〈…〉 of this tretyse ●… s of true love and 〈…〉 everlasting wisdom drawn out/ of the book that is written in latin and cleped Orologium sapiencie/  

Of the propirte and the name/ and love of everlasting wisdom/ and how the disciple therof shall haue him in feeling of that love/ as well in byternesse as in sweetness. cap. j.  
Of the love of Ihū in his byter passion that he suffered for man/ and how man shall inform his love ageynwarde to him. cap ij.  
How the disciple of Ihū everlasting wisdom shall gladly suffer tribulations and adversities for his love by ensample of his bead& of his chosen louers. cap. iij.  
How the foresaid disciple shall keep him in true ghostly life that is groundid in the love of Ihesu/ and how he shall flee and eschew that is contrary thereto. cap. iiij.  
How the forseyd disciple shall learn to kunne deye and desire to deye for the love of Ihesu. Capitulum. v.  
Of the souereyne love of our lord Ihesu shewed in the 〈…〉 dy/ and how hit sha●… that longeth thereto. Cap.〈…〉  
How the forseide disciple shall in all things love praise and worship god everlasting wisdom/& how he shall wed him to him and become his disciple/¶ Capitulum. vij    

MY most worshipful lady after your high worthiness& dearest loved ghostly douʒter after your virtuous meekness/ I your simple true hapeleyne unworthy to haue name of father/ considering your excellent wisdom both to god& to the world& ēlynge in experience by the sparkles of ghostly communicacyon the heat of the fire of love to our lord Ihū/ that he of his grace hath sent in to your heart/ for to nourish somewhat and feed that gracious fire of love( and to comfort your ghostly wisdom namely in this wickyd world that is full of deceivable wisdom and fast feigned love/ I am stirred to writ after my simple cunning to you/  
As ye devoutly desire a little short treatise of everlasting wisdom and the true love of Ihesu/¶ drawn out in english of that devout contemplatyf book written clergealye in latin the which is cleped the/ Orologe/ of wisdom and that name was given ther/ to as hyt is seyde in the proem of the self book by cause that the matter therof was she wyd to him that wrote hit as in a visioun under the figure and likeness of a wonder fair Orologe/ setet& arrayed with passing fair Roses and with symbales sweet sownynge that given wonder liking and heavenly sown stirring and excytynge upward to heuene the hertis of all that heryn hit/¶ Of the which book the process stant for the most party in ghostly reuelacyons and devout ymagynaciouns in manner of speaking by twix the master everlasting wisdom and the devout disciple that wrote the book whos name is not unknown to us but as we mow soothly believe it is written in the book of life¶ nevertheless as hit showeth he was a frere prechou re/  
But in as much as in the forseide book there ben many matters& long process touching him the wrote hit& other religious persons of his degree the which as hit seemeth to me were by little edificacion to writ to you my dere lady and to other devout persons that desiren this drawing out in english  
Therfore I leave such matter and take only that that me thynkith is most edifying to you& also I follow not the procese of that book in order but I take the matters in sondre places as they acorden to my purpose Ne I translate not the words as they ben written one for another that is to say the english words for the latin words By cause the there ben many words in chargeable terms the which wolde seem vnsaueri● so to speak in english.  
¶ And therfore I take the sentence as me thynkyth most open to the common vndirstandynge all the process of the foresaid book that is to stir devout souls to the true love of our lord Iesu the everlasting wisdom of the father of heuene after my simple vndirstandinge hyt may be comprehendid as in effect in to vij. poyntes that long to the true love of our lord Ihū after the vij ʒiftes of the holy ghost the which is souereyne love of the father and the sone and well and root of all true love/ And which these vij poyntes of love ben hit shall be declared after in the proeme of this treat that stant in a devout imagination how the forseide disciple cam first to the school or true diuinyte and how the sovereign doctor everlasting wisdom Ihū tauʒte hem these vij poyntes of his love of the which this tretys is written in english/¶ But yet at the beginning of this work touching myself soothly I know mine variance in will thereto For somme time for love and liking that I haue had in the forseide book/¶ Orologium sapiencie And also for ghostly comfort of you specially and other devout persons that desiren hit. I haue be stirred to the translation therof in to english in maner before said¶ But there with considering the multitude of books and tretees drawn in to english that now ben generally communed my will hath ben with drawn dreading that work somewhat as in waste nevertheless for also much as the kind of man in this life hath liking in change of diverse things both bodily& ghostly& somme folk delight in on in& some other& feeling miselfe let not thereby fro other ghostly exercises but rather comforted when I haue leisure& time I haue take vpon me that simple work in certain times when mine affection falleth thereto after that our lord Ihū will send me his grace in this place of grace for the which grace in alle things as hit is needful to me in this wrecthed life I beseech alle you that reden or heren this treat to prey to him that is well of alle grace our lord Ihū christ that he for his grete mercy grant hem alle that reden hit some new ghostly comfort and increase of grace thereby and ghostly taste, to haue of that heavenly wisdom that is christ Ihū and true love in him the which is tretid in this book AMEN.   
Sentite a domino in bonitate& in simplicitate cordis querite illum qm inuenietur ab hijs qui non temptant illum apparet autem eis qui fidem habent in illum Prohemium 
THese words that I haue said here of everlasting wisdom ben thus much to say in english. Felyth our lord in goodness and sechyth him in simpleness of heart/ For he is founden of hem that tempten him not and he appeareth to hem that haue faith in him There was sometime a devout disciple of wisdom the which after that in his ʒouthe had gone to diverse scoles and leryd sundry sciences of mannes doctrine and wordly wisdom after when he came to more age& was touched by grace to the true love of our lord Ihesu thought much vein travail in the foresaid sciences wherefore he preyed continually and devoutly to god that he wolde not suffer him depart fro this life till he cam to the knowlechynge& the kunning of sothfast and sovereign philosophy/  
¶ And in the mean time as he went fro study to study and fro school to school sechynge bisily that the he desired but in no maner sothfastly he kowde not finde it but only as it were an image or a likeness therof It befell vpon a time after as he was in his devout meditacyouns and preyers there apperid to his sight a fair/ and a wonder grete and large round house like to the spear of the firmament all of bright shining gold sete all about with faire precious stones In the which house that was departed in the mids there were tweyne mansyouns one above/ a neither by nethe/ and each of hem contained diverse doctors and maisters and wondir many disciples according to hem In the nether mansion were maystres and disciples of all natural sciences and of all crafts vndir son/ The which had all as it were a manner veil vpon her faces/ and among the grete swynke and travail that they hadden each of hem in his science and craft they were comforted with a maner of sweet drink which quenchid not fully thirst but hit gendrynge a manner of dryness that made hem more thyrstelewe& more And when the foresaid disciple had abiden a while in the scoles and tasted of her drink his stomach ouertorned and byganne to haue a vomete/ wherefore he left the scoles and forsook these sciences and went up to the second mansion the which was wonder fair and in diverse maner curyously depeynted& arrayed/ And when he came thereto and stood before the door/ he fonde there this maner superscripcyon This is the school of sothfast dyuinyte where the masters is everlasting wisdom the whos doctrine is soothfastnesse and truth& the end everlasting felicyte/ And win he had red this superscripcyon in all hast he entryd in to that school coueytynge with alle his inward desire to be made a disciple of that school where bi he hopid to come to that end that he had long desired. But in this school were three ordres both of disciples and of doctors sum satin on the ground by the door the which lackeden true taste of heavenly divinity and hadden her beholding and syzte to thoo things that were without for the They of the second order profitid not feruentli but in maner semid as they stoden still But they that were of the thridde order satin nigh the master and they drank of the water of helful wisdom that came out of his mouth/ and they were made so drunkyn that they forgeten hem self and alle other worldly things having her hertis and her eyen ever upward to the master and fervently weren rauisshed in to his love& heavenly thing And win the disciple had busily beholden these things he was gretetly a wondrid and namely of that thing that in one school and of one sothfastnes ther was so grete diversity and vnlyknes in many maystres& disciples/& then he herde as him thought a voice speaking to him these maner words Thoo three ordres that thou hast seen ben three maner of studyenges and techynges of holy writ The first manner is fleshly and that haven they that ben copiouse and habundan one the letter science without the spirit which the more kunning that they haue the more they ben blown and fillid with pride and ben noyous both to hem self and to other The which seek noʒte in her kunning goddis worship and loving ne her soul hele or edificacyon of hem self and other but they been al only about her own worldly promocyon The second maner of learning and teaching of holy writ is bestely and that is in hem that in school exercisen in a simple maner and sechen thoo/ things that ben nedful to soul hele/ but they ben negligent and slow to profit in fervour of charity and love to god and heavenly things The thyrdde maner is sprituel and ghostly and that is in hem that with alle here myʒtes and heartily affection trauaylen/& besien hem to gete thoo things that long to perfection So that as here vndirstondynge profytith in kunning/ So her souls& her affection bē fillid with the wisdom of god the which tasten and beholden the sweetness of our lord and by here kunning holy writ techyn/ and leden hem self/ And other in to a blessed end  
¶ wherefore the blessed disciple leaving alle the tother sciences suddenly desired to haue his abiding and dwelling with hem and suffered him than to be a true disciple of that heavenly master everlasting wisdom/ And so by negligence to the master he spake to him in this maner O thou sovereign and everlasting wisdam sithe hit so is that alle men by kind desiren for to haue kunning/& in the that art universal prince and actor of kind all maner tresoures of wisdom and kunning ben hid and also thou arte maker of all thing and hast all maner of science and alle thing thou seest and knowest therfore I ask of the with a grete desire with alle mine heart that thou open to me the treasure of thy sovereign wisdom and that compendiously and in short words/ For they that now ben liueng/ and haven liking in short speech and of making books is noon end, alle the world is filled with dyvers doctrines/ and there ben a thousand maner of leaving One liveth in this maner and another iij that maner  
¶ There ben also so many books and tretees of vices and of virtues and of diverse doctrines that this short life shall rather haue an end of every man joanne he may other study hem or rede hem wherefore thou everlasting sovereign wisdom I desire and ask of thee that thou teach me in schorte maner of that heavenly divinity the which without error stondyth in the wisdom& in the true love of the blessed lord Iesu¶ The master everlasting wisdom answered thus¶ My dere sone coil thow noʒte savour in cunning to here/ but dread me here now and shal teach the things that ben profitable to the I shall give the achosen gift for my doctrine shal be thi life wherefore taking thy beginning of helfull dysciplyne at the dread of god/ the which is the beginning of wisdam I shall teach thee by order/ vij/ poyntes of my love wherein stant sovereign wisdam and the perfectioun of all good and ryghtwys living in this world¶ Septem puncti a amoris Iesu xpmprimus punctus.  
The first point is the maner and the propitte of me and my love and how thou shalt haue the to me in feeling of that love as well in bitterness as in sweetness¶ The second point stant in declaring of my love in my bitter passioun that I suffered for thee in confermynge again thy love to me/ The thridde is in glad suffering of trybulacyns/& adversities for the love of me by example of my bead and of mine chosen louers the suffered dysese and paynnes for me.¶ The fourth is how thou shalt keep the in true ghostly life that is groundyd in the love of me/& how thou shalt flee and eschew alle that is contrary thereto be which thow myʒt displeyse me¶ The fifth shal teach the to kunne die for the love of me¶ The sixte point is in declaring of my souereyne love shewed in the holy sacrament of my flesh and blood for thee and how thou shalt worthily receive hit and worship hyt for the love of me¶ The seventh point teacheth the how thou shalt in all things that thou seest kunne love me and worship me/ and wed the to me by true love of me/ and become my disciple/¶ then spake the disciple and seyde.¶ O heavenly doctor and souereyne master everlasting wisdom this hit is that I haue long time fervently desirid and with all my business souʒte/¶ O lord well were me yf I could this lesson of love declared in the vij. foresaid poyntes of love What should I more desire for saint austin with/ love perfitly and do what thou wilt/ But now for as much as there may noo man love perfitly thing that he knoweth not therfore teach me yf hit by thy coil after the first point a fo reseyde/ What is the property of thy name and that maner of thy love/ and so forth by process that I may know how that hye wisdom and lesson of love comprehendyth in vij. poyntes beforseyde/¶ The master everlasting wisdom seyde first/  

Of the property of the name and the love of everlasting wisdom. and how the disciple shal haue him in feeling of that love as well in bitterness as in sweetness. cap. j.  
first yf thou wilt wit the propirte& reason of my name/ thou shall vnderstonde that I am cleped of hem the lyuen in earth everlasting wisdom/ the which name is most convenient and lest acordinge to mine nobleye/ For though hit so be that every person of the holy trinyte taken by hi● self his wisdom. and all the persons to gedir ●n everlasting wisdom nevertheless for as much as wisdom is applied properly to the sone/ and also hit falleth to him by reason of his generation specially/ Therfore the byloued sone of the father is taken and understand in that maner signification of wisdom custumably now as god/ and now as man.  
Now as he that is the spouse of his church. And now as she that is the spouse and wife of every chosen soul that may say of hyr everlasting wisdom.  
¶ Hanc amaui& exquisiui eam sponsam michi assumere& amator factus sum form●… illius.  
She with thus I haue loved and I haue v●…terly sowʒte fro my youth and I haue desirid for to haue hyr to my spouse/ and I am made a lover of hyr form and schappe/ and also in the self book thus with.  
supper salutem& omnem pulcritudinem dilexi sapīam& posui pro luke hēre illum venerunt michi omnia bona pariter cum illa.  
A boven health& all beauty I haue loved wisdom and I haue purposid for to haue hyr as for my lyʒte/ and alle goodys haue comen to me with hyr Also of her worthiness hit is written thus Sapīa speciosior est so le& supper omnem disposicionem stellarum luci comparata invenitur prior candorum est enim lucis etern& speculum sine macula divine magestatis et ymago bonitatis illius.  
That is to say wisdom is feyres than the son/ and in comparison of hyr light she is founden passing above alle the disposition of stars She is forsooth the bryʒtnesse of everlasting lyʒte and the mirror without wemme of goddis majesty and the image of his goodness/ Also thus¶ Melior est sapīa cunctis opibus preciosissimis et omium decide rabile non potest et comparari longitude dierum in dextera eius et in sinistra illius diuicie et gloria/¶ Wisdom is better than alle maner of most precious goods/ and all that may be desired may not be in comparison like to hyr the length of yeres is in hir right side/ and in hir lift side rychesses and joy/¶ And thus much touchyth to the property and the worthiness of my name with wisdom But now touching my love be hold with a joyful mind how able I am to be loved. how lovely to be clippid and kissid of a clene soul. to whom is grauntyd in all hir life thouʒ hit be but one time to feel that/ and thouʒ hit be so that death fall thereby hit shall not be to him grievous. For soothly I am ever redy to hem that loven me for to love hem aʒenwarde& with hem I am present inchyrche/ and at the lord in the we ye and in the cloystre and in the market.  
So that there is no place but that there is present charity that is god. for among all other spouses the goodly wisdom hath this singular property that she may be present over all every where to the desire of hir louers and all the syghynges don for her wepynges and desires and all maner dedis and seruyses. she as present knoweth hit anon Also the singular prerogatif of my goodness and love is so grete. that who so tastith thereof thouʒ hit be but only a little drop after that he shall hold all the lusts and lykynges of the world. but woe and filth My love dyschargyth hem that ben over laid with the heavy birthyn of sins/ hit puryfyeth and maketh clene the conscience hit strengthyth the mind and the soul Hit geuyth freedom to hem that ben perfit& coplyth and knyttith hem to me that am everlasting wisdom. And what more who so taketh me in to his spouse& louyth me a love all thing. he liveth with tranquillite and rest he dieth with all sikernes/ and in a manner he begynnyth here the bliss& the joy that shall last ever world with outen end Men spekyn many things& yet they faylen in her wordys/ for the hye worthiness of plainly tell hit may be in experience felt but hit may noʒt be fully spoken nor told/ and therfore alle these wordys of the kind of godly love ben but as suddenly rapers out cast than in effect plenerly full spoken/ Than seyde the disciple to himself thus¶ O lord god how many good things here is I spoken of this sovereignly fair& worthy spouse. why my soul makyst thou dissimulation or feynynge Why assaye●t thou not whether thou mayst haue hyr to the a benign love O how blessed were thou if thou mightest wed hir and haue hir unto thy spouse For thou arte young& able to love and ther is none heart that may be so sole alone as there in whom is lack of love wherefore now be full delyberacyon that haue utterly set me that I shall put myself unto the death so that I may gete her to be a meek loving spouse to me And than she everlasting wisdom with a glad& a gracious cheer goodely shall wed him and say In these few words  
¶ Fili prebe michi cor tuum.  
Sone yeue me thine heart And anon as the disciple herde this word for the greatness and fervour of love his heart meltynge and as he were rauisshed out of himself thanked hir lowly/ and seyde thus A a sovereign joy of my heart that I may haue so worthy a spouse this is soothly the hour of hele and of ghostly joy to me/ and the time of gracious visytacyon/ this is the day that our lord hath made specially to me/ In the which/ dread is turned to love/ and the gracious experience of thyn homlynesse giveth me more pleyne trust to speak firthermore to the what me lykyth/ wherefore I shall opene my mouth/& the pryuytees that I haue long time bore close in the chamber of mine heart. now I shall show to thee that knowest best by experience in that craft of love. that who so louyth specially coueytith to be loved againward singularly/  
wherefore the fervent affection of mine heart to the that hast hit singularly in thyn handis coueytyth and desiryth that as hit singularly loveth the/ the thou do so againward me/ this is that souereine desire/ and that thou wouldest know me by mane/ and singularly haue me biloued/ and cheese me to thi self among thin most special frendys and louers  
Not that I desire that thou shuldyst love me alone above all other. but that thou woldyst show to me and give me thy special love amongs all other that ben loved of the  
For that is a thing that putteth me in to anguish and sorrow that ther ben so many hertys loving the thorough most brenning charity/ the which ben before me and passing me in love and in showing of love in dede to the wherefore I dread sore leste thou that art lover of lylyes and fed among lylyes. feeling the sweet smell of hem. shall forget me that am but as a brere or a nettyll: and so shall I fall in to harm for the love of other forgive thou me my loved the I speak so. for as thou knowest well/ hyt is the property of fervent love that hit can not put lawe ne measure to wordys/ ne hit hath no regard to none other thing but only to the the he desireth and to be alway occupied with him that he louyth Than seyde  wisdom 
Thy loveth though it be fervent nevertheless hit seemeth somewhat blyndid. in as much as thou felyst of godly and heuenli things/ as in maner of earthly things/& therfore thou erryst in thy doom/ for so is hyt not as thow takest But thou shalt vndirstande that the wisdom of god is love. wherefore right as the being of god that is in all thing is not departed therfore ne the lasse in hit self/ right so his love is nevertheless/ though he love all things that he hath made  
¶ And therfore without prejudice of all other take this sadly in thi mind. that I am in all times and every our so lovingly bysie about the/ as though alle other were put a back and gave intent only to the/ and as I should singularly answer to thy love by hyt self Than seyde the disciple this is a blessed word& most worthy in all manner to be accepted of me Now is my soul magnified a love all the dayes of my life ¶ wherefore now all the world be glad& joyful with me/ for the goodlynesse of my beloved that so grete benyngne love sheweth to me/ and therfore o thou swettyst and everlasting wisdom I ask of thee that neither life ne death ne noo maner fortune depart me fro the/ but/ that our love stronger than the death may last ever with outen end But yet I forto plain to the souereine love and everlasting wisdom of the maner of thy loving/ that sometime when thou wilt thou arte so homely/ so gladly and so liking in sensible feeling of thy blessed presence/ And sometime in contrary manner so strange/ and so far as though thou haddyst forget/ and fully forsaken me/ and than sigh I/ and sorrow greatly and no wonder/ for wythdrawynge of that thing that is loved against the coil of him the loveth is full hard& noyous/ as I know seek to the that I haue oft scythes felt in experience that it hath be to me a grete labour and sorrow in loving of love/ And therfore thus hit is that I haue against the thou moder of love everlasting wisdom/ in pungynge and compleynnynge of thy love/ that thou hast her before so greatly commendyd For why soothly right oft scythes what time that the mind and the thought of the lover wenyth for to haue the rest fully in the prive chamber of his heart/ and troweth that he hath be clyppid the to him with his loving arms without departing for ever/ suddenly alas I not whyder thou fleest aweye and arte not sene/ but leuyst the soul full of sorrow after the/ and so while the heart of the lover brennyth the soul trystyth after the/ and the body sekyth and mournyth/ coueytynge the my sovereign joy that art the principal desire of mine heart with all mine inward affeccyons And yet thou as hyt were taking noo regard thereto/ ne geuist no manes feeling answer again/ what is this seemeth hyt not to strange a thing. yes me thinketh and to heuysom and grievous it is to me that thou wilt not condescende to thy lover whom thou hast so inwardly woundyd with thy love  
Than answered  wisdom and seyde 
The making and the kind of every craft may answer for me in as much as thou mayst therein see my souereyne might/ my souereyne wisdom/ and my souereyne goodness. and yf that sufficeth not to the/ hold the apaid in holy writ  
where thou mayst finde me sufficyently/ for that is as an amorus letter sent to the in to solace and comfort of the For all that haue written/ they haue written to thy comfort/ to strength thyn hope and nourish thy charity. What sayst thow/ seemeth thee not that hit is sufficient reasons and proves of love to the lover  The disciple seyde/ 
O thou mistress of all love/ why spekyst thou so to me/ art not thow a true lover/ ye and for to speak better/ soothly thou arte/ love hit self and without doubt/ thou knowest the conditions of every loving heart wherefore hyt falleth not to the so strangely to speak of love/ For thou knowest well hyt is to lytyl and not Inowgh to him that louyth what ever hyt be that is not his beloved  
For ther is noo thing suffisaunte to him that louyth/ but only the presence of that that he louyth  
¶ And therfore this is that maketh me sorrowful before so worthy a face of goodness the changynge in the coming and gooynge of the For that tormentyth the soul that is not yet fully saddyd and stabled in the most perfect degree of love/  
And also these other manners of syghynges and longynges of the heart and spekynges of love/ O thou everlasting wisdom thou heryst hyt and puttyst not thine intent thereto/ but feynist as thou took none force ne noo reward therof  wisdom 
I take hede to all that thou seyest/ and to all the desires of thyn heart  
¶ But abide a while and show to me wordys that I shall ask of the. answrynge to my question/  
What is that thing that the heavenly spyritys angels own forto seek and haue her intent to sovereignly in her working/  ¶ Disciple 
O thou souereyne maystres of heavenly discipline/ how should I so simple& so vnkunnynge answer to that hye question But therfore I prey the answer for me/  wisdom 
Thow shalt vnderstonde that angels/ spiritis/ and perfect unbelievers sechen noothynge so much in her worchynge. as for to confirm all her dedys to mine coil as the goodly wisdom with.  Meus cibus est vt faciam voluntatem patris mei quia in celis est. 
¶ My meet is that I do the will of my father that is in heaven/ and so this is the meet of angels and of perfect unbelievers/ that they haue delight sovereignly for to fulfil the coil of her lord in hem self and vnyuersally in all creatures wherefore consider and take hede of thi self what thou sekist or what thou louist. for vn{per}fite men sechin thoo things that ben of the ʒifte of him that they love and not himself For other they eschewen her own harms as servants done or ellys they sechin here own wynnynges and profitis/ as done merchants But now for to answer more plainly to thy principal question/ of the coming and going of my comfortable visitacyons whereby the amorous souls as thou sayst is tormentid and disesed when she feeleth mine abssence/ by which her comfort is withdraw Thou shalt vndyrstande that sometime& ryʒt oft scythes beside other causes now passed over the soul hit self is cause of such maner wythdrawynge of ghostly comfort what time that the window is stoken by sum maner of stopping aʒens the son beam or ellis vnreuerence is done with inn forth to so worthy a gest/ whereby she that is loved. but not in that perfitly love is constrained& made to go out/ of whom with holy writ/ That her delices ben for to dwell with the sones of men sometime also what time that I come/ I ʒeue liking and joy in dwelling with my love not openly but prynely, so that full few. and only thoo that ben most expert mow know the priuetees of so worthy a presence And for als much as thou desirest that I should show to the sum tokene of my most prive& most certain presence first thou shalt busily examine thyself what thou arte in absence of my grace And anon thou shalt finde the that thou sechyst For hearken that I am sovereign goodness with my presence I fulfil all things with goodness. And as the son is known by his bemes and his light so is my presence known by her most plenteuous goodness Now than yf thou dydist ever prove& goodness and the liking of my presence. or ellis the bareynes and the myslykynge of mine absence/ bring forth in to knowing& tell hit openly. so that thou mayst know the flowers among the wedis  ¶ The disciple seyde. 
¶ Yf all the membrys of my body were turned in to tongues& all my weines and senewes might speak with mannes voice/ they might flight express nor perfitly tell out that thou askyst of me nevertheless that I haue known in experience as thou hast given hyt me I shall tell out that I may haue of the more pleyne and full information of the matters before seyde¶ wherefore o thou souereine goodness I knowledge soothly that what time that thou turnest a we ye fro me thy gracious face. full of goodness and sweetness and wythdraw est from me thyn inward comfort/ and hidyst thy light in thy handys than my wretchy soul is suddenly chaungyd and as made seek and unlusty/ and than followeth weariness of the body and hardness of heart, and sorrow of the spirit is felt so farforth that than my soul is full of the life  
¶ And than myslyketh me alle things though they ben good that ben other seen or herde Also thyn absence bringeth in to me hatynge of the place fulsumnnesse of the sell and dyspisynge of bretheren dwelling with me And than my soul bygynenyth forto slumbre for heaviness/ sometime for the pusillanimyte and feebleness of spirit. he wote neither when hyt commyth or whider hit goeth Than also I feel myself by most certain experience redy& light to fall in vices.& for to withstand temptations weyke and feeble. and vnmyghty to alle ghostly exercise. wherefore who so sechyth me in that time he fyndyth but a void house For the good husband that fillith all his main with blessing and gladness is gone out/ and hath left the dwelling place void and bare But aʒenwarde when thou that art the feyrest day star and bryʒtnes of everlasting light rysest up in mids of the darkness of mine heart.  
A lord what a blessed changing is than of goddys ryʒt hand For than alle the dark cloud of manlenoolye complexion is dissolved and put out of the soul with all maner heaviness and sowwe/& hit lyghtneth as the day with joy Than laugheth the heart/ the soul gladyth/ the conscience clerith. and all the inward mights and affections together rejoicing loven& worsshippen god for he is so good/ and for his mercy is so grete ever without end Than all that before were hard and sharp/ and that semyd in maner impossible/ becomen light and soft/ for than is fasting sweet/ waking seemeth short. and all other excercyses though they ben grete For the might of love seemeth but lytyl and small/ and than in time of ghostly grace I purpose for to amend my life/& mine manners/& for to do many good dedis/ the which when that grace passyth aweye alas I bring not to effect But whether all these comen of me/ or of the/ the I covet to be informed  wisdom 
Of thyself thow hast nought but failing/ and loss/ and goenge to nought/ but all the good beforeseyd and other like thereto/ know well that by my presence ben given to the/ wherefore this is the play of love the which I am wont to use in an amorowse soul/ And If thou wilt know more specially what is the pleye of love/ wit hit well that hit is joy and sorrow/ the which one after a neither of my presence and of mine absence fallen to the lover/ for that is the property of love that in the presence of that thing that is loved/ hit is had/& not known/ but in the absence therof hit showeth hit self and is more known/  Disciple/ 
this pleye of love as hit seemeth to me/ is rather of mourning and sorrow/ than of solace and joy But I wolde wyte how the disciple that is not fully expert should haue him and keep him in that diverse maner vysitacyon  wisdom 
In the day and time of goods and of prosperytee forget not euelles/ And in adversity haue in mind of goods& prosperity/ so that thou lift not thyself up over messure/ in time of presence therof thow shalt not put down thyself to much And specially that thou take not vnpaciently that diverse gracious vysitacyon coming and goenge/ though hit so be yet that thou shalt alway busily seek my face  disciple 
O lord If thou wouldest take intent and see soothly thou shuldyst well know that the tarrying and long abiding of that thing that is loved is grete afflyccyon and sorrow to the heart  wisdom 
without ony doubt this tornynge abowte of the wheel of love/ he shal suffer what so ever he be that will love/ And no wondre for to the louers of the world falleth not alway prosperytees/ but also among oft scythes adversities/ and yf thou know hit not by experience ask of ony of hem that known hyt/& they shall tell the that who so will love/ he shal nedys travail There ben many louers to slow and to weyke in working/ the which for a time given hem to love and wolde be louers/ but they wolde haue hit without travail to the which but hyt fall anon after her desire in the wise as they coueyten/ they ceassyn soon fro that which they began/ and these men therfore comen not to the fruit of love wherefore to hem as to unworthy of love hit be seyde thus/  
Milicie species. amor est discedite signs.  
That is thus much to say love is a maner of knighthood/ go ye away therefro that ben cowards/ whefore a fervent lover that will come to the fruit of love that he desiryth/ he must be busy and abiding and seruysable And he shal not lightly leave of/ though he finde him put fro his desire a thousand scythes but alway he shall be in good hope thinking that sometime continual trauayse ouercomith all things For what is softer than water/ or harder than ston. and yet bi oft falling and smytynge of drops of the water on the ston the ston is pierced And for to tell good tidings to thee and to all other true louers that desiren for to here. Wyte hyt well that this goodly spouse that thou trauaylist for will be preyed/ and hath liking in such maner service done to hir wherefore prey and ask oft scythes and leave not/ and I behote the soothly that y shalt haue after the desire of thyn heart For in all this world is none founden that is so light to be asked of/ ne so gracious and redy to here her servants/ ne that is so goodly to answer to hem that ben her louers as is she/ this is thyn most goodly spouse/ wherefore who so will love me: must in all time be busy to look to me as unto his love/ as I am wont continually to behold my lover¶ For he wote not when he that he louyth and abydith will come/ either fro the east or the west/ or fro the north or the south/¶ And also he wote not what time whether early or late/ or at myddaye or at the cockis crowinge he will come/ and knock at his door/ and ask entre/ For oft scythes when the spirit seeking me mournyth and is sorry/ for he findeth not me/ Afterward when he sekyth me/ and wenyth not to finde me/ he shall haue me his byloued presently with him wherefore hit sufficith not for to spend one our of time with the beloved. but hites nedfull that he that louyth be oft scythes busy to seek his beloved/ and alway to be redy to love/ and that he trust not more vpon his merits/ than on my good will/ yf he will haue and feel in experience my precious present/ and for to menge with sweet words/ blaming wordys/ and sharppe wordys to loved words that must be vndernome sadly/ For soothly in such maner exercises of love thou arte to be repreuyd and blamyd/ Why for shane thou that hast taken vpon the/ the knighthood of love/ and hast byhoten to keep this foresaid/ our philosophy/ and set thy shuldre to bear the sweet yoke therof/ why I say arte thou so hardy to grind before so worthy a spouse/ with an unstable heart and flyttynge eyen/ turned about in to the vttrest endys of all the world/ and she with a contynuell looking and a bright gracious face alway beholdyth the How shameful is hyt to the to yeue thyn intent to all thing that thou heryst without forth/ where through thou mayst not here how that the wisdom of god spekyth to the with inforthe O how foul is hit to the disciple of love in so much to foryete himself/ that he taketh not intent to the wordys of him that is about him every where by his presence Wherefore hyt may soothly be said that thou disceuerest him fro the sithence he fyndyth not the neither in him ne in thyself/ but without the/ and without him in the grete noise of the world wherefore I pray the amend these defawtes/ and take hede how uncomely hyt is that a soul sechyth ony thing in outward things/ the which soul beryth the kingdom of god wythinne himself as the apostyl with/ ¶ Regnum dei intra nos est. The kingdom of god is within us/ And that is ryghtwysnes pees and joy in holy ghost/ and thus endyth the first lesson of the first point of love/   

