|b{Richard_Rolle_and_če_holy_Boke_Gratia_Dei}
|b{an_Edition_with_commentary_by}
|b{Sister_Mary_Luke_Arntz,_S.N.D.}
|b{Salzburg,_Institut_fr_Anglistik_und
|b{Amerikanistik_der_Universit„t,_1981}
|b{pp.1-131.}



|p1


ée holy Boke Gratia Dei


     |r[f.240a] Off Goddis grace stirrand and helpand, and čat na thyng may
     be done with-owttene grace. éat is: Gracia dei vita eterna (ad
     R=o=V=o=). This are če wordis of če haly appostill saynt Paule, čat
     thus are on Ynglysche: če grace of God es lastand lyfe.
 |r5    Grace če appostille settis before as ledare, ffor with_owttyne
     wyssynge & stirrynge of grace nane may wyne to če lastand
     lyfe. For als saynt Austyne sayse: Omne bonum nostrum nichil
     facit in nobis nisi gracia dei. Alle če gude we do to wyne with
     heuenly mede, grace by-fore sent it makis; for ellis oure dedis
|r10 are noghtes bot als false moneye whare-with mene may noghte by.
        And for-thi wene we no gud to do with-owttyne grace, or
     ¨it haue gud wille, for noghte es gud čat mane dose čofe it gude
     seme, bot Goddes grace it lede. This the prophete witnes be God
     čare he sayse thus: Scio, domine, qui non est via hominis vt
|r15 ambulet et dirigat gressus suos. I knawe wele, Lorde, sayse
     the prophete, čat the gude wayes of mane are [noght] of hyme_selfe 
     to styrre his fotsteppis to walke in the waye. For-thi



|p2


     wete čay wele the fende čame foully bygylis, that wenys by čame_selfe 
     any gude to do, with-owttene grace by-fore commande and
     stirande če gude, & by-twene seand & helpande. And čat this be
     sothe, God thurgh če prophete sayse: Perdicio tua ex te Israel;
 |r5 in me est auxilium tuum. Of thi-selfe, he sayse, čou hase čat
     čou may be loste, bot with-owttyne my grace helpande bese čou
     neuer saufe.
        Goddes grace command to mane wirkis in hym whare-thurgh he
     |r[f.240v] may be saufe, / čat in his firste commyng fyndes in mane whare-fore
|r10 he myghte hym dampne thurgh his ryghtewys dome. Whate garte oure
     forme-ffadir paradyse wyne of Cryste, čat with his blody handis
     was done one the croyse? Now, certis bot grace helpande, čat
     stirrid hyme čat tyme to forthynke hys syne & made hym mercy to
     crye for his mysdede.
|r15    Off thre degrees of grace fynde we in haly write, for če
     begynnyng of oure speche es of grace: it es for to wete of thre
     degrees of grace. Ane čer es čat till creatours es comone, that
     God gyffes till all creatours to vp-halde čame with, and this es
     called Goddis helpe freely gyffene till all creatours, and for_owttene 
|r20 this gyfte of grace creatours may noght do, ne laste in
     thayre kynde. For als čou may se čat water es mad hate thurgh
     strenghe of ffyre, & with-drawe če fyre čare-fraa, it turnes



|p3


     agayne als it was & by-commes calde. Righte sa it fares of
     creatours, als saynt Austyne sayse: All creatours, als čay are
     of noghte made, bot if God čame vp-halde thurghe his grace in čat
     čay ere, worthe to noghte with-in a littill stounde. éis vndir_stode 
 |r5 če appostill by skill, & for-thi he sayse: Gracia dei sum
     id quod sum. Thurgh Goddes grace, quod he, I am čat I am, anely
     thurgh Goddes grace alle this I haue.
        Bot čar es anočer grace of God & mare specyale, čat God
     gyffes till ilk mane čat es gud & skilfull creature, do it wha-sa
|r10 will. And this grace standis euer at the ¨ates of oure hertis &
     knokkes on oure fre will and byddes late hym ine. This sayse God
     čat he duse čer he thus sayse: Ego sto ad hostium & pulso. He
     standis, he sayse, at če dore of thyne herte & knokkes čat čou
     late hym ine. And this es calde Goddes grace frely gyffene to
|r15 mane or he čer-after serue; čat thurgh stirrynge of this grace
     mane graythe hym swa čat he be worthy to resceyue če gyfte or če
     Haly Gaste, čat euer stirres the to če gude & calles fra če the



|p4


     ille of manes free wille.
        Twa thynges are nedfull to če hele of manes saule. The
     firste es čis čat I now of speke; the točer es manes fre wyll
     accordand čer-till. And with-owttene thir twa na mane may do
 |r5 thurgh oghte čat in hym es, čat helpe hym sulde to be hele of
     his saule. For nočer free will forowtene this grace stirrande,
     ne this grace forowttene free will assentande & helpeand, noghte
     may do čat God may paye. For saynt Austyne sayse: Qui fecit te
     sine te, non viuificabit te sine te. éat es at say: He čat made
|r10 če withowttene the, he wille noghte make the ryghtwyse to be bot
     if čou will helpe čer-to.
     |r[f.241a]  And čofe če fre will of mane ne may not mak the /grace of God
     in mane, neuer-the-lesse do mane čat in hym es and graythe hym
     swa čat he be redy & abyll to resceyue če grace whene it commes.
|r15 Als čou may see by thi-selfe if čou ware in a myrke house one the
     days,  alle the thirlles, dores & wyndows, ware stokyne čat na
     sone myght enter. If čou stod styll & walde noghte late če sonne
     come in, wha were to blame if če house were myrke? For if čou
     opynde the dors and wyndouse, als-tyte če sone walde come ine
|r20 and lyghte alle če house. For-thi wyte nane bot thi-selfe if čou
     gracelese be. For saynt Anselme sayse: Man wanttes noghte čis
     grace, for God gyffes it hyme; bot he hafes it noghte, & whi? for



|p5


     he resceyues it noghte, & čat es for he redies hym noghte to
     resceyue čis grace als he sulde. For if he graythede hym als
     he sulde, with-owttene grace ware he noghte.
        God es no chynche of his grace, for he hase čer-of ynoghe.
 |r5 For if he dele it neuer sa ferre ne to sa many, ¨itt leues hym
     neuer-the-lesse, ffor it wanttis bot clene vesselle to resceyue
     it. For saynt Austyne sayse: Deus ingenti libertate atque
     vnbertate replet omnes creaturas, & capacitate earum. éat es
     čus mekill for to say: God thurgh the gret fredome of his mekill
|r10 grace helpfull fillis alle creaturs after čat čay are abyll to
     resceyue his grace. If mane opene his herte to this when God it
     sendis to hym, in werke he walde it schewe, with-owttene any
     drede. For-thi the appostill by hym-selfe sayse whene he hys
     grace had wonne: Gracia eius in me vacua non fuit. éat es: če
|r15 grace čat God hase me gyfene es noghte vanyte in me, for he
     noted euer in werke če grace čat he hade.
        We felawchipe with God of hys grace als merchaundes duse
     to-gedir čat hase chafere in mene, ffor God settis his grace



|p6


     agayne oure werke to chafere with čame bathe. Bot for his dede
     he will noghte elles, be če byet neuer sa gret, bot louynge &
     thankynge,& alle če prowe he will čat mane haue čat čerof may
     ryse. Bot many fandis to be-gyle God & refe hym his dale, čat
 |r5 will be loued of mene for čayre gud dede. And for-thi are čay
     worthi to lose if čay any gude hafe, for čay stele fra čaire
     Lorde čat falles to his dale. Agaynes whayme God sayse: Gloriam
     meam alteri non dabo. éat es to say: The wirchipe čat falles
     to me I will gyffe nane očer.
|r10    And for-thi čat oure speche es now of manes fre will, čou
     sall undirstande čat čer es called ffre will of mane čat frely
     |r[f.241v] may turne to gude or till ille. éat mane wele knawes. / Thre
     statys are of mane: be-fore syne & efter, and efter mane es
     confermed, that [es], efter mane es departede owte of this dedly
|r15 lyfe and wone to that ioy čat neuer sall hafe ende. Mannes will
     was mare fre in the first state čan in the secunde, and in the
     thirde mare free thane in the firste or in the secunde. In če
     firste state, by-fore mane synned, was mannes will so fre čat
     he myghte syne & noghte syne; in his free will it was whethir
|r20 sa he wolde do wele or ille. In the laste state čat es con_fermede, 




|p7

     čan sall mane noghte mow syne ne do ill one none-kyn
     wyse. In the secund state, in če wylke he may syne and may
     noghte, bot he syne manes will es fre till ill, to it be streyned
     & turned agayne with grace. And whene grace ledis če will, čane
 |r5 es it free to wirke če gude. Euer es manes will fre, bot be-fore
     grace it es free to wirke be ill, & thurgh grace it es made fre
     to wirke če gude. And čus es mannes will fre euer one some wyse.
        Bot mannes will es noght gude, bot it be fre fra syne; thus
     es mannes fre will fyled with syne. For-thi by-fore čat mane
|r10 synnede, na lettynge hade he čat myghte marre hyme to do če gude.
     Bot now slyke a bročer hase syne copled with oure flesche čat
     saynt Paule calles 'Legem carnis,' če lawe of če flesche, čat es,
     mayster of the flesche, swa čat euer he withstandis Goddis lawe
     in alle čat he may. éat lettis oure will to assente to če gude
|r15 & stirris čame to če ill, čat he may noghte wirke če gude bot if
     grace helpe & vse hym owte of syne.
        Ilke a mane, or he syne, hase a fre will to folowe če fendis
     rede or Goddes rede, whethir sa he chesys. Bot fra mane thurgh
     werk of syne byndes hym to če fende, he ne may thurgh na myghte



|p8


     of hyme-selfe wyne owte of his bandes. And čane he fares as a
     schippe čat thurgh tempeste hase loste alle čat sulde hyme helpe,
     and es castene fra wawe to wawe whedir tempeste hym dryues. And
     righte swa it es by mane čat Goddes grace wanttis. Fra he be
 |r5 fallene in dedely syne, he duse noghte čat he walde, bot aye
     waywes fra hande to hande at the fendis will. And bot God gyffe
     hym grace to ryse owte of his synne, he sall be lefte in syne
     till his lyfes end, and efter he sall be loste bathe lyfe & saule,
     and dampned till endeles pynne.
|r10    And this may čou see in werldly thynges. Nane may make
     hym-selfe kynge bot če folke of če comone chese pame slyke a
     Kynge als čay walde hafe. Bot whene he es chosene of če folke
     and confermede in his rewme, čane slyke powere he hase ouer čame
     čat hym chase, čat, be he neuer sa ill to čame, čay may noghte
|r15 do hym doune, bot if it be thurgh očer čat hase mare powere čane
     |r[f.242a] he. And thus thurghe čaire awene chose, / be he neuer so ill,
     nedly by-houys čame thole. Ryght so mane, or he syne, hase a fre
     will to chese whečer he will be vndir God or če fende. Bot whene
     he cheses with his will če fend to serue, efter he may noghte,
|r20 whene he will, come owte of his banddis. And swa če firste fre
     will in-till nedfulnes turnes. And one čis maner werldly mene
     sayse čat are boundene in syne to čame čat consaylles čame to
     amend čaire lyfe, "Fayne we walde ryse," čay say, ,"bot we may



|p9


     noghte." Ne čay ne may thurgh myghte of čame-selfe, bot thurghe
     Goddes grace helpand čay may.
        The thirde grace es maste specyalle, ffor it es noght
     gyffene to ilke skilfull creature bot anely to tha čat resceyues
 |r5 če secunde grace & with čaire fre will filles it in ded, & may say
     by čame-selfe als saynt Paule sayde: Gracia eius vacua non fuit
     in me. éat es at say: Goddes grace ne was noghte vanyte in me.
     And saynt Austyne sayse čat God in vs wyrkande fulfillis čat he
     thurgh grace stirrand by-gane in vs. For nowčer with-owttene hym
|r10 helpande may we do gude vn-till oure-selfe ne till pay hyme. And
     this by-houes be thoghte by-fore, for God sayse hym-selfe: Sine
     me nichil potestis facere. With-owttene helpe of my grace, he
     sayse, ¨e may noghte spede ne do. Goddes grace stirrande gase
     be-fore gud will, & stirres hyme to do če gude & leve his syne.
|r15    WHATE GRACE DOSE WHENE HE VESETTIS MANNES SAULE. Grace,
     whene he firste commes to vesete mans saule, he wakkyns hyme als
     of a slomerynge čat lange hase lyggene in syne, and spyrres at
     hyme with thre scharpe worddes, sayande: "Whare art čou," he
     sayse, "and whethene commes čou, and whedir wendis čou?" Firste
|r20 he sayse, "Whare arte čoue?" Als wa say, "Vmbythynke the,



|p10


     vnhappy wreche, how foule čou arte dounne castyne, & whate
     perelle čou arte in. For thurgh thi syne čou arte fallene in_till 
     thyne enemys handes, čat ouer all thynge couaytes to wyrke
     the waa; and noghte may helpe ne delyuer the owt of thy faaes
 |r5 handes, bot almyghtty God thi gud Lorde, čat čou hase forsakene."
        Sythene he spyrres & sayse, "Whethyne commes čou?" Als he
     till the sayd, "čou wrechid caytefe, by-halde all thi lyfe als
     čou hase wastede it in syne. Thou commes fra če fendis tauerne
     of helle. Whare es all če gudes God hase če gyffene to [help]
|r10 če & wirchipe hym with? Sa saryly čou hase čame loste. So riche
     |r[f.242v] als / thi Lord the made & čou arte by-comene a pure wriche."
        Synthene he spyrres, "Whedir weyndis čou? Wafull wreche,"
     he sayse, "čou wyendis to če wafull dome čat he demes to wofull
     wreches, for als čou hase seruede, ryghte swa sall čou be demyde.
|r15 Sa awefull čare-to čou sall God see, čat čou sall be so ferde
     owt of thi wytte. And to če montaynnes & hillis čou sall luke
     and crye with a grylle voyce & pray čame čat čay one the falle &
     hyde the, čat čou noghte one hym see. Wafull wreche, čou



|p11


     wendis till helle, & čou do forthe als čou hase by-gonne. Whare
     čou sall wende es fyre, so hate brynnande & sa wodly, čat all the
     water of če see, if it thorowe it rane, če leste sparke of the
     fyre it myghte neuer slokene. For čou stynkkes here to Godd for
 |r5 či foule synnes, čare-fore čou sall fele foule stynke čare last_ande 
     for euer. And for čou luffed here myrknes & ay to be in
     syne, thare sall čou fele so thikke myrkenes čat čou may it
     grape. And ffor čou restede the here in syne agaynes Goddes will,
     thare sall čou wepe in a thykkere & more glowande teres thene
|r10 motes ere in the sonne. A thowsande of thowsande¨ ¨eris payne
     sall čou thole, euer payne after payne to newe thy waa."
        Whene Goddes grace hase styrrede mane and wakkenede hyme
     with thir thre, & hase mad hyme to knawe the perelle čat he es
     in, thane he conseyues a ferdenes of Goddes awefull dome. And
|r15 čare-thorowe he be-gynnes to sorowe čat euer he dyd amyse, and
     ¨ernys to amende hyme thurgh Goddes grace čat stirres hym to fle
     če euyll & gyf hym to do če gude.
        Than commes grace folowande to helpe če gud will of mane to
     fulfill it in dede. For čofe čou, mane, hafe a gud will to do če
|r20 gude thurgh grace by-fore stirrande, the gud will čou may noghte



|p12


     do in dede with-owttene Goddes grace folouande & helpeande. And
     the appostill affermes by hym-selfe čare he čus sayse: Non autem
     ego, sed gracia dei mecum. The gud I do es noghte, he sayse,
     bot Goddes grace do it with me. As if he sayde: Na gude may
 |r5 I do if ne Goddes grace me helpe. Than es gud we do če firste
     čat grace stirres oure wyll to do, and sythene thurgh grace
     feloande to wyrke gude. And thane hase čou čat grace čat gase
     by-fore gud will, and gude wyll es als a hande-maydene to grace
     to wyrke alle hir wille.
|r10    Goddes grace, čare he es, will noghte če vnmayte, bot euer
     |r[f.243a] he es wyrkkande, / and he es waxeand ay mare & mare, to mekill the
     mede. For-thi of this helpand qrace sayse saynt Paule: Goddes
     grace es noghte vanyte in me. Note we čan this grace čat God
     vs sendis, čat God for-thynke hym noghte of his sande & haue it
|r15 euer in pyne for we note it noghte. For-thi do we als the
     appostill is redis čare he sayse: Hortamur vos, fratres, ne in
     vacuum gracium dei recipiatis. I pray ¨ow, he sayse, & byddes



|p13


     ¨owe, als my brethir in God, čat ¨e resceyue noghte grace in
     vayne, čat notes it noghte in gud whene God till ¨ow it sendis.
     For percas if čou it with-skape & it tyne, čou sall neuer after
     per-till wyne.
 |r5    Isodere telles of a littill fle čat es called Saura, & this
     fle by-takyns grace be-fore stirrand, whase kynd it es čat he
     [es] enemy to all wormes of venome. Sa čat whare he seese any
     worme to-warde mane for to stange hyme whare he slepis in wildir_nes 
     or in woddes, he flees by-fore to če mane, or če worme hym
|r10 stange, and lyghttes appone če slepand face and byttes hym a
     lyttill. And čar-thurgh he wakyns hym or če best commo, čat he
     may be warre or he be stangede. Now by this Saura es vndirstande
     grace čat God sendis to mane agayne the fandynge¨ of če fende,
     čat ofte venemosely stangges. He cryes appone the als če
|r15 appostill witnes in his wordes & sayse: Surge qui dormis &
     exsurge a mortuis, & illuminabit te Christus. He sayse: Ryse,
     čou slepis so faste; owt of thi syne wakkene & ryse fra thi dede,
     & Criste sall helpe the thurgh his dere-worthi grace.
        Bot the vnkynde creatours duse agayne čis grace & for-duse
|r20 it with-alle, als Vergill did with this littill flee čat I are of



|p14


     spake, čat saued hym fra če dede. He, this Virgill, als he
     slepid, a neddere come to hyme-warde for to stang hyme, as it es
     his kynde. Bot this littill flee, čis Saura, čat sawe če neddire,
     flow by-fore & lyghtted in his forheuede & prykede hyme a littill.
 |r5 And čare-with he wakenede, ryghte als če worme come. Bot čis
     Virgill in his wakynnynge, he feled his forheued smerte. He
     smate hym-selfe in če fronte, & sa he slew če fle, & čus qwyte
     he hym his gud seruyse čat sauede his lyfe. For-thi for-do čou
     noghte grace whene he to če commes to warne če of thi harme &
|r10 stirre če to če gude.
        Fayne aughte mane to be of Goddes grace whene God sendis it
     to hym, and sa riche a gyfte of God warely to ¨eme. For bot man
     hafe Goddes grace in this dedly lyfe & reule hym čar-after, wele
     better it ware to hyme čat he ware vnborne čan lyfe with-owttene
|r15 grace. For grace es harls of čat lastand ioye čat is to come,
     als če appostill sayse: Gracia dei vita eterna. Goddes grace,
     he sayse, es als helpe & waye to ay-lastand lyfe. And for-thi
     he settis grace by-fore as waye čat ledis to če lastande lyfe
     |r[f.243v] & ioye, & als / a wedde, if we it wele ¨eme, to make in it sekirnes
|r20 of endles ioy to welde, als če appostill sayse: Qui dedit



|p15


     pingnus spiritumn suum in corporibus nostris. God, he sayse, has
     gyffene till vs če haly gaste als a wedde here in us to welde of
     čat endles ioye.
        Halde we čane this heuenly wede & note it wele in werke, and
 |r5 schape oure lyfe čare-after in whate-sa we do. For wele es vs in
     čis lyfe whiles Goddis grace vs ledis; ffor whene grace us leues,
     we faile of čat wele. For-thi for-do we in vs thurgh helpe of
     grace alle čat es agaynes grace what-so euer it b^s
e, lesse or
     mare, čat oure synfull witte sayse es agaynes Goddes will. For_do 
|r10 we čane by-dene, čat čay lettis us noghte to accorde to Goddes
     will. éat es, čat we fordo all čat syne es, or čat may stirre to
     syne, with forthynkkynge of herte & scrifte of mouthe & with_standyng 
     with will neuer to turne agayne.
        Thre thynges are nedefull till ilk a mane of what state he
|r15 be to mekill his mede, thurgh Goddes grace helpande, als abouene
     es sayde, čat hym sall lede. The ffirste es čat mane če in
     honeste werke with-owttene lettynge of his tyme. The secunde,
     čat he his werke do with a fredome of spyrite, in stede and in
     tyme als till ilke werke falles. The thirde, čat his vttire
|r20 berynge, whare-so he commes, so honeste be & faire, čat louynge
     be to God and stirryng of gude till all čat hyme sees-čat če



|p16


     appostill byddynge čay ful-fill in dede, čat sayse: Omnia in
     vobis honeste & secundum ordinem fiant. éat es at saye: All
     čat ¨e do, honestely be it done, in ordire.
        At the fyrste, sall euer-ylke gud Cristene mane umbyluke
 |r5 hyme, & euer be warre čat he tyne noghte the schorte tyme or
     wrange dispende it, or in ydilnes late it ouer-passe--če tyme
     čat God hase lente hyme to serue hym with-all, to gedir in gud
     werkes, tresure of grace, to by hym with heuene. The tyme of
     werke es schorte, & for-thi the faster it es to wirke, čat we ne
|r10 tyne noghte čis schorte tyme & sa lose oure mede. And noghte anely
     this schorte tyme fra vs flees, bot čare flees, als če wyse mane
     sayse: Nostra etas volat. éat es at say: Oure elde flees.
     Slepe we, wake we, or whate-sa we elles do, oure lyfe glyddes
     away. And, als saynt Gregor sayse, oure lyfe es lyke a mane in
|r15 a schippe. Sytte he or stande, slepe he or wake he, euer he es
     thedirwarde whedir če schipe dryues thurgh strenthe of če wynde.
     Righte sa we in this schorte whille, whate-sa we do, we dryue
     euer til oure ende. For-thi we spede vs in this schorte tyme,



|p17


     als oure enemy folows us euer at če bake with a scharpe swerde
     to styke vs thurghe. And sothely oure enemy, thate es če deuyll,
     |r[f.244a] folows vs euer at the bakke. For als Senec sayse: / Vita fugit,
     more sequitur. éat es to say: The lyfe flees & the dede
 |r5 freschely folows, for oure lyfe es noghte elles bot passynge fra
     lyfe. And saynt Austyne sayse čat lyf es bot a swyfte rynnynge
     to the dede. For-thi it es [noght] to tell by how lang a mane
     lyffes, bot how wele.
        żitt this schorte lyfe es uncertayne & unstabill, how lang
|r10 it sall laste. And for-thi Iob sayse: Nescio quamdiu subsistam,
     & si post modicum tollatt me factor meus. I ne wate, sayse če
     haly mane Iobe, how lange here I sall duelle, ne whene my makere
     will take me hythene. Here-of spekes saynt Gregor whare he čus
     sayse: I ne wate noghte, sayse čis haly mane, the while & sall
|r15 duelle here, ne whene čat I hythene sall be tane and ledde to
     če dome. Mannes lyfe es lykkynde to the wynde, čat of all
     thynges es maste unstabill. For saynt Gregore sayse: Schorte es
     mannes lyfe, & ¨it čat schortnes es euer uncertayne. For saynt
     Ierome sayse: Na thynge sa mekill be-gyles mane als mane ne



|p18


     knawes noghte če tyme of his lyfe, čat to his witt vncertane es.
     And ¨itt highte he hym-selfe lang to lyfe, als he myghte at his
     will dryue dede obake.
        Thus desceyued was če riche mane of whame če gospelle spekes,
 |r5 čat sa mekill gud hade raked to-gedir čat he ne wyste whare it to
     do. Na thyng hym greuede, so all thynge felle to his will, bot
     čat he had no housesynge to do his gudes ine. Thus als unwitty
     he spake to hym-selfe, "My saule, now may reste the & lede thi
     lyfe with ese, for reches & gudes čou hase ynoghe for many
|r10 ¨eres to spende." Bot for he thoughte all one his gudes & noghte
     one the dede, a voyce come fra almyghtty God & sterynly to hym
     sayde, "A, foule, this nyghte če fendis of helle thy saule sall
     fra the refe. And at čou sa lange gadirde samene, wha sall it
     hafe?"
|r15    Happy had čis riche mane bene and wyselyere had he wroghte,
     and he wolde hafe done after Salamone rede, čat all teches how
     čay sall do if reches to čame fall: Diuicie si affluant, nolite
     apponere cor. éat es at say: If reches to če falle, feste
     noghte one čame thy herte, for čay are faylande & noghte lastande
|r20 ay, & slepir als ane eele, čat whene mene wenys he hase hym faste,
     als fantome he fra hyme glyddys & tynys hym for ay.
        And thus it es by erthely gudes ffor whame mene swynke so



|p19


     sare to gedir čame to-gedir čat riste may čay nane hafe ne of
     noghte elles thynkkes. And whene čay hafe čat čay ¨erne, with
     righte or with wrange, or with pore mene malysouns that bytterly
     |r[f.244v] čame bannes, čane, whene čay thynke čame maste sekire  / and alle
 |r5 to čame falles ryghte als čay walde, sodanly čay fra čame glyde
     als a sleper eele mene haldes by če tayle. For owthir čaire
     gudes fra čame partys whylis čay are here, or elis čay dy fra
     čair gudes whene čay walde fayneste lyfe, & noghte with čame
     beris bot malysounns & synnes čat sall wende with čame to če
|r10 strayte dome & chalange čame by-fore God. For with wrange & in
     ill vse čay spende čame & ouer-mekill luffede čame agaynes Goddis
     will. Unhappy me thynke čane čay ere čat for čam ouer-mekill
     cares.
        AND éAT MANE SALL NOGHTE AFFY HYM IN RECHES: EXEMPLUM:
|r15 Mighte reches, čat če worlde ¨eldis to thase čat for čame swynkes,
     bynde hym to make čam sekyre čat čay sulde euer with čame laste?
     żit lo, čat čane hade mene some coloure erthely gudes to ¨erne &
     hertly for čame to swynke als mene now dose. Bot this may noghte
     the werlde now do one no wyse, ffor that thynge he ne hase of
|r20 hym-selfe čat may lett that na he sall passe, and čat he hase
     noghte, gyffe it to očer. For če haly wrytt be če werlde & by



|p20


     all his thynges thus sayse: Mundus transsibit, & concupiscencia
     eius. éat es thus mekill for to say: The werlde salle passe,
     with all his thynges čat mene here after ¨ernes, whate-so-euer
     čay be. And the law wretyne thus sayse: That mane may gyffe na
 |r5 mare ryghte in a thynge to očer thane hym-selfe hase. Righte
     als čou may see by a mane čat es fallene in a watter & thurgh
     strenghe it beris hym forthe & reues hym če grounde. If he may
     wyne to a stake or to a rote čat gud festenynge hase, he may lett
     če water to bere hym furthe. Bot if he festyne hym-selfe till a
|r10 thynge čat fletis als he duse, he may noghte čane lett če water
     to bere hyme furthe or whedir it will. Bot sothely, nyll we
     will we, in čis werlde als in a water with če gudes of this
     werlde euer are we passande, & noghte es in čis werlde to festyne
     vs by to lett us čat we ne sall passe. For als če haly mane by
|r15 vs sayse: Omnes moriemur & sicut aqua dilabimur in terra. éat
     es čus mekill for to say: Alle sall we dy and als water wende in
     to če erthe.



