|b{THE_ABBEY_OF_THE_HOLY_GHOST.}
|b{RELIGIOUS_PIECES_IN_PROSE_AND_VERSE.}
|b{ed._from_Thornton_MS._Lincoln_Cathedral_Library}
|b{by_George_G._Perry}
|b{EETS_OS_26_(1867,_1914)}_{pp._51-62.}



|p51


|rIII._THE_ABBEY_OF_THE_HOLY_GHOST.
     |r[Robert_Thornton's_MS.,_Lincoln_Cathedral_Library,_leaf_271a]
     RELIGIO SANCTI SPIRITUS. RELIGIO MUNDA.

|r[f.271a] |r<b> OFF the abbaye of saynte Spirite, that es in a place that
     es callede conscyence.
     A, dere brethir and systirs! I see at many walde be in
     religyon, bot ay may noghte, owthir for pouerte, or for drede
     of thaire kyn, or for band of Maryage; and for-thi I make
 |r4 here a buke of e religeon of e herte, at es, of e abbaye
     of the Holy Goste, that all tho at ne may noghte be bodyly
     in religyon, at ay may be gostely. A, Ihesu, Mercy! whare
     may is abbay beste be funded, and is religione? Now certis
 |r8 nowhare so wele als in a place at es called `conscyence'; and
     who so will be besy to funde is holy religion, and at may
     ilke gud crystyn man and woman do, at will be besy er_abowte.
     And at e begynnynge it es by-houely at e place
|r12 of thi conscience be clensed clene of syn; to e whilke clensynge
     e Haly Goste sall sende two maydyns at ere conande: the
     one es callede `rightwysnes,' and e toer is called `luffe of
     clennes.' Thiese two sall cast fro e conscience and fro e
|r16 herte, all maner of fylthe of foule thoghtes and desyris. When
     e place of e conscience es wele clensed, than sall e grownde
     be mad lange and depe; and thies two maydenes sall be made,
     e one es callede `Mekenes,' at sall make e grownde depe
|r20 thorowe lowlynes of hir selfe, the toer es callede `Pouerte,'
     at makis it large & wyde abowne, at castis ouer ylke a halfe
     e erthe owte, at es to say, alle erthely lustes & worldely
     thoghtes ferre fro e herte, at, if ay hase erthely gudis, with
|r24 luffe ay for-gete aym for e tym, & castis no lufe to am,
     nor hase noghte, ne settis noghte for at tyme aire hertes
     no thynge one am. And thies ere called `pure in spyrite,'
     of wham God spekes in e gospelle, & sayse at `thaires es e



|p52


     kyngdom of heuen, be thies wordes Beati pauperes spiritu,
     quoniam ipsorum est regnum' coelorum. Blyssed es an at
     religyon at es funndide in pouerte and in meknes. This es
 |r4 agaynes many religyous at are couetous and prowde.
     This abbaye also sall be sett on a gud reuer, and at sall
     be e reuer of teres. For swylke abbayes at ere sett one
     swylke gude ryuers, ay are wele at ese, and e more dylecyous
 |r8 duellyng es er. |r[f.271b] One swylke a reuer was Mary Mawdelayne
     fowndide, For-thy grace and rechesse come all to hir will, and
     for-thi sayde Dauid thus, Fluminis impetus letificat ciuitatem,
     at es to saye, `the gude reuer mase e Cete lykande,' for it es
|r12 clene sekyr, & ryche of all gude marchandyse. And so e
     reuer of teris clenses Goddis cete, at es, mannes saule, at
     es Goddes cete. And also e holy man sayse of fylthe of
     synn, at it brynges owte e reches of vertus and of alle gude
|r16 thewes. And when is grownde es made, an sall come
     a dameselle, Bowsomnes, on e tone halfe, and dameselle
     Miserecorde one e toer halfe, for to rayse e walles one
     heghte, and to make am stalworthe, with a fre hert largely
|r20 gyfande to e pure, & to am at myster hase. For when we
     do any gud werkes of charite thorow e grace of Gode, als
     ofte sythis als we am do in e lufe and e louynge of God, and
     in gud Entent, als many gud stonys we laye one owre howssynge
|r24 in e blysse of heuen, festenande togedir with e lufe of Gode
     and oure euen-crysten. We rede at Salomon made his
     howssynge of gret precyouse stones. Thiese precyous stones
     are almos-dedis and werkes of mercy, & holy werkes at sall
|r28 be bownden to-gedir with qwyke lyme of lufe & stedfaste
     by-leue. And for-thi sayse Dauid, Omnia opera eius in fide,
     at es to saye, `alle his werkes be done in stedfaste by-leue.'
     And als a walle maye not laste with-owtten syment, or more,
|r32 alse no werkes at we wyrke, are noghte worthe to God, nor
     spedfull till oure sawles, bot ay be done in the lufe of God
     and in trewe by-leue. For alle at e synfull dose, alle es loste.
     Sythen Dameselle Sufferance and damesell Forte sall rayse
|r36 e pelars, & vndirsett am so strangly, at no wynde of wordes,