¶ Of the second point of love that stondyth in declaring of the love of Ihesu in his bitter passion that he suffered for man/& how man shal confirm his love againward to him. Ca. ij.  DIsciple/ 
O thou everlasting wisdom that fro the hye throne/ that is fro the heart of thine everlasting father camest down in to this waley of wretchidnesse and sorrow&. xxxiij. year suffredyst diseases& trybulacyons in the exile of this world.& for this cause that thou wouldest show to us thi sovereign charity  
Where through thou louedyst mankind by the mystery of thy most byter passion and hardyst death that thow suffered for man/ by this vnspekeable charity of thy death/ I beseech thee with all mine heart and all mine inward affections that thou woldyst vochesafe to show the to me/ in that form and disposition that thou suffredyst through the sorrow of thy bitter passion  Wisdom 
In as much as of the greatness of love and sorrow is the passion of my death by paleness& by a manner of darkness in the flesh I seem more foul/ In so much that in an amorowse heart and a well dyspossid soul I should be the better loved For right as he that loveth coueytyth kindly to be loved again/ right so he askyth of his byloued a token/ and showing of his love For love that is hid and in close/ is not known/ but only to himself that loveth/ and therfore louers ben about as much as they mown for to haue tokens and preues of love shewed of hem that they loven and oft scythes hyt falleth that though the tongue be still& speak not/ tokens and signs without forth shown and open that is hid in the heart/ and the strength of love within is clossed/ Also hit falleth oft scythes that thoo things that sum men de men as foul and unseemly in hem that they love not/ other that loven hem preysen and conmenden that selue things as feyre and comely  Disciple 
soothly in the love of this world I know well that hit is foo as thou sayst? But how that may be in a man crucified I see not yet clearly For though hit so be in a man or a woman that is beloved after the love of this world/ sometime there is founden a thing that dysplesith to him that louyth/ nevertheless there ben many other things convenient to love/ the which plesyn and lyken him that seeth hem/ But this beloved through the bitterness of death all deformed how he should be seen lovely/ I can not understand Whos dysposicion no wondre seemeth more contrary to love in as much as he of bloonesse and wounds seemeth all foul and full of sorrow with inforth and without forth and showeth no maner of beauty or liking to the sight of the louers/ How than sayst thou that he is so lovely the which evidence in dede showeth so gresly I paynned and vnlouely  wisdom 
true louers taken not much sors of the thorn that beryth the rose/ so that they mow haue the rose that they desiren¶ And also true wise men tell not more deynte of fair things outforth/ as cofres payntyd with gold that haven in hem self but earth or other fowle things than they done by other such vessels fowle without forth/ and full of precious stones with inforth so the spouse of the soul everlasting wisdom without forth seemeth as in dyspite/ foul& abject/ but wythinforth she is full of grace& heavenly light The flesh without forth seemeth dede/ but the brightness of the godhead that is not seen/ shynyth/ and shineth wythinforth so farforth that the angels of god desiren continually to look vpon him wherefore the disposition and the form of the deadly body without forth is not as thou supposyd to beholden foul and unseemly/ But the most fairest and apparysshande comeliness For thou shalt not take hede and consider what he seemeth that is seen/ But what that he hath suffered and where of and why Yf thou ask where of he hath suffered/ soothly of his passing love and charity/ And yf thou ask wherefore soothly hit is for thee for to make the fair and seemly through his abiectyon and vnsemelynesse and with his woundys to hele the/ and with his death to yeue the everlasting life/ and so yf thou behold thy beloved with the eye of love/ thou shalt mow see him full of charity and love/ the which not only showeth his love by wordys/ as many louers of this world done but also he proveth himself true loving in dedis/ for unto the death he loved¶ wherefore hit followeth openly that the abieccyon and the vnsemelynesse of the utter man that he took of the bitterness of his passion is rather showing and prove of love/ joanne matter of reproof/  
¶ Ne h̄it is noghte there against/ though he that louyth not see not this/ for the light that is not noyous and grievous to seek eyen is comfortable and liking to clene& clear eyen  Disciple 
soothly and without ony doubt hit is as thow sayst/ and blessed be tho eyen that so seen/ but this sight is not given to alle men/ but only to hem the which ben good christian people that fervently desiren to love the/ But now thou everlasting wisdom I beseech thee that thou more specially tell me the process of thy passion/ that I might haue hit the more freshly in the mind of my soul and heart/ and for to steer me the more fervently to thy love/ and how I shall comferme me to thy passion after true love.  wisdom/ 
before the feast day of paske after the supper made with my disciples/ when the time was come of my passing out of this world to the father/ I went forth with mine xj. disciples in to the mount of olyuete/ where I beenge in agony after the Ihadde long time preyed/& had vnderstonde in my mind so cruel manner of torments that were for to come to me/ than was my sweet as drops of blood renninge down in to the earth/ soothly vnnethis wolde ony man living vndyr heaven believe what maner anguishes/ and how grete and dredeful in mind of death the delicate kind than felt in that time after the nature of man After soon comen the sones& children of darkness/ as an host taking me dispytously/& binding me cruelly/ and so led me as a thief in to the city/ there the cursed creatures spendyd that night in diverse manner of tormentrye about me/ And vpon the mowwe I was led and brought before the justice desperate And in many manners they accussed me/ and at the last to the dyspytous death of the cross dampned me/ and so cruelly leyeng the heavy cross vpon my tender shuldres they leaden me dyspytously out of the city unto the place of Iewys/ where they hynge me bytwyx two thieves/ to that end that my death should seem the fouler and the more abominable/¶ And so I hangyd on the cross/ and on all sides I was bylapped with the most bitter sorrows of death/ my clear& shining eyen were all adased and derked mine goodly erys fyllyd with scorns and repreues/ my smelling dysesyd with foul stench of the place/ my swettyst mouth with drink of gall made bitter/ and so all to tore beaten, and woundyd. I shed my blood that ran down on all sides of my body that was than full of woe O If thou haddyst seen me that hour and time so wretchydly and pyteuously hanging on the cross I trow that thy spirit should haue failed for sorrow  disciple 
Who shall give me that yefte that I may in this hour after my desire see thy lovely face vndyr this sorrowful form and likeness/ so that I may wash hit with the grettyst sorrow of teerys going out of mine opene heart O thou mirror of cleanness and of all virtues/ on whom angels desiren to look and behold with very felicity Who shall give to mine heart so seuereyne inward feeling of compassion that might pass all other/ by the which I might in thy love singularly be ravished/ so that I might sheede plenteuous teerys of all again/ And haue weeping voices and stirring of all tongues/ wherewith I should mow yield again to the thankynges/ and confirm me in dede to that precious passion that thou suffredyst for me wherefore you mistress of the discipline of god and everlasting wisdom teach me I beseech thee how I shall mo we bear in my body thy swettyst woundis/ and in what maner I may hold hem continually in my mind/ so that thereby I may show to heavenly and earthly creatures what thankynges I owe to yield that for so many benefices without nombrelargely given to me wretch of the passing habundance of thy pity  wisdom 
touching thy first desire thou shalt vndyrstonde that noo man yeldith better thankynges and rewards to my passion/ than he doth that not only by wordys/ but also by dedys followeth hit/ confermynge him meekly to my steps that is to say setting at nought prosperity/ and dreading not adversity/ and goenge alway in the heyghthe of ghostly perfecyon by a brenning desire For I say the forsooth as many shedynges of teerys as ben rivers or waters/ were not to me so acceptable and liking as that were/ though hit so be yet devout teerys coming of inward compassion/ ben full plesynge before god. And for to teach the furthermore how thou shalt confirm the to mine passions/ at the beginning thou shalt turn away thyn eyen that they see not by liking vein things thine eerys thou shalt stop that they here not wicked& noyous wordys And for thoo things the ben sweet thou shalt take things that ben bitter/ put a way fro the superfluity and vnordynat delices of thy body Pees and rest of thyn heart seek only in me receive gladly all maner trybulacyons/ and wrongs/ and harms done to the/ thou shalt patiently suffer and all things desire to be in dyspyte/ learn to break thy will in all things/ and atende to the love of thy saviour that yed for the thou shalt also be busy to slay al the lusts of thy flesh/ Loo sone these ben the first principles and techynges the which everlasting wisdom yeuith to thee and such other that ben her louers/ the which ben written and graven in this open book as thou seest/ that is to say in my body crucified/ and for to tell the yet in more special maner how thou shalt be crucified to me& confirmed to my passion/ thou shalt offer to me thyself/ and all that thou hast ones offered thou shal not in ony maner take to the again by proper will/ And thou shalt abstain thee not only fro thoo things that ben superfluous/ but also otherwhyle fro hem that ben leyffull/ and yf thou keep these/ than hast thou thine hands nailed to my cross. Also thou shalt do that is good and suffer evil things that ben done to the/ and thou shalt gather to guider thy changeable will& seueryd thoughts And when thou hast gadryd hem to guider thou shalt stable hem in me souereyne god/ And than hast thou nailed thyn feet to my cross by thyn inward affection/ Also this shall be thy cross that thou shalt bear yf thou wilt be my true lover/ what time thou yeuist thyn intent to the exercise of virtues and to fulfyllinge of my commaundementys after thy power/ and nevertheless thou hast therfore scornynges and detraccyons of envious folk that haten the/& also therfore thou semyst in her eyen so wretched and so much in dyspyte that they arecte not thy patience in that parte to virtues ne to grace/ that is in the/ but rather to vnmyghte and cowardice that thou art not willing to avenge the/ or darest not or cannest not/ and thou' againward/ not only sufferest this patiently and gladly for the love of god but also of more habundante charity thou preyest the father the is in heaven busily for hem/& devoutly arte about to excuse hem recommendynge hem to me/ Who so ever in this maner contraryously ouercomyth so himself to the worship of god christ ihesu/ and in following of his crucyfyenge/ he shall well wit that also oft as he doth this/ so oft he maketh the death of his lord freshly quynken in his soul/ and beryth within himself the image of him that was crucified for him/ Also when thou leuyst thy dere friends& kinsmen for love of thy saviour/ than settyst thou the as my loved disciple and brother beside my cross/ having inward compassion of me Also by ensample of my trewest moder and my loved disciple/ take the mind of my passion alway in thyn heart by inward thought there vpon¶ And in preyer be thow devout in speaking and in dede werchynge by the affectuous following/ and who so ever followeth this and doth thus/ he is true follower of Ihesu/& he shall minister to him plenteuous delices of himself/ wherefore let the token of thy love be fulfyllinge in dede/ for who so is fellow and pertyner of my grete trybulaconn he shall be fellow& partyner of my sovereign joy  disciple 
lord I wote well that man hath not of himself ne hyt is not in his own power or might for to dress his steppis in to the way of ryghtwis living and sothfaste following of thy passion lord/ but be thyn help wherefore I lift up mine eyen and mine hands to the my merciful saviour devoutly besekynge the that the image and the likeness of thy worshipful passion be effectuelly pryntid in my soul/ through thy virtuous grace and that hit work in me continually by helfull effect to the loving and worshipynge of thy blessed name For as thou lovely wisdom best knowest there were noo thing in this life swetter ne more liking to mine heart/ than that I might continually with a devout heart haue compassion/ But alas I am constrained with a maner of dryness& hardness of heart/ that in the mind therof I am not compuncte nor sorrowful as hit were worthy that I should be/ wherefore thou benign wisdom of the father teach me how I shall do in this matter that is so precious/  wisdom 
The mind of my passion shall not be had passingly and with hast/ and namely when there is time Inowgh suffysaunte and convenient/ but with a sad and abiding compassion For but this sweet three be chewid& defied with the teeth of affectuous discretion/ the savour therof thouʒ hit be never so grete shall not ive ne be felt/ And yf hit be so that thou mayst not weep or haue soww with him that wept& had sorrow for the/ at the leste thou shalt be Ioyeful& yield thankynges with a devout affection for so grete benefeytes given to the freely by the passonn/& yet yf it besoo the neither thou arte moved by compassion ne by joy/ but thou felist the over laid with a maner hard heart in mind of the passion/ nevertheless in that maner hardness continue forth in the mind of that heelful passion to the loving of god/ and that thou mayst not haue of thyself/ commit hit to thoo sweet hands of him that is thy saviour/ nevertheless be thou perseuerante in asking knocking and sechynge till thou haue thyn asking/ smite twice vpon the hard flint/ that is to say with inward mind of heart and outward exercise of body/ as by lifting up of hands and eyen to the crucyfix/ or by knocking on thy breast or devout knelynges/ so contynuynge in such maner devout exercises tille the waters of tears passyn out whereof reason may drink waters of devotion/ and the body be abled to receiving of grace/¶ And thou shalt vnderstonde that oft mind of my passion among other benefices without nombre sovereignly hit shall profit to the in two manner of solaces/ that is to say to put away vnskylfull heaviness/ and forto less the pain of purgatory As touching to the first how that the mind of my sorrow putteth out vnskilfull heaviness and sorrow of the soul I shall show the better by ensample than by word/  
¶ There was a disciple of wisdom/ whos name is written in the book of life/ the/ which about the first beginning of/ his conversation was so ouerleyde with an in ordynat sorrow and vnskylfull heaviness that for the time he had neither will to rede ne to pray/ ne to do ony good work/  
And vpon a day when he being in his cell was grievously ouerleyde with his passion and turmentid with vnbyleuyd sorrow/ there come from abouen a voice in his mind/ saying to him in this maner/  
Why syttist thou her so idle and dull& heavy in thyself/ rise up now& treat devoutly my passion in thy mind and my bitterness therof Thou shalt overcome thyn vnordynatte sorrow And anon as that brother herde this/ he rose up and gave him busily to the passion of our lord Ihesu/ And fro that time he was heled/ by continual replycacyon therof/ that he felt never there after such passion in his soul/ And how this most profitable meditation of my passion shall release the pain of purgatory I shall show the Loo the actor and maker of kind leuith nothing Inordynat in his kind/ and also the ryghtywisnesse of god leuith noo wickdnesse or sin vnpunisshed/ but that h̄it shall either here in this world/ or after in a neither be duly correctid/ But that grete pain and long in place of purgatory that is dew after the rightwisnesse of god to the sinful man for grete sins that mow not here be duly punished/ ye not to the thousand parte he may make short and lightly recompense that could take hit of the tresory of that precyo{us} passion of the Innocent lamb without wemme Ihesu/ For this precious treasure that is of his grettist charity and of most worthy person and grievous sorrow and pain is suffisante to heel all sickness and soorys of soul/ wherefore a man might so apply him thereto/ and so devoutly draw to him of Ihesu merit and satisfaction that though he should after his deserving be punished and purgid a thousand year/ by virtue therof he should soon be delivered and relecyd/  Disciple 
My lord I besyche thee for thy souereyne goodness teach me sinful wretch this most profitable craft/ for alas mine own merits sufficen not/ wherefore hit is full needful to me/ for to look after the merits of other  wisdom 
Yf thou wilt the long and bitter pain of purgatory change and turn in to temporal pain that is light and short/ thou shalt be busy to keep and fulfil these things that followen¶ first of all with inward contemplacyon and sorrow of heart/ thou shalt greetly weigh the greves of thy sins/ knowchynge again thyself thyn vnryghtwysnesse to our lord by thinking most bitterly what thou hast done/ and whom thou hast offendid/ or what thou hast deserved/ saying thus lord I haue sinned/ ye I haue sinned passing the nombre of the gravel of the see After thou shalt meekly despise thyself before the eyen of the h̄ye everlasting domes man/ and hold thyself so foul that thou shalt not mow dure thyn unclean eyen lift up to heaven with the publycan/ ne with thy pollute lips name that glorious name/ Ne thou shalt hold thyself as a man/ but as a foul worm/  
¶ And all thy dedis though they ben good and meritorye thou shalt set at nought¶ And so wretchedfull and sorowefull thou shalt abide the grace of thy high Iustice before his yates saying thus with deep inward sorrow of thyn heart  
¶ father I haue sinned in to heaven/ and before the/ and so am I not worthy to be cleped thy sone/ And therfore do to me as to one of thy hired servants/ After/ this thou shalt with souereyne affection magnify and commend the merit of my passion thinking that at me is most copiouse and plenteuous redemption/ And that the leste drop of that most precious blood that largely ran out by al the parties of my body full of woundys had be suffysante for the redemption and satisfacyon of al the world  
¶ And thus largely I shed my blood and so plenteuously for to preue my grete love& souereyne pity/ and also to comfort thereby all creatures that fleen to me for succour And the last thow shalt seek with a meek and a fervent affection/ the hand of thyn helper and the merit of the/ most merciful again bier lord without end ask of him in to thyn help noo thing doutynge For that well of pity springynge full of mercy is more ●edy to yeue the mercy joanne thou art redy to ask hit  Disciple 
¶ O souereyne gracious word to me and to hem that ben like to me wretched sinner and with soueyrene joy it oweth to be taken for als much as we fynden so readily in thy passion wherthrugh we may wash away our sins& do a weigh pains/ and finde grace/ and deserve everlasting bliss/  
What shall I mow yield ay to my lord for al thoo grete benefice that he hath yeuente me/ O my god I beseech the teach me thyn unworthy servant how that I may only of thy grace please the/ for als much as I fail by mine own infirmity/ and the litylnesse and the vnworthynesse of my werkys are not covenable  wisdom 
Thow shalt haue alway in thine heart the mind of my passion/ and all the tribulacyons adversities that thou sussrest refer to hit.  
¶ And as much as hit is possible to the thou shalt as hit were cloth thee with the lyekenesse therof.  
¶ Also what time of my prive dispensacyon I withdraw thyn inward comfort and leave thee as desolate/ thou shalt to the likeness of the very crucyfix not seek comfort else where/ but patiently abide with him& haue thyn inward beholding upward to the father that is in heaven/ forsaking thyself and all thy thought casting in to him/  
¶ And than without doubt/ the more that is the forsaking and desolation of the inner man/ with thyn coil ones to god/ so much the more thou shalt be like to thy crucifix and the more acceptable to his loved father/ For soothly this is the point of adversity/ by the which the beste proved knights that ben now in heaven in the presence of christ/ were in this world most straitly examined/ Also follow not thy lusts/ but break hem manly/ and than shalt thou with him that thou lovest drink the gall of bitterness  
desire the hele of all men/ and to thy souereynes yeue devout obedience/ and be about to bring all thy works to the perfeccyon of virtues/ that it may come to a good end/ Also all mysshappes and all sorrowful things that fallen thou shalt commit to the goodness of god/& keep that freely in every dede as a man that were in the time of passing out of this world/& thou shalt ever seek continuel in refute the wound of my side as a dove in the hole of the ston For in that place thou shalt ever finde the most copyous remission of sins the most plenty of grace and a syker defence fro all eueles that be fallen  Disciple 
Yet haue I a little petition to put to the everlasting wisdom of this matter of thy swetist passion the which thou hast so shortly ouerpassid that is to say/ how that worshipful moder thy trewist berer had her when she stood by the cross/ and saw her loved sone before hir eyen hanging there vpon so pytously  wisdom 
Of this matter I yeue the leave to go to hyr and to busily inquire and ask of hir mouth what thou wilt/ Stabat iuxta crucē Ihū matter ei{us}.  Disciple 
O mary ihesus. moder what heart haddyst thou when thou stood beside the cross and beheld Ihesu the blessed fruit of thy womb hanging there vpon. soothly reason tellyth and experience prouith, and strength of love showeth that thou were pasyngly sorrowful for thou louedyst passingly For sithyn it so is that the mind only of the passion of thy sone maketh somme devout creatures as they were half dede for the grete inward compassion that they haue therof/ What wrought the presence and the sight of that cruel passion in hyr that him bare saviour of the world. so Innocently suffering.  
And hearken this mind is so fervent in the heart of the sinner. how much more fervently wrought hit in the mind of the soul of the most holiest virgin his moder. Also we known well that the more fervently that he that is expert in love loveth a nother/ and the more worshipful and the more/ delectable& the more profitable the presence of him that he loved is to him/ the more the departing& wantynge of him. bringeth to the lover matter of sorrow. And sooth it is as I believe without ony doubt. that the blessed presence of h̄ym was to the that loved thine own sone so dearly without comparison passed the presence of all deadly creatures in all maner grace wherefore hit followeth that his departing and death passed all other in sorrow/ Good lady therfore abideth while and answer to us though thow be absent in body/ but present in spirit tell us somewhat of the sowwe that thow hadst when thow saw thy sone pained/ and the joy that thow hadst of thyn blessed loved sone afore when thoo wordys were seyd of greeting  ¶ Aue maria. 
Maria he that of his grace vouchedsafe to cheese me his own hand maiden unto his moder/ he knit and constrained mine heart to him with so brenning love that my spirit might never receive souereyne joy ne souereyne sorrow/ but only of him& in him/ wherefore in him I had al thing/& his love was to me full possession of al the world Mi soul was there as Ihū was& I leuyd more sothfastly in him than in myself/& shortly to say al heavenly& earthly goodys this blessed desired presence brought to me/ but furthermore what time that I saw with mine eyen him that was mine own gotten sone that precious treasure of mine heart so dyspytously hanging with thieves on the cross/& anguisshed with sorrows of the bitter death A god how sorrowful& painful was that sight to me my heart was away fro me for he had taken him fro me& held hyt with h̄ym crucified/& I had lost my voice for crying& grete sowwynge/ in so much that I might vnethe speak& so I faylled in body for sorrow& felle down/ but after I had somewhat take again spirit I broke out in to these maner wordys/ O thou joy& conforte of mine heart and light of mine eyen/ sometime I saw the with joy& liking of mine heart but now I see the with grete mourning/& sorrow Alas alas/ how wretchidly see I the now so hanging on that three O thou all my life O thou only comfort of my life take with thee I prey the thy most sorrowful moder/ for I desire greatly to deye/& I may no longer live without the/ soothly I see the deye/ in whom standeth all my life& all mine hele O who shall yeue me that I might deye for the/ And when his most sowweful moder had seyde these wordys& other like/ to hem/ the sone as forgetynge his own pain& sowwe comforted sweetly his moder/ and so deyenge and passing away he took his leave of me/ commendyd me to his disciple. the which he singularly loved/ And whan the heart of the moder herde the voice of hir sone so wilfully speaking with a passing sorrow/ the sword of bitter mourning pierced the soul of me his moder/ And when I could finde none other comfort/ with agrete lust I kissed the hote blood that droppid down in to the earth out of the wounds of my sweet sone in so much that the moders face was al bloody of the slain sones blood O yf thou haddist in that sorrowful hour seen that woe of the moder having compassion of the sone thow wouldest haue h̄ad grete sorrow for the sone/ and made mone for the moder/ I wote well that thou/ myghtist not haue seen and herde this without an inward wound of sorrowful compassion  Disciple 
O how hard is that heart that of inward stirring hath not compassion of thee and of thy sorrow blessed maiden and moder how evil dry ben thoo eyen the seen the so sorrowfully weeping/ and yet they mow not weep with the/ But what shall I say/ Loo thou most pitevous moder now I standing before thee with a weeping mind I beseech thee and charge thee on goddis byhalfe that thou yeue to me thy dere treasure my king and my lord/ that for me suffered passion and death And that vndyr this form/ In the which I behold with the Inner eyen of contemplacion/ him now in the lap under the cross so pale dede/ that that compassion and sorrow that was that time given to the as to his moder in bodily presence that hit be granted as hit falleth to me sinful wretch/ at the leste spirituelly in the mind of my soul There ben somme the whiche ben joyful of cleanness of her life/ there ben other the presumen of the multitude of her meritys/& somme that reioycen hem of the worthiness of ghostly exercysis/ But what shall I trust in/ soothly alle mine hope/ all mine solace only hangyth vpon thy passion my lord Ihū¶ And of the greatness and worthiness of thine merytis/ and of the pity of thy most benign moder/ as thou only knowest that hast consideration to mine infirmity and pouertee/ And therfore this mind of my lords passion is to be taken affectuously in the chamber of mine heart/& both by word& by dede by helping of thy grace to be followed/ and with all maner worship and reverence to be magnyfied/ O everlasting wisdom of the father of heaven/ loo now I bring in to my succour& help thy swettist moder/ presentyng her to the/& hydynge me behind her back/ for I dare not lift up mine eyen before the glorious face of the thow blessed lord/ but by her I desire to be herde/ wherefore I beseech the that thou wilt haue in mind all the seruyses& business that thou took of hir in thy youth/ in the yeres of thy childhood/ in swathynge/ yeuynge sowke clyppynge/ in kissing/ and all other services done to the/ And also good lord haue in mind all the sorrows that she standing vndyr the cross with pitevous compassion suffered/& the grete woe that was in that tender moders heart that time for the/& for her love grant me lord the as I see the now with inward affecconn with the eye of true believe/ how thow were so deadly& so sorrowfully turmentyd/ the I may see the so gloryously above the sterris of heaven/ sitting in the fathers right hand in bliss with outē end/ And also thou blessed maiden and most pitevous moder I pray thee as thow that standing by the cross of thy dere sone/ feltist affectuously in thy soul the woundis of his passion/ and therof thou were made rede with the spryngynge of his blood/ and all only thou kepedyst to him perfit believe in to the last end/ grant me meek maiden my dere lady that I bring to my mind with an inward devotion all these woundis and thy sorrow/ and beclyppe thee with the arms of mine heart/ and as bearing the felyship I lead the to thyn house by the gate of the city of jerusalem as in ensample/& figure of thoo things that ben passed O thou moder of grace I pray thee at the last end th̄at the souls of all the disciples of everlasting wisdom/ when they passen out fro the bodies that thow lady for thy grete goodness take hem in to thine arms/ and bring hem with joy to that heuenli Ierlm̄. there to abide with thy dere sone god christ ihū in the bliss with out end Amen.   

How the disciple of Ihū everlasting wisdom shall gladly suffer trybulacyons and adversities for his love by ensample of his bead and of his chosen louers/¶ Consolamini consolamini popule mi dicit dnns deus noster. That is to say in english/ Ben comfortyd/ ben comforted my people with our lord god ∴  
A seek soul ghostly which after the day and time of prosperity was fallen in to the might of adversity/ began to mourn and with a/ sorrowful heart made his compleynte to god with inward compassion/ bringing to mind the diseases that he suffered with sore weeping and teerys shedding/ And when the foresaid disciples saying of compleynynge was done/ he saw that he had not at hand redy/ where through he might comfort the spirit so traueylid in adversities for christ/ Loo therewith in a vision a fair young man apperyd standing before him/ that which took him in his hand an Instrument of music that is cleped a sawtrye marked with across a boven/ and therwith plenteuously fyllid his mind with ghostly sentences/ bidding that he should lykingly& wisely pleye thereupon& sing and solace him/ and make glad cheer to ferfull and dreadful hertis comforting in her lord god/ And also many other that stood nigh him& were trauaylynge with diverse sickness of soul and other diseases prayed him meekly that he wolde do so in to solace& comfort of her travail/ wherefore he took that sawtrye of the young mannes hand/ and vndirstondynge the purpoos before his patience began to pleie& sing/& took his dite of the prophetis words before/ Ben comforted ben comforted my people with our lord god/¶ And when he had seyde these words of comfort& other more for to abate the sorrow of that mourning spirit. he wolde not be comforted/ but wexid more sorry and soryer/ For soth hit is that for the time that mourning and sorrow is in his course/ sweet words& liking maked oft scythes sorrowful hertis more sorrowful/ as hit is seyde that mynstralsye maketh him that is merry more merier than him that is sorry/ And so a devout soul that is fervent in the love of god the more sweetly that he felyth by experience in himself. the comfort of god after better prefe/ so much the more of vnseyene before joy/ he falleth all to tears In the selue maner hit befelle so to owre purpose/ that to the forseide mourning soul the matter of joy was turned in to occasion of sorrow/ For he that should by reason haue lawghed/ he began to weep without measure/ And when he was asked why he wept& what him eyled or what he suffered/ he answered& seyde Loo I here aforn when I was in young age/ I sought about to gete me a wife that I might with hir gracious felyship lead a blessed life/ And when I had seen many& had choose of hem all/ one that was fairest of all other as to my sight was liking& plesante/& large byhestis yeuynge& proferynge herself to me/ leaving all other/ I assentid to hir& took hir unto my spouse/& whan I had dwellid a while with hir/& had hope to haue had grete {pro}sperite& wealth of hir company Alas of a friend she is made an enemy/& the lamb is turned in to a lion/& so through hir al my life is fillid with sorrow& wretchidnesse/ and shortly to say the time wolde not suffice/ yf I wolde tell all the adversities& diseases that she hath tormentid me with in to this time/ But hit is best to me for to say with the prophet Secretum meum michi. My pryuete I shall keep prive to myself/  
nevertheless this that I haue seyde so in general shortly hath broken out violently of the abundance of heart/ with wepinge tears shedding at the stirring of the sweet voice of thy comforting/ when the disciple had herde this/ he vndirstode that this was the mystery of the wedding of everlasting wisdom/ the which is wont for to preue hir louers with temperel tribulacyons and diseases/ and when they ben proved/ so to knit hem in to hir love/ and frendeship/ And than he turned him to hir& seyde in this maner/ O thou deep counsel vnbesoughte of goddis wisdom/ Why betyst thou so and scorgest hem that loven the/ and sufferest hem that taken little force of the for to go prowdely. with an up streyʒte neck/ knowist not well thou that arte former and maker of al men/ the feeble ground of mannes infirmitee/ and that the body that is her̄ in corupcion ouerleyth much the soul/ that hit may not alway behold& take hede to thoo thyngis that ben to come here after/ but rather is constrained to fall to thoo things that her ben seen in this life/ O most merciful lord god behold/ and see benygnely our tribulations and diseases/& yeue us the virtue of patience/ and with thyn most free comfortis/ comferme fro abouen& stable thoo hertis that ben feeble and vnmyghti  wisdom 
A young hind fowne that new is born/ sekyth the refute of the moder/ and for to sowke hir tetes/ but when hit is grown& wexen elder hit leuyth the moders milk/ and goeth up to the hye hills/& there is fed and felyshipid with the flock And so thou that arte passed childis conditions/ that hast need to be fed with milk/ and arte come now to sadness of mannes yeres/ Hit is time that thou be weyned fro milk/& drawn fro the tete/& be joined& felyshipid in the nombre of strong men/ wherefore by ensample of hem thou shalt learn what thou shalt do/& how patiently thou/ shalt bear all maner adversities/ so that when thou arte proved with tribulations as they were thou may be felishiped to here nombre In joy without end/ lift up thyn heart and behold behind thy back/& see the grete company of sayntis without nombre the haue ben fro the beginning of the world/ And thou shalt mow understand that all thoo that pleseden me singularly/ were also in singular maner proved by sufferance of adversities/ And for to pass over/ Abraham Moysen. and other patrirakes {pro}phetis& other without nombre that were goddis derlynges Loo what david. of whom saith god/ I haue founden a man after mine own heart/ spekith in the psalter thus  
Quantas ostendisti michi tribulaciones. lord how grete tribulacyons hast thou shewed to me many& wicked/ and thou turned to mercy hast quykened me/& hast east sones brought me again to rest fro the deep disease of the earth/ Take hede how joseph that was ordained by god lord of egypt/ first by envy was sold of his brethren in to egypt/& ther̄ falsely accused/ and defamed of a wicked woman& so put in to prison wrongfully/ and there lay long time/ Also take hede/ how the holy prophet isaiah was sawen with a treen saw/ ieremy that was hallowed in his moder womb was stoned to death. Ezechiel was cruelly brained. Danyel cast in to the pit of lions. job& Thobie hard assayed with temptations of the world& of the fiend Machabes with wonder tormentrye put to cruel death/& other fathers without nombre of the old lawe all proved with diverse& grete trybulacyons/ furthermore yet behold my dearest loved friends/ the apostles living in this world in grete pennurye in hunger and thirst/ in cold& nakidnesse. in prisones& betynges& all maner of disease of this life that they put hem self wilfully to.& yet never failing in tribulations nor grutchynges nor playnynge as thou dost/ but were patient indespites in repreues/& joyful for my sake in al maner of sorrows/& diseases Also who the beholdeth the holy martyrs suffering so many torments without nombre/& hard dethis. how dare they complain hem of tribulacyons/ Also confessors and virgins that suffered here in penance doing long martyrdom. and yet all day in the broad weigh of the world ben somme that for the love of god suffrenful hard/ both young men& old maidens& widows& weddid folk. and taken it meekly with grete deuoconn Whos grete generation and disease/& hit were known by reason should stop thy mouth of pleynynge/ and put thee in silence/ Hast thou not in mind the notable ensample of that devout weddid woman the which showed to thee in confession how she h̄ad lived with hir husband twenty yeres/ the whiche was not in manners like to a man. but as a fers lion oft scythes with a naked sword feared as he wolde haue slain hir all with betynges& many dispites/ all times turmentid hir so the holy woman/ that welner every hour at the sight of him she dread and looked to haue ben suddenly slain and dede/  
¶ And yet that devout woman patiently suffering all this/ and not chydynge or grutchynge again prayed the so devoutly for to pray for that wicked man/  
¶ And then as thou knowest well thou liftynge up thyn eyen toward heaven knock dyst on thy breast/ and with a shameful heart knowlechedist that thy bead of disease was but as nouʒt/ and that thou were but as ydel in regard of hem Yet also for to conclude this letter, and teach the patience in adversities/ findist not in thoo books that thou redist al day so likyngely/ that is to say the colacions of fathers and the lives of fathers/ how  
Arsanye. Makarie. and Poule. And other holy fathers in desert/ living many yeres/ and far fro all the world suffering tribulations and diseases without nombre/ the grete devotion and patience ladden an holy and wonderful life to all mennes sight/ Arte thou not ashamed when thou beholdist all such/ and coueytist with all thyn heart for to be numbered in to their fellowship/ and yet thou wilt not follow her suffrages in the masspriest point/ wilt thou be ouerleyd with sompnolence and idleness among so many doughty knights/ nay god forbid/ betide the hit never/ For loo thou arte now turned in to mannes estate/ and therfore cast away now childhood and dress thee and make the redy to strong and mighty battles/  Disciple 
soothly the mind of so many worthy fathers is as hit were a liking mynistralsye in a feast of dilicate wine. and every soul set in trybulacyons hit shall be swetter than hony/ wherefore that time that I beheld with the Inner eye of mine heart these glorious doughty knights of the hye hall of heaven and her wonderful dedis/ I see myself but as a poor little worm/ and that little disease that I wende I had suffered/ at the sight of hem I left/ and softly syghed& mourned But I wolde wit whether casuel fortune and trybulacions against the will ben heelfull and medeful/ and why thou arte wont for to visit thy frendys/ rather by adversities and diseases than by prosperity and eeses  wisdom 
In on question as hit showeth thou askest three doubts/ for to be assoiled to the/ that is to say of the falling or coming of trybulacions/ and of the maner of hem/ and of the causes of hem/ And as to the first/ hold this sentence sadly groundid that what maner adversity falleth to the/ hit is done and sent by his will and providence/ by whos virtue all things ben made and kept in her being/ so the in that party hit shall not be cleped casuell/ but ordained by god/ And as to the second that is of trybulacions that comen against the will/ thou shalt know and vndyrstonde that though that thing that is against the will in party is not meritorye/ nevertheless yf a wise soul by vndyrstondynge coil gladly suffer the that is sent and cometh first against the coil/& so bow that will that was first rebel meekly to the yard or scorge of god making virtue of need/ no doubt but the that seemed before as venomous and wicked shal after become holsom and merytorye/ and shall profit to the ghostly increase of virtues/  
For right so for sooth the everlasting wisdom of god fro the beginning of the world hath drawn to him against her first will/ creatures without nombre/ and compelled hem that were first rebel to entre in to life/ But touching the thrydde question that is why the they that ben goddis chosen children ben her in this world ouerseyde with adversities/ take this for an open skill and reason that for als much as the wits of man ben redy to evil fro his first youth so forth/ Therfore the wey of ryghtwysmen is resonabely to be hegged with the thorns of trybulacions/ leste that wickyd liking minister matter of trespassynge/ so that every chosen soul be here in this wretched life ouerleyde with contynuell tribulations/ that thereby he be compellyd as against his will for to draw upward to the everlasting life in an other world/  Disciple 
I believe well that temporal tribulations& diseases ben profitable and merytorye/ so that they pass not the might and the possibility of him that suffrith hem/ But loo now the painful presence of hem greuith so much and disesith other while that they seemen passing mannes might for to bear  wisdom 
this is continually the conditions and maner of wretchis that hem thynken her own disesis and tribulacyous passen all other/ and every man feeling his own harms is more sorry for hem than for other mennes harms/ and passingly grieved/ when the goeth away and a nother cometh the self difficult of plainynge abidith/ wherefore all excepcions put a weigh submit the to goddis will and take gladly his scorges/ For he is the true god that will not suffer hem that ben his chosen to be temptid above might/ but he shall make with salvation also comfort that they mow bear hit/ Why than yet quakest thou and why dredist/ For sooth he is most pitevous/& therefore he will help. he is most wisest and therfore he wote best what is expedient and profitable to every man.& also he is most mighty/ And therfore his most strengest hand fulfillith& performyth there as a man of himself faylyth/ wherefore cast thy thought in to god/& commit the to him/& all thy care in to him. for he hath cure& charge of the/ go nere& say trustly to him/ My dere father thy coil be fulfillid and not mine And what time generation cometh to the/ go out gladly against so worthy a guest benignly him receiving/ and say in this maner with glad heart/ Welcome be thou my friend tribulation/  Disciple 
A lord god how light is this to say/ but how hard to perform in dede that is said/ for the bitter woundys of heavy trybulacyons ben full sore and painful.  Wisdom 
Yf hit so were that tribulacyons grieved not/ they myghten not soothly becleped tribulations/ wherefore tribulation for the time that hit lastith is noyous and gendrith heaviness/ But what time hit is passed and overcome hit sovereignly gladyth& comfortith/ Hit hath short bitterness/ but long comfort and gladness/ Trybulacion that falleth often scythes/ by custumable berynges of patience/ at the last generation is overcome/ So that a nother like seemeth not generation/ or ellis hit is light to bear/ As a man that is wont to marvelous and gastefull things/ for custom taketh the lasse force of hem/ the grete habundance of sweetness of god in so much were not to the so merytorye. ne so grete preysynge worthy as generation patiently suffered through fervent charity For we finde more that by prosperity of the world haue fallen/ than thoo that by adversities broken/ than fallen fro her ghostly purpoos/ And soothly yf hit so were that thou hadst souereyne cunning of all the .vij. artes and passedist in eloquence and subtilite of arguments all the philosophres and logiciens all that should not help the/ nor further so much to good living as this one thing that is necesarye to hele the soul/ that is to say throuʒ charity of a clene heart and good conscience& faith not feigned to forsake thyself/ and commit the all holy to god in all maner tribulation/ and for to obey patiently to his will  
For that that was spoken of before/ is common both to good men and to evil/ but this is only proper to hem that ben chosen where is so grete passing worthiness of everlasting bliss to reward temperel passioons/ that who so wolde wisely behold and take hede/ he should rather cheese wilfully to be many yeres in an hote brenning oven of fire/ joanne to be priuyd and withdraw of the masspriest meed that is reserved to him in the bliss that is to come And why so for the travail& disease hath an end/ but the meed and the bliss is without end.  Disciple 
O thou sovereign and vnspekable pity how sovereignly sweet and lykyngely these organs sownen in the eeris of him that is sorrowful O wonderful& worthy charity of thy pity about us in as much as thou settist thyn heart so about a wretched man that is turmentid and desolate/ and that thou vouchestsafe so to lessen our sorrow/& comfort hem that ben heavy and mourning/ For while thou syngist so sweetly/ the spirit that suffryth sorrow is lightenid in thy heavenly melody/ driveth away for the time the spirit of sorrow that disesith the mind so that hit may be the lighter boren/ and yf hit so were that me were given choice/ I had lever continuelly suffer adversity/ so with thy most swettist comfort/ than to lake adversity and therewith not to haue thy most precious oynement/ wherefore do now forth with me as thou hast begun For that man thynkith that all that he suffrith is as nought to whom everlasting wisdom so sweetly harpith in aduersytee/  wisdom/ 
wilt thou now here the harp of ghostly music fair and sweetly sownyng/ sit up and take hede busily to the precious fruit of temperell adversities/ right as in an harp the strengys in proportion strained and wrested given sweet sown to him that heryth hit/ right so every chosen man what time that he is ouerleyd with aduersytee/ he is as in maner by strength out of himself constrained/ and more plain made able for to yield a sweet heavenly melody For thou shalt understand that temperel generation is despised of this most wode world/ but of the hye domes man god hit is deemed full precious/ For tribulation quenchith the wrath of the hye justice and turnyth his hard ryghtwysnesse in to frenship and myldnesse/ And he that suffryth gladly adversities for god/ he is made like to god in his passion/ and therfore he is knit to him as to his like fellow by the knot of love/  
Right as the day star showeth before to this world/ the nigh rising of the son/ right so doth ghostly tribulation/  
For hit showeth the nyghynge of the hye heavenly son coming to comfort of a soul that is in generation/ And right so as a dark night goeth tofore a bright shining day/ and the cold sharpness of vynter goeth by fore the liking heat of somour/ right so tribulation commonly goeth before both the Inner and the utter comfort of a good soul What is joanne more profitable/ or what is more precious treasure/ soothly noo thing/ for hit doth a way sin/ It slakyth purgatory and putteth a way temptations/ It clensyth fleshlynesse/ hit reneweth the spirit/ hit strengtheth the hope. and gladyth the cheer/ hit bringeth clearness of conscience and yeuyth continual plenty of inward joys and liking/ hit gendryth forsaking of the world/ but hit gendryth the love and the famylyaryte of god/ hi●●s wont for to lessen fleshly friends but commonly hit encresith the grace of god/  
Hit is a perfit way/ but therewith syker and compedyous and short ledynge to life/  
wherefore every witty man/ now take hede how great a sole he were that wolde oft scythes take to the profit of tribulation/ and therewith desire not his supportacyon  
O lord god how many ben and haue ben/ the which should haue done the most horrible sins/ but hit had so be that through the pitevous dispensation of god they haue be preserved by the mean of tribulacyons/  
And what more shortly there may nootongue tell/ nor heart think how profitable hit is to suffer adversities patiently  Disciple 
O lord Ihesu how openly now hit showeth what thou arte/  
forsooth hit is hat thou arte that souereyne worthy wisdom without comparison to all deadly creatures the which showeth and bringest out in to light of knowing thy soth fastness with the sweet savour of thyn out speaking/ so that thou leuest no place of doutynge therof in us/ wherefore hit is no wonder though that men suffer all adversities gladly the which are comforted by the so sweetly.¶ But now my sweet father/ Loo I falling down at thy feet/ with a devout affection of my heart I yield thankynges to the for all my present adversities/ and also for all the grete betyngis and scorgynges/ with which thou vouchedist safe to chastise and seren me in to this time. the which seemen to me sometime so grievous/ that as though they come fro the wroth enemy/ But now in a wonderful maner all these dreadful things ben sone passed/ right as the morrow cloud/& so they ben now before my sight through thy gracious worchynge as they had never ben. and so I am compellyd for to say with the wise man.  
Modicum laboraui.  
I haue travailed but little.  
Et inveni michi multam requiem.  
And I haue found much rest/ For sotheli what time that I with the eyen of an amorous heart behold the that art the only treasure of mine heart/ and clip thee with the inward affecyon of all my desires/ I forget al sorrowful things/ and they passen out of mind/ and all thoo that might haue traueyled or sorrowed me/ But now furthermore thou everlasting and souereyne wisdom and the principal comfort of mine heart/ I beseech the that as thou hast tauʒte me and comforted me to bear patiently tribulacyous and adversities/ so thou inform me/ how that I shall both in prosperity and adversity/ live ryghtwisly and plesyngly to thy love/ and that compediously and in short setence ∴   