|p21


        For-thi če haly mane Iob sayse by hym-selfe čat here I knawe
     če sothe: Ego ille opulentus quondam repente contritus sum, et
     ecce leues amici mei transierunt, et senectam per quam non
     reuertor ambulo. Loo, said čis haly mane, I čat some-tyme was
 |r5 so riche, to what meschefe I am now fallene! Loo, my schortt
     frendis hase me lefte, & by čat way now & wende bot čer-by I
     come neuer agayne. And is als if he saide: Riches & frendis
     I hafe ma čane očer of če lande, & all tha na myghte me lett
     čat ne me byhouede furthe wende. And nyll I will I, čat waye
|r10 & wende withowtene agayne-come.
        Bot whylke es čis pase mane sall wende by, če prophett
     čer he schewes with thir wordis: Omnis caro fenum, & omnis gloria
     eius quasi flos agri. Mane, he saise, es als hay, & als flowres
     |r[f.245a] in the medowe  / čat growes, to mane čat es lufly & faire. Mannes
|r15 flesche es als haye, & all his ioy & noblaye as če flour in če
     medowe, čat so faire growes. Haye firste waxes in grene grysse,
     & sone after he brynges furthe faire floures. And if he stande,
     after a while čane če floures dryes & falles, and after he es
     mawene downe with če sythe & dyes. Sythene es it lede to house
|r20 & ¨emyd to bestis fode.
        Thus it fares by če mane čat borne es in čis werlde. In
     his childhede he sprynges & waxes as dose če grysse čat lufly es



|p22


     one to luke. Efter he waxes to mane, & so he floresche in faire_nes 
     & strenghe & wytt & hauynge of erthely gudes čat to hym
     falles. éane sone after als he drawes till elde, če floures
     falles & fayles, čat ere his vertus, fairehede, strenghe, wytte,
 |r5 syghte, felynge, & herynge. And efter čat he es smetyne downe
     with the sythe of dede, sythene led to house to bestis fode --
     čat es to say, doluene he es in če erthe to fede wormes with.
        And this wittnes če holy mane čer he thus sayse: Cum mori_tur 
     homo, habitabit inter serpentes et bestias. éat es thus for
|r10 to say: When mane es dede, with tadis, neddirs, & foulle, venymos
     bestis sall his duellyng be. Whatt thynge es so wlatesome to če
     werlde or vnworthi, als es a mane whene he es dede? éat če
     werlde so mekill lattis by whills mane by hym lyffes, so hethely
     če werlde lattis by hym sone whene he es dede, čat he ne may
|r15 thole hym be in his house thre dayes to-gedir, bot borne es owte
     čat he harme noghte with stynke čat of hym commes, & es grauene
     depe vndir če erthe to be wormes mete.
        And ffor-thi it es now in čis tyme to wyrke, for in če tyme
     čat es to come es na tyme to swynke, bot to resceyue mede for



|p23


     are-done dede. And čis affermes če angell with athe čer he čus
     sayse: Iuravit enim angelus quod non erit tempus amplius. éat
     es čus mekill for to saye: ée angell sware by athe čat after
     manes dede na tyme sall he hafe oghte for to wyne, bot čat that
 |r5 he hase by-fore wonne. Wete he wele, ffor-thi it es to do als
     če appostill sayse & redis: Dum tempus habemus, operemur bonum
     ad omnes. éat es to say: Whilis we hafe tyme do we gud till all.
     And als če appostill čer mane redis, hym-selfe did in dede. for
     as čir clerkes by saynt Paule sayse, euer čat he was styrrande
|r10 in sum gude werkes: for fra če fyrste houre of če daye vn-to če
     fyfte he trauelde with his hende to wyne his fode; & fra če fyfte
     |r[f.245v] houre vn-to če tende houre to če folke he prechede;  / and fro none
     till euene he seruede to če pure pilgrymes with slyke als he hade.
     Also by nyghte was he prayande, & thus spendid he his tyme.
|r15    In thre maners tynes mane his tyme, čat es: in ydilchipe, or
     in werke čat na gudes commes offe, or in gud werkes bot noghte
     ordayned als čay sold be. Firste it es to for-do ydilchipe, for
     it mekill harmes. And this witnesse Salamone če wytty čat thus
     sayse: Multam maliciam docuit ociositas. éat es čus mekill for
|r20 to saye: éat mekill malece & syne leris ydilnes. And for-thi



|p24


     sayse haly wryte čer-by: Qui sectatur ocium stultissimus est. éat
     es čus mekyll for to say: He čat spendis his tyme in ydilchipe
     ouer-mekill he es a fole, for he for-beres noghte če thyng čat
     duse hym harme. And ¨it mare fole es he for he wynnes hym na
 |r5 mede in če tyme. And alčer-maste fole he es for he wynees hym
     payne. And ffor-či God blames če ydill čare he to čame sayse:
     Quid hic statis tota die ociosi? éat es to say: Whi stand ¨e
     here al če day ydill & will noghte wyrke?
        Ydilchipe wastes godes čat are warely wonne, & for-thi saynte
|r10 Iohn sayse čat na thyng es werse čan ydilnes, & noghte anely for
     he wynnes noghte, bot for he wastes čat are wonne. Ydilines
     tilles če fende till house, & for-thi sayse saynt Iohn: Euer
     be wyrkande sum gud werke čat če fende fynde the noghte ydill,
     ffor als thurghe gude werke če fende es lettid to enter in to
|r15 manes herte, swa ydilines makes waye to manes herte & drawes če
     fende in.
        Idilines lettis mane to lyfe mannes lyfe ordanely als to
     mane falles. Als če wyse Senec sayse: He lyffes noghte till
     hym-selfe čat lyffes till hys wambe & to ese of his foulle
|r20 flesche in all čat he may, for he lyffes noghte till his pro_phett 
     ne to nane očer. And for-či he lyffes noghte, ffor Iob
     sayse: Homo enim ad laborem natus est. éat es at saye: Mane es



|p25


     borne to trauelle. And for-či mane čat trauelis noghte he lyffes
     noghte as mane. To trauelle was mane boundene efter he had
     synned, thurgh Goddes bynddynge čat čus to hym sayde: In sudore
     wltus tui vesceris pane tuo, donec reuertaris in terram de qua
 |r5 assumptus es, quia terra es & in terram ibis. éat es čus mekill
     for to saye: In swete of thi face čou sall ete thi brede. éat
     es: éou sall trauelle stalworthely & noghte fayntly, for he
     byddis če travelle with swete of thi face. He čat trauelis čat
     swettes hertly, he čat swynkkes. And so čou sold, ay till čou
|r10 torne in-to če erthe he sayse čou erte of če tane. éat es: All
     thi lyfe čou trauelle čat čou lose no tyme.
     |r[f.246a] This vice of ydilchipe mekill gude it lettis and  / [makes]
     mane vnworthi any gud to do, and symttis hym als it were with a
     parlesy čat all his lymes dryes, čat he may na gud do als he
|r15 sulde. For-thi spekes če psalme-wrytter čare he čus sayse: Manus
     habent et non palpabunt; pedes habent et non ambulabunt; os
     habent et non loquentur; oculos habent et non videbunt; aures
     habent et non audient. éat es čus mekill for to say: Thay hafe
     handes, he sayse, bot čay wyrke noghte; ffeete čay hafe bot čay
|r20 ga noghte; mouthes čay hafe bot čay speke noghte; eres čay hafe
     bot čay here noght--for čaire lymmes are so boundene in syne
     čat to all thynge čat euyll es are čay lyghte, bot to do če gud



|p26


     is dede.
        żitt ydilnes es a vyce čat wyrkes mekill euyll, for it nur_esche 
     to all čat euyll es. Saynt Clement sayse: For it makes
     mane rekles & for-getill for to do čat he haldene to do if he
 |r5 sauede sall be. For whene če fend fyndes a mane ydill, čane
     he drawes hym nere hyme to draw hym to his werkes. Firste he
     puttis hym fowle thoghttes in če herte and taries hyme with
     foulle ¨ernynges of fleschely fylthe or of očer folyes čat
     brynges mane to syne. Efter he prikkes hym to do thiese ¨ern_ynges 
|r10 in dede, & čus he makes hym to lose hym-selfe in syne,
     & hys tyme also, and lettis gud dedis to do čat myghte helpe
     hyme till heuene. And sa he dose agaynes če appostell rede čat
     čus till all mene sayse: Nolite dare locum diabulo. éat es to
     say: Gyffe na stede to če fende.
|r15    Bot in čat mane čat trauels in gud werkes, the fende may
     fynd na stede in hyme for to reste. for what vessale sa it be
     čat es euyne-full, if mene ¨ett mare čare-in, it castes it
     agayne. And čat mane mase waye to če fende & tillis hym to reste
     with hyme, & fulfill in dede whate-sa he hym byddes. And thus he



|p27


     mase hym-selfe unworthi to all očer stedis in to dwelle bot anely
     to helle; ffor als helle es če duellyng-stede of če fowle fende,
     righte sa it es howsynge to če ydill mane čat here serues hym in
     syne. And at this thus be, by skyll it may če prouede. Sothe
 |r5 it es če ydill mane may noghte duelle in heuene, ffor heuene es
     anely full mede to čame čat in čis lyfe spendis čaire tyme in
     čase werkes éat čay hope be Criste to paye. In purgatorie nane
     slyke may duelle. éare če gude anely are purgede in čat clensand
     fyre till čay be als clene of syne als whene čay crystenyd ware.
|r10 And here-to witnes če psalme-wrytter čer he čus sayse: In labore
     hominum non sunt, & cum hominibus non flagellabunttur. éat es
     |r[f.246v] čus for to say: The ydill  / trauels noghte with mene, ffor-thi
     čay sall noghte in purgatorye be pyned with thase mene čat are
     in če waye to heuene. Bot čay sall be for-euer pynede in helle
|r15 with če fende, for čay als his thralles serued hym in syne.
        Grete schame it es Cristyne mane nowe ydill to be in če
     tyme čat nowe es, čat callede es če tyme of grace, in če whylke
     tyme ensampill es schewed vs of gud werkes. And we are hyrede
     for to wyrke, & if we wyrke als we awe grete mede us habydes.
|r20    Firste, ensample God sett hym-selfe čat we suld lufe to
     wyrke, als če apostille by hyme sayse: Exinaniuit semetipsum



|p28


     formam serui accipiens, in similitudinem hominum factus & habitu
     inventus vt homo. Humiliauit semetipsum, factus obidiens vsque
     ad mortem, mortem autem crucis. Propter quod & deus exaltauit
     illum & donauit illi nomen quod est super omne nomen, vt in
 |r5 nomine Ihesu omne genu flectatur, celestium, terrestrium et
     infornorum, et omnis lingua confiteatur quia dominus Ihesus in
     gloria est dei patris. This es čus mekill for to saye: This
     es Goddes Sone of heuene, with trauelle hase wastede hym-selfe.
     He tuke če body of thralles, made to lyknes of mane, in clethyng
|r10 fondene as mane. He mekid hym-selfe et boxome by-come to če dede,
     čare to dy on če croyse. For-thi God hase heghede hyme & gyffene
     hym name čat es abowne al čat name beres, so čat in če name of
     Ihesu all spyrites sall knele of helle, of heuene, & erthe, & all
     sall witnesse bere čat oure Lorde Ihesu Cryste dwelles with his
|r15 Fadir in ioye. Ouer prowde čane es če seruande & ouer delycate
     čat in a batelle will ryste, and seese his lorde by-fore him
     eghne of his enymyse be assayllede & of čame euyll wondyde.
        The točer skyll es why we sulde wyrke now in čis tyme of
     grace, for we are Goddes boghte thralles, with če pryce of his
|r20 dere-worthy blode, noghte to sytt ydill, bot for to wyrke in this
     vyne-¨arde. And ¨itt he hyghttes vs mede if we do with gud wyll



|p29


     čat we thurgh dett awe for to do.
        The third skill es čat mare mede he hyghtes vs if we do his
     will čat he highte to his preue frendis be-fore če tyme of grace.
     To čame, if čay wele dyde, he hyghte erthely gudes; to vs he
 |r5 highte to wonne with hyme for-euer in his blysse.
        The ferthe es, if he to any of his preue frendes highte če
     blysse of heuene, lange tyme after it was or čay myghte wyne
     čerto. And ¨itt by-houed čame wende by helle and čare make lang
     habyddynge: some a thowsand wynter, sum twa thowsand, and some
|r10 thre thowsand wynters, or čay to heuene myghte come. Bot now in.
     a littill whyle mene may wyne heuene at will-als if any dye sone
     aftir he es crystennede; owther if he hafe done full penance for
     his mysdedis čat may for-do payne of purgatorie čat he for čame
     suld thole; or martyrs čat for Goddes lufe scheddes čaire blode.
|r15 The blys es now redy to mane if he it serue. And for-thi als če
     |r[f.247a] gospelle tellis saynt Luke: Misit  / dominus seruum suum hora
     cene dicere invitatis ut venirent, quia iam parata sunt omnia.
     éat es čus mekill for to say: God hase sent his seruant in če
     soper-tyme to say čame čat bodene ware čat čay sulde come & na
|r20 duellyng make, for alle es redy čat graythed es to the feste.
     This tyme of soper es tyme of grace čat now es, in whylke all es
     redy with-owttene lettynge to brynge mane with to blysse. éare



|p30


     es noghte elis to do bot wasche mene handes & sett čame to the
     mete--čat es, čat čay perfytely be clensyde of all če synns čat
     čay hafe donne sene če tyme čat čay were borne agaynes Goddes
     will.
 |r5    WHAT LOSYNG OF TYME ES IT TO TRAUELLE ABOWTE éASE THYNGES
     éAT NA PERFET COMMES OF: Noghte anely it es evylle for to waste
     če tyme in ydilines & in vayne, bot il it es & losyng of tyme to
     trauelle abowte čase thynges čat na profete commes of, for for-to
     trauelle abowte swylke thynges are wastynge of lyfe.
|r10    His lyfe es lange čat trauelis in čat he may for hyme-selfe,
     čat es to če wyrchipe of God & his saule-hele. Thow sall noghte
     deme the mane čat he hase lang lyffede, čof čou se hym white_harede 
     & ga stowpande with a staffe, for čat of mannes lyfe es
     noghte to telle by čat es wasted in ydilnes & in dedly syne.
|r15 For-thi ansuerde Baralame to Iosaphate, his disciple, čat to hym
     sayde: "Mayster, how alde arte čou? I pray the, ¨if it be thi
     will, čou telle me če sothe." And he ansuerde & sayd, "I am of
     fourty ¨eres & fyue." "Maister," quod Iosaphate, "me thynke čat
     čou solde be of sexty ¨ere & mare." And than ansuerde Baralame,
|r20 "If čou aske me of all čase ¨eres čat I haffe lyffede sene I was
     borne, čane haf I lyffed als many als čou laste sayd. Bot čase
     ¨eres I spendid in ydilines & in syne, or I tuke to če lyf čat I



|p31


     now halde, čase ¨eris I halde ¨eris of dede. Bot all čase ¨eris
     I telle ¨eris of my lyfe & na ma, čat I hafe serued Cryste my
     Lorde in thurgh his dere-worthy grace, for ¨eris of dede with
     ¨eris of lyfe are noghte for to tell."
 |r5    Wha so walde vmbythynke hyme whate tyme stelis fra hyme in
     lang etyng & drynkynge in owtrage, whate vnmayte werkes, ydil_chipe,
     ydill thoghtes and foule, vnmayte wordes & očer vanytes
     čat mane delyttes hyme ine, he suld sothely undirstande & fynd,
     čat čofe he alde be of ¨eris, čat littill he hase lyffed, & čat
|r10 es for to say, one če manere he sulde hafe lyffede. And he hym
     wele umbythynke, for he lyffed noghte to his profet, ne wane hym
     no mede als he sold hafe done, bot peranter wane hym payne for
     lossyng of his tyme.
        Wondir thyng it ware čat the mane čat gyffes hyme to če
     |r[f.247v] besynes of čis werlde mare čane  / nedis, had na [letynge in če]
|r16 lykyng of prayere, in reste of herte, in sothefastnes of worde
     in perfeccione of gud werkes, in lufe to God & till all Crystene
     mene. I trow čat wha sa with a clene hert will charge thire,
     many lettynges he may fynd čat ofte tyme will lett hyme God
|r20 to serue to paye. And for-thi haly mene by-fore čis tyme, čat



|p32


     čaire lettynges knewe, čay flede če werlde with all his vanytes
     righte als it were cursede, for čame thoghte čay mighte na ryght_wyse 
     lyfe lede čerin. And for-thi went čay untill wyldirnes,
     for ther they trowed čat čay myghte better serue čaire Lorde to
 |r5 paye. For Senec če wyse sayse: Auarior redeo & crudelior,
     inhumanior, quia inter homines fui. Mare auerus I am, sayse
     Senec, & mare couetus, & mare kene & lesse mane I ame čat haue
     duelled amanges mene.
        OFF THRE MANERS OCUPACIONS: Thre maners of ocupaciouns
|r10 es owtwith, als in sere ianglyng & mekill, in vtwith raykyng, &
     in mekill traualynge abowte weridly thynges.
        Firste may many trauelle čame-selfe in mekill iangelynge,
     & agaynes this Salomone sayse: Qui dimittit aquam, caput est
     iurgii. éat es to say: He čat lattes owte če water, he es heued
|r15 of the stryuyng. Late če water owt es late če tunge flete owt in
     mekill iangillynge. Als many unmayte wordes & ydill čat mane
     spekes, & als so many sythes he latis če water owte. For to
     knawyng to God ne of hym-selfe may nane wyne čat latis his herte
     owte flete with mekill vnmayte speche, for he mase waye to the



|p33


     fende, his faa, in hym-selfe. And for-thi slyke lykyns Salamone
     to če cete čat es with-owttene walle, čare he čus sayse: Sicut
     urbs sine murorum ambitu, ita vir qui non potest cohibere spiritum
     suum in loquendo. éat es čus mekill for to say: Wha sa noghte
 |r5 refrenes his tonge fra mekill speche, he es als a cete with_owttene 
     walles, čare hostes may enter. Ouer-alle the fend of
     helle with his hoste gase thurgh čat mouthe čat euer es opyne
     with euyll speche. In Vitis Patrum it es tolde of a haly mane
     čat saide whene mene praysede a felawchipe of brečer čat he had
|r10 herde of mekill speche: Boni utique sunt, set habitacio eorum non
     habet ianuam; quicunque wlt intrat & asinum soluit. Gude, quod
     he, čay ere, bot čaire wonnyng hase no ¨ate. Wha sa will may ga
     in and lede furthe the asse, čat es, čaire unwitty saules.
     |r[f.248a] For-thi sayse  / sayne Iames: Si quis putat se religiosum esse
|r15 non refrenans linguam suam, sed seducens cor suum, huius vana
     est religio. éat es to say: If any wenys čat he es religious
     and brydilis noghte his tunge, his religious es vayne; he be_gyles 
     his herte. He sayse swythe wele: he brydils noghte his
     mouthe. A brydill es noghte anely in the horse mouthe, for sum
|r20 es abowte če eghne, & sum abowte če eres, for all thre es mekill
     nede čat čay brydild če. In the mouthe lygges the heuy iryne
     one če lyghte tunge, for čat es maste to halde. Ofte we thynke



|p34


     whene we by-gyne to speke, for to spek lyttill & sett wele oure
     wordes. Bot če tung es sleper, for it wades in wate & glyddes
     lyghtly furthe fra faa wordes to many, fra gud to sume ille,
     fra sothe to lese. And čane als Salomone sayse: In multiloqueo
 |r5 non deest peccatum. éat es thus for to say: Mekill speche,
     by-gyne it neuer sa wele, may noghte be with-owttene syne. For
     fra sothe it strikes in-to false, owt of gud in-to euyll, fra
     mesure to ouer-mekill, and as of a drope & a drope waxes a
     mekill flode čat drownnes the saule, for with če fletand worde
|r10 fletis če hert owt, čat lang čer-after may it noghte gedir to_gedir.
     