|p53


     angre of stryffe, fleschely nor gastely, sowre ne swete, caste
     am downe. A, dere brethir and systers, itt by-houys e
     cloystyre be made one foure corners; and it es callede `cloyster'
 |r4 for it closys and steskys, and warely sall be lokkede. My dere
     breir and systyrs, wylke of ow as will halde this gastely
     religyon, & be in ryste of sawle & in swetnes of hert, halde
     e with-in e cloyster, and so sparre ou e ates, and so
 |r8 warely kepe ou e wardes of i cloyster, at no noer fand_yngez
     nor euylle styrrynges hafe in-gate in the, & make 
     thy Sylence, |r[f.272a] and for to the, or styrre the to synn,
     steke thyn eghne fro fowle syghtes, thyn heres fro foule
|r12 herynges, thy Mouthe fro foule spoche, and thyn herte fra
     foule thoghtes. Scrifte sall [make] thi chapitir, Predicacion
     sall make thi fratour, Oracion sall make thi chapelle, Con_templacione
     sall make thi dortoure, at sall be raysede one
|r16 heghte with heghe ernynge, and with lufe qwykkynynge to
     Gode, and at sall be owte ofe worldly noyse and of worldly
     angyrse and besynes, als fere furthe als ou may for e tym
     thorow grace for e tym of prayere. Contemplacion es a
|r20 deuote rysynge of herte with byrnynge lufe to God to do wele,
     and in his delites Ioyes his saule, and somdele ressayues of
     that swetnes at Goddis chosen childir sall hafe in heuen.
     Rewfulnes sall make the fermorye, Deuocion sall make e
|r24 celere, Meditacion sall make the gernere.
     And when all e howses bene made, an be-houes e Holy
     Gaste Ordeyne e couent of grace & of vertu. And an sall e
     Holy Gaste at is religyone es of, bee warden and visiture,
|r28 the whilke God e Fadir funded thorow his powere. For us
     saise Dauide, Fundauit eam altissimus, and this es to saye, `the
     heghe Gode e Fadyr Fundide this relegyone.' The Son
     thurgh his wysedom an ordayned it, als Sayne Paule witnes
|r32 it, Que adeo ordinata sunt, at es at saye, `alle at es of God
     the Sone, it rewlis & ordaynes.' The Holy Goste emys it and
     vesettes it; and at saye [we] in holy kyrke when we saye is,