How the disciple of Ihesu everlasting wisdom shall keep him in true ghostly life that is groundid in the love of Ihesu/ and how he shall flee and eschew that is contrary thereto.  
I see that feliship of sayntis/ the which as moroughe sterris shone in the dark night of this world/ and as grete lightis shedden out the hemes of their clear cunning/ thou shalt finde sum the which passingly were perfitly groundid/ not o onlyf in active life and virtue/ but also contemplaty Of whoos teaching and ensample thou mayst take the most perfit doctrine and lore of true ghostly life/ nevertheless/ I willing for to condescende to thyn experience and vnconnynge/ I shall yeue the shortly sum princyples of ghostly living/ as for a memorial/ the which having alway at hand thou shalt mow be set in right worchynge/ wherefore yf thou desire for to haue the perfection of ghostly life/ the which is to be desired of all men/ And yf thou coil in hast take hit vpon thee with a fervent spirit man fully/ thou shalt first withdraw the fro evil felishippis and noyous famyliarytees/ and fro al men that wolde let thy good purpoos seeking alway oportunite where and in what time thou mayst finde a place of rest/ and there take the prive sylences of contemplacyon/ and flee the periles of dysturbance of this noyous world/ All times hit longeth to the principally to study to haue the cleanness of heart/ that is to say so that closing thy fleshly wits/ thou be turned in to thyself/ And that thou haue in as much as hit is possible/ the doors of thyn heart busily clossed/ fro the forms of outward things and imagination of earthly things For soothly among alle ghostly exercises/ cleanness of heart hath the pryncipalyte/ as final intention and reward of all the travails/ that a chosen knight of christ is wont for to receive/ Also thou shalt loose thine affection with all thy diligence fro all thoo things that might let the freedom therof/ and fro every thing that in ony maner hath myʒt or power/ for to bind and draw that afeccyon to hit after that/ that is written in moyses lawe/  
¶ Maneat unusquisque apud semeti{pre}m et nullus egrediatur ostium domus sue/  
¶ every man dwell by himself/ and noo man pass out at the door/ of his house vpon the sabbote day. that is thus much for to say/ For to dwell a man by himself or in himself is to vnderstonde that he gadir to gedre all the varyenge thoughtis& affeccyons of his heart.& haue hem knit to gedirs in to one sothfaste& souereyne good/ that is god/& for to keep the sabbote is to haue the heart free& vnbounde fro all fleshly affeccions that myʒt defoyle the soul/& fro all the cures and business of the world/ that might distracte hit/ and so rest sweetly in pees of heart/ as in the haven of silence/ and the love and feeling of his maker god.  
above all other things forsooth let this be thy principal intent and business/ that thou haue alway thy soul and thy mind lift up in contemplacyon of heavenly things so that the earthly frailty at the last hit be busily draw up to thoo that ben abouen/  
And what thing so ever be that is diverse fro these/ though hit seem grete in hit selfe/ as chastisynge of the body/ fasting/ waking and other exercises of virtue/ they should be taken and demyd as secundarye and less worth/ but in so much they ben expedient and profitable/ as they profyten and helpen to the cleanness of heart/ And therfore hit is that so few comen to perfection/ for they dispendē her time& myʒtes in mean things that ben not much {pro}fitable/& the dew remedies they leaven& putten behind/ But yf thou desirest for to come by a ryʒte way to the end of thyn intent/ thou shalt sovereignly desire to contyme in cleanness of heart/ and rest of spirit and tranquillite/ and for to haue thyn heart busily list up to god/  Disciple 
Who is here in this deadly body that may alway be knit to that spiritual contemplacyon/  wisdom 
There may no deadly man be alway fixid& set in to this contemplacyon/ But for this cause that sentence before is seyde/ that thou know where thou shalt haue fixid and saddely set the intention of thy spirit/ and to what destynacyon/ thou shalt alway draw the beholding of thy soul The which what time that mind may gete/ then be he glad/ and when he is distracte& drawn aweye/ thenne be he sorry and seek as often as he felyth himself departed fro that beholding/ But yf thou wilt peradventure with a complaining voice come against me/ and say that thou might not long abide in one maner estate/ thou shalt know and vnderstonde that the virtue of god may do and worche more than ony man may think/ wherefore hit falleth oftentimes that the thing to the which a man byndith him at the beginning with a maner wiolence and difficult/ afterward he shall do hit lightly/ and at the last with grete liking/ so that he continue and leave not/ fro that first he hath begun/ Here now my dere sone the discipline of thy father take hede to my wordys/ and write hem in thyn heart as in a book/ And stable hit in thyn mind/ follow thou not the multitude of wretchydnesse of hem that gone backward after the desires and the lustys of hir hertis In whom devotion is slakyd/ charity is coldid/ and all virtues ben wythdrawen/ Obedience is cast down/ the which coueyten to be over other men in prelacy. and seken busily worshippis/ and delycatly serven to the womb The which over measure sechyn gifts/ and followen rewards/ these persons receyuen in this world that that they coueyten/ as for the meed of here werkinge/ But in a neither world thy shalbe left void of everlasting joy wherefore follow thou not these maner folk/ but take hede busily to thoo worthy followers our holiest fathers the which spradden out that sweet odour of her souereyne holiness and busy were to take her purpose with such intent& conversation as hit is now shewed to the wherefore whether thou eat or drink or ony other thing do let ever this voice of the sweet father sown in thyn eeris thus amonisshynge& saying to the/ My sone turn again in to thyn heart wythdrawynge the fro althoo outward things that might let the fro virtue in as much as hit is possible to the/& with a fervent love cleuynge ever to the souereyne good that is god/ and having alway thy mind lift up in contemplacyon of heavenly things so that all thy soul with the myʒtes& streyngthes therof be gathered to geder in to god& be made one spirit with him/ In whom stant the sovereign/ perfection of all the weigh of living in this world/ so than take this short doctrine for the form& the maner of thy living that is now given to the/ In which stant the souereynte of all perfection/ in the which yf thow wilt busily study/& truly fulfil hit in effect/ thou shalt be blessed/& in maner begynne everlasting felicity in this freele body My sone this is that heelful weigh that mynarseme that was tauʒt of the angel kept himself& bad his disciple to keep it/¶ Fuge tace quiesce That is to say flee and keep silence/ and be in rest/ these he seyde ben the principal means of ghostly hele/ Also this souereyne doctrine the ghostly wisdom showed& opened to a disciple that thou knowest/ what time that he enforumed him openly of his estate/ for what time that the foresaid disciple purposed him in maner for to occupy him with the sciences founden of man/ there began many vanitees grow vpon him as hit were vpon his bakhalfe/& then began to aspire more than hit behoved the coueytise of temperell auauncementes and worshippis/ And when his time came/ for the which he had long time travailed/ and should haue be put up to thoo worshippis that he had desired/ he began to think wythinne himself what was most spedfull to him/& what should most please god And so hit byfelle vpon a time. that after matins he fill down in his prayer full straight with his body prostrate/ and with all his devotion asked of god that he wolde vouchsafe to show to him what him was beste to do/ And at the last rising up fro his prayer/ and lenynge him vpon a desk/ He saw in a vision as hit were a fair young man coming to him/ the which took him by the hand and led him in to a cherche/ wherein was bylded a little cell/ and therein dwelled an old man solitaryeledynge an ankrys life/ and he was old and hore having a long beard/ and the grace of god shined in him.  
And beside the cell of the foresaid old man/ there apperyd a ladder straight vpon high/ in the which the foresaid yongelynge going upward and downward as hit were pleyenge/ the brother that saw this and seyde to him thus Come nere and hearken the lesson that I will rede to the/ to whom anon the brother gladly rennynnge/ coueytyd first to see the book whereof he should here that lesson/ And than he saw in his handis a wondir old book of little quantity/ the which as to the sight seemed as of none reputacyon& of little valour/& was none hede take to/ But then that Iongelynge began to rede in these wordys Hons et origo omnium bonorum homini spirituali est in cella sua jugiter commorari/  
That is to say the well& the beginning of all goods to a spiritual man. is to dwell busily in his cell. the which words of the yongelynges mouth I radde on that old book so sweetly sowneden in the brothers eeres/& in his heart so likyngly wrought/ that him thought of himself al to gedir meltid in to heavenly love/ so that of the virtue& effect of thoo heavenly words/ hit was openly showed& known what he was that radde thoo words/ and when after the request of the brother/ the foresaid yonglynge had rehearsed east sones the foresaid wordys/ Hons et ori go omnium benoruz. The brother for joy that he had therof in his heart. broke out and seyde. O lord how precious& {pro}fitable is this helful doctrine/& thenne he askid whether he was of the nombre of wise men that brought forth this short fructuous saying/ The yonglynge answered and seyde/ he that souereyne. gluttony. And win the brothere further more made instance that he should rede him more of the foresaid book/ he began oft to rede and seyde. E conuerso Fons et origo omni um malorum sunt discursus inutiles euangelizancium. That is the well& beginning of all eueles or wickydnesse/ ben the unprofitable running about of prechours/ the which word the forseyd brother taking with a maner turbulance& gutchynge of heart/ was about to argue and make resones in to the contrary/ alledgynge for him the going about through all the world of the holy apostles only for the cause of prechynge/ but he took non hede to that these words were not only of prechours/ But also of all thoo generally that coueyten in ghostly living to please god/ For very soth hit is that to every such man, hit is the beginning of alle evils/ yf he will loose his brydel to unprofitable rennynges about/ wherefore the foresaid yonglynge meekly answered to the reason of the broder& with al myldenes seyde wit thou well brother that the foresaid philosophir that is to say gluttony. repreueth full much vn{pro}fitable running a b●ute/& herwith the vision passed away/& thenne the forseide brother felt shedding in himself an heavenly comfort/ and began to think and haue in mind/ thoo things that he had herde& seen before& merueylid greatly who was that phylosophir gluttony For that time he gave all his diligence to worldly philosophy& to the masters therof/ but of ghostly philosophy and the teachers therof he took not so much hede and thenne he seyde thus to himself Loo how many books of diverse philosophirs thou hast red and herde alleged the auctorurs of hem/ but of this gluttony. thou fonde none mention made in ony of hem/& thenne at the aste he thouʒt thus/ peradventure this is that/ gluttony. the most famous philosophir of cristen doctrine that souereyne anchor/ whom thou herdist sometime alleged though hit now be out of thy mind/ and in preyf hereof peradventure/ hit is that thou saw the foresaid old man dwelling in a little cell and by the old book that the yonglynge held in his hand and red vpon/ is understand the book of life of fathers and her collacyons/ the which book is as an old forlette thing and is little take hede to of many men.& nevertheless the rule of all perfection& the sothfaste science of christian philosophy by certain experience is known& contained therein/ wherefore the forseyd broder erely on the morrow aroos& took the forseide book of the library willing to know the soothe whether therein were contained the foresaid gluttony and his saying byforeseide/ anon as he had opened hit he found both him& his sentence/ the which the forseid yongelyng had radde clearly written in the book wherefore the foresaid broder held himself sufficyently by these words spoken before informed& tauʒte/& thenne he left the scoles of naturell science& worldly wisdom and took him only to this school of ghostly science& heavenly wisdom/ desiring for to confirm him to the saying of the foresaid gluttony/  Disciple. 
Thus these words as they comen out of heavenly shewenge ive me so in al partees that through their most liking sweetness the fervour of devotion is in me increased/& a pleyne way of more perfit life is given to mine vndirstondynge/& all maner difficult& doutys is put a way from me.   

How the disciple of everlasting wisdom shal learn to cūne deye& desir̄ to deye for the love of Ihesu. Capitulum quintum/  DIsciple. 
hearken hit is so the death yeuyth nought to man. but rather fro him taketh& pryueth him of that he hath/ whereof profitith this doctrine of death tell me. hit seemeth wonderful/& therfore teach me heavenly master/  wisdom 
/ Thou shalt understand the hit is a science most profitable& passing al other sciences for to cunne deye for a man to know that he shal dey/ that is common to al men in as much as there is no man that may ever live or hath hope or trust therof/ But thou shalt finde full few that haven this cunning to cunne dey/ for that is a souereyne yefte of god soothly a man for to cunne dey is for to haue his heart& his soul at all times upward to thoo things that ben abouen/ that is to say that what time death cometh hit finde him redy/ so that he receive hit gladly without ony wythdrawynge/ ryʒte as he that abydith the desired coming of his dere loved fellow/ but alas forsorowe thou shalt finde in sum religious as well as in vein seculars full many that haten so much the death/ the vnnethes coil they haue hit in mind/ or here speak therof/ They wolde not go fro this world/& cause is/ for they sernid not to cūne deye/ they spend much of her time in vein spekynges/ in pleyenges& in vain ocupacions& curiositees/& other such vein things/ and therfore what time death cometh suddenly/ for as much as he fyndith hem vnredy he draweth out of the body the wretched soul/& ledith hit to hell/ as he wolde oft scythes haue done to the/ had not the hand of the grete mercy of god withstand him/ wherefore leave thou vein things to hem that ben vein/& yeue good intent to my doctrine the which shall {pro}fite the more than choose gold/ or all the books of all philosophres that haue ben/ And the this doctrine of me the more fervently move the/& that hit be alway dwellyngly fixid in thyn heart/ Therfore vndir an open ensample I shall yeue the the mystery of this doctrine/ the which shal profit the greatly to the begynnyng of ghostly hele& to a stable fundament of al virtues/ see now therfore the likeness of a man dying& therwith speaking to the/ And thenne the disciple hearing this began to gader̄ all his wittis fro outward things/& in himself busily to consider& behold that likeness set before him/ for then there apperid before him the likeness of a fair young man the which was suddenly overcome with death in hasty time for to dey& had not disposed for the hele of soul before/ for the which with a careful voice cried& said Circundederunt me gemit{us} mortis dolores in ferni cicundederunt me. That is the wey mentynges of death haven vmbylappid me/& the sorrows of hell haue environed me/ Alas my god everlasting/ whereto was I boren in to this world/ and why after that I was born had I not perisshid anon/ For loo the beginning of my life was weeping& sorrow/& now the end& the passing is with grete care& mourning/ O death how bitter is thy mind to a liking heart& nourished up in delices/ O how little trowid I that I should so sone dey/ but now that wretched death suddenly as out of await as a thief hast fallen vpon me/ Now for sorrow wryngynge mine hands I yield outward going desiring to flee death. but there is no place to flee to fro her/ I look on every side& I finde none counseyler ne comfortour. For death is utterly fyxyd& set in me.& therfore hit may not be changed of that horrible voice of death saying to me in this maner/ thou arte the sone of death/ Nor richesse nor reason nor kinsmen nor friends mown deliuere the fro my hand/ the end is come/ the end is come hit is demyd/& therfore hit must be done/ O my god shall I now nedis dey/ may not this sentence be changed/ shall I now sone go fro this world/ O the grete cruelty of death/ spare I pray the to the youth/ spare to the age/ that is not yet fully ripe/ do not so cruelly with me/ withdraw me not so vnpurueyed fro this light of life/ The disciple/ hearing these words turned to him and said friend thy words seem to me not sauering discipline/ knowest thou not that the doom of death is even to al men/ For hit taketh no person before other/& hit sparyth no man/ hit hath no mercy/ neither of the young ne of the old/  
Hit slayeth as well the rich as the poor/& soth it is/ that right many before the perfect fulfillynge of her yeeres ben drawn away fro this life/ Trowest thou that death should haue spared the alone/ nay for the prophetes ben dede/ The likeness or the image of death answered& seyde/ soothly he seyde thou arte an heavy comfortour/ Nor thy words sownen but folly/& they rather be like to fools the which haven lived evil in to her death/& haven wrouʒte thoo things that ben worthy death/& yf they dread not death when hit nyʒeth/ they ben blind& like to vnresonable beestis that seen not before her last end/ nor that that is to come after death/ And therfore I weep not sorowynge the doom of death/ but I weep for the harms of undisposed death/ I weep not for I shall pass hens, but I am sorry for the harm of thoo dayes that ben passed the which were unprofitably dispendyd with out ony fruit/ Erram{us} a via veritatis,& c̄ In libro sapience. Alas how haue I lived I haue errid fro the weigh of sothfastnes& the light of riʒtwisnesse hath not shined in to me/ ne the truth of vndirstondyng was not received in my soul/ Alas what profiteth hit to me pride or the boast of rychesses what haue they holpen me/ all thoo ben passed as a shadow& as the mind of a guest of one day passing forth/ And therfore now is mi word& my speech in bitterness to my soul/& my wordys full of sorrow& mine eyen dasyth/ O why ne had I be ware in my youth of this that falleth me in mine last dayes/ win I was clothed with strong the/& with beauty& had many yeres before me to come/ that I myʒte haue know the evils that haven suddenly fallen vpon me in this hour/ I took no force to the worthiness of time but freely yeuyng me to lusts& to wretched life/& spended my dayes all in vanity/ And therfore now ryʒte as fishes ben cauʒte with the hook/ And as byrdis ben take with the green/ so am I taken with cruel death that hath come vpon me suddenly/& my time of life is passed& slyden away& may not be cleped again of ony man/ There was none hour so short but that I myʒte therein haue gotten ghostly wynnynges that passem in value al earthly godis without comparison/ alas I wretch why haue I dispendid so many gracio{us} dayes in most vein & long spekynges& so little force haue taken of my self/ oath vnspekable sorrow of mine heart/ why haue I so given me to vanity/ and why in al my life learned I not to deye/ wherefore ye al that ben here& seen my wretchidnes ye that ben Iocounde in the floure of youth/& haue time able to live behold me& take hede of mine mischiefs& sorrows/& eschew your harm by my perille/ spend ye in good the floure of your youth& occupy ye the time that is given to you in holy works/ Leste that yf ye do like to me/ ye suffer the pains that I suffer/ O everlasting god to the I knowledge complaynyng the grete wretchidnesse that I feel of the wanton youth in which I hatyd words of blaming for my trespaas/ I wolde not obey to hem that tauʒte me/& I turned a way the eere fro hem that wolde goodly counsel me/ I hated discipline/ and mine heart wolde not assent to reprehencions/ and therfore now I am fallen in to a deep pit& am cauʒte with the green of death/ Hit had be better to me yf I had never be born/ or else that I had perished in my moders womb than that I had so unprofitably spendid the time that was granted to me for to do penance so mysusyd wretchidly in pride/  Disciple/ 
Loo we all deyen as watir falleth down in to the earth that turneth not again/ and god will not that mannes soul perish/ but he with draweth his vengeance from him that he be not fully loost/ that is of himself abject wherefore here now my counsel repent the of al thyn offences/& do penance for thy mysdedis that ben passed/& turn the to thy lord by good dedis/ For he is full benign and merciful/ And yf hit so be that the end be good suffycith to hele of soul/ The image of death seyde/ What word is this that thou spekyst shal I turn me& do penance Seest not the anguish of death that ouerleyth me/ Loo I am so greatly feryd with the dread and horror of death& so bounden with bonds of death that I may not see nor know what I shall do/ But right as the pertryche is constrained vndir the claves& nails of the hawk/ is as half dead for dread& anguish of the death/ ryʒte so all wit is gone fro me thinking not ellis but how I might in ony maner escape this perille of death/ the which nevertheless I may not escape O the blessed penance& turning fro sin be time/ for that is siker way/ forsooth he that hath late turned him/& yeuyth him to penance he shall be in doubt& vncerteyn/ for he wote no wether his penance be true or feigned woe to me that haue so long suffered for to a mend my life/ alas I haue to long tarried for to gete me heel/ Loo all my dayes ben passed& lost/& wretchidly perisshid/ and ben gone so neclygently/ that I wote not whether I haue spendid one day of hem all in the coil of god& the exercise of all virtues not done so worthily& perfitly as peradventure I might or should haue done/ or ellis yf I ever dide to my maker so plesynge service& acceptable as mine estate askyth/ Alas for sorrow thus hit is/ wherefore all mine inward affeccyous ben sore woundid/ A god everlasting how shameful shall I grind at the doom before the/& all thi sayntes/ win I shall be compellyd to yeue answer and reason of all that I haue done/& left undone/ and what I shall say hereto  
But at the next is my tribulation that I shall pass forth fro this world taketh hede of me now busily I prey you/ Loo in this hour I wolde haue more joy of a little short prayer. as of an Aue maria. seyde devoutly of me/ joanne of a thousand pound of silver or gold/ O my god how many goods haue I necligently lost/ soothly now I know that as to the greatness of heavenly medis/ hit should more haue availed me a busy keeping of mine heart/& al my wittis with cleanness of heart than that I left by inordinate affecyon defoyled and effect/ or that ony other man .xxx. yerys had besyed him by prostracyons for to gete me reward of god here or in bliss/ O ye al that see my wretchidnessis haue ye compassion of me/& mercy vpon yourself/& while your strengths sufficen& haue time/ help& gather to heuenli bernes heavenly tresoures/ the which mown receive you in to everlasting tabernacles what time that ye faylen/ and that ye ben not left void in such an hour that is to come to you as ye seen me now woyde and of all goods despoiled/  Disciple 
/ My loved friend I see well that thy sowwe is full grete/ and therfore I haue compassion of the with all my heart adiurynge thee by god almighty/ that thou yeue me counsel whereby I may be taught/ that I fall not in to such peril of undisposed death/ hereto seyde the image of death/ The counsel of souereyne prudence and most of providence stant in this point that thou dispose the while thou arte hole and strong by true contrycion/ and clene and hole confession/ and by dew satisfaction and all wicked and noyous things that should withdraw the or let the fro everlasting health/ that thou cast a way fro the/& that thou keep the so in all times as though thou sholdist pass out of this world this day/ or to morrow/ or at the vttrest within these seven nights/ put in thyn heart as though thy soul were now in purgatory/& had in penance for thy trespass .x. year in the fourneys of brenning fire/ and only this year is granted the for thyn help/ And so behold oft scythes thy soul among the brenning coals crying/ O thou beste beloved of all friends/ help thy wretched soul/ haue mind on me that am now in so hard prison/ haue mercy on me that stand al desolate/ and suffer me noo longer to be tormentid in this dark prison/ for I am forsaken of this world/ there is none that showeth me kindness or that wolde put hand to help me needy/ everichone seken her own profit and haven forsake me/ and left me in this painful brenning flames all desolate.  
Disciple againward. soothly this doctrine of the were most profitable who so had hit by experience as thou hast hit/ But though hit so be that thy words ben seen fully stirring and biting/ nevertheless they profiten little to many folk/ For they turn a way her faces that they coil not see unto her end. her eyen seen not/ ne her eeres here not they ween to live long and that disceyueth hem/ and for they dread not undisposed death/ therfore they take noo keep to see before th harms therof/ What time that the mesenger cometh of death/ that is to say hard and grete sickness/ then comen frendys and fellows to the seek man for to visit him& comfort him/ And then all promysen and by heten the good/& that he nedyth not to dread the death/ and that there is noo peril therof/ and that hit is but a running of the humeces vnkyndely. or stopping of the senewes or veins that shall soon pass over. Thus the friends of the bodies ben enemies to the soul/ For what time the sikenes continually encresith/ and he that is seek ever hopyth of amendment/ at the last suddenly he faylyth and without fruit of hele yeldith up the wretched soul/ right so these that heren thy wordys the which leaven all to geder to mannes prudence/ and worldly wisdom/ they casten behind their backys thy words/ and coil not obey to thyn heelful counsel  
The image of death with/ Therfore what time they ben taken with the green of death win there falleth vpon hem suddenly generation and anguish/ they shall cry and not ben herde for as much as they hadden wisdom in hate and dispiseden to here my counseyse And right as now full few ben founden that ben compuncte through my words/ forto amend hem and turn her life in to better/ noo forsooth/ for the malice of the fiend in time/ and default of ghostly fervour/ and the wyckidnesse of the world letteth hem/ so that there ben full few so perfitly disposed to death/ the which for grete abstraccyon/ of the world and devotion of heart coueyten to deye for the desire of everlasting life/& with all her inward affecyons/ desiren to be with christ/ But rather the contrary/ and for the most parte of people they ben so suddenly with the bitter death overcomen that they be foundem at that time all undisposed in maner as I am now overcomen/ And yf thow wilt know the cause of so grete and so comune a peril/ Loo this the vnordynate desire of worship and the superslue cure of the body/ earthly love/ and to much belynesse about worldly living bynden many hertis of the comynte/ and bringeth hem at the last to these myschenes¶ But soothly yf thou with few desirest to be saved fro this peril of vndiposid death/ Here my counsel and oft scythes set before thine eyen/ this that thou seest now in my sorrowful person/ and busily bring hit to thy mind/ And thou shalt finde soon that my doctrine is to the most profitable/ For thou shalt so profit thereby that only thou shalt not dread to dey. but also that death that is to alle living men dredeful thou shalt abide and receive with the desire of thyn heart/ in that hit is the end of travail/ and the beginning of felicity everlasting/ this thing look that thow do/ that thou every day bring me inwardly to thy mind/ and busily take intent to my words/ and write hem sadly in thyn heart/ Of the sorrows and anguishes that thou seest in me/ taken hede and think vpon thoo things that ben to come in hasty time vpon the/ haue in mind of my doom/ for such shall be thy doom. O how blessed arte thou gluttony that ever haddist this hour̄ of death before thynē eyen/ and so blessed is he the which what time that his lord cometh and knockith on the gate fyndyth him redy to let him inn/ For by what maner death he be ouerleyde he shall be purged and brouʒte to the sight of almighty god/ and in the passing out of his spirit shall be received in to the blessed paleys of everlasting bliss/ But woe is me wretch where trowest thou that thow shalt abide this myʒte my spirit/ who shall receive my wretched soul/& where shall hit be herboured at night in that unknown country Oo how desolate shal thenne be my soul& abyecte passing all other souls/ Therfore having compassion of myself among these bitter wordys/ I shed out tears as the river/ But what helpyth hit to weep/ or to multiply many bitter words/ hit is concludid& may not be chaungid Oo my god now I make an end of my wordys/ I may noo longer make sorrow/ For loo now is the hour come that will take me fro the earth/ woe is me now I see and know the I may noo longer live/ and that death is all the next/ For loo the hands vnwylde begynnen to rauncle/ the face to be pale/ the sight to daske/ and the eyen to go inn/ The light of the world I shall no more see/ and the state of an other world before the eyen of my soul in my mind/ I begin to behold/ Oo my god how dreadful sight is this/ Loo the cruel beestis the horyble faces of revels and black for shappen things without nombre haue environed me/ aspyenge and abiding my wretched soul that shall in hast pass out/ yf peradventure hit should be taken to hem for to be turmentyd as for her lot/ Oo thou most ryghtwysse domesman/ how streyt and hard ben thy domes/ charging and hard demynge me wretch in thoo things/ the which few folk feren or dreden/ for as much as they seemen small& lytyl/ Do the dreadful sight of the ryghtwys justice/ that is now present to me by dread and suddenly to come in dede/ Loo the death swift percynge the membres is comen/ that wittenessith the kind of the flesh that peryssheth and overcometh the spirit/ Now fare well fellows and friends most dere. for now in my passing I cast the eye of my mind in to purgatory whid●r I shall now be superadd/& out therof shall I not pass tille I haue yelden the leste farthing of my debt for sin.  
There I behold with the eye of mine heart/ wretchidnesse& sorrow and many fold pains and tourmentynge/  
Alas me wretch there I see among other pains that long to that place/ rising up flaummes of fire and the souls of wretched folk cast therinne/ up and down and to and fro/ that rennen as sparkles of fire in myddys of that brenning fire/ right as in a grete town all on fire and in the fire and smoke the sparkles ben boren up and down/ so the veils weymentynge for sorrow of of her pains/ cryen everichone/ and seyen these wordys/  ¶ Miseremini mei miseremini mei saltem vos amici mei. 
¶ Haue mercy on me/ haue mercy on me. at the leste ye that ben my frendys/ where is now the help of my frendys/ where ben now the good byhestys of our kinsmen& other. by whos inordinate affection we took noo force of ourself/ and so encreasid we this pain to ourself. Alas  
why haue we done so/ loo the leste pain of this purgatory that we may feel/ passeth all maner sorrows of that temperel world/ the bitterness of pain that we now feelen in one hour seemeth as grete as all the sorrows of the passing world in an hundred yeres/ But passing all maner of other turmentys and pains/ hit greuyth me most the absence of that blessed face of god/ these words that I haue now seyde in my last passing I leave to the as in mind/ and so passing I deye/ At this vision the disciple made grete sorrow/ and for dread all his bones quakeden/  
And thenne turning him to god he seyde thus Disciple¶ where is everlasting wisdom now/ lord hast thou forsake me thy servant/ thou wouldest teach me wisdom enough but I am almost brought unto the death/ Oo my god how much bindeth me the presence of death/ that I haue seen now. the image of death hath so ouerleyde all my mind that vnnethes/ wote I whether I haue seen the image of death or not/ for I am so greatly troubled that vnnethes woot I whether this that I haue seen be so in dede or else in likeness/ Oo lord of lords dreadful and merciful/ I thank thee with all mine heart for thy special grace/ and I promise to amend/ For I am made a feared with passing grete dread/ A forsooth I perceived never in all my life the perils of death undisposed so openly as I haue now in this hour/ I bileue for certain that this dreadful sight shall avail to my soul for ever/ for certain now I know that we haue here none everlasting city/& therfore to the vnchaungeable state of the soul that is to come/ I dispose me with all my myghtea/ nd I purpose me to learn to deye/ and I hoop by goddys grace to amend my life without ony wythdrawyng or dyfferrynge/ For hearken I am so made a feared only of the mind/ what should be to me the presence therof/ wherefore now do away fro me/ do aweye the softenesse of beddynge the precyosite of clothing/& the slowthe of sleep& al that letteth me fro the lord Ihū christ/ Oo thou holy& merciful saviour put me not to bitter death/ Loo I falling down before thee with weeping tears/ I ask of thee that thou punish me here at thy will/ so that thou reserve not my wicked dedis in to the last end/ Forsothly in the horrible place there is so grete sorrow and pain/ that noo tongue may suffice to tell Oo how grete a fool haue I be in to this time/ in as much as I haue so little force taken of undisposed death/ and of the pain of purgatory/ that is so grete/ and how grete wisdom is to haue these things oft before the eyen/ But now hearken I am so ferdely amonysshed and taught/ I open mine eyen and dread hit greatly/  Wisdom answering seyd 
These things that ben seyde my sone in alle times haue in mind while thou arte young and hole and mighty/ and mayst amend thyself/ But what time thou comest to that hour soothly thou mayst none other wise help thyself/ then is there none other remedy. but that thou committe the to the mercy of god only/ and that thou take my passion betwixt thee and my doom/ leste that thou dread my ryʒt wysnesse more than nedyth/ for so thow mightest fall down fro thyn hope/ And now for as much as thow arte afeard with a passing dread be of good comfort understanding that the dread of god is the beginning of wisdom/ seek thy books and thou shalt finde how many goods and profits the mind of death bringeth to man/ wherefore haue mind of thy creator and maker in the dayes of thy youth/ or that the powder torn again in to his earth whence he came fro/ and the spirit torn again to the lord that yaf it him And bless thou god of heaven with all thyn heart/ and be kind to him that yeueth the grace to see this/ for there ben full few that perceive with her hearts the vnstablenesse of this time/ ne the deceit of death that in al times lieth in await/ ne the everlasting felicity of the contree which is to come/ lift up thyn eyen& look about the busily/& see how many there ben blind in her souls/& stoppen her eeris that they here not for to be converted& heled of sin/& therfore her loss& dapnacyon shal not long tarry. Alas behold the company without nombre of hem that ben now lost thorouh̄ the mischief of vndisposid death/ nombre the multitude of hem yf thou may and take hede how many they ben/ the which in thy time dwelling with the now ben dede and passed hens fro this world/ How grete a multitude of brethren and fellows/ and other of thy knowledge in so few yeeres ben gone before the that arte yet a young man and left yet alive/ and they dede ask of hem all and seek of everichone/ and they shall tell the weeping and morning saying thus/¶ Oo how blessed is he that seeth before and purueyth for these last things/ and keepeth him fro sin/ and doth after the counsel of wise men/ And in all time dysposith him to his last hour/ wherefore putting abacke all things that should withdraw the herfro/ ordain for thyn house/ and make the redy to that last way of every man/ and to the hour of death/ For in certain thou knowest not what hour hit shall come and how nigh it is/  
¶ And therfore right as a trauaylynge man standing in the haven beholdith busily a ship that swyftly seylyth toward far countries that he should go to/ leste that hit should overpass him he standeth still and remeueth not thennes till hit come to him/ right so grind thoustable in virtues/ and more for love then for dread so that all thy life and all thy working be dressed and set to that intent ever principally to love and please thy lord god trusting to his mercy/ so that thou haue a blessed obite by which thow mayst at the last came to the place of Immortalite& ever latynge felicity/   

