|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 čat many walde be in
     religyon, bot čay 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 če religeon of če herte, čat es, of če abbaye
     of the Holy Goste, that all tho čat ne may noghte be bodyly
     in religyon, čat čay may be gostely. A, Ihesu, Mercy! whare
     may čis abbay beste be funded, and čis religione? Now certis
 |r8 nowhare so wele als in a place čat es called `conscyence'; and
     who so will be besy to funde čis holy religion, and čat may
     ilke gud crystyn man and woman do, čat will be besy čer_abowte.
     And at če begynnynge it es by-houely čat če place
|r12 of thi conscience be clensed clene of syn; to če whilke clensynge
     če Haly Goste sall sende two maydyns čat ere conande: the
     one es callede `rightwysnes,' and če točer is called `luffe of
     clennes.' Thiese two sall cast fro če conscience and fro če
|r16 herte, all maner of fylthe of foule thoghtes and desyris. When
     če place of če conscience es wele clensed, than sall če grownde
     be mad lange and depe; and thies two maydenes sall be made,
     če one es callede `Mekenes,' čat sall make če grownde depe
|r20 thorowe lowlynes of hir selfe, the točer es callede `Pouerte,'
     čat makis it large & wyde abowne, čat castis ouer ylke a halfe
     če erthe owte, čat es to say, alle erthely lustes & worldely
     thoghtes ferre fro če herte, čat, if čay hase erthely gudis, with
|r24 luffe čay for-gete čaym for če tym, & castis no lufe to čam,
     nor hase noghte, ne settis noghte for čat tyme čaire hertes
     no thynge one čam. And thies ere called `pure in spyrite,'
     of wham God spekes in če gospelle, & sayse čat `thaires es če



|p52


     kyngdom of heuen, be thies wordes Beati pauperes spiritu,
     quoniam ipsorum est regnum' coelorum. Blyssed es čan čat
     religyon čat es funndide in pouerte and in meknes. This es
 |r4 agaynes many religyous čat are couetous and prowde.
     This abbaye also sall be sett on a gud reuer, and čat sall
     be če reuer of teres. For swylke abbayes čat ere sett one
     swylke gude ryuers, čay are wele at ese, and če more dylecyous
 |r8 duellyng es čer. |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,
     čat es to saye, `the gude reuer mase če Cete lykande,' for it es
|r12 clene sekyr, & ryche of all gude marchandyse. And so če
     reuer of teris clenses Goddis cete, čat es, mannes saule, čat
     es Goddes cete. And also če holy man sayse of fylthe of
     synn, čat it brynges owte če reches of vertus and of alle gude
|r16 thewes. And when čis grownde es made, čan sall come
     a dameselle, Bowsomnes, on če tone halfe, and dameselle
     Miserecorde one če točer halfe, for to rayse če walles one
     heghte, and to make čam stalworthe, with a fre hert largely
|r20 gyfande to če pure, & to čam čat myster hase. For when we
     do any gud werkes of charite thorow če grace of Gode, als
     ofte sythis als we čam do in če lufe and če louynge of God, and
     in gud Entent, als many gud stonys we laye one owre howssynge
|r24 in če blysse of heuen, festenande togedir with če lufe of Gode
     and oure euen-crysten. We rede čat Salomon made his
     howssynge of gret precyouse stones. Thiese precyous stones
     are almos-dedis and werkes of mercy, & holy werkes čat sall
|r28 be bownden to-gedir with qwyke lyme of lufe & stedfaste
     by-leue. And for-thi sayse Dauid, Omnia opera eius in fide,
     čat 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 čat we wyrke, are noghte worthe to God, nor
     spedfull till oure sawles, bot čay be done in the lufe of God
     and in trewe by-leue. For alle čat če synfull dose, alle es loste.
     Sythen Dameselle Sufferance and damesell Forte sall rayse
|r36 če pelars, & vndirsett čam so strangly, čat no wynde of wordes,



