome. But Pylate wrote not as they wolde haue had hym to write / that is: that he made hym selfe the kynge of Iues, but he wrote playnly / that Iesus is the kynge of Iues.* 1.449 And herunto saynt Hierome sayth: the Iues of enuy and to scorne Christe / dyd speake for the writyng••of the ti∣tle: but the vertue and secreate power of god dyd ordre it other∣wyse in the herte of Pylate, thoughe he were ignorant and wy••t not what he dyd (as the glose sayth) For it was god that procu∣red suche a title to be put aboue Christes heed / that therby the Iu¦es myghte knowe that Iesus was theyr kynge / and that they culd not auoyde though they slewe hym for that purpose y^t they wolde not knowe hym for theyr kynge,* 1.450 that notwithstandynge it appe¦red by the title that he was theyr kynge,* 1.451 for his kyngdom or dig¦nitie was not lost or hyndred by the deth of the crosse: but rather confirmed / stablysshed and the more strengthed as Bede saythe:* 1.452 Also by this title Pylate commended Christe in .iii. thynges / thoughe Pylate dyd not so intende, for the deth of Christe was firste the cause of the remission of our synnes, and that is noted in this worde Iesus a sauiour. Secondly the deth of Christ is the cause meritorious of our grace that we haue a••d that is no∣ted in this worde Nazarenus, that is as moche to saye as floris∣shynge, for by grace we florisshe in all vertues. Thyrdly by the deth of Christe we be made enheritours of the kyngdome of god noted in these wordes: Rex iudeorum: The kyng of Iues that is of all faithfull people that truely confesse god / and by this kyng we all shalbe kynges in glorie. And when many of the Iues had red this title / and perceyued that it was to theyr infamy & sclaun¦der:* 1.453 sayd to Pylate, Noli scribere: r••x iudeorum: sed quia ipse dixit: rex sum iudeorum: wryte not thus, the kynge of Iues: but that he sayd: I am the kyng of the Iues then Pylate sayd: Quod scripsi scripsi: That I haue writen: I haue writen, as if he shuld say: It is true that I haue writen / and therfore I wyl not chaūge it / I wyll not corrupte the trueth thoughe ye loue falshed. And thoughe Pylate spake thus not knowynge the truth that he sayd, yet that same was prophecied before by the prophet Dauid in the lvii. psalme,* 1.454 which speaketh of the passyon of Christ and diuers other before, whiche haue this title or inscription: Ne corrum∣pas tituli inscriptionem: Destroy not or chaunge not the inscrip∣tion of the title. And therfore saynt Gregorie sayth, this tytle was immutable, not for that Pylate wrote it: but for that the truthe sayde: I am the kynge of Iues: that is of the faythfull

people and of suche as confesse & knowlege god to be theyr lorde.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may lerne that whan so euer we be inpug¦ned or troubled by the deuyll: lette vs flye to this title and lay it agaynst hym, that is: Iesus nazarenus rex iudeorum: Ie∣sus of Nazareth kynge of the Iues whiche is called the title of tryumphe or victorie / for it manifestlye expressethe the victorie of Christe that he had agaynst the deuyll. And therfore the deuyl perceyuynge this title fyxed vpon the crosse: moued the Iues to requyre of Pylate that it myghte be chaunged / but Pylate wold not as we sayd before. And amonges all the actes of the passyon of Christe: the deuyll most abhorreth and fereth this victorious title▪ as the deuyll shewed and confessed to a certen deuoute per∣sone by compulsyon in a certen visyon.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me wolde be diffamed scornfully with the superscripcyon of the victorious title: graunt to me that I may strongly lyfe and teyght vnder the banner and victorious title: Iesus nazarenus rex iudeorum: That my ghostlye enemyes afrayde by the syght or hearynge therof: shuld not darre to come nyghe vnto me. Amen.

The illusyon and mockynge of Christe crucifyed. The .lvi. article.

THe .lvi. article is the mockynge of Christe crucifi∣ed: and here note that Christe was .viii. tymes mocked on good fryday. Firste was in the house of Cayphas.•• Seconde in the house of Herode. Thyrde in the motehall of Pylate. And the other v. was when Christe was vpon the crosse, the first of them and the .iiii. in order was in the superscription of the title: of y^t which we spake in the last article, an other was done of the men that passed by / there as Christ was hyngynge vpon the crosse. The thyrd was done by the princes / scribes and seniours of the Iues. The .iiii. was done by the saugiours, and of these .iii. last: we shall speake in this present article. Of the first of these .iii. which

is the .v.* 1.455 in order: the euangelist sayth: Pretereuntes blasphema∣bant eum: The people that passed by that waye dyd blaspheme Christe,* 1.456 and this they dyd for .iii. causes, as sayth Symon de Cassia. First for theyr blyndnes and ignorance or want of know¦lege of the truth, and no meruell though they that passed by / dyd blaspheme hym, for they dyd not tarye or abyde to se and knowe the inuisible truthe, so the Iues do passe by / and do not abyde in the knowlege or searchynge of the scripture that therin they myghte fynde and knowe Christe, thoughe Christe sayde to them:* 1.457 Scrutamini scripturas: Searche your scriptures, for they beare witnes of me. Secondly this was done & spoken to shewe theyr incōstancy or instabilitie in good werkes, for they passyng by: do leaue or do not continue in good werkes before god / as in meditacyon / prayers / werkes of charitie for the pure loue of god, and so they pray not to god that he wolde lyghten theyr vnder∣standyng / that they myght fynde the founten of truth, & thoughe for a lytyll tyme they pray: yet they do not continue / for they be pretereuntes / that is passyng by and not abydynge in any good∣nes. And thyrdly they shewe herby that they receyue not the pro∣phet of his redemption, for they passe by hym whome they haue crucifyed, so that nother they haue compassyon of Christes pay∣nes and passyon, nor yet wyll take parte of the fruyte of our re∣demption which we haue by Christes passyon for they abyde not with hym / but passe by mouyng or shakynge theyr heades vpon hym as if they had the palsey or trimblynge in theyr membres. These .ii. last causes do morally toche those christians that wyll not gyue them to prayer & to good werkes, wherby they mighte obteyne the knowledge and the loue of god, and also those that wyll not remember the passyon of Christe and therfore leese the fruyte therof, for they passe by without fruyte / mouynge theyr heades and saynge:* 1.458 Vah qui destruis tēplum dei et in triduo reedi∣ficas illud: salua temetipsum: Vah is an interiection of displeasur or of derisyon and vpbraydynge, as they myght saye: A strawe for the that wyll destroy the temple / and in thre dayes buylde it agayne, these folisshe people vsed or spake the same wordes that those false witnes spake before in Cayphas house.* 1.459 O sayde they scornynge Christ, if thou coulde do that (that is destroy the tem¦ple and buylde it agayne in .iii. dayes) why doste not thou saue thy selfe / if thou be the sonne of god descende from the crosse and saue thy selfe. And not onely those that passed by dyd thus blas∣pheme Christ: but also the princes of the prestes mockynge hym

[ ii] with the scribes and seniours dyd say: Alios saluos ••ecit: seipsum non potest saluum facere:* 1.460 And this is the seconde illusion of this article / and the .vi. in order, these princes and seniours sayde / he saued other: but he can not saue hym selfe. And in these wordes (as saynt Bede sayth) they confesse (thoughe they dyd not so in∣tende) that Christe saued other,* 1.461 and so theyr owne sentence con∣dempned them, for if he saued other: he mighte also haue saued hym selfe if it had pleased hym. The seniours sayd farther Si rex israel est: descendat nunc de cruce: et credimus ei: If he be the kyng of Israell let hym descende from the crosse where as he is fast nay¦led / and then we wyll beleue to hym. To these folisshe and blas∣phemous wordes (as holy pope Leo saith) all the elementes and in a maner all creatures make answere and with one sentēce con¦dempne you,* 1.462 for heuen / erth / the sonne / the mone / the sterres de∣claryng you to be vnworthy theyr ministery and seruyce do shew to all the worlde your malicyous blyndnes that wold not knowe your creatour and kynge, and that they shewed (I say) by a ter∣rible and ferefull erthquayke, and by the eclipse of the sonne con¦trarie to the order of nature, and with many other merueyles as we shall shewe herafter in the thyrde parte.* 1.463 Morouer the scribes sayd: Si filius dei es: descende de cruce: If thou be the son of god descende from the crosse. I say to you / ye shulde haue sayde thus bycause thou arte the sonne of god: therfore thou wylte not des∣cende from the crosse / for thou was incarnate and toke our na∣ture, for that thou woldest be crucified and suffer deth for vs, for no pro••et it shulde haue ben to vs to be borne: except also we had bene redemed (Ye sayd••)* 1.464 If he be the kynge of Israell: let hym descende and we wyll beleue to hym. Ye lye: ye thoughte not as ye sayd. And herunto saynt Gregorie sayth. O folysshe blynde companey of preestes and lerned men, was it impossible to hym to descende from a lytyll or lawe tree: whiche descended frome the heyght of heuens / or frome aboue them? May those nayles holde hym fast whome the heuyns coulde not holde? he came not to delyuer hym selfe for he was not vnder any bondage: but of his owne fre wyll: to delyuer vs from bondage. Also by theyr wordes ye may perceyue whose chyldern they be, for they folowe the voyce of theyr father the deuyll / he sayd:* 1.465 Si filius dei es mitte te deorsum: If thou be the sonne of god: cast thy selfe downe, the Iues do saye: If thou be the sonne of god descende frome the crosse, he rose from his sepulcre or graue which was moch more than to descende frome the crosse, why dyd not they then beleue

in hym, but ye maye perceyue they thoughte not as they sayde. Not onely they dyd mocke Chryste: but also the saugiours dyd mocke Christe / saynge:* 1.466 Si tu es rex iudeorum saluum te ••ac: If thou be the kynge of the Iues: saue thy selfe. And this is the thyrde rebube of this article / and the .vii. in order. But thys [ iii] illusyon of the saugiours was of no hatred or malice agaynste Christe: but of an euyll custome that suche persones done vse to rebuke or scorne the persones condempned to deathe / yet we maye suppose / that this illusyon was to please the Iues, for the saugiours seynge that the Iues mocked Chryste: they thoughte also that by theyr mockynge: they shulde please those Iues. And therfore they sayde, saue thy selfe: if thou haue that vertue and power that thou haste spoken of thy selfe / for thou dyd saye / that thou wold buylde the temple agayne in thre dayes / and that thou wolde ryse agayne after thy deathe. If thou haue suche po∣wer: nowe saue thy selfe. And note heare that there ware foure maner of persones that dyd mocke Christe. Firste / they that passed by / as men rydynge or goynge by the waye / whiche dyd blaspheme hym. Seconde ware the preestes and senyours that stode there abydynge hys crucifyenge. The thyrde ware the saugiours that satte there to keape Chryste that he shulde not escape, and that no man shulde put hym of the crosse, vnto the tyme that he ware deade. And the fourthe was of the theues that ware hanged with hym. By these foure ar signyfyed .iiii. maner of Christians / that call theym selfe Christyans: but they folowe not the lyfe and wyll of our sauyoure Chryste, by the persons that passed by: ar noted couetouse men / that folowe and loue the transitorye gooddes of this worlde / and passe by the waye of Iustyce / for they kepe it not, by the preestes and seny∣ours standynge: ar signifyed prowde and hyghe mynded men whiche stande verye prowdlye in theyr owne conceyte by the appetyte and by the desyre of theyr owne excellencye. By the saugyours that dyd sytte / are signifyed dylycate and slouth∣full persones gyuen all to the lust and pleasure of the wretched bodye. And by the theuys hyngynge: arre noted impacy∣ente persones / and suche other as grudge in aduersitye. But Chryste as moste pacyente and of hys owne naturall goodnes and myldenes / wolde not answere one worde to all these blas∣phemyes: but he prayed for theym. And hereunto saynt Gre∣gorye sayth. This is the propertye of good men, that when they

suffer any wronge: they be not moued to wrathe: but rather to prayer. As so was our most mylde sauyour Iesus, which then spake his firste worde, that he spake vpon the crosse, and that was this:* 1.467 Pater ignosce illis: quia nesciunt quid faciunt. Fa∣ther / forgyue them, for they knowe not what they do. In this prayer we be taughte to heare shortelye suche persones as aske a∣ny thynge of vs, also to remitte the iniuries and wronges done to vs, and to desire no vengeance, and also to loue our enemyes and pray for theym. who hathe so harde a harte that wyll not melte and be made softe at this prayer of Christe, as the prophet saythe:* 1.468 Hodie si vocem eius audieritis nolite obdurare corda ves tra: If ye here this day the voyce of god: suffer not your hertes to be indurate or obstinate. Our lorde sayde: Father forgyue them: for they knowe not what they do, for they do moche good and profytte to me, and greate hurte and euyll to theym selfe. And truelye so it is: For he that doth wronge or euyll vnto an o∣ther man: he knowethe not what synne and payne he getteth to hym selfe, and what grace and glorie he opteyneth to the persone that pacyentlye and gladlye suffrethe wronge. Or els they do not knowe what they do, for they knowe not that I am the sonne of god, they knowe that they crucifye one: but whome they cru¦cifye:* 1.469 they knowe not. And here saythe saynte Bede, that Christe dyd not praye for theym that knewe hym to be the sonne of god, and of malyce / pryde / and enuye / dyd crucifye hym: but he prayed for theym, whiche hauynge a goodde zele of the lawe of almyghtye god / thowghe it were not wele ordred, dyd not knowe what they dyd. For there ware somme symple and also vnlerned persones, deceyued by the preestes of the Iu¦wes, the whiche persewed Chryste of a zele that they hadde to the same lawe, and for thyese he dydde praye, And that same prayer was not in vayne, For in one daye after the as∣cencyon of oure sauyoure Chryste there ware conuerted of them thre thowsande.* 1.470 and in an other daye, fyue thowsande. And no dowte that was by the vertue of this prayer of our lorde Ie¦su Christe,* 1.471 as the ordinarye glose saythe vpon this texte of E∣saie: Et pro transgressoribus orauit: He dyd praye for his ene∣myes and transgressoures of his lawe. O howe swete a me∣lodye was bytwixte the prayer of our lorde Iesu Christe, and the knockynge or smytynge in of the nayles in to his handes

and fete, thorowe the whiche armony so many thowsandes ware conuerted to Christe? And that was no meruell, for Christe ke∣pynge so greate myldnes and meakenes in his contumelyes and rebukes / hauynge so great pacyence in his tormentes, and also shewynge so great benignitie and charitie to his crucifyers: dyd euidently declare hym selfe to be the sonne of god the father to whome he prayed for his crucifyers, what miracle can be more then this charitable pitye.

¶A Contemplation of this prayer of Christe. Pater ignosce illis: Father forgyue them.