¶ Of the souereyne love of our lord ihesu in the holy sacrament of his blessed body& that longeth thereto/ Caplmm .vj.¶  The disciple said thus. 
O Souereyne and everlasting wisdom for as much as the grete profit of thy doctrine hath stirred me with a fervent desire for to go to the scoles of virtue/ and to yeue mine hole intent to hem/ in the which I haue sufficientlylernyd how I shall both live and deye/ soothly in the exercise and fulfillynge of hem in dede/ I knowledge of mine own infirmity that I vnmyʒty am oft times cast down/ wherefore I flee to the almyʒty god/ and to thy souereyne might/ and ask of thee that thou vouchsafe of thy grete pity to show me remedies that I may haue recours to in adversities that fallen/  wisdom 
/ The seven a sacrmentis of holy church. ben seven remedies/ through the which a man is in maner new born in to a spiritual creature/& nourished and kept/ and thorowgh grace brought up in to the souereyne degree of perfection/ among the which sacramentys a special excellent maner spryngith out of the sacrament of the altar. the shining of goddes love/ and a maner river of heavenly grace blessidly brenning devout souls/ and sweetly making hem drunken in ghostly love/ as hit soothly is knoken/ For right as dry stickis given kind matter to bodily fire for to brenne more fervently/ and maked the flam̄es therof to spring up and spread all about( so forsooth this worshipful sacrament that is norysshynge of ghostly heat yeuith grete increase to the fire of goddes love/ and norissheth hit when hit is devoutly received/ For among all the tokens of love/ there is noo thing that so rauysshith all holy to him the coil of the lover as is to desire the presence of him that is loved/ for that passeth all other things/ wherefore in my last supper I yaf myself to my loved disciples in sacrament/ and to hem and all other ministers of this sacryfice I haue left that grete power in the virtue of mine wordys that they may haue me present bodily/ that am present everywhere by my godhead ghostly/  Disciple. 
I beseech the my lord that I thy servant may speak a word in thyn eeris/& that thou be not wroth to thy servant/ For soothly thou arte my lord and I thy servant/ And I haue well understand that thou hast seyde that thou arte in this sacrament not figurally/ but rially and bodily. And yf hit be so I pray the meekly to be taught/ for that should yeue me grete matter to love the ferruently.  Wisdom. 
In very certeynte and sothfastly/ and without ony doubt I am contained in this sacrament god and man with body and soul flesh and blood as I went out of my moders womb and hinge on the cross/ and sit on the fathers right hand.  Disciple. 
I beseek the my lord be not displesid yf I speak. For this that I shall speak cometh not of the root of mysbyleue/ but of full grete marvel. For yf I durst say it seemeth full grete wonder how that shaply body of my lord with all his membris/ and measures in all maner perfection may be contained under that little form that we seen of the sacrament/ as to portion unlike in measure/  wisdom. 
How that my body is contained in the sacrament/ there may noo tongue tell/ ne wit understand/ ne mannes reason may not comprehend hit/ But only by faith hit is convenient to know this in as much as hit is the grete working of goddes virtue only/ And therfore hit longeth to the for to believe this sothfastly/ and to beware of presuntuous serchynge in this matter so curious nevertheless I coueytyng for to profit to thy devout symplenesse/ for to excite thy feruoure more than showing of that thing that is only known to god/ I shall answer to thy simple wordys/ taking the way of answer of thoo things the ben known in her own kind/ and yet unknown to the/ to thoo things that passen the knowing of all deadly creatures/ tell me therfore yf thou canst/ how that a little pupille of the eye may by siʒte close in hit all that grete circumference the hit seeth of the firmament/ or in what maner a broken glass may receive a perfect image in every broken parte therof/ hearken these things ben not even in proporcyon/ And thouʒ hit so be that these simple ensamples bē rather vnlyknesse than perfit likeness/ as every thing of kind in this purpoos hath more vnlyknesse than likeness/ nevertheless of these things may be taken this convenient skille/ that hearken nature may work so many& grete merueyles kindly/ Why may not the virtue of the author& maker of kind stretch him in to greater merueyles many fold in his working/ Also if hit seem possible that the maker of the world seyde/ and al thyngis were made of nouʒt/ why should he not turn one thing in to an other thorouʒ his prive power/ And therfore right as all thing the he wolde he lined/ right so there is noo thing to him unpossible that he will haue done/ whereof then hast thou wondyr/ furthermore thou byleuest that divine wisdom fed five thousand men with five loues/& I ask of the wh̄at matter that was that served them al but his grete myʒte.  Disciple 
/ To these things I can not answer of my symplycite/ but that I openly knowledge that the werkynges of god ben full marvelous/  Wisdom 
/ Yet put I to thy simpleness this question hereto acordyng/ say me whether thou believe that thou hast a soul or that there be ony things inuysible/  Disciple. 
I believe not that I haue a soul/ but I know hit well in as much as I haue the knowing hereof by my meuyng& of my wit& feeling& such other/ Also reason teacheth that there ben many things in her kind/ the which may not be comprehendid by the sight ne by other bodily wyttis/ and peradventure there ben more of the werkys of god vnseen/ than thoo that mannes wit may comprehend/ as a busy secher may finde in the order of all things/  Wisdom 
/ Of these before seyde wordys gadir to thy purpoos that the understanding of every blessed spirit passeth much more the vndyrstondynge of every wise man than doth the vndyrstondyng of a wise man pass the vndyrstondynge of an ydeot/ For thus experience teacheth that many vnlettrid men holden as vnpossyble many things of the which clerkes haven certain cunning and knowing/ as hit preuyth principally in gemetrye and astronomy/  
So to our purpoos though this matter pass the kunnyng and knowing of earthly men the which haven but a blind vndyrstonding of thoo things that ben most open in kind/ nevertheless they that haven the kunning of hem that ben in bliss/ seen these things perfitly in god/ Here what with hereof the wise man in holy writ by these words/ There is some man that besieth him day and night/& brekyth his sleep for to know al thing/& I haue understand that there may noo man finde reason of all the works of god that ben done vndir son/& the more he trauaylith to finde/ the less he shall finde/ Loo also a grete philosophire that wholly& busily yaf him to know a certain natural matter/& might not come thereto by his wit/ at the last he seyde/ leave we these things to hem that ben stronger/ that is to say more cunning/ hearken then hit is so that these things that ben of kind& openly in earth seen may not be known/ how then may thoo things that ben heavenly and may not be seen/ but passen all the vittys of deadly nature/ who may know hem. Therfore said our lord to. Nichodeme. Si terrena dixi vobis& c̄. If I haue spoken and told you earthly things/ and ye believe it not/ yf I wolde speak to you of heavenly things/ how should ye believe hem/ therfore men should flee al such ymagynacyons and conceits that leden to errors by enserchyng thoo things that touchen that faith/ For some thynken oftentimes of that ground in which they ymagyne that they deme of godly things/ as they wolde do of manly things/& of thoo things that ben above kind/ as of thoo that ben in kind/ But so should they not do/& namely in this purpoos hem behoved to be ware/ For in sooth goddis body is not in the maner in the sacrament as a body in a place that is mesured thereafter/ but hit his there in a maner that is spiritual/& yf thou ask me what maner that is/ I tell the that hit is such a maner as is longyng properly to this sacrament. the which for to know/ thyn ymagynacyon may not attain thereto/ wherefore thyn vndyrstondynge as blind must be constrained& brouʒte in to the bondage of christ for to haue alway before thyn eyen/ how much of myʒt is that virtue that is without end/ to the which al maner matters obeyen& serven at will/ thouʒ a man may not see this by default of the myʒt in seenge of the Inner eye/ A pleyne ensample thou hast her of by a child born in prison& long time norisshid therein/ the which wolde hold hit for a grete marvel/ who so wolde tell him many things of the course of sterris/& of the disposiconn of this world that we know and see/& marvel not therof/ wherefore the wisdom of god condescendynge to mannes ignorance the foresaid things hath left to men only for to believe in as much as they passen the myʒt of mannes wit/ To the which believe true men leenynge as to a sad fundament/ haven more certain therof/ than if they should leene to her own vndirstondynge/ or other mennes in things known& proporcined by kind.  Disciple 
/ soothly with most evident persuasions& reasons thou preuyst to me the faith of this sacrament/& takest fro my heart noyous wonderyngys/& dreedful thouʒtys/ that grown& disesen a seek soul/ For of this that thou hast seyde. I perceive well that hit is a simple wit that sechith things that ben imposyble/ and coueytith to know the wondirful werkys of god alone/ and nevertheless yf he faylith in knowing of werkys of the self kind/ I wote well& sadly believe that thou arte sovereign& endeles myʒte that may do all things& sovereign& everlasting wisdom. that knowist& seest al thing/ thou that arte god plain and vnchaungeable soothnes that mayst not lie not deceive. wherefore thou arte the end of my believe/& the anchor of my hope/ now& evermore knowing that blessed is that man that trystith and hopith in the/ wherefore now all the inward affeccyons of my soul ben glad& joyful/ for I haue souʒte/ and that I haue long desired. now I haue gotten. Why arte thou my soul sorry/& why distourblest thow me/ thou hast souʒte. Ihū and thou hast founden Ihū. oft scythes in to this time thou hast compleyned that thy loved Ihū was away fro the. what time thou saw an other man glad of the presence of him that he loved/ thou haddist envy in thy heart& madyst sorrow for as much as thou foundist not him present that thou louedist/ and in this maner seydist/ Oo wolde god that he my byloued were such one that wolde oft scythes or alway yf hit plesyd him be with me& live with me. so that I myʒte haue joy and liking of his presence for that should comfort me in trybulacyons and in diseases/ But now this voice of sorrow is turned in to the voice of gladness For now I finde him present/ for whom I made sorrow/ as for his absence/ wherefore now al ye the loven god be glad with me/ For I haue found my byloued/& not only after the godhead whereby he is to all men present/ but also after the māhede sacramently to me present/& therfore hit is wonder that I may hens forward be drawn away fro the church& that I dwell not there night/ where I haue my lord present/ not only ghostly/ but also bodily/& not only god all mighty/ but also as my brother& beloved friend/ Oo lord how blysful had I sometime be yf I myʒt haue received in to my mouth at the masspriest one drop of that precious blood running out of the open woundis of my lord my beloved/ But now with my busy diligent consideraconn I begin to take hede/ that not only I receive one drop or tweyne of that precious blood running out of the hands or of the feet or fro the heart of him/ but also I receive alle his blood holy/& his body is joined to my body/ Oo lord how worthily should the presence of so grete a gheste ive the affecconn of mannes heart what may be shewed more of love than the homely knyttynge to geder of him that is loved to him that louyth/& thouh̄ hit so be that he may not be seen here in the sacrament so openly as in heaven/ nevertheless the fervent affecconn of man leenyng to the fundament of faith should be sadly stablished/ that the presence of this sacrament should overcome all earthly thing& affecconn of heart/ wherefore this sacrament may well be called the sacrament of love/ in as much as hit knyttith togedir the love with the lover/ Now my soul be thou comforted/ for that thou hast sought/ thou hast founden/ and therfore receive& take christ in sothenesse& in presence as simeon dide that ryʒt wisely& dredefully received him in his bodily presence/ For thouʒ that simeon received him visibly/& thou vnuysibly nevertheless thou receyuest him as feythfully in louelynesse& as verily as he dide/ For right as my bodily eye may not see now in the sacrament thyn humanity that is there present/ so the forseide simeon bearing thee in his arms myʒt not see thy godhead/ but only with the eyen of believe. as I see the bodily now present with the eyen of believe/ But what were that to me of bodily siʒte/ hearken thoo eyen ben affirmed blessed/ that seen not after the flesh/ as the scribes& pharysees bodily/ but now thine chosen children see the ghostly/ what wilt thou my soul desire more of thy beloved to know certainly& without ony doubt thou hast him in the sacrament present/ thouh̄ hit be invisible But now take hede to goddes ordinance/& see that this mystery is done/& made much more conveniently vndir a neither likeness/ than in the likeness of his proper person. For who myʒte be so feers or hard that wolde presume to take him, and eat him in the form of flesh and blood/ wherefore the divine wisdom disposynge all things in the beste maner/ ordained that the flesh& the blood being under the likeness of breed& vine/ the which serven commonly to mannes refection/ This sacrament should so be taken/ What myʒte be founden more seemly more covenable or more lyʒte/ that should so accord to us/& hit seueth not the sothfastnes of hitselse/ wherefore oo everlasting wisdom what time that I consider and behold by these and such other thine grete werkys. and merueylles so passingly well disposid and ordained/ For wondering I fail in myself/ crying inwardly and seeing/ O the hye worthiness of the richesse of wisdom and cunning of god/  
What arte thou is thyn own being/ that arte so grete and so worthy/ and so virtuous in working of creatures made of the¶ Hec pertinent ad sacerdotem specialiter.  
¶ wherefore now my king and my god. that vouchedistsafe to cheese me in to the office of priesthood not/ of my desert/ and woldyst make me minister of so grete mysteries that I may every day receive and offer the that lamb without wemme. I ask of thee that thou teach me. how that I shall worthily receive the/ so that hit be to thy loving and hele of my soul/ knowing for certain that there was never king so grete and so glorious that was so worshipfully and so reverently received of ony city/ ne none most dere friend coming fro far country so gladly and effectuously salued and greted of his special friend/ ne noo loved spouse so amorously and heartily received of his spouse and so reverently treatid/ as my soul this day desireth for to receive the mine worthiest Emperour swettyst friend and deryst loved guest and most liking spouse/ and for to bring thee in to my ghostly house and in to the most secret chamber of my heart. and there for to do to the all maner reverence& love/& for to yield to the all the worship that is possible to be yelden of a poor crature to his god& his maker.  wisdom. 
win thou comyst up to the worshipful altar behold with thyn Inner eye of believe that holy body in flesh& blood of thy god/ that is to say in this maner that most certainly/ and without ony doubt. thou believe with al thyn heart& knowledge with thy mouth that that host is very goddis sone. born of the vyrgyne Marye/ and that was dead& risen fro death to life.& shal be domesman of al both quick& deed/ And after this with dew reverence& souereyne worship with thy lord god I haue marvel inward with a meek devotion/ that so grete a lord to so little unworthy a servant/& that soohye a noble prince. to such a wretched worm.& so worthy a majesty to so vile a mesell vouchethsafe to come. and then say with dread& reurence lord I am not worthy that thou entre in to my house but turstyng of thy grete pity and mercy/ I come seek to the leech of life. trusting to the well of mercy- needy to the lord of heaven and earth. the sheep to his herde man. the creature to his maker. mourning and desolate to the my pyteuous comfortoure and myʒty/ most ardente desire/& with inward lust of heart receive thy worthy spouse having sovereign delight of his blessed& swettyst presence/ And that one thing is in special/ that should passing all other things stir& ive an amorous soul/ that is to say when he thynkyth that he hath present his dere loved spouse& friend/ for whos love he deyeth ever y d yas to this world/& dispisith all earthly a love/ Loo these feigned louers of this world/ what day they seen the house where they haue in mind that her loved friend or spouse dwellith alle day/ they ben the more glad& meryer/ Take hede then hereby how worthily he should be glad& souereinly rejoice him that receiveth under this visible form/ not a foul creator/ but the maker of all thing/ not a closed filth/ but the wisdom of god becomen man Hit his wondir that an amorous soul may be that day sorry for ony temperel thing in the which he hath received his beloved maker god/ For without doubt he hath then in himself so grete matter of joy/ that worthily hit should devour& put to nouʒt all chance of heaviness& sorrow/ right as the grete see wolde a drop of eysel or vinegar cast therein furthermore yf thou desirest to know in experience the sweet savour of this sacrament the which is yet unknown to the/ be busy about first for to withdraw thy soul fro secular nedis/& fro fleshly lusts and vices/ so that before the receiving therof/ thou haue profunde contrition/ and clene and open confession/& that thou be draw thereto by inward devotion/ more than by used custom with most ardent affections/& most holy meditacyons/ as with rede roses& white lylyes thou shalt array against him the gheste chamber of thyn heart/ and make hit redy to so worthy a spouse by inward pees/ And what time thou felyst him present/ chyppe him betwyx the arms of thyn heart/ thorouh̄ the outcastynge of all earthly love/ and the inward closing of that heavenly spouse/  
afterward a devout soul shal make me to here his voice& sing to me with the songs of zion/ whereof the melody when it is made of three maner proporcyons yeldyth most swettist sown/ that is to say of perfect foryetynge al earthly things/& fervent affecconn of everlasting things/& a maner beginning of loving that the blessed spirites haue in heaven/ well is him that may {per}ceyue& feel these things with inward taste/& that may know hem by sothfaste experience more than by wordys or wrytyngys/  Disciple 
/ Oo that wonder hardness& blindness of my heart/ wherefore I may well be sorry. For in the most habundance of ghostly rytches I haue long time dwellid most poor.& the grete ghostly goodys I haue wretchidly forslowthed.& of the grete sweetness passing measure of the yeftes of grace I haue be void& dry. Oo my god to that I make my compleynte with inward sorrow of heart that I haue ben so long fro that.& thou hast be so nigh me thou were with me.& I was not with the/ for medelyng& setting myself in worldly besynesses.& other su{per}flue vanitees I took little force of the For host scythes I haue had myself so tedyously to the as though thou my god haddist not be present to me. But now putting away all maner dissymulacyon. as though I were waked fro sleep/ I haue opened mine eyen clyppyng thy presence with my most affection and desire of body and soul/ For as oft as I think and haue in mind thy blessed presence/ my spirit beginneth to glad for joy as he that receiveth a good messegar coming fro far country/ And therfore now hit is convenient that as thou hast fed me with thy blessed presence/ as with the breed of life and vndirstondynge/ so thou inform me furthermore yeuynge me drink of the water of helfull wisdom/ answering me thy servant to thoo things that I shall ask the And first I ask of the/ what good thou yeuist by thy presence to the man that devoutly receyueyth thee in the sacrament.  wisdom. 
I pray the fro whence cometh this question/ whether arte thou a lover or a merchant Trowyst thou that this question is convenient to an amorous heart that loveth inwardly/ so that he haue that thing that he loveth he taketh not much force of other things. What thing haue I better or more profitable or more precyo{us} than myself/ And he that hath that he louyth what shall he desire more He that yeuyth all himself to his friend/ what I pray the keepeth he fro him/ loo in the sacrament I yeue myself to the/& I take a wey thyself fro the/& I turn thee in to me/ For in soth thou shalt not turn me in to the/ as the meet of thy flesh/ but thou shalt be chaungid and turned in to me/ But peradventure thou arte not yet perfit in love/ wherefore thou couetist not only love/ but also somme reward therof/& therfore I shall answer now by a question like to thin asking/ tell me what helpyth or profytith to the air the shining of the son/ what time that hit shineth hote with all his virtue/ without cloud at myddaye time. Or ellis what profyten the bryʒte sterrys& in special that fair star lucifer to the dark nyʒte/ or ellis what fair heat bringeth the hote summer tide to the earth that is before clongyd with the cold frost of winter/  Disciple. 
soothly all these hit is no doubt bryngen with hem grete fruit and grete beauty/  Wisdom. 
All these seemen to the grete& glorious/ for as much as they ben known commonly& comprehendyd by sight/ But for sooth the spiritual gifts that ben given in the sacrament in her maner ben much more. worthy and greater forderynge/ For the least yefte of grace therof maketh a man more gracious when he receiveth the sacrament yf it be devoutly take/ and hit shall more clarefye the soul hereafter with his spiritual lyʒtnynge than ony son beam may lyʒten the clene air/ and for as much as spiritual things without comparison passen bodily things right so furthermore thou mayst conceive of other lyknesses also my body glorified that is received here in the sacrament truly with grace/ shall more lyʒte& worship with his light all the court of heaven/& every chosen soul/ than the course of sterrys& the variance of times mown help or further in ony maner the earth/ And also my soul that is contained in the sacrament is of more lyʒt in his maner than ben all the day sterrys or even sterris in earth/ And all these shall be given hereafter to a true soul by virtue of this sacrament without other profitys and graces/ that fallen every day grete and with out nombre that ben oft scythes rehearsed& spoken of/  Disciple. 
I am astonied in this that I here so many worthy merueyles& werkyngys of this glorious sacrament. But lord I pray the despise not one doubt that I shall put& open to the/ hearken hit is so that thou almyʒty god vouchedistsafe to magnify this worshypful sacrament with so many glorious miracles& profytis without nombre/ not only for the time to come/ but also in this time present. why is all this so hid& abstracte that vnneth is hit perceived of ony man& if I durst say the virtue therof is not seen for to appear to true byleuyng men. what is done about other men I wote/ not in as much as I am not a curyo{us} searcher of other mennes conscience. But this am I expert of. in myself other wyle that what time I should come to the holy sacrament/ whereof I haue founden myself both in going thereto& going therefro in so grete hardness of heart& a maner dullness of spirit/ that of all the ghostly lyʒtyngis.& godly graces that comen fro that sacrament to my doom I haue belefte so void that I myʒte not feel in myself the sweet taste therof in ony maner/ But I was left so desolate without fruit/ as thouʒ that sacrament had none effect in hit self. Oo the wondirful counsel of all mighty god and unwise durst be so bold for to reprehend& vndirtake in this parte his lord/ that is most wise and without reprehension alle thing in the beste maner disposyng/ I pray the why hast thou so hid so many&/ grete goods. Were hit not better that thou hadst ordained the faith of so grete mysteries with more open signs and more evident experience.  wisdom 
Knowest thou not while thou arte here thou walkest forth by faith/ and not by kindly feeling. For that thing that bodily wit showeth and experience prouyth. how may faith receive. nay faith must ne deys fail where that open showing of reason hath place/ And so followeth that the worthy merit of faith should perish/ For as the wise man saith/ faith hath noo merit to the which faith reason yeuyth experience. and therfore yf thou wilt committe to experience of reason the mystery of this sacrament. nedis faith and the merytys of faith must perish and fail/ and what if hit so befalle that a chosen soul felith running thouʒtis that ben dreadful/ soothly yf he fight against hem lawfully by his will he shall be crwoned therfore / Open I pray the/ the book of thy heart and see how open knowing the mystery of this sacrament is given of god to be known in the hertis of some chosen/ the which though hit be not alway/ nevertheless sometime of grace and special preuyleged in a maner vnspekeable perceyuen& feelen the sothenes of this sacrament/ In so much that yf hit be possible for to be ony knowing more certain than the knowing of faith/ by that knowing hit is given to hem of god for to feel and know the most sothfast being of the sacrament/ wherefore of these thyngis that ben seyde openly gadir to thy mind that this sacrament is never the less in sooth/ by cause that the spiritual effect therof inuysyble or not perceived with bodily wit/ For the goodly light is not as such maner light that may be comprehendyd or seen with bodily sight/ or that spredith hit self to outward things/ but that may be seen of the goodly vndirstondynge only/ or ellis of the sight that is in bliss/& that is properly light in his own being.  Disciple 
/ Oo lord how few ben there in this world that with diligent business taken he and chargen the most precious virtue and profit of this worthy sacrament/ for some ben that gone to this sacrament commonly and by custom following the maner of the comynalte/ besyeng hem not for to go thereto but rather to go therefro/& not often with inward devotion/ but of lack of spiritual fervour/ And therfore as they comen void thereto/ so they gone void therefro& without grace/ as dyden the unclean beestys that weren reproved in the old lawe/ for they think not busily nor taken hede what they receyuen ne/ how much good and grace followeth to hem that devoutly receyuen it with a clene heart/ nor how much evil and peril therof followeth to hem that vnworthyly receiveth hit/ And yf hit so be that there come to her mind ony good stiryng/ peradventure it is but shortly and passyth away/ Hit fareth as a little small sparkle in her hearts that suddenly is quenchid and appeareth no more/  Wisdom 
/ There ben three maner of men that receyuen me in the sacrament some ben all vndisposyd/ as thoo that ben cumbered with deadly sin/ Some ben well disposid as they that ben passing god unbelievers/  
Some there ben in mean maner disposid/ as they that ben vndeuoute/ The first men deseruen everlasting death and temporal malyson/ The second everlasting life and spirytuel ghostly blessing/ The thyrde eating dry breed& unsavoury meet to hem/ feel not the sweetness therof/  Disciple 
/ What and a freele man haue peradventure done some prive sins/& in his going to that sacrament is contrite& doth that he may after the ordeynaunce of holy chirche/ whether this sinful man dare go thereto trusting vpon thy grace/  Wisdom 
/ soothly if he be contrite and doth after the counseyl of ghostly leches/ then properly to speak. he is not a sinner/ For mary maud leyne what time that she was contrite in heart and came to the feet of our lord/ and washed hem with hir tears/ she had the name of a sinful woman/ nevertheless after that time she was not a synner/ for christ had foryeuen her hir sins  Disciple. 
¶ every man is habundaunt in his own wit/ But soothly in this purpoos I trow feythfully that the godly mysteries of this sacrament passen all maner virtue of man/ and ben a boue all the marvelous works of god in this world/ For who is he that liveth in this world so clene& so innocently/ that is a worthy mynystre or receyuour of this sacrament/  
Or who may presume of himself to receive him/ whom peter the prince of apostles put fro him saying thus/ go fro me lord for I am a sinful man/ And he whose faith Ihesus commendid singularly in jerusalem seyde thus to him/ lord I am not worthy that thou sholdist entre in to mine house/ Who is then born of woman that may make him and ordain him worthily to so grete mysteries/  Wisdom 
among all that were born of women there rose never one that might of his virtue only of the ryʒtwisnesse of his works sufficyently ordain him therof/ as of worthiness/ though hit so were that one man had alle the natural cleanness of alle angels/ or all the clernesse of sayntes glorified/ or all the merits of holy unbelievers in earth by streyghtnesse of living.  
Of these without the grace of god he were not able to receive so hye and grete mysteries  Disciple 
Oo everlasting god how dreadful is hit to me and such as I am synners for/ to here this/ Alas alas lord god sithence angels ben not clene in thy sight and men of grete werkinges ben not worthy of her own ryghtwysnesse for to receive the/ What shall fall of us that walowen every day in the cleye of sins the which haven little or nought of deuoconn/ Ne be not as it nedyth compuncte of our own neclygences/ with what dread is it to us for to come vnworthely to that sacrament skylfully it is to dread/ lest that that should be to us into foryeuyng/ torn in to sorrowful punysshing.  Wisdom. 
Take hede busily that this sacrament of pity is ordained in to remedy against sin/ wherefore what time a man doth what he may in ablynge him to grace/ hit sufficith to him. for god askith not of a man that he seeth impossible to him  
And therfore what time that he that receiveth the sacrament doth that he may/ the pity of god fulfillith by grace that/ that a man may not come to without grace/ wherefore if a man dispose him as well as he can/ he shal rather go to that sacrament vpon trust of the pity of god than he should abstene him ther fro by consyderacyon of his own frailty/ thouʒ hit so be that he feel himself frele and vncouenable It is comendable and meritorye to go thereto by meek hope/ Who is he that so/ vnwysely dare say that they that ben ghostly seek should not come to him that for hem took death to cleanse hem of her sickness and infirmities/ wherefore hit may conveniently be seyd/ that as his coming in mankind was into salvation of sinful men/ so this heelful host is ordained to true cristen men in to remedy of sins/ For he the wisdom of god at his last sooper in the ordinance of this helful sacrament seyde thus/ This is my body that shall beyeuen for you. and this is my blood that shal be shed for you in remission of sins/ wherefore what time thou hast done that is in the/ go thereto hardly without over grete dread with faith and charity noo thing doubtynge of his endeles pity/  Disciple. 
Oo these gracious and loving words comforten me that thouh̄ I wretched sinner haue had dread in conscience to nigh the my saviour for my wyckid wretchidnesse now I dare nigh and come to the king of majesty ever full of mercy. But yet I pray the. that thou wilt tell me whether hit be better to go oft times to this heelfull sacrament or seelden  wisdom. 
To this question take the comune& known sentence of that worthy doctor austin. the which with that both ben commendable/ as for the place& the time/ that is to say that for reverence other while hit be left/& for deuoconn hit be taken/ But soothly to hē that feelen her devotion encresid with reverence of the sacrament. in oft receiving therof/ to/ hem hit is profitable oft going thereto/  ¶ Disciple 
But what sayst thou of hem the which seemen alway dwelling as in one maner affecconn/ in as much as they feel not nor can perceive thereby hemselfe much profityd on that one half nor much amendyd on that other half/& yet more over they feel hemselfe oft times overcome with a maner hard heart& dryenes of devotion/& though hit so be that they seyen every day salmes& prayers that they haue in custom to say/& oft times maked hem clene by confession/ yet dwell they alway as in hardness of devotion/ and feel no thing the taste of spiritual/ and grace yet also I shall rehearse moreover one thing that is full painful to devout souls and sorrowful/ as full often times of this compleyne hem/ this is to say that other while at the time of receiving of the sacrament/ grace seemeth withdraw fro some more than hit was wont to be afore/ In so much that hit semith/ as though hit forsook him that was after him crying/ soothly this seemeth to me an hard thing& also a sorrowful:  Wisdom. 
Many causes there ben& many manners by the which this hardness is wont to trouble a devout soul. as they seyen that ben expert/ the which all now ouerpassynge/ take this only in sykernes/ that what time by diligent searching of thy conscience. thou hast noo mind that thou h̄ast given ony cause thereto. but that thou hast done that that in the is. yf hit so fall by bead of god the which is wont in a thousand manners for to trouble& preue his chosen people.& thouh̄ such an hardness of heart fall/ let not this discoumforte the ne bear the down. nor herfore that thou withdraw the fro this helful sacrament knowing that the pity of god werkyth the hele of soul oftesithes when a soul weeneth he is vnsyker and what time that the soul only leeneth vpon the foundemente of faith without ony special ghostly sweetness it is exceptyd as though he had abundance in feeling of ghostly graces& comforts/ peradventure if a creature had such sweetness when he wolde he should be negligent& not keep him in hem so visely and waarly as him nedid/& therfore such graces other while ben profitably with drawn/& also for this cause that when they ben wythdrawen/ they should be the more busily souʒte after/ And when they comen the more wisely be kept/ so that thereby the loving soul be put to exercise of virtue in the school of meekness/ and one thing in this matter is notable and that thou shalt busily take hede to the is to say that this ghostly savour& in ward taste of devotion is not the dew effect of faith that longeth to this time here in this world/ but his properly longynge to the bliss that is to come hereafter/ And therfore when hit is given in the sacrament or elles ony other time give thou thankynges to god the yeuer/ And what time hit is not given/ suffer patiently knowing that hit is not in thy power/ but in the sovereign and most benign yeuer therof/ we which coil not yeue hit as thou wilt/ but when hit lykyth him after that he demyth to his loving& thy profit/ Also thou shalt understand that that sovereign god is so plenteuous without end that the more hit be taken/ the more he that taketh hit is made able to receive hit/ wherefore hit falleth oftentimes touching this sacrament that the more that a man wythdrawyth him therefro by inordinate dread/ the more through his differynge fro day to day/ he shall be undisposed/ wherefore hit is better all things consyderid/ for to go thereto by stirring of love/ than to abstain therefro through stiryng of dread And better hit is to go thereto every weke or every day with true meekness and knowing of his own imperfeccyon than ones in the year by presumption of his own ryʒtwysnesse.  Disciple 
/ tell me I pray the/ what time or what hour/ the which he that goeth thereto shall principally take hede to.& with all his might dispose him and ordain him to his grace.  wisdom 
That is the time of holy receiving& ghostly eating therof/ For then heaven is in maner opened/ and the loved sone of the father is sent in to the soul that is well dysposid& thereto is bodily vnyed and therfore is hit called in latin. Missa that is of the faders sendynge.  Disciple. 
How is hit of hem that with souereyne desire coueyten for to receive thee in the sacrament/& yet they may not haue that they desiren/ for they seen before hem the pressed standing/ and they receiving/ and they with desire of heart coueytyng for to receive the/ and there is none that coil yeue the to hem and fulfille her hungry souls with this desyrid presence. And thou knowest well that h̄it is full painful to a desiring soul for to see coueytid meet and not taste therof.  Wisdom. 
There ben some that at this board receyuen me sacramently/ And nevertheless they gone therefro fasting/ and there ben some that come not to this board/ and nevertheless of the plenty therof/ they ben habundauntly and ghostly dronkyn For the first men feelen and receyuen only the sacrament. but that other receyuen the sacrament ghostly/ and the virtue therof affectuously/  Disciple. 
Yet ben there left two doubts to me touching this matter. One is whether he that etith both bodily and ghostly hath more virtue of the than he that only receiveth the ghostly. touching the effect of the sacrament: and the cause of the doubt is/ For thou knowest who hit is that saith thus.  ¶ creed et manducasti. 
¶ That is believe: and thou hast eaten/ The second doubt is. how long abydith this worshipful sacrament after hit is received of man.  Wisdom. 
soothly touching the first he hath more matter of devotion and grace that receiveth both togedir. than he that taketh but that one/ for he hath both togedir the yeuer with the yefte. and the cause with the effect. And of the second doubt thou hast enough the sentences of fathers/ that is to say that so long time dwellyth goddis body as ben hole the spices of the sacrament.  
¶ And for an end thus shalt thou pray to that holy sacrament.  
hail most holy goddis body in this sacrament soothly contained. I knoweleche thee with my lyppis/ I love thee with all mine heart/ I desire thee with all mine inward affections/ I beseech thee that thou vouchsafe benignly and graciously this day to visit my seek soul coueytyng for to receive the heelful sacryfice and well of all graces. that I may joyfully finde hele in body and soul by thy gracious presence/ lord behold not to my wyckydnesses& many maner neclygences/ but to thyn endless merciful gifts/ For in sooth thou arte the vndefouled lamb/ that this day art offrid to thyn everlasting fadir/ for the redemption of all the world/ Oo thou manna angels meet/ oo thou most swettist drink/ bring in to mine inward mouth the hony sweet taste of thyn heelful presence/ kindle in me thy charity/ cast out vices/ poor in me virtues/ increase graces/& yeue me hele of body and soul/ bow I beseech the thyn heaven and come down to me. so that I be knit and vnyed to the. and be made one spirit with the Oo thou worshipful sacrament I beseech the that thorouh the all mine enemies be put fro me/& my sins foryeuen/& all eueles by thy presence be excluded/ good purpoos thou yeue me/ my manners thou amend.& all my dedis thou dispose in thy coil mine vndirstondynge by the sweet Ihesu be here lightenyd with a new liʒte/ mine affection be flammed& kyndelyd/ my hope be strengthid so that my life in amendemente ever profit in to better liking/& at the last I may haue a blessed frohens passing to life everlasting/.   