|p54


     Veni Creator Spiritus, with Qui paraclitus diceris, at es for
     to saye, `come, ou God e Haly Gaste, and thyne ou vesete,
     and fulfill am with grace.' And than the gude lady Charite,
 |r4 als scho at es most worthy by-fore alle oer, sall be abbas
     of this sely abbaye. And also, als ay at are in relegyone
     sall do no thynge, ne saye thynge, ne gange in-to no stede, ne
     take no gyfte, with-owtten leue of e abbasse. Also gastely
 |r8 sall none of swylke thyngys be done with-owtten leue of charite,
     For thus commandes Sayne Paule, Omnia vestra in caritate fiant,
     at es, `what-so e do, or saye, or thynke with herte, alle e
     mon do in charite.' A, dere breir and systirs, whate here
|r12 es harde comandement! Bot it es noghte full ill to oure sawles
     at oure thoghtes & oure wordes & oure werkes be onely done
     for lufe. Wayleawaye! if I durste saye! for many are in
     religione, bot to fewe relegious, at ay ne done e comandment
|r16 of saynte Paule, or e concelle of e |r[f.272b] gud lady Charite, at
     es abbesse of this cely relegyon. And for-thi ay lose mekill
     tym, and losses aire mede, and ekes thaire payne gretly, bot
     if ay amende am, whare-fore, leue breir and systirs, bese
|r20 euer-more wakire and warre; and in all oure werkes, thynke
     depely at whate-so ee doo, be it done in e lufe of Gode, and
     for e lufe of e lady Wysdome at sall be prioresse; for scho
     es worthi, Nam, prior omnium creata est sapiencia, at es,
|r24 `al-ir-firste es Wysedome made'; and thurgh e lare of hir,
     and e concele of is prioresse, sall we do alle at we do; and
     this sayse Dauid, Omnia in sapiencia fecisti, at es at saye,
     `alle at ou hase made, ou hase made wysely.' The gud
|r28 lady Meknes at aye Elyke makis hir selfe lowly and vndir
     alle oer, sall be supprioresse: hir sall e honoure and wirchipe
     with bouxomnes. A Ihesu! blyssede at abbaye, and cely es
     at religyone, at hase so haly ane abbas as Charyte, a prioresse
|r32 as Wysedome, a supprioresse as Mekenes. A, dere breir and
     systirs, blyssede and Cely are ay, at es to say, those saules
     are cely at haldis e comandment of e abbas lady Charite,
     and e techynge of e priores, lady Wysdome, and the concele
|r36 of e suppriorese, lady mekenes; For who-so es bouxome to



|p55


     thir thre ladyse, and aire lyffe rewlis aftir aire techynge,
     the Fadir, the Sone, the Holy Goste, am sall comfurthe with
     many gostely Ioyes, and am helpe and socoure in alle fandinges,
 |r4 in angirs, at ay ne be noghte ouercomen; am thare drede
     ne wrenkis ne no wylis of the fende, for why God es with
     am, and standis aye by am als a trewe kepere & a strange.
     And for-i says Dauid thus, Dominus protector vite mee, a quo
 |r8 trepidabo? als if he sayd, `God es my champyone staleworthe
     and trewe, at for me, at es so wayke and so vnmyghtfull,
     agaynes myn Enemyse hase vndirtane for to fyghte: whame
     thare me an drede? now trewly, righte none.' We rede in
|r12 a buke of Danyele at a myghtfull was at men callede
     Nabogodhonosore, at sett in Rome thre men at solde do
     & ordayne and stabyll, als baylyes, alle e rewme, so at e
     kynge herde ne noyse, ne no playnte, bot at he myghte be in
|r16 pese, & in Ioye, & in ryste in his rewme. And righte so e
     rewme of e sawle at thiese thre baylyes are In, and e
     religione at thies thre prelates are In, at es, Charite, Wyse_dome
     and Mekenes, thare es pese, ryste, and lykynge in saule,
|r20 and comforthe in lyfe.
     Damsele Discrecyone, at es witty and be full ware, sall be
     tresorere; scho sall hafe in hir kepynge alle, |r[f.273a] and ernely
     luke at all go wele. Orysone salle be chaunterese, at with
|r24 hertly prayers sall trauele daye & nyghte. And whate Orysone
     es, e haly man sayse, Oracio est Deo sacrificium , angelis
     solacium, diabolo tormentum, at es to saye, `Orysone es
     a louely sacrafice to God, Solase and lykynge to Angells, and
|r28 turment to e fende.' It witnes in the lyfe of Saynte Barthil_mewe,
     at it es turment to e fende; for e fende cryede to
     hym and sayde Bartholomee! incendunt me oraciones tue, at es
     to saye, `Bertilmew, thi prayers byrnys me.' And at es
|r32 lykynge to angels, Saynte Bartilmew wytnes it, and sayse,
     `when we praye with deuocyone of hert, the Angels standis
     byfore, daunsesande & prayeande, and beris oure prayers vp,
     and a present of am to e Fadir of heuen. e whilke prayers
|r36 oure Lorde commandes to wryte in e buke of lyfe, at es,



