¶ A diurnal: for devout souls: to order themself thereafter.  
 depiction of St. John writing the Book of Revelation on Patmos, actually the altered printer's device of Robert Wyer (who worked at the sign of St. John the Evangelist in the Bishop of Norwich's rents at Charing Cross)   

 depiction of the Crucifixion, with the Virgin Mary and St. John at the foot of the Cross   

Jesus'. Maria.  
THe great cause (as I do think) why we profit little in the way of perfection is: that we do not with all our study and diligence/ follow by perseverant exercise in our daily conversacy on/ the good instructions and councils that be daily given us of our lord god. The which for the gracious desire that he hath of our salvation: ceaseth not to admonish and teach us/ how we should ensue and obtain our soul's health: and his perpetual favour: not only by secret inspiration/ but also by outward teachings and ensamples: that oft times we read & see. And this default in ve riseth partly of our nelygence/ that we give no great force of our own profit: partly of our frail and oblivious memory/ that soon forgetteth what is taught us: but if by often rehearsing it be depesy written and graven in our stony hearts. ¶ Against the first the only remedy is a good will/ the which with the help of grace (daily desiring by continual prayers to amend) shall at the last obtain that it perseverantly desireth. Against the second default the remedy is: often times to read or here those things the which would alway be had in mind. wherefore I have according to your devout request/ noted briefly in this little papyre three exercises: the which I have many times counciled you to use at three times of the day specially/ that is to say in the morning when ye ryseat your meat/ and when ye go to rest.  

¶ In the morning.  
AS soon as ye be full waking mark well what thing cometh first to your mind And if ye have been waking at any time of the night past/ what remembrance ye have had of god. And if ye find that any thing hath occupied your heart then the rule of perfection requireth/ the which is that our heart be at all tymes unyd and knit unto god/ either by actual love and contemplation of his goodness with the we thanks giving for his benefits/ or else by continual prayer & confession of our own evils. ¶ Then anon with great heaviness complain of yourself knowledging that this imperfection is found in you for want of diligent ghostly exercise in the time past. And with a fervent desire to amend from thenceforth: begin anon with humble prostracyon both of spirit and also of body (if ye be alone) to praise the glorious trinity saying thus. ¶ O beata et benedicta & gloriosa trinitas tibi laus et gloria et gratiarum actio ab omni creatura tua perinfinita secula seculorum. Amen.  
Thus in sentence. O blessed and glorious trinity/ laud/ glory and thanks be to the of all thy creatures/ world without any end. Amen. ¶ And when ye say this prayer: speak it not only with your tongue/ but of all your hole heart most affectuously desire that the praise/ glory and thank of all goodness that is or shall be wrought by you or any other creature be returned all only to him the which is the beginning/ the mids & the end of all thing that is worthy any praise. And acustome to rehearse this many times on the day/ so oft as ye feel any ghostly/ or else corporal/ delectation of god/ or of his creatures/ that is to say when soever ye be touched with inward devotion or good thought: when ye consider the graces of saints/ when ye be delighted with the be wty of any creature/ when your meat & drink do content your appetite/ and so of all other things that pleaseth you. Alway singeth your heart and many times speak with your mouth. O beata trivitas. uts. But specially see that ye in no wise omit this when ye be moved to vayngsory. And I think the continual exercise of your h●rte in this one lesson/ shall much promote & increase the grace & love of god in you.  
¶ But now returning to the mornings exercise when ye do on your clothes/ see that your mind be occupied in the praise of god thanking him that he hath so plenteously puyded for you all necessaries/ many other much better than ye/ being in need/ and pray him to move your heart: & the hearts of other to relieve his poor people. And this ye shall diligently remember both at your feeding and when ye go to your rest at night.  