¶ How the disciple of everlasting wisdom shall in all things love& praise Ihū and wed him to him thorouh̄ true love& become his disciple. Ca. vij.¶ Sic dicetis in confessione/ opera dni bonavalde/¶ Thus ye should say in knowleging that all the works of god ben full good/  DIsciple 
with a curious meditation I walk above in heaven/ I go bynethe about in earth/ I seek the depnesse of the see/ I consider all the world with his lusts& lykinges/ I marvel vpon the woods the ben spread with so fair green leues/& I behold the medewes green/& with many maner fair flowers of diverse colours arrayed/& what time that I consider all these.& behold everichone.  
with a sweet maner of ghostly mynstralsye/ al they kydelyn mine heart in to loving& pray sing of the creator& maker/ And in this time of restful contemplacion I take busily hede how sovereignly fair and well thou divine wisdom ordeynest all things that ben made both good and ill/ Riʒtwis& vnryʒtwis/ so that in all that making thou leuest no thing inordynatly done/& with grete reverence I behold this/ and I begin then greatly to be glad in soul/ and with joyful voice I am constrained to break out in to these wordys All the works of god ben ryʒte good.  
But what time that I begin to ouergoo all these/& bring to my mind the that art souereyne god unmade& everlasting wisdom before all other chosen to be the special spouse of mine heart/ for passing wonder& stodyenge of mind I haue noo more spirit but alle to gedir failing in myself/ I am so greatly reioyced and gladid in the/ wherefore my lord behold now the principal affection of my heart/ and teach me to love the/ and to glorify thy glorious name/  
For that is that before all the joys of this world I covet& desire/ and lord thou that knowest al things/ thou knowest well that fro my childehode I haue this ever desired& souʒt  Wisdom. 
Knowest the prophetis saying in this maner/ that loving& praising besemen to hem that ben riʒtwis in heart/& also that loving and praising is not fair in the mouth of synners.  Disciple. 
Yes forsooth lord.& therfore woe is me. for what I shall answer& say I wote never/& if I will justify myself mine own mouth shal damn me But what/ shall I not therfore love& praise the/ for I know myself unclean/ See we not the frosshes& unclean worms gendrid of powder of the earth in standing watris& pits cryynge in hir maner/& as they may loven and praysen their creator& maker/ For thouh̄ hit so be that they can not ne may not sing sweetly as the lark and the nyghtyngale/ nor know thee as reasonable creature man/ nevertheless this they done that they given matter to hem the known the/ for to love thee& praise the/ Oo thou father of mercy/ I know soothly and knowledge that hit is more seemly to me wretched sinner for to lie prostrate before the& with weeping and with sorrow ask foryeuenesse of my sins/ than to love the& praise the/ with a defowled mouth. But nevertheless trusting vpon thy pitevous goodness& thy grete mercy showed to all deadly creatures I covet to praise thee with al mine inward affections beseeching the my lord god that thou despise me not/ the am but a wretched worm/& a dead dog& a stinking careyne/  wisdom 
He is abowte to clip the wind& follow the shadow/ the which trowith for to praise me of his worthiness/& he taketh vpon him thing the is impossible/ that travaileth for to praise me to the full/ nevertheless therfore shall a creature not leave to praise me/ But hit falleth to thee& to all creatures for to love& praise her maker/ for there is none creature but that hit louyth& praiseth his maker& former. or at the leste showeth him to be praised/ Also thou shalt understand that in the eerys of goddis majesty/ hit sownyth more sweetly an holy medytacion than many hye wordys spoken without inward vndirstondynge and more pleyseth him sorrow of heart of a contrite creature than only crying of mouth& true meekness/ than chauntynge with broken voice/ And that thou may the better vnderstonde this that I haue said vndir one ensample/ take heed by this that I shal show the Th̄ouh̄ hit be so the all my life in earth was to the joy& loving of the hye father of heaven/ nevertheless he was more excellently in maner glorified/& clarifyed in me what time the I knowlechyd to him on the cross the agaynbyeng of mankind in suffering the sorrowful death by obedience/ There ben many the which loven& praysen me with crying words/ but they greuen me with displesynge dedis/ they worshyppyn me with her lyppis/ but her hearts ben far fro me/ And also there ben many the which in prosperity praysen& loven god/ but in aduersytee they styren impacyence against him/& therfore her loving& praising is not acceptable to god/ for hit is not clene/ but that loving& praising before god is most acceptable& plesynge/ that is of hem the which as well in adversity as in prosperytee of al her hearts& all times knowlechen and loven god/ and though they ben in many maner scorged and disesed/ yet they yelden thankynges to god for all/  Disciple. 
I beseech the suffer thy servant for to speak a word to the heart of his lord/ soothly I knowledge me in these foresaid things unto this time I haue failed greatly/& that I haue more loved thee& praised thee in prosperity than in adversity/ But now I offer me holy as in sacrifice to thy coil/ having a redy will her to/ that whether so ever fallen good or evil I will nevertheless love thee& praise the/ But in all things yeue thankyngys to the/& alle these adversities foresaid to sustain patiently for love of the/ And if hit were to thy joy my death rather than my life/ soothly I wolde put gladly to the death my life/ that is yet liking in youth/& thoo yeres in the which I myʒte live/ yf I were not overcome with death/ I wolde so offer to the my lord as in sacrifice/ wherefore as long as I am here in the prison of my wretched body/ I covet& ask of the to be informed how I might come to that point that I may of all mine heart and of all my soul and of all my strengths in all times in as much as hit is possible continually to love the/ worship thee& praise the/  Wisdom 
/ Who so ever he be/ that in all his deeds hath god in his intent and keepeth him fro sin/& leuyth not the exercises of virtues/ he leuyth not to love& praise god continually/ But for to make a remedy to thyn clene intention/ thou shalt understand after the sentences that thow hast herde of fathers. that what time a soul is purged of earthly things& vices/& clensid of all the degrees of passions/ and in as much as hit is granted to mannes frailty/ is common to vnmeuable tranquyllite& rest of soul& perfect cleanness/ nevertheless he shall come to the unbroken perseverance of my loving& praising/ the which is the end and fulfillynge of all the perfection of a spiritual man.  
And thenne what time that he is so purged of vices& fleshly passions/& is knit to that sovereign good strongly he shal without stintynge love god& praise god/ reformed in to angels likeness/  Disciple 
/ Now moreover/ Oo thou best beloved wisdom after these sweet words that thou hast brouʒt out fro the prive chamber of thy godly wisdom I desire that thou vouchsafe for to inform me of certain doubtys. And first where I may finde the most sterynge& the principal matter of thy loving& praising/  Wisdom. 
In comtemplacions of that sovereign& most excellent majesty of god/ In the which as in the well& beginning of al good things for ever wonderfully ben contained/ And afterward in rivers of particular goods that gone out fro that souereyne god: the which ben given to creatures in diverse manners more or less/ as hit likith him that is cause of causes for to comune hem to him.  Disciple 
To that hye contemplacion of divine majesty/ I that am feeble& like may not rise up& come thereto. I am not worthy ne mighty/ therfore I leave that to hem that ben more stronger& more myʒti in soul nevertheless therfore I shal not cease so as I can fro thy loving& praising/ And soothly other thing can I not sing swetter of god than that is written in the sauter/ that is to say/ That our lord is sweet to all his creatures.& that his mercy is a boven all his works/ Oo my god mercy in this song my soul is right Ioyeful.& my conscience is lyghtned/ For soothly as oft as I think in my her be what that I was sometime/& what myscheses I haue scapid/& fro what perils thou hast kept me/& fro sorrows thou hast graciously delivered me/ In all these& many more when I bring hem to mind I may not cease fro thy loving& praising/ wherefore my god& my mercy for these& all other benefice with out nombre I covet& desire that there be of me to the such a maner/& so sweet a praising as was the praising& loving of the blessed spirites in heaven/ what time that in the sight of thy godly majesty they reyoiced hem that they were confirmed forever in loving& praising/ seenge the evil spirites departed fro thee without end/ Also I desire that my praising be as grete& as liking/ as is of holy souls what time they ben delivered out of the prison of purgatory/& presented to the presence of thy bliss/ there to see& behold thy sweet face with vnspekable joy/& also be hit as grete as shal be the loving& praising in the streets of heavenly jerusalem after the last general resurrexion/ when that thine chosen ben departed fro the wicked dampnyd/& with a glad& merry heart shallen love god/& be joyful of her sauacyon for evermore/ Oo thou sweet and benign master now wolde I also know how I might turn in to thy praising& loving thoo affections that I feel other while rising within me/ of which I doubt whether they come of kind or of grace/ And also how I myʒte torn in to thy loving& praising of the my creator/& bear not only good things/ but also evil things as ben evil styryngys wrought by the wretched angels/& generally yeue to thy preysynge all things wrought herde& seen/ and felyngly perceived and known.  Wisdom. 
To these three questions by order/ we yeue to the these maner answers/¶ first as touching the affections that thou speakest of his is hard to know one fro an other/ by cause of her grete likeness And therfore all such affeccyous that ben clene& honest/ as is joy of spirit& liking stirynges that strengthentheto inward gladness/ or else it falleth other while to sweet teerys/ All such affections and styrynges the which thou knowest not of whence they comen/ ne whider they gone/ All such sweet affeccyons anon as thou felyst thou shalt offer hem up to the creantour& maker of al things with inward devotion in maner of that acceptable sacrifice that abel offered to god/ So that they be dispendid in to the loving of him that is author& maker of kind and yeuer of grace/ And so such gifts of grace the which in the maner ben of nature& as of hemselfe not merytorye thorouʒ the foresaid end may be made in maner above kind& merytory.  
¶ touching the second demand as often as thou felyst the evil suggestyons/ or styrynges of wicked spiritis begynynge to rise up within the/ anon rise up quykly in spirit& say thus/ Oo thou highest almyʒty god/ I beseech the the my soul may fulfil the place and office of this wicked spirit/ by the which he should haue loved the if he had stand in everlasting bliss. lord I covet& desire that as oft as this wicked spirit putteth in mine mind these foul abominable thoughtys against my coil/ so oft with all my desire vnspekable loving& thanking be to the in everlasting bliss/ And as oft as I suffer these wicked styrynges put in me of the fiend/ so oft I offer to the loving and thanking with alle mine affection/ and so thou myʒte see how the to hem that loven god/ all thyngis tournen in to the beste/ as well the evil as the good/ In as much as the wicked suggestion of the spirit turneth so in to/ prosperity& meed of soul.  
¶ Of the last thing that thou askedist thou shalt do in this maner. what time thou perceyuest or seest in ony maner the passing fairness of diverse things/ as is the wodefull of green trees/ or the meed full of fair flowers. or the field sown with diverse cornys.& such maner fair creatures. lift up thyn heart& thine eyen& stretch up thy hands in to heaven/& say with all the inward affection of thy heart in these words/ Oo thou gentle and most feyrest wisdom after the excellent& fair prerogatyues& graces of this thing/ A thousand thousand of heavenly spirites mynistrynge to the thankynges. and salve the on my behalf/& ten thousand times/ an hundreth thousand spirites that ben about the may glofye the/& the universal melody of al creatures may praise the and love the for me/ now and ever without end/ Amen.  Disciple. 
Oo everlasting god hearken thy praising and loving is so liking here in the vaye of this life/ what is hit in the country of bliss/ and hearken so liking is the mind therof here/ what is the presence therof elsewhere./ But alas by this wonderful& vnspekable sweetness of thy praising/ Oo thou godly wisdom my heart is both gladyd and also with grete sorrow wounded/ For what time I think how that I am in this valeye of wretchidnesse/& consider me so far fro the perfit loving of the blessed spiritis between the voice of joyful praising and of morning. I break out and with teerys of sorrowful weymentynge I say to the my lord thus. Oo my god who shall among so many travails and anguishes/ sorrows/ and bitterness that here in this world ben/ comfort me and glad my soul.  Wisdom 
/ Loo now thou hast where through thou mayst conforte thee for the time. that is to say this book of sweet& liking praising of god the which if thou wilt oft times rede& behold/ thou mayst thereby in adversities be comforted/ For ghostly liking& gladness of divine loving& praising/ here is a maner enterludye and ereneste of heavenly joys where all my chosen children with full mouths and joyful hearts shallen love& glorify me without end/  Disciple. 
Oo thou desire& joy of my soul that may not be expressed by word my swettist love passing fair above all other without comparison most gentill/ thou knowest well that this is the condition and propirte of fervent love. that that thing that a man loveth inwardly he desirith that hit should be pleasant to other. and coueytyth that hit should be loved and praised of all other without prejudice of himself/ and as thou hast taught thy singular prerogatise of love is such/ that to the more that thy lover comuneth thee without envy the more perfitly he shall haue the in himself/  
wherefore thow benign spouse everlasting wisdom that arte busy of the hele& sauacyon of all other/ think and show a way convenient by the which this love of thee and of the ghostly wedding of the may be multiplied or else as hit is waxed old and feeble in much ydel folk that hit may be somewhat renewed. so that thou suffer not this ghostly wedding of the perish in our dayes/ but that thou shed in to the hertis of diverse folk some maner grace. of renewing therof/ so that thou suffer the to be ghostly weddid now in our dayes/ as thou hast ben here before to thi chosen derlyngys/ bow thee down I beseech thee by compassion to our infirmitees/& consider the malice of the time that now is/& teach us& schewe some special maner: whereby they that ben not perfect in thy love/ but as children that haue need to be fed with milk may be partyners of thy blessing.  wisdom 
Sothli I am ever redy and all times to fulfil that thou askyst& to assent in to this ghostly wedding/ if there were ony that wolde fervently desire hit and travail therfore. But in diverse manners many desiren for to haue this liking earnest. but few will travail therfore. nevertheless as I haue behyʒt in the gospel that I shall dwell with true cristen men in to the worldis end/ and that I shall never suffer the ship of peter that is holy church perish/ thouh̄ hit be oft times shaken and troubled in diverse manners/ And so fro the begynnyge of holy church as I haue chosen in diverse estatys diverse persons to my loved friends so now shall I show the certain deuonte exercises& werkynges of love/ by the which men of diverse degrees and estatis may be goostely weddid to meand become mine special disciples/& how my love may be continually renuewed behightynge morouer to all thoo that coil be devout followers of this doctrine of everlasting wisdom/ the which is groundid& foundid vpon the ston of the apostles trewthe of that blessing that was behighte to the seed of abraham& so to the bliss of our lord Ihū christ they shallen be pertyners& heirs ever without end/ wherefore what so he be that coueytith& desiryth to be a lover and disciple of everlasting wisdom. of what maner condition that he be/ or of what estate or order or religion man or woman/ he shall busily keep these things that followen/ the which ben so temprid& ordained that they haven none difficult or hardness in hem self/ but that every man may do hem without prejudice of his profession& estate/ For soothly divine wisdom purposith not by these things for to make or ordain ony special bonde or profession/ or ony maner constreynynge/ but only a maner new stirring by free coil of devotion / that h̄ath before in maner slept/ In the which he that will labour& busy him to fulfil hit he doth well& commmendably/& he that will not do hit/ therfore sinneth not nor trespassith wherefore every disciple of wisdom before all other things shal forsake& leave fleshly love if he haue ony/& take to his spouse& amiable friend that fair everlasting wisdom of god And if ony man peradventure be so bound by ony maner private love/ that him thynkith to hard to him suddenly to be constrained therefro/ at the leste let him haue a good purpoos for to with draw him fro that unclean love as soon as he may thorouh̄ ony occasion by the help of god/ And thoo men that ben not bound through earthly love/ but nevertheless in to this time they haven ben neclygente& slow or dull in to this love of Ihū/ they shallen as in a new maner wed hem to this ghostly spouse/& renew hē self in to his love that is god everlasting with a devout affecconn/ And that shal be done in this maner/ that is to say as they were wont to serve him as her lord by dread/ now they shallen be/ about busily to please h̄ym/& draw to him ●s to her sweet spouse by ghostly& fervent love evermore thinking the excellence/& the goodness of this divine spouse/& how blessed bē thoo that may be honourid with his frenship in this life/ And this wedding or else renewyng of old wedding/ for more fervent/ stirring of devotion shal not be done only wythinne forth in the soul/ but also without forth by some sign rejoicingly as by three {pro}stracyons with a pr̄ nr̄& an Aue at every of hem to this intent/ that he to god yeuyth himself& offrith him all holily to so worthy a spouse& he of his grete mercy will yeue hem an earnest of that wedynge/ that is to say some new grace in tokene of they both loues& truths to other/ the which neither death ne life/ ne none other creature mayebreke/ but last without end.  
¶ And for as much as fleshly louers vsen to haue in her clothes some word or token written in mind of her vein fleshly love. so shal the disciple of wisdom haue written sūwher̄ privily the name of his true heavenly spouse Ihū to bring the ofter to his mind. For mannes mind is so freel that hit falleth lyʒtely fro good purposes that ben new begon/ but● yf hit be by signs oft times renewed/ Also the devout worshippers& disciples of everlasting wisdom mayen if they coil every day say or rede the short service of that wisdom that is written in latin to clerkes/& they that can not rede/ or else ben occupied lawfully on other matters/ or else coil change that service into short devotion they shall in the stede therof say. vij pr̄ nr̄s/ that is for the seven houres/ that is to say for every hour/ a pr̄ nr̄/¶ And this shal be her intent in the saying of this service that the divine wisdom keep her hertys& bodies that they be not cumbered& gnared with this folyssh world that is now in these dayes full of vanity& wickidnesse/ but that they may go warily& wisely/ so that they be preserved& kept fro al wickidnesse& perils/ Also at the board or they begin to eat they shal say a pr̄ nr̄/& after meet a nother/ or else Deprofundis as for a spiritual alms to thoo souls that in purgatory haven most need/ taking hede how perilous hit is to eat without reward the alms of hem that ben passed.& not serve to hem by nedful helps truly/& on that other side how merytory hit is to help hem that in none maner may help hem self/  
And with how grete kindness they ben glad for to receive for her refresshynge in so grete wretchidnes the leste drop or the leste crumb that falleth down fro her lords board/  
And that this devout exercise be the more acceptable to pitevous souls/ Hit is to wit that on a time as a devout person of religion approbate among other took on new these prayers to say/& namely that Deprofundis for desolate veils with inward devotion there apperyd to him in a vision many souls the which were in pains of purgatory/& by her foul abite& sorrowful cheer that they showed they dide him to understand piteuously that they had need of ghostly benefice& help/ among the which one specially came to the foresaid person/& weeping asked that he wolde let him be that beggar of him/ to whom he should every day at the meet yeue that Deprofundis/ as for his spiritual alms/ Of the which vision he was afterward stirred more fervently to that ghostly alms/ Also the disciple of everlasting wisdom shal say ones on the day/ a pr̄ nr̄ to that swettist& most heelfull name Ihū/ to that intent the he our lord our saviour save and keep all the disciples of everlasting wisdom/& he as moder of holy church save and keep hem from al adversities/& defend hem fro the deceytis of her enemies/& for the reverence of so worthy a name saying either before or after this prayer¶ Benedictum sit nomen dni nr̄i Ihū xp̄i dei/& gloriose virgins mary matris ei{us} ineternum et vltra amen.¶ And hereof ben Indulgences/ the reason& the cause of this prayer to this name is this/ that he is sweet Ihuns that which sweetness in many now a dayes is quwenchid/& devotion is cast out fro the hertis of such folk/ the which sechen thoo things that ben to he own proper temporal profit/& not the worship of Ihū christ/& for this sweet name may be quykned& brouʒt into the hertys of crystē men more plenteuously/& renew love again there that it is withdraw/ the foresaid exercise of pity& of charity shall be seyde& continued/ for this casting out of Ihū from hem that were sometime his byloued friends/ he everlasting wisdom hath aperid in vision to some creaturis. and complained with a pitevous voice cryeng to hem/ Also these dayes following shall be kept in special devotion to this dere spouse everlasting wisdom/ that is to say/ the first day that is ordained by holy church for the story of wisdom to be sungen/ that is to say the sondaye of august. And also what time that before the vygyle of the nativity of our lord is begon at evensong that anthem O sapīa. &c.¶ And thoo dayes that followen unto that glorious nyʒte in the which the sone of the father of heaven that everlasting wisdom vouchedsafe to be born in to this world some special mind be made there of in ivy prayers by an anthem or collect. or the Pr̄ nr̄. And who so wolde in these dayes sing a special mass of the everlasting wisdom/ hit were plesyng to him Ihū Also there ben yet three dayes in the year the which should be had in mind& pryncipally kept of all the disciples and louers of wisdom/ so that they in each of these do some spiritual service to this ghostly spouse/ And the first day is the Circumcision of our lord/ For in this day begynnyth the year and after the custom of certain lands they that ben knit togedir by love specially vsen to yeue each other yeris gifts/& desiren good year to come to hem/ So in the self maner for to excite& stir the slumbrynge soul in to the love of god/ every devout& loved disciple of wisdom in this day shal in his intent come to his only loved spouse divine wisdom/& ask of hir truly as for a yeeris yefte/ prosperity& good year ghostly to himself& to all the disciples of hir and to all holy church/ saying therfore some special prayer/ or else they that may offer a taper or a serge before the altar of the crucifix in worship of him that is everlasting lyʒte In token of that the true disciple knowlechith& asketh that he might haue all his hele& well fare in this unstable time only of this divine spouse/& that his love above may brenne& lyʒte in his heart/ and thenne shal he ask that yf hit so be that peradventure this love be quenchid by ony occasion/ that hit may so merciful be again lyʒtenyd/ that hit never after may be quenchnid/ The second day is the son day In quinquagesima/ with two dayes following/ that is called schroftyde/ and in latin/ Carnipriuiuz. And this time is had all in vanitees& lustys and lykyngys of the flesh/ with foolish louers of the world/ For thenne they ben wont for to come togedir friends& fellows/& feest other lustily/ and with grete excess in feeding of the foul flesh in many manners/ wherefore in contrary maner hereof& in token that that divine spouse shall be to hir disciple all maner of joy& solace& love both in this world& that is to come/ for stirring& excitynge of devotion/& quyknynge of his dull heart/ every true disciple shal worship his foresaid spouse/ this time in maner as hit is seyde before with special devotion& true intention/ The thrydde day is the first day of the month of may when summer beauty that is to all men and to beasts& briddis gladsome and joyfully beginneth/& the growynges of the earth maketh fair to show And then is the custom of diverse countries that young folk gone on the nyʒte or early on the morrow to medewes& weeds/ And there they kytten down bows that haue fair green leues and arayen hem with flowers/ and after they setten hem before the doors where they trowen to haue in her louers in token of frenship& true love/ So in ghostly maner of a fleshly customs be made deuocions as hit is ordained by holy church of the first day of Nouembre. So that thoo things the bē done of such fleshly louers to deadly creaturis/ the disciples of god done hem devoutly to the maker of all creatures/& that the more busily& fervently/ in as much as without doubt this godly lord& spouse passeth without comparison al earthly creaturis/& plentyuously yeueth his gifts of grace 〈◇〉 us/ wherefore that day these disciples in excytinge their deuoconn to her dere worthy& godly spouse. shall offer bodily lyʒte/ with saying some devout prayers recommendynge hem to her spouse affectuously/ The disciples also of wisdom must worship specially that worthy moder of the souereyne king everlasting wisdom the which glorious lady vouchethsafe to take hem as hir own sones to hir dearest byloued sone/& hath the cure of hem by deoderly affection.  
wherefore every devout disciple of wisdom shall worship hir every day with the angels greeting .ix. times seyde one.  
Aue maria  
¶ He shall say on the morrow what time that he rysyth first out of his bed kneeling to this intent that all the good deeds that he shall do that day/ he put devoutly in to the hands of this lady queen of heaven/ So that what time this reverent and beste loved moder shall present hem to hir sone the sovereign king/ that they may be pleasant& acceptable to him at the reverence of so worthy a medyatour/ that which peradventure should be but little worth/ or fowle and not acceptable if they were presented inmediatly by the hands of a sinful man Also at even last when he is toward his bed after all other prayers saying that. Aue maria.  
That he may the more sykerly sleep he shall ask of hir that what so ever he hath that day left undone that he should haue done/ by hir be fulfilled/& that he hath evil done by hir be relesid and foryeuen/ and that that he hath by her help done well/ that by hir it be kept and suportyd. Also they shall say vij. times Aue maria/ so that swettist heart of goddes moder that is the most piteuo{us} refute of all sinful creatures/ that she mercifully open that prive chamber of everlasting wisdom thorouh̄ hir meditacyon/& bow hit to al that disciples of this wisdom hir sone in the last passing out of her spiritys/& that she thenne wouchesafe to defend hē fro al enemies/& bring hem with her to the paleys of heaven finally/& at the leste every year the next day that followeth all souls day/ for all these disciples of everlasting wisdom that ben dede& for all her dere friends/ they that ben preestes shallen say a mass/ And they that ben not offer or say a hundreth times/ pr̄ noster/ Muttynge thereto this supplicacyon in her prayers/ that our lord god almighty by his everlasting wisdom mercifully help and succour holy church in short time/ and suffer it not to be desolate/ and of his grete mercy put hit in to pees& tranquyllite now& ever amen/ furthermore if there were ony creatures so feeble or seek or so occupied in lawful occupations that they were lettyd thereby fro the foresaid exercise or else if they were of hard heart in secular affection/ that for her dullnes they know not all the forseide teaching/ ne may not aplye to the intent that is seyde/ let hem thenne say ix. pr̄ nr̄s with so many Auees.& do the foresaid suffragye with a general entencyon that other done with a special devotion/ and hit suffysith/ Now at the last saith divine wisdom for to go again somewhat to our first purpoos thou mayst consider that this is mine full profitable doctrine that seemeth but simple in speaking/ but soothly hit is full of al ghostly fruit in working/ And therfore hit shal be taken of thee with souereyne devotion/ For as thou seest and mayst feel in experience thereby/ the fervour of devotion is kyndelyd/ goods service is increased/ mennes neighbours bē profitably edified/& to the souls in purgatory pitevous help is ministered/ And hit may not displease to ony man by ryʒte reason examined/ but hit be to the envious backebiter& detractor/ or to hem that haue her vndirstondyng blinded/& her affection indurate& hardyd/ wherefore keeping the order of charity here draw first devotion to thyself/& after be about for to profit to the hele of thyn neighbour souls. ¶ Nota or̄onem pro discipulis etern sapīe.  Disciple 
Oo thou souereyne heart love of my soul to whom only I haue committid me all holy/ desiring that hit be continued perpetuelly/ now also at the last I haue a word to speak to the/& first I yield thankynges to the my beste beloved lord& spouse for these& all other benefice/ without nombre/ that thou hast given to me of thy grace all only/ To the love Ihū be loving glory worship& joy without end. and I beseech thee with brenning desire with al my heart/ that by the inward steryng of thyn mercies/& by the vntues of that rose rede blood that thou sheddist habundantly in thy passion for mannes salvation/ that al thoo the which haue purposed hem to wed the everlasting wisdom in maner before seideby devout exercises of prayers/ or else besyen hem to comune hē forth to other true cristen souls/ that al these thou my king& my god bless he with an heelful blessing/ For soothly thou arte that blessed fruit that of old time was by hoten to the world in that point singularly pryuylegid / that who so ever thou blessiste he shal truly be blessed/ wherefore thou my father bless these children that ben thyn louers& disciples/ with the blessing of the patryarkys/& al thy chosen derlyngys the which pleseden the fro the beginning of the world that they may at the last be gaderid& joined to that blessed nombre with joy/ Thy lovely& gloryo{us} name I beseech the be clippid vpon hem/ that hit be to hem/ an heelfull defence in al diverse perils of this world/ thyn everlasting wisdom teach hem& dress hem in al her dedis/ the angels of pees keep hem in prosperity& in god/ hele of body& soul& in grace alway. Lord yeue hem time& space of penance that by verey contricyon& clene comfession& dew satisfaction they may be turned before herdeath to the her creator& her maker {per}fytely to the reconciled/ and also when they ben trauaylynge at her last passing fro this life that they may be sykerly helpen& defended with the worthy receiving of thy holiest body in sacrament/ so that they be never overcome with sudden& vndysposed death/ lord for thy name do hem this grace/ that as they now seruem the with these devout exercises& services so in the last hour of her yielding up the ghost be they blessed of the& bi thy sweet moder that is thy moder of mercy/ be they brouʒt gloryously to the kingdom of heaven/ Where all the company of heaven& multitude of blessed spiritis/ after the exile& sorrow of this life shall be joyful made dronkyn of grete plenty of sweetness that is in goddes presence/ seenge the king of bliss.& master of al virtues in the godhead Ihū christ our lord/ the which with the father& the holy ghost lyuen& regnen god everlasting world without end.   
¶ Thus endith the treatise of the vij poyntes of true love& everlasting wisdom/ drawn of the book that is written in latin name Orologium sapiencie.   

