¶ Here beginneth a goodly treatise/ and it is called/ a notable lesson/ otherwise it is called the golden pistle. Impressus. Anno domini. M. CCCCC.xxx. A Good/ wholesome lesson & profitable unto all chrystianes/ ascribed unto saint bernard/ and put among his works [I think] by some good man/ that would it should thereby have the more authority/ and the rather be red/ and better be borne away. For doubtless it is a good matter/ and edificatyve unto all them that have a zeal/ and cure unto soul health & desire of salvation. It is called in the title. Notabile documentum. that is to say/ a notable lesson. And some done call it the golden pistle. It followeth immediately after a little work called Formula honest vite. the form/ and manner of an honest life/ or of honest living. IF you intend to please god/ and would obtain grace to fulfil the same/ two things been unto you very necessary. The first. You must withdraw your mind from all worldly & transitory things/ in such manner/ as though you cared not whether any such things were in this world/ or no. The second is. That you give and apply yourself so wholly to god/ and have yourself in such a wait/ that you never do/ say/ ne think/ that you know/ suppose/ or believe should offend or displease god/ for by this mean/ you may soonest and most readily obtain/ and win his favour and grace. In all things esteem and account yourself most vile/ & most simple/ and as very nought in respect/ and regard of virtue/ and think/ suppose/ & believe that all persons been good/ & better than you be/ for so shall you much please our lord. What so ever you see/ or seem to ꝑecyve/ in any person/ or yet here of any Christian/ take you none occasion therein/ but rather ascribe/ & apply you all unto the best/ & think or suppose/ all is done or said for a good intent/ or purpose/ though it seem contrary. For man's suspicions and light judgements been soon/ and lightly deceived/ or beguiled. Displease no person willingly. Ne ever speak evil of any person/ though it were never so true that you say. For it is not lawful to show in confession the vice/ or default of any person/ except you might otherwise show & declare your own offence. Speke little or nought unto your proper/ & self laud/ or praise/ though it were true/ and unto your familiar fellow/ or faithful friend. But study to keep secret/ and pryvey your virtue/ rather than your vice. Yet were it a cruel deed for any persons to defame themself. Be more glad to give your ear/ & hearing unto the praise/ rather than unto the dispraise of any person. And ever beware as well of hearing/ as speaking of detraction. And when you speak/ take good deliberation/ & have few words/ & let those be true/ and good: sadly set & wisely ordered. If any words be spoken unto you of vice/ or vanity (as soon as you may) break of/ & leave the talk/ or communication. And ever return/ and apply yourself unto some appointed good/ & godly occupation/ bodily/ or ghostly. If any sudden chance fall or hap unto you/ or unto any of yours/ lie not to lightly there unto/ ne care much therefore. If it be of prosperity/ rejoice not much therein/ ne be over glad thereof. If it be adversity/ be not overcast/ or overthrown therewith/ ne brought to sorrow/ or sadness/ thank god of all/ & set little thereby. Repute all things transitory: as of little price or valour. give ever most thought/ & care unto those things/ that may profit & promote the soul. flee/ & avoid the persons/ & places of moche speech/ for better is to keep silence/ than to speak. Keep the times & places of silence precisely/ so that you speak not without reasonable & unfeigned cause. The times of silence in religion been these. From collation unto mass be ended after the hour of terce. Fron the first grace in the fraytour/ unto the end of the later grace. And from the beginning of even long/ unto grace be ended after souper/ or else Enndicite/ after the common bover. The places of silence/ been: the church & the claustre/ the fraytour & the dortour. If you ye slandered/ & done take occasion at the fault/ or offence of any person/ than look well upon yourself/ whether you be in the same default sometime yourself/ & than have compassion upon your brother/ or sister. If there be none such default in you/ think verily/ & believe/ there may be/ & than do: as done soon fade/ and i'll for ever. The good persons/ for their troubles suffered here upon earth: done get & win eterne & everlasting glory/ which the evil persons done lose. And contrary these evil/ & sinful persons/ for their joy & pleasures here/ done reyve by exchange eterne & everlasting shame/ & rebuke with pain/ & woe unspecable. When so ever than you been disposed to slugyshnes/ or to be drowsy/ remiss in prayer/ or dull in devotion: than take this little work/ or some other good treaty/ & read therein/ & ever note well the contents thereof/ and what is meant thereby. And if you be not thereby delivered or eased thereof/ than shift unto some other work/ or occupation/ so that ever you avoid idleness/ & all vain pastimes/ which in deed been lose tyme. And than remember that those that now bide in pain/ other in hell/ or yet in purgagory for such times so passed/ or lost/ had liefer than all the world/ have such time to redeem their pains by/ as you may have if you will. Time than unto all persons well occupied/ is very precious/ & dear. beware well therefore: how you spend it/ or pass it. For you can never revoke it/ nor call it bakke. If the time pass you by trouble/ & vexation/ think they been happy/ and gracious that been past this wretched life/ and now in bliss/ for they shall never have any such misery. And when you feel a conforde or consolation spiritual/ thank god thereof/ & think the dampened souls shall never have any such pleasure. And thus let this be for your exercise in the dative. At night when you go rest/ first make a count with yourself/ & remember how you have spend/ or passed that day & time/ that was given you to be used in virtue/ & how you have bystowed your thoughts/ your words/ and your works. And if you find no great thing amiss/ give the whole laud and praise unto our lord god. And if you perceive contrary/ that you have mysspende any part thereof/ be sorry therefore/ and beseech our lord of mercy/ and forgiveness/ & promise and verily purpose to make amends the next day. And if you have portunyte there upon/ it shallbe full convenient for you to be confessed on the next morrow. And specially if the matter done/ said/ or thought by deliberate consent/ do grievously weigh/ & work with a grudge in your conscience: than would I advise you never to eat nor drink/ till you be discharged thereof/ if you may conveniently get a ghostly father. Now for a conclusion of this work/ put before you/ as by case or imagination. ij. large cities/ one full of trouble/ turmoil/ and misery/ and let that be hell. The other city full of joy/ gladness/ comfort/ and pleasure/ and let that be heaven. Look well on them both/ for in both be many dwellers/ and great company. Then cast and think within yourself what thing here might so please you that you should choose the worse city/ or what thing should displease you on the other part/ whereby you should withdraw yourself from that virtue that might convey & bring you unto the other city. And when you have studied well here upon/ and can nothing find/ I dare well assure you if you keep well the precepts and counsels of this little lesson/ you shall find the right way/ for the holy ghost will instruct/ & teach you where you be not sufficient of yourself/ so you endeavour & give diligence/ to bear away & to follow that here is taught. Reed it every week ones/ or twice/ or oftener if you will. And where you profit/ give thanks/ laud/ and praise unto our lord god/ & most sweet saviour jesus christ/ who send you his mercy and grace/ that always liveth god. In secula seculorum. Amen. ¶ This was brought unto me in english of an old translation rugh/ and rude/ and required to amend it. I thought less labour to write new the whole/ and I have done unto the sentence not very near the letter/ and in divers places added some things following upon the same to make the matter more sentencyous/ and full. I beseech you take all unto the best/ and pray for the old wretched brother of Zion Rychatde Whytforde. ¶ Imprinted by me Wynkyn de word/ dwelling in London/ in Flete street/ at the sign of the Son. The xxiij day of November. In the year of our lord god. M. CCCCC. and xxx printer's or publisher's device winkin de word.