¶ A devout treatise called the tree & xii. fruits of the holy ghost.   

  

¶ The tree of the holy ghost. Folio. ij.  
❧ Grace in this world, & joy withouten end. ❧ ❧ ❧ ❧  
religious sister, for as much as the art now planted in the garden of holy religion, if thou wilt at the last be a tree of the heavenly paradise, thou must virtuously grow here, and bring forth good ghostly fruit. For as our lord sayeth. Omnes arbor bona, fructus bonos facit. Every good tree (he saith) bringeth forth good fruit. ☞ if a tree material should bring forth good fruit, it must be first deeply rooted, afterwards well watered, than spread his branches abroad, and at last to wax high. In the same wise, if y● wilt be a good tree, and bring forth virtuous fruit. first thou must be verily, and deeply rooted in meekness, which is the keeper, and very true ground & fundament of all virtues. For as saint Gregory saith. ☞ He the gathereth virtues without meekness, is likened to such one that beareth blasyngly precious powder in the wind. It is evidently known, the deeper a tree is rooted, the higher it waxeth. In the same wise the more meek thou art for christ love, the higher thou shalt increase in grace in this life, & at the last to be enhanced in joy as our blessed lord sayeth. Quise humiliate exaltabitur. He that is bewray meek here, shall at last be enhanced in joy. ☞ If thou wilt learn very meekness, for to be a religious plant, behold the meekness of our blessed lord jesus, how he lowed himself for us in his incarnation, in his nativity, and in all his conversation both in lowly washing of his disciples feet. And also in his bitter passion he lowed himself, so that he was for us obedient unto the death. For the which lowly obedience almighty god the father enhanced him, and gave him a name above all names And that is for us that we in religion should meekly obey unto our death. Behold also very meekness in his blessed mother our lady saint Mary the holy virgin, which next unto him in earth was most meekest, for she was chosen of him specially therefore, as it is written, Quia respexit humilitatem ancille sue. 〈◊〉 Behold also very meekness in all the holy apostles, evangelists, martyrs, confessors, and vergyns/ and many other chosen souls, which worthily thereby pleased our lord. And think that they were meek both in heart, speech, and in deed, to give us that been in religion example to be meek, both in heart, speech, and deed. In heart hold thyself most vile, most abject, and most sinner/ and most wretch of all. And than think that if our blessed lord had given to the most sinner in earth that grace that which he hath given to thee, that the same sinner would be more meeker than thou art, & more love him than thou dost. Thus to think quencheth pride of all religious folk. In this wise thou mayst think every body in earth better than thyself. And if thou mayst not overcome pride of heart in this wise/ think than that in this vice of pride thou passest all other, bringing to thy mind the words of saint james the holy apostle, where he saith of our lord thus. Qeus superbis resistit, humilibus dat gratiam. That is. Our lord withstandeth proud hearts, and giveth great graces to all meek hearts. Sister such knowledge of thine own pride shall be cause of winning of very meekness. ☞ But now for as much that it is right hard to escape the first stirrings of pride, namely of thoughts which do creep right privily into the heart. Therefore as soon as thou perceyvest such proud thoughts, anon throw them upon the meek stone Chryst jesus. that is. Rene to the meekness of Christ jesus, & there all to breast thy proud thoughts, & also show them in confession to thy confessor. For our lord by the prophet david, blysseth all such/ where he saith thus. Beatus qui tenebit et allidet ꝑwios suos ad petrain. ☞ blessed be he (saith our lord) that shall keep well in mind his proud thoughts, and all to break them at the stone, that is Chryst, considering his meekness. Suffer never good sister, pride to rest within the/ working after the council of Thoby, which taught his son very meekness in heart, saying thus. Fili superbiam nunque in tuo sensu, aut in tuo verbo dnari permittas, ab ea enim sumpsit initium ois ꝑditio. ☞ son (he saith) suffer never pride have domination in thy wits, & in thy feeling, ne in thy word. For thereof every mischief hath his beginning. Believe it well sister the beginning of all sin is pride. Beware thereof I pray thee, specially now thou art in religion. Make no parties/ maintain no quarrels. I said also, thou must have meekness in mouth. In mouth thou must be meek, as in answering meekly, and reverently, to thy sovereigns and elders. I said also, thou must be meek in all thy works: fulfilling all manner low service, in religion & works. And than have mind of our lords lowliness/ how he being sovereign god, and lord of all, disdained not to wash his disciples fere. Show therefore meek service to thy sisters, & devoutly obey them, having in mind the words of our saviour, where he saith thus. Non veni ministrarised ministrate. That is, I come not (saith he) for to be served, as a master, but for to minister, as a servant. ☞ And for as much as meekness gooth never alone in religion, without the fellow of obedience, therefore obey meekly to all, & namely to thy sovereigns and elders. Thus do all thy business and diligence, I pray the for the love of our lord & his holy mother, to put away all thine own wills: which sometime thou used in the world/ and obey gladly to thy sovereigns, both in indifferent things, and generally in all things which is not against god and thy holy rule. ☞ Behold afore thine eye a good ensample of our lord, thy spouse jesus, that was subject and obedient to his own handy work, both to joseph & Mary. For he saith himself. Non vem facere voluntatem meam. That is, I come not (saith he) in to this earth for to do mine own will. Than should every religious person be sore abashed, and ashamed of himself, if he do any part of his own will, sith the maker came not for to do his will, but that will of his father, obeying to creatures in earth in the name of his father. Trust right well sister, that if thou obey lowly to thy sovereigns, thou obeyest to god. At the beginning of thy obedience thou yeldest thine hands in to thy sovereigns hands, in token that she might lead the virtuously whither she will. Saint Bernard saith a very obedient yieldeth to his sovereigns hands both his will and his nill, in his obedience making, so that such one excludeth himself of ever either for evermore, and will do utterly as his sovereign will. It is not right great merit for to obey always in such things as pleaseth, but rather in such things that displeaseth/ therein lieth great merit, that is when any hard thing or grievous thing is commanded for to be done, which an obediencer doth gladly with great repugnance of the self will. There is no sacry fyce that man doth, be it in watching/ fasting/ and other ghostly and bodily exercises so acceptable to our lord, as is such obedience. Nor there is nothing that so displeaseth our lord, and deserveth torment, as doth self will and unobedience, for it dishonoureth our lord, and withdraweth from him that is his, that is self will. as saint Austyn saith. ❧ None ought to have self will but god. To him it longeth properly. ☞ As for the second thing which longeth to a religious tree that is planted in religion is watering. Sister thou must be moisted and watered, if the rote of meekness should virtuously increase, that is with the holy water of compunction reducing & bringing to thy mind meekly sins that thou hast done, good deeds that thou hast left undone, time that thou hast lost, and pain that thou hast deserved. Thus after the council of saint Gregory consider four thnnges. which four if they be wholly considered may gendre in the very compunction, and gracious moisture, for the watering of the very rote of meekness. ❧ first is, think where thou hast been/ where thou art now/ where thou shalt be/ and where thou art not yet. where thou hast been, think thou hast been conceived in sin/ born in sin/ & after/ ward grievously fallen in sin, where thou art now. Think that thou art in this wretched vale of mourning living but a little time, considering the time that ever shall last in joy. And than think that this vale is full of misery and wretchedness, which is proved better by experience than I can tell it/ where thou shalt think that within a few days haply thou shalt be deed, and than be brought before thy judge, yielding account to him there of all thy works: deeds: and thoughts, which were never by confession counted here, or in will to be confessed thereof. And think also the stirring words oftentimes of saint Anselme, which may stir the moche to compunction, saying thus to thyself as he saith. ☞ Thou unfruitful tree where be now thy fruits of virtue? O dry tree and unprofitable, worthy to be cast in to the fire. How shalt thou answer at the day of judgement, where shallbe ar of all the space and time of thy life? how it hath benspent/ yea unto the least twynkling of thine eye. Than shallbe deemed and condemned that is found in the of any idle work, idle word, or unꝓfytable silence, unto the least thought of thine heart/ but if it be amended here, and satisfied by in ward sorrow and compunction. ☞ Lo sister this is a hard sentence. therefore I pray you wash all thy defaults away, whiles thou art here, by water of compunction, ❧ The third is/ to have in mind where thou art not yet. Think sister by the mercy of our lord thou shalt come unto his bliss, where thou art not yet/ to the which he made the. For the which with his precious blood he bought thee▪ and for the which I hope thou hast forsaken all the falls delights of this wretched world/ and hast closed up perpetually thyself in religion. O sister it were right merry oft to have in mind the sweet words of the prophet david, which saint Austyn expoundeth, and been these. Mei●us est dies una in atrijs tuis et super milia. O, saith saint Austyn, good lord better is one day in thy heavenly hall, than a thousand here. There is so great plenty of fairness, of sweetness, of gladness, of ghostly mirth, and abundance of shining light endlessly. That if it were leeful no longer to dwell there than one hour in a day, for that hour alone all the years of this wretched life/ though they were as full of all manner wretched delyces, pleasures, or delights, & abundance of temporal goods, they may lawfully be despised, & set at nought. For our lord himself is there all joy and bliss. And he it is, that gloriously there shall fulfil all the capacity of a soul, by clear knowing of troth, by joyful fruition of his sovereign goodness/ and by su●e beholding of his endless felicity. He also it is, that shall there glorify the body, in four manner of ghostly clothes/ that is with the stool of mine ●cayle, never after to die. with the stool of unpalsibylite/ never after to suffer passion nor pain. with the stool of agility/ ever to be swyfter than a thought. And with the stool of subtlety/ ever to be as subtle as a soul without ponderosyte. ☞ Lo sister what mirth and joy is in that place ordained for clean souls, and bodies undefiled. thither I pray the cast thy ghostly eye, and think on the first stool of imortalyte, sorrowing for thy sins in place where thou hast been. ¶ Think on the second stool of unpassy bylyte/ sorrowing for thy miseries, & wretchedness that thou suffered in this present life where thou art now.  
¶ Think also on the third stole of agility or swiftness, and sorrow lamentably for the dread of straight ingement in place where thou shalt be. And thinking on the fourth stole of subtyly●e, sorrow for the long delay of eternal felicity and joy of heaven, where thou shalt be. And doubt not sister if thou inwardly desire these things thou shalt rather have lust to weep than to do any thing else. Believe it well thou shalt have more comfort in such weeping, than ever thou hadst in laughing, so that thou mayst say to our lord god with the prophet david thus. 〈◊〉 ●eundum multitudinem dolo ♃ in cord meo consolationis tue letificaverunt animam meam. That is. Lo lord jesus the multitude of my so ●●wes were never so great many heart, but that 〈◊〉 great heavenly comforts hath moche more gladded my soul. Think this verily sister that we neverred that our lord laughed, but many times he wept we read not for himself he wept, but for us, in tokening that as long as we be in this woeful vale of tears, we should ever be sorrowful for wepyngly we came into this world, and with pain we live, & at last with pain the soul shall depart from the body. ❧ If thou moist thus sister) the roots of meekness with water of compunction, thou shalt have the merry blessing which our blessed lord granted in his testament to all such compuncte hearts, where he saith thus. Beati qui nunc fletis quia ridebitis. Blissed be ye that now weep here, for ye shall after this be full merry with me.  
¶ Now the third thing that I spoke of is the spreading abroad of the branches of a religious tree planted in our lords garden/ by the which thou shalt understand charity. For like as branches in a tree spreaden abroad, so should charity in religion. So sister must thou do after the deep roots of meekness, & after the water of very compunction, thou must extend thy branches of charity, that both in deed and will thou love all creatures in our lord, or for our lord. For he that hath charity hath all goodness, & maketh all others goodness his goodness, as saint Austyn saith. Such one presumeth never proudly against other/ for he holdeth all other better than himself. Such one hath none envy to other. for if he lack goodness, he findeth it by charity in other. such ont keepeth neither ire nor hate in his heart/ for chary tably he forgiveth lightly. Thus by charity sins benhyd, as the apostle saith. Caritas operit multitudmem peccatorum. That is. such charity hideth the multitude of sins/ for it destroyeth them. Sister such charity thou must have in religion to all, and namely to thy sisters, in labouring for them, in supporting of their charges/ and if thou mayst not, than pray for them. for without such charity there is nothing so acceptablene meritorious to god, which maketh heavenly children to be known fro worldly children, as doctors sayen upon the text, where our lord saith to his dyseyples. In hoc cognoscent omnes qd mei discipuli estis: si dilectionem habueritis ad invicem. ☞ In that saith our lord, ye shall be known for my disciples and for my children if ye have love and charity each with other. For as saint Austyn saith, he that keepeth charity in his own living, he it is that hath fully the law within him, both the mysterial feeling thereof, and also the plain understanding. But now for because saint Paul sayeth. Caritas non agit perperam. charity doth nothing frowardly, nor wickedly he saith, but rightwisely, and ordinately. I council the beware (as much as thou mayst) that thou offend none in earth. And if thou offend any person, anon lowly meek thyself, and ask forgiveness. Be no striver in words in any congregation. Nor use thy tongue to speak words of folly, or foolishly, ne falls words. for as saint Austyn saith. ¶ what so ever is said or done against conscience, it edytyeth and buildeth to hell ward. Sometime it is leeful to hide truth/ but it was never leeful to say false. If it happen the sometime of lightness to here of any person any evil tale, be well aware among other communication it pass the not/ ne in no wise thou break not out withal. To here and little to speak it is a good token, and namely of young folk. If thou hast benacustomed to here or to speak evil afore the time that thou interest in to religion, thou art now more bound to keep thy tongue. What is religion without resteyning of the tongue? The sentence of the holy apostle james is this. Si qs pit that se religiosum esse non reseruams linguam svam, sed seducens cor suum, huius vana est religio. That is. He that weeneth he be a religious man or woman/ & refraineth not his tongue, his religion is nought worth. for such one deceiveth his own heart, which should be occupied with virtuous silence. If thou wilt be a true religious woman speak scantly in thine own cause. as Solomon saith. Adolescens vix in tua causa loqre. That is to say. Thou young man scantly speak in thy own cause. Therefore it is that our lord hath given a man and a woman two ears, and one tongue, that they should be ready to here, and loath to speak. Be therefore seld rare in words, neither dysputer, nor defender of matters. If thou be blamed rightfully or wrongfully/ be it of thy sisters, or of thy sovereigns. if thou wilt be a very overcomer of the heart, learn for to suffer meekly. & all this is for keeping of charity. charity is better kept in silence than in speech. I pray the therefore keep virtuously silence in cloister/ frater/ dorter/ and quere, and in all times and places. After compline above all thyngrs look that thou keep specially than silence, but if ●●be for great inevitable need, and yet with leave if thou mayst. And as soon as thy need is done than cease. Be never privily money place with any person, whereof might arise obloquy. eschew this as much as thou canst. Be well aware in any wise that no manner deformyte in thy living, neither of carnality nor of worldliness blot or dymynies she charity, which is the very ornament or arrayment of all religious lining. No carnal love should be among you, but spiritual, or for spiritual love. Of carnal and fleshly love it needeth me not much to speak of at this time/ for it should be to all religious folk much abominable, and loathsome to here. But there is one manner of love, which is covered under colour of charity, and feigneth him for to have zeal of virtue, as is love affectionate, not fully spiritual, but it is mingled or mixed with carnality. All such lovers do delight to speak oft together/ which always is not of ghostly things. And if it be sometimes of ghostly things a little in the beginning, anon or soon after it is changed in to worldly things. God grant it be no worse/ that is into carnal things. What evil hath come of such affectionate love, god knoweth/ which knoweth all prive things, and to whom nothing is hid. This love, for as much as it hath his first beginning of the assent of the flesh by affection, it is more fleshly than ghostly. And it is well known of such that have had this manner of love in experience, how moche a soul is distract, which is encumbered in such carnal affection. great slander ariseth thereof, though thou be enclosed. Thou hast need to be well ware of slander, for that creepeth out of an unclosed house marvelously. I say not this for to let the of thy ghostly communication, as much as longeth to confession/ nor to be religiously merry with thy sisters/ namely with such the morn every day after our lord/ & sing mornyngly in their hearts thus. Ubi cubas, ubi pascis in meridie. That is. Lord where is thy resting place, and where dost thou fede at noon tyme. As though they might say thus. ☞ Good lord I desire to wit in what hearts/ and in whose hearts of fervent love and charity hast thou thy resting place? and in what place art thou fed with sweetness and devotion. with such common oft, for they may set the on fire, and burn the all in love. All such desire for to be departed out of this world, and be with their ford jesus. with all such I would thou had thy special communication. with all other thou mayst speak by the way of charity, though thou keep communication, not with them so specially as thou dost with other/ so it be done measurably after the place and time without offence and evil suspicion. Therefore it is that saint Jerome saith in a pistle ●hat he writeth to Nepotianum, where he saith thus. ☞ Beware he saith of all manner suspicion that may be feigned on thee, erthan it be feigned eschew it. Thy sweetness/ thy light/ & thy desire should be thy spouse jesus christ. On holy days when folk desire to speak with the eschew all manner idle tales, or soon charitably take thy leave. For I assure the it is full perilous to common moche with any, specially with secular people, and namely of men/ but it be for ghostly instruction. and yet look it be of no long tarrying, but in short wise speak as is best to the health of soul, and honest of living. What should need maidens of religion to have often communication with men. but it be only when goostli council is required, or confession. And yet I council the sith thou shalt be oft confessed, use no long abiding in confession/ rather come the ofter. Presume never to much of thy clean conscience▪ nor of thy chastity. For trust me right well presumption of chastity and opportunity hath turned many a clean soul to evil. ☞ Trust never so much to thyself, weaving that thou hast overcome all manner of stirrings of fleshly sins, though our lord of his great mercy hath keptthe unto this tyme. For if thou have no stirring now, dread to have in time for to come.  
¶ Saint Gregory saith. Every chosen soul either in his beginning, or in his middle age, or in his last days shall suffer temptation. In his beginning such shall suffer temptation easily. In his middle conversation such one shall suffer temptation more grievously but in his last days such shall suffer temptation most grievously. Therefore beware of communication. For such things do let the branches of charity to be spread abroad. ¶ If thou wilt also spread abroad thy charity, I would thou shouldest gladly fulfil and stop fawtes in divine service, for ease of thy sisters, as much as in the is possible. Desire never therefore any praising nor favour of any creature, but only of almighty god. For one thing I shall tell the that what soever he be that desireth for to becommended and praised of other persons, Sometime he shallbe much made of. sometime little/ sometime nought. And where that such one for his chartable deeds should receive of our lord great reward in heaven, all is blown away with the blast of a manes mouth. Alas the such deceivable worldly praise or favour shall so deceive a soul, and defraud him from heavenly, and perpetual graces. It is not all without cause that Solomon calleth all worldly favour deceivable graces. For who that trusteth sore upon such graces, it may stand a while/ but at last it shall fall, because his ground is feeble. ❧ Therefore sister when thou art either praised or blamed ever run to thy conscience, having in mind the words of saint Austyn/ were he saith that a true conscience may neither be hurt by wrongs, ne be helped by false praisings. Also as for thy meat and drink show thy charity of such that is set afore the. Hold the content without grudging, and feed the thereof without superfluity, thanking our lord. For as saint Gregory saith. Meat and drink should be taken as a medycyn, only for need, and not in superfluity or in voluptuousity. Therefore be not so greedy upon thy meat and drink, but that ever our lord be thanked therefore. And more set thy heart to give attendance to the lesson which is red among you, than to thy bodily meat. So that with refreshing of thy body, thy soul may also be refreshed. Think also that thou eatest sins of thy founder/ god rest his soul, and other benefactors, which have endued your monastery, or by whose goods ye be endued to pray for them. thou art bound so to pray for their souls. ¶ Also in places of solace and recreation, show thy charity and spread thy branches abroad when thou takest (in the garden with thy sisters) bodily recreation, common there of some manner of edification. or here some good thing which may edify thy soul. And because oftentimes after meat many been disposed to lightness, and to unrelygious mirths, I pray the as much as thou mayst eschew that. And if thou here any bachyting or dishonest communication, (as I hope there is no such things used among maidens) do thy diligence, or do that lieth in the to turn such matters unto better communications. And if thou mayst not, religiously go thence/ lest thou be ꝑtyner of their sins. All by shonest plays I forbid thee, for much evil cometh of such disports. Nevertheless holy disports for recreation both of body and of soul is need full, sometime for to be had/ so that it be done so brely, sadly, and religiously. And that the hearers and seers may rather be edified than slander in it. For our lords love sister, spend thy time profitably & devoutly. There is none so great a loss, as is the loss of tyme. Another thing if it be lost, may be founden again/ but time when it is lost, may never be found again. Think therefore why thou comest to religion. I trow we for the profit of thine own soul, & of thin order. It is not enough for the only to enter religion for thine own profit, except thou do thy diligence in learning that thou may be able to further thine order by cunning, as other of thy sisters done. And though thou mayst not come to cunning anon, leave not therefore, though thou shouldest every day learn right little. For hasty cunning waxeth soon dry, but easily and sokingly won increaseth, and abideth. Look thou be in any wise ever well occupied, in some chartable occupation, that the ghostly enemy the fiend find the not idle. ☞ Idleness is the most hindering that thou mayst have to thy soul. moche sorrow cometh thereof. If thou be weary in reading, refresh thy soul by prayer, or meditation, or in some other virtuous and charitable works. Now read, now pray/ now labour besily. and so shall thy hour be short, and thy labour light. ¶ Thus moche sister I have spoken of the spredinge abroad of the branches of charity. ☞ I said also of the fourth property which longeth to a tree, that is how it groweth on high. ❧ After time thou art meekly rooted in religion/ and graciously watered by compunction, and than spread abroad by branches of charity, thou hast need, or it is expedient for the to be enhanced in devotion by contemplation unto heaven, ☞ But first if a tree should grow high the water bows is nothing else, but cutting away the superfluite of temporal goods in dyspising them. Therefore sister, like as thou hast forsaken all outward worldly goods, for the love of heavenly goods. so now put them out of thy mind, as much as thou mayst/ and have mind of the vow of poverty, not to have one pin more to thy heed than is taxed in thy holy rule. Be none other in thy soul, than thou apperest outward in thine habit. For of all sins hypocrisy is a perilous sin/ namely among religious folk. Good sister be well aware of that cursed sin hypocrisy/ and keep the from all manner curiosity, and superfluity, which been very deadly enemies to the holy poverty of relygigion. ☞ when any manner temptation of worldly covetousness is at any time presented unto thy soul, anon have mind of the most blessed poverty of our worthy saviour jesus christ thy chosen spouse, and of the most holy virgin his mother, in worship of whom thy religion is grounded. Of the poverty of Chryst and his blessed mother, beareth witness the poor cryb and few clothes which he was wrapped in at his birth. See now what poverty he suffered in his beginning/ and also all the time of his being in this life. who was ever poorer than he? For he saith himself in his holy gospel. Uulpes foveas habent, et volucres celi nidos: filius autem homims non habet ubi caput suum reclinet. That is. Foxes (he saith) have dens and holes to hide them in. and birds have nests, but the son of the virgin is so poor in earth that he hath not wherein he maylye his heed. Also that he loved poverty at his ending, that is in his passion/ the blessed cross which he hang upon beareth witness. where heard ever any man or woman that any body in his death (what passion soever he shall suffer)▪ should be denied his clothes for to cover them with. Or if he axed drink, should it not be given to him? yes rather than fail water. But our lord Chryst jesus in his holy passion hung naked upon the cross. And when he was athyrst tasted gall with easel for his drink. Lo sister where heardest thou ever an higher poverty. ☞ Of this poverty and other such thou must have mind, that thou mayst suffer the better poverty of religion. If thou hast meat and drink & clothing, and a book to look upon/ it is enough to the. And if thou hast more than these, and namely more than is assigned in thy rule. or more than thou hast leave of thy sovereign to have, think that thou art right far from our lords blessed poverty/ and his holy mother. ¶ Good sister follow this holy poverty, that thou mayst deserve for to have that kingdom which is ordained for poor in spirit/ as our blessed lord promiseth himself, where he saith. Bearti pauperes spiritu, quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum.  
blessed be though (he saith) that be poor in spirit, for theirs of right is the kingdom of heaven, for their heritage. If thus thy water bows be lopped away, thou mayst grow right high in devotion, and contemplation. ¶ what should be thy high growing? Truly but devotion in prayers. For as doctors say, prayer is no thing else, but ascension or lifting up of the soul to god by devotion. which is divided & parted in two parts/ that is in to vocal prayer, & mental prayer. Vocal prayer is prayer made by mouth, according with the soul. Mental prayer is all only of the soul or mind, with sylde speaking of the mouth. To vocal prayer that is every day to serve our lord jesus, and his blessed mother. in saying matins, prime, tierce sixth, none, evensong, & compline, thou art bound by thy religion, but if thou be lawfully letted. And therefore to these, I council the to have a zeal and a love to say them distinctly and apertly, with a pronouncing of thy words, giving thereto the intent of thine heart/ so that thy tongue be not in the quere, and thine heart in the town. In such sayings (as much as thou mayst) eschew distraction. And that thou may so do, make there die afore, after the council of Solomon where he saith thus. Fili accedens ad servitutem dei sta in timore & prepara animam tuam ad temptationem. That is▪ when thou goest to the service of god, stand there in dread, & make ready thy soul for to withstand temptation. For than wicked spirits been right busy for to let devout souls from the good speed of prayer by immyssions of their subtle temptations. we have never so many temptatyons when we be out of the quere, as when we be in the quere of gods service. ❧ Therefore I council the for eschewing of all evagations, cast down thine eyes unto a certain place all the time of divine service, be it night be it day, imagining in thy heart as though thou see lying afore the Christ jesus strained upon the cross. And he with the cross together life upon high with wounds bleeding. And in that lifting, than lift up thine ties suing after, and run from wound to wound, and so sigh and sob privily. Now for the nails, now for the thorns, now for the spete, now for the crown, now for the feet, now for the hands/ and so thank him for his passion which he suffered for the. ¶ And among all such ghostly meditations, look in (ones or ofter if thou mayst) and enter in to his heart by the wound of his side, wherein thou shalt find all manner treasure of pity. There are harbo towe for charity, and in the name of god entry a gods behalf. Quench thy thirst there with plenty of abundance of his most blessed blood. For he saith himself. Quiscitit veniat ad me et bibat. He that thirsteth, come to me and drink, Of such devotion in divine service our lord is highly pleased. blessed angels nigh at hand to such a soul/ and not only angels, but also our lord himself speaketh to such a soul thus occupied, & saith. Daughter ask what thou wilt, and thou shalt have it. ☞ O, now is this a voice of great joy and gladness. Answer again, and say to him in thy thought. Lord I desire nothing else, but that I and all though which trusten, and shall trust upon thy great mercy, may be admitted amongs thy chosen people in thy heavenly bliss. And as the holy prophet david saith.  
Ad let andum in leticia gentes tue.  
For to joy in gladness among thy chosen people. ☞ Lo sister such thoughts (while thou standest indyvyne service) should fill thy heart with so moche gladness, love, and sweetness/ that thou shalt be loath to think on any other thing under god. Also if thou mightest have meditation than of his blessed mother Mary entering in to the quere, bearing jesus her blessed son in her holy arms/ vysytig now one, now another, the singen devoutly and courageously in divine service, without dullness or slepynes. overpassing all such that been sluggisshe and stepy, or slothful, without comfortable visitation, it should cause the to be the more quicker, & devouter. For afore fervent syngers with glad hearts praising and loving their maker jesus her blessed son with devotion, she standeth long still and beholdeth them face to face. And so gladly to the maid, & to all thy maidenly sisters will offer her blessed son, that ye may joyfully clip the child, kiss that child, embrace that child to your clean breasts. O now is this a merry meditation for maidens. when thou hast long had this holy child in thine arms, behold now and see how devoutly the mother receiveth her blessed son again. kneel down in thy soul sister I pray the than, & deliver the blessed child to his blessed mother, for she must now go for to cheer other of thy sisters, Be not sorry though other be gladded as well as thou. See now how she gooth full maidenly for to visit other of thy sisters. And this is not once, but oftentimes, whiles ye be at matins, and at all other times and hours. And when she hath so done, see now how the child by the prayers of his blessed mother lifteth up his holy hand and blysseth you all namely such as singen with a courage, savourly & devoutly. ☞ Lo sister, I trow verily that such meditations (if they be devoutly conceived in thy soul) should put away dullness in psalmody/ evagacyons, and dystractions/ slepynesse/ sloth/ & such other temptations indyvyne service. Al so when any manner of carnal thoughts creep in to thine heart in time of god's service, anon cry in thine heart, knocking and crossing privily thy breast. and say thus. Cor mundum crea in me deus. Lord I pray the form in me a clean heart. I doubt not sister if it be a fleshly thought with such great crying and crossing it will right soon avoid. Also if thou wilt eschew laughing in divine service, I pray the keep well thy sight. And if it hap sometime that thou be weary by long abiding in gods service, think that for every verse our lord will reward the in heaven a thousand year and m●o.  
¶ mightily therefore and diligently labour in the service of almighty god after thy might and say to our lord in thine heart thus. If I more might, more I would. That I have lord I give the. Believe verily sister, our blessed lord jesus christ thy chosen spouse acceptyth this gift for a worthy gift and a great. In this wise sister thou mayst ascend up unto god by devotion in vocal prayers, and also in mental prayers, that is by such holy meditation in time of divine service, both in reading and singing. I mean not to be an high singer, but for to be a devout singer and a hearty singer. For in our lords care soundeth not the cry, but the love. not the voice, but the heart and will for to labour in his service for his love. Lo sister, thus mayst thou be a good singer, though thou be no high singer. He singeth high whom our lord heareth. ¶ Also sister when thou art at our lady mass, there behave the devoutly and reverently. And think how sometime when thou were in the world, with what reverence, and what diligence thou seruedest an earthly lord, or an earthly lady, only for to eschew their displeasure, and for to win their benevolence. So now do thy diligence or endeavour with moche more reverence, and more diligence for to serve our heavenly lord, and our heavenly lady, in hearing of her holy mass, and of all other masses. For to such holy service thou hast now fully committed thee, wherefore thou shalt have a great reward. what reward is that weenest thou? Truly jesus himself shall be thy meed, and thy reward. ☞ O, now is this a great reward, for so little a labour. Above all things therefore I pray thee, in time of hearing of thy masses, refrain the from all manner unreverence and dissolution. For be right sure if thou have more devotion in hearing of that mass than the pressed hath that singeth or saith the mass, thou shalt receive more grace of that blessed sacrament than he ¶ On saturdays, or on other solemn days when thou shalt be communed, than do all thine inward & outward diligence ghostly and bodily to receive that blessed sacrament with all manner sadness and devotion. But above all things make first a clean conscience by confession. Be often confessed and meekly, & in such wise that thy confessor may most clearly understand the. So that by oft using of both these sacraments of penance and howseling, purity, cleanness, and devotion may ever increase and be kept in the ¶ In what wise thou mayst best & most devoutly dispose the to that most holy sacrament after pure confession, I would thou axed it of our lord god, and than the holy ghost shall teach the. But yet somewhat shall I say to stir the for to receive that blessed sacrament devoutly, and it shall be but a short lesson. ¶ first think how little thou art in his sight, which holdeth up both the and all the world. In this thought as much as thou mayst set thyself at nought. Have in mind also how every day thou sinnest, & therefore think thyself right vile and wretched, and all unworthy for to receive that blessed sacrament. And in this thought think that though thou hadst be about to make the ready a thousand year afore, it had been little enough, as for so worthy a sacrament. Think also that thou art unworthy for to look up into heaven, and to them that live in heaven, or heavenly. Therefore considering thy unworthiness, long afore or thou receive that blessed sacrament, cast down thine eye in to purgatory, where pains be ordained for to purge sinners. Among all think on some pain there ordained for thy sins, and for thy trespasses/ where peradventure thou art worthy to lie unto the day of doom/ were not the great mercy of our lord god. Therefore think thus, and say always in thine heart before thou go to receive that holy sacrament. O lord if a thousand year suffice not a soul to be worthily ready to receive this blessed body and blood, good lord have mercy on me that so unworthily & unredyly come thereto, which am a right wretched creature, daily singing, & not amendyng. O. good lord jesus there is no stinking filth fouler than my soul is, for to receive thy blessed body and blood. I beseech the lord make some river of compunction first to renew by that foul stinking pit of my soul to wash away the filth or that thou enter. O lord, I dare not else put the there. Now blessed be thou good lord, I find great comfort in thy mercy, I wot well now without any comparison thine infinite mercy is more than all my wickedness. And therefore through the feeling of that heavenly grace, which thou hast now endued my soul trusting only upon thy benign mercy, I go to receive it as a seek body to a leach, that thy blessed ghostly medycin may make my seek soul hole. The seeker that I am lord, the more need have I to come to thee, that thy great pity & mercy may be showed in me, by deliverance of my sins. Upon this trust lord I come to the. for thy mercies (I wot well) be infinite. There lord I shall find heavenly delicates, in the which delicates I purpose ever to dwell, in the lord and in none other So fervently I will set my heart as I will of the ever for to have joy with the withouten end. ☞ Lo sister by such short meditations, and other like these, thou mayst cleanse thy heart and thy soul with running rivers of very compunction. Before thou go to receive that blessed sacrament, say also in thy heart (if thou have leisure in thy going thus.) O, I that am powder and ashes, shall I now go to my lord? Than answer again, and say with a reverent meekness. yea, that shall I, as an unprofitable servant gooth to his benign master. And as an hungry soul gooth to his meat. And as a seek man goeth to his leach. Say also as saint Austyn saith. My lord, my mercy, my refuge, my desire. to the I come, for I may not help myself with mine own works. And therefore lord relieve me/ succour me/ & have mercy on me. I mistrust of my merits/ but I trust in thy great mercies more, than I mistrust of mine evil deeds. Lord thou art my hope. To the alone I have sinned. mercy lord. ☞ Many folk use to say, long afore they be houseled, the vij psalms of penance, with a ●etany. praying to all those saints for help. which psalms saint Austyn took out of the psalter, and set them together. And named them psalms of penance. It is a good devotion for to say. I will not charge the withal, considering the continual labour that thou hast in thine order. ¶ Think also on the great charity which he showeth to sinners/ in giving his blessed body to them for their ghostly health, and ghostly meat. And that it is very ghostly meat, he proveth it well himself, where he saith thus. Caromea, vere est cibus, et sanguis meus, vere est potus ¶ My flesh, saith he, is very meat/ & my blood is very drink. ☞ This is the meat which is figured by that manna in the old testament, which had all manner of delice, & all manner savour of sweetness. that at the last shall be given to thy great meed and reward of everlasting bliss. as he saith himself thus. Qui manducat meam caruem & bibit meum sanguinem, habet vitam eternam. That is. He that receiveth my flesh & drinketh my blood, shall have for his high reward everlasting life, here by grace, & after this life by joy. ¶ Now sister after the gracious receiving of his blessed sacrament/ thank our lord for the great benefit, & say thus in thy heart. Inuem quem diligit aia mea tenebo eum et non dimittan. the is. I have found whom my soul loveth, now shall I keep him. & never shall I leave him. And for because it is called a sacrament of love. I would thou provydysted some manner of prayers of love, which might stir the point of thy love, as is this oryson. Duleꝭ jesus memoria. or such other. & than I dread not but thou shalt feel great devotion. ¶ O, good sister, sometime my ghostly daughter, I pray the than for to desire of thy spouse for me one drop of that devotion. I would also thou should desire of him such devotion for all my ghostly friends. Among all other of thy devotion and vocal prayers, it were a meedful saying for to say. Placebo, & Dirige. at least with three psalms, three lessons, and laudes. thinking that thou hast thy livelihood of them that peradventure lain in pains of purgatory. which pains as some doctors done say, passeth all the pains of the world, and is more grievous. ¶ This thou mightest use well at after none, when thou walkest in the garden. And think that he were an unkind friend, & a right cruel, which might see the in a brenning fire, & were in his power for to deliver thee, and will not. Truly right so our lord hath granted the one friend in earth may deliver his friend in purgatory, by devout prayers & other ghostly means/ If such one be neclygent, his friend in purgatory may well think that such one is rather a cruel enemy than a friend. Send therefore in spare times thy prayers to our lord for them that been in purgatory/ recommending to him thy kin, thy founders, benefactors of thy monastery, and all other which been passed out of this world. Lo sister all this before is said moche of bocall prayer, & little of mental prayers. For ever amongs all ghostly exercises prayer is a holy mean. Vocal prayer & mental prayer they two been so nigh of kin that the one is never found without the other. If vocal prayer have chief occupation, meditation meddleth somewhat with him. And if meditation have chief occupation, than prayer breaketh out among. And therefore in as much as it is longing to prayer, somewhat shall I say of mental prayer, which is called meditation. And also for to stir the when thou art alone, how thou shalt be occupied in meditation.  
¶ Sister, such mental prayer by meditation is right sweet, meritorious, and precious to a devout soul/ but right few use it, and that is pity. And as saint Hue saith in a book which he maketh of the manner of such medytatyve prayer, that such prayers is called devotion, purely of the soul, which is a very turning in to god, by meek and mild affection, By this thou mayst know that meditation should be meek, by consideration of him that so prayeth. Of this we find a good example by the publican in the gospel, which in his heart prayed. submitting thyself (meekly to god) a very sinner. saying outward by right few words. as for vocal prayers, when he said thus. Deus propicius esto michi peccatori. For all his prayers were inward for the most part. All such that pray by meditation, they speak few words. In other property meditative prayer hath: it is short, as short words of love or of mercy, and sendeth out his flames and beams Such a short medytatyf prayer sister pierceth heaven. For all such souls that so be occupied in meditations, done rest in god, as in the beginning & ending of his meditation. And thus such medytatife prayer is short. Not for the shortness of devotion, but for the shortness of the length in words. Another property that longeth unto medytatyve prayer, that is desirous by wailing, sobbing, and sighing, to be with our lord. So that such one may say with the prophet david. thus. Sitivit anima mea ad deum fontem vivum quando veniam et apparabo ante faciem det fuerunt micht lactime me paries die ac nocte. That is. my soul thirsteth to our lord, which is the quick gracious well the refresheth every mourning soul. O. when shall I come and appear before thy glorious face blessed lord. Every day my soul is fed with tears, as my body is with breades. for they be the loves of my soul, unto the time that I may see the face to face. ❧ Sister is not this a very good mourning mirth. If thou wilt come come to such merry mourning of meditation thou must as much as thou mayst sequester thy self from all manner outward noises & distractions, and so enter into the prive chamber of thine heart and there exclude all things under god, and than ascended up unto him by such devout meditations. ¶ In the which meditations, first thou shalt bethynk the of thine own frailty. How ready thou art to evil., & how dull and slow to good. After this think upon the great cruelty of thy ghostly enemies. How day and night they lie in await by many wicked suggestions & false subtleties how they might deceive thy soul, and draw it to sinew. And after this think upon the great goodness of god how much grace he hath wrought for that, first in making the of nought. And than how he with his precious blood bought the. departing & discevering the from all mysbeleving people, paynims, and heretics. giving the a christian name, by receiving of the sacrament of baptism. And also abiding mercy ably and beny gnely thy turning out of sin. delivering the out from the fiends mouth, and from the vanity of this falls world, by entering into religion. And so giving the many other virtues and graces without number. ❧ The first me dytation will stir the to compunction & sorrow. The second to dread. And the third to love.  
¶ Of this me seemeth saint Hue in a book that he made (De arra amme,) saith a right sweet word, and it is this. I am sayeth he highly bound to love my lord jesus, of whom I have received many benefits of love. For first he saith, hath given me my essensiall being in him, not only with all unsensible creatures, but effectual, being of fairness above essensyble creatures. But effectual being of fairness he hath given me also life in him. not only with beasts, beestly/ but for to live by grace heavenly. He hath given me a body with wits. A soul with strengths. Earth with that which is contained therein, for my sustenance. Gifts of grace, with holy sacraments of the church. And himself with his torments, which he suffered in his passion. ☞ After these three manner medycations, ascend up with an high trust to our lor●e jesus. And if thou mayst, with abundance of tears. & say with meek boldness as saint Austyn saith thus. ❧ I shall now surely go to my lord jesus, and cry upon him meekly, to move him for to help me/ considering by his mercy full goodness both my frailty, and the great cruelty of my ghostly emmyes. ¶ Than after this rest a while by meditation/ and be right sure he will fulfil thy desire, & grant the thine asking. And though thou find no sweetness anon, leave not therefore/ but cry unto hymmekely, & importunely. saying thus in thy soul. Non dimittam te donec benedixeris michi. Lord I shall not leave thee, unto the time thou hast give me thy blessing. yea, though he put the to silence. Or put the from him with his hand. Or shove the away with his foot. yet leave not, but cry upon him meekly always. And I tell the for a truth, if thou continue thus in such importunity, it shall increase thy devotion right moche. And yet thereto thou shalt have thine asking, and be sped of thy desire. Which I find well proved by example of the holy writing of Thoby, to whom the angel said thus. Quando orabas cum lacrimis ego optuli orationem tuam deo. ☞ when thou didst pray with weeping, than I offered thy prayers to god. ❧ Lo sister set never little by prayers which holy awgels done offer to our lord god, and namely there as it is continued with Christ. ☞ In all such medytatyve prayers, I would thou had a special insight unto our blessed lady mother of mercy, and pray her to be a tender mean to her dear son for the. namely at her mass, & other times also. And great her with Auees, and other special devotions made of her. ❧ And I pray the if thou mayst, use often for to say that blessed sweet word of saint Anselme, in the end of thy medyta tyve prayer to our blessed lady, which is this. ¶ Glorious virgin gods mother/ as thou verily lovedest thy son, and verily wouldest that he were loved▪ get me that grace of thy son, that I may verily love him. ❧ Truly I hope that thou shouldest find great comfort in such devout words. And if thou may, I would thou saidest to her among, her psalters of Auees, called our ladies psalter. Also I would thou were occupied, namely on holy days, with reading of devout books. as is Stimulis amoris. or such other. In the which specially I recommend to thy meditation the holy passion of our lord jesus, and namely after compline, & after matins. And believe it right well it shall inflame thy soul fervently in his love/ and teach the for to despise this wretched world. And also it will teach the for to win great patience in all manner adversiters. And it will arm the against thy ghostly enemies. and give the might & strength to overcome them worthily. For as saint Bernard saith. Be a man never so delicate, if he consider inwardly the bitter passion of Chryst/ he must needs abstain him, be he never so wrath full he must needs forgive, be he never so malicious, he must be both full of pity & compassion. Say therefore with the same holy bernard, & say it inwardly & intentyfly thus. ☞ O good jesus, how mightily hast thou called me & embraced me to the with thine holy arms of thy holy passion, where thy soul passed out of thy body, and water out of thy side, & blood out of thy heart. O, merciful jesus, thou lovedest me than full hot/ & full fervently, good lord forsake me not now. Thus mayst thou grow on high by devotion, both in vocal prayers, and in mental prayers. ¶ It is necessary for the also sister if thou wilt increase and grow devoutly incongregation, for to eschew singularity in all thin own outward observances, & mingle or temper discretion with all thy deeds, lest it be said of thee, as our lord said in his gospel. Ecce homo q cepit edificare, et non potuit consummare. Lo saith our lord, this man hath begun to build, but he can make no end. Therefore do so discreetly as thou mayst continued. Take no specialites on the without leave/ but keep a common form of living. For by discretion and judgement of all good folk it is the surest life. I say not that thou shouldest keep a common form of living with voluptuous livers, or idle livers, or of ꝓude livers. For that is called a common life among worldly livers, & not of the religious livers. But I mean that thou shouldest keep such a common living which is ordained & approved of holy fathers & assigned in thy holy rule. Is it not enough to the to do as they died, and as the perfection of thy h●ly rule teacheth, without singularity, And if thou wilt needs cost be singular, than I would thou were singular in keeping better than any other) thine obedience/ thy chastity/ thy poverty and devotion, and love both to god and man. In this wise be singular. ¶ And if I should say as saint Bernard saith, than I would thou keptest well three words, which he taught his disciples. And they been these. ❧ I would he saith in congregation thou lyvedest ordinately, felawly, and meekly. ordinately to thy self felawly to thy sisters, and meekly to god.  
¶ O now is this a short charitable rule. Thou livest sister in congregation ordinately when thou dost thy business in religion, for to keep thine observance, both in god's sight, and in presence of thy sisters so that thou keep thyself from sin, and thy religion from slander. Thou livest in congregation felawly, when thou dost thy diligence for to love all creatures in our lord. and for to be loved for our lord. Showing thyself obsequious and serviceable to all thy sisters. lovingly in supporting of their bodily charges, and also ghostly charges, And to have pity and ruth of all their if yrmytees. Thou livest also in congregation meekly to god when thou dost all thy business to put away vainglory and vanity in all thy deeds. ☞ Lo sister, in this wise thou mayst increase & grow in religion as a virtuous tree. And at last by gods grace be able to bear the worthy heavenly fruits. Of the which saint Paul speaketh and sayeth. Fructus autem spiritus est, caritas, gaudium, pax, pacientia. ¶ In the which authority he speaketh of. xii. manner of fruits. Of the which I would speak and declare, but I have no leisure. Therefore I leave of at this time, and make an end. beseeching our blessed lord, the tender and very spouse, and keeper of chaste souls. which hath planted the in the garden of holy religion, give the grace to be rooted in very meekness. to be moisted and watered by very compunction. to be extended and spread abroad by very charity. And at last to be raised upon high by very devotion. that sometime after this life thou may be counted or numbered endlessly among the holy trees of his heavenly paradise, by the help & means, or intercession of our blessed lady. Amen. ¶ And pray for me good sister, which am yet but an unprofitable branch, and unfruitful of religion. That at last I may be such a tree, as our lord would I were.  
Amen. Benedictus deus.   

