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 thyrde essenciall vowe of religion. Chastite.

¶Preface.

THis is the .iii. table or borde of your Tonne or Pype.* 1.1 That is to say / pure chastite. And why we put this vowe laste ī order: ye shall haue our pore mynde & reason. All these .iii. vertues / obediēce / pouer∣te / & chastite / y^t nowe ben promised by solēpne vowe / & open {pro}fession: were in y^e begyn∣nyng of Christ{is} churche: vniuersally kepte of all spi¦ritual {per}sones: more streytly / in more {pre}cise maner / & in more full {per}fection: w^tout any vowe (as we haue sayd in y^e laste boke) or {pro}myse: thā they be nowe: w^t all {pro}myse & vowe. For in y^e tyme: these essencialles were kept by the holy Apostles / & theyr successours many yeres: as the moste {per}fecte fourme of Christes lyfe & religion / y^t is: y^e lawe of the gospell. Fyrst for obediēce: he sayd of hymselfe.* 1.2 I came nat (sayth he) into this worlde: to worke or do myne owne wyll: but (by due obediēce) to accōplysshe / & to do y^t wyll of my father. And saynt Paule sayth:* 1.3 he was for vs made obediēt vnto deth. The gospell also doth wyt¦nes / y^t in his owne {per}sone god & mā:* 1.4 he was obediēt vnto his carnal parēt{is}: mary his blessed & naturall mother / & Ioseph his supposed father. And he was alway also obedient vnto the lawe / in his circūcisi∣on / {pre}sentacion / & other holy ceremonies: althoughe he were aboue y^e lawe / & nothing subiecte / ne boūde thervnto. Thus & by many other meanes: dyd he

shewe / and set forthe obedience / as examplar of ex∣cellent vertue: of all his disciples to be folowed. And in that he had nothynge proper / but all in com¦mune: he expressed wylfull pouerte in hym selfe. And as vnto his virginall and moste pure chastite: no man euer made doute / whiche holy vertues: he dyd nat onely perfourme in hym selfe: but also he wylled / perswaded / and counsayled al his disciples and all other (called thervnto by grace) to folowe y^e same. Whiche sayd example / and coūsayle (after the ascencion of Christe / and whan they had receyued the holy ghoste) his holy Apostles: dyd folowe and kepe in moste perfecte and precise maner. And by theyr example and instruction: so dyd the prelates / and the spirituall parte of the churche: many many yeres. But whan afterwarde / the people byganne to fall vnto the maners agayne / and customes of gē¦tilite / and so these thynges bygāne moche to decay: many holy and deuoute persones: moued of grace: fled / and dyd forsake the worlde / with the vices / de∣lites / and pleasures therof / and went into wylder∣nes / where without any bonde / profession / or {pro}mise they retourned vnto the reule / and example of y^e old churche of Christe. And of theyr one deuout mynde and fre wyll: they continued and perfourmed / in {pre}∣cise maner: the said fourme of lyuyng / in them selfe and by them selfe alone. By whose example: many persones than toke the same waye. And came vnto the elders:* 1.5 and of theyr owne mynde and fre wyll: toke instruction / and were disciples & moste lowly obedient vnto them / as we rede of saynt Paule / saīt Antony / and diuerse other. And so dyd they (after the maner of the Apostles and of the fyrst churche of

Christe) make: nat only theyr good{is}: but also theyr laboures cōmune. And pure chastite: had they in re¦uerence / and euer with drede in extreme maner: a∣uoyded and fled the familiarite and presence: of the contrarie secte. yet holy fathers / perceyuyng that these holy vertues bygāne againe to decay: {pro}uided and made rules / statut{is} / & ordinaūces / for the more sure continuaūce of the same. As saynt Basile / oure holy patron saynt Augustyne / saint Benedicte / and saynt Franciske.* 1.6 Whiche rules ben nowe (by y^e auc∣torite of holy churche) incorporate in the lawe. So that who so euer do wylfully professe any of them: muste nede (vnder payne of deedly synne) kepe the same / as vnto the essencialles of the same rules / whi¦che ben: obedience / wylfull pouerte / and chastite. And so nowe those .iii. sayd vertues / whiche byfore were vnto all persones: coūsayles of liberte: ben vn¦to them that done wylfully professe them: cōmaūde∣mentes and bondes of necessite. The vertue ther∣fore of obedience is fyrste in ordre: bycause it was fyrste shewed out in example by our sauiour Iesu / that from the age of .xii. yeres dyd worke / and per∣fourme obedience vnto his carnall parentes: vnto the age of .xxx. yeres / neuer in any age disobedient. And althoughe he were euer of moste pure chastite yet was his pouerte set forthe in example / and she∣wed byfore chastite. And also bycause that the mys∣order / & misuse of worldly goodes: haue ben alway occasiō of y^e misorder of the body / and breakynge of chastite. For very fewe persones of aboūdaūt ry∣ches haue kept {pre}cisely y^e purite of meritorious cha∣stite. I saye meritorious:* 1.7 bycause euery chastite is nat meritorious. So dothe our sauiour declare by

his owne mouth sayng. Some persones ben chaste of byrthe / & naturall disposicion. Some other ben cōstreyned by violēce to be chaste / as those that ben depriued of theyr natural mēbres / called eunuches / or those y^e ben restreyned by force / and kept frō theyr owne liberte & wyll. And bothe these chastites: ben cōmunely without merite. The thyrde maner of chastite: is of suche {per}sones / as for the kyngdome of heuen / y^t is to say: for the religion of Christe: done wylfully by vowe and promyse / depriue them selfe / of al actes of generacion. And done kepe chastite in due maner accordyng vnto theyr state / condicion & callyng. And this chastite bycause of the wordes of Christe / y^t done folowe: is called a counsayle of cha¦stite / and nat a cōmaūdement or boūde thervnto. For he sayd forthwith.* 1.8 Qui potest capere: capiat. Let euery {per}sone (sayth he) y^t hath natural strengthe & grace / & may kepe this chastite / and can also vn∣derstande what I meane / & howe I speke: let that {per}¦sone I say: take this chastite vpon hym & kepe it / so that no persone is boūde thervnto but suche as may & wyll take it vpon them.* 1.9 Natwithstandyng: wher our sauiour in the gospell of Luke: dothe gyue cer∣teyne monicions vnto his owne disciples: bysyde & aboue that were gyuen or spoken vnto the cōmune people:* 1.10 he sayd. Sint lumbi vestri precincti. &c. Let your bodies (sayth he) and your wylles: be restrey∣ned from all carnal concupiscence of vnclēnes / whi¦che sayng: semeth to be a cōmaundement vnto them that than were nombred for his disciples / and dyd wylfully take vpon them to folowe hym. Wherby doth also seme: that all the clergie and all religious {per}sones: shulde of cōueniency: be boūde to kepe cha∣stite

/ in more precise maner: thā the lay people. For they also and all christianes ben boūde to kepe cha∣stite / after a due and lawfull maner / and ferce other wyse than the infideles done.

¶Of the diffinicion / or determinacion / of this worde chastite / and fyrst in generall. The fyrste Chapitre.

WE shal nowe therfore intreatyng of this noble vertue chastite: shewe fyrst of the terme / what this worde chastite dothe meane or signifie. For that name chasti¦te: may be taken generally / & in a large maner. And so doth it by token: discrecion / modera∣cion / or a due meane in all thynges to be done / as chaste in eatyng / drynkyng / slepyng / and generally in all maner of vertues / cōmune both vnto the soule and body. But as the terme chastite doth betoken: of the selfe {pro}pre significaciō: so doth it ap{per}teyn vn¦to y^e body / & vnto the clēnes & due order therof. For chastite hath {pro}perly y^e name: of chastesynge / or cor∣rection / bycause y^e chastite: doth chastice & corect the body / as y^e rod (in maner) doth y^e chylde.* 1.11 Chastite thā thus taken: may be called a restreynt of the na∣tural / & bodely acte of generation. Or (as saynt Au¦gustine sayth) Chastite is a vertue / y^e doth refrayne & subdue y^e assayles & hasty mortōs of the fylty plea∣sure of y^e body: vnder y^e yoke & rule of reason.* 1.12 * 1.13 Or as the same saynt Augustyne sayth agayne. Chastite may be called / a clene & honest state or byhauiour of al y^e hole body / by y^e restrict & rebatyng of y^e furies & wyld hasty mociōs of vice. But bicause this maner of chastite: doth extēd to al degres of christianes / as wel wedded

as singule / wedowes and virgins. And we done here intreate onely of the chastite that dothe apper∣teyne vnto religious {per}sones: we shall therfore leue that cōmune chastite / and speake of this chastite af¦ter our entreprise.

¶Of chastite as it doth apperteine vnto religious persones. The seconde Chapitre.

CHastite / than (after this purpose) maye be called a vertue / that by the promyse of so∣lēpne vowe:* 1.14 doth restreyne / and vtterly {pro}∣hibite / and forbede in all maner of wise: y^e natural acte of generacion for euer / in all {per}sones / y^t done {pro}fesse the vowe of chastite solemply. For with this chastite so bowed: may no mortall persone dis∣pence / no (I say) nat the pope hym selfe / ne the hole churche (the {per}sone remaynyng religious) howe be it that the pope & the vniuersall churche: maye for a cause reasonable (after some doctores) dispence w^t a religious {per}sone: for his religion / & so make of a re¦ligious {per}sone: a {per}sone seculer / as he was byfore. But that is nat or shulde nat be moche vsed. And therfore (as I sayd) this chastite is vndispensable. For his maner of chastite / as well as is obedience / & wylfull pouerte: is vnto euery religious {per}sone: es¦senciall. That is to say: w^tout whiche thynge no {per}∣sone may be a {per}sone religious. No more thā a mā: without a reasonable soule: maye be a man. Whan I speake here of a {per}sone / or persones religious / I meane suche {per}sones as ben {pro}fessed by solēne vowe which ī y^e cōmune canō lawe ben called mōkes.

¶Of the prayse and perfecte of chastite. The thyrde be Chapitre.