|p56


     sacrafyce to God: this are of am at hym moste payes; and
     for-thi he askes vs it er he sayse thus, Sacrificium laudis
     honorificabis me, at es to saye, `e salle wyrchipe with
 |r4 sacrifice of louynge.' Iubilacio hir felowe sall helpe; and,
     what Iubilacion es, a seynt it telles, and sayse at Iubylacion
     es a grete Ioye at es consayuede in teris, thorow brynnande
     luffe of spirite, at may noghte be in all schewede, no in alle
 |r8 hyde, als it fallis somtyme of tho at God hertly lufes: ere_eftir
     at ay hafe bene in prayere and in orysone, ay ere so
     lyghte & so lykande in God at, whare-so ay go, er hertes
     synges murnynge songes of lufe-longynge to aire lefe, at ay
|r12 erne with armys of lufe semlyly to falde, and with gastely
     mourny[n]ge of his gudnes swetly to kysse, and it vmwhile so
     depely, at wordis am wanttis, for luf-longynge so ferforthe
     rauesches thorow hertis, at somtym ay ne wote noghte whate
|r16 ay do. Deuocione es celeresse, at kepis e wynnes, bothe e
     white and e rede, with depe vmbythynkynge of e gudnes
     of God, & of e paynnes & of e anguyse at he tholede, and
     of the Ioyes & e delytes of paradyse, at he hase ordayned
|r20 to his chosen. Penance sall be kychynnere, at with grete
     besynes trayuells daye & nyghte for to plese alle, and ofte
     swetis with bitter teris for angyre of hir synnes. Scho makes
     gud metis, at es, many bitter sorowes alle for hir gyltez. And
|r24 |r[f.273b] theys metis fedis e saule, bot scho sparis hir-selfe thorow
     abstynence, and etys bot littill; For, do scho neuer so mekill ne
     so mony-folde of gude werkes, ay semys scho hir-selfe vnworthy
     and synfull. Atemperance seruede in the fratour at scho to
|r28 ylkone so lukes at mesure be ouer alle, at none ouer mekill
     nere ouer lyttill ete ne drynke. Sobirnes redis at e borde
     the lyues of the haly Fadirs, and synges and reherces whate
     lyfe at ay lede for to take gud Ensampille to do als ay dyd,
|r32 and ere thorowe slyke mede to wyn als ay now hafe. Pete
     es spensere, at dose seruesse to gud, all at scho maye. And
     Mercy hir syster sall be ambynowre, at gyffes to alle, and
     noghte kane kepe to hir-selfe. The lady Drede es portere,
|r36 at kepis besyly e cloyster of e herte, & of e conscience