¶ Here endeth the tree of the holy ghost, imprinted at London in the Fleetstreet, at the sign of the rose Garland. by Robert Coplande. Anno dni. M. CCCCC. xxxiiij. ❧ ❧ ❧ ❧ ❧  

Robert Coplande.   printer's device of Robert Copland   

¶ The. xii. fruits of the holy ghost.   

¶ The table of this present book.  

¶ The first fruit of the tree of ghostly living is called charity. Ca i. folio. two.  
¶ The second fruit of the tree of ghostly living is called joy. Ca two. fo. xi.  
¶ The third fruit of the tree of ghostly living is called Peas. Ca iii. fo. xx.  
¶ The fourth fruit of the tree of ghostly living is called patience. Ca iiii. fo. xxv.  
¶ The fifth fruit of the tree of ghostly living is called suffrance. Ca v. fo. xxxiii.  
¶ The sixth fruit of the tree of ghostly living is called. Goodness. Ca vi. fo. xxxix.  
¶ The seventh fruit of the tree of ghostly living is Benyguyte. Ca seven. fo. xliiii.  
¶ The eight fruit of the tree of ghostly living is called Mildness. Ca viii. fo. xlix.  
¶ The ninth fruit of the tree of ghostly living is called faith. Ca ix. fo. liii.  
¶ The tenth fruit of the tree of ghostly living is called Good living Ca x. fo. lvii.  
¶ The eleventh fruit of the tree of ghostly living is called continence. Ca xi. fo. lxi.  
¶ The twelfth fruit of the tree of ghostly living is called chastity. Ca xii. fo. lxvi.   
¶ Explicit tabula.   

¶ Here beginneth an epistle sent to a religious woman, of the xii fruits of the holy ghost. ❧  
Religious sister it is not long a go that I wrote to the a pistle of religious exhortation, how thou shouldest grow in religion virtuously as a ghostly tree. Which tree I said should be first deeply rooted in meekness, than watered and moisted in compunction. After that extended abroad by charity. And than to grow on high by devout contemplation. In the which pystel at the last end I made mention of xii sweet fruits of the holy ghost, which all ghostly trees in religion should bring forth. Therefore now to fulfil the end of that pystel. I send the written what those xii fruits been, whereby thou mayst know how thou shouldest live in religion. Of whom the holy apostle saint Paul speaketh & saith thus. Galat. v. Fructus autem spiritus est caritas, gaudium, pax, pacientia, long nanimitas. Bonitas, beniguitas, mansuetudo, fides, modestia, continencia, castitas. ❧ That is. The fruits of the holy ghost in ghostly trees of religion is charity/ joy/ peas/ patience▪ sufferance/ or long abiding. Goodness/ beningnite/ or gentleness of henrt/ mildness/ faith in true loving/ manner of good leaving/ continence/ & chastity.  