THis maner of chastite without any vowe / but purely kepte and {per}fourmed in effecte / as it was many yeres (as we shewed by∣fore) is a noble vertue / moche pleasaūt vn¦to our lorde / and of great {pro}fecte / & hyghe merite to the selfe {per}sones. For it doth make man: familiar w^t god as Angell{is} ben if they haue also other vertues accordyng. For the chast {per}sone: dothe nothynge or but lytell (in maner) diffre from Angel in y^e vertue / althoghe Angell moche doth excede in felicite. And chastite also doth vanquisshe / and put the dyuel vn¦to flyght: more strōgly & myghtely: than other ver∣tues. And chastite: doth very redely {pre}pare and opē the waye in mannes soule: vnto all other vertues. And where man by synne: is thrale & bonde vnto sē∣sualite: this vertue of chastite doth helpe hym well vnto fredome & liberte: And it also doth garnysshe / apparell & make goodly the soule w^tinforth / & make it lyke vnto the kyng{is} dogther of blesse: meruelous fresshely & pleasaūtly:* 1.15 & therfore saynt Augustyne / doth call chastite: the pulcritude / fayrnes & beaute of the soule. Yet natwithstandynge: this chastite that we done describe & intreate-entreprised / taken / & {pro}¦mysed by solēpne vowe: is moche aboue & of more hyghe meryte / & rewarde: bycause of the vowe: thā is any other chastite. And therfore y^e ghostly enemy is more busy & labourious to assayle / trouble / & des∣troy this chastite / thā any other.* 1.16 Saynt Augustine sayth / y^t emonge all the batayles & tētacions of chri¦stianes: the batayle of chastite: is (for a certeynte) more sharpe & ieo{per}dons: than any other batayle. Bycause y^t in y^e batatayle: is cōtinuall feghtynge / & rare or seldē victorie. For seldē doth synguler beute

and pure chastite: dwel and peasebly agre to gether in one {per}sone. And therfore is chastite called a bryd / rare & seldē sene vpon erth / moche like vnto a black swanne. Rara auis in terris: nigro{que} simillima cygno. yet is the batayle of religious persones:* 1.17 more hard and daungerous: than any other. And therfore of more noble victorie and moste hyghe rewarde.* 1.18 By reasō wherof: y^e religious {per}sones ben more streytly bounde to gyue hede / and to haue themselfe w^t more deligency / in awayte for the custody and kepyng of chastite / and to be more carefull and dredfull of the losynge and breakyng therof: than any other perso¦nes. For as chastite duely kepte: is of hyghe merite and glorious rewarde: So brokē: is it of most hor∣rible and depe dampnacion.

¶Of the custody of chastite / and that chastite is in the preceptes of the rule. The fourthe. Chapitre.

OVr diligence and pore mynde / shalbe therfore to intreate of those thynges y^t may sme conueniēt & moche {pro}fitable vnto y^e custody and sauegarde of this noble vertue / in thē specially / that (by solempne vowe of profession) haue bounde thēselfe thervnto. And bycause we done writ specially vnto the disciples that haue {pro}fessed the rule of oure holy patron saynt Augustyne: we shall folowe the ordre of the same. Natwithstandyng: that some persones haue sayd vnto me in quicke voyce / y^e I coulde nat fynde in the sayd reule of saynt Augustyne / that he dothe gyue any commaundement of chastite / as he

dothe of obedience and pouerty. Whervnto myne answere was: that by y^e reason / our lorde god / gaue no cōmaūdement agayne opression / extorcion / and brybrie. For the very selfe cōmaundement is onely agayne thefte. But thervnto: I was shortly answe¦red / that our lorde dyd {pro}hibite and forbede y^e more: in that he dyd forbede y^e lesse. So than dyd I bring the persone vnto the trouthe of saynt Augustynes rule. Where is expresse cōmaundement agayne the mysuse of the syght of lyght cast therof. And the payne or punisshement for the same appoynted. Wherby doth folowe / and that by the wordes of the same rule: his cōmaūdement and prohibicion to be nat onely agayne the syght: but also of all other be∣hauiours contrarious vnto the vertue of chastite. So that vnto the sure custody and garde of merito¦rious chastite: many other vertues ben required / & many vices and occasions: to be fled / exchued and a¦uoyded. And therfore saynt Augustyne: byfore he byganne to intreate of chastite: dyd bynde his dis∣ciples / vnto the loue of god and of the neghbour / as preceptes of very necessite vnto saluacion. And thā vnto vnite / of one herte / one minde / one loue / and so vnto quietude / and restfulnes among themselfe. And thā forthw^t: vnto wylful pouerte. And althogh he semeth to make none ex{pre}sse mencion of obediēce vnto the .vii. chapitre: yet is obediēce euery where vnderstande as gouernour / maystres / lady / & soue∣reyne / of all the hole rule / & euery poynt therof. For euery thyng is remitted vnto y^e wyl / discreciō / & ap¦poyntement of y^e souereyne. And all this dyd saynt Augustyne set forth byfore / bycause y^t w^tout these: chastite nothyng or lytell doth auayle.

¶Of the fyrst keper and the seconde: that is prayer and abstinence. The .v. Chapitre.

THe fyrste keper than / of chastite: doth he assigne to be prayer. The diuine seruice of al religious {per}sones. Wherby grace is obteyned & gotten / w^tout which: no {per}son can be chaste / & all these vertues ben cōteyned in the fyrste / & seconde chapitre of saynt Augustynes rule And in the begynnyng of the thyrde chapitre / doth he (for the seconde garde of chastite) ordre al his dis¦ciples vnto due temperaūce or abstinence.* 1.19 I wyll (sayth he) that you rebate & kepe lowe your bodies / by the abstinence of meate & drynke / as moche as y^e strength of nature may beare. Herein doth nat saīt Augustyne appoynt any certein dayes of abstinēce ne yet forbede any kynde of meates or drynkes / but y^t he wyll a due quantite be vsed after discrecion / & y^t to be taken in due tyme & place.* 1.20 And so meanethe saynt Augustyne / y^t the disciples of this rule: shuld kepe due tēperaunce / euery day & euery tyme. For he knewe wel y^e one tyme to fede at pleasure / & an o∣ther tyme to fast: shulde rather inflame: than rebate or correcte y^e body. And therfore wolde he: theyr fast shulde be continuall / with as moche lacke and scar∣cety: as nature myght beare. So that the body be some what punished in euery mele / and neuer to be fully saciate and contented / after sensuall desyre of appetite.* 1.21 For the olde fathers wolde say it were nat possible for any persone to kepe the very purite and clēnes of chastite / y^e wolde fede & cōtent the appetite of the body w^t onely bread & water / moche more thā

if it be fed with delicates. Wherfore saynt Augu∣stine cōmaunded the disciples of this reule:* 1.22 to take refection at due tyme. So that bysyde meletyme: they shulde take no maner of fode for any cause: ex∣cepte infirmite / or very and vnfeyned necessite / whi¦che hathe no lawe. For those persones that done nat kepe certeyne houres in fedynge: done selden / or ne¦uer: kepe due temperaūce without superfluite / but as bruyte bestes: done rather fede / and pompre: thā rebate or correcte the body. And yet may those per∣sones that done kepe theyr due tymes: moche offēd in quantite. For y^e superfluite or surfet of one mele may distempre / and vndispose the body many daies after. And where saynt Augustyne sayth. Quando sederitis ad mensam. &c. Whan ye do sit at the table. &c. There doth he cōmaunde all the disciples of his reule: to take theyr meles in one due place. And that for two causes / one: that ī y^e fedyng of theyr bodies: they shulde also / by the same lesson of the worde of god: be all in lyke maner / fed ī soule. And other cause is: to auoyde the cōpany and familiarite / of seculer persones / wherby they ben oftymes prouoked to ex¦cede due temperaunce / bysyde other occasiōs / wher¦of we shall speke hereafter. And in this poynt of the rule: done the suffreynes / and officers: most offēde / which done many tymes: more delite / and take plea¦sure to sit at mele tymes ī theyr parloures / chābres / or priuate lodgynges / with seculers / or with theyr familiares: than amonge the couent in the fraytour Whiche natwithstandynge: is theyr moste due / and moste conuenient place of fedyng / where they shuld haue the conforte and perfecte / of that holy lesson / & moche also / bothe editie / and be edified. And con∣trary

where they ben: they done oftyme here ma¦ny voyde and vayne wordes / and both gyue & take occasion. Here me semeth I do here theyr excuse. The busines of the monasterie / syr (saye they) is in cause / we can nat kepe the houres and tyme of the co¦uent / and do all our duete for necessarie ordinaūce of the monasterie. yet say I they can nat fynde / ne yet make reason / that they may (excepte in iourney beyng lawfully forth) company with any lay perso¦nes. For saynt Augustyne sayth in this rule / that y^e disciples therof: ben nat prohibite / ne letted or for∣bodē / to loke vpon the contrarie sexe whan they (for any cause reasonable) done go forth / as though by∣dyng within the monasterie / so to loke were vnlaw¦full. For it were voyde and playne foly: to gyue thē licence to loke vpon that thynge without the mona¦sterie: that they myght at liberte: se / and loke vpon within. And holy saynt Benedicte wolde nat suffre his owne natural syster (and she natwithstandyng a holy religious woman) to come w^tin y^e monastery but euer whan she came: he went forth vnto her. I thinke therfore / it were more cōuenient for any such officers / whā they myght nat kepe the due houres & tyme: than to sit in silence at a later mele / in y^e same place where the couent was / or (as the leest) in some parloure or place / appoynted for suche chaunces / & neuer in any wyse to be serued / ne yet to haue the cō¦pany of any lay persones. For els can they nat preci¦sely kepe the mynde of the rule / whiche ī this thyrde chapitre: doth ordre the disciples therof vnto absti∣nence / as a necessary keper and sure garde of chasti∣te. For who so doth excede due temperaūce: shal ne∣uer precisely kepe due chastite. So thā (after saynt

Augustyne) abstinence is necessarie vnto the religi¦ous persone that hath vowed chastite. But bycause there ben diuerse degrees of abstinence: ye wolde {per}¦aduēture / I shulde here appoynt you some fourme and maner of abstinēce. Whervnto I must answere that we do nat here intreate of abstinence ī especial / but generally as it doth apperteyne vnto the custo∣dy of chastite. And also: it is very harde to put any certeyne fourme therin / bycause of the diuerse dispo¦sicions of persones. For vnto some persones: a lytel quātite is ouermoch. And vnto some other: a large quantite is to lytell. To moderate therfore / and to kepe therin due measure: is lerned by experience & discrecion. For the very hyghe poynt of abstinence: and of all vertues doth stande euer in a due meane. That is (after the lernynge of saynt Augustyne in this place) to take fode euer with the moste scarcite. But yet so: y^t nature therby do nat suffre any hurte or notable decaye. But to be serued with aboun∣daūce of diuerse and delicate meates and drynkes: And there to kepe cōstaūtly that due measure with out excesse: I thynke verely is an hygh poynt of {per}∣fectiō / & (in maner) of the merite of virginite / or ra∣ther of martyrdome. But if we do nat atteyne vnto this hyghe poynt: yet may we w^t diligence & grace: come vnto that degre of abstinence / whervnto al re¦ligious persones ben boūde after my consciēce / that is to say: So to kepe abstinence: y^t (except a very & vnfeined nede) they neuer take fode out of due time ne out of due place. And that they neuer surfet lo ne ouercharge the body: that they be therby vnable to do & to {per}fourme the duete of religion.

¶Of the thyrde keper of chastite laboure. The .vi. Chapitre.