        And čerfore sayse Gregor čus: Et os nostrum tanto est deo
     longinquum quanto mundo proximum; tanto cicius exauditur in
     prece quanto magis inquinatur locucione. Thir are saynt Gregor
|r15 wordis in his dyalogs, čat ere čus for to say: Als nere als oure
     mouthe es to če werlde speche, als ferre es it fra God whene we
     to hym speke & prayes hym of oghte. For-thi es whene we calle
     on hyme & he with-drawes hym agayne fra oure steuene, for he will
     noghte it here, for we stynke to hym als of ydill speche and of
|r20 ydill iangelynng čat us hase fyled. For-thi wha so will čat



|p35


     Goddes ere be nere his mouthe when he to hym prayes, drawe his
     herte fra če werlde, elles may he lange cry or God hym here, als
     he thurgh če prophet Ysaye sayse: Cum extenderitis manus vestras
     auertam oculos meos a vobis. éat es to say: When ¨e make many_falde 
 |r5 prayere to me, ¨e čat playes with the werlde, & ne here
     ¨ow noghte čat while; & will turne me a-way when ¨e ¨our handes
     lyftes to me.
        For sa mekill lettyng of če gud philosophire sayse es in
     mekill spekyng, čat čay bynd čaire dyscypylis with sylence čaire
|r10 firste fyue ¨ere, als saynt Ambrose sayse. And wretyne it es by
     a haly habot čat hyghte Agathone, čat thre ¨ere he čare a stane
     in his mouthe to lere hym to halde hym stylle.
        The točer es of base čat kane hafe na ryste, bot euer
     raykand abowte fra stede to stede, & for nane očer enchesone bot
|r15 for to fede čaire wyttis with vanytes & lustes slyke als če
     flesche ¨ernes. "Flee če werlde and his ¨ernynges, & halde mene
     |r[f.248v] in ryste,  / and brydelle the tonge čat he noghte owte flete, nočer
     in iangelyng ne in ydill speche." Thire thre če haly angelle
     lerede če abbot Arsenius čat he čam solde ¨eme; ffor whare thir
|r20 thre er haldene čat če angelle leris, thare es way to God,
     with-drawyng fra ill. It telles of an abbot čat fully twenty



|p36


     ¨ere satt in his selle, čat neuer lyftede vp his heued to see če
     selle-rofe.
        The third es of tha čat wastes čaire tyme with trauelle
     in couatyse to gedir čame weridly thynges ma čane čam nedis. And
 |r5 of slyke spekes Salamon če wyse & telles what betis to čam for
     all čaire grete swynke. Here what for-thi čus by čame he sayse:
     Vana est spes eorum et labor sine fructu. False es čair hope,
     he sayse, & čair trauell with-owtene mede. And ¨it be swylke
     mene: Nichil aufert secum de vniuerso labore suo. éat es
|r10 čus mekill for to say: Na thynge with hym he beris when he
     hythene weyndis, of all čat he hase wonne with care & swynke.
     This es ilk a day sene by čase čat are dede, čat noghte with
     čam beris to čaire lang hame, of all če gudes čay hade, were
     čay neuer sa ryche, bot a lyttill cloute of clathe to hille
|r15 čaire body with. Na mare the werlde vouches-saufe one čame,
     čat čay so mekill luffede. Here-of sulde če riche thynke, čat
     playes čame with če werlde, and thir couatouse mene čat če pure
     pylles, čat rakes hally to-gedir čat čay may gete, rekkes he
     neuer of whayme; be he pure or be he ryche he takes na kepe, bot
|r20 and čat he hafe. And alle es bot fantom & dreme čat čay with
     dele.



|p37


        Righte by a ryche mane it es--čat here his lykyng hase of
     golde & of syluer & of očer fleschely lykynge, whare-with als an
     unworthi wreche če werld hym dyssayues--als by a pure mane čat
     hungres swythe sare & swa sare thrystes čat almaste he dyes.
 |r5 Efter hungers lange hase hyme pyned, he falles one slepe, and he
     dremys čat he es bodyne till a feste & heghe sett one če desee,
     & all deyntes čat his herte may thynke sett by-fore hyme, wyne &
     pyment in faire cowppes. He etis & drynkes at his will & makes
     hym righte glade, & all čat abowte hym standis are fayne for to
|r10 do his wylle. Efter čat he hase etyne čat hym gud thynke, če
     clathe es drawene & he with mekill noblaye to chambir es gane,
     and čare, hym thynkes, he etis sypce & drynkes če wyne. And
     sythene to bede he es broghte, als it ware a prynce, & happed
     with ryche robes appone hyme ynewe, wele furrede with vayre &
|r15 with gryse. Bot whene this wreche wakyns, he felis his legges
     all calde. He thynkes on čat noblaye hyme thoghte he was in &
     of-all čat riche noblaye hym thoghte čat was abowte his bed. He
     grapes abowte hyme if he myghte oghte fynde of čase riche clathes
     he wende ware one hyme, bot čan feles he noghte alles bot taters &
|r20 ragges. And mare hym hungers & thrystes čan he dyd by-fore. éane
     knawes he sothely it was bot a dreme. éat false fantome made hym
     to trowe čat it was fest.



|p38


        éusgate false reches of če werlde taries če riche, čat mase
     čame to wene čat all es sothe čat fantome čame leris. So witles
     |r[f.249a] riches čame makes  / čat čay for-gete čam-selfe, and hethyng makis
     at očer & lyghtly by čam settis čat sothely čase reches wane.
 |r5 éay make feste of base gudis čay pylled fra če pure, and ilke
     man for drede es fayne to do čaire will. Bot whene dede čame
     sall wakyne of čat balefull dreme, čane fynd čay bot fantome all
     čat čay wende had bene sothe.
        The thirde maner of mene thare are čat lykyng hase to do če
|r10 gude, bot for čay do it noghte in če maner čay suld do, čay putt
     če mede of čaire gud dede in a reuene sekke. For čay losse čaire
     mede čat čay sulde wyne if čay wroghte čase gud dedis in gud
     entent; for čare whare gud entent fayles in any gude dede, than
     mede čat to če gude werke sulde falle, fayles alswa.
|r15    And čat may fayle on foure maners. The firste, for če
     wykkednes of če wyrkande, als it telles in če firste buke of če
     lawe that Cayme, Adam sone, offerde to Godd of če fruyte čat hym
     newede. To čis offerand of Cayme God walde noghte luke, bot to
     the offerand of Abelle, his brothir. Of čir wordes saynte Gregor
|r20 spekis & sayse: By herttis will of hym čat če offerand mase es



|p39


     the gyfte of God resceyued or čer-with-all repreued. For by
     Abelle wretyne it es čat God firste luked to Abelle & sythene
     to his gyfte, for to vndirstande čat noghte for če offerande of
     Abelle God was payed, bot of če offeryng for Abelle, čat in all
 |r5 his werke was trew & gud; & after čat God luked. Bot to Cayme
     & his offerande God wold noghte luke-čat es for-thi čat he če
     offerende made gretly mypayed God. Whi oure offerand myspayes
     God or what-so we do čat gud es in kynde, če haly prophete
     schewes by skyll. Here & lere who so will, for čus he sayse:
|r10 Cum multiplicaueritis oraciones, non exaudiam, quia manus vestre
     plene sanguine sunt. éat es čus for to say: When ¨e many prayers
     to me makes, & will čame noghte here, ffor ¨oure handes are full
     of blode, that by-takyns syne.
        żitt whi trauelle falles with-owttene mede, čat es unnayte
|r15 čat stirres many gud to do, as it es whene mane dose any gud čat
     gud dose in his kynde, for we walde be praysede of men for oure



|p40


     gude. For-či sayse God till all mene čat ere in slyke entent to
     be loued of mene: if ¨e so do, for sothe I say ¨e tyne ¨oure mede.
     For vayne glorie es čat thynge čat of gud makes euyll; als it es
     by almos-dede čat in his kynde es gude, bot do it for manes prays_ynge 
5  & it wynnes bot syne.
        The thirde čat for gud werke refes mane his mede, than es
     roysyng of čame čat dose če gud dede. And for-thi God in če
     gosepelle by če Phara¨ene sayse, čat talde his gud dedis by-fore
     če folke in Goddes temple thare he in prayede--for-či God by hym
     |r[f.249v] sayde  / till all čat by-fore hym stode: Sothely, čis man hase loste
|r11 his mede, trayste he none očer for all his gud dede. Of this
     Phara¨ene sayse saynt Gregore: Loo, so many gud dedis are lost
     thurgh a syne. This mane, als hym-selfe sayd, fasted twa dayes in
     a weke, & payed wele his tendis of all čat hym newede, & ouer_passed 
|r15 many očer with his gud dedis. Bot for he roysed hyme of
     his dedis, he losed all čat he dide. Nedefull forthi it es to
     mane čat he do če gud he may, and čat he warely imbyluke hym čat
     he pryde hym noghte čare-of in thoghte ne in worde. And for-thi
     by čis Phara¨ene saynt Gregore sayse: Als reproued of God he went



|p41


     to his house, for če merit of his gud dede he had gyfnene to hym_seluene 
     & mad hym with his worde bettir čane he was.
        For one foure maners mene loses mede of čair gud dede. The
     first es when mane wenys če gude he hase čat he it haues of hym_selfe.
 |r5 The točer whene he trowes čat God gyffes čase gudes for
     he hase čame serued. The thirde es whene he ruses hyme of his
     gud dedis. The ferthe whene he očer dispyses of čaire gud dede,
     for he wolde be haldene better čane any očer.
        żit dedis čat gud are fayles of čaire mede whene mene dose
|r10 in čat entent to be haldene better čane any očer, or for to
     lesse gud dede of othire, & for to for-do it with all čat he may.
     And be slyke gud-doers saynt Gregor spekes & tellys by a haly
     bechope čat hyghte Fortunate, čat thurghe grace čat he had of God
     he chased owte fendis of čame čat čay had duellede with. And sa
|r15 by-felle on a tymme čat čis Fortunate chased the fende owte of a
     mane in an euene-tyde. ée fende, sone whene he was chased owte,
     he put hym in lyknes of a pilgrymme & went thurgh če cete čar the
     bechope was, wepand and ¨elland als a pure wreche, als he čat was



|p42


     will of herbery čat nyghte. And čus by-gane he to crye čat all
     če cete myghte here: "Loo, whate ¨oure bechope has done to me,
     čat ¨e halde so gude & so haly! éare I had tane my herberye &
     wend to bene in reste, the bechope come to če house & putt me
 |r5 owte with force. And now als a pure wreche of my herberye I am
     will. Ouer-all herbery I seke & nane will one me rewe." A mane
     of čat cete čat this herde & herd hym čus speke, tuk hym in-to
     his house & hym by če fyre sett & esede hym one this wyese. Whene
     če mane had spokene with če pilgryme, as he wende he had bene, and
|r10 he had spyrred hym of ferre ty¨ynges as mene dose pilgrymes, če
     fend styrte to če childe in če credill and wrathe če neke in twa
     & keste it in če fyre, and vanyste awaye sodanly. And thus at
     his partynge, he qwytt če mane his gud dede.
        Off spekes saynt Gregor & sayse: Many semys gud dedis čat
|r15 are noghte gud, for čay are noghte done with a gud will. For
     čis mane čat če pilgryme herberde, čat was the fende, it was for
     na pete čat he of hym hade, bot anely for of his bechope he spake
     če ill, he called hym to house čat he suld be haldene better &
     |r[f.250a] mare of pete čane his bechope was, als he  / čat herberde če pure
|r20 čat če bechope with strenghe putt owte of his house. Thus it es
     by mony čat dose če gude for to lestene če gud dedis of očer



|p43


     mene & to for-do čame with-all.
        żit gud dedis are forowttene mede als [whene a man dose gud
     dedes] willyng to wyne to grete honoures or any werldes gud for
     to hafe mede of mane--čofe to mans dome it seme čat many duse če
 |r5 gud, čay do it anely for God. Noghte-for-či many of thir čat are
     abouene neuennende reues čame čaire mede.
        żit thurgh syne fylande, gude dede es loste. And here-to
     accordes čat haly wryte sayse: Qui in vno peccauit multa bona
     perdidit. éat es čus for to say: He čat a thyng synnes, many gud
|r10 dedis he tynes--čat es, bot he amend hym with schryfte & penance
     do čerfore.

        The secude party čat teches mane to do če gude, he es haldene
     to do it in stede & in tyme als to ilke gud dedis falles, with a
     fredome of spirite, & noghte be nedit čer-to, ne with angir, ne
|r15 with a dede herte, for God takes gretly to thanke čat a mane dose
     with a glade herte. For-thi če wyse mane sayse by God: Hillarem
     datorem diligit deus. éat es čus for to say: God lufes čase čat



|p44


     hym gyffes oghte with a glade herte--and namly čase werkes čat
     to Goddes honour & his louynge falles & to lykyng of manes saule
     & gastely werkes, als prayers and haly thoghttes, and clere
     mynde of God & of his gude dedis.
 |r5    This, & očer slyke to čame, lyttill reste will hafe if čay
     wele sall bee, for als če haly mane sayse: Prayers with-owtene
     deuocione es als claterynge of pyes. For prayere es a sacrafyce
     čat mekill payes Gode if it made one če maner čat it awe to be.
     For-thi God askes it of vs als dette čat we it to hym paye,
|r10 čare he vs sayse: Sacrificium laudis honorificabit me. éat es
     to say: With sacrafyce of prayers čou sall honoure me. And čat
     es gud skylle, for God mad mane for he wolde be loued of hyme.
     And for-thi haly wryt sayse: Gentes creauit deus in laudem &
     gloriam suam. éat es čus to say: God made mane to his honour and
|r15 his wyrchip & his louyng. For-či če appostill sayse: Oportet
     semper orare & nunquam deficere. éat es čus for to say: For-thi
     behoues mane euer pray and neuer fayle. He es euer prayand čat
     es gud wyrkande. Ryghte es it by prayere als by draweyng of
     ande: for euer to ¨emyng of oure bodily lyfe us nedis to drawe
|r20 oure ande, čat es to drawe ayere, & sa it es by prayere to
     ¨emyng of saule lyfe. For-či if we noghte drawe of God thurgh



|p45


     prayere, we are to wyte.
        For-či it es be-tymes to drawe mene fra če werlde and his
     besynes, čat čay če better may serue čaire Lorde in prayere & in
     lykyng of hyme, with čase thynges čat may styre to hyme. And of
 |r5 all be haldene to wyrchipe God with prayere, mene of religione
     are namely haldene čat by almus lyffes, and mene of haly kyrke,
     čat lyfes by tendis--ffor alle če werlde trauels to bryng čayme
     to hande all čat čame nedis, so čat čay may with mare reste
     |r[f.250v] better God  / serue & with haly dedis saughtelyng make bytwyx God
|r10 & mane--and also maydyns & wedows čat hase avowede chaste. All
     thir by-fore othir are maste bowndene.
        It es noghte by heuenly werke as by očer werkes čat in če
     werlde fall, whare-to mane es ofte constreynede to wyrke agayne
     his will, als an oxe čat ledis če ¨okke to drawe, thynke hym neuer
|r15 sa ille. Bot čis werke čat I of speke wil be done with a fredome
     of spyrit, & with lykyng in God, for čat softes alle trauell, be
     |r[f.8v] it neuer sa grete.* For-či he čat will pay God prayer, als to
     hym falles, offer his praer to God with a free will & lufand



|p46


     hert, and grath hym be-fore he praye, als Salamone sais, and čene
     may he če better sped: Ante oraciomem prepara animam tuam. éat
     is: Be-fore čou praye will, grath či saule.
     |r[f.9a]   At če first are sex  / thynges to wit in prayer: ffirst, how
 |r5 man sall grath him before; če točer, whom he sall pray; [če
     thride, for whome mene sall pray]; če ferth, what he sall aske
     in prayer; če fift, what thynge lettis prayer; če sext, what
     vertu prayer is of.
        ée first it is to witt how mane sall grath hym before preyer
|r10 at it be more worthy. And how he sall do, holy writt teches čer
     he čus sais: Ante oracionem prepara animam tuam & noli esse homo
     quasi temptans deum. Be-fore či prayer, graith či saule, and be
     noght als man čat tempis God. For he tempes God čat yhernes noght
     to wyne čat he be-prayes, or čer-of to spede dispares with-all.
|r15 And čis mais syne & ill life čat mane thinkes noght to leue. For_či 
     Gregor sais be suilke: Quid mirum si tarde a domino exaudi_amur,
     cum precipientem dominum tarde aut nullo modo exaudimus.
     What wondire is hit, if God late here hus prayand, whene late or
     neuer we will her če byddyngs of God. And čofe we čaim here,
|r20 late or neuer we do čaim in dede. And če clerk Isidere here-to
     acordes in sagh: Non potest habere certam fiduciam qui adhuc
     in preceptis dei pigritat & quem precandi recordacio delectat.
     No certan hope may he haue of his prayer to spede čat no will



|p47


     has to Gods byddyngs in dede , & čer-with litys hym in syne and
     has no will to leue. For he čat Gods biddynge with-standes,
     he is noght worthi to haue of God čat he for prayes. And if we
     do čat hus biddes, with-outen drede we sall of him wyn čat we
 |r5 after pray, ffor gud werkes makes prayer to be herde of God.
     For-či če prophet biddes hus: Levemus corda nostra cum manibus.
     éat is:  Left we vp oure hertes in prayer with oure handes, čat
     are gud werkes čat oure handes betokens.
        éan wo-so will spede of is prayer, he sall do če god he
|r10 may and halde fro synne, and call is hert fro če werlde in
     all čat he may, and let not his hert out-flee, bot halde it at
     home, als thurght če gospell God hus teches čer he čus sais:
     Cum oraueris intra in cubiculum tuum et clauso hostio, ora patrem
     tuum. When čou sall pray, God vnto če sais, stepe in-to či
|r15 chaumbre & steke če dore, & čen pray či fadire. Entre, he sais,
     in-to či chaumbre, čat is called či hert home, & when čou has
     getyne him home, čen steke fast či dore. éat is, all či wittes
     halde with-in če čat non wende oute; hald čaim fast stokene with_in,
     čen may čou better sped to wyne čat čou after prayes, ffor hit
|r20 bot foly to be-seke God čat he come to hus nedfull wreches & pore
     to dele hus če almus of his derwothly grace and noght abide his
     come, bot sone turne hym če bake.
        Many plenes čaim čat čai are graceles, als saynt Bernarde
     sais, bot grace may hym plene čat foue will for him swynke.



|p48


     For-či, sais Isider, če saule is to clense of his synnes, and
     če hert is for to with-dragh fro taryyng of čis werld, čat če
     prayer with-outen lettyng may risse to God. For fere is čat mane
     fro God, pray he neuer so mikell, čat prayand is taryede with
 |r5 werldly thoght. For-či če prayand call his hert home fro če
     werlde, als fer forth als he may, čat he wynly pray to God to
     whom he-prayes. God to če prayand sais to warne hym čat he be
     ware thurgh če psalme wryten, čer he čus sais: Vacate & videte
     quia ego sum deus. Gyfe entent & se, for whi I am či God čat
|r10 čou prayes vn-to. éis aght to stir hus with grett drede & auise_ment 
     to pray, ffor with almyghty God we spek when we so praye.
        For-či whene we to hym pray we suld loghen hus in drede
     |r[f.9v] to so mightfull a Lorde, we čat are so wofull wreches,  / whene
     Abraham, Gods priue frende, so logh hym boghed when he to hym
|r15 spake, čofe God had spoken to hym before oft sithes: Loquar ad
     dominum meum, cum sim puluis et cinis. éat is: How dare I speke
     to my Lorde, čat is bot poudire & askes! For-či Isidere sais we
     suld praye with sighynge & ters and with a bitter mynde of oure
     gremly synnes and of čo many paynes, gret & bitter, čat we sall
|r20 for čaim thole, bot if we hus amende, and God one hus rew.
        Also če prayand sall hoppe to spede of čat he prayes for,
     ffor als God hym-selfe sais: Omnia possibilia sunt credenti. éat
     is: All thyng is possibile to če faithfull trowand. For-či če
     prayand sall understand čat God is his Fader to whome he prayes,
|r25 and čer-thurgh sall he certayne hope haue to spede of his Fader



|p49


     of what-so he hym prayes, if he lufe hym als his Fader & kynde to
     hym be. For he sais to all his clidire čat čai be noght aferde
     to aske what čai will: Petite et accipietis. éat is: Ask and
     yhe sall haue. Kyndely it is čat če Fader gyf to his sone čat
 |r5 sees čat hym nedes. For-či to his chosene childir, in če gospell
     he sais: Si quid pecieritis patrem in nomine meo dabit vobis. What_so 
     yhe pray to če Fadir in myne name, he sall gyf ¨ow--witt yhe
     wele for soith.
        ée točer is čat čou knaw to whom čou sall praye. And
|r10 sothly čou sall pray be-for all očer un-to God, als če prophet
     sais: Subditus esto domino et ora eum. Buxone be čou to God, &
     to hym čou praye. And after in če gospell God sais: Dominum
     deum tuum adorabis. éat is: éi Lord God čou honoure sall.
     Halous we honoure and to čai pray, noght als gifers of gudes, bot
|r15 als to helpers to wynne čat we for pray--soueraynely God is to
     worschippe & honour--als Gods priue frendes čat sall come at
     če dome with če domes-mane hus all to deme. For-či with all
     oure hert, with gud beleve & certane hope and perfite charite,
     oure Lorde is to lufe.
|r20    że thride, for whome mene sall prey, če gret cherk vndose.
     Ilk Cristene mane is als a whik lyme of holy kyrk. For-či is he
     haldene to pray for all, and specialy he sall pray for mene of
     holy kyrk: als for če pape & če cardinals & bischoppes, and all



|p50


     očer čat has cure of mans saule--ffor čaim it is mikell nede to
     pray; ffor oure fos & oure frendes, and for all čat are bundene
     in dedely synne, čat thurgh grace čai may rise; ffor all čat are
     |r[f.237a] in purgatory čat Godes* mercy habydes; & sythene for all čat
 |r5 myster hase, qwykk & dede. And that souerayne mede wynnes če
     prayand, als saynt Gregore sayse: ée titter sall he be herde and
     of his prayere spede, čat for all prayes. And saynt Ambrose thus:
     Si pro omnibus roges, pro te regabunt. éat es to say: If čou
     pray for all, all sall praye for the. And saynt Ierome sayse:
|r10 Nede byndis mane to pray for hym-selfe, bot charite of brethirhede
     stirres to pray for all; for mare it stirres Gode & payes hym čat
     noghte nedfulnes, bot charite, čat ilkane byndis to očer, makis
     to pray for all. Als God in če Pater Noster vs teches, čare he
     byddis vs say: Oure Fadir, noghte my Fadir and teches us čus to
|r15 say in če same prayere: Da nobis hodie, čat es, gyf us to-day. He
     sayse noghte: Gyf to me, bot gyf to us oure ilke day brede, to mak
     vs to undirstande čat we sall pray for all, frendis & fase, and
     ¨erne thurgh prayere čat all may be helpede.
        The ferth, what mene sall aske in prayere: Now certis, grace
|r20 in this lyfe& endles ioye in če točer. This techis God vs to
     pray afterwarde, čare he sayse thus: Primum querite regnum dei &



|p51


     iusticiam eius, & hec omnia adicientur vobis. First, he saise,
     layte¨ with prayere če blis of heuene & rightwysnes, čat če waye
     makis čer-to, and čan at če nedis sall čou fynd. For God es
     dettour to čame čat rightwyse ere to fynd čame at pam nedis of
 |r5 erthely gudis, for rightwysnes makis of men Goddes childir.
     For-thi erthely gudes are ordayned to če sustenance of Goddes
     childir, čof čay noghte after čame pray, and če Fadir thurgh
     kynd es haldene to sustene his childir. Erthly gudes ere noghte
     for to ¨erne ne ¨itt for čame to pray, for mane wate neuer
|r10 certaynly if čay be for hyme, for ofte we hafe herde čat to many
     čay harme. For-thi be erthely gudis Salamone sayse čat knewe če
     sothe: Vsquequo stulti ea que sibi sunt noxia cupiunt. Whare-to,
     he sayse, foles ¨ernes čat čame may harme? For-thi, if mane
     erthely gudis will aske of Godd, with grete drede aske he čame
|r15 of Godd, and praye hyme Lorde, if he see čat čay may helpe to
     čame, send čame if it be his will, & if čay will noghte helpe,
     bot harme, with-drawe čame at his will. For what may helpe,
     whate may harme, better wate če leche čane če seke.



|p52


     for-thi it es noghte beste in prayere to be herde to oure
     propire will, bot to oure profitt. Better it es we be [noghte]
     herde whene we to God praye, for of ane of čir twa sall we
     trayste in prayere to spede: owthir of čat we for pray, or of čat
 |r5 at better es for us, with-owttyne any drede. It es noghte ay
     best in prayere to be herd to oure propir will, ffor agaynes če
     prayere of Paule God stode, & graunted to če fende čat at he fore
     prayede: čat he myghte enter in-till a draue of swyne. Paule
     prayed to God čat he suld for-do čase fandynges čat hym pynede
|r10 so sare, bot God herd hyme noghte. Bot he did with better čane
     he prayede fore. God grauntes vs noghte ay čat we for pray, ffor
     he will gyfe us better čene we after ¨erne, as he duse to ¨onge
     childir, čat in če scole leris. Of čay praye to God čat čay be
     noghte downgene, God heris čame noghte, for if čay were noghte
|r15 doungene, čay wolde noghte lere &c. /
     |r[f.237v] The fyfte es to wyet: what lettes prayere to če herde of God.
     And sex thynges čer are, sothely to telle. The fyrst es syne of
     če prayande. This thurgh God the profett sayse thus: Cum multi_pecaueritis



|p53


     oraciones non exaudiam, quia manus vestre sanguine
     plene sunt. éat es thus for say: Whene ¨e to me prayers makes,
     I will noghte here ¨owe, for ¨owre handis are full of blode: čat
     es, thay are full of synfull werkes čat če blode by-takyns. For_thi 
 |r5 Dauid sayse by hym-selfe: Iniquitatem si aspexi in corde meo,
     non exaudiet dominus. éat es thus for to say: If I se wykkednes
     in my hert, God will noghte me here. And če pphete sayse:
     Peccata nostra absconderunt faciem suam a nobis. éat es to say:
     Oure synnes hydes Godis face fra vs. And at oure synnes lettis
     in oure prayere to be herde, če gospelle of sayne Iohun it sayse:
     Scimus quoniam peccatores non exaudiet dominus. éat es: Sothely
     we wate čat God heris noghte če synfull, ne whylles čay lygge in
     syne.
        The secund es če vnworthynes of čame for whayme men prayes,
|r15 ffor whaym God thurgh če profett byddis čat mene sall noghte
     praye, čar he čus sayse: Nolite orare pro popullo isto, neque
     assumas laudem & oracionem, quia non exaudiam. Ne pray ¨e noghte
     for čis folke, če prophete sayse, for ¨if ¨e do, & sall noghte
     here. For-thi nane affye čame in očer prayere bot if čay leue
|r20 čaire syne. It telles in the lyfe of haly fadyrs of ane čat
     boundene was in syne, čat com to če haly habott saynt Antone &
     sayd: "Haly ffadir, hafe mercy on me & pray for mee." To whame



|p54


     če haly habott sayde," I will hafe no mercy on the bot čou helpe
     thi-selfe & leue thi syne."
        The thirde es foule thoghtes & ydill čat lettis us to thynke
     one oure prayere & sa merres us of oure med--als it falles whene
 |r5 če mouthe prayes and če hert fletis owt in foule thoghtes &
     ydylle: če body in če kyrke, če hert with-owttyne. Of čir fals
     prayande spekis God thir wordes: Populus iste labiis me honorat,
     cor autem eius longe est a me. éat es čus for to say: This folke
     honours me with čaire lyppes, bot čaire hertes are ferre fra mee.
|r10 Es this noght gret unworthynes of čir wrechis, čat whene we speke
     wyth prayere till almyghtty Godd, & we alls vnwitty herkyns noghte
     what we saye? Sothely, gret dispyte we do till hyme whene we till
     hym praye čat he oure prayere here, and če prayere čat we till
     hym make, oure-selfe will noghte it here. We pray hyme čat he
|r15 be entendant to us, and we to hyme ne to oure-selfe will be
     entendant, bot čat werse es in foulle thoghtes & ydille wastes
     oure tyme. For-thi it es to do alls Abraham dyde. Whene Abra_hame 
     made his sacrafyse to God, ffoules lyghtted čer-appone &
     walde hafe fylide it. Bot what dyd Abraham čat this sawe? He