first when that ye be clothed before that ye depart out of your chamber say this short prayer following before some image of our lord Ihesu christ/ first thanking him for your creation and redemption saying. ¶ Gratias tibi ago domine Ihesu Christ qui me creastiredemisti et preordinasti ad hoc qd sum: tu scis quid de me facere vis/ fac de me secundum voluntatem tuam cum misericordia. Amen.  
Lord Ihesu christ that hast created me/ hedemed me/ and prcordynat me to be that I am: thou knowest what thou wilt do with me/ therefore make of me what soever thy will is after thy mercy. Amen.  
¶ And when ye say this knowledge in your heart that ye are well content with the estate and calling that ye be in: desiring entirely with all your heart to be obedient to the ordinance of god what soever it pleaseth him to make of you.  
¶ Secunderly confess that all your life past hath been full of sin and moche unkindness to ward your lord god/ promising unfeyningly that ye will without any further delay/ with the help of his grace this same day begin a new life/ humbly asking mercy and remission/ saying.  
¶ Dne Ihesu Christ ego cognosco me graviter peccasse/ et libenter volo me emendare per gratiam tuam miserere mei propter amaram passionem tuam. Amen. O lord Ihesu christ I know that I have grievously sinned/ and gladly I will amend me by thy grace: have mercy on me for thy bitter passion. ¶ And when ye say thus/ have before your eyes some of your greatest offences that most may move you to shame of yourself and to contrition.  
¶ thirdly utterly dysprayring of yourself (thinking that ye are not in any wise able or sufficient to order your own life & to guide yourself in the way of virtue) commit you fully to the providence of god & say ¶ Domine Ihesu criste qui solus es sapientia patris/ tu scis que michi peccatori expediunt, prout tibi placet/ et sicut in oculis tue maiestatis videtur de me/ ita fiat cum misericordia. Amen. O lord Ihesu christ that only art the wisdom of the father/ thou knowest what things are to me expedient/ as it pleaseth thee: & as it is seen in the eyes of thy majesty of me/ so be it with mercy. Amen. ¶ And when ye say thus: offer yourself perpetually to be obedient to all ghostly councils and movings of the holy ghost/ to the power of your freyltye. Unto the hour of death: saying in remembrance thereof. ¶ In manus tuas domine. etc. Lord in to thy hands I commend my soul and body: having a full purpose to be wilful to die: when soever it shall please our lord to call you. ¶ After that ye have thus done: ye shall give thanks to the trinity (as ye before have been taught) for three special excellentꝭ given to our blessed lady: saying thrice. ave maria. Greatly desiring to do some thing before ye die that may be pleasant to her. And then have mind of your good angel and other saints to whom ye have special devotion: namely those which shall be honoured in the church that day. And of this ye may occupy your mind in the way to ward the church/ prepayring your heart to prayer/ by the remembrance of some part of their life. And when ye come to church/ se that ye do nothing only of custom/ as it were a thing that hath no reason or under standing. ¶ But in all thing consider the presence of your lord god: having him continually before the eye of your soul. and so behave you in all things/ that your service may be pleasing to him the which requireth of us not only our corporal exercise/ but much more the exercise of our heart. And before ye depart out from the church forget not to thank our lord with all your heart that he hath given you grace that day to be present at his holy service: and such leisure that ye may attend without worldly let your soul's health: thinking that many one in the world that be compelled of need to apply their bodily labours▪ if they might have such seizure as ye have to ensue the spiritual life: should much more profit in virtue than ye do: and be peradventure (not withstanding all their business) moche more fervent in the love of god. And then call to mind how many persons beset from the presence of the church to provide for your need/ meat/ drink/ and cloth: and heartily commend them all at the  in general to our lord and his saints.  
¶ In departing from the church beware that ye fall not anon to idle speech: but in the way consider by order/ how ye have been occupied in the church/ and what devotion our lord hath given you/ and what good purpose ye have been moved to/ and give god and his saints thanks with a full desire to follow them. And likewise consider wherein ye have be faulty and negligent/ & be sorry therefore with a purpose to be more ware from thenceforth. And thus ye shall do after every work/ before ye dyverte to any other occupation. ¶ And when ye come home to your chamber/ se that ye demean yourself there like as at the church: at all times considering the presence of god/ and his angels. ¶ first at your entering/ on your knees salute our saviour and his mother/ & apply yourself to some profitable occupation/ considering in the beginning whether it be of necessity or else voluntary. If so be that it be of necessity it may not be omitted/ But and if it be of voluntary then consider whether there be any other thing of more necessity and profit that may be done at that same time or not/ and say to yourself wouldest thou be thus occupied if thou shouldest die this day/ and constrain yourself with the fere of death to spend your time at every hour to the most profit of your soul/ offering your heart with your work both at the beginning and at the ending unto our lord. And before ye depart from your chamber/ commit your custody and governance to our lord and to your good angel.    