NOwe than let vs go forthe. Next vnto ab¦stinence: saynt Augustyne in the same cha¦pitre: dothe (for an other / custos / keper / & garde / of chastite) oppoynt / and set forth: labour / in auoydynge of ydlenes / the great enemye of chastite / whiche ydlenes: saynt Augustyne dothe there call an abhominacion / and the moste hatefull pouerte / and misorder of any monastery. Where (as he saythe) nat onely the persones of pore and lowe byrthe: but also the persones that were of great ry∣ches / honoure and noble byrthe: shulde (accor∣dyng vnto theyr strength and power) be laborious that is to say / continually occupied in laboures. For after all doctoures / no pestilence is more peri∣lous vnto chastite: than ydlenes. For it doth nat o∣nely rēdre the chaste persone / apte / and redy to take lyghtly offred occasiōs of corrupcion: but also doth furiously assayle / moue / and stere the minde: to seke and giue occasions vnto y^e same corrupcion. Where contrarie / laboure / and continual occupacion: doth gyue no place ne tyme vnto temptacion / but rather doth purifie the mynde / and so dothe kepe bothe the soule and the body: in good astate and condicion. Wherfore euery religious persone (after my poore mynde) shulde other by the cōmaundement of the so¦uereyne / or els of selfe election: be appoynted vnto some certeine occupacion / for euery day / & for euery houre of the daye / continually to be exercised with∣out interrupcion / excepte chaūce reasonable: shulde let. As the religious men / to gyue / and applie them selfe: vnto the study of holy scripture / or approued auctores / if they be lerned thervnto / or yet if they haue youth / and capacite to lerne / and if nat: thā to

be occupied in prayer and contemplacion / all y^e fore none. And in the afternone to be exercised ī some bo¦dely labour{is} / or els ī wrytyng or rehersyng of some maters red / or lerned byfore. And all this I meane for the voyde houres / bysyde diuine seruice / and all dueties of religion. For I wyl nat graunt that any religious persone: may be absent from any parte of cōmune duety (excepte onely obediēce / and cause of very and vnfeyned nede) For (as scripture saythe) better is obedience: than oblacion / or sacrifice.* 1.23 And an approued doctoure saythe. What so euer ye do (your duete of bonde: vndone or lefte) is nothynge vnto your lorde god / thankful / ne acceptable. I haue the same mynde of al religious womē / as theyr ler∣nynge doth extende. So that euer theyr occupaci∣ons be amonge them selfe / and nat in any wyse: in the presence of company of men / excepte it were for the lernynge of suche thynges as the religious wo∣men coulde nat well teache them selfe / as is cōmun∣ly / to synge / rede / and vnderstande / and yet nat ther¦fore: without the present company of some syster or syters. And that all theyr laboures: be (accordyng vnto the rule) vnto the auaūtage of the cōmunalte / and nat for theyr owne pleasure / ne singuler {per}fecte. In any wyse / se well / that by some good occupaciō: they exile and auoyde ydlenes / the nurse of all syn∣nes / specially vnclennes. For as scripture saythe. Multam maliciam docuit ociositas. Ydlenes is tea∣cher of moche malice and many mischeues / And yet sayth the englysshe prouerbe / better it is to be ydle:* 1.24 than yuell occupied. Alas than: why shulde any re∣ligious persone: of yuelles: chose the worst? That is to say: Why shulde the religious {per}sone: in auoy∣dynge

of ydlenes: folowe gēttlite? that is / for theyr passetymes: applie them selfe vnto veyne seculer & vnlawfull games? as decyng / carding / boulyng / ta¦bles / and teneyse / with suche other? Whiche games done rather apperteine vnto gentiles thā vnto chri¦stianes / nothyng framyng with good religion.* 1.25 I can nat se in conscience it myght be lawfull for reli∣gious persones / to here minstrelles / play / and syng nor yet to loke vpō these interludes & playes / wher∣in ben many thynges ful deuout / and that myght e∣difie. But, bycause there ben many other thinges of mere vanites mixed with the other: I thynke they do more harme than good / and no thynge done by∣come religiō. For without fayle they bene spectacles of mere vanites. Whiche the worlde callethe pasty∣tymes / and I call them waste tymes / specially in re¦ligion. For there shulde be no pastymes / excepte o∣nely bodely laboures / walkynge in prayer / medita¦cion or honest / sobre / and godly cōmunicacion. And al thynges to be done reasonably / w^t religious ma∣ner and byhauiour / auoydynge euery where: al oc∣casions of yuell.

¶Of the thyrde keper of chastite habite. The .vii. Chapitre.

THe thyrde custos or keper of this holy chastite: is set forth by saynt Augusti¦ne in the rule.* 1.26 Religious habite & sad aray. Wherof we haue spokē vpon y^e fourthe Chapitre of the said rule and yet more largely / in the fyrst parte of this worke / & in your locall cōstitucions. This in trouth: ye may surely beleue / if the maner and byhauiour of habite

or aray: shulde nothynge conduce or helpe vnto per¦fection: holy fathers wolde neuer haue vsed them selfe / ne yet appoynted / and ordened / for religious persones: any other habite or aray: than were com∣mune vnto al christianes. But bycause they knewe by grace / that the outwarde habite or aray / and the maner of the wering therof: doth partely shewe out¦warde: the inwarde affecte / and appetyte of y^t herte and mynde / therfore the holy fathers wolde apoynt suche habite / as shulde shewe forth vnto the edifica¦cion of al christianes: what affection and deuocion of herte / they shuld haue: that done take vpon them the perfection of religion.* 1.27 And that (as saynt Au∣gustyne saythe in the rule) in theyr araye and in all byhauiour. they shulde nat offende the syght of any persone: but do rather that shulde bycome theyr sāc¦tite and holynes. For the occasion of misordred a∣ray or habite / both gyuen and taken: hathe bene the ruyne and distruction of many {per}sones / as we fynde in scripture. In Genesis is wryten.* 1.28 Videntes filij dei filias hominum. &c. That is: The people of god that than had feyth and byleue in hym / by occasion of the araye / and misbyhauiour of the infideles: spe¦cially the women / dyd fall fyrste in affection of thē / and after with them: into ydolatry / and vnto mys∣chefe. Se nowe / howe by the syght and lokyng vp∣on theyr araye: goddes people dyd take that occasi∣on. For those infideles / were of the stocke of Cayn / and had with hym (longe byfore those dayes) forsa¦ken god and his lawes / and therfore they dyd with our drede / set forth them selfe: in habite / araye / and al mysordred byhauiour / vnto carnalite & bestlines In y^e same boke of scripture.* 1.29 Dina y^e doghter of Ia¦cob:

by occasion of aray: was rauysshed / loste her virgi∣nite / and was cause of moche blodshede / and venge¦aunce. And Iudas her broder / one of the .xii. sones of Iacob: by occasiō of aray: had carnall knowlege of his owne doughter in lawe / contrarie vnto the lawe and custome that tyme vsed. And the holy wi∣dowe Iudithe / whan se wolde desceyue the tyranne Oliferne:* 1.30 dyd put awaye her religious aray / and clothed and garnisshed her selfe in the aray / after y^e maner of gentilite. And so dyd quene Hester for the pleasure of her kynge / but whan se was at her owne liberte / out of his presence:* 1.31 she ware the aray of pe∣naunce / mekenes / and perfection. And in this tyme many women done excuse the wantones of theyr a∣ray: by the imperie and wyll of theyr housbondes / and some in very dede ben compelled: other {per}sones done allege the cōmune custome / and maner of the place or tyme. But religious persones haue none suche excuse. For they shulde folowe the rules and ordinaunces of the olde fathers / that consideringe these sayd / and many other occasions of imperfecti∣ons in the maner and weryng of araye: dyd deuise and ordeyne the habite of religious persones: to be obiecte / vile / and out of al seculer fashon. And ther vnto course / rughe / and harde / nothyng to cheryshe the body / but rather to couer the vnclene carcas / & to punisshe and kepe lowe the fals flesshe. Alas thā why shulde any religious {per}sones / y^t haue entrepri∣sed and vndertakē wylful pouerte by solempne vo∣we: and (for the same) haue clene forsaken the world And neuer (excepte nede) shulde appere in the syght and pres̄ce of any seculer persones: haue any delec∣tacion or pleasure in aray? Saynt Augustine / was

ashamed or abashed of a precious garment. And whan any suche garmentes were offred / or gyuen vnto hym: he wolde nat were them but rather sell them / and make the money cōmune. But the world (as they saye in the englysshe prouerbe) is tourned vp so downe / that is to meane: vnto a cōtrarie four∣me or maner. For nowe / fewe persones seculer: haue more fyne or precious araye: than haue some religious persones. And yet (that is more abho∣minable) more seculer: than gentyles or, turkes. And therfore / theyr chastite is kepte therafter / oure lorde amende it. Saint Augustyne in the rule doth cōmaunde the disciple therof / saynge:* 1.32 Let neuer your habite nor araye be notable / ne euer haue you pleasure / in clothynge or apparell: but in good re∣ligious maners and byhauiour.

¶Of the fourthe keper of chastite. The .viii. Chapitre.

ANd forth with after the precept:* 1.33 he doth adioyne an other keper and {pre}seruer of chastite. That is to say / gesture and out¦warde byhauiour of the body. Wherof also we haue wryten vnto you at large: in the fyrste boke of these thre vowes. Saynt Am∣brose sayth / that the gesture and byhauioure of the body: is as a voyce or speche / that doth shewe / and telforthe: the inwarde affectes / and appetites of the herte and mynde. And here in the rule / saynt Augu¦styne wyll:* 1.34 they gyue good hede / and diligence vn∣to religious gestures / and byhauiours / sayng vnto the disciples of the same. Whan ye go forth / go to gyther. And whan ye come / whether ye went: byde

to gether / and in your pase goynge / and in your ha¦bite werynge / and in your standyng / or restyng. And in all our mouynges / sterynges / gestures / & byhauiours / loke you shewe euer / y^e exāple of good and godly conuersacion. So that you nothyng do: that shulde slaunder / gyue occasion / or offende the syghte of any persone / all vnto edificacion / and as shulde bycome / or byseme your sanctite / holynes / & perfection. In these wordes and sentēces / ben ma∣ny [unspec 1] thynges notable. Fyrste where he sayth go to ge¦ther: is noted that a persone religious: shuld neuer be alone / that is to say: without some persone or {per}∣sones of his owne couent or religion / as after shall [unspec 2] be shewed. The secōde notable: is / the pase ī goyng that is nat one byfore a nother / but bothe together. [unspec 3] The thyrde notable / the fourme and fashon of y^e ha∣bite / both in lyke shapen / of lyke length and brede / or wydnes / or one coloure / nat one violet / an other blacke / or one price & valure / nat one fyne / an other course / ne yet one pynshed / and an other playne. And in the weryng therof also all in lyke. Nat one tucked or gyrd / an other louce / and so forth. In like maner / in stacions / inclinacions / and in all other bo¦dely gestures and byhauioures / auoydynge euery where: all occasions of wāton & worldly lyghtnes.

¶Of the .v. keper of chastite: the garde of the syght The .ix. Chapitre.