|p57


     at chases owte alle vnthewes, and calles In alle gud vertus,
     & so speres e atis of e cloyster & e wyndows, at none
     evylle hafe none Ingate to e herte, thorowe e atis of e
 |r4 mouthe, ne thorowe e wyndows of e eghne, nere of e eris.
     Honeste es Maystresse of e nouyce, and teches am alle curtasye,
     how ay sall speke and gange, and sytt and stande, and how
     ay sall bore am with-owtten and with-in; howe to God,
 |r8 how to man, so at alle at am sese, of am may take
     ensampill of alle gudnes, and alle gude thewes. Dameselle
     Curtasye sall be hostelere; & at ay comande & byddes, at
     scho sall am resafe hendely, so at ylke one may speke of
|r12 hir. And for-thi at nower sall be by am one emange the
     gestes, -- For it myghte falle at dameselle Curtasye solde be oure
     balde a[nd] ouer hardy, -- for-thi sall scho hafe a felawe Damesele,
     Symplese; for ay two alyede to-gedir thorowe felawchipe, are
|r16 sekyre and semande, for e tone with-owtten e toer vmwhile
     es littill worthe. For ouer-grete symplesse may make of e
     symple a sott, or ouer nyce, and ouer-grete curtasye may be
     somewhile oer to lyghte chere or to glade, or ouer-balde, for
|r20 to paye e gestes; Bot fayre and wele, & with-owtten fandynge
     of blame, may ay do aire Offece both to-gedir.
 Damesele Resone sall be puruerere, For scho sall ordayne
     with-in & with owttyn so skilfully, at ere ne be no defaute.
|r24 Damesele Lewte sall be fermoresse, at sall trauelle abowte,
     & besely serue e seke. And for-i sen at in e fermory of
     this religyon are moo seke an hole, mo febyll an wighte,
     and es ouer-grete trauelle to serue am alle hyr one, |r[f.274a] For-thi
|r28 sall scho hafe a felawe, Damesele Largesse, at sall see full
     wele to ylkone after at am nedis. Damesele Conande and
     Wysse, at es callede Meditacyone, or Poleschesy, es garnere:
     scho sall gedyre and sembyll gude whete and oer gud cornnes
|r32 to-gedir, and at fully, with grete plente, thorowe e whilke
     alle e gud ladyse of e howse may hafe aire sustenance.
     Meditacion es in gud thoghtes of God, & of his werkes, and
     of his wordes, and of his creaturs, and of his paynnens at
|r36 he tholede, and of his grete lufe at he had and hase to am



|p58


     for whaym he tholede. This garnere had e gud kyng Dauid;
     For-i was he ay riche & in plente, and for-i he sayse in e
     psaltyre, In omnibus operibus tuis Meditabar die ac nocte, at
 |r4 es to saye, `Lorde! in thi lawe I thynke nyghte and daye.'
     This es begynnynge of all perfeccion, than when man settis
     and stabylls his herte in depe thynkynge on God & on his
     werkes. For ofte es better a gud thoghte in haly meditacyon
 |r8 an Many wordes sayd in prayere, For e holy thoghtes in
     meditacion cryes in Goddes eris. Ofte it falles at e herte
     es so ouer-tane and so raueschede in holy meditacyon, at it
     wote noghte what it dose, heris, nor sayse, or seys; so depely
|r12 es e herte festenede in God and in his werkes, at wordis
     hym wanttis; and e stillere at he es in slyke Meditacion, the
     luddere he cryes in Goddes eris; and er-fore sayd Dauid thus,
     Quoniam tacui dum clamarem tota die, as if he sayd, `Lorde! lo,
|r16 here, the whills myn herte was in depe thoghtes in the and
     of thi werkes, it cryed one the in holy Medytacyons, and was
     stylle, as beynge domme.' And er sayse e glose, `the grete
     cryes at we crye to God an, are oure grete desyres and oure
|r20 grete ernynges.' And this sayse Saynte Denyse, at sayse,
     `When e herte es lyfte and raueschede to e lufe of God with
     gelouse ernynges, he ne may sownde with worde at e herte
     thynkis.' This holy Meditacione, at es, e gernare at kepis
|r24 erely e whete at es rede with-owte and white with-in, at
     hase e syde clouen, of e whilke men mase gud brede, at es
     called Ihesu Criste, at with-owtten was rede of his awen
     blode, and whitte with-in thorow his awen mekenes and
|r28 clennes of lyfe, and hade |r[f.274b] his syde clouen with a spere, -- this
     es e brede at we ressayue and etis in e Sacrament of e
     altyr. And wele ou weite at the gerner sall be abown e
     Selare, also sall be Meditacion before deuocion; and for-thi
|r32 meditacion sall be gernare, Deuocion Celerrere, and Pete pene-tancere
     Of thiese thre sayse e profete Dauide A Fructu
     frumenti vini, et olei sui, multiplicati sunt, at es at saye, `Of