|p53


     angre of stryffe, fleschely nor gastely, sowre ne swete, caste
     čam downe. A, dere brethir and systers, ¨itt by-houys če
     cloystyre be made one foure corners; and it es callede `cloyster'
 |r4 for it closys and steskys, and warely sall be lokkede. My dere
     brečir and systyrs, wylke of ¨ow as will halde this gastely
     religyon, & be in ryste of sawle & in swetnes of hert, halde
     če with-in če cloyster, and so sparre čou če ¨ates, and so
 |r8 warely kepe čou če wardes of či cloyster, čat no nočer fand_yngez
     nor euylle styrrynges hafe in-gate in the, & make č
     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, čat sall be raysede one
|r16 heghte with heghe ¨ernynge, and with lufe qwykkynynge to
     Gode, and čat sall be owte ofe worldly noyse and of worldly
     angyrse and besynes, als fere furthe als čou may for če tym
     thorow grace for če 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 čat Goddis chosen childir sall hafe in heuen.
     Rewfulnes sall make the fermorye, Deuocion sall make če
|r24 celere, Meditacion sall make the gernere.
     And when all če howses bene made, čan be-houes če Holy
     Gaste Ordeyne če couent of grace & of vertu. And čan sall če
     Holy Gaste čat čis religyone es of, bee warden and visiture,
|r28 the whilke God če Fadir funded thorow his powere. For čus
     saise Dauide, Fundauit eam altissimus, and this es to saye, `the
     heghe Gode če Fadyr Fundide this relegyone.' The Son
     thurgh his wysedom čan ordayned it, als Sayne Paule witnes
|r32 it, Que adeo ordinata sunt, čat es at saye, `alle čat es of God
     the Sone, it rewlis & ordaynes.' The Holy Goste ¨emys it and
     vesettes it; and čat saye [we] in holy kyrke when we saye čis,



|p54


     Veni Creator Spiritus, with Qui paraclitus diceris, čat es for
     to saye, `come, čou God če Haly Gaste, and thyne čou vesete,
     and fulfill čam with grace.' And than the gude lady Charite,
 |r4 als scho čat es most worthy by-fore alle očer, sall be abbas
     of this sely abbaye. And also, als čay čat are in relegyone
     sall do no thynge, ne saye thynge, ne gange in-to no stede, ne
     take no gyfte, with-owtten leue of če 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,
     čat es, `what-so ¨e do, or saye, or thynke with herte, alle ¨e
     mon do in charite.' A, dere brečir and systirs, whate here
|r12 es harde comandement! Bot it es noghte full ill to oure sawles
     čat 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, čat čay ne done če comandment
|r16 of saynte Paule, or če concelle of če |r[f.272b] gud lady Charite, čat
     es abbesse of this cely relegyon. And for-thi čay lose mekill
     tym, and losses čaire mede, and ekes thaire payne gretly, bot
     if čay amende čam, whare-fore, leue brečir and systirs, bese
|r20 euer-more wakire and warre; and in all ¨oure werkes, thynke
     depely čat whate-so ¨ee doo, be it done in če lufe of Gode, and
     for če lufe of če lady Wysdome čat sall be prioresse; for scho
     es worthi, Nam, prior omnium creata est sapiencia, čat es,
|r24 `al-čir-firste es Wysedome made'; and thurgh če lare of hir,
     and če concele of čis prioresse, sall we do alle čat we do; and
     this sayse Dauid, Omnia in sapiencia fecisti, čat es at saye,
     `alle čat čou hase made, čou hase made wysely.' The gud
|r28 lady Meknes čat aye Elyke makis hir selfe lowly and vndir
     alle očer, sall be supprioresse: hir sall ¨e honoure and wirchipe
     with bouxomnes. A Ihesu! blyssede čat abbaye, and cely es
     čat religyone, čat hase so haly ane abbas as Charyte, a prioresse
|r32 as Wysedome, a supprioresse as Mekenes. A, dere brečir and
     systirs, blyssede and Cely are čay, čat es to say, those saules
     are cely čat haldis če comandment of če abbas lady Charite,
     and če techynge of če priores, lady Wysdome, and the concele
|r36 of če suppriorese, lady mekenes; For who-so es bouxome to