¶ The first fruit of the tree of ghostly living is charity. Ca. i  
¶ Of charity.  
THe first fruit of this holy tree is called charity. charity is a coupling of the soul with god, which is the life of the soul. For like as a natural death departeth the soul from the body, so ghostly death bysyfie departeth the soul from god. The holy doctor saint Augustyn saith that there is a very death which that mendrede but little, and that is the departing of the soul fro almighty god. God is the blessed life of souls, for by charity be loved all that aught to be loved as virtue, and all that aught to be hated as vices. Good sister eat oft of this precious fruit of charity, for it is right precious, in as much as it is the price for to have the kingdom of heaven. And it is so precious a fruit that without that, man is of no price in the sight of god, as saint Paul saith. i. Cor xiii. Si charitatem autem non habeo, nihil sum. ❧ Also (he saith) all the works that we done without it be of no value. Saint Gregory saith. As the branches of a tree come out of the rote, so all virtues springeth out of charity, She is mother of all virtues, and norse. For afore her was no virtue, and without her is no virtue meritorious. She informeth and giveth strength to all virtues, that they may be acceptable to god. without charity may no soul be safe nor please god. charity longeth to all folk, and namely to religious. which should be more perfit than the common people. ☞ what profit is it sister to profess high living, and in habit to show parfection if we endeavour us not to learn virtue and exercise it in deed? It is a great shame to us (and rather worthy pain than meed) to profess or promyt great things, and do the least. Therefore if we be in charity we shall think hard things light and easy. ❧ Now peradventure thou wouldest wite what is this worthy fruit of charity, that I speak of? To this I answer and say the charity is an ordinate and well disposed will to serve god, to please god, and to have fruition & use of god. charity and love is all one. charity is such a sovereign virtue that it joineth & coupleth together the lover and the loved. For meekness maketh us sweet unto almighty god. poverty joineth, and blessed charity maketh us one with god. charity is fairest of all virtues. charity is a thing by the which god loveth us, and we god, & everich of us other. charity is a desire of the heart, ever thinking on that, the it loveth. And when it hath that it loveth than it joyeth, & nothing may make it sorry. charity is an holy desire between two with lasting of thoughts. charity is a strength of the soul to love god for himself, and other things for god, and in god. which charity when it is so set in god, it doth away all inordynate love. And so charity putteth away deadly sin, for it is the richest affection of man's soul. charity is the fruit of truth, stabling of wits and of cunning. See how good charity is. who would forsake that blessed fruit which is so good? If we suffer to be slain, if we give all that we have if we know as much as men may in earth, all this without charity is nothing else but sorrow and torment. charity is a very true turning from all earthly things, and a joining to god without departing, kindled with the fire of the holy ghost, far from the filthy fire of carnal corruption, subject to no deadly vices, but araised up above all fleshly lusts, ever ready & greedy to contemplation. charity is also the fone of all good affections, health of good manners, death of sins, life of virtues, without which may no man please god. with it man devoutly seruethgod. Very charity cleanseth the soul and delivereth it from the pains of hell, and out of the felawshyppes of devils, and soon maketh it the servant of god, part takers of the heritage of heaven. ☞ Lo sister, in such love and charity thou must enforce the to be arrayed and clothed, as iron and steel is clothed in fire when it brenneth as fire. And as the air or the firmament is clothed in the sun when it shineth as light. ❧ O blessed be all they that be so turned all in to fire and shining heat of charity in every prosperity, and in all adversity. Such charity maketh a devout soul for to desire for to be loosed out of this wretched life, and be endlessly with god. All such live in great patience by tedious abiding of the death every day and every hour desiring a departing of the body & the soul by natural death, ye though they were hard torments and passions. Such charity made saint Andrew for to halse desirously the death of the cross. And saint Steven to pray devoutly for them the which stoned him to death, by the which he see into heaven that he had long before desired. It made also saint Laurence to scorn his tormentors, saint Vincent to haste his tormentors fast, for to put him to his death. Saint Agate gladly and joyfully to go to her passion, as though she had benbyd and desired to a great feast, and other glorious martyrs to joy in their tribulations, and to love their enemies which pursued them, by the which they were stirred to desire most hastily heavenly joy and bliss which they loved here in earth. nevertheless though charity be so fervent, that it maketh a soul to desire departing out of this world, yet the same charity is so kindled with the love of go that it styryth us to abide here after his will though it be painful to us, in asmuch we may not here have copyouse plenty in use of that blessed well of life jesus christ, yet by his blessed grace in the mean time of all our desirous abiding here after his will, he nourisheth us & comforteth us with in great comforts, as it were by the iii heavenly drops of ghostly graces. One is, by inwardly recreation of the blessed sacrament of the aultre, when we receive the blessed body, which is to all devout folk a singular comfort for relieving of the tedious desire of this wretched exile, for therein they receive verily and handsomely him, whom they best love, our lord jesus Chryst. Another is by multyplyeng of ghostly fruit, that is in seeking the increase of other for to multiply the number of saved souls to the worship of god. By such ghostly multyplying, they suffer more easily the evils of this present exile. The third is for the presence of god's children with whom they be in a manner comforted of the bliss of heaven here in earth, for as much as they see such increase in charity & love of virtue, though such a soul by fervent charity mourn for the bliss of heaven in desire for to be loosed out of this wretched exile and be with her spouse jesus, yet some gladness she hath for to abide, namely for the sweetness that she findeth in receiving here of our lords blessed body. In the turning of sinners to virtue, and in the profit and increase of livers and so this exile is the more tolerable, in that it is more fruitful. For albe it that such a mourning soul in charity come late to her spouse jesus, yet she hopith to come & bring many with her. Thus by such charity was saint Paul coarted for to abide in this wretched world between desire of losing for to be with god, and profitable increase of his subjects. Of such profitable increase he comforted himself between whiles against his tedious delay from the kingdom of heaven, saying thus. Philip i Coartor enim eduobus desiderium habens dissolui, et esse cum christo multo melius permanere in carne necessarium est propter vos. That is. I am coarted & anguysshed in myself of two things. One is, I desire to be unlosed out of my deadly body and be with christ, & that were right passing good to me. An other is. I wot well it is right necessary to abide in my bodily life only for you, of these two I know not which I may rather choose. Lo sister what sweet fruit charity is. Thus fruit of charity should ever be in thy heart, and in thy will, not only in thy deeds, but also in thy soul. Many speaketh charitably and doth charitably, but yet they love neither god nor be in charity, as hypocrites which suffren great penance and seem holy to the sight outward, but by cause thy seek outward worship and praising, & favour, they have lost their meed, when a man giveth him to penance and to poverty, and doth great alms deeds, it is a token he is in charity, yet he is never the more in charity for that alone, without more. But when he forsaketh the world only for god's love, & setteth all his thought to good, and is in charity with all folk, and all good deeds that he may do, he doth them in that intent for to please our lord jesus, and to come to the bliss of heaven, than he is in very charity, and that charity is in the soul, for so his deeds showeth outward. If thou therefore sister speak good, & do good, folk that heareth the so speak & do, ween the thou art in charity, for they ween thy words and thy deeds accordeth with thy soul in god, else thou art a deceiver of the people and dampnest thy soul. Lo sister thus charity is in will verily, not in work only, for in work only it is a token of charity, but he that saith that he is in charity, and will not do in deed that in him is for to show love, truly he is not in charity as saint Iohn saith. For charity is never idle, it is evermore working some good. And if it cease of working know right well it wasteth a way, what is very working of love and charity? Truly very love and charity, is to love god with all thy strength mightily, with all thy heart wisely, with all thy soul devoutly & sweetly, wilt thou be in love & charity mightily. Than must thou be meek, for all ghostly strength cometh of mekeneesse. Our lord saith. Esa. lxvi. Super quem requiescet spiritus meus nisi super humilem. On whom shall the holy ghost rest saith our lord, but in the make soul. meekness keepeth us & governeth us in all our temptations, so that they may not overcome us. But many be overthrown by the fiend in their meekness by tribulations, reproves, & bacbytynges. if thou be wroth and lose thy charity for any anguishes of this casual world, or for any word that men say to thee, thou art not yet very meek, ne in mighty charity, for if thou be in perfect charity, it shall not grieve the what shame or anguish that thou suffer, but thou shalt have delight and joy in such reproves and shames, and glad for to suffer all manner reproves for the love of jesus, and far as a dead body, which answereth not, what so ever the people sayeth or doth to him. Right so, if thou be in perfect charity, thou wilt not be sterid for no word that may be said to the. Truly sister it is a very token that thou canst not love 〈◊〉 be in very charity if thou may not suffer pain or anger for thy friends love jesus. For it is written thus. Charitas penam non habet. Very ●harite hath no pain of all such outward things. All unmeke people in religion be not in mighty charity, for they be so feeble & weak that they fall at every stering of the wind of temptation. And why is that? Truly for they will have their will done, and not their sovereign's' will, which is god's will. Therefore sister be very meek, that thou may be in mighty charity, and do not thy will in this world. that thou may have it more plenteously in the other world, and so thou shalt overcome thine enemy the fiend. Thou must also have charity and love god wisely with all thy heart, and that thou mayst not do, but if thou be wise. when art thou wise? Truly when thou art poor without covetise, and despisest thyself for the love of jesus, & despendyst all thy wits and thy will in his service. They that seem most wisest in this world, be most fools which done spend in covetousness & in business all their wisdom, and forsake that thou haste taken poverty/ penance/ and ghostly travail. For thy poverty thou shalt have riches without end. For thy penance and sorrow for thy sins, and that thou art so long in this exile from thy country heaven bliss, thou shalt have the endless joy of heaven. And for thy travail of religion for waking/ fasting/ prayers/ meditations/ hunger/ thrust/ heat and cold/ misease and anguish that thou sufferest for the love of jesus, thou shalt come to rest which lasteth endlessly. Thus mayst thou see that if thou be wisely in love and charity, thou must love lasting thing lastingly, passing thing passingly/ so that thy heart be set and fastened in nothing but in god, or for god charitably. Thou must also not only be in love and charity mightily and wisely, but also sweetly & devoutly. Sweet love & charity is when thy body is chaste, & thy thought clean. Of the which chastity by the grace of god I purpose to write in the last end of this treatise, as for the xii fruit of every ghostly soul. For as I begin with the sweet fruit of charity, so shall I end with the sweet fruit of chastity. ❧ Devout love and charity is when thou offerest thy prayers and thoughts to god with ghostly joys in the holy ghost. Of this ghostly joy I purpose for to write in the next ghostly fruit of every ghostly soul. Now wilt thou know when thou art in love and charity. Truly sister there is none in earth that knoweth when he is in charity, but such that be inspired or have any special grace which god hath given to him for to know it by, of the which all other may take example. All blessed livers trust and hope that they be in charity/ and in that do as well as they may for to increase in virtue, & trust verily that they should be saved/ they know it not anon. For if they knew it their merit were the less/ so that it is kept uncertain unto another world with hope. Nevertheless certain tokens there be, by the which thou mayst know if thou be in charity. ☞ first is when all covetise of earthly things is quenched in the. For where that covetise is, there is no charity nor love of god. the love of that one putteth out the other. The second token is heartily desiring in all times eating and drinking, waking and sleeping of heaven bliss. If thou be set in love and charity sister, that thou canst find no joy in this life, it is a token that thou art in charity. And the more thou savourest of heaven the more thou desirest it. The third token is changing of thy tongue. For if thy tongue be changed which was wont (peradventure) to speak of earthly things, now speaketh of god and of heavenly things, it is a token that thou art in charity. The fourth token is exercise of ghostly profit/ as it is to be given entirely to god's service and intermyt nothing of no earthly business, but it be under obedience. And yet than ever cast up thine heart to heaven in all such business. The fifth is when all hard things seem light to thee/ and that maketh charity. The sixth is, when thou sufferest all anguysshes and hurts meekly. For if thou be in very charity thou hatest nothing but sin. thou lovest nothing but god, or for god. & thou dreadest nothing but to displease god. The vii is when thou hast joy of all tribulations/ and praisest god in every anguish that thou sufferest. This showeth well the thou art in charity. ¶ Many there be sister that can love god, and be in charity when they be in rest and ease, but in adversity they do grudge, and be sorrowful. and be thrown down so low that uneaths any man may comfort them, & so slander they god in grudging against his domes. That is a great wretchedness, that any adversity should make him for to grudge against god's will. But that is a blessed charity that no violence of sorrow may put away. Good sister love well charity and these tokens of charity. Sister thou art called to religion for to be a lover of charity. Four manner kinds of lovers of charity be there in religion. The first is a beginning lover, the second is a growing lover, the third is a perfect lover, & the fourth is a most perfect lover. The first love is new borne, the second love is nourished in growing, the third love is mighty & well strengthened, and the fourth is lowly abiding his departing out of this wretched world. Of these four degrees of charity our lord speaketh in holy scripture, where as he maketh a similitude of corn sown in the ground. First he sayeth, corn appeareth green and tender as an herb. Afterward it appeareth as an ear. After that it appeareth as full corn in the ear, and than it abydyth nothing else but harvest, for to be led into the barn. If thou be yet but tender in love & charity, so that oft times thou findest thyself frail to fall out thereof lightly by the least blast of temptation or stirring of other, thou art yet but an herb which needeth moche keeping that it be not destroyed by beasts, that is by beastly living, more after the body then after that soul, and so with sad ghostly living it will grow man ear of mightier strength that thou may suffer to be wedin by sharp rebuking & reproves, if it need. After such virtuous patience in weeding of thy corn of charity it will grow perfectly into full corn & ripe in the ear, nothing fearing ne dreading than of any disease, of any anguish, of any adversity how so ever the wind blow, but only dreading for to displease god, desiring every hour the time of harvest, which is the departing of the body by the threshing of that flail of death, that it may become charitable corn and clear without chaff, and brought within the garner of bliss there to be herboured without end. This garner desired the chartable corn saint Paul when he said. Cupio dissolui et essecum xp̄o. Phi i I desire he said to be unlosed out of my wretch edbody and be with my love Chryst jesus. ❧ Lo sister he that hath such most perfit charity, he loatheth all worldly delights. He setteth no more store by all temporal goods than he doth by foul stinking filth, but he is glad to suffer for the lóue of jesus all manner tribulations, and desireth to be endlessly with Chryst. Such charity is strong as death as Solomon saith. Cant viii Fortis est ut mors dilectio. For right as death doth to the body, so doth love to the soul. Death departeth a man fro bodily lusts, and fro worldly bitterness. It maketh him neither feel cryenges nor weepings, nor beatings. Right so doth the love to the soul. It departeth the soul fro the liking of all earthly things, & maketh it heavenly. And what ever it heareth in earth of worldsly noises it is so ravished in love that it heareth nor feeleth it not. Now is such charity (sister) an wholesome fruit for to use, & namely for religious folk/ for it hath four virtues. One is, who so eateth thereof it healeth his ghostly infirmity. For he that is in charity he is disposed to all godliness. Every thing savoureth to such one as it ought for to savour, earthly thing vile, & ghostly thing fair/ worshypes/ riches/ and worldly power and such other that seem worthy & precious in the sight of worldly people, seem in the sight of ghostly souls right foul. And if religious people which should be ghostly, set moche by such dignities, they have a great ghostly sickness, for they lack charity, which should hide & put away all filthiness. Also such charity putteth away & hideth our offences to god. Of the which hiding speaketh Solomon. Prouer. ten Universa delicta operit caritas. All trespasses and all offences charity putteth away, as it had never been he saith. For as saint bernard sayeth. when our lord forgiveth our sins he forgiveth them fully and mercifully, not dampuing by vengeance/ not shaming us by reproves/ nor less loving us by upbraiding. And if our lord never upbraid us of our sins that we have done. it is as it never had be in his sight. Lo sister how this fruit of charity hideth both our inward ghostly sins & our outward bodily sins, as they had never been. The second virtue of this fruit of charity is, that it maketh man wise as Solomon saith. Eccl. i. Dilectio dei honorabilis sapientia. The love of god (he saith) is a worshipful wisdom. Thou art not very wise but if thou cherish dearly all ghostly good things. For right as he were no wise merchant the would give gold for filth, & put it in his chest as gold. right so is he unwise that loveth better temporal goods that be but as filth, than ghostly goods. Keep well this fruit of charity sister, & it shall teach the to set little by all worldly things. The third virtue of this fruit of charity is, that it maketh a man rich. For charity is so precious that it is likened in holy write to pure proved gold in the fire, as I find written in the apocalypse. Apoc iii Suadeo tibi emere a me aurum ignitum et ꝓbatum ut locuples fias. I council the sayeth our lord for to buy of me pure gold and well tried that thou mayst be made rich. that is all that ever thou dost do it for the love of pure charity & thou shalt be rich, that is, thou shalt have part of all the good deeds of holy church, and at the last be rich with heaven bliss. The fourth virtue is that it maketh a man liking & pleasant to god. For when a soul loveth our lord, our blessed lord will love him again, which passeth all other love. As our lord saith by Solomon. Proverb viii Ego diligentes me diligo. I love them the love me he saith. And in another place our lord saith thus. Io xiiii Qui diligit me diligetur a patre meo et manifestabo meipsum. He that loveth me (he saith) shall be loved of my father, & I shall love him, & make me all open to him in showing me to him as a loving father. Thus sister charity is pleasant and liking to god. I pray the keep well this fruit, & oft eat thereof both late and early, full and fasting. For it is as good after meat as a fore meat. in the night as in the day. & part with thy sisters, but eat it never cold. roast it well & make it right hot in the fire of Christ'S love which sent among his dystyples brenning tongues of charity, that both they & all his followers in earth should speak brennyngly of love and charity each to other, and so to live ever in love, our blessed lord grant us all for his blessed charity. Amen.   

¶ The second fruit of the tree of ghostly living is joy. Ca ij.  
THe second fruit of the holy ghost in holy livers is called joy. Truly joy in the holy ghost, that is ghostly joy/ not earthly joy, but for to joy in god & in hope of endless goods/ and in the great benefits of our lord. All such joy is for to be glad and joyful of the increase of virtue of other, & for to thank god for them/ and for to loath all vanities, and for to be quick and merry ghostly in divine service. This is that fruit of joy which I would thou eat of, when worldly wretched gladness is about to change thy soul in to dissolution and banyte. That is when it would make the to joy in affluence of temporal goods/ of laughing and scorning of idle tales and dyshovest plays. And also would make unsavoury to the all that longeth to godward/ as is to be dull in divine service, in business of devotion & virtue, and such other. All this is no ghostly joy but worldly joys. It is no very joy, but vain joy. Ghostly joy is very joy, though it be no full joy. This joy may none have. but such that be in charity, & eat thereof sweetly, as I said before in the first fruit of charity. Very charity asketh very joy. Of this joy speaketh Solomon thus. Eccl. xxx Non est oblectamentum super cordis gaudium. That is, there is no joy to the joy of the heart. In three things joy of heart that is ghostly joy passeth all carnal joys. first is that it is continual. An earthly man though he sit at a delicate bodily feast, yet at the last he shall iothe it, be the feast never so delicate. But a sure joyful soul set in virtue, is ever as it were at a continual feast without loathing. The second is, that ghostly joy is more pure than earthly or carnal joy. Aglotonous man findeth many bitternesses annexed to his joy. One is affliction and torment within himself of long delay from his delicates that he desireth. Another is default that he findeth in them when that they be set afore him/ which is not made to his liking. And if that they be made to his liking, than he receiveth them so lustyly joy/ the more it is had, the gladder is the haver. Never weary, nor seek of thou use thereof. The third is, that carnal joy is of vile things, & not lasting. But joy of heart is of very good things everlasting. Many things I find that causeth a man to be glad in heart and also in godstly joy. One is perfit purity and cleanness of conscience. A very gentle soul resteth moche rather in the bed of a clean conscience, than of an unclean conscience. For kindly the the pure and clean soul abhorreth, and hath abomination of uncleanness/ and hath right great joy of cleanness. As oft as the soul is sick, so often it is unclean. sickness of the soul is uncleanness. when thou soul is hole, that is when it is in cleanness/ than it is in rest and joy, as Solomon sayeth in his proverbs. Prouerbiorum xvi Dulcedo anime samtas ossium. That is. The sweetness of the soul (he saith) that is the cleanness of the soul is health of the bones. By these bones be understand gifts of graces of the holy ghost, which be mighty and strong as bones, and keepeth the soul in strength and vigour. It is not so with worldly lovers which have earthly joy. For their joy is not lasting, in as much as they lack cleanness of their conscience. The second is the discharging of the burden of everlasting death. which all wretched sinners be charged with. As the holy prophet david said. Ps. xxxvii ❧ Iniquitates mee supergresse sunt capud meum, sicut onus grave gravate sunt super me. The wickedness (he saith) of sinners have overpassed their heed, for as a grievous burden they be passing grievous above him. Of this all clean souls be discharged, for asmuch as they have cleansed their conscience by oft contrition, so that they feel an hearty joy in god. The third is freedom of soul, for they be not bound in the bonds of the fiend. Who that hath the holy ghost hath freedom as saint▪ Paul saith it. Cor iii Ubi spiritus duni ibi libertas. Where the holy ghost is there is freedom out of the devils danger, which causeth in a clean soul great gladness. This freedom hath not wretched sinners, for they be so bound in the devils bonds that they may not do as they should do, after the higher part of reason. Of this bond speaketh Solomon & saith. ꝓuer .v. Iniquitates sue capiunt ipium, et funibus peccatorum suorum unusquisque constringitur. ❧ with wickedness a sinner is taken, and so with the bonds of sins every sinner is bound. Our sins be the bonds wherewith we be bound. let us break these bonds, and than may we have freedom of spirit and be in great gladness. The fourth is rest of torments from all evil affections, by the which all wretched sinners be oft times tormented in heart/ that is with richesses, with delights, and with worship. And so they be tormented with such things that they perish and spill withal. They be also tormented sometime with dread, as it showeth well in a covetous man. For though there be peace enough, yet he supposeth ever that he shall be deceived by thieves. Sometime also they be tormented with wrath & such other passions. All these evil affections & wretched passions cease in them that live well, and therefore they feel right great rest and great joy in heart. The fifth is rest from the worm of conscience. A sinner as long as he is in sin, so long he is pricked of the worm of conscience, that he hath no rest. And this is the first vengeance that our lord taketh of a sinner, for he will not suffer shame of sin be in man's heart, which should be his divelling place without shame of vengeance, as saint Austyn sayeth. Inclene souls it is not so, for when sin is put out by contrition and confession, than ceaseth their worm of conscience, that is the freating and the remorse of conscience, and so they be in good rest. For like as a man hath better rest in a sweet bed full of fluores, than in a sharp or hard bed full of thorns. So such a joyful soul resteth more sweetly in such a vedde of cleanness than in a bed of sin. Of this sweet bed of flowers speaketh Solomon in the book of love in the person of all merry souls in cleanness. Canr i Lectus noster floridus. Our bed (he saith) of our conscience smelleth sweet with flowers of virtue wherein we rest without torments of remorse. The vi is the presence of our lords grace which lighteneth a clean soul by knowledge, and sprynkleth it with the dew of grace, of the which the soul is in great gladness & joy. It is not so with sinners, for they be in darkness of sin. what joy may such have in their conscience, which live in such darkness of sin, and may not see for darkness of sin the light of heaven? This light I call the joy of heaven as david saith. Ps. lrxxviii. One in lumme vultus tui ambula●imus. Lord (he saith) we shall walk, that is we shall iyve in the joy of thee, which is the light of thy blessed face. Also all clean souls have gre●● cause of joy. For all the virtues that they have ●●meth from the well of heavenly sweetness, & ●e sprinkled in their hearts, which causeth h● to be glad. ¶ Saint Austyu sayeth, where he speaketh of the ravishing of saint Paul in to heaven, that in that blessed kingdom of heaven where blessed living is fully soped up in his ●wue well, from thence some drops of virtue & of grace be sprinkled down on earth to mankyno●, that in the temptations of this wretched world they may live more temperately, more mightily, more rightwisely, and more prudently & wisely. And how that virtue in soul causeth a man to be glad showeth well saint bernard saying thus. Every virtue naturally is good/ there is no vicekyndly, nor natural. therefore virtue sith it is natural and kindly when it cometh in to the soul, though he come not always without labour, yet when he cometh, he cometh as in to his own natural place, where he sitteth full truly, & accordeth well with the soul, as with his own nature and kind. Lo how grace and virtue (sister) gladdeth the soul, which gladness all sinners lack. The vii is the witness of the holy ghost which is win a clean soul, that maketh it so glad. Of the which gladness saint Paul saith thus. Ro viii Spiritus sanctus testumonium reddit spūm nostro quod sumus fili● dei. The holy ghost (he saith) beareth witness to all clean souls, that they be the joyful children of god. This wynesse is that gladsome oil which the wise maidens took in their vessels as our lord saith. And it is also the joy the saint Paul speaketh of, where he saith thus it. cor .1. Gloria nostra he est testunonium conscientiente. Our joy he saith is the witness of our conscience. This joy bridgeth forth in a clean soul true compunction, sweet devotion, wholesome labom of penance, works of pity, business of prayer, very obedience, fullness of love, and high contemplation in god. The viii is good ●●pa●y. All gladsome souls have god in their ●elawshyp, and all good folk which been full wt●●d. For among such a company resteth the ho●● ghost giving to such true confelawes & ho●● for to dwell together in peace & duyte. O how 〈◊〉 such a company right gladsome to dwell a●●●●nge? as ●auyd saith. Ps. C xxxii Ecce 〈…〉 & qu● to●●●dum habitare fres in 〈◊〉 Lo (he saith) how good & how merry it 〈◊〉 todwell all together in love and ●hye of the 〈◊〉 ghost. The ix is gladness of good works. 〈◊〉 they that live in holy works & deeds, 〈…〉 be greatly reward▪ do● god, as david 〈…〉. ●●●custodied is ●●●●s retributio 〈◊〉. A great reward shallbe in at that keep wor●●● good works, not only ●●che at the last, 〈◊〉 also here in th●●●ys● for their keeping they 〈◊〉 frave great joy in soul, as doctors say●●● that is so great ●●ye that it may not be said. 〈◊〉 ●eiter be felt than spoken. for all good wer●●●● be kindly the children of the soul. And eight 〈◊〉 a good wise hath joy in the bringing forth 〈◊〉 well shapen child, and great dread and confusion if she brought forth rather a serpent or a 〈◊〉 wor●ne than a child. Right so a soul's is glad when she bringeth forth good works, as fruit which is best according to the soul. and should be sorry if that she bring forth in stead of good works the bad fruyete of evil works, for that is against kind of the soul. Look how sorry a wife should be if she brought forth rather a foul serpent than a child/ so should we be of sin. The ten is sickerness of the soul. clean souls be so syker that of outward pains they be not hang afterde, for they wot well they should do them no harm, but purge them and make them clean. All their business is for to keep them from inward evils, that is frosynnes. And therefore they feel great gladness within, in the soul. The xi is, that our lord spareth a clean soul from many great laborious & perilous works, as saint Gregory sayeth. ¶ Our merciful lord hideth his true lovers (which he loveth tenderly) from all laborious & perilous works, whom rather he calleth his servants than his children. Them he spareth for tenderness, and will not that such be occupied in such outward occupations, but keepeth them without vexation and in fairness. There he will the his servants be not put to out ward labour, & foul their fere only in the dust of out ward business. Lo sister all such that be not disposed to gladness of soul with sweetness of our lord in contemplation, he will that such be put to outward business. And yet he of his great mercy keepeth them from filthiness ●aut of the fere, that is of the affections, which way not escape some manner of dust, which our lord himself will wash away with his own hands as he died to saint Peter and all his dy●●yples when he said. Io xiii Qui let us est ●on indiget 〈◊〉 ●t p●des lavet. He that is cle●● (saythour lord nedeth not to be purged but 〈◊〉 of his affections which I myself will ●hasshe away for their great meekness that they 〈◊〉 ●●●ynystryng to my swear lovers whi●● 〈…〉 joy of me. The xii is that the hearts 〈◊〉 souls be life by from earthly things. 〈◊〉 may 〈◊〉 such a soul to the firmament. 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 clear for there in such clearness 〈…〉 all such souls build their ne●●● 〈◊〉 all earthly things by holy medyta●●●. The xiii is that all clean souls been often●● 〈…〉, either in reading or in hearing 〈◊〉 good 〈◊〉 of wisdom, or else in swet●●●yers, or in such other ghostly exercises. Such can not live blissedly and joyfully with out such holy contemplation', for they have neither but ●rnesse nor heaviness, but joy and ●●adnesse. Solomon saith. Ecclesia xxiii Ni●●●●● dul●r●●s quam inspicere in mandatis dei. There is nothing so sweet (he saith) as it is to behold in the wisdom of our lord, and in his commandments. Therefore it was that Moses when he had talked with our lord and received his commandments, that he neither died eat nor drink afterward for joy of that holy presence forty days and xl nights. It was a great feast to him, him thought, for many days the conform of our lords presence and his speech. ☞ O sister there be many far fro such joyful sweetness, that be loath to here our lord speak to them. Anon they wax dull in soul, & have no savour of his speech. when speaketh our lord to us: Truly when we read such things that be wholesome to the soul. Ex here other say to us by preaching or exhortacy o●. I pray the be none of tho. The xiiii is, that all such clean souls govern discreetly their bodies from excess of misrule in eating and drinking and steping. They have not such hodyly diseases as have misruled folkem excess, nor they die not so soon as other, but live longer to god's worship, out take such that our lord withdraweth out of this world by his privy domes. The xv is, the greatness of divine love that such clean souls do feel in within themselves. Love is a very easy yoke and what some ever thing is drawn with such an easy yoke is made very easy and soft. Saint Bernard saith. ¶ O thou yoke of holy love how graciously drawest thou to the such as thou wilt draw to the. All hard things & great things love maketh light, & uneath of any charge The xvi is, that all such gladsome ●lene souls make their wills ever to accord to the will of god. For right as the will of god is fulfilled in them, so the will of them is fulfyl●ed in other as though god bade it. The xvii is that such joyful and clean souls have joy up 〈◊〉 joy. that is, they have double joy here in earth. ●●ere is, they have joy in Chryst & all his werwas. Another is, they have joy of his body, that is 〈◊〉 saints that be in heaven, and of holy livers ●●●erthe. The greatness of this joy upon joy ●ay be fully considered in such that have gr●●●●●●arite win them, & great ghostly gladness. 〈◊〉 right as a mother hath great joy of her 〈◊〉 when he is made a bishop, or singeth his 〈◊〉 mass, or hath any great dignity, which 〈◊〉 reckoneth for her own worship/ so all such ●●●full souls thinks that it is their worship ●hat saints be worshipped in heaven, and also 〈◊〉 christian men increase in virtue here in earth. which may also be understand by all the limbs of a man's body. if one part of his body is well 〈◊〉 case, it is joyful and glad of the ease of every other limb, so clean and joyful souls in god have joy of each other, both of good that be in earth, and also of all holy that be in heaven. The xviii. is that causeth a clean soul to be in joy, is the long use of them that have long continued in goodness. Lo sister the long continuance of good living bringeth in gladness of soul. The xix is hope of meed for our long abiding in good living. As saint Paul sayeth. Ro. xii. Spe gaudentes. They that hope of endless reward, such souls wax joyful. The twenty is joy of contemplation that such clean & joyful souls feel sometime, with the which contemplation a soul is much illumined and lightened Such a soul saith in his joyful contemplation rivers flowing both honey and butter. As sayeth job twenty Vidit riunios stu●●eris torrentis inellis et butirs. Saint Gregory sayeth upon the same text, that these rivers be called of the holy ghost, and they be running rivers, for they be right plenteously gathered together in a contemplative soul, which blessed spirit, with all his holy gifts fyllyth a contemplative soul both with the sweet honey of the godhead, and also with the sweet butter of passion that was thrusted out upon the cherne of the cross. Right as honey is gathered of flowers and of the air and butter of the body, so contemplation is gotten of the godhead of our lord, & of sweet heavily things, & of the bitter pains of our lords body. And so by the gentle be of cleanness that honey of contemplation is brought to the hive of the soul. And by tender compunction the buc●er of Christ'S passion is brought in to the cher●e of the heart, for to souple it, and make it soft against all manner anguishes. Oh, well were 〈◊〉 soul at ease that might joyfully souke of this ●hony, & eat of this sweet butter. Such a con●eplatyue soul should then feel great rest/ great ●●●ernesse/ great delight/ great joy/ great love & ●●uour in jesus the lasteth ever, little having mind of joy of this life. Also such one though it ●ray little with the mouth, yet it is full with ●od, and seeth oft-times into heaven, & beholdeth there the sayrnesse of angels, and of holy sou●es. O sister now is this joyful contemplation 〈◊〉 wonderful joy of love, which joy canno tō●●● tell. And though that wonderful beholding 〈◊〉 all the soul, yet for abundance of joy & ●●●●enesse which ascendeth in to the mouth, ●●the body & soul joyeth in god. There is none that hath this grace of contemplation, but such that our lord first inspireth to forsake this world & alwordly vanities, & the covetise of the bile lust thereof. And than after that heledeth such a soul by herself alone, and speaketh him self to her heart, and there giveth her souke of his sweetness of love, and than he stirreth her to holy prayers, meditation and tears. At last he maketh her gather her heart together, and set it in him. And than he openeth to the eye of the soul the gates of heaven, so that the eye may look in to heaven. And than the fire of love is verily in her heart, and brenneth therein, and maketh it clear from all earthly filth, and from all noyous thoughts. All such so set be called contemplative souls, & be ravished in the love of god. For contemplation is nothing else to mean but a sight, by the which a soul seeth in to heaven, as I said before. And yet perfit sight of heaven may not be had here in this life, for the cloud of the body that letteth our ghostly sight. But as soon as they die such are brought before god, and seeth him there face to face, & eye to eye/ and so dwell with him without end, whom they sought, desired, and loved, whiles they lived in earth. Oh. whither saint Augustyn felt not this joyful contemplation when he said thus? ❧ Lord jesus thou hast led me in to a wonderful and an uncustomable sweetness, which if it were fulfilled in me the I feel, than I can not tell what I might be, but it were endless bliss. Also I find of saint Bernard how he said when he felt contemplation. ❧ 〈…〉 (he sayeth) suddenly unwares haboun●●● in are so moche trust and ghostly gladness 〈◊〉 the when I self of thy dutyne sweetness that ●●●yst never what it might be, but it were 〈◊〉 self, O good jesus continue it mine, and v● 〈…〉 in thee, that I may of the last see y● 〈…〉 in bliss. Such contempla●●●● 〈…〉 jesus, become well Christ's 〈…〉 the love of jesus than brenneth 〈…〉 soul. There may no ma●●●● 〈…〉 be of vanity, where such occupations 〈…〉 of love and joyful charity Thus ●epe 〈…〉 and thou shalt thou fe●●●● 〈…〉 as Solomon saith. Proverb iii 〈…〉 saith 〈◊〉 contemplation, and that. 〈…〉 right sweet. The most 〈…〉 good folk is for to be in the sight of god● 〈…〉 him face to face which sight som●● 〈…〉 she 〈◊〉 to some clean soul's he● 〈…〉 their ver●●, to make them kno●●● 〈…〉 to what joy they shall come when 〈◊〉 be pa●●ed hens. Such a sight saw saint 〈◊〉 when he was ravished. Of this sight 〈◊〉 saint bernard and saith. ¶ who so 〈◊〉 be able so for to see jesus it is full necessary 〈◊〉 heart be clean. As it is written. Math .v. 〈…〉 undebunt, blessed be all they that have clean hearts, for they shall see god contemplation. ❧ O now is this (sister) a sweet fruit, for it hath four virtues. first is that the use of this sweet fruit of ghostly joy maketh a soul godly, lyvying by the life of grace, as Solomon saith. Eccl. xxx jocunditas cordis he est vita hominis et thesaurus sine defectione sactitatis. joy of heart (he saith) is the life of a soul, and the treasou● of holiness which shall never fail. The contrary doth unwholesome sorrow of heart, which sometime is the cause & occasion of ghostly death. Therefore who so will be long of life in grace● be joyful ghostly in heart, and put away vnhol● some sorrow. of the which speaketh Solomon in another place & saith. Eccl. thirty. Vristician● long repel ate, multos enim occidit tristicra● Put away (he saith) far fro the all unwholesome sorrows. For such sorrows sleeth oftentimes many ghostly souls, and bringeth them out of the life of grace in to a ghostly death/ & maketh them dry from the humour of grace, as Solomon saith. proverb xvii Spiritus tristis exsicat ossa. An unwholesome sorrow in the soul drieth the bones. That is the strengths of the soul fro the moisture of grace, so that such a soul so dried up fro grace oft times is all to broken by impatience. A tree that is dried will rather break than bow. The second virtue of ghostly gladness is, the maketh a soul to live well & felowly amongs other, as Solomon saith. proverb xu Cor gaudens exhilarat faciem. A joyful heart gladdeth the sight of other. uneath may a body be gladsome and astable to another, but if he have a joyful heart in god. The third virtue of ghostly gladness is, that maketh a soul for to despise all earthly things, as saint Austyn saith. who so hath an inward savour of the holy ghost, all earthly things is to him unsavoury. Of this despising of earthly things saith Solomon. Eccl. i. Vbi multa sapientia multa indignatio. That is. where as is moche savour and ghostly gladness, there is moche in dygnacyon & contempt of earthly things. The fourth virtue of ghostly gladness is, that it maketh a soul to have the victory of the fiend, as I read in the life of saint Anthony the he taught his disciple saint Paul the hermit, and said thus. There is one thing soon (he said) by the which thou mayst mightily overcome thy ghostly enemy. and that is ghostly gladness. when the fiend seeth much ghostly gladness in a soul, than he is sorry, for he woteth well god is there. Of this I find also a figure in holy write to prove that it is sooth. when the Phylysiees by whom be understand the multitude of fiends see the children of Israel make great joy amongs themselves. they said. Alas, alas, god is amon that host i l●x. iiii. Non enim fuit tanta exultacio ab heri enudius tercius. There was not so much joy yesterday and three days agone as it is now, they said. ☞ Lo sister, by this ye may know by witness of holy write, that the life of good folk is more merry than the life of evil folk. Eeate oft therefore I pray the of this sweet fruit of ghostly gladness, and part it with thy sisters, which be heavy in heart, and make them glad in god, that ye may all come to heaven bliss, where is joy without end. Amen. ❧   

