Part 2

Almighty & euerlastynge lorde god Ihesu cryst. I worshyp the. I gloryfye the. I thanke the now & euer shall for the makynge of me to thy symylytude / gyuynge to me with angelles wytte / reason & vnderstandynge / and haste redemed me with grete paynes vnto deth / shedynge thy precyous blood plenteuously for me / & dayly defendest me frõ myn enemyes goostly & bodely / preseruynge me to this tyme by thy grace / both slepyng & wakynge from dyuers perylles & dethys that other hath fallen in & perysshed. And ouer these [thou] hast endowed me with thyn holy cõmaundementes & newe lawes of grace & pyte / with holy sacramentes of the chirche. And moost in especyall gyuynge vs thy blessyd body & blood for destruccion of our synnes encreace of vertue & grace / and synguler comforte to all that ben on lyue and deed. And besydes these thou hast ordeyned angelles / & all other thy creatures bothe of heuen & erthe / as sonne and mone / fysshe & foule / beest and fruyte / with all other Innumerable to serue me. And to the entente that I sholde loue & serue agayne with all myn herte deuoutly. And also hast pyteously suffred me whan I haue synned. Not takynge me thenne to thy strayte Iugement to my dampnacyon perpetuell. Also I loue the / and thanke the in moost especyall for that thou hast made me heyre & partener of thy blysse in heuen perpetuelly / where I trust to see the face to face with the fader and the holy goost in eternall peas and glorye Amen

¶ For these blessyd Ihesu & other thy benefytes & gyftes Infynyte I thanke the with all my herte / & I desyre euer to serue the / to loue the / to worshyp the / & magnyfye the here / and in the worldes durynge withouten ende. Amen.

¶ A prayer full profytable to them that shal saye masse / & here masse / or to them that shall be houseled & comunyed / and besyde for all other that ben on lyue or deed.

Ihesu my lorde god / my loue & oonly comforte / the whiche as preest moost hyghe & synguler bysshop offered thyself to god thy fader / an hoste & sacrefyce moost clene & vndefouled on the crosse for our gylte & redempcyon / & hath gyuen it vnto vs / & lefte it in remêbraûce of thy grete charyte / deth / & passyon / and therwith hast cõmaunded vs to ete / & cõmone this gloryous sacrament of thy blessyd body ymade wonderfully by the vertue of the holy goost for our dayly helth / freelte / & transgressyon. wherfore blessyd Iesu / to the be laude and praysynge worlde withouten end. Amen. ¶ And for as moche that by the holy ordynaunce the consecracyon therof & offerynge vp to thy hyghe mageste for the quycke and deed oonly belongeth to the order of preesthode. For thy good lorde of thy grete pyte & grace. Make thy seruaût or seruaûtes. ¶ here name ye whom ye wyll that shall saye masse. N. and all other preestes clene in body and soule. And delyuer them of all vnclene / wycked vayne / and noysom thoughtes / and strengthe them ayenst all theyr enemyes / and vs also with thy gloryous angelles / and confounde all suche that pursuen them and vs / and wolde make vs to perysshe fynally. ¶ Ihesu kyng of virgyns / & louer of chastyte. Remembre how frele that our substaûce & nature is / & be mercyfull vnto them & vs as fader / lorde / & god / after thy grete mercy & for thy bytter passyon. For to the is oonly appropered to be mercyfull / without whiche no creature may be saued. Beholde swete Ihesu that our wyll is to worshyp the / & prayse the in the best maner that we can or may / and lyke as [thou] haste begonne with vs here / so make vs to contynue in thyn laude & seruyce euerlastynge. And where it is so that they knowleche themself vnable to do this heuenly mystery. For thy good lorde Ihesu / by thy grace make them able / the whiche of synners haste made full often and dayly makest holy sayntes. And gyue them also thy drede & clennes of herte with the ryuer of teeres in all spirytuell consolacyon. Make them to fele & vnderstande the swetnes of thy blessyd presence / & the grete attendaunce of thy holy angelles about hem at theyr celebracyons. Receyue mercyfull Ihesu this hyghe & holy sacryfyce to the comfort of all [that] ben on lyue & deed / & wouchesauf this daye [that] it be to vs & to all them a synguler refresshynge & feest / that we so releued [with] this brede of lyue & lambe Inmaculate / borne of the blessyd virgyn Mary may Ioye in thy laude & glorye eternally. Thou saydest by thy holy mouth. The brede [that] I shall gyve / my body it is / for the lyf of the worlde. Who that eteth me / he shal lyue for me / & he abydeth in me / & I in hym. I am the brede of lyf that came downe from heuen. He that eteth of this brede shall lyue without ende. Now swete brede of lyfe make both them & vs fele thy swetnes & loue forsakynge all vanytees. Come in to our soules / & clense vs goostly & bodely / sanctefye vs Inwarde & outwarde / & be a contynuell defence of soule & body / so that we may come to thy kyngdome / there to be fedde of the with a meruaylous & vnspekable sacyete. Where after we shall neuer haue hongre ne thurst / seynge the than / not as we now do / in mysteryes & of ferre home / but thenne shall we see the face to face in glorye with thy fader in vnyte of the holy goost by all worldes Amen.