THis prayer was a worde of greate pacyence / a signe of great loue and vnspeakeable goodnes / of greate swetenes and forgyuenes. In this prayer do apere thre actes or werkes of charitie. Firste for that he prayed most affectuouslye for his crucifyers. Se∣conde, for to his prayer he added and put to teares / for he wepte. Thyrde he offred his prayers for them: with great sheddynge of teares / and also a myghtye or great voyce or crye. Of this pra∣yer saynt Bernarde sayth:* 1.472 Christ scourged with whippes / crow¦ned with thornes / crucifyed and nayled with greate grosse nay∣les / fylled with rebukes / forgettynge all these sorowes / sayde: Father forgyue them. Frome this charitable lorde cometh great mercy to our bodyes and moche more to our soules. O good Ie¦su howe moche is thy mercye stablysshed vpon wicked men. And howe greate is the multitude of the swetenes of thy mercy, for thou shalte make vs that feruently desire the to drinke of the plen¦tuous ryuer of thy swetenes and pleasure. Also the same saynte Bernarde sayth:* 1.473 who and of what kynde is that person which in all his tribulations and tormentes wolde not ones open hys mouthe to compleyne or to excuse hym selfe / to threat or to curse his cruell aduersaryes? and aboue all this: at last he opened hys mouthe and spake for his enemyes a blessed worde / suche a word as hathe not ben harde frome the begynnynge of the worlde, that is: Father forgyue them. O my soule haste thou euer sene any man so myld / so pacyent / so charytable? Consider what quietnes pacyence and charitie was hyd in that most swete brest and hart he wolde not shewe his iniuries / he regarded not his paynes

he wolde not speake of his rebukes: but he had compassyon of theym: of whome he suffred these thynges / he cured theym that wounded hym, he procured life for them that slewe hym / and said Father forgyue them. O my soule hyde or put vp this most swete worde of Christ in the treasor of thy hert, that as o••te as thy ene¦myes be cruell agaynst the: thou mayst remembre the abundance of this swetenes of blessed Iesu, and so to lay or put this worde and prayer of Iesu as a shelde for thy defence agaynst the assaul∣tes of thyne enemyes, thy spouse and lorde Iesus doth praye for his crucifyers: shalt not thou pray for thy detractours? let vs yet repete this prayer, father (sayth Iesus) forgyue them. what name is this father? It is a name of naturall loue. Chylderne when they wolde haue any thynge or greatly desyre a thyng / they be wont to name theyr father, to reduce vnto his mynde the natu¦rall loue that fathers haue vnto theyr chylderne, that therby they myght the more shortly haue theyr desyre. So our sauyour Ie∣sus / pitious and mercifull / pacyence and of moche compassion / good and louynge to all persons / though he knewe that he was euer harde in his peticyons to his father: yet to shewe vnto vs with howe great affeccyon and desyre we shulde pray for our ene¦myes: in his prayer he put that name of loue / Father, as if he shulde say: I beseche the for thy fatherly loue: in whiche loue we be one, to here my prayer and to forgyue them that crucifye me. Knowe the loue of thy sonne: that thou mayst forgyue myne ene¦myes.* 1.474 Also saynt Hierome sayth: Al these illusyons and scornes or mockynges ware done to Christe by the mocyon of the deules / whiche an one as Christ was crucifyed they beganne to perceyue and feele the vertue of the crosse / and so thought that they shulde lese theyr greate power, and therfore they laboured instantelye: that Christe shulde descende downe from the crosse. But Iesus knowynge theyr falshed and crafte: wolde continue vpon the crosse vnto his death, that therby he myghte destroye death and subdue the deuyll. O moste gentyll Iesu / howe greate was here thy pacyence.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may lerne / that when we be in depe con∣templation: in good operation or els in religion / we shuld not descende or leaue them / for any rebukynges / mockynges /

or scornynges of any persons, but continue and pacyently beare suche despysynges for the loue of Christe: as Christ for our loue dyd pacyently beare all the forsayd rebukes, and for our example wolde not descende from the crosse: but there continued vnto his deth,* 1.475 and this was figured in the boke of iudges. where as the vyne tre sayd vnto the other trees (that wolde haue had the vyne to come to them and to haue ben theyr kynge: Nunquid possum de serere vinum meum quod letificat deum et homines. &c. It is conue¦nient for me to forsake my wyne that conforteth both god & men, and come to you to be your kynge? Nay I wyll not. In lyke ma¦ner sayd the olyue tree and the figge tree. So our very true vyne tree (that sayth) Ego sum vitis vera:* 1.476 I am a true vyne tree, wold not leaue the fruyte of his passion that gladdeth both god / angel and man, and come of the crosse to be promoted among{is} y^e Iues.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me crucifyed wolde be mocked and despy∣sed with many rebukefull wordes and yet wolde so chari∣tably pray for thy crucifiers: make me that I neuer descend from my religyon or any good werke, for no suggestion of the deuyll or despysynges of man, but that I may continually perseuer in thy loue / and that I may for thy loue forgyue all them that do or saye any euyll to me or agaynste me, and that I maye euermore praye hertely for them. Amen.

¶Howe the thefe of the lefte hande rebuked Christe. The .lvii. article.

THe .lvii. article is the rebukynge that the thefe spake to Christe, for one of the theues that were hanged with Christ / that is he on the left syde of Christ, began to re∣buke Christ sayng:* 1.477 Si tu es xp̄s salua temetipsum et nos. If thou be Christe the sonne of god: saue thy selfe and also vs. This was the .viii. mockynge of the whiche we spake in the last article, and this was more rebuke to Christe than the other thre declared in the laste article, bycause so vyle a persone, wretched and condempned to deth and furthwith shulde suffer deth for his owne synnes and myslyuynge, wold thus so shamefully rebuke the auctor of lyfe. And therfore this rebuke is cōueniently made a special article. But the other thefe hering hym speake so loudly:

dyd sharply blame hym saynge:* 1.478 Ne{que} tu times deum qui in eadem dampnatione es. &c. Dost not thou feare god / that arte condemp¦ned to deth as well as he is, and we be worthely and iustlye con∣dempned to deth, for we suffer worthy paines for our sinnes: but he neuer dyd euyll.* 1.479 Of this saynge saynt Austen merueylynge sayth: who taught this thefe to say thus: but he the sonne of god that hange by hym / Christe was hanged nyghe to this thefe: but he was more nyghe in his herte,* 1.480 and therfore he turned hym selfe to Iesus and sayd: Memento mei domine dum veneris in reg∣num tuum: Remember me lorde when thou shalte come in to thy kyngdome, and then Iesus spake his seconde worde vpon the crosse sayng: Amen dico tibi: Hodie mecum eris in paradiso: Tru¦lye I saye to the: this daye thou shalte be with me in my glorie. This confortable promisse Christe made vnto the thefe, to re∣ioyse of the triumphe & victorie that Christe shuld haue agaynst the deuyl.* 1.481 And herunto Theophilus saith: As a victorious kyng retournynge from his triumphe: doth brynge with hym the best of suche prey and goodes as he hathe gotten of his enemyes: so Christe ouercommynge the deuyll: dyd spoyle hym of his beste preys, and one of them / that is / this thefe he brought with hym vnto paradise: that is to the vision and fruition of god / whiche fruition the holye fathers beynge in Lymbo patrum / had: what tyme the soule of Christ descended to them after his deth / for then they dyd se the godhed of Christ, which was neuer separate from the soule: after that it was first ioyned therunto. Here thou soule beholde howe liberall / yea howe prodigall Christe was here, for he gaue his kyngdome to a thefe / heuen to one that was han∣ged vpon a crosse, and paradise to one condempned to deth, and that at one shorte or lytyll peticyon. Also the liberalitie of god dyd gyue to hym more then he asked / and so is he comonly wont to do. And herin all synners haue an example to trust in god / and to forsake theyr synnes, seyng that the thefe so breuelye and short¦ly had forgyuenes of his synnes, for surely his grace is more re∣dy then our desyre or prayer. O good lorde thou dyd say vnto the thefe: This day thou shalte be with me in paradise, & that was to put disparacyon frome our hertes, thou forgaue the thefe: to shewe to vs the fruyte of penaunce / the fountayne of mercy / and the celeritie or spede of forgyuenes. Thou the phisitien of oure soules, dyd saue the thefe accusynge hym selfe and accusyng the, callynge for mercy and rebukyng his felowe that blasphemed the wherfore thou penitent synner / consider what Christe rysynge

from deth and reignynge in glorie maye gyue vnto the: whiche gaue so great gyftes beynge mortal and goynge to his death? If he in that extreme captiuitie and thraldome of deth / dyd gyue so large rewardes: what shall he gyue: beynge in moste hygh lyber¦tie of pleasure and glorie? And to shewe that he wolde do in dede that he promised: he cōfirmed it with an oth sayng: Amen. truly. O what vertue and swetenes had this floure or worde of Christ.

¶A contemplation of this seconde worde spoken by Christe vpon the crosse. Amen dico tibi. &c.

THis moste confortable worde of our most swete sa∣uyour Iesu spoken vnto the thefe, that is truly this day thou shalte be with me in paradise / was of that vertue / that therby the thefe was forthwith of an enemie: made a frende / a familier or neyghbour: of a straunger, where before he was a thefe: he was nowe made an holye confessour of Christe. who is he that wyll dispeyre of so pitious and a gracyous harte, so swifte a promiser / and so prompte or redy a gyuer. O good lorde we trust in the that know thy name Iesus, for thou dost not forsake them that trust in the and labour for thy grace. wherfore a most benigne Iesu / we com to the syttynge in the trone of thy maiestie / with as good a mynde as we can, humbly besechynge the that we may be brought in to the / and by the / vnto that glorie, to the whiche thou brought in that thefe that confessed the vpon the crosse. But thou synner / differ not thy conuersion and penaunce vnto the houre of death / trustynge then to opteyne heuen as this thefe dyd, for though it be a good and holsome counsell at all tymes to trust in the greate mercy of god: yet that a man shulde onely trust therof and not to be sory for his synnes and labour to amende hym self by penance: it is a great folysshnes and a presumption, for god is not onelye mercifull: but also iust and rightuous. And thoughe this good thefe and some other persons haue had forgyunes of theyr synnes at theyr laste ende: yet I saye to you that the preuilege of a fewe persons: maketh no comen lawe. And surely there be very fewe that be truely penitent at theyr death, when theyr lyfe hath bene continuallye euyll before, for as it were a monstruous and mer∣ueylous thynge to se a wulfe haue a shepes tayle: so it is seldom sene that an euyll lyfe hath a good and holy ende. But of this ho¦ly thefe, we rede that he hadde .iiii. thynges, for the whiche he

opteyned mercy of god. The firste was that he rebuked his fe∣lowe that blasphemed Christ saynge:* 1.482 Neque tu times deum: Nor thou dost feare god. The seconde is that he accused hym selfe sa∣ynge we be worthely punisshed for our synnes. Thyrde / he excu¦sed Christe saynge: This iuste and good man neuer dyd euyll, forth: he asked forgyuenes / saynge: Remember me good lorde when thou shall come into thy kyngdome. Of this thefe also saīt Gregorie saythe:* 1.483 There was no thynge in this thefe, at his awne libertie: but only his tonge and his hert. And he (by y^e in∣spiration of god) offered to god all that he had in his liberty and power to gyue, y^t was his hert / wherwith de dyd beleue faithful∣ly in god to his own iustification. and his mouth: wherwith he dyd confesse Christ to be god by the same fayth, and that was to his eternal health. He had fayth: for he beleued that Christ shuld reigne in glorie as god▪ he had hope: for he trusted and desyred or asked to come to the same glorye. He hadde charitye to god for he defended and magnified Christ the sonne of god, he hadde charitie to man: for he rebuked his felowe for his iniquitie and blasphemye. And also he procured grace and lyfe eternal for hym selfe. where shall we fynde one that thus doth profyte at the ende of his lyfe. Beholde here the greate fayth of this thefe / whiche dyd beleue Christe to be god and to reigne eternally: whome he se there dye so shamefully and miserably.* 1.484 And herunto saynt Au¦sten sayth: This holy thefe had a great fayth, for nother for feare of the Iues or saugiours there standynge, nor for his awne gre∣uous paynes / nor for the blasphemye of the other thefe / nor for the departynge of the apostles from Christe, or the denyenge of Peter, nor yet for that it seamed to all men that Christe was a frayle and disparate person not able to helpe hym selfe for al these thynges (I say) he wolde not let to confesse the truth and so to declare his fayth, and therfore he had not onely the remissyon of his synnes: but also of al paynes due for his synnes, for as it ap¦pered: he was more sory of the payne and passion of Christ: than of his owne passion, which he knew that he had deserued. wher¦fore I wolde that euery synner wolde do as that good thefe dyd, that is: to knowe hym selfe charitably to correct his neyghbour, to aske forgyuenes of god, and by his faithful prayers to opteine euerlastyng helth. O thou olde Adam returne somtyme to thyne awne harte / and consider howe the newe Adam Christ dyd serch for the, and where he founde the that is vpon the crosse. who was this these but Adam, not nowe a thefe: but an holye martyr

and confessour of Christe / whiche tourned the necessitie of hys deathe into good wyll and vertue, he chaunged his payne in to glorie / his crosse and deth into triumphe and victorie wherfore thou synfull soule: nowe areyse vp thy selfe in to hope and truste of forgyuenes, if so be that thou wylte labour to folowe the step∣pes and example of thy lorde that suffred for the.

¶Here folowe .iii. Lessons.

IN this article we may lerne .iii. lessons: Firste is to beare [ i] pacyently the rebukes of other persones / thoughe they be vy••e persons, for so Christ bare the blasphemous thefe. Second [ ii] is / that we suffer not the iniuries of god at any tyme but sharp∣ly to rebuke them: as the good thefe dyd. Thyrde that we neuer [ iii] dispeyre of the mercy of god / thoughe our synnes be neuer so gre¦uous / or that we haue lyen in them al our lyfe tyme, by the exam¦ple of this holy thefe,* 1.485 whiche for one worde: was made the enhe¦ritoure of paradise, as saynt Austen sayth.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu which forme wold be scornfully rebuked of one thefe and of the other wolde be honorablye confessed to be god: make me for the glorie of thy name to suffer pacyently the rebuk{is} of euyll persons when nede requireth, and neuer to suffer thy in∣iuries, and also to possesse the ioyes of paradise with this holye thefe. Amen.

¶Of the passion that Christe had vpon his mothers sorowe and heuynes The .lviii. article.

THe .lviii. article is the compassyon of his mothers so∣rowe. For when Iesus beynge vpon the crosse: se hys mother standynge by the crosse in great sorowe: he had great heuynes therof, he se his mother (I saye) a mo∣ther / a virgine singuler aboue all other mothers / a meake mo∣ther louynge her sonne, aboue the loue of all other mothers to theyr sonnes, and no meruell for she was the mother of god / of the onely sonne of god, and therfore she had more sorowe for the passyon of her sonne: than all other mothers can haue for theyr

sonnes, for at his passion / the swerde of sorowe dyd runne tho∣rowe the soule of that most blessed virgyne and mother. O holy virgine what vehemence of compassion and sorowe dyd almygh¦ty god lay vpon the and so oppresse the with heuynes, he made the ioyfull and delyuered the frome all anguysshe and sorowe at the virgynall chyldynge or byrthe of thy moste swete sonne Iesus: but nowe he payed the for both / for nowe he put vpon the all the thrawes and sorowes of a woman trauelynge with chyld. And when thou dyd brynge forth thy sonne / god and man: thou had great ioye, but nowe when the blessed fruyte of thy wombe was in thy sight / crucifyed and slayne: then was thy sorow fare aboue all the paynes and sorowes of a woman chyldynge. In so moche that thou myght wele say that olde Noemy sayde:* 1.486 Nolite me vocare Noemi: sed Mara, quia amaritudine valde me repleuit omnipotens. Call not me Noemy / that is fayre and pleasant: but call me Mara / that is bittter or sorowfull: for almyghtye god hath fulfylled me with bitternes and sorowe. For this blessed virgyne and mother of god, considerynge and depely weaynge in her herte all the paynes and passion of her sonne Christ / mor∣ned with hym mornyng, sorowed with hym sorowyng, she stode nyghe vnto the crosse, that he myghte be all hole fixed to her in her herte that was fixed for her vpon the crosse. This sorowfull and louynge mother when Christe dyd se: he was moued with great compassion vpon her, she had compassyon of his passyon / and he agayne had more sorowe for compassion of her sorowe. So blessed lady thy sonne shotte at the the same arowe or darte of loue: that thou dyd shote at hym, and therfore he sayth in his canticles:* 1.487 Vulnerasti cor meū soror mea in vno contuitu oculorum tuorum: Thou hast wounded my herte: O my syster / my spouse / my doughter and my mother / thou haste wounded my hert in the sight of thyne eyen. And she in lyke maner myght say the same to her sonne. Christe knewe wele the great sorowes of his mo∣thers hert, he knewe the heuines of her soule, and those sorowes whiche she felte not at his birth: they were nowe doubled to her in his passyon and deth, for her sonne in lyke maner suffred dou∣ble sorowe vpon the crosse / that is: for his awne passion and al∣so for compassion of his mother. And this sorowe for his mother: was not his leste sorowe, and therfore cōueniently it is assigned as a specyall article of the passion of Christe, for the compassion of his mother dyd greatly encrease the paynes of his woundes and passyon, whome he dyd se stande nigh the crosse with a most