|p55


     chasede če fowles clene awaye, čat nane durste it neghe, to
     alle če tyme were passede & če sacrafyce made. Do we čane swa
     |r[f.238a] by thir flyande thoghtes, čat če sacrafyce of owre  / prayere so
     fouly fyles čat čay may noghte paye wele als čay solde.
 |r5    This sacrafyce full qweme es to God whene it es clene &
     commes of a luffande herte. For-thi sacrafice askes God of mane
     as rent, for it es to hym dere. And for-thi thrugh če haly
     prophett he sayse thus: Sacraficium laudis honorificabit me, et
     illic iter quo ostendam illi salutare dei. éat es čus for to say:
|r10 With sacrifyce of prayere čou sall honour me, & čare-thurgh way
     čou makes to me, at of my heuenly lykynge & hele I may sende to
     the. Thane by-twix us may be fulfillide čat one Ynglysche es
     sayd: Gyff čou me & I the, & so may we frendis be. Send to me
     prayere, & I sall sende to če grace, & what-sa čou to me duse I
|r15 for-gett it noght.
        ée ferthe čat lettis oure prayere to be herde of God čan es
     hardnes of herte agaynes the pure. And here-by če prophett sayse:
     Qui obturat aures suas ad clamorem pauperis, clamabit ipse & non
     exaudietur. éat es čus mekill for to say: He čat stopes his
|r20 erys agaynes če pure čat one hym cryes besekand hym of helpe,



|p56


     whene he cries to God & of oghte hym bysekes, God hym sall noghte
     here.
        The točer es hardnes of čame čat noghte will forgyfe čame
     čat agaynes čame hase mysdone. And to slyke Salomone spekes:
 |r5 Relynque proximo tuo nocenti te, & tunc depricanti tibi peccata
     soluuntur. éat es čus mekill for to say: Forgyf hym čat agaynes
     the hase mys-done, & čane God will forgyf the thi syne whene čou
     to hym prayes. And in the gospelle God sayse: Cum stabitis ad
     orandum, dimittite si quid habetis adversus aliquem, vt pater
|r10 vester qui in celis est dimittat vobis peccata vestra. éat es
     čus mekill for to say: Whene čou standis to pray, forgyf thase
     čat hase mysdone agaynes the, čat thi Fadir of heuene forgyf the
     thi synnes.
        The fyfte es lyttill ¨ernyrge efter če gernynge mene preyes
|r15 fore, and noghte lastande in prayere. For-thi sayse saynt
     Austyne: Quod homo ex toto corde confitetur, seruat tibi deus,
     quod wlt cito tibi dare vt discas magna magne desiderare. éat es
     čus mekill for to say: For čou sall with all thyne hert gret
     thynges gretly ¨erne, God ¨emys thase thynges to thi byhoue čat he
|r20 will [noghte] als tyte gyfe to the or čou čerfore stalworthely



|p57


     swynke with all thi herte, čat čou lere grete thynges hertly to
     ¨eme. And sayn Greggour sayse thus: If we with mouthe pray after
     če blyse of heuene, & noghte ¨erne it with hert, criand we halde
     us styll. And if we be lastande in prayere, God hyghttes us to
 |r5 spede in his gospelle, čare he sayse thus: Qui perseueraverit
     |r[f.238v] pulsans, surget & dabit  / sibi quot habet necessarios. éat es to
     say: If he lastande calle one God, God sall gyffe hym čat he
     after prayes.
        The sexte čat lettis oure prayere es foule speche & ydill
|r10 čat we fyle oure lyppis wyth. For if čou gafe a gret lorde drynke
     in a slutty coppe & foule, ware če drynke neuer sa gude, hym wolde
     wlate with-all & byd do it a-waye, thriste hym neuer sa sare. Sa
     dose God with the prayere čat comes of a foule mouthe: he latys
     noghte čer-by & turnes hym čer-fra. And for-thi saynt Gregor
|r15 sayse: Os nostrum a deo tantum minus exauditur in prece, quanto
     plus polluitur stulta locucione. éat es čus for to say: Als
     mekill es oure prayere herde lesse of God, in als mekill as oure
     mouthe es fyled with foule speche.
        Mene čat ware by-for this tyme, with prayere wane of God



|p58


     what-so čay fore prayede, for čay helde čame in sothefastnes &
     noght ydyll spake. And this was schewede till ane haly heremyte
     čat highte Florencius, čat wonned in a wildirnes unknawene fra
     mene. Sa mekill vennyne was abowte this heremyte stede, čat nane
 |r5 durste thedir come, be a ferre waye. A dekene was in čat lande
     čat of this herymyte had herde. He went so lange in čat wildir_nesse 
     hym to seke, ay to he come to če place whare he duelland
     was. Bot sa mekill vermyne he saw čare abowte, čat he durste
     come no neere, bot criede after helpe, as he čat was afferde.
|r10 éat haly mane come owte to wiete whate čat was čat cryede. And
     he sawe a mane stand with-owte, & he spirred hyme whate he walde.
     ée dekyne was fayne čat he hym sawe, & thus to hyme sayde, "Haly
     fadir, I haue soghte the ferre, for thi blyssynge & walde hafe.
     And now I hafe the foundene I hafe ioye ynoghe, myghte I to če
|r15 wyne, bot sa many venemos bestes abowte I se, čat I dare come
     no nerre the." ée haly mane, whene he this herde, felle downe
     appone his knees & hertly to God he prayede he wold for-do čase
     wormes, čat če dekyne myghte come & speke with hyme. And unnethes
     had this haly mane hys prayere to God made, whene a grysely storme
|r20 with thonore rase--was nane slyke herd ne sene by-fore--& slewe



|p59


     all če wormes by-dene. éane sawe the heremyte čis syghte & sayd
     till oure Lorde, "Now, Lord, thir bestes lygges here slayne sa
     |r[f.239a] thikke one ylke a syde, čat I to hym come ne may ne he to me, bot /
     we of thir dede wormes be envenomede. Lo, Lord, čay lygge here
 |r5 dede, bot wha sall lefte čame a-waye?" At this worde of čis haly
     mane sa many fowles come in a littill whylle čat čare all čir
     wormes a-waye.
        Here-of spekys saynt Gregore & sayse: For-thi čat Goddes
     seruande¨ with-drawes čame fra the werlde and his werkes. Ydill
|r10 & vayne kane čay noghte speke, sa to sylence čay bynd čame-selfe.
     Dare čay no worde say bot it myghte be outhir to lerenynge or to
     louynge of God, for whene čay oghte by-soghte God, he graunted
     čame als sone als he dyd to čis haly mane of whame we spake.
     Bot we wofull wrechys čat with če werlde delis, čat all daye
|r15 clatirs as pyes, righte als we wittles war--now lyes, now wryes
     now ill spekes, now flyttes, now bakbyttis, now sweres grete
     athes. This fyles oure prayere & lettis it to be spede, for als
     ferre es oure mouthe prayande fra God als it es nere če werlde



|p60


     with ydill speche. Mekill fletis ouer oure herte & passys owt
     of warde, whils we are taryed to speke with werldes mene, ffor
     če lesse we are herde of God if we to hym pray, if oure mouthe
     be fyled be-fore with werldes speche.
 |r5    For so myghtfull es prayere, if he hafe his ryghte, čat he
     maysters če fende & lettis hym to do his will, ffor als it tellis
     by an emperour čat hyghte Iulyane čat had many fendis čat did
     whate he čame badde. This Iulyane comandid a fende to wend to če
     owttir-este syde of če werlde, to bryng hym hasty tydynges how it
|r10 was čare. And whene the fende had flowene by če lyfte tene day
     iourne thedirwarde, he come flyand ouer a place whare an herymet
     duellyd, čat hight Puplius, čat prayand was čat tyme. ée prayere
     of čat holy heremyt ouer-gat če fende čar he flowe, and čar still
     it helde hym faste as he ware boundene ywhils tene dayes lastede --
|r15 for all čat tyme če holy heremyte wasse in prayere. And whene he
     cessyde of his prayere, če fende tournede agayne, for prayere hym
     lettide čat he myghte na ferrere wende.
        When čou hase gedirde hame thi herte with his witt, & hase
     for-done čase thynges čat če prayand myght lett, and wone to čat



|p61


     deuocyone čat God to če sendis thurgh his dere-worthy grace,
     qwykly ryse čane of thi bede at če belle ryngynge, if čou may it
     here. And if na kirke be čare čou duellis, če cokk be thi belle;
     if čer be nowthir cokk ne belle, Goddes lufe čane wakkene the.
 |r5 And this I hald če beste, for it payes maste to Godd whene mane
     wakkyns and mase hym to ryse to serue his Lorde & his Creature
     als to hym fallys. And ofte by Goddes lufers it falles, čat
     gelelousely es in lufe ruted, čat čay wakkene be-fore bathe cokk
     & belle and hase weschene čaire face with swete lufe-teris,
     |r[f.239v] and čaire  / saules with-in hase ioye in Gode, with deuocyone
|r11 & likynge & murnynge to hym, & with očer heuenly gladynges čat
     God to his lufers sendis.
        Cely are čay by-fore očer čat lufe wakkynns, for many glad_ynges 
     čay hafe whene očer faste slepis, for čay fynd by-fore
|r15 čame čat gladdes all, ryse čay neuer so sone. For God hyghtis
     this till all his čare he čus sayse: Qui mane vigilauerit ad me,
     inveniet me. He čat arely wakkyns to me, for sothe I say he



|p62


     sall fynde me, to speke with me, to glade hym with me, & hafe
     me at his will. For-thi lere of če lufe-buke als Goddes spouse
     če techis, so he dyd čare he čus sayse: Ego dormio & cor meum
     vigilat. éat es: Whils I slepe my body to ese, my hert es ay
 |r5 wakire in gelousy to my Lord. Qwykly čane čou ryse when any
     očer če calles, & thank hertly thi gud Lord for če rest čat čou
     hadd, for če mynd of angels čat God to če sent.
        Ryse čane qwykly at this calle as knyght čat es called to
     speke with his lord, če kynge. If a knyghte gret lykynge hafe to
|r10 be called to come speke with če kynge, whene he knawes sothely
     čat it es for his profet, with more skyll Goddes knyghte, čat es
     ilke gud Crystyne mane, at če callyng of his Lord God aughte to
     be redy, sene so es he calles hym for his mekill prowe, and for
     no thynge elles. At čis calle arely to ryse ffalles ilke gud
|r15 Crystyne mane, and namely thir thre degres of mene, čat es at
     say: mene of relegione are namely haldene čat by almus lyfes,
     and mene of haly kyrke čat lyfes by tendis--for alle če werld
     trauelis to brynge thame to hande all čat čame nedis, so čat čay
     may with more ryst better serue Godde, & with čaire haly dedis
|r20 saughetelynge make by-twix God & mane--and also maydens & wedous
     čat hase a-vowede chaste. All thir by-fore očer ere moste holdene



|p63


     to pray to God and loue hyme als till ylkane falles, čat če sonne
     rysesynge fynd čame noghte in bedde, bot if čay wery če for
     trauelle or sekenes čat čame lettis, or any medfull enchesone
     čat čay may noghte with-stande.
 |r5    Sobirly čou ryse with a glade chere, and thynk čou herys
     God calle the with čir wordes čat are wretyne in the lufe-buke,
     čare he čus spekes to his leue spouse: Surge propria amica mea,
     formosa mea, et veni ostende michi faciem tuam, sonst vox tua
     in auribus meis. éat es čus mekill to say: Ryse, he sayse, to
|r10 me, my lefe, my faire thynge, & schewe thi face to me, and
     ¨erne čat the voyce of thi prayere rynge in myne ere.
        The cok wakyns to loue his lorde by nyghte for čat he hym
     made; othir mede gettis he nane efter čat he es dede. Thane
     aughte the, Crystyne mane--čat lyghtenyde es with skylle & Goddis
|r15 lyknes berys, & traystys one hyme thurgh his grete grace heuenly
     |r[f.240a] mede to haue, if čou hym trewly serue, for thus / thi byleue če sayse
     --schame čane with thi-selfe if čou withstand his calle. Thynke
     če coke es Goddes messangere and with hym he the calles. Whene
     čou heris hyme, or whene čou heris če belle ryng, wakyne čane at
|r20 this calle & qwykly ryse, & gedir thi herte all to-gedir to loue
     thy Lorde, & thanke hym of alle his gud dedis čat he to če hase



|p64


     done čare čou lyttill seruede &c.
     |r[f.12a]   [OF MEDITACIONE éAT MANE SALL HAUE IN HIS RISYNGE OR HE OGHT
     DO: First thynk how many thousand men might perisch in lyfe, and
     some in saule, and som in bate to-gedire: som brend with fire, and
 |r5 some drouned in če see; som with thevis robbed; some sodanly ded
     with-outene repentance or schrift, and čer saules draghen with
     fendes to hell or bodys were colde. Think also hertely how many
     thosand mene has čat night fallen in perill of saule, čat is, in
     dedely syne: als in lechery & in glutery, in couaytis, manslaghter,
|r10 and očer sere synnes čat mane oft sithes has fallen in. Many mane
     was hole éhurday, and ete & drank and made čaim all mery, and
     thoght nomore of ded čen čou dose now. And now dede had čaim ouer_tayne 
     and custen čaim vnder fote, and percase are in hell fro
     wrange čai haue wroght and bitterly now rewes čat čai are borne.
|r15 And of all čir perils čat othir are fallene in, či gud Lord če has
     liuerde, & of his gud-nes, noght of čine. What forded has čou
     |r[f.12v] done to God? éat he če so sulde kepe, and so many othire he has
     suffirde to be lost? And peraunter čou has done wers čen čaim
     haue done. If čou will take gud kepe what Gode to če dose, čof
|r20 čou litill haue hym serued, čou sall fynde čat God is als besy to
     do či prow als had noght els to do bot be endendant to če, and
     als he had all čis werlde forgetene and onely to thinke on če.
        When čou has thoght on čire with a clere hert, lyft či heuen



|p65


     & thanke God of all his gud dedes, and say one čis wys: I thanke
     če, derworthly Lord, with all my pore hert čat me, so vnworthy a
     wreche, čus has keped čis night and tholed me with lyf & hele čus
     abyd čis day. I thanke če, Lord, of či grett gude and many očer
 |r5 éat čou has done to me, so vnkynde and unworthy a wrech most of
     all othire, čat čou suilk kyndnes schewes to me agayne my misdedes.
     And on čis manere, thank či Lord when čou to bed gose, and think
     how has spended če day fro čat tyme čou rose, and beseke God of
     forgifnes of all čat čou has misdone, and of čo gude dedes čou
|r10 left vndone čat čou might haue done.
        Do nothynge fro čou hert resyne are čou hertly haue thanked
     God, či Lorde, for all his gud dedes, and [putt] če in Gods handes
     and all či gud frendes, to whome čou ert halden, whik and dede,
     and for če and all othire. On čis manere čou pray to či Lorde,
|r15 sayande: In či derworthy handes, my Lord, and in či holy holowes,
     I yhelde čis night, or čis day, my saule & my body, and all my
     frendes, brethirs & sistirs, syb & fremed, and all čat has me gud
     done, bodely or gastely, and all čose čat Cristen-dome has tane,
     čat čaim kepe čis day for luf of či modire, čat derworthi maydyn,
|r20 & thurgh besekynge of all či halowes, fro all perill of body
     & of saule and fro all dedely synnes, ffro fondynge of fende
     and fro sudayne ded and fro če paynes of hell, & make hus čaim
     to dred. éou halow oure hertes with grace-of Holy Gast and mak
     hus euer here, what-so we do, čat we do či will, čat we neuer,
|r205 Lord, twen fro če.



|p66


        HOW éOU SALL TO éE KIRK WEND, IF éOU GUDLY MAY, AND HOW é0U
     SALL HAUE éE éER-IN, AND WHI MEN SALL PRAY IN HOLY KYRKE MORE
     éEN IN OéER STEDE: And on čis wyse, whene čou hase done čus,
     wend čou to če kyrk or chapell or oratory, if čou to any may
5  wynne. If čou noght els may dow, pi chambre mak či kirk. ée
     kirk first I sett wethire čou sall wende, if čou may gudely, ffor
     čou biddes če prophet čat we luf oure Lord: In exelsis benedicite
     domino. In če kyrke blisse či Lorde, če holy prophet biddes.
     Many thynges čore are čat stirs more deuocione to pray in holy
|r10 kyrk, čat hous of prayere is cald, and čer-to is it halowd more
     čen any očer sted, what-so-euer it be, for čer is God in autere
     to here čos čat to hym prayes, redy to helpe & graunt čaim čat
     čai after pray or čat better is--for he wote best what hus nedes-_and 
     in presens of holous in whos wirschippe če kirkes are haloued,
|r15 mynd of aungels čat čere are to serue čer Lord, and čer-fore čer
     |r[f.13a] office is to receyue či prayer and bere to God & brynge / če grace
     from hym, als saynt Bernarde sais.
        éAT SALAMONE PRAYED TO GOD FOR éOS éAT IN HOLY KIRK PRAYEDE
     AND GOD HYM GRAUNTED éAT HE éAIM SULDE HERE: Whene Salamone če
|r20 temple had made in worschippe of Gode, čus in če temple to al_mighti 
     God he prayed, als openly hit telles in če boke of če Kynge:
     Exaudiat dominus oracionem quam seruus tuus orat senis in loco
     isto & cum exaudieris propicius eris & si erigit poenitenciam tu
     exaudies in celo oracionin eorum. Lord, if či folk haue synned
|r25 agaynes če, & after sore fore-thynke čat čai haue greued če, and



|p67


     dose penaunce čer-fore, Lord, čou here čaire prayere in heuene,
     if it be či will, and pete of či folk čat agaynes če as synned.
     God be čis praer to Salamone saide: I haue herd či prayere čat
     čou to me has made. éis house čou to me has made, my-selfe it
 |r5 has haloud, for I will my name be čer-in, and myne eghen lokand
     čer-on, and my hert thinkand čer-on ay with-outene end.
        A-rise tyte at Gods call, put fro če all henes, and quickly
     rise and answere či Lord with čos wordes čat Samuel to God said,
     čat called hym night: Loquere, domine, quia audit seruus tuus.
|r10 Lord, spek to me, for či unworthi seruant če heres.
        HOW GUD IT IS BE NIGHT TO RISE TO PRAY ALMYGHTY GODE, AND
     HOW GUD HIT IS BE NIGHT TO WAKE IN PRAYERE: Dauid hym-selfe
     sais: Factus sum sicut nicticorax in domicilio. I am als če
     night foghele in house, ensynge čis night foghele flyes če night
|r15 & getes hire mete in meekenes čat scho lyues by, also sall all gud
     seruands, and namly thre degrese čat spoken is be-fore in če
     bygynynge of če secund parte of čis boke. Yhe sall flye with holy
     thoghtes, with holy beddes be night to-warde heuen, and wynne be
     night saule fode. Vigilia honestatis tabefaciet carnes. Nothing
|r20 wille chast mans flesch more ne makes more tame čene mikell wak_yng.
     Honest wakynge is in holy wryte in many sted mykell praysede
     for-či God in his gospell to his chosene sais: Vigilate et orate
     ne intretis in temptacionem. Vakes, sais oure Lorde, & prayes čat
     ¨e fall in no fondynge, for čat sall make ¨ow stalworth to stande



|p68


     And eft he sais: Beatus quem cum uenerit dominus inuenerit eum
     vigilatem. Blissed be he čat oure Lord fyndes wakande. For he
     hym-selfe sum tyme was wakand in prayere all night, and so taght
     vs to do noght onely be worde, bot be dede.
5     For aght thynges us aght to do, wake and euer to be wirkande
     in some gud dede: čis schort lyfe; če strang way we haue to go;
     oure gud dedes čat are so foue; oure synnes čat are so many; and
     dede čat we are so sykere of, bot we ne wote when; če straite
     dome of domesday, & so herd with-all, ffor ilk idell thoght pore
|r10 sall be broght furth, lok čaim howe it sall be of foule wordes,
     and euill & synfull werkes. For God čis sais: De omni ocioso
     verbo in die iudicii reddenda est racio. éat is: Of ilk idell
     worde mane sall ¨elde acount. For-či sais saynt Anselm: Quid
     |r[f.13v] facies / in illa die quando omne tempus exigetur a te tibi inpen_sum 
|r15 qualiter a te sit expenswn usque ad minimam cogitacionem? éou
     synfull wrech, saynt Anselme sais, what sall čou do when čou be
     asked how čou has spende all či tyme čat čou has lyued to če
     lest of all či thoghtes? ée seuent thing aght to stire us to
     wake--čat is če strange pyne of hell, and namly for thre thinges:
|r20 for čor are so many čat no tunge may čaim tell, with-outen end ay
     lastand, and ouer-all filth foule stynkand. ée aghtand thing is
     če mikele ioy in če blisse of heuen with-outen ende ay lastand,
     čat is abidand who-so wake here a hande-while. Who-so has čes
     aght thinges oft in his hert he will put out of hym slepe and



|p69


     heuenes & slawnes. In če still night, whene mene heres noght
     ne sees noght čat lettis čaim, čen has mene most his hert at
     will, ffor nothinge is wittnes čen of oght čat man dose, bot gud
     aungels čat ilk tyme is besie to hie hus to če gud.
 |r5    DE ITINERE AD ECCLESIAM: Herkens now how gud hit is to
     hide gude dedes and fle če night as če night foghel dose to gedir
     saule fode. Ora Hester placuit regi Assuero. éat is: After če
     qwen was wele hard with če kynge Assuere after ...[Hester]
     on Ebrew is 'hid' on Inglisse and is to vnderstande čat any gud
|r10 ded is done in idelines it is full leue to če kynge Assuere, čat
     is to če Kynge tof heuen, ffor Assuere of Ebrew is 'cely' on
     Inglisse, čat is oure Lorde čat 'cely' is ouer-all.
        Mykell mede haue čai čat erly rise by-for čaim éat lange
     lies in čer bede, for maner of pore hit is herly to rise and calle
|r15 erly at če richmane dore after charite, namly čore rich are wont
     to gyf to čos pore čat erlyest comes. For-čai wend erly to Gods
     house & knoc at če ¨ate & call after charite to če nedefull wreche.
     For call čou neuer so tymely čou fyndes God be-fore če, redy čat
     če abydes pore, to do če of his charite. Wharfore čou čidire
|r20 commes, als hym sais to čaim at hym erly lates: Qui mane vigila_uerit 
     ad me inueniet me. éai čat erly wakens to me sall fynde
     me & my charite haue. For-čhi rise erly and noght with če sone,
     čat othire prees noght before če & take čat čou suld haue.
        After či vprisynge pray for all Cristyne saules čat in pur_gatory 



|p70


     are pyned. Think čou heres čaim crye after če wordes of
     holy Iob: Miseremini mei, miseremini mei, saltem uos amici mei,
     quia manus domini tetigit me. éat is: Haue mercy one me, haue
     mercy one me, ¨e my frendes, for Gods handes toches me full sore
 |r5 --čat is, sore I am pynde now for myne ere-donne synnes. And
     helpe čaim, if čou lerede be, with De Profundis et Absolue; and
     čou lewed with an Pattere & Aue. And after-warde čou gret oure
     Laydy with Salue Regina opon či knes, or with fyue Aues if čou
     lewed be.
|r10    Whend to če kirke whene-čou has done, & lat noght with-in
     če čat če may lett, bot all thoghtes & vanities & česynes of če
     werld bid čaim hald čaim čer-out. And say to či saule at čin
     in-commynge: Intra in gaudium domini tui vt videas voluntatem
     eius & uisites templum eius. éat is: Enter in če ioy of či
|r15 Lord čat čou se his will and visitet his holy house. And welle
     |r[f.14a] hit is said: / Entir in-to če ioy of či Lorde, for holy kyrke is
     ¨ate to ioy, ffor thurgh all be-houes passe čat to ioy sall
     wynne, ffor holy kyrk is heuen ¨ate, als holy write sais.
     Whene art wonne to holy kyrk fall don on či kneese and en-noure
|r20 hym čat for če was done on če rode, and be-for če croce čis
     prayere čou say: Adoramus te, Christe Ihesu, qui per sanctam
     crucem tuam redemisti mundum. And are čou vp-rise think in_wardly 
     in či mynde how hote lufe hym brind čat made hym for če
     to dy.
|r25    After čou čus has done, if čou lerede be, begynne či matyns



|p71


     for to say, bot first croice či brest & či lippes as če nedes
     standes, for or či-selfe čou has no might to loue hym als yhe
     aght. For-či at či begynnynge čou to hym say: Domine, libia mea
     aperes. éat is: Lord, opon my lippes čat all night as bene
 |r5 stokene from louen of če, for, Lord, I čaim neuer opone bot čou
     helpe me. Emitte manun tuam de alto & tange illa. For-či, Lord,
     com doune fro heuen and thoche čaim with či holy handes for els
     may I noght praye to če qweme. And sai čen forth: Deus in adiu_torium 
     meum intende; Domine, ad adiuuandi me festina. éis is:
|r10 Lord, čou be entendant to my help; and to socoure me, čou hast če.
     Be-lyue with čos wordes ¨itt oute of či hert be-for Gods sight,
     and say: Lo, Lorde, als be-fore my domesman be če I stand. éou
     wrek me of my foos čat lettis me če to serue. Stire če, Lord,
     me sone to help fro če felony of my foos čat no pyte has on me,
|r15 bot kenely me asailes. And I am, Lord, so febyll als čou wele
     knawes; bot či gudnes me helpe & be sone ouer-comen. At čat:
     Gloria patri etc. Lout doune with či heuede & say with či hert:
     Lo, Lord, I bow to če. Of či blissynge I če be-seke with all my
     pore hert. Turne če to če angels čat about če standes & čus to
|r20 čaim say: Venite, exultemus domino etc. Be noght a-wondirde I
     say če: to če aungels čat about če standes. For witt čou wele,
     when čou prayes to God and to hym či louyng makes, gude aungels
     standes če full nere, and if čou may noght čaim se čat God has
     send to če in comforth & in helpe, and als wards čus to kepe



|p72


     agayne či face.
        Slike gostely spech či hert sall spech when čou to God prayes
     & očer slike čat to čere are like, čat may stire če to deuocione
     and lett idell thoght, čore če fende walde putt in či hert to lett
 |r5 če of či mede. And kast čin eghen of-ferre on some-what čou may
     se, and hald čin eghene on čat thinge whils čou či prayers makes,
     ffor čis helpis mekill to stablynge of či hert. And paynt čer
     či Lorde God als he was done on če croce. Think on čose fete
     and handes čat nayled were to če tre, and on čose wide wondes
|r10 čat Longens spere mayde, thurgh če wlike to če is made way to
     |r[f.14v] wyne to his hert. Thanke / či Lorde with all či mayne čat so let
     opun his side to make če way to his hert, and čou čere to lufe.
     For čer či fynde tresoure of lufe who-so čidere may wynne. Thynke
     čou sees hym hynge one če rode with wondes stremande of blode,
|r15 ffro handes, sydes, & fete, fletande done on če erth. And lik vp
     čat blod swetely with teres, kyssand če erth with če mynde of
     čat rich tresoure čat for či synnes were sched. And spek čus with
     či hert: Whi liges čis blod here als losed, and perisch for
     thirst? Whi ne drynk & of čis rich pyment čat my Lord to me
|r20 birles, and cole my tunge, and here what God to me spekes: Qui
     sitit, veniat et bibat & videbis quam suauis deus, quam dulcia,
     quam mitis, quam misecors? Who-so thristes, drynke & tast, &
     čene sall čou see how swet God is, and howe meke and howe mercy_full.
     