[unspec 5] THe .v. custos / or keper of Chastite: is the garde and kepyng of the syghte. Whiche saynt Augustyne doth appoynt in y^e same Chapitre of the rule immediatly after the sayd gesture. And forth with after y^t garde of syght

doth folowe / the garde / and warnes of the corrupte affection / and carnall desyre of the mynde. For (as he there sayth) frayle concupiscence: workyng in y^e affecte & in the inwarde desyre of mynde: doth lede and in maner doth rauyshe violently the syght of y^e eye: vnto the beholdyng of those {per}sones that byfore were had in affecte / appetite / and desyre. Although peraduenture that affecte or desyre: were fyrst ingē¦dred by the syght. Whiche two: that is to say / syght and affecte / ioyned to gether: done (with a lytell cu∣stome) kyndle a furious flame of wylde fyre in the herte / nat easy or lyght to be quēched. And therfore (sayth he there) That persone that hath a lyght eye or syght: can neuer saye for trought: he hath a chaste mynde or a chaste herte. For a lyght eye / or syght: is an euident sygne / and token of a lyght mynde. It is (sayth saynt Augustine in this same place) a mes∣senger of the lyght / and vnclene herte. The lyght eye / or syght: is lyke an alestake / or the tauerne ga∣relonde / that dothe shewe outwarde: what is to sell within. And the persone also of light loke: is assimi¦led vnto a Basiliske / that is / a poysoned serpent: y^e dothe sle and destroye: onely by syght or lokynge. And yet the light loke is worse than y^e Basiliske / by cause the selfe persones ben many tymes slayne by theyr owne selfe syght. As dothe appere in Dauid Salamon / Sampson / and many other. The olde fathers therfore: dyd euer fle / and auoyde the syght of y^e cōtrarie sexe. So y^e nother they wolde se / nor be sene.* 1.35 We rede y^t whā a woman by importune instance / & clamour: wolde nedely se her owne sone / y^t was a religious mā / he moche loth thervnto: but by y^e cōmaūdemēt of his souereyne / & for obedience: went forth

vnto his mother / with his eyes closed / wynkynge. And so suffred his mother to loke vpon hym / but in no wise wolde he loke vpon her. In vitas Patrum also:* 1.36 An other holy father whan he was instauntly desyred to be sene and locked vpon of a great hono∣rable and vertuous woman / that by feruent deuo∣ciō / and desyre to se that good father: had laboured out of ferre countres / he wolde nat yet graunt her peticion. But by prayer vnto our lorde: he obtey∣ned grace / to appere vnto her slepynge by vision. And vnto her great confort: he dyd moche better so content / and satisfie her mynde than otherwyse. Hereby ye may take / that to fle / and auoyde syght / and in no wyse to be sene / or loked vpon: is of more perfection and merite: than to se / or be sene / whiche thynge we haue of auctorite / by the reuelaciō of our lorde vnto our holy mother saynt Brigitte / in oure rule. Wherfore saynt Augustine in this place of the rule: dothe speke sharpely agayne the lyght cast of the syght / appoyntyng great punisshement for the same.

¶Of the .vi. keper of chastite / the garde of the tonge. The .x. Chapitre.

OTher abuses dothe he also touche in y^e same place / that (as semeth) were ī his mynde more shamefull / or more abho∣minable: than shulde bycome his per∣fection to speake of at large. As where he hayth. Tacente lingua. That is: The tonge ke∣pynge silence / nothynge spekynge / as thoughe to speake wordes of lyghtnes: were ferre worse than to loke. Or els / as thoughe to speake: were nat so

lawfull for religious persones / out of theyr mona∣sterie: as it is to loke. For in speche or cōmunicaciō is more ieoparty than in lokynge. Byleue saynt Paule. Corrumpunt bonos mores: colloquia praua.* 1.37 Vnordinate & yuell speache or talke: doth corrupte and destroye good maners and vertues. And that is trouthe / both in the hearers and spekers. For in hearyng the mynde is moued. And y^e speache: doth shewe forth the affection of the mynde.* 1.38 Ex abundan cia cordis (sayth our lorde) os loquitur. The mouthe doth speke of y^e aboūdaūce / & affection of the herte. The fyrste begynnynge of carnall affection: dothe cōmunely aryse / spryng / and take rote: of the syght And afterwarde: is nurysshed / & groweth by talke and cōmunicacion. And therfore althoughe saynt Augustyne gaue licence vnto his disciples (beyng forth of the monasterie) to loke: yet dyd he nat gyue them licence to speke / nor yet to here cōmunicacion. Wherfore all religious persones / muste be very cir∣cumspecte / well aduised and ware: nat onely what they done speake / but also what thynge they done heare spoken / for the lyght wordes of a {per}sone: done gyue boldnes vnto the hearers. And whan the spea¦kers done perceyue that theyr wordes ben peasably herde: they take boldnes therof forther to {pro}cede in theyr foly of vnclene desyre. Let therfore the good religious persone: fle and auoide al vayne talkyng specially: word{is} of vnclēnes. Sepi aures tuas spinis.* 1.39 Hedge and close thyne eares and hearyng: w^t thor∣nes (sayth saynt Augustyne) That is to say / if thou heare a leude worde: gyue sharpe answere thervn∣to / and let the speakers knowe wel / thou arte nat cō¦tent to heare any suche / and than doste thou hedge

thynge eares with thornes. And euer thynke vpon the sayd wordes of saynt Paule. yuel wordes: done done hurte good maners.

¶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.* 1.40 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.* 1.41 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.* 1.42 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.

¶Of the .viii. keper of chastite / that is / warenes of familiarite. The .xii. Chapitre.

ANd yet of them thre doth yssue & spring an other enemy of chastite / more {per}ilous (excepte good awayte and resistence) & more ieopardous / than all them thre. That is to saye: familiarite / the continu¦ance of affection / and acquayntaūce / which sayd fa¦miliarite: is kepte forth and nuryshed / nat onely by the sayd thre vices: wanton loke / light wordes / and carnall touchyng: but also dothe growe & increace And that in the absence of the persones: by wrytyn∣ges / messages / gyftes and tokens. Saynt Augu∣stine therfore / here in the rule doth forbede that any of the disciples of the same: shulde other sende forth or yet receyue / priuely without knowlege of the so∣uereine:

any maner of thyng / lytel or moche / sayng.* 1.43 But if any {per}sones (sayth he) be so ferre ouersene / & so ferre do passe into so great yuell & notable offēce y^e they priuely receyue or sende any lettres / or any other gyftes or tokens. &c. Note wel / that he calleth suche receyte: a great notable yuel and offence. For he wolde the souereyne: shulde be of counsayle / and shulde considre: the reason and grounde / the cause or occasion: of suche sendyng or receyuyng. For ma¦ny {per}sones haue a disposicion and appetite to haue acquayntaūce / and to seke / and make meanes ther∣vnto / & to continue the same. Whiche acquayntaūce so gottē: many religious {per}sones done cal theyr frē∣des. Where in very dede: they ben rather theyr fose / and yet they: moste foo vnto them. For among reli∣gious persones: worldly frendes / good acquayn∣taūce / and good religion: done selden well accorde or agre to gether. For surely it is moche cōtrarious vnto the religion of olde fathers. For they wylfully fled and lost acquayntaūce of all persones / of theyr owne parētes kynne / nat onely gottē: but borne frē∣des. And also / suche sendyng / wrytynges & receyte: shulde well be consydred: lest that some tymes (vn∣der the colour and contenaūce of spirituall edifica∣cion) a token go forth / or a cōmemoracion: of carnal affection. Saynt Augustyne wolde therfore: the so¦uereynes shulde be iuges of all the actes and dedes of theyr subiectes. For they muste make answere to our lorde for them. Let than y^e souereines take hede of all occasions in the subiectes / that may ingendre affection / although it were vnto suche persones / as ben named of great holynes and synguler {per}fection For of those maner of persones: many haue bothe

deceyued / and ben deceyued. Let (I say) the souerei¦nes / therfore seclude all occasions / but specially the moste chefe occasion / or cause of affection / that is fa¦miliarite.

¶Of the .ix. keper of chastite / whiche is: the auoy∣daunce of sole presence. The .xiii. Chapitre.

IN auoydyng wherof: y^e holy fathers: dyd vtterly forbede sole presence / that is to say that no religious {per}sone shulde euer be a∣lone with any persone of the cōtrarie se••e or kynde. For that sole presence: dyd they accounte as one of the moste perilous pestilences / and moste deedly enemy of chastite. And saynt Augustyne al∣so here in this rule: doth forbede sole presēce / where he sayth.* 1.44 In y^e sayd fourth Chapi. Whā ye go forth go to gether / byde to gether. &c. And in the .vi. Cha∣pitre.* 1.45 Whan they go forth (sayth he) they shal go no lesse in company / than tweyne in nombre / or thre {per}∣sones. Nor yet (sayth he) shall that {per}sone / that hath nedfull cause to go forth: haue choyse of a felowe / or go with whome he wolde: but with suche as the so∣uereyne wyll cōmaunde or appoynt / it muste nede than / be more agayne the rule / to be alone with any seculer within the monasterie / specially with the cō¦trarie sexe / as man and womā to gether alone / whi¦che shulde neuer be suffred in any good religious monasterie / for any maner cause / no (I saye) nat for confession / nor in confession. For religious women shulde make theyr cōfession at grat{is} / or els in some open place / where they may be herde and nat sene. For the subtyle and crafty assayle of the dyuell: is

no where absent / and the flesshe is neuer without fraylte / whyle we byde in this lyfe.* 1.46 We rede ī vitas Patrum of a holy father ī wyldernes / vnto whome a pore mā of the cite resorted / to sell his mattes / bas∣kettes / and his other laboures. And whan he came nat vpon a tyme after his custome: the olde father / cōmaunded his disciple to go vnto the cite to seke y^e man. Whervnto he was very lothe / natwithstan∣dyng / yet for obedience he went forth / and by great diligence: he foūde the house / and no body at home but a yonge womā alone / by the byhauiour of who¦me: he was in ieoparty of corrupcion / but that god (by miracle) for the merite of obediēce and the pray¦ers of his holy father: sodenly set hym at home. So than sole presence is nat without ieoparty in any persones.

¶Of the .x. keper of chastite / nat to haue power nor liberte to be alone. The .xiiii. Chapitre.

ANd so is also the power and liberte of sole {pre}sence moch perilous / that is to say / whā persones of cōtrary sexe: may be to gether alone if they wyll. Wherof is euidence in y^e same boke vitas patrū.* 1.47 Where is shewed of a wo¦mā vnclene of lyuyng / y^e {pro}mised vnto certeyne men of her familiarite / to bryng a solitarie / & a holy man frō y^e good lyfe vnto the worlde. Which sayd womā came vnto his sell in y^e euyntyde / as though she had lost her way / & ther she made great lamētaciō / y^t she shuld be destroyed w^t wyld best{is} / except he wolde of petie & cōpassiō take her ī / & so he dyd / & leyde her ī a corner by / & after whā he shulde rest: he bygan to be sore assayled

For the rebatyng wherof. he went vnto a candell / & brent one of his fyngers / and yet after whan he re∣membred the sole presence of them tweyne alone / & the occasion and liberte: he was agayne inflamed / and he agayne arose and brent an other fynger / and so he neuer rested: tyll he had brent all his fyngers vnto the stumpes. In the mornyng yerly the yonge men came vnto the sell / & asked for the womā / he an∣swered here she lyeth / take her vp. And she (by the iuste iugement of god) was deed. Than shewed he vnto them his handes / and howe he was temted w^t her / and than fel vnto prayer / and so reysed the deed corse / and forthwith were all his fyngers restored vnto hym agayne / and the woman and all the men conuerted vnto the state of perfecte lyuyng. Al this haue we shewed / that ye shulde perceyue the ieo{per}ty of sole presēce / and of the occasion and liberte of sole presence. Syth specially it was so {pro}ued in {per}sones of so hyghe perfection: howe than shulde any perso¦nes (in this tyme of corrupcion / where in all vertue exiled: synne raygneth) haue truste in them selfe. And why shulde nat al religious persones: be glad to be inclosed / for the more surety of theyr vowe and promyse. Let no good religious persone: thynke ly¦tell or gyue lytell force of sole presence / or of the li∣berte and power of sole presēce. The cōmune canon lawe: dothe also forbede sole presence / vnto {per}sones religious / specially women. So that no religious woman shulde any tyme / speke with any man / al∣thoughe he were also religious:* 1.48 without the com∣pany of sufficient and honest wytnes. For sole pre∣sence in the lawe is a great presumpcion / and argu¦ment or euidence of suspicion. The lawe therfore

doth prohibite and forbede / that religious {per}sones / or yet seculer prestes: shulde be alone.* 1.49 And the wyse man sayth. Vesoli. Wo and ieoparty: be vnto the {per}∣sone alone. For if (by case) he fall: he hathe no {per}sone to helpe hym vp. And in the lawe also. De vita et ho¦nestate clericorum. If any man of custome: do vse to entre any monasterie of religious women to accō∣pany / and be familiar with thē: And after due war∣nyng: doth nat withdrawe and leue that resorte: let hym (sayth the lawe) if he be of y^e clergy: be deposed And if he be a lay mā: let hym be excōmunicate and cursed. And in an other place. 18. q̄. 2. {per}uenit ad nos. The lawe sayth / that women shulde nat come with in the monasterie of men. Many other monicions and counsayles: bene gyuen / in the cōmune canon lawe and by holy fathers: for the prohibicion / con∣dempnacion and reproue of sole presence / as a peri∣lous enemy of chastite.