¶ The third fruit of the tree of ghostly living is Peas. Ca iii.  
¶ The third fruit of the holy ghost.  
THe third fruit of the holy ghost in holy livers is called Peas. ¶ This is a precious fruit, in as much as I find that our lord jesus had oft this fruit in his mouth, and angels, & his disciples also. That our lord loved well this fruit I find well, for he had it in his mouth when he said oft to his disciples thus. joh. xx. Pax vobis. that is. peas be among you. And this he said to the more than ones, because 〈◊〉 he would they should oft receive this fruit. And ●n another place also I find thus that he said to the. ioh. xiiii. Pacen relinquo vobis, pacem meam do vobis. Peas (he saith) I leave with you, & ●equeathe you. And peace at the last I shall give you, yfye keep well the peace that I have b●quearhed you. It seemeth also the it is a precious fruit/ for angels had it in their mouths at our lords birth, when they said & sung. Luc. 〈◊〉. In terra pax homnibus bone voluntatis. 〈◊〉 It seemeth well also the it is a precious fruit for he would that his disciples had it oft in 〈◊〉 mouths, when he bade them say in the en●●●●● of every house the they entered in to. Math x 〈…〉. Peas be ever in this house. 〈…〉 precious a fruit is this? which fruit 〈◊〉 sinned figured in holy write, long before 〈◊〉 lords incarnation, of the culver which was ●●nt out of noah's ship, and brought home in her mouth a branch of an olive tree. By the olive is understand Peas, and by the culver the holy ghost. which betokeneth that all ghostly folk in whom the holy ghost dwelleth, should ever bear peace, both in their breast & in their mouth, and stir other to peace, as saint Martin oyde, whose mouth was ever in speaking either of Chryst/ or mercy/ or peas, and so made peace among other. Also it seemeth well that peace is a precious fruit in that, that our lord bought the fruit with his dear precious blood/ so that he made peas thereby throughout all the world. ¶ Also it is well proved that it is a precious fruit, for all martyrs took their death to bring peace among us. Therefore sorry may all they be that refuse so precious a fruit, which our lord & his angels, all his apostles, all his disciples, and all his martyrs & saints set so much thereby. This precious fruit our lord jesus hath left to his spouse holy church, that all her children may take enough thereof if they will. ☞ But now to know verily peace, thou shalt understand that there is two manner of peace of good folk. One is peace of hearts here in this life, and peas everlasting in another life. By the first peace we may come to the second peace Therefore true it is the our lord saith. Math .v. Beati pacifici qm filii dei vocabunt. blessed be they that be peaceable, for they be called gods children. All such be called peaceable that be lovers of peace/ which always busy them to reform peas & keep peas, first in himself/ and seconds ryly in other. Peas in himself is for to make the flesh subject to the spirit, and for to make the stirrings of the soul subject to the over part of reason. Be therefore sister first a maker of peace with in thyself, making thy body subject to thy soul, and than a maker of peace of other. For thou canst not be a very maker of peace of other but if thou be first in peace within thyself. This first peace lieth in repressing of all carnal lusts & desires, and that the law of the flesh repugn not the law of the soul, but that the body serve the soul under tribute, that is for to serve the soul as a servant serveth the body, and else there shall no peace be. The body is as a servant to whom it longeth for to serve, the sou●e is as a lady to whom it longeth for to have the sovereignty. when the servant taketh away from the lady her heritage, than is there a great earthquake, as Solomon saith. proverb xxx unum est per quod terra movetur, quando an cilla heres fuerit domine sue. ❧ There is one great thing he saith, which causeth the earthquake, and that is when the servant is heir of the lady. The body which is the servant, is than the ladies neyre, when he by fleshly living hereth away the heritage of the soul, & so myspendeth it, by the which the soul that is lady is deprived from spiritual and endless delights. And this causeth an earthquake, that is, the earth which is thy flesh may not suffer virtues to grow in the soul, but overturneth all the edifying and building of virtue up and down. Alas that such a wretched servant should overcome such a gentle lady of our lords kin. if there should be very peas between them two, needs the servant must come and low herself to her lady. That is, she must be compelled to obey to the soul, and to all the profits the long to the soul for to be diligent. who so can make the flesh to low he shall have peace enough in himself, & be able to make peace amongs other Though thou feel sometime styringes of thy flesh to sin, (if reason follow not) dame it not consent, but only a feeling, which is called but a tourneyment between the soul and the body, Trowest thou that therefore, that thou hast lost peace. Nay sister, as long as thou never consentest for to be overcome. There is no manner of thing foreboden the in all such tourney mentes between the soul and the body, but only consent in the feeling of any such temptations. Plain not and say that thou hast lost peas, because that thou dost feel great temptations of thy flesh. For as long as thou consentest not to such temptations thy peace is not broken. The second peace that I died make mention of is peace of heart. and that is when all the stirrings and moveinges of the soul be made subject and obedient unto the over part of reason. This peace is all inward, and it cometh of affection & of a right intent. if thine affection be clean & thine intent be right for to profit in virtue, anon without any delay our lord will deliver the from all unquietness of heart, & make thy conscience a peaceable dwelling place of right wiseness. This peace of conscience, which is called peas of heart, is nothing else but a manner of earnest, and a taste of that joy & peace which is everlasting in heaven. And the we shall have at the last, if we keep very peas and rest. Also they that have rested them here from wicked works, there shall they rest from endless tribulation. Of these both peases that is of conscience & of joy our blessed lord made his testament. The first peace which is called peas of heart, he bequeathed here to his disciples when he said. Io. xiiii. Pacem, relinquo vobis. My peace I bequeatheth to you. The second peace which is peace of endless bliss he bequeathed to such that keep the first peace, when he said. joh. xiiii. Pacem meam do vobis. My peace endlessly I give to you. The first is not now in this earth to virtuous folk full, stable, namely for troubles and unquietness, which many virtuous folk feel sometime among. And no wonder, for all such peace is but the relief and alms of heavenly peace, which is given to the poor in spirit sitting at the gates of jerusalem, abiding there some peas sent from our lords table. The alms that cometh fro a lords table is not always able to be eaten. For sometime among in such alms be found bones bare from flesh and other fragments, which be not able for to be eaten. So such peace that is granted of our lord to clean hearts here in earth is sometime full barren from rest & quietness, as is a bone fro flesh. And yet all such manner unquietness cometh from our lords table of heaven, for to prove a soul. ☞ Lo sister, blessed be all such that be thus peaceable, which both make peas between the soul & body, and also keep peace in heart. For they be made our lords chambrelayns, in as much as they make ready for him, (in their own hearts & souls) a resting place as david saith. Ps. lxxv. In pace factus est locus eius. His place (he sayeth) is made in peace, when the ever therefore the this lord of peace cometh & bringeth with him his sweet peace. or gooth away & withdraweth his peace, leaving the in trouble as the seemeth, change never thy heart fro him, lest he pass for ever away fro the. But peasibi bide in prayer his coming again, and so thou shalt keep rest of heart. wilt thou keep well peace? than conformethy will to gods will, and so shalt thou keep peace. For so said the angels in Christ's birth. Pax hominibus bone voluntatis. Peas they said be to all people of good will. If thy will with stand our lords will, thou shalt find no rest, for he will at the last have his will done. will thou, nyl thou, wilt thou also keep well thy peace, than withdraw thy heart from all earthly loves, For thou shalt never have peace, if thou set thy heart in seeking of such things. Saint Gregory sayeth. ❧ What is more laborious, than to set our heart sore on worldly things. And what is more restful than nothing for to desire of worldly things, but only our bare necessaris. Thou mayst also keep this peace, if thou keep diligently thy .v. wits, for when the gates were shut & the disciples with in, our lord sent in peace amongs them, & said joh. xx. Pax vobis. what is it else for to close thy gates, but to refrain all thy .v. wits from unleeful desires which driveth away peace. Thus sister keep peace within thyself & than shalt thou be a good maker of peace among other, and yet will they never heartily be reconciled to such that are them forgiveness, what be such scorners of peace, and not lovers of peace, for they be no verilovers of peace. but if they be as ready to seek peace of those that have trespassed to them, as such that have trespassed to them, be glad to offer them peace. As David saith. Ps. xxxiii. Inquire pacem et persequerecam. That is for to say. Seek peace and sue to have it perfectly. There be also many which be ready for to receive peace of other that have trespassed to them, but not so ready for to offer it first to other to whom they have offended. It is more glorious in the sight of god for to seek peace before thou be called to peace, than when thou art called. For it is more courtesy to give a gift before it be axed, than to grant it when it is axed. All such that seek no peace, but refuse it when it is offered, they understand not the peace is the heritage of christian people. For if they understood verily that peace were the heritage of christian men. which Chryst died bequeatheth them in his testament they would never abide for to recover their heritage till they were prayed thereto, but they would sue thereafter with all manner of haste for to have it. Also all they be called peaceable that labour & do their business for to break strife and debate among other. For that was the office of our lord jesus, which laboured to his lives end, and shed his blood for christian peas, And in token the he laboured sore for our peace, after his resurrection he appeared to his disciples, and showed them his hands & his feet, and also his body all wounded, the they might understand thereby what costs & expenses he had done for to purchase peace for them. as though he had said to them thus. Set not little by peace, for it hath cost me my life. Now sister this is a dainty fruit, for uneath it may be found, it hath so many lettings for to grow. ☞ which been they that letteth peace of heart? Truly sister wrath/ hatred/ strife/ debate/ worldly business/ & outward noise. Therefore if thou wilt have very peas in heart, beware of all these. This fruit sister hath four great eertues and fair. One is, that all they that have peas be made gods children in earth. as our lord saith himself. Beati pacifi qm fili dei vocabuntur. blessed be they that be peasfull, for they shallbe called gods children. His children by following his steps. For the office of our lord was in earth to make peace, and so do all such. The second virtue of peace is this/ the it cleanseth the eye of the soul. For peace is of such cleanness that it cleanseth a soul so clearly that it may see god, as the holy apostle sayeth. Heb. xii. Pacem sequimini et sanctimoniam cum omni bus, sine qua nemo videbit deum. That is. Show peace and holiness with all folk. without which peace may no man see god. The third virtue of peace is that it maketh ready a place to our lord. There is no place so pleasant to our lord, as is the place of the heart when it is in rest. Do well thy diligence for to love well this fruit, and pray our lord to take part with the of his own fruit of peace. And than shalt thou have god at thy feast, as saint Paul saith ii co xiii Pacem habete et dominus pacis erit vobiscum. Have peace with you, and the lord of peace shall be with you. The fourth virtue of peace is that our lord giveth for our earthly peace here, peace everlasting without end. For they that have peas, & keep peas and love peas here they may be sure of endless peace, as the prophet Esay saith. Esa. xxxii. In pacis pulchritudine conqui esces. In fairness of peace all such shall rest. Here thou shouldest sleep in peace, and there thou shalt rest in peace, as david saith. Ps. iiii. In pace in idipsun, dormiam et requiescam. In peace (he saith) with myself I shall sleep & rest. That is. I shall so sleep here in rest and peace with in myself, which peace & rest is in me unchasigeable and unuaryable that I may at the last partytely rest in blessed peas without end. O how merry (sister) y● mayst be in keeping of peace. For very peace (where it is had) bringeth the soul into great clearness 〈◊〉 tranquillity. what is peace but tranquylite of soul, simpleness of ●erte, the bond of love, and the fellowship of charity? Such peace putteth away discord/ reoresseth wrath/ destroyeth pride/ and loverh meekness/ it seeketh god/ it loveth god/ it cannot hate/ it teacheth to love/ it cannot be proud. He that hath such peace keep it will. And he that hath lost it high him fast that he may win it again. ❧ Lo sister if thou be thus peacyable and in peace sue after such peace with cleanness. Thou mayst be meek and mild, and simple in heart, pure in thy words, innocent in thy will, according with god in thine affection, that thou may at last be with them in bliss that have fruition, & use of this fruit of peace without end.   