¶ Emprynted at westmynstre.  
¶ Qui legit emendet/ pressorem non reprehendat  
¶ Wyllelmum Caxton. cvi de{us} alta tradat   

HEre beginneth a little short treatise that tellyth how there were. vij. masters assembled togydre euerycheone asked other what thing they might best speak of that might please god/ and were most profitable to the people. And all they were accorded to speak of tribulation.  
The first master seyde/ that yf ony thing had be better to man living in this world/ than/ generation/ god wolde haue yeue it to his sone. But for he saw well ther̄ was noo thing better than it/ therfore he gafe to him/ and made him to suffer most tibulacyon in this wretched world. more than dide ever ony man/ or ever shall  
¶ The second master seyde that yf there wer̄ ony man in this world that might be with out spot of sin/ as our lord Ihū christ was And might live here .xxx. yeres and it were possible without meet or drink.  
And also were so devout in prayers that he might speak with angels in the air as dyde mary mawdeleyne/ yet might not deserve in that life so grete meed/ as a man deserveth in suffering a litill tribulation/  
¶ The third master said that if so were that the moder of god& al the halowes of heaven prayed all for oo man/ yet should they not gete him so much meed ne so grete as he should gete himself by meekness in suffering a little tribulation/¶ The fourthe master seyde we worship the cross for our lord Ihū christ hyng there vpon bodily/ but I say were should rather/ and by more right and reason haue in mind the tribulation that he suffered there vpon for our giltis& our trespass/¶ The fifth master seyde I had lever be of might& strength/& of power to suffer the masspriest pain of tribulation that our lord Ihū christ suffered here in earth with meekness in heart/ than the meed or the reward of all worldly goods/ For as saint peter with that none is worthy to haue tribulation but thoo that desiren it with clene heart/ and without error/ For tribulation quenchyth synē/ And it lerneth a man to known the priuytees of god And tribulation maketh a man to know himself& his even cristen/ and multiplieth virtues in a man/& pour●… him/ and clensyth him right as fire 〈…〉 gold/ And what man that meekly in he●… sufferith tribulation/ god is within him& beryth that heavy charge with him of generation/ and tribulation buyeth again the time that was lost/& holdeth a man in the way of ryghtwisnes/ And of all yestys that god yeueth unto man/ tribulation is the most worthy yefte/ also it is tresoure to the which noo man may make comparison/& generation joineth a mannys soul unto god¶ Now-askyth the vj. master why we suffer tribulation with so evil coil/ and thus it is answered& seyde/ for .iij. things/ The first. is for we haue litill love to our lord Ihū christ The ij. is for we think litill of the grete meed that god will yeue us therfore/ Ne of the grete meed/& profit that cometh therof The .iij. is that we think full little or eight of the bitter pains and the grete passion that our lord Ihesu christ sufferid for us in redempconn of our sins/ and to bring us to his bliss/ that never shall haue end  
AMEN   

SI sciret homo quantum ei infirmitas vtili{us} fuisset nunqam sine infirmitate vivere voluisset/ Quare/ Quia infirmitas corporis est aīe sanitas/ Quod aplns considerans ait/ Cum infirmor tunc forcior sum et potens/ Quomodo/ Quia Infirmitas corporis extinccio est libidinis/ destruccio vanitatis effugacio curiositatis adnichilacio mundi& manis glory euacuacio/ Su{per}bie exterminacio/ Inuidie expulsio/ Adquisicio gracie virtutis divine/ dno dicente ad apostolum paulum/ Suficit tibi paul gracia mea. Nam virtus ī Infirmitate perficitur/ Quod dictum been inteligens apl̄us ex maximo cordis sui gaudio dixit/ Libenter in Infirmitati{bus} meis gloriabor/ Valde ergo consideranda est Infirmitas queen in nobis peccatorum flammas extinguit/ et Ihū cristi adquirit Infirmitas ī nobis culpam purgat& coronam nobis pmparat/ O infirmitas quam amabilis es. et nobis utilis Nunquam sine te ambulem nunquam sine te sedeam/ nunquam sine te in hac vita fugiente vivam Quare Quia Infirmitas corporis en purgacio/& aīe sanctificacio/ Infirmitas corporis en nobis evidens divini amoris judicium et castigacōnis sue signum/ ipso domino testante qui ait/ Quos amo. flagello& castigo. Certe si velim{us} ab eo amari debem{us} ab eo desiderace flagellari. Quia si ab eo non fuerim{us} flagellati. non poterim{us} ab eo recipi/ Scriptura teste queen ait/ Flagellat omnem filium quem recipit. Constat ergo {quod} illum quem non flagellat non recipit. vnde de illis quos hic non flagellat/ dicit {per} {pro}phetā. Dimisi eos secundum desideria cordis eo{rum}. Necmssarium en ergo nobis flagellum dni qr si ab eo flagellam̄ absque dubio ab eo recipie mur Pacienter en ergo tolleranda infirmitas corporis queen en {pre}paracio salutis. Igitur cum gr̄a rū accōne en suscipienda/ cum cordis leticia en tolleranda/ Infirmitas enim corporis generat odium mundi& parit amorem dei/ Cogit nos vitam presentem tanquam erumpnosam peregrinaconnem& exilium odio habere& vitam habere eternam desiderant concupiscere/ said homines miseri& mundo dediti si iam semper in hac vita vivere potuissent nunquam vitam alteram habere voluissent.  
Num valde est dolendum& flendo dicendum quod non nulli statum cum deo flagellantur ei{us} salutife rum flagellum ab eis auferre nituntur Mox vasa vitrea querunt vrmam consulunt vtrum mori an vivere debeant/ Heu heu/ tales& huiusmodi per illum pessimum regem Ocoziam designantur/ qui in libro regum. quarto. cum egrotasset misit nuncios dicens/ item consilite Bilzebub deum accharon vtrum moriar/ an vivam/ quibus nuncijs Helias propheta do mino jubente occurens ait/ Dicite domino deo vestro/ Nunquid deus non est in Israel quia misisti ad deum accharon vt consuleres eum/ Propterea hec dicit dnns/ De lecto tuo non consurges/ said morieris& ita factum est iuxta verbum domini. Similimodo morte pessima morientur qui suum accharon qui vrinam interpretatur& flagellum domini a se expellere conantur& ita dei ordīacionē resistunt quando eius salubre flagellum sustinere renuunt/ Nescientes ceci& insipientes quod deus electos suos hic flagellat vt eos probet et purget. mundet& sanctificet vt postmodum eos coronet& glorificet qui est supper omnia deus benedictus in secula. AMEN.  
Aue et gaude maria matter dei regina celi. dna mundi Imperatrix inferni.   

¶ Prolog{us}.¶ Here sueth a prologue vpon the xij prouffites or auauntagis of tribulaconns.  
DA nobis dnne auxilium de tribulacione.& c̄¶ lord god grant us help of tribulation To the soul that arte distroublid& temptid To the is purposid/ the thou shuldiste learn whereof tribulaconns serven/& not only that thou shuldiste suffer hem patiently& gladly/ and comfort the Inwardly of that thou arte discomfortyd/ For seneca saith.¶ Non est ita magna consolacio sicut illa queen ex desolacio ne extrahitur.¶ Here is none so grete comfort. as is that that is drawn out of disconforte/ Which comfort may no man haue/ but he know first the fruit of tribulation/ that is to say/ But he know how god sendith tribulaconns/ and ordaineth hem to the profit of the sufferers/ But yf so be that rebellis of frowardenesse wythstonde the ordinance of god Therfore they that know her de faults on that oo party. and the prouffites of tribulaconn on that other party. asken to be holp in tribulation/ and not tribulaconn to be put away from hem/ For if they asken putting away therof/ they asken against hemselfe/ As saint poule dide. which asked thries the pryckynge of his flesh to be done away/ To whom god answered thus. ij. ad Corinthios. xij Sufficit tibi gracia mea. My grace suffycith to the Many prouffites there ben of tribulaconn/  
But of .xij. I purpoos to speak in special which who so will with good diligence. rede/ or here hem may lightly by goods grace savour hem. For right as meet evil chelved is evil to defy. right so necly gently teaching of holy writ rede. or hard prouffiteth. litill or eight   


¶ De prima utilitate tribulacionis. Ca: j.  
THe first profit of tribulation is vnderstonde that is a true succour or help sent fro god to deliver the soul fro the hand of his enemies. which enemies ben th ice. prive suggestions of the fiend that cruel enemy/ false joys and richesse of the world. that disceynable enemy. unclean lusts of the flesh that homely enemy. These enemies slain the soul in so much the more perliously that they disceyuen it with false feigned friendship so privily. The which ben figured by joab ij. regum. xx. That feigned him friend to amaze holding him by the chin as he wolde haue kissid him. and so with his sword in that other hand privily slew him Vpon this saith saint gregory/ yf ony fortune is to be dread, mochemore is to be dread prosperity than adversity/ as showeth openly  
And note well that god ordaineth all things in tribulaconn to the deliverance of his servant. as he behotyth by the prophet david seeing thus.¶ Cum ipso sum in tribulacione eripiam ●um& glorificabo euz.¶ I am with him in tribulaconn I shall deliver him of tribulaconn& I shal glorify him for tribulation. For as much thenne as god is with us in tribulaconn we should suffer it patiently& gladly/ for the more the tribulaconn greuyth the the more nearer god nygheth to the/ As the prophet with¶ Iuxta en dnns hijs qui tribulato sunt cord& humiles spum saluabit¶ our lord god is fast by to hem that ben in tribulaconn of heart. and he shal save hem that ben meek of spirit/ Therfore if the pain of tribulaconn maketh the heavy& greuyth the/ The might and the mercy of god thy saviour that is with the in tribulaconn should Inwardly comfort the: But now peradventure thou mightest, answer and say thus/ The bitter pain of tribulaconn I feel well/ But sweetness of his felyship in tribulation feel I none/ For if he showed to the present sweetness of his mirth as he doth the bitterness of tribulaconn thou should suffer it/ Also peradventure thou wouldest say that afore trybulaconn thou feliste more sweetness in god than thou dideste when thou were in tribulaconn hereto may be answered that the friendship of god in tribulaconn is vnderstonde in two manners/ first right as tribulaconn encresith so god multiplieth grace& virtue/ as the apostle saith in cō{rum} x:  
¶ Fidelis est enim deus qui non pacietur vos temptari supra id quod potestis said faciet eciam cum temptacione prouentum vt possitis sustinere¶ God is full true the behotyth to defend his seruaunntys in tribulation/ which shall not suffer you to be temptid more than ye may suffer/ but also more over he shall make puruyaunce in tribulaconn that ye may suffer it/ that is to say he shall yeue grace& virtue for to suffyr tribulaconn patiently and gladly/ Example as lords send succour& help to comfort her seruanutys that ben in castellis bysegyd of her enemies/  
right so our lord god sendeth comfort of grace to souls that ben bisegid with temptations of tribulaconn.¶ The second maner of felyship of god in tribulaconn/ as the apostill saith. i. co{rum}. ij. Sicut habundant passions cristi in vobis. Ita habundat consolacio vestra As the passions of christ encreason in us so encressith our comfort/ cristys passions encreasyn in us when they ben sent from him meekly and patiently suffer hem as goddys seruauntys/& not as mensleers/& thefes which haue deseruyd that they suffer&/ vnderstonde well/ that comfort of grace in tribulation is not alway given to be felt of him that is in tribulaconn/ And that is for he should preue himself he should dread god& trust in him to be delivered/ As we rede in the book of holy faders of saint anton/ How he after many spiritual temptations/ was troubled of fendis bodelyche betyn and wounded all his body so that when his servant came to visit him lyenge as dede/ And so he took him up and bare him in to the next town where he was watchid tille about mid night/ And thenne by the will of god he relieved.& bad his servant rejoicingly alle other sleeping bear him again and so he dide/ And when he was brouʒte again thither so feeble that he might not grind/ but sitting up he seyde thus/ Where be ye evil spiritis wyked fendys/ Loo I am here by the might of god redy to wythstonde all your malice/ And after these& many other wonderful temptacyons/ our lord apperid to him in a wonderful light and comfortable To whom holy saint auton seyde/ A lord Ihesu where hast thou ben so long from me in tribulaconn/ And our lord answered& said here with the beholding thy fighting/ redy. to reward to the after thy victory as I am wont to do for my chosen children/ For wyte thou well that comfort oweth not to come till that a place be arrayed thereto by generation/ Also we rede of Sare the daughter of Raguel. Thobie. iij.  
¶ Hoc autem acertum habet omnis qui colit te quia vita eius si in temptacione fuerit coronabitur. Si aūt in tribulacione fuerit liberabitur/ Et si in correpcione fuerit. ad mīam tuam pervenire licebit. Non enim delectaris in {per}dicionibus nostris quia post tempestatem tranquillum facis/& post la crimacionem& fletum exultacionem infundis:¶ every man that worshippeth the god hath this forcerteyne/ that yf his life be here in temptation/ he shal be crwoned/ And yf he be in tribulation he shall be delivered/ And yf he be in chastisinge It shall be leeful to come to thy mercy. Thou delyghtes not in our perisshinges/ For after tempestys thou makest tranquillytee/ And after tears& weeping thou sendeste gladness/ as the prophet saith.  
¶ Secundum multitudinem dolorum meorum consolaciones tue letificauerunt aīam meam.  
¶ After the multitude of my sorrows in my heart thy comforts haue glad my soul/ His conforte of one hour ouerpassyth the sorrows of tribulation of many yeres/ For god that cometh for to help and comfort after tribulation shall abide with the gladynge thi soul And peradventure if thou plainest the that thou taryeste ouerlonge abidinge his comfort.  
as louers he wont to plain hereto answerith a grete clerk casiodorus:  
¶ Ipsa velocitas dei desideranti& amantitarditas videtur¶ The swyftnesse of god to a disiryng and a loving soul seemeth long tarrying/ Or thus a thing that is much coueyted seemeth grete tarrying to a loving soul/ thenne of these toforseyde may be concluded that a soul discomforted in trybulaconn oweth not to hold himself overcome of his enemies/ but rather delivered. Sythe then that this is sooth that tribulacyons deliver us from our enemies though it so be that they be sometime heavy& chargeable/ yet never thelesse they should be suffered patiently and gladly without grutchyng/ For if we grut che again tribulacyons/ thenne we strive again ourhelpers/ and we help our enemies/ And for we be not strong of ourself to deliver us from our enemies/ pray wee to god meekly saying with the prophet/  
¶ Da nobis dnne axilium de tribulacione.  
¶ lord god grant us help of tribulation   

¶ De secunda utilitate tribulacionis.  
THe second profit of tribulaconn is that it stoppith the malice of the send/ For he is afeard to tempt the soul that is in tribulaconn/ for he dredith him to be overcome/ or else refusid/& that is fygured by the friends of job/ Where it is seyde job. iij.  
Nemo loquebatur ei vbum videbant enim dolorem ei{us} vhementem. Noo man spake to him a vorde they saw his sorrow was so grete these feigned frendys of job betoken wicked fendys that vexen or trauayllen souls. which dare not come nigh a soul that is in tribulation/ ne tempt it being distroubled/ And not only tribulation stoppeth the malice of the fiend/ but also there through the comfort of angels and of sayntes/ as we rede of holy faders many one of which one cometh to mind/ Abotte sysoy after moke suffering of certain tribulacyons& dissesis A litill to fore the soul should parte from the bided/ He seyde brethren be glad/ loo holy anton cometh to vs. and soon after he seyde/ loo here comen the worshipful company of prophetys/ And the thirdde time he said/ Now comen the holy apostles.& as it seemed hem the stood about he spake with hem.& thenne they prayed him that he should tell hem with whom he spake/& he answered and seyde with holy Angels that came to take my soul/ And I prayed hem abide a while that I should suffer more penance/ And they se words seyde the spirit passed with grete light. All they feeling a wonderful sweet savour/ Noote well the there is noo peril in tribulation of temptations/ so that thou answer not to hem by delectation or consenting as the speech of an openly cursed man noyeth not. but yf thou answer him/ That is fygured in holy writ/ Where it is seyde/ esay xxxuj.¶ Mandauerat enim rex Ezechias ne populus responderet blasphemijs rapsacis/¶ king Ezechie commaundid. that the people should not answer to the blasfemies of that tyrant Rapsacis/ By Rapsacis is vnderstonde the fiend/ And by his blasphemies ben understand temptacyons of wicked thoughtys/ the which noyen not but if thou wilfully assent to hem/ And if thou feel the feeble by frailty of thy flesh/ pray thou god busily in tribulation/ that he stop the malicious ●●mptacion of the fiend/ as the prophet with lord god grant us help of tribulation.   

¶ De tercia utilitate tribulacionis.¶ Capitulum .iij.  
THe third profit of tribulaconn is that it purgeth the soul/ But it is to wyte that there is v. maner of pourginges/ one is pourgyng of mannes body. for corruption of wicked humours/ and that is on/ two manners. One is by medicinable drinking. Another is by crafty blood letting/ The second pourging is of metalle/ as gold by the fire. and iron by the fyse/ Te third pourgyng is of trees/ as of cutting of wines of unfruitful branches/ The fourthe pourgynge is of corn as betyng or thresshyng with a flail/ The fifth pourgyng is of grapis and that is by a pressoure/ On thus many manners god doth purge the soul by tribulaconn/ For as the body is pourgid by medicinable drinkys of evil humours/ right so the soul made clene by tribulacyons sent fro our sovereign leech our lord god of vein affeccyons and evil manners/ For saint gregory saith.  
¶ Mali humores. sunt mali mores.  
¶ evil humours ben evil manners drink this medicine of tribulation sent to the fro god/ For he is a wise leech/& knoweth all thy prive sickness/ and howe much thou mayeste suffer/ and how much thou nedeste: For he sendeth the noo thing but that that is prouffitable to the/ And he that hath tasted and assayed and drank it afore the/ not for himself/ but for thy pourgyng he suffered the passion of death/ whereof he seyde to the apostles Iohn. and james. M/ xx.¶ Potestis bibere calicem quem ego bibiturus sum.¶ may ye drink the passion that I shall drink/¶ then hearken this wise leech hath drunken this medicine for thy love/ drink thou therof wythouten dread/ for it is holsom/ This drink thristed the prophet david when he seyde/¶ Calicē salutaris accipiam& nomen dni inuocabo.¶ I shall take the holsom passion of tribulation. And yf thou think it bitter clepe thy lord god into thine help as he seyde¶ Da nob dnne& c̄. lord god grant us help of tribulaconn/ And as a purgation should be resceyued hastily without over much tastyng or long tarrying/ so should tribulaconn be accepted wilfully/ without argumentys of disputynge or rebellion of grutchynge. But now be well ware/ For sometime as the profit of the medicine is lettid. and werkith the contrary to corrupconn. Not for the default of the medicine/ but for the evil disposition of him that receiveth it/ So/ in the same wise the profit of tribulaconn is lettid of purgation and doth the contrary/ For it is beginning of pain/ after which followeth everlasting damnation/ As we rede of king pharaoh king of egypt. For the more that he was visited by tribulation/ the more his rebellynge heart encresyd in to his damnation/ The second purgacyon of mannes body for evil humours/ is by crasti blood letting& that is on two manners/ as by opening of the vein/ or else by boxyng or ventusyng Opening of the vein is approprid to comfession/& boxyng or ventusynge to tribulation/ And note well the ryʒte as foul blood corrupteth the body/ so sin which̄ is called in holy writ blood defouleth the soul/ The vein by the which this blood or sin is voided out is the mouth/ as it is said xii. x¶ Vena vite. as justi. qr iust{us} in principio accusator en sui.¶ The mouth of a riʒt full man is a vein of life/ For the rightfulle man in the beginning blameth himself. that is to say by confession/ and also note/ that as a man owyth by this vein to void out wicked blood to pourgyng of his body/ and keep the good blood to his norisshinge/ right so in confession he oweth by his mouth to show all his sins/ and wythholde& keep ivy all his/ good dedis/ for fear of lesing/ For good dedis showed in confessonn by vein glory or auauntyng turnen from virtue unto vice/ for default of wise keeping/ As we rede of the pharisee that seyde luke xviij.¶ Gracias tibi ago dnne. quia non sum sicut& ceteri hoimm raptores/ adulteri velut eciam hic publicanus/ ieiuno bis in sabato decimas de ominum queen posideo.¶ lord I thank the/ for I am not like as other men/ robbers and auoutrers/ Also not like this publican/ I fast twice in the weke I pay tithes of all that I haue/ Loo here thou mayst vnderstonde by this pharisee a false feigned& a proud confession/  
¶ said publicanus a long stans noluit ad celum oculos leuare/ said percuciebat pectus suum dicens Deus propici{us} esto m peccatori. But the publican stonding aferre behind/ holding himself unworthy/ wolde not lift up his eyen to heaven/ but he smote his heart& said/ God haue mercy on me/ And so this publican yeede thence/ justified or made right by his very meek comfession/ To this accordeth the veri prophet david where he with thus/¶ Dixi confitebor adversum me īiusticiā meā dno& tu remisisti impietatem peccati mei/¶ I shall know leech by meek confession against myself to my lord mine vnrightwysnes/& thou hast foryeuen the wyckidnes of my sin/ Boxyng or ventusing accordeth to tribulaconn/ For as many disesis as god sendith to the in tribulaconn/ so many remedies he ordaineth for thy purgacyon/ But note well as it is needful a fore ventusyng the flesh to be heat& chauffyd/ for thenne the smytting of the blood iron may be suffered more esely/ So it is spedefull afore tribulaconn/ that the heart be heted with perfight love& charity/ the temptation of tribulaconn may be suffered the more patiently& gladly/ In figure hereof the holygoost came down to the apostels in likeness of fire/ By whom they were so strengthed& comforted they were glad/ and yeden Ioyenge/ for they were had worthy to suffer tribulaconn anger/& repreffe for the name of Ihū The which afore the time were so dredefulle the they fled a way fro him/ And some forsook him/ as peter the was prince of the apostles for fear of a woman swore that he knew him not/ Ye which after the coming of the holygoost dread not the cruel tourmentis of Nero the Emperour/ But patiently& gladly suffered to be crucified& dede/ The second manner of materyall purgacyon is of metals/ as gold bifyer& iron by file/ For right as the fire departith gold from other metals/& pourgyth him of rust& filth/& maketh it fair& clene/ So tribulaconn departyth the soul fro his aduersaries/ And maketh him to god lovely& acceptable/& therfore it is seyde/ Sapīe quinto/ Tan quam aurum in furnace probavit electos dnns.& quasi holocausta hostie accepit illos/& in tempore erit respect{us} eo{rum}. our lord hath proved his chosen by tribulaconn as gold is provid in the furneis/& he hath accepted hem as sacrifice of offering/& in time of reward they shal be be hold with this fire of tribulation/ As job was proved when he said. job xxiij. Probat me de{us} sicut aurum quod per ignem transit God prouith me by tribulaconn as gold that passeth by the fire/& note well that among all metallis gold is most precious/& seed is leste of price And yet nevertheless gold is not pourgid without leede/ For lead draweth with him in the furneys the filthes of the gold/ On the same maner chosen souls the which ben likened to gold ben pourgid by evil men/ which ben likened to lead. whereof solomon with/ Stult{us} seruiet sapienti. The fool shall serve the wise man/ evil men shall serve to purge good men by tribulaconn/ Also as iron is pourgid by the file of rust/& made shining& bright/ so is the soul pourgid by tribulaconn from uncleanness/& comforted with ghostly light/& as a knife that is not vsid abiding in the sheeth draweth rust. so the soul without exercise of tribulaconn desireth unclean lust/ as we rede of david/ ij. regum ij. Whan he was without tribulacyōn of werring with his enemies felle in to auoutre with the wife of Vrie that worthy knight/& aftyr in to homycyde or mann slaughter/ Therfore saith the {pro}phete ieremy: Fertil̄ fuit moab/ in die{bus}adoles cencie sue/& requieuit in feci{bus} suis Moab. the which is vnderstonde the sone of my people was plenteuouse by grace in time of his trybulaconn/& he hath restid in filthes of sin. then grudge not against god when he fyleth thy soul to make it fair& clene lovely& liʒt  
for else may it never come to haue of him the blessed sight/ whereof it seyde M. quinto¶ Beati mundo cord qm ipsi deum videbunt. blessed bē they that be clene of heart/ for they shal see god/ The iij maner of pourging that accordeth to tribulation is of trees/ as cutting of wines or voydyng of vnfruytfull branches whereof christ saith jo. xx.  
¶ Oemm palmitem in me non ferentem fructum tollet eum Et omnem qui fert fructum purgabit eum vt fructum plus afferat.¶ every vine branch that bringeth forth noo fruit in me that am a very vine. my father that is a tilyer shall kitte him of& cast him away.& the branch that beareth fruit/ he shal purge him/ that he may bring forth more fruit By this vine may be vnderstonde mannes heart/ by the humour is vnderstonde affecconn or love/& by unfruitful branches bē vnderstonde fleshly lusts/ Inordinate love of creatures/ carnal affecconn of kindred/& worldly richesse/ when the humours of a vine or of a three is spread about in to over many vnfrutuful branches. It bringeth forth the less fruit or else none/ then it longeth to a wise tylyer or to a good gardener to kitte of these unfruitful branches/ that the vine or the three may bring forth the better fruit& the more. Right so almighty god the which is a wise tylter& a souereyne gardener cuttith away unclean lusts of the flesh with the knife of bodily sickness/ he cutteth away inordinate love of creatures with the hook of adversity& tribulaconn He cutteth away carnal affecconn of kindred with the sword of death/ And he cutteth away worldly richesse with his iron rod/ as brennyg of fire/ drenchyng of water/ robbing of thieves& such other On all these manners doth god chastise and purge by tribulaconn/ For he wolde that the love of thine heart should abide with him/& bring for the plenty of spirituel fruit in him/& not abide ne trust in such disceyuable friendship For saint gregory with Qui aūt labet īuititur Necesse est vt cum labente labatur/ He that seneth to a falling thing/ nedis the falling he must fall The iiij. maner of material pourging that accordeth to tribulaconn is of corn. as bi betinge or thresshing with afflayle to depart the cerne from the chaff. whereof saint Austin saith Quod flagello granum. quod fornay auw/ {quod} luna ferro hoc facit tribulacio viro justo. As the flail seruith to corn/ as the file seruyth to the iron/ so seruith tribulaconn to the riʒtfull man As we rede. the the angel Raphael said to thobie thobie .xij. Et qr accept{us}eras deo/ Necesce fuit vt temptacio {pro}baret be/ And for thou were acceptable to god it was needful that tribulation should preue the/ For as betyng of a flail constraineth the corn to depart from the chaff/ so tribulaconn constraineth the heart to forsake the disceyuable love of the world& the false friendship of synners. which are vnderstonde by chaff. The profit of this flail knew the prophet when he said. Ecce ego in flagella pat{us}/ ū. Lo I am redy to suffer the betyng of tribulaconn/& therfore saith saint austin. Noli conquerede flagello tribulacioins si vis hēre purum granum& reponi cupis in celo ubi non nisi purum granum reponeret{ur}. plain the not of the flail of tribulation. If thou wilt haue clene corn of conscience& if thou wilt covet to be put in the garner of the bliss of heaven/ in to the which thou mayst not come. till thou be clene pourgid. But be well ware for as corn that is grieve& moist/& not ripe ne dried is not departed from the chaff with the beting of the flail but rather cleueth thereto. so it is for to dread the hertis the which a run green in beginning of conversion& moist in carnal affecconn/ the which haue not assayed the profit of tribulation ben not departed from the false friendship of her enemies. But rather cleuen to hē/ as though they wolde be confortid by hē/ For when god sendith us visitacyons for to purge the soul that he louyth/ be it by bodily sickness. or loss of temporal gods. or adversity of enemies/ or ony other temptation of heaviness. A none the heart rennyth al about to seek conforte to haue mind on the/ Why shuldeste not be glad when he sendeth to the such tokens of love/ as he took here for the. For he wolde that thou shouldest haue mind of him/& know him/ For he is thy friend& will not forget that/ For as many diverse tribulaconns as he sendeth to the/ so many sundry messengers thou hast cleping that& warning the to haue mind on him/ But now peradventure thou wouldest say that such tribulaconns are not most necessary to clepe the to haue mind on him/ But rather his gracyo{us} benefaytys of prosperity. For as saint austin saith/ Dei beneficia nile aliud fuit nisi monicōe● beniendi ad eum/ The bnnfytes of god bē no thing else but warnynges or clepynges to come to him. To this may be answered al though the gracious bnnfaytes of god as gifts of prosperity/ riches/ beauty/& bountee& such other clepen the to haue mind on him. Yet nevertheless inordinate love is so cleuynge to such gifts/ that he wythdraweth thyn heart to haue mind rather on the gifts than on the yeuer wherefore he playneth by the prophet saying. Expandi man{us} meas/& non erat qui aspiceret/ I haue spread out mine hands/ that is yeuyng benefice/ And there was noo man that wolde behold/ Qr oēs diligunt munera& sequntur retribuciones. For all men loven yeftys& they pursuen after rewards from the most to the leste/ But few there ben or else none that beholden meekly knowing the yeuer of hē/ Also peradventure thou woldyst say/ all though it be according to god to clepe indurate& rebellyng hertis to know him by tribulaconn. nevertheless it needeth not to good and meek hertys the which desire to know him by benefaytes& gifts/ To this may be seyde/ all though good and meek hertys known the yeuerof hem by natural delityng in benefaytes/ yet nevertheless to the profit of perfighte knowing of god may they not come without growing of tribulation/ Example hereof we reden that solomon was cleped by benefaytes and gifts. job was cleped by drawing or taking away of his temporal goods/ and sending him tribulations and adversities.  
But these tribulacyons brought job to the perfight knowing of god/ solomon by prosperity felle in to folly losing the profit of perfighte knowing of god/ What so ever thou arte trust not that thou myghteste not long abide in this knowing in such prosperity.& therfore suffer patiently tribulaconns and adversities/ And yf thou be discomfortid that they be many and grete/ be thou comforted. For the more and the greater that they ben to the/ the more profit of knowing of god they bryngen to the/ And if thou can not yet feel ony comfort for frowardenes or frailty of thyself/ pray to god that he comfort thee in tribulation.& grant the grace to come to the profit of perfyghte knowing of him and say. Da nobis domine auxilium de tribulacione. lord grant us help of tribulation.   