|p73


        With slike & očer čat are lik to čere, aungels prayde & sume
     to čat saule čat slike stryngs has of lof conseyuede in če hert.
     God is čer at rest and to his lofer sais: Quid vis vt faciam?
     éat is: Lo, at či yhernynge I am comen. What will čou čat I do?
 |r5 And čou čen in či hert answere him: Noght. I will, Lord, bot čat
     či gud will čou fulfill in me, for it is inogh to me, synfull
     wrech and out-casten of či folke, čat čou, Lorde, o-fer will loke
     to me, and thole me, Lord, so synfull a wrech to luf če,& loue
     if I couth os my wele aght. To suilke thinges, if čou may wene
|r10 when čou či prayers makes, slik gladynge čou sall fele čat a payne
     hit sall be to če to thynke of oght els, ffor čat wille čat či
     will might kele. Saynt Bernard sais by hym-self ča oft he ¨herned
     čat matyns tyme might haue lasted to če day of dome, ffor če
     lykynge čat he had in slike stirynges in matyns tyme.
|r15    éore čou standes to pray or on či knees kneles, think čou
     sees Ihesu come with holy halous on ilke side, and aungels be-fore
     hym, berand lepus full of relefe čat is left of če festynge of
     holous, čat Criste made to his chosen čat with hym dwelles in
     heuen čore likyng & fest is euer at če full. God biddes gedire
|r20 če relefe vp, čat of his fest leues, to helpe with če pore, čat
     it be noght lost. éis relefe is če mete to hus all, als to če
     pore wreches čat sone suld perisch for defaute, bot [God] one
     hus rewes ad deles hus of čat relefe čat leues of čis feste,
     ffor kynge ne kaiser, be čai neuer so rich, and othir gret of če



|p74


     werlde, what-so-euer čai be, bot if he to čaim dele of čis broken
     brede čai faile for defaut with-in a lityll stound. Thinke čen,
     as I be-for said, čou sese Ihesu Crist come with aungels berand
     čis heuenly mete to dele amang če pore čat čere are gedird als
 |r5 beggers to dole. Think čou heres God cry: Who-so has mister of
     mete, putt či hand forth and haue. And witt čou wele, forsoth,
     čat God deles to none of his bred, bot to čose čat knawes čer
     awene nedfulnes and to čos čat gret hunger stirs to cray after
     čis brede. Thynke čen amang othire, God comes to če & sais:
|r10 Habes aliquid ad manducadum? éat is: Has čou oght here at ete?
     Loute to hym with či heued, and mene či pouert vn-to hym als če
     pore dose to če rich to make hym to rew on hym. And to hym čou
     |r[f.15a] say: Non est in domo mea panis. éat is: Lord, / čer is no bred in
     my house, and so lange meteles I haue ben čat I dry als a stone
|r15 right now. Lord, I dye for hungure, bot čou on me rewe, for right
     noght els may hald my lyfe bot če mete čou deles.
        Stire či-self with suilk myndes & očer mo kyndely may či
     deuocione and rayse hit to hym, ay to čou think ču heres him
     spekes and say to če čire wordes: Dilata os tuum et inplebo illud
|r20 čat is als God to če saide: Opun či mouth, čat is či hert, and of
     my worthy mete I will it fill. After slike steryng, if čou
     worthi be and othire so če halde, euer hald či-selfe vnworthy
     als a synfull wrech. And čen sall God thurgh grace make če sum_dele 
     to fele of čat heuenly fode čat all halous fedes, čat čou



|p75


     may with likynge synge če maiden sang, čat is Gods Modire of
     heuen: Magnificat anima mea dominum et exaltauit spiritus meus
     in deo salutari meo. My saule with louynge mikels my Lorde and
     my spirit reioes in God my hele.
 |r5    Whene God after swilke stiringes sendes likyng to či saule
     thurgh grace, lok he fynde če noght un-kynd vnto hyme. For his
     gud dede čere wordes čou cry: Quid retribuam domino propter omni_bus 
     que retribuit michi? éat is: What sall do vn-to my Lord, I
     so synfull & wrech, for čose many gudes that God to me has done?
|r10 And turne če čen to če aungels čat before standes, and to čaim
     čou čus say: Venite et videte quanta fecit deus animae mee.
     Comes and sees what God has done to my saule, ffor to telle če
     all, no witt & haue. For-či I pray ¨ow als my kepers, whome to
     me God has sende, čat ¨e thanke oure Lorde for me, for noght is
|r15 čat I may do with-outen hym. Turne če čen & loke to če autere
     čore Gode sothly es, and čis to hym čou saye: Vere, domine, magna
     est misericordia tua super me. Sothly, Lord, I knaw mekill is
     či mercy čat čou to me schewes.
        HOW GOD COMES TO COMFORT MEN SAULE THURGH STERYNGE OF PRAYER
|r20 IN GUD DEUOCION: With slik luf stirryngs Gode to his lofers is
     calde, and he abides noght to če prayere be made, bot he preses
     in če myddes to čat thristy saule čat langwysch in lufe to soften
     hym with a dewyng of henuenly swetnes.
        HOW MENE MAY KNAW OF éIS GLADFULL COM: Witerly ters &
|r25 sighynge ere messangers of his come. And if it so če, wonndere
     hit semes, for sighynge & comforth & ters & lykynge are noght of



|p76


     one a-corde. Bot if it so be, hit semes noght čai suld be calde
     ters, bot heuenly dewynge, comande fro a-bofe to soft čat saule
     čat langes in lufe. Cely are čai čat čus mournes, for God hight
     čaim čat čai sall ioy for ons and euer. If so swete be čo teres
 |r5 éat qwykens in Gods lufers luf langynge to hym, full mekyll and
     ... it is čat ioy čat Gods lufers sall fele when čai sall se
     Gode sothly, slike als he is, ne neuer more twen fro hym, bot haue
     hym ay at čaire will.
        HOW GOD COMES TO HIS LUFERS éAT HERE AFTER MOURNES, TO GLADE
|r10 éAIM WITH HYM-SELFE AND LEUE éAIM WHEN HE WILL, & WHEN éAI GLADEST
     BE: Bot ¨itt after če twynnynge with grace, he with čaim dwelles.
     For-či  čou čat loues God ne dred če noght ne fall in no disspare,
     |r[f.15v] if či lufere  / for a while fro če wyndes & leues če, als če thynk
     with-outene comforth all či none. For all turnes če to gud if čou
|r15 myldely thole, ffor his wendyng & his commyng, all is for či
     prow. He comes to če, he wendes fro če; he comes to či comforth,
     he partis fro če čat čou more meker be and čat čou noght enpride
     če of čat gladynge čou haues in his comyng. If či spouse ay
     were with če, čou suld ouer-wele lette of či-selfe and despise
|r20 očer and sett at light. And if he ay with če were, čou walde
     rett to kynde & [noght] to grace. For-či thurgh his grace, he
     comes when he wile, and to whome he will; and when-so he will,
     parts also, čat čou sall noght here weld hym at will, als hit či
     heritage were. For in olde Inglisse hit is said: Ouer-mykell



|p77


     felischipe makes mane to be dispisede. For-či be-tymes fro his
     lufers he partis čat longe soiourynge ne make hym more vn-worthy.
     And after his partynge be če more ¨ernand, hertly be-soght with
     gelous luf, loues and pray after his gayne-come with syghynge and
 |r5 ters, and čus hertly we sought, graciously to be fonden.
        Bot ¨itt čer is a-nothire slike, whi be fro his lufers parts,
     ffor if he noght fro čaim went, bot euer gladid čaim with lykynge
     in hym, [čai walde make] in čis erth heuen, and less walde ¨erne
     after če gret ioy čat is to come čat God has graunted to his
|r10 luffers with hym euer to wone. For-či čat čis exill we sulde
     make hus no heuen and haue here oure full mede of oure gud dede,
     God to his lufers comes betymes, and fro čaim wendes. At his
     commyng comforth he bringes; at his wendynge he leues čaim in
     čaire febilnes to mak čaim thurgh čat čai lett noght ouer-wele
|r15 of čaim-selfe, and so stirdt in-to pride.
        Whene he comes he gyfs his luffers oft to tast how swete
     čat he is, and whore čai may fully fele, whene he fro čaim wendes,
     als with-outene he spredes wynges, and a-bofe čaim he rise als če
     egill čat flies abouen hire briddes to thech čaim to flie. Als
|r20 in his commynge saide: Now some-dele may ¨e fele how swete I
     am, bot if ¨e will čis swetnes fele to če full, flies vp after me
     and lift vp ¨oure hert to me, pore I am sittande on če right hand
     of my Fadire. éor ¨e sall če fulfilled at all in ioy of me.



|p78


     Bot euer be ware, Guds lufers, what-so čou be, how či spouse
     for a while draghes hym fro če. éof čou noght him se, he sees
     ffor he is full of eghen be-fore and be-hynd, and so bright his
     eghen are čat čou may noght fro hym be hid. And ¨itt he has his
 |r5 spise on če sett, to witt whene he is out how čou beres če. If
     čai see in če any tokenynge unthew, outhore luf or sembland mak
     to očer čene to hym, sone čai will wrye če & tell hym of či lawes.
     And for lufand God, če to his lemman with mykell luf has chosene.
     If he witt čou luf any othire mo čene hym allone, bot if it be for
|r10 če lufe of hym, or čou ¨erne to pay očer more čene hym, alsone
     he twenes hym fro če, and gif hym to očer čat trewly him lufs als
     čaire lele spouse.
        Geluses či spouse, delicate, noble & rich, seuene sith
     brighter čen če sone. In fairnes & night of all he ouer-passes,
     |r[f.16a] and what-so will is / done in heuen and erth and hele. None
|r16 to lufe he will haue, bot čai faire be. If he see any touch of
     synne in hym čat his luf sulde be, fro hym he turnes hym sone,
     vnclennes may none hym see. For-či be čou chaste, schamefull, &
     mylde of hert, and čer-to with lufe-longynge ¨erne hym ouer all
|r20 thynge, and will hast hym with če to dwele.
        Who-so thurgh grace feles betymes likyng in God & tastes of
     čat heuenly swetnes čat he hym birles, when God čis likynge fro
     hym drahes, als it nedfull behoues in čis dedely lyfe, lok čat



|p79


     he fall noght fro če heght done in-to hell--čat is, [gyfe] hym to
     no flesly lustes, ne to no likynge of če werlde, ne to no nothire
     vn-chew čat may brynge hym un-to hell, ffor all mankynd is euer
     to fele čis likynge in čis dedely life. When čou feles čat čis
 |r5 likynge God fro če draghes, gyfe če čene to prayere, or meditacione,
     or redynge of holy wryte, if čou letterd be, or to honeste werke
     als to če tyme falles. And euer čou mourne after či lefe als a
     ¨onge childe čat če modire mysses.
        For better it wore to mane čat he no knawynge had, ne tast of
|r10 čat heuenly swetnes čat God to his gyfs, and sithen after his
     knawynge, of his gudnes felyng, turne hym če bake and gyf hym to
     syne. For suilke has no defence agayne God of čaire synne, for
     God may sothly to čaim say: What might I more do to če čen I haue
     done, ffor whene čou was noght I made če. Whene čou čhurgh či
|r15 synne was made thrall to če fende, I boght če agayne with če
     blode čat ran fro my hert, tok če out fro synfull čat čou amange
     dwelled, and schewed če of my priuetes and gladded če with my_selfe.
     And ¨itt all čat I haue for če done čou settis it at
     noght, and folowes če red of my fo, and dos qwat he če biddes.
|r20    An vnhappay chaunge is čis and carfull, with-all to leue če
     felischippe of God and čose myrthes čai might with hym haue to
     serue če fende & folow his rede, with luf & likynge and werkes
     of synne. Yhe, čat hert čat before a-while halowed was thurght



|p80


     če Holi Gast, God temple to be, čat rased was here ouer his kynd,
     heuenly likinges & mirghtes to haue with almighty God, als-sone
     with foule thoghtes mak it lotghly to stynke, and to defoule it
     all to-wonndire. éose heres čat herd čis wordes čat to none is
 |r5 lefsome to speke, opone čaim to here bakbytynge and lesyngs and
     othir idell spech. ées eghen čat right now was baptized with
     teres, oppone čaim sone after vanites to see. And čat thinge čat
     right now gladdid God with prayer, alsone after stird with weriyng
     and for-swerynge, bacbytyng and foule wordes. Pray we to God for
|r10 his gudnes he schelde us fro čir vnthewes.
        Bot sithen saynt Paule said to God: O altitudo diuiciarum
     sapientiae et scientiae dei; quam incomprehensibilia sunt iudicia
     eius et investigabiles vie. O heghnes of če riches of če wysdome
     and conynge of God! His domes none may thurght witt knaw, ne
|r15 vays. How may mene čene witt of his come or whene he wendes?
        HOW éOW SALL KNAW éE COMYNGE OF GOD AND HIS PARTYNGE: Of his
     commyng may čow witt be čis, als saynt Bernard sais: Whene čou
     arte stird of mane with-outene, or with-in of če Spirite, for to
     keppe rightwysnes and stand čerfore for to be meke & tholmonde, to
     |r[f.16v] loue či brethire in God, to be buxome / to či ouerlynge, to lofe
|r21 chastnes and clennes in body and saule, tokennyng hit is čat
     almyghty God of vertuse comes to viset či saule če čer messaun_geres 
     he be-fore sendes. If any rightwys in charite chastite če
     of či synne, and gudely čou takes hit as chastiing of či frendes,



|p81


     čis mayse way before and telles of his come. Or if čou hir
     thourgh prechoure or priste or any of Gods luffers čat in charite
     to če spekes wordes čat stirs če to vertus or to god thewes, čere
     mas ways be-for God come. éene if čou slawnes and heuenes of če
 |r5 cast and with a lufe-¨ernynge likes čes wordes, čen derworthi God,
     éi Lorde, hastes hym čat he with če were. For če ¨hernynge čat
     God has to če kyndels slike yernes in če to like če in-ne slike
     wordes and makes če bittyrly to thynke of či synne and for to
     amende či lif in all čat čou may.
|r10    Yhitt mene may witt be čis of his comynge, for at his come
     he wakens če saule and stirs and softes him and wasches his
     woundes with wyne and softnes čaim with oyle--čat is, stirs čaim
     bitterly for to thynke čat čai haue mysdone--and softes čaim with
     hop of mercy and forgyfnes of synnes. He reues syne vp by če rot
|r15 os a gardiner dose. ée ill wedes čat harmes in če ¨erde and god
     herbes lettes to groue he draghes vp be-dene and castes čaim
     away. He impes gud trees, and sawes gud sed čor če wedes groued.
     So dose God, čat gardiner is calde, whilst he is in mane saule.
     éus čer he werkes: he pulles all synnes vp by če rotes and impes
|r20 in čat saule vertuse and gud thewes. éat was be-for drye, he
     dewes with grace; čat blake was & merke, he makes hit all bright;
     čat bondene was, he lowses; čat colde was before, with luf he
     makes it warme. By čir stirynges may čou knaw whene či Lord is
     comen: be no nočer felynge bot be stirynge of či hert and be for_doynge 



|p82


     of vices and with-draghynge of lustes, be amendynge of či
     lyf and forthynkynge of či misdede, and begynnynge of a new mane
     ilk day more and more.
        Whene he fro če wendes by čis may čou knaw, ffor when he fro
 |r5 če wendes, slawe čou waxes and drye & heuy als če stone. Luf in
     če boles als a pott čat had welled and fyre were draghen čer-fro.
     éene nedes či saule fore to mourne, ay to he be comene agayne.
        IF A FOULE THOGHT LET éE PRAYANDE, WHAT éOU éENE SALL DO:
     If any ill thoght will entre thurgh stirryng of če deuill and
|r10 begyne to cary če, and eggis če to tourne fro či God and traw in
     his rede, aske hym what he is, and čus to hym čou say: Cuius est
     ymago hec & superscripscio? Whos likenes is čis and what is čis
     writynge a-boufe? Thinke čen čat he to če sais: Hit is Cesars
     prince, and his name aboute--čat is če prince of če werlde, čat
|r15 če fende of hell. Whene čou čis of hym heres, say to hym be-lyue:
     Wende agayne, čou foule fende, with čis mony čat čou with če
     |r[f.17a] broght, and be agayne with če to hell, čore čou come / fro, for
     my gates are stokene and my Lord here with-in dwelles. For-či
     haue no tome očer talles to telle.
|r20    OF MEDITACIONE éAT MANE SALL HAUE SUM TYME: Thynke on čat
     holy gretynge Gabriel made to čat mayden Mary in Nazareth. Think
     how ioyfull scho was in body & in saule whene scho če gretynge
     hard, thurgh če whilke, with assent of hire, scho was fulfillede



|p83


     of grace, čat might & powere scho wanne at will in heuen and erth
     and hell. And of hire hynges all čis werldes hele, and restorynge
     of čo čat fel. Thynke on če berth of hire childe, čat scho hade
     with-in hire sides, how scho hym bare with-outen sorowe & syghen
 |r5 čat othire womene has kyndely and feles in tyme of birth, and scho
     clene maydene with-all left after--and čat fele neuer before.
     Thynke sone after borne was, čai laide hym in a cribbe be-twyx a
     nox and asse--očer credell had he none, ffor non was in čat house
     to serue hym with torches, als be-fore gret lordes mene dose. For_či 
|r10 come a sterne fro heuen, čat so bright schone čat he lightend
     če house čat he was in, and all Bethlem. And aungels come fro
     heuen to synge če childe one slepe with a mery steuen and hegh,
     čat many might here hit. Thynke how thre kynges come of sere
     landes to hym čore he was, thurgh wyssynge of a sterne čat led
|r15 čaim če way, and offerd hym of čaire thresoure: gold rekels, &
     myrre. Thynke how swethly če childe one čaim smyllede, and with
     his lovely eghen so myldly one čaim loked. Thynke how porely his
     modire was cled be whils če kynges before hire kneled, ffor on
     hire scho hade bot a white smoke, als čir clerke sais, more hill
|r20 hire with čene to schewynge of pride.
        Thynke how his modire with hym come to če temple to make če
     offerynge of če clensyng, als če lagh walde, and boghede to ful_fill 
     če lagh als čai synfull ware. Thynke after-warde how čat
     holde preste Symeone toke če childe in his armes and blissede God,
|r25 for čore he sagh thurgh styring of Holy Gast čat če Sauoure of



|p84


     all čis werlde was betwene his hendes, and prayed hyme čat he
     might passe and part out of čis werlde: For my eghen sees, he
     saide, čat če folk sall saue. Thynke after of čat sorow his
     modire had when scho hym myssed, and soght hym thre dayes amange
 |r5 couth and sybbe, aye to scho hyme fonde sittande amange če
     maisters, herand & spirande amange čaim če poyntes of če laghe.
        Thynke how he come to be cristene of his cosyn Iohun, how
     če Holy Gast ber on hym light in če liknes of a doufe, če Fadere
     with če voice recorded čat he was his Sone. Thynke how he alowede
|r10 wedlaike in architriclines house, and čer to schewede čat he was
     almighty God chaunged water in-to wyne. In wyldernes how he
     fastede fourty dayes with-outen mete; after how he ouer-come ée
     fende čat fonded hym with čire thre: glotony, with couatyse, with
     vayne glorie. Also of če wondire če mene of hym had when he
|r15 prechede to čame, ffor all če wordes he to čaim spake were full
     |r[f.17v] of grace. / Thynke howe he helede sek čat to hym were broght, and
     rased to lyve čat ere was dede, how to če blynde he gafe če sight,
     če dombe made to spek, mesels touched with hande & made čaim all
     hole. And many othire sekenes čat uncurabile ware of kynde,
|r20 thurght might of his-self, he heled čaim, ffor he might more
     čene kynde. Thynke how he als wery for mikele ganynge rest hym
     at če wele, and howe he bade a woman gif hym water to drynke, for
     hym thristed sorore.



|p85


        MEDITACIONE OF CRISTES PASSIONE: Now opone či hert with
     sighynge sore to thynk of čose paynes čat Criste tholed, and sett
     čaim in či saule be ordire als he čaim feled: how čai buffet če
     farest face of all mankynd; how čai with cordes čai his hende
 |r5 bonde so fast čat out at all če fyngers če blode out-brast; how
     čai beted hym with knotted scourges čat neuer did amisse to none
     with worde ne with dede; how all with voice čai on hym cryed: Do
     hym on če croice čat he dye als schamefull ded als euer any did.
        Yhitt thynk how he was strenned on če croice čat layd was
|r10 on če erth, and draghene out with ropis to make hende & fete to
     a-corde with če holes čat made was in če trees. So strait he was
     draghene out on če tree čat he on lay, čat his bones men might
     tell, als holy wryte telles; and to čat tree he on lay, what čai
     festented him with iren nailes. Thynk after how his body was
|r15 lifted vpe with če croice, and smytene oft in če erth, als men
     dose stake of tree, to make hit fast to stande with čat swet body
     čat lyfand hynged čer-one. At čis smytyng in če erth, all his
     wayns brayst, čat out of all his lymes če blode rayne. éis greued
     hym sarrest of all očer paynes, outakene oure vnkyndnes čat all
|r20 day newes his paynes. Thynke after how a knyght to hym knelede
     and saide o scorne: Haile, čou kynge of Iewes! So many helps čou,
     now nedes to helpe či-selfe. Let se what čou may do. Come done
     fro če croice čat čou art to nailed, and we sall trow with-outen



|p86


     more čat čou art God Son of heuen. Thynke on čat scharpe croune
     of thornes čai crouned hym with, čat made his lufely face to
     streme all one blode, and one če bitter aisell čat was menged
     with gall, čat čai gafe hym to drynke when he plenned hym of
 |r5 thrist, als he čat mykele had blede. Bot whit čou will, he
     thrysted noght after pyment ne wyne, ne after no nothire likoure
     that for thrist mene notes, bot onely after če luf of man čat
     he so dere boght. Thynk čat when čou oght agaynes hym dose,
     als an vn-kynde wrech, čou dose als Iewes did--birles hym gall
|r10 to drynke.
        Thynke on his carfull modire and Iohun, his cosyne dere, čat
     stode če hym nere & sagh all čat he tholed. No tunge of mane may
     it tell how carefull čai wore čat stonde. Thynke one čos wordes
     he to his modire saide whils he hang on če rode: Woman, loo,
|r15 here či sone, he said be his cosyne Iohun. He saide to Iohun:
     Loo, hire či modire dere. éou serue hire with all či might. What
     sighynge come vn-to hire herte when scho herd čes wordes--whene
     man son for Gods Sone, the disciple for the Maister, če seruant
     |r[f.18a] for če / Lord was gyfen hire to kepe.
|r20    Thynke how čat blissed body, naked and pale, hinged on če
     rode, so reuen with scourges čat noght left hole. And yhit so
     porely was he sted in čat storme čat he had noght wore-on to rest
     his heued, als naked als he was borne, bot his modere kerchefe
     knyt about his lymes. Thynk how full he was of mercy yhit whils
|r25 he hunged of če rode, čat for-gafe thef his synnes, čat hunged one



|p87


     če rode be his side, and heght hym he sulde be čat day in paradisee
     with hym.
        Whene čou art vnbethogh of all čose paynes čat Ihesu for če
     tholed, think čou in či saule čou standes by hym in čat place &
 |r5 sees what čhi hym do. Speke čene in či saule to či Lorde čere
     wordes of Bernarde, and thus to hym say: God, my Lord, swete
     Ihesu, what has čou done čat čou so blody hynges on rode, čat
     neuer did euill bot euer če god? Sakles čai did če to dede. Wo
     his me so, for I ame gylty of čat dede. For-či čai he suld slo,
|r10 ffor agaynes lagh and resone hit is to dampne to ded čat neuer did
     misse, and lat hym passe with-outen harme čat cheson of če ded is.
     For-či, wrech čat wrang has done, ta me for hym and dose he to če
     ded, ffor I am če synfull čat euill has wroght, čat I haue folowed
     če fendes rede, and let čis innocent passe harmeles čat neuer did
|r15 harme bot ay gud. I pray ¨ow čat I may for hym dye.
        Thynke yhit inwordely on če worde čat he said be-fore he
     ¨elded če gast, ffor hit may stire če to haue sorowe for či
     synnes, and make če to sorow for his dede, čat for če was so
     pynes, and wreke his ded on či-selfe čat čus to če cryes: Consum_matum 
|r20 est. éat is on Inglisse: All is fulfilled. éat is als he
     said: I am fulfilled of sorow both in body and in saule. In body,
     for all was pyned fro če croune of če heued to če sole of če fote,
     als če prophet by hym sais. In saule was he pyned thurgh oure
     [un]-kyndnes čat kithes hym no thanke ffor his gud ded, bot dose