|p55


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



|p56


     sacrafyce to God: this are of čam čat hym moste payes; and
     for-thi he askes vs it čer he sayse thus, Sacrificium laudis
     honorificabis me, čat 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 čat Iubylacion
     es a grete Ioye čat es consayuede in teris, thorow brynnande
     luffe of spirite, čat may noghte be in all schewede, no in alle
 |r8 hyde, als it fallis somtyme of tho čat God hertly lufes: čere_eftir
     čat čay hafe bene in prayere and in orysone, čay ere so
     lyghte & so lykande in God čat, whare-so čay go, čer hertes
     synges murnynge songes of lufe-longynge to čaire lefe, čat čay
|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, čat wordis čam wanttis, for luf-longynge so ferforthe
     rauesches thorow hertis, čat somtym čay ne wote noghte whate
|r16 čay do. Deuocione es celeresse, čat kepis če wynnes, bothe če
     white and če rede, with depe vmbythynkynge of če gudnes
     of God, & of če paynnes & of če anguyse čat he tholede, and
     of the Ioyes & če delytes of paradyse, čat he hase ordayned
|r20 to his chosen. Penance sall be kychynnere, čat 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, čat es, many bitter sorowes alle for hir gyltez. And
|r24 |r[f.273b] theys metis fedis če 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 čat scho to
|r28 ylkone so lukes čat mesure be ouer alle, čat none ouer mekill
     nere ouer lyttill ete ne drynke. Sobirnes redis at če borde
     the lyues of the haly Fadirs, and synges and reherces whate
     lyfe čat čay lede for to take gud Ensampille to do als čay dyd,
|r32 and čere thorowe slyke mede to wyn als čay now hafe. Pete
     es spensere, čat dose seruesse to gud, all čat scho maye. And
     Mercy hir syster sall be ambynowre, čat gyffes to alle, and
     noghte kane kepe to hir-selfe. The lady Drede es portere,
|r36 čat kepis besyly če cloyster of če herte, & of če conscience



|p57


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



|p58


     for whaym he tholede. This garnere had če gud kyng Dauid;
     For-či was he ay riche & in plente, and for-či he sayse in če
     psaltyre, In omnibus operibus tuis Meditabar die ac nocte, čat
 |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 čan Many wordes sayd in prayere, For če holy thoghtes in
     meditacion cryes in Goddes eris. Ofte it falles čat če herte
     es so ouer-tane and so raueschede in holy meditacyon, čat it
     wote noghte what it dose, heris, nor sayse, or seys; so depely
|r12 es če herte festenede in God and in his werkes, čat wordis
     hym wanttis; and če stillere čat he es in slyke Meditacion, the
     luddere he cryes in Goddes eris; and čer-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 čer sayse če glose, `the grete
     cryes čat we crye to God čan, are oure grete desyres and oure
|r20 grete ¨ernynges.' And this sayse Saynte Denyse, čat sayse,
     `When če herte es lyfte and raueschede to če lufe of God with
     gelouse ¨ernynges, he ne may sownde with worde čat če herte
     thynkis.' This holy Meditacione, čat es, če gernare čat kepis
|r24 ¨erely če whete čat es rede with-owte and white with-in, čat
     hase če syde clouen, of če whilke men mase gud brede, čat es
     called Ihesu Criste, čat 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 če brede čat we ressayue and etis in če Sacrament of če
     altyr. And wele čou weite čat the gerner sall be abown če
     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 če profete Dauide A Fructu
     frumenti vini, et olei sui, multiplicati sunt, čat es at saye, `Of