sorowfull, with weapynge eyen / great abundance of teares flo∣wynge frome her eyen / with a most heuy countenaunce / with a lamentable voyce and in all the powers and strengthes of her bo¦dye: fayntynge for great sorowe and heuynes. Yet for all these panges: he se her stande constantlye and perseuerantlye / and also strongly lyke a man neuer flyenge from hym. O howe ofte (suppose you) dyd that blyssed vyrgyne sighe and sobbe / saynge in her selfe. O my sonne Iesus: who maye graunte to me that fauour that I myght dye for the / or with the. O my swete sonne Iesu. &c. as ye shal se herafter in the .lxiiii. article. O how ofte (thynke you) dyd she lyfte vp her virginall and shamefaste eyen vnto those cruell woundes of her sonne, if at any tyme she withdrewe them frome the sight of those woundes, or els if she myght beholde them for her continuall weapynge. O howe ofte tymes (beleue you) myghte she haue swoned for the vehemence of her sorowes / for she suffred more cruell sorowes and panges: than the panges of deth, and so she lyuynge: continuallye was in dyenge / and yet coulde not dye, for she was preserued by her sonne that she shulde not dye for his deth. And thus Christ when he se his mother and his disciple whome he loued standynge / that is: Iohan the euangelist, commended or assigned his mother to his disciple Iohan saynge his thyrde that he spake vpon the crosse:* 1.488 Mulier ecce filius tuus: woman beholde there thy sonne. who may heare Christ speake these wordes without weapynge. He dyd not name her or cal her mother: for that shuld haue moch more greuouslye tormented her, after this Christe sayde to hys disciple Iohan: Ecce mater tua: Beholde there thy mother. And when he spake these fewe wordes: both those .ii. derbeloued / that is: Marie and Iohan wepe full bitterly / those .ii. holy martirs kepte silence / for theyr sorowe was so greate that they could not speake. And from that houre forward: this disciple Iohan toke Marie as his mother: or els he toke her in to his cure and dili∣gence / to prouyde for her in all thynges as for his mother. This thyrde worde or sentence of Christe: Mulier ecce filius tuus: wo∣man beholde thy sonne (this I say) was a worde of great dily∣gence / loue and pitie, for as moche as Christe beyng in so great anguisshe and sorowes of death / wolde yet remembre his moste heuy and sorowfull mother, and prouyde her of a sonne or miny∣ster to attende vpon her to her comforth. And herin he taught vs to haue compassyon of the afflyccyon of our parentes / and to pro¦uyde for them in theyr necessities. O swete lorde Iesu thy crosse

and passion doth torment the greuously / but the compassyon of the mothers sorowe, is no lesse payne to the, and no meruell / O good chylde if thou sorowe / if thou suffer and haue compassyon of the heuynes of thy mother, of her separation from the, of her commendation to a straunger.* 1.489 And here doctours done say / and specyally Bonauenture: that the sorowe that Christe had in the compassyon of his mother / was more intense and more greuous to hym: then the sorowe of hys awne payne and passyon.

THe mother of Iesu stode by the crosse / She stode for she neuer fell by synne / she stode to the great glory and prayse of al women, where as his discyples that shulde haue ben men of gostly strengthe & vertue / dyd flye awaye and leaue theyr maister alone. She onely abode with hym constantly in all his greuous panges and paynes / wherin was fulfylled the prophecy of Esaye sayenge in the persone of Chryst complaynynge.* 1.490 Torcular calca∣ui solus et de gentibus non est vir mecum: I onely haue troden in the prease of the crosse / & there was nat one man with me hauyng compassyon vpon me, but my mother alone she had compassyon and stode by me. And nat onely she stode bycause she dyd nat flye / but also for that in so great heuynesse of herte she dyd nothynge vnseamyngly or vnreligyously but ordred her selfe in most god∣lye behauour without any misorder in cryenge or cursynge and suche other lyke / thoughe she suffred in her herte all those pay∣nes that her sonne Iesus suffred in his bodye outwardlye. And (as we sayd before) here she felte and suffred all the panges that she escaped at the byrth of her sonne Iesus. Of these .ii. birthes or chyldynges speaketh the prophet saynge:* 1.491 Ante{quam} parturierat: peperit masculum: Before Mary the mother of Iesus hadde any panges or thrawes / she brought forth her sonne, so that she had her sonne without sorowe, then it foloweth in the prophet: Nun quid parturiet terra vna die: aut parietur gens simul? Shall the erth brynge forth with payne all her fruyte in one day, or all the people shalbe brought forth or borne in one day? Note wel these saynges. Firste the prophet spake of the birth of Christe which was without sorowe or payne to his mother and with great ioy. But nowe at her seconde chyldynge where as at the passyon of her sonne Iesus she brought forth all the electe chylderne of god at one birth, she had great panges and manyfolde sorowes. And here note that this blessed mother of mercy dyd helpe or assist the father of mercyes in this moste hyghe werke of mercye, and so with Christe dyd regenerate and redeme al mankynde, and this

generation was to the great sorowe and payne of them both: and herunto Albert sayth though Marye dyd beare her sonne Iesus in greate ioye and without all payne: yet after warde whan she dyd regenerate al the faithful people in faith that was with moch sorowe and of this it appereth that Christ dyd communicate vn∣to his mother this hygh werke of our redemption / for she suffred with hym his passyon in her soule as we sayd before. And note me well here for I do not say that our blessed lady dyd redeme vs bycause Christ of hym selfe was insufficient, for to say so it ware heresye. But I say it pleased our sauyour Christ to haue his mo∣ther present at his passyon / and there to suffer with hym in soule as he suffred in bodye, that so consequently as he is called the fa¦ther of mercy: so she myght be honored and called the mother of mercy, and also for other considerations as foloweth, First that our redemption might reanswere vnto the first condempnation, for in our firste losse and perdicyon both Adam and Eue dyd syn, notwithstandynge, if Adam had not synned we had not ben con∣dempned, and therfore the onely synne of Adam was the cause of our perdicyon, but for asmoche as Eue dyd persuade / moue and counsell Adam to synne, therfore we say that we ware damp¦ned by oure firste mother Eue, so in lyke maner though we be re¦demed by the passyon of Christ, yet for as moche as oure blessed lady was consentynge to that passyon and also sufferyde it in her soule: we may saye that she redemed vs with Christe. Se¦condlye / that as Christe redemyng vs by his passion: was made our father, by the whiche passyon / the sacrament of baptysme / wherin we be regenerate / taketh his efficacitie and vertue, so our blessed ladye myght be called our mother bycause she suffe∣red in her soule the same passion of Christe. Thirdly that after Christ: we al shulde honoure the gloriouse virgyn as our modre. Fourthly for the encrease of her merite. And fiftly that y^e passion of Christ shuld be more bitter & paynful to him thorough the pre∣sence of his modre by whom he sheweth his most hyghe charitie vnto vs. She stode also for all other departed from the stablenes of fayth but she onely / and therfore it is sayde of her thus. O good lorde thou haste stablished thy testament vpon the heede of Marie al waye virgin, for after the death of thy son thy fayth onely remayned perfetely in the reason of the same virgyn.

¶Of the sorowe and compassyon of our ladye.

AS the great clerke Alberte sayth vpon these wordes of Luke:* 1.492 Tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius. The swerde of sorowe shal passe thorowe thyn awne soule. It is the more true exposition and sentence when this pronowne deriuatyue, tuam / is resolued in to his primityue, tui / so that this is the true sentence of the for∣sayd wordes of Luke, the swerde of sorowe / that is: the payne of the passyon and deth of thy sonne (O vyrgyne Mary) which he suffred in his bodye: shall perse and passe thorowe the soule of thyne awne selfe Marie. So that the sorowes whiche thou felt not at the birth of thy sonne, so that therby thou dyd not knowe thy selfe a mother: at his deth thou shalt fele them in moste payn∣full and sorowfull maner, so that thou shalte knowe thy self then to haue had a chylde and to be a mother. Our sauiour Iesus her sonne was to Marie his mother as her awne herte, and therfore when he was borne of her: she felte as if halfe her herte had bene borne and departed from her body. And as that thynge whiche is halfe without and halfe within, if that parte that is outwarde be pricked or hurte: the parte inwarde doth fele the payne aswel as the outwarde parte. And so when Iesus the sonne of the vyr∣gyn was scourged and pricked with thornes, the herce of the glo¦rious virgyn / was in a maner also payned and pricked, and so in lyke maner when her sonne Iesus was crucifyed and his herte persed with a spere: it seamed to her as if her awne herte hadde ben persed with the same spere. And therfore god wroughte no small miracle in that that the gloryous virgyn hys mother woū∣ded inwardlye in her soule with so many greuous and greate sorowes dyd not yelde vp her spiryte and dye, and specyallye when she se her moste dearebeloued sonne hangynge bytwixte two theues / naked / wounded / scorned of all men / crucyfyed / and deade, and then his herte persed with a speare: It was (I saye) a greate miracle that she lyued.* 1.493 For the wyfe of Phinees the sonne of Hely / the Iudge of Israel hearynge that the arke of god was taken / she beynge greate with chylde: sodaynlye felle to traueyllynge. and for the greate and vehement sorowe the whiche that she hadde for the takynge of the arche of god: she chylded and dyed, and yet her sorowes and greate paynes

ware no thynge so vehement and so greate as the sorowes of the blessed virgyne Mary, nor ware to be compared to the sorowes of the mother of Iesu / whiche dyd se the bodye of her sonne (sig¦nifyed by that arche) crucifyed by hys enemyes / and so put to the moste shamefull death / whiche vyrgyne also the same nyght after that her sonne was buryed: goynge thorowe the cytye of Hierusalem / weapte so bitterlye and pitiouslye / that all bothe men and women that se and herde her: ware prouoked to sorowe and mournynge. Also that moste encreased her sorowes: that she dydde se hym at his deathe, so bette / wounded / in greate thyrste or drynesse / and coulde not helpe hym, and namelye so cruellye racked vpon the crosse / there nayled / and after his deth his herte persed with a speare. These ware her sorowes / and aboue thyese she was compelled to entre in to an other mannes house, and there to continue in sorowe and mournynge. And so the mother of god / the quene of heuen / and the ladye of all the worlde was susteyned with the almes and charitye of other men. But why wolde oure lorde suffer her to haue all these tri∣bulacyons? bycause he intended to exalte her after her deathe a∣boue all creatures in glorye, whiche excellente / singular and vn¦estimable gyfte, he wolde not gyue to her for the merites of any other persone (for the rewarde of glorye / shalbe gyuen after a mannes awne merytes and deseruynges, and not for any other mannes merytes) And therfore he wolde haue hys blessed mo∣ther subdued to harde lobours / paygnes / and sorowes in her selfe, in the moste hyghe pouertye / in extreme vilytye and des∣pection / in the moste profounde mekenesse / moste pure chasty∣tye / moste perfyte charitye / and in other lyke vertues and pay∣nes, and specyally in sufferynge of paynes and sorowes (that she myghte go by the same waye / that her dearebeloued sonne Iesus dyd.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we maye lerne to haue compassion of the af∣flyccyon of our parentes, and to prouyde for them in theyr necessityes accordynglye to the commaundement of god,* 1.494 honor thy father and thy mother: and thys oure swete sauyoure Chryst taughte vs by his example.* 1.495 And herunto saynte Austen sayth: The tree of the crosse vpon the whiche the mēbres of Christ ware

nayled at his deathe, this tree (I saye) was also a chayre wher∣in our doctoure and mayster Chryste 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and taughte vs. And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article shulde haue compas∣syon of the mother of Christe, or as I maye saye: of his owne dearbeloued lady and mother / our blessed lady Marie, as Christ hadde compassyon on her, and then praye thus.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche for me crucifyed / hauynge compassyon of thy mothers sorowe and compassyon / wolde diligentlye commende her to thy dearbeloued disciple Iohan, and also com¦mende hym to her, I commende me vnto the and also all myne in that faythe and loue that thou commendeste them togyther: meakelye besechynge the, that for the tendernes of so great loue: thou woldest make me to come truelye and perfytely to thy loue, and thoroughe theyr prayer and commendacyon I maye be pre∣serued and kepte frome all aduersytye and peryll, in the perylles and daungers of this worlde and lyfe. Amen.

¶Howe the manhode of Chryste compleyned hym selfe to be forsaken of god The .lix. article.

THe .lix. article is / when Chryste sayde hym selfe to be lefte and also forsaken of god.* 1.496 As the euan¦geliste saythe frome the syxte houre of the daye vn∣to the neynth houre, that is / frome .xii. of the clocke vnto thre at after none, there was a greate derke∣nes ouer all the erthe, For the sonne was in an vniuersall eclyp¦se, whiche was agaynste the naturall disposycyon and order of the sonne for that tyme, and therfore it was done by miracle, and by the onelye power of god.* 1.497 And hereunto saynte Austen saythe for as moche as the innocente lambe Chryste / the true sonne of Iustyce dyd suffer the eclypse of deathe, therfore thys visible sonne / the moste clere lyghte of all the worlde, hauynge compassyon of his creatoure and maker: withdrewe the beames of his lyght and hyd hym selfe / as thoughe he durst not or wolde

not beholde his maker hyngynge vpon the crosse, nor se his most vyle and bytter death. And then about the .ix. houre of the day our sauyour Iesus cryed with a greate and lowde voyce. And that was (as Symon de Cassia sayth) for he suffred greate tor∣mentes and paynes.* 1.498 Also for that he suffred greate wronge and iniurie. He cryed with a great voyce of the bodye / but that was more by the vertue and power of his godhed: than of his man∣hed. He cryed with a great voyce for the great paynes that he suf¦fred myght not preuayle agaynst hym: but at his awne wyll. He cryed with a great voyce that they myght heare hym and knowe hym hyngynge vpon the crosse, and at the poynt of deth: whom they wolde not heare swetely and deuoutly preachynge: but ra∣ther with a froward & obstinate mynd euer despysed hym. Iesus cryed with a great voyce and spake his .iiii. word vpon the crosse saynge:* 1.499 Heli heli lama hazastani: These be wordes of Hebrewe and thus they be spoken in latyn: Deus meus deus meus: vt quid dereliquisti me? My god my god: wherfore haste thou left or for∣saken me? These be not the wordes of the godhed of Christ: for that suffred no payne it is vnpossible, as if the sonne beame shuld shyne vpon a tree, and one person toke an ax or hatchet and dyd kut that tree: the sonne beame shulde in no thynge be hurte ther∣by, and so in lyke maner though the body and manhod of Christ suffred great paynes and deth: yet the godhed therin was in no¦thyng hurte / ne yet suffred any payne, but Christ spake thus for his manhod whiche then seamed to be forsaken of god / for it was subdued to intollerable paynes and most shamefull deth. Christ was lefte in great paynes / that therby and for those paynes we myghte be conforted of god. It was done by a greate miracle that the glorie whiche was in the hygher porcyon of the soule of Chryste / dyd not descende and redounde in to lawer parte of the soule: but was suspended and letted: so that the lawer parte suffred all paynes asmoche as is possible any creature to suffer without death, for it was hollye lefte to it selfe without all com∣forthe, whiche was not in the holye martirs in theyr martirdom and deth, for the comforth that they hadde in the hygher porcyon of theyr soule: dyd redownde vnto theyr senses, so that theyr mar¦tyrdome and paynes was no greate payne to theym, but with greate ioye they suffred them, as it appereth in the lyues of saynt Laurence / Vincente and many other. But oure sauyoure Iesus hadde none suche consolation in his senses: no helpe of