❧ AMEN ❧ ¶ The fourth fruit of the tree of ghostly living is patience. Ca iiii.  
¶ Of the fruit of patience.  
THe fourth fruit of the holy ghost in holy livers is called patience This fruit is a right necessary fruit, namely for us that be here in this wretched vale of misery, among so many passions of evil. patience is such a virtue that it ordaineth us to the fruition & use of endless peace. which patience is brought forth of charity and meekness. For charity & meekness be the father and mother of patience. When we suffer no manner heaviness nor disease, than be we not called patient, but peaceable. For patience is in suffering of all manner wrongs, and not to be troubled with no manner passions thereof. Some there be which be patient for need, and some for simulation. patience of need is when we would revenge us of our adversaries, and may not, nor dare not, dreading more harm. This Pa●●ence is nothing virtuous. ❀ The other patience which is called simulation or ppocrysy is when only for vainglory we show us patient in adversity, for to be praised therefore here in earth. this patience is also vicious and nothing virtuous. ¶ There is also an other feigned patience, of the which saint Eregory speaketh. that is when we feign patience in wrongs to the intent we may be revenged another time, when we have opportunity & leisure. This patience is also vicious and not virtuous. ❧ There be .v. kinds of virtuous patience the cometh in suffering of .v. wrongs, wherein very patience is proved. The first is, not for to be impatient, for hurting of thy body. The se●ond, not to be impatient, for losing or withdrawing, or for scrarcenesse of temporal goods. The third is, not for to be impatient for any offences or harms done to thy kin or any of thy friends. The fourth is, not for to be unpatient for losing of thy worship. The .v. is, not for to be unpatient for no trouble of tranquylite light of soul. This last containeth all the other iiii. within him, though it so be that sornty me it may be understand particularly by itself without other. As when peradventure we be troubled and unpatient for the rain, or such other distemperate wether, that letteth us from our b● dy disport, or earthly gladness. In all these patience is proved & known for pacyice. But when soever we be troubled for default of right wiseness, or for decay of the ghostly health of other. This trouble should not be called vnpacyence, but zeal of rightwiseness, and of virtue. but if i● be out of measure & undiscrete, than it is called impatience. So than by this it seemeth that every passion that is had to prove our patience, either it is of such things that we desire & love and is denied us and withdrawn from us, or else of such things that we hate and d● noyous to us, and yet be put to us, & also be threatened withal. In all such things it is a necessary virtue, namely for telygyous persons to be patient. For right as for these .v. causes it is & great virtue of patience not for to be troubled, right so for default of rightwiseness not for to be troubled, it is a vice of sloth & obstinacy. everich of us for ourself should be sorry for our de●●●●tes which we have done, namely of rightwiseness and than is this paceience called a virtue of penance. We should also be sorry for our defaults that we do, and than is such patience called a fe●●●ou● of increase in virtue. We should also be sorry for our sins that we may do, and than is such patience called a sleight of dread. Also we should be sorry with patience for the harms and loss of our even christian, but measurably for the josse of their temporal goods/ & much more for the loss of their spiritual goods/ & of such things as longeth to their health. To this last patient sorrow, be sovereigns most bound. For it they be patient in suffering of that vicious livings of their subjects, not correcting thing them after their power as they should, they shall have no meed for such patience, but rather they win thereby the wrath of god, as Hely the high pre●st had, for because he would not sharply chastise his children for their great defaults, with the which our low was displeased, therefore he self pain with the wrath of god. Thus than patience is a right necessary fruit, namely for rely gious persons. ❧ Lo sister, if thou wilt be very religious thou must be patient and suffer easily all sorrows & diseases Which patience must be strong that no temptation over come it. It must also be steadfast that neither dreads ●elabours make it no coward. It must also be of a mighty will, that thou he not afraid to do the most hard things that is commanded to thee, for the health of thy soul. It must also be a long abiding will, that the long delay of meed break not thy hope of desyte. It must also be mild, that thou be not chafed & stirred for no manner of hate of other for to give evil for evil, but rather good for evil. It must also be easy that thou caused or may in all such che wrongs be without hastiness of heart, supple & treatable. So to be patient thou shalt find great ease. Is it not a great ease trowest thou to suffer all thing easily? For adversity without patience hurteth in three manner of wise. Oue is that it tormenteth us outward. Another that it maketh us tesly or froward inward by impatience. And the third is, that such an unpatient conscience fretteth the soul within. If thou be very patient thou shalt find a great refreshing to thy soul. For right as the body is fed with dylycate feasts, so is the soul fed with precious virtues, and namely with this virtue of patience it is made fat, as with one of the most dainty morsels of our lords disshe. In such pacyice is great edyfication to other. For many taketh heed rather of that virtue in other than of any other virtue. Many we find chaste/ abstynent poor/ full of abnesse/ busy in prayers/ and steadfast in the faith. but few in manner meekly patient in reproves, detractions, and other 〈◊〉. For in such things anon we will excuse 〈…〉 defend us, lest other be slandered thereby, sup●●●● not we be guilty if we hold our ●eas. And y●●●●e ●●●th 〈◊〉 we do show ourself more reproveble in that we venge ourself by such impatiency. It were more praise or commendation worth to us if that we would follow our lord for to suffes such wrongs patiently, than by auswering for to overcome other, as saint Gregory saith. For to suffer it purgeth both our sysies that we have done, and also it keepeth us warily that we fall no more in them. It giveth us both grace of virtue and ghostly gifts in this life, & also a great joy in heaven when we come thither, as our lord saith himself to all such as suffer for his love. Math .v. ●●udete ex exultate ●in̄ snerces vestramulta est i● eelis. that Be joyful and glad (He saith) for your meed is great in haven. Papists is also fe●● we to Christ'S passion, and 〈◊〉 of kin. ☞ Se now how by patience thou peldest to our lord such things as our lord suffered for the grievous anguishes & diseases, so to suffer without lord in joying of trybula●yon should be the delight of all christian folk. O now it may be a great confusion and shame to all them that nothing hath suffered for him, when our lord shall come at the day of doom & show his wounds of his passion, and great joy to all such that for his love have suffered patiently many grievous injuries, in as much as they be likened and conformed to Christ'S passion. Patience is also a great token of ghostly sweetness. For to them that our lord sendeth adversities, wotsauf of his goodness for to make them here some part of his cross. This is a great gentleness of him that he will make us fellows of his passion, and partners of his charge. This is to them a great token of trust, that our lord trusteth them well and loveth them so, that he will divide with them his charge. For like as a man bearing a burden which he would were not lost, having many fellows going with him in his journey, rather will pray such one for to help him to bear it the will not lose it, but keep it saul, than and there that will lose it. So our blessed lord which is with us all the days of our lyfein our ways that we walk, being weary for the great labour of his passion, that he yet suffereth in his spouse holy church, that is in his mysly call body, asketh whither any will have compassion on him to help to bear the burden of tribulation that he yet suffereth in his membres of holy church. For the passion Which he suffered when he was in earth he distry buted it to all his membres of christian people. that right as he entered in to bliss by pains & passions, so he would that all his membres should enter in to joy by pains and passions. let us therefore have compassion of his pains, and help to bear his cross of his passion in ourself, and than shall we be ꝑteyners of his joy, And he that hath most compasson thereof by very patience he shall be most next to our lord in joy. Three degrees I find of patience. ¶ The first degree is that a man busy him to learn to repress by battle all manner stirrings of wrath and impactence, lest it break out by unlawful words & deeds, but let it be quenched as fire in his own smoke, for but if it be restrained it will increase and grow and burn all that cometh nigh. In four manner wise I find that fire is quenched. One is by water, another is by stopping, the third is by wasting, and the fourth is for fault of matter. In the same wise the fire of impatience must be quenched. first by shedding of water, that is by wise council, for to be advised what we say. And think how much profit is in patience, and how much harm cometh of impatience. The second is by stopping that is by keeping and stopping of thy mouth & thy hands, lest thy tongue in speaking do break out in to words of falseness, and thy hands in to deeds of fury and hastiness. The third is by wasting, that is by turning matters of pre and wrath in to other matters. For as fire is quenched by withdrawing of wood each from other, so matters of wrath by withdrawing of the matters wisely into other matters that may help to peace. The fourth is by default of matters, that is, if all prive rownynges be put away, than all occasions of impatience should cease. privy rowning is a subtle suggestion which is the greatest cause of debate, if there be no hearers there shall no rowners' be. ¶ The second degree of patience is, that a man by long use of patience/ & in refryning of impatience hath so learned that he is not afraid nor troubled for any adversity, but him seemeth that he is in a place of such great sickerness & rest, where be seethe his adversaries go busily about him for to disease him, & yet he trusteth verily that they shall do him no harm, for because he feeleth so great sweetness in patience. Lo sister, so long is a man afeard of adversity, as long as he loveth temporal things, either in himself or out of himself, which he dreadeth to lose, or else hath sorrow in the loss, as is in hurting or losing of his own body, his worship, his gods, his friends, & his own will. If he love not these things inordinately, nor have no great delight in them, than he hath no great sorrow in the loss of them. What harm may our adversary do to us? wherefore should we be sorry? If he hate us, his own evil is enclosed in his own heart, that it may not touch us, nor do us no harm. it is his own pain alone, be we in peace within ourself, & pray for him. A fire enclosed in another mafies bosom burneth him and not us. If he say any word that should be against us, it is but a wind that passeth by the air, it hurteth us not. For like as thou wouldest not be sorry, but well apaid if a dart were picked or thrown to the and touched the not, but rafie in to the air, so do of such cursed words. for it is but a barking and no biting. If he backbite the in thy absence, yet be thou not troubled, he hurteth himself & not the. In that he showeth himself an envious man and a detractor, and maketh himself audible to other, & not for to be set by. Therefore be thou still and hold thy peace, and than our lord and other shall defend the against him, and have compassion on the. And if thou begin to struggle & strive against him by answering or defending thyself by some manner of excusing, than all they that first had compassion on the shall stand & behold you both as two cocks fighting, & set right nought by you both, but reprove you both for your envy and impatience. If thou dread suspicion that might fall to the by such detraction, yet suffer meekly and give place, and than shall thy patience put away suspyycon out of other men's hearts, that they should not dame none evil of the. If thy heart be anguysshed and brent sore within thyself for rancour, yet labour privily without showing of outward tokens, and put it away with easy sufferance, considering the great perfect that followeth thereof. For right as a man having an impostume must suffer a little while both brenning and cutting in hope to have sooner health of his sickness. Right so must thou fight and strive within thyself, in dystroyeng of such brenning & rancour. And so thou shalt within short while find health & rest. Suffer bachyters as thou must do the biting of a fle. In this degree of patience (if thou be well learned therein) thou wilt not be troubled with adversity, but suffer and be still. ¶ The third degree of patience is to be joyful in try bulacyons, and glad when thou feelest them, and desire them when thou lackest them. Right as a famous & a worthy knight would be glad when he might prove his knighthood with another knight as he is. Such gladness had that worthy knight of god saint Paul when he said thus ii Co. xii Placebo mihi in infirmitatibus: in contumelijs: in necessitatibus: in angustijs: in ꝑsecutionibus pro Christo. It liketh me well (he saith) & it is pleasant to me for to be in sickness, in reproves, in necessities, in anguishes, & in persecutions for Christ'S love. ❧ I read also that our lord taught how that the children of Israel should do sacrifice, when he said thus. Deut. xxxiii. Immolabunt victimas justice, & quasi iundationem maris lac sugent. They shall souke the waves of the see as they would souke milk, (he saith) and so they shall sacrifice to me the sacrifice of rightwiseness. What is this for to mean sister? Thou shalt understand that the see is right bitter, how may than a man souke out milk of such bitterness? I shall tell the. Thou soukest well milk out of the waves of the bitter see when thou art glad, as it were by the sweet milk of ghostly comfort of every adversity, which increaseth and aboundeth in the bitter see of this wretched world, and than thou sacryfyest the sacrifice of rightwiseness to our lord god. For as saith saint Gregory. ❧ It is more meed for to suffer patiently adversities than for to do all the good works that may be done without that. For if thou sometime in desire for to please god dost put to thine own body some manner of affliction & torment wilfully in chasty sing of it. or else tormentest thyself for gods love by compunction & mourning. why then art thou not as well willing gladly for to suffer outward occasions of patience proffered by other. Good sister be as glad for to suffer the one as the other. For it is more meed for the to suffer of another than of thyself. If thou settestly tell by thyself, why art thou not well apaid to be little set by of other? For right as very meekness is as joyful to be set little by of another, as he is of himself. so very patience suffereth as gladly adversity of other as he would of himself. ☞ Lo sister he that is most patient in wrongs most shall be set by in the kingdom of heaven. O sister, now is this virtue of patience a necessary virtue, which causeth a man to love them that hurt him, & not to hurt them again. And forgiveth them which do him wrong, & not doth wrong again. And spareth them that noyeth him, and not noyeth again. Therefore patience is called by doctors the root and the keeper of all virtues. For our lord saith. Luc. xxi. In pacientia vestra possidebitis animas vestras. In your patience (he sayeth) ye shall keep in true possession your souls, that is in rest and peace. The fruit of such patience hath four fair virtues. One is that a patient soul is stronger than that mightiest man that liveth in earth. For a patient soul suffereth all evils & wrongs more mightily, than the strongest man in all the mightiest deeds the ever he died, though he had won both towns and castles, as Solomon saith. Proverb. xvi. Melior est vir paciens viro forti & qui dominatur animo suo expugnatore urbium. More stronger and better in the sight of god is a patient soul in suffering of wrongs, than the mightiest man in earth. For he that overcometh & winneth his own will, is more commendable than he that winneth castles and towns. we find many such great conquerors of towns, but few conquerors of their wills. He that overcometh himself is stronger than any other. Such winneth not a town or a city in overcoming himself, but the kingdom of heaven. Math xi Regnum celorum vim patitur et violenti rapiunt illud. The kingdom of heaven must be won with such a violent strength. For all violent overcomers of themself bereave it. It is more mastery to overcome all a region than for to overcome thine own wilful soul. The second virtue of this fruit of patience is, that it maketh a man right wise. as Solomon saith. proverb. xiiii. Qui paciens est multa gubernat sapientia. He that is patient is governed with moche wisdom. (he saith) In three manner of wise a wise man is patient. One is that such one purchaseth him full wisely by his patience as it were in manner without great labour many great jewels of gold and silver, and of precious stones, to make him therewith an endless crown in the bliss of heaven. The contrary doth he that is unpatient, as saint bernard saith. ❧ For he with his cruelty depriveth his crown from all such precious it wells. Another is that he is wise in keeping. For though somewhat he loseth by frailty, yet he waxeth wise afterward that he will keep the remeynant well and wisely, so that he will not lose all. The contrary doth he that is impacyent. if he lose his land he will for anger so strive therefore that he will lose also the kingdom of god. ☞ Lo for a little earthly thing he casteth away from him for anger all his ghostly goods. The third is that he amendeth such things as he winneth, as is when he turneth to good all the evil that he suffereth, as saint Paul saith. Ro. viii. Diligentibus deum omnia cooperautur in bonum. To them that love god all things turn to good. So it fareth not with them that be impatient. For if they have wrong with their anger they put more to, and so make it worse. ¶ The third virtue of this fruit of patience is that it keepeth a man from ghostly venom, as our lord saith. Math. vlt. Simor●ferrum ●d biberint non eis nocebit. Though a patient soul drink venom of dyspytful and veny mous words, it shall do him no harm, but it is wholesome to him, & the maketh the virtue of patience. Saint Gregory saith in his dialogues that the virtue of patience is more worth than for to do bodily miracles. ¶ The fourth virtue of the fruit of patience is, that it crowneth endlefly a soul in heaven. ❧ Saint Iherom saith, what saint in heaven is crowned without patience? ❀ And holy church from the beginning unto this time wanted never persecution no. suffre●s of persecutions And therefore all patient souls of persecutions have for to show for them our lords patent letters, that the kingdom of heaven is theirs. which patent letters begin in this wise. Math .v. Beati qui ꝑsecutionem paciuntur propter justiciam: qm ipsorum est regnum celorum. blessed be all them (he saith) that suffer persecution for rightwiseness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs of right. ☞ Lo sister what virtue may be found in this necessary fruit of patience that thus commendeth us to god, and keepeth us from all evils? For it tenꝑeth ire, it refeeyneth the congue, it governeth the soul, it keepeth peace, it breaketh hasty liking, and suageth the violence thereof. it quencheth stryle and debate, it maketh us meek in ꝑrosperite, strong in adversity, mild against injuries & wrongs, it overcometh temptacyous, it suffereth persecutions, it wardeth mightily the ground of our faith, it increaseth worthily our hope, it governeth wisely all our deeds, it directeth us sadly in Christ'S way, and confirmeth us surely that we may be gods children. This virtue (sister) should be beloved with great joy, & be cleped & embraced with all our myghtes. So to eat of this fruit w thy sisters unto thy lives end, our lord jesus grant it, that ye all may in bliss receive the crown of patience which is endless. AMEN ❧   

¶ The fifth fruit of the tree of ghostly living is sufferance. Ca v.  
THe fift fruit of the holy ghost in all ghostly livers is called sufferance or long abiding. This is a good fruit & a hard, But it is profitable, which lieth in sufferance & abiding of our lord as David saith. ps. xxvi. Expecta dnm & viriliter age. If the ask our lord ovy thing in thy prayer the is longing to thy health, abide our lord in mighty sufferance, & than shall thy heart be comforted. Three causes there be why we would abide & suffer our lord till he will grant us that we ask. One is, for a great reward is prepared to such long abiding. And there is nothing better to be abiden & tarried for, than our lord with his medes and rewards. Another is. for he deceiveth never a suffering abyder from his desire, as david saith. Ps. xxiiii. universi qui te expectant non confundent. All they which abide meekly the lord (he saith) thou shamest never nor deceyvest. Think it not saith saint Augustin the our lord deceiveth thee, and iapeth with the though thou have not anon that thou wouldest have of him. For though he defer it he will not utterly put it away from the. Though thou be not herd anon of the court of heaven saith saint Gregory, think not that they have forgotten the. The third is that he deferreth such things which we desire of him for our profit. For the longer that we desire such things, the more we be tormented in meek mourning. And the more that we be tormented in meek mourning, the more we be purged and cleansed. And than we be able for to receive such things as we desire of our lord. ❧ Thus saith saint Gregory. Our lord in deferring of desires of chosen souls he tourmenteth them, & in the torment he purgeth them. ¶ The second cause why we should abide & suffer our lord is the our desire should icrease. For the more that our lord deferreth that we ask. And though it seem that our asking is not taken heed to the more deeper in the root of our foul be our desires fastened, though we can not feel it. For right as the seed of corn is hid long under earth by hard frost and come late up, and at the last encreas in manifold corns. so holy desires with delay groweth and increaseth. And if they sail by such delay from increase, trust right well that they were never holy desires. Saint Austyn saith. Though our lord give sometime late that thou desirest, yet his gifts be nevertheless commendable. But therefore he doth it, that it should sweetly be kept which is long desired. That that is soon given and granted is set little by. Our lord therefore keepeth it safe to thee, the which he will not anon grant the. that thou mayst learn thereby to desire great things worthily. The third cause is why we should abide and suffer our lord, although he grant us not that we ask him is, that we should keep wisely that he hath given us. And saint Gregory saith. ❧ A thing that is found and hath belong desired, is kept more warily. Therefore they that sometime be choose souls seem that their desires be not herd of god. there riseth moche winning of virtue in such patient abiding. ❀ O now is this a marvelous dispensation of pity, that where they ween their purpose of desire is annulled, there they arise more rather in virtue than they were. And yet that same thing which they have desired with long abiding, (though they have it not anon as they would by such long delay) they shall have it more larger than they could desire it. And so that which might by importune desire be little, our lord by his merciful disposition orde●neth that it is made right plenteous. Of this I find that Solomon speaketh in the name of our lords spouse thus. Cant. iii. Quesivi quem diligit anima mea, quesivi et non inveni. I have sought (she saith) him the my soul loveth, I sought him and have not found him. Our lord hideth him in manner when he is sought, that he should fervently be sought, before that he be found. And a chosen soul which is his spouse is delayed in her seeking of her desire, that by such tarrying she may be made the more able to receive manifold that she hath sought. Therefore sister our holy desires by delays in such meek suffering and long abiding be made more larger to us than we could desire, and so they be increased to our profit. It is a sweet conflict and a meritorious battle so for to meekly abide our holy desires of our lord, for the which meek conflyet we shall hope for to have a great reward of meed, by which labour and conflict increaseth a crown of victori. Be not loath therefore for to long abide our lord in thy prayers or in thy sickness. For though our lord hear the not anon, yet in such repulsyon he draweth the to him full loaungly, albeit thou canst not espy it. He fareth as a wise leech. A leech though a sick man which is infected with a sore and contagious disease cry upon him never so much for to cease of his cutting, he will cease never the more unto the time he be hole. So fareth our lord with us, when we pray him of any thing that we would have ourself, he denieth us, why, for peradventure he aspyeth in us some default that is reprovable the which we can not espy ourself, and that he cutteth a way, for unto the time that it he cut away with the iron of some tribulation, be will not grant us that we ask, so that he will have us all hole wove such grievous sickness, before that he grant that we desire. Other causes there be why we be not herd anon of our lord in our prayers. One is, for our systes which be not yet fully forsaken in will as I have rehearsed. Another is, for because we pray not and ask not in our prayers fervently & devoutly that we desire. Of this the prophet sayeth thus. Hie. xxix. Orabitis et exaudiam vos cunquesicritis me in toto cord ufo. ye shall pray (sayeth our lord) and I shall here you, namely when you seek me in all your heart, and not else The third is for because we persever not & continue in our prayers till we have that we desire. Of this our lord sayeth thus. Luc. xi Si perseveraveris pulsans propter inprobitatem surget & dabit. If thou continue in prayers be silly knocking, at the last he sayeth I must needs grant thine asking for thy great importunity that thou makest to me. ¶ The fourth why we be not herd anon is, for because we pray doubting and without any great trust. Of the which the holy apostle saint james saith. jacob. i. Si quis vestrum hesitat non estimet quod aliquid accipiat. He that doubteth in his prayers, let none such suppose that he shall have his asking. Therefore we should not temper our lord to our wills, for to wite whither he will grant us that we demand or not. But we should temper our souls unto his will afore we do pray that whither he will grant us or not. His will be fulfilled and not ours. ¶ The fifth why we be not herd is, for it is not discreetly, and wisely asked that we pray for, but hurtful to us. As the children of zebedee, which asked nothing for their health and therefore it was not grawted unto them. ❧ The blessed apostle saint james sayeth. jaco. iiii. Detitis et non accipietis eo qd male petatis. Ye ask & ye shall not have that ye ask for as much as ye ask not well. In such askynges' sister though thou weep and sob for to have thine asking, as is for to ask to be fair/ semly/ worldly wise/ and such other, our lord will not here thee, for it is not for thy health The vi cause why we be not herd in our prayers anon, is that when we have our desire, we should keep it wisely, that so long and with so great hardness hath be desired. ☞ Lo here mayst thou see two great profits in long abiding. One is that wanton pride should be repressed in that that we be humbled and made meek in our tarrying, and another that the gift which our lord giveth us better than we can desire should be made much of, and not to be set little by. The seventh cause why we be not herd anon in our prayers of our lord, is because our lord will delay and defer our desire and petition unto a more convenient time, for our profit, than if we had it anon. So Moses when he desired the joy of god to be showed unto him, he had not anon his desire, but it was delayed that he see it afterward. The eight cause why we be not anon herd in our prayers of our lord is, for because our lord would be sought help of other to pray for us, and help us in our prayer, for peradventure that we ask is a hard thing, or else it is done for to put away our pride & foul presumption that we should have if we thought that our lord did so much for us without help of other. So prayed that holy king Ezechie to the holy prophet ysay for to pray for him and all his people. So prayed also that devout king josias to a holy woman the was a prophetess, for to pray for him. So also prayed saint Paul. Ro. xv. Obsecro vos ut adiwetis me in ornous uris ut liberet ab infidelibus qui sunt in judea. I pray you (he said) help me in your prayers that I may be delivered from the unfaithful people that been in Iury. ❀ Thus sister in all our needs we should rene to the remedy of prayers, not only for ourself but by help of other, trusting more to the prayers of other than to our own. ¶ The ix cause is why we have not that we ask in our prayers of our lord. For peradventure that we ask is not so profitable for us as some other thing that were more needful for us which we ask not, which was well proved by saint Paul that asked one thing of our lord, and he had another. He asked for to be delivered from the stirrings of his flesh, for he thought it was foul & not maidenly for to suffer such foul temptation, and yet was he not delivered thereof. But our lord gave him another better than that which was more profitable to him and that was strength of virtue and grace of withstondyng ii Cor. xii. Or virtus in infirmitate ꝑficitur. For virtue is made perfect in with standing of such temptation of infirmity. So than it is more profitable for us for to have exercise of tribulations, than for to be in rest and quietness of prosperity, though we oft desire more the one than the other, ❧ Loo sister by this thou mayst know which things they be that let us to be herd of god in our prayers. Therefore if thou wilt be herd in thy prayers of god, first be clean fro sin asmuch as it is in thy power. Be fervent and busy in prayer. Have great trust in prayer. Be meek, & seek help of other. Keep the graces that our lord giveth thee, and thank him for them. And ask nothing of him but such thing that he knoweth is best & most speedful for the. ❧ Now will I tell the of the great virtue of this blessed fruit of long abiding. ☞ Four virtues I find of this fruit. One is, that it keepeth all other goodness. For in one hour long or ꝑseveraunt abiding, doth as much as other virtues have done xxx years, or many years afore. why trowest thou? Truly for if that perseverance in abiding keep not well in that is gathered afore, all our labour in virtue were lost. what profit were it for us all our life for to win virtues and lose them at last? Saloman saith. Eccl. two. Ce hijs qui ꝑdiderint sustinentiam. ❧ woe be to them (he saith) that have lost all their sustenance. What is the sustenance of the soul? but virtues which be gathered in to the barn of the conscience, there the soul to be fed with them, unto the time that it be departed from the body. Therefore if such virtues of long time gathered be lost for default of perseverance, sorry may that soul be that so lacketh her sustenance for default of her housewife perseverance or long abiding. ¶ The second virtue of this fruit is, that it maketh a soul true to god. For only all perseverant souls in long abiding forsake never our lord in their tribulations, but ever be true to him. And therefore they alone worthily shall here that sweet word where our lord saith thus to all perseverant souls. Luc. xxii. Vos estis qui permansistis me cum in tribulationibus meis: et ided ego dispono vobis sicut disposuit mihi pater meus regnum ut edatis et bibatis supermensam meam. ❀ ❧ Lo saith our blessed lord jesus christ to all perseverant souls, ye be those that have perfectly continued with me in my tribulations & in my temptations, and therefore I dispose for you as my father hath ordained for me a kingdom there to eat & drink at my table without end. This meat and this drink on our lords table sister is nothing else but joy and fruition and use of endless bliss for the sorrows that w●●uffre here. ¶ The third virtue of this fruit is, that though all virtues deserve high reward of god. This virtue of perseverance and long abiding receiveth the feeling and very possession for them all, for there shall no virtue receive the bliss of heaven without that perseverance or long abiding take possessyoes afore them all. All they run to heaven, but one hath the meed. and that is perseverance. why is that trowest thou sister: Truly for perseverance in long abiding is the most special daughter that our lord hath. Of all virtues she alone is the very heir of heaven. ¶ The fourth virtue of this fruit is that it increaseth our crown in bliss, as Solomon saith. Eccl. two. Coniungere deo et sustinent crescat in novissimo vita tua. Be coupled and knit to god (he sayeth) by virtue, & persever continually, and long abide therein, that thy reward in life everlasting may encreas at last. ❧ Thus sister to be fed of this fruit of perseverance or of long abiding in virtue. It kempeth all goodness. It maketh a soul faithful and true to god. It receiveth possession of heaven bliss, and inereaseth our meed therein. Keep well therefore this virtuous fruit, so that it may last all the year without rotting, that is all thy life time without grudging and repenting that you may come where that virtue shallbe herboured without end. AMEN   

¶ The vi fruit of the tree of ghostly livers is goodness. Ca vi.  
¶ Of Goodness.  
THe sixth fruit of the hole ghost in all ghostly livers is called goodness. what is this fruit of goodness (sister) but sweetness of soul, as doctors saith when a soul rejoiceth in good living. what it sweeter than good living? Truly nothing, what is more bitter than vicious living? Certainly nothing. ❀ O now is this than swear fruit of good living right precious, and not only a sweet fruit, but also it is called sweetness itself. For it maketh us sweet in our thoughts/ sweet in our word/ & sweet in our deeds, both to god and man. And it is so sweet that it turneth to a clean soul all the bitter tribulations and adversities of the see of this world in to sweetness. Saint Bernard saith. ☞ what thing is it that this sweetness of good living may not temper, the which maketh death sweet? ¶ what asperyte and sharpness is there which may withstand this sweetness? Truly none. For all manner of sharpness is turned in to the sweetness of good living in a good soul. Thou art sweet in good living sister if thou hate this world, and set only thy meditations in god and in his goodness. Thou art sweet in good living if thou avoid and i'll from sin of malice, and lovest our lord that is both benign and meek. And if thou hast oft in thy mind chaste thoughts and holy. Thou art also sweet in good living when thou thinkest often times of the most dreadful day of judgement, the which thought doth cleanse the from all foul thoughts, and keepeth the fire to god from all manner of vain business. Thou art also sweet in good living when thou dost thy diligence and endeavour for to wash away the wounds of thy soul with the river of tears. blessed be all such good sweet souls the which been made of our lords grace as a cloud for to rain and bedew water of tears, by the which they may quench and put out the heat of vices. Thou art also sweet in good living if thou walk ever in the way of our lords commandments, and do diligently holy works, & do keep thy soul clean from all vices. Thou art in sweetness of good living, if thou every day by holy observance of thy religion increacest in goodness, having a sure and perfit trust in god that thou shalt see him at the last in his glorious kingdom and joy. Thou art sweet in good living, if thou keep thy tongue, and be right well aware that thou speak no words of discord or malice. Thou art sweet in good living if thou be poor in worldly substance and meek in spirit. Thou art sweet in good living if thou be mild in heart. Thou art sweet in good living, if thou be full of pity & of mercy. Thou art sweet in good living if thou hunger and thirst more virtue than either meat or drink. Thou art sweet in good living if thou be clean in heart and peaceable. Thou art sweet in good living, if thou be patient, and suffer for gods love all manner of adversities, prosecutions and wrongs. Thou art sweet in good living if thou oftentimes have mind of thy last end, that thou mayst be found than ready without dread of sin or of any wicked grudge of thy conscience. Thou art sweet in good living if thou plant in thy soul holy plants of holy virtues and the life of fathers. Thou art also sweet in good living, if thou so moist and water thy plants with tears, that they may grow and increase and bring forth to god acceptable fruit. Thou art sweet in good living if thou brene so in the fire of charity that thou consumest, thereby all foul thoughts in thy soul. Thou art sweet in good living if thou be made so good on earth that thou bring forth that houdredfolde ftuyt, which longeth to maidenhead and virginity. Thou art sweet in good living when thou so west ever good seed in the field of thy heart, and castest away therefro all earthly things for to have yt. Thou art sweet in good living if thou keep virtuously thy silence. Thou art sweet also generally in good living if thou keep virtue and leave vices. And think it not hard to lerue virtue, for it beginneth in every devout soul with sweetness, the middle is mixed with labour, and it endeth with rest. The beginning is sweet as milk, the middle is sour as the crab, and the end is dulcet as honey. ☞ Love well sister the beginning of good living, dread not the middle, but suffer & pray and our lord will make a good ending. In thy beginning thou shalt find little temptations, in the mids thou shalt fight with temptation, and in thy ending thou shalt have a crown of victory, leave not of though thou be vexed in such temptation, but hold forth battle, for the reward of the meed syttyth on high and beholdeth the battle for to reward the if thou have the victori. It is no wonder though thou catch or take some spot of filth in fighting against sin, for sin is foul, and the more thou hast knowledge of god and of virtues, the more busy is the fiend to impungne and let the by immyssion & putting of vicious thoughts in to thy mind, and for to let the of such knowledge of god and of good living. That was well known by the children of Israel, for the more that Moses told them and taught them of the will of god, the more sorrow they suffered of the Egipcians. Before a man be turned from vices to god, vices be in peace with him as it seemeth, and a sleep. And when he beginneth to love virtue, and put out vices, than vices begin to fight with him sharply, and where as they first flattered him, afterward for his turning from them they be his enemies. ☞ O, what conflict there is between a servant of god and sin, and namely of the mind of old sins, which tormenteth sore a true turned soul. Some there be the after their turning & conversation to god, feel many stirrings of sin, and namely of fleshly sins weening thereby that they feel such stirring for their damnation for asmuch as they can not verily know in such conflict whether they consent or not, because they feel sometime delectation, but it abideth not/ and yet they ween other wise, let them not dread of sin damnable in such battle, though delectation sometime appear. It is right needful that such a new turned soul and faithful from sin have an enemy for to withstand, so they consent not to him, for to put away sluggy shnes. wilt thou wit when thou consentest to thine enemy? Truly when thou withstondest him not, but sufferest him to do his will with thee, and sittest still as a sluggard and lystith not to defend the for dread that he should overcome the (do not so, for holy scripture saith. job. ●. Qilitia● vita hominis super terram. That is, knighthood is a manes life in earth, fight we must needs, know we therefore right well sister thou art never the fouler in such feeling, but rather the clener, for the fear that thou hast of falling to syste. Before that a man is turned from vice to virtue and good living the company of sins go afore him, & after that a man is turned to god verily, than the company of temptations followeth him, and cometh behind, that is, sins which go afore us in our conversion be about to let us that we should not turn to god. temptations that follow us when we be turned be about to let us that we should not freely see god. The noise both of the one and of the other letteth oftentimes by their manifold wiles our purpose and intent of good living. ☞ Such temptations is right profitable to gods servants. For it keepeth them from dullness and negligence, that they be not sluggysshe in their ghostly battle. All good folk in as much as they desire nothing of the world therefore oftentimes in their hearts they be assailed with temptations and noises of the world, but yet they labour to throw out of their hearts all such inordynat stirrings of desires with the hand of holy living, so that they will in no wise suffer long to abide within them such wanton thoughts. ❀ These be in the sight of god sweet & good in living. For they only desire the heavenly country, and not this worldly country. And therefore all such be in great rest and ease of heart. Is it not a great rest of heart trowest thou sister to put out from the privity of our heart all noises of earthly desires. and by an holy intent for to asspyre upward to the love of endless rest. I trow yes. For such noises of earthly business, david the holy prophet desired to be departed and taken from, when he said thus. Psal. xxvi. unam petii a domino hanc requiram inhabitatem in domo domini. ❧ One thing (he said) I have asked of god, and that shall I busily seek, for to dwell in his house of endless bliss. ☞ Lo sister how sweet a soul this prophet was, which sought busily in this life rest and contemplation from all outward things, that he might have at the last therefore but one thing, that is endless bliss. This is that wilderness which the same prophet desired when he said. Ps. liv. Piece elongam fugiens & mansi in solitudines. Lo (saith he) I have fled far away that I dwell in wilderness. Thou fleest far away sister if thou eschew and void from all manner noises of earthly ●●ynges, and rennest to the wysdernesse of con●●●● 〈◊〉 in god. Thou dwellest also in wyl●●●nesse when thou dwellest far in thine intent 〈◊〉 all worldliness. ❧ Lo sister all this is ●alled good living & sweetness of soul. A swe●●● life to god also know I none than to sing in heart to jesus soges of love, songs of praising and to feel in thy soul the sweet fernour of love. What is sweeter than jesus? Truly nothing. if thou can thus look inward to jesus than feelest thou sweetness in good living, when thou breakest out sometime in sweetness of lovely tears with a sweet mourning for desire of jesus than thou art in sweetness of good living. Such sweet tears do go afore and lead the dance of love. Thus than begin in such sweet tears gladly to joy in good living, & thou shalt feel great rest. Keep an holy intent to god & a readiness of will, and a fervent desire, and a true turning to god by continual minding and thinking of him, and thou shalt never sin deadly. And though thou sin by frailty or by ignorance venially, anon such sweet fervour conceived in god shall stir the to very penance, for it will not suffer the to lie long in sin. yea, though thou feltest there in delectation. yet all is consumed in the fervour of good living, so it be not oppresed with such negligence that thou weenest such light sins is no sin, as god it forbid that thou shouldest think so. Else it is consumed with such fervour though it come not to thy mind when thou art confessed. if it come to thy mind than she we it, and continue in such desire of sweetness & of good living. Lo what good living is, what rest & what sweetness of soul cometh thereof. Now shall I tell the virtue of this sweet fruit of good living. ¶ Four virtues I find of this sweet fruit. ❧ first is that it healeth the corruption of our body, as Solomon saith. Proverb xviii Pulcedo anime sanitas ossun. sweetness of soul is health of bones (he saith) that such sweetness of soul in continuing of good living causeth the body to be without corruption of sin. the body is likened to a bone, for it is barren from virtue as is a bare bone from flesh, but if it be holy and comforted by sweetness & good living of the soul, which keepeth the barren body from sin. ¶ The second virtue is, that it saveth a man in the fire of tribulation, so the the least hear of his good thoughts and purpose shall not perish therein. This was well fygugured by the iii children which were cast in to the fire by Danyels days, where I read thus, that the fire touched them in no wise, nor did them any harm. In so much that the least hear of their heads were not burned. why was this trowest thou? Truly for their sweetness of good living made the oven as the wind that bloweth with the dew of grace, which quencheth the fire of tribulation. ¶ The third virtue is, that it maketh such a sweet soul meekly to receive blames and correction of religion. ❀ This is well figured by that sweet Manna which was put in our lords ark. with the which Manna also among other things was put specially Moses rod. By this rod sister thou shalt understand correction and blame of thy sovereign for thy defaults. And by this Manna which is sweet thou shalt understand sweetness of good living, that causeth the rod of correction to be borne patiently. When thou sufferest it grudgingly, thou hast not yet this Manna of sweet living. Keep well in the ark of god that is in thy heart which is called gods hutch, or gods ark meekness. and than shalt thou find great sweetness in correction of religion, which rubbeth away so thy sins that thou shalt at the last appear afore thy spouse jesus without oni spot. ¶ The forth virtue is, that it maketh the to speak sweetly and gently of virtue, for to multiply many sweet souls to god as Solomon sayeth. Pro. xvi. Qui dulcis est eloquio maiora reperiet. He that is sweet in speaking (he saith) shall win many souls to god, and at the last for his winning shall receive great rewards. So a preacher and a sovereign in exhorting of their subjects should sweetly show their exhortation. And so should they multiply the friends of god, as Solomon saith in another place. Eccl. vi. Verbum dulce multiplicat amicos. ❧ A sweet exhortation or preaching (he saith) multiplieth the friends of god. Thus to eat (sister) of this sweet fruit of good living that thou may thereby grow to hevenward, & also multiply many lovers our lord grant the.  
AMEN   