¶Of the .xi. keper of Chastite / that is / cure of the body. The .xv. Chapitre.

YEt (after saynt Augustyne) doth folo∣we an other enemy of chastite moche subtyle / and as nat moche greuous / so moche more ieopardous. That is to saye: delectacion and pleasure in clene clothynge / and in the pykyng & curyng of the body For the prohivicion and letting wherof: he sayth in the begynnyng of the .vi. Chapitre of the rule. Let your clothyng (saythe he) be laundred or wasshen / at the appoītemēt / and after the wyll of y^e souereyne And yet agayne. Baynes also for y^e body. &c. Where

saynt Augustyne wyl that the disciples of this rule shulde haue shyft of clene clothes / and purgacion of the body: accordyng vnto discrecion / and as nede & the honestie of religion doth require / but nat after the appetite or desyre of the persones / lest (sayth he) the superfluous pleasure / of fayre and clene clothes shulde defoule and make the soule vnclene & fylthy. And in very dede / I haue knowen diuerse religi∣ous persones / that after theyr shyftynge into clene clothes: haue bene more troubled with vnclene mo∣cions: than they were at other tymes. And so lyke wyse of the waysshyng / and pykyng of the body. Wherin to be ouercurious: is contrarie vnto the pu¦rite of chastite. And nothyng to care therfore: is cō∣trarie vnto the honeste of religion / specially ī them that done lyue in congregacion. And therfore saint Augustyne wyll / the seke persones / althoughe they deney: shulde (natwithstandynge) take by the com∣maundement of the souereyne: that were necessarie and honeste / and if (any shulde desyre that were nat expedient: they shulde be denyed. All these thynges haue we set forth here: for the garde and custody of chastite / accordyng vnto the order and very mynde of the selfe rule of saynt Augustyne. That the disci∣ples therof: hauynge zele vnto the obseruaunce of theyr rule: shulde the more diligentely applie them selfe and gyue study / to perfourme the solempne {pro}∣fession / and promyse of theyr vowe.

¶Of the .xii. keper of Chastite / whiche is disposi∣cion in the selfe persones. &c. The .xvi. Chapitre.

NOwe shal I shewe a litel of my pore mynde / of y^e most sure excellēt garde and custody of chastite. Fyrste vnto all vertues to be obteyned and kepte and all vices and synnes to be remo∣ued and secluded muste be a disposi∣cion and good wyll in the selfe {per}sones. For althou∣ghe man by sinne was brought into suche bondage that of hym selfe: he myght neuer helpe him selfe / ne yet dispose hym selfe: yet hath our lorde god / of his bounte and gracious goodnes / so prynted in man his owne ymage / and therwith the fredome and li∣berte of wyll: y^e after his ordinate iustice god maye no more take from man fre wyll: than he maye take from hym his ymage. And this is euident in scrip∣ture / in Cayn / the eldest sone of Adam / after his con¦sent vnto synne. Vnto whome our lorde sayd.* 1.50 Why arte thou wrothe? why dothe thy chere fall / and thy countenaunce feyle the? If thou well do: I wyll so accepte it / and if thou do nat well: the defaulte is o∣pen & redy to be knowen / yet is thy passion in thyne owne power and thou mayste by lorde and gyther therof / as hauynge thy wyll & disposicion: in thyne owne fre power and liberte. This haue I sayd to confounde the false opinion of this great heretyke Luther / and his folowers. The fyrst than is: to di∣spose your selfe / and for the dred & loue of god / & for y^e merite of y^e excellēt vertue chastite: to make a sta∣tute and a cōnaūt with your selfe / by tired purpose: to forsake vtterly / nat onely the vice / or acte of the fleshe: but also all maner of occasions / that by any

meane may apperteyne thervnto. Than next after this / to serche well your owne astate / and to {per}ceyue howe ferre ye haue therin bene (in tyme past) ouer∣sene / and be it lytell / be it moche: rase and scrape all clene out of the boke of your conscience / by contrici∣on / confession / and specially by purpose neuer to cō¦mitte or consent any more vnto any suche.

¶Of awayte of cogitacions or thoughtes. The .xvii. Chapitre.

THan gyue good hede / and awayte vn¦to your cogitacions and thoughtes. For those wyll best teche you of what desyre your fraylte is. For by the co∣gitacions: done aryse the troubles & assayles of the fesshe. And those cogitaciōs ben cau∣sed in the mynde diuersely. Sometyme: of aboun∣daunce of blode / that is caused by superfluite of fe∣dynge. For the whiche: the olde fathers / wolde say / it were nat possible to be without vnclene cogitaci∣ons: without due temperaūce. In so moche as they wolde forbed theyr disciples / that were troubled w^t vnclene thoughtes: to fede vpon breade onely & wa¦ter / at wyll and appetite. Default also of due custo∣dy and garde of the outwarde sēses: is also a cause of vnclene thought{is} / as of hearing / seyng / touching &c. Wherof we haue spoken byfore. An other occasi¦on of vnclene thoughtes: is the malice of the great enymy the dyuell. But his malice (althoughe it be subtyle and busye) yet may it lyghtly / & sone be van¦quysshed / & he put vnto flyght / w^t one worde alone / as Iesus / or with one lytell sygne of the crosse / or

one good thought / if he be dispised & set at nought. But if vnclene cogitaciōs: do remayne in y^e mynde as ymages / steppes / or print{is} / of any vnclene actes or byhauiours / or of any vnlawfull consentes / and haue (by vayne pleasure accustomed and vsed) takē theyr habitacion / theyr lodgyng / & dwellyng place in the mynde: they wyll nat than be so lyghtly remo¦ued and put away. For than wyll they (in maner) {pre}¦cribe & saye: whan laboure is made agayne thē: we haue nowe ben here abydyng so longe: y^t this place is vnto vs as naturall (For custome doth alter na∣ture) And therfore we wyll nat hens / be nat aboute to dryue vs awaye / it boteth nat / all is last loboure / ye had power: at fyrste begynnynge of our entre: to shyt vs out and with smale diligence and lytell la∣boure: myght you haue chased vs away. But now that we be admitted by custome: it is nat (as saynt Isodoure sayth) possible to remoue vs. Impossi∣ble or nat possible: is many tymes taken / for harde to bryng to passe. And so doth sait Isodour meane.

¶Of the remedy agayne yuell thoughtes. The .vxiii. Chapitre.

REmedy therfore may be had. For the good¦nes of our lorde: neuer lefte man without helpe / & redy meane to recouer all default / if man wyl take the remedy / and folowe y^e doctrine and counsayle of scripture. In the fyrste boke wherof:* 1.51 called Genesis is a notable doctrine to auoyde vayne thoughtes. Our lorde god made promyse vnto Abram / that afterwarde was named Abraham / that he shulde haue in heneritaūce / that

that lande / wherin he dwelled that tyme / and Abra∣ham asked our lorde how he myght haue sure know¦lege that he shulde haue peasable and restfull posses¦sion therof. And our lorde than cōmaunded hym to take certeyne bestes and diuide them in sondre and certeyne byrdes / and all them he caste forthe vpon y^e playne felde / and forthwithe crowes and byrd{is} dyd lyght vpon the deed carkes. And Abrahā euer dyd chase them away / tyll they lefte and came no more. By these byrdes (saythe the glose interlinial there) ben vnderstande veyne cogitacions / that as raue∣nous fowle / done assayle the carnall mynde. And y^e laboure of Abraham: doth signifie the continual di¦ligence that man shulde gyue to chase and remoue them. The gleyde or the crowe: wyll couet / and as∣say to bylde byfore the gate. But y^e good housbond wyll destroy and caste downe the neste. And moste so doyng: he shall let them to bryng forth byrdes. So may the diligent persone / so often put away & despise vayne cogitacions: y^t they neuer shall come vnto effecte / ne moche noy the soule / althoughe they moche trouble / if they be in custome. A horse or beest vsed vnto one waye: wyll couet to kepe his course & wyl nat lyghtly out therof. Yet may a diligent per∣sone with a brydle / & a rod / or whyppe: lede & bryng the beest where he wyll. But & if the {per}sone be negli∣gent & careles: & wyll slepe vpon the beest: thā wyll the beest retourne vnto his vsed course. So is it in lyke maner / of our beest sensualite / that wyl folowe custome / excepte good diligēce by gyuen / that feyth may rule reasō / and that the dred of god do punishe and correcte the frayle appetite. The body may be corrected more lightly & soner broght from custome

than may the mynde / and yet shall the mynde neuer he refourmed: tyll the body be brought vnder / & be obedient vnto the soule / and than wyl the mynde cō¦formable to reasō: folowe feyth / and seke wayse: nat onely to chase away those thought{is}: but also vtterly to exile or destroy them for euer. And that muste be with a contrarie custome. For (as they say in pro∣uerbe) one nayle or pynne: doth dryue out an other and so doth occupie the same place & rowme: where the other pynne was. So in lyke maner / one cogi∣tacion / dryuen wel by force / may dryue out an other cogitaciō. I say by force. For it can nat be without force / without great laboure and diligence / insued and folowed by continuall vse. Whiche vse must in gendre and make an other habituall custome / cōtra¦rious vnto that was in the mynde byfore.

¶Wherwith the mynde and thoughtes shulde be occupied. The .xix. Chapitre.