|p59


     the fruyte of e whete and wyne and oyle, ay ere fulfillede.'
     In e alde lawe, in many stedis, Gode takis to his chosen thiese
     thre. `Serue me,' he sayse, `wele, & I sall gyffe owe plente
 |r4 of whete and wyne & oyle.' Plente of whete es, hertly to
     thynke one e croyce, and euer haffe e passyon of Ihesu Crist
     hertly in mynde. This es Meditacion. Plente of wyne, at
     es e welle of teres; wele for to wepe, this es Deuocion.
 |r8 Plente of oyle, at es, for to hafe delyte and sauoyre in God;
     and this es comforthe, for e oyle gyffes odoure to metis, and
     lyghtes in e kyrke, and byrnys in e lampe. Also when
     Goddis seruandes hase depely thoghte with schire herte on
|r12 Gode, & on his werkes, with lufe-longynge to am, an hase
     God pete of am, and sendis am petance of comforthe and of
     gastely Ioye; and this gyffes hym at e begynnyng Meditacion,
     and is es e whete at God hyghttes vs, and deuocyone at
|r16 men consayues in medytacyon. Than sendis God sone after
     e wyne, at es, plente of teris; and after, e wyne of swete
     teris; than sendys he e oyle of consolacion, at gyffes am
     Sauour, & lyghtnes his knaweliggynge, and schewes to am of
|r20 his heuenly priuatyse, at es hide fro am at folowes fleschely
     desyris, and gyffes am selfe alle to e wysedome of e worlde
     and his fantasyse, and so enflawmes am with e blysse of his
     lufe at ay taste somedelle, & fele how swete he es, how gud
|r24 he es, how luffade he es -- bot noghte alle fully. I wote wele
     at none may fele it fully, bot if his herte sulde bryste for
     lykynge of Ioye. Sayne Austyne telles of a preste at, when
     he herde any thynge of God at lykynge ware In, he wold be
|r28 so raueschede in Ioye at he walde fall downe, and lygge als
     he ware dede. And also in at tyme, if men layde byrnande
     fyre to his flesche nakide, he felid |r[f.275a] it no more an dose a dede
     corse. Sayne Bernarde spekes of e wordis of Iob, er he
|r32 sayse Abscondit lucem in manibus, at es at say, `God hase
     lyghte hyde in his handis.' ou wote wele, he at hase a
     candill lyghte by-twene his handis, he may hyde it & schewe
     it at his owenn will. So dose oure Lorde to his chosen.
|r36 When he will, he opynis his handes, and lyghtenes am with



|p60


     heuenly gladnes; and when he will, he closis his handis, and
     withdrawes e lykynge & e comforthe fro am. He wille
     noghte at ay fele it fully aye, Bot here he gyffes am as for
 |r4 to taste & sauour somedele how swete he es, how gud he es:
     als Dauid sayse, Gustate & videte quam suauis est Dominus, als
     if God sayd to vs, `be is comforthe and this lykynge at ou
     is schorte tym hase of me, ou may taste & fele how swete,
 |r8 how gude I ame to my chosyn in my blysse, in e werlde with_owtton 
     ende'; and us he dose, for to drawe vs fro worldly
     besynes, and e lykynge er-of, and for to enflawme oure hertes
     with lufe-ernynges, For to wyn and to hafe e lykynge of at
|r12 Ioye, alle at e full in body and saule, with hym for to be euer 
     more with-owtten ende.
     A dameselle wyse & wele taghte, at men calles Gelosye,
     at es ay wakyre and besy euerylyke wele for to do, sall kepe
|r16 e orloge, and sall wakkyn e oer ladyse, & make am arely 
     to ryse, and go e wyllylyere to aire seruysse. er es orloges
     in towne at wakyns men to ryse to bodily trauayle, & at
     es e seke; and er es orloges in e cete at wakynnes e
|r20 marchauntes to wende a-bowte aire marchandyce, at es e
     wynde at blawes daye. And er es orloges in religion of
     contemplacion. And this es of this holy relegyon at es
     fundede of e Haly Gaste, and is es Ielosy; and this es sauoyre
|r24 of perfeccion. & ofte it falles in relegion, be-fore at e
     Orloge falles or any belles rynges, Goddes gostely seruandes
     are lange wakenede before, and hase wepede by-fore God, and
     hase waschen am with aire teris, and aire spyrit hase
|r28 |r[f.275b] vesete with deuote prayers and gastely comforthe. And why
     rose ay so arely & so tymly? Witterly for e orloge of lufe;
     and damesele Ielosye had wakened am be-fore e tyme at
     e handmayde orloge felle. A, dere broir and syster! sely
|r32 ar tho sawles at e lufe of God, and longyng till hym, wakyns,
     and slomers noghte, ne slepis noghte, in e slowthe of fleschly
     lustes. For-thi he sayse in Canticis, Ecce dormio, et cor meum
     vigilat, at es at saye, `when I slepe bodily, my flesche for