¶ The seventh fruit of the tree of ghostly livers is Benygnyte. Ca seven.  
¶ Of Benygnyte.  
THe seventh fruit of the holy ghost in ghostly livers is called Benygnyte, or gentleness of heart. This is a gentle fruit, for it maketh a soul communycable, & not strange by solyennesse. The more communycable that thou art in virtue, the more gentle thou art in the sight of god. Be not strange therefore to comen or to here of virtue. there show gentleness and benignity of spirit. All bodily gentleness (be we never so nobly borne) is but thraldom in comparison of ghostly gentleness and benignity. The higher that thou art in good living, the more benign & gentle thou shouldest be in virtuous communication. ☞ Example we have of the sun and the moan, and of all the heavenly bodies which appear to man here in earth, how gentle and communycable they be of their light. Therefore sister the more heavenly thou art, the more gentle thou stoldest be. ❀ Many there be which been given to perfection and they be right strange and sullen in communication of virtue. Do not thou so, but show gentleness and largeness of heart to all. So to be benign in heart will make the affable, compassyble, treatable, easy to be bowed to council, communycable in goodness, glad, mild, and jocund, true, felawly, dyspysing none, denying none, kind, wellwylling. and gracious to all. Therefore when thou shalt show benignity of heart in speaking speak easily, & answer meekly without bitterness or sharp rebuking or scorning. Form so thy words to other that what soever is said to the of other thou be not grieved with them. & speak so of them that be absent, as though they were present and might here it. for it is a great vice to a religious person to say any thing in absence that he would be ashamed to speak in presence. In all thy communication here no bachyting, but either take thy leave and go thy way, or else if thou mayst cease such matter. It is no profit to the for to here such things, but for to make the grieved against him of whom it is said, or upon him or her that saith it. Therefore in all such communication find up some other manner matter of edification for to speak of that might both edify the and him, or else take thy leave and go thy way. In all thy benign communication beware also of hearing of tidings, for they unquiet thy heart and put it out of rest, and dystract thy mind, and dystrop devotion, and wasteth the time without profit, nor speak not all that thou knowest, though they be good things. Be not as a vessel that lacketh his covering, or his lid, or is not stopped, that as soon as it is bowed down it poureth out all that is therein, and is made open for to receive all manner filth and dust. But open the vessel of thy heart discreetly, and close it again when time is. Be never in such company gladly where is no communication of god or edification of soul. Cry not when thou speakest be not to hasty in thy speech for to show out all that is closed win. And beware also in all thy communication that right as thou shouldest be loath to here backbiters, so never tell him or her that is so spoken of, what thou hast herd of another lest they be grieved against him. but if thou couldst turn it into such kind that it be the lesse suspicious for thy words. For peradventure it might so be that he that said it meant not so as it is taken. Or else if it were evil said and suspeciously, yet thou canst not tell how soon peradventure he or she repented them of that saying, purposing him ever after to beware of such speaking. if it be so that such things be said of another that thou hearest, which were needful that he were admonished and warned of, than say it so and in such wise that the teller be not accused, and that the person of whom that is said of be in will to amend them of such things. For to that intent lightly it was said to the in great simpleness, not in way of detraction. In all thy communication also beware of boasting of any good deeds that thou hast done, make never other to perceive by thy words any thing of commendation or praising in the. For though thou never spoke thereof, uneath shall there any thing be in the commendable, but it shall be known to the worship of god, though thou hide it, and speak it never. For if thou hide it and speak not thereof, our lord and they shallbe pleased with the. if thou speak it and show it, folk wylderide and scorn thee, and set nought by the. So that all they which were first edified by the shall afterward scorn thee, and set little by the. In all thy communication also beware of idle speech, exchue at all times. And though they be not reckoned among great sins, yet the continual custom of them causeth great sins. For oftentimes if we gladly open our tongue largely to speak idle words or we be aware we fall into noyous words, whereof springeth sometime troubles, dissolutions or other grevoꝯ fretynges of the conscience. In all thy communication also beware of moche speaking least thou fall by such long dalliance into losings or oaths. Of dishonest words I hope thou wilt beware well enough, for that is very poison to maidens. In all thy communication also be rather a hearer than a speaker, Here meekly and patiently good things which be said of other. dispute not against it as some do that hearing good things anon lest they should be taken or counted lewd & unconuing begin to dispute thereof, that other should know they can some skill thereof. All those seek not their edification in such communication, but their ostentation and boasting, that they should be known cunning. And therefore many good communications be left among religious persons because of such proud disputations. In all thy communication also be not in nothing contentious and full of striving words, but rather soon give it up. For if it be good and true that the other hath said, thou shouldest not say there against. And if it be not good nor true that is said, thou shouldest rather amend him patiently by turning away, and by meek showing of the truth than by sharp informing. In all thy communication also when thou shalt speak, speak with a meek voice, with a glad cheer, with quietness of spirit, & than what soever thou speakest of good it shallbe more profitable & more of authority than it should be otherwise. Be never bold for to speak afore thine elders, but shamefast. And listen rather to here other speak than for to speak thyself. For it longeth to old folk for to teach, and to young for to here & learn. In all thy communication also beware of moche laughing. I mean not that thou shouldest not laugh, but I would that thy laughing be not to much, but right seld and soft, without great noise. And in all thy communication be glad for to speak of god and of good edification. For all such speech intyceth the heart to virtue and the soul to devotion. There is no member of the body that is so needful to be kept as is the tongue. For in the tongue we may offend in many manners, in speaking false things wittingly, true things treacherously, sharp things hastily, foul things uncleanly, good things bostyngly, and profitable things unwisely. ❧ Senow sister how by the speech of the tongue our lord may be offended and pleased. Therefore I find that the holy ghost appeared rather in likeness of tongues than in any other member of manes body. For a tongue is the most profitable part of man if it be well ruled. But why appeared the holy ghost in fiery tongues? Truly for because he would that our tongues were ever speaking of god and of ghostly things in brenning love. So speak sister that thou mayst set all thy sisters afyre in love. Have such a new tongue as our lords disciples had that thou may speak benyguely and graciously, that in thy speech may be both honey and milk. that is, that it be sweet and benign in speaking, have also such a new tongue, that it may be fervent and brenning in charity, and medcinable by comforting, than is thy tongue made the pene of the holy ghost, for thereby he writeth in the hearts of good people holy words, holy deeds, & holy virtues, but amongs all things be never so ready for to speak but that thou have ever a love to silence, for taciturnite & silence is the virtue of meekness and token of sadness, noryssher of virtue & keeper of souls. As Solomon sayeth. Prover. xxi Qui custodit os suum et linguam suam, custodit ab angustijs animam svam. He that keepeth his mouth & his tongue (he saith) keepeth his soul from anguish, that is, delivereth his soul from anguish of endless pain. He that loveth moche stillness, his tongue must needs be kept from evil speaking, from all foolish and deign speaking. Four fair virtues I find of this fruit of benign speaking, and of gentle communication of things by the mouth. ¶ The first virtue is, that such gentle communication maketh us to be loved, and it is so expedient that it maketh of enemies friends, for good communication bringeth them into friendship again that were enemies afore, as Solomon saith. Ecclesiastic. vi. Uerbum dulce multiplicat amicos et mitigat inimicos. ❧ Agentyll & a sweet virtuous communication multiplieth friends (he sayeth) and suageth enemies.  
¶ The second virtue is that it maketh our mouths our lords oratory, wherein he is prayed & praised by such virtuous communication. For likewise as the church which is ordained to praise god in, to pray to god, and to preach. so a mouth is ordained to praise god, to please god and to teach virtues by good communication. Thus a manes mouth is made our lords or a tory, and therefore it should be of great cleanness and holiness, and without all uncleanness, ❧ ¶ The third virtue is, that it maketh our mouths our lords fertour or his ark, wherein be put holy relics. For if clothes or any other thing which touch holy relics be hold for relics, why than the good words which come out of a virtuous mouth should not behold for relics? ❧ That good words be as relykes it is well proved by ghostly miracles which be all day done by such good words. For ghostly blind be made to see by such comfortable words, & for to know their conscience, as david saith. ps. xviii. Preceptum dnilucidun illuminans oclos. ¶ The holy words of our lord showed out by a devout mouth, which is bright and shining maketh ghost blind to see. Also ghostly dead be araised to life, as our lord saith. Io. v. Ueuit hora et nunc est quandomortui audient vocem fili dei, et q ● audierint vivent. ❧ An hour shall come (he saith) and that is now in these days when ghostly dead shall here the voice of god's child. that is good communication of gods children. And they that here such communcacyon shall be raised from their ghostly death and live virtuously. ¶ The fourth virtue is that it maketh our mouths gods cup or his chalice, wherein is put and laid his blessed body. And therefore it must needs be holy & clean. For right as it were great sin to throw in a chalice filth wherein should be put the holy body of our lord, So it were right great sin for to defoul the mouth by foul speaking or idle speaking, where it should ever bring forth holy words, and words of blessed communication. ☞ Lo sister thus thou mayst know how swear this fruit of gentle communication is meddled with sad silence. Of that which fruit jesus fulfil thee, that thou may speak wisely, soberly, sadly, and virtuously among thy sisters.  
AMEN   

¶ The viii fruit of the tree of ghostly livers is Mildness. Ca viii.  
¶ Of Mildness.  
THe viii fruit of the holy ghost in ghostly livers is called Mildness. Of the which fruit our lord saith thus. Math. v. Beati mites quoniam ipsei possidebunt terram. ❧ blessed be all they that be mild in heart, for they shall have for their heritage the land of life, that is the blessed land of heaven. This is also sister a precious fruit and a delicate, for it groweth out of our lords heart, which must be fetched there he saith himself. Math. xi. Discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis cord. Learn of me (he sayeth) For I am both meek and mild in heart Thus it seemeth well that it is a delicate fruit. For all such mild hearts should see that same land that it groweth in. And there may none felt the virtue of that fruit, but such that be mild. If thou wilt be very mild, keep not in mind but forget what is said against the for to make the wroth. And that thou mayst never do, but if thou arm the afore by quietness of heart, that what soever is said to the for to stir thee, thou wilt not be unmild, and than it shall not grieve the. For like as a man that should make battle and fight with another, first he assayeth his armure, and so proveth how he could defend him by his target in avoiding of strokes, lest he be wounded. So must thou do. Think every hour (thou wottest not how soon) thou shalt be assayed by some sharp words, which peradventure should make the vnmyl● in here but thou were ware afore. I say not impatient, though it be almost like. For impatience is called such a thing that will suffer and not love. But mildness is that, that will both suffer & love, & also do good in deed for evil, as our lord faith, Luc. vi. Benefacete hijs qui oderunt vos. ❧ Do ye good to them that hate you (he saith). To mildness of heart also longeth shamefastness. As when thou art assailed, or supposest to be assailed, than think of thy virtuous state of religion, that thou hurt not that nor cause other to slander, that in the thinking that in thine entry of religion thou offredest the to all manner of mildness, with love of virtue. Moche uncase cometh of such unmyldnesse of heart It putteth away devotion, and it troubleth the conscience, Wilt thou well keep thine heart in mildness? than abstain thyself from contention and striving. strive never in no matter but it be against vices in thyself. And if thou have charge of other, than so temper thy striving the thy heart lose not thereby this mildness, how so ever it is taken of other. This teacheth us saint Paul saying ii Ti. two. servum dei non oportet ligitare, sed mansuetum esse ad omnes. ❧ It beseemeth not (he saith) gods servant for to be a striver, but for to be mild unto all folk. For right as if thou felt within the an inordynate heat by the which thy body is dystempered & mayst not serve god, I trow thou wouldest after the council of a physician refreyne thyself from such things that should make the more hot, lest thou shouldest be more seek. Moche more than thou art bound to keep thy soul from dystemperaunce of heats whereby thou mightest be the more unmild in heart. There be two things that make a soul mild. One is, that thou speak never boistously. Another is that thou be no threatener. It is not enough for the not for to speak boistously, but also that thou be no threatener. The one teacheth the to hurt no body by word. And the other teacheth the to have an easy heart of forgiveness, without rebuking or threatening. The first longeth to troth of good living, the other to mercy and compassion. These be the two ways of our lord, of the which speaketh the prophet thus. Ps. xxiiii. Universe vie dni et mina et veritas. All the ways of our ford for to come to bliss by, be troth and mercy. ❧ These ways be taught of our lord to all mild folk, as david saith. Psal. xxiiii. Docebitmites vias suas. ❧ He shall teach (he sapeth) all mild hearts his ways of true living without stubborn speaking and threatening. A heart that is souple and myloe may lightly be applied to receive the impression of our lords sweet and meek doctrine. Therefore sister if thou wilt have a mild heart, first apply the to here holy doctrine holy exhortation holy in information and instruction, both of thy sovereigns in religion and also of other. For to all such that be glad to here our lords holy doctrine, he saith himself that he was sent. Esa. lxi. Ad annunciandum mansuetis misit me. ❧ I am sent he saith) in to earth for to teach and inform mild hearts. That is by such that have authority for to teach and inform in my name. what should they teach all mild folk? Nothing else but as I said before by the authority of the prophet the ways of god. what be these ways? verily truth and mercy. Truth for to ask & require forgiveness meekly of them that thou hast done wrong to. Mercy for to forgive all those that have done the wrong. and neither of them to speak boistously or threatyngly. By these ways thou must come to that land that our lord hath bequeathed to all mild in heart, which is the land of bliss. All mild folk be peaceably enclosed here in this life in the possession and having of our mild lord jesus. & therefore by right they must needs be had & possessed of our lord at last in endless bliss. There shall none be verily had of our lord, but such as be had of him verily in this life. All unmild folk which be not had and possessed of god with in themselves, but been from themselves, & had and possessed of ire and wrath must needs be excluded from that worthy possession of bliss, which our lord hath ordained for almyld, but if they turn and amend them. ☞ Sister if thou wilt come to this virtue of mildness thou must be full of pity, which maketh a heart sweet, by the which sweetness a heart is made loving unto all creatures for god. In the which sweetness as a Bee such a heart goth about in his thought and gathereth of every manner of creature some manner of honey. Of some it gathereth sweet honey of obedience, when it seeth how meekly some do obey. Of some it gathereth patience/ of some devotion/ of some discrete abstinence/ and of some chastity & cleanness. It beholdeth not their defaults, but their good deeds. And that that it loveth that it praiseth. and than it seeketh sweetness of devotion. of the which the heart is replete and made mild. O now is such a mild heart sweet both in the sight of god and man. For all that it speaketh is of sweetness of love, of peace, of unity, of chastity, & of charity. Such a soul is ever occupied in virtue, either in devout weeping & wailing, or in holy reading or hearing of virtue, or else holy meditation of our lords passion, resting here in his precious wounds, wherein she findeth full sure rest in all her labours, full sure abiding in all her needs, feeling no manner diseases of her bodily infirmities, because she feeleth the blessed wounds of her lord. Rather choosing ever after to suffer wrong than for to do wrong. ☞ O how moche joy hath a mild soul then? She that is thus mild is never hevyed with ire, nor with envy, nor with covetise. Such one will not look to be taken & counted mild, but ever it hath joy to be little set by. There be some that be abject in their own sight. but they would not that they were so taken. All such be not yet mild. There be some also that be abject in their own sight, but they can not suffer of other for to be set little by. Also such be not yet mild in heart. Good sister as thou art abject and vile in thine own sight, so desire that all other should perceive the same of thee, and than thou mayst have that sweet virtue of mildness. Four fair virtues I find that cometh of this fruit. ❧ ❧ One is, that it keepeth a soul without hurting. For all unmild hearts be oftentimes broken by impatience. And therefore it is that our lord biddeth us by Solomon for to keep our souls in mildness, where he saith thus. Ecclesiastic. x. Fili in mausuetudine serva animam tuam. soon (he saith) keep thy soul in mildness. ¶ Another virtue is, that it winneth love & grace both of god and man. It maketh our lord to love us tenderly. For in that we bear the print of his own heart, in as much as he is mild. It maketh us to be loved of man, as Solomon saith. Eccl. iii. Fili in mansuetudine opera tua ꝑfice & super gloriam hominum diligeris. ❧ son (he saith) make all thy works and deeds perfit in mildness, and thou shalt be loved above all earthly joys Thus we read that Moses was most mildest of all men while he lived in earth, and therefore he was loved of god and man. ❀ mildness is likened in holy writ to an Adamant stone, which is of such kind that it draweth to him hard things. So all mild hearts draw unto them all other for to be meek and mild. A Flynt is likened in holy write to patience, which should be hard as the Flynt, never to be overcome by ire and impatience. Of these two stones I find by the prophet thus. Eze. iii. Ut adamantem et silicem dedi faciem tuam. ❧ I have given a token in thy face that thou shalt draw to the by mildness other, as the Adamant doth. And also I have given another token in thy face the thou shalt be hard as the Flynt in sufferance.  
¶ The third virtue is, that it amendeth the soul. It maketh such a mild soul to see clearly her own defaults, as though she looked in a mirror. Of this mirror sayeth david thus. Ps. lxxxix. Qm super venit mansuetudo & corripiemur. ❧ Lo (he saith) when the mirror of mildness is showed to our soul, anon we see our defaults and amned us. ¶ The fourth virtue is, that it giveth to us everlasting health, with out which there is none health. Of this manner of health speaketh also the same prophet thus. Ps. lxxv. Cum exurgeret in iudcio deus ut saluos faceret omnes mansuetos terre. ❧ when our lord shall sit in judgement where all bodies and soul's together shall appear afore him in the doom, than among all other specially he will glorify all mild souls which have in this life borne the impression of his heart by mildness. ❧ Thus sister our lord that is so mild in heart give the such special grace that thou may ever be meek and mild, and so to eat of this sweet fruit with thy sisters, that ye all at last may receive the land of bliss, which is ordained for all such  
AMEN   