HEre ye wyl aske whervpon ye shal grounde your mynde & what shall be the mater of those thought{is} that shulde be brought ī suche habituall custome / to dryue away / & destroye the other vanites. I shal shewe my pore mynde. Fyrste and prīcipall mater to be remē∣bred: is our lorde god / and the cōtemplacion of him whiche to wryt here: were ouer long. The lyfe also passiō & deth of our sauiour Iesu. And next hervn∣to: is y^e study of holy scripture / to such {per}sons as ben entred ī gramer / & though they haue none ētre: yet if they be vnder y^e age of .xliiii. or .xlvi. yer{is}: I wolde cōsayle thē / be men /

or be they women (if they be of substance / and maye applie the tyme) to gyue thē selfe vnto the lernynge of theyr gramer. For they may in two or thre yeres haue suche knowlege / that may be sufficient to vn∣derstande the texte and sentence of the gospell / whi∣che I wolde euery christiane shulde vnderstande. And as vnto the spendynge of the tyme in lernynge that gramer: I thinke verely they can nat spende y^e tyme better / specially vnto that ende and purpose / that is to say / to exclude vayne thought{is} and to put the lyfe of our lorde in theyr rowmes. For by that study applied with courage: the mynde is fully oc∣cupied. Those {per}sones that can rede englysshe / and haue nat the meane to lerne latyne: let them be occu¦pied moche with redynge or hearynge of good and approued workes. And vnto them that can nat rede let them heare reders / and vse prayer and bodely la¦boures. Vnto suche persones as can nothynge vn∣derstande latyne: englysshe prayer well ordred in the cōmune lāgage: is more {pro}fitable (ī my mynde) thā is latyne prayers. Some occupacion of mynde must they nedely haue of custome: that shal exclude vayne and vnclene thought{is}: For ydlenes and wel∣fare: done ingendre and brede yuel cogitacions: as caren in eyre / doth brede wormes. I speke all this / vnto them / that haue tyme to spende / and nat prin∣cipally vnto them that done lyue by theyr dayly la∣boures. Nowe one worde for the conforte of them / that by no meanes can by deliuered of these carnall passions / and vnclene and vayne thoughtes / but e∣uer they hange vpon them / and moche done vexe / & trouble the sely soule. Let thē (after my pore minde) nothynge despere. But let them considre / y^t mānes

mynde: is as a rote / or a whele in a wynde: that ne∣uer doth rest / but alway tourneth and doth renewe cogitacions and thoughtes / both slepyng and wa∣kyng. So that a persone wakynge: is somtyme ra¦uisshed vnto suche maters in cogitacions and thou¦ghtes: as he neuer knewe by fore / and so ferre dothe passe somtyme therin: that he knoweth nat what he doth / but as thoughe he were in a dreme. And in all that tyme he doth nothyng offende our lorde / for y^t was the synne and sensualite that cōmunely dothe reygne and hath dominacion ī our mortal bodies / and therfore / was there no batayle for that tyme sē∣sualite / peasely reygned.* 1.52 But whā the persone doth wel perceyue wherwith the mynde is occupied: thā doth begynne y^e batayle / b••twene the persone / and his thoughtes / or rather bytwyxe hym: and the auc¦tores or mouers of those thoughtes / that is / the dy∣uell / the worlde / and the flesshe / that done worke in the sensualite accordyng vnto theyr {pro}prietes: For than if the mynde (at home with hym selfe) be negli¦gent / and (for the pleasure moued in the sensualite) be both to departe from those thoughtes / and so do play with them / and suffre them to hang vpon hym than (althoughe they were nat deedly) yet dothe the persone wylfully put hym selfe in ieoparty / and (as we oftymes haue said byfore) Who loueth {per}yl: ī {per}yl shal fal.* 1.53 But whā the {per}sone hauyng the full aduise∣ment / and deliberacion byfore sayd: doth frowne & fuast / that is to saye / rere or rayse vp the stomake & herte agayne those cogitacions / with indignacion and despite / as nothyng content / but moche displea¦sed with them: than doth that persone bygynne to fyght strongly. And if he thā with a good stomake

and trust in our lorde: wyl thrast thē vnto the stone and knocke theyr hedes thervnto: he shall without any ieoparty or doute: haue the victory. The stone is Christ / the hedes of his thoughtes: ben theyr mo¦cions fyrste (as I sayd) perceyued. The prophete sayth.* 1.54 Beatus qui tenebit & allidet paruulos suos ad petram. That is: Blessed be that persone that doth holde and restreyne his chyldren / or babes / that is to say / his fyrste mocions: and that doth thraste and crushe theyr hed vnto the stone / that is vnto Christ / and his passion and dethe. yet may it be that many of these maner of {per}sones: may be sore vexed & trou∣bled with theyr cogitacions: but they be nat vnto theyr hurte / but rather vnto theyr meryte. For sure∣ly I beleue that no penaunce ne peynes of this lyfe / may purge a synfull soule / more clene: than suche as¦sayles of thought{is}: so resisted and with horrour de∣spised. And therfore many holy persones wolde nat praye ne desyre our lorde / to be deliuered of thē / but rather to haue of hym spirituall strengthe / to van∣quishe them. All this haue we sayd hederto: for the ••uiciō and custody or garde of chastite. Specially wryten vnto them that haue made solempne vowe by profession thervnto.

¶Of the remedy for them that haue brokē chastite / and ben combred with vnclennes / and fyrste by the hurte of the goodes and body. The .xx. Chapitre.

NOwe wolde I wryt a lytell lesson / taken out of a lerned auctoure: vnto suche {per}sones as ben :: :: spotten and done continue theyr beestly appe∣tite / whether they be seculer / or (as god forbede) per¦sones religious.* 1.55 Fyrst euery persone must remēbre that the beestly synne of the body called cōmunely

lichery: contrarie vnto chastite: is the fyrst synne y^t doth moue man growing out of chyldhed / whether they be wyse / wytty / or innocentes / ydiotes or foles This pestilence doth folowe euery {per}sone & cleueth or stycketh fast vnto the flesshe / so y^t no {per}sone dothe passe vnassayled & vexed therw^t / it is therfore moste vsed / & moste of all other synnes: dothe brynge man vnto mischefe & destruccion. So that this synne: is moste ieopardous & perilous / & therfore: had nede of more study & diligence. Wherfore / let the persone prycked with y^e fyry poysoned dart of deth: Thynk fyrste (althoughe there were no god / ne any ioye or payne) how vnclene / howe fylthy / howe stynkyng / howe beestly y^e synne is / & howe moch contrarie vn¦to the honeste / & specially vnto y^e dignite of mannes soule: made vnto the ymage of god: redemed and bought: by the passion & deth of our sauiour Iesu / washed / clensed / & made bryght & beautious: in his most precious blode: nowe agayne: for so false a fla¦terous pleasure: to be rendred and made like vnto bestes / vnto swyne / vnto gotes / vnto dogges & cat∣tes / and if there by any beest more brute. And yet to say trouth to be made: vnder the state / and wors•• and more lowe in degre: than any beest / subiecte to fendes / that were ordened and made to be accompa¦nied as felowes vnto Angelles / & partakers of the hyghe diuinite of god. Let him thā remēbre howe short tyme this pleasure indureth / & yet for y^e tyme: howe vyle / how lothely / howe basheful / & shameful it is. So that y^e self doers: wold be ashamed to be sene to be herde / or to be knowen. And yet where it semeth pleasure: it is in it selfe: a payne and passion And that can the selfe persones experte: iuge / and

approue for trouth / wormouth / and nat hony / aloes and nat licoriee or sugre. And on the contrarie part let hym remēbre: howe noble a thynge his soule is / howe holy his body shulde be / the membres wherof the holy / ghost hath oftymes vsed. What a myschefe and cowardnes of herte / lacke of grace / and al good¦nes / is it than: for so lytell / so short / and so vyle / a ty∣clynge / & mouyng of fraylyte: to defoule that beau¦tious soule / and to make the body / that Christ hym selfe dyd consecrate by his precious blode: suspende and cursed? Let hym also recount: what a felyshype of fendly synnes: that swete poysō of vnclēnes doth gether and brynge to gether into his soule. Fyrst to begynne at the lowest: it sharpulethe / and waste the his temporall goodes and landes / and hathe made many ryche / and great men of landes and honour / worse than beggers / caused many to stele / robbe / & sle. And seconde as vnto the body: hathe therby ben put vnto laboures otherwise intollerable: as way∣chynge / wakynge / fastynge / rydynge / goynge / by nyght and by daye / in hete and colde / frost & snowe / hayle and rayne. And many tymes in ieoparty of lyfe / and all for the fylthy and swynishe synne of the body. And therby also hathe the body bene wasted / brought out of all fashon vnto great deformite and feblenes. And vnto diseases and sekenes vncurable as the frenche pockes / and diuerse maners of lepre∣nes / and variaūt pestilences / defaded / and wasted the floure of yonge age / & made the persones (longe byfore theyr tyme) olde / and so made the lusty youthe: sekefull and odious / and theyr age miserable and slouthsome.

¶Howe this fylthy lechery / is nat onely noyous vnto the goodes / and vnto the body / but also vnto the name or same / and vnto the soule. The .xxi. Chapitre.

YEt go forther / vnto the name and fame of man / the moste goodly and precious possession of this lyfe / ferre passyng all the goodes / ryches / and worldly sub∣stance / whiche natwithstandyng: by y^e moste abhominable synne: is lost and gonne. For y^e name and uoyse or fame of that synne: dothe more largely sprede and flye abrode / and more styncke in the eares and hearynge of all persones: than of any other synne. Yet doth the minde / the soule of man: ex¦cell all these / that is / al the temporal goodes of this worlde / all the helthe and state of the body / and also the state of that noble iuell / name or fame. yet doth this fury of fylthy vnclennes: rauysshe the mynde / take away y^e wytte / and also (that vnto mā is most proper) natural reason / and so maketh a mā (as we sayd) worse than a beest / taketh hym away from all lernynge / and honest study / and from all good ma∣ner. And causeth hym to forgette / nat only god and the dyuell / heuen and hell: but also his naturall pa∣rentes / kynne and frendes / & hym selfe also / so ferre that as a sowe in the canell / wrapped all ī stynkyng myre and fluche: he can nothynge speke ne thynke: but vnclennes / fylthe and shamefull abhominacion And thus doth he rendre and make him selfe / in his youth: infamous and lyke a madde furious {per}sone. And in age: odious hateful / miserable / wreched / fyl¦thy / and abhominable / so that no man wyll haue hī

in cōpany. Let hym therfore remēbre howe he hathe sped / & what chaūces hath happed vnto hym in the vsyng of y^e beestly lyfe / what laboures he hath takē / howe longe he hathe wayched / and howe yrke and werye he was / what sekenes and diseases he hathe caught and taken therby: many tymes in ieoparty of lyfe / to sle / or be slayne / many tymes in ieoparty to be openly shamed / and somtyme hathe ben diffa∣med therby. And mispent al his goodes / & in begge red hym selfe / & wasted & weked his body: that he is able nothynge to gette. So he muste nede other begge or stele / these & suche other lyke let hym remē¦bre. And say vnto hīselfe / wylt thou mad & furious beest: swalowe agayne that hoke: y^t so often hath ta¦ken the / & brought the into so depe mischefe? Shall I wylfully do y^e thynge agayne? y^t shall brynge me vnto newe sorowe & payne? I haue cause (I trowe) to be ware. And thā let hym call vnto our lorde for grace. Let hym also remēbre / the exāples & chaūces of other {per}sones / what ende they came vnto / y^t so mis¦used thē selfe. And on the cōtrarie {per}te: let hī corrage hym selfe w^t the good exāples of many yong {per}sones men & women / y^t haue restreyned thē frō that foly / & by theyr honeste & purite of lyuyng: haue cōmen vn¦to honoure / worshyppe / good state / & condicion. Re¦buke thy selfe & saye / thou beest: why can nat thou kepe chastite: as well as he / or she / so / or so brought vp? Thynke than / howe goodly / howe beautious / how louely vnto all {per}sones / howe worshipful / how {pro}fitable / & howe pleasaūt a thynge: is the honeste & clēnes of the soule & body / whiche maketh mā fami∣liar cōpanions w^t Angelles / for y^e clene body & soule is the tēple & lodging place of our lorde god. And y^e holy ghost / y^e singlerly doth loue purite & clēnes: is