¶ Pater noster. Aue maria.

¶ Here foloweth a prayer to all sayntes / examyned and pardonned.

¶ Ad s[ancta]m mariã.

Gaude m[ater] saluatoris felix fide flos decor[is] Mundiq[ue] solacium Nunc letare celi choris In hoc festo & languoris Nostri sis remedium

¶ Ad s[ancto]s angelos.

Gaude michael î hac die Gabriel raphaelq[ue] messie Angelo[rum] ordines Vos precamur nobis pie Sitis causa melodie Supra celi cardines

¶ Ad Patriarchas et [pro]phetas.

Gaude ventre [pro]secrat[us] O baptista mire natus Sacer degens seculo Patriarchis sociatus Et [pro]phetis. vite flatus Fac finire iubilo

¶ Ad Apostolos et euangelistas.

Gaude petre cû sodali Paulo. cristo speciali Lucens orbis climata Et caterna generali Vestra sita loco tali Nos cû eis adiuua

¶ Ad martires.

Gaude thoma spes ãglo[rum] Et georgi tutor ho[rum] Cum Edwardo nobili Tu laurenti rege lo[rum] Vt tuamur poli cho[rum] Cum fauore stephani

¶ Ad. s. confessores.

Gaude presul o martine Nicholae. hugo. line. Posce nobis graciam Erkenwalde q[ue] birine Iam cû tuis augustine Da supremo gloriam

¶ An. s. virgines.

Gaude virgo katherina Margareta. magdalena Cum brigitta. brigida Anna. fides. et cristina Nos seruãdo nûc diuina Gens celo[rum] iubila

[*V*]. Letamini in [domino].

[*R*]. Et gloriamini.

Oratio.

Concede quesum[us] omnipotentes deus. vt intercessio sancte dei genitricis marie sancta[rum]q[ue] omnium celestium virtutum. et beatorum patriarcharum. [pro]phetarum. apostolorum. euangelista[rum]. martirum. confessorum. atq[ue] virginum. et omniû electorum tuorum nos vbiq[ue] letificet. vt dum eo[rum] merita recolim[us] patrocinia senciamus. Per eundê [christum] [dominum] nostrû. Amen.

¶ Here folowen the seuen degrees of humylyte.

¶ Caste thy syght downwarde / and shewe mekenesse / bothe in thy herte and body.

¶ Beware of hyghe speche & clamorous / and see that thy wordes be fewe well sette & resonable. Be not lyght for to laugh / but vse euer sadnesse.

¶ Be stylle & kepe sylence / tyll nede requyre that answere must be hadde. Kepe well the comyn rule as the holy place hath vsed.

¶ Thynke the moost vylest of all other / & so pronoûce thyself. Knowlege the vnworthy & not profytable to ony thynge / & to byleue in dede.

¶ Make ofte confessyon of thy synnes / and that with greate contrycyon. Kepe pacyence in thy obedyence at all thy paynes & trouble.

¶ To all people be thou subgette for thy maysters sake / thyn owne wyll forsake it / and loue it in no wyse.