¶ Before your meat.  
PRepare your heart diligently to come thereto with compunction/ the which is the most excellent remedy against all sensual appetites. And though there been many means to induce compunction/ yet that notwithstanding it shall be expedient/ that ye be determined every day to some inspecial/ wherefore I shall assign to you like as ye desired for every day in the week one refection of our lord Ihesu/ that ye may be accustomed to feed with him. These seven ye shall find in vita christi secundum bonaventuram: in the chapters here entitled. 

¶ On moneday the xvii chapter i  
On tuesdaye the xxii chapter ii  
On wednesdaye the xxiii chapter iii  
On thursday the xxv chapter four  
On frydaye the xxxix chapter .v.  
On saturdaye the xxxiii chapter vi  
On sunday the lxii chapter vii    
¶ These chapters ye shall use to read either in part or hole as may be sufficient to stir your herie to compunction. But if ye will find shortly the fruit of your reading/ se that ye begin with a great desire to take profit thereof/ & ask of our lord help saying.  
¶ Emitte domine sapientiam tuam de sede magnitudinis tue ut mecunsit et mecum laboret/ ut sciam quid acceptum sit coram te in omni tempore. Amen. Good lord send out thy wisdom from the seat of thy magnificence that it may be with me and labour with me/ so that I may know what is acceptable afore the at all times. Then begin to read every thing reverently/ deeply merking each word that ye read/ oft times asking grace to profit.  
¶ And when ye shall make an end/ consider your doing as I have said before/ and give god thanks for his help/ and confess your own negligence. And then give thanks also to our lord for the saint that wrote those things for the profit of your soul: & say in the honour of him one. ave maria. And so commending yourself unto our lord/ come to your meat with heaviness of heart that ye be compelled for the need of your body (the which is your continual enemy) to leave the service of your most beloved spouse. ¶ After this when ye have said grace (entirely desiring our lord lo bliss you and all your company/ and his creatures that ye shall feed of) take your place in order as beseemeth/ thinking yourself to use the to wme of a servant and not of a sovetayne if it ye will follow his example that said. Ego in medio vestrum sum sicut qui ministrat. I am amongst you as it were a minister or a servant. Being glad if all other have that thing that contenteth them. And think that ye alone be unworthy the breed that ye do eat. And observe at your meal these five things.  
¶ first that ye feed not greedily without consideration/ but before every time that ye shall take your meat: life your heart unto god thanking him that he hath made that creature for your use/ and then consider whither it be convenient for the health of your body: & then take of it moderately sevinge the best for other that be more worthy.  
¶ The second is that your abstinence be as secret as ye can/ standing rather in the breaking of your appetites/ and forbearing of those meats that ye feel yourself much inclined to desire: than in any syngularytie notable.  
¶ The third that you refuse nothing that is offered you/ but with great devotion receive it as sent of god/ giving thanks to him therefore. And when ye have taken part of it/ give the residue as ye think best/ specially for the nourishing of charity.  
¶ The fourth/ that in all that time ye study to keep in your heart the remembrance of god at every morsel that ye receive/ giving thanks in heart to him. And every thing that ye leave/ offer it unto him/ and your heart withal.  
¶ The fift/ that ye do not forget to pray for the poor people (like as ye did in the morning.) And when ye have fed sufficiently/ so that ye leave always with hungry stomach/ beware then of idle words. But if the convenience of the company so requireth/ to find such communication that may edify yourself and the hearers.  
¶ When ye have said grace/ as shortly as ye may conveniently/ without any occasion depart to your Chambre and recount with yourself how you have done as is before rehearsed. ¶ Then be moche ware of idleness: and apply yourself to some profitable exercise. And if any thing would occupy your mind that before ye have herd or seen: an one return in heart unto our Lord Ihesu/ and tell him all the matter/ whatsoever it be. If ye be discontented make your plaint unto him. If ye have done amiss/ confess forth with to him. If ye be in any doubt or perplexity ask council of him. If ye be sick o: diseased let him be your physician. And generally at all times have him sitting in the myddyst of your heart/ as your judge/ your priest/ your master and leech.  
¶ When the after noon is passed in virtuous occupation/ order yourself in the service of god/ before your supper and in the time thereof sick as is before rehearsed. So that ye endeavour yourself alway to do better the after noon than ye did the forenoon And the second day better than ye did the first/ and so forth to your lives end. But in all things beware that ye be not much anxious or pensyfe/ nor long abiding in any heaviness/ nor yet greatly labouring for to weep/ though ye find yourself much negligent: and daily faulty little or nothing amending. For it is neither necessary nor profitable/ but moche let of profit to them/ that find in themself a good will/ to serve god. But rather/ anon as ye find and have espied your default and confessed it to our lord/ thank him of his great patience/ that he hath with you/ & by such means rendereth you to the knowledge of yourself/ and thereby unto meekness. And sing alway in your heart. O beata et gloriosa trinitas. As it is beforesaid. For it is moche better in all things to consider the goodness of god: and to praise him therefore/ than to consider your own evil/ and to mourn for it. And example much notable for this/ ye have in vitis patrum/ of two brethren.   