any persone, but all lefte to suffer what so euer was put to hym, and that to the extremitie. And therfore he compleynethe hym selfe to be forsaken of god / whiche myghte not in dede be lefte of god / for the godhed was euer ioyned bothe to the soule and also to the bodye: but this he spake for vs / for he knewe that many of his electe membres shulde come to so greate tribulation: that it shuld seame to them that they were vtterly forsaken of god. Now blessed be our dearbeloued and moste mercyfull sauioure Iesus, whiche fyrst in his awne bodye for vs / and nowe also in vs and with vs it pleaseth hym to suffer our tribulation: for the tribula¦tion that we suffer for iustyce and for god, he reputeth it as hys awne tribulation for he saith:* 1.500 Cum ipso sum in tribulatione: I am with the good person in his trouble, and that is / that we shulde more surelye and faythfully truste in hym. This payne when he sayd hym selfe to be forsaken of god: was moste greuous payne to hym aboue al the other, for without this leauyng: there shuld haue ben no payne, for who so is consorted by god: there is no torment that can be paynfull to hym. Christe sayde twyes: My god, and that was to shewe the vehemence of his sorowe both in soule and in bodye. And herunto saynt Bonauenture sayth. He cryed with a great voyce for he felte great sorowe / and specyally for the great vnkyndnes of man, for though he suffred for al man kynde: yet there were very few present there that toke fruyte ther¦of at that tyme, as the thefe that hange on the ryghte hande / and the glorious virgyne that was full heuye there by the crosse, so that our lorde myght wele say: why haue I so vaynly and with out fruyte subdued my selfe to so many great paynes and to deth? O blessed lady what sorowe had thou when thou harde thy sonne crye so? He cryed also with a great voyce / for the synne was great whiche was the cause of all that miserie, those paynes and deth. For as saynt Ambrose saith: He wepte and sorowed for the synne and miserie of them: whose nature he had taken.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may lerne howe to haue a recourse to our lorde in all our tribulations, and by our prayer compleyne and shewe to hym our desolation / that it wolde please hym to be∣holde our troubles and helpe vs, for so our sauyour Christ in his troubles and sorowes / cryed vnto god his father / saynge: My god my god why hast thou forsaken me,* 1.501 whiche as the glose ordi¦narie

sayth) was not onely a compleynte: but also a prayer, as it appereth in the psalme of the whiche these wordes be taken / for there it is sayd thus:* 1.502 Deus deus meus respice in me quare. &c. O god my god beholde me / why hast thou forsaken me. Also saynte Paule speakynge of the prayer of Christe:* 1.503 seameth to speake of this prayer saynge: Qui in diebus carnis sue preces cum clamore valido et lacrimis offerens: exauditus est pro sua reuerentia: Oure sauiour Iesus in the dayes and tyme of his mortalitie offerynge prayers to his father with a greate crye and with teares: was harde for his reuerence.

¶A prayer.

O Lorde Iesu Christe the sonne of the lyuyng god whiche at the .ix. houre of the day for me most wretched hyngynge v∣pon the crosse / cryed to thy father with a great voyce sayng: He li heli lamahazastani: That is: My god my god why haste thou forsaken me: graunt to me that in all my trouble and anguysshe I may cry to the my lorde god with the greate voyce of my herte that so thou neuer suffer me to be reproued / as lefte and forsaken of thy mercy. Amen.

¶Howe they gaue hym to drynke: vinegre or asell. The .lx. article.

THe .lx. article is the drynkynge of vineger, for Iesus af¦ter all the forsayd paynes and labours beynge thurstye or drye (for then all that was written of Chryste in the lawe of Moyses or in the prophetes / ware fulfylled, excepte one / that was writen in the psalme:* 1.504 In siti mea potauerūt me aceto: In my thyrste they gaue to me vineger to drynke) ther¦fore Iesus to fulfyll all the scripture: he sayde: I am drye. Not so to be vnderstande, that Iesus therfore was thirsty / and ther∣fore they gaue to hym vineger to drynke: bycause it was so wry¦ten before by the prophet: but bycause god knewe longe before / that Chryste shulde be drye, and also that the Iues or the saugi∣ours shulde gyue hym vineger to drynke, therfore our lord wold haue it writen by the prophet, and so in this thirst of Christ that scripture was fulfylled,* 1.505 and so in lyke maner vnderstande all the other propheties of Christ. Christe sayd: Sitio: I thyrste. And this was his .v. worde that he spake on the crosse, for after

his longe and continuall labour and payne had all the nyght be∣fore and also that same day vnto .iii. of the clocke at after none, also for his effusyon and sheddynge of so moche blode, and for hangynge so longe vpon the crosse in the heate of the day, it was no meruell thoughe he ware drye, and of this the prophet also sayth in the person of Christe:* 1.506 Aruit tan{quam} testa virtus mea: et lin∣gua mea adhesit faucibus meis: My vertue or strength of my bo∣dy was as dry as a shell / and my tonge clyued fast to my chekes for drynes, and therfore he myght wele saye: Sitio. I thrist. For they that be let blode: be more drye then other men, but our sauy¦oure Iesus was let blode that daye, both in scourgyng / beatyng crownyng with thornes and crucifyeng, besydes his sweatyng, therfore it was no meruell if he were drye. Saynte Bernarde entreatyng this article sayth: O good Iesu why dost thou crye and say: Sitio. I am thristy. Dost not thou knowe that thyne ad¦uersaryes wyl ministre and gyue vnto the: vinegre for thy drynk where as thou gaue them drynke in the deserte when they were thristie?* 1.507 And he answereth in the person of Christe saynge: I thriste and feruently desire the conuersyon of synners, the teares of penaunce / of compunction / of compassion / and of inwarde deuotion. I thyrst your helth and the redemption of all soules. Therfore that Christe dyd here expresse his greate drynes / was not without great misterie. For he dyd not say: I thyrst, for that he desyred any wyne or yet vinegre / whiche he knewe that they shulde gyue to hym. But what drynke (suppose you) dyd he de∣syre, whiche is the founten of the lyuely and holsome water, the veyne of lyfe / the ryuer of all pleasure / the floode wateryng the heuenly paradise. Surely he thristed and desyred our helth / that is: by his thyrst he desyred our thirst, that is / that we shulde de∣syre and thyrst god the well of lyfe. Also I thyrst (sayth Christ by saynt Bernarde) all you that goeth by this way / that ye wold attende and se / if there be any sorowe lyke vnto my sorowe / that by compassyon ye myght kut your hertes / for this day my herte was opened for you. O good Iesu, thou complaynest of thy thyrste: but thou speakes not of thy crosse: thou suffrest pacyent∣ly the crowne of thornes, thou forgettest all thy moste greuous woundes and despysynges, the Iues and the gentylles / they thirsted thy blode and therfore they crucifyed the / but thou thyr∣sted theyr helth / and therfore thou wold dye for them, as if Christ shuld say the helth of your soules doth more tormente me: then all the paynes of my bodye. But whan Christe sayd: Sitio. I

thrist, anone they gaue to hym no good nor holsome drynke: but vinegre, for as the euangelist sayth:* 1.508 Erat ibi vas aceto plenū. &c. There was a vessel ful of vinegre, and they fylled a sponge with the vinegre / and wonde it aboute with ysope / and fastened it to a rede and so put it to his mouth. This they dyd first / for ther by was the scripture fulfylled that sayd:* 1.509 In my thirst they gaue me vinegre to drynke. Secondly to signifye the malice of the Iues whiche went out of kynde from theyr olde holy fathers / for as saynt Austen sayth:* 1.510 The Iues ware as vinegre declynynge frome the good wyne of the patriarkes and prophetes, in to vy∣negre / that is in to malice and crueltye, hauynge craftye / deceyt∣full and malicyous hertes. These Iues ware conueniently sig∣nifyed by that vessell full of vinegre / for they were full of iniqui∣tye / hauynge theyr hertes lyke to a sponge full of poores or hoo∣les, so theyr hertes ware full of many false deceytes and maly∣cyousenes.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we may lerne to beware that we do not offer vnto Christe to drynke bytter wyne or mixte with gall. For as then the Iues and saugiours dyd to Christe: so do nowe a dayes euyl christians gyue to Christ a bitter drynke: for where as Christe thirsteth and desyreth the helth of theyr soules, they offer to hym the bytternes of theyr synfull lyfe. Tho christians that beleue wele and werke or lyue euyll: they gyue to Chryste wyne mixte with gall, for they mixte the wyne of true fayth with the mirre or gall of euyll conuersacyon, in as moche as by theyr euyll lyfe: they sclaunder the church and specyally nowe a dayes euyll prelates, our lorde amend them. This mixtyng of drynke may be also taken in a good sense. As ye shall se in the prayer fo∣lowynge.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche thirstynge our helth wolde haue vinegre and wyne mixte with mirre and gall offred and gyuen to the to drynke: make me worthelye to offer to the the wyne of deuotion mixte with the mirre of mortifycacyon of my sensualytie / and with the gall of contricyon for my synnes, & that I neuer drynke of the vinegre of infidelitie or of sclaunder / thoughe I taste of

any sclaunder, that is: suffer wrongfully any sclaunder. Amen.

¶The consummacyon and end of the passyon of Christe. The .lxi. article.

THe .lxi. article is the end and consummacyon of the hole passyon. for when Iesus had taken or tasted of the vy∣negre.* 1.511 He spake the .vi. worde vpon the crosse saynge: Consummatum est: It is done or ended, as it in the tast∣ynge of that vinegre the fulnes of his passyon and paynes was consummate and ended, or els that tastynge done: all that was prophecyed of Christe that he shulde suffer: was ended, onelye deth excepte. And therfore as our heed and capteyne Christ suf∣ferynge the bytternes of his passion for oure synnes perseuered and continued pacyentlye vnto the ende / that is vnto that al that was spoken by the prophetes and scripture that he shulde suffer ware fulfylled, so we (if we wyll be the membres of this heade) shulde continue in perseuerant pacyence in all oure aduersytyes and troubles / so that we myght come to the ende of all our trou∣bles, our most benigne sauiour Iesu beyng our guyde, and that we myght say with Christe:* 1.512 Consummatum est: That is: With thy helpe Iesu and not by my vertue, I haue faught a good ba∣tell or feyght. I haue ended my course and kept my fayth. Then a thynge is sayd to be consummate: when all together is perfyt∣ly ended and gathered to gyther as it ware in a somme. So our sauyour Christ after that he had suffred all the paynes that be spo¦ken of before, in the. lx articles, so that there was no more to be suffred but death, then he gathered all them togyther as it ware in one heape or somme, and so offred them al to his father sayng: Consummatum est: That is to say: What so euer scripture sayde that I shulde suffer: I haue done it / perfourmed and ended it. The werke of my passyon is ended whiche I offer to my father for the redemption of man kynde. Nor this consummacyon was without naturall payne, as if a man hadde passed many greate perylles / daungers / and paynes / he can not lyghtly remembre and recompte them without a grudgynge to the bodye / thoughe on the other parte he be glad that he hath so escaped them. Suche a paynfull horror and grudgynge had Christ at this remēbrance and no meruell / for he was as yet hangynge vpon the crosse / to his no small payne, and also this remembraunce and consum∣macyon conteyned in it selfe virtually al the forsaid articles of the

passyon of Christ / whiche all in summe he noted when he sayde: Consummatum est: It is ended. And therfore this consummacy∣on doth conueniently make a specyall article.

¶Of this .vi. worde: Consummatum est.

THe .vi. worde that Christ spake vpon the crosse, that is Consummatum est: It is ended, was a worde of greate perfeccyon / notynge therby (as we sayd be∣fore) that he had done and suffred all thyng{is} which he ought to do or suffer for the redemption of man. And that is declared by this example, a good phisicyen wyl thus order his pacyent, whose helth he intendeth. First he wyll gyue or assigne to hym his dieat. Seconly he wyl cast hym in a sweat. Thyrdly if these be not sufficyent: he wyll let hym blode, to cor¦recte the euyll humors. And fourthly he wyl gyue hym a pocyon to auoyde all the euyll mater that is the cause of his sekenes So our lorde Christe that he myght cure vs from the infirmitie and seakenes of synne: he fyrste kepte a dyeat / for he fasted .xl. dayes Secondly he swet blode for vs. Thyrdly he was let blode in all the partes of his bodye / when as he shedde his blode without weyght or mesure / so that his bodye hangynge vpon the crosse: was as drye as a fyrebrand. Fourthly and last, not content with all the other medicynes: he toke a most bitter pocyon, when for to cure oure synfull sekenes, he toke vinegre and tasted therof, and therfore he sayd conueniently: Consummatum est: All thyn∣ges be fulfylled that I shulde suffer for the helthe of man. And thus after that he had suffred in all the membres of his bodye the sharpe dartes of moste bytter paynes and passyon, he myghte well say the wordes of the prophet:* 1.513 Repleuit me amaritudine: in∣ebriauit me absinthio. He hath fulfylled me with bitternes, he hath made me dronke with wormewod, and so in his passyon he dranke a bytter pocyon / and that to cure vs.

¶A Lesson.

OF this article we maye take this lesson / that in the ende of euery good werke that we do, whiche hath diuerse actes and partes: we shulde gather them togyther as it ware in a sōme and so offer that good werke to god, and so comonlye we vse in all the seruyce of the churche for euer in the ende: we conclude

with a collecte, whiche is so called for asmoche as in that prayer all the office or seruice said before, is as it ware virtually gadred and conteyned in that orison or collect as in a summe. And so this worde. Consummatum est, is as it were the collecte of the hole pas∣sion of Christ vnto his death. And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article: shuld remembre breuely as it were in a summe all the forsayde artycles of Chrystes passion, and so gyue thankes to all myghtie god for them, and pray as foloweth.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu whiche, offeryng the consummacion of thy hole pas∣sion as it ware in a ••ume / ••o god thy father for we, dyd say, Consummatum est. it is ended▪ grant to me that I may dewly con∣summate and ende all the good werkes and paynes that it shall please thy grace to werke in me and by me, and so ended: to offre them with due thankes vnto god the father, by the. Amen.

¶Of the yeldyng vp of his soule or of the death of Christe The. lxii article.