¶ The ix fruit of the tree of ghostly livers is Faith, Ca ix.  
¶ Of Faith.  
THe ix fruit of the holy ghost in ghostly livers, is called Faith, which is a right fair fruit. In the which fruit our lord is highly pleased. ❧ what is all our living without faith, as saint Paul saith. Heb. xi. Sine fide impossibile est placere deo. ❧ without faith (he saith) it is impossible to please god. Faith is the life of a rightwise soul. Ro. i. justus ex fide vivit, ❧ To that it seemeth, and sooth it is that faith without good works is dead, Than as for the articles of thy believe I will not in this treatise write nothing to thee, For I wot well thou believest well enough, But of the works of believe that is of true living it is my purpose for to declare, that thy living may accord to thy faith, For of true living our lord is highly pleased, as Saloumon sayeth, Eccl, i, Beneplacitum est diio fides et mansuetudo, True faithful living and mildness of heart pleaseth our lord right moche. This fruit is the more precious that it is seldom had, as the same wise man saith. Pro. xx. Multi misericordes vocantur virum autem fidelem quis inveniet. ❧ Many been called merciable folk & piteous, but few we find true in living. The beginning of good living is for to dread god, which dread causeth a soul not for to leave undone the good deeds that should be done, as Solomon saith. Eccl. seven Qui timet deum nichi●ne cligit. ❧ He that dreadeth god is in nothing negligent. But for because many there b● the gladly do good, and yet they leave not certain evyill deeds which they have used of custom. Therefore all such good deeds is nothing acceptable in the sight of god, that is so mixed or meng●co and defouled with evyldedes, as Solomon saith. Eccl. ix Qui in uno offenderit multa bona ꝑdet. ❧ He that offendeth (he saith) in one vice, many virtues he destroyeth. A little gobbet of sour dough, soureth all a batch of bread. A little gall maketh bitter a great quantity of honey. Every cl●ne soul which desireth to live virtuously beginneth first with dread and endeth with charity, and so by such lovely dread it hath no wilt to sin. But such one the yet doth good for fear and dread of pain, and not for dread of god he leaveth not evil fully in as much as he would sin if he durst for fear of pain. ☞ Lo sister if thou wilt live well, first ground thine intent of love in dread, and than begin to do well, Oft times many there be that forsake the ways of evil living and take an habit of holy living, which as soon as they have an entry of virtue anon they forget what they have been, & will not wash away their old sins by wailing and penance doing, but rather be glad for to be commended & praised for their taking of perfection desiring to be made more of, and the better to be set by than other of more longer time in perfection, which therefore be worse in the sight of god, under the habit of holiness than ever they were before under a secular habit. All such have holy words but little of holy living They can well teach other, but they nourish not that teaching with holy example. And so as much as in them is those that they edify in words by their living destroy them. All simulation sister avoid away from the. Show in word ever and in deed as thou shouldest religiously. Begin and make an end with continuance. Many, begin and make none end, but mar or lose the merit of their good beginning with a bad ending. Therefore live as thou didst begin. Be every hour as thou was the first day. Look how meek, how lowly, how charitable, & how devout, and how sad thou were the first day, so be every day. let thy first day be thy middle days, and thy last day. For thou hast taken upon them thine entry of religion for to go in the ways of the lord. In the beginning the ways seemed peradventure right strait and hard, but with good use and continuance, & with good will it will wax large, easy, & pleasant There is nothing hard to a good will, for the yoke of good living whi●h is our lords yoke is full easy to them that have ones begun for to bear it. Of one thing I would that all new beginner's were well ware the when they be turned from evil to good, they wax not proud for virtue that they have found, but be ghost glad, & thank our lord lest they fall much worse by vain glory than they fell afore by other vices or they knew virtue. In every beginning of virtue old customs of old conversation putteth them oft in press. To let the intent of virtue that uneath they may be overcome. Therefore ꝑseraunce must sore labour for to bring virtue in use. As many stirrings as the soul hath to virtue, so my paces she gooth to virtue, & profiteth therein. Many there be that the more they encreas in age the more they discreas in virtue. Alas chosen souls do not so, for the more they increase in age the more they grow inward in age of virtue. Therefore sister if thou wilt not wax weary of new begun virtues, it is full needful for the to think every day as long as thou livest that thou art but a beginner and not yet waxed old in virtue, and so shalt thou never be weary of virtue. All virtuous folk the more higher they be toward god in worthiness of virtue, the more subtilely they espy in themselves that they be unworthy and unkind servants to god. why is that trowest thou? Truly for the more near they be to the light, the more better and clearer they see themselves & find sins which have long been hid within them and so the more that they do know themselves, the more indignation they have of wicked & bad works done afore. who so will increase in virtuous living he may not consider what evils other do, but what good he should do. ❧  
¶ Thus sister suffer grace to grow in the with thy bodily age. For the more older thou art in grace, the more perfit is thy good living. Ever miss like thyself in thyself, if thou wilt come to that the thou hast not yet. For there that thou hast pleased thyself in thyself, there stood virtue still and it increased not, but decreased. if thou wilt that virtue increase add thereto more virtues and walk forth right. Stand never still, turn never backward again, go not out of the way, thou standest still when thou profitest not, thou goest backward when thou turnest again to that that thou hast forsaken, and thou goest out of the way when thou fallest from the first intent and purpose of religion. Good sister therefore run fast from virtue to virtue, that at the last thou may see that country where all virtuous people be, thy friends, for there is a blessed company which abide the and desire thy presence. for though they be sure of their own endless health, yet they be full busy for thy health, therefore as I said stand not still, but be ever running. for either thou must ascend or descend. If thou stand still thou must needs fall. There is none so perfect that when they have won the highest point of perfection as it may be had in this life yet they shall seem somewhat least untouched of the first degree of perfection. And why is that? Truly for they should feel in themselves by meekness as if they had no perfection at all, & think that uneath they have touched the least point of perfection. It is a great perfection, knowledge of imꝑfection. Therefore sister the more thou knowest thine imꝑfection, the ꝑfyter thou art in the sight of god. And the more thou feelest the diseases & sorrows of other, the more is thy perfection. The condition of all perfit folk is in every good work for to seek the praising of our lord the author or beginner of all good works the in all other private praisings they may have no joy. Every perfit soul as soon as she hath overcome a vice, anon she armeth her against the relieve & wounds which is least of vices, lest they enfester & stink. Also if thou wilt be perfit in good living be never unpatient of the imꝑfection of other. For if thou can not suffer the inꝑfection of another thou showest well the thou art not perfit. Also every perfit soul in true living hath ever enough of temporal goods when it hath enough scarcely. It desireth no gifts. scarcity of livelihood it suffereth without grudging. It striveth never for no need. It can hunger & not grudge. It can be poor & have no need. He is poor in virtue & not in possession of temporal goods that cannot suffer penury. He is rich in soul that hath nought, & desireth nought, for to have of temporal goods. He that is perfit desireth nothing. for that that is needful for the body it receiveth, if he may easily have it. And if it may not be had, it is easily suffered. Every perfit soul is mighty & strong in sufferance of scarcity. ☞ Of this perfection I find few & namely in religion. I find many in religion that begin fervently & ghostly, but they end fleshly.  
Alas. Therefore sister if thou wilt continue as thou hast begun, be true to god in thy thought, in thy promise, in thy work, & in thy deeds. Be ever fervent in spirit, and be well aware that thou trust not to thine own merits, for so shalt thou lose grace. An holy desire helpeth moche unto a soul to good deeds. where that ever a soul is busy in good works, & glad in fervour of good living, in such one is very faith of true lyvig. This fruit of true faithful living hath four virtues. ¶ Sister one is that it maketh a soul truly to be commended. as Solomon saith. Proverb xxviii Uit fidelis multum laudabitur. ❧ A true living soul (he saith) shall much be commended This commendation is not only of a man, but also of god, and of all his saints. For it is great liking to saints for to know good livers in earth. The second is that it maketh a soul highly to be enhanced and promoted to ghostly dignity. And therefore it was that our lord saith. Math. xxiiii. Quis putas est fidelis servus et prudens quem constituit do minus super familiam suam. ❧ which trowest thou is he whom our lord should enhance and promote above all his meinie? As who saith, none but such one that is both true and wise. True in good living, and wise in governance. Lo though it so be that two things be rehearsed in this authority, yet faithfulness of true living is put afore. The third is that it maketh a soul virtuously to be loved as well of god as man, as Solomon saith. Ecclesi. xxxiii. Si est tibi servus fidelis fit tibi quasi amicus: quasi fratrem sic tracta eum. ❧ if thou find a true servant, cherish him as thou wouldest thy friend, and as thy brother treat him. Lo sister by this thou mayst know that in the sight of god, a true liver is cherished as a friend, & in the sight of man as a brother. The fourth virtue is, that it maketh a soul to receive the crown of endless meed, as our lord saith to every true liver thus. Math. xxv. Super pauca fuifti fidelis, supra multate constituam. Upon few things (he saith) thou hast be found true in this life, and therefore I shall ordain for the a crown of endless meed and reward, so to be set above many things. O now is this fruit of good true faithful living a fair fruit. ❧ Good sister eat specially of this fruit, for with out this fruit is there no fruit savoury. It is so savourly a fruit that it smelleth and savoureth in to the bliss of heaven, where all true faithful souls through eating of that fruit whiles they lived in this life benow her boured wout end. Among whom I hope to see the Amen. ❧   

¶ The X. Fruit of the tree of ghostly livers, is manner of good living. Capitulo. Decimo.  
¶ Of good living.  
THe ten fruit of the holy ghost in every ghostly liver is called manner of good living, which is also a full precious fruit. This manner of good living standeth in a reasonable conversacy on, as when thou governest mannerly after reason all thy words and all thy deeds, so that all thy living may savour sweetly to all folk as saint Paul saith. Phi. iiii. Modestia vestra nota sit omibus hominibus. Solyve (he saith) that your virtuous conversation may be known to all men, who so followeth the hastiness and beastliness of his own will, and is not governed by modestnes or softness, or mannerly conversation, is likened rather to a beastly man, than to a reasonable man. O this manner of living our lord. jesus gave us example, for he himself disposed all things in measure and in easy manner, that we should mannerly and easily without hastiness be governed. This is sister one of the virtues wherein all chosen souls be arrayed, as the apostle saith. Col. iii. Induite vos sicut electi dei sancti et dilecti viscera mie benignitatem humilitatem, et modestiam. ❧ Array you (he saith) as gods chosen and well beloved children with mercy, benignity, meekness, and mannerly softness of good conversation. It is also one of those ornaments wherein bishops been arrayed, as the same apostle saith. Tit. i Oportet episcopum esse irreprehensibilem, non ꝑcusorem sed modestum. ❧ A bishop he saith must be in all his living unreprovable, no smiter, but modest and soft in all good conversation. ☞ Lo sister all thy good living availeth not, but it be governed mannerly, that is in heart, in mouth, & work. Mannerly modestnesse is in two thiges/ that is in refreyning of superfluity of thoughts and superfluity of desires. Beware that thine heart be not occupied about unprofitable thoughts. & that desire is nothing but such thing as is very needful. Hold the content with meat and drink and clothes, rather in a scarce wise than in a large wise. Mannerly easiness of mouth restraineth superfluity of words, which maketh us for to speak easily, softly, & demurely without hastiness in refreyning of our unreasonable wills. Mannerly softness of work restraineth the excess of our deeds, that we be not to importune and busy in all our works, But softly and easily we shall win virtue without struggling or striving with god. For all such hasty gatherers of virtue fall oft in sin, and so be made poor and needy, & lose all their good deeds which they have gathered afore. Though it so be that a modest labourer and a mannerly gaderer of virtue do not so many good deeds as do hasty gatherers. yet all soft and easy gatherers keep better that they have won, and have much more ghostly rest in their gadering than have such hasty befyers in good works, as wise Saloman sayeth. Ecelesiastic. xxxi. Sompnus suavitatis in homine parco. ❧ A sleep of sweetness is in a scarce man. By this sleep is understand easiness of virtue, that is rest & quietness of soul is more plenteously in an easy man mannerly gathering virtue, than in a hasty gaderer. Virtue that is softly or soberly gathered proveth, and that that is hastily gathered & suddenly standeth in great peril for to be lost. Therefore sister desire never to be hastily & suddenly virtuous, that thy life may shine continually by good example, and abide perpetually without ceasing. why is that trowest thou? that some which were sometime perfit be now imperfect? Truly for their perfection caught no rote of abiding, because of hasty setting, which oftentimes with every wind be overthrown and cast down. Do not thou so, but win virtue softly and soberly, and that shall ever abide what wind soever come. ☞ if thou wilt verily win sure abiding virtue, first labour in all that thou mayst to have a good and a true conscience, and than shall all thy conversation smell sweet in good fame to all folk. Thy good conscience is necessary for thyself, & thy good fame for other. It is not enough for the to live well, but if thy living be good example to other. Therefore it is that when a child is chrystned it is anointed with holy cream which is made with oil & balm. By the oil which is shining is understand a clear shining conscience to god, and by the balm that hath a sweet smell is understand a good fame & a good example of true living. Be diligent therefore to win a good conscience, and soon will follow after a good name. Be not negligent for to have a good name. Saint Augustyn calleth him cruel and not mercy full that is negligent of his good name. Of this our lord saith thus. Math. v. Sie luceat lux vestra coram hominibus ut videant vestra hona opera. etc. ❧ So he saith. let your living shine aforemen, that they may see your good works, and thank him for them. Cure or set moche to have a good name that it may ever shine in virtue. For better is a good name than moche richesse sayeth Solomon.  
☞ Thus sister keep mannerly in virtue thy conscience and thy name, and specially in all thy living measure thy words in speaking, for else thou mayst lightly rather wound or slay than heal. Live mannerly & gently in thy living, & thou shalt feel great rest and sweetness therein. And than by thy living they that be dead in bad living shall be revived and quykned to good living, And they that be quykned in good living shallbe strengthened and made more mighty thereby. what soever thou shalt do, do it gently and sweetly, that thy deeds be warily or deigned, and thy tongue be mild & easy in speaking. And if it so be that thou be put in charge of governance, namely of temporal and earthly things, by very necessity of obedience keep them mannerly and warily that they perish not. And if it so be that some take them away, thou mayst not therefore by hastiness lose thy patience, but easily suffer it. And to some that take them away ye must, charitably forbid them, so that in all things good gentle & curteys manner be kept. Also in thy going beware that thou rene not, for mannerly going and easy becometh a religious person, except it be either for great need, or that any great peril cause the to go fast or to run. And though it so be that manner or measure of living be so gentle and lowly in itself that it usurpeth nothing, yet it is full rich against god. For in measurable lowliness is great tranquillity of soul, mildness of spirit, grace of moderation, care of honest, and consideration of clearness. Thou must be also mannerly in thy going, in thy standing, in thine habit, and in all thy manner of living, so that nothing be found in the which should offend the sight of other, but rather edify other to holiness. ☞ what is manner in good living, but measure that nothing be had to much, nor to little but in scarce mean? This is one of the principal things that longeth to good living, for to show thy profession, both in habit and in going. so that in thy going thou show simpleness and sadness, in thy moving purity & gladness, and in thy deeds honest & cleanness. Thy life is never imperfect sister if it be honest, & therefore be never constrained to win virtue, but with a good will win it, and keep it honestly. wilt thou be easy and moderate in living? than think oft upon that rest which is now had of blessed souls in heaven that sometime wane it here with moderate living. Among all other bitterness of this wretched life imagine in thy soul how those blessed souls been in the sight of god, sad, sober, & in loving cheer, and than shalt thou soon feel how sweet this fruit of easy moderate living is. And than also shalt thou feel more gladness of a good conscience when any hevynesses come, than of a bad conscience among earthly delights. Which shall be to the than as a paradise full of temperance, mildness, & righteousness. O how merry it is, to have a tenꝑate and a moderate conscience, with a simple heart full of quietness and innocency. There is nothing so blessed in earth as is a simple heart. For there that an heart showeth simple innocency to other, in speaking, in going, in working, that heart is never afeard to suffer patiently what soever is done to it. The more it is scorned of other, the more worthy it is to god▪ the which simple innocency keepeth a soul from worldly wickedness. A moderate and an innocent life is not for to be grieved with them that noyeth the. And though thou be noted and marked of all folk, suppose rather that they speak good than evil. If thou wilt have this grace (sister) of simple innocency, in all thy living moderately keep the from hatred, malice, and envy, which be the sedes of all wickedness/ of whom groweth all wretchedness of sin. Keep not only innocency in thy speech and in thy deeds, but also & principally in thy heart. who so hath such easiness and mannerly living in innocency he shallbe preserved from any great offence. For though he be tempted, by that he winneth great profit. if he be little set by of other, in that he is in the sight of god exalted the more. If he fight against vices he shall have the mastery. If he overcome vices he shall be crowned. There is nothing so worthy to god in a new beginning soul, as is such softness of living. Be a man never so devout, but if he have that, his life pleaseth neither god nor man. O now is this a well smelling fruit/ for it savoureth both to god and to man. ¶ This fruit of easiness or manner of good living hath four virtues. One is it keepeth good living both bodily and ghostly. For moderation or easiness is a mean which setteth in measure and in rule all virtues, that they break not asunder, but hold together. He may never come to sadness of virtue that lacketh this mean of moderation. The second is that it maketh a soul jocund and merry in good living. Measure and easy moderation causeth great gladness to a set soul, like as undyscretnesse in gadering of virtues causeth the soul to be unglad for the loss that it findeth in virtue thereby. The iii is, that such a soul so living in easy moderation is in manner likened to the worthy providence of god, which ordaineth all his ordinances in number, weight, and measure. So if thou discreetly with easiness govern thy soul in all virtues, in that it seemeth ourlorde hath inpressed his print of providence in thy heart. The iiii. is, it maketh a soul seem the it hath enough and is content, holding her well pleased meekly with that little virtue that god hath given to her, till it please him to give more, mildly abiding our lords grace. ☞ Losyster how worthy a virtue thou hast, if thou have this virtue of easiness & manner of good living. Eat oft I pray the of this fruit, that thou may come at the last thither where as all easiness is without trouble or travail in gathering of virtues.  
AMEN   

¶ The xi fruit of the tree of ghostly living is continence. Ca xi.  
¶ Of continence.  
THe xi fruit of the holy ghost in every ghostly liver is called continence which is a precious fruit the standeth much by abstinence. For by abstinence vices should be destroyed, & not the body. but that the body wax not bold in sin but rather quick in good works, therefore abstinence is very expedient. The virtue of continence is nought but if the body be tamed discreetly by abstinence, so that all inordynate affections be thereby withdrawn. For else all abstinence standeth in none avail, if the body be suffered inordinately to be encumbered in vices. If our meat be ever taken as we would take a medicine than shall we live contynently. And as soon as we let go at large and release the reins or the bridle of continence in taking of our meat and drink inordinately, hastily, and with pleasure, anon the snare of liking & carnal lust is about privily for to deceive us. Therefore as oft as need requireth we eat and drink, so oft we of right serve the flesh and the body, as lords give to their servants that need is. What is this virtue of continence in this place? but soberness of living, by the which soberness the body receiveth both meat and drink & sleep. There be many manners of soberness in continent living. Of the which soberness incontinent living. One is abstinence for medicine, and that is for health of body. Another is abstinence of avarice, & that is for to spare costs. The third is abstinence of hypocrisy, and that is from vainglory. And the. iiii is abstinence of poverty, and that is for need. The .v. is religious abstinence, and that is for winning of virtue, for destroying of vices, and for sharping of our ghostly understanding, in wyning of wisdom. For right as earth stoppeth a window that the light may not come in, so the understanding ghostly is stopped with excess of meat & drink that we may not feel nor see the way of virtue. soberness is than a meritorious virtue, when it is done principally for god, and in good form, in such wise that the body be provided after his need without superfluity, so the it fail or faint not afore his time, for to much scarcity or labour, but that it be wisely kept ye●t wax not wanton in much rest. All our intent should be occupied about the profit of the soul in love and knowledge of god, and in all such things that may lead us to the love of god. For the soul is not made for the body, but the body for the soul, that it should both serve it and help it, to that intent that the soul with the body might come to the knowledge of god. The soul is only made for god, for to be knit and coupled to god. To our lord it longeth for to slay, and for to quicken again such as he made. Therefore it is unlawful to us for to slay that he hath made, that is our body. vices he would we should i'll in our body, but not the body by to much abstinence, which should be ruled soberly by continence, & not destroyed by abstinence. He destroyeth and sleeth himself that undiscretely by abstinence and other great labours (past measure) maketh himself so feeble that he may not serve god as he should discreetly and so decayeth from his service, or than the order of kind would, though it so be that fervour of devotion or pure symplenesse excuse some. The holy apostle would that our service should be reasonable, and not unreasonable as it is written thus. Ro. xii. Bacionabile sit obsequium vestrum. ❧ Now sister if thou wilt wite in what things lieth continent soberness I shall tell thee? soberness standeth in iii things. that is in quality, quantity, and manner. ☞ In quality, that thou desire no delicates nor precious meats and drinks, nor also costyous, but such simple meats and drinks that lightly may be had, and that nature may be sustained without excess, that thou fall not in to the sin of gluttony. ❧ In quantity, that thou eat nor drink not to much, nor ofter than it needeth, as thy rule teacheth. But temperately that it be to the body refreshing, and not as a burden. All seek folk be free from this rule/ for they may eat and drink as oft as their sickness requireth. In manner that thou take not thy meat and thy drink to greedily, nor to hastily. nor to receive it unmannerly, but easily, and religiously/ so that your eyes be not looking about hither nor thither, for to see what thy sister hath in her dish. But only hold the content with such things as thou hast afore the. Eating and drinking with dread of god & in silence/ not hastily as though thou should never have enough. Fill never thine eyes before thou fillest thy palate. But with thankings of god hold the content. rather suffering scarcity than abundance. Set not little by thy service, nor despise nothing that is set afore the. Nor grudge not though thou lack sauce, ne though thy meat be miss sod or roasted. But think that many better than thou art hold them pleased with fewer meats, and more homely dressed than thou hast. For that thou puttest away from the they take for great dainties. Suffer poverty Christ'S familiar friend to be homely with thee, and that love with all thy might both in meat & drink clothes and in all other things. See and behold how meek poor folks be in their apport, in their answers, and how fearful. so do thou. Plain never nor grudge never for wanting of meat & drink nor clothing. Ever hold thyself unworthy for to have that thou hast. For lack or want of outward things meekly borne increaseth inward things by grace into great ghostly richesse of a good conscience. The contrary doth abundance and plenty. For where that moche abundance and plenty is in outward things, therefore the most part is great scarcity inwardly of graces. Of the measure of eating and drinking it is full hard for to give a certain rule, but thus, that thou keep a good mean between to moche and to little, so that thou eat not so little that thou may not serve god, but be faint and weary of thy common labour in religion. And that thou eat not so much that after thy meat thou have no will for to pray, nor for to read, nor for to be quick unto such things as thou art bound to. between these two keep a mean. Also of thy sleeping keep the same rule & mean. Thus if thou govern the in thine eating & drinking thy meat shallbe to the more savoury. more profitable, more wholesome, & less grieve thy stomach, and lightly for to be digested, & also it is more honest & religious, & without sin. He the liveth soberly is right able to virtue, for he is quick to do all good ded, more chaste in his living, wiser in his speech, readier to devotion, & clever in his affection. Also all sober folk be more retentive in wit than other. There be iii degrees of abstinence or soberness. The first degree of soberness is to abstain fro to much meat and drink. & keeping of due times & hours in eating and drinking, not for to break the fasting day ordained of holy church, nor for to live in delectation of meat and drink in unlawful tyme. And not for to set his intent for to eat & drink such things as be lecherous/ rather styring to uncleanness than to cleanness. A be'st that only can none other thing but for to serve the body keepeth his time in eating & drinking/ & also the manner of eating according to his kind. Than much more should a reasonable creature do which is endued with reason, else it were better that he lacked reason as a be'st, than for to be ruled without reason. for if he lack reason as natural fools do, he should not sin. ¶ The second degree of soberness is to abstain from certain lawful things/ as is from flesh/ from wine/ from milk/ from fish/ & for to be well contented with sharp victuals, that is with homely bread/ with thynne ale/ with common pottage/ & oft for to fast/ and for to abstryne from such meats & drinks the been most lecherous. as religious folk/ devout folk/ & repentant folk do. But religious must do their special abstinence, if they do other than the covent doth believe or else it standeth him to no meed. The third degree of soberness is for to tame gluttony, and so to teach the palate that a man may hold him content with right scarce livelihood, such as is only sufficient to necessity of kind and not to the lust that is both in quality & in quantity of meat and drink. so the more simple the livelihood is the better it should beloved. And if sometimes we must needs eat delicate meats, than not for to receive them delycatly, but only for to receive them needfully and soberly without excess. ☞ Lo sister thus to love abstinence & soberness is for to live continent. Therefore if thou wilt come to the very virtue of contynency in sebre living thou must be content though thou lackest of such meat & drink sometime as thou wouldest have. And be not sorry though thou lackest them as some be, which sometime when they want the meat that they desire they be sorry & grudge, & put away shame, nothing thinking of their profession, considering how that rich folk want sometime that they would have. much more than poor folk should hold them content the rich folk want. Thou must also be glad to lack, & in will for to want for gods sake, and for the love of soberness, & for good example of other. ❧ O sister see what virtue is in such continent living. It purgeth the soul/ it raiseth the wit it maketh the flesh subject to the spirit/ & it maketh the heart low & contrite. Scarfite is the mother of holiness. By abstinence & by fasting the battles of the flesh against the soul, and the battle of the soul against the flesh do cease. Which abstinence letteth the servant the body, for to arise against the lady the soul. & so all such conflycts & battles by fastings & abstinence do cease scarcity of meat & abstinence of drink make vices to be unknown, for like as the spettel of a fasting body slayeth an earthly serpent. So much more the fasting of a devout soul sleyth the serpent of vicious living Abstinence both quickeneth & sleeth, it slayeth the vicious leaving, and quickeneth the soul to god. Abstinence with good works is much acceptable to god. They that abstain & fast from meats and do evil, they follow the condition of fiends which never eat, but they be never without wickedness. If thou wilt be very continent in soberness and abstinent leaving, let not only thy throat fast from meat, but the eye from vanity, thy ears from myshering, thy tongue from mysspeking, thy hand from mystouching, & thy soul from proper will, & so shalt thou be a continent soul. Of this fruit of continence I find four virtues. One is that it prolongeth the life both bodily and ghostly as Solomon saith. Eccl. xxxvii Qui abstinens est prolongat vitam. He that is abstinent lengthyth his life, for if the body be kept from corruption of gluttony & excess, the soul is free from sin, & so both to live at the last endlessy in bliss for such abstinence. The second virtue is, that it maketh the bodily wantonness to be repressed, for a lean body by abstinence, is constrained for to obey to the soul, & leave wantonness, As saint Paul saith i Corinth ix  
Castigo corpus meum et in servitutem redigo: I chastise my body (he saith) and bring it under in to servitude & bondage unto the soul, that by such chastising by abstinence it may the better serve the soul & obey thereto. The iii virtue is that it gladdeth both god & his angels. That this is sooth I find by a figure of Abraham which made a great feast in winning of his child. What meaneth this winning? Nothing else but a departing from the sweet milk of delicates. For our lord hath great joy of all such that forsaken all worldly and bodily delights, as a man would be of a great feast. if we use therefore scarcely meats & drinks, we shall be kept both clean in ourself, & also have fruition & fellowship of holy saints in heaven. The four virtue is, the it keepeth a soul from the wicked enemy of lust which lust is bitterer than death. As Solomon saith. Eccl. vii inveni amarierē morti mulierem. Lo (he saith) I have found a more bitterer enemy than is death. And what is that? Truly lust. For lust sleeth not only the body but also the soul. ¶ Thus sister leave lusts in meat/ drink/ & sleep, and learn to live contynently in abstinence. For though abstinence be but a homely fruit, Yet it is a wholesome fruit and a savoury, in as much as it disposeth both body and soul to all other virtue. Of this virtuous fruit our lord both feed and fill the.  
AMEN   