¶ Before night.  
AT compline time/ call to mind in order the benefits of our Lord showed to you that day/ and thank him for them. And contrary wise your negligence/ and all your deeds/ words and thoughts/ making confession of them to our lord. And those things that be notable/ whereof ye should be most ashamed to show/ imprint them in your mind with purpose to confess them to your ghostly father/ asking grace that ye may so do.  
¶ consider also what saints inspecyall ye have served that day/ and what ye have done to their honour/ counting that day in manner lost/ that ye do not obtain some friendship of the citizens of heaven/ where ye shall evermore dwell. ¶ And then temembre what sayneꝭ be the next day/ with a desire to honour them. ¶ After all this/ when ye have also prayed for the poor people/ sick as ye did in the morning/ commend yourself unto our lord/ our lady/ your good angel/ and all saints with the same prayers/ & in the same order as is before written. And the time that ye do of your clothes/ & till that sleep close your senses/ keep your heart diligently occupied in remembering the goodness of our Lord to ward you: and specially his gracious providence and long patience that he hath with you from day to day. ¶ And then conceive a great desire and a fervent purpose to begin the next day timely/ to amend your life. ¶ And if ye continue this order and cease not/ but perseverantly enforce yourself to keep it to your lives end. I trust in god's mercy by the prayers of his holy mother and all saints/ ye shall increase in good life/ and in the love and favour of our lord Ihesu. To whom be all praise/ honour/ and glory with out end. Amen.   
¶ Deo gratias.   

¶ Imprinted by me Robert wire/ dwelling at the Sign of saint johan evangelist/ in saint martin's parish/ in the bishop of Norwytche rents beside charing Cross.   

¶ Cum privilegio Regali: pro spatio septem annorum.  
⸫  
¶ And be for to sell at the sign of saint Iohn Evangelist.   

 printer's device of Robert Wyer (who worked at the sign of St. John the Evangelist in the Bishop of Norwich's rents at Charing Cross) depicting St. John the Evangelist, writing the Book of Revelation on the island of Patmos, with an eagle on his right holding an inkwell and Wyer's name and a merchant's mark below 
ROBERT wire.