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     to ese & ryste, my herte es ay wakyre in gelosy and in lufe_ernynge
     to Gode.' That saule at us wakes to God, me
     thynke hole conscyence at werldly men thynke, and at es
 |r4 this, Jeo ay le quer a leche, rauayl par amours, at es at saye,
     `Myn herte es styrte fro me, wakened with lufe.' Whate es
     this at mase e herte fro e flesche to wake, and for at es it,
     as it were, fremde to hym? Wittirly Ieloussye with lufe, teres,
 |r8 & murnynge, with lufe-longynge consayuede in deuote vprysynge
     of herte.
     When this Abbaye was alle wele ordaynede, and Goddes will
     seruede in ryste, & in lykynge, & in pese of saule, than come
|r12 a tyrante of e lande thorowe his powere, and did in this holy
     Abbaye Foure doghtyrs at he hade at were lothely & of
     euyll maners, at e fende was fadyr of thiese doghtyrs. e
     firste er-of, is foule barne-tyme, highte Envye; the toer
|r16 highte Pride; the thirde highte Gruchynge; the ferthe highte
     False Demynge of oer. Thiese foure doghetirs an hase e
     tyraunt, e deuell of helle, for euyll will & malese, done in this
     holy Abbaye; and ay, with aire foule vnclennes, e couent hase
|r20 greuede and harmede, so at ay no riste ne no pete may hafe,
     nyghte nor daye, nor lykynge in saule. And when e gud lady
     Charite saw this (at was Abbas), and the lady Wysedome (at
     was prioresse), and e lady Mekenes, supprioresse, and e toer
|r24 gude ladyse of this holy Abbaye, that the holy Abbaye was
     in poynte for to worthe to noghte thorowe e wykkydnes |r[f.276a] of
     thir foure, Than range [ay] e chapetour belle, and gedirde am
     alle to-gedir, and asked concele whate was beste to do. And
|r28 than lady Dyscrecyon am concelde at ay solde alle falle
     in prayere to e Holy Goste, at of this Abbay es vesetour,
     at he haste hym for to come, as ay grete myster hade, are
     for to helpe and vesete with his grace. And ay all, at hire
|r32 consaile, with grete deuocyon of herte vnte hym, sange
     alle with a swete steuen, Veni, creator spiritus! And alse
     sone e Holy Goste come at aire desyrynge, and am com_forthede
     with his grace, and chasede owte e fowle wyghtes,
|r36 ose lothely fendis doghetirs, and clenesede e Abbaye of all



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     e fylthe, and ordayned it, and restorede better an it was
     by-fore. Now I pray ow all in charite of God, at all a at
     of this relegion redis or heris, at ay be bouxome with all
 |r4 aire myghte, and suffire at e gud ladys be-fore namede do
     aire offece ilke daye gastely with-in aire hertes. And luke
     ylkone wysely at he ne do no trispase agayne e rewle ne e
     obedyence of is relegion, and of ase lufe-frayners. And if
 |r8 thorow vnhape falle at any of thiese foure fendis doghetirs
     seke one any wyse any Ingate for to hafe with-in oure hertes
     for to duelle, or Ingate hase wonne, and with ow duellis, do so,
     after e concelle of e lady Discrescion, and gyffe ow to deuocion
|r12 with hertly prayers, in hope of Goddes helpe and of his socoure,
     and e sall be delyuerde thurgh e mercy of oure Lord Ihesu
     Criste there. Blyssede mot he be with-owtten ende! Amen!

Explicit Relegio Sancti Spiritus. Amen.