THe .lxii. article is the death of Christe, for when Christe had sayde It is ended: then he criynge agayne with a greate voyce sayd (or no necessite, but for our example) 〈…〉〈…〉 tuas cōmendo spiritum meum. Father, I commend my spirite in to thy handes.* 1.514 This was the .vii. and last worde that he spake vpon the crosse. And by this sayng, he wolde declare vnto vs that the soules of holy sayntes: be in y^e handes of god after theyr departyng from the bodye, wher as before y^t tyme all the soules ware in the hande & power of hell. And by this his commendacion he commendeth to his father all his electe people for we be his membres as saynt Paule sayth. Omnes vnum sumus in Christo iesu.* 1.515 We be all one in Christe iesu. Which in the dayes of his mortalitie offerynge prayers to his father with a greate crye and teares:* 1.516 was hard for his reuerence. And this worde sayd and prayer made: he bowed downe his heade, and so gaue vp his spi∣rite.* 1.517 In criyng, weapyng, and praing / As the glose sayth, we that be erthly or made of y^e erth: do dye or giue vp our spirite / with out any voyce / or at most / a softe or small voyce. But Christ y^t camme from heuen: he at his death exalted his voyce, and cried with a great and lowde voyce / He that is not moued with this voyce: is

more heuy than the erth, more harde than y^e stone, and more close and stynkyng than dead menes graues / for all these ware broken, moued and open by this voyce. And note here that amonge al the paynes that Chryst suffered: this payne of death was most sharpe and paynefull for as the Philosopher sayth.* 1.518 Death is the moste terrible of all terrible or fearefull thynges / and that is for the na∣turall inclinacion that the soule hathe to the bodye. But there is a more speciall cause in Christe for as Damasten sayth.* 1.519 His god∣hed was vnit and knyt, bothe to the soule / and also to the bodye, and therfore, that separatiō of his soule from his body: was most paynfull to hym. Chryste enclined and bowed downe his heade: to shewe vnto vs. iiii. thynges, that is. Fyrste the greuouse and [ 1] heuy burden that was laid vpon him. A man that is ouercharged or oppressyd with a heuy burden: is wonte to stowpe and bowe downe his heade. But Christe was oppressid with the heuy bur∣den of our synnes as sait Petre sayth.* 1.520 Peccata nostra ipse pertulit in corpore suo super lignum. Christe bare our synnes in his bodye vpon a tree, that is the crosse. Also Christe sayth by the prophet. Conuolute sunt iniquitates et imposite collo meo.* 1.521 The iniquites or synnes be folden or lappid vp to gether, and laid vpon my necke, and therfore no meruel though he bowid downe his heade to shew vnto vs what heuy burden he bare. Secondely he enclined his [ 2] heade to shewe his pouertie, for Iesus the son of god at his death was so pore that he had no place where to reste his head, and ther∣fore he bowyd it downe. Thyrdly to shewe to vs that meaknes is [ 3] the way to glorie euerlastyng. Herunto Hugo sayth. We shall re∣turne vnto the heuenly cuntre: by the waye of meakenes. And the wiseman sayth.* 1.522 Viam sapientie monstrabo tibi. &c. I shall shewe to the the way of wisdom, and I shall lead the by the pathes of equi∣tie: which when thou arte ones entred in to: thy feet shall not let∣ted nor thou runnyng shal haue any let or obstacle. This waye is the vertu of meakenes,* 1.523 for as Christ sayth. Qui sehumiliat: exalta∣bitur. He y^t meaketh hym selfe shalbe exalted, & as y^e {pro}phet sayth. Non habitabit in medio domus mee qui facit su{per}biam.* 1.524 The prowde person shall not dwell in my house. Forthly Chryste enclyned his [ 4] heade to gyue thankes to his father for the victorie he had, for by his death: he distroyed death. And hereunto saynt Paule sayth. Absorpta est mors in victoria.* 1.525 Death is destroyed by the victorie and triumphe of Chryst.* 1.526 And in the same place. Deo gracias qui fe cit nos vincere in domino nostro iesu Christo.* 1.527 Thankes be to god that hath gyuen to vs the victorie ouer death by our lorde Iesu

Christe. And note here after summe doctours, that the same houre that our fyrste adam dyd synne / our seconde adam Chryste gaue vp his spirite, and so the same houre that the fyrste adam by his synne subdewed hym selfe and al his posteritie to death, the same houre this second adam by his death distroyed death eternall so that none of his electe chylderne shalbe subdued there vnto. And the same houre that paradise was shyt frome our fyrste adam: the same houre Christe openyd paradyse to vs.

¶A compassion and a contemplacion of the death of Christe.

SAynt Bernard entreatynge this artycle sayth on this ma∣ner. I am sory and haue cōpassion vpon y^e my lorde, kyng / mayster and father yea my good brother and most belouyd Iesu, more amyable and to belouyd aboue all women whose arowe or dart hath not turne backward / thyne arowes ben very sharpe / thy doctrine is valiant and myghtie,* 1.528 thy sermon and worde is quicke and leuely of moche efficacitie and vertue,* 1.529 more persynge than any two edged swerd / entryng thorough,* 1.530 euen to the deui∣dyng a sonder the soule & the spirite. Also thy shyld neuer declined from the batell, for thou haste crowned vs with the shylde of thy grace and of thy good wyll. The spear of thy prayers neuer tur∣ned bac void, for y^u prayed for thy enemies y^t they shuld not perish. How more then dost thou praye for thy fryndes and saruauntes. Thou art stronger than the lion,* 1.531 yea thou art y^e lion of the tribue or stocke of Iuda,* 1.532 that haste ouercumme the raumpyng lion that runnyth all ouer, searchyng whom he myght deuoure. Thou art more swyfte than the egle.* 1.533 For thou as a giant had great ioy to runne in the waye / to fulfyll the misterie of thy incarnation, vnto the tyme y^t thou as an egle dyd prouoke thy byrdes to flye. Thou spred the wynges of thyne armes abrode vpon y^e crosse, and fliyng ouer vs: thou toke vs / lefted vs vp, and bare vs vpon thy sholders with greate strenght: vnto thy holie habitacle / vnto the houshold of thy father,* 1.534 where, for the fedyng of thy shepe and drāme, that was loste, and by thy passion founde agayne? thou madest a great feast and ioyfull to thy fryndes and neyghboures, thy holy aun∣gels, makyng to them greate ioy for the conuersion of a penitent synner. And though thou be suche a myghtie and noble {per}son yet thou wast condempned vnto the most shamefull death, and so thy spirite commendyd in to the handes of thy father, and thy heade

enclined and bowed downe: thou gaue vp thy spirite. O all ye that desyre to ioy in our lorde cumme I beseach you and sorowe with me. Take hede and behold our myghtye and strong Dauid, how he is all to rent with wheppys behold hym, whom we most desire, and whom the aungelles desire to behold, how he is slayn in our batell. Wher is thy red rosy colour? where is thy beautie? where shall thou fynde fayrnes in thy broused bodye? Behold, our dayes haue decayed and fayled, the dayes (I say) of our most be∣nigne Iesu which onely is the day without all derknes. And his bones haue waxed drye as a fier brande,* 1.535 he is cut downe as the grasse: and his hart hath wydred away, he was lyfted vpon the crosse and very greuously hurt and broused. And though he was thus shamefully and vilenously arayed outwardly: yet he kepte his beautie and fayrnes in wardly. Therfore faynt not for hym in thy trobles, for the Iues and gentylles that see this person han∣gyng vpon the crosse (which in hym selfe was more beautyouse than all the chylderne of men) they (I say) onely beholdyng out∣ward thynges:* 1.536 see hym / hauyng nother beautie ne yet fairnes, for his face was more lyke to a lepre than a clene man, and all the dis∣posicion of his bodie was then very deforme and foule to beholde, yet of that deformytie of our redemar: dyd essew and flew out / the price of our beautie / of our inwarde beautie I mean / In parte we haue shewed vnto you now the deformitie & blaknes or fowl∣nes of the bodie of moste amyable Iesu, but his inward beautie there is no man that can declare / for in him restith and inhabiteth the hole diuinitie or godhed / let vs therfore be contented to be de∣formed in our bodie outwardly with our sauiour Iesu shameful∣ly deformed / let vs conforme our selfe in our bodye to the body of our true vine Christ: that he myght reforme the body of our mor∣talitie vnto the bodie of his clernes and glorification.

O death most to be belouyd. O passion of Christ, most to be de∣sired. O meruelouse misteries, what is more meruelouse thā that death shuld gyue lyfe? wondes: shuld cure and heale, blode shuld purifie, and that sorowe: shuld enflame and kyndle loue? The openyng of his syde: doth cople & ioyne hert vnto hert. Also what is more meruelouse than that the sonne in the eclipse or darked by clowdes shuld shyne more clere and bryght? the fier extincte, doth more enflame and kyndle the hert / the shameful passion doth glo∣rifie and make gloriouse, thirst or drines: maketh one dronke. Nakydnes: doth cloth with the garmentes of vertue / the handes fast nayled: doth louce vs / his feet nayled: done make vs to rūne,

Christ yeldyng his spirit: doth gyue to vs lyfe / he diyng vpon the tree: doth call vs to heuen / the sonne of god is lead to death, he is smiten / buffetid and beat: that is our victorie, he is crowned with thornys: that cam to breake the thornys of our synnes / he was bownd: that lowseth them that be bounde, he was hanged vpon a tree: that reyseth them that be fallen downe / the well of lyfe: hath vinegre offeryd to hym for his drynke / health is wounded / lyfe: dieth, pitie is scourged for the synner / wisdom is mocked lyke a fole / treuth is slayne as a lier / Iustice is dapned for a wicked per∣son / mercy is vexed for an infidell, swetnes is made dronke with gall, life is deade for the deed man. All this is the sayng of faynt Austen.* 1.537 By the premisses ye may perceyue that Christe suffred death / he iuste and ryghtuouse: for vs vnryghtuouse, he suffred death, for vniuste persons, by vniuste persones, with vniuste per∣sons, for vniuste causes / and vnder vniuste iudges / and also with vniuste paynes and tormentes. Beholde therfore thou deuote soule in to the face of thy sauiour Christ, and see in hym / how he dyd beare and suffre the payne of the crosse that thou shuld folow hym in bearyng the crosse / his bodie was naked, for our example that we shuld make our confession openly or plainly and nakedly to our gostlyfather without all clokyng or hydyng and excusyng of our synnes / his armes was spred abrode vpon the crosse redy to embrace the in a token that he wyl gladly receyue the vnto his grace, if thou forsake thy synne, he was fast nailed both in handes and feet: that thou shuld perseuer and continue in his loue and seruice / his hart was also openyd, for the effusion of the price of our redemption / As ye shall see in the next article.

¶Here folow .iii. lessons.

THe fyrste lesson of this article is that we shulde dye with Christe, that is from the worlde and synne if we wyll lyue with hym in glorie eternall.* 1.538 And here vnto saynt Paule sayth. Si commortui sumus cum Christo: et conuiuemus. If we dye with Christe we shall lyue with Christe. And in an other place. Mortui enim estis et vita vestra abscondita est cum Christo in deo.* 1.539 ❧ ✚ ☞ Ye be deade fromme the worlde and all

vayne or transitorie thynges, and your lyfe is hyd with Christ in god. The second lesson is, that it is very good and profitable, to [ 2] say deuotely those .x. psalmes, cōmonly called the psalmes of the passion, which Christ sayd in his prayer hangyng vpon y^e crosse for without doute, who so reades or sayes them deuoutly shal finde great conforthe. Thyrdlie euery christian at his death shulde vse [ 3] and keape the forsaid .v. thynges, that Christ dyd at his death, he dyd pray, crie, weape, commendyd his soule to his father, and gaue vp his spirite. So we at our death shulde pray / crye to our lorde for his helpe, at leste in hert, wepe for our synnes by trewe contricion / commend our soule to god, and to gyue vp our spirit, that is with a good will to dye and so to conforme our wyll to the will of god. A man to conforme hym selfe to this article: may ofte remembre these lessons with y^e premisses sayd in this article / and pray as foloweth.

¶A Lesson

O Blissed Iesu which for me, dyeng vpon y^e crosse, dyd com∣mend thy soule to thy father: graunt to me that I may spi∣ritually so dye to the and with the in this life: that it wold please the at the houre of my death to haue my wretched soule recōmen∣dyd to the, which liues and reignys with god the father and the holy ghost world without ende. Amen.

¶The openyng of Christes side and hert with a spere the .lxiii. Article.

THe .lxiii. Article is the openynge or wondyng of Christes hert with a spere.* 1.540 For at y^e death of Christ there ware shewed many miracles, as y^e derknes of the sōne, y^e cuttyng of y^e veyle in y^e temple, y^e rentyng or breakyng of the stonys, the openyng of the monu∣mentes or grauys, the conuersion of the noble man and capiteyn Centurio / the conuersion of the thefe & of many other, that seyng these great thynges that ware done, knocked vpon there brestes / in sygne or token of penaunce, and returned homewardes, his moste heuy mother there abidyng with a fewe women with her. The Iues then bicause it was the sabboth euyn, that the bodyes shulde not remayne vpon the crosse on the saboth day (for that sab∣both day was an high day and festfull with them) they I say be∣sought* 1.541

Pilate that theyr legges myght be broken and so taken downe of the crosse / then camme the sawgyours and brake the legges of both the theuys. And when they camme to Iesus, and saw that he was deed alredie: they brake not his legges, for as the legges of the paschall lambe ware not broken: no more ware the legges of Christ, that is the true lambe of god / and in that was the scripture fulfylled that saith.* 1.542 os non comminuetis ex eo. He shall not breake a bone of hym.* 1.543 But there cam one of the sawgi∣ours with a spere / and dyd thrust Christ in to the side and forth∣with there came out blode and watre. This sawgior was called Longius and he was blinde or at lest his sight was but weke and what tyme he had thrust Christ to the hert with his spere: y^e blode runnyng downe by the speare vnto his handes, he (not knowing the vertue therof) touched or rubbed his yen with his blody hādes and so had his syght clerely gyuen to hym. Also of this blode and watre; all the sacramentes of y^e churche haue theyr efficacitie ver∣tue and strenght,* 1.544 as by theyr meritoriouse cause. As the mayster of the sentence sayth and all doctours. And though at that tyme the deed bodye of Christ could feale no payne: yet y^e Iues did this thing of a great malice and to the great rebuke of Christ, for they ware not ••aciate and content with the obprobries / rebukes and paynes that they put hym to in his lyfe: but that also they wolde put hym to more and so persew hym after his death. And for that cause this wondyng of Christes syde is taken here for a speciall article of Christes passion / for all y^e cruelties / shames and despites that be done to y^e deed corpes or corse / be acompted as if they ware done to the persones lyuyng. As somtyme the bodyes of deed per∣sones: be drawen / hangyd / headyd, quarteryd, or burned: for the correction and punishment of suche defawtes as those persones dyd in ther liues. And though Christ that tyme deed, felt not that wounde of his syde: yet the blessyd virgyn his mother felt it, for that spere then dyd perse her most sorowfull soule / as saynt Ber∣nard sayth, truly. O blessid mother, than the swerde of sorow did perse thy soule: when that cruell spere openyd thy son syde, after his death. His soule then was not present with his bodye. But thy soule myght not be departed from it, for y^e soule is rather there where it louyth: than where it gyuith life / & so not without great cause, we say that thou art more than a martyr, for the effecte of compassion in the: dyd exceade the fealyng of all bodilye paynes.

¶Of the miracles that ware done at this tyme: we shall speake, in the begynny••g of the thyrd parte of this myrrour / boke or / treatesse.

OF this wounde of the side of our lorde / the deuote and holy saynt Bernard saith thus. O good Iesu, thy side was woū¦ded and openid: that we myght haue entrance or a way to cumme to the. Thy hert was woūded: that we absolued from al outward trobles and busines myght reste and abyde therin. It was also wounded: that by that visible wounde: we myght see the inuisible wounde of thy loue / for who so euer feruently louith, he is woun∣ded with loue. And how myght his burnyng loue be more clerelie and openly declared to vs: but in that y^t he wold not onely haue his bodie outwardly woundyd: but also haue his hart wounded with a spere / therfore this bodely wounde: doth shewe to vs his spiritual wounde of loue. Arise therfore thou spouse of Chryst, as a doue buyidyng thy nest and restyng place in the deapnes of this hole or wounde there watche cōtinually as a sparow fynding thy nest! there hyd thy birdes of chaste loue with the turtyll. Ioyne or put thy mouth to that wounde: that thou may sucke or drawe the watre of helth from y^e foūtayns of our sauiour. This is y^e wel that spryngeth in y^e myddest of paradise / whiche doth make frute∣full the deuoute hertes and plentiously doth watre all the world. This is the doore that was made in the side of the arke of Noe / by the which dyd entre all tho bestes & men that ware sauyd from the vnyuersall flode. Studie and laboure therfore with all thy diligence to haue a recourse vnto the holes of this stone and vnto the caue or den in this stony wall both now in this life and also at thy death / there to rest and hide thy selfe / that thou myght escape the daunger of the wode lion the deuyl, and also that thou myght fynde there plentiouse pasture and fode to thy eternall comforth. ¶And here note that Christ dyd shedde his blode .v. tymes this day for vs. Fyrst in his prayer, when he swet blode. Second, in his scourgyng. Thyrd, in his crownyng with thornys. Fourth, in his naylyng to the crosse, and. Fyfth, in the openyng of his syde as ye haue herde before.