De quarta utilitate tribulacionis. Ca iiij.  
THe iiij. profit of tribulation is that it lyghnteneth the to haue the knowing of god. In which is perfeccion· and the profit of mannes knowing/ the which saint austin desired saying in the book of answeris to himself. Libro soliloquiorum. Thus wolde god I should know the. and also it is wretyn in the book of wisdom. sap̄. v·  
Nosce te iusticia est consummata To know the lord god it is rightfulnesse end of kunning/ to this knowing helpith tribulaconn/ For as the rod constraineth a child to bow down his hede/ and taketh hede unto his book/ and record his lesson/ So tri tribulaconn mekyth the heart/ and maketh h̄ym to behold his own frailty/& to know god.  
wherefore with saint bernard/ Deus facit se cognosci verberando qui oblitus& incognitus erat percendo. God maketh himself to be known in betyng with tribulaconn which was foryetyn/ and unknown in his merciful sparing/ Daniel̄ iiij. Of this we haue ensample of the king Nabugodonosor which for pride was cast out of his kingdom& lived with wild bestis/& eat haye as an ox But when he lift up his eye to his maker of hole heart/ his wit was restorid to him again, and he knew god that chastised him/ in tribulation. As the maner of children. when they feelen stroke sharp of the rod/ They liften up her eyen to hem that smitten hem/ For they wolden that he should turn his face to hem by pitee. and by compassion. Now then thou lowly soul that arte under the rod of tribulation/ considre and know well that the maner of louers is for to send gifts/ tokens and preui lettris each of hem to other/ for to keep love and mind and knowing each to other· On the same maner our lord Ihū christ as a true lover sendith to his treue loved children such tokens as he took here for hem.¶ For here he took mankind/ in which he suffered many tiribulacyons/ detraccyons/ blasphemies/ scorns/ repreues/ sclaundris. hunger thirst/ and cold/& many betingys/ sharp scourgyngys/ many thousandis/ of grete wounds. and was nailed vpon the cross/ between ij. thieves/ and died the shamefulliste death that the Iewes could ordain for him/& after that he was risen from death/ and stied up into heaven/ he kept his wounds as for tokens that thou shouldest know that he wolde haue mind of thee and never forget the. as he seyde by the prophet esay/ xlix.  
¶ Nunquid obliuisci potest mulier infantem suum vt non misereatur filio vteri sui/ et si illa oblita fuerit ego tamen non obliuiscar tui. Ecce in manibus meis descripli te.  
¶ Whether a woman may foryete her child that she haue noo mercy to the son of her own body/ And though she forget her child/ I shall never forget the. Loo I haue written the in mine hondys/ that is in all my wounds which I suffered for love of the/ sithence it is so that he keepeth the showing of woundis as for a token of love/ And it hath grete dread there as is noo dread/ as the prophet saith. Ibi ceciderunt timore/ ubi non erat timor. They fellen down for dread/ there as noo dread was/ It may be cleped a cursid comfort/ that is set rather in ony creature than in god/ For the prophet ieremy with ieremy xvij. Maledictus homo qui confidit in homine& ponit carnem brachium suum& a deo recedit cor eius cursed be that man/ that trystyth in man. and he that settyth ony creature to be his strength/ and he that departyth his heart from god. But it may be cleped a blessed comfort that is set in god/ as the same prophet said. Benedictus vir qui confidit in dno& erit dnns fiducia ei{us}· blessed be that man that trustith in our lord god/ and our lord shall be his trust/ And than that we shall fully trust only in god in al maner tribulation/ And dread false comfort& evil counseille of our enemies. We haue ensample of Ochosias the king that sent mesengers to beelzeebub the fiend of Acharon to haue comfort& counsel/ whether he should escape the tribulaconn of sickness or none/ And god sent an angel to the prophet and bad him say to chosie/ iiij. regum i.e. Or misisti nuncios. ad consulendum belzabub deum accharon quasi non esset deus in israel a quo posses interogare sermonem/ Ideo non descendes de lecto supper quem ascendisti said morte morieris. For thou hast sent mesengers to ask counsel of belzabub the feende of accharon/ as though there were noo god in Israel/ of whom thou might teste ask comfort/ therfore thou shalt not go out of the bed that thou yediste vpon but thou shalt deye/ Also that we should not love the world ne trust in worldly thyngis saint John biddith j. Iohins ij. Nolite diligere mundum neque ea queen in mundo sunt. will not ye love the world/ ne worldly thingys& c̄.¶ The v. maner of material purgation is of grapis and that is by a pressure/ For as a pressure pressith the grapes to parte the precious liquor of wine from draff and the draggys/ so god pourgith the soul that he loveth in the presour of tribulation from corruption and wickidnes of sin/ Some time by bodily sickness/ or ivy ghostly heaviness/ and some time loss of temporal goods: or persecution/ or slander of evil men/ and enemies/ sometime by lacking of noble kindred/ or by death of faithful frendys. And therfore suffer patiently the profit of this pressure yf thou wilt be brought in to cristes blessed cellar/ of which it is said. Cant ij. Introduxit me dominus rex in cellam suam vinariam.  
The lord the king hath brought me in to his wine seler/ hereto accordeth seinte Austin and seithe That holy martyrs weren so pressyd by tribulaconn in this present life that the bodily matter was left in the pressure of this earth But the precious souls weren resceiued in to the seler of everlasting bliss/ grudge not against god yf he hath put thee in his prison of tribulation/ For he hath assayed it afore the/ As esay the prophet seithe in the person of christ/ Isa. lxiij. Torcular calcaui solus& de genti{bus} non en ibi mecum. I alone haue trodden the pressure of tribulaconn/& noo man was ther̄ with me And note it that he serde no man/ but he said not noo woman/ for that blessed woman moder& maid our lady saint mary abode with him in feithfull.  
when all the apostles fled from him.  
And was redy to suffer death for the compassion of her sone/ as the prophet Simeon saith luc̄ ij. Et tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius/ The sword of death shall pass tho rough thine own soul. Now thenne sithence this is sooth that our lord Ihū christ hath assayed this pressure of tribulaconn/ and that blessed lady his moder maid mary/ What so ever thou be that feliste the in this pressure/ take it meekly and gladly praying with the prophet.¶ Da nobis dnne auxilium de tribulacōne lord god grant us help of tribulaconn.   

¶ De quinta utilitate tribulacionis Capitulum .v.  
THe v. profit of tribulation is that it reuoketh or bringeth the to knowing of thyself/ For that heart that hath not put away far from himself worldly and vein glory may not truly feel ne know himself/ For that heart hath more very knowing of light/ whereof the prophet david seyde. Lumen oculorum meorum/& i{pre}m non est mecuz. light of knowing there is of mine eyen/ but that light is not with me. woe to hem that dispenden the light of her knowing in vain joy and vorldly things/& noo thing to desire the knowing of hemselfe/ But howe should they know hemselfe that ben not with hemselfe/ For the more that the soul louyth and desireth vain joy and worldly prosperitees/ the more further he draweth from the knowing of himself.  
And therfore saith saint Gregory As he that is besegid with enemies dare not go far out/ but he is constrained to go again for dread So tribulaconn constraineth the heart to tourue in to himself/ And the more adversities that ben about him the fewer he hath of rennynges out from himself. then it is a blessed adversity that bringeth thee in to thyself/ and maketh thee that thou hast mysgoon to turn again/ whereof it is seyde/ Exod. xij.  
Maneat vnisquisque apud semetipmm.  
dwell each man with himself/ that is know he himself/ Abide he with himself/ for as an house in which noo man dwellith is wastid and falleth to eight/ right so the heart that dwellyth or abydith not with himself. woe to that heart that sinneth from himself al about like as doth a Iaper or a Iogeler in to other mennes houses/ For the mor̄ he singith Iapeth& joyeth in other mennes places/ The mor̄ cause he findeth in his own place of sorrow& of weeping/ So the more that the heart delighteth him outeward in vain things and worldly joys the less he findeth in himself whereof he should be comforted/ Therfore tribulation is full necessary to the heart to make him turn in to himself/ And it constraineth him to say with the prophet.  
¶ Conuertete anima mea in requiem tuam. turn again thou my soul in to thy rest/ And also our lord god having pitee of the soul that hath for wrappid himself with worldly things with thus/¶ revertere revertere sunamitis. revertere vt intueamur te turn again turn again thou wretch caitiff soul/ turn again/ turn again that we mow behold thee that thou behold thiselfe with the eye of conscience/& the I may boholde the which the eye of mercy O thou soul that arte distourbled in adversities/ suffer the to be revoked to knowing of thyself by tribulation/ And namely for that tribulation bindeth or knytteth the to thy maker whom wyked and large freedom of the world hath let run long loose from thyself/ whereof speaketh the prophet thus.  
In funiculis adam traham eos& in vinculis caritatis. I shall draw hem in the small cordis of Adam and in the bonds of charity these small cordis of adam our first father which long to us as by the way of heritage are cleped all maner pouertees sent fro god to reserve the heart from vain and worldly comforts. by the which god drawith many one/ as it seemeth by violence/ whereof saith saint bernard¶ Trahimur. cum tribulacionibus exercemur. We ben drawn when we hauntid with tribulaconn/ therfore thou that arte strained with these cordys& bonds of charity suppose not that thou arte defoiled or forsaken. but the rather made fair and chosen of god all though thou hast not that thou askiste/ Ne trow not hem they ben not strained with these bonds to be in very libertee/ though they haue that they asken. For like as the leech when he grauntyth to the sick all that he desireth it is a certain sign of death/ right so the false freedom of the world is certain sign of perisshinge/ For the more freely they desiren and fulfillen her one desire without tribulation/ the rather they fallen down in in to her damnation  
Therfore thou sely soul that arte troublid If thou wilt haue god to the merciable/ suffer the to be restrained with these bonds of tribulation/ which comen fro god and drawn the toward god/ wherefore our lord said to the prophet Ezechiel. Ecce dedi vincula mea supper te. Lo I haue given my bonds vpon the/ By this is vnderstonde/ that bondys of tribulation ben the yeftys of god/ and the more tribulation the stronger bindeth the soul to god/ Also the profit of tribulaconn is that it spedith the way to god/ For as many tribulacyons as thou hast/ so many messengers god hath sent to the/ that thou hast to him/ and not let by the way/ whereof saith the prophet/ Multiplicate sunt infirmites eo{rum} postea accelerauerunt. Her sickness were multiplied/ and afterward they hastid hem to god/ hereof saint Gregory seyde.  
Disesis that oppresson us to hast to god compelle us/ Suppose thou not the benefits of tribulation to be disease/ for to deliver thee from a grievous prison/ and to hast thi weigh to the kyndom of heaven/ As it is seyde. Ecclesiastici iiij. De carcere cathenisque interdum quis introducitur ad regum. From prison and from iron bonds other while a man is brought into a kingdom/ This prison is called al that the heart loved inordinately in this world/ these iron bonds are such things that wicked affections be bound to/ But of this prison god delivereth many one by tribulation/ as when he putteth away from hem things that they loven inordynatly.  
And that is figured by saint Peter. that was kept in herodis prison. when our lordys angel stood beside him and peters side I smitten. He excited him/& said arise up lightly And anon the iron bonds felle from his hondis/ By the side of peter is vnderstonde thi brother that cam out of the same side that thou came of/ Or else all thoo generally that aren alyed to the by kindred/ or by affinitee/ For when ony of these or all. which by lawe of nature ought to be thy friend is contraryo{us} to the/ or else by ony other maner/ Vnderstonde thou arte smitten in the side/ for that thou shuldist go out of the prison of inordinate love/ and set thine heart only in god that may not fail the/ But take good heed that as peter playned not on the smytyng on his side. so thou owest not to plain ne to grieve the of tribulation/ which delyuerith the fro the false and disceiuable love and fleshly& worldli friends/ And yf the smytynge of tribulation in the side be sharp and grievous to suffer/ behold christ thy maker and thi brother woundid in the side for thy love/ and thou shalt suffer it the more easily as a true knight when he seeth his lordis woundis/ therfore refuse not the messengers of thy lord god that comen to clepe thee with him and constrain the to hast toward him/ For he that refusyth the mesenger refusyth his lord. when is the mesenger refusyd/ when the heart with a vysemente cotrarieth and grutchith against tribulation:  
Note well that tribulaconn turmentyth in pourgyng/ and it pourgyth in turmentyng But when the heart grutchyth against tribulation then he parteth pourgyng from turmentynge/ For he keepeth the bitter turmente of tribulation/ And he lesith the sweet profitable pourgynge through his folly and contrarious grutchyng.   

De sexta utilitate tribulacionis. Capitulum .vj.  
THe sixte profit of tribulation is that it is against in paying of thy dettis in which thou arte bound to god whom thou may not flee/ ne disceyue/ ne hid noothynge from him of thy dettis/ these dettys aren penance which thou owest for thy sins/ And though everlasting penance be debt for one deadly sin by the rightwysnes of god/ nevertheless by his mercy It is chaungid in to temporal penance by contrycion and confession And furthermore it is foryeuen by satisfacyon/ and sometime it is all relnesid/ and namely by tribulation Hewf vnderstonde well/ for what so ever thou sufferiste patiently in tribulation. afore god it is accounted to him as for payment of thy debt/ For as a lordis anditoure sometime in the end of acountys layeth a counter of brass or copper or a nother thing of little value to be worth or signify an hundryd/ pound of gold. or silver/ so tribulaconn of little time with patience resceyued in this present life delyuerith that from everlasting tribulation of the pain of hell/ And bringeth the to the everlasting bliss of the rich king of heaven whereof we haue example of the thief that hinge on cristis right side/ that when he suffered the tourmente of the cross/ and was bound by dew debt of sin to the pain of hell/ He having contrition of his wickidnes in that same hour turned him to god& seyde/ lord when thou comest in to thy kingdom think on me/ and anon he was vnbounden and delivered of al debt of pain And herde the sweet voice of christ saying to him/ Amen dico tibi hody mecum eris in paradiso/  
soothly I say to the thou shalt be with me to day in paradise/ woe to him that noo thing payeth of his debt in this life/ but addyth sin\ vpon sin woe to him that of large expencys that he maketh shall be constrained to come to a straight countes soothly such that haue lived ever without a count/ must pay for her debt everlasting pain in hell wythouten ony relees/ There shall weep many marchauntys that in this life laughen and Ioyen/ whereof it is said in the book of the apocalypse. Mercatores terre flebunt. Marchauntis of the earth shall weep Marchauntis of the earth are thoo that set all her thought and her love in earthly things/ the which shall vepe full bitterly/ For god shall show her merchandise to al the world/ But marchauntys of heaven thenne shall laugh and joy/ For they shall see that for litill short tribulaconn they haue gete the bliss of paradise/ whereof it is seyde in Eclesiastici· Est qui multum redimit de modico precio. Some other ben that byen much thing with little price/ that is to be patient in tribulaconn of this present life/ that god resceyneth for thi grete/ For it is commonly said of an evil payer men resceyuen ootys for wheat/ And though it so be that thou arte not bound in ony debt of deadly sin or venial. For which tribulation should deliver the nevertheless tribulation reserveth thee from falling in to debt as saint gregory said. Multa sunt innocencia queen cito innocenciam perderent nisi ea tribulaciones preseruarent  
Many ben innocent the which should soon lese innocency/ but yf tribulaconns preseruen hem Therfore thou soul that feliste boūdenin dettys/ or thou that drediste the payment/ suffer patiently tribulaconns/ As long as time endureth/ It payeth tofore thy dettis in the which thou arte bound as by an obligation. For though all the tribulaconn of this world were together they might not be likened to the leste point of tribulation of hell Ne all the tribulaconns of the earth ben not in comparison to the leste joy of paradise/ As seinte paul seithe. Non sunt condign passions huius temporis ad futuram gloriam queen reuelabitur in vobis. Ad romanos viij.  
There ben none worthy passions of this time/ to the bliss that is to come. that shall be showed in us/ vpon this seithe seinte bernard Non sunt condign passions ad preteritum peccatum quod nobis dimittitur ad presentem graciam. queen nobis immittitur. et ad futuram gloriam queen nobis promittitur There ben noo worthy passions to the sin that is foryeuen vs. to the present grace that is given vs.& to the bliss that is behight us   

¶ De septima utilitate tribulacionis. Capitulum .vij.  
THe vij. profit of tribulaconn is that it spredith abroad/ or openeth thy heart to receive the grace of god/ For as a goldesmyth with many stroke of the hamer spreadeth a piece abroad of gold or of silver to make a vessel for to put in wine or precious haviour/ so almighty god maker of every creature ordaineth tribulaconn to spread or to opene the soul to put therein yeftys of his grace. wherefore seithe the prophet in the psalm.  
In tribulacione dilatasti michi.  
In tribulation thou hast spread abroad. or opened to me/ Therfore suffer gladly the stroke of tribulation. For the more they spread abroad the heart in suffering patiently/ the more ghostly yeftys our lord god putteth therein graciously/ And considre that as the more precious metalle is more ductill and obeyeng to the strokys of the goldsmith/ so the more precious a meek heart is more patient in tribulation/ And all though the sharp strokys of tribulation grievously turmente the/ Yet comfort the. that the goldesmyth almighty god holdeth the hamer of tribulaconn in his hand/ and knoweth full well what thou mayst suffer/ and mesuryth his smytyng after thy freel nature Ne will thou not be thenne as metal in a boyston se gobet with spredyng of shape/ as herde hertys ben without teaching In which god findeth noo place of worchynge/ Ne coil thou not be as an old fryenge pan. that for heat by a little stroke all to bresiyth in many brekynges/ right so faren felle and Impacyente hertys in tribulation by a little stroke in salvation of assayenge they sallen in in to many grete harms of peyryng/ therfore suffer with good coil tribulation to worche his craft in the/ For so biddith solomon Eclesiastici ij. Sustine sustentaciones dei coniungere deo et sustine vt crescat in nouissimo vita tua. suffer the bearing up or the helps of god to join the to god/ and suffer that thy life increase in the last end.  
As who saith suffer tribulation in this world for god/ and yield him some what the time of his service/ And what tribulaconn he putteth to the take it meekly/ and know well that he will not charge the over thy might/ As seinte Poule witnessith Corinth x.  
¶ Fidelis enim est deus qui non pacietur vos temptari supper id quod potestis.  
soothly god is full true that shall not suffer you to be temptid over that that ye may suffer/ therfore suffer tribulation on such manner that thy life increase in the last end/ For thereby thou shalt live in the last end/ Amen   

¶ De octaua utilitate tribulacionis. Capitulum .viij  
THe viij. profit of tribulation is whereby god/ hittith out of the soul all worldly comforts that ben here by nethe/ and constraineth the to seek heavenly comforts that ben above As an earthly lord when he will sell his wine forbedeth all other to open her taverns till that he hath sold his.  
so our lord god sometime forbedith earth comforts/ that he may bring forth his comforts/ and that is that betokeneth by the prophet Ioel where it is seyde.¶ Bestie agri quasi area faciens ymbrem suspexerunt ad te qm exsiccati sunt fontes aquarum.  
The bestes of the field ben as dry earth desiring divine they loken up to the/ for the well of waters ben dry The bestes of the field he clepith affections and fleshly desires/ The wells of the water he clepyth worldly comforts/ therfore when that earthly comforts faylen in adversity thenne is the heart constrained to look up/ and to seek help of heavenly comforts  
And so much the more benign is our lord god to the soul/ In as much as the heart findeth greater bitterness in outward things  
But now by these things thou mayst say/ I am sorry that the tavern of earthly comforts is not open to me/ But for the tavern of heavenly comforts is so long shitte fro me For neither hier ne lover I finde no comfort/ To this may be answered thus/ thou owest not to haue ghostly comfortys/ but If thou busy the desiring and seeking/ For there is mor̄ mirth in desiring and seeking god than in the delytynge of him/ For why the more thou desireste and sekeste god the more comfort he shal bring that/ And the more sweetness thou shalt finde in him/ As the meet savoureth more to an hungry man than to an vnhungry man. And wit thou well that heavenly comforts shall not long be differryd/ yf worldly comforts be shitte out by tribulacyons/ yf thou ask desiryngly and seek busily/ as solomon seyde/¶ Desiderium suum justis dabitur.   

To rightwysmen shallbe given here her desire. De nona utilitate tribulacionis. Capitulum .ix.  
THe ix. profit of tribulation is that it putteth thee in to the mind of god/& the more tribulation be/ the more he impressith the in his mind/ Not for the god foryetyth the/ or ony creature the which seeth& knoweth al the preuytees of thy heart/ But for scripture saith god foryetyth a man that tribulaconn is given to/ For to him the he sendeth generation he hath in mind/ yeuynge goostely comfort/ and increasing of grace/ Therfore thou o good soul/ yf thou wilt be put in mind In whoos mind is thine health and thy salvation/ In whos foryetynge is thine harm and thy damnation/ learn for to fuffre patiently adversities and tribulacyons/ and in fufferyng think meekly in god/ and he eftsoons shall think meekly and mercyably/ For a true friend thinketh fervently on his friend that is in dissese/ In figure hereof our lord said Exo. iiij.  ¶ Vidi affliccionem populi mei. in egipto& clamorem eius audivi.& c̄. 
I haue seen the dissesis of my people that is in egypt/ and I haue hard her crying. For the duresse of hem that ben the overseers of the works And I knowing her sorrow haue gone down to deliver hem from the hondis of the Egipcians/ Therfore all though the egipcians. that is to say evil men or enemies tourmenten and disesen the/ be thou comforted/ For the merciable beholding of god in thy disease much more availeth the/ as we rede of david ij. regum xuj. Fleenge from absalon his sone that seemeth/ the which was david enemy coursid him and spake evil to him and said¶ Egredere egredere vir sanguinum& vir belial. As who with go thy wey go thy way thou man of sins/ and thou man of belial/ And abisay that was david friend seenge this said to king david. This dede hound hath myssayde or cursid my lord the king/ I shall go and smite of his heed/ And david answered/ suffer him to myssaye or curse david vpon the comaundemente of god/ peradventure god will behold my disease/ and yield me good for this myssayenge or cursing this same day/ Considre in this that david wolde suffer the myssayeng or the cursing of this adversary/ that he might gete the blessing of god thenne look how much thou desyreste the blessing of god and suffer somoche the more patiently the myssayeng or cursing of thine adversary/ For patience of evil mennys cursing deserveth to haue goddis  
blessing/ and that is tokened where it is said danielis iij. That the angel yeede down with Azarie and his fellows in to the furneys/ And he made the mids of the furneys as a blowyng wind of a dew/ but the flam̄e brent the juuenis ministers that heat the furneys/ But soothly the fire touchid ne greuid hem in ony maner/ Loo here thou mayst see/ that the fire not only brent their fo men/ but also it refresshid hem/ the which is vnderstonde that christ is present with hem that ben in tribulation and yeuith hem fresshynge in dysese/ and blessed hem that ben myssayde or cursed for his name/ Therfore yf thou desire refresshinge in tribulacyons and thine enemies to be brent/ suffer patiently tribulacyons For in tribulation god is with the/& fro tribulation he shall deliver the/ and for tribulation grete meed he shall yield the/ Of these three spekyth the prophet. where he with thus.  
Cum ip̄o sum in tribulacione eripiam eum& gl̄ificabo eum. I am with him in tribulation. loo here a gracyouse feliship comforting I shall deliver him. Loo here a fulfeyth of delivering/& I shall glorify him/ loo here a certain hope of rewardyng.   

De decima utilitate tribulacioins¶ Caplmm x.  
THe x. profit of tribulation is that it maketh thy prayer to be herde of god/ For it is not the maner of god to put away the prayer of him that is in trbulacyon/ but the rather meekly to here his ivy prayers/ whereof solomon said.  
Ecce de{pre}cacionē lesi exaudiet dnns. Loo our lord shall here the prayer of him the is hurt. soothly god smyteth& chastysith many men and sendeth hem tribulation for to compelle hē to ask or to cry mercy/& that they should open her mowthes to god in tribulation/ for to ask help which had shit her mowthys from him in prosperity/ whereof saith saint austin/ the god sendeth tribulation to some men to stir hem to ask that he wolde grant/ In the person of such with the prophet.¶ Ad dn̄m cum tribularer clamaui& exaudiuit me. when I was in tribulation I cried to our lord/ and he herde me. And though all it hap that in prosperity thou prayest god the prosperity should not make that to slow. Yet nevertheless it maketh that some time both insolent& slow. so that thi prayer in prosperity is not spedeful/ as it is in adversity/ And all though adversity occupy so much thy heart that thou thynkeste that it hath none intent ne devotion/ like as it had in {pro}speritee/ yet the same adversity maketh thi prayer more precious/ And soothly al thouh̄ tribulaconn oppress the so much that thou mayest not open thi mouth to cry to god/ certainly this tribulaconn crieth& prayeth to god for the/ so that thou haue patience/ for as saith a grete clerk. peter of/ lazar that as many woundis as he had so many prayers or criers he had to god/ For when lazar stillid with his mouth/ his woundis cried to god for him/ whereof our lord god said to caym. that had killid his brother abelle Genesis/¶ Vox sanguinis fratris tui abel clamat ad me de terra/¶ The blood of thy brother abel crieth to me fro the earth/ Thus thenne it showeth/ that tribulaconn maketh thy prayer the more precious/ and the more acceptable to god/ Tribulacyons ben as it were a payment for a lettir selyd of delivering/ whereof with job.¶ Quis michi debt vt veniat peticio mea/& quod expecto tribuat mihi deus qui cepit me/ ipse me conuertat soluat manum suam& succidit me/ et michi sit consolacio vt affligens me dolorem meum non percat. Who shall yeue me mine asking. and who shall grant me that I abide. god that began he convert me/ loose he his hand and kitte me up/ and that it be to my comfort that he tourmentynge me spare not my sorrow. Note well that job that had lost his possessions/ his sones and his daughters.  
and alle his body was smitten with wounds of leper from the sole of the foot unto the ouerest parte of the hede/ And was reproved of his friends/ and scorned of his wife and of his false friends/ He desired in noo other thing conforte. but the god should not spare him If thou askest what pertaineth to his deliuerynge/ it may be answered thus. the asking of his affeccyons or torments/ For his tourmentys were paymentys of his letters as it is vsid in some place/ that when a poure man drinketh in a tauerne· and hath not whereof to pay his scotte. He asketh to be beaten. and so to be delivered/ If thou askist. wherein was his comfort of this job.  
when he asked to be turmentyd. saint Gregory answeryth and saith/ That god sparith some her in this world to tourmente hem afterward/& some he tourmentyth here the which he coil aftirwarde spare. The comfort of job was that he wist well by present tribulation he should escape everlasting damnation. For as it is seyde.¶ Non judicabit bis deus inidi{pre}m. God shall never punish or deme twice for oo thing. And therfore this same job that asked that god should not spare him here in this world/ askid in a neither place and said/¶ Parce michi domine lord spare me in time coming/ suffer patiently here in this world tribulation/ For tribulation saveth the soul/ as job seyde.¶ Ipse vulnerat& medicinat. He woundyth and he helyth/ For he woundyth the body/ and helith the soul.   

De vndecima utilitate tribulacionis. Ca xj.  
THe xj. profit of tribulation is that it keepeth and norissheth the heart/ So thely right as fire is kept in ashes right so the hearts the friends of god aren kept in tribulation Therfore our lord god commaundid/ Exodi.¶ Quod tabernaculum saccis cilicinis cooperietur/ That the tabernacle of god ●huld be hiled with heyren sacks the which should the fiend/ that precious curteyns of soft silk/& goddis rich vessels of gold/& silver against winds& reins/ In token that virtues of goddis servants name meekness ben kept in adversity of tribulation/ For tribulaconn constraineth the heart to think on the wretchidnesse of his own Infirmitee/ And so it constraineth a man to be meek/ Whom worldly prosperytee had haunsid by vaynglorie a boven himself Also tribulation norisshith the heart as a nourish her child/ For as the moder with the child cheweth hard meet/ the which the child may not chew/ and draweth it in to her body wher̄ that meet is turned in to milk to norysshing of the child/ So christ that in holy writ is cleped our moder for the gretenesse of his tender love that he hath to us/ He chewed for us biter pains/ hard words/ repreffes/ and slanders/ with bitterness of his passion that suffered for us to norisshe us/ and streyneth us ghostly by ensample of him to suffer tribulacyons and adversities of this world As wine that is clensid through a bag full of spices chaungith his own savour drawing to him thesauoure of the spices/  
so a man suffering tribulacyons and adversities of thy world oweth to clensehym by the blessed body of our lord  
Ihesu considering the passion that he suffered for him/ And so it shall wax sweet and tolerable that to fore seemed full bitter& intolerable.   