¶ And euer kepe the from synne / for fere of hym aboue. Amen.

¶ Here folowen the seuen degrees of obedyence.

¶ The fyrste is to do that is cõmaûded of thy souereyne without grutchynge.

¶ The seconde is to make none excepcyon / neyther of the tyme / neyther of the dede that is to be done.

¶ The thyrde is to be gladde & cherefull in thy herte to do suche dedes cõmaûded without ony cõpulcyon / settynge a side all beestly condycyons.

¶ The fourth is to be quycke in suche dede doynge & leuynge all other occupacyons for that tyme or ony maner of excuse.

¶ The fyfthe is to do suche thynges with all thy myght and power / thynkynge that thy rewarde shall be grete.

¶ The sixte is to do them also with al mekenesse bothe in spyryte and gesture.

¶ The seuenth is to contynuye suche obedyence for the ende of thy lyf / euer folowynge thy mayster Ihesu cryste / that was moost obedyent for thy synne vnto deth Amen.

¶ The seuen degrees of pacyence thou mayst beholde here.

¶ To euyll done to the or aduersyte / make no resystence. ¶ Do no euyll for euyll / ne gyue an euyl answere. ¶ Loue thyn enmye / & do good for euyl to hym in recompence. ¶ Grutche not ayenst aduersyte / but take it as swete as encence. ¶ Accõpt it for best medycyne / and be gladde in thy payne. ¶ Thanke god therfore / & loke for more with all benyuolence. ¶ And whan thou hast no grutchynge in these / thenne meyst thou be fayne.

¶ The .xv. degrees of charyte.

¶ These make parfyte charyte after Poules epystle. ¶ Be pacyente contynuelly for ony aduersyte. ¶ Lyberall to the nedy / & do good for euyll. ¶ Of other mênes welfare. enuye not ne be heuy ¶ Lette not by thy crokednesse good werkes to multeplye. ¶ Swelle not inwarde by malyce yf thy nyghbour prospere. ¶ Loue to be in lowe degree / & loth to be hye. ¶ To labour for other as thyself do thy vtter deuour. ¶ Be not moued for ony cause to vêgeaûce or to yre. ¶ Thynke none euyll to another for ony prouocacyon. ¶ Ioye thou not in wyckednesse but sorowe [thou] rather. ¶ Be gladde in trought & ryghtwysnesse & hate dyssymulacyon. ¶ For suche ryght bere aduersyte or ony trybulacõn. ¶ To [that] the chirche techeth the put ful credulyte. ¶ That god hath promysed trust it well without defalcatyon. ¶ In hope abydynge his rewarde and euerlastynge glorye. Amen.

¶ A lytell Instruccõn for them that shall entre in to religyon / drawen out of the longe rule of sa[yn]t Iherom that he wrote to saynt Eustochiû &c.