neuer more greuously auoyded & dryuē away frō y^e soule: than by vnclēnes. And cōtrarie: neuer dothe he rest more quietly: thā in virginal soules & chaste bodies / ymagen mā & thynke: howe it / bynōmeth a christiane / a mēbre of Christ: to mourne / waxe pale / lene / to drouse / syghe / wepe / to flater & speake fayre / to gyue diligēce / & do pleasure (as a bonde captiue) vnto a stynkynge scorte / an vnclene {per}sone. And all this they do / & many thynges more incōuenient: for theyr sakes: whome they folowe in y^e folysshe affec∣tion. Where is than the name of a christiane? The seruice of god / y^e realme & regne of Christe: is chaū¦ged vnto y^e seruice & cōmaūdemēt of the fylthy scort Nowe they chyde / brale & somtyme fyght to gether And anone agayne: they done retourne into grace / fauoure & flaterie. And in a whyle agayne: They bacbyte / slaunder / & diffame eche other / & an other tyme: eche praise other (as they say) beyond y^e mone what a lyfe is this? that reasonable creature: shuld thus wylfully / put hīselfe to be so mocked / scorned / tossed / turmoyled / torne / rēt / maymed & slayne / both in soule & body. Let hī also considre: what maner of pudel / what muchepe of mischeues: this synne doth hepe & gether to gether. For w^t other synnes: some vertues done byde & dwell / but w^t this beestly vice: no vertue can agre. For all other vices ben coupled and ioyned thervnto.

¶Howe this lechery: althoughe it were no great sine: yet shuld it be auoided & abhorred. y^e. xxii. cha.

PVt a case y^t to misuse y^e body / as a scort: were but a smal sine (as they done say / y^t ben drou¦ned tehrin) yet is it a greuous thīg to be obstinat a¦gain y^e fad{er} & mod{er} / to set nothīg by theyr cōmādemēt to despise al honest frēd{is} / to wast h{is} patrimony / lād{is}

and goodes / to brybe / stele / and robbe other folkes goodes / to kyll / slee / and murther / to lye / forswere / and bere false wytnes / to vse wichcraft / charmes / to blaspheme and forsake god / and wylfully to sel him selfe vnto the duuell / to by bonde caytyue for euer. Vnto all these and vnto many mo myscheues: doth his lady lechery lede hym: that hathe forsaken hym selfe / and wylfully thrast his hed into her halter / & bondage. Let this wreche also wey / peyse / & thynke howe shorte this lyfe is / thoughe he myght lyue vn¦to the vttermost age and howe at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vanysshed / and fled more swyftly thā smoke or wynde / and is more vayne and voyde thā a shadowe. Let hym also loke well / howe vnstable / howe vncerteyne it is / howe many grennes or snares / howe many trapp{is} / howe many lyme rodd{is} / and nettes: deth doth lay for vs / leyng and bydyng moste craftely in awayte for vs / day and nyght / euery were / on euery syde / in euery place / and euery howre. Here maye it profytte hym to remembre suche persones / as he hym selfe hathe knowen: deye and passe out of this worlde: by sodē and disconfortable dethes / specially suche persones as he knewe of y^t maner of lyuyng. And so by theyr ieoparty and peryll: to be more ware of hym selfe. Let hym remembre howe pleasauntely they lyued: but howe bytterly and miserably they deyed. How late they sawe / and perceyued thē selfe. Howe they forthought theyr pleasures / and hated theyr misera¦ble lyfe to late. Let hym than remembre the extreme and moste dredfull contenaunce and byhauiour of our lorde and sauiour Iesu / at the last day of iuge∣ment. And specially that sentence irreuocable / that neuer may be called backe / & therfore of most hyghe

disco•••••• ••e•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall say, you wyked and c••••¦sed 〈…〉〈…〉 your way / dep••cte hens / with ••••••nde r•••••• leyte or lyghtnyng: into fyre and payne euerlastyng without ende / or yet without re¦mission / ea••e or ••••••••te / whome ye shal weyle / sorowe and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••oue short and ••••omentanie pleasure: without ••••de / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / or measure. Here let hym than w••y••••••••n b••l••••oe and iuge: what maner of bar∣ga••ne and exchange it is: for so fylthy / and so short a pleasure / and y•••• that in dede rather payne than pleas•••••• as is an yche: or thynges for that than: to lose / in this lyfe the tranquillit•••• / rest / and pleasure of the soule and mynde: and after this lyfe / the vn∣spekeable ioyes of heuen: And to by•• and receyue a¦gayne therfore: the moste horrible place / the moste vgly and lothsome company / and moste abhomina¦ble syght offend ••••it ••ean•••••• furious fyre and all y^e moste terrible tourmentes of hell / in payne and wo euerlastynge / worlde without ende. Beholde thou lothsome fecher / wey•• and take hede: In what case: thou shalbe than: whā god and all the worlde hath forsaken the / and thou also (by despere) hast forsakē thy selfe. And thou left for euer without remedy. I wolde aduise the wreche: loke vpon these thynges byfore. And yet if thou thynke it is a payne for the to forbere thy pleasure: yet thynke agayne and reuo¦lue well in thy mynde: what paynes and laboures / what care and daungers / our lorde god thy maker / our swere sauiour Iesu thy redemer: toke and suf∣fred for the Bysyde the cōmune laboures and iniu∣ries that do••••e apperteyne vnto mā: remēbre / what perse••••••ion he had / what shamefull rebukes / what paynes and tourmentes in his body / howe moche

blode he shed / howe bytter dothe he suffred for thē. And wylt thou wreche forgette all these benefites. And for thy false ••ēdyshe pleasure put hym agayne vpon the crosse? by ••enewyng and agayne doyng y^e same mischeuous wherfore he suff••red all this wo•••• Alas vnkynde wreche dost nat thou to ••s to ••eth••••e many great gyfte the hathe gy•••••• vnto th•• / that ne¦ue•• dyddest deserue any thynge but payne? And yet for all / the last wherof: may neuer duely be recōpen¦sed: yet doth he desyre no more: but that thou for his sake / folowyng h•••• exāple: ••oldest take that lytell payne to restreyne thy furious appetite and blynd affection / from those thynges / that only shulde noy hurte / & destroye thy selfe / & neuer may greue ne {pro}∣fytte hym. And that thou woldest somwhat dispose thy selfe to loue hym that so moche hathe loued the. Alas wylt thou euer haue a stony herte•• or rather an herte of yren or style.

¶Howe this synne shulde be auoyded by the con∣sideracion of two contrarie loues / and of the ende therof. The .xxiii. Chapi.

SEt byfore thyne eyes or sight / these. ii. loues / and compare them bothe to ge∣ther / that is to say: honest loue / and vn¦clene loue / holy pleasure / and volup∣tuous and fylthy pleasure. The ioye & gladnes of the spirite / & the purite & passion / of thy false flesshe. Loke wel vpon the grounde & mater of both the loues. For the mater of honest loue: is god and all godly thynges. And the mater of other: is stynckyng synne & ••••••l. Se the ••••••ce and dispo∣sicion

of both. For the nature of honest loue: is to growe & increa••e: vnto the pleasure & {per}fecte of the {per}sone. And cōtrarie the disposicion of vnclene loue is to growe vnto hatred / vurest / displeasure and / di¦structeon. Take hede vnto the ende and rewarde of bode. For the rewarde of honest lowe: is ioy and loue perpetuall. And the rewarde of vnclene loue: payer & wo euerlastyng / Answere also herevnto. Whether ye thynke in true conscience: y^t any reaso∣nable {per}sone be so beastly and shameles: that wolde in the tyme of that fylthy furie of the fleshe: cōmitte and dothe dede in the opē market place / & wolde no¦thyng l••ttene care who shulde se / & beholde that ab¦hominacion•• I am sure ye say: none. Alas thā why doth nat the brestl•• lecher remēbre who loketh vpō him / our lorde god / the holy Angelles / specially his owne kepes / & al the blessed company of heuen. For I am sure: if he had the eyes and syght of a spynx / or of an Egle••he coulde neuer se the dede of any {per}∣sone / done byfore hym: so clerely and euidentely: as god and al heuen: done so euery thought of his hert and mynde. It shulde also some what helpe and make hym to remembre at the begynnynge of this foly and madnes: That he must come at the last vn¦to one of these two poyntes and conclusions / that is to say: other that suche false pleasure ones tasted / & entred: shall so enchaunt by wyche / and blynde his mynde: that he shall go and passe forth frō one vyle abhominacion: vnto an other vnto the tyme he co∣me (as saynt Paule sayth) in sensum reprobum:* 1.56 that is to weane: Vnto a frowarde minde and vnderstā¦dyng & felyng / forsakē of god / & obstinat ī yuel. So •• whā sine hath left hym / y^t is say / whan he hathe no

power in nature to accōplysshe that synne: yet shall hathe leue y^e synne. But by th••fore ••••longe vse therof (as we haue knowe in many p••••sones) the appetite desyre / and wyll to do syne: doth as quykly / and fre¦shely remayne and continue: whan the body to wy∣dred / the beauty and foutme: faded and defounned / whan y^e blode is colde / the symmes ••eble y^e strength gone / the hearynge dull or deffe / the eyes holowe / dyme / or blynde / the smell / sauoure / and tast / mothe varied / the handes shake / whan the mynde is obl••∣uious and forgetfull / and to conclude: whan bothe the soule and body: is clene out of s••am••: yet I saye doth that voluptuous wyll / and desyre remayne / & is as quicke & busy: as in moste story thyng youth••. And as ferre as nature wyll serue: doth euer {pro}cede and passe forthe vnto more and more myschefe / for thoughe the body wyll nat serue vnto the 〈◊〉〈◊〉: yet is the minde with vnclene thoughtes occupied and fed with that fylthy ssyn••kynge poyson. The eyes or syght / the handes: with b••ef••ly touchynge: ben ex¦ercised / and specially the mouthe and tonge: with fylthy wordes and speche: in more abhominable & more shamefull mane•••• thā any tyme byfore in most vse of that synne. And dothe more hurte and harme vnto the corrupcion of good maners in yonge per∣sones: thā euer dyd the dede. And therfore nothyng in any man: may be / more monstrous / more vncōme¦ly / more beestly / more mische••dus than the olde le∣cher. Other nowe / all this shall come to passe / that is sayd and more: or els / if by the synguler grace of our lorde: the conscience take remors to leue that lechery / than muste that lyt•••• shorte and s••••ynge pleasure: be redemed by great payne and sorowe /

by many teres / wepyng / weylyng / and mournyng / by fastyng / prayng / and other due penaunce / were it nat thā moche better / and more wysdome / to leue that carnal / fally•• and poysoned pleasure at the fyrst thā other to be brought vnto so great misery: or (by so great and greuous trouble and heuynes) to re∣deme so smale and yet that also so false and painted pleasure.