¶ De duodecima utilitate tribulacioins: Capitulum .xij  
THe xij. profit of tribulation is that generation is a certain token of love that god hath toward him that it is sent to. whereof he seyde.¶ Quos amo arguo et castigo/ him that I love I under nymme& chastise/ And also solomon seyde Eccīastici. Qui diligit filium assiduat ei flagella. He that loveth his sone he scourgyth him oft time. whereof seyde seynts jerome.¶ Summus pater Ihuns Christus filios suos semper sub aliquo flagello vel virga retinet vt qn̄ eripiuntur ab uno sub alio capiuntur. Ooure souereyne father Ihū christ keepeth ever his children under a scourge or a rod/ And when they ben delivered of one/ they ben caughte under a neither/ But our good meek father and lord sent not all his scourges at ones togedyr/ but one after a neither knowing our frailty/ For he will that noo man perish/ but he will all men be saffe/ But evil men and unkind that believe him not ne loven him the which lyuen here without scourge of tribulation. whom noo correction of chastysynge may withdraw from her errors god shall punish with al his arrows of vengeance/ For soothly all torments that now ben departed about in all the world thenne shall be gadryd together and abide as in her own place/ As our lord seyde Deutronomij xxxij.¶ Congregabo supper eos mala. et sagitas meas complebo in eis·  
I shall gather together evil things upon evil men. And I shall spend all mine arrows of vengeance among hem. Therfore thou good soul yf thou wilt be belouid of god coil thou not put away tribulations.  
For they shown to the tokens and witness of the love of god. But peradventure yf thou sayste that goddis children taken of him both good things and evil things. Why is the taking of evil things showing or token of the love of god more than the taking of good things. To this may be answered that god yeueth many good things and grete to his spiritual friends and bitter and greater to them that he loveth more. But the blessed father of heaven loved without comparison more his blessed sone our lord Ihesu christ than all the world/ and yet he sent him here many anguishes/ pouertees/ tribulacyons/ adversities/ repreues/ and scornynges/ betynges/ bydynges scorgynges/ many wounds.& cruel death: but few temporal goods. then is the yefte of adversity more shewing token of love of god than the yefte of temporal prosperity/ Also furthermore our lord Ihesu christ goddis sone that lived here in this world as a wise merchant choose good merchandise/& refused the bad/ For when they wolde haue made him king of Iude/ he refusid it/ and chase rather to flee in to desert And when they sought him to tourmente him/ and to slay him/ he fled not. but he chase rather for to deye and seyde.¶ Ego sum I am he/ whom ye seek then yf christ was wyseste in chesynge/ the which chase adversities/ they ben much foles that dispisen tribulation and adversities/ and chesen worldly prosperitees that may not deliver hem in time coming from the hands of her enemies the cruel fendis/ suffer thenne patiently with christ here tribulacyons/ that thou may take afterward the crown of life in the bliss of heaven / For soothly otherwise thou mayst not come to the bliss/ For the apostle saith.  ¶ Per multas tribulacyones oportet nos intrare in regnum celorum. It behoveth us as by many tribulacyons to entre in to the kingdom of heaven/ He bring all vs. the suffered death/ our lord Ihesus Amen.  
¶ Thus endeth this treatise showing the xij. proffites of tribulation ∴   

 woodcut of Jesus and his tormentors   

 printer's device of William Caxton   

¶ Here felowyth a compendious abstracte translate into english out of the holy rule of saint bennet for men and wymmen of the habit therof the which vnderstonde little latin or none/ to the intent that they may often rede/ execute the hole rewll and the better keep it than it is/ according to the abyte& their perfit profession/ so that the well of their sowlys and better emsample of that holy religion may be the sooner had and known.  
HE or she that is to be made hede or sovereign in a monestary/ in whom all the hole congregaconn in one accord after god consentyth/ or else that the more parte therof and sadder with god counsel chesith.  
when so ever ony taketh by true election the name and dygnytee of an hede or sovereign in religion/ they own to show in their dedys to their disciples two doctrines/ that is to say that all such good dedys and holy that they teach/ that they first show hem by their own dedys rather than by their wordys/ And al things that they teach their children and disciples to be contrari to god& their rule/ let her deeds show openly such things not to be done so o the theimselfe be not found guilty& reprovable in their doctrine& ensample/& redy to see a little mote in their disciples eyen/ but a grete block or beam in their own they can not espy/ but let it lie still. The souereyns also should not dissymyle in punishment and chastysyng of their subjects when they offend/ but as soon as the sins begin to spring/ forthwith cut hem up by the root by correction according to the rule without acceptynge of ony person/ remembering that foles will never be corrected with words. but rather by chastisement/ As oft as ony grete matters are to be done in the monestary/ all the congregaconn is to be called& to be informed of hem by the souereyns/ the which owe to here the myndys of eachone singularly/ for oft times our lord showeth to the symplest of the religion a thing that is best therfore. how be it what some ever shal be said of the subjects/ see that it be done with al meekness and submyssyon of spirit& body/ And thereupon the sovereign ouh̄t to keep well in mind the reasons or seyenges of every of them/ and to do thereafter as can be found best and profitable/ For it is a token of an vnwytty mind and of a proud heart of them that take their own way only& counsel. Also as it is according to a disciple for to obey his master so it is required to the sovereign visely& warily and all things of the place to dispose.  
To other things of less charge the sovereign owe to take counsel of the seniors of the religion& sadder/ so that every thing is to be done at ony time with counsel according to scripture that with. do all things with counsel/& thou shall not repent after. Also bear in thy mind this singular note that the hede or the sovereign with all the congregaconn straitly be bound to follow the rule in every point/& that none of them be so bold to declyue or depart therefro. So that none follow the will of their own mind only/ but ever be redy to be reformyd. The subjects also owe to be right ware that they make no strife wythyn or without with their souereyns/ yf that they do anon let hem haue the streyt regular punysshment with that fear of god and in keeping the rule/ remembering that the hede without ony dowte shall yeue afull perfit account oo day of all their judgements& by hauour to god at fearful day of weening.¶ Also be they ware that they trouble not their flock that bē committed unto them and that they dispose noo thing of the place vnryʒtwysly as though they wolde use them as their own/ the which is against god vterly& the rule. Therfore it is good that they at all times so behave them in virtue. that all people may say/ loo such one is worthy to occupy this place and to haue this dignytee. wherefore such owe not to be chosen thereto by their age/ but for their wertuo{us} living and wisdom. chastity and sober dealing. and also for their pity and mercy the which they must use in all their dedys/ that they the rather may haue the same of god when somever they trespass/ See thenne that they love well their children/ and hate their sins/& in amending of their manners and correction of their sins wisely to behave them/ For to much in ony thing is nought least the they break the vesell/ of the which without discretion and pity they wolde haue taken of the rust/ Also they must see that they profit in their werkys more than for to look for worship/ and ever to study to haue love rather of the subjects than dread/ dooynge all things with discretion/ which is moder of all wertues/ considering their own frailty where through of their subjects the better they may haue compassion when somever they trespass. Also they may not be yrefull unrestful or obstinate/ or to be jealous/ or much suspeccyouse over their subjects/ for thenne they shall never haue rest to guider in the religion/ and ever keep the rule Also the sovereign& the subjects owe ever to flee Idylnesse the norisshe of al sins& to be ocupyed ever in virtue loving god with all their heart of all their soul and of all their strength and their neighbour as theyr selfe/ doing ever unto them as they wolde be done unto/ dyspisyng theyr selfe. and follow christ by the cross of penance. Also they must chastise their body and flee the pleasure therof/ and to use fasting& refresh the poor people with deeds of mercy ghostly and bodily/& meddle little with worldly acts no thing preferryng above the love of god/ wrath or deceit never to keep in heart or to promise ony false peas/ keeping ever charytee/ And use never/ to swear least that by custom ye fall in perjury/ and say ever the trouth in heart& mouth/ never yeldyng evil for evil/ but rather good for evil/ doing no wrong to ony but for to suffer patiently whan it is done to you/ love your enemies/& curse hem not/& be redy to take persecuconn for a riʒtwys matter/ never be proud or dronklew nor much etyng or slothful/ not grutchynge or bakbytynge ever putting your trust in our lord god. when that ye see ony goodness in yourself/ anon put it to our lord& not to yourself. all thing that is evil ascryue to yourself. fear ever the day of judgment& the dungeon of hell/ desiring with all your mind& heart the everlasting life/& haue ever death suspect afore your eyen/& guide ever your deeds wisely in every hour/ And be certain that god be holdith them in every place/& every evil thought that commyth to your mind anon put it a way by thinking of cristes passion/& show them by confession to your ghostly father/& keep ever your tongue from evil& shrewd language/& speak little& well/& ever avoyde vain words and dissolute laughter& japes and be glad to here good lectures and lives of sayntes with preyer/ daily wailing your sins& the sins& ignorance of the people with amendes making/ The precepts of your sovereign in all things obey lawful as to god& fulfil them/ love ever chastity/& flee ever envy/ hatred& stryff/& worship your elders/& favour the young in all love and dread of god. ever pray for your enemies/& or the sone go down be in perfect pee●s with them daily to your power/& never dyspeyr of the grete mercy of god/ Loo thyes ben the instruments of the spiritual craft& occupacyon the which exercisid and done our lord hath promised to you and us that eye never saw/ nor ere ever herde nor could ever in to mannys heart ascend the which to al his loving servants he hath ordained amen  
obedience is a grete virtue done without grutchyng or tarrying It is the first step unto meekness/& it is right spicyou{us}& needful to be had for all people& namely for religious persons. True obediencers as soon as they be called or commaundid of their sovereign/ anon after the word seyde/ they be redy with all gladness to do the dede so commaundid/ setting aside all other things undone& their own will in every point/ and that with all quyknesse of heart& body for dread of our lord. wherefore he callyth such a life/ a streyt way to heaven/ and not a common way where synners take her own will/& be not vndir the yoke of obedience to an other/ Wythouten doubt true obedyencers follow surely our lord& his words where he with/ I come not in to this world to doo●nyn own will. but the will of myfader the which sent me/ then this obedience is greatly acceptable to god and sweet to al cristen people when it is done quickly and without grutchynge or frowarde countenance in word or in heart/ Our lord loveth a thing done unto him cheerfully in soul/ and such obedience done to the sovereign/ is done to god& for god as he with himself. Yf one obey with grutchyng either in word or in their heart fulfyllyng the commandment of their sovereign / yet it is not acceptable to god/ the which beholdyth the heart ever& the will of the doer therof/& he shal haue noo grace but rather pain ordained for grutchers without he amend him  
AS for silence do after the cheyf prophet of god david where he with in the sauter/ I haue seyd that I shall not offend in my tongue/ I haue put a keeping to my mouth/& am dompe and therwith made meek& silent/ In much speech as it is written sin can̄ not be avoyded/ also in the power of the tongue is death& life/ As it accordith to a master to speak& teach. so it behoveth the disciple to here& be silent/ words of uncleanness/ void or meuynge to disolucyon or to laughter ben dampned by the rule in ony place to be had/& it is commaundid straitly by the same/ none to be so bold to open their mouth in such maner of talking/ Also silence is to be kept by the rule at all times& spyrituelly at night after complyn. and noo licence thenne is to be given to ony for to speak but only to officers/ or to them that grete need causeth to speak with sadness& honestee/& silence also is to be kept at all refeccions and meals& in other places/& at other times specyfyed by the rule/ Yf their be found ony guilty in these premyses they ouʒt to be punished straitly and grievously.  
HOly scripture crieth and with/ he that will high himself. shal be made low and he that mekyth himself shall be made high/ In this is showed that exaltation is the daughter and nigh of kyne to pride which is mortal/ Yf we will attain and come to the heyth of perfect meekness the which will bring us to the honour of heaven in body and soul let us life up our heart& mind unto heaven by the scale and ladder of jacob descending with the angels from ony exaltation/ and climb up to them by meekness& humyliacyon. The first step of this ladder ascendyng by meekness to heaven/ is to be ever afeard of god and of your sovereign/ and not to be foryetful/ bearing in your mind surely all things that god hath commaundyd you to be done and your rule and how they that contempnyth god& his precepts or the rule shal go to hell/ and to them that love& dread god& keepeth his commandments is ordained joy everlasting. our lord in every place beholdyth the deeds& thoughts of every creature/ and the angels ben redy to show to the trynitee daily the good deeds of each good creature.¶ The second step of degree of this ladder of meekness is when one hath no delight to fulfil their own will or desire/ but oonli to follow christ/ the saith I come not in to the world to do mine own will but the will of my father that sent me. The iij. degree is when one subdewyth& mekyth himself for god lowly to their sovereign/ following christ/ of whom the apostyll with/ Ihesus was made obedient unto death of the cross.  
¶ The iiij degree is when one can suffer with all obedience& patience all injuries. wrongs/ words of rebuk& such other done or said unto them/& to take hem gladly for goddis sake their life enduring/ For the gospel saith/ he that continueth to the end/ shall be sauff The v. step of this ladder of meekness is/ the whan al evil thoughts that come unto their heart or to their mind& their sins a fore hide& not conffessyd/ that they will thenne open meekly to their sovereign with repentance/ For it is written/ show thy ways of thy living to our lord& trust in him& in his mercy. for he is al goodness& piteful/& redy is to foryeue thy trespass& sin yf thou will knowledge it with repentance& amend.¶ The vj. degree of meekness is when one is well content with simple array or habit/& is glad to be set little by& to be take as a drudge or outcast of the religion/& to be ever redy to do al things that is boden him to do Iugyng him an Idyll servant and unworthy to god and man/¶ The vij. degree is yf he show in dede himself not only with tongue but also with all the cowards of his heart& by outward behaviour the lothliest& the vilest of all other/ saying with the prophet/ I am a worm& noo man the repreef of people& abieccyon/ lord I thank thee that thou hast mekid me so that I may the beter learn thy commandments¶ The viij: degree is yf that he do no thing but as the commyn rule of the place and holy ensample of his seniors do show unto him in our lord/¶ The ix. degree is yf one keep his tongue in al silence to the time he be commaundid to speak/ or else that he be askid a question. ¶ The x. degree is yf one be not light and redy to laughter or to dissolucyon. It is written a fool coil exalt his voice in laughter.  
¶ The enleuenth is for to speak ever softly with sadness/& meekly& with few words groundid vpon reason and godly/ It is written The wise man is known by his words.  
¶ The xij. degree is when one not only in his mouth but as well in his body showeth meknesse to all that behold him/ as in al his deeds/ in chaptour/ in church. in garden/ in field. sitting walking or standing.& his hede enclynynge/ and his sight to the ground showing himself every hour guilty of his sin. having ever suspect for to be brought to the fearful judgment of god saying thus with the publycan. Good lord Ia sinner am not worthy to lift up mine eyen to heaven who some ever hath ascendyd al these degrees of meekness shall anon haue the charity of god perfitly the which thenne putteth away all dread in such things/ the which he dyde afore with dread/ and also doth thenne al his acts of accustom as it were natural to him cheerfully/& without labour& that not for the dread of hell he doth it. but for fervent love that he hath to god by a custom& delight of of virtue/ the which grace is given of the holy. ghost  
HOw the service of god is to be done at his hours acordyng to the time/ is showed in the hole rule distynctly by chaptours where it is noted in the end. that every weke beginning on the sunday shal be song the hole psalter of david with anthems& other appropried therfore/& finally it is so of us to do in regard of holy faders afore time the dide devoutly render& say every day of the yer̄ the seyde hole psalter as we rede.  
SIth it is so that our bileue is that god is present in every place& beholdyth at each hour both the good& the evil/ thenne it is to trust without ony dowte/ the much more whan we be occupied in his service in the church or ony other holy place/ wherefore he is to be served in dread by the counsel of the prophet/& wisely remembring his presence with innumerable angels/ the which ben their surely at divine service/ and let us ever so sing and say that our mind accord to our voice and the sentence/ of the dyttee. Amen.  
YF we should make ony suggestion to a state temporal/ we wolde not presume to do it but with meekness& reverence/ thenne how much more owe we to our lord god with all meekness and cleanness/ devoutly to make our prayer and supplication& that not in hast and much saying. but in cleanness of the heart& compunccion with weeping/ that we may the rather be herde in our prayer& petition  
OF the election of the deans& officers of the religion and of their good life/& of their charges/ by the which the sovereign may in party be discharged. And how they owe to be chosen for their good life/ their learning and wisdom/ And how they shal be correct and blamed/ and also deprived if they amend not after their defawte/ And how that other better disposyd shall occupy their place. and so other offices/ and also in what maner they shall sleep in their clothes gird.  
And how offences and sins grete& less diversly own to be corrected/ And how the sovereign owe to be diligent about such as a good leech or phisicien in all charity& prayer. And also how they that oft haue ben corrupt& correct will not amend by noo punishment regular. that prayer to god& good exhortacyon is thenne ever took had unto them. Yf they will not dispose them so to be reconciled& to take grace. how that thenne they shall depart from the congregation masspriest that such a moreyne sheep/ empoysen and enfecte the residue of the flock. And also how those that ones by their own folly goone out of the religion ben received again. And how children nouyces are to be chastised. al this afore written ben ordained afore by saint bennet in the complete rule in several chapitours full heavenly.  
THe cellerer of the place is to be chosen of the congregation such one that is wise quick well condycyoned& sober not proud impatient not trowbelo{us} fearful not large/ but ever dreading god/ being as a father or a loving moder to al the congregaconn ¶ They must haue grete labour& thought for all them/ doing noo thing without the commandment of the sovereign/ the which agreeing to god and the rule is ever to be kept/ so that they cause not ony of the covent to grudge or be heavy/ Yf case be that ony ask a thing vnresonable/ yet they owe not to dysdeyne such one or despise making them heavy with their countenance or answer/ but reasonably with all meekness and cheyrfull countenance in softness of spiritte deny their petition. This said charge is dreadful and also meritorio{us} for the apostle with. He or she that mynystrith well/ shal haue grete reward& crwoned in heaven. Morouer their charge is to see diligently and well to the seek/ and to Infauntes to strangers and to power people/ Remembring that without doubt/ that they shall yeue a streyt bearing and account for all theys/ and for the masspriest thing in their office myskepte or myspendid at fearful day of doom/ All the vesels of the place they owe to keep well/ in that as well as though they were the sacrate vesels of the altar/ Noo thing they should do neclygently / or to be covetous or ouerlarge or prodigous/ but all things to do mesurably with discretion& after the commandment of the sovereign/ And specially in this office they must haue meekness/& when they haue not the thing that is asked of them/ thenne at masspriest to yeue an esy& gentill answer/ For it is written a soft& esy answer is a boue ony yeft The refresshynge and food that is to be given to the covent or congregation is to be done ever without grutchyng or tarrying so that they haue noo cause to compleyne for the minystracyon/ All things is to be asked in due houres/ so that none be troubled or made pensy in the household of our lord.  
FOr the other stuff of the monestary and vesture of the covent with other necessaries/ the sovereign owe to provide such officers of whos life& good manners he and other may be sure for the keeping therof& gaderyng of the same/ and for/ delivering of hem to them the haue need/ Of the which stuff the sovereign shall haue writing/ whereby he may deliver the percels to the officers as they change/ so that it may be well known what is given and what is received/ Who so ever neclygently or sluttisshly entretyth ony thing of the place/ a none be they rebukyd& punished/  
THe grete 'vice& syn of property in religion is namely to be cut away by the root/ Presume none in religion to yeue ony thing or to take without the will& commandment of the sovereign/ nor it is leeful ony to haue a thing to theyrself proper/ not as much as their own body/ or to haue their own will in their power/ All things to them necessary is to be had of the sovereign according to their need not acceptynge ony person more than an other but according to need& in firmyte/ And all things must be commyn among them according to the life of the apostles/ None presume to say such a thing is mine Yf ony by found guilty in this venemouse offence of property/ let hem twice or thries be correct/ yf they do not amend/ see thenne to to their chatysment/ Yf at ony time one need a little thing/ thank he our lord and say he ever. Deo gracias not being sorry that an other that need hath/ that pity is showed upon him/ And he that hath such pity showed vpon him shal not therof be proud by contenaunce or by word/ and thus shall all the congregation be in rest and charity/ and grutchynge laid a side/ the which is perilous to be had either by word or sign/ Yf ony therein be found culpable anon put them to streyt discipline  
each one be busy to serve other& none is to be exscusid from the dressing board of the kitchen/ without they be seek or other wise occupied for the commyn well. In such meek& low service is gotten grete meed/ charity and reward/ and when they shall depart weakly from the kitchen by course/ they owe to make al things clene at their departing/ and the clothes that the covent hath filed with their hands or feet they shall deliver clene also with all meekness And moreover their own feet they shall make clene in their departing. and deliver al the naprye and clene clothes to the celerer. such seruytoures by the rule may take a little refresshing of meet& drink afore high dinner/ for by cause of their attendance& service at the same  
GRete attendance is to be had about seek persons above all other things as though it were to christ himself/ the which doubtless is served in them that is seek/ as he with himself. I was seek and ye visited me and that ye dide unto the masspriest of them that were seek. ye dide it unto me/ wherefore those that ben seek should considre that such service is done to them for the love& honour of god and therfore they should be right ware to cause ony heuynese to their seruytoures by ony su{per}fluite or vncurtees demeanour Not for thy for their sickness they owe patiently to be suffered/ for of such is g●ton grete reward hereafter in heaven The sovereign may not be negligent to the ouersyght of such seek persons searching well that they lack noo help or comfort/ or ony thing that is necessary for them as is washing bathing and medicines yeuyng as oft as needeth/ and to such is granted by the rule for their sooner amendment for to eat flesh. so that after their recover they abstain in ony wise therefro. provide alway that favour be had to Infantes/ seek persons& aged  
AT all refeccyons and meals/ reading& lecture must be had/ And the reader after the mass on the sunday shall entre/ and humbly desire of all the congregation to pray for him making a cross in his forhede/ for the evil spirit of pride and other/ and after the blessing given begin to rede/ and all the time of refection or meals/ none to be so hardy to speak/ but to keep high silence as speech noys or other wise ivy or apart/ how be it the sovereign may a little speak of the process that is rad or of other for edefieng of his guests or of other that here him/ and not else/ Also the congregation shal be served of al things necessary to them at that time/ so that none haue need to ask ony thing/ Yf case be that such need befall/ thenne signs must be vsid and no speech/ The reader may afore his lecture take a little refection that is called mixtum/ yf need be for by cause of his reading at meet/  
And such owe to rede ever/ the which by their reading may best edify the herers/ And the same is to be observed in all singing and redynge in the church or in prechyng/ and that to be done in meekness/ sadness and dread.  
IT followeth in the rule of the measures of meet and drink/ and what hours after the season and time of the year/ the congregation shall take their repast and meals/ And also how the sovereign must so temper and dispose all such things with other so that the souls of his subjects may be saaf  
GO the service of god as sone as is herde ony bell or token/ all things set aside the covent owe to come in all godely hast and relygyously thert● For noo thing owe to be preferryd before the service of god.  
And they that come late thereto/ shal not go to their own place in the quere/ but to the place assigned for such late comers/ to their rebuk penance and amendment. How they shall be punished that come late to meals/ and of their sequestracyon from the feliship/ and of their eating alone in penance after other/ the rule which his expositor doth specifye/  
THo that fail in psalmody/ respons/ an the mes or lessons yf they meek not theyr selfe openly afore all the congregaconn/ as putting their hede down to the ground or otherwise by the rule for a satysfacyon/ else they must haue afterward more largelier& greater penance for their offence/ And children ever for their trespass must be bet  
WHo that ever in his labours/ as in the kitchen. in celary/ in the garden or in ony other occupacyon offendyth or brekyth ony thing/ or else lesith and will not knowledge his offence to the hede and sovereign or to the congregation/ they ow● to haue grete penance yf it be openly known the offence/ yf it be not known but only to himself/ thenne let him show it bi confession to the sovereign or to his ghostly father and take his penance.  
IDilnesse is the enemy of the soul/ wherefore like as the covent ben occupied certain hours about the service of god/ so certain other hours ben they occupied in reading and studyeng of heavenly things/ and in labours with their body in things that is good and necessary to them or the place/ for thenne they ben very religious when they thus follow holy faders and done as the apostles dyden.  
IN the time of lent echon by theyr selfe haue the bible/ the which they owe to rede complete and hole beside their service/ and the seyde bible is to be delivered unto them at beginning of lent And the searchers of the religion owe to see warily about that they be occupied in lecture therof sunday and other/& not about fables/ japes or sluggisshenes.  
Yf ony be such found/ see that they be spoken unto sharply ones or twice/& yf they amend not their with/ let them be correct/ so that all other may beware by them If their be ony so slothful or negligent that they may not or will not be occupied in reading or holy meditation/ thenne let them be assigned to other occupations to do/ so that they be never unoccupied in virtue/ If they be seek or feeble for age/ thenne such an occupacyon is to be put unto them that they may away with/& not to be ydyll by the discrecyon of the sovereign.  
HOw be it that a relygions person owe every time to keep lent/ yet for by cause that few haue this virtue/ therfore we aduise and counsel with saint bennet all of the religion. spiritually theys xl. dayes of lent to keep in all cleanness of life/ and to put utterly a way all their neclygences and old custom of sin/ and thenne more spiritually to give them to prayer wailing and wepnige/ reading/ and abstinence in meet and drink/ wythdrawynge somewhat of their taking in meet and drink other wise than they dide afore and that with good will offering it in his mind to god and to the poor people.  
And to withdraw some what of sleep and speech and wanton behaviour  
And as for abstinence of meet and drink it owe to be done with the consent ever of the sovereign and the help of prayer.  
For yf it be otherwise done/ it is to be taken of presumption and vain glory/ and thenne it hath noo meed ∴  
NOo thing is to be spoken in the church but prayer/ And after that ony service is there done/ all they owe to depart with silence and low reverence done to god Yf ony after woll pray of devotion/ none shall let him by their noise or ony other vncurteys delynge/ and thenne such owe secretly to pray with devotion and not on high. but weeping for his sins and the ignorance of the people and their sins with all meek intention of heart and soul. All other not so there occupied owe to avoid.  
AL strangers or guests are to be received for god& as god. For here after they shal here him say to them/ I was a stranger& ye took me In/ and gave me meet& drink and lodging/ and so of other deeds of mercy/ every person is to be honourid for the image of god/ thenne much more those that ben of cristen religion and that commen for god/ when ever it is showed that a stranger is come/ anon the sovereign or his bredern should quykly go to him with all charity/ and after their prayer together made and knit together/ in goddis peas/ kissyng together and salutyng other/ with after refresshing them with meet and drink and other necessaries to their power/ redynge among the laws of god to their edyfieng of soul/ The sovereign may break his meal for a stranger without it be a spiritual fasting day/ and thenne he owe not to break it/ The bredern may not break ony fast for strangers Also the sovereign with the congregation should with all meekness follow our lord/ and wash the feet of the strangers saying certain prayers/ for in them and poor folk is to be had diligent watch and cure/ for christ in them is surely received/ He that is asygned for such gestes or poor folk to give unto them necessaries. should dread god greatly and haue meekness and patience/ and do all things with wisdom/ and silence ever fulfillyng the souereyns commandment/& when they ony other meet or see/ they owe to incline meekly and salute them departing with silence  
NOo wise be it leeful to ony broder to take or receive of father or moder ony letters. tokens or yeftes/ or else to semde himself or to yeue ony without the will and commandment of his hede and sovereign/ the which had he thenne may receive them/ not forthy the sovereign after may yeue such stuff to such as it shall please him and he that it was sent unto shall take it in worth& cheerfully/ in that an other hath/ it masspriest that occasion of grutchinge inward or outward be given to the by thy ghostly enemy.  
clothing to the covent and habit is to be given according to the heat of the year or to the coldness of the country that they dwell in lasse or more as newis/ And the sovereign must haue consideraconn therof/ and to bye such cloth that is made in that country or province of the vilest and lyghtest price/ And as oft as they shal take new/ thenne to render up the old for the use of poor people/ Of other things necessary for their body day& night in winter and summer and of their cells and lodging and of their behaviour in them with other/ the hole rule certifieth. And how the souereyne shal diligently search that they lack no thing to them necessary/ so that all occasōn of grutchyng or for ony thing working or for ony thing keeping/ haue no place in the religion/ ever remembering the words wrytyn in the acts of the apostles where it is seyde/ that it was distribute& delivered to eachone of them as their need required.  
THe board or table of the sovereign is to be garnysshid with pilgrymes or guests/ And when there ben few strangers/ the soouereyn may call unto him some of the brederen/ so that parte of the seniors be left with the covent for their awe and discipline.  
when ony commyth from the world to entre in to religion/ a light or sudden entry is not to be grauntyd. but for to do after the apostle. preuynge/ the spirites/ yf they be of god Yf ca●e be that such one be abiding in his purpose/ and found patient for ony injuries done unto him/ or for delayeng of his entry& such other thenne after iiij or .v. dayes may be granted unto him entry/ abiding after by certain space in the ghestys chamber/ and after in the cell for novices/ their to be for a time in prayer and meditation/ and for to eat and drink. And a senyoure of the religion is to be assigned unto him/ the which is apt to gete veils to god/ the which shall see unto him warily and vysely that he be virtuously occupied/ seeking our lord by prayer. and to follow him by obedience and suffering of repreues/ All the hardness and sharpness of the order is to be told him plainly/ by the which he must go to heaven.  
And yf he promise to contynwe and to be stable in his purpoos. thenne after two months/ the rule shall be read hole by order unto him/ and thus it shall be seyde unto him.  
behold here the lawe vndyr which thou must sore labour and fight/ Yf thou thynkyst that thou may keep it come in/ and yf thou may not go/ free again where it plesith the Yf he yet continue by his promise thenne he shall be brought again to the nouyces cell to be proved again and yet again after in all patience & thenne after six months the rule again shall be read unto him/ so that he may well know wherefore he entryth in to religion/ and yf he continue still iiij. mounthes after/ yet not for thy the rule again shall be read unto him/ And yf he promise thenne utterly to keep all things that is so oft read unto him and to be obedient thenne at first shall he be taken in to the congregation/ knowlechyng, thenne that he is bound to the law of the rule/ and thenne after he may not depart fōr the monestarye/ nor exscuse him but that he is under the yoke of the seyd rule to his death.¶ then when he is admyttid and taken in to the church to be professid asore all the people/ there he shall promytte of his stabylnesse and amendyng of his manners/& there vpon make his obedience afore god and his sayntes/ the which is to be done with all his mind and heart masspriest that he mock our lord god to his damnation/ Of his promise and profession he shall make a petition in writing to god and to all sayntes/ whos relykes ben in that church and to the sovereign assigned thereto/ the which he shal write with his own hand/ or else an other of him required yf that he can not writ/& mark it with his own sign/ the which he shall put vpon that altar afterward with his hand.& say certain prayers therewith/ And after this he shal fall down prostrate at feet of the covent/ praying them to pray for him/ and after this he shall be nombrid for ever/ and name for one of the congregation/ such stuff that he hath not given before to folk that ben poor or otherwise openly shall he/ thenne yeue to the monestary/ noo thing reserving unto himself. for after that time he may haue noo propirte/ not as much as his own body/ And when in the church he shall do of his secular array and be clad with the habit of the place/ those that he putteth of shall be kept in the vestuary masspriest that the enemy the fiend persuade and cause him after/ the which god defend for to depart from the religonn/ and thenne he must haue his secular clothes again/ and put out for ever But his petition in writing that he put on the altar in his first entry/ ought ever to remain and to be kept in the monestary.  
YF a man of worship offer a young child his sone to god and to the religion. thenne shall he or his friends make the peticonn as it written afore for him with writing/ and their offering with the hand of the child/ the which shall be rollyd together in the pall or in the towel of the altar/ How poor children and secular priests/& how mounkes strangers owe to be received/ and of the ordynacyon of priests& of dekens within the self religion is showed folowyngly in the complete rule by large process/ the which I pass over for the grete change that is in that religion and the length.  
when ever the bredern meet together/ the younger shall meek himself/ desiring the blessing of his senyour/ And when ony senyour commyth at ony time before him/ he shal arise and give place to sit. and the said Ionger shall stand till he be commande to sit young children of the religion both in chirche and at table& elsewhere shall keep their place after their age in religion/ and they shal haue overseers. techinge them& giving discipline/ till they come to the age of vnderstondyng.  
TO the gate of the monestary an aged person wise and well manerd is to be assigned/ the which can take an answer wittily or a message/ Whose good disposition woll not suffer him to wandre about or to be idle/ The which broder owe to lodge nigh the gate/ so that strangers that come may ever finde him redy/ of whom they shall take an answer/ And when somever ony knockyth at gate or else that the poor people cry. anon he shall say. Deo gracias. cheerfully. and give them an awnswere comfortably in all meekness and softness and dread of god/ The which broder portar shall haue help of an other younger broder yf grete need require such a monestary is to be set in such a place where all things necessary soon may be had/ so that the covent need not to pass the bounds of the clausures therof/ the which yf they dide/ should be peril for their souls/ saint bennet woll that the rule be read effectuelly oft-times in the year afore the congregaconn/ for by cause none of hem shal pretend Ignorance or ony exscuse.  
when ony of the bredern must do a journey without the clausure of the place after licence had he shall commend him to the prayer of his sovereign/ and ever at last oryson in the service of god/ shal a prayer be said for him and all that is absent/ And the day that they come home again/ they shal lie prostrate all the service time/& desire the covent to pray for them for their excesses done in the journey/ as in sight/ hearing of ony vanytees/ or evil things or ony void words/ And they shall not tell ony thing that they saw or herd in their journey for it is a grete mean to the destruccyon of such a place of religion/ And he that presumyth to do the contrary or to go out of the clausure of the monestary to ony place/ thought it be never so little without commandement or licence of the sovereign/ owe to be straitly punysshyd.  
IF ony grievous or impossible things be put unto abroder of his sovereign to do/ he shall with all meekness and obedience take the commandment vpon him: Yf case be that it pass his power in ony wise to fulfil it thenne with all lowliness he shal tell it to his sovereign/ and the cause of impossibilytee. And yf case be the sovereign continue in his sentence& will/ thenne the broder owe to know that it is to him right profitable yet to obey. putting his trust in the help of god/ which woll not forsake all them that trust in him  
each one should beware that he exscuse not or defend an other in ony cause though al he were never so nigh to him of blood/ For of it lightly wolde grow grete occasion of sclaundre to the religonn/ Who that is found fawty in this trespass owe to be punished greuosly  
IT is ordained also that it is not lawful to ony of the covent to punish or to bete an other of the same/ but such one as the sovereign hath given power unto/ Those that offend openly/ must be repreuyd and punished openly/ that other may be the rather afeard to offend/ Children to the xv. year of age shall stand ever vndir streyt awe and diligent discipline/& all things er to be done unto them mesurably with discretion and reason/& vndir the commandement ever of the sovereign/ And he that otherwise doth/ shall be correct with regular discipline/ for it his written in the gospel/ All things that ye wolde that other should do unto you/ do ye it to them/ and that ye/ wolde not haue done to you/ do it not to them  
OBedience is not only to be given of al the covent to the sovereign/ but also echon to other must obey/ knowing that by the way of obedience they shall come unto heaven. when the commandment of the soueuere●n is done by the subgette/ saint bennet woll that beside that/ that ever the younger in religion obey their seniors in all charity/ diligence& meekness who that woll not must be correct/ Yf ony brother be blamed of his sovereign for ony cause/ though it be right small/ as soon as that he knoweth that his sovereign or his senyour is grieved with him or troubled though it be right little/ anon he owe to fall down prosstrate at his feet/ so long to the time he that is grieved be satisfied& plesid for his humyliacyon. Yf ony disdeyn to do this/ let him be punished on the naked body/ and yf he be obstinate/ put him out of the monestary.  
AS there is an evil zeal/ love or affection/ the which departyth one from god and bringith him to hell/ so there is a zeal or affecconn the which departyth one from sin and bringeth him to god to everlasting life the which is to be had in religion in all fervent desire/ for by it eachone gladly woll reverence other and eachone suffer other for ony infirmytee or conditions/ and that with all patience/ and moreover eachone be glad who can best meek himself and to be obedient/ never following that thing the which he deemeth to be profitable only to himself/ but much more that thing that is profitable for other.  
eachone show charity to other as brethren in all clene& chased love/ dreading ever god/ and loving their sovereign in charity vnfeyned. preferryng ever goddis cause and matter afore all other/ the which woll bring hem all together to reign in the life/ the which is eternalle. AMEN.  
Explicit.   

¶ Of your charity pray for the translator of this said treatise/   

¶ Thus endeth this present book composed of diverse fruitful ghostly matters/ of which the foresaid names followen to thentent that well disposed persons that desiren to here or rede ghostly Informacyons may the soon er know by this little Intytelyng theffectis of this said little volume/ In asmuch as the hole content of this little book is not of one matter only/ as here after and may know.  

¶ The first treatise is name Orologium sapiencie with vij. chapitours following/ showing vij. poyntes of true love of everlasting wisdom  
¶ The second treatise sheweth xij. profits of tribulation with xij. chapytours following.  
¶ The thyrde treatise sheweth the holy rule of saint bennet which is right necessary to be known to al men& wymmen of religion that vnderstonde noo latin/ which sheweth xxxiij. poyntes to be observed/    

¶ Emprynted at westmynstre by desiring of certain worshipful persons ∴