Loue god aboue all thynge / & thy neyghbour as thyself. In these two is fulfylled all [the] lawe & cõmaûdementes of god & parfyte charyte [with]out whiche can noman or woman be relygyous & come to heuen / & the whiche had among them they make theyr place or monastery a paradyse in erthe & themself professed therin angelles full pleasaût vnto god. Wherfor amonge [the] spouses of god ben one wyll / one comfort / one heuynes Remembrynge [that] he is prynce of peas & charyte. in whom they shalbe wedded vnto. Forsake [the] desyre of têporall goodes / for better it is to be ryche with other in the worlde than to be poore in a monasterye & to haue a desyre to haue god. Blessyd be they sayth our lorde [that] ben poore in spyryte &c. ¶ The more noble [that] ye ben & come of worshypfull lynage [the] more ye shal meke your self / & euer be gladde of poore & vyle habyte or clothynge / beware of obstentacyon & pryde or to desyre to be better arayed than an other syster is. And remembre [that] ye shall be professed & wedde elyke to one spouse Ihesu cryste in one wyl & vowe / whiche loue none suche syngularyte / pompe & vayne glorye. For in his court shall not a kynges doughter haue prerogatyf afore an other in lower degree borne. Goostly lyf requyreth no dignyte temporall / though all ye be neuer so meke / yet your spouse was & is moche more meker. See in your mynde how [that] sa[yn]t Peter was a poore fyssher / and Bartylmew a noble man of byrth. Netheles Peter was preferred & made prynce of Bartylmew & of all the worlde. Beware of grutchynge [that] whiche gretly dyspleaseth god. Commende neuer your self of ony goodes gyuen or to be gyuen of you or by yours to [the] monasterye or els where / but euer lerne & vse you to take [the] crosse & to folowe your spouse in penaûce / & do that ye come for / kepynge obedyence / pacyence / mekenesse / sylence / prayer / fastynge / & suche other as your relygyon wyll gyue you Instruccyon. And in ony wyse shewe mekenesse in your langage / countenaûce & all other behauyour / & in especyall to your heed & souerayne / the whiche representeth cryste your spouse / & that in all obedyence / drede / loue / & reuerence. Neuer disputynge of theyr wyll or of other that be your souerayns / but thynke [that] all is ryghtfull [that] they do / presume not to correcte theyr Iugementes. For as by example yf eche man sholde haue the guydynge of a shyppe [that] they be within / it sholde neuer prospere ne come to the hauen [that] it desyred. And as ye be professed deed to the worlde so be ye deed in other mennes dedes. ¶ Also remêbre that ye must forsake your owne wyll & offre it vp & gyue it to god & to them that shall be your souerayne & heed for euer more. Enforce eche one of you that shall come to religyon to passe an other in obedyence / for than doubtles ye shall please god A true obedyencer that hath vtterly forsaken his owne wyll / knowe not ony thynge harde to do [that] is cõmaunded of theyr souerayne ne ony thynge vnryghtfull. ¶ Beware of ydelnes the whiche is moder of all synne & vnclennesse / so that by your offyce that ye be called to / or by prayer / redynge / wrytynge / sewynge / or other handewerkes doynge / ye may make your bodyes dayly wery & crucyfyed. And therby make your spyrytes the more quycke and apte to the seruyce of our lorde in confusyon of your enemye and encreace of glorye. ¶ Beware to be Inquysytyf / or to muse on hyghe maters and subtyll. And leue them to worldely people / and to clerkes / for otymes the letter may