¶That this synne shulde also be left by the circum¦staunces of the selfe persone well considred. The .xxiiii. Chapitre.

MAny circumstaūces also of the selfe per¦sone / shulde reasonably withdrawe y^e beestly lyfe. Fyrste if he were a preest / or yet a religious persone / man or wo∣man / vnto whome we done here princi¦pally w••yte: they shulde remembre / howe they bene holly consecrate vnto oure lorde god / and vnto his diuine seruice / and therfore done more often appro∣che vnto the holy sacramentes / than done other pro¦phane and lay persones. Let them than considre / howe vnaccordynge / howe vncōmely / howe vnby∣semynge / or rather / howe abhominable a presump∣cion it is / with the same selfe mouthe: to receyue the the blessed body and holy sacred blode of our lorde / & to kysse & lycke: that lothely stynckyng scort & vn∣clene persone. Or yet to handle or touche in like ma¦ner. Howe moche different it is / to be one body and one spirite w^t god / & one body: w^t y^e stynckyng scorte & strūpet. If y^e {per}sone were lerned y^e soule ī so moche is more lyke vnto our lorde god / and so moche is it more contumely & rebuke vnto hī. If y^e {per}sone be no¦ble

of byrthe or estate: So moche is the offēce more open and ••launderous / and so the synne more great and greuous. If the persones were maried: let thē considre: howe honeste / howe honorable the state is of matrimonie / truely kepte / without violacion or defouiyng. And howe it doth signifie and betoken: the coniuction / and mariage of our sauiour Christ Iesu and holy churche. The purite & clennes wher¦of: all christianes: shulde (as moche as were possi∣ble) folowe and indeuoyre to kepe. That is to saye to be without vnclennes (as ferre as mannes dili∣gence maye auoyde) vsed euer with reuerence and dred of god / and yet to be in fru••e and chyldren / plen¦tuous. For it is alway lothsome / and inconuenient that any christiane in any state of this lyfe: shuld be gyuen or applied purposely: vnto any fylthy volup¦tuous pleasure. Considre nowe and loke farther / if this vnclene lyuer / be a yonge {per}sone. Howe moche damage it is: to lose & destroye the floure of youthe that neuer can be recouered ne restored agayne. And in so stynckynge and beestly lyuyng: to spende and destroye his best yeres / his very golden / ryche and noble yeres / that sone done passe / & neuer maye retourne. And yet ouer that: to cōmitte and do by wanton ignoraunce of age: that thyng: that shall e∣uer more in his lyfe: grudge the consciēce. And that shall cause in his soule and mynde: most bytter pric¦kes / and poysoned stynges of remors. Whiche that short steyng pleasure (by that wyked and vnhappy fylthynes) left behynde. If the persone be female / a woman: nothyng dothe more bycōme that sexe and kynde: than clennes and chastite / ne any thyng in a woman: can be more shamefull: than that abhomi∣nable

misuse of the body. If he were a man of full age and {per}fection: So moche the more it bycōmeth hym to playe the very man of grauite and sadnes / & nat the chylde of wanton lyghtnes. And if this pe∣stilence were in aged persones: men or women: Let them wyshe for better eyes or more clere syght / that they myght se and perceyue: howe yuell that foly be cōmeth that age / whiche foly in yonge persones: is to be weyled of all persones / and to be restreined by counsayle / or correction. But in aged persones: to be wondred and abhorred / whome also the selfe vn∣clene lyuers: done mocke & laghe to scorne. For a∣monge all y^e monsters of the worlde: none is more wonderfull: more mocked / ne more abhorred and lo¦thed: thā the olde lecher. O (saye the people) se this olde cryple / this aged sole / this wydred trotte / how clene they haue forgotten themselfe / howe they b••¦gyne to play the fole agayne. Se: howe made they be / euen at the pyttes brynke: & yet wolde they wyl∣fully quenche that lytell sparke of nature: y^e remay∣neth in that wydred carkas / gete them a glasse that they may (at the leest) se / and perceyue theyr hore he¦res as why•• as snowe / the wryncled forhed / the rug¦ged lene chekes / the holowe blered eyes / the sharpe droppynge nose / and all the defourmed face: more lyke vnto a stincking caren: thā vnto a cōmely cour¦tiour / byd them cure and take hede vnto other thyn¦ges / y^e better may bycome theyr age. For they bene past these maters. Tell thē it is beyonde reason: for theyr age to attempt suche foly. The selfe fylthy pleasure: dothe forsake and lothe you. And saythe Nother thou arte mete for me: Nor I for the Vale. Gette the hense into an other company. For

(in a surete) euery body is here wery of thy {pre}sence. A peyre of bedes: were more mete for y^e olde wreche These thynges and many worse rebukes: done the cōmune people of the worlde / saye vnto the olde fo∣lysshe vnclene lyuers. Nowe is tyme to make an ende. Here may you perceyue / that chastite is moch cōmēdable / vnto all christianes: of all maner of age and all maner of state / & contrarie / vnclene lyuyng / is odious and abhominable. Wyll ye nowe haue a shorte recount and reherse of all? lest peraduenture ye wolde be wery to rede all at lengthe.

¶Epilogus / a shorte recounte. The .xxv. Chapitre.

FIrste is / the loue desyre / & purpose of chastite. Whervnto / euery {per}sone may reasonably be moued / by the beauty / y^e honeste / y^e pleasure {pro}fect in both soule & body / of that moste noble vertue chastite. The seconde is / the vtter hatred & horroure of the contrarie vyce and aduersary / vnclēnes. Whervnto the fylthynes / shame / and yuell ende of the same: shulde moue any [unspec 1] creature reasonable. The {pre}seruers of chastite / ben [unspec 2] these prayers and temperate diete / of all maner of [unspec 3] fode taken in due tyme / due place / with due circum∣staunces [unspec 4] / and lyke wyse of wayche and slepe mode∣rate / laboure in continuaunce / and neuer ydle. Ha∣bite [unspec 5] and araye of sadnes / accordyng vnto the state & degre of the {per}sones. The gesture and byhauiour of body: after the same maner / with grauite. Speci∣ally the continence and garde: of all the .v. wittes /

as of the eares / or hearyng: frō al vayne / namely vn¦clene wordes or cōmunication. Of the eyes or sight [unspec 6] from all wanton or lyght cast therof. The nose frō the delectaciō of all swete and meritorious smelles. The tonge from al delicates of mere pleasure with [unspec 7] out nede. But specially from vayne / and vnclene / or lyght wordes. The touchynge: in precise maner / w^t [unspec 8] moste hyghe diligence and warenes / from al naked partes / excepte ī maried persones. And yet there: w^t [unspec 9] the dred of god / all honeste / and reuerence of the ho∣ly sacrament: duely obserued and kept. And aboue all other: by ware of familiarite / kepynge / or desy∣rynge acquayntaunce / and that of any maner of {per}∣sones by affection. For thoughe the persones be no∣ted and knowen: holy and of synguler sanctite / be nat yet to homely / mystrust euermore your selfe. And cōpany that is suspecte: fle you euer & auoyde [unspec 10] on all maner vtterly. Sole presence: is a perilous pestilence and as deth to be auoyded / specially of y^e contrarie sexe / as man and woman kynde to gether alone / any where / in any tyme / or any place. And so [unspec 11] in lyke maner: is the liberty and power of sole pre∣sence / that is / that the persones of cōtrarie sexe / my∣ght [unspec 12] be together alone / if they wolde. The appetite of clene / swete / and fayre / or fyne clothes: and ofte [unspec 13] waysshyng / and curious pykyng of the body: is an enemy of chastite. The great & chefe custody / garde [unspec 14] and nucyshynge of chastite: standethe in the dispo∣sicion / and feruente applicacion of the mynde vnto our lorde god / and moste swete sauiour Iesu / by cō¦tamplacion / prayer / meditacion / and by continuall appointed and determinate good and holy exercise bothe of soule and body. This Epiloge and breue

recount: haue we made / for them that bene lothe to rede longe workes. The figures in the margēt: ben set forthe / that if the reder wolde se at length any of the maters or point{is} here touched: they may tourne vnto the same figures within forth byfore: and there at one of those figures: wha•• two bene here to ge∣ther: fynde there desyre. I bese••••e oure lorde god / & moste swere sauiour Iesu / that bothe the wry∣tynge and readynge: maye be vnto the ho∣noure / laude / and prayse of hym / and vnto the intended profecte of the parties. Amen.

¶The olde Wreche of Syon. Rycharde Whitforde.

¶And thus an ende of the thyrde borde of our ves∣sell and of the thyrde membre of this thyrde parte of our worke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The {per}face why this vowe is put last in nom¦bre.
• * 1.2

  Io. 6. D. Ibidem.
• * 1.3

  Phi. 2. B.
• * 1.4

  Luce. 2. G
• * 1.5

  In vitas pa••et ī col¦lacionib{us}.
• * 1.6

  18. q̄. 2. {per}ni crosam.
• * 1.7

  Matth. 19. B.
• * 1.8

  Matth. 19. B.
• * 1.9

  Lu. 12. D.
• * 1.10

  Ibidē. E.
• * 1.11

  Diffinicio castitatis.
• * 1.12

  De diffi.
• * 1.13

  Ibidem,
• * 1.14

  Diffinicio castitatis religioso∣rum id est monastice
• * 1.15

  Contra faustum.
• * 1.16

  Supra Matth.
• * 1.17

  Versus.
• * 1.18

  Vitas pa.
• * 1.19

  The secōde keper.
• * 1.20

  Vitas pa. ca. de disc.
• * 1.21

  Cassianus in secūda collaci. abbatis Theo. Ca. 3.
• * 1.22

  Ca. 3.
• * 1.23

  i. Reg. 15.
• * 1.24

  Eccle. 35.
• * 1.25

  Videatis Bernardū siluestrē q̲ assert{us} est o{per}ibus di∣ui Bernar.
• * 1.26

  Ca. 4.
• * 1.27

  Ca. 4.
• * 1.28

  Genes. 6.
• * 1.29

  Gene. 34.
• * 1.30

  Iudith. 1••. A.
• * 1.31

  Hester. 5. & 14. &. 15.
• * 1.32

  Ca. 4.
• * 1.33

  Gesture.
• * 1.34

  Ca. 4.
• * 1.35

  Vitas pa.
• * 1.36

  Vitas pa.
• * 1.37

  1. Cor. 15. E.
• * 1.38

  Matth. 12. C.
• * 1.39

  Augusti.
• * 1.40

  Eccl. 13. A.
• * 1.41

  Eccle. 3. D
• * 1.42

  Vitas pa.
• * 1.43

  Ca. 4.
• * 1.44

  Augusti.
• * 1.45

  Ibidem. Ca. 6.
• * 1.46

  Vitas pa.
• * 1.47

  Ibidem.
• * 1.48

  18. q̄. 2. Diffiniui∣mus. et ca. sequenti.
• * 1.49

  De statu monaco{rum}. ca. Mona. Et dist. 81. In oibus. Eccle. 4. Libro. 3. ca. Mona∣steri.
• * 1.50

  Gene. 4.
• * 1.51

  Ca. 15.
• * 1.52

  Ro. 5. & 6.
• * 1.53

  Ecclesi.
• * 1.54

  Psal. 136.
• * 1.55

  Enchirid, Erasmi.
• * 1.56

  Ro. 1.