|p88


     čat in hus is euer more to new his payne, ffor čis ouer-passes
     all his payne čat he be-for tholed. For-či he sais at his end:
     I am fulfilled of sorow. Thynk čene after čis worde was saide,
     he louted sone his heued, and čus to his Fadire said čat all hit
 |r5 might here: Into či handes, Lord, my saule I če be-tech.
        Thynke čen on čos worders čat fell čat tyme: how creaturs
     čat no witt hade rewed on his ded and kithed čai feld his ded sore
     in čaire led. ée son with-drogh his brighnes & be-come als marke,
     als schewand be swilk countenaunce he rewed Crist ded. ée hard
|r10 roche all to-roffe; če erth qwoke; če graues of ded mene all to_brast 
     čat made were of lyme & stone, and če ded čat in če towmbs
     were stokene quykende to lyfe & wittnest čat he was soghtfast
     God, čat če Iewes did to če ded.
        With sighynge and ters yhit I red ¨ow thynge of čose sore
|r15 stynegand pynes his modere tholed čene čat felud hym čat tyme, and
     with hym was to če ded, and als carfull a modere euer be-held all
     |r[f.18v] čat čai did to hire childe. Neuer yhitt / martir tholed of payne
     als mikele als scho did, ffor in čat party all marters wore pyned
     čat dedely is of kynde, bot Gods modire in saule was pyned čat
|r20 neuer might dye, ffor all čos paynes hire Sone tholed, all čos
     thurgh stiked hire saule. His paynes lift hym in his ded; čai
     might greve hym no more, bot in hire saule all čai left; for-či
     hire paynes were če more, ffor scho for sorou ¨erned to dye, bot
     no sorou might hire slo. éene was fulfilled če word čat Symeon



|p89


     to hire said: ée swerde of sorou sall thurgh-stik či saule, witt
     čou well for soth.
        Thynke ¨itt what he was čat all čis tholede, and how vnworthy
     čai wore to luf for whome he dyede, ffor if čou čire stirings haue
 |r5 of in mynde, what-so-euer čou be, hit halde či hert in luf & makes
     synne to fle. Thynke čen with what deuocione čat he was tane done
     of če rode, and how če thre Maries dighted with oylement and with
     mereles & folded his body in a new white cloth, and lad hym to a
     towmbe wroght of stone. Thynk after of his wendynge to hell.
|r10 What comforth his cosyne had in čat merke sted, so lang had bidene
     his come! What sorou, what drede, what sighyng soroe, what gnay_styng 
     of teth had čose wod-waried wreches, čo foule fendes of
     hell! How bonde Sathan so fast čat might he neuer sythen harme
     ne fonde če folk as he might be-fore!
|r15    Thynk after of his vprysynge. How bright, how faire he rose
     čat body če Iewes so loghly dight in čat entent for to for-do če
     mynde of hym for-euer. Now he liues almighty God, cround Kynge in
     heuen, and sall deme hym at his will čat hym ere demed to če ded.
     Thynk what ioye his disciples had whene čai sagh hymn resyn and
|r2O haue če maystry of če ded, čat be-fore demed hym and saide čai
     kenw hym noght. éen čai čaim for-thoght čai had missaide and
     louede hym als čaire Lorde, and čene so fulfilled čai wore in
     lufe of hym čat čai wore redy to dye for luf of hym and qwyte hym
     ded for ded. To tell če ioye his modire had whene scho hym sagh



|p90


     resyn fro ded to lyf is no man may it tell.
        Thynke after how he stegh to heuen with oure manhede. He
     toke & sett hyt on če right hand of almighty God, his Fadere,
     and so oure kynd in hymn has festened čat neuer sall čai twen.
 |r5 Thynke čat thurgh če aliaunce čat thus is made, if wepe hus fro
     synne, or if we synfull haue čene neuer-so-long tyme, for-thynk
     hus & schryue hus of čat is misdone and turne no more agayne, čen
     chalang we may als right ayers to dwell in his blisse with-outen
     ende.
|r10    Thynke yhitt of his agayne-come, when he sall ilkane deme,
     and ¨eld to ilkone after čat čai haue wroght, be it gud or ill,
     ffor als gladfull als his come sall če to čose čat has done his
     will, als agfull and grisly hit sall be to čose čat endes in ill.
     For če slik God sais, and with čes wordes čaim thretes of thre
     |r[f.19a] arowes čat Gode sall to če synfull schote:  /Congregabo super eos
|r16 mala et sagittas meas conplebo in eis. I sall hepe on čaim, he
     sais, alkyne ill and wo, čat čaim sore sall smert, and my scharpe
     arowes in čaim sall I fest, and thre scharpe arowes to čaim sall
     I schott, čat sall wonde če synfull čat čai sall neuer couer:
|r20    ée first arowe čat he sall to čaim schot is whene he sall
     bid čaim rise and come to če dome with čes schort wordes: Surgite,
     mortui, venite ad iudicium. éat is: Rise, yhe čat at ded, and come
     to če dome. Thurgh čes wordes all čat are ded sall qwykyne in-to
     lyfe. Thoumbes of marbill and of stone sall all to-rise to lat



|p91


     out čos bodies čat in čaim wore loken. éis is če arow čat saynt
     Ierome euer-elyke feled smert sore, be če whilk he sais: Siue come_dam,
     siue bibam, siue aliquid aliud faciam, semper michi videtur
     vt illa vox terribilis sonat in auribus meis: Surgite, mortui, et
 |r5 venite ad iudicium. éat is: Whečer I ete or I drynk or what-so
     else I do, euer me thynk čos dredfull wordes rynges in myn eres:
     Rise vp, ¨e čat are ded, and comes to ¨oure dome. Mynd of čes
     wordes come neuer fro his hert. Syn čat čis holy mane dred had
     of čes wordes, nedfull it is to synfull čat one čes wordes he
|r10 thinke to make hymn a-ferde čat he fall in no syne.
        For als Salamon če witty sais: Sicut fremitus leonis ita
     erit eius adventus. ée wraght of če domesman sall be at his comyng
     als remyng of a lion, stalworth & kyne, čat walkes in wildirnes
     to sek his pray. ée lion kynde is čat all čestes he ferre with
|r15 his romynge, & als ertles for dred dare čai noght flee. éof čes
     noses čat he makes be dredfull to all bestes, his comforths his
     awene whelpes & whikys čaim to če lyfe. So sall Ihesu Crist hym
     čere at če strait dome to all bestly mene čat has lyued in syne
     and wald make none endynge of čaire euill ded. At čis callynge
|r20 čai sall be so ferd and so vn-mighty of čaim-selfe čat one no



|p92


     halfe čene may čai flee, bot right čore sall čai dwell to tak als
     čai haue done. And als he sall be wrathfull to če wreches, so to
     his awene childere, čat here has wroght his will, lufly he sall
     be & wynly to čaire loke, čat sall wakyne with ioye at his callyng
 |r5 & to his blisse wende, euer more with hym to dwelle. Bot če syn_full 
     & wofull wreches sall laite čaim to hide čat čai se noght
     his dredfull face, čat sall flay čaim out of witt, als če sothfast
     Ysaie be čaim čire wordes sais: Introibunt in cauernas petrarum &
     voragines terre a facie formidinis domini cum surrexerit percutere
|r10 terram. éat is: ée warred synfull sall crepe in-to creues of
     stones, in holes vndere če erth, čaim for to hid fro če wrekfull
     face of Gods dome.
        Of čis commynge čen spekes Anselme, and čus sais čer-by: On
     če to halfe at če dai of dome sall oure bitter synnes straitly be_call 
|r15 hus of če slaghter of oure saule. One če tothire halfe sall
     stand rightwynes, čat [no] pete is with, dredefull and aghfull to
     be-halde. A-bouen hus, če rightwysly domisman, for als soft als
     he is here, als wraghtfull is he čere, and als mylde als he is now,
     als sterne is he čere. We sall se čene abouen hus čis ilk strait
|r20 domesman čat is als wittnes & wote all oure gyltes.
     |r[f.19v] ée tothire arowe  /is čat čaim sall fore-smyte whene God sall
     čai areyne of all čat čai haue done syn čai were borne čat fele



|p93


     to synne. éene sall čis domesmane his wondes schew to all man_folk 
     čat čai may sothly see čat he, vngilty, for čaire synnes ded
     tholed, and on čis maner with čes wordes: I če made and in para_dise,
     čat lufly sted, I stalde če, čore to dwell with-outen care
 |r5 and čere to haue dwellede had čou to me buxome bene and noght haue
     brokyne če for-warde čat was mad hus bitwene. Bot sone my comand_ment 
     čou with-stode and left me for my foo. For-či rightwysnes
     dampnede če to hell, čer to be in sorow & woo. When I sagh after
     čine euill faire, so pite me sterde to rew on če čof čou noght
|r10 serued, I light to erth and tok če kynd of če, whor I was for či
     gilt sore pynd & toke many despytes and tholed velany in ded &
     worde. And after Iudas had sold me, če Iewes buffet me & spitted
     in my face, and with scharpe thornes čai crowned me, and with
     knotted scourges čai dange me. And čus ffor-dight I was, als a
|r15 messell I was on to see. All čis aght to haue made če to haue
     pite and to haue reuth on me & čou had čene kynd. In my thrist
     čai gaf me aysell menged with gall, bot when I feld hit, I wald
     hit noght. And thride my [fete] and hande and nailed me to
     če rode tre & opynd my syd with a spere, at make my hert to
|r20 bled. For če I forgate my-selfe so luf he stirde; for če was all
     my thoght. And yhitt all čat I haue for če tholed and done als a



|p94


     vnkynde mane čou settes at noght. Now vndirstand, čou vnkynd, kist
     up či heued & loke to me. Behald my side, my fete, & handes. How
     wofull I am mad for če! éus am I dight, noght for my gilt, bot
     for hell či wondes čat was so sore. And či gilt all on me is
 |r5 light, he thynk čou suld luf he če more. For soth I wote noght
     what I might haue done more for če čen I haue done. For-či ned_fully 
     now če-houes če schew what čow has done for me and tholed,
     for now my reghtwisnes hit wille čat to ilkone I schapp his mede
     to dwell in pyne or in blis for ones and aye after his dede.
|r10    Howe sall čen če waried synfull fare when he is reyned of če
     wrathfull domesman and all his synnes oppenly knawene & schewed to
     all mans sight? For noght mone čore be hidd, bot čat čat done was
     here wit schrift. For als če holy mane Iob sais: Heuen & erth
     sall wittnes čere agaynes če synfull wriche: Reuelabunt celi ini_quitates 
|r15 eius et terra consurget aduersus cum. éat is: Heuen
     sall schew če wykednes of če synfull, and če erht sall stand
     agaynes hymn, berand witnes of all his werkes. And yhitt als če
     apostele sais: Testimonium reddet illis consciencia eorum. éat
     is: Mannes inwitt sall agaynes hym wittnes bere. Who may better
|r20 wittnes bere agaynes če čen he čat euer has dwelled with če, čat
     sees and knawes all či werkes? And čus is mannes inwitt, fro
     whome mane may noght hid. And yhitt his euill werk sall with hym
     wynd to če aghfull dome & stande be hym, all one raw, and to his
     scham schew čaim to all mane-folk, & čus bitterly with hym flite



|p95


     čat all če werld may here: We are čai, sal čai say, čose werkes
     čat čou, wrech, with wrange has wroght in če despite of či Lord
     God, čat čou for hus set at noght. For čou wroght hus agaynes
     his will, čat sched his hert blod for če. For-či we are all
 |r5 gederd here, als agaynes če wittnes to bere, ffor čou wald noght
     here, whils čou mighte, amend čine euill state. Now če forthinkes
     čat euer čou synde. Bot, sory wrech, all to late, for čou had no
     |r[f.20a] likynge bot in hus & in hus čou wasted all či tyme. For-či we
     sall with če dwell with-outen end to eke či pyne.
|r10    ée thride arowe he sall schote, when he sais čir wordes čat
     saynt Mathew in his gospell sais: Ite, maledicti, in ignem eternum.
     éat is: Go, yhe waried, into endles fire. Be čos čat in čat fire
     sall brine euer with-outen end, če holy mane sais: Sore & blody is
     čos eghen čat for hete & smok sall wepe mo ters čen water is in
|r15 če brode see. Now may čou aske me: Syn čai sall so mikell water
     wepe, whi slokyns hit noght če fire čat čai so hete brynnes here?
     éus sais saynt Austene: So wodely hit brynnes euer-elyke, and so
     stalworth hit is in kynde, čat if all čis werldes waters had hit
     ouer-floten, hit might noght čis fire sloken, ne yhit a litell of
|r20 hit cole. éis fire makes smore & smok čat euer mas čos wreches
     ters for to wep, and čos ters če fire strenghtes ay ilike & more
     wodely makes hit to brynne, als oyle casten in če fire. Mynde of
     čire ters hade čat holy fadire čat to his disciples said when čai
     lang onn hym cryed to say čaim Gods worde: My dere childere, he



|p96


     said, wepe we here for oure syne; ters may oure body brenne.
        What sorou, hopes čou, what dred, what wepyng čen sall be
     when Gode to če waried synfull sall sai: Ite, maledicti, in
     ignem eternum! éat is: Go, če waried, in-to endles fire. When če
 |r5 wariede heres čire wordes and knowes čat čai are dampned, and
     wote čer is no gayne-turne, mercy to fynde, čen may ¨e say čire
     wordes of Iob with sighyng sore: ée day mot perisshe čat on
     was borne and če night čat I was consayued!. éat I had bene dede
     in my modire wombe! Allas, čat sory while čat euer I was borne!
|r10 Whare-to my modere sett he on hire knee, wasched he and rokked he,
     and fed me on hire brest! Allas, čat while so mykell swynke scho
     lost on me čat nurissht me a barne to smore in hell-fire.
        Whenn čis wofull worde of Gods mouth is saide, čen wode
     ilkone sothly wethire he sall wende. éene sall čai twyne če
|r15 euill fro če gud and sall neuer after to-gedire mete. éen čo
     lothly fendes sall amang čaim rixill to rydell če euill fro če
     gude and same čaim to-gedire, and als wode lyons dragh čaim to
     hell, euer čere to wepe čere ere-done synnes, and ay to wary če
     tyme čat čai ill wroght. All čat čaim may pyne, forsoth sall
|r20 čai fynde, and all čat čaim might like sal be tane fro čaim. For
     fendes čat čaim sall pyne sall neuer be wery, bot euer ilyk fressh



|p97


     to wirke čaim wo, and čer wofull wreches no pyne may čaim slo.
     Nedders, todes, & snakes, and othire venemus bestes, mo čen I cane
     nenen, sall lyf in čat fire, als fisch dose in če flod, to pyne
     čos sory synfull čat čere-in dwelles. éo sorifull wreches, for
 |r5 thrist čat čai sall haue, če nedders heuedes sall souke če venyme
     out to dragh to slokene čere thrist. In čat hot fire no thyng
     sall be harde bot yhellyng & grettyng and gnaystyng of teth.
     Sight is čore non, for smok hit for-dose, bot so wondire markenes
     čat men it groppe.
|r10    Bot Gods awene childere čat here has done his will, with
     aungels sall be ledd to če blis of heuen, čere ioye with-outen
     |r[f.20v] ende. So grett is /čis ioye, als če apostele telles, čat no
     hert may thynk hit, ne egh see. If mane myght be in čat ioye
     bot halfe a noure, and felde čat heuenly likynge bot čat litell
 15 qwhile, and sythene wre broght agayne to čis midele-erth, so
     stronge payne hit wore here hym to lyf, čof all če welth of čis
     werlde boghed to his will, he čat wald his body here wore delt
     in thousand peces to wynne to čat ioye čat he wentt fro.
        Thynk čou was with Ihesu Crist in all his payne, and čat čou
|r20 stode hym so nere in all his passione tyme čat čou sagh all his
     herdenes čat to hym was done, and če awonndirde čat so might-full



|p98


     a Lord suilk hardnes walde thole, and fall čou doune to če erth
     als gylty of his ded, and thanke hym of čos woundes čat he for
     yhe tholed, and hym haf euer in mynde. Thynke not of all čire
     to-gedire als čai in ordire are sett for losyng of deuocioun,
 |r5 čat on many wys may ffall, bot now one and now nouthire als čou
     felles čat God če stirs thurgh his dere grace.
        He may God be-seke of grace, and traist čer-of to sped čat
     here stirs hym in god werkes to wheme God with, and with deuocions
     & likyngs powdere čaim so čat čai more sauery be to čere dere Lord.
|r10 Werkes of penaunce, when čou čaim do, als fastyng and wakyng and
     herdnes weryng & for-čerynge of lustes, čat če wantone flesch wont
     to haue, with prayere and almes & čer suilk as we do with deuo_cioun 
     & likynd in God, behoues softede to be so čat čai be done
     with a glad hert and a fredom of sprit. Deuocioun čat I of spek
|r15 his a worthy drewry čat God sendes vnto če hert at gladd it with,
     if it worthy be so rich a gyft to welde. Bot vnworthi is he to
     welde čis gyft, what-so-euer he be, čat in hert to weld hit no
     dwellyng sted will make. We sek čat abouen hus is with oure
     belef and skilfull dome, bot hus sauours not čat a-buf hus is,
|r20 for so full we are of erth čat we haue lost oure tast. Why feles
     so many mene sterynge čat če fende forges, and tholes če egynge



|p99


     of čaire flesch so oft čaim ouer-cast? I se čat noght čis makes
     bot wantynge of grace. And worthy it is čat we want čis grace
     čat suld help hus and strenght hus agayne ill thewes, ffor we
     pray noght čer-after ne čer-fore will swynk. God of his der_worthly 
 |r5 grace is no chynch, ffor if he dele čer-of to all čat
     craues, euer he leues hym-selfe inoghe. Amange all othire čat we
     greue Gode with, I trow čis be one: čat of als mykell folk as now
     is of lered & lewd so foue will swynke to wyne čis grace of God.
        And God his derworthy grace hetis to all, čat non thare bot
|r10 layt čer-after and God hetis hym he sall fynd hym if any haue
     vessell clene and woide to resayfe it inne. Bot oure vessell is
     so full of erth čat it may resayfe no more, ffor als saynt Bernard
     sais: éat hert čat charged is with couatys of če werldes deuocione,
     no likyng in God may hit haue, for sothfastnes & vanite, lastand
|r15 thyng and failland, gastly thynge with bodely may not be to-gedire
     no while in one acorde--čat čou haue souour & lykyng in God and
     in če werlde bothe. If čou will with likyng či hert fetyng in
     God, če fals likynge of the werlde and of či flesch both with_stande 
     with all či myght: So worthely is thynge, če comforth of
|r20 God, čat he ne will bred in čat brest čere othire comforth is.
     So delicius is likyng in hym čat with no nothire likyng may it
     a-corde. Wo-so očer comforth ¨ernes to gladd hym, he witnes
     |r[f.21a] agaynes  /hym-selfe čat Gods grace he with-standes, bot hit honest
     comforth be be-tymes to glad his kynd with, čat he may čer-thurgh



|p100


     better serue God.
        éAT éOU BREKE NOGHT éI PRAYERE WITH OTHIRE VANITIES WHILS é0U
     éI PRAYERS MAKES: éou spekes to či Lord, almighty God, and for_či 
     keke čou noght či prayere with idell spech, ne spek with non
 |r5 čat with če walde speke are čou haue tane či leue at či Lord čat
     čou spekes with. For in če tyme of prayere, whils mene spekes
     with God, mene sall noght turne God če bake & speke with othire.
     For velany it were grete, and mikele might harme, if a mane stode
     before če pape or če kyng to say his nedis, if he turne his bak
|r10 on čos lords če whils he spekes with čaim of his nedfull thynges
     to iangill with othire about hym with wayne wordes. For more he
     greued čos lordes, čen with his prayers plesed. So dos čo čat
     čaire prayers brekes to speke with čaim čat about hym standes.
     Bot if it be-stande čat če speke be hose for če comen prophet or
|r15 for či nedfulnes, aske leue at či Lord before whome čou standes.
     And to hym čou say: Lord, with či leue here I leue for a-while,
     for it nedes čat I speke with čire men. When čou has tane leue
     at či Lord on čis maner, I say sped če with few wordes, & als
     sone als čou may, turne če agayne to či Lord and to hym čire
|r20 wordes: Lord, čou set not čis agaynes me čat I brake my prayere
     whilest I to če praid. And say čen forth či prayere als čou
     was wont wysely with reuerence, als to či Lord falles, be-for
     whome čou standes, and in sight of aungels čat sees what čou dose.
        For-či with opyn mouth speke with či Lord, noght als če left
|r25 slepe or with a ded hert or with halfe-opyn mouth, als čou ne reke



|p101


     whithire čou spede or noght. Roundely and trete čou say či prayers
     čat čou makes, & poudire čaim with likynge of gastely thoght, als
     a-bouen is writen, for reuerence of aungels čat standes ay be-for
     če to tak če wordes of či mouth and als a derworthi presande bere
 |r5 it to God, and brynge likynge and grace fro hym, and yernynge of
     či hert čat čou for-swynkes.
        When čou has prayed at čou will and čer-to hard či messe,
     in čere thre now stire či-selfe unto če tyme of mete: authire in
     honestes werkes čat čou kane do, or in herynge or redynge of holy
|r10 writt. For čis sall be če stody and če entent of ilk Cristen
     mane: to lere čo thynges čat may stire to gode. Noght elles leres
     all holy write, als saynt Gregor sais, bot to haue anonhede and
     charite to God & mane.
        Aftir čou thus has done and spend či tyme als befor is saide
|r15 in prayere and holy thoghtes and gud werkes, after če tyme and če
     state čat to če falles, in Gods holy drede grath če to če mete to
     strenth či waike kynde čat elles will faile, čat he may better
     serue his Lord in what-so he dose. And in čis entent sall ilke
     Cristen mane his body cheth & fede. With mournynge čou sall wende
|r20 to či mete; soburnes & mesure čou kepe in či mete-while. And
     after mete čou mak louynge to či Lord čat če has fede, and als
     be-fore, and for all othire gudes čat Gode has done to če. First
     čou sall mourne or čou sitt to mete. éus če holy mane Iob did
     and teches hus so to do čere he čhus sais: Antequam comedam
|r25 suspiro. Be-fore I ete, Iob sais, I sigh sore. If we hus wele



|p102


     vmbethinke how febule, how wake oure kynde is made thurgh Adam
     synne, čat ilk daye nedes bodely mete to up-hald če kynd, for elles
     |r[f.21v] walde it faile in a lityll stound! / And for-či it telles in če
     lyf of a mane čat hight Ysederus čat of whene ete, sore he wepede
 |r5 and saides čes wordes: For he schames with my-selfe to lyf with
     bestly mete als othire bestes dose čat no skile has of kynd! And
     I, God skilwys creature and made like to his-selfe, čat suld haue
     dwelled in paradise in lykyng & ioye and čere onely be fed with
     heuenly fode! Kepe soburnes in či mete-while, and in what-so čou
|r10 dose čou synne noght in glotonye ne in none of his spices--čat is:
     ete in tyme and noght be-fore, or out of mesure, or ouer hastely,
     or ouer mykell, or ouer deliciously. Be čou sobure in či mete_while 
     in God holy drede, and luf God for čos gudes čou takes to
     sustenance of či kynde.
|r15    And čou delite or sauour findes in mete or drynke, thynke
     čen of čat heuenly fode čat fedes all halous in heuen, čat all
     likyng ouer-passes, ffor čof we ete and drynke here, oure likynge
     bese neuer fulfilled to we of čat heuenly fode felle with Gods
     holy halous. For-či in mete-while religious heres lessons of holy
|r20 mens lyues, čat so als če body is fede with bodely fode, so če
     spirit is fede čat tyme with holy worde. Be euer, Gods lufere,
     whore all če mete-while hote metes, & delycious drynkes and hote,
     for to bere and očer, what-so čai be, čat may wakyn in synne. For



|p103


     mans body is als a fornays brynand of hote fire, and namely če
     ¨outh; and delicius metes & drynkes če fire makes more wodelyere
     to wax, als ole castene in če fire. For-či saynt Iohun sais:
     Welth and ¨outhede is dobill fire, and do fire to fire, hattire
 |r5 brennes. For-či all čat in če flesch kyndels synne is for to
     flee. For če wisman sais: If čou will abate če hete of če
     fire, with-dragh če brandes. And Ierome sais: Flesch mete and
     wyn is kyndelynge of lycherous styrryngs. For-či holy men and
     holy wemen čis wele knew, fflesch & wyne fore-bere all čaire
|r10 lyfe tyme.
        ée flesch sall be undere če spirit als maidene undere če
     lauedy to wirk at his will. For saynt Austene sais: ée flesch is
     a wild colt čat is tame with bridill and hungure, čat he bere
     noght his maister out of če way and cast hym in če dike. For-či
|r15 witty Salomon sais be če asse čat be-tokens oure flesch: Virga &
     onus asino. Wande & birthyne falles to če asse to teme hym with.
     For-či saynt Paule sais be his flesch: Castigo corpus meum et in
     seruitutem redigo. My body I chastye, sais saynt Paule, with
     penance sere & puttys hym in thraldame to serue my spirit.
|r20    Wysely man sulde note of čose metes čat be-for hym comes and
     tak of čaim so in mensure čat čai hym noght greue, bot čat he
     thurgh helpe of čaim serue God če better. For-či byddes saynt
     Ierome: Euer so čou ete čat čou euer hungure. éat after mete čou
     rede and pray and luf God če better, lat resone ordayne čat mete_