hurte you Thynke euer [that] ye had leuer dye than ones to passe the clausures or boûdes of your monasterye. Yf ye haue a faythfull & a Iuste frende / to whom ye may open [the] secretes of your herte / than ye haue a grete tresour / for oftymes one shall be deceyued & seldome can iuge the trouth in his owne maters so well as other. Knowe your owne synnes & wayle them & medle [with] none other. Beware euer of detraccion & flee it as it were a venemous serpent / [that] the speker therof be your contenaûce & departynge from them may be ashamed / & therwith lothe for euer so to speke or do. Moreouer yf ye wyll see your spouse Ihesu cryst in your mynde by contemplacõn euer kepe your sylence. For saynt Ierom sawe many in Egypt amonge holy faders that .vij. yeres togyder spake not owne worde / but only to god & to his saynt. Yf the caas be so [that] ye must speke / lete it be in all peas & charyte & [with] fewe wordes. Remembrynge [that] your spouse loueth no voyde claterynge / but wolde be [with] you alone in all quyetnesse in your soules. Wherfore be ye aferde to dysplease hym or to dryue hym out from you [with] stryues or debate / sclaundres / othes / and suche other / ¶ Saynt Iames coûselleth eche man to refrayne his tonge / sayenge that lyf & deth ben in the power of [the] same tonge / wrytynge thus. Who that refrayneth his tonge he shalbe blessyd in all dedes &c. Knowleche your self at all tymes carayne and erthe / & the glory therof is as a floure in the medowe. Absteyne you as pylgryms from all desyres of [the] flesshe / the whiche dayly bataylleth ayenst the soule. Absteyne also from lyes at all tymes / as ye wolde from helle / for them in no wyse loueth Ihesus your spouse. And also beware to mayntene or botrace suthe lyes whiche is abhomynable in the syght of god. Yf there come ony straûger vnto you / lete hym knowe by your heuenly talkynge & behauyour [that] ye be a well taught spouse of cryste & [that] they may glorefye in you & for you & be amended by you. Bere [the] wordes of saynt Ierom in your mynde that sayth thus. Truste me verely [that] theris no thynge more peryllous to a man. than is a woman / & to a woman no thynge more contagyous than is a man / for eyther of them is chaff & eyther is fyre. And note this for a truth / [that] preuy talkyng lacketh no suspycyon. That thynge is not lefull to be seen / [that] is not lefull to be desyred. More than ony man can suppose or wryte / [the] deuyll reioyseth whan memorye of o man is fixed & had in a womãnes herte. There is no venym in the worlde so noysom to woman as is affeccõn towarde man of what soeuer cause it procede or growe. Ye may see [that] the desyre of worldly wymen is euer in vesture / golde / precyous stones / & ornament outwarde of the body / & therin they put theyr glorye & felycyte. In so moche [that] it suffyseth not them theyr luste gyuen by nature only / but they seke occasyon & craft by the sayd premysses to encreace theyr sayd luste & desyres to theyr grete dampnacõn / beware ther fore of ony costely habyte or suche vanytees &c. Certaynly sayth the sayd saynt Ierom / [the] pryncypall desyre is of suche wymen [that] men sholde fest theyr eyen in [the] faces of them by the prouocacõn & syght of theyr precyous arraye. But they sholde cõsyder though nature hath gyuen to golde / & suthe other a precyosyte wherby they ben praysed / what is [that] to the vyle carkas [that] it hangeth vpon / the whiche is but a sachell of dounge brought forth of vnclene seed & fynally shall be wormes mete.