¶Here folow .ii. Lessons.

FYrste lesson of this article is this, that whan we be deade with Christe from the worlde and from all synne then also we shuld be wounded in our hert with the spere of charitie so that we myght say with y^e spouse in her canticles.* 1.545 Vulnerata charitate ego sum. I am wounded with y^e spere of charitie. Saynt Austen also desired to be wounded with this spere sayng. I besech the my

lord and kyng, my most swete Iesu for thy moste holye wondes, which thou suffered vpon the crosse for our health, from y^e which that most preciouse blode ran out wherwith we be redemyd. I besech the (I saye) to wounde this my synfull soule for the which it pleasyd the to dye. Wounde it I besech the, with the fiery dart of thy most myghtie loue and charitie. Nayle fast my hert to the with the nayle or dart of thy loue, that my soule may say vnto the, I am wounded with charitie / and so sore wounded: that from this wounde of thy loue there myght runne the full ri∣uers of teares / both nyght and day, both of cōtricion / compassion and deuocion. Smyte I beseach the good Iesu this moste hard flynt my soule, with the myghty and sharpe spear of thy loue: that it may myghtilie entre in to y^e inwardnes or deapnes of my hard [ 2] hart. The second lesson is that we shuld receyue the sacramentes of the churche with that intent and deuocion: as if they cam then from the syde and hert of our lorde, for that wounde of his syde: was as the doore wherby y^e sacramentes of the churche com from Christ to vs.* 1.546 For as of the syde of our fyrst Adam sleapynge, his wyfe Eua was formed and made:* 1.547 so of y^e syde of our second Adam (that is Christ) sleapyng by death vpon the crosse was formed the churche / the spouse of Christ. By this woūde as by a dore of loue saynt Austen dyd entre when he sayde,* 1.548 Longyne hath openyd to me the syde of Christ with a spear / and I haue entred therin and there I surely and quietly reast. The nayles and the spear crie to me that I am truly reconsiled to Christ: if I loue hym.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu which for me wold haue y^e syde of thy deed bodie ope∣nyd, from whens cam plentye of blode and watre for our health & comforth: wounde (I beseach the) my hert with the spear of thy charitie, y^t I may worthely receyue thy sacramētes, which flowed out of that thy most holie syde. Amen.

¶How the bodie of Christ was taken downe of the crosse the .lxiiii. Article.

THe .lxiiii. article is the takyng downe of Christes bodie from the crosse. For after that our sauiour Iesus had gyuen vp his spirite vpon y^e crosse: that was about the ix. houre of the day: the bodie of Christ hang styll vpon the crosse vnto euensong tyme / and there abode and taried our

blessid ladie and other .iii. women sittyng by the crosse / and not knowyng what to doo, they wold haue taken downe the bodye / and haue buried it: but they had no strenght therunto, nor yet such instrumentes as ware necessarie for that purpose. And to de∣parte leuyng the bodie vpon the crosse: they durste not / and there to tary or abide y^e nyght drawyng nygh: they myght not. Behold and considre (thou deuote soule) in what proplexitie they be in and haue compassion on them with all thy herte. And as they sat thus in troble and heuines there cam Ioseph of y^e citie of Aromathya somtyme called Ramatha, where as Helchana and Anna the pa∣rentes of the prophet Samuell dwellyd.* 1.549 This Ioseph was a riche man and of noble blode and also he was a senatour / and had great office in y^e courte of the emperour, a good man in hym selfe and in y^e syght of god, iuste to his neyghbour, a disciple of Christ, but secreate, for feare of the Iues, he had a truste to come to the kyngdome of god for he dyd in no thyng consent to the cowncell and those maliciouse actes of the Iues.* 1.550 And as saynt Hierom sayth y^e fyrst psalme was made of hym. Beatus vir. &c. This holie Ioseph strenghthed thorow theffusion of Christes blode (all feare set a part) went boldly vnto Pilate, not fearyng the malice of the Iues, nor yet the powre of Pilate, and asked of hym the bodie of Iesu, for a great treasure, for he preferryd that bodye aboue all erthly treasures though they be neuer so preciouse. Pilate merue¦lyd that Iesus was so soon deed, and called to hym a capten of an hundreth men, and asked of hym if Iesus ware deed / and whan he knew the treuth by that capteyn: he gaue the bodie to Ioseph. And then Ioseph bought a fayre lynyn clothe for to wrap Christ{is} bodie therin. And so Ioseph came, not now as a secreat and pre∣uy disciple of Christ: but an open disciple of Iesu. And also there cam with hym. Nichodemus, which bifore tyme cam priuely vn∣to Iesus in the nyght for feare of the Iues, but now all feare set a parte he cam with Ioseph and brought with hym / of myrre and aloes about an hūdreth pownde weight, to anoynt and dresse the bodie of Christ before his buriyng. And when they cam nyghe to the place where Christ hang: they kneled down / and dyd worship our lorde. And our ladie perceyuyng that they cam to take downe her sōnys bodie (as risyng frō death) her spirit began to quicken, and so our ladie receyuyd them at theyr cōmyng reuerently. And furthwith they prepared them selfe: to take down the bodye, and our ladie healped as moch as she myght. One drewe the nayles out of his handes / an other susteyned the bodie that it shulde not

fall downe, our Lady standyng: lifted vp her armes on heyght, redy to receyue the body when it shuld com downe, and as shortly as she myght touche hym: she drew his heade and his handes vp∣on her sorowfull breste embrasyng and ofte kyssyng his wondes wherwith she culde not be saciate, and what tyme the bodie was taken downe: this blessed Lady toke his heade and his shulders in to her lappe, and Mary Maglene, toke his feet, remembryng what grace and comforth she founde by them and all the residue that stode about: greatly lamentyd and morned his death.

¶The lamentacion and mournyng of our Lady.

SAynt Bernard speakyng of this lamentacion of our Lady / sayth.* 1.551 She lifted vp her handes on height, em∣brasynge and kyssynge the body of her sonne / but her sonne dyd not embrase her agayne for his armes ware to stiffe or starke therunto. And then that blessid vir∣gyn seyng she culd haue none other solace dyd kysse with a great and faruent desire his woundes and the blode that ran from his woundes. In so moch that the face of this sorowfull Lady was made all blodie with the blode of her sonne slayne which thyng in it selfe was very pitifull and moch lamentable to behold, that is / that so noble a bodie shuld be so shamefully entreated, as though it had ben the most vile carion / and yet in truth: that bodie myght neuer fall to corrupcion, for the godhed was continually ioyned therunto / which keapte it from al corrupcion. And for this cause / this article is nowmbred among the articles of Christes passion though this bodye when it was deed felt no payne, but yet this blessid virgyn at this time suffred the payne for she was there pre¦sent with other deuote women. And then Ioseph meakly desired our Lady / that she wolde suffre y^e body of her sōne to be anoynted and wrapped in the lynen clothes, and so to be buried, but she re∣fusyd to be so shortly departed from her sonne, & when they wold haue buried hym: she wold haue retayned hym, and so there was a godly and a pitiouse cōtencion bitwixt them. And at last though not gladly: yet reuerently, she suffred them to take the bodie at theyr pleasure. Then this blessid virgyn weapt without com∣forth, and so such aboundaūce of teares flowed from her ien, that it myght be supposed▪ that all her bodie ware turned to watre. She washed her face with tearis and also the deed bodie of her sonne & specially his woundes, and also the stone vpon the which

the bodie was layd when it as washed. And it is sayd that her teares don yet appere and may be seen vpon y^t same stone which is in the entraūce of the churche of the holy sepulcre. She washed and dried his blody woūdes, and kyssed them and oftymes she be∣held his most holie face / his woūdes and his heade, and there she see the prickynges of the thornys, and how the heare was pulled from his berde and also his heade / she beheld his face (I say) how it was defoyled with blode and the spittynges of the Iues and so she culd not be saciat with seyng and weapyng / her sorow myght be perceiued: but it culd not be declared as it was: but she felt it to the extremitie.

¶Here folow .iii. lessons.

THe fyrst lesson of this article is that the faythfull people [ 1] receyuynge the bodie of our lorde in the sacrament of the aulcer: be compared to them that toke hym of the crosse / and it is more, to take him in the sacrament of the aulter: than downe from the crosse, for they that toke hym of the crosse toke hym onely in there armes and handes, but we receyue hym in to our mowthes and hertes. And as they dyd weappe that bodye in a fayre lynon cloth: so shulde we receyue hym in to a pure hert and clene consci∣ence. The secōd lesson is, that when we be com to that perfection [ 2] that we be deed to the world, and to all synnes, so that our bodie be deed (as saynt Paule sayth of Abraham and Sara) then we may sumwhat release of the rigor of our penaunce and crosse,* 1.552 so our lorde wold not discend from his crosse in the tyme of his lyfe: but when he was deed he suffred his body to be taken downe. The thyrd lesson is, that we shuld gladly take Christ of the crosse with [ 3] Ioseph. Aslong as the synner continueth in synne: as moch as is in hym he byndeth Christe and nayleth hym fast to the crosse. For our synnes ar the cause why Christ was crucified. But as shortly as we be turned by true penaūce vnto christ: we lowce him & take him of the crosse and receyue hym bytwyxt our armes and hādys as Ioseph dyd. And as ye see, that he which hath an other man bitwixt his armes may doo with hym what it shall please hym, if the other man resiste not: so the penitent synner embrasing Christ in his armes of loue: may doo with Christe, and get of hym what so euer he requireth to his soules health. For Christ wyll not re∣siste the penitēt. For he is more redy to giue grace: than the other is to receyue it. And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article shuld ofte remembre these lessons, and pray thus.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu which for me a wretched synner, after thy death wold haue thy bodie taken downe from the crosse by Ioseph and Nicodemus, and so be anoynted and dressed with swete oynt∣mētes and spices, wold be wrapped in fayre lynen clothes: graūt to me worthely to receyue thy blessed very leuyng bodie in the sa∣crament of the aulter, as if I shuld take hym of the crosse, and so to anoynte hym with the oyntmentes of vertues, that I may con∣tinually keape hym in a pure hert and chaste bodie. Amen.

¶Of the buriyng of Christes bodie the .lxv. Article.

THe .lxv. and the laste article is the buriynge of the bodie of Christ. For after it was taken of the crosse / and dressyd with spices and swete oyntmentes and also wrapped in fayre lynen clothes as we sayd be∣fore: then they went aboute to bury hym. And the time passing: Ioseph meakely desired our Lady that she wold suffre the bodie to be buried before that the saboth day shuld en∣tre, for then it shuld be vnlawfull for them to doo any such labour or busynes. And then our lady very gently and discreatly ordred hyre selfe to them, and so crossyng and blessing that body though with great sorow: yet reuerētly she suffred them to take the body and bury it.* 1.553 And as the Euangelist sayth. Erat in loco vbi cruci∣fixus est: ortus, et in orto: monumentum nouum. &c. In the place where Iesus was crucified: there was a garden, aud in that gar∣den: a new sepulcre or graue cut or hewen out of a rocke of stone, and it apperteyned to the same Ioseph.* 1.554 And in this new tumbe: they buryed the bodie of Iesu. And here sayth Simon de Cassia, that Christ praynge dyed, and after his death: he was put in a garden,* 1.555 that by his prayer and death: there myght sprynge to vs the plantes of vertues of his inuisible garden / and that ther∣by we myght deserue to entre the garden of heuenly pleasures, moch more pleasaunt than that garden of paradise that was pre∣pared of god for our fyrst parentes in the este part of the worlde. This new sepulcre also was conuenient for our new Adam,* 1.556 that his buriyng myght reanswear to his incarnacion. For when he was incarnate: he was put in to the wombe of a virgyne, where neuer man was before / nor shuld be after hym and so was he put in a new graue where as neuer man was put before. Also he was buried in an other mānys sepulcre for he had none of his owne /

nor wold haue. For he y^t came to gyue hym selfe to the comforthe of man: wolde haue no erthly thyng propre to hym selfe. It was not conueniēt for hym that cam to gyue vs heuenly thynges, that he shulde labour for any propertie in erthly thynges, and therfore he made poore for vs from his natiuytie vnto his death: dyd kepe a poore li••e,* 1.557 and free from all propertie in worldly thynges. He was also buried in a sepulcre of stone,* 1.558 this stone signified Christ, vpon the which stone is stablished y^e sure foundacion of our faith.* 1.559 Also he was buried in a stone: for many misteries. This is the stone that gaue watres plentiously vnto the people of god in the desert. This is the stone that gaue furth riuers of oyle vnto Iob. This is the stone vpon the which a man is exalted and fixed in the tribulacions and anguishes of his hert,* 1.560 to his great comforth and defence,* 1.561 if he cum therto by sure fayth. This is the stone that is the refuge and comforth vnto penitent synners / that be full of prickes (that is,* 1.562 contricion for theyr synnes) as the hurchen is full of prickes. This is also the stone: agaynste or vnto the which the yong spryng of our synnes be caste and all to crushed and broken or destroyed, that is, our euyll cogitacions / at the begynnyng of them, or fyrst mocion before they encrease in vs they shuld be cast agaynst this stone, remembring the death and burying of Christ, and so auoyde and destroy them. In to this stone they put the body of Christ which was the lorde and gyuer of lyfe.* 1.563 And when they had buried hym then Ioseph rolled or put to the dore of the sepul∣cre a great stone and so departed.* 1.564 As Simon de Cassia saith, this stone put to the doore of the sepulcre: doth signifie the infidelitie of the Iues, and the hardnes of theyr hertes, for nother they wold cease from theyr euyll workes, nor yet leaue theyr obstinate and froward hertes. This stone was put to the se••ulcre: by y^e handes of men: but it was remouyd by aungelles / to signifie that by his owne euyll deades a mam may fall to obstinacie and heardnes of hert. But that can nat be remouyd but by the pouer and vertue of god. If the question be mouyd why this article is nombred a∣mong the articles of the passion of Christe / seyth Christe beynge deed suffred no payne therby? It may be answeryd that one of the miseries of our corrupt nature is, that the body will putrifie after the death, and therfore it must be buryed. And though this reason haue no place in Christ, for his body shuld neuer haue ben putret¦fied / as the prophet sayth.* 1.565 Non dabis sanctum tuum videre corrup∣tionem. Thou shall not suffre thy holie sonne to see the putrefac∣tion of his bodie: yet for asmoche as the Iues had brought this

