Here begynneth the boke called the Pype, or tonne, of the lyfe of perfection The reason or cause wherof dothe playnely appere in the processe.

¶Of the .vii. keper of chastite / garde of touchyng, The .xi. Chapitre.

THe fyrst messenger of mischefe (as I said) is the syght or loke. The seconde / wantō / rude / vayne / or voyde / & specially vnclene wordes. The thyrde worse than bothe the other / is touchyng / brought ī: cōmunly by the other twayne. For touchynge bothe nat onely moue or stere: but also doth inflame / and set on fyre the affec¦tion. And so consequently: doth many tymes bryng the mynde / vnto a soden furie or madnes. So that nat onely good honestie / worshype / honoure / name or fame: but also heuen and hell: is clene forgotten. Whiche thynge hath ben proued / in suche persones of grauite: as (of longe tyme) haue ben knowen / of hyghe and meruelous perfection / and of most clene & chaste lyuynge.* 1.1 The scripture sayth as is ī the {pro}∣uerbe. Qui tangit picem, coinquinabitur ab ea. Who so wyl touche pytche: shalbe spotted therw^t / it bycō∣meth nat therfore y^e {per}sones religious to vse any tou¦chyng / nor to folowe the maner of seculer {per}sones / y^t in theyr cōgresses / & cōmune metyng{is} or departyng done vse to kysse / take hād{is} / or such other touching{is} that good religious {per}sones: shulde vtterly auoyde. And w^t a meke & lowe inclinacion salute the {per}sones w^t fewe word{is} / castyng downe the syght / & but very selden / & short tyme loking vpon the {per}sones. And in al the tyme of theyr cōmunicaciō: let euer theyr han¦des be couered and kepte close w^tin the habite. Tou¦chyng on all maner leyde on parte and auoyded.

For saynt Augustyne here in the rule sayth. Inta∣ctis ab immunda violacione corporibus. &c. That is to say: that chastite may be chased away and dryuē frō the hertes: without any touchyng of the bodies as though touchyng muste nede dryue away chasti¦te. And therfore diuerse holy fathers / as Gersō / An¦tonyne. auctor speculi spiritualium. and many other done {pro}hibite and torbede religious {per}sones / one to touche an other / for any familiarite / or without some necessite / althoughe both were of one sexe. And some of thē done say: That to touche wylfully & by deliberaciō: any naked parte / as hāde / or arme w^tout any cause nedefull / & with affection or carnall pleasure (althoughe no cōsent / nor mynde / were vn¦to any vnclene acte of the body) yet bycause the {per}so∣nes so touchynge / done wylfully put thē selfe in ieo∣perty: it shulde be deedly synne. For scripture sayth Who so loueth or hath pleasure in peryll or ieo{per}ty: shall fall or persshe therin.* 1.2 And the englysshe pro∣uerbe is. Who so wyll none yuell do: shulde do no∣thyng y^t longeth therto. The holy fathers therfore wyll nat allowe in any wyse: the cōmune excuse of many {per}sones / y^t done say / they be nothynge moued / ne done {per}ceiue any hurte or ieoparty: by honest kys¦synge or touchyng after good maner. The sayd fa∣thers wyll nat allowe those termes as agreable to¦gether / honest / & kyssyng / good maners: & touching excepte onely in maried makes / but ī no wyse amōg religious {per}sones. They ben vtterly deceyued y^t so done say. For the {per}sones so touchyng / without any consent of yuell done nat (peraduenture) for that tyme: perceyue any mocion of ieoparty / or peryll of synne: yet doth the ymage / the prynte / the fourme or

all maner maner of that kyssyng or touchyng: byde and remaine in the mynde and soule. And wyl an o∣ther tyme come vnto remembraunce vncalled / vnto the great trouble and vexacion of the deuout soule. We rede of a holy father / whome a good deuout wo man mekely bysoght to haue her in remembraunce and he answered sayng.* 1.3 I byseche our lorde dame (saythe he) that I neuer thynke vpon the whyle I lyue / many persones haue ben sore wounded & hurt that (for the tyme) felt no grefe therof. Yet sone after the wounde hath smerted full sore / and full long so continued vnheyled. The expert profe herof: is wry∣tyng for remēbraunce by the olde fathers. And so in lyke maner / of the syght and speache. Whiche thre done (for the moste parte) folowe eche other.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Eccl. 13. A.
• * 1.2

  Eccle. 3. D
• * 1.3

  Vitas pa.