¶ The wordes of saynt Ierom.

O Thou moost vylest & worse than ony beest how shamefast sholdest [the] be in thy body yf thou woldest beholde thyself / [that] so in thyn arraye auaûcest thyself. And this blessyd Ierom sayth. I take them for no relygyous wymen [that] ben cladde in costlyous araye or in a wanton & pynched habytes but he calleth them in latyn. Pessimas meretrices et storta. Wherfore desyre ye to go in vyle & vnshapely vesture. that wanton & dissolute persones may rather be prouoked to scorne & laughe at you than to thynke euyl or desyre you / for they say not trouthe that do ensure themself with a glorye to kepe chastyte in a costely or ony shapely vesture / ye shal be called ladyes / for bycause that ye shall be spoused to the kyng of all kynges. Beware than & take hede with all mekenesse to your dygnyte / in lesse than your spouse be greued & make a deuorce & to departe from you. Yf that ye wyst & ones had tasted how swete your spouse were. ye sholde haue pleasyr ynough that passeth all worldly pleasyrs. This Ioye & pleasye had saynt Ierom & many other both of men & wymen / kepe the mansyon of your spouse clene / & garnysshe it with floures of vertue / and accompte your self moost vyle & outcaste of this worlde. Remembre also how in your baptysme ye forsoke the worlde / the enuye / and all theyr pryde & glory / the whiche now ye shall cõferme vnder [the] grettest othe that may be / & therwith receyue our lorde god in sacramêt in this your fyrste entrynge in to religyon. Beware also of vayne glory / lyftynge vp your vysage & voyce on hyghe as wymen done in the worlde. Rebukyng other or to speke of your noble blood or kynrede / for in the spousage and seruyce of god / the poorest mannes doughter lyuynge shall be egall & lyke to the gretest kynges doughter lyuynge in erthe. Ye muste forsake all suche worldely pompe & vanyte & take a newe & a more sure noble dignyte by your spouse Ihesu cryst that neuer shall haue ende / the poorest of you bryngeth more to the monastery / so that ye come with a meke herte and in wyll to forsake yf that ye hadde neuer so moche / than she that bryngeth moche with a proude herte / and therwith to other wolde haue it knowen. Beware euer that no foule worde or stryue be amonge you [that] ben deed folke in this worlde. But euer thynke [that] the trompe of the last daye of Iugement soundeth in your eeres / and calleth you sayenge. Ryse doughters Ryse / & come to your Iugement. Lete euer your mynde be with your spouse / and with your moder blessyd Marye / & the sayntes as often as ye synge or rede. Remembrynge [that] god is there present and seeth what ye do Lete none see you from the seruyce of god or vnoccupyed. In redynge of prophetes epystles / gospelles / sayntes lyues / & other dedes of vertue doynge / hauynge euer bokes in your handes / studyenge or wrytynge / [that] people seynge you may saye. Beholde here the seruaût of god / & the lanternes of the worlde. Beware also of glotony whiche is moder of all vnclennesse & bocheres of chastyte / & kepe your stomake rather voyd than to take to it superfluyte wherthorugh ye shall not nede to take medicynes for a digestyon. Vse curtesly to ete & not gredely nor hastely / for therin may ye synne. It is wryten in the lyf of saynt Benet [that] a religious woman [with] a gredenes receyued a wycked spiryte in etynge of letuse in [the] gardeyn. Also they [that] vse to dr[yn]ke wyne go not [with]out fyre î theyr bosom. And euer beware of dronkenshyp / remenbrynge [that] abstynence & fastynge is a sure medycyne for all sekenes. And by them cometh grete vertue & grace. Not for thy beware of vndiscrete abstynence / whiche myght cause you to haue payne here & in tyme to come. Whan tyme is of redyng at your meles & repast or ony other good doctryne than beware of speche or laughynge / but take hede to [the] lecture. And knocke pryuely your brestes & that yf ye may with fallynge of teeres / after your meles reherce your lectures or some notabilytees of sermons or other holy thynges [that] ye haue herde or seen afore. And whan ye praye be sory for the Ignoraûce of the people & theyr synnes / & mynde the soules that ye be specyally boûde to praye for with all other crysten soules. And yf ye wyl haue [the] swetenes of contemplacõn / clense your herte from all worldly thynges. And be as ye were deed amonge them & as ye were buryed in your sepulcre the whiche betokeneth your monastery / to the tyme ye aryse & appere afore your spouse to haue your rewarde of his glory. Whan ye shal go to your garden & seen the herber & grene trees smellynge [the] floures & fruytes with theyr swetnesse / meruaylle the grete power of god in his creatures / & thenne labour & engendre in your mynde / or talkynge of deuocõn & lyfte vp your herte to heuen / & thynke verely [that] the maker of them that is your spouse in heuen is vnspekable fayre / swete / delectable / and gloryous. But beware touche there nothynge to a vayne vse or nycete of the worlde. After complyne kepe your tonge & take you to prayer & contemplacion. And call to your mynde suche heuenly thynges that ye haue herde or redde afore. See in ony wyse that ye kepe this poynt of goddes lawe & of [the] lawe of nature. Do euer to an other as ye wolde be done vnto

¶ Deo gracias.

¶ Thyse short prayers folowynge taught our lorde saynt Brigytte. Saye ye them ofte in the daye.

Domîe i[hes]u [christ]e. ego cognosco me graui[ter] peccasse. Et libenter volo emêdare [per] gr[atiam] tuã Miserere mei [pro]pter amarã passionê tuã. D[omin]e i[hes]u [christ]e. Redemisti nos in sanguîe tuo. Laus sit tibi [pro] amara passione tua.

¶ Pater n[oster]. Aue maria.

¶ Also vse for to saye dayly knelynge in remembraûce of the passyon of our lorde & his fyue woûdes / & of the grete compassion of our blessyd lady .v. Pater noster / and .v. Aue maria. & a Credo.

¶ Deus propicius esto michi peccatori. Ihesu fili dei miserere mei et tocius populi cristiani.

¶ Semper deo gracias.

¶ Praye for your broder Thomas Betton which for your soules [that] be come or shall come in to relygyon / drewe and made the contentes of this lytell quayer & exhortacion. necessary & nedefull to them that ben come & shall come to relygyon.

¶ Lerne to kepe your bokes clene &c.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

[Errors and Problems Noted by Transcriber: grouped by type

the pope may not assoyle them _text changed by hand to_ he may not be assoyled

as soone as [thou] mayst breke out of suche comunycacõn Than thynke how greate Ioye he hath in heuen I thanke the with all my herte _text reads_ brebe, thyn be, thanbe