body of Christ to that cōdicion, that it seamed necessarie to bury it, and also that the Iues wolde nat haue ben otherwise conten••, excepte it had ben buried: therfore it is cōueniently accompted as an artycle. And also for that, there folowed this buriyng .ii. great thynges / that is the lamētacion and mournyng of our Lady and the other women, and also y^e watche and keapyng of the sepulcre. Fyrst (I say) for the lamentacion of the blessyd virgyn and other women, by whose lamentacions ware fulfylled the lamentacions that the prophet Hieremy wrote vpon the death of the good kyng Iosias. The sorowful mother of god myght fyrst direct her wor∣des to the father of heuyn and say.* 1.566 Alas, my lord god, why hast thou gyuen to me a son to die so miserably, and so to leaue me be∣hynd hym al desolate and ful of sorowe and heuines. &c? Second∣ly she myght speake to Gabriel y^e archaungell. O Gabriell where is the glad tidynges that thou shewed to me? I fynde no ioy: but most bitter sorow. Thyrdly she myght speake to Iohan the euan∣geliste and to other women that ware with her, and say / if ye loue me, if ye haue any compassion of me: I charge you that ye bury me with hym. These and other like, this sorowful mother myght haue sayd. The second thyng that folowyd this buriyng: was the watche and keapyng of the sepulcre by the saugiours. And hereof the euangelist sayth thus.* 1.567 Altera autem die que est post parasceuem dixerunt principes sacerdotum et pharisei ad Pilatum. Domine re∣cordati sumus {quod} seductor ille. &c. The next day after good friday / the princes of pristes and the phariseis cam to Pilate and sayd. Lord, or sir, we remembre that this deceyuer sayd, whyle he was yet aliue. After .iii. dayes. I wyll arise agayne. Commaunde therfore that the sepulcre be made sure and keapt vnto the thyrd day, lesse paraduenture his disciples come and stele hym a waye and say to the people that he is arisen from death. And then the laste erroure shalbe worse than the fyrst. This the Iues dyd fyrst to shewe the malice of theyr hertes. And therefore Symon de Cassia sayth.* 1.568 This is a great iniquitie of men, a great enuy of the Iues, that they do nat cease to persue and falsly accuse y^e innocent deed, callyng Christ after his death, a deceyuer / and that also they spake before the iudge, which had prouyd the contrarie / they had don to moche before in y^t they falsly accused hym in many thyng{is} and moreouerby theyr importune clamoures and criynges had made hym to be cōdempned vnto a most shameful death.* 1.569 Second¦ly, they dyd thus for theyr owne excusaciō. For as y^e same Simon de Cas. sayth. It is y^e cōdicion of an enuiouse {per}son: euer to speke

euyl of that person whom he hateth, and though he haue slayne or hurte that person whom he so hateth: yet he wyll neuer speake of hym, but with obprobriouse and euyl wordes, that therby he may be Iudged to be good and ryghtuouse: for asmoch as he {per}se weth that person that was euyll and vnryghtuouse, and so he cloketh, hideth and coloreth his enuy by false crymes that he putteth vpon the innocent. But for al that, the conscience of such euyl persones be euer more in feare for they knowe that they do euyll / but by∣cause they wyll not haue theyr malyce knowen: they cease nat to falsly accuse theyr enymy also after his death. And so theys false Iues euer repete theyr false accusacions: bycause they wold nat be noted as confounded. O blynd malyciouse people. In all theyr euyll deades agaynst Christe they go to the Iudge Pylate, that theyr iniquitie and synne shuld seme as iustice: bycause it is doon by auctoritie. And they called hym Domine, that is lorde, but they wold neuer obey to hym with theyr good wyl. It is the propertie of maliciouse and froward persons to prayse hym byfore his face whom they hate in theyr hertes,* 1.570 and that is to brynge theyr pur∣pose to passe. Then Pylate sayd to them. Habetis custodiam. Ite custodite sicut scitis. Ye haue there the watche men, take them and goo and make the sepulcre as sure as ye can. As if he shulde say after Rabanus.* 1.571 It myght be sufficient to you that I haue cōsen∣tyd vnto the death of this innocent,* 1.572 from hens fourth do what ye wyll, your errour shall reste vpon your selfe. And then they went and made the sepulcre sure with watch men and sealyd the stone. This was doon for .ii. causes. Fyrst to shew the folishenes of the Iues.* 1.573 And herunto saynt Hillarie sayth. The feare that the Iues had of the steylynge of Christis body, the watche men and the sealyng of the stone: be a testimonie and a witnes of y^e infidelitie and folyshues of the Iues. Was it not a great folishnes of them / to watche and seale his sepulcre that a lytil before that tyme com∣maūded a deed man to rise out of his sepulcre / the which was .iiii. dayes buried? Secondly this was doon for the more sure testi∣mony of the truthe that is of the resurrection of Christ. And herof Crisostome sayth.* 1.574 Considre and note well here how the Iues a∣gaynste theyr owne myndes doo labour to shewe and proue the truth agaynst them selfe. For this theyr acte is a manifeste and sure proue of y^e resurrection of Christ. And thus we may proue it. The sepulcre was sealed and surely keapte w^t saugioures: ergo / there culd be no crafte or deceyte. If theyr ware no deceyte: ergo Christ is surely risen / for there is the sepulcre, & the body is gon.

¶Here folow .iii. lessons.

[ 1] FYrst Lesson is that we shuld be the folowers of Ioseph, in that, that when the bodye of Christe is receyued of vs and wrapped as we sayd before: then we shuld lay it or put it in a new sepulcre cut out or hewen out of a stone / that is we shuld put it in our soule deckyd and beautised with the ymage of god, renewed and stablisshed in Christ,* 1.575 which is the sure stone, so that we may say that is wrytten in the canticles. Tenui eum nec dimittam. I [ 2] haue hym I holde hym and I wyll not leaue hym. The seconde Lesson is this that as our lorde was tormentyd crucified / deed, lamentyd or mournyd and also buryed: so we shuld lament hym [ 2] by compassion and compunction. Thyrd lesson is for riche men, which by the example of Ioseph ought to couer the nakydnes of Christ in the poore men, and so bury Christ in the sepulcre of his herte by charitable werkes doyng to the poore people.

¶A prayer.

O Iesu which for me at the houre of complen wold be buryed in a sepulcre lamentyd and keapte: graunt to me that thou my lord god may be buryed in the sepulcre of my hert and there lamentyd and keapt that I buried with the: may deserue to com to the glory of thy resurrection. Amen.

¶Here endyth the seconde parte of this Glasse or Myrour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat. 26. C.
• * 1.2

  Capitul. 13. D. 14. 15. 16. et. 17.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 26. ••.
• * 1.4