|p59


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



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     heuenly gladnes; and when he will, he closis his handis, and
     withdrawes če lykynge & če comforthe fro čam. He wille
     noghte čat čay fele it fully aye, Bot here he gyffes čam 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 čis comforthe and this lykynge čat čou
     čis schorte tym hase of me, čou may taste & fele how swete,
 |r8 how gude I ame to my chosyn in my blysse, in če werlde with_owtton 
     ende'; and čus he dose, for to drawe vs fro worldly
     besynes, and če lykynge čer-of, and for to enflawme oure hertes
     with lufe-¨ernynges, For to wyn and to hafe če lykynge of čat
|r12 Ioye, alle at če full in body and saule, with hym for to be euer 
     more with-owtten ende.
     A dameselle wyse & wele taghte, čat men calles Gelosye,
     čat es ay wakyre and besy euerylyke wele for to do, sall kepe
|r16 če orloge, and sall wakkyn če očer ladyse, & make čam arely 
     to ryse, and go če wyllylyere to čaire seruysse. éer es orloges
     in towne čat wakyns men to ryse to bodily trauayle, & čat
     es če seke; and čer es orloges in če cete čat wakynnes če
|r20 marchauntes to wende a-bowte čaire marchandyce, čat es če
     wynde čat blawes daye. And čer es orloges in religion of
     contemplacion. And this es of this holy relegyon čat es
     fundede of če Haly Gaste, and čis es Ielosy; and this es sauoyre
|r24 of perfeccion. & ofte it falles in relegion, be-fore čat če
     Orloge falles or any belles rynges, Goddes gostely seruandes
     are lange wakenede before, and hase wepede by-fore God, and
     hase waschen čam with čaire teris, and čaire spyrit hase
|r28 |r[f.275b] vesete with deuote prayers and gastely comforthe. And why
     rose čay so arely & so tymly? Witterly for če orloge of lufe;
     and damesele Ielosye had wakened čam be-fore če tyme čat
     če handmayde orloge felle. A, dere bročir and syster! sely
|r32 ar tho sawles čat če lufe of God, and longyng till hym, wakyns,
     and slomers noghte, ne slepis noghte, in če slowthe of fleschly
     lustes. For-thi he sayse in Canticis, Ecce dormio, et cor meum
     vigilat, čat 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 čat čus wakes to God, me
     thynke hole conscyence čat werldly men thynke, and čat es
 |r4 this, Jeo ay le quer a leche, rauayl‚ par amours, čat es at saye,
     `Myn herte es styrte fro me, wakened with lufe.' Whate es
     this čat mase če herte fro če flesche to wake, and for čat 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 če lande thorowe his powere, and did in this holy
     Abbaye Foure doghtyrs čat he hade čat were lothely & of
     euyll maners, čat če fende was fadyr of thiese doghtyrs. ée
     firste čer-of, čis foule barne-tyme, highte Envye; the točer
|r16 highte Pride; the thirde highte Gruchynge; the ferthe highte
     False Demynge of očer. Thiese foure doghetirs čan hase če
     tyraunt, če deuell of helle, for euyll will & malese, done in this
     holy Abbaye; and čay, with čaire foule vnclennes, če couent hase
|r20 greuede and harmede, so čat čay no riste ne no pete may hafe,
     nyghte nor daye, nor lykynge in saule. And when če gud lady
     Charite saw this (čat was Abbas), and the lady Wysedome (čat
     was prioresse), and če lady Mekenes, supprioresse, and če točer
|r24 gude ladyse of this holy Abbaye, that the holy Abbaye was
     in poynte for to worthe to noghte thorowe če wykkydnes |r[f.276a] of
     thir foure, Than range [čay] če chapetour belle, and gedirde čam
     alle to-gedir, and asked concele whate was beste to do. And
|r28 than lady Dyscrecyon čam concelde čat čay solde alle falle
     in prayere to če Holy Goste, čat of this Abbay es vesetour,
     čat he haste hym for to come, as čay grete myster hade, čare
     for to helpe and vesete with his grace. And čay all, at hire
|r32 consaile, with grete deuocyon of herte vnte hym, sange
     alle with a swete steuen, Veni, creator spiritus! And alse
     sone če Holy Goste come at čaire desyrynge, and čam com_forthede
     with his grace, and chasede owte če fowle wyghtes,
|r36 čose lothely fendis doghetirs, and clenesede če Abbaye of all



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     če fylthe, and ordayned it, and restorede better čan it was
     by-fore. Now I pray ¨ow all in charite of God, čat all ča čat
     of this relegion redis or heris, čat čay be bouxome with all
 |r4 čaire myghte, and suffire čat če gud ladys be-fore namede do
     čaire offece ilke daye gastely with-in čaire hertes. And luke
     ylkone wysely čat he ne do no trispase agayne če rewle ne če
     obedyence of čis relegion, and of čase lufe-frayners. And if
 |r8 thorow vnhape falle čat 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 če concelle of če 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 če mercy of oure Lord Ihesu
     Criste there. Blyssede mot he be with-owtten ende! Amen!

Explicit Relegio Sancti Spiritus. Amen.