|p104


     while. Late hym teche če so čat či body be noght ouer-charged,
     and čat či spirit be mery and fre to serue his Lorde with a glade
     hert. For vertu is it grete, and gud thewe, čat man kepe mesure
     in his mete-while, and take čat nedes to sustenance of kynde, and
 |r5 knaw when he has inogh, and čen leue.
        Holy men and wymene čat before hus has bene in čaire liflode
     lufly hus teches čat we mesure kepe. Sture mete and scharpe čai
     noted more to abate hungre čan for any lust. Some lyued be gresse,
     and some če rotes, and some če sere spices čat če erth ¨eldes. And
|r10 so čai for-loked čaim in what-so čai ete, čat čai for-did all
     sauoure čat myght stire to luste. Als saynt Ierome did, of whome
     |r[f.22a] we rede čat he menged askes to his bred čat he ete, čat noo /lyk_yng 
     sulde he haue in če mete ne in če mete-whils. Othire sause
     čen hungure tof čai none to ete čaire met with. Saynt Gregor
|r15 čore he spekes to Gods seruants thus he sais: Bred made of branne
     and watter, als-so cole with or othire simple potage what-so it
     be, to če catyfe wombe is gude fode, with sause of Gods luf, if
     he it haue čer-with. With-outen čis sause has no sustenance sauoure
     čat man notes. Some ete no mete be-for če night; some ilke othire
|r20 day; and some thre dayes to-gedire walde fast with-outen more.
     Macharie wald fast all če lenten-tyd, bot če Sounndays, and čen
     ete he noght bot rawe leues. Some toke no kepe when čai ete, ne
     what čai ete--flesch ne fysch, all so nurisscht čaim-elike--so



|p105


     čat after čai ne wyst what čai ete. And some when čai wore sett
     to če mete and če mete be-for čaim broght, čai forgate for to ete
     for če day with če night vn-to če morne, so čai spendid čer tyme
     in holy spech of hym čat čaim boght, of noght elles, to če vndere_tyde 
 |r5 of če secunde daye, čat čer brethire come to čaim and spird
     čaim whi čai wald noght ete. And čen at če first thoght čai on
     če mete, and čai ete čen os čaim gud thoght in Gods holy drede.
        Whene čou art sett to či mete, make be-for če on če bord če
     croice with fyue crones of bred to stire če to thynke on hym čat
|r10 for če on če crosse dyed. And thynk: éere ligged his heued and
     crouned with thornes. éor his hende, čor his fet was festend
     with nailes; čire was his swet syde opynd with če spere, whethen
     come blode & watter to hele my wery wondes. Whene has so done,
     if čou may go forth part of či bred with či soule, and lay it be
|r15 it one, and thus to či hert čou spek to či Lord God: With če wald
     I chafere, Lord, for čis penance I to če haue made. How many
     syghynge, how many terres, how many lufe-¨ernyngs and langyngs
     to če, how many comforths of če Holy Gast, how many stiryngs to
     Gode thurgh či derworthi grace, how many louyngs to he, if či
|r20 lufly eghen, Lord, sall ... will čou gif to me for čis
     party of mete at če pore hungry, Lord, sall haue for če luf of
     če? When čou has etene čat če gud thynk, loue či Lorde čat če



|p106


     has fede, als are čou begyn to ete.
        After mete honest čou be, & kepe če fro mikell spech, and
     als fro all maner of idell gammens, and hald či witte inward
     vndire God drede. Semely it is to mane and to God čat če beryng
 |r5 of mane more honest be and tempere after če mete čen be-fore, čat
     [no] tokennyng of autrage če in hym sene, čat če flesch better
     may acorde to serue če spirit to rede, to pray, to othire gastily
     werkes čat helpe may to God.
        éi euensonge--when it is tyme, with deuocione čat God to če
|r10 sendes, in kyrk or in oratory or whore čou so best may--say out
     of noise or tariyng of če werlde; or, if čou lewede be, če
     prayers čat čou was wont to say in čat tyde. After, if čou for
     nedfulnes of kynde has myster to soupe, schortte be či souper_while.
     And so in mesure čou take both mete & drynke čat it be no
|r15 charge ne no greuance to či kynd, čat hit lett če noght to serue
     či Lorde, or in tyme of reste reue če či slepe, or with foule
     fondynge in či slepe če fend če file, als he dos oft čose čat
     autrage has tane & gose so to bed with a full wombe. Ilk mane
     ete, als saynt Ierome sais, after he is of strenth and of elde,
     |r[f.22v] and of his body  /is more or lesse, or seke or hole, čat hym nedes
|r21 to sustenaunce of his kynde, and noght als lust hym stirres.
        After če souper go he to če kirke or to oratory, or to očer
     stede čer he may be most in rest and of noyse, and čor say his



|p107


     complyne and his očer prayers with deuocione čat Gode to hym
     sendes. For in čis tyde, als saynt Ambros sais, foghels in čer
     led loues čer Lord God and thankes hym in čer kynde for čose
     goes he has to čaim done. Call čan on či Lord Gode, & say:
 |r5 Conuerte nos, deus salutaris noster. éat čou čat art oure
     Sauyoure, turne us vn-to če. Als he said: Lord, I haue bene čis
     day taryed with če werld čat mykell has lett me če for to serue,
     thurgh fondyng of če fende and of my flesch both. Oft sithes čis
     day I haue done omisse. For-či, Lord, turne now fro če werld and
|r10 fro all čat may he lett, čat holy I may loue če with all my pore
     hert and all my wyttes, čat čai be endendant to če werke after
     či will. Say čene či prayers standant, or on knees kneland, or
     els sittand, if čou febill če, and say čene with deuocione čat
     God če sendes. Semely tyme hit is on če night to pray, for it is
|r15 tyme of rest, for čene is noght čat lettes als is one če day. In
     day men is with trauell.
        And after, or čou ga to bed, hald a chapeter with či
     hert & ask it in what thing it is better čen it was. Has čou
     schryuen če ¨it of čat syn čat čou čen & bare did? Of ča wordes
|r20 čat čou čare spake? Of čat iuel will čou was čen in? Of čat
     wrange čou čare did & said to him? Of čat handelynge, of čat
     lakkynge, of čat foule thought, of čat thing čou left vndone čou
     suld haf done? And art čou in will to leue swilk vnthewis? What
     fandyngs withstode čou čis dai? In what art čou mekar čen čou



|p108


     was? In what mare chaste, mare sober, mare suffrand, mare atempre,
     mare lufand God in či brečer, or mare likyng has in God čen čou
     had? Lefe čat syn čat čou thorugh custome so oft fallis in? And
     očer mani vnthewis čou has done & paied če fende with, & greuid
 |r5 či gode God, & has forbarrid če of grace čat suld help če. And
     čen with a forthinkynge of čas synnes čat bitis čine inwit, knok
     on či breste, & sai a Pater Noster with Aue Maria on či knees. And
     sone on če morne čou schryue če of čas synnes. And if čou čus do,
     I hope če fend sal be afferd če for to fande, for čou art vnder
|r10 Goddis warde whil čou čus če beris.
        After čis rekenyng, whar-thorugh či saule is raisid in a celi
     hope to če Fader of merci & či flesh waxes heuy, ga to či rest;
     for if čou let či flesh of če nedefulnes, & trauail it oute of
     might, faynteli wil it help če, or let with-all. And or čou ga
|r15 to rest, biteche če & al či frendes in-til Goddes handes, čat for
     vs ware nailid to če tree, & biseke him for his merci he ¨eme če
     fra all perils of bodi & saule, & arme če with če takenyng of če
     crosse, for whare če fend sees čis merke, sone he flees.
        Of čis merk is writen in če life of saynt Edmund, čat as he
|r20 went an tyme al-ane, a child aperd to him čat was wonder faire, &
     said, "Hayle, mi frende, wham I luf in God." Saynt Edmund was
     awondred of čis gretyng, & če child said to him, "Knawes čou me
     |r[f.63v] noght?" And saynt Edmund said to če child, /"How suld I know če?
     I saw če neuer are." éen če child said, "When čou lerde in če scole,
|r25 I sate ai bi či side, & euer sithen I haf bien with če whare-so
     čou has duelled. For so mi Lord has festenid če with me čat I
     might neuer part fra če. Slike is mi Lordis will. Bot bihald in



|p109


     mi fronte, & rede what čou see čare." He lokid as he him bade,
     & with heuenli letters čis .iiii. wordes he sagh čare writen:
     Ihesus nazarenus, rex iudeorum. éen said če child, "éis is mi
     Lordis name čat čou sees čus writen. éis name I wil čou haf in
 |r5 mynde, & prente it in či saule, & croice či fronte with čis name
     or čou ga to slepe. And fra drecchings of če fend it sal če ¨eme
     čat night, & fra sodayn dede, & all čas čat bi night croicis čaim
     čerwith." And when he had čis wordes spoken, he vanist awai.
        Bere some hali thoughtis with če to bed, & sai či praiers
|r10 til slepe fal on če. Til hafe soft slepe & swete, souerayn helpe
     is mesure & sobernes of mete & drink, with mynde of Goddis law &
     hali write, as God thorugh če prophete sais: Custodi legem meam
     & consilium meum, & si dormieris, non timebis. Quiesces & suauis
     erit sompnus tuus. And euer as čou wakyns, lift či hert to God
|r15 with some hali thought, & rise & prai to či Lorde čat he grante
     relesse of paynes to če dead, & grace to če quyk, & lif with_outen 
     ende. If fandyng of licheri stere če in bed, think čat
     či gode Lord for če hyngis on rode; think on his .v. wondes čat
     stremid downe of blode; think čat his bed was če hard knotti
|r20 tree, & in stede of a cod, he had a croune of thornis. And sai
     čen with sighing sare til cole či lust: Mi dere-worthi Lord for
     he hinged on rode & I lig in čis soft bed & weltris me in syn, as
     a foule swyne čat loves bot filth. Rise čen tide, & halde with
     praiers & loue-sighings & teris.
|r25    Of .iii. poyntis be warre. ée first: čat čas deuocions čat
     čou has thorugh grace sterand be noght knowyn of očer, hide čaim
     in čat čou mai with will & dede for drede of vany-glorie. ée .ii.:



|p110


     čat čou think noght it is in či might slike deuocions & steryngs
     til haue ai when čou wil, bot aneli thorugh Goddis grace when he
     will čaim send. ée .iii.: čat čou late noght ouer-wele of če_self 
     for slike steryngs, ne think čerfore čou art dere with God,
 |r5 ne deme nane očer mare vnworthi, čat dose noght as čou dose. Bot
     when čou has all wele done, think sotheli bi če-selfe & grant it
     with worde: It is noght worth, Lord, čat I do, for I am bot an
     vnnaite thrall. If čou wil tyne na mede, deme nane očer, bot
     hald če-self mast vnworthi; for if čou fast or prai mare čen an_očer, 
|r10 per-case an-očer passis če in mekenes & suffrance & lufyng.
     éerfore think of čat če wantys & noght aneli of čat čou haues.
     Noght-for-či God wil čou think on čas graces & godes he has če
     done, to stere če til knowe če endettid til him for čaim & serue
     |r[f.64a] him & luf him če mare; or if čou in angir be, til glad če with.
|r15 Some-while it fallis čat he is better in Goddis dome, /čat man
     demes iuel, čen some čat man demes gode. Mani are honest with_oute 
     & vnclene with-in; some werldli & dissolute, & hali with-in
     as Goddis priue frendes. And some beris čaim in mannis sight as
     angels, & in Goddis sight čai stynk as synful wrechis. And some
|r20 semes synful til mannes dome & are ful dere til God almighti, for
     čaire indre berynge is heuenli im Goddis bright sight. éerfore
     deme we nane očer bot vs-selfe. And prai we for us-selfe & all
     očer til Ihesu Crist, Mari Son, čat for vs was nailid on rode,
     čat wha-so is bonden in dedli syn he louse čaim, & ča čat are in
|r25 gode life he grant čaim end čerin.
        Twa messagers are comen to če to tell če tithandis: čat ane
     hat Drede, čat comes fra hell to warne če of či harme; čat očer



|p111


     hat Hope, čat comes fra heuen til tell če of blis čou sal haue
     if čou wele do. Drede sais he sagh in hell so mani synful be
     pyned čat if all če wittes of men ware in an, ne might he čaim
     tell: of glotones, licheours, robbeours, theues; riche men with
 |r5 čaire seruant¨, čat če pouer harmed; domesmen čat wold noght deme
     bot it ware for mede; comtours čat če wrange bi čaire sotilte
     mayntiend; demesters čat leal men dampnid & delyuerid starke
     theues; werkmen čat falsli swynkis & takis ful hire; tilmen čat
     falsli tendis; prelates čat has cure of mannes saulis čat noičer
|r10 chastis ne techis čaim. Of all lede of men čat wrangli has
     wroght čare I sagh čat ilkan bitterli it boght. For čare I sagh
     defaute of al godenes & plente of pyne & sorugh as hate fire ai
     brennand, brinstane stynkand, gredi deuels as dragons wide-gapand,
     hunger & thrist for-eauer lastand, nedders & tadis on če synful
|r15 gnawand. Slike sorugh & ¨elling & gnaystyng of tethe I herd čare
     čat nere for-ferid I lost mi wit. Slike mirknes čar was čat I
     might it grape, & sa bitter was če smoke čat it made če waful
     wrechis til grete glowand teres, & bitterli I herd čaim banne če
     tyme čai ware borne in. Now čai ¨erne til deie & čai mai noght
|r20 deie; dead čat čai some-tyme hatid, had čai now leuer čen all če
     gode of čis werld. And čerfore I warne če, bot čou amend če of
     či synnes with scrift & penance, & haue a stedfast will to leue
     čaim for-euer, a sege I sagh in helle made for če of brinnand fire,
     whare deuels če sal pyne euer withouten ende.
|r25    éat očer messager čat hat Hope sais he is comen fra heuen
     til tell če of čat vntelland mikil ioie čat Goddis frendis weldis.
     To tell čer-of as it is mai nane erthli man speke, čof his tonge



|p112


     ware of stele. For čare is a gracious felawschipe of all Goddis
     frendis, ordirs of angels & of hali halughs, & almighti God
     abouen čat gladdis čaim all. Of all godenes I sagh plente:
     fairenes & riches čat ai lastis, honour and power čat neuer sal
 |r5 faile, wisdome & luf & ai-lastand ioie. éare I herd melodi &
     sange of angels bright. So worthi is čat ioie & so grete with-al
     čat wha-so might taste of it a cely drope he suld be so rauyst in
     liking of God, & slike ¨ernyng he suld haue čider to wyn, čat al
     |r[f.64v] če ioie of  /čis werld ware to him payne. With sa grete a lufe he
|r10 suld be ouertane in ¨ernynge to wyn to čat blisse čat be a hundreth
     sithes it suld mare stere him to luf vertu¨ & flee syn čen ani
     drede he might haue of če payne of hell. And I say če for sothe,
     if čou will leue syn & do Goddis biddyngs & luf him as če agh, a
     rich sege & a faire God to če has made, whare-in čou sal dwell
|r15 with him with-outen ende.

        ée thrid parti & če last of čis boke techis a man to bere
     him sa, whare-so he comes & what-so he dose, čat it be louyng to
     God & ensample of gode til all čat him sees. For če apostle redis
     čus: Omnia in vobis honeste & secundum ordinem fiant. éat is: Al
|r20 čat ¨e do, honestli & ordeynli loke čat ¨e it do.
        éen at če first ilk-a Goddis lufar loke čat he noght ¨erne
     to mangil him with če werld čat taris & desceyuis all čat with it
     delis & lettis čaim of mani godis čat čai might do. And ča men
     čat wil nouther reste bot ai raikis aboute, čaire ien sees mani



|p113


     thinges čat če iee sendis to če herte, & čein come čai noght
     lightli after čai are čare inprintid. Sayn Bernard pleynis him
     of če harmes čat he felid in če werld whils he was čer-in & sais:
     Mundus circumcinxit me & obsedit. éat is: če werld has bisegid
 |r5 me on ilk-a side, & thorugh če ¨atis of mi .v. wittes, he to me
     shotis & woundes me ful sare, & thorugh če woundes, dead pressis
     in to sla mi sari saule. Mine ien lokes, & mi thought chaungees
     & kyndels me in syn. Mine eris heris, & mi hert bowes čer-to.
     I smell with mi nese, & it likis mi thought. With mi mouth I
|r10 speke, & in mi speche I like, or očer bigilis. And with a litil
     ouer-soft felyng, licheri kyndels in mi flesh. And če fende, mi
     faa, čat I mai noght see, standis euer agayns me with his bowe
     bente.
        For-či if nede stere man to wende in-to če werld, čare so
|r15 mani steryngs are to syn, with grete drede he sal wende as in-to
     a batail to fight with his faas. It nedis he be wele armid agayn
     če arowis of his faas čat thrali to him shotis, & če mare he mai
     him drede, for he mai noght him see. With caltrappis & gildirs
     če wai is ful sette, for-či arme him with Goddis hali drede, čat
|r20 oute sal wende. God warnid his disciples to be warre in če werld
     when he čus said: Sotheli če werld sal withstand ¨ow with sere
     fandyngs. For-či if čou sal nedis wende oute for čine awne pro_fit 
     or očeris, colour noght či wendyng with na fals hewe, to feyne
     če an encheson to dali with če werld, for likyng or biete, or to
|r25 be knowen with lordis bifore očer. And čerfore čai make contenance



|p114


     with worde & feyne in čat čai mai, to be haldyn hali of all čat
     čaim sees, or puttis čaim to daliance of če werld, mare čen nedis,
     as to biyng or sellynge or iangling of werldli thinges. And all
     čaire vtter-čering swa acordis to če werld čat čai make sothe čat
     |r[f.65a] Dauid sais: Commixti sunt inter gentes & di- /dicerunt opera eorum.
 6 éat is: éai menge čaim če folk of če werld čat has na knowyng
     of God; & slike werkis as čai see čaim do, slike čai wirke. éer_fore 
     when čou nedis to ga forthe, croice če with če hali name of
     Ihesu, Mari Son čat deied on če rode, for čen art čou mare siker,
|r10 whider-so čou ga, as saynt Austyn said til his brethir when čai
     forth wente. And saynt Ion sais: Whider-so čou ga, & what-so čou
     dose, či forheued & či breste čou merk with če croice, for it is
     na merk če fend so mikil dredis.
        Loke čine vttir-klathing noičer če ouer-laith ne ouer_curious 
|r15 in schap nor in hu. Hald či lymes in čaire office, čat
     čai are made to, ne cast noght čine ien ouer-al as a barne.
     Flish noght či handes, ne lepe noght with či fete. When če hert
     of man is oute of warde, če lymes somdele failes in čaire office.
     And as čou ordayns čine vtter-beryng in outeyng, als loke čou be
|r20 with-in devote, & nameli in praying & louyng of či Lorde. If čou
     mai noght in outeyng rest whil čou makis či praiers, ga če softer.
     Mani thinges lettis če trauailand to prai: werynes of lymes, men
     čat he metis čat with him spekis; če .v. wittis čen fletis oute
     of warde & čen kelis če deuocion of če praiand: When čou has said
|r25 či praiers walkand, čat čou art halden to sai, lift up či hert to
     God & prai him in či thought in a celi mynde. Think on če godes
     God has če done & sal do if čou him truli serue. Think on his



|p115


     biddyngs, & do čaim in dede after či might, for so God biddis čare
     he čus sais: Erunt verba hec que precipio tibi in corde tuo, &
     enarrabis ea filiis, & meditaberis ea, sedens in domo tua, & ambu_lans 
     in itinere, dormiens & consurgens. Or in trauailing, tell
 |r5 faire talis to či felawes, or sum-what of hali write, čat mai
     soft ¨oure wai & glad ¨ow in God. And sai sum-tyme če .vii.
     psalmes for če quik & če dead, čat God gif grace to če quike &
     rest to če dead.
        When čou comes to če toune til ese či bodi, seke čider čare
|r10 čou mai mast honestli duell for čine state, & in mast pece, &
     čare čou mai mast profit til če-selfe & til očer. Flesh lust &
     vanite till če to na stede, bot spere whare ani is čat mast lufis
     God, & čider čou draw. Seke noght whare čou mai best be fed, for
     čare per-auenture are mani sterings to syn. Herbery če with na
|r15 woman, bot if čou knowe čaim for gode of lang tyme. When čou art
     comen to če house čou sal rest in, hald či wittis in čaire warde
     in Goddis hali drede, so čat čine vtter-bering be so rulid with
     grace čat čou mai stere to gode all čat če sees, & for-do thorugh
     Goddis grace merknes of syn, & so fulfill Goddis teching, čat čus
|r20 sais: Sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus ut videant opera
     uestra bona & glorificent patrem vestrum qui in celis est. And
     sayn Gregor: Neque valde laudabile est esse bonum cum bonis, sed
     bonum esse cum malis; sicut enim grauioris culpe est inter bonos
     bonum non esse, sic immensi preconii est bonum inter malos exti_tisse. 
|r25 Kepe wele čine ien when čou art comen to herbiri fra all
     thing čat mai kyndel syn. And make foreward with čine ien as Iob
     did čat said: Pepigi fedus cum oculis meis: ne cogitarem de



|p116


     |r[f.66a] virgine. After sight comes thought, & čer-after dede.  /And čer_fore 
     said če prophete Ieremie: Oculus meus depredatus est animam
     meam. When so hali prophete menid him of his ieesight, sare mai
     an-očer him pleyn čat oft synnes čer-with. Augustinus: Inpudicus
 |r5 oculus: inpudici cordis est nuncius. Gregor Non licet respici:
     quod non licet concupisci. Dauid: Auerte oculos meos ne videant
     vanitatem. Loke alswa čat čou here na thing čat mai stere to syn,
     as licherous wordes, bakbityng, fals domes, grete athis, threpyng,
     stryuing, & očer slike vnthewes. Alswa at či mete, ordeynli čou
|r10 če bere & hald če in mesure, and seke after na dayntees, bot of
     commune metis be paied. Avise če in spekynge: to whaim, what,
     when, how, of whaim, & whare. And so ordeynli čou če hafe čat
     čou be noght like til očer werldis men, bot fulfil če apostle
     worde: Nolite conformari huic seculo, quia vestra conuersacio in
|r15 celis est.
        éof oure bodi be in čis werld as a clote of erth, it nedis
     oure spirit čat is boght with če dere-worthi blode of God almighti
     be with mynde & will in heuen, noght soil him here with syn as
     swyne dose in če dike. And what-so čou dose, & whare-so čou
|r20 comes, do as če apostle teches: Omnibus prebe te exemplum bonorum
     operum. For thorugh gode ensample God is worschipd & loued, men
     are helpid & lerid & strynthid in čaire bileue. Haue ¨ow so čat
     men čat duellis with ¨ow mai sai bi ¨ow čat was said bi če
     apostles Paule and Barnabe: Dii, similes facti hominibus, descen_derunt 
|r25 ad nos. éat is: Goddis in liknes of men are comen downe
     til vs. Deo gracias.


|rAPPENDIX
                    EXCERPTS FROM PATER NOSTER
              Cambridge, Trinity College MS 1053 (0.1.29)


     |r[f.19v]  Bote čan čus, he čat will čat his praiere be herde ¨a and
     also gladely will praie & spede of čat at he in his praiers askes,
     do he čan če biddynge of če wisemane čat čus vnto hym openlye
     says: Ante cracionem prepara animam tuam deo & noli esse quasi
 |r5 homo temptans deum tuum. éat es to saye: Before čat čou salte
     praiere make, graythe či saule to-warde Gode, and be čou nou¨t as
     a mane čat tempte¨ God. For whi he tempte¨ his Gode čat makes his
     praiere rekelesly with-outene entente of gode hert & of gode will
     as touchande vnto heele of čaire saule¨.
|r10    And činke čan, mane, in či mynde saddely čat čou stande¨ be_fore 
     či myghtfulle Lorde of heuene, Ihesu, Marie Sone, & čat čou
     syneful wricche & nedefule, spekes vnto hym rudely, oft sithes
     oure of resonne & mesure, of his grete grac¨ to haue it with_outene 
     dreede & louynge of či-seluene, wham če holy prophete &
|r15 patriache Abraham, Godes prevy freende, nou¨t durste speke to
     wham ofte he spake. Bote ¨it bote as vnto his preuy frende ofte
     he spake, bote ¨it ofte in full grete dreede vnto oure Lorde,
     suete Ihesu, where čat he sayde on čis manere he spake with opene
     mouh & sayde: Loquar ad dominum meum, cum puluis sim & cinis.
|r20 éat es to saye čus: I salle speke vnto my Lorde, ¨a I čat am
     bote poudere & vile aske.
        Bote forčermore, my deere Freende in God, how čou sal
     graythe če vnto či praiere gode Gode of his grete godenes če



|p117_omitted



|p118


     teches in če gosspell of saynte Matheu, where čat he čus says:
     Tu autem cum oraueris intra in cubiculum tuum & clause ostio,
     ora ibi patrem tuum &cer. éat es to saye čus: Whan čat čou wilte
     make či praiere, steppe in-to či bedde & sparre či doore faste on
 |r5 ilke sydde če towne, & čane čou či praiere sanely vn-to či Fadere
     of heuene. Steppe in-to či bedde, he says, as čat if he čus
     sayde: If čat čou will čat gode God here či praiere & graunte
     vnto če či boone, calle čan at če firste či herte home. éat es
     to meene čus: All če gode looue & noon eueil čat as in či herte
|r10 & likynge & ¨ornynge holde čaime at home with če, & when čat čou
     has all, gadyre čaime to-gedyre in vnite, steke čan faste či doore
     |r[f.20a] for dreede of schrewyde gestys.  / éat es to saye: Stoppe čou čan
     wisely all če thrilles of či wyttes so čat či herte glyde nou¨t
     oute onwarly from če & make če so gyltie & culpable vnto-fore
|r15 oure Lorde Ihesu, when čat čou his grete grace¨ sulde wynne. ée
     wilke čou may nou¨t wynne bote be bittere payne & stronge.