  Luce. 2••. ••
• * 1.5

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.6

  Libro. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.7

  Mat. 26. D
• * 1.8

  Marc. 14. D.
• * 1.9

  Mat. 26. D
• * 1.10

  Libro. 13.
• * 1.11

  Psalm. 21.
• * 1.12

  De Geues•• ad litterā .li. 4. ca. 9.
• * 1.13

  2. Cor. 7. C
• * 1.14

  Esay. 53. B
• * 1.15

  Mat. 26. D
• * 1.16

  Su{per} Ma••. 26.
• * 1.17

  Luce. 22. ••
• * 1.18

  Luce. 22. ••
• * 1.19

  Mat. 26. D
• * 1.20

  Mat. 25. D
• * 1.21

  Mat. 10. D & Luc. 10. C
• * 1.22

  Luc••. 22. ••
• * 1.23

  Su{per} Lucā li. 6. ca. 89.
• * 1.24

  Psal. 37. It Hier. 23. B.
• * 1.25

  Psalm. 67.
• * 1.26

  Psal. 137.
• * 1.27

  Glosa ordi∣na••ia.
• * 1.28

  Particle. 8.
• * 1.29

  Luce. 22. A.
• * 1.30

  Psalm. 54.
• * 1.31

  Psalm. 40.
• * 1.32

  Micheas 3. D.
• * 1.33

  Psalm. 68.
• * 1.34

  Prouerb. 23. C.
• * 1.35

  Mat. 26. E
• * 1.36

  Mat. 26. E
• * 1.37

  Ioh. 18. A.
• * 1.38

  Marc. 14. E.
• * 1.39

  Cap. 24. A.
• * 1.40

  Su{per}. Ioh. 18.
• * 1.41

  Marc. 14. E.
• * 1.42

  Luce. 11. C.
• * 1.43

  Ioh. 18. A.
• * 1.44

  Mat. 26. E
• * 1.45

  Luce. 22. E
• * 1.46

  Su{per} Lucā li. 10▪ ca. 95.
• * 1.47

  Luc. 22. E.
• * 1.48

  Mat. 26. E
• * 1.49

  Mat. 22. B
• * 1.50

  Mat. 20. B
• * 1.51

  Cap. 20. C.
• * 1.52

  Iob. 21. B.
• * 1.53

  Mat. 25. D
• * 1.54

  Ioh. 18. A.
• * 1.55

  Su{per}. Ioh. tra••••. 112. B.
• * 1.56

  Mat. 25. D
• * 1.57

  Ioh. 18. B.
• * 1.58

  Ioh. 17. B.
• * 1.59

  Ioh. 18. B.
• * 1.60

  Luce. 22. E
• * 1.61

  Ioh. 18. B.
• * 1.62

  Su{per} Mat.
• * 1.63

  Omel. 35.
• * 1.64

  Luce. 22. F.
• * 1.65

  Mat. 5. G.
• * 1.66

  Su{per} Lucā.
• * 1.67

  Capitu. 89.
• * 1.68

  Luce. 22. F.
• * 1.69

  Mat. 26. E
• * 1.70

  Ioh. 18. B.
• * 1.71

  Mat. 26. F
• * 1.72

  Psalm. 58.
• * 1.73

  Psalm. 93.
• * 1.74

  Tren̄. 3. F.
• * 1.75

  2. Cor. x. B
• * 1.76

  Luce. 2. G.
• * 1.77

  Mat. 17. D & 22. C.
• * 1.78

  Luc. 2.
• * 1.79

  Li. 1. ca. 10. G. & Li. 4. cap••. 70. B.
• * 1.80

  Ancelm{us} in dialogo pas¦sionis. M.
• * 1.81

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.82

  Iohā. 10 D.
• * 1.83

  Iosue. 2. C. ••. 6. D.
• * 1.84

  Rom. 8. B.
• * 1.85

  Mat. 26. F
• * 1.86

  Iob. 19. B.
• * 1.87

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.88

  Psalm. 21.
• * 1.89

  Abacuch. 3. A.
• * 1.90

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.91

  Cap. 53. C.
• * 1.92

  Mat. 17. B
• * 1.93

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.94

  Psalm. 87.
• * 1.95

  Psalmo. 21.
• * 1.96

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.97

  Psal. 2.
• * 1.98

  Tren̄. 4. A.
• * 1.99

  Zach. 13. C.
• * 1.100

  Mat. 26. C
• * 1.101

  Capi. 18. E.
• * 1.102

  Ioh. 18. C.
• * 1.103

  Cātic. 3. A. 5. C
• * 1.104

  Cap. 21. B.
• * 1.105

  Psalm. 68.
• * 1.106

  Psal. 109.
• * 1.107

  Britsch. in 40. lib. Al∣phabet. 44. B.
• * 1.108

  Ioh. 18. C.
• * 1.109

  Ibid. D.
• * 1.110

  Ibid. C.
• * 1.111

  Lu. 23. A. b.
• * 1.112

  Mar. 15. B
• * 1.113

  Ioh. 19. A.
• * 1.114

  Ioh. 19. C.
• * 1.115

  Iohā. 19 D.
• * 1.116

  Psal. 14. 2.
• * 1.117

  Psal. 118.
• * 1.118

  Prouer. 2. C.
• * 1.119

  Mat. 10. C.
• * 1.120

  Eccl. 32. B.
• * 1.121

  Ioh. 18. C.
• * 1.122

  Mat. 26. G
• * 1.123

  Luce. 22. F.
• * 1.124

  Ioh. 19. E.
• * 1.125

  Luc. 22. G.
• * 1.126

  Su{per} Mat 26.
• * 1.127

  Libro. 13.
• * 1.128

  Luc. 22. G.
• * 1.129

  Luc. 22. G.
• * 1.130

  Math. 26. G.
• * 1.131

  Marci. 14. G.
• * 1.132

  Eccl. 19. A.
• * 1.133

  Ioh. 18. C.
• * 1.134

  Ioh. 18. D.
• * 1.135

  Ibidem.
• * 1.136

  Ibidem.
• * 1.137

  Su{per} Iohn̄ trac••. Cxiii
• * 1.138

  Tren̄. 3. D.
• * 1.139

  Mich. 5. A.
• * 1.140

  Cap. vlt. D
• * 1.141

  Ioh. 18. D.
• * 1.142

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.143

  Marci. 14. F.
• * 1.144

  Iohn̄. 2. D.
• * 1.145

  Psal. Cxv.
• * 1.146

  Genes. 49. A.
• * 1.147

  Libro. iii.
• * 1.148

  Capi. lix.
• * 1.149

  Math. 26. F.
• * 1.150

  Su{per} Mat. 15.
• * 1.151

  Libro. 13.
• * 1.152

  Esaie. 53. C
• * 1.153

  Psal. 37.
• * 1.154

  Math. 26. F.
• * 1.155

  Su{per} Mat. 26.
• * 1.156

  Math. 26. F.
• * 1.157

  Marci. 14. G.
• * 1.158

  Su{per} Mar.
• * 1.159

  Libro. iiii.
• * 1.160

  Libro. 13.
• * 1.161

  Math. 10. G.
• * 1.162

  Libro. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.163

  Marci. 14. G.
• * 1.164

  Leui••. 24. C.
• * 1.165

  Math. 5. B
• * 1.166

  Math. 26. G.
• * 1.167

  Esaie. l. C.
• * 1.168

  Lira super.
• * 1.169

  Esa. l. capi.
• * 1.170

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.171

  Cant. 4. G.
• * 1.172

  Su{per} Mar. cap. 14.
• * 1.173

  Mat. 15. G
• * 1.174

  Mat. 26. G.
• * 1.175

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.176

  Ioh. 9. A.
• * 1.177

  Esa. liii. A.
• * 1.178

  In se••mōe de passione domini.
• * 1.179

  Su{per} Ma••. 14.
• * 1.180

  Math. 26. G.
• * 1.181

  Isydorus.
• * 1.182

  Libro. xi.
• * 1.183

  Ethicorum cap. 14.
• * 1.184

  Papias su∣per hāc dic∣tionem pal¦ma.
• * 1.185

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.186

  Sn{per} marc. 14. in fine.
• * 1.187

  Esaie. l. C.
• * 1.188

  Luc. 22. G.
• * 1.189

  Marc. 14. G.
• * 1.190

  Exod. 33. C.
• * 1.191

  Cant. 2. D.
• * 1.192

  Psal. lxxix.
• * 1.193

  Su{per}. Mar. 14.
• * 1.194

  Exo. 34. D.
• * 1.195

  Iudi••. 16. E. F.
• * 1.196

  Hie••. 3. A.
• * 1.197

  Su{per} Ma••. 14.
• * 1.198

  Math. 20. G.
• * 1.199

  Luce. 22. G
• * 1.200

  Math. 26. G.
• * 1.201

  Glosa ordi¦naria Ibid
• * 1.202

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.203

  Math. 27. E.
• * 1.204

  Ibidem.
• * 1.205

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.206

  Mat. 27. G
• * 1.207

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.208

  Mat. 27. G
• * 1.209

  Mat. 17. A
• * 1.210

  Ioh. 1••. C.
• * 1.211

  Ro••••. 13. A.
• * 1.212

  Su{per} Iohn̄ trac. Cxiiii
• * 1.213

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.214

  Ioh. 18. E.
• * 1.215

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.216

  Ioh. 18. E.
• * 1.217

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.218

  Ioh. 18. F.
• * 1.219

  Ibidem.
• * 1.220

  Su{per} Iohn̄ trac. Cxiiii.
• * 1.221

  Luc. 23. A.
• * 1.222

  Mat. 22. C
• * 1.223

  Mat. 17. D
• * 1.224

  Mat. 27. D
• * 1.225

  Eccl. 32. A.
• * 1.226

  Ioh. 18. F.
• * 1.227

  Ibidem.
• * 1.228

  Ibidem.
• * 1.229

  Apoc. 1••. C
• * 1.230

  Ioh. 18. G.
• * 1.231

  Ioh. 18. G.
• * 1.232

  Ibidem.
• * 1.233

  Su{per} Iohn̄ omel. 83.
• * 1.234

  Luc. 23. A.
• * 1.235

  Psal. lix.
• * 1.236

  Luc. 23. B.
• * 1.237

  Luc. 23. B.
• * 1.238

  Psal. C. xi.
• * 1.239

  Luc. 23. B.
• * 1.240

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.241

  Su{per} Lucā. Cap. 98.
• * 1.242

  Su{per}. 23. Luce.
• * 1.243

  Mat. 7. A.
• * 1.244

  Luc. 23. B.
• * 1.245

  Luc. 16. G.
• * 1.246

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.247

  Cap. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. B.
• * 1.248

  Su{per} Lucā. Cap. 98.
• * 1.249

  Luc. 23. B.
• * 1.250

  Ibidem.
• * 1.251

  Iudic. 15. A
• * 1.252

  Psal. 2.
• * 1.253

  Luce. 23. BC.
• * 1.254

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.255

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.256

  Luc. 23. C.
• * 1.257

  Mat. 27. C
• * 1.258

  Ibidem.
• * 1.259

  Omel. 35. su{per} Math.
• * 1.260

  Luc. 23. C.
• * 1.261

  Luc. 23. C.
• * 1.262

  Mat. 27. C
• * 1.263

  Gene. 3. B.
• * 1.264

  Deut. 25. A
• * 1.265

  Cap. 3. E.
• * 1.266

  Ioh. 19. A.
• * 1.267

  Su{per} Iohn̄ tract. cxvi.
• * 1.268

  Esaie. 1. C.
• * 1.269

  Deut. 25. A
• * 1.270

  Esaie. 1. B.
• * 1.271

  Su{per} Mat. 27.
• * 1.272

  Esae. 53. B
• * 1.273

  Psal. 37.
• * 1.274

  Su{per} Iohn̄ Omel. 83.
• * 1.275

  Mat. 17. B
• * 1.276

  Esae. 63. A.
• * 1.277

  Iaco. 5. D.
• * 1.278

  Cant. 7. B.
• * 1.279

  Ioh. 19. A.
• * 1.280

  Gene. 3. D.
• * 1.281

  Cant. 3. D.
• * 1.282

  Gen. 22. C.
• * 1.283

  Cap. 2. A.
• * 1.284

  Mat. 27. D
• * 1.285

  Ioh. 1••. F.
• * 1.286

  su{per} Math. 27.
• * 1.287

  Su{per} Mat. canone. 33.
• * 1.288

  Mat. 27. D.
• * 1.289

  Su{per} Mar. 15.
• * 1.290

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.291

  Gen. 9. D.
• * 1.292

  Quarto re∣gum. 2. D.
• * 1.293

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.294

  Su{per} Mar. 15.
• * 1.295

  Titū. 1. D.
• * 1.296

  Ioh. 19. A.
• * 1.297

  Mat. 27. D.
• * 1.298

  Vide Cale∣pinum et Suetoniū ī vita cesat̄.
• * 1.299

  Sanctus Thomas.
• * 1.300

  Su{per} Mar. 15.
• * 1.301

  Mar. 15. ••.
• * 1.302

  Ioh. 19. A.
• * 1.303

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.304

  Ioh. 19. A.
• * 1.305

  Su{per} Iohn̄ tract. cxvi.
• * 1.306

  Vbi. supra.
• * 1.307

  Pri•••••• co{rum}. 4. B.
• * 1.308

  Ioh. 19. A.
• * 1.309

  Psal. 56.
• * 1.310

  Iohel. 2. D
• * 1.311

  Su{per} psal. 63. D
• * 1.312

  Mar. 15. C
• * 1.313

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.314

  Sapien. 2. D.
• * 1.315

  Hier. 11. D.
• * 1.316

  Luc. 23. C.
• * 1.317

  Ioh. 19. A.
• * 1.318

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.319

  Ome••. 83. Su{per} Iohn̄
• * 1.320

  Ioh. 19. B.
• * 1.321

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.322

  Ioh. 19. B.
• * 1.323

  Su{per} Iohn̄ 19.
• * 1.324

  Ioh. 19. B.
• * 1.325

  Esae. 53. C
• * 1.326

  Pri•••• co{rum}. 2. B.
• * 1.327

  Ioh. 19. B.
• * 1.328

  Omel. 83. Su{per} Iohn̄
• * 1.329

  Luc. 19. D.
• * 1.330

  Ioh. 19. B.
• * 1.331

  Rom̄. 13. A.
• * 1.332

  Ioh. 19. B.
• * 1.333

  Psal. 56.
• * 1.334

  Ioh. 19. A.
• * 1.335

  Su{per} Iohn̄ trac. 114. & su{per} psal. 63.
• * 1.336

  Prouer. 18. D.
• * 1.337

  Ioh. 19. B.
• * 1.338

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.339

  Su{per} Iohn̄ trac. C.xvi.
• * 1.340

  Ioh. 19. C.
• * 1.341

  Mat. 27. B
• * 1.342

  Glos ordin̄ Su{per} Mat. 27.
• * 1.343

  Ioh. 19. C.
• * 1.344

  Ibidem.
• * 1.345

  Ibidem.
• * 1.346

  Ibidem.
• * 1.347

  Prim̄ co••. 11. G.
• * 1.348

  Su{per} Iohn̄ 19.
• * 1.349

  Mat. 27. C
• * 1.350

  Psal. 25.
• * 1.351

  Mat. 27. C
• * 1.352

  Apoc. 1. B.
• * 1.353

  Su{per} Mat. 27.
• * 1.354

  Mat. 27. C
• * 1.355

  Apoc. 1. B.
• * 1.356

  Prim̄ co••. 4. A.
• * 1.357

  Mat. 27. D.
• * 1.358

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.359

  Deut. 21. D
• * 1.360

  Ioh. 19. D.
• * 1.361

  Esaie. 9. B.
• * 1.362

  Philip 2. B
• * 1.363

  Gen. 22. B
• * 1.364

  Tertio re∣gum. 17. B.
• * 1.365

  Nū••. 13. C.
• * 1.366

  Psal. 44.
• * 1.367

  Mar. 15. B
• * 1.368

  Glosa ordi Ibidem.
• * 1.369

  Psal. 17.
• * 1.370

  Glos ordi•• Su{per} Mar. 15. &. Mat. 27.
• * 1.371

  Beda. Su{per} Lucā. 23.
• * 1.372

  Su{per} Mat. 27. &. Mar. 15.
• * 1.373

  Luce. 9. C.
• * 1.374

  Gala. 2. D.
• * 1.375

  Psal. C. 18.
• * 1.376

  Eccl. 12. D.
• * 1.377

  Eccle. 9. C.
• * 1.378

  Ioh. 19. D.
• * 1.379

  Leui. 9 & 10.
• * 1.380

  Luc. 23. D.
• * 1.381

  In libro de planctu vir¦ginis.
• * 1.382

  Luc. 23. D.
• * 1.383

  Luc. 23. D.
• * 1.384

  Luc. 23. D.
• * 1.385

  Psal. C. 18.
• * 1.386

  Mar. 15. B
• * 1.387

  Cap. 27. D
• * 1.388

  Psal. 68.
• * 1.389

  Psal. 68.
• * 1.390

  Ancel ī dia∣log passion̄.
• * 1.391

  Psal. C. 3.
• * 1.392

  Li. x. super Luc. ca. C.
• * 1.393

  Psal. C 39.
• * 1.394

  Psal. C. 18.
• * 1.395

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.396

  Lustra. se•• qui tam per acta.
• * 1.397

  Apoc. 22. A
• * 1.398

  Exod. 25. C
• * 1.399

  Psal. 34.
• * 1.400

  Rom̄. 12. A.
• * 1.401

  Luc. 23. E.
• * 1.402

  Colos. 2. C.
• * 1.403

  Pri. Timo. 2. B.
• * 1.404

  Mat. 27. F
• * 1.405

  Luc. 23. G.
• * 1.406

  Luc. 23. F.
• * 1.407

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.408

  Su{per} Mar. cap. 15.
• * 1.409

  Psal. C. 5.
• * 1.410

  Psal. 76.
• * 1.411

  Esac. 5. A.
• * 1.412

  Ioh. 19. C.
• * 1.413

  Mat. 21. D
• * 1.414

  In manua li. cap. 22.
• * 1.415

  Su{per} Mar. 15.
• * 1.416

  Secūda Pe¦tri. 1. A.
• * 1.417

  In manua li. cap. 21.
• * 1.418

  Gene. 6. A.
• * 1.419

  Prou. 11. C
• * 1.420

  Ezech. 1. B.
• * 1.421

  Secūda cor 3. B.
• * 1.422

  Psal. 67.
• * 1.423

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.424

  Glosa Cas¦siodori.
• * 1.425

  Psal. C. 18
• * 1.426

  An••el ī dia∣log passion̄.
• * 1.427

  Se•• de 〈◊〉〈◊〉 C. xxx. C.
• * 1.428

  Ioh. 12. E.
• * 1.429

  Ioh. 12. E.
• * 1.430

  Ome••. 84. Su{per} Iohn̄
• * 1.431

  Luc. 23. E.
• * 1.432

  Esa••. 53. D
• * 1.433

  Su{per} Lucā. cap. C. 2.
• * 1.434

  Rom̄. 2. D.
• * 1.435

  Gala. 5. D.
• * 1.436

  Gal. 6. D.
• * 1.437

  Ibidem. cap. 2. D.
• * 1.438

  Luc. 23. F.
• * 1.439

  Ephes. 3. D
• * 1.440

  In libro de¦vidēdo deo ad paul••••ā cap. 13.
• * 1.441

  Glosa ordi¦naria super Eph. 3.
• * 1.442

  Ioh. 19. E.
• * 1.443

  Psalm. 21.
• * 1.444

  Su{per} Iohn̄ Ome••. 84.
• * 1.445

  Thōs in ca¦thena super Mar. 15.
• * 1.446

  Cant. 6. C.
• * 1.447

  Ioh. 19. D.
• * 1.448

  Thōs in ca¦thena super Lu 23. & su{per} Mat. 15.
• * 1.449

  Su{per} Mat. 27.
• * 1.450

  De lita su{per} Iohn̄. 19.
• * 1.451

  Beda. Su{per} Mar. 15.
• * 1.452

  Su{per} Lucā. libro. 6. cap. x C.
• * 1.453

  Ioh. 19. D.
• * 1.454

  Iuxta .lxx. interpretes
• * 1.455

  Mat. 27. E
• * 1.456

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.457

  Ioh. 5. E.
• * 1.458

  Mat. 27. E
• * 1.459

  Artic••••. 13.
• * 1.460

  Mat. 27. E
• * 1.461

  Su{per} Mar. 15.
• * 1.462

  Ser de pas∣siōe domini
• * 1.463

  In prīcipio
• * 1.464

  Mat. 27. E
• * 1.465

  Math. 4. A
• * 1.466

  Luc. 23. F.
• * 1.467

  Luc. 23. E.
• * 1.468

  Psal. 94.
• * 1.469

  Su{per}. Lucā capi. x C.
• * 1.470

  Actuū. 2. G et. 4. A.
• * 1.471

  Esae. 53. D
• * 1.472

  In ser▪ fer̄. 4. ebdo pen̄
• * 1.473

  In serm̄ de passion̄ dn̄i.
• * 1.474

  Su{per} Mat. 27.
• * 1.475

  Iudic. 9. B
• * 1.476

  Ioh. 15. A.
• * 1.477

  Luce. 23. F.
• * 1.478

  Luc. 23. F.
• * 1.479

  Ser. C. xx. de tempore.
• * 1.480

  Ibidem.
• * 1.481

  Thōs in ca¦then̄ su{per} lu∣ce. cap••. 23.
• * 1.482

  Luc. 23. F.
• * 1.483

  Li. 18. mora¦liū. ca 25. B
• * 1.484

  Ser. C. xxx de tempore. I•• ser. Cxx.
• * 1.485

  Ser. C. xxx de tempore.
• * 1.486

  Ruth. 1. D.
• * 1.487

  Cant. 4. C.
• * 1.488

  Ioh. 19. E.
• * 1.489

  In medita∣tionib{us} vite x••i cap. 79.
• * 1.490

  Esae. 63. A.
• * 1.491

  Esae. 66. C
• * 1.492

  Luc. 2. E.
• * 1.493

  Pri. Reg. 4. D.
• * 1.494

  Exod. xx. B
• * 1.495

  Su{per} Iohn̄ ••rac. C. xix.
• * 1.496

  Mat. 27. E
• * 1.497

  Li. 3. de ••iui¦tate dei. ca. 15. B.
• * 1.498

  Libro. xiii.
• * 1.499

  Mat. 27. F
• * 1.500

  Psal. xC.
• * 1.501

  Su{per} psal. 21.
• * 1.502

  Psa. 21 iu•••• lxx. in••pre••.
• * 1.503

  Hebr. 5. B.
• * 1.504

  Psal. 68.
• * 1.505

  Iohan. 19.
• * 1.506

  Psal. 21.
• * 1.507

  Num̄. xx. B
• * 1.508

  Ioh. ••9. F.
• * 1.509

  Psalm. 68.
• * 1.510

  Su{per} Iohn̄ trac. C. xix. C.
• * 1.511

  Ioh. 10. F.
• * 1.512

  Scd a Tim̄. 4. B.
• * 1.513

  Tren̄. 3. B.
• * 1.514

  Luce. 23. F
• * 1.515

  Gala. 3. D.
• * 1.516

  Hebr. 5. B.
• * 1.517

  Hiero su{per} Mar. 15.
• * 1.518

  3. Ethi. Ca. vi.
• * 1.519

  Lib. 3. Ca. xxvii.
• * 1.520

  Pri. Petri. sedo. D.
• * 1.521

  Tren̄. prīo: E.
• * 1.522

  Pro. 4. B.
• * 1.523

  Luc. 18. C.
• * 1.524

  Psal. C.
• * 1.525

  1. Cor. xv. G.
• * 1.526

  Ibidem.
• * 1.527

  Beda. li. vi: Su{per}. Lucā capi. x C.
• * 1.528

  Scdo. regū primo. D.
• * 1.529

  Psal. C. xix
• * 1.530

  Heb. 4. C.
• * 1.531

  Apoc. 5. B.
• * 1.532

  Prīa. Pe••. 5. C.
• * 1.533

  Psal. xviii.
• * 1.534

  Luce. 15. B
• * 1.535

  Psal. C. i.
• * 1.536

  Psal. xliiii.
• * 1.537

  Sermone. C. xiiii. de t{per}e.
• * 1.538

  Scda Tim̄. 2. C.
• * 1.539

  Colos. 3. A.
• * 1.540

  Mat. 27. F▪
• * 1.541

  Ioh. 19. F.
• * 1.542

  Exo. xii. G
• * 1.543

  Ioh. 19. F.
• * 1.544

  Super dist. 2. 4. sen••••.
• * 1.545

  Canti. 2. A. iuxta. 70.
• * 1.546

  Aug{us} su{per}.
• * 1.547

  Ioh. tract. Ca. xx.
• * 1.548

  In Manu∣ali. Ca. 23.
• * 1.549

  Prīo regū. pri. A.
• * 1.550

  St Math. Ca. 27.
• * 1.551

  In libro de plāctu vir∣ginis.
• * 1.552

  Ro. iiii. D.
• * 1.553

  Ioh. 19. D.
• * 1.554

  Math. 27. G.
• * 1.555

  Li. xiii. in fine.
• * 1.556

  I•• ibidem.
• * 1.557

  1. Cor. x. A.
• * 1.558

  Math. 16. C.
• * 1.559

  Nu. 20. B.
• * 1.560

  Psal. lx.
• * 1.561

  Psal. C. iii.
• * 1.562

  Psal. 139.
• * 1.563

  Math. xxvii. G.
• * 1.564

  Li. xiii. in fine.
• * 1.565

  Psal. xv.
• * 1.566

  In libro. Treno{rum}.
• * 1.567

  Math. xxvii. G.
• * 1.568

  Li. xiii. in fine.
• * 1.569

  Ibidem.
• * 1.570

  Math. xxvii. G.
• * 1.571

  Thōs su{per}.
• * 1.572

  Math. 27.
• * 1.573

  Super. Math. in fin••.
• * 1.574

  Thōs su{per}.
• * 1.575

  Can••. 3. B.