¶ The xii fruit of the tree of ghostly livers is chastity. Ca xii.  
¶ Of chastity.  
THe xii fruit of the holy ghost in every ghostly liver is called chastity, which is a right precious fruit, for as much as it longeth only for holy spouses of our heavenly king. chastity is the daughter of soberness. For she is no rysshed of her, like as uncleanness by gluttony. Sister it is a great difference between virginity & chastity, as it is between whiteness of kind and whiteness made by craft. The lily is white by kind, & cloth is made white by craft. By the lily is understand virginity, and by the white cloth is understand chastyle. Vyrgynyte is called purity of soul & body afore falling, and chastity is called purity of body & soul after falling. For after long chastising of the flesh the soul and body is come to whiteness & cleanness of chastity. virginity hath no such labour, for it groweth and continueth with nege of years, & ever is kept hole in whiteness unto the self age, as a lily doth without any labour, by kindly growing. It is not so of chastity which I liken to byce or white linen cloth, made with great business. first the fire thereof is green as grass, & than it is dried. after that beaten, & so made cloth. which cloth is oft watered & sonned unto the time it hath taken whiteness. So chastity must be won and kept. For chastity beareth his name of chastysing. ☞ First who so will be chaste & is no virgin, he must dry up the earthly grenesse of liking & fleshly lusts by loathness & hate of sin, than for to keep him therein, by chastysing or by reasonable abstinence and waking with other bodily exercises. And after that to water it by oft wailing and weeping the god would keep such cleanness in them the he may be sonned in the light of grace, ever to be kept clean from falling. Thus sister a man may be chaste that is no virgin. For as saint Austyn saith, virginity is a perpetual meditation of incorruption in a corruptible flesh, & a holiness without experience of contagious filth. Such virginity is ever kept as long as the heart withstondeth that it consent not to no manner of corruption. but ever to have a loathness. He that will be a virgin he must in the beginning of nege & discrtion first refrain the kindly stirrings of corruption of nature, & so destroy that first sawtes of kind, which be right sharp in the beginning, and than ever after he shall find good peace with his flesh, and right seldom sawtes, but such that may easily be withstand without any peril of losing of virginity, for the head of the first suggestion is broken. The contrary labour hath chastity. For as soon as he hath afore lived uncleanly & unpurely, beginneth for to live chaste, anon he findeth battle, & as it seemeth many intolerable heats of stirrings, with unsatiable fannynges & imaginations of the devil, which stirreth the flesh to be importune and for to move a man to sin by many ꝑcussyons of unkindly heats. O how in such battles a wretched man standeth in great peril, but yet if he mightily withstand it he shall have the victory and also great meed. Is it not trowest thou a great mastery for to overcome him of the which sometime we were overcome. A wound once healed if it be again soon after broken, it can never be healed again without some mark. And therefore though the battle of chastity be never so meedful, yet it is a battle of sufferance & of strokes, but virginity which was never hurt is a battle of giving of strokes, for it hath quenched the styrynges of the flesh, & therefore it receiveth none. It hath broken the serpents heed, & he therefore fleeth fro him, & dare not abide battle. Three great rewards I find that our lord giveth to virgins & maidens. One is. the among all rewards, he maketh virgins receive a. C. fold fruit, where cleanness of wedlock receiveth but thirty. fold, & the cleanness of widowhood but sixty. The second is, that all virgins & maidens. singeth a new song which none may sing but they The iii is that they follow the lamb where so ever he go. All chaste souls be as angels in earth, & cousins to angels, for there is none of so nigh affinity that may approach to angels, as virgins & maidens do. Of this I find authority in holy writ, where it is written thus. Mat. xxii Qui neque nubent, neque nubent: Erunt sicut angeli dei. They that neither wed nor be wedded in earth shall be as angels of god. ☞ Lo sister this is the sovereign singularity or privilege, which is given to virgins & maidens, for to be cousins to angels. virgins & maidens receiveth a. C fold fruit, that is a. C. fold reward in bliss, & so they exceed in merit & reward the sixty fold. fruit of widows, & the xxx fold fruit of wedlock, which shallbe beneath them as the numbers been. The second is, that all virgins and maidens do sing a new song which none may sing but they. But what song is this that is so singularly given to maidens & vyrgiss? where should we find this song that is called a new song to them? first we must seek out this song among all the songs that we find in holy writ, whither it be the song that angels sing in heaven Alleluya. Nay it must be such a song the maidens may understand. That song is only angels song, desiring our salvation. it is good, but yet it is an old song afore the incarnation. we must have a new song. whither it be that song which Moses song when he had led the children of Israel over the read see, when he song thus. Exodi xu Cantemus dno. etc. ❧ Sing we now to our lord (he said) for gloriously he is magnified, in as much as he hath both horse and man of our enemies drowned and thrown in the see. Nay, this is not a new song, but an old song, yet it is partynent unto man's salvation. Many songs I read of old songs full good & virtuous, but none of these songs I find singular and new longing to virgins & maidens. There is one song which is new and singular for them, and that is the song which the blessed virgin Mari our lady made, when she was with our lord, and our lord with her by his worthy incarnation. This new song is called. Luc. i Magnificat anima mea dnm. My soul (she said) magnifyeth and maketh our lord great. After the great joying of saint Iohn whiles he was yet in his mother's womb, & after the worthy commendable propheci of Elizabeth his mother, This blessed virgin & maid in comforting not only of virgins and maidens, but also of all man kind began meekly & wisely a new song and sang. Magnificat anima mea dnm. As who might say thus. All other of old time pronounce our lord a great lord, and a worthy, as all reasonable creatures should. Other also proved & showed our lord great & worthy. But I now make our lord great. For like as the worker is more commendable than the work, so is this song more commendable than all other songs. For it is new bringing in our salvation. ☞ Lo sister this song was made of a virgin & a maiden. All maidens may be joyful, for by a virgin & a maiden was first begun this new song of our salvation, Than the song of virgins should nothing else be but the mind and meditation of our lords incaruation, and ever newly to have in mind the birth of our lord which is that new song of our salvation. None may sing this so verily but virgins & maidens, for because a maid and a virgin was the first that caused it and made it, & that blessed lady our lords mother virgin & maid was the first that made a vow to virginity and offered the glorious gift first of all to our lord. For though our lord said by that law. Gen. i. Crescite et multiplicamini et replete terram. ❧ Grow and increase, & fulfil the earth (he said). to virgins & maidens, grow and multiply & fulfil heaven. So than only the quere of virgins after our lady may sing worthily this new song of our salvation. Luc i. Magnificat anima mea dnm. ❧ The iii thing is, that all virgins & maidens follow the lamb whereout soever he gooth. By this lamb I understand our lord god & man, which ran in the wretched way of this world in great purity & holenesse both of body & soul without any corruption. Only virgins follow next this lamb in great purity of cleanness both body & soul. All other maidens that be no virgins in holiness of virginity follow him, but not so swiftly, for they halt on the one foot. The body and the soul hath not be kept so hole without breaking. It was broken, & is made hole by chastity. The foot of chastity is never so strong as is the foot of virginity. In four manner of wise I fynst that our lord that blessed lamb walked in this wretched world while he lived here after the four feet of a lamb. ¶ One is in earth he walked meekly whiles he was among us. In hell after his death he walked among fiends full fearfully. Upon the see after his resurrection he walked full marvelously. And in heaven after his ascension he walketh now full highly. In these sasame. iiii? manner of wise walketh all virgins and maidens in this life, for they follow this blessed lamb foot by foot. They walk meekly if they be very maidens, for the fellow of may denhode is meekness, & the token thereof is shamefastness. Ever they be shamefast of the thing that longeth to breaking or hurting of virginity and maidenhead. They walk also dreadfully. For vyrgynite & maidenhead among all the conflicts of this fighting church in earth be more dreadful battles to fiends, than any battle of any other good creature. For the fiend findeth no mark of his brenning in the flesh of maidens, & therefore he is afeard most of them, for they only break his heed. There may no delectation of carnal sin by false suggestion rest in them. They walk also in earth marvelously. Is it not a marvelous thing, & a wonderful for to live in flesh, & not to be overthrown in passions of the flesh. truly yes, and worthy great merit & high joy. They walk also in earth highly, for they pass in highness all other of living, both prelate's and subjects, but if they be virgins & maidens as they be. ❧ Lo sister what privilege longeth to meek virgins & maidens. Few I find virgins, but many I do find maidens, and therefore this twelfth fruit is called the fruit of chastity. virgins be all they which set their life so high in heavenly living, that though battle of the flesh be proffered them, they lightly and mightily with stand it, so that the fend in his ꝓfer is more afeard of them than they of him. maidens been all they that suffer battle, and mightily overcome them, but ever they dread to fall, & therefore they keep under their flesh in chastysing for fear of falling. Four things I find of chastity. One is that it cleanseth the body, as the contrary wise lechery defileth it, so the though there were none other meed of chastity but cleanness, ne none other torment of lechery but the stinking filth thereof. The honest of chastity should be desired, and the filthiness of lechery should be abhorred. Another is the chastity maketh a manes mind free. For it hath no thought, neither for children, how they might be made rich, but only the mind is set freely on god. The iii is, that it gladdeth the conscience, in as much as such one for the love of Chryst despiseth & forsaketh all fleshly delights. The four is, the both to man & to angels it maketh such a chaste soul to be loved, so that both good and bad have in reverence all chaste folk, but angels specially. For like as naturally every kind loveth his own kind, so angels for as much as they be clean, love more famylierly all chaste folk, as most like to their own kind. ¶ For to win this virtuous fruit of chastity, & to come to the ꝑforming and perfection thereof is the eschewing & separation of all such that be either spekers of uncleanness or doers of uncleanness, & for to be lovers of the company of chaste spekers & chaste doers, by whose example chastity is taught & learned. Also eschewing of delicates either in meat, or drink, or sleeping, or eating, or else of fine & soft wearing. which be norysshers of the flesh. Also keeping of the out ward wits and senses the nothing be seen nor heard, nor touched. which that should tempt the. Also by eschewing of idleness, which is the gates of all vices, & namely of carnal vices. Also keeping of the inward thoughts & affections of the heart, by the which affection the wicked serpent the fiend putteth in his venomous heed of uncleanness. Also business of prayer whereby is gotten of god help against temptations. who so governeth him thus may lightly come to cleanness of chastity. There be many degrees of chastity. There is chastity of wedlock, of widow hood, & of maidenhead. There is also chastity in deed, & chastity in affection. Some be chaste in body & not in soul, as all such the keep their bodies clean from all actual corruption, but yet in heart and will they be wedded, for they desire to be wedded. All such for the most party delight to here & speak of corrupt love, desiring to love and to be loved, and so hinder many a soul by their affection. But now of the degrees of chastity the which belongeth to religious folk, and to all devout maidens, let vs se. ❧ ❧  
¶ The first degree is keeping & continence from actual deeds with a purpose for to live so and to withstand all manner consent to any unleeful stirring. This degree is yet full nigh to liking and lust, for new turning therefrom, in as much as yet it smelleth of carnal temptations, & therefore it is full necessary the such one so new turned from carnal sins unto chaste leaving, look not again to such carnalytees, lest it perish: but that in all haste it aspire upward to another degree & in an higher degree of chastity, that he may be safe from peril thereof. This first degree is yet in labour of battle & uncertain of victory, for as much as only will with god's grace fighteth against four enemies that is against the stirring of the flesh, against the appetite of affection, against the stirring & provoking of the world to lust, & against suggestions of fiends. And so, iiii be against twain. yet let good will trust and lean to our lord truly & faithfully that saith. Io. xvi. In mundo pressuran habebitis, sed confidete q ego vinci mundum. ❧ In the world (our lord saith) ye shall have much torments of stirring to sin, but fight mightily thereagainst with good will, & trust faithfully me, & ye shall overcome the world, for I overcame it. ❧ Lo sister. thus is the world overcome with good will and help of grace. Also if thou wilt overcome the fend, have also good will & trust in god, which bond the fend, & deprived him, and despoiled him from all his robbery of souls. For he is as weak as a mous if he be withstand with a good will. As for the other ii enemies which be to the fiend & to the world but exactours and tollers & servants to them, as is the flesh lykynges and unleeful affections may soon be overcome when their lords & masters be overcome. All this doth good will with gods help. ¶ The second degree of chastity is when by chastising of the flesh, & by other ghostly exercises the unclean affection is cleansed, and the body is made subject to the soul, so that it is very seldom tempted, And if it be tempted it is but right easily. For at all times without temptation is it not, but yet it is so easy and so little that lightly with little labour the stirring may be overcome more with biding then with striving, more with easy turning away & loathing, than with struggling, but it so be that by negligence and sloth it is suffered to gather strength & might against the soul. as though no force were given thereof, than it is no wonder thought a clean soul be troubled and overcome in such long sufferance of temptations. If we will mightily withstand our ghostly enemies when they begun for to impugn us. anon despise those temptations that they send in, and so shall we never be overcome of them as for that time, and not only we shall not be ovecom, but also they shall be so made weak in their battle that they shall not dare to assail us afterward. And if they assail us, they wot well that they shall be lightly overcome, so that they dare not onhis quynche upon us. Lo what good will can do, but many be right slow in withstanding, by the which sluggishness we give the fiend strength & boldness against us to impugn and assail us the ofter & the more sharperly or fiercely. Of one thing take heed, that when our adversary the fiend is mightily evercome, sometime he abideth long before the he will assail us of that same vice of the which he is overcome, unto the time it be forgotten & put out of use. And than soon after unadvised & suddenly he falleth upon us for to throw us down in to the same vice the more surelyer that we be unadvised. And because he findeth us unready to withstand him. I may liken such one to a man in battle, that when he hath long fought against his enemies than he doth of his armour & resteth him, & sendeth away from him all his meinie, for he hath no suspetion of no more battle, & so he plapeth holiday in quietness and rest. In such faint holy days I find many killed. Therefore sister be thou ever ready armed, thinking that thine enemies wait sore upon thee, we should ever be ready mightily for to withstand them, for they cease never from assailing, but it before a wile & craft, & for a while. and it seemeth that they rest. and it is not so, their ceasing from assailing is to assail us, for the ceasing is for no kindness or love that they have to us, nor for weariness, but for guile and wiliness. Sister believe him not in his wiles, nor trust not to him, for he is full of wickedness & at the last he will break out. ¶ The iii degree of chastity is to have all the lusts & delights of the flesh so tamed and chastised, that uneath and seldom & right little the stirrings of the flesh been felt. For the soul is so arrayed with affection and love of chastity the it hath great abomination of uncleanness & fleshly styringes. It is so squaymous thereof that it may not suffer to heart, ne to be spoken of fleshly works without great loathness, so that it seemeth that it would cast, the heart is so squaymous when it heareth thereof. O now is this a blessed cleanness of chastity. If it happen sometime for profit of other, & for reverence of the sacrament the such a chaste maid must needs speak of the cases of matrimony, than she speaketh thereof so soberly, so chastened, and so cleanly that she feeleth her flesh so quiet & restful with such communication, as if she spoke of stones, or filth, or such other the stirreth not. Also in sleeping such one sleepeth full surely without any natural abundance, without foul imaginations or illusions, in so moche the she shall feel no manner of stirring slepyngly, but that it may wakyngly be soon overcome graciously. This is a very description of perfect chastity, as it may be had here in this sinful body, full seldom this grace of cleanness is had here of right perfit folks. But if thou wilt be stabled in this perfit degree of chastity, & continue therein I trow thou must ask of our lord a special privilege of grace, in as moche as it is above the bonds of natural possybylite for to live in the flesh without feeling of the vycyousnesse of the flesh. Such as be cold of complexion, or else be feeble in body lack oftentimes stirrings of the flesh. But yet them needeth with that cleanness and purity of flesh, for to have cleanness & chastity of soul, which is had only of virtue & of grace. for else such one is no meed worthy. Of all such that so have tamed their flesh & feeleth no stirring speaketh the prophet with great admiration, as though it were a wonder thing, when he saith thus. Ps. xlv Uenite et videte opera dei que posuit prodigia suꝑterram, auferens bella usque ad finem terre. ❧ Come & se (he saith) the works of god, for he hath ordained upon earth wonder things in withdrawyng of battles of temptations, from the end of fleshly stirrings. ☞ Lo how he calleth this a wonderful thing, & truly so it is, to live in flesh & feel no stirring thereof. But what saith he more? Ps. xlv. Uacate et videte qm ego sum deus. ❧ Therefore he saith, and our lord saith by the same prophet. Take heed restfully, & see inwardly. for I am the god doth these wondrous things & none other. As who saith, when battles be overcome & enemies overthrown, the soul may than rest in himself, and be in quiet understanding and seeing inwardly god, that he it is which so mightily. & so merciably would repress & overthrow unclean temptations of vices, & give finally peas and rest to all such that have good will for his love to live in cleanness. Of such peace our lord saith thus. Leuit. xxv. Dabo pacem finibus vestris dormietis, et non erit qui exterreat auferam malas bestias. ❧ I shall give you peace in your flesh, & ye shall sleep, and there shall no fend make you afeard by illusions. I shall also with draw froyou wicked beasts of fleshly lie kings. Lo what our lord doth to all such that have a good will to live in cleanness. Have a good will sister, and thou shalt have rest fro all uncleanness, & inwardly set thine heart on him. For who so will inwardly behold our lord, & have all his delight in him, he must life himself above himself, as the prophet saith. Treno●. iii. Bonum est prestolare cum silemcio salutare dnisede bit solitarius et tacebit quia levabit se supra se. ❧ It is right good and well done to abide in sweet stillness the health of our lord in all our living, & so to sit solitarily & alone within himself set aside from all outward lettings. for the soul will life herself by grace above herself. In such solytarynesse & stillness a clean soul findeth great rest fro concupiscences, fro troubles, & fro worldly occupations. These iii things do let a chaste soul fro inwardly beholding of god. I mean of such worldly occupations that be all worldly without any intent of goostlynesse. Outward occupation in religion is not worldly occupations, for it is done for a ghostly end, & for a heavenly reward, because of obedience. But that call I worldly occupations which is done only for winning of worship of temporal good, & of favour. He that desireth nothing of all these, neither for himself nor for his worldly kin & friends, than hath he nothing whereby he should be troubled & let from inwardly beholding of god. for he dreadeth nothing to lose of such things, neither of worldly worship nor of perfect, nor of temporal goods. Also if such one shake fro him his curious beholding of other folks deeds, & if he be no deemer nor occupy his thoughts in thinking about such things, he may right freely be occupied about inward things. For he that will be occupied with high heavenly things. He must be free from all lower worldly things. A bird if his wings belymed or bound or broben or plucked or cut, he may never i'll high. Right so if the wings of the soul that is ghostly love & affection be limed with worldly affection or bound by worldly gifts, or plucked with worldly delights, or cut by withdrawyng of ghostly love, it shall never well i'll ghostly. ❀ Many things there be which should move & stir us to chastity. One is freedom to intend about the soul's health & about the pleasance of the love of god For business about worldly things & fleshly desires is so inordinate & perilous that it letteth the spiritual fruit of chastity. Fleshly love is to a chaste soul as bird lime the letteth it to i'll chastened. Who so will not be shackled & tied with such bird lime of fleshly loves, let them live in freedom of chastity & cleanness both of body and soul. Another thing that ought to stir us to chastity is the excellency & worthiness thereof, by the which it exceedeth & overpasseth in fruit and reward all other manner of chastity, both of wedlock & widowhood. For where as our lord assigneth unto the bodily spousal, but xxx fold fruit, he rewardeth the chastity of wydo whode with lx fold fruit, & the chastity of maidenhead with a. C. fold fruit, as it is aforesaid. Therefore saint Paul exhorteth and counceleth both maidens & widows, and all unwedded persons to chastity, as to th'estate of more perfection, and saith i Cor vii Dico autem non nuptis et viduis bonum est illis si sic ꝑmaneant. ❧ I say (he saith) to them that be unwedded and widows. It is good for them to live in clean chastity if such rewards be ordained for all iii degrees of chastity. I trow a religious woman which hath made her vow to live in chastity shall have three rewards. One is for her virginity and maidenhead. Another for her ghostly spousage to god. And the. iii, for her meek abiding here in manner of a mourning widow, in as much as she liveth here under a mourning habit. So than such shall receive of god xxx fold fruit, lx. fold fruit, and a. C. fold fruit. O how precious & glorious is the fruit of chastity, when it is the spiritual array of all chosen spouses of the king of heaven. O, how rial is this array, & seemly upon a chaste soul, when it causeth almighty god to choose such a soul unto his dear beloved spouse. chastity it is that arrayeth the soul with marvelous sayrnesse with inward cleanness, with plenteous fruit, It arrayeth the soul with glorious brightness with the reward of immortalyte, and with lasting worship both in heaven and in earth, as that holy ghost witnesseth in holy write, where he saith. Sap. four O quam pulcra est casta generatio cum claritate, imortalis est enim memoria illius qm et apud deum nota est et apud homines. ❧ O (he saith) how fair is chaste generation with brightness? the mind of whose remembrance is immortal. For it is known both against god and against man. ye. and not only known before god & man, but it maketh also of men & women angels, as saint Bernard saith. Quid inquit castitate decentius que de hoine angelum facit. ❧ what is more seemly (he saith) than chastity? that maketh of chaste men and women angels. For though the chastity of angels be in more bliss, yet the chastity of man or woman that standeth in battle is more strong. chastity (he saith) is alonely that thing that in the time & place of this mortality representeth a manner of immortal glory and bliss. Therefore it was that our merciful & chaste lover and lord jesus although he would have his holy mother spoused to joseph, to show the spousage were good, yet he would in her spousayl that she should keep the chastity of virginity to show that it was moche better & more glorious, than bodily spousal. Therefore also it was that our heavenly spouse jesus king of bliss called a way his own chosen darling & holy apostle saint Iohn the evangelist from his bodily spouses, and because he left his bodily spousayl for our lord, therefore he made him more familiar & homely with him before all other apostles. And because he forsook the carnal love of wedlock, therefore our lord fulfilled him with the sweetness of his ghostly love more plenteous than other. In so much that at his last souper he made known to him that that was hid fro all other. And there sleeping on our lords breast died see the brevities of his godhead, which afterward he wrote mere highly than ever died any other. To him because of chastity our lord in his passion commended the keeping of the most holy, chaste, & glorious virgin his own glorious mother. For love of chastity also it was that this same a postell loved specially the holy king saint Edward for, to whom he appeared & received his ring in alms, & sent it again warning him before the time that he should departed out of this life, & receive in heaven the great reward of chastity which is full plenteous & singular as our lord promiseth by his prophet I say & saith. Esa. lvi. Dabo ennuchis meis in domo mea locum et nomen melius a filijs et filiabus. ❧ I shall give (saith our lord) to my chaste servants a place and a name in my house of heaven. better & and more worthy before other of their sons or daughters. O, therefore now thou mayst see by this, how worthy and excellent a virtue is chastity, and how acceptable and pleasing it is to our lord jesus thy heavenly spouse. Keep it therefore and halse it to the as that thing that may make the full lovely & pleasing unto the high king▪ and thine endless spouse jesus. whither saint Agate knew not this, when for the love & faith of chastity she went unto death as she would go to a great feast, whither also saint Margarete & faint Katheryn knew not this, which for the love of clean chastity chose rather to be martyred than for to lose it. whither also saint Lucy knew not this, that for the love of chastity, the holy ghost made her so heavy that she might not be drawn with many fold tyemes of oxen to the brothel or strumpet house. whither also saint Agnes that was so tender of arge which was led unto the brothel house, where an angel of god kept her, & by ordinance of god was more clad with her hear than by any clothes. I trow yes. Look sister and thou shalt find that all these holy virgins rather would be dead than to lose their chastity. The third thing that may stir us to the virtue of chastity is the inward calling of our lord & the comfortable inspiration of graces which our lord showeth to all meek & chaste souls, for all such desireth. seven things of god. One is the sight & the love of him, and set right nought by outward beauty of any creature, as for any liking in sin. An other is that all such desire to have right nought but only whereof to live, & that to their only need without any superfluity. The iii is all such i'll & eschew vain & idle words. The four is they care not for to see their worldly friends, neither fathers nor mothers, for our lord they love and desire. The .v. is all such covet to keep meekness withinforth in their conscience, and withoutforth in their habit. The vi is that all such be in will never to do uncleanness, but rather for to die. The vii is that all such bring forth to our lords service more children by their good conversation & good example (by speaking of spiritual and ghostly words) than they should have done if they had been wedded. ☞ Lo sister what graces our lord giveth to all meek maidens. Thus than chaste virginity is peace of the flesh, silence of charges, prison of lusts, stopping of the .v. wits as touching to evil, the beadle of good name & fame, joy of conscience, part of the nature of angels, fairness of good living, lord ship of virtue, the bed & resting place of Chryst, and the fundament of all goodness. Chaste vyrgynite is also as a lily undefiled. ¶ In a lily be vi white leaves, by the which cleanness of chastity is signified. The first is soberness of meat & drink. The second hard waring. The three business of labour. The four keeping of the. v wits. The .v. casynesse of words. The vi avoiding and eschewing of idleness. Such chastity as doctors say ravished the prophet Elyt in a fiery chariot in to paradise. By such chastity the same prophet raised dead to life. By such chastity Elizie the prophet had given to him of god a double spirit. one of prophecy, and another of miracles. Such cleanness & chastity quenched the outward fire of the iii children which were cast in to the fire, as is rehearsed in Danyel the prophet. And no wonder though such outward fire might not brene them, for as much as the fervour of uncleanness brenneth not them within. All such may in no wise be burned of any man's ordinance withoutforth, that quench the devils fire withinforth. And that hath be well proved by holy virgins afore, whose material fire our lord quencheth with his dew without forth, because they had quenched the fire of hell withinforth. Such chastity delivered Danyel fro devouring of lions. because he destroyed in himself that most cruel be'st of fleshly delectation, which is wilder & wodder more than any other wild be'st. Thus than chaste vyrgynite is the spouse of Chryst, the throne of god, the temple of the holy ghost, the hale of the endless king, the treasure of heaven, the earnest & dowry of everlasting reward, and the gate of paradise. And for to say shortly chaste vyrgynite maketh a man or a woman in this wretched body blessedly to clepe, and graciously to win the bliss of heaven. ¶ For to conclude up this holy fruit of chastity, four great virtues I find whereby it is highly commended, & praised in the sight of god. ❧ One is that chaste vyrgynite groweth among worldly people, as the lily doth among thorns. For like as a lily among thorns groweth upright without hurting, so doth worldly chaste virginity among worldly people, thus saith Solomon. Cant ii Sicut lilium inter spinas, sic amica mea inter filias. As a lily saith our lord by Solomon groweth without hurting among thorns, so doth my dear beloved spouse chaste virginity among all mine other daughters. The second virtue is, that chaste vyrgynite beareth the precious flower above all other manner of chastity, be it of wedlock or of widowhood. For like as one star passeth an other in shining in the firmament, so doth chastity among all the cleanness of the earth. The third virtue is, that chaste virginity hath the high seat in heaven next unto the trinity, in as much as our blessed lady gods mother that holy virgin is enhanced in bliss above all the orders of angels. Therefore glad may all chaste maidens be, which hath so special a virgin nigh the trinity. The fourth virtue is, that chaste virginity here in earth is most next unto Chryst both bodily and ghostly. Bodily both by familiar conversation and also by natural knowledge. ❧ The first was well known by saint Iohn the evangelist which by the merits of his chastity was most familiar with Christ above all the apostles, and moche privy to the secrets of his godhead. The second was well known in our blessed lady that holy virgin whom our lord chase to his mother, because of her meek virginity, & so was borne of a chaste virgin, to show thereby that he loveth ever the cleanness of meek and chaste virginity. ☞ Lo how virtuous chastity is, keep it well, for if it be lost, it may never be won again. Though thou lose charity thou may have it again as well as ever thou haddest, so of ghostly joy, of patience, of sufferance, of goodness, of benyngnite, of mildness, of true living, and of continence, which I call here soberness of living, but not so of chastity. For if ye lose that it may never be had again as it was. And therefore I pray the keep it well. Which if it be meek will bring in all the other virtues. ❧ ❧ ❀  
¶ Now sister I pray the specially eat oft of this fruit both waking and sleeping, for it is sweet in smelling, that it savoureth among angels in the bliss of heaven. part with thy sysysters of this fruit that ye all at the last may come thither where as your holy cousins be angels, there for to see the virgin of virgins, & our lord your loving spouse her blessed son endlessly.   
AMEN  
¶ Here endeth an epistle made and sent to a religious woman, of the xii fruits of the holy ghost. ❧   


Robert Coplande   printer's device of Robert Copland