                         *   *   *   *   *

     For whi čorough či-selfe čou may soone doune falle, bote nou¨t
     agayne aryse čou maye, als Gode thorough če holy prophete says:
     O misere homo, ex te tantum est perdicio tua, sed ex me salus tua.
|r20 éou wricchede mane, čat es to saye, vndirstande čat all či losse
     & alle či harme¨ arise¨ of či-seluene čorough čin awne folye, bote
     alle či helle & alle či socoure ryse¨ of me, či Gouernour, ¨a &
     in no degree of či-seluene.

                         *   *   *   *   *

     |r[f.21a] And čerfore mane, what-so čou be, or wommane, lote čou nou¨t
|r25 lyghtely be či praiere when čat čou ought praies, for whi čou



|p119


     salte weel vndirstande čat gode Gode čat čou vnto praies lotes
     nou¨t so lightely čere-by as čou, fonde fole, dose, for whi als
     so soone as čat it es oute-spokene of the mouh, čan on one he
     comaunde¨ vnto his aungels of heuene čat čai take it vnto čaime &
 |r5 make it to be written in če booke of lyfe. ża & trow faythfully
     čat čou salte spede of čat ilke bone čat čou askes of či God in
     |r[f.21v] či praiere /and desire¨ in če waye of ryghtwysnes, or elles ¨it
     more largelye of čat ilke činge čat he kennes is bettere vnto če
     at haue for či behoue, bot if čat it so betyde čat grete lettynge
|r10 of či sidde it make & hyndire če so-gates anense če spede & če
     mede of či saule.
        And čerfore čou salte wysely vndirstande all my sayinge in
     čis matere čat feloughes, wylke matere declare¨ utterly vnto ilke
     creature hauynge resonable discrecione čat fyfue činges lette če
|r15 praiere of mannes mouh to be herde of oure Lorde Gode. ée firste
     činge čat es makynge of lettynge of praiere to be herde of gode
     Gode is če eueile & če cursede liffe of hym čat es in synne
     lyuande with-outene any amendynge. And če secunde činge čat
     lette¨ praiere to be herde es čat mene nou¨t aske in čaire praiers
|r20 čat činge čat were behouefull & spedefulle to haue vnto čaire
     gouernale. And če thride činge čat lettez praiere to be herde is
     foule čoughtes & manye and idell, čat mene činke all daye when čat
     čai sulde make čaire praiers. And če fourte činge čat lette¨
     praiere to be herde of God is čis: hardnes of an vnclene & doute_ful 
|r25 herte, with-in forth-holdene čorough gretes comberaunce¨ of
     če foule feende, wilke lede¨ all his feloughars in-to če snaare
     of euer-more-lastande dampnacione. And če fyfte činge čat lette¨



|p120


     praiere to be herd of Gode is this: litell ¨ernynge of činge čat
     mene or wymmene aftere praie, when čat čai make čaire praiers
     vnto-warde Gode of heuene.
        Bote now, dere frende in Criste, čou salte clerly vndirstande
 |r5 čat če firste činge čat lette¨ praiere to be herd of Gode, oure
     allere-Saueour, is če eueil & wykkede life of hym čat es prayande.
     For-či spekes Gode čus čorough če holy prophete vnto suylke mene
     čat praies with synne & says on čis manere vnto čaime: Cum
     multiplicaueritis oraciones vestras, ego non exaudiam. éat es to
|r10 saye čus: When ¨e sall make ¨oure praier¨ manyfolde vnto me, I
     sal nou¨t heere ¨ou. And whi & wharefore čou may weel vndirstande
     soone after, & če enchesone he says playnely & what: Quia manus
     vestre plene sunt sanguine, hoc est peccato. And čat es čus
f,22 opunly to saye: For ¨oure handes are full of blode. Als if he  /
|r15 čus hadde sayde: For-thi I here ¨ou nought, for whi ¨oure hande¨
     are full of synnefule werkes & vnskilfule agayns če plesaunc¨ of
     Gode. And what če blode betokennes čat es ful weel vndirstande be
     Dauid worde in če sautere booke where čat he says čus: Iniquitatem
     si aspexi in corde meo, non exaudiet deus. éat es to saye čus: If
|r20 čat I see any of my wickydnes in my herte, Gode will nou¨t here me
     in my praiere. For-thi he čat will be herde of Gode in his praiere,
     enforse he hym čan in all poyntes so čat he lyfe after če comaund_mente¨
     of God & also ryghtwysely after če will of Gode. And
     surely elles he maye full longe tyme crie & calle or God hym heere
|r25 for all his loude ¨ellynge. And čat es no wondire ne merueile,
     ffor saynte Gregore, če wysse & noble doctor, says on čis manere:
     What wondire es it if čat wee praiande to Gode, oure Saueour, be



|p121


     lately herde of oure feble askynge, seen whee here late or neuere
     his byddynges will do & fulfill. For-thi says če wysse and noble
     clerke Ysedre on čis manere: He maye nou¨t čorough gode skille
     haue certayne hope of his praire for to spede čat will & likynge
 |r5 has to synne. For-či he says čus: He čat withstand¨ če hie
     biddynges of almyghty Gode right it es agayne-warde čat God with_stande 
     hym in činges čat he desires to wynne & haue of Gode. . . .
        ée očere lettynge of prayinge is čat wee aske nought in oure
     pore praiere čat činge čat were behouely for to aske & also nede_full 
|r10 vnto us synneful wricches & comburde catyfes in all oure con_sekire 
     lyfynge.

                           *   *   *   *   *

     |r[f.22v] For-či če wysemane on čis manere askes: Wharto, he says, askes &
     ¨ernes če fole čo činge¨ čat are euermore moste agayne hym &
     harme¨ hym & moste amonge all očer činges hyndire hym? Ryght ofte
|r15 sithes wee praie vnto God as ¨onge childere done lernande in če
     scoles čaire lessone. For whi some tyme čai praye vnto God
     hertily as čaime činke¨ so čat čai sulde nou¨t be scourgede ne
     betyne with če wande, & surely čat praiere es vntrew & čerfore
     God heres čame nou¨t in čat prayere ne ¨it wirkes not čaire
|r20 will nor dose nou¨t čere-aftere, nor for čat ilke praire so
     febully schewide as for a speciale bonne to spedde & grauntede
     vnto čaire will & likynge. For whi if it so were čat čai were
     note bettene, it were a full grete lettynge, an hogges hende_rynge 
     vnto čaime of čaire loore. Ryght so & on če same manere of
|r25 whyese, whee ofttyme beseeke God of many diuerse¨ činge¨ wilke
     are fully agayns vs & forthi as in čat God wil nought here vs,



|p122


     |r[f.23a] bote ¨it he of his grete godenes fulfilles oure /prayere in some_what 
     elle¨, če whylke he sees is vnto vs more spedefulle & nede_fulle.
     What činge may helpe & what činge also may harme bettere
     for soth wotes če leeche, ¨a čan wotes če sekmane.

                        *   *   *   *   *

     |r[f.23v] éat es also to saye: Grace¨ in čis lyfe now beande, & ioye after_warde 
 6 in če hie kengdome when wee sal hečene sodenly passe & weende
     --čies two činges sall mene praie after besily before alle očer
     činges in erthe & ellez is all nou¨t čat wee do.
        And čan at če firste sal gode God gyue vs vnto auauntage of
|r10 erthely godes čat vs nede¨ vs ought to haue. For whi čis ilke he
     behette vs gode God in his gosspell of saynt Matheue where čat he
     čus says: Querite ergo primum regnum dei & iusticiam eius & omnia
     adicientur vobis. éat es to meene čus: Sekes at če firste on če
     mornetyde čorough ¨oure praiere če blis of heuene & če ryghtwysnes
|r15 of Gode, & of erthely godes čat nede is of ¨ou ought to haue I
     sall gyfe vnto oure sustenaunce¨. For whi erthely godes are
     ordende for čaime vnto sustenaunce čat are ryght-wyse in čaire
     lyfynge & regnynge; ffor whi ryght-wysnes make¨ of erthely mene
     Goddes childere & namely whi, for he is callede Fadere of fre
|r20 mersy, čat all maner of creatures sustenes & vp-beres čorough his
     |r[f.24a] grete grace & godenes, /ne will he nought his awne dere childere
     forgete.
        Forthi if čat it so be-tyde čat a mane aske of Gode erthely
     godes vnto his sustenaunce¨, hym owe čan to aske čeme with grete
     dreede and ferdenes of herte, besekkande makely vnto čo hie
     Fadere of heuen ¨a & čat if he see čat čai be nedefule hym for to



|p123


     haue, čat he čan graunte čeme čer boone of his endeles godenes, &
     if čat čai be note nedefule for to haue for bodily sustenaunce,
     čat he čan holde čeme farre fro vs synefule wricches & comburd
     catiefs in wricchidnes & in synne. For whi čat at wee haue nede
 |r5 of to oure sustenaunc¨ better wotes he čan wote wee, & so-gates
     bettere it es čat God here vs vnto oure profete ¨a čan it es čat
     he here vs-vnto oure febull will, & čer-fore be ware.
        ée thride činge čat lette¨ oure praiere to be herde of Gode
     čo are ydell & vayne čoughtes & foule & wykkede čoughtes čat wee
|r10 synefule wricches folily delyte vs in a¨ene če will of Gode,
     when wee vnto Gode make oure praiere & so čai for-do all če mede
     čat wee čorough praiere sulde wynne for saul saluacione. ża and
     čat after čat če čoughtes be many or fewe, for whi čai čat with
     suylke čoughtes makee čaire praiere ydully vnto Gode, sothely čai
|r15 haue hony in čeire mouhes, bote ¨it mane for alle čat feele no
     suetnes in čeire hertes. For whi čai chattere faste & čikkely
     with čaire lippes as done pyes & praie nou¨t deuoutely & loughly
     as Goddes chyldere sulde do. And čerfore of suylke čat so-gate¨
     make¨ čeire praiers spekes oure Lorde Ihesu where čat he says čus:
|r20 Populus iste hic me labiis honorat sed cor eorum longe est a me.
     éat es to saye čus to gode vndirstandynge: éis pepulle honoure
     me here with čaire lippes, bote weleawaye, čaire hertes are ful
     farre fro me. A, sothely now is čis a grete wricchidenes of vs
     vnwerthie wricches & syneful and nedeful catyefs, when čat wee
|r25 vnto če myghtful Lorde & Kenge of heuene in oure praiers spekes
     vndevoutelye, & also whan čat wee as vnwytty foles turne oure_hastely 
     oure eres awaye from hym to here warldely vanites, to



|p124


     činke čaime or elles ¨it to se čame. Sothely ful grete despite
     wee do čan vnto God, oure Makere, when wee praye hym čus čat he
     |r[f.24v] will here oure prayere and wee mased fole¨  /will nought here oure_selfe 
     what čat wee praye vnto hym in oure prayers. Wee praye hym
 |r5 čus čat he be entendaunt vnto vs & wee čat praye nouthere wee are
     entendaunt vnto hym ne ¨it vnto oure-seluene in oure praiere_makynge.
     Bot ¨it čis abouene all očer činges wee do čat mekile
     wers is with many vnclene & vayne čoughtes in tyme of prayere
     wee late oure hertes be defoulede with many foule synnes, so čat
|r10 nou¨t or elles litell wee praye or do to če louynge & plesynge of
     oure Lorde, suete Ihesu.
        And forthi, if čat wee will čis ilke lettynge for-do, čat
     oure mede so mekile from vs a-waye refes, wee most do as čat če
     holy mane Abraham dide in če boke of Genesis where he čus telle¨.
|r15 It telles čus in historie: Whan čat Abraham to oure Lorde Ihesu
     his sacrifice¨ made, če foules of če ayere čat čer-vp-on lyghtede
     & strode & wilde it haue fylede with čaire fylthe. Bote what dide
     čan Abraham, čis ilke wyese prophete? When he saugh čat čai wilde
     so haue done, on one ryght he with his myght chassede čeme a-waye
|r20 & wilde nought suffire čaime čere no lengare to duell ne reste.
     And when wee oure praiere sal make or sacrifice¨ vnto Gode, do wee
     čan on če same manere, ffor whi prayere is sacrifice vnto Gode &
     also it es čat činge čat vnto Gode is more dere & also moste
     leueste for to here. For-thi čorough če prophete of vs he it
|r25 askes where čat he čer says: Sacrificio laudis honorificabis me
     &cer. éat es to say čus: éou salte worchippe me with sacrifice¨
     of louynge & čat es full suete sacrifice¨ vnto gode God, all



|p125


     činge in his myghte worthily weldande & godely it up-holdane.
     And so če holy mane čere-of bere¨ wittenes where čat he says čus
     what praiere is in sothfastnes: Oracio est angelis solacium,
     diabolo tormentum, Deo nostro sacrificium. éat es to say:
 |r5 Praiere is vnto alle če aungell¨ čat bene in heuene solace¨, and
     termente & harde payne vnto čo foule feende of hell, & vnto oure
     Lorde Ihesu sacrific¨ acceptable čorough his gretes godenes &
     grace¨.
        ée fourte lettynge čat lette¨ praiere to be herde of Gode is
|r10 če hardenes of če herte, and čat es at vndirstande on two maners.
     Firste maner is hardenes of herte agayns če čus, ffor whi čat
     wittenes bere¨ če holymane be wysdame, where čat he sayes čus vnto
     comone vndirstandynge: Qui obturat aurem suam a paupere clamabit
     ipse ad dominum et non exaudietur ab eo. éat es to saye čus: He
     |r[f.25a] čat stoppes his erys /so čat he čan here noon noyese nor crie of
|r16 če poremane standande at his doore, & per-auenture quakande for
     colde, or elles walkande be čo waye čat cryes vnto hym after helpe
     & socoure, & čer-fore he, čat wykkede tyranne, sal crye vnto God
     & he sal nou¨t here hym for all his lowde cryinge & ¨ellynge.
|r20    And a nothere hardenes of herte čer is & čat es anense čaime
     čat haue mysdone vnto any mane & will nou¨t forgyfe čaime čat ilke
     trespas čat vnto čaime is done. To wham Gode spekes openly on
     čis wyese: Dimitte proximo tuo nocenti tibi & tunc deprecanti
     tibi peccata a deo soluentur. éat es to saye čus playnely: For_gyfe 
|r25 čou čeme alle gladely with free herte & trewe, with-outene
     fenynge, čat haue harmede če in worde or ¨it in dede, & čan whan
     čat čou prayes Gode of forgifnes of či foule synnes, he will čan



|p126


     frely forgife vnto če činge čat čou has anese hym mysdone,
     folily & vnkyndely. And čerfore ¨it čus says God almyghty in
     če gosspell of saynte Marce: Dum stabitis ad orandum dimittite
     ei quid habetis aduersus aliquem ut pater vester qui in celis
 |r5 est nobis dimittat peccata vestra. Quod si vos ex puro corde non
     dimiseritis nec pater vester qui in celis est dimittet vobis
     peccata vestra. éat es to saye čus: When čat ¨he sall stande for
     to praye, ffor-gyfe ¨he čaime hertily čat haue harmede ¨hou in
     worde or in deede, priuely or opertely, so čat čou če Fadere čat
|r10 es in heuene ricche blis forgyue vnto ¨hou all ¨houre foule synnes.
     And if it so be čat ¨he forgyfe nou¨t čaime čat haue any činge
     mysdone a¨ense ¨hou, sothely ¨oure Fader of heuen ne will he
     nought forgife ¨ou at ¨oure askynge ¨oure foule stynkande synnes.
     Lo, mane, now here a strayte dome of God agayne all čo ordend čat
|r15 holde ire or enuye in čaire schrewed & wikkede hertes as agayns
     čaire brothere or ¨it sistere in Gode, for as in čat whiel sothely
     čai loose & tynne all čeire tyme, what-so-euere čai do or saye,
     & čat es reuthe.
        ée fyfte činge čat mas lettynge čat praiere maye note be
|r20 herde of God es čis čat a mane čat prayes desyres nou¨t in his
     |r[f.25v] prayere hertilye čat ilke činge čat he in praiere  /of gode Gode
     askes, as čat many fonde foles doo čat praye with a heuy herte
     & an dull herte, so as čat čai ne routh of prayere whečire so čat
     čai spede or fayle, as mased foles & vnwiese. And forthi says če
|r25 holy mane saynte Austyne, če nobule doctoure, čus: God will
     nou¨t also soone gyue vs čat wee make & aske in oure prayere,
     bote what dose če čan? He holdes it čan still vn-to oure behooue,



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     ¨a & čat euer till čat he see his tyme čat wee hafe in oure hertes
     fulle desire vnto it, desirande of Gode mekely and godely to haue
     it. And whi & whare-fore resone openly it declare¨: čat wee suld
     leere besily gostely činges & ¨erne čeme gretely of God, if his
 |r5 wil be čat čai be graunted vnto vs at oure askynge.

                            *   *   *   *   *

     |r[f.27v] żit lyste hym neuer in all čat payne ones forthynke for oure
     behoove if all čat he vngilty & sakles were, as he čat neuere  /
     |r[f.28a] wrought synne, nor ¨it čer-to synnede, and as vnsynnefulle čat
     neuer deseruyde payne for to thole, stronge payne with grete
|r10 wronge. ża and now wee synnefule & vnworthy wricches in all oure
     wickede lyffynge, with-outene penaunce¨ doynge or payne tholynge,
     čat ilke endelis ioie & blis čat he so dere bought with harde
     tormentes & stronge, wheen lyghtely it to wynne & haue.   . . .
        And čis es če penaunce¨ čat God layde on vs fore oure
|r15 foule synne¨ to bete čere he sayde vnto Adam, oure formere fadere,
     after če tyme čat he hadde synnede čorough foondynge & če encomber_aunce 
     of če foul feende. Whi and whaare-fore vnto hym čus he čan
     sayde: In sudore vero vultus tui vesceris pane tuo, donec reuer_taris 
     in terram de qua assumptus es, quia de puluere surrexisti
|r20 & in puluerem reuerteris, &c. ... éies wordes before spokene
     in Latyne are čus mekile for to saye vnto comone vndirstandynge:
     In suete of či face¨ salte čou gete či breede to če tyme čat čou

     salte turne agayne in-to čo erthe, whens čat čai come fro, ffor
     whi čou rosse of powdere at či begynnynge & in-to powdere salte
|r25 čou turne at či laste endynge. And čer-fore, mane, when čat čou
     arte stirrede in či conscience vnto any matere of vnclennes, haue



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     či¨ wordes in či mynde & čorough grace čou salte myghtely all
     dongers eschape.

                         *   *   *   *   +

     |r[f.29a] And firste a¨ens ydulnes, čat wee traueile nought here oure frele
     flecche bote with a dull herte & heuy, bote nou¨t quyckely & stal_worthly 
 |r5 as čat wee suld do & čis weel vndirstonde in čies
     wordes before spokene &c.: In sudore. And in čies wordes gode
     Gode biddes a mane vnto sadde werkes of penaunce¨. When mene
     wirke some tyme so čat čai faste suete for čaire besy trauellynge
     for to kenne be čat so čat ilke suynke hertily & stalworthly es
|r10 wrought, ¨a & čat in-to edificacioun of či saule heele. For whi
     suete comonly feloughes ilke bodily traueile hertily wrought, &
     čis ilke suete come¨ nou¨t bote of a hete.

                         *   *   *   *   *

     |r[f.30a] ée bodie of mane es gyfene vnto čo saule ryght as cloth_ynge 
     is here mane for to weere. And čis es čat Iob sayde vnto
|r15 oure Lorde on čis manere in spekynge: Pelle & carne vestisti me;
     ossibus & neruis compegisti me. éat es to saye čus on čis
     manere: Lorde Ihesu, čou has me cladde with skynne & flecche, &
     with bones & synoughes čou has me faste festende sammene. And so
     salte čou, mane, warly vndirstande, čat Gode has gyfene the flecche
|r20 vnto či saule as čat a wyntere robe or garmente to hyle če with
     from greuouse stormes & hedous tempestes.

                         *   *   *   *   *

     |r[f.32a] For whi gode God almyghty lokes nou¨t all onely vnto če gyfte of
     če gyffare, bot verrily & certanly he lokes on ilke sydde with
     what will & herte čat gyfte is gyffene vnto hym. Mekile činge in



|p129


     čis warlde seme¨ gode če wilke is nou¨t gode ne ¨it godely in
     no degree, for whi it es nou¨t done with gode will & cleene as čat
     it sulde be: as čus čos werkes čat are done for vayne glorie of
     če pepull lyuande in če warlde, or alle¨ čus for to haue worde
 |r5 čer-of, or ¨it for to haue loose of othere for godenes.
        ée holy mane saynnte Gregore telle¨ čus be an holy beschoope
     čat was callede be mene in comone callynge Fortunate, čat chassede
     a foule goste oute of a mane čorough če grete grace čat he hadde
     of Gode. ée wylke goste on one ryght agayns če euyne-tidde didde
|r10 hym in-to če likenes of a pylgryme & wente so faste criande čorough_oute 
     če cite čat čaire bisschope čat čai helde so holy a mane hadde
     putte hym wronge-wysely oute of his house. And as he wente čus
     criande & spekande eueile of čat gode mane, čan on one a mane of
     čat cite čat herde hym čus speke called hym home vnto his house
|r15 & sette hym faste by hym be če fiere & gafe hym both mete &
     drynke suylke as čat he hadde with-in hym. And when čat čai hadde
     longe tyme of diuerse maters be-twix čaime two hadde tolde &
     |r[f.32v] spokene, čan on one čis ilke /cursede spirite stirte ratthelye
     ouer če brynnande fiere & rane vnto če credull in če wilke če gode
|r20 mannes childe was lappede, & helde it strayttely in čo throte &
     strangelde so če childe čer it laye. And so on one a-waye fro
     hym čat hym harbaroughede sodenly he uanychyede.
        And now forthi aske I čis ilke questione: Whi & čorough
     what cause čis foule & cursede spirite hade čus-gate¨ myght &
|r25 pouste to quyte his hoste čat hym godely harbaroughede so sodenly
     his gode will. And če holy mane saynte Gregorie sais čie čer_till,
     čat čis ilke mane hadde a fals likynge in čat čat he herde



|p130


     lyghtely če wicked spirite of his awne folye, če wilke spirite he
     wende hade bene an honeste & curtese pylgryme vnto če tyme čat he
     spake eueile of čat ilke holy mane, & in so mekille werse čat he
     callede hyme home vnto his house čat he were holdene of charite
 |r5 more čan če bisschepe was.
        A, now čan čus, who-so of Gode will haue mede for his gode
     dede be he full well ware čat he do it louely & loughly & with a
     gode will & čan sall non wyckede spirite be-refene vs oure whiell.
     For nou¨t after če werkes bote after če looue almyghty God schapes
|r10 oure mede & merkes it at his awne will for grace. Charite is čat
     on weghte če wilke on če dredefull daye of če dome sall lye in če
     weght čat sall wegh oure bitter & dredful dome and also mede for
     oure seruage čat wee čer sull haue.
        In sudore vultus tui &c. In čo tothere poynte of čis
|r15 reule es čat Gode has sende vnto mane for to lyfe be čis reule
     & čat es to meene čat a mane noryche nou¨t his freele flecche in
     any tyme ouer deliciouslye in outrage takynge of mete and drynke.
     But čus-gate¨ čat he take it in all tyme in mesure & čat is weel
     vndirstande in čis worde čat feloughes.

                          *   *   *   *   *

     |r[f.35v] Pater noster, and čat es to saye čus mekille vnto comone vndir_standynge 
|r21 on čis matere to declare: Oure Fadere, & nougt čus_gate¨ 
     be noo manere of whiese, my Fadere. For whi-here-čorough
     he vs teches frelye čat wee sull gadere & enclose all folke in
     oure praiers čat we make be nyght or be day, for whi all are wee
|r25 brethyre & systers in God.



|p131


     |r[f.49v] For whi gode God, oure Fader almyghtyeste, he may weel do all
     činges with-outene any maner of letynge, and also more-ouer čat he
     kenne¨ a thousande parte bettere what činges čat wee haue neede
     of, outhere vnto saule or vnto bodye, ¨a with-outene doute čan wee
 |r5 doo oure-seluene. And also more he vs loues čan čat wee doo oor
     awne seluene, and besy he is vp-on vs to loke ilke tyde & tyme,
     čat es to saye ilke houre of če daye or of če nyght on vs synne_full
     wricches to thynke, ¨a sothely ryght as čat he hadde nou¨t
     elles to do saue onely to be entendaunte vnto vs, for to purueye
|r10 & for to graythe all činge vnto vs of če wilke činge vs neded
     ought to haue vnto oure saule or elle¨ vnto čo stynkande bodye,
     bot all onely in čat ilke tyme when wee hym lette čorough oure
     